Chapter 7: Etiquette

Reno was already feeling somewhat dazed after a grammar lesson that had been filled with words he'd never heard before. He hadn't had a clue that language was made of so many different parts, and didn't get why he was supposed to care. He could read and write, couldn't he? He could make himself understood – at least he used to be able to under the plate, although he was beginning to wonder whether the same applied here.

On top of the confusions of grammar, he'd had a disturbed night, in spite of the luxury of his own, comfortable bed. Mani snored, Raf sometimes talked in his sleep, and Reno had surprised himself by feeling suddenly overwhelmingly homesick at about three in the morning, even though, when he'd been at home, he done his level best to spend as much time as possible elsewhere. He hadn't cried – he couldn't remember the last time he'd cried – but he'd lain awake until he could see daylight around the edges of the curtains, when pure exhaustion had finally caught up with him.

Reno was wondering whether anyone would notice if he just put his head down on the table and slept through break, when Blondie – Rufus – dumped a pile of candy bars in front of him. Reno blinked. Was this some kind of school tradition? Some kind of test? He was still full from last night's dinner – he'd been unable to face more than a cup of coffee at breakfast – and if Rufus expected him to eat that lot - But Rufus was saying something about making up for being a jerk. Okay. But – candy? And so much of it? He looked at Rufus, but couldn't detect any signs of aggression or mockery. Was he for real?

"Uh – okay. Um – thanks?"

Reno wasn't sure whether or not he was imagining things, but Rufus looked rather embarrassed, and started talking about some class later in the day, where apparently there would be girls. Well – that was something, anyway. Reno had seen the class on his timetable – Etiquette – but he had no idea what that was. Still unsure as to Rufus' motives, he didn't ask, settling for gathering up the various candy bars and stuffing them into the pockets of his jacket. "Okay – cool. Oh – you want some of these?"

When Rufus declined, there was a rather awkward silence, before Reno got to his feet and said with false cheer, "Well – I'd better…"

"Oh – yes. Yes – I have to –" Before Reno could move, Rufus walked briskly from the room.

"What the hell was that about?" Reno wondered aloud, sitting down again.

"Dunno," said Mani, from further along the bench. "But don't haggle over the colour of a gift chocobo. Do you like the peanut ones, 'cause if you don't –"

Reno extracted a handful of the bars from his pocket and spread them out over the table, to include Sacha and Asher who were sitting opposite Mani. "Help yourselves. Oh – by the way, what's Etiquette about?"

Mani took a thick candy bar in a purple and orange wrapper, and grinned at Reno. "Cheers." As Mani made a start on the bar, Asher smiled at Reno from across the table, where he was sitting next to a smaller boy Reno didn't recognize who was probably in Asher's year.

"Etiquette's a bit boring," Sacha said. "It's just how to behave – how to make business contacts – manners – that stuff. We get a term of Sex Ed and that sort of thing, but that's not until the summer."

Mani made a disgusted face. "The trouble with Etiquette is that it's mixed classes – you have to learn to dance – with girls - for formal balls and charity events, that sort of thing."

"Dance?" Somehow Reno didn't think Mani was talking about the kinds of street dance he'd sometimes practiced with Jai and his other friends, when they weren't on one of their foraging expeditions or learning tricks on their skateboards. Still – dancing with girls didn't sound too bad to him, however much it made Mani wrinkle his nose.

"Yes – you know – all that one-two-three, one-two-three stuff. I'm no good at it, but everyone has to learn. According to Mr. Patterson, a lot of serious business happens at Midgar balls these days. President Shinra likes throwing parties, everyone says so."

"Yeah – 'cause I'm gonna be doin' a whole lotta chattin' with the President," Reno said.

A bell shrilled, and Reno jumped, still not used to having his movements dictated so abruptly.

"C'mon," Mani said, finishing the candy bar, "Geography next, and then Etiquette – then lunch."

X

No sooner had Rufus walked away then he noticed Mani swooping in, probably sensing the presence of food. No- that was mean, and uncalled for…he didn't even dislike Mani, the boy was pleasant enough after all and utterly harmless. Was he irritated with Mani because Mani and Reno got along so easily?

