Lantern Hill - User contributions [en]

Log:Kisser McKissington

2014-07-18T05:24:19Z

Saya: Created page with "{{ Log | cast = Abe Shaw Saya Takahashi | summary = Abe and Saya meet on the beach. He's drunk, ..."

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:abe-icon.jpg|100px|link=Abe|Abe Shaw]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]]
| summary = Abe and Saya meet on the beach. He's drunk, and she's prissy.
| location = '''Public Beach ''' 
White meets blue here in a strange combination of sand and water: the pristine glow of white has transformed this strip of beach into nearly breathtaking span of California beauty. The sand is loose and fine, littered here and there with driftwood and tiny shells that stand out all the more against the stark paleness. The water that rolls up toward is crystalline, licked with traces of snowy white foam.
| gamedate = 2014.05.17
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log =Local Time & Weather Report
Conditions: Fair Season: Spring Moon Phase: Full
Year: 2014 Temperature: 53.8F 12C Wind Speed: 2.5 mph
Local Time: Sat, May 17 3:30 PM Wind Chill:
Weather
Fair weather clouds sail across the blue sky, propelled by light breezes from the west. It's warm in the sun, cool in the shade, and the air is clear and dry. The wind rustles the bright green leaves of trees and bushes and carries pollen, downy seeds, and the fragrance of wildflowers along with it.

It is a beautiful day - just the right amount of sun and clouds and breeze and ocean spray. People frolic, as people do, on the beach. One of these people is Saya, wearing a dark blue bikini, with her hair tied back in a long ponytail. A matching transparent sarong is tied around her hips. Currently, she's walking along the water's edge with a red Sno-cone, delicately nibbling at the frozen treat and enjoying the view. Occasionally she stops to let a family go by, or skirts around a group of splashing children.

It's not warm enough for his taste yet, but Abe isn't a complete stick in the mud. Kevin and Dean are, of course..no where near as boring as their friend.

Slumped against a piece of driftwood, Abe flips lazily through a magazine as his friends swat a volleyball back and forth nearby.

Saya's meandering takes her near to Abe and his friends. She pauses to watch the volleyball for a minute before spying Abe reclining on the driftwood. "Nice trunks," she tells him. "Very, uh..." she pauses and considers the plain grey trunks. "Very monochromatic." She nods a couple of times. The syrup of her Sno-cone is staining her lips and tongue a bright red. "Whatcha readin'?" She nibbles on her treat a bit more and peers curiously down at the magazine, trying to see what it is from her vantage point. She shades her eyes against the bright sunlight, the better to see.

Abe lifts his eyes slowly toward the approaching Saya, his expression shifting just as gently into a look of amusement. "You would have preferred a bikini?" He can't seem to find the energy to hide his magazine, which is little more than auto monthly. He's looking at a rather nice picture of a fully restored Camaro, though she does seem to keep his gaze better. "Nothing really. What you doin?" other than the obvious. "I didn't think your parents would allow you out of the house half naked."

"I totally would have preferred a bikini," Saya laughs. She perches next to him on the driftwood. Realizing it's a magazine about cars, she loses interest. "Just enjoying this perfect day. For once I didn't have to work. Dance practice was cancelled because the teacher's brother is in the hospital. Nothing too serious, I think." At his comment about her parents, she glances down at herself. "What?" she asks. "Please, it's not like I'm wearing pasties or something." And for a bikini, it is kind of modest. No strings or anything, and her bum isn't really hanging out. She slurps at the Sno-cone and crunches down on the ice.

"Bikinis ..kinda are underwear. I know now exactly what you look like in yours." Her underwear, he means. "And don't knock my shorts..the fact they aren't jeans is a big deal." His gaze is almost as dry as his expression. He's clearly not a beach lover. Nor does he seem overly interested in the magazine he's been thumbing through. He drops it with ease to the sand between them. This lets him run his hands down his face as he sighs. "We've been at this all day. And I'm drunk. I refuse to move.." A small but simple confession before he turns to eye the snowcone. "That's not strawberry is it?"

Saya blushes, just a little bit, at all his talk about underwear. But she simply shrugs it off. "My body is my instrument," she tells him. "I can't afford to be ashamed of it." She watches him rub his face, and tilts her head a bit when he sighs. Her eyebrows go up when he admits he's drunk. "Dude, you're nowhere near 21. Who'd sell you alcohol?" She is slightly distracted by his question about her Sno-cone. "Cherry," she answers. There's a little pause when she asks out of reluctant curiosity. "What's it feel like to be drunk?"
You aren't carrying anything.
You have 800 Pennies.

Abe nods easily as she explains, but she somehow manages to be spared any off handed comments about her body or any instruments, instead he merely grins at her before lowering his head to run his hand through his hair. "You don't have to be 21." He manages with impressive clarity. "Dean's dad has very lax opinions when it comes to the dangers of alcohol." In other words, he doesn't watch his son to well. The flavor seems unimportant, since it's not strawberry, leaving him leaning into her as he thinks. "It feels...lazy. Everything's heavy and I couldn't be bothered to care about anything. It' nice."

"You kind of do," Saya counters. But she listens to his explanation with a little frown between her eyebrows. A breeze flicks her ponytail over her shoulder, possibly sending the ends to tickle Abe's nose. She tolerates the leaning relatively well. She silently eats her Sno-Cone for a minute or two, thinking about his description. Once the treat is finished, she tips the paper cone up to get the last drips of syrup. "I don't think I know what it feels like to be lazy," she admits after a bit. "I've almost always got something to do, or places to go. School, the restaurant, the tea shop, dancing..." she trails off and watches the volleyball, then glances down at him.

"I'm pretty busy too. I work too much, I practice too long and I study too often. That's why I like to slow stuff down. I just didn't realize I would end up drunk and stranded with Thing One and Thing Two." He motions towards the obviously drunk teenagers who have long left behind volley ball and zoned in on a cluster of girls. If there's anything Dean is, it's obnoxiously popular. "I'm going to end up having to make out with some stupid girl so she can see the inside of his house. Watch." That IS what happens when you go out with friends.

Saya frowns at Abe's friends and the gaggle of giggly girls, then looks at Abe with something akin to pity. "Or you could ditch them and take a walk with me," she suggests. "We'll get you some water, and you won't have to make out with anyone you don't want to." She makes a sign with her hands. "Scout's honor." She nods seriously at him, though her lips twitch and there's a twinkle in her eye.

Abe chuckles as he lifts a coke bottle to his lips, taking a sip. "I don't mind the actual making out. It's the next day when you're suddenly a couple that bothers me. Kissing should not mean relationship." There's a chance that there's more in that bottle thank coke. "But..I can walk with you. Better than reading..and I can barely see the letters anyway." So in guy speak, yes.

Saya stands up and waits for Abe to join her before resuming her wandering, her aim the nearest trash can so she can dispose of her paper cone, which is stained pink from the syrup. "Well... why bother making out with someone if you don't want to be in a relationship, anyway?" she asks. "I mean... if you just go around kissing people you don't actually like... doesn't that kind of make you a whore?" She blinks innocently at him. "A man-whore? There should be a word for that." She adjusts the sarong around her hips, making sure the knot is secure. "Hm... Anyway. We should get some water in you so you don't have a hangover. I read somewhere you should drink a glass of water for each drink you have."

Between the tug of gravity the movement of the sand under his feet and the fact he's much drunker than he thought, it takes a moment for Abe to get to his feet. Still, he manages to make his way beside her with only a vague stumble. Her words cause a laugh, though ultimately he sends her a wide stare as she begins calling names. "Ouch, my self-esteem." It comes out with a laugh, but it's weak. "It feels good, and I'm not saying that you gotta go drooping your pants, but kissing doesn't have to mean anything. It's just...fun." He shrugs, though her suggestion of water brings the coke bottle to his lips before, draining it, he tosses it into the nearest trash bin.

Saya tosses the paper cone after Abe's Coke bottle. "Doesn't /look/ like much fun," she mutters a little bit. "It's all, augh-aughhhhhhh," she imitates French kissing, sticking her red-stained tongue out and closing her eyes and scrunching up her nose. "Looks kind of messy." She reaches for his arm to steady him, and will lead him toward the nearest refreshment stand. "I'd want to at least be /friends/ with someone I was kissing," she tells him. "Then, you know, if one of you is bad at it, or something, it's still okay. Like, no one's gonna be all judgmental and tell everyone you kiss like a fish or something nasty like that." She looks sideways at him. "Have you ever kissed a girl you didn't even find attractive?"

Abe shrugs but her imitation of kissing gets a bark of laughter. It also raises his mood just a little. "Unless both people are in agreement that it don't mean nothing, that usually ends badly. One person crush and the other just wants to tumble around." He admits with a sigh, but he also seems more than happy to follow her wherever she leads. Drunk boys are like that! Naturally followers. "Plus, I'm a very good kisser, and no. I have standards." He tries to sound as smug as he can, but it doesn't change that he slurs the word 'standards' rather badly. Badly enough that he snickers. "You never kissed no body? You were a cheerleader. I thought all cheerleaders lost their virginity to Dean as a general rule."

"I take it 'tumbling' doesn't mean gymnastics," Saya quips, shaking her head a bit with a slight grin on her cherry syrup reddened lips. She laughs a little at him. "You're a good kisser?" she repeats. "I bet you're all talk." His slurred words get another laugh, but the last thing he says has her stopping cold and letting go of his arm. Her cheeks burn and she looks mortified. "Is -- is that what he said?" she asks, rather aghast at the notion. "Has he been telling people that he /slept/ with me?" Indignation rises up in her like a tidal wave. "That ASSHOLE! I wouldn't touch his slimy ass with a ten-foot /pole/! Ugh! I'm going to kick him in the /balls/, I /swear/! I'll tell my brother!"

Ack! Girl tone! Abe stumbles back as she begins her rant, his eyes blurring over slowly..but he does let her finish. "No. Dean never mentioned you. I was making a joke about your ex teammates." He eyes her with the faintest arch of his brow. "Both of you.." apparently water seems like a good idea to him now. It's hot. "I'm comfortable with pegging you as a virgin, which is fine and respectable."

"It /is/ fine," Saya says, and crosses her arms. She takes a few deep breaths to come down from her rage. "Ugh," she says again, curling her lip at the thought. Then she reaches for his arm again. "Come on, Kisser McKissington, let's get you some water." They're almost to the refreshment station anyway, and once they're there, she turns to him. "Have you have two dollors for a bottle of water?" she asks him. She gestures to her ensemble. "I... don't have pockets."

Abe narrows his eyes as she sulks. It's enough to cause another laugh. "I got it, yeah?" As she leads him, he fishes a wallet from his pocket. More proof he never intended to swim AT ALL, and produces the necessary cash. "One bottle..just seven more to go." He teases lazily as he turns back, stumbles and reaches for the nearest portion of the brunette he can. "Now, take me to sit down. Both of you are starting to glare at me, and I'm feeling you're disapproval in my temples."

"Two bottles," Saya pipes up. She's thirsty, too! It's hot! "I'll pay you back," she tacks on, giving Abe a bright smile. The nearest portion of her? Her waist. "Uhh..." she laughs, a little nervously. "Dude. Is this a waltz, now? 'Cause I don't think you're in any shape to lead." She doesn't quite know where to put her own hands, and settles nervously for his shoulders. "One, two, three," she jokes. Her feet stay rooted in the sand, and there's a blush on her cheeks.
You aren't carrying anything.
You have 800 Pennies.

She could buy a car right now and he'd probably just laugh, but he does get her a water..or rather he pays. It's up to her to actually get them. Or it would be if he'd let go of her waist. Finding himself there, and her jokes, cause a small laugh. He also hugs closer to her, dipping his head down to try and press a kiss to her cheek before, true to drunk form, he stumbles lazily toward a nearby bench to sit.

He'll get her cheek, just on the corner of her mouth, because Saya pretty much freezes, her eyes impossibly wide. When he stumbles off she stands there for a minute, beet red and stock-still. The blush extends from her cheeks nearly to the top of her bikini. Finally, she grabs the water bottles and brings them over to him. She sits gingerly on the edge of the bench and hands his water over. She sits with her back very straight. She opens her mouth as if to say something, then pauses and closes it again.

Abe is perfectly fine with his actions. In fact as she takes her seat and offers his water over, he seems somewhat shocked to find her beat red and so quiet. "What?" He chuckles, leaning slightly to close the space between them..just a touch. It's nothing intrusive. "I kissed you on the cheek. It's not like I felt you up." He chuckles again, "I could..but I figure that'd be a little much. Probably be rude too."

"That was almost my first kiss," Saya says stiffly to him. "And your breath smells like alcohol and you're /drunk/. Not at all what I imagined." She scoots a little away from him. "If you had kissed me -- like /that/ -- I think I'd have run off crying." She unscrews the water bottle cap and downs about half of it. She lets out a heavy breath, almost a sigh. "If you'd felt me up I'd have kicked you." She waves a finger at him. "Now, mind you, I have a very powerful kick, and my foot goes /exactly/ where I want it to. Years of training, you know."

Abe chuckles. "You girls put so much in to that /one/ kiss. It'd kinda stressful for guys to even consider kissing a girl." He opens his bottle, eyeing it thoughtfully before lifting it to his lips. In the end it's too cold, which is never what a drunk wants. "It's like trying out for a sport you've never played. In front of scouts."

"It's important," Saya insists. Her blush slowly starts to recede. "There's only ever one first kiss, you know. It's something you'll remember the rest of your life." She turns to him a bit. "I read that women actually have better emotional memories than men, in general. When we recall stuff, maybe we don't get all the fine details that men do sometimes, but we usually recall how we felt better than men do. So, like... that's why we dredge up things that happened, because we still feel the way we felt before. So, if something really upset us, when we remember it later, it still upsets us." She has another swig of water. "I'd like it to be with someone I feel comfortable with, who I find attractive, and who wants to be with me as much as I want to be with him. I want good memories."

"That is a /lot/ of pressure on a guy over a kiss." He decides. Maybe he only heard some of it. "I guess it's a good idea I'm a racist drunk huh?" See, he can pull stuff up from the past just like a girl! Course he lacks the actual drive or emotional connection to the memory to really take it up a notch. Instead, he yawns and takes another sip of his way to cold water. "Maybe it'll work out for you though. I doubt all guys are as emotionally constipated as I hear I am."

"I never said you were racist," Saya says, exasperated. "Just that -- oh, never mind." She stands up. "I'm sure some day I'll find a nice guy that actually likes me, and sees me as an actual girl instead of..." she gestures between the two of them. "Oh, whatever /this/ is." She turns, her ponytail whirling around her like Disney's Pocahontas. "He'll be totally hot, and considerate, too," she says. "And ask me on dates, and all that mushy romantic stuff, and it'll be /awesome/. Because... I won't settle for less." She says that with a sort of 'So there' tone of voice. "And maybe I'm too picky and I'll die a virgin, but that's fine, because /I/ like me, so I won't be unhappy."

Abe nods, though he moves away as she slings her ponytail. He even lets her finish, despite the weird looks she gets from passing people..or the looks of pity he receives. In the end he shrugs, "Well, I'm not perfect like that. Sorry. I don't want to be perfect either. I'm happy the way I am. Sorry it's not good enough. Thanks for the water." He even sends her a wave before pushing to his feet. "And the stellar boost to my self-worth. Hope your day gets better." H doesn't seem mad so much as somewhat insulted. But hey..he can get back across the beach! Just watch.

Saya gives him a very confused look as he walks away, but seeing as he's determined to go be drunk and possibly make out with skanky hos, she wrinkles her nose and stalks off in the opposite direction.

Log:Water Dancing

2014-06-20T23:04:08Z

Saya:

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:meadow-icon.jpg|100px|link=Meadow|Meadow Paisley]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]] [[image:michael-icon.jpg|100px|link=Michael|Michael Jacobsson]] [[image:abe-icon.jpg|100px|link=Abe|Abe Shaw]]
| summary = Saya runs into Michael and Meadow, and Meadow starts planning a water-conservation flash mob extravaganza! Abe shows up later and gets drafted for the cause.
| location = '''Lantern Square''' 
| gamedate = 2014.04.20
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log =Saya's taking a walk. Just a leisurely stroll down the street, a happy and distracted meandering. Her denim purse is slung over her shoulder, and she's holding a clear umbrella printed with ducks over her head to ward off the scattered infrequent rain drops. It's a Sunday morning, and a lot of people are in church - but then again, a lot of people aren't, either.

Not taking a stroll at the moment, Michael makes his way along the way on his roller blades, whistling a little to himself as he makes his way along a bit slowly, at least for him. He's looking quite relaxed as he makes his way along now, before he comes to a stop outside of Unbound Books, to stop and look at the display in the window there.

Unfortunately, the store won't be open for another few minutes - it is Sunday, after all. Even shop owners like to sleep in, sometimes. Saya's meandering takes her straight toward the shop as well, and when she gets close enough to see Michael, she gives him a little wave. "Hey, Michael," she says. "How are you?"

Michael pauses as he hears his name, and looks around, before he offers a wave and a grin in return. "Hey. I'm fine. Figured I'd just go skating around for a little while, you know. How about you?"
"Just out for a walk, myself," Saya says from under her duck-print umbrella. She adjusts her purse on her shoulder and glances from him to the bookstore. "I'm good, good. Kind of looking forward to school starting up again. Ugh. Spring break was so ''boring'' for me. Work, work, work, that's all I ever do."

Michael chuckles as he hears that. "Well, at least you had something to do, right?" he remarks a bit lightly, before he adds, "But all in all, it's not that bad when school starts up again, that's true."

"It wouldn't be so bad if I actually got paid for it," Saya tells him while rolling her eyes. "The upside of having parents who own two businesses - don't need to worry about braces or how I'll afford the latest style. The downside - they get free labor out of me until I move away." She switches her balance from one foot to another and looks at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to continue the conversation or excuse himself and go.

"I guess that's true," Michael replies, before he adds, "Aside from all that work, anything exciting happening lately?" A brief glance around, before he looks back to her now.

"Um, not really," Saya says. "Well... there was this creep on the boardwalk, the other day, but Noah swooped in like freakin' -- what's his name? -- Spiderman, and saved the day. It was awesome." She smiles a little. "He's actually kind of a nice guy. He and Amelia are cute together, too."

"That sounds... interesting, at least in a way," Michael offers, before he nods a bit at the part about Noah and Amelia. "I bet they are. That's a nice thing," he offers.

It's sprinkling rain, and Saya and Michael are standing in front of the book store. It's not quite time for the shop to open. Saya is under a clear duck-print umbrella, and Michael is wearing rollerblades.

Meadow is popping out of the Apothecary Shop. She has a bag, the handle is hanging from her fingers. She's a small blonde; bright-eyed and quite lively, she doesn't seem to fuss at the likes of the sprinkly rain. Instead, it makes the girl perk up slightly, feeling the pat-pat of it dampen her hair and make it curl -- wearing a white tanktop and a flowy, dove gray skirt with flat little sandals. She seems oddly serene; eyes flickering over toward Michael and Saya.

