Monster Hearts IC: Making Friends

[Thanqol]

We've got maybe seconds before Darth Rosenberg grinds everybody into Jawa burgers and not one of you has the midi-clorians to stop her.

- Andrew

Inconvenient Apocalypse
A game of Monster Hearts

OOC Thread

[Thanqol]

It's always sunny in Philadelphia.

It's early morning on Athens Street. It's a quiet suburban street, lined with the lazy kind of tree that never had to work a day in its life to get enough water, and the haughty kind of suburban house with pretensions of sophistication. It's the kind of street with a neighbourhood watch and a disapproving eye on the nearby civil housing project - which is no doubt full of the drugs, and the guns and the rap music that all those kids are listening to. The project's biggest sin, of course, is the fact that it reminds the people here that they're not quite rich enough to avoid associating with poor people entirely.

Somewhere along Athens street there is a bus stop, and at this bus stop are three monsters waiting for the first day of the school term. There are still a few minutes before the bus arrives and it's game time, so there's still the chance to exchange a few words - or stare into space and brood if that's your thing, I don't want to tell you what you can and can't do.

[Anarion]

Leon stood at the bus stop. It was still hot, it was always too dang hot. Wasn't there a rule about school not being allowed to start until it was cool enough that you didn't want to go to the pool or the beach anymore? He was pretty sure there was a rule about that somewhere.

As he brushed the sweaty blond hair away from his face, though, he couldn't believe his eyes. There was the girl he'd been trying to see all summer. The one who'd barely even given him the time of day and had only bothered telling him her name after he'd pestered her for days. It made him feel like a little kid, pestering like that, but he just couldn't leave her alone. Not then, and not now.

"Iris!" He waved. Then immediately dropped his hand. He looked like an idiot. Great start, real smooth. "Uh, hey, Iris" he said again, a little softer, and with his hands in his pockets. "I, uh, I didn't know you were going to school here. Is this gonna be your stop every day?" There was some other girl there too, familiar, he knew her from somewhere. Didn't really care at the moment though.

[PhoeKun]

If there is only one universal law (as it turns out there are several), it is this: Iris Rosenberg does not sweat. Sweating implies effort. Effort implies challenge. Challenge implies weakness. So waning summer heat or no, Iris Rosenberg did not sweat. Rather, she strode forward, one heavy boot falling after the other. Her dark gray skirt fluttered around her legs with each step. Three. Two. One. Stop. 'Iris!' An almost imperceptible flinch. She glanced around at the neighborhood houses. At the projects. The street. No bus. Finally at,

"You. Oh, be still my beating heart." She paused to roll her eyes, "What girl could resist seeing her stalker every morning? Sounds almost as fun as getting my eye gouged out. Every single day. Yay!"

[Thanqol]

If there is only one universal law (as it turns out there are several), it is this: Iris Rosenberg does not sweat. Sweating implies effort. Effort implies challenge. Challenge implies weakness. So waning summer heat or no, Iris Rosenberg did not sweat. Rather, she strode forward, one heavy boot falling after the other. Her dark gray skirt fluttered around her legs with each step. Three. Two. One. Stop. 'Iris!' An almost imperceptible flinch. She glanced around at the neighborhood houses. At the projects. The street. No bus. Finally at,

"You. Oh, be still my beating heart." She paused to roll her eyes, "What girl could resist seeing her stalker every morning? Sounds almost as fun as getting my eye gouged out. Every single day. Yay!"

That was some harsh language right off the bat, and it sounded an awful lot like Iris was Shutting Leon Down. Roll +cold.

[PhoeKun]

Did it sound that way to you? You'll get used to it, I promise. (2d6+2)[10]

[Anarion]

Did it sound that way to you? You'll get used to it, I promise. (2d6+3)[7]

Leon looked hurt. It almost looked like he was going to whimper for a second. "Iris, I'm sorry, I just... want to get to know you. I know there's an amazing girl in there. Just give me a chance." He gave her his best winning smile, and tried to brush off the fact that his eyes were watery as just sweat in his face. The whole effect was pitiful but also stirring, the sweat and tears glistening on Leon's face and a very slight quiver in his lip.

