4 [Video]

[martyrerkomplex]

[Krista looks a little nervous, fidgeting a bit as she addresses the webcam on her laptop.]

If I could ask... who's planning to go to the prom? I haven't really been to any school dances before, but it seems sort of interesting...

Comments

[Video]

[long_live_the_queen]

I don't know.

[The camera seems to be focused on Kaede lounging on a couch--with both arms folded behind her head. After being at this Institute for awhile, she felt the need to wear a hat less and less--so her horns and reddish pink hair were easily visible. Her phone's held aloft by one of her telekinetic vectors--Krista's caught her when her painkillers are working!]

We never had that where I was from.

[Video]

[martyrerkomplex]

We had them at my old school.

[But everyone there hated her, and her family wouldn't have let her go, because picking her up again would have been too much trouble. More than she was worth to them.]

But I never went before. I thought maybe it might be interesting to try...

[Video]

[long_live_the_queen]

[...she wasn't looking at her funny because she was using her vectors. Just...talking to her, like she was a person.

...that was nice.

Kaede shrugs, though the motion is partially foiled by the pillow she's leaning on.]

It's another place for people to go, isn't it?

[Video]

[martyrerkomplex]

[Krista's head lists to the side just slightly.]

If that's how you think about it, maybe... But there's going to be music, and people seem to think it's a nice place?

[She's a bit unsure herself, but the image she tries to project is a pretty relentlessly positive one.]

[Video]

[long_live_the_queen]

This is a nice place.

[People don't look at her like she's a hideous alien for having a different hair color, for instance.]

All of here.

[Kaede just thinks of this prom thing as Just Another Event, and either doesn't understand or doesn't care to understand its local importance.]

[Video]

[martyrerkomplex]

[Krista's mutation isn't visible at all; people have just always hated her. She's free of that here, but she's fairly certain it's only because she's been so careful to hide everything about her old life, about what an unlovable person she is.]

It is.

Have you been here a long time?

[Video]

[long_live_the_queen]

Not too long.

Enough to get kicked out of class, anyway.

[The latter of which she doesn't sound particularly proud of.

Mostly because it was her fault for being an ass.

Also because it hurt.]

[Video]

[martyrerkomplex]

[She doesn't sound happy about it, so Krista guesses she probably either regrets it or it was beyond her control. Maybe best not to ask why?]

I'm sorry to hear that...

[Video]

[long_live_the_queen]

[Kaede tries to shrug again--and her shoulders get caught up in the stupid pillow. She scowls a little, and the view screen wobbles while she wiggles back down to a more comfortable spot on the couch.]

You?

i'll just tag this too... action if that's okay

[mouflon]

If you want to go, just go. You don't need to wait for someone else to approve, you know.

[...Well, at least Rin was polite enough not to interrupt.]

[Video]

[martyrerkomplex]

Me? Oh...

[She thinks for a moment or two.]

I got here around the beginning of the year, so... Three months or so, I think?

Definitely!

[martyrerkomplex]

I wasn't asking for approval. I just wanted to see what people's plans are and what they think about it, since I haven't gone to this sort of thing myself.

[mouflon]

I'm pretty sure this is the kind of thing where it either sounds like fun to you or it doesn't. [But then Rin sighs and even appears to waffle for a second.] I guess I'm going, if you want to know.

[martyrerkomplex]

Really?

[She'd sort of figured Rin would have some reason or other to conscientiously object to the idea of prom.]

Are you going with someone?

[mouflon]

It sounds like a waste of time to me, but I told Emma I'd go, and I wouldn't want to disappoint her.

[Heaven forbid anyone think she might actually enjoy something. At that question, though, she shakes her head.]

I'm... What do they call it? Going stag?

[martyrerkomplex]

I think that's what they call it, yes.

You really respect her a lot, don't you?

[psykick]

I don't think I'm going. My old school didn't have events like this. Plus, I haven't heard anything about practices, so I wouldn't even know the dances if I went.

[mouflon]

[No, she has an enormous crush on her, that's different.

In any case, Rin reacts like she's been accused of something, her face going red.]

That's, I-- I mean, who wouldn't respect someone like her?

[Video]

[long_live_the_queen]

Met anyone you know?

[Not quite as benevolent a question as it seemed; Kaede never wanted to see anyone from her hometown again.

She hadn't left on the...best of terms.]

[video]

[soccerwhisperer]

Miss Frost said I should go because [He deadpans as he quotes]

"It'll shape the rest of my life."

[voice]

[soundandfurry]

I haven't thought much about it... but I suppose Kaguya would want to go with me.

[Video]

[martyrerkomplex]

[At first, she doesn't quite get the question. She blinks, as it dawns on her.]

...From my hometown, you mean?

[martyrerkomplex]

I don't know her very well. But she does seem to care a lot about the people here.

[She'll do you the favor of acting like she doesn't see that blush, Rin.]

[martyrerkomplex]

I don't think it's very formal dancing -- not the kind that people usually have to practice.

Maybe we could organize a practice for the people who haven't done it before, though?

[Video]

[long_live_the_queen]

Were you born elsewhere?

[Her voice is dry; faintly amused, but still like old papers.]