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“This week I wanted to find cupcakes from another planet in some universe,” Stark said. “But I haven’t found a recipe yet that I will think will work here.” Some of them were likely extremely toxic to humans. Maybe to Baniks as well. Stark didn’t really want to test that out just yet.

“So instead I’ve decided to have a movie day. TV day, really. It’s an episode of a show I used to watch here, called Cupcake Wars. This episode was about space. A space shuttle, which they used to have on this world but they don’t anymore, I don’t think, but they weren’t like ships where I’m from…right. So. They had to make cupcakes themed for space. And also for the United States and Russia because they have the most people who’ve gone to space from here, I think.”

Stark sighed softly. “One of the cupcakes are made from borscht. I haven’t made one of those but I do have some of the peanut butter ones.”

No borscht. Frightening cupcakes were for other classes, not this one.

“So, please feel free to eat. I have the recipes from the episode if you want to try making any of them another time. Or just to look at. For now…just enjoy the episode of the show?”

noonedecidesmyfate

There was a cart marked WEEDED near the circulation desk. Belle wasn't sure where it had come from. She didn't recognize any of the books on it either, or the towering stack of books between 2 gremlins at a table.

They were gleefully crossing out barcodes and adding red DISCARDED stamps to the books before tossing them at the cart.

Belle hoped the books were meant to be added but if they weren't that was certainly something best dealt with by the librarian himself rather than by her.

ifwebeworthy

"Okay," Don said with great reluctance, "let's talk about Loki." ( Did they have to? )

needsacatchphrase

Well, the class was set up for a cozy movie day once again. Because that was the class.

"So, spring weather is a bit crazy," Jane said with a helpless shrug.

"Doubly so in this place," Cara added dryly.

"So, we're going with a movie to help with that!" No, not Sharknado. Not again.

No sharks in this one. Just cows.

deathsmajesty

Once again, class found themselves on a long bridge, staring down, down, down into the depths. However, this bridge wasn't built among the clouds, but instead at ground level, arching over a massive gorge carved deep within the earth. Carved into the sheer cliff walls are clusters of buildings interspersed with the excavated faces of truly enormous stone statues. Beneath the steady stone bridge they were standing upon, the area beneath them crisscrossed by other rope and slat bridges that ran the gamut from 'serviceable' to 'visibly treacherous.'

"Welcome to Lorehold, one of the four Colleges that make up my alma mater, Strixhaven University," she said. "I graduated from Witherbloom, the College that pairs black and green together, but we're visiting Lorehold to continue our exploration of white mana pairings, this one, red and white."

( Practice compassion and mercy. But know when they must end.--Boros Legion )

"White/red's other major failstate is that the line between conviction and zealotry is thin--thinner than most people think. And you often do not know that you've crossed it until you are very, very far down the other side. White/red is one of the pairings best suited for committing atrocities. A man doing evil in the name of good often will not stop because he truly believes his actions are not only justified, but righteous. In Ravnica, the Boros Legion is the Guild that is centered in white/red, and they are the plane's police force. In theory, they exist to keep people safe, to protect those who need it, but the Legion is made up of people, and even ignoring those who corrupt the badge, even those who truly believe can let themselves get swept away by the idea that because their aims are good, so are their methods, and thus everything is permitted when it comes to carrying out those aims, and they are infallible when it comes to deciding what is necessary." That's right, Liliana said ACAB. "White/red is also the color of wrath, the kind of single-minded fury that can blind them to anything else until it has run its course."

talentforlying

Class met in the Danger Shop today, which was modified to resemble a pool hall.

"Welcome to the unofficial Land of the Hustle," Constantine proclaimed, spreading his arms wide. "Today, we're learning how to shoot pool and take the money of idiots with more money than sense."

"Pool hustlers use deception and misdirection in order to win cash from inexperienced players -- or from skilled players inexperienced with the world of hustling. Now, there's a few different options for a skilled hustler, and some things to watch out for if you don't want to end up the wrong side of the bet."

"A hustler will usually play with a low-quality 'house' cue stick provided by the pool hall, or an unadorned but high-quality personal cue that looks like one, known as a 'sneaky pete.' Or, with the nascence of local competitive league play in recent years, may play with a flashy-looking but evidently low-end personal cue, to give the impression that the hustler is a beginning league player. They will typically play a game or two for 'fun' or for low bets -- a beer or equivalent amount of cash -- in order to check out the opponent and give the impression that money can easily be won, often losing on purpose with the intent of winning a much larger wager later against a predictably overconfident opponent. This is known as sandbagging or dumping."

"They will pocket some difficult and impressive shots or make surprisingly secure safety shots, the ones crucial for winning, while missing many simple ones, thus making early victories appear to be sheer luck and may pretend to be intoxicated, unintelligent, or otherwise impaired. When betting on trick shots, they may intentionally miss the first or several times and lose a small amount, then raise the bet to an amount well beyond the loss and succeed at the well-practiced feat."

