forum Political intrigue and teenage spies might just be the worst molotov cocktail ever. // oxo // CLOSED

Started May 25, 2020 by @croccin-champagne

tune

"I would hope that both of you were aware of the Mata Games. Would it be wrong to assume so?" Director Archer asked, as Canary plopped down in a chair. The latter's left leg was tossed over the arm rest, the other staying generally on the ground. Generally, because she couldn't seem to stop tapping it. Director Archer didn't bat an eye, let alone comment on the sitting position or tapping. Though some teachers just called her a class clown, clutz, or lazy, Archer had an inkling about the undiagnosed ADHD Canary likely suffered from.

"How could we not be?" Canary asked, her music now paused. "They're not only a huge deal for the top students of the school, but Margaretha Macleode was probably one of the best spies. Her husband was an absolute ass–pardon–which prompted her to move in with a completely different Dutch officer, and she taught herself and learned enough about Indonesian traditions that she was accepted into a dance company, which basically laid the foundation for her later espionage and spying." The girl's eyes had widened just a tad, and she was leaning forward, visibly animated in her small rant. "She was incredible. And kind of hilarious. Imagine being able to play that many fields with nothing but bull."

That was, very likely, the first time Aaru had ever seen her actually have knowledge on a subject. More known for cracking jokes, any other student would have been startled to hear her speak this much, and with such accuracy, on any topic. Let alone on one so important to the history of what the school taught.

It took conscious effort for Aaru to keep the surprise from registering on his face— and even then, he failed to keep from looking at her with his brows raised slightly. Upon realizing this, he relaxed his expression, resisting the urge to clear his throat (only because that may have drawn unnecessary attention to himself). He returned his attention to the director then. He knew better than to respond with as in-depth a response as Canary had— because then it'd seem as if he were copying her, making him appear desperate to be the smartest or most knowledgeable person in the room. Not to mention, if he happened to get any facts wrong— well, he'd look like a moron. And there was no way he was about to make himself seem foolish or desperate, especially not in comparison to this girl.
"Yes," he said, his calm, collected tone betraying none of the thoughts or feelings inside.

"Perfect." Director Archer's lips tilted up for just a moment, covered quickly by the rustling of papers. "As you likely know, this is a tri-annual tournament. Every year that it is done, Norwood has sent two of the top students, chosen by a board or, in more recent years, an electronic system that has access to the files of every student." She explained, glancing up for a moment to make sure she still had their interest. Or, rather, Canary's, since she had complete faith in Aaru's willingness to pay attention.

"To make a long story short, congratulations. You two have been selected as our home team, to represent our school, during the Games. Now, do you have any questions or concerns? A briefing will be delivered to your communicators, so do not worry about needing to sit through much."

"Uh, yeah, one question." Canary spoke up, lifting a hand and looking more confused than she'd ever been in her life. "I think I speak for both of us on this one. How in the-"

"Language, thank you."

"-heck did I even make it past the very first preliminary round of names? Doesn't the system go by eligibility, like grades and physical performance and creativity?" She said, gesturing quickly with her hands as she spoke, before motioning to Aaru. "I think he'd probably want to kill me if he had to work with me. Right, Kerr? One event in, heck, even just trying to train or strategize, and he'd be hoping I somehow fell out the third story window. Which, by the way, wouldn't kill me. Been there, done that. That's not the point though."

Aaru blinked a few times, his expression unreadable. They— what now? Him? And Canary? Of course, he was honored to be chosen, but the fact that Canary was his partner definitely put a damper on any enjoyment he might've gotten out of the news otherwise. Why?
Were they trying to punish him by making him work with her? No; that wouldn't make sense. He hadn't done anything wrong, and even if he had, they wouldn't want to risk their school's reputation just to teach him a lesson. So why in Heaven's name had they chose her?
He realized he hadn't yet answered Canary and cleared his throat quietly. Apparently he couldn't resist the urge to, after all. "Well, I wouldn't say that," he responded blandly.
No, I wouldn't hope you fell from a window. I'd probably throw you out one myself.
"But—" He looked back at the director, brows raised slightly. Let's see; how would one ask Why is this loser on my team? without coming across as a total jerk?
"Are you… sure that's correct?"
It couldn't have been. It was a mistake, surely. They'd fix it. Right?

"See? He doesn't like me and it's no secret that everyone at this school thin-knows I'm bad at this." Now, the correction there was semi odd. 'Thinks'. It was simple fact, wasn't it? Maybe to most everyone, but the director knew things about Canary that she had done well to hide. She had to, with Canary's past and the effect it could have on the school, should it get out.

