fandomhigh | Paranormal Activity 101, Tuesday, January 4th

When students filtered into the classroom on Tuesday they'd see a new teacher sitting at the front desk, immersed in a texting spree with somebody. He made sure that his phone was put away the second class started, however. Had to set a good example and everything.

"Welcome everybody. Just to make sure everyone is in the right class: You all know this is Paranormal Activity 101, yes?" Alaric waited a minute just to make sure anybody who had came into the wrong class had a chance to make a swift exit. "Okay, good. I'm Alaric Saltzman, but please, call me either Ric or Mr. Saltzman. Nobody calls me Alaric."

"I was going to start this class off with some spiel about how this class is just for fun and vampires aren't real, et cetera, et cetera, but five minutes in this place has let me know that you aren't the average bunch of students that I usually deal with," Alaric said with a smile. "So let's go into this with an open mind and a willingness to learn, shall we?"

"In this class we will be covering a new supernatural being every week, with a brief historical overview and ways you can bring it down if you have the unfortunate luck to be in a situation where one is after you," he said. "Now, just because I will be teaching you these things, it does not mean I want you to go out there and play hero. You shouldn't hunt without the proper training and this class is not the proper training. It's an overview so that maybe you'll have a chance at survival in emergencies."

"And," Alaric leaned against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. "I am well aware that not everything that goes bump in the night is evil and should be hunted. So while I will tell you how to hurt and even kill the supernatural beings we'll be covering, I want you all to know that it should be taken on a case by case basis. Don't go killing just because you can."

Wow, this was definitely a freeing teaching experience, that was for sure.

"So, today is going to be an easy day. I want introductions from each of you. Your name, age, your experience with anything of the supernatural kind and something you would like to learn about," he said. "I specialize in vampires but I'm sort of a research nerd, so if I haven't heard of what you want to know more about I'm more than willing to read more about it."

"Oh, and I've already picked Ms. Forbes as my TA," Alaric started, gesturing at Caroline. "So feel free to bother her if you have any questions that you don't want to ask me."

[OCD is up]

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Because focusing on someone else's issues was a wonderful way for her to ignore her own, Raven couldn't help but poke her empathic nose into Kate's business. "I can sense you are distressed," she said quietly. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

And Kate thought she was hiding everything oh so well. One day she'd learn to remember about the empaths. She looked over, a little startled. "Uh, what?"

Give her a moment, she might figure out what the other girl had meant.

One day Raven might learn to mind her own business.

On second thought, probably not.

"I am sorry, Kate," she said with a reassuring smile. "I did not mean to bother you. But I can feel that something is bothering you, and I had hoped I could help you in some way."

Blink. Blink bli-- Ohh, empath, right. Kate shook her head. "No, I'm fine." Because that was really convincing with what she was probably projecting.

It wasn't easy to be in the same class with Bod, and the topic at hand was reminding her of Hannibal pretty hard, and so there was a sort of numb ache in the middle of her chest. But yeah, she was fine, sure.

Just like Raven was absolutely fine despite the nightmare visions her father kept sending her to torment her. Riiiiight.

She chewed at her lip, not wishing to be rude and push, especially not in the middle of class, but she hated to see anyone unhappy and had to offer or she wouldn't be Raven. Kate was probably lucky she and Raven weren't very close or she absolutely wouldn't let go of it. "I see," she said. "But if you do decide that I can be of any assistance with my gifts, either to ease your mind or simply to talk to, please, do not hesitate to find me."

"I'm just fine like I am," Kate repeated, mildly. "And I don't really want anyone messing with what I'm feeling. No offence."

And there was that minor thing with how she'd been wary of Raven ever since that one incident with Leto, though that didn't have much of an influence on her anymore. Bigger things to worry about, and all that.

"But thanks, I guess."

"Of course," Raven murmured, retreating back into herself. "I am very sorry to have bothered you."

Raven, like Bod, really had a talent for inadvertently making Kate feel like she'd just done something horrible to a puppy, didn't she? Kate sighed. "It's really no big deal, you didn't... bother me."

Raven managed a small smile. "I understand if I did," she said. "My gifts make me somewhat intrusive at times, and when I sense something is not right, I cannot help but to wish to do whatever I can to help make it right. I have been learning to take no for an answer."

Though with some difficulty.

"Probably for the best," Kate said. "People have different ways of dealing with shit."

And some people had huge issues with anyone making them think or feel anything that didn't come naturally.

"I have come to learn that as well," Raven said with a slight nod. It didn't entirely take away the urge to help, though. That was never going to go away.

She ducked her head to hide her blush of embarrassment for having intruded; she could feel Kate's discomfort with her and regretted speaking up now. "The class should be interesting," she offered up as way of a subject change.

"Something like that," Kate agreed with a shrug of her shoulder. "Useful too, maybe."

"And perhaps the knowledge will help me become more understanding and accepting of the beings that I fear," Raven said. She totally wasn't darting her eyes towards Maladicta, not at all. "I have met good werewolves and bad, and I am trying to understand the same is true of vampires."

"It is," Kate said, tone going deceptively idle. "Some of them make that hard to remember, though."

"They do," Raven agreed softly, shifting uncomfortably. She'd try to force herself to come to class when that topic came up, but it might be difficult.

She fell silent, looking down at her desk and her notes, not sure what else to say now.

Paranormal Activity 101, Tuesday, January 4th

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