Who Is Bench II: The Sitting

It didn't collapse. Sure, it vibrated weird and swayed if he sat down too forcefully, but the new bench didn't buckle under the weight of Leonius and the full Sum Sine Sceleri.

The armored titan sighed, looking up at the clear blue sky. He felt... strange... after the previous night. Here he was, leading a team now, and... so many other things happening. Not particularly important, in the scheme of things, was being able to sit on a bench and look up at the sky, but it was a simple comfort. A welcome comfort.

Slowly, he looked around the campus, smiling under his mask.

"Ah, so they've implemented the new benches," Dante says, approaching Leonius with a smile. "Got my hands inside of one the other day. Was fun to peek around, but nothing too special."

"... Indeed," Leonius said, waving to Dante. "A simple kinetic energy... redistribution system... They react in interesting ways... to force... So I can see why the system... isn't in use for armor... but it is good to be able... to sit..."

With his cannons, he took up most of the bench, leaving little room for anyone else sitting in the middle. He did not seem keen on moving as he looked at the man.

"Does your team meet... with your approval?"

Dante chucked, resting his weight on one leg, taking a relaxed stance. "One's evading us right now. Myren seems like a likeable sort, and hopefully he meshes well. But the mutt..." Dante sighs. "We fought well together, but that seems to be the only thing that clicks between us. I imagine things'll get rough once we start getting field assignments."

Leonius hummed at the term mutt. "The mutt... the same one you fought with in the locker room? The one who apparently believes Fauna above comment about the behavior of the race as a whole?"

He crossed his arms.

"... Yes... I can see how one like that may be... difficult..."

Dante gives an affirming nod. "The bugger's going to be the death of me, I just know it." He takes a deep breath, slowly exhaling in an attempt to calm himself down. "We'll... see just how much I'll need to carry him. No point in filing a complaint until he starts dragging us down." He taps his foot, shaking his head. "Don't mind me, I'm just... digressing, is all."

"You are not digressing... You are maintaining to the topic... as it has been leading..." Leonius tilted his head. "Do not worry about offending... me with this talk... The faunus race is in its sorry state... because of individuals like him... who demand benefit from their race... without having earned it..."

Viola wanders towards the fountain, intent on reading some and maybe spotting someone she actually gets along with well. As she gets closer she notices the racist from the locker room along with... someone she isn't quite sure if she wants to see yet.

Damnit. I should have known better than to come somewhere they have one of the new benches... maybe I should go down to the beach or something

Stopping in her tracks, she starts shuffling her music a bit to find something more fitting of her current mood.


Don't tell the others but it's all getting old
I mean how many more times must our stories be told?
And being lonely's only fun in a group
It sort of loses it's charm when it's true

Aaron makes his way to the edge of the of the courtyard. As he scopes out the area, he notices another two unfamiliar faces. He regrets not keeping an eye on more people around here, but since it would have required him to go out more, he tosses the thought aside.

He regains a visual on the girl from the dorm early. She seems to have stopped to chance her music.

Nothing interesting. I really was hoping for less boring teammates, especially since I have to get along with Asher.

"Or put up with," he thinks as he smirks.

"Precisely. I can't even sit Keeb down to talk things out." He sighs, visibly frustrated. "But let's move on. If the rumors are true, it sounds like that this isn't exactly polite conversation in a public place." Brushing off his jacket, he stands up straight, taking on a more refined and elegant pose. "So, team leader of Team RCKT? You must be pretty excited, especially having performed so well with your partner."

Leonius's attention was turned immediately to Viola when she appeared in the courtyard, and his face burn- Bad choice of words... His face grew warm. He looked away, bitting his lip under the mask a moment before he looked back, torn on whether or not he wanted to approach her.

It had all seemed so much simpler last last...

In his contemplation, he hadn't even noticed the second black-haired young man's arrival, and almost missed Dante's reply. "Hmm? Oh... yes... El Taladro is a powerful... combatant... but I've yet to go over combat records... for the other two in any kind... of detail..."

Urgh... I know for a fact he's seen me now, it'd be totally awkward if I left... but it's gonna be awkward anyway. Frell.

Making up her mind, she decides to walk over to the fountain and sit on the ledge, a little away from the bench. Pulling out her book, she starts reading.

Simple as a hint of gas
Climbing nostrils as you pass,
Making Signal graduates
Feel childish when they laugh at it.
Climb the rungs to kingdom come.
Sour Patch to acid tongue.
Are you opposed to having fun?
You clench the world between your fists.

"I'd just watch them myself. Ask them to practice in the Arena, see what they practice. My money's on that they'll be refining a strength, as opposed to working on their weaknesses. Might tell you something not in the combat records." He shrugs, looking around the courtyard real quick. "I'm not... keeping you from anything, am I?" he asks, cocking an eyebrow.

