The Watchers of Night ([personal profile] thewatchers) wrote in [community profile] daybreakacademy2019-01-10 08:52 pm

WINTER TERM OPENING CEREMONY AND CLASS START


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
unpocoloco: (Bitter hurt)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-12 04:24 pm (UTC)(link)
If not for Peter, he probably would've hit his knees real hard just now. As it is, he braces against the kid looking like he's in pain, even as he shakily tries to rise back up. His eyes squeeze shut.

"Please, please, please, don't mention me to her," He says, instead of properly answering any question. "Anything to do with me. She knows I'm here, but you're better off acting like you don't even know me if you're around her." Dios. He can't tell if he's making her sound terrible or himself. His breath comes uneven. This is all too soon and this is so not the time.

A shiver goes through him, and with it a faint flicker of that same light he showed Peter before, the markings briefly coloring upon his face before fading back. "...I really need to get to my room. I'm so sorry, Peter. I'll... try and think of something that can help." But he's not sure there's anything he can do.
made_up_names: (intense screeching)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-12 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
What the hell is even going on here? That ominous response, the light flickering through his body, the markings ... Pete has a wild imagination anyway, but this? Isn't helping. Héctor's not going to be able to convince him this is some kind of normal but messed up adult relationship.

"Is it a curse?" he blurts out. Not promising he'll keep quiet, but also not not promising either. "Did she curse you or something? Is she why you're like - whatever you're like?" Because still doesn't know what Héctor's deal is and frankly isn't remotely close to guessing.

He's staying close, regardless, and will gladly help Héctor back towards his room.
unpocoloco: (Bitter hurt)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-12 04:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"What?" He looks up, honestly baffled by the confusion. His head shakes. "No, no, I'm not--" Well. "She didn't curse me. She'd never do something like that and she has nothing to do with why I am the way I am." In any way except for that heart breaking in his chest but he supposes that's turnabout.

"She's not some crazy evil witch, she's a perfectly good and kind person. I knew her a long time ago and... if anything, I hurt her. But I really, really don't want to talk about it right now, okay? I've had a long night already talking it out with her." He scrubs his face with a hand, some true and deep misery finally cracking through his facade. It's been two nights now and he's already falling apart. Should it be some consolation that, as they make it towards his dorm, only a teenage kid is seeing it?

"Just... promise me you won't bother her."
Edited 2019-01-12 16:51 (UTC)
made_up_names: (emergency)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-12 04:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Peter isn't completely convinced here. Mostly he thinks Héctor might not know he was cursed by an evil witch, and that Imelda might be that evil witch. So. Uh. He's very, very sorry in advance for his future meeting with Imelda, whenever that ends up happening.

But he'll pretend a little, at least to Héctor's face. Mostly because this dude just seems ... so incredibly sad. And Pete doesn't have the heart to do anything but agree with him when faced with that much raw misery. "I'll be good," he says, his voice gentle. He reaches out to open the door for Héctor once they're close enough. "I mean, I still think this music ban is stupid, but I won't be a jerk about it."

Annoying teenager, yes. But not an intentional asshole.
unpocoloco: (Head Down)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-12 05:03 pm (UTC)(link)
For all he's a liar himself, he never quite seems to catch it when anyone else's intentions are different than what they imply. He hears that gentle promise and he sighs in relief.

"Thank you," He says, quietly.

If Imelda had cursed him, he'd have deserved it, but he knows she didn't. Coming back to haunt her? She'd made it quite clear that that was the opposite of what she wanted.

He reaches out to stop Peter's hand by the wrist before he can grasp the knob. "My room's a mess," He says. "Sorry. It's a little embarrassing. I'll be alright from here, I promise. You should head back."
Edited 2019-01-12 17:04 (UTC)
made_up_names: (gotta jet)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-12 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
He pauses at that. Weighing his own complete lack of concern about messy rooms (he's a teenager) against Héctor's clear discomfort. Clearly, this guy has already shown Peter more vulnerability than he was planning on already, and Peter feels bad about that. Adults, man. It's always weird to get reminded that they're not monoliths of responsibility.

"All right," he says after a moment. "But I'm just down the hall. So I'm coming back in a couple minutes."

He'll give you a chance to clean if you really, really want to. But. He's not just gonna leave either.
unpocoloco: (Worn Out)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-12 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
He winces, eyes closing.

"Please-- please... don't. I'm not coming out." He doesn't really have a good lie for that part. "I'll see you tonight. Or tomorrow night. It's really fine, this... this happens a lot, actually." Maybe not the total devastation of the evening prior or the one prior to that, but in general, this part here is standard.