That had to be it. Rufus didn't like being bad at anything. Father expected him to the best. Even if Rufus knew that was an unrealistic goal and strategically it would be better to focus on cultivating the skills that would best serve him, he didn't want to disappoint his father. Except, father also went on about the need to cultivate useful skills and not waste time on pointless hobbies. So obviously Father didn't really want him to best at everything, just whatever happened to matter to his father.

Being able to make friends, or at least, make and keep useful allies for as long as necessary, was an important skill, and Rufus was usually good at charming people, but with Reno he felt…awkward and pathetic. Yet, somehow Mani Palmer had made friends with him with no trouble at all. Actually, it seemed like Reno made friends easily; he was surrounded by people!

Rufus walked off, lest anyone catch him staring, but he couldn't get the image of the crowded table out of his mind. Reno had so many friends. Not that Rufus couldn't have been friends with most of them if he'd wanted to...Sacha liked him, but Sasha couldn't be encouraged! Being friends with Seb meant being around Sacha and that was...not an indulgence he could afford. Then Rufus wanted absolutely nothing to do with that little spoiled brat Asher. What was he doing hanging around Reno anyway? How could Reno stand him, he was so…so…privileged!

Rufus had first met Asher last year. He'd heard someone messing around on a piano in the practice room and he'd stuck his head in to see who was playing so terribly. Like they weren't even bothering with actually practising.

"What are you doing?" Rufus had asked. If Asher had replied "practising", Rufus would have lectured him on trying harder if he wanted to actually get anywhere. Didn't he know how lucky he was just to be able to play? To have time he could dedicate to practice without anyone to tell him no?

"I'm just messing around. If you wanted to use the room I can leave, I wasn't really working. I'm Asher Aspani, by the way."

Asher had offered his hand to shake, but Rufus hadn't taken it. No, Rufus didn't want the room, he didn't play music, not anymore, he had more important things to do, but if Asher was going to be in there he should at least appreciate it enough to actually work. Except, Rufus hadn't said any of those things and did his best to swallow his annoyance. He recognized Asher's surname straight away, and was bit curious about him.

"Rufus Shinra," Rufus replied. "So you're heir to the Aspani piano company, I take it? Do you like music?"

"Not really…well enough I guess," said Asher, "I wouldn't call myself a musician. I try to play occasionally; my mother would like it if I were more…passionate about music. She was a pianist before she joined the company. Now most of her time is spent on the business side of things."

"You like business then?" asked Rufus. "You'd rather do that than music? I suppose your parents approve." Wouldn't his father have loved a son like this, someone who already had their priorities straight without being told?

Asher had laughed. "I don't know if I'll be much good at business either. I don't know what I want to do with my life – well, aside from long-shot dreams. We're a bit young to know for sure, aren't we?"

Of course not! Rufus had been preparing to take over as Shin-Ra's president since as long as he could remember, if one disregarded the lapses when he had delusions of focusing on what made him 'happy'. But music was pointless, frivolous, and father expected more.

"Don't your parents care what you do with your life?" asked Rufus.

"Mother would have loved it if I pursued music, and father used to take me on digs with him as a kid, but that doesn't mean I want to be a paleontologist or a musician or even anything with the company. I just want to find something that makes me happy. Isn't that the most important thing? That's what my father says anyway."

Rufus had left after that. If he'd stayed one more minute he felt like he was about to explode. Asher lived in his little perfect world and had no idea how things worked for everything else in the real world where no one ever cared about what made you happy. Reno had grown up on the streets underplate; surely he'd get angry at Asher's 'everything's great my life is perfect' attitude and the way he didn't even appreciate how lucky-

Rufus took a deep breath and unclenched his fist. He was getting upset over nothing. Asher didn't matter. The only thing that mattered about Reno was beating him, and Rufus didn't want or need school friends. He just needed to get Reno to trust him, and maybe he was making progress. There was choice but to succeed.

X

Reno had expected to be full all day judging by the amount he'd eaten on the previous evening, but, having skipped breakfast, he found that he was hungry again by the end of Geography, so he munched on one of the bars Rufus had given him on his way to the Etiquette lesson, which was held in the girls' school. He followed Mani, Seb, Sacha and Raf along a path that ran from the main school along the side of the playing fields, ending at a gate manned by an armed guard.

"That's because of you," Seb told Reno. He didn't sound annoyed about it – if anything he seemed rather impressed. "After that race they stepped up security about a thousand fold. You wouldn't get under the fence now!"

