[Open class] Stop burning the books! (Maple + Andrew)

[phantompanther13]

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NAME OF CLASS: The Art of Seeing, and Being Seen (Socio-Cultural Anthropology)
PROFESSOR NAME: Mr. Darcy

General Information: After spending many months away from Amity travelling abroad and taking care of what he's termed 'family affairs', Mr. Darcy has returned to instruct students on the importance of being earnest- and observant. The whys and whims of cultural norms - from the lowliest minotaur to the wealthiest demon - will all be examined with his typical scrutiny and decorum. Professor William is prepared to look down his exceedingly handsome and classical nose at everyone with impunity. He will not shirk at any topic, and as seen previously is still a firm believer that participation is paramount to understanding. After their glimpse of alien culture during their time on the clan isles, he feels it is high past time they open their admittedly small and probably weak minds to the societies of peoples who, while a little closer to home, are no less wild.

The Course: Rumors have been flying that the elusive Mr. Darcy has returned from a mysterious leave of absence, and students brave enough to venture toward his long-abandoned classroom know why. Taped to the door is what appears to be a reading list - as if anyone needed more work to do during the busy prom and festival season. While some might pretend they didn't see anything and keep walking, a few may notice bats lingering near the hall's ceiling, and decide completing their homework might be in their best interest after all...

Below the book list is a very strange questionnaire. Is this a book report or a biography?

Mechanics:
You can repeat this class up to 4 times! Each time you must select a different book. It might behoove you to do them in order, as they scale in difficulty! Simply roll 1 10 sided die to see what information you've gleaned! . Use the chart below to determine what you've learned! You need to discover at least 3 Unique Clues to consider this a success, but you can try for more if you want, you over achiever you!

My First Scaring

My First Scaring
Fiction; Children's

'My First Scaring' is a book written by reknown Weregoose author known simply as 'Mother'. While the many early editions of this short story feature art of young weres, recent releases have seen a wider audience boasting baby Undead, Demons, and various monsters (although only the races with a natural affinity for thumbs). Miss Mother Goose is also unveiling a underwater cave painting version of the work that is a co-operative piece between herself and famous each uisge artist William McAdams. The edition available for his class contains prints from the aforementioned work, and for the first time features children of both undead and monster lineage.

DICE

1 - Ugh, who assigns a children's book? You leaf through the pages, but learn nothing new.
2-3 - Look at you, rediscovering your childhood! You find it hard to read as you keep glancing to all the pictures...They're very well done actually, but sometimes they seem to follow their own script. Goodness, that little patchwork girl is so mean to that little...bear? Werewolf? Gorilla? You've found a clue!
4 - You're so bored you actually bother to read the About the Author section. Apparently Miss Mother Goose has an adopted were-ape daughter who's engaged to the artist of this book. You've found a clue!
5-7 - On the last page, it appears that the horse-boil child and the gorrilla looking kid are holding hands. Storybook romance? The patchwork girl is glaring at them in the distance. A little creepy... You've found a clue!
8-9 - The dedication page reads, "To my daughter, Francine." Isn't that the name of one of the other authors? You've found a clue!
10 - Mr. William sure is putting an emphasis on how kind and pretty that ape-girl is. You've found a clue!

Flylight

Flylight
Fiction; Teen Romance

This awkward and halting work hails from one of the finest fan-fiction writers of this age, the up and coming undead novelist Selena Mayard. Written for teens, it follows the tale of young Isabelly Swine - the destitute daughter of an estranged yeti couple. Belly was forced to move from her cold, northern territory home to her father's hutt in the murky swamps of central Halloween. Here, she meets and falls into a forbidden romance with the each uisge Eanruig. Their struggles as he resists the urge to take her to the water, and as she has to deal with the fact that she will never truly be as beautiful and smooth skinned as he, provides an emotionally flat and predictable plot that nevertheless has proved overwhelmingly popular with young ladies between the ages of 14 and 40.

DICE

1 - This is seriously a great book! How could people hate it?! For some reason, this read-through has you thoroughly ~*enchanted*~. You feel you can strongly identify with the characters, especially that poor undead girl. How dare Belly and Eanruig chose each other over her?! TEAM JESSY FOR LIFE!
2-4 - You read the forward. It's kind of awkward, and has a lot of notes written to the author's ex-husband...A Mr. McAdams. You've found a clue!
5-6 - It becomes increasingly clear as you bash your head against the word-vomit of each chapter that the author really has something strongly against the main protagonist. It's as if she is trying to make her as plain, boring, and utterly unlikeable as possible. Meanwhile, it seems the only half-decent character is that poor patchwork, Jessy. Destined to be locked in unrequited love forever! Hey, isn't the author an undead herself? You've found a clue!
7 - You suddenly find ponies very attractive. This book shows a side of the each uisge you never thought exsisted. A dark, brooding and sexy side. Go team Eanruig! Ok, that motto needs some work...
8 - Some of the lines in this book seem oddly... derogatory. And personal. "I know what you are." "Say it out loud." "...Hair fetish." What does that even mean?! You've found a clue!
8 - 9 - Mr. McAdams...The same last name as the artist for one of the books on your list. Could he be Selena's elusive ex husband? And isn't he also an each uisge? Odd that she'd use that as a main character in the book. And she portrays Eanruig so unflatteringly! You've found a clue!
10 - You fall asleep in the middle of a chapter. Teen romance just doesn't interest you, or maybe this section is just particularly boring.