"Ah, yes. A glitch in the system, I was told. But it's far too late to change it, we have so many in depth student profiles that it takes months to get the results from the system." Director Archer calmly explained. "And the teams from the other schools arrive in two days. Which means that you two will have to learn to work together." Her gaze narrowed in on Canary, who met it head on, but didn't speak or show any signs of direct disrespect. She actually had plenty of respect for the woman. "Who knows. Maybe you'll surprise yourself and others with hidden skills."

Canary's expression broke briefly, a look of denial and…fear flashing across her face, before her normal smile was in place again. She snorted, shaking her head. "I'm gonna end up dead before the second trial, ain't I. Ah, farewell world, I've lived a good run."

Director Archer ignored her dramatic speech, looking instead to Aaru. "Mr. Kerr, do you think you can handle this competition? If you have any doubts, I need you to speak up now. Any issues or complications you can see–besides your problems with your teammate–that you need me to put my resources into helping you with. Privacy in training rooms, extensions on your curfew, and even specific meal plans are well within the perks of being selected."

Aaru let out a metered sigh. A glitch in the system. Irreversible. How marvelous.
Now everything (at least, in Aaru's mind) hinged on the success of his team. And his team was 50% Canary.
50%.
A headache started to pound in his skull. He forced himself to ignore it altogether, focusing on Director Archer's question. He hesitated while he considered it. Since asking for a new team member wasn't an option, and asking for anything else made him feel weak or needy, he responded with, "Thank you, Director, but I think I can handle everything alright."
It wasn't his ability to handle it that he was worried about. Okay, well, maybe the thought of having so much pressure on his shoulders did make him a tad nervous, but he wasn't going to admit that— not even to himself. But the thought of having to partially rely on someone as incompetent as Canary?
Why didn't they just shoot him now and get it over with so that they didn't have to face the humiliation of failing miserably?
He paused within himself, thinking. Something seemed a little off here, something that confused him. And if Aaru hated anything, he hated being confused.

"If you're sure, then. Remember, my door is always open. And, Mr. Kerr, there is no shame in letting someone help you. Nobody can be expected to handle everything, as nobody is perfect." Director Archer had a particular skill that seemed nearly supernatural, and that was, it seemed, an ability to nearly read minds. Canary had experienced it first hand a million times, even if she wasn't aware now what was happening. "Yes, even you, Canary."

The girl closed her mouth, a genuine crinkle to her eyes as she nodded. "Well, this has been fun, Elise, but Rico's waiting for me. He's gonna yell at me about my homework for the next fifteen minutes, before grilling me about this whole thing." Ricardo Guerrero, one of the few people who could mutually always stand Canary. He was in the top percentile of all of his classes, except for physical ones, and known to be one of the best hackers and tech experts in the school. People liked to speculate, on why someone like him was friends with someone like Canary. Still, since the moment they'd met, nothing had been able to tear them apart. "See you next misdemeanor?"

Director Archer sighed, waving a hand. "I do wish you would come in here on good behavior, not bad. But yes, you both are free to go. Please begin packing soon, as you'll be temporarily placed in the trial-goer's dorm. Not too much is needed, just enough to make you feel at home. Please, ask me any questions you may have."

Canary lifted her hand in a two fingered salute, standing from her chair and slipping out the door. Almost hurriedly.

((sorry for the big word dumps!! this is one of those times where it kind of calls for it on my end, with two characters being actively used))

((No need for apologies! I like big word dumps. And I know Rico is only a vaguely mentioned character, but yet, somehow I already love the idea of him.))

Aaru smiled and offered a grateful nod at the director's words, but something about the statement nobody is perfect grated against him. He was well aware of the fact that he wasn't perfect, but he didn't need to be reminded of it, and he most certainly wasn't willing to give up on the idea that he couldn't be. He stood slowly, brushing his shirt free of any wrinkles that may have formed while he was sitting. "Alright. Thank you, Director." He thought about throwing in a good evening, but that sounded too formal and a bit too desperate to be friendly, so he trashed the idea and left his farewell at that before stepping out the door.
Shouldn't he have been excited? He'd been chosen to represent his school for a very important trial. He had been chosen.
But it didn't really mean that much when the other person chosen was possibly the worst in the school.

((he's a very socially awkward boy who's the entire opposite of canary in that he likes not having attention drawn to him, though he does enjoy a good bright hawaiian shirt))

Canary made it exactly as far as the hallway before the full force of what was going to transpire hit her. The wave of consequence had her on the floor, pushed up against the wall with her knees tucked to her chest as she counted her breathing.

