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 Adora bites into her carefully made lunch- bitter melon beef shortribs. She tends to monopolize the kitchen whenever she gets a chance. "Well, it was a pretty demonstration but like, seriously? I mean, I like the idea of being all important and poo poo but there's an old Zhuangzi saying about turtles and mud and ministers that comes to mind." She spits a rib expertly into the empty bowl at her left. "Like, I never asked for this. All I wanted to do with my life was maybe start a decent religious order, have a good time, seek the way, all that jazz. And just 'cause some spiritual lottery bullshit decided I'm supposed to be the DREAM MASTER or whatever I get stuck with this bullshit? Fuckin' loony bin, man."
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Jul 29, 2014 00:47
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 Alita joins the others for lunch, and takes careful bites of her sloppy joe, somehow managing not to make a mess. "It might be fun," she says quietly after Adora's rant. She blinks at the side dish on her tray, then holds it to the others, in case anyone wants the cornbread. As she offers it around, the keeps her eyes on Adora. "Turtles?"
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Jul 29, 2014 01:00
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 "Wow, that class was so cool. It was like the start of a Pokemon game. Ms. Hamer introduced magic stuff, she sorta called a Persona, and then talked about the WIDE WORLD before she let us go. Frame for frame, someone should have taken pictures of all that magic stuff." Elodie bites into her own sandwich. "But seriously, this is important stuff! When's the last time someone said you gonna have to defend all of humanity?" All of humanity... there's still something really nervous about that idea. She tries to shake it off. "And the best part is, we're doing it together!" Mitama fucked around with this message at 01:10 on Jul 29, 2014 |
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Jul 29, 2014 01:08
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"Yeah, turtles! So like, Zhuangzi was walking down a street by a river, right, and these dudes walk up on him and go 'Zhuangzi, man, we need your wisdom and coolness and poo poo in our government.' Zhuangzi looks at 'em like 'man you crazy' and goes, 'see that turtle there?'" She pauses. "So um, context. In the old country turtles are like, sacred if they get old enough, so there's this turtle shell the size of this table preserved in a temple like right there. There's people bowin' to it, and praying for long life, all that jazz right? So the ministers are all 'uhuh' and Zhuangzi is like 'do you think that dead-rear end turtle would rather be there, being respected and worshiped by all these people, or would it rather be alive and playing in that mud over there?' And of course the ministers are all 'it would rather be alive and playing, duh.'" She smiles smugly. "So Zhuangzi leaps into the mud pool and goes 'go away, then. I'd rather be over here, playing in the mud.' And I'm Zhuangzi. I don't want to go be a minister."
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Jul 29, 2014 01:11
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 "Never!" Chuck answers between bites of his sloppy joe, leaning into the table so he doesn't spill on his shirt. "Nobody told me I'd have to defend humanity! I mean, dang, closest I've ever heard to that is the pre-flight safety lessons during pilot training!" He looks thoughtful for a moment, his smile drooping just a touch. "...I guess flying with the instructor in the backseat sorta counts? I dunno...so wait, did any of you know about any of this when you got the scholarship offer?"
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Jul 29, 2014 01:12
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Alita nods slowly. Clearly the story has made an important impact. Perhaps even a step forward on the path to true wisdom. She frowns every so slightly, then asks, "I meant - what's a turtle?"
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Jul 29, 2014 01:13
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"They're pretty cute and shelly." Elodie tells Alita helpfully.
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Jul 29, 2014 01:14
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Adora's eyebrows knit together in a perfect moment of confusion. There's perfection in everything. "Um, things that um... geeze lady, where the hell are you from? Australia? No wait, I know they got turtles in Australia." She grabs her phone, searches quickly. "There, that's a turtle." 
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Jul 29, 2014 01:17
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"Wait, serious?" Chuck snaps his head towards Alita. "Never seen a turtle before? Come ooooon..." He pops out his smart phone and pulls up a picture and a web site on turtles, and is about to show her when Adora beats him to the punch. "Omph! Dang, you're fast..."
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Jul 29, 2014 01:17
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 Aisling grumbles as she eats her lunch. "Whatever. As long as I get to kick some arse, I don't give a toss about any of this rubbish." Yes, it is very weird hearing someone spout off British slang in an Irish accent.
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Jul 29, 2014 01:35
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 Chris is - oh goddamn, dude, he's eating his sloppy joe with a knife and a fork. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with this guy? Notwithstanding this utter culinary abomination, he says, "You know, I'm actually glad I have this responsibility. Because before this, I really had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. But now I know there's something I can help with."
