Longinus 104: Studies in Celestial Destruction

[In the Garden of Monsters]

Front-line soldiers, mercenaries, brawlers, and bodyguards—the students of Longinus at Akumu Academy are known for their prowess in the battling arts. The best defense is a good offense, and there’s nothing like a pre-emptive strike to ruin the enemy’s plan. Whether it’s learning how to battle alongside their Pokemon partners or simply knowing how to throw a solid punch, these students are taught how to fight without giving in.

It's perfectly forgivable that one might think the door is labelled incorrectly after entering the room. After all, the enormous, white, fluffy drapes are a bit distracting. And the ornate doilies on what you realize is the professor's desk. And the string of lights and chandelier that burn dimly given the time of day. All in all, it looks more like a teenage girl's bedroom... minus the bed, and plus a large and opulent fish tank that hugs the way perpendicular to the door. In it swims a Gorebyss, gleaming a bright, unsettling pink. Still, even if it is on the frilly side, there's still all the trappings of a classroom, so take a seat and wait for your professor. She'll be along shortly... if she isn't already there.

 

[In the Garden of Monsters]

Classroom Professor:
[Current]
Iris Harlowe


There's plenty of rumors about Iris Harlowe upon the students and faculty. Given her youth and lack of certified credentials, this isn't a complete surprise... but you're still better off not asking her about them. Is it true she's a model who wiled her way into a cushy place at Akumu? Is it true she's a former member of the law enforcement who, after mysterious string of incidents in her area, was suddenly employed by the Academy? Is it true she's a brutal serial killer who the administration hired by mistake? Is it true she just showed up one day and started teaching? As it always is, the truth is a murky thing, but she's not interested in the truth. She's much more interested in seeing her students bleed, and discovering just how much punishment they can take-- though don't except to receive any praise, you're more likely to be at the receiving end of a sarcastic quip. Though seeming eternally bored, there's nothing she loves more than a good fight, so if you can at least get her blood pumping, she might at least crack a smile.

 

[Grey Moonfang IV]

Arriving at the classroom at long last, argyle would politely knock on the door, then wait the customary fifteen seconds before entering. Closing the door behind himself the boy would then bow, left arm below his chest, right arm straight as he stated in a clear voice "Excuse the intrusion. I was instructed to attend this particular class?" In truth he wasn't particularly certain he'd reached the correct room. The building underground as it was seemed like a bit of a maze to him, and his sense of direction had never been his strongest quality.

As he awaited a reply, assuming there was someone with in earshot to do so, Argyle would politely take in his surroundings. Within only a few seconds however the boy would flinch. Filthy. Oh certainly it would seem clean enough to the untrained eye, but clearly the janitorial staff wasn't putting much effort into the maintenance of the classrooms. Producing a feather duster from somewhere within his sleeve the child, reacting on the reflexes of a butler would begin dusting the various desks with both precision and care.

Jekyll would meanwhile simply roll his eyes. Certainly he'd helped Argyle more than a few times with his cleaning duties back at the manor, but he wasn't about to assist in such a thing when neither of them had been ordered to do so. Not that telling Argyle this would do any good. Kid was stubborn as a Tauros in June.

~--------~

[0/10]

[]

 

[In the Garden of Monsters]

"Stop that before I forcibly remove your hand by whichever means I see fit."

It perhaps wasn't surprisingly that Argyle hadn't seen his new professor. She sat at her desk, hunched over and writing intently in a book that seemed to be full of charts and maps. Her hand moved quickly over the page, writing in an indecipherable, sharp shorthand scrawl. She slammed the book shut, sat up, and carefully placed her glasses on her face. "If what you said is true, you are a student, not the cleaning staff." Keep your position and your duties in mind."

She rested her gaze on the short youth, stone-faced, as she place her pen down next to the (frighteningly life-like) Igglybuff on her desk "I am Professor Iris Harlowe, head of the Longinus Class and apparently nanny to wayward children. If you are not supposed to be here, then leave. If you are, introduce yourself." Obviously, this wasn't a Professor who minced words... and potentially one not in the possession of a heart.

Grey Moonfang IV

 

[Grey Moonfang IV]

Argyle's dusting would halt immediately, the youth not moving even a single muscle as the women spoke to him. When she was finally finished he would turn, reflexively arching a brow. He had a feeling he was going to like this women. Straight to the point, none of that wishy washy stuff. Speaking of which. "My name is Verde Argyle III" He stated in a clear voice, straightening the arm with the duster and lifting to the to his chest in order to form a deep waist high bow "You have my most sincere apologies for my actions. While I am indeed a student of this particular class, prior to my enrollment in the Academy I was, and in many ways still am, a member of the servant class. Old habits die the hardest as they say" The boy explained politely, placing a gentle smile upon his face; though one which was slightly less prominent than the usual in order to make his apology seem more sincere. At least the bit about being a servant and old habits was true. Really he couldn't stand to be in the presence of sloppy workmanship when he was in a position to do better.

