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

anxiety.png

[weirdlymagical]

I don't know.

[It's quiet and not fully directed in Thomasin's direction. But, oh boy. Here it comes. Not that it was Thomasin's desire to bust open that floodgate but we're doing it now.]

I don't know! [That's louder, and more panicked.] Nothing about this makes sense, a-and I thought I knew a lot of things that didn't make sense, but now I'm here. And I shouldn't be here, because I have to help my friends!

[We're hyperventilating. Just a little.]

[curdle]

Nor—!

[ But she's cut off by the torrent of words she just inadvertently summoned! Thomasin stares at this outlandishly-dressed girl, taken aback, if not personally offended. ]

Nor I, [ she says, after a pause. ] 'Twould seem we are all lost souls, in this strange place.

[weirdlymagical]

[It's okay. She's. Well. Not okay. She's rather bad off, to be honest. But she's clamming up for this other girl.

And breathing.]

And here I thought I got over being a stranger in a strange land. [Sigh.] So, you've... really never seen this place?

[curdle]

Nay, never, [ she breathes, while we're talking about breathing. This has, if nothing else, cut down on the internal oh God my Lord I now begin oh help me and I'll leave my sin static. ] Not even in dreams could I have thought to see such as this.

[ The sight of a very boring and sterile school is beyond her capability to imagine, apparently! The reasons why that might be just aren't as immediately obvious when she's not wearing the full 1630s getup. ]

I cannot even say what force brought me hither.

[weirdlymagical]

Whoof, I have been there, sister.

[As if offhandedly admitting she's been through absolute hell... Or just about! What an exciting few months her summer has been.]

If I had to guess? Something magical. After all, that's what brought me here... I think.

[curdle]

[ Oh. ]

... I fear the same.