Marius nodded, stepping back a bit so he wouldn't be crowding Sy. He still wasn't really sure what to make of this yet. Part of him wanted to duck out, find some paper, and write some ideas down: he'd had some thoughts on a new printed circuit board layout. But Kazimir wanted him here, and the idea would go to waste anyway. Patiently, he folded his arms over his chest and watched Sy with what he hoped looked like interest.
Democracy dies in darkness. Also at 4:30PM in Pacific Standard Time, apparently.
Eclipse let a faint frown slip through as he stalked away, her watching every one of his moves. He had directly avoided her questions which annoyed her to no end and left her with an enigma still on the mental profile she had on him. She knew nothing about him still except his mannerisms which once again annoyed her.
She could feel the small bit of energy slowly seeping from her as the dimmer had prevented her from reading or gleaning any sort of other information on him from their closeness. All she could hope was that he had gained nothing more about her then she had him, even better if it was significantly less.
He had proved to be a rare loss as to her attempts at gaining information but oh well. If he didn't prove to be useful to her and decided to remain an enigma, he was useless to her. If he was useless she would simply chose to leave him behind or sacrifice him in order to put her opposition into checkmate and win in the plot of her escape, no need for something so useless.
Besides, she still had the other newbie who had apparently gained interest in her, the Shah, who was now over at the weights. Somehow two newbies had found her in one day. Did she really stand out that much? Maybe it would be best to move to a different location where she was not so easily spotted despite how it limited her view since at this point the attention was just getting downright annoying. The small library would be the perfect place for this as she would make herself a small space between the shelves and simply observe from between the books. Who knew, maybe her movement would draw the Shah over to her.
Not all who wander are lost; some are just looking for their arrows.
Kazimir watched as Sy pushed the bar up and brought it down with surprising strength, but a lack of precision.
"Exhale when you lift it," Kazimir said. "And keep your feet flat on the floor."
The shah fixed his form, planting his feet. He lifted again. Better, this time.
As he coached the guy through more reps, he quickly grew bored and eventually grabbed the weights with one hand, holding the bar aloft to keep Sy from doing another rep.
"You're done, now," Kazimir said plainly.
The shah blinked up at him like a kid who'd had his toy taken away, but then bounced up off the bench.
"Well, thanks for the pointers!" he said. "I won't bother you anymore, but... I'll see you guys around?"
He paused, then looked at Kazimir.
"I never got your name, though," Sy said.
But Kazimir kept his mouth shut. His one rule was that he never told anyone his name himself. They had to hear it from someone else.
Eclipse carefully got up, closing her book and making sure not to draw anymore attention to herself as she slipped over to the library and quietly sat herself between two of the shelves. After a moment, she pulled a couple books at eye level off of the shelves and set them beside her, watching through the space they left to observe the rest of the area.
Her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of the Shah who had just finished lifting weights. He was still trying to appear friendly to the other two inmates but she could tell that was a facade, just like her own. One could always tell by the eyes and his did not match the same puppy dog sort of friendliness he displayed.
On another thought, with that sort of mind working behind his eyes, it was very much a disrespect to put up that sort of facade. If she were in his shoes, that would most certainly not be the facade she would display. It was nearly annoying to observe. Or maybe that was just the lingering annoyance from the other inmate that she felt.
Not all who wander are lost; some are just looking for their arrows.
"Thanks!" Sy said with a small smile sent Marius's way. And then, to be true to his word, he spun on his heel and left, holding his painting close to his chest as he maintained his sheepish posture.
While he'd lifted weights, he kept an eye on Eclipse in the corner of his eye, and he felt a prick of mischief bite him.
She was rather popular today, wasn't she? Far be it from him to contradict current trends. In fact, he was rather fond of making a trend a pattern. Two strangers approaching her was a coincidence. But a third?
Now he couldn't resist.
He took the long way to the corner of books and shelving. He passed through the craft station again to pick up a glue bottle, then wandered past the lively card game to observe from afar. After a few minutes of assessing the players and noting who mattered, he moved to the library, knowing they had 20:34 left on the clock. Twenty minutes was long enough to tease.
