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Parents' Weekend Meet & Greet, Town Park [Friday Afternoon]

Barney was smart and had purposefully blocked all outgoing mail from Fandom to his New York City (sorry, no luck for you, Robin) and so could blissfully oversee the gathering of guests, students, teachers, and townies happening in the park. The day was bright and sunny, regardless of what any weather reports might claim.

The Student Council had done a nice job getting things together to greet the visitors. A wide variety of sumptuous food was spread out on long tables at one end of the park. In the center were plenty of comfortable blue and gold tables and chairs perfect for sitting, chatting, and eating. To the other end of he park was the registration table where visitors could sign in and pickup their name tags.

Just above the registration area was a gaudy banner announcing the start of a calm and relaxing weekend. Okay, a weekend where Barney got a lot of popcorn to listen to radio.
Welcome to Parents' Weekend 2009!

[ OOC: DONE! Registration | Security | Food & Drink | Mingling | OOC ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Squirm. The squirming was epic. Maybe just one little bounce. There! See! He was fine now!

"Well, did he have anything to say? I mean, impressed is good, right? Am I going back to work? There is work, right?"

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?

"There is work," Angeal allowed. Grudgingly. "A mission, in Wutai. I have been sent here to evaluate your fitness for participation."

Eeeeee!

"I'm fit!" And Zack was now flexing to show off his biceps. See? Totally fit. "I've been keeping up on training, even here! I'm even one of the TAs in Deadpool's swordsmanship class!"

Because that totally mattered to the military! Sure!

"I'll be the judge of that," Angeal said. To be perfectly honest, he was already convinced, but Lazard had insisted on a full report. And it couldn't hurt to be sure that Zack was staying on-top of his skills, here. "Will I be meeting this Deadpool?"

"If you want to," Zack agreed, grinning and nodding. "The other students say he's a little unorthodox, I guess? He uses two swords, and he's got this crazy awesome healing factor, better than anything any Regen Materia has ever managed? Which makes him amazing to train with."

A beat.

"I mean, you're still the best trainer I've had? But Deadpool has been keeping me on my toes between sessions in Midgar!"

So, for months on end!

"Duly noted," Angeal said, smiling a bit at Zack's clarification. "I'd like to meet him. Get a feel for how he says you've been doing. Is there anyone else I should speak with?"

"Um... Hm." Zack crossed his arms and squinted one eye, thinking that over a little. "Well, there's Professor Skywalker, maybe? He let me into the Danger Shop one afternoon with a training program that he uses for Jedi... Um. These kind of super monk police warriors with swords made of light? He might have something to say."

He tapped his foot against the ground. Clearly, he was raking his brain, here.

"And Arthur! I mean, he's a student, too, but I train with him. I don't use my full strength on him, I mean. Not by a long-shot. But he's good." A beat. "I don't think he believes me when I tell him about that sword of yours."

"Give me a list of all of your professors," Angeal decided. "And I'll meet this Arthur, as well. But if I hear one lame joke about overcompensating ..."

"Aw, Arthur isn't like that. He's all about... poise... and... Justice."

Zack had noooo idea.

"He's got some really interesting views on honor. I think you and him could have great conversations on the topic," Zack offered. "And Deadpool is one of my instructors this semester, and the other one is Minsc."

A pause.

"Who is teaching me a class on murmurmumblefairiesumblemurmur."

"Interesting?" Angeal asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'll have to ask him about that."

He was folding his arms, now, openly amused. "Could you say that again? I don't think I heard you."

Zack's manly pride! Think of his manly pride, here! Minsc had told him to try to think like the faery, once.

He was pretty sure that meant in situations like this.

"It's a class on fairies," he said, loud and clear. "And it's been really interesting and Minsc is a nifty teacher, and if you talk to him, don't insult his hamster."

He meant that. Very strongly.

Oh, Angeal was trying not to burst out laughing, now.

"Good," he said. "That sounds like a useful class. The next time SOLDIER is called out against a fairy strike, I'll make sure Lazard knows you're the one with tactical information."

Zack was attempting to keep from turning bright red and sulking, now.

"It covers things like demons and fire drakes, too," Zack replied, and that was not a pout, shut up. He just had a very pronounced lower lip that would start to behave ANY TIME NOW. Really.

"I'll add those to the list," Angeal said, mock-solemnly. "Fairies, demons and fire drakes. You're getting an impressive education."

Teasing Zack should be too easy to be any fun. And yet ...

Zack siiiighed that little sigh of a kid who was going to go and sulk over a bowl of ice cream later, yes.

"Do you want to know about other teachers I've had? I had Lady Ghanima for both summer terms, and she runs the Fight Club in town..."

Also, talking about her meant they were not talking about fairies. Score!

"Include previous professors, as well," he nodded, "so long as they're not half-wits. And I hear there's a fighting reserves?"

His conversation with Yuffie had been illuminating.

"Oh, there is!" Zack perked up, grinning a little. "Arthur, Leto and I run it on Tuesdays! It's mostly just going over tactics and stuff like that. What to do in case of an invasion... Those happen here."

Yes, Zack. You've mentioned the gators.

"But I've had people come to me and tell me that the things they learned in our Reserves meetings have gotten them through missions at home, too."

"So you're teaching tactics to other students," Angeal said, casually. "Ones they can use in important situations. And this group includes a Wutaian girl?"

So casual. Just asking, there.

"What, Yuffie?" Zack blinked. And then he shrugged. See? Totally casual. "Sure it does, but it's kind of a moot point for her. She's from... Uh."

... Wince. How in the world do you tell your mentor that someone is from a future where Midgar has crumbled to the ground without first, making him wait for it like Zack was going to do, and second, sounding absolutely insane?

"... A different part of Wutai?"

It was kind of like being true! If you squinted at it sideways.

Zack was not a very convincing liar. Angeal sighed.

"Zack, I realize that she's cute," he said, grudgingly. "But you can't give away tactical information to the enemy, even if the enemy bats her eyelashes at you."

Zack's heart was now paying a visit to the bottom of his gut, where it was going to sit for a few moments while Zack looked toward his toes and frowned.

"I know, Angeal."

Damn it. Damn it. Yuffie wasn't the enemy.

"Good," Angeal said. After a moment, his tone was softer. "I know, it's hard to remember that. I don't like thinking of people as being enemies, either, but we're fighting a war. It could be dangerous."

Zack nodded slightly. See? He totally agreed.

"I understand. But the information we're giving... It's more basic things. Making maps of the area, so that if monsters invade here, we'll be ready for them. How to improvise if your weapon is broken."

That was almost a sheepish smile, there, from Little Mister Snaps-Many-Swords, yes.

"Stuff everyone knows, but they don't always get around to doing unless there's a group of people organized to do the same. We have the same mission objective. Keep this island safe."

"Just be careful," Angeal cautioned. "Promise me this girl isn't your girlfriend?"

Zack being casual acquaintances with a Wutaian girl - that did not need to go to Lazard. Zack getting intimate with one would.

Zack blinked up at Angeal. And then he nearly laughed.

"You know, I don't actually have a girlfriend?"

About three and a half thousand girls (and some guys) with whom he flirted relentlessly. But no girlfriend.

Edited 2009-10-03 05:52 (UTC)

Parents' Weekend Meet & Greet, Town Park [Friday Afternoon]

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