AN: Thanks to comments from the following reviewers dmp00001, sedryn, Lance58, ItsJustMe244, PenguinVuelve, Yerim, IronTailPikachu, and the Guest. Sorry it took so long for this chapter. I don't know why, but I struggled to conclude this story in a satisfactory manner. I can't say I'm super happy with what I have even now, but finally, this is the end. This is the last chapter. I will follow this up with a short epilogue and some concluding notes in a week or so, but even without those, I feel like this should wrap up all the loose ends. Thanks for staying with me for the past three years. It has been a pleasure to write this story!
Chapter 25
May.
The spring rain had ceased, replaced by the increasing heat of impending summer. The sun was already high in the skies by 7am, an hour before Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Merida's graduation ceremony.
"How do you even put on this thing?" Kristoff grumbled as the hood of his academic dress fell again, dangling down to waist level. Merida didn't even bother putting it on, swinging it in her hand like a lasso.
"You've got to pin it down," Anna answered without turning towards Kristoff. She had to stay very still so Elsa wouldn't accidentally jab her with the gazillion pins after all.
"Easy for you to say when you have your girlfriend helping you."
Elsa sighed. "It isn't like I wouldn't help you too. You could've just asked."
"The Snow Queen is volunteering to pin my hood. Can you believe that, Merida? What did Anna feed her to make her like this!?"
"Ya better keep yur big mouth shut else she'd plant those pins undur yur skin!" Merida answered with a laugh.
"I did feed her some of my famous pizza instant noodles, there's that." Anna said.
"Please don't remind me…" Elsa could almost taste that sour, cheesy mess again, and needless to say it wasn't pleasant. She made a face to prove the point.
Anna grinned. Kristoff was right though. Months ago, when they first met through Olaf the Printer, separated from each other by the dark room door, Anna wouldn't have guessed that Elsa would be standing here, talking and laughing with the rest of them. After Elsa finished pinning Anna, Kristoff, and Merida's hoods (however reluctant the redhead was), Anna took Elsa's into her hands.
"Here, let me."
Kristoff patted Anna's back, so hard that it sent her flying into Elsa's unexpected embrace. "Oh, Clueless Little Anna. Those PhD rock stars get their hoods put on by the faculty. And unlike us poor little BSc graduates herded in like cows, they get to sit on real chairs on the stage. You know how they say all animals are equal but some are more equal than others…"
"Come on, let us have our three seconds of fame. Some of us have been stuck here for a decade – the least we deserve is to have our little research blurb read to the audience, in lay speech™."
"The Snow Queen has a sense of humour. I'm so shocked I'm about to faint. Help me, Anna!"
"I helped Dr. Snow write that little blurb, so I'm not complaining!"
They shared a little laugh. Elsa shook her head lightly. "Not yet Dr. Snow. If we don't get in line for the procession, maybe never."
"Right, right."
The BSc, MSc, and PhD graduates lined up in their respective groups, ordered by surname. As their congregation encompassed the departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Genetics, with more than three hundred graduates altogether, they were all separated from each other. Even Kristoff Bjorgman and Merida Dunbroch, with the single letter C between their surnames, were separated by a good seven rows. But Anna Summers, being Anna Summers, made friends with the young man next to her almost immediately. All she knew about him was that he was a burly Asian whose name was Fred and he worked for Dr. Corona.
"Oh, oh, my student is your PI's daughter!" That was how their conversation had started. Anna continued ranting about her experiences from the past few months to Fred as the rest of the graduates kept filing in behind them: how she mass-emailed the department for an RAship, once she got one the eccentric grad student supervisor she got who kept wordlessly throwing her bottles of saline, but because of that she not only found the enthusiasm for her research, she also became closer with all the other members of her lab when she recruited their help – the wise Kai and caring Gerda, gruff Kristoff, and even Hans, who despite all his personality failings had given Anna and Elsa the necessary push at critical times. Without realizing it, Anna had ranted on even after the music stopped and the opening address made. She only paused when the stage fell silent, and the PhD hooding ceremony started.
"That's her, right?"
"Huh?" Anna made a weird sound towards Fred's inquiry.
"Dr. Elsa Snow, your vice boss, or should I say girlfriend?"
Anna looked up to Elsa on the stage as the blurb about Elsa's research was read. Their research. The paragraph they wrote together.
