The Moon Exo-Knight Academy! (MEKA) (IC)

Rissa was going to continue talking when she noticed that Cyrus had left the area where the group was. She wasn't entirely sure what to do since Jupiter had run into the other gentleman that had joined them, but the sound of an announcement saved her. Sighing heavily, Rissa looked around. It had been quite a while since they had arrived but it seemed that they were all being congregated towards the dining hall.

Rissa, not wanting to leave her friend in the dire straights of Lynette who was now blubbering like a confused person, Rissa wandered over. She briefly wondered if the woman was just innept at talking to guys she deemed cute or the arrival of her sister had shaken her façade. Regardless Rissa tapped Cyrus' shoulder and smiled at him.

"Come on, let's go to the cafeteria together! Maybe after dinner we can actually go stargazing in the biodome." She said, offering a small smile. In a moment of temporary kindness she smiled at Lynette. "You can come with us to the cafeteria if you want." She offered up.
@Wizzy The Wizard @The Perfect Cadence
 
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Cyrus observed the dynamic of the twins closely, wondering if twins were regularly like this, one dominant and one submissive. He shoved that hypothesis to the side as it seemed unlikely, however the evidence kept piling up. Katia continued to take the lead over the at first quiet sister. Cyrus patiently waited for his question to be answered, blank stare same as always, directed to lynette still. He remained focused his clear green eyes dead set on the smaller girl being dragged around. When Cyrus concentrates you can feel his gaze almost put pressure on you, he would seemingly be putting pressure on you and become overbearing simply by him looking at you. His eyes burning into her soul, and it only intensified when she began to speak and stutter.

"Focus, she must be saying something of meaning."
he thought

His stare only became more intense after that, although momentarily he turned his head to katia and acknowledged her introduction by nodding. Then again turned his head to miss Lynette to hear her answers.

"Th...the.. the letter..." Lynette managed. "Yes... I..it's just to serve as a little reminder as to the arrangements that our parents made... Y.. you know... That arrangement that I'm talking about...?"

When he hears this he becomes slightly surprised, so much that it shows on his face. He had no knowledge of any arrangement made by Jason with another person about him. He looked a bit bewildered and was about to ask further, but before he could he heard a voice on the intercom.

"Attention, all students. Please make your way to the dining halls, there is a special announcement from principal Hendrickson!"

As he heard this he felt someone tap his shoulder and quickly saw that it was Rissa, he smiled back and nodded. He looked back towards lynette this time normally because he was not as focused. He still didn't get her name but this time he wasn't too worried, he assumed the letter said it on the inside and he was a bit visibly annoyed that he wasn't getting a clear answer to his question. He was surprised when Rissa offered them to come to the cafeteria with us. He nodded in agreement, thinking maybe he could actually get the answer and learn more about this "arrangement"

"I can't say I've heard of this arrangement you speak of... "Father" never mentioned it to me. I assume it's all written in here so I won't pry if it's something rather confidential." he said

He put on a cute, mischievous face when he said "Father" as if he pulled a prank on someone. But he did want to know more about what she meant, he would read her letter later for the nitty gritty.
 
The kids in Group F were pretty nice, all things considered. Despite the fact that it was fairly likely they would be meeting each other on opposite sides of the battlefield during combat training classes, Rui-Ling found that he got along with them fairly well. That was one thing to be happy about on that horrible, totally no good day, which had slapped him with the superior Chinese gridlock, the superior Chinese customs officer, and the superior Chinese fanclub stalking skills. Ugh. Was it a good thing or a bad thing that, even after ‘retiring’ from the entertainment industry a few years ago, there were still people who recognized him?

Well…at least that also made for good conversation fodder while ViVi brought them from one location to the other. And though the Moon Exo-Knight Academy must have been fascinating for anyone interested in architecture or colonial technology, the pink-haired star wasn’t interested in it at all. A life spent in Bei Jing made one tire easily of high-end technology, and the four towers that stretched out of main building made Rui-Ling dread the possibility of the elevators breaking down and students having to walk up the staircase to get to their classes. Ugh. Horrifying, really. It wasn’t even avant-garde and unique. It was just…

“An upside down table.”

That comparison had warranted a smirk from his temporary companions, if nothing else, before the intercom sounded. 5PM was much too early for dinner, which elicited only more dread at how obnoxiously long the announcement from the principal would be. One hour? Two? Even three wasn’t too strange, if it was a pre-dinner announcement. The Chinese student wasn’t a stranger to skipping meals, really, but he still dreaded listening to the principal of this lavish academy drone on about how amazing the school was and all the virtues the school upholded. Was it too late to rush to the school store and grab a pair of earbuds?

