fandomhigh | Creative Arts, Monday Period 2, Week 4

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Creative Arts, Monday Period 2, Week 4

The students would find, upon arrival in the classroom today, that they each had their own easel set up and waiting for them. "I'd like to begin today by congratulating two of the members of our class on their election to the Student Council," Steve announced once it was time for the class to start. "Annie, Quinn," he continued, smiling at them each in turn ~~if they were present~~, "congratulations, ladies. I'm sure you'll serve well and with honor in your new posts." Yeah. He just talked like that.

"But that's not art, and art is, after all, what we're here for. This week we'll be working with watercolors." Steve proceeded to give a brief explanation of what watercolors were and how to work with them before saying, "Your subject for the week, if you choose to do so, is to paint something found in nature, though if you'd like to paint something else you're certainly free to do so. You can begin now, and if you have any questions, please ask."

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Rapunzel nodded enthusiastically. "Yes!" She beamed. "It's very n ice to meet you, Dana Scully!"

"Just Scully. I don't usually use my first name," Scully said, smiling slightly. "How are you settling in?" Definitely new, with all that bounce, and she was fairly certain she'd have noticed allllll that hair before this term, if the girl had been outside of her room at all.

That question actually took a bit of the energy out of Rapunzel. "Okay, I think?" She sighed, still upset about the weekend where people had not been themselves. "Sometimes I'm not sure I like it here, though."

Then she whipped out a smile again. "But most of the time I do!"

"It can be great, but .. take some getting used to," Scully said diplomatically. "Anything specific giving you trouble?" She looked at the sunrise picture again, and said, "Not this class, obviously."

"No!" Rapunzel agreed. "This class is wonderful!"

Then she stilled slightly again. "I guess..." She sighed and nibbled on the tip of her paintbrush again. "A week ago, when everyone wasn't," she took a deep breath, trying to think of the right way to put it. "Wasn't themselves," she finally settled on.

"Everyone just seems so... unbothered by it? But I thought it was really terrifying!" Part of that was just innocence, but part of it was the innate horror of not being oneself, of being out of control.

"They might have seemed unbothered by it, but I think for the most part, that was people trying to cope. In maybe not the healthiest way," Scully acknowledged. "Which-- probably includes me. It's hard to admit how scary that is, when it might happen again." She considered Rapunzel, and said gently, "Were you changed at all?"

Rapunzel shook her head quickly. "No. And the thought that I might be is really terrifying!"

Another shake of her head. "That sort of thing never happens back home!"

"It doesn't at my home either... okay. That might be a lie," Scully said, thinking of Mulder's assertion that he'd changed brains with a government contractor. "It's not normal, and it's pretty scary. But--" How had she coped, that first weekend she went nuts and broke a trebuchet? Oh. "The thing is, we're in it together. I think it's a little soon for you to feel that, maybe. But the people who I'm friends with here make it seem less weird. Or terrifying." She smiled a little at Rapunzel. "Where's home?"

That particular question made Rapunzel bite her lip as her eyes began to water just a bit. "It's just home. I don't know if it has a name."

And that only reminded her of the problems with Portalocity and their inability to get her back there.

Not have a name? How tiny, or simple, was Rapunzel's world, if she didn't have a name for it aside from 'home'? "A small place?" Scully guessed, voice even gentler. "Without too many people?"

"Just me and mother," Rapunzel nodded.

"In your family?" Scully asked, then smiled a little. "My father died years ago, and my brothers are far away. Do you miss your friends from home too?"

Rapunzel blinked. "It's just me and mother," she repeated, trying to make Scully understand.

"You said that... wait." Scully's brow furrowed a little, and she studied Rapunzel, not sure how to phrase this. "How many people in your home town, Rapunzel? Or did you grow up in the country, not close to anyone else?"

"It's only ever been the two of us," Rapunzel answered with a fond smile.

"Ohhh." Scully had a better grip on the idea now. "I see. So this must have been a huge change for you, the number of people alone, never mind being so far from your mom." And then to pile Fandom's craziness on top of that... "Culture shock. As well as, a perfectly sane reaction to all the craziness here."

"Culture shock?"

Rapunzel repeated the words slowly, as if trying to figure them out properly by taking her time.

"When someone leaves their home-- everything they've known, all the things they're used to-- and moves somewhere else, sometimes the change is so big that they... hmm. Kind of feel it, almost physically," Scully said, thinking carefully as she explained. "Like diving into icy cold water; it's scary and new and overwhelming." She smiled a little. "Sometimes it's because they don't speak the language, and all the customs are different. People dress differently, act different from what you're used to... the food is strange, the smells and sounds are all new... if you're not prepared, if you didn't know what to expect, it can be even worse."

"Oh!"

Rapunzel pursed her lips thoughtfully.

"That makes sense."

"It's pretty normal to feel like that. And it can take a while to adjust." Scully tilted her head. "For anyone. Is there something I can do to help?"

"I think I'm okay for the moment?" She wasn't sure, but... she thought so.

"If you end up feeling like this again, come and find me. I'm in room 201, on the second floor," Scully said. "There's lots of things we can do."

Rapunzel smiled gratefully and nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you!"

That was a super-generous offer!

After a moment she remembered something. "Oh, and if there's anything I can ever do for you, just say so!"

Scully smiled. Because you never knew; and the girl was really young, but a lot tougher than you would guess, if she was making that offer. "I will definitely keep that in mind."

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Creative Arts, Monday Period 2, Week 4

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