Aberrant: Mutant High - [Fic] Learning Curve

[Sunstar]

Natalie enters her dorm room with her headphones on

"Hey Saku! What's going on?"

She takes off her headphones and puts her bag on her bed. Before waving to Kia

"Something happen?"

[SalmonMax]

"Hi, Natalie!" Kia chirps, giving her a return wave. She looks at Sakurako to see what she'll say.

[Hotstreak]

Daniel watched them all leave, and sighed. "Well, that's how it goes sometimes. " He cleaned his plate of food, and savored the cupcake, it was quite good.

[Curtis Shane]

Curtis had already completed Paradise Lost, and he was nearly done in completing his report, basically putting it all down word for word in his head... where Oneca ruined the ambiance by going after Sakurako at the next table. Frankly - as Curtis gritted his teeth and tried to tune them out - as far as he knew of the details, or was concerned - neither had the purity to cast stones, or at least not loudly in his vicinity.

Finally, Sakurako stormed off in a tiff, and Oneca broke off elsewhere. Curtis raised his hands as if giving thanks to some beneficent deity. "Peace at last, thank goodness."

And done... Crap. Curtis was finding himself itching to discuss the deep merits of the book with someone. "Anyone need help with the book?"

[Hotstreak]

Daniel looked back at Curtis and nodded. "I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts, though I warn, if I like them, I may rephrase them in our report." He knew Curtis was brilliant, and far less dramatic than Sakurako. Besides, they'd studied together before.

"If you don't mind. I've read it before, but I admit it wasn't one of my favorites. Still, Someone's input who's far more intelligent wouldn't be a bad thing."

[Doryoku]

Sakurako gave a tired look at Natalie. "It's called Oneca being the school's chief tyrant, is what." Sakurako was careful to not sit on Natlalie's bed so she sits on a spare chair next to one of her footlockers. "She is a complete, 100 percent, no question about it mega-bitch, I think some of the students are apt to say?"

She grabs her fox again and pouts with it. Mentally she was exhausted. "I almost want to call in for the rest of the school day before my pool cleaning duties begin... If it wasn't for that I would just stay here the rest of the day."

[Sunstar]

"Oh. Alpha Bitch's givin' ya trouble eh? "

She sits down on her bed.

"Tell you what, next time this Oneca tries messing with you, come to me. I'll straighten her out."

She said smiling.

"After all what are friends for?"

She said offering Kia and Saku some M&Ms.

[Doryoku]

Sakurako takes her handful and starts looking at each one and nibbles. "Little bit of sugar, little bit of caffeine from the choclate, nice set of calories."

She smiled. "Just one thing... don't do anything... destructive, Railgun."

"Although I would enjoy seeing Oneca soil her morticia dress."

[Sunstar]

"Deal. I'll just give her a little shock to her system next time she wants to act up. And that sounded cooler in my head..."

She said chuckling.

"Help yourself to my snacks if you feel like Saku."

[SalmonMax]

Kia declined the offer of candy with a shake of her head, then got to her feet.

"Okay, well, looks like you've got things under control here. I'd better go see if I can sneak some lunch before next period."

She gave Sakurako a smile. "Hang in there. It'll be better soon. Bye, Natalie, nice seeing you again. Bye, Sakurako!"

[Doryoku]

Sakurako's stomach growled at the mention of food, so she rummages through the small mini-fridge the two girls shared. "It was... nice of you to stop by, Kia. Thank you."

She pulls out a small bag with "Mouse's emergency rations, eat under penalty of electrocution" written on the paper bag. In it was a bacon sandwich she made in the kitchen after a cleaning shift there last night.

"Damn Oneca... my food is still in the cafeteria."

She nibbles on her sandwich with a look of disdain. "It was Pizza day today."

[Warren Verona]

She started to move off, wondering aloud, "I wonder if there are any cupcakes left.....?"

Mouse stormed past Warren, nearly knocking his try off balance, were it not for his subtle super-human agility it may very well had been all over the floor. He didn't pay the scene much mind, it was high school and a mutant one at that so all this drama was simply par for the course. The fact that powers were not tossed about the room meant that it was at least a peaceful debate... sorta.

"You can have mine." Warren said with that charming smile of his quickly in tow, right as she turned to stand up. "I'm not big on them, so please, help yourself." He handed her his cup cake and glared at the 'extras' at the table, before the others knew it they were moving on away from him to make room so he could sit with Daniel, Oneca and the others. "Sweets, for the sweetest woman I know."

