TSW 10

	=-=	IcePickLobtomy has changed the topic to “June 6th, 1988. Gilbratar, Gilbratar Heights High-School”
	IcePickLobtomy	In less than a day, Arina and Reagan have become the talk of the school, with a great deal of rumors surrounding the rest of the pilots, mostly centered around if they too are involved in the war.
	=-=	Pale_Wolf is now known as Arina
	IcePickLobtomy	Though few of your classmates are brave enough to ask directly, throughout the day you all are the subject to questioning stares, hushed whispers, and even a few pointed fingers.
	IcePickLobtomy	The lunch room proves no respite from the attention.
	-->|	Reagan (chatzilla@SystemNet-5C476C62.hsd1.wa.comcast.net) has joined #TSWIC
	Arina	smiles politely to everyone.
	Kasra	"I just hope things go better today..."
	IcePickLobtomy	Kasra: You can feel their eyes watching you still. . .
	RobinE	"Everything will be fine."
	RobinE	"We got this."
	Kasra	"I hope so."
	RobinE	"Its so nice not to have to keep secrets anymore."
	Arina	"More comfortable this way?"
	RobinE	"Hm? me? Sure, its fun to have fans!"
	JohnH	"I can't say I enjoy the attention from everyone. But some of those girls..."
	Reagan	"First time feelin' popular, Mr. Hunter?"
	Arina	chuckles. "Well, sounds like you're enjoying some of it."
	RobinE	Lana is waving to people that look her way.
	IcePickLobtomy	Several wave back
	JohnH	"I don't want to feel popular."
	RobinE	"There is no such thing as bad publicity!"
	Arina	sips her drink. "Well, that's 0x1da0x1d way to view it."
	RobinE	"Oh come on guys," she waves to someone else "I can't be the only one enjoying it."
	Arina	"Oh, I don't mind attention, I would certainly have a different career path if I did."
	=-=	scya is now known as mary
	IcePickLobtomy	mary: you see Hikari aproach your table with a friendly smile. "Hey mary, these your friends?" She blinks after catching a glimpse of Reagan and Arina ". . . Hello!" She says after a moments consideration
	RobinE	"Hi!"
	mary	"Yes , h Guys that is hikari, we are together in the astonomy club, her mom owns a tea shop and is a ninja "
	RobinE	"oooOOOH, a tea ninja. cool."
	Arina	nods to Hikari. "Good afternoon."
	Kasra	   "Oh, nice to meet you."
	IcePickLobtomy	Hikari is, as her name indicates, of Japanese nationality. Her hair is tied into a simple pony tail. She takes a seat at your table. "Tea-ninja, yeah that's about right. Good to meet you all."
	Reagan	"...A ninja?"
	JohnH	waves at the cute japanese girl and immediately dismisses himself
	Kasra	"Yes, an archaic japanese assassin and secret agent."
	IcePickLobtomy	"She's not /really/ a ninja, just very quiet."
	Kasra	"I assumed, but Reagan didn't seem to get it."
	Reagan	"Ah--that makes a little more sense then." She smiles and holds out her hand to Hikari. "A pleasure."
	IcePickLobtomy	Hikari takes the offered hand and shakes it enthusiastically "So, I know you, and you," She galnces to Arina "from the news, and I've heard some of the rest of your's names floating around, but mind helping me connect them to faces?"
	mary	"Quiet enogh that i would not question it should i run into her wearing a black PJ and hanging from a wall
	RobinE	"I'm Lana" she waves.
	Arina	nods, holding out her hand. "Arina Alkaeva, though you know already."
	IcePickLobtomy	"Hikari [Last Name here.]. Pleasure to meet you all."
	Kasra	"Kasra Nariman. The pleasure is mine."
	IcePickLobtomy	"So, uh, what do you guys like to do for fun?" She attempts to keep the conversation from sputtering into awkwardness
	Arina	"Mm, well, I'm fairly musically inclined, though you might already know that."
	RobinE	"Almost anything, as long as I'm having fun with friends."
	Reagan	"Aw now that's the spirit, baby." She pats Robin's shoulder.
