001 [Audio-Locker malfunction | Action]

[reckless_fire]

[It's another beautiful morning at Locke High, and although he'd rather be almost anywhere else, Kenji is standing in front of his locker a few minutes before his first class is scheduled to begin. After glaring at the locker for a few moments, he decides he might as well get his books, and so dials in what he thinks is the combination. But with his usual technology fail, he actually dials in that annoying string of numbers that's been haunting him off and on for the past several weeks.]

...The hell? Open, dammit!

[There's a faint metallic clinking as he jiggles the lock to no avail.]

Stupid lock! I don't need this crap at eight in the morning, okay?!

[And now there's a loud banging as if someone were enthusiastically kicking something metallic--which is pretty much the case.]

Bastard! You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?!


[Kenji can probably be heard all over the first floor at this point. Anyone passing by will see an irate kid roughing up his locker. Which smugly resists his attempts to open it.]

Comments

[Action]

[scramasax]

[This whole mysterious-network-number appearance has turned Anthony into one to check and toy around with his cell phone at school. And he's been too engrossed and intrigued to even be a bit embarrassed or guilty.

When he hears the metallic banging and young-sounding hollering over the network, he makes an educated guess as to what kind of source it could be coming from and can't help scurrying off to see who else found the number, or who the number found, whichever fits better.

He listens for the sounds on his phone getting closer in person and follows them to a boy he - doesn't know personally, know, as he's only a freshman, but who he has seen around. And he freezes a few yards away, checking over his shoulders to see whether or not many more people will pass close by or need to check one of the nearby lockers and thinking about whether or not to cut in, and how, and what to say, if anything.]

[reckless_fire]

[Kenji has no idea that he's 'broadcasting,' and at the moment, he's too preoccupied with his showdown with the locker to notice that he has an audience. After a few more kicks and thumps, he eventually runs out of steam and stands glaring at his opponent. The locker has fought him to a standstill and emerges victorious.

While he ponders how to deal with the rebellious storage device, he slowly becomes aware that he has an audience. Glancing around, he spots another boy standing a short distance away who had obviously witnessed at least some of this debacle. For a long moment, he just stares at the other kid, then shrugs.]

Yeah, it thinks it's tough now, but just wait 'til I come back with a blowtorch and some dynamite. We'll see who gets the last laugh.

[Never mind that he has no idea where to get either of those two items--or how to use them, even if he did--this is war!]

[scramasax]

[Anthony hesitantly gives a small and awkward laugh. But after a couple seconds standing still biting his lip, he looks to his phone, the number still dialed in on the screen, and looks sideways back at the boy deeply engaged with his locker.] I... heard that over my phone.

[He's rather curious as to just how he could have broadcasted, assuming he did indeed use the numbers to connect to the network - it all sounded so very accidental, and... it's dawning on him. Would it work using the numbers on a lock?]

[reckless_fire]

[Of all the things the other boy might have said, that was probably the last thing Kenji expected. After a moment, he laughs a little self-consciously.]

Uh...yeah...I imagine they heard me all the way across town. Stupid locker. [He gives it another half-hearted kick.]

[Action]

[shiromadoushi]

[[Hello irate kid, have a somewhat grumpy and tired kid who had his beauty rest interrupted after he stayed up far too late playing video games.]]

You're too noisy...

[reckless_fire]

I'll stop being noisy-- [Kick, kick, thump!] --if this damn thing'll just OPEN UP! [And a couple more kicks for good measure]

Who the hell made these things, anyway? Fort Knox?

[shiromadoushi]

Tch...

[[annoyance clear on his face, he grabs at the lock.]]

Combination? [[the question is flat and disdainful. He's too tired and cranky to bother with his "front" personality at the moment.]]

[reckless_fire]

[That look and that tone of voice pisses him off almost as much as his locker. Annoyed, he shoves the other boy's hands away.]

I know how to enter the combination--it's not working! See?

[He enters the combination again--correctly, this time, and...click! the locker obediently opens. Kenji looks dumbfoundedly at the locker, then over to the other boy, then back at the locker again.]

...It did that on purpose, just to make me look stupid.

