Fantasy PHANTASMA: SCHOOL OF THE STRANGE

[DrBones]

Project B20 scuttled through the proportionately-spacious vents of the school. It knew the vents like the back of its hand, even though it had known light for only thirty light-dark cycles. It had to know the vents; those giant, unnatural things would catch it, and... it didn't know what would happen to it. B20 occasionally saw things just like itself in some rooms, through the vents. Though they were of a similar size, they did not move... save for when one of the giant things had its way with them. The giant thing would... grab, and tear, and use all sorts of hideous-looking tools on it, and then... it would take them away, never to be seen again! B20 shuddered in absolute fear and revulsion, desperately trying to wish away one of the few memories it had, beyond the eternal darkness and muffled noise of the metal prison it escaped from.


Project B20 peered through a grate in the vents, checking the hallways for any signs of life. It knew where it was: it was just above that strange room with the different-colored countertops that the things made fire from. They sometimes filled the vents with foul smoke that clung to Project B20 like hideous paint. However, B20 knew that this place held amazing treasures. The smaller things, things only about half B20's size, swarmed around here. Though they often ran when B20 approached them, it knew that the things loved the bits of squishy material the giant things often left behind. If it could steal a bit of material, it could attract one. If B20 could attract one... it could get a friend. A hard-skinned friend with two weird wiry things on its head, but a friend nonetheless.


All B20 had to do was wait until nobody was there...

 

[MechaGhoul]

After finishing up screwing in the last, well almost last technically lugnut into the wheel Achim removed the jack from underneath the vehicle, and carried it to an empty lot, right next to the faculty car and stored it away there. For now, it would do. Moving his arms behind his head he stretched out his hands he interlocked his fingers and rested them against the back of his head. His pupils darted towards Junkyard. "Well girl, we should head outside towards the Art Room." Junkyard barked eagerly as she rushed towards Achim and jumped on him, bouncing with excitement, because she got to go with Achim.


Achim quickly gave Junkyard a pinch on her neck, as she quickly backed down removing her paws from Achim. "Good girl. I know you enjoy that room." He peered at Junkyard staring at her with a stern look. He held up his hand and wagged his right index finger, "Now girl, DON'T GO THROUGH THE PAINT AND SUPPLIES." Junkyard whimpered a bit, before sitting and lowering her head. Scratching the back of his head he glanced at Junkyard.


"You know what'll happen if you do. Besides, the kids need those stuff." Achim paused for a moment, "And I swear the times you do rush over to play in the supply box I lose something." He scratched at his left temple as he shook his head. "...I swore that screwdriver had a tip, and some other tools missing. Wonder where that paintbrush went." Achim continued to shake his head as he glanced down at Junkyard. "Come on." He said as he cocked his head back and glanced at his motorcycle. Junkyard barked eagerly, as her tongue hanged out and drooled a bit onto the concrete.


Pulling out his key from his pants pocket, he first helped escort Junkyard into the side car. Once he finished that he mounted onto the motorcycle and turned on the ignition. He revved the engine three times, before he drove out of the garage and made his way to the Art Classroom. "...They should be done fixing the window." He said to Junkyard. He drove up to the beginning of the ramp he had outside, as he did for all the rooms he taught in and it looked like the window was fixed on time. Well that was good news, it wasn't as fun jumping through the wall when it was already destroyed.


Achim turned off the ignition, got off the bike and put up the kick-stand. "Now to wait for the dramatic moment to crash into class."

 

[CSA]

"Hmph. Still not comfortable enough to let me close, huh? Well whatever, that will come in time. For now, all I need is for her to do as I ask."


"Yes, I do really want to. How about later tonight? I'll make dessert, and we can bond as room mates," said Lily, smiling sweetly.


She briefly wondered what class was next, and hoped it wasn't writing. She didn't really trust herself not to spill her subconscious out on the page after what happened last time. You'd think she was repressing emotional insecurities or something, but perfect people like Lily didn't repress. They dominated, and crushed their problems under heel with their mind vice.

 

[MechaGhoul]

Suzette glanced at Lily, before glancing back at her puppet. She turned the puppet to face her, so she could stare in his beedy eyes. He then turned back to glance at Lily, then back to the puppet. After a few more seconds she then turned back to glance at Lily. She would have tapped her index fingers together, and was reaching over to do it, before remembering she had her puppet ready. "W-well, er ah..." Susie coughed a bit, as she glanced down.


"Ahem. Excuse me. W-well alright then. Y-yes, that sounds er good." Susie tilted her head towards the side and glanced towards Richter, "Ee-er u-um M-mister Teacher, er ahm, a-anything else needed for er class or...?"

