Interactive Religion [Tuesday, February 5]

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

When the students arrived in the Danger Shop for class it had been rearranged again--this time in series of cavernous rooms full of heavy furniture.

"Welcome to Afghanistan," Biff said with a smile. "Home of Balthazar, one of the creepiest magi ever. My friend Josh and I came here a couple thousand years ago to learn about the Tao. Well, Josh learned about the Tao. I learned about feng shui, which is dependent on something called qi, and then the rest of it I ignored because I was being taught by beautiful Chinese concubines and I got distracted easily."

He pointed at a series of small brass scales on a nearby table. "What I do know is that the qi in all of those rooms is totally screwed up. You take these brass scales and someone who looks good at lifting heavy objects and start moving things around until the qi is balanced again. When the little brass scales balance, you've completed the task."

Biff, it might be a little obvious, didn't really hold a lot of stock in the idea of feng shui. He just wanted them to move furniture around for an hour.

Comments

Boggle at the instructions

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

Oh, he learned a lot from the Chinese concubines. But that's not this class, thanks.

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[withoutverona]

Romeo had no idea what it had to do with religion, unless the brass scales represented halos or something, but he listened anyhow, even if he was completely confused.

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"Is he moving?" Jamie whispered to Romeo. "Because I'm going to need pizza and beer if this goes outside the classroom."

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[withoutverona]

Romeo snorted back a laugh. "What I wish to know is where one finds Chinese concubines."

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"Well there used to be a place in town," Jamie replied. "But they wouldn't even let me use the bathroom."

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[withoutverona]

Romeo raised an eyebrow. "They must have been well-groomed harlots indeed, to refuse the student trade."

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"Well my sock puppet had fun but I got no where," Jamie admitted. "And they did look pretty good for hoo- harlots."

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[withoutverona]

And now Romeo was flat-out staring at Jamie, in a way he was probably used to.

"Is not your, ahem, sock puppet a mere part of you? If they entertained him, they entertained all of you." Unless they were really, really bad at their job.

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"Well there was a dryer and other socks involved," Jamie explained. "I had to sit outside. Even then they wouldn't let me use the bathroom."

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[withoutverona]

"So ... the puppet had experience with group socks," Romeo said. "I am sorry they wouldn't let you watch more closely."

No, he had no idea what he was saying.

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. It was a regular dryer. No window in the front so I couldn't see what was happening," Jamie said looking disappointed. "What about you Romeo? Any experience with harlots?"

Harlot was now Jamie's favorite word.

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[withoutverona]

"I've never had to pay," Romeo said flippantly. He still didn't understand the whole dryer thing.

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

Jamie was giving Romeo all sorts of respect now. "Wow. How do get the harlots to do that? Booze? Coupons?"

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[the_merriest]

Rikku ... was staring.

What did furniture have to do with ... religion?!

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[raspberryturk]

Furniture moving was some kind of... feng shui... Wutai thing. Reno was blaming this one on Wutai.

He was also not staring at Rikku. At all.

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[the_merriest]

Which she didn't notice when she darted a glance over at him.

Uh. Try for a smile and a nod and back to what she was doing.

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[raspberryturk]

Smiling was a... good sign, right? So maybe getting a little closer would be okay. Just shuffle closer, it's all good. There we go. Closer.

"Yo."

The epitome of conversation starters.

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[the_merriest]

"Hiya," she said, nodding again. "You, uh. You okay?"

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[raspberryturk]

"Sure I am," Reno said. He was eying the furniture. And trying to figure out how moving it around was going to do anything to the brass scales. Really.

If anyone called him on not doing the assignment, he'd just tell them he was thinking about it all. Very hard. And not at all distracted by other things.

"You?"

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[the_merriest]

"I'm fine," she said, shaking her head. "Thought we weren't gonna be all weird?"

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[raspberryturk]

Reno blinked at that. And then he smiled a little.

"We both suck at this. And I can't even use booze as an excuse this time, yo."

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[the_merriest]

"You're sober?" she laughed. "Now that is an accomplishment."

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[raspberryturk]

"Tell me about it," Reno agreed with a shrug. "I don't drink on the job."

In class. On the job. Same thing. He was in class because of the job, after all.

"So. We're good?"

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[the_merriest]

"Totally," she said with a nod. "You don't have to ... be all worried or whatever." Uh. That was why he was being weird, right? "We're good, yoto."

Re: Boggle at the instructions

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

Inara wasn't sure whether to smirk or be offended at the mention of concubines, and consequently ended up with a very strange look on her face as she listened to the instructions.

Also, she wasn't positive, but she didn't think qi worked that way.