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[img]http://i65.tinypic.com/28hztyw.png[/img] [img]http://i65.tinypic.com/21o8tg4.png[/img] [img]http://i65.tinypic.com/b66f5i.png[/img] 

[img]http://i.imgur.com/xRj8oPR.png[/img] [img]http://i68.tinypic.com/63x8xz.jpg[/img] [img]http://i67.tinypic.com/2njvpci.png[/img] [img]http://i68.tinypic.com/es3ewn.png[/img]

[h2][color=cyan]Sander[/color] | [color 33ec06]Marcus[/color] | [color=8A3DFF]Emma[/color] 
[color=a2d9ce]Callan[/color] | [color=00a99d]Ernest[/color] | [color=ff57ff]Siena[/color] | [color=red]Chris[/color][/h2]
[hr][color=silver]𝕄: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟙𝟜, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝕌𝕊𝔸ℝ𝕀𝕃ℕ 𝔼𝕒𝕤𝕥   / /   ℂ𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕦𝕤  / /  𝟘𝟟𝟛𝟘[/color][hr]
[sub]Collab with [@Baklava][@Chasers115][@PapiTan][@banjoanjo][@dragonmancer][@Diggerton][@RedDusk][/sub][/center]

"[color=a2d9ce]Siena,[/color]" Callan said the girl's name to catch her attention after dismissal, her expression grave. Umbrella in hand, she stared at her roommate with traces of fear quickening her heart beat and forcing deliberation into her breathing. Only it was less fear and more worry, mixed with that same rush of adrenaline from the first fight. [i]She'd[/i] be fine. What else was super strength and resistance good for? But her roommates....

"[color=a2d9ce]Help me find Marcus. Let's get breakfast,[/color]" she said after a short pause, as though she'd considered saying something else.

After a brief surveyal of the area beneath the portico outside the dining hall, Callan spotted Marcus. It came as no surprise that he was already chatting with Emma. A dull pang of jealousy that had become all too familiar the past few days gnawed away at the back of her head, but she had other things to be worried about now. More important than stupid crushes or barely present rivalries. She tried not to think about it, anyway.

"[color=a2d9ce]Hey,[/color]" she said quickly, glancing warily between the two. "[color=a2d9ce]Breakfast?[/color]" She kept it simple. Few things ever managed to get in the way of Callan's appetite, but she was more eager to sit down and talk about what was going on than anything. 

Emma responded to Marcus with a smile. Anxious, but a smile all the same. [color=8A3DFF]"I wish I had the same confidence..."[/color] she bit her lip, a sign of the nervousness mounting in her. [color=8A3DFF]"I can't help but think-"[/color] Emma cut herself off when she saw Callan approaching. She looked at Cal and than at Marcus, responding to both of their offers for breakfast, [color=8A3DFF]"Yeah. Let's."[/color] she replied.  Wouldn't want to die on an empty stomach, after all. With that she gave the pair a slight nod and pointed towards the buffet before heading off in the direction.

"[color 33ec06]Oh there you two are! I was starting to wonder where you'd gone off to.[/color]" Marcus said, with a slight chipperness that seemed to be in short supply currently. Everyone likely had the same worries and questions he did, with Emma having asked the really big one already. He tried to hide his own thoughts; focusing more on trying to put everyone else's fears (and his own, if it worked out that way) to rest.

"[color 33ec06]Read my mind, Cal: gotta make sure you get the most important meal of the- yadda yadda, blah blah, let's get some pancakes![/color]" he said, interrupting himself with and eye roll and dismissive hand gesture, followed by an excited little bounce - one that probably mirrored Tater Tot's eccentric hopping more than he was willing to admit.

With a hollow smile, Callan nodded and led the way. Entering the cafeteria, she noticed Sander as her card was swiped through. He was sitting on one of the couches with a cup of what was probably coffee. Staring out the window as if lost in thought. "[color=a2d9ce]I'll meet you guys at the table,[/color]" she said quickly as she slipped her I.D. back into her pocket. 

[hr]

Callan stopped just a few feet in front of Sander, looking across the cafeteria as if searching for someone as she walked. "[color=a2d9ce]Hey, Sander,[/color]" she said simply, hands in her pockets, "[color=a2d9ce]You want to come sit with us? [/color]" Her nervous smiles and light hearted attitude were replaced by a serious calm. Every movement felt painstakingly deliberate as she tried to will herself to relax. She glanced past Sander again before her eyes finally fell on a tray of food that wasn't quite aligned right on the table. "[color=a2d9ce]Where's Christmas? He can come, too.[/color]" she added.

Sander turned his head a little bit too soon, even before Callan came to stand in front of him. He looked mildly surprised, as if he didn’t expect her to be there at all –“[color=cyan]Huh? Christmas is…busy.[/color]” -He cast a meaningful glance toward a direction, before turning back –“[color=cyan]Just me.[/color]”

"[color=a2d9ce]Is he okay?[/color]" she asked. The last monster fight hadn't ended very well for Christmas. Of course, it could've been worse, but that wasn't super reassuring. 

"[color cyan]He's fine.[/color]" -Again, empty assurances that Sander had used for others and himself both over the course of the last few days. It wasn't the truth, not even half of it, but it was all he had.

"[color=a2d9ce]Are [i]you[/i] okay?[/color]"

Another surprised look from Sander, but this time, it was soon followed by a soft smile -"[color=cyan]I'm fine. You?[/color]"

Callan seemed just as surprised by Sander's smile. It was a small comfort. "[color=a2d9ce]All things considered, I'm doin' alright,[/color]" she replied, hesitently smiling in return. The quicker she, Sander, and Chris eradicated whatever the hell that [i]thing[/i] on the screen was, the less danger there would be for Siena and Marcus. And everyone else. "[color=a2d9ce]Glad to see you're not losing your nerve,[/color]" she smiled a little wider, "[color=a2d9ce]I'm gonna need your help out there.[/color]" 

She lowered her gaze and the smile slightly faded, "[color=a2d9ce]Just coffee for breakfast?[/color]" 

The prospect of fighting near someone he could say he knew, or liked even, still scared Sander somewhat, but he pushed the irrational fear to the back of his mind. Callan had seen him [i]there[/i], and she was alright with it. So maybe he shouldn't be too concerned himself. 

