Second Floor Common Room - Monday Afternoon

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

Max was feeling restless.

She was still trying to get a feel for this place she had randomly ended up and she was still eager to find her brother.

But she was intrigued by the idea of attending school, especially in a place that seemed to be unaffected by the Pulse. And she was really intrigued by the professor she had met the day before.

As it was, she was exploring and found herself in the common room. She flipped on the television and was surprised by the number of available channels and the quality of the picture.

Comments

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders wandered into the common room with a box of donuts, whistling, when he heard the TV on; it just happened to be in the middle of a commercial break as he entered.

"Is a dish soap commercial really that fascinating?" he asked, meaning it as a joke.

[[Now taking bets on how soon they hate each other . . .]]

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

"I'm more surprised that the picture is so clear," Max said. "This place doesn't even seem like it was effected by the Pulse at all."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"Far as I know it wasn't," Anders replied, not having a clue what the Pulse was. "We have a pretty rockin' satellite setup, though."

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

Max gave him a puzzled look. "The entire East Coast was effected by the Pulse," she said. "And I haven't noticed any satellites buzzing around."

No, no one has filled her in that she's time traveled. Or that there are multiple dimensions.

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"Maybe where you're from," Anders said, "but if this Pulse thing frakked up TV reception, then we're happily Pulse-free here. Donut?"

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

"Uh, sure, thanks," Max said, taking one. It occurred to her that food wasn't scarce here either. "How is it possible that the Pulse didn't hit here?"

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders gave her a startled look and picked out a glazed cruller for himself. "No idea. Maybe it hasn't happened yet, or it doesn't in this dimension. Wow, I hope it doesn't happen in this dimension. Spring training's right around the corner and then baseball season . . . !"

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

"Are you stoned or something?" Max asked.

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"Oh, hell no," Anders said, looking affronted. "Not risking my chance at the pros that way. Seriously, didn't anybody explain this island to you?"

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

"I was told it was a school," Max said slowly, re-visiting her idea that it was some sort of huge Manticore experiment.

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"'kayyyyyyyyyyyyy." Anders deposited the donuts on the end table and perched himself on the arm of the couch. Someone needed a little more explanation here.

"Yeah, it's a school," he began, "but thing is, people here come from different worlds and different times or dimensions. Some people know different versions of each other, where things didn't happen exactly the same way."

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cassandra was raiding the common room junk food supplies (what? she liked marshmallows) when she noticed the new girl. She walked over and silently extended the bag of puffed sugar in an offer to let Max take first crack at the deliciousness inside.

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

Max smiled and took one. "Thanks," she said.

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Marshmallows are very good," Cassandra explained as she popped one into her mouth and grinned back.

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

"They certainly are," Max agreed, popping her own in her mouth. She hadn't had a marshmellow in years. "Thank you for sharing with me," she added, after chewing and swallowing.

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cassandra's eyes darted around looking for eavesdroppers before she leaned in to say quietly, "I hide a bag in the back of the cabinet." She lifts her finger to her lips to indicate that Max should keep this very important information a secret.

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

Max grinned. "Your secret is safe with me," she promised. "I'm Max, by the way."

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Cassandra." The name would have been accompanied by an offer to shake hands, but she was far too busy eating marshmallows for that.

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

Max reached for another marshmellow. "I guess you're not new here if you have secret hiding places?"

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Four months," Cassandra confirmed. "It's... a weird place."

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

"So I'm gathering," Max said. "Somehow I managed to slip back in time almost ten years."

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Huh."

Cassandra thought about that. "Is that good?"

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Always look on the bright side of life!" Robin was singing as he passed by the room. Then he doubled back because he spotted people he didn't know.

"Hi new people and not-new-but-I-haven't-met-yet people!" Just to cover all his bases.

[my-names-max.livejournal.com]

Max blinked. Was the frog talking?

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Why yes, it was. "Hi! I'm Robin."