Game Over? (OPEN)

[Jared Park]

The eerie yet comforting silence of the night that blankets the whole Institute was suddenly broken by the faint sound of button mashing and what seems like virtual groaning. Near the far end of the student lounge, a face can be seen, illuminated by the glow of the screen he’s facing, his eyes fully concentrated on what he’s doing. It’s as if he’s in a trance, his stare fixed solely on the images projected and nothing else.

It’s one of those nights again, when Jared suddenly wakes up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason and couldn’t go back to sleep. Well he could, but when he does, it’s already too late as he has to prepare for classes the next day already. Oddly enough, he doesn’t consider himself somewhat an insomniac, probably due to the fact that it only happens once a month, twice if he’s lucky. No matter how hard he tosses and turns in bed, he just can’t make himself sleep again. He’s tried counting sheep, counting pigs, counting pigs and sheep, counting pigs and sheep backwards. Nothing. Not even warm milk could help.

So instead of staring at the ceiling all night, he decided to head out to the student lounge and play (he’s bored of the internet already). Putting on a blue sweater over his white tee and wrapping a scarf around his neck, he slowly made his way out of his room, hoping not to wake any of his roommies up. He passed by his Stitch hat-headdress on the way out, and decided it wouldn’t be too bad to wear it outside too. He happily walked through the dormitory halls, confident that he won’t be caught unless a guard sees him. Seems his power does have some good in it after all.

Once there, he got himself a cup of hot cocoa from the vending machine to warm his fingers up before settling down in front of the Tekken6 machine. If he can’t sleep, at least he could make his Lili go up to Lone Wolf or even higher.

[Antosha Vikenti]

Yes, the otherwise silent night was being disturbed by sounds: but not the innocent ones coming from the student lounge. It was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing and muffled moans. Oh yes, Ant had stayed the night with one of his 'friends' again. A boy who could definitely get him thrown in jail. But the forbidden fruit always tasted the sweetest. Something everyone knew. Ant got up once this boy had fallen asleep, tousling his fair hair. Maybe not forbidden, but confused. He smiled to himself and set out the door, not bothering to pick up a shirt on his way out. It would just be too much work that way.

He did however stop to grab a bottle of nail polish-might as well do his nails while he had a moment alone. Antosha nodded to the camera, giving the guard a seductive smile. Boys fell over themselves to get with a guy like him. Except for that Zac fellow. Or Mouse as he was better known to the older guy. Ant was used to running across the odd student sneaking out of their dorms, most got caught but that was their own fault. If you knew the right people anything was possible: and Ant knew the right people. Anyone who had been here as long as him knew the right people.

Antosha watched as a small Asian boy tried to sneak out of a dorm room. What do you know? When one door closes, another one opens. Wait.. What was the thing on his head? With his interest peaked Antosha headed after the tiny kid, totally intent on his latest find. But no; no amazing hook-ups in the dark. Just this little kid playing with his games. And though Ant didn't know him, he was bored. Easily. He waited till the kid was nice and settled into his game before walking into the room. Let all hell break lose now.

"Naughty Naughty. Don't you know little boys should be in bed right now?" he called out from the dark, eyes focused on that face illuminated by a game screen. Unlike the(red-haired?..) boy he was completely hidden by the darkness. Well he was. Until Ant stepped closer and leaned against the machine. "So tell me, naughty boy, what are you doing up past your bed time?"

[Jared Park]

Unlike Antosha, Jared wasn’t really used to sneaking out. Jasper’s presence was enough to deter him from even trying when he was still back home, and before tonight, he never really had the guts or reason to venture out. Usually his laptop was enough to keep him entertained. Or the TV in their common room. But for some odd reason, both ways did not just cut it. Maybe it’s just the New Year and he wanted to try something new. Whatever the reason was, Jared knew sneaking out was somewhat a spur of the moment decision. He could either pass his time by reading up in advance for Mr. Tonaya’s class tomorrow (should he give another pop quiz) or play in the student lounge and have fun. Guess he chose the easy way out.

