BWI Airport Portalocity Lounge, Saturday morning

[notanaxemurderer]

Kiem had no idea where he was. Well, he sort knew, he was in the Portalocity Lounge, waiting for a shuttle to take him to his new school, which seemed to be as far away as the Emperor had been able to send him.

It could be worse, he supposed. He tried to hold on to that thought.

A large, glittery sign said FANDOM HIGH. It was hard to miss. Kiem sat down on a seat next to him and let the hoverchest that had floated next to him lower on to the floor.

He looked at his wristband. There was no connection, just some stored data available. We wasn't even going to be able to check the dartcar results.

[Newbie shuttle! After some OCD that is now up]

Comments

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"Noodle...right." Jon wanted to ask why. He really, really wanted to ask why. Beholding was giving him no help on this one.

"I didn't know buses came with noodle seats. Or that particular...um. Design. Which matches your hat."

He was sensing a theme.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[sith_happened]

"That hat doesn't come off," Anakin explained. Sort off.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"I'm...sorry?" Jon offered, since he didn't seem happy about that.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[sith_happened]

"The hat is stuck on my head," Anakin said, "and I know exactly whose fault it is."

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"That sounds unpleasant," Jon said. "Is it...that is, I'm wondering if it's only ugly, or if there's something else to it."

Hopefully it wasn't turning his brain into noodles.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[sith_happened]

"It's just ugly," Anakin said. "It's very, very ugly."

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"I hated to say it." Jon fidgeted a moment. "Look, I was hoping to...to maybe get a lift where you're going? Only I've just shown up here and I haven't got a wallet or...or anything, really."

And he really didn't want to try compelling anyone. Or walk any further.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[sith_happened]

Anakin frowned. "I'm going to a high school, this isn't just a shuttle service," he said. "Unless you're supposed to be going to Fandom as well?"

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"I..." What could he say, that he'd had a feeling? That he thought he'd fare better with odd people from other worlds than dumped in the States? "I think so?"

It wasn't...quite...a lie.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[sith_happened]

Anakin glanced down at his clipboard. "What's your name?"

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Jon started thinking of all the ways he could explain he wasn’t on the list, but Beholding was silent as to what the list actually was, so. “Jonathan Sims.”

Re: Trip to Fandom

[sith_happened]

Anakin glanced down the list. "Here you are. Literature teacher."

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"I'm probably...wait, what?"

Jon was so startled he forgot not to ask a question. Then he breathed a sigh, relieved that no compulsion had slipped out.

"I...I'm really not a teacher!"

Re: Trip to Fandom

[sith_happened]

"Neither are most of our teachers," Anakin said. "We had a summer-long class about riding a bike."

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"Yes, but I didn't even know I'd be here. I'm not entirely sure how or why I am here. I can't possibly be a teacher!"

Jon. Jon, you wanted him to let you on the bus.

Jon pinched the bridge of his nose. Maybe they could figure this out later. The bus driver was wearing a cup noodle hat; this clearly wasn't Oxford.

...probably wasn't Oxford.

"Fine, I'll...just sit in a noodle chair. Just so long as nothing is likely to eat the bus."

It did smell like shrimp.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[sith_happened]

"I've done this run a lot and we've only been attacked by a goat demon once," Anakin said.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"What?" Jon looked horrified. "You...a- a goat demon."

That did not sound good!

Re: Trip to Fandom

[sith_happened]

"Just the once!" Anakin said.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"Once out of...you've been doing this for a while, I hope."

Jon was not keen to get eaten by a goat demon.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[sith_happened]

"Fifteen years or so," Anakin said.

Re: Trip to Fandom

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"So that's. Right." Jon nodded. "Those are pretty good odds."

Hopefully Jon's standard luck wouldn't rub off on everyone else here.

He nodded again, mostly to himself, and tentatively climbed aboard, eyeing the noodle seats dubiously.