Jeykll meanwhile sat in silence as Argyle ran through the usual song and dance; partially because as he was on thew boy's shoulder her spent most of his time looking the other way or facing downward until his trainer faced the women properly. Once he was in position to get a clearer view of the women in charge however, the Croagunk would proclaim ">She looks pretty~...<" Though any compliment in those words would be lost as the Poison-type added ">....Pretty deranged that is.<" From there it was all snickering and croaking.

At approximately the same time Argyle would shift the way he was holding the feather duster so that it appeared as if he were tickling the Pokemon on his shoulder's feet. He'd gotten plenty accustomed to covering for Jekyll's less appropriate snicker fests. Though it only worked when he had cleaning supplies handy.

~--------~

[0/10]

[]

 

[In the Garden of Monsters]

"I don't recall asking for your life story. Or excuses." Harlowe tapped her pen against the table with a loud rap. She looked Argyle overly properly, attitude still distinctly unimpressed. When she finished her visual assessment, she sat up straighter, and sigh. Students. The only real negative thing that came with being an installation at this Academy. But then, she'd never known a single Professor who entered the system to actually teach. Still, this little morsel (and his mouthy little Croagunk-- oh, was she suddenly craving boiled frog legs?) would serve, for now. But first, she needed to see how much he could do right now...

Opening her left-hand drawer, she pulled out five objects and place them in front of her-- close enough for Argyle to take, if he chose. "If you truly intend to stay on as a Longinus student, I'll give you your first mission." She motioned to the items in front of her-- three Pokeballs, a Potion, and a compact but surprisingly sturdy camera. "You are to go to Beginner's Island. You have two objectives: capture at least one Pokemon and take a picture with this Snap Shot camera here." She leaned forward, giving the item in question a light tap with her pen. "Not of just anything, obviously, but an interesting, fairly large, and powerful stone that happens to promote evolution." Finally, she showed an expression that wasn't blank distaste-- the corners of her mouth quirked up in a smile like a knife's edge. "Don't worry, kiddo. You'll know it when you see it."

She snapped her drawer closed, and her face settled back to normal. "if you don't have any other questions, get going. You'll find the docks by heading to the Poke Center. Don't go in, go around the building to the back, and take the stairs down to the dock. Wait for transport there... unless you feel up to swimming." With that, she went back to her book, still tapping the pen.

Grey Moonfang IV

 

[Grey Moonfang IV]

Again the young trainer would find himself arching a brow at this teacher. Indeed again he thought he was going to like her, although she'd be trickier to deal with than most women. Rather, perhaps it was that he'd gotten to used to young aristocratic ladies where flattery and fancy words were all one needed. It seemed like here he'd need the opposite. Straight to the point and as few words as possible, along with the usual supermarket smile and politeness. He was still in the presence of a superior after all.

Once the Professor was done her explanation Argyle would approach the desk, slipping his feather duster back into his sleeve. From there he'd brush aside his travelling cloak, revealing the cuff & collar bag which now hung from his belt. He intended to leave it there for the time being, or until it grew too heavy to remain convenient. Loosening the tricks the boy would meticulously take the items from the desk and deposit them into the bag one at a time, halting only when he picked up the camera. Examining the buttons first he'd make sure he understood at least how to turn it on before departing. With a mechanical whirl the device spring to life and refocus the lens. Pressing and holding the button again it would turn off. At least it was simple.

Pulling the strings tight, the boy would turn to the Professor and bow "My apologies once more" He said politely, clearly referring to the bit about giving more of an answer than she desired. "By your leave Professor" He'd state before turning to depart.

Sitting there Jekyll would merely snicker to himself; both at the two faced nature of his trainer and the women's expected reactions. Oh she was certain to keep things interesting. Before long that snicker would turn to croaking which echoed down the hall.

[Exiting to Pokemon Center]

~--------~

[0/10]

[]

 

[ShinyChibiSuicuneRiku]

Jin-Hua entered the classroom, glancing around and then winced inwardly while maintaining a calm composure. This room was very... girly. Somehow it generated a voice that sounded oddly like her mother. Wasn't this supposed to be how girl's really decorated their rooms? All the frilliness though just made the girl want to shudder. So much lace... Instead of staring at it for too long, she decided to wander towards the giant fish tank that had the Gorebyss swimming inside. However some instinct cautioned her to stay a decent distance away...

Longwei walked in, and then stood at the right side of Jin-Hua. His fur prickled slightly, a feeling of unease making him cautious and alert.

show spoilerhide spoiler

Longwei
Houndour [M]
Lv 2
Nature: Adamant
Stats:
HP:6/14/PP:17/ATK:8/DEF:5/6/SPD:8/SP-ATK:7/SP-DEF:7
MOVES:
- Ember
- Rage
-
-
EXP: 50/75

 

[In the Garden of Monsters]

"I suggest you stay away from Carmilla if you value your hands. She likes to bite." Harlowe's icy voice rang out as she entered the classroom from a side door, wiping something off her hands with a handkerchief. Placing herself firmly between Jin-Hua and the tank, she looked down at the younger female, mouth set in a firm line.