This inexperience, combined with his apparent confidence on the newfound use of his ability, made Jared rather ‘sloppy’. Sloppy in the sense that though he cared and was scared of being found out, he didn’t take enough notice about the sounds he’s heard throughout the night (he heard what must’ve been a grunt, but reasoned that animals can’t get through Hammel walls, so he must be imagining it) and was completely unaware that he was being followed. After all, other than the night guards, who in the right mind would walk out of the grounds at this time of the night?

Jared was happily sweeping the levels, easily maneuvering from one enemy to the next. He almost got defeated by Heihachi once, but he managed to turn the tides with a fluffy of timed Alstromerias from Lili. “Lucky me,” he said after the round, finally having the chance to breathe after that rather stressful encounter. He grabbed his cup and was about to take a sip when out of the blue, a guy, undoubtedly much much older than him, appeared. As the room was still dark and the only light source was his screen, the boy’s face gave Jared quite the shock, jumping slightly on his seat and almost spilling his drink. “Thank goodness,” he muttered.

He quickly turned his shocked and mildly irritated expression (a match was just starting when he appeared, causing him to learn precious ‘life points’) into an innocent smile, one of his most usual faces. “That’s what my brother always says,” he chuckled slightly, nodding as he faced his game back again, “But I never listen. And besides, I’m not too little you know.” Yup, as far as Jared knew, he was among the tallest among his peers.

“I’m trying to get Lili to Sage. I’ve been stuck as a Virtuouso for quite some time already,” he explained as he finished King off with a 10-hit Combo, “How about you, what brings you to this parts?” He gave the boy a quick glance and was surprised that he wasn’t wearing anything. “Aren’t you cold?” he tilted his head, making Stitch’s ears go sideways in the process too.

[November Adams]

When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep... and you're never really awake - that was something said once in a rather excellent film made from a rather excellent book. The quote was accurate enough, after a certain point of being awake, one enters this strange middle ground of consciousness and lacks certain qualities of awareness, but still isn't quite asleep. That was something November had experienced before, and was approaching as she dwindled in her lost musings of the early hours. She twiddled a pencil around her fingers, the page in front of her covered in useless scribbles of potential writings she would complete when actually conscious. The television was set on a low volume, the words barely registering in her molasses mind as late night television blared with the forced laughter of an unseen crowd. There were other people sitting in the common room of her dorm, other insomniacs, other creatures of the night, no one saying a word as they all went about their own business, simply in the same vicinity of each other.

The brunette's head dropped back on the couch, angling awkwardly, straining her vertebrae as her jugular was exposed highly. Her brown eyes moved lazily, staring at the wall behind her, the lids slowly slipping closed, her mind's focus now simply on the sounds filing the room. A clock ticked away on the wall, another of the room's occupants' pencil scraped along paper loudly, obnoxiously, the horrible television blared with fake laughter again as something seemingly comical occurred. November's eyes cracked open momentarily as she heard the small patter of feet on the ground, a flash of blue bobbed by. Her eyes slipped closed again.

A moment passed. And another. The brunette sat up straight with a sudden burst of energy. "Was that Stitch?" She asked the room in an even tone. Only one of the other students looked up at her before shrugging and glancing back down at whatever they were doing - the others ignored her. The teenager stood, wobbling slightly on her legs that tingled with sleep, and tossed the notebook back on the couch where she had previously been sprawled. The time turner swiveled on her feet and started toward the door, her bare feet making unpleasant slapping noises against the ground.

Turning down the empty halls, only dimly lit in the evening with flickering Florescent lights, the teenager could only be reminded of a horror film. Ember fiddled with the zipper of her green coat, her shoulders curled forward as she turned again and paused. Stitch had disappeared. The brunette turned around, staring down another hallway with limited comprehension. "Bloody..." She started, hand going up to scratch her head, only then she remembered she was wearing a hat.

