Fandom High School

April was still normal at least until a be50'sed post went up so she could get contaminated, which meant business as usual in class today. Which meant basically there was nothing going on.

Well, almost nothing, because there was a pile of board games in the middle of the room and pillows all over the floor instead of desks or chairs.

April just shrugged. "Week before finals."

So... have fun, kids.

Today, due to a combination of having been bizarrely unable to sleep last night and the early morning walk-demanding of her three-legged dog, Cliff, April got to class really early with Cliff in tow, and proceeded to spend almost an hour before class just programming the Danger Shop to have carpet and really comfortable chairs.

She was aware that it looked more like a living room than a classroom at this point. But she really wanted to sprawl on a couch like that, so shut up.

"So today we're gonna talk about stuff that doesn't suck to do," April said, scratching behind Cliff's ear. "It's different for everyone, 'cause some people really want to help sick people or whatever and other people would rather jump off a bridge than spend a million years in doctor school, and stuff like that. This isn't just gonna be, like, boring jobs that don't take too much effort. I'm talking, like, stuff you actually like."

April drummed her fingers on her dog's head for a moment before continuing, without any change in tone, "So when I was a kid I wanted to be like the American version of those guards they have outside that British castle." Could you picture it? Could you? "Or just be one of the British ones. 'Cause I really like glaring at people and I wouldn't have to change my facial expression for hours and I could watch tourists be idiots. But they weren't hiring."

She patted the couch she was sprawled on and Cliff hopped up to sit next to her and lick her face. Seriously, this class was so unprofessional it was ridiculous.

"Anyway, let's talk about what you guys would want to do if you could do anything. Yes, you have to pick something, and if you don't have any job in mind, at least say some stuff you like so we can give you suggestions."

She paused, then added, "Oh, and there's no class next week for Thankgiving, but the week after that we're doing show and tell bullshit. So bring in something important to you or whatever."

Yes, she'd just come up with that. It was easier to say it than write it in an email. So.

Well, yesterday had been Halloween, which, against her better judgment, April had spent in Pawnee at her boyfriends' party. Not the best decision she'd ever made, because she was now suffering a shots-induced hangover and wondering when she'd become the kind of person who showed up for her responsibilities while hungover. It was awful.

"Today we're gonna talk about excuses 'cause I don't think we've done that yet," she said, cradling her head in her hands like it was a fragile baby bird. "Actually you're gonna write about excuses because I found a test online and listening to human speech's gonna be a bit much for me today." She nodded to Maeby to hand out the tests if she was there, then waved a hand for people to get started. "And if you could try to write quietly, I'd appreciate it."

April figured that the best way to make up for not being in class last time they'd met was to toss a brownie at Maeby as soon as she walked in if she was here, then move on. Class was meeting in the Danger Shop today, and she'd even made an effort to program it well enough that there weren't sparks coming out of the simulations, so she thought she had more than made up for it.

Because it was laser tag, guys! Lookit the shiny laser tag course! And the shiny armor! Very advanced stuff.

"I had a whole thing about how laser tag is not doing things because hiding is good and attacking people puts you in danger," April said, "but actually the real part that's not doing things is the part where it's a game and sometimes you play hooky and do this instead. So."

She gave a shrug at that.

"Number off. Evens get pink equipment, odds get green, and pinks get a three-minute head start to go hide." Because they were saddled with pink equipment, see? "Ready? Go."

Today, class was meeting on the beach, and had been handwavily instructed to come dressed appropriately. This change in venue might or might not be a good thing, depending on whether you felt sixty-five-degree weather was appropriate for beach-going. Also, whether you liked rocks and such getting in the way of your lounging. All things considered, it was not the perfect beach.

"Yeah, so, I thought about making a better beach in the Danger Shop, but I didn't want to," April announced. "So we're using this. I know it blows." Wow, don't hold back, April. "Your goal is to appreciate it and do beach stuff anyway. See, look, there's towels." Sure enough, there were indeed towels, which April had very thoughtfully laid out for people to lounge on. "And they're mine, so don't fuck them up or lose them, 'cause I want them back."

No pressure, kids.

"Anyway, just... tan or swim if you're freakishly cold-blooded or get food from the boardwalk or play volleyball or something. Or talk to each other. Just be lazy. Do something like that."

Sound easy? Well. Good luck, kids.

When the students arrived at the classroom today, they would find quite a few moddable Pokéballs in a pile at the front of the room -- not at the desks, mind, because that would've taken effort to distribute them all, but still.

April, meanwhile, had her feet up on her desk and a pit bull puppy on her lap, and she looked... somewhat less hostile than usual. So that was something.

"So sometimes it's hard to be lazy when someone has something cute in your face," she informed the class, looking up from where she'd been playing with one of her puppy's widdle paws. "Or when they're hot or whatever, but I can't program the classroom to make you guys hot, so this is what we're settling with instead."

Wasn't she sweet?

"So everyone get one of these ball things and partner up. There's cute animals inside. Then one person tries to convince the other one to do something with the cute animal's help, the other one tries to resist." She scratched behind her puppy's ear and he made a little contented noise. April waited for the adorableness of that to subside slightly before concluding, "Go."