Bigfoot Burlesque

Bigfoot: Burlesque
Non-fiction; Alternative Lifestyles

Written under the pen-name, W. M.A., this work is a written history of the burlesque club "Hair There", whose primary song and dance acts feature bigfoot and yeti performers. The piece is written from the perspective of a frequent patron, and is often critized for handling the subject material in an overly familiar and non-objective manner. However, the interviews with some of the actresses are particularly poignant, and the work often reads like a memoir. It is an interesting look into the underground world of bigfoot performance art from someone who appreciates dance, comedy, and body hair.

DICE

1 - Ok, so this book uses a psuedonym, but the questionare asks for the author's names. You wonder if the name is in the book somewhere, but you check the nifty included character index and none of the initials match. But there is one person whose initials DO match- the artist from the children's book you were also assigned. You've found a clue!
2-3 - W. M. A.... Women's Modesty Association? No, that can't be right...
4-6 - This book also has a dedication page- to "F. S. and her darling Mother G." Time to check your author list again, you suppose. You've found a clue!
7-8 - You are really not into body hair. Really really. You have to put the book down, and resist the urge to cough up a hairball.
9 - Whoever this WMA is, it's clear he really is into girls with a hairy hiney. You've found a clue!
10 - It mentions, briefly, that the manager of the club is a mad scientist by the name of Doctor Diddle. He has a daughter who's a bartender at the club, whose name was not disclosed, and is referred to as M. S. Another initial? The book indicated that she quit eventually, as she grew jealous of one of the performers. You've found a clue!

In Stitches

In Stitches: An Observer's Guide to Persons of Put-Together Personage
Non-Fiction; Reference

A reference guide for the uninitiated. Written by an up and coming professor of the reknown College of Laboratory Arts, wereape Francine Stein. The piece functioned as her LabArts thesis. It features both basic descriptions of the many types of patchwork undead, as well as profiles on some of the more famous members of their races.

DICE

1 - Francine Stien- isn't that the name of Mother Goose's daughter? You've found a clue!
2 - You leaf through the glossary, looking for clues. There's an entire chapter dedicated to Selena Mayard, but unlike the entries before and following, it's unusually harsh, and seems to focus a lot on her personal life and her inability to 'let go'. You've found a clue!
3-7 - You aren't in stitches, You aren't even chuckling. This is the driest book you've ever read.
8-9 - The book's author is a wereape, and isn't Mr. William engaged to a wereape? And Selena Mayard's got a mysterious ex-husband... You've found a clue!
10 - This book is so boring. You fall asleep before you even make it through the foreword!

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BONUS MECHANIC:
Complete all four reading assignments and answer the questionnaire to get a special minipet! (Simply PM your question answers &class link(s) to Ravvlet)

 

[phantompanther13]

Reading really was his worst subject. Absolutely the worst, so when the first few times he had passed the taped notice he had completely ignored it.

But after a few imposing questions coming from the creeple called his parents Andrew decided to actually get off his lazy tail, and do them. Somehow they found out about his skipped assignment and were waiting for some sort of sign that he was indeed doing his work... otherwise he could kiss Human Invasion 3 good bye.

That said reading was hard, so he decided to hunt down the one person he knew would help him he already managed to get the book, now it was just a matter of reading it. And he was far too lazy for that.

chirigami

Text to Maple:

Maple, come meet me outside your dorm.

Andrew waited outside with his book bag thrown over his shoulder and the book in his hands at he stared at it. So many words.  

[chirigami]

Maple wasn't one to follow rumors or listen to gossip that circled around the campus. There had been a few, especially in the library where the young witch was most often found, about a returned instructor back at Amityville and about a note taped upon his long forgotten classroom door.

And about books.

Unlike a certain flame demon, Maple didn't mind reading and preferred it to most activities. It was something she didn't suck at. And being the overachiever in anything academic, she had found as many of the required books as she could. And especially after the fiasco at the junkyard (seriously, she was tempted to just burn her clothing with how many stains they acquired), she had retreated to her room with them even if they would remain unopened for some time.

