Prompto Argentum (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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fandomhigh2024-12-05 05:04 am
hashtag_chocobro) wrote in fandomhigh2024-12-05 05:04 am
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Teamwork Training and Combat Skills; Thursday, Second Period [12/05].
"Well," said Gladio, at the start of class, which was still held in the training room sim, but the place had been decked out in good holiday cheer like that rest of the island, the pillars wrapped in twinkling lights, the weapons all with big red bows, the light feeling of a dusting of snow drifting down from the ceiling, which was much more manageable than freaking marzipan, and your three instructors were standing in front of a very large Christmas tree surrounded by a variety of wrapped gifts, "if you haven't figured it out by now, it's December, which means the island's getting into the holiday spirit, and you know what? So are we. And this idea's almost all Prompto's, so, Prompto...." He gestured toward his fellow teacher. "Take it away."
"Thank you, Gladio," said Prompto, taking a moment to look all prim and proper and proud before bowing a little. "Today's activity is pretty simple, and will sort of test your bond as a team, really. Hopefully, there won't be any fighting involved today, but you never can tell with something like this! Now, keep in mind, none of us actually even knew what Christmas was before we came here; we're from a different world with completely different gods and holidays and everything, but in my time being here, I've learned about something that's known by a few different names, but the most popular one seems to be a White Elephant gift exchange."
"Inspired," offered Ignis helpfully, "by the idea that white elephant would, indeed, be quite the extravagant and impressive gift to give a person, but, in reality, it would be a great bane upon the receipient, who now possesses a very large and high-maintenance pet that they didn't ask for to take care of, draining resources, time, and energy, and so it would behoove them greatly to be rid of it as soon as possible without seeming ungrateful."
"Sooooo~oooo," Prompto drawled with a grin, "a White Elephant gift exchange is sort of when people generally bring a bunch of silly or useless or just fun, nothing really too serious and probably a lot of jokey things that people might not really want to a party. Everyone takes turns, and when it's your turn, you have the option to either take a gift that someone has previously opened or open a new one. If someone takes your gift, you then open a new one in its stead. Which seems pretty simple and you may be wondering, 'but Prompto! Professor Argentum! What does that have to do with teamwork?'"
"It's a test," Gladio answered, snorting faintly with his grin, "of how ruthless or generous you really are. Let's say your teammate actually opens a gift that's not really that bad. They really like it....but so do you. And you're up next. So do you let your friend keep the gift they like? Or do you take the gift for yourself and make them open up another one that they're definitely not going to like nearly as much?"
"There's also a certain element of strategy here," Ignis added. "Because, either way, if you decide to let your friend keep the gift or if you decide to claim it for yourself, there's no guarantee that someone else might take it from either of you. Or perhaps you may take another's gift, only to discover that the present you could have opened instead was better. It turns an exchange of presents into a....hopefully...good-hearted game of give-and-take...that may end up revealing more about yourself or your teammates than you may have originally bargained for."
"So that," Prompto concluded proudly, with a little bounce in his step, "is what we're doing today! Iggy made some nice holiday snacks and treats to enjoy, too, while we're all just opening presents and figuring out how ruthless or kind we want to be, so take a moment to help yourself and then we'll get started!"
"Thank you, Gladio," said Prompto, taking a moment to look all prim and proper and proud before bowing a little. "Today's activity is pretty simple, and will sort of test your bond as a team, really. Hopefully, there won't be any fighting involved today, but you never can tell with something like this! Now, keep in mind, none of us actually even knew what Christmas was before we came here; we're from a different world with completely different gods and holidays and everything, but in my time being here, I've learned about something that's known by a few different names, but the most popular one seems to be a White Elephant gift exchange."
"Inspired," offered Ignis helpfully, "by the idea that white elephant would, indeed, be quite the extravagant and impressive gift to give a person, but, in reality, it would be a great bane upon the receipient, who now possesses a very large and high-maintenance pet that they didn't ask for to take care of, draining resources, time, and energy, and so it would behoove them greatly to be rid of it as soon as possible without seeming ungrateful."
"Sooooo~oooo," Prompto drawled with a grin, "a White Elephant gift exchange is sort of when people generally bring a bunch of silly or useless or just fun, nothing really too serious and probably a lot of jokey things that people might not really want to a party. Everyone takes turns, and when it's your turn, you have the option to either take a gift that someone has previously opened or open a new one. If someone takes your gift, you then open a new one in its stead. Which seems pretty simple and you may be wondering, 'but Prompto! Professor Argentum! What does that have to do with teamwork?'"
"It's a test," Gladio answered, snorting faintly with his grin, "of how ruthless or generous you really are. Let's say your teammate actually opens a gift that's not really that bad. They really like it....but so do you. And you're up next. So do you let your friend keep the gift they like? Or do you take the gift for yourself and make them open up another one that they're definitely not going to like nearly as much?"
"There's also a certain element of strategy here," Ignis added. "Because, either way, if you decide to let your friend keep the gift or if you decide to claim it for yourself, there's no guarantee that someone else might take it from either of you. Or perhaps you may take another's gift, only to discover that the present you could have opened instead was better. It turns an exchange of presents into a....hopefully...good-hearted game of give-and-take...that may end up revealing more about yourself or your teammates than you may have originally bargained for."
"So that," Prompto concluded proudly, with a little bounce in his step, "is what we're doing today! Iggy made some nice holiday snacks and treats to enjoy, too, while we're all just opening presents and figuring out how ruthless or kind we want to be, so take a moment to help yourself and then we'll get started!"