Archive World of Darkness: The Academy - Meeting Goals [Complete]

[SalmonMax]

Thursday, August 21st

Name, thought the short, barrel-chested man as he paced the track field watching girls arrive in packs of two to five, Evan Rosen. Cover, girl's soccer coach. True occupation...I train spy girls. He frowned at himself. That was stupid. Spy girls? Dumb, like one of those movies with Roger Moore. He had to think Sean Connery. Smooth and dangerous. No one would take a novel about an ordinary, unassuming gym coach training elite ninja assassins from high school girls seriously if it was written like a Roger Moore movie.

As more girls arrived he blew his whistle. "All right! You ladies get stretched out while we wait. We'll begin on the hour, SHARP!"

He looked over the girls with an appreciating eye, seeing them not so much as girls but as globs of potential strength and speed. That one there had long legs, and looked to be in good shape. Good runner, kicker. There was a shorter, somewhat tubby girl in her shadow who he could tell already wouldn't make the cut. And of course...his first ninja assassin candidate.

...

Renata jogged through the narrow alleyway between the theater and art building towards the gym. Once she cleared it, she could see girls already out stretching on the green inside the wide arcs of the track, all in the shadow of the gargantuan gymnasium; rearing up like some cyclopean beast, or gothic fortress on a lonely escarpment. It's funny tiered roof was missing only gargoyles and skeleton-motif bas-relief to make that illusion complete.

Electric guitars and heavy bass thumped inside her headphones as she stepped up her pace a bit, intuiting from the gathering crowd that the main event was about to begin. She hadn't been sure if she really wanted to do it, but now that she'd come all this way it'd suck to miss it. She was wearing her black jersey from her school last year. It had her name, R. Hodges, in gold outlines over her number, seven. It had been oversized last year...now it fit a bit more snugly, though was by no means tight. Its sleeves were missing...she'd torn them off once in a fit of clothing-related creativity, and never bothered to fix them. Her shorts, also black, were light, loose nylon held up by a drawstring and hanging halfway down her thighs and flapping in the breeze.

Renata trotted to a halt on the grass and started limbering up a bit, pulling her heels back one at a time, touching her toes...nothing too strenuous. As she stretched, she took a surreptitious look around at the other girls, weighing up the competition. With a smirk she spied a little knot of boys not far off too, trying to look nonchalant as they ogled the gathering athletes.

[Atomicweasel]

Next to Renata an angel-faced freshman girl sat on the grass. She was in the middle of painful-looking stretch that involved pressing her forehead to the deliciously dimpled knee of one shapely tanned thigh with her other leg was bent back into a split. The pose seemed excruciating enough to illicit some sympathy groans from the audience of boys, but the girl herself was unperturbed. She held the stretch a while longer and then straightened out her legs and looked up at Renata. As Renata bent to touch her toes again, the freshman girl smiled warmly at her. “Hi.”

Renata glanced side-long at the girl. She had dark chocolate colored hair bound up in simple ponytail, big hazel eyes and a lithe delicate build that somehow managed to convey an impression of athleticism. She was wearing the colors of Brazil, a yellow jersey with green trim and the number ten splashed across it, and little blue shorts. Her beat up Reeboks looked surprisingly bargain bin for a Dalton girl. “Hey.” Renata returned the greeting with a small jerk of her chin, and resisted the urge to give in to the contagious effect of the girl’s smile.

Evan blew his whistle a second time and waved the girls toward him. “Alright, ladies, let’s line up in pairs. We’re gonna run a few drills so I can see how many of you bothered to keep in shape over the summer...” His announcement was answered with some nervous tittering. Renata found the little freshman standing beside her, looking keen and eager. “After that, I’m gonna pick some teams and we’ll let you have a little fun before I make my decision, okay?” He was answered by a chorus of nods. “Okay, let’s see here...why don’t we try some two touches first, alright, ladies? Stop the ball, pass it back. Spread out a bit, give yourselves room. There you go.” Even went down the line of girls, tossing a soccer ball to each pair from the huge webbed ball bag he’d hauled out onto the field with him. He paused as he came to Renata and her self-appointed partner. Immediately he broke into a grin. “Palacios...those don’t look like Dalton colors to me.”

“They’re not, coach.” The girl giggled with guilty pleasure.

“Looks nice, Palacios. But don’t let that number go to your head.”

“I won’t, coach.”

He kicked the ball at her and the girl stopped it cleanly at her feet. She would never be a ninja, Evan decided. It would be a travesty. She lacked the killer instinct. She was too sweet by far. Secret ninja assassins could not be so adorable. He liked her anyway. He couldn’t even look at her without breaking into a grin. He could find it in his heart to forgive her for being so un-ninja. He would find others. “Hodges, this isn’t the Breakfast Club and you’re not Emilio Estevez.” Renata stared at him blankly. “Wear some sleeves next time.” He pointed down the field and moved on to the next pair of girls.

“I’m Mari.” the girl introduced herself to Renata, kicking the ball along in front of her as they walked along together and spaced themselves out from the other girls. She stopped when they’d found their spot, and thrust her hand out.

__________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[SalmonMax]

Renata gave the coach's back a sour glare as he ambled off to shout at other girls, and swiped Mari's hand to give it a perfunctory shake.

"Mary," she repeated, finally making eye contact with the younger girl. "Hi. I'm Renata. This your first time out at soccer?" She kind of hoped it was...it'd be fun fucking with the girl's head before explaining the rules correctly.

Then again, Renata glanced down at the ball, and how Mari was moving with it. Oh well, she decided, at least it'd save her the effort.

As if to reinforce that, Mari was already shaking her head. "Oh no, I played at my old school too, and in elementary," she hastened to assure her partner.

Oh golly gee, ewementawee! Renata sneered inwardly. She couldn't help it. Mari was ridiculously cute way past the age anyone was supposed to be. She was a My Little Pony in Black Beauty's paddock. Worst of all, Renata found herself smiling back at her unconsciously. It was really annoying.

"Right, well, lets get to it." She bent over to tighten her laces then stood up and nodded at Mari, ready to start the exercise.

[Atomicweasel]

Mari dutifully lofted an easy pass at Renata, watching the older girl stop the ball with a stomp and shoot it back at her. They kicked the ball back and forth between each other, and Mari kept stepping back, widening the distance between them, and making the passes longer and harder to control. All the while, Mari kept lofting perfect passes. Every ball seemed to bounce right in front of Renata, though they came faster and faster as the girls began kicking the ball harder with every pass…

…Renata stopped the ball after having it bounce off her thigh and roll away from her. She turned toward Mari, who was grinning back at her warmly and bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet while she waited for her pass. Renata had seen enough of that pretty little smile. She felt a sudden and irresistible urge to wipe it clean away. Renata licked her teeth. She took three sharp strides, dribbling the ball in front of her, and then blasted the ball at Mari’s chest as hard as she could.

