Superlative

EPISODE THREE

{ THE CONFEDERATE | DIVISION ALPHA, IMPERIAL CONSERVATOIRE | 10TH OF JUNE | 12:31NN }

CAFETERIAS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE the place students got to unwind and eat, but in the Imperial Conservatoire it served as a real life chess board where every move was calculated down to the last detail. It wasn't as simple as sitting in whatever spot was open, because the room was divided into imaginary sections like some political strategy map in the midst of war.

Needless to say, it was always war time in the cafeteria. The Cold War kind of war, that is, with predatory grins and seemingly innocent greetings that hid all sorts of malice and schemes.

One does not enter a battlefield with fear and trepidation. So Core did the exact opposite, pushing her shoulders back and raising her chin, chest out and arms hanging comfortably by her sides. Her long, dark hair trailed behind her as she walked down the stone path to the cafeteria with a few other students, who stayed a respectable distance away from her.

(One does not simply talk, touch, or interact with the daughter of General Gray. Or from anyone in differing social classes, really, unless one wants to be made a mockery of.)

She glided through the garden path, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin. Even if she wouldn't trade skyriding for anything else in the world, the flightsuit was often stuffy to protect its wearer of dramatic temperature spikes. Now she could soak up the sun as much as she can, before she got to the cafeteria enclosed by a certain kind of glass that kept heat out. The cafeteria was, in essence, a greenhouse with various plants and flowers that grew especially in cooler temperatures. It was roofed by mosaic glass that reflected patches of rainbow-colored light on certain places of the glass house.

Though it was hardly the architect's intention, the spots of coloured light served as the markers in the little political game the students had going on in the cafeteria.

"Good afternoon, Coraline."

Core tilted her head slightly to the side to regard the newcomer striding beside her. Dark eyes and sharp grin met her cool gaze, framed by tousled dark hair that draped over an old scar that ran from temple to ear. She mentally rolled her eyes at the boy, but physically offered a slight smile. "Good afternoon, Van."

"You look lovely today, as always," he offered charmingly. They reached the cafeteria glasshouse's doors, and his long legs strode further ahead to push the door and hold it open for Core.

She nodded a thanks at him, ignoring the triumphant look in his eyes, as she stepped into the high-ceiling room. He followed after her, a hand suddenly resting itself on her back. Core bit back a retort, and focused on heading straight to her usual area in the cafeteria instead.

If she were allowed to, she would elbow him on a particularly soft spot of the stomach, then turn around to knee him on the groin. But as a female in a male-dominated world, she took the barely concealed flirtation in stride, wishing instead that Knox was already somewhere inside the room. Knox's presence was the only polite and proper way to get Van away without breaking social protocol.

This was something that irritated the hell out of her. It made her feel small, useless, and powerless, like a trapped pawn in the game. There were no queens in this world, just dozens and dozens of kings that gathered their subordinates and women as expendable lackies and trophies. Love and friendship was a rarity, because a dog-eats-dog world, and you either use or be used.

Thankfully, Core didn't like playing by the rules.

She kept walking even as he talked, telling her about things she could honestly not care any less about. What Core really wanted him to talk about was that announcement by the Headmistress. But cutting a man off was impolite, and asking him about his personal business would just imply that she was, for lack of a better term, interested in him.