https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWo__6Xn6Qs

[fistsofchange]

Who: Bai Lin, Vivi Ornitier, others
What: A mysterious stranger rolls into town, with a kid in tow
When: 5/16 I guess
Where: Around the school
Warnings: Probably nothing

-1-

Somewhere on the edge of town, a portal to the Outlands shimmered into existence. Through it stepped two figures. One was child sized and wore a battered blue jacket, while the other was adult sized wore an old black monk's garment. Both had poiny straw hats that covered their eyes. Both were coated in dust and grim from the Outlands. With barely a word, they set out on foot towards the school.

-2-

After talking to the faculty for a while and dropping the kid off, Lin realized she wasn't sure where the dorms were. There was nothing for it but to find someone to ask for directions. She hadn't been on Earth in many years, though, and hadn't really realized just how her time in the Outlands had effected her.

Anyone who came across her would see a battle scarred figure in layers of grimy clothes, with their face shaded by a conical straw hat. From the scars and the bandages and the generally exhausted way of moving, this is clearly someone who has Seen Some Shit. But even beyond her mere physical appearance, Lin gave out an aura of alert menace. Any warrior's instincts would be immediately set off. She was like a stalking predator waiting for the right moment to strike, or a coiled spring about to explode into motion.

And this ominous, shady as fuck looking figure just sort of appeared behind you.

-3-

Several misunderstandings and one VERY long shower later, Lin was almost unrecognizable as the mysterious stranger from before. A woman in her late 20s or maybe early 30s in a brand new Daybreak Academy student uniform sits in the cafeteria with a tray piled with a little bit of everything on the menu. She was digging into with the methodical determination of someone who hasn't been eating as much as she'd like for months.

She glanced up when she saw someone else looking at her or sitting down. "Sorry, I dunno if it's actually really good, or if I'm just really hungry, but I am just REALLY enjoying this."

Comments

2.

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail... just chuckles.]

Y'know... [She tilts her head, looking casually back over her shoulder.] Most people just say "hello".

Not that the whole "stalking hunter of the night" thing ain't working for you, honey, but I kinda thought we left on better terms than that.

[Looks like somebody remembers you, Bai Lin. Do you remember her?]

[fistsofchange]

[Lin takes a step back in surprise at that reaction.]

Do I really look THAT dreadful?

[And then it clicks. There's no way she could forget that face. The parts of it she can see, at least. Lin's eyes got wide and her cheeks got red.]

[nor_iron_bars]

Hey, I didn't say that. [Even if the face- and the distinctive mask- hadn't rung a bell, the wink and audibly wicked grin accompanying that line probably would've been a clue.]

Sneaking up on people makes 'em think you're a little unfriendly, 'round these parts, but there's nothing wrong with the view I'm getting now. [Her grin widens.] Makes it even more of a shame not to say hi.

[fistsofchange]

Jailbreak!

[Hug time is now.]

What in the world are you doing HERE?

[nor_iron_bars]

[Awww, Lin. Yeah, she's hugging back. Sometimes it's just nice to run into an old friend on good terms, instead of in the middle of some weird plan or something.]

Would you believe "mostly not crime, for once"?

[The slight snickering may make that seem a little dubious, but Jail's base state is somewhat shady, so it's hard to be sure.]

Short version is Daybreak made me a good offer, so I took 'em up on it. How 'bout you? Last I heard you were still out making the world a better place, one jump kick at a time.

[fistsofchange]

Nightfall is too big to jump kick by myself so I came here to see if I could help us collectively do it.

[She let go of Jailbreak, then gave her a slightly suspicious look.]

You’re not here to con them, are you? They’re doing very important work here.

[nor_iron_bars]

[A quiet chuckle, and she shakes her head.]

Nah, there's a reason I never fucked with 'em even before I signed up: the apocalypse is bad for business. Let's face it- even if they weren't paying me, there ain't a payoff from any job I could pull off here that'd be big enough to be worth as much as the world not going right to shit.

Don't tell 'em that, though. Not gonna give any reason to think they can get away with cutting my salary.

2

[heromedal]

Sneaking up on Rex is not easy to do. He preferred to be the one people went ‘bwah’ at when they noticed a terrifying presence way too close all of a sudden. And being the highly paranoid sort he was he did the most logical thing, when he felt what seemed to be a huge killing intent right behind him-

Panicked for a couple of seconds silently, running through his huge mental checklist of options at light speed. No time to cast until he got distance- so a spinning backfist about head height.

Form’s not bad, not great either.

[fistsofchange]

She’d been like ONE SECOND from saying hello but apparently this is happening now. This guy was tall so an arm lock would be tricky, and breaking someone’s arm on her first day wouldn’t look great so lesse here...If she put her foot here And flexed her knee like this, and then pushed his arm there...

There was a confusing blur of motion and next thing Rex knew, he was lying on his face feeling mildly stunned, if not actually in a lot of pain. Someone had his arm in an armlock.

“Crap I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to surprise you! I’m just lost! Are you okay!?”

