Mary
As Margarita remarks on Uriel's sleepy demeanor, they let out a tiny laugh.

"Oh, no— I don't drink, or do anything of the sort. Not that I look down on others who partake, but I believe it would not be a... Wise choice for me." 

Brief contemplations began to fill their head. They've certainly *Tasted* Wine before, and enjoyed the bitter flavors of the drink. It was smooth, but they never consumed enough to get anything more than a bit light-headed. 

The fear of losing control and hurting someone killed any desire to partake in any sort of narcotics, unfortunately. 

Uriel stood up straighter at hearing the book title, a bit taken aback at the subject matter. 

"That does seem interesting. I've never had the affinity for technical sciences, so I do tend to appreciate those who can stomach such content."

"Is it a correct assumption that you're pursuing a scientific career, then?" 

As the words leave their mouth, Uriel inwardly winces at the familiar pattern of speech. It's the one they favored when on guard, smothering their thoughts in flowery language and verbose sentences— if only to use those words as a shield to distance their inner anxiety. 

It's the "Aspiring therapist" Type of speaking— smooth and placid and completely inoffensive. 

Perhaps it was due to Margarita's still-tight fist, or the high-strung tension still present in the slightly stale library air. 

"I'm, ah... I'm seeking out a book an acquaintance of mine recommended, as well as seeing what this place has to offer. It's the first time I've managed to find myself awake at this hour, so I've been making full use of my time." 

For anyone else, remarking how rare it is to be awake at 11 AM would be seen as a joke. 

"I'm hoping they have a good assortment of fables, preferably old and historic ones. I'm quite interested in how past generations rationalized the world around them, and the stories they passed down through generations." They tuck a strand of hair behind their ear.

