[COLOR=GRAY][INDENT][INDENT][i][color=#D90037]“So [i]cool[/i],”[/color] A mocking voice called out in retaliation to Banjo's comment making Cass' head spin as he tried to locate the nearby voice. [color=#D90037]“Look everyone, at the [i]cool[/i] boy challenging the system. He’s so edgy. No one’s evah thought to do that before!”[/color] Suddenly Cass wished he had been able to ignore the voice as his eyes located the source. While Trace wasn't the least human-appearing Hyperhuman that Cassander had come across on campus, they were the ones he saw most often and their inhuman eyes and borderline transparent hair still gave him pause. Cassander was often guilty of wondering what Trace had looked like before their Hype-Gene exploded. Most of them got off 'lucky', at least in a manner of speaking. Hyperhumans were often attractive, retaining their youth longer if the faculty were anything to go off of. But cases like Trace were what propaganda makers focused on, branding them all inhuman monsters. Following suit with the rest of the student body, Cass stood from his seat. Taking a second to brush himself off, more out of habit than actual necessity. The campus grounds were kept nearly immaculate, though the older teen would be lying if he said he hadn't put together that the students themselves were the ones doing the bulk of the menial labour. His eyes wandered back towards the center of the stadium, starting towards the woman who had introduced Jonas and the man himself whom she was talking to. Cass' eyes were suddenly pulled across the bleachers as he watched a blonde amazon make a beeline for a familiar face he knew to be Haleigh Crawford. The wheelchair-bound girl had been assigned with him to aid in the mess hall and the two had spent more hours familiarizing themselves with various produce than either had anticipated coming to a school for 'gifted' youngsters. That said, barely a word had been spoken between them, but as low of a bar as it was, Haleigh was still the closest thing Cassander had to a friend on campus. All the more reason Cassander's protective instincts kicked in when he realized that the amazon wasn't simply moving towards Haleigh out of the same familiarity, but because something was wrong. Cass had already planned on offering Haleigh a hand with her wheelchair, though the girl now kneeling beside the other teen definitely had him 'outgunned'. Jumping over several rows of seats in front of him, Cassander tried to close the gap to get to Haleigh before being suddenly halted in his tracks. The sight of the familiar spade emblem on the amazon's bicep made Cassander realize that the blonde bombshell was more of an ally than he originally realized and that perhaps, he didn't need to play hero today. Awkwardly stopping, he hoped no one had seen his saviour complex override his common sense. Taking one last look to ensure, Haleigh was in good hands, he felt his cheeks burn for a second as his gaze lingered too long on the teen knelt beside his kitchen buddy. [color=#D90037]“Fuckin’ wanker.”[/color] Cass's attention was quickly brought back to his surroundings as he heard Trace continue to complain about Banjo before being caught in the wave of students moving toward the exit. He briefly locked eyes with Banjo who looked like he was about to respond to Trace before Cass allowed himself a half smile and responded. [color=#8aaceb]"Hey, they may have said it. But we were all thinking it."[/color] He raised his hands dismissively, cobalt-coloured energy accidentally crackling through his fingers betraying Cass' manufactured calm demeanour. He was a little on edge and not just because of the situation moments ago with Haleigh, or the slight confrontation just now with Banjo, but because he had no idea what 'Trials' they were about to experience. [hr] He tilted his head at Cassander. Trying to end a fight, before it starts... Not bloody likely. A wide smirk spread across Banjo's face, directed at the blonde youth. As if to say 'Get a load of this.' He turned back to the British girl of pale complexion, and called out. [color=darkgoldenrod][b][h3][sub]"What's that?! There's too many people! You have to speak up!"