…Not that it would matter because he forgot his phone while packing as well.

“Well, see you guys around. No hard feelings when I blast y’all out in combat sims, eh?”
With some more good-natured ribbing, Rui-Ling left Group F, following the directions to the cafeteria that was bustling with people already carrying trays of food. Curious. They were just planning on…eating during the principal’s announcement? Weird people.

Still, seemed like Group A weren’t present yet, and thus, without thinking too much about it, he sat himself at the designated area, watching the long line-up of students grabbing their dinner pre-emptively. Maybe that’s why he was the only one present.

Welp, whatever. Long queues were full of assholes anyways, if past nights spent watching people line up for the new Hua Wei products were anything to go by.
 
Looking up from her data device, Irisa was slightly annoyed at the sudden burst of activity around her, sadly her ears weren't just for show in this cavernous structure that echoed and carried sound. While she couldn't pick up every word, or even most, she could get the attitude of the ones being carried out and picked up a couple key little things. Sighing heavily she immediately picked up one of the large sources with some of the others off on their own.

So trouble does come in twos...

And speaking of, it seemed Cyrus was dragged off into it, if only briefly. Though the internal problems of those around her did not matter, nor seemed so important, they had greater and grander things ahead of them. And yet this was what they would do? It was no different than the holovids of the schools the masses went to. Off here was a potential issue over there was a groupie and here she was checking her stocks.

"Attention, all students. Please make your way to the dining halls, there is a special announcement from principal Hendrickson!"


Principle? Why not a more fitting title of one of his stature and rank? "I hear and Obey." She says softly to herself to at least keep up that much of her martial discipline.

Well it was a small matter, form followed function after all and for the Earth Sphere, it would suffice. Wanting to salute on reflex, the elf eared young woman holds off on it, shutting her device off. Maybe the food here wasn't all that bad and how things were handled would be explained. Walking in her same clipped military manner and putting her device away Irisa had nothing to stop or delay her at least.. Following her wrist band, the GPS in it was as spot on as in the Colonial Fleet, though that was little surprise, both were of the same system.
 
Lynette wasn't inclined to join the group, if she did, it would escalate her situation down to hell. She would meet and talk to those people, but now was a time she wasn't comfortable in doing so nor would her currently strained nerves would permit her to do any introductions, short or small, in the current moment.

Though she, at the first moment, appeared and acted like a dumb blonde, all it took for her to regain some of her prestige was that offer and the brain analysis that immediately followed suit. No way was she going to say yes, hell she'll make sure Katia didn't say anything either!

"We'd love to." Lynette spoke, expressionlessly. "But right now me and my twin need to consolidate a few things over a conversation between the two of us. Sorry... Thank you for the offer but we would have to decline on this one. Perhaps... We can schedule a get together at a later date. Buzz either one of us if you have a proposal but right now... Unfortunately it's just not the right time for that and we don't want to add more chaos to the group that you already have. Good day."

The two twins then gave them their normal farewell. It consisted of a small smile plus a little tipping of the head and torso them and the group that was behind them. The two then in-sync turned around and left without a further word.


What a mysterious bunch they are...

While everyone was focused on Lynette's mouth, they wouldn't have noticed the older sister employing her left hand and pinching her little sister a few times, painfully in the back. This was one example of a little wordless code that the twins developed together during their youth.

Three pinches meant "shut up, play along and obey me."

While Katia was one who used this system quite rarely, Lynette was one who overexploited it. Sometimes she really meant what she meant and at times... It was just for abuse... And punishment because it's the job of the older sister to punish her younger twin when she commits fault.

It didn't even take fifteen seconds the the twins seemingly... Vanished.

*******
"Was that really necessary?!" Katia whined as she struggled to keep up with her older twin's amazing pace. "Because your pinches have gotten harder!"

"Just shut up and all ahead flank." Lynette replied.

"Nee-chan." Katia said running up alongside her sister. "What's really for the big rush? Assuming you were in your sanity and morality when you pinched me... There must have been something on your mind. Tell me... Or suffer."

"Or suffer!?" Lynette replied sarcastically. "I've got a steel tipped heel and I'm sure I can make you suffer with that..."

