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

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!event: welcome picnic

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

With all the rain that had blown through earlier in the week, the school administration had been worried that welcome picnic day would be wet and gloomy. Thankfully, it was sunny, warm, and beautiful outside, and everything had been set up just in time for the shuttle of new folks to arrive. There was a buffet table of food and drinks waiting, along with the list of Big and Little Siblings, the list of roommates, and more name tags than they'd probably need for three picnics.

Also, there wasn't a single flower out on the lawn after last weekend. Just saying.

With everything in place, it looked like it was time for the first summer term to begin!

[OCD up! This is part one of the picnic, specifically for meeting siblings, roommates, and teachers. The rest of the picnic is happening here. Since it's outside, the picnic is open to all students, teachers, and townies!]

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"A genetically engineered deinonychus with a telepathic link to her owner," Evan replied. And then smiled and relented a little. "A really big lizard. She won't hurt anyone. Not unless she's given a good reason to."

And not unless Evan let her.

"She's not even really the weirdest thing you'll see around here," said the extremely pale kid with the blue-black lips to his ears. "You kind of get used to stuff like that on the island."

"Is this some kind of carnival?" Edward asked. It was the only explanation that made any sense. "Did I amble into someone's celebrations? Is that where I wound up?"

It made sense, in a drunken logic sort of fashion.

Poor, poor Edward.

"Um, no. It's a welcome picnic for new students at the school," Evan replied, scratching at his shoulder awkwardly. "I'm pretty sure you're meant to be one of them."

"I think there's been a mistake, then," Edward said. He shook his head. Bizarre, and a bit of a sting on his pride, to be honest. He barely got the next few words out. "My parents can't afford the likes of this."

Perhaps he shouldn't have said something-- but the penalty of being caught in pretense might be swift.

And that was met with a little pang in Evan's own chest. He swallowed a lump in his throat and tried his damnedest not to let it show.

"Then you're one step up from me," he replied, shrugging a little. "I don't have any parents."

And technically never had.

"It's fine, though. The school is free. There are people who donate so that this sort of thing can keep running and accepting new students. We're hardly the only people here who wouldn't be able to afford to go to a boarding school like this one otherwise."

"They pay just to educate any drunken fool that comes stumbling in their doors?" Edward said dubiously. Sounded like a terrific waste of money - not that he'd argue with it, were it the truth.

"I know, it sounds weird, right? But yeah, they pay for it. And there's free food in the cafeteria, and they put a roof over our heads and everything." A beat. "Almost everything. It's up to us to clothe ourselves."

Though Edward seemed to have that much handled. He didn't show up naked, anyway.

Edward liked the finer things in life too much to go naked all the time - though he dearly missed his old tricorne. "That's nice of them," he said, and if he sounded like he didn't trust it, well - it did seem too good to be true. "I suppose."

"It's crazy of them," Evan replied with a shrug. "But I guess a lot of them came to this school when they were young, too. I mean, we're not obligated to grow up and get rich and give all of our money away to Fandom High, but apparently someone out there felt they were."

"I'm not averse to growing up rich," Edward said, regaining some of his old pluck at last. "Tossing it all at some school -- well, I'd have to think about it."

He tilted his head at Evan. "You're my minder, then?"

"I guess that's one way to put it," Evan replied, blinking. "I'm not really here to babysit, though. More like point you in the right direction if you have any questions or you feel like you need any help settling in. The island can be sort of overwhelming to newcomers. Especially ones who didn't necessarily mean to end up here in the first place."

"You'll have your hands full there, then," Edward said, squinting about himself. "I can see about twenty-five things that need explaining from here. So how about you give me the basics, then?"

He had decided he was not in any rush to run away from full room, board and schooling as long as someone was stupid enough to give it to him. He was due something good.

"Okay, let's start with the simple stuff, then," Evan replied. "When and where are you from?"

Yes, he did make a point to put the 'when' first.

"That's a bit of an odd question, don't you think?" Edward said, but Evan had been kind enough so far he was willing to humor the strange lad. "It's 1709 and I've ambled here from Bristol. Swansea, before that."

Hence the accent.

Oh, wow. Edward was way out of the way, then.

"Yeah, it's a weird question," Evan allowed. "Let me be the first to properly welcome you to 2014, clear on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean? You're kind of in America now."

Surprise!

"You must have had some night, huh?"

He was only sort of teasing.

"Yes, and going by the way you mess with me now, you must be able to read it off my face," Edward muttered.

Evan just smiled a little at that. Edward would learn. It usually took people some time.

"Can I get you anything to help with that?"

"Nothing to do about this besides lay my head down and hope it passes," Edward said wryly. "Not an expert on hangovers then, I see. At least in something I've an advantage."

"I don't like losing control, so I don't drink," Evan replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "You should at least get some water or something. That should help."

"No-one's going to smack me 'round the ears for grabbing something off those tables, right?" Edward checked.

He'd probably still grab something if they were, he'd just be more careful about it.

"Nah," Evan replied, shaking his head. "That's what it's there for. And if we don't eat it, I have no idea where it'll actually go, so you might as well take all you want."

That was the easy answer!

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

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