A soft laugh bubbled forth from the timid girl's lips as James stumbled and ran face first into the chain link fence with a loud clatter. It wasn't that she was trying to be unkind or to make fun of him, she was just so used to it being herself who ran into things or tripped over her own feet. "I think he's met his match, Ash."The teasing words seemed to escape from her lips before she could stop them. It was almost like she hadn't meant for the words to leave the confines of her own mind and as she realized she'd spoken out loud, her mouth would hang open in shock. It wasn't uncommon for her to join in the banter or conversations when it was just the three of them. After all, she was growing increasingly more comfortable with her teammates with each day that passed. However, it wasn't just the three of them and she seemed to have forgotten the straggler they'd picked up, if only for a moment. Sapphire orbs would widen in shocked embarrassment as she clamped her mouth shut and bit down on her lower lip. Already she could feel the heat creeping back into her face, painting pale cheeks a vivid rose. Dropping her gaze, she'd let dark locks fall over her shoulder to hide her face, while pretending to suddenly be very interested in the pebble she was kicking around with her toe. It wasn't until Ash mentioned that James might want to take her up on her energy bar that Rori looked back up again. By then her face had mostly cooled, returning to a much more natural hue. Between having been so flustered after James flung her over his shoulder, and the embarrassment she'd just caused herself, the timid girl had nearly forgotten she had it grasped in her hand. Ash was perceptive enough and knew her team well enough to know that she hadn't dug it out for her own good. After all, Aurora seemed to eat like a bird, hardly even being hungry when it was time for actual meals. Usually picking over her food and never actually clearing her plate. She packed the snacks more for the sake of her team, than herself. Well, and if she were to be completely honest, mostly for the sake of James, who was quite the opposite of her. The guy was always hungry. With a small smile, Rori would hold the bar out to him. "It's nothing grand, but..." Voice trailing off, she'd wait for him to take it before dropping her arm back to her side where it dangled listlessly.
Perhaps it was a selfish thought, one she would surely feel guilty about for days to come, but as shy as she was, Rori couldn't help but to be slightly relieved as Ash seemed to turn down the idea of a fourth teammate. Its not that she didn't like the girl, or even that she was opposed to the idea. However, the idea was an anxiety that swelled like a balloon in her gut, pressing against her insides in an uncomfortable manner. She knew Ash was just joking, but she wasn't entirely wrong. A new member would throw off their groove, at least for a little while. Aurora was only just starting to get comfortable around James and Ashara. Even now it was a sense of security that seemed to waver as soon as they were accompanied by anyone else or the moment they entered a crowd. Having to grow accustomed to another person would send the girl retreating back into her shell and surely it would be weeks before she dared to peek her head out again. Nodding to Ash as she told him to go on ahead, she'd glance up at James, peering at him through thick lashes. "Come on, we don't want you withering away and we still have to go through debriefing." Her voice was nearly a whisper, just loud enough for him to hear her her, to avoid another wave of embarrassment.
With a quick wave in Ash's direction, she'd head back towards the base. It was nearly thirty minutes of the usual security protocols and other such matters before they were finally on their way to the mess hall. Almost immediately Rori seemed to shrink back in on herself, sticking close to James's side. Oceanic hues remained trained carefully on her feet, avoiding any accidental eye contact with strangers. There were a few familiar faces, but at the end of the day, Rori was much too shy to seek out friends or companions. They were all people she'd met in passing, and despite how long she had been a part of Provience, the only people she could truly consider friends were James and Ash. Which, in all honesty was only a happy accident. She would have never been brave enough to approach either of them had she not been assigned to a team with them. Ash was a force of nature, a presence to be reckoned with. James... well while she was extremely introverted, he was the exact opposite. An absolute extrovert. She'd grown fond of both of them, but it never would have happened if she hadn't been forced into close quarters with them. She was thankful for it of course. Really, she needed them. They helped to alleviate the loneliness she'd been suffering from before. Shaking her head slightly to clear it, raven locks would tumble about her shoulders. After filling her tray with an assortment of fruits, vegetables, and a sandwich, she'd find an empty table, taking a seat and hoping James would join her soon. She figured he might be a minute longer, considering at this point the bottomless bit that was James stomach had been growling like a monster of the deep for several minutes.