"[color cyan]...yeah. Not really hungry. But you are, right?[/color]"

She shrugged, "[color=a2d9ce]I'm a little more tired than hungry. Not sure why they woke us up so damn early just to have us wait around for seven hours, but oh well. Pancakes sound pretty good right about now anyway.[/color]" Visibly she seemed to relax, but there was still that slight edge to her voice. It was easier to talk to Sander in spite of everything that was on her mind. Maybe because she wasn't as worried about him? Not like her roommates.

"[color=a2d9ce]Just make sure you don't starve yourself all day, right?[/color]" she smiled apologetically. "[color=a2d9ce]You'll still sit with us, yeah?[/color]"

"[color cyan]Yeah, don't worry.[/color]" -Sander moved to stand up, waiting for Callan to lead -"[color cyan]Let's go.[/color]"

[hr]

With their next so-called mission in mind, Siena had been quieter than the norm, her mind already racing through unpleasant memories of their first true combat experience. The image of Padma's demise was still fresh--[i]why wouldn't it be? She still had vivid dreams that replaced the girl with other figures[/i]--and more than enough to drive a blanket of unease. The thoughts consumed her so efficiently that Siena barely noticed that she had probably been listlessly staring in the general direction of--nothing. Just the space ahead of her, which might have had people during their trek, but...well, nobody was waving a hand in front of her face, questioning her presence mentally. That was probably some indication that she hadn't been intently peering at someone without realizing. 

Shaking her head to clear it, Siena realized soon enough that she had effectively lost Callan and...

...Marcus? That was the one they'd been looking for, right?

"[color=ff57ff]Oh...oh no...[/color]" [i]When had she gotten to the cafe--where had she put her wallet?[/i] A mixture of relief and anxiety twisted in her gut, both familiar and yet entirely confusing. Maybe she [i]wasn't[/i] adapting to her new life as well as she wanted to. Sending her gaze around the cafeteria, the brunette caught sight of a familiar face not [i]terribly[/i] far away. Faced with the option of dining alone or helplessly wandering around until she found the group, Siena decided to take the plunge, calling to the boy with a full-motion wave of the arm. "[color=ff57ff]Chris![/color]"

[color=red]"Hey Siena." [/color]The white haired arbiter said as he had walked over to her.  [color=red]"Whats up?"[/color]

"[color=ff57ff]Just getting breakfast with my roommates.[/color]" A pause followed by a sheepish smile paired with a faint wince. "[color=ff57ff]...or that was the plan before I lost them.[/color]"

[color=red]"Well that sucks. I am a bit hungry myself, why don't we go get breakfast instead?"[/color] Chris returned a warm smile. An expression he had become more accustomed with everytime he saw her. He had placed his pale hands in the pockets of his blue coats as he awaited a response.

"[color=ff57ff]Yeah...I'm sure we'll be able to find them too.[/color]" There weren't that many people around either way--it was more a matter of figuring out where her roommates decided to sit. Giving a smile, Siena sent her gaze over the tables briefly. "[color=ff57ff]I keep hearing about this 'waffle' thing. I figured it might be good to try it.[/color]"

[color=red]"Y-you never had a waffle before?"[/color] Chris stuttered a bit, waffles were almost as common as pancakes for breakfast. At least thats the impression he had. Were waffles not that well known outside of his own town?

Quickly realizing her mistake, Siena formulated a quick excuse to cover her tracks--a grain of truth, even if it wasn't entirely. "[color=ff57ff]Oh, well...I didn't get many options. Something balanced and healthy for energy.[/color]" Flicking her bangs from her eyes, the brunette left a thoughtful pause linger in the air. "[color=ff57ff]Though I guess I also never asked for them, so nobody brought it up.[/color]"

Chris shrugged off the minor quirk, not bothering to think about how unlikely that was.[color=red] "Well its sweet. You need to put butter and maple syrup on it though, maybe some cream too."[/color] He explained. [color=red]"I think I'll get one too."[/color]

"[color=ff57ff]Haha...maybe I should get one after you to get a few tips to follow.[/color]" With a faint smile, Siena shifted her weight slightly, as if preparing to start walking. Maya's voice echoed in her head, scolding her for too much of a shift. [i]Too much and it's pushy, just enough to suggest it.[/i] "[color=ff57ff]It'll be an adventure for one of us, at least.[/color]"

[color=red]"Well I never thought I'd witness someone discovering a waffle." [/color] he teased lightly, and followed her shifted direction as he walked. Chris obtained two stacks of belgium waffles covered in butter and syrup, and a buttered toast on the side.

"[color=ff57ff]Well, I guess there's a first for both of us then,[/color]" Siena shot back with a sense of ease that she was surprised at. Another wave of familiarity and discomfort, but she pushed it away as she followed Chris's example, the thought that this might be the last meal she ate fluctuating from an alarm to a whisper in the din that frequented her mind.

[hr]

At the sight of Marcus excitedly bounding towards the pancake section, Ernie grinned and gave a short wave. The Aberration's own tray was stacked with a multitude of pancakes, exotic looking fruits and yogurt tubs, uncharacteristically more than the usual meager pieces of toast he ate. His last meal had to be something special after all.