"S'up." He gave a cordial nod to the others present, but didn't really greet them per'se, they all knew Oneca was the only that pulled him towards this particular table. He thumbed back in the direction of Mouse's swift egress. "What was that all about, someone remind her to feed her tamagotchi?"

[Curtis Shane]

"Oneca and Sakurako locked horns over your Dante's trip," Curtis replied, throwing his hands back behind his head. "And then Sonja dared to suggest they both might be a bit at fault... ka-boom. Anyway, now we were about to discuss Paradise Lost."

[Warren Verona]

"Mmm." Warren nodded as he folded his pizza up like a taco and took a massive bite. It was common knowledge that he'd been on the streets for most of his life, with rumors abounding that he was also part of some laboratory experiments. Whatever was true, the fact was he always ate like it was his last meal, shoveling in as much as he could in a very short amount of time, pushing the envelope of barbarism. The others simply looked on remaining non-judgmental as he chewed vigorously with very little table manners. Everyone here had a story to tell, from Warren, to Curtis, to the Bahaar sisters... all of them had either a very nice life or a miserable one with very little room for middle ground thanks to their mutations. Silently everyone, despite their personal issues with each other, seemed to put aside their differences when it came to certain behaviors. Warren carried with him the fear that he would end up alone on the streets again, so he ate like all this would be gone tomorrow and he'd be back to scrounging for a meal... so they gave him a reprieve on his bizarre eating methods.

Wiping his mouth on his bare wrist (leaving a smudge of sauce on his skin) he slurped his chocolate milk (a small vice of his was chocolate milk, and to fuck with his milk spelled death for anyone). "Pretty good book, one of my favorites."

"You've, read Paradise Lost?" Sonja asked, a bit surprised that Warren could read at all. In all fairness she was still a bit miffed that Oneca was dating him, and as her overprotective, older sister felt obligated to give Warren a hard time from time to time.

"What? The homeless kid obviously must be an idiot too?" Warren snapped, glaring at Sonja letting the tension at the table rise a bit.

"Don't start on me Warren, you know I didn't mean it like that, so go pick a fight elsewhere, I'm not biting." Sonja was quick to diffuse the angry mutants to constantly pick a fight with anyone and everyone who tried to some sign of being a bit surprised with him. "I'm just a bit surprised, that's all I was implying. Let's face it, Verona, you don't seem like a poetry kind of guy." She glared back, smirking her challenge. "Tell me I'm wrong... go ahead."

He paused to consider her words, then smirked back at her. "Okay, you made your point. But if you must know Paradise Lost was one of the first books I read as a kid. The way it was a poetic exegesis of the first three chapters of the book of Genesis amazed me and sucked me right in."

Dear God, it actually looked like Warren was excited about talking about something that didn't involve bulling other mutants or making out with Oneca. Sonja remained skeptical and quirked a brow, sipping her drink while she waited for this to start. "Oh, this I have to hear."

"You see, in it, Milton recounts the story of the two falls that marred the beauty of God's creation. First, the fall of Satan and his demons. Second the fall of Adam and Eve from sinless perfection. Woven into the story are a number of threads that enhance both the beauty of the story and our understanding of it: the war in heaven and subsequent expulsion of Satan and his demons, the creation of the heavens and earth, the creation of Adam and Eve, their temptation and fall, and the promise of redemption." He could have been a public speaker at this point, using his hands to gesture particular points he wanted those listening to focus upon. Tapping his finger on the table to express the spot on descriptors of the ideals and legends the poet used for inspiration. "The major elements of the story come directly from Scripture. He fleshes them out with details that are imagined, but certainly not inconsistent with the Bible. Milton's was a redeemed imagination on the order of Dante, and somehow he was able to reflect some of the glory that might have been when our first parents walked naked and unashamed through the garden. His descriptions of Heaven, Eden, and the sinless state of Adam and Eve have inspired countless authors who have imitated and borrowed from him over the centuries."

By now a few people were simply sharing awkward stares as the barbaric mutants now seemed to be spewing a borderline genius critique of one of the most epic poems ever written. What captivated me the most was, like all great works of literature, Paradise Lost is brilliant in its scope and execution. It was executed by a poet of the highest order, who was also an accomplished theologian, which, in my opinion, gives the work far more credibility. Milton chose as his models the great epic poems of antiquity with the intent of creating the first epic poem in the English language." He took a sip of his chocolate milk and didn't even bother setting it down, like a drunkard with a tankard giving a speech, the carton of milk was now a prop to be swayed and moved about to help accentuate his points. "Now, for a lesser poet to aspire to such a lofty goal might be hubris. Milton not only aspired to it, he succeeded and in so doing established himself as one of the greatest poets of all time. The aesthetic excellence of this work is beyond question. Critics have praised it since its first publication. That he accomplished this feat while blind is hardly to be believed. To conceive of a poem on the scale of Paradise Lost, to organize one's thoughts, to recite, listen, edit, and complete this masterpiece required a strength and stamina that only comes with genius that has been cultivated over a lifetime. Milton is one of the giants of literature on whose shoulders many have since stood in my opinion. The guy was a genius."

