Breaking Locks [Xena]

[Mira Jing]

It was still cold out, and that fact, combined with the holiday season still going strong kept people inside in all their warmth. But outside in the cold stood a young girl, not very tall, and not very happy-looking. She wore a red hoody, edges all lined with white fluff, and the strings holding little white pompoms. A matching red skirt with the same white lining, and white stockings, protecting her from the cold wind. In her arms was a tan-coloured stuffed kitty that was bigger than her, the feet and tail dragging on the floor, all its limbs limp. It'd been her only christmas present, sent to the academy for her. The sender was not stated.

Her black sandles tapped on the wooden floor that led towards the academy's gym. She didn't know why she was here, or what she was doing. Just wandering around, doing whatever there was to do. She stopped, looking up at the large doors to the gym, a chain and number lock around the handles.

She stared blankly with emotionless eyes at the number combination lock, she placed her kitty down. Hesitating only for a second, white mittened hands reached up, grabbing the lock with one hand, and the other turning the numbers. She didn't know what this was, but she knew what to do with it. She'd seen some man doing this once while around one of the cities she'd performed at.

With a small 'click', the lock came undone. She let the lock and chain fall to the ground, and pushed the doors open and picked up her kitty, wrapping it around her so that its head was atop of hers, and its arms on her shoulders, the rest of it dragging on the floor. Stepping in, she pushed the doors back, keeping them ajar for ventilation.

Facts danced around in her head. This place was called a 'Gym'. People play sport in here. There is sport equipment here. But where was it? She stared blankly at the large gym in front of her, the lights were still off, but some rays of sunshine entered the gym through the small windows at the top of the walls that enclosed the area.

Now what?

[Xena]

As usual when I woke up that morning, I needed to make the rounds.

But I can't make the rounds wearing pajamas.

So I took a shower, had a quick breakfast and brushed my teeth, dressed up in the appropriate Alice Academy uniform and went out of my room. I don't daily check the PE field and the gym because it's already in the care of first-aids and proper equipment, so I settled on taking a look at it today.

At first I saw the dark brown hair and decided to follow. It was a very familiar trait that someone I know has. I was certain only one person owns it, and that was a girl named Mira. But what would she be doing here? There weren't any plays yet. I don't even think the gymnasium has opened. I wonder what's up.

Maybe she left something inside?

But the doors were locked, and I doubt that she'll get in without having any help from anyone.

I hovered at a corner, watching her only with one eye sparkling with curiosity. She was trying to guess the sequence for the lock.

But that was impossible. I don't think we even have the information in the academy files... or I just don't bother to check. I should really review everything in the files and take down important notes before my term ends, so that it'll be like I still have access to the documents.

I was about to speak up and declare her attempt futile when suddenly a 'click' echoed in my head, and I wondered how the heck would the sound reach my ears, and the lock fell to the ground with the chain accompanying it.

I suddenly began interested in reading about her alice more in her file.

She had this stuffed kitten, bigger than her as how odd that may seem, wrapped around her. She entered and I had to gape there at the open door she had left.

I walked to the opening and saw her, gazing at the dark establishment. I looked at the kitten without interest atop her head.

I had a foot inside the building when I asked, "Did you want to play that badly?" Just a way to start a conversation.

[Mira Jing]

She stared at the darkness for a moment longer, unsure of what to do. It wasn't cold in here, so it wuold be better to stay here, right? When it's cold, you go to somewhere where it isn't cold. Plain logic, something the little girl has little of, but enough for her to survive.

"Did you want to play that badly?"

The voice startled her, and in her haste to turn and see who it was, tripped on her kitty's tail, falling over with a small 'Ah'. She picked herself up from the floor, now sitting on the back of her legs, her kitty in her arms, staring at the girl that had startled her.

She looked up to see a familiar red-head, one of the girls that she'd met earlier in the week at the library. Her name was Xena, or something. She gave a small smile. She was one of the people here who she was fond of.

"Play what?"

She placed a palm on the floor, using it to help her get back onto her feet. After regaining her balance, she walked over to the entrance, where the other girl stood, her smile still there, directed at Xena.

"Play with me?"

[Xena]

I watched her, a small smile trying to place itself on my face, as she hurriedly turned to see me. But then I had stepped forward to reach her as she fell over, tripping over her large stuffed kitten's tail.

I had almost crouched when she herself sat back on the floor, and it seemed like she had intended the fall.

She was now staring at me, and I gazed back at her brown eyes with my alice-changed crimson hues.

Then the same small smile I've been trying to hold back played on her lips, and I couldn't help but smile as well, sheepishly as it may seem, I wanted to help her up but couldn't take my eyes off hers for even a moment to offer a hand.

