[color=gray][CENTER][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1070792705547980842/1079948061868048414/Katja_Banner.png[/img][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=SILVER][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]Camp Blackjack, Southern Plateau - P.R.C.U. Campus[/I] - [I]Dundas Islands, Pacific Ocean[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=SILVER][b]The Homecoming Trials #1.72:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Smells Like Team Spirit[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][sub][color=SILVER][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [I]Trace [@psych0pomp], Calliope [@PatientBean], Cassander [@Lord Wraith], Banjo [@Hound55], Haleigh [@Kuro][/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=SILVER][b]Previously: [/b][/COLOR] [I](No) Return to Serenity[/I][/right][/SUP]
[INDENT]Katja raised a surprised eyebrow at Trace. What did she mean with a bad idea? And what did they want her to smash? But before she could ask, Trace was already walking towards the cluster of Blackjack students. As the tent didn’t seem to need any supervision, Katja decided to go after them, staying a few paces behind Trace. At this point it looked like almost half the team was gathered around the area where a confrontation seemed to be occurring, but at least things seemed to be cooling down…

That is, until Trace opened their mouth.

From the little interaction she had with them, Katja knew they weren’t shy with their words. But the cavalcade of provocations and insults that followed completely caught her off guard. It took her all the willpower she could muster to neither look agape at Trace nor burst out into laughter at the, admittedly funny, petty insults they were throwing around. Luckily no one would be paying attention to her as all eyes turned to Banjo, who fired back at Trace with venomous vigor. Luckily, while the situation could have easily escalated into both saying more hurtful things towards each other, Banjo bowed out of the bout before things got too heated.

A sense of relief washed over Katja as she walked back to inspect their tent. Sure, she didn’t really know most of her teammates beyond just their names, but if things got too mean spirited it would have likely meant the death of any teamspirit Blackjack could possibly have. Plus, it just felt wrong to have them fight amongst themselves. There was already enough hostility towards their kind in this world.

While she was in the process of inspecting the tent, making sure that things were properly fastened and stuff like that, Katja heard the dinner call. It was at this moment that she realized she hadn’t eaten since breakfast and was practically starving. Her stomach made a low rumbling sound as if to put an exclamation mark on that statement. Making her way over to the campfire, the smell of the freshly prepped meal made her mouth water in anticipation. 

But before she could get her hands on the sweet, sweet protein provided by the deliciously looking steak kebabs, Jim called them all to attention and started explaining their current situation. Something about a team swap and the approaching storm. Honestly all of it didn’t really sink in for Katja. She was much more focussed on getting her nutrition for the day.

Only after sitting down next to the fire and devouring half of a kebab did the implications really dawn on her. The storm was a given, those clouds had already seemed very ominous the moment they drove towards the trial grounds. Hopefully those fancy tents were resistant to heavy rainfall or, in the worst case she thought, hail. [color=#FF7514][i]At least we won’t fly away due to strong winds.[/i][/color] Katja thought to herself with a smile. 

The team swap though was something that really took a while to sink in. The thought of already splitting up after having been together for less than a week, and only really interacting for mere hours, didn’t sit well with Katja at all. Sure, some of them might have started off on the wrong foot, but that wasn’t a reason to already throw the towel in the ring, right? It all left a rather sour taste in her mouth, almost making her lose her appetite.

Almost.

Luckily the first person to speak up from their ragtag team seemed to echo her thoughts. She hadn’t really expected Calliope to be one to argue in favor of keeping the team cohesive, so that came as a pleasant surprise to Katja. Plus, ice powers, that was co- Oh… Cassander already made that joke. He was next, and she thought back to Trace’s comment earlier which made her cheeks flush red almost instantaneously. With that distraction floating in her mind, she only really picked up the latter bits of him explaining his powers.

And then came Banjo.

While Calliope and Cassander were both very focused on the pressing matters of the team swap and explaining their powers, Banjo did things a little differently… As seemed to be his modus operandi. The way he described his abilities made it seem like he was a human solar battery, almost like a superhero climate change activists would have thought of a couple decades ago when Hypes hadn’t yet fixed the fossil fuel dependence. The image of Banjo wearing a superhero outfit made Katja chuckle for a brief moment.

But when he mentioned his parents and their absence in his life… It made her face turn dark. Images flashed through her mind, recalling back to that fateful day when her own parents were taken from her. Taken by [i]them[/i].

As Katja was waiting for Banjo to finish, Haleigh rolled up in her wheelchair and asked if there was room for one more. [color=#FF7514]“Of course!”[/color] Katja said as she scooted over to make room for her. Waiting for Haleigh to take her spot around the campfire and looking if Banjo was done with his introduction, she took one last bite out of her steak before speaking up.

[color=#FF7514]”Well, guess it’s my turn. I’m Katja, but you can call me Kat if you want.”[/color] giving an apathetic shrug at the idea. [color=#FF7514]”My ability is density manipulation which means I can alter my own body mass and toughness. Basically I can turn myself into a human wrecking ball. Or punching bag, so if anyone needs a sparring partner who you want to try your abilities on, I’m your [i]meisie[/i]”[/color] She punctuated that statement with a humorless chuckle before looking at Banjo.

[color=#FF7514]”Guess I’ll follow your example and explain a bit more about myself. As most of you have probably picked up on by my accent, I’m not from this side of the Atlantic, not originally anyway.”[/color] Katja paused for a moment as she looked up to the sky and took a deep breath before continuing. [color=#FF7514]”I was born and raised in Bloemfontein. Now, that name might not say a whole lot to most of you, but a little over a decade ago there was a large anti-hype massacre over there. The [i]munnies[/i] got to my parents and well…”[/color] She bit down hard on her lips, casting her eyes down for a few seconds before looking back at the people around the campfire with an awkwardly forced smile on her lips. [color=#FF7514]”I’m sorry for ruining the mood, just felt like the best moment to open up.”[/color]

[color=#FF7514]”Anyway...”[/color] she took a shaky deep breath to regain her composure, hiding away her pain back into that deep corner before looking at Banjo with that same forced smile on her face. [color=#FF7514]”You euhm, going to finish that?”[/color] Katja said, pointing her thumb to the untouched plate belonging to the Aussie.





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