"Yep," Saya says, nodding a little. She looks one way and then the other, shifts her weight again, and adjusts her grip on her umbrella. "Well..." she says, not sure what to say now, with so little to work with. "Uh... so..." but nope, she's got nothing. It's awkward moment time! Across the street, someone's automatic sprinklers pop up, even though it is raining a little. She turns her head to stare at them for a second and wrinkles her nose. "Waste of water," she murmurs. Spotting Meadow she raises a hand and waves at the girl with a grin. Everyone likes Meadow!

Michael nods once more, before as he looks over towards those automatic sprinklers again. "Seems a bit excessive, doesn't it?" he agrees, before he adds, "So, anything in particular you're looking forward to when school starts again?" As he sees Saya waving to Meadow, he raises his own hand to do so as well now.

"Oh, hey!" Meadow says warmly; her nature more effusive and warm than anything else. She glances between them, not wilting beneath the rain still -- she approaches. However, she doesn't insinuate herself into the conversation yet. "Do you mind if I join you too? Hi, Saya. Hi, Michael." She remembers both of their names, it seems, glancing between them earnestly.

"Totally!" Saya agrees, perhaps a bit too enthusiastic to have something to finally talk about. "I mean, water conservation should be a priority for all of us, right? I read somewhere that, like, wars in the future will be fought over clean water rights. And it's already happening in some places." She beams at Meadow and nods. "Hey, Meadow. Yeah, I don't mind," she says. "Wanna share my umbrella?" she offers the girl. There's plenty of room for two skinny teens.

"Water, like all other natural resources, has always been a source of conflict," Michael replies, with a nod, before he adds, "That's probably how things are going to be in the future as well." Another brief shrug, before he offers a smile to Meadow, "Sure. How are you today?" he asks.

Having gained agreement, the small damp blonde steps over to the umbrella and slips beneath it carefully. She pulls a linen handkerchief out of her bag and brushes it over her face -- wiping the rain away. "Thanks," she says brightly to Saya, her eyes flickering back to Michael. She nods to the two environment-minded-teens thoughtfully. "Maybe we should do some 'Dont Waste Water' awareness thing at school."

"People need to stop having so many babies," Saya opines. "Like, if everyone woman in the world was like, 'I'm gonna stop after one kid,' for a couple of generations, like, the problem would be solved. There'd be enough of everything for everyone and no one would have to fight any more stupid wars." She turns to Meadow with interest. "That sounds kind of cool," she says. "Like posters and stuff?"

"Then they'd fight each other because they just don't like each other, right?" Michael grimaces momentarily as he says that, before he nods at Meadow. "That might be a good idea," he offers.

"Posters, maybe an assembly.. I think rallying up a bunch of kids and asking them to help us convince people in this square to stop wasting water. We can call the news, too. The news loves when teenagers do things like this." Manipulative? Yes. Pragmatic for a good purpose? Absolutely. She strokes her delicate chin, her expression terribly interested. "I agree with the babies thing, especially in other countries like India. I'm doing my part and staying babyless. I'll adopt." Meadow confirms Saya's words with a soft nod; her eyes flickering to the other girl almost shrewdly. It's like she's ''quite'' interested in the girl; taking a new interest, likely because of her mature ideals. She glances back over at Michael, already delegating, perhaps. "Michael, would you like to take point on the boys on the football team? You're awesome at catching and I heard you get good grades."

Saya sighs a bit sadly at Michael's words. "Yeah, you're probably right," she frowns. "But maybe less so the more the global society develops. Hurray, internet, right?" She nods at Meadow. "Ooh, I've never been on the news, before," she says. "Maybe me and some of the other dancers could give a little benefit dance," she suggests. "Just to get people to wander over. Who wouldn't be curious to see a handful of ballerinas?" She grins at Meadow. "I don't think I want to ever give birth, myself," she admits. "I mean... that would pretty much be the end of my dancing career. I'd have to open a ballet school for little kids or something, instead of performing in the Royal Ballet and stuff like that."

"I'll see what I can do..." Michael replies a bit quietly, before he chuckles as he hears Saya's words. "I'm sure you'd be able to teach them as well. But I can understand you wanting to do the dancing yourself for a while first." A brief pause, before he adds, "You know, this cousin of mine over in Sweden has dreams of becoming a ballet dancer. I remember when we asked her back the last time we were there, and she said she wanted to go to the Kungliga Balleten... The Royal Swedish Ballet."

"I think that would be really nice if you did, Michael. We can make this a thing and get people to knock off the water wasting." Meadow smiles at Michael warmly; her dimples apparent before gold-flecked green eyes flick over to Saya. "Ballet is beautiful! You should totally dance here. Oh OH!" She gets excited, suddenly. "I'm thinking Saturday morning flash mob. The square is bustling then... and then suddenly, a gaggle of beautiful and serene ballet dancers putting on a performance with a live band that comes out of nowhere." She looks off into the distance, musing.

"Teach who?" Saya asks Michael, a little confused. She might have said something about the Royal Ballet - a gleam in her eye appears when Michael mentions it. But then Meadow gets swept away with the flash mob idea. "Oh. My. GAWD," she squeals, raising up on her toes in an almost-bounce. "That's a GREAT idea!" she says. "I... but a flash mob is a lot of people," she says. "I don't know all ''that'' many other ballerinas. We could do something like..." she thinks for a minute. "We could teach a bunch of people some basic moves, you know, plies and stuff. And then they could do a few simple things while me and my dance-class-buddies do more complicated stuff in the front?" she suggests. "A live band would be awesome, though - do you know of any?" Then her phone chimes and she frowns at it. "Crap!" she says. "I forgot! Mom's gonna kill me!" She fidgets. "I gotta go. But Facebook me!" she tells Meadow, already leaving with the umbrella, headed back the way she came. "I'm totally into this idea!" she shouts over her shoulder.

Michael chuckles as he listens now, before he grins momentarily. "Seems you guys know how to handle such things," he remarks, nodding as he does. As Saya heads off, he offers her a smile, "Take care."

She smiles over at Saya too, a bright look apparent. The little blonde looks terribly bubbly about these new ideas. Then, she looks over at Michael -- eyebrows lifting before she glances down at his rollerblades. She's getting rained on again!
There's a brief pause now, before Michael seems to remember something. "Sorry that I don't have an umbrella to offer," he offers after a few brief moments now. "I was just going out for a little round, but then I decided to look around here for a little while."

It's lightly raining; there's a sprinkling pit-pat on the likes of Meadow. It's dampening her blonde hair and making it curl and her face is dewy with the stuff. She looks bright and bubbly; wearing a white tanktop and a fluttery, pretty dove gray dress to her calves. Her feet are sandaled, and the girl seems to be terrible warm; friendly. "I'm excited... so... what's your plan for the whole thing with the football players?" She asks, waving a hand. "No umbrella is fine. The rain feels nice." They're in the square, near the book store.

"I'm not sure yet," Michael admits, as he moves his rollerblade-wearing feet a little now. "I think I'd look up some stuff online first, then make some kind of a little flyer or something like that."

"Do what to the football team?" Stepping out of the Atlas, drink still in hand, Abe is just close enough that it doesn't ''quite'' qualify as eavesdropping. Almost. "I vote tutus. Those guys are all jerks. Serves them right." He's kidding of course, and even offers a small wave to the girls and a nod toward Michael.

Her eyes flicker over toward Abe; her eyes bright -- green-gold, a brow lifting at him. She laughs then; it's terribly warm -- her head shaking as she stands in the rain like some mysterious wood nymph who is at piece with nature. "We decided we're sick of people wasting water so we're going to try to do something about it. I'm trying to gain some sort of agreement here from Michael that he's going to help me, which would be very sweet and noble of him." Saya left a few minutes ago. "And Saya, that pretty ballet dancer girl, is going to flash mob. I need some orchestra kids to play some music as part of it." She has big plans! The little blonde sighs then; excitement apparent. "And maybe you, Abe, will do some research on what wasting water does to the environment and make it a biiit more relatable for teenagers to care about?" She asks with a raising of her brow. Delegation. Meadow also never forgets a name.

Michael shakes his head as he looks to Abe now, raising an eyebrow lightly. "Hey, just for that, I might decide to wear a tutu at some point," he remarks, with a chuckle. "Just remember it's your fault, okay?" A brief pause as he looks over at Meadow now. "Sweet and noble, hmm?" Spoken a little lightly, as he smiles, "I'll make sure to get something done," he promises.

Abe chuckles, "Well, that's certainly...exciting." He reaches for the right word, and while he doesn't seem pleased with the one he finds, he rolls on with a glance toward Michael. "But if you want even a shadow of a chance that the research will be any good at all, I am certainly not the guy for you. I'm more of a...hey what did you get for question number 14, type of guy." He smiles though, and laughs faintly as he glances between the two. "I'd like to know when the flash mob goes down though. That's going to make Mrs. Perkin's head explode." Michel gets a thumbs up at the tutu, but he also manages to inspire a sheepish enough as he glances back toward Meadow. Guess Abe is nether sweet nor noble. Drats.

"Aw, thanks, Michael," Miss Meadow says to him brightly -- dimples and all, then? She's looking over the likes of Abe. "So what would you like to do?" She asks with her head canted slightly with her fingers sweeping through her blonde hair. It falls in wet ringlets around her face, a few stuck to her forehead. "Maybe .. mm." She things, tapping her dainty chin twice. "Do you want to help me organize then? I'd like for you to be involved, it's for a good cause."

Michael grins, nodding as he looks between the others now. Once again moving his feet a little now. Keeping silent at the moment.

Abe laughs. "Can't I just support you silently and without having to do anything extra?" He sends her a hopeful smile, and even sends Michael a sigh. He's not stupid. He wont win. "How about, and keep an open mind with this, I buy you a snack and give you the opportunity to sway me over toward a passionate approach to water conservation?" he chuckles. "Mostly, I think my foods ready."

"No, you can't," she answers Abe with a little smile. She pats his shoulder -- "I guess you can buy me a snack." With that, the small blonde turns to start moving off, still rat with rain. Abe isn't getting off easy.

Michael smiles, as he looks between the two now. "I'll see you two later, then," he offers, with a smile, before he starts skating off now.
}}

Log:Water Dancing

2014-06-20T22:54:09Z

Saya: Created page with "{{ Log | cast = Meadow Paisley Saya Takahashi image:michael-icon.jpg|100px|link=Michael|M..."

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:meadow-icon.jpg|100px|link=Meadow|Meadow Paisley]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]] [[image:michael-icon.jpg|100px|link=Michael|Michael Jacobsson]] [[image:abe-icon.jpg|100px|link=Abe|Abe Shaw]]
| summary = Noah comes to Saya's rescue, and she joins him and Ellis for some conversation.
| location = '''Lantern Square''' 
| gamedate = 2014.04.20
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log =Saya's taking a walk. Just a leisurely stroll down the street, a happy and distracted meandering. Her denim purse is slung over her shoulder, and she's holding a clear umbrella printed with ducks over her head to ward off the scattered infrequent rain drops. It's a Sunday morning, and a lot of people are in church - but then again, a lot of people aren't, either.

Not taking a stroll at the moment, Michael makes his way along the way on his roller blades, whistling a little to himself as he makes his way along a bit slowly, at least for him. He's looking quite relaxed as he makes his way along now, before he comes to a stop outside of Unbound Books, to stop and look at the display in the window there.

Unfortunately, the store won't be open for another few minutes - it is Sunday, after all. Even shop owners like to sleep in, sometimes. Saya's meandering takes her straight toward the shop as well, and when she gets close enough to see Michael, she gives him a little wave. "Hey, Michael," she says. "How are you?"

Michael pauses as he hears his name, and looks around, before he offers a wave and a grin in return. "Hey. I'm fine. Figured I'd just go skating around for a little while, you know. How about you?"
"Just out for a walk, myself," Saya says from under her duck-print umbrella. She adjusts her purse on her shoulder and glances from him to the bookstore. "I'm good, good. Kind of looking forward to school starting up again. Ugh. Spring break was so ''boring'' for me. Work, work, work, that's all I ever do."

Michael chuckles as he hears that. "Well, at least you had something to do, right?" he remarks a bit lightly, before he adds, "But all in all, it's not that bad when school starts up again, that's true."

"It wouldn't be so bad if I actually got paid for it," Saya tells him while rolling her eyes. "The upside of having parents who own two businesses - don't need to worry about braces or how I'll afford the latest style. The downside - they get free labor out of me until I move away." She switches her balance from one foot to another and looks at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to continue the conversation or excuse himself and go.

"I guess that's true," Michael replies, before he adds, "Aside from all that work, anything exciting happening lately?" A brief glance around, before he looks back to her now.

"Um, not really," Saya says. "Well... there was this creep on the boardwalk, the other day, but Noah swooped in like freakin' -- what's his name? -- Spiderman, and saved the day. It was awesome." She smiles a little. "He's actually kind of a nice guy. He and Amelia are cute together, too."

"That sounds... interesting, at least in a way," Michael offers, before he nods a bit at the part about Noah and Amelia. "I bet they are. That's a nice thing," he offers.

It's sprinkling rain, and Saya and Michael are standing in front of the book store. It's not quite time for the shop to open. Saya is under a clear duck-print umbrella, and Michael is wearing rollerblades.

Meadow is popping out of the Apothecary Shop. She has a bag, the handle is hanging from her fingers. She's a small blonde; bright-eyed and quite lively, she doesn't seem to fuss at the likes of the sprinkly rain. Instead, it makes the girl perk up slightly, feeling the pat-pat of it dampen her hair and make it curl -- wearing a white tanktop and a flowy, dove gray skirt with flat little sandals. She seems oddly serene; eyes flickering over toward Michael and Saya.

"Yep," Saya says, nodding a little. She looks one way and then the other, shifts her weight again, and adjusts her grip on her umbrella. "Well..." she says, not sure what to say now, with so little to work with. "Uh... so..." but nope, she's got nothing. It's awkward moment time! Across the street, someone's automatic sprinklers pop up, even though it is raining a little. She turns her head to stare at them for a second and wrinkles her nose. "Waste of water," she murmurs. Spotting Meadow she raises a hand and waves at the girl with a grin. Everyone likes Meadow!

Michael nods once more, before as he looks over towards those automatic sprinklers again. "Seems a bit excessive, doesn't it?" he agrees, before he adds, "So, anything in particular you're looking forward to when school starts again?" As he sees Saya waving to Meadow, he raises his own hand to do so as well now.

"Oh, hey!" Meadow says warmly; her nature more effusive and warm than anything else. She glances between them, not wilting beneath the rain still -- she approaches. However, she doesn't insinuate herself into the conversation yet. "Do you mind if I join you too? Hi, Saya. Hi, Michael." She remembers both of their names, it seems, glancing between them earnestly.

"Totally!" Saya agrees, perhaps a bit too enthusiastic to have something to finally talk about. "I mean, water conservation should be a priority for all of us, right? I read somewhere that, like, wars in the future will be fought over clean water rights. And it's already happening in some places." She beams at Meadow and nods. "Hey, Meadow. Yeah, I don't mind," she says. "Wanna share my umbrella?" she offers the girl. There's plenty of room for two skinny teens.

"Water, like all other natural resources, has always been a source of conflict," Michael replies, with a nod, before he adds, "That's probably how things are going to be in the future as well." Another brief shrug, before he offers a smile to Meadow, "Sure. How are you today?" he asks.

Having gained agreement, the small damp blonde steps over to the umbrella and slips beneath it carefully. She pulls a linen handkerchief out of her bag and brushes it over her face -- wiping the rain away. "Thanks," she says brightly to Saya, her eyes flickering back to Michael. She nods to the two environment-minded-teens thoughtfully. "Maybe we should do some 'Dont Waste Water' awareness thing at school."

"People need to stop having so many babies," Saya opines. "Like, if everyone woman in the world was like, 'I'm gonna stop after one kid,' for a couple of generations, like, the problem would be solved. There'd be enough of everything for everyone and no one would have to fight any more stupid wars." She turns to Meadow with interest. "That sounds kind of cool," she says. "Like posters and stuff?"

"Then they'd fight each other because they just don't like each other, right?" Michael grimaces momentarily as he says that, before he nods at Meadow. "That might be a good idea," he offers.

"Posters, maybe an assembly.. I think rallying up a bunch of kids and asking them to help us convince people in this square to stop wasting water. We can call the news, too. The news loves when teenagers do things like this." Manipulative? Yes. Pragmatic for a good purpose? Absolutely. She strokes her delicate chin, her expression terribly interested. "I agree with the babies thing, especially in other countries like India. I'm doing my part and staying babyless. I'll adopt." Meadow confirms Saya's words with a soft nod; her eyes flickering to the other girl almost shrewdly. It's like she's ''quite'' interested in the girl; taking a new interest, likely because of her mature ideals. She glances back over at Michael, already delegating, perhaps. "Michael, would you like to take point on the boys on the football team? You're awesome at catching and I heard you get good grades."

Saya sighs a bit sadly at Michael's words. "Yeah, you're probably right," she frowns. "But maybe less so the more the global society develops. Hurray, internet, right?" She nods at Meadow. "Ooh, I've never been on the news, before," she says. "Maybe me and some of the other dancers could give a little benefit dance," she suggests. "Just to get people to wander over. Who wouldn't be curious to see a handful of ballerinas?" She grins at Meadow. "I don't think I want to ever give birth, myself," she admits. "I mean... that would pretty much be the end of my dancing career. I'd have to open a ballet school for little kids or something, instead of performing in the Royal Ballet and stuff like that."

"I'll see what I can do..." Michael replies a bit quietly, before he chuckles as he hears Saya's words. "I'm sure you'd be able to teach them as well. But I can understand you wanting to do the dancing yourself for a while first." A brief pause, before he adds, "You know, this cousin of mine over in Sweden has dreams of becoming a ballet dancer. I remember when we asked her back the last time we were there, and she said she wanted to go to the Kungliga Balleten... The Royal Swedish Ballet."

"I think that would be really nice if you did, Michael. We can make this a thing and get people to knock off the water wasting." Meadow smiles at Michael warmly; her dimples apparent before gold-flecked green eyes flick over to Saya. "Ballet is beautiful! You should totally dance here. Oh OH!" She gets excited, suddenly. "I'm thinking Saturday morning flash mob. The square is bustling then... and then suddenly, a gaggle of beautiful and serene ballet dancers putting on a performance with a live band that comes out of nowhere." She looks off into the distance, musing.