 

[DrBones]

Project B20 huddled in the vents, its crude club of a screwdriver at the ready. It peered down at the giants below. One of them was holding a... another thing just like B20. It was dressed up in a ridiculous outfit and hung limp in the giant's hands. Occasionally it made noises, just like the giants did. Clearly, this was one of the giant's recent conquests, captured and converted into something just like them. Project B20 knew nothing of religion, prayer, or anything that would happen after it ceased to function, but it did its best to imagine a silent prayer for this damned puppet's fate.

 

[MechaGhoul]

Achim glanced at Junkyard, who was idly glancing at the window. "Hm, girl, yeah I know, the wait is the hard part. But it is worth it." Achim chuckled as he walked around the ramp. He gave it a decent kick to check the sturdiness of it. Yes, the ramp was still as sturdy as ever. It was a fitting ramp for a dramatic entrance. Walking around back towards the side-car, Achim began scratching behind Junkyard's ears. "Whoisagoodgirlyouare! You are." Junkyard began panting eagerly as she was scratched by Achim. He scratched for a good minute before he stopped and rolled his shoulders around. "Think I'mma gonna have Kiss play when entering." Achim mumbled out to himself.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Susie then glanced back at Lily, "Er b-but uhm, y-yes, that does sound er quite nice." She gave a nod towards the Alarune. "Right, well I suppose that counts as a legal binding contract." said the puppet, well really Suzette maintaining the character of this particular felt hand-puppet.

 

[CSA]

"Great, an oral contract then," said Lily enthusiastically, indicating Susie's puppet, "With your lawyer as witness. It's a date."


Lily pondered on what to do at dessert. Obviously she would want to bring up locating Anya's parents, but she also wanted to score some points while she was at it.


"What should I wear? Go sexy? Elegant? Cute? Sexy? What you wear says a lot. I wonder if I should let Anya go. You don't bring your kid on a date, but this isn't really a date. Officially. She'd probably really like my desserts... I wonder if being nice to the kid is actually scoring me any points with Susie?"





Lily was sure she would figure everything out later. For now, she just waited for her next class.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"No, just get the forms signed by your parents as soon as you can and turn them in." Richter waved, looking at a clipboard.


"Class dismissed, get going."


"Next it's time for English, right?" Anya tugged on Lily's shirt.


"Like the breakfast, probably."

 

[MechaGhoul]

Outside the English Room, well specifically on the door was a simple piece of parchment, tacked on by a single nail. Really it was just notebook paper with message written on it.


'Students, class will meet at Art Room. The transition is due to Administration concerns regarding budget.


Anyway, more details will be provided in class. And don't worry, you'll still get to see the joys of writing, and learn how to express yourself through it.


- Signed, Mister Geier.'


------------


As soon as the word date was mentioned Suzette found herself a tad flushed in the face, and her legs were wobbling quite a bit. She quickly glanced at her puppet, "R-right..." she mumbled out before giving a quick nod. "The oral contract has been firmly established." said the puppet.


"Ahem, ah, should be fun. See you at class." And that is when Susie quickly left the classroom, and headed over towards the English Room.


O-okay, o-okay. W-w-what am I g-ge-e-etting myself into? J-just tha- Ack. I s-should just c-clear my mind. D-don't worry abo-out it. B-but sign, agh. ... Consult Ferdie later, but... Is it jus-. Just get to class for now. Should be fun.

 

[CSA]

Susie left the classroom rather quickly after Lily confirmed the date, which was odd but not too odd considering who she was dealing with. The girl had even tried to run away from gym class, presumably because she would have to wear a leotard. Lily shrugged and looked down at Anya.


"English, huh? I hope I don't have to write anything. Maybe we'll just read some short stories or poems and do an analysis."





Lily took Anya's hand and walked her out of the classroom, the rest of the students quickly leaving as well.


"Don't tug on that too much, kid, it barely covers anything as-is," said Lily regarding the state of her shirt, "Anyways, it would be weird to have a breakfast class right after a class in which we made a lunch item. It's probably about language. Reading and writing and stuff."

 

[MechaGhoul]

Achim pulled out his cell-phone as he checked the time. "Soon..." He rolled his shoulders around as he scratched at his hair. "Alright, just a bit loooonger..." Junkyard barked eagerly, as she tried to eat a passing by butterfly. Achim shook his head as he chuckled, "You'll get it soon enough girl." He walked around to the side-car and pat Junkyard.


----


Hitting the English Room, Suzette glanced at the door, and read the message that was there. Budget? Well, that's odd. Oh well, better head over there. Don't want to be late. She then quickly headed over towards the destination where the class was apparently re-scheduled to meet.


