Cooking Up A Storm (Open)

Flash was no stranger to the stranger side of Bellemuse, lack of sleep meant that he often took long walks. He probably traversed the length of the island's entire rim in two days, three tops, but alas there were some areas he went less commonly than others and honestly... he felt a touch rude for having ignored them.

And so he had found himself here, in the far east of Bellemuse, waiting tables in a rather peaceful and serene diner. There were no chairs and the ceiling was quite low, thus it was difficult for the android to actually deliver the meals and take the orders, but he just loved the calm ambiance the place gave off. The walls were seemingly made of light wood, the ceiling almost like a large, well-folded, bed-sheet. Lights were stationed between tables, letting out warm light.

The building itself was actually quite large, like a low but square box of sorts. The floors were carpeted green and darker blankets were distributed at the low tables, most set for one or two patrons but some allowing for up to four, allowing people to sit or lay comfortably as they saw fit. It seemed to help with some of their faunus traits, those with bulkier or longer legs as a result of them could sit as they pleased. Even those with wings that would uncomfortably press against chairs seemed happy here, where they could roost properly.

It filled the tall droid with joy to see so many happy faces! Today had just been great, first three nice men had come up to him and asked for some money. When he had told them that he didn't have any money on him, rightfully so, they checked to be sure he didn't. Realizing this, as the large droid was taking back his jacket, two of them ran away while a third attempted to thrust a small piece of metal into the android's side... only for it to break in two. As Flash grabbed the man's hand, hoping to take and repair his damaged instrument, the faunus guy fainted.

As a result he'd pooled the poor man in here, looking for help. He'd gotten a few odd looks and the odd snarl, more pointy pieces of metal and some bits with handles were drawn, but once he got across his intentions things seemed to settle. Soon the guy was up, apologized for some strange reason, and went on his way. From there natural progression dictated that Flash worked there for a little while, he felt a little bad for not giving those poor boys any money and the place was bustling... The owner had offered him a job and he had accepted!

He wrapped up a rather large spider faunus left overs and handed them over as she left the establishment, it seemed this place did a lot of soup, noodles and sandwiches. Simple foods. They seemed like they'd be nice ^^ ...If he could eat.

He awaited the sounding of a bell, there was one stationed at each table so as to peacefully call a waiter over, pads were place on desks in case some of them couldn't speak due to having a more limiting trait... it was nice but he found it strange that there were next to no humans here. Well, regardless, he stood before an eight armed Octo-Faunus-Girl chef (who himself had a station before him for work and the only hole in the ceiling above him) as he waited. Hopefully he'd be able to make friends with some of the residents ^^

It was another long night at Syne Academy and Hyght found himself unable to focus. The young baker stared down at the books he had open upon his desk, bathed in the yellow-white light of his desk lamp. His dark brown eyes blurred sending the words on the pages into a swirl of black ink, signifying yet another break. Hyght exhaled sharply and forced himself back from the desk in his dorm room. In his aggressive show of force against the desk top he accidentally made it knock against the wall with a deep sounding THUD. The young man's immediate response was to turn and see if he had stirred either of his roommates. Bashir and Gricelda, both faunus of interesting personalities.

Bashir was a short rat faunus with a reserved sort of personality. He had apparently been raised in the Fenik Forest and away from most of the more technological things Hyght had grown up with. He also eat more for survival than for taste, something Hyght, as a baker and cook, found deeply sad. Bashir was a good guy from what he could tell and they got along pretty well. However, Gricelda was a bit of a different story. The female wolf faunus was aggressive, a bit rough around the edges, and a former White Fang member. Hyght wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the but it seemed like something he should keep in mind. Especially since their first interaction was so prickly.

Gricelda had struck out for the dominant one of the group, which Hyght didn't mind as he didn't see him being subservient to her anyway. She seemed rather annoyed that a human had been placed as her roommate and while he now knew of her former ties(or possibly still current ties), he was still curious as to why she was so hostile. Despite his curiosity, Hyght has yet to bring it up to her. Instead he chose to stick with their agreed "respect for respect" truce. It seemed to work so far.

As Hyght let his eyes scan from one bunk to the other, his roommates apparently hadn't hear the noise. This was a small victory, one which Hyght decided need to be celebrated outside the room and away for his blasted books. Quietly Hyght gathered up his circular shield and his simple short sword, strapping them into place. The young man then scooped up his Scroll and a pair of wireless headphones and slipped from the room.

The sconces that housed the lights sat just above six feet on the wall, an inch or two taller than Hyght, and the bathed the upper portions of the walls and ceiling in a dim glow. It was just enough light to not be too disoriented when one awoke in the middle of the night and had to use the restroom but not bright enough to harm one's eyes. Hyght found this pleasing as his eyes adjusted to the new level of light. With minor readjustments to his gear, Hyght placed his ear buds into his ears, synced them to his Scroll, and set out on his adventure.

Two hours had past and Hyght found himself in the Bellmuse Central, the local area for shops of all sorts. On any normal trip to the Central he would have taken a bus, but on a cool night as this one was he opted for a walk. Around the first hour he felt his stomach start to growl and realized he hadn't eaten in over seven hours. Something a quick observation of his pudgy body would tell you was a bit out of his norm. At the mark of half past his second hour of travel Hyght noticed an establishment that resembled a short box. What it lacked in height it seemed to amke up for in width and length. There was an interesting smell that permeated the immediate area of the building. "It's heaven." Hyght purred as he followed his nose inside the restaurant.