"Many of these ploys can easily be mistaken for the honest faults of a less-than-exceptional player. The engendered doubt and uncertainty is what allows hustling to succeed, with the 'mistakes' ceasing when a significant amount of money is at stake."

"Americans are partial to Eight-ball, so we'll start with that," he said, ~~handwavily~~ going over the rules. "So grab a partner, and work on your game."

good_for_six

The projector was set up in the classroom today, which could only mean one thing.

"Creative writing actually take many forms," Aphra told the class as she looked for the remote, which you'd think she wouldn't have lost track of in five minutes, but you'd be surprised.

"I'm extremely fond of dirty limericks myself," Isabela said, surprising absolutely no one. "Which is why we'll be watching a film about a famous poet."

knightinshinarmor

Gambit was, in fact, absolutely late getting to class today.

"Right," he said, not missing a beat as he strode across the otherwise unprogrammed room and hit some buttons. A movie theater appeared around them, with a little cliche popcorn bucket and soda cup dancing on the screen. "Movie day. Have fun. Try not to learn anything stupid."

He was such a good teacher. No really!

sith_happened

Your teachers were no where to be found at the time class was scheduled to begin.

Yes, your Ethics teachers were checking to see how long you'd stay.

Yes, they were watching.

[OOC: class delayed on account of worldwide political strife...]

throughaphase

When the students got to their simulations today, they'd each find themselves in a room with a simulated Kitty. Notably, there were also two microwaves set on tables, with a jug of milk atop each, and a task.kitty was holding a timer, which she started when they entered the room.

"You don't want to open the task yet," Kitty told them.

sharp_man

The class met this week at Portalocity again, this time to head out to a local butcher's shop in a lovely market.

"In future, we will be discussing how to cut meat," Hannibal began, "but there are any number of different meats you may encounter. Different cuts of different animals are useful for different things, and it's important to know how to make the most of them. And even given the overall qualities of a species, the flavor and texture of meat on an animal varies depending upon which part of the body it comes from. Also, different strains of species have different flavors, and their diet can make a very large difference." As did their frame of mind upon death, but that tended to distress people.

He led them toward the butchery to one side of the building. "I have arranged for the butchers to show you the various cuts of beef, pork, and lamb; where on the carcass they come from; and how to acquire them should you be performing your own butchery. Then we'll be moving to the stall next to it, which I have rented temporarily so that I can show you how the various cuts cook up. There won't be time for you to cook yourselves today, but I'll be feeding you. Provided you pay attention while I work." This was still, after all, a class.

intheeyeofthebeholding

Jon waved tiredly at the class. He'd reserved the Danger Shop for this period, but there was nothing in it so far; he was fiddling with the controls. "I, um. I apologize for last week. I got...well. Distracted." He cleared his throat. "I hope you all enjoyed Greece. That said, one of the things suggested to preserve focus is getting enough sleep. Which Daylight Saving Time does not help with. So."

He finally got it to do what he wanted, and around them appeared a...well, a sort of plush and padded cat tower, if the cats were human-sized. There were tunnels and cubbies and all kinds of places to hide. Or to climb around and play if you were so inclined.

"Today's class is for napping. If you don't feel like doing that, you can use it for exercise, which as we've discussed is also good for focus."

Just don't climb on him, please. He was going to be sleeping.

ifwebeworthy

"Today we continue our exploration of various weapons with the staff. The staff has much to recommend it. It is versatile and unobtrusive. One can carry a walking stick even in modern times without being perceived as armed. It is not, however, the most lethal of weapons, although never count blunt force trauma out. Please watch this instructional video, and then try out some of the movements for yourselves."

imafuturist

Class today was outside! Because spring weather was springing and they could do that.

"Welcome back," Tony said. "We hope everyone had a nice vacation. I know I did."

Despite Hydra Island!

"The dogs missed us, though," Steve said, "and they have a lot of energy."

"Which means this will be a free run!" Tony added. "Please take the towels we provided. They will be muddy and they will want to play with you. I'm sorry."

Not as sorry as he and Steve would be in having to bathe all three dogs after this, but still.

Fee was already off, tearing through the park after a squirrel.

stykera

Once again, cupcake class was meeting in the Home Ec room because that was where the ovens were.

“France today,” Stark said, pointing to the map. “I went there once, on a trip like last week’s but not exactly the same. They’re never exactly the same. I don’t remember ever seeing this sort of cupcake but there were things with the same flavors. There were lots of very good things to eat there. So many pastries…Pastries and very good butter and of course there’s the wine…”

A week of warmth and sun had done wonders for Stark but he was still going to wax nostalgic about trips and treats past.