James looked to his team with a blank face. "Hey, fences happen to be one of the world's most dangerous predators!" James said matter-of-factly. "I'll have you know my first run-in with a fence I barely made it out alive. It was just standing there... menacingly." he shudders at the memory. "And it ripped my church pants! Moms was not happy!" James said subconsciously rubbing his backside. He turns as he heard the portal shut behind him returning the scenery to its natural state. "In a world where people can literally level building with their minds teleportation is probably the most underrated." he thought. The young man dramatically groaned at the idea of debriefing. "But it's boring! And James is hungry!" he said referring to himself. He just hung his head low as his arms swayed freely from the action. He knew it was no point in resisting. One: Leader's orders. Two: It's protocol. His ears perked up when he heard 'Rori...energy bar.' The light returned to his eyes as he looked to the glorious sight of his teammate holding an energy bar for him. "I could cry right now." he said covering his eyes with his forearm. "Nothing grand? You're giving me food. That's huge!" he said giving her a quick hug before claiming his delicious morsel. He quickly dispatched of the wrapper and nearly swallowed the thing whole. "You are a lifesaver, Aquafina!" he smiled. "Get it? Because you're like a Hydropath or whatever the technical term is. You control water." he explained. He himself wasn't sure if he was doing this or purpose or not anymore.
They started their trek to the gates passing security as Ash mentioned a small piece of her culture. "All numbers are bad luck for me... math was very mean to me in school." he said. "Whaaaaat? That's not true. We just gotta find someone just as weird and, dare I say, rag-tag as the rest of us. Maybe someone who can turn things into candy by touching them... you should write that down." he said with no ulterior motive behind it. James nodded after she said to go on ahead. "Welcome, Grace! Try not to get swept up in the weird...without me." he chuckled. James turned to Rori, "You're right. What would this world be without James?" he said throwing his arm around Rori. "So, Ms. PrettyLashes, what flavor was that bar? I kinda... didn't taste it." he admitted embarrassingly. Cut to debriefing, James' soul is leaving his body. So much paperwork. Why couldn't he just go in and say, 'I caused an earthquake and we brought back Grace' and leave it at that? But no, there were so many specifics and whatnot he could barely see straight. As he and Rori walked to the mess hall he couldn't help but mumble, "I thought joining a faction in balancing the world would involve more people punching not pencil-pushing." he nearly lamented. "If it weren't for you and Ash I probably would hate it here." he smiled at Rori. James waved at all the passing faces with a smile. He's practically met everyone or they've heard about him because of his personality and legendary appetite. Rori found an empty table equipped with her lunch and James, being the gentleman that he is, didn't want to keep her waiting. He shortly followed after her and sat across from her. "That looks like a good lunch considering she doesn't eat much by normal people standards." he thought. He set his single tray on the table and started to chow down. Respectably, of course. There's a lady present, after all. He was enjoying a nice steak with mashed potatoes and green beans. Accompanied by a biscuit and some Orange pop and water to wash it all down with. "Yo!" he said trying to get the attention of someone at another table. They made eye contact and James said, "Toss me the steak sauce, bro!" he called clapping his heads together before holding his hands out as if he was receiving a football. Catching it with ease, he popped the top and smothered his steak and potatoes.
He smiled at his timid teammate wanting to make small conversation. A comfortable silence was a constant amongst them, but James isn't one to remain silent forever. "Do you want kids?" he randomly came out and said. He looked to her hoping for an answer, but expected her to nearly pass out from something so intimate. He wiped his mouth with a napkin before taking a swig from his pop. "Ah! I feel so much better!" he exclaimed happily. Now that food was in his stomach he could think clearly. "Wait, where are my-?" he thought aloud looking around the table and himself. "Oh yeah!" he closed his eyes and focused. He pointed his index finger in the air and started to trace spirals. Four more trays of the same lunch, with a sloppy joe here and there, slowly floats to the table. He grabs the trays and shoo's away the rocks that were keeping them afloat. "Damn it! Where's my-?!" he huffs. He claps his hands and another tray of sweets shoots out from the kitchen. "The gangs all here!" he smiled contently. "Now then, Kids. You want 'em?" he asked again before biting into his sloppy joe with a smile.
Ashara took a bit longer to get to the cafeteria, getting Grace squared away before filling out her report on what happened down at the protest. Someone from their side had been the aggressor and the Dominion, Shockwave, had put an end to the conflict by walking away. That didn't look good on Providence, and this war was all about perception. Had Dominion somehow planted someone in Providence to start the fight? It was a chilling thought, but not impossible. Shockwave had deftly swayed public perception from the beginning, that even some humans support The Dominion's message not understanding that it would lead to their own slavery.
