What's Over Here? (Assignment) [Richard/Asiv]

[Stevie-Rae]

I walked along the sidewalk, eyes on the ground before me. Pulling out my phone again, i looked over the path i was supposed to take. My route would take me to Public High School #260. I knew I wasn't supposed to be going over there, but I needed to know what caused the school to invade ours. A few days after arriving, i realized it was not normal for other schools to invade. If I was to be sure I could protect the school, I needed to be sure of who my enemies were.

I adjusted my jacket reading: #260 Choir Leader. I wasn't sure the small disguise would work, but I had to try something. I looked around, uneasy at wearing the jacket in the #259's controlled area. If i was attacked, i might not be able to fight back. I would be forced to show my Keys, even then, they might not believe me. Whatever. I didn't get this position for no good reason. I fought for it. I would take crap for it too.

[Richard Stock]

...

Red lights. Green lights.

"---Which is where you come in, Dick, this mixer's totally gonna be---"

Sudden stops. Swerves.

"---Please let me out, now."

Simon, a dark-skinned Latino wearing a red baseball cap looked over at his passenger, immediately balking.

"Oh come on, man! The numbers are totally even, and you'll get a chance to meet some upper classme---Oh," he stopped himself, staring at Richard's now overly green face, as he pointed at himself for emphasis.

"I knew you said you were bad with, uh, motion---"

"---Please let me out, now."

In front of Stevie-Ray, a red, rusted Volkswagon would pull up in front of her, before the passengers door was flung open, and a sharply dressed shortie fell prone on his elbows onto the sidewalk. His profile face, looking down at the sidewalk, looked pale and discolored. From inside the car, she would hear a Spanish-accent of a, "So you're sure you can walk there!?"

The young man prone on the sidewalk, without looking back, raised up his left hand high into the sky into a thumbs up.

"...Well, alright. Don't force yourself, though, hombre. Give me a text if you can't show! Take care!"

With a few additional nods from the boy on the ground, the Latino would lean over and slam his door shut, before driving off. Slowly, the young man would stand himself up, brushing himself off, standing at a full... 4'9 feet. He wasn't badly dressed for a scamp, with a long-sleeved, high-collared white button-up shirt and a black jacket over it. His black shoes and pants looked nice as well, as though they'd been cared for for a long time.

It was at the point where he was brushing the dust off his arms that he would notice the lady who easily stood eight inches taller than him. But if he was bothered by this, he'd present no tell, instead simply nodding at her.

[Zack Asiv]

Unfortunately for these two, after the riot tensions had been raised on the borders of 259 and 260 territory. And small sects of groups involved or wanting to get involved had been breaking off all week attacking each other in small street skirmishes. Today just so happened to be one of them, when seven people came around the next corner from 260 and about ten from 259. Each spotting each other, then spotting Richard and the 260 choir girl.

Well this was gonna get ugly, very fast.

[Stevie-Rae]

I looked up from the sick guy on the ground in time to see a group of people on each side about to fight. I wasn't one to turn down a fight, just the opposite. However, I also wasn't one to turn against my own. I took off my jacket and threw it face down on the ground. Walking over to the guy on the ground i'd say quickly,

"If ye cain't fight, stay outta the way. I'll keep em offa yah."

I turned to face the #260 kids.

"If y'all don't wanna be broken, I suggist y'all leave nayo!"

So much for going in disguise. If any of these were still conscious, they'd give me away. Shit...

[Richard Stock]

Richard had struck a very "not cool" first impression, but there was nothing helping it. He made a few awkward swallowing noises before allowing himself to cough as the blood slowly returned to his face. But then he saw them. A bunch of people around his age coming at him from the direction of the school... and with a step backward, he saw even more high schoolers coming from another direction.

Had Simon just dropped him off in the middle of a gang war?

Richard was going to have words with his upperclassmen tomorrow.

As it stood, Richard's awareness of the situation was very poor. He knew that PHS #259 was a school for troubled, violent students. What he didn't know was that another school had attacked theirs very recently.

The lady however got to him before either of the two groups did, throwing down her jacket (he didn't spot the PHS #260 Choir badge), and offered to keep him safe.

He stared. And then he continued staring as she started shouting threats at one of the group of high schoolers.

...Stevie-Ray would feel a hand reach up to her right shoulder, as the pony-tailed transfer student steadied himself, before pulling off his own jacket... but keeping it in his right hand.

"...Now that is..." he took a breath, settling his stomach, "...not... right."

He slowly dropped his arm from her shoulder and stood himself up as tall as possible, fists clenching, shoulders broadening to make himself look larger as he stared ahead. He stood next to her because as far as he was concerned, she was the only one on his side in the middle of this mess.

He stood next to her to let her know she wasn't alone.

[Zack Asiv]

Seemed at this point the 260 punks were outnumbered, but the rage fuel was high enough they figured they could win. The kids reacted as cocky bastards usually do when threatened, sneering and yelling. The crowd of 259 students laughed a bit then yelled back at them, and the fight was on! During the charge of both sides some of the 259 students recognized Stevie-Ray as the Captain of the S.H.C.P and knew these 260 guys were about to get wrecked like they deserve. They knew from the rumors how brutal she could be and almost didn't want to get in the way.

However the fighters would all meet right at Stevie and Richard!

Stevie has a kid leaping at her brining his knee up for her chin, while Richard has a girl swinging a baseball bat for his face!

[Stevie-Rae]

I took a step to my left as the knee came at my chin. Reaching my hand up, i'd grab his junk and his shoulder, i'd slam him down onto his back, aiming for the curb. With that one taken care of, i'd look to see which of my fellow students needed help.

