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

[bigdamnprincipal]

The last picnic for new arrivals had involved a bonfire, but there was no need for artificial warmth today. The weather outside was sunny, and just breezy enough that no one would roast, hopefully. There were tables and chairs arranged around the lawn, along with a long table of food, drinks, and desserts for anyone who stopped by.

There were stacks of nametags for people to label themselves with, and lists to help folks find their siblings and roommates. With everything in order, it was time to welcome some new people!

[OCD is 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!]

Comments

RE: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Considering the teachers Hardison knew best on the island were two thieves and a talking pony, he wasn't going too worried about warping anyone's mind. Besides, he had plenty of other things to worry about instead, including oh god oh god he was a teacher who let this happen? Who thought he should be responsible?

He hadn't even gone to college! ...Outside of a con.

But, you know, he was taking it easy, being chill, ready to socialize and impress and show everyone he was as cool as Eliot and Parker. Because he was. Really. He meant that.

Oh god.

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[vdistinctive]

"Stop panicking, man."

Said the guy who kept scanning the crowd like he expected something to go wrong at any moment.

RE: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Ignore that startled jump, Eliot. He was doing calisthenics. A proper workout regimen was very important to Hardison.

"Wh-what?" he stammered. "I ain't--you don't--wh-why would you--Who says I'm nervous?"

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[vdistinctive]

Eliot smirked. "It's a very distinctive body language," he said. "You're good at talkin' to people. What's the problem?"

RE: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"I--I gotta be me, but, like, cooler," he explained, fingers indenting his Solo cup. "You know, reach the kids, make 'em respect me, all that. An' you can't fake cool. Even when you think you are, you find out later that everybody was laughin' at you the whole time."

Not that he was referencing anything specific. Really. That would be just silly.

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[vdistinctive]

". . . You're worried a bunch of teenagers are going to laugh at you?" Maybe it was an age thing; that hadn't even cropped up on Eliot's radar. "Pretty sure that's gonna be a given no matter what you do, man. They're teenagers."

RE: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"The last time a group of teenagers laughed at me, they also whupped my ass in the damn library," Hardison pointed out.

Admittedly, he'd gotten a couple of good punches in, but he lacked Eliot's gift of fighting off groups. He'd been pinned down and covering his head when Parker showed up and took them down with a few chairs and the element of surprise.

"I ain't sayin' it's gonna happen here, but I am sayin' I don't really have the best track record with school, a'ight?"

This had seemed like a much better idea a few weeks ago.

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[vdistinctive]

"Okay," Eliot said. "But that time you were pretendin' to be one of them. This time, you're a teacher. It's a totally different thing."

RE: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Yeah, instead of just makin' like me, I also gotta earn their respect. An', hell, I remember what an ass I was as a teenager. Thought I was smarter than anybody else, ain't nobody could tell me nothin'."

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

Pat, pat. Pat pat! Parker was attempting to be comforting.

"Have some more cake. It's not like they're going to eat you." She paused. "Probably."

RE: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

At least it wasn't poking?

"Woman, why you gonna go an' raise the ugly spectre of cannibalism to me right now?" he asked, though he was smiling a little. "There's people from all over the damn multiverse. Odds are good that at least one person here thinks eatin' people is a hobby or somethin'."

Re: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

Actually, they already did know a couple people like that, not that they knew it. So maybe they were safe?

"If you're going to teach post-apocalyptic stuff, you gotta be ready." She nudged him with one shoulder, smiling. "Eliot and me won't let them hurt you. Promise."

Now, terrify him, they might not be able to stop.

RE: Re: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

And Hardison was so happy not knowing something like that, he really was.

"Man, I'm just programmin' in some sims and then kickin' back to see what they do," Hardison said. "That barely qualifies as teachin'. Hell, I stole the whole idea from someone else from the radio."

Re: Re: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

"I threw them off buildings for their first class." Now Parker was giving you a Look, Hardison. "You're doing what you love. Teaching what you know. You're good at that. They won't know more than you do." Fairness made her add, "Probably."

Unless there was a post-apocalyptic computer genius in the class, which, not impossible, but c'mon.

RE: Re: Re: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

In this place? Actually kinda likely. Hardison could name one girl from a post-apocalyptic world already and she'd accompanied them into the computer lab under the island. So...

"Girl, you know I love you, but I ain't never teachin' a class with you," Hardison declared. "Not if we're gonna be throwin' students offa buildings."

Because like Parker would let them have all the 'fun' by themselves.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

Well of course not. How would they know how to land correctly if she didn't demonstrate? And use Hardison as an example?

Parker gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It gets easier," she confided. "The first day is all introductions and stuff. And then it's the next class, and it isn't so scary. And then you get to teach them something really fun, and... yeah." She beamed. It really was fun teaching her own stuff with Eliot. "And you can get yourself a TA to help, if you need one." She grinned. "I could come to your class to help if you needed it!"

RE: Re: Re: Re: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Screaming all the way down was not the same thing as landing correctly, Parker.

"I got a TA," Hardison noted. "Her name's Raven. Raven Darkholme. Guess the administration thought I could use a buddy or whatever." Which, you know, was a real confidence boost. "...An' I'm kinda terrified to ask what kinda help you're offerin'."

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[wandering-stone.livejournal.com]

"Mr. Hardison," Jones said flatly as she approached her target. "I see you have joined the rewarding field of education. Congratulations. I am Jones. I will be your 'buddy' and help guide you through your transition and process. Please state any questions you might have now."

There was nothing comforting about Jones tone at all. Sorry, Hardison.

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Uhhh..." Are you a robot? was currently the only question Hardison had brewing, at least now that he was talking to his teaching buddy. "...You got any tips on makin' sure the kids like you?"

Forgive him for sounding slightly dubious. But...yeah.

"An' just Hardison's fine. The mister part just throws me off my game. Should I, uhh, be callin' you Ms. Jones?"

He could do that, though he'd get earwormed by Billy Paul every time he did.

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[wandering-stone.livejournal.com]

"Just Jones is fine," she replied flatly. "And your job is to teach the children what they need to know. Not be their friend. What topic have you chosen to teach?"

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Definitely a robot.

"I'd like to teach 'em an' get along with them if possible," Hardison replied. "Especially since my class is a little weird. I'm puttin' 'em into a post-apocalyptic scenario once a week an' see how they do, survival-wise. I've got runnin' programs to take their actions into consideration over the rest of the week to adjust their simulation accordingly."

So, a week spent doing nothing would result in a very different class than one spent searching for food or the like.

"How 'bout you?"

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[wandering-stone.livejournal.com]

"I am teaching them world history," she replied. "Tell me me, Mr. Hardison, what are your qualifications for teaching such a class?"

RE: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Oh sure. Just hit him right in his vulnerable spots, Jones.

"I'm excellent with computers," he said. "I can make 'em do pretty much whatever I want, so all the sims are gonna be pretty realistic. An', y'know, it's less a class on tellin' 'em what to do an' more a class on tryin' to get them to think for themselves."

That was a ridiculous non-answer and he knew it. Under the weight of Jones' stare and presumed judgment, Hardison was having a hard time remembering he was twenty-seven and not seventeen.

"Why, what're yours?"

Re: RE: Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[wandering-stone.livejournal.com]

"I have been present on this planet since its formation," Jones replied factually. "Plus I've read all the books on the subject."

All. The. Books.

Re: Meet Your Teachers [Summer 2015]

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"...So you ain't a robot?" Hardison asked sounded surprised. "Or, like, were you sent back from the future to watch our development an' I'm sayin' this aloud with my outside voice, ain't I?"

Dammit, Parker!