WINTER TERM OPENING CEREMONY AND CLASS START

[thewatchers]

WINTER TERM OPENING CEREMONY AND CLASS START
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The snowfall has only intensified as Daybreak moves into the first day of Winter Term classes. A school-wide orientation will be held in the auditorium, followed by an open period where tours will be given to new students by student volunteers. After a noon lunch in the main hall, short introduction classes will be held where the syllabi will be distributed and professors can give a brief overview of what they’ll be covering over the term.

A. ORIENTATION ASSEMBLY

With a new school year comes a fresh address. The orientation assembly is one of the few times that the Headmistress and High Seer, Mila Duchene, speaks to the gathered faculty and students about their purpose and why they’ve been found and gathered here. About how Nightfall looms ever closer, and how together they will be the flames who light the coming darkness.

It is, in the manner of many orientation speeches, fairly long-winded. Those who have been here for more than a year have likely heard this speech before, though it’s slightly more urgent this time. Maybe it’s a good time to get to know the people on either side of you a little better while the Headmistress talks, because you’ll be here for a while. Or maybe you’ve planned ahead, and you have something to entertain you at orientation - much to the shared entertainment or dismay of others in your vicinity, perhaps.

Or you could actually be listening to the speech. It’s up to you.


B. SCHOOL TOUR

For students fresh to the academy, the sprawling nature and architecture of Daybeak Academy can be quite intimidating. Fortunately, helpful student volunteers have been tapped to help escort the new students around and give them a feel for campus. Student volunteers are typically chosen for both their experience on campus and helpful nature. While some scripts are provided, students are encouraged to ad-lib and put their own spin on campus and what they like about it. New students are, of course, encouraged to ask as many questions as they can to make sure they fully understand and familiarize themselves with the campus as quickly as possible.

C. SNACK STATION

During the first three days after the Holiday break, throughout the campus grounds are small stations manned by the kitchen staff and volunteers, the smell of hot chocolate, cider, and frying bread fills the air, stirring the appetite and promising warmth on this cold winter’s day.

Every booth has hot chocolate, some spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, others rich and creamy, but always with an option for marshmallows, peppermint bark or caramel drizzles - with non-alcoholic hot cider for those with an allergy to chocolate. For food options, naturally being France there are crepes of all types and beignets on offer, with jam- or custard-filled berliners, while those looking for a more savory fare will be treated to rissoles - a fried bread stuffed with minced meat or bechamel sauce and cod.

While the drinks are on tap and readily available, it may take a few moments to get the treats out, so might as well make conversation while a fresh batch is made.

code bases by tricklet

Comments

I'll just hold off on the big ones until later/you see it o/

[unpocoloco]

[Kano's in for quite the show. Lost in his own world, of course he doesn't realize anyone's creeping up on him until he's suddenly prodded. Startled, he jerks forward and is sent flailing the manner of a loose puppet. There's a yelp, some grasping of the chairs in front of him which then disturbs the students there bringing a chorus of apology, and then a near slip to the floor.

Finally, he turns on Kano, a deep frown upon him.]

No I'm not-- Nothing's-- I'm sorry, do you need something?

kk, thank you! o7

[suddenlybees]

Pft—-

[ Laughing at such a spectacular stumble and fall can be considered rude, but. No, there's no excuse for it, it's rude and Kano is rude and he tries to hold his laughter in but it only makes it more obvious, tears in his eyes squeezed tight in effort to keep it together. ]

-ha! Hahaha! What a nice reaction!

[ Just so Héctor doesn't have to crane his neck or turn his body a full 180, Kano vaults over the seat and plops himself down next to him, much of the row having shifted over on either side of the poor guy out of wariness of his outburst. ]

I don't need anything~ But it looks like you do, with how deep in your thoughts you were. What's on your mind?

[unpocoloco]

[Héctor does not take well to being laughed at. He puffs up, mouth going into an even deeper frown. He jerks back, surprised as Kano vaults over, but in no time he's frowning again.]

What's on my mind? What's on my mind is that poking random strangers in public and making them jump is rude.

[And... other words... which he's not about to throw out at some kid even if that kid is acting like a jerk.]

Didn't anyone teach you not to do that?

[suddenlybees]

Nope~

[ He's still laughing, leaning back and swinging his feet, ankles crossed. ]

Etiquette lessons weren't part of the school curriculum, I believe! Or maybe they were, I wouldn't know... [ Social niceties are things you learn growing up in elementary, middle school, and the like, but that doesn't matter if he never goes. ]

But we're not strangers! Don't say that! I know your name, after all!

[unpocoloco]

I'm not talking about curriculum, I'm talking about basic things! You know, stuff your parents should have told you about or whoever raised you!

[He can only assume Kano doesn't know that because he's not the sort to pay attention and maybe he can't judge that much but still. His arms fold.]

Just because you know my name doesn't mean you know me.

[suddenlybees]

Mm... No, they were busy with more important things~

[ More important things than basic manners? Nah, he means more important things than him, himself, but Héctor is also justified in suspecting Kano doesn't care for things like that in the first place, evident by the way he doesn't back off, but rather he leans forward and a little closer to Héctor instead. ]

I didn't mean it like we're best buds- we're not there yet! But I hope to change that someday! Would that be impossible?

