Continued Earth Tourism, third period

[unusual_sith]

"Welcome and welcome back, everybody!" Lana said when they gathered at Portalocity. "My sincerest apologies for missing last week; I'm afraid I had miscalculated my time spent back home. So, introductions will be this week, but we'll still be traveling. And apparently spending extra time and adjusting the portals is something we can do," thank you, Raiden and radio! "so we'll still have plenty of time for our explorations."

She led them through the portal. "We're back in Italy today, but quite a bit drier. This is the Colosseum in Rome. It's the ruins of what was apparently quite a spectacular site a couple thousand years ago, holding gladiatorial combats and other such contests. Not far away, you can also view the remnants of the Forum, the center of political, religious, and commercial life at the time, and the Palatine, which houses the remains of the earliest settlement in the area and later palaces."

She handed out tickets. "I've never done this time-adjusting portals before, so I've arranged for four hours here, and we'll be back at the end of class. We'll see how it works out."

Comments

Re: Class activity

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

They were surrounded by the weight of the ages, standing in the ruins of something that had once been grand and imposing. It made sense.

"Hey," Arden said softly, trying to tug him into a hug. Because everybody felt better after hugs. "Okay, so first thing?" she said. "Don't forget that you've gotta do this for you first. Don't be like Acorn and let other people's expectations - or your expectations of other people's expectations - push you into something. It's okay if it's, like, not what you thought it would be, or to find out that your dream changed. There are other ways to honor Achaka."

This time her hand stopped brushing Graham's and took it and squeezed. "It is a lot of pressure. And I know for a fact that you're gonna rise to it. And you are gonna be the best knight Daventry's ever seen, if that's what you wanna be. But best doesn't mean 'perfect' and if that's the standard you're holding yourself to, of course you're not gonna measure up. Take it from someone who knows." She didn't even know how he was measuring 'best' in the first place. "Are you helping people?"

Re: Class activity

[pun_king]

Oh, Graham definitely felt better after a hug, and he was absolutely going to hug Arden back something fierce, and, in fact, he might have tried to hold onto that hug for as long as he possibly could before things started to feel, well, a little awkward.

And when he finally let her go and she had his hand and squeezed it, he squeezed it back with a grateful smile. "It is what I want to be. It's all I've ever wanted to be, ever since I was a wee little kid, you know? So that's part of it, too. Having to wake up every day and pinch myself just to make sure it's all even real! And, yeah...yeah." His grin grew brighter again. "I am helping people. Not, like, rescuing damsels from towers or slaying dragons and evil wizards or anything....yet!...but I've been doing what I can to make everywhere in Daventry a little better, working with the bridge trolls, keeping the leprechauns from causing too much mischief, keeping an eye out on those goblins, bringing food to the woodcutter and his wife since she got sick, herding children out of the big scary woods..."

The smile on his face grew a little dreamy, and then he laughed, shaking his head.

"When I'm not stuck on moat duty or having to do paperwork! It's mostly paperwork, Arden. Just look at these papercuts!"

He held up his hand and pointed out all the little miniscule slices along his fingers for emphasis.

Re: Class activity

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

Arden looked down at his hands and then glanced back up at him, lips quirking. "No one has suffered as you have suffered, babe," she laughed, nudging their shoulders together.

"Is it mostly paperwork because you're new? Like, 'cause you're the newest recruit?"