[COLOR=darkgray][i] Another perfect still night. Barely a cloud over Darwin. Banjo sat out with his waterbottle under the stars. He swore he'd never get tired of this. The endless cosmos spread forth before him on another impeccably clear night. He took a gulp of water, air sucked into his bottle. The shuffling of feet in the dirt and dust. [color=darkgoldenrod]"You again."[/color] Banjo called back without turning around. [color=maroon]"Me again."[/color] Mamili confirmed. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Come to remind me of some more differences betwee--"[/color] [color=maroon]"Naaah. Nah. Been thinkin' 'bout what you showed me. Got someone you should meet. Uncle."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"The footy player?"[/color] Mamili's uncle had played in the AFL, a legend of the game in fact, he had a cousin who was currently playing there as well. [color=maroon]"What--? No. Why would it be him? I have more than one uncle."[/color] He instantly regretted saying this and dropped his head, before getting defensive and raising a finger at Banjo to get on the front foot. [color=maroon]"Don't-- make this a race thing about the size of my family."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"I didn't say a word. The only uncle of yours I've ever heard anybody say anything about was the footy player. I assumed."[/color] [color=maroon]"Technically this guy's like a second cousin, or second uncle removed a couple times, something like that. Still call him 'uncle'."[/color] Banjo took another swig from his water bottle. [color=maroon]"I said don't make it a--"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"I didn't say a thing."[/color] [color=maroon]"Well, alright then."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"..."[/color] [color=maroon]"You two might have... somethin' in common."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"So when's this joker gunna be here, or do I have to go to him?"[/color] [color=maroon]"Told him about you. He can be here tomorrow."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"You told h--"[/color] Banjo scowled at the breach of trust. [color=maroon]"I did. Relax. He'd no more tell your story, than sell out his own."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"So you're sayin' he's a--"[/color] [color=maroon]"Yup."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"I'm not lookin' to join some kind of club. You get that right? We don't go kickin' 'round swappin' literatu--"[/color] [color=maroon]"He's interested in meetin' you if nothin' else."[/color] [right]Perfect... if nothing else there's too many people 'interested in meeting' me already.[/right] [color=maroon]"We'll probably have to move a bit further away, but."[/color] Mamili said, looking back at how close they were to the boarding dorms and the rest of the school grounds. [color=maroon]"But he likes lookin' at the stars as well..."[/color] [/i][/color] [center][color=darkgoldenrod][sup]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/COLOR][img]https://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/27900000/Alex-alex-pettyfer-27913840-500-238.gif[/img][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=darkgoldenrod][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]Haileybury Rendall School, Darwin - Past, The Southern Plateau, Dundas Islands, Pacific Ocean - Present[/I] [I][/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=darkgoldenrod][b]Welcome Home #1.064:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Hard Yakka and Hard yakking[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][COLOR=darkgoldenrod][SUP][sub]____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/SUP][/COLOR][indent][sub][color=darkgoldenrod][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [I]Calliope - [@PatientBean], Rory - [@webboysurf], Haven - [@Skai], Tad and Robert - NPCs[/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=darkgoldenrod][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [color=white][I]Invasion Day[/I][/color][/right][/SUP][/indent] [color=darkgray] Banjo and Calliope sat in silence for the trip in one of the minotaurs. In front of them, Rory had his head hanging out like a dog all the way. The silence was palpable. He took Calli's hand and gave it a squeeze, she held it and returned it in kind to show it wasn't him, but a few minutes later released his hand. Clearly deep in thought, and with plenty to think about he didn't push the issue. They heard the cliffs scream their typical banshee song as they drove ever closer to the Plateau. An effect of their design at the hands of some Hyperhuman he may or may not have been told about years earlier. As the car slowed, Rory burst forth practically before the vehicle had pulled up to a complete stop. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Geez, he's like a bloody kelpie, ain't he? Where's he off to?"[/color] Rory had rushed up and grabbed one of the tents and was racing off to some distant bare patch away from the rest. [Color=04cf3a]"Yo, lovebirds... picked out a nice spot for ya. Try not to keep us up all night!"[/color] Haven let out a laugh. Banjo rolled his head over to turn to Calliope. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Y'know, this is what happens when you let these drongos know we might be interested in startin' a family together..."[/color] [color=F796A9]"We [i][b]might[/b][/i]?"[/color] Catching his phrasing, and hoping that maybe she could perhaps nudge it to an even more solid position. [color=darkgoldenrod]"[i][b]We[/b][/i] might."[/color] He replied with a warm smile. Letting her know they were both on the same page. [color=darkgoldenrod]"If anyone knows how garbage family can be - someone who's actually gunna be driven to do it right. It's you and me, hun. No half measures. Thing about startin' my own solo practice, I'd be able to control my own hours. When it comes time. It's time. Shutter it short-term. Hell, I could probably get JP Qual or the equivalent and work as a notary public from home lookin' after the little tackers. Have pimple faced teens come in lookin' for me to sign stat decs so they can get work."[/color] [color=F796A9]"You wouldn't get bored?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Oh, I'd go absolutely barmy."[/color] He grinned. [color=darkgoldenrod]"But I'd do it. Our kids would be so sick of dear old Dad they'd be beggin' me to stay out of their lives."