Mari hopped up and tilted back sharply. The ball slammed against her breastbone, bounced high and hit the grass before Mari’s foot came down on it, smothering the ball to a stop. “Hey, what was that for?” Mari rubbed the stinging spot where the ball had struck her and gave Renata a hurt look.

The grin was gone, at least. She hadn’t hit the frosh right in her little tits where she’d aimed it, but Renata could take solace in having put a dent in Mari’s bubbly cheer. “Just testing your reflexes…” Renata put on a conciliatory grin.

“…okay.” Mari answered, sounding less than convinced. She scoop-kicked the ball back up, but instead of passing it began to bounce it between her knees. Effortlessly, Mari kept the soccer ball in the air, tapping it up with her right knee again and again, before spinning round and catching the falling ball with her left knee, and then back again from one leg to the other.

“Pass?” Renata griped, watching Mari knee the ball up into the air and step under it, where she then began to bounce it rhythmically on her head. Renata could tell she was quietly counting to herself through a proud smirk.

“Hey, Pelé,” Evan called out. Mari immediately dropped the ball back to the grass, blushing. “I said two-touch, not twenty touch.” He held his finger up and blew his whistle again. “Alright, ladies…balls over here. Miss Palacios and her friend Miss Hodges want to do some sprints, so you all get to join in.” His finger dropped, pointing to the far end of the field. “Line up!” he hollered as the girls began reluctantly kicking the balls his way.

Mari and Renata were met at the sprinting line with an abundance of glares. “Nice going, show-off.” a pudgy redhead remarked.

__________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

The knot of boys Renata had spotted were clustered at the far end of the stands, apparently just enjoying the end of the summer and not paying too much attention to the athletic antics on the field. After all, who cared about girl's soccer, right? Right. There were rules to this sort of stakeout. Don't sit at the front of the stands. Don't sit in the middle section of the stands past the one-quarter mark of either end. And don't be obvious in your intent to observe, naturally.

So when a tall, dark and handsome young man wearing black jeans, a white t-shirt with a blazer thrown on over the top, and a pair of designer sunglasses perched on the bridge of his nose sauntered past the 'official line of nonchalance' it drew some attention. Moving down the edge of the field at a saunter with his hands in his pockets, Ravi smiled dazzlingly at the girls sat at the front of the stands watching their friends try out.

"Ladies." he said pleasantly in greeting, nodding courteously to them as he removed his shades from those glorious green eyes (already the subject of much discussion at Dalton) and took a seat in the front row. Affecting not to hear the sudden whispering and giggling next to him, the young scoundrel smiled to himself as he leaned back elegantly against the back of the bench seat and scanned the field with a proprietary attitude similar to that of a lion watching a watering hole. He spotted Mari right away and grinned as he watched the athletic girl showing off her skills at juggling. Her partner and a few of the other girls trying out seemed quite boot-faced as the coach got them lined up for sprints. Ravi smiled a little wider.

It was looking to be an interesting afternoon's sporting entertainment.

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

Sean left the boy's change room in the gymnasium and walked back outside, wearing a pair of gym shorts and shirtless, showered and clean after football practice, gym bag slung over a thick shoulder, shirt over the other. The more than handsome football star strode along the verge of the field, powerful, defined muscles coiling beneath smooth flesh, making no bones about the fact that he was admiring the girls warming up. More than one feminine gaze turned to follow him as he approached the bleachers and he gave them an open grin and a wave.

"Hey girls! Fair's fair. You watched us during football practice, I get to watch soccer tryouts," Sean explained in friendly retaliation. Most of the girls seemed to agree that was more than fair.

Evan Rosen ground his teeth in annoyance at the second male distraction. He opened his mouth to tell Sean to put his shirt back on, then closed it. The athletic stars of Mars House were given some leeway and it would hurt his authority with the girls if the over-muscled pretty boy ignored his command. FemiNinja Force Omega-1, you have a target, a Russian - KGB - shit what is the intelligence agency called now? Got to have verisimilitude... Ah, GRU, that's the military one. FemiNinja Force Omega-1 - only a working title - you have a target, a Russian GRU agent, part of their Eugenics Super Soldier Program. He has to be eliminated, with extreme prejudice, to show them that we're playing hardball...

Seeing Ravi on the front row, Sean clapped him on the shoulder and joined him, tossing his bag on the ground then sprawling out a row higher up, the sun-soaked aluminum of the bleachers warm against his back. His head was propped up with a thickly muscled arm behind his head, as he watched the girls, athletic and some less so, begin their sprints.

"Soccer aficionado are ya, Ravi?" Sean asked with a knowing grin, eyes like a summer storm resting on the girls. Admittedly, he was focused on the prettier ones, but a skilled jock's regard was still studying their prowess. "That cute, little freshman has very nice footwork," Sean noted with approval, nodding at Mari taking her mark next to Renata.

As the girls started their sprints, Sean leaned up and clapped his hands encouragingly. "Come on girls, I want to see some hustle out there," Sean barked in his best coach voice, a bright grin on his face.

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

"Her name's Maria Palacios." Ravi grinned over his shoulder at Sean before returning his attention to the field. Faces had turned their way at Sean's shout, and Ravi's languorous wave and smile of silent encouragement set yet more hearts a-flutter. And Coach Rosen's teeth threatened to lose a bit more enamel. "Mari to her friends. And yes, she does show a lot of promise." That remark was classic Ravi, Sean already knew after a few days acquaintance: it could be taken more than one way, but one of the options was always risque.

"And yes, I've been known to play football." he added offhandedly as he watched the girls running. Mari was very quick, he noted with a faint smile, her feet barely seemed to touch the ground as she raced through the sprints. "Had a brief stint in my school team, once upon a time."

The sight of the girls running was starting to make Ravi feel a little unusual... the muscles in his denim-clad legs tensing as though wanting to run likewise. No, not to run: to chase. He blinked and shook his head slightly to clear it of the weird impulse. Mari's tanned legs flashing in the sun triggered some more normal instincts, and Ravi relaxed once more. Shedding his blazer to reveal sleekly-muscled torso and arms under the snug T-shirt, he grinned back at Sean before lifting finger and thumb to his mouth and giving a piercing whistle.

"That's it girls! Keep it up!" he called through cupped hands.

[Atomicweasel]

"C'mon, ladies..." Evan Rosen yelled at his girls, trying to ignore the spectators. "Lemme see you give it all you've got. Each end and back again, two laps, let's go." He was answered by a chorus of teen groans as the girls raced from one end of the field to the other and back again, only to skid into a turn and start all over. "I wanna see some hustle!" Evan pointed his finger skyward and spun it around in a looping circle. "Move, move, move!" Ninjas cannot know surrender. They cannot understand defeat. Pain is weakness leaving the body.

