Monster Hearts IC: Making Friends

[Thanqol]

Son of a b*tch. Grouped up with her royal skankness and literally the worst person she knew. Cassidy groaned and rolled her eyes, not caring if any of Iris' groupies heard her protests. "Shields, I am gonna punch walls until the place gets wrecked or I end up someplace less terrible. We gotta do a group swap or something here." She pleaded with Sonia. "Nobody should have to take four floors of their garbage." Maybe they could save the new kid from a fate worse than death while they were at it. Or maybe the new kid had a grappling hook in his backpack. Monster hunters had those, right?

"I'll meet you inside," said Sonia, "then we can ditch Leon or something. Right?"

"Yeah, these groups won't last. I'll meet you by the medieval knights in like 30 minutes. Wait there for me, okay? I'll make it worth your while."

[manipulate: be there to meet Leon privately. [roll0]

"Sure, I'll be there," said Clare naively.


And at this point I am turning you loose on each other, for I am cruel and slothful. Make some friends!

[Anarion]

"Hey Iris. This is Sean. He's dumb, British, and he runs really fast" Leon said, as the group of four got together after the bus stopped. He knew that Iris had seen the guy of course, but he felt proud to have a couple facts to provide and looked it.

[TheAmishPirate]

"I'll meet you inside," said Sonia, "then we can ditch Leon or something. Right?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's good." Cassidy agreed, before reluctantly peeling off.

"Hey Iris. This is Sean. He's dumb, British, and he runs really fast" Leon said, as the group of four got together after the bus stopped. He knew that Iris had seen the guy of course, but he felt proud to have a couple facts to provide and looked it.

And he didn't even introduce her. Rude.

"Hey." She greeted Sean with a curt nod. The other two earned withering glares, but the followup snarl was absent. Already bored, or already worn out? Whatever the case, Cassidy was looking one hundred percent done. "Let's get this over with, and spare the bullsh*t," she grumbled at them, sticking by Sean.

[Elanorin]

"Hey Iris. This is Sean. He's dumb, British, and he runs really fast" Leon said, as the group of four got together after the bus stopped. He knew that Iris had seen the guy of course, but he felt proud to have a couple facts to provide and looked it.

Dumb? That was a bit unnecessary. Where did that come from? Sean was starting to feel that this Leon guy was flirting awful close with that jerk label after all. He was at the very least unpredictable. Sean gave Leon a confused frown before turning to Iris after being introduced.

"Hello," Sean smiled a small smile, he tried to think of something else to say but there was something about her eyes that prevented his brain from coming up with anything at all.

"Hey." She greeted Sean with a curt nod. The other two earned withering glares, but the followup snarl was absent. Already bored, or already worn out? Whatever the case, Cassidy was looking one hundred percent done. "Let's get this over with, and spare the bullsh*t," she grumbled at them, sticking by Sean.

"Hey," Sean replied with more relief than anything else and began walking next to her, shoulders gradually relaxing. "So is this place any good?"

[PhoeKun]

"Pleased to meet you," said Iris, which was true enough. She met his eyes with a confident smile, but sighed and rolled her eyes when he shrank away without another word. Dumb and British indeed. She looked pretty legitimately stung; mass rejection wasn't something she was used to dealing with.

"God, everybody is so eager to get rid of me today, what the hell?" She huffed and flipped her braid over her other shoulder, "I'm not going to bite anyone."

[TheAmishPirate]

"Pleased to meet you," said Iris, which was true enough. She met his eyes with a confident smile, but sighed and rolled her eyes when he shrank away without another word. Dumb and British indeed. She looked pretty legitimately stung; mass rejection wasn't something she was used to dealing with.

"God, everybody is so eager to get rid of me today, what the hell?" She huffed and flipped her braid over her other shoulder, "I'm not going to bite anyone."

"Yeah. Kneecapping's more your style," Cassidy remarked bitterly. She'd probably get somebody else to do it too. Wouldn't want to get the royal hands bloody, would we? Stained hands made the sheep nervous. Better to get your groupies to drag the poor sap behind a dumpster before they cut him down and spit on his unfashionable sweater. Here lies some nerd; his name was dumb and so were his shoes.