Her room was where she received Andrew's sudden text message, working on a different assignment. The message was puzzling, mostly for well why she was getting it. From him. The boil who was terribly meant to her. The witch had half a mind to ignore it. But she replied anyways.

phantompanther13

test to Andrew:

Why?

 

[phantompanther13]

What Andrew hadn’t realized was that Maple was upset at him. He barely even remembered the ten seconds in the junk yard where Maple had poked him at a very bad time. Really he had no idea how much his rough domineer bothered her, where he lived if your skin was not as tough as nails, you wound up in a lot of fights with the neighbor kids. He had learned how to insult his friends so much they didn’t even know they were being insulted… He didn’t even realize how far his snap would affect someone not from his hometown.

He simply didn’t even realize she might be upset.

Quote:

Text to Maple:

I need help with some homework.

He paused and then sent another text, smiling.

Quote:

Text to Maple:

It’s reading out of a book. You remember the last book.

That ought to get that book worm out here fairly quickly. He had no intention of actually harming the book, but it might encourage her to help for free.  

[chirigami]

Skepticism, really was the first thoughts rolling through her mind as she read his first text over. Complete with a very large frown. The idea of just ignoring the text came back. Because this just seemed like one of those situations where he was only talking to her to get something out of her. Maple couldn't even tell if there was any form of civil tone in the digital words in front of her. And the last time she had gone along when someone had asked her for help, well that hadn't gone too well.

Which was brought up by the second little blip of text. Burning things. Maple groaned a little, because she did recall what had happened. The ghoul had nothing against flame demons, in actuality she found them very fascinating and probably some of her favorite species of the demon class with how powerful they could be. It was just a problem with Andrew, who just seemed to know the best words to shred the self esteem of someone who had so little of it in the first place.

But. Fire. And him and books. Such beautiful books could be damaged by the likes of him. Down went her head, cheek to damaged desk as she let out a small pathetic little cry. This was going to be terrible, she could just tell as she typed a reply.

phantompanther13

text to Andrew

Fine. Which book? Maybe I have it, or read it.

 

[phantompanther13]

Hook line and sinker. He had her. Now to just reel her in and steal her knowledge. He sent a teasing message, dropping a smiley face to let her know he was joking about burning the book.

chirigami

I already have a copy, come save it Maple. XD
Seriously I don’t get it. I’m doing this for Darcy’s class. It’s An Observer's Guide.

He paused and then sent off another text.

chirigami

I’m still standing here.

 

[chirigami]

Sigh. And another groan. His smiley face didn't do as what he might have hoped, just filled her with more doubt over what she was doing. But seeing the other line made her sit back up properly. Darcy? That name. That was the name attached to the rumors and stories, with the door on the note. He was doing work for that class as well?

The Observer's Guide. Maple didn't remember the exact names of the four books from the list, so she pushed herself towards her bed where they lay (slightly covered by a flock of grumpkings). She shooed the creatures away, sliding the books around before finding the guide. The largest one. Sigh. Did he really just choose the largest one? No wonder he contacted her, probably wanted to make her do all the work like last time while he looked at his stupid phone.

Why did she agree to this. Her hung her head, making another pathetic sound as she just moved, placing all four of the books in her bag (because she still wasn't sure he would burn his copy or not) and headed to the door.

It was like a death march through the halls and to the main entrance of the reaper dorms where he waited. And she had the most forlorn and miserable look on her face when she spotted him. "H-hello .. A-andrew," might as well try to be cordial (damn that etiquette when it came to demons) even if he was bound not to reciprocate. You are doing this to make sure he doesn't destroy the book, she kept having to tell herself. Conservation of literature!

phantompanther13

 

[phantompanther13]

Andrew noticed a difference. She looked worst than usual. “Hey are you alive? Or do you just hate me.” Like you know everyone else. He frowned at her holding his book in his hands. Would she even help him? He didn’t exactly have a lot of other people to ask… AJ was out, Danny was as likely to burn it as he was, if not more so. He frowned at her. “I mean if you are sick, we can do it later… unless you are just mad at me.” For what who knew. Ghouls.

chirigami

 

[chirigami]

As expected, no proper greeting. Well, at least she expected as such and Maple gave Andrew a small look as she wrapped her fingers tightly on the strap of her bag on her shoulder. "I'm.. f-fine." Because she wasn't sick, even though that seemed like an amazing excuse to get herself out of this. Damn hindsight.

