Rage Against the Machine: Etc, Etc, Etc; Tuesday, Second Period [04/19].

[somethingwithturquoise]

If anyone was expecting for the final in this class to be anywhere else but the danger shop...

...well, Summer could make the argument for having it in actual space instead, and she was the type of person to consider taking that risk, but losing a kid in space during a potential galactic infiltration mission was not only look bad on her record, but it would probably incur a lot of paperwork. So danger shop it was!

They were gathered in some nice, generic space-ified hangar bay of sorts, all shiny chrome and blinking lights and a lot of computer screens and techno props that didn't really do much except look sci-fi, or whatever, and if the students didn't already know where this was going, then they really hadn't paid much attention in this class, had they?

"Alright," Summer said, "final exam, which means its crunch time, which means we've managed to infiltrate the evil galactic empire's totally subtle and suuuuper secretive, really, base and we're here to try and put an end to it. How, you ask? Well, obviously, that's up to you guys. Who doesn't like a nice, open-ended final like that, right? So you've got a little bit of time to try and hash out some plans amongst yourself, ask questions about pertinent and maybe helpful information, or just set out to go rogue and see what you can accomplish as a lone wolf and we will all be very impressed. And then have at it, see what you can do, and we'll try and take this mother down. Of course, weapons and other gadgets that might be helpful are available to you as well, and anything else you can think of, because, hi, it's the danger shop, we can pretty much do whatever.

"So! Any questions for me before you get going on the revolution?"

Books vs Movies, Tuesday first period

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

"So, this is our final class," Jon noted, in case you hadn't realised that yet.

"I, erm. I didn't schedule a final exam, as I'm given to understand that's not really a done thing here." And honestly, he'd rather not bring people to tears grading their papers.

"I've quite enjoyed teaching you all this semester, so...thank you," he said awkwardly. "Anyway, I asked you to read or at least skim Dracula for today. There are quite a number of movies based in one way or another off of the story, all with varying degrees of accuracy. We'll be watching one of the more recent ones, which is...well, I suppose we'll see."

He pressed play.

Living with Trauma, Tuesday 4/19, 3rd Period

[stykera]

There were no ominous signs made by raccoons stuck to the classroom door today. There was just Stark at the front of the room, waiting. Waiting and looking like he'd spent a few weeks underground and then been attacked and then gone back to not sleeping well.

"I missed a few classes," he said once everyone arrived. "I was…if you listen to the radio you know already. I spent some time held captive by raccoons. I do not, I'm fairly certain, have rabies." It seemed unlikely Baniks could get rabies, really. Of course being kidnapped by a raccoon cult and held captive in their underground bunker wasn't terribly likely either.

"I'm fine now." For a given value of fine that included sleeping with the lights on and still favoring his right ankle a bit, among other things. "Or I will be. Eventually."

"This isn't the sort of class where we need an exam." Especially considering how many classes had been missed for various reasons. "None of that today."

"We'll just talk more. That's been most of it, so far, so why not continue that way?"

"We've talked, before, about being trapped. Or held against your will. That's happened to me more than I would like. Once would have been more than I would like. Before I ever came here it was nearly all my life, being places I didn't choose and wouldn't have chosen if I could. When I went home the first time after I was here I ended up captive again. More than once. And then last summer I was in a hole but that was different raccoons and then when I went home we ended up jailed and then when I came back there were these raccoons and…it's happened too often. I hope it hasn't happened to any of you. At all. But at least not so often. And if it has I hope you've dealt better with it than I have. I don't…I don't like being trapped. Or feeling trapped even if I'm not. Because it's happened so often."

That wasn't even all the times, really. You'd think Stark might be better at avoiding it by now.

"So what do you do, when things keep happening, things that hurt you? How do you deal with that? How do you keep going? I…try to avoid these situations. I can't seem to. But I try. And lately…I've been leaving all the lights on. Trying to stay around people at least some of the time." He was historically somewhat less likely to end up locked up if he was around people. "Staying far away from the wildlife. Sometimes all you can do is just try to return to normal." Sometimes maybe you were still kind of in shock about the whole raccoon and grenade fiasco.

"You don't have to talk, just like before, but you're all welcome to if you like. About what to do, or what you have done. Or maybe about those five stages of grief from the last time we had class." Weeks ago. Did anyone even remember that? "Or…whatever you like. Ask questions if you have them. Share advice. Just talk."

Mad Kings & Queens: Raving Royals and How To Survive Them (Tuesday, 4th Period)

[atreideslioness]

Class today met in the Danger Shop... which looked suspiciously like their classroom. Cushions, divans, tables at varying heights, coffee, teas, fruit, all of it.

"Over the last few weeks, I have given you some examples of rulers who have gone mad or at least mad for power," Ghanima stated once everyone had arrived. "To be honest, the best way to survive such a monarch is to quite simply keep your head down. If you don't make waves, you'll probably survive the experience. Some may call this cowardly, but it is common sense. Unless you have some way to change the status quo, your best option is to try and wait it out."

( If history teaches us anything, it is simply this: every revolution carries within it the seeds of its own destruction. And empires that rise, will one day fall. )

"Remember – sometimes a failed revolution can do just as much good as a successful one, if you play your cards right. However, is a dead revolutionary really a successful one, even if his or her cause succeeds?" Ghanima leaned back against her desk, neon eyes swirling. "I will leave that up for you to decide."