fandomhighdorms | Behind the Dorms, Tuesday Afternoon

This was going to be Reno's last meeting with the impromptu Fandom reserve corps, and he was looking about as restless as one might expect, pacing back and forth in front of the students assembled like a caged tiger waiting for mealtime.

"Okay, Rookies, I'm gonna get to do this just this once, so you better listen up! Sometimes, you find yourself on the field, on your own, with nothin' but your wits to keep you in one piece. Most of us ain't in the habit of walkin' around Fandom with a weapon in our hands, and when somethin' invades, they like to do so without givin' any warning, yo."

He stretched his arms casually, and then grinned and bent over to pick up a fist-sized stone.

"So what I want you guys to do is to bring up places around the island, like the preserve or the streets in town or the beach, and talk about what kinda strategy you'd have in case of a land invasion, or an air invasion, or an invasion by sea, yo. Hidin' places? Impromptu weapons? Who is there to run to if you're alone somewhere? How you guys plannin' on stayin' alive? Show us how you improvise, guys. It'll help us figure out what to do with you down the road."

He grinned, and then chucked the rock good and hard at a nearby tree, connecting solidly enough to chip away and scatter flying bits of bark.

"And then, Rikku's gonna talk to you all about explosives, yoto. Never underestimate the power of things that go boom when you're drownin' in harpies. Or zombies. Or dinosaurs. I missed the dinosaurs, dammit."

[[Open! ~~Some OCD on the way!~~]]

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"Thursdays are always good by me," Reno noted, sighing and crossing his arms over his chest. "And you know it ain't like I'm runnin' off with no notice. graduation ain't no surprise to anyone, Ino."

A beat.

"Even if it kinda snuck up outta nowhere."

"Thursday then," she said, tugging at her hair. "Don't mean I got to like it, not when a lot of people are sticking 'round at least a little, and it's my second grad and the the second time I'm losing half my friends to it." Because Ino had a weird tendency to gravitate to people older than she was.

"I know you have to go," she muttered, more to her feet than anything else. "But I'd fail you all if I could."

Reno cracked a bit of a grin, at that.

"I'd fail me too, yoto. And I mean, not just 'cause I ain't the guy to look to around here for book-smarts, either. This place is home. Edge never will be."

He rubbed at his elbows a little, and then sighed and winced. "Friggin' goodbyes, anyhow. This week is gonna suck for that. Heh. You got my phone number, though? Call me anytime you just wanna bitch, or if Durden ever gets himself a new Rhino. Mail part of it to me, and I'll send it back in bits."

She balanced on one foot idly, just thinking, though the comment about the rhino got a quick flash of a smile. "Home's where you want it to be, yeah? With the right people, too but sometimes the people and the place don't mix up well."

"Goodbyes suck," she said, terribly seriously. "And I do have your number. If he gets a new one I'll call you and you can tell me what you what me to do to the poor thing and I'll take pictures to send to you." It would be the weirdest team effort ever.

Reno glanced at the bag of books slung over his shoulder, and then smirked faintly.

"Well, home kinda sucks right now. But these are gonna be a good start, yo. Next, we'll work on the people."

"They're pink, so you look like a total girl while reading them," Ino said, "and because they didn't have neon purple ones. The people'll take longer, I think, honest--sometimes they've longer memories than the land."

"Dad says that," she admitted, "about our own wars, so not my idea, just so you know."

"You got a smart dad," Reno mused. And then chuckled and gave the bag a pat. "I'm secure enough in my masculinity to read a few pink notebooks, yo."

He'd get Rude to read them! Yeah!

"All this work you did, Ino? Lookin' into seeds and into them scrolls like you did? I appreciate it. If I can get plants growin' in Edge again, a lotta hungry people are gonna appreciate it, too."

"Even if you weren't, I think you would read them anyway, for something like that," Ino commented, trying not to flush. "And I just..."

She shrugged, fiddling with her hands. "Wanted to do it just 'cause I could. I don't have any price beyond that you use it."

"Well, with a price like that, I'm gonna say that debt'll be paid in full." Reno smirked faintly. "But if you do think of anything you need down the road, lemmie know. I'll see if it's anything I can dig up on my own world for you, okay?"

"If I need anything," she said, smiling. "I'll let you know."

This was... probably a lie. Ino hated asking for help.

"And I'll call you besides, just to keep you updated on what's going on here."

"I appreciate that," Reno decided. "I'm gonna need someone tellin' me how the newbies are takin' to the weirdness."

She hummed. "And have to see how many of them I can get shirtless," Ino said brightly. "'Cause that's tradition, really. I signed up for a sib, I hope I get one. All of mine left, and Jeff's leaving too, so I'd be sib-less on both sides."

"Toby graduated this year, too, so my little sib is goin'. I'm not sure about Johnny. He was a senior, right? It's like a whole generation is just up and leavin', this year. Or... somethin' like that?"

Reno kind of sucked at this family thing.

"Here's hopin' you get yourself a kickass rookie, Rookie."

"Loads of people," she said, wrinkling her nose at him. "You, Romeo, Dojima-san, Chad, Lee, Ned, Claire, Amber, Johnny, yeah he's leaving too... just..." Something close to half the people she talked to. Ino was not pleased.

"If they're not kickass when I get them," she vowed, "they'll be kickass by the time I'm done with them."

Behind the Dorms, Tuesday Afternoon

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