"I just need to sleep it off and I'll be fine again. I promise." He meets Peter's eyes for that, just to assure him, before looking away again.
made_up_names: (responsibility?)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-12 05:32 pm (UTC)(link)
He hates to leave this alone. Damn curiosity makes him itch to try to dig more into this, to figure out what the heck is going on and maybe help if he can. But - Héctor's so miserable, and he just seems to want to lie down? He's not enough of an asshole to keep from that.

"If you say so," he says, reluctantly. "I'll see you tomorrow then." It won't keep him from walking by periodically just to make sure Héctor's not, like, secretly screaming in there or something, but he'll refrain from climbing around the outside of the building and spying through the window or something. Probably.
unpocoloco: (Worn Out)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-13 04:02 am (UTC)(link)
He slips quietly inside as Peter turns his back. His fingers press to his sockets and his skin lights, dissolving away to bone. The half made bed gets a glance but he reluctantly pushes past it and leaves it empty.

Even if Peter does come around to peering in a window, he's not gonna find much. Héctor's talk of a mess could only be so true with how few belongings he's got. There's a beat up guitar set in a corner, a desk with papers written on and scratched out and crumpled and pinned in a great chaotic mess of schemes on the wall.

And one large freezer, small enough to fit through a dorm room doorframe, but still just big enough. He lifts it open from the top, frowning into it and shivering pre-emptively. He hates this thing. It's cramped, claustrophobic, and cold. Usually he saves it for when he can't shift his form fast enough to beat his exhaustion, but with so much attention drawn to him at that lunch party, the less chance of any detectable rot, the better. He steps inside it, hissing as the cold immediately hits his bones, but still moving. He lets the door to his unconventional coffin fall and in an instant death creeps right in, familiar, and he doesn't move again until the next night to follow.
made_up_names: (embarrassing wizards)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-13 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
He ... will in fact peer in at some point, because he's nosy like that, but only after his talk with Imelda goes horribly, horribly wrong. And Héctor isn't there? That's - weird, okay, but maybe he just can't see properly from the window? And he is not enough of a creeper to try going in, especially after Héctor specifically told him not to.

Anyway. He's got enough distracting him the next day he doesn't stop back for a good long while. He doesn't even think to until he realizes he didn't see Héctor at dinner? Or lunch, or whatever meal Héctor would have missed most recently. That seems incredibly weird to Peter. Is anyone on nights here? Maybe he shouldn't put it past this school, but ...

So at some point in the evening, Peter knocks at Héctor's door. Waits there for a moment, not wanting to just walk in but. He might if he doesn't get a response.
unpocoloco: (Unsure)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-13 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
The knock wouldn't have woken him normally, but it's timing is just right, it seems. The door of the freezer goes flying open, slamming back against the wall as he rises with a gasp and then tumbles out. It's less of a slam and more like the skittering of a number of dropped objects as his bones come apart and a few roll away along the floor. He pushes his hair back to asses-- mostly together, save for a piece here or there which he draws back.

"¡UN MINUTO!" He yells to the door, somewhat frazzled. Okay, look human first, then fix his clothing to look like he didn't entirely just wake up. What day is it? Ah, no time to check. He all but hops his way to the door in a scramble, then, finally put together enough, he yanks it open.

He looks horrid, to put it frankly, but it's his standard "formerly homeless" horrid and less with the dark circles and sunken cheeks and visible drooping. He's not sure who he was expecting but it wasn't Peter again. He slips out and shuts the door quickly behind him, turning that confused frown back on the kid.

"Ay, kid, you haven't been waiting around here for me or something have you?
Edited 2019-01-13 04:38 (UTC)
made_up_names: (embarrassing wizards)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-13 04:57 am (UTC)(link)
What the hell is he even hearing in there? Peter's hearing isn't as good as his vision, but it is still very good. And he's quite certain he heard a different (smaller?) door open, a whole bunch of somethings clatter on the floor, and then Héctor himself. It's a good thing he doesn't know what bones, specifically, sound like. He's picturing bowling pins instead.

But fine, he'll wait. A little impatient, but ultimately relieved that Héctor isn't, like, dead in there or something. "Not waiting," he says, looking this dude up and down. Still a wreck, okay, but looking better than yesterday? That's a relief too. "Did you sleep all day or something?"
unpocoloco: (Unsure)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-13 05:01 am (UTC)(link)
Not waiting, Peter says, but he doesn't really offer an alternate explanation and so his brow just rises higher.

"Yes," He says without a moment's hesitation. "I TA the evening classes and do all the work I can at night too. I'm pretty much nocturnal."

He's glad he can remain casual about that at least.
made_up_names: (technical)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-13 05:03 am (UTC)(link)
That. Uh. Checks out in theory? Actually it checks out pretty well, to the point where Peter frankly looks kind of disappointed. Is that really all there is to it?

