Office #7, Saturday

[raspberryturk]

Reno really didn't come into this office often, as could be evidenced by the fact that it was pretty much bare. Sure, there was paperwork scattered across his desk, phone numbers and forms and letters for people through Edge and the rest of the Midgar continent, some of it all even actually regarding things he needed for class.

This week, of all the people he could be making arrangements with, he was working on negotiations with a rancher outside of Kalm. Things were going pretty smoothly, at least, since he'd done business with the man before.

For once, he was sitting in his office and not firing pencils at the ceiling using rubber band slingshots. Probably for the best, since his door was open in case any parents wanted to stop by and ask him what the hell he was teaching their little darlings.

[Open!]

Comments

[factionlevelyn.livejournal.com]

"Because his name is on your roster," Evelyn said.

[raspberryturk]

Reno just gave a crooked little smirk and rolled his eyes up toward the ceiling.

"Figures," he muttered. "He's been in a few of my classes, yo. Classes about improvised weapons, about survivin' the end of the world, that sort of thing. This semester, we're actually hittin' up ground zero and working to pick up the pieces in a place that's still tryin' to get its feet under it again after everything went more or less nuclear. He passed my test when I ran people through the ropes to see who gets trusted with a weapon while we're there. He spent half the summer takin' down all kinds of nasties in my other class. When I say he's tough, I mean he's a goddamn survivor, and that's when I set him next to kids who kill monsters for fun. This place is soft most of the time, but I put my rookies through their paces, yo. Some of 'em need it if they're gonna survive when they go back home."

Reno was... a little fierce when it came to people underestimating his rookies, so far as he saw it. Of course, it didn't take much for Reno to see it that way.

[factionlevelyn.livejournal.com]

Evelyn smiled a little proudly. "Dauntless," she said softly. "Marcus must be livid."

She sounded more than a little smug about that last part.

[raspberryturk]

"And that'd be Marcus' loss," Reno decided. "If he's gonna be a politician first and a father last, then his opinion of what Four's doin' with himself is the last opinion that matters."

That statement wasn't necessarily a Marcus-centric one. It seemed to Reno as though Four had been on his own for a while, now, in one fashion or another. If he felt that he belonged among the Dauntless, his was the only opinion that actually counted.

[factionlevelyn.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure he'd have a different opinion, but I stopped carrying about that about a decade ago," Evelyn said. "As far as I'm concerned, the whole system could come crashing down."

[raspberryturk]

"Hasn't done enough of that already?" Reno gave his shoulders a shrug. "Systems are gonna suck, no matter how you look at it. Gotta admit, all I know about yours is what you said and what Four has, but it's really sounding like typical 'what you get when people are in charge of people' messed-up-world chocobo-crap."

He drummed his fingers against the top of his desk again, and then tilted his head at her.

"You ain't a fan. Just how far outta Four's life are you?"

[factionlevelyn.livejournal.com]

"People don't get divorced in Abnegation," Evelyn said. "I'm factionless now--as good as dead."

And oh, there was some anger there.

[raspberryturk]

And the picture she was painting here just kept getting more and more interesting. Reno nodded a little.

"Of course they don't," he sighed. "Because why the hell would the Selfless need divorce."

Reno kind of wanted to kick this faction system in the nuts, now. And this whole thing was sounding messier by the minute.

"You figure you're gonna get a warm welcome from him?"

[factionlevelyn.livejournal.com]

"Probably not," Evelyn said, "but I couldn't turn down the chance to see him. It's been a very long time."

[raspberryturk]

Reno had a lot of opinions on that one. Most of them sort of circled around the 'you selfish piece of-' line of thought, with a lot of creative swearing thrown in for good measure. But presumably he was supposed to actually behave himself during these things.

Presumably.

"Don't hurt him," he said instead, frowning more deeply. "These weekends are for the students' good, not their estranged parents, no matter what the invitation letter tells you."

Four was tough, sure, but if Reno's mother were to walk in here, refusing to use the name he went by, looking for him, he'd be messed up, too.

[factionlevelyn.livejournal.com]

"I won't hurt him," Evelyn said, frowning hard. "That was always the other one. This has been very interesting Mr....Reno."

[raspberryturk]

"Super educational," Reno agreed, his own frown breaking into smile that wasn't remotely genuine. "You have a good weekend, there. Watch out for gremlins, all that jazz."

He was making a mental note to check up on Four on Monday. Looked like the kid had an interesting weekend lined up for him.