fandomhigh | Fandom High Welcome Picnic, Front Lawn of the School, All Day: Part I

It might have been the start of the fall semester, but it was definitely still summer in Fandom. The sun was shining and the temperature was already starting to get high, even as the NPC crew set things up for the day.

Luckily, the school knew how to take care of folks on days like today. Beneath the blue and gold streamers and balloons, tables had been set up with cold drinks and food, and an entire section devoted to offering up different ~~moddable~~ ice cream flavors. As always, there was a stack of nametags set down next two signs: one listing the Big Sibling/Little Sibling pairings, and one listing rooms and roommates for the new students.

With everything set up and the crew out of the way, it was time for the picnic to begin!

[~~Please wait for OCD!~~ The OCD is up! This is part one of the picnic, specifically for meeting siblings, roommates, and teachers. The rest of the picnic is happening here and here, in an effort to keep browsers from breaking for as long as possible. Since it's outside, the picnic is open to all students, teachers, and townies!]

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Elphaba nodded, unable to confide in Zatanna her own lack of friends. They still were such strangers. "We'll have plenty of time to get to know one another. I promise I won't be a bothersome roommate."

More nodding, "Then I'll have to promise the same thing, I guess. We are going to get along just fine, Elphaba." Or so she hoped. Besides being green, she didn't seem to have any sort of...something going on, and Zatanna would be careful to keep her more personal studies away from her. It all sounded like a nice deal.

"So, met anyone interesting so far?"

"My 'big sibling'," Elphaba said. "He's quite striking, with tall spiky hair. His name is Zack, which is a fairly sensible name, really. Have you met anyone?"

She paused to clean her glasses while she listened for Zatanna's response.

"I've been meeting a good deal of people; my big sib, a friend that is actually from another dimension thing, so he's not my friend. And a witch, and an Alexander guy. Pretty nice folk. Zack sounds like a cool name." And so did the spiky hair. Zatanna then noticed the name subject.

"Is there some sort of tradition with names in your hometown...world?"

"My what?" Elphaba said, confused by the term. "You mean back in Munchkinland?"

She was getting used to the idea that she'd often be befuddled by the way people talked.

She had to decide that yeah, that was her world's name. "Exactly, Munchkinland. Do they name people under some rules?" She had totally read about it.

"Not rules, no," Elphaba said. "But take, for instance, the boy back waiting for the bus. His name was William, which is a strange and bizarre name that I can't imagine being used back in Oz. But a Zatanna or a Zack, those sound more like Oz names."

Zatanna nodded slowly, taking in what she thought was valuable cultural information. "I see...names with a Z are probably more used back on Oz, then. And names with E too?" She didn't have anything against her name. With a name like hers, she pretty much loved every other one.

"I wouldn't say there's particular letters," Elphaba said. "It's just something about... the way they sound." She was not a student of linguistics. "My sister is Nessarose, for instance."

So it was the sound? Zatanna was making several mental notes.

"That's a pretty name! My full name is Zatanna Zatara, by the way. And I guess it's nice that there is a place with all sorts of awesome names somewhere." Now she wanted to take a tour on this Oz place. She needed a map.

"You like that word," Elphaba said. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone use it so much." Show her an 80's movie and, after she got over her wonder at the concept of movies, she'd baffle especially at their speech.

She had to think of what word she was talking about. "Awesome? I think I use it too much when I'm excited." Oh yes, she did. "I can not use it, if you want. Or teach you words." Now that would be...can you guess?

"Oh, I'm not trying to say you shouldn't," Elphaba said. "It's just no one talks that way where I'm from. I'm sure you speak perfectly normal for where you're from."

Sorry, Elphaba, but Zatanna was going to laugh a little now. "lleW, emos elpoep dluow yas ym hceeps si a tib driew, heh." It wasn't as if she spoke like that just because she could, but since it came naturally for her...

"It's a family thing, taking backwards."

"That's actually a great talent," Elphaba said. "It sounds almost magical, when you talk like that. Though I have no idea what you actually said."

"I said 'Well, some people would say my speech is a bit weird'. And it is magical...in a way. With the right words." She wondered how would Elphaba take that.

"Then you really do have wondrous talents," Elphaba said, somewhat in awe. "Magic can be found just about anywhere in Oz, but individuals with the talent are so rare."

She always hoped her little 'problem' was magic, but she could not dare to dream that it was.

"Naaaaaaaah, you should have seen my dad; he is the real thing." If she could find him... "I still think there is something special about you. Are you sure you don't do anything magical?"

Elphaba hesitated. "It's not something I'm quite ready to talk about," she said. "We've only just met."

And deeply held secrets, things her father demanded she keep quiet, those were not shared the first day you met someone, even as nice as Zatanna.

Zatanna shrugged. "Whenever you feel ready hon, and if you feel ready. I'm your roommate and friend, right? I won't push, but you count on me."

She had her own secrets anyway.

Elphaba nodded, but she definitely wasn't ready yet. It would take time to gather that sort of trust. "You are," she said. "My new friend and roommate. I will tell you, when I'm ready."

Fandom High Welcome Picnic, Front Lawn of the School, All Day: Part I

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