----


Ah the Art Room, it was a peaceful environment. The middle of it, had a large black and yellow striped streak going straight down the middle. In bright red letters read, "CRASH ZONE. BEWARE OF MOTORCYCLE LANDING." The desks, were appropriately on the left and right of these lines, a fair foot away from it. The teacher's desk was on the right side of the room. The desks, not personal sized ones, but the longer communal desks and chairs were pretty standard all things considered, though many of the chairs were wobbly. Near the front left was a large door, which had above it 'ART SUPPLIES.' And on each of the desks there was a small pail with some assorted markers, crayons, and paint-brushes. Some of the utensils were chewed up, others just had multiples crayons or markers of the same color, some missed the caps, others didn't. On the walls were various paintings, primarily from the Fifth High Renaissance Age of Painting.


Well, it would probably do until the Administration solved the 'budget issue' or some such.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"I'm disappointed it's not about food." Anya said, leading her plant-friend into the classroom.


"Food's yummy, and I can tell you were hungry, on account of how fast you ate the sandwich. If you ate more, you could take the time to appreciate it."

 

[MechaGhoul]

Achim paused for a moment as he glanced in through the window. It appeared some students were already gathered in the room, ready for their minds to be expanded through the knowledge he would teach. Achim rolled his shoulders around as he shook his head. "Nah, won't enter with music today. Maybe the next day." He got on the motorcycle, and placed the key in the ignition. He glanced at Junkyard and gave a single nod. The motor was humming, as he slowly pushed it back down the ramp. Moving it quite a few paces back, he pondered. "Yeah, think I will go with music today." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small but powerful mp3 player, turned it up to eleven and selected



. He bobbed his head as the guitar began playing, and he revved up the engine and flew into the building.
TSSH!! The shrapnel from the window glass flew across the room, and several pieces slashed at Mister Geier's face. Besides the window, large chunks of drywall were crushed, revealing the inner structure and frame, as the stud which was in place near that wall seemed to appear really loose. A small rat skittered away in fear. The chunks of paint quickly flew off. As the wheel descended it crushed the glass beneath as the music continued playing. Achim quickly maneuvered his bike as it slid sideways, making a loud screeching sound, as it crashed against the door as it was torn clean off from the hinges, as the bike slid partially into the hallway. As the bike finished its rough stop, Achim brushed himself from the debris, and helped his dog out from the side-car, who was remarkably not hit by the debris. Achim ripped out a piece of glass from his left cheek, that was stuck, as he walked out into the hall. "Bit too much power this time." He propped his bike up as he pulled it into the class-room, as he moved it towards his desk, while Junkyard followed.


Propping it next to his desk, the stud finally gave out as a large part of the wall fell backwards. Achim casually glanced backwards, "Huh, well that may take a bit of time to repair." He waved to the class, "Hello, welcome to another day of class students. I hope you are ready to learn."

 

[CSA]

"Oh, well, you know, I only eat the things I really want like that. Because I get all the flavors all at once. Don't worry about it too much. Besides, I get a lot of what I need from the ground so I don't really have to eat a lot."


Lily, having reached the classroom, was directed to the art room for... budget reasons? Probably because the teacher broke the window and the school was cheap as Hell. Lily still didn't see what motorcycles had to do with writing. Anyways, she walked Anya over to the art room and took a seat just as their teacher crashed through the window again. At least this time they were given proper warning.


Lily massaged her forehead as the man nonchalantly walked his bike back into the room from the hallway he crashed into and propped his bike up against the desk. It occurred to Lily that any students who might have been a little late to class could easily have been killed in this stunt.


"He... he did it again. He did the bike thing again. Why the Hell would you do it twice? You even warned us that it was going to happen! The impact is gone! This is just malicious destruction of school property! Who the fuck is this guy? How did he even get hired? This is basically GTO without any of the keen insight or problem-solving. Then again, as far as I know he's not hitting on his students. At least there's that. But the absence of one bad behavior doesn't make this any better!"





Lily covered her eyes with her hands, her elbows on the desk.


"He hopes we're ready to learn? How can you say something like that after that entrance? At least explain yourself, dammit!"





Lily raised her hand.


"Sir? What exactly is the... the point of these entrances? How do they relate to the class at all? I'm sorry to say that I don't quite get it."

