firstofitskind: (headtilt)
Liam Kincaid ([personal profile] firstofitskind) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2018-05-13 10:53 pm
Entry tags:

Climbing and Caving, Monday

When the students entered the classroom, they'd find their teacher standing at the front, by a table full of helmets of various sizes with lights mounted on the front, as well as an array of flashlights and matches.

Liam had never imagined that he would ever be in the position of a teacher. Technically speaking, he'd never had the leisure to imagine being anything at all, having stepped into his first job mere hours after being born. But if Fandom was good for anything, it was new experiences. So here he was. In front of a class full of students. A little nervous, but not letting anything about his expression or mannerisms betray as much.

"Hi," he greeted them all, once the number of people in the room matched the number of people on his attendance list. "This is my first time teaching any sort of class, but if I'm given to understand the radio broadcasts, the first week is usually full of introductions. So I'll start with myself: My name is Liam Kincaid, I used to be- well, I suppose the closest definition would be a bodyguard of sorts, and currently I'm the Sheriff in town. Neither of which have anything at all to do with this course, but since you all have to share a little bit about yourselves, I figured I'd return the favor. I'm teaching this course because caving is something I've enjoyed since-" a slight pause, there, "- well, my mother was an expert caver, and it's something she passed on to me." In a slightly more literal sense than how most children learned from their parents. "From you I'd like name, class, if you've got any experience with either mountain climbing or caving, and what prompted you to take this class, regardless of whether you have experience or not. Why don't you start," he instructed, pointing at a student at random.

Once the introductions were finished, he continued: "This class will involve a combination of Danger Shop scenarios and real-world field trips. While the former will have safety measures programmed in to the scenarios, with the latter, safety depends entirely on your behavior and level of preparation. Responsible caving is a team activity, and not a competition, so don't worry about being the first or the fastest, or jumping down heights you shouldn't. If you want to be reckless on your own time, I'm not your parent, so I'm not going to tell you not to, but I won't tolerate it in this class. As for preparation... each of you is going to need to pick out a helmet, as well as take a flashlight and matches. You're expected to bring these to every class. Yes, even if you don't think you need a helmet." Sure, at least one of the students looked distinctively non-squishy, but Liam wasn't about to take any chances. Sorry Peridot. At least the light on the helmet was useful?

"The flashlight and matches are because you should always have backup sources of light. If you wear clothing, make sure it's in layers and ideally waterproof. As well as a sturdy pair of gloves and hiking boots if you have them. If you don't, you should be able to pick them up at one of the clothing stores in town." Here, at least, he was willing to make concessions for those who didn't usually need protective clothing. "A water bottle is always a good idea, if you drink water, and you might want to bring a camera to record anything of interest. Which leads me to the cardinal rules of caving:

Take nothing but pictures
Leave nothing but footprints
Kill nothing but time."

"And speaking of time," he said with a smile. "Ours is up for today. I'll see you all next week, and don't forget to bring your equipment."
not_of_the_nora: (aloy - groggy)

Re: Sign In!

[personal profile] not_of_the_nora 2018-05-14 06:23 am (UTC)(link)
Aloy
not_of_the_nora: (aloy - eyes bright)

Re: Introduce Yourself!

[personal profile] not_of_the_nora 2018-05-14 06:26 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm Aloy. I'm-- what are we at the start of the summer? I was a 'junior'," Aloy said, frowning. "Whatever. I come from a valley. There are peaks and there are caves, and sometimes I've had to get around them."

Just wait until you found out how she preferred to get off mountain peaks, Liam.
era_two_triangle: (Microwave)

Re: Sign In!

[personal profile] era_two_triangle 2018-05-14 09:48 am (UTC)(link)
Peridot
era_two_triangle: (Serious Side Eye)

Re: Introduce Yourself!

[personal profile] era_two_triangle 2018-05-14 09:51 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm Peridot, heading into my senior year," Peridot said, casting an uncertain side-eye at the helmet. "And I come from the Gem Homeworld, working in the Kindergartens, where it's all basically high cliffs and caves."

There was a pause, and then she added, "But I'm not capable of walking straight up a cliff wall anymore, so I figured this might be of some use to me."

She really missed her limb enhancers.
era_two_triangle: (Tch)

Re: Listen to the Lecture!

[personal profile] era_two_triangle 2018-05-14 10:00 am (UTC)(link)
But Peridot didn't need the light on the helmet. Her gem also acted as a de facto flashlight whenever illumination was required, so it didn't make much sense to cover it up with a helmet just to turn a light on from roughly the same place anyway.

So she was picking up a helmet that looked like it could probably keep all of that hair of hers down without too much trouble, and she was squinting at the light, tapping at it with one finger a few times, unimpressed.

"Mine's better."
in_sidon_we_trust: (we can do it!)

Re: Sign In!

[personal profile] in_sidon_we_trust 2018-05-14 12:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Prince Sidon
in_sidon_we_trust: (yes!)

Re: Introduce Yourself!

[personal profile] in_sidon_we_trust 2018-05-14 01:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Introduction week was easily one of Sidon's favorite weeks. You'd think his arm would get tired, but nope!

