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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At least this time, Eleanor wasn't going to be frightened by the name of it. She still wished there was a better name than 'big sister,' but she liked that one rather more than 'little sister,' anyway. More empowering.

More importantly, her own big sibling had been essential to her settling in without having a prolonged panic attack, which meant it was only reasonable to return the favor and help one of the new students this time around.

Her name tag was fastened to one of the sundresses she'd bought in Bali. She spotted his easily enough, and offered a smile.

"Anders?" Eleanor asked. It said that on his nametag, so it was silly to ask, but somehow, it seemed odd to just ... presume. What if he'd swapped nametags with someone a few minutes ago, on a lark?

"That would be me," Anders agreed, raising his hand in a little wave. "Hello. You're Eleanor, then?"

He could read her nametag perfectly well too, but if she hadn't presumed he'd give her the same courtesy.

"I am," she said, warmly. "Welcome to Fandom. I'm your big ... sibling."

She still had trouble with saying that phrase aloud, yes. And she couldn't leave it there witout adding: "It's a mentor program, not some sort of -- we don't actually have to be bonded in a ceremonial way. If you were concerned."

No one was ever concerned about that except Eleanor herself.

"Well, I hadn't been, but now I am," Anders said, looking a bit appalled. "They still have my phylactery back at the Circle. I think one blood oath is enough for any lifetime. I'd much rather just be mentored."

"No, really, there's nothing like that here," Eleanor insisted, waving a hand. "I was just ... the name of the program threw me, that's all, and I'm still a bit strange about it."

Better that he know that up front.

"What sort of blood oath did you swear?"

Maybe it was a pleasant thing, where he had pledged allegiance to his own country or clan. Or ... perhaps not. 'Blood oath' sounded a touch dark.

"Oh, it's not a proper blood oath, I suppose," Anders said airily. "When you're taken to the chantry, they store a drop of your blood as insurance. Try to run away or do anything they don't like, and they can use it to track you or even enchant you from afar. The point was just that I'd rather not be ceremonially bonded to anyone else."

He waved a hand through the air, dismissing it. "Carry on. For what it's worth, I don't have a problem with the name of the program."

"I don't blame you," Eleanor said, a chill running down her spine. It was different, but so familiar -- a form of control, a cage built around someone, a way to make you obey. "Do you -- is there any way to get your blood back? Are they ..."

She cleared her throat, choosing her next words carefully. "This island," she said, carefully, "is ... hard to find. It's safe that way."

It was a shot in the dark. But she felt oddly protective of him, suddenly, and it had to be said.

"I could if I felt like going to the Circle and fighting for it," Anders answered. "But mages who try that tend to end up dead. Better to leave well enough alone and hope they don't feel I'm worth tracking quite this far."

He added, "It's good to hear this place is hard to find. That ought to buy me a bit more time."

"Did you ... leave in a hurry?" Eleanor asked, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. It seemed the most diplomatic phrasing. "If so, you might be short on supplies. I should take you downtown to see the stores. We can get you whatever you might need."

He might not have money, but she did.

"If they ... do find their way here," she added, hesitantly, "and I doubt they will, but if they do ... you don't have to go back with them unless you choose to. We ... protect our own."

Anders looked flattered but confused. "That's very kind of you," he said. "All of it. But why would you protect me when you don't even know me?"

Eleanor bit her lip. "Because ..." It was hard to explain Fandom to a new person, somehow.

"Because we've all ... been there," she said, deciding that was the best option. "Or possibly are there, now. I'm here because I have nowhere else in the world, and no one else. So the others protect me, and I'd protect them. That extends to you. This place ... it's a safe haven, and it tends to attract people who need one."

She shook her head. "I'm explaining it badly," she said. "I don't trust altruism, and I always feel as though someone offering to help me has ulterior motives. But this island is different."

"I don't trust altruism either," Anders admitted. "Nothing personal. I've just known too many people who were a friend to the mages exactly as long as it was convenient. But if you say this place is different --"

He shrugged. "I certainly don't have any evidence to the contrary, do I?"

"No one's asking you to trust them," she reassured him. "I only wanted you to know that there's no monster lurking behind the curtains. As for the rest of it, if it's easier not to believe in altruism, don't. Say that I'm helping you because someone helped me, and I'll feel better about myself if I help to perpetuate the system. Entirely self-motivated."

It was easier to accept kindness or assistance when the other person's motives made sense. For her, at least.

"Do you have everything you need?" she asked. "I could show you around town, if you like. Simply to entertain myself. I could use a shopping companion."

"I could do with a shopping trip," Anders admitted. "It might need to wait a bit, though. I don't have any money just yet."

He didn't comment on what she'd said about altruism, but the way his smile reached his eyes suggested he was absorbing it.

"I could help with money," she offered. "Call it a loan, if you like. Or we can window-shop. There are usually stores in town that are hiring, and helpfully, they don't require much experience, either. Else I'd never have ended up in a music store playing odd circular discs."

It was a wonder she hadn't broken the CD changer by now.

"I should get a job," Anders nodded. "But I might take you up on a small loan until then. And wait. Circular discs?"

He was confused. As far as he knew, music came from bards.

Edited 2014-05-04 13:38 (UTC)

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

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