"J-just..." The witch stopped herself for a moment, unsure if she should really voice her feelings to the demon. Because he was a demon, and such things were not something a reaper did in her family. But so much that had been put into her head about social roles were constantly being thrown out the window as it was, and she was here to well.. be educated. Maybe she just should. Get it over with. It would be horrible either way anyways, an uncomfortable atmosphere lingering between them if she said nothing and just tension either way if she did or not. "J-just a l-little m-mad," she mumbled as her eyes fell to her shoes.

"L-let's j-just g-get this.. o-over with..." Even though there were four books and all.

phantompanther13

 

[phantompanther13]

“If you are mad, why are you helping me?” some creeple baffled him sometimes. If it were him they would be s**t out of luck. “Not that I’m arguing mind you. Despite the fact you threw that water on me… you are an ok ghoul.” It seems that Andrew had both forgotten all about the tree event from class and misremembered the water event.

“Anyway… you are right about one thing, let’s get this over with. I hate reading, it’s my worst subject. Ask me to do math, and I have no problem… this, it’s just so many words in tiny print.”

chirigami

 

[chirigami]

The MAUL? That's what he remembered? (Which, actually after a while wasn't too horrendous). Not the words exchanged at the club rooms nor his lovely choice of words at the junkyard? Maple's expression went through a series of emotions in rapid succession; they went wide in shock, narrowed in anger and then quickly relaxed as her shoulders fell with a defeated sigh. Why did she bother saying anything? Of course it didn't go right.

"I d-don't w-want you.. d-dest... stroying the b-books," Maple told him in a bland manner. She was going to drop the manner, just muster in her anger that probably didn't even have warrant or anything; because by his demeanor it didn't mean anything at all. The witch sighed once more before just pushing past him to go find a place to sit and read the book.

phantompanther13

to reading ~

 

[phantompanther13]

“I was joking about the book thing. I am generally pretty decent about not destroying every book in sight. I was just having an off day at the library.” He followed sighing. Maybe he shouldn’t have brought up the book thing, it seemed she really believed it. Did everyone have to think he was a walking disaster? There were more things around that could kill him accident or not than would get him.

He flopped down on a nearby bench and opened the big book and stared at it, and stared at it and then twitched over, closer to Maple. “I couldn’t find the spooknotes version and this… I just don’t even know what this means. I was hoping to figure out more about undead with this… but it just… it is making everything worst.” No he would not admit that he was attracted to this book only because Olivia was undead. Even if she wasn’t a patch work… at least he didn’t think so, he thought maybe it would help. Somewhere.

chirigami

o3o

 

[chirigami]

Did Maple think he was a walking disaster? Maybe, it was hard not to with some of the compelling evidence against him; book burning, his temper, his attack prowess and well she had made him cry on pretty much two occasions, so that counted against him on a personal level.

But he also seemed to have something about him that kept her around him though. Because here she was still, sitting on a bench opposite the flame demon with large book in front of her. Pretty much in it to do all the work for him. Spook notes, that jackin' cheater.

Maple's eyes narrowed slightly at his statement, however. Very much puzzled. Why.... did she really want to ask him, to open up that can of worms? He had to know what kind of negative attention he would get from the undead community, why did he want to learn more about them? The reaper found herself asking simple, "w-why?" before just regretting it like usual.

Her hands were instantly on her book, snapping it open loudly to distract from any sort of follow up that could happen. Read, just read. Don't ask personal questions. Flip them pages, flip them!

With many large tomes, she found herself in the back to see if there was an index. Instead she found a glossary. And haphazardly she read a few lines, sometimes repeating them until she spotted something. Something about another author, the name seemed familiar.... very familiar.

The words were a little crude too, now that she actually took the time to read it.

In Stitches; clue getting!

2 - You leaf through the glossary, looking for clues. There's an entire chapter dedicated to Selena Mayard, but unlike the entries before and following, it's unusually harsh, and seems to focus a lot on her personal life and her inability to 'let go'. You've found a clue!

phantompanther13

 

[phantompanther13]

“Well there is this ghoul. She’s undead… and well, she’s afraid of me. Nevermind it really is stupid.” He didn’t want to try to explain why Olivia was special or about the dream… that really didn’t matter anymore. He didn’t want to explain the really awkward friendship they somehow maintained or any of the details. Instead, he sighed and attempted to read the book. But it was sooo dull, he’d seen sharper rusty spoons. Andrew shifted and the held the book out a ways trying to muddle through it as he squinted at the words, trying to will them to stop blurring together. He just couldn’t focus, the words slipped from his brain as soon as he muddles through it long enough to put a few sentences together. “They always make the words ssso small.” He complained, still holding it out away from him.

Eventually he fell into silence and just staring at it, his flame burning lower and lower as he held it at arm’s length. Slowly his head nodded and he just… fell asleep face down as the book dropped from his hands.

chirigami

 

[chirigami]

[[disregard this post, was confused about mechanics]]