She was brought out of her musings by a floating try of food nearly hitting her. She quickly ducked underneath it and turned around to face it once she was on the other side as it passed her by. Now, there were a few different Deviants with power that could make things fly and levitate via various means. However, there was only one she could think of who would use it to carry a tray of food. 'Please don't be James.' she thought in vain, as she followed the tray with her eyes as it floated towards their destination. Of course, it stopped on the table where James was sitting. And Rori, who looked like she wanted to die, though James was obliviously munching away. Ash sighed softly, wondering what happened headed over to the table. She arrived just in time to hear James repeat his question. "Now then, Kids. You want 'em?"
"Oh lord." Ashara very nearly put her hand in her face. No wonder Rori looked like she wished she could melt through the floor. Instead of facepalming, Ashara cuffed James on the back of the head. "Hey, you at least have to buy a girl dinner before you start asking those kinds of questions." She said firmly, moving to stand at the end of the table with her hands on her hips.
Silence lingered between the two for several moments, though it was a comfortable silence that Rori didn't mind. A silence both James and Ashara had likely grown accustomed too. She had actually grown appreciative of these quiet moments, brief and sparse as they might be,, it gave the girl a moment to collect herself. Which, in retrospect, was something she needed more often than not. Rori wasn't exactly a big talker, and besides, it wasn't really polite to talk with your mouth full and well... James's mouth was definitely full. While he immediately chowed down, Rori pushed her food around on her tray for a few moments before prodding a chunk of watermelon that she eventually plopped into her mouth. As comfortable a silence as it might have been, the raven haired girl knew it couldn't last. Not with James accompanying her. A friendly giant such as himself could only bare the quiet for so long. Which, Rori didn't really mind either. Even if he did the talking and she mostly listened with a soft reply here and there, she usually enjoyed their conversations. More than she enjoyed most conversations, if she were being honest about it. That was a thought she shooed away before she really had time to grasp it, knowing that even thinking something as silly and innocent of that would bring a flood of color to her face. It was embarrassment the girl woukd much rather avoid at the moment. Little did she know that it might have been preferable to what was about to come, for she hadn't expected her companion to break the silence in such a blunt and intimate way. Tiny fingers would clench around the sandwich she'd just taken a bite of before loosening their grip completely, letting it slip through her fingers to land in a mangled heap on her tray. Blue hues would widen, her gaze locking in James in embarrassed shock. Bright crimson was already creeping up her neck and flooding her cheeks with vivid color. The poor girl wanted nothing more than to look away and hide her face behind her dark locks, yet surprise had left her helplessly frozen in place, unable to tear her gaze away from his. Her heart lurched forward in her chest, thrumming against her ribcage like a small, panicked bird trapped in a cage. The air had been stolen from her lungs as if an invisible giant had wrapped its hands around her torso and squeezed it forcefully from her.
Aurora had nearly forgotten the half-chewed food in her mouth, she went to swallow it but her mouth was suddenly dry and the clumped bread and cheese got stuck in her throat. Bright cheeks grew impossibly brighter as she choked and sputtered on the food. Initially someone might wonder if she was actually choking, or simply pretending to avoid answering such a personal and potentially embarrassing question. It became evident it wasn't a charade as the coughing fit continued and cerulean hues began to water. All the while James seemed 9blivious to her struggle, playing wide receiver with a bottle of steak sauce. It was about the time he'd pulled off the skillful glass that a red-faced Rori reached for her glass of water. There wasn't time to be impressed with his skills as she brought the glass to her lips and sucked in a large gulp, swallowing hard. Thankfully the water dislodged the food from her throat, leaving her breathless and flustered. "W-what?" She mumbled hoarsely, as if she hadn't heard him clearly the first time. It was clear by her initial reaction that she'd heard him all too clearly, and rather, just hadn't been able to work through the panic and embarrassment enough to come up with any other response.