"N... no..." Leo watched Viola sit down, trying to keep his head movements to a minimum so he appeared to be looking at Dante. "... Not exactly..."

Was that the hint of a blush he saw? No, no...

"... So... how're those... airships... Yes, airships..." AIRSHIPS!? Screw it, he would run with it. "I wonder what model of... engines Beacon's use... I've always wanted to learn more... about them... You?"

He couldn't keep his eyes off Viola, but he could at least pretend not to be an utter idiot.

Reading....really? An academy for those with interest in becoming hunters and huntresses?

Aaron shrugged and plopped down against a nearby pillar. He closed his eyes and placed his hands down, feeling the grass between his fingers. He noted different tints of auras all around, but none were close except for the two conversing some ways away and the girl.

Viola snorts as she hears Leo's awkwardness, Well... at least I'm not the only one unsure about what to do. she thinks to herself.

Marking the page on her book, she uses it as a pillow of sorts in order to lay down on the edge of the fountain, closing her eyes and just listening to music.

Shadows fall on yesterday
It's like time just slips away,
I'm nothing, darkness follows me
The dawning never shows its head
I'm left dying here instead with nothing
A lock without a key

"Quite honestly, I never cared much for airships," he says quickly. "My father, on the other hand, was quite fond of them. Maybe I should bring you by the house so you two can gush over the latest Hamilton variant." He chuckles, looking at the girl by the fountain. "She's going to fall in if she's not careful," he says idly, looking at Leonius.

"Yes... Hamilton variant..." He blinked, realizing he had zoned out before trying to cleverly play it off. "I'll... probably have to research... what that means... before that happens..."

Viola had her head down, and her eyes closed. He knew this, because he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Only consideration for Dante, and more importantly a healthy dose of apprehension, kept him rooted to the bench.

Quod Vita? He thought, sighing. He did not, however, catch that he did. Those words are why I'm in this awkward situation... but... it's also why last night was so interesting... Perhaps... perhaps I should... He slowly rose, clearing his throat. "Erm... Perhaps, my friend... we should speak of the prior subject... later... in a less public venue..." He slapped Dante on the shoulders, accidentally forgetting to hold back his enormous natural strength. Stage one, get rid of the man with the interesting views on Fauna. Stage two... I don't know. But then stage two!

"Yeah, I'll see you around and w- AAAAAH!" Veering off a good distance, Dante lands on the ground, rolling until he rests on his side, his back against a tree. Sighing, he ponders whether that was deliberate or not, but decides to not pick at the issue. After all, this spot was feeling rather comfy, and his back rather... painful.

Viola opens one eye slightly as Leo hits the racist and manages to knock him a distance away.

Well... that was odd, but I'll leave it be for now. And I'm gonna be a hazmot and make him approach me.

Closing her eye again, she pulls Fiato out and starts fanning herself, loving the feel of a slight breeze on her skin.

Leonius winced as he accidentally sent Dante flying, turning and waving. "Apologies, friend! I'll... um... I will see you..! Later..! At another time..!"

He wanted to facepalm at how awkward he was, but he took a deep breath, looking to the girl and approaching slowly.

"... Umm... Viola... ... So... reading... Or, well... not quite reading..." He rubbed the back of his head, clearing his throat. His face felt like it was on fir- No it didn't and he knew the difference. Leonius had to wonder if he was trying to bring up traumatic memories to distract himself from the awkward present, but he focused on the girl at hand... He meant the task at hand. "... So..."

I think he's having a more difficult time with this than I am... well maybe I can have some fun with this Viola thinks as Leo approaches.

Opening both of her eyes, but continuing her fanning, she says "Hi there. What was the deal with that racist guy? I don't think you had to hit him quite that hard to get him to go away..."

Quickly turning her music off with her free hand, she waits for his response with a soft smile on her face, still laying down.

Leonius sighed, shaking his head. "Dante... he has a distaste for Fauna... that strikes some people as... entirely too close to the sad reality... of that unfortunate race... And I had not meant... to hit him..."

He looked down at her, eyes tracing curves that his hands had, when he held her trembling body.

"... You seem to be... well today..." He looked at her smile, and looked away a moment. "... So... How did you... sleep?"

IDIOT! MORON! He had grazed the topic. And yet, that was what he had set out to do, was it not?

"... Erm... That is to say..." He looked back at her, sighing. Quod vita. "... You seem to be handling last night... well..."

"I'm handling it... mostly fine, though you seem to be having troubles? " Viola responds with a cheeky smile and a slight blush.

Placing Fiato back in its normal place, she moves to a sitting position and looks at Leo, waiting for an answer.

"Hmm... Mostly... worried..." He smiled under his helmet at her. "... I'm not... exactly built for gentle... and... well..." He looked away, and cleared his throat again.

This time, he didn't look back immediately, but he did after a few moments.

"... So... that was... a thing..." He repeated himself from last night, biting his lip. "... You're... okay?"