"I'm not planning to pursue that interest into anything monetary, but it is a hobby of mine, I suppose."
Andrew
***RET-CON. THE SCENE ABOVE IS TAKING PLACE IN THE ISAKSTAD PUBLIC LIBRARY AND WILL BE CONTINUED IN
John
``` channel is free ```
Christi
◇ Well then.

□ The past week or so had been, to put it lightly, heck in a handbag. Scooped out of the Essex County Jail in the midst of a far-seeing look into the past of a can of instant coffee, she'd been chucked into a cop car, questioned, sent home, then informed that by the end of the week she'd be in Sweden at some sort of penitentiary for parahumans like herself. Of course, she hadn't taken the news well, but what could she do? The alternative was several years in a real juvie, a place where she knew she'd be chewed up and spat out like Doublemint, and while she didn't see her odds being much better she figured she might as well take the chance to see another part of the world.

▪︎ It'd at least make this whole mess worth it.

□ Now, she found herself in Newton's Cradle, a strangely idyllic, freeform prison complex in the south of Sweden, adjacent to a living, breathing town ripe for mischief and indulgence. Was this how prisons worked in Europe? Or was she just lucky? Of course, though, she couldn't have been *That* Lucky – metaphorical cherries among a sea of half-complete sevens in the slot machine of chance – and now she was left to deal with her homesickness, heartaches, and jetlag all at the same time.

▪︎ Thankfully, someone had kindly offered an energy drink, so she had a reason to get out of bed instead of guiltily lounging around.

• Strolling into the Cafeteria, she looked about as well-composed as she felt, dressed in loose-fitting beige joggers, a green skate brand hoodie, and bunny slippers. Hopefully this "Jesterkid" Would be easy to spot; she wasn't the only one here, unfortunately.
Joel
Bouncing down to the cafeteria, June made sure not to spill the drinks in their hand. Of course, one was closed and reserved for the stranger they had offered it to, but the other was already cracked open. June could never resist getting one for themselves too.

June eventually found their way down to the cafeteria, their dark eyes scanned the room as they hovered by the doorway. *Damn.* June didn't think to consider the fact that the common room would be filled with other people as well. Although, June was a walking eyesore. It wouldn't take long for the person to notice them, right? June had even taken this opportunity to get all dressed up in their normal iconic getup. 

They stood at a shocking 6'6 with their platform shoes, and their outfit was colourful and eccentric. Earrings and necklaces decorated their upper half and jingled when they walked. Their bright pink hair had various charms in it, pulling their bangs out of their eyes. Their outfit was the main attraction, it was equally as colourful as their many accessories, and was an incredible attention grabber. 

Continuing to scan the room, June wondered how they would go about finding the mysterious stranger. They rocked back and forth on their heels and let out a sigh. The two energy drinks in their hands were still cold from the mini fridge in their room, which they were thankful for. They didn't want to give their guest a lukewarm drink. *Now where were they... Maybe they should've asked for a name?*
Christi
◇ And as luck would have it...

□ Sure, the mass of auras in the room were headache-inducing if she gazed into any of them for too long, but she'd been taking a few moments to read the room, get an idea of how everyone was doing emotionally. After all, though everyone had a different shape and slightly different colour there were certain laws that seemed to apply universally without exception, such as blues being for downtrodden, depressed moods, reds signifying either rage or love, greens displaying a sense of calm... Oranges being worried in nature. Looking around she mostly saw a sea of green, faint chartreuse wafting through the air like an invisible haze.

▪︎ Then, she noticed an orange aura, and whatever breath she was sucking in stopped.

◇ Now, this was *Not* What she was expecting, if this kaleidoscope on platforms was indeed the same jesterkid from the chatroom. She'd been expecting someone somewhat like herself; short, slim, filled to bursting with gremlin energy. Instead, this person, a visible femme, stood a full head above anyone else she could see, and she actively had to take several moments to steel her nerves and scream a bit into her hands before she took the first shaky, nervous step, towards someone who might not have even been the energy drink saviour from chat.

▪︎ After a few nerve-wracking moments she was about five feet from the other person, and she could now see two energy drinks in their hand.

◆ "H-heya, uh... Jesterkid?" The first thing they'd notice would be how her voice didn't seem to fit her physique. Deep, it was also slightly shaky. They'd also notice a fierce blush, vibrant reds across her chubby cheeks that desperately clung to baby fat now unneeded. "I hope I have the... Uh... Right person. I think you've got an energy drink for me...?"

• And if this person could read her mind, they'd hear nothing but screeching.