[color=00a99d]"Someone's an eager beaver,"[/color] Ernie laughed and grabbed another piece of dragonfruit. He didn't even know how to eat that crap, [color=00a99d]"Getting ready for the big day?"[/color]

Marcus was interrupted in his food gathering by the familiar voice of Ernie. He turned aorund to face him, the one pancake he had on his plate sliding slightly across the tray. "[color 33ec06]Listen, I haven't been up early enough this week to get breakfast, and do you know when the last time I had pancakes was? I don't even remember![/color]" The child-like mirth in his voice was evident, but spiced with a slight dash of the same apprehension that seemed to hang over everybody's heads.

[color=00a99d]"Not early enou-- Geez, what are you even doing up all night?"[/color] Ernie looked confused, [color=00a99d]"Hey, I don't wanna hear that kinda talk from a guy who gets to have a kitchen in his own dorm. Make yer own damn pancakes! Invite people over for a pancake party! Simple."[/color]

Marcus nonchalantly shrugged, looking over the assortment of fruits that were laid out. "[color 33ec06]I'll be honest: pancakes didn't exactly seem like a priority in the grand scheme of things; but you sir, have made an excellent argument! I hadn't even considered having breakfast at [i]any[/i] point in the day! Truly, this is a magical place![/color]" he said the words with as much sarcastic excitement as he could, grinning slightly and throwing an apple on his tray.

[color=00a99d]"Why stop at pancakes? Two minute noodles, stirfry, wedding cakes,"[/color] Ernie looked as if he could ramble on for a while, but stopped himself, [color=00a99d]"You gotta let me borrow your kitchen sometime. Steak just ain't the same when you don't make it yourself. Or when you have to share a cooking space with a gazillion other Aberrations."[/color]

As Ernie rambled, Marcus's brain was thankfully thinking of something other than the mission they were about to go on. He'd learned quite a bit of cooking back before the incident - he was certainly home alone enough to pick it up out of necessesity. Max hadn't been much of a help when she was around either; she always preferred the quick and easy meals. Maybe it was something to look forward to in the coming week. Callan and Siena would probably enjoy a good meal - he sincerly doubted either of them had ever cooked for themselves if Siena's apparent wealth and Callan's plethora of discarded snack bags were evidence. Hell, Emma'd probably appreciate a meal too...a nice little gesture she'd undoubtably make fun of him for. 

"[color 33ec06]Not a bad idea.[/color]" Marcus pondered. "[color 33ec06]As long as you pinky promise not to accidentally burn the room down or steal my food and run off with it![/color]" he joked, chuckling slightly to himself.

Roast potatoes, curly fries, pot stickers. Ernie's smile was almost wistful now as his brain reeled off a list of everything he wanted to try before...

[color=00a99d]"Please, dude. That only happened, like, once. And it was only the curtains that really got damaged!"[/color]

He liked this. Talking as if they weren't going to die in a few hours. Ah well, a guy could dream.

[color=00a99d]"How 'bout this? You set a date and we can plan a menu when we get back, yeah?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]We'll have to see what days they give us off; I would absolutely not be surprised in the least if they give us classes on a Saturday because we missed them while fighting unimaginable horrors.[/color]" he replied. He was kidding of course, but there was a small part of his mind worried that he's just jinxed it. They wouldn't be that mea- yes they would.

[color=00a99d]"Ew, don't even joke about that,"[/color] Ernie grimaced but inside he felt pretty nice. Why couldn't they worry about these little things more often, instead of fearing for their lives? [color=00a99d]"Anyway, where we sitting?"[/color]

Emma was already seated at one of the larger tables so they made their way to her. Easy to spot, now that the cafeteria was empty. Marcus took a seat by the girl while Ernie sat across them. Soon afterwards, Siena approached with a white-haired boy beside her. Chris the Dragon, if Ernie recalled correctly. He welcomed the pair with a friendly wave, as Marcus greeted Chris with a small salute and knowing grin.

Emma gave Chris her usual smile. [color=8a3dff]"I'm Emma."[/color] she said with a small wave. 


Approaching the table everyone had flocked to, Callan knew it probably wasn't necessary, but she felt obligated to introduce Sander. She hadn't seen him chat with very many people and it would probably be rude to dump him here without any explaination. "[color=a2d9ce]Hey guys, this is Sander. He's sitting with us.[/color]" she said simply before lightly knocking the back of her hand against Sander's arm to catch his attention. "[color=a2d9ce]Gonna grab some food. I'll be right back.[/color]"

“[color=cyan]Hi.[/color]” -Sander nodded, eyes flickered across the faces that had gathered. Pointless, since he knew most of everyone here by scent already, but still, it was only the polite thing to do. There was Callan, of course, then Marcus and Emma, who he still remembered vaguely from that first fight. Siena was there as well, along with…the white-haired boy. Sander remembered those two as well, though his memories of them were far less pleasant. And speaking of unpleasant, Ernie was seated just right across from him. That brought a frown to Sander’s expression, but he willed it away fast enough as he settled down into his seat. 

But he no longer had any business with Ernie. The other Aberration had promise to stay away from Christmas, and that was all he never needed from Ernie. Yet, the school wanted Ernie to protect the blond boy. And Sander couldn’t really trust him to that. He just stared at the Aberration, and wondered, fingers tapping slightly on his cup of coffee. There was no anger in his eyes. No hatred. Just a simple, curious look. But it was rude to just [i]stare[/i], so he forced out a few words for the rope mage –“[color=cyan]Good morning, Ernie.[/color]”

Ernie stiffened as Sander approached. So he was friends with Cal too. Did she... No. If she knew she would have said something about it. Probably. It's not like Ernie knew her outside of idle cafeteria conversations. Still, he didn't want on the bad side of the class' two biggest powerhouses. The dark-haired boy turned his gaze down to his plate, knowing that dangerous blue eyes were watching him. Urgh, he didn't need the rest of the table seeing him act weird. Just be natural.