"I guess it's just girlfriend now. We're leaving the Winters Lab for the Southern Isles next month." Anna said with a smile.
The hooding ceremony soon drew to a close and the newly-minted doctors returned to sitting.
"Now, on behalf of the Microbiology and Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Genetics graduating class of 2017, Dr. Elsa Snow will be delivering the valedictorian speech."
Anna's hands clasped each other. She had been waiting for this ever since it was announced Elsa had been chosen as their valedictorian. She volunteered to help Elsa brainstorm some ideas for the speech, but was politely declined. "The speech is dedicated to you too, Anna. I want you to hear it then and there, just before you cross the stage." – Elsa had said. Now, Elsa came forward with the papers containing that speech; the pages left a brief, crunching sound when she set them upon the lectern.
"Honoured guests, faculty, friends, family, and fellow graduates, I am honoured to be given the opportunity to address you today. This is a special day for the Class of 2017, a day to celebrate the accomplishments we have achieved, the friendships we have made throughout the years spent at the University of Arendelle. We have much to be thankful for. Without the mentorship of our fine faculty and staff, and the unwavering support of our loved ones, our education would not have been possible. This education has given us the knowledge and skills that will continue to aid us on whichever path we choose to take from here on forward. But these are not the only things we have received from our time at the UofA.
Our journey was not just one of academic pursuit, but also one of personal growth. Here, we have met many people; people of all backgrounds, personalities, and values. Our similarities reassure us, but even our differences strengthen us. We may not always agree. Nevertheless, we listen to different perspectives, and respect each other despite them. We learn new things from each encounter, filling in gaps where we were lacking, making our weaknesses our strengths.
I started at the UofA keeping to myself. I completed my undergraduate lab requirements through credit transfer, opting instead to work alone at the Winters Lab. But here I am today, speaking on your behalf. I wouldn't have been able to do this back then. I did not understand those around me, and I did not appreciate the importance of doing so. But thanks to my lab mates, some of whom are among the graduates seated here today, I began to comprehend the value of our friendships. I learned from them how to face adversity with courage, to not be afraid of admitting my faults and seeking help to overcome them. We are neither perfect, nor are we worthless. There will always be things we can do, things we can't, goals that come easily and those that we are uncomfortable to even try reaching. What matters is often not the outcome but the process of working towards it, a process of sweat, tears, and laughter shared with our friends and mentors. You all are my teachers, and I yours.
Today, we are graduating with not only the degree in our hands, we are also graduating from this stage of life into the next. On a flight to Manaw I saw a view of Arendelle that inspired me. I arrived at this campus with little, and have learned a lot along the way. But ultimately, from a thousand feet in the sky, this campus, this city, is just a cluster of specks. There is a wide world beyond and now we will be stepping into it together. How exciting is that? Imagine ten years from now, where would we be? What experiences would we share at our reunion? That, would be a story for another time. Today, we are gathered to thank all the people who have taken us here, and to pat ourselves on the back for having come this far.
We have done it! Congratulations, Class of 2017."
Amongst applause, Elsa bowed and returned to her seat. Anna watched her and felt moisture gather in her eyes. She returned her gaze to Fred; this was so embarrassing!
"Haha, imagine just a little more than half a year ago and she still locked herself in the dark room. Now she's chosen as valedictorian! I don't really get how people voted her in!" Anna tried to sound humorous, but her voice turned out to be most chuckle-inducing. Gosh, she wasn't about to cry, was she!?
"I mean, who really wants to be a valedictorian? Probably not that many nominations to begin with…" Fred shrugged. "And you wouldn't guess how many of us hate Weselton's guts and the satisfaction of learning how the Snow Queen fought him."
"Yeah! Bring down that weasel!"
Fred chuckled. "Besides, her speech is pretty good." He dug into his pocket and produced a pack of tissues which he nonchalantly handed to Anna. "I'm sure some of her references mean even more to you, right?"
