|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 4:25 pm
Horizon Institute was...
...different.
Standing in one of the long, expansive hallways, the school, with its glossy tiled floors and shiny new equipment, Fritz felt quite distinctly like that awkward kid who had just moved in town.
Which shouldn't have been all that unusual, since this was apparently a brand spankin' new school - and it would make sense, considering it had, in fact, not been there before Fritz and the rest of the civilians had been unceremoniously plucked from their daily lives and thrown into a chaotic and deadly adventure in outer space.
The only good thing, really, to have come out of that experience was the alter-ego that was Celsus, Page of Chronos. Fritz had found it extremely difficult to keep this secret from his twin brother, whom he told anything and everything.
So instead he had whispered his secrets to Crook, Fritz's cat.
Crook, needless to say, had been quite unimpressed by his stories.
The other fantastic thing to come from the whole trip into space was the fact that the civilians Fritz had spent many hours mourning over, were all alive and well - at least, that was what the reports had said. Up in the Surrounding, Celsus had heard the news while helping to repair the dilapidated buildings, and it had been such a relief he had almost tripped down the stairs. As it was, he did a lot of screaming and jumping up and down excitedly like a little kid.
Then he had promptly come home to find out he had been expelled. Expelled.
The bad thing about attending Horizon Institute was the fact that he had to get used to wearing a uniform again. Fritz had not worn a uniform since his days at the private school in London he had attended - and that had been several years ago.
He stood now at the base of a flight of stairs, eying a rather large bulletin board that had notices pinned neatly across its face. Fritz's mind, however, was not on the messages. Instead, it was miles away, wondering, as it always was, about the friends he had made while in the Surrounding. He had heard that the civilians were all alive, but that was not the same as seeing them himself. A few faces drifted across Fritz's field of vision, and he closed his eyes briefly.
Where are you..?
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:46 pm
Return to normal life (or... well, as close to normal life as could have been, in some cases) had been... interesting. For all of them, he'd wagered - all those who had survived, that is.
Some paid heavier prices than others. Joshua was, perhaps, somewhere in the middle in the scale of extremes. He'd went back to his dorm, and Leto's warning had held true. Not only had he been expelled from Azure and most of his personal items there disposed off with the officials fearing the worst, he'd quickly became aware that his mother had been in Destiny City, still holding out hope that her son was alive.
And with his return, she had been determined to haul him back to Vancouver, which Joshua certainly couldn't have done. Well, he could have - but Deneb Kaitos couldn't. Ares had saved his life. He could not run away.
He'd ended up mirror-walking out of the airport, gone and emptied his bank account, and was now crashing on Veer's couch until he could figure things out.
For which he was certainly thankful, but he was still an hair trigger away from breaking down and cleaning the whole damn apartment. He'd had messy roommates in his time at Azure, but Veer took messy to whole new level.
No, perhaps he redefined it. It was that bad. At least to Joshua.
Horizon had ended up being heavensent for him - he certainly wanted to keep going to school, and being more grounded would certainly help if his parents returned to try to get him to come back to canada. The uniform was certainly right down his alley - the coat was awesome. Still a damn tie, through.
He'd just made his way through science class and was going toward his locker, and at first did not notice Fritz staring at the bulletin board. Hazel eyes were frowning, his expression a little too serious.
But it was the flash of reddish brown at the corners of his vision that made him pause.
Wait..
Wait.
Eventually, it connected.
He knew this person. He'd thought... He'd thought.... !!!
"Fritz !" He waved. "Over here !"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:45 pm
Idly tugging on the yellow tie (honestly, why yellow of all colors) tied in a loose knot about his neck, Fritz opened his eyes, staring with a vague expression at the bulletin board. He had no particular desire to actually read the messages tacked there, but it gave him something to pretend to look at while he was actually lost in thought.
At least until he heard a voice calling his name.
"Fritz! Over here - !"
He automatically lifted his gaze, flickering first to the right - nothing was there - then to the left, where...
