I'll be there for you

[mansionstaff]

Who: EV ERY ONE
What: Graduation. Prom.
When: The evening of May 31st.
Where: The Stadium.
Warnings: WHO KNOWS

One might find the stadium a little hot and humid for those used to a spring graduation ceremony. This fine evening the Academy is experiencing its first hints of summer, a warm breeze providing relief to those who would sit on the stadium floor, which had been rearranged into a platform overlooking neat rows of chairs meant to seat the gathered crowd of faculty and students. Towards the other end of the complex was the arrangement for the prom that was to follow. Food and drink, chairs and tables, each with a floral centerpiece, and, of course, a dance floor.



Before everyone could get their party on, however, there was the main event of the evening. From his place at the podium, Master Hand watched students and staff alike find their way into the stadium. With the recent robot shenanigans, there seemed to be tensions in need of dispelling. If the Headmaster knew one thing, however, it was that some silly city antics were not going to ruin this esteemed event. Not tonight. Not if he could help it.

-------

HEY DUDES! Here's how stuff is going to work. We kick off the log with GRADUATION. This part of the log will be divided into separate threads. I'll post them all at once, so feel free to hop around, mingle, post whenever, wherever.

HOWEVER, once the PROM starts, it will be up to you guys to post your own threads. Please check out last year's log if you'd like an idea of how this works. Everything after the thread titled "DISMISSAL" (I will post that in a bit, so don't post prom threads until I have that up!) will be considered prom, though don't let that stop you from continuing to post in the graduation section.

Please label all your threads appropriately! (Examples: "SHENANIGANS AT THE FOOD TABLE", "DANCE-OFF", "THE PUNCH IS SPIKED", "BOTHER X" In general, a location + what is going on in the thread is the way to go. Obviously, more than one thread can take place at the same location. 

Linking back and forth when and if you thread hop is very much appreciated. If things start to look a bit laggy, we'll bump to the next page. Most importantly, HAVE FUN, and let a mod know about any problems or concerns you might have!

Comments

[obfuskate]

"Juice."

Not only was Shadow an asshole, but he was also a gigantic smart alec. He understood the implication - he's faced this many times already, to be sure - but he hardly reacted in a standard manner anymore after having gotten used to it. How long had he been here? A year? Sheesh. Ample time, he supposed.

He straightened himself, careful not to slip in the fruits of the accident still splattered along the floor. (Metal, needless to say, wasn't very anti-fall material.) The cup remained nestled in his clutches, yet he couldn't care less for it now, curious and mildly irritated eyes peering up at him.

The average one. Hm.

That made it all even more predictable.

"Now, what the Hell are you? A giraffe?" He scoffed, trying to hold back the urge to dart for a towel or some napkins. Urgh, this mess, he had to clean it, but he wasn't going to just run off now. It might seem socially unacceptable and set off red flags.

He really didn't want to get in a fight tonight. Sounded like too much of a hassle, too much of a scene for such a fun little party, and, oh, maybe he was kinda still healing from a near-death experience. Maybe.

AAAA

[wassa_matta_you]

"A gira - No," Desmond opted to answer instead of echoing Shadow in complete confusion. "I look nothing like a giraffe..." He muttered to himself, then crouched down to level with Shadow. He'd forgive the annoyance of a damp leg in order to get a better look at whatever the Hell he was trying to get a better look at.

If Desmond were to believe he really wasn't from his own reality anymore, he... guessed there could be walking abnormalities like Shadow in the midsts. It wouldn't be the first time his entire world had shifted beneath his feet, changing what he thought he knew about the universe.

While it all remained weird as fuck, it made him less hesitant to be forward.

"Sorry, but what are you?" It could talk (rudely, he might add), so he could at least try to have some manners with it.

at least he's informative

[obfuskate]

"A hedgehog."

Shadow expected the stranger to recoil, crinkling his face in disgust over how an oversized, creepy beast like him could be a cute, tiny, prickly hedgehog. It wasn't that he didn't get used to it, but hell if it wasn't a little irritating. Was it because it felt demeaning? Maybe a little.

