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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Dinah blinked, pleased he was willing to do that again, and reached out to touch his hand, sending, You know about this?

Well. Uh.

How to-- Uh.

He focused on a memory (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXgG02TSey0&feature=related). Him. Misty Island. Daxter being wary about it. Pacing past the ribs of long-dead creatures into the island's bowels, finding lurkers ready to fight, and that big pool of dark eco-- something appearing behind him, big and frightening, and he threw the Precursor bomb he'd found into it, but he'd bumped Daxter into the pool of dark eco and--

Uh. Lots of confusion. As he was furry, now. And screaming.

Abruptly, the memory broke off, and Jak looked very, very sheepis.

Dinah watched his memory of going off to Misty Island, looking around, and... whoa, Daxter got pretty loud about it, didn't he?

What kind of animal is he now? Dinah asked, a little stunned. "Dude," she said aloud, blinking as the memory broke off. "Wow. Has he turned back yet?"

An Ottsel, because in Jak's world, that was the closest thing to a name he could think about it.

As to the rest of it, he just shook his head. Uh. He'd tried. Which... he managed to communicate more in terms of emotion than words.

That got a full-on hug, not just a mental hug, or Dinah putting an arm around him. Because ow that had to suck. Not that it was all Jak's fault or anything, but he hadn't been able to stop it, or fix it yet. I'm sorry, Jak, she sent, then wondered if she was pushing her luck, and pulled away.

Considering that Jak hadn't been feeling anything people should be feeling sorry for prior to that (and not even in a repressing kind of way), he was free to... blink slightly, and acknowledge the fact that a pretty girl was hugging me, which was kind of awesome.

He just had no idea why.

We're working on it, he shot back, once she was pulling away, because really, Daxter would be alright eventually. And until then, he was alive, right? That's what mattered.

Dinah grinned at him, pleased, then felt herself turn red about the hug, and wonder, um, what prompted that, exactly? Maybe she'd just wanted to hug Jak? Um.

"That's cool," she said, nodding and pushing her hair back. "And he can still talk and all. And he has opposable thumbs. That's the stuff that gets you by." She gave Tony a look. "As I'm finding out."

Jak definitely wasn't going to argue it if she wanted to hug him. You know. Just part of the job. Cough. He smiled, and shot Tony the tiger a little look of his own, although it was more confidence than anything else. He nodded, reaching for the creature.

In his defense, he didn't know what a tiger was, or what it might have done to him had it not been a student.

Tony didn't exactly help much, because all he did was lunge for Jak's legs, and sniff his hand ferociously, looking for food. Most of Tony was submerged under baby-tiger instincts, but what was left was friendly and easily distracted. No food forthcoming, he opened his mouth in a baby roar, showing many sharp, albeit small, teeth.

"I'm just so glad you're not adult-size," Dinah told Tony, then to Jak, "Arthur did this? And he ate my boots. He was the size of, well. You."

Yeah, she was never going to let that one go.

Jak blinked at him as he yawned. He guessed that was cool, then? Anyway, nothing to be worried about. He grinned, which lasted for about two seconds before the rest of the sentence was out of Dinah's mouth and he was, uh.

Looking at her boots. Seriously?

Dinah followed his gaze to her boots, and had to grin. "Great big toothy holes in them, and big chunks taken out of them, yup. He paid to replace them, but still." She shook her head. "Leather must smell like lunch to them." Tony pounced on her toes, and she gave him a resigned look, then grinned back at Jak. "Everything cool since Saturday?"

He shrugged. Casually. Even if something wasn't cool, Jak could deal with it, so that meant everything was going to be cool by default, yes? Unless Tony didn't turn back. That... might wind up not being too cool.

Jak crossed his arms post-shrugging, lifting his chin. Everything was totally under control. What about her? Tiger-issues notwithstanding?

Dinah couldn't help but grin at the casual, then tilted her head to think at his inquiring look. "Pretty good. Keeping busy. I'm liking classes so far this semester, and I tried out for the play today. Hopefully I'll get a part, but I'll just help Tony backstage if I don't." She grinned at him. "Otherwise, pretty normal, for this place."

Behind the Dorms, Tuesday Afternoon

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