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On Earth there is, but I'm not sure there's an actual General Education Development exam here. Nor do I think it'd count at home if there was? Still, studying couldn't hurt...even if it's kind of embarrassing.

[Though Renee's expression was thoughtful--she was considering it.] I could ask Pete, too, yeah. He's probably further ahead of me though, he's smart. I'm average.

[But hey, it was 'average', not slow or stupid, despite some of the things that have been said. Even if Tony had started to change his tune. It sort of made her head hurt, sometimes.]

It'd be good to have two smart guys to help me catch up! [Renee's a little less enthused than she appears, though.]

[Ignis won't admit it, but he's looking forward to seeing what kids on Earth study.]

I don't see why studying is embarrassing. I rather believe it shows you're looking to improve yourself.

[Let someone come make fun of Renee like that in his presence. And he's not sure if Peter would be open to spending time with him but he'd like to do so.]

Should you decide to study then I am at your disposal.

[And he planned to make dinner for her and Peter if he would be there.]

Edited 2019-09-21 00:57 (UTC)

Okay, it's embarrassing to me. I mean I do want to better myself, but the circumstances why...eehhh. I don't want to talk about it.

[Mostly she doesn't want to talk about her dad. He's dead and gone, why can't he just stay dead? No, she's got his specter hanging around. Renee's not possessed and an exorcism won't drive him away. She just can't let it go.]

I will. I mean, it's something else to do, and it'll help if I ever go back to Earth. I'm...not really sure what I want to do with myself, and I know that's a problem. My older brother decided to design computer games after he lost his powers. My younger brother? He went into sports. [Renee figures talking about hockey will only confuse Ignis if there's nothing like it where he came from.] I spent so much time taking care of them, I don't know what to do with myself, now that they've basically found themselves.

[And Renee shrugs at that.]

Then we don't have to.

[Ignis understands boundaries, and he won't cross any if it can be helped. And at hearing Renee talk about not knowing what to do with herself, he can relate. He had no idea what to do if Noct followed his doomed path. Luna was gone and the king was destined to save the world, so that left him feeling nowhere.]

I have faith that you'll figure it out.

[And so would he.]

At least one of us does, 'cause I don't. And I should talk about it sometime, but...

[Renee trails off. It's embarrassing too. She's still a teenager; on some level, everything inflicts some level of embarrassment, but most stuff is mild. Talking about her father and how he was rockets past embarrassment straight to downright shame, and it doesn't rest easy, even now.]

I call it 'family, the ties that bind and gag'. It's supposed to come off as funny, even when it's not.

[A lot of time humor is a weapon, for her. Or, alternately, a defense mechanism. Deflect. Don't look too close.]

That's up to you.

[And Ignis figures that Renee knows he'd be there to listen. While he doesn't understand the ties that bind and gag, her description doesn't sound very flattering so he doesn't say anything. He really doesn't have much to go on family wise except King Regis and Noct besides an uncle.

So have a blankish stare.]

Edited 2019-09-21 04:42 (UTC)

[Renee took a deep breath, frowning just a little. She didn't owe Ignis anything, damn it...and yet.]

Okay, so I told you about how I'm what they call a mutant where I came from, right? Because I have powers and I didn't have like...an accident. Or built a suit of armor. It's all 'natural', if you can call it that? Most people on Earth don't, though.

[She doesn't really wait for Ignis to respond, either.] Well...there are a lot of normal humans who think we're like...abominations. Monsters. That we should be imprisoned, or hunted down and killed, or enslaved, just because we're different, and they see us as a threat. So...yeah if I come off weird or act like I've got a complex or some shit...I do, and that's only half of it.

[Because there's still the giant unspoken shitpile of her family life. Still not talking about that, nope. Renee tries to come off as flippant, here, but it's probably more bitter and hurt despite that. She never asked for any of it.]

[The head tilts as he listens though he can't begin to imagine what Renee was about to tell him. But after listening, he nodded. Ignis then begins to understand what has been bothering her. This all sounded horrible.]

I'm sorry you had to go through such a horrifying experience. But you say that there were others like you?

[The advisor had more questions but he didn't want to accidentally offend her by asking the wrong questions. Did she live with them? Did she know them? Did they all live together in some society that was perceived as a threat?]

Yeah, there are. We kind of band together a little bit now. Some of us. I guess like-minded ones? That's why I was at the school I was at. The Xavier Institute for Higher Education. It's...well, it was a legitimate school, too, really, but it was also sort of a front, because most of the people there were mutants.

