It's amazing how much one post can completely change the direction of an RP. Mentioned to [@PatientBean] in the Discord, that Calliope's last post saved everyone a Hell of a lot of heartache. This [b]WAS[/b] going to be mine in that spot back then, except I got too tired from work and fell asleep. Amazing how much it would have changed things: [hider=DELETED SCENES - Sliding Doors - Alternate post 1.59 - Dumb Things] [COLOR=GRAY][INDENT][INDENT][i][quote=@webboysurf] Rory turned back to Trace and Katja, giving them an awkward smile and wave before just quickly jogging after Banjo. He called out, [color=fff200]”Hey, Bro!”[/color] In that instant, Rory panicked. He looked down at his wristband playbook, opening it for a moment as his mind grew too loud. There was too much happening to remember what that guy’s name was. He recognized the picture by the cocky grin, and quickly scanned the first name listed. Andrew… Andrew. Andy. Got it. Without so much as waiting for an acknowledgement, Rory continued, [color=fff200]”Look man, we need to be trying to get along here. If you need to walk things off, walk it off… but you can’t be talking to people that way, Andy. We’re a team, like it or not… so let’s just try to get along.”[/color] Rory pushed to jog a little faster to finish closing the gap, and accentuated his point by reaching out to grab Banjo’s shoulder in an effort to stop him for a moment and come to a sense of understanding. This couldn’t possibly go wrong. Maybe Dr. Lehrer was right… maybe this team did need Rory. [/quote] [/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: # 1.59[/b][/COLOR] [I][url=https://open.spotify.com/track/0hESSlOMUM9VgEFSM3ecTu?si=jsNhMBCBTWuC_nDDXzR2rA]Dumb Things[/url][/I][/right][/sup][/indent][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][sub][color=SILVER][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] Rory - [@webboysurf][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=SILVER][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Team Bonding - Conflict Resolutions: "Boot meet arse, Arse... Boot."[/I][/right][/SUP] [INDENT] [color=fff200]”Hey, Bro!”[/color] Banjo grunted out a sigh. "Not now. Not fucking now." He'd placed the voice. It was one of the two football friends. He'd earmarked to speak with them later in the night, since he'd pegged them as probably two of the easier people to find a way of getting on with them. Something to be said for 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'. But now problems with other people were spreading like an infection. Dragging more into the middle of his mess. If he could he'd have spoken with this one later. But the repeating voice told him there wouldn't be much choice in the matter. [color=fff200]”Look man, we need to be trying to get along here. If you need to walk things off, walk it off… but you can’t be talking to people that way, Andy. We’re a team, like it or not… so let’s just try to get along.”[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod][sup]"Banjo..."[/sup][/color] He muttered. [color=fff200]"What--?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Andy sang as he watched and waited til his billy boiled... Andy's ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong... But I ain't fuckin' Andy. Call me Banjo. Who'd you say you were again?"[/color] A grin crossed his face at the reference which whistled far over the larger boy's head. As he stopped to turn, the other boy could see Banjo had a resigned smirk on his face. It took a few beats before he could gather himself enough from the weird cryptic garble he'd had sent his way, to realising to offer up his own name. [color=darkgoldenrod]"I [b]AM[/b] walking things off, and I [b]WAS[/b] trying to get along. Then I had that effort spat back in my face, along with rudeness towards the two girls Calliope and Haleigh over there. Coupled with bull ignorance when I tried to help out. Now, I'm fine with eating the shit he served me up, I'm used to people not liking me. I'm well aware I'm not everyone's cuppa cocoa. But if you expect me to sit pretty while he pulls that shit with them..? Well, I'm doing the right thing and chewing him out and walking away now, instead of driving him into the ground like a fucking fence post."[/color] He sighed. Realising this bloke had done nothing, and if anything was only trying to put out other people's fires. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Look... Tyler... you seem a good sort. Just... give me some time to cool off. If you want to help, go check on the girls. Tell em I'm sorry they had to see me blow up like that. Have[sub]n't had to tear strips off someone like that in years. Guess it's what I get for trying to be the nice guy and putting myself out the[sub]re, bein' all friendly like. This is why I just keep my bloody dista[sub]nce and just do my own thing at--[/sub][/sub][/sub]"[/color] He rambled on as he turned around and kept walking away, leaving the other boy in his place. [hr] He'd blown everything up. And he wasn't even sure how he'd done it. Banjo stood upon the great Southern Plateau, the strong sea wind whistling through his clothes as it screamed its own banshee's curse rising from below. Banjo added his own. [h2][color=darkgoldenrod][b]"FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK!"[/b][/color][/h2] There's no way Calliope would want anything to do with him now. And it hurt. It really hurt. Which was not something he was prepared to deal with before today. Hell, before just a small number of hours ago. He'd alienated even more people than his behaviour everywhere else [b]EVER[/b] had. He'd brought her down after suggesting they deal with the others, something he only did because he stupidly assumed she would want that. He'd read her as the driven, competitive sort, and he figured their best bet for ultimately getting her what she'd want with success in all this trials rubbish, would be to get on the same wavelength with everyone else they were stuck with. But she'd never given any sign that that's what she was looking to do at that moment. It was all just dumb initiative on his part. Because he was trying [b]WAY[/b] too hard. Because he cared [b]WAY[/b] too much. Then when they got to the other tent, he was friendly, jovial, put himself way out there, albeit in his own customary style. ...and he got shit on again. Like nice guys do. Because he was trying too hard again. Why? Because again, he cared [b]WAY[/b] too much. He looked out over the cliff face. Somewhere, way out there Flying Boy was continuing on his journey to Who-The-Fuck-Knows, Capital: Wherever-He-Goddamn-Pleases in the Peace-Out-Motherfuckers Peninsula. And the Freedom which would come with such a gift. Banjo turned away from the cliffs and began to walk back inland. So what was the remedy, then? "You know the bloody remedy. You've been thinking it all along." He past a small pile of spare tents. He cocked his head in contemplation. Over to his right he heard laughter coming from around a small campfire that had just been set and recognised the voice and laughter. The redhead from the Intake House from earlier. Then he recognised the Highway Patrol wannabe. And their "pet" furry friend. It was the other team's campsite. He turned back to the pile of tents, with a wide scheming grin. The cogs in his head well and truly turning now. He muttered to himself. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Banjo bein' Banjo."[/color] And started picking up the tents. [hr] Banjo had aproached Team 18's campsited from the "protected side" of the yurts, in the shadows cast by their burgeoning fire. He carried spare tents and a wild idea, and now was his time to put it into action. He opened up a tent flap and saw the familiar set of aviators resting next to a cot. It was set up for one. This was it. Faculty, not a student. Banjo left the tents outside and started dragging the interior accoutrements out into the evening air. He peeked at the campfire to check the coast was still clear and saw the tent's owner gathered around the fireplace with his team still, with a second pair of the same aviators perched on his head. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Good God, how many pairs of those did you bring, you absolute cartoon of a man..?"[/color] He dragged the bed out, and went back into to get his pack and strip the rest of the tent. [color=darkgoldenrod]"And really? Sunglasses at night? You deserve all of this... Well, you're a teacher so that goes without saying... But I'm gonna enjoy it just that little bit more, because of the sweet seasoning of douchebaggery you've sprinkled into this whole affair..."[/color] The tent was now empty. He started checking tent flaps to see for the next call to order, and soon found what he was looking for. Another tent for one. This one with [i]her[/i] scent clearly all over it. It wasn't hard, the faculty's tents were next to each other and he got it on the second attempt. He now started dragging Ryan's stuff out into the early night. Checking the campfire periodically to make sure everyone stayed put. Once it was empty, he went back in, carrying one thing, before quickly rushing back out. He ducked back in to the Super Trooper's yurt doing the same thing. Pulled a lever and got back out again in a hurry. Then put enough distance between himself and their campsite to sit back and watch... [hr] [color=white]"WHAT THE FUCK?!?"[/color] Far off, Banjo snorted. The Super Trooper was trying to find the tent's door and for some reason it didn't seem to have one anymore. More snorting as the gorilla of a man, started feeling his way around the entire yurt looking for a seam. [color=white]"Someone gimme a flashlight!"