[centre] [h3][color=f7941d]~Graham Turner~[/color][/h3] Well...introductions were done? It seemed like it. For the time being, anyway. Alexis had turned on frigid-bitch mode, which Graham would chalk up to overcompensation for her prior near-swooning. He almost laughed. But didn’t. Play the hand just a bit longer. Wait, what was with Kitty? She kept scooting closer to him. And behind him. … Well, if she wanted to stare at his ass, she should try to be a bit more subtle. He wasn’t offended or anything. When you’ve got it, flaun- Oh. Graham had looked back, and saw the girl was checking her phone. So he was being used to hide cell phone activity. Alright, that was fair enough. None of them could have been expected to know what the deal was around here with the things. If they would drug them to keep the location a secret, would they really still let the kids have access to the outside world? Hopefully. He despised having to hide cell phone shenanigans. Speaking of which… He pulled out his own technology brick and looked down at the screen. With a touch of a button it sprang to life. Or would have. If the battery wasn’t dead. Which was great. Truly. Fucking phone. [color=00a99d]“Hey! Listen up! These are the dormitories, where you’ll all be living for the next year or more of your lives.”[/color] The Murse spoke, and Graham listened. Mostly. It’s not like he could escape into the internet yet. Still, he was glad they were finally there. It felt like they had been walking for ten days. But such is the perception of time to the youth. [color=f49ac2]“Finally! I thought we’d never get here!”[/color] Kitty? That was Kitty. And Alexis was preoccupied with music? Anastasia was still there, as was Cheol and...Aspen? When did she get back? Well then. Ninja of the Year goes to young Aspen, ladies and gents. Now, now, hold your applause. I mean, it might be hard, what with your throats having been slit. Damn Ninja Award Shows. ANYWAY, he might be able to use now to recruit some help. To round up a merry band of Cupids. Although...although if his words carried the twenty thousand bloody floors up to Ms. ProbablyGonnaBeInTheNBA’s ears, then Alexis might actually rip off his ears. Probably. He wasn’t sure, but she gave off the vibe. And as appealing as that sounded, Graham kinda sorta liked hearing. It was pretty cool from time to time. So… So he’d have to channel his inner Aspen. Do as the ninja do. He sort of stopped, leaning in past Kitty’s head, whispering. [color=f7941d]“I got somethin’ I gotta tellya. Later. Alone. You ain’t gonna believe this.”[/color] Afterwards, he pulled back and gave her a nod, before snaking through the crowd. Carry on, little Graham Underfoot. Were he not so intent on breaking through the crowd and getting into the dorm building, he might have noticed the girl with a snake buddy, or the monster apparently macking on a spazzy-looking fella. But he didn’t. He made it to the front of the student body, and might have just continued on, but he waited. The Vice Principal hadn’t given the okay yet, had she? Well… Damn. [hr] [color=00a651][h3]~Reginald Wagner~[/h3][/color] Finally, some room to breath. Which Reginald used greedily. Any poor O2 just going about its day in his general vicinity was now being dragged into the dark abyss that was his lungs, doomed to being chained to a disgustingly heavy carbon atom for the rest of its...well until it got gobbled up by a tree. [color=f7976a]"If I said no, that'd be a lie!"[/color] Well good. If we were going to be madness incarnate, then lying simply would not do. [color=f7976a]"Scaring those little kiddies is always so fun! But you know I only do that if they're misbehaving!”[/color] Horsefeathers. [color=f7976a]“And two students were fighting, so I haaaad to do something! And no one was seriously injured! So I'd say that's a plus one for me!"[/color] ‘Seriously’ injured? Wagner sighed. [color=f7976a]"But y'know. Enough about me! Everyone knows what I like doing~ What ya up to? I don't see you around so much. It's like you avoid me!"[/color] Ding-ding-ding. Tell her what she’s won, Don Pardo. [color=f7976a]"We're co-workers! We should get to know each other in a number of re~eal close ways!"[/color] My God. Was this woman seriously propositioning him in broad daylight? At work? With students all around. Why, if he didn’t know any better, he would think that she had been the one enjoying a few early drinks. [color=f7976a]"You know, like doing friend stuff! Like hang out! Drink! Watch one of those silly human sports things or whatever else it is you humans like doing and stuff!"[/color] … That wasn’t a coincidence. The thing had given him a warning. Or a slight. Wagner resisted the urge to bare his fangs, instead holding together his composure. Fine. She wanted to dance around the subject? Very well, ma’am. Let us Waltz. [color=00a651]“Avoid you, Ms. Hillard? Perish the thought. We’re just too busy, no? What with my introducing these children to the giants of literature, the wonders of the written word, and your uh…”[/color] What was she taught? It was a science… Oh. Biology. [color=00a651]“Well, as you split the living body, I split the living word. Surely we must throw all we are into such noble practices?”[/color] Now Regi, old boy, diffuse the bomb. [color=00a651]“I am reminded of a quote by Ms. Pearl Buck. ‘Love cannot be forced, love cannot be coaxed and teased. It comes out of heaven, unasked and unsought.’ I would think that friendship is much of the same? Should we come across similar interests, then marvelous, but otherwise, I wouldn’t suggest forcing ourselves to endure such unpleasant experiences as drinking or ‘human sports things’.”[/color] He ended with a chuckle. Then he turned to leave, offering a wave behind him. He had to get back to his office. He had to hide. He had been sloppy today. Archer had walked in on his partaking. He would remember to lock the door from here on. And Hillard… She must have smelled the bloody stuff on his breath. Being a beast, it did not surprise him. He didn’t want to chance anyone else discovering his dirty little secret. Certainly not the Smith woman. He was already in a dangerous enough place. Hillard was practically mad...but he didn’t feel as if she harbored any true malicious intentions. None amongst the career-jeopardizing sort. Now, as far as lunch…no, best not to think about it. What about Archer? Obviously there was the disappointment in his old colleague’s eyes. But would it amount to more? How likely was he to share this particular bit of information? After the single drink, probably not much. He seemed as if he were the forgiving type. Once, he would gloss over. Twice, he might offer some reproach, but probably wouldn’t blow the whistle. But thrice might be the dealbreaker. Wagner made a mental note to triple-check all entrances to his office before indulging again. Speaking of which… He would have to find a new spot to hide the liquor. Should he be wrong about Archer, it would be better to err on the side of caution. Then there was the nurse...Lost, was it? He had asked something of Wagner, but broke away to announce something to the children. He could have known as well. They all could know. They all must know. NO. Wagner hurried up. He had to get rid of the evidence. [/centre]