[There might've been a few who weren't, but Renee hadn't really been aware of them. Then again, she also mostly kept to herself for her own reasons.]

Charles Xavier was a mutant, and he was trying to make life better for all mutants. All people, really, he didn't give a rat's rumpus whether you had an X factor--that's what they call the thing that gives powers--or not. He felt like regardless of that, people were all human, and it was important to like...I don't know, have each other's backs? Not like there weren't mutants who didn't feel like that, but...

[Renee shrugged, then.] I know how it feels to be picked on and powerless, even if I've got powers now, I don't think I could ever be okay with lording it over people who weren't like me.

[Well that answered his questions to a point.]

Ah, so you were at a school.

[The way Renee is describing it, everything makes far more sense now. And it sounded like she was at least safe there if nothing else which makes Ignis breathe a sigh of relief. This Charles Xavier sounded like a wonderfully smart man to be able to create a place as he had in order to shelter and protect others which called to mind something Noct had similarly said once. Finally though Ignis shook his head.]

I can't see you turning away from those in need of your help. If using your powers would help others, that is the path I see you walking down.

[Faith in you Renee, Ignis has it.]

[Not that she understands why, not for a second. What did she even do to deserve Ignis' faith? Jack squat, is what. Talk to him nicely? Congratulate him on becoming a counselor? Nothing, not in her scheme of things...]

Yeah. They gave me an assessment exam to see what grade level I was at, and I was behind, so...back to school for me!

[Renee probably should sound more upset by that, but really isn't that distressing to her. Not without someone calling her stupid. She liked learning, even if she had no idea what she wanted to do with herself.]

I'm not stupid, and I didn't skip school on purpose, I just had...an interruption in my family life. So I had to get all that settled first.

There's nothing wrong with learning.

[Ignis seems to learn something new every day here. And while he's curious about Renee's interruption, he wouldn't ask though she seemed defensive.]

If things aren't settled elsewhere your mind would not be as open to studying. And learning can be a full time job.

[He would know.]

Edited 2019-09-22 00:01 (UTC)

Yeah, you'd know, wouldn't you?? [Renee's chuckling at that, but there's absolutely no mockery in her tone. The fact that Ignis is erudite is a point in his favor, in her book.]

But you're right, and I know you're right. Shit, I know I shouldn't even think I'm dumb because stuff happened, but sometimes it's hard...

[That was something her dad liked to say. Among other things. Renee lifted a hand and rubbed at her face for a moment.]

I think I'm running out of things to say. Or I'm hungry. [She barked a small laugh at that.] Is the salmon ready yet?

[That was almost plaintive. She's still a teenager with a bottomless pit...]

[He smiled and didn't reply at first. But then her words bothered him.]

You shouldn't say things like that about yourself.

[Another smile and he turned away to check the fish. She had good timing because all seemed done. So Ignis started to got everything set up.]

Come and eat.

Edited 2019-09-22 02:30 (UTC)

I've had a lot of people say that about me, though. After a while you get used to it. [At least Renee had, though she clapped back more nowadays. Tony usually just snarked at her so that wasn't a big deal. She gave him what she got. And yet, she still liked the man.]

I must've just followed my nose or something. Not that I've ever had salmon much, ever. But it really smells amazing!

[Not because Ignis had made it, either. That delicious aroma was all it took for Renee to be sold on his cooking skills, though! She got up to help herself, but gave him a little hip bump and grinned up at him before going back to the table they'd been sitting at.]

Thanks for making dinner, Iggy. I'm sure it'll be great!

[If anyone said anything about Renee in his presence, if she couldn't handle it, he'd be right there.]

I see.

[Except not really. And he really didn't understand what that hip thing had been that she did. Were all girls on Earth as confusing as Renee? He didn't have much time to ponder it though as she made her way over to eat the salmon teriyaki. So Ignis nodded.]

Enjoy.

[Renee levels a look at Ignis, brows furrowing slightly. She can get that he's...a bit confused, and her expression is meant to be an invitation, really. Even as she's plopping salmon teriyaki on a plate. It's difficult not to be greedy, but they were supposed to be sharing, she reminds herself.]

Oh, I plan to. [Threat and promise, all in one. And with the way she digs in, it's got to be gratifying to see--she barely waits until she's seated back at the table. She tried, at least.]

Sorry about the crappy manners, but this is literally the best thing I've ever tasted!!

[No, she didn't get out that much before the train, either...so this is definitely pretty exotic, to her.]

[He'd just finished getting his plate together when he heard Renee's apology.]

I don't mind..

