Don't Look Back IC

[ElFi]

"I... I don't know. I don't know I don't know I don't know." By this point Zack has stopped walking entirely, with the crowd starting to leave them behind. "I-I th-think... I think there are, um, two different ways of int-interpreting this. Either, um, she's a criminal, or she's a... a mole." He swallows heavily, trying to wrangle control over his wildly panicking thoughts. "I kn-know I said we should t-tell someone... b-but I don't know who, Susan. T-telling an adult m-might make it worse if we're, you know, wrong."

[Lentrax]

"You didn't do what?" asked Jenny. She wasn't that tired, but it was still an effort to get from there to here.

Upon hearing that question, Jessie turns an even brighter red. Nothing!

Victor chuckles. "Just wait until you see what we have planned this Halloween. None of this 'right across the river' bull. Joe knows a place where the neighbors are far enough away that noise and complaints aren't an issue. We had a great turnout last year, and we're figuring out how to top the two hundred-ish people that showed up then. I already have a couple of people planned for security, just to make sure people are safe, but yeah, it should be awesome.

Plus the group should be throwing a couple of smaller get-togethers every other week or so. I'm sure there's room for one more if you're interested. Laura has been itching for a few more girls to join the core group."

Halloween, huh? Maybe. Maybe you'll see me there.

"I... I don't know. I don't know I don't know I don't know." By this point Zack has stopped walking entirely, with the crowd starting to leave them behind. "I-I th-think... I think there are, um, two different ways of int-interpreting this. Either, um, she's a criminal, or she's a... a mole." He swallows heavily, trying to wrangle control over his wildly panicking thoughts. "I kn-know I said we should t-tell someone... b-but I don't know who, Susan. T-telling an adult m-might make it worse if we're, you know, wrong."

Zack and Susan start getting left behind, but they can't help but get the feeling they've been overheard. Some of the others are whispering and pointing, some stand up on tip toes to see if they can figure any of what they are hearing out for themselves.

Spoiler: Zack and Susan

Show

Stop the Rumors! Make a Luck roll at D6. Success prevents these rumors from reaching Jessie. +1 VP

[Esprit15]

Victor smiles. "I hope to."

[danielxcutter]

"Eehhhhhh... okay! Oh, by the way, maybe we should all have lunch together!" Jenny said.

[Illven]

It's Jessie's turn to blush, and her face turns a light shade of pink. OF course I didn't.

Good. Lissa started with a wink. Because daddy made sure his little girl had self defense training. She teased.

[Konatsat]

After noticing people start to whisper amongst the tour group and the fingers pointed in her direction, Susan knew something was wrong. Thinking fast, she blurted out "Hey, thanks for the... ideas for the... um... English paper." Then, in order to sell the idea, she takes a pen out of her pocket and starts writing down the information on her hand.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Genre savvy: luck-> skill
Keen eye: +2 to skill
Amateur novelist: +2 to skill
Honor student(?): +2 to skill

[Lentrax]

Victor smiles. "I hope to."

Well, if I do, you'll have to figure out who I am.

"Eehhhhhh... okay! Oh, by the way, maybe we should all have lunch together!" Jenny said.

"Uh, sure! I wonder if my roommate will want to join us?"

Good. Lissa started with a wink. Because daddy made sure his little girl had self defense training. She teased.

You think you need to defend yourself from me?

After noticing people start to whisper amongst the tour group and the fingers pointed in her direction, Susan knew something was wrong. Thinking fast, she blurted out "Hey, thanks for the... ideas for the... um... English paper." Then, in order to sell the idea, she takes a pen out of her pocket and starts writing down the information on her hand.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Genre savvy: luck-> skill
Keen eye: +2 to skill
Amateur novelist: +2 to skill
Honor student(?): +2 to skill

It seems really weird, especially this early in the year, but it eventually gets out that apparently the honors section of English starts out with some really heavy stuff. So if you weren't already, now you're an honors student. Yay?

[Esprit15]

"We'll see I guess, won't we?"

[Lentrax]

I suppose we will.

[Illven]

Of course not, it was a joke. Lissa protested.

[danielxcutter]

Jenny shrugged. "Okay, bring your roommate too. Any other friends you want to invite?"

[Lentrax]

Of course not, it was a joke. Lissa protested.

Oh, sorry.

Jenny shrugged. "Okay, bring your roommate too. Any other friends you want to invite?"

"That would be rather difficult. They are all still in Japan."

[danielxcutter]

"Oh... okay then!"