[heromedal]

Paranoia- it's always a good idea.

"Uboaaa!"

That's the sound Rex makes when he gets his ass kicked, it's a reflex. His bulk weighs a lot and so even the most gentle attempt to put him down really hurts- and it's way worse than he remembers it from the last time he got knocked down because he's not such a scrawny example as he was after five months of eating regularly and working out at an actual gym.

"Ouch." He doesn't come out as a reflex noise, he literally just says it completely deadpan. "Do you always just walk around radiating killing intent like that?"

Give it a sec.

"Also, please let go."

[fistsofchange]

"Was I really that bad? It's been a rough couple of...uh..."

Counting it out in her head. "...Years."

She let go of Rex, though, and offered a hand to help him back up. "I'm really very sorry."

[heromedal]

"Yes, you absolutely were."

His tone doesn't actually sound judgmental as such. It was just a fact. He rolls over and spends a moment seated, gently prodding his face. It kinda smacked the ground there.

"Somewhere between a hungry troll and a wrathful ghost."

He flinches when her hand is extended, but recovers with a cough and takes it. Few can actually haul his lumbering ass up, but she also knocked it down which is just as unusual. Normally he'd take all of his own weight and just take the hand as a token gesture, but he decides to see if she can just yeet him to his feet. Subtle. Not dead weight, just not quite helping as much as he could.

[fistsofchange]

"Well I think you'll find I don't bite. I have been accused of haunting people, but they were mostly joking."

She did her best to haul him up, but grunted with effort, as she was like half his size and apparently did not have super strength. "You, uh...you gonna work with me here?"

1

[alreadyhuman]

Vivi being Vivi, as soon as they get through the portal he's grabbing Bai Lin's hand, no longer needing to hold onto his hat to stop it from blowing away in harsher conditions.

He can't decide what he wants to look at first; his glance falls on one thing or another, easily distracted. Eventually, though, he peers up at Lin, blinking owlishly.

"Is this it...?" His voice is almost a whisper, shy and soft. He's still nervous.

[fistsofchange]

"This is Earth, at least!"

She took Vivi's hand. Her hands were calloused and strong, but warm. "Looks like we came through a ways from the actual Academy, though. I guess we're not quite done walking yet!"

[alreadyhuman]

"It's more colourful than I thought it would be. And it's so busy..."

He holds her hand a bit more tightly, saying 'busy'. His eyes are wide and startled under his hat.

"Is this what it's always like?"

[fistsofchange]

As reassuring hands to hold go, Lin's rate a solid 9.5/10 at LEAST. She set out at a comfortable pace for the kid with the much shorter legs. "It's almost as varied as the Outlands. There's deserts harsher than where we just came from, great rolling oceans, cities with millions of people, mountains that have snow year round..."

She realized she was starting to sound like a tour guide but this planet WAS her home after all, even if she hadn't spent a lot of time here recently.

[alreadyhuman]

Vivi's personal rating is a 10/10. He's held a few hands in his time, and there's few as personally reassuring to him as Lin's.

This might be partially because she neatly laid out the people who tried to take advantage of him and he thinks she's super ultra cool, but still. Nobody ever said he wasn't biased.

"That sounds amazing. And really different! Will I get to see them?"

[fistsofchange]

"Eventually, if you want. You've got your whole life ahead of you to do it!"

As they strolled through the streets of Soleil they got a few curious glances, but not as many as they would have in most other towns. Lin stopped to barter (she had some gold and silver coins, but no Euros) for some sandwiches for breakfast.

3

[improbablenotimpossible]

The tall man in the black suit casts a brief glance over as Bai Lin sat down, green eyes flickering in her direction. He straightens up as he lowers the book he was reading.

"Well I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to tell you which one it is." He spoke, while his expression and voice had a muted quality, there's a sense of faint amusement.

[fistsofchange]

"I'm content to leave some things in life a mystery."

He didn't seem actively annoyed and that was all the invitation she needed. NEW FRIEND O'CLOCK AND ALL'S WELL!

"Are you a teacher here? I'm Lin."

[improbablenotimpossible]

The corner of his lips curled at the statement of mystery. "It'd be dull if everything was laid out in the open... and no, I'm not a teacher actually, but a graduate student." The man corrected with the faintest shake of his head.

"Arthur Bell,"

[fistsofchange]

"Oh I see! You had kind of a teacherly look about you so I just guessed." She said, beaming. "I'm actually a graduate student too!"

The two of them were a study in contrasts, but apparently they were peers.

[improbablenotimpossible]

"I'm afraid I do not quite have the temperament to be a teacher full time, much prefer to be a perpetual student." He answers, as he quietly studies the woman before him, her manner of dress, speaking, even how she's shoveling food - making little connections from his observation.

"Though I will be volunteering to work as an assistant, particularly for biology and chemistry classes. Would you also be considering assisting, or are you waiting to get settled in before deciding?"

[fistsofchange]

"I'm here to help. They gave me some personality tests of some kind and said I have a very stable personality. Apparently, I'm gonna be helping someone named Tsunade."