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Paintball, 1st Period - Monday

Did the teachers look especially eager to get going this morning? Yep. Sorry, Arden. "Everyone was very good last week," Steve said, grinning.

"This time we'll be adding in some boobytraps," Tony said brightly. "I think they're pretty ingenious, personally."

Because he built them.

"So, let's get to it," Tony added eagerly.

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Grab your gear and jumpsuit! Maybe consider sabotaging a certain someone...

Not that it's encouraged at all!

Kamala had done some research this past week, examining the various aspects of paintball and potential tactics. So she was looking forward to this session and hopefully do better than she did last time.

Don't mind Summer, as she suited up and then contemplated just shooting herself in the head right off the bad today.

With red paint, ohmygod, not like that! Anything to just sort of ignore what she'd done to herself yesterday.

Although, really, orange would be closer to her natural color, she was definitely going to load up on orange paintballs if she could and then think about her choices in life.

Stark was staring a bit. Maybe more than a bit.

"Are you all right?"

Having a crisis? Been replaced by a robot?

Summer looked over to meet Stark's stare and immediately wrinkled her nose.

"I should've worn a helmet today or something."

Or, like, at least a hat!

"Did you do it or did it do it to itself?" Stark asked.

They lived here. Both were valid options.

"It's just different. It's not bad."

Summer gave Stark a look that seemed to want to tell him she appreciated the marketing attempt, but it just wasn't selling.

"I did it to myself," she said with a sigh, because story of her life, riiiight? "I just thought it would be interesting to try, like the party just planted it into my brain and wouldn't let go. At least it's not permanent, though."

Her plans to dye it back tonight would be thwarted, but first thing tomorrow, if she could squeeze it in before class...

Edited 2024-05-20 17:18 (UTC)

"You're still very pretty," Stark assured her. "But it's better the other way."

Gingers were the best. Obviously.

"We could change mine but nobody would really notice." But hey, it would grow out real fast?

"Should we send a picture to Chiana?"

So Kamala had shown up at Arden's door on the off-chance she needed to ~~be dragged to class today~~ some extra motivation to get out the door. Which! For the record! She hadn't!

Sure, she hadn't been enthused and she'd been pretty silent the whole time, but she was present and accounted for and that had to count for something, right.

"I think once you get to shoot someone you'll feel better," Kamala said sympathetically.

That at least got a chuckle out of Arden. "I think I'm gonna aim for Professor Stark. Tony. He's had it out for me since Thursday. I might have a shot, since I don't think Captain Rogers is holding a grudge."

She'd told you about that party, right, Kamala?

Yay! Positive response!

"I hear that if you take out one of the teacher's you get an A for class participation," Kamala joked.

"Well, I'll try to aim for him as I flee towards whatever hiding space I can find," Arden said. "We still good, yeah?"

"Girl power pact is still in place," Kamala said with a nod and holding up her hand for their signature power handshake.

Re: Get Ready

afraid_of_marshmallows - 2024-05-20 14:52 (UTC) - Expand

Cal was keeping to himself as he got ready, focusing on examining his paintball gun to avoid looking at any of his classmates who might hate him at the moment.

There were exactly zero classmates who hated him! Probably. Okay, there might be some, but they were wrong and also probably bad people.

Anyway, look! Here was one non-hating classmate come over to make terribly stilted and awkward conversation!

"Um. Hey Cal," Arden said softly. It felt weird not going in for a hug and she shoved her hands in her pockets to make sure they didn't do anything stupid like reach out and touch him. "Hi, BD. Good luck out there, huh?"

Cal gave Arden a soft smile, and BD-1 gave her a much happier beep in greeting. "Good luck to you too. Look out for the teachers, they might not play fair." He wasn't going to mention the bet, of course, because that was how all this terribleness started in the first place.

"I think Professor Stark's still holding a grudge from Thursday," she said, giving him a smile back - or one that would be a smile, maybe, when it grew up.

She wanted to make a joke about the bet, but that just seemed cruel. After all, she was the one who'd asked for space. But she wasn't going to get over this hopeless, one-side crush having dinner with him every week, now was she?

"Cal..." Whatever she'd been planning to say shriveled up and died on her tongue. "Um. Watch out for traps, okay? I guess he's some kind of tech super-genius or something. Hate to see you get taken out early."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me," Cal said, giving her a sheepish look. "I mean, if you see me about to get crushed by something, you can yell a heads up, and I'll do the same?"

That was just general decency, not anything extra that might be too much for her, he hoped.

Arden didn't know how not to worry about you, Cal.

"Of course," she said. She gave him another one of those almost-smiles. "I'm probably gonna get wrecked today, so kick some ass, okay? Second time with a gun or not, I believe in you."

Wait. That came out so stupid. Who let her talk?

Re: Get Ready

moreofaponchoguy - 2024-05-20 17:40 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Get Ready

afraid_of_marshmallows - 2024-05-20 17:50 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Get Ready

moreofaponchoguy - 2024-05-20 18:11 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Get Ready

afraid_of_marshmallows - 2024-05-20 18:33 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Get Ready

moreofaponchoguy - 2024-05-20 19:34 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Get Ready

afraid_of_marshmallows - 2024-05-20 19:38 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Get Ready

moreofaponchoguy - 2024-05-20 20:17 (UTC) - Expand

After getting ready and suited up, Kamala looked over and saw Cal being glum. Which for a ginger is extra pitiful.

"Hey, Cal," Kamala said in a sympathetic sing-song fashion. "How are you holding up?"

"Oh, hey Kamala. I'm doing okay."

Did that sound believable? Probably not.

"Are you ready for today? Sounds like it's going to be a little more challenging." Hooray for deflection!

"Oh, I'm totally ready this time. I watched videos on you tube."

Because that's how you become experts on things.

"You sure you're doing all right? I know Arden had been looking forward to it before the whole bitey thing."

Cal thought about trying to maintain the lie, but it was easier to just sigh and be honest. "I'm less all right than I was last week, that's for sure. That gremlin bite messed up a lot of things. But I'm hoping after a little space and time, things will go back to normal."

For whatever value of "normal" this place could provide.

"Is there anything I can do to help you feel better? I got like a bajillion gift cards to the coffee place in case you need a caffeine overdose," Kamala offered. "Or a sugar rush because it's also good for cake pops.