Gah why did she bother coming back to this dump?

"Hey," Sean replied with more relief than anything else and began walking next to her, shoulders gradually relaxing. "So is this place any good?"

"Not really." Cassidy shook her head. "It's wax, bad props, and plywood. What did you expect, effort?"

[Anarion]

"I want to stick around" Leon said to Iris. Then to the other two, "well, wow. Nice job, Sean, you got more than angry growling out of Cass there. You must be really good with animals."

[Elanorin]

"Pleased to meet you," said Iris, which was true enough. She met his eyes with a confident smile, but sighed and rolled her eyes when he shrank away without another word. Dumb and British indeed. She looked pretty legitimately stung; mass rejection wasn't something she was used to dealing with.

"God, everybody is so eager to get rid of me today, what the hell?" She huffed and flipped her braid over her other shoulder, "I'm not going to bite anyone."

"Perhaps they're scared." Sean remarked to Iris with a half smile.

"Yeah. Kneecapping's more your style," Cassidy remarked bitterly.

"Not really." Cassidy shook her head. "It's wax, bad props, and plywood. What did you expect, effort?"

"I want to stick around" Leon said to Iris. Then to the other two, "well, wow. Nice job, Sean, you got more than angry growling out of Cass there. You must be really good with animals."

Wow. Sean's eyes darted between the three of them. There was clearly something going on here judging by the comments being spat back and forth. This group allocation was perhaps a little more complicated than he had first thought. Perhaps pretending interest to the point of being left behind was the smart play here.

"So you three know each other well then!" he concluded from the venom that was flying in the air. "Great," he added flatly.

"Oh, well, still beats being stuck in classes all day," Sean said half to himself, half to Cassidy, wondering idly just what state he'd be in when he emerged from a whole day with these three.

[PhoeKun]

"Perhaps they're scared." Sean remarked to Iris with a half smile.

That got her. Iris broke into a smile and a small fit of laugher.

"Hahaha, I see what you did there. You're good, I like you! I'm really sorry about this, it's been a weird morning. You have to understand, Tina is completely smitten with you, and she's the type to really let herself get hurt if someone tried to take advantage of her. As her friend, it makes me nervous, you know? I've gotta make sure she's happy."

She shrugged, and let her jacket open a little so everybody would have a better view of the wonderfully pretty outfit she'd picked out for herself, then smiled at each person in the group in turn. When her eyes got to Cassidy, there was a spark of something like bemusement, but it passed pretty quickly.

"I'm just really protective of my friends, is all. I'd do pretty much anything for them, even run into a building full of deadly gas to pull them free. Oh, man! That's a story, right Leon? You should ask around about that one, I don't tell it very well. I get so embarrassed!"

[Anarion]

"I'm just really protective of my friends, is all. I'd do pretty much anything for them, even run into a building full of deadly gas to pull them free. Oh, man! That's a story, right Leon? You should ask around about that one, I don't tell it very well. I get so embarrassed!"

Leon chuckled at that. Then realized Iris probably wanted him to tell it to Sean and turned to face him. "Well, about a month ago there was a big gas leak or something at the school gym during basketball tryouts. Pretty much everybody freaks out, people are collapsing, running out of the gym, screaming, you name it. Anyway, Cass there, I guess she's got a very sensitive body or something because when the gas hit the place, she totally lost it. Collapsed whimpering like a little baby way I heard it told. Anyway, some people were a bit tougher. Iris was a big hero that day. She not only carried Cass out crying in her arms, she went back in a few times and got more people out who were suffering from the gas leak. Far as I know, nobody really got it too badly. Cass was probably the worst off, this is her first day back from the hospital, but all she's done for people that aren't you has been to growl and snarl at them like a rabid dog."

[TheAmishPirate]

"Oh, well, still beats being stuck in classes all day," Sean said half to himself, half to Cassidy, wondering idly just what state he'd be in when he emerged from a whole day with these three.

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...hard to say." Cassidy made a uncertain gesture with her hand. An accurate answer for spoken and unspoken questions alike.

