Re: Third class, away from the dining room
For her, another grin. If they were both afraid, it was only going to increase the possibility of him getting an eye gouged out on that wand of hers. On the other hand, acting as if it was no big deal would either draw out whatever was giggling where he could fight it. Or else they'd realize that they weren't going to be frightened of whatever it was and leave them alone. "That's exactly what I think it is. We used to do this kind of shit to new recruits all the time. See what they were made of. Make sure they could handle it." If they couldn't handle something like this -- they'd be out before the first round of cuts.
Blue wouldn't have made it, but it didn't sound like it was something she wanted either. "Yeah. I started off fighting everyone I could." Bar fights, bar brawls, teenage hormone filled fights at school over girls, over the way some guy looked at him, insults offered to his family. He'd been an angry teenager, too full of a need to prove himself. Didn't matter to who, or what, just as long as he found himself at the top of the fight.
"Came in handy later." And now. His grip on her hand was loose, in case she needed to drop it. Not that there was anything out there but a bunch of jokers who thought they were funny, but if he needed her to duck or if he needed to use his helmet as a weapon, he still needed that freedom to move. "You like it? The dream finding?" It wasn't a job for him, but he could see how she might like it. Be good at it. "What was the best one you've found?"