...a very familiar person stood. Fritz's eyes widened, and he very nearly dropped the rucksack of books he had slung over one shoulder.
"...Josh?"
It was definitely him; the dark hair that curled just above his shoulders, the small scar across his left cheek - that was most certainly Joshua Harvey standing several feet away.
Without really caring that he was in the middle of school, Fritz pushed his way through the throngs of students milling about and flung his arms around the the young man's neck and shoulders.
"Bloody hell, you're alive!"
Fritz's talent for stating the obvious notwithstanding, he had already heard his friend's (Could he call Josh a friend? He certainly hoped so; after all, they had spent enough time together out in space to warrant at least "good acquaintance") survival, but it was one thing to hear about. It was certainly another to actually see it.
Finally letting go, Fritz rocked back on his heels, clapping Josh on the shoulders, a wide grin on his face.
"So! How've you been, mate?" he asked. "I mean...er...what's it been like, being back again?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:58 pm
Had they gone through any less that they had, had he not been so relieved, Joshua probably wouldn't have put up with it. Even as it was, he did stiffen a bit under Fritz's touch, clearly a little uncomfortable with it.
Through, really, he understood the sentiment. "You're okay !" He exclaimed. Other people were looking, but he didn't care. Safe for the 59 of them, no one could truly know or even understand what they'd seen, or been through. Let them stare if they wanted - Joshua didn't give a flying ********. "I thought... I was worried..."
Yeah. Feelings. Josh was no good with talking feelings, through his relief as seeing the older boy was nearly tangible. "...Complicated." He gave a strained smile. Really, complicated. "I got kicked out of Azure, and I... didn't want to go back to Vancouver. I've learned couch-crashing in an art."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 3:36 pm
Fritz, clearly having no boundaries whatsoever when it came to "invading people's bubbles," saw no qualms about hugging another male - and a younger one at that - in the middle of a crowded school hallway; especially when that male happened to be someone that Fritz had thought to have been killed. And despite the fact that he could feel Joshua stiffening in his arms, the other didn't pull away, which made Fritz pleased - that would have been bad.
"I'm quite smashing, yes," he replied, smiling down at the younger man; he had nearly forgotten that Josh was several years his junior, though he had a maturity that belayed the youth. "Well," Fritz amended, shaking his head just the slightest. "That's not entirely true. I lost my job and got kicked out of DCU for 'too many unexcused absences' (a load of rubbish, if you ask me), and my brother thinks I'm a druggie - "
And I'm secretly a Knight for that place we were all trapped up on for six weeks.
" - but other than that, things have been pretty well off."
Fritz slowed to a stop, his expression softening a little. "Sorry," he said, in a much quieter voice than before. "I didn't mean to, er, just...go off like that. I'm just...relieved, y'know?" He smiled again, this one a little bit more weary than the other. "I thought...well, you know."
His brows lifted just the slightest. "Looks like you and I are in the same boat, though I have a loft to stay in," Fritz replied, laughing a little. "Where are you staying? You know, you're welcome at my place any time, despite the fact that I have an ornery twin brother and a rather grumpy cat living there as well."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 11:29 pm
"Yeah, yeah." He waved his hand, dismissing the whole topic of 'I thought you where dead'. And hopefully doing the same with Fritz's embarrassment. It hadn't been a big deal - Joshua just wasn't the biggest fan of being touched, that was all.
"I should be okay... Im looking for someone renting a room or something. Shouldn't be too hard to find, right ? And a job, too..." Yeah. He was gonna need a job. Maybe he could try to pass for older than he was ?
It usually worked pretty well. Really, he'd rather not have Fritz end up accidentally involved in... well. Mirror business.
Ignorance was, in fact, bliss.
"I was heading to the cafeteria... Curious to see if it's better than Azure." He said, amused. "Would you like to come ?"
Fritz and Josh - always raiding kitchens everywhere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:58 pm
Clearing his throat, Fritz nodded, a smile on his face as he agreed, silently, to move past the awkward reunion thing. Though he had a particularly bad habit of being overly exuberant at times, it was clear that Joshua was relieved to see him, and that was enough. He didn't want to make the poor guy uncomfortable, after all.