Joel
June stood there, and it didn't take long for someone to walk up to them. *Perfect!* June's concentrated face pulled itself up into a smile as they looked down at the new person. Almost a bit too wide, their eyes practically glittered. They leaned down to meet the eyes of the stranger, surveying them for a moment before returning to their usual tall frame.

"Yes sir! That's me!" 

They let out a small squeak of a giggle. Their voice strung together with eccentric syllables, each word bouncing through feminine leaning sounds. An underlying Japanese accent fell through their words, but it was obvious english was a comfortable language. The term 'sir' not necessarily masculinizing, but rather a common word in June's everyday vocab. Their eyebrows raised a little, their expressions were extremely animated.

"Ah yes!! Here ya go!" They extended the closed energy drink towards the smaller figure. June was accustomed to people being far shorter than them, so the height difference was of no surprise to them but they could only imagine the shock people experience when seeing June for the first time. 

A smile remained on their features, June was upbeat to a fault. Ditzy to some, a sugar-coated facade followed them wherever they went. Their smirk almost dazzling and extremely welcoming.

"What's your name then?" June questioned. They took a sip of their own energy drink, the acidic sweet flavours they had grown used to filled their mouth once more.
Christi
◆ "Oh, goodie! I-I hoped I had the right person." She nervously chuckled, a trickle of relief running down her spine. "Thanks!"

□ Reaching out with hands unsteadied by the reality of the glittering giant in front of her, she could already tell that for however long they talked, she'd be fighting to keep herself from simply disintegrating into a puddle on the ground. For now though she looked down at her drink, prying the tab open with a fingernail painted chipped black, and soon enough she was sipping down the acidic, faintly sour apple-flavoured drink too.

▪︎ Then, the question came.

◆ "River! But you can just... You can call me Riv or something. Yeah." *Use your words, goddamnit! Stop seizing up!* She mentally chastised herself, though none of this showed as her face maintained its beet red, nerve-wracked yet friendly look. "Uh... You? Also, can I just say that I *Love* Your outfit? Like... Holy heck, it's like looking at a kaleidoscope in human form! It's so frigging cool..."
Joel
"River is such a cute name!" June said, putting their hand to their cheek for a moment. June could feel the nervousness in her tone, and hoped they weren't *That* Intimidating. June figured it wouldn't take long for that to dissipate, they had a wonderful habit of bringing lighthearted energy into any conversation.

"My name is June! My pronouns are they/them for future reference, and I'm very glad to meet you Riv!"

They didn't take even a second to slow down. Their tone fast and exciting, simply interacting with them was an instant energy booster, or an energy *Drainer* Depending on how much the person talking to them enjoyed social interaction. June remained staring down at River, wondering if the height difference was asserting some false sense of authority. Maybe they'd find a seat to sit at soon. 

"Why thank you~! You're so nice!" June chirped. The same sickeningly sweet tone coated over their words. "Ah, lets find somewhere to sit. That is if you wouldn't mind the extra conversation. I know you must be tired."

June took a step around River, towards the many tables and turned towards her. Once more. Although a couple other students dotted the rather large room, a majority of the tables were empty. June continued to rock back and forth on their heels, awaiting an answer from the other person.
Christi
◆ "Yeah, I-I guess so! Gosh..."

□ She could at least infer it through June's aura that they simply saw it as nervousness, and they weren't wrong, but it was *Gay* Nervousness, face to face with someone who made every last bell in the tower chime in harmony. She was already smitten from the get-go, but she couldn't let on about that, so instead she simply kept her gaze fixed on an empty point in space, somewhere beyond June's right waist, a spot to stare at while the cheery other gabbed about names and pronouns and whatnot.

▪︎ Then, the offer of a quieter place to sit was offered.

◆ "Yeah, sure, dude – is it fine if I call you dude? I kinda call everyone it but I know it's not gender neutral to everyone –, i'm down! It's kinda noisy here anyways, so..." She'd softly laugh, fingers tapping against the can. In through the mouth, out through the nose... Several cycles and she had her emotions at least somewhat under control. "Yeah. Also I'm not that tired, honestly, it's just... The jet lag's kicking my butt. I flew here from Newark, just got in last night, and..." She'd sigh. "It's like a five or six hour difference. My body's not a fan of it, y'know?"
Joel
"Dude is fine! I don't mind any nickname." They gave another sweet smile. "Ah you think it's loud in here?" They snapped their fingers with their free hand just then, signalling an idea popping into their head. "Easy fix! Follow me."

