ic This Side of the Pond [Open]

[Thevshi]

Claremont Academy, Jasmin Summers Administrative Building

Freedom City, New Jersey

December 1, 2023, 9:00 AM

 

Callie Summers, the headmistress at Claremont Academy led Vicki Adams and her father into the main entryway of the administrative building after their meeting this morning on Vicki’s first day at the institution. This had come about rather suddenly and followed her father’s discovery about the nature of the teen’s former school, the Atom Academy.

 

"So, I am confident Claremont will provide all the opportunities Vicki would need to obtain the quality education you expect for her." The headmistress said in continuation of the general conversation they had been having for the last half-hour or so. "And now we have an orientation tour scheduled for Vicki, and arrange what I understand is a familiar face to act as her guide." The headmistress continued, indicating a figure that was staining in the entryway, apparently waiting for the trio.

 

Both Vicki and her father quickly recognized the waiting figure as Lawrence Harrow, the sixteen year old son of Lord Robert Harrow. With short blond hair and handsome features, Lawerence had a very close resemblance to his father, save for his bright blue eyes, which almost seemed to burst with energy. Those were the very image of his mother, Megan Howell-Harrow.

 

Lawrence was dressed in a pair of grey slacks, with black shoes. He was wearing a white dress shirt with a red tie, over which was a navy blue sweater, which bore the Claremont Academy crest over the left breast.

 

"Mr. Adams, Vicki, so wonderful to see you both again." Lawrence offered in greeting with a charming smile.

[BitCook]

Vicki was doing her best to look on the bright side of things; which from her perspective there were precious few.  She was about to attend her seventh school in six years after just having stayed a few months at the Atom Academy.  Her father, Robert Adams, MP, had found out that the Atom Academy was primarily geared to serving Meta humans, which had ended her tenure there rather quickly.  Even if it was one of the top schools for Medical and Life sciences.

Already, Vicki had cheeks of crimson as her father had not quite overtly said racist things, but certainly he had insinuated it; going so far as to say "at least this school doesn't just let ANYONE in here."  Along with such wonderful hits as, "I'm glad we can get Vicki into a school where she'll learn propper things."  Thankfully, the headmistress either was very tolerant or used to having to deal with parents who held questionable views.  More than once, Vicki had mouthed 'I'm sorry' to the woman and was doing her best to try and crawl into any hole that would accept her. 

Which is why the elder Adam's was far out and ahead when they met up with Lawrence.  Robert's smile for Lawrence was geniune as he strode over to him like a guided missile.  The good looking boy was excatly the kind of material that the firebrand politican wanted to associate his daughter with.  In any capacity.

"Lawrence!" he said boisterously, "it really is good to see you again.  How is your father?"

Meanwhile Vicki, dressed in a conservative navy skirt and white blouse, stood back a moment with the Headmistress.  When her father was out of earshot, she vocalized what she had been trying to communicate through the whole tour, "I'm very sorry Ma'am... my father is not afraid to speak his mind and he has... um... polarizing views at time.  For what it is worth, I do not share most of them."

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

As MP Adams moved forward to greet Lawrence, Vicki saw the professional expression on the headmistress' face drop as she regarded the man's back with a stern expression. Her expression softened as she looked to Vicki. "Do not worry Ms. Adams, I am not one to judge one based on their family. Besides, I spoke with the Principal at Atom Academy last night, they are very sad to see you go." She said quietly to the teen.

 

Lawrence shook the elder Adams' hand, noting that Vicki and the headmistress were hanging back slightly. "He is well sir. In fact, he will be back in London next week for some important votes. My mother and I will join him in a few weeks for the holidays."

 

 

[BitCook]

Robert was grinning like a shark in a school of tuna.  This was a perfect way to get his daughter some time with good normal people.  People from influential wealthy families and pedigrees.  I mean, he could accept the fact that universities were filled with and overrun with common liberal rabble, but places like that Atom family were also rife with meta humans as well.  

 

"That's wonderful Lawrence.  Looks like you've landed in a good spot.  The States seem to be doing you well," he said looking the young man up and down.  "But if you're heading back for the holidays, perhaps I could have my assistant make sure that Vicki gets on the same flight.  You know how she is... I'd just feel better having someone watch over her while traveling is all.  I can run it by your father if you'd like?"

Meanwhile Vicki felt a strong sense of relief, she had been deathly worried that the folks at the Atom Academy had been upset that she had pulled out so suddenly.

"Thank you Ma'am.  If you could let them know that I very much enjoyed my time there.  However, my father... um... he has certain beliefs and when he found out that they provided support for Metahumans, well... then he couldn't get me out of there faster," she said looking over to where her father was enthusiastically speaking to Lawrence.