[rolling to turn Iris on. (2d6+3)[7]

[TheAmishPirate]

Tch, school again. Summer never lasted long enough, while school lasted forever. Whose bright idea was that? Probably the same genius who made it start so early, take up most of the day, and require - require, by law and worse - every kid who couldn't vote to go. It was a conspiracy, or contraband, or one of them SAT words. Whatever it was, somebody ought to do something about it. Maybe a somebody like Cassidy Hunters, if she could just track down the punks responsible. Instead, all she'd tracked recently was that Leon kid, and that wouldn't even bear any fruit for a while.

Speak of the devil, he was at her bus stop, burning up her ears with some goth-looking chick. Hellooooooo, opportunity.

"Hey; pretty-boy." Cassidy loomed over the two of them with a predatory grin. "You been stalking this girl? Can I look forward to a fascinatin' story of 'What I Did Over My Summer Vacation', or maybe I should just call the cops on you now?" She felt around in her pants pocket for the phone she didn't have. But Richie Rich here didn't have to know that.

[Anarion]

Leon rolled his eyes. "You, call the police? Give me a break. If I had to explain this, I might 'accidentally' mention that you were the one who put that junior in the hospital last May. Besides, Iris wasn't talking to you, Cassie."

[PhoeKun]

Flattery will get you anywhere. Or at least a shred of pity. Iris suddenly felt less good about stepping on something as miserable as Leon. It didn't really show, at least not in the normal ways. A blink, a very slight tilting of her head. Her index and middle fingers on her right hand curled slightly, and that was that. She shook her head. Maybe he'd be useful? Maybe. He seemed to know her, anyway, which... she swallowed.

"No need for the cops," she said, brushing an errant lock of hair off of her face, "He's just auditioning to be the charter member of my fan club. Wanna join? Sign ups last until October."

[TheAmishPirate]

Cassidy laughed a short, barking laugh. "You are precious."

And then she shoved him off the sidewalk. Hard.

"You ought to keep a tighter leash on your fanboys; it's trouble when they start speaking for you." She commented to Iris, as if Leon wasn't even there anymore. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't do the following thing. What about you? Don't know if I got a fan club yet, but hey, you can be the first if I don't." She flashed her a toothy grin.

[Anarion]

Leon just sat on the ground for a second staring at his suddenly bloody hands. He'd caught himself, broken his fall with his palms, which were now nice and scraped up from the sidewalk. The salt from his sweat was going into it and it stung like hell.

"Sheesh, sorry Cassy, didn't know you were such a b-" he cut himself off and went with "-bitter person over a joke. I was just keeping you on your toes."

[Thanqol]

Before things could get much further along this road, a big white and red school bus came a-ramblin' down the street. It was driven by Moe Bunk - that rusted old sot who had yet to be persuaded that there were better ways to bring a moving vehicle to a halt than the handbrake.

It was a pretty long bus ride from here to Admiral Arthur High School so there was a lot of talking and a lot of politics that went on on that bus. Where you sat made a really big statement about who you were, who your friends were, and what kind of person you wanted to be known as. Where people sat on that first day usually came to define their entire social dynamic while at school. Changing your seat was usually a bit of a faux pas that set the rumour mill a-chugging.

So, the question was, where did each of the three park themselves?

Spoiler

Show

[PhoeKun]

Later, historians would say the arrival of that bus saved Iris Rosenberg from saying something stupid. Others argued with equal passion it prevented a legend from rising, or at least stalled a climactic showdown. But from her perspective, it just came comically close to running over Leon. She snorted. There'd be time enough later to exchange pleasantries with the magnificent she-beast "Cassie" later. To think they lived so close to one another... perhaps she was too much of a shut-in after all.

Of course, to a home schooled kid, perfectly obvious facts about social hierarchies and seating arrangements weren't really so apparent at first glance. There were two priorities on her mind: sitting by a window, and being somewhere a certain somebody couldn't just follow along and plop down next to her. Luckily enough, there was a seat not too far off that filled both of those requirements. Wordlessly, she glided past several rows of seats and gingerly tucked herself in [seat 17].

[Thanqol]

Later, historians would say the arrival of that bus saved Iris Rosenberg from saying something stupid. Others argued with equal passion it prevented a legend from rising, or at least stalled a climactic showdown. But from her perspective, it just came comically close to running over Leon. She snorted. There'd be time enough later to exchange pleasantries with the magnificent she-beast "Cassie" later. To think they lived so close to one another... perhaps she was too much of a shut-in after all.