[Ignis was about to say more when she said it was the best thing she'd ever tasted.]

Eat up then, there's plenty. And if I need to, I can make another round.

[Cooking is his pride Renee, good job on complimenting him on it.]

[Renee has some manners. Not that many, but some, and the fact that she's forgone them in the name of food is...back to the teenaged embarrassment, really. Again. Maybe she just ought to give up and realize that she's just going to live there. At least until she turns twenty. And probably even then.]

Don't other people need to eat too, though? And you do too! Besides, I don't have a crazy metabolism like some Peters and Gwens on this train, I actually have to work out to not get fat.

[Not that she's exactly fat anyway, really, but she does have a workout routine. Most of it is doing laps in the gym with Ash, since there's not really anything on the train that she can lift that would constitute actual exercise.]

Also I wouldn't mind other people learning the magic that's your cooking... [She pauses at that.] Though didn't you make some of the food for the party too? I didn't see you there, though...not your scene, I guess?

[Not that it had been hers, either. She probably should've skipped it.]

I am going to eat.

[Old habit is to let others go first, the chef goes last.]

[At her question about the party he nods as he sits down across from her.]

Of course, Tony has asked for my help, so I made some of the food.

[He grabbed a napkin and cut some of the meat off of some of the skewers. Ignis had almost taken Tony up on the dance offer to see if the other man knew how. But he figured it would be awkward and he was only asked to contribute to food, not dancing.]

I..stayed in the background.

[That's what he's used to.]

[Yeah, he better, or Renee would literally make faces at Ignis 'til he did eat! Sure, there might be other scavengers coming to pick over any leftover bounty, but it wasn't like it was his team's job to cook, not at the moment. Though after she scarfed down her share--and she did--Renee went to the sink and ran hot water and dish soap into it.]

You don't mind if I start dishes, do you? I mean I probably shouldn't do them with my cast and all, but I mean, I can at least help, it's Purple's job to clean, anyhow...

[Renee just looked over at Ignis, arching a brow.] Yeah, stay in the background and be unobtrusive, right? I didn't see you there at all...I doubt you saw me, either, though.

[She'd been sitting in a corner tossing a ping-pong ball against the wall, mostly. Other than teasing Manabu, getting the hell confused out of her by Edge, and then trying to mitigate Pete's getting himself drunk. She was glad she missed Pete puking, though, that would've been no good.]

I would've said hello, at least, if I saw you. And thanked you for the food! It was really good! Not what I'm used to, sure, but good.

[It seemed to him like he'd just sat down to eat but she was up.]

I'll get the dishes, you have more if you want. You shouldn't be doing dishes with your cast.

[Seriously don't make him adult at you Renee. Still, he smiled at the part about being unobtrusive]

It's a skill that I've acquired. I'm sorry I didn't see you, but I'm glad you enjoyed the food.

Edited 2019-09-23 21:09 (UTC)

I'm not gonna do the dishes, Iggy! I'm just gonna set them to soak so they don't get all gross and crusty!

[Yes, she's protesting. Renee gets enough dadding from other people, she neither needs nor particularly wants it from him, honestly.] You just sat down and I've already been stuffing my face. I'll get more to eat, but I can slide the stuff that's empty and dirty in the hot water.

[And really, this isn't her first rodeo with a cast, either. She's not going to make a mess of it, so he really doesn't need to worry, touching as it is.]

Yeah, I did. I didn't think to thank anyone though. I kinda feel bad about that. [As much as she likes to troll, Renee doesn't like to be rude, really.] I'm sorry I didn't see you, either.

[Renee couldn't see it but Ignis smiled when she was getting wound up about the dishes and let her go on. Dinner was up to his own cooking standards of course and as long as she was talking everything was alright.]

No one took offense at not everyone thanking them.

[He took a sip of coffee before continuing.]

We were thanked by Tony who had asked us to help, and that was thank you enough.

Well, I hope not. I troll people to shake them up. I tell Emperor Tony he's not wearing any underpants. That's from a story from my world, how all the emperor's sycophants told him he was wearing this awesome new outfit, when he was naked 'cause he'd been swindled.

[Renee wasn't sure that Ignis had any stories like that back in his world, so she explained it. She nodded when he said that Tony had thanked them.] That's good, then.

Since I'm up, do you need more coffee? I'm bringing the pot over anyhow, because I do! [Along with her plate that she'd put a few more skewers on, too. She wasn't as fastidious about cutting the salmon off--she just picked up the skewer and stripped it off with her teeth. But if they were at something like a dinner party, she wouldn't be such a damn heathen.]

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