INTRO MINGLE

[whimsicalism]

WELCOME IN

ORIENTATION DAY

(CW: Slight undertones of experiences of unreality.)

It’s a bright Monday afternoon at the Academy. If the sun happened to be visible, it would certainly be shining. The new semester that everyone has been waiting for is about to begin!

All students wake up at exactly the same time–not that you’re aware of this. Even those who don’t normally sleep must have given into slumber at some point; they, too, will jolt awake with the strangest sensation that someone was just whispering in their ears. The beds that you’ll find yourself in are small and unfamiliar, and you wake up wearing a uniform that you don’t recognize even though it fits you like a glove. A red book with black cardstock lining the inner cover sits on each dorm nightstand. Opening the book reveals a strange code of conduct. The following pages list, in alphabetical order, all of the students.

Beyond the handbook and a change of familiar clothes in the closet, there’s little personalization to the rooms, and they lack most homey comforts. As unusual as these surroundings may seem, it’s impossible to shake the subtle, lingering excitement: It’s the first day of school! What a delightful occasion. Shouldn’t everyone want to make the most of the year? The subtle, unshakeable desire to achieve sits in the back of every mind like the story of a happy dream. Perhaps you brush your hair or wash your teeth before going on with your splendid day. Your reflection in your bathroom mirror looks a little off, did you forget to cut your hair before the big day? Perhaps you realize that your nails or claws have been trimmed recently. A little odd but you must have been excited for a brand new school year.

The world outside the dorm room holds a few more answers, but most things are still shrouded in mystery. Today, it seems that some rooms are still locked up tight from summer vacation. Beside the dormitory and hallways, only the cafeteria, kitchen, gym, playground, school store, and A/V room are accessible. Outside the cafeteria, a digital sign titled DAILY SCHEDULE offers little structure, save for one afternoon event: 5PM - PREFECT’S ORIENTATION - AUDITORIUM. There’s a lot of business to take care of on the first day of school, after all. No one can just be expected to start learning without the proper preparation.

With some time to kill before the promised orientation takes place–and, according to that rulebook, everyone is expected to attend–students have only each other and the various robot sheep for company. With such a small class, perhaps working together will bring you newfound and long-lasting partnerships. The robotic staff seem polite, at least, if a bit confused at the sudden flurry of non-scheduled activities.

How will you spend your first day before classes begin?

OOC NOTES

Welcome to the IC intro mingle for Round 2! Your characters have the afternoon to meet one another, get lunch at the school cafeteria, review their student handbooks, harass the Little Brother robots, and prepare for the upcoming school semester in this post. As promised, the Prefect will meet everyone in the auditorium at 5pm and will post their own introductory comment at that time (Eastern).

While we're sure that some people are dying to get a head start on investigating all of the mysteries of the school (we're excited to reveal them), please hold your investigation comment ideas until the weekly post goes up tomorrow. As all ground floor locations should be open for exploration at that time, we invite everyone to scratch all of your investigation itches on tomorrow's post at noon (also Eastern)! In lieu of investigation threads today, characters may speak to/question/accost the Little Brothers, who have an NPC thread down below.

Thank you, and have fun!

Comments

[shinedsobright]

[Then there's kind of a lightbulb moment as the words sink in, and then all of his thoughts hit him at once.]

Uh, no, no, it's cool! Totally cool. You can even do it again if you want. Nnnnooot that you probably do, cause that'd be kinda weird, but hey! These things happen when you're alive!

[There's a burst of excitement in that last note. That was too much sincerity. Let's move on-]

Anyway, I'm Tosai Furesawa, but everyone calls me Fret! Who're you, other than Lost?

1/2

[weirdlymagical]

Ábrete estúpido-

[She's just worked up enough to keep going, when the most adorable thing she has ever seen flutters into her periphery. Needless to say, she gasps.]

¡Eres el murciélago más adorable que he visto!

[noblesnow]

I did, yes.

[Listen! Her morning isn't complete until she's jogged!]

You don't know how we got here, do you?

2/2

[weirdlymagical]

[-Wait! A thought! If this place has adorable bat monsters, than maybe...]

Oh! Uh, trying to get into the reception to... ask for help with... [She makes big swooping gestures with her arms.] Everything?

You wouldn't happen to know where I am on the Boiling Isles, would you, little guy?

[curdle]

[ Now that she's not being blinded or muttering curses about being blinded, Thomasin can recognize just how little this girl is. She is is a child younger than even Jonas and Mercy. Were she a boy, she would likely still be in skirts, not yet having reached the age of breeching. And no matter how fractious her relationship with her younger siblings may have become, recently, she is still a big sister. She knows how to make herself seem stronger and more capable than she actually is, to comfort the little ones. So when Anya switches up her inquiry to the tune Thomasin would expect, her expression softens, and she looks down and nods. ]

Aye. I am well enough, 'tis just... my mind is distracted.

[ And if she understood a little better how basic a flashlight is, she'd be embarrassed to have been educated on the subject by one so young, but as it is this just a very strange wonder that she's happy to have explained to her! ]

... Like as to a lantern, [ she says, thinking that she's Got It. ] But I felt no fire before. How is that possible?

[noblesnow]

A teacher's pet?

[That's all she says, but you just know she's thinking about Dylan or something.]

i regret to inform you this is about to be the worst conversation on the face of the earth

[copycut]

...If I never did anything to increase my prana, I'd waste away and disappear. [ Kuro's eyes narrow. She can kind of follow what this girl is saying, but it's obvious they aren't having the conversation she thinks they are. ] Well, I don't do it by hurting myself, though.

[ The number means nothing to her. "Opponents"... feels easier for Kuro to guess, of course. Idly, she tosses the ball aside, letting it roll across the pristine floor. ]

I don't know what units you're measuring in, but... You convert your pain into magical energy, then? Sounds like what we'd call witchcraft. It's pretty rare among magi, too.