Reno swallowed a bite of the chocolate bar, which was one of the best things he'd ever tasted, and grinned at Seb. "Yeah? Wanna bet? I made a career outta gettin' into places people wanted to keep me out of, yo!"

"A career!" sneered Sinclair, passing by with a group of his cronies and eavesdropping as usual, "Yes, I suppose that's what you would call it. Here on the plate, we prefer to call it criminal trespass."

"Oh fuck off, Sinclair," Seb said, before Reno could respond.

Sinclair only smiled. "I would have thought you'd be all for law and order, your old man being the Mayor and all," he said. "But then, I suppose everyone knows that he's just a puppet with Shinra's hand pulling the strings – or should I say up his –"

"Mr. Tudor-Whittington, I do not wish to hear the end of that sentence!" came a stern female voice from beyond the gate. The guard entered a code, and the gate opened with a low electric hum. Beyond the gate stood a tall, tweed-clad, elegant woman, her brown hair cut in a sharp bob, glaring at Sinclair out of steely eyes.

"Sorry, Mrs. Sloane," Sinclair smarmed. "I didn't see you there. I'd hate to add to your workload when you're going to have your hands full this term with our latest addition from the slums." He gestured with his thumb in Reno's direction. Reno had just started on the last of the candy bar, and his mouth was too full of chocolate to respond, which was probably fortunate.

"Please refrain from making such crude gestures," Mrs. Soane said to Sinclair, her gaze sweeping over Reno like a searchlight. "Or such crude generalizations. I have never found that the location of someone's birth provides much enlightenment as to what I can expect of his manners. Are we all here? Good. Then please be so good as to follow me to the hall."

The boys of 4B followed Mrs. Sloane meekly along another path and up a flight of stairs into a red brick building with arches and huge stained glass windows. A wood-paneled corridor led to a pair of studded oak doors, which opened onto a large hall with a high, beamed roof. On green plastic chairs arranged around two tables on one side of the hall sat twelve girls talking to each other. There was a brief silence as Mrs. Sloane led the boys into the room, and then a whispering and giggling. Reno made eye contact with Wanda, and winked. The whispering intensified.

"Girls!" Mrs. Sloane said, and silence fell. "Boys, be seated," she added. The boys took places around tables on the opposite side of the room to the girls. Reno found himself between Raphael and Rufus, facing Mani and the twins. From her table across the hall Wanda was giving him a pretty smile. The girls on either side of her were staring at him. In fact, all the other girls were staring at him too… Funny – he never got this much attention at his old school - but he wasn't about to complain, even if he did feel an unaccustomed embarrassment at the intensity of their combined gazes.

"Vivian, distribute these if you would be so kind." Mrs. Sloane handed a pile of work sheets to a willowy girl with pale blonde hair, who got to her feet with languid grace and gave a sheet to each student. When she reached Reno she paused, brushing her hair back over one shoulder and smiling a little, before handing him the paper and moving on.

Mrs. Slone gave the class twenty minutes to complete the worksheets "By way of revision, and to remind you of proper dining etiquette before formal dinner on Sunday". As soon as they were allowed to talk, Rufus said, "That was Vivian Vanderlace, giving out the worksheets. Half the boys in the fourth form are crazy about her, but she's only interested in SOLDIER. She runs the fan club fan club – we call it that to wind her up. No one has any chance with her unless his name's Sephiroth."

"Yeah – she's hot," said Reno.

"The girl next to her over there – with the ponytail – that's Freya Hunter. She's one of the best shots in the school. And next to her is Alexandria Aspani."

"Asher's sister," put in Raf. "But nothing like him, except in looks. She was voted 'most likely to rule the world' last year."

"Right," said Reno. "And who's the one next to her, with the curls and the - you know - curves?"

For some reason Rufus looked rather embarrassed. "That's Allegra Fortescue. I - met her once, at her brother's birthday party. And I don't know the new girl," Rufus said hastily, pretending to look at the worksheet.

"That's Wanda," Reno said. "Can't remember her last name. She was at my school."

Rufus looked at him. "Two scholarship students from the same school? That's – unusual."