How did she even begin to answer that question? The flustered girl hadn't even thought through whether or not she actually wanted kids. She was still hung up on what it would mean if she said yes. If she said yes there was the possibility of more initimate questions, along with the idea that she would one day one to be in a relationship. A relationship that lead to... Cutting her thought off before it could fully form, she'd give a slight shake of her head to clear it, dark locks tousled about her shoulders as her cheeks grew redder by the moment. But then... what would he think if she said no? Would he think lesser of her then? Aurora was too distracted to see Ash approaching from behind them, which wasn't a surprise considering she'd been too flustered to even notice James's floating lunch trays. However, as blue eyes landed on the woman, a wave of relief washed over. Flashing her a thankful look, Rori would drop her gaze to the squished sandwich on her tray, tucking a strand if dark hair behind her ear. While Ashara scolded James, Aurora took a moment to attempt to collect herself. Even so, by the time her companions returned their attention to her, her cheeks were still vibrantly rosy, and her heart continued to pound frantically within the confines of her chest. She was suddenly thankful neither if them had super hearing. Clearing her throat softly, Rori wouldn't quite make eye contact with James, but rather peer at him through dark lashes. "One d-day... Maybe." Stuttered words were soft, hardly a whisper and she dropped her gaze just s soon as they were out of her mouth, letting dark locks fall in front of her face once more. It was the truth, for all the embarrassment beside, her answer depended a lot on whether she could feel at ease bringing kids into the world. It was highly dependent on the outcome in this war between Providence and Dominion.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Hard heeled combat boots echoed through the empty halls. "I believe I make a left here." the man mused. The sounds of commotion echoed faintly at the end of the corridor. "Yes. I believe I'm getting closer. They said that would be in the mess hall." he recalled. He slightly hastened his pace to meet his assigned partners: Ashara, Aurora and James. Ashara, being the leader, he wanted to see the type of person she is and the people under her command considering he would be joining them. He placed his hands on the double doors and pushed to see hundreds of people eating in the canteen. Laughing, joking and smiliing. Though at a certain table he saw a man get chopped in the head, a girl as red as a tomato. It seemed she wished to be anywhere but there. And a woman, who chopped the man in the first place, standing. She seemed to hold an aura of authority. He looked to the photos in his hand and confirmed they were his team. "Seems this is going to be quite interesting." he said to himself comparing his usual teammates. He approached the group and cleared his throat. He politely spoke as he placed a hand to his chest. "Good day. I am Jesse Mayflower. I was informed that I would be your new team member. I hope I'm correct in assuming that you are Ashara, Rori and James?" he questioned pointing to the all respectively. He folded the papers and placed them into the inner breast pocket of his jacket. He straightened his coat and looked back to the group in front of him. He noticed the amount of debris around the table and wondered what happened. Also, the fact the woman sitting at the table looked as if all the blood in her body pooled to her face caused him to raise an eyebrow in concern. "Are you, perhaps, feeling ill? I think I have some medication that may help you." he offered. Jesse observed the table and saw the plethora of empty food trays. "Quite the bottomless pit, are we?" he thought to himself. He turned to the green-eyed woman and said, "You have quite the lovely eyes. Forgive me if I'm being too forward."
((OOC: I'll give him a picture. I just have to find one I like))
One thought crossed Ash's mind as the rather attractive newcomer arrived at their table. Oh lord. How much did he see? How much did he hear? "Gees, Providence works fast." She couldn't decide if that was better or worse than a CO, given the shenanigans that were just witnessed. First impressions and all that, though she supposed he'd find out sooner or later that they weren't the most well put together trio. She had been told in the briefing they would be getting a fourth, but she hadn't had time to tell the other two before said fourth had arrived. "You are correct."
Poor Rori. The last thing she would want now is more attention drawn to her embarrassment. He meant well, but it wouldn't take Jesse long to figure out it didn't take much for Rori's face to become red like a tomato. What Ash didn't expect was that attention to suddenly turn on her. "I...uhh...thankyou?" Smooth Ash, real smooth. "Sit down." She gestured to the table. "Tell us about yourself."
