[COLOR=GRAY][INDENT][INDENT][i]Silence was absolute in Paisley's History class. The rail thin man walked up and down the rows of desks. The tension in the room as always, was palpable. And his decision to teach from a mobile position, never static at the head of the class, only exacerbated things. After a term on the French Revolution, this education-bloc had turned to the American Revolution. If the Butler didn't pull him out of this school, the next revolution would see one of Paisley's or Banjo's heads on a spike... A familiar flicking sound, resulted in hushed shuffling as every student's head turned around to see which it was today. The unspoken tension in the room heightened even further, Banjo knew what it was, before he even looked. Paisley lifted the lighter, and today it was the cigar. Banjo turned back to his desk, and internally psyched himself up. He stood up. [color=white]"Sit down."[/color] The thin man's voice barely raised above a hoarse whisper. This wasn't what he wanted. But good. Fuck what this dessicated skeleton wanted. Banjo thought to himself. The smirk crossed his face. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Y'know what... I'm never going to America, so why the fuck do I give a shit if they had a revolution?"[/color] Paisley's face held the same pallor it always had in times like this. The same it always would. Banjo's held defiance. In the face of the inevitable, which both knew was coming. [/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: # 1.70[/b][/COLOR] [I]Tucker, Talk and Tribulations[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][sub][color=SILVER][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] Luce - [@Roman], Calliope - [@PatientBean], Cassander - [@Lord Wraith], Rory - [@webboysurf][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=SILVER][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [I]'Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy)'[/I][/right][/SUP] [INDENT] [quote=@Roman] The panic reached a boiling point and her stomach turned; desperately, she fumbled herself away from the vicinity of the tent and towards the edge of the pitching area, clutching a hand over her mouth. She made it twenty or so paces before collapsing to her knees in the most unkempt patch of grass in proximity - and then, in a most ungracious manner, spewing up her guts. [/quote] Banjo pulled up just before reaching the girl as she irrigated the lawn with the contents of her stomach. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Well, yeah. This is all in keeping with how today's gone..."[/color] He muttered aloud. He wasn't exactly sure what to do or how to handle himself. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Look I-- Well, try not to chalk this up to an unwillingness to help, I mean I'd hold your hair for you, but there's not much there for me to-- nope, that won't work. I'd only pull it..."[/color] Moving his hands in the air, trying to figure out what he could possibly do. She vomited again. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Well, yeah, now you say that I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe both my interpersonal skills and my luck quite so eloquently..."[/color] He deadpanned over the retching girl. Calliope filed in behind him, as did some new older student who introduced herself as another student rep. Banjo swiftly cast her name to the pile of forgotten names in the deepest darkest recesses of his mind. She was helping the blonde girl though, so Banjo assumed his responsibilities here were through. Tad called out to try to task him with some garbage or other, as if he had any pull to make demands, and Banjo let him know about it... before deciding unilaterally to ask Calliope if she'd want to help getting everyone for the food Tad had prepared. Because fuck Tad. She held his hand again and his heart damn near leapt out of his chest, before he cursed himself and tried to keep himself cool. He subtly tried to check his arm as it swung through with hers, almost certain that she'd set every hair on it standing on end. She was electric. Once again he found himself cursing that they were using this time to go find others. They gathered everyone up, and Jim took the opportunity and grand stage to make an appearance. Blah-blah-blah Tad. Blah-blah-blah Team. Folksy repartee and... Wait... a 'Team Swap'. People can choose to..? Banjo's mind raced as he thought how this might impact him. This clusterfuck of a unit, he could just about see everyone and anyone looking for the exits. The only one here he actually seemed to get on well with was Calli-- Oh shit... If he'd noticed, she probably had too. And she seemed exactly the kind of hard working go-getter who would be out to look for the best possible situation. But the hand-holding, and the checking me out, and the stuff she said... Suddenly he felt like venting the contents of his own stomach right next to the other blonde girl. "Banjo." Little Banjo called out from the depths of his shorts. "I don't give a fuck what you do. But you need to fix this shit [b]NOW[/b]." Then Jim continued Blah-bla-blah weather, blah-blah-blah safety and concern for your life or whatever. But back to the important shit. Banjo had hours to try