ic Extra Credits (IC)

[Thevshi]

Beaudrie Opera House
Theater District, Freedom City, New Jersey
Tuesday November 12, 2024. 10:20 AM

 

A couple of weeks ago Headmistress Summers had spoken with a few her students about an opportunity to assist a field trip for several of the youth attending the Nicholson School to attend a performance by the Freedom Youth Philharmonic for several area elementary schools. Michael Adon, Sarah Thatcher and Jack Davydov had volunteered. Earlier that morning, the trio had been transported over to the Nicholson campus in nearby Port Regal, where they had met the teacher leading the field trip (Ms. Houston) and the group of forty some students that were attending the performance.

 

They had then loaded onto a school bus and made the trip over to the Theater District in downtown Freedom City. The level of excitement for the students varied considerably, ranging from very excited for many of the younger students (those nine or ten years old) to a more resigned indifference with the teens in the group.

 

The area around the Beaudrie Opera House had been rather chaotic, with more than a dozen school buses all dropping off loads of elementary school students to attend the performance. Michael, Sarah and Jack had managed to help keep all the Nicholson students together and guide them into the building, making a stop by the restrooms for any that needed to use them, before heading off to find the groups seats in large venue. 

 

It was perhaps even more chaotic inside the building than out, as hundreds of students were gathered, many chatting away as they waited for the performance to begin, teachers and other chaperones keeping an eye on them and making one last headcount to ensure everyone was present. Sarah found herself sitting near some of the thirteen and fourteen year old students, many of whom were focused on their cellphones or otherwise looking around for distractions. One of the older girls looked particular bored and restless, Sarah thought she recalled her being introduced as Victoria. 

 

Jack was seated among some of the ten-year-olds, his gentle nature having won them over on the bus ride, despite his imposing height and frame. Among the group were two twin girls, Madison and Mary who seemed very excited to see the performance.

 

Backstage…..

 

Lynn Conners stood among the other members of the Freedom Youth Philharmonic as they waited for the que to take the stage. The blonde sixteen-year-old was wearing a long black evening dress with sleeves that went to her elbows. She was holding her violin and bow in her hands (her sheet music already out on a music stand by her chair) as she took a deep breath to try to steady the many emotions she was feeling. 

 

Although she had been part of the youth orchestra for a couple of years back in her timeline, it felt so very different here. For one thing, all of the other performers were unknown to her, as this timeline’s versions of any that she had known in her timeline being six years younger, and thus not yet in the orchestra (if they were even learning classical music here). Even the conductor was different in this timeline. As if that were not enough, there was also the fact that Lynn had managed to gain a spot in the orchestra outside the normal tryout process (in no small part due to her adopted family’s support of the orchestra over the years). 

 

The blonde girl let out a sigh as she opened her eyes again but did not focus on anything in particular as she continued to wait to go out to her seat…..
 

[Poncho]

(Golden Star)

 

Michael was excited to be picked to chaperone some younger kids, but while Sarah and Jack had easily formed connections with the younger kids, it was a bit harder for Michael; the truth was, he was always acting a bit older than his own age, which made it more difficult for kids just a little younger than him to associate with him; he could easily come across as a bit uptight or too much like their teachers instead of a slightly younger, maybe more pliable chaperone. He was still dashing in the Claremont uniform; with just a little addition of a little blue button on his jacket to represent the Claremont Squad he was on. Michael did have a lot of pride in his Claremont schooling and his squad, so he tried to at least represent them a little. He definitely looked like someone chaperoning kids, even if he was wearing a school uniform, just due to how he was acting and looked. While Jack was managing the ten year olds and Sarah was handling the thirteen and fourteens, Michael had taken a spot amongst the ones between those two, helping the teachers and other chaperones as he could. He was relying on his enhanced hearing a lot at this moment to keep track of the kids; with so much going on, he was sorting information as he took it in, and making sure to keep a check on specifically the Nicholson students to confirm they weren't getting away anywhere.

 

For now, he'd taken a seat next to the aisle to make sure everyone was reasonably corralled as he waited for the music to start, flipping through the playbook in between glances to make sure every kid was still accounted for. He knew some of these little ones had powers, or at least he was pretty sure, so he needed to make sure they weren't doing anything too out there with their powers. If it came down to it, he was pretty sure he could wrangle any unruly teenagers- even if he was just a teenager himself-, but he also knew from Lawrence there were a few who might have quite a bit of weight to them, so he was mostly hoping for a performance that was exceptional, but not too loud  to enjoy the orchestra and show he could be trusted with responsibility. Getting a little time off from school was nice, but it wasn't his biggest priority; after all, Michael was one of those weird guys who liked being in school, unlike some of his friends

 

He offered Jack and Sarah a little thumbs up when they caught his gaze, as always exuding the absolute confidence that only Michael Adon could have- on the outside at least-, and hoping to give them some of that boundless confidence with the simple gesture of 'We've got this, no worries, yeah?'

 

Calm, cool, and collected. At least on the outside.

Edited November 14 by Poncho

[Spacefurry]

Seraphim

 

Sarah had to admit, she liked the school’s uniform. She thought she looked cute in it.

 

Being the fourth child of five, Sarah was use to dealing with younger kids. She was always stuck with helping her mother with the youngest as her older siblings conveniently had ‘other things to do’.

 

Even still, this was more then she was expecting.

But she had agreed to this and she wasn’t going to let the school or the headmistress down.

 

She returned Michael’s thumbs up with nearly a genuine smile.

 

She supposed she had it a little easier with the young teens, even though technically she was only a couple years their senior. They were more interested in the phones than in running amok. One of the girls, Veronica? No, Victoria. Yes, that was it.

Victoria seemed restless.

 

Sarah leaned closer to the girl.

“Hey there.”

She said in a lowered voice and gave Victoria a friendly smile.

“Is everything alright? Can I get you water or something?”

She offered.

Edited Wednesday at 12:34 AM by Spacefurry