The interior of the establishment was almost as interesting as the aroma. Carpets the colors of the forest's summer trees laid on the floor, Hyght could feel the plush nature of them even through his sneakers. The ceiling was low giving a slightly claustrophobic feel and the tables were dressed with table cloths so soft and inviting looking that Hyght had sworn the resembled blankets. What Hyght found most peculiar were that there were no chairs around any tables. He glanced around again to make sure and indeed, there were no chairs. Hyght hmmm'd in thought for a moment until he noticed a few dark looks from some faunus a few tables away from him. Hyght ignored them and spotted a tall figure in a white apron.

The figure was a few inches taller than Hyght and Its body looked to be made of a blue tinted metal. Its large, box shaped head looked as if it was wearing a hood, though Hyght honestly wasn't sure. After a moment he realized he was staring and mentally slapped himself. He tore his eyes form the tall metal figure and looks around to see if they had an signs about waiting to be seated.

Gricelda lays on the top bunk, feeling restless this particular evening.  Despite going through her daily routine she still had both the energy and the urge to do something even when she should obviously be sleeping.  It didn't help that the bookworm of a human, Hyght, was distracting her from sleep with the warm glow of lamplight and the constant noises of page flipping.  Gris hardly stirred at the sound of some object striking the wall with force.  At most it only got her to open her eyes and stare at the blankness of the ceiling looming over her.  It irritated her somewhat be not enough to warrant complaining about it this time.  She listened to Hyght quietly shuffling about in the room, moving things.  While Hyght may have sounded stealthy to himself, for Gricelda it easy make out the small noises of moment.    It was quite faint, but nothing her faunus ears could pick.  She tried to drift to slumber until she heard a sound that she didn't expect, the opening and closing of a door.

Gris raises her head just enough to look at the door, then looks over the bed railing.  She then looked under her bunk, confirming that Hyght really did just leave.  She scrunches her brow as she wonders what would posses Hyght to leave at such an hour.  Gris slides and hops down from her bunk, activating her semblance just enough to lessen the impact her her feet hitting the floor, turning what should have been a thud on the ground to a quite tap.  Doing a quick scan, she could see that he left his books on the table and did not even bothering to turn off the lamp.  But more curious to Gris was the fact Hyghts weapons where absent from the dorm.  

Her mind raced with questions, questions that needed answering.  She scampered to put on some socks and boots on her feet and quickly collecting her axe and shield.  She may not have known what Hyght's intentions were warrant bringing his weapons but if he thought he was going to need them then she better bring her's as well.  Gris sets out of the room as fast as she could.  She cared little that her current outfit, a gray tank-top and some long sweatpants, was basically her pajamas.  She may have stirred up some noise that would my stir moment from anyone still sleeping in the dorm but cared little about the sound generated in her haste.

Gris somehow manage to spot Hyght despite him having an early lead on her.  Honestly it was just good fortune that she happened to go down the same path as Hyght did as she surely would have lost him otherwise.  But like a wolf stalking its prey in the night, she trails behind Hyght in the cover of shadows.  It was something familiar to her... like those time she and her comrades in the White Fang trailing an important human to kidnap.  Hyght only made stalking him that much easier he predicable followed the illuminated pathways and was to engrossed listening to tunes from his headphone to notice her presence.  As she followed Hyght at a distance, she pondered her roommate's reasons for being out late while armed.  Was he going to do some late night weapon practice?  Was he bold and foolish enough to try to take on Grimm in their element of darkness?  Is is involved in some illicit and seedy business activity?  

The longer she followed, the more questions and justifications she came up with.  Whatever it was, she was going to have to help him if he does something foolish or confront him if he did something she didn't approve of.  By this point, it was nearly two hours they somehow manage to walk all the way to the city of Bellmuse.  At this point... Gris was kinda enjoying the thrill of stalking her roommate.  She was either very sneaky or he very obvious to have not have notice her by now.  At the very least, this little game kept her entertained and busy where she might have otherwise have been bored out her skull as she struggled to fall asleep.  Who knows what else she could get into once Hyght finally get to his final destination.  Interrupt his training session with an unexpected spar?  Taking on grimm during the night together?  Beating up some ruffians in the city streets?  Whatever Gris' hopes of excitement were this late at night, they quickly dashed as she observed Hyght sniffing the air and proceeding inside what appeared to have been a diner.  Gris rubbed her eyes and did a double take.  She was in disbelief, she followed Hyght all the way to Bellmuse only to find him to getting a late night snack?  Who would walk two hours in the late evening to settle their late night craving!?  Apparently Hyght.

Gris could feel her blood boil, she was so concerned what that pudgy greenhorn was going to get himself into some sort of trouble and only to find him entering a diner to feed that stupid fat face of his.  Oh she was going to have a word with him.

Gricelda opens the diner door forcefully, glaring at Hyght as she grumbles sternfully

"Seriously!?  You slink out of the dorm in the dark, while armed, waddle little over two hours from Syne to Bellmuse only to satisfy you midnight snack in some mediocre diner?!  Seriously!?  Here I thought I was going to have to get you out of something foolish like fighting a Beowulf in this late evening.  But I guess I was the fool to thing someone like YOU would looking to get into scuffle now.  I guess I should have not bothered being worried when you left abruptly with a weapon in hand.  Next time, I'll just assume that you use your sword as a glorified butter knife as you stuff that face of yours with pastries."

Gris was obviously mad... but she wasn't sure if she was mad at him for making her worry or be mad at herself for being worried.  Regardless, she still pouts her lower lip and wears that angry scowl on her face.  All this sneaking and being angry has... made her kinda hungry.

Gris looks up to what she assumes is the waiter robot and gives an order to the android.

