The next few hours seem to merge together. Before I know it, I'm already walking into my third hour, mathematics. Ever since growing accustomed to this new area, I have been finding it increasingly easy to lose track of what I'm doing and drift through the day. The crowds don't even really bother me anymore, I've walked through them too many times. Several months of navigating this school's hallways and moving through the other students without incident has made me complacent. *if (violent >20) or (reflex >=90) I usually don't have to even worry about maintaining vigilance to avoid intersection with others. They mostly avoid being in my proximity. *if (violent <=20) and (reflex <90) I even bumped into someone, on about 2 occasions. Both times the offender delivered a hasty, if off-handed, apology and moved on. I was too stunned in the moment to retaliate immediately. There is room for debate as to whether this is a positive or negative development. As it becomes easier to become dim to the passage of time, I find myself sitting down at my desk without really recognizing the order of events that lead me here. I finally wake up once I recognize the teacher beginning his lesson, and the other students beginning to get out sheets of paper to take notes. Recently, the relations between myself and mathematics had been deteriorating rapidly. After enjoying a degree of academic excellence among my peers for the first couple months, in the only class where I had been able to stand out in a manner unrelated to my combat abilities, I may have been a bit unprepared for upcoming challenges. As our content drifted further away from practical application and more into theories, formulas, and formulas within formulas, my ability to find the reason in any of it had made learning the content far more challenging. *fake_choice #I needed to put a lot of effort into maintaining the same high standards *set explosives -2 *set tactics -2 It required a fair bit of effort. On a few occasions, I even needed to request direct assistance from the instructor. But my grades have not decreased in the slightest. And despite the near meaninglessness of the achievement, I do feel a small amount of pride in that. #I didn't make any adjustments into how I learned the material, and grades have somewhat slipped as a result *set explosives -1 *set tactics -1 Before, I listened to the teacher, paid attention in class, and did the work. This has not changed. The amount of effort I expended at the start of the year has not increased. And while my grade has suffered a little bit, going down in a letter grade to a low B, my early success has been able to carry me so far. I predict a low C at the end of the year, which is acceptable to pass. #The sudden difficulty may have caused me to lose interest in the subject The teacher has talked to me about it a few times. But frankly, I just have a hard time investing any amount of effort or interest at all in a subject that has become increasingly meaningless to me. Even in class, I find it hard to bother trying to follow along as he drones on about formulas that have no real world representation that I can perceive ever being useful to me in any scenario other than highly specific and unlikely ones. I'm not sure what my grade in this class is. Not all that interested in finding out. *page_break Next And almost just as soon as I've sat down, the bell is ringing signifying that class has ended. As I'm gathering my things and getting on the move, I notice Jessy moving in the corner of my eye. Not too surprising that I hadn't made a note of her when I walked in. *if (jessyhostileforlife =true) *set violent %+20 I've become pretty accustomed to the dark scowls she directs toward me every time our paths cross ways. I've found that she's hardly a threat when in my physical presence. Her ability to do harm does increase mildly when distant from me. While lacking in physical capability, there is no denying that she possesses influence over public opinion. Particularly the male students. She pretty much single-handedly ensured that nobody would ever forget those few unpleasant events on my first day here. Though this hasn't influenced anyone into directly attacking me, a perhaps unintentional benefit of her inflaming my violent reputation. And I've gotten fairly used to her scornful glares as she moves across the classroom toward the exit, always from a safe distance. *goto scene *if (jessyrelationship ="Attracted?") or (jessyrelationship ="Annoyed") I've become pretty accustomed to those conspicuous glances and smiles. She's been persistent, I can't deny that. Though I'm still not certain if the show is for me or for the people around us. But as the months have gone on, the less...believable she is. *fake_choice #She tries far too hard to be liked #Her personality feels constructed #She seems to look like a different person depending on who she is talking to Like a chameleon, she blends. It's off-putting. Over the past few months, rather than lose interest, it almost seems like her range has narrowed in on me. As for why she's focused on me rather than her designated romantic partner, or why said partner seems to be expressing little to no concern about it, is a mystery that I've yet to fully figure out. At least, for a change, I'm not the only one who doesn't understand something. Those around us and in Jessy's social circle seem similarly confused by this behavior, indicating a shift from the usual paradigm that I am unfortunately being dragged into. Another unusual shift in the usual routine I notice is that rather than going toward the door, she appears to be going in my direction. "Hey," she says in greeting once in casual speaking distance. *if (closertoj =true) *goto happyfriendtime *choice #Respond *set combat -1 *set explosives -1 *label happyfriendtime "Good morning, Jessy." I respond to her as casually as I can. *if (combat >80) "Oof, who pissed in your cereal?" Jessy says with a wince. "You don't have to sound so bland and lifeless, not now that I'm here!" I thought my greeting was pretty good... "So, you've been thinking about me?" She asks with her typical flirtatious pose, then continues on without my input. "I mean, of course you have. Hey, listen, I want to do something together." "I see." "I figured you and I should go out together somewhere," her voice slows as she moves slowly into my personal space. "Maybe, go out shopping somewhere." A day out with an...associate. Wouldn't be hard to arrange. I'd have to call Daniel, but I've yet to have him reject a request to go somewhere. "Where?" "The shopping center, of course! Where else?" "What equipment do you require there?" "Look, do you want to go or not?" Her voice inflects mild annoyance and impatience. Best to answer now if I want to avoid provoking her. *choice #Agree *set jessyshopping true *set combat -1 *set stealth -1 *set firearms -1 *set tactics -1 "Fine. Location and time?" Her expression becomes bright and cheerful again. "Ah, just come by the mall whenever, we'll meet at the entrance." *if (combat <80) "Whenever? I'm unfamiliar with this standard of time. Is it French?" "Ugh, whatever!" She scoffs, her good mood soured. "Just...4PM, alright? Is that good enough for you?" "It will do." *goto scene *else "I require a time." "Ugh, whatever!" She scoffs, her good mood soured. "Just...4PM, alright? Is that good enough for you?" "It will do." *goto scene #Refuse *set closertoj false "Can't." "Eh?" Her face makes an utterly blank expression. It almost looks a bit comical on her. "What do you mean you can't?" *choice #I'm busy (lie) *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" *set combat -1 "I have other things that I need to do and can't be canceled. Important things." "More important than me?" She says this as if it's a far-out possibility only hypothesized in her darkest dreams. "In this particular instance, yes." She scoffs, a gesture I've come to associate with anger and disbelief. "Fine then, forget it. Just leave me alone then." As she's storming off and out of the classroom, and I don't quite have time to point out that she was the one who came to talk to me. *goto scene #I don't want to *set stealth -1 *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" "I would. Except I don't want to." "A-are you serious?" She exclaims, her loud pitch drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "Geez, asshole! You know, just forget it! Leave me alone!" As she's storming off and out of the classroom, and I don't quite have time to point out that she was the one who came to talk to me. *goto scene #Provoke her *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" *set tactics -1 "I'll make my decision after I have all the information?" She scoffs. "What 'information' do you need? I'm just asking you to go to the mall!" "Which mall?" "Literally the [i]only[/i] mall in town!" "Volume control. You can't accomplish anything when you're angry." The talking vegetables told me so. "Arghgh!" She makes some kind of screeching noises that incorporates a little bit of growling, and storms off out of the room. ...Well that was unnecessary. But amusing. Time to go to my next class. *goto scene #Ignore her I keep my eyes fixed on my bright green backpack as I collect up my supplies, pretending to have not heard the loud and obnoxious schoolgirl. Unfortunately, the need to make a nuisance of herself is strong in this one. As I'm distinctly avoiding looking at her, she slides her way into my field of vision just as I'm about to zip up my bag. "Umm, hellooooo?" She says while drawing out the end, "Are you in there?" "...Hello Jessy." "Oof, who pissed in your cereal?" Jessy says with a wince. "You don't have to sound so bland and lifeless, not now that I'm here!" Thank goodness... "So, you've been thinking about me?" She asks with her typical flirtatious pose, then continues on without my input. "I mean, of course you have. Hey, listen, I want to do something together." "I see." "I figured you and I should go out together somewhere," her voice slows as she moves slowly into my personal space. "Maybe, go out shopping somewhere." A day out with an...associate. Wouldn't be hard to arrange. I'd have to call Daniel, but I've yet to have him reject a request to go somewhere. "Where?" "The shopping center, of course! Where else?" "What equipment do you require there?" "Look, do you want to go or not?" Her voice inflects mild annoyance and impatience. Best to answer now if I want to avoid provoking her. *choice #Agree *set jessyshopping true *set combat -1 *set stealth -1 *set firearms -1 *set tactics -1 "Fine. Location and time?" Her expression becomes bright and cheerful again. "Ah, just come by the mall whenever, we'll meet at the entrance." *if (combat <80) "Whenever? I'm unfamiliar with this standard of time. Is it French?" "Ugh, whatever!" She scoffs, her good mood soured. "Just...4PM, alright? Is that good enough for you?" "It will do." *goto scene *else "I require a time." "Ugh, whatever!" She scoffs, her good mood soured. "Just...4PM, alright? Is that good enough for you?" "It will do." *goto scene #Refuse *set closertoj false "Can't." "Eh?" Her face makes an utterly blank expression. It almost looks a bit comical on her. "What do you mean you