Reno didn't reply, but he felt the same sense of unease as he had the last time Rufus had mentioned the scholarships. The more he heard about them, the more unlikely it seemed that he would have been given one. Frowning, he turned his attention to the worksheet. On it was a picture of what looked like a several plates, glasses and random assortments of cutlery scattered across a table. Each item had a letter next to it.

"I don't get it," Reno eventually confessed to Raf. "What're we supposed to do?"

"You have to write down what everything is," Raf said. "Hold on – I'll give you a hand in a minute."

"Nah – that's okay," Reno said, somewhat affronted. Raf seemed nice enough, but surely this was a task a five-year-old could manage without help?

Plate, plate, small plate, knife, knife, knife, knife, fork, fork, fork, fork, spoon, spoon, small spoon, glass, glass, glass, wrote Reno next to the appropriate letters.

Rufus glanced over at Reno's work. "Oh," he said, "no, that's not what –"

"What?" Reno asked, the challenge back in his eyes, an automatic reaction to Rufus' tone.

X

Rufus pushed his hair back in frustration and sighed. Did Reno have to take everything as an affront to his ability? Rufus had only been trying to help. Maybe he shouldn't bother if Reno was going to be so difficult about it. This 'making friends' thing was so frustrating!

Rufus took a calming breath and remembered what he'd read on negotiation techniques. Identify what you want: Reno's trust; identify your opponent's want…what did Reno want? Respect?

"Well, technically you're not wrong," said Rufus. "It's supposed to be more specific, here." He slid his completed worksheet, which he could have filled out in his sleep, towards Reno to show the labelled illustration.

A few moments later Mrs. Sloane leaned over. "Helping your classmate cheat, Rufus?"

Rufus looked up at the professor, un-intimidated by her stern demeanor, looking as innocent as an angel. "Of course not ma'am, I was merely explaining the assignment to our new classmate. He wasn't here last term so it's hardly fair to expect him to pass a pop quiz since he's yet to be introduced to the material. As one of your best students I feel it's my duty to help my peers."

Mrs. Sloane collected Reno's sheet and laughed softly. "You must be Mr. Flynn," she said, "I'll give you points for effort. Now, Rufus since you're keen to explain why don't you share your answers with the rest of the class. Go on. Stand up. Students, take out a red pen and copy down the correct answers. Rufus, if you are wrong I'll correct you."

"Okay - Dinner plate, salad plate, bread plate, bread knife, salad knife, meat knife, fish knife, fish fork, meat fork, salad fork, dessert fork, soup spoon, tea spoon, dessert spoon, white wine, red wine, water goblet," recited Rufus. He hated being called out like that; he didn't want Reno to think he was trying to show him up with knowledge of useless information.

X

Reno found a red pen in the pencil case he'd been given on arrival at the school, and tried to keep up with the list Rufus was spouting, but it was impossible. Throwing down the pen in disgust Reno looked up at Rufus. He didn't look pleased to be getting everything right – at least he lacked Sinclair's smugness – but there was a careless arrogance in his manner that got Reno's hackles up nonetheless.

When Rufus had finished his list Mrs. Sloane smiled thinly. "Perfectly accurate. And since you seem to have developed such a pleasing altruistic streak during the summer break, perhaps you'd like to continue to help Mr. Flynn with this class? I'll expect you to tutor him until he's up to speed on the basics. His progress, or lack thereof, will be reflected in your end-of-term report."

"Yes, ma'am," said Rufus, giving her a pleasant smile, while inside he was seething. He would have helped Reno anyway as it furthered his friendship plot, but now Reno would have reason to doubt his motives, since Mrs. Sloane had tied his end-of-term report to Reno's success. He took the seat next to Reno and tried to read Reno's expression.

Reno's mind was still reeling from the list of objects Rufus had recited so easily. How could there be so many different types of knives and forks? He was so busy wondering why the hell different coloured wines would need different types of glass, that he failed to register the teacher's words at first – but when he did he jumped to his feet, outraged. "No way!" he exclaimed. "I don't need no kid my age tellin' me stuff, yo! I mean, you're the teacher, yeah – so you teach stuff. Why the ffff – uh – why should I listen to him? I don't need to know that crap anyway, do I? Like – a knife's a knife, yeah? Don't know about this bunch a kids, but I don't have no trouble cutting whatever with one blade, know what I mean?"

