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

[suddenlybees]

[ At the fleabag comment, Kano gives him one of those silent wide-mouthed hisses that stays just between the two of them, before padding into the room and taking his current preferred conversation spot underneath Maverick's bed. There's got to be a better name than "fleabag," but if he somehow gets that request across to Maverick, he might end up with something stupid like Ricktoria, so he counts his blessings and assures Maverick that he isn't cross or anything by turning on the purring motor, throat and chest rumbling quietly in the background as he extends a paw and beckons for his midnight— 1:32 AM, same difference— snack before anything else. ]

[deuteranope]

[Fleabag is a term of endearment! Like how Mama calls him Weasel, but affectionately.]

What, nobody else you can sucker outta stuff? I’m out of jerky, you know.

[He just has a couple of snackish things...some of which isn’t suitable for cats. Let’s see...]

I think Cat Daddy said fucking doritos are fine, so... Hey, you. You won’t get sick if I give you these baked chips, yeah?

[wiggles bag]

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano might know nothing about taking care of cats, but somehow, Cat Daddy sounds like he's deadass wrong. Why would a cat eat doritos? Can they even eat it with their sharp little teeth?? Why the heck does Maverick have baked doritos and not the normal kind??? Everything else he could have let slide, but that's the last straw. Absolutely unforgivable. He reaches out and swats a paw at the bag of chips, claws out. Chips rejected, try again, friend. ]

[deuteranope]

[They're just regular baked chips!!! Maverick retracts the bag and makes a face at Nekano. Picky, picky!! Awful.]

Then you know what I got that you can actually eat? Fucking dehydrated pineapple and plain-ass All-Bran from a dinky-ass mini box. Cats don't get a ton of options when it comes to fucking dorm food.

[suddenlybees]

[ That's even worse, at least offer brand chips. Why are all Maverick's snack so... healthy... anyways? There's no way any self-respecting teenager would buy that sort of stuff for himself, is there? Is this Mama's doing...? There are all these food stations left and right all around campus, and Maverick has fucking dehydrated pineapple and plain-ass All-Bran in his room. jfc this kid needs help. Kano gives a low, irate meow, tail swishing behind him in the darkness, and crawls out from under the bed. With a two leaps, he bounds onto the bed and then the windowsill, standing up on his hind legs and pressing both paws up against the window. ]

[deuteranope]

[Such is the life of a dumbass boy who doesn't actually care for sweet things and whose odds of forgetting to open every box when moving in because he got bored were pretty good. Mama wouldn't pack anything quick to spoil, or that needed appliances to get going...also he had more jerky, but he ate it, like a selfish asshole that doesn't even like cats. Proving he does like cats, anything he does have that has nuts, chocolate, and basically anything else resembling candy is kept off the offering table. He's not gonna be responsible for making you sick, kitty cat.

He follows with his eyes first, returning the chips to Snack Box before shoving his hands in his pockets and going to join the other at the window. Something out there, or just planting a general idea?]

[suddenlybees]

[ Whatever the cat's trying to tell him will have to be up to him to interpret, because it's hard to see what's going on on the other side of the window in the dead of night, pitch black sky and smooth white ground from the snow drift painting what might as well be a monochrome picture with nothing moving outside. The window overlooks a courtyard, though, familiar to Kano because he's spent so many years here and is oriented enough to know that there were stalls set up along the side of the walking paths during the day, pulled in to retire for the night but had been dishing out piping hot bread and other treats throughout the day. It can't just be him who sees free food and squirrels it away for later, right? ]

[deuteranope]

[Food hoarding is not normal activity, no. That’s probably the orphanage years talking. Mav squints, but he can’t make much out at all... His good sense of direction does give him the same mental map Nekano’s got in mind, but...]

The food’s not out there, anymore. Even if it was, we’re on fucking lockdown here. You really wanna get me in fucking trouble with Rivera? If I’m going down, I’m going down for the fucking music shit.

[suddenlybees]

[ Lockdown means nothing and Kano has no plans to be inside and in his room all night. He meows, quiet and deep in his throat, and paws at the latch on the window. He's just a cat, Maverick! He doesn't know anything about rules, and isn't bound by them anyways! If that doesn't get his point across, he bounds down from the window and over to the wall Maverick's room shares with Imelda, and gives that a couple of scratches. ]

[deuteranope]

[Kitty, no!!! Gosh, he’s being exceptionally rude tonight.]

Hey! Hey, hey, hey.

[This is probably the closest Maverick has intentionally gotten to the cat, in his hurry to get him to cut it out.]

You’re fine, but don’t fucking sell me out! I gave you jerky, you fucking dick. If you want me to open the fucking window that badly, fine.

[suddenlybees]

[ The close proximity is enough to get him to stop, in any case, ducking out of the way and taking refuge under the desk, where he flops over onto his side and starts purring again, looking past Maverick and towards the window. Yes, please, open it. Look how cute he's being, can't resist this request. ]

[deuteranope]

[Sigh... Maverick shakes his head on his way over to the window, opening it and giving it a dramatic showing off before he flops onto his bed.]

Whatever. There you fucking go. Sorry I'm fucking pointless tonight, but I guess it's good you learned that shit early.

