Magical Teacher Professor Landry! - Chapter 1: Just a Normal School

[Arhra]

It's hot.

Johanna wondered if summer would ever end as she walked along the stone corridor, a white, slim girl dressed in a pale grey hoodie and dark blue jeans. The insulation served a simple purpose: keeping the heat out.

She found room Q111 and opened the door.

The class was about half full. The front row of seats was completely empty so far, as it always would try to be. The Grim Reaper was sitting at the teacher's desk.

My melting day can't possibly be now. the jotun thought to herself, feeling a little light headed.

So instead this must be the Professor of Love and Fightiology. She hadn't ever realised so much death was involved.

In case of the embrassing chance of the inevitable end of all things just marking the roll while waiting for Professor Landry to appear, Jo declined to introduce herself and took a seat in the middle row. Slipping her shoulder bag off her shoulder and placing it on her desk, she opened it up and popped the lid on a thermos-like canister. She slipped a pale hand inside and pulled out a flavoured ice lozenge and popped it in her mouth. It was lemony and incredibly delicious as she sucked on it.

Turning to her left, she offered one to the red-headed girl holding a camera sitting at the desk next to her.

[Overcast]

Jay looked up to the nice guy offering him a hand, and gave him a nice grin to match his smirk. He reached up and took his hand and if this were a fictional universe made for teen girls you might see cherry blossoms in the background,

"If it is Death I'm pretty much entirely screwed, stuck on my back or not."

He pulled himself up and didn't let go, distancing himself enough to make it a handshake,

"Jay Miles, feel like being my default choice when the typical classroom partner activity comes up? You get a seat next to mine, its a sweet deal."

[krogothwolf]

Dean looked around as more people filed into class. No one looked overly interesting. Man he had hoped that there would be some decent people in the class. He did find it amusing with everyone's reactions to the grim reaper dressed teacher. Personally, he had seen crazier shit then that already, and having a Dragon tends to dull your surprise meter a tiny bit to these kinds of things. He shrugged his shoulders and sat down in the back row behind the red haired kid.

"Ya dinnat mind if I sit back here do ye?" He asked the kid before plopping down in the seat.

He stuffed his bag rather forcibly under his desk and then looked around the class once more. Stretching out he leaned back in his seat and looked around. He figured he should be able to get some decent sleep back here. Putting his hands behind his head he relaxed and waited for things to get interesting. Or to fall asleep if things got boring.

[Teal Mage]

"Lassie, ye be in the right place fer sure." Thickly accented, the voice came from the row behind the hazel eyed girl. "Ye dinna have ta look so lost and confused though. This class'll be dull like all tha others."

"Really?" Brown hair swaying, the young girl turned back to regard the speaker with a sceptical look, "Because last time I checked, normal teachers don't wear Halloween Costumes in September."

The young man, hazel eyed and brown haired himself, seemed to dismiss the observation. "Ye new here lassie?" He asked, leaning back and setting his feet on the desk in front of him. "Name's Dean William Hunter, ye can ask me fer help if ya please."

"I don't think you'll need to worry about me." She replied, equally dismissive, turning back to the front, "'s just school."

Her words seemed to have bored Dean, because he left shortly after, taking a seat next to one of the other students. The girl shrugged, expression turning disinterested again. More students were finding their way into the room - class would probably start soon. All I need to do is wait. She reflected, rolling her pendant between her thumb and forefinger.

She did try not too look too confused when a girl covered in bandages sat in front of her though.

* * * *

A few minutes later.

"...that's Professor Landry isn't it." Lying prone on his backpack, Jay Miles didn't seem too enthusiastic about this observation.

"Well," behind the baseball jersey clad boy, the slim and well-dressed form of Dalbhach Nuada appeared in the classroom's doorway, "either that or it's the corporeal avatar of death," the raven haired boy offered a smirk, along with his hand, to Jay, "And if that's the case you'd be better off not being caught on your back, eh?"

Jay smiled, gratefully taking the other boy's hand, "If it is Death I'm pretty much entirely screwed, stuck on my back or not." He admitted, pulling himself to his feet with Dalbhach's help, but not immediately releasing the Fae's hand. "Jay Miles," The dark haired baseball player started to shake Dalbhach's hand, "feel like being my default choice when the typical classroom partner activity comes up?" The young man's grin seemed to widen, "You get a seat next to mine, it's a sweet deal."

A sudden voice cut off any reply Dalbhach could have made.

"Students!"