Mari, running beside Renata, pulled away as they entered their second lap. Some of the less athletic girls had given up and were walking back across the field, to the consternation of their coach, who kept cajoling them to find their second winds. "This is like my fifth wind!" one of them called back at Evan, red-faced and panting.

Halfway back, Mari discovered she had competition. Slight though she was, she'd sped ahead of all the girls but one--a tall black girl who looked to be sixteen or seventeen, with her hair braided into neat corn-rows. They raced each other hard, running neck and neck as they distanced themselves from the pack. Their eyes met and Mari felt a sick rush of pride well up in her at the challenge that passed between them. She would win. She had to win.

They each exhausted their reserves in one last burst of speed. Mari came in a step behind the lanky black girl and both of them sprawled out on the grass. No way! I lost? Mari gulped breathlessly, her legs burning.

"Alright, good job, Bloodsaw, nice run, nice run." Evan congratulated the winner while Mari stared up at the clouds in disbelief.

"Thanks, coach."

The girl rolled onto her knees and stood up, walking over to Mari and offering her a hand. Mari gratefully accepted, and was promptly pulled back onto her feet. The black girl gave her an enigmatic nod and walked away, shaking out her legs between steps. Mari turned to watch her go, and caught sight of the boys on the bleachers. Ravi!

"Take ten, catch your breaths, we'll pick teams in a bit here..." Evan saw with dismay that Mari had started jogging over to the bleachers before he'd even finished speaking. That was another reason she couldn't be a ninja. Besides being too cute. She lacked discipline.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Mari asked Ravi as she trotted up to the bleachers. The smile she gave him was heart-breakingly endearing. It was hard to say whether the color in her cheeks was due to a blush or just her workout. She was shiny with sweat, her hair fetchingly disheveled where it wasn't caught up into her ponytail. She lifted the collar of her jersey to wipe the perspiration from her face, briefly revealing a flat midriff and its sweet little navel. It was then that she finally noticed Sean and treated him to a sidelong glance and a shy "hi."

__________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

,,

[SalmonMax]

From the start, Renata took the race at a comfortable jog. She knew perfectly well that her jogging pace was good enough that it would keep her in the running, and she didn't really feel the need to push herself just for some stupid game. The coach shouted for hustle, and Renata just rolled her eyes and took it easy...staying in 'the pack' instead of pulling ahead.

She heard murmurs around her, some admiring, some angry, and looked ahead. Sure enough, that kid from the passing practice...what was her name again? Mary? She was rushing out ahead, running her little heart out. Hot on her heels was some other girl Renata didn't know. The two were in a private race of their own, out ahead of the pack. For some reason watching them gave Renata a weird little resentful pang...she coulda been out there with them if she'd really tried.

But it was stupid! Like dogs performing at a show, tongues hanging, tails wagging; eagerly debasing themselves for scraps of positive attention. It was co-dependent! What did SHE, Renata, care if the coach was pleased with her, or the other girls admired or respected her?

Fuck.

After the girls trotted to a halt, Renata watched the coach, and noticed that he was watching Mary...who had wandered off during his speech about resting for a few minutes.

After a second, she jogged after her over to the bleachers, where she was staring goggle-eyed at some of the boys assembled to watch the boobs bounce. Renata sniggered to herself whether or not the blushing Mary would be so hung up on them if she knew they were only there so they could picture her naked.

When Renata strolled up her hair was wind-whipped and messy, falling over her ears and a bit over her eyes like a dark spray. She wasn't sweaty at all though, aside from her hair, it looked like she could have just sat the run out. Her lips were formed into a smirking smile as she came up behind Mari and rested her arm on the smaller girl's shoulder.

"Hey Mari-tic," she said chummily. "You going to introduce me to your harem?"

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

As the adorable, little soccer prodigy approached the bleachers, Sean sat up smoothly, bracing his elbows on his knees, and engaging grin on his handsome face. Mari didn't look anything like his girlfriend from back in Whistler, but she had the same disheveled appearance Stacy got after cheer practice. He found it hot, even if Mari did seem a trifle young.

Sean was waiting for Mari to stop drooling over Ravi and notice him so he could introduce himself without feeling like he was intruding, when another girl joined them. She quite pretty too, athletic, if a bit sullen looking.

Originally Posted By: Renata

"Hey Mari-tic, you going to introduce me to your harem?"

Mari's cheeks reddened slightly, and she managed to finally pull her eyes away from Ravi's emerald pools, giving Renata a blank look, not cluing in on her comment.

"Oh, this is Ravi..." she gushed and sighed at the same time, then nibbled on her lip, eyes widening as she noticed the shirtless Sean, his muscles rippling. "And... um..."

"I'm Sean. Pleased to meet'cha, girls," Sean said good naturedly, forgiving Mari's ignorance with a wink. He stretched out a hand, giving them each a firm shake, respecting their athletic ability. "Harem, eh? Sorry, forgot my vest and silk pantaloons in my room, next time though. You're Maria, right? And you?" Sean turned his friendly smile on Renata, stormy eyes bright and curious.

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

"And as to what we are doing here..." Ravi said, the sunlight refracting golden highlights in his green eyes as he smiled crookedly, the slight curve of his lips heralding the downfall of saints... well, female ones at any rate. "We are watching." The smile became a sparkling grin. "Watching most attentively, I might add." Mari's blush deepened to a lovely shade of scarlet under Ravi's frank appreciation.

Those same incredible, silently-laughing eyes transferred their inviting gaze to Renata's face, appraising her in turn. "Ravi FitzCoventry." He tapped one hand to his chest and nodded his head in greeting without otherwise stirring from the bench he lounged on. "Also currently out of my harem pants, so you'll have to forgive both of us."

[SalmonMax]

Okay, Renata allowed herself, So she's got pretty good taste in boys.

"Renata," she answered Sean, "But don't think you're getting off so easy for forgetting your harem pants." She glanced at Ravi and added, "And you're even still wearing your shirt. That's a double-fault. Seriously, if you're going to be over here ogling us, the least you can do is give something back, am I right?"

She nudged Mari on the last phrase, looking for her to chime in.

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

"Tit for tat, I'm good with that, Renata," Sean laughed, stormy eyes roiling with mirth. He sat up straight, raising his arms and flexed, biceps bulging powerfully, abs tightening into defined cobblestones. His eyes danced between the two girls, watching their expressions.

"To be fair, Ren, more than half the girls on the field were here, watching us during football practice. Hardly showed us a thing."

