Lunch Time, Finally

Skylar ran down the steps and into the cafeteria. Finally lunch time, she thought, taking a moment to close her eyes and breathe in the scent of freshly cooked food. Opening her eys, she looked around and saw she had been the first person to make it in. She walked to the other side and grab a tray. The sweet smell of fresh fruit drifted to her nose, tickling her nostrils and causing her stomach to growl.

Once she had filled her plate with pizza, fruit, a pudding cup, and other delectables, Skylar made her way over to an edge table. The sun was shinning, making the folliage outside to glow bright green. The lesson with Ghost had been infuriating, and she was glad that no one had pushed her for more details on her history in Roan's class. I just hope Volt decides to play nice and go easy. Skylar pulled the green leaves off the strawberry and popped it into her open mouth. It felt good to just sit there and relax. Maybe after classes she could go into town or just go sit outside.

Hikuro walked really quickly in the cafeteria, hoping that was some food left. Hikuro looked at the kinds of food. "Wait theres no japanese food here too?" Hikuro got a little angry by that. He really wants to eat some easter food right now. So he decide to take 4 slice of pizza because for him classes make him very hungry.

"Yo Sky, can i sit here?" Hikuro spot Skylar sitting all alone, so he decide to go to her. He started to eat is pizza slowly, bite after bite. "I hope the next teacher is not hard as that Ghost one…".

Skylar smiled slightly and took a sip of her water. "Considering our last class if Volt's I don't think it will be too hard. Roan wasn't too bad either, even though the whole group therapy thing wasn't my idea of easy fun." She bit another strawberry in half and leaned on her elbow. "What are your thoughts on classes so far?"

Hikuro bite another slay of pizza and drink some soda before his speak. "Well… my thoughts will be… 1. Don't make a teacher angry or he/she will kick you" Hikuro look at his foot that was still hurting him. "2. we need to be more open to each other if we have to be a team…" Hikuro looks at the other mutton in the cafeteria. "3. i will be NO leader…. i don't like to order people around… why you don't become the leader?" Hikuro look at Skylar.

Skylar, barely aknowledging Volt's comment with a nod, nearly spit back up the stawberry she had just eaten. She grabbed her water and took a few gulps, trying to wash the bits back down her throat. Not only was the suggestion unexpected, it sounded plainly ridiculous. "Me the leader? Are you being serious?" She couldn't see herself leading a group; she lacked the control and authority needed for something like that. Sure, she might be confident and not afraid to say what needed to be said, but that didn't make her leader material.

When Volt come to Hikuro, he was frozen while bitting is pizza. He was scared that the teacher will being angry at Hikuro. But he was safe, for now. "Totally… I mean, you are the closed to everyone, even with Loika… and you know that i'm a little shy with girls… hahahaha" Hikuro bite again his pizza and drink more soda.

Ghost entered the cafeteria quietly. Unlike he had been seen up till now he simply walked through the door instead of popping out of a shadow. He looked around noting Volt and the two students, Skylar and Hikuro if he recalled correctly. Without a word he walked over grabbed a tray and filled it with some fruit and a sandwich and grabbed a bottle of water.

As he walked past he glanced at the students his masked face meeting theirs before he strode off to a corner of the cafeteria to sit by himself. While he was willing to be seen by the others now that both his class where done it didn't mean he was going to be buddy buddy with the fellow teaching staff. Least of all Volt. He found that man to be to loose and easy going. But he supposed teaching took all types

As he pondered in thought he sat down looking at his tray taking a moment to reflect before his meal.

Taking a bite of her pizza and looking out the window, Skylar thought about what Hiruko was saying. It was just easy for her to get along with other people, largely because she had so much experience dealing with other cultures and odd personalities. She bit another piece off of her pizza before turning back to Hiruko. "I don't know, I guess maybe. Roan said that this will be figured in the next class, so for now let's just drop it and focuss on something besides school. What are you going to do after computer science?"

