the_campus | One Rudie, check. Bunch of graffiti on everything, possibly including a now-neon bear, check.

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One Rudie, check. Bunch of graffiti on everything, possibly including a now-neon bear, check.

[It seems someone doesn't like the Campus' hired decorator, because the entire building, inside and out, has a new coat of paint this morning. Graffiti of all kinds is sprayed seemingly randomly all along the outside and inside of the building, and that may even be a tree with a tag at the top, too. There's something distinctly strange about the graffiti as well, for those who actually pay attention to it. As if it's got an energy of its own, somehow, despite being paint.

For those who are awake earlier in the day or can be woken up by the noise and quick enough, they might be able to catch sight of a young teenager in a blue hoodie with bright green hair.

Otherwise, later in the day when the sun's properly up, said kid can be found sitting on one of the air vents on the roof, tapping his skates against the side of it to a beat unknown by any but him.

Yoyo honestly had no idea what the fuck, to be utterly frank. He had been in Tokyo-to, about to race Beat, and then suddenly he'd crashed full-on into the wall of the Nurse's office, freaking out the nurse there until he managed to smooth-talk her back to calm. She'd told him a couple of things -- something about this place being a "Campus" -- and he'd left to try to actually get his bearings.

What he'd found out wasn't comforting. Namely, that there was something distinctly wrong with this place.

Like in Tokyo-to, he could feel the Campus had a soul of its own, of sorts, but it was all sorts of wrong. Its "beat" was off a couple of notes, and unlike Tokyo-to -- which always felt alive and thrumming -- this place almost felt dead, like a half-beaten creature that continued to drag itself along. It just wasn't right. Corrupted somehow, but Yoyo didn't know how or how to fix it.

He's thankful, at least, that the Campus' soul still seems alive enough to manifest, which the floating paint cans around the area invisible to all but his eyes can attest to; that was half the reason he'd sprayed so much graffiti around earlier, both to test to see if the cans worked like they should (they had) and to see if it somehow revived the Campus' soul (it hadn't). At least it meant he wasn't limited to the 30 cans he brought; even if he didn't understand how they came with him outside of the city, he was not going to expend the small piece of Tokyo-to's soul he had with him unless he absolutely had to.

Above all else about this place, though, there was one major complaint he had.]

Man! There's no radio stations here!

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[Wren had been pretty amused when she left her room that morning and found so much graffiti everywhere. Finally, someone else that doesn't have a problem drawing on the walls! It reminds her of her own drawings in a way, though she can't quite put a finger on why. She eventually wanders up to the roof despite the cold because she really doesn't feel like dealing with that idiot boy with the bug monster if she sees him again. Not today.]

There isn't anything here! [By that Wren means internet and actual movies playing on the tv, not just tapes and things. Music's actually the last thing she thinks of these days, if only because it gives her fewer ideas of things to draw.] How'd you get up here with skates on? [Yeah, the green hair's not even throwing her.]

There's plenty of space to tag, but I ain't seen much else, that's for sure!

[Yoyo flashes her a grin, seemingly unbothered by the cold. He's slept or skated outside or in the Garage his entire Rudie life, so what's just sitting like this?]

If I couldn't get up here with my skates, then I'd be one hell of a shitty Rudie!

[Tag? Oh!] So you did all this? [She gestures outward, returning the smile.] It's nice to meet another artist around here. I'm Wren.

You must be gifted or something, last time I was on skates it was a disaster. [Really. There were massive amounts of band-aids involved.] ...What's a Rudie? You're not in a gang, are you?

[Despite the question, she goes to haul herself up onto the vent next to him.]

Who else? I didn't see anythin' when I first came here, so I don't think you guys got any other Rudies here.

[Yoyo turns to rest on his stomach, flashing that Cheshire up at her as she joins him. She's a bit cute... can't hold a candle to Rhyth, but not bad.]

Damn straight I am. Part of the GGs, the gang that runs Tokyo-to back home. Ain't like the gangs you probably know about, though. We just go around taggin' the city, releasin' the soul of the streets and expressin' ourselves. All that greed and stuff can stick with Rokkaku or people like 'em, we just need the city's soul, our skates, the streets, and our music.

As for what we are, short version is that a Rudie's a person who can see the soul of a city and lives free with it, skatin' where they want, taggin' to express themselves and help the city get its soul back. Got a problem with it?

The only person who draws on the walls around here is me. I need a lot of space to practice. [Oh sure, she still uses paper, but that's for small things like mice, or trying to get her wolf down more realistically before she gives it another shot.]