"Hello!" His eagerness was practically bursting at the seams, and anyone who'd ever formally met him should know exactly what was coming up. "I am Sidon!" he declared, pumping his fist with just as much gusto as the first time, flashing a toothy grin that caught the light just so to give off the best sparkle off the sharpest point. "The Zora Prince! I believe I will be going into the junior classification after the summer, and, while my adviser is the one signing me up for all my courses, I am most pleased that he should have included this one! The land where I am from sits nestled in a beautiful mountain with incredibly tall cliffs and deep pools that are always a wonderful adventure to explore! Though I ascend to the majestic heights of the mountains usually by way of waterfall, I am intrigued by the idea of scaling them without the aid of water, in the likely instance that I shall ever encounter a towering peak with no such option. And you can find the most incredible things in caves; that is something that I don't believe I shall ever grow weary of. And to be able to do these things in the classroom with so many friends! This will be a most excellent class, I can feel it, and I am thrilled to see the wonderful ways in which you will teach us new skills and experiences!"

Which...might have sounded a lot like sucking up from anyone else, but it was just so genuinely sincere coming out of the giant red sharkman who was just perceptively bouncing on the balls of his little fish feet.
in_sidon_we_trust: (thinking)

Re: Listen to the Lecture!

[personal profile] in_sidon_we_trust 2018-05-14 01:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Sidon didn't...mind rules, no, but the constant emphasis on outerwear in this society was one that made him feel marginally frustrated. Because, yes, there were helmets big enough to fit the strange shape of his non-human head, but...he did not foresee it being entirely comfortable worried that the back of it would pinch his head tail, that he's have to be extra careful to perch it just right so that it did not get in the way of his expansive brow, getting the straps tucked in so as not to trap his headfins, and the whole discomfort of having the fin at the very top of his head compromised, unless he could convince the teacher to allow him to modify it to make space, but then that seemed to defeat the whole purpose...

He kept feeling tempted to shift it and move it around, deciding that, no, he was not much of a fan of having anything less dainty than his crown and plume on his head, but he would try to get used to it.
intotheout: (what white nonsense)

Re: Sign In!

[personal profile] intotheout 2018-05-14 02:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Gratuity Tucci
intotheout: (amused)

Re: Introduce Yourself!

[personal profile] intotheout 2018-05-14 02:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hey, I'm Gratuity Tucci," Tip said. "I'm a rising junior. I don't really have any climbing or caving experience, but I have a lot of experience getting thrown into weird new situations, so, you know, there's that going for me." She gave a slightly sheepish smile. "Um. I signed up for this class because it sounded like an adventure, but in a fun way and not in the 'oh god we all might die' kind of way Fandom likes to pull every now and then."
intotheout: (easy smile)

Re: Listen to the Lecture!

[personal profile] intotheout 2018-05-14 02:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"But it'll be such a fun appearance modifier," Tip said. "You can see the caves how humans do, and you have an extra extra back up light source, so you're one up on everyone."
era_two_triangle: (Default)

Re: Listen to the Lecture!

[personal profile] era_two_triangle 2018-05-14 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)

Peridot squinted sideways at Tip, considering that for a moment.

"I'm willing to try that. So, how do you put it on over..." She gestured up at her hair.

It was a lot of hair.

She couldn't actually reach the top of it with her wee little arms.

intotheout: (what of it?)

Re: Listen to the Lecture!

[personal profile] intotheout 2018-05-14 02:45 pm (UTC)(link)
"I actually have experience with this kind of thing." Tip's hair didn't have Peridot's structural integrity, but she also had a lot of hair. "Mind if I try?"
era_two_triangle: (Wide-eyed)

Re: Listen to the Lecture!

[personal profile] era_two_triangle 2018-05-14 02:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Peridot shook her head and held out the helmet toward Tip.

"I'd appreciate it, actually," she replied, wide-eyed. "I've never had an appearance modifier that was supposed to fit so snugly to my head. I'm not a Jasper."
intotheout: (huh)

Re: Listen to the Lecture!

[personal profile] intotheout 2018-05-14 03:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"Jaspers don't have hair?" Tip asked. She set the helmet down and pulled one of her heavy duty hair ties out of her pocket, biting her lip as she considered Peridot's giant triangle of hair.

It was almost like a solid block. She hoped she didn't break too many hair ties trying this.
era_two_triangle: (Default)

Re: Listen to the Lecture!

[personal profile] era_two_triangle 2018-05-14 03:07 pm (UTC)(link)

At least her hair was a somewhat flexible solid block? Not so flexible that it didn't pop right back into place after it was moved around, mind.

"They have hair," Peridot corrected, "And a lot of it. But one of their weapons of choice is a sort of battering ram... helmet... thing."

Based on everything she knew about the one Jasper she'd ever really worked with for any amount of time.

misshapen_spark: (score!)

Re: Sign In!

[personal profile] misshapen_spark 2018-05-14 03:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Yang Xiao Long
intotheout: (huh)

Re: Listen to the Lecture!

[personal profile] intotheout 2018-05-14 03:35 pm (UTC)(link)
“Huh.” Tip attempted to gather Peridot’s hair into a ponytail. “Do they battle for dominance by running at each other head-first?” She was picturing a bunch of candy colored rams, yes.
era_two_triangle: (Default)

Re: Listen to the Lecture!

[personal profile] era_two_triangle 2018-05-14 03:37 pm (UTC)(link)

"Not with each other," Peridot replied, sitting patiently while Tip arranged her hair. "They'll use it against other Gems, ones that the Diamonds want shattered. Or in battle."

Still generally against other Gems.

misshapen_spark: (impact!)

Re: Introduce Yourself!

[personal profile] misshapen_spark 2018-05-14 04:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yang Xiao Long, I'm gonna be a senior, and I'm in training to be a Huntress, so, lots of hunting monsters through caves and mountains and stuff," she said cheerfully. "I'm also an adrenaline junkie. So..."

At least she was self-aware?

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