Dropping his hand from the other's shoulder, Fritz looked down at him. "Well, if you're looking for a job, the art store I used to work at has a new opening, since they, er...lost their old employee."
He grinned sheepishly, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. "I guess my excuse of I was drugged, man didn't do much good for him."
Shrugging, Fritz pulled the rucksack he was carting around higher up on his arm, pulling it over his shoulder. "And I'm sure you'll be just fine; lemme know if you need any help with the room thing, okay? I can ask around, see what I can find. And if you ever need a place to crash, and don't mind two strange Brits, my loft is always open."
Dark reddish brows rose. "Need you ask twice?" said Fritz grandly, and gestured in front of him. "Lead the way, good sir."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:06 pm
"They won't hire you back ?" Joshua frowned. That seemed... incredibly shitty of them, really. Obviously Fritz was back and while people might think both boys were off their rockers if they had to talk about what they'd gone through... Well, he was obviously alive and of sound mind.
"I know jack about art, really. Through, I figure you don't need to know much to work a register, I guess ? But really... It's shitty that they won't hire you back."
"And i'll keep that in mind, through I might have a lead." He'd gotten one callback from a landlord, on the shitty little cellphone he'd brought - the one where you had to put minutes in yourself. "Thanks."
While he did behave more maturely than his age, well, he definitively looked his age - and it might end up being a problem.
Joshua just laughed, and started leading the way toward the cafeteria. "So far I like it here, through. The robotics lab is insannnne." In a good way. He'd felt like a kid with a big, shiny new toy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:23 pm
"Nope," said Fritz, sticking his hands in his pockets and smiling genially, a touch of sheepishness in his eyes. "They just sent me on my merry way. I don't suppose getting stuck - er, getting drugged up for six weeks was any excuse."
"And probably not," he agreed, laughing a bit. "Being a cashier would be relatively easily. I did it a few times, though mostly I was one of those people that helped customers pick out the right brushes for their paintings and whatnot. Though come to think of it," Fritz said musingly, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I'm not so sure you'd want to work under a boss like that..." He shrugged. "But it might be worth a try anyway."
His phone vibrated in his pocket - Tolliver was calling - but Fritz ignored it, stowing it away without really caring. He could always call his brother back later.
"A lead is good," he said brightly, grinning as they stepped into the cafeteria. The smell of food hit his nose, and Fritz's stomach grumbled hungrily. "And I have to admit, I haven't strayed into the robotics lab yet. I've been more focused on attempting to not fail the math class I have that I'm utterly hopeless in."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:36 pm
"Well, any job would be a good job right now... At least until I get my own roof on top of my head." He said. "Then I can start being a little more picky, I guess."
He hated imposing, really. All he needed was something small, something cheap... Through going bigger if he could find it might not be a bad idea, if he could find it. Having a spare room could likely be useful... Through really, anything would be good right now.
He could 'upgrade' later.
Well, that wasn't surprising. Artists were rarely good at math, and mathheads were rarely good at art ! "Maybe I can try to help ? Through, you're a few years above me so it might be stuff I don't know." He admitted. He couldn't help but feel young, now that the circle of people he knew mostly consisted of people out of high school. He took one tray and settled in the line, trying to peek at the sheet further ahead indicating the menu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:27 am
"True," Fritz conceded, as he weaved his way through the throngs of students and picked up a tray from the stack, settling into his place after Joshua. His stomach gave another embarrassing rumble, and Fritz hastily continued speaking.
"Money is money, right?" he said, with an encouraging smile as he selected a large plate of mashed potatoes, a pulled pork sandwich, two bags of chips, and a glass of milk, dashed with a packet of honey. "I suppose I'll have to find a new job, now that I've lost my old one. Can't rely on my brother to be always be the one providing, now can I?"
Once his tray was completely full and he had paid, Fritz led them over to a nearby table, plopping himself down in one of the cushioned seats and throwing his rucksack over the back of his chair.