Of course, to a home schooled kid, perfectly obvious facts about social hierarchies and seating arrangements weren't really so apparent at first glance. There were two priorities on her mind: sitting by a window, and being somewhere a certain somebody couldn't just follow along and plop down next to her. Luckily enough, there was a seat not too far off that filled both of those requirements. Wordlessly, she glided past several rows of seats and gingerly tucked herself in [seat 17].

Bold move, sitting next to Sonia Shields (number 18) like that - and even bolder to push past her to do it. The girl was an alpha in much the same way that Iris was which meant that they were either going to wind up either killing each other or becoming terrifying best friends.

The move earned her a filthy look from George Harrison (number 13), who was something like Sonia's Leon. Sonia had studiously been trying to block him out but Harrison never quite realised that his focus was making him a pariah.

Behind her were the wonder duo of Emily Hampton (21) and John Stanhope (22). These two folks, realising that they only had a single sense of humour between them, had decided to split it down the middle - Emily never cracked a smile but was often unintentionally hilarious, and John could not for the life of him tell a joke but was always laughing. They were all right. Not the worst of the drama kids.

"So, like I was saying, a lot of people dismiss the American remake of The Steel Samurai but it's actually exemplary of the genre," said Harrison, twisting around in his seat to continue talking Sonia's ear off. Sonia looked at Iris, rolled her eyes, and mimed putting a gun to her head.

[Anarion]

Leon studiously followed Iris as she got on the bus. The words "loyal dog" or possibly "lodestone" would have been appropriate for the distance and body language he was expressing.

He actually knew mostly the kids from study club, and gave them a small wave as he looked around the bus, before assiduously following Iris and, when he saw he push her way into 17, settled for the closest he could get with seat 14.

[TheAmishPirate]

So, the question was, where did each of the three park themselves?

Where does Cassidy Hunters park herself?

Wherever she darn well pleases, that's where.

Today, that meant [seat 3]. The last thing she wanted to do on a perfectly good weekday morning was to wait for hours while everybody else figured out that the front of the bus was the best place to exit. As an added bonus, she got to watch Leon pick a seat only three rows back, "coincidentally" near the new girl. Oh, this is gonna be good... she thought to herself, keeping her ears open.

[Thanqol]

Leon studiously followed Iris as she got on the bus. The words "loyal dog" or possibly "lodestone" would have been appropriate for the distance and body language he was expressing.

He actually knew mostly the kids from study club, and gave them a small wave as he looked around the bus, before assiduously following Iris and, when he saw he push her way into 17, settled for the closest he could get with seat 14.

Leon didn't know it, but this was pretty much an act of social suicide. He'd snubbed his friends, grabbed at popularity, and had come off as a suck up in the process. He, much like George, had tried to sit with the cool kids without actually being cool, and the cool kids wouldn't be where they were if they didn't punish such a blatant transgression.

He couldn't know that, though. Poor bastard.

Aside from those already mentioned, Leon's move had put him right next to those folks who were politically incorrectly nicknamed 'the cripples'. Despite their physical defects, the cripples were surprisingly influential and popular. Zoe Atlan (seat 1) was down a leg but still a shockingly good athlete. Amy Rothschild (seat 5) was as blind as a bat but still single-handedly ran the school paper. And with them, of course, was Danielle Newman (seat 9) who's dedication to one day being a doctor naturally gravitated her towards the two girls who needed a little extra help.

"Is that someone new?" said Amy. She had the unsettling traits of one who was born blind, like not even turning her head to talk.

Where does Cassidy Hunters park herself?

Wherever she darn well pleases, that's where.

Today, that meant [seat 3]. The last thing she wanted to do on a perfectly good weekday morning was to wait for hours while everybody else figured out that the front of the bus was the best place to exit. As an added bonus, she got to watch Leon pick a seat only three rows back, "coincidentally" near the new girl. Oh, this is gonna be good... she thought to herself, keeping her ears open.

Cassidy had just sat right in the middle of school aristocracy. A bold move. She was the only one of the three who could potentially pull it off but it was still the most difficult position.

