fandomhigh | Practical Philosophy, Monday

The sky was overcast, but the temperatures weren't terribly low and the threat of rain not so high that Ender opted to stay indoors. Instead they were out on the dorm lawn again, a bag of sandwiches sitting in what would soon be the center of a circle of students.

Before he started talking in general, he glanced towards Yeul and said, "I'd like to see you after class, please."

Then his attention shifted. "Last week, we experienced some interesting events," Ender said, only a little dry humor obvious from his tone of voice. "The peppers were a nuisance, that's for sure. I hope all of you made it through unharmed and unsinged." They usually did at Fandom-- he didn't think he spotted any major injuries.

"Now, the phones are a semi-annual problem. I've experienced that one several times since I came here. I always don't realize what is going on until I've already made a few calls of my own - and I'm always left wondering what prompted me to respond in the first place," he said. "What is it that makes us want to say something back when someone says something to us? Why can't we just let obviously confused, crazy people be?"

He shrugged. "Maybe it's because our lives are built and supported by our ability to communicate, so when someone communicates oddly at us, we're alarmed," he said. "Maybe we've just all got tempers. Maybe we're just trying to turn a freak occasion into some amusement for ourselves. Or maybe it's just human nature for the entire tribe to start shouting when one member does."

He stretched his legs out. "How was your week?" he asked.

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"The peppers tried to set my hair on fire," Cade bitched. "I prefer the phones."

"What was the last Fandom thing that happened to you before the peppers?" Ender asked mildly.

"Graduation happened around me," Cade said, "so I don't think that one counts."

"That didn't happen to you, that happened to somebody else while you watched," Ender said pleasantly. "That dungeon debacle - were you involved?"

"I didn't make it happen, if that's what you're thinking," Cade said, immediately overdefensive, "but I was stuck there with everyone else, yeah."

Ender's eyebrows went up. "Why," he said, "Is there any reason I should mistakenly think you made that happen?"

"Got that kind of face?" Cade offered.

"You try very hard to cultivate that kind of face," Ender agreed, "But no."

Cade shrugged. "It was karking delightful. I recommend it for your next vacation."

Ender ignored that. "What happened?"

"Ever been in a claustrophobic, dark, cold stone hallway surrounded by lots of panicky students and no food?" Cade asked. "That's what happened."

"Well, you're a big tough guy," Ender said. "I'm sure none of that got to you."

He didn't mean that; he just wanted to see what Cade would do.

"Not the worst place I've been," Cade said with a shrug.

"What was?" Ender asked conversationally.

"Ossus," Cade said. "You haven't been there."

Yet or something. Timelines were weird.

"Best reason to elaborate I've ever heard," Ender said.

Cade pressed his lips together. "Nope."

"Come see me after class," Ender said after a brief silence.

Practical Philosophy, Monday

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