fandomhigh | American History, Period 2 02/12

Students might have noticed that, instead of that stuffy old classroom, their History class was being held in the Danger Shop today, where there was a table with a selection of peanuts, Cracker Jack, and soft drinks for the students to help themselves to at their leisure. Beyond the table, there was a simple wooden bench, and then a field, with a decent amount of flat space that eventually gave way into rolling hills and forest area.

Captain Nathan Algren of the 7th Cavalry was standing with his arms crossed nearby, once again wearing his blue uniform. He watched the students file in without a word, an eyebrow arched upward. Tyler had faded far, far into the background this week; he knew this was Nathan's story to tell, and he wasn't sure what he could add beyond offering his presence.

"The Battle of the Little Bighorn," Algren began, once it looked as though everyone who was planning on showing up to class today had arrived, "took place on the 25th and 26th of June in the year 1876. For all that we've been talking about the defeats and downfalls of the Native peoples of America, I thought we could go for a slight change of pace." Really, he had no ulterior motives here at all. "This battle was a remarkable victory for the Lakota and the Northern Cheyenne against America in the Great Sioux War, which apparently lasted from 1876 through to 1877, which means I left my own time about halfway through, and so no, I wasn't there to see the end of this one. Yet."

Really, he looked too solemn to look amused by this point.

"It was a Lakota holy man by the name of Sitting Bull who had managed to convince over 2,000 Native Americans to leave their reservations to follow him. It was Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer of the 7th Cavalry who, proudly and stupidly, attempted to lead a column of 700 men against the Indians in the middle of the day. He had assumed that there were no more than 800 Indians that his men would be facing, which would have meant that they were still outnumbered, yes, but with superior firepower it would supposedly have been little challenge." He shifted his weight only slightly, furrowing his eyebrows. This was the first movement he'd actually made since the start of the class. "Custer's biggest concern was to prevent the escape of the Indians he was advancing upon rather than actually fighting them, as he had only been able to observe the women of the village and the young boys who were moving the horses out to better pastures."

He set his jaw as he pressed on.

"By the end of the battle, 52 percent of the 7th Cavalry was dead; six officers and 242 troopers. One officer and 51 troopers were wounded. Those dead include Custer himself, and every single man in the five companies that had marched with him. Major Marcus A. Reno and Captain Frederick William Benteen managed to continue fighting with their men until Brig. General Alfred Terry and his column approached from the North, and the Indians drew off in the opposite direction. The surviving American soldiers were left to attempt to identify and bury the 7th's dead as quickly as possible, a task made near impossible by the fact that two days of June heat had sped up the rotting of the corpses, and most of the bodies had been stripped of their clothing and mutilated before the survivors could get to them."

Algren's gaze turned out to the field, his jaw set as his eyes focused on something that wasn't there at all, and lingered for a moment before he snapped back into the here and now and looked at the class with a sudden exuberance that was hardly natural.

"Also, 1876 is the year that the National League of Professional Baseball clubs was founded. Back in February, I believe it was. Cracker Jack didn't exist yet, that was a product of 1893, but I hear that it's become iconic of the sport, so grab yourselves a bag for the bench, pick up a glove each, and let's play ball. If you don't know what baseball is, it involves hitting things with sticks. You'll probably like it."

If anyone said anything to him about vampires today, he'd be taking back the Cracker Jack, dammit.

"If you need help playing," Tyler added, "ask one of us. Or ask your classmates. Or make it up. We'll be over here, either way."

[Play ball!]

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"Then talk," Tyler said, tilting his chin up and still in that same tone that was trying, very effectively, to cover his concern. "What kind of mission was it this time? Better than history class?"

"Well," she said, shrugging a bit. "It's nothing, like, yeah okay. Better than class--but that's mostly 'cause I'd rather be moving and stuff than sitting down and just listening while taking notes, nothing to do with class itself."

"Bigger mission than last time," Ino admitted, "but I don't think there's a single person on the island who'd have issues about anything I did." Because that was useful, Ino.

And that actually got Tyler to thaw ever so slightly. "What kind of work did they have you doing?" he asked. "And no offense taken, on the class thing."

"Mostly healing people," she said, wrinkling her nose, "since I was the only one on the teams sent that can do more than just bandages and antiseptic. Medics are that common in our ranks. Some heaving lifting, and checking supports to see if they were still usable."

So, nothing too volent. That was good.

Tyler wondered when he started worrying about things like that.

"How often do you think you'll get called on things like this?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "If I was home I'd probably be busier, but even that depends on what missions are coming in and what teams are available to take them. I'll try to call if I get the notification earlier enough that there's time."

"Don't worry about that," Tyler told her, waving it off. "Two teachers. There's pretty much no chance we'd miss the same week."

He suddenly got curious about something. "What's your leader like, at home?"

"Hokage-sama?" Ino asked, considering that. "Or, like, my team leader?"

"I don't know how it works," Tyler reminded her. "Your direct leader, I suppose."

"Asuma-sensei, then," she said, with a bit of a bounce. "He's our team leader, Hokage-sama is the one that, well, runs the whole place. Asuma-sensei is...," that got a shrug, "Asuma-sensei. He's kinda gruff and, you know, the quiet sort of 'big, tough, and can rip your head off' sort--he doesn't go 'bout making a point of it, too laid back for that, but if you're looking you can totally tell. He's pretty practical, I think, and very smart--he can challenge Shikamaru at Go, though Shikamaru says he's not nearly as good as his dad."

Ino was totally rambling. Poor Tyler-sensei. "He doesn't give out compliments very often, but when he does it's awesome 'cause you know you've earned them." Another shrug. "Asuma-sensei isn't very open 'bout who he likes, he treats most people just 'bout the same 'less he really doesn't like you, guessing what he feels is mostly all in the details, little things. He's really hard to piss off, but when he does you totally want to run for cover."

Deep breath, and an expectant look at Tyler-sensei.

She was rambling; Tyler should have known better than to ask Ino a question if he didn't want a very complete answer.

"He sounds like," he decided, "a good leader. you don't want someone who plays favorites or who can't be calm when things don't go his way."

"To be entirely fair," she said, tugging at her hair, "you don't get to be Jounin if you can't be calm under pressure. But he's pretty good, I think."

"You have to have him come next parents' weekend," Tyler suggested. "I'll probably still be teaching."

"I'll ask him," she said, considering it. "And maybe he'll come if he's not too busy with things."

A beat.

"And that's excellent news. The still teaching thing, I mean."

Tyler grinned. "I might take a break this summer, but otherwise, I have to stick around at least until my TA graduates."

It was a sad fact that Ino really would take whatever class he decided to teach just to keep being his TA. That was, in her opinion, kinda lame.

She'd stick with the paperwork excuse.

Ino beamed at him. "You'll be here awhile," she said, bouncing. "As I'm only a sophomore."

It was also a sad fact that Tyler would make her TA even when she knew nothing about the subject; he'd worry about the blatant favoritism if anyone else ever asked for the job.

"I did know that," Tyler pointed out. "So I get to put you to work at least four more times."

"I think I can handle that," she said, mock gravely that did nothing to detract from the grin she had. "I'm terribly awesome after all."

Well. Her ego was, anyway.

"Thats your new name," Tyler informed her. "Ino the Terribly Awesome. And, Terribly Awesome one, next week we're doing a midterm project -- mind ~~handwavily~~ coming down early and helping to carry the supplies?"

"I'm getting a lot of different names lately," she noted. Two Ino, two. Not a lot. "And, sure, I guess I can slave supplies about for you."

"Much appreciated," Tyler grinned.

American History, Period 2 02/12

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