Spicy Talk (Adrian)

[Damien Kross, Jester]

The most monstrous thing I had seen in all my life... A burrito, filled with melted cheese, diced peppers, beans, Spanish rice... and... shredded beef merinated in some unholy concoction of evil spices and sauces... It made for the most delicious, spicy burrito of my young life... And goddamn... It was good.

As you can imagine, I found myself in a Mexican restaurant, eating at one of the small tables outside the front of the restaurant. Sure, the air made the burrito cool faster, but at the speed I ate things, it would be no concern. Instead, I found it refreshing to enjoy the breeze and people watch while I ate.

THEN can we do something interesting?

Define interesting.

I dunno... I don't even know anymore...

Aww, has poor Jester forgotten what fun was?

Yes, poor fucking me has forgotten was fun is!

[Adrian]

The bell would jingle as the door opened, and a group of friends, cheif amongst them the young Adrian Hanlon, would enter the Mexican joint. While the other kids looked excited and happy, Adrian, when the rest of them weren't looking, appeared rather unnerved by the whole thing.

See, Adrian preferred to eat mostly healthy food. And scanning the menu, he could find nothing that he even remotely considered to be 'healthy'.

The kids he had come here with were hardly people he considered friends. However, it seemed that after being known for taking the fight to Mathew Amtrum on his first day at 259, Adrian had gained somewhat of a reputation, and the idea had followed him to 42, like so many other transfers. Truth be told, the boy didn't mind a following, it suited his arrogance just fine, but for some reason, he felt that, as a result of this, he occasionally would have to play along.

So when a gaggle of young men and women approached him and asked if he wanted to the Super Burrito, and that they'd pay, he felt inclined to acquiesce.

Once his turn came, he ordered a simple chicken and sour cream enchilada platter, and, in an attempt to give his little groupies the slip, had exited the restaurant, paying his own way after all, and looked for a place outside to sit. The bell ringing from the open door caused most of those outside to look back at who was leaving, mostly a force of habit. Adrian stood quite still, however, as he noticed a particularly well-dressed student eating a monstrous burrito that he knew from elsewhere....

Damien Kross, the Jester, and 42's head of student media. Perhaps this would turn interesting after all.

[Damien Kross, Jester]

Well well well...

"Adrian Hanlon, right?" I asked him from my seat, looking over to with with a wide smile. "Come, join me." I used my foot to push out another chair, welcoming him to sit next to me.

As far as I was concerned, school shit was to remain in school, so the fight against him and Quinn was nothing about nothing. I was more interested in actually talking to people... As a Media Director, knowing people in 42 was naturally a good thing.

"So, what brings someone of your bank account to this place? Ain't exactly the Four Seasons or anything." I said with a sly smile, enjoying a small poke at his status.

[Adrian]

And here, the Jester was asking him to join his table. Adrian shrugged, figuring it couldn't hurt. Well, maybe it could, considering the fight from before, but it seemed that Kross genuinely had no hard feelings about it, and he was a convincing enough person thus far. Adrian walked over and took a seat across from him, eyeing the sloppy burrito with little disguise to his distaste for it. As the Jester asked a question of him, Adrian smirked. Sure, he was making a joke at his wealth, but it was in no way the kind of mean-spirited 'you're rich so I hate you' he usually would get, and so, he could take a jab here and there.

"The nerd herd over there," Adrian nodded his forehead back towards the restaurant window, where the excited students were finding a place to sit, making sure to include a space for Adrian, who, you know, was probably in the bathroom or something. "You're a pillar, I'm sure you've got your share of people following you because of the power you represent."

He shrugged, using his plastic fork to dig into his enchilada and take a bite. Definitely not the best thing he'd ever eaten, and he felt like he was getting fatter just looking at it, but it was by no means terrible. Adrian figured someone with a less refined palate would find it tasty.

"Now take that formula and add a couple billion in assets. Then you've got the reason why people are begging me to be friends with them." He rolled his eyes and laughed lightly. "I'd ask the same of you, but it looks like you're here for the diarrhea bombs." Adrian would smirk, providing a little jab right back at Jester in the process.

[Damien Kross, Jester]

"Hey, if I pay six bucks for a damned burrito, I expect to get something from it afterwards." I joked. "So, people clawing at you from all directions begging to be your friend huh? Well, rest assured, I'm not after your money..."

Even though I could finish constructing the Jester's Court with it...

Damien, stop with the mental drooling...

"So, what's your life like, hm? I happen to know quite a few rich people myself..." I declined offering the names of Linda, Kate, and Ricardo, knowing it would take the conversation in a strange direction. "They normally don't have people clawing at them for cash." Kate has them clawing for pussy and Linda has them clawing for mercy... before she stomps their head into oblivion...

Such nice friends you have.

I know, huh?

[Adrian]

Adrian smirked at the boy's response to the burrito. For a prickish rich guy, he did have a sense of humor.

