John's eyes focused back in the present. "Yeah. I know what happened the first time. This? No clue. Random Fandom, I suppose."

John gave her a look. Not a look that was indignant or haughty or spiteful, but the look of someone who's been places that people aren't necessarily supposed to go.

"My mom. The former Principal. She... We were. She left to do a job. Gun running, cartel hit, whatever. She left me with one of my 'uncles', my trainers. Guys she'd meet doing the whole Soldier of Fortune bit, trying to train me to be a better soldier. This guy. Nam. POW. Decided it would be fun to stick me in a hole in the ground, put a pallet on top, weigh it down with an engine." He paused. It was a silence where you're not sure if it's gonig to be continued.

John broke his reverie and gave Agatha a ghost of a smile. "I was there for about three days, maybe four. He kept trying to make it more real by poking at me with a stick and speaking in fake Vietnamese."

"It happened. To our guys. POWs. To him."

"So what brings you here?"

"Wait, who'd you bring here? Someone get hurt?"

"Billy? The ninja? He's brought his leg into the shop. I made him a wooden one."

"I dunno. is he okay? Wha'ts wrong with him?"

"not really. Dehydrated. Looks like someone played darts at me, too."

"I... Actually, it would be nice to have company. Emo. Goth. Or, a nice redhead." He drifts off into space, imagining the student body.

"Hrm. Maybe one day I'll find one." He smiled. "Thanks for the bots. Didn't know you had 'em with ya. Will the shop be allright without 'em?"

"the first one?"

John pokes at him but doesn't touch.