For the second time Hikuro freeze when a teacher look at him. "Damn.. are all the teacher here scary or i'm becoming a coward?" Hikuro start to eat his pizza again. After a moment he looked at Sky "Huh? After this class? I don't know but i really want to go out of here… maybe hit a new place perhaps.". Hkuro take another drink of his soda. "Why? what to go somewhere?". He asked at Skylar.

Skylar shrugged and finished off one of the slices on her plate. "I don't know, I sorta wanna get out of here but I'd rather go in a group than alone. Maybe we can get some of the younger students to go and make a field trip out of it." She smiled slightly at the thought. Sure, babysitting wasn't her favorite activity, but it would be better than sitting around the school bored.

Hikuro was still eating is pizza when he heard Sky. "Younger students? I don't know even one of them… is this will be ok?". Hikuro drink is soda more before talking again. "Well… you right…. i need more fresh air too…". Hikuro give a bite to his last slice of pizza.

Smiling, Skylar gave a small nod of her head. "Then it's set. I'll talk to Pro. Susan about it after Volt's class." She finished her fruit and opened up the pudding cup. Looking around, she didn't see any of the other students. "I wonder where everyone else is."

After taking a bit more time after his class to enjoy the fresh air and reflect on things so far, Roan finally decided he needed to head to the cafeteria. He walked in casually, scanning the room as he grabbed a tray and slid down the line. He noticed two of his pupils sitting together as well a few of the faculty, most notably Ghost, who stood out like a sore thumb. It was a little amusing seeing the spook dining so casually in the cafeteria.

Grabbing a turkey sandwich, cocktail, and a carton of chocolate milk, he searched for a suitable place to sit. He gave Skylar and Hikuro a nod, as he did not want to impede on their mealtime chat. A nod towards Voltair as well. They hadn't really spoke much, despite sharing an office. That fell mostly on him, as he didn't make much of an effort towards it.

His eyes shifted to Ghost. He didn't really have anything against him. In fact, they hadn't even shared two lines of dialogue since meeting. However. Roan acknowledged his strength and respected him. Still, there was a feeling in him he couldn't let go of.

Ghost's appearance had always baffled Roan. What was the reason for this laughable getup? Was he self-conscious? Hideously disfigured underneath? Was it a psychological problem? Why was he always dressed and in-character all the time? It was about as silly as a watching a grown man running around in yellow and black spandex.

Roan plopped his plate on the table. "Ghost," he nodded at the dark one as he planted himself in front of the masked Ghost, watching as his food and drink literally vanished bit by bit. "I have to ask, because this has been bugging me ever since we met," he started before taking a bite of his sandwich,"What's with the getup?"

Ghost looked up as Roan spoke his name. Though he had never removed his mask parts of his food were missing.

"What is there to get about it?"

Ghost answered with a question he was well aware of it but he didn't understand Roan's question. What was there to get about an outfit? It was something he wore simple as that.

"What is with you always carrying a sword?"

Ghost decided to ask a question of his own as he knew he would have to eventually answer the other man's question. He was curious about Roan, he had read the file gathered on him and seemed out of anyone in the school he was closest to him in basic ability and was curious if their mindset was going to be close to the same as well

Ghost had countered his question with one of his own. Why do I carry this sword? "Hmm...Well, I guess its a bit to do with my military background, a reminder to me of my discipline and..." He thought of his question and it suddenly seemed about as obvious as Ghost's. What is there to get about it? What indeed. "I guess because of attachment. And sorry if the question came out the wrong way. I don't make excuses but I'm willing to admit my failings." However, he was still captivated. Maybe if he understood, he could accept it more easily. Hopefully he'd be provided with an answer.

Ghost smirked behind his mask as his plate was now empty.

"There is no need to apologize anyways. I prefer people who are direct it saves time. I dress how I do because I need to always be ready. Life does not give us time to prepare and a moment of hesitation, a moment of your guard being down can lead to death. I can't allow myself to die, not yet. And I suppose for discipline as well. The robes were given to me from monks I trained with. The mask...started as a joke among my superiors that evolved into a legend. It also protects me from psychic based abilities among other things"

Ghost looked up from his plate after giving his answer.

