fandomhigh | Fandom High Graduation Ceremony, Class of 2012, Early Saturday Evening (Part 1)

Entry tags:

!event: graduation

Fandom High Graduation Ceremony, Class of 2012, Early Saturday Evening (Part 1)

With things back to normal - or as normal as Fandom ever got - preparations for graduation had gone into full swing. The ceremony was set for right after sunset, to make sure all types of guests could safely attend, and the lawn had been lit up with blue and gold lights, creating safe paths in which to walk to the seating area and giving everything a twinkling, serene appearance.

Of course, the staff knew that graduation was rarely a serene event, and the fact that Ingvar's volcano was being unusually active emphasized the need to prepare the seniors as much as possible. Last year's cache of weapons had been discreetly stashed in a trunk behind the podium...and yes, they'd all been properly cleaned. Who knew what dried Viking blood could do to metal?

Once everything had been arranged, the guests were let in, and all that was left was to pray everything went smoothly.

[OCD is up! Have at it! Welcome | The Processsion | Speeches | Diplomas | OOC]

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After a while, Valentine sort of got used to the idea that her little brother would be doing something as novel and normal as graduating high school, but it was still a little strange. In a really good way, though, so she was glad she was able to make it on Saturday morning to witness it.

She, however, had no intentions of going anywhere near the circus that was her older brother and his bodyguards. This was a day for Ender. She wanted to enjoy it for him, without that ~~nuisance~~ ~~sexual tension~~ distraction.

"I know you," Topher announced, spotting Val. "I met you. Younger though. You're Peter's sister."

Edited 2012-04-28 15:09 (UTC)

"I'm that Peter's sister," Valentine said, smiling faintly at the boy and nodding her head toward the Hegemon and his little entourage. "And that Ender's." Again, a head nod in the appropriate direction. "So I'm afraid you have the advantage over me."

Yeah, she...generally tried not to think about both her brothers being students here at the same time...and both of them being younger than her as a result.

"I'm Topher," Topher explained. "I met Peter's version of you 'cause I went to his house one time. Well, two times. The second time you were in space already."

Beat.

"So... what's up?"

"Oh, not much," Valentine shrugged her shoulders. "Just hanging out, watching my brother graduate. How about you, Topher?"

And how did Peter have friends?

"Not a lot," Topher answered, shrugging. "Awaiting the entertainment. You know."

He had heard things about Fandom graduations, okay.

Valentine looked Topher over with a confused, bemused sort of smile, trying to piece out what kind of person he could be. "I take it you go to school here, too?"

"Yup," Topher said. With fake pride that was really just kind of mocking, he declared, "Class of 2014!"

Beat.

"Wait. 2014?" He paused and tilted his head. "Yeah, 2014. Rising junior. Like Peter, except he's not here 'cause of hiding from Achilles and all. Want me to tell him you said hi?"

Valentine just needed a moment to shake her head and try to fight down a sigh. She failed.

"Please do. And maybe I'll have to try to make it back here in two years to watch him graduate, too."

"I'm sure he'd appreciate that," Topher agreed, "'cause of how the other you totally ditched him to go to space."

Despite herself, Valentine snorted. "Ditched him?" she asked. "Is that how he tells it? Interesting."

"That is what I was told," Topher confirmed primly.

"Mmmm," Valentine hummed thoughtfully, getting a new perspective on exactly why Peter had this friend, "and if Peter Wiggin told you it was safe to jump off the roof of the dorm building, you'd believe that, too?"

Something in Valentine's head was reminding her that this wasn't her Peter he was talking about, or even her as Valentine, but, on the same token, a Wiggin was a Wiggin, and if Topher's Peter was here right now, their interaction would probably be nearly exactly the same interaction that would occur if she was holding a conversation with her Peter, just without the bodyguards.

She was so writing up an article about this when she got back to her hotel room later...

"Unless he was being sarcastic, sure," Topher said sincerely.

"You can tell the difference?" Valentine asked, lifting an inquisitive brow.

"It's an inflection thing," Topher assured her. "Or, like, this... kind of eye flash thing."

Re: Welcome!

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Re: Welcome!

dollpocalypse - 2012-04-28 22:18 (UTC) - Expand

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Re: Welcome!

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Re: Welcome!

dollpocalypse - 2012-04-29 01:01 (UTC) - Expand

~~Seriously, OSC. Seriously~~.

"You're Ender's sister?" USE THOSE POWERS OF DEDUCTION, TONY. USE 'EM.

"Apparently, my reputation precedes me," Valentine said, sounding just a little bit pleased right there. She quirked her head thoughtfully at the boy. "Ender's friend, or Peter's?"

And, boy, did that last part of the question just sound wrong.

Tony had to stifle a snort of laughter at that. "Uh, Ender's. I heard Topher call you Peter's sister and I assumed..."

"And assumed correctly," Valentine said, with a smirk of her own for the stifled laugh. She didn't know this kid yet, but she liked him, just on the merit of that response. "I'm Valentine. Ender's Valentine, not Peter's, or I should just say this Peter's, but now it's just starting to sound confusing. I'm sure the Peter that goes here would recognize me, but feel compelled to comment on my unexpected growth spurt. And you are...?"

"You get used to it here," Tony assured her. "Apparently I used to employ Ender and Ben. Tony, Tony Stark."

"Used to?" Valentine asked, an amused quirk to her brow.

"Old, goateed, kinda rude me from some other timeline."

Valentine narrowed her eyes, studying Tony's face. "I could see it being a good look for you," she noted. "Now that I think about it, the name does sound kind of familiar, but it's been a long time since I've been here."

Tony made a face at the idea of growing a beard. A sexy, sexy beard. "You've visited before?"

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