"Oh. I thought maybe your curse meant you couldn't go out during the day or something." Yeah, he's still going with the curse explanation. Sorry, Héctor, it's gonna take him a while to shake that. "Or maybe it like killed you or something."
unpocoloco: (Siete)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-13 05:14 am (UTC)(link)
He's glad the first comment makes him laugh. It covers up how very little laughter he's got in him over the second comment.

"I told you I'd be fine," He says, trying to brush it off. "And you saw me in the day didn't you? If I were el vampiro wouldn't I have burnt up?" He gives a pointed look, laughs again, and shrugs his shoulders.

"My health's not the best," He...doesn't exactly lie. "It takes a lot out of me sometimes, trying to mess around past when I should sleep. Blame it on the outlands or on getting older. But it's nothing I can't handle. I've been like this for a few years now."
Edited 2019-01-13 05:20 (UTC)
made_up_names: (this way?)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-13 01:17 pm (UTC)(link)
That is a very good question. "I guess," he admits. "I haven't met a whole lot of vampires though. And I some of them sparkle nowadays anyway."

Which just means he really doesn't know and can't use that as an excuse here. Back to the drawing board, he supposes. And the more mundane explanations. He flinches guiltily at Héctor's mention of his health, oof. If he's just harassing a dude who's sick, then he's gonna feel really bad about it. 'Have you been to the doctor?" he asks, uncertain. "I met a girl with healing magic - she'd probably help you."

He probably shouldn't volunteer Orihime like this, but.
unpocoloco: (Well It's True)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-13 01:38 pm (UTC)(link)
He snorts, and grins wry at Peter. That sounds ridiculous, but at this point he's not questioning it. He's run into a lot of ridiculous by now. He just knows he most certainly isn't sparkling himself.

He smiles tightly. "I'm not really... comfortable with doctors. Not that there's anything wrong with them, and I don't want you to take after my example. I just had a few... bad experiences after the outlands." He shrugs and holds up his hand like before, letting his fingertips and those marks on his face glow. "I think this messes things up a little."

As for the healing magic, while that is tempting, those sorts tend to figure him out quick too.

He laughs then and folds his arms, head tilting as he looks down at Peter. "You're really worried about me, eh? Are you usually this charitable or did I somehow make a good impression?"
made_up_names: (wrong answer)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-13 01:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh. He guesses that would mess with going to a real doctor - though he's not going to give up on getting Héctor to a healer sometime. Maybe he can trick Orihime into coming here? Or heck, if he just asks her, maybe she'll come find Héctor herself. Yes, he can totally do that. That's his plan now.

For the moment, though, he leans in a little, trying to get a closer look at the markings on his face. Nope, still doesn't look like anything he recognizes. He wishes he knew more about this kind of stuff ... "Of course I am," he says. "You're cursed or something. And everything you say just makes me more sure that something really bad happened. Even if Imelda didn't actually do it."

He, uh. Declines to comment on the first impression Héctor made. Sorry dude.
unpocoloco: (Soft Laugh)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-13 02:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Peter has anyone told you that you maybe meddle too much? Because if he finds out how much meddling is happening that person might just be him.

He can tell Peter's eyeing his markings. Honestly, he wouldn't mind showing the kid, but he can only use his power so much before the shift starts and that's not happening. Better to leave it be.

He scoffs and shakes his head. "Chamaco, I am not cursed," He finally decides to clarify. "And if I am, I am lucky to be. If it weren't for this power, as useless and inconvenient as it can be, I would not be here talking to you now." And that's the truth, no matter how he shakes it. "I've had a few bad things happen, yes. But all that comes with making bad choices, things in the outlands, and just plain bad luck. Okay? Not everything is because something is out to get us. Sometimes we have to take responsibility and sometimes things just happen."

But it's fine, he sees how it is with his impressions. It wasn't the worst he's made at least.
Edited 2019-01-13 14:23 (UTC)
made_up_names: (paternal affection)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-13 02:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Sorry dude. He won't apologize probably. That's what you get for making friends with a hyperactive teenaged superhero.

Anyway. He sighs a bit at Héctor's continued denial of his obviously cursed state. While he is willing to accept Héctor as not being cursed, he kind of needs a better explanation to fill it in? And right now "sick and tired and homeless" ain't cutting it dude. The part about being in the Outlands ... is more convincing? As is the implication that these things are helping him somehow, but. He's still missing a vital piece of the puzzle. Some very important detail that would explain the whole thing...

"Then what happened with Imelda?" he asks, changing the subject. If Héctor wants to talk responsibility instead of magic, then Peter is here to make that conversation miserable too. "She really seemed to hate you when I talked to her."
unpocoloco: (What Do You Want)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-13 02:45 pm (UTC)(link)
The smile, quite immediately, slips from his face. He really wishes he'd had more time to deal with that. Some little pocket between the total nothing blink of death and actual living thought and processing of the situation before he had to present it to someone else.

