fandomhighdorms | Behind the Dorms, Tuesday Afternoon

"Today," Arthur announced, looking fit and rested after his first night in a room that did not have an annoying desert noble in it. "We will be talking about the kind of inconveniences that Fandom likes to drop on us from the skies. Sure, poptarts or syrup may seem like a novelty, but when we're dealing with it in a combat situation it suddenly takes on an entirely new angle. Because of that, we are going to spend this week coming up with potential items of rain, and how to deal with them."

He was not going to allow any laughter in his reserves, and his expression made it clear that this was not funny. No, not even to you, newbies.

Zack was not going to giggle. He wasn't. He was going to plaster the most solemn look ever onto his face and he was going to nod. Solemnly.

"We saw the syrup on Friday," he noted, crossing his arms over his chest, because it was easier to pretend that he wasn't about to start giggling like an idiot if he looked at least remotely professional on the outside. "Which was inconvenient enough on Friday. Can you imagine what it would have been like, trying to slog through that mess with a bunch of vampires or griffons or malboros bearing down on top of you? It'd gum up your weapons, get in your eyes. We'd be dead meat." A pause. "And extra tasty."

That was helpful, Zack. Thank you.

... Zack, Arthur was trying to be serious. Please don't make him laugh.

Which he was making an effortless show of not doing, thank you. "Those of you who've been here long," he said, "Should share what you know about what rains from the sky. There are things we should be able to stock up on in case an invasion coincides with one of these things, such as glasses when the rain is-- glittery." Not. Laughing. "There are also ways we should be able to use these effects against our enemy. Had the harpies attacked during the syrup rain, it may have slowed their flight considerably, offering us new chances to attack."

"Or like the rain of condoms over in that other--" Zack clapped his hands over his mouth, wide-eyed and blushing. And then he fell into a fit of giggles the like the world had never before seen. There was a moment of that, and then he moved one hand away from his mouth, waving it vaguely in the direction of the other people around them. They could start any time now!

Helpfully, Arthur reached over to give Zack a thwap over the back of his head. "Get talking," he informed the crowd with a restrained smile.

[OCD ~~on the way!~~ up, and it helps if I note that fact, self.]

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Big. Purring. Kitty. Who happened to be Tony, but Zack was totally going to ignore that part right now, because this was one of those heart-squelching sickeningly adorable things that absolutely required he start to hug and coo and use one arm to hold Tony while the other hand scratched him behind the ears and and and-- Awwwwwwwww.

In fact, he'd say that part aloud.

"Awwwwwwwwwww."

These photos were so going to be displayed on the outside of Dinah's room door. Seriously. *flash! flash! flash!*

"He's really affectionate like this," Dinah said, giggling as Tony closed his eyes and rubbed his head against Zack's fingers, then gave his wrist a swipe with his tongue. "And even more laid-back."

And Zack laughed a little at the lick.

"Whoa, raspy." It would seem less affectionate if Tony was an adult tiger, really. Considering they used those tongues to clean meat from bones and all. "He's cuuuuuuute, Dinah."

"He is! And easier to feed than Priestly was. No crickets." Although that poor dinosaur would never be the same. "I've taken a skillion pictures. He's not going to get away from the evidence here." She grinned and took another one. "How'd your weekend go?"

Tony looked like he might doze off there at any moment. rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

"Not bad! Saturday was full of flowers, and Sunday was work, and then Fight Club, and then--" Zack trailed off into distracted babytalk for a moment at the sleepy tiger. "--Then I took Elena out to Caritas."

Where she'd proceeded to order fruity drinks for him until he couldn't remember his name. He was going to not mention that part.

"That's cool," Dinah said, feeling a little more subdued at mention of Elena, but hiding it behind a smile at Tony. She considered what to say that wouldn't be crossing any information lines, and settled for, "You guys are good buds, hunh?"

"We're friends," Zack said, as though that was really all there ever was to anything, really.

If you'd ever met Zack and exchanged two words with him, then you were friends. The end.

"From the same world, which is kinda neat. It means I could ramble about malboros or poodlers or nerosuferoths or bloatfloats with her and she'd actually know what I'm talking about! Which... Most people don't."

"Yeeeah. I get that. Raven, do you know her? We're not exactly from the same place, but we have some of the same cities, and some of the same people who don't exist here. It's nice to know she gets what I'm talking about." Even if she had to keep reminding herself not to mention too much about that other Dinah Lance. "Okay, I have to ask what a neusuferoth is now," she said, pronouncing it very carefully. "I can at least guess on everything else, even if I get it wrong, but that one has me stumped."

Zack laughed a little, and then gave his head a shake.

"Think of a lizard, built kind of like a greyhound. And then give it a big, ugly beak," Zack replied, shrugging. "They're pretty weak. They live around Junon, that's Midgar's sister city."

"Do you ever get sick of explaining this?" Dinah asked suddenly, and looking apologetic. "I mean, you've learned all our animals and stuff, and it's not like you can just point me to Wikipedia when I ask."

"Naaah, I don't mind," Zack replied, shrugging. "What gets really weird is when there's a monster on my world that has a counterpart here, and I don't know what it is. Ino had to explain what a giraffe was, today."

Zack paused for a moment to continue thoughtfully snuggling the kitty.

"They sound kinda weird."

Dinah snickered. "They are, kind of. But cute, with their long eyelashes and long legs! And I guess you guys don't have trees tall enough for a giraffe to get much to eat, do you?"

"Well, not around Midgar, certainly not." Zack smiled a bit. "There are some pretty tall trees elsewhere, though. Mostly on a different continent. Near Gongaga, it's all rainforest."

"Gongaga," Dinah said, because it was fun to say. "Heh. Giraffes are in Africa, or preserves and zoos here, so people can see them. I wonder if the Baltimore zoo has any?" She reached out to rubbed Tony's head. "Tigers? Do you guys have those?"

"Baltimore," Zack echoed, because that was just as much fun to say as 'Gongaga.' He grinned, and then he shook his head. "Nothing like this guy, no. We have cats, and dogs. Stuff like that. But no orange stripey big kitties."

Which was saaaaad. Zack wanted one!

"They're over in Asia, the other side of the world, mostly. This isn't their hunting grounds."

Everyone wanted one! They were adorable! Especially Tony when he made that cute little whistling sound as he snuggled Zack.

"But cougars, and wildcats, they're a little bit smaller but not stripey, you could go out west and see those on the plains. Or in the mountains." Dinah grinned. "We so need to go to the zoo sometime. Maybe someone will do a field trip there, so we can look at them all when they're not our friends and roommates."

"That," Zack decided, bouncing carefully so as to not disturb the kitty, "would be so, so neat. Then I'd know what you guys are talking about when you mention stuff like giraffes."

Giraffes?

Giraffes!!

"Wouldn't it?" Dinah cocked her head. "I should ask the kids running for Student Council if they think they could get that happening. I would so vote for anyone who could."

"You and me both," Zack agreed, laughing. "Politics are so not my strong point, but anyone who can wrangle a good field trip has totally got my vote!"

Behind the Dorms, Tuesday Afternoon

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