A muffled boom sounded from the front of the room. White light flared from beneath the teacher's desk, blindingly bright. Smoke billowed up from the floor, thick grey tendrils of it enveloping the dark form of Professor Landry and obscuring the cloaked teacher from sight in an instant. Soon, the smoke stretched from floor to ceiling, forming a dense and impenetrable cloud of chaotic motion at the room's front.

Silver flashed in a line from the cloud's center. The pillar of smoke exploded from the inside out, releasing a powerful gust of ash filled wind into the classroom, stinging eyes and whipping hair and clothes wildly. A sharp thud burst from the top of Professor Landry's desk, as the tip of an axe-blade was driven into the varnished surface. Fragments of wood flew from the point of impact, landing soundlessly at the feet of an auburn haired woman, suddenly standing on the teacher's desk.

"Students!" She repeated, swinging the heavy silver form of an ornate double sided battle axe toward Dalhach and Jay, "There will be no gay overtures in my class-" a line of thick green liquid sprayed from the blade of her axe, splattering on the classroom's carpet a few paces from the teacher's desk, "-until role is taken!"

Her free hand moved up to her face, pushing the thin rimmed pair of glasses she wore back into place. "Now, take you seats." She murmured, gesturing vaguely toward the mass of desks on the opposite side of the room.

From beneath the teacher's desk, a long, green, and slimy looking tendril extended.

Long white lab coat billowing around her, the bespectacled woman stepped off her desk. The sharp tip of her high heeled black shoe fell neatly on the mysterious green tentacle as she landed lightly. The heavy battle axe, which was covered in a strange slime-like substance, thudded to the carpet moments after.

"Students," she began again, seemingly oblivious to the thrashing of the squishy tendril under her toe, "I must apologize for my lateness." The woman bowed elegantly from the waist, allowing the handle of her axe to slip from her fingers. "I will be your teacher for the year," she continued, straightening, "my name is-" her fingers ran through her long auburn hair, glittering sparks filling the air around her, "-Professor Rebecca Landry."

Professor Landry stepped forward, releasing her squishy prisoner. Despite its new freedom, the tentacle merely lay there in a slowly spreading pool of green slime, a large hole in its tip.

The auburn haired woman clenched a hand before her breast, "I'm sure you are all burning with questions right now." She stated, voice suddenly thick with emotion, "But you must hold to them!" Professor Landry declared, throwing her hand to the side, "For only in the absence of knowledge is the mind truly sharp!"

"And as your teacher!" She stabbed a finger toward the mysteriously unnamed brown haired girl in the fourth row, "It is my duty to make your minds strong and your hearts stronger still!" Her hand flashed toward one of the pockets of her lab coat. "But first!" She reached in!

…and pulled out a squawking black bird?

"Oh!" Professor Landry's dark eyes widened with surprise. "Class," she gestured to the bird, which was struggling to escape her grip, "this is a bird I found on the way to class. I have decided to make him our class pet." Her eyes grew sad as she regarded the crow, "I fear it has broken its wings, as it will not fly." Expression growing noticeably brighter, she returned her attention to her students, "I have decided to name him Feathers and nurse him back to health! It shall be such fun."

Professor Landry turned back to her desk and set the crow down on it. True to the auburn haired teacher's word, the bird did not fly away; it merely turned a pair of hate-filled bird eyes on its self-appointed captor.

Behind the bird, the dark cloaked form of the Grim Reaper continued her (?) writing.

Such dedication!

"Now then," Professor Landry reached into the pocket on the opposite side of her cloak, "it is time for role call!" With a flourish, Rebecca drew a sheet of paper free from her white coat. Her bespectacled eyes flickered critically from the names written on the short list, to the students waiting in their desks, then back again.

Slowly, her eyes narrowed. "There are students absent." Professor Landry murmured softly, straightening her glasses again. This time, they flashed ominously before her eyes. "I will need to investigate this later."

Outside the classroom, thunder rolled.

"Take notes Students," Professor Landry continued, suddenly disturbingly calm, "all absent students will need an excellent reason for not being present. If such a reason can not be provided, there will be-" the auburn haired woman paused, a slow smile spreading over her lips. "-Consequences."

In the room's ceiling, a light bulb exploded.

"Of course," the smile on Professor Landry's face turned cheerfully bright, "as you are all my beloved students, none of you would even think of doing something as reprehensible as skipping class!" A merry laugh escaped from the Professor's lips. "But, getting back to role call." She stated, raising the index finger of her free hand.

