~Flake Dream

Winston has given us a pretest, to 'bring out abilities in us'. I think it's a practical joke. Or does Winston know more than I do? Why is he giving us a test on the first class?

I quietly open up the sheet of paper. The print is tiny, and there's at least 500 questions. Question number one--what is Winston's favorite sandwitch? 2. Why is the sky blue? 3. Do seagulls taste better than egrets? and so on with boring questions.

I play along. "Winston's favorite sandwhitch," I wrote, "is a secret well kept to this day. It is rumored that the sandwitch includes fried gulls, and powder that only can be produced from the nectar of the Alpine Aster, an exotic flower." Dreaming up answers is fun, until he announces that we have a minute left, and I'm on the third question. Allot of the other students are on the first still.

And suddenly my anger explodes. "This is RUBBISH!" I scream inside of my mind, not letting out the words that I want to say.

And suddenly, I'm dressed in a sleeveless powder-blue, ruffled, rosetted ballgown, with small slippers, and a blue rose with it's thornless stem twisted around my arm for jewlery, and a crown of blue roses on my head.

And then, my apperance goes back to normal. None of the students noticed. But Winston, the teacher, looks at me and nods. "Flake, you have passed the first test." He says quietly. And all I can think is, did Winston do that?! Did he pull some theatrical trick!? Did I hallucinate?!

Or did I do that? 

October~ 

I love Winston's class. The tests, the casual air of the place, Winston's joking attitude, the nice people. I notice a girl next to me, with blonde hair and pale skin, look slightly amused when she opens up her test. As for me, a wide grin spreads across my face when I see it. I quickly start filling in answers, skipping the first few. 5: who's better, Snape or Buckbeak? 7: I saw a raven. 8: No, seriously, look out the window. 9: Wait, false alarm, it was a flamingo and on and on. I mostly just giggle, but manage to fill out a few answers. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I catch a flash of blue. I turn to look, but all I see is the blonde girl, who is currently looking incredible stunned. I am about to open my mouth, when Winston starts talking about strangeness and William Tell. I recollect that, before I left for this school, there was a piece I was playing called the "William Tell Overture" So maybe we're going to start racing or something? I'm glad I brought my clarinet, maybe I can- "October Leaves, will you please come over here by the open window? Put the apple on top of your head. Don't worry, you can eat it later." Confused, I walk over and do as Winston tells me. I don't even like apples. What's he going to do, ask me to write my name in Portuguese with the pencil? What's so special about that? Winston backs up, cocks his arm, and throws the pencil at my head. 

In the brief second that the pencil is flying towards me, I panic. Some deep instinct tugs at me gut, and for some reason I put my hand out towards the pencil.

I don't actually touch it when it happens. 

The pencil, that was flying through the air an instant before, suddenly disintigrates. A gust of wind that came from the inside of the classroom (which is strange, because the storm has cleared up, and there's practically no wind) blows the pieces of the pencil outside. But not before I grab a handful of it, and look down. In my hand, there are leaves. Dead, red and brown, autumn leaves. Winston comes over and stares at the remains of the pencil. "Well...... you turned it into leaves. How interesting." I think I've forgotten how to breath. Winston continues. "You know, funny how that gust of wind just happened along. I'd guess that was you too." I start to take deep breaths. "What. Just. Happened." Winston smiles kindly at me. "Something special, October. Something special." 

Oooooh! You know the apple and the arrow! You wonderful person you!

Klara~

I find a seat in the auditorium, next to a friendly looking girl with brown hair and dark green eyes. 

“Hi,” I say, “I’m Klara.” She smiles shyly. 

“I’m Briar.” Before I can open my mouth to bombard her with questions, the headmistress walks into the auditorium. Immediately, all the conversations cease; all the attention is turned toward Miss. Night. 

“She’s so intimidating.” I whisper to Briar. I wince, because the girl across the aisle is staring at us. She must think we’re rude. But for the weirdest reason ever, I can never stop talking. 

