[RailITP] Academy City FFRP IC I

[Anyr]

Spoiler

Show

Eli is passing by when he notices the girl from yesterday and her companion standing outside the crowds, probably waiting for them to thin before making their own way through. Part of him thinks to simply return her gesture out of courtesy and just be on his way, recalling that she prefers to avoid meaningless banter, but after confirming that he has a bit of time before classes begin, he decides otherwise and goes and talk to them. He carefully weaves through the wave of students and, once he finds them, says, "[Morning! How's it going?]" It takes a moment for his translation collar to kick in and recite a similar greeting in Japanese, and he suddenly remembers about the language barrier that he continues to face. It wouldn't be quite so bad if the collar didn't make him look and sound like a huge dork...

Unbeknownst to Eli, that collar actually saved him from being snubbed. From the moment he started approaching Moroe, she was already practising the dismissive quip she'd use to send him away in shame. But when that bulky neck accessory spoke up, the words died on her lips. Instead, she gave him a look of genuine sympathy.

[Oh you poor desperate fool. Did you lose a bet or something? That thing is going to send your credibility into a nosedive. Also, I speak English, remember?]

Tokiwadai

It was a new day. Her first day back in a while, actually. Krystal was excited. Not because she was back in school. No, that was never exciting. It was the fact that she was going to see her friends for the first time in a while. Kin and Crocell. Hopefully, they were getting along a little better than when she left.

It would prove quite hard to find Kin among the other students crowding the hallways. When school was in session, the normally outgoing girl blended right into the crowd. Despite the fact that her desk was right next to Krystal's in class, it had taken a serious incident to introduce the two to one another. If it hadn't been for that, they might never have exchanged a single word.

With sufficient diligence, Krystal would eventually spot her friend lifelessly trudging along. Well actually, lifeless trudging was frowned upon by the teachers. But she was definitely trudging in spirit.

[Arkhosia]

[Tokiwadai - Cafe]

Shizuka stands up and grins. "I know a place that's pretty out of the way for us to practice in peace and quiet."

Alright, lead the way!
Shantelle replies, smiling and waiting for Shizuka to do so!

[KerfuffleMach2]

Tokiwadai

A huge grin grows on Krystal's somewhat pale face. She works her way through the crowd, quickly closing in on Kin from behind. Once near, she'll reach out and tap Kin's left shoulder, then dart to her right side. An old classic, but Krystal still found it amusing.

[Morcleon]

Alright, lead the way!
Shantelle replies, smiling and waiting for Shizuka to do so!

Tokiwadai - Park

Shizuka leads them to a small park, currently empty. She finds a bench and plops down, pulling out a small glass rod and offering it to Shantelle. "So, um, could you show me your power? I'm really curious..."

[ImpSyndrome]

[HALLS OF ONIZUKA, BEFORE CLASS]

Unbeknownst to Eli, that collar actually saved him from being snubbed. From the moment he started approaching Moroe, she was already practising the dismissive quip she'd use to send him away in shame. But when that bulky neck accessory spoke up, the words died on her lips. Instead, she gave him a look of genuine sympathy.

[Oh you poor desperate fool. Did you lose a bet or something? That thing is going to send your credibility into a nosedive. Also, I speak English, remember?]

What's this about credibility? Cred for what, not being a loser? Eli rolls his eyes and waits for her to finish ridiculing him before responding, "[OK OK, I get it...and yeah, I am kind of desperate in a sense. I still haven't got a grip on speaking Japanese, but I can't very well attend classes without knowing the language, so I'm using this...thing until I learn some useful conversational stuff. It's just temporary...I hope...]" That's a lie, unfortunately; what he doesn't tell her is that his learning curve for foreign languages is more like a gentle slope. It's going to be a very long first day for Eli if all of his encounters are going to be like this...

((He's going to be pretty pathetic for a while, yes, but the tables will turn eventually. I just hope he'll eventually have the pleasure of showing at least someone up by reading their thoughts and shaming them in a very public fashion, especially if they go on teasing him in this fashion.))