Right next to her in seat number 4 was, of course, Adrian Sinai. He was widely renowned for being -the- perfect male. He was good at everything, perfectly polite and kind, and the speculation as to his romantic preferences was endless. The only reason he wasn't in the 'popular kids' clique was because he didn't have the ruthlessness that they did.

Ruthlessness was not lacked by Gary Jefferson (seat 8). Gary ran this school. If he said you were in, you were in. If he said you were out, you were out. And, more than just his silver tongue and perfect hair, he was richer than Crassus and his mother was the vice principal.

And he was backed up by James Washington (seat 7), who struck most people as a young action movie star. His father was a general in the United States Air Force and young James had been taking death defying holidays before most people learned how to pronounce 'parachute'. It might be said that he was a bit arrogant, much like it is said a Krakatoa eruption would be a bit hot. Oh, and his granddad was the actual principal.

"Cass!" said James, leaning over the chair to massage Cassidy's shoulders. "It's been a long summer. Lots of time to train, relax and prepare. So, the question that has been burning away in my head all this time: have you finally learned how to get the ball in the hoop?"

[Anarion]

"So, like I was saying, a lot of people dismiss the American remake of The Steel Samurai but it's actually exemplary of the genre," said Harrison, twisting around in his seat to continue talking Sonia's ear off. Sonia looked at Iris, rolled her eyes, and mimed putting a gun to her head.

"Oh man, I love that show," Leon said, himself turning around mostly to look at Iris, though he didn't completely ignore George and Sonia, since they were apparently on a topic that he liked. "I do think the Japanese version is better though, George. As good as the voicework was for the American version, the Japanese voice actors just know the genre better and they put on the performance that was intended by the writers because of their familiarity with the culture."

He's smiling and entirely forgetting himself at this point. "Iris, you ever watch, Steel Samurai? Or, y'know, what's your favorite TV show?"

[PhoeKun]

Oh dear god, now there were two of them. What had she done? Iris sighed and buried her head in her hands for a moment before sharing a pointed look with Sonia. She didn't need the back story, she already knew. Letting her head loll to one side, she pulled a hand up in pantomime of a noose. Unspoken: Me too; I hate this; Please kill me.

She turned her head and looked straight forward at Leon and George. She shoots the pair of them a withering glare with eyes like death. Also unspoken: Turn around. Shut up. Or else. Maybe it's just a trick of the light, but Leon could swear that there was something deeper in those eyes, something he remembered seeing before. Cold. Cold like death itself. She lifted a finger and made a spinning motion to emphasize her point.

(I am spending a String on Leon to label him with the Condition: Rejected)

[Anarion]

"Or, um, maybe you're not a TV fan," Leon said, suddenly finding it hard to swallow. He gulped and turned around.

Whatever joy he had been finding there, it was washed away in an instant of Iris rejection. Leon was suddenly scared and he didn't know why exactly. All she'd done was look at him. None of her other rejections all through the summer had gotten to him like this. Maybe it was the public setting, or or something...He just needed to think for a minute, to get as close as possible to being alone in this kind of crowd. He slipped down into his seat, didn't even look at George as he pulled out the earbuds to his phone and flipped on the sound as the bus was moving. He knew he'd probably get made fun of if anyone was paying attention to what he set to playing on his phone, but he also didn't really care at this point. He just wanted to fade away from everything for a moment and think.

[Gazing into the Abyss. (2d6+1)[5][2](7) Add one more if it's possible to direct a dark roll at Iris rather than just do it in general.]

[TheAmishPirate]

"Cass!" said James, leaning over the chair to massage Cassidy's shoulders. "It's been a long summer. Lots of time to train, relax and prepare. So, the question that has been burning away in my head all this time: have you finally learned how to get the ball in the hoop?"

"Sorry, can't hear you. My championship trophy's making an awful racket." Cass tut-tutted and shook her head. "Says he missed me, spending all summer in that drafty old display case. I'm gonna tell him not to worry; he'll have company soon."

She sat back in her seat, leaning into his hands and forcing them into her shoulders. When he pushed, she didn't budge. Though he prodded, she didn't bow. This wasn't some guy laying a claim on her. This was her granting some lucky, gutsy guy the privilege of attending her. A privilege she could easily remove. Just like his fingers.

