fandomhigh | Fandom High Graduation Ceremony, Class of 2008, Saturday Afternoon (Part II)

After the last diploma had been handed out, the graduates were sent back to their seats, and Principal Washburn returned to the podium, to give her final speech and end the ceremony.

It was then that the rumbling started.

Odds were, if you asked the average citizen of Fandom to describe the town, they would tell you about the school, and the shops, and the beach and preserve, and all the areas of the island that existed above ground. But what they wouldn't describe was the island's biggest secret - beneath the ground, hidden from all of the town's inhabitants, was a city of ancient machines, designed to keep Fandom connected to every dimension it has ever touched, allowing people to continue to come from all over to live and grow on the island.

Although the existence of the underground city has always been hidden from Fandom's citizens - a safety measure, to ensure that none of Fandom's more power-hungry students or teachers try to use the machines for harmful purposes - it has not been a secret to everyone. During the night, fae and faeries of all sizes and power had come to make their way underground, and seize control of Fandom's machines, determined to have the unparalleled dimensional access for themselves. Although they were followed, the Wild Hunt had never caught its prey, and while the people of the town were occupied with graduation, the faeries struck, beginning to activate the machines.

But what the faeries didn't realize was that not all of the machines controlled access to dimensions. One machine in particular, one of the first to be activated, controlled the access to the city from above ground. As the machine chugged along, a section of the island lowered a few feet underground, allowing access to the city, the machines, and the faeries.

Of course, it just so happened that this section of land was where the platforms had been laid before graduation, and where the graduates had all been seated. As the platforms sank, a clear bubble covered the area where they'd been, allowing the audience to watch, but preventing them from being able to interfere or help. It was up to the graduates to defend themselves, and get rid of the fae.

[~~Wait for the OCD, please!~~ OCD is up! Have fun!]

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Isabel smiled and slowly made her way over to Parker. "Freaking fairies. Did you see those ugly things?"

"I did. C'mere, sit down, I also saw you intercept an icicle with your body, wrong move," Parker said, clearing off a space on a bench for Isabel. "Nice one. MAX! GET OVER HERE, KING BOY!"

Max had already been making his way through the crush to Isabel, their parents not far behind. "How bad is it? Let me see."

Isabel took the seat Parker offered and carefully stripped off her robe. "Not too bad I don't think. I mean I'm still standing."

Technically, she was sitting. And that was a pretty decent amount of blood on her shirt. "Get it fixed up before mom and dad freak out."

"Hold still." It always freaked him out, a little, but knowing he could fix it helped. "Parker, hold the shirt out of the way."

He lifted one hand, and placed it on Isabel's stomach, feeling the heat sink in from his hand to her body, and knew it was working.

"It's not quite the same tingling touch as when Wyatt does it," Isabel teased as the pain eased. "But you still do good."

"Awwwww," Parker teased, looking relieved, then patting Max on the head. "Don't feel bad, King Boy. She's your sister, it's to be expected she'd find healing hands elsewhere. Ahem." She gave him a wicked look. "I'm sure your hands are just fine. Really."

Max gave Parker a dirty look while Isabel snickered, then turned back to her with a small smile. "Good. He might be your boyfriend and some kind of healer, but I'm always going to be more secure if I do it." He stood up and folded his arms as their parents got closer. "She's fine, it's okay. No damage."

"Now she is, you mean," Diane said, just barely resisting the urge to give Isabel a hug. "You told me graduation would be interesting. But really sweetheart? Couldn't they have just mailed you your diploma?"

"Hi, Mrs. Evans. I don't think we've met before. I'm Parker," she said, holding out her hand to Diane. Hopefully she'd take some of the heat off Isabel. "And think of it as a traditional rite of passage? We try to."

She refrained from hugging Isabel. Happy to be distracted, Parker might not be so lucky. "Parker, I'm so glad to meet you. I've heard so much about you."

"Oh, hi." Parker blinked at the mom-hug, but didn't fight it, not wanting to insult Isabel's mom. Max and Isabel might have seen her eyes going very wide over Diane's shoulder. "And, um. Likewise. Isabel missed you guys a lot. I'm glad you could make it." She smiled mischeviously as the hug ended. "I mean, some people's graduations, you don't even remember it later. Can't say that about ours, can you?"

Amused, Isabel grinned at Parker as her father shook his head. "No, I don't think we ever will. I think the big excitement when I graduated was someone blowing bubbles. This was definitely different."

"Ohhh, yeah. I mean last year--" Parker coughed. "Well. Anyway. I think this one went better, really." Possibly property destruction details would be pushing it. "I have really great pictures of Isabel kicking ass, though."

"And you'll send me copies right?" Isabel grinned. "I'll need those for the scrapbook."

Feeling better, she got to her feet. "I'm gross and smelling and desperately need a shower. Can I meet you guys at the hotel in an hour or two? And we can go for dinner? Parker you're more then welcome to join us."

"I think I will. I have a few more people I have to congratulate first. And mock." She grinned at Max. "But I'd love to join you guys."

Isabel grinned as Max shuddered. "Yeah, I have a few people I need to check on myself." The boyfriend for one. "But later on, at the hotel."

Reluctantly her parents nodded. "Okay. We'll be waiting." In the bar most likely.

Max leaned over and gave her a quick hug, whispering, "And I get to tease the boyfriend since you inflicted Parker on me," before pulling away. "See you there."

"No teasing! Parker will do that for both of you," Isabel laughed.

She watched as her family walked away then turned to Parker. "Come on, let's go assess the carnage."

Fandom High Graduation Ceremony, Class of 2008, Saturday Afternoon (Part II)

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