Miss Night scans the rows of students, and her eyes stop on me for a split second. I have the faintest notion that she’s silently judging me. 

“This is nerve-wracking,” I whisper. “Are you nervous?”

Briar barely nods at me, her eyes focused on the stage and Miss Night. 

"We founded Griffinfeather school three years ago…” Miss Night begins. But I’m already zoning out on her speech. I curse my short attention span. What if she says something important?

Soon, I hear the plip-plop of rain on tin roofs. I smile. I love the rain. 

Suddenly, Miss Night shouts, “Attention!”, snapping me out of my daydream. 

"Classes will still begin at 10:00 regardless of the storm! But first, please form a line and pick up your schedules.” 

I pick up the red folder and start talking to Briar again when the lights go out. Seconds later, they turn back on again. 

~

I'll post more later! 

Sasha~

I am going to GET him for that joke! The nerve of him—Uhhhh! Clack, clack, clack; the tapered heels of my shoes snap sharply against the classroom floors as I pace up and down the flawlessly straight aisles. The blinds are drawn, and the old-fashioned chalkboard that I prefer to use is scraped clean and black and prepared. I have to control myself. Remember: teaching is what I love. 

~-~

Winston prefers to reveal the extraordinary powers in his students on the first day, but I like to watch everyone slowly realize who they really are. It builds character. Elemental Quest; I write the words on the blackboard in big, bold strokes. 

"It is a school tradition to play a special game in the morning slot whenever time will allow. This game is dangerous, but character-building and fun at the same time. Each of you will be in teams, composed of the groups you have been previously assigned to. Each team will compete as class winner, and also against the younger class for overall winner," as I say this, a few students scoff and laugh, "they are NOT to be underestimated because of their age!" I add shaply. The noises stop.

"The goal of the game," I continue, "is to collect 1 token from 5 different areas on the campus, each representing a different elemental challeng. The team with the most tokens wins overall. In addition, class winners will be chosen based on preformance and team work. The challenges are: 1. snow, located somewhere in this building, 2. fire, located in the recreational area, 3., stone, located on the roof of the building, 4., desert, located in the other class building, and 5., water, located in the forest. Your challenge: go, survive each of the zones, find the hidden tokens, and bring them back here. Myself and other teachers will be standing by if something happens." 

~-~

Sooooo... we COMPETE! Let's just pretend that Winston explains this whole game after he assures everyone that he could have hit the apple if October hadn't stopped him. What do y'all think? I haven't worked out any details so just go with whatever inspires you. Also, I made an optional schedule.

Schedule:

SASHA’S CLASS

8:00-8:45: Breakfast

(Cafeteria)

8:45-9:15: Announcements

(Auditorium)

9:15-10:00: Free period

(Dorms or Recreational Areas)

10:00-12:00: Class-wide Hands-on activity (Elemental Quest, Mock Mission, Lava-Climb contest, Snowstorm survival, etc.)

(Whole Campus)

12:00-12:45: Lunch

(Cafeteria)

12:45-1:30: Free period

(Dorms or Recreational Areas)

1:30-5:30: Rotational Classes*

(Specified classrooms)

5:30-6:00: Free period

(Dorms or Recreational Areas)

6:00-6:45: Supper

(Cafeteria)

6:45-7:00: Cafeteria Cleanup!!!!!!!

(Cafeteria and Kitchen)

7:00-9:00: Optional game of speedball, soccer, basketball, whatever.

(Gym or field)

10:00: Lights out,

(Dorms)

Top! I feel like I'm making up everything. Come on y'all!!!! I mentioned a competition. Any ideas? Just make it up! I don't care! I'm not in charge.

Oh well. I guess it was too complicated anyway.

Hey Rosy, sorry I haven't been posting. I think the competitions are a great idea! Are the younger students competing as well? Maybe they could do something separate involving........ FIRE, MAYBE????? OR GIANT MARSHMALLOWS???????? OR GIANT........ SMORES????????