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

Lawrence noted the expression on the eldest Adams' face, it was something he had encountered several times before when he had begun accompanying his parents to social gatherings in England. People were always weighing what advantage they might be able to obtain though Lawrence's father. 

 

"Thank you sir. It has been a good fit." He replied to the MP. At the suggestion of Vicki taking the same flight for the holidays, Lawrence gave a small nod. "I'm certain my parents would have no complaint. I can mention it to them and have someone reach out to your assistant to smooth out the details."

 

Headmistress Summers was watching the interaction between Vicki's father and Lawrence with what appeared to be an expression of satisfaction of things going according to a plan. But the expression was only there a moment before it was gone and she once again spoke softly to Vicki. "I will be sure to pass that one next time I speak with them, which is fairly regularly."

 

She then spoke up as a neutral expression returned to her face. "I believe Lawrence should be getting started with Vicki's tour, we are hoping to get her started in some of her new classes this afternoon.*

[BitCook]

"Hmmm?" Robert said looking back over his shoulder hearing the Head mistressea comments.  "Right, right.  Of course.  I need to be off anyway.  Dinner with the mayor and then back to London."

 

He nodded to Lawrence, "I'll make sure they get in touch and whenever you or your father wish to join a growing party, let me know!"

 

His smile was practiced and displayed what hundreds of thousands of pounds of dental work could achieve.  Turning back he stepped past the Headmistress and nearly walked past his daughter before remembering she was there.

 

"Ah, be good dearest and try not to do the things you've done in other schools."

 

"I'll try my hardest father.  Be safe," Vicki said before he walked away without another word, already lost in his phone.

 

Sighing heavily, she walked over to Lawrence and gave him a shy but warm smile.  Boys were not really anything she had much experience with and Lawrence's casual good looks were enough to set her a little on edge.

 

"Hello Lawrence," she said looking down at his shoes, "it's good to see you again.  I was very happy to hear you attended here..."

Edited December 2, 2023 by BitCook
Tested to see if I logged in with my username it worked which it did

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

Lawrence’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Mr. Adams' departure and once the elder Adams had exited the building he turned back towards the headmistress and Vicki with a more friendly expression back in place. "Well done Mr. Harrow." The headmistress stated. "I will leave you and Ms. Adams' to her tour and trust you will ensure she is where she needs to be on time." She added with a smile and a nod to Vicki before turning and making her way back to her office.

 

The blond teen gave Vicki a friendly smile as she came over, this one with much more warmth than he had been using before. "Cheers Vicki." He replied. "It is very good to see you again as well." Now that he was not dealing with her father, Lawrence's manner was much more causal and relaxed. "Shall we crack on?" He stated, gesturing towards a hallway that led towards a side exit to the building.

[BitCook]

While she was fighting her embarassment, a smile crossed her face.  It was alway nice to her the accent of her country.  It just sounded like home.  Which, nothing against the States, but the people just sounded funny to her. 

 

"Yes, please.  Thank you very much," she said quietly, turning to give a little finger wave to the headmistress.  Then she paused, "oh... sorry, but what about my things?  Should I leave them here?"

 

The headmistress stepped in and nodded in agreement, "we'll have a couple of students bring them to your room."

Vicki nodded, "thank you ma'am and thank you for the welcome."

 

As the pair walked in the direction that Lawrence indicated, she stayed close to him, looking around at the lovely campus with rapt curiosity, "thank you for giving me a touring and... well I'm just going to ask.  Do you like it here?"

 

 

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

Lawrence led Vicki out of the administrative building and onto the grounds of the campus. There air outside was cold and there was a light dusting of snow that covered some of the grounds. The architecture of the buildings was likely another familiar element for Vicki, as the buildings were all Victorian style brick and stone, similar to the older buildings on the older college campuses back home. The blond teen pointed out the building to the north which he explained was the residential building for staff that lived on campus, as well as the pair of dorm buildings, which were off to the northeast along the path the two were walking along.

At Vicki's question, Lawrence gave her a smile. "Very much so. Don't let all this fool you," he indicated his formal boarding school attire, "we normally are not required to wear the school uniform, the headmistress wanted to put on a show for your father in case he wanted to come along on any part of the tour as well. While the headmistress is generally pretty…intense, over all we are able to be much more casual."

 

"To be honest, the intention of having me eventually attend here was one of the factors that led my parents to decide to raise me primarily here in Freedom City, rather than back in England."