[/color] He winked at her. [color=F796A9]"I'm not going to be one of those moms that works too much either though. We're both in."[/color] He gave her a quick peck which threatened to turn into something longer, before separating. [color=darkgoldenrod]"But anyway, speakin' of the kids..."[/color] He rolled his eyes at the mob outside the car, and got out of the minotaur. Just in time to hear Rory propositioning Haven. [Color=04cf3a]"So, Barnes... you want to sleep together tonight?"[/color] Banjo's neck straightened. [i]Bold. OK. Fair enough. If it were anybody else, I'd suspect it was that Assembly and the whole 'Final year, better act now' of it all. But I'm pretty sure that's Rory just Rorying.[/i] As Haven agreed. [i]Ok. Now [b]THAT[/b] was the 'Final year, better act now' of it all.[/i] There was a silence between the two which seemed comfortable between the pair, but excruciating for Banjo the bystander. He could have sworn he just saw Haven flush. He felt happy for her, but figured he should take the pressure off her before that's where the eyes went. He also didn't particularly want to think about the visual he was now getting, for someone he pretty much viewed as the sister he never had. Besides, Rory bein' Rory, he probably had no clue what he just accomplished. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Oi! Tyler! Move your bloody tent!"[/color] He hollered, jerking a thumb at where he'd put 'their own' tent. Before emitting his familiar cackle of laughter. Moving on towards the awaiting construction site where they were to go to work. Now if he couldn't figure that one out, he didn't know what it was gonna take. A bouncy-haired Faculty Representative called out to them. [color=white]"Come on, guys! Stop goofing off, we need to--"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Shut up, Tad. You're not my supervis--hfft"[/color] Banjo started before walking into a tree trunk. ...he looked up, rubbing his chest after knocking the wind out of himself, and saw the tree trunk was a very large, barrel-chested hyperhuman. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Hey-Zeus bloody Crisp!"[/color] He whistled, taking in the man's full height. [color=darkgoldenrod]"When the good Lord made you he didn't bloody stop for smoko, did he eh?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"This bloke."[/color] He said, pointing up at him. Trying to salvage some small patch of dignity from the situation. [color=darkgoldenrod]"This bloke here's my supervisor. Too many foremen, Tad, and all-a that."[/color] [color=white]"Little man, I am not your supervisor."[/color] Robert replied, looking down at the much smaller student before using one of his large hands to move Banjo out of his personal space. [color=white]"Thaddeus is your supervisor. I am a coordinator. If you can not respect the chain of command, I will not have you on my construction site."[/color] [color=white]"And now you've met Banjo..."[/color] The Faculty Representative said to Robert. [color=white]"He should perhaps worry more about using his eyes instead of devoting so much energy to his mouth."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"I wouldn't say it's 'chain of command' specifically which I find difficult to respect."[/color] He replied with a screw-face, considering Tad. He turned his head, as if considering from multiple different angles. [color=darkgoldenrod]"And my eyes aren't helpin' that any."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"But... we've all got our challenges. So, where am I goin'?"[/color] He asked the colossal coordinator. [color=white]"I'm not a man like you who enjoys the sound of my own voice. I have already stated that Thaddeus is your supervisor. All instructions were doled out to him. If you are in fact interested in being helpful, I suggest you politely ask Thaddeus for your assignment."[/color] Banjo considered this for half a moment, before turning to the Faculty Representative, a large shit-eating grin on his face as he decided how he was going to phrase this. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Fair enough. Tad. Where'd the man here say he wanted you to tell me where to go?"[/color] [color=white]"You'll be working alongside Katja helping erect the foundation."[/color] Tad replied, [color=white]"I have a feeling she's got a better handle on this, so I'd defer to her and please do try to follow the plans as they are. Those are what was stress tested and signed off on."[/color] Banjo wandered off in that direction whistling [url=https://open.spotify.com/track/1WHCkljLZJL715YSFN6DA8?si=s5epyblfQAyA-xEEwtvHDA]'Working Class Man'[/url], suitably happy with how the conversation had gone. As Banjo walked away, Robert turned to Banjo one last time. [color=white]"This Banjo, he is like a rodent, no?"[/color] Robert asked, [color=white]"Small, often unwanted and finds any gap he can exploit."[/color] [color=white]"That's apt."[/color] [color=white]"You need to be firm with such bilge rats."[/color] Robert stated. [color=white]"Even after the ship sinks, he'd find a way to float while the rest of you are left to drown."[/color] [color=white]"I'd check your tent before going to bed tonight after that."[/color] Tad smirked. [color=white]"Thaddeus, do yo truly think there's a tent on this island that is big enough for me."[/color] Robert replied, shaking his head. [color=white]"And people used to say you were smart."[/color] As Banjo made his way to the construction site whistling merrily, Haven fluttered down beside and kept pace walking along side of him. [color=tan]"Hey, Banjo, mind if we chat?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Didn't know birds like Barnesy..."[/color] He stopped whistling to say. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Besides, there's no bloody need. I'd say you handled that perfectly, far as I saw. I got no notes."[/color] He stopped whistling and started singing along to AC/DC's [url=https://open.spotify.com/track/2SiXAy7TuUkycRVbbWDEpo?si=9gN1nI9lQm2tOnBygSq1-A]'Shook Me All Night Long'[/url] instead. Haven stopped in her tracks and grinned, shaking her head, he didn't turn to check if she flushed red. He was happy enough with the response he got. A few seconds later she caught up again and told him. [color=tan]"I have that covered. This is about this morning. About the ceremony."[/color] He cocked an eyebrow and slightly turned his head to face. [color=darkgoldenrod]"I'm listening..."[/color] [/color]