ic Outro on the Inbound.

[EternalPhoenix]

Naomi watched Jann go. She didn’t have anything else to say, and she (due to working with the hearing impaired since before she was a member of that group) was used to silences. She fiddled with her broken pen. It…wasn’t so bad, really. Maybe a little glue. Or maybe one of her classmates could fix it. She supposed she had to say something. Keep the convo going until Jann came back and they could actually leave. Time for something inane! Also a fresh page. [What kind of coffee do you like? I’m going to get the strawberry banana smoothie. It’s very good.] It wasn’t great, but it was something.

[TheAbsurdist]

She frowned a little bit, as she watched him go.  Not sure how to take him.  "Jann?  That it... he is... hm.  First not human I've met.  Learning experience, just like... totally..."  She frowned more, and looked to her, her eyes narrowed a bit, having noticed the fidgeting with the pen, and then saw that she had written.

 

"Coffee... probably iced as it's warm enough.  Dunno how strong it is, so we'll see...  But definitely some biscotti."  She held out her hand to Naomi then.  "Here give me the pen.  Can he go out in public in general, or is there, like, an issue?"  She didn't know, and really this entire day had been exhausting, and she was running on fumes, but she still had to pick up the rhythm.  She wanted to make sure that she wasn't sending anyone else tumbling over themselves because she made an outdated pop culture reference.

[EternalPhoenix]

Naomi shrugged and handed her pen over. She thought about signing. Sure, why not? Though Corinne would probably have no idea what Naomi was saying. <Jann is Jann. I don’t know much about him other than the wings and the weapons, but he’s okay.> While she waited for her pen to be returned, she took her smartphone back out. She never did finish that video. Cute kitties doing cute things. She showed Corinne. <Cute, aren’t they?> She pointed at the kittens to make what she’d signed fairly obvious.

[TheAbsurdist]

Corinne looked at her, a not vacantly, but it was clear that she didn't know what Naomi was saying, before kittens where shown to her, and she went "Aww."  Corinne liked cute animals.  Percival was a sign of that, though he was a jerk, a cute jerk but still.  "I like kittens, though I have a hedgehog back home, I guess I will be bringing him with me here.  You might like him.  He is adorable, and funny looking."

 

Taking the pen carefully, she closed her hands around it, and then did her thing.  A glow forming around her hands, as she just sort of... reshaped the pen a bit.  Visualize it as not damaged, and then... voila?  She chewed on her lower lip as she pulled her hands apart, holding the pen in one hand, and then held it back to her.  It was fixed, or at least appeared so, as she proffered it out for Naomi to take 

[EternalPhoenix]

That was cool. Naomi’s expression said as much without any words necessary. The long beat between her pen being given back and her taking it was also a dead giveaway. Not that she wrote as much, nope. [Thank you, Corinne.] There was still time left before Jann came flying back. [Mom and Dad don’t send enough money for a pet, and they’re not allowed at home anyway. Everyone but me is allergic to one kind or another.] Oh! This was important. Super important. [Do you have a good coat? Living in LA, you can forget other places get cold enough for one. I know I did.]

[TheAbsurdist]

She saw the expression, and her shy, small smile showed that she was appreciative.  Though what was said was... less sterling?  Well... that's fine, not everyone was very expressive after all, and she imagined that being in that position meant that your communication was more utilitarian than anything.  "Well... you can come pet and feed Percival.  Though he is nocturnal."  She grinned a little bit, rather happy she was able to do something useful and not upsetting to with her powers.  It was a bit draining.  The coffee sounded better.

 

"Not yet, but I am starting over summer to catch up a bit, so I doubt I will be need a coat yet, but I will get one as soon as possible."  She wasn't sure she needed one anymore.. after the beach incident.  But, she wasn't sure at all truth be told.  Mmm coffee... mmmm biscotti...

[olopi]

Suddenly, Jann landed next to the two girls. Neither of them had heard him approach until his feet touched the ground, he’d just shown up all the sudden. “Have returned, ready to leave.”. A statement which his outfit certainly supported. He was wearing a white tanktop, showing some sort of armor below it. His arms were also covered up, by a layer of darker gray material, it was hard to tell what exactly it was. Naomi had seen the armor before, but the sleeves were new.