That poor girl. Poor Rori. James is such an oblivious oaf. As she struggled to breathe he didn't notice at all while catching his sauce. He heard a small fit of coughing and then a 'What?!' He chewed for a second while holding his index finger up to give him a minute. James swallowed and cleared his throat, "Oh, you didn't hear me? I said, 'Do you want ki- OW! Hey!" he exaggerated rubbing the back of his head. "What did I say? She seems completely fin- what happened to your sandwich and why is your face all red?" he asked completely forgetting he got chopped. "I should have known that food would get me the answers I need. Rori, do you want to go get something to eat this Saturday? I know this excellent small diner!" he said excitedly. He grabbed another sandwich and began attacking it. James rose his eyebrow as he saw a man approach. "I know everyone here so who is this?" he thought. After that thought he heard Rori whisper, "One day...maybe." he smiled into his sandwich pretending he heard nothing. The man introduced himself. Jesse was his name. "Seems like the sleek stoic type." he said continuing to eat his sandwich. He raised his hand with a muffled, "Yo!" in response to his question."I didn't think we'd get a fourth this soon. I was just talking about that." he said through the food in his mouth. "Ash, I can obviously speak things into existence.... like a giant sundae with caramel and strawberry sauce randomly appearing!" he said a little loud testing his theory. He looked around and upwards trying to see if it worked. It didn't. He crossed his arms and sat back with a pout like a child. He looked to Jesse as he offered Rori some medicine. Then, all of a sudden, he compliments the team leader. And the unthinkable happens... Ashara, the wall, goes red. To a compliment. James audibly hums. He clears his throat to cover a chuckle as he watches. "Yeah, Jesse...." he tapped the table twice, ".... park her right there." he said pointing to the seat. "I'm sure we all want to know more about you. Right, Rori? Aaaaaasssssssshhhhhh?" he grinned.
Aurora couldn't do anything but stare wide-eyed at her companion and his onslaught of questions. "M-my sandwich...? Oh..." It wasn't until he pointed it out that she realized she'd strangled her sandwich until it was nothing more than a misshapen ball of mush on her tray. She couldn't even begin to explain herself, and thankfully she didn't have to because the questions just kept coming. Despite her breathless embarrassment, she couldn't help but smile at his elated bursts of energy. Though, his next question caused the fading blush in her cheeks to brighten. "Dinner?" Was he serious, or was he just trying to please Ash before she gave him a concussion. Was this supposed to be a date? Did people even date anymore? Were you even allowed to have relations with her team members? Why did the idea of it make her heart flutter in her chest, not in the familiar sense of panic... but something entirely unfamiliar, something she couldn't put a name to. The questions swarmed her mind all at once, making it hard to focus and even harder to find an answer. It took the timid girl several moments, mouth falling slightly agape, before she finally found her voice again. Clamping her mouth shut, she nodded, a sweet smile tugging on her lips. "Sure, that would be nice." She murmured, doing her best to keep that nervous stutter out of her words.
Rori had only just begun to recover from this last incident. Her cheeks were still tinged pink, sapphire eyes wide, focused firmly on the mutilated sandwich on her tray, because she couldn't yet bring herself to look at James or even Ash. Her back was to the doors, which meant even if she wasn't trying so hard to focus on anything but her surroundings, she wouldn't have seen him coming. His voice caused the small girl to nearly jump out of her seat, a small squeal ripping its way from her lips. Heart racing in her chest, thrumming loudly in her ears, it took the girl several long moments to realize her life was not in danger and she had just made a complete fool of herself... Again. Biting down hard on her lower lip, she let her head fall until her chin rested against her chest. Dark locks tumbled over her shoulders, falling into her face as that flaming scarlet blush crept back into her cheeks, burning until she felt hot and feverish. "S-sorry." She mumbled, voice polite but so soft they would have to strain to even make out what she had even said. A small whimper escaped her lips at his offer for medicine, waving her arms frantically in front of her. "N-no. I'm fine. R-really!" The poor girl was burning up for an entirely different reason, but she knew he only had good intentions at heart. It would just take him time to grow accustomed to the easily fluster, ball-of-nerves, that was Rori. In fact, at the moment, he probably wondered how it is she even got put into the Providence Task Force to begin with. He'd walked in on her mid-meltdown, only to see her nearly have a heart attack at his arrival. How pathetic am I... She chastised herself silently, sinking lower into her chair in hopes to draw the attention away from her. One day he would witness the ironic truth that she was far more capable navigating the battlefield than she was navigating most social situations... but until then... A small sigh passed through her lips, casing the hair in front of her face to flutter. All she could manage was a small nod, to confirm that she was in fact, Rori. Thankfully, the flow of conversation seemed to flow naturally onwards, giving the faint girl a moment to try to catch her breath and slow her racing heart.