"My name... Ergh," he sounded, ears flopping back in disgust as his fur started to grow sticky. "I have to clean this mess. Excuse me."

He bolted for the napkins and returned in good time. He had a nice little pile of them in his arms. They were his legion. His cleaning legion.

"Take some." Before he got so uncomfortable that he'd start rolling in them.

[wassa_matta_you]

Sorry, Shadow, you're going to get what you expected from the big, dumb human.

"A hedgehog?" He kept his mouth shut to watch Shadow try and deal with the mess he made. He accepted his gracious offer of napkins but did nothing with them for the time being, too, er, surprised to remember his jeans were gross with sticky juice. The next time he speaks, it's more to himself. "Man, where the Hell am I? Some kind of Disney movie?"

Yes. Disney.

[obfuskate]

Fine. In that case, he was just going to (hedge)hog all of the napkins to himself. He practically started smothering himself in them, getting himself all nice and dry. It, uh... didn't help the stickiness, but it was something.

"If you think the entire prom is going to belt out in an enchanted song, you're wrong." Shadow was just... going to throw that out there. He eyed him from between all the napkins adorning his face, slowly trying to pick them off. Ew. "We're also more comparable to a Stephen King adaptation than a Disney movie."

Don't even get him started.

[wassa_matta_you]

"Oh," Desmond said with a smirk, honestly amused by his answer. He hadn't been expecting a response at all, really. "Well, that's probably a good thing. You don't wanna hear me sing. Trust me."

He stood up again, looking around the room in an attempt to spot anything else that reminded him of the "hedgehog" in front of him, just to verify this was a common sight. Desmond realized in that moment that he should've been more surprise, but when you have holographic forever-old men and women popping up in front of you to discuss your destiny, well, you get a bit jaded.

"So what's a hedgehog doing in a school?"

[obfuskate]

The answer was simple enough for him, but for Desmond, it might have been a lot to swallow, given it was terribly extreme. For Smash, it was no big deal, though, but look at who seemed unused to the place!

"I am here to protect the school and all worlds attached to it," Shadow told him, pulling more soaked napkins from his fluff. Sheesh, that stuff was especially absorbent, kind of like human hair. "You do know this city acts as a hub for many different universes, do you?"

He then perked, eyes on him as he realized that brought him another inquiry. "Why are you here?"

[wassa_matta_you]

"A hub?" Well, no, he didn't know that, per se. Arguably, he assumed this was an entirely different type of hub for entirely spoilerific different reasons, but he tried to keep an open mind, all things considered.

"Me?" No, the other descendant from a long line of Assassins. "I was invited." Sort of. "And I really should go find the, uh, invite...r."

[obfuskate]

"Invited."

The manner in which he said that was just so flat. Shadow was inclined to take that as 'being kidnapped by the Hands' rather than being 'invited' to come on his own accord. Did they ever stop acting like fools? How about treating people to the experience if they chose to?

He finished patting his torso dry, only needing to swipe over his shoes very quick. "You may need to interrogate the headmaster of the academy. He likely... invited you." Invited. Ha. He gave the slightest snort in bitter amusement.

"You came here against your will, I'm guessing."

i... AM HERE...

[wassa_matta_you]

Desmond readied a denial but after some quick thinking, decided to hold off on that. Anyone going anywhere against their will pretty much defined kidnapping, something Desmond unfortunately knew too much about recently. Hearing the title "Headmaster" didn't really sit well with him either. Too close to "Grand Master" if you ask him.

That in mind, rather than giving Shadow a straight answer, he replied with a question. "Is everyone here against their will?" Was this a school or a prison?

go away desmond

[obfuskate]

"Some are, some aren't. It varies."

It was a short answer, but he hardly required anything more. It was the truth, plain and simple. Some people were, in fact, happy here, something that Shadow could only fathom about 2% of the time. It was a ridiculous place to live, and to adapt to it so well was even more insane.

Speaking of such ludicrous behavior, he thought it a bit dumb that Desmond was standing there, stickiness permeating his pants. Did some humans just lack an adversity to filth? Seriously.

"Now, you should clean yourself. Please." Or else people might start thinking those stains were caused by a different kind of accident.