June brushed past River on the way out of the cafeteria and down the hall. They made sure to slow their pace, and paused before continuing to make sure River was following. They looked over their shoulder and down at her, before returning their gaze back forward. June had remembered the study rooms they had come across, the same rooms they had met Finley in. The silence in those rooms were heavy and thick, perfect for someone who hated bustling spaces that hummed with the conversation of people. 

June continued to make their way out of the cafeteria, their platformed feet clicking against the ground. The sound miscellaneous voices fading as they moved farther and farther away. Their hips swayed slightly when they walked, and each step made them bounce with excitement. It was clear June was always this energetic, it had even seeped into the way they carried themselves. Tilting their head back, they took a sip of their drink before speaking.

"Newark you say? Where is that exactly? Is that where you're from?" June curiously questioned, intrigue in their voice. They knew it sounded vaguely American, but as a kid who is from Canada they aren't exactly well versed on every place in the world. 

"Oh yeah I totally get it. I flew in from Toronto, jet lag is a total bitch." They let themselves laugh at their own words. Already lightening any nervousness that seemed to make its way in the conversation.
Christi
◆ "Alright, cool beans!" She nodded, picking up on the silent hint to follow. "Oh, just gimme a moment!... Your legs are so *Long,* Wait up!"

□ Calling out after the energetic jester, she couldn't believe her luck. She'd somehow stumbled into meeting someone who was infinitely cheery and warm on her very first proper day – she didn't count the first day of moving in and crying a load as a proper introduction – and now she was being led to a quiet section of the school. Still unfamiliar with the layout of the school River tried her best to keep up, damn near jogging to keep up with June and their impressive bouncy strides.

▪︎ Needless to say, her chicken legs were getting a workout, as was her ability to keep her drink from spilling over the spout.

◆ "God, that's better..." She'd sigh once the pair were seated, sipping her drink. "That noisy line was a bit of a lie, sorry. Large crowds give me headaches, and it's not the noise. I'll explain in a bit. Anyways... Newark's in New Jersey! Which is American, yeah... Not the greatest city, but the music and skate scenes are both bonkers good, so I like it." She smiled, purity of soul and a golden heart shining through. "But you're from Toronto? Nifty! That's cool, even if, yeah, the jet lag probably whooped you too when you arrived. Speaking of which, uh... How long have ya been here?"
Joel
The study rooms were quiet, far away from the buzz of the cafeteria. Some of the walls were lined with books, it hadn't changed at all since the last time June had been in here. Finding a table in a more secluded section of the study rooms, June sat across from River. It wasn't a big distance, but just enough to give the new person the smallest amount of personal space. June was never the type to care much, but they figured they didn't want to overwhelm her. Pulling out a chair, they made themselves as comfortable as they could. It was rather hard with their height, but they made do.

"Oh thats ok! I wouldn't want to give you a headache either." A small giggle left their lips. June rested their head in their hand, and took a small sip of their drink. A soft smile present on their features as their deep black eyes remained rested on River. "Its a lot calmer in here I think."

June leaned forward a little as River spoke, they couldn't deny their own intrigue. Some may say being so friendly to a stranger was foolish, but June figured that could be a problem for themselves in the future. So far, River had been nothing but friendly. Her green eyes seemed to falter when they met June's gaze, and a small flush remained present on her cheeks. June wondered if she had caught a fever from the plane ride here.

"Oh New Jersey? Interesting. That's quite far away." June took another sip of their drink, then rested the near empty can against the wooden table. A small hollow clink sound reverberated through the metal. "Do you skate? Thats so cool!" Her smile had caught June's attention for a moment, it assured them they weren't being annoying.
_ _

"Yeah, i'm from Toronto. Its rather nice up there, but yeah the plane ride here was *Exhausting.*" June's sugary tone remained present, it was almost as if they never got tired. 

"Oh! Ive been here for just over a month, surprisingly not much has happened. The people are nice though, Ive yet to meet someone who is a real ass. Although, this place *Is* A prison so I wouldn't entirely put it out of my mind for *Someone* Here to be rude." June paused for a second, adjusting the rings on their fingers. The bracelets decorating their wrists jingled as they moved their hands. "You seem really sweet though. You'll fit in." June tilted their gaze back upwards, chugging the last bit of their drink.
Christi