"Ooh, a bit to the left," she told him nonchalantly.

[Thanqol]

Oh dear god, now there were two of them. What had she done? Iris sighed and buried her head in her hands for a moment before sharing a pointed look with Sonia. She didn't need the back story, she already knew. Letting her head loll to one side, she pulled a hand up in pantomime of a noose. Unspoken: Me too; I hate this; Please kill me.

She turned her head and looked straight forward at Leon and George. She shoots the pair of them a withering glare with eyes like death. Also unspoken: Turn around. Shut up. Or else. Maybe it's just a trick of the light, but Leon could swear that there was something deeper in those eyes, something he remembered seeing before. Cold. Cold like death itself. She lifted a finger and made a spinning motion to emphasize her point.

(I am spending a String on Leon to label him with the Condition: Rejected)

Even Harrison sucked his teeth and sheepishly looked away at that.

"Oh my goodness, thank you," said Sonia, brushing her hair back. "There are no words for how tired I am of hearing about children's cartoons."

"Or, um, maybe you're not a TV fan," Leon said, suddenly finding it hard to swallow. He gulped and turned around.

Whatever joy he had been finding there, it was washed away in an instant of Iris rejection. Leon was suddenly scared and he didn't know why exactly. All she'd done was look at him. None of her other rejections all through the summer had gotten to him like this. Maybe it was the public setting, or or something...He just needed to think for a minute, to get as close as possible to being alone in this kind of crowd. He slipped down into his seat, didn't even look at George as he pulled out the earbuds to his phone and flipped on the sound as the bus was moving. He knew he'd probably get made fun of if anyone was paying attention to what he set to playing on his phone, but he also didn't really care at this point. He just wanted to fade away from everything for a moment and think.

[Gazing into the Abyss. [roll0] Add one more if it's possible to direct a dark roll at Iris rather than just do it in general.]

It wasn't a good moment for our friend Leon, and once he stepped back for a moment he'd see that pretty clearly. Everyone had seen what had just gone down, and everyone was gossiping about it - did you see that chick shut him down like that? At the low points of the music he could hear his name whispered and laughter as people repeated the conversation to those further back in the bus.

And there was no loyalty amongst rejects, either. Leon would catch George Harrison glaring at him out of the corner of his eye. It was a little of George blaming Leon for coming in and wrecking his play, and a little of him trying to suck up to Sonia by putting all of that shame on Leon.

Pretty soon, Leon knew, that story was going to filter to the very back where the bullies sat. And that meant that sometime today if he was out of position for even a minute they were going to pay him a visit. He could see it coming as inevitable as the rolling bus.

[It is not possible to direct a Gaze Into The Abyss]

"Sorry, can't hear you. My championship trophy's making an awful racket." Cass tut-tutted and shook her head. "Says he missed me, spending all summer in that drafty old display case. I'm gonna tell him not to worry; he'll have company soon."

She sat back in her seat, leaning into his hands and forcing them into her shoulders. When he pushed, she didn't budge. Though he prodded, she didn't bow. This wasn't some guy laying a claim on her. This was her granting some lucky, gutsy guy the privilege of attending her. A privilege she could easily remove. Just like his fingers.

"Ooh, a bit to the left," she told him nonchalantly.

"Oh, you've got a display case?" said James, grinning and adjusting. "What did you have to sell to afford that? Or did you just rent something out?"

The Motorheads, sitting behind James, gave a peanut gallery "ooooooooh".

[TheAmishPirate]

"Oh, you've got a display case?" said James, grinning and adjusting. "What did you have to sell to afford that? Or did you just rent something out?"

The Motorheads, sitting behind James, gave a peanut gallery "ooooooooh".

"Nah, didn't have to. Your granddaddy paid for it." said Cassidy. "Might pay more to get it spruced up at this rate."

She was, of course, referring to the school's trophy case. One of its most recent additions was the trophy the freshman basketball team won last school year. A nice, big, shiny trophy, inscribed with the names of everyone on the team; a boon and a half for the school. And the way she saw it, something about to be filled with her spoils may as well be hers.

"Speaking of, where's your name in that case, James? I can't seem to find it anywhere."