Ernie swallowed his mouthful of pancake and gave Sander a nod of acknowledgement. [color=00a99d]"Morning."[/color]

Too stiff? Too brusque? He tried to add more.

[color=00a99d]"Not hungry?"[/color] he asked, indicating at Sander's noticable lack of breakfast.

"[color=cyan]No.[/color]" -Came the curt answer, and Sander's gaze didn't falter. 

[color=00a99d]"Yeah, well, shout if you want anything. Got plenty here, as you can see,"[/color] Ernie gestured to his overloaded plate. By now, Ernie's tone was noticeably more muted than usual. God, that stare was unsettling. He looked down at his plate again in a vain attempt to ignore it.

Sander merely held his stare after nodding once to acknowledge Ernie’s offer. 

Marcus gave Sander a short wave when he showed up and sat down in the seat directly beside him. Although he was trying to bury his prejudice, He was still a little bit unsure of Sander despite the talk they'd had, similar to how he was still a little unsure about...[b][i]oh no.[/i][/b].

The realization caused him to stop mid-chew and also stiffen, albeit a little less than Ernie himself did. Having these two at the table was probably not a good idea - especially considering that he'd told Ernie to give it a week or so before he got within range of Sander, not [i]two days[/i]. And there did seem to be quite a bit of palpable irritation between the two, something Marcus noted as his wide eyes worriedly flicked back and forth between them. He very slowly shifted slightly towards Emma and away from Sander, in preparation for the brewing shitstorm.

Emma wasn't ignorant to the awkward tone that was settling over the table. She gave Marcus a slight look of curiousty, but didn't hold it very long, instead looking towards Sander with a wide smile. [color=8A3DFF]"I, uh, don't think we've really met. I'm Emma, but you might already know that... just 'Em' is fine, also."[/color] 

“[color=cyan]Emma.[/color]” -Sander nodded, tearing his eyes away from Ernie for a moment. He forced a stiff smile in return for Emma's much brighter one –“[color=cyan]Yeah. I haven’t seen you around since…the first day. How have you been?[/color]”

Emma responded with a small shrug. [color=8A3DFF]"All things considered not too bad,"[/color] she lied, glancing across the table, [color=8A3DFF]"Friends make it easier, right?"[/color] she said, trailed by a small laugh.

“[color=cyan]Yeah. Your [i]friends[/i].[/color]” -Once again, Sander nodded in agreement, his gaze drifted across the table to follow Emma’s and stopped at Ernie. Fingers dug into the wall of his paper cup, its shape deforming a bit before Sander could will himself to relax –“[color=cyan]Good for you.[/color]”

Emma gave Sander a confused look. Was he mad at her? [color=8A3dff]"Uhhh... y-yeah."[/color]

'Friends'? Was that some kind of subtle dig about Christmas? About Ernie? The black-haired mage covered his scowl with another mouthful of pancake, watching as Sander slightly crushed his cup. He was mocking him, wasn't he. Some kind of 'I'm always watching' message. He could kill Ernie with the squeeze of his hand. It was bad enough that he came to sit with them, but staring too? He wanted to watch Ernie squirm. And on such a day like this. Fuck Sander. Fuck him. That bastard wanted to ruin his last meal? Wanted to play around with Ernie in front of everyone? Well Ernie was rarely one to turn down such a challenge.

[color=00a99d]"I got something on my face, Sander?"[/color] Ernie stared pointedly back at the boy. Bring it, asshat.

Callan's tray hit the table as she took a seat beside Ernie, oblivious to the influx of tension from Ernie's question as well as the question itself. The anticipation of a good meal was yet another small comfort she was grateful for as she tried not to let what if's and maybe's permeate her thoughts. Looking across the table, however, it was clear to see something was amiss. 

"[color cyan]Huh?[/color]" -Sander blinked, slightly taken aback -"[color cyan]No.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"In my teeth, then?"[/color]

"[color cyan]No.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"On my shirt?"[/color]

"[color=cyan]No.[/color]" -Sander quirked an eyebrow -"[color=cyan]You are clean. Don't worry.[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Then what's with all the staring?"[/color] Ernie leaned back and crossed his arms. His tone was joking but his expression was unamused, [color=00a99d]"You think I have a pretty face or something?"[/color]

"[color=cyan]No.[/color]" -Sander frowned, unsure of what to make of that latest question.

[color=00a99d]"Quit staring then. I wanna eat breakfast."[/color]

"[color=cyan]Alright. Go ahead.[/color]" -Sander agreed easily, looking back down at the coffee cup clasped in his hands. Ernie merely clicked his tongue in response and continued eating.

"[color 33ec06]Man...[/color]" Marcus interrupted, halfway through his pancake, and looking for any reason to break the rising tension. "[color 33ec06]What do you think the deal is with that thing we're up against, anyway? The guy said it's human - but it certainly didn't look like it. You think that's part of the power?[/color]" he said, looking to everyone at the table.

Engrossed in the bizarrely tense conversation that was happening between Ernie and Sander, it took some effort for Callan to steer her thoughts back towards the matter at hand. The whole reason she'd invited Sander to sit with her in the first place. "[color=a2d9ce]Maybe it's a transformation thing,[/color]" Callan mused, shooting Sander one last wary look before fully commiting to the change in topic, "[color=a2d9ce]Like what Chris does?[/color]"

Emma stared at the pair as they went back and forth. There was obviously... something going on here, but Emma didn't care to involve herself in it. [color=8A3DFF]"I... don't know, but I don't think Kardos would say he's human if he wasn't sure..."[/color] Emma said, shrugging.