Mrs. Sloane's eyes widened at Reno's outburst. The whole class fell silent for a moment before the silence was broken by hushed whispers from the girls who were all staring horrified, except for Wanda who had her face covered with the palm of her hand.

Reno understood at once that he'd gone too far. His immediate impulse was to walk out of the classroom, the school and the whole farce, but then he caught sight of Sinclair's grinning face and knew that Sinclair would like nothing better than for him to keep walking – right back to the factory where he doubtless believed the likes of Reno belonged.

"Look – I never meant that like it sounded," Reno said. "I'm sorry, okay? But – I ain't stupid. Just 'cause I don't know this kinda stuff, it don't mean I don't know other stuff, yeah?"

Reno sat down slowly, hoping he hadn't just blown it. He knew that if he wanted this chance – and the more people like Sinclair seemed determined to make him aware that he didn't deserve it, the more he did want it – then he would have to learn not to react to this kind of provocation. At least not in front of the teachers.

But if Rufus thought that Reno was going to give him an easy time and help him get good grades – well, he could just fork off. In spite of the seriousness of his situation, Reno had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself sniggering at his own joke.

Rufus had to do something to distract Mrs. Sloane from Reno. The last thing he wanted was to see his rival expelled before he had a chance to beat him. "I have to say that Reno does have a point," Rufus said. "Honestly, what is the use of knowing this kind of thing?"

Then the whispers began, as some of the students stared at the worksheet and nodded in agreement. Really, that many forks? Couldn't the servants just bring them the forks along side the food? Why memorize all the fork names and have it all laid out before hand?

Mrs. Sloane listened to Rufus, tight lipped. When he'd finished speaking she said very quietly, "Sit down." Walking to the front of the class, she waited for silence. It didn't take long.

"Mr. Flynn, you will see me after class. Only the fact that you seem to have a modicum of self-restraint and at least enough grace to apologize has prevented me from sending you directly to the head, but such behaviour will not go unpunished. As for you, Rufus - despite your unmannerly outburst, you have asked an interesting question. What is the point of learning these, frankly often absurd-seeming, social conventions? What possible reasons could there be for you – supposedly Midgar's crème de la crème – to be expected to grapple with such pointless trivialities? Why would your parents, many of whom are on the board of governors, have insisted that these lessons appear on the curriculum?" Her gaze swept the room. "Well? Anyone?"

Freya Hunter's hand shot up at the same time as Alexandria Aspani's, while Sinclair lazily raised his hand.

"So we can be the best?" said Freya. "Even at manners, there's nothing we shouldn't be able to do. Every skill is useful and worth mastering."

"To set us apart from street filth that would prefer to eat with their hands or off pocket knives?" ventured Sinclair, who was feeling surprisingly daring. "We're civilized, after all."

Alexandria sighed as though everyone else in the room were wasting her time when the answer was obvious. "Politeness shows consideration. People appreciate consideration. A good host or hostess should show consideration by laying out the right cutlery and a good guest should know which utensil or glasses to use. Rules may seem silly, but they provide a common code to which we all can adhere as a way to communicate our appreciation of tradition and each other."

"Thank you, Alexandrina," said Mrs. Sloane, relieved. "And Freya, close to the mark, as ever. Sinclair – well, civilization is certainly important, although merely being in this room is certainly no guarantee of that it seems. The key point is this – you – all of you – are, by virtue of your birth or your intelligence poised to become leaders not only in your chosen fields, but also in society. The Shinra Academies exist to further excellence and to produce young men and women who will set the standards to which the rest of the planet aspires. Manners and tradition may seem trivial, but they are part of what defines an elite as an elite. Is there anyone here who doesn't wish to be considered part of the elite?"

No one replied. Reno knew that Sinclair and some of his friends were staring at him, but he was already in trouble, and knew that any further disruption might well end his career at the school before it had begun. He shot a look over at Wanda, but her head was bowed. Reno vowed to himself that he was going to do whatever it took to get through the next two years. Almost everyone in the room probably thought he belonged in the factory, and that the scholarships were nothing more than an expensive PR exercise, but he was determined to prove them wrong.