"Play what?" Mira asked, starting to stand up and before I knew it she was standing at her full height again.

No doubt about it, she was smaller than me. She would only receive a shrug for an answer.

She then covered the remaining distance separating the two of us, for even though I stepped forward to help her, it had been a small step of two, hardly enough to keep me out of the open door's frame.

"Play with me?" She offered, and I looked at her clothing and overall presentation, deciding whether or not to let her play with her apparel. Then I nodded slightly in agreement before saying, "What sport shall we play?"

And stepping inside the building, further than Mira, before stopping short and casting a sideway glance at my companion.

"I assume you do know how to play badminton," I added, offering her a choice; to play badminton or choose her own sport for the both of us to play.

I haven't played in a while, so either of which I will comply with.

[Mira Jing]

"I assume you do know how to play badminton,"

She didn't understand the first part of what Xena had said, but she did understand what 'Play Badminton' was. Smiling, she nodded, her hands on the bottom edge of her hoodie, lifting the jumper over her head, and running to place it at the side of the room before making her way back to the girl.

With her jumper off, it was cooler, and easier to move. She has a cream coloured, short-sleeved top with a red swirling pattern on each side. She raised one arm in the air, and swung, much like how a badminton player would hit the birdie. All the while, her eyes on the red head.

"Badminton...?"

Of course, they would need equipment for badminton. Luckily, the school's equipment room was stored at the back of the gym, also sealed by a number lock. Playing wouldn't be a problem.

[Xena]

I watched with curiousity when the girl began to move, placing the red clothing she had worn earlier on the side, before going back with a bouncy demeanor, even doing an action that was related to the sport we were about to play. "Badminton...?" She uttered, and I nodded. "Now, do you think you can open the equipment room?" I asked, walking to the said room's door, placing my hand on the locked knob, and just for effect, twisting it with no luck.

OOC: Really short. ;____; Gomen.

[Mira Jing]

She was asked to open a lock. So open it she shall. She skipped forward to where the other girl stood with the lock, outside the door that led into the dark equipment room. She took off her mittens, dropping them next to the door, and adjusted her kitty so it wasn't falling off.

Tiny hands grabbed the lock, the cold metal stinging her warm fingertips just slightly as she turned the dial quickly. The action was done in a flash, not enough time for the vice-president to even see one of the numbers that had been the key to unlocking the metal number lock.

Taking the lock off the door, she dropped it onto the ground, next to her white mittens. It made a 'clink' kind of noise as it fell upon the polished wooden planks of the gym flooring. She took a step backwards, smiling at her friend as an invitation to open the door.

[Xena]

If anything was worse than not doing my job, it was me having to deal with 'special' consequences after being a witness to breaking locks in the gymnasium and not filing a report on it. Special consequences which are not ordinarily given to students like me.

Say, for example, trash duty.

When I stoop back to zero star work, having to catch the bin before getting its components.

Living trashcans; who invented them anyway?

I silently groaned due to the unwelcomed thoughts. With Mira around, I might as well enjoy the pleasant company.

"My, my," I smiled as my gaze followed her way closer to me, letting go of the door knob and letting my eyes lock with the glint of the lock for a quick moment. Then I drew my gaze to Mira once more, watching her quietly as she dropped her mittens next to the equipment room door, watching her with the same tranquil expression as she adjusted her large, stuffed kitten.

Then I was held in amazement as I saw her work on the coded lock with such speed, it was as if she was merely turning a small knob on the lock, gray-like figures blurring above it where the numbers should be clearly shown.

As I was still awestruck, widening my eyes at the now-falling lock, I sensed my companion taking a step back, possibly welcoming me to open the equipment door myself.

I snapped out of my trance, eyed the girl's smile, before returning it as I had my mouth slightly gaping open in amazement a moment ago.

Then I raised my hand in level with the door knob, twisting it with now obvious succession, and pushing it open.

...
Cooool.

Inside were different equipments organized, tennis and badminton rackets alike hanging in reaching distance on the walls, basketballs and soccerballs in an open-sided big box-like container with metal bars, both horizontal and vertical, protecting the items inside.

I reached up for a pinkish badminton racket and offered it to Mira.

I truly like this girl.

[Mira Jing]

Mira watched as Xena opened the door to the equipment room, hearing the door squeak very slightly as it swung open. She shuffled forward, just a little, to peer into the storage. Her gaze fell upon each and every labeled box, every hanging racket, every post, and each net of sporting balls that hung from the ceiling of the room. There was a large variety of equipment, including some of which she was not familiar with.