Sander pondered the question, but he decided to keep his answer to himself. The power changed them, and that change went deeper than the mark. Some more than others. Human or no, the outcome of the battle wouldn’t change, as far as he was concerned. Someone must die so the rest could live. The pressing question, for him, was who would die. His gaze flickered back to Ernie again, despite his words. 

"[color=a2d9ce]Well, whatever it is... you guys shouldn't worry about it,[/color]"  Callan said firmly, "[color=a2d9ce]Sander and I will take care of it. Chris, too. That thing's as good as dead.[/color]" For all her confidence when it came to her strength, even Callan wasn't this dumb. Apparently they'd been throwing subnaturals at that thing all night and a category three didn't sound like anything she should be taking lightly. Even so, she didn't want the others worrying about her when they should be worrying about themselves. An army of mechanized monsters didn't seem any less harmless than attacking the source-- especially when all it takes is a single well-aimed blow to the head. 

"[color=a2d9ce]Those bots seem like they could be a problem though. Strength in numbers and all that, right?[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Nothing our support team can't handle,"[/color] Ernie mused. It seemed that he hadn't noticed Sander's eyes on him yet, [color=00a99d]"Emma's pull-guy can sweep them in while Hazel and stuff wreck the lot, right?"[/color]

Emma smiled at Callan's confidence. That was something she could admire, even if she wasn't sure if it was true. [color=8A3DFF]”Yeah. I'm sure you guys will kick their butts!”[/color] she said with no small amount of enthusiasm. False enthusiasm, but she was making an effort. As for Ernie's apparent certainty that they would have the small fry handled, well...

Emma's power was still inconsistent, as it had been since their 'game'. Things had gotten better since her date with Marcus, but there was still a degree of trepidation within her. She'd actually had sporadic periods of her entire arsenal available to her... except Determination. She'd only succeeded in bringing him out a single time since Hazel publicly shamed her. She found it quite discouraging that her most valuable summon might not be there for the battle. 

She [i]was[/i], however, able to consistently summon Love, something that she found incredibly embarrassing and caused her no small amount of guilt. [color=8A3DFF][i]Foolish, stupid girl.[/i][/color] one of the voices inside her echoed. She, of course, wasn't about to share any of that information with the group. Instead she nodded at Ernie, [color=8A3DFF]”If we don't keep them down they'll cause you guys trouble... I... we've all got to do our part so we can all come back.”[/color] she said, her smile growing. Her forced smile.

"[color 33ec06]Yeah, and as long as you guys keep them from spilling out, my job will completely consist of a fun little game of Hide-and-Go-Seek![/color]" Marcus grinned widely, pleased with the sudden boost of confidence everybody seemed to be having.

"[color=a2d9ce]Heh,[/color]" the corner of Callan's mouth quirked into a half successful attempt at a smile, "[color=a2d9ce]Try not to have too much fun, Marcus. It's a not a game this time.[/color]" That was bit unfair of her. Everyone was trying to stay positive and confident, but as they all trivialized the task at hand, she couldn't help worrying that they might not be careful enough. Immensely hypocritical, but she couldn't help it. Not when Marcus was the one saying it. 

[color=00a99d]"A game's just a situation with win-lose scenarios though,"[/color] Ernie scratched his face, [color=00a99d]"You could call anything a game, really, especially the mission. With me it's just another round of Protect the Healer, only with bigger stakes this time."[/color]

He looked at Cal. He wasn't joking this time. Did she really think that being such a buzzkill was going to help anyone? Ernie didn't need bummed out teammates getting their asses kicked and exposing his own group just because their morale was down.

[color=00a99d]"If thinking of it as a game makes it easier to know what to do, then I don't see a problem with it. Mission objectives and all that, yeah? If Marc could find a way to get some fun out of these win-lose scenarios, then maybe we could all do a little better."[/color]

"We" referring to Cal, of course.

[color=00a99d]"But hey, whatever gets you in the zone, man."[/color]

"[color=a2d9ce]I'm just saying,[/color]" Callan answered quickly, glancing at Marcus again before looking down at her tray, "[color=a2d9ce]You guys should be careful.[/color]"

Marcus seemed slightly taken aback by Callan's response, preparing to stammer out a response interrupted by Ernie. He sat silently while the two talked quickly between each other, before speaking up himself. "[color 33ec06]N-no, I just meant...[/color]" he trailed off. Of course he knew that this wasn't a game - this was an actual mission; and it wasn't like he was actively trying to make a scenario where people could get killed into his own fun playtime.

He found no words to continue his defense, instead choosing to avert his eyes back down to his breakfast, taking a small bite.

Emma gave Ernie a glance filled with venom, and then Callan one with significantly less venom. She cleared her throat, [color=8A3DFF]”We’re all just trying to cope in our own ways, right? I’m sure we all know well enough that it’s going to be dangerous out there.”[/color] she said as cheerfully as she could. 

Ernie met Emma's glare with an amused look. Damn, it was fun annoying her. He'd have to do it more often.

[color=00a99d]"Yeah, as long as you know what the stakes are, do whatever the hell..."[/color] Ernie was caught off-guard when he looked over the table and saw Sander's eyes on him again. Did this fucker really... No. Not right now. He coughed and continued more meekly, [color=00a99d]"...yeah, whatever works. We'll all be giving it our all out there anyway. Just different approaches, that's all it is."[/color]

"[color cyan]Will [i]you[/i] be giving your all?[/color] - Sander spoke suddenly, breaking out of whatever train of thoughts he was chasing at the moment. The question was obviously directed at Ernie.

There was a moment of silence as Ernie glared back, obviously irritated by Sander's interjection.