Yes. Elsa had been faced with a lot of adversity since she was young. So had Anna. There were things that they thought they would never be able to face alone, and that very well might be true. But with Anna by her side, Elsa was able to face up to her own cowardice as a child, to make amends with Phillip's friends and family, and most importantly to make amends with herself. Elsa forgave herself for her past and stepped into the future. She even found the strength to support her father. And where did that strength come from? Anna was proud to say that she lent Elsa that strength, and Elsa lent her hers. For the first time in her short life thus far Anna was true to herself. She was freed from expectations that weren't her own, and grew into a bigger person. They both grew, hand in hand. Like the plane to Manaw taking flight, they were now looking at the scenery Elsa described, a thousand feet in the sky. It was all a little scary, the unknowns that lay on their path ahead. But how exciting was it to see the vast world before them? They might not be able to do this alone, but together, there was no longer any reason to be afraid. A tear dropped from Anna as she stared at Elsa on the stage above, the distance between them seeming to shrink as their eyes met. They were sitting side by side, the plane engine was roaring, and Anna had her hand on Elsa's.
It's alright. I am here.
She blinked, and the daydream she saw vanished. She chuckled awkwardly at Fred. "What references? Haha… I'm just impressed by the…err…atmosphere! Yeah, it's just the atmosphere. Stupid grad ceremonies. I don't know how they do it – to make us feel as though we'd actually miss this place!"
Anna accepted the tissues Fred had handed her and blew her nose into one a little louder than expected. Thankfully, she was saved by the announcement for the Masters and Bachelor program graduates to line up for their turn across the stage. Names were announced, students came and went. Soon enough, Kristoff was up, then Merida, and finally it was Anna's turn. When she was on the stage, Anna's eyes met Elsa's again. She could see Elsa mouthing the word "Congratulations."
Silly Elsa. Didn't she already congratulate her with the valediction?
Anna grinned, mouthing "Congratulations" in return.
"Anna Summers."
Her name was called and she started crossing to the stage's middle where Brad Winters, the faculty who would hand her the certificate, waited. As she took her steps towards him, she recalled the past four years at the University of Arendelle. Moments flew by, some good, some bad, but she was glad it all happened. She was so glad to have met Elsa here, and with this, met her new self too.
She finally reached where Brad was standing and extended her hand for a shake. "Congratulations," he said. Despite all the things that had happened during the time Anna worked at his lab, she let them slide with a smile.
"Thank you."
She held onto a side of the certificate, Brad the other, and they turned towards the photographer beneath the stage. With a flash, the image of this brief moment was captured. Beyond that light, she could see the sea of students beneath the stage. Kristoff and Merida were somewhere amongst them.
"Fred Suzuki."
Fred's name was the next to be called, and Anna walked off so he could take her place at centre stage. She turned to see him grinning.
To think she started here all alone, only to leave with so many friends, even one she made on graduation day…
Her heart pounded against her chest. It wasn't just Elsa. Anna was stepping into the real world with so many more friends by her side. What would it be like? Anna didn't know, but she knew whatever challenges awaited, she would beat them and grow even stronger. She couldn't wait for this adventure to begin!
Flowers were in full bloom, petals scattering in the wind. Rapunzel greeted the new grads outside, shoving a bouquet into each of their hands. "Congratulations!" "Thanks!" – Those words were exchanged in the background. Mally smiled.
"The younglings look like they are having fun," she said.
"I am having more fun today than I had during my undergrad too," Elsa answered her.
"You ain't gonna join them?"
"I thought I'd keep you company for a little while longer. We are still waiting for Eugene to join us anyway."
"Heard he's getting that printer from your lab," Diaval answered. Mally quirked an eyebrow, to which he winked "It's the red string of fate between Elsa and Anna, ya know? Elsa, being the awkward little grad student she was, couldn't talk without a printer saying her words, so…"
"Stop talking about this!" Elsa snapped, blushing madly in embarrassment. "And who told you anyway? Anna? Must be Anna…darn it!"
A pleasant sea breeze blew across the open courtyard. Diaval faced Elsa once again. "Your defense was really impressive. Most people can't answer half the questions, but you managed even against the external's. That guy doesn't know any biology."
"He nearly got her with that physics question though." Mally laughed. "But she memorized the textbook I got her to read. I doubt she understands the equation really."
"I don't." Elsa replied honestly. She had passed her defense with flying colours despite having little time to prepare for it. Rushing to graduate in May had been a great challenge, really.
"You know you would've passed even if you sounded like an idiot, right? I mean, you actually have data on your presentation," Mally said with a sigh. She had sat on too many committees of students who had been here seven, eight years asking for permission to write despite having nothing to write about. If you couldn't publish a four-page journal article, you wouldn't be able to write a two-hundred-page thesis. This should be obvious, but you couldn't really blame both PI and student for requesting graduation regardless once the funding ran out. Capitalist society. What else could be expected?
