buttons are important guys

[defender]

Characters: Shoujou
Format: Anything!
This log is: Closed to new threads!
Location: The hallway outside White 1-B.
Summary: Half-dressed ex-student council officer trying to find people he knows.

[Walking briskly – practically running – down the hallway with one hand clutching a stack of papers and the other holding his shirt closed tight against his chest, Shoujou looks like the classic example of a student too tired to dress himself: the ribbon left untied around his collar, vest hanging loosely around his shoulders, white shirt unbuttoned and untucked. He's not really doing a good job of keeping himself covered up, but thankfully, his pants are on mostly right – with the exception of the button being undone, but he’s got the belt on despite that.]

[Muttering things about “Tougyu-senpai’s here” and “El wouldn’t be on the list,” Shoujou knows he’s going to get a lot of questions in the next five minutes.]

[He's still not gonna like it.]

Comments

[summerstars]

You have no idea what the government can hide if they get their heads to it... [And that rings true in a way she can't remember. Frag on a stick on a public square! She was so tired of that huge, important thing missing.]

In the way..? [Grenn's eyes narrows.]

You came from slightly behind and to the side of me. If anyone was in the way, it was you. [She'd heard someone running, yes, but she doesn't see anything wrong with assuming they can see the people in the hallway with them.]

And besides, you don't seem to require visual aids.

[defender]

[He hadn't intended to set her off with that comment, but now that he had, he wasn't going to backtrack.]

Making assumptions. How would you know?

[summerstars]

[While the tone grates, the less than full-on aggression makes Grenn calm down. She's not looking to get in a fight, after all, no matter how annoying or rude he was just earlier.]

Well... [She looks around, but it's not so much a show of secrecy as trying to find time to think.]

No matter how many whistle-blowers there are, th... the government always has more in store. [She'd been about to say 'those in power', but they were talking government despite the slight tinge of something familiar there.]

... And people make assumptions every day. [Grenn gives the guy a stare.] I'm sure we've both just now made assumptions about each other that's not correct. [But she does know one observation of this guy is correct, and that's that he's rude.]

[defender]

[Shoujou slides his papers into a neater bundle, giving her a sidelong glance as he does so - he's not quite following her muttering about the government anymore, but he approaches the topic casually.] All rulers keep their secrets. It's the subject's duty to know when it's necessary to find things out for themselves.

[He looks away.] That's certainly true. [...the first part, at least.]

[summerstars]

Subject? You look... er, quite comfortable in those clothes [Kind of, anyway, Grenn has to accede, because a guy who's running around with all his buttons undone...] so I don't think you're from a monarchy.

[Grenn shakes her head, but now that she's turned (accidentally) to the subject of his clothes, she coughs lightly. That's just awkward. Why didn't he ask someone for help?]

You... Did they take some memory concerning buttons? You should probably... um, start asking people in your dorm to help you. [Because she is certainly not going to offer to button him up. Sorry Shoujou.]

[defender]

[Abruptly closes up his shirt with one hand, turning away.] Ah... they did. I haven't spoken to anyone in my dorm yet. [That was a lie -- there was that one boy, Sherlock -- but Shoujou certainly would not trust someone so readily.]

And I was being metaphorical, but -- [He pauses, and then asks, in a slightly darker tone:] Wait... what do you mean, "from a monarchy?"

[summerstars]

[The tone is strange, so Grenn just stares at Shoujou for a bit, trying to decipher it. When she comes up with nothing, she shrugs and decides to answer it straight.]

I've just never actually heard anyone refer, even metaphorically, to people as 'subjects' unless it was some sort of monarchy it was about... [It's just a rather antiquated term to her, is all.]

Why else use that word? [She's probably lucky they all get an instant sort of translation, because if there was a more traditional one, she'd probably understand all these people much less than she currently does.]

[defender]

[Shoujou is vexed enough that he considers walking off to continue his search for the rest of the student council, but holds his impatience in check, putting on a friendlier attitude. She'd said something to pique his interest...]

I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. You made it sound as if you were expecting me to be from a monarchy, myself.

[Patiently.] And correct me if I'm wrong, but I think most monarchies lost all real power by the twentieth century.

