[color=gray][indent][indent] [/indent][/indent] [CENTER][COLOR=#AC0D01][sup]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/COLOR][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5509391][img]https://i.imgur.com/Q5BATrT.jpeg[/img] [/url][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=#ff7514][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]Southern Plateau[/I] - [I]Pacific Royal Campus[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=#ff7514][b]Welcome Home #1.071:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Zug Zug[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][COLOR=#AC0D01][SUP][sub]____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/SUP][/COLOR][INDENT][sub][color=#ff7514][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [I]Amma [@Rockette][/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=2c2c2c][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [color=2c2c2c][I]Reality Check[/I][/color][/right][/SUP] [INDENT] The Manticores’ engines roared as they were making their slow way towards the plateau. Katja sat in the flatbed of one of the massive vehicles. In the past five years she always preferred to sit there instead of inside the motorized beasts. She always felt a bit too cramped when she took a seat in the cabin. So the truck bed, exposed to the open air, was a much better alternative for her. Being rocked back and forth in the uneven road was almost calming to the big South African. Her mind began to drift back to the Lair and what had actually transpired there, the howling of the cliffs a background melody to her thoughts. First and foremost, she lamented all those whose futures were now at risk. Their plans dashed by whatever cruel twist of faith -or worse, plan- that had voided PRCU’s credentials. Katja was one of the lucky ones who’s studies hadn’t been affected. But this had the effect of making her actually feel guilty, as she could go on like nothing happened while her friends just had their potential careers ripped away from them. Or at least, they would if the Foundation didn’t keep their word. She didn’t quite know what to think of the Foundation. Katja had heard the stories of course. She’d seen Amma’s reaction to the prospect of the Foundation possibly absorbing PRCU. And their Foundation Force was used rather liberally in cracking down on Hype dissent. But on the other hand, the results spoke for themselves. The Foundation Force was celebrated even by Mundanes. [i]Their[/i] institution wasn’t under constant pressure from the outside, perhaps due to the secrecy of their leadership which they held so dear. [color=#FF7514][i]Perhaps…[/i][/color] The sudden halt of the Manticore jerked Katja back to reality. Standing on the flatbed, she observed the familiar plateau which, even after all this time, could still give her shivers as she remembered that fatal night. The night she fell short. She leapt off the back of the Manticore after helping unload the supplies before then gazing over the campsite. What she saw lightened her mood. Despite the obvious setback from earlier in the day, it seemed like Blackjack was pulling up their bootstraps and soldiered through the negativity. Katja had been afraid that some of her teammates would grow disillusioned with their situation. And perhaps they were! But if that was the case, they certainly didn’t show it. Not now at least. An involuntary giggle escaped her mouth as she observed Rory tripping due to Mei’s shenanigans and then going after her in his briefs. She couldn’t quite catch what they were talking about, but given how both of them seemed satisfied with the outcome of their conversation, it could only mean a handful of things. A sad smile formed on Katja’s lips as she saw the two of them part, as the realization dawned on her that whatever she felt for Rory probably wasn’t meant to be. But she was still happy for him, and whoever he would go with. Turning her gaze away, she thought about picking a tent to house her stuff in before seeing what else she could do. But that had to wait, as she saw a pair of individuals on the edge of the campsite. And one of them seemed to be waving at her. [color=white]“Ah, Katja!”[/color] Tad called out to her, seemingly glad to interact with anyone else beside Banjo. [color=white]“Please, we have some things to discuss with you. You’re familiar with Robert, yes?”[/color] Katja let out a short, exaggerated laugh as she got closer to the pair. [color=#FF7514]“Oh, I’m familiar with him alright! Would take quite the concussion to forget the sight of this big green bastard!”[/color] She grinned as she extended her arm upwards to Robert. He laughed as he clasped it by the forearm, a gesture Katja returned in kind. [color=white]“The winds are blowing!”[/color] Robert said in greeting to her, his wide grin making it obvious that he wasn’t even trying to hide his excitement at seeing her again. [color=#FF7514]“But the surface is still, bru!”[/color] She replied with a matching excitement in her voice. Katja had to crane her neck to look up at the big man, a strange feeling for someone who was used to always towering above everyone else. Katja noticed that Tad raised an eyebrow at the peculiar greeting of the two. She turned her gaze towards him for a moment, chuckling to herself while still clasping Robert’s arm tightly. [color=#FF7514]“Don’t worry, we haven’t gone mad.”[/color] Robert joined in with a chuckle of his own. [color=white]“Just some old Hyperball rivals reminiscing of the past”[/color] [color=#FF7514]“Speaking of Hyperball.”