[cellpreservation]

This isn't a "rebellious phase," this is trying to figure out who kidnapped me and all the other kids here.

[curdle]

[ AND INSTANTLY HER DISASSOCIATION IS GONE BECAUSE OF THIS LITTLE SHIT ]

I know of schools, yes. And I know I should ne'er have gone off to one such as this.

[weirdlymagical]

Uhhh... Okay? So, I'm alive.

[Said as if she wasn't entirely sure for a bit.]

Good. Cool. Uhh, prrrobably not going to run into you again if that's cool.

[She's so used to being awkward that she barely even acknowledges his over-sincerity. She's practically rambling herself.]

Oh, I'm Luz - Luz Noceda. [Letting the name sink in...] Fret, huh? That's kind of a funny name. I didn't think there was anyone on the Boiling Isles with a Japanese naming convention.

[cellpreservation]

I don't know if the sheep robots are even made to answer with anything useful.

[Sigh.]

I've been trying to find an actual person we can [harass] talk to, but all I've seen are other kids.

[cellpreservation]

Familiars?

[That's a way of putting it.]

Either way, it's annoying.

[cellpreservation]

Mr. what?

[cellpreservation]

Nope. And those stupid sheep won't say anything useful, either.

[violence_ensues]

What's the Boiling Isles? I'm from Pure Heart Valley.

[romancing]

[ It's fine, she's introduced herself to this weirdo with a creepy vacant look in her eyes. ]

Hi, Anya-chan! Koishi is Koishi! [ if that's how they're gonna be introducing themselves ]

[spychic]

[Anya nods in return.]

Anya has a lot of thoughts, too. This is a scary time.

[As for how the flashlight works...]

Yes! It is like a lantern! It does not need fire. It runs on science!

[She opens up the flashlight, and takes the batteries out.]

These! Batteries. [She flicks the flashlight without the batteries inside. It doesn't turn on. She puts them in, and...it turns on once more!] Anya learned how to use these at the orphanage.

[She had to, to go to the bathroom at night. The dark is scary.]

gym

[romancing]

[ suddenly: ]

Don't have time for what? Oooh, ooh, is this a riddle? Let me guess...

[whimsicalism]

[It seems to respond to that, at least. The sheep nods.]

Hello, Luz! The Brother Units make sure the Academy runs smoothly.

Room 18

[cellpreservation]

Whoa!

[Why are girls bumping into him today?? But his reflexes are quick and it's not as much of an impact as it could have been, so he's able to get out of her way easily enough.]

Ugh... Don't worry about it. Right now, I think everyone's just looking for a way out.

[whimsicalism]

There wasn't any kidnapping. Don't be silly.

PREFECT'S ORIENTATION (1/2)

[imprefect]

What do you mean, acting weird?

[ The auditorium is clearly made to sit far more bodies than are actually in attendance. While normally this might mean that anyone could choose a seat anywhere over the auditorium, most of the aisle seats and back rows have been cordoned off. Anyone who wants to sit is going to have to come down to the front of the room and sit in the half closest to the stage.

A blonde girl stands on the stage, facing away from the audience. She’s surrounded by several worried sounding Little Brothers and flipping through a copy of the student handbook. Her Academy uniform is decorated with several additional strips of dark gold trim, and when she turns slightly to the left, the badge bearing the school insignia on her lapel is just visible. ]

It figures they’re acting weird…everything about this is weird. I mean, it was probably one of these creeps. “Goatforsaken,” “Older Little Sister”... This has to be some kind of joke… [ As she sighs, sounding exasperated, the people filtering in catch her attention, and she stops muttering.]

Already…? I guess it’s time to start. Shoo, shoo, get out of here already! [ She waves off the Little Brothers that have congregated around her, stuffs the handbook away, and turns to face the audience of students with the biggest and most forced smile. ]

[britbrat]

Look at me when you talk, you boor.

[ Just because this boy is so much (mumble grumble) taller than Valmont doesn't mean he can get away with not even looking him in the eye. It's not so much "common courtesy" as it is "courtesy that Valmont, specifically, deserves because he's more important than you". ]

And no, last I checked, it was California. Though I can't be certain; I'm told kidnappers are fond of crossing state lines.

[spychic]

[Anya frowns softly.]

Anya just started her year not too long ago...but Anya got into a school with a lot of exams. It would be silly to go to another school then. Especially when Papa wanted Anya to do good. And stand out.

So Anya can do her best, and be useful, and be happy with Papa and Mama.

[She has a lot on her plate...but she takes it with pride, smiling at the end.]

Papa will help all of us out of here, anyway. Anya is sure he's on his way.

2/2

[imprefect]

All right, then, you newbies, you had better listen up, because I don’t plan on repeating myself!

[ She clasps her hands together in front of her, though her hands might be sweaty given how hard she’s rubbing them together…or maybe that’s just all in the imagination. ]

Welcome to fall orientation for the ultra-selective Ira Academy! As you know, I’m the Prefect of this year’s class, and it’s my job to make sure you can cut it in time for graduation! I’ve been really busy getting everything ready, but I had to make an appearance to make sure that everyone is settling in just fine and that nothing is wrong! And if you fall behind… Well, since you have my guidance all along, you really can’t blame anyone but yourselves!

Your first chance to prove yourselves to me, your Prefect Miss Nanami, will be this Saturday, at the school-wide spelling bee and co-ed dance! And obviously, I won’t feel bad if you fail, so you had better prepare yourselves well! [ Seemingly very pleased with her speech, she erupts into laughter after all. ]

Ohohoho!

[ The Little Brothers applaud in unison. They seem pleased as punch as the announcement.]