In the middle of the town park...

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan turned the map sideways, then around, then sighed. "Utterly useless. There isn't even a duck pond on it." She looked around the town square, and pulled her coat a little tighter, worrying at her lower lip. At her feet were three burgundy leather bags, and a small black purse. "I should have just had them drop me at the school..." But getting a sandwich had seemed imperative. Now she was regretting it.

The mysterious letter, offering her a position as a School Counselor in America, had seemed a godsend at the time. Another month at St. Genevieve's, and she would have quit. And she'd loved America so, the one time she'd visited. But this certainly wasn't the way to make a first impression on her new employers.

Who knew which direction Fandom High School was?

[Someone help Susan out, get her to FH in time for her appointment with Zoe? Bonus points if you can freak her out.]

Comments

[kikidelivers.livejournal.com]

A petite girl walking through the park - with a broom on one shoulder and a bright red bow in her hair - spies an unknown woman standing alone, wearing the familiar lost look of a newcomer to Fandom.

She changes direction, and walks straight over.

"Hi," she says cheerfully, "I can tell, you must have just arrived, right? My name is Kiki. Where are you trying to get to? Maybe I can help."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Oh, could you? This map isn't showing anything I can use as a landmark," the woman replied in a crisp British accent. "I'm Susan Pevensie. I'm supposed to be working at Fandom High School. If I can find it, that is."

She cocked an eyebrow at the broom, but didn't ask. Perhaps Kiki was cleaning up a sidewalk somewhere, or was raking trash.

_{[ooc: And I'll be back in several hours to pick this up-- or we can do so tomorrow. :>]}

[kikidelivers.livejournal.com]

"Sure, I'm a student there. Let me help you with those," Kiki offers, picking up two of the bags. As Susan watches, Kiki hangs them by their handles off the broomstick, swings a leg over and kicks lightly off from the ground. Hovering easily beside Susan, Kiki continues conversationally, "You're working at the school? That's great, do you mind if I ask what you'll be doing?"

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan's eyes widened to near saucer-size before she squeaked, "What?" Then she got a grip on herself.

"I'm... going to be the School Counselor, actually," she said, gripping the remaining bag and lifting it. "And really, you don't have to carry those, I know how heavy they are."

You're losing your mind! Losing. It!

[kikidelivers.livejournal.com]

"Oh, it's no trouble at all. It's this way to the school," Kiki answers nonchalantly, setting an easy, leisurely walking pace. "It's actually sort of my job," she continues, "I run a delivery business, so I'm used to carrying things around like this."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Ah," Susan said carefully, swallowing and trying to make sure her breathing was even. "That's very enterprising of you. And thank you for your help." Unable to stop herself, she asked, "We are still on Fandom Island, Virginia, aren't we?"

[kikidelivers.livejournal.com]

"Yes, of course," Kiki says, a little surprised. She begins to point out landmarks along the way. "That's Deb's, she makes fantastic apple pie. And sandwiches. And just about anything else. And there, on the other side of the park is Aziraphale's Rare Bookstore - I work there, too. That's the law office of Wolfram and Hart next to them. If you keep going that way and a little south you get to the Perkolator, the best coffee shop in town. The school is at the north end."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Ah. North. Good to know," Susan said, smiling hesitantly. "And, what class are you in? Sophomore, Junior?"

She is floating three feet off the ground.

No she's not.

She is!

You're imagining it. Keep going.

[kikidelivers.livejournal.com]

"I'm a sophomore," Kiki answers, blithely unaware of Susan's bewilderment. "I transferred in last semester, though, so this is only my second term. Have you figured out a place to live yet? Or are you staying in the staff apartments in the dorms?"

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"I'd rather not stay in the dormitories, if it's not compulsory. I like to have quiet time away from work. Do you happen to know a good place to stay in town? Someplace with vacancies?"

By sheer dint of will, Susan was ignoring the broomstick, and the floating. Denial isn't for amateurs, usually, but Susan had experience. Susan could have Denied for Britain, if it came down to it.

[kikidelivers.livejournal.com]

"There's a few apartment buildings with places to rent," Kiki muses. "But I'm not sure what's open..."

As she thinks, she easily guides the broom up to skip over a trash can beside the sidewalk. Descending again, she continues, "There's the Mauvaise Chance Apartments; they face the park. A number of faculty have other places of their own, and might be looking for a roommate."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Susan had lost her grip on Denial, and was now slipping over into, You've Gone Temporarily Crazy, Go With It. "I hope so. Perhaps the Dean will know, when I meet with her. Thank you for the suggestion." She took a deep breath as the gates and the school came within sight. "Gracious, it's huge."

[kikidelivers.livejournal.com]

Kiki nods. "I'm sure the Dean will be able to be more helpful than I am. If you're caught in a pinch, you can always stay for a while at the Afficianado Arms Hotel. It's run by Mr. Crowley - he's likely to be a bit unpleasant to you, but that's just his manner of...professional courtesy. If you tell him that I recommended it, he'll probably be nicer."

As they stop before the gates, Kiki touches down so lightly that her feet hardly make noise as her shoes hit the cement of the sidewalk. She takes the two bags from the handle and sets them down carefully.

"Is someone coming to meet you?" she asks. "Normally, I just fly straight to my room on the 4th floor so I never even bother with dealing with getting in and out this way."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan's brain tried to tell her that she just heard that girl say she flew. Susan steadfastly ignored it. At least for now. One tiny imaginary-incident-gone-haywire was just due to stress. Definitely. Because everyone would be happier if the School Counselor did *not* have a psychotic break.

"No, but I've a number to call here to be let in to see Dean Washburn. (http://www.livejournal.com/users/bigdamndean/1752.html?nc=7) She's expecting me. Thank you ever so much for your help, Kiki." Susan took the bags, and held out her hand to shake. "Would you be insulted by a tip? Since this is your job, after all. I feel I owe you. I might have wandered in circles until I fell into the duck pond without you."

[kikidelivers.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no, I couldn't possibly, thank you," replies Kiki, curtseying. "This one was completely on me. I'm just glad to be able to help."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"You're too kind. I hope I see you around the school, although not in any professional capacity." Susan smiled, and turned to the phone by the gate. "Have a lovely weekend!"

[kikidelivers.livejournal.com]

"Thank you, you too!" Kiki beams at her. She hops on her broom again and kicks off from the ground, and, as she soars up into the air, she calls over her shoulder, "Welcome to Fandom, Ms. Pevensie!"

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Doctor!" Susan calls after her. "Doctor," she repeats to herself, watching Kiki leave. "I'm a doctor of medicine, and I have a doctorate in psychology, and this could not have happened, because..."

Right, then.

Time to call one's new boss and attempt to sound coherent.