[/sub][/h3][/b][/color] And with that he cupped his hands over his mouth as if miming a loudspeaker, then added a second set of hands over and beyond the invisible first pair. Then a third set. Before rotating his hands at the wrists and throwing Trace the double birds, with a big shit-eating grin across his face. The crowd started to thin as they left the confines of the stadium. And with it he drifted slowly back into the group, if only to double down on the way he'd left the sheila from the armed forces if she attempted any other form of comeback. But her ire was pre-occupied with a more egregious insult on her person. Namely Americans were referring to soccer as 'soccer'. He was about to lean in and triple down with some of his own thoughts on soccer, when he picked up a complete absense of irony. They weren't doing it to get her goat at all. And then the whole thing became dangerously close to starting some kind of social arrangement. So Banjo backed up quietly and got the Hell out of there. [/i] [/INDENT][/INDENT][hr][CENTER][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1070792705547980842/1079957264212971520/image.png[/img][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=SILVER][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]Pacific Royal Collegiate & University - Dundas Islands, Pacific Ocean[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=SILVER][b]The Homecoming Trials: # 1.13[/b][/COLOR] [I]Dickheads, Defectives and the Dilettante Dernier cri[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][sub][color=SILVER][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [@psych0pomp][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=SILVER][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [I]You haven't done this before, right? To me, I mean? [/I][/right][/SUP] [INDENT]Banjo ran down the back path to the Southern Plateau laughing his arse off. He didn't care if nobody else would find it funny. He was going to take the opportunity to take the piss out of their little ceremony, and was imagining the facade on that four-eyed Chancellor Lehrer cracking like a cheap mirror. The laughter cut short as he was stopped in his tracks by a familiar face. One of the few faces he knew which [b]COULD[/b] count as familiar. [center][img]https://manofmany.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Richard-Roxburgh-Van-Heusen-Mentors-1.jpg[/img][/center] The man who'd brought him here, and had been the middle man between Banjo and every single boarding school and care facility he'd ever attended. The man he referred to as The Butler, since he'd never been provided with a name. [color=white]"Hullo there, what's this joker up to?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Fancy seeing you here. In a chair which doesn't belong out here and you would've had to bring yourself. On the round-the-back way to the place I [b]HAD[/b] to go..."[/color] [color=white]"Yeah. It's almost like I know you or something... So, what are you doing?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Going to Homecoming Trials."[/color] Slowly the smirk returned to his face. [color=white]"You know what I mean. Dressed like [b]THAT[/b]?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Whatever do you mean..?"[/color] The older man sighed, dealing with this kid had long been like getting teeth pulled. [color=darkgoldenrod]"I'm dressed in PT clothing to the letter of the dress code requirements. No more, no less."[/color] Banjo was standing before the man wearing nothing but a pair of black speedos with the P.R.C.U stripes down the side. [color=darkgoldenrod]"You see, the phrasing of the dress code allows for the wearing of speedos, and whilst it specifies aquatic activities as a potential time for when these optional alternative items of PT uniform [b]MAY[/b] be worn, it doesn't specify that they can't be worn during other PT activities, nor what those exclusionary PT activities may be. I was even considering just wearing the trunks and going with wearing the speedos on my head, but why not just cut out the middleman? Soooooooo..."[/color] He gestured at himself. [color=white]"What about the armband..? I know that's normally optional as well, but I'm pretty sure it's required to identify teams during the trials. Got you. You can't worm around that one.[/color] He pointed at Banjo's bare arm. [color=darkgoldenrod]"You're right, it is usually optional with this being a clear exception. But I'm not worming around anything. I'm wearing it."[/color] [color=white]"What, no you're no--"[/color] Banjo reached for the waistband of the speedos, about to retrieve something or reveal something from within. [color=white]"--OK, mate. I'll take your word for it."[/color] Raising up both palms and looking away. Another deep sigh left the mouth of the older man. [color=white]"Why? Why are you doing this? The Hell is the matter with you?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Just... taking the piss out of their big day. Were you at that assembly thing in the stadium? Bunch of brainwashed tykes with the combined power to level a continent. What do I want to have anything to do with this place for? Hell, you and me, we'll probably up sticks in a couple-a months anyway. That's what usually happens."[/color] [color=white]"Yeeeeeah naaaaaaah, kid. Hate to break it to you, but I just bought a place up here. Makes a nice change from renting for all these years, just waiting for when we'd have to pick up and go at a moment's notice. We're in here for the long haul."