Main Campfire, Tuesday Evening

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

Alex felt restless enough to emerge from his alcove and head out to the main campfire again. It was easier to both smoke and stay warm since it'd gotten weirdly cold over the last few days. Whatever. He was from Iowa. He was used to this type of weather.

Didn't mean he would pass up a fire.

So, he slouched down against a log, crossing his feet at the ankle and leaning back to blow smoke into the air. It was the second week of classes and, amazingly, they weren't going that badly. Of course, considering the classes, Alex didn't know how they could go badly.

He'd take the good news while he could. It didn't happen often.

[campfires are open things!]

Comments

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

Okay, that was enthusiastic. Rose couldn't help smiling back at the girl.

"There's fire and marshmallows," Rose said. "Who could complain?"

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"People who are allergic to marshmallows and afraid of fire?" Turtle offered, with a slight shrug. "I'm Turtle, by the way. Don't think we've met."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Rose. I got here late so definitely haven't met yet," she said. "And I'm sorry for people who are either really."

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"I know," Turtle laughed a little, relieved to find out that she didn't so much as miss Rose earlier as it was that Rose was just not here earlier. "They miss out on a lot! But it's nice to meet you, Rose. How are you liking it here so far?"

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Nice to meet you too," and the strangeness of Turtle's name hit her. She tugged on her long ponytail. "It's not what I expected is probably best way to say it. I thought it was going to be a lot more - boot camp-ish."

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"Ew," Turtle's nose wrinkled a little. "Yeah, definitely glad it's nothing like that. I'd be awful at bootcamp."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Not so much with getting up at 5am to run?" Rose asked.

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"Or the running at all," Turtle said, wryly. "I've got to admit, spar practice at fight club is about as active as I get."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Fight club? That was the thing on Sunday, right?" she confirmed. "I was surprised by how many people" - girls, really - "were there."

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"It's a biiiiig fighting type of school," Turtle said with a nod. "I'm on the way beginner side, but so many people are just so good, it's kind of nutso."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

Rose nodded thoughtfully. "Good to know. Maybe that's why they sent me here then." She looked up at Turtle. "How long have you been here?"

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"This'll be my fourth year," Turtle said with a smirk of accomplishment. "I got sent in for the long haul."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Congratulations," she said, responding to the other girl's air as much as anything. "Will it be too much time or too little?"

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"Just about right, actually, I think. Which grade are you coming into?"

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"I'm going to be a senior," Rose said. "So eleven months at the most."

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"You'll be in my class, then," Turtle said, gaining a new smile in the light of a potential vote. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask for help. I definitely know the ropes around here after three years."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Thanks," she said, not entirely sure what that smile meant. "Pretty sure I'm doing okay so far, but I'll keep that in mind."

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Turtle nodded. "Has anyone given you all the usual warnings? Gremlins, random attacks, glitter, etc, etc, so on, so forth, ad nauseum?"

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Edmund gave me a pretty thorough warning Saturday," Rose said. "And Chuck was pretty helpful as well."

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Turtle...almost doubted that Chuck was really as helpful as he may have seemed but Turtle wasn't going to say anything.

"Well, that's good then. It's definitely different around here. Unless you're from someplace pretty weird, too. Where are you from, Rose?"

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Montana," she said dryly. "It's way out in the middle if you're not from around here."

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Turtle's little grunt there was a sympathetic one. "Okay, yeah. I feel you there. I'm from Wisconsin."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

Rose twisted her lips, definitely sympathetic. "So you get the whole wide open spaces, totally boring thing. You're one of the only few who actually know where it is so far."

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

"It almost makes me wonder if, this whole time, I should have been telling people that Wisconsin is actually really a great magical land full of riches as far as the eye can see, the Fountain of Youth, and lots of unicorns. Instead of, you know, being really lame and full of cheese."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"You could still try it. There's plenty of new kids who don't know where Wisconsin is yet. Course then they'll all want to go there..."