She looked the student over with a chilly gaze before turning to the Gorebyss tank. "Trickier Pokemon take a strong hand, and you would be wise not to approach life absentmindedly." She turned to the tank, wringing out the large white piece of cloth over the surface of the water. Light pink liquid dripped off it, which the Gorebyss darted up to consume early. Satisfied, she turned back around to look at her student once again. "My name is Professor Harlowe, and I am the Longinus instructor. Introduce yourself if you're supposed to be here." Once again, straight to the point.

ShinyChibiSuicuneRiku

 

[ShinyChibiSuicuneRiku]

Jin-Hua stood still as the lady looked her over. Professor Harlowe. Seemed interesting. Much more normal.. then the Battle Room had been. Straight forward people like this were a rare breed. Jin-Hua bowed, in a polite and respectful way. "My name is Jin-Hua Xun. It is a pleasure to meet you, Professor Harlowe." Sincerity rang through her voice, showing it's honesty.

Longwei also did a partial bow. ">My name is Longwei.<" He said, even though he wasn't sure if the Professor could understand him or not.

show spoilerhide spoiler

Longwei
Houndour [M]
Lv 2
Nature: Adamant
Stats:
HP:6/14/PP:17/ATK:8/DEF:5/6/SPD:8/SP-ATK:7/SP-DEF:7
MOVES:
- Ember
- Rage
-
-
EXP: 50/75

 

[In the Garden of Monsters]

What WAS it with these students and bowing? Was it some sort of bizarre trend? Or the Swords forfend, was she stuck with a group of damned aristocrats? Harlowe resisted the urge to sigh in annoyance. Rich little brats; she hoped they could get their hands dirty and pull their own weight, because SHE wasn't doing it for them.

Again, she looked the younger girl over, before striding over to the drawer. "Your first mission," Harlowe announced as she searched for what she needed, "has two main objectives. You're to go to Beginner's Island. You need to catch at least one Pokemon-- your lapdog won't be enough-- and you need to take a picture." She quickly pulled out an armful of items, which she'd place on the desk next to Jin-Hua. Three Pokeballs, one Potion, and a small but sturdy camera. "Use the Pokeballs to catch what you need, use the Potion to keep your Pokemon going, and use the Snap Shot to take the picture." She turned back to the student, meeting her gaze. "The subject of your picture is a large stone that promotes evolution. Finding it will take some time, but nothing worth doing is easy."

Harlowe leaned against her tank, letting Carmilla the Gorebyss nibble on her fingers. "Return to the Pokemon Center. If you go around back, you'll see some stairs, which you should take to the docks. Transport will be waiting." If Jin-Hua looked at the tank, she would see blood dripping from her professor's fingers-- whether it was her own her someone else's, it wasn't clear. "Get going." She'd been dismissed.

ShinyChibiSuicuneRiku

 

[ShinyChibiSuicuneRiku]

Jin-Hua nodded in understanding. The mission seemed interesting.. Placing the items in a satchel she carried (what trainer didn't carry a bag of some sort or a belt to place pokemon?) and then turned to bow and thank her Professor once more. She noticed the blood... but decided it was in her best interest not to ask...

Longwei bristled at the comment but followed Jin-Hua out the door, not wanting to start trouble.

[EXIT TO POKEMON CENTER]

show spoilerhide spoiler

Longwei
Houndour [M]
Lv 2
Nature: Adamant
Stats:
HP:6/14/PP:17/ATK:8/DEF:5/6/SPD:8/SP-ATK:7/SP-DEF:7
MOVES:
- Ember
- Rage
-
-
EXP: 50/75

 

[Lil Miss Eliea]

Kiani and Balrog walked confidently into the classroom, avoiding the pink gorebyss in the tank. It was one of her least favorite pokemon. She looked around the room, which had way too much white for her tastes, and finally her gaze rested on whom she assumed was the instructor. "Good afternoon. I've been assigned to this class. My name is Kiani Walton, this is Balrog." She said, eyes determined. Balrog stayed quiet, standing proudly at her side, regal almost.

 

[In the Garden of Monsters]

Harlowe was reading at her desk. She hadn't looked in when the girl entered, and would only acknowledge the pair when they spoke up. Coolly, she looked the pair over, expression nothing more than mild boredom. She placed a bookmark between the pages and shut the tome, supposing she had to do those professorial duties. Bah.

"Iris Harlowe, your professor." Though nothing about her attitude would betray it, she did appreciate the bluntness. She'd pull out the traditional gear for the new students: three Pokeballs, a Potion, and the Snap Shot camera. "Your first assignment as a student in my class is to go to Beginner's Island, which can be found by going down the stairs behind the Pokemon Center." She motioned to the items on the desk, indicating Kiani needed to take them. "You are to catch at least one Pokemon, and take a picture of a large rock that Pokemon use to evolve." Drumming her fingers on the book, she continued. "If you don't have any questions, get going. Go down the stairs and wait at the docks." Having implicitly dismissed the girl, she returned to her book.

Lil Miss Eliea

 

[Lil Miss Eliea]

In the Garden of Monsters

Kiani nodded and walked forward to get the gear that the professor had motioned to. "Thank you professor, I'll be on my way." Kiani said. With Balrog by her side, she left the classroom and followed the professor's directions.

[Exit to The Island of New Beginnings]