 

Below that, he wore a set of cargo pants. Some of the pockets seemed to be full, and he still had his belt, even if there were no weapons visible this time around. “Too warm for more clothing. “ He’d seemingly also styled his hair-feathers ever so slightly, them looking less messy than before.

[EternalPhoenix]

Waverider didn’t bother writing. She just turned and started walking with a “come on” wave of her hand. Lunch didn’t last forever, after all. She was leading the way. Didn’t have to look both ways to cross the street, nope! Heck, she could feel the cars from a block away. There was one thing that needed saying, though. [Don’t need a new pen now. This one has been recute-ified.] She flashed a girlish grin, turned and kept walking. Were the other two behind her? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, she had a taste for that smoothie, darn it. She had some money left this month if it came to that.

[TheAbsurdist]

"Gah!"  She did leap, and for someone of her size it was a bit of a display, as she looked at him, startled and frowning.  She closed her eyes and smoothed her jacket and skirt a bit, "So.... do you always scare people?"  Her tone was light as she tried to make light of the situation.  Or at least try to.  "Can you leave and go to a shop without issue?"

 

But Naomi was surging a head, and she started to call out after her, "Hey tha... oh, right."  And with that she followed along after the other girl, carrying her long board over using it at the moment, because it would be rude to do to burst ahead like that, and then Naomi kept going forward, and she sighed a little bit, and continued pursuit as this happened.

[olopi]

Jann looked a bit surprised at Corinne’s reaction, waiting for just a second before replying. “Do not intend to, currently, no. It does happen, yes. “

 

He also turned his attention towards catching up with Naomi, but seemed to just about keep up with Corinne’s pace, as he continued to face her, seemingly uninterested in whatever could be in his way.

 

“No issues that bear mentioning. The merchants are wary of me, as are other customers. Sometimes they speak. About me, or with me. Sometimes, children point at me. I do not bear them much attention, lest they ask for it. Have spent some time demonstrating…” he spread out his wings to the full length, from close up they looked a fair bit larger than when he’d flown away. “…this. I do not hurry when making my purchases, it does not matter much. “

 

“Prefer not to be the subject of any photography. Still happens. “

[EternalPhoenix]

The same reason Naomi wasn’t surprised by Jann’s abrupt appearance was the same reason she stopped at the entrance to the coffee shop. It really wasn’t that far from Claremont at all. Less than a full block. The other one was a full block. Both got plenty of Claremont student business. [I’m sorry, Corinne. I thought Jann would’ve mentioned it. I can feel sound. It’s like hearing with my skin, only it isn’t as good at it as my ears were. So I know you’re talking and kind of what you’re saying? But lip reading helps like, so much.] She took a moment to let them read all that. [Then again, maybe Jann didn’t know? Anyway, smoothie time!] She flashed that girlish grin again and stepped inside the coffee shop. Point number two in this shop’s favor? One of the baristas was hearing impaired and had learned sign language. And there she was, working today.

[TheAbsurdist]

She got the feeling that Jann was a showoff, of course she was one to talk, wasn't she?  Corinne nodded at what he said, "I get that way around the munchkins too.  Makes me slouch, my dance teaches have always hated it."  She made a face and kept on her mission forward, as she and Jann kept caught up to Naomi and continued on their way to the coffee shop.

 

She stepped forward then, around Naomi, and smiled at the baristas as she mouthed out 'I am paying' and wagged a finger to indicate Jann and Naomi, and let them order for themselves, because... well they seemed to know what they liked.

[olopi]

Jann looked over to Naomi. He’d learned something new, but it still seemed fair to face her whenever he’d talked to her. It also meant he could get a better look at the room without it being too obvious, as he scouted out every edge and corner, and every person sitting inside, with just a quick glance.

 

“Was not aware of that, no. Does change things slightly, true. Brings up questions, but will address those later. “

 

He stepped back, to get a better look at the menus up on top, using the opportunity to get a look at the other half of the room. It wasn’t particularly obvious, but if anybody were to watch him, they’d probably see that he moved his head just a tad slower than he had to.

 

“I will take an Apple-Kiwi-Tanger…ine, please.”