OK, I'm done now. XD. Live!

October~ 

I breeze through the day, only half living it. My mind is focused on something else entirely then who wins the game of speedball. All I can think about is my hands. How, when I touched the pencil, it turned into leaves. How it blew away. How I'm different.

I need a break. During free period, I sneak away with my clarinet in hand. I've always had a talent for music, especially my clarinet which, if I think about it, is really a woodwind. I don't care, though. I set my small wire music stand down in a pile of leaves, and begin to play. A half an hour later, I realize that free time is over, and I need to go. I put away my clarinet, its haunting notes still ringing in my ears, when I catch a flash of movement in the corner of my vision. I turn to see Flake Dream staring at me except...... she is dressed in an dress that swirls with different, vibrant colors, just like my music. We make eye-contact for a brief second, and then the dress vanishes. I race over to Flake. "What was that?" Flake looks at me with her bright blue eyes, and says "I don't know. I just don't know. There was something different about the way you played......." I know what she means. Whenever I play like that, I feel like I am commanding the wind itself to fly through my instrument and unleash itself in wild song. I hate to play around people, as whenever I do, strange things start to happen.

Flake and I walk up to the school together, talking avidly about Winston's class.

Strange things indeed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, I was thinking that, instead of being able to change things into leaves, October has a certain...... talent with music. Whenever she plays her clarinet, it moves people strangely, often letting them experience whatever she is feeling at the time. Also, the wind. Hope she isn't OP.

This amazing rp MUST LIVE. MUST.  

Luna says *nevh* Never? LUNA THAT'S TERRIBLE.  

TOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!

Please! Pretty please? C'MON THREAD.  

Ah, so it is topped! Thank you Autumn Leaves! *hugs you* Now, an explanation is in order.

The Elemental Quest is a game that EVERYONE in the school participates in. Yes, even the teachers. Dangerous, thrilling, and fun, 7 teams (which have been previously decided; just look back a couple pages) will compete against each other to collect 5 tokens from 5 different areas designed to test each student. The areas:

1. Snow (affectionately called Narnia or The Wardrobe by our "normal" education teacher and resident literary freak, Mrs. Thompson). Not exactly a winter wonderland, the "snow" area is located somewhere in Sasha's building, although the entrance is hidden (somewhere in the library perhaps?). Covered in snow and ice and liable to occassional blizzards created by the blizzard stimulator. Ah, here is where the teachers come in! They will be behind the scenes trying to keep you from your goal, which is, of course, the token, hidden somewhere in the area. 

2. Lava/fire. Located in the outdoor recreational place, this area is full of large rock mounds, rivers of hot "lava" (obviously we can't work with real lava. Too expensive), and of course, a blasting volcano. Another token is to be found here. 

3. Desert. By far the usual favorite among the students, the desert area is located in the basement of Winston's building. Stimulated sandstorms are to be expected, as well as giant sand castles. Tut tut, the things Winston and the 13 and under kids do during their free time...anyway, if someone decided to burry a token within a sandcastle, it wasn't me! 

4. Stone. The most intimidating of all, stone is located on the roof of Sasha's building (see pic a couple pages back. You should see a slender building with a flat roof and a smaller, seperate building on top of the roof). This complicated stone maze is COMPLETELY dark inside. Not a speck of light. And yet you must still find a token hidden somewhere in the inky blackness.

5. Water/forest. Picturesque gardens, tumbling waterfalls (and, erm, fatally sharp rocks), flowing rivers and exotic plants (as well as a couple exotic animals: birds mostly, and a few snakes) make up the enterior of this huge greenhouse nestled in the woods behind the main school buildings. Of course, there is always the plausibility of drowning or falling unsuported from one of the high trees. Teachers are standing by to protect you in these curcumstances, but be warned: they cannot always save you, so you must have a certain ammount of skill and alertness.

The first round of Elemental Quest will start the next school day at 10:00 A.M. Rules etc. are explained above in a RP post. Be aware!