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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Zack laughed a little, giving his head a shake.

"I landed on my butt way too many times on Friday," he noted. "I guess some environments just aren't for everybody."

"If you're not agile enough to adapt, I suppose it isn't."

Blink. Blink.

"Hey! I'm plenty agile!"

He was! Just... not in syrup, apparently.

"But not enough to adapt," she pointed out.

"Enough to handle the difference between deserts and snow," Zack sighed, and then shrugged a little. "But you're right. I need to work on some of the stranger stuff, I guess."

Syrup. How do you plan for syrup?

"Then you're not adjusting to the terrain. Adjust to the terrain and you fight better."

Why didn't he know this? And what kind of military reserve is this that people just sit around and talk?

They were easing into the meat of the fighting stuff! Honest! Just... it was a good idea to wrap the newbies' heads around things, first.

Kinda.

"It's really that easy, huh? See terrain, adjust to it, move along?"

"Yes," for her. It comes from the prodigy thing but Azula seemed to forget not everyone was a prodigy. Or didn't care. "Stone pillars coming up to smash you against the wall? Jump over it. Easy."

"Well, yeah, stone pillars are easy. So's jumping out of a helicopter to land on a moving train. But syrup is all..." He tilted his had. "Sticky."

"Yes, but you can use it to your advantage. You can hamper your opponent's movement with it."

Really, did it needed to be spelled out? She was beginning to have doubts about this 'military' reserves.

"My opponents don't usually last long enough for it to really matter," Zack noted.

It wasn't him being cocky, really. It was just the honest truth. When he was on a job and he could really let loose, most enemies were a few hits, tops. Maybe a few fireballs to round it out.

"And yet you ask." She was slowly losing her patience with this.

"Well, I don't really throw fireballs or big chunks of ice, around here," Zack replied with a shrug. "It's different when you can only use half of what you have going for you."

Now that caught Azula's attention.

"You can create ice and fire?"

Zack was a bit of an attention-grabber from time to time, it was true!

"Sometimes," he agreed, nodding and smiling pleasantly. "If I have the right stuff equipped, anyhow. There are people where I'm from who can make thunder or cause earthquakes, even, if they find the right Materia. It comes in handy when there are monsters trying to eat you."

"Materia?" Azula demanded. Another unfamiliar term.

Zack nodded, smiling. They were bonding now! Kinda.

"Little round spheres that let you do a whole bunch of things. Some of them let you throw the Fire and Blizzard spells around, and some will poison an enemy, or just make you stronger. Things like that."

In his imagination but Azula's not going to discourage his delusion.

"Do you mean to say, you need outside help to create fire?" And there was the disdain again.

Zack shrugged a little.

"More or less, yeah. It's sort of like striking a match, and then keeping it burning using your own energy."

The puppy would not be deterred!

"Striking a match," Azula repeated. "And this energy is the match?"

"The Materia is the match," Zack gave his head a shake. "It kind of kicks off the whole thing. But you can't cast spells like that unless you have the power to do it. People wear themselves out, doing stuff like that."

"Firebending doesn't need that," Azula said, overcome with the urge to expound on her bending art. "All we need is the sun and the will and desire to create fire."

And now Zack's own curiosity was seriously piqued.

"You can just make fire? Just like that?"

"Yes, I can make fire. Just. Like." Azula opened one hand, "That." And small flame appeared in her hand. It's not an ordinary, lame red-orange fire. No, this flame was blue.

"Okay, that?" Zack pointed at the fire, as though there was any question in the world as to what he was referring to. "That is really neat."

And blue!

"It must come in handy in fights!"

Re: Discuss!

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