1387/On Hugging and Boundaries

On Hugging and Boundaries
Date of Scene:	07 April 2024
Location:	Dorms #1
Synopsis:	Ryoko meets her new roommate, Sc-Sarah Point, and has just a little bit of fun before the new girl crumbles under the pressure of not having a well-rehearsed cover story.
Cast of Characters:	Ryoko Gushiken, Scorpia

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Ryoko Gushiken has posed:
It had been almost twenty-four hours since Prom, and Ryoko was still reeling from the experience. Mostly she was trying to figure out why she let that pink and purple menace bully her so much. There was just something about Glimmer. She was so strong and so regal. She was a queen for sure. But she was cute, unlike The Grim Queen who was terrifying.

Glimmer had asked her to keep an eye on the girl who had appeared during prom. The girl who had picked up Bow for a hug like he was just a giant stuffy and not a well-muscled teen. The girl who looked like she could probably snap Ryoko's back over her knees easy as that. The girl who was almost certainly magical, and probably good.

Which is why, when Hime and Iona arrived to announce the annoying bluenette's departure, Ryoko smiled and actually kindly helped them vacate the room. She needed it. She even walked right down to the administrative office to let them know, and to see to it that the new girl got assigned as her new roommate.

Then all she had to do was wait. She knew the new girl was busy getting settled in. She'd seen Bow and Sayaka talking to her in the infirmary the night before when she'd peeked through the window. So she spent a little time making sure the room was set up to her liking before her new roommate showed up.

Scorpia has posed:
Sarah walked out of the administrative offices, feeling a bit more settled. The people in there had helped her with getting a room, which included a roommate, and she was super excited to meet her! She knew the language of this country, so it'd be easier to navigate this world. Holding up the map she'd been given, she started making her way towards the dorms.

It wasn't a long walk for her long legs, and she was standing in front of her room before she knew it. Nerves shook her stomach but she rolled her shoulders and took a deep breath, using her affirmations, 'I am brave, strong, loyal, and I give great hugs. And I am going to be the best friend I can be!' Gathering up her resolve, she smiled and knocked on the door.

Ryoko Gushiken has posed:
There it was. The knock at the door. The girl was so polite, Ryoko thought to herself, that she knocked even though it was her room too. Definitely good. Hopefully she wouldn't be so set on being best friends like Hime had been.

She pulled open the door and looked up at the tall, broad-shouldered girl on the other side, and said in Japanese as she took a step back from the door and gestured to the side of the room that was vacant and unused, "I'm Ryoko Gushiken, Grade 12, and you get to have that bed and desk over there."

It was important this new girl knew who was in charge around here.

Scorpia has posed:
Sarah looked down the few inches to examine her new roommate. She was tall, but not as tall, and definitely not as broad, as she was. By reflex, she saluted, "Pleasure to meet you, Ryoko! My name is Sc-Sarah. Sarah Point. I'm your new roommate, which you obviously already know."

Nodding, Sarah walked in and sat on the very plain bed. Looking around, she noticed how barren her side was and quickly thought of ways she'd try to make it more like home. She tapped the bed, "This is cozy! Reminds me of my time in the- uh, military." She couldn't hold back anymore- she stood up and grabbed the other girl in her arms, "Sorry, but I'm a hugger! It's the only way I know how to be. I'd very much like it if we could be friends!"

Ryoko Gushiken has posed:
Sarah's side of the room was barren with only school-issued bedding on the bed, but the bed was neatly made by somebody who knew how to do it well. Ryoko's side of the room, on the other hand, was very tastefully decorated. She had a couple of photographs of Carnivale in Sao Paolo up on the wall, and a sewing machine set up on her desk. All of her clothes and shoes, of course, were stowed away out of sight in her wardrobe.

She didn't even get all the way to her bed to sit down before the bigger girl had picked her up in a hug just like she'd done to Bow before. Ryoko was helpless to do anything. She hated it.

Of course this girl very much wanted to be friends. Of course she did. She was just like Hime, only worse, because Ryoko was pretty sure she could not bully this girl. Not even in the not-quite-bullying sense she'd been doing.

But this girl. This Sc-Sarah Point did not know what Ryoko already knew. She didn't know Ryoko knew she was from Etheria. And so Ryoko decided to have some fun and see just how good this girl's cover story was.

The instant Sarah let her go she backed away. "I am not a hugger," she says flatly, bringing her eyes up to meet Sarah's. "If you want to be friends, then we're going to need to work on respecting boundaries."

Then she turns around to walk over to her bed to sit, an evil smile spreading across her lips. "Military time, huh? Where is it that you're from, exactly? I feel like child soldiers who looked like you would be all over the news."

Scorpia has posed:
Sarah blinked at her roommate's tone, then went back to smiling, "Child soldiers isn't the term I'd use! My family has been in the military for many generations. It's second nature to pick up habits and discipline in a family full of people trained to be the best!"

She mirrored Ryoko's actions and sat back down on her bed, "It will be hard, cuz I'm a huge hugger, but I'll do my best to respect your boundaries. That's what good friends do, right?" Turning her attention to the other side of the room, she complimented, "Your side of the room looks very organized, I like it!"

