here be random shit [it's an open post for open post things ]

[sarcaskick]

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[auriferous]

[ For the first time since she sought him out yesterday, Pyrrha smiles. Her weapon is tucked aside. ]

I don't think anyone has ever used 'wild' to describe me.

[ She doesn't bother to get to her feet quite yet, instead sitting comfortably on the gym floor and taking a moment to steady her breathing. ]

You're not so bad when you actually make an effort.

[sarcaskick]

Oh stop, you're gonna make me blush.

[ ... fat chance, but he does have some color in his cheeks from the exertion alone. Normally he would just bounce now that the task is done, but...

Instead he mirrors her, sitting on the floor with one leg propped up. ]

At least it's good to see that someone around here knows what they're doing.

[auriferous]

Oh, I'm sure there are more of us than you think.

[ It's casually said. She's less prompt to defend her school than she might have been a week ago. Reaching into her pouch, she pulls out her scroll, swipes to idk some stupid RWBY app the school's combat reservation system. ]

Well, we have ten minutes left before we have to vacate the gymnasium.

[ What do you want to do now, Mercury? ]

[sarcaskick]

We'll see.

[ At the mention of time, he considers leaving again. It's not that he had anything to really do, but hanging out with other people was never really his thing, and he would usually just kill time with some exercise or some good old-fashioned lazing.

... But he'd gotten some exercise already thanks to her, and Pyrrha has admittedly piqued his curiosity more than he had expected. ]

Well, what've you got going on after this?

[auriferous]

[ Training. Sulking. Nothing. Pyrrha's smile becomes something thoughtful. As soon as she leaves this room, she'll have to deal with everything else again. Thinking of it that way, she's almost ashamed of herself for using him as a convenient distraction; he's not a prop in her misery.

A shrug as she traces a line in the floor. ] Actually, I'm free all day.

[ too bad no one told her how embarrassing it is to admit that ]

[sarcaskick]

That right?

[ There's that toxic part of him that wants to just say "well, that sucks for you" and leave her behind, but it's surprisingly taking a backseat to his newfound interest. There's more to her than meets the eye - and that's not to say that what meets the eye is at all unpleasant, either.

... Oh, what the hell. ]

We'll have to do something about that.

[ With a grunt he pushes himself up off the ground and onto his feet - and then turns to Pyrrha to extend a hand, offering to help her up (not that she really needed it). ]

C'mon. Let's see if we can find another rule or two to bend before the day's done.

[auriferous]

[ Stuffing her scroll back into her pouch, Pyrrha takes his hand and climbs to her feet. She'll probably never see him again after the tournament exchange students go home, so... why not?

In a joking tone: ]

Are you just using me to find out all of Yang's combat secrets?

[sarcaskick]

[ Assuming she makes it to "after the tournament"-- ]

From what I've seen she punches things, gets angry, and punches things harder. Pretty sure that case is open and shut.

[ ... That's like saying he kicks good and that's all there is to it, but maybe he's being deliberately flippant. ]

Besides, why would I think about her when you're right here?

[auriferous]

[ His second remark earns him a skeptical look, but she replies solely to the first. ]

Someone could sum up your fighting style just as callously, you know.

[sarcaskick]

And they'd be right.

[ A shrug, one hand resting on his hip. ]

A little intel ahead of time is fine, but in the end you only get to know someone when you're toe to toe with them. Right?

[auriferous]

Mm, not when they forfeit the match after thirty seconds.

[ Never going to let you live that one down, dude. ]

[sarcaskick]

And yet, here we are because of it.

[ Smug as shit, not that that's a change of pace in any way whatsoever. ]

So what's that say about you?

[auriferous]

[ A lot of things, in fact, but none of them are things she can say to a stranger. Even if Mercury is somewhat else now. ]

I think you’ve learned everything you need to know about me. Besides, I’m not the one you’re going to be fighting.

[ And then, with no preamble — ] Are you hungry?

[ If nothing else, they need protein after that. ]

[sarcaskick]

[ There are some choice remarks he can make about having learned everything he needs to know about her, but she unwittingly cuts off his retort-to-be with her inquiry. ]

Starving. Too bad you didn't wager that the loser would have to buy the winner's food. Missed opportunity.

[auriferous]

No, of course not. You’re a guest of the school. It’s my treat.

[ Technically, her many sponsorship royalties will be paying. Pyrrha is the Remnant equivalent of an athlete who also does Raid: Shadow Legends and NordVPN ad reads on Instagram during the off season. ]

What would you like?

[ And will they need to go off school grounds ]

[sarcaskick]

[ On the one hand, now he's tempted to pick one of the most expensive places he can find. But fancy things aren't really his style, and he'd rather opt for something that will be ready to eat quickly, so... ]

I dunno... pizza, I guess?

[auriferous]

Pizza it is!