"Students, when I call upon you to speak," The woman stated conversationally, "I reques-No," Professor Landry clenched her hand, "I demand you tell me of your passions!" Her hand flew to the side in an adamant gesture, "Tell me of who you are! Of what -" Her bespectacled eyes narrowed, "or who - you love! Of your hidden talents!" The woman threw her hands up, finally releasing the attendance sheet from her grip, "But whatever you speak of, do it with passionate love!" Her eyes glittered with inner fire as she gestured toward the back wall, "For only with love can we conquer the world!"

Behind her, a flash of iridescent blue light exploded over the blackboard.

"Now, you!" Her finger flashed toward one of the students, "Speak or die!"

At her feet, the silver blade of Professor Landry's battle-axe glinted ominously.

D-did she really mean it?

[IHateMakingNames]

Late late late late late late late late.

Michael ran through the school grounds, trying to not be too late for his first class. Certain things had halted his progress to class this morning.

----

Earlier in the morning, Michael had woken up on time and eaten a good breakfast. He was fully prepared to start his new school life at Amaranth Institute for the Gifted. Filled with a nutritious breakfast to get his mind and body started for the day, Michael was calmly strolling through the school grounds, doodling in his notebook he was going to use for his first class. He only stopped when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Behind one of the school buildings, a mountain lion was staring Michael down.

Michael couldn't contain his surprise at seeing the mountain lion, and accidentally tossed his notebook at another student. "Sorry about that." He said to the student as he picked up his notebook. Michael didn't really care how the other student took this, as he turned to check on the mountain lion, who was now gone.

There was an oddly friendly mountain lion back home that Michael had been feeding spare meat from his house. Could this be the same mountain lion? Did it really follow Michael to school? Michael had to know, so he darted out to the back of the school building where he saw the wild cat. He hadn't really planned it out, and was not ready to be pounced on by a puma once he rounded the corner.

Amidst the panicking, Michael realized he wasn't being mauled, and promptly calmed down. The cougar gently got off of Michael and settled down nearby. Is he... sitting? The wild cat took the usual sitting position you expect from a pet waiting for food. Unsure of what to do, Michael talked to the beast.

"Uh, hey. I don't have any food. I can't really get spare meat around here. Maybe if-" Michael was cut off by loud growling. The mountain lion seemed to be understanding what Michael said, and disliked the lack of food. "But I can go get some!" Terrified again, Michael immediately ran off to the nearest source of food.

At a nearby cafeteria, breakfast was still being served. Michael rushed in and got a large plate of sausage and bacon. Other students gave him some odd looks, but Michael hadn't even noticed. He didn't even notice the staff yelling at him as he left without payment and stealing a plate.

The cougar seemed happy with his plate of breakfast meats, and was gladly chomping down on them. Michael sat and watched, partly out of fear and waiting for the wild animal's approval, and partly because he was just interested. He was sitting right next to a mountain lion, this was cool to him. The mountain lion finished it's breakfast, gave what could only be considered an approval nod, then ran off into the distance.

Michael watched until he couldn't see the cougar anymore. Then he remembered that he was at school, and class had started. Then he started to run.


---

Michael heard some booming from the direction of his class, and thunder despite the clear weather. While odd, he was late, and needed to get to class. He ran up to the door, calmed down, and slowly entered. Maybe the class hadn't started, or maybe he could slip in. Instead he saw a death looking teacher, a grim reaper like entity writing on the blackboard, a crow, a dead tentacle on the floor, a battle axe, an axe wound on the teacher's desk, ooze on the ground, smoke floating around the classroom, and terrified students. Michael quickly closed the door and walked away from the class. He could miss this first day.

[Overcast]

If it had taken him about ten seconds to get his mind around that grim reaper thing he was obviously dumbfounded now. At first it was the group of events itself because he had taken it all at face value, thinking everything that just happened was caused by her having some kind of power. So his first general suspicion was that he was about to enter his first term of Love and Fightiology being taught by a witch. Then of course he shook off that thought because that was just silly, magic and witches don't exist and he was stupid for thinking that at all.

Though if he were thinking of this rationally he actually had to speculate over the forethought and preparation it must have taken for her to do all of this...aside from the crow. He could imagine that was probably just something impulsive she decided to add to the repertoire of odd events. He swore that she either did this every year(which considering the craftsmanship of that desk had to be self funded) or she was just a genius of some sort that may have missed her calling in local theater.

