2nd mission ☆ good with kids (?)

[tasercopter]

[Reno's sitting in a public park in the middle of Edge, dressed in her uniform, but decidedly off duty. That is, her superiors would probably prefer she be off duty when spending her time this way, as she's sitting sprawled on a park bench, eating french fries. Or fried potato strips, as the case may be in a world with no France

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[waterfell]

[This is a new side of Reno. It's a rare side of Ami, carrying a few more lunches, too. She stays at the edge of the crowd of children, and lets Reno spot her first before saying anything or going further.

She isn't sure how she'll be received, after this long. She isn't sure how she feels, after this long. Shouldn't sisters have kept looking for each other, even if the planet was damaged? Even in so many emergencies and battles? She keeps her face impassively serious, but the question is foremost in her mind.

Does Reno even realize who she is, after this long?]

[tasercopter]

[Reno catches sight of the young woman at the edge of the crowd, but she doesn't really think anything of her, at first. However, when she remains there for a while, staring, Reno frowns.

There's something about her, but what? Reno gestures toward her, pointing at her with a french fry.]

Hey. You. Come here. [Her tone is still light and easy, but there's a note of authority in it. She is a Turk, and this is her city.

Although the french fry really ruins the effect.]

[waterfell]

[So she doesn't know. Ami supposes that's no reason to be disappointed, and so she isn't. She does, however, take issue with that tone.]

I don't come just because I'm called for. What is it you want?

[tasercopter]

Well, you could. [Because that's a logical response.]

I wanna talk to you.

[She's still got that french fry in her hand. She realizes this, glances down at it, then puts it in her mouth and eats it.] So c'mere.

[plotdeviceturk]

[If one of the silent kids near the edge of the group looks eerily familiar, it's because it's Tseng. When he was about twelve.]

Make our own family?

[He's careful when he talks, he knows that even now it's not always good to be wutiian and his accent is noticeable. Grown ups remember the war still.]

[tasercopter]

[He does look familiar. Very much so. She blinks. It's like a tiny Tseng.

That's... weird. Really weird. Well, she'll go with it for now.

The Wutiian thing doesn't bother her. Why would it?]

That's right. If you don't got one you were born with, you get to pick your own, unlike the people who have to deal with whoever they randomly turned out to be related to.

I know people with families like that, and they can get stuck with some real assholes.

[plotdeviceturk]

[He has the most serious face ever.]

Who your parents are isn't random, and you can just leave if they're that bad.

[tasercopter]

[Way to be overly serious, mysteriously Tsenglike kid. That makes him seem even more eerily like Tseng. Also, don't disagree with Reno, she knows best.]

Okay, yeah, it's genetics, but you can't pick that kind of family, that's what I meant.

You'd think that, but it's not so easy for those poor suckers. They feel attached or obligated or something like that. Or else they've got nowhere to go.

if they have korean bbq they can have french fries too XD

[auncyenhalig]

Don't give him that! [ from when she said it, it's obvious what she means is--the rod. Not the burgers. Even if those are unhealthy, they're certainly a lot healthier than what the kids have been getting, aka next to nothing.

She doesn't think they need high voltage in their diets, though, and she turns to the kid, explaining: ] It's not a toy, it can really hurt someone.

Ha ha, that is an excellent point!

[tasercopter]

[She turns toward Aerith with a roll of her eyes.]

I didn't say I was gonna give it to him, did I? They're not stupid. They know what it is. It's a hard life, they should know how to protect themselves.

[Kids think weapons are cool. It's a known fact.

Reno belatedly considers the fact that she is talking to Aerith, who is--well, dead. Not the weirdest thing she's seen, though, not by a long shot.] What're you doing here? [Her tone is more curious than accusatory.]

[auncyenhalig]

There are other ways to protect yourself, too. And how are they supposed to learn self-defense with a weapon they don't have? Rods are more practical. [ Aerith is a bit biased, too. ]

Hmmm? I saw the kids. [ She smiles at them, waving hi briefly to some of the littler ones. Not much more reason needed for her to want to pop in. ] And I saw you, too. Such a ni~ce look for you... Did something happen? [ ARE YOU UNDERCOVER why do you look so convincingly like a girl... ]

[tasercopter]

Yeah, sure--but they can get one. Or something like it. There's plenty of ruins around. You can find lots of stuff you can use to hit things. This is a rod, it's just got some extra features. [Like the ability to electrocute things, an important and excellent distinction, in her mind.]

There's always lots of kids around here. [She shrugs, trying to look casual. It's not like she's trying to help them out or anything.]

Huh? [She looks down at herself. Did she lose her mind and put on the regulation tie this morning? Nope, her collar is sensibly unbuttoned, as usual. She's looking good, it's true, but when does she not?] I always look this nice.