fandomhighdorms | The roof, Thursday night

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The roof, Thursday night

It was Claudia's last night in Fandom.

She wasn't going on to do anything really Earth shattering. Tomorrow she'd be catching her regular portal to South Dakota and going to the Warehouse, like she did most Fridays, anyway.

She just wasn't coming back.

But that was tomorrow. And tomorrow was an eternity away. So she sat up on the roof, her feet dangling off over the edge, and stared out over Fandom. Even if she came back some day, she was never going to get this view again. Because tonight was her last night.

She was just going to South Dakota. She'd done way weirder things, and gone to way more dangerous places.

So why the hell was she so terrified?

[ooc: probably Claudia's last post as a student before swapping to alum status. Fridays are busy for me at work, so I may not have time to put her anywhere.

So, you know, open.]

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"I can't believe you're leaving me here," Scully said, joining her after a bit. "Which is less to do with not believing you graduated, and more to do with how long it's been."

Claudia smiled sheepishly. "I considered staying for the summer, but the Warehouse calls. So, uh. You've done the whole graduation thing before, right?"

"Oh yes. Multiple times. Graduating high school might've been the most exciting, though." Scully leaned on the railing, and asked, "Do you know what you'll be doing first? Or is that classified?"

"Most of our assignments are pretty immediate. But, yeah, I probably couldn't tell you, anyway." Claudia turned away from the view and took a deep breath. "Am I supposed to be terrified?"

"Excited. Relieved." Scully ticked them off on her fingers. "And yes. Terrified. At least I was. Of all the things I couldn't imagine waiting for me. I had college planned out, but... I knew it would be more than just classes."

"I already know exactly what it'll be like, though. I've been doing it for years." But she didn't, not really. Not full time. "What if I get tired of Artie? What if Pete's more annoying than cute? What if -- what if I'm not good at it, full time?"

"I do not see that happening," Scully said, sounding definite. "And as for getting sick of your co-workers... nobody has said this has to be a lifetime job. Or the only position you'll have at the Warehouse. I bet they let you do more than just catalog, once you're of legal age. You'll get more co-workers over time." She smiled slightly, wistful. "You can handle it. Just-- not all at once. And they'll give you time."

"I know, I know, I mean I think I know but --" Claudia sighed, looking back out over the island. "It's just all so . . . big. I wish I was like you, that I'd already done all this before."

"You've already done harder, getting Joshua back," Scully said, her voice quieter. "And dealt with being lonelier. But you'd be crazy, not to be a little anxious."

"It's just so big," Claudia said again. She moved to lean against Scully. "I wish I wasn't leaving you, either."

Scully couldn't say anything to that for a minute; her throat was too tight. She put an arm around Claudia, trying to keep her face calm. Not quite succeeding.

"I wish you weren't either," she said finally. "One more year here, and I graduate too. And go straight into a Master's program somewhere." Her lips quirked. "I should check out South Dakota University, I guess."

"Myka's bugging me about taking classes there."

"You're probably light years ahead of their physics program. They'd be lucky to have you." Scully tilted her head onto Claudia's shoulder. "No disappearing. And I promise not to be abducted by aliens. Again."

"No disappearing," Claudia agreed. "I'm not going to do classes, though. Not really a point to it."

"You might want that degree for something else, someday. And it wouldn't be difficult for you." Scully tilted her head. "But no. No rush. Myka just wants to look out for you."

"Well, she's no Scully, but I guess she'll do."

That got Claudia a definite hug. "And if you need anything, yell from South Dakota. You know I'll come running."

"I know. And you, too. From . . . wherever. Even if it's just to tease Mulder for awhile."

Scully nodded, then sniffed. "Needs to be done. It's far more fun when I have a partner to tease him."

"I know. Which is why I will not be building any trebuchets without you."

"Kiss kiss," Karla said, stepping out onto the roof. She looked up at the stars in silence for a few seconds before going to sit over by Claudia. "Nice night."

Claudia looked over and smiled. "Hey, magic lady. Do the stars look like this in your world, too?"

Karla smiled a bit and nodded. "Not in the same formations, of course, but a lot like this. The moon, too. Though it probably won't surprise you that we think that dragons made them, huh?"

Not exactly true, but close enough that it counted. "Leaving soon? You've got a kind of pensive, taking it all in look about you."

"Tomorrow." Claudia grinned ruefully. "I'm off to go work in a magical warehouse."