Finally past the initial shock in hindsight he caught that gay overtones thing, and that she was in fact pointing at him to speak or die. He had been tempting fate for about half a minute there so he tried to make up for it by being almost as theatrical as she was, which without the special effects might be a little difficult. First off get the most important part of role call out of the way,

"I am Jay Miles."

His name he looked around trying to figure out what to do next, he didn't have that long or he would ruin the flow of the dialogue. At least that was what Akins had told him with the whole drama thing. He decided jumping onto a desk was a good move, and he took one at the front like he had initially planned when he first walked in,

"My past ain't worth a damn for more than the reason I'm here. I came to Amaranth to get a new lease on my life. To get away from all that crazy shit that held me down before."

He pulled on his cap, eyes shrouded beneath the bill. He hadn't fallen off the desk yet so that was good, but he had cursed in his monologue so he might have to make that part of his character so that some of that passion that the Professor loved so might be able to save him being given a thorough talking to about bad language,

"I only got one passion worth talkin about. The only real thing I kept from my past besides frequent swearing. That passion is baseball."

He saw a bat lying on the desk he'd picked, how serendipitous! This would go perfect with this part of his speech. He reached down and laid the thing on his shoulder head held down like he was readying himself to step up to the plate,

"The American pastime and my ticket to this beautiful school. I hit cleanup just about anywhere I go, able to make a ball fly like nobody my size should be able to."

Which was true, he was a bit short to be hitting cleanup. Most of the guys who cleared bases were Babe Ruth fat, steroids fat, an ectomorph, or made of muscle. Still no one could deny just how well he hit when he was swinging for the fences,

"It was my entire life in my old home, the only thing that kept me sane. The only way I could get by. The thing that kept my grades up and made sure I never joined a gang. Though I came here to get more. More knowledge and passions I never knew I had."

He pointed the bat Professor Landry's way, eyes shining beneath the ball cap. His heart beating fast, he might like drama club because this whole thing was rather fun,

"I'm counting on you to help me there Miss Landry! And I know you won't disappoint."

Annnnnd scene. He jumped off the desk and landed pretty well, laying the bat back where it was for whatever evil plans he was sure the Professor had for the thing, took his cap back off because he was still pretty sure there was a rule for that. He could swear he was forgetting something. Eh, it probably wasn't important.

[Astral Harmony]

Astarte was rather taken aback by the theatrical performance of Professor Landry. Sure, this was a school for the gifted, but did she have to flaunt her gifts so much.

Still, best to go with the flow. Astarte was both embarrassed and excited at the prospect of actually going through with this. But for some reason, when Professor Landry's axe pointed towards her, Astarte felt a surge of inspiration. She exited her chair, then hopped right on top of her desk and, with the cutest spin and pose she was capable of, pumped her right fist into the air and then made a two-fingered salute with a wink that no one could actually see because the eye she winked with was covered in bandages. But with her pink seifuku, she was sure she still gave off the opinion of being really cute, bandages and all.

"I am Astarte Whitewrap!" Astarte introduced herself with all the cheerfulness she could muster this early in the morning, which was actually quite a lot. Astarte was a morning person."I'm a transfer student all the way from Egypt. I probably would've stayed there, but something told me I had a greater destiny than what I would ever find out in the sands."

She skillfully neglected to manage that it was the disembodied spirit of her own mother that steered her towards the Amaranth Institute for the Gifted.

"I haven't really explored my own actual passions and I don't have anyone I love yet, but I'm really interested in wrestling and I'm eager to try out just about anything once."

Astarte hopped down from the desk, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. "Ah. Sorry about that. I guess Professor Landry's enthusiasm is contagious? Anyways, I'm really happy being here and I'm looking forward to the rest of the time that I'll spend here."

Truth be told, she really did like Professor Landry's attitude. If all the professors were like this, Astarte was already starting to consider working her as a professor herself.

[krogothwolf]

He was still slightly miffed that the new girl didn't even give him his name, and he had thought she was a little cute after all.

Then the teacher made her entrance. What a display, what a flashy display. Dean really couldn't help but laugh at it. This Professor Landry was more then likely insane, but at least that might keep things slightly interesting, and was that a battle axe? Did she really carry a bird in her pocket? He wondered if Filia had anything to do with the Injured bird when he took her out for her run this morning, he figured she probably didn't, she wouldn't have let it live if she had after all.

Then came her flashy and over dramatic demand for introductions with a threat of death if you didn't speak. Really? A death threat? It felt like he was back home again with his rider teachers, they always threatened death to you during training...of course that was because you probably could die from the training, it had happened before.