“So. Today’s cupcakes are Monte Blanc cupcakes. A monte blanc is a french dessert but not usually a cupcake. There’s chestnuts, it’s very good. I think it is anyway. You may not agree. There’s some that I’ve already made for you to try, of course.”

They were not as pretty as the ones in the photos on the website but it was sometimes difficult to get the frosting to be tall.

“I’ve done some of the steps already or we wouldn’t have time but there’s time after class ends if anyone wants to try to do all of the steps yourselves. And…of course…you can just eat cupcakes if you’d rather.”

noonedecidesmyfate

Arden had made such progress on spring cleaning yesterday that Belle felt compelled to contusion the task.

As soon as she finished picking up the pile of books that some gremlins (presumably) had knocked over before she arrived. And the pile of plastic building bricks. She really wished those would be strewn about les often!

deathsmajesty

Another day, another new topic and new location. This time, the class found themselves sitting amongst the clouds--quite literally. They were perched on a long, arcing skybridge that rose up into the sky past the cloudline. To either side, they could see more bridges making their way through the sky. All the bridges converged at one point: a giant stadium hundreds of stories tall, the two statues that stood outside the entrance visible even from this distance. Closer to their spot, was the omnipresent cushions and blankets to sit on, and the whiteboard showing the five mana symbols. This time, there was a line drawn between blue and white.

"Welcome to Kylem," she said, sounding fond. "That stadium there is Valor's Reach, a gladiatorial arena where individuals travel from all over to test their martial prowess in - usually - non-lethal combat. For wealth, for glory...and, honestly, it's a great deal of fun."

She would know, being a several time Grand Champion. Of course.

( The law is meant to ensure that the gears of society turn smoothly and quietly.--Azorius Senate )

"And, finally, while it is very easy to see where white and blue are similar, it is important to note their differences as well. This time, the best way to find that is to look to their other allies: black and blue and green and white. So how do green and black differ? Black is all about free will and individualism, while green believes in destiny and interconnectedness. Therefore, we see the differences between blue and white as tension between those ideas. White, like its ally green, believes that everyone has a role to play in society, and, for the good of society, they should remain there selflessly, regardless of their own wants and desires; white's take on destiny and interconnectedness. Blue, on the other hand, believes that every individual has agency and control over their own actions, which they should spend on perfecting themselves, which will, in turn, lead to perfecting their surroundings; their take on black's free will and individuality. So, together, blue/white will struggle to properly define where a person's duty to their society ends and their duty to themself begins, how much control over their own life and future each person should have, versus how they should be bound by the good of the group." Liliana couldn't help but grin. "Blue/white working in harmony is a marvel of peaceful productivity; blue/white at odds with each other gets spicy."

throughaphase

The class was in the classroom again, with the desks pushed together to make a table. You know, like in school. And on those desks were supplies!

"Today we're going to make slime," Kitty announced. "I'm going to be honest, I don't actually know what it's for except that I'm always picking it up in my house. It's just glue, contact solution, and baking soda, and then you can throw however much glitter you want at it. I also printed out some instructions if you need them."

talentforlying

When the students showed up today, John had actually brought coffee for everyone - but not decaf, don't get carried away - and the room was set-up with a television at the front.

"Right. Movie day, you lot, since you're probably still daydreaming of spring break," he said, taking a bracing gulp of his own beverage. Hungover librarian was hungover. "How do you shoot the devil in the back? Well, I can suggest a few ways, but I've used them all and they don't work twice."

"Watch it, then tell me where the con falls down, and where it holds up. What would you have done differently?"

jedigrammarians

There as certainly a noise when the class arrived today. It was hard to describe exactly, but it was loud, discordant, and somehow both vaguely industrial and obnoxiously acoustic.

"Distractions," Aphra said over the...was it music? Possibly.. "They happen, sometimes all week, and you're 'not allowed' to throw the cause of them into the sea."

"But sometimes they provide their own inspiration," Isabela added in the tones of someone who had been Not Helping for a while now.

"So work on your own stuff," Aphra said. "Enjoy the Wookie Thrash Death Techno Jizz."

afraid_of_marshmallows

Listen, Arden was super-ready for spring. And if she had to manifest it by sacrifice and the sweat of her brow and all that stuff, then that's just what she was going to have to do, dammit.

Which was why anyone coming in today would see Arden deep in a spring cleaning frenzy. Windows were being washed. Shelves were being dusted. Floors swept.

She was going to be very smug about this come the weekend.

carbsliftthespirit

"Today, let's talk about salad," Raiden declared. "Now, what is a salad? It's a word with a wide variety of definitions, covering everything from leafy greens to fruit set in Jell-o. The key thing is that it's cold, and involves a bunch of different ingredients, usually mixed together in some way, and some kind of dressing, sometimes substituted for by the Jell-o if you're in Minnesota.