[Arkhosia]

Tokiwadai - Park

Shizuka leads them to a small park, currently empty. She finds a bench and plops down, pulling out a small glass rod and offering it to Shantelle. "So, um, could you show me your power? I'm really curious..."

Shantelle nods, taking it and focusing.
The glass rod begins vibrating... Before shattering.
Shantelle cries out in surprise, covering her face and ending up with a few small glass shards in her forearms.

[Morcleon]

Shantelle nods, taking it and focusing.
The glass rod begins vibrating... Before shattering.
Shantelle cries out in surprise, covering her face and ending up with a few small glass shards in her forearms.

Tokiwadai - Park

"Ahh~!" Shizuka cries out, ducking her head to protect herself from the shards. She lifts her head and hurries to her friend's side. "Shantelle! Are you alright? I am so sorry..."

[Arkhosia]

Tokiwadai - Park"Ahh~!" Shizuka cries out, ducking her head to protect herself from the shards. She lifts her head and hurries to her friend's side. "Shantelle! Are you alright? I am so sorry..."

Shantelle nods, letting down her now bleeding arms.I'm fine, sorry. Haven't really gotten the hand of my powers.

[Anyr]

"[OK OK, I get it...and yeah, I am kind of desperate in a sense. I still haven't got a grip on speaking Japanese, but I can't very well attend classes without knowing the language, so I'm using this...thing until I learn some useful conversational stuff. It's just temporary...I hope...]"

Despite Moroe's harsh words, her body language didn't seem hostile. She was just bluntly stating an opinion, without any window dressing. As a matter of fact, she had plenty of reasons to sympathise with Eli's plight.

"[For what it's worth, I agree with you. You're only making the best of a bad situation. Too bad the morons in this place probably won't see it that way. People like them love to raise themselves up by bringing others down. When I first started here, I got mocked just for being the only girl in trousers. That's all it takes to become a target.]"

Thankfully, it hadn't taken much to stop the insults. Once she'd broken a few noses, people soon got the message.

Tokiwadai

A huge grin grows on Krystal's somewhat pale face. She works her way through the crowd, quickly closing in on Kin from behind. Once near, she'll reach out and tap Kin's left shoulder, then dart to her right side. An old classic, but Krystal still found it amusing.

Kin had never been the victim of this particular prank before. She obediently turned around to face the mysterious tapper, and then looked understandably bewildered to find nobody there. She waved one arm through the space in front of her, to check for invisible Espers.

"Erm, hello?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Tokiwadai

Krystal hadn't expected Kin to fully fall for it. The sight of Kin waving her arm behind her to find an invisible person is amusing. Krystal giggles a bit.

I'm over here, silly.

[Morcleon]

Shantelle nods, letting down her now bleeding arms.I'm fine, sorry. Haven't really gotten the hand of my powers.

[Tokiwadai - Park]

"H-Hold still, okay?" Shizuka bites her lip, a worried expression on her face. She pulls out a small first aid kit from her bag and takes her friend's hands gingerly. Slowly removing the glass shards one by one, she sets them aside. Once the last one is out, she takes out some gauze and uses it to wipe away the blood, then clamps the remainder to Shantelle's wounds, wrapping them in bandages. It's not a particularly neat or skillful wrapping, but it should hold up.

"Whew... t-that'll have to do for now... we should get you to the hospital."

[Arkhosia]

[Tokiwadai - Park]

"H-Hold still, okay?" Shizuka bites her lip, a worried expression on her face. She pulls out a small first aid kit from her bag and takes her friend's hands gingerly. Slowly removing the glass shards one by one, she sets them aside. Once the last one is out, she takes out some gauze and uses it to wipe away the blood, then clamps the remainder to Shantelle's wounds, wrapping them in bandages. It's not a particularly neat or skillful wrapping, but it should hold up.

"Whew... t-that'll have to do for now... we should get you to the hospital."

Shantelle nods her head after the bandaging.
Alright, but I don't think that's necessary.

[Morcleon]

Shantelle nods her head after the bandaging.
Alright, but I don't think that's necessary.

