ROLLING DOWN YOUR TINTED WINDOW ♠ private

[Alice Scevidinia]

It was nearing lunchtime, and at that point in time, Alice would not have been too surprise had another food fight broke out. The cafeteria food was disgusting, and though she had brought her own food, the blonde really was not too hungry. Peanut butter and jelly on wheat bread. At least the grain tasted much better than the fake and artificial nothingness of white bread, but the girl decided to wait and save it for later. Hopefully, she could sneak it in between some other classes during later periods if she actually did feel like eating. The young student really could not count on it, though.

Placing her lunch back in her locker with her neatly-organized stacks of books and sheet music, Alice would make her way back to the cafeteria. Lunch period was far from over, so the blonde figured she might as well loiter about until the bell rang again. Perhaps she could find Vincent and sit with him, or possibly just snoop about for anything interesting. If all else failed, at the very least, she could instigate a bit of trouble of some sort, and then sit back and watch how it played out. If that were to happen, well, she would not mind having a bit of popcorn to munch on~

[Krane Asiv]

Being Captain now he needed to replenish the ranks of the pillars. Just himself and Melanie would not cut it. Let alone Krane couldn't claim to have dominated the school without proving it. He couldn't do that without followers.

So he would walk into the cafeteria actually wearing the armor he has been making. A forehead protector that kept his dead and scar covered eye from being seen, the gauntlets with the punch spikes on the elbows, the greaves with the punch spikes on the knees. Over his pillar boots, though now he needed to trade those in for Captain ones, right? Another time maybe when he felt like a captain.

[Alice Scevidinia]

Nothing too unusual was happening in the cafeteria on that particular day. Some people were huddled around tables, talking and showing off different things, or simply playing on their mobile phones. Such things did not interest Alice. If she were bored enough, she could pull out her iPod and headphones and sit back and recharge for a bit. However, today the blonde was feeling curious, so she walked about, not too suspiciously, keeping her sky blue eyes open for something intriguing.

That subject of interest came rather quickly, as the student suddenly focused on a certain man with green hair and a matching emerald-hued eye. His other eye was covered, and he was a few inches taller than her, of a good height. Most notably about the young man, however, was the gleaming golden armor he wore. Why would one wear such armor in a school? Was it even allowed, or was it some kind of costume? Perhaps he took theater classes, and his role required such an outfit. Then again, the armor looked authentic enough, reflecting golden shine even in the dim school light. He was already in Alice's planned path of walking, so as she had begun advancing towards him casually, the blonde subtly halted, deciding to comment on his strange apparel.

"What's up with the armor? Costume party~?" Alice asked with an innocent and sincere smile in a cheerful manner. She was newer to the school, and had yet to know much. Nevertheless, she was learning, and absolutely loved figuring out the different puzzles along the way. Little did she realize that this was the school captain, but that was no sin, right?

[Krane Asiv]

Krane stopped when the female approached asking about his armor. The Supervisor had told him his responses had been much too robotic and lacking personality. He didn't want to seem that way to this new person, so he quickly put together some words his brother used a lot when talking to girls.

"It's for protection and attack while I'm on patrol... Uh, cute stuff."

He smirked knowing he perfectly sounded like a normal person. (He did not it was robotic and without any real emotion).

[Alice Scevidinia]

The man wearing the armor stopped when she did, seeming to actually take time to answer her amused question. She liked him already. As for his apparent attempt to flirt, Alice was not too impressed. His voice sounded rather expressionless and without any real charm that a normal flirting edge would carry. He mentioned having to patrol the school, but to her, he still appeared to be a student. Was he one of those pillars or captains she had heard so much about? Possibly.

"Protection and attack? From other students?" Alice pressed in a casual manner, musing quietly to herself. He would go as far as using armor to defend himself from fights... goodness, why? If he were strong enough on his own, surely he would not need to go through such shiny extremes? "Cute stuff? Heh, you could try to use a bit more energy when flirting, love~" she continued with a sly raise of her eyebrow, seemingly innocently playing off of what he had already said.

[Krane Asiv]

Krane raised his one visible brow.

"It's a family tradition. Besides, gotta stand out as School Captain."

She must not of been listening to the same conversation he was. Cause to him he was a smooth operator, maybe even more than his brother at this point. (Completely wrong if anything he was more cyborg like at this point. Not even bothering to throw in some flirty words.)