"The great thing about salads is that they're highly customizable, so you can use what you like, and really control the nutrition too. Need more protein? Add something like eggs or tuna! Use whatever veggies you like. There are a thousand dressings out there, plus recipes for different ones! The sky's the limit.And that's without getting into variations like pasta salad, or chicken salad, or Snickers salad!" A real thing, also a product of the Midwest. "Today we're sticking to your regular old leafy salad, though. You may have to do some cooking, of maybe an egg or some bacon, a chicken breast maybe, and some chopping, but mostly salads are about assembly. So we've got a bunch of ~~handwavey~~ ingredients, and you can try things out, see what you like, what's good together. Have fun with it! Be adventurous!" he encouraged them.

knightinshinarmor

Honestly, Gambit wouldn't blame anyone for just not trying to show up to this class anymore. He'd apparently been out of commission for several weeks, after all.

But, well, no one had fired him yet and he wasn't an opossum anymore, so he was here today, the Danger Shop set up to look like the Big Cypress Swamp in the Florida Everglades.

"Not everything about training is fighting," he said, when he figured he had all the students he was going to get. "Though fighting can be the most fun." Your experiences are not universal, sir. "It's important to know when to fight and when it's not needed." He gestured around them. "There are a lot of creatures out here who could really do damage to person. Most of them aren't doing it to be mean, it's just what they do. Gators want to eat. So do mosquitos. It's not their fault that we're made of delicious flesh."

Did you really have to phrase it that way?

"There's another thing out here that looks dangerous, but is actually pretty chill when you take the time to get to know him." He turned towards a close-set copse of trees. "C'mon out, mon ami."

The Man-Thing didn't understand his words. He didn't understand most things. He did understand the friendly feelings that Gambit gave off, though, and made his slow, awkward way past the trees.

"This is Man-Thing. Well. That's what we call him. He lives here. We don't know where he comes from or how he got here, but we do know that, well. 'Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing's touch.' So if you're nervous . . . I suggest you back up a bit. He can go a little nuts when he senses fear."

A loud rumbling sounded in the distance. Man-Thing lifted his head towards it with a sense of befuddlement. Gambit sighed. "For those who do want to fight today, you can give that bunch a try. That'd be the F.A. Schist company. They want to bulldoze this place to make an airport. I highly recommend going and blowing his shit up."

snipsnspecks

"We've recently returned from vacation and so sometimes the moral thing to do is not push ourselves too hard," Anakin announced piously.

"Also the Danger Shop refuses to load any other simulation," Ahsoka said from behind a pile of pillows. Because the Danger Shop was in fact full of them.

"And the Danger Shop refuses to load any other simulation," Anakin admitted begrudgingly.

"So we're going to listen to what the Force is telling us, make ourselves comfortable, and have a movie day," Ahsoka said.

"There might be a quiz, so pay attention," Anakin added.

Ahsoka nodded. "After all, it might get awkward if you can't tell us what happened."

throughaphase

Today the students would arrive in their own little house simulations, where they were directed to the fenced-in backyard. There, Kitty was standing there with a task to hand them.

Throw something into the bin on the other side of this fence. You may not use powers, you may not use ladders, you may not touch the fence, and you must stay on this side of the fence. Fastest wins. Your time starts now.

heroic_jawline

"So, traveling with dogs is a whole thing," Steve said, "but it's necessary when your dogsitter tells you no."

"And, for their safety, its best they take medicine to sleep through the process," Tony added. "Stress and all."

All three dogs sat, waiting. Impatiently. There was peanut butter and cheese in their futures, they just knew it.

Steve grinned down at them. "Now they pay attention."

"The pills we're giving you aren't real, but they don't know that," Tony said. "So, we need you to successfully trick them to swallow one. Good luck."

stykera

“Next week, in a few days really,” Stark said, “we’ll be on the trip. Going to Greece. That’s here, on the map.” He pointed. “And the water next to it, of course. Because boats.”

“So this week, today, I thought we would try some Greek cupcakes. To get an idea of what foods there might be available. Though this particular cake is usually for New Years. It’s called Vasilopita, and I found a recipe that makes what would normally be a cake into cupcakes. The cake usually has a coin in it. No money in the cupcakes.”

That would be weird.

“So! Are you all going on the trip? Have any of you been to Greece before? Or on boats like these? I haven’t been on this type of boat that I remember. I wonder what the food will be like…but, we’re here for cupcakes. So I have ones you can all try, of course. And you can all try to make some as well. Let me know if you need help. Want help.”

ifwebeworthy

"Today," Thor proclaimed, "you will familiarize yourselves with swords. Now, I do not expect you to become masters of the blade within the confines of one semester, even if the entire semester was dedicated to the art, which it will not be." Swords were boring. Hammers were where it was at. "But the sword is a highly individualized weapon. What works for one person will not for another. So today you will experiment." Thor gestured to a rack of various ~~handwavey~~ swords. "Here we have an assortment of blades. Long, short, one-handers, two-handers. Some are meant for stabbing, others for slashing. Try them. Take your frustrations out on the practice dummies. We will discuss proper grip and form once you know which blade you will be using."

noonedecidesmyfate

Belle was reading up on Greece.