There hung several nets of balls, different kinds with the different colors of nets. Pink nets were for footballs, yellow nets were for soccerballs, etc. etc. At the back of the room was also a metal bar box that held various kinds of balls, probably the ones that were wearing out from continuous use. Since it was the holidays, the school must have brought in new equipment, thus the nets.

Her attention was pulled from the room as Xena held out a pink racket to her, it shined in what little light came through the windows above, and to the smaller girl, was just perfect. With a small 'Thankyou', she placed her hand over the rubber grip, closing her small hand on it and lifting it up above her head, staring at it for a moment before swinging it around gently.

She lowered the racket, letting it drag on the floor as she stepped inside the equipment room herself, and pointed to a post that was to be placed in one of the holes in the gym floor. Two would be needed so they could tie up the net ready for a friendly match of badminton. As her free hand pointed, she stared at Xena, as if saying that they needed it. Which, they really did.

She would walk over to one of the posts, which was twice her height, and would wrap one hand arm around it, gently lowering it the ground so it lay there horizontally, ready for her to drag it away. Because, with a tiny body like that, it was hard to carry a huge post. Her free hand grabbed one of the squarish hooks, and she slowly dragged it to the door of the equipment room, the unlifted end of the post dragging on the concrete floor with a screeching noise that only metal could make. The horrible sound didn't seem to faze the girl, not in the slightest bit, making her seem deaf or something.

As she stepped out of the room, racket dragging on the floor in one hand, and post in her other, she would smile at Xena cheerfully before dragging her items off to one of the holes around the gym.

[Xena]

I heard her let out a quick thanks before she took the pink colored racket from me. Her hand grasped the item and lifted it above her head, her eyes gazing at the racket before she swung it slighty. As she lowered the racket, I raised my attention from her back to the hanging badminton rackets, thinking which color I should get and which one would be better; lighter and shorter, or heavier but longer?

I chose the former option rather than the alternative, so my right hand shot up, closing upon a blue and yellow splashed racket. It descended back to my left hand, my fingers squeezing the neck.

Then I turned my sight back to Mira Jing, seeing her pointing to a post that was placed in one of the holes in the floor. For a moment I didn't know what she meant by the action.

I thought back to when we came in. There were no nets set up at all, meaning we needed to do it on our own. I looked at the smaller girl staring back at me, sending me some sort of unspoken need to tie up the net for a match of badminton.

I watched her walk over to one of the posts and cradle it in one arm, laying it horizontally. Then she began to drag it away from the room, the lower end of the post pushing its weight on the concrete floor, emitting a screeching noise that made me cower and cover my ears.

My eyes roved away from the dark backs of my eyelids to open themselves to see Mira unaffected by the irritating and awful sound that came from the post she's carrying.

She finally made it out the room, with me almost stumbling behind her. I stopped at the doorway, still annoyed by the sound that echoed in my head.

Yet I still kept my gaze on her, seeing her happy smile as she continued to drag her things to one of the holes around the gym. I turned around to see the other pole, and with the racket in one hand, I strode speedily to the seen item.

Then I pulled it close to my waist, the other end of the pole high while the other against the ground, and began to walk, prepared for the noises I would be making as I did so.

It didn't help gritting my teeth as I heard the noise. But before I knew it, I was already a step away from one of the holes. I dropped my racket gently to the ground, although I wonder how I could have done that, and raised the free hand to the pole, pushing it to the nearest hole.

I looked at Mira and returned the smile she had given me earlier.

[Mira Jing]

//Sorry for the late reply. Semi-active on this forum again xD//

With little effort, she was able to drab the large metal pole over to one of the small holes on the floor, and dragged it so the end point of the pole was where the opening was. She dropped the racket, and used both of her small, now-unmittened hands to set the pole upright, and pushed it to lock the pole in the hole until their game had ended. She stared up at her work which wasn't too bad, infact. Dusting her hands of the paint that had come off the old pole, she walked over to where her pink racket was lying on the floor, and lifted it off the ground, swinging it around with her right hand, her smile already back into her usual neutral look, and eyes apathetic.

The same screeching noise the pole she'd dragged had made entered her ears once more. When the noise had first been heard, she jerked her head to the side where her pole was still upright, the surprise clearly shown through her widened eyes, and he lips parted very slightly. Seeing that it wasn't her pole that was making the noise, she jerked her head to the other side, staring at the equipment room door. Moments later, her surprise died down into a look of what would seem to be relief as Xena exited the small room with the second pole in her arms. That's right, they needed two poles to hold the net, and they needed a net to play badminton.