A voice. Turning again, the senior trailed down the hallway and came to a stop in time to hear, "...you doing up past your bed time?" said by a voice laced with smugness and sexuality. November scrunched her nose, padding forward to enter the nearly abandoned student lounge.

Two boys stood near one of the gaming consoles - one with dark hair, and the other wearing a large blue... Stitch hat. "Aha!" She proclaimed, pointing an offending finger at the Asian boy. "I'm not delusional, Stitch did walk through the common room!" seemingly satisfied with herself, Ember grinned and crossed her arms over her chest, hip jutting to the side. Pausing, she glanced to the side, "Or this is some bizarre circumstance that has nothing to do with that, and I've gone insane. If that's the case, I apologise sincerely."

The brunette glanced all around the room before her eyes rested again on the two teenage boys in front of her, "Say, shouldn't you both be in bed? It's way past curfew." Ignoring the fact that she was in the same situation.

---

Outfit: Click!

[Antosha Vikenti]

Antosha slid into the seat beside the boy, finding his legs growing tired from standing in one position. Alright, what exactly was that blue thing on his head? The thing that had caught his interest? Antosha tilted his head this way and that, a puzzled expression lighting up his face. He thought maybe- just maybe. That if he saw it from a different angle it would explain just what the hell it was. Not likely, but he could hope.

Not that little his ass. Antosha couldn't help but chuckle: everyone was little to him. A slight disadvantage to being so dang tall. But he never really truly noticed it- that might require remembering that he was a freak of nature. "Everyone is little to me, little boy. Now explain what the fuck is on your head. It's weird and it's eyes are creepy." He leaned back in his new chair, moving the guy from the side to onto his lap. Ant liked things on his lap.

"Alright, what language is that? Lili..? Sage..? VIRTUOSO? Speak english boy!" He chuckled, wrapping his arms around the small little boy. And snuggled for warmth, well he did until he noticed the girl standing there. Had she been there the whole time? Awkward.. And slightly stalkerish. "I have escaped bed, my dear. Look at his hat!" Ant pulled off the hat and held it up. "Wait... WHAT THE FUCK IS STITCH?? This?? This is blue- and.. Hatty.. What is a stitch?" he glared, trying to figure out where he missed this.

Honestly, a stitch? It was the most retarded thing he'd heard of. And Antosha had watched Spongebob- so he knew stupidity well. "Don't you children know, curfew doesn't exist. It can not exist. If you believe it doesn't exist, it can't, so you don't have to follow the non-existent curfew!" this made complete exist to him, as did a lot of things. Like his new friend in his arms. Wait, the boy was still there, sweet! "You- girly. Have a seat. Join the world of... What was that game again? I'm Antosha, call me Ant. And you guys would be...?"

[Jared Park]

Jared pouted a bit, his cheeks puffing slightly, when the boy suddenly slid beside him. While he is a bit creeped out by the sudden physical contact this boy is giving him (and it being the dead of the night doesn’t help much either), he is much more irritated that him being on his side somehow disrupted Jared’s hands, making him fail in dodging and making an aerial combo, costing him the round. He tried to calm himself down, telling himself that it isn’t really the guy’s fault. He still has two more rounds anyway; Panda will be dead meat by then.

And then the boy got went a bit too forward. Jared simply shrugged his belittling comment and sudden slipping, but he was suddenly whisked off and placed on top of the boy’s lap. Is this guy even sane? He could try to break free, but alas, the arcade had no pause button in it, and since the promotion match’s almost there, he couldn’t do anything but try to make himself comfortable in the boy’s lap, at least for the moment (he couldn’t try to stand up and make the boy meet his butt right, ‘cause that would be rude). Though the dropping of the f-bomb isn’t really making him any more comfortable. “It’s not creepy. It’s cute,” he protested.

