Ruben Tarblatt, Adam Blackmore, Harmon Rottlage, and Sawyer Babinski
In collaboration with @Mr Allen J and @Apokalipse
"Blackmore." Ruben replied, turning his Brainvault to face the man. Harmon lowered his head a bit as Ruben continued,
"What brings you. To our. Table. This evening."What brings Mr. Blackmore to the table? Adam pushed his glasses up his nose. That was an easy one, really. Ruben was one of the strangest teachers the Academy had to offer. Not that Adam was going to say that out loud.
"I spotted you over here and thought I'd say hello." He wrapped his fingers around his hands.
"It's a new year, and I plan on getting to know as many people here as possible - student or teacher.""I see." Ruben replied,
"And you started. With the two. Of us.""Yes, I admit that you, and Harmon, are two of the most... interesting, people I've come across.""Interesting." Ruben mimicked the word. There was a brief pause between the trio as he looked around the cafeteria.
"You have. An ample. Selection. To choose from." He said,
"Even. After two years. I am still. Surprised. How nothing. Happens. At these. Banquets."Ample selection? All Adam saw was a group of annoying, arrogant, students after the other. Once one leaves, two more replaces them. That left plenty to be desired.
"Nothing happens at the banquets because at least some of the students have the common sense to refrain from causing trouble in a room of teachers." Adam quickly replied. He was quick to say "some" because there were students that did start fights at these banquets before. They were stopped in their tracks.
"There. Will be cause. For trouble. Later. I'm certain." Ruben responded. Another bout of silence between he and Adam before he continued with,
"Do you. Agree. With the Headmistress's. Address."In the brief bout of silence, Adam said,
"... I hope not. There's already enough problems in this school." And he was being sincere. As for the Head Mistress... that was really a mixed bag. Adam agreed with some of her beliefs - just that some of them would cause more problems for the world. Or make existing ones worse. However, that's why Adam was going to take it upon himself to make sure that those problems are prevented in the first place. Because that's the only way this broken world will get better. By prevention.
"No, I believe that we should take a more active role to lead the students along. Provide more than just power training.""My. Thoughts. Exactly." Ruben replied,
"Better measures. Should be. Employed. At least. For the more. Unruly. Cases.""The Headmistress doesn't have too much say in how we handle the students," Adam replied,
"She barely leaves her office unless something important happens. I can safely say we can - and likely already have - employ these "measures". Hopefully, the students will play along.""Hope. Is not. Reliable." Ruben replied, "Action. Is."Before any further replies could be made, the table suddenly gained a fourth.
“Hi, I’m Sawyer!” She presented herself with,
“Are you two teachers?”Ruben and Adam both turned their heads to face the girl. Harmon kept his down, however. And he continued eating his soup. There was, yet again, another bout of silence amidst the group. Finally, Ruben interrupted the silence with,
"That seemed. Somewhat. Intrusive."Sawyer frowned and a nasty annoyance rose in her, but she quelled it - no use making enemies. Sawyer sighed through her nose before replacing her smile and taking a bite of her food before saying a simple,
"Sorry." Though she, truthfully, didn't sound sorry at all.
Adam glanced around the table for a bit before returning his vision to Ruben.
"Do we..." He asked,
"Continue our discussion, or...?""Later." Ruben replied, turning his attention towards Sawyer.
"Let us. Welcome. The newcomer."Sawyer's lip quirked in confusion and she shifted in her seat. This whole encounter was weird, but it was either this or
Piper and, frankly, Sawyer would choose about anything over Piper at the moment.
"So, what are your names?""Adam Blackmore." Came the first reply,
"Head of power instruction.""And I. Am Ruben. Geraltes. Tarblatt." Came the second,
"Meta. Human. Studies. Instructor." He turned his head and motioned towards his compatriot.
"This. Is Harmon. Rottlage. My. Assistant." Harmon did nothing but pass a quick glance upwards, the blank face beneath his hood becoming visible for a brief moment. His camera lied at the edge of the table, watching the altercation. He slowly lowered his head again.
"And you said your name was..." Adam spoke up,
"Sawyer?"Sawyer didn't see much of Harmon's face, but she caught a quick glimpse of pale flesh and cracks and she felt disgust swell inside of her. Swallowing it down, she took a vicious bite of her meat and chewed it thoroughly, swallowing that as well, before answering.