	Kasra	"Well, I tend to read, and coordinate my training with METI."
	mary	"Well , a bit of reading, singing not as good as Arina sometimes, getting barfed on by my little sister."
	IcePickLobtomy	"I like reading as well, helping out at the store as well."
	Kasra	"Oh, you work at a bookstore! Which one?"
	IcePickLobtomy	"Oh, no my mother owns a tea-shop in the tower. I help out there sometimes."
	Arina	"Mm, or a tea store? Since her mother is a tea ninja?"
	RobinE	"I think she means the tea shop."
	Reagan	"Tea? What kinda' Japanese tea do they have then?"
	Arina	hums. "Same tower? I'll need to take a look."
	IcePickLobtomy	"Well, not /just/ Japanese tea. We stock just about anything that is importable, and some of my mother's own blends."
	Kasra	"Oh. Right, that makes sense."
	mary	"Yeah, I compleltly forgot to say to you that she gave  me some example of her stock."
	RobinE	 "I'm more of a hot cocoa girl myself."
	Reagan	"What kinda sweet tea yall got?"
	IcePickLobtomy	Hikari stares at you flatly "We have none of that horrific American abomination within our doors. We serve /real/ tea."
	Reagan	blinks, sits up straight.
	Arina	"Oh that sounds even 0x1dbetter0x1d."
	IcePickLobtomy	Hikari smiles.
	RobinE	"hey now, just cause it isn't like /your/ tea doesn't mean its not real tea."
	Reagan	puts her arm around Lana's shoulders. "At least someone has some sense here."
	mary	smiles "Well that was roughly the same reaction as I was there, exept for the sword, the ninja star waving and all that.."
	mary	leans back and sticks out her tongue amused.
	Arina	"Sounds like an entertaining place."
	IcePickLobtomy	"It's really more quiet and peaceful. Feel free to drop by after school if you want to sample some of our blends or hang out."
	Arina	"I'm certainly interested in popping in, yes."
	Reagan	"Well I can't hardly imagine hot tea in a place like this, but it might be interesting, to see how the other side does things." She looks at her nails.
	IcePickLobtomy	"I'll tell my mother your one of the stubborn ones. She loves a challenge."
	RobinE	"sounds like fun, I'll tag along."
	IcePickLobtomy	Abigail plops down at your table without much in the way of warning. "Hello everyone." She chirps
	RobinE	"Heyo."
	Kasra	"Hi! We're talking about tea!"
	Arina	waves slightly. "Good afternoon."
	IcePickLobtomy	"Tea huh?" She shrugs "Anyways, how are you all doing? The attention not too much for you all?"
	RobinE	"Are you kidding, its so much fun!"
	Kasra	"It's...better than last time."
	Kasra	"What you don't get upset  about whether tea is iced or hot? How could you not care?"
	IcePickLobtomy	Abigail grimaces "Yeah, I heard about that. For what it's worth Ms. Yang went extra hard on the conditioning to make 'em learn."
	Reagan	"Sweetheart, it's /hot/ . Why would you drink somethin' hot when it's hot?"
	IcePickLobtomy	"Tea is meant to be drunk hot. Coffee came from the middle-east and they drank it hot."
	Reagan	"And I ain't about to know what coulda' possibly possessed them to do that."
	IcePickLobtomy	Hikari huffs
	IcePickLobtomy	"Well I don't know what ever possessed /anyone/ to make sweet tea!"
	Kasra	"See what I mean, Abigail?"
	Arina	chuckles. "I don't understand it either, but..." She shrugs. "Strange, exotic cultures do strange, exotic things."
	IcePickLobtomy	Abigail blinks. "Anyways. . . . I wanted to let you guys know we're doing a international club meeting today, if any of you were interested."
	RobinE	"ooooh whats that?"
	Arina	"Ah, I was, yes. So I suppose the conversation was fairly topical."
	mary	"Finally the power for evil is on our side, with Ms.Yang"
	Kasra	leans over to Lana. "I don't think she gets that I'm kidding."
