*Arin felt rather ignored, and just kinda shut up and looked down. She was used to it at this point. She just tried to tone the fighting out, so that she might not be as tense or as uneasy. Then again, her mental state was kinda all over the place, so it wouldn't take much more of the fighting for her to get scared. Fighting always gave her anxiety.

lol idk, I'm not doing it on purpose either

Lou's scowl darkened, "I am not the one who typically makes the drinks here. I have never claimed to know how to make drinks. There is a reason I only work the register. I made these two coffee because Sally stepped out when this guy showed up." she said, her voice clipped short, and she thrust her thumb at Rous. "Do not judge this places coffee based on one employee. For all you knew I could have just been having a bad day." she practically growled at Ira. She didn't feel the need to point out that one of the victims of her coffee was a regular who knew she was terrible at coffee making. Also the newcomer didn't seem to mind her strong coffee, or at least she hoped he wasn't being polite about how terrible it was.

Arin sorts feels like she should take Ira's side, but only because he was letting her use his coat, but at the same time, she wants to take Lou's because hers is more valid. She looks rather conflicted and stressed out. Then something occurred to her. She had been on her way to school, so where the hell was her book bag? She could have sworn she brought it in with her...

Rous clapped once and pointed at Ira [I]"That's what I'm talking about! Let's go! Don't bother bringing your wallet, purse or whatever. You won't need it where we are going. I am bringing this coffee though. It really is delicious."[/i] He got up, grabbing his coffee, and pushing his chair back under the table. [I]"If you'd follow me, I'll dispell every shred of doubt you have."[/i] He headed for the door. He opened the door, and turned back to the group, waiting for them to follow.

Arin followed behind, at the back. This was probably a bad idea, but she didn't know that. She was just staring at Rous' ass to really be paying much attention.

Lou jumped at the clap, turning a slightly less hostile glare to Rous. She did not appreciate her day being disrupted by these shenanigans. She snorted at his coffee comment, not believing it herself. Huffing she got up, hoping that this was all a trick and that there'd be a big 'April Fools!' sign somewhere, even though it wasn't exactly april fool's day.

"Riiiight, well you all have fun in la-la land," said Kyar, stretching and rising. "Lou, is it okay if I just leave the money on the counter? And tell me if it wasn't all a hoax, eh? Love to go with you, but like I said..."

"Oh, yeah, just leave it on the counter, or on top of the register box." Lou said, she'd almost forgotten about Kyar not paying for his coffee. "I'll probably be too annoyed to tell you til tomorrow if this is a hoax." she added over her shoulder.

[I]"Don't worry. It's paid for. Either way, we aren't leaving the city at the moment. Follow me a couple blocks to central park, it'll all make sense to you. I'll answer more questions when we actually get to where we are going. You coming, Kyar?"[/i] He asked, holding the door open for the rest of the group.

Arin follows behind in the back, just minding her own business, zoning out

Kyar considered. "I'm not entirely sure you'd really want me as a moderator but..." He glanced at Lou, and then at Arin, and shrugged. "Sure, whatever. I'll come along for now."

It felt a bit like a weird version of the knights of the roundtable as Alyse sat quietly looking around. Instantly her mind started to wander and would have loved to capture the color of the strangers eyes in paint or something. But with a quick shake of her head she realized what he was staying was rather important, no time for paint right now. Though with the white board appearing she at least felt like she wasn’t actually missing class, even if part of her mind started to wander if she did really even have class today, or if it was all this drawing her out of her apartment. Yes, this really started feeling like class, yet Alyse was understanding it all, and the pieces she had been working on for her show had made all the more real sense now.

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes a bit at the start of the little spat. Leaning back in her chair a bit, she couldn’t help but side with the thin guy. The only reason she came to this place much was the prices and convince of location. No need to get offended for others, in her opinion anyway. “Hoax or not, just the idea of this is really going to help with my art work” Alyse eagerly got up to go follow the man. His excitement and mannerisms did excite her, was a bit refreshing to be around someone so spunky outside of the studio. “I like you sir” She smiled stepping through the door putting her hands in her pockets waiting just outside the door.

Arin can't help but feel like the odd one out. She was clearly the youngest, and also the least experienced. She tries to seem a little more grown up but pushing her chest out. This just makes the large, goofy brown stain more apparent

[I]"Everyone here? Off to Central park! It's only a few blocks from here. Ain't that cold."[/i] And with everyone in tow, he started off down the sidewalk.

As they walked, people in front of them parted to let them by, their phones going off, watches beeping, like in the coffee shop. As they walked, he talked.

