If there were any parts of this magical item that Ataru could do without, it was the overwhelming weight of responsibility that settled in on him after he'd been in a role long enough. For a pervert like him, things like professionalism and responsibility were distractions from what actually mattered in the world. It was like a reversal of Jekyll and Hyde syndrome, where the monstrous duality is usually in control and only rarely does the decent man have the chance to come out to the forefront.
If anyone were watching for it then it would be obvious to them the moment that the transition completed. Ataru's back grew straighter, his posture more refined and controlled. His eyes kept to eye level, his hands wandered a little less easily. Most telling of all was this moment of rising disgust as the two personalities crossed control, a look which faded into one of total professionalism and seriousness. He had gone from exactly the kind of person who would abuse the power he was given, to the sort that couldn't even do it if being held at gunpoint. His sense of integrity had become truly overwhelming!
However, Miss Sakura was the only one watching him at this time and she was too spellbound by the badge to notice anything amiss, although she did ask "Is everything alright?" when she noticed his expression change.
"Nothing at all," Ataru smoothly answered. He grabbed his pen and clipboard, and began to write on it. "The bulk of the work concerning tomorrow's test is now concluded. However, in order for the test results to mean anything at all we must be certain that all variables are accounted for. Unless there was something else you wished to discuss, I would appreciate your cooperation."
For the first time in her life, Sakura gave Ataru a quite genuine smile, the kind of smile that deserved to be framed and put in an art museum. Normally it would reduce a man's knees to jelly, but for someone under the guidance of the authority badge it barely even registered.
"I would be happy to assist," Sakura answered. "What do you need me to do?"
"As the school nurse, you will be the most keenly aware of the students and their medical history," Ataru answered. "In addition, you are quite the beautiful woman." Sakura blushed at the compliment, which seemed all the more impactful because Ataru was quite transparently not using it for the purpose of buttering her up. "Those two traits make you uniquely qualified to help me identify potentially troublesome students."
"Troublesome students...?" Sakura repeated.
"Yes," Ataru nodded. "Anyone with unusual medical requirements will especially require monitoring. Obviously, I would not ask you to break patient confidentiality and I do understand how delicate this situation might be. Even so..."
"Well... I suppose that Lum is an alien," Sakura mused. "She has the ability to levitate and can throw around lightning. Will that be a problem?"
"Potentially," Ataru answered, noting Lum's name down. "I'll be sure to speak with her later on. When you have the opportunity please check your records for a more comprehensive list. Now, the other issue is also quite sensitive, but in a quite different way."
He looked around to ensure they were alone. Sakura mimicked this, and then the two of them leaned in together, with Ataru's voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know if you've noticed, but the uniforms we will be using to conduct this experiment are rather overtly sexual."
"They are?" Sakura asked, genuinely surprised. "I... Hadn't noticed. Although now that you mention it..."
Ataru waved this off as unimportant. He had other issues to deal with. "The point is, the sexualised nature of these uniforms is bound to cause some extra interests from certain exuberant members of the student population. To a point we feel this will benefit the experiment, but from your description of Ataru Moroboshi it seems like he might be a little <i>too</i> excitable. If he acts up too much then that enthusiasm might ruin the integrity of the data."
"Moroboshi has a history of being a troublemaker," Sakura agreed. "He's such a bad boy. A naughty, filthy boy who needs to be - " Her hand gripped around the ticket Ataru had given her. "I can't try this out soon enough," she muttered to herself. "Wh-What do you intend to do about him?"
"That depends," Ataru answered. "Are there any other students who might pose similar problems?"
"He hides it better, but Shutaro Mendo is also quite similar in a lot of ways. Although I would advise against making the comparison in front of him if you want a quiet evening."
"This Mendo boy sounds like the troublesome sort," Ataru said, scribbling furiously in his notebook. "Please tell me everything you know about him..."
<hr>
Shutaro Mendo had a very quiet day. This was quite unlike him, as this wealthy boy was usually quite boisterous, boastful and above all else loud. Though he would like to cultivate the aura of a quiet and contemplative handsome wealthy and all around desirable man, this was not usually in his nature. And the girls noticed.
He could hear many of them whispering things like "is it just me or is he really hot today?" as he stared out of the window. How foolish. He was always this attractive! And yet... Something inexplicable had happened yesterday. Something that had ground his normal outspoken nature to a temporary halt.
Shutaro Mendo had met someone with greater authority than him.