	IcePickLobtomy	"It's. . well basically a club that aims to bring better relations and understanding of other cultures and nations. We set up lots of events, Tea ceremonies, dances, art exhibits, trips out in the city, movies and music, that sort of thing."
	RobinE	"Tea /is/ serious business," Lana says through a giggle.
	Reagan	"Oh now that sounds like fun!" She looks around at the group pointedly.
	RobinE	"Yeah! That sounds cool!"
	Arina	nods. "It does, yes. Sounds like we have most of us interested, at least."
	mary	"i would also not say no to encounteringsomething a bit more exotic"
	IcePickLobtomy	"Good to hear, we meet in room 403 after school gets out."
	Arina	nods. "I'll be there, thank you."
	IcePickLobtomy	Abigail glances around "I expect the attention will die down a fair bit in a bit, once people get used to you guys being pilots."
	Arina	"It should, yes. They'll adjust."
	mary	"Or we can be evil and unleash the chinese devil on them.."
	Arina	cocks her head. "... I'm sorry, I... ah, think my skills in the language failed me because I'm not actually sure what you're suggesting."
	RobinE	"I'm not sure either," Lana says shrugging.
	IcePickLobtomy	-----
	IcePickLobtomy	Classes end, and before you can make your way to the club. . .
	IcePickLobtomy	mary: You find a note in your locker, cut into the shape of a heart. With a very, very, poorly written, if earnest, "Ode to Mary" contained within it. It's signed "Your secret admirer."
	mary	blinks and raises a eyebrow as she looks at that one "
	mary	"Well
	Arina	leans in. "Ooooh?"
	mary	"Is my ass realy, swaying like the moon over the cloudless sea?"
	mary	checks her booty
	Arina	blinkblinks. "... Well, that's bold wording."
	Reagan	leans her head against the lockers, shoulders shaking.
	Kasra	 "Somebody seems to think so. So, are you curious as to who it is?
	RobinE	"I am," Lana butts in.
	mary	"Well for one it is a somewhat.. descriptive ... language, even if it isn't the crassest one that I eve saw. "
	mary	furrows her brows as she reads it again.
	IcePickLobtomy	mary: It's still. . . tastefully evocative. Mostly.
	Reagan	sits up, wiping her eyes, still laughing a little. "W-won't you read it for us?"
	Kasra	"Poetry corner!"
	mary	"Well , it isnÄt quite nice but , okay let us get into a corner where its only us ."
	Kasra	whispers to John.
	Arina	"I... will admit I'm rather curious now."
	JohnH	shrugs and says out loud "maybe"
	mary	then guides her gaggle of gossipers into a quiet corner
	Kasra	"John." If anyone wants their tea chilled, Kasra's look at John should do the trick.
	JohnH	john throws his hands up and looks defensive "What?!"
	Kasra	"Nothing, nevermind."
	Reagan	"Boy's secret, huh? Sounds suspicious."
	JohnH	"Wouldn't you like to know"
	Arina	"They're not always secretly plotting, you know."
	JohnH	"yes we are. Go home"
	Arina	chuckles. "Oh, I won't pry."
	Kasra	gives Reagan pleading eyes.
	Reagan	raises her eyebrows pointedly.
	RobinE	Lana looks between the both of them, slightly oblivious.
	mary	"Mostly likely just the two of them being perverted, so john stop corrupting Kasra"
	Arina	"That's a tad unfair. They do have other things they secretly plot about, on occassion."
	Kasra	"John is /not/ perverse!"
	mary	"Ah but when a ladys posteriour is the topic and boys start to whisper like old maids then the reason is fairly clear"
	JohnH	"Hey, someone's gotta do it"
	RobinE	"What if they were talking about going to that club, or the tea store? There are other things to talk about."
	mary	"Well, they are boys " she says somewhat scathing before sitting down and getting the letter out again. "Lets see"
	Arina	"You know we're curious but you don't have to show us if you don't want to."
	JohnH	"We're talking about girls and cars. And uhh.." john tails off for a second "..football"
	Kasra	"We're not. But it's not about your...posterior."
	Arina	"... I'm still unclear on how the Americans managed to take a sport that involves no feet on the ball at all and call it football."
