[Club] Flower Arranging

[Neko]

Serena's anxiety about the clubs only got stronger as she waited for the first meetings to actually begin. This wasn't just going to be something she did for fun...No, she had to be amazing at it. She had to make sure she was the best, or at least, close to the best. To most, flower arranging wasn't a big deal - To Serena, the club would be a life or death social situation. She stood before the club room's door, the voices she heard coming from within making her hesitate. "Oh, just calm down, you already know the basics..." She thought. The moment after signing up, Serena had begun her research. She had no intention of entering the club unprepared. The special foams, warm leafs versus cool, the little knowledge she had gave her a bit of comfort.

Finally mustering up the courage to move forward, Serena carefully opened the door, being sure to put on her brightest smile as she entered the room.

[Mysticsage]

Serena had checked and double-checked what classroom was registered to the club. The classroom was on the second floor. It was a classroom far of in the corner of the building that she had almost missed twice. Taking a deep breath she slowly opened the door. The long and narrow room had only a handful of desks. Who would teach in a classroom like this? However, this and any other questions going threw her mind blew away when she saw who was waiting inside. Two males huddled around a slightly taller woman, and another boy sitting in the corner. However what was worse the senior girl laughing away was wearing the exact same hairdo.

Scanning quickly you are able to recognize one of the boys as a fellow sophomore from another class. Damien Potts was his name you think. His short raven black hair was greasy and sticking to his skull. He was far from the most impressive one in the room. Scrawny, ghostly pale a good head shorter then you and pox marked from acne. He was the definition of an introvert and a shut in.

The tallest boy was a short-cropped haired senior known for his baseball ability rather then his interest in flowers. He was rather popular amongst the cheerleaders and other girls. He seemed to have no interest in them however from what you had seen last year.

Then again maybe it had something to the girl he was looking at who was stealing the show at the moment. June Crest a social leaper much like Serena however much less successful. Her middling popularity seemed to go unnoticed by her as she curled a strand of he light brown hair enjoying the attention. The last boy was the smallest and from his doe eyed expression at the others.

June seeing you enter first called out, ?Oh good I was worried I?d be the only girl in this club.? At this she has put you on the spot. Now everyone including Damien in the corner was looking at you as you stood halfway in the doorway.

[Neko]

Well, this was a little odd. The sparsely furnished classroom wasn't too off putting, just different. Maybe they had moved stuff out of the way for activities? But...The company also confused her. This, at least to her, seemed like a pretty girlish activity. Yet, the majority of the club turned out to be males. Oh well. She kept her cool, despite her suspicions.

?Oh good I was worried I?d be the only girl in this club.? June Crest had said.

Having all the attention on her wasn't a new thing. In fact, such attention was part of what Serena sought after. She smiled at June's comment, making her way over to the idol wanna-be. Serena knew this girl well. Not exactly personally, but she'd heard a lot, and seen a lot. She was almost as dedicated as Serena to gain a high spot on the totem pole ? But, obviously not dedicated enough.

Serena pulled herself on top of an empty desk, crossing her legs and leaning back, supporting herself with her hands. ?Do you think this is everyone?? She asked, genuinely curious. ?Oh, and nice hair-do by the way, June.? Serena teased in a friendly manner. Deep inside, she wanted to pull that bun right off of June's head. ?Also...What are we even going to do? Are supplies provided for us?? A lot of people were new to the club thing, so she didn't feel too bad about asking a lot of questions. She glanced around the room, her eyes momentarily meeting with Ernest's pretty green ones. Although she'd never admit it, Serena had a crush on the baseball player at one point, just like many others. But, not only was he a bit older, she wasn't the type to fight for a guy.

[Mysticsage]

"This note from the principle said there was only five of us." said Ernest digging a crumpled piece of stationary out of his jean pocket. "We were just talking everything over before you came in."

"We think someone accidentally mislabeled the club and we were trying to figure out what to do." June cut in tersely obviously slightly upset with the dig. The men however didn't or did not want to notice her tone.

"There was a book with instructions along with the letter as well." said Cole the freshmen handing her the rather meaty binder with papers sticking out in every direction. "Its the reason we think they got something mixed up."

As you open the thing and flip through some of the pages you do not see what you expected. Instead of flowers and different arrangement techniques you find daily exercise and food regimes that look like they could kill someone if done improperly. Things like hanging crutches and split leg touches are some of the easiest and only things you can make out of the writing.

