Surviving & Thriving -- Monday -- Second Period.

[atreideslioness]

Students met in the Danger Shop this week, which was set-up to resemble a regular classroom. "You've made it back," Ghanima said, looking over the class as people arrived. "Today we're going to go a bit more complex than last week; we'll be looking at what makes Fandom different from most other schools. Namely, the prevalence of parallel universes, the school's propensity for being invaded by hostile entities, and our mascot, the Gremlin."

If she shot Algren an amused glance on that last part, it was purely the class's overactive imagination.

"You may have realized over the last week that there are students here from the past, from the future, and some that look familiar but are not quite who you think they are. A friend, perhaps, but slightly different from the person you know, or a complete doppelgänger wearing a familiar face, but with a different name, different personality, and from another world altogether. These are not uncommon occurrences, and can be blamed on the fact that Fandom High acts as a multiversal nexus, connecting with several parallel universes."

"Parallel universe or alternative reality is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. While the terms "parallel universe" and "alternative reality" are generally synonymous and can be used interchangeably in most cases, there is sometimes an additional connotation implied with the term "alternative reality" that implies that the reality is a variant of our own. The term "parallel universe" is more general, without any connotations implying a relationship, or lack of relationship, with our own universe. A universe where the very laws of nature are different – for example, one in which there are no relativistic limitations and the speed of light can be exceeded – would in general count as a parallel universe but not an alternative reality. The correct quantum mechanical definition of parallel universes is "universes that are separated from each other by a single quantum event." Ghanima quirked a slight smile. "Which is a headache trying to sort out, so we'll stick with using them interchangeably for this class, unless anyone has objections."

Algren was smirking a little as he stepped forward, possibly because if he attempted to look pleasant, it would hide his (still obvious) distaste at the subject matter that he was about to discuss.

"Another aspect of the island that you may or may not already have some experience with would be the local wildlife," he stated. "Last week saw a newcomer to the island in the form of those... hairy buffalo-dog things." Alots, Captain. Alots. "You might have also heard about the teal deer, which are, as their name suggests, deer. Deer that happen to be teal. But the one creature that calls Fandom Island home that you'll most certainly hear the most about would be the gremlin. They're more than just our school mascot. They're a relatively sentient species that lives wherever it can find shelter, and they've come to the island's aid more than a few times. They're really quite harmless, when you get right down to it, and they're possibly the most beneficial creature to call this island home once you take into consideration their role in saving us on more than one occasion, from zombies, and even from other gremlins."

A beat, and then he couldn't help but wrinkle his nose in distaste.

"They're also absurdly annoying. Their bite contains a highly hallucinogenic venom, and they use it when they feel threatened, aggressive, or just plain bored. If you happen to see somebody parading around, convinced that they're somebody they're not and acting altogether insane, look for a gremlin bite. And pull out a camera. The venom's effects will wear off before too long, of course, but the humiliation that it causes can be lasting."

And he should know.

"Just be aware that if you document it for the yearbook, your classmates may do the same to you," Ghanima pointed out.

"The last subject we'll touch on today is Fandom's history of invasions," she continued. "From time-to-time, hostile forces have attempted to claim the island for their own. Or worse yet, sometimes the enemy has been one that has no soldiers to fight; a plague, or a magical happening."

"Some of the island's invasions have been a result of parallel realities," Algren added. "A rival island looking to overtake this one for its own purposes, a sleeping sickness that pulled the consciousness of a good many of our population over to another, parallel Fandom. There's a ring of statues in the preserve that abducted people and rocketed them back in time. Some seem less serious at a glance, like simple monster attacks, or even hungry vegetables, but all have been dangerous. When the island is being afflicted with an invasion, your best bet is to stay inside the dorms, the school, Caritas, or the clinic, which are all considered safe places. And, if you're not the sort to hide inside," because he knew the island's population better than that, "then make absolutely certain you don't travel alone, and you treat whatever invading force you encounter with the utmost caution."

"Today, for your practical, we'll be combining parts of what we've talked about today," Ghanima said. "We are playing a game of Tag against a special guest.. Please stand."

[OOC: OCD up! Tag in!]

Comments

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy had stared at the creature for a little bit and then was standing next to Raven. "What is that thing?"

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"I believe it is supposed to be a gremlin," Raven said, tilting her head and staring at the creature. "But they do not usually look like that. They are more...scaley. And sharper teeth. And they do not smile like that."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy shook her head. "He looks rather unpleasant no matter what he is," she observed. "I can only imagine how much scarier he would look with scales and lots of teeth."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"As Lady Ghanima explained, you must be careful to not let one bite you," Raven said. "It can be...embarrassing." Like making you dance around in your underwear singing about murdering husbands, but Raven knew nothing about that, really.