An awkward silence washed over the table, in part because the way Warren acted made most assume his favorite color was 'potato' and he could count to 'blue'. A few sat slack jawed, unsure how to follow that up, while others were just plain lost (having never read the books). He looked to Sonja and Curtis, who still were a bit shocked but his it amazingly well, and sipped his chocolate milk again.

"What?" He asked with a shrug, suddenly a bit defensive that everyone was going to burst out in laughter at him revealing that was actually a pretty smart guy.

RPGPost Fun Fact!!!!

The original incarnation of Revenant, some 8 years ago when N!Prime was still in play, shared his first collaborative fiction with the character Jael Carver (played by... you guessed it: Carver!). The very first thing Revenant said to Jael when the two characters finally met was a quote from Milton's Paradise Lost.

“Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss.”

[z020]

Oneca slipped over next to her boyfriend and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "They're just basking in the awesome that is you," she stated in utter confidence and sincerity. Her glance to the others around dared any of those present to contradict her.

She was honestly a bit surprised herself at Revenant's waxing over the poem. She liked it, but he seemed in love with it. She actually had to fight down a flash of jealousy that something else had such a hold on his heart. She snuggled in a bit tighter to him and quietly quoted,

"Knowledge forbidden?

Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord

Envy them that? Can it be a sin to know?

Can it be death?"

Memories and images flicked through her mind, brought up by the oft-read quote. She curled up on her side against him, her head resting on his shoulder as her mood turned more somber.

[Sonja Bahaar]

Sonja's large, blue-purple eyes, blinked slowly, once, then she hid her slack jaw behind finishing her drink as she reassessed her sister's boyfriend. Again (Not that she was all that okay with her fifteen year-old sister even having a boyfriend in the first place). Sure he was a dick, but as abrasive as he was on the outside, there seemed to more to him on the inside.

He also, for a brief moment, made her feel kinda stupid. Which Oneca quoting Paradise Lost didn't help. Am I the only one who didn't read the book?

Finishing her Diet Pepsi, Sonja crushed the can between her fingers as if it was paper, then flicked it deftly into the recycle box against the far wall. "Well, well, well," she murmured, a wry smirking-frown on her lips. "And here I was, thinking you're hardly good enough for my sister, Warren."

The blond giantess stood up, slinging her book-bag over her shoulder, and cast a not-quite-teasing glance her sister's way. "Now, I'm thinking it might be th'other way 'round. This doesn't mean I like you, Warren." She glanced at her watch and sighed. "I gotta run, guys, got a test to make-up, then heading to town after class. Daniel, I'll try to catch up with you later so we can start on our report before Top Model begins."

Sonja planted a hand on her round hip, giving her sister a firm look, "Try to give Mous - er, Sakurako a break, 'kay? It's not her fault her parents made her socially retarded." Then her gaze addressed everyone, her grin teasing. "And guys, do try to stay out of trouble, hmm? Or at least getting caught. Ciao!"

With one last warning glance for her sister, Sonja waved then turned around, striding out of the cafeteria like an over-sized, over-built fashion model.

Where Sonja is off too

Sonja is going to be tied up with class, then heading out to town to pick something up she had arranged previously, so will be out of the thread for a while, until it advances time-wise.

[Sunstar]

Sakurako's stomach growled at the mention of food, so she rummages through the small mini-fridge the two girls shared. "It was... nice of you to stop by, Kia. Thank you."

She pulls out a small bag with "Mouse's emergency rations, eat under penalty of electrocution" written on the paper bag. In it was a bacon sandwich she made in the kitchen after a cleaning shift there last night.

"Damn Oneca... my food is still in the cafeteria."

She nibbles on her sandwich with a look of disdain. "It was Pizza day today."

Natalie Smiles

"Tell you what Saku. How about I order us up some pizza later? We'll have what ever you want on it"

Nat clearly is trying to cheer up her friend

[Doryoku]

"Well..."

