Shinonome Laboratory

???: June 17, 2011, 2:57 AM

	A yawn escaped the young woman's mouth as she fought back the sleepiness that tried to overpower her. But she couldn't. She couldn't sleep. The last time she slept, her stature shrank a full six inches, and all her old dresses didn't fit anymore. Sooner or later, she wouldn't even be able to reach the stove. Despite her situation, Shinonome chuckled to herself.

	"Not that I'd be able to cook once that happens anyway..." she mumbled, running her hand through her long orange hair. Almost there, she told herself. A gentle midnight breeze blew through the open window, and the moonlight that was helping to illuminate the dim workshop she was working in disappeared.

	Defying her wishes, rain trickled down in a few seconds later, making a dreadful noise against the corrugated roofing. Shinonome's brow furrowed, and a drop of sweat made its way down her nose.

	Drip.

	She jolted awake. The workshop's leaky roof saved her life. Blinking rapidly for a couple of seconds, she then continued toiling away, trying not to mistake her workbench for a pillow.

	Her eyes peered at the console. Lines upon lines upon lines of green code. Green lights. The roosters were crowing. Not a single trace of red. The cold air was letting up. Green. The clock in the lower-right corner of her screen told her it was far past her bedtime. Enter key.

	The console began to do its work, a progress bar rapidly filling. The hand Shinonome was grasping tightly like a child began to warm up. Her eyelids were already closed tight at that point, and she slumped over her desk, fulfilled. Her stream of thoughts began to drift away, and one last thing crossed her mind.

	Since when did she have a bedtime?