fandomhigh | BWI Airport Portalocity Lounge, Saturday Morning

The glittery enthusiasm of the 'Fandom High' banner strung across the wall was a little unexpected, but at least it confirmed Vider was where she was supposed to be, even if no one else appeared to be here yet. That part wasn't surprising, considering how early her flight had gotten in, but she seemed to be dealing with the earliness of the hour remarkably well. It might have had something to do with the fact that she was getting used to never getting quite enough sleep any more.

One of the trainers at the Hangadrottin War College had shoved a wad of unfamiliar money into her hand this morning, 'for the journey,' like she was going to some foreign country and not just the East coast. Still, she wasn't going to turn down money so she'd taken it without complaint and used some of it to buy a tea and pastry for breakfast, and once she picked out a seat by the wall where she could prop her spear case and sword up, she settled in to eat, picking the pastry apart into little shreds before putting them in her mouth.

So far this boarding school thing didn't seem so bad, although she was reserving final judgment until she'd actually seen the school.

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"I am," she confirmed. "Just checking. If we wound up with someone who wasn't supposed to go to boarding school today on the shuttle bus, it could be awkward. Funny, but awkward. And yes," because if Isabelle was going to be that forward about checking out her tattoo, Vider figured she could be forward back, "I'm her."

Isabelle raised her eyebrows.

"You're who?"

Dammit, different worlds with differently significant tattoos.

"Vider Bearskin?" Vider said slowly, because how was this now a question? It wasn't that she basked in her celebrity or anything--it was actually pretty awkward--but she had been on TV with Odin himself praising her that one time?

Isabelle didn't watch TV.

Also she was from a completely different world. But mostly that first bit.

She shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know what that means." Some mundie celebrity, maybe?

Wow, what was it like under that rock, Isabelle? "It's just my name," she said. "You know what, don't worry about it." One less person acting extra weird around her.

Isabelle shrugged again. She was mildly curious about who this girl thought she was, sure. But not that curious.

"I won't," she replied easily. "Did you come from a long way away?"

Vider shrugged. "Is Nebrasge far by your standards? And I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name."

"Because I didn't say it. But it's Isabelle, hi, nice to meet you." Someone somewhere had to be proud of how nice she was being. Probably Hodge. "And I'm not sure I know where that is, either."

"You...don't know where Nebrasge is?" It's a whole kingstate, Isabelle, how can you miss it?

Relatedly, what kind of weirdo name was Isabelle?

"Where are you from?" Maybe she was foreign. Foreigners were weird.

Did technically being from Idris count as foreign?

"New York. Wait, is Nebrasge in Nebraska? It sounds similar."

"I...don't know where Nebraska is," Vider admitted. "Or New York." It was still New Amsterdam for her.

"How do you not know ––"

Isabelle cut herself off. That's right, Izzy, use the knowledge your brothers have given you about Fandom.

"Oh. You're probably from one of those alternate worlds, or something like that."

"Excuse me?" Vider asked her. Was this a 'mess with the other new kids' thing?

"Alternate worlds? Similar but not the same?" Isabelle tried, then waved a hand. "You'll learn."

"Are you a seethkona?" Vider asked.

It was more polite than asking if she was high.

"I don't know what that means, either."

Figured.

"...did you grow up on some kind of isolated commune or something?" NOTHING ELSE MADE SENSE.

Actually, she kind of had! New York Institute represent! But.

"I don't think that's the issue here."

"Oh, really?" Vider asked, looking extremely dubious, crossing her arms. "And what do you think the issue is?"

Isabelle looked openly amused at the arm-crossing. Because she was kind of like that.

"That you haven't figured things out about this Fandom place we're headed to yet."

"Oh, and you're some kind of expert? I thought this was the shuttle for new students," Vider said pointedly.

"My brother goes here and our friend used to," Isabelle informed her. "And I've visited before."

Oh, so she did think she was an expert, and probably that that gave her license to mess with the less knowledgeable. Whatever. Vider wasn't going to take her bait. "That'll be nice for you. Knowing someone."

BWI Airport Portalocity Lounge, Saturday Morning

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