[Tokiwadai - Park]

Shizuka frowns slightly and continues to hold onto Shantelle's arms. "I don't know how well I did with bandaging and what if it's actually a lot worse than it looks... we should go."

"I-I'm really really sorry..."

[Arkhosia]

[Tokiwadai - Park]

Shizuka frowns slightly and continues to hold onto Shantelle's arms. "I don't know how well I did with bandaging and what if it's actually a lot worse than it looks... we should go."

"I-I'm really really sorry..."

Shantelle nods, getting up.
It's not you're fault, it's mine. I should've expected that would've happened

[Anyr]

Tokiwadai

Krystal hadn't expected Kin to fully fall for it. The sight of Kin waving her arm behind her to find an invisible person is amusing. Krystal giggles a bit.

I'm over here, silly.

That voice! That wonderful voice ran through Kin like an electric current. She immediately spun around to behold the silver-haired girl who'd been absent from her life for far too long. Completely abandoning her generic persona, she enveloped Krystal in a suffocatingly tight 'never leave me ever again' hug.

"Friend! Best friend! Bestest friend in the whole wide world!"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Tokiwadai

Ah, yes. The vice-like hug. Krystal had forgotten how tight the hug was.

Gack! Good to see you, too, Kin! Despite her ribcage being crushed, Krystal manages to smile and return her friends hug.

[ImpSyndrome]

Despite Moroe's harsh words, her body language didn't seem hostile. She was just bluntly stating an opinion, without any window dressing. As a matter of fact, she had plenty of reasons to sympathise with Eli's plight.

"[For what it's worth, I agree with you. You're only making the best of a bad situation. Too bad the morons in this place probably won't see it that way. People like them love to raise themselves up by bringing others down. When I first started here, I got mocked just for being the only girl in trousers. That's all it takes to become a target.]"

Thankfully, it hadn't taken much to stop the insults. Once she'd broken a few noses, people soon got the message.

"[Yeah, so I've noticed,]" Eli agrees, having seen enough bullying for one lifetime back in his home country. "[All I know is, if this keeps up, I'm going to start talking in the universal language of fists...]" He cracks his knuckles to emphasize his frustration. Sounds like he's no stranger to hostile encounters, either.

[Anyr]

"[Just make sure to choose your battles. Remember, you're in Academy City now. some of the students here can literally kill with a thought.]"

Moroe glanced around, and saw that the crowd had thinned out. Without so much as a farewell, she abruptly walked off down the corridor. It was hard to tell whether she was ditching Eli, or just expected him to follow.

Tokiwadai

Ah, yes. The vice-like hug. Krystal had forgotten how tight the hug was.

Gack! Good to see you, too, Kin! Despite her ribcage being crushed, Krystal manages to smile and return her friends hug.

For once, Kin didn't care about keeping up appearances within Tokiwadai. Breach of etiquette or not, she was going to give Krystal a proper (and potentially bone crushing) welcome. Luckily, she terminated the hug of doom juuuust before it started to cause serious injury. Her smile as she did so was bright enough to dazzle.

"It's been way, way, way, way too long. If I'd known how long it'd seem, I'd have stowed away on the plane..."

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"Huh?"

As cold as she was, Shellie wasn't prepared for Nimori to offer her his jacket, but frankly she's in no real position to refuse it, either. As she drapes it over her shoulders, her nose is overcome by the overwhelming scent of Shougo's boy musk.

BLURGH. GROSS.

"...thank you, Nimori-san."

As Shellie adjusts the coat and struggles to hold back her gag reflex, she half-manages to make out a request regarding walking her home before tuning back in fully.

The coat isn't as bad as the smoky arcade, and it certainly beats shivering, but it's not effortless to put up with, either. Probably best not to put the cute doofus through walking her home while she gags inexplicably the whole time; it's not his fault that her nose is extra-sensitive now.

"And, ah ... I have not seen you in Onizuka Middle School before. Are you new to Academy City? I hope we have given you a warm welcome; we are honoured by your presence."