Looking at the front of the book again you see plain as day the words, For members of the flower arrangement club only on the cover

[Neko]

?Mislabeled?? Serena repeated, her anxieties rushing back. She took the book into her lap, immediately flipping through the pages as if on a mission. Work outs, diets...things she'd never even heard of before cluttered the pages. Yet, the book was clearly labeled ?For the members of the flower arrangement club only.?

She shut the book, turning her attention back to the other club members. ?Is this a joke?? She laughed half halfheartedly, the expressions the others had making her think otherwise. Maybe it really was some kind of big mix up? Although, with the location of the room, and the label on the book...she also wondered if this was supposed to be a secret.

Serena sighed.

?I guess the best thing would be to tell a teacher. I mean, unless you want to try this stuff?? She carefully looked at the pages again. Serena had purposely avoided anything athletic, yet an intense workout was staring her right in the face. She didn't want to come across as a weakling, though. ?I think some of this stuff could be really good for us, if we were careful about it.? Her words lacked confidence though as she pointed out some specific poses and regimens she thought to be the least painful.

Serena closed the book once again. ?Or, you know, we could just do flower arranging anyway. I'd be happy to show you guys what I already know...once we find supplies.?

[Mysticsage]

I guess the best thing would be to tell a teacher. I mean, unless you want to try this stuff?? After you uttered the words something shifted in the air like the calm before the storm. You feel goosebumps crawl up your arm, and looking around the after you are finished flipping through the book something is off about everyone. Then in a split second the feeling is gone and everything is back to normal shoving the moment off as simply your fear playing tricks on you after the surprise.

[color=green]?I think we should all give it a shot,"[/color] said Ernest taking the book gently back from Serena. The other boys in particular seemed like they were interested in the activity. Damien was especially surprising because of how he looked like he had never done anything like this before in his entire life. He still acted restrained and aloof in the corner, but interested all the same. June was the only one who seemed to be in a similar state as you are, however you could see that she was intrigued by the condense of the book despite herself.

You are not sure what changed if anything at all, but one thing is certain your feeling more and more stuck into carrying out what that book entails by the second the window of opportunity has closed without you realizing it before it was already closed.

?The question is how and where do we start?? said Damien dryly from the corner. It was the first time he had spoken the entire time they were standing around. No one else seemingly had an asnwer to that one.

[Neko]

For just one fleeting moment, everyone seemed different. Were these the same people she'd been talking to just a second ago? Serena froze, the sensation sending a chill down her spine. She couldn't quite figure out what it was...and before she had a moment to contemplate it, the feeling had left her. She was quiet after that. Ernest's voice brought her back to reality, though. 

He actually wanted to do this stuff? Why had she even suggested it!? Of course, Ernest was already sporty, so his interest wasn't much of a shock. Damien, however, now that was unexpected. She looked at the introvert, then down at the instructional book Ernest had taken from her. The more she looked at the book, the more she felt drawn to its contents. It wasn't something she'd ever dream of doing, yet, Serena couldn't say no. If she was going to do this though, she'd need to take the lead.

Serena brushed a a golden lock behind her ear, before bringing a hand to her chin as if in thought. ?Alright, then. Since the majority of the club seems interested, we'll do it.? Serena stated, not leaving any room for arguments. She hopped from her seat, pacing around the few desks there were as she spoke. ?The easiest place to start would be...well, from the beginning of the book, don't you think?? She said with a friendly smirk. ?As for where...? She paused, her back currently to the others as she thought...

?Well, any suggestions?? Serena asked as she turned to face them all again. Taking the lead would show Serena's confidence ? People liked confidence. But, if there was one thing the idol knew, it was that your subjects enjoyed having input. 

Despite the confusion and anxieties she had felt earlier, Serena would never forget her main goal in these clubs...to climb even higher in the school's social ranks. The urge to do so seemed to grow stronger every day.

[Mysticsage]

Flipping through the first few pages of the book Ernest responded, "It looks like most of the beginning is about cardiovascular exercises and flexibility training." He grimaced slightly as he flipped to a later page, "Tho I'm not so sure that guys are supposed to bend like that."


"Oh, and here are pages labeled as stage one diets." he said handing the sheets out to everyone. Reading the content and the recipes made everyone grimace protein shakes and herbal blends that already made you feel sick. You all agree that while the exercises look difficult they would be manageable down on the track field where you can all be running the required laps. Ernest leads the group down to the field with Cole close behind, You and Damien in the middle, and June taking up the rear.

After about an hour of running everyone but Ernest is clutching at the ground feeling like they are ready to vomit. Ernest on the other hand is winded and drenched, but still barely standing. At this point the sky is just beginning to turn a light shade of orange signalling the end of the agreed upon practice time,

[Neko]

Serena stood beside Ernest, looking over the pages with him. ?I'm not so sure girls are even supposed to bend like that...? She mumbled.