◆ "Oh, uh. So far you're fine, even with all those..." How did she explain this without seeming like a nut? "Those... Colours. I see 'em around everyone's heads, and gosh, too many in one spot's a recipe for a headache. Here, though? We're fine."

□ About as fine as she could be, huh? Crossing one leg over the other, she gently slipped on her canned heart attack in the making, slightly cracked lips puckering the rim before letting go. Already she was picking up on a gut feeling that, despite their vast height and aesthetic differences, her and June were quite alike – or, at least enough so to get on well together. Rather than jump the gun on any real assumptions, though, she simply kept on listening.

▪︎ As it turned out, she did a good job of that.

◆ "Heh, you're telling me. It was, like, at least eight hours of sheer boredom and heartache." A bit dramatic, but she still missed her friends and family dearly. "Probably about the same for you, huh? Eight or so hours... Long ride. Anyways, yeah, I do skate!... During the summer, at least. I think it's a bit too... It's too snowy right now for that. I've been at it since I was eight and, well... It's stuck." A light chuckle followed. She was getting over her initial awe and admiration and coming back down to earth, thankfully. "Anyhoo, yeah... It's a prison, just gotta hope the rude people are, I dunno, somewhere else. Already sucks bad enough being halfway across the world when last week I was high with my friends in an abandoned strip mall half an hour outside of Newark..."

▪︎ And her voice hung heavy with loss again. Would she even be able to still live her best teenage life? Or had one little mistake robbed her of the rest of her formative years? Hopefully not.
Joel
The mention of colours caught June's interest for a moment, they figured it might've been something to do with the girls magic. June kept a tab on that in their rather busy brain and figured they would circle back to it later. They continued on with conversation.

June tilted their head to the side, sensing the homesickness in Rivers tone. June knew how that felt. They missed their mom and sister dearly, phone calls every week or so only did so much. They wondered how many other kids had been ripped from their homes to be shipped halfway across the world. June shook the thought from their mind, that had always made them rather upset. June hoped they could help relieve even the smallest amount of stress.

"I understand that. It all seemed to happen so quickly didn't it?" June's eyebrows fell with the slightest amount of sorrow, but their smile remained genuine. Comforting almost. They thought about the couple people they had meet over the past month, and couldn't help but miss their friends more and more. They knew though, even if they returned home that sickness wouldn't disappear. Once again shaking the idea from their brain, June continued to adjust with their rings. Their *Almost* Too sweet demeanour not faltering for a second. 

"If you don't mind me asking, what did you do to get put here? I hear a wildly different story from everyone I ask." 

The memory of Owen's story flashed quickly in their mind. Once again however, June's awfully terrible habit of having no filter was coming into play again. It didn't even begin to cross their mind that it may have been too much of a personal question. June didn't see their own story as personal though, so might as well ask. They were curious.
Christi
◆ "Yeah, it really does happen fast." She knew first-hand. One little mistake was made and now here she was, in a quiet dark study room drinking an energy drink and trying to keep a lid on her emotions. "Like, whiplash levels of fast. It just... Sucks."

□ Similar to how June's eyebrows fell in the lightest of sorrows they were capable of, River's entire expression faltered towards longing, homesickness, a downed mood compared to a couple minutes prior. Sipping her drink again she let out a soft yawn, a little hint that she wasn't as alert and awake as she'd have liked to be after fourteen goddamn hours of sleep. Jet lag was something she'd never felt before, and in her current state of mind she'd already decided that after Newton's Cradle she'd make her way to Norway, settle down somewhere, make a life in the old country.

▪︎ Really, anything to avoid the sheer level of sluggish exhaustion she felt.

◆ "Oh, uh... So. There's this old abandoned jail in Newark – the Old Essex County Jail – and my friends and I would break into it a lot. Y'know, like hoodlums. Got arrested once but there was no hint of magic so they just let me go with a slap on the wrist." She giggled, seemingly having a moment of joy amongst dark skies thinking back to that night. "Anyways, I was in there last week, and I picked up this can of old instant coffee, and I just... Had this deep vision. It felt like staring into the past, and one moment I was there about to pick the can up, and the next I was still rigid, sore from it, and clutching that can in the back of a police cruiser. I guess that once I explained what happened they thought I was a nut and so they got me sent here. Pigs."

▪︎ "Anyways, the mood's getting gloomy, but... What'd you get sent here for, dude? I can't imagine someone as upbeat and sweet as you getting into real trouble with the law, so... What gives?"