She shrugged, and let her jacket open a little so everybody would have a better view of the wonderfully pretty outfit she'd picked out for herself, then smiled at each person in the group in turn. When her eyes got to Cassidy, there was a spark of something like bemusement, but it passed pretty quickly.

"I'm just really protective of my friends, is all. I'd do pretty much anything for them, even run into a building full of deadly gas to pull them free. Oh, man! That's a story, right Leon? You should ask around about that one, I don't tell it very well. I get so embarrassed!"

And as Cassidy looked back, there was a wave of something like severe nausea, and it passed pretty slowly.

Leon chuckled at that. Then realized Iris probably wanted him to tell it to Sean and turned to face him. "Well, about a month ago there was a big gas leak or something at the school gym during basketball tryouts. Pretty much everybody freaks out, people are collapsing, running out of the gym, screaming, you name it. Anyway, Cass there, I guess she's got a very sensitive body or something because when the gas hit the place, she totally lost it. Collapsed whimpering like a little baby way I heard it told. Anyway, some people were a bit tougher."

Cassidy fantasized about breaking all of Leon's fingers, one by one. Or maybe dislocating every joint in one of his arms. Could you even do that? She could find out real quick. Leon's problem, as she saw it, was that he was a spoiled whelp who knew nothing of the world, yet acted like he was something worthwhile. A little pain, some time in a cast, it would teach him good. Learn him some character...

...but what was the point? Her lessons wouldn't take. Miss Princess stood ready to interfere, or maybe Leon would just play it up for more stupid, sniveling attention.

F*ck everything...

"Iris was a big hero that day. She not only carried Cass out crying in her arms, she went back in a few times and got more people out who were suffering from the gas leak. Far as I know, nobody really got it too badly. Cass was probably the worst off, this is her first day back from the hospital, but all she's done for people that aren't you has been to growl and snarl at them like a rabid dog."

...wait, what?

Wait, what?!

Cassidy snapped to attention - standard procedure to ignore most everything that poured out of Leon's mouth - and looked back and forth from Iris to Leon. She didn't have the slightest clue what they were going on about. But, the way they were talking, it sounded like this was knowledge as common as the clouds in the sky or the lameness of the museum. So why wasn't she in the loop? She remembered the gas. She remembered the pain. She remembered the hospital. Gas. Pain. Hospital. Gas. Pain. Hospital. And in-between?

Nothing.

"The f*ck's he talking about?" Cassidy finally asked Iris, flaring up with confusion and frustration.

[Elanorin]

That got her. Iris broke into a smile and a small fit of laugher.

"Hahaha, I see what you did there. You're good, I like you! I'm really sorry about this, it's been a weird morning. You have to understand, Tina is completely smitten with you, and she's the type to really let herself get hurt if someone tried to take advantage of her. As her friend, it makes me nervous, you know? I've gotta make sure she's happy."

She shrugged, and let her jacket open a little so everybody would have a better view of the wonderfully pretty outfit she'd picked out for herself, then smiled at each person in the group in turn. When her eyes got to Cassidy, there was a spark of something like bemusement, but it passed pretty quickly.

"I'm just really protective of my friends, is all. I'd do pretty much anything for them, even run into a building full of deadly gas to pull them free. Oh, man! That's a story, right Leon? You should ask around about that one, I don't tell it very well. I get so embarrassed!"

"Tina? Is that the girl who came over to me on the bus?" Sean glanced around to see if this Tina was around but not before a quick reflexive head-to-toe over Iris when her jacket happened to open. "She never did tell me her name," he added, before Leon once more got his attention.

Leon chuckled at that. Then realized Iris probably wanted him to tell it to Sean and turned to face him. "Well, about a month ago there was a big gas leak or something at the school gym during basketball tryouts. Pretty much everybody freaks out, people are collapsing, running out of the gym, screaming, you name it. Anyway, Cass there, I guess she's got a very sensitive body or something because when the gas hit the place, she totally lost it. Collapsed whimpering like a little baby way I heard it told. Anyway, some people were a bit tougher. Iris was a big hero that day. She not only carried Cass out crying in her arms, she went back in a few times and got more people out who were suffering from the gas leak. Far as I know, nobody really got it too badly. Cass was probably the worst off, this is her first day back from the hospital, but all she's done for people that aren't you has been to growl and snarl at them like a rabid dog."

