09 | action + PM

[alwaysanarcher]

[PM to Touma Norstein]
Hey Touma,
I hear you're in charge of Rapunzel's party preparations? I want in. (I know you know her from Infirmary stuff but I'm also her BFF so I'd really like to know what's going on in case I get to drag her away from a surprise or something similar).

When can I meet you? Does 7:30 PM work? I can meet you in your room or office or someplace private. I'd offer my room, but my roommate might be in and I don't want to kick her out.

- Cissie

[Action; Training Center & Quad]
[It's been a while since Cissie's been in the Training Center. If asked, she'd lie and say it was because of schoolwork and infirmary training keeping her busy... but when it boiled down to it, it was kind of painful to walk in there.

Just before going down to the Center, she stops by the Quad and glances around at the scenery (which includes that weird lollipop garden from Home Ec class) before she hesitates. It takes her a while to actually set foot inside, as she'd seen so many of her friends train there. She felt weird going in and not seeing her old friends hard at work. Compression really, really sucked sometimes.

She pulls out her bow and starts to shoot at her pre-made archery targets. As usual, they hit the bulls-eye every time... but she's not really looking for a challenge either, and it's kind of obvious.]

Comments

PM

[youngnobelman]

[NO NO NO HE CAN HEAR ALL HIS BEAUTIFUL PLANS GOING DOWN THE TOILET ALREADY.]

Yes, I'd appreciate the extra help. 1930 in my dorm works fine.

Touma H. Norstein

PM => action

[alwaysanarcher]

great! I'll see you then :)

Cissie

[SHE WON'T RUIN ALL OF HIS PLANS, SILLY BOY. Just the more ridiculous ones that obviously don't suit Rapunzel at all. Cissie's snarky, but she isn't a mean girl.

She arrives in front of his door at 1930 sharp! Knock, knock, Touma...]

[youngnobelman]

[Ooh, punctuality, Touma always appreciates that. He opens the door.]

Cissie, come on in.

[The common room of Touma's dorm is very clean but also rather sparse; the only real personal touches are things like expensive-looking cushions. His laptop and a cup of tea are on the table.]

Would you like some tea? Gaomon's new blend is excellent.

[Gaomon's in the kitchenette, but he'll wave when Cissie comes into view.]

[alwaysanarcher]

Thanks.

[She notices those cushions and smiles just a little bit brighter at them... Aw, he's got a cute dog? GF? Cissie's not very sure what Gaomon is, but she definitely wishes she could take him home.

At the mention of tea, she nods.] Sure. What kind is it?

[youngnobelman]

Earl Grey mixed with English breakfast. Here - [Gaomon pours her a cup and offers it to her. Touma's tea set is matching and sleek, no delicate flowers here.

[Once Cissie has her cup, Touma beckons her over to his laptop and indicates the monitor.] I've begun drafting some rough plans...

[He's got a Word document open with a two-column table, times, locations, and contact numbers on the left, activities on the right. Lunch at the Balamb Hotel restaurant, Chocobo riding in Trabia... It goes on, getting steadily more ridiculous.]

[alwaysanarcher]

Thanks. [Mmm, it smells good! She's not a gourmand by far, but she thinks she can appreciate a good cup when she sees one. Following Touma to his laptop, she leans over and inspects most of it.

... What.

They are not going to Deling in the evening.] Uh. Why are we visiting three cities in one day?

[youngnobelman]

[HELLO??] Because all three offer different but enjoyable experiences appropriate for a birthday celebration, which I think Rapunzel deserves, and, furthermore, would like.

[... defensive much?]

[alwaysanarcher]

[VERY defensive. She was just asking a simple question!]

Still, in one day. If you want her to experience a proper Deling evening, couln't you postpone it until next weekend? That way, we might actually not be asleep when it rolls around.

[youngnobelman]

[Please hold, we're having a lightbulb moment here.

[Aaaaand we're back.] We could begin on Saturday and use the whole weekend.

[INSPIRED]

[alwaysanarcher]

[Cue the facepalm.]

Aren't you forgetting about your field trip? I thought you guys weren't going to get back until Sunday morning.

[youngnobelman]

I'm sure I could arrange for someone to keep everything on schedule until I get back!

[alwaysanarcher]

Like who? I'm not volunteering myself for that.

[youngnobelman]

... Gaomon.

Yes, master?

I know you can run one of my schedules.

... I -

Brilliant!

[hawkette]

[Oh hey there's another girl archer here. That made three, unless Artemis went home and she hadn't noticed. And whoever that new archer girl was seemed... bored? sad? Kate really couldn't tell by body language alone, but she could tell she wasn't right.

In the doorway, she takes an arrow from her quiver, nocks it, draws her bowstring back and lets it fly, her arrow aiming right next to Cissie's.]

[alwaysanarcher]

[Huh.

Cissie knows Artemis isn't out here, but it's been a while since she's seen someone else with that kind of skill. Garden doesn't teach archery, so it can't be someone who learned it here... She turns around and glances over at the other archer.] Nice shot.

[hawkette]

[Lowering her bow, Kate headed over towards Cissie.] You're pretty good yourself. Sorry about that, I didn't want to break your concentration by announcing myself.

[alwaysanarcher]

Thanks. You wouldn't have been a bother, though - I'm sure I've shot through worse conditions.

[She holds her hand out expectantly, though she wouldn't be surprised if they didn't shake hands.] My name's Cissie, by the way.

[hawkette]

Still, no reason to be rude. [Shakes the offered hand.] Kate. Nice to meet you, Cissie.

[alwaysanarcher]

Nice to meet you too! [Wait, her name sounds familiar. Wasn't she...] Hey, you're the Cadet that volunteers downtown a lot, right? At all of those shelters and soup kitchens and stuff?

[hawkette]

Yeah, that's me. ...Wait, you replied to that BBS post, right?

[alwaysanarcher]

The one you made like forever ago, right? Yeah, that was when I got Compressed back in.

[hawkette]

That's the one. Nice to formally meet you.

[alwaysanarcher]

You too! I thought Artemis and I were the only ones who could shoot around here, so it's nice to meet someone else who can.

[hawkette]

I'm just surprised more girls like archery. Not that I'm complaining of course.

[alwaysanarcher]

No one here teaches it, so I'm not too surprised. They're all ridiculously fond of their gunblades.