"Well... I've got a violin E-string stored in me right pocket and you know how those work don't you?" Katia replied, defending her right to interrogate her sister. "I can easily garotte your miserable head off and be done with it." She giggles.

"Hey Kat..." Lynette said.

"Yes?" Katia replies.

"Fight honorably... Like how mum always tells us to."

"But mum is a witch right?" Katia asks quietly. "I mean... You know how creepy she is... And her laughs oh Lord... Especially when Daddy and mum hangout together in the same room". Katia points out.

For the next few seconds, as the twins quickly made their way to remove cafeteria. They contemplated what went on and down, off and on in their parent's bedroom. Katia thought about the first time she found a tin box the read "Durex" and she brought it to the attention of her older sister. The two, then, overly dumb explorers decided to open up a packet of these... "Durex"s. While Lynette, the smarter one, decided to sniff touch the... Oddly shaped and slippery object... Katia went full out BANZAI and stuffed it into her mouth and began to chew.

Their mother came barreling through the door moments later and immediately took away what the two were playing with. To that day they still didn't know what it was... Mainly because they had slept through Health class during their school years.

"Durex...." The two said silently.

"Hey... Back on topic. So what's with you today? You're particularly a lot more antisocial" Katia repeated her question but this time, reformatting it slightly.

"I just don't like them. Besides... I don't think our class is ready for us yet so until then... , Especially me, we should maintain a distance between ourselves and those people. You can go weeaboo however you want but I'm just going to play my safe space for the next few weeks."

"Alrighty.. suit yourself Lynny" Katia replies. "Oh and... One more thing... Uhm.. t.. tonight c...can we?"

Lynette shot her little sister a look, it wasn't menacing or anything but more of an annoyed one.

"I know it's been a long time but..."
"Still afraid of the dark like a pussy cat?" Lynette smirked.
"Y..yes.. I'm afraid so."
"Fine.. but just this week only."

********
As the twins entered the caf, they didn't bother to queue up for food as the two weren't huge at all. Instead they chose to find their table and quickly took their seats which was Infront of the Chinese man.

The twins sat there, hands clasped together and with good posture. Both of them examined the Chinese man curiously with their adorable faces and blue eyes.

"Who are you?" Katia asked curiously.
 
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Lost in his own thoughts as he watched the line ebb and flow like a one-way tide, Rui-Ling tapped a rhythm on the table as he waited for the principal to appear. Though his initial thoughts were of how funny it’d be to see the food queue continue on even as principal gave his speech, as minutes ticked on, the pink-haired youth wondered if MEKA was a relaxed enough institution that the principal might not even mind kids eating while he spoke. Sure, back in China, that’d be grounds for the gym teacher slapping your wrists with a ruler, but then again, this was an international academy that featured some incredibly rich kids.

Corporeal punishment would probably be a rarity, huh.

Maybe he should have lined up after all, so he wasn’t just eating scraps at the end.

The rhythmic tapping stopped, and before Rui-Ling could consider setting off, another series of taps sounded. Steel against a hard surface, clicking away. Cleats? No, too crisp to be metal teeth against the marbled floor of the cafeteria. This would be…

"Who are you?"

Rude, but also relieving. Facing up to face that effeminate voice, he reflexively smiled at the twins that appeared out of nowhere. Both of European descent, it was the softness of their facial features more than their voice and clothing that marked them out as females. Nice large eyes as well, one who had a friendly sparkle and another who had a sharp coolness to it. Twin idols then? No, the West would call them ‘pop stars’ or something like that, wouldn’t they? Did someone else have the same idea as him then?

…no. Beautiful twins didn’t imply a career in the entertainment industry. Not here. Not when most of these people would be rich enough to afford genetic modifications, or came from families rich enough to grow perfect test tube babies.

Brushing a cherry blossom lock out of his amber eyes, Rui-Ling grinned, merriment easily showing, “I’m Rui-Ling Yu, an unfortunately tardy member of Group A, Year One. To what do I owe the pleasure of accompanying a tapdancer and her twin sister?”
 