[Thanqol]

"Nah, didn't have to. Your granddaddy paid for it." said Cassidy. "Might pay more to get it spruced up at this rate."

She was, of course, referring to the school's trophy case. One of its most recent additions was the trophy the freshman basketball team won last school year. A nice, big, shiny trophy, inscribed with the names of everyone on the team; a boon and a half for the school. And the way she saw it, something about to be filled with her spoils may as well be hers.

"Speaking of, where's your name in that case, James? I can't seem to find it anywhere."

"I don't have time for two-bit school championships," said James, taking his hands off her. "I'm on the state team. You know? The one with uniforms that match? There are tryouts this week if you feel like you're done with the kiddie pool."

[PhoeKun]

Even Harrison sucked his teeth and sheepishly looked away at that.

"Oh my goodness, thank you," said Sonia, brushing her hair back. "There are no words for how tired I am of hearing about children's cartoons."

It remained to be seen if Iris had the capacity to genuinely smile anymore, but she certainly had it in her to offer the other girl a smirk.

"God, right? If it's not one thing it's another. It's like, learn how to shut up for five minutes..."

Her ears perk up at snippets of the conversation across the bus between the newly dubbed 'Cass' and James. Politics and, yes, basketball. So she did play here. Talk about golden opportunities, or killing two birds with one stone. The thought of it made her oddly hungry. Distressingly, she wasn't sure if it was the chance or the metaphor that was responsible. Probably better not to think too hard about it.

"I'm Iris, by the way. Nice to meet someone with some class for once."

[Thanqol]

It remained to be seen if Iris had the capacity to genuinely smile anymore, but she certainly had it in her to offer the other girl a smirk.

"God, right? If it's not one thing it's another. It's like, learn how to shut up for five minutes..."

Her ears perk up at snippets of the conversation across the bus between the newly dubbed 'Cass' and James. Politics and, yes, basketball. So she did play here. Talk about golden opportunities, or killing two birds with one stone. The thought of it made her oddly hungry. Distressingly, she wasn't sure if it was the chance or the metaphor that was responsible. Probably better not to think too hard about it.

"I'm Iris, by the way. Nice to meet someone with some class for once."

"I'm Sonia," said Sonia Shields. "Speaking of class, I love what you've done with your makeup. I was starting to think the goth look was, well -" she looked back a few seats to a very overdone gothic-looking chick. "- that."

[TheAmishPirate]

"I don't have time for two-bit school championships," said James, taking his hands off her. "I'm on the state team. You know? The one with uniforms that match? There are tryouts this week if you feel like you're done with the kiddie pool."

Cassidy laughed. "Jimmy-boy, I was in the deep end while your momma was still splashing you in the kitchen sink." She turned to face him, eyes alight and hungry. "I've been ready."

[PhoeKun]

"I'm Sonia," said Sonia Shields. "Speaking of class, I love what you've done with your makeup. I was starting to think the goth look was, well -" she looked back a few seats to a very overdone gothic-looking chick. "- that."

Iris breathed the praise in deep, her (admittedly modest) chest puffing out just a bit. Her smirk widened by the tiniest amount. Any further and she'd look genuinely bemused.

"Oh please, don't lump us in the same group. She plays dress up. I just highlight me. I could show you sometime, if you want. Although your look suits you pretty well already."

[Thanqol]

Cassidy laughed. "Jimmy-boy, I was in the deep end while your momma was still splashing you in the kitchen sink." She turned to face him, eyes alight and hungry. "I've been ready."

"Sure," said James, "maybe you got bit by a radioactive spider over the summer and grew yourself some superpowers, 'cause I'm not thinking of anything else that would get you ready for a real competition."

Iris breathed the praise in deep, her (admittedly modest) chest puffing out just a bit. Her smirk widened by the tiniest amount. Any further and she'd look genuinely bemused.

"Oh please, don't lump us in the same group. She plays dress up. I just highlight me. I could show you sometime, if you want. Although your look suits you pretty well already."

"Yeah, but it's a school look," said Sonia. "And that's the thing that makes our looks work, right? It's right for where we are. Overdressing is as bad as underdressing in my opinion. But when a more appropriate scene comes up I would like to try something new."

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Jefferson is holding a back to school party this Friday, invite only. Want me to get you in?"