and turn this shit around. Make some actual human connections with people that weren't Calliope. After Jim finished his speech before his captive audience, they all filtered out, grabbed their food and sat around the campfire. No doubt deep in contemplation about how chaotic the day had been and the news of a potential way out that Jim had just laid on them. Banjo sat down with his full plate next to Calliope, his mind still racing a mile a minute. [quote=@PatientBean] [color=F796A9]"So, what are everyone's thoughts on this team swap? I'll be the first to admit I had considered that possibility back at the campus. Now, I don't know. Hard to say if I think this team will flop or not on day 1. We didn't get off on the right foot, so maybe we can try to fix that now? I'm Calliope. My power is ice manipulation."[/color] She opened the floor to others. [/quote] She'd laid her cards on the table, and he wanted to kiss her. For a lot of reasons. But right now, if for no other reason than because she'd actually gotten the ball rolling on an actual dialogue. No way they would have been as open to discussion if it came from him. [color=#8AACEB]"That's [i]cool[/i],"[/color] Sparky McGee chimed in, and Banjo felt exhilirated. No way that bloke opens his mouth if it was my suggestion! This is it. This is how you turn this shit around... now pay attention. [quote=@Lord Wraith] [color=#8AACEB]"Everyone wants the chance to make a good first impression. There's an appeal to the swap in that alone. But it's not a simple reset,"[/color] Cass paused. [color=#8AACEB]"The adage of 'the grass is green where you water it' applies. We can stay on Blackjack, make the best of our situation and enjoy our time at Pacific Royal."[/color] The smoke of the fire suddenly blew in his face causing Cass to cough before continuing. [color=#8AACEB]"Or we give up on Blackjack and move to Eclipse or Firebird, either continuing with the same attitude or making the best of a new situation. There's no wrong answer and there's no right answer. It's Schrödinger's cat, whether it's alive or dead is dependent on your outlook."[/color] He had been talking too long, it was probably the most any of them had heard him speak. Cass sheepishly rubbed the back of his head before holding a palm out. The familial sparks emitted from his hand before swirling together to become a small, glowing orb.[/quote] Banjo watched as the glow grew, shining up his raised long sleeves. He watched and recognised something. On the boy's arms. His mind raced on. [quote=@Lord Wraith][color=#8AACEB]"According to Professor Roth and Dr. Lehrer, they call it volatile force manipulation."[/color] Cass mused before tossing it skyward, the orb exploding into fireworks. [color=#8AACEB]"I'm not great at controlling it as I'm sure most of you have seen."[/color][/quote] As he tossed the orb, Banjo caught a full glimpse of the markings on his arms. He knew exactly what they were. He'd seen them himself when he was younger. They were a part of him. But scars don't heal as completely for most others, regardless how much time passes. Cigarette burns. Maybe a cigar or lighter burn there too. He only had a glimpse though. Definitely cigarettes. He thought about what he knew about this kid. Quiet anxiety. Immediately overprotective of the girls. The anxiety. He'd seen it a hundred times before. It was a gamble... but Banjo felt it was at least a pretty good bet. And he wasn't pissing this away without a roll of the dice. Banjo spoke up. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Uhh... My names Banjo."[/color] He turned to look at Rory. [color=darkgoldenrod]"I uhh... know the official school documentation says 'Andrew Olyphant'. That's not my name. Only name I've ever known is Banjo. But they needed two names on the paperwork, and, well... yeah."[/color] Oh, this is just going swimmingly, dickhead. Sack up. Before you put these jokers to asleep. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Anyway... I've kind of always viewed my powers as 'something I can do' more than 'who I am', so maybe we can all bounce around and throw in something about ourselves as we go. Y'know, something a bit more substantial than 'I like Pez'. There's twelve of us here, maybe someone else here'll have it in common and we might actually see each other as people or somethin', or whatever."[/color] [color=darkgoldenrod]"So, yeah. I'm Banjo, and I metaboli--"[/color] He turned and looked at Rory and Trevor and considered his audience. [color=darkgoldenrod]"I uhh-- eat sunlight and warmth, and my body takes it and makes me stronger, faster, helps me think a bit clearer, basically all 'round a bit better."[/color] He turned and looked at Sparky McGee, never flinching for a moment, staring at him in the face - straight down the barrel. [color=darkgoldenrod]"--And I've never known my parents. I grew up in orphanages and care facilities and bounced around schools for the vast majority of my life. In fact, I bounced around so much, I'm not exactly sure [b]WHERE[/b] in Australia I'm from, or... I guess... my parents were from, because I've been pretty much all over. Or whatever. So who's got next?"[/color] Well... let's see how that goes down. 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