Iiiiit's Monday, and that means it's time for class!

[lucetimods]

Who: All the fine students of Luceti U!
What: IT'S TIME FOR COLLEGE, YO.
When: September 8 - 12th.
Where: All over "campus".
Summary: It's the first week of class for all you wonderful students, both new and old! Enjoy catching up with friends, trying to find your classes, engaging in all aspects of college life, and... let's not forget about the upcoming game.
Rating: PG-13 at best, guys. I know this is supposed to be college but if you're going to engage in the more... racy aspects of college life, take it off-comm!
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This is the general catch-all log for the event. You know the drill by now. There's a separate log going up that will be used for Featherbook. Please feel free to use the two logs in tandem with one another. In fact, we encourage it!

Comments

C!

[lostinmyway]

[There's a young woman standing alone behind that building. She doesn't look very happy, so Grune changes her course from the library to go speak with her.

As she gets closer, she can see it's the girl from earlier that day on Featherbook. Maybe she just needs a friend to feel better.]

Hello.

[searches_forhim]

[Jane is not used to strangers coming up to her and speaking for no good reason. She takes another drag of her cigarette, which she loves mostly because the smoke smells like cinnamon, and exhales in the woman's direction.]

You lost or something?

[lostinmyway]

[Her nose wrinkles a little, but it's her only reaction to the gesture. In fact, rather than being put off, she comes to stand next to her.]

Oh, no. I just thought it would be nice to have a little chat. How are you doing today?

[searches_forhim]

[Once she's closer Jane recognizes her from their earlier Featherbook exchange.]

Oh, it's you. I didn't scare you off the first time, huh? You're more determined than most people.

[lostinmyway]

[Grune has been helping distraught young people through one of the hardest periods of their lives for years. She wouldn't get very far she wasn't determined.]

You didn't scare me at all. [She puts her head to one side.] Were you trying to be scary?

[It's a genuine question--there's no attempt to shame Jane whatsoever.]

[searches_forhim]

[Jane shakes her head.]

Nah, it's just a natural talent. Some people sing, other people can dance... I scare the shit out of nice, ordinary folks.

[lostinmyway]

My, that's too bad. Doesn't that make you feel lonely?

[searches_forhim]

Not at all. It feels...

[Safe?]

It's just the way it has to be.

[lostinmyway]

Why?

[That's all she asks.]

[searches_forhim]

Why not? Having friends isn't all it's cracked up to be. You're just asking for trouble.

[lostinmyway]

[She's starting to suspect she knows where Jane's beliefs are coming from....]

But you can have so much fun with your friends, and they can help you when you're feeling sad. Friends help you out of trouble--they don't make more trouble for you.

[searches_forhim]

Sure, that's what they're supposed to do. But reality is never what you think it will be. The only person you can really count on is yourself.

[Oh yes, Jane learned that at a very young age when being shuttled from foster home to foster home. There's no point in getting close to anyone because they won't stick around. And the ones you do trust? Well, they show up in your room in the middle of the night and do unspeakable things to you. So no, Grune, she won't be changing her point of view very easily.]

[lostinmyway]

[She watches Jane for a moment. Then:]

Have people pretended to be your friend before?

[searches_forhim]

[Well isn't that direct and to the point? Jane looks back at her, unblinking, while she decides if it's worth telling the truth. In the end lying takes too much effort considering what she's already said.]

Yes. People pretend to be lots of things.

[lostinmyway]

[Grune looks back at her just as steadily.]

I'm sorry that people have been unkind to you. You deserve much, much better.

[searches_forhim]

You're damn right I do. And that's why I don't give them the chance. The only good thing to come outta all the times I've been dicked over is that I learned how to protect myself.

[lostinmyway]

[Grune doesn't reply to that--not directly, anyway. It's clear that reaching Jane won't happen in a single conversation. It might take many, many times of speaking together. But that's all right. If she can help Jane find happiness, that makes everything worthwhile.

Instead, she says:] Would you like to get something to eat together? It will be my treat.

[Food has been the way to many a college student's heart, and Grune does like to feed people.]

[searches_forhim]

[Jane was confused by this woman. How many ways did she have to say that she likes not having friends before the attempts to befriend her would stop? In a strange way it has piqued her curiosity. And that curious nature more than anything else prompts her to accept the offer.]

Yeah, I could eat, I guess. But I can pay for myself.

[She certainly wasn't about to put herself in Grune's debt.]

[lostinmyway]

[Grune, of course, assumes Jane is just being polite all evidence to the contrary.]

It's all right. I'd be happy to pay for you.

[searches_forhim]

[Stop pushing it, Grune, or this is gonna get ugly.]

I said thanks but no thanks. I'm nobody's charity case.

[She puts her cigarette, now down to a short nub, out under her shoe and picks up her bag.]

[lostinmyway]

[And here she backs off. Some students offer to pay because they think they're being polite--it seems there's something deep at play with Jane.]

All right. Where would you like to go?

[searches_forhim]

Anywhere that has vegetarian options.

[lostinmyway]

What about the bakery?

[That should work--as long as she's not vegan.]

[searches_forhim]

[Little does she know that the guaranteed way into Jane's small, shriveled heart is through pastry.]

Perfect. Lead on.

[lostinmyway]

All right. [She smiles.] Let's see if we can both find something delicious to eat.