	JohnH	elbows kasra "Just say butt"
	JohnH	"I'm still unclear how the russian's think they have a space program when they have yet to put a man on the moon"
	JohnH	leans over to Kasra for a high five
	RobinE	"I don't get it either Arina."
	mary	"Shush girls, and I grew up with 3 brothers, I know boys.."
	Kasra	high fives John dutifully. "I don't get it."
	mary	"So then listen, Girls , and gossiping girls."
	Arina	chuckles. "Nationalism, Kasra. Nationalism."
	RobinE	"hmmmm?" Lana leans in.
	Kasra	"Right, read the poem and let's get to the club."
	Arina	nods.
	mary	"Oh mary, how may I talk about thee beauty and grace, your smile like the warm ray of the sun, your eyes sprinkling like stars against the night sky.. wait is he going for a cheap comment on my skin there?"
	Arina	"Well, not a negative comment, at least."
	Reagan	"Oh god I hope not.."
	mary	"Well at least it isn't Nubian goddes " She says recalling something unpleaseant
	Kasra	"Oh, wait, is that it? Well, it was...an effort?"
	Arina	"I think it was the first stanza, there hasn't been a moon over the cloudless sea yet."
	mary	"Yeah hmhm Well here comes the line about the moon, well at least so far they evaded a dig about my chest. " she says before taking a deep breath, not that her chest really needed that help, " and here I spoke to soon, at least that is how I read line about, drawing eyes to me if I enter any room..."
	mary	[SIns agaisnt poetry later ]"And so I wish to remain captive by your beauty, the pull that you have on me eplained as I orbit around you... Well.. that was it .."
	Reagan	shaking her head and snickering, "The whole orbit analogy.."
	Kasra	"...I've never really been too fond of poetry, but that was...interesting."
	RobinE	"Wow, that was a lot of emotion."
	Arina	has her head cocked slightly. "... Well, compared to most peoples' early tries at poetry it honestly isn't that bad."
	mary	"Well, and it might mean that he knows that I am now in the astronomy club if that was a deliberate choice.."
	JohnH	"True master of the art"
	Reagan	"Oh please."
	Kasra	"Ohhh, so maybe someone in that. How many people are in astronomy club?
	mary	"With me , Hikari, and two boys uh... both are nerds but I can't recall there names offhand"
	Reagan	"Well, you can bet for sure it ain't somebody in the poetry club."
	JohnH	laughs audibly
	mary	"Well I have heard worse ones. And well shoueldn't Europeans be better at this stuff with the whole..Culture thing?"
	Reagan	"Honey, men are terrible /everywhere/ ."
	RobinE	"Reagan, why do you hate this poem so much?"
	Reagan	"It's just so trite, but it reads like the guy think's he's mighty proud for writing all those things."
	mary	"Well yeah, Reagan, that is a given, I would just have assumed that it would be more european classy terrible.. or maybe hot blooded spanish. No wait, Gibralta is british. Do the briths have any stereotypes there?"
	Reagan	"Bad food?"
	Arina	"Everyone's first creative efforts are fairly trite. Takes time and work to get better, after all."
	RobinE	"poor thing was probably nervous, what if you had to write a poem to someone you liked? I think its sweet."
	Reagan	"I'd prolly actually /try/ to write something original, for one."
	Kasra	"Well, yeah, I guess that's true Lana. It was still...a little rough around the edges."
	mary	"And , well it was not as bad as it could have been. "
	Kasra	"Oh! Well that's good to know at least. I thought it /was/."
	Arina	"It's not 0x1dgood0x1d, but for a first shot at poetry it's honestly not that bad."
	mary	"Sweety, then you never heard someone use the words ,"Knockers that knock me out" and " your ass looks exhausted , come rest it on my hips"
	mary	shivers thanks to these memorys
	Reagan	"Aww, honey." She pats Mary's back consolingly.
	Kasra	"Wow, that does sound worse."
	Arina	raises an eyebrow. "... Well, that's a bit 0x1dtoo much0x1d creativity."
	mary	"Teenage boys are...teenage boys, Or Randy men"
	JohnH	"We have many names. Some go by Randy, others go by Kasra"
	Reagan	snort laughs.