"Teach who?" Saya asks Michael, a little confused. She might have said something about the Royal Ballet - a gleam in her eye appears when Michael mentions it. But then Meadow gets swept away with the flash mob idea. "Oh. My. GAWD," she squeals, raising up on her toes in an almost-bounce. "That's a GREAT idea!" she says. "I... but a flash mob is a lot of people," she says. "I don't know all ''that'' many other ballerinas. We could do something like..." she thinks for a minute. "We could teach a bunch of people some basic moves, you know, plies and stuff. And then they could do a few simple things while me and my dance-class-buddies do more complicated stuff in the front?" she suggests. "A live band would be awesome, though - do you know of any?" Then her phone chimes and she frowns at it. "Crap!" she says. "I forgot! Mom's gonna kill me!" She fidgets. "I gotta go. But Facebook me!" she tells Meadow, already leaving with the umbrella, headed back the way she came. "I'm totally into this idea!" she shouts over her shoulder.

Michael chuckles as he listens now, before he grins momentarily. "Seems you guys know how to handle such things," he remarks, nodding as he does. As Saya heads off, he offers her a smile, "Take care."

She smiles over at Saya too, a bright look apparent. The little blonde looks terribly bubbly about these new ideas. Then, she looks over at Michael -- eyebrows lifting before she glances down at his rollerblades. She's getting rained on again!
There's a brief pause now, before Michael seems to remember something. "Sorry that I don't have an umbrella to offer," he offers after a few brief moments now. "I was just going out for a little round, but then I decided to look around here for a little while."

It's lightly raining; there's a sprinkling pit-pat on the likes of Meadow. It's dampening her blonde hair and making it curl and her face is dewy with the stuff. She looks bright and bubbly; wearing a white tanktop and a fluttery, pretty dove gray dress to her calves. Her feet are sandaled, and the girl seems to be terrible warm; friendly. "I'm excited... so... what's your plan for the whole thing with the football players?" She asks, waving a hand. "No umbrella is fine. The rain feels nice." They're in the square, near the book store.

"I'm not sure yet," Michael admits, as he moves his rollerblade-wearing feet a little now. "I think I'd look up some stuff online first, then make some kind of a little flyer or something like that."

"Do what to the football team?" Stepping out of the Atlas, drink still in hand, Abe is just close enough that it doesn't ''quite'' qualify as eavesdropping. Almost. "I vote tutus. Those guys are all jerks. Serves them right." He's kidding of course, and even offers a small wave to the girls and a nod toward Michael.

Her eyes flicker over toward Abe; her eyes bright -- green-gold, a brow lifting at him. She laughs then; it's terribly warm -- her head shaking as she stands in the rain like some mysterious wood nymph who is at piece with nature. "We decided we're sick of people wasting water so we're going to try to do something about it. I'm trying to gain some sort of agreement here from Michael that he's going to help me, which would be very sweet and noble of him." Saya left a few minutes ago. "And Saya, that pretty ballet dancer girl, is going to flash mob. I need some orchestra kids to play some music as part of it." She has big plans! The little blonde sighs then; excitement apparent. "And maybe you, Abe, will do some research on what wasting water does to the environment and make it a biiit more relatable for teenagers to care about?" She asks with a raising of her brow. Delegation. Meadow also never forgets a name.

Michael shakes his head as he looks to Abe now, raising an eyebrow lightly. "Hey, just for that, I might decide to wear a tutu at some point," he remarks, with a chuckle. "Just remember it's your fault, okay?" A brief pause as he looks over at Meadow now. "Sweet and noble, hmm?" Spoken a little lightly, as he smiles, "I'll make sure to get something done," he promises.

Abe chuckles, "Well, that's certainly...exciting." He reaches for the right word, and while he doesn't seem pleased with the one he finds, he rolls on with a glance toward Michael. "But if you want even a shadow of a chance that the research will be any good at all, I am certainly not the guy for you. I'm more of a...hey what did you get for question number 14, type of guy." He smiles though, and laughs faintly as he glances between the two. "I'd like to know when the flash mob goes down though. That's going to make Mrs. Perkin's head explode." Michel gets a thumbs up at the tutu, but he also manages to inspire a sheepish enough as he glances back toward Meadow. Guess Abe is nether sweet nor noble. Drats.

"Aw, thanks, Michael," Miss Meadow says to him brightly -- dimples and all, then? She's looking over the likes of Abe. "So what would you like to do?" She asks with her head canted slightly with her fingers sweeping through her blonde hair. It falls in wet ringlets around her face, a few stuck to her forehead. "Maybe .. mm." She things, tapping her dainty chin twice. "Do you want to help me organize then? I'd like for you to be involved, it's for a good cause."

Michael grins, nodding as he looks between the others now. Once again moving his feet a little now. Keeping silent at the moment.

Abe laughs. "Can't I just support you silently and without having to do anything extra?" He sends her a hopeful smile, and even sends Michael a sigh. He's not stupid. He wont win. "How about, and keep an open mind with this, I buy you a snack and give you the opportunity to sway me over toward a passionate approach to water conservation?" he chuckles. "Mostly, I think my foods ready."

"No, you can't," she answers Abe with a little smile. She pats his shoulder -- "I guess you can buy me a snack." With that, the small blonde turns to start moving off, still rat with rain. Abe isn't getting off easy.

Michael smiles, as he looks between the two now. "I'll see you two later, then," he offers, with a smile, before he starts skating off now.
}}

Log:Grease Monkeys and Child Labor

2014-06-20T03:57:41Z

Saya:

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:abe-icon.jpg|100px|link=Abe|Abram Shaw]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]]
| summary = Abe and Saya have long known each other - but it's only today that they're starting to really get to know each other.
| location = Golden Wok
This is a rather stereotypical Chinese restaurant. It's not exactly fine dining, nor is it scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to eateries.

The interior is rather average as far as Chinese restaurants go. Ornamental shaped wooden screens usher customers in, leading them to a small podium where one of the young hostesses wait to seat them. The walls are lined with intricate oriental patterns and scenery while deep red and gold paper lanterns hang from the ceiling. Along the walls the occasional Chinese brush painting can be found. Despite the traditional feel, the table and booths that line the room are rather average, composed of dark wood and red leather upholstery.

The restaurant is always clean and tidy.
The menus are aged, appearing to have been printed several years ago.
The menus are printed in Chinese with smaller case English translations.
| gamedate = 2014.04.19
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log = Saturday afternoons are always busy, but for the people dinning inside the Golden Wok, there is little more than peace and quiet. Between the lunch and dinner rush, there is a lull in the activity. Tables have been mostly bused and those who still linger near their tables are able to chat quietly without lifting their voices. This is really the best time to show up, and that's exactly what Abe does.

Dressed in jeans and a shirt that has seen much better days, Abe appears in the doorway if the establishment. Fresh from work, it would seem, he gives the room a glance as he waits to be seated, only to pick a table near the corner when he finally is.

"Hello, I'll be your waitress for today... Abe?" It's Saya, dressed in neat black slacks, a white button-down shirt, a black vest, and a bright red tie, with her hair in a ponytail. "Hey," she says, relaxing a little bit and grinning at him. "How've you been? What can I get you?"

Abe chuckles as he's recognized. It may even earn a smile from him. "Hey Saya. Chow Mein. Chicken. Please. I've been good. Sorry I'm such a greasy mess. I've been at work, and I figured starvation trumped shower." His shirt and jeans show off more than a little dried-in oil and grease, not rare for someone who works at a garage. His face and hands are clean at least. "How've you been? It's been a while."

Saya does wrinkle her nose a bit at his greasy clothes, but she's smiling at the same time. "It's not a big deal," she tells him, shaking her head a little. "I've been alright," she says. "Dancing and providing free child labor for my parents," she laughs. "At least you're getting paid to be a... what do they call it? A grease monkey?"

Abe laughs, though the wrinkle of her nose has him glancing down to inspect himself again. "Free labor sounds lame but the dancing doesn't. That's pretty cool." He pauses, thoughtfully even. "Yeah... I guess you could say that. I work part time for Mr. Nolan." Which would be none other than Nolan of Nolan's Body Shop. "I don't know that I could work with Dad at his office. I think I'd go crazy."

"Dancing is always cool," Saya says with another smile. "Not so much the audience, sometimes." She rolls her eyes and shakes her head slightly. "What's your dad do?" she asks. Before he has a chance to answer that she blurts, "I just realized that you and I have never actually had a real conversation. How is that possible? We've had a million classes together, and last year, with the football..." she trails off.

Abe smirks lightly at the trailing of her voice. Football. It always catches people. No one knows what to say, and that seems fine with him. "I'm quiet." He reminds her, moving on past the mysterious football topic, "But I played this year. That has to earn me points back, right?" His next grin is much calmer, he even waves to the seat across from him. "If they'll let you take a break you and have a real conversation with me now. If..you're not shamed to be seen with a grease monkey." He then pauses. "Oh, and my dad's a lawyer... dull. I know."

"I could probably sit," Saya says. "But I have to place your order, first." She grins at him and wiggles her pen over the order pad. "I'll be right back." And off she goes, darting into the back. She'll be gone for about ten minutes, only to come back with his food - and something for herself to eat, as well as two glasses of lemon water.

Abe hums happily as she returns with food. The fact she's eating too is even better, as it relaxes the moment so much more. "Many thank yous," he chuckles to her, pulling his own meal in front of him before taking a moment to snap the ever present (and loved by all Americans) chopsticks apart. "So are you gonna go out for cheering again? Or is that a road best left behind you?"

Saya snaps her own apart, puts them side-by-side between her hands, and rubs her hands together to get rid of the odd splinter. "You're welcome!" she says. "Thank you for your business, as they make me say." She has a bite and thinks about his questions. But not for long. "Nah. I'm done with that. It was fun for a little while - but then it got boring. Just the same thing over and over again. It wasn't challenging, after a while. Not like ballet."

Abe chuckles, taking a bite of his own. "Ya know, you're cheering for everyone else. It's only supposed to be fun for everyone else. Right? That's why cheer uniforms are so uncomfortable-looking. Everything is geared make us drop the ball or run into a goal post... or, that's what movies tell us anyway. I assume they'd never lie to us." He's teasing of course, between bites no less. "I can honestly say though that I'm just talking out my head. I can understand where 'B-E Aggressive' would get old after the three hundredth time."

Saya giggles. "They're not uncomfortable," she says. "And compared to a leotard they're downright modest. But yeah..." she shrugs. "I can only scream 'Go Team' so many times before I want to shoot something." She shakes her head and eats a bit more. "But I hear you're getting back into football and everything. How's that going for you?"

Abe laughs, though a few seconds later he shrugs a shoulder. "It's gone okay. The coach was happy. A few of the guys. Monroe hates playing Safety so when they announced I was coming back I thought he was going to hug me and burst into tears." He takes a bite, but there's little hiding the amusement that the comparison of cheer outfit and leotard get. He's only male, after all. "Mm." He swallows. "Have you ever looked at a leotard and been like..yeah, this was either designed by a man or a stripper?" Because clear that's where he ends up with it. "And here we are putting our most graceful women in them to dance, slowly, on stage. And for big bucks too. Someone had his head screwed on right." Thank you Russia! "Women got their revenge though. They invented football pants." Beat, "And baseball uniforms."

Saya starts laughing when he begins talking about leotards and doesn't stop all through baseball uniforms. "Oh, geeze, you're totally right," she laughs. "Leotards were invented by a man. Jules Leotard," she says. "The guy who invented the flying trapeze. But he made them for himself, and then later female dancers started wearing them. Before that there was, you know, tights and a tutu and a fitted top." She snickers again. "Football pants," she says into her next bite, still amused.

Abe ahs. Clearly he didn't know that, judging by the very shocked (and perhaps disgusted) expression that crosses his features at mention of the trapeze artist's intentions. He moves on. "Tutus. I vote you guys go back to tutus." Why exactly he thinks as much she may never know. "But football pants, they're just padded tights. We're not as graceful as you. It's hard getting them on, but getting them off is absolute hell."

"We still wear them," Saya says with a grin. "For performances, sometimes. But why bother during rehearsals?" She snorts in laughter at the image of the football pants, and shakes her head. "Just put some muscle into it!" she teases. "Isn't that what you guys are good at?" She eats some more. "Anyway... I've always wondered why you ever quit the football team last year. Everyone wondered. Is it okay if I ask why?"

Abe bites his lower lip thoughtfully as he runs the question through his mind. It's not the first time he's been asked, but every time is shaky. "Well.." he begins with a low tone, "Do you remember Abigale Rae's accident? Homecoming night last year?" It was a very big deal when it happened. The popular student body vice president was struck by a suspected drunk driver leaving Doug's party and was left partially paralyzed. The driver was never found, and the girl had gone on happy with her life... in a wheelchair. He just shrugs. "After all that happened being so wrapped up in petty clique wars and spending my time concerned about popularity and high school sports seemed kinda lame. I just didn't have it in me." He takes a bite of chicken, chewing it silently. "I gained perspective I guess."

Saya nods, looking sad and thoughtful when he mentions Abigale's accident. "That was awful," she says quietly. "She's so lucky she wasn't killed. Every time I see her in the hallway, rolling around in that wheelchair, I think, gawd, what if that had been me? What if I couldn't dance any more? She's so brave." She nods a bit at his introspection. "And now you're back 'cause... you missed it?" she guesses.

"She's a good example as to why drinking and driving is a bad idea." He adds with a groan. "But it probably wouldn't have changed anything. She was hit." Mostly he seems to say it to himself, but he also takes another bite of his chicken. He seems grateful for the change in subject. "I'm back because I realized how boring I am, that I work too much for my age, that my house is where fun goes to die, and because the football coach at the university mentioned a potential scholarship, and any penny I can get into school on that my old man doesn't shell out, is a little less control he'll have over me."

"Dunno," Saya says. "If the driver wasn't drunk, maybe he wouldn't have hit her at all. But... what happened, happened. We can't change it, now." She raises her eyebrows at his list of reasons. "Wow," she says. "That's some compelling logic, there." One side of her mouth quirks up in a little smile. "You wanna be a professional football player after college? Or something else?"

Abe nods, and chuckles. "No, not a professional player. Not that I'd turn my nose up at the pay or the chance, but I'm trying to decide if I want to go into law, or I want to go into engineering. I'm not really sure. Both would please my family, though obviously one more than the other." His last bite is taken before he finally reaches for the lemon water. "What about you? You going to join Ava in changing the world through dance? Or do you have a career in mind? I mean... you're Asian so obviously super advanced robotics expert wearing a tight purple latex body suit is on the table, but what else? If super advanced robotics expert doesn't pan out under the failing academic standards of America?"

"Engineering could be cool," Saya says. "Don't let your parents pressure you too much, though. I mean... if there's something else you like, go for that. Right? Might as well, since it's your life and all." She's only about half-done with her meal, but she reaches for water, too. She pushes her plate a little to one side - she's done eating, for now. She rolls her eyes elaborately at the joke. "Hah-hah," she says in a deadpan voice. "No, I want to be a dancer, professionally. There are some good colleges around. I've already started getting my portfolio together. My mother's ''already'' looking at brochures for UC Riverside and UC Berkeley." She doesn't sound that unhappy about the prospect. "There's other places, too. Juliard, Skidmore, Mason Gross..."

Abe nods, though her deadpan laugh and her lack of appreciation for his joke causes a laugh of his own. "I have plenty of interest in both fields, so I think it should work out well. Though, I think I intend to stick around here and go to school. Unless I get into Brown. I dunno why, just always liked it there." He shifts in his seat, sitting back as he takes another drink of his water. "Good luck with the dancing though. I don't know why I figured you for the type to open a tea room all your own, marry and have that 2.5 kids and a fish." He's teasing though. Lightly.

Saya blinks at him a couple of times. "Are you ''kidding'' me?" she laughs. "Getting pregnant would pretty much be the end of my dancing career. You can't dance for at least a year - nine months of pregnancy, and then recovery. And then, like, it takes a long time to recondition yourself. Sure, it's been done, but not often." She shakes her head. "I might want kids someday. After I retire. I think adoption is a great thing - very good for an overpopulated planet like ours." She tilts her head. "What about you? Gonna find yourself a college sweetheart and settle down as soon as you graduate, start making grandchildren for your parents?"

Abe chuckles, nodding. He'd heard as much before. Hearing it straight from someone like Saya though... it's a little more believable. Her question earns a grin, and a nod. "If I'm completely honest, probably. I want a family though, the younger the better. I'd like to grow up with them, but at the same time I'd like to be young enough when they grow up and move on, to still enjoy my life." Think this out much? Oh, yeah. He takes another sip before fishing a slice of lemon from his glass. "Of course if it goes another way that's cool too." He's obviously easy to please.

"I mean... you ''can'', but... Can you imagine the Swan in Swan Lake with a belly out to here? And you can't pirouette, or do leaps. Balance would be way off. Everything would be limited. All of our teachers are like, DON'T DO IT!" She splays her hands out and widens her eyes, imitating a panicked warning. She listens to his explanation about family with a bit of interest, and smiles at him. "You're a pretty mellow dude, aren't you?"

Abe laughs at the splayed hands and wide eyes. Who wouldn't? "I am, most of the time. I didn't used to be though. I think time away from the chaos of it all helped me prioritize and be, ya know..not a superficial asshole. Pardon my French. Life's too short, ya know?" The slice of lemon is squeezed over his glass before he takes a bite of it, and with all the skill of a daily lemon-eater, too!

Saya's cell phone chimes. "Argh, I gotta get back to being a slave," she tells him. She gathers up their plates, but leaves his glass alone. "It was really nice having an actual conversation with you, Abe." She grins at him. "We should do this again, some time."

Abe chuckles, though a glance to his watch earns a blink. "Wow, that was longer than I thought. My apologies to your parents." He smiles though, nodding as he, too, stands. It's an awkward moment. He doesn't want her to clean his mess and yet... restaurant! He flounders a moment before he resigns to the fact he has to let her. "Yes..look me up one day. I'm on Facebook. It's the boring one that hasn't been posted on in a year." He's teasing. Almost. "Later, Saya." He leaves a tip, awkwardly of course.
}}

Log:Grease Monkeys and Child Labor

2014-06-20T03:44:37Z

Saya:

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:abe-icon.jpg|100px|link=Abe|Abram Shaw]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]]
| summary = Abe and Saya have long known each other - but it's only today that they're starting to really get to know each other.
| location = Golden Wok
This is a rather stereotypical Chinese restaurant. It's not exactly fine dining, nor is it scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to eateries.

The interior is rather average as far as Chinese restaurants go. Ornamental shaped wooden screens usher customers in, leading them to a small podium where one of the young hostesses wait to seat them. The walls are lined with intricate oriental patterns and scenery while deep red and gold paper lanterns hang from the ceiling. Along the walls the occasional Chinese brush painting can be found. Despite the traditional feel, the table and booths that line the room are rather average, composed of dark wood and red leather upholstery.

The restaurant is always clean and tidy.
The menus are aged, appearing to have been printed several years ago.
The menus are printed in Chinese with smaller case English translations.
| gamedate = 2014.04.19
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log = Saturday afternoons are always busy, but for the people dinning inside the Golden Wok, there is little more than peace and quiet. Between the lunch and dinner rush, there is a lull in the activity. Tables have been mostly bussed and those who still linger near their tables are able to chat quietly without lifting their voices. This is really the best time to show up, and that's exactly what Abe does.