[/color] Katja looked back up at the green giant. It took some getting used to, to look up at someone and the thought of having to do this daily gave her some sympathy for the rest of Team Blackjack when having to deal with her. [color=#FF7514]“Playing against Ursus just isn’t the same without you, big man!”[/color] Robert’s eyes widened slightly as his lips formed into a wry smile [color=white]“I didn’t expect that the shieldmaiden of Alces to have fond memories of me. Afterall, I used to have you in my pocket!”[/color] A short, yet incredulous laugh burst forth from Katja. [color=#FF7514]“Hah! Did I really give you such a bad concussion that you forgot what happened in our last encounter?”[/color] [color=white]“Perhaps you should give me a reminder.”[/color] Robert said as he flashed a grin. [color=#FF7514]“Perhaps I should.”[/color] Katja replied, before pulling the big man closer, a similar grin plastered on the blonde girl’s face. [color=white]“Nope! No, no, no, I don’t think you will!”[/color] Tad cried out as he tried to step in and put some space between the two giants. Robert held eye contact with Katja for one more second before turning his head to Tad, giving an apologetic nod to him before taking a step back. Katja meanwhile didn’t take that step back. In fact, she took one forward towards Tad, resulting in her towering over the smaller man. [color=#FF7514]“You really think it’s a good idea to get between an African lioness and her prize?”[/color] She said in a playful voice while an amused smirk formed at the corner of her lips. Tad stood his ground, raising an eyebrow while eyes sized up Katja.he wasn't sure what her game was but as she towered over him, he suddenly found himself back on the Plateau five years ago, a sinister voice crawling through his skull. And then suddenly it was gone again as Katja's composure broke and a wide toothy grin appeared on her face. Raising her hands in an apologetic fashion, she spoke with some joviality in her voice. [color=#FF7514] “I’m just messing with ya, bru!”[/color] Stepping back to a more respectable distance, Katja folded her arms before addressing the pair in front of her. [color=#FF7514]“So, what did the two of you want to talk about?”[/color] [color=white]“Well…”[/color] Tad cleared his throat before speaking. [color=white]“We actually wanted to tell you what your task is going to be concerning the construction of the Trials course.”[/color] [color=white]“You will be working with 'Banjo' on the construction of the foundation per the approved plans.”[/color] Robert supplemented. [color=white]"I believe the task best suits one of your talents and gifts.”[/color] [color=#FF7514]“Aight, gotcha. Well, best get going then.”[/color] Katja made her way back to the tents to deposit her gear before going over to the construction site. She quickly turned around, continuing to walk backwards towards the tents while flashing a smirk. [color=#FF7514]“So am I there to do most of the heavy lifting, or am I going to be tasked with keeping Banjo in check?”[/color] [color=white]“Honestly, probably both.”[/color] Tad replied with an apologetic shrug. The pair of them looked on as the tall blonde made her way over to the tent camp. Tad turned to Robert when he judged her to be outside of earshot. [color=white]“Sometimes I forget how terrifying that girl can be.”[/color] Robert chuckled, keeping his gaze on Katja a little while longer before turning to Tad, a wide grin on his face. [color=white]“Exciting, is it not?”[/color] Hearing the reply from his massive friend, the only thing Tad could do was sigh. Making her way back to the campsite, Katja’s mind was first and foremost preoccupied with how she was going to get Banjo to cooperate with her. Or at least not mess around too much to the point where their work was going to suffer. She remembered her first week where she had to clean up a burned trash bin. One she was certain Banjo had lit on fire! But as of yet she still lacked the evidence for it. Either way, this turned out to only be a mere preview of the sort of tomfoolery Banjo was up to. And it had often been up to her to bring some order to that Aussie bastard. But truth be told, she couldn’t last a week here without him. He was like a little brother to her. Incredibly annoying, sure. But always there to have your back. And she’d have his, no matter what. Still, as Katja walked at the edge of the campsite she felt her backpack weigh more heavier with each step she took. The others had probably already formed pairs to share their tents with. She realized that her conversation with Tad and Robert had taken a bit longer than most others’ and this probably meant that she was going to be relegated to sleeping alone. But right as Katja was about to accept she was going to have to make due with the extra space, she spotted a raven haired girl in the corner of her eye. [color=#FF7514]“Hey Am, wait up!”[/color] She called out to Amma. It took Katja a couple seconds to jog her way over to Amma, stopping a respectable distance in front of the other girl, giving a short wave before speaking. [color=#FF7514]“I was wondering if you had already found someone to share a tent withya for the night.”[/color] Katja fixed a stray strand of blonde hair that dangled in front of her eyes, after which she continued with an enthused voice. [color=#FF7514]“And if you didn’t, would you be down to euhm, share one with me?”[/color] The tall blonde then smiled her beaming smile as her eyes looked expectantly at Amma, waiting for an answer. [/INDENT][/INDENT][/color]