01 ○ [action]

[grainsoftruth]

Cafeteria... cafeteria...

[Today, the large directory in the lobby has a captive audience - not literally, but it's easy to infer that from both the distressed look on her face and the length of time she's been staring at it, almost motionless.]

Ah... Ah! Okay, I got it! If the map says it's here, that means it's gotta be [she points] this way!

[Just as suddenly as it blossomed, her confidence wilts.]

Or... maybe it's this way? This way?

[Slowly, her attention wanders from the map in front of her to the crowds bustling past her in all directions, down to the slightly oversized cadet uniform she's wearing, and finally up towards the ceiling.]

Cafe...?

[She tries to stifle a yawn, unsuccessfully - but then keeps her eyes closed, her expression turning into one of utmost concentration.] No way! There's no way I'm givin' up here! I can do this! I just gotta focus...!

[After a couple more minutes of her standing there, a keen listener might be able to make out a tiny snore.]

Comments

[fisheyes]

[... Is that kid snoring in the middle of the lobby?

Yes. Yes, she is. Being the responsible adult that he is, Gintoki does the sensible thing. He stops in his tracks, fishes around in his pockets for a pen, and edges closer to her.

He's sure she'll look just dashing with a moustache. Maybe a pair of glasses, too.]

[grainsoftruth]

[She giggles sleepily as the pen tickles her face.] Hey, don't go saying things like that, you hear? A real prawn's gotta have more than... [Her voice fades into a mumble, soon followed by another (adorable) snore.]

[fisheyes]

[Gintoki pauses in his beautiful art to listen. He's heard weirder.]

... Some pep-talk.

[Then back to drawing. Hey, want a tic-tac-toe board on your cheek, Osaka? Because now you have one. Oh, and a unibrow.]

[grainsoftruth]

Huh...?

[About halfway through the unibrow, Osaka opens her eyes - and then has to open them again after a couple of nonplussed blinks.]

Oh! No, I was talking to someone else. Don't you worry about it. [Beat.] Say, why're you standing there? The map's behind you.

[fisheyes]

Yeah, Gin-san figured he wasn't a prawn.

[He waves the pen about a little, looking distracted.]

Aa, sorry, sorry. I was practicing my face-reading. It's more accurate than palm-reading. Then after the face-reading, I was gonna try some face-writing.

[He points to the pen in explanation, expression blank.]

See? All totally innocent.

[espio]

...[Really? REALLY?

Espio stares for a moment, and then proceeds to walk over and... poke. In the ribs.]

[grainsoftruth]

Face-reading... [She peers at the pen curiously, then smiles.] I see! That sounds like a lot of fun. Hey, did you read anything in mine, or did I wake up too soon?

[grainsoftruth]

[The snore she was in the middle of ends abruptly in a squeak, and her eyes fly open.]

Whuh? Who's there? I ain't sleeping! I swear I wasn't sleeping!

[espio]

Yeah, sure.

How can you even sleep standing up, in the middle of the day, in the middle of the school, with all the noise?

[grainsoftruth]

Well, I... I was standing here already, so...

[She trails off, looks down at Espio properly, and blinks.] Huh?

[thumbsize]

[ Thumbelina sees the girl on her way to the library to study, and goes over to her. ]

Um ... [ From afar, the girl looked like she was depressed ... but up close, Thumbelina can clearly see that the student is sleeping. How is that possible in this loud building? ]

Excuse me?

[fisheyes]

Ah, you woke up a little too soon. I can start again, if you like. Your whole future read for only 30 Gil!

[He manages to look slightly mysterious, or possibly just like he's staring off into the distance in a daze.]

That's a, uh, discounted rate. Just for you. I don't normally do this kind of stuff so cheap, y'know.

[grainsoftruth]

Huh?

[Osaka groggily rubs at her eyes a couple of times before opening them properly.]

Oh, hey there! Is something the matter?

[grainsoftruth]

[Happily, Osaka is pretty danged familiar with the idea of staring off into the distance in a daze, and just assumes it's another thing they can establish a rapport over.

She looks thoughtful for a moment.] But if I've still got a face, what's that supposed to mean? Does going to sleep and waking up again change the future that much, or what?

[thumbsize]

Uhm, I don't think so.

[ She's a little nervous now. ]

It's just I was wondering why you're sleeping in the lobby. It's not a very comfortable place to take a rest break, is all...