"Really?" Sean was happy enough to be the awed audience part of this piece, he looked at Iris, his eyes appraising her a little more thoroughly this time. "You went back in?" Sean said, genuinely impressed.

"The f*ck's he talking about?" Cassidy finally asked Iris, flaring up with confusion and frustration.

Sean stepped out of immediate snarling range when Cassidy snapped, and turned to Leon instead, "Demons, witches and now superheroes, huh? This is some school," he commented with a smile and a slight shake of the head. "How do you keep up?"

[PhoeKun]

"The f*ck's he talking about?" Cassidy finally asked Iris, flaring up with confusion and frustration.

Iris drank in the moment like she imagined a vampire would. Leon's smug fawning, Sean's sudden admiration (to say nothing of the look she saw him give her body), and especially Cassidy's confusion and rage all became an emotional soup that filled the self proclaimed princess like few things ever had before. Oh. Oh yeah. That's the good stuff.

All she offered the outside world was a demure smile. She shrugged.

"You look so surprised. Wouldn't you do the same thing for me?"

[TheAmishPirate]

Iris drank in the moment like she imagined a vampire would. Leon's smug fawning, Sean's sudden admiration (to say nothing of the look she saw him give her body), and especially Cassidy's confusion and rage all became an emotional soup that filled the self proclaimed princess like few things ever had before. Oh. Oh yeah. That's the good stuff.

All she offered the outside world was a demure smile. She shrugged.

"You look so surprised. Wouldn't you do the same thing for me?"

And -boom!- That one knocked her off-balance. Cassidy struggled with the simple, innocent question. How was she supposed to think straight when her brain was already twisted up with emotions and crap? Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh what was even happening here?!

"I mean, yeah, sure. Sure I would. Who wouldn't?!" She answered, confused, but taking refuge in conviction. "Think I want anybody to choke on that crap? I would've carried every last kid out of that gym. Leave no man behind. Or girl. Or whatever the f*ck."

[Anarion]

And -boom!- That one knocked her off-balance. Cassidy struggled with the simple, innocent question. How was she supposed to think straight when her brain was already twisted up with emotions and crap? Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh what was even happening here?!

"I mean, yeah, sure. Sure I would. Who wouldn't?!" She answered, confused, but taking refuge in conviction. "Think I want anybody to choke on that crap? I would've carried every last kid out of that gym. Leave no man behind. Or girl. Or whatever the f*ck."

"That's why you were wishing death on her not 15 minutes ago, right?" Leon gave Cassidy what must surely have been the world's most obvious fake wink. It was a miracle the Guinness World Records people hadn't appeared to commemorate the moment.

[PhoeKun]

Iris exhaled sharply through her nose in a kind of half laugh, and shrugged.

"Really makes you think, doesn't it?" she asked nobody in particular, "About all the little things you might have gotten wrong, all the tiny cues that maybe you misjudged. It's enough to turn somebody's world upside down, don't you think?"

Bored with the conversation, or at least with its setting, she sauntered forward into the inky depths of the museum. She paused at the threshold and turned to look back at the group with one eye like sharpened ice.

"You know, Hunters, I think what you need is a bit of girl time. Maybe I could teach you something; god knows this school won't."

[Thanqol]

The wax museum veered from unremarkable to ahistorical to creepy as they went. One particularly odd diorama had Sherlock Holmes being knighted by the Queen. Another one had Julius Caesar locked in a swordfight with Sparticus. Other stuff was just boring, like Abe Lincoln leaning on his axe, Ghengis Khan laughing, Napoleon standing with his hand inside his vest. There were little plaques with names, dates, and historical factoids cribbed from internet memes.

The big cheap wooden panels everywhere which contributed to the mazelike feel of the place didn't block the distant sounds of laughter, complaints and chatter from the other groups of kids somewhere in the distance; the echoing of the parking garage concrete and the muffling of the cardboard walls made it impossible to determine who was where.