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Jul 29, 2014 02:12
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 Mio ran off excitedly as soon as the bell rang. About now you hear the sound of something clanking... ... And Mio skids back into the scene, with an armful of homemade smoke bombs and ropes and climbing gear and a log, for some reason. "WHEN CAN WE START?"
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Jul 29, 2014 02:26
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"Uhh.. unless your power is named 'Takeshi' and we're in a castle, I don't think we need any of that stuff..."
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Jul 29, 2014 02:28
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"Hey, they could work!" Elodie grabs the log for no reason in particular. "I mean, it's all in dreams, right? I bet these things are even more super effective when we imagine bringing them inside! I think that's how it works?"
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Jul 29, 2014 02:32
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"Still, Shadow✧Nova, why are you carrying that stuff? If it's in a dream, we can just imagine having it with us. All you're doing right now is drawing attention." He looks around, though, and sees pretty much everyone else focusing on their own lunches and talks. "...huh. I would have sworn you were."
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Jul 29, 2014 02:45
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Alita eventually decides to dump the cornbread onto Chuck's plate. Her response to Adora follows. "Hungary. I think. ... Thank you." She watches Mio's entrance, then shakes her head at Chris. "She's a ninja. ... It's Shadow☆Nova by the way." How she knows about ninjas and not turtles is a mystery for another time.
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Jul 29, 2014 03:02
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"You don't like cornbread? Okay then!" Chuck takes a big bit out of the extra piece. "Mmmm...So what's in like in Hunga--a ninja?! Wow, Mio, or Shadow☆Nova or whatever I should call you, are you like, the jumping kind of ninja or can you actually fly, like, ninja tricks and stuff?!"
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Jul 29, 2014 03:30
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A loud voice booms from behind Chuck, "Ninjas? How lame is that? Check out this year's crop of Philoso-Nerds!". The speaker is a burly boy, wearing a Knights letter jacket. He sneers slightly "This group seems even freakier than the usual crop. When will this school stop admitting people whose families don't occupy the same tax bracket as the rest of us. Whatever. I need to protein load." With that, the boy turns to leave with his posse. The name 'Masterton' is emblazoned on the back of his jacket.
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Jul 29, 2014 04:10
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Oh, gently caress no. We are not having any of this. Ash stands up and holds her arms out to the sides. "Oi, buddy? You got a fuckin' problem? Because if not, yer about to, ya prick!"
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Jul 29, 2014 04:28
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"Yeah! Listen up!" Mio plants a foot on a chair dramatically and turns to this guy. "The name's Shadow☆Nova! You guys better remember it, because it's the name you're gonna be eating protein to catch up to!"
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Jul 29, 2014 04:58
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"Huh? Did someone just...?" Chuck turns in his seat and looks at Protein Man. "Oh...are you guys Persona users too?! What can you summon? Mine's a big bird of prey, wanna see--!" He's halfway to setting up his smartphone to do the ritual when he stops with his hand in midair. "Wait...you don't have one? Aww..."
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Jul 29, 2014 05:27
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"Chuck, they stuck us in the same class for a reason, you know!" Oh geez, are they going to get into a fight in the first day? Not cool. "Come on, let it go, you two." Elodie waves at Mio and Ash. "I mean, they're a buncha jerks and they'd totally fold if Ash pounds her fists on their eyes, but doesn't mean we have to prove it!"
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Jul 29, 2014 07:33
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Adora just rolls her eyes and keeps eating, a sly smile on her face. "An excellent demonstration of, like, both the power of uselessness, and the method of acting without thought. Pretty cool, man. You should come by my club sometime."
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Jul 29, 2014 11:27
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"They'd better fuckin' fold, or I'll MAKE them fold!"
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Jul 30, 2014 02:40
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Alita quietly finishes her lunch. She can join in later if she's needed.
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Jul 31, 2014 03:07
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The hulking boy in the letter jacket turns around and stalks back to the group after hearing Aisling's outburst. He leans in closely, so that the lunchroom monitors can't hear what he's saying. "Listen, freak," Masterton growls in her ear, "I'd love nothing more than to knock that attitude out of you, seeing as I can't stand mouthy chicks. But I'd get kicked off the football team, and we can't have that can we? You still need to learn your place though, so here's what we're gonna do. Meet me in Madison Square Park after school for a little...contest." An ugly grin spreads over his face. "You can even bring your little friends if you want. Nothing makes humiliation better than an audience. If you don't show, I'll let the whole school know you chickened out. Oh, and make sure you bring your appetite." The bell rings, and Masterton stands up. "If you rejects will excuse me, I've got gym next, and I think we're playing dodgeball. I need to stretch my pummeling arm. Ciao!" He leaves the lunchroom with his cronies, and the rest of the student body starts to clear out. Looking that your schedules, it looks like you have US History next, and end the day with a Study Period.
