entranceway | 01

Entry tags:

01 - [video]

[ The video clicks on, giving everyone a nice up close and personal view of Norman's nostrils for a moment. You're welcome for that. But he pulls the device back and stares at it unsurely. He's been poking at it since he arrived and finally figured out how to use it but he's never done anything like this before. He's sitting against one of the library, knees up against his chest as he tries out the network. ]

Um... hi? I think I'm lost. This definitely isn't where I was...

[ What with the lack of burning Town Hall and the angry mob waiting for him outside. ]

And I lost some... some people. They're kind of- weird looking? But they won't hurt anyone if you see them!+

[ He chews his nails a little, obviously not sure what to do about any of this. ]

Can someone tell me what's going on? Some... some stuff was happening and I have to keep a promise.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Beaten you up?

[He's a little surprised to hear that's the first thing this kid jumps to, and it makes him worry, a frown pulling at one side of his mouth. He knows all about bullies.]

Someone givin' you trouble or somethin'?

N-not here. Not besides someone saying they're Satan.

[ Which honestly... isn't as bad as he's used to. ]

I've had worse before at school.

Kind of a steep claim, isn't it.

[Kanji's not sure he buys the whole 'Satan' thing.]

You get bullied at school?

[His frown deepens. Not cool.]

You know what to do with a bully, right? You nail 'em right back-- right where the sun don't shine.

But if I hit someone they'll probably just hit me harder. It doesn't do anything but make it worse.

Usually they just write stuff on my locker these days.

Like what kinda stuff?

[His voice is starting to get heated-- as if these assholes are actually here, as if he can do something about them.]

Usually they just write "freak" or "weirdo" on it. Though Alvin misspells it half the time.

M-my friend Neil says it's a survival of the fittest thing. If I was big and dumb I'd pick on smaller people, too.

Edited 2016-11-20 17:30 (UTC)

[Those are the kinds of things people used to call Kanji, and he is big and dumb.]

I dunno. I mean-- you think size really has that much to do with it? I'm a big guy, and I still got-- y'know. Called all kinds of names.

[ Well that's something Norman never expected to hear. He's always thought bigger kids were safe from being picked on. ]

...people picked on you? Even if you're bigger than them?

Yeah, tons. Didn't matter how big I was. They still picked on me cause of what I liked.

[Which was when he'd started trying to make himself look like a badass to keep them at arm's length. It had worked for awhile, but it had hurt him in a lot of ways, too.]

People are assholes. Doesn't matter where you go-- but that doesn't mean it's okay for them to be that way.

I know it's not okay, but I've never been able to do anything about it. I'm small and no one listens to me anyway. I always thought if I was bigger they'd leave me alone.

People should listen. I mean, I know it's not that easy... can't make anyone listen to you if they don't wanna, but sometimes you gotta try a little harder to make yourself heard and help people understand you.

[At least, that's what he's supposed to be learning to do. In theory, it's great, but it takes a lot of time and patience-- and patience is something he tends to be short on.]

Well, look. Anyone picks on you here, you call me. Name's Kanji. I'll put 'em in their place.

[ That honestly has Norman looking pretty surprised. No one has ever offered to stick up for him like that except Neil. After a minute he manages to find some words. ]

Th... thanks. Um, I'm Norman.

Norman. Alright.

[He commits that to memory, putting the name with the face.]

You remember that, okay? I meant what I said.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

01 - [video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]