It was through strands of dark hair that blue eyes would peer, watching the exchange between the newcomer and the usually unphasable Ash. It made her smile, and she might even giggle if she weren't already so embarrassed. The attention had just left her and she wasn't anywhere near ready to have eyes on her again. Instead she let James take the spotlight, as he so often did, glad that he could make up for her silence. It wasn't until Ash and James both asked the newcomer to sit that she sat up a little straighter, delicately tucking dark locks behind her ears. Her cheeks were still splashed with pink, but they'd cooled enough that she didn't feel the need to hide anymore. Even so, she couldn't manage much more than a small nod and friendly smile as the others offered him a seat at the table. This time a small giggle did bubble from her lips at James's antics. Shaking her head slightly in amusement, she made a real effort to make eye contact with the stranger. As usual, it would be through thick lashes that she shyly gazed at him, rather than confronting his gaze head on. Still, it was better than her continuing to stare at the table. "Mhmm." She agreed happily with James, more than pleased to have anyone but herself talk.
"Well, I wouldn't say Providence works fast per se. I just so happen to inquire at the right time. You all just so happened to have an opening in your team. So, win-win for all of us." he explained as he gave Ash a closed mouth smile. "And you are most welcome, Ms. Ashara. Mrs?" he asks making sure he wasn't disrespecting her or potential partner. As he was reaching into his jacket to grab the medicine for Rori, she politely refused. She stated she was fine in an exaggerated manner and he had no choice but to believe her. "Very well, but I do usually keep some form of medication on hand. Please keep in mind that you, all, are welcomed to them." he says pulling his hand from his pocket. The man watches James try to manifest a sundae with amusement. He clears his throat as he prepares himself to speak. Jesse lifted his jacket a bit before taking a sit. "Thank you, all. I greatly appreciate you all taking the time out to get to know me. I look forward to getting to know you as well." He moves a few trays to the side so he can rest his hands on the table. Of course he isn't going to mention that he's of one of the most capable assassination families in the criminal underground. Yet, at the same time, he wasn't going to lie either.
Well, as I said before, I am Jesse Mayflower. "I'm new to Providence and I'm excited to be here. I'm a Deviant myself and...." he pauses, "....I'm sorry, but it's a bit difficult to speak about myself so candidly. I'd be much more capable to answer your question of you all would ask me some questions." he explained. "I hope that isn't off-putting to you all." he follows.
Deadly_Tiger
Alysian Virago
Auto Vampire Kitten
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2021 3:54 pm
James watched her intently as he saw her face change a few shades. He wasn't foreign to her chameleon act and he enjoyed it the the friendliest of ways. "Hmm? Yea. Dinner or lunch or breakfast. Whichever." he shrugged with a smile. He was serious. He wanted to go out to eat with her. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy his time with her. With all the time this team spent with each other he felt especially close to Rori. No slight to Ash. He kept his eyes on her as he patiently waits for her response. She could take as long as she needed. Eventually, a small smile would form from her lips. A good sign. He held his hand to his ear as he leans in a bit. She agreed. He pumped his hands in the air victoriously! "I'm tellin' you, girl, you ain't gonna be disappointed!" he beamed. He realized how much energy he was putting out and collected himself. Even his old way of speech came out. "My bad." he chuckled. "We'll talk details soon." he smiled knowing she wouldn't be very comfortable discussing personal plans in front of a stranger.
James nodded approvingly as he tried to help out Rori. Though, if he thought, even a little bit, that she was weak he would be surely surprised. She's one of the most capable in the organization. Just a bit shy is all. Which James found adorable, but above all: a funny target. Jesse takes a seat and list some generic things. He explains how it wasn't going well and suggests they ask questions. Immediately, James' hand shot up. "Oh! Oh! What do you like for breakfast? Your first car? Second pet? What about your top measurements for a woman? And... do you put pineapples on pizza?" he asked in a dark tone.
Ash raised an eyebrow at James who was, apparently, completely oblivious to the state Rori was in. It took all of her willpower not to facepalm when he did finally notice without connecting the dots that he was the source of her troubles. Willpower which gave out when he took her advice literally and immediately. "You don't have to," Ashara advised Aurora, unsure if the water bender actually wanted to go, or if she was just too shy to turn James down. . Her voice was a bit muffled due to her palm covering her face.
"Miss, but please call me Ash." She answered, sliding into the seat across from their newest teammate. Did that mean he was single or was he just being polite she wondered. But then he said possibly the worst possible thing to James. Inviting them to ask questions. s**t. It was the only thought Ash had time for before James unleashed a torrent of questions at Jesse. She had the strong urge to cuff him again. Especially for the completely inappropriate question about a woman's measurements, that she also wanted to know the answer to. Ash started shaking her head no when James asked about pineapple on pizza. She actually enjoyed pineapple on pizza and would sneak away from her teammates to eat it sometimes. However, she wanted to spear Jesse the experience she had on that dark day when she told James she did in fact like pineapple on pizza.
