Opening Shop, Setting up Camp (you get the point)

[Victoria Alexander]

Thud!

“Damn it!”

Victoria withdrew her fingers from under the tower of her new computer and put her index finger in her mouth. She soothe the aching pain of having her finger squashed between the wood frame of the desk and the hard plastic as she looked around.

The drab white room, the lack luster blinds that covered the windows. It seemed so boring compared to what she had in mind. Course it would be a challenge since she did not know if the school would allow her to paint her own walls not to mention her new office mate who clearly would have different tastes.

Shifting her weight she felt the tough fabric of her shirt rise slightly on her thigh. She hated the stiff, boring fabric. Victoria didn’t know how long she would have to take on the drab look but hopefully not forever. She knew being the boss she could easily sway in some more comfortable styles.

Kicking her covered toe on the box at her feet she only had a few belongings that deemed worthy of her office space. Bending down, Victoria picked up a picture frame that came in the mail not even the day before. She examined the photograph, looking at the banger boys along with the group she grown up with. Elizabeth, Nicholas, staring back at her as she put it on the desk. It gave her comfort that they were doing alright without her.

Hearing a knock at the door Victoria turned and looked toward the petite woman standing there. Her secretary assigned to her was older than she was. Victoria guessed that she was good at her job, experienced. She didn't wanted to take over the secretaries duties if she didn't have to.

“Principle Alexander I have some messages for you. Would you like a cup of coffee, some tea before I go?”

Victoria shook her head moving swiftly toward the door taking the messages out of the secretaries hand.

“No thank you but please do address me as Victoria. I’m assuming the student files will be copied to my hard drive?”

“Yes just as you asked."

Victoria nodded, not particularly pleased that she will be up late tonight doing her own homework but to be prepared was one of the things high on the top of her list.

"Very good. Tell me when Mr. Katsumoto will be"

She paused looking at the empty side of the office.

"Moving in?"

She said it in such a manner that the secretary seemed to smirk and shrug her shoulders.

"I do not know ma'am."

It was odd that the school appointed Shuya Katsumoto, Course some people could say the same thing about her. But he had no previous experience and had just graduated himself, by choice this time needless to say. He was only two years younger than Victoria but she at least had some experience. It baffled her but in the end she was stuck with the School Councils decision. There was nothing she could do.

Or was there?

Turning her attention back toward the secretary she waved her hand giving the secretary a nod before turning toward the window. It was going to be interesting to see how this year turned out.

Looking over the school grounds, in the back of her mind there was worry. Would this just be a repeat of Varron?

"I hope not..."

She whispered to herself as Victoria walked to her chair and sank into it. The cool leather caressing her as she put her hands in her lap. She only hoped that any troubled waters would stay as far away from Hircine as it could possibly be.

Course that would be asking for too much.

[Shuya Katsumoto]

Making his way through the main halls, Shuya had a smirk on his face that no student could wipe away easily. He knew he was going to achieve great things here and the students were all confused by the sudden approval of him becoming the new school’s principal. Well… co-principal. But Shuya had already encountered Victoria and even though he would probably not always agree with her in the future, he couldn’t think of anyone better to cover the legal, correct and study-orientated side of the principal function. It would not only leave him with more time to focus on what he thought was important, it would also mean that he could excuse himself with facts that were positive, even though they would probably have been realized by Victoria.

With a black suitcase in his right hand, Shuya finally arrived in front of the door leading to the secretary room, in front of his office. He was surprised to find out however that there was only one door leading to the offices… and the door had the label ‘Principals Katsumoto and Alexander’ on it. They had to share an office? Well, at least his name was on it first… Shuya smirked at the thought of that but still felt quite irritated about the fact that he had no own office. Before he could enter the office however, an older woman stepped out of the office. She was probably in her mid thirties, but wasn’t very attractive. She gave him a warm smile however and immediately started to speak to him.

“Ah, Shuya… Victoria has been waiting on you in there.”

With his eyes sharpened, Shuya halted his pace and stared right into the eyes of the secretary. Her mood immediately shifted from cheerful to frightened as Shuya spoke to her.

“That would be mister Katsumoto or principal Katsumoto to you…”

”But… miss Alexander.. I mean Victoria… I”


“I don’t care what she said… If she allows you to call her by her first name, that is her decision… but I wish to be addressed by my last name, is that clear?”

The secretary nodded and Shuya continued making his way into his office, finally opening the door there. He noticed Victoria already being inside there. Since they had been told they would be working together, the two of them hadn’t really spoken, but Shuya had all intentions of discussing matters with her eventually. Walking to the empty desk, he placed his suitcase on it and opened it. He removed his laptop from it and placed it in the middle of the desk. Putting the desk on the ground, he connected all wires to his laptop and started it, before speaking.

“I’m glad to see this room hasn’t been filled with pictures of you in your old uniform. As cute and handsome as you may look in that, I doubt my eyes could take that amount of pink.”