 

The sentence had been spoken with learned cadence, his accent almost disappearing completely for the first half. Only when he had to pronounce the names of the fruits, it shined through, quite massively so at that. “

[TheAbsurdist]

She leaped towards Jann in a bit of a graceful display, and then held up her left arm in front of his face, and she flexed.  "Don't worry, I will, bammo! Knock them out!"  Then both arms were held over her head, and she snapped her fingers to rhythm only she cared about, and shimmied and wriggled in a slow circle to face the barista.  "Iced, blonde roast, with almond milk.  And... three of those biscottis.  And their stuff, obviously."

 

The barista took their order and made up the stuff, with Corinne getting them, and handing them out to the rest of the impromptu trio, and made her way to a corner table, leaving Jann the 'power seat' that surveyed everything.  "So... what do you guys do for fun?  Like do people surf here... can you surf?  Is the boardwalk a good place to go long board?  Not... that I expect to really end up with a lot of free time.  Depends on what I hear back from the dance academies... I suppose."

 

In her heart of heart she was expecting her life to be largely normal, with just a overcoat of crazy.  As if the new reality she was faced with was simply not something she could wrap her head around.  Which was not inaccurate.

[EternalPhoenix]

Naomi has signed for her strawberry banana smoothie, however she did not get anything to eat. She’d just had lunch, after all, and wasn’t hungry. She wrote in her notepad to answer Corinne. [I read. TV is still okay. I’m subscribed to a few streaming services. I like to walk, too. I’ve probably been all over Bayview by now.] She let the other two read this as she wrote on the other side. She was really good at that. [I don’t surf, but the boardwalk is great. I go there at least once a week.] She held off for a bit, chewing on her pen. Then she went for it. [I’m in the Mock Trial Club. We’re small, but dedicated. We’re going to be lawyers.] She sat back nervously, drinking her smoothie. It wasn’t the coolest thing in the world to be into, after all.

[olopi]

Jann downed almost all of his smoothie at once. His current seat allowed him to observe most of the happenings in the area, not that he seemed to actively be doing it, instead just looking at whoever was speaking or signing at the time.

 

“There is some surfing here, yes. Have never been, only have heard through an ally. Do not know what a …long…board is. Boardwalk is a busy area, not a lot of space for training. “

 

Then Naomi mentioned what she did in her free time, causing Jann to speak a bit more.

 

“Academy has great facility for working out, you refer to it, correct? Can train almost all the time, and has enough for many students. Good for contests, too. Currently not holding any record, hope to change soon. “

 

“Various opportunities for martial arts too, including a club and various meetings. Eases access to Doom Room, incredibly helpful. Not quite real, but good for training rare scenarios. Some offer training too. Am part of them.  “  

[TheAbsurdist]

She managed to occupy a small bit of real estate once she settled on into her seat, a surprisingly amount, she looked at the other two.  Pursing her lips before she devoured the biscotti with a ravenous sort of appetite.  She was always able to eat, seemingly bottomless.  However she sipped at the coffee, she had it since her powers had kicked so she was't worried... or hadn't been until Naomi had said something.  Or course, worrying about it might make it worse...

 

Corinne made a small face and pulled the drink and straw away from her.  "Well, hopefully I end up in Julliad when I graduate here.  I have a troupe, well school, I am starting with soon."  She looked to Jann again, and she frowned.  "Really not interested in that, honestly..."  She didn't want to fight, she didn't find it appealing in anyway shape or form. 

[EternalPhoenix]

Naomi took a sip of smoothie and then wrote. [No, Jann. I like to walk outside, in our neighborhood.] She flipped to a new page, secretly pleased nobody had called her a nerd for liking the law. [I thought Julliard was a tough school to get into.] She shook her head as she displayed the next text. [I told you don’t have to fight, Corinne. I know Jann likes it, but he had a way different childhood from us.] She shrugged. [Way different values, you know? Mom and Dad just wanted me to go to a good uni, get a good job, marry well, and have their grandchildren. Don’t know how well that will work, now.]

[TheAbsurdist]

Corinne really didn't know how to talk to Jann, that much was clear, and he seemed... oblivious to, or immune to her protestations against his suggestions.  But... I am the weirdo to him.

 

"I don't think that's necessarily the case, so far seems like I will have to."  Despite the evidence to the contrary all of them seemed to be have some measure of fighting, or skills to that end.  She wasn't completely sold on the 'you don't have to fight,' as the evidence grew despite what everyone said.  As were the judgments, or at least it seemed such to her.