"Well, you misunderstand me, somewhat, I believe," Adrian began in response to the other boy's following statement. "I wouldn't say they're particularly clawing for cash, although I can't doubt that if it came to it, they would be asking. It seems more a status thing, if you ask me. I'm rich, good-looking, and influential. They probably think if they hang out with me, they can become that way, too, or if not, they'll look it."

He laughed, rather derisively, at the thought. Though he had come down somewhat off his high horse since he first enrolled at 259 those months ago, he was still a very vain person at heart. "As for my life? It's... interesting," he began, his eyes looking upwards for some sort of better answer. He thought about Mathew, the Reapers, and more recently and, in Adrian's eyes, more importantly, Kate.

"I certainly didn't expect when I walked up that shithole 259 that I would be on the path I am now; that I'd meet the kinds of people I have." He took another bite of the enchilada.

"And hey, the school year's just starting."

[Damien Kross, Jester]

Hearing him recall the school year made me do it myself- all the things that had happened to me and all the people that had entered my life- not just from 259, but even back to the glory days in New York at 552... Auroth, Wyatt, Jyo, Linda, Kate... Her especially.

"Life is certainly full of surprises." I remarked. "So, how's life for you at 42? As a Pillar, the wellbeing of the students is of great concern to me." I said, moreso to make good conversation and not pry into his life. "Any good classes? Any young ladies makin' moves on your credit card numbers? Good teachers? Bad ones? Come on, let's hear it." I grinned.

Do I smell...? Yes, yes I do...

What?

I smell interest.

[Adrian]

Adrian nodded at the Jester's first two words, agreeing with him on the matter. It seemed the boy's words had stuck some kind of a chord within Damien, but Adrian never knew for sure. He was much better at hitting people than he was at reading them, to be brutally honest. Adrian thought about that for a while, actually feeling a tinge of embarrassment over the fact. The embarrassment began to give way to a sense of shame for being embarrassed of who he was, which would have only devolved into a further spiral had Damien not continued with their small talk.

Yes, it was small talk, but Adrian didn't mind. In the social circles he normally ran with, the ability to make small talk was a must, even more so in business practices. One had to appear as if they were asking or saying nothing of significance, when truly they were.

"I have to admit, Mr. Kross, it's a damn sight easier on the eyes than our old haunt. 259 was such an eyesore, and the people that populated it, oftentimes were just as bad." He smirked, reaching for his enchilada with a fork. He didn't cut himself off another bite, though, not yet. He simply played with it, opting to possibly center Damien's focus on that, if only for a moment. Adrian had no way of knowing whether Damien would take offense to the statement, and thus the fork was a clever trick to change the Pillar's train of thought if such was the case.

"Classes are the same as they always are, boring. There's a business class I'm taking this semester, I feel like I could have written the textbook on it. I suppose that's to be expected, though," he said, smiling somewhat distantly. "As far as girls go, this school, as you no doubt have noticed, my friend, is full of wonderful ones. Though I don't think any of them have been trying to get a handle on my Amex Black Card... at least... not specifically so..."

Adrian trailed off. He knew what the Jester was asking of him, but Adrian found it somewhat in poor taste to speak of his most potential lady in that vein, especially considering the girl may be one of the only people Adrian knew who could possibly outspend him.

[Damien Kross, Jester]

I caught that.

Caught what?

He trailed off... He's thinkin' about somebody.

Seriously? How do you know?

Trust me, I know these things.

"You're dodging my question." I said with a massive, giddy smile. "Come on, you can tell ol' Jester. Who's your gal? Here-" I said as I bent the soundwaves around us, keeping our waves within a small bubble surrounding our table. "My Qi is keeping our sound within this area- no one outside this table can hear you. You can't get much more secretive than this." I egged him on. "Come on come on, I'll be your best friend." I mimicked the old elementary school promise for information.

Whether or not he wanted to tell me now, he'd spill it eventually. Talking about relationships was one of my favorite topics, and with his juicy lead on, I knew his was one of most interest.

[Adrian]

The Jester seemed to be particularly interested in this bit of gossip, and his giddiness couldn't help but bring a grin, followed by a laugh, to Adrian's face. He seemed genuinely interested in hearing Adrian's story, even going so far as to bend the soundwaves around their table so that no one else could hear them. At that explanation, however, Adrian tilted his head. Suddenly, something else made sense. His jaw dropped slightly in realization, and he would evade the question one more time, if only temporarily.

"Wait... your Qi... manipulates sound? That's how you knew Sara's and my plan, isn't it?" Adrian chuckled, nodding. He was currently undergoing Qi training from Mathew, and so he was beginning to understand just how helpful harnessing one's inner strength could be. "Nevermind, that's old news. Very clever. For that, I suppose I can reward you with some juicy gossip into my dark and lusty personal life," Adrian said with no small amount of sarcasm.

He paused, closing his eyes for a moment, trying to think of the perfect way to define Kate. Words often seemed to fail him at this point. "Well, Mr. Kross. There is one girl. She's a little older than me, but she's got to be the most beautiful thing at this school. Tall, blonde, and she probably has just as much money as I do, if not more, so I know she's not just talking to me because I'm rich. She's vivacious, sensual and exciting... oh, if you knew her, Mr. Kross, I'm sure you'd be as enamored of her of as I am."

