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{Bobbi .:. Red Rose .:. Men's Baths}

"Wait what male Kyla huh?" Bobbi spluttered, and shoved her conditioned head out from the curtain to stare at the newcomer. Sure enough, he looked like Kyla, moved like Kyla, and sounded like Kyla. "Hi Kyla!" Then Kyla protested that she didn't know what Joe was talking about, and Joe honked her invisi-boob.

"If it looks like a duck!" Bobbi said, laughing her fool head off.

Watching Kyle walk away, Sayrike was left alone with her thoughts, a feeling not unfamiliar to her usual solitary situation. She walked about, getting a feel for the place. A part of her kept an eye out for Louis---where had the topic of her and Kyle's conversation run off to? Internally, two sides argued back and forth. One half said to just leave him alone since he still seemed kind of shell-shocked, distant. The other told Sayrike to find out what was wrong. The former was the habitual way of dealing with others, to let them seek her out when they were ready, but after the talk with Kyle, it was as if Sayrike wanted to affirm Louis' goodness (even if it was only a charade). However, he wasn't anywhere to be found at that moment, and the masked girl was left with no real purpose at the moment, simply meandering. Hmm, maybe I should take a shower? I haven't had a real one of those in a long time... If she were honest with herself, she knew that she felt quite gross. But as soon as the idea popped in her head, someone else's voice chimed in over the charms.

This is Matt. I'm a Blue Mage, and I think it would be a good idea if I was to learn skills from everyone on the ship. If you're willing, come down to the Training Room and I'll explain further. Thank you!

What? Wait, who was Matt again? Sayrike couldn't put a picture in her head of who this might be; she could only remember the names of the group she originally ran into, and that was only because she had been with them for the entire day. Trying to remember hasty introductions before the battle in Hawaii was a futile effort. Even so, who would just up and ask us for personal, special skills like that? Every ability that Sayrike had learned came at a price, conjured up during moments when her life was in danger. It almost felt invasive for this Matt to ask such a thing from her.

Maybe you're just tired and snappy.

...this is true.

And maybe you're miffed because you didn't think of this first.

Am not! Like I would be so bold or so forward to ask something like that of someone, especially if I didn't know them. It's like when I use my friend's milk or butter for cooking when I don't have my own. I wouldn't dream of asking a new acquaintance for that sort of thing.

But maybe there was a small part of her that did want to gain more power somehow. So far, Sayrike had felt a bit useless, after all...

Intrigued in the matter anyway, no matter her stance, the mirror-wielder made her way to the training room after asking a few people to point her in the right direction. She entered, seeing Kyle, Dawn, and a young man who she assumed was "Matt." She slid silently into the room and stood against the wall, giving off the air of a simple observer. Soon after, more familiar characters walked in as well. Sayrike didn't know what a "Blue Mage" was, but she assumed it was a job class from Final Fantasy. If Matt can copy powers, and he's a Blue Mage, then I guess I'm a Blue Mage too. Huh, learn something new.

Sayrike leaned back and waited to see what would happen. After her most recent conversation, she was wary of this newcomer. What if he was working for the Replicas? Or some other organization? This would be such an easy way to get a good idea of everyone's power. Or, anyone else watching would get a good idea too...and sure enough, (eventually) people like Seymour showed up. Well, maybe I'll learn something about them as well...not that I wouldn't know a good chunk about them anyway...

{Bobbi .:. Red Rose .:. Men's Baths}

Bobbi continued to laugh at the reactions between her two friends, and shoved her shower curtain back open again. Since she was done flinging shampoo suds all over the place, she figured it couldn't hurt to be able to see the rest of the room. With two people there who were quite well aware she was female and in the wrong baths, she didn't feel quite so awkward about the idea of others coming in and seeing her. She had no qualms showing off her body, it was the embarrassment of being in the wrong room that had caused her to hide earlier.

"I squeezed nassink!" Bobbi protested when Kyla said the boob-grab had hurt. She kept relatively quiet except for the occasional giggle as she waited for Kyla's answer to Joe's inquiry, though the expectant look on the Archer's face said everything for her.

[Joe: Red Rose: Men's Baths]

Joe leaned his head back as Kyla talked. She had a few good points. But of course, he was suspicious enough as it is of people. The only reason Mathy was an exception was because he KNEW Mathy from before. Well, as much as one could learn about someone over the internet, of course.