Which, today, meant reading about Greek mythology. Except she kept getting distracted by other mythologies. Like, say, Norse. She was trying to resist researching the whole horse thing. So far she'd been successful. So far.

The gremlins were mysteriously absent today though they'd left behind evidence of what appeared to have been a feast either this morning or last night. They hadn't even shared. So rude.

ifwebeworthy

"This week is also not the week you get to learn about why Loki's kids are like that," Don told his class, apologetic, "because we're covering something a bit more basic first. You'll have to remain in suspense for another...two weeks, actually. Today we're going to talk about the world. Or, more accurately, the worlds. Nine of them, hanging on a tree.

"The Norse believed that at the heart of the universe there was a massive ash tree, Yggdrasil. Creatures lived within the tree itself--a squirrel, a hawk, several stags, a dragon...you know, your usual forest creatures that you might find living in a tree." Note sarcasm. "Amongst the branches of Yggdrasil are nine worlds: Asgard, the realm of the Aesir; Vanaheim, the realm of the Vanir; Alfheim and Svartalfheim, the realms of the light and dark elves; Jotunheim and Muspelheim, the realms of the frost and fire giants; Nidavellir, the realm of the dwarves; and Niflheim, the primordial realm of ice and water. Sometimes instead of Niflheim, Hel is one of the worlds on the tree, depending on who you ask. And, of course, Midgard, the realm of men, the one we are standing in. Sort of. I don't really know how interdimensional nexus points work. In theory, one can access the other worlds by traveling out of their world and along the tree, but that way is roundabout, so most entities that can traverse worlds do so by other means, such as the rainbow bridge known as the Bifrost, which allows the Aesir to travel between Asgard and Midgard.

"So," Don said. "What do you think? Is the universe a tree? If you don't buy into it, what might have made the Norse conceptualize the world this way? Why do both a squirrel and a dragon live in the tree? Discuss."

wrongkindofsith

The classroom had beach blankets set up for the movie this week. Because of course it did. What was Fandom without the whimsy?

"So, despite the weather here, we decided to go with a summer movie this time," Jane said.

"To get you in the mood for break," Cara added. "Since it will apparently be warmer there."

"Its not about Greece, sadly." That would have been helpful. "Instead we have... beach blanket bingo?"

'We're relatively sure it's suitable to watch." For certain definitions of suitable.

deathsmajesty

Finally! As much as Liliana adored talking about mana philosophies, she was also quite excited to finally get to move into teaching new material: mana pairs. Today, when class entered the Danger Shop, they'd find themselves high up on a rooftop in a bustling city. No, not Ravnica (but great guess!), Insomnia. Rather than pillows and cushions, there were scattered tables and chairs set up under a string of the so-called 'fairy lights' (they had nothing to do with faeries at all, Liliana had checked), though the omnipresent whiteboard was, once again, omnipresent. Drawn on it were five different symbols in a circle: a sun, a droplet, a skull, a flame, and a tree.

( Wealth is power--and you can ABSOLUTELY take it with you--Orzhov Syndicate )

The corner of her lips curled a bit. "But before you decide that black and white mana is bad guys all the way down, there are a number of positive qualities that go along with this pairing. The first is unwavering discipline, the result of black's determination to succeed and white's absolute dedication to a cause. Relating to the shared patience I mentioned earlier, black and white demonstrate excellent stewardship, with a focus on long-term planning and incremental gain. Sure, strip mining an area bare of all its resources makes for fast profit, but that profit will eventually come to an end. Better to take care and ensure that your profit lasts forever. This relates to their shared concept of orderly self-interest. While black and white philosophy cares primarily - if not solely - for their in-group, they are aware that a rigid, organized, orderly system benefits everyone. The tide raises all boats, after all. And, of course, loyalty and devotion have already been mentioned, but deserve to be acknowledged again."

talentforlying

"Right then, we're going to skip back in time a bit, and start near the beginning. William Thompson was an American criminal and con artist whose deceptions caused the term 'confidence man' to be coined," John stated abruptly, once the bell rang. "So all of you aspiring con-artists can thank him for giving you a job title."