She was safe here. This had to be one of the safest places she could ever find herself, beside an island in the middle of the Caribbean. Elise had promised safety. The government had promised safety. I won't end up like my parents, today or years down the line. She had made it too far for that. Had left behind everything to avoid that.

But if she wound up competing, a target would be drawn right on her back. And she knew some very good shooters who would love a chance at her. That's what happens when you get comfortable. Lada taught you that.

((… I… I love him.))

"Canary?" Aaru's eyes fell on the girl as she huddled against the wall. His tone betrayed a little more concern than he'd intended. After all, he didn't care much for her. He didn't even know her, really, aside from vaguely knowing how big of a joke she was. Aside from hearing the other students make fun of her and occasionally chuckling alongside them. Would he be a joke now, too? Now that he was permanently associated with her due to this competition? If they failed, he could already hear the comments about the both of them circulating around the school…
No; he didn't care about her remotely. It would just be a bit inconvenient for him if his partner for this whole ordeal were to have some kind of heart attack before the competitions.
Then again, he might've been better off without her.
But, for the sake of his own decency, it was only right of him to acknowledge that she, too, was a human being— even if a somewhat questionable one. "Are you alright?"

((he's the reason i bought a hawaiian shirt, and i'm glad you love him too))

Canary let out a choked noise as Aaru spoke, realizing she hadn't quite made it fast enough to have a moment. Great. It wouldn't be long until there was another thing added to the list of reason she was a joke in this school. One that she didn't plan. Breathe.

It took her a bit to answer, still shaking and just barely spitting the words out as it felt like her entire world was collapsing around her. Her carefully crafted world. The one in which she was safe, in which she could have friends. And maybe, just maybe, not a great future, but one nonetheless.

"P-It's a-a panic….panic attack." She stated, so matter of fact considering what was happening, the breath that had stolen itself from her lungs, the chaos in her head she just had to breathe to get rid of. "Just-just give me a…a minute. Then I'll be-normal."

((He is the best boy. No, the best boi.))

"Oh—" Aaru frowned a little— almost sympathetically. Not for her, specifically, for her situation. Panic attacks weren't fun; he knew that first hand. Though, despite having had plenty of them in his own life, he had no idea what the best thing to do for someone having a panic attack would be.

After a few seconds of considering and hesitating, he stepped closer to her and crouched down beside her— careful to keep enough distance between them that they weren't touching or anything awkward like that. "Do you need… anything?"

Again, he reminded himself these questions weren't because they were friends— because they certainly weren't. But, whether he liked it or not, they were allies, and nobody would gain from him being a total— uh, jerk to her. If he was going to be stuck with her, he needed to at least make it clear to himself— and anyone around— that he still had somewhat decent character and was not easily unraveled. Not even by being teamed up with Canary.

Though he had nothing to prove it, his first assumption was that she was panicking because she had been chosen and she wasn't any good. He, too, wanted to have a panic attack over the fact that she was chosen, but he refused to do so, because that would certainly be a show of weakness— and he didn't have time for that.

"I don't….don't know I-" Canary squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face in her arms to hide the tears threatening to push forth. She would not cry in front of Aaru. In front of anyone. Whatever she said next was muffled, and she herself wasn't even sure what had come out of her mouth. Let alone what she needed.

Usually, Rico could solve this by holding her hand. All he had to do was hold her hand, and she could ground herself. But how was she supposed to ask Aaru to do that? To let her touch him at all? Simply put, she shouldn't even consider it. That wasn't something she had the luxury of doing, because he pretty much hated her, and he was, functionally, a stranger. But the weight on her chest wasn't easing. All it did was grow and grow and she felt like she was choking on the panic, and nothing she did made it any easier to breath.

"Hand-I-…your hand." She finally said, clear enough to be heard despite her hidden face and muffled voice. Shaky and quiet. There was none of her casual bravado, nothing left but the bare bones of a girl who had nothing left but the false comfort she had crafted and was losing. "If you don't-don't mind I-…grounding. You don't-ugh."