[ Hopefully he isn't one of those weird people who put pineapple on it. Does pineapple even exist in Remnant? Eh, it does now.

Anyway, the walk to Peach And Son's Pizza Pagoda (We Also Serve Shawarma) isn't a long one, and Pyrrha finds some joy in pointing out what few landmarks Vale boasts. Some of them, like a multi-story library Pyrrha has never actually been inside of, are... really quite boring! Others, like the cluster of statues of the first city councillors that have been spray painted all to hell and have traffic cones on their head, well - that's slightly less boring. Pyrrha isn't quite so uncharitable but there is a faint, perfunctory note skirting her words.

She had been right. Being out of that gym, back in a world bigger than where her next strike lands, is worse than being inside it. Her sour mood doesn't quite come back, not yet, but it takes slightly more effort (and pretense) to hold it at bay.

A full stomach will help, since she skipped breakfast. Immediately after entering Peach And Son's Pizza Pagoda (We Also Serve Shawarma), the proprietor - a loud, happy man with a strawberry blonde mustache called, you guessed it, Peach - addresses her by name and declares that the meal is on the house. ]

No, that's not necessary — [ u g h ] I am more than happy to pay —

Nonsense! [ Peach exclaims. His flour-covered hands gesticulate with needless theatricality. ] Now, what will you have?

[ Pyrrha sneaks a glance at Mercury, resists cradling her head in her hand, and hopes for the ground to swallow her whole. He can deal with this. She'll just be his walking ATM. ]

[sarcaskick]

[ Oh my god this sucks.

"Boring" is what he thinks of most of this city; Emerald was interested in the architecture, but Mercury's attention is grabbed more by things to do than things to look at. He does his best to offer a token "uh-huh" or "oh, yeah?" here and there, but Pyrrha would be hard-pressed to find something that would actually satisfy his curiosity, and libraries and statues ain't it. Frankly, if it wasn't something to eat, fight, or fuck, he probably couldn't give less of a damn.

... But he does notice some subtle shift in her demeanor. He might not be book-smart and his own emotional intelligence was a two out of ten on a good day, but he can read other people pretty well, can tell when they're distracted. Something else was eating at the redhead, and he had a couple of guesses as to what.

But that's not something to drag to light right now.

Especially not when they finally make it to Peach And Son's Fucking Whatever (We Also Serve Who Cares), and it catches up to him just how hungry he really is. He watches Pyrrha squirm under the pressure of her own popularity - oh, no, what a burden! - before stepping up to the counter. If she was even half as hungry as he was, then... ]

Just give us a pie. With... [ A pause, and he shoots her a questioning glance. ]





Pineapple?

[ OF FUCKING COURSE ]

[auriferous]

[ Interjecting smoothly: ] On half, please.

[ because gross ]

Mushrooms and sausage as well.

[ It takes eight minutes to get a full pizza cooked so she goes to sit down, picking a booth that has a convenient blind spot from the door. The scent of shawarma, melted cheese, and other half-prepared food is rather strong; she's forced to ignore her own stomach rumbling with something close to desperation. ]

You attend Haven, right? Is that where you learned to fight like that?

[sarcaskick]

[ Oh, so she's a pizza purist. Sad. But that's fine; just means he won't have any competition for his slices.

He slides into the booth of choice, slouching back as they wait for the pie in question. Her inquiry dances the line of a sensitive topic; not just because her question is based on a lie, but because the answer is based on the worst memories of his life. Still, easier to settle on a half-truth. ]

A bit. I was mostly home-schooled in how to fight. My dad was pretty good.

[ "Was", being the operative word. ]

[auriferous]

[ Well, if he’s giving her an opening, she’s going to take it. ]

Was?

[sarcaskick]

Yeah, he passed.

[ And immediately, he lifts a hand as if to cut her off before she can speak. ]

--And before you say "Oh no, I'm sooo sorry", don't. He taught me what I know, but let's just say that's all he was good for.

[auriferous]

[ He’s not wrong, she had been about to say something to that effect, if not quite so elongated. But other than her eyebrows jumping below her fringe, there isn’t much on her face to give her away. ]

If he’s no longer with us, then he probably didn’t teach you everything you know.

[sarcaskick]

[ That's a very dangerous remark for him to respond to, and he takes a rare moment to consider his response. ]

I picked some things up here and there after, but a lot of it came from him.

[ And, before she can inquire further-- ]

What about you? Where'd the golden child learn her skills?

[auriferous]

Truthfully, it just makes sense.

[ When their pizza is set down in front of them, Pyrrha’s fingers skim just beyond the edge of the metal disc holding it. It spins a fraction, despite being too hot to touch, and the pineapple slices are left sitting in front of Mercury. ]

I always found it pretty simple to figure out when a fight goes right and when it goes wrong. Of course, the professors at Sanctum had plenty of wisdom to impart.