fandomhigh | Summer Session 2, Scoobying Workshop #2, Afternoon 7/18/2006

[Roster]

There are drinks set out on a folding table near the unlit campfire. There's also a cardboard box at each end of the table, as yet unopened. Xander is standing in front of the table handing out cups.

"This one might go a lot easier than it did last time, considering what I'm gonna do today is make you talk, and after this weekend, I don't think anybody's gonna have a problem coming up with things to say. There's a catch to it, though, and it'll be a little different than when the last class played this game, too."

"Last week we looked at one specific job someone might have on a team; this time, we'll go with a skill that can be useful for anybody when you're trying to support your fellow Scooby-types -- or your flashy superpowered leader, if you have one. We'll switch back and forth between those two things each week for most of the workshop, and look at putting them together towards the end.

So what skill comes in really handy when you're trying to investigate a crime, stop the bad guys, rescue the princess or otherwise save the day for goodness, justice, puppies, and truth?

The ability to lie your ass off.

I know that sounds kind of contradicty, like 'jumbo shrimp' or 'bad pie,' and some of you guys may not be down with bending the truth until it squeaks, but the fact is that sometimes you might have to, at least for a while. You may need to cover for your friend with the secret identity, or your entire group that just cut class to go slay ~~creepy guys with scalpels~~ jello dragons, or yourself, if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. And hey, maybe you'll get lucky enough not to need it -- but it's a skill you should have, just in case."

___

[Open like a thing I am not lying about being open! Posted early because as with last week, work, she shall be nuts, so my availability to ping in will also be limited and erratic.]

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"It has uses in other areas," Willow said. "Filling things in that aren't near the lines so you have no fear of going over and ruining the picture forever and ever, for example."

"Yeah, that'd be a shame - it might go on your permanent record!" Xande rnodded. "Somebody taught me this neat trick when I was little, though, where you outline right inside the lines first, and you don't go over 'cause your crayon hits the outline and stops."

"You need a sharp crayon first though," Willow pointed out. She opened the bag and produced a PB&J sandwich. "And you laugh, but did any notes about wasting coloring books appear on my records? No. I rest my case."

"You think I've seen your permanent records? Don't they keep those locked up in some government security facility somewhere, behind three layers of grating and a dozen rottweilers?" Xander happily accepted the sandwich, and grabbed a seat next to her.

"Do you think they feed the dogs on a regular basis?" Willow asked. Because she worried about these things.

"Oh, I think they'd have to," Xander assured her. "Otherwise they might turn on the government instead of paying attention to the all-important task of guarding our permanent records."

"Or start eating the records, which would defeat the purpose and probably make them sick," Willow agreed. "So how are you?"

"I'm good." He glanced over at Dawn ~~who never found a lying partner, woe~~, then back, and admitted, "I've been looking at classes. For the fall."

"You're thinking of next semester already?" Willow asked. "Xander, I'm so proud of you!"

She might've been a little in denial about one of the pesky details of this.

"Well, I kind of have to; it's college. You have to do great big giant scary complicated stuff like picking a major. I mean why can't you start small, pick a ... corporal or something?"

"College? You're going to college?"

Willow pounced on him and hugged him tight.

"Did I, um. Forget to mention that?"

"I don't think I hugged you about it regardless," Willow told him. "So which one? What are you taking? Can I help you with your homework?"

"Well, it's not exactly Harvard; just UC Sunnydale. Which... might make it a little hard for you to help me with my homework. Though I could e-mail you, I guess." He chose not to point out that he'd have the local version of her right there being all... local.

"UC Sunnydale was nice," Willow said, looking a little mopey. "I bet you'll have tons of fun."

Xander eyed her, then grinned. "It really is just killing you that there's no grades for the summer workshops, isn't it? How're you gonna manage dealing with high school classes again? Aren't they gonna be too easy for you?"

"There's sometimes homework!" Willow protested. "How is it that there isn't one frikkin' grade?? At this point I'd even take pass/fail! And - I'm hoping not. I was talking about that with Peter at lunch. I'm torn between worrying that things will be too easy, and torn between being exposed as a huge fraud. Then in my off hours I worry about whether it won't be too easy and if I'm totally flushing my future down the toilet."

Xander tilted his head. "That's a lot of worrires - your plate's nearly full. When do you find time to worry about the environment and the effects of reality television on the youth of today? Or whether your shirt's on inside-out?"

"It is?" Willow totally turned around to check.

"No, but your tag's out." Xander grinned and tucked it in. "Seriously, I get worrying and I'm not saying the stuff you're worried about isn't important... to people who worry about permanent records... but relax a little. It's summer. You're supposed to be able to slack on the worrying job, a little."

"I was pretty sure I put it on correctly after lunch with Peter," Willow said, smiling at the tag tuck. "And if I don't worry then I can't plan for when things go wrong. Then they go wrong and I can't fix them!"

"...you had a reason to be putting your shirt back on after lunch with Peter?" No, Xander had no idea why he was raising his eyebrows considering a) her actual age, and b) his own boyfriend's actual age, but look, there they went.

__
[And ZOMG leaving! To go pick up van! And then I go drive lots! And then some unspecified amount of time later I pick up a Willow!]

Willow thwapped him on the arm. "We were swimming!"

[EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!]

"Yeah, but swimming leads to tunnels under the pool and staring at people in their bathing suits. Trust me, I know these things." He nodded sagely, though his eyebrows managed to find their way home again.

"He did look pretty good with his shirt off," Willow admitted.

Summer Session 2, Scoobying Workshop #2, Afternoon 7/18/2006

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