	Arina	giggles.
	Kasra	looks bewildered, betrayed and overall, deeply grieved by this turn of events.
	JohnH	After John is done laughing, he pats Kasra on the back "I'm just kidding man"
	mary	"But yeah, The author was at least trying to do more then saying that I am beautifull and talked a bit about my personality, that is rare for a boy. Meaning it is clear that john could not have written it.  Most likely it was a nice boy like Kasra that either listend to some bad ideas or to his hormons"
	Reagan	laughs harder.
	Kasra	"I get that now John, but what does Randy have to do with this?"
	JohnH	whispers in Kasra's ear
	Reagan	"Stop, stop I can't breathe!"
	Kasra	"Why like me?!"
	Arina	"Ouch. That was harsh."
	Kasra	"John!"
	mary	"Because you seem like a boy that think with his head and heart, and not just with his junk like our quarterback there.
	JohnH	"Like I said, it was a joke. Girls think that all guys are..well..randy"
	JohnH	pushes mary on the arm
	Arina	"I don't think that's 0x1dquite0x1d fair. He does on occassion but it's not the only thing that enters his head."
	Kasra	goes to protest that John is not perverse, but it dies in his throat. Kasra's not sure.
	mary	moves a bit further back then needed by that and for a moment something angry flashes in her eyes. "Well there is also some air in there."
	JohnH	"I like to think about the fact that I am doing a service to my country by piloting a two hundred foot tall robot"
	Reagan	gives John a pointed look.
	JohnH	cocks one of his eyebrows "What?"
	Reagan	"Just simmer down there, Hoss."
	RobinE	"You all need to calm down," Lana tries to redirect people's thoughts, "why don't we try to go to that club?"
	Kasra	"Yeah, yeah. Lana's right, we might be late!"
	Arina	nods. "Let's get going, yeah."
	mary	clearly bites back on giving out another comment and nods.
	JohnH	"Late? That's not like you Kasra"
	Kasra	"I know!"
	IcePickLobtomy	Several Minutes Later. . . .
	Arina	"I imagine that's why he wants to go and avoid that terrible fate."
	Kasra	"Exactly."
	IcePickLobtomy	Abigail is waiting for you all inside the room, having already drawn several plans on the black-board. "Oh, hey guys, brought the whole gang I see." She gestures to the others already waiting in the club. "Right, everyone say hello to Arina, Kasra, Mary, Reagan, Lana, and John."
	RobinE	Lana is humming some random tune.
	Reagan	raises her hand and wiggles her fingers.
	RobinE	Lana waves when her name is called.
	Kasra	Kasra gives a wave and smiles amicably.
	JohnH	nods
	IcePickLobtomy	"So, you know me," Abigail says. "That's Muhammad." She gestures to a dark-skinned boy in a turban "And that's Tatsumi" She points to taller Japanese bo with glasses next to Muhammad. "Those two are Sasha and Liz," She points to two girs, the first short with brown hair and the other with, slightly plump with blonde hair. They wave "We have a a several more people, but they tend to show up...
	IcePickLobtomy	...to events, whereas today's meeting is for planning, ideas, and the like, so there's not as much turn out."
	Arina	waves to the club members. "Good afternoon."
	JohnH	raises his hand
	Kasra	"Nice to meet you!"
	RobinE	"Time for fuuuuuuuuuuuuun." Lana sings
	IcePickLobtomy	Muhammad waves back with a small motion. Tatsumi nods "Hello." Sasha smiles "Pleasure to meet you all." Liz smiles much more widely "Yeah, it's really good to have more people!"
	Reagan	"Well, happy to be here!"
	mary	"Hello" she says , slightly hiding in the back of the party
	Kasra	"Well, should we get started?"
	IcePickLobtomy	"Right, so we were just going over some ideas for a party. Prom is coming up, but us underclassman don't get anything fun like that, so we were thinking about having a party or something."
	RobinE	"Yeah, everyone should get to party!"
	JohnH	"Will there be beer?"
	Reagan	smacks John's arm.