 

[MechaGhoul]

"Ah, you aren't the first to ask that question, and you won't be the last." Achim said as he went through the drawers as he pulled out a stack of papers from the desk. "The entrance itself an example of 'Performance Art'. It is not the only demonstration I give, but it is the most typical. Just an example to spark creativity, and the demonstration allows for more questions to be pondered. Why did he use that motorcycle? Why does one room get a warning when others don't? Is this going to prepare me for life? What is the purpose of it all? After all, you can't be ready to learn, unless you are willing to question. If you aren't willing to ask the questions, you are just going to want to 'memorize' knowledge, instead of truly take it in."


Achim finished grabbing all the papers as he went around the room, distributing the sheets. "Now then, we will start with a small essay, just a paragraph is needed. To help get the creative juices flowing." Junkyard rested near Achim's desk. As he finished up Achim returned to his desk and sat down.


Upon the sheet handed out lay the simple question for today.


Essay Topic: Detail an recent incident with your family.


Susie glanced down at the paper. Well, easy enough.


Achim turned his attention to the class, "Now then, the subject of the short essay will vary from class to class. Sometimes it will be more biographical in nature, other times more creative. Anyway, does everyone have a paper?"


An Orc in a bright red jumpsuit raised his hand. "Any extras?" He glanced around. "No?" Achim opened the drawer and pulled out another sheet as he walked over and handed it to the student before walking back to the desk.


"So, just take a few minutes on this. I will collect your papers then, and we shall continue on with class."

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"An essay on my... oh." Anya frowned, and pressed her pencil to the paper.


Once before I moved here, Papa and I lived together in a big house. He was busy a lot doing adult stuff, but still liked to spend time with me. Papa was forgetful. One time, he was gone but it was my birthday. I didn't eat cake because I wanted to wait for him, but he didn't come home so I went to bed sad.


When I woke up he was asleep next to me in a chair. His face was wet, so I hugged him.


The end.


"I think it's ready." the girl announced.


"What do you think, Lily?"

 

[CSA]

Lily just kind of looked at Achim as he explained his crazy motorcycle entrance. Indeed he did make it sound nice, and while he might have convinced some, Lily thought he was just totally full of shit. She was pretty sure that he just liked dangerous stunts and breaking glass and showing off.


Lily glared down at her paper, decidedly unconvinced, before simply shrugging and beginning to write. It was really the school's problem and she didn't actually care much.


I've never had parents or a family or anything like that. Mom just planted me in the ground and abandoned me, while I raised myself. But I grew up just fine without abandonment issues or anything and I've never cried myself to sleep longing for a mother's loving embrace. I also don't go around school begging for attention because I have some sick need to be accepted. I'm perfectly fine, and I don't even need a family or friends or anything.





Thankfully, this story likely would not be shared. She hated talking about this stuff, and would just rather not have anyone know. Well, the teacher would know, but he wasn't going to say anything. Having finished, Lily looked over at Anya's paper. Her lower lip quivered a little at how pathetic but sweet the story was.


"Wow, that's... that's really sad, Anya. But sort of touching in a way. It's a good story, but are you really OK with sharing it? Even if it is just the teacher and I."

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"Why would I have a problem sharing it?" Anya asked, tilting her head.


"Even if it's sad, that doesn't mean I should hold it in, right? Papa said it's not healthy for girls to repper-ess thier emojis. Emotions."

 

[MechaGhoul]

Suzette quickly grabbed a pencil and began writing on the sheet.


One day in the Summer, my family thought it would be a good idea to head off towards the beach, to catch the rays of the sun, and in general relax. It was a rather busy season for the antique shop, as many vacationers to the city, found my family's shop to be a suitable place to buy various knick-knacks to remember their visit. The decision, besides wanting to get bit away from the hustle and bustle of the city was also in part due to a family friend, deciding he would be there in the area, and would let us stay at his vacationing abode, during the time, so we wouldn't have to pay for any hotel expenses. So we packed up and headed out to Brittany, where we arrived at our destination. Initially, I was fairly skeptical and pleaded with my father that I should just watch the store, but of course, I was taken there anyway. We stayed there for a few days, and I enjoyed myself playing Volleyball on the beach, helping my younger sibling build and sand-castle and spending some quality time with the family.


Susie put her pencil down and finished up on the topic.


Achim glanced around the room and noticed, the majority of the students were finished. "Alright, put your pencils down." He got up as he went around the room collecting the papers. After he finished collecting them, he pushed them together aligning them up, and sat back down at his desk. "Alright, so that'll be a fairly common start to class, just a quick writing assignment." He glanced at the class, "For today's lesson we shall go into the topic of Epic Poetry, and I shall assign your readings."