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Or at least until I get expelled..."[/color] [color=white]"[b]HA![/b]"[/color] The older man ejaculated a single laugh. [color=white]"I'd like to see that."[/color] He dug into his wallet and pulled out the last of his Australian currency. Ten crisp blue ten dollar notes, with the image of A.B. Paterson on them. [color=white]"Hundred bucks says you can't do it."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Challenge accepted."[/color] Banjo replied with a wry grin. The Butler shook his head. [color=white]"It wasn't a challenge. Think of it more as me informing you of a universal law of physics that you were previously unaware of. It's not a thing that can be done. And before you think about making your little Uni library fire thing any bigger, understand that this school has had over two dozen students just to my knowledge who have had it within their power to burn a school, or even a city down without a single match, who all had tenuous little control over their powers at some point... and the school still stands."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"You heard about that, huh?"[/color] [color=white]"Yes, mate. I heard about it. And did you ever wonder why, when you started a fire in the library in your first week, the immediate consequences was to send you to a place with younger, [b]more vulnerable[/b] students?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"I figured it was a punishment."[/color] [color=white]"Pleeeease... this place has ways to punish you that you haven't even dreamed of yet. That wasn't a punishment. It was the absence of a punishment. It was a message."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Well then I guess I'll just have to get creative."[/color] [color=white]"You don't get it, kiddo. You aren't dealing with pragmatic, mercenary schools who are taking you for the tuition fees, realising they've bitten off more than they can chew and decided that the hassle you bring isn't worth the money. You're dealing with [b]idealists[/b]. You're not going anywhere. They might make your life a living Hell if you try and do it to them first... but they won't be kicking you out."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"You mean I'm stuck with these dickheads and defectives for four fucking years?!?"[/color] The Butler rocked back in his chair. [color=white]"Said the lad wearing only a pair of budgie smugglers to an event that'll run overnight."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Part of the whole hyperhuman thing. I can take the cold."[/color] [color=white]"I'll reiterate. 'Said the lad wearing only a pair of budgie smugglers to an event that'll run overnight... surrounded by the only co-eds who he's just realised are going be the constants who he's going to have to interact with over the next four years.' You might not 'be bothered' by the cold, but does that mean your... ahh... body doesn't respond to it?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Whaddo I give a shit about them for regardless, four years or not?"[/color] He said out loud, before breaking it down and thinking about it. Sure, the handy white maiden would probably give him some shit about it, but that'd just give him the opportunity to return serve... and he'd left so much on the shelf last time, he was honestly kind of just itching for another shot. He was pretty sure half of the female contingent in the group he was stuck with were gay, other than the one who was older and wore a ring and Calliop-- [color=darkgoldenrod]"Oh. Oh shit."[/color] Banjo spun on his heels and beat tracks to get back to the Intake House for a quick-change with however little time he had left. Thankfully most had probably already left. The Butler leaned back in his chair and basked in the warming B.C sun, a wide grin crossing his face. [color=white]"Ahhhhh. It [b]is[/b] good to lay down some roots and have a home again..."[/color] [center]- - -[/center] [/INDENT][/INDENT] [color=SILVER][SUP][table][row][/row][row][cell][color=#2c2c2c]- -[/color]|◄ [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5427600][COLOR=GRAY][b]FIRST[/b][/COLOR][/url][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][center]◄ [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5427600][COLOR=GRAY][B]PREV[/B][/COLOR][/url] || [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5434081][COLOR=GRAY][B]NEXT[/B][/COLOR][/url] ►[color=#2e2c2c]-[/color][/center][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][INDENT][right][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5440919][COLOR=GRAY][B]LATEST[/B][/COLOR][/url] ►|[/right][/INDENT][/cell][/row][/table][/SUP][/color][/COLOR]