"Yeah, my mom named me after one of her high school conquests." Then, remembering she was speaking to teachers, she amended,
"Er...I mean boyfriends."Another pause.
"Rather. Uncouth." Ruben replied.
Adam continued with,
"New student, I take it? What are your powers?"Sawyer raised an eyebrow at Tarblatt before turning her light blue-green eyes on Blackmore.
"Ah, my powers! I gain the attributes of animals I touch. So far I only have a gorilla, a dog, and a cat under my belt. Yours?""Replicator. It runs in my family quite extensively." Adam replied. He gestured towards the other two and said,
"Harmon's a technopath, as well as being able to teleport at will. Ruben... well, you can ascertain his abilities from his appearance. He's also a bit of a cerebral, so, there's that.""That's interesting." Sawyer never really liked cerebrals; most of them had the ability
and habit of invading others' privacy. Nevertheless, Sawyer decided that Harmon should participate more in the conversation and hoped that he wouldn't be overly uncomfortable with what she was going to do. Sawyer pulled out her phone, and under the table, texted a quick message to Piper. So not only was she attempting to make friends with the strange guy, she was pissing her sister off as well!
Her finger pressed send and she looked up from her phone and glanced at Harmon with a friendly smile.
"Harmon, what does it say? The text message I just sent, I mean."Harmon raised his head a bit. It took him a moment to muster up the gall to speak, but he got around to it.
"H-... h-hi, Harmon...""Wow, incredible." Sawyer muttered, and her phone buzzed with a reply. Smiling mischeviously, she raised an eyebrow at Harmon and asked,
"What does this one say?"Harmon lowered his head again.
"I shouldn't say..." He replied.
Chuckling, Sawyer pulled at her lip in amusement and said,
"Yeah, that sounds about right." She quickly glanced down at the message and her amusement increased.
"She's certainly becoming creative with her word choices.""Sawyer." Ruben suddenly spoke up,
"Question.""Yeah?" Sawyer asked, a smile still on her sunscreen caked face.
"What. Are your current. Academic. Choices. For your time here.""Unfortunately, I'm going to be attending the high school here." Sawyer supplied, taking a bite of a roll of bread.
"Have you. Selected. Anything. Above. Normal. Courses." Ruben inquired,
"I ask. Because I. Am offering. A meta-human. Studies class. For all students. New. And returning.""Sounds interesting. I'm game!" Honestly, Sawyer couldn't remember if she selected anything above her normal courses - though, if asked, Sawyer will give a firm no. To be honest, Sawyer had given Piper the choice of more classes or not, and she would blindly follow. But now...well, it might be that time to separate entirely from the evil Bitch of the West.
"Now, Ruben, c'mon." Adam said,
"Are you going to start asking everyone that?" He turned to Sawyer and said,
"I myself am offering a power usage program for all students as well. I think you may enjoy adavancing your abilities over learning from the past.""She. Has made. Her choice. Blackmore." Ruben replied, leaning forward a bit.
Sawyer felt a little awkward...and a little amused. While historical things weren't her forte, she new the importance of learning from the past, but she also wanted to control her abilities. Well, it came down to this - Ruben asked first and she had answered. But, Sawyer decided that she would rather change the subject than cause a catfight.
"Are you going to take Tarblatt's class, Harmon, since your his assistant? Well, if your doing the whole academic thing, of course.""Y-yes..." Harmon replied,
"I am...""Harmon. Will be assisting me. With both demonstrations. And presentations." Ruben added,
"His abilities. Are superb. In forming displays. For a variety. Of subjects. What's more. He is aiding me. In the construction. Of a side project.""Cool, cool." Sawyer mumbled,
"So, after you get your whatever-that-NEST-thing-is-called, are you going to stay here and continue to assist Mr. Tarblatt or..." She inquired.
"I..." Harmon replied, raising his voice just a little,
"I might, uh... go back to... the Ivory Deer Community..."Sawyer grabbed a bite of potatoes and some steak, nodding her head in perhaps a strange encouragement or a simple gesture of understanding.
"Yeah, I plan on going back home to Highroller Heights. I'm hoping to travel at some point in my life, though."Sawyer would elaborate, but all the talking has made her hungry and she dove into her food full-heartedly. She ate several different meats, a roll of bread, and various other foods, filling her stomach.
The time onward from there, at the table, was nothing more than idle chat and food.