"So, tell me, then. How do you alter yours? I mean, all I have is beating things with a stick and my feet and fists. And my wind. That's...kinda it on my own, not much to really alter."

{Genesis : Land of Dragons : Bamboo Thicket}

Genesis silently nodded his head in understanding to her words. Her speaking of having been here before in a memory that was not her own resonated with him. He had experienced a similar sensation when he had met and faced Cloud and Leon. Even though he had never actually met Cloud before, he had not needed Sephiroth's input to know it was him.

"I see, so you wander alone then? Looked upon as an outsider by both potential friend and foe. Is that the part you choose to play?" he asked, trying to better understand just what the replicas intentions were.

[Matthew :-: Red Rose :-: Training Room]

"Har har Kyle" Matt said in response to his friend's sarcasm. "And yeah Dawn, as long as this room can keep me healed I'd be willing to help you test things out."

Matt perked up once people started entering the room, then felt his stomach start to do flips when he saw just how many were coming in already. 'Ooooh geez, wasn't expecting this many this fast,' he thought. He fidgeted with his hands behind his back until he felt that the crowd had stopped for the moment, then cleared his throat to speak up.

"Hello there everyone, I'm Matt the Blue Mage. I'm the one who called you down here so I could learn abilities from you so I can help the group out more. Essentially, I can learn new abilities either by being hit by them, or possibly by using an attack I learned from Kyle here a few minutes ago. If you have anything you think that would be particularly useful, please let me know and..." Matt trailed off after his explanation, his stage fright having built up a bit too much for him to think entirely straight. "...Er, anything to add, Kyle?"

[Anthony ~.~ The Red Rose ~.~ Halls --> Men's Bathing Chambers]

After admiring the ship from the outside for some time, Anthony eventually walked up the loading ramp (after several of the other group members had sped passed him) and into the massive vessel, which was even more admirable from the inside. He walked through the hallways, sliding his fingers along the walls, taking in his surroundings to its fullest. He always enjoyed seeing spectacular structures for the first time, then imagining himself in the architect's and designer's shoes as he asked himself questions like "what purpose does this space or this pattern serve."

Though the enthusiasm usually fades away quickly as he'd rather be playing video games...

It was about that time Anthony received Mathew's message through the Trinity Charms. He made a mental note to be sure to visit the training room later after he had some time to further explore and--"Is that me?" the knight asked himself out loud after getting a whiff of something gnarly. There have been only a few times when the young man caught a faint smell of his manly aroma and thought, "it's time to shower." This was one of those times...

It's not like he was in familiar territory anymore. This wasn't his home and the people around him weren't his family either. He can't simply walk around in his own stank. He had to be considerate of the others.

After walking about aimlessly for several minutes, Anthony finally found the women's and men's bathing chambers. He could already hear voices coming from either chambers and figured others had the same idea. Walking into the men's room, he quickly spotted Joe and two others. He didn't recognize one, and the other seemed somewhat familiar, but he didn't give it much thought and just assumed it was another guy from the other group. This was the men's room after all. Why would there be anyone other than men in the men's room?

"Hey, guys!" the knight said as he quickly walked over to an available bath, turned his back to the other three (for some reason he would always find comfort changing in front of others if his backside faced them instead of his front--as if he weren't nude), turned the faucet knobs, and began to undress (sloppily placing his clothes to the side) before hopping in.

Though the water initially burned a little, it was a soothing burn and it relaxed the young man. He had closed his eyes and allowed the water to carry his body's soreness away.

So...," he began, turning his head towards the others as he opened his eyes. "What'cha guys talkin' 'b--OHMYGOSHIT'SAGIRL!"

The knight panicked and scurried, slipping and splashing all over the tub, to the other end of the bath on realizing the third, whom he didn't bother to really acknowledge earlier, was actually a woman! "You! You're a w-w-woman!" He turned to Joe and said hysterically, "She's a she. She's a she in the men's room!" His face quickly flushed as he sank further into the tub where only everything from his nose up remained above the water. He remembered this girl. She seemed to be close with Dawn and Michelle. Her name was Bobbi if he remembered correctly.

And then, as if he hadn't made a huge scene, the young man relaxed again, sat straight as his upper torso emerged from the water, turned to the unrecognizable newcomer, and asked, "Who's the new guy?"