001 | Action; cafeteria

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

[Kazuma is currently sitting in the caf, scowling at his lunch even as he eats it. Not that there's anything wrong with the food (that's actually pretty good, in his opinion), he's just contemplating the series of events that ended with him being transplanted here, and if Time Compression had an ass, he'd definitely be kicking it right about now.

As it is, however, he's not quite sure what to make of this bunch that call themselves mercenaries, but act more like regular military. True, he's not seen--or even heard about--any kidnapping, or torture, or brain-washing, but then he just got here, after all. He's still fairly suspicious and for the time being is adopting a 'wait and see' attitude.]

Tch. This's so messed up...

Comments

[selfmadehero.livejournal.com]

[ She still thinks this whole thing is a test. There's no way an operation like this is going down without Batman knowing about it. And although it's obvious what he wants her to get out of it physically and mentally, there's nothing to say she shouldn't be herself and try to make friends.

Step one to making the right friends in high school? Find someone who's sitting alone. It was usually a safe bet. So she sets her food down across from the red haired boy and smiles. ]

Hey! Mind if I sit here?

[beginsoffstage.livejournal.com]

[Gabriella goes ahead and takes the empty seat next to him.] I hope you aren't talking about the food. I'm pretty sure that if they wanted to poison us, they wouldn't have gone for the direct approach.

[nothing says "hi, let's be friends" like semi-bad jokes, right?]

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

[He glances up, still scowling. It takes a second for the translator device to kick in, but when it does, he shrugs at the question. There are plenty of other unoccupied seats, but whatever.]

It's a free country--far as I can tell, anyway.

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

[Okay, that actually gets a small chuckle from him. Congrats on amusing the crank-butt.]

Nah, the food's not too bad, actually--better than what I can usually get back home. Or more of it. Or something.

[selfmadehero.livejournal.com]

[ The translator is a bit unexpected, but she gets over it quickly and takes a seat. ]

I'll take that as a 'yes, please, come have lunch with me Steph!' But only because you didn't say no.

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

[That gets a wry half-grin and another shrug.]

I don't care if you sit here--just ain't great company right now.

[selfmadehero.livejournal.com]

[ She gives a dramatic, belabored sigh. ]

I suppose I'll just have to deal with it, seeing as I've already made my decision.

[ But then she grins again. ]

I'm Stephanie.

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

Hn. I guess you will. [He does grin a little at that, though, and nods at the introduction.]

Kazuma.

[selfmadehero.livejournal.com]

Nice to meet you.

[ She lets the conversation lapse for a minute to eat some of her lunch and give him time to adjust to her sitting across from him. ]

So why the long face? Are you new too?

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

[He goes back to eating as well until she speaks again.]

Yeah. Just got here a week or so ago. And...I dunno, just don't know quite what to think about this place, yet, I guess.

[selfmadehero.livejournal.com]

[ She snorts despite herself. ]

Then you've got a good week or so on me. At least the food's decent?

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

[He nods and takes another bite or two.]

Seems okay to me--guess it'd depend on what you're used to, though.

[selfmadehero.livejournal.com]

I've had much worse. Mom's not exactly a great cook.

[ She does poke at it though. ]

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yeah, it's definitely better than my cooking, too.

So...you're new too, huh? Where're you from?

[He seems a little less suspicious/more talkative now that he knows she's even newer than he is. Maybe.]

[selfmadehero.livejournal.com]

Second day ever! I'm from Gotham. [ Of course she assumes he knows where that is. ]

[beginsoffstage.livejournal.com]

[Ha! Gabs can only grin as she helps herself to some of her salad.] Impressive. Your world must've been special to have this as superior.

So you've officially lost me at where this place's confusing. Was it the Time Compression or the fact that it's a military school or... what?

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

[Well, you know what they say about assuming things...]

Gotham, huh? Uhh...where's that?

[selfmadehero.livejournal.com]

[ She blinks at him for a moment. When they said "new world" she didn't think they were serious. ]

Gotham City? New Jersey? Crime capitol of the world? You're kidding, right?

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

[He shrugs and takes a few more bites of his own food.] Dunno if it's all that special or not, but I liked it. Understood it, anyway.

Heh. Well, I've gotta admit that the idea of me being stuck at a military school does seem like some sorta sick, twisted joke.

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

[He blinks right back and shrugs.]

Ain't never heard of Gotham City, but I've heard of New Jersey--that's in the States, right?

Huh. Guess that means we're from the same world, then.

[Aaaand the surliness goes down yet another notch since she's not only new to Garden, but is also pretty much in the same boat as he is.]

[beginsoffstage.livejournal.com]

Yeah. [she nods in agreement] I've been to plenty of schools before this - and I was supposed to go to Stanford back home - but military school's a first for me.

Especially the whole "para-magic" thing. Did they have that in your world?

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

[This is the first school of any kind for Kazuma--but he's going to keep that to himself for the time being.] Yeah, me too--military school, I mean.

[Shakes his head at the question.] Don't really have any kind of magic where I'm from. Although I guess Altering might seem like magic to anybody that hadn't seen it before.

[selfmadehero.livejournal.com]

[ She can't help but stare. There's no way he's never heard of Gotham. But she shakes it off- if he's foreign, maybe he just didn't get a whole lot of international news. ]

I guess so. How many worlds are there, anyway? [ Honestly, until now she'd assumed there were only the two of them. Of course, if this was a sort of virtual reality there could easily be other programs. ]

[screw-the-rules.livejournal.com]

Heh. Well, up 'til about a week ago, I'd of said one, but now? [He gestures vaguely at their surroundings.] Who the hell knows?

I'd just like to know where the damn exit is so I can go back home.

[beginsoffstage.livejournal.com]

Maybe. What's Altering? [genuine curiosity: her world has NOTHING supernatural about it whatsoever]