[summerstars]

[Ahhh frag. Twelwth century what? He's using the Gregorian calendar, whyyy. He's Japanese! (She's fairly sure he's Japanese, anyway.) He shouldn't be prattling dates at her in the Gregorian calendar! Have some decency and be predictable, Shoujou!]

Errr... Is that so. I, um. [What to say, what to say... Oh right. Grenn manages to collect herself and blinks at Shoujou.]

Sorry, can't say I know what that is compared to the Hijri calendar. [Take that, annoying Japanese boy using Gregorian dates.]

-- no one saw that

[defender]

[Sorry Japan adopted it, Grenn. For his part, Shoujou's confused by her confusion; he can only convert to eras.]

...I mean... roughly one century ago? If we were just to discuss the European monarchies, that would be more like two centuries ago, but there were instances... where... [Aaaand traaaails off.]

What country do you come from?

Of course not. Saw nothing at all.

[summerstars]

[Aaannd, one century ago? That tells her nothing! Oh wait, rambling Shoujou, European--- wait. Which would that be? Some of them are still in power! (Space is a good place to... be king?) Grenn tries really hard to hide her confusion. Really, really hard. See how hard she tries.]

Er. [Oh great. Why do you have to be difficult, Shoujou? Because with all these dates throwing her off, it takes her a bit (too long) to remember the correct name of the country her family comes from, even if they haven't lived there in like two centuries or so.]

... India. [Grenn resists the urge to groan and hide her face in her palms. She's blown this big-time.]

[defender]

...India. [The boy repeated, with the blandest of voices and the blankest of stares. He hasn't figured out the time difference yet, mind you...]

I'm pretty sure India is using the Gregorian calendar.

[...he just thinks Grenn might be totally insane.]

[summerstars]

India, yes. [She may sound a tad defensive. Just a tad. Pay it no mind, Shoujou.]

... I'm an indian muslim, you know. That means I use the Hirji calendar. [She really doesn't like the tone he has when he says the last, but what can you do. Of course, she's rather sure muslims back in the past were quite aware of the Gregorian calendar dates, maybe, but there's nothing she can do about that. (No time-difference here, no sir.)]

[defender]

[Shoujou felt that the entire conversation was much too awkward for it to be wrapped up with such a simple (and obstinate) explanation, but if El were somewhere in the school, Shoujou couldn't keep him waiting any longer.]

I see. [Muttering.] I'll keep that in mind, then...

[summerstars]

[At least she managed to head him off. She'd done worse with Tougyu... And, wait... He's still standing around more or less half-dressed and had oviously been going somewhere...]

... Er. Well... Um. I'm not sure how pleased either of us is with this meeting, but I'll let you go on your way. [She says with a faintly amused smile and shrugs. It wasn't too horrible, after all. With Shoujou letting up, Grenn's back to feeling more relaxed about the whole thing.]

Just a warning, though... Even with people aware everybody loses memories when they come here, I'm not sure how many's gonna assume you've forgotten how to dress yourself instead of... something else. [She feels kinda sorry for him, considering what that sort of dressed-but-not-really situation could imply.]

[defender]

[He reddens a little, the expression on his face just a few inches short of 'utterly scandalized' and his voice rising in pitch.]

I-I already know that! You don't have to... tell me...!

[And, looking like he's one more comment short of storming off again.] Ugh, it doesn't matter! They can think whatever they want!

[summerstars]

[Why so high-strung, Shoujou? Grenn managed to stop the smile. Apparently he wasn't the type to crassly boast any sexual... intimacy.]

That sort of attitude is always good to have... [Grenn pauses and blinks, not used at saying something even remotely snappy when it might be called for.]

... I, er. Hope you find whoever you're looking for, if you're actually looking for someone. [Yes. Very smooth. Internal eyeroll.]

[defender]

What?! [He's quick to react, but cools off just as fast. Still faintly red, he looks at her with the same brand of disbelief he had when she'd initially offered help with the papers.] Oh... um...

[Cue a pause as he awkwardly tries to remember his manners.] Thank you. I'm, um, sure I will. [Another pause as he tries to think of something to say in return, but can't really think of anything, so he just nods his head.] If you'll excuse me...