Shellie lets out another breathy laugh, a puff of white vapor in the freezing air. "I've lived here for nine years, Nimori-san. I've been a citizen for most of them. You don't need to give me any special treatment. We go to the same school, too... we must have seen each other around. I'm kind of surprised, actually."

"I myself am in Class 25C. If it would please you, our space on the rooftop at lunch is always open to you."

"OK."

There's a roof access from the catwalks in the school auditorium, where the A/V club goes all the time. Also, 'OK,' is an Americanism that's widely used in Japan these days. Shougo may or may not be aware of either of these things.

"If nothing else, it will give me the opportunity to give your coat back. Thanks again for that, by the way; I usually take the subway, so I guess I never considered how cold it was."

She moves to resume her extended walk home, walking backwards a little bit to keep facing Nimura until she's done saying goodbye. "See you tomorrow!"

[Morcleon]

Shantelle nods, getting up.
It's not you're fault, it's mine. I should've expected that would've happened

[Tokiwadai - Park]

Shizuka sighs. "I... I still kinda feel responsible."

She smiles at Shantelle, leading them over to the hospital. "Um, do you want to continue planning out our show...?"

[Arkhosia]

[Tokiwadai - Park]

Shizuka sighs. "I... I still kinda feel responsible."

She smiles at Shantelle, leading them over to the hospital. "Um, do you want to continue planning out our show...?"

Sure, just wait to decide the date of it until I master that part of my ability.
Want to meet again tomorrow at the same place, same time?
Shantelle asks as they leave there.

[KerfuffleMach2]

For once, Kin didn't care about keeping up appearances within Tokiwadai. Breach of etiquette or not, she was going to give Krystal a proper (and potentially bone crushing) welcome. Luckily, she terminated the hug of doom juuuust before it started to cause serious injury. Her smile as she did so was bright enough to dazzle.

"It's been way, way, way, way too long. If I'd known how long it'd seem, I'd have stowed away on the plane..."

Tokiwadai

Krystal chuckles. Mostly because she didn't really doubt that Kin would do such a thing.

Yeah, well, it'd been a while since we had visited my grandparents, and they talked my parents into extending our vacation. It was good seeing them again, but I was kinda starting to miss being here. I mean, spending so long in a place that not only was a completely different country, but didn't have any ESPers, it got a little weird for me after a while.

[Morcleon]

Sure, just wait to decide the date of it until I master that part of my ability.
Want to meet again tomorrow at the same place, same time?
Shantelle asks as they leave there.

[Tokiwadai - Hospital]

"Of course. I don't want you to get hurt... and yes, same place, same time would be good." Shizuka grins and leads Shantelle into the hospital.

"Um, hello?" She calls out to the hospital receptionist person. "My friend got her arms cut up with glass..."

((...I actually have no idea how hospitals work... >.>))

[Arkhosia]

[Tokiwadai - Hospital]

"Of course. I don't want you to get hurt... and yes, same place, same time would be good." Shizuka grins and leads Shantelle into the hospital.

"Um, hello?" She calls out to the hospital receptionist person. "My friend got her arms cut up with glass..."

((...I actually have no idea how hospitals work... >.>))

Shantelle smiles at that, happy.
((was thinking we could skip that))

[Hyperbolic sine]

[Shun's apartment]

Riiiiiiing! Rii-
Shun doesn't let the alarm clock ring a second time. It's irritating.

It's meant to wake you up, after all...five more minutes, and I’ll get up.

Half an hour later, he wakes up again and looks at the clock: as soon as he realizes the hour, Shun darts out of the bed, mentally cursing himself. Getting ready in record time, he gulps down a cup of coffee before leaving (Good thing last night I made some extra...); stopping for a brief moment just to make sure the door was locked, he starts running towards the school like his life depended on it.

Luckily it’s not that far…if I hurry, I might make it in time. I just hope I don’t bump into someone...time to test my dodging skills, I suppose.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

And here I go…if someone wants to be bumped into, or has any suggestion on how to start character interactions, just tell me. After all, I don’t want to disrupt ongoing scenes.