"Hey!  Bucket of bolts, a table for two for me and the human please."

Flash waved as a large fleshy one entered the restaurant, seemingly human but the android had seen some really cool expansions come from some of the faunus here. Extra appendages popping out of spines, concealed wings, elongated necks. But perhaps this one was human? That'd be a first for here! Soon after however he was accompanied by a shorter faunus girl with grey ears. Well the more the merrier!

The large droid scanned the room, looking out at all the furrowed brows and long stares aimed toward the party in front of him.


The massive droid led the two over, slowly and heavily making his way across the soft flooring. The instant he gestured toward the table the four patrons at the adjacent tables got up and left, seeming to talk to the chef on the way out... maybe a piece of food had went bad?

Hyght stood in the middle of the restaurant for a moment as he looked for a sign of whether he could seat himself and decided he should just opt for taking a spot. It was sometimes better to ask for forgiveness than permission, though he only figured that saying was used in much more dramatic situations than standing awkwardly in the middle of a room. Regardless the young baker turned toward a table away from a majority of the patrons and removed his earbuds, the brum-thump-thump of his music played rather loudly from the speakers. As soon as the ear buds were out of his ear he heard the angry shrill of a familiar voice.

Hyght's eyes widened a fraction of an amount and he turned his head to find Gricelda standing a few feet from him, her yellow eyes smoldering with anger. Apparently she had been talking but his music was too loud for him to hear her. He had caught the last third of the rant she was giving him and noticed the jab about his palate for food. Though he was a baker and cook, was it really so strange to like food and sweets when you worked with them for so many years? Hyght didn't think so, nor did his family, though perhaps they were a bit biased.

When Gricelda had finished berating him, Hyght noticed that he lip seemed to poke out a bit in what could resemble a pout, though the look in her eyes was still like a blacksmith's forge. The young wolf-faunus called, rather rudely, to the tall android that Hyght had stared at a few moments prior. Gricelda had apparently gotten hungry. Ironic. He thought with a dab of spiteful humor. Then he realized she had included him in the demand. This seemed to surprise the young baker, so much so that he stayed in place as the android led Gricelda to the table. Though it requested that they remove their shoes before venturing onto the carpet farther. "Oh, sure." Hyght said slowly and bent down to unlace his sneakers. He placed them in a designated area of footwear by the door.

Hyght turned to approach the table but found four of the patrons had stood and left from their table and food abruptly, casting a dark gaze toward him as they left. While the young human didn't show it, he swallowed nervously. Apparently he had come to the wrong place in the dark of night. Once the four patrons had left the lone human made his way toward the table and took a seat on the floor. The feeling of the carpet was a relief on his feet, the soft, somewhat cushioned carpet made a better seat than the chair in his dorm room. Hyght let out a soft sigh of bliss as he sat. "We need some of this in the dorm." He said in hopes to lighten the mood of the angry fuanus girl.

The android dropped to the floor at the table and offered them the menu with a little pun added in. Hyght found his lips peeling from his teeth and chuckled. "Ah! A fan of puns." He said joyfully. "I haven't met many that enjoy making puns here." He nodded a couple times to himself and chuckled again. "Not bad and yes I'd love to see the men-new."

A few moment later Hyght turned and looked at Gricelda. "So..." he began masterfully, "You followed me." He eyed the wolf girl for a moment quizzically. "Why?"

Gricelda lets out sighs and promptly slips out of both her shoes and socks, casting them aside aimlessly with the other shoes and socks.  She wriggles her toes and scampers behind the android waiter, not bothering to wait for her companion.  As she followed the waiter, she looked around to inspects the clientele.  She felt right at home with people as they were all faunus such as herself, many of them reminding of her compatriots when she would run with the White Fang.  If nothing else at least she found a good place to get away from humanity and mingle with other's of her kind.  

Gris smiles to each and every face she looked at.  Some of the strangers smiled or nodded to her in return but it seems some of them are with preoccupied casting evil glares to her human roommate.  Can't say she blames them... she understands that apprehensiveness around humans.  While she may not have liked her human roommate... she also can't have him mysteriously disappearing as that would look very bad on her given her history.  Hopefully no one plans on bothering him... or worse.

The robot brings the two of them to a patch of carpet with a table for them to seat around.  She nods her head as the robot chimes something about making themselves comfortable.  Gris scratches the carpet with her right foot, then plops her herself onto the carpeted floor.  The human chimed about how comfortable the carpet and how they should find some for their dorm.  

"Mhrmm."  mummers Gris with shrug of indifference.  He wasn't wrong... the carpet was surprisingly soft and comfortable.  Gris rolls her eyes at the robot's lame attempt at humor.  Her roommate's approval of the stupid pun warranted Gris to look up to Hyght.   She nods her head from side to side as she lets out a groan in disgust.

"Ughh... yeah just bring us the menus now robot." states Gris, almost snarling to her waiter.

For the next few moments, Gris was still acclimating to the diner setting, curiously eyeing the various other faunus inside.  Her ears perk at the sound of her roommate starting a sentance and jerks her face to look at his direction.  Her lupine tail curls around her lap as she listens to what he has to say.  When questioned why she followed him, Gris could only initially response by giving Hyght an incredulous stare.  Gris would appear as if she was about to fume and begin another torrent of angry words but... hold herself back.  Instead she takes a breath, then stares him down coldly.  She then unclamps her lips, spewing directed venom at him.

"I thought I explained myself EARLIER but I guess like many humans you don't seem to LISTEN the first time!  But I guess I'll have to explain myself AGAIN why I followed you."

