Log:High School Hex

2021/02/15 Bran 1

It's the lunch period, and kids are migrating toward the cafeteria, the quad, and other places to eat lunch and meet up with their groups of friends. The cold weather has most students inside. The post-valentine's hysteria is over, with no more mysterious admirerer notes showing up in lockers. The jocks are holding court at two sets of tables in the cafeteria, the nerds are nervously staying as far away as they can on the opposite side. The skaters, goths, and punks are braving the cold to be outside, whether in the quad for some, while others congregate behind some of the buildings to do things they shouldn't, while out of the watchful eye of staff.

Bran goes ahead and picks one of the long tables, trying to sit at a far end of it, so he doesn't have to interact with people.

It's a solid tactic. One adopted by a few. There's the school weirdo Morrigan whose doing the same at another table, eating her food alone and in silence. She talks to almost no one and doesn't participate in any of the school activities. Often, she disappears from school for those who pay attention to odd behaviors. She has short black hair in a long pixie cut, and is wearing an oversized black sweater and gray athletic leggings and sneakers. Doesn't wear any makeup, and is very tomboyish.

There's another school weirdo at another table. She's scribbling and sketching in a book and taking absent bites from her food tray. She has black hair hair tied in a loose side french braid, tied with a grown leather thong, a black hat, white dress shirt with a black thin strappy pleather harness over it in the design of a pentagram, and black billowy pants, plus painted black nails, a black and red kimono-style cardigan and red-lensed glasses with circular frames. She's got a witchy vibe to her.

Some jocks walk over, talking to each other. One nods toward Morrigan and starts walking over from behind. Before they can get close, she raises her right hand up and flips them off over her shoulder, not even slowing her chewing or taking her eyes off her lunch. She didn't even look to see them coming, but somehow heard their approach. They frown and look uneasy, so turn and head for the witch goth girl instead.

Bran watches the jocks closely as they approach the girl who is doing some sketching.

The girl isn't as aware of her surroundings as Morrigan is. The jocks roll up on her and one slams one of his schoolbooks right next to her sketch book. The sound is so loud it makes her jump.

"What's that you're drawing, weird girl?" he says as he leans over and reaches to yank the sketchbook from her before she can stop him.

"H-hey, that's mine!" she protests.

Bran closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath. His sister would want him to not get involved. But he can't jsut sit by. He calls over to them, "Give it back to her!"

The jock is flipping through her black moleskine book and is about to tear a page out when Bran speaks up. It causes him and his friend to look his way. They do a quick look around to see if any of his meta friends are about. They're emboldened by their absence. "Pretty ballsy. I didn't know you had a pair. Shouldn't you be hiding behind that Petersen chick?"

Bran gets to his feet. "I have more than you do. I don't need her protection, either."

The second jock smirks. "What is she, your girlfriend?"

"-They-," the girl corrects. "My pronouns are they/them."

"Whatever," the jock rolls his eyes.

The one calling Bran out holds the book up by one cover, letting it flap open as he dangles it as high as he can. Certainly out of the victim's reach. "You sure about that? Maybe you should give us her number. She can fly you to the ER once we're done with you."

Bran beckons them over. "Bring it. Chump."

That does the trick. They start walking over to him itching for a fight, dropping the girl's book in the floor on their way over to Bran's table. This interaction has begun to draw the eyes of some of the other students. There's mumblings working their way through the tables.

Bran makes a point of keeping his back to the table so he can see each of them. He can't use his shielding if he can't see the attack coming, after all. "You really...REALLY don't want to do this."

"Or what? You gonna fry our brains?" the backup jock says mockingly, causing both to laugh as they draw nearer.

The witchy girl hurries to her book and crouches to pick it up. She glances up at Bran worriedly as she hugs it to her chest.

Bran raises a brow. "I can, and I will if a fight starts. Want to know why Peterson hangs out with me sometimes? I'm a meta."

"Sure ya are. She also tends to stand up for lost causes and those totally without. I'm betting that's you, loser. Just pretending to be a meta to scare people off," the lead jock says before attempting to grapple Bran.

There's more whispers as Bran declares he's a meta. This part of the cafeteria is watching closely.

Bran manages to avoid getting grappled, and he keeps his hands up, making it clear that he isn't touching the jock in question. Though he does narrow his eyes and concentrate as he sends a wave of pain toward the larger kid.

"Ow! Shick!" the jock puts a hand to his head and looks a bit bewildered. The second jock isn't sure what's going on, having not seen Bran lay a hand on him. He swings to punch Bran in the face.

Bran takes the punch...and the blow's power is dampened as it hits.