With a smirk on his face, he straightened his tie. Wearing an even more expensive suit than normally, Shuya felt even better. With the same smirk on his face he continued to speak.

“I was hoping for a younger and sexier secretary, but I guess this one is yours… since you let her call you by your first name and all… I’ll find myself another secretary when I’m finished working today… you don’t mind do you, Alexander?”

Shuya had no intentions to attack his colleague but he didn’t know exactly how to address her just yet so he just remained formal for now. He patiently awaited her response as he took seat in the comfortable leather seat he had ordered specially for the job.

[Victoria Alexander]

(Ooc- sorry late wasn't able to get to comp over holiday weekend)

“Spare me your sense of humor on my previous occupation. But I’m sure I can get the school uniforms changed to striped pink just to annoy you if you like.”

She looked at her painted nails, leaning back in her chair with her legs crossed one over the other. Victoria mused that Shuya Katsumoto was going to take as much joy as she was, sharing an office. They were two different people. Victoria didn’t have to learn about him to know that much.

“I wouldn’t underestimate the experienced but do what you want but just don’t torment mine to satisfy yourself. Course you no doubt would look for the wrong kind of experience in your young, sexy secretary.”

Victoria rolled her eyes.

“I’m sure you’ll learn the hard way that those type will come and go and will lack any resourcefulness when the time calls or rather be able to chew gum and walk at the same time. Keep your ‘little’ personal interests at home and keep it strictly business is all I ask.”

Victoria smirked as her eyes kept watch on him. Sure it was going to be interesting to see if he actually was going to look for a secretary that was more than eye candy. Victoria knew how important it was to get a reliable one. One able to keep their mouth shut and their schedules clear for any unexpected work days.

“So Mr. Co-Principle. How would you like to make this work. You keep on your side I keep on mine. Im sure I can talk the custodian to put a line down the middle of the room to make sure you keep to your side.”

She laughed as she leaned to her desk and pulled out a small book and a pen. Leaning back she flipped through a few pages. Taking her pen and bouncing it on her lip as she looked through newly added appointments. Meetings with the new teachers, meetings with the board, not to mention deadlines for the many other things they were to complete.

“O don’t forget, in this job, your social life comes second. I hope you can cope.”

[Shuya Katsumoto]

“Young high school girls in pink short skirts… damnit, I think I could even live with that…”

Shuya smirked as he casually stared at his colleague, who apparently didn’t feel the necessity to look back at him, but instead focus herself on her nails. It was all good with Shuya, as long as the two of them could cope. He carefully listened as Victoria explained why he should pick his secretary carefully and he cheerfully responded when she was finished.

“Don’t forget that our secretary is also the face we put forward to the public… meaning the students. A young beautiful hardworking secretary would show freshness and our eagerness to get our jobs done. Don’t worry, I know where to get my employees and I know how to combine skill with appearance.”

He still kept his eyes resting upon the other co-principal but his face had turned serious now, but there was still an exciting twinkle in his eyes. “As for my personal interests, I doubt that’s really any of your business.” It wasn’t a threat, but it was meant to show Victoria that she was not in the position to mistrust him or mix herself in his business… she hadn’t earned that privilege yet, she had to impress him for that first.

When Victoria mentioned dividing the room by drawing a line, Shuya couldn’t help but laugh and finally look away from his colleague. It seemed she was having even more problems with the fact of sharing an office than Shuya was and to be honest, that fact made it even easier for Shuya to work in this office.

“I think drawing a line might be a little extreme. Though I’m disappointed in not having my own office, this will enable us to share almost all information… And that would of course enable us to divide general tasks and still be up to date about everything because we can easily talk about it during work… But yeah, I guess we can both have our own side to place personal stuff…”

Shuya looked at his own side where a bookcase, some monitors that showed several key positions of the school, his desk and some random chairs and attributes were placed.

“I’m flattered you worry yourself so much over me, but I can take care of myself… So how are you coping? Not going to share any personal matters on the work floor? Well here’s one for you, I absolutely am disgusted by the color of that bin, I think we should replace it, no? I need one that is constantly open so I can throw my badly written work in there…”

He smirked as he pointed at the bin stationed directly in the middle of the room, exactly where Victoria’s line would’ve cut it in half.

“And I think we should get those little foot-massage machines…”

[Victoria Alexander]

"In that case maybe I’ll just have MY secretary wear the outfit for you. She may not look as good to you as any high school girls."

Victoria laughed slightly to herself as she let him continue on, listening to him give an excuse on why he had to have a good looking secretary and why she shouldn't butt into his personal life. Frankly she didn’t care what he did with his personal life she just didn’t want business to get mixed into it.

Scribbling something in her date book Victoria looked over towards Shuya as he continued to say that he was flattered by her concern and then following his concerns on a bin in the middle of the room. Putting her book down she tossed her pen letting it roll til it hit the base of her computer monitor. She couldn’t help but let out a laugh, not for the simple fact that he made a joke about a bin but for the fact that he would assume she cared to give him any flattery.