With that, Gris breaths through her nostrils and calms herself, going on to explain to Hyght why she is here.

"First of all, your not as quite as you think yourself to be.  I was listening to fummble about those pages as I tried to get some shut eye.  Then I heard someone open and close the door.  Curious, I checked your bunk and both you and your weapons missing.  I... didn't know what to make of it so I assumed you wanted to prove with some late night training or... somehow thought that you could take on Grimm by yourself.  So... I followed you because I was... concerned that you were going to get yourself way over your head and that I was going to have come dashing in to save your sorry behind.  So I followed you from the shadows and watched your every move, ready to jump in protect you from whatever foolishness you brought yourself onto.  Turns out... you were just hungry and would walk a surprising distance to find a restaurant open at this late of a time."

A smile creeps up on Gric's face, followed by a grin, then a fit of laughter as she falls back onto the carpet with a soft thump as she continues speak, laughing all the way.

"But clearly I should have have not have worried.  I mean... you?  Ghee hee haha!  Looking for a fight!?  Your like a plush ursa bear!  Bwwhaaa haa haa haa ha... haa. hooo.. hee.ha..haa..."

Gris lays in place, content to remain on the carpet as she smiles at the ceiling above.  Her face becomes expressionless as a question comes to mind in Gris' mind.

"Seriously... why are you even here?  You and I know that you don't belong in a place like this." inquires the wolf faunus, who continues to lay on the floor and stand on the ceiling.

Hyght listened, his immediate reaction was to snap back but he bit back his initial reaction awaited till she was finished. Gricelda spoke, her words were laced with the cold anger and frigid contempt she held for him. He hadn't been at Syne long, a couple weeks by this point, but her attitude toward him hadn't changed any. To her he was a human, someone that didn't deserve her respect, someone that she felt such strong animosity towards that he had thought about asking for a change of rooms but after some careful thought he realized that is what she might want. She wasn't comfortable around him, though she seemed much more accepting and less on edge around their other two roommates. The golden gleam in Gricedla's eyes softened by a the smallest unit of measure possible as a smile slipped across her lips, peeling them back into a smile that made Hyght uncomfortable.

The former White Fang member laughed and let herself fall back onto the carpet. More insults ran from her mouth and in the end she just laid there. Hyght couldn't see her but just as he was about to open his mouth she spoke again. There was a change in her tone this time. One that stymied the fire hot retort he had prepared for her. Her inquiry made Hyght remember the reason he was there.

"First off, don't be rude to our waiter." He said, his tone firm but not harsh. "It's impolite and just unnecessary. He's got a job to do and he was trying to ease the tension that could be cut through with a blade. You might not have appreciated his attempt but that didn't warrant that sort of rudeness." He turned and inclined his head to the waiter. "I'm sorry for that. The menus, please."

Following the departure of the waiter Hyght pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and shrugged his shield from his back and placed it on the floor beside him, his sword was next. "Second, while I appreciate you looking out for me, I didn't ask you to. I'm not that dumb to go looking to fight a Grimm at night. And by myself? Really? I know where my combat skills are at, I'm no where near capable of fight at Grimm on my own. Hell I can barely survive a combat class without adding a plethora of new welts and bruises." Hyght shook his head. "You honestly think I'd be so stupid as to go and- actually never mind, I know your answer for that." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't know what your beef is with me but give it up. You're really just being an asshole. I mean I haven't done anything to you to warrant your animosity. Hell you've barely taken the time to find out much more than my name in the weeks that I've been here!" Hyght snapped, unaware of the slow raise in his pitch.

"I took a walk to clear my head. That was it." He said with a small slash in the air with his hand. "I had been staring at those books for so long everything was getting blurry. So rather than sitting there and suffering, I decided to get some fresh air and take a break. I grabbed my stuff for just in case anything happened. I mean, we both know I'm not that good of a fighter but I'd still rather have them and not need them than need them and die." Hyght paused and noticed a narrow eyed look from the cook that shot to the door, followed by a raise of her eyebrow. Hyght understood what she meant by it and nodded apologetically.
"I'm here to become a Huntsman, Gricelda. Just like you." He said quietly. "I don't know what your reason is for being here but I know mine. And I may not be what a traditional Huntsman looks like, but I will become a Huntsman." The pudgy baker's tone didn't waver. The words were spoken with a sense of absolute certainty and the look in his watering eyes, while maybe not threatening, shined with a determination and will so strong he looked as if he could stare down an Ursa. "I will not let another family die." Hyght's words burned hard in his throat and despite the pools in his eyes, no tear fell.

Flash brought up the menu on his screen, only to see the two were seemingly somewhat... distracted by their emotions. He quickly removed the menu from his face entirely;


The large android set the bell back down, in the time that the girl had mentioned the male being human another couple left. This one had yet to even order. The chef sure seemed to be cutting those meats with a lot of force now. Peppers to.


The droid twitched his thumbs a little, prepared to take their order. With a mind like his he didn't really need a pad nor paper, could remember everything since the junkyard. He kept some space open at the bottom of his screen to communicate with;

Gris listens to her roommates little spool about the waiter android as she continues to lay on the floor... which was super comfortable.  Treating the robot with respect?  What a laugh, it was just some hand-me-down service android waiting tables.  To Gris, it was like treating a toaster as if was flesh and blood. Gris continued to lay on the carpet floor, her ears tuned to the sound of her roommate's voice as he continues with the rest of his speech.  He sounded mad, sounding insulted that she thought that he was out looking for a fight.  Well... what else was she suppose to think?  In her experience, people slinking out late at night armed and dangerous without saying a word could only mean that they are out to start trouble or preparing for trouble.  Her beef with him?  What?  Aside from being a human Gris didn't think she had any problems with Hyght, at least until now.  If this conversation made her realize anything... its that its clear the two of them didn't get along.  Well fine with her... she didn't like him anyway... right?