While the others had been gathering in the frame hangar, Gael had been minding his own business, relaxing, and studying up on mandarin, one of the languages he wasn't very good at. it was a whole different beast from english, latin, german, french, or spanish. Something about it was tripping him up, but he was having fun none-the less. His hobby might seem strange to normal people, but, back in the racing world, plenty of people spoke different languages... the space racing scene was a global phenomenon after all. Plenty of racers from different countries all over the world competed. He was a little surprised that nobody at all had recognized him, one of the biggest names in racing, if not the biggest, with so many cups under his belt. Even non race fans might have heard of him, but, then again, most of the folks here didn't seem to be interested in that sort of thing. They all seemed mostly stiff, and military. It might be hard to get familiar with all of them, and get on good terms. Something about those stiff, commanding auras rubbed him the wrong way.

Maybe it was for the best nobody seemed to know about him, he could just relax and enjoy this thing. He wouldn't want anybody making assumptions based on his appearance in the racing scene, or treating him any differently because of it after all. It might be harder to make friends that way.

A couple hours after he had settled into his room and began his studying, an announcement came on the intercom from a human voice. "The 'Principal'?", he laughed to himself. "Someone's getting an earful later...", he stated, as he picked up his jacket and pulled it on, then made his way to the elevator.

When he got down to the base floor, where the dining halls were, he saw a lot more students than just his class... There must have been more shuttles landing for a good part of the day. It would be interesting to meet the other students, but for now, he made his way to his designated table, seeing three faces already there. Two of which he already... knew? Now there were TWO of her? No, Twins... but he hadn't remembered two girls like her exiting the shuttle... or even that boy for the matter... maybe late arrivals? Either way, he definitely recognized the boy, he was a movie star after all, and while Gael never used to have too much time to watch them, he DID appreciate them, and this boy's acting.

"I didn't expect to see a face I recognized here... I know we've never met, but I'm sure plenty of people know of you.", he said with a pleasant smile, and held his hand out to the boy. "My name is Gael, it's truly a pleasure to meet you.", he told the boy, his face the picture of joy. They were from different worlds, but they both seemed similar on the surface... bright hair, and well-kept good looks. He just didn't dress fancy all the time.
 
Cyrus waved as the two walked away from him and Rissa, he was satisfied with his first time meeting twins, although he did feel rather disappointed that they chose not to join them, he still didn't get his questions answered. He turned to Rissa and nodded in response, there was still plenty to do in the day and he already had a more positive outlook on the academy and his class. His goal of introducing himself to most of the members at least had already been completed in a rather short span of time, developing better social skills would be crucial to enhancing his experience at the academy it seemed. He walked out of the training and followed Rissa to the cafeteria.

"Seems like more people have sprung up." he stated

The cafeteria was much more lively and filled with unfamiliar faces, he analyzed the crowd from left to right, mostly trying to find a place to sit. While he scanned the room a table full of students with the brightest hair colors you could think of caught his attention. He noticed a common trend of people having very bright hair which he never or at least noticed in his previous academy. Speaking of bright hair colors he turned his head and saw that Rissa ALSO had bright colored hair, come to think of it... so did Irisa!

Never having learned of the popularity of colored hair or it's meaning, he scratched his chin and went into an internal debate of what bright colored hair could mean to the youth.

Is it an accessory? Is it a symbol of social status? Is it just on a whim? Was it natural!? My brown hair pales in comparison to the attention a brightly colored hair individual could bring. That table of Hi-Liter colored hair students, maybe the hair color accentuated certain personality traits? The pink haired lad seemed rather charismatic! Rissa's and the other lad's (gael was it?) teal hair made them seem rather cool! Although that last part didn't make much sense as both of them seem rather passionate, especially with the other boy earlier this morning.. It also doesn't explain all the other students in here!

His brain was soon divided by an internal conflict, a war of opinions on how colored hair is used, a bloody war of ideals and opinions that would seemingly last an eternity in Cyrus's mind. A rebellion against the Purist hair-is-a-social-status faction vs the My-hair-my-choice-rebels. But the answer would soon reveal itself the debate was simply a combination of all the answers, and so the rebellion ceased and peace was made.

Cyrus shook his head to get rid of the useless thoughts that suddenly crowded his mind, realizing he spent a good 4 minutes staring at other people, exhaustion really was getting to him... quickly noting that he had been specifically staring people's hairs like a freak the whole time he felt a wave of embarrassment, his head had been turning in all different directions like an owl, just looking at others, his gaze would go from the table - to individuals in the crowd- to rissa's hair - table - randoms - rissa's ches-.

Panicking from the thought that people would think he was having a seizure.. or that he was just glaring and being rude. He cleared his throat and quickly said

"Let's sit at that table! O.O"

He points at an empty table that is two tables down from the rest of group A.

