fandomhigh | BWI Airport Portalocity Lounge, Saturday

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!event: newbie shuttle

BWI Airport Portalocity Lounge, Saturday

The plane down from New York hadn't taken long, but after all the time in airports, TJ was ready to be done with it all, and was regretting her refusal to let Dad take her in the jet. But nope, she was doing this on her own, no overprotective parents around.

Somehow, she thought the biggest danger here was going to be glitter. The stuff was everywhere. Most of it was concentrated on a huge banner that read FANDOM HIGH, but it never stayed just where you put it, did it?

She wheeled her suitcase over to one of the seats and perched on the back of the seats, tail out for extra balance, and took out her phone to text back that yes, Dad, yes, Mom, she'd made it just fine. And then maybe to whine to Aunt Kate about how she'd had to do that.

[Newbie shuttle ahoy!]

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"I am from Zamunda," Meeka says. "It is in Africa."

She figured that needed to be specified. Because North Americans.

"This is my first time on your contin--wait, what is a nexus?"

"Ah," Charlie said. "Africa. Okay. So yes, quite a ways from Queens."

She wrinkled her nose, thinking how to explain. "They say and I'm not sure exactly how much of it I believe, though the Aunties seem quite sure, but yes, a nexus, a place where different planes of, well, reality meet."

Blink. Blinkblink.

"I'm sorry, did you say a place where different planes of reality meet?" Meeka asked in a much more diplomatically polite tone.

"Ye-es? That's what the Aunties say. Kind of their selling point, you know? Keep Charlie occupied with all sorts of interesting things and people and maybe she'll stay put?"

She looked at Meeka and winced a little. "I take it you didn't know?"

"The existence of other planes is...theoretical at best," Meeka continued in that I am a goddamn diplomat, I'm diplomacying so hard right now. "I feel it would be very difficult to be prepared for such things."

"I guess... well, the Fae, you know, they're around a fair amount where we are - love basketball, so there's at least one or two on most teams - so maybe, knowing that, it's easier for me to... be prepared? Even if Gales don't have anything to do with the Fae generally?" Charlie suggested. "But other planes are much more than theoretical. Sorry?"

"Fae?" she asked, since that was something to focus on that wasn't nonsense.

Neither of her parents were big into fairy tales and even if they were, African fairy tales didn't revolve around Fae that much.

"Fairy? Brownies, leprechauns, corbae, dragons?" Charlie suggested. "There are gates to the UnderRealm around, though they're mostly guarded by the Fae."

Blink blink. Blinkblinkblink.

Funny how Charlie was getting more blinking now than the literal blue girl had. "Those are...not real things," she said, trying for gentle rather than her instinctive that's some bullshit.

Diplomacy.

"Maybe not in your world," Charlie said gently. "But they certainly are in mine. We might just be a meeting of two different planes of reality."

She already liked Meeka, someone who could be a friend, so she didn't want to upset her. Well, anymore than she akready had. Could she do a charm of some kind? Or would that bother her more? Or maybe there was magic in her world so it wouldn't change anything.

Magic. In her world? Preposterous! And she certainly was not going to have an unpleasant wakeup call about this in a year.

"Ah yes," she said faintly. "That must be it."

She doesn't look particularly convinced, but that probably won't last much past the picnic, considering how Fandom rolled.

"Anyway, whatever we run into there, I've got your back," Charlie said. "Have to stand strong against the Aunties."

Maybe don't be so fast to say that until you saw how utterly unprepared Meeka was to be a roommate, Charlie.

Still, it was enough to coax a small smile out of Meeka anyway. "Indeed. No stronger bond than those who have run the Auntie Gauntlet."

They'd make it work. Charlie was probably the easiest roommate ever. Plus there would be pie!

"Oh I love that," Charlie said. "The Auntie Gauntlet. So appropriate. We can never let them know we say that, but it's perfect!"

Their room could be known as the Auntie Free Zone!

"At least I have left mine home in Zamunda," Meeka said. "Perhaps they will take that as a sign to turn their full attention to my sisters instead."

Hope sprang eternal, yes.

The pies and phone calls would be a constant reminder, but it was a fabulous idea!

"Oooh, maybe mine will focus on my nieces and cousins," Charlie said. "Maybe they'll be distracted, too."

Not likely, but as Meeka's narrative said, Hope...

Pies made up for many ills.

"Perhaps they will fall prey to the saying, 'out of sight, out of mind'?" Thus proving Meeka knew nothing about the Gales.

Charlie started to laugh. "Maybe if the world ended."

"Well, if those are our only two options, then I suppose we shall have to think very hard of which we would prefer," Meeka said with a small tease.

"It's... kind of a toss-up," Charlie said innocently.

"Fortunately, we have several more years to weigh the options," Meeka smiled.

"True," Nell said, "Though I'd imagine at least some of mine will show up for Parent's Weekend."

"...On what?" Meeka asked, uncertain why it felt like the pit of her stomach just dropped.

"Parents' Weekend," Charlie said, "When your family is invited to visit?"

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BWI Airport Portalocity Lounge, Saturday

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