"Operating in New York City in the late 1840s, a genteely-dressed Thompson would approach an upper-class mark, pretending they knew each other, and begin a brief conversation. After initially gaining the mark's trust, Thompson would ask 'Have you confidence in me to trust me with your watch until tomorrow?' Upon taking the watch -- or, occasionally, money -- Thompson would depart, never returning the watch. This is because rich people are idiots, and it would have been considered 'rude' to refuse someone of their own social standing, and potentially caused a minor scandal if got out that they were scrooges."

"Thompson was arrested and brought to trial in 1849, in a case that made newspaper headlines across the country. The New York Herald, recalling his explicit appeals to the victim's "confidence," dubbed him the "confidence man." Per the Oxford English Dictionary, the first known use of the term was printed in The New Orleans Picayune. For those of you of the academic bent, the Thompson case was a major inspiration and source for Herman Melville's 1857 novel The Confidence-Man."

"So here's your assignment for today: grab a classmate or two and figure out what small-talk you need to make to get them to trust you. Think about what non-verbal cues you are looking for in people that let you steer the conversation, and give you the advantage you need to gain someone's confidence."

throughaphase

The class was in the Home Ec room today, where there were plenty of supplies on each station, plus glitter. So much edible glitter.

Don't be shocked, now.

"We're going pretty easy today," Kitty began. "We're making cupcakes. I've got a lot of different mixes and all the supplies, and the only rule is you need to use glitter. I don't care if it's in the batter, the frosting, or both. Just be creative and make them pretty. Or a monstrosity. Both are good."

good_for_six

"Spring break's coming up," Isabela announced to the class, in the tone of someone who had been on a great many of them. "Which is proving inspiring."

"So it's a thing in many places to make kids write essays about what they did on their school vacations," Aphra said. "We're going to flip that around and make you write a story about what you're going to do on yours."

"Remember the name of the class," Isabela said. "No reasonable expectations needed."

afraid_of_marshmallows

Immediately after radio yesterday, Arden had vanished to her room and hid, refusing to talk to anyone (and, yes, spending plenty of time singing to herself). Today, she had ventured out to the library, replete with snacks and drinks just in case it seemed like it was starting up again and she needed to quickly cram her mouth full.

Overkill? Possibly. Worth it?

Definitely.

carbsliftthespirit

There was a sign on the door to the Home Ec room today:

CLASS CANCELED
No one wants to hear me sing!

You could learn about soup...well, no, not next week. Week after next.

sith_happened

Anakin arrived in class looking a little hunted--a day devoted to singing when one's wife was not, say, musically gifted, was a bit of a trial before enough coffee was ingested. (And Rory's song about coffee had long and included inexplicable choreography.) "Hello," he said, choosing his words carefully.

Ahoksa had mostly been dealing with melancholy introspective pieces so far. "Sometimes, if you're unsure of a course of action, it pays to look outside of yourself."

"Today in particular let's you hear what mood you are sending into the universe," Anakin agreed.

"For example, if your actions are resulting in an ominous leitmotif." Some kind of military march with kettle-bells, maybe. "Then possibly it's not such a great idea."

Some people were just iconic, okay?

"And if you combine singing with some manner of horrifying romantic overture," Anakin added, "try to keep the object of you affection in mind. They might not be prepared for a huge declaration in, say, the middle of the road today."

"A huge, awkward declaration." Because when all was said and done, they were both space monks.

"So our ethical question is, should you bear witness to someone singing, should you record it or pretend like it didn't happen? Does it depend on the song?" Anakin asked.

"Do you respect their privacy and dignity?" There was a noticeably aghast silence from the bush that had totally always been in the corner of the room at the very idea. "Does your answer change if you like the person? If you don't like them?"

sharp_man

"Last week, we began working with gelatin," Hannibal said when everybody met him at Portalocity. "We will work a bit further with it in future, but this week, we shall be working with something else interesting and topical - chocolate. And because there is only so much to teach about it without seeing where it comes from, we will have another field trip."

He waved them through the portal - to Maison Cailler.

"Welcome to Broc, Switzerland. Maison Cailler is Switzerland's oldest brand, and considered by many to be the original home of milk chocolate. We will have a tour here, followed by a class taught by one of their chocolatiers. It will last several hours, but I've arranged portals so you won't miss the rest of the day back home, either. So, please enjoy the history, smells, and tastes of chocolate, pay attention in the class, and then we'll have some time in their store before we head back to the island."

intheeyeofthebeholding

Class was meeting at the gym today, and when they showed up, they'd find Jon in trainers and a track suit, looking pained.

"Apparently one thing that helps focus is exercise. More than just walking. So we're going to try that." He sighed. "Look, I can't pretend I'm any good at this sort of thing, but if it helps, we might as well try it."

He waved to the (overly, if you asked him) cheerful coach, who walked them through a series of exercises and showed them how to use the machines. Then Jon waved them at the place. "Go on and...do whatever."