Gris continues to lay on the carpet, holding back her contempt for the human as she listens to his response to her earlier question.  She... was taken by surprise from his more clam and passionate response. As she sits herself back up, she has a perplexed look on her face.  Hyght clearly misunderstood her question, as she was asking about why he entered this dinner in particular but he seemed to have taken the question to mean he is even training a hunter in the first place.  It was good answer... just not he answer her was expecting to hear.

"Huh?  What?  I... I meant-"  Gris shuts herself, telling him the meaning behind her original question would just give off a bad impression.  Plus... she could tell she struck a sour note with Hyght with the whole... death on the family thing.

The chime of the bell being struck took Gris' attention of her teammate and back to the robot waiter from before.  After listening to the robot, Gris lets out a grunt and murmurs to the machine as she turns her head back to Hyght.

"Friends?  Hardely, we are ju-"

Gris grows silent, her head slowly craning to face return her gaze back to the android's TV screen.  She could only stare wide-eyed at the android, stunned to hear that it not only seemed concerned about the two of them but that it also claimed to a hunter too.  All of the androids she as met until now would hardly bother to give one the time of the day unless they were programmed to do so.  But this one... cares?  Its claim as being a hunter just like herself and her roommate made her feel even more unsettled by its presence.  Its causal reminders about how squishy they were didn't help make Gris feel any less uncomfortable with the robot.  She only really broke trance when the robot asked for her name.

"Huh?  Oh... Beef Stir- No no no!  I mean I Gricelda Mee... and I guess I would like the beef stir-fry..." fumbles Gris, looking a little embarrassed as she look darts her head away from Flash and stares at the short table in front of her.

Hyght finished speaking but didn't look up from the table for a few breaths. Part of him was worried he'd break down if he found Gricelda looking at him with that contemptuous gaze of her's. He knew why he was there, he saw the reason in his dreams sometimes, he wasn't going to be told he didn't belong someplace. Then something hit him, Gricelda was the predatorial sort of faunus. She even went all Alpha-mode on him when he first arrived at Syne. She, like almost everyone in Remnant, responded to body language and though his voice has firm and confident, his choice of not looking at her might be taken as a sign of weakness.

Screw it. I have nothing to prove to her. He thought sourly, and continued to stare at the table until Gricelda spoke up in response to something but stopped only a few words in. She was quiet for a few moments and it was then that Hyght stole a glance and found the wolf-faunus' golden eyes glued to the android's screen. Hyght's dark eyes followed them to see the text that was displayed on the waiter's screen. He was concerned for them and appeared to want them to stop fighting. Hyght read the text and saw that between the dialogue the waiter wanted to convey was the menu. The young baker ignored the menu for the moment and read the rest of his words. His name was Flash Driver and he was apparently a Huntsman -Huntsdroid?- in-training.

Gricelda erlier words were her attempt to clarify that they weren't friends but she stopped. Whether it was because she felt bad or the words of Flash caught her attention, Hyght didn't know. What he did know was that Flash had introduced itself and it was apparently Hyght's turn.

"My name is Hyght Briggs." He said stealing a quick glance at Gricelda as she stared at the table. The expression on her face said she was embarrassed. If only a little. Hyght had never seen that look on her face before. It made her look a bit younger and more delicate than she led on. Hyght looked away, back to Flash before she could catch him. "Oh, guess it's my turn then." He said as his eyes scanned the menu. "So you're in-training, Flash?" He asked and nodded in decision. "I'll take the rice and chicken, please." He said finally and turned, settling his body into a more comfortable position.

A bowl in either hand Flash returned to the pair, setting their individual meals down and preparing their cutlery; Chopsticks if they could handle to eat with them, Spoon, Knife and fork just in case... though the knife seemed a little pointless... he had already recommended investing in sporks. Regardless he set their table and suplied their napkins.

By this point, any redness on her cheeks would have flushed from her face.  Gris cautiously eyes as the android goes to fetch their meals.  Gris then looks to Hyght with an alarmed look on her face.  She speaks to her human roommate in a low voice as to not get the attention of prying ears.

"That robot... I don't like it.  There is something wrong with its... software I think.  It acts like as if-"

Gricelda suddenly silence herself as the machine makes an entrance, this time with food.  Gris continues to give the android a way gaze as it sets their food down and with responds to Hyght's earlier response.  Gris forgoes responding to the robot's question, instead shoots the strange machine a series of questions.

"Robot... why should a machine like you care about looking after people?  Are you programmed to do so or did you just feel like it?  Also who is maker?  You seem to be an older model... also why are you here as part-time occupation?  If your a grimm killing machine as you claim, shouldn't you be out there rather than in here serving food?  And are you REALLY a student at Syne academy?  I'm skeptical that the academy administration allowed a bot to be enrolled as if you were actually a person.  In fact... better question, do you think of yourself as person?  You know, having a soul and all of that."

As she finished, Gris continues to analyze the machine... waiting expectantly for a response

As Flash Driver excused himself to fetch the food Gricelda whispered to Hyght, an expression of possibly surprise or skeptical calculation on her face. Hyght arched an eyebrow at her statement but before he could pipe in Flash had returned and place two white bowls down on the table, flanked by silverware and two sets of wooden chopsticks. With a nod of thanks he began to dig in as his roommate proceeded to drill the android with a series of questions. The wolf faunus did not trust the android and opted to refer to it as "robot" or even worse as to make it more objectified by refusing to use the name it had provided.