As for the diets, although it looked absolutely awful, such things weren't new to the idol. There was a reason she was so skinny, after all. Serena suggested that they all keep daily food logs, even offering to make the sheets for it herself.

---

?Oh boy...? Serena thought as they approached the field. She had changed into more appropriate clothing ? Now sporting black shorts and a small white T-shirt. Her hair was pulled into one large pony tail, her bangs carefully clipped to the side. This was what she feared most. If she wasn't careful, the others would see just how pathetic she really was when it came to sports.

Despite her hardest efforts, the idol lagged behind a bit the entire work out. She told the others she was just pacing herself, also claiming that pushing yourself too hard the first day was a bad idea. By the end of club, she could hardly breathe. She sat on the field grass, one leg crossed over the other, her head thrown back as she gasped for air. She pulled a small pink cloth from her pocket, dabbing the sweat on her forehead.

Ugh, she probably looked like a mess! Realizing this, she quickly began brushing through her hair with her fingers, adjusting her shirt, and dusting the dirt from her shorts. Looking to the others, she sent them all a tired smile. ?Good job guys.? She said between breathes. She noted the setting sun, and shakily brought herself to her feet. ?Man! If only I was like my dad! He trained for the Olympics you know.? The lie slipped from her mouth without a single thought. But surely a family member with such a history, especially a student's father, would be impressive. ?We used to run together, but that was a long time ago.? She stared into the sky, as if contemplating a distant memory...of course, the memory she mentioned didn't even exist. She couldn't even remember her father. Her breathing had finally calmed at this point, her body cooling down. ?Anyway, I guess it's time to go. I'd suggest getting something to eat, but we have a strict new diet to follow.? She joked.

[Mysticsage]

Tuesday September 10th

It has been two weeks since you started attending the clubs and that disturbing incident with the basketball club member, and you have noticed a large number of changes even in that time. The members of the Flower arrange club has been following the basic routines and guidelines as found in that book to a noticeable affect, especially in the guys. Even over a short period of time everyone has begun to put on a slight amount of muscle. The extra food that you?ve had to start eating to keep yourself going along with the weight training is the most likely culprit. Your flexibility has also increased from all the stretching you have been forced to do to keep your body from burning out. You also have seen others in school murmuring when they think you don?t notice them perhaps it is jealousy for all the time you spend with Ernest.

If the rumors are to be believed, Ernest has begun to already distance himself from his baseball teammates. He still is happy go lucky but has been starting to act a little more aloof then when you first met. His physique has begun to change still built for speed he has a different kind of speed and power about him. The person who surprised you the most was Damien. He also gained a noticeable amount of muscle about him and gained steeliness about his eyes while still staying as an observer. His dry sense of humor and cynicism was getting more and more vocal however. All three boys also seem to be going under a bit of a growth spurt height wise. Cole however is still shorter then you and has started to become a bit of a prankster. June and you have remained at the middle of the pack otherwise and she like you has gone through changes. She seems to be the most vocal about her dislike for what you are doing.

You enter the very small gym and the other four are waiting for you. ?Ready to get started Serena-chan?? Called Ernest with a wave he was starting to tie weights to his arms and legs as he waved.  People all around school have been similar suffixs for the last day or so.

Damien smirked ?Miss idol?s always ready to impress.? It was a kindhearted jab as he continued to stretch with Cole as a counter weight. He had started to build a bit of a lighthearted banter with you and you have a feeling that he can see through all your posturing and lies and just chooses to say nothing. June also frowns slightly at his statement but for an entirely different reason. Neither of you are the most popular girl in school, but spending what time with each other that you have she sees you as a threat to her own status and you know it. 

Spoiler

Please note that from this point forward any confrontational decision will begin a conversation battle or CB requiring rolls.

[close]

[Neko]

Serena could feel herself changing. In only two weeks, the extra dieting, and large amounts of exercise, were having quite the affect. She could see it in her fellow club members, as well - even more so than herself. She obviously wasn't the only one noticing the changes, however, the whispers from other students not going unheard. She didn't let it get to her though. The extra attention only gave Serena more confidence.

"Hey guys~." Serena sauntered into the gym with a cheerful greeting. She stretched her arms out above her head, then reached down toward her toes.

?Ready to get started Serena-chan?? Ernest had said.

Serena smirked. "I suppose so. Seems you guys already are." She still wasn't entirely happy with how things had turned out, but, the idol couldn't help but feel an odd sense of superiority, now that she had been hanging around Ernest so much.