Naw, the gangs back home kill each other. [Her aunt would probably think hanging out with a tagger would lead to that eventually, but she's not here to know about it.] Soul of the city...so is that why your graffiti feels like that? Like- [Wren digs around in her coat pocket for her ever-present chalk, pulling the battered and tape-wrapped box free to shake it.] Like it's alive like mine. Or almost like mine. [She grins suddenly.] Unless you've got a problem with mine, I won't with yours. What's your name, anyway?

No point killin' each other! Just shove 'em out of your turf and that's good enough. You tag around, though?

[Yoyo taps his foot some, still missing the sound of Jet Set Radio. He nods at the question, though, tapping the air vent.]

That "alive" you feel is this place's soul. Though there's somethin' really wrong with it, it's still livin' enough to give me the cans to paint it.

How're yours "alive?"

[He's pretty sure she's not a Rudie -- she doesn't look like one and she doesn't have the feel of one -- so he's curious now as to how hers is alive.

But to that question...]

I only got a problem if it sucks!

[It's a playful joke, mostly.]

Name's Yoyo. You?

I guess it's not good enough back home. But I stay away from them in any case. And I don't tag like you do. Just create animals and things. Doors, lately. [For all the good that's done. She's been able to walk through her dorm room walls, but nothing else.]

[Wren watches him tap, frowning a little at that answer. That might explain stuff.] Maybe that's why we're brought here. To feed it, or something. [Oh, that's disturbing. To distract herself she decides to answer his question by showing him. Wren jumps back down and kneels while she checks out the roof's surface, deciding to go draw on the parapet.]

Oh, you're lucky I like you so far! [She laughs as she begins to sketch out a few birds.] I usually go by Wren. Might tell you my real name someday, though, if I decide you're worth it.

[Just a joke of her own there. Wren finishes the sketches and stands back, and three purple chalk!birds lift up from the parapet and begin to fly around Yoyo's head.]

Maybe, but I tagged the entire building and it didn't seem to do anythin'. If releasin' its soul is gonna help, it's gonna have to be a LOT more than I could do anytime soon.

[When she hops down, Yoyo rolls over, moving to look at her comfortably from his stomach. What is she doing?]

Oh yeah? Why's that?

[Wren, huh? He shrugs a little at the joke, grinning still but talking serious.]

Say it if you want, doesn't matter to me. My old name's gone with the old way I lived. I'm a Rudie through and through, so Yoyo's my real name and that's that.

[He glances at the sketch, then pushes himself up on his arms when the birds come up. He actually takes his sunglasses off for a moment, watching them impressedly, before replacing said glasses and holding his finger out, seeing if one will land there.]

Well, damn! This is pretty cool!

You're not a jerk, for one. At least not at the moment. I've already met one, and he's enough. Was tempted to let my wolf go after him.

[She turns around to watch her birds, smiling faintly.]

Naw, I want to keep it for close friends. I gave it up a long time ago, but I can't quite get rid of it. It's still important, so I save it for important people.

[Hurts less if she breaks away from people, and they've only known her as Wren.]

[She giggles as one lands on his finger, with the other two looking as though they're attempting to land on his head. She waves them off, and they land on the vent instead.]

I can animate food, too. Don't ask for a drink though, liquid never comes out right. I tried to make a soda and it tasted awful. I'm still surprised I even managed to get the can to hold it.

Edited 2013-12-26 04:23 (UTC)

You're talkin' to me, and that puts you above most people already. No reason to be nasty to ya!

[He doesn't seem to mind the birds much at all; in fact, it honestly just makes him more curious. He doesn't comment on the name thing, though, letting it lay. He doesn't believe any old names are important, but if she does... well, he likes her. He won't taunt her for it.

As it is, he makes a face, looking down with somewhat of a scowl.]

I don't think chalk food can beat the real stuff anyway!

I don't see any reason not to talk to you. I think you're kind of cool.

[She gives a slightly embarrassed shrug at that, and the bird on his finger scoots closer to stare at him. The other two hop closer as well, tilting their heads and chirping. Wren eyes them before switching her purple chalk out for a red stick.]

Maybe not, but it's still pretty close! I'll get really good at it someday, you'll see.

[Hang on a second, she's just going to draw and animate an apple, here. Once that's done she goes over and holds it out.]

I know it still looks like chalk, but it really doesn't taste like it.

Back home, people'd avoid you just for talkin' to me. People don't like Rudies. We're just "misplaced youth" or some crap like that.

[He grins at the bird, using his other hand to pet its head lightly, then doing the same for the other two. This is pretty cool.]

Man, if you can make it like real food, no one'll ever go hungry again.

[...Yeah, sure, all right. He takes the apple and examines it, then gives her the benefit and bites in.]

...Well, I'll be damned.

People back home would avoid me if they knew I could do this. Some other people have better powers than mine, or more dangerous ones. We're called mutants.

[She makes a face at that.] I kept it to myself until I ended up here. Told my aunt, but- well. She was kinda thrown.

