Arc 1-Session 4-Mini 11 - Professor Mae/Shade

Kyoko - Yesterday at 2:05 PM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Good evening, class." said the red fox. "I am Professor Mae. I'll be teaching your Introduction Class on Divine Power: Theory and Practice."
Someone in the class raises a hand. "The syllabus said 'Divine Magic, Theory and Practice.' Are you-"
"That," says Professor Mae, "Is the result of demands beyond my considerable power. Congressional demands." She scoffs. "We don't discuss 'magic' in this classroom."
"... So I'm in the wrong place, then?" complains James, who stands up and begins to walk out. Then he slams directly into a shimmering white field.
"We discuss power and science. 'Magic' is a term that's used to conceal more than to reveal. Everything we do has an explanation. It is our job to find it."
Hoshi - Yesterday at 2:16 PM
Ooooh. That makes sense. I'm listening! Obviously. I mean, poor James though. Getting called out in the first minute. Sort of.
Kyoko - Yesterday at 2:19 PM
Well, he shouldn't have been a jerk like that.
Hoshi - Yesterday at 2:19 PM
Very much so?
!*
I'd raise my hand but I want to see her continue and not interrupt
Kyoko - Yesterday at 2:31 PM
"Now. When we say 'divine' power, we traditionally refer to power originating from entities that exist in a superimposed state outside of our dimension, occasionally extending inside it. This space outside the dimensions has many names - the Planes of Divinity, Hypertemporal Intercessory Space, and the World of Chaos and Law being three of the most common. I am informed that Professor Cooper, one of your dimensional physics instructors, has threatened to mark any paper that does not use the term 'Aetherial Sea' as an automatic zero. This is your first lesson in my class - never permit another to construct unchallenged dogma. It is poison to our work and to our research, and a poison that has killed many promising young scientists in our field." You're pretty sure you don't need your portfolio to know that she's speaking literally, but... she is. Totally. "As such, you may use any term you wish for it except that one. Any class member using that appelation inside this room or on assignments for this class will recieve an automatic F."
Oh boy.
Professor fight.
That's super.
She raises a finger to one of her triangular red ears.
"I am informed by Clearance that the term 'Blind Eternities' has been trademarked by Hasbro, and as such that must also be impermissible."
Hoshi - Yesterday at 2:32 PM
...I write that down. The things I can't use that is, not uh... Everything she said. I'm not Strike, I'm not that fast.
I don't want to fall!
Fail
....failgoddess....
Kyoko - Yesterday at 2:36 PM
"I will personally use the Planes of Divinity in my classroom, my textbooks, and my research papers for disambiguation purposes. Do not take this as a requirement to mimic my precise terminology. Do take my previous statements as a requirement, however."
"Professor?" James asks, still caught in the field. "Will you let me go so I can take notes?"
"Very well." Without a gesture or even a snap, the field vanishes. Okay. The Professor is good at this. Like, normally you do gesture things but you understand they're sort of crutches.
Hoshi - Yesterday at 2:38 PM
She is too! That's awesome! I wonder if she's a goddess too. .... I'm sure she'll explain it at some point soon but I'll ask, worst case.
Kyoko - Yesterday at 2:41 PM
The woman - a blue woman, now that you see her - ... with four arms!? - who raised her hand before to ask about the syllabus raises her right top hand again.
A sigh from Professor Mae. "Does anyone other than Miss Yaraghiya have a question?"
Hoshi - Yesterday at 2:44 PM
I... Raise my hand. A little. Nervous. I'm not going to jump into my own Shadow, obviously, but.... "um.... professor mae? how do gods draw power from the planes of divinity? like, how does it work?"
I'm trying not to ask a rude question!
And maybe it's not a stupid one?
Kyoko - Yesterday at 2:48 PM
"How do you draw power from food and- oh!" She looks at you, and then looks at you. "My apologies, Shrouded Maiden, I did not hear that in your voice at first." Awkward! She's using your full name! That always makes you feel weird.
"Your body and mind right now is... an extension of a small being in the Planes of Divinity right now. While that being moves across the planes, it absorbs ambient energy to power itself from various sources of radiation similar to plants feeding off the Earth's sun. Many gods also gain power through the energies created by psychic rituals they design and transmit to their followers."
Hoshi - Yesterday at 2:51 PM
"ooooooooh! right, worshippers!" I beam. "so, hmm, does that mean if my plane self passes near something in my portfolio then i get stronger?"
"or am i totally wrong on that?"
Kyoko - Yesterday at 2:52 PM
"Yes. Or that your own being makes things relevant to you more powerful."
Right! Like all those shadow experiments you did with Daphne.
Hoshi - Yesterday at 2:52 PM
That's really cool!
"wooooow! thanks professor!"
Kyoko - Yesterday at 2:57 PM
Miss Yaraghiya hasn't lowered her arm. Her lower two hands are dual-wielding pencils and constantly writing notes. You should steal them from her and copy them! Except that would be wrong. You should befriend her, then steal and copy them!