[/color] He shone it on the yurt and attempted another pass, eventually finding a seam. He pushed on the canvas slowly realising why there was no door. [color=white]"--the fuc--?"[/color] He squeezed himself between the two tents and disappeared and Banjo couldn't hold his laughter in anymore. The flashlight was dimming and brightening as it moved in the tight space between two canvases. [color=white]"Fucking [b]BLACKJACK?!?[/b]"[/color] The gorilla-of-a-man roared, the flashlight evidently shining on some kind of tentmarking within, as Banjo quickly decided it was time to be elsewhere. Of course they were marked tents. How else would the school keep track of them? It wasn't enough to stop him laughing as he ran. But he didn't account for the kids, and certainly not the gung-ho, eager-to-please attitude of this first one who came tearing out with some kind of hyperspeed. Some blonde bootlicker. Teacher's bloody pet. Oh, no. Not the furry one. Different pet. This one doesn't shed fur on the furniture. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Aww c'mon... Really? Don't be [i][b]THAT[/b][/i] prick..."[/color] [hr] [color=white]"I suppose you think you're pretty funny?"[/color] "Not half as funny as you looked squeezing around between those two tents..." Instead, Banjo uncharacteristically kept his mouth shut, with a look of vague disinterest across his face. [color=white]"Well, not so funny now, huh?![/color] He fired back the cliche. Flecks of spit collecting on the edge of his mouth, with rage. "I dunno. Still pretty funny from where I'm standing." [color=darkgoldenrod]"A man can't go out to take a shit in peace?"[/color] He proferred as an excuse for his being out. [color=white]"Really? Where's your toilet paper?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"I figured there's probably a line of port-a-loos or something over that way. What? They don't just have us shitting in the woods, do they? I mean... you'd figure they could afford it. After all, they sprung for top-of-the-line self-erecting tents for all of us, didn't they?"[/color] The Super Trooper gorilla-of-a-man visibly twitched when he dared to utter the word "tents" and it took Banjo all his effort to not crack and smirk at him. "Especially when some people seem to even go two-tents for a person..." Oh... killer fucking line. That's a shame. The look on his face if you just dropped that. [color=white]"We know you did this. You're the only one here. You're the only one [b]ANYWHERE NEAR[/b] here when it happened."[/color] He spat between gritted teeth. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Anyone see me do what you're claimin' I've done? And how long ago did it actually happen? Since I'm assuming based on what you're saying, you saw whatever you think I did happening [b]AT THE TIME[/b] as well."[/color] The gorilla tensed in thought, but attempted to cover it up with a beady eyed glare. He'd been sitting around the campfire for a better part of an hour now, he realised. It could've happened any-- No. It's him. This kid ran! [color=white]"Then why were you running?"[/color] He spat. [color=darkgoldenrod]"I was walking that way to take a shit."[/color] He pointed. [color=darkgoldenrod]"I heard a lunatic... some real ape of a man scream 'Fucking Blackjack' like he wanted to kill something. I'm in Team Blackjack, I thought I was being jumped. I ran."[/color] Banjo calmly explained. Team 18's faculty member continued to steam. No. This was the guy. It [b]HAD[/b] to be the guy. [color=white]"It was a team Blackjack tent. It was you."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"What was?"[/color] [color=white]"In. My. Tent. It was a team Blackjack tent [b]YOU[/b] put up in my tent."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Well, I don't bloody know. Maybe someone put down a Team Blackjack tent first and then you just..."[/color] He brought his cupped hands together in a gesture. [color=darkgoldenrod]"...Blocked it out. You are Team Eclipse afterall."[/color] [color=white]"You think this is funny!?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Mate, I think it's bloody ridiculous. So I'm ridiculing it."[/color] How calm Banjo seemed was now driving the Team 18 supervising faculty member even more crazy, and he was already far too deep in his feelings to think straight in the first place. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Wait... you're serious?"[/color] He was struggling to hold it in any further. He needed to laugh so he made himself an excuse. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Someone put a tent up... [b]IN[/b] your tent? [b]HAHAHAHAHA![/b]"[/color] He laughed hard. Let out what you need to, Banjo. He wanted to laugh harder right in the man's face. But at this point he'd still be pushing his luck. He couldn't believe it, if he wasn't mistaken he even had this guy questioning whether he'd actually done it. Ryan approached now with one eyebrow cocked. He could see she was going to be a harder sell. Still, he was surprised it had taken this long and they still hadn't realised-- [color=white]"Oh, whoever did this! They did your tent too, Ms Clarke!"[/color] One of the Team 18 boys called out to their student advisor. "Hup... there it is." He thought to himself. "Oh, and 'Ms Clarke'? Bloody Hell, their 'Tad' had these boys well trained..." [color=white]"YOU! I'm going to make it my personal business to make your life miserable--"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"I'm sorry..."[/color] He offered a look of disappointment before continuing. [color=darkgoldenrod]"...but I just don't think it's a good idea that we date. Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered."[/color] Her face was rapidly approaching the hue of her hair, and increasingly so with every second. [color=darkgoldenrod]"But the age difference is too much. I think the word is 'statutory', since I'm still seventeen. But I'll remember your offer and let it warm me in my more thoughtful moments."[/color] [color=white]"What did you just say to her?!?"[/color] Roared Matthews. Grabbing him by the collar of his PE uniform. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Your student advisor just threatened a student. And now you're taking it to a physical place. With one who isn't even if your 'Eclipse' group. I'd have thought you'd be pretty bloody chuffed I still have my sense of humour about the whole situation... or do you need me to break it down for you?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Because as far as I can tell... you started the day attempting to intimidate a rival team unit..."[/color] [color=white]"Intimidate?!? It was petty trash-talk and G-rated at that!"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Before later jumping a student [b]FROM THAT TEAM[/b] on his own, away from the rest of his group, and making baseless accusations of some kind of tent snafu..."[/color] [color=white]"It was a Blackjack tent!"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Before threatening."[/color] He pointed at Ryan. [color=darkgoldenrod]"And physically assaulting, at worst, restraining, at best. That student whilst presenting [b]ABSOLUTELY[/b] no evidence that he did what you claim. Unless, that's changed and either of you have since somehow been able to prove that I did what you claim... Evidence? No? Proof?"[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Hell, the only evidence of any tent thing actually happening in the first place [b]THAT I HAVE[/b] is entirely your word. You haven't shown me anything that proves it even happened and that this isn't some messed up cross-team hazing or intimidation garbage. All I have is your word. But that's okay... I guess I'm a little more trusting than you are."[/color] Wow... now THAT was laying it on thick. Ryan's nose crinkled in white hot rage. She was clearly trying to figure out how she could prove that he'd known about this before. That he was the one responsible. But Matthews had been clumsy in his early questioning. Banjo was pretty sure he could talk rings around him on his worst day, and leave him not knowing which way was up. There was no way he'd trip up now. It'd take a confession, and that wasn't happening now. No way, no how. Banjo was pretty sure he'd payed it right. Take her off balance by pissing her off early and then make as much a mess of the Gorilla Trooper's early mistakes that she wouldn't be able to do anything. [color=darkgoldenrod]"So unless you jokers have got anything else..."[/color] He started to walk but there was an obstacle... A humourless Jim-Bob had appeared! [color=white]"I'll get to the bottom of this. Campsite! Now!"[/color] [center]- - -[/center] [/INDENT][/INDENT][/color] [color=SILVER][SUP][table][row][/row][row][cell][color=#2c2c2c]- -[/color]|◄ [url=First Post URL][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=Previous Post URL][COLOR=GRAY][B]PREV[/B][/COLOR][/url] || [url=Next Post URL (Edited after a subsequent post is added, can be linked to current post is current is latest)][COLOR=GRAY][B]NEXT[/B][/COLOR][/url] ►[color=#2e2c2c]-[/color][/center][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][INDENT][right][url=Latest Post URL (Edited after a subsequent post is added, can be linked to current post is current is latest)][COLOR=GRAY][B]LATEST[/B][/COLOR][/url] ►|[/right][/INDENT][/cell][/row][/table][/SUP][/color] [/hider] And [@Lord Wraith] could fill you in on the consequences of that one...