Hyght used the pair of chopsticks Flash had produced and lifted a small scoop of the sticky white rice to his mouth, letting the flavor of the small grains had absorbed from the chicken explode upon his taste buds. Hyght let out a short moan of ecstasy and took another few bites before Gricelda finished her interrogation. "Android." He said from behind his hand that concealed his mouth full of food. "Flash could be an android." He added before taking his time finishing his current bite of food.

While Hyght wanted to chastise her for her hostile approach to questioning the tall waiter he stopped himself and sat patiently. "Yes, Flash. Would you mind tell us your story?" He asked, he too was interested in Flash's tale.

Ahri was just laying around like she always dose on nice day's and nice night's. The sun was starting to go down and the fox girl was starting to get a little hungry and she was in town hiding form the humans mostly the male ones do to past things. She wanted to get something to eat but most places she knows don't sell to what most say to her kind. That was something she knew all to well it wasn't a easy life being a Faunus. Ahri started to walk with here head down to some a place were Faunus can go and eat and was run by the white fang so it had to be safe for someone like hereto go right? The whole white fang thing was just something that some humans said but they could of been wrong but anything that had to do with Faunus had something to do with the white fang.

She than came a cross the place she header some people talk about and she walked in. As she looked around she was in her school uniform and some of the others looked it her with some evil looks till they seen she was a Faunus as well then some smiled and some nodded and turned back to there food. Ahri than took a spot on the floor with a open table and waited.

The droid cleared his screen when he was certain they had finished reading;


The droid was completely unaware of his joke's awful nature.


It was at this point he noticed a newcomer had taken a seat at the table adjacent from the duo.


Flash shuffled sideward a bit until he reached the newcomer's table, quickly identifying the newcomer's uniform as that of the school's.

"Ughh.  Robot, android.  Same thing really." utters Gris in response to Hyghts observation before listening to what the waiter robot has to say.

Somehow, asking more questions made her that much more uncertain of the machine.  Did it really think it have a soul?  The machine merely entertaining the idea convinced Gris that the robot was very much self aware and unlike any other machine she has come across.  What does it make it?  A person?  Whatever it was, Gris didn't know who she should treat the thing.  Its lame attempt at joke was... lame but it did somehow force a smile on her face.

"Ehh... heh... heh..."

There wasn't much of a backstory the machine could give her about why it is it joined Syne academy aside being turned over by the police and how it wanted to help people.  A bit dubious but then again... she came to Syne to avoid spending half a decade in jail for her involvement in the White Fang so its reason was as good as her's.

"Oh... how interesting.  Err... thanks for answering the questions as best you could... whatever your name is."

Gris looks over to the newcomer, a fellow faunus such as herself.  Judging by what the waiter robot had said, she also seems to attend Syne Academy.  Flash offered the faunus a seat, which Gris was more than happy to allow despite any objections from Hyght as she assumed he would have allowed to her to sit with them anyway.

"Why of course!  She is welcome to sit with with us." happily chimes Gris

"Oh, and don't worry about the human here.  I promise he doesn't bite~" she adds in jest at Hyght's expense

"So you more or less have no memory of before the trash yard?" Hyght asked replenishing his chopsticks with food. "And that still doesn't really explain what your-" He trailed off as Flash Driver excused himself to attend to a customer, a young looking woman in her late teens or early twenties, she had long black hair with two steeped points atop her head. The two points were as black as her hair and if they hadn't twitched Hyght might have mistaken them for the woman's hair. She wore the uniform of Syne Academy, which he had noted few within Syne that did. The uniform seemed to mute but not hide the curves of her attractive body. Hyght found his eyes hovering over the young woman's curves a bit longer than he thought was polite. With his realization he willed his eyes to move on and found himself surprised he hadn't noticed the mass of fur that trailed in her wake.

"Nine?" Hyght absently thought aloud, his tone one of questioning surprise. He had been told it wasn't too common to find faunus with many animal like features like a tail, let alone nine of them. "Cool." The young baker returned to his food as Flash and Gricelda offered the Nine-tailed newcomer a spot at their table. Hyght shrugged his shoulders and finished the bite he'd taken. "Well I wouldn't go that far. But I've had all my shots. Scout's honor." Hyght replied, raising one hand in a mock scout salute.

"Here." The pudgy huntsman in training moved his things away from the last empty spot at their table. "I doubt you'd find my stuff more comfortable than the carpet." Hyght then turned his attention back to the towering android. "Hey, Flash. Could I get some apple juice?" He asked before draining the last bit from his glass of water.

"Ah ^^ Welcome to the restaurant, another fellow school member ^^ Nice. Umm... I'm not sure if I can invite this but," Ahri looked at who or what was talking to her. *A robot?* that was something she didn’t thing something a place like this would have but it did look old so maybe it was found in a junk yard. She was so lost as it said another fellow school member what is this thing and it goes to the school? "Would you three like to all sit together or?... If not I can just get you up the menu Miss ^^ Please make yourself comfortable."

Ahri looked over at the two it was talking about the girl was a faunus but the guy didn’t look like one but if he was in here he had to be one right? As Ahri was about to say no the girl yelled out "Why of course! She is welcome to sit with us." Ahri felt she had to go over now but as she got up from her table and started to walk to there’s "Oh, and don't worry about the human here. I promise he doesn't bite~"

Ahri stopped frozen in fear of a human male with her in in this place. *A-a-a-a hu-hum-human!! A male human n-n-no no-not he-here.* than male human was saying something but all Ahri was able to hear was her own thongs in her head. Ahri tried to tell herself to run but nothing happened and then everything that black.