That was all he needed.
He entered the quiet reading area and cast no looks Eclispes' way, but as he browsed the shelves, he slowly drew closer.
He knew what game she was playing. He knew she wanted this. He knew she was playing cat and mouse, and he'd let her be the cat if she wanted. He never drew his claws until he needed to, and unlike her, he didn't need to feel like the powerful one.
Because he knew he was.
It was why he was more than content to look like a fool.
As he browsed the books, he observed the others in the library and drew closer to a large, hippamateum, known to the common man as a hippo-man. Sybyl had noticed almost immediately that he was a walking health violation... at least, for the immunocompromised.
The hippamateum was self-aware enough to isolate in a corner of the library with a large book, but his large and unseemly nose had been dribbling yellow-toned snot to the floor with each passing sniffle, escaping the fellow's notice. Clearly, he was sick with a common cold: something even current technology couldn't exterminate completely. Suppressing a smirk, Sybyl knew that Eclipse would be watching this.
He pretended to drop his book. The hippamateum gave him no notice but a cursory glance when Sybyl bent down to pick it up, and when Sy was sure the hippo was no longer paying attention, in the last few seconds, he swiped the glob on the floor with his finger.
What was underappreciated about Shah was that they had impeccable immune systems. When Sy got sick, he recovered quickly, and his symptoms were always minor. He was not worried about the consequences.
He was, however, excited for the consequences that would plague his cellmate, Helrock, whose immune system was weaker than a quivering leaf in the wind. All Helrock needed was for someone to blow... and he'd be out for the count.
Helrock might not like him, but if Sy was useful to him... he'd need him.
Nothing was better than being liked than being needed. It always superseded the heart.
As he passed the hippo with his retrieved book, he let the book fall open with one hand as he licked his dirtied finger with a pop of his lips and then used that finger t to open the book to the first page.
The book in question?
"Phases of the Moon: From Eclipse to Eclipse."
He was cheeky, and he knew it.
Leaning back on the opposite side of the bookshelf Eclipse had taken shelter behind, he crossed his ankles and started to read.
"Bench," Marius echoed, removing the added weights from the bar before getting back on it, same as before. Thankfully, it had been a rather long rest, and so he had no soreness to speak of when he lifted the bar off its rack and down to his chest.
"What'd you think of him?" he asked Kaz in a slightly lower tone, once he'd done a few reps.
Democracy dies in darkness. Also at 4:30PM in Pacific Standard Time, apparently.
Rhea's eye twitched. Naturally, yellow was the only color she didn't have. She grumbled under her breath, collecting four cards from the deck and narrowing her eyes when they were all red and green.
The inmate on her other side had the good sense not to laugh, but Rhea caught the small smirk he tried to hide (which made her roll her eyes). He placed a yellow reverse on the deck, and the game moved to her. Rhea turned her head to look at him slowly and he raised a brow at her even though she could see he was trying hard to stifle a laugh. Her face became stony and deadpan, and she drew from the deck. Surprise and relief that she kept from showing flashed through her mind and body and she played the card, a smirk creeping upon her face as she put a yellow two on the pile of cards.
X'lian smiled faintly, tossing out yet another yellow reverse, sliding a card up her sleeve in the same, smooth motion. She hoped that the card, plus Rhea's guaranteed reaction to it would be enough to hide her cheating.
Cessa, who had been watching slipping cards up her sleeve herself, saw X‘Lian’s action, letting out a tiny chuckle. She was amused yet intrigued by her, raising her brows in interest at the yellow battleground.
You want me to kidnap your daughter so she doesn't get kidnapped? -Yes! Precisely!
You shine like that one light in your room that keeps blinking when you're trying to sleep that you can never find and turn off
Ace was too preoccupied with their own cards to notice any sleight of hand from the other players. On their turn, they drew a card with a frustrated sigh, leaning back in their chair.
