Ai arrived just after everyone else had shown up.  Various students from the school were filtering in. She could tell the first years from the second and third years, just by how they acted. The first years looked jittery and excited, many looking for familiar faces within the crowd.  The second years were mostly in small clusters, talking with their friends that they might not have seen over the break, meanwhile, the third years looked satisfied. They had finally made it, their final year of school!<br/><br/>However, Ai noticed that several people in the crowd stood out like sore thumbs.  A timid looking girl who seemd to want to disappear was talking with a gothic girl who looked to be about her age. Ai immediately wanted to talk to them, they looked to be about her age, so they were probably in her class. Most of her friends had graduated last year, so she was looking forward to meeting some new people. She just hoped she could find Shino-chan so they could all hang out together!<br/>She also noticed Amir speaking with Suo.  It took her a moment to realize that Amir must be the transfer student who was going to be staying with her family. She'd have to make a point of introducing herself to him, probably sooner rather than later.  She picked up her pace to meet up with him and Suo. However, on her way to speak with him, she noticed a small blue butterfly circling around Kenji and Kylar before it fluttered around her. She stared at it, transfixed as it flew over to Chiasa and Megumi, and then fluttered over to Suo and Amir.  She shook her head, realizing that Suo was about to lead Amir off somewhere, and once again picked up her pace to introduce herself.   Meanwhile, the butterfly meandered away from the rest of the group, off to parts unknown.<br/><br/>At about that time, Kenji's phone buzzed with a text message. It was from Ryu54, one of his online gaming buddies.  A couple of girls near Chiasa and Megumi started conversing in hushed tones, "So you heard about Madarme?"<br/>"Yeah, isn't it terrible?"<br/>"I know, right? To think, one of our classmates went missing three days ago.  I hope she doesn't turn up like the other ones."<br/>"Yeah. She was always so quiet, I wish I had gotten to know her a bit better."<br/>Ai stiffens as she walks past, their dialog obviously bothering her.  She shakes her head and presses forward through the crowd toward Amir and Suo.