[Terry576]

"[Just make sure to choose your battles. Remember, you're in Academy City now. some of the students here can literally kill with a thought.]"

Moroe glanced around, and saw that the crowd had thinned out. Without so much as a farewell, she abruptly walked off down the corridor. It was hard to tell whether she was ditching Eli, or just expected him to follow.

"Would it not be more prudent to explain to him that there are several tutors in the nearby area that would teach Japanese to foreigners, Ishimaru-san? Some of which have access to abilities that could speed up the process?"

Language barriers, while existent, were rather... non-intrusive for those in Academy City. For those who can't afford it, that clunky collar around the other boy's neck are easy enough to come by - but any foreign scientist worth his salt is directed to one of the less 'reputable' ways of learning the language.

The variety of ways you could get inside another's head in Academy City were many and numerous, and those with abilities more useful to the City were always on call. A high-class scientist only speaks German? Fortunate that its so easy to insert another language into his head, alter his memories so he learned both, or any variety of ways to get around the usual wear and tear of the city.

"I am fairly certain you at least know of one of the cheapest ways to learn a new language. Giving him the information would cost you nothing and gain gratitude, and it is not as if the affordability would be a problem for you, Ishimaru-san. It would instead become his prerogative to decide if he cares more for his own mind being his own, or understanding the people around him."

[ImpSyndrome]

"[Just make sure to choose your battles. Remember, you're in Academy City now. some of the students here can literally kill with a thought.]"

Moroe glanced around, and saw that the crowd had thinned out. Without so much as a farewell, she abruptly walked off down the corridor. It was hard to tell whether she was ditching Eli, or just expected him to follow.

"[I guess I'll have to be extra-convincing, then,]" Eli retorts with a slight snarl. It's hard to tell if that's confidence or simply reckless anger talking, but he doesn't seem terribly threatened. Perhaps he should be...

In any case, classes seem to be starting shortly, judging by the receding flow of students through the halls, so Eli resolves to get on his own way. He would bid his acquaintance farewell, but she's already walking away by the time he thinks of it. Choosing not to continue pestering her, he retrieves his class schedule and determines the number for his homeroom before navigating the corridor, hoping he'll happen upon it soon enough. If only he'd thought to pick up a map of the school's layout yesterday...

((Because there's no indication that Eli and Moroe share any classes, at least not yet.))

[Morcleon]

Shantelle smiles at that, happy.
((was thinking we could skip that))

[Tokiwadai - Outside the Hospital]

After a short and uneventful visit to the hospital where Shizuka's shoddy bandages were replaced with a professional job, the two find themselves on the street outside.

"So, um, you wanna keep planning? Or do you have other things you need to do?"

[Anyr]

Tokiwadai

Krystal chuckles. Mostly because she didn't really doubt that Kin would do such a thing.

Yeah, well, it'd been a while since we had visited my grandparents, and they talked my parents into extending our vacation. It was good seeing them again, but I was kinda starting to miss being here. I mean, spending so long in a place that not only was a completely different country, but didn't have any ESPers, it got a little weird for me after a while.

"I know what you mean. The last time my parents dragged me to the outside world, I couldn't get over how primitive all the technology seemed. It almost feels like we don't belong there any more. Huh, that's a weird thought. When exactly did this bizarre city become 'home'?"

Kin would likely have expounded further on this topic; Had a teacher not materialised behind her and given a very pointed cough. Kin belatedly realised that she was standing in a (now mostly empty) hallway when she should be heading for class. Oops. Her manner of speech suddenly became a lot more formal.

"A-anyway, thank you, fellow student, for helping me with that vital school-related issue. I deeply apologise for delaying you. Now let's quickly proceed to our next lesson, lest we be late."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Tokiwadai

Krystal was about to respond, but then a wild teacher appeared!

Stifling a chuckle at Kin's sudden change in mannerism, Krystal nods her head towards her friend.

I am glad I could help. Shall we? She gestures in the general direction of their next class, and will lead the way there.