Sakurako sighed. "Since I think it would be better to let Daniel and his study group be for the time being until this little tsunami I raised passes... That sounds good."

"I'll probably have an appetite after cleaning the pool. Gonna use that time to... think. I talked to the instructor that handles the pool here earlier, and I'll be allowed some pool time after the cleaning is done. That's the thing... with Adults I am far more... able to understand where I sit. They're the ones running things."

She sets her fox on her bed once more, brushing off her outfit. "Although I think with my condition after cleaning, I think I will probably be only able to float..."

"You know... I think we could enjoy that pizza poolside! You and me! When I'm stuck here at the school... gotta have your fun where you can, right?"

She smiled. "Our own little pool party!"

[Curtis Shane]

Curtis shrugged, as if the world returned to normal once Sonja had left. "Just reclassifying you. You're no longer a Complete Philistine, but you now have earned the ranking of Barbarian. Congratulations on the upgrade." It was not automatically clear whether he was serious, or calmly sarcastic.

"Anyway, perhaps to us, that he accomplished this work while blind, it hardly to be believed, and yes, it establishes his genius... but I think part of that is the intentional point, when you consider the religious message, the repeated use of light for God and dark for Satan and his demonic brethren as motifs."

"Before all Temples th' upright heart and pure,

Instruct me, for Thou know'st; Thou from the first

Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread

Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss

And mad'st it pregnant: What in me is dark

Illumin, what is low raise and support;

That to the highth of this great Argument

I may assert Eternal Providence

And justifie the wayes of God to men."

Curtis intoned it with ingrained memory as if he was holding the book in front of his. And he smiled.... for once this was intellectually stimulating, and with Warren of all people. "The darkness of Milton's blindness could only be made to cease, by the light of Heaven, and what else would be worth such empowerment but to explain what is revealed of His plan?"

"Say first, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view..." Case in point, Curtis leaned back. "You're actually fun for once."

[Warren Verona]

"Ugh, Warren smash." He rolled his eyes, reached for, and successfully stole an apple slice from his girlfriends plate, winning himself a playful slap on his wrist.

"Hey!" She smirked, pursing her lips and scowl at him in a way that warned everyone that he was in no trouble at all. "Chill Grognak the Dumbass. Loot and pillage your own plate. And if you make one booty plundering remark, I swear to whatever Gods are listening I will throat you." She lowered her head and looked up him. Man, she was so beautiful... "Try me, Verona." The threat of a raised plastic knife drove the very real threat home. She shooed him away from her plate. "Play with your new boyfriend, I'm trying to eat."

With a laugh Warren turned his attention back to Curtis. If the school found out that classical literature and poetry was one of his deepest passions his shared reputation with Kazuo as the school bad ass would officially be over and Kazuo would be awarded full rights along with all the privileges that entailed... like all the detention you could ever want. “Consider this, steering it away from the metaphysical for a moment. Milton got a lot of static for his religious views, especially since he was an admitted monist, which was like “oh… very bad, scary…” back in those days.” Warren shook his hands like he was trying to scare everyone at the table with his comment. “After reading it several times a simple thought occurred to me: Milton was a closet devil-worshiper.”

Even Oneca cocked a brow in Warren’s direction at this startling revelation, not because she was surprised she said it, but because once again Warren had the balls to say something that might bunch someone’s panties into a knot. People were way to uptight most of the time (Curtis being one of them), and stating that an icon on literature like Milton was a Satanist was about on par, in the intellectual community, as saying ‘Hitler did nothing wrong’.

To Curtis’s credit though, he leaned in, his arms resting on the table, in a posture that stated simply: ‘oh, this I have to hear’.

“Okay,” Warren began without missing a beat. “Try not to lose me, but, to me, Satan is presented so sympathetically that it was always hard for me to think otherwise. Lets face it, he has the best lines and aside from starting a war in Heaven, his actions would be laudable by most Christian standards.” Warren starting counting off on his digits to emphasis his point. “The dude never gives up, he fights for what he believes in, he's really clever, and he even pities humans for having to be his tools to get back at God. The Archangels are presented as sissies and are always so full of arrogance their dialogue may as well of been: ‘Yeah Satan, I know you're way cooler than me at everything, but remember my dad is God and if you touch me I’m running home and telling on you.’ Michael and Gabriel are prime examples.”

