Construction 102; Third Period, Friday [07/06].

[special_rabbit]

Sure, the heat hadn't been bothering Amaya too much...she was, after all, a woman who thrived when most of her day was spent in front of a hot, fiery furnace. But she knew it had been bothering plenty of people, and the heat added to the humidity added to the threat of rainstorms at about the time the class was being held finally pushed her to reluctantly have a class held inside in the school's workshop. There might have been a little bit of grumbling about how it might not be an issue if it weren't for the time change, but even that she figured was probably better for the kids...and the neighbors around the site.

So messages were sent and the students were to meet at the school instead of the site, and at least it was just their first day, so taking it easy might not be too bad.

"Hello," she said, when the students arrived, "and welcome back to some of you, welcome to construction to the others. Glad to see some familiar faces! I was hoping to jump right into it, but let's consider this our first safety lesson: if the weather's unsafe, you'd best take it easy, and we're especially not doing roofing or electrical wiring in the threat of a storm. Hopefully next week's a little more promising, but for now, we'll stick with something simple to get our feet wet. We'll do some introductions, I've got an instructional safety video because safety is something I cannot stress enough, and then I've got a little project for us, too."

With that, her fist pounded into her other hand and she nodded. "So let's get started."

Brooding for Dummies, Friday, Period 2

[furnaceface]

When students came into the classroom today, they'd find their teacher, a somewhat gaunt man dressed in too much black leather for the weather with flame gouting from his face and chest, leaning back against the desk, arms crossed in front of him, glowering somewhat toward the doorway. Possibly at them. Maybe not.

//At least I didn't have to get up early for this,// he said, once it looked like the last of his students had settled in. //I'm Jonothon Starsmore, and welcome to...// There was a pause, there, where he would have liked to put a sigh, if only he was able, //... Brooding for Dummies.//

The one upside to only being able to speak telepathically was that it was very easy to put as much disgust and annoyance into those three words as Jono pleased.

//Where apparently I'm supposed to teach you all how to look tragic or something.// He threw up his hands in a gesture of frustrated surrender. //Unfortunately, since th'school board won't let me light all your faces on fire to get that bit out of the way, and apparently since they believe sign-ups mean there's a clear interest in brooding as a practical skill, I've been informed I have to actually teach this. They've provided a syllabus I need to follow and everything. So, today, introductions. Name, how you prefer to brood, and why the hell you took this bloody class.//

Why were you doing this to him, kids? Why?

//And then, I don't know, sit around and demonstrate your brooding techniques for the class. We'll critique your form or something.//

What was his life?

[OOC: Open!]

Japanese Blades, First Period, Friday [07/06].

[battlewithstyle]

The Danger Shop had been set up as your typical dojo setting - sliding doors, tatami mats and all. So yes, no chairs, y'all. Enjoy sitting on the floor, if you chose to sit. Mitsutada stood at the head of the room, dressed up in his armor... well, to the extent of what bits of his battle outfit were armor. He looked more like a butler who had cobbled on pieces of samurai armor than anything that you'd typically consider actually a protective suit. Next to him stood a smaller figure, under four feet tall, wearing a blue short kimono with the hem tied up and the sleeves pulled back. This other figure had a huge poof of blue hair that matched his clothes, and he had big eyes.

"Welcome everyone," Mitsutada said, pulling a wooden bokken out and taking a few swings with it. "You've signed up for this class because you have an interest in Japan, swords, or possibly just combat. But because of the particular unique nature of myself and my little comrade here, you are going to get a chance to learn not just about the different types of weapons of Japan but from the different types of weapons of Japan."

He posed for effect. "I am Mitsutada Shokudaikiri, a tachi forged by the great smith Mitsutada Osafune. I could go into my own story, but today we are going to talk about some of the smallest of weapons, Tantou."

He put the longer bokken away and then he and his smaller compatriot pulled out short bokken - not much longer than a large kitchen knife.

"I am Sayo Samonji," the boy introduced. "I was named after the poem by Saigyou Houshi. But the matters of my origin are not such a pretty sight... I am covered in blood and hatred, a revenge tragedy. I was forged in 1334 by Saemonzaburo, a sword of a ronin from Nissaka. After his wife died, the ronin went to sell me to help provide for his son, but he was killed by bandits on his way. When he later learned what happened, the son vowed revenge, and became a sword polisher. He waited and learned for years, and then the fateful day came when a man came in to have his tantou polished. When the son removed the handle to see the tang, he saw the inscription which told him that it was the sword of his father."

"When the customer returned, the son used his father's blade, me, to kill him," Sayo continued. "He satisfied his need for revenge, though that desire is still within me, but I make sure to only use it against those we must fight on the battlefield."

Mitsutada was doing his best to look supportive while also looking like he was not entirely prepared for starting this class with such a dark backstory. "I suppose now would be a good time to open things up to questions, and also introductions from each of you."

[ooc: Open!]