Joel
June listened to Rivers words with concentration and focus, nodding every once in a while to show they were still listening. They were interested in why everyone else got sent here. They loved to figure things out as they went, jump into everything and anything head first and that wouldn't stop today. Or anytime soon for that matter. After River was done, It took June a second of processing before they gave a response. Leaning back in their chair for a second they tapped their finger on the table. 

"That sucks. I can't believe they'd just ship you here for such a reason. Pigs indeed." 

June scoffed a little before giggling again. June has always hated authority. They brought their own brand of chaotic pandemonium wherever they went, and police did nothing but get in the way. Many people assumed June was a good kid, a rule follower. They couldn't be more wrong, June simply just wasn't an asshole. They couldn't be bothered to listen to petty orders of people who claimed to have control over them. Despite their sugary sweet attitude, June was quite a chaotic anarchist. 
_ _

"Ah why did I get sent here?" June laughed a little. "I actually get in trouble with the law quite often." 

"Anyways, on one of my weekly trips out I was caught stealing a street sign." They continued. "Yknow, I should've been let off with a fine but because of how many other things I had stolen, they recognized me almost immediately." June returned their head to the comfortable palm of their hand. "Because of the many *Many* Recordings of me stealing various things around Toronto, I was shipped off here." June paused and thought for a moment.

"Although, I should've just gone to jail, but because I was caught the final time while using my powers I was particularly sent *Here*. Everything about that was pretty much shoved under the rug."

June thought for a moment about the court trial and how they were ushered off alone to a separate room for questioning. It was all because of their own cockiness and sloppy behaviour. They should've seen that security guard coming. At least they had multiple street signs to show for it. June wondered what would've happened if they didn't get caught that night. They pulled themselves back into conversation, the same content smile resting softly on their features.
Christi
◆ "Yeah." A nod, then a surprised giggle. "Wait. You stole *Multiple* Street signs? God, what an icon! I did that once, actually, there was a stop sign that was really messed up from a car hitting it so I kinda just... Plucked it out of the ground. Mom forced me to return it though... Cons of having a lawyer for a mom."

□ Well, she was definitely a bit surprised, but as soon as the surprise hit it came with a wind of *Well, duh, of course the jester's gonna be up to mischief!* That left her feeling rather dumb. Stupid, even. Shrugging it off after a few moments she nodded as the story unfolded, how June had apparently been quite the thief, and how the powered details of their arrest and trial had been swept under the rug. If anything she felt as if she'd had a similar experience: arrested for relatively light, harmless crimes, had powers come into the mix, had them shoved under the rug, then got shipped off to Newton's Cradle.

▪︎ Maybe it was just some sort of insidious scheme to keep the prison in operation. She shrugged the thought off as paranoid.

◆ "Anyways, hey... I guess we're both here on mischief gone wrong, huh?" Leaning forward, she held up a tiny fist, clenched lightly. Clearly she felt as if they had something in common. "And, heck, if we're gonna be here a while then who's to say we can't find some way to keep the streak going? Or maybe we can just. Linger around here. Get up to stuff. I dunno. Got any hobbies, dude?"

▪︎ And now she waited on that fist bump.
Joel
"Yeah! I actually have a couple up on the walls of my dorm. Maybe I'll show you them some time."

June laughed. It was a loud sound, echoing through the empty study room. Nothing was particularly humorous, it was just an expression of happiness. Their cackle matched their eccentric personality, it was unfiltered and unapologetically June. Their soft smile was now wider, the same glitter lingering in their deep black eyes. June returned the fist bump with ease, their rings brushed against Rivers bare knuckles. 

"Yeah! Us trouble makers gotta stick together huh? Lets keep that streak going." June snickered. They were glad to finally have someone similar to them. They loved Owen and his presence but he didn't seem to be the kind of person who would want to join June on their nightly trips out.

"Hobbies? Jeez well, Im not sure. I play a lot of video games? I like to bake as well!" Their tone was fast as they jumped from topic to topic. "Oh and I suppose fashion is a hobby! Im sure it's obvious I kinda like clothes." 

They gestured down to their outfit, that was indeed rather obvious. Despite being loaded to the brim with accessories and colours, they were incredibly nice to look at. Every item seemed to work together in harmony and gave for an incredibly busy but aesthetically pleasing outcome. 