“O no flattery believe me, I don’t worry about you. No... I worry about your position. I shouldn’t have to clean up someone else’s mess if I don’t have to.

Victoria locked her fingers together, resting them in her lap and shook her head slightly. She could tell Shuya had a sense of humor but she would have to set him right to let him know that she didn’t care what happens to him. If he screws up its going to be on him. She didn’t want to be stuck between a rock and a hard place if he put strain on their jobs. Victoria was sure that if any problem should arise that the council could tell the difference between which party was being accused of something. She felt that she shouldn’t have to play babysitter to make sure the job is done right.

But it wasn’t so bad. Sharing responsibilities with some else. Sure he wouldn’t have been on the top of her list but she would have to make do with what was handed to her.

Ignoring the foot massage comment she swivelled her chair to the side directly facing him, leaning back in her chair.

“Now that the other school has opened. I know there would be conflict. How would you like to go about them. You know there will be no doubt hostilities. The city will also no doubt arrange the school sports to put the students against one another. Its something that has been concerning me. Specially since there is no more hostilities towards the old transfers no doubt it will be renewed with the new.”

It bugged her when she learned about the opening of Paragon. The school was supposed to be for the more troublesome students. But in Victoria’s mine it was no more than another reason to have one pitted against another. It seemed like Hircine took a big step and now its been push back two. Fate always seemed to have a way of changing to make things in the future more difficult.

[Shuya Katsumoto]

“You can worry about my position all you want, Alexander, but it will still not change anything about the situation. You don’t know anything about me, except that I provoked you earlier… do not make the mistake of thinking I don’t know what I’m doing here… cause if you do, this co-working will get very tiresome…”

Shuya turned his face away from Victoria as he turned his chair a little towards the window. He could look over the entire campus from his office and still not be noticed by any student. The darkened windows allowing him to see through them and denying the outside world that privilege. He didn’t really care about Victoria’s attitude towards him. It was more than natural that she mistrusted him, but still, she hadn’t gotten her position any better way than Shuya had and if she found him unsuitable for the job, she would have to think the same about herself.

As Victoria suddenly changed the conversation’s heading towards the new high school that opened, Shuya slowly turned his chair back to face Victoria. There was a slightly concerned look on his face, but nothing serious enough that it would affect Victoria’s observations of him. Shaking his head slightly, he responded to the slightly older woman.

“I know you might not want to see it, but there’s a simple truth out here… and that is that fights and hostility will always be a part of the current school systems. With current regulations the ‘system’ is provoking the students… and then there’s a lot of hotheaded students who will challenge any who has authority… So I must say there’s no way we’re going to be able to for once and for all put a stop to the fighting. Instead, I think we should ensure its organized and monitored. As you say, with the recent events, Hircine students have accepted the Varron students as their own. We must stimulate this… we should create a positive culture where the students feel connected to each other… safe among each other. The new school creates the perfect opportunities for this. So rather than resist the fact that we’re going to be forced to be competitive against Paragon, I think we should stimulate… have the students cheer for one another during sports…”

Shuya noticed the look on Victoria’s face and he slowly added:

“I don’t like the fact that there always seems to be a need to fight either, Alexander… but I need to take care of the Hircine students, not the Paragon ones. If the ‘eager to fight’ students take their fights to Paragon instead of to our own students, it would be for the best…”

Shuya turned away from Victoria as he recalled the call he had received from one of the persons that had put him into this office. Telling him to arrange a meeting with the principal of Paragon… Davis… Shuya had been eager to meet the man and knew it would have to occur soon…

[Victoria Alexander]

Victoria had to admit. Katsumoto was right. She didn’t know how they would achieve a positive outlook but that wasn’t going to stop her. She was sure something would come to light when the time called for it. But Victoria knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park even if she only had to be concerned with the Hircine students.

Taking a breath in, Victoria let it out slowly wanting to turn her thoughts away from the current topic. She had some non- important things to worry about at the moment to distract herself. Other than her decorating sense on her side of the office she had to start planning this years Parent teachers conferences. No doubt her co-principle would leave the boring stuff up to her.

Deciding that a cup of tea would hit the spot while she went over some paperwork, she rose from her seat. Victoria would have offered a cup towards him but she didn’t want him to get comfortable with the idea of serving him. That and no crude jokes that might follow after.

Walking she stopped short looking down at the waste basket that was in the middle of the room. She slid her covered toe pushing it on his side of the room with a smirk turning back and speaking in a rather cooed voice.

“You can have this one. I’ll make sure the secretary brings me something more attractive. If you do need me I’ll be having a cup of tea in the teachers lounge.”

She smirked as she walked out of the office leaving the door open behind her.

((ooc- x.x’ sorry for the shortness. My brain melted when I was trying to think of something else to post...))