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

[imprefect]

Not anymore. You've been transferred in, so now you're enrolled. Or maybe your parents enrolled you? You do have parents, right...? [ She looks...vaguely skeptical as her sentence trails off. ]

Either way. I'm counting on you to just do your very best.

[violence_ensues]

[...Oof.]

[Adorabat flies up to... whoever this is, looking annoyed.]

My daddy would have told Mao Mao, and Mao Mao would have told me! King Snugglemagne would have also told me!

I dunno about you, but I'm the sheriff! You can't kidnap a sheriff. It's what criminals do!

[imprefect]

[ She's unable to stop the laugh that just slams out of her at that. ]

The sheriff, really? You're a little too old to be playing pretend games like that... I think.

Maybe that's why you need to focus on coming to school?

[violence_ensues]

I- what- but- pretend!? No no no, Me, Mao Mao, and Badgerclops all fight monsters and protect Pure Heart Valley together! The three of us are employed by the king. There's nothing pretend about that!

[imprefect]

[ This does, in fact, sound even more pretend? Almost as bad as Closetland... Nanami really goes all-in on the mocking sympathy. ]

So you're a sheriff, but you can't decide if you fight criminals or monsters? Well, sometimes the Little Brothers have to deal with stuff like that...

Maybe if you flunk out, you can still work with them? If you don't wind up getting put away instead, that is.

[violence_ensues]

[Very frustrating, this human...]

A HERO FIGHTS ALL BAD GUYS INCLUDING CRIMINALS AND MONSTERS!

[imprefect]

Don't you mean a "Hero-in-Training?" [ The tiniest of "ohohohos." ]

If you're in training, then I don't see why the concept of training at school is so hard to wrap your mind around.

[violence_ensues]

[...Touche.]

...Okay. Okay. But kidnapping people, especially sheriffs, is still against the law!

[Adorabat brings out a piece of paper that says "WARENT", alongside a bunch of legal jargon.]

By the way, I have a warrant. Give me your phone!

[imprefect]

This says "warent." [ Which, when said out loud, doesn't sound all that different, but she does emphasize the difference in vowels as much as possible. Nanami takes the paper. ] You should ask one of your upperclassmen to be your tutor before the spelling bee.

[violence_ensues]

You still hafta follow it cuz I'm a cop!

[imprefect]

No, I don't. Because I don't have a phone.

[violence_ensues]

Well... then... Are there any other phones in this skewl?

[imprefect]

Personal electronics aren't allowed during the school year, so don't think you're going to find any just lying around. No one else in the class has one, either.

[violence_ensues]

What about one of those other types of phones? You know, like the one Mao Mao's dad used to call and say he was comin' over?

[Gonna have to be more descriptive, Adorabat.]

[imprefect]

A phone is a phone? [ She sounds confused. ]

You students don't have access to anything like that regardless.