[h2]Francois Jeannotte[/h2]
Francois hummed cheerily as he entered the grandiose main hall, the bustling crowd blocking the entrance having finally dispersed somewhat and thus opened up an unobstructed movement vector into the designated area. He looked around the area, basking in its majesty. This definitely wasn't what it was like back at the lab. The main hall, more an auditorium than anything, was lustrous and awe-inspiring, as opposed to the monochrome color scheme and sparse decor of the facility. It was all a very exciting experience. He looked around for an empty seat, opting to take one behind a mostly-empty row. 

The lights darkened, everything went silent, and a spotlight shone on the stage in the front. At the forefront of the stage was a flaxen-haired adolescent shining with the radiance of the angel. 

Then came the screech of metal caving in upon itself, and the boy spoke.

...

...That.......was actually pretty cool! Admittedly, Francois'd been expecting more a Dumbledore-ish type, or maybe like some school marm, but a 'hip, young headmaster who don't play by the rules' was perfectly fine with him. It was good to see mentors trying to connect with their mentees. The fellow's choice in words was a bit crude, but perhaps that was his way of fitting in? It made sense in a way, and who was Francois to argue with sense? Nevertheless, they were instructed to remove something from the bottom of their seat. Something about an 'ice-breaker' and a number. Though what breaking ice and numbers had to with each other was beyond him. Thus, with a theatrical pull, he removed the slip of paper off the bottom of his seat and looked upon it. Emblazoned on the disheveled piece of paper was a big, bold...

23.

Francois looked at the slip for just a moment-----

>[Division Alpha]: ...Wait, 23? Don't you mean 09? Verification required. 

>[Division Beta]: 09? That number is a 23.

>[Division Gamma]: Division Beta is correct. That is a 23. 

>[Division Alpha]: No... That's a 09, what are you all talking about? Are you sure?

>[Division Beta]: Visual information reports that the number is, in fact, the number 23. Spelling: T-w-e-n-t-y-dash-t-h-r-e-e. Are the nanomachines malfunctioning? Check again.

>[Division Alpha]: Very well.

>[Division Alpha]: Nanorobotic visual confirmed. It's definitely, 100%, a 09, not a 23 as you claim.

>[Division Beta]: Previous sensory information contradicts that notion.

>[Division Alpha]: It's not a bloody 23, it's a 09. Are you blind?!

>[Division Beta]: The subject's 20/20 vision contradicts that notion.

>[Division Alpha]: No, it's a figure of-- It's a 09 you waste of grey matter.

>[Division Gamma]: False. The curvature of both characters, and the line at the bottom of the first, corresponds to the number 23.

>[Division Beta]: Division Alpha's inability to differentiate 09 and 23 is worrying. Objections to placing Division Alpha on temporary shutdown until we can fix this dilemma? 

>[Division Alpha]: FINE. Fine, it's a stupid, goddamn 23. We'll worry about any deficiencies in our abilities at a later point.

-----before looking to his left, right, and front at the numbers that those sitting adjacent to him had. 

[i]'8675, 309, 23... 23?'[/i]

Francois peaked over the row in front of him once more, at a teal-haired kid's slip of paper. The lighting was difficult to see in, but that was indeed a 23! Just like what Francois had! The monochrome-haired youth tapped the shoulder of the unfortunate individual in front of him. "Excuse me! Hey! Uhh... Kid! You! Yeah," the Frenchman said excitedly, "I got 23 too!"

...It looks like things don't always go as planned. Isn't it sad, Rei?

[@Jedly]
[@Lucius Cypher]