[SalmonMax]

"Alright," Renata countered with a grin. "First, who said anything about fair? Second, it's Renata. Pace yourself. Third, football players aren't as sexy as we are."

She cocked a hip out and put her hand on it, pooching out her lips to assume an exaggerated "sexy" pose. Then she stood up normally again and gave Sean a challenging look, as if daring him to try again.

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

"Oh, Ravi doesn't need... to... take..." Mari laughed nervously and began to protest, but her voice trailed away to end in a faint squeak as the object of her affections began to move, hands coming down to the bottom edge of his t-shirt as his gaze locked with the eyes of the two girls. The smile was still curving his lips, but there was a predatory sensuality in the facets of his scintillating green-gold eyes that both enthralled and terrified.

He rose from his seat with languorous grace. Both girls swallowed, mouths suddenly dry as the hem of the shirt was pulled slowly upwards over his tapering waist to reveal the taut golden-brown skin of his stomach, the shape of the muscles clearly defined beneath the velvety covering. Ravi's eyes burned like devil's lamps as he drew the shirt higher; nearby, the other girls sitting in the stands watched in shocked silence before one of them whistled, a distinctly un-ladylike noise that acted as the signal for more of the same.

It was unabashedly sexual, the way he peeled the crisp white cotton off his toned physique to the almost frenzied series of catcalls from the girls nearby. Not as powerfully built as Sean, Ravi was taller and leaner-built, more dancer or swimmer than pro-footballer. The obvious grace and harmony visible in the interplay of his muscles reinforced that impression as he turned the simple disrobing into an extended feline stretch, rolling and shifting his well-muscled shoulders slowly as the shirt went above them.

In a single movement he tugged the shirt over his head, loosening the ponytail at the back of his head as he did so. Coal-dark hair fell down around his shoulders and back, reaching to his shoulderblades as he shook the t-shirt down his arms before tossing it to Mari and resuming his seat with the same languorous poise with which he'd stood up.

"I'm no football player." he said to Renata simply, his verdant gaze somewhere between laughing and smoldering as the other watching girls cheered like maniacs. He swept his hair back behind his shoulders and grinned devilishly.

Click to reveal.. (Smexy Time!)

Presence + Persuasion(Seduction)+ Predator's Bearing + Striking Looks 4 = 11 dice to take the shirt off as sexily as possible, with the express intent of causing those ladies watching to turn to goo and possibly faint!

1d10=2, 1d10=10, 1d10=8, 1d10=2, 1d10=7, 1d10=10, 1d10=3, 1d10=3, 1d10=3, 1d10=1, 1d10=2

poppin' 10's

1d10=10, 1d10=9

and again...

1d10=5

5 succs

[Atomicweasel]

Mari stared as Ravi stripped off his shirt. He was not the hulking Adonis that Sean was. Instead he was perfect. He was as graceful and beautiful as a lion. And, until he threw his shirt at her and parroted the other boy’s flexing, she had thought him as proud as one. She felt a rush of anger she couldn’t explain, watching Sean and Renata and now Ravi striking poses at each other and flaunting their bodies like cheap objects of desire.

Judge not lest ye be judged. Mari reminded herself. Ravi wasn’t hers to command. If he wanted to act his age and show off his pristine physique, what business was it of hers? Hadn’t she just made a point of showing off to Renata? But she couldn't help the stab of disappointment she felt. She didn’t want Ravi to be like other boys. She wanted him as he had been in the library. Elegant and sophisticated and mature. Who did he think he was, a rock-star? Worse…who did he think she was? Some airheaded groopie ready to swoon away because he’d thrown a shirt at her?

“I’ve got my own, thanks.” Mari passed Ravi’s shirt back to him. She avoided his burning green eyes as she turned away. She’d wanted to think he had come just to watch her, but she couldn’t believe that now. With a pang of jealousy she remembered the way he’d looked at Renata. It was no different from the way he’d looked at her. “Nice meeting you, Sean.”

Mari padded back to the soccer field unhurriedly, her back to the bleachers. How did Sean know my name? she wondered. She couldn’t remember seeing him before…but she couldn’t remember much of anything over the last few days. Maybe someone had told him. Maybe Ravi had told him. She felt her stomach knot up. She couldn’t help but glance back over her shoulder, to see if he was still watching her…

_________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[Tatiana di Jadzian]

"You too, Maria," Sean replied cheerfully, glad to have a distraction from Renata's challenging cock of the hip, though truthfully, Ravi's... display had done that. He watched her trot off, short but shapely legs flashing in the lowering sun. When she looked back over a shoulder, he stood up and gave her a small wave and an encouraging thumbs up.

"Kick ass out there!"

Sean sat back down, pulling on his tight Offspring concert-T over his thickly muscled frame, to the dismay of the few girls that were still eying him after Ravi's explicit display. He ran a hand through his short, raven-black hair, and flashed them a grin, which turned wry as he looked back at Renata.

"And I don't do little turns on the catwalk... Though I do reserve the right to be to sexy for my shirt."

[Ravi FitzCoventry]

Ravi was silent, the smile having faded from his face as he lounged in his seat, his eyes following Mari as she walked away. What was her problem? It had just been a little fun... He'd expected any number of reactions to his display, but in his pride he hadn't considered disapproving rejection to have been one of them. He saw Mari look back at him over her shoulder and met her gaze as Sean called out his encouragement.

A sudden flare of arrogant wrath rose in him. To hell with her disapproval, her judgement of him. To hell with all of this.

"I do believe I have worn out my welcome." he said in a voice as smooth as a razor cutting through silk as he stood, gathering up his blazer and shirt and tossing them casually over one arm. Ignoring the gazes of the other girls, he raised his voice once more, calling after her.

"Good luck, Mari." Giving Renata a brief smile, he inclined his head to her, lowering his voice. "And to you too, Renata. A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Till later, Sean." With a final nod to the jock, Ravi turned and stalked with lazy, straight-backed grace back the way he had come, the sunlight glinting bronze from the skin of his torso.

[SalmonMax]

Renata gave Sean a nod, and with a careless flick of her wrist waved at Ravi as he left. She wasn't entirely sure what had happened just then, but on an instinctive level she felt that she'd come out ahead of the game.

"Yeah well, keep working on it," Renata advised Sean. "It doesn't hurt yet. Anyway, I'd better get back to it." She gave Sean a flip-wave too. "Bye."

As she walked off after Mari, she frowned at herself. Just bye? Was that the best she could do? Bah.

"Hey, Maria!" Ren broke into a trot and came up alongside the other girl. "You all right?"