[color=00a99d]"Even I'm not stupid enough to let anything happen to our 'precious healer',"[/color] the Aberration practically spat the last part out. It seemed that he was avoiding uttering Christmas' name out loud, [color=00a99d]"So yeah, I'll be doing that. I'll do my job and you make sure you keep that berserking pointed at the robot, yeah?"[/color]

"[color cyan]I...don't want to hurt you, Ernie.[/color]" -Despite the other party's aggression, Sander remained oddly calm. Melancholic, even -"[color cyan]But I can always find you. And I will.[/color]" - Once again, threats that sounded more like warnings.

Emma gave Sander a look of incredulity. Sure, she didn’t like Ernie but that was a straight up threat. She couldn’t just let that slide, could she? She cleared her throat, trying to get their attention off of each other and onto her. [color=8A3DFF]”Okay, that’s it. This is super awkward. What’s going on here? I don’t care if you guys have some kind of beef, but I’d like my last breakfast to be pleasant.”[/color] she said flatly.

From bad to worse. Callan looked up from her tray as Sander addressed Ernie. What had gotten into him? Had she missed something? Thankfully Emma managed to intervene before she worked up the courage to say something in spite of her previous embarrassment. "[color=a2d9ce]Emma's right. Sander, do you have to do this right now?[/color]" Callan looked to Sander with frustrated betrayal. Even without knowing why the two were on bad terms, she'd expected him to be better than this.

They were seriously taking his side? Well, it was a pretty idiotic move for Sander to do it in front of everyone.

[color=00a99d]"Emma's totally right. This is my last breakfast. So instead of fucking around and threatening to do shit to me, why don't you just wait a few hours and let the robots do it for you? Would save you a lotta blood on those designer jeans,"[/color] Ernie crossed his arms, seething, [color=00a99d]"If not, then shut up, fuck off, and let me eat in peace."[/color]

If he were talking to any other person, Ernie probably would have goaded them on to hit him then and there. But this was Sander. Not even this nihilistic bravado gave him the guts to challenge the boy straight on.

Sander blinked, mildly surprised as he looked at Emma first, then Callan. Of course, they didn't approve. He couldn't say he did, either -"[color cyan]I'm sorry.[/color] -He said quickly, eyes retreated back to the cup of coffee in his hands.

"[color 33ec06]Man.[/color]" Marcus said quietly, eager to change the conversation for the second time so far. "[color 33ec06]You think we'll still have that physical training thing today?[/color]" He joked, his grin still recovering from Callan's scolding. "[color 33ec06]That thing's taken up enough of my well-earned free time![/color]"

Content with Sander's apology, Callan decided to forget about it for now, firing off one final warning look before Marcus stepped in to change the subject. His lack of response concerning Callan's earlier statement hadn't gone unnoticed. She could've been a bit more tactful with voicing her concern, but she didn't mean to make him feel bad. Even if it had caused some momentary friction, she hoped he wouldn't forget what she said. Joking around was kind of his thing, but she wanted to make sure Marcus would take this seriously-- for his sake. 

Emma gave a slight nod at Sander's apology. Hopefully that would be the last she heard of their rivalry, at least until they were past the life-threatening situations. Well, she doubted they would ever be entirely safe, but at least past the immediate danger. Emma gave a sharp sigh at Marcus's mention of their training. She had never exactly been athletic and the aches she felt over her body told her that mandatory excercise certainly wasn't doing her any favors. [color=8A3DFF]"I sure hope not. Things keep going at this rate and I might start to lose some of this flabbiness."[/color] she joked, pinching some of the flesh on her arms to accentuate her point.

Ernie looked up from his food, desperate to get back into the usual swing of conversation after embarrassing himself and blowing up like that. Thank god Marcus was here to make a distraction. Ernie raised an eyebrow at Emma's self-deprecating comment. High school people did that a lot, right? Say bad things about themselves so people would laugh or reassure them? Ernie gave it a spin.

[color=00a99d]"Aw, no need to put yourself down like that, Emma,"[/color] he smirked and flexed a rather pathetic, skinny arm, [color=00a99d]"Keep up the hard work and soon you'll get to be as scrawny as me and Marcus!"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Aw yeah, aren't you jealous of our rockin' physique?[/color]" Marcus said, his mood immediately lightening up a bit at Ernie's remark. He rolled down his right sleeve to flex his non-existent muscle, giving everyone at the table a cocky look. "[color 33ec06]Don't you just wish you could be this beefy?[/color]"

Sander looked up briefly, brows scrunched up in confusion. Despite herself, Callan chuckled sheepishly.

Emma joined the laughter with a small giggle of her own, [color=8a3dff]"Oh yeah, beefcake, you betchya. With chicken arms like those you're lucky I give you the time of day."[/color] in response Emma flexed her own arm, displaying her distinct lack of muscle, [color=8a3dff]"I think [i]I[/i] might be more built than you, and that's saying something"[/color] she teased.

"[color 33ec06]Well there we go: next date idea.[/color]" Marcus said with a grin, rolling his sleeve back down. "[color 33ec06]Gym date. Nothing like a gross, sweaty, workout session![/color]"

[i]SNAP.[/i] Callan's plastic fork broke in half. She blinked up at Emma and Marcus in surprise. "[color=a2d9ce]Whoops,[/color]" she muttered after a moment's hesitation, heat rushing to her face. "[color=a2d9ce]Good thing I grabbed a spare![/color]" she forced herself to laugh. Uncomfortably shifting in her seat. She wrapped her hand around her glass of orange juice and quickly brought it to her lips. "[color=a2d9ce]You guys are dating?[/color]" she chuckled into her cup, poorly feigning disinterest as she took a sip.