[Gym used with permission!]

imafuturist

"Sometimes, dogs are just not going to concentrate on the obstacle course until they get some of their energy out," Steve said as Fee spun her leash around his legs.

She went until there wasn't leash anymore and then did the other direction. Because she was both smart and dumb at the same time.

"And it's a good way to get yourself out and exercising as well," Tony said with Libby who was staring with abject judgment.

Steve laughed. "Don't get these dogs if you don't want to exercise," he said.

"So, we'll be letting people take turns with the dogs," Tony said with a grin. "Please be careful on the stairs."

"Especially with Fee," Steve said, sounding resigned.

stykera

Today’s cupcake theme had nothing to do with the date because superstitions about Friday the 13th weren’t something Stark concerned himself with. ~~or maybe that was because the player couldn’t come up with anything clever~~.

“Good morning, everyone. I hope you’ve been well. Enjoying the slightly warmer weather. Today’s cupcakes come from England. That’s right there, on the map.” Stark pointed out the correct spot. “These are called butterfly cakes. Sometimes fairy cakes but that’s sometimes just the name for all cupcakes there, I think. And they don’t contain any butterflies or fairies. At all. They just look a bit like butterflies, with the wings.”

Stark uncovered the cupcakes in front of him to reveal the wings in question. “Not real wings, but they look like wings. They’re very cute, I think.” He did enjoy cute things. “The wings are made from part of the top of the cupcake. Sometimes they have jam or something similar to look like the butterfly body but sometimes there is just frosting on top and a bit of jam in the middle. You could do any flavor, though the recipe I have is for vanilla with raspberry jam. Chocolate and strawberry would be good, I think. Or chocolate and raspberry. So…if you need help, as always, please ask. If you’d just like to try decorating I have some plain cakes here you can use to start or you can do it all. Whatever you like.”

ifwebeworthy

"Okay," Don said, and glanced at the family trees that were still on the whiteboard like a jump scare. "Let's talk about our major players." He pointed with his walking stick at the first name on his list. "Odin. The Allfather. Head of the pantheon, king of the gods. His wife, Frigg--not to be confused with Freya. These are two different goddesses. His son, Thor. I think we're all at least somewhat familiar with him, right?" he joked. "His other son, Baldr, and his other other son, Tyr." Felt weird to just acknowledge them as Odin's sons out loud like that. "Tyr, Odin, Thor, and Frigg remain significant in our day to day lives, because they are the source of the names of four of the English days of the week: Tuesday is Tyr's day, Wednesday is Odin's day, Friday is Frigg's day, and today, Thursday, is Thor's day. Don't let him get a big head about it," he joked.

"Then, of course, we have--" Don tapped the second family tree. "Loki. A trickster god. God of mischief, technically, and thus the troublemaker in many tales and general all-around pain in the ass. Among his children we have Fenris--sorry, Fenrir, it's spelled different here--the wolf that will devour the sun at Ragnarok--more on that to come--and Jörmungandr, the serpent that encircles the world biting its own tail, and also Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse ridden by Odin. And I did promise to explain that and I will. Just...not this week." You could continue to suffer from curiosity.

"Now, of course there are a lot more gods, some of whom will come up in this class and some of whom may not. If you have any questions about anyone I just talked about, or anyone else on the board, please feel free to ask."

noonedecidesmyfate

Belle did not know who had wrapped up books in brown paper and made very glittery signs about having a blind date with a book.

But she was intrigued by the idea. And so tempted to rip open the paper to see what was what, honestly. But she refrained. Someone else might be very into the mystery!

deathsmajesty

Today was the last week of the original information, next week they'd get to the new material and could anyone blame Liliana for being excited? It helped that they were also talking about her mana this week, the mana she felt most connected to. For something new, she programmed in the ruins of Vithia, from the Alaran shard of Grixis, the class meeting not on cushions and pillows as usual, but on small boats and rafts, floating along the remains of the Vithian aqueduct system.

Power
• What does black mana desire? What is its end goal?

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

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

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

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

( Power Through Ruthlessness )

"Again, because free will is paramount, there is no such thing as a 'slippery slope' whereby using more black mana will somehow condemn you to become a power-hungry monster or to see the rest of the world as a toy to play with. Black does not provide a set of goals that black-aligned individuals have to pursue; we are not required to chase political, martial, or financial dominance. Abyss, we do not even even need to pursue selfish goals. Black provides only only a method - do not abide by needless restrictions - and a worldview - power enough to secure our own free will is mandatory. Beyond that, one can choose any goal they desire, for whatever reasons they desire. To have it any other way would be anathema to free will itself. Of course, black encourages people to take care of themselves and discourages putting others first, but - and this is vital - it neither commands the former nor forbids the latter. Black is not above being humble or empathizing with others, or radically changing its self-image and priorities when it's necessary. Black's goals can include finding love, true friendship, and happiness within a community, even living out a life of self-sacrifice or servitude to another without any difficulty at all. The only, only intolerable thing for a black mana philosopher is not being able to decide the course of their own life, everything else is negotiable."