Our heroes had just stumbled across the staircase to "The WW2 War", guarded by Soviet trooper doing the nazi salute. The sounds of tinny patriotic American marching music wafted up from below, along with layers of generic battle sound effects.

[Elanorin]

As they made their way through the maze of dull, confusing and at times outright inappropriate exhibits, Sean tried not to loose the others. They seemed to know this place, or at least been here before, and so when he paused to take in the saluting Soviet trooper he leaned over a little closer to Iris.

"Uhm, will any of this be on some kind of test, because I'm not sure I remember this version of events." He was genuinely a little worried for his grades. He'd heard of mangled history but never been faced with it on this scale. He looked away from the trooper to meet her eyes, a shadow of a smile on his lips.

[Rolling to Turn Iris On: 2d6+1=5]

[Thanqol]

As they made their way through the maze of dull, confusing and at times outright inappropriate exhibits, Sean tried not to lose the others. They seemed to know this place, or at least been here before, and so when he paused to take in the saluting Soviet trooper he leaned over a little closer to Iris.

"Uhm, will any of this be on some kind of test, because I'm not sure I remember this version of events." He was genuinely a little worried for his grades. He'd heard of mangled history but never been faced with it on this scale. He looked away from the trooper to meet her eyes, a shadow of a smile on his lips.

[Rolling to Turn Iris On: 2d6+1=5]

Iris is rapidly growing to become the coolest, hottest, and most important person in this school in your mind. You really should do something about that. Here are some goals to work towards:
- If you convince her to go out with you, mark XP
- If you use Tina to get closer to Iris, mark XP
- If you physically beat someone up for Iris, to impress her or because they're a rival, mark XP
- If you accomplish all three before leaving this wax museum, take a String on Leon

Have fun!

[TheAmishPirate]

Iris exhaled sharply through her nose in a kind of half laugh, and shrugged.

"Really makes you think, doesn't it?" she asked nobody in particular, "About all the little things you might have gotten wrong, all the tiny cues that maybe you misjudged. It's enough to turn somebody's world upside down, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I getcha," Cassidy said distractedly, clearly not getting it at all. She didn't have a mind for waxing on figures or perceptions right now. Her thoughts were stuck on loop; gas, pain, hospital. Gasp, pain, hospital. An endless spiral, sloping downwards. Each time she gnawed on the memories, hoping to find some bit of marrow stuck on them, she came away hungrier.

Hunger turned first to anger. What do you mean I don't remember?! Don't you know who you're dealing with? Don't you know who I am?! Sit the f*ck down, and don't give me that sh*t!

Anger turned to desperation. Come on, enough fooling. You remember this. You gotta remember this. You can't not remember this. Come on. Get up. Bare your teeth. You are Cassidy Hunters. You got this. Like you always do. Stop fooling. You got this.

And desperation?

Turned to fear.

...what's wrong with me?

Hunger. Anger. Desperation. Fear.

An endless spiral, sloping downwards.

[Cassidy says she wants to Gaze Into the Abyss: (2d6-1)[6]]

Bored with the conversation, or at least with its setting, she sauntered forward into the inky depths of the museum. She paused at the threshold and turned to look back at the group with one eye like sharpened ice.

"You know, Hunters, I think what you need is a bit of girl time. Maybe I could teach you something; god knows this school won't."

It took Cassidy a few moments to respond. "Huh? What, like, getting our nails done or something?" She asked, pulling a face. Not her kind of thing.

"That's why you were wishing death on her not 15 minutes ago, right?" Leon gave Cassidy what must surely have been the world's most obvious fake wink. It was a miracle the Guinness World Records people hadn't appeared to commemorate the moment.

A miracle! An absolute miracle beyond our wildest dreams. Not only did the Guinness World Records folks miss your witty winking, but Cassidy too. She just kept walking through the exhibits with that dumb look on her stupid, smelling-like-dog face.

What are you gonna do about that?