Hoshi - Yesterday at 2:57 PM
Brilliant idea! She's clearly smart and has a built-in note taking advantage
Kyoko - Yesterday at 3:00 PM
Mae realizes that she's not going to get out of this one. She sighs and points to the blue woman.
"Will this class be mostly focused on theory or practice?"
"The class name says theory and practice."
"Right, but the other thing was wrong so- " A vulpine glare. "- I, um, are we going to be graded on things like healing or smiting people?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Yaraghiya winces visibly, one of her pencil tips snapping. Her remaining arm quickly and loudly ruffles through her backpack for a replacement. "Enough of the class will be theoretical that those of you with natural talents will find neglecting their studies quite regrettable, but I am required to ensure that each of you has a passable ability to focus divine power before you pass my class."
Hoshi - Yesterday at 3:02 PM
I've got that at least. I THINK. I mean practice I can do, theory is a bit harder....
I'm good at smiting! And got a high priestess!
Not like I'd neglect them!
I want to pass
.... failgoddess:dizzy_face:
Kyoko - Yesterday at 3:05 PM
Smite smite smite smitey smite smite - no! Don't get distracted!
... maybe ask if they have god-strength Adderall.
Hoshi - Yesterday at 3:06 PM
..... That's for the best. I mean, I could ask the Dean?
Kyoko - Yesterday at 3:06 PM
Was this a problem before, Shade?
... I mean, for Rachel?
Hoshi - Yesterday at 3:06 PM
Yes!
.....I mean, I got distracted a bit. And easily.
Kyoko - Yesterday at 3:07 PM
...who does a god go to to get diagnoses for these things?
Hoshi - Yesterday at 3:08 PM
.... I have no idea.....
Maybe Professor Mae knows?
Kyoko - Yesterday at 3:12 PM
... gah you got distracted!
She's already on another page of the syllabus. A map of the nearby Planes of Divinity?
sigh "Yaraghiya."
"Professor Mae?" She points to one section of the map that is labeled 'outside the confines of this class.' "Who is this... Gargantor?"
A lot of things happen at once. Faysal, who you're now noticing wears noise-cancelling headphones, straightens up in his seat visibly. Kaelis scooches out of her chair, kicking it over as she moves to get closer to him. Maya turns in his direction and sends some sort of soothing thought.
A full quarter of the class looks either terrified of the blue girl or sickened. The remainder are mostly confused, but can't help but notice the sudden outbreak of chaos inside the class.
"Um... never mind. I think I understand from context," she whispers, ashamed of herself.
"Indeed," the fox says.
Hoshi - Yesterday at 3:13 PM
.....oooooh
Big bad guy maybe. ...
.....
Am I on it?
Kyoko - Yesterday at 3:14 PM
No, sadly. ! But grandfather is! I mean, he's small, but he's on it.
Hoshi - Yesterday at 3:15 PM
..... Huh, cool! ....I.... Do draw me or a little representation of me there. Instead of him. I look rather pleased with myself.
Kyoko - Yesterday at 3:16 PM
You've drawn a little figure in a hoodie. Huh, it's not a stick figure. Rachel actually knew how to draw a little!
Hoshi - Yesterday at 3:16 PM
Yep! I remember that much about old me. I mean I needed to do something while I was bored in class
.....
Kyoko - Yesterday at 3:17 PM
You really did a good drawing! You should draw some more like Solaria since she's large and on the map.
Professor Mae continues to talk while you draw her. But the drawing is more interesting.
Hoshi - Yesterday at 3:17 PM
I do try and pay attention I don't want to fail
I do draw my mentor though. A little. And try and pay attention. Really!
Important word being try
Kyoko - Yesterday at 3:19 PM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After class, do you go with James, since he's close to you and already had a conversation, or are you going to stalk Yaraghiya?
Because...
I mean...
You are really good at stalking.
Hoshi - Yesterday at 3:20 PM
STALK!
I do say bye to James and share cell phone numbers. I like him.
But Yaraghiya.... Well, let us stalk~~~
Kyoko - Yesterday at 3:21 PM
Shadow stalk or normal stalk?
Hoshi - Yesterday at 3:27 PM
.... Normal. I mean, I don't want to be creepy
Well don't want to be creepy now
I mean I'll probably just go up and be friendly
"hi!"
"im shade!"
.....I walked. Didn't shadow jump or anything
Kyoko - Yesterday at 4:51 PM
Immediately after class, as she walks away and you walk towards her, Yaraghiya is on something that looks like an ancient cell phone (like, a small pre-flip phone bullet with an antenna), only it's decorated with golden filigree and has light flitting around the side of it. "Mom? Yeah, I just got out of my first class." A pause. "No Mom. No, Mom." A sigh. "What? No no no. I'm sorry, Mom. I'm sorry." She hangs her head. "I'm very sorry. It won't happen again. I promise."
A few minutes of her being lectured, and then she finally gets to hang up, sitting on a bench underneath a tree.
Hoshi - Yesterday at 4:56 PM
"...hi?" I walk up, making my presence clear. "im shade. im in your divine... science class."
I'm being friendly!
Hoshi - Yesterday at 5:06 PM
I also don't want to seem like I'm stalking her....
.... Or was stalking her...