	Kasra	"Probably not."
	Arina	nods. "That sounds like fun. Any particular ideas right now?"
	IcePickLobtomy	"Depends on what we do." She motions to the black-board where several ideas are listed out. BBQ, small party, beach-party are all listed. "We were going to get some more ideas and vote on them."
	JohnH	frowns
	RobinE	"beer could be fun, it is a party."
	JohnH	"Thats the spirit, Robin!"
	JohnH	"Lana"
	Kasra	"Lana, don't encourage him, please?"
	Arina	"Well, let's save the beer discussion for after we've decided what type of party, at least."
	IcePickLobtomy	Tatsumi raises his hand. "Karaoke." Abigail writes it down.
	RobinE	"that wasn't a no" Lana fist pumps.
	Arina	[John said Lana the first time, redact 'Robin']
	Arina	"I'm Russian, Lana."
	RobinE	"so?"
	Kasra	"You /are/  however under age, Arina."
	RobinE	"oh its not that big a deal."
	Reagan	"Lana dear."
	RobinE	"hmm?"
	IcePickLobtomy	The club has paused and is now watching the by-play of the new comers curiously
	Reagan	leans toward her and whispers, "What we do in our free time is fine so long as it's done with discretion, but gettin caught drinking is not something METI pilots can abide."
	Kasra	"Oh! Sorry, don't let us disrupt the meeting!"
	Kasra	"I for one think the beach party sounds appealing."
	RobinE	"but," she thinks for a second, "ok."
	Arina	nods. "The beach is pretty... well, Gibraltar-esque."
	Kasra	"Exactly! Sort of neutral ground, and it allows a lot of interpretation."
	RobinE	"we could do volleyball. That'd be fun."
	IcePickLobtomy	A few more ideas get sounded out, but the beach party wins out. Abigail nods after taking the vote. "ok, I'll divvy up duties for everyone, get my father to help get some things set up. Sound good?"
	mary	nods with a bit of shufleing in the back
	Arina	nods. "Sounds good, yes."
	RobinE	"sure!"
	Reagan	"Absolutely."
	JohnH	"Yeah, alright"
	Kasra	"Awaiting orders," Kasra nods to Abigail.
	IcePickLobtomy	"Right, we'll need food, chips, . . . drinks,. . ." She starts writing out a list of things to get and duties to do. "So, volunteers for anything?"
	RobinE	I volunteer for anything!"
	JohnH	"I'
	Reagan	pats Lana's shoulder. "Put me with whatever you have her doin."
	JohnH	"I'll procure some alcohol"
	Kasra	"I'll help John choose non-alcoholic drinks."
	RobinE	"do it!" Lana goes for a high five with John.
	IcePickLobtomy	"Ok, Lana and Reagan on snacks, John and Kasra on drinks. . ."
	mary	hides
	JohnH	high fives back with Vigor
	Arina	nods. "If you're planning on having music I can handle that, or anything else you're looking for."
	IcePickLobtomy	"Hmm, yeah that sounds fun. Live music is always good. We'll bring some CD's too for when you want to join the party as well. . ."
	Kasra	"John, you know we can't bring alcohol to this, right?"
	JohnH	"Says who?"
	Kasra	"John, it's the law. And like, Reagan said, we can't just go risking our reputation on that."
	Arina	chuckles. "I meant a bit of both, actually, but yeah, if anyone has CDs of their own they want to bring..."
	JohnH	"Isn't it legal here to drink at 16?"
	IcePickLobtomy	Abigail shrugs "It's a mishmash of lawas, so most people don't bother so long as you don't get into trouble."
	RobinE	"Sounds fair game to me." Lana shrugs.
	JohnH	gives Kasra the 'I told you so' look
	IcePickLobtomy	"That said, this /is/ a school function, so. . . don't bring anything with alcohol. If you /do/ then keep it on the down low ok?"
	Kasra	There is no describing the look that Kasra returns to John.
	Kasra	quickly loses the appearance of triumph. "You...you still want to bring alcohol don't you?"
	JohnH	"We'll see" John looks like he might feel a tiny bit bad, maybe