[Alice Scevidinia]

Alice raised a blonde eyebrow in slight surprise as she heard exactly what she thought she did- he was the School Captain? Oh, how interesting~
The girl's grin widened as she nodded in apparent understanding of his statement. He did not really react to her flirting, so perhaps he had just given up? Nevertheless, she would continue on casually. "A family tradition~? So, does that mean your past family members have been school captains as well?" the blonde asked simply, placing a hand on one of her hips in a relaxed fashion. "And yes, I suppose a leader needs to stand out... it wouldn't be right if one didn't~" she concluding, continuing to muse to herself quietly, before taking a few beats to decide to introduce herself to the young man in shining golden armor. "What is your name, by the way? I'm Alice. Alice Scevidinia."

[Krane Asiv]

Krane though about it for a while.

"Ten years ago before two five nine was closed down my uncle was school captain."

That's when she asked his name. By now he wondered who didn't know about the incident in the cafeteria when his father ended some sort of attack by other armored individuals.

"My name is Krane Asiv."

[Alice Scevidinia]

Ten years... that definitely was a while ago. And the name Asiv... was that not some upper staff member of the school? Ah, she failed to remember. "I see," Alice began, her chipper smile never once leaving. "It's nice to meet you, Krane. As you may have guessed, I'm a transfer student; still learning my way around the school. Such a weird system in place... so much violence~" she mused, attempting to trigger another topic of conversation, simply out of curiosity. She was eager to possibly hear the school captain's own opinions on the harsh mechanics, disciplinary system, and hierarchy of public high school two five nine.

[Krane Asiv]

Krane nodded at Alice in response to her explanation of her own situation of things. He had guessed as much at least from the questions. The comment on the violence got Krane to shrug.

"A better system will come in time to keep the students in school and the streets safe. Until then playing the part of the target, or if you prefer the pinnacle of strength and protector is how it goes. Besides we enjoy fighting and discovering greater power here. It's when things get out of hand that we step in. It's not the same everywhere, just like at two sixty."

Krane remembered the battle against the two sixty rioters as well as the reports of two sixty becoming a mess of gang and faction violence.

[Alice Scevidinia]

"Not that I mind the system of growing stronger," Alice began, nodding in understanding of his statements. "Put simply, though, what we have going on here seems counter-productive to what at least the adults want. Fighting and violence seems encouraged, more than anything~"

A prime example would be the hierarchy. They allowed some strong students to go and keep others in line with violence... hell, they were the role-models for all of the students. And because of that, many ambitious people seemed to want to climb up the ranks and beat down the ones on top. It was a never-ending struggle for power that reminded Alice so clearly of that one place from her past. The name still eluded her memories, but the setting itself was crystalline.

She decided against stating these opinions aloud. If anything, it was whoever created the rather 'corrupt', for lack of better wording, mechanics and structure that was at fault, and it seemed that no student, even a captain or pillar, would really be able to do much, if anything. Such a sick and fun little game they all played; or maybe she was simply overthinking everything, once again. It would be nothing too uncommon for the blonde, after all.

"How is this school two sixty you speak of?" she ventured out once again, always insatiably curious.

[Krane Asiv]

For the first time Krane flinched at a question.

"At first they were stable... possibly even more stable than us. The hierarchy worked tirelessly to keep attention on themselves and away from the staff. However their School Captain vanished. Their Varsity Captain went to baseball camp and the gangs started a riot bringing down the last remaining pillars. Without them to direct the violence towards themselves they turned on the teachers and faculty, people on the streets, the police... It was an endless riot with no true winners until finally the school is scheduled to be closed."

[Alice Scevidinia]

Alice silently observed him flinch at the question. Was the other school really that much of a cringe topic? She listened to the story, nodded and quietly contemplating it as he spoke. "So, they didn't have enough sense to appoint another school captain? Even so... how does a single person or group contain so much violence? Other than being the strongest around and being permitted to carry weapons and wear armor... what power do you captains and pillars have to prevent uprisings?" Alice asked her blunt question, with her intuition ever curious. Did they truly have all the power they needed? She was very direct, and did not even stop and bother to hope that such a question would not put him on edge, like it could have with some people.

[Krane Asiv]

Krane tilted his head slightly at her.

"It's not that a School Captain holds power over others. It's that the School Captain is the goal. Like you said the focus is climbing the top and beating the School Captain. Even if they threw some shmuck under the bus and called him School Captain it would of meant nothing without proving it. The respect and legend of someone becoming the most powerful fighter on campus causes most people to prepare and keep to the shadows. Without it anyone and everyone who wants the power would go for it Because there would be no clear top."

[Alice Scevidinia]

The statement the captain had was confusing, at the most. Officially or unofficially, there was always someone on top. What difference did it make to give a title and name to the most powerful fighter? He or she would still clearly be recognized with or without the position. "Confusing, but I think I understand," Alice replied casually, understanding, but not quite agreeing. She continued, however, in an innocent and polite manner, with a small and sincere smile. "So, you're the most powerful fighter in this school? Mind if I ask a tiny favor?"