The Day After Doomsday, Wednesday, Period 4

[raspberryturk]

"Aaaalright." So, Reno had missed a few classes, and now the term was over. He licked his lips as he looked over the students gathered in the Danger Shop. "So I was a bit AWOL back there. I trust my Rookie and Rikku had you in pretty good hands the past couple weeks. If they didn't... Hey, means you get a trial by fire now, don't you."

The entire room shimmered, taking the students back to a scenario similar to the one that Reno had set up for their introductions class several weeks back. They were surrounded by a vast expanse of desert with no readily available water in sight. The sky was a sickly shade of spinach green, and in their immediate area, they were standing in what had presumably once been a thriving city, considering how huge it was. It was a pity that it was all sitting in ruins now, a sort of double-decker heap of twisted metal and shattered glass with very little that was still recognizable as a livable building or functional vehicle.

"Welcome to my home," Reno said, his tone almost eerily devoid of inflection, today. "Midgar, at ground zero. Millions dead, literally nothing will grow in the dirt in and around the city. No food, very little shelter, no water, the place is crawling with monsters, the entire city is radioactive, our best fuel source has been rendered impossible to use, and the world government was located at the middle of that city full of wreckage. Presumably, the guy in charge is dead. Try not to die. Anything else you do today is up to you, but you're going to want to do it as a group, aren't you?"

And then he turned around and walked away, taking a seat among the ruins to watch.

Yeah, that was it.

[Open!]

Beach & Ocean Appreciation, Wednesday, Period 3

[jaegerbombdad]

So Australia was playing the Netherlands at the World Cup, and Herc wasn't a huge football fan or anything, but he knew enough to decide to just not look at that. Much the way one might not look at a car wreck. It was better for everyone.

Instead, he had brought photos of coral reefs to pass around to the students as he said, "Here's a fun fact for you: coral reefs cover point one percent of the ocean's floor, yet contain a quarter of the ocean's known biodiversity. Now, I, personally, think that's really cool." It probably had something to do with the giant one that uh...hadn't done so well what with the kaijuu and all. "Coral reefs thrive despite the fact that the waters they're found in tend to be very nutrient-poor by recycling nutrients, making them a very efficient system. And that's your fun fact for the day. The rest of your class period is assigned to what this class is all about: enjoying the beach. Have fun."

Friendship is Fun and Games!, Wednesday, period 1

[locointhecoco]

Class met one last (*sobs*) time in the Danger Shop, this time in an open field absolutely filled with game stands; giant, creaky rides; and carts selling a wide variety of fried things. Some of which was actually real. Pinkie was exactly the sort of pony who would just happen to own a portable deep frier and/or cotton candy machine.

"Step right up, folks, gather 'round, gather 'round!" Pinkie wore a sly straw boater, a bow tie, and a mustache, and holding a bamboo cane under one foreleg. "Welcome, welcome, one and all, to the grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreatest class in Fandom! And since it's our very last class --" She paused here for some dramatic sniffles. "-- I thought it would be best if we got right down to the most funnest and gamiest of activities, a CARNIVAL!" She flung her hooves out (watch out for that cane) and grinned. "We've got something for everypony! Rides! Games! Prizes! Food! A culturally sensitive -- mostly 'cause they're holograms -- freak show!" She started tossing handfuls of little paper tickets at the students. "So get crackin', folks! This carnival's only in town for this period, and there's lots to do and see! Yippee!"

This last came with one more hoof-V. The cane went flying. Grand prize to anyone who figures out where it lands.

These United States [Wednesday, June 18, 2014]

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

"Since this is the closest this class is getting to the Fourth of July with me," Josh began, starting at his class from behind a pair of sunglasses, "it seems only fitting that we end up in the City of Brotherly Love-Unless-You're-Rooting-Against-Their-Teams, Philadelphia. Here, in Independence Hall just behind us, the Founding Fathers wrote a document on parchment in calligraphy that invited the King of England to bite us, if you please."

Thanks for that summary, Sam. Josh was going to steal it. "The more technical term for it is the Declaration of Independence and its held in the Archives back in Washington, DC, but here's where our nation started. Well, my nation, anyway. Your mileage may vary. We're gonna go have a look at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, then we're gonna head over to Reading Terminal for some food. I think it's a crime to leave Philly without having a cheesesteak and a soft pretzel." He tugged at his collar. "And some water ice. It's hot as hell here today. Imagine how the Founders must have felt in boiled wool and no A/C. Poor bastards."

He grinned at all of them. "And Riley Poole, one of the other teachers, has been invited to join us if he didn't have better things to do. Philly's one of his favorite cities."

Not really, Josh.