The first kid to introduce themselves was Jay a baseball playing kid who seemed to enjoy brown nosing. Dean just shook his head at that.

Then was a girl named Astarte? He sort of chuckled when he heard that name. All he could think of at that was the Adeptus Astartes. Damn Space Marines...He wondered if that had anything do with her name? He felt sorry for if it did.

Then she pointed at him. Guess it was his turn.

"Name be Dean William Hunter." He said with his thick blur as he stood up, "I be from Scotland if ye cannat tell from me accent. Love me er, dog Filia she's a lovely little lassie she is, and Hockey, a real man's sport were ye really test yer strength against another. Not really much else ta say noo. Ye know, force of arm's would conquer the world better'n love. Next thing Ye'll be saying is only the power o' song can unite the world in love."

He then sat back down and leaned back in his chair again. This is going to be a long day.

[Dracorion]

Jackson could barely repress his laughs from the second Professor Landry made her appearance. So apparently she wasn't the Grim Reaper sitting on the desk, and she was crazier than all the stories he'd heard. He was a horrible student for it and he really shouldn't want to laugh but hell, Professor Landry just didn't make it possible to keep a straight face, though he managed to keep his mirth concealed as simple a smile.

Then her show finished and she demanded the students introduce themselves one by one, under penalty of death. Dammit all, if the teacher was allowed to show off then so was he. He took a moment to figure out the basic idea what he would do, letting a few people introduce themselves first. Once he'd decided on the stunts he'd pull, he waited the person that was talking to finish (who was coincidentally, Jack's new roommate, not that he noticed), then he stood up from his chair and jumped on top of the table, no longer aware of the fact that there were other people in the room.

"My name is Jackson Hall!" He bellowed to the heavens. It was actually the ceiling, but Jack wasn't really in the classroom right now. His coat tail flapped behind him as if lifted by a breeze, despite the fact that there were no windows in the classroom. "Student Extraordinaire!"

"Professor Rebecca Landry!" He pointed his finger dramatically at the teacher. "I can kick ass at just about anything! Baseball, basketball, tennis, magic tricks, card tricks, drawing, reading, experimenting, or just plain old literal ass kicking," That was something of an overstatement. "take your pick! Sky's the limit!" He raised his pointed finger at the sky.

Then, he raised both his arms, and closed his eyes, concentrating. Jack didn't feel anything. He just opened his eyes, and then one instant he was standing on a desk in the second row, and the next he was standing on a desk in the first row. This sudden transportation threw his senses off. The classroom went out of focus, his coat stopped billowing and Jack swayed on the spot while his senses caught up. When the disorientation passed, he turned around, coat flapping again, now facing the rest of the students. "And you, my fellow students, I am very pleased to meet you all. Let's all have fun in our first year learning Love and Fightiology!" He bowed deeply.

Smiling, Jack jumped off the desk and sat down in the fifth seat of the first row, right in front of the one he used to occupy in the second row.

He was still smiling for about five seconds, and then it hit him.

AUGH WHAT HAVE I DONE

[Bard The 5th LW]

Sean nearly fell out of his chair when Proffesor Landry appearified with the Axe and Tentacle. What the Hell? The students were requested to be secretive, but the teachers could go about teleporting into a class-room after squid hunting? ...did that thing even belong to a squid!? Sean had read some books by this Lovecraft guy once, and tendrils were a recurring theme in some of those...

And the Grim Reaper was standing in the background taking names down! That wasn't forboding at all!

'Alright, calm down Sean,' the boy told himself in his thoughts. 'Just deal with it.' He stood back and listened to their introductions. A fellow hockey player? That was neat. But the Egyptian Girl, her name was Whitewrap? Was that a pun? She was from Egypt to! He felt kind of sorry for the unfortunate circumstances she was in. But putting it into consideration, there was also a chance she actually was a mummy. Although his father had never told him anything about the undead, so he wouldn't know.

A death threat! WHAT THE HELL! He pondered asking Dad if hew went through something similar. "Well," he said a bit nervously, after the fellow before him finished, "my name is Sean Castevet, I'm from Ontario. I was born in Japan, but me and my dad left a few months after I was born. My father Paul was an alumni here. I play Hockey and also like to swim, and I suppose I'm willing to try new things that this school presents as well. I look forward to getting to know my fellow classmates, barring a heart-attack from the teacher."

He hoped that last comment wasn't going to be the end of him.