[Thanqol]

"Yeah, I getcha," Cassidy said distractedly, clearly not getting it at all. She didn't have a mind for waxing on figures or perceptions right now. Her thoughts were stuck on loop; gas, pain, hospital. Gasp, pain, hospital. An endless spiral, sloping downwards. Each time she gnawed on the memories, hoping to find some bit of marrow stuck on them, she came away hungrier.

Hunger turned first to anger. What do you mean I don't remember?! Don't you know who you're dealing with? Don't you know who I am?! Sit the f*ck down, and don't give me that sh*t!

Anger turned to desperation. Come on, enough fooling. You remember this. You gotta remember this. You can't not remember this. Come on. Get up. Bare your teeth. You are Cassidy Hunters. You got this. Like you always do. Stop fooling. You got this.

And desperation?

Turned to fear.

...what's wrong with me?

Hunger. Anger. Desperation. Fear.

An endless spiral, sloping downwards.

[Cassidy says she wants to Gaze Into the Abyss: [6]]

There is a way out. A way to be powerful, full, satiated, respected. It's simple. Let the wolf take over. The wolf gives no sh*ts.

I don't know if you're aware of it, but it's aware of you. It's the full moon again tonight. It's awake, it's aware, and it can make everything right. It's waiting for you to lose control.

And it can smell an ally - somewhere else in this maze there's something else just like it.

[PhoeKun]

"Uhm, will any of this be on some kind of test, because I'm not sure I remember this version of events." He was genuinely a little worried for his grades. He'd heard of mangled history but never been faced with it on this scale. He looked away from the trooper to meet her eyes, a shadow of a smile on his lips.

"Oh yeah," she said with a casual smile and a tone so perfectly even it was difficult to tell if she was being sarcastic or not, "The part where the eagles kill Space Hitler is my favorite."

Boys were so fun.

It took Cassidy a few moments to respond. "Huh? What, like, getting our nails done or something?" She asked, pulling a face. Not her kind of thing.

"Sweetheart, if you actually let me give you a makeover I could make you turn heads so fast they'd snap off. But no, I mean going and grabbing food or whatever. Just you and me, none of these stupid distractions."

[Elanorin]

"Oh yeah," she said with a casual smile and a tone so perfectly even it was difficult to tell if she was being sarcastic or not, "The part where the eagles kill Space Hitler is my favorite."

Boys were so fun.

"Sweetheart, if you actually let me give you a makeover I could make you turn heads so fast they'd snap off. But no, I mean going and grabbing food or whatever. Just you and me, none of these stupid distractions."

Sean hoped, for a moment brief enough to barely notice it himself, if he counted among those 'distractions'. He hoped not.

"Hey, Iris," Sean took a step closer, "look, I really don't know the first thing about Tina. I didn't even know her name until you told me. Would you mind... maybe tell me a bit about her? Though this isn't the most private place in the world," he commented, hearing other laugh, talk and sneeze at various distances in the building. "Maybe at lunch?"

[Anarion]

"Sweetheart, if you actually let me give you a makeover I could make you turn heads so fast they'd snap off. But no, I mean going and grabbing food or whatever. Just you and me, none of these stupid distractions."

"You really think she's worth your time?" Leon asked. "I mean, don't get me wrong here, I'm sure you're a miracle worker, Iris, but is it even physically possible to get the wet dog smell off Cassie?"

[TheAmishPirate]

There is a way out. A way to be powerful, full, satiated, respected. It's simple. Let the wolf take over. The wolf gives no sh*ts.

I don't know if you're aware of it, but it's aware of you. It's the full moon again tonight. It's awake, it's aware, and it can make everything right. It's waiting for you to lose control.

And it can smell an ally - somewhere else in this maze there's something else just like it.

Noooooooooo no no no no no no. Not that. Not now. She'd watched her own body dissolve, watched some twisted shadow consume her completely. As low as she was, at least she was her own boss. At least she had that.

But...but to feel powerful again. Wouldn't that be something? She wouldn't have to feel the wrenching hunger in her heart. She wouldn't have to bear a thousand stupid, petty barbs thrown by ignorant brats. She wouldn't have to deal with any of this crap. For once in this endless month of misery, she could feel right again.