[Atomicweasel]

"Yeah," Mari answered mechanically as she watched Ravi stalk off. I blew it. she thought. Her chest constricted. He's never going to talk to me again... She wanted to chase after him. She wanted to run up to him and apologize for being short with him and explain how much it pained her to feel the connection between them, that mysterious and undeniable bond that had formed when she first looked at him, cheapened by a tossed tee-shirt. She wanted to beg his understanding. And forget, for just one day, about soccer and her scholarship and how much it meant to her and everyone at home. She wanted to just be with Ravi.

"I'm fine. Let's go play." Mari twisted back to the field. "Oh, and no one calls me Maria." She told Renata as they walked together. "I mean...I don't really mind or anything, but all my friends call me, Mari." she smiled that same irrepressibly warm, contagious smile at Renata. Only her hazel eyes held a hint of the sadness she hid.

_________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[SalmonMax]

"Okay," Renata said with a shrug. "Mari then." Still sounded like 'mary' to her, but eh. She had name issues of her own, so whatever.

She gave Mari a sly sidelong smile then and asked, "So what did you think of those guys?" Sure enough, she was rewarded with another furious blush from Mari, and a complex flash of anger and sadness and pain in her eyes as she shrugged.

Renata's smile turned a bit wicked as she went on, as if she hadn't noticed Mari's reaction at all. "Seems like you must like that one who threw his shirt at you, since you gave it back. Now me? If he'd thrown it at me, I'd have kept it. I'd have run out to the middle of the field and waved it like a flag."

Now in her own little fantasy, Renata grinned. "Then if he wanted it back, he'd have to come out and beg me for it. In front of everyone. But hey, you gave it right back. I guess that makes you nicer than me."

[Atomicweasel]

“Mmm, I guess.” Mari replied despondently. She glanced back over her shoulder. Ravi was just a little figure in the distance, growing smaller with every step. Mari couldn’t help wondering if it was the last time she’d ever see him. I should’ve just taken his dumb shirt, she thought unhappily.

“Hey, cheer up, kiddo.” Renata gave Mari a heavy slap on the back and smirked with amusement. “There’s more fish in the sea.”

“Yeah.” Mari forced another wan smile. But not like him...

* * * * * * * * * *

Mari’s team was up six to one. Five of their goals had come from Mari. They had quickly figured out that the easiest way to score was to pass the ball to their little freshman forward, sit back and wait for the inevitable goal. Barring an illegal slide tackle from Renata, which Mari was increasingly wary of, Blue Team’s fate was sealed the moment Mari got the ball. She had the ball now and was looking for her second hat trick. Earlier, in the first half of the game, Mari had tried to pass, but that only resulted in an instant pass-back. Of the three girls now standing in her way, four if you counted the goalie, Mari knew she only had to worry about Renata. Amy was determined, but slow and predictable. Sarah Jaspers, a pretty Junior with gorgeous wavy blonde hair, had all but given up her half-hearted efforts to stop Mari’s progress toward the goal. All she had to do was get past Renata, who, in the last ten minutes had tripped her three times, pushed her out of bounds four times, and simply wrapped her arms around Mari and held her another two times—to the Red Team’s angry shouts for fair play, Renata had replied “You have a mutant on your team! How’s that fair?” Coach Evans had warned Renata that the next penalty would be a red card, but Mari didn’t think that would stop her.

They squinted at each other like gunslingers as Mari dribbled slowly toward the defenders. Her left knee bore a small scrape and a long grass stain from the last of Renata’s slide tackle attempts, that had left both girls tangled up together on the ground and groaning. From the corner of her eye, Mari saw Amy charge. She spun around, keeping her back to Amy who tried desperately to get in front of her and kick at the ball Mari kept slipping and sliding away with deft little touches. She swung away from Amy as Jaspers gave a little squeal and poked her foot out timidly. Mari effortlessly bounced the ball away, threading her way smoothly between Jaspers and Amy...and there was Renata, waiting. Mari ran straight at her. Renata grinned, crouched. “C’mon...bring it...” she held her arms out, her feet shoulder’s width apart, readying herself. Mari suddenly shot the ball right between Renata’s legs. Renata glanced down in surprise, and Mari was past her, running down the ball.

“Shit!” Renata made a wild grab for Mari’s elbow, then gave chase alongside Amy, but it was hopeless. Jaspers had already given up, making only the barest pretense of pursuing Mari. Only Portia Bloodsaw, the black girl who’d won the sprints, might have stood a chance at catching Mari...but she was on the Red Team, too.

“Aww, c’mon...” the Blue Team’s goalie cried in protest as Mari barreled down at her from across the field. “This is so gay! Someone stop her!”

There was no one to stop her. Mari drew closer and closer. The goalie hesitated until Mari was within twenty feet, and then ran out to meet her. Mari turned and scooped the ball up with her foot, her back to the incoming goalie. Renata, still in hot pursuit saw Mari spin toward her, saw the ball drift lazily into the air, saw Mari smile as if in slow motion. “Jenny!” Renata cried, “move back!” But it was too late. Mari had already jumped up. She swung her right leg hard, executing a beautiful bicycle kick that sent the ball whizzing over Jenny’s shoulder and wooshing straight into the center of the goal.

Jenny planted her hands on her hips and watched in stunned, frustrated silence as the ball rolled back from the netting. Amy came up next to her. Mari had fallen lightly on her back. She scrambled up to her feet again, only to be swarmed by her teammates. Cries of “Double hat trick, double hat trick!” and “Goal goal goal!” drowned out Jenny’s complaint.

“Ridiculous.”

_________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[SalmonMax]

"Hey, Jenny."

Renata had pulled her shirt back over her head and gone over to the girl who'd been goalie on her team in tryouts. She was still upset, rubbing deodorant under her armpits before she put her shirt on. As Ren came over she looked up.

"Yeah?" Her voice and expression were guarded. She'd taken some shit from the others about getting suckered out.

Renata just smiled and showed her hands in a peace offering. "Relax. Just saying hi. I'm new here."

"Oh." Jenny shrugged into her shirt and buttoned it up, then reached into her locker again. "Hi."

"So...what's the word on that mutant chick?"

Jenny grimaced and pulled her windbreaker out of the locker, then slammed it shut. "What do you mean?"

Ren shrugged. "I just mean, what's her deal? Was she born in a vat somewhere?"

The erstwhile goalie shrugged and shook her head as she put her earrings back in. "Michelle was saying she was a new transfer. Scholarship brat. Figures she's so fast, probably spent all her time running away from the police."

With a phony smile, Renata nodded. "Yeah, figures. Okay, seeya later I guess."

"Wait."

She looked back.

Jenny looked away uncertainly, then at Renata. "Do you think I made it?"

Renata shrugged as if she didn't care...which in Jenny's case was pretty much true. "No clue. Good luck though. Seeya."

She checked the showers before she left, and was rewarded with a glimpse of Mari rinsing off her sleek body for her trouble. With that, Renata went out to wait.

