@ShieldsOfWar@Burning Kitty@Almalthia@Lord Wraith@KatKook@BoyMom69035@Draven@webboysurfGunnar stepped off the Delta jet and looked around with his typical knowing smile having satisfied himself while in the air that his english was very good and that his accent was described by the stewardess and steward as cute. It had been a worry of his since the people had visited his mother and he offering him a scholarship to a place called Ashford Institute that while his grades in english were good his grasp of the language only good for school.
To give himself a better grasp of the working language he’d tuned into the BBC and listened as well as observed english in action and practiced his pacing by re-running shows till he’d been at least sure he would be understood. His friends all thought he should have just stayed home in Iceland and perhaps gone to college with them in England or Denmark but they had never wakened in the air with all their possessions drifting around them or crushed their beds flat like they’d dropped a rock on it.
No it was better he learn here at Ashford then perhaps college maybe in America before returning home to be his country’s protector; maybe even as an officer of the Lögregla or the Víkingasveitin (The Viking Squad) officially called Sérsveit ríkislögreglustjórans (Special Unit of the National Police Commissioner), Iceland’s elite counter-terrorism unit; or maybe a fisherman. He was as usual adaptable in his desires already having his dream of representing Iceland in the Olympics canceled by his exposure as a mutant which he was sure would have shown up as soon as he stepped on the scales for the weigh-in physical.
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Shaking off what was sure to be a bout of homesickness Gunnar fell in line with the others who walked through the international terminal towards customs where after presenting his Passport, Papers, and answering a slew of questions he soon found himself in the “Food Court” drawn there by the smell of food and his protesting stomach.
Never had he seen so many choices of victuals to slake his hunger. There was Mcdonalds, Burger King, Chick Fil A, Chinese, Japanese, Del Taco, and several others. A lover of fish he followed his nose and then his eyes to a place just off the food court that served a better offering than fast food ordering two servings of Salmon grilled with lemon and butter and a nice selection of veggies and rice on the side.
He could tell he did something wrong when he left the table and saw his social flaw when an American man left extra money on the table so he used his phone to ask why it was done and was surprised to find it was a custom expected because the owner of the restaurant didn’t pay the servers their proper wage. So even though it made him blush in embarrassment he sought his waitress when she wasn’t busy and handed her $10 apologizing that he’d not known she was paid so little for her hard work.
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When he stepped out of the terminal he asked his phone
”Leita að bestu aðferð til að ná til Ashford Institute”(Search best method to reach Ashford Institute)
”Spyrðu aðstoðarmanns á Taxi Stand til að kalla á Taxi eða Limoscene” it answered back even providing him directions to the stand
As he walked to the stand he looked at his Samsung thinking he’d need to switch carriers from Siminn to the American service that had the best record of coverage; hopefully his fellow students at Ashford could help.
He saw the attendant was busy so he waited then once the man had finished he started to step forward when a large woman and man pushed past him taking his position in the que in a display of rudeness that was unheard of back home. So thinking they were a fluke he waited till they’d got their taxi another rude person stepped in front of him taking his place in the que.
As he set his jaw and made up his mind that it wouldn’t happen a third time he was distracted by two black girls that appeared to be his age who were obviously laughing at him and giving him a look that showed interest in him as well. So in no rush for the moment he decided to try out his English on them.
It was once he was close he noticed that both girls looked alike except for their hair and how they dressed.
”Hallo ladies I am Gunnar and if not obvious new to America and saw the two of you falleg stelpur; beautiful girls looking in my direction.” he said his eyes looking into theirs and at their faces.
”I am asking your forgiveness if my question is not appropriate but are you by chance twins?” he asked with a grin.
Then before the two girls could answer a large black man dressed like one of the African nations pulled up in a Mercedes telling the two to get in the car; or at least that’s what Gunnar assumed he said
”Hallo Sir I am hoping my speaking to the two young ladies wasn’t inappropriate or caused them any trouble.
I am Gunnar Grimsson and a pleasure to meet you sir”The large man seemed to stare through him then stunned Gunnar saying
”Þú ert mjög heillandi ungur maður Gunnar en nú þegar við erum kynnt getum við séð skaðlaus, ég er Adamu Mwangi faðir þeirra. Afsakaðu mér en ég verð að fara Gunnar”(You are a very charming young man Gunnar but now that we are introduced I can see harmless, I am Adamu Mwangi their father. Please excuse me but I must now go Gunnar)
Then the man gave Gunnar his card after the luggage was loaded into his car telling him to give him a call if he’d like or needed help.
As the car drove away and Gunnar was trying to understand how a black man from Africa spoke his language he looked down at the card and saw his answer; the man was a translator from the Kenyan Diplomatic service.
Fade Out
School Days
Or
Stranger in a Strange land
The week had gone better than Api hoped though his roommate was still a bit of a mystery to him because work and examinations had left them both drained a bit too much to be casual; at least he hoped that was the reason.
To day it was as if they’d gone out of their way to leave them all with enough energy to be themselves and even hinted they get to know those in their training group. So with the idea of making new friends the Api literally bounces off to put away his books.
Monkeying Around
Books stowed in their proper place Api rushed to the school yard looking for his peers.
Because he was so happy he had his earbuds in and was listen to a Turkic tune he’d found thinking how much Petra at his gym would have loved it for floor exercises. Naturally this meant he didn’t enter the courtyard like a normal person but like an act straight out of a circus.
The doors hadn’t closed before he was into a front flip off the top step followed by an Api side out rotation a move he’d made before his ability awakened after seeing a performance of a jinga on TV. then a flourish of wheels and other extreme maneuvers that might have placed as high as a 9.0 or better before he settled.
Once he’d stopped his erratic behavior he stood with a happy smile as he noticed the smell of cigarettes then the source a bearded guy with really dark hair that reminded him of Aleksy a polish friend from his village.
”Hallo Frin it is nice to meet this bright day, I am Gunnar Grimsson but most call me Api” Then before the other one (Drake) could speak he tilted his head curiously
”You are smoker?” Then he noticed Una and smiled even more