Was it worth it?

"Sweetheart, if you actually let me give you a makeover I could make you turn heads so fast they'd snap off. But no, I mean going and grabbing food or whatever. Just you and me, none of these stupid distractions."

Cassidy looked up from her ponderings with marked interest. As to what had caught her attention, she didn't say...

"You really think she's worth your time?" Leon asked. "I mean, don't get me wrong here, I'm sure you're a miracle worker, Iris, but is it even physically possible to get the wet dog smell off Cassie?"

...before Leon opened his big, dumb mouth.

Cassidy closed her eyes, took a short, deep breath, and exhaled sharply.

Then she grabbed Leon's arm, spun him around, and twisted it behind his back in a highly effective and highly excruciating armlock.

"You talk," she said with alarming calm. "Way too much."

[Rolling to Lash Out Physically: 5 + 2 + 3 = 10 1 Harm, and Leon needs to Hold Steady before he can retaliate in this scene. Gaining 1 String on Leon through Primal Dominance, and then spending a String to force Leon to Hold Steady if he wants to make any noise aside from a quiet whimper.]

[Anarion]

Leon just went totally limp. He wasn't giving any resistance and, in fact, probably the first thing Cassie might notice is how heavy he is to hold up. To Iris and Sean who could see his face, he was grimacing at the pain, but his eyes were sad, filled with pity for how little Cassidy could control herself.

[Gaining a string on Cassidy for forgiving her for hurting him and marking a harm.]

[Elanorin]

Sean tore his eyes away from Iris to look at what was going on with Cassidy and Leon. His eyes narrowed a little at seeing their encounter but didn't step in; he was too conflicted as to which side to take and just watched to see what happened next.

[PhoeKun]

"You talk," she said with alarming calm. "Way too much."

Iris had to fight not to roll her eyes. Already? Not even one day, not even the morning, and already this was happening? For the love of god, Cassidy, these games were only fun if you made it some kind of a challenge. Or was that the idea? Just snap right out of the gate and get your skinny ass expelled so you can run away without having to admit defeat? Pathetic.

She stepped forward and placed both hands between the entangled dorks; one on Leon's back, one on Cassidy's chest. She glared at the latter with eyes full of challenge, and then she pushed in both directions. She was gentle, not even using enough force to start pushing them apart. The only way she was going to cause any separation at all was if Cassidy could read the writing on the wall, and afforded Iris the deference she demanded right now. That she let go and step away, or else get ready for another lesson.

[TheAmishPirate]

Iris had to fight not to roll her eyes. Already? Not even one day, not even the morning, and already this was happening? For the love of god, Cassidy, these games were only fun if you made it some kind of a challenge. Or was that the idea? Just snap right out of the gate and get your skinny ass expelled so you can run away without having to admit defeat? Pathetic.

She stepped forward and placed both hands between the entangled dorks; one on Leon's back, one on Cassidy's chest. She glared at the latter with eyes full of challenge, and then she pushed in both directions. She was gentle, not even using enough force to start pushing them apart. The only way she was going to cause any separation at all was if Cassidy could read the writing on the wall, and afforded Iris the deference she demanded right now. That she let go and step away, or else get ready for another lesson.

Cassidy stared her down, and for a moment neither of them moved. But then, with only a moderate wrenching, she let go of Leon's arm and stepped back. "Keep your whelp on a tighter leash," she cautioned levelly, still matching Iris' gaze.

[PhoeKun]

"Keep your hands to yourself, and it won't matter."

Nothing about Iris expression changed except for her eyes, which glittered in something like a smile. For Leon this probably wasn't anything special anymore, but for Cassidy, seeing actual emotions play on the dead girl's face must have been surprising. Could you have guessed that an approving look from her would be so... nice? Did it make you hungry? What would you do to see it again?

((Turning Cassidy On: 2d6+2 = 9))

She caught Leon's eye as she turned around, and gave him the very slightest of nods. Yes, just like that. I will make something out of you yet. If he was any good at picking up tiny cues, he'd know he'd just earned himself some kind of reward.

"God this place is lame." She said, changing the subject.