talentforlying

"I've got a role-model for you today," John decided as people began showing up. "Frank William Abagnale, Jr. is an American security consultant known for his history as a former confidence trickster, check forger, impostor, and escape artist. He became one of the most famous impostors ever, claiming to have assumed no fewer than eight identities as an airline pilot, a doctor, a U.S. Bureau of Prisons agent, and a lawyer. He escaped from police custody twice -- once from a taxiing airliner and once from a U.S. federal penitentiary -- before he was 21 years old. He served fewer than five years in prison before starting to work for the federal government. He is currently a consultant and lecturer for the FBI academy and field offices. He also runs Abagnale & Associates, a financial fraud consultancy company. Abagnale's life story provided the inspiration for the film ~~meta for~~ Catch Me If You Can, a Broadway musical of the same name, and a ghostwritten autobiography also of the same name."

( What I did in my youth is hundreds of times easier today. Technology breeds crime. )

John leaned back against his desk, grinning. "And if that isn't the most perfect example of a con taking on a life of its own to outgrow its own mastermind, I don't know what is.

jedigrammarians

There was a projector set up in the classroom today, those of you familiar with Aphra and Isabela's classes could probably guess where this was going.

"Sometimes the best way to get your own creative juices flowing is engage with other people's creativity," Aphra started them off. "Read books, watch holos, get involved with community theatre if you're feeling masochistic."

"Since we're not, today we'll be watching a film," Isabela added. "It's a classic."

Look, they'd made it nearly halfway into the semester this time.

sith_happened

"In several religions on this planet, there is a common theme regarding Impulses to avoid giving into," Anakin began. "They are called the seven deadly sins."

"They range from things that seem quite reasonable to want to try and avoid," Ahsoka added. "To others that are arguably character flaws at worst."

"Gluttony isn't that bad, or sloth," Anakin agreed. "At least compared with wrath."

"Lust isn't particularly terrible either," Ahsoka said thoughtfully. "Provided proper consent is involved."

"The less I think about and the word lust, the happier I am," Anakin admitted.

"Today we're going to talk about your favourite sin, for whatever value of favourite you find most intriguing."

carbsliftthespirit

"Okay! Today we're gonna learn about..." Raiden did a little drumroll with his hands on the counter. "Pasta! Truly one of the best of the carbs. Actually, all of the carbs are good. We don't play favorites in this house. Now, pasta, or noodles, we're also not the vocab police in this house, is made from flour and water and sometimes egg, and you can make it from scratch but that's way too advanced for this class. In this class we're using the dry stuff in a box." He held up a box of spaghetti. "The different shapes of pasta have different functions and are better for different things, but who cares? Use what you like. I'm not gonna stop you.

"One of the easiest dinner options out there that's like, a real meal is to cook up some pasta and heat up some jarred pasta sauce, put some Parmesan cheese on top and ta-da! Dinner. You can also brown some meat--ground beef, ground turkey, Italian sausage, whatever you like...even probably that fake meat, I won't stop you, vegetarians. You can also throw together an actual recipe without much effort, and then feel like you accomplished something! And in the summer, you can make pasta salad however you like for a cold option. Pasta truly is a versatile king. So! We've got a bunch of ~~handwavey~~ ingredients and stuff; get to making some pasta how you want it."

sharp_man

"Welcome. We have quite a bit to do today, so I will begin quickly," Hannibal said, "but I hope you won't mind. There is quite a bit to learn if you intend to work with gelatin."

He gestured at his setup. "I will be demonstrating by making panna cotta." It had previously been marshmallows in this lesson, but, well. "There are a few techniques to cover in order to make this. Dissolving the gelatin, cooking a mixture to a specific temperature, and carefully mixing different substances. Once we've completed all of that, they will have to sit for several hours in order to gel, so you will have to take them with you and eat them later. I will demonstrate that as well."

He went over the recipe carefully, demonstrating with gelatine powder and real vanilla.

"Any questions?"

Fandom High RPG

About the Game

---       Master Game Index
---       IC Community Tags
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---       Application Information
---       Existing Character Directory

In-Character Comms

School and Grounds
---       Fandom High School
---       Staff Lounge
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---       Student Newspaper
---       IC Social Media Posts

Off-Island Travel
---       FH Trips

Once Upon a Time...
---       FH Wishverse AU

Out-of-Character Comms

---       Main OOC Comm
---       Plot Development
---       OOC-but-IC Fun

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Fandom High is a not-for-profit text-based game/group writing exercise, featuring fictional characters and settings from a variety of creators, used without permission but for entertainment purposes only.

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