"Good," said Mrs. Sloane. "Then I trust we can continue the lesson without further disruption. On your tables, I want you to come up with a list of suitable topics of conversation during a formal dinner, when you are seated next to a new acquaintance. You have ten minutes to compile a list, and then role-play one or two conversations with a partner, before we mix up the groups. Begin."

Reno was rather anxious about having to see the teacher after class and wondered what his punishment might be, but he wasn't about to show anyone that he cared, so he leaned back in his chair, balancing it on two legs, and grinned, aware that several of the girls were whispering about him, and glancing his way.

"Guess I could talk about how I got expelled from the Shinra Academy on day two," Reno said. "Anyone top that?"

X

Rufus felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't meant to get Reno in trouble, although he doubted he'd be expelled. The fact he felt bad made him feel a bit uncomfortable. He pushed the thought aside. He didn't want to lose his rival before he'd had a chance to carry out his plan. that was all, and it bothered him that his attempts at friendship had failed so spectacularly. Rufus hated failing at anything.

"Don't worry, you won't be expelled," said Raf, "they'd have marched you out straight away if that were the case. It'll just be some standard punishment." He adjusted his glasses.

Mani nodded, trying to look encouraging.

Levi, a good-looking boy whose parents were famous actors, and who rejoiced in the name 'Leviathan', shrugged and leaned over to join the conversation. "You should learn to keep your head down," he said, "seems you're the only thing anyone is going to be talking about."

Rufus focused on filling out his worksheet. Once it was done he looked at Reno. "I didn't mean anything by showing you my answers, just wanted to help. By the way, polite conversation means talking about anything boring that no one in their right mind would actually want to talk about, weather, sports, arts…that sort of thing."

"I want to talk about music," said Sacha. "Polite conversation can be something you want to talk about."

"As long as it's nothing anyone might disagree about," cautioned Seb, "or find troubling. You can talk about chocobos, but not if the person is a chocobo trader, you see?"

Rufus guessed Reno probably didn't care about acceptable conversation topics anymore than he cared about place setting rules. "Don't worry about conversation, just fill in the worksheet with boring topics and worry about who you want to dance with for the second half of the lesson." Girls would probably catch his interest, and maybe cheer him up.

"There are only twelve girls, and fourteen boys," said Seb, "so whoever doesn't get a partner has to dance with another boy to practice, which means one of you is assigned to be the girl so you have to do everything backwards."

Rufus took it upon himself to introduce some of the other girls. "Hot or not, I'd avoid Vivian and rest of her fan girls. They can be a bit…fanatical. Tyreena Walters is reasonable," Rufus pointed to a brown haired girl in thick rimmed glasses." She has some interests outside of how amazing she thinks Angeal is anyway. The blonde over there is Diamond Windler and the black haired girl beside her is Sapphire Windler, Di and Saphy are twins, both into Genesis but that's about all they agree on."

"They don't even agree on that," said Levi. "Don't get them started on it. Di is interested in Genesis for his personality, Saphy just fancies him because she likes how he looks in leather. Really, don't get Saphy started on that."

"Oh, no need to be harsh on Saphy;" said Cassian, "Saphy admires Genesis as an attractive young man, whereas Di is under the delusion Loveless is interesting."

"All of them try to recruit people to the General SOLDIER fanclub of theirs," said Levi, "that's why we know all this. You'd be safer dancing with any of the other girls."

"Freya doesn't make me feel safe," said Mani. "Don't know what it is, but that girl is kinda scary."

"It's obvious what it is," said Rufus. "She'd kill anyone who came in between her and her goal. Vivian thinks she's important because she runs the fan club, but Alexandria and Freya are tied for most ambitious."

"We're all ambitious," said Levi. "Freya and Alex aren't nearly as disturbing as the fan club. Little Miss President told us all about the clubs trying to recruit more members, but it's mostly just a club for them squeeing over SOLDIER fan art so there's not really much of an appeal."

"For some of you," said Cas. "So what - they find the SOLDIERS attractive."

"They write stories about them hooking up," said Levi. "Di showed me her notebook. It was about Genesis as the main character of Loveless, but Sephiroth was his err…love interest?"

"Ugh," said Rufus. "I've met them! Thinking about that is a bit awkward. I wonder if they've ever read any of those stories?" He decided then and there that he was NEVER going to ask. Huh, this was strange, joining in on these trivial conversations and actually, somewhat enjoying it.