As Mari emerged from the girl's locker room door, she found Renata appearing as if by magic at her elbow.

"Hey," she said amiably. "Renata. Remember me, from practice? You were pretty good out there. Feel like grabbing something to eat? I'm pretty hungry, but I haven't gotten my fridge in yet. There's a few good places to go around here though. Or hell, I'm new, maybe you can show me around."

[Atomicweasel]

"Oh, hey!" Mari jumped back with a wide-eyed start as Renata stepped out from behind the door where she'd been lurking. "Uhm," Mari laughed apologetically, "sure, yeah. Sorry, you kinda scared me there..." she pushed her slick wet hair back from her forehead and put her hoodie up. "I don't really know the campus that great though. This is just my first year."

"Yeah?" Renata asked, as if mildly surprised. "Well, I'm thinking hamburger. There's a sandwich place around here too, but I'm in the mood for beef and cheese and bacon. What about you?" She grinned. "You're not a veggie, right?"

"Definitely not a veggie." Mari giggle-snorted. She padded along next to Renata, following the older girl up through the maze of the Athletics buildings. As they emerged out onto the steps leading down to the paved path, Renata caught Mari giving her a thoughtful sidelong glance. Is she trying to be nice to make up for all the slide-tackles?

"So looks like we'll be on the team," Renata said blandly, as if she was the one to make the choices. "I'm thinking we'll make a pretty good offense. You've got speed to get through, and I've got power to hammer it in." She glanced at Mari. "We should work on that." Then she shrugged and added, as if on afterthought, "What's that guy's name again? The shirt guy?"

"Ravi?" Mari quickly asked. "What about him?"

"Ravi," Renata repeated with satisfaction. She looked at Mari again, assessing the eagerness in her face and eyes. "You going out with him?"

An embarrassed and fetching blush quickly blossomed on Mari's cheeks, a rosy highlight on her tanned skin. "No." She jammed her hands into the pockets of her jeans and found a piece of pine-cone that she punted off into the grass. "He probably hates my guts."

"Why, because you're so good at soccer?"

"No," Mari laughed reluctantly. She chewed her lower lip then looked up sharply, "Why, do you think the other girls on the team hate me?"

"Well, not the Blue team," Ren answers, still grinning. "Red team...yeah, probably."

"But only because they're stupid, basically...and jealous."

"Did they say something?" Mari asked, looking crestfallen.

"Of course. They were bitching and pissing themselves all over the locker room." Renata gave Mari a smile. "See, I have you to thank. Usually that's all coming my way. This time, I'm everyone's hero for almost catching you."

"You caught me lots of times." By cheating, Mari thought, but didn't add.

"Well yeah, but that shit wouldn't fly in a real game," Renata said, tacitly admitting her wrongdoing without a trace of evident shame. "I mean on that last shot. That's what everyone remembers."

Mari shrugged. "I don't think Coach Evans was too happy about that. He gave me the no 'I' in team speach."

Renata laughed. "Next time, tell him there IS a 'me,'" she advised.

"No, he's right," Mari admitted good-naturedly. "I get carried away sometimes...I should've passed more, and I mean," she shot Renata a guilty look, "we were up so much...it's not like I had to keep showing off."

"Eh, fuckem," Ren said. "It's a game, not a Federal inquiry. I mean, not even a game, really...just a practice. A tryout. Psh." She waved a hand, shooing something invisible away. "So why does Ravi hate your guts?"

"He just seemed real upset." Mari's pretty brow knit itself into a frown. She paused as they came to the quad where the path split north and south to the theater and general learning building, and east and west to the dorms and the library. "Where are we going?"

"Do you have a bike?" Renata asked. "I figured we could go into town."

"Um, no..." Mari glanced self-consciously at Renata, dreading the inevitable revelation of her poverty.

Renata sighed. "Well...shit. We could go to the store...or, fuck, you can ride with me on mine. You're small enough. Just don't wiggle too much." She continued on towards the bike racks.

"Really?" Mari jogged after Renata, feeling a certain joyful thrill. "Isn't it like ten miles to the nearest town?" She exaggerated happily. "Where should I ride? On the back spokes?"

"Uh, no, because the spokes move, you see," Renata said with a shake of her head. "You sit on the seat. I'll ride standing up. It's not too far I don't think. It didn't take long driving."

"I meant on the..." Mari nodded, "okay. Where's your bike?"

_________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[Atomicweasel]

At the bike racks, Renata picked out a sleek, lightweight mountain bike that probably cost upwards of eight or nine hundred bucks, new. It was a dark blue shade with a padded leather seat sculpted ever so finely to fit the buttocks, adjustable, no less. The handlebars were low and re-curved...a little tricky for Renata to handle while standing on the pedals, but fortunately there were two sets of brake lines, one high, one low. There had to be at least twenty gears...maybe more; Mari counted two dials on the handlebars to control them. Renata produced a key from her pocket and popped the thick, rubberized horseshoe-style lock open, then clicked it shut again around a strut. She seemed to have trouble with Mari's extra weight at first...accelerating slowly and nearly falling over on her first try. The second try she really poured it on though, downshifting and working the pedals hard...getting enough speed fast enough to keep the bike up. And once it was going, the hard part was over. The bike seemed almost frictionless in its bearings, and Renata only had to pedal every few minutes to keep them going at a decent pace.

The high country scrolled past on either side, the air crisp and cool around them. It took maybe twenty minutes for Estes Park to announce itself with a big wooden sign proclaiming that they were now entering it. It was a small mountain town, where 'quaintness' was most likely enforced via municipal statue, and 'touristy' was a daily fact of life. The Burger Burglar was right off Main St, filling the same evolutionary niche as McDonald's, "Only without the pesky, healthy menu items that McDonald’s got blackmailed into carrying by enviro-freaks and libbo-pansies." Renata explained to Mari as they zipped down the hill. Renata brought the bike around, and discovered to her chagrin that stopping with extra weight was harder too. To her credit she managed to stop before actually hitting the outside wall of the restaurant...though the tire wound up embedded in the hedge that surrounded it.

"Okay!" she said too briskly, leaving the bike where it was. "Good." With that, Renata went in to eat.

"Wait up!" Mari swung herself off the bike and, still shaken from her near hedge experience, chased after Renata. The smell of the grill and grease and sizzling meat hit the girls as soon as they stepped into the Burger Burglar. The place was laid out like an old drug-store, with the linoleum scuffed and scratched from years of foot-traffic, and a broad candy white counter shaped like an L and ringed by high stools with red seat cushions. A thin man with a craggy face worked the grill, and a dumpy girl in a checkered apron was working the cash register. "Oh, wow, this place is so retro...check it out, a malt machine!" Mari pointed excitedly. "And a juke box!"