[grainsoftruth]

[She nods cheerfully.] Yeah, you're right! Kinda makes me wish they had a bed right here, or maybe a heated table. It'd be the considerate thing to do, if you ask me.

1/2

[fisheyes]

[Bonding via staring. Sounds legit.]

Ahaha! You completely misunderstand, kid!

2/2

[fisheyes]

[Suddenly LEANING IN CLOSE]

Have you ever heard of 'faceless corporations', aa? Maybe the adults haven't told you because they don't want to scare you, but you'd better keep a good hold of your face. Because if the guys at one of those companies sees something important in it...

[He hold up the pen-less hand, miming a pair of scissors snipping.]

They'll try to buy it from you for far less than it's worth!

[thumbsize]

Maybe, but it might get in the way of students and staff going to classes.

[grainsoftruth]

[Unfazed but curious, she puts a hand to her chin, obliviously smudging the corner of Gin's beautiful tic-tac-toe board.] Then how much is it worth? I mean to say, if we're talking supply and demand, seems like faces would be one of those things with an awful lot of supply and not much demand.

[Missing the point? What point?]

[grainsoftruth]

Oh! That's a good point. I didn't even think about that. [Although she's hardly big enough to be much of an obstruction, really...

She stifles a yawn.]

You're completely right. I oughta get out of the way. Say, you don't happen to know where there are any heated tables around these parts, would ya? Or is this one of those countries where they don't have anything like them at all? 'Cause, see, I wouldn't know.

[thumbsize]

Heated...tables? [ She makes a confused face, but she's curious. She knows that a lot of people in Garden are all from different worlds, and after comparison after comparison, she's found herself wondering about these odd innovations that everyone talks about. ]

What is a heated table?

[grainsoftruth]

You're from one of those countries too? I see! [She nods sagely.] Sure would like to hear about it sometime. All I've ever really heard are stories and the kinds of things that wind up on the news.

[True to her word, as she's talking, Osaka starts to pick her slightly unsteady way away from the directory, out of the rush.]

My name's Ayumu, by the way! Ayumu Kasuga. [She apparently sees nothing weird about the circumstances of this introduction.]

[thumbsize]

Oh! It's nice to meet you. [ She puts out a hand. ] I'm Thumbelina.

[grainsoftruth]

Thumbelina... I got it! Can't say I know what country that name's s'posed to be from, but it's nice to meet you too. [She stops in her tracks to bow slightly, politely.

And promptly gets knocked flat on her face by one of the cadets currently rushing past.]

[thumbsize]

O-oh!!

[ Thumbelina's hands fly up in surprise and horror and she quickly gets down to the ground and starts getting Osaka to her feet. ]

Are you okay? [ Over Osaka's head she angrily shouts. ] Please be more careful!

[grainsoftruth]

Owww... [Through dint of great effort, Osaka pulls herself more or less upright and rubs her head.] Oh my, you weren't kidding about me getting in the way of people. It's like a PE class without the class. [She pauses.] Hey, is that what everyone's in such a rush for, do you know? PE class? Is this how everyone's hoping to warm up early and get a head start on folks who don't? That's so unfair.

[thumbsize]

No. [ She smiles encouragingly. ] Everyone is always in such a rush here that sometimes they forget to slow down and look both ways. [ She dusts off Osaka's shoulder. ] Maybe you can go rest in your dorm. You know your dorm room, right?

[grainsoftruth]

Yeah, I reckon that's a good idea. I think I remember the way. Some folks showed me over there just a minute ago. [She smiles right back.] I guess I'll see you around, Miss Thumbelina. Thanks for helping me up!

[And off she goes, none too quickly, in completely the opposite direction to the dorms.]

[thumbsize]

Uhm, excuse me?

[ She follows after Osaka. ]

If you are going to the dorms, that is the wrong way to take.

[grainsoftruth]

[Osaka stops and looks back over her shoulder.] Huh? Really? Are you sure? I coulda sworn we went this way. [Her gaze wanders up towards the ceiling as she tries to remember the way.] Although, come to think of it...

[She's lost in thoughtful silence for a long time.]

...Ah. Maybe I forgot.

[thumbsize]

[ Thumbelina brings a hand to her lips and covers a giggle, shoulders shaking. ] If you'd like, I can take you to your dorm room.