can't?" *choice #I'm busy (lie) *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" *set combat -1 "I have other things that I need to do and can't be canceled. Important things." "More important than me?" She says this as if it's a far-out possibility only hypothesized in her darkest dreams. "In this particular instance, yes." She scoffs, a gesture I've come to associate with anger and disbelief. "Fine then, forget it. Just leave me alone then." As she's storming off and out of the classroom, and I don't quite have time to point out that she was the one who came to talk to me. *goto scene #I don't want to *set stealth -1 *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" "I would. Except I don't want to." "A-are you serious?" She exclaims, her loud pitch drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "Geez, asshole! You know, just forget it! Leave me alone!" As she's storming off and out of the classroom, and I don't quite have time to point out that she was the one who came to talk to me. *goto scene #Provoke *set jessyrelationship "Hostile" "I'll make my decision after I have all the information?" She scoffs. "What 'information' do you need? I'm just asking you to go to the mall!" "Which mall?" "Literally the [i]only[/i] mall in town!" "Volume control. You can't accomplish anything when you're angry." The talking vegetables told me so. "Arghgh!" She makes some kind of screeching noises that incorporates a little bit of growling, and storms off out of the room. ...Well that was unnecessary. But amusing. Time to go to my next class. *goto scene *if (jessyrelationship ="Scorned") I've become pretty accustomed to those conspicuous glances and indignant 'hmph' that she likes to direct toward me. She's been consistent, I can't deny that. She's made a show of her dislike toward me, one that her associates have taken note of. Though this hasn't extended beyond light teasing. Nobody since the first day has has used her dislike of me as justification for violence. Perhaps it's due to the lack of effort she's put into slandering my name. From what I can tell, her scorn is more something that comes up whenever we are in proximity, rather than anything overpowering. I can live with that. And if it escalates, I can deal with that. *goto scene *if (jessyrelationship ="Tolerant") Neither of us have had much reason to interact with each other. Despite the friction in our initial meeting, her opinion of me has shifted to a kind of neutral indifference. We meet eyes every now and then, but there's never malice nor affection. Recognition, if anything at all. Peace at a distance. Like the majority of students in this school. But as the months have gone on, the less...believable she is. *fake_choice #She tries far too hard to be liked #Her personality feels constructed #She seems to look like a different person depending on who she is talking to Like a chameleon, she blends. It's off-putting. Regardless, she has made it clear that she'll never let [i]me[/i] see behind the mask. And trying to force the issue would be somewhat hipocritical. We all have our masks. I quickly dismiss her and turn toward my bright green backpack. Loading up my supplies in preparation for moving to my next class. Barely making note of her footsteps moving across the room. That is, until I realize that they've stopped at me. The realization alone forces me to look up, and notice Jessy standing directly in front of me. I notice that we appear to be the only ones in the room. Did she instruct her social followers to move on without her? If so, she deliberately made sure that there was no audience to observe our interaction. Another unusual shift in the usual routine. *fake_choice #Oh no... #What does she want? #Maybe I'll get a chance after all *set tactics -1 "Hey," she says in casual greeting. Her tone is neutral, almost casual. Not something I usually see when she's interacting with her social circle. Most of the time her expressions are exaggerated, like a speaker with the volume turned up. Now that I think about it, the only times I see her with this neutral look on her face is when she acknowledges me. "Good morning, Jessy." "I wanted to ask you something," she says as an opening to her next question. "You feel like going shopping?" "...Shopping?" "What's with that look?" She sighs in frustration, "You know what shopping is, right?" "Going to a designated storefront to trade an agreed upon currency in exchange for goods of equal value. I know the definition, yes. I'm more curious about why you are asking me, of all people." "How can you make even shopping sound weird?" she sighs. *if (male =true) "Don't get the wrong idea, it doesn't make us friends. I'm just asking you so Jason can have another guy there." "Your boyfriend?" "So I've been told," she mutters. *goto go *if (female =true) "Don't get the wrong idea, it doesn't make us friends. I just wanted another girl there, even if it has to be you...you are a girl, right?" "Last I checked." "So you have to have at least [i]some[/i] taste in clothes. Better than Jason, at least. Maybe if you two work together you might even be worthwhile company." "Your boyfriend will be there?" "So I've been told," she mutters. *goto go *label go "Look, do you want to go or not?" *choice #Accept *set jessyshopping true *set combat -1 *set firearms -1 *set stealth -1 *set tactics -1 "Fine, time and location?" She sighs, though there appears to be signs of relief on her features. Perhaps this harder for her than I expected? "Ah, just come by the mall whenever, we'll meet at the entrance." *if (combat <80) "Whenever? I'm unfamiliar with this standard of time. Is it French?" "Ugh, whatever!" She scoffs. "Just...4PM, alright? Is that good enough for you?" "It will do." *goto scene *else "I require a time." "Ugh, whatever!" She scoffs. "Just...4PM, alright? Is that good enough for you?" "It will do." *goto scene #Refuse *set jessyrelationship "No relation" "Can't." She sighs. "Yeah, I...guess that makes sense." She mutters, and moves away, hastily going toward the door before stopping just outside it while she looks back at me. "Hey...tell anyone about this, and you're socially dead." "...Right." *goto scene *if (jessyrelationship ="Jealous") or (jessyrelationship ="Rival") I've become pretty accustomed to those conspicuous glances and indignant 'hmph' that she likes to direct toward me. She's been consistent, I can't deny that. She's made a show of her dislike toward me, one that her associates have taken note of. Though this hasn't extended beyond light teasing. Nobody has used her dislike of me as justification for violence. Though I don't quite understand the source of her dislike. From what I can tell, for some reason, she sees me as a rival for her influential status among the school populace, particularly the males. No idea why. Nevertheless, her scorn is more something that comes up whenever we are in proximity, rather than anything overpowering that causes her to go out of her way, day and night, to do me harm. I can live with that. And if it escalates, I can deal with that. *goto scene *if ((jessyrelationship ="Confused") or (jessyrelationship ="Curious")) or (jessyrelationship ="Awkward") I've become pretty accustomed to those conspicuous glances and indignant 'hmph' that she likes to direct toward me. She's been consistent, I can't deny that. She's made a show of her dislike toward me, one that her associates have taken note of. Though this hasn't extended beyond light teasing. Nobody has used her mild dislike of me as justification for violence. And thus, I've had no cause to retaliate against her and further escalate the situation. Curiously, the less I acknowledge her, the more extreme her reactions toward my presence have become. Curiously, however, this time when our eyes casually meet over a distance, she doesn't make any kind of show of it. Simply averting her gaze from me. But as the months have gone on, the less...believable she is. *fake_choice #She tries far too hard to be liked #Her personality feels constructed #She seems to look like a different person depending on who she is talking to Like a chameleon, she blends. It's off-putting. Regardless, she has made it clear that she'll never let [i]me[/i] see behind the mask. And trying to force the issue would be somewhat hipocritical. We all have our masks. I quickly dismiss her and turn toward my bright green backpack. Loading up my supplies in preparation for moving to my next class. Barely making note of her footsteps moving across the room. That is, until I realize that they've stopped at me. The realization alone forces me to look up, and notice Jessy standing directly in front of me. I notice that we appear to be the only ones in the room. Did she instruct her social followers to move on without her? If so, she deliberately made sure that there was no audience to observe our interaction. Another unusual shift in the usual routine. *fake_choice #Oh no... #What does she want? #Maybe I'll get a chance after all *set tactics -1 "Hey," she says in an attempted casual greeting. Her tone is shaky, almost uncertain. Not something I usually see when she's interacting with her social circle. Most of the time her expressions are exaggerated, like a speaker with the volume turned up. Now that I think about it, the only times I see her ever change her tone and facial expression is when looking at me. "Good morning, Jessy." "I wanted to ask you something, and I'm going to ask it once," she says as an opening to her next question. "You...feel like going shopping?" "...Shopping?" "What's with that look? It's not weird to go shopping with someone!" She sighs in frustration, "You know what shopping is, right?" "Going to a designated storefront to trade an agreed upon currency in exchange for goods of equal value. I know the definition, yes. I'm more curious about why you are asking me, of all people." "How can you make even shopping sound weird?" she sighs. *if (male =true) "Don't get the wrong idea, it doesn't make us friends. I'm just asking you so Jason can have another guy there." "Your boyfriend?" "So I've been told," she mutters. *goto gotta *if (female =true) "Don't get the wrong idea, it doesn't make us friends. I just wanted another girl there, even if it has to be you...you are a girl, right?" "Last I checked." "So you have to have at least [i]some[/i] taste in clothes. Better than Jason, at least. Maybe if you two work together you might even be worthwhile company." "Your boyfriend will be there?" "So I've been told," she mutters. *goto gotta *label gotta "Look, do you want to go or not?" *choice #Accept *set jessyshopping true *set combat -1 *set firearms -1 *set stealth -1 *set tactics -1 "Fine, time and location?" She sighs, though there appears to be signs of relief on her features. Perhaps this harder for her than I expected? "Ah, just come by the mall whenever, we'll meet at the entrance." *if (combat <80) "Whenever? I'm unfamiliar with this standard of time. Is it French?" "Ugh, whatever!" She scoffs, her good mood soured. "Just...4PM, alright? Is that good enough for you?" "It will do." *goto scene *else "I require a time." "Ugh, whatever!" She scoffs, her good mood soured. "Just...4PM, alright? Is that good enough for you?" "It