"You would be willing to help me?" he asked, lifting a brow as he unwrapped his sandwich. The smell of barbecue rose to greet him, and Fritz's next words were somewhat garbled.
"ThsgreafgmmeannnImean - "
He held up a finger, then swallowed. "What I meant to say, is that even if you're a few years younger than I am, you're probably still better at math than I am. I mean, I'm just in the basic of all basic maths. It'll probably be cinch to you."
Fritz lifted the glass of milk to his lips and took a swig, tapping a finger against his chin thoughtfully.
"Well," he said, and grinned. "If you ever find a place that's hiring - we can both try to figure something out here, eh? Bros, mate - we look out for each other."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:26 pm
"Yeah, money's money." Through, really... well, he just wanted to not end up doing fast food. That was all he asked - he had no problem being a waiter, or washing dishes in a restaurant, but...
No fast food.
He'd heard too many horror stories.
Joshua pondered his choices (which probably was hellish on Fritz, since the older boy was stuck behind him), but settled with a bowl of chicken soup, a pulled pork sandwich (copycat ! Well, on Josh's side. He'd noticed them after Fritz went for it), a bottle of pepsi, and some cake.
Always with the cake.
He settled beside his friend. "Well, show me your homework sometime." He paused to blow over his spoonful of soup before tasting it. Suprisingly good for cafeteria food, really. "I'll see if it's things that I know and we can go from there."
"Yeah, I'll let you know. Im waiting on a few calls, but it's been long enough that they probably won't call me back..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:46 am
"Despite the fact that the economy isn't quite as it should be - after all, America isn't quite as advanced as some places - " He gave Joshua a teasing wink. " - it, unfortunately is necessary."
Fritz sighed melodramatically, forking some mashed potatoes into his mouth. "Such is life, I'm afraid. Haven't got a clue how to work around that nasty little detail yet."
He swallowed his mouthful and eyed the cake that was on the other's plate, wondering how he had missed that in all of the selections. It made him think back to that conversation he'd had with Joshua, back up on the Surrounding, as they'd tried to clean up one of the rooms of the Leo outpost.
And how he'd accidentally walloped Josh in the head with a painting.
Now Fritz wondered whether or not Josh remembered that; Fritz did, of course, since he had a rather irritating tendency to remember minute and obscure details such as that, but he doubted someone like Josh would.
Not that it really mattered, but the memory made him smile, at least.
"I wonder what would happen if I just put a circle around the letter 'x' when they ask to 'find x' in a math problem..." Fritz said innocently a he chewed methodically on a bite of his sandwich. " 'Look, 'teach, I found it! '"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 11:20 am
Joshua did indeed remember getting a headfull of painting, but saw no need to mention it. Everything up until the smoke monster in Leo's kitchen was perfectly clear, and the moment where Ares' mirror shattered on his... well, lack of body was probably engraved in his mind forever.
It was what was sandwiched in between that was hazy.
"Well, if I find the solution to that problem, i'll let you know." He said, tome amused, a smile on his face as he finished off his bowl of soup.
"And well, who knows, maybe if your teacher has a sense of humor, you'll get half a point for creativity ?"
But really... not many math teachers had a sense of humor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 7:30 pm
Fritz himself had a little bit of a difficult time comprehending the events of the last few weeks, not that he would ever admit it to Joshua. He could not tell his friend about his new identity - something that was not exactly easy, but necessary.
"Good," said Fritz, smiling as he took another bite of mashed potatoes, chewing thoughtfully. "I mean, I feel like you and I are kinda stuck in the same place here, you know what I mean?"
His brows lifted, and then he laughed, shaking his head. "I'm not so sure Professor Black is very humorous..." he said, absently tapping his fork against his cheek. "The last time I tried to make a joke, he made me stand out in the hall until I could 'control myself.'"
He shook his head, amused, then added "But I figure if I can bring up my grade a bit, he'll like me more. And that's - " he added grandly, gesturing with his fork and sending bits of mashed potatoes flying. " - where you come in, my wise tutor."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
