#anywhere

"A wallop is what you get when you fucked up. It's worse if you try to avoid it, so it's better to just take it. Fighting is, y'know, going at it."

Vali takes a moment to respond then, "SOunds like you've taken more than a few 'wallops' in your time."

She shrugs. "Yeah." Matter-of-fact.

A nod, "How many would you say?"

She gives him a baffled look. "Like.. total?"

"Round figure"

"I dunno. Hundreds?"

"Not every placement. Sometimes you get wimpy hippies that are all 'Ohhhhhh, all we use is loooooovvvveeeee.' They think that, and act like they're so nice and holier-than-hou, but then they send you back."

"I see"

"And some just ignore you. Those are usually the easiest." She shrugs. "You can do whatever, if they don't see you."

"Though those ones are the most likely to padlock the fridge."

"Okay, locking the fridge is just rude"

"Can't have the trash stealing the good food."

"mm" He raises a brow at something, "Look, those whomps you got? they sound a lot like abuse to me. And you're right, it's not fighting. Fighting you get to hit back, and often you have some rules in sparring, dueling and such. THAT said... your current fosters? Abusive assholes, lovey dovey hippies, or 'meh' ignore you types?"

"Not sure yet. They decided to pay attention after the stupid school called."

"Well, as long as they don't get abusive, that's something" he admits

She shrugs. "Whatever. They're fine."

"Yeah, sucks settling for just fine though, doesn't it? "

"Huh?"

"I mean, they're fine."

"I'm not what they want, but that's not new."

"Well, things change."

She snorts. "I ain't gonna be like Tanya. Oh, she's Miss Perfect."

"Oh?"

"She's pretty and popular and does all the stupid clubs..." A shrug. "Good to show off at church, right?"

"And she and Jennifer paint their nails. Uhg." She huffs.

"Do you want to go to church?"

"Nah. It's boring and it's stupid."

"Ohhhh, we're so much better than everybody, and you little brats better be grateful of how godly we are, taking you in, you unworthy sinners..."

"Blah, blah, blah. Spare the rod, spoil the child. Turn the other cheek. "

"Huh. 'Father, incur not thy sons to wrath' doesn't get as much play for some reason" Wryly "I've met some...truly good people of faith, but then if you don't want to go to church, why let it bug you if Tanya gets shown off there?"

"I mean, they want someone they can show off."

"I'm not, like, a girly girl."

"Tomboys are fine .." he shrugs "Lots of folks like em. "

"Mmph."

"Beats being a 'sissy boy' in most folks eyes"

"That's a good way to get your life hell I'll tell ya"

"Oh yeah. Fags'll get beat up."

He raises a brow, "And here I thought that was the N word of the new century"

"But doesn't matter if you are or not, right? If you're seen as one, you'll take a beating."

"Yeah, but... you know one way you can fight them? WIthout raising your fist?"

Dag raises an eyebrow.

"Be better than the the folks who treat people like that. DOn't use the slurs, be above it. YEeah, big whoop you might say, but the less support those bullies get, the less folks joining in on the hate or ridicule, the more it takes away their social power. Stand up against the hate, and you might be surprised others are in agreement. THe ones who are worth your time."

"I don't beat up anybody."

"true, but some folks, who aren't as tough as you, might be hurt by words like the one you used. And since it's the assholes who use that word that you don't like, best to leave it on the side of the road. Just one troll's opinion"

"oh....."

"It's okay, Dagmar, you want a drink or something? Lemonaid , soda?"

"Is there Dr, Pepper?"

"yeah, we got plenty" He pulls one out and hands it to her. Getting a grape nehi for himself

"I don't mind if anybody's gay, y'know." A sip of soda.