She took her eyes off the "gremlin" to study Cassidy. "You said last week during introductions that you are from Kaeleer, did you not? I have recently visited there. Karla is a dear friend to me, have you met her? I am Raven."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy nodded, stuudying the Gremlin for a moment. "It would be cheating if I shielded myself from it since this is a classroom activity, then?" Cassidy turned to Raven and her eyes had lit up. "Oh yes. I met Karla at the picnic and it was so nice to meet a Sister here. It's nice to meet you, Raven. I'm Cassidy and I'm from Dharo."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"It is very nice to meet you as well, Cassidy," Raven said with a smile. "As I said, Karla is very dear to me. She is as a sister to me as well. And using whatever gifts to protect yourself would not be cheating, at least I do not think so. The point of the exercise is not to be bitten."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy looked relieved and pulled up a shield around herself. "That's good to know. I'm not very fond of being bitten by anything." She smiled and nodded. "Karla is a very good person." Her eyes were full of fondness and relief at meeting someone who understood. "I am relieved that this place has so many good people here. It's not been as frightening as I was worried that it would be."

Recognition suddenly filled her eyes and she almost bounced in place. "Oh. I remember now. You help lead the reserves. I saw you there last week."

Sorry, Raven. Cassidy gets excited about meeting people that hold positions of respect.

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"It can be dangerous at times here," Raven said, a little reluctant to take that relief out of Cassidy's eyes. "But yes, there are many good people here who are willing to help protect those who cannot defend themselves. I am no warrior myself, but I feel safe with my friends nearby." Except when her father was lurking, but that was a whole other story.

She blushed a little and nodded at Cassidy's bringing up the reserves. "Yes, Karla asked me to help her this year," she said. "The two other leaders, Tony and Merlin, both graduated and left the island. I do not have much experience with leadership, but I do wish to aid Karla in any way that I can."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

"It can be dangerous anywhere," Cassidy said quietly. "I'm no warrior, either, but my older brother has taught me some things and I wield a dangerous garden hoe -- or at least Poppi tells me that. I can also throw a hammer at somebody if I need to. I much prefer gardening and helping people to having to fight." She smiled again. "I've met some very nice people here, though. I'm not as worried as I was originally."

She tilted her head. "If Karla thinks you are good for the job then you very much are," she assured her. No, there was not a little hero worship of the darker jewled Queen going on here.

Okay, maybe a little.

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"If you wish to learn to fight, you will find no shortage of those willing to teach you here," Raven said. "I was raised a pacifist, so it is difficult for me to contemplate violence. I would prefer gardening to fighting as well, though it is in healing where my true gifts lie."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure that I wish to learn to fight," she said thoughtfully. "I would much prefer helping people than hurting them. I'm not a healer in that sense, but my blood helps to heal the land when it needs to and I'm good at helping to heal people's hearts."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"You are able to heal the land?" Raven said, eyes wide and impressed. "That is beyond anything I may do with my skills, though healing the heart is part of what I attempt to do."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy nodded, her eyes a little shy. "In my world, Queens are known as the hearts of the people and the land. I can't heal wounds, but I can heal the land and can help heal people's feelings and make them feel better in that way."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"I know some of Karla's gifts," Raven said, "but not their full extent unless I just can't remember which is always possible. She has helped me a great deal in the past. I was not truly prepared for life here when I first arrived."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

"I'm beginning to think that I am not prepared for this world," Cassidy said as she kept a watch out for that gremlin thing. "But I'm glad that you had someone like Karla to help you."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"Then you will have plenty of people to help you," Raven said, giving her another smile. "Karla, or myself, or anyone at the Magic Reserves. And of course, the teachers. Lady Ghanima is one of my favorites; I have taken all her classes since I arrived in Fandom. And Professor Skywalker has helped me a great deal with my shielding." It was impossible for her to pass by an opportunity to pimp Anakin out, not dirty.

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

"Thank you, Raven, I do appreciate that." She smiled and nodded. "I like Lady Ghanima, and I love this class so far. I don't think I've met Professor Skywalker. He's not the teacher of any of the classes I have found myself taking."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"He teaches a class on flight during the summer," Raven said. "But during the normal school year, he teaches Ethics. You should take it in the fall, I found it to be very interesting and useful class." And no, she never sulked because she didn't have another class with Anakin. At all. Really.

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

"Oh, Ethics sounds like a class that it would be important to take. It sounds a lot like Protocol," she said with a smile. "Are you planning to take his course again, or is it a class that a student can only take one time?"

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"You are only to take it once," Raven said. Nope, still not sulking. "But I do visit Professor Skywalker once a week during his office hours to work on my shielding. The emotions in this place almost overwhelmed me before he began to teach me to shut them out."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy thought about this for a long moment. "So he is a good male, then?"

Cassidy was very careful about trusting males that she didn't know -- especially away from home.

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"Very good," Raven said, nodding emphatically. "And very wise. I trust him completely." Be careful, Cassidy. She was going to start handing out fan club info annnny moment now.

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

"That's definitely a good thing to know, then," Cassidy said with a nod. "I think that I would like to meet him."

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[trigons_child]

"He is in his office on Thursdays," Raven offered up helpfully.

Re: Activity! : Tag! You're It!

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Oh Raven was very helpful in recruiting for Anakin's fan club, wasn't she?

"Oh," Cassidy said with a pleased smile. "I don't have classes that day. Do you think that you would be able to help me find his office if you're not busy?"