Under any other circumstance, Aaru would've definitely said no. To be associated with this girl was one thing, and already bad enough; to hold hands with her was another. But this was an exception— an exception in which, if he didn't agree, anyone who knew about it would probably consider him incredibly selfish and lacking in compassion whatsoever.
And, rightfully so. He personally couldn't justify a reason not to help her.
Besides, he was already associated with her, and there would be no undoing that. Yes, that sucked, but right now she was too compromised, too broken, for him to ignore her. And if he did, he'd have to deal with his conscience.
Because, even if he had no idea what the exact cause of her panic attack was, he knew what it like to be in that place— and to be alone in it.
His hand sought out hers, and he gripped it firmly— but not so tight as to cause her any discomfort. "Here." He contemplated only a few seconds before wrapping his other hand around hers as well, so that her hand was between both of his. "Breath, Canary," he said— his tone softer and carrying more sympathy than it had in any words he'd exchanged with her previously. He could go back to hating her once she was mentally stable enough to handle it, but right now, she wasn't.

She hadn't expected him to actually do it. Had she asked? Yes. But that didn't mean any part of her was expecting to find her hand in his, a point for her to focus on. And once she had that focal point, the storm began to slow just a tiny bit.

Canary gripped his hand tightly, though there wasn't enough strength in her at that moment for anything more than a slight squeezing. Still, she held steadfast. It took what felt like forever–on her end–for a full breath to make it into her lungs, and soon she was repeating the mantra Rico had found on the internet. In, count, out, count. Though full, the breaths themselves were fragile and trembling, like thin ice under the weight of a person's shoe.

But as she kept breathing, they began to strengthen. Gods, she wasn't looking forward to the aftermath. But what mattered was getting through it first.

And she did, slowly, with Aaru's help. They had to have been there for at least five minutes before she could even breathe properly, let alone speak. When she could, there was nothing but grateful relief in her tone.

"Thanks. Thank you. I-sorry, for the bother." Still shaking, she relaxed her grip on his hand, lifting her face away from him to wipe at her eyes. "Shoulda tried to make it to the bathroom. Then you wouldn't get the pleasure of seeing me crack."

"Hm." Aaru let his grip on her hand go slack. A beat passed, and when he decided she was steadied enough, he slowly released her hand altogether. "Who said I got any pleasure from that?" He studied her a moment, this odd girl. How confusing she was. "No need to apologize. I understand." He hoped she wouldn't misinterpret that— and, by misinterpret, he meant correctly decipher that to mean that he used to regularly have his own panic attacks.
Ah, she wouldn't. He felt that the comment was vague enough not to be seen through.
He stood to his feet. "Are you good now?"

"I understand."

What a strange way to phrase that. Shoving that tidbit aside for later, Canary nodded, standing on slightly unsteady legs. Just as quick as they had been wobbling, they were fine. On the outside, at least. She still felt like curling up on the floor, but she would make it to Rico's dorm. His dormmate never minded her late night visits, either, one of few who would.

"Y'know how many students here would love t' see a spectacle like that?" She asked, tilting her head. Exhaustion weighed heavy on her mind already, too drained to bother keeping her words even slightly in check. "Heck, I know a bunch of people outside this school who would kill to." Literally. With a snort, she reached up, tugging a hand through her hair and messing it up.

"Look. I know you won't want people knowing you've affiliated yourself with me outside of any sort of prep for the Games. So, let's strike a deal. You don't tell, I don't tell. Keeps our images safe."

(Sorry, this is quite brief!)

"Hm." Aaru looked at her for a moment, as if he were considering it. But there wasn't much to consider. He had no desire to repeat this little episode to anyone.
And it wasn't like he had any close friends to tell, anyway.
"Tell what?" he asked with obviously feigned ignorance.

Canary let out a semi-choked snort, before bursting into laughter muffled by her fist. Once she had calmed down, she shot him a lopsided smile, winking. "Y'know, if we'd met under different circumstances, I would've liked you a whole lot. Too bad you still would've hated me." She shrugged, mismatched eyes glancing down the hallway.

"Since you're probably aching to get away from here, don' let me hold you up." Canary started off down the hall, turning to walk backwards and shoot him her two fingered salute. "Have a nice night, Kerr. I'll see you tomorrow. Get pumped, 'cause we're gonna win this thing." If I'm not dead before the second round.

Aaru wasn't quite sure how tot take her comment, so he didn't take it as anything. His only response was a simple, detached, "Goodnight," as she walked away. That was all that was required. His work here was done.

He made his way back to his own room, his mind wandering the entire time, going through the list of things he needed to do. He needed to pack his things— clothes and all the necessities and whatnot— and he needed to prepare himself mentally for what was to come. To psyche himself up to win— but also to be prepared to face nearly inevitable failure with as much dignity as possible. What would happen if he— er, they— failed? The question was enough to make him sick to his stomach, though he had no idea what the answer really was.