Adrian stopped, realizing that he was gushing somewhat, to a man he hardly knew and had only a few short days ago regarded as an opponent. Nevermind that Adrian was completely unaware of this man's status as one of his closer ally.

"My apologies, Mr. Kross, I suppose I went a little overboard. Put simply, she's quite an amazing girl, I must say."

[Damien Kross, Jester]

Tall and blonde... mmm... just my type.

Rich? Huh... That's interesting...

Sexual and exciting...?

No... No way. Nuh uh... Can't be.

Oh boy, I knew it! Shit is getting interesting!

"Erm, Adrian... What would this girl's name happen to be?" I asked, trying desperately to make the question seem casual, but the clenching of my fists would be a giveaway as to my true emotions. "Start with a 'K?' End with an 'ate?'"

Oh my God... Brace for epic win.

[Adrian]

Adrian's eyes narrowed somewhat when Damien asked his question. He could tell this meant something to the pillar, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt had been led into this from the beginning. Adrian wasn't by nature a very paranoid person, but it all seemed way too coincidential. He just happened to be at the same Mexican joint as one of the school pillars, who just happened to want to sit down and talk to him about his current love-life, which just so happened to be with someone that Kross had some sort of acquaintance with, it would seem?

Adrian tensed, not quite visibly, but he definitely tensed. His hand gripped the fork a little bit tighter, and he finally took another bite of his enchilada. He munched it for a while, mulling over the taste, holding off on answering the Jester. In all honesty, he was worried as to what exactly his answer may entail. Finally, he set the fork down, taking a breath, and regarding the well-dressed Pillar intently.

"Actually... yes. Yes it does. Her name is Kate." Now, despite his growing uneasiness, Adrian still, for what it was worth, had no idea just what this meant for Damien, and so he felt it prudent to at least ask. "And if you'll pardon me for sounding rude, what exactly does that mean to you?"

Adrian would tilt his head somewhat, still on edge. If this guy was one of those ex-boyfriends Kate had mentioned in passing, he might be trouble. Especially considering Adrian had tried to fight this guy once already, and wouldn't have been able to beat him on his best day.

[Damien Kross, Jester]

Owned... Hardcore fucking ownage... To a degree unmeasurable by human counting...

Adrian would be unable to fathom the amount of things going on within the shell of my body... To name the most prominant one- betrayal.

Granted, Kate's defense would NO DOUBT be some aggressive story of "I don't belong to you" or some such related nonsense... But anyone with any semblance of a heart wouldn't DARE do such a thing... No... She would... The talks so much about the new her... It IS perfectly within her capabilities...

I had to remain calm... I needed more information... I had to keep the conversation going... I needed MORE!!!

"Heh, Kate was an... old flame of mine..." I admitted. "Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression... Her breakup speech was about her not being ready for anything involved, so to hear her get with another man so quickly just... well, caught me off guard. Again, I apologize."

[Adrian]

Adrian nodded, accepting the boy's apology wordlessly. As he spoke, though, Adrian's mind raced. He had chatted with Kate on this very matter, her past boyfriends, and from the sounds of things, she never had a one that treated her too well. Unfortunately for Adrian, this contrasted greatly with the polite, well-mannered boy that sat across from him, making jokes that were honestly amusing and generally coming across as a decent guy.

Maybe this one was an exception to what Kate had said before? Or was there something deeper than his kind facade that Adrian needed to watch out for? Adrian recalled that night he spent with Kate, however, and that he specifically mentioned NOT going out and destroying her enemies. And so, he bit his lip subtly, and continued the conversation, still as civil as before, but visibly relaxing.

Mentally, however, he was a bit more prepared.

"Oh, perhaps I should be the one apologizing, Mr. Kross. Anything between Kate and I is decidedly... simplistic at this point. I asked her to a beach party, and she accepted. I would not presume to consider ourselves anywhere close to 'involved' at this point."

Oh, but wouldn't you like to be?

Adrian shook his head, refusing a smile at the thought. "However, I'm sorry to hear that things ended that way between you two."

Adrian would play with his fork again, this time not as some sort of social trick, but more because he was unsure of what to say at this point. The Jester seemed a little upset by this, and Adrian didn't know quite yet whether he would need to be prepared to defend himself with words, or fists.

He hoped he was up to the task of either, if it came to that.

[Damien Kross, Jester]

I knew he wasn't telling me the full story... The way he toyed around with his fork, the way he spoke about her BEFORE I mentioned our past...

I was positive. He wasn't telling me everything.

"Stop holding out on me." I said simply, my voice carrying more of a tone of remorse than anything. "I still have feelings for her... So, if there's something about you two I don't know, please tell me... I need to know whether it's over or not..." I paused. "Kate has... the tendancy to, erm... jump around a lot, if you catch my drift... If you two have, erm, done anything... Let me know so I can put my heart to rest. Consider it payback for letting you off the hook the other day with Quinn." I said, refering to our two on one escapade in the hallways.