 

[CSA]

"Yeah, well, some people just really don't like sharing that stuff," said Lily, quickly handing the paper in to the teacher so that she wouldn't be bothered to share hers as well. Lily wasn't suppressing anything. She was crushing it. In her mind vice. Because she was strong, and 'talking about it' was for wimps.


Not that she thought Anya was accusing her of anything.


When the teacher announced that they would be looking at readings from epic poetry, Lily began paying attention a little. She was somewhat eager to take a look at the settings and characters that the Fate series stole from, bastardized, and beat with a stick until it fit into the disheveled little pit that was the Nasuverse. She had to stifle a little laugh when she remembered their take on Sir Francis Drake.

 

[MechaGhoul]

Suzette kept a hold on her pencil, occasionally tapping down on the table.


"Now then. Before we go into it, a brief explanation is in order. An Epic Poem, is a long narrative, which details of the events of an Epic Hero. In these stories our hero usually traverses across wide landscapes, and their actions will determine the fate of the nation and its people. These stories demonstrate supernatural feats, done by the hero, and the forces he has defeat." Achim got up as he strolled from side to side as Junkyard was sleeping.


"These writings have been found across all cultures, and time-periods, one of the earliest ones being the Epic of Gilgamesh, back from Mesopotamia. However, we tend to associate it with the Greeks, who 'popularized' it." He said making distinctive air quotes. "So, for the first epic poem we shall go to Homer and the Illiad. This poem was an oral one in its nature, not initially being written down, as the Greeks had a strong Oral Tradition, and wasn't transcribed until later when the Greeks had created their own writing system." Achim reached in the drawer as he pulled out, a transcript of The Illiad Book One.


Achim walked around the room as he handed out the copies.


 
"Now then. The Illiad is set during the Trojan War. This war was between the Trojans, from the City of Troy, hence their name, against the Greeks. This War occurred due to Trojan who stole Helen, the wife of Meleanus. Meleanus, King of Sparta, was noticeably upset when his wife was missing at the hands of Paris. And so he sent his forces to defeat the Trojans and recover his wife. The Illiad, focuses upon the later stages of the Siege of Troy." Achim said giving a brief explanation of the event.


He held out his own copy of the Illiad. "As this has been an oral based story, the Illiad was of course, spoken out. This is how the story begins, as our Greek Poet asks the Muses to allow him to recount the story. He begins with detailing the danger of the Great Trojan Warrior Achilles, and what he did to his Achean, aka Greek kin."


"After this, we move to the capture of a Trojan town, where our heroes the Acheans have captured two women, one of them was the daughter of a Priest of Apollo, Chryses. He pleaded to the Acheans, as he desperately wanted his daughter back, and was willing to pay a large ransom for her return. While many of the Acheans were willing to accept this deal, the Commander of the Achean forces, Agamemnon had a fancy for her, and denied the return of the priest's daughter."

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"Why didn't they just share Helen?" Anya asked, raising her hand.

 

[MechaGhoul]

Achim paused as he glanced at Anya. "Because, she was married to Meleanus, and as such the commitment was made that she would stay with him. And Paris, despite knowing this, wanted Helen as she was the most beautiful woman in existence, well sans the Gods. And also neither party would be willing to share Helen. Any other questions?"


Suzette kept her nose in her copy of the Illiad, rather literally and keeping her head fairly down, in reading the material.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"What's a muse?" Anya asked in response.


"Also what's Apollo?" Anya felt fortunate she at least knew what Greece was. It was the slippery stuff that leaks out of fried food. It seemed odd to have an entire country devoted to deep friers, though.


'Truly, these are the mysteries of histories.' she thought.

 

[DrBones]

B20 snapped out of her horrified daydream. The giants had fled the room, apparently after that extremely loud roaring noise. Judging by their footsteps, B20 guessed they were heading somewhere far away. It stood stock-still in the vents for a while, like a veteran soldier waiting for the all-clear. At last, it felt it was safe enough to move on.


Project B20 carefully slid the grating open. It had done this only twice before, each time was a harrowing experience. B20's feet made a barely-noticeable 'tap' on the floor as it landed. B20 scurried over to one of the many stools in the classroom and hid. Clinging to the thick metal bars that made up the stool's legs, B20 was nearly invisible.


It peeked its head out from its hiding place and unveiled itself, confident that no one was coming. Slowly but surely, it stalked across the room, picking up any stray crumbs it could find. When it had an armful of miscellaneous trash, it smiled. Maybe now, it could tame that creature!


Scuttling with a spring in its step, Project B20 crawled into the mousehole in the corner of the room. It never managed to confront one of the large, hairy creatures that made this hole; they always ran away. Maybe B20 would tame them, too! This day is just getting better and better!