Dressed in jeans and a shirt that has seen much better days, Abe appears in the doorway if the establishment. Fresh from work, it would seem, he gives the room a glance as he waits to be seated, only to pick a table near the corner when he finally is.

"Hello, I'll be your waitress for today... Abe?" It's Saya, dressed in neat black slacks, a white button-down shirt, a black vest, and a bright red tie, with her hair in a ponytail. "Hey," she says, relaxing a little bit and grinning at him. "How've you been? What can I get you?"

Abe chuckles as he's recognized. It may even earn a smile from him. "Hey Saya. Chow Mein.. Chicken. Please..I've been good. Sorry I'm such a greasy mess. I've been at work, and I figured starvation trumped shower." His shirt and jeans show offer more than a little dried in oil and grease, not rare for someone who works at a garage. His face and hands are clean at least. "How've you been? It's been a while."

Saya does wrinkle her nose a bit at his greasy clothes, but she's smiling at the same time. "It's not a big deal," she tells him, shaking her head a little. "I've been alright," she says. "Dancing and providing free child labor for my parents," she laughs. "At least you're getting paid to be a... what do they call it? A grease monkey?"

Abe laughs, though the wrinkle of her nose has him glancing down to inspect himself again. "Free labor sounds lame but the dancing doesn't. That's pretty cool." He pauses, thoughtfully even. "Yeah..I guess you could say that. I work part time for Mr. Nolen." Which would be none other than Nolan of Nolan's Body Shop. "I don't know that I could work with dad at his office. I think I'd go crazy."

"Dancing is always cool," Saya says with another smile. "Not so much the audience, sometimes." She rolls her eyes and shakes her head slightly. "What's your dad do?" she asks. Before he has a chance to answer that she blurts, "I just realized that you and I have never actually had a real conversation. How is that possible? We've had a million classes together, and last year, with the football..." she trails off.

Abe smirks lightly at the trailing of her voice. Football. It always catches people. No one knows what to say, and that seems fine with him. "I'm quiet." He reminders her, moving on past the mysterious football topic, "But I played this year. That has to earn me points back, right?" His next grin is much calmer, he even waves to the seat across from him. "If they'll let you take a break you and have a real conversation with me now. If..you're not shamed to be seen with a grease monkey." He then pauses. "Oh, and my dad's a lawyer... dull. I know."

"I could probably sit," Saya says. "But I have to place your order, first." She grins at him and wiggles her pen over the order pad. "I'll be right back." And off she goes, darting into the back. She'll be gone for about ten minutes, only to come back with his food - and something for herself to eat, as well as two glasses of lemon water.

Abe hums happily as she returns with food. The fact she's eating too is even better, as it relaxes the moment so much more. "Many thank yous." he chuckles to her, pulling his own meal in front of him before taking a moment to snap the ever present (and loved by all Americans) chopsticks apart. "So are you gonna go out for cheering again? Or is that a road best left behind you?"

Saya snaps her own apart, puts them side-by-side between her hands, and rubs her hands together to get rid of the odd splinter. "You're welcome!" she says. "Thank you for your business, as they make me say." She has a bite and thinks about his questions. But not for long. "Nah. i'm done with that. It was fun for a little while - but then it got boring. Just the same thing over and over again. It wasn't challenging, after a while. Not like ballet."

Abe chuckles, taking a bite of his own. "Ya know..you're cheering for everyone else. It's only supposed to be fun for everyone else. Right? That's why cheer uniforms are so uncomfortable looking. Everything is geared make us drop the ball or run into a goal post..or, that's what movies tell us anyway. I assume they'd never lie to us." He's teasing of course, between bites no less. "I can honestly say though that I'm just talking out my head. I can understand where 'B-E Aggressive' would get old after the three hundredth time."

Saya giggles. "They're not uncomfortable," she says. "And compared to a leotard they're downright modest. But yeah..." she shrugs. "I can only scream 'Go Team' so many times before I want to shoot something." She shakes her head and eats a bit more. "But I hear you're getting back into football and everything. How's that going for you?"

Abe laughs, though a few seconds later he shrugs a shoulder. "It's gone okay. The coach was happy. A few of the guys. Monroe hates playing Safety so when they announced I was coming back I thought he was going to hug me and burst into tears." He takes a bite, but there's little hiding the amusement that the comparison of cheer outfit and leotard get. He's only male, after all. "Mm." he swallows. "Have you ever looked at a leotard and been like..yeah, this was either designed by a man or a stripper?" because clear that's where he ends up with it. "And here we are putting our most graceful women in them to dance, slowly, on stage. And for big bucks too. Someone had his head screwed on right." Thank you Russia! "Women got their revenge though. They invented football pants." beat, "And baseball uniforms."

Saya starts laughing when he begins talking about leotards and doesn't stop all through baseball uniforms. "Oh, geeze, you're totally right," she laughs. "Leotards were invented by a man. Jules Leotard," she says. "The guy who invented the flying trapeze. But he made them for himself, and then later female dancers starte wearing them. Before that there was, you know, tights and a tutu and a fitted top." She snickers again. "Football pants," she says into her next bite, still amused.

Abe ahs..clearly he didn't know that, judging by the very shocked (and perhaps disgusted) expression that crosses his features at mention of the trapeze artists intentions. He moves on. "Tutu's. I vote you guys go back to tutus." Why exactly he thinks as much she may never know. "But football pants..they're just padded tights. We're not as graceful as you. It's hard getting them on, but getting them off is absolute hell."

"We still wear them," Saya says with a grin. "For performances, sometimes. But why bother during rehearsals?" She snorts in laughter at the image of the football pants, and shakes her head. "Just put some muscle into it!" she teases. "Isn't that what you guys are good at?" She eats some more. "Anyway... I've always wondered why you ever quit the football team last year. Everyone wondered. Is it okay if I ask why?"

Abe bites his lower lip thoughtfully as he runs the question through his mind. It's not the first time he's been asked, but every time is shaky. "Well.." he begins with a low tone, "Do you remember Abigale Rae's accident? Homecoming night last year?" It was a very big deal when it happened. The popular student body vice president was struck by a suspected drunk driver leaving Doug's party and was left partially paralyzed. The driver was never found, and the girl had gone on happy with her life..in a wheelchair. He just shrugs. "After all that happened being so wrapped up in petty clique wars and spending my time concerned about popularity and high school sports seemed kinda lame. I just didn't have it in me." He takes a bite of chicken, chewing it silently. "I gained perspective I guess."

Saya nods, looking sad and thoughtful when he mentions Abigale's accident. "That was aweful," she says quietly. "She's so lucky she wasn't killed. Every time I see her in the hallway, rolling around in that wheelchair, I think, gawd, what if that had been me? What if I couldn't dance any more? She's so brave." She nods a bit at his introspection. "And now you're back 'cause... you missed it?" she guesses.

"She's a good example as to why drinking and driving is a bad idea." He adds with a groan. "But it probably wouldn't have changed anything. She was hit.." Mostly he seems to say it to himself, but he also takes another bite of his chicken. He seems grateful for the change in subject. "I'm back because I realized how boring I am, that I work too much for my age, that my house is where fun goes to dieand because the football coach at the university mentioned a potential scholarship, and any penny I can get into school on that my old man doesn't shell out, is a little less control he'll have over me."

"Dunno," Saya says. "If the driver wasn't drunk, maybe he wouldn't have hit her at all. But... what happened, happened. We can't change it, now." She raises her eyebrows at his list of reasons. "Wow," she says. "That's some compelling logic, there." One side of her mouth quirks up in a little smile. "You wanna be a professional football player after college? Or something else?"

Abe nods, and chuckles. "No, not a professional player. Not that I'd turn my nose up at the pay or the chance, but I'm trying to decide if I want to go into law, or I want to go into engineering. I'm not really sure. Both would please my family, though obviously one more than the other." His last bit is taken before he finally reaches for the lemon water. "What about you? You going to join Ava in changing the world through dance? Or do you have a career in mind? I mean..you're Asian so obviously super advanced robotics expert wearing a tight purple latex body suit is on the table, but what else? If super advanced robotics expert doesn't pan out under the failing academic standards of America?"

"Engineering could be cool," Saya says. "Don't let your parents pressure you too much, though. I mean... if there's something else you like, go for that. Right? Might as well, since it's your life and all." She's only about half-done with her meal, but she reaches for water, too. She pushes her plate a little to one side - she's done eating, for now. She rolls her eyes elaborately at the joke. "Hah-hah," she says in a deadpan voice. "No, I want to be a dancer, professionally. There are some good colleges around. I've already started getting my portfolio together. My mother's ''already'' looking at brochures for UC Riverside and UC Berkeley." She doesn't sound that unhappy about the prospect. "There's other places, too. Juliard, Skidmore, Mason Gross..."

Abe nods, though her deadpan laugh and her lack of appreciation for his joke causes a laugh of his own. "I have plenty of interest in both fields, so I think it should work out well. Though, I think I intend to stick around here and go to school. Unless I get into Brown. I dunno why, just always liked it there." He shifts in his seat, sitting back as he takes another drink of his water. "Good luck with the dancing though. I don't know why I figured you for the type to open a tea room all your own, marry and have that 2.5 kids and a fish." He's teasing though. Lightly.

Saya blinks at him a couple of times. "Are you ''kidding'' me?" she laughs. "Getting pregnant would pretty much be the end of my dancing career. You can't dance for at least a year - nine months of pregnancy, and then recovery. And then, like, it takes a long time to recondition yourself. Sure, it's been done, but not often." She shakes her head. "I might want kids someday. After I retire. I think adoption is a great thing - very good for an overpopulated planet like ours." She tilts her head. "What about you? Gonna find yourself a college sweetheart and settle down as soon as you graduate, start making grandchildren for your parents?"

Abe chuckles, nodding. He'd heard as much before. Hearing it straight from someone like Saya though..it's a little more believable. Her question earns a grin, and a nod. "If I'm completely honest, probably. I want a family though, the younger the better. I'd like to grow up with them, but at the same time I'd like to be young enough when they grow up and move on, to still enjoy my life." Think this out much? Oh yeah. He takes another sip before fishing a slice of lemon from his glass. "Of course if it goes another way that's cool too." He's obviously easy to please.

"I mean... you ''can'', but... Can you imagine the Swan in Swan Lake with a belly out to here? And you can't pirouette, or do leaps. Balance would be way off. Everything would be limited. All of our teachers are like, DON'T DO IT!" She splays her hands out and widens her eyes, imitating a panicked warning. She listens to his explanation about family with a bit of interest, and smiles at him. "You're a pretty mellow dude, aren't you?"

Abe laughs at the splayed hands and wide eyes. Who wouldn't? "I am, most of the time. I didn't used to be though. I think tome away from the chaos of it all helped me prioritize and be, ya know..not a superficial asshole. Pardon my French. Life's to short, ya know?" The slice of lemon is squeezed over his glass before betakes a bite of it, and with all the skill of a daily lemon eater too!

Saya's cell phone chimes. "Argh, I gotta get back to being a slave," she tells him. She gathers up their plates, but leaves his glass alone. "It was really nice having an actual conversation with you, Abe." She grins at him. "We should do this again, some time."

Abe chuckles, though a glance to his watch earns a blink. "Wow, that was longer than I thought. My apologies to your parents." He smiles though, nodding as he too stands. It's an awkward moment. He doesn't want her to clean his mess and yet....restaurant! He flounders a moment before he resigns to the fact he has to let her. "Yes..look me up one day. I'm on Facebook. It's the boring one that hasn't been posted on in a year." He's teasing. Almost. "Later Saya." He leaves a tip, awkwardly of course.
}}

Log:Grease Monkeys and Child Labor

2014-06-20T03:44:20Z

Saya: Created page with "{{ Log | cast = Abram Shaw Saya Takahashi | summary = Abe and Saya have long known each other - ..."

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:noah-icon.jpg|100px|link=Abe|Abram Shaw]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]]
| summary = Abe and Saya have long known each other - but it's only today that they're starting to really get to know each other.
| location = Golden Wok
This is a rather stereotypical Chinese restaurant. It's not exactly fine dining, nor is it scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to eateries.

The interior is rather average as far as Chinese restaurants go. Ornamental shaped wooden screens usher customers in, leading them to a small podium where one of the young hostesses wait to seat them. The walls are lined with intricate oriental patterns and scenery while deep red and gold paper lanterns hang from the ceiling. Along the walls the occasional Chinese brush painting can be found. Despite the traditional feel, the table and booths that line the room are rather average, composed of dark wood and red leather upholstery.

The restaurant is always clean and tidy.
The menus are aged, appearing to have been printed several years ago.
The menus are printed in Chinese with smaller case English translations.
| gamedate = 2014.04.19
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log = Saturday afternoons are always busy, but for the people dinning inside the Golden Wok, there is little more than peace and quiet. Between the lunch and dinner rush, there is a lull in the activity. Tables have been mostly bussed and those who still linger near their tables are able to chat quietly without lifting their voices. This is really the best time to show up, and that's exactly what Abe does.

Dressed in jeans and a shirt that has seen much better days, Abe appears in the doorway if the establishment. Fresh from work, it would seem, he gives the room a glance as he waits to be seated, only to pick a table near the corner when he finally is.

"Hello, I'll be your waitress for today... Abe?" It's Saya, dressed in neat black slacks, a white button-down shirt, a black vest, and a bright red tie, with her hair in a ponytail. "Hey," she says, relaxing a little bit and grinning at him. "How've you been? What can I get you?"

Abe chuckles as he's recognized. It may even earn a smile from him. "Hey Saya. Chow Mein.. Chicken. Please..I've been good. Sorry I'm such a greasy mess. I've been at work, and I figured starvation trumped shower." His shirt and jeans show offer more than a little dried in oil and grease, not rare for someone who works at a garage. His face and hands are clean at least. "How've you been? It's been a while."

Saya does wrinkle her nose a bit at his greasy clothes, but she's smiling at the same time. "It's not a big deal," she tells him, shaking her head a little. "I've been alright," she says. "Dancing and providing free child labor for my parents," she laughs. "At least you're getting paid to be a... what do they call it? A grease monkey?"

Abe laughs, though the wrinkle of her nose has him glancing down to inspect himself again. "Free labor sounds lame but the dancing doesn't. That's pretty cool." He pauses, thoughtfully even. "Yeah..I guess you could say that. I work part time for Mr. Nolen." Which would be none other than Nolan of Nolan's Body Shop. "I don't know that I could work with dad at his office. I think I'd go crazy."

"Dancing is always cool," Saya says with another smile. "Not so much the audience, sometimes." She rolls her eyes and shakes her head slightly. "What's your dad do?" she asks. Before he has a chance to answer that she blurts, "I just realized that you and I have never actually had a real conversation. How is that possible? We've had a million classes together, and last year, with the football..." she trails off.

Abe smirks lightly at the trailing of her voice. Football. It always catches people. No one knows what to say, and that seems fine with him. "I'm quiet." He reminders her, moving on past the mysterious football topic, "But I played this year. That has to earn me points back, right?" His next grin is much calmer, he even waves to the seat across from him. "If they'll let you take a break you and have a real conversation with me now. If..you're not shamed to be seen with a grease monkey." He then pauses. "Oh, and my dad's a lawyer... dull. I know."

"I could probably sit," Saya says. "But I have to place your order, first." She grins at him and wiggles her pen over the order pad. "I'll be right back." And off she goes, darting into the back. She'll be gone for about ten minutes, only to come back with his food - and something for herself to eat, as well as two glasses of lemon water.

Abe hums happily as she returns with food. The fact she's eating too is even better, as it relaxes the moment so much more. "Many thank yous." he chuckles to her, pulling his own meal in front of him before taking a moment to snap the ever present (and loved by all Americans) chopsticks apart. "So are you gonna go out for cheering again? Or is that a road best left behind you?"

Saya snaps her own apart, puts them side-by-side between her hands, and rubs her hands together to get rid of the odd splinter. "You're welcome!" she says. "Thank you for your business, as they make me say." She has a bite and thinks about his questions. But not for long. "Nah. i'm done with that. It was fun for a little while - but then it got boring. Just the same thing over and over again. It wasn't challenging, after a while. Not like ballet."

Abe chuckles, taking a bite of his own. "Ya know..you're cheering for everyone else. It's only supposed to be fun for everyone else. Right? That's why cheer uniforms are so uncomfortable looking. Everything is geared make us drop the ball or run into a goal post..or, that's what movies tell us anyway. I assume they'd never lie to us." He's teasing of course, between bites no less. "I can honestly say though that I'm just talking out my head. I can understand where 'B-E Aggressive' would get old after the three hundredth time."

Saya giggles. "They're not uncomfortable," she says. "And compared to a leotard they're downright modest. But yeah..." she shrugs. "I can only scream 'Go Team' so many times before I want to shoot something." She shakes her head and eats a bit more. "But I hear you're getting back into football and everything. How's that going for you?"

Abe laughs, though a few seconds later he shrugs a shoulder. "It's gone okay. The coach was happy. A few of the guys. Monroe hates playing Safety so when they announced I was coming back I thought he was going to hug me and burst into tears." He takes a bite, but there's little hiding the amusement that the comparison of cheer outfit and leotard get. He's only male, after all. "Mm." he swallows. "Have you ever looked at a leotard and been like..yeah, this was either designed by a man or a stripper?" because clear that's where he ends up with it. "And here we are putting our most graceful women in them to dance, slowly, on stage. And for big bucks too. Someone had his head screwed on right." Thank you Russia! "Women got their revenge though. They invented football pants." beat, "And baseball uniforms."

Saya starts laughing when he begins talking about leotards and doesn't stop all through baseball uniforms. "Oh, geeze, you're totally right," she laughs. "Leotards were invented by a man. Jules Leotard," she says. "The guy who invented the flying trapeze. But he made them for himself, and then later female dancers starte wearing them. Before that there was, you know, tights and a tutu and a fitted top." She snickers again. "Football pants," she says into her next bite, still amused.

Abe ahs..clearly he didn't know that, judging by the very shocked (and perhaps disgusted) expression that crosses his features at mention of the trapeze artists intentions. He moves on. "Tutu's. I vote you guys go back to tutus." Why exactly he thinks as much she may never know. "But football pants..they're just padded tights. We're not as graceful as you. It's hard getting them on, but getting them off is absolute hell."

"We still wear them," Saya says with a grin. "For performances, sometimes. But why bother during rehearsals?" She snorts in laughter at the image of the football pants, and shakes her head. "Just put some muscle into it!" she teases. "Isn't that what you guys are good at?" She eats some more. "Anyway... I've always wondered why you ever quit the football team last year. Everyone wondered. Is it okay if I ask why?"