[Richard Stock]

It would be a bit awkward, but as soon as Richard saw that pretty young thing aiming a bat at his face, he took a half-step back and swung his jacket-arm (his right arm) in a counter swing at the bat, now with a bit of spacing, to both negate the momentum of the bat and to catch it in his jacket.

"Fancy a scuffle?" he'd mutter.

He felt the residual momentum of the bat in his arm as he swirled his hand in a counter-clock fashion to loosen the bat, before stepping forward with his left foot to grab at the other end of the bat, where the girls hands were. While short, he would nonetheless raise up the bat while gripped with both hands and thrust the butt of the bat hard into the girl's stomach, until she was either knocked out or laying on the floor. Provided that was all successful, he would then back up (it paid to not get too caught up on a downed opponent lest he leave his back open he figured) and stand again next to Stevie, now with a jacket in his left hand and a bat in his right.

Richard would shoot her a glance before looking around, still uncertain of who his actual friends and foes were.

[Zack Asiv]

With both Richard and Stevie-Ray felling enemies it was now more than double the 260 numbers who ran away, while the 259 students chased. They seemed to be running further into the city as well and not towards either of the schools.

Stevie-Ray/Richard: +1 exp

[Stevie-Rae]

I looked around and laughed at the scene. They were running away! I looked back to the guy who was almost sick. and turned toward him.

"Hi. I'm Stevie-Ray. Nice fighting."

[Richard Stock]

Just as Richard stepped back to his place next to the girl, the anger flaring from the smaller group seemed to cave and they fled. Immediately, his shoulders deflated, and he resumed looking as scrawny as he did before, staring as the larger group then gave chase, ignoring the two of them.

His eyes seemed to glaze over as the adrenaline left him...

---

"Fuckin' Stock, eh? Not a fuckin' bad job!"

"Yeah, I guess the shortstop did alright..."

"Du seem to know your way around a fight. Ve could use du."

---

...But just for a moment. He shook his head, clearing the faces he seemed to know for lifetime out of his head. Faces that didn't exist.

He looked up at her, at Stevie-Ray, as she introduced himself.

"Richard Stock. You too."

Richard lowered his chest to rest his hands on his knees, as he let the bat rest against the length of his thigh, his jacket slung over his shoulder. He then walked on over to the jacket she had thrown down and picked it up, handing it to her---

'#260 Choir Leader'

Not reading it out loud, just mouthing it.

He raised a brow at her, her jacket extended back to her.

[Stevie-Rae]

I smiled and offered a hand. I didn't care if he shook it. It was just a thing Texans did. My smile faded as i grabbed the jacket. "I'm the Captain of the School Hall Correctional Police. I am just trying to find out why they attacked before. There was a big riot on my first day and I want to know why. So," I lifted the jacket. "Undercover police force."
I smiled. I thought i was a riot. "If you have nothing better to do, I'd appreciate you're help. I could use backup." I offered him a hat one of the kids had left. reading across the bill: '#260 Wrestling Champion 2016' If he didn't take it, I would drop the hat and walk on towards the school.

[Richard Stock]

Either before after the jacket was taken, Richard would dispel the strange look he was giving her and would nonetheless shake her hand. They had just fought together, after all---he was being rude, and was quick to correct that.

He listened to her, perking up at the fact that she identified herself as the Captain of the SHCP. The attack went over his head, but he began to understand that some subterfuge was going on. He looked at her and he looked at himself. She had a disguise. He was too new to be identifiable as either a 259er or a 260er.

When she held up a hat, he held up one finger. 'One moment.'

He took out his cellphone, texting rapidly.

---

Richard: "You dropped me off in the middle of a gang fight."

Simon: "Forreal? I'm sorry, man!"

Richard: "I can't make it to the mixer."

Simon: "No doubt! You take care of yourself! Tell me all about it tomorrow!"

---

"Wanker."

Promptly taking the hat, he looked at the bill, before holding up at the bat, scrutinizing it. He would offer it to her... but if she didn't take the bat, he would look up at one of the neighboring buildings and huck it up there, before wrapping himself in his jacket again. He was already an unconvincing wrestler at his stature, no need to throw further suspicion on himself.

Wherever she began walking to, he'd follow at her side... but before they left the area completely, he would stare at the girl and the guy they had knocked out and then at the streets.

Then he'd call 911 and rattle off the street name.

No one should have to wake up, sprawled on the street in the dark like that, he figured.

[Stevie-Rae]

I shook his hand and smiled. I watched him text, wondering who but decided i didn't care. After he was through texting, he took the hat and placed it on his head. I figured he'd hold it. It didn't really match his clothes. But, who was i to judge? I was a country bumpkin wearing a Letterman with a cowgirl hat and boots. Really? I nodded and took the bat. If there was further need, it'd come in use. Plus, I also had that wooden sword. If needed, i'd give him the bat and pull out the sword.

After he called 911 and let them know about the unconscious students, I led onward to #260. It was a bit of a walk, round 15 minutes, so i figured, why not get to know this guy?

"So, Richard, Where awre yiu frum?" My accent was strong. I didn't care, it was who i was. If he didn't like it, he could go fuck himself for all i cared.

[Richard Stock]

Richard watched her take the bat and nodded approvingly. He was still only a transfer here and didn't know the absolute wisest decision aside from his gut feelings. As a quick few observations, he noted that she was patient at the least not inconsiderate as he dialed 911. She could have balked at his decision, which would have quickly drawn the lines of what was and what was not acceptable for a 259er with all the gangs in these areas. The fact that she, the S.H.C.P. captain let him do this spoke volumes of his (and in his opinion) and her principles.

She spoke with a strong American accent---stronger than the ones here in California.

As a person who was viewed to have a curious accent himself, it bothered him none.

"London. And yourself?"

Small talk. But even if it wasn't clear yet, Richard really wanted to talk with her regarding his proposition. So this was a good start.