It grated on his soul! It was inimicable to the natural order of the world! For him to meet an equal, that was quite one thing (shocking though it may be), but to meet someone with greater authority still? It challenged the very bedrock of everything he believed in! What made matters worse still were the tickets burning a hole in his pocket. They brimmed with power, and he should know for he had been exposed to power for all of his life. Each would last for a single shot, and obviously he was not <i>afraid</i> of them or anything like that. He was simply... contemplating the best approach to take regarding them. Destroy them? No, no! Magic like this did not appreciate being tampered with. But the longer he held them, the likelier it was that his sister would discover them, and that was a fate nobody - even that wretch Ataru Moroboshi - should have to bear!
"Pardon me, Shutaro Mendo?" a familiar voice arose behind him. Shutaro initially reared around with full intention of yelling at that very same wretch for disturbing him, but soon found himself instead staring at a badge that read 'Institute of Uniform Fetishisation'. "Do you have a minute to talk?"
"Certainly," he beamed. Aha, this helpful person from that wonderful institute must want his advice on proper uniform fetishisation. Well, obviously Shutaro was not a pervert by any means. Still! He could at least offer some sage advice. The young official took a seat next to him, bowing a little in the process to show the proper respect. Very good, very good. "So, how can I help you today?"
"You have heard of the experiment tomorrow?" the official remarked. Shutaro shook his head. No, he had not heard of any experiment. "Ah, that is a shame. Well, tomorrow we will be trial running a new set of uniforms that we believe shall have various positive effects on the students. Increased work ethic, more confidence. You get the idea? Well, unfortunately I shall only be able to coordinate at one sight, and I have been looking for a volunteer to tide things over at our secondary site. You came highly recommended as a trustworthy student."
Well, that was only natural. Of course his name would come up on such a shortlist! It might even be the only name on it, in fact you could hardly call it a list at all! Shutaro puffed out his chest and crossed his arms. Not from pride, not from arrogance: Only because it would show the proper acknowledgment that such a request plainly deserved.
"What precisely would this entail?" he smoothly asked. Best he know what he was getting involved with before agreeing to it.
"That much is easy," the official immediately answered. "You will be visiting a control site, Keppeki Women's High. As its name implies it is an all girl's school. Thanks to the arrangement with their Principal, you will be given free access to the facility for the duration of tomorrow's test."
F-Free access to an all girl's school? The name did ring a distant bell, but he was too distracted by the implications and the meaning behind this. The official continued, seeming happy that Mendo had taken all of that aboard.
"You will bring along some documentation to demonstrate that you have permission to be present," he said. "However, while you are on the grounds you are not to involve yourself with the students. Outside of safety reasons you are not to touch or talk to any of the girls within the campus once you have assigned them their new uniforms. You are only permitted to take pictures and notes detailing the effects of the uniform. And of course you shall be compensated for this assistance once the day is concluded, in the form of a ticket that shall permit certain additional special properties for your school uniform. Perhaps a charm to enhance your natural good looks?"
Well now. "You drive a hard bargain," Mendo wistfully said. "I anticipate working with you come tomorrow!" With that, the relevant papers were slid across the table. Permission to enter, the order forms for the uniforms, and of course the contractual agreement that he would not in any way harass the students of that all girl's school. He signed them all without a second thought.
Of course, it wouldn't be until the next day that he would remember that this particular girl's school was the same one attended by a certain starry eyed girl named Asuka Mizunokoji, but by that time it would be far, far too late for him to back out.
<hr>
So far as Lum was concerned today had not been a good day. After last night's magical first time with her Darling - consequence free for that one night only - she had rather hoped that she would be able to be more snuggly with him out in public. But alas, it was not to be: He had completely vanished very early into the day, and now it was already hometime with nobody seeming to have the faintest idea of where he was!
Maybe he had gone home without her...? Oh well! There wasn't anything else for it but for her to head back to his place anyway.
"I'm home!" she called through Ataru's open window. Unlike most people she didn't really see the need to use the front door when she could just as easily fly right on in. No sign of darling unfortunately. Oh well. Lum landed gracefully on the floor and squirmed a little bit, then immediately set about taking off her uniform so she could go about in her more normal attire: Her tiger print bikini was so much more comfortable to her.
There was a knock on the door. "Miss Lum?" called a voice that sounded a lot like Darling. Then the door opened, and a hand stuck through holding out a badge. It looked really officious. "Institution of Uniform Fetishisation. If you don't mind, I'd like to have a word or two with you..."
- Lum and Ataru talk for a while about the effect her alien biology might have on the uniforms.
- Now that it's after school, Ryuunosuke can wear those girly clothes!
- Sakura tries on her lingerie.
- Shinobu talks Ran into a sleepover so they can discuss her issues.
- Something else
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