Abe bites his lower lip thoughtfully as he runs the question through his mind. It's not the first time he's been asked, but every time is shaky. "Well.." he begins with a low tone, "Do you remember Abigale Rae's accident? Homecoming night last year?" It was a very big deal when it happened. The popular student body vice president was struck by a suspected drunk driver leaving Doug's party and was left partially paralyzed. The driver was never found, and the girl had gone on happy with her life..in a wheelchair. He just shrugs. "After all that happened being so wrapped up in petty clique wars and spending my time concerned about popularity and high school sports seemed kinda lame. I just didn't have it in me." He takes a bite of chicken, chewing it silently. "I gained perspective I guess."

Saya nods, looking sad and thoughtful when he mentions Abigale's accident. "That was aweful," she says quietly. "She's so lucky she wasn't killed. Every time I see her in the hallway, rolling around in that wheelchair, I think, gawd, what if that had been me? What if I couldn't dance any more? She's so brave." She nods a bit at his introspection. "And now you're back 'cause... you missed it?" she guesses.

"She's a good example as to why drinking and driving is a bad idea." He adds with a groan. "But it probably wouldn't have changed anything. She was hit.." Mostly he seems to say it to himself, but he also takes another bite of his chicken. He seems grateful for the change in subject. "I'm back because I realized how boring I am, that I work too much for my age, that my house is where fun goes to dieand because the football coach at the university mentioned a potential scholarship, and any penny I can get into school on that my old man doesn't shell out, is a little less control he'll have over me."

"Dunno," Saya says. "If the driver wasn't drunk, maybe he wouldn't have hit her at all. But... what happened, happened. We can't change it, now." She raises her eyebrows at his list of reasons. "Wow," she says. "That's some compelling logic, there." One side of her mouth quirks up in a little smile. "You wanna be a professional football player after college? Or something else?"

Abe nods, and chuckles. "No, not a professional player. Not that I'd turn my nose up at the pay or the chance, but I'm trying to decide if I want to go into law, or I want to go into engineering. I'm not really sure. Both would please my family, though obviously one more than the other." His last bit is taken before he finally reaches for the lemon water. "What about you? You going to join Ava in changing the world through dance? Or do you have a career in mind? I mean..you're Asian so obviously super advanced robotics expert wearing a tight purple latex body suit is on the table, but what else? If super advanced robotics expert doesn't pan out under the failing academic standards of America?"

"Engineering could be cool," Saya says. "Don't let your parents pressure you too much, though. I mean... if there's something else you like, go for that. Right? Might as well, since it's your life and all." She's only about half-done with her meal, but she reaches for water, too. She pushes her plate a little to one side - she's done eating, for now. She rolls her eyes elaborately at the joke. "Hah-hah," she says in a deadpan voice. "No, I want to be a dancer, professionally. There are some good colleges around. I've already started getting my portfolio together. My mother's ''already'' looking at brochures for UC Riverside and UC Berkeley." She doesn't sound that unhappy about the prospect. "There's other places, too. Juliard, Skidmore, Mason Gross..."

Abe nods, though her deadpan laugh and her lack of appreciation for his joke causes a laugh of his own. "I have plenty of interest in both fields, so I think it should work out well. Though, I think I intend to stick around here and go to school. Unless I get into Brown. I dunno why, just always liked it there." He shifts in his seat, sitting back as he takes another drink of his water. "Good luck with the dancing though. I don't know why I figured you for the type to open a tea room all your own, marry and have that 2.5 kids and a fish." He's teasing though. Lightly.

Saya blinks at him a couple of times. "Are you ''kidding'' me?" she laughs. "Getting pregnant would pretty much be the end of my dancing career. You can't dance for at least a year - nine months of pregnancy, and then recovery. And then, like, it takes a long time to recondition yourself. Sure, it's been done, but not often." She shakes her head. "I might want kids someday. After I retire. I think adoption is a great thing - very good for an overpopulated planet like ours." She tilts her head. "What about you? Gonna find yourself a college sweetheart and settle down as soon as you graduate, start making grandchildren for your parents?"

Abe chuckles, nodding. He'd heard as much before. Hearing it straight from someone like Saya though..it's a little more believable. Her question earns a grin, and a nod. "If I'm completely honest, probably. I want a family though, the younger the better. I'd like to grow up with them, but at the same time I'd like to be young enough when they grow up and move on, to still enjoy my life." Think this out much? Oh yeah. He takes another sip before fishing a slice of lemon from his glass. "Of course if it goes another way that's cool too." He's obviously easy to please.

"I mean... you ''can'', but... Can you imagine the Swan in Swan Lake with a belly out to here? And you can't pirouette, or do leaps. Balance would be way off. Everything would be limited. All of our teachers are like, DON'T DO IT!" She splays her hands out and widens her eyes, imitating a panicked warning. She listens to his explanation about family with a bit of interest, and smiles at him. "You're a pretty mellow dude, aren't you?"

Abe laughs at the splayed hands and wide eyes. Who wouldn't? "I am, most of the time. I didn't used to be though. I think tome away from the chaos of it all helped me prioritize and be, ya know..not a superficial asshole. Pardon my French. Life's to short, ya know?" The slice of lemon is squeezed over his glass before betakes a bite of it, and with all the skill of a daily lemon eater too!

Saya's cell phone chimes. "Argh, I gotta get back to being a slave," she tells him. She gathers up their plates, but leaves his glass alone. "It was really nice having an actual conversation with you, Abe." She grins at him. "We should do this again, some time."

Abe chuckles, though a glance to his watch earns a blink. "Wow, that was longer than I thought. My apologies to your parents." He smiles though, nodding as he too stands. It's an awkward moment. He doesn't want her to clean his mess and yet....restaurant! He flounders a moment before he resigns to the fact he has to let her. "Yes..look me up one day. I'm on Facebook. It's the boring one that hasn't been posted on in a year." He's teasing. Almost. "Later Saya." He leaves a tip, awkwardly of course.
}}

Saya/rep

2014-06-19T20:04:14Z

Saya:

'''Public''' 
Saya is the pretty daughter of Kagami and Ichiro Takahashi, a hard-working couple who owns two small businesses, the Golden Wok and the Gold Leaf Tea Room. Saya has occasionally been seen helping out in both of them. She has a twin brother named Ryuu. She is dedicated to learning ballet, has good grades, and seems like a good kid.
 
'''School''' 
Saya's reputation at school is that of a hard-working girl who loves to dance. Her dedication to ballet and her excellent grades has meant that she hasn't always had time for too many after-school activities, much less a boyfriend. Despite that, she's nice and she's pretty, and she is reasonably popular. Some may call her athletic and feisty, while others may call her stubborn and intense. Still, almost everyone considers her to be a generally nice girl.

Saya/rep

2014-06-19T20:00:08Z

Saya:

'''Public''' 
Saya is the pretty daughter of Kagami and Ichiro Takahashi, a hard-working couple who owns two small businesses, the Golden Wok and the Gold Leaf Tea Room. Saya has occasionally been seen helping out in the kitchen of the Golden Wok. She has a twin brother named Ryuu. She is dedicated to learning ballet, has good grades, and seems like a good kid.
 
'''School''' 
Saya's reputation at school is that of a hard-working girl who loves to dance. Her dedication to ballet and her excellent grades has meant that she hasn't always had time for too many after-school activities, much less a boyfriend. Despite that, she's nice and she's pretty, and she is reasonably popular. Some may call her athletic and feisty, while others may call her stubborn and intense. Still, almost everyone considers her to be a generally nice girl.

Abe/facts

2014-06-19T19:57:16Z

Saya:

: <li> Abe plays the position of Safety for North Shore High. Though he quit in the middle of his sophomore year, the team was happy to take him back this year. So far he's proven useful.
: <li> Abe loves to go to the drive-in on Wednesdays to watch the black & white flicks. He's a fan of the oldies, especially the horror movies.
: <li> Abe works at Nolen's Body Shop on weekends and sometimes after school.

Abe/RP Hooks

2014-06-19T19:56:08Z

Saya:

* Abe's father is a partner in the Bishop & Shaw Law firm.
* Abe's mother is a well-known socialite with much of her spare time spent volunteering at local soup kitchens and homeless shelters.
* Abe's character comes with an attached 'Secret'. Not shared until character approval.

Abe/rep

2014-06-19T19:55:12Z

Saya:

'''Public:''' 
Son of local lawyer Fredrick Shaw, Abe is a common face around town. Even after his strange and unexplained withdrawal last year, many people (adults) tend to look upon him as little more than a young man finding himself in life. His peers see it as someone who is hiding something. Something that was either too embarrassing to admit to, or too shameful to confess. Whatever it is, his complete change, followed by his new attempts to step back into the social circles, are being met with the occasional scowl and whispered remark.
 
'''School:''' 
You remember Abe, right? Popular, good looking, safety his freshman and half his sophomore year, then all of a sudden he dropped everything and started hanging out in the back of the parking lot at lunch with all the losers. Never been the same since. I hear he's on drugs, but who knows? He's back on the team this year. Maybe he's making a comeback.

Log:Noah to the Rescue

2014-06-19T03:41:58Z

Saya: Noah comes to Saya's rescue, and she joins him and Ellis for some conversation.

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:noah-icon.jpg|100px|link=Noah|Noah Goodman]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]]
| summary = Noah comes to Saya's rescue, and she joins him and Ellis for some conversation.
| location = '''South Beach Boardwalk''' 
The scent of sea spray hangs on each breeze that ripples the waves along this peaceful yet popular boardwalk. Underfoot the wooden planks of the pier echo with your steps, if that is, you can single out your own motions against that of the crowds around you. Lining both sides of the pier way, shops and buildings have been built upon stilts, allowing them to rest above the waves, their windows offering a beautiful view out over the oceans beautiful blue waves.

People move along at a leisurely pace.
Tables scatter various parts of the pier, often outside cafe's.
Specialty shops, clothing shops, & tourist traps are all found here.
Colorful awnings along the storefronts create an almost cinematic look.

Located Here:
Culture Corner <CC>
Copper Tap Coffee House <CH>
Ricky's Ribs and Wings <RR>
| gamedate = 2014.04.18
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log =There's nothing like a summer storm (or a rash of summer storms) to make one appreciate the clear blue sys and fresh spring weather that only California can offer. Overhead the gulls glide lazily on the breeze, while below people make their way lazily around the boardwalk. Shops have opened their doors to invite the smell of the ocean in, while workers work to sweep away the piles of sand that the storm carried away from the nearby beaches. From Ricky's Ribs and Wings comes the typical loudly played music, the weekly top 40 playing for those who dare to approach the hive of teens and families that swarm it.

But Noah isn't at Ricky's Ribs and Wings, he's slouched at a table outside of Culture Corner, a half-eaten salad in from of him as he flips a page in his book. His phone is resting on the table next to him, though the English girl normally in his back pocket is nowhere to be seen. It's rare, but it does happen.

Within sight of Noah's seat, somewhat down the boardwalk, is a row of buskers doing their performance art for tips from passing pedestrians. There's a mime, a clown making elaborate balloon animals, a hip-hop dancing team breaking it down to a rhythmic song being played on a retro stereo... and as far from that as she can get, is Saya. Not far from her, but unrelated, is a violinist who's delivering a fair approximation of Beethoven, and Saya? She's doing ballet. Wearing battered toe shoes, a black leotard, and a filmy knee-length skirt. If one had never seen her out of street clothes, before, they might be surprised by how muscular her legs look, and how wirey her frame is - she may be short and thin, but she's also obviously all muscle, without an ounce of extra fat. Saya's dancing is quite accomplished for a girl her age, at once graceful and energetic, and there's a confidence in her aloof expression as well.

Occasionally, passers-by will stop and watch her dance, and stop to put a dollar or five into the little brass collection bucket she has in front of her space. There's always one rotten apple in the bunch, though. A man of about thirty years old stops to watch, and his expression isn't appreciative in the right way. He waves a $20 bill toward her. "Hey, there," he says to her. When she doesn't respond (too busy dancing) he tries again. "Hey, Chinkerbelle. You wanna come a little closer? Wanna work for it, huh? Me likey," he taunts her. "Make me happy long time," he suggests with a leer.

Tucking her phone into her pocket as she steps out of Culture Corner lets out a sigh only to drop into a seat beside Noah having spotted the boy just in time to keep from passing by first. "Why do people have to be so annoying sometimes?" she asks, the question clearly rhetorical. Lifting an elbow to the table she tilts her head against her hand only to roll her eyes at the man with the money. "And that's just rude."

Noah brows arch gently as he spots the man. "I know right." He responds to Ellis. He also seems less than inclined to stay out of it. There ''is'' one in every bunch. But this one is loud enough, and rotten enough that the teen climbs to his feet, taking his board and bag as he moves toward the couple. He also lifts his phone as he moves behind the man, side stepping to face the both of them with the phone. "Hey sir, we're interviewing local pedophiles for our local project with the Lantern Hill PD junior safety patrol, ran by my dad of course. So tell me, when did you realize you were a mentally ill? Has it effected your sex life? Statics show that 87% of pedophiles have almost 57 hours' worth of cheap pornography on their home computers and that a nearly equal number of them suffer from premature ejaculation. Is this true?" beat, "Oh, and talk into the camera. I want a good shot for the report."

For her part, Saya stops dancing once she hears the racial slur. There are a few moments where she's utterly still, glaring death at him, unable to think of what to say and extremely pissed off. And then Noah arrives. What he says to the man has her grinning from ear-to-ear, and she claps a hand over her mouth to stifle the giggles.

The man turns beet red. And he turns and storms off - bystanders laugh at his exit.

"My hero!" Saya exclaims. She snatches up her tip bucket and does a fancy little dance move that ends with a whirl and her standing next to him. "Just for that, I'm gonna buy you a coffee," she declares. "Or something. Were you eating? Lemme buy you whatever it was," she urges. "And then I will talk you up to Amelia, so she knows what a great boyfriend she has," she says with a grin.

Ellis blinks as Noah sets off without a word, but then when he starts to speak to the man a smile slowly creeps across her face. Laughing she rises to meet the pair, Noah and Saya. "That was absolutely brilliant Noah," she replies with a grin. "Sorry you had to deal with him," added to the other girl. "But almost worth it for the look on his face? Almost."

Noah looks almost disappointed as the man rushes away, but Ellis and the small dance from the Asian help to distract him from said disappointment. He even blushes a little at Saya's ravings, ducking is head as his hand reaches to rube at the back of his neck. "It's okay. I don't like perverted creeps. No one should have to be degraded like that." He turns and heads back toward the restaurant with the girls, though he eventually glances back, "Oh, and I already paid, thanks though that's pretty sweet. But you can talk me up to Amelia. Puppy or not, we all know it's just a matter of time before I actually have to /actively/ date her." He's joking, which is mostly clear by his grin, but those close to the pair know that a flirty Noah is a thing of fiction. Some guys just don't have that portion of the brain. "But you can sit with us. Counter Culture's not bad. My dad has me on a zero sugar diet. Staying up for three days will do that to parents." Ellis gets a grin as well as he reached to turn her back toward their table, before it gets bussed.

"You have got to put that on YouTube," Saya says with another laugh. "Holy crap, that dude's face needs to be all ''over'' the Internet, seriously." She just beams at Noah. "Thank you. Really - thank you. I don't know what I would have done." Ellis gets a smile, too. "Thanks," she says. "I'm Saya - what's your name? Uh... I know I've seen you around school." She nods at the invitation and will join them at their table, taking her tip bucket and stopping to grab a duffle bag from her performance spot on the way.

Randomly, an older couple stops them. "We saw what happened," says the woman, squinting at them through prescription sunglasses. "Yeah," agrees her husband. "You know, we put three daughters through ballet classes - none of 'em stuck with it. But I think I'd have killed someone who talked to them that way." The wife nods. "You're a brave boy," she tells Noah. "Your parents should be ''proud''."

"Really now? I didn't know your dad was able to sway you like that. Now if I were to say the same thing about me and my grandmother..." Well that wouldn't surprise anyone by the way Ellis says it. "Speaking of which, that would drive the woman mad don't you think?" Its a thought at least. Of course as the older couple stops them she quickly puts whatever might have come next to silence.

Must. Fade. Into. Background.

Noah could literally ''die'' as the couple stops them, and while he does the polite thing, smiling and nodding with a mumbled 'thank you', there's a very apprehensive and red-faced quality about him. The second they are out of sight, his hood is drawn and he sinks even deeper into the light weight hoodie he wears. "It's not a sway. Sugar messes with my head. And it makes me hyper and keeps me awake, and then I fall asleep leaning against the fridge." He sighs at the small confession, though he does slip his attention back toward Saya. "This is Ellis. She's crap at introducing herself."

Saya is kind of embarrassed by the old couple, too, but smiles at them until they're gone. Then she turns back to her two companions. "Wow, that's a long name," Saya jokes, grinning at Ellis. "You're, um, Donovan's girlfriend, right?" she asks curiously. To Noah she shrugs a little. "I don't eat sugar, either," she tells him. "Well, sometimes I do. If it comes in ice-cream."

Ellis hmms, "Oh, yes," she nods in reply to Saya's question. "Sugar isn't so terrible. Unless you're Noah maybe," she tacks the last on with a grin towards the boy. "But I'm sorry, yes, Ellis. You're a wonderful dancer, you must have been taking lessons for a long time..?"

Noah chuckles, relaxing some as the attention on them wanes. He seems even happier as the conversation slips to Ellis, allowing him to settle at the table and return to his salad. Or, at least return to his water with the occasional munch given to a remaining stick of celery. He only stays out for a moment. "Ice cream? I haven't had that in forever. I try to keep my diet clean..but I fail sometimes. I have a soft spot for coke." He pauses, "Cola, I mean. Sodanot like..COKE." Just in case she needs to that cleared up.

"Thanks!" Saya say, brightening at the compliment. "There's a lot I need to work on, but... well, I've been taking lessons since I was eight. So... like, half my life." She nods a little, considering that. "Wow." Her eyes widen at Noah's hasty backpedaling about which kind of Coke he likes, and then she laughs. "Dude, you're hilarious," she states. "I can't eat too much junk food," she admits, settling into a chair (have they really been standing this whole time?) and reaching into her duffel bag to drag out a light cotton sort of poncho thing, which she shrugs on over her leotard. "Gotta fuel up with the right stuff, you know?"

"I've taken a few lessons, but I'm not nearly as good as you," Ellis replies with a smile, only to shake her head at Noah. "I don't think anyone would have thought otherwise. Not coming from you anyway," she tease. Her phone buzzes and she fishes it out of her pocket glancing at the display with a sigh. "Ugh, well, have a good day," she offers the pair excusing herself to take the call.

Noah chuckles, blushing yet again for the billionth time this hour. It isn't until Ellis stands and exits so abruptly that he really relaxed. "She's nice people." He points out, leaning back in his seat. "You are good though. Like Ava good, or maybe better even." It may not mean much to Saya, but comparison to the future starlet is actually a very big compliment. "And you make me a lot less nervous, so there ya go." He lifts his drink to his lips, taking a deep sip as his eyes narrow toward a passing group.

