to paris with love

[coeur_de_lion]

Alli's school is not a terribly interesting school. It is, as far as Alli is concerned, a perfectly boring and average school in all possible respects. But some alumnus went and made themselves a bunch of money, and apparently they think it's a good idea to spend some of this money on "improving the cultural exposure of today's youth". (Alli has never met the alumnus in question, much less heard them speak, but she persists in picturing this spoken with a haughty British accent.) What this means for Alli is that she and a number of other 'deserving students' are being shipped over to France for free for a week. Alli's not quite sure why she counts as deserving- because her mom's single, maybe?- but she's hardly complaining. It's a free trip to France, after all.

In her usual style, Alli packs an hour before she has to leave and ultimately makes it out the door only ten minutes late after forgetting at least three vitally important items (her eyeliner!). But she makes it through Pearson security with plenty of time... well, more like barely enough time. But the important thing is, she's safely ensconced in her seat when they take off.

Once she's gotten her bag stowed and her legs rearranged in a doomed attempt at comfort and generally considers herself suitably settled, she turns to her seatmate. "Is your brain doing an Eeeeee France! thing too?"

Comments

[hatchedplan]

And with that May does actually nod off in her chair. Slump. Zzz.

[horsefeathered]

"Awwww," Jenny whispers to Alli.

[coeur_de_lion]

"I'm just jealous," Alli whispers back, but she's smiling.

She manages to manhandle the wheelchair back to the bus; given the uneven ground, by the time they reach the group it's pretty much time to go anyway. Alli nudges May on the off chance the bumpy ride didn't already wake her. "Hey, sleepypants, lunch and hotel."

[hatchedplan]

"Mmmmmunch," mumbles May; she wound up napping with her jaw pressed on her chest and couldn't talk in her sleep but upon being nudged she stirs. "Food?"

[horsefeathered]

"Food!" Jenny confirms, offering what looks like a cold cuts sandwich in shrink wrap. "Eat up, it's good for you."

[hatchedplan]

May nibbles her way through the sandwich. "Thanks."

[horsefeathered]

"No problem!" Jenny says brightly. "I mean. They were free. I carried it all the way here?"

[coeur_de_lion]

Alli has a mouthful of sandwich, but she rolls her eyes at Jenny speakingly.

[horsefeathered]

Jenny just sticks her tongue out in response. "We can't all be as strong as you!"

[hatchedplan]

"Thanks for waking me up instead of letting me sleep through food," clarifies May.

[horsefeathered]

"Oh. Yeah, of course. That was sorta Alli, actually. I'll take the credit, though!"

[coeur_de_lion]

"Featherbrain," Alli says, sounding amused. "No problem. You have a good nap, May?"

[hatchedplan]

"It was okay. I could use more sleep. Speaking of the obvious basics - do I need to eat more?"

[coeur_de_lion]

"I eat more than I should, I think. And more meat, too, but that I just blame on being a girl."

[horsefeathered]

"I'm pretty normal but I'm a vegetarian," Jenny contributes.

[hatchedplan]

"So like - the mass conversion is handled by magic or something."

[coeur_de_lion]

Alli eyes their surroundings. Nobody's close to them at the moment, but other students are starting to gather around the bus (sandwiches!); given their proximity to same, someone will be close enough to hear them eventually. "Pretty much," she agrees. "But... questions back at the hotel, maybe?"

[hatchedplan]

"Yeah, sure."

Nom.

[horsefeathered]

And shortly they are bussed back to the hotel. Jenny rejoins her friends at the front of the bus for the trip, but most people are either eating or sleeping (or, in at least one case, apparently falling asleep while eating). The hotel has arranged their bags neatly in a back room for them to sort through upon their arrival; in short order Jenny has located her bag and gone in search of Alli and May again.

"Roomies!" she chirps. "Come on, come on, I have a key-" she holds it up proudly. "Naaail painting?"

[hatchedplan]

"Nail painting is compatible with getting me up to speed, yes? Uh, I can't tiptoe through bags without breaking something, can one of you find my suitcase, it's blue and the luggage tag looks like a giant red flower because Ren is so tasteful with birthday presents?"

[horsefeathered]

"Alli? You're stronger than me..."

Jenny has remarkably effective puppy eyes, for someone who is both arguably equine and patently overplaying the face.

[coeur_de_lion]

"Lazy bum," Alli snorts, but she retrieves the bag and hoists it along with hers. Roomwards it is.

Once they arrive she plops the bags down with a huff. "You get the way back, wimp," she tells Jenny.

[hatchedplan]

"I can - it can go on my chair," says May.

[coeur_de_lion]

Alli winks at her. She likes using her Nemean strength; she's just giving Jenny grief for the sake of it.

[hatchedplan]

"As you like." May does put the bag on her chair to haul it into the room. "So what color are my nails going to be?" And when the door is closed behind her: "And will this carry over to my, apparently, claws?"