Paralogue Four: A Faculty Meeting

Markus and Miriam filed into the faculty meeting after sharing a swig of Alolan Black rum. "I don't want to do this in a strong voice." Markus muttered as the two sat down in the back row. Markus wasn't sure how the two of them became fast friends over the last few weeks, but he wasn't complaining. Miriam was one of the coolest women he'd spent time with, and all they did was drink, make stupid faces, and bitch about stupid ways the students get hurt. It made him miss the stupid little things about White, but only a little. Miriam jabbed his ribs to break him out of his thought haze when Director Clavell spoke to him again.

"Mr. Vaughn, what are your thoughts on being an independent study sponsor?" Markus shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Director Clavell, I was dissociating." Markus said sheepishly as Director Clavell's gaze softened. Markus sat up in his chair. "I imagine we'll get paper copies of the documentation if we haven't already. I should be able to be a faculty sponsor once I read everything over."

Director Clavell smiled. "Excellent, that puts all of the teachers on the board as sponsors. Nurse Miriam, how is our student health initiative progressing?" Miriam looked to the room as all eyes turned to her. "What? The bowl of condoms in my office or the fact that I'm testing the student body for meningitis because both meningitis and chlamydia are down." Miriam smiled happily as the faculty murmured among themselves. She high fived Markus.

"I'll admit, I was kind of surprised they weren't on offer when I got here." Markus said quietly to Miriam. It was Director Clavell who spoke next, "Mr. Vaughn, am I led to believe the idea to bolster student health was yours? Where did the inspiration come from?"

"Director Clavell, I am 28 years old. I'm only like six years older than some of the students. I don't understand how you keep forgetting that." Markus gave a smarmy grin and the conversation moved on. The teachers discussed problems they'd noticed cropping up in their classes.

"At least your students are bothering to wear deodorant." One of the teachers piped up. "Half the time my students leave the classroom so damned rank that I have had to have my Pokémon use Sweet Scent after they all leave."

"Well, at least you have students who bother to show up. My class's daily attendance rate hasn't risen above 60% since day one." Hassel, the art teacher spoke up. Markus snickered. "Hassel, my friend, I think you need to get good." Hassel paused and Markus continued. "I've got some of the most intense curriculum to teach and my attendance is always perfect or down one head. My students love the way I have my curriculum centered around the course's core thesis. Have you ever tried the "Semester long project" model?" Hassel nodded.

"I did about two terms ago. The freshmen just don't have the tools quite yet to handle that model. Your point is taken though, I'll see if focusing on more practicals rather than using them as supplements. Thanks." Markus smiled and turned to Tyme. "Are they really not wearing deodorant? I think that just needs to be gone over before the lecture. I got fussed at in high school when my class failed to adequately deodorize, and the testing center smelled like it crawled out of a Muk's ass. We all made sure to not have that happen again." Markus sighed. "My biggest problem is that my students are getting to the point where their brains are overloading. I feel like I front-loaded my courses this term and it's coming back to bite me in the ass. Even some of my finest are starting to look burnt out."

"This is the hardest part of the term for both students and faculty. The independent study next term will help shake the students out of their burnout. Now, has anyone noticed any problems with bullying or such?" Most of the faculty shook their heads, but Markus piped up. "I mean, I have been hearing some students spreading some wicked shit around the school. Director Clavell, who is Jessica Myseeks?"

"Jessica is a former student of this academy. She's not around anymore after withdrawing eighteen months ago. We haven't seen her attempt to re-enroll." Director Clavell let out a sigh. "What have you heard?"

"That she got beat up and eventually killed for preferring the company of women, mostly, and that this happened on this campus." Clavell looked like his child had been eaten in front of him as Markus spoke. "And the girl she was with, she ended up being hurt so bad that she didn't leave her room for months on end. I shudder to think of what happened to her."

Clavell stopped him. "The students are spreading these rumors around? Are you certain?" He flipped open his notebook and began to scribble down the cliff notes of what Markus had told him, then put the notebook away. "I'll save this matter for a one-on-one meeting, Mr. Vaughn. I want as much detail as possible. This faculty meeting is adjourned." The faculty stood and filed out of the room; Miriam and Markus were the last to leave.

"Mr. Vaughn, I'll send you an email about meeting to discuss these matters." Director Clavell called as Markus and Miriam filed out of the room.

"Jessica's dead." Miriam's tone was flat as she and Markus walked down the hall toward her office. "After the incident you've been hearing about, she went home to a homophobic family. She didn't last long after. She took her own life about a year ago now."

Markus stopped walking. "I really hope you're speculating." He said as the two fell into step after a pause. "Because if the stories I've heard are true, then there shouldn't be an academy here at all. This place should be turned to rubble."

"They're true, Markus. I treated Jessica's girlfriend after everything happened. It was disgusting, and the board of trustees ousted the entire staff after it happened. Everyone you see has only been here a year and a half, save for me." They'd found their way to Miriam's office, and as Miriam headed in, she said over her shoulder. "There are horrors if you dig far enough. No one wants to dig anymore."

"That's a shame. I guess I'll be the one digging." He said good night to Miriam and turned to head out of the building. As he walked out under the night sky, He tilted his head skyward and let out a bellowing cry. "EEE-OH!" The phoenix Pokémon flew down to meet him almost immediately, causing some of the people milling through the grounds to flee in surprise. Ho-Oh reached its head down and Markus stroked its neck. "Let's go flying, huh?" Ho-Oh lowered its wing, and Markus climbed aboard. With a few wingbeats, Ho-Oh took to the skies.

"I really don't want to find out it's horrible, girl." He said as Gengar emerged from his shadow. "Geeeennnnngggaaarr." She said as she took a place on Ho-Oh's back

"I will, if I have to, but by Mespirit's grace I hope I don't."