Jump 01 | Action | Cafeteria

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

[Rose is taking the whole situation in stride. Seriously, there are only so many times one can be trapped in another universe and join up with the local military before even that gets a little routine. Going back to school, though... that's new.

She doesn't bother to visit the dorm and change out of her UNIT uniform, deciding instead to jump right into this new life. Truth be told, she has never cared for academics, but she knows better than to give up a chance like this.

She sets herself up at an empty table in the Cafeteria, her new course catalogue open in front of her and a steaming cup of tea close at hand. Her beret and gloves are left in a careless pile nearby. Using her truncheon as an oversized bookmark, she studies the book and scribbles some notes onto the back of her welcome letter.

Rose finds herself stuck on what to specialise in. Firearms and Projectiles seems like a natural fit, but a couple of other areas catch her eye. Does she want to train in a subject that she's already comfortable with, or should she branch out? She stares at the pages, willing them to answer her.

Eventually she sighs and looks away, resting her chin on her hand. Help or a distraction would be welcome right about now.]

Comments

[toomanyverses.livejournal.com]

[It's not as dramatic an entrance as some might prefer, but it's one all the same. Greece sidles in and takes the seat opposite, yawning a brief but friendly greeting as he hunches over his coffee. He winces when he sips at it... before seemingly falling asleep, cup still in hand.

Oops?]

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

[When he sits down, Rose scoots her things closer so that she's not hogging the tabletop. The yawn earns an amused grin. She considers starting a conversation, but if he's tired enough to nod off over his coffee, who's she to stop him from his nap?

Keeping an eye out in case he slumps into his mug and drowns, she takes an appreciative sip of her own tea.]

[toomanyverses.livejournal.com]

[Greece revives a few minutes later, mildly confused until he looks around and remembers where he is. Then he spies that course catalogue.]

Oh... Are you new, here?

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

[Ah, he's awake again.

Rose sets down her cup with a smile.]

Yeah, I just got here. They kitted me up to be a Cadet and everythin'.

[toomanyverses.livejournal.com]

Is that the uniform they gave you?

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

[Yeah... Rose has seen the uniform, and she isn't feeling the schoolgirl look. It's bad enough that she'll have to suffer through maths again, but how is she supposed to fight in that skirt without flashing everyone?]

No, this is what I was wearing when I fell through. I'm with [No, that's not right.] I was with the military.

[toomanyverses.livejournal.com]

This is a military school, I think. You should be able to fit in.

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

I'm not worried about fittin' in.

[Rose isn't, really. As history has shown, she will adapt and survive and anything beyond that will be a happy coincidence.]

What about you? Have you been here long?

[toomanyverses.livejournal.com]

Almost three weeks. I hear that I should expect to stay for a long time.

[fierybluebird]

[And Marco grabs a seat across from her and glances at the various gear.]

Looks like someone's well prepared, eh. Just get back from a mission?

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

Hm...?

[Rose looks down, then up at him. She's been carrying them for so long that she's forgotten that most don't.]

Oh. Probably not the sort you're thinkin' of. I'm a new Cadet.

[fierybluebird]

Not a SeeD?

Welcome to the Garden then. I'm Marco, an older Cadet.

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

Never went to school for it, no.

Nice to meet you. I'm Rose.

[The name still feels strange from disuse, but she ignores it.]

You like it here?

[fierybluebird]

Nice to meet you Rose.

Yeah, I do. Getting to learn about things before just experiencing them is something of a luxury for me. It's nice.

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

[That earns a smile.]

Even the academics?

[fierybluebird]

[Grins back, way too cocky.]

Yeah, but luckily most of those are pretty universal, so it was a breeze.

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

[She's familiar with that grin and the sort that wear it. Does she need to keep an eye on you, mister?]

They're basically turnin' us out to be soldiers, yeah? I don't know how balancing a chemical reaction or proper ballroom dancing is useful for it.

[bunnypassingby]

[Mikuru approaches out of curiosity. She's seen the SeeD uniform, but...]

Excuse me, ma'am? What's that uniform?

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

Just Rose, please. [nose wrinkling] 'Ma'am' makes me feel old.

It's just what I was wearin' when I fell through; doesn't mean anything here.

[bunnypassingby]

Rose. [Mikuru puts a smile on, but inside she's a little frustrated: English is so hard.]

It means something to you, right?

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah... [Makeshift families. What-ifs.] Silly, useless things, mostly.

I was a copper, a soldier. The names, the clothes change, but the job's the same.

[bunnypassingby]

[Her eyes widen with newfound respect, mostly from "soldier": Without her translation device, Mikuru doesn't really understand "copper" as Rose had intended and is left making a mental note to check secondary meanings of the metal later.] That's not silly or useless at all! You must be so brave... [Mikuru finds it hard enough to be brave enough to protect one person, let alone a country or something.]

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

What? No, 's really not like that. [a little self-deprecating laugh] It's the only thing I'm any good at, that's all. Not something heroic or anythin'.

But look at you. You're here. If I'm brave, you must be, too.

[bunnypassingby]

[Mikuru blushes.] I just ended up here by accident... And I thought some of the classes would be helpful to things I was doing at home, so I thought I'd enrol instead of working here.

[notthelostgirl.livejournal.com]

When I first started, it was because I fell into it, too.

But, I suppose what it comes down to is this: if the call for help comes, what'll you do?