fandomhigh | Myth Into History, Week 13: "Yes, Virginia . . ." Part 2 [Thurs/1st Period, Danger Shop]

Students entering the Danger Shop this morning might have been momentarily confused by its unusually festive appearance. To tell the truth, the room itself was a bit dingy and drab except for a few garlands and wreaths on the walls and the large, decorated tree in one corner: instead of an angel or a star atop the tree, though, there was a beribboned metal ring with sharp edges.

Sitting cross-legged at the foot of the tree amidst a small forest of old-fashioned handmade toys was Janice, completely unaware of the tinsel crowning her hat. "That'll be a thousand dinars from all of you, or everybody in this orphanage gets evicted at midnight. Who cares if it's a holiday? The town we're in now, it's against the law to celebrate the winter solstice. Anyone caught celebrating it gets a harsh prison sentence. Petty tyrants'll outlaw anything," she added with a roll of her eyes. "One of the other Scrolls I'm working on now was all about some town called Pelios that outlawed dancing -- some craziness about a huge fire in the town after a dance festival being a judgment from the town's patron muse, Calliope, or something like that. This town, like I said, outlawed celebrating the winter solstice because the king's wife walked out on him on the solstice, and the town's toymaker, Senticles, ended up out of a job and working for the miserly bastard. So Gabrielle" -- massive eyeroll -- "talked Xena into trying to force the king into a change of heart by dressing up as the Fates and trying to show him his past, present, and future. There's a bit at the end, too, about a really bright star shining during the daytime and Gabrielle giving a donkey to a couple with a newborn baby, but I have no idea what the hell that's all about."

"Anyway. It'll be a light class for you today, so you have time to get ready for your final. It'll be pretty hands-on, so make sure to wear comfortable clothes. Look, the less essays I have to grade, the more time I have to work on the Scrolls, so don't expect a whole lot of writing. I do expect you to go over everything we've covered this semester, though. It'll come up." She smirked. "Somehow or other. This week is a review period. Oh hell, play with the toys if you want; just don't blame me if that's the reason you fail your exam next week."

[OOC: Class Info Post/Syllabus. As always, open for play through the weekend if needed; light interaction from me today due to a huge pile of stuff that needs to go into the accounting system -- happy happy joy joy. OCD is up!]

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The usual collapsey style.

Not that it's much of a lecture, but that doesn't mean you can't indulge in your weekly WTFery.

Please, as though you'd actually be studying?

Feel free to mod the toys, but within reason, please: stuffed animals, handmade dolls, toy bows and arrows ~~with ridiculously modern suction cup tips~~, hobbyhorses, puppets, and that sort of thing.

At any point except in the middle of the lecture.

This week's lecture brought to you by painkillers, "A Solstice Carol," and "A Tale of Two Muses." Yes, "A Tale of Two Muses" really is appropriated directly from Footloose.

Zack Addy

"PRAISE CALLIOPE!"

Joxer

Joxer picked up a little marionette (http://mikes-images.com/eps/solstice/pages/solstice_5_mq_164sd.htm) and started playing with that.

"I wonder who this is supposed to be. He looks like he works out a lot, that's for sure."

Sam Winchester

Sam couldn't help but feel like he'd miss these crazy lectures when the semester was over.

D'anna Biers

"Just one more week. Just one more week. Just..." D'anna chanted to herself, under her breath.

Janet Fraiser

Janet eyed D. "You can make it through the term with Dr. Nutty McNutcase, right?" she whispered.

William Kessler

*facepalm*

"Of course, Xena wrote Christmas Carol too." At least she wasn't saying that Xena invented Christmas. At least, he hoped she wasn't saying that.

"Speaking of the Winter Solstice," Billy said, handing Joxer a card (http://www.cafepress.com/opheliasart.15206560). "Happy holidays man."

Inside was written:

First rule of life: Thou Shalt Not Give up. Second rule: Don't die.

After the ten minutes it took Joxer to read the card, he smiled.

"Thanks, Billy!"

Which was not as long as it would have taken billy to try to write it in ancient greek.

"No problem."

"Do I get a cookie?" D asked.

Janet grinned. "If we can make it through this class without killing Covington or ourselves, I'll bake an entire batch of cookies for us."

"I'm all about cookies!" D smiled. "Shall we play?" She indicated the toys, "or shall we sit here and make dire, survivalist plans all day?"

"I've had enough dire, survivalist plans for two or three lifetimes," said Janet, looking over the toys. "Let's play!"

D'anna searched and sorted through the selection until she found the bows and arrows.

She held two sets up to Janet, "whaddaya think?"

D'anna laughed and headed for the toys (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomhigh/1158019.html?thread=65382787#t65382787).

There was absolutely no devilish look in Janet's eyes when she grinned. "Looks like fun," she said, taking a bow and testing the string.

D'anna's countenance in no way mirror Janet's, reeeeeeeeally ~~*cough*~~, as she did the same.

[ooc: Must sleep or die! Till tomorrow?]

"So do you see any likely targets?" asked Janet innocently.

OOC: Nearly dinner time here, so no worries on waiting!

Evie Carnahan

Evie sighed. "Do you think she'll be teaching another class, during the winter term?" she asked aloud. "Perhaps one with more resemblance to classical History?"

"I don't know if she'll be teaching another class," Sam replied. "But I get the feeling that this is as close to real history as she's capable of."

Evie couldn't help but nod. "Well, perhaps... yes. But it *is* entertaining, even if very very confusing and Xena-centered. And I love the Danger Shop." She put her chin in her hands. "It's almost like having a time travel machine, except it goes to Xena World."

Will Vandom

Oh, look. Janice was conveniently standing around, squinting up at the chakram atop the tree and not paying a bit of attention.

Billy sidled up beside Evie and handed her a card (http://www.cafepress.com/opheliasart.47116228).

Inside was written:

Xena invented Christmas Cards.

JC Broots

Myth Into History, Week 13: "Yes, Virginia . . ." Part 2 [Thurs/1st Period, Danger Shop]

Sign In [MiH, Week 13]

During The Lecture [MiH, Week 13]

Study/Play With Toys! [MiH, Week 13]

Talk to Janice [MiH, Week 13]

OOC [MiH, Week 13]

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