"Juke box don't work." One of the locals grumbled. He was a heavyset man in a flannel shirt with a dense ginger colored beard. His sharp beady black eyes were fixed on the two girls.

"I feel like I should be wearing a plaid skirt with a poodle on it, suddenly," Renata mused.

"I'm totally getting a malt." Mari announced as she made her way up to the counter. She dropped her hood back on her shoulders, wet from the long hair that came tumbling out dark and sleek.

Renata followed her up and nodded as a burly, thick-jawed man came up, old and weathered and looking like he might well run the whole place singlehandedly. It was hard to see into the back, around the corner. "Cheeseburger," Renata said. "With...bacon. If I get more than three steps out of here without needing CPR, I'll ask for my money back. Oh, and a chocolate malt."

"What kinda fixins you want on that?" The man had a lazy eye that was centered somewhere beyond Renata's ear.

Mari slid onto the stool next to Renata's and twisted round to whisper conspiratorially, "he means condiments. Like ketchup and stuff." she offered helpfully.

"I know what he means," Ren snapped.

"oh." Mari drew her head back, stung.

"Everything. Only no onions."

"One cheeseburger with bacon and lettuce and tomaytas and pickles and ketchup and mayo." The man told the girl in the apron, he glanced at Mari and sucked his teeth. "How bout you...this together?"

Renata looked over at Mari too. She thought she'd wind up paying, most likely...but if Mari got a scare first then she'd appreciate it more at least. Mari's eyes met Renata's briefly. "No, um, separate. I'm just have a malt...strawberry vanilla...aaand..." Mari bit her lip, trying to read the faded menu while the man leaned his eblows on the counter to watch her. "Fries."

"Malt. Fries." The man grunted at the girl.

"Oh, shit, yeah. Fries for me too." Renata nodded.

Got it...and you had a malt too, right hon?" she asked Renata as she rang up the order.

"Right. Chocolate. And...does that come with like...one of those little cherry things on top?"

The man turned to stare at Renata. He sucked his teeth again. "It do come with a cherry." he answered woodenly.

"And cream." the girl pointed out.

"And cream." the man agreed.

Renata made an 'ok' gesture with thumb and forefinger. "Awesome." **

"That's seven ninety five for you," the girl told Renata, "and three fifty for you." she said, smiling at Mari, who smiled angelically back at her.

"This is the smallest one I got.” Renata slapped down a twenty. “Mari, just take yours out of this too. You can pay me back sometime."

"Oh, no, that's okay." Mari reached into her jeans pocket and dug out a small handful of crinkled dollar bills. She unfolded them and passed them to the cashier with a faint blush. Renata shrugged and gave the cashier a 'what can you do?' kind of shrug.

,,

The cashier counted out their change while the bowl-jawed man went to the malt machine and set it to creaking and hissing. Mari tucked her fifty cents back into her jeans pocket and looked down at the counter top. The wiry cook had already started on Renata's burger. He flipped it expertly, then smothered it back atop the smoking hot surface of the grill. "I'll go get you girls your fries." The cashier announced.

Renata sauntered over to one of the white, chipped linoleum covered tables and sat down. She gave a whistle and a wave to Mari. Slipping down from her stool, Mari dutifully made her way to the table. She'd just sat down when, in a low gravelly voice, the man in the flannel shirt asked. "You girls come up from that Dalton school, huh?" He didn't turn to look toward Renata and Mari as he spoke. He just sat still on his stool, gazing into his empty coffee cup. "There's some talk about that place. ‘Bout the trouble in seventy five. Strange kinda talk..."

"Earl, you just leave ‘em be." muttered the proprietor as he poured the thick sludgy malts.

"Yeah, we're from Dalton," Renata confirmed lazily. "Seems pretty normal to me. Monday through friday classes, then the Satanic blood orgy on Sunday at midnight, and then back to class...ordinary school, really."

"You kin make fun..." Now the man did turn, to fix Renata with a gimlet eye, "and you can go on actin' like nothin' never happened," he pointed a thick finger at the store owner, "but you know different. We all know different."

_________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

[SalmonMax]

"Earl, if yer gonna scare my customers off I'll hafta call the cops," the thick restaurant owner retorted. There wasn't much threat in his voice though, and the nervous tightening around his eyes was hard to miss.

Renata shook her head. "What, and miss the free show?" That earned her a short reproving glance from Mari. **

Earl slapped his hand on the table and broke into a snaggletoothed grin. "You go ahead and call the sheriff, Mike ol' boy! You know he was in on it too! He had to be! Him and them teachers up there!" He turned in his seat to glare at the two girls. "What're they teachin' you, anyway? They tell you about the Troubles yet?"

In answer, Mari looked briefly toward Earl and then leaned forward and took her straw in her mouth and took her first taste of the thick vanilla and strawberry malt. In New York there were lots of people like Earl and worse by far. On street corners. In subways. On park benches. Lost and battling their demons and always haunted by the phantoms of their former lives. Earl didn't look homeless though, Mari reflected after a second look at him, just angry and...scared.

"School just started," Renata answered with a shrug. She seemed to be getting tired of the thick smell of crazy in the place. "I'm sure they'll get around to it."

Earl narrowed his eyes at her and pointed a thick, gnarled finger. "You're not half as smart as you think you are, missy. You don't know nuthin' about that place."

"Just shhh," Mari whispered at Renata.

Ren met his gaze with her own withering glare. "I'm completely as smart as I think I am, and if there's something about that place I don't know, it's not worth knowing."

Earl and Renata stared at each other across the aisle for a few seconds, until the proprietor, Mike, said in a pleading voice, "Earl...she's just a kid. Ease off." The big man looked away from Renata at Mike for a second, and when he looked back she was smirking as if she'd just beat him in a race. Abruptly Earl stood up...revealing to the two girls just how tall he was. How thickly built. A man who's entire life had been spent hard at work, and had a body as strong and tough and knotty as a hoary old pine.

"She doesn't mean anything by it, mister." Mari decided to step in, before things got out of hand. Her voice was pitched soft and sweet and conciliatory...and she added an apologetic little shrug for good measure.

Renata stared up at the man, denying Mari's claim with the challenge in her eyes. Her hand on the table balled into a fist, though it seemed ridiculous to think she'd even consider getting into a fight with a man who looked like he ate tractors for breakfast. Earl nodded slightly and said to Mari, "I kin see when my welcome's worn out. You mind what I say though. That school's got secrets. Dangerous ones. You watch out up there."

Mari watched him go, then turned to Renata and held her hands out, palms up on the table. "Are you crazy? That was really, really, stupid." **

Renata frowned at Mari. "What're you talking about? He's just a crazy old man, and we're trying to eat." She took a big bite of her burger and chewed happily. Her cheeks were so puffed up she could have been a squirrel looking for a place to bury nuts.