Who you associated yourself with made a big difference in your social standings. Of course, the other three weren't exactly what she'd consider desirable company...but, she felt Ernest balanced it out. On top of that, her previous feelings for the baseball star had begun to resurface.

As for June, well, the rivalry between the two was obvious. Although the words they spoke to one another were generally friendly, the looks they gave each-other told another story. No matter the activity, Serena would now always try her best to do better than June...there was no way she was going to lose. The idol was always changing up her hairstyle as well, not wanting a repeat of the first day of club. Today she was sporting a simple braid.

Serena turned her attention to Desmond then, his comment making her feel a bit uneasy. She knew he was on to her - the comments he had been spewing lately making it obvious. But, rather than get upset, she simply laughed and rolled her eyes.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Serena questioned as she continued to stretch. Her right arm was pulled across her chest, while she used her left hand to pull on the opposite shoulder.

[Mysticsage]

 Ernest continued with some side leg lunges while they talked it was impressive how low to the ground he could actually get you realize. It was most likely due to the training that he had to go through for baseball. The weights had been a newer development however. He was becoming religious about following the regime that you had found in the first day in the clubroom. He normally brought the book home after every meeting. So far you haven?t gotten past the first handful of pages.

  ?The usual warm up run around the track then some more weight training.? he said with a smirk, which made everyone else grown.

?I?m getting tried of just running in circles all night, only to have to lift weights till we pass out.? Groaned Cole.

?The squirt is right you know we?ve been doing this nearly none stop to weeks now Brooks-Senpai?

?We only started this a couple of weeks ago if we push ourselves to hard to fast we will only end up hurting ourselves!? he sighed. The two boys complaining seemed to be becoming a regular thing when Ernest was around. Their constant groans and complaints seemed to only mildly bother him though. Though they did have a point.

Aside from stretching exercises, which were meant to increase flexibility all you had been doing up to that point was running and weight training. Not to mention everything you had to do at home on top of that. You had stopped taking the bus even at the end of last week choosing to run instead just to make sure you stayed in the middle of the pack. The problem wasn?t the distance really any more, but each day Ernest mad you guys run it faster and faster so that you felt winded no matter how much you practiced. 

The weight training and strength exercises was no walk in the park either you were now up to twenty pounds with the free weights from the set Ernest had brought from home. You were on par with June at least and only Damien and Ernest lifting more and doing more of the strength based stuff. They seemed to have a little bit of a friendly rivalry between them. However Ernest only continued to keep smiling as you continued going forward which made you shiver knowing it meant more work for all of you. The warm up with the same tiring affair although it wasn?t as bad as usual because Ernest had to take his shirt off half way through do to the fact that he refused to take the weights from around his wrists and ankles. After the ?warm up? he led everyone to the center of the track field. He had set up mats and a jumping pommel thing you had scene gymnast used.

?It?s time to start jumping practice.? he smirked

[Neko]

The boys were right, the majority of their training so far had been a whole lot of running and weight lifting. The idol still couldn't bring herself to be joyful about their activities, but the urge to do them grew ever stronger. It gave her a rush when she beat her past running records, or when the amount of weights she could lift increased. As she continued to stretch a bit, she carefully snuck a glance at the scantily clad Ernest. He had already been fairly toned before the start of their club, but it was amazing how defined his muscles were becoming. She smirked, breaking her stare quickly in hopes of not getting caught.

Ernest had led the group to the field, the club goers being met with a new obstacle this time. Although Serena had originally planned to take control of the group, Ernest, having the most athletic experience, had become more of a leader. She didn't mind too much, since she always threw in her two cents whenever possible.

"Oh lord." Serena thought, her arms crossed as she examined the object before her. She'd never used a pommel jump herself, but, she had seen it done. Despite her inexperience, the need to impress overrode her usual carefulness. Lately, it felt as if her and June were at a similar standing in their club, but she just had to out-do the idol wanna-be. Serena adjusted her hair tie, securing her bubbly pink hair. "I'll show you guys how its done, minna!~." Serena stated, waving at anyone too close to move aside....Why had she just used that odd word...? She shook it off, having other matters to attend to. Her heart began to pick up the pace as she realized what she was doing. But, for whatever reason, she couldn't stop herself. It seemed to be happening again, her urges becoming oddly uncontrollable.

Serena ran at the pommel, an image of what she wanted to accomplish in her head. With only the slightest hesitation, she jumped forward, taking hold of the two handle bars and attempting to spin herself around them. Her next move would be to use those same bars, and do a hand stand, before letting herself fall back and hopefully, land on her feet.