He jumped slightly when he heard another voice, a girl one this time, making him push down slightly on the boy’s lap when he landed. Not good, considering he felt something poke him from behind. “Hihihi,” he giggled shyly, “It is, it is.” He grinned, trying to drown out the guy behind him for a bit, shaking his head from side to side to make Stitch’s ears move. “I have a matching Stitch pajama back in my room, but it’s hidden deep in my dresser and I’m too tired to put it on.”

Jared’s eyes widened when arms suddenly coiled around him, and felt someone snuggling him. Even Jasper doesn’t do that to him. “Err, you cold or something?” he asked shyly, squirming slightly as he fears the boy might get offended if he reacted too much. Besides, he’s still playing so he can’t react fully to everything this boy throws at him, lest he risk losing the game. He didn’t even bother explaining who Lili is or what Virtuoso meant; as for Stitch, maybe the girl can answer it for him.

“Curfew,” he repeated absentmindedly, smiling widely, trying to look ‘cute’, “Yeah, about that…you wouldn’t tell, would you?” He could just imagine the fit Jasper will throw should he hear of it. Sometimes he thinks his brother’s more of a mother than an older sibling really.

[November Adams]

Lazy ladybugs floated as her thoughts as November studied the two awkwardly positioned teenage boys in front of her. Her mission was complete, the Stitch had been tracked down. Currently, her legs were prickling with goosebumps from the cold draft in the room, and she scrunched her nose in discomfort. November was not enjoying the prickly feeling that came with the cold. She snapped back to the present when the gothic looking boy began to rave about his evident confusion on what a "Stitch" was.

Ember snorted, hugging her stomach as she giggled hopelessly. It might have been the lack of sleep, or maybe just the general less active neurons in her mind, but she found that hysterical. The brunette let out a fluttering giggle as she apologised, waving her hand at the boy. A bleary grin adorned her tired features, shaking her head as wiped at her eyes. "You've really never heard of Stitch? The Disney movie? Set in Hawaii? It's adorable. Like this kid here." She pointed to the small Asian with unnaturally coloured hair, currently immersed in a game. Ember paused, noting the boy's look of evident awkwardness toward being on top of this boy that he didn't know. The time turner made a face, wondering if the black haired boy noticed how the Stitch-kid tensed up at his touch - even Vincent noticed when people didn't want to be touched, and he was the most sexual person she knew.

The brunette tilted her head to the side, her arms held tightly around her midsection to conserve heat. "But... by saying that curfew does not exist, you are actually acknowledging its existence, and therefore contradicting yourself." Ember's voice was laced with sleep and inquiry, poking holes in the gothic kid's logic easily. Glancing at the Asian, the time manipulator grinned sincerely, "I'm up too, aren't I? I'd get in the same amount of trouble as you two. So, no, I don't plan on telling." She padded up to the couch, plopping down beside the two boys huddled together, peering at them queerly. "Ant... Bizarre." She responded to his eloquent introduction. "I'm November. Nice to meet ya, kid." She said with a short wave. "And I'm going ahead and assuming your name is Stitch." She said with a quirk of her lips, readjusting the sock monkey hat on her head, pushing a few stray hairs from her forehead.

"What brings you two to the lounge this early in the morn?"

[Antosha Vikenti]

Antosha watched the girl laugh and couldn't help but chuckle himself. She looked so... Hyped up on... Something. It made the night all the more better. He set his head on the kids shoulder- who donned the apparent blue thing called 'stitch', looking over at her. "Excuse me, I have seen Spongebob- the show with the square...thing. That's Disney.. Right?" Alright no, he didn't care. But he also hated looking-and being-stupid in front of people, despite the fact he did not know them. "Whatever." And that would be his conclusion of this stitch-infested conversation. He really couldn't keep up anymore. It was.. Like... Eh, too much work to explain. Ant yawned, relaxing his arms that were wrapped around the strange little kid- giving him just a little more space.