"Bye!" Saya says when Ellis departs. She picks up the menu that was just now dropped off by an employee and looks it over. "Hm," she says, frowning in thought. "Yeah, she seems nice," she agrees, looking up at Noah and nodding. She blushes a little at the compliment. "Well, thanks," she tells him. "She's really good," she tells him. Then she raises her eyebrows. "Why does she make you nervous?" she asks.

Noah shrugs, looking back toward his phone again. Noah does not make eye-contact, which is easily apparent. "I dunno...Ava makes me nervous because she has no concept of personal space. Ellis makes me nervous because she's ... I dunno. Really friendly. But close to you kind of friendly, and she expects more of a reaction than I tend to give. But I like both of them."

"Dancers just ''do'' that," Saya says, reaching up to rub her forehead a little. "The no-personal-space thing. 'Cause all we do when we dance together is -- well, it's all really physical. Like, guys lift the girls up over their heads, and twirl them around and stuff, you know? You can't be embarrassed about that kind of thing - you ''have'' to get over your taboos about it. Sometimes we forget to turn our inhibitions back on in public," she says with a little laugh.

Noah looks VERY uncomfortable at the sudden revelation. "Oh..." he allows with a weak laugh. "Is that all. Just get over it?" He tries to keep it light of course, but there's no mistaking his doubt there. "Well..can dancers get over their taboo of being all up in the Noah bubble?" This is an attempt at a joke. One that earns her an apologetic grin before he shoves a slice of cucumber into his mouth. Anything not to speak!

"Well, you could just ask," Saya says reasonably. "I'm kind of careful about it, you know, outside of the studio. My parents gave me a lecture that is still ringing in my ears," she chuckles. "But really, if someone's in your bubble, just be like, Hey, could you give me some elbow room, please? And if they don't respect that, you know, that's just rude."

Noah nods, smiling, though the grin ends up directed more to his cup than the Asian. At least for a moment. "So you met Donovan? How'd that happen? He hardly does anything but work." This cues his curiosity at least, which returns him to his somewhat decent facade of normalcy. "He's a nice guy. He and Ellis are kinda good together."

"At the museum," Saya says. "I was staring at this huge, like, grafitti painting of this woman with hair, like, everywhere, and he came up and we started talking about the painting. It was pretty cool. He is nice." She orders something from the menu when the waiter comes up and hands it over. "Kind of wish I had a boyfriend," she laments. "But who has the ''time''?"

Noah chuckles. "I'm sure you could have a boyfriend really easily. Or at least get dates, but I don't know what the big deal is. If I wasn't with Amelia I would just stay by myself. It's easier not trying to make sure I don't say the wrong thing to much. Luckily she's forgiving." He takes another drink, falling quiet. "+1's do take a lot of time though."

Saya looks kind of confused. "Well... it's nice being in love," she tells him. "Or so I've heard, anyway. Don't you feel good when you're with Amelia?" she asks. "I mean, otherwise, what's the point, right?"

Noah is quiet for a moment, "I guess so. I mean, I enjoy being with Amelia. I like for her to be happy. I have problems with emotions. Translating them. I don't understand people as well as I should. But I do know that I want Amelia happy, and being with me seems to give her that." Eventually he nods, "So yeah. I think so. It's nice." Yes, he did just go in circles.

Saya squints a little bit. "Yeah, but... does ''she'' make ''you'' happy?" she asks. "Like, I just think about my parents, you know. They're just so, um, I don't even know how to describe them. Like, serene with each other. They have these little silent conversations all the time where they just ''look'' at each other and they're in perfect sync." She pushes some hair behind her ear. "And they smile at each other all the time. Ew, sometimes I accidentally see their flirty smiles, too, and that's kind of gross." She makes a face and sticks her tongue out. "What I'm trying to say is... it's mutual. When you were talking just now, all I heard was that you like making her happy - but does she also like making you happy in return? 'Cause if not that's kinda messed up."

Noah shrugs. "I dunno. I guess so. I don't typically do things that I don't like." He chuckles. "My doctor says it's okay, and Amelia understands me when I explain it. But..yeah, yeah I like being with her." It takes much thought it seems for him to find the word happy. That eventually dawns on him. "I suck at explaining things." This is said with an almost sheepish glance toward her. "Sorry."

Saya's expression clears and she beams at him. "Hey, it's okay," she says, flapping a hand as if to shoo away any trouble. "As long as you two make each other happy, and you understand each other, then the rest of us can just buzz off. I'm glad you guys are so awesome together." She pauses. "But see... that's why I'd like a boyfriend. 'Cause they're awesome like that." She spies her food arriving and perks up.

Noah chuckles. "I'm different. It's okay. I'm not sensitive about it." He certainly seems okay with it. "But thanks..plus, you're really pretty. You want a guy, find one. You won't know if you have time or not till you try."

Saya blushes a bit and gives him an embarrassed smile when he compliments her. "Thanks," she says, looking down at the table for a second. "Know any good ones?" she asks, only half-joking.

Noah chuckles. "I don't really talk to many people." He admits with a small sigh, "But Amelia does. I bet she knows someone. And she loves meddling with people so that's right up her alley." A social butterfly with an antisocial boyfriend. "But hey, at least it's not me. Imagine having to deal with a too quiet, meditating, no sugar eating ex-delinquent." Again he smirks. "Actually, I'm pretty sure you're parents would die. I'm still shocked that her dad's are okay with me."

"Well, I'll ask her next time I see her," Saya says. "Right after I wax poetic about how awesome you were when you totally saved my butt, back there." She grins at him and starts to dig into her meal. It's funny how she eats - with a rather single-minded purpose, so the conversation will wane until she's had enough and has to take home the rest as leftovers.
}}

Log:Coffee on the Rainy Boardwalk

2014-06-18T16:28:06Z

Saya:

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:noah-icon.jpg|100px|link=Noah|Noah Goodman]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]] [[image:amelia-icon.jpg|100px|link=Amelia|Amelia Lancastle-Smyth]]
| summary = Saya and Noah & Amelia meet on the boardwalk and chat.
| location = South Beach Boardwalk
The scent of sea spray hangs on each breeze that ripples the waves along this peaceful yet popular boardwalk. Underfoot the wooden planks of the pier echo with your steps, if that is, you can single out your own motions against that of the crowds around you. Lining both sides of the pier way, shops and buildings have been built upon stilts, allowing them to rest above the waves, their windows offering a beautiful view out over the oceans beautiful blue waves.

People move along at a leisurely pace.
Tables scatter various parts of the pier, often outside cafe's.
Specialty shops, clothing shops, & tourist traps are all found here.
Colorful awnings along the storefronts create an almost cinematic look.

Located Here:
Culture Corner <CC>
Copper Tap Coffee House <CH>
Ricky's Ribs and Wings <RR>
| gamedate = 2014.04.DD
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log = Despite the light rain that has swept over Lantern Hill, the boardwalk is no less busy, the only difference is that rather than take their time moving from place to place, people rush in small groups, umbrellas or hoodies pulled to keep them dry. Others, like Amelia and Noah, seem content to wait out the rain in one place.

Copper Tap Coffee House is the location of choice, mainly because one can sit outside underneath the awning. Slumped at a table near the edge, Noah sits, his attention trained on his phone as he sends what appears to be a very very slow text message.

Rain, shmain. Amelia is English. Her skin shrivels if she doesn't get wet regularly. She looks up from the book she is reading (City of Bones) and over at Noah. "If you want I can send it, you just have to tell me what to write. Or you could try that voice ap again." She picks up her insulated paper cup and takes a sip of her tea.

Coffee, mm. It's what Saya's after, at the moment. She emerges from inside the restaurant, clutching her own insulated paper cup, and immediately spies the two kids sitting with each other under the awning. "Hey, guys," she says cheerfully. "What's up?"

Noah snorts. "I don't know what I want to say. That's the problem. And..I feel stupid talking to my phone like that. I keep waiting for it to yell back 'speak up and don't mumble'." He even mimics Siri's voice (the iphone robot) before he finally presses send. Just in time for Saya's approach.

She gets a grin as he looks up, "Hey. How'd the shopping go?" No, Noah was NO HELP. But to be fair, he's never any help. He also reaches for his drink, "Saya do you know Amelia?"

"Hello Saya." Amelia tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "We're just hanging out. Noah's taking me to get my new puppy later." Amazingly she manages not to squee over the idea but it's there, bubbling beneath the surface. To the boy she says, "Remember, I told you that Saya helped me sneak out and ditch Adam yesterday so we could still have our date?"

Saya gives Noah a blank look. "What shopping?" she asks. She glances at her empty hand, pats the little denim purse slung over her shoulder. Any confusion is immediately put on the back burner when Amelia mentions a puppy. "Ooooooh, a puppy?" she asks, her voice climbing an octave in her excitement. "Ohhh, what kind are you getting? Where?"

Noah just blinks, but he lets it go as his phone chimes I hand. It also earns a glare before he begins the meticulous effort all over again. "It's up to her. There's a pet shop down the street." Never one for many words, Noah offers little more, but he does send the girls their own, lazy smirk before he turns back to his phone. This lasts for a few seconds before he suddenly pushes off the chair. "I want a cookie..You want one?" Though, he moves on anyway, perhaps with his own perceived notion of the girls orders.

"I want something that won't be too big, but not a yappy dog. I don't like yappy ones." Amelia looks up as Noah gets up, "Yes please. One of those snicker things that I like." She likes them but cannot remember what they're called. "Nothing small enough to feed a ball python," she says to Saya with a grin. "What are you up to?"

Saya grimaces a little bit. "The pet shop?" she asks. "But... don't pet shops usually get their puppies from puppy mills?" Her eyes open wide in dismay at the thought. "Why not rescue from the pound?" she asks Amelia. "Those dogs will be euthanize if no one takes them home. Poor things. I always wanted a dog, but we're not allowed to have pets."

Noah groans, but there ya go! There's one in every batch. He slides the plate of cookies onto the table as he settles back. There's an assortment, and clearly it's missing three already. "Lantern Hill doesn't have kill shelters." He adds with a yawn, "And, rescued are fine if you want a mutt. I didn't want to get her a mutt. Even though I'm kinda relieved that she doesn't want a purse dog. I'll be shocked if we manage to leave without a hedgehog or a rabbit." He has so much faith in girls! "Anyway most pounds have big breeds more than small, and I already have enough going against me with her dads, I don't need to add a mammoth sized mutt to the checklist of why I need to be hit by a car."

"I'd rather not get a dog that someone else has taught bad habits to," says Amelia as she reaches for a snickerdoodle. "I prefer to teach bad habits to my own dog." She bites into her cookie as Noah explains things to Saya. The cookie gets washed down with tea. "Hedgehogs are cute, especially baby ones, but I doubt they have them in pet stores. Why can't you have pets?"

"Well, that's good," Saya says, looking rather relieved at the news that there aren't any kill shelters in Lantern Hill. "No every dog at the pound is a mutt, or huge. My cousin got a dachshund at the pound, once - and she was only, like, 8 months old. So. Cute." She shrugs at Amelia's question. "My parents don't want them, and as long as I live in //their// house, I have to live by //their// rules," she says, rolling her eyes some. "Hedgehogs are cute, though," she agrees with a grin.

Noah laughs, "That all said I don't have a problem with mutts or pet shelters. Or big dogs. I had a big dog. But he ratted me out to my dad." Darn cops having drug dogs in the house! Darn stupid teenagers for forgetting. "I thought we had something special to. Pitty." He shrugs gently, though it's clear by his bank expression that he's merely going through the motions. His attention is set on a cookie as he snags it. "Saya, you want a cookie?" Because it's /cookies/. "Sometimes I think parents get that lecture drilled into them while they're setting up the nursery. 'As long as you live under /my/ roof, you'll abide by the law. Anti-theft devices are not a challenge Noah Allen Goodman'." He even manages to get the gruff tone of his dad as he mimic him.

"Yeah, rules...we don't have much of those at my house. I mean, we're meant to have curfew, Roman and I but we pretty much break it regularly. And I wasn't going to get a car because I spray painted my room and black and with swear words but I still got one for Christmas." Amelia eats more of her cookie, unlike Noah she likes to taste her food not inhale it. "I figure I can milk the whole gay dad paparazzi shame for another year, just enough to get me off to uni and then I can do as I want."

"No, thanks," Say says to Noah at the offer of a cookie. She hasn't even sipped at her coffee, though she's been cradling the cup in her hands and occasionally lowering her head to inhale the aroma. Saya's eyes widen dramatically upon hearing about tampering with anti-theft devices and spray-painting bedrooms. "Oh, my gawd," she says. "If I tried anything like that my parents would disown me." She tilts her head a bit at Amelia's last tidbit. "Paparazzi, what?" she asks, blinking. "Da - ang, I'm out of the loop," she sighs.

"I live out of the loop." Noah allows with a faint chuckle. "Don't worry. But I will also state I've been good. I'm almost off probation. Plus..my dad can't disown me. He has no one to pawn me off on. And he's a cop so it'd look really bad if he gave up on his only one attempt at breeding." This amuses Noah, but he allows it to go unspoken. Instead he glances back at Saya. "You're parents own the Wok, yeah? That place is awesome."

"My dad was outted with his lover, who is now my step-dad, thanks to a tabloid journalist who kept following him around in London. I learned about him being gay the same time the rest of the world did." Amelia says it like it didn't happen to her and wasn't one of the most painful experiences in her life. She also eats the rest of her cookie and drinks some more tea. "We got take out from there yesterday. It was really good."

Saya looks rather nervous, now, knowing that Noah is on probation. She shifts in her seat and surreptitiously glances around, as if making sure her parents haven't materialized in the last few seconds. "UH, yeah," she tells him. "Thanks, I'll pass along the compliment." She gives him a polite, slightly nervous smile. She turns to Amelia and listens with amazement. "Wow, I can't believe he wouldn't have told you," she says. "That must have sucked atomic rotten eggs."

Noah watches the expressions shift on Saya's features with his own, subtle grin. "Don't worry. I didn't kill anyone. I stole a car. /One/ car. And there's extenuating circumstances around it." He takes a drink from his soda, through as Amelia begins in on her deep parental betrayal, he grows quiet. It's always a show stopper. And he enjoys not being stares at like a delinquent. It also frees him up to return the text he received moments ago. One letter at a time.

Amelia leans over and lets her head drop onto Noah's shoulder. "It was pretty shit," she admits. "My parents were still married. Mum went mental, like proper mental. She's in a clinic in St Kitts. My dad drug my arse over here and introduced me to my new family. Step-dad and stepbrother, both who knew him and all about it." She takes another cookie and breaks it in half, holding one half near Noah's mouth. "Weirdly, there is a kid from my old school here. Well, he has been thinking of transferring to the private one."

There's a sudden beep from Saya's phone, which she pulls from her purse and frowns at. "Ugh, my parents," she mutters. "I've got to go or I'll be late for dance class." She quickly texts back to them, and then puts the phone back in her purse. "Up for grabs," she says, pushing the untouched coffee toward the center of the table. "You'll have to tell me about those extenuating circumstances later," she says to Noah. Amelia gets a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, if allowed. "That truly sucks," she says. "If I were in your shoes, I'd have spray-painted something, too."

Noah chuckles, nodding as he listens. Saya's next comment to him earns a laugh. "Deal." He says simply as he turns to watch her pat Amelia's shoulder. She really deserves it. "See ya later, Saya. Have fun at dance." He returns to his text at that, and his soda which he takes a drink from. "Lia. We should go. They'll be back from lunch by the time we get there. And I have to meet Officer Petty afterward. To show her I'm still in the city and that I haven't joined a Mexican gang and taken up cocaine." He rolls his eyes.

"Heh, thanks. Bye Saya." Amelia eats her half of the cookie and nods to Noah and makes sure he can't get the coffee since he's got a limit on what he's allowed. "Come on, you master criminal. Let's go get me a super cute puppy. Maybe I'll find one cuter than you and dump your scrawny behind and go to the prom with my puppy."
}}

Log:Coffee on the Rainy Boardwalk

2014-06-18T16:26:27Z

Saya: Created page with "{{ Log | cast = Noah Goodman Saya Takahashi image:amelia-icon.jpg|100px|link=Amelia|Amelia La..."

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:noah-icon.jpg|100px|link=Noah|Noah Goodman]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]] [[image:amelia-icon.jpg|100px|link=Amelia|Amelia Lancastle-Smyth]]
| summary = Saya and Noah & Amelia meet on the boardwalk and chat.
| location = South Beach Boardwalk
The scent of sea spray hangs on each breeze that ripples the waves along this peaceful yet popular boardwalk. Underfoot the wooden planks of the pier echo with your steps, if that is, you can single out your own motions against that of the crowds around you. Lining both sides of the pier way, shops and buildings have been built upon stilts, allowing them to rest above the waves, their windows offering a beautiful view out over the oceans beautiful blue waves.

* People move along at a leisurely pace.
* Tables scatter various parts of the pier, often outside cafe's.
* Specialty shops, clothing shops, & tourist traps are all found here.
* Colorful awnings along the storefronts create an almost cinematic look.

Located Here:
Culture Corner <CC>
Copper Tap Coffee House <CH>
Ricky's Ribs and Wings <RR>
| gamedate = 2014.04.DD
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log = Despite the light rain that has swept over Lantern Hill, the boardwalk is no less busy, the only difference is that rather than take their time moving from place to place, people rush in small groups, umbrellas or hoodies pulled to keep them dry. Others, like Amelia and Noah, seem content to wait out the rain in one place.

Copper Tap Coffee House is the location of choice, mainly because one can sit outside underneath the awning. Slumped at a table near the edge, Noah sits, his attention trained on his phone as he sends what appears to be a very very slow text message.

Rain, shmain. Amelia is English. Her skin shrivels if she doesn't get wet regularly. She looks up from the book she is reading (City of Bones) and over at Noah. "If you want I can send it, you just have to tell me what to write. Or you could try that voice ap again." She picks up her insulated paper cup and takes a sip of her tea.

Coffee, mm. It's what Saya's after, at the moment. She emerges from inside the restaurant, clutching her own insulated paper cup, and immediately spies the two kids sitting with each other under the awning. "Hey, guys," she says cheerfully. "What's up?"

Noah snorts. "I don't know what I want to say. That's the problem. And..I feel stupid talking to my phone like that. I keep waiting for it to yell back 'speak up and don't mumble'." He even mimics Siri's voice (the iphone robot) before he finally presses send. Just in time for Saya's approach.

She gets a grin as he looks up, "Hey. How'd the shopping go?" No, Noah was NO HELP. But to be fair, he's never any help. He also reaches for his drink, "Saya do you know Amelia?"

"Hello Saya." Amelia tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "We're just hanging out. Noah's taking me to get my new puppy later." Amazingly she manages not to squee over the idea but it's there, bubbling beneath the surface. To the boy she says, "Remember, I told you that Saya helped me sneak out and ditch Adam yesterday so we could still have our date?"