(Don't ask I don't even know wtf im doing rn.)
 
Entering the Mess Hall, Irisa had the chance to confirm her previous assumptions, there were other students here in fact... Though why the meeting here rather and an auditorium or briefing room? Gazing at the others, Cyrus was easy to spot and...badly troubled, watching his gaze briefly, she ponders much the same in regards to hair, thanks to science hers was not dyed like a few of the others she suspected. Not that it mattered, taking stock at the rest of the students, there was one male of one Asian ethnicity or another.

Hearing his conversation and watching one of her classmates carrying out a conversation with him, it seemed he was someone others here would know. Was he someone of importance? She couldn't remember his face from any of the historical databases or from the lines of Military heroes.. But he was too young to be either of those wasn't he?

Of course the terrible two's where there, they way they were sitting with hands clasped and matching postures struck her as a bit odd.. Like something one would run into down a long hallway in a closed hotel... Crossing her arms to let out a tired sigh, this was really like one of those holo tapes she seen so rarely growing up. Partly curious if they could eat now or had to wait, a few other students seemed to answer the question. Going over to pick up a tray Irisa picks up a mixture of small light dishes that seemed to be well balanced in meal content.

Looking at the tables around her, sitting with the group of four, though one was standing there didn't seem the best of ideas, not in the least as it was crowded. On the other hand, how Cyrus and the others were being was utterly reprehensible... They didn't all have to get along, but they would be training and maybe even fighting alongside one another.. Taking her tray, the Elf eared girl takes a middle ground, sitting at another table all together, the first of the two in the middle closer to the pair of four now carrying on with their oddities, not bothering to start a conversation, she does give a small nod towards the two groups, staring down at and starting her meal. "...what a crew..."
 
Following from the back, Eber made a little bit of small talk with Juniper on the way, though his thoughts were more about what was for dinner, and where they were going. Why the mess hall? why not an auditorium? when they arrived at the cafeteria, he was treated to the sight and sounds of scores of other students, who must have come in while they were all in the hanger. This answered his question of where the other twin had come from, though it did raise the question of why all the other classes had come in so late. However he wasn't able to enter the room, as Cyrus was rooted to the spot right in the middle of the doorway. Eber waited behind him standing at ease, though as the minutes moved on he began to grow a bit a bit impatient; he looked to Rissa and Juniper with a look on his face that said Whats with him?

A few seconds later though, Cyrus blurted out
"Let's sit at that table!"

And took off without looking back. Instead of making his way with the rest of the group he went to the line; while there he introduced himself to some of the other students around him. None of them were A class, but they were decent and it was good to meet some of the other classes, even if he was probably going to be fighting them soon.

Stepping away from the line with his meal, Eber turned and walked towards where the rest of the group had gone. he stopped though when he saw the three separate tables. The first was Gael and the twins talking to a small man with pink hair, had he seen that guy before? maybe in a movie, and thinking about what kind of school this was, famous people being attracted to it was a guarantee. Cyrus was settling in with the others at a different table, and there sitting alone was the Kirsen.

Eber let out a heavy sigh. This won't do. Not if we're going to be a team, we need to start acting like one. Walking forward, he waved to Cyrus, Rissa, and Juniper to join him at the table with the Kirsen. Here comes the leap. He thought with a slight grimace; He wondered what kind of person he was about to sit down with: A person almost everyone in his family told him to avoid, or someone you could trust, like what his aunt would say. Either way, he sat down across from the elf eared girl. "So what's your name? You can call me Eber" he said, extending his hand for a firm hand shake. "So, um... what type of frame are you flying? I'm going with a Titan " he stated, while inside he was shaking his head. really shoulda thought this through he reflected.
 
Lynette, as usual, relinquished her duties of interacting with other people to her younger twin. When she sat down, Lynette had placed her left leg over her right thigh. As Kat spoke, she observed the metal portion of her heel out of boredom. She started to contemplate how life would be like if she was her foot... crammed inside a hot, airtight compartment for twenty hour intervals everyday, and then allowed only a few minutes of direct exposure to the outside world when she took a shower and did her feminine things in the bathroom... and then have the process repeat itself. Seven days a week, fifty two weeks a year.... regardless of the conditions and/or situation, Lynette always wore her knee socks outside of the bathroom simply because... she didn't like exposing the bottom portion of her legs at all.