See? Ant. Is. Kind. Yes yes, he is very kind. Occasionally. He pushed his over hair out of his face, blowing air up as it flopped back down. Honestly he was going to take a pair of scissors to his mop of hair. Someday he really would. Maybe. Alright, probably not! Shut up. "I don't contradict myself- you contradict yourself by claiming that someone of my awesome position could ever be wrong in any form. Therefore-" he paused and sighed. "Look, I'm way too fucking tired to explain this shit. Bottom line? I'm right, in all... Ways possible. And no- you won't get in the same trouble as me. I am old enough to do what I want and... You know.. Friends, high places. All that jazz." Ant looked over at the girl who now claimed a seat beside them. Dang she was tiny! But then, everyone was to him.

"Not the only one with a weird name little Miss. Cold-November." He gave her a short grin and proceeded to wrap a free arm around her. Moving her across the couch to be crowed with them. For warmth. Warmth truly was the only thing on his mind. Since they got to have clothes and all he had was a pair of jeans. Which was not his fault. At all. The he paused and poked the hat on her head. Really, was there some crazy hat store he didn't know about? Ant felt left out to be the only one here without a crazy hat or.. Your know, a shirt. "I really.. No, I don't want to know about the hats. I'm down here... Because.. There was some weird blue thing on this little kid- and then he started talking some crazy foreign language. It was.. Strange. I like the strange." Yes, Ant avoided the reason he had even left the dorm room. It really wasn't their business. Now he turned his attention back to the kid in his lap and his strange-crazy-game that involved a lot of 'pew pew'ing apparently. (If this kid was anything to go off of)

[Jared Park]

Jared stiffened up a bit when Antosha decided to get even more intimate closer and snuggle on his shoulders. While he doesn’t mind it normally (he’d usually laugh because he is actually quite ticklish), since it’s coupled with the fact that Antosha’s a guy and he’s sitting on his lap, quite helpless in his position, he could only smile weakly. (And yes, despite appearing quite naïve and gullible, Jared does have nasty things forming in his head now, various scenarios which, judging by the way Antosha’s acting, are getting more and more probable as time passes). He sent a quick ‘SOS’ glance to Ember, hoping she’d somehow get such an obscure help beacon, but then she’s suddenly whisked away by the Russian and well, that’s the end of that one. His only hope is that he’s just imagining things and Antosha is just being extremely sweet, or Ember’s presence will deter him from anything he might have in store.

“Thank you,” he blushed slightly, the compliment taking his mind off his uncomfortable position. “Spongebob is not Disney. It’s Nickelodeon,” pouted the kid. To Jared, it’s actually hard to mix those two companies and the cartoons/shows they create, seeing that their styles are quite different from one another; then again, not everyone spends their weekends staring blankly at the boob tube, laughing by himself as he enjoyed the all-day broadcast of such channels (Robbie does join him from time to time, if he’s not doing something in his room, that is). “I love Stitch. The part where he recites ‘Ohana means family’ always tears me up,” he smiled, giving Asoka a simple left leg kick and ending the match.

He felt extremely relieved to hear that Ember’s not going to report them, though her ‘existentialistic’ fight with Antosha didn’t really make sense to him. As long as he doesn’t get in trouble, he’s fine. “I’m Jared. Jared Park,” he nodded shyly, “But Stitch works just fine. Though I don’t think I can wear this hat whenever I see you, so yeah.” His focus once again was stolen by the game as he saw that beloved green rectangle flash in his screen. Finally, the promotion match.

Drowning everything out, his fingers tapped with such ferocity, his eyes burning with determination to defeat Marduk fast. If would prove to be quite the challenge, given that the guy’s a whole lot bigger than his Lili, but he’ll make a way. After a few near-death moments, Marduk was almost done and with one Alstroemeria, his favorite Lili move, he finally got promoted to Sage. “YES!” he said in glee, raising his hands and standing up in the process. Then it all came back to him that indeed, he wasn’t alone. “Oops. Where were we again?”


ooc:
So sorry for the lateness Mira and Cookie. D;. I do hope I'll be faster next time.
- Jam