Saya gives Noah a blank look. "What shopping?" she asks. She glances at her empty hand, pats the little denim purse slung over her shoulder. Any confusion is immediately put on the back burner when Amelia mentions a puppy. "Ooooooh, a puppy?" she asks, her voice climbing an octave in her excitement. "Ohhh, what kind are you getting? Where?"

Noah just blinks, but he lets it go as his phone chimes I hand. It also earns a glare before he begins the meticulous effort all over again. "It's up to her. There's a pet shop down the street." Never one for many words, Noah offers little more, but he does send the girls their own, lazy smirk before he turns back to his phone. This lasts for a few seconds before he suddenly pushes off the chair. "I want a cookie..You want one?" Though, he moves on anyway, perhaps with his own perceived notion of the girls orders.

"I want something that won't be too big, but not a yappy dog. I don't like yappy ones." Amelia looks up as Noah gets up, "Yes please. One of those snicker things that I like." She likes them but cannot remember what they're called. "Nothing small enough to feed a ball python," she says to Saya with a grin. "What are you up to?"

Saya grimaces a little bit. "The pet shop?" she asks. "But... don't pet shops usually get their puppies from puppy mills?" Her eyes open wide in dismay at the thought. "Why not rescue from the pound?" she asks Amelia. "Those dogs will be euthanize if no one takes them home. Poor things. I always wanted a dog, but we're not allowed to have pets."

Noah groans, but there ya go! There's one in every batch. He slides the plate of cookies onto the table as he settles back. There's an assortment, and clearly it's missing three already. "Lantern Hill doesn't have kill shelters." He adds with a yawn, "And, rescued are fine if you want a mutt. I didn't want to get her a mutt. Even though I'm kinda relieved that she doesn't want a purse dog. I'll be shocked if we manage to leave without a hedgehog or a rabbit." He has so much faith in girls! "Anyway most pounds have big breeds more than small, and I already have enough going against me with her dads, I don't need to add a mammoth sized mutt to the checklist of why I need to be hit by a car."

"I'd rather not get a dog that someone else has taught bad habits to," says Amelia as she reaches for a snickerdoodle. "I prefer to teach bad habits to my own dog." She bites into her cookie as Noah explains things to Saya. The cookie gets washed down with tea. "Hedgehogs are cute, especially baby ones, but I doubt they have them in pet stores. Why can't you have pets?"

"Well, that's good," Saya says, looking rather relieved at the news that there aren't any kill shelters in Lantern Hill. "No every dog at the pound is a mutt, or huge. My cousin got a dachshund at the pound, once - and she was only, like, 8 months old. So. Cute." She shrugs at Amelia's question. "My parents don't want them, and as long as I live in //their// house, I have to live by //their// rules," she says, rolling her eyes some. "Hedgehogs are cute, though," she agrees with a grin.

Noah laughs, "That all said I don't have a problem with mutts or pet shelters. Or big dogs. I had a big dog. But he ratted me out to my dad." Darn cops having drug dogs in the house! Darn stupid teenagers for forgetting. "I thought we had something special to. Pitty." He shrugs gently, though it's clear by his bank expression that he's merely going through the motions. His attention is set on a cookie as he snags it. "Saya, you want a cookie?" Because it's /cookies/. "Sometimes I think parents get that lecture drilled into them while they're setting up the nursery. 'As long as you live under /my/ roof, you'll abide by the law. Anti-theft devices are not a challenge Noah Allen Goodman'." He even manages to get the gruff tone of his dad as he mimic him.

"Yeah, rules...we don't have much of those at my house. I mean, we're meant to have curfew, Roman and I but we pretty much break it regularly. And I wasn't going to get a car because I spray painted my room and black and with swear words but I still got one for Christmas." Amelia eats more of her cookie, unlike Noah she likes to taste her food not inhale it. "I figure I can milk the whole gay dad paparazzi shame for another year, just enough to get me off to uni and then I can do as I want."

"No, thanks," Say says to Noah at the offer of a cookie. She hasn't even sipped at her coffee, though she's been cradling the cup in her hands and occasionally lowering her head to inhale the aroma. Saya's eyes widen dramatically upon hearing about tampering with anti-theft devices and spray-painting bedrooms. "Oh, my gawd," she says. "If I tried anything like that my parents would disown me." She tilts her head a bit at Amelia's last tidbit. "Paparazzi, what?" she asks, blinking. "Da - ang, I'm out of the loop," she sighs.

"I live out of the loop." Noah allows with a faint chuckle. "Don't worry. But I will also state I've been good. I'm almost off probation. Plus..my dad can't disown me. He has no one to pawn me off on. And he's a cop so it'd look really bad if he gave up on his only one attempt at breeding." This amuses Noah, but he allows it to go unspoken. Instead he glances back at Saya. "You're parents own the Wok, yeah? That place is awesome."

"My dad was outted with his lover, who is now my step-dad, thanks to a tabloid journalist who kept following him around in London. I learned about him being gay the same time the rest of the world did." Amelia says it like it didn't happen to her and wasn't one of the most painful experiences in her life. She also eats the rest of her cookie and drinks some more tea. "We got take out from there yesterday. It was really good."

Saya looks rather nervous, now, knowing that Noah is on probation. She shifts in her seat and surreptitiously glances around, as if making sure her parents haven't materialized in the last few seconds. "UH, yeah," she tells him. "Thanks, I'll pass along the compliment." She gives him a polite, slightly nervous smile. She turns to Amelia and listens with amazement. "Wow, I can't believe he wouldn't have told you," she says. "That must have sucked atomic rotten eggs."

Noah watches the expressions shift on Saya's features with his own, subtle grin. "Don't worry. I didn't kill anyone. I stole a car. /One/ car. And there's extenuating circumstances around it." He takes a drink from his soda, through as Amelia begins in on her deep parental betrayal, he grows quiet. It's always a show stopper. And he enjoys not being stares at like a delinquent. It also frees him up to return the text he received moments ago. One letter at a time.

Amelia leans over and lets her head drop onto Noah's shoulder. "It was pretty shit," she admits. "My parents were still married. Mum went mental, like proper mental. She's in a clinic in St Kitts. My dad drug my arse over here and introduced me to my new family. Step-dad and stepbrother, both who knew him and all about it." She takes another cookie and breaks it in half, holding one half near Noah's mouth. "Weirdly, there is a kid from my old school here. Well, he has been thinking of transferring to the private one."

There's a sudden beep from Saya's phone, which she pulls from her purse and frowns at. "Ugh, my parents," she mutters. "I've got to go or I'll be late for dance class." She quickly texts back to them, and then puts the phone back in her purse. "Up for grabs," she says, pushing the untouched coffee toward the center of the table. "You'll have to tell me about those extenuating circumstances later," she says to Noah. Amelia gets a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, if allowed. "That truly sucks," she says. "If I were in your shoes, I'd have spray-painted something, too."

Noah chuckles, nodding as he listens. Saya's next comment to him earns a laugh. "Deal." He says simply as he turns to watch her pat Amelia's shoulder. She really deserves it. "See ya later, Saya. Have fun at dance." He returns to his text at that, and his soda which he takes a drink from. "Lia. We should go. They'll be back from lunch by the time we get there. And I have to meet Officer Petty afterward. To show her I'm still in the city and that I haven't joined a Mexican gang and taken up cocaine." He rolls his eyes.

"Heh, thanks. Bye Saya." Amelia eats her half of the cookie and nods to Noah and makes sure he can't get the coffee since he's got a limit on what he's allowed. "Come on, you master criminal. Let's go get me a super cute puppy. Maybe I'll find one cuter than you and dump your scrawny behind and go to the prom with my puppy."
}}

Log:Art and Conversation

2014-06-18T16:18:03Z

Saya:

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:donovan-icon.jpg|100px|link=Donovan|Donovan Kincaid]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]]
| summary = Saya and Donovan run into each other at the museum, and discuss art and college.
| location = '''Kirby Museum of Fine Arts''' 
Located near the heart of the city is the famed Kirby Museum of Fine Arts. "The Kirby," as locals call it, contains a large number of paintings, sculptures, and other works by American and international artists. The museum itself is a marvel of modern architectural design with two levels and three wings off the main lobby area and the impressively lit crystal spire that makes it an easy to spot landmark. The museum runs regular theme exhibits, the most recent being an exhibit of "urban art" artworks created in or for an urban environment using modern tools and techniques. No one is allowed within three feet of any artwork without special clearance.
| gamedate = 2014.04.18
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log = Precisely three feet away from an interesting work of urban art - a 10-foot tall by 18-foot-wide brick wall with a slight concave curve, spray painted in a masterful style into an image of a young woman's face, upturned in a manner that's both haughty and sensual, with hair consisting of electric hues - stands Saya. She looks fascinated by the piece, by the subtle play of light and shadow on her cheeks and lips, by the texture of the brick wall, by the graphic-style flowers emerging from the girl's autumn-leaf-colored hair. She stands there, studying it closely, lost in her thoughts.

(http://tinyurl.com/n9n46ju)

Footsteps echo down the corridor, steady and slow as they announce the arrival of someone else before they're seen. From around a turn in the corridor, Donovan appears with a sketch pad tucked under one arm and a smile on his face. As he passes by a guard making their rounds, he offers them a raise of his hand. "Hey Frank." He offers before continuing on his way. As he nears the graffiti piece , his attention turns towards the girl lost in thought. He pauses for a moment, tilting his head slightly as he studies her studying the piece. He finally steps closer and speaks up. "It's amazing how you can get such great shadows and highlights with paint cans."

Saya glances around, and then when she realizes that Donovan is talking to her, she turns a bit more, so that he can stand sort of next to her, if he wants. "Yeah, I was just thinking that," she says. "I helped my dad spray-paint our patio furniture once, and it was //not// pretty," she adds. "This is just crazy amazing." She gestures at the work, shaking her head. "I can't figure out how they got such nice, sharp edges - I'm thinking they probably used, like, a piece of cardboard or something to block the paint from going places they didn't want, or something."

Donovan nods his head slightly. "Cardboard, paper and nozzles with various sized tips. It's similar work to my friend's stuff." He offers with a slight smirk before he moves to step next to the girl, looking up at the piece. "We were suppose to do a piece together, but school and work got in the way, so it never happened." He frowns slightly at the thought of it, but shrugs it off. "He taught me how they do this kind of stuff, though it's not really my forte."

"That's pretty neat," Saya says with a grin, looking from him to the art and back again. "I'm so un-artistic," she says with a modest grin. "But I love to dance, so that's at least, you know, sort of cultured." Then she tilts her head a bit to one side. "So you're an artist, too?" she asks, glancing down at his sketchbook. "Can I see?"

Donovan nods and offers a smile. "Well, dancing is a form of art, so you could say that you're an artist in that sense." He offers before he looks back to the piece then to her again as she asks her question, causing him to nod his head. "Yeah. Since I was a kid." He offers with a smile then glances to his pad. "Sure." He says, offering it to her. Inside, there are various sketches of all kinds both finished and unfinished works.

If there's a bench nearby, Saya will gradually gravitate toward it while she flips slowly through the pages of Donovan's book. There's a little frown on her face, but it's from concentration rather than sadness or consternation. Finally, she looks up and fixes him with a wide smile. "Wow," she says, obviously impressed. "You're really good - I mean, //really// good! You should go to art school in Paris, or something!"

Donovan follows her to the bench, taking a seat as she looks through the pages. He smiles at her assessment of her work, chuckling. "I don't know. Maybe one day. I have to get through school first, but then that's if my mother can afford it and whatnot. It's just me and her, so I don't know if I'd be able to leave the country without her. It'd be difficult, but thank you." He says, offering a warm smile.

Saya hands his sketchbook back to him and rests her hands in her lap. "You're a junior, right? I've seen you in the halls. Isn't your girlfriend blonde?" But she nods a little bit. "Maybe if not in Paris, then here. There's got to be a nice art school, around, right? I bet you could get a scholarship or a Pell Grant, you're really good."

Donovan smiles as he takes back his sketchbook, setting it down next to him before he looks back to Saya and shakes his head. "No. I'm a Sophomore, but yeah, my girlfriend is blonde. Her name is Ellis." He offers before he looks to her and extends a hand to her. "I'm Donovan, but people call me Don, Donny or Donovan. Any is fine." He says with a soft chuckle.

"Saya Takahashi," the girl says, reaching out to shake his hand in return. Her grip is surprisingly strong - but not crushingly so - for a girl her size. "Nice to meet you, Donovan." She grins and takes her hand back. "Seriously, though - apply for scholarships. You could totally get one."

LOG IN PROGRESS
}}

Log:Intrigue and Poison (Or Not)

2014-06-18T16:17:47Z

Saya:

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:amelia-icon.jpg|100px|link=Amelia|Amelia Lancastle-Smyth]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]]
| summary = Amelia and her step-father are having tea at the Gold Leaf Tearoom, against the girl's will. Saya steps in to help.
| location = Gold Leaf Tearoom
This could very well be an image straight out of a magazine. Within the small porch resting outside this teashop, the recently swept floor holds small garden tables, neat, and decorated by the smallest flowers on elegant vases. Beyond the porch is the shop itself. The room is overlooked by a large window, which reveals the inside of a calm shop. The floors are covered in a soft white tile, clean and sparkling as the people go about their days. The small white wicker tables and chairs are also kept spotless, though the gold table cloths can hold the slightest stain in places, but it only add character to this lovely little shop.
| gamedate = 2014.04.16
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log = It's lunchtime and still school holidays, which is fine with Amelia as today is her birthday. However, what is less than fine is having to sit through a tea bonding experience with her stepfather." She sits at a table, across from him, a small oriental teacup in hand as he talks on about family togetherness. Her gaze drifts around the tearoom looking for something or someone to save or distract her.

That something might be Saya - a girl Amelia would know, at least by sight, from school. She comes into the room wearing a yukata and an enigmatic smile, graceful and trying her best to be charming. Seems like she's working here, today. She's carrying a small tray with an earthenware tea pot and two matching cups, and all the accouterments for making tea at the table. She sets it down next to the young couple sitting catty-corner to Amelia and her step-father, bows, and says in a perfectly American accent. "Enjoy your tea. If you need anything, please let me know."

Amelia doesn't really /know/ Saya but at lest she knows of her. "Excuse me," she says to her step-dad and then follows Saya back out of the way, but not so far as the kitchen. "It's Saya, is it not?" When she speaks her accent is clear, crisp, English and posh. She sounds like one of those boarding school kids; because she used to be one.

Saya pauses and turns to Amelia, her smile fixed in place. "Yes," she says politely. "I'm sorry... I don't think I... wait. Is it Amy?" She's sort of just guessing at this point, but at least she's trying. "Can I help you with something?" she asks pleasantly.

"Close enough. Amelia." She glances back over her shoulder at the handsome man who is her stepfather then back at Saya, "Is there something we can put in his tea to make him shut up? Or maybe have to wee a lot? Anything. I'll pay like trebble the going rate."

Saya gapes at Amelia for a second, and then closes her mouth, her lips pressed firmly together. "We don't poison our customers," she replies icily, her voice quiet. She, too, glances at the man and then back at Amelia. "Is that your dad?" she asks, utterly mystified by this point, and still somewhat affronted.

"No, that is my stepdad," says Amelia. "My dad is in the city working." She shoves her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "He's alright and all, but I was supposed to be able to spend a day on my own today because we did the big family thing on Sunday. Only he woke me up this morning with breakfast - which he never does - and said we had to spend at least half of the day together. It's ruining my plans. I was supposed to be meeting my boyfriend."

Saya takes a long breath, studying the girl a bit. "What classes are you taking?" she asks, her voice barely a whisper. "And... what time were you supposed to meet your boyfriend?"

Amelia blinks at the question. "Classes?" It takes her a moment. "Calculus, astronomy, literature, physics, biology, geography and PE. Why?" It seems such an odd question. "Uhm...well I was supposed to be meeting Noah in about," out comes her phone so she can check the time, "twenty minutes."

Saya turns away for just a second to put her tray on the counter. "Because if you're having trouble with Literature, Biology, or Geography, I can tutor you," she says brightly. "As it happens, I have an opening, uh, in about ten minutes. We can study at my place." She raises her eyebrows. Hint, hint.

Her eyes widen as she realizes the lifeline Saya is offering her. "Yes, literature. I am doing ghastly because I refuse those awful American spellings. I am certain my stepfather would understand." Amelia looks like she could hug Saya, but she doesn't because she's English and that would be wrong. What she does do is rush over to her table again to try and explain things.

Saya giggles quietly and then goes behind the counter, disappearing into the back for a minute or two. She comes back again dressed in regular clothes, her hair in a ponytail, a small denim purse slung over her shoulder. Then she stands there, waiting for Amelia to finish up with her step father.

It requires her to drink all of her tea but then Amelia is able to go and meet with Saya and follow her to wherever it is they need to go to make it look like she is planning to study rather than skip off and meet with Noah.

"Quickest way is through the back," Saya says brightly. She waves cheerfully at Amelia's step father and then leads the way through the establishment. Once she's sure they're out of the man's hearing she says, "I can't believe that worked!" She's grinning a bit, feeling a bit mischievious for having come up with this little farce. "Where are you meeting him? What's his name?"

Amelia is amused by Saya's reaction. "Of course it worked. Parents prefer to think the best of their kids, provided they're good most of the time." She pulls her wallet out of her back and gives the girl a twenty. "I was going to go pick him up in my car, but since I can't get to it without raising suspicion I guess I'll just have to take the bus." Her eyes light up as she answers the second question, "His name is Noah Goodman. You might not know him. He's a year below us."

"Hm," Saya says, looking just a little troubled, now. But she shakes it off. And then there's money. "Uh... no, thanks," she says, holding her hand up and shaking her head. She points down the street. "That's the closest bus stop," she tells the girl. "Wait... Noah? I just met a guy named Noah at the comic shop, yesterday," she says. "Brown hair, rides a skateboard. I was trying to find a present for my brother's birthday, and Noah just told me to get a gift card. Is that your Noah?"

When her offer of money is turned down Amelia puts it away again. "Could be. He loves comics, it's one of the things we have in common." She looks down the street towards the indicated bus stop. "And Noah struggles with gift ideas. He's pretty much a gift card kinda guy." Her mouth lifts into an easy smile, "It's sorta what I'm expecting him to give me today."

"Oh, is it your anniversary?" Saya asks curiously, a grin curling up the corners of her mouth. She'll walk Amelia as far as the bus stop, at least. "Or your birthday?" She shakes her head. "You could ask for something, you know. My mother always says, 'Saya, Ryuu, what do you want for your birthday, this year?' Then she gives us a budget, and then we get what we ask for. Except that one time Ryuu wanted a ball python."