Ryoko Gushiken has posed:
Ryoko Gushiken sat there trying to keep her amusement off her face. It was fun watching this girl squirm trying to explain things.

"Yes, thank you," she said to the compliment. "I like to keep my space very tidy. I hope you'll do the same."

She waited for just a moment then said, "So where did you say you were from?"

Scorpia has posed:
Sarah hung her head and sighed, looking back up at this girl... who seemed to know more than she was letting on. Standing up, she started to pace and then stopped, standing directly in front of Ryoko, but on her side of the room, "Oh, I'm terrible at this! I've always been a terrible liar. Liars make terrible friends. I'm not from this world. I have no idea how, or why, I'm here, but it looks like I'm here for a long adventure. I'm from a world called Etheria, and there are more people here, from there. I won't tell you who, because I need to protect them. Oh gosh, I hope I can trust you with all of this. I just, can't lie. Not to my new roommate. That would be a terrible way to start a friendship. I hope you can forgive me for trying to not tell you the full truth."

Taking a deep breath after her rant, Sarah looked at Ryoko with the closest thing to puppy dog eyes as she could manage, for being as large as she was.

Ryoko Gushiken has posed:
No wonder Glimmer had wanted her to keep an eye on this girl. She might look like a bodybuilder but she was clearly comprised entirely of cinnamon rolls. How had someone like her survived in a military operation? This Etheria place was weird.

Ryoko just sat there and watched as Sarah spilled so much of her backstory, her lips in a tight little smile. Then finally she laughed. "You are going to need to practice a cover story, or you're going to cause so much trouble for yourself, and the others. But don't feel too bad, because I already knew."

She took a deep breath, letting her chest rise and fall as her eyes lidded. She found it very centering. It helped tamp down the rage. She reopened her eyes, and looked at Sarah again. "Queen Glimmer asked me to look out for you."

Scorpia has posed:
"Will you help me? With my cover story? You saw right through me, so I trust you to come up with something at least at little bit more convincing than my sad attempt. In my defense, I only got here last night, Ryoko! Cut an Etherian some slack!" She grinned and watched as the other girl looked to be doing a breathing exercise.

Sarah's jaw fell open and she threw her fists in the air in excitement, "GLIMMER'S HERE?? Oh happy days, that's so wonderful! Where is she? How do I go see her? Do you know where she is?" And she was already turning to walk towards the door before Ryoko had a chance to respond.

Ryoko Gushiken has posed:
Ryoko just stared at Sarah. Why was she doing this again? Because Glimmer had asked her. But Prom was over. She didn't need Glimmer any more. And yet she was here, doing what that sparkle menace had asked her to do. For some reason.

She let out a sigh. "Yes she's here, and yes I know where she is, but you don't go see her," she said, firmly. There was no way she was going to take this girl to Obsidian Tower. She wasn't even sure the girl should know that's where Glimmer was. She clearly couldn't keep a secret.

"I'll let her know you want to meet, and she'll come meet you," Ryoko said, with that same firm tone that left no room for disagreement.

"In the meantime. As big as you are, it's probably easiest to say you're from America. So, you might want to see about studying American English so that you can really sell it. Don't ever mention your time in the military, and for goodness sake, ask before you give people hugs."

Scorpia has posed:
Sarah's arm started to salute at Ryoko's stern voice, they sounded like orders to her, but stopped herself and nodded instead, "As long as she's safe! That sounds like a great idea! Thank you so much for helping me! With Glimmer... and with the cover story. Is there an English class here I can take?" Sitting back down and taking a deep breath, she grimaced and rubbed the back of her head, "No promises on the asking before hugging though. That will be a hard habit to break, but I'll try my best."

Ryoko Gushiken has posed:
As long as she's safe. Ryoko actually snorted when she heard that. That pinkette wasn't safe anywhere. She made wherever she was unsafe. She looked at Sarah and said, deadpan, "Are you sure you know Glimmer? She's not safe anywhere." Well, if Sarah needed a detail to confirm Ryoko knew the Queen, there it was. Glimmer: living dangerously since always.

"They do, though they're not nearly as effective as the Japanese course," Ryoko said. "But you'll be taking them because they're required for all of us." She considered for a moment. "Though, maybe we should say you're from somewhere English isn't the native language. Like Norway or something. That way it's not weird you don't know it.

Scorpia has posed:
Laughing, Sarah shook her head in amusement, "Oh man, you're right. That girl is her own worst enemy! I could tell you stories!"

She nodded as she listened to Ryoko, knowing she'd need this other girl's help to fit in more naturally. Sarah knew that she was big, physically and in her personality. But she'd learned that was ok, and people could love her for it. "That sounds like a good plan. Thanks Ryoko," Sarah smiled softly, her voice sincere and gratitude shining in her eyes.

Ryoko Gushiken has posed:
Ryoko Gushiken laughed and nodded. "I'm sure you could," she said. She wanted to hate this girl. She'd certainly hated Hime. But she had to look after her because she'd told Glimmer she would, and she might be evil, but she was a woman of her word.

So with another sigh of suffering, she rose up from her bed and started toward the door, giving Sarah a look as she opened it. "Alright, now, you've probably only had cafeteria food since you got here. I'm hungry, so let's go get some good food for dinner."