[Illven]

It's fine. I know my style of humor can be weird at times. Robin remarks.

[Lentrax]

It's fine. I know my style of humor can be weird at times. Lissa remarks.

I see, Jessie says understandingly. Well, you should probably work on the delivery. Otherwise, she punches you playfully on the shoulder.

People may think you don't want them to get close to you.

***

After another hour or so of touring, enough of the crowd complains about hunger that the time has come for lunch. So you all head into a restaurant and start clambering for table space, taking wherever you can. But can you snag a spot all to yourself? And more importantly, is wherever you end up near a special somebody?

Spoiler: Scene 7

Show

Opposed Conflict! Fight for a good table! Winner gets +2 VP, and the honor of sitting next to Jessie!

[Esprit15]

Of course, Victor had things planned from the beginning of the trip. After around one quarter of the other students were voicing their hunger, the young heir leads the way to a local café that he had arranged with earlier to be mostly vacant at the time. As the store owner flips the sign to open, Victor gives a wave. "Hey, Tom! Perfect timing! As I said, a bunch of potential repeat customers, right on schedule!"

Looking to the group, Victor holds the door open for everyone to enter. "I've already arranged things, so pick whatever you're interested in - it's on me."

Now hopefully people will leave him a space next to Jessie. Maybe she could help plan this party a little bit more. Or, more hopefully, he could get her to open up a bit.

Spoiler

Show

Conflict, School King (+2, Students respecting that he is leading this tour and paying for lunch),

[danielxcutter]

"Hey, Jessie! Can I sit next to you?" Jenny tries to shove her way to her intended spot, determined to score some points with Jessie for once.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Let's see... I used Hypercharged last round, right? So if I apply Second Wind, I get an extra +2 bonus. And then if I have any Overclock uses left...

So:

Second Wind: Add bonus equal to penalty on last roll. +2

(If I have uses left)Overchannel: +2 to roll, -2 to next roll.

[ElFi]

Zack was distracted by dozens of jumbling thoughts as he entered the restaurant. Who was Jessie? A government informant? Or a dangerous criminal? One option ruled out going to the police about it; both made it that confronting her directly would probably get him and Susan nowhere if it didn't get them killed first. He had to get close to her again, if only to be able to figure out what was going on.

Spoiler: Modifiers

Show

Weak conflict, but using Stay Cool to nullify the penalty.

+2 bonus from Quiet Patience, for a +2 bonus overall.

[Illven]

Lissa for her part wandered in, with a few friends of her own in toe.

Already not listening to Dad's best friend, she pulled out her credit card. The veal please. She requested with a regal air. You should all try it, on me. She recommended.

Before physically shoving her way to a table with Jessie. Servers that would have normally protested Lissa's... eagerness had a sudden feeling of fear at making the Delacroix daughter upset.

Spoiler

Show

Neutral conflict, Dazzling display myself, School queen, Warrior's way, Fearsome reputation.

[Konatsat]

Susan follows Zack into the restaurant and carefully navigates around the group that Jessie appears to be the center of, after all, there's no telling how dangerous it would be if she figured out that she was being followed.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

-1(Weakness)

[Lentrax]

Of course, Victor had things planned from the beginning of the trip. After around one quarter of the other students were voicing their hunger, the young heir leads the way to a local café that he had arranged with earlier to be mostly vacant at the time. As the store owner flips the sign to open, Victor gives a wave. "Hey, Tom! Perfect timing! As I said, a bunch of potential repeat customers, right on schedule!"

Looking to the group, Victor holds the door open for everyone to enter. "I've already arranged things, so pick whatever you're interested in - it's on me."

Now hopefully people will leave him a space next to Jessie. Maybe she could help plan this party a little bit more. Or, more hopefully, he could get her to open up a bit.

Spoiler

Show

Conflict, School King (+2, Students respecting that he is leading this tour and paying for lunch),

Sadly, this plan just doesn't seem to work the way you hoped. While Tom is prepared to handle a crowd this large, Victor was not prepared to fight his way through everybody to get to Jessie. In fact, you see her sit down at the table of the girl she was with last night.

"Hey, Jessie! Can I sit next to you?" Jenny tries to shove her way to her intended spot, determined to score some points with Jessie for once.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Let's see... I used Hypercharged last round, right? So if I apply Second Wind, I get an extra +2 bonus. And then if I have any Overclock uses left...

So:

Second Wind: Add bonus equal to penalty on last roll. +2

(If I have uses left)Overchannel: +2 to roll, -2 to next roll.