[Yep, Wren likes him, since if she didn't the birds would've been attempting to peck him to death. They're just hanging around, all for the petting, while she laughs.]

Well, there's a worthwhile goal! Better than mice that look like cotton balls roaming the halls, or siccing monsters on people.

Told you~

Mutants, huh? Sounds pretty cool, but the whole "avoidin'" thing I get. Don't worry about that.

[Cute little birdies. Gum would've loved this. He twirls the apple on his finger a bit, catching it when it falls and tossing it up to catch it behind his back again. Showing off? Oh definitely.]

Dunno, monsters on people could be pretty funny! Though I still feel weird eatin' chalk.

Edited 2013-12-26 05:03 (UTC)

[Wren wasn't going to worry about it; if he didn't head for the hills the second the birds took flight, she figured she was okay, but it's nice to hear it anyway. She raises her eyebrows a bit as he plays with the apple.]

Show off! Want a couple more to juggle with? [She giggles before calling one of the birds over to herself to pet.] Well, there was the wolf, like I said, and the first day I was here I made a pretty big drawing of Godzilla. He punched some holes in things, but I destroyed him before he could hurt anybody.

[She still cringes a little inside thinking about that, but it's gotten better. She stopped him, Link wasn't hurt, everything was fine.]

Once I can make something that doesn't look like it, I'll let you know. Brownies maybe.

Nah! Haven't been able to do it with more than one yet.

[He takes another bite of the apple, finishing it off, then tosses it off the vent. It's chalk, so it should just go on the rooftop... right?]

Don't have anyone who deserves to get a little rattled, huh?

[And onto the rooftop the apple goes, to scatter into chalk dust as it hits.]

...That jerk I mentioned. Don't even know his name, but he can summon monsters out of cards. His stupid bug brought me back to him when he was trying to find the intercom lady. [Wren scowls a bit, and the bird she's petting turns back into chalk.] I wasn't so mad at that, really, just that he acted like I wasn't worth anything. Bet I could find a way outta here someday.

So maybe I wouldn't mind scaring him with something.

Monsters outta cards? You're kiddin'!

[Hmm... Yoyo doesn't like that much. Noise Tanks were bad enough. The Zero Beats were worse, and Gouji was above even that. But monsters out of cards...?]

Wait... what do you mean, "find a way outta here"?

Nope, I saw him do it. He put it back in the card when he thought he was done with me, then summoned it again when I called my wolf. [She can't help a little grin, though it fades a bit when he says that. Her remaining birds flap down to the rooftop where they revert back to drawings.]

Sorry about that, it gets tiring keeping things around too long...We can't leave. There's a weird barrier over the school, so even if we took a raft off the island, we wouldn't get anywhere. It's why I'm practicing doors. Maybe I can make them lead some place that isn't here.

Shit... better be careful'a him.

[He watches the birds go away, then waves her off, as if to say it's no trouble.]

Man... Corn'n Gum are gonna give me hell if I'm gone long. They were already pissed off about the first kidnappin'!

If you figure out how to make doors lead out, let me know.

Edited 2013-12-26 06:04 (UTC)

I'm doing my best to avoid him, don't worry. [Though it's gonna be hard to not draw a dragon to step on him if he's ever that much of a jerk to her again.]

I'm not sure you have to worry about that! Some people think time just stops when we're taken, so when we get back nothing'll have changed. [Wren gives him a bright smile.] I will, promise.

Man, I hope so. I don't need to hear 'em chewin' me out about it again.

[He rolls back over onto his back, crossing his hands behind his head again and tapping his foot against the air vent, agitated. Dammit, he didn't like it so quiet!]

Tell me if you find a workin' radio station, too.

How'd you get kidnapped anyway? [Wren considers going to sit on the parapet, then decides with her luck she'd fall right off the roof, so she stays standing, tucking her chalk away.]

It's really that bad without music, isn't it. [She thinks for a moment, then brightens.] You might be able to find something in the North Wing. The rooms in there are kind of weird. Maybe there's an mp3 player around.

Bunch of assassins snagged me while I was tryin' to figure somethin' out. The stupid Noise Tanks made a copy of me while I was gone 'til the other GGs figured it out and finally found me. Wasn't fun.

Damn straight it is. I'm a Rudie; I don't really do not havin' it. It's like if you got your eyes completely covered or somethin'.

[North dorm, huh...]

I'll have to go diggin' there, if that's where they are!

[She just stares at him with her eyes wide. Assassins? Noise Tanks? (Whatever those were, but still.) A copy of him?] Doesn't sound like it.

I think for me it'd be like not being able to animate anymore. I'm used to it now. [Wren points back toward the stairs.] We could go look now, if you want. Or I could just show you where it is.

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