[I]"Where we are about to go is where the Moderators spend their (He air quoted) "time" (end quote) when not in a universe policing the laws of physics and timeline disrepencies. I say (he air quoted) "Time" (end quote) because time doesn't exist there."[/i]

Even as they got to crosswalks, the 'Stop' symbol turned to 'Walk', and cars stopped as they should. He continued talking, checking his watch as he went.

[I]"Where we are going is in-between planes of existence. It is how you jump between universes, and it is where you will learn all about being a Moderator! Ah, here we are!"[/i]

They walked into central park, phones going off and watches beeping. People got up and hurried away, looking as if they were late to a meeting. Construction crews began to block off the road at either end, preventing cars from passing by the park, which was now empty, save for the small group. The construction workers also packed up and left, leaving the road blocks up. The entire block was quiet and empty, as blinds, shades, covers blocked all windows facing the green speck of grass in the middle of the concrete jungle.

In the center or the park stood two trees, arcing towards each other like a doorway. At last, Rous' watch beeped. They were on time. He smiled, looking to the group.

[I]"Prepare to have those doubts smashed."[/i]

He turned to the trees, and held his arms out wide, as if ready to embrace someone. The breeze that had been whipping through the buildings ceased, the snow lazily, silently falling. There was a metalic groan, much like when the whiteboard appeared, only louder, and more prolonged. It sounded as if the buildings around them struggled to stay standing under their own weight.

The view in-between the trees began to twist and warp, as if someone drew the view on a cloth, pinched the middle, and twisted. As it did so, the groaning got louder.

With one final, loud groan, the space in-between the tress exploded, the pulse racing outwards with a thunderous [b]BOOM![/B] The shockwave folded the trees around the park momentarily, flags billowing out, then falling slack again.

The view in-between the trees was replaced with grey, like fog. He turned to the group, still smiling. He walked through the trees, the fog seeming solid enough to walk on.

When they all walked through, they were greeted by grey, fog like ground, and a multicolored sky. Reds, purples, greens forever shifting as multicolored clouds rolled by. As the last person walked through the portal, it wavered, then slammed shut with aa soft Booooooooop[/I] sound. He turned around, arms out again, a grand smile on his face.

[I]"Welcome! You are 'Here!' "

Kyar pulled out his phone and checked it as they walked, only half-listening to the strange man. He didn't seem to connect the odd behavior of passers-by, lights, workers, everything fluidly going their way, to the man as he flicked through emails, double-checking his schedule for tomorrow. When they got to the park, he put his phone away, and watched as everything changed. Aside from eyebrows raising slightly, he held in any reaction to the shift. He'd always been good with a poker face - not as good as a past friend, but good. But hey, it was a big universe out there, apparently a big multiverse, and he'd always wondered just how much he didn't know about it. So why shouldn't this all be happening? Because it wasn't expected? It was still fantastic, and incredible he was a part of it, but not quite reality-shattering for it to happen. "Some place, huh?" he said to no one in particular.

As the portal opens and closes, there is a noticeable daft, causing Arin to hold her skirt down to avoid anyone else seeing her underwear. She looks amazed at this new world she's brought to

Zeke glanced around, shifting. "That was kind of unpleasant to me," he muttered. "I dunno about anyone else...."

Lou followed, keeping an eye on the passersby and the traffic, too used to the city's chaos and risk of being hit by a car or person. The sounds of the electronics going off and every light changing exactly when they needed it made her edgy, she wasn't fond of this trick.

As Rous opened the portal she moved to run but her feet carried her in the wrong direction. Suddenly she was surrounded by the colorful empty space. She wished she'd said no these shenanigans. This experience was starting to freak her out.

Rous turned around, counting heads by pointing. [I]".....Oh no. We lost one. Dammit, I KNEW I should have researched her more."[/i] He took off his sunglasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head sadly. He turned his gaze to the remainder of his followers.

[I]"Ladies and gentlemen, this is what happens sometimes when you try to pull an anomaly out of their plane of existence. This one actually went better than the last time I tried this. I lost the whole group! Saddens me, really..."[/I] He paused, staring off into space for a moment, then snapped back to 'reality' with a smile. [I]"Onward! We gotta go meet with One, tell him that you guys are here working for us now! Everyone link hands, and don't worry about the static smell. It's how we get places fast here!"[/i]

He held his hands out and waited for everyone to do so, before he took them where they needed to go.

Now there was finally something that disturbed Kyar. He balked. "You lose people? Lose them where? I..." He paused, realizing that if they were going to be holding hands, he'd better make sure that he was at least holding the hand of someone cute. He extended his hands towards the women nearest him.