Artie would throw a fit if she heard him describe it like that, but she figured Karla would get a kick out of it.

Karla did, snickering a bit before saying, "Damn it, Claudia! You'd just about got me to agree that Craft is a kind of science and look at you, throwing the m-word around."

"Really? Damn." Claudia laughed. "Well, maybe magic and science aren't really all that different."

"Well, one's obviously awesomer," Karla pointed out, knowing that they could both agree with that--even if they disagreed on which it was. "But I can agree that there are a few similarities here and there."

Like, you know, rules. And some of the basic effects. Stuff like that.

Speaking of... Karla called in a small, wrapped box and handed it over to Claudia. "Here," she said. "Couldn't let my first little sib to graduate leave the island without something to mark the occasion. Congratulations."

"You got me a present?" Claudia was genuinely surprised -- and touched. She accepted the box and took a few moments to look at it. "Is it a magic wand?"

"Of course not," Karla scoffed. "That'd just be silly."

Obviously magic Jewels made faaaaar more sense!

Inside the box, Claudia would find two small, slightly-glowing spheres, with a small silver band around each of them. On each silver band, she'd find several familiar markings: a triangle, a square, two parallel bars standing on end, and two double-arrows, one pointing left, the other pointing right.

"They're music spheres," Karla explained, sounding almost shy. "I had them use the traditional American marks though, so you'd know what all the buttons did. They're filled with Kaeleeran music. A bunch of different kinds, since I don't know what kind of music you like."

Her smile got a little broader when she added, "I got you two, so you could take the first one apart and find out how it works without worrying about putting it back together again."

Claudia barked out a laugh at that last bit -- yes, she was already picking one up to peer at it. She set it down softly and wiped at her eye.

It itched, shut up.

"That's . . . totally awesome. Thank you. Seriously, for everything."

"You're welcome," Karla said, surprised to find her own eyes...itching...as well. "Little enough as it was, though. I'm sorry I was such a pain in the ass in the beginning. And, uhh, possibly the middle and end, there, too."

And this was why Karla didn't apologize often. Because she sucked at them.

"Hey, I was the one who showed up thinking I already knew everything." Oh how very very wrong she'd been. "This place is really a trip and a half, huh?"

"Damn right it is." Karla huffed a laugh. "It's weird, now, isn't it? Looking back on how much we thought we knew back then? As opposed to know when we really do know everything."

Such a lie. The closer Karla got to graduating, the more she worried she didn't know anything. Which made her wonder how Claudia felt about all that.

So she said as much, adding, "And you? Especially now with graduation behind you and your magical warehouse in front?"

"Well, I'm clearly the expert on everything, now. It's one of the graduation requirements." Yeah, not even a little.

"Nothing but the best education from Fandom High," Karla snorted. "Good luck out there, Claudia. And don't forget to come back and visit, okay?"

"Are you kidding? I'm gonna need this crazy to balance out all the other crazy I'm about to leap into. Plus, you'll all miss me too much."

"Never would have thought it that first year, but you know what? I think you're right."

They had never really become friends. Too different, most likely. But a fondness had developed between them, or so Karla believed. And she would miss her crazy little sib, even if it was just hearing about her trebuchet exploits on the radio.

"At least you're well-prepared for that kind of crazy, huh? Fandom does that much right be us. What's a little magic warehouse compared to an island built on whimsy?"

"Well, it's almost as likely to end the world, so it's not THAT much of a switch. But as far as I know, it hasn't turned anyone into a pony, yet."

"Give it time," Karla advised. "And sent pictures when it does."

She stood up the, taking one last glance at the stars. "I should head back to my room," she said, sounding a little apologetic. "I've got packing of my own to do. I'm heading home tomorrow, too. For the summer, I mean. And I have to clean my room before I can actually find anything to pack."

"Have fun with that." Claudia smiled up at her. "Thanks again, Karla. And, you know, good luck. Gimme a call if you ever need anything sciency done."

"I will," Karla promised. "And maybe from time to time just because. And you, too, you know? Not so much with the science, but the calling. Especially if you ever need help with something. Seriously, I'm just a phone call away."

And with that, she flashed Claudia another smile and headed for the roof's edge, creating a staircase out of air to descend down to her room.

What? It was Claudia! Being a brat about magic was practically required at this point!

Claudia laughed. "Manipulated forces!" she called after her. "Doesn't mean it's not science!"

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The roof, Thursday night

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