[unpocoloco]

[For every bit that Kano leans in, Héctor tries to lean away. If it is Kano's intention to make him uncomfortable it's working.]

I... I don't know kid that's really something where one sort of sees what happens and just tries not to be a jerk in the meantime. What's got you turning to a guy like me anyway? Do you... not have any friends your age...?

[suddenlybees]

[ He doesn't stop leaning, even if Héctor is in danger of falling clean off his seat. ]

What a hurtful question!! Do I not have any friends my age?! What if I said I don't? Would you be sorry for me? Would you become a pity friend for my sake?

[unpocoloco]

I... I...

[Kano's got him there. And very much in danger of plummeting.

Only then he shakes his head, and holds out his hands before him in a gesture of 'wait'.]

That's not really the point I'm trying to make. The point is, if you actually want to make friends, you can't just... bother people until they like you, that's never going to work. Either you really don't know what you're doing or you're trying to make people uncomfortable on purpose.

[Ha! He's rooted it out! What now, Kano?]

[suddenlybees]

I don't know what I'm doing~

[ It's a ready-made excuse, and Kano takes it, absolutely grinning from ear to ear and beaming up at Héctor. He bats his eye lashes and everything, trying not to burst out laughing and ruin the whole facade. ]

You seem to know a lot about making friends, though! Won't you teach me, since you know so much about what works and what doesn't?

[unpocoloco]

[He squints and frowns because, oh no, he doesn't believe any of this for a second. Even he doesn't lay it on this thick when he's lying through his teeth.

Time to put on the Serious Adult Voice.]

Kid. Sit down. Stop leaning, don't touch anybody who doesn't want you to. I am not playing this game.

[suddenlybees]

Whoa, whoa~

[ The serious adult voice gets Kano to sit down, back straight, but as for continuing to lay it on thick... maybe that's just how he talks, or he doesn't care, or he does it on purpose, because that's not enough to stop him. ]

Now, that's not a nice tone of voice to speak to your friends with! No way you can have lots of friends talking to 'em like that! I'm calling your bluff!!

[unpocoloco]

[It's... good enough. He exhales quick and settles back properly in his seat as well.]

I've got plenty of friends. [Friends who are homeless and dead and dead twice over, but it's nevertheless true.] But I don't need to tell most of them things like that. Friends respect boundaries, or they try to. You know. Picking up cues, listening to what they say.

[A pause.]

Though I guess I can't really blame you for being bored here.

[suddenlybees]

Aw, a ready-made excuse! How nice of you to supply that for me~!

[ This isn't boredom. Kano's just being a dick. ]

I'll do my best to practice that~ Picking up cues... How difficult! I'm not very smart, and I'm not used to people, so that's difficult! You'll excuse me, won't you~

[unpocoloco]

That is not an excuse, it's a comment of understanding!

[Or it was. This kid really likes to push his luck.]

I'm sure you're smarter than you think.

[An honest statement but still one spoken dryly.]

[suddenlybees]

[ There's no comment about his intelligence than a laugh, as playing dumb has always been a conscious decision, an outward facade that's relatively useful, but there is no denying that in many, many ways, he is very, very dumb. ]

Haha... So you were bored, huh? Tapping your leg like that before I came to bother you. But, well? Do you feel any less bored now?

[unpocoloco]

[He opens his mouth, then closes it. This? This is a trap.]

I wasn't bored!

[A pause.]

Well I wasn't bored while I was doing the tapping thing. Haven't you ever... gotten a song in your head or just felt in you and had to get it out?

[No? Maybe?]

...I'm not bored now, but that still doesn't mean I appreciate all that.

[suddenlybees]

[ It's a trap that Héctor calls out immediately, and Kano has to laugh, applauding him. ]

Bravo~ You understand! But no, I've never had a song stuck in my head. What's it like? What does it sound like? I want to hear! Singing, I know it's easiest when you're loud and open, instead of trying to do it under your breath!

[unpocoloco]

[He doesn't know what to do with this kid.]

Ah, no. I am not singing out in the open. Not in the middle of an assembly.

[He leans back in his chair, arms still folded.]

Besides I don't do crowds anymore.

[suddenlybees]

[ He should have shoved Kano off his chair ten minutes ago. It's still not too late to do that. ]

Not "anymore" huh? How curious~ Is that an invitation to a private performance~?

[unpocoloco]

[He should have, but he's not an aggressive man even when he's cranky. And Kano's a kid he doesn't know well.]

It is absolutely not. I don't just do these things for whoever either. Are you always this... eager?

[suddenlybees]

Aw, I was hoping you could make an exception for me~ We could hang out, you could get to know me, and see for yourself if I'm always this eager~

[unpocoloco]

[He sputters, makes a shushing noise, and quickly gestures out with his hands for Kano to lower the volume as he glances around. He hisses low to Kano.]

Don't say things like that! You could get yourself into real trouble! With real creeps!

Or at least people are going to think I'm a creep and put me in jail!

[suddenlybees]

[ The makes Kano burst out into laughter, the exact opposite of shushing. ]

What's the problem? Getting close to somebody else... I like you, so I was hoping you would return my feelings~!

[unpocoloco]

[And that's it. That is his limit on all of this. It's officially crossed. He is here and the line is way back there.]

Nope. [He shoots up to standing, hands going up. He doesn't care who sees or how much it interrupts this assembly.] I'm finding a new seat! Don't follow me!