[center] [h1]Salim Basha[/h1][h1][color=fff79a]Jeanne de Bordeaux[/color][/h1][h1][color=a2d39c]Franz Steiner[/color][/h1] [@Dog] [@GreenGoat] [@Jumbus] [/center] [hr] “And who you might be?” Salim asks, directing his question to Jeanne. The voice of the boy was quite an anxious one. Intimidation, bullying, and all sorts of aggressive mannerisms were a common item in Salim’s life. There was no escape from it, forcing Salim to more or less grow a thicker skin to simply absorb all the verbal abuse thrown at him. And so, when Jeanne throws some shade at Salim - all the boy can do is simply just listen and not think too hard about the insults. Salim continues to eat with struggle, slowly calming down as he ever so slowly gets more situated to the current climate. [color=fff79a]“Haah?”[/color] Annoyance showed clearly on Jeanne’s face. [color=fff79a]“Who the hell are you? Rude of you to ask my name without giving yours.”[/color] [color=fff79a]“Ah, I swear these people have no manners.”[/color] She swept her hair from her face, sighing. Her sandwich half eaten, she laid it down to sip at her drink. “Salim. Yours?” the boy asks once again, that is, asking for a name. There was not much else to ask from her - yet. For now, Salim awaits for some kind of answer, if the French gal would give away her name. [color=fff79a][i]Merde, he’s not shutting up.[/i][/color] [color=fff79a]“Jeanne.”[/color] She put the glass down, putting her hands on the table. It was only now that she looked at Salim square in the eyes. [color=fff79a]“What do you want?”[/color] As Franz approached, he felt as though he could cut the tension with a knife. What had happened that had made these two so confrontational so early on in the party? Certainly neither was drunk, or at least made their best attempts at hiding it. [color=a2d39c][b]“And my name is Franz. Nice to meet you both, you two seem to be making fast friends.”[/b][/color] He walked past them both and pulled up a chair on the other side of Salim. “Oh, hi Franz!” Salim speaks with a more friendly tone than with Jeanne. Salim quickly follows up, “Jeanne is mean to me.” Salim says plainly. Quite direct but Salim is still very much a child and basic in social skills, even if he is a genius in his own field of study. Franz had a short chuckle to himself. This was going to be quite an easy mission with how quickly the boy was willing to throw his thoughts out there. [color=a2d39c][b]“Well how dare she! And I thought you two were getting along swimmingly.”[/b][/color] Franz was having fun with the conversation at hand. He peers over to the bully in question and raises his eyebrows a bit in surprise. How the hell did this kid gain the ire of the famous Jeanne de Bordeaux? It was a very unfortunate situation to be in to be sure. [color=fff79a]“Fuh~”[/color] Jeanne smirked at that.[color=fff79a] “Ah, so I was right. The boy does wield pity like a weapon.”[/color] She remained tense however, and had abandoned her food and drink, leaving it in front of her. [color=fff79a]“I’d have bid you to beware, Monsieur Franz, but I have no doubt you are familiar with snakes in the grass.”[/color] Salim understood half of what it was said. He never really was exposed to anyform of higher reading or forms of speech. All he knew was more “simpler” sentences and wording. Afterall, he spent most of his life in a village. “I don’t understand,” Salim said in a confused tone, revealing a bit of his lack of complex social skills. Franz had another small laugh. [color=a2d39c][b]“Madame Bordeaux, it's a pleasure to put a name to the legend. I will be sure to keep my wits about me. Though I’m sure you mistake a snake for a common hedgehog.”[/b][/color] Franz leaned over to Salim and talked directly to him. [color=a2d39c][b]“A piece of advice, watch out for this one. She has claimed many burnt eyebrows in her studies. Sometimes her own, most times someone else's. Only a fool wants to be on her bad side.”[/b][/color] He said it all in a friendly tone. He was trying to befriend Salim, but he knew better than to make an enemy out of Frau Bordeaux. [color=fff79a]“Bah, do not bother with the child. It will continue to be coddled, and expect to be coddled. It won’t cross paths with me any time soon.”[/color] Jeanne glared at Salim’s maid before turning back to Franz.[color=fff79a] “Pity him with your bleeding heart and soon you will be shining his shoes too.”[/color] With a slight bow to Franz and only Franz, Jeanne excused herself. She had better things to do than suffer the presence of the boy. Franz gave a bow of his head back to Jeanne. What an interesting woman, Franz thought. There was a certain boldness and lack of restraint that he could really respect. It is a side of him that Franz would like to use more often, if duty didn’t necessitate facades. Nevertheless, he would hope to gain an ally like her in future. Franz returned his attention back to Salim. [color=a2d39c][b]“Kindness is a lesson some of our fellow academics need to learn, wouldn’t you agree. I will reintroduce myself, I am Franz Steiner of Austrian fame. I am aware of the long disputes between the nations we come from. However, I would like to assure you that such conflicts will not be carried over to here. I hope we can see each other as just fellow academics. That would be nice, no?”[/b][/color] Franz held out his hand for a handshake. Salim nods, agreeing to Franz. The boy gets a napkin and wipes off a bit of grease from his hands and palms before making contact with Franz’s hands. As always, this takes time and a good deal of struggle from Salim’s side, but he manages on his own luckily. “It's good to meet you, Franz. I see a good friend in you,” Salim smiles as he shakes Franz’s hands. Franz had already noticed the boy's condition but had seen it on display with the handshake. [color=a2d39c][b]"Thank you, I can see a good friendship as well."[/b][/color] He took a pause before continuing. [color=a2d39c][b]"By the way, I have noticed your condition. I imagine it would be quite difficult to create Formulizations in such a state. I hope you don't mind my curiosity, but what is your academic specialty? It must be quite impressive to be at a disadvantage like this and make it into Bermuda nonetheless."[/b][/color] “I’m an industrial engineer. I do not use formulations all too often. Heavy-industrial machines are my tools instead - I can show you an example later!” Salim tells Franz, shortly letting go of the handshake. Franz gave out a laugh. [color=a2d39c][b]“I certainly hope you are not operating heavy-industrial machines. Somehow I find that less believable than Formulization. Though I’m sure you meant that you have other people under you to operate them. You strike me as the planning sort.”[/b][/color] “Factory workers, yes. Human labor is very important to my work. Someone has to use the machines,” Salim notes.The boy cannot operate any form of machines or else he will find himself likely dead in a workplace accident. Mission completed. Franz began to rise from his chair seeing a conclusion to the exchange. [color=a2d39c][b]“As much as I would love to chat longer, I was hoping to have a few dances before the night is done. You must excuse me. However, before I leave I would like to let you know that there are ways around your condition with current Technologism. I am sure you can find someone to help you out if you so desire.”[/b][/color] Franz took a quick pause to think before a devious smile crossed his face. [color=a2d39c][b]“In fact, I know just the person. She is short, very short with silver hair and green eyes. I am sure she would love to help you out. You will just need to address her by the proper and polite German greeting, ‘good evening fraulein Konigsmahne’. But you must not let her know I told you this, to disclose the name of a friend who kindly gives advice is very impolite in German society.”[/b][/color] Salim simply nods to the fact, keeping such information in his brain. Franz finally took his leave as he began approaching the dance floor. He has had far more lessons in music and dance, than in the art of combat. It was about time he showed those talents. [hr]