He folded his arms and rested them on the table, taking a moment to sip his chocolate milk. “Seriously, the whole message is a simple one: sometimes the bad guys aren’t all that bad. They’re just harder, rougher, and play by a different set of rules. Satan really wasn’t the bad guy, he was just a victim of an arrogant and petty absentee father figure.” Realizing how he'd just phrased that, Warren gave Curtis an icy stare. "If you want to eat your next meal through a tube, psychoanalize me, I dare you..."

[Curtis Shane]

"I won't. Besides, even if I were, it wouldn't be anything so simple as 'You hate your dad.' People are far more complex than that, I've found." Curtis stated, with a hint of creeping annoyance.... honestly, even though he could predict a lot of things about people in tactics, strategies of many fields and having read the DSM-IV, he really couldn't get people at heart.

"Well, back to Paradise Lost. Your points are fair, but that's the mark of a great writer, so many plausible ways to view his work. Though, I think Milton builds this complexity and sympathy to show how easily seductive evil is. Satan's goal after all, is not to win the war, having decided the fallen have lost, he's basically chosen to fight a sort of shadow war, making evil from good and perverting anything Heaven does at that point. Also, for such confidence and belief... he dissembles. He has Beezlebub propose his plan, he proceeds to use a repeating array of descending forms down to the toad and the snake for infiltration... all meant to be symbolic. And then, the self-dialogue where the Hell inside is reason enough to do evil. The war is being forgotten, and Lucifer's motivation is becoming spite."

Curtis took a breath after that spiel. "Still, plenty of sympathy yes... the start especially. Burning in anger and frustration, your parents having flung your relations into a terrible prison...." Curtis stopped and blinked. A Freudian slip there with that error. Curtis this time glared at Warren and Oneca. "Not a word to anyone."

[Doryoku]

Back at Sakurako's dorm...

Sakurako scratched her head. "You know... knowing that the students here try to find any excuse for a party, I think I'd better scrap the pizza thing, Nattie. My funds have been cut back until I'm off grounding."

She sighed, straightening her clothes. "I got classes in a few minutes. I think I'd better be going."

She starts collecting her books for her last classes. "I'm just going to turn in for the night after my duties."

After getting the last of her books she leaves her dorm. Unsure now of where to go in the school. Perhaps her Aunt was right, she might not fit in very well.

[z020]

Oneca arched a brow at Curtis' slip of the tongue and subsequent reaction. She shrugged, "Who the hell am I gonna' tell, poindexter?" Not that she really had any clue what he was talking about, but it just didn't do to let him know that.

She'd finished most of her lunch while Curtis and Revenant had been debating the finer points of Milton's religious philosophy. "And why can't it be both? I mean, 'evil' as it's defined in Lost being seductive and Milton being willingly seduced." She smirked at Warren, playfully licking off the last bits of vanilla pudding from her spoon to elucidate her point. "Evil's only evil from your point of view, anyways. It's perfectly fine or completely salacious to others and who gives a shit what they think? Milton had a hard-on for the Devil no matter which way he jumped on the theological divide. I think that's more interesting. Love 'em or hate 'em, if you feel strongly about a person or people, you can't ignore them."

Her life was study in not being able to ignore the people around her, no matter how much she put on airs about not caring nor even if the person was dead. Especially if the person was dead. She idly wondered if there was a Heaven and a Hell, if God was a dick enough to kick her little sister out of his private club in the sky. It surprised her not that she did think He was, but that the thought of her sister in Hell made her sad. But if she was, then Oneca would get to see her some day, right? There was no way any sane deity would ever let her past pearly gates. She pretty much defined the 'Naughty' list, was damn good at it, and had a lot of fun doing it. Even if she was Catholic, no amount of pretending at Confession would ever make her truly regret it, either.

She scrunched her nose at her train of thought, then shrugged again. There was nothing for it; she'd made her Pact. If Saja was in Heaven, maybe Sonja would get to see her once she finally kicked the bucket into the afterlife.

Oneca considered something else and added, "Maybe he was just gay and the Devil represents his conflict between the asswipe homophobic culture he lived and his feelings for that boyhood friend most people think he was in love with. Worshiping the love you're not allowed to have."

[Doryoku]

Sakurako walked through the halls navigating to her next class, when her stomach growls a protest as she neared the cafeteria again. She couldn't help but look through the window on the door, at the table she left. She saw her plate was still there as the others talked.

"Thank god for small miracles, right tummy?"

The doors swung as a student passed by her. "In or out, Mouse?"

"Huh?"

"You remind me of my cat back home. Can't figure out if you want in or out. either stay out and step aside or go in!" He said with a sigh before starting to walk off. "No need to be passive aggressive about it."

