Magic/Support Reserves, The Preserve, Wednesday After Workshops

[trigons_child]

The usual table of baked goods and refreshments was available for the reserves meeting, with plenty of ice to keep the drinks cool in the heat of the afternoon. It was Raven's turn again to lead the meeting, and she was trying not to flail. She was never going to be used to public speaking. And yes, she'd changed clothes since leaving 'Dite's, thank you very much.

"Last year we had a discussion about recognizing when people were not themselves," she began, "but in light of this past Friday, and because we have many new people here now, I thought it would be acceptable to speak on this topic again." Without love spells this time, please.

"Fandom has many ways of affecting us," Raven went on, "and it is often said that the island has a whimsical sense of humor. People have spontaneously changed sex for a day, or turned into children or animals, or become another person entirely, or just...not been themselves. If you have not experienced these things yet, you likely soon will, or you will observe your friends being thus transformed. While it may be amusing to watch, if something has altered your friend's personality, it is advisable to keep an eye on them so they do not do something they will later regret." No, her eyes totally weren't darting toward Karla when she said that, and she definitely wasn't blushing.

"And -- if they're going to do it no matter what you say?" Tara put in with a blush of her own, thinking of her turn as a chanteuse, "Keep an eye on them, and be reassuring afterwards. Remind them it happens to everybody and not that many people saw whatever it is that they did. Unless it's physically dangerous. Then you have to stop them."

"I personally would consider mental scarring to fall into that category," Emmett added. Not blushing, just... looking mentally scarred. "And yet another afterwards option would be What Happens When Hell Freezes Over Stays In Hell, aka looking your friend straight in the eye, saying "I have no idea what you're talking about" and passing them an ice cream sundae."

Karla nodded. "And when it comes to dealing with the consequences of their--or your--actions, it's important to remember that people might literally have not been in their right minds. It may be hard to be forgiving or just in the aftermath, but, most times, people have no idea anything is happening or different until whatever weirdness has struck has ended. Until then, they are acting 'normal' by the standards of that new reality, and that new reality. You have to understand that whatever actions or behaviors they displayed during that time, they have very little to do with how the person thinks, feels, or acts normally, and take that into account when you decide how to respond in the aftermath."

"Do you have any abilities that might be useful in detecting if someone is not themselves, such as reading an aura and seeing it has changed?" Raven finished. "Or if their form has been entirely altered, would you be able to sense their true self? What could you do to restrain someone who is acting out of character?"


[Co-written with the spectacular spectacular glacial_witch, hazlehurstmiss, and life_inshadow. Please wait for the OCD is up!]

Comments

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"Romance 101," Karla said, getting a bit flustered. "It was our final. We've spent all term going over various stages of courtship and that was the logical end result, I guess."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"Ohhhhh, I feel better," she said, sighing in relief. "I mean, we're sixteen. Getting married for class seems insane until you know what class it is."

She gave Karla a sidelong glance, and added, "So, was it a good proposal?"

She was curious! Bobby wasn't exactly suave, no matter how many lies she told him to the contrary.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"I really don't think it's a binding proposal," Karla assured Sookie. "My uncle would be really upset if it were."

As for his proposal which was still being played out, Karla just had to chuckle and shrug. "It was very Bobby, I can say that."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"Your uncle to start with," Sookie contributed, grinning. "I suppose I'd just have to carry on some kind of extramarital affair with your husband if it was binding."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"I would have to argue that was highly unfair," Karla pointed out. "Unless I was also granted extramarital affair privileges."

Possibly also with Sookie.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"Naturally. But it would have to be secret," she added. "Most affairs seem to be secret."

Except not to telepaths, but whatever.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"You forget," Karla said with a wink. "I'm a Queen. It's not usual for a Queen to have a husband and a Consort, but it isn't unheard of."

It was just generally considered trashy, in poor taste, and quietly gossiped about.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"Oooooh. So would that make Bobby a King?" she wondered. "And how 'bout Queen's husbands having affairs? Do those have to be secret?" She waggled her brows. "Secret affairs just seem more romantic."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"Nope, Bobby just remains the Queen's husband," Karla said. "Kaeleer has no Kings. He can stay home and play with the babies. Though, yes. If we wants to escape his Queen's wrath, his affair had better be secret." She sniffed, pulling on haughty, aristo airs. "If you think I'll have the servants laughing at me..."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

She snorted. "Don't worry. I can be very discreet. And so can whoever you choose as your consort," she added, thinking over a few options for Karla (though she thought 'boy with wings' was probably the very opposite of 'discreet.') "Got anyone in mind?"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"Of course," Karla said loftily. "But why limit myself to just one?"

That was Karla for maybe, but I'm not quite ready to admit anyone out loud just yet. The blush probably also gave some of that away.

The trouble with Fandom? There was a glut of options here.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

She grinned at her, because that was good to hear. "Good. There're too many cute boys around here. Someone ought to enjoy 'em."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"And girls," Karla reminded Sookie. Tara and Kennedy didn't have a monopoly on the Sapphic love as Reserves leaders. "There are just way too many cute everyone at this school."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"And girls," she echoed, though that got a curious glance from Sookie, since she hadn't realized that Karla was so inclined. Because she was dense. "The whole school's full of pretty people. It's like a requirement."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

Karla nodded, answering Sookie's unspoken question. "I think you're right," she said. "Which is probably how the shirtless newbie picnics got started."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"Which -- we're due for a batch of new kids soon," she noted thoughtfully. "I wonder how many people'll shirtless for this one. The summer turnout's usually better than winter -- too cold for most."

And the only reason that was just 'most' was because she knew a person or two who didn't mind the cold.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

And a few others who did, but would go shirtless anyway just to prove a point--even if that point was 'look how hot I am with a nipple ring.'

"I can't believe I've been here so long already," Karla said. "A year in May. I've seen Fandom in all her seasons and I must admit, summer seems to be the fairest. Possibly because of said shirtlessness."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"Mmm, and the beach, and being able to be outside," Sookie sighed, turning her face up towards the sun a bit. "I feel naked without a tan. Summer can just go on forever far as I'm concerned. Shirtlessness is a bonus, too."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"You might want to rethink your stance on a long-term affair with my husband," Karla advised dryly. "My Territory isn't called Glacia by accident."

They had summer, of course. It was just a cool, rainy, high-of-mid-70's kind of season.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"Well. He'll be happy there," Sookie said dryly. "I'll just have to whisk my illicit boyfriend away for sunny weekends away."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"See? I knew I chose my husband wisely," Karla teased.

She found herself absurdly grateful for Sookie's friendship right then. It was nice to be able to laugh and tease and joke like everything was normal. "Though I've heard him complain about the heat, so best of luck convincing him to run away with you."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"I'm pretty sure that pointing out that bikinis are meant for warm climates might persuade him," Sookie said, tapping her chin. She was feeling similarly; despite the fact that she wasn't worried about the same things as Karla, being able to joke and get her mind off of Gran (and Dawn, and Maudette, and the Bill situation) was an excellent thing.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"Blast. Apparently you know my husband well," Karla said, with a rueful shake of her head. "You've won this round, Sookie."

Impulsively, Karla leaned over to give Sookie a hug. "I'm glad we're friends," she said. "And that I remember that today."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

Sookie was a little surprised, but the hug was hardly unwelcome. She squeezed the other girl, and asked, "Me too, honey. Are you doing okay?"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[glacial_queen]

"There's some stuff going on," Karla admitted, hesitant to burden Sookie with anything more to worry about. "It's got me a little on edge. And I was just thinking how nice it is that I can put all that aside and just relax with you."