[BitCook]

Vicki giggled, "Don't tell my father that. He still genuinely thinks that you moved over here for financial interests. I'm not entirely sure that he understands that your father's political interests aren't necessarily aligned with his own."

 

Truth be told they were not a whole lot of people that match the elder Adams politics. The young politician was heart charging and was pushing hard to make deep reforms in the way that metahumans were treated. Well he wasn't for outright bans or things of that nature, he was one of the leading proponents to making secret identities illegal and having a mandatory metahuman registration.

 

"I don't mind uniforms too much.  I've been known to spend a few hours trying to figure out what to wear to an event. I swear, guys have it much easier. You look good in anything."

 

She shivered a little in the cold December air.  That was something that was going to take some getting used to. She'd only really ever seen snow a few times in London. So even though it was a little cold, she grinned kicking at the snow at her feet.

 

"So what kind of things do you study?"

Edited December 2, 2023 by BitCook
Changed Nov to Dec

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

Lawerence chuckled slightly at Vicki's comment's about her father's misapprehension about his family's reasons for moving to Freedom City. Of course, he was not telling her all of the factors that went into the decision, it was true that the presence of Claremont Academy was one of them. "Well, I will be sure to stay mum on the topic."

 

At her comment about uniforms and difficulty in determining what to wear, Lawrence cleared his throat slightly and briefly seemed slightly embarrassed. "Well, that sounds like a topic that is fraught with danger to delve into, so I will accept the proposition, and simply offer that we are usually our own worst critics."

 

Glad for the chance to pivot as she asked about classes at the school, Lawrence continued leading the pair along the path that went parallel with a low wall and led toward a gateway through the wall as he responded. "Well, the standard lot, math, literature, science, etc. But, there are things that will likely be even more likely to set off your father, such as meta human studies, ethics of superheroing and a number of other related topics that you can choose to focus on as electives."

[BitCook]

Vicki stopped in her tracks, her eyes flashing wide open staring at Lawrence in shock.  This is a metahuman school?!!  That was not something she had expected.  Her father's views on the subject were entirely clear in the matter.  So how did he mess up and agree to send her here? 

 

"I'm sorry... Did you say metahuman studies.  Like superhero training and things like that?" She said with a nervous laugh.  "Why would I need those?" She continued with a horrific attempt at trying to conceal her nervousness.

 

However, inside, she was nearly dancing.  She had gifts and getting anyone to tell her how they could and should be used would be amazing on so many levels.  Another small part of her was practically singing, 'people like me!'

[Thevshi]

Timeout

Lawrence stopped just a fraction of a moment after Vicki had, a slightly confused look on his face. "You didn't know?" He asked, giving her a puzzled look.

 

"Well, I am not really privy to all the details, but as I generally understand it, once your father pulled you from the Atom Academy, there have been a number of conversations between the principal there, Headmistress Summers, my father and Syanpse. All wanted to ensure you ended up someplace that could help you with your abilities, and do so in a way that would leave your father none the wiser. Thus, my role in helping to misdirect your father."

[BitCook]

She blinked a number of times trying to take it all in.  What few people knew was that the British heroine Synapse had mentored Vicki ever since the ball had shown up three years ago.  It had been done in secret to keep her father appeased and keep Vicki's life less complicated.

 

That more people knew was mind boggling.  That Lawrence was taking in the same stride as if she had mentioned that she liked pepperoni pizza was just a whole different kind of... relief?  How long had she hidden her gifts?  Even at the Atom Academy, she had spent quite some time trying to pretend she was just mundane normal.

 

"So you know that I'm different?" She asked looking up to meet his eyes for perhaps the first time of the tour.  "...and you don't care?"

 

Now that she was looking at him, she appraised him, looking beyond the good looks and nice fashion sense.  However, her black irises were a bit of a two way street.  Inside them, Lawrence could also see glipses of a bright and wise mind behind the black haired girl.

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

Lawrence met Vicki's intense, unexpectedly wise gaze without hesitation or uncertainty. "Those sound like your father’s words. Why should being different be anything bad." He stated simply.

 

Looking into Lawrence's eyes, Vick's abilities showed her more than she perhaps had expected. She saw Lawrence as a young child, moving about as the world seemed to stand still around him, everything frozen in a moment. Everything that is except his mother, who somehow seemed to always be able to be one step ahead of him.

 

She caught glimpses of Lawrence, at various ages, experimenting with his abilities, freezing things within…time? Such at stopping water poured from a glass, so that it hung in the air, as if frozen, but still liquid, then moving it forward, before then reversing it so that it went back into the glass.