Sakurako blinked a moment. Gulping, she came back into the cafeteria.

[Warren Verona]

Most people would assume that al Warren and Oneca did was make out twenty four seven, three sixty five. While they would not be entirely inaccurate, as there was making out aplenty, what most didn't know was the the couple talked a lot, even when apart they'd be texting like mad and always smirking out of the corner of their lips. You name it, they probably talked about it: pop culture, politics, other people, school politics, caste systems, sex, drugs, music, music worth listening to while on drugs and having sex, even just each others general bullshit opinions on the goings of each day. Although only together a short time they found a comfort in that each could tell the other, honestly, and truthfully, how full of hit the other was, or how much of a jerk they were acting like. Honesty was brutal when it came to these two, and sometimes they'd go a few hours without speaking to the other, mad at something they said, until common sense lured them back into the fold of their honesty and accountability. It was borderline eerie how well these two got along and some ventured their first child could very well be the Anti-Christ.

This conversation was completely blowing his mind, in part because he was actually conversing with Curtis and throttling him, and in part because Oneca never ceased to amaze. He by no means considered her dumb, quite the contrary, but he had his passions and she had hers and rarely did they intersect. Yet, here she was, confessed that she wasn't much a literature buff, but still completely offering up an angle Warren had never considered from one of his personally favourite authors. A perplexed expression washed over his features and he honestly gave it some thought. "Wow. Damn Neca, that's pretty deep. I honestly hadn't ever considered that angle before. Milton a pole smoker... huh. I feel enlightened, that's honestly one hell of a point of view, I think you should include that in the conclusion of your report, it's powerful stuff."

He glanced past Curtis and over his shoulder then began gatheing his things in a bit of a rush. "And on that note, I gotta go I have Professor Keating's class in fifteen and still have to run back to my dorm room and borrow Alex's copy of the notes from last week, that damn Kia chick still has mine and I can't find her anywhere." With that, he leaned in and gave his lover a kiss on the cheek which awarded him a smirk of her affection in exchange. "See ya in a bit. Text me. Oh, and if you see Kia, get my damn notes..."

He stood up and was about to leave when he paused and turned back. "Shane, it was uh... a nice talk." Curtis could tell that Warren was actually making an effort to remain polite, a rare event that Curtis was not often on the receiving end of. "Look, don't sweat me saying anything, I know what you mean. We got problems here, be them mental, physical, or emotional, fuck some of have the trifecta, like that Mark kid out in the woods. My point is, we're all we got here, so I won't fault you for a few problems." He glanced back at the both of them and turned about. "And no, this doesn't make us cool with each other, piss me off and I'll drop you, Squint." He had to add after about three steps, but Curtis knew Warren was the 'Heart of Gold Dark Hero' type, and it was just way of not appearing 'soft' to those who might be listening.

Warren is stepping out, he has a class to get to. I just wanted to cameo him for a bit to get him some face time.

Last words in his direction are welcome.

[Curtis Shane]

Now this had actually been worthwhile, Curtis concluded. He did feel a bit better. Maybe I should try to interact more socially with people more. His smile was a contented one that did not waver at Warren's faux-threat. "Noted."

Actually, he was feeling good... well, what the hey, why not? Curtis began cyberkinetically making commands to one of the printers in the room next to Professor Keating's room. "You might want to stop by the printer room next door to your class Warren."

At the tough boy's curious look, Curtis added, "Notes. BETTER notes for Professor Keating's class." Now there was a trace of the old Curtis intellectual superiority. "They'll be printing for you momentarily." He still had time to kill, though Curtis wondered if Oneca would be sticking around still. "Good luck with class.... you'll need it."

[Doryoku]

Sakurako politely nodded to Warren. Although with her explosion earlier she wagered she would be ignored. Of course Sakurako's last two classes are what would be the easiest. Mathematics, then finally Home Economics. Her last hour was study hall, but her usual time in the Library was one of the priveledges taken away with Drumm's sanctions. So... off to her cleaning duties that period.

Sakurako felt some guilt being near Curits. He was an intellectual peer. Social malfunctions aside she would have looked foreward to working with him... she just wondered what he would be interested in.

She looked at her spot at the table as she carefully approached and indeed, her plate was still there. Everything was obviously cold, but she was used to that on one of her building sprees or study binges.

She sat back down and kept quiet. Her head tilted down as she finished her lunch. She was lucky. It was a few minutes away from being tossed.

"Hic..."

No... no... damn bait for Oneca... She thought. She was eating so fast she developed a hiccup.