Fifth Floor Common Room, Friday Evening

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

Toby had a stack of pizza boxes with him as he flopped down on the common room couch and flipped through the channels until he found one playing a marathon of the Death in a Fence movies.

One might ask how exactly a kid with no money to his name managed to afford enough pizza to feed several people other than himself. The answer? A few rounds of pool with the old guess-your-weight trick for good measure.

In any case, once again there was pizza and a Toby and a common room, and this time he'd be far more inclined to share.

Comments

[lordofthecats.livejournal.com]

Lion-o found himself drawn upstairs by the aroma of pizza. "'Scuse me," he said, poking his head into the common room. "Is that sausage or pepperoni that I smell?"

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Both, actua..." Toby trailed off as he looked over to see who'd come in to the common room.

Sorry, Lion-O. He was a bit lost for words here.

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

Elphaba was out and about that evening, and though the pizza did not hold interest for her (well, that was a lie, she was interested but she wouldn't have any), she still came in.

"What are you watching?" she asked, puzzled by the TV.

[lordofthecats.livejournal.com]

"Even better! They do seem to go together nicely," said Lion-o, stepping fully into the common room. "Would you mind if I joined you?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack was wandering around the dorm when he spied the pizza.

Mmm. Pizza.

He then cast a wary eye at the TV. "Is the television behaving itself today or do I need to go into town to get holy water?" he asked as he entered the common room.

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

Apparently it was a night for making Toby double-take, although after meeting Lion-O, he liked to think he was at least... slightly quicker with the poker face.

"Death in a Fence," Toby explained. "It's, um. A horror movie."

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"I dunno," Toby said. "Does playing ridiculous horror movies count as behaving?"

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Not at all," Toby said, gesturing at the table with the pizza after finally managing to find his voice again. "It's why I brought extra."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Well... will it let you watch anything else?" Jack said taking a seat on the sofa. "I mean horror movies I can take. I just want the control of changing the channel if I wish. Side note: This horror movie? Less creepy than teletubbies."

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Well, it let me change the channels to get here?" Toby offered. "I haven't tried since, but that's 'cause I actually wanna watch the movie."

[lordofthecats.livejournal.com]

"Thanks!" said Lion-o, helping himself to a slice. "I had dinner earlier, but I could always use a snack. My name's Lion-o, by the way. I don't think I've seen you around before."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack mulled this over for a second before nodding. "All right. Clearly the TV is being kind to you tonight. Maybe that other guy just did it wrong," he said with a shrug. "What's the movie about?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack eyed Lion-o a moment or two before opening his mouth.

Then closing it.

Then opening it again. This time with sound.

"Don't take this the wrong way," Jack said slowly. "But you look a lot like a cat."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

And there was Jack eying Elphaba vary carefully.

"I don't mean to be rude," he said cautiously. "But you're not on a bowling team, are you?"

Because if Area 51 came to town again there'd be issues.

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

Elphaba was used to it, however. And Toby got points for not saying anything.

"About... evil fences?" she asked, trying to parse that name.

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"I'm not," Elphaba said, thinking that a very odd question. "It's not rude, either. Unless it is a bad thing to be on a bowling team?"

She was unaware of that sort of connotation.

[lordofthecats.livejournal.com]

"Well, I am a lot like the cats I have seen on this planet," said Lion-o, taking the comment in stride. "But there are some differences. None of the cats I've met yet can walk on two legs. My name is Lion-o. Are you one of the new students?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Well it's just that... you're green," Jack said slowly. "You know that right?"

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"I was born this way, in fact," Elphaba said. "And as I've not lived in a land without mirrors, I am quite aware that my skin is what it is. Do bowlers tend to be green?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"On this planet," Jack said slowly nodding as if this made his disbelief go away. "As in... you're not from this planet. And yes... obviously? New student. Because: Cat. You look like one. But with two legs."

He'd get that whole cat person thing wrapped up in his head any minute now.

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Toby," Toby offered. "I'm new." A pause. "...That's not a costume, is it?" very astute observation, Logan.

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Very evil fences," Toby confirmed. "They're possessed. Or haunted. Something like that."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Nooo... Not usually," Jack answered honestly. "It's just that I knew some. Bowlers. Who were green. Temporarily."

Yep. Green person. This was new.

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"...how would a fence be haunted?" Elphaba said, her disbelief not suspended. "I don't understand."

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"Well I'm neither a bowler nor is this temporary," Elphaba said. "I'm Elphaba Thropp, from Oz. What you make of what I am is your own business."