 

As those visions began to fade, there was a slight trace of…something, that seemed to loom on the distant horizon, but then the connection was gone.

"I have had my abilities since I was born." Lawrence continued. "Thankfully my parents have always tried their best to support me in dealing with them."

[BitCook]

Tilting her head she considered the good looking boy for a long moment.  That had been the last thing she had expected to see in his eyes.  However, realization came that she had intruded on his privacy in a very blunt and direct way.

 

"I..." She stammered, "I'm sorry.  I should not have done that.  It doesn't matter who you are to me.  Although... It's kind of nice to not be alone.  I was sure my father was going to make it so I was in a place that excluded people like me... us..."

 

It was starting to become reality.  The Victorian English buildings imediately went from being oppressive to looking far more inviting and interesting.  There were unrealized and unexpected possibilities which made her head spin.

 

This really might be a great year.

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

Lawrence again seemed slightly puzzled at Vicki apologized. "Not sure what you have to be sorry about." He stated as he turned to start leading her along the path once more.

 

"Anyway, as I understand it, your father's mistake was reaching out to my father to ask where he had placed me." The blond teen offered with a slight grin.

 

Passing through the gateway in the wall, the pair cam to a semi-enclosed section of the school grounds, just to their right was a section of what appeared to be gardens, with some well manicured bushes, among other baren, dormant plants. Vicki could see a small group buildings beyond some of the bushes, with roofs that had a very Asian style to them.

 

"So, back to the tour, as I am sure you can gather, this is the school's gardens." Lawrence stated. "They were much more impressive back at the start of the school year, but I understand they are at their finest come the start of Spring. There is a Japanese style zen garden that is part of it, a good quiet place to go and think or mediate."

[Huckleberry]

Rot

 

"Make way! Make way for the reindeer snowplow!" The zen-like serenity of Claremont's gardens is utterly disrupted by a cacophony and a chaos. Sweeping down the quaint brick pathway a girl with long green dreadlocks is flying just a meter or so of the ground, with hands extended, black energy wafting out and disappearing the snow everywhere she flew. She had a look of near idiotic happiness on her face.

 

"Oh, hi there, Fancy Lawrence!" For some reason only known to herself, Consuelo had taken to calling young Master Harrow "Fancy Lawrence" after they had first met under the academy in the Danger Room. The bizarre-looking student reined in and hovered in front of the pair. "I keep on getting assigned to campus cleanup." The erstwhile flying reindeer looks left and right and then adds conspiratorially: "I'll tell you a secret, though. I'm not even assigned to trash patrol today, though. I, uh, just kinda like it. Turns out I'm really good at getting rid of trash and stuff. Oh hey, who's your friend?"

[BitCook]

Vicki was about to answer Lawrence when the strange girl came flying in, removing the snow with magical efficiancy.  For the first time in a very long time, Vicki's mouth just hung open in complete surprise.  It wasn't that meta human's were unknown.  It was the casual display of powers and abilities that stunned the British teen.  Her father had done quite a job in making sure that she never attended a school where youths with abiilties were being trained.  So while she logically understood that people like her existed.  Her assumption was that they operated in the shadows like some kind of cartoon fence selling watches from their overcoat.

 

After she managed to close her mouth, she hesitantly held up a hand and gave a little finger wave to the newcomer, wiggling her fingers, "uh... hi?  I'm Vicki..."

 

All of her life America had certainly dominated the cultural zeitgeist.  TV shows displayed American culture.  Music was dominated by American groups.  Fashion seemed to be dictated by American trends.  Still, even with that cultural perspective, the prevailing opinion was that American's were both strange and perhaps overly casual.  The girl, with her antlers and red nose was both festive, strange, and perhaps everything that her father had warned about all at once.

[Thevshi]

TImeout

 

If Lawrence was bothered by the nickname Consuelo had given him, he showed no sign of it. Instead, he offered the flying girl a charming smile as he regarded her effort to deal with the light snow that was on the ground. 

 

"Good morning Consuelo." He said in greeting glancing over to Vicki as she managed to introduce herself despite her shock. "Vicki is a old family acquaintance, and also happens to have completed transferring to Claremont today. The headmistress asked me to give her a tour and make sure she gets to her classes this afternoon."

[Poncho]

A second student made his way towards Lawrence, Consuelo, and the new girl as if he was drawn by Consuelo's voice. Which he actually rather had, though he had been on his way to meet them anyway.

