fandomhigh | Creative Inspirations

The class had been ~~hand-wavily~~ instructed to wear simple clothes they didn't mind getting soiled, and to leave an extra set in the classroom. If any of the students were worried about this...well, they could probably take a cue from Hannibal, who was in jeans and a t-shirt today. (Metallica. What? He didn't have many of his own.)

Jono, who was in a black-jeans-and-plain-black-t-shirt combo, would miss that shirt. Ish. Dearly. Ish.

//Right, so this week we'll be making a trip to Korea, in July, to take in the Boryeong Mud Festival. Which... is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.//

And he sounded maybe a little too delighted about this. So sue him.

Hannibal was already having flashbacks to Woodstock, but at least this time the point was to be muddy, rather than it being an unpleasant side effect.

And admit it, Jono; seeing Hannibal in that shirt was worth it.

"There are a number of mud-related activities, from bathing and wrestling to giant slides using it. There are also colored muds for body-painting. There is a beach nearby if you prefer not to get muddy, but in that case, be certain to stay well away from the festival - anyone caught within it not muddy will be imprisoned until they are."

//It's a mud prison,// Jono explained. //It's all meant in good fun. You're not actually going to jail.//

He had to glance at Hannibal just to make sure, though.

Hannibal shrugged. "You'll simply be placed in a large cage with other non-muddy people and blasted with a wave of mud until you do become muddy. Or until we leave. So - the beach, or the festival. Unless that mud prison sounds like your sort of thing." He wasn't judging.

"They're quite used to tourists, and there are a good number of Western military bases around, so language shouldn't be a problem. Please let one of us know if you need anything, though. Agreed?"

And with that, their portal arrived.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

//Exactly,// Jono agreed, giving Hannibal's hands a squeeze. //I spent enough of my life ashamed of my face, I'll admit that. But I can't go around telling students that it's different here, that they should be able to be proud of who they are and stop hiding, even if it's just on the island, if I can't even unwrap and show people here what I am. Hell, it's habit-forming. I'm still covered more often than not when I'm not even outside. When I'm in the company of somebody who I know isn't afraid of or disgusted by me.//

That would be you, Hannibal. He was talking about you.

Hannibal smiled. "And you know I wouldn't at all mind if you didn't. I also don't mind when you do; I'm aware that the flames can be distracting, and that sometimes it's easier physically to stay wrapped."

He tilted his head and looked up at Jono. "Consider it a clothing choice as any other - wrap if it's more comfortable or goes better with your style or mood for the day. Go unwrapped if that feels better."

//That would certainly solve the 'winter' problem, wouldn't it? No sense feeling ashamed of myself for dressing warm in the wintertime anyway. Most class days I'll probably still cover up as well. At least for this particular course. It's just easier.//

They could try to find mutant-friendly realities, but that was edging into 'impossibly specific' territory when heaped onto all of their other requirements for Portalocity destinations.

//I might... give it a try sometime, here, though. Might need to nerve myself up to it, but... if I can do it in Westchester... Here's home.//

"It is." Hannibal smiled. "Start at home first, if you feel the need to work up to it. I can throw a dinner party, if you like, once you're comfortable on our own."

//Out of the frying pan, hm?// Jono's tone was a touch wry. //I'll start at home, certainly, and we'll discuss 'dinner with the centerpiece sitting at the table' thing when I'm a little more confident about it...//

He gave his head an amused little shake.

//Dinner party would be the real test of it, though. The reason I'm not eating just hanging out for all to see.//

"I was thinking more of only a few friends, an excuse to invite people you're fairly comfortable with into a space you're comfortable in," Hannibal clarified. "If not dinner, we do have the card table downstairs."

If anybody would ever agree to play poker against Jono. Between his telepathy and the ultimate poker face...

And it would be harder to see the tells in his eyes through the fire!

He just sort of always looked intimidating when his fire was out. So.

//That... does seem a bit more my speed,// Jono admitted, after a pause. //That, I think, I could handle. It'd be... safer?//

"That was the idea," Hannibal agreed. "Slow accustoming."

//A good litmus test for how well I handle it,// Jono added. //I know the people who come over won't take issue with it. Of course they won't. There's just... just a strange sort of feel to it, going without my wrappings here on the island.//

It was much easier back at the Jean Grey School. But then, everybody there had the same thing to hide, didn't they?

"And if you need a moment to retreat, you can always go upstairs," Hannibal pointed out. "But I will be there, and everyone else will be people you know. You'll be fighting only your own impulses."

Creative Inspirations | Monday, period one

Re: Talk to the teachers!

Re: Talk to the teachers!

Re: Talk to the teachers!

Re: Talk to the teachers!

Re: Talk to the teachers!

Re: Talk to the teachers!

Re: Talk to the teachers!

Re: Talk to the teachers!

Re: Talk to the teachers!

Re: Talk to the teachers!