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Aug 3, 2014 22:39
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As Masterson leaves, Aisling turns to the others, glaring daggers at them. "You lot are comin' with me, you hear? I'm not gonna let that slab of protein shove me around!" She slams on the table to punctuate her point. "gently caress!"
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Aug 3, 2014 23:04
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"Reputation is a chain. It is much better for everyone if you let him stew in his ridiculous contest." Adora shrugs. "Imagine how silly he will look if you just leave him out there."
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Aug 3, 2014 23:22
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Alita nods at Aisling. She'll come. "Go late," she advises. Without adding anything else, she collects her trash and gets up to return her tray.
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Aug 3, 2014 23:47
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"Wow. He calls you mouthy, and goes on and goes on about how he wants to beat us up for our lunch money and stuff. So immature." Elodie pouts. "Wouldn't it be annoying if someone just kept talking and talking like that?" She chomps on her sandwich. "Well, we gotta stick together! Totally with you, Ashy."
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Aug 3, 2014 23:53
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Chuck spends a few moments watching Masterson get all up in Aisling's grill and stomping off, before making a face and flapping Hus fingers in front of his nose in a rude gesture. "Wow, that guy is a jerk!" he exclaims. "Hey Aisling, just give the word and I'll get my plane and buzz him! BUZZ HIM!"
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Aug 4, 2014 03:30
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"Wait, so he can't do anything to us? He has to ask us to go somewhere he can?" Gears turn in Mio's head. She starts to giggle, then throws back her head and unleashes her best evil laugh. It is pretty terrible. "WA HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Mio skips away to attach a smoke bomb to his locker door.
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Aug 4, 2014 14:51
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"If I'm gonna make it anywhere in this school, I gotta make it known that no one fucks with me. NO ONE." A fierce look of determination crosses Ash's face, which falters when she realizes something. "Ashy?"
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Aug 4, 2014 16:26
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"Well, I don't have a cuter cute nickname in mind, but if I figure one out, I'll let you know." Elodie nods sagely to herself.
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Aug 4, 2014 21:24
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"I'd rather you keep it to yourself."
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Aug 4, 2014 21:50
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"Really, I'm inclined to just skip the whole contest thing Masterton has planned." Chris said, rolling his eyes at the overmuscled challenger. "Really, it's not like anyone outside his circle of jocks even cares about what he says, is it?"
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Aug 5, 2014 06:52
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St. Raphael's Study Hall, 2:45 PM St. Raphael's tries to limit distractions during the school day, and while it has a state of the art computer lab, some parts of the school are kept "unwired". The warmly paneled walls, pleasingly oriented bookshelves, and comfortably padded chairs all work together to allow students to work hard and do their best academically. Of course, academics are the last thing on the mind of a certain group of students huddled in the back corner. You all have 15 minutes until the end of classes, and the beginning of Masterton's dreaded challenge. What will you do with the time afforded to you?
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Aug 13, 2014 04:43
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"I'm gonna kick his arse! I'm gonna kick his arse! I'm gonna kick his fuckin' arse!" Aisling is just sitting there, plucking strings on her unplugged guitar and repeating a mantra to herself. She doesn't even caaaaare if she's distracting, gently caress you!
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Aug 13, 2014 04:47
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"Hmm...maybe you could shoulder back judo throw him--no, wait, then he'd reverse with the peach stealer...wait, you don't have peaches!" Chuck has a bunch of martial arts techniques books out and open in front of him, and is rapidly flipping through each looking for a killer strike. "Oh, wait! Here's something! You should--!"
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Aug 13, 2014 04:54
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"We're not gonna jump into a fight, Chuck." Elodie chills on a couch with a pair of headphones connected to her phone. Well, she has the right side of her headphones on, while the other half just droops close to her neck, blaring J-Pop loud enough for anyone close by to hear. "I mean, we don't even know what Masterson wants from us, you heard him, he doesn't wanna get expelled. It's not gonna be physical." She tilts her head. "I think." Mitama fucked around with this message at 08:01 on Aug 14, 2014 |
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Aug 13, 2014 06:34
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