fandomhigh | Paranormal Activity 101, Tuesday, January 11th

When the students came into the room on Tuesday they might have noticed that it smelled strongly of old lady (or like a bunch of dried out flowers, rather), but Alaric was acting like he didn't notice anything. If you thought it smelled like old lady now, just wait until later.

"Okay, guys, today we're going to be covering vampires. I'm sure you all know what vampires are, but we're gonna go over the basics anyway for sake of easy test questions when the final comes," Alaric said with a smile. "I realize there are a few vampires in the room, but I promise to be as unbiased as possible. I know you're good people."

You know, when you're not killing innocent carnival workers or biting your golden retriever-like boyfriend, Caroline.

"Right, so, the word vampire usually refers to anything that gains it's life essence through the drinking of blood," Alaric said. "The word vampire wasn't really used until the early 18th century, but many cultures have had myths referring to human-like creatures that drank blood to live for hundreds of years before that. It's a popular myth to fall back on when you want to scare your kids, I think."

Now that the lame attempt of humor was done, Alaric quickly launched into a lecture about vampires, first going over the historical background of vampires in popular culture and then ditching the whole "myth" aspect and talking about the more scientific facts. What they looked like, where you're most likely to find them and the special abilities some of them possessed, such as mind control and (at least from what his research in Fandom's library told him) flying. When he got to weaknesses and how to kill a vampire he tried to cover all the ways you could kill a vampire in every universe he researched, making a point to tell everyone that your mileage may vary depending on what universe's vampire you were dealing with. But chopping off someone's head is usually a sure thing.

Then, yes, he talked about how some vampires were good and you should make sure that they were really trying to kill you and not just getting fuzz out of your hair before throwing holy water on them.

"Sorry if your wrists hurt from all that writing," Alaric said when he was finally finished. "The activity today will be relaxing. Or you'll burn yourself. Then you can relax after class."

He pointed to the tables in the back where there were tea kettles, hot plates, cups and that dried out purple flowers spread out among them. "Today we're all going to be making tea out of vervain. If you were paying attention in lecture you'll recall that where I'm from vervain and vampires don't mix well. Their skin'll start burning off if they touch it and if they ingest it they get quite sick. Humans that ingest vervain will be protected from vampires since one sip of your blood will have them on the ground wishing they were dead in the more traditional sense. If you choose to wear vervain on you, you'll also be protected from vampiric mind control."

"So today we're going to be making tea from vervain. It's not the tastiest thing in the world, but it's better than dying, right? I recommend you add a lot of sugar," Alaric said. "And, of course, vampires are exempt from the activity. Or if you just don't like tea. Then you don't have to do it either."

[OCD up]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh the glare Alaric was getting as Caroline approached him, her arms crossed. Okay, maybe it was just a bitch face. "Are you seriously trying to kill me? Because saying I don't have to touch the vervain is the same as saying, 'oh Caroline, why don't you just scream out to the whole class that you're a vampire and see who lines up for snack time!'"

Maybe she should have whispered that... Good thing it was the end of class.

"Did I point you out specifically? No, I did not," Alaric said. "You could have been one of the people who just didn't like tea. It reeks in here, I can't believe most of the kids actually did it."

Like that was enough to soothe her. "I swear if that stuff is slowly rotting out my lungs..."

"I'm sure if you haven't felt anything yet then you're in the clear," Alaric said, rolling his eyes. "And you can comfort yourself with the fact that we're past vampires now in the course. Rest easy."

"Good, let's call out someone else," she sulked. "Like that green girl, whatever she is. Oh! And you've gotta do me a favor - just a tiny one! Totally insignificant for someone like you who doesn't have a life or ever answer his phone."

He really didn't like the sound of that, and not just because Caroline insinuated he didn't have a life. "...oh god, what?"

"Don't look so scared," Caroline said huffily. "No thanks to you, my roommate found out." More like she told him. "It's seriously not a big deal. I mean, a nosy person would've found the blood storage within a week. I just need like, a vervain necklace - a masculine one. Or like, some manly vervain cologne that doesn't make me gag. Just enough to assure Nathan I'm not trying to compel him to jump off the roof or something even if I wish he would."

Alaric gave Caroline a look that clearly said 'do I look like I'm counter girl at a vampiric Macy's?' but kept his mouth shut since he knew this was important.

"I think I have a necklace or a bracelet that I don't wear anymore that I could rig with vervain to give your roommate," Alaric said, sighing. "But could you please try a little bit harder to be discreet?"

Her squee at Ric agreeing to provide her with help died at his request for her to be discreet. "I ooze discretion," Caroline answered completely incorrect in her assertion. "This is the new Caroline Forbes, totally keeping things under lock and key. And even thinking about, you know, how badly relationshippy things would go. No matter how handsome and charming the boys are. Or how often they flirt with me when they don't have to and show me around the school... Did I mention they're cute?"

"Yeah, I got it," he said, barely resisting the urge to sigh again. "And I'm very proud of you for holding back. But, still. You've been here a little over a week and already someone knows. How long did you hold out in Mystic Falls before you told somebody?"

"Um...does it count if I told them to forget after?" Caroline had to ask.

Alaric frowned. "Yes."

"Then like, twenty minutes?" Caroline admitted. "In my defense, that nurse was really bad at her job. I mean, how did no one notice I died? What kind of hospital was that?"

"Mystic Falls does have remarkably unobservant people living there," Alaric had to admit. "Which is why you need to be even more careful here. These people know their stuff."

"Yeah, I know," she relented, knowing Alaric was right about keeping things as under wraps as she could manage. "What about the ones who um, smell it on me? I maybe ran into a werewolf."

Of course Caroline would manage to find a werewolf. Of course.

"I'm gonna guess that it didn't go too well?" Alaric asked.

It was so not her fault! She just wanted free food and he showed up all on his own.

"Jacob Something, total jerk," Caroline shrugged. "And a giant. You won't be able to miss him. Seriously, how is it all so messed up already?" And why was she asking Alaric that?

"This town is...special, to say the least," he said, finding himself slightly sympathetic to Caroline's problem. "Just keep away from the werewolf from now on. They're too dangerous for you to even try to make friends."

Somehow he didn't think she'd listen to him but, hey, he tried.

Paranormal Activity 101, Tuesday, January 11th

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric

Re: Talk to Alaric