will do." *goto scene #Refuse *set jessyrelationship "No relation" "Can't." She sighs. "Yeah, I...guess that makes sense." She mutters, and moves away, hastily going toward the door before stopping just outside it while she looks back at me. "Hey...tell anyone about this, and you're socially dead." "...Right." *goto scene *label scene *page_break Next *if (rejectlucy =false) and (lucyhostileforlife =false) After that exchange, I finish packing up all my things and head toward the door. I was only slightly delayed. But that was enough time for the majority of students to get out of their classrooms and begin marching through the crowded halls like an uncoordinated swarm of worker ants. Looking straight ahead, it's even a little bit difficult to see the wall on the other side of the hallway. Picking up individual voices, or making notes of small details, is difficult when walking through crowds like this. Which is why, even now, I'm not entirely used to the bustling of people all around me. The reason I tend to prefer to stick to a wall and drag along it. One less side to have to watch as my eyes dart around from person to person, making note of which ones make eye contact with me and keeping them in mind as I continue onward. Most of the few who make eye contact pass me by and continue on their own way. I'd feel safe to forget about them once I reached my next class. One of those students happens to be Miss Stein. I spot her as I'm approaching my next class. She appears to be standing right by the doorway to it, scanning the crowd for a particular individual. Evidently she finds that particular individual when she makes eye contact with me, and begins navigating the crowd toward my location. "${firstname}. I need to talk to you." "I have a class-" "I'll excuse you." Right. Presidential powers. "Follow me." She begins walking, as if it's a given that I'll follow close behind her. *choice #And she's right. I follow her. *goto fuckingcredit #I have more important things to do. *set ignoredlucy true *if (lucyrelationship !="Furious") *set lucyrelationship "Annoyed" *if (lucyrelationship !="Guarded") *set lucyrelationship "Annoyed" *if (lucyrelationship !="Tense") *set lucyrelationship "Annoyed" Miss Stein, and whatever it is she wants to talk about, can wait until our 5th hour class together. Right now, it is 4th hour Art. I turn in the opposite direction that she went off in, and into my art class. I'm not there to see the look on her face when she turns to see me not there, but the thought is mildly amusing. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art Lucy calls you out as you're leaving. She’ll reveal that she’s done some digging into your background, knows your dad is CIA, and knows that you possess a certain set of skills, and wants you to work for her. If you say yes, this will unlock a scene later in the day. *goto_scene 2-4Art *label fuckingcredit Credit where credit is due; in this particular instance, she had me pegged. I follow closely behind Miss Stein as we pass through the crowds of the school, until we reach a classroom with the lights turned off that she quickly ducks into. Mildly suspicious, I stand outside the door for a bit and creep in. Keeping my eyes scanning the room as my right hand reaches and flips on the room's light. It is, as was presented, an empty classroom. If you don't count Miss Stein standing there. "Okay, now that we're out of all that chaos..." she sighs in relief, sitting down in one of the desk chairs. *if (lucyrelationship ="Classmates") She sets herself down and brushes out her skirt before clearing her throat and placing her hands on the table while looking at me directly and authoritatively. A type of habit in her body language to get herself into a certain state of mind, ready to discuss business. We're alone in this room. I made sure to check corners when walking in, and there's no easy places for a person to hide that I can notice. At least not behind me. That, and the image she's presenting right now is that of someone wanting to do business, rather than threaten or intimidate. I've seen enough of both to know the difference. She's even been courteous enough to leave the path between myself and the exit clear. Were it anyone else, I would have called that last bit unintentional. She doesn't seem to be intending to threaten me. At least not physically. Which makes me feel safe enough to sit down at the opposite end of the table. *fake_choice #"What do you want?" Get to the point. *set stealth -1 "What do you want." Miss Stein nods, evidently pleased by this response. "Yes, to the point. There's no reason to waste time on formalities." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "Which would be?" #"You look...well." Start off with a compliment. *set tactics -1 *set combat -1 "You look...well." Miss Stein seems a bit taken off guard by my attempt at establishing a friendly atmosphere for our discussion. "Uhh...thank you." She mutters, before clearing her throat once again to get back into character. "Kind of you to say. But more to the point..." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "...I'm listening." #Say nothing. Let her set the tone. *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 The silence hangs in the air for a few seconds, as I wait for her to say something. In response, she continues to look at me with that same authoritative gaze, that slowly begins to wane as the silence drifts on and she awkwardly coughs. "Right, I'll start then." She mutters, before clearing her throat once again to get back into character, speaking in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." That sentence hangs in the air for a little bit before she follows up. *if (combat <85) #"I get the feeling you don't want to exchange English notes." *set combat -1 *set tactics -1 *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 "I get the feeling you don't want to exchange English notes." Miss Stein seems a bit taken off guard by my attempt to ease the serious mood, and she almost laughs before catching herself and clearing her throat once again to get back into character. "Ahh no. Very perceptive of you." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "...Sounds good. I'm listening." *page_break Next "So, as you know, I am student council president." "Yes." You find a way to bring it up in every conversation we have. "And my father is also the congressman for our state. Both of these positions invite certain...dangers." I didn't realize student council presidential elections were so cutthroat. "I see. What does this have to do with me?" She leans forward in her chair, folding her hands together at mouth level as she stares ahead at me. Mouth and torso concealed behind her arms in a way that obstructs her body language. "I'm not stupid. I realized rather quickly that there was something off about you, so I took it upon myself to do a bit of background digging." She says, keeping a level stare. "The first PI was sent a picture of his family to warn him off. The second came back with a picture of [i]me[/i] at the dinner table, taken from outside my window. I did eventually get some info on you, when I decided to snoop through the school files for a completely unrelated reason." It's hard to tell with her hands covering her mouth, but I'm pretty sure she's smirking. "I know you're the reason for all the new school security." *fake_choice #[i]Remove the threat *set lucyrelationship "Terrified" *set bored +1 Immediately, I'm standing up. Making sure to use enough force to push the chair out behind me, outside of the area where it can't get in my way. Desk is roughly a foot across, within my reach. Grab her head, slam it down onto the table. Momentarily stun her. Target begins to recoil, no forward momentum. No immediate threat, safe to move in. Throw desk aside to clear my approach before moving forward. Target falls onto her back and tries crawling away. Target is disoriented. Blood trickling down her forehead from where it met the desk. But there's a clear expression of terror in her facial features. [i]She's afraid. Sit down on her waist. Mount position. Dominant position. Target waves her hands uselessly at me. "Please no...no no no don't hurt me..." She begins mumbling incoherently. Excessive reaction, in contrast to prior attitude. Prior trauma? Irrelevant; I cross my arms around her neck and press inward. Cross-collar choke. Can't kill her...but I can scare her. "Never attempt to contact me again. Or I will kill you." Her eyes are wide with fear. Will to resist has been effectively destroyed. Threat minimized. Even if the words didn't get across, she'll remember this fear. Now I need to move. Security guards can appear at any moment. Can't be in this location when they arrive. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #Threaten her to silence *set reflex -1 *set explosives -1 *set bored +1 "If you know that," I state very plainly so as to not be misheard, maintaining a steady gaze toward her. "You know how well I react to threats." For a moment her hands tense up, about the only indication of fear aside from the slight stutter in her voice. "Y-yes, well...I think you have the wrong idea," she mutters, talking herself back up to a more agreeable position. "I'm not threatening you. I want to hire you." "For?" "Bodyguard work," she explains. "As you say, you have a certain way of responding to threats. I want you to respond that way to threats against me. Come with me when I call you in, deliveries, that sort of thing. And you can expect to put your unique talents to good use. And in exchange, I can open a few doors for you. You will be paid, of course, but more than that. Time out of classes, a whisper in the teacher's ear, a get out of jail free card which something tells me you will probably need in the near future, and in the long term, a recommendation from a congressman will probably make finding an occupation or university a lot less troublesome. All you have to do is stay by my side between classes and help me out with some of the side projects I get involved in. Does this appeal to you?" Using my skills... Killing skills. All the things that I'm supposed to be here to forget about. All the things that I've been made to store away in the back of my mind, to let gather dust from lack of use. Is that what I want? *label isit *choice #Oh God [i]Yes *set lucyrelationship "Professional" *set bored +5 All these endless classes, tests, quizzes, social interactions...it's all felt so restricting. Part of me has been dying - yearning - for an opportunity to use those skills again. For any reason... Body guarding? Seems like reason enough. "Yes." She seems a bit caught off guard when I respond so quickly, and with such simplicity. "Yes, you'll..." "I'll take the job." I explain to her. "What do you need?" "Well, nothing right now, but...you have a phone?" She asks, and I nod the affirmative. "I'm putting you in my contacts. A time will come, soon, when I call on you to assist me. I will expect a prompt response." "Understood." She stands up, beckoning me to do the same. "...I look forward to working with you, ${fullname}." "You as well, Miss Stein." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I could certainly use what she's offering... *set lucyrelationship "Professional" *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 *set bored +1 Something tells me that most of the stuff she just listed are things Daniel and the CIA could already have provided. Still, if I ever want a life away from them, it would probably be a good idea to get a contact away from those circles. "Very well. I'll take the job." You respond. "What do you need?" "Well, nothing right now, but...you have a phone?" She asks, and I nod the affirmative. "I'm putting you in my contacts. A time will come, soon, when I call on you to assist me. I will expect a prompt response." "Understood." She stands up, beckoning me to do the same. "...I look forward to working with you, ${fullname}." "You as well, Miss Stein." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I'd rather avoid that kind of attention *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" I've had quite enough of putting myself in danger at someone else's orders. If I have to fight, it'll be because I had to. Not because someone else wants me to. Not that officer, and not this student council president. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I personally don't like Miss Stein *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" There's something far too familiar about her. That arrogance. That need to have her authority met. That refusal of any dissension, any threat to her power and authority. It's all too...familiar. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I don't want that to ever be my life again *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" *set fittingin +5 *set humanity +3 No...never again. I'm just now beginning to settle down into a place where I can actually feel safe. I'm not going to actively seek out more opportunities to put myself in danger. That's not me...it will never be me. Never again. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art *selectable_if (reflex <85) #This is leading somewhere. Hear her out *set combat -1 *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 She knows that my presence here is the reason for all the added security. If she knows that, she's probably been able to unearth a lot of other things. I don't know exactly what the school has about me on file, but they do employ Professor Patel, so it's probably more than I would ordinarily be comfortable having someone know. Still, despite this, she's sitting me down in a meeting. To talk. Whatever else, it says something that she's choosing to talk alone. "Alright...and?" "And I've been peeking around, as much as I could get away with, and I've found you to be quite...capable." She explains, "I want to hire you." "For?" "Bodyguard work," she explains. "As you say, you have a certain way of responding to threats. I want you to respond that way to threats against me. Come with me when I call you in, deliveries, that sort of thing. And you can expect to put your unique talents to good use. And in exchange, I can open a few doors for you. You will be paid, of course, but more than that. Time out of classes, a whisper in the teacher's ear, a get out of jail free card which something tells me you will probably need in the near future, and in the long term, a recommendation from a congressman will probably make finding an occupation or university a lot less troublesome. All you have to do is stay by my side between classes and help me out with some of the side projects I get involved in. Does this appeal to you?" Using my skills... Killing skills. All the things that I'm supposed to be here to forget about. All the things that I've been made to store away in the back of my mind, to let gather dust from lack of use. Is that what I want? *goto isit *if (lucyrelationship ="Wary") *label spookyscarystudent She sets herself down and brushes out her skirt before clearing her throat and placing her hands on the table while looking at me directly and authoritatively. There's a wariness to her, like she's watching me as closely as I'm watching her. Watching my movements with a critical eye. We're alone in this room. I made sure to check corners when walking in, and there's no easy places for a person to hide that I can notice. At least not behind me. Though it would be unwise to assume that she's left herself completely undefended. By her posture alone, it's clear that she doesn't fully trust me not to snap on her. It would be wise to assume there's some kind of precaution in place if I decide to make a move against her. But, at the very least, it's clear that violence is something she's anticipated, not actively planning. I've seen enough of both to know the difference. She's even been courteous enough to leave the path between myself and the exit clear. Were it anyone else, I would have called that last bit unintentional. She doesn't seem to be intending to threaten me. At least not physically. Which makes me feel safe enough to sit down at the opposite end of the table. *fake_choice #"What do you want?" Get to the point. *set stealth -1 "What do you want." Miss Stein nods, evidently pleased by this response. "Yes, to the point. There's no reason to waste time on formalities." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "Seeing as how you have been deliberately ignoring my existence since the first day, this must be important." #"You look...well." Start off with a compliment. *set tactics -1 *set combat -1 "You look...well." Miss Stein seems a bit taken off guard by my attempt at establishing a friendly atmosphere for our discussion. "Uhh...thank you." She mutters, before clearing her throat once again to get back into character. "Kind of you to say. But more to the point..." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "Seeing as how you have been deliberately ignoring my existence since the first day, this must be important." #Say nothing. Let her set the tone. *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 The silence hangs in the air for a few seconds, as I wait for her to say something. In response, she continues to look at me with that same authoritative gaze, that slowly begins to wane as the silence drifts on and she awkwardly coughs. "Right, I'll start then." She mutters, before clearing her throat once again to get back into character, speaking in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "Seeing as how you have been deliberately ignoring my existence since the first day, this must be important." *if (combat <85) #"I get the feeling you don't want to exchange English notes." *set combat -1 *set tactics -1 *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 "I get the feeling you don't want to exchange English notes." Miss Stein seems a bit taken off guard by my attempt to ease the serious mood, and she almost laughs before catching herself and clearing her throat once again to get back into character. "Ahh no. Very perceptive of you." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "Seeing as how you have been deliberately ignoring my existence since the first day, this must be important." "Well, you have to admit, our first day together was...interesting." She says slowly. "Though, it also made me quite interested in you. Enough to where I began to do some digging of my own into your background." She leans forward in her chair, folding her hands together at mouth level as she stares ahead at me. Mouth and torso concealed behind her arms in a way that obstructs her body language. "My inquiries had unusual responses. The first PI was sent a picture of his family to warn him off. The second came back with a picture of [i]me[/i] at the dinner table, taken from outside my window. I did eventually get some info on you, when I decided to snoop through the school files for a completely unrelated reason." Her eyes, the only part of her body I can read unobstructed, remain neutral. Observing my reaction. "I know you're the reason for all the new school security." *fake_choice #[i]Remove the threat *set lucyrelationship "Hostile" *set bored +1 Immediately, I'm standing up. Making sure to use enough force to push the chair out behind me, outside of the area where it can't get in my way. Desk is roughly a foot across, within my reach. Grab her head, slam it down onto the table. Momentarily stun her. Target begins to recoil, no forward momentum. No immediate threat, safe to move in. Throw desk aside to clear my approach before moving forward. Target falls onto her back and tries crawling away. Target is disoriented. Blood trickling down her forehead from where it met the desk. But there's a clear expression of terror in her facial features. [i]She's afraid. Door slams open behind me. Immediately turn, notice two security guards aiming tasers at me. Target likely had them nearby in case something like this happened. "Don't just stand there!" Target screams, holding her head and closing her eyes, huddled up next to a desk to protect herself as she shouts orders. "Get rid of ${him}!" *if (reflex >85) Two shots go off. The metal prongs of the submission weapons flying toward me. The desks made fine cover as I briefly hide behind them until I hear the prongs make contact with the wooden tables, indicating an opening to move out of cover and toward them. *choice #Exploit the opening *if (report_fight =true) and (reflex <90) Moment I stand up, however, I quickly realize my mistake. The security guards, having missed with their first shots, immediately threw aside the spent weapons and drew back-up suppression tasers. It seems they've improved since the first day... I only have enough time to recognize the mistake made before I feel electricity begin to surge through my body and send me to the ground, my body spasming involuntarily. "I want ${him} gone!" Miss Stein is shouting, "I want ${him} expelled! I want ${him} jailed! I want ${him} deported! [i]Get ${him} away from me!" Though the electricity stops, the metal prongs remain in my body as the security officers slowly begin to approach. One helping Miss Stein off the ground while the other keeps an eye on me. "That's...not really an option, Miss Stein." One of them says, "We're only here to break up fights-" "Just..." She mutters while glaring at me. Don't think I've ever seen her this agitated. You would think I killed her parents with how much hate she's throwing at me. "Never. Talk to me. Again. Ever!" She screams, before storming out of the room. The officers sigh, removing the prongs from me. "Alright, go on your way." He says, stepping back and letting me get back up to my feet. "Wait, we're just letting ${him} go?" The other asks as they're on their way out, leaving me alone in the classroom. "As opposed to what? Reporting ${him}? Since when has that [i]ever[/i] done something?" I hear the door close. And I'm alone again. Just me in an empty classroom, still coming off the pain of having those jolts of electricity surging through my body. Wiggling my extremities in the hope of getting them to wake back up. And thinking over my current situation with Miss Stein... *choice #She beat me...this requires retribution *set lucyrelationship "Enemies" Whoever was at fault, I can't let it stand that someone was able to defeat me. If one person beats you, it leaves you open to others. Which is why ever slight must be avenged, every loss must be met. Lucy Stein...you've made a powerful enemy today. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #She wants avoidance. Fine with me Whoever was at fault, our relationship now is set. She avoids me, I avoid her. I can live with this arrangement. In truth, despite all circumstances to the contrary, this is probably one of the better possible outcomes. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I'm probably in the wrong here *set reflex -1 *set tactics -1 *set humanity +1 I...may have overreacted there. And created a problem where there wasn't one. Given her reaction, it's unlikely that there's any salvaging this relationship. She seemed far more terrified than is characteristic of her. Indication of trauma. Which I thoroughly exploited...probably not getting back from that one. Oh well. At least now our relationship now is set. She avoids me, I avoid her. I can live with this arrangement. In truth, despite all circumstances to the contrary, this is probably one of the better possible outcomes. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art *if (report_fight =true) and (reflex >=90) Moment I stand up, however, I quickly realize my mistake. The security guards, having missed with their first shots, immediately threw aside the spent weapons and drew back-up suppression tasers. It seems they've improved since the first day... If my reflexes were any slower, I'd be a spasming wreck on the floor as several jolts of electricity caused my basic systems to shut down. Luckily I'm able to narrowly avoid that fate by jumping to the side behind the safety of a different desk. While I'm in cover, I notice Miss Stein run from her cowering spot to run for the door. Peeking over, the officers seem more than a little intimidated, having lost the benefit of their primary means of suppression. However, once Miss Stein is at the door and behind them, they stop making any attempt to progress further into the room and are content to leave me be. "I want ${him} gone!" Miss Stein is shouting, "I want ${him} expelled! I want ${him} jailed! I want ${him} deported! [i]Get ${him} away from me!" She shouts one last time before leaving the room. "Right...good luck with that," one mutters after she's gone and out of earshot. "Alright, ${firstname}...we're done here. Go on your way, and try not to get in any more trouble." "Wait, we're just letting ${him} go?" The other asks as they're on their way out, leaving me alone in the classroom. "As opposed to what? Reporting ${him}? Since when has that [i]ever[/i] done something?" I hear the door close. And I'm alone again. Thinking over my situation with Miss Stein... *choice #She attacked me...this requires retribution *set lucyrelationship "Enemies" Whoever was at fault, I can't let it stand that someone took a shot at me. If one person attacks you unpunished, it leaves you open to others. Which is why ever slight must be avenged, every loss must be met. Lucy Stein...you've made a powerful enemy today. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #She wants avoidance. Fine with me Whoever was at fault, our relationship now is set. She avoids me, I avoid her. I can live with this arrangement. In truth, despite all circumstances to the contrary, this is probably one of the better possible outcomes. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I'm probably in the wrong here *set reflex -1 *set tactics -1 *set humanity +1 I...may have overreacted there. And created a problem where there wasn't one. Given her reaction, it's unlikely that there's any salvaging this relationship. She seemed far more terrified than is characteristic of her. Indication of trauma. Which I thoroughly exploited...probably not getting back from that one. Oh well. At least now our relationship now is set. She avoids me, I avoid her. I can live with this arrangement. In truth, despite all circumstances to the contrary, this is probably one of the better possible outcomes. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art *else Moment I think I can get away with it, I vault over the desk and move toward them. Neither of the security officers seem particularly confident about their chances, despite their batons, and fall into defensive stances. Not a particularly easy position to assault. Attacking directly would be risky. Would be better to divide and conquer; break up their position with a thrown object, maybe a chair or desk, then move to disable one and then the other. While I'm moving into a better position to attack, however, I notice Miss Stein run from her cowering spot to run for the door. And once Miss Stein is at the door and behind them, the two officers slowing begin easing off, indicating their own desire to withdraw. "I want ${him} gone!" Miss Stein is shouting, "I want ${him} expelled! I want ${him} jailed! I want ${him} deported! [i]Get ${him} away from me!" She shouts one last time before leaving the room. "Right...good luck with that," one mutters after she's gone and out of earshot. "Alright, ${firstname}...we're done here. Go on your way, and try not to get in any more trouble." "Wait, we're just letting ${him} go?" The other asks as they're on their way out, leaving me alone in the classroom. "As opposed to what? Reporting ${him}? Since when has that [i]ever[/i] done something?" I hear the door close. And I'm alone again. Thinking over my situation with Miss Stein... *choice #She attacked me...this requires retribution *set lucyrelationship "Enemies" Whoever was at fault, I can't let it stand that someone took a shot at me. If one person attacks you unpunished, it leaves you open to others. Which is why ever slight must be avenged, every loss must be met. Lucy Stein...you've made a powerful enemy today. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #She wants avoidance. Fine with me Whoever was at fault, our relationship now is set. She avoids me, I avoid her. I can live with this arrangement. In truth, despite all circumstances to the contrary, this is probably one of the better possible outcomes. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I'm probably in the wrong here *set reflex -1 *set tactics -1 *set humanity +1 I...may have overreacted there. And created a problem where there wasn't one. Given her reaction, it's unlikely that there's any salvaging this relationship. She seemed far more terrified than is characteristic of her. Indication of trauma. Which I thoroughly exploited...probably not getting back from that one. Oh well. At least now our relationship now is set. She avoids me, I avoid her. I can live with this arrangement. In truth, despite all circumstances to the contrary, this is probably one of the better possible outcomes. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #Try to negotiate *set reflex -1 *set explosives -1 "...Perhaps I may have overreacted." I shout out from my position of safety behind my hastily made cover without the sound of hostile advance. "You wanted to talk about something, Miss Stein?" Target slowly looks up, realizing that there's no combat going on, and realizing that I'm addressing her. Her expression is shaken, unnerved, as she forces herself back to her feet without breaking eye contact with me. "Y-Yes...that's right." She mutters, shaking herself out and straightening out her skirt. "That's right...have you...calmed down?" "That depends...what exactly was it you were saying?" "I wanted...to hire you." She says outright. "As a bodyguard." "A bodyguard?" "Yes," she says. Looking between me and the security officers as they, I imagine, cautiously watch and wonder where this is even going at this point. "As you know, I'm student council president." She says proudly, as she does in almost every single conversation we've ever had. "And, also, I am the daughter of Congressman Stein...both of these positions invite dangers. And seeing as how you are very clearly capable of handling yourself...I want to hire you to protect me." "I see..." Well, now I feel like I overreacted a bit. "And is that offer still on the table?" She's silent for a pretty long moment. "I...yes." "And what would be in it for me?" "Well, in exchange...I can open a few doors for you. You will be paid, of course, but more than that. Time out of classes, a whisper in the teacher's ear, a get out of jail free card which something tells me you will probably need in the near future, and in the long term, a recommendation from a congressman will probably make finding an occupation or university a lot less troublesome. All you have to do is stay by my side between classes and help me out with some of the side projects I get involved in. Does this appeal to you?" *choice #Oh God [i]Yes *set lucyrelationship "Professional" *set bored +5 All these endless classes, tests, quizzes, social interactions...it's all felt so restricting. Part of me has been dying - yearning - for an opportunity to use those skills again. For any reason... Body guarding? Seems like reason enough. "Yes." She seems a bit caught off guard when I respond so quickly, and with such simplicity. "Yes, you'll..." "I'll take the job." I explain to her, standing up from my crouched position. "What do you need?" "Well, for right now..." she mutters, the shakiness slowly draining from her voice as she slowly approaches me, still looking between me and the security officers until we're within arms reach and I remain in place. "I need you to remain...completely...still..." She says, anger starting to seep into her voice, as she winds up her hand and slaps me across the face leaving a stinging red mark on my cheek. "And [i]never attack me again!" "...Understood." She straightens out, waving off the officers. "You two can go. I'm safe now." They shrug, "If you say so," and leave us alone. "With all that nonsense out of the way," she nods at me. "I look forward to working with you, ${fullname}." "You as well, Miss Stein. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I could certainly use what she's offering... *set lucyrelationship "Professional" *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 *set bored +1 Something tells me that most of the stuff she just listed are things Daniel and the CIA could already have provided. Still, if I ever want a life away from them, it would probably be a good idea to get a contact away from those circles. "Very well. I'll take the job." You respond. "What do you need?" "Well, for right now..." she mutters, the shakiness slowly draining from her voice as she slowly approaches me, still looking between me and the security officers until we're within arms reach and I remain in place. "I need you to remain...completely...still..." She says, anger starting to seep into her voice, as she winds up her hand and slaps me across the face leaving a stinging red mark on my cheek. "And [i]never attack me again!" "...Understood." She straightens out, waving off the officers. "You two can go. I'm safe now." They shrug, "If you say so," and leave us alone. "With all that nonsense out of the way," she nods at me. "I look forward to working with you, ${fullname}." "You as well, Miss Stein. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I'd rather avoid that kind of attention *set lucyrelationship "Hostile" I've had quite enough of putting myself in danger at someone else's orders. If I have to fight, it'll be because I had to. Not because someone else wants me to. Not that officer, and not this student council president. "I refuse." Somehow, she doesn't seem all that disappointed. "A shame...but I suppose I'll live." She says in a scalding tone before marching off toward the door, shoving her way past the officers before looking back at me one last time. "...Never talk to me again." "Right...guess that's settled," one mutters after she's gone and out of earshot. "Alright, ${firstname}...we're done here. Go on your way, and try not to get in any more trouble." "Wait, we're just letting ${him} go?" The other asks as they're on their way out, leaving me alone in the classroom. "As opposed to what? Reporting ${him}? Since when has that [i]ever[/i] done something?" I hear the door close. And I'm alone again. ... ...I need to get to class. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I personally don't like Miss Stein *set lucyrelationship "Hostile" There's something far too familiar about her. That arrogance. That need to have her authority met. That refusal of any dissension, any threat to her power and authority. It's all too...familiar. "I refuse." Somehow, she doesn't seem all that disappointed. "A shame...but I suppose I'll live." She says in a scalding tone before marching off toward the door, shoving her way past the officers before looking back at me one last time. "...Never talk to me again." "Right...guess that's settled," one mutters after she's gone and out of earshot. "Alright, ${firstname}...we're done here. Go on your way, and try not to get in any more trouble." "Wait, we're just letting ${him} go?" The other asks as they're on their way out, leaving me alone in the classroom. "As opposed to what? Reporting ${him}? Since when has that [i]ever[/i] done something?" I hear the door close. And I'm alone again. ... ...I need to get to class. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I don't want that to ever be my life again *set lucyrelationship "Hostile" *set fittingin +5 *set humanity +3 No...never again. I'm just now beginning to settle down into a place where I can actually feel safe. I'm not going to actively seek out more opportunities to put myself in danger. That's not me...it will never be me. Never again. "I refuse." Somehow, she doesn't seem all that disappointed. "A shame...but I suppose I'll live." She says in a scalding tone before marching off toward the door, shoving her way past the officers before looking back at me one last time. "...Never talk to me again." "Right...guess that's settled," one mutters after she's gone and out of earshot. "Alright, ${firstname}...we're done here. Go on your way, and try not to get in any more trouble." "Wait, we're just letting ${him} go?" The other asks as they're on their way out, leaving me alone in the classroom. "As opposed to what? Reporting ${him}? Since when has that [i]ever[/i] done something?" I hear the door close. And I'm alone again. ... ...I need to get to class. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #Threaten her to silence *set reflex -1 *set explosives -1 *set bored +1 "If you know that," I state very plainly so as to not be misheard, maintaining a steady gaze toward her. "You know how well I react to threats." For a moment her hands tense up, about the only indication of fear aside from the slight stutter in her voice. "Y-yes, well...I think you have the wrong idea," she mutters, talking herself back up to a more agreeable position. "I'm not threatening you. I want to hire you." "For?" "Bodyguard work," she explains. "As you know, I'm student council president." She says proudly, as she does in almost every single conversation we've ever had. "And, also, I am the daughter of Congressman Stein...both of these positions invite dangers. And seeing as how you are very clearly capable of handling yourself...I want to hire you to protect me. And in exchange, I can open a few doors for you. You will be paid, of course, but more than that. Time out of classes, a whisper in the teacher's ear, a get out of jail free card which something tells me you will probably need in the near future, and in the long term, a recommendation from a congressman will probably make finding an occupation or university a lot less troublesome. All you have to do is stay by my side between classes and help me out with some of the side projects I get involved in. Does this appeal to you?" Using my skills... Killing skills. All the things that I'm supposed to be here to forget about. All the things that I've been made to store away in the back of my mind, to let gather dust from lack of use. Is that what I want? *label 2isit *choice #Oh God [i]Yes *set lucyrelationship "Professional" *set bored +5 All these endless classes, tests, quizzes, social interactions...it's all felt so restricting. Part of me has been dying - yearning - for an opportunity to use those skills again. For any reason... Body guarding? Seems like reason enough. "Yes." She seems a bit caught off guard when I respond so quickly, and with such simplicity. "Yes, you'll..." "I'll take the job." I explain to her. "What do you need?" "Well, nothing right now, but...you have a phone?" She asks, and I nod the affirmative. "I'm putting you in my contacts. A time will come, soon, when I call on you to assist me. I will expect a prompt response." "Understood." She stands up, beckoning me to do the same. "...I look forward to working with you, ${fullname}." "You as well, Miss Stein." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I could certainly use what she's offering... *set lucyrelationship "Professional" *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 *set bored +1 Something tells me that most of the stuff she just listed are things Daniel and the CIA could already have provided. Still, if I ever want a life away from them, it would probably be a good idea to get a contact away from those circles. "Very well. I'll take the job." You respond. "What do you need?" "Well, nothing right now, but...you have a phone?" She asks, and I nod the affirmative. "I'm putting you in my contacts. A time will come, soon, when I call on you to assist me. I will expect a prompt response." "Understood." She stands up, beckoning me to do the same. "...I look forward to working with you, ${fullname}." "You as well, Miss Stein." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I'd rather avoid that kind of attention *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" I've had quite enough of putting myself in danger at someone else's orders. If I have to fight, it'll be because I had to. Not because someone else wants me to. Not that officer, and not this student council president. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I personally don't like Miss Stein *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" There's something far too familiar about her. That arrogance. That need to have her authority met. That refusal of any dissension, any threat to her power and authority. It's all too...familiar. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I don't want that to ever be my life again *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" *set fittingin +5 *set humanity +3 No...never again. I'm just now beginning to settle down into a place where I can actually feel safe. I'm not going to actively seek out more opportunities to put myself in danger. That's not me...it will never be me. Never again. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art *selectable_if (reflex <85) #This is leading somewhere. Hear her out *set combat -1 *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 She knows that my presence here is the reason for all the added security. If she knows that, she's probably been able to unearth a lot of other things. I don't know exactly what the school has about me on file, but they do employ Professor Patel, so it's probably more than I would ordinarily be comfortable having someone know. Still, despite this, she's sitting me down in a meeting. To talk. Whatever else, it says something that she's choosing to talk alone. "Alright...and?" "And I've been peeking around, as much as I could get away with, and I've found you to be quite...capable." She explains, "I want to hire you." "For?" "Bodyguard work," she explains. "As you know, I'm student council president." She says proudly, as she does in almost every single conversation we've ever had. "And, also, I am the daughter of Congressman Stein...both of these positions invite dangers. And seeing as how you are very clearly capable of handling yourself...I want to hire you to protect me. And in exchange, I can open a few doors for you. You will be paid, of course, but more than that. Time out of classes, a whisper in the teacher's ear, a get out of jail free card which something tells me you will probably need in the near future, and in the long term, a recommendation from a congressman will probably make finding an occupation or university a lot less troublesome. All you have to do is stay by my side between classes and help me out with some of the side projects I get involved in. Does this appeal to you?" Using my skills... Killing skills. All the things that I'm supposed to be here to forget about. All the things that I've been made to store away in the back of my mind, to let gather dust from lack of use. Is that what I want? *goto 2isit *if (lucyrelationship ="Reluctant Gratitude") or (lucyrelationship ="Gratitude") She sets herself down and brushes out her skirt before clearing her throat and placing her hands on the table while looking at me directly and authoritatively. A type of habit in her body language to get herself into a certain state of mind, ready to discuss business. A bit different from the usually passing glance of familiarity or smile of brief recognition that I'm accustomed to receiving. We're alone in this room. Don't think that's ever happened before. I made sure to check corners when walking in, and there's no easy places for a person to hide that I can notice. At least not behind me. That, and the image she's presenting right now is that of someone wanting to do business, rather than threaten or intimidate. I've seen enough of both to know the difference. She's even been courteous enough to leave the path between myself and the exit clear. Were it anyone else, I would have called that last bit unintentional. She doesn't seem to be intending to threaten me. At least not physically. Which makes me feel safe enough to sit down at the opposite end of the table. *fake_choice #"What do you want?" Get to the point. *set stealth -1 "What do you want." Miss Stein nods, evidently pleased by this response. "Yes, to the point. There's no reason to waste time on formalities." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "Seeing as how you have been deliberately ignoring my existence since the first day, this must be important." #"You look...well." Start off with a compliment. *set tactics -1 *set combat -1 "You look...well." Miss Stein seems a bit taken off guard by my attempt at establishing a friendly atmosphere for our discussion. "Uhh...thank you." She mutters, before clearing her throat once again to get back into character. "Kind of you to say. But more to the point..." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "Seeing as how you have been deliberately ignoring my existence since the first day, this must be important." #Say nothing. Let her set the tone. *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 The silence hangs in the air for a few seconds, as I wait for her to say something. In response, she continues to look at me with that same authoritative gaze, that slowly begins to wane as the silence drifts on and she awkwardly coughs. "Right, I'll start then." She mutters, before clearing her throat once again to get back into character, speaking in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "Seeing as how you have been deliberately ignoring my existence since the first day, this must be important." *if (combat <85) #"I get the feeling you don't want to exchange English notes." *set combat -1 *set tactics -1 *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 "I get the feeling you don't want to exchange English notes." Miss Stein seems a bit taken off guard by my attempt to ease the serious mood, and she almost laughs before catching herself and clearing her throat once again to get back into character. "Ahh no. Very perceptive of you." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "Seeing as how you have been deliberately ignoring my existence since the first day, this must be important." "Well, you have to admit, our first day together was...interesting." She says slowly. "Don't get me wrong, I was grateful for your assistance on that day. I...apologize if my distance since then made you think otherwise. It wasn't deliberate, I've just been kept busy. And...your behavior motivated me to do some...researching." She leans forward in her chair, folding her hands together at mouth level as she stares ahead at me. Mouth and torso concealed behind her arms in a way that obstructs her body language. "My inquiries had unusual responses. The first PI was sent a picture of his family to warn him off. The second came back with a picture of [i]me[/i] at the dinner table, taken from outside my window. I did eventually get some info on you, when I decided to snoop through the school files for a completely unrelated reason." It's hard to tell with her hands covering her mouth, but I'm pretty sure she's smirking. "I know you're the reason for all the new school security." *fake_choice #[i]Remove the threat *set lucyrelationship "Terrified" *set bored +1 Immediately, I'm standing up. Making sure to use enough force to push the chair out behind me, outside of the area where it can't get in my way. Desk is roughly a foot across, within my reach. Grab her head, slam it down onto the table. Momentarily stun her. Target begins to recoil, no forward momentum. No immediate threat, safe to move in. Throw desk aside to clear my approach before moving forward. Target falls onto her back and tries crawling away. Target is disoriented. Blood trickling down her forehead from where it met the desk. But there's a clear expression of terror in her facial features. [i]She's afraid. Sit down on her waist. Mount position. Dominant position. Target waves her hands uselessly at me. "Please no...no no no don't hurt me..." She begins mumbling incoherently. Excessive reaction, in contrast to prior attitude. Prior trauma? Irrelevant; I cross my arms around her neck and press inward. Cross-collar choke. Can't kill her...but I can scare her. "Never attempt to contact me again. Or I will kill you." Her eyes are wide with fear. Will to resist has been effectively destroyed. Threat minimized. Even if the words didn't get across, she'll remember this fear. Now I need to move. Security guards can appear at any moment. Can't be in this location when they arrive. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #Threaten her to silence *set reflex -1 *set explosives -1 *set bored +1 "If you know that," I state very plainly so as to not be misheard, maintaining a steady gaze toward her. "You know how well I react to threats." Her hands immediately go up, indicating surrender. "Oh, no! I think you have the wrong idea," she nervously laughs, talking herself back up to a more agreeable position. "I'm not threatening you. I want to hire you." "For?" "Bodyguard work," she explains. "As you say, you have a certain way of responding to threats. That and, well, I like you, despite your eccentricities. So, I want you to respond that way to threats against me. Come with me when I call you in, deliveries, that sort of thing. And you can expect to put your unique talents to good use. And in exchange, I can open a few doors for you. You will be paid, of course, but more than that. Time out of classes, a whisper in the teacher's ear, a get out of jail free card which something tells me you will probably need in the near future, and in the long term, a recommendation from a congressman will probably make finding an occupation or university a lot less troublesome. All you have to do is stay by my side between classes and help me out with some of the side projects I get involved in. Does this appeal to you?" Using my skills... Killing skills. All the things that I'm supposed to be here to forget about. All the things that I've been made to store away in the back of my mind, to let gather dust from lack of use. Is that what I want? *label 3isit *choice #Oh God [i]Yes *set lucyrelationship "Professional" *set bored +5 All these endless classes, tests, quizzes, social interactions...it's all felt so restricting. Part of me has been dying - yearning - for an opportunity to use those skills again. For any reason... Body guarding? Seems like reason enough. "Yes." She seems a bit caught off guard when I respond so quickly, and with such simplicity. "Yes, you'll..." "I'll take the job." I explain to her. "What do you need?" "Well, nothing right now, but...you have a phone?" She asks, and I nod the affirmative. "I'm putting you in my contacts. A time will come, soon, when I call on you to assist me. I will expect a prompt response." "Understood." She stands up, beckoning me to do the same. "...I look forward to working with you, ${fullname}." "You as well, Miss Stein." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I could certainly use what she's offering... *set lucyrelationship "Professional" *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 *set bored +1 Something tells me that most of the stuff she just listed are things Daniel and the CIA could already have provided. Still, if I ever want a life away from them, it would probably be a good idea to get a contact away from those circles. "Very well. I'll take the job." You respond. "What do you need?" "Well, nothing right now, but...you have a phone?" She asks, and I nod the affirmative. "I'm putting you in my contacts. A time will come, soon, when I call on you to assist me. I will expect a prompt response." "Understood." She stands up, beckoning me to do the same. "...I look forward to working with you, ${fullname}." "You as well, Miss Stein." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I'd rather avoid that kind of attention *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" I've had quite enough of putting myself in danger at someone else's orders. If I have to fight, it'll be because I had to. Not because someone else wants me to. Not that officer, and not this student council president. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I personally don't like Miss Stein *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" There's something far too familiar about her. That arrogance. That need to have her authority met. That refusal of any dissension, any threat to her power and authority. It's all too...familiar. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I don't want that to ever be my life again *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" *set fittingin +5 *set humanity +3 No...never again. I'm just now beginning to settle down into a place where I can actually feel safe. I'm not going to actively seek out more opportunities to put myself in danger. That's not me...it will never be me. Never again. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art *selectable_if (reflex <85) #This is leading somewhere. Hear her out *set combat -1 *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 She knows that my presence here is the reason for all the added security. If she knows that, she's probably been able to unearth a lot of other things. I don't know exactly what the school has about me on file, but they do employ Professor Patel, so it's probably more than I would ordinarily be comfortable having someone know. Still, despite this, she's sitting me down in a meeting. To talk. And without even any threatening undertones. Whatever else, it says something that she's choosing to talk alone. "Alright...and?" "And I've been peeking around, as much as I could get away with, and I've found you to be quite...capable. Especially after that surprise demonstration of your unique set of skills." She explains, "That and, well, I like you. Despite your eccentricities. So, I want to hire you." "For?" "Bodyguard work," she explains. "As you say, you have a certain way of responding to threats. I want you to respond that way to threats against me. Come with me when I call you in, deliveries, that sort of thing. And you can expect to put your unique talents to good use. And in exchange, I can open a few doors for you. You will be paid, of course, but more than that. Time out of classes, a whisper in the teacher's ear, a get out of jail free card which something tells me you will probably need in the near future, and in the long term, a recommendation from a congressman will probably make finding an occupation or university a lot less troublesome. All you have to do is stay by my side between classes and help me out with some of the side projects I get involved in. Does this appeal to you?" Using my skills... Killing skills. All the things that I'm supposed to be here to forget about. All the things that I've been made to store away in the back of my mind, to let gather dust from lack of use. Is that what I want? *goto 3isit *if (lucyrelationship ="Guarded") *goto spookyscarystudent *if (lucyrelationship ="Furious") *goto spookyscarystudent *if (lucyrelationship ="Tense") *goto spookyscarystudent *if (lucyrelationship ="Fond") She sets herself down and brushes out her skirt before clearing her throat and placing her hands on the table while looking at me directly and authoritatively. A type of habit in her body language to get herself into a certain state of mind, ready to discuss business. A bit different from the usually passing glance of familiarity or smile of brief recognition that I'm accustomed to receiving. We're alone in this room. Don't think that's ever happened before. I made sure to check corners when walking in, and there's no easy places for a person to hide that I can notice. At least not behind me. That, and the image she's presenting right now is that of someone wanting to do business, rather than threaten or intimidate. I've seen enough of both to know the difference. She's even been courteous enough to leave the path between myself and the exit clear. Were it anyone else, I would have called that last bit unintentional. She doesn't seem to be intending to threaten me. At least not physically. Which makes me feel safe enough to sit down at the opposite end of the table. *fake_choice #"What do you want?" Get to the point. *set stealth -1 "What do you want." Miss Stein nods, evidently pleased by this response. "Yes, to the point. There's no reason to waste time on formalities." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "Which would be?" #"You look...well." Start off with a compliment. *set tactics -1 *set combat -1 "You look...well." Miss Stein seems a bit taken off guard by my attempt at establishing a friendly atmosphere for our discussion. "Uhh...thank you." She mutters, before clearing her throat once again to get back into character. "Kind of you to say. But more to the point..." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "...I'm listening." #Say nothing. Let her set the tone. *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 The silence hangs in the air for a few seconds, as I wait for her to say something. In response, she continues to look at me with that same authoritative gaze, that slowly begins to wane as the silence drifts on and she awkwardly coughs. "Right, I'll start then." She mutters, before clearing her throat once again to get back into character, speaking in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." That sentence hangs in the air for a little bit before she follows up. *if (combat <85) #"I get the feeling you don't want to exchange English notes." *set combat -1 *set tactics -1 *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 "I get the feeling you don't want to exchange English notes." Miss Stein seems a bit taken off guard by my attempt to ease the serious mood, and she almost laughs before catching herself and clearing her throat once again to get back into character. "Ahh no. Very perceptive of you." She says in the same tone I've seen her use to address the class. "I called you here to discuss a business proposition." She lets that sentence hang in the air for a bit, clearly inviting a response. "...Sounds good. I'm listening." *page_break Next "So, as you know, I am student council president." "Yes." You find a way to bring it up in every conversation we have. "And my father is also the congressman for our state. Both of these positions invite certain...dangers." I didn't realize student council presidential elections were so cutthroat. "I see. What does this have to do with me?" She leans forward in her chair, folding her hands together at mouth level as she stares ahead at me. Mouth and torso concealed behind her arms in a way that obstructs her body language. "I'm not stupid. I realized rather quickly that there was something off about you, so I took it upon myself to do a bit of background digging." She says, keeping a level stare. "The first PI was sent a picture of his family to warn him off. The second came back with a picture of [i]me[/i] at the dinner table, taken from outside my window. I did eventually get some info on you, when I decided to snoop through the school files for a completely unrelated reason." It's hard to tell with her hands covering her mouth, but I'm pretty sure she's smirking. "I know you're the reason for all the new school security." *choice #[i]Remove the threat *set lucyrelationship "Terrified" *set bored +1 Immediately, I'm standing up. Making sure to use enough force to push the chair out behind me, outside of the area where it can't get in my way. Desk is roughly a foot across, within my reach. Grab her head, slam it down onto the table. Momentarily stun her. Target begins to recoil, no forward momentum. No immediate threat, safe to move in. Throw desk aside to clear my approach before moving forward. Target falls onto her back and tries crawling away. Target is disoriented. Blood trickling down her forehead from where it met the desk. But there's a clear expression of terror in her facial features. [i]She's afraid. Sit down on her waist. Mount position. Dominant position. Target waves her hands uselessly at me. "Please no...no no no don't hurt me..." She begins mumbling incoherently. Excessive reaction, in contrast to prior attitude. Prior trauma? Irrelevant; I cross my arms around her neck and press inward. Cross-collar choke. Can't kill her...but I can scare her. "Never attempt to contact me again. Or I will kill you." Her eyes are wide with fear. Will to resist has been effectively destroyed. Threat minimized. Even if the words didn't get across, she'll remember this fear. Now I need to move. Security guards can appear at any moment. Can't be in this location when they arrive. *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #Threaten her to silence *set reflex -1 *set explosives -1 *set bored +1 "If you know that," I state very plainly so as to not be misheard, maintaining a steady gaze toward her. "You know how well I react to threats." Her hands immediately go up, indicating surrender. "Oh, no! I think you have the wrong idea," she nervously laughs, talking herself back up to a more agreeable position. "I'm not threatening you. I want to hire you." "For?" "Bodyguard work," she explains. "As you say, you have a certain way of responding to threats. That and, well, I like you, despite your eccentricities. So, I want you to respond that way to threats against me. Come with me when I call you in, deliveries, that sort of thing. And you can expect to put your unique talents to good use. And in exchange, I can open a few doors for you. You will be paid, of course, but more than that. Time out of classes, a whisper in the teacher's ear, a get out of jail free card which something tells me you will probably need in the near future, and in the long term, a recommendation from a congressman will probably make finding an occupation or university a lot less troublesome. All you have to do is stay by my side between classes and help me out with some of the side projects I get involved in. Does this appeal to you?" Using my skills... Killing skills. All the things that I'm supposed to be here to forget about. All the things that I've been made to store away in the back of my mind, to let gather dust from lack of use. Is that what I want? *label 4isit *choice #[i]Yes! *set lucyrelationship "Professional" *set bored +5 All these endless classes, tests, quizzes, social interactions...it's all felt so restricting. Part of me has been dying - yearning - for an opportunity to use those skills again. For any reason... Body guarding? Seems like reason enough. "Yes." She seems a bit caught off guard when I respond so quickly, and with such simplicity. "Yes, you'll..." "I'll take the job." I explain to her. "What do you need?" "Well, nothing right now, but...you have a phone?" She asks, and I nod the affirmative. "I'm putting you in my contacts. A time will come, soon, when I call on you to assist me. I will expect a prompt response." "Understood." She stands up, beckoning me to do the same. "...I look forward to working with you, ${fullname}." "You as well, Miss Stein." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I could certainly use what she's offering... *set lucyrelationship "Professional" *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 *set bored +1 Something tells me that most of the stuff she just listed are things Daniel and the CIA could already have provided. Still, if I ever want a life away from them, it would probably be a good idea to get a contact away from those circles. "Very well. I'll take the job." You respond. "What do you need?" "Well, nothing right now, but...you have a phone?" She asks, and I nod the affirmative. "I'm putting you in my contacts. A time will come, soon, when I call on you to assist me. I will expect a prompt response." "Understood." She stands up, beckoning me to do the same. "...I look forward to working with you, ${fullname}." "You as well, Miss Stein." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I'd rather avoid that kind of attention *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" I've had quite enough of putting myself in danger at someone else's orders. If I have to fight, it'll be because I had to. Not because someone else wants me to. Not that officer, and not this student council president. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I personally don't like Miss Stein *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" There's something far too familiar about her. That arrogance. That need to have her authority met. That refusal of any dissension, any threat to her power and authority. It's all too...familiar. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art #I don't want that to ever be my life again *set lucyrelationship "Rejected" *set fittingin +5 *set humanity +3 No...never again. I'm just now beginning to settle down into a place where I can actually feel safe. I'm not going to actively seek out more opportunities to put myself in danger. That's not me...it will never be me. Never again. "I refuse." She seems surprised, and something tells me she's not very used to her offers being rejected, "Very well, I suppose I cannot force you-" "That's correct." I stand, turning away from her. "Don't talk to me about this again." *page_break Next *goto_scene 2-4Art *selectable_if (reflex <85) #This is leading somewhere. Hear her out *set combat -1 *set explosives -1 *set reflex -1 She knows that my presence here is the reason for all the added security. If she knows that, she's probably been able to unearth a lot of other things. I don't know exactly what the school has about me on file, but they do employ Professor Patel, so it's probably more than I would ordinarily be comfortable having someone know. Still, despite this, she's sitting me down in a meeting. To talk. And without even any threatening undertones. Whatever else, it says something that she's choosing to talk alone. "Alright...and?" "And I've been peeking around, as much as I could get away with, and I've found you to be quite...capable." She explains, "That and, well, I like you. Despite your eccentricities. So, I want to hire you." "For?" "Bodyguard work," she explains. "As you say, you have a certain way of responding to threats. I want you to respond that way to threats against me. Come with me when I call you in, deliveries, that sort of thing. And you can expect to put your unique talents to good use. And in exchange, I can open a few doors for you. You will be paid, of course, but more than that. Time out of classes, a whisper in the teacher's ear, a get out of jail free card which something tells me you will probably need in the near future, and in the long term, a recommendation from a congressman will probably make finding an occupation or university a lot less troublesome. All you have to do is stay by my side between classes and help me out with some of the side projects I get involved in. Does this appeal to you?" Using my skills... Killing skills. All the things that I'm supposed to be here to forget about. All the things that I've been made to store away in the back of my mind, to let gather dust from lack of use. Is that what I want? *goto 4isit