With all the speed he could muster the big metal man placed a hand to the side of the fleshy one's neck, getting a reading for her pulse. It was still there, so that was good. Fleshy ones did have that weird beating thing in their chest that acted like a motor, without it they'd die.


Flash quickly rose, running to the tap and pouring a glass of water. He then briskly made his way back to the girl, having it ready for when she would wake up. He sat the glass on the pair he had been helping's table as he gently moved the girl across to them, laying her on the carpeted area.

Gricelda stares at the whole scene in disbelief.  The moment she mentioned that Hyght was human, the poor faunus girl panicked and appeared to have fainted in fright!  She remained speechless as the robot scuttled about as it seemed to be a loss at to what to do.  It brought over a glass of water and placed it on the table. The robot then asked the two of them if they could help, particularly if they were familiar with medicine which Gricelda was not.

"I... I dunno a thing about medicine aside from wrapping tourniquets!  Grrr..."

Gris jerks her head over to Hyght, snapping at him

"See!?  This is how bad the animosity between our people is!  You made the poor girl faint in fright!  Your the book nerd between the two of us so I hope that you know something about what do when person faints.  Otherwise... we better call authorities to bring her to the hospital or something."

Gris then takes out her Scroll, ready to contact help if her roommate fails to help the poor faunus girl.

The girl fell though "fell" wasn't really the right term for how she fell, Hyght noted as the limp body of the girl plummeted to the cushioned, carpet floor below. That was a very unforeseen and unintended reaction for the evening. The nine-tailed girl seemed to have fainted after realizing that Hyght was a human. Something he hadn't thought would ever cause someone else such stress, much less to faint. Gricelda snapped at him but his attention was on the unconscious form of the girl, his reaction was frozen in place as his mind took a few moments to make sense of the scene. Once he had returned to his right state of mind the young man pushed himself up from the floor and made his way toward the downed young woman.

"Grics, get me something I can use as a pillow." He said without looking at the wolf faunus. "Flash, get on the phone and call for a medical team. I don't want to take a chance this is worse than it is." After a moment he looked between the two and made his tone more authoritative. "Now, please." He said and positioned himself by the girl's side and checked her pulse, despite having witnessed the towering android do so already. He counted for a minute while his eyes were locked on a nearby clock. After a minute he nodded. "She has a normal pulse." He said as he racked his brain for the information he had read in some medical books some years before. While he had never performed CPR or had to deal with an unconscious person before he had helped deliver a baby once. The incident was a metaphorical train wreck but the baby was successfully birthed and had been one of the most eye opening experiences of young Hyght's life.

"Airway." Hyght breathed to himself, working to keep himself calm. When someone fainted it was due to an insufficient amount of blood getting to the brain. While the period of time someone was unconscious was sometimes just a few minutes there was no way the young baker could know for sure if she would wake up soon or not. He only hoped the young woman didn't wake up and think he was doing anything nefarious.

When Gricelda returned Hyght nodded and pointed to her legs. "We need to elevate her feet." He said and stood taking the requested item from his roommate. "Be by her side, lift her legs just enough for me to place this under them." Hyght didn't know for sure but he figured if the young woman did wake up and find him near her or, worse off, touching her, she might have another episode and panic. When the motions were carried out and the girl's feet were elevated above her heart Hyght moved a couple tables away and sat down, making sure he was well away from his weapons.

"See!? This is how bad the animosity between our people is! is! is!is!is!is!is!" that was the last thing Ahri heard before getting lost in her thought's and or fear. She was remembering about her pass with the humans and all the pain and sadness and so on and so on. this in turned started to get her hart going and her starting to sweat. Than her eyes shot open and she sat up and seen the other woman faunus holding her legs up and the human man by her legs. She than pushed the faunus girl away form her and than kicked the human in the face and backed away form the guy.

Other faunus started to look and some even walked up to the four and some weren't too happy that a human was here. Some were even yelling at the guy. Ahri just stayed back away for the human just looking at him keeping a eye on him mostly to fear.

As the foot went flying for the boy Flash's own arm shot forward, the sound of metal twanging filled the room as the foot collided with the light green metal; keeping the blow from reaching the boy's face. It was hardly effective on him, being made of metal and all. An unarmed kick to him was the same as a pat on the back. He didn't want anyone doing anything they would regret... he really didn't want to throw either of the parties out of the establishment.


This done he quickly turned to the black haired girl, gesturing for her to sit at her table.

OOC:

Gris may not fully trust her roommate but... when it comes to medical matters she more or less assumes him to the the expert out of all of them.  She places her scroll away and grabs a nearby decorative cushion, tossing it in her roommate's general direction.  Gricelda does as Hyght instructed, grabbing the unconscious faunus by the feet and lifting them both up a little.

"Alright... that I can do.  So... what next- " starts Gricedla before suddenly interrupted by the fox faunus suddenly walking up pushing the both of them back.

Gricelda instinctively attempts to to calm down the panicked fox faunus, holding out her hands to defuse the situation.

"Whoaa whoaa whoa whoa whoa... I... I know your scared and frightened this human but I can assure you that he will not harm you... I'll make sure of that." claims Gricelda calmly, shooting Hyght a dirty glare before looking back to Ahri and offering her a sheepish smile.  

Flash however places himself in between the parties involved and also attempts to defuse the situation.  Gris closes her eyes and sloches.  As she lets out a sigh, she opens her left eye, seeing the other faunus patrons mummering and staring at the four of them.  She could even pick up some of them yelling and calling for the human to get out... to which she personally agree.  Gricelda  clutches her hands, stomps her right foot, then spins her body to face Hyght.  As her eyes open, her wolf-like amber eyes narrow as she stares him down.  Gris... did not look happy with him.

