Philosophies of Mana (Extended Edition), Thursday Per 3

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana had been switching up the places she brought the class to get a feel for the kind of landscapes that produced which kind of mana. And she'd come into the Danger Shop with an idea for a new forest as well; she'd thought a trip to Naya might be fun. Except when she'd turned on the sim, the forest from last summer's class had been waiting for her: a forest that seemed like it might have been taken from the pages of a fairy tale. Sunshine like golden honey poured through the gaps in sprawling hardwood trees. Small animals skittered and played in the underbrush while birds sang in the trees and yet there was the slight hush that came with being deep in an old forest. A clear stream burbled beside them for awhile, filled with fish that had silver scales that glinted in the sun. The air smelled earthy and wild like rich loam and sharp sap and subtlest hint of scent of something like cedar but not quite.

Sentiment was a stupid, useless thing. Liliana had no time for it. And yet...she allowed this sim to remain.

Because they were studying green mana, of course. Green loved traditions, history. She was just leaning into the spirit of the lesson, here in this clearing that no one else in the Multiverse remembered but her. It wasn't sentiment, it was a lesson, yes.

...She did not realize how lucky she was that her class was today and not yesterday, no.

But none of that was visible on her face when the class made their way to the clearing where she'd set up the traditional circle of pillows and cushions and blankets. As always, the whiteboard was there, too, upon which was written the word
Acceptance
• What does green mana desire? What is its end goal?

• What means does green mana use to achieve these ends?

• What does green mana care about? What does it represent?

• What does green mana despise? What negatively drives it?

• What is green mana's greatest strength? Greatest weakness?

( Acceptance Through Growth )

"Green is instinct, old wisdom, traditions that remain in tune with the natural world. It understands and values community, it is wild and primal, relying on strength, stamina, and sheer numbers to overcome problems. A single elephant can kill, and so can a swarm of bees. Green makes judicious use of both, and often will increase the size of either, so you end up dealing with an elephant the size of a house or bees the size of rabbits. It tends to eschew overthinking; again, the answer can often be found in nature or the more primal instincts within ourselves if we only looked. As an extension of accepting its role in the world, Green is also strongly fatalistic, trusting in destiny to decide the right way for things to go. If you live, great; if you die, it's what was meant to be. At its worst, green can become hostile to the idea of free will and the right of individuals to do as they want instead of as they were 'born' to do - the role that they were given, either by genetics or their natural, determined destiny."

Norse Mythology, Thursday, Second Period

[ifwebeworthy]

"Okay," Don said bracingly, and then, under his breath, "Should have gotten drunk before this." Then he said, "Okay," again, and rolled up the screen covering the whiteboard to reveal a family tree. Actually, two family trees, one for the Aesir and one covering Loki's whole...situation.

"We talked before about Ymir," he said, using his walking stick to point at that name at the head of the larger, more intimidating tree, "and how his descendants, including Odin, become the gods that create the world. This is what that looks like. Here's our local friend Thor--" Ha "--over here," he said, pointing to him. "Son of Odin and--huh, they got that right." Jane if she was present would probably be confused by that aside, but Don was moving on to the other family tree. "Over here we have Loki, who is not one of the Aesir but a jötunn, also known in my universe as a frost giant. Where I'm from he was adopted by Odin, but--apparently not everywhere.

"Now, this family tree probably raises a lot of questions. Some of them, like, 'Why are Loki's kids a wolf, a sea serpent, and a horse?' I have answers for, and will cover in this class. Others, like, 'Why does Heimdall have nine mothers?' I'm at a bit of a loss for." Then he muttered under his breath, "No, I don't want to know." He was happier not knowing. "So. Ask me any questions you have about...all of this, and I'll see what I can do and what we'll have to save for another class." A beat. "This is the very simplified version, by the way." He just wanted them to know that.

Library, Thursday 2/5

[noonedecidesmyfate]

Why was there a small group of gremlins giggling to themselves? Belle did not know but it was honestly adorable and they weren't causing any trouble that she could identify.

Perhaps the giggles were for trouble already caused. Or trouble that would be caused. For now they were just relatively pleasant background noise in the library.

Cinema Studies, Thursday, Period One

[wrongkindofsith]

The classroom was decorated for Christmas. No, your teachers didn't do this. No, they didn't know how it happened. But they were rolling with the punches here. It's what they did best!

"So, we have a Christmas movie for you all today," Jane said, enjoying a mystery candy cane.

"Apparently they're another of the weird rituals people have around that holiday." Cara, who very much did not come from a world with Christmas, said.

"It's fun!" Jane insisted with a grin. Like that would sway Cara somehow.

Cara was unswayed, because she was aware of the kind of movies they'd been showing in class so far. "That's one word for it."

One day they'd get her!

"So, everyone settle in for the show. It's romantic." Jane, no.

Look, at least this one didn't involve a career woman giving up her hopes and ambitions for some guy?