Katia on the other hand, like always was the polar opposite. Seeing that her Onee-Sama was not going to respond anytime soon, she delivered the response.

"Nye, the pleasure is all owed by me, Mr. Rui.. or should I say... The Mr. Rui " Katia replies clasping her hands together and straightening her posture slightly.

While one might get all fan weeabooy when they meet one of their most favored movie stars/celebrities in general, Katia was one who wouldn't go into that field of admiration seeing that it was nothing more than... much of a nuisance or a "grande dérangement" for these individuals who work their assess off in their tight schedules. Getting grabbed by a fan to pose and/or sign something, repeatedly... at least for Kat, if she ever reached that level of divinity, she would be really disgruntled on a regular basis.

Lynette, now having gotten bored of starting at her heel, turned her attention to the pink haired Chinese movie star. Who looked cute... but a real bugger was the pink hair... an odd color for an Asian man but she won't delve more into this detail which detracted him. Eyes... good... neck... no exceptionally tall but average. Body.... fit... looks promising. She continued to analyze the Chinese man, making notes of his dialogue, at least, whatever he'd just presented, and also his facial expressions. She observed him like a hawk, catching the tiniest details in his expression as her younger sister spoke with him.

To lessen up the tense atmosphere that she... felt was creating, Lynette also assumed a posture and appearance like her little sister on the table but she also sported her trademark grin.

"The name's Katia." Kat continued offering a handshake. "And the tapdancer that you may be referring to is my older... more angsty twin, Lynette."

"Ohhh... Who did you just say was angsty?" Lynette thought as she shot her little sister a look.
 
Studying the new arrival the Elf eared girl says nothing for awhile, though it wasn't out of rudeness. Chewing her food, Irisa sits her knife and fork down, cutting some form of meat or another, giving him her attention.

Ah the one that avoided my notice earlier..

Noticing his hand it seemed a good number of the ones here made use of that gesture. Gripping his hand in kind, she stares at him for the longest time, as if to study him. Judging if it was pity or they being like minded in this regards. "My last name you've likely seen or know. But, Irisa." Closing her eyes briefly the real question was how to set him at ease, or to at least explain her intentions here. Her family decorum would not be enough.. Which might have been the real reason she was sent here. Setting aside part of her pride and opening up on her observations, she answers his question and like other he had dare not asked.

"A JACK.. I may be getting ahead of myself, while I do not understand others, I do observe. I know the reputation of my family. I can assure you, that cold and calculating, logical, militant nature carries to me as well, as some call it... However I'm not some sort of sadist. The JACK is the main production model. If I send men to their deaths, it shall not be on whims and ignorance. We can ill afford to throw assets at our problems on a whim as if they were endless... And to know how to best use these machines one day, I must see how they operate.. The JACK is not a prestigious unit by any means but I chose it for that very reason."

Staring at him a bit awkwardly, Irisa worries she may have went too far, or made the conversation all the more awkward. Not used to situations outside of her structured norms, she tries to remember how she seen the more friendly members of her family that bothered to carry out casual conversation and rewarded promising and intuitive soldiers. "uh.. Typically I prefer being alone to do my own studies and reflections.. But I think we should try getting a larger table and getting our unit to sit at it.. I don't think that will be easy or that I will speak much, but the squadron needs it... Why I came here should be obvious, I also like Art, mostly statues and paintings and I'm responsible for managing part of my finances, if my work pad is out it's not as I'm ignoring others.. So why did you pick the Titan.. Eber? While your appearance may skirt the line on protocol, your baring is like that of a soldier, or at least one who has been among them.."

Finishing her attempt at least to start up something of a conversation, the woman goes back to her meal, frowning slightly. "It isn't all that terrible, but a glass of wine would be nice to have with it.. Though given some here I am not surprised they don't wish to trust us with alcohol and heavy machinery."

With a thin pressing of her lips into something of a smile, the expression did not seem all that joyful as wary or plotting.

 
It looked like the rest of Group A was heading over after all. Though it was immediately clear that the table Rui-Ling sat at wouldn’t be able to accommodate all of them, it was still a bit strange that they immediately began separating regardless. Were there already divides between this group of elites? Or were they naturally just shy? Regardless, he now knew what he had to do next time everyone went to eat: push all the tables together to form a super-table. Ain’t nobody gonna get to play the loner game next time!