[suddenlybees]

[ What did Kano even want, I can't remember now... It was probably something about wondering why Maverick even cares about Imelda's rules, when she doesn't hold the same responsibility over him as a parent or teacher would. Normally when faced with rules like the ones she'd set for the dorms, you'd find your way around them, pushing limits and testing boundaries and make it known that you won't comply to something you don't agree with- Maverick seems to get that about the music thing, but the rest is similarly unnecessary, in Kano's opinion. Rules in general are just like that. But he's not opposed to playing by the rules, if he must, especially if it'd keep people happy. He sighs as much as a cat can, and jumps up onto the bed. Why are you fucking pointless, friend... He kneads at Maverick's knees. Talk to him friend, be that weirdo who talks with cats. ]

[deuteranope]

[Maverick's dirty little secret, aside from being named Ricky Marten when he was born, is that he's a good kid. Rages against dumb stuff and will break things, but...he's already lived his wild days.

Besides, it's basically like 2am and he's the resident cranky old man!!!]

Ugh, kitty...

[He moves his arm and squints over before giving up and closing his eyes again, but he rests his hand palm-up in a weak invitation. Let him pet.......... Nah, he's good with getting to spill some of his dumb guts, only to a cat. Thank god this is a cat!!]

Just fucking tired. [And a garbage boy. The thought swells within him and he's too sleepy to swat it back down, so he continues with a groan.] But like...if you want a person that can get you shit and have fun, you're looking in the wrong place. Seriously... I dunno what you're fucking expecting. You coming back makes way more sense as an elaborate fucking joke on me. Heh. If that's why you were trying to get me out, I wouldn't even blame you. Sounds about right.

[suddenlybees]

[ This was the exact opposite of what he was trying to do, and a good therapy cat would let Maverick pet his fur all he wants until he feels better, but Kano instinctively shies away from the hand when it's held out. Maybe it's a good thing Maverick's eyes are closed... but before the stillness and the silence stretches too long and he opens his eyes again, Kano offers the next best thing to pets: bean toe paws on Maverick's hand. And he meows, just so it sounds like he's contributing to this conversation, although Maverick is free as always to interpret it any way he wants. "I'm here," or whatever, the same way Maverick is one of the only people still awake at godless hours in the night, so maybe the cat always comes over because Maverick's here for him too. ]

[deuteranope]

[It's not the kitty's fault! Some nights are just this way, and when he's tired and alone he doesn't have to put up a front to protect himself from what others might be thinking.

I'm just convenient, his brain supplies. It's got no other choice.

Toe beans, he tells it back, the slightest hint of a smile at the corners of his lips. Can't argue against toe beans.]

Mhm. [what is he agreeing to] I know, I know. You're good. People fucking suck, though, so you can't rely on me for adventures. But...maybe during a week I can actually fucking sleep... This place is fucking weird.

[suddenlybees]

[ He lets his paws rest on Mavericks hand and flops over onto his side, lets himself purr and hope that gets Maverick to keep talking or whatever it is that makes him feel better. The smile is nice to see. But it also begs the question of what Kano's trying to get out of this in the first place. It was curiosity at first, trying to figure Maverick out and see what secrets are in his room just in case he needs leverage or blackmail material in the future. Despite everything, adventures aren't something he enjoys, so this is nice sometimes. Can't let that on, though. He yawns wide, tongue curling, wondering if that still triggers a mirror response, even if it comes from a cat. This place is fucking weird, but put in some earplugs and sleep? ]

[deuteranope]

[The smile gets more comfortable as Nekano apparently does, and Maverick cracks his eyes open to tired slits to watch him and lightly bounce his paws. Cute...even if this cat is a bastard and making him yawn.

He actually sits up after that, ruffling his hair with his free hand and grumbling.]

Fucking shit... Gotta keep the window open for you, but I can't... I'm not sleeping like that. Don't really think you wanna spend the whole fucking night here, huh, kitty?

[suddenlybees]

[ It'd probably be weird if he'd spent the night here- firstly because he can't keep up the illusion if he falls asleep, but doubly because Ellie would probably blow up at him again if he isn't there when she wakes up in the middle of the night or the next morning. If Maverick would just leave his window open, Kano would be able to slip out whenever he wants, at the expense of letting the guy catch a cold or the school's electricity bill skyrocket trying to heat a room with its window open. It's really too bad, but it'll have to go like this, right? He pulls his paws back and leaps off the bed, stepping forward to bump his nose against the door. He'll leave for tonight. But also, he turns around and sits, looking up at Maverick. He'll come back at a better time; he'll figure out a good time, maybe during the day sometime when he needs to hide from the RA or one of the kids from downstairs, and nobody would think to look in Maverick's room. He'll visit Maverick as a cat in exchange for him hiding him as a fugitive, okay? Fair?? ]

[deuteranope]

[It's a shame... He wants the kitty to love him and stay, but he understands. He can't even manage to love himself!! The last look over warms him a bit and he smiles in return, nods, and gets to his feet.]

Great. I'll be better next time, and I'll be sure to grab something good for you to make up for it.

[Leaving the door open would have been nice, too, but definitely fuck no on that one. He's probably going to have to check and make sure both the door and window are firmly shut and locked up about four times before he feels comfortable enough to sleep, since he had to open both of them. Worth it for kitty, of course. His already-soft voice lowers even more as he cracks the door open again, just in case that makes all the difference in being heard.]

You stay safe out there, okay? Cold as fuck, at night...

[suddenlybees]

[ Same hat, although animals never seem particularly interested in him, so he's got to jump through all these unnecessary hoops and be a cat to feel loved sometimes. And it's stupid how people are nicer to cats than they are to people, though it's something he can't blame them for. He opens his mouth to meow, but just goes through the motions instead of actually voicing anything, lest Imelda hears something, and then he's gone again down the hall to wherever he stays during the day. ]