When Callan broke her own fork in two Emma regarded her with an awkward smile, shooting back at Marcus, [color=8A3DFF]"Not sure if the gym is a great idea, I'd probably make you look bad."[/color] she said, her smile shifting back into a more natural one. When Callan asked them if they were dating her expression went flat. She looked towards Marcus, shrugging [color=8A3DFF]"Well... uhhhh..."[/color] he didn't seem to have a problem with proposing a date right in front of them, so she supposed that he didn't have an issue with labeling their relationship, [color=8A3DFF]"Y-yeah. We are."[/color] she said, smiling again.

Uhhhhh.

Ernie's gaze shifted rapidly between Cal, Emma and Marcus. Did Cal... really not know? Did Emma really not know that Cal didn't know? Did Marcus know [i]anything[/i]? Ernie flinched at the sound of snapped plastic and quickly bundled the fragments into a spare napkin. Messes were bad. This situation seemed bad too, for Cal anyway. She seemed particularly shaken, with that terrible fake laugh and orange juice. Emma... looked strange for a second too but seemed to brush off Cal's reaction. Ernie would have to follow up on both later but right now the conversation came first.

[color=00a99d]"Eyy! Nice to get some good news in this place for once!"[/color] Ernie tossed the bundle into an empty corner of his tray for later disposal. Eyebrows were suggestively raised at Marcus, [color=00a99d]"If you need me to steal an umbrella so the two of you are 'forced' to share one, just hit me up, yeah?"[/color]

Marcus's head jerked upright as Callan broke her utensil, settling down when he realized. His eyes flicked to Emma after Callan's question: they'd been on one date, and [i]he[/i] thought they had been dating, but he'd learned in the past not to be so presumptuous. Of course, if he was avoiding that, he probably shouldn't have mentioned a date right in front of everyone. Fortunately, it seemed that Emma had the same notion, and he grinned as he took another bite of of breakfast.

"[color 33ec06]Thanks, pal.[/color]" Marcus said to Ernie with a roll of his eyes. "[color 33ec06]I can always count on you to have my back.[/color]"

Callan forced another grin as Ernie congratulated Emma and Marcus for the good news, hoping that was enough to comminucate the lie that she felt the same. Her glass hovered in front of her mouth as Callan silently watched Ernie collect the fragments of her old fork into a neat little bundle. Had she been present, she might've thought that was odd but thanked him anyway. As it were, her mind was far away and barely processing much of anything aside from the smiles of the 'couple' sitting across from her, which she caught in small half-second bursts as her amethyst eyes flickered between Marcus, Emma, and the glass in her hand. 

Callan remained quiet as the conversation went on, eventually setting down her glass and poking at what was left of her pancakes with her spare fork. [color=a2d9ce][i]Why are you surprised?[/i][/color] She inwardly berated herself. All week, Emma and Marcus had exchanged their fair share of silly banter, but it had been different than when she joked around him. She wasn't [i]entirely[/i] clueless when it came to this sort of thing. Though she had to admit how foolish she'd been for trying to hope she was closer than [i]she[/i] was. 

Ernie cackled at Marcus' eye roll. [color=00a99d]"Just trying to help a buddy out. Listen, if you need a bucket of rose petals for whatever reason, I can hook you up. Got transferred with a guy who can help you. Just ask for 'Hurk from West'. And don't ask where he got the petals from."[/color]

The way Ernie pronounced 'Hurk' like a vomiting noise was suspicious but he seemed unperturbed.

[color=00a99d]"So how long has this been happening? Couldn't be all the way from Monday, could it?"[/color] Ernie's eyes flickered to Emma at the mention of Monday.

Emma forced a smile at Ernie’s joke. She still didn't know why everyone liked the guy (Except Sander, apparently), but it wasn't her place to try to excommunicate him from their motley crew. In response to his question she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. If Emma was bothered by the mention of Monday’s lunch she didn’t let it show, [color=8A3DFF]”I guess since Tuesday? It hasn’t really… it hasn’t been a ‘thing’ for very long.”[/color] she said, shrugging slightly. 

Marcus sat quietly, nodding along to everything that Emma was saying. He never really was one for conversations on relationships; all too often his humourous nature would swing back around to bite him in the ass. Plus, it appeared that Emma was quick to respond anyway, negating the need for his input. Which he was all to happy to comply with.

[color=00a99d]"Dang, you guys kept us in the dark for almost a whole week?"[/color] Ernie scratched his head, [color=00a99d]"Huh, now that you've told us, I guess it was kinda there. I'm glad you trusted us with this. You two make a good pair! We're all in your corner here."[/color]

Ernie paused. Should he? Yeah, he should. It'd be good to get some Stigma clearing done before the mission. And... it wasn't like Christmas. She would be able to bounce back. It was just a silly crush. She barely even knew the guy, it had only been a week! It shouldn't affect the mission too much if he was there to fix what he broke.

Ernie turned to face her.

[color=00a99d]"Right... Cal?"[/color]

Roused from her thoughts, Callan looked up with a culpable frown. Realizing Ernie was asking her to agree with his previous statement, she laughed through her nose and smiled. "[color=a2d9ce]Yeah,[/color]" she said simply, quickly filling her mouth with pancakes. Disappointment felt heavy in her chest as she tried not to think about it. About how happy she'd felt when Marcus waited up for her that night. Of course, she'd just been seeing things that weren't there all along.

Emma wasn't sure how to respond to that. She'd prefer if this wasn't some kind of big deal, for her sake and Marcus's. [color=8A3DFF]"Uhhh... thanks."[/color] she said, her embarrassment towards the topic evident.  

While Marcus was bad with social cues, he did notice that the conversation seemed to be a little embarassing for Emma. He wasn't as concerned about it as she apparently was; a fact that gave him slight pause. Did she want this whole thing to have stayed a secret? Was she embarrassed to have gone on a date with him?

He shoved these thoughts to the back, convincing himself it was just because she was shy. That was a good reason for it, and one that didn't send him into a spiral of self-conciousness. There was the awkward silence to deal with, though...