[shiromadoushi]

...

Check that you have it right next time before you go punching the door. Idiot...

[reckless_fire]

DON'T CALL ME AN IDIOT! [He slams the much-abused locker door shut again.] YOU DON'T KNOW ME NEARLY WELL ENOUGH FOR THAT!

[That...makes no sense, really, but he's too pissed off to care at the moment.]

[shiromadoushi]

You don't need to know an idiot long to know he's an idiot!

[[He's likely getting strange looks from anyone in the hall who has him in class. Normally he had a far better personality that this.]]

[reckless_fire]

Yeah? Well, jackasses never know as much as they think they do!

[Likewise, Kenji isn't usually this touchy, but between demonic lockers and kids he doesn't know giving him crap, he's had about all he can deal with--and he hasn't even made it to his first class, yet!]

[shiromadoushi]

Good that you already know that about yourself, then~ [[and there's the 'innocent' face as the bitchy air all but vanishes, leaving just a smile that's only subtly mocking.

..okay no, it's not subtle at all right now.]]

[reckless_fire]

You son of a--!

[He clenches his fist, and even he's not sure if he intends to slam said fist into the locker door or that smug little face mocking him. Before he can do either, however, Kenji's entire body is momentarily outlined in a prismatic light, and a moment later, that poor locker door literally explodes in a cloud of multicolored sparks. The cloud swirls around Kenji for a few seconds before fading to nothing.

He casts an almost panicked look at the other boy; his mouth works silently for a moment, but nothing comes out. Finally, he turns and runs for the nearest exit. Classes be damned.]

[shiromadoushi]

What the--

Hey!

[[There's no thought before Bakura chases after, intent on grabbing the other teen's arm if he can. What was that light. What was that light?]]

( a-a-action! )

[argents]

[ Another day, another unfortunate inanimate object being subject to Kenji's powder-keg of a temper. ]

Um, Kenji. [ Yes, that is his attempt at a "hello". Banagher's paused somewhere a few feet back from him, trying to stay in the safe zone. ] I told you before, yelling at stuff like this isn't going to do anything. Did you break something again?

[reckless_fire]

[Kenji pauses in his locker-assault for a moment to scowl over in Banagher's direction.] I dunno, it's making me fell a hell of a lot better--so I'd say it's accomplishing something! [He gives the locker another vicious kick.]

No, I didn't break it--yet. It just won't open!

[argents]

You don't want to have to pay for a replacement, do you? Let me see it. [ Not that his locker wasn't suffering from several massive dents as it was, but he's sure finding a way to rip the door clean off its hinges was 1. not above Kenji, and 2. highly frowned upon.

To distract him, Banagher shoves an extra orange juice into his hands and approaches the locker. ]

[reckless_fire]

Tch. Fine. [he steps aside, and what the hell? Why is he now holding orange juice?]

If that evil bastard opens for you, I'm really gonna be pissed.

[argents]

It's an inanimate object, isn't it? It can't be evil. [ A beat. ] Look at all the dents...

[ YOU'RE JUST MISUNDERSTANDING IT. Banagher shoulders his school bag and reaches for the lock. Offhandedly: ]

You can drink that, since it was an extra. What's your combination?

[reckless_fire]

[That comment gets a Look. This Look, to be precise]

All inanimate objects are evil. They act all innocent and harmless, but they're just waiting for you to let your guard down.

[He shrugs, unscrews the cap and takes a swig of the juice, then unthinkingly rattles off a long string of numbers. There are only six slots on the lock.]

[argents]

[ That causes him to go completely still. Lock still in hand, he glances over his shoulder, staring Kenji down. ]

What did you say?

[reckless_fire]

[He gives Banagher an odd look, then repeats slooowly.]

0-4. 1-3. 9-7.

[He has no idea he said anything different the first time.]

[argents]

No, not that! Before, you— [ His hand drops from the locker. ] You said a long string of numbers, didn't you? Ones that you can't forget.

[reckless_fire]

Did I? [Scowling, he rubs absently at the back of his head.] I thought I told you my combination... But yeah, there's a buncha numbers that I can't seem to get outta my head.