"It's my birthday. I'm seventeen today." Amelia slips her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she walks with Saya towards the bus stop. "A ball python? That sounds a bit mental. Your parents said no, right?" She looks at the girl beside her.

"Oh! Happy birthday, then!" Saya says, grinning at Amelia. She laughs and nods her head. "They totally said no. Emphatically!" She giggles. "Ryuu was so disappointed - but those things eat rats! Like, LIVE rats!" She shudders, looking disgusted. "Can you imagine? Ew!"

She grins. "Thanks." Amelia's nose wrinkles at the idea of watching a snake eat something living. "Sounds beastly." In an effort to keep the conversation going she asks, "So what did you end up getting your mum then? It was your mum, right?"

"Um... you mean my brother?" Saya asks, eyes wide. "I got him a gift card," she says. "Because, like, I didn't know what else he'd like, and Noah was all, 'Get him a gift card,' and then you were like, 'Noah's a gift-card kind of guy,' and then you go, 'He'll probably get me a gift card,' and I went, 'Is it your anniversary or your birthday?' and you were like, 'It's my birthday, I'm seventeen.'" She finishes recapping the conversation with a laugh.

Amelia stops walking and just looks at Saya as she completely rehashes the last several minutes of their conversation. "Ah, yeah...so gift cards are nice." She starts to walk again, nearly at the bus stop now. "I'm sure your brother will like it."

"Sure," Saya agrees. Once they're at the bus stop, she pauses a moment. "Well, it was fun to help you out. Hope you don't get in trouble," she says. "If you do... we totally studied for half an hour at my house before you split, okay? That way I don't get in trouble, too." She glances down the road. "My house is that way. See you!"

"Thanks again," says Amelia. And because she realizes Saya has done her a big favor and she was a bit awkward with her she adds, "I appreciate this. Anytime you want to sneak out, tweet me or Facebook or something."
}}

Log:Intrigue and Poison (Or Not)

2014-06-18T16:17:22Z

Saya: Amelia and her step-father are having tea at the Gold Leaf Tearoom, against the girl's will. Saya steps in to help.

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:noah-icon.jpg|100px|link=Amelia|Amelia Lancastle-Smyth]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]]
| summary = Amelia and her step-father are having tea at the Gold Leaf Tearoom, against the girl's will. Saya steps in to help.
| location = Gold Leaf Tearoom
This could very well be an image straight out of a magazine. Within the small porch resting outside this teashop, the recently swept floor holds small garden tables, neat, and decorated by the smallest flowers on elegant vases. Beyond the porch is the shop itself. The room is overlooked by a large window, which reveals the inside of a calm shop. The floors are covered in a soft white tile, clean and sparkling as the people go about their days. The small white wicker tables and chairs are also kept spotless, though the gold table cloths can hold the slightest stain in places, but it only add character to this lovely little shop.
| gamedate = 2014.04.16
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log = It's lunchtime and still school holidays, which is fine with Amelia as today is her birthday. However, what is less than fine is having to sit through a tea bonding experience with her stepfather." She sits at a table, across from him, a small oriental teacup in hand as he talks on about family togetherness. Her gaze drifts around the tearoom looking for something or someone to save or distract her.

That something might be Saya - a girl Amelia would know, at least by sight, from school. She comes into the room wearing a yukata and an enigmatic smile, graceful and trying her best to be charming. Seems like she's working here, today. She's carrying a small tray with an earthenware tea pot and two matching cups, and all the accouterments for making tea at the table. She sets it down next to the young couple sitting catty-corner to Amelia and her step-father, bows, and says in a perfectly American accent. "Enjoy your tea. If you need anything, please let me know."

Amelia doesn't really /know/ Saya but at lest she knows of her. "Excuse me," she says to her step-dad and then follows Saya back out of the way, but not so far as the kitchen. "It's Saya, is it not?" When she speaks her accent is clear, crisp, English and posh. She sounds like one of those boarding school kids; because she used to be one.

Saya pauses and turns to Amelia, her smile fixed in place. "Yes," she says politely. "I'm sorry... I don't think I... wait. Is it Amy?" She's sort of just guessing at this point, but at least she's trying. "Can I help you with something?" she asks pleasantly.

"Close enough. Amelia." She glances back over her shoulder at the handsome man who is her stepfather then back at Saya, "Is there something we can put in his tea to make him shut up? Or maybe have to wee a lot? Anything. I'll pay like trebble the going rate."

Saya gapes at Amelia for a second, and then closes her mouth, her lips pressed firmly together. "We don't poison our customers," she replies icily, her voice quiet. She, too, glances at the man and then back at Amelia. "Is that your dad?" she asks, utterly mystified by this point, and still somewhat affronted.

"No, that is my stepdad," says Amelia. "My dad is in the city working." She shoves her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "He's alright and all, but I was supposed to be able to spend a day on my own today because we did the big family thing on Sunday. Only he woke me up this morning with breakfast - which he never does - and said we had to spend at least half of the day together. It's ruining my plans. I was supposed to be meeting my boyfriend."

Saya takes a long breath, studying the girl a bit. "What classes are you taking?" she asks, her voice barely a whisper. "And... what time were you supposed to meet your boyfriend?"

Amelia blinks at the question. "Classes?" It takes her a moment. "Calculus, astronomy, literature, physics, biology, geography and PE. Why?" It seems such an odd question. "Uhm...well I was supposed to be meeting Noah in about," out comes her phone so she can check the time, "twenty minutes."

Saya turns away for just a second to put her tray on the counter. "Because if you're having trouble with Literature, Biology, or Geography, I can tutor you," she says brightly. "As it happens, I have an opening, uh, in about ten minutes. We can study at my place." She raises her eyebrows. Hint, hint.

Her eyes widen as she realizes the lifeline Saya is offering her. "Yes, literature. I am doing ghastly because I refuse those awful American spellings. I am certain my stepfather would understand." Amelia looks like she could hug Saya, but she doesn't because she's English and that would be wrong. What she does do is rush over to her table again to try and explain things.

Saya giggles quietly and then goes behind the counter, disappearing into the back for a minute or two. She comes back again dressed in regular clothes, her hair in a ponytail, a small denim purse slung over her shoulder. Then she stands there, waiting for Amelia to finish up with her step father.

It requires her to drink all of her tea but then Amelia is able to go and meet with Saya and follow her to wherever it is they need to go to make it look like she is planning to study rather than skip off and meet with Noah.

"Quickest way is through the back," Saya says brightly. She waves cheerfully at Amelia's step father and then leads the way through the establishment. Once she's sure they're out of the man's hearing she says, "I can't believe that worked!" She's grinning a bit, feeling a bit mischievious for having come up with this little farce. "Where are you meeting him? What's his name?"

Amelia is amused by Saya's reaction. "Of course it worked. Parents prefer to think the best of their kids, provided they're good most of the time." She pulls her wallet out of her back and gives the girl a twenty. "I was going to go pick him up in my car, but since I can't get to it without raising suspicion I guess I'll just have to take the bus." Her eyes light up as she answers the second question, "His name is Noah Goodman. You might not know him. He's a year below us."

"Hm," Saya says, looking just a little troubled, now. But she shakes it off. And then there's money. "Uh... no, thanks," she says, holding her hand up and shaking her head. She points down the street. "That's the closest bus stop," she tells the girl. "Wait... Noah? I just met a guy named Noah at the comic shop, yesterday," she says. "Brown hair, rides a skateboard. I was trying to find a present for my brother's birthday, and Noah just told me to get a gift card. Is that your Noah?"

When her offer of money is turned down Amelia puts it away again. "Could be. He loves comics, it's one of the things we have in common." She looks down the street towards the indicated bus stop. "And Noah struggles with gift ideas. He's pretty much a gift card kinda guy." Her mouth lifts into an easy smile, "It's sorta what I'm expecting him to give me today."

"Oh, is it your anniversary?" Saya asks curiously, a grin curling up the corners of her mouth. She'll walk Amelia as far as the bus stop, at least. "Or your birthday?" She shakes her head. "You could ask for something, you know. My mother always says, 'Saya, Ryuu, what do you want for your birthday, this year?' Then she gives us a budget, and then we get what we ask for. Except that one time Ryuu wanted a ball python."

"It's my birthday. I'm seventeen today." Amelia slips her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she walks with Saya towards the bus stop. "A ball python? That sounds a bit mental. Your parents said no, right?" She looks at the girl beside her.

"Oh! Happy birthday, then!" Saya says, grinning at Amelia. She laughs and nods her head. "They totally said no. Emphatically!" She giggles. "Ryuu was so disappointed - but those things eat rats! Like, LIVE rats!" She shudders, looking disgusted. "Can you imagine? Ew!"

She grins. "Thanks." Amelia's nose wrinkles at the idea of watching a snake eat something living. "Sounds beastly." In an effort to keep the conversation going she asks, "So what did you end up getting your mum then? It was your mum, right?"

"Um... you mean my brother?" Saya asks, eyes wide. "I got him a gift card," she says. "Because, like, I didn't know what else he'd like, and Noah was all, 'Get him a gift card,' and then you were like, 'Noah's a gift-card kind of guy,' and then you go, 'He'll probably get me a gift card,' and I went, 'Is it your anniversary or your birthday?' and you were like, 'It's my birthday, I'm seventeen.'" She finishes recapping the conversation with a laugh.

Amelia stops walking and just looks at Saya as she completely rehashes the last several minutes of their conversation. "Ah, yeah...so gift cards are nice." She starts to walk again, nearly at the bus stop now. "I'm sure your brother will like it."

"Sure," Saya agrees. Once they're at the bus stop, she pauses a moment. "Well, it was fun to help you out. Hope you don't get in trouble," she says. "If you do... we totally studied for half an hour at my house before you split, okay? That way I don't get in trouble, too." She glances down the road. "My house is that way. See you!"

"Thanks again," says Amelia. And because she realizes Saya has done her a big favor and she was a bit awkward with her she adds, "I appreciate this. Anytime you want to sneak out, tweet me or Facebook or something."
}}

Log:Art and Conversation

2014-06-18T16:09:53Z

Saya:

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:noah-icon.jpg|100px|link=Donovan|Donovan Kincaid]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]]
| summary = Saya and Donovan run into each other at the museum, and discuss art and college.
| location = '''Kirby Museum of Fine Arts''' 
Located near the heart of the city is the famed Kirby Museum of Fine Arts. "The Kirby," as locals call it, contains a large number of paintings, sculptures, and other works by American and international artists. The museum itself is a marvel of modern architectural design with two levels and three wings off the main lobby area and the impressively lit crystal spire that makes it an easy to spot landmark. The museum runs regular theme exhibits, the most recent being an exhibit of "urban art" artworks created in or for an urban environment using modern tools and techniques. No one is allowed within three feet of any artwork without special clearance.
| gamedate = 2014.04.18
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log = Precisely three feet away from an interesting work of urban art - a 10-foot tall by 18-foot-wide brick wall with a slight concave curve, spray painted in a masterful style into an image of a young woman's face, upturned in a manner that's both haughty and sensual, with hair consisting of electric hues - stands Saya. She looks fascinated by the piece, by the subtle play of light and shadow on her cheeks and lips, by the texture of the brick wall, by the graphic-style flowers emerging from the girl's autumn-leaf-colored hair. She stands there, studying it closely, lost in her thoughts.

(http://tinyurl.com/n9n46ju)

Footsteps echo down the corridor, steady and slow as they announce the arrival of someone else before they're seen. From around a turn in the corridor, Donovan appears with a sketch pad tucked under one arm and a smile on his face. As he passes by a guard making their rounds, he offers them a raise of his hand. "Hey Frank." He offers before continuing on his way. As he nears the graffiti piece , his attention turns towards the girl lost in thought. He pauses for a moment, tilting his head slightly as he studies her studying the piece. He finally steps closer and speaks up. "It's amazing how you can get such great shadows and highlights with paint cans."

Saya glances around, and then when she realizes that Donovan is talking to her, she turns a bit more, so that he can stand sort of next to her, if he wants. "Yeah, I was just thinking that," she says. "I helped my dad spray-paint our patio furniture once, and it was //not// pretty," she adds. "This is just crazy amazing." She gestures at the work, shaking her head. "I can't figure out how they got such nice, sharp edges - I'm thinking they probably used, like, a piece of cardboard or something to block the paint from going places they didn't want, or something."

Donovan nods his head slightly. "Cardboard, paper and nozzles with various sized tips. It's similar work to my friend's stuff." He offers with a slight smirk before he moves to step next to the girl, looking up at the piece. "We were suppose to do a piece together, but school and work got in the way, so it never happened." He frowns slightly at the thought of it, but shrugs it off. "He taught me how they do this kind of stuff, though it's not really my forte."

"That's pretty neat," Saya says with a grin, looking from him to the art and back again. "I'm so un-artistic," she says with a modest grin. "But I love to dance, so that's at least, you know, sort of cultured." Then she tilts her head a bit to one side. "So you're an artist, too?" she asks, glancing down at his sketchbook. "Can I see?"

Donovan nods and offers a smile. "Well, dancing is a form of art, so you could say that you're an artist in that sense." He offers before he looks back to the piece then to her again as she asks her question, causing him to nod his head. "Yeah. Since I was a kid." He offers with a smile then glances to his pad. "Sure." He says, offering it to her. Inside, there are various sketches of all kinds both finished and unfinished works.

If there's a bench nearby, Saya will gradually gravitate toward it while she flips slowly through the pages of Donovan's book. There's a little frown on her face, but it's from concentration rather than sadness or consternation. Finally, she looks up and fixes him with a wide smile. "Wow," she says, obviously impressed. "You're really good - I mean, //really// good! You should go to art school in Paris, or something!"

Donovan follows her to the bench, taking a seat as she looks through the pages. He smiles at her assessment of her work, chuckling. "I don't know. Maybe one day. I have to get through school first, but then that's if my mother can afford it and whatnot. It's just me and her, so I don't know if I'd be able to leave the country without her. It'd be difficult, but thank you." He says, offering a warm smile.

Saya hands his sketchbook back to him and rests her hands in her lap. "You're a junior, right? I've seen you in the halls. Isn't your girlfriend blonde?" But she nods a little bit. "Maybe if not in Paris, then here. There's got to be a nice art school, around, right? I bet you could get a scholarship or a Pell Grant, you're really good."

Donovan smiles as he takes back his sketchbook, setting it down next to him before he looks back to Saya and shakes his head. "No. I'm a Sophomore, but yeah, my girlfriend is blonde. Her name is Ellis." He offers before he looks to her and extends a hand to her. "I'm Donovan, but people call me Don, Donny or Donovan. Any is fine." He says with a soft chuckle.

"Saya Takahashi," the girl says, reaching out to shake his hand in return. Her grip is surprisingly strong - but not crushingly so - for a girl her size. "Nice to meet you, Donovan." She grins and takes her hand back. "Seriously, though - apply for scholarships. You could totally get one."

LOG IN PROGRESS
}}

Log:Art and Conversation

2014-06-18T16:05:19Z

Saya: Saya and Donovan run into each other at the museum, and discuss art and college.

{{ Log
| cast = [[image:noah-icon.jpg|100px|link=Donovan|Donovan Kincaid]] [[image:saya-icon.jpg|100px|link=Saya|Saya Takahashi]]
| summary = Saya and Donovan run into each other at the museum, and discuss art and college.
| location = '''Kirby Museum of Fine Arts''' 
| gamedate = 2014.04.18
| soundtrack =
| plot =
| log = Precisely three feet away from an interesting work of urban art - a 10-foot tall by 18-foot-wide brick wall with a slight concave curve, spray painted in a masterful style into an image of a young woman's face, upturned in a manner that's both haughty and sensual, with hair consisting of electric hues - stands Saya. She looks fascinated by the piece, by the subtle play of light and shadow on her cheeks and lips, by the texture of the brick wall, by the graphic-style flowers emerging from the girl's autumn-leaf-colored hair. She stands there, studying it closely, lost in her thoughts.

(http://tinyurl.com/n9n46ju)

Footsteps echo down the corridor, steady and slow as they announce the arrival of someone else before they're seen. From around a turn in the corridor, Donovan appears with a sketch pad tucked under one arm and a smile on his face. As he passes by a guard making their rounds, he offers them a raise of his hand. "Hey Frank." He offers before continuing on his way. As he nears the graffiti piece , his attention turns towards the girl lost in thought. He pauses for a moment, tilting his head slightly as he studies her studying the piece. He finally steps closer and speaks up. "It's amazing how you can get such great shadows and highlights with paint cans."

Saya glances around, and then when she realizes that Donovan is talking to her, she turns a bit more, so that he can stand sort of next to her, if he wants. "Yeah, I was just thinking that," she says. "I helped my dad spray-paint our patio furniture once, and it was //not// pretty," she adds. "This is just crazy amazing." She gestures at the work, shaking her head. "I can't figure out how they got such nice, sharp edges - I'm thinking they probably used, like, a piece of cardboard or something to block the paint from going places they didn't want, or something."

Donovan nods his head slightly. "Cardboard, paper and nozzles with various sized tips. It's similar work to my friend's stuff." He offers with a slight smirk before he moves to step next to the girl, looking up at the piece. "We were suppose to do a piece together, but school and work got in the way, so it never happened." He frowns slightly at the thought of it, but shrugs it off. "He taught me how they do this kind of stuff, though it's not really my forte."

"That's pretty neat," Saya says with a grin, looking from him to the art and back again. "I'm so un-artistic," she says with a modest grin. "But I love to dance, so that's at least, you know, sort of cultured." Then she tilts her head a bit to one side. "So you're an artist, too?" she asks, glancing down at his sketchbook. "Can I see?"

Donovan nods and offers a smile. "Well, dancing is a form of art, so you could say that you're an artist in that sense." He offers before he looks back to the piece then to her again as she asks her question, causing him to nod his head. "Yeah. Since I was a kid." He offers with a smile then glances to his pad. "Sure." He says, offering it to her. Inside, there are various sketches of all kinds both finished and unfinished works.

If there's a bench nearby, Saya will gradually gravitate toward it while she flips slowly through the pages of Donovan's book. There's a little frown on her face, but it's from concentration rather than sadness or consternation. Finally, she looks up and fixes him with a wide smile. "Wow," she says, obviously impressed. "You're really good - I mean, //really// good! You should go to art school in Paris, or something!"

Donovan follows her to the bench, taking a seat as she looks through the pages. He smiles at her assessment of her work, chuckling. "I don't know. Maybe one day. I have to get through school first, but then that's if my mother can afford it and whatnot. It's just me and her, so I don't know if I'd be able to leave the country without her. It'd be difficult, but thank you." He says, offering a warm smile.

Saya hands his sketchbook back to him and rests her hands in her lap. "You're a junior, right? I've seen you in the halls. Isn't your girlfriend blonde?" But she nods a little bit. "Maybe if not in Paris, then here. There's got to be a nice art school, around, right? I bet you could get a scholarship or a Pell Grant, you're really good."

LOG IN PROGRESS
}}