 

She shifted in her seat and drank her coffee.  And she then hefted the long skateboard she had been riding before she almost crashed into Naomi.  "This, this is a longboard."

[olopi]

Jann looked a bit somber, as he set both of his hands on the table, and began to speak. A fair bit slower than usually, his tone more … educational? Than Naomi had ever heard him.

 

“Fighting is not always a choice. Many times, one has to fight, even if one does not want to. Then, it is better to know how to, lest one ends up being injured or killed. No matter what the law says, the strongest rule. Unless you want to be ruled, you have to be the strongest. Not because you want to, but because the alternative is servitude. “

 

“There are people who do not fight. When things … go bad … they rely on those who do. I do not desire to be weak, to be a handicap. So I chose to fight, and to help those who do too. They may challenge me, but it is only through challenge we grow. “

 

With that said, he relaxed again (if it could even be called relaxation), and looked at the longboard.

 

“A variation on skateboard? Looks more sturdy, and better suited for protective measures. “

[EternalPhoenix]

Naomi nodded her agreement to Jann’s words. [I guess it’s because I have the powers that I do that I’m as confident as I am. I hadn’t looked at it from the eyes of someone who can’t rip apart steel from 50 feet away.] She was bulletproof with her force field up, too. Compared to someone like Jann, who had to keep training to keep strong and ready in case something happened, she was being kind of lazy about her training. [I don’t want to be a handicap, either. So I need to get better. Wanna spar after school, Jann? Loser buys dinner?]

[TheAbsurdist]

Corinne's face flickered a bit.  She had heard this from other people already.  She knew she had to master har abilities that she'd had all of two months.  Despite the bohemian hipster vibe, she pursued her dreams with devotion.  "Seven percent acceptance rate."  She added, a bit lamely, before downing the remainder of her coffee.

 

She wasn't sure she wanted in on this world.  All violence and jaggedness.  "Yeah... guess so."  It was unstated, and she already got that from the headmaster of the school as well.  The responsibility talk.  Is that what she was now?  A burden?  Because she hated violence, she hated that... that it burned and ruined art and beauty and symmetry and...

[olopi]

Jann’s face changed a fair bit when he was challenged. He looked more serious, actually showing emotion, a wave of bad intent essentially radiating from him. It was, as Naomi was well aware, part of the course. Challenges were one of the few things that Jann took fully serious all the time. “You already know my answer. So be it.”

 

And immediately afterwards, he was back to his previous expression, more relaxed. It was a sudden change, as if somebody had flipped a switch, realized it, and flipped it again. “Seven percent? More than enough. The challenge is what makes it worth. “

 

“The chance of failure is what makes it important. What means that you will have to try, to train. To be effective. The strongest make it, you simply have to be one.”

[EternalPhoenix]

Naomi took Corinne’s hand in her off hand. [My mentor, Spectacle had a saying. He took it from a book. If you want peace, prepare for war. Nobody’s telling you that you HAVE to fight. You always have a choice.] Here Naomi paused. She seemed to be struggling for the proper words to write. [The saying I like better, is With Great Power, There Must Also Come Great Responsibility. It’s not fair. Nothing about having powers is fair or equal. I know that as well as anyone.] There was a flash of extreme bitterness on Naomi’s face, and then it was gone. [You don’t have to fight, but you do have to be prepared to accept what not fighting might mean. What it might cost you, or someone else.] Naomi sighed noiselessly, flipped a page, and wrote the last of it. [I’m not judging you. I just want you to understand. Those of us who do fight, don’t always do it because we WANT to. We do it because there are things and people we want to protect.] Naomi finished her smoothie with one long pull.

[TheAbsurdist]

Corinne frowned as she looked at Naomi, "Einstein said you cannot simultaneous prepare for and prevent war.  And I've never met some who had understanding punched into them."  Her body language was stiff, prickly, as she pulled her hand from her.  She wasn't going to share much with her, there was precious little need after all.  Her face wrinkled a little bit as she rose to her feet.  She wasn't there because she was a hero type, she was there, like most of the student body, to control her powers.  And the pressure of holier-than-thou stance did not align her with them.

She stood, smoothly, with that kind of practice grace and ease that came with her years of ballet and dance.  She had a dream.  Dammit.  She wasn't going to be deterred by the views of others.