 

He was adjusting his school sweater over his uniform, a similar one to Lawrence with darker slacks, a dark blue dress shirt under an argyle cardigan he was just finishing buttoning up. His hair was artfully cut high and tight. Underneath the careful clothing and hair choices was the body of an American Football quarterback, with a lantern jaw and a long frame with a strong core and arms. The only thing that interrupted this entire look was that he had a cut that seemed fresh on his right cheek, something that looked like he'd gotten it within the last hour. He walked with confidence and speed up to meet the three and had the same smile he had on his face that he always met new people with. When he looked at Consuelo he even managed to not lash out like he did last time; he thought about it, thought about telling her to land and act more proper around the new student, but instead he just smiled.

 

"Good Morning Consuelo. You're looking exceptionally festive. Thanks for cleaning up the snow...I was going to build a Snowman a little later though, so can you save me some?" he asked nicely, Then he turned to the other two.

 

"Lawrence, I'm sorry I'm late, there was an incident in the city, it held me up for quite a bit. Cost me thirty minutes, actually." Then he turned to the new girl and held out a hand with a bright green card in it.

 

"And finally..." he paused as he got a good look at her. His smile got a little wider and he inclined his head a little before straightening to his full height. "It is a pleasure to meet you, I am Michael Adon. I'm a relatively new student, like you." he explained. "I asked Lawrence if I could come along and he agreed that I could meet up with you both a little after the tour started and come say hello." he never lost that smile and his voice was constantly modulated; he had a friendly tone and an open look about him from being a person who was used to finding and talking to new people. "That card will give you a discount at my work, I'd be glad to take you there myself one day after school." His smile never wavered through his entire speech, open, inviting, and unflinchingly polite.

[BitCook]

'Bloody hell, they make them a lot bigger over here, at least something dad said was right...' Vicki though to herself as she flashed Michael a wide smile, giving him her finger tips to shake and internally marveling as most of her hand seemed to disappear after taking the card and looking at it.  '...and he was also right, they all are obsessed with business and work.'

 

Of course, none of those were bad things.  In fact, of the very long tirades that her father would often go on, his near dissertations on Americans was filled with contradictory platitudes and euphemisms which always left her wondering if he admired them or despised them.  Although, given her father and his own brand of crazy, a mix of the two would not bother him and his rationale of how the world was ordered.  After reading the card, and reclaiming her hand from, the large sportsball boy she opened her handbag and secured it in her wallet.  Unlike her father, she was not about to turn down invitations... especially one's that involved shopping.

 

"That's lovely, thank you very much Michael, I'm Vicki and it's very nice of you to join us.  It's always nice to meet people at a new school... especially one so far away from home," she said with complete sincerity.

She adjusted the thin coat that she wore over the simple skirt and blouse that would have sufficed for a uniform in nearly every one of the British private schools she had attended.  Without knowing what the dress code here was, she had chosen, with some snide remarks coming in from her father, on dressing conservatively until she was told what she was expected to wear.  Although given the reindeer girl, pretty much anything seemed to be accepted.

[Huckleberry]

Rot

 

"Oh, hey, tough guy." Consuelo greeted Michael. Did she have a nickname for everyone? "I'll leave some snow for you and Elsa!"

 

"Vicki, you talk like Fancy Lawrence. Are you from England too? We talked about England in my history class. Did you know that you guys used to own us, but then we beat you in a war?" Strangely, the raggedly dressed girl actually seems proud to know this rather commonly understood fact. 

 

"So what are your superpowers, Vicki?"

 

 

[Poncho]

"Thanks Consuelo." Michael said with a smile, inclining his head respectfully. "I'd ask if you wanted to help, but I know how it works with you, so...maybe I can just make one for you instead and you can tell me how you want it decorated? I did one a few years ago where the snowman was pulling his own head off with his arms and holding it above his body. I thought it was pretty cool, personally." he said with a chuckle. Then he looked back at Vicki and in a quick motion unbuttoned his sweater and offered it to her.

 

"If you're cold, by the way, you can borrow this until you can fetch your own jacket. I should have asked earlier if you needed it." He didn't want to interrupt any discussion between Vicki and the others at the current time, but he did want to make sure to offer a good first day to this new student, and a first day where you could only remember the cold wasn't much of a good first day.

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

"Cheers Michael, no worries about being a bit late." Lawrence said to the older boy with a small smile. "Worked out well enough that I was able to put Vicki's father at ease about the school and he was on his way." He added with a bit of a shrug.

 

As Michael offered Vicki his sweater, Lawrence glanced at the slight injury on his cheek. "Let me help you with that nick there Michael," the blond teen said, as he raised a hand and there was a ripple in the air that settled on the other boy’s cheek and the injury faded from view, almost as if it had never been there.