"But I assume there is more you wish to talk to me about then simply my choice in dress"

"Yes there is and thank you for humoring me." Always vigilant, huh? Roan could appreciate such a thing. What surprised him most was how approachable he was. It was right for him to follow that feeling, even if it lead to that silliness before. "OK, to be honest, I haven't seen much action for awhile and I'm beginning to feel a bit out of practice. Cutting the grass helps a bit, but I was wondering if you could lend me your strength for a bit. This may also be a good way to strengthen our bonds, since we're comrades now." He felt a little silly mentioning his side hobby. The danger room worked to an extent, but he preferred a real, actual challenge and not just something simulated that has no real weight in his eyes.

"I haven't brought the Danger Room up to full specs that is why it won't present a challenge at the moment. And comrades? hmm haven't used that word in a long time and not to offend you but it remains to be seen if you live up to such a title"

Ghost stood up from the table and stretched a little. He stretched his arms, flexing them and adjusting his gauntlets before turning back to face Roan.

"You want to be considered my comrade? Then we will do like we did back in basic, meet me outside. The only way to trust someone and to know what they can do is to fight them. You with to call me comrade and want me to return the sentiment then save it for after we have exchanged blows"

With that he turned and walked away from the table. He wasn't one for others opinions but he had planned to face off against everyone in the school to start with, since someone had willingly approached him he wasn't going to be one to refuse it.

It would be a simple sparring match but unlike with the students he wouldn't be holding back and they wouldn't be using the unnatural environment of the Danger Room. He didn't care if others came to watch but this would be between him and Roan and he wouldn't let anyone talk them out of it or interfere.

"Sounds fine to me."

Roan finished what was left of his lunch before getting up to follow the dark one out. This would prove to be even more of a test then he hoped. Ghost wanted him to earn his respect and he decided to do so. He felt a rumbling inside him, like a torrent twisting in his stomach. Maybe it was the clashing of his current self. His goals were to prove his strength to himself and Ghost. On the other side of that was the uncertainty of his current state. Would he be ok? Would he be able to stand or would weakness show through. Had he lost a bit of himself? It wasn't confidence that excited him, but the uncertainty of things that drove him. This was what he wanted. Will this torrent unwind or become a knot in my belly?

Lynx made her way into the cafeteria. She still was upset about the class and wasn't really in the mood for food, but she knew she needed it. Silently, she passed through the line grabbing only a slice of pizza and an apple. Looking around, she saw two of the older students sitting together. Since she wasn't really in the mood to sit by Ghost and Roan, she decided to take a seat by Volt. "Do you mind?" Lynx asked as she approached the table.

Smiling slightly, Lynx took a seat on the opposite side of the table. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to start the fight." She really wasn't in the mood to talk, but knew it was unavoidable with Volt. You should have thought about that before sitting down, she scolded herself. She shrugged inwardly and continued. "I guess you could say that. I was actually wondering if I could look at the spare computers in the back room." While talking, Lynx had found out about the extra computers, and since her sidekick had been taken away and was probably being pried and tested in the main lab back home, she was dieing to get her hands on some more equipment so she could make a temporary one.

Clenching her jaw, Lynx picked up her pizza. "Honestly, I think he's just some soldier wash up who wants to prove he has authority over someone." Although she mumbled her sentence, she was sure Volt would hear it, and she didn't care. Ever since she had met him at City Hall she wasn't his biggest fan, but as a fellow member of the academy's X-team she would deal. If there was one thing she learned while in her war it was that you stick together as a team. Lynx took a large bite of her pizza before putting it back on her plate. Swallowing, she got up and took a hold of her the tray. "I'll be by to check out those computers." She gave a small smile and left the cafeteria, throwing the food away on her way.