Welcome Back (Redux)

[deaths_heritor]

[backdated to the first day of school]
[Schoolyard rumors spread as quickly as wildfire in the dry fields.  In lunch hours and in recess, students huddled in corners and spoke amongst themselves of... The Teacher.  They said The Teacher was the strictest of disciplinarians, maintaining control of the classroom with an iron ruler and a steely gaze.

Comments

[jaws5sonofjaws]

[And here's Mart, The Major Murdering Marauder, though he doesn't really recognize Susan's voice.]

Yeah sure.

What kinda stuff do you expect us- I mean, we will be reading?

[deaths_heritor]

Ostensibly, you'd be reading from the list the school provided. Seeing as how the literary merit of 'Why America Is The Best Country Ever' is in some question, I've chosen a few of the less odious gems.

[jaws5sonofjaws]

Like what?

And are we gonna get tested on it or have to write?

[deaths_heritor]

Like Shakespeare, like Chaucer, like Victorian literature, and like Hemingway. And I believe I answered those questions, already, but to emphasize the point, yes.

[strike_you_out]

[At one of the desks and in clear view sits a familiar student from the previous school year. Others may think he's insane (and they might be correct) but despite The Teacher's reputation, he's repeating the class of his own volition. Unlike last year, he's awake, attentive and grinning.

He'd be a model student if he weren't using his desk as a footrest, and if the textbook he's holding were right-side up, and if he did not have two ends of a snapped pencil lodged into both ear canals. At least he's being quiet?]

[deaths_heritor]

[Slugger receives nothing more than a brief eyebrow-raise until such time as Susan has opportunity to walk by his row. The snapped pencil is snatched away.]

Ruptured eardrums are quite painful, I hear. Try a cotton wad.

[strike_you_out]

[The world gets a little bit louder when the pencil pieces are removed. Slugger looks up at her and just continues to grin in an idly devious sort of way.]

Miss Susan, will I have to write poetry again?

[Wasn't it painful enough for both of them the first time?]

[deaths_heritor]

Poetry isn't until the spring semester, thankfully. Would that be enough time to accumulate an appropriate amount of aspirin, do you think?

[partytoastess]

[ Nena eagerly waves her hands and arms around! This is the girl that gave her pink clothes so surely she must be the epitome of kindness and support in pink warfare! ]

Oooh! Oooh! Are you going to be wearing any pink in this class?!

[ See that clock Susan? It's going to be your friend.

It's going to be a long year. ]

[deaths_heritor]

[Susan's hair ties itself into a slightly tighter bun as she regards the hyperactive girl.]

No, Nena, I'm afraid not.

You can try the principal after class, if you'd like. I hear he has a fondness for lilac.

[partytoastess]

[ Someone just tosses her pencils on the ground! ]

Whhhhhhy nooooooot?! Pink would really look nice on you! Unless you gave away all of your pink clothing, then I guess it'd make sense but you can buy more always!! Those dandelion dresses that were pink would work really really well on you Miss Susan.

Lilac doesn't hold a candle to pink anyways!! Pink is best!

[deaths_heritor]

Dandelions are yellow, or after seeding, white. The only way you'd get a pink dandelion would be with a paintbrush, in which case, art class is down the hall, up the stairs, and towards the left wing of the school.

[deaths_heritor]

Oh? And do you mind pointing out what I've said that's been mean or cruel or unfair?

[deaths_heritor]

Useless is not equivalent to boring, Zidane. As a matter of fact, I find the two are often in direct competition. You'll have as much fun in this class as your attitude dictates - Regard it as a chore, and it will be a chore. It isn't my job to entertain you.

[Susan ignores the mention of scary teachers.]

[tapshoetomove]

[...oh, this is going to be interesting isn't it. He was wondering how this would go down the moment he saw her name on the class schedule. Still, he's not against the idea of learning and he hopes that the books in question will be interesting.

He just kind of nervously glances around from time-to-time. It's not that he's really shy, but being in a public school like this makes him feel a little out of place.]

What other books will we be reading?

[deaths_heritor]

You're all quite eager to start the assignments, I see. I hadn't planned to begin the reading assignments until tomorrow, but if you care for it that badly, we can start with the first act of The Tempest.

[tapshoetomove]

The Tempest...?

[Well, it might be interesting. But he's more curious about something else.]

Are we going to read any Sherlock Holmes?

[deaths_heritor]

Sherlock Holmes? I could take a look, I suppose. What did he write?