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

[bigdamnprincipal]

Picnic-ing in January - still not the best idea ever! But there were tables and chairs set up in the sun, and a nice bonfire going, and plenty of warm food for everyone to encourage socializing for as long as possible.

[OCD is up! This is the picnic post for general mingling. Roommates, fake siblings and teachers are all here. Since it's outside, the picnic is open to all students, teachers, and townies!]

Comments

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

The pig might be clean, but it was still a pig. Lucille kept an eye on Waddles, making sure he didn't come to close.

"Thank you. My name is Lucille Sharpe." She accepted the sticker, which, unsurprisingly enough, stuck to her finger, and frowned a little. "What is one supposed to do with these?"

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

"Pleased to meet you, Lucille," Mabel chirped, and then pushed her shades up to rest on the top of her head, smiling pleasantly. "And you stick them to things! Like the nametags, but you put them on whatever you want. That way, it'll... it'll have a sticker on it!"

That was it. That was basically what stickers had going for them, right there.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

The sticker was still stuck on Lucille's limp hand. "I see. And where do you suggest I put this?"

Lucille decided then and there that she didn't need any stickers. Or pigs staring at her. Because wasn't that pig staring?

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

Aw, Waddles was just hoping you would get him something from the food tables!

... And also staring, a bit.

"Oh, I don't know. On your cheek or on a bag if you have one, or on your schoolbooks to make them less boring. Stickers can go on all kinds of things!"

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

After a moment of consideration, Lucille stuck it to the front of her dress. It would be gone as soon as Mabel left.

"There!" She said with mock cheerfulness. "Thank you, miss Mabel."

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome," Mabel chirped back. "And if there's anything else you need, from knitted sweaters to tips on appeasing the local gremlin population, feel free to look me up! Waddles is always happy to help, too!"

The pig looked up at Lucille and gave a disinterested snort.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

"Waddles?" She had been about to ask 'gremlins' but it had seemed unfair to make fun of a farm girl for her superstitious beliefs.

"And do you know where to find shawls as well? And perhaps a coat?" She didn't have much money, but Lucille knew she would need it, and as Mabel offered to help she might as well ask.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

"Waddles," Mabel clarified, gesturing to the pig. "Because he waddles."

Well, he did!

"And sure, there's a clothing store in town that sells winter clothes," she added, smiling brightly and pointing in the direction of town. "They should be able to help you. If they can't, I could probably knit you up a shawl or something in an afternoon! Or a sweater, if you like!"

Mabel's entire sweater collection, she'd made herself.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

The pig had a name. She should have guessed.

One closer look at Mabel's knitted sweater and Lucille replied in her sweetest, most subtly sarcastic voice: "That is a very kind offer, but I couldn't possibly accept it. I will find the shop in town."

And, to changed the subject, she added: "A very appropriate name then. Does he have a pigsty nearby all to himself?"

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

If Mabel caught that sarcasm, she was doing an excellent job of not showing it. Or, at least, of heaping on her own enthusiasm tenfold. When faced with a possible Pacifica, it was the only way, darn it.

She was going to be made of sunshine and joy and loving acceptance if she had to kill a man to do it!!

"A pigsty, nah. Waddles is housetrained. He stays in the dorms, with Alluka and I. Isn't that right, Waddles? Isn't it?"

Yes. Yes, she was bending over to pick up the pig.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

"In the dorms?" It had to be said that at least Lucille was making an effort not to look horrified. "And your roommate doesn't mind?"

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no, Alluka loves having him around! Waddles is very well-behaved." Mabel? Was smiling so big, now. "Why would she mind? Sometimes we all have tea parties together."

Alluka, Mabel, Waddles, and a large collection of stuffed animals.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

"Not everyone likes sharing their bedroom with a pig," Lucille pointed out. "But it sounds like you are lucky there." She paused. "And does Waddles drink tea?" She couldn't resist asking that question, just as if she had meant it seriously.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

Oh, Lucille. You were getting the most matter-of-fact smile that Mabel could muster, now.

"He's a pig," she pointed out, just in case, perhaps, Lucille had missed that memo. "He'll drink anything I put in front of him."

That was kind of how pigs worked. Now you were asking silly questions, Lucille. Don't worry, Mabel would be ever so happy to helpfully teach you.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

"Oh, I know very little about keeping pigs," Lucille confessed sweetly. Because they were, you know, pigs, and why would she? Also, she didn't much care for that tone in Mabel's voice. "Perhaps you could enlighten me?"

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

"Oh, of course I would," Mabel replied, so enthusiastically it was possible she would strain something with the effort. "I could go on for hours about a proper pig diet, good bedding, toys... Did you know pigs are very smart?"

And this next part came with the sweetest, most innocent smile that a Mabel could possibly muster.

"Why, some pigs are more inquisitive and eager to learn new things than some people out there!"

Some people! Nobody in particular!

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

"Oh, you have to look after him well, then," Lucille countered. "Curiosity killed the cat, as we all know. Or pig, in this case."

This was said in the most concerned way, naturally, because who but Lucille cared as much about Waddles' welfare.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no," Mabel replied, something a little sharp, if still disgustingly friendly, creeping into her voice. "Waddles knows how to stay out of trouble. The pterodactyl taught him that one."

She was absolutely, utterly, completely serious.

"And nothing. Hurts. My. Pig."

Mabel was tiny, but fierce. Especially where Waddles was involved.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

Lucille wasn't going to ask about the pterodactyl.

"I am sure," she said. "He is lucky to have such a strong protectress." Her voice might have added the sentiment that caring for pigs was rather silly.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

Mabel's answering voice, then, held a fair bit of the sentiment that she really didn't care. Waddles was her waddles, thank-her-very-much.

"Strong and fearless," she replied. "But then, it's hard to find something around here that can't be dealt with using a little bit of patience and ingenuity, and a lot of glitter."

Mabel wasn't so shallow as to find herself secretly hoping to catch somebody in the middle of a gremlin bite hallucination! But if she was that sort of person...

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

"Oh, tell me," Lucille replied, leaning forward a little as if she was truly curious. "How does glitter help?"

And now I am tempted to have her gremlin-bit, poor girl.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

"Around here," Mabel replied, leaning forward and dropping her voice as though she was letting Lucille in on a big secret, "it's practically camouflage. And there'll be times around Fandom Island when you want a good camouflage, trust me."

How desperately would that camo be needed? Mabel wasn't going to tell unless she was asked. And then she was going to be honest! Truthful! And, as a result, absolutely impossible to believe.

But not spitefully! That would be petty!

Mabel would so helpfully be there with a camera for posterity! SHE NEVER PASSES UP A SCRAPBOOKORTUNITY.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

"One could assume that glitter enhances visibility rather than offer camouflage," Lucille observed casually, picking up a piece of food from her plate and putting it into her mouth.

Poor, poor Lucille!

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

"One might think that," Mabel agreed, bending over to put Waddles back down on the ground. "But one who might think that might not be terribly experienced with Fandom."

This was actually helpful advice. That it was delivered in a matter-of-fact know it all sort of tone that might or might not make the more skeptical people out there hesitate to take her seriously was neither here nor there.

Re: General Mingling [Spring 2016]

[crimson_sister]

"But if you can't explain it, how could I trust that you are telling the truth." Lucille gave Mabel a very innocent look. "You might be trying to make a joke at my expense."