Taking the blue-haired man’s hand, Rui-Ling shook it vigorously, praying to his revered ancestors that his fame didn’t become that much of a focal point. Suppose that was the disadvantage with having one’s face plastered on advertisements. Good god, hopefully the administration didn’t ask him to model for school uniforms or anything. Then again…at least they were tactful enough not to ask him to sign anything. “The pleasure’s all mine, Gael,” the cherry blossom boy replied, “We’re both students here, so let’s get along, eh?”

Gah, and it sounded like the twins were aware now too, one of them putting in that knowing emphasis on his name, while the other looked to be eyeballing him so hard that she must have been trying to look under his skin and into his fleshy, pulsating insides. It was uncanny, almost, when the two of them adopted almost the same pose, but hey, whatever. This must have been normal for twins, and Rui-Ling consciously decided that this was ‘charming’ rather than ‘eerie’.

Yup. Totally. He had shaken hands with sweaty lardlords who made insensitive comments about how much of a trap he looked like. This was nothing.

Extending his hand and giving a gentler shake, Rui-Ling replied, “Just Rui-Ling’s fine. We’re all the same age here, after all, and I’m certain that most of you are more qualified than myself when it comes to piloting these Exo-Frames.”

He relinquished his grip and sat back down, before continuing, a small chuckle escaping. “And I’m not sure about your evaluation of ‘angsty’, but hey, being quiet isn’t a bad thing either. Where do the three of you come from anyways?”
 
watching the Kirsen as she paused a moment before shaking his hand, Eber wondered if he'd made a mistake sitting down; Rissa wouldn't be here to bail him out this time. Though after shaking hands and introductions he knew she was fine. At least she shook my hand like a normal person, his thought of that cold girl who he'd met in the hanger. He leaned forward in his seat as he steepled his fingers, Irisa.. that's a good name. He wasn't surprised by her answer, he'd pegged her as a JACK pilot; though her follow up was a bit of a surprise.

Doesn't beat around the bush huh?
Deciding to ignore the comment about assets, he grinned a bit albeit if somewhat weakly. "hey, basic isn't bad, I'd say piloting a Knight is prestigious enough in its own right." Though following this the conversation lulled into silence; his thoughts whirred as he thought of what she had said; though he was glad to know she cared for those she worked with, he was a bit concerned with her comment about "assets". She has nice eyes. where'd that come from? shaking himself out of his thoughts, Eber realized that they had both been staring at each other for a while now. He tried to think of something to break the silence but for the life of him he couldn't, Irisa didn't seem the kind of person who liked idle chatter.

Fortunately he wasn't the one to break the silence, as the woman across from him started talking, he realized he wasn't the only one who didn't know what to say. scratching at his chin a bit as he listened, he could tell she was out of her comfort zone, probably more used to giving orders than talking to a peer.
"well you're talking to me aren't you? though you're right, we should push some of these tables together, but I don't know if anyone else would be willing to move." At this he looked at the other tables, gauging whether they would mind all the tables moving.

He laughed a bit when she told him about her hobbies.
"I would have never guessed that you were a sculptor. Have you made anything I may have seen? My favorite are those abstract sculptures, I like the interpretation of it. I play a bit of the guitar myself." At her question about his bearing and his choice of a frame, he leaned back in his chair "what, this?" he said as he pointed at his goatee, "perfectly fine where I'm from. as to my bearing; well a military family will do that to you, having a captain for a father doesn't leave room for low expectations." he paused for a moment, he hadn't talked about his dad in years, and he didn't really feel like talking about it right now. He quickly changed the topic back to his Frame. "As to my frame, I chose a Titan for a couple of reasons." He began listing some of them off on his fingers "one was the firepower, that thing can hold down a lot on its own. Second was durability, I'm used to being outnumbered in fights, and I put WAY more stock in armor than speed... though it also helps being a bullet magnet. the more people shoot at me, the less they're shooting at my friends."

At that Eber took a bite out of his meal, while it was cafeteria food it was better than most. looking back up he saw Irisa smiling at him in a bit of a forced smile; he started casting about for a new conversation to stave off another awkward silence.
"So.. what do you think classes will be like tomorrow? do you think that they'll take it slow, or just throw all of us into Sim-Pods and say "have at it!" Personally, I've got a feeling it's going to be the latter." he paused to take a drink. "you think it'll be class versus class, or they'll split us up for matches?" he paused to idly scan the crowd around him, wondering when the Dean would make his announcement. "think he'll make his speech soon, or wait till we've all eaten?"