"This is all YOUR FAULT!  You should have never have come here!  You humans ALWAYS bring trouble with you!" snaps Gricelda as she points over to Ahri but still staring down Hyght with displeasure.  In the back of her mind, she knew it was unfair to be yelling at Hyght like this since he didn't mean any sort of malice and earnestly tried to help but her own anger over the situation has gotten the better of her judgement.

The situation went into meltdown, Hyght noted. The girl he had been trying to help had woken up and, in her frightened panic, shot a kick towards Hyght's face. The portly baker had poor reaction time and felt himself flinch, his eyes shut in response as he awaited the sharp pain that was sure to follow. Except instead of pain, there was a metallic thud. Hyght opened his eyes and saw Flash Driver, the large android waiter, with his arm between him and the nine-tailed faunus. He had taken the blow for him and tried to defuse the situation.

Around the interior of the establishment multiple tables of patrons were showing visible and overtly signs of displeasure, anger, and even hate. Hyght had never seen such a grouping of negative emotions towards someone before. The young baker wasn't ignorant to the issues between Humans and Faunus but he'd never seen or experienced it first hand. The growing fury of the restaurant made Hyght's limbs begin to shake, he was scared and if the Faunus were anything like the animals some of their features resemble, then some of them were already aware of his fear.

Hyght could fee the burning eyes of multiple patrons as they regarded him with every negative feeling they could. When they saw him he wasn't a chubby, harmless, hunter-in-training. What they saw was every human that had wronged them. Those that held them down and refused to accept them as equals. Hyght had no idea that such a feeling could be held by someone, let alone for a stranger that was trying to help one of their people.

"This is all your fault!" He heard Gricelda roar. The sudden outburst caught him off guard and he found himself staring at his roommate with an expression of shock and confusion. "B-but I..." he started to say when he heard a rolling basso of a growl and Hyght noticed he was surrounded more than he had initially realized. Men and woman of varying sizes and predatory features had moved in close, some even had their claws popped and primed for an attack, should they need to. Hyght was frozen in fear. He'd not been this scared in some time and the feeling in his knees made him think he was about to collapse.

Gricelda was unfortunately right, at least in a way, he had caused an uproar and, while he hadn't intended to do so, made a young woman faint out of fright. He could see the horrified look on her face. She honestly thought he was a threat, that he might hurt her in some shape of form. She wasn't just scared, she was terrified. Hyght Briggs, youngest of his family and the only to ever stray from his baking heritage, whom had never been in a fight or had an enemy, and whom went out of his way to help his customers, was the badguy of the situation.

Tears began to well i the pits of his eyes, they burned but he refused to let them fall. He had heard never to show weakness to a predator, and while Faunus weren't animals, they did go by some form of animal-like behavior. These aren't animals. They're people. And I did them wrong even if I didn't mean to. Hyght took in a shaky breath and exhaled steadily. Without word he raised his hands, palms out in a placating gesture. "I'll go. I'll be reaching for my things but I won't draw the blade or grab the shield grip."

"Damn right you wont, human." He heard someone hiss behind him.

Hyght felt his heart pang with a new feeling he didn't understand. "I'm sorry to have bothered you." He said to the crowd before sliding his eyes to the girl but stopped and moved to pick up his gear, cautious that he didn't make any moves that might make them think he was going to attack. "I'm sorry I frightened you. I hope you're okay."

The sole human in the restaurant slid the shield onto his back but kept the sheathed blade in his off hand. With his right hand he reached toward his backpokcet but frozen when someone snarled at him. "He's reaching for something!"

"Just my wallet!" He said quickly but he felt a the light pressure of claw tips on his neck. Hyght's heart thudded and his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

"Move and you die." The owner of the claws rumbled, their hot breath on the side of Hyght's face. With a small motion Hyght's wallet was free from his back pocket and folded open revealing his license and a picture of his family. "Hyght Briggs." The faunus said, slowly enunciating his name as if tasting the syllables. "I know who you are, what you and your family look like, where your family lives, and what you smell like. Try something on a Faunus again. Come in here again. And you'll wish you were never born." The voice spoke with no exaggerated drama, it was smooth and cold, as if this were a matter of fact that Hyght should be well aware of.

The baker felt his blood run cold and wanted nothing more than to be far from here. Far away from the Faunus that was threatening him and his family. Hyght nodded his understanding and felt a pin prick of pain in his neck. "Good. Now leave." The Faunus ordered and shoved the trainee away and toward the entrance and tossing Hyght's wallet at the door. Hyght stumbled for a moment but managed to right his balance and walked to the door, his eyes found Gricelda for a moment but he was too frightened to feel anything more than his fear. He said nothing as he retrieved his wallet and left.

----------------------

A few minutes later Hyght was sitting in the far back corner of the airship as it farried him back to Syne. Hyght had his hand placed on the side of his neck, blocking the small trail of blood from his injury, and was shivering as the adrenaline from the restaurant began to fade. He stared at the doors until he reached the Academy. He wasted little time getting back to his room, once inside he gathered up a fresh change of clothes and stepped to the shower. He sat beneath the almost scalding shower head and wept silently till the water ran cold. He wanted to climb in bed and beg the sandman for relief but classes were in a few hours and the scene at the restaurant was far too fresh to let him sleep. Instead Hyght dried off, gathered his things and left the room.

Exit Hyght Briggs.