But he also knows that wanting more time and getting it are two very different things. He sighs. Then closes his eyes a moment, swallowing down the pain of hearing, She really seemed to hate you.

"...She didn't always. We did know each other, way back in--" And then the rest of his brain catches up and he scowls at Peter. "Wait. Wait, wait, wait. I thought I told you not to mention me to her." He did. He must have. Imelda wouldn't have brought him up on her own. He huffs. "Peter, I asked you to leave her alone, I asked you not to mention me! Did you seriously just go against my explicit request already? How long has it been? A day? Two days? What could possibly have been so important that that would have been warrented, Peter? What did you say to her?"
made_up_names: (oh my god i got a date)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-13 02:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay, okay, he completely deserves that. Peter winces, hands going up in surrender. "I didn't mention you!" he says. "Not - not really, anyway? She just figured it out from context." Context which Peter also made excruciatingly obvious but! Technicalities!

That part about leaving Imelda alone though. Uh. Guilty as charged, 100%. He's got no real excuse there, though he's gonna try. "It's because of the music ban," he continues. "I didn't even mean to run into her specifically. I went up to see if it was real, and then she caught me up after hours, so I figured I'd at least ask a few questions. Figure out if she'd cursed you, or if music was like the key to fixing you, or whatever."

Super reasonable! Jeez! He can't figure out why Héctor would possibly be mad about that.
unpocoloco: (What Do You Want)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-13 03:19 pm (UTC)(link)
He gapes in disbelief the more that Peter says, hands hanging in the air. It's not the full picture, clearly, but he can't imagine the picture being any better from than it seems from the pieces he's getting. It goes until all he can do is bring those hands up to his face and try and muffle the scream into them.

He brings his hands to drop, but keeps gesturing with them. "Peter, if I was cursed and music was the key undoing it, don't you think that I, a musician, would have figured that out by now?" He snaps, because out of all of that, that's the easiest thing to pick apart right now. He pinches the bridge of his nice and tries to calm.

"There is absolutely no reason at all, whatsoever, that Imelda would curse me and certainly not like this, do you understand? Did you even think how that would make her feel? Even without knowing she hates me, accusing someone of cursing another person? And all because of a music ban? Maybe music upsets her, did you think about that? Maybe she has a good reason! But whether or not she did before, you've certainly given her one now. I can't even imagine what she must be thinking, a bunch of students harassing her about music and me in the same breath." He starts to pace a little, back and forth around before he can face Peter again. "I hate to say this, but you might really be out of luck. I'd suggest you and your friends try to play your music elsewhere. There are plenty of places you can go for music besides her doorfront."
made_up_names: (inquisitive)

[personal profile] made_up_names 2019-01-13 03:50 pm (UTC)(link)
That. Uh. Shit. If music really were the key to it, then Héctor should, in fact, have figured it out by now. Hell, Peter could have done that by just finding a damn flute and playing Itsy Bitsy Spider on it. Clearly, he hadn't quite thought any of this through. (Story of Peter Parker's life right there.)

He sags a bit as Héctor also brings up the very real possibility that he, Peter Parker, has just made that music ban all the more worse. Precisely the opposite of what he was supposed to be doing for Mav, in fact. So much for being the perfect angelic posterboy. But then again, Mav should have figured out that was never going to happen as soon as Peter thought bringing offerings to a cat would be a good idea. His head droops as he hears out the rest of what Héctor's saying. His posture isn't apologetic, maybe, but it sure is regretful.

"I - I didn't think about that," he says. Halting, but a little stubborn still. "But I don't see why music would upset her. Who gets upset by music? Did a musician break her heart or something?"
Edited 2019-01-13 15:50 (UTC)
unpocoloco: (Enough)

[personal profile] unpocoloco 2019-01-13 04:10 pm (UTC)(link)
For all his anger has flared, he deflates fast when he sees it bringing Peter's head to bow. He can never keep this up like others he knew. It just makes him feel guilty and sick even as the anger remains.

His shoulders drop a little, but Peter's words get him exhaling heavy, hand covering his face.

Quieter, but stern nevertheless, he says, "Peter, if I could trust you, maybe I'd tell you more, but as it is, if that were the case, I'm not sure you wouldn't go running off to Imelda immediately to bother her about that too. And before you even think it I want you to consider how cruel and selfish it would be. What if this was someone you knew? Someone you were hurting? No. No, I won't be a part of this. If you and the rest your friends can't be the least bit considerate to her, then maybe she's right to ban music."
Edited 2019-01-13 16:13 (UTC)

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