"James is a little excitable," Ash said with an apologetic tone. Then she leaned back in her chair, green eyes sizing up Jesse. "Why did you join Providence and what is your power?" She asked, going right for the hard-hitting questions.
Aurora through a small smile Ash's way as the woman assured her that she didn't actually have to go to dinner with James. Her concern was well-placed, considering the girl was much to timid and far to polite to say no, even if that's how she felt on the matter. She'd be to worried about hurting his feelings. However, in this particular situation the concern wasn't needed. Somehow she found herself excited about it, even if she was equally nervous. "I-it's okay. I want to." Sapphire orbs woukd return to James, a smile tugging at her lips as he fist pumped and exclaimed in excitement. We're she not so flustered already, she might tease him for his childish antics. Instead she watched, a small laugh bubbling from her lips, mouthing the words 'thank you' when he said they would talk details later. He loved to tease and poke at her, get her all flustered, even though half the time he did it without even realizing it. Even so, at the end of the day, he understood that probably wasn't something she would want to talk about with everyone else around. Especially a new comer.
As Jesse took his seat, Rori turned her eyes back to her food, staring again and her mangled sandwich as if she was trying to decide whether or not she should still try to eat it. In the end she seemed to side against it, picking up a spoon and pushing a few grapes around in her tray. She was listening, but it was easier for her to keep her hands and eyes busy. Even so, she would peek over at the man curiously from time to time. She was just as interested in his answers as any of them, she just had a harder time showing it. Or rather, a harder time showing it without becoming an anxious mess again. She smiled to herself as Ash seemed to realize Jesse's mistake and James took advantage of the opportunity and let out an onslaught of questions. Does he even breathe? The girl thought to herself, rather amused. She was spooning a scoop of applesauce into her mouth when he got to the question about a girl's measurements. It took every ounce of strength and willpower she how to not spit the fruity substance out in her flustered shock. Swallowing hard, the girl stared wide-eyed at her tray a scarlet blush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. Where before she had shown her investment in the conversation through curious glances and the occasional nod, her gaze seemed frozen on the table, hidden beneath dark locks.
Rori was so caught up in her own embarrassment, she missed the question about pineapple and pizza. Luckily Ash was already warning their new team member. James had a very strong opinion about pineapple, especially when put on pizza. Which, to be fair, while Rori loved the fruit, she didn't particularly enjoy that particular combination, but she'd never hold it against someone either. The same couldn't be said for James. She still remembered the day Ash had revealed that little secret to him. To say it hadn't gone well was an understatment...though, the memory still brought a smile to her lips. James was nothing if not eccentric and dramatic. Even so, the pineapple on pizza was perhaps a discovery best saved for later. Already Jesse must be thinking he walked into an odd group. Perhaps he was already wondering what exactly he signed himself up for here. James reaction on this particular subject would certainly not help.
The man couldn't help but laugh internally. Seeing the interactions between both James and Rori is, for lack of a better term, fun. "I see. then "Ms" it is." he smiled. Jesse's eyes widened in mild surprise at the questions that came flowing his way. "Quite the appetite and lungs on this one, eh?" he asked with a smile. He held his hand up to Ash showing that his energy was fine and acceptable. "It's quite alright. Being energetic is a wonderful trait to have. I wish I could be more animated in my excitement myself." he chuckled Jesse thinks, tapping his finger to his chin, before looking to James, "To answer your questions in order: Eggs Benedict, I've never owned a car, Sable and uhh," he clears his throat, "I don't find that to be a very appropriate matter of discussion. Especially since we've just met and there are ladies present." he explained. "And to answer your last question..." he looked to Ashara out of the corner of his eyes, "... no. No, I don't." he lied. Jesse enjoyed the combination personally, but he felt this lie was a necessary evil. Jesse eyed Ash as she leaned back and got a bit comfortable. He straightened the lapels of his coat and cleared his throat. "The reason why I joined Providence isn't something I can share right now, but I can say that it is to improve the life of my loved ones. I assure you that I'm not a threat to your establishment and will not get in the way of it's mission or progress." he smiled. He pulled the sleeve of his coat down and opened and closed his fist. "As for my ability..." he opened his hand and a small web of wire connected his fingers to the middle of his palm, "...I can create and strings, or I should say wires, freely from my extremities. I can attach them to each other or other objects or people. They are also quite durable and strong so I'm quite grateful for this ability." he explains. He looks Ash in the eyes, "I hope that explanation suffices." he smiles. Jesse turns his head as he could just barely make out the words from Rori. "I actually haven't been apart of Providence until earlier this week." he said. "Of course I had the formalities and evaluations to go through, but that took no time at all. I'm as green as it gets."