"You provoked him. Why would you even do that?" Mari shook her head. "You're lucky and I'm lucky too, that he didn't turn out to be dangerous. You don't go up to a bear and poke it with a stick, Renata."

"Oh please. What's he going to do, beat up a couple of high school students?" she retorted.

“Why not? If he really is crazy? Then we'd be lucky if all he wanted to do is beat us up...do you really think you can just go around picking fights with random scary guys? You think that's smart?" Mari gave Renata a pained look, then sipped hard at her malt. "In New York that could get you into really big trouble."

Renata shrugged, her mouth too full with another bite to argue. She swallowed then noticed Mari's plate. "Hey, didn't you want a burger? They're really good here."

"I guess I'm not that hungry," Mari said unconvincingly.

Renata eyed Mari, then took out her wallet and put a five dollar bill on the table. "Get a burger."

A dusky blush sprang instantly to Mari's cheeks. She stopped half way to her malt and her eyes flicked to the five dollars and back to Renata. "That's okay...thanks though..."

Renata rolled her eyes. "Seriously. I hate eating alone. Go get a burger, or I'll go call Earl back in here and tell him you think he's cute." She grinned. **

Mari laughed nervously. "You probably would, too." she stood up and grabbed the five dollars, rushing up to the register a lot more eagerly than her earlier reticence might have suggested. At the counter she ordered a cheese burger with pickles and tomatoes and lettuce. No onions. No mayonaisse. **

"Sure thing, hon." The cashier took the five dollar bill, rang Mari up and returned a small handful of change. Renata watched Mari stand at the counter waiting, lifting up onto the balls of her feet and settling back down as she impatiently waited out her burger. When it was finally delivered, in the little plastic basket and red and white wax paper wrapping, Mari beamed at the cashier so brightly, that the woman laughed and exclaimed "Ain't you just the most precious little thing? Enjoy your burger, hon."

Skipping back to the table, Mari slid back into her seat and plunked the burger down in front of her. She was blushing nearly as bright as one of the tomatoes sandwiched between the patty and the bun when she dug out Renata's change and passed it across the table-top. "Thanks." Mari said shyly.

Renata took the change and slipped it carelessly into her pocket. "It's all good." She took another oversized bite, and on chewing and swallowing asked, "So Mari...freshman, good at soccer, hot for Ravi...what else? What's your life story in twenty words or less?"

Mari's wide eyes met Renata's over her burger. She took a modest little bite and chewed thoughtfully, counting off on one hand. "I'm Newyorrican. I live in Queens with my two sisters and my mom. I'm scared of clowns. I'm Catholic and I...don't smoke? How many was that? Oh, and I wish I had a cat."

"Cat or kitten?" Renata instantly wanted to know.

"Um." Mary looked pole-axed. "Ohh, that's hard. I mean, kittens are so cute...but..." she gazed up at the ceiling for inspiration, filled her lungs with a deep breath. "Cat. I mean, I wouldn't say 'no' to a kitten, obviously." She quickly ammended.

Renata nodded, seeming to think that's the 'right' answer on whatever scale she uses to judge such things. "You're Catholic? How Catholic? Chanting Latin, confession every week, infallible pope Catholic? Or just kind of...comfy lip service Catholic?" **

"Pretty Catholic," Mari admitted with a grin. She curled one leg under the other, scootching herself over on the seat so she could swing the untrapped foot lazily back and forth. She took another bite of her burger. "Do you believe in God?"

Renata shrugged. "I dunno. I mean, my mom's crazy Catholic. Like, secret society, Da Vinci Code nuts Catholic. So obviously, I was raised to believe, right? But these days...I dunno. I figure if there's a God, who's busy keeping the universe going, we can't amount much. Just a smear of life on a halfass planet way out in the middle of nowhere. He's got to have bigger things to take care of. So really, does it matter if there's a God? To us, I mean."

"But don't you think, as big as the whole universe is, how it's strange that just our little planet has life? I mean, as far as we can tell anyway. Don't you think that kinda shows God had a purpose for our world, and for us? If everything is so random and meaningless like a lot of people think it is, then why is our world so beautiful? I wouldn't call it a smear of life at all. I'd call it..." Mari pauses. "a brush-stroke."

"Yeah, but turn that around," Renata said. "Beauty's just a word people made up. Maybe the planet's only beautiful because our brains are wired to think it is." She paused for a moment, weighing Mari's words. "I guess you have a point." It was hard to look at her eyes without picking up some of her enthusiasm, and Renata had to look away after a second. "Who knows though, right? Really. No real answers to that kind of thing."

"Faith isn't about answers, though." Mari smiled gently at Renata. "It's about what you want to believe. It's...kinda like...the wrong question, 'is there a God.' It should be more like, 'what does God mean to you.' You know?" Mari bent to her straw again, and the odd and compelling intensity left her eyes. She was just a kid sucking on a malt again.

Renata considered that, then nodded slowly. "That is a better question," she acknowledged. "Gets at the heart of things more." She stared with a thoughtful frown at her half-eaten burger, as if it had just posed to her an interesting conundrum. Then she shook it off. "Too deep for me. Okay, my turn." She looked up at Mari. "Other than having Ravi's love child, what do you want to do the most before you die?" **

Mari choked on a mouthful of her burger, coughing and sputtering and blushing profusely.

Renata grinned.

Mari took a few moments to thump her chest and clear her throat. "Ummm. Ahem." she shot a look at Renata and fought with a smile. The smile won. "Other than making Ravi fall wildly in love with me and having the best quinceañera party ever, um, I think maybe what I want to do the most--okay, this is gonna sound cheesy, but no laughing. The thing I want to do the most is change lives." Mari chewed her lip. "I think maybe I'll be a teacher. What about you? What do you want the most?"

Renata took a bite of her burger and chewed to buy time. Finally she swallowed and said with a wicked grin, "Power." And while her smile was joking, there was a kind of underlying truth to it too.

"Power?" Mari's sweet brow knit into a faint frown. "What do you mean?"

"Power. That's what you want too," Renata pointed out. "You want to change lives. You think you can do that without having power? Power means...people listening to you. Doing what you say. Taking you seriously."

"That's not what I want. I don't want to make people do what I say. I just want..." Mari stared at her burger, "I just want to...I dunno. I dunno what I'm trying to say." Mari broke off. It had been there, on the tip of her tongue, just out of reach. "This malt is so good." She emphasized this point with another long drink through her straw, then looked up sharply at Renata. "Hey, um...Renata?"

"Yeah?"

"How are we gonna get back up the hill?"

(OOC - Marked as Complete due to vanishment of Mari. We'll assume they figured something out. )