Introduction to Earth Zoology, Wednesday, period 1

[livingartifact]

"El chupacabra," Jenkins said at the top of the class, in lieu of his usual greeting. "Any of you signed up for the 'cryptids' course may already feel familiar with this creature, and may, in fact, have a lead on most of humanity in that respect. Little is known of this mysterious creature, which was only first recorded in the mid-1990s on most Earths. First discovered on the island of Puerto Rico, the chupacabra's natural range is limited to the southeastern United States, northern Mexico, and the Caribbean islands, though there have been reported sightings as far off as Russia." He pointed these regions out on the map, then turned a smirk to the class. "Having met the creature, I can assure you: if it was ever that far north, it was deeply unhappy, and probably wearing at least a couple thick wool coats.

"Chupacabra of course is Spanish for 'goat sucker', an appellation earned by its vampiric appetite for blood, specifically that of goats. A hungry chupacabra can and will exsanguinate an entire goat in seconds, occasionally managing to draw out the animal's organs as well as its blood — a thoroughly gruesome sight, I assure you. This has earned it a particularly nasty reputation, but as I have lately learned from personal experience, el chupacabra can be trained to assume a more symbiotic relationship with a goat herd, protecting it from other predators in exchange for measured, non-lethal feedings." He crossed the room to a closet door, pausing before opening it. "The particular chupacabra you're about to meet is one such trained animal. Though his herd is not present, I would advise against making any overtly threatening gestures or approaching too rapidly. Or — smelling like a goat. So should you be armed with goat pheromones today, I will ask you to please place them out in the hall until our animal encounter is over."

He opened the door, revealing a hairless, lightly scaled dog-like creature with a defined ridge of quills down its back and long fangs, which it bared at the students, before turning in place, grabbing a burlap sack with its teeth, and dragging it out into the room.

"Well now," Jenkins said, marveling. "This is a treat. It's brought along some of its homemade jerky." He leaned down, allowing the creature to sniff at the back of his hand before scooping the bag up. It whined in the back of its throat and wagged its tail. "This animal is, as far as I know, the only jerky-making chupacabra in the known multiverse, so all of you, please take a piece. Even if you don't eat it, it's sure to be scientifically fascinating!"

Library, Wednesday

[era_two_triangle]

Peridot was in the library. She'd gotten most of her tasks done for the day, and was sitting and reading while she took a break. In one hand, she had a strip of jerky. She wasn't going to eat it, of course.

When her break was up, though, she was absolutely using it as a bookmark.

That chupacabra had given her something truly useful. Huh.

[OOC: Library is open, of course, though it might be a while before I can get to any pings to 'Dot in particular.]

Taking Time For You, Wednesday, Second Period

[stickitupmyjinx]

"It's manicure time!" Vanessa declared cheerfully. "Giving yourself a manicure forces you to be deliberative and calm. You can't just slap nail polish on and go. You have to focus on what you're doing, to make sure you don't flood your cuticles and paint half your finger skin, and then you have to wait for it to dry. Plus, it makes your hands look pretty. Now, if you're a guy and you're too heteronormative for nail polish, first off, get over yourself, second off, I have black. FYI, the polishes available are from my personal collection, so if you break or spill it, you're buying the replacement. Now let's talk about how to give yourself a manicure!"

Once Vanessa had finished talking about the various steps, she said, "You may be wondering what to do while your nails dry. You can try meditating, or, you know, watch some more Netflix. To test whether your nails are dry, try tapping two nails together. If they feel slightly tacky or sticky they're still wet. So come pick your colors and get manicuring!"