This freshman has been staring at the floor and sipping from his cup of water for the past ten minutes.
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"Come on, Sean," says a girl.
"Poppy -"
"Come on! Look, this one looks sad and lonesome like you. Make friends." And she pushes Sean and his own cup of water toward the sad and lonesome boy.
"- hello," says Sean, "I'm Sean, Manchester."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"-hello. Um, I'm Virgil.
Salvatore. I'm not from an enclave."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"Most people aren't. My parents said to always mention it introducing myself, sorry."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
Nod.
"Do you- is it just you? Do you have any siblings?"
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"I have some little ones, nobody close in age."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
-nod.
"I'm sorry. Your parents are good, though? You feel- ready?"
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"My parents are... fine."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"-yeah. My dad loved me a lot, but- love kind of collapses under the weight of preparing your kid for the Scholomance. Our house was like a fortress."
And there was that whole incident with Gail...
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"The enclave's pretty safe. As things go. It's just..." Sean shrugs.
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"Was it hard? Being the oldest."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"I don't know that having older siblings would be any better."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"Guess not.
What are you looking forward to?"
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
Who asks that question on day one of the Scholomance.
"I'm interested in learning more spells."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"It's awful, right, that most people are going to die?
I don't- I don't have any siblings. I'm sorry you do. I mean, I'm not sorry- I'm sorry."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"...thanks."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
Yeah that seems about right.
"...see, this is why I was in the corner. Sorry your- Poppy- made you talk to me."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"It's not your fault. She's just like that."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"...I can make things disappear, little things. And fix them, and break them. I don't know what my affinity is exactly, but that's usually what I'm good at. So if you need any help with that, let me know."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"Thanks. I'm water affinity, it's kind of bad in here."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"-yeah. I'm thinking of going artificing- I'm good at repairs and little, fiddly things. With water, were you thinking alchemy?"
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"Incantations. I mean, water's in a lot of potions, I guess, but then it's not water after that."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"Makes sense. It's the safer choice, anyway, I'm not sure why anyone without a really good affinity for it goes alchemy or artificing, if they don't have a death wish."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"Maybe if they hate languages?"
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"I guess. What languages do you have so far?"
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"English and French. They were going to put me in classes for more things but, uh, thought they'd better have me save it for here."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"Oh, so you're a fast learner? I have English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Latin."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"I'm going to pick up Latin next. Maybe Greek maybe Japanese after that's solid."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"I can tutor you, if you want."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"I could use it! What do you want for it?"
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
-oh right he should want something.
Ngh.
Oh.
"You don't know any potions to get rid of depression, do you?"
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"Nnnno. Did you already try normal pharmacy stuff?"
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"Yeah.
I'll take a favor, for if I ever think of something I want."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"Okay. Do you want to come sit with Manchester in the library, Saturday, for Latin?"
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"Okay.
Thank you."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"Thank you, if I had to bother the other Manchester kids for Latin I would never live it down."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"We can help each other, right?
You can tell Poppy you made a new friend, if that'll get her off your back."
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
"It won't, but I'll try anyway."
Virgil Livewell Salvatore
why_bother
Jarnvidr
"I'll see you Saturday."
And...then he'll...leave his corner? Virgil looks like he isn't sure whether he's expected to leave his corner now.
Sean Vail
lost_boy
Alicorn
Virgil can have the corner; Sean is off to try to evade Poppy and fail at once.