fandomhigh | Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse, Thursday, Per 3

Well, the Danger Shop was no longer looking like an old timey movie theater, which was a plus. Instead, it was back to its classroom configuration, complete with a heavy copy of Gray's Anatomy (the text, not the show) on each desk.

"So," she said once class began, "this weekend is Parents' Weekend. I will be holding office hours, certainly on Saturday, likely on Sunday as well." Because she was not expecting guests this year, and was going to have quite the rude awakening when she discovered that she did. "If there are certain things you wish for me to keep from your guests - names, pronouns, the existence of magic, that this is a dimensional nexus, and so on and so forth - you should inform me of this sometime before your visitors show up. I have remarkably few qualms about lying, but I do need a heads up in the first place. Informing me of any lies you have already told your guests will also be useful. I am not a telepath, thank any number of gods for small favors."

Faintly, they could hear the sounds of some kind of commotion, like several classes were moving through the downstairs hallways with no disregard for the other classes that were still in session. Liliana ignored them. "Moving onto topics actually relevant to the class, today we'll be covering basic anatomy and physiology to give you a better idea of what and where to aim when fighting off the undead." The noises outside their classroom were getting both louder and closer. "Many of you are used to fighting living opponents, who are often hampered by things like pain, bleeding, fear, asphyxiation, adrenaline, and a respect for one's own organs. None of those things will stop a zombie, so many of you may have fighting instincts that are normally useful, but will actually be detrimental in situations where your opponent is undead."

By this point, it sounded like complete pandemonium outside. Running, yelling, people demanding information or calling for order, even a few screams of terror. Or perhaps pain?

And below all of that: groans.

"Now then, if you will please turn to page eighty-three, the chapter on the skeletal structure--" she continued, as a loud roar echoed down the hall. Pandemonium turned to panic as the people outside began shrieking, "ZOMBIES!" and running for their lives.

"Oh my, it seems the school is currently undergoing a zombie invasion," she said, pulling out a manicure set and beginning to file her nails. The tone of her voice was reminiscent of Gene Wilder calling for police help. "Oh no, whatever will you do to survive?" She glanced back up at anyone who was still in their seat, and made a little shooing motion with her hands. "That's your assignment, by the way. Survive. Or, at least die in such a way that teaches you a valuable life lesson in what not to do next time."

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Liliana beamed at him. "One moment, darling," she said and made a few adjustments to the sim, creating some quiet, biddable souls for Erasmus to manipulate, connected to the individual zombies (and fallen students and faculty) by faint tethers that he could follow. At some point, she'd like to see what he could do with recalcitrant spirits, but Erasmus was already working at a significant disadvantage and she was mindful Nikodemus's warning to not push too hard.

But, he was a ghostslaver. Excellent! And very useful to know.

"Something like this?" Her grin grew brighter, sharper. "This is survival, darling. Manners need not apply."

"Like that," Erasmus agreed, and focused. The Chain Veil was...Chain Veiling, but while he could sort of sense the spirits interred there's tethers to their bodies, those bodies weren't anywhere to be found, which was maybe why he hadn't sensed the artifact until it was right in front of his face. He wasn't thinking on it too hard. It was there. He needed to ignore it.

A zombie. He wanted a zombie, because he knew he could raise the dead. He wanted to find out what would happen if he tried to ensoul the undead. "Jennifer Rose Gardner," he said, and now the glow from his eyes was unmistakable. "I'm so sorry, but it's time to return."

Out in the hall, one of the zombies stopped what she was doing and looked around in confusion and horror.

"Excellent," Liliana told him. Already, there were so many different avenues he could explore from here and her fingers itched to get in there and discuss the theory and the practicality of this course of action, to help him discover everything he could do, but she was practicing non-interference here. This was about how Erasmus responded to the scenario, and what he prioritized. "You have taken control of a zombie--quite neatly, might I add. Now what?"

"I could release her," Erasmus said. "If the zombies were originally animated by magic, she would just be dead then." Of course, if they were animated by a virus or something of that nature, she would probably be a zombie again. Less than ideal. Also, "It's not very efficient." There were a lot of zombies out there, and only one Erasmus.

"It would not be," Liliana agreed. "It is also something that can be done later. I have found, in situations like this, a useful way of looking at potential options are weighing which actions are basically 'zero sum,' limiting or precluding further action later. Releasing her now is zero sum, it removes her - or, at least, your ability to control her - from the board. Not releasing her now opens up new potential actions, and does not negate any."

"Um...I'm sorry," he was forced to admit. "My head really hurts right now and I can't come up with ideas, so I'm afraid I'm just gonna be eaten by zombies."

"That is not your fault," Liliana said firmly. "This bloody thing--" She shook the Chain Veil a little viciously and then glared down at it. "Oh do shut up," she told it. "Listen, Erasmus. I am a hard and demanding teacher, but I am not absolutely unreasonable. Go lie down. If you'd like, over the next week, you can write me up a list possible actions once you're capable of thinking without your head wanting to explode like overripe fruit."

Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse, Thursday, Per 3

Re: In The Classroom

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Re: In The Classroom

Re: In The Classroom

Re: In The Classroom