Jenny manages to get through the crowd, but ends up getting knocked into a table right across from where Jessie seems to be interested in sitting. Your new friend, the Japanese girl ends up following you and sits down at the same table as you, but when she sees who is across the aisle, she waves over. "Lissa-sama! Ohayō gozaimasu!"

Zack was distracted by dozens of jumbling thoughts as he entered the restaurant. Who was Jessie? A government informant? Or a dangerous criminal? One option ruled out going to the police about it; both made it that confronting her directly would probably get him and Susan nowhere if it didn't get them killed first. He had to get close to her again, if only to be able to figure out what was going on.

Spoiler: Modifiers

Show

Weak conflict, but using Stay Cool to nullify the penalty.

+2 bonus from Quiet Patience, for a +2 bonus overall.

Zack tries to get Jessie's attention, but to no avail. She seems to have her mind up about where she is going, and before long, you lose her as she threads her way through the restaurant. But, you do find Susan, near another girl who looks a bit upset as a girl next to her shouts in Japanese.

Susan follows Zack into the restaurant and carefully navigates around the group that Jessie appears to be the center of, after all, there's no telling how dangerous it would be if she figured out that she was being followed.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

-1(Weakness)

Susan has no trouble following Zack. She is able to sit with him and nothing terrible happens.

Lissa for her part wandered in, with a few friends of her own in toe.

Already not listening to Dad's best friend, she pulled out her credit card. The veal please. She requested with a regal air. You should all try it, on me. She recommended.

Before physically shoving her way to a table with Jessie. Servers that would have normally protested Lissa's... eagerness had a sudden feeling of fear at making the Delacroix daughter upset.

Spoiler

Show

Neutral conflict, Dazzling display myself, School queen, Warrior's way, Fearsome reputation.

Everyone cheers when Lissa offers to pay for everyone. As you are putting your card away, you hear a voice.

Hey, mind if I join you?

At nearly the same time, you hear another voice call out.

"Lissa-sama! Ohayō gozaimasu!"

[Esprit15]

Victor frowns, annoyed with the other girl for taking control of the group that he had put together. Something bothered him about the girl, between the large amount of money she had yet the oddly aggressive behavior. He'd have to ask around and maybe do some research later. Oh well, right now his only options were to relax and enjoy his food. Besides, her paying for it made for a cheaper day out than he was expecting.

"Hey Joe, who is that Delacroix girl?" he whispers to his friend before biting into the sandwich he ordered.

[Illven]

Oh hey, Jessie! How are you? Lissa said giving Jessie a hug, and blushing as she felt their chests touch.

Blush still on her cheeks she hears her dormmate call her.

Yuki! Come over here! She said gesturing wildly.

[danielxcutter]

"You know her?" asked Jenny to Yuki. She didn't know Lissa very well, but she was in some of the classes as her, so she knew her name at least.

[Lentrax]

Victor frowns, annoyed with the other girl for taking control of the group that he had put together. Something bothered him about the girl, between the large amount of money she had yet the oddly aggressive behavior. He'd have to ask around and maybe do some research later. Oh well, right now his only options were to relax and enjoy his food. Besides, her paying for it made for a cheaper day out than he was expecting.

"Hey Joe, who is that Delacroix girl?" he whispers to his friend before biting into the sandwich he ordered.

"Dunno. Want me to see what I can find?"

Oh hey, Jessie! How are you? Lissa said giving Jessie a hug, and blushing as she felt their chests touch.

Blush still on her cheeks she hears her dormmate call her.

Yuki! Come over here! She said gesturing wildly.

"But there is no room. Is booth for two!"

"You know her?" asked Jenny to Yuki. She didn't know Lissa very well, but she was in some of the classes as her, so she knew her name at least.

"She is my roommate."

[Esprit15]

"Please do. I like knowing when my fellow students have... histories. Or connections."

[Illven]

Jessie could sit in my lap? Lissa offered.

[Lentrax]

"Please do. I like knowing when my fellow students have... histories. Or connections."

"Sure. How deep you want me to go? Just public record, or what?" You know That what Joe is really asking is how much you're paying him, but you also know that Joe's info is always top grade and reliable.

You also know not to ask where the information comes from.

Jessie could sit in my lap? Lissa offered.

No. I could trade places though, if you want to eat with your roommate.

[Illven]

No, no it's fine. Lissa said warmly throwing an arm around Jessie.

[Lentrax]

If you say so, Jessie says a bit coolly, as she gently takes Lissa's arm off her shoulders and sits down in the seat opposite her.