"What about you Riv? You mentioned skateboarding earlier. You do anything else?" June tilted their head in intrigue, leaning slightly forward as they awaited a response.
Christi
◆ "Oh, you would?" Her eyes lit up momentarily. "That'd be sick! But then again, how'd you get them over here? Nabbed them fresh from town?"

□ Ah, this felt familiar. At least, to a girl who'd spent much of her middle and early high school days being a troublemaker behind an innocent smile and a personality that could defuse any suspicion. If anything, June reminded her of her friends back home, and that sense of familiarity was welcome in an uncertain, unfamiliar place such as this, a strange mix between a prison and an academy. If anything she was still getting to know the place, but that'd come with time. For now she giggled lightly as metal met her fingers, bashful flourishes dusting her face at the faintest bit of skin to skin contact.

▪︎ What a dork.

◆ "Ooh, nice! I could tell you've got an eye for fashion." A genuine compliment left her lips as she took another sip of her drink. "But it's kinda the same here. I cook a lot, bake a lot... Video games. Music's a huge passion – I've got a bunch of guitars and music stuff cluttering my room and I'm waiting on acoustic foam to come it – and I also pick locks as a hobby! Yeah, like padlocks and stuff." She seemed proud of that last part, like it was something impressive when in reality most locks weren't particularly difficult to pick. It just took patience and a steady hand, and a bit of experience.

• "But, seriously, killer fit. I just dress like a boy. Like, go to the skate shop and just go boy mode for a half hour. Makes life a lot simpler, y'know?"
Joel
"Between you and me-" June cartoonishly looked from side to side, as if to check for other people and then cupped their hand beside their mouth in a hushed whisper. "Yep, right from town, you should join me sometime on a night out." They lowered their hand and let out a small giggle. 

June felt themselves remain comfortable. It had been a while since they had gotten along so well with someone. River of all people, didn't seem too bad. 

"Ah why thank you!" They smiled even wider then before, their eyes closing slightly and their dimples becoming visible. It was obvious they appreciated the compliments. A warm fuzzy feeling fluttered in June's chest. They could tell they would get along well with River. A friendship they quite honestly couldn't wait for.

"Ah you like music? Thats so cool! And lock picking? Wow, talk about multi talented." They continued to rest their head on their hand, comfortably continuing along through conversation. It seemed to flow so naturally between the two of them. June didn't have to force anything to get a response, unlike some of the other people they had met here. 

"Oh that reminds me of another thing." June was almost embarrassed it didn't come to mind sooner. "I also do acrobatics. Im incredibly flexible. It didn't register in my mind as a hobby because i've been doing it for so long." They let out a small laugh. The crop top that June was wearing made the fact they were athletic obvious. The shirt exposed their stomach which then in turn, also exposed their muscles. June had no issue showing these off, and mostly because of their tall frame they found most clothes uncomfortable and restricting. Shopping for their body type was a *Nightmare.* 

"Thank you, really. You're so sweet." June squeaked. "And I think your fashion sense suits you. You also look rather nice." Same soft smile. It remained a constant.
Christi
◆ "Wha...?" Visibly confused at the cartoonish double check, she stifled a giggle as June broke the news. "God, that looked so silly. But, yeah! Definitely, I'm so down! I have trouble sleeping at night so heck, maybe I could do without sleep for one night in the name of mischief."

□ With the previously serious cloud over the pair's head now dissipated, River was back in her own mind, her own thoughts, and she felt that familiar tingle of warmth in her chest. It had been far too long since she'd meshed with someone so effortlessly from the get-go, and while they had only known each other for about half an hour it felt so much longer. That, and the fuzziness inside was also fueled by the fact that she was making note of June's face, how dimples dotted their cheeks, their eyes closed slightly, how they smiled, how free they looked.

▪︎ Then, the conversation veered elsewhere.

◆ "Ooh, thank you! I guess so, yeah." Bashfully chuckling, she didn't intend on drawing much attention to her multi-talented nature. She saw it as more of a representation of her willingness to work towards things rather than god-given talent, so she didn't particularly care for it. "Also, oh, you do acrobatics? Dude, that's awesome. I remember I tried to pick it up as a kid, but I only went to like two lessons before I dropped out. Kinda wonder if that's where I got my good balance... I dunno. Anyways, thank you! If it ever gets to be too much then please tell me, I tend to be... I dunno, saccharine at times? Some people have told me that."

• *"Bullies..."* Her mind's voice sadly spilled, a dead look in its eyes. *"They nearly took everything away from me..."*