"[color 33ec06]So does anybody remember who Lawrence is?[/color]" Marcus asked suddenly. "[color 33ec06]It'd be nice to get to know my team before we head out, but it's hard to do when you don't know the people.[/color]"

Emma looked towards Marcus, face lighting up, glad for a change in topic. [color=8A3DFF]"Oh, Lawrence? I guess you haven't really been around my roomates as much as I've been around yours. Or at all, really. He's one of them... he'd probably be out walking Lizzy right now, at least I think he is. Uh, Lizzy is his dog."[/color] Emma said, vaguely remembering that Marcus didn't like dogs. Hopefully that wouldn't be a problem.

Well [i]that[/i] was a problem.

"[color 33ec06]O-oh.[/color]" Marcus stammered. His plan to meet his team had basically hinged on him finding the one name he actually recognized. Now, though...he certainly wasn't going to hunt down a guy and his dog - especially after what had happened Saturday.

"[color 33ec06]I guess first impressions can wait![/color]" he said with a nervous chuckle, trying to bury his increasingly red face in his breakfast. Here he was, about to go after a Cat 3 with the rest of his classmates on a life-threatening mission, and he was being stonewalled by a dog. Some part of him was ashamed, but certainly not enough to overcome the phobia.

[color=00a99d]"C'mon man, what happened to the exotic dessert we all know and love?"[/color] Ernie teased, [color=00a99d]"I bought some vinegar the other day if you need some."[/color]

A pause.

[color=00a99d]"Actually, I should be trying to find my teammate too,"[/color] Ernie muttered and quickly began typing on his phone.

The conversation moved on without her. Callan couldn't keep up. Couldn't focus. As Ernie pulled out his phone, she pretended to check her own. "[color=a2d9ce]Oh shoot,[/color]" Callan grinned, sliding out of her seat, "[color=a2d9ce]I have to go do a thing.[/color]" Avoiding all eye contact with the right side of the table, Callan shot Sander an apologetic glance as she gathered up her tray. She'd invited him to sit with them so they could potentially discuss strategies for the upcoming fight, but... well, there was still time. They could make plans later. With a curt wave, she carried her tray over to the trash and-- perhaps for the first time since her arrival at USARILN East-- scraped what was left of her food into the repository. 

Emma's eyes followed Callan as she left. [color=8A3DFF]"Bye?"[/color] she said, trying to sound as polite as possible. But sounding polite was hard, given how blatant Callan's eagerness to leave was. 'I have to go do a thing' wasn't exactly a great excuse. Emma also took note of the fact that she didn't look at them as she left. She wasn't sure why Callan had made an escape, but it certainly did make her slightly suspicious. [color=8A3DFF]"Well, it looks like we all have people to find... I should probably talk to Hazel before we leave."[/color] Emma made no effort to hide her grimace, she wasn't exactly looking forward to talk to Hazel after capture the flag. 

Ernie didn't need to look up to know that Cal was upset. As his phone pinged with a response from Angel, he grinned.

[color=00a99d]"Got a hot tip, courtesy of Angelique. Guess I'll see you guys on the bus later! Good luck with Hazel and the... dog."[/color]

He departed with a wave and a neatly arranged collection of food scraps on his tray.

As the conversations around him ebbed, Sander tore his gaze from the paper cup and looked up, having half a heart to just leave. But Callan had asked, and he was sticking around for her sake. However, the aquamarine-haired girl left quite suddenly afterward, barely an explanation as she did. Seeing as how he didn’t have any reason to stay, Sander finished his cold coffee in one gulp and rose to his feet –“[color=cyan]I should get going too. See you later.[/color]” -With a nod and a half smile, he walked off, stopping only once to toss the empty cup in the trash.   

Marcus gave Callan a cocked eyebrow and confused look as she walked off. She didn't usually seem that curt - his only other point of reference being back when she'd punched a hole through Kusari, and he'd upset her with a joke. Now, he watched her go away, and had to think about what had been done, and if it was his fault that she didn't seem happy. He eyed Emma once, confirming that he wasn't the only one who had noticed the odd behavior.

"[color 33ec06]I guess I'll...do [i]something[/i] to kill the time then.[/color]" He said, still sitting at the table as everyone walked off.

Emma turned to Marcus. [color=8A3DFF]”Well, that was… weird.”[/color] she said, a slight frown on her face. [color=8A3DFF]”Sorry to ditch you here, but I feel like if I don’t talk to Hazel things are gonna be kind of… weird. Y’know, after the whole capture the flag thing.”[/color] her smile was returning to her face, [color=8A3DFF]”But I’m sure I’ll see you again before the battle, right?”[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Definitely, if I've got any say in the matter.[/color]" Marcus said. The unfortunate part of his statement was that he might not have any say in the matter. The thought that this little breakfast of theirs could be the last time he saw some of these people hung slightly in his mind. It certainly wasn't how he wanted things to pan out, especially with that possibility.

"[color 33ec06]Alright, get out of here, you. Go make your friends, or slap her right across the head. Whatever makes you feel better.[/color]" he added with a grin.

[color=8A3DFF]”Right…”[/color] she said wearily. She started to get up, but before leaving turned back to Marcus. [color=8A3DFF]”Oh, yeah… if you’re still trying to decide if you want to track down Lawrence, Lizzy’s a good dog. If that makes any difference.”[/color] Emma gave  him a sideways smile, [color=8A3DFF]”And listen, if I don’t see you, just… don’t die. I’ll be mad at you if you do.”[/color]  with that, she turned towards the exit.

[i][color 33ec06]It doesn't[/color][/i]

"[color 33ec06]Thanks. That goes double for you - got it?[/color]" Marcus said, sighing softly to himself. They'd be fine. They had to be. With the setup they had - everything would be okay.