She watched as Xena dragged the pole over to the hole corresponding to the one she'd used a little earlier. As her pole was set up propery, upright and all, Xena smiled back at her, much to the smaller girl's delight. A sudden thought popped into her head, something that she didn't often have. She ran swiftly back into the equipment room, her sandles tapping loudly against the flooring, and her kitty's tail swishing back and forth with each of her advancing movements. She entered the darker room, and paused, looking around for a few seconds before finding what she'd come for. Moving over to a dark blue box, she crouched down to its level and took out a cylindrical, transparent container that held the 'birdies', as she knew them.

With one container in hand, she stood up again, turning around to find the other thing she was in need of. Spotting the badminton nets on the bottom shelf of a shelf lined against a wall, she grabbed the top net with the hand she was using to hold her racket, and yanked it off the pile. It was a little difficult to hold two things at once, but not difficult to the point she couldn't do it. Mira exited the little equipment room, using one of her legs to lightly kick the door shut on her way out, the door shutting with a little 'click'. Dragging the equipment with her over to where Xena stood, she dropped the net and container, with the container landing ontop of the net to prevent the plastic getting scratched. Taking one end of the net, she walked over to the pole she'd set up before, the net unrolling itself with the other end at Xena's feet. Now they just had to set up the net.

[Xena]

I was surprised when Mira started back to the equipment room, where she would get something else needed for play. The shuttle cocks weren't at all present, so I knew that was one. But what was the other? As I was mulling over this, I looked over what we had already done, and noticed the missing item between the two of our poles

. A net, I mentally slapped myself in realization. Of course! How can a duo play badminton properly without the net that marks each individual's court? It somehow struck me guilty that I forget such an obvious part of setting up the court. After all, I never got to do this before, because whenever I want to play in my previous school, the net would already be there, and the equipment would be already seen, waiting for me to get one.

This time it's more of a hands-on in physical education.

I'm no good in that subject.

Anyway, after deciding that I would come to her and help her carry the items needed, a 'click' entered my ears and echoed in my head just as the same sound had done so when we had entered, making me raise my eyes up to see Mira holding both the net and the shuttle thingy container in her hands.

I opened my mouth but no sound came out, as I could only watch in amazement as she put it her all to carry these stuff. And I just seemed like a spectator, helpless to everything she does except to follow. But the only thing that I could do that moment was to stay still and waited for her to drop the things on the floor; pick up her side of the net; and set that up, waiting for me to do the same, like a reflection on a mirror.

I picked up my side of the net, and placed it up like how Mira did, and soon enough we both had completed that part of the court.

I stood for a while there, viewing things to check if we forgot anything else vital to playing. Satisfied that it was safe to continue without stopping for something missing, except for drinks, I fished out a new shuttle thingy from its container and moved to a court.

Then I gestured for Mira to take the other court, so that our game would begin. "I can't believe I forgot about serving," I muttered to myself as I tried to serve the shuttle thingy upwards in a forehand motion.

While Mira moved to the vacant court, I practiced my serve.

[Mira Jing]

After her own side of the net was secured tightly with the pole, the court was ready for the two to have a nice and friendly match of the suggested sport. With the pink racket firmly in hand, she ran to the unoccupied side of the court, and nodded slightly to let her friend know she was ready to start. The little shuttlecock flew over the top of the net in a matter of seconds, and Mira's own alice took effect.

She felt her control over her own body disappear, and soon enough, she was just like a little puppet. Still, she couldn't say she wasn't happy about being able to play with Xena. Alice or no alice, this was just time being spent together with friends. Her body took her left, and her arm raised itself, swinging forcefully as the shuttlecock advanced towards where she now stood. She was able to land a successful shot, and soon the small object flew in the opposite direction, over to Xena's side of the court.

[Xena]

I ran forward, the racket flipping in my right hand as I executed a forehand shot. Sighing slightly as I did so, twirling the racket with my fingers. I didn't consider playing would still cause my habit of pretending my racket was a sword would occur, since I haven't played in a while. But it did happen. With three steps backward, I returned to my first position on my court, waiting for the countershot to return from Mira Jing.

[Mira Jing]

All of the other girl's movements were picked up by Mira's darting eyes, swiftly glancing from the shuttle thingy to Xena, watching both rather intently, though it may not look like it. She tightened the grip on her racket a little more as the birdie came flying back over to her own side of the net.

The small object flew past her, over her head. In turn, her body darted backwards, running with perfect balance, eyes still on the flying object. Nearly at the edge of the court, she jumped into the air, swinging her racket forcefully, the netted end of her racket making contact, the birdie now flying to the other side.

It was at times like this that her height was her disadvantage. Higher shots were harder for her to catch, and took a little more energy out of her. But she would keep playing, she thought after a smile. After all, this was the most fun she'd had in ages.