Deadly_Tiger
Alysian Virago
Auto Vampire Kitten
Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:16 pm
"Yeah, Ash, she wants to! Don't kill my vibe, vibe killer!" he said. "I'll have you know that people who spend time with me have and amazing day. And those who don't didn't spend enough time with me." he laughed. Even James knew he was a bit much at times, but he just couldn't help it. "You can call her Ash or as Providence calls her 'Wet Blanket' and before you ask I definitely did NOT start that." he said as he nods his head repeatedly. As Jesse answered James' questions He notices that Rori is playing with some stray grapes on her plate. "Oh yeah. Her sandwich is destroyed." he thought. He motioned his hands to make a bird out of the mess he made bringing in his trays and plates. A falcon to be exact. "Go get the nice lady something good to eat. Maybe something more durable than a sandwich." he orders. The bird flew off into the kitchen and screams and sounds of surprise erupted among the agents.The bird comes back with a small veggie burrito and some packaged fruits. "There were burritos?!" he shouts. He slumped on the table as he chided himself for his observational skills. All while this was happening James was listening to Jesse. "My stomach is what inspire scholars to count to infinity." he said looking up at him from the table. "I don't know what I'm saying. I'm sad now. I would've loved a spicy pork burrito." he sniffled. After kicking himself he perked up. "What the heck is Eggs Benedict?" he asked. "Really? You seem like a guy who owns a luxury car or something? But maybe I'm just a bad judge of character." he shrugs. He tilts his head and scrunches his face, "What's a Sable? Are you making this up now?" he laughs. James face continued to show confusion as to why he wouldn't answer the measurement question. After Jesse explained why it made sense. "Ahh. I guess that's fair. You can answer when it's just the guys." he snickered. He says slyly trying to taunt a certain someone. He listens intently to Jesse's reasoning for joining Providence. "In other words you joined not for the greater good of your kind, but just your loved ones? Eh, I'm down with that." he smiles. "Either way you help us and get what you want." James say playing with the dirt bird. He looked on in amazement at his ability. "That's so cool! All I can do is push dirt around." He says making the bird terrorize the other table. Shouts could be heard coming from people trying to enjoy their lunch because of him. "Well, I'm sure we'll be going on a mission soon so you won't be green for long." he laughs. HE then gets serious for just a moment. James' voice goes dark and the air seems to get cold around him. "I'm glad that you and I can share a united front. Pineapples do not belong on pizza. I'd hate for you to end up like Matthew."
Ashara wasn't convinced by Rori's answer. Then again, Rori could be telling them her favourite colour and the girl would make the answer sound unconvincing. "Your vibe needs to be taken down about 10 notches. I'm not sure I should leave Rori alone with you." She could picture it in her mind. Rori coming back completely traumatized, James somehow managing to embarrass her without knowing it. Or maybe Rori would find a way to turn herself into water, melt into the ground and never been seen again.
"You had Eggs Benedict this morning. With the eggs and ham on an English muffin, and the amazing sauce." Ash pointed out to James. Then again at the speed he ate it would be shocking if he tasted anything. It wasn't totally surprising he didn't know what was on his plate...s. The car one was equally surprising to her. Jesse was old enough to have owned a few before the war broke out. She would let Jesse field the doubt already expressed by James though. As for the Sable..."Where are you from?" She asked, tilting her head a bit to the side.
"I would be careful about promising to not get in the way." Two purple portals appeared. The first swallowed up the dirt bird. The other sent it flying directly into James's face. "It is hard to stay out of James's way. I make portals, and Rori here is the master of all things water. Don't let her timidness fool you." Ash sighed as she saw the people from the table James had been terrorizing stand up and begin to stomp over, squaring up for a fight. "I didn't even get to eat." she said dejectedly as she stood up.