"She did prove her worth for the prestigious Motunui Lab though," Diaval said. Mally shook her head.
"For that kind of lab, you need a different kind of worth."
"What?"
"Know how to hide your reagents? Stay 24/7 to make sure nobody touches your project? And when your first authorship gets inevitably stolen, face it with a smile and somehow get your name on the thief's papers in return?"
Diaval looked at Elsa with a funny face. "Her? I think she gets a failing grade in that kind of skill."
"You never know," Elsa said.
Her face said it all. She was prepared for the lab politics. She knew it would be hard, but she also knew this was the only way to her dreams. The Motunui Lab was, like Diaval had said, prestigious. It would be easier for her to get equally prestigious awards, build connections with other prestigious labs, and get her name on papers in prestigious journals. It was all so that she could become faculty that much sooner. The system might be rotten, but the way to change it was from within. She would play by these unfair rules with the goal of one day making it to the top where she could abolish the rules once and for all. Of course, she alone wouldn't be able to do it, but if she thought like this, she knew there would be others who thought the same. She had to believe. Even if nobody around her was willing to take on the establishment, she could be the one to inspire somebody to eventually work with her. Mally inspired her after all. There was nothing stopping her from doing the same.
"Well, Tala Motunui is a good, honest scientist. She's just too busy to make sure everything stays fair and clean in her lab. But at least she won't sell you out for her own interest. You just have to keep your heads up, you know? We can't do research without working with others, but that doesn't mean you work without recognition. Recognition shouldn't be important, but the fact is it is. That's the way things work these days. So take control of your project, be the one to set the terms, clear terms, right from the start." Mally gave her advice, but her serious expression soon turned to a grin. "Then again, after seeing how you stood up against Weselton, I think I can have faith in you."
"Thank you. It means a lot to me."
Mally, Diaval, and everybody else. Their faith in her wasn't worth anything material, but now she understood what that support could mean. She felt like she could do anything, because even when she fell, she knew there would be people to catch her. That was why she dared walk paths she didn't even dare consider before.
"Oh, there he is!" Diaval pointed to Eugene huffing and puffing in the distance. That old printer must be damn heavy! "Guess we should join him now!"
The skies were blue, the grass was green. White petals flew in the soon-to-be summer breeze. Kristoff hurried over to help Eugene with the printer. Merida and the twins were laughing at their clumsiness. Rapunzel hooked onto Eugene's other arm, pressing her head onto his shoulder. Mally and Diaval walked slowly towards Kai and Gerda, with Aurora finally joining them, having ran here all the way from the parking lot. She had gone off campus to pick up a patient sample. They had not expected her to make it, but she insisted on coming. This was a big day after all.
At that moment, Dr. Corona, Dr. Dunbroch and his wife, and Brad Winters came over, all clad in their academic dress. They joined Mally and Diaval on either sides of the gathering. Before doing so, Brad once again shook Elsa and Anna's hands. "Wish you two all the best in Manaw. I'm sure you will be successful in everything you pursue." They thanked him with genuine appreciation in their hearts. When they moved over to where the others were, Hans patted Elsa on the shoulder.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
"I guess I wasn't the best labmate…but yeah…I do wish the two of you all the best. Honestly."
Hans went to the back where he stood by Rapunzel. Elsa and Anna sat on Merida's either side on the grass. The cameraman counted down. "1, 2, 3…cheese!"
"Cheese!" Merida yelled extra loud, pulling the girls on her either side together. Anna found Elsa's hand and she grabbed on with a beautiful smile on her face, one that would stay on the photo for many, many years to come.
Agnarr would receive the photo in his mail a week later, but unbeknownst to his daughter and her friends, he was there on that day. He stood behind a blossoming tree, in one hand clutching the grad ceremony tickets Anna had sent him. Iduna held his other hand.
"You really don't want to join her?" she asked.
He shook his head. "I want to, but…I wouldn't know what to say. I don't want to say something that would hurt her again."
Iduna hugged him close. "Don't worry. You will find the words soon. We still have time."
And so, under the brilliant sunshine, they all graduated from this story to the next that awaited.
Courtship of the Grad Student - End