《Cultivating with Monsters》C-05.7: Graded on a Curve
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""Help, help."" The two students screamed. They were the chubby pupil and his slender friend. They had made it to the clearing where the other students were
"What is with this shouting?" A senior pupil had grabbed them both by the back of their robes and forced them to sit on the ground.
"A blaze bear was chasing us!" The chubby pupil answered while taking deep breaths. On cue a loud roar had echoed from the forest in the direction they had just ran from. Between the boys screaming and that roar coming from the woods the rest of the students began to worry.
"Calm down calm down children!" Instructor Von'Pebble's booming voice caught everyone's attention. Beside him was Sha'Carri. Both instructors had been silent ever since the students had left the clearing in their groups. Von'Pebble was sitting in the Lotus position while Sha'Carri had been leaning against a shaded tree. Their focus was completely on their senses. Using the Chidi within their spiritual way, they manipulated the spirit energy around them to remain aware of what was happening in the forest while the students were out on their task. This was often referred to as 'Chidi sense, or Spiritual sense since this was a common skill for all cultivators. Sha'Carri's spirit sense was on another level than that of other cultivators since reaching immortality. The range and depth of her spiritual sense was even greater. Both instructors were already aware of what had been happening with the Blaze bear, but of course they weren't going to let the students know that.
"Instructors," the Senior pupil bowed towards them while holding the two anxious pupils." These junior pupils have said some very disturbing news."
"Oh and what might that be?" Von'Pebble have an inquisitive gaze.
"That ten year old and the know-it-all was messing with a Blaze bear cub and its mother attacked in retaliation." The slender boy lied.
"Yes, yes, and two of our group and the Senior pupil accompanying us were caught up in the Blaze bear's rampage. The chubby pupil added.
"Yes, that's what happened. We ran here as fast as we could to warn you all about it." The slender boy said with haste.
"That's a wild accusation to place on your fellow students. Are you both sure?" Von'Pebble asked with a stern gaze, but after taking a moment for them both to swallow hard they simply nodded their heads at him after sharing a glance between each other. Von'Pebble simply shook his head. "Children these days." He muttered before turning away from the two pupils. He was about to address the rest of the class looking on with inquisitive eyes. Some had even started whispering about what they had over heard.
"I knew nothing good could come from that know-it all and that kid. "
"I bet that know-it all thought she could capture a Blaze bear cub. The fool"
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"That little boy should've never been here to begin with now look at what happened."
The chubby pupil and the slender boy looked every bit like the number 10 standing next to each other. Both smirking as they heard their fellow classmates soaking up every bit of their deceit. That was until an immense feeling of 'Impending Doom! Soon loomed over them and everyone in the clearing. All conversations stopped as the pupils watching wanted to all run and hide. Some were so terrified that they soiled their robes, while both boys found it increasingly difficult to breathe as Sha'Carri took a step closer to them. Von'Pebble realizing what was happening grabbed Sha'Carri by the wrist bringing her out of her murderous intent which she quickly hid. Luckily there was another roar that echoed from the forest when that happened.
"That beast's murderous intent is reaching us all the way from here." He said after coughing into his hand. "Senior pupils, please escort your juniors back to the academy. "
"I'll go handle this Von'Pebble." Sha'Carri started floating up in the air. Her immortal Chidi dominating the spirit energy around her to do her bidding. "You can escort the students back."
Von'Pebble just sighed. She was already off in the distance. His eyes were staring at her back. "I feel bad for you fools for poking that bear." It was just an off handed comment directed towards the two students, but they figured it was meant for the so-called 'Little boy and the know-it-all.'
///////
Maddox had grown accustomed to his fellow classmates pretending like he and Emma didn't exist, but when they Both entered the classroom he was prepared for all the sneering and disdain directed at the two of them. The walk towards their seats in the back of the classroom seemed like it would be a trial by a thousand death stares. Even Buffy the squirrel was hiding in his robes.
"Does it seem like everyone hates us more than usual?" He asked Emma once they finally got to their seats.
She was twirling her dark purple hair while chewing her bottom lip. It was what she did whenever she was deep in thought. "So I'm not just imagining that they all have me today. Thats...good, I, guess?" She herself was a bit confused by the situation.
"All right students." Von'Bleek came in looking every bit like death warmed over. Much like she did everyday , but today was different, right behind her followed two instructors . "We have both Instructor Sha'Carri and Von'Pebble here to discuss your first Spirit beast hunt. Yay!" No one knew what came over instructor Von'Bleek in that moment as she tried to do a hop and a little cheer, fainting immediately on the spot.
"Woman are you daft!" Sha'Carri shouted at her, grabbing her limp body before she could drop to the floor.
"I'm sorry Carri. The vibe in the room was so bleak that I wanted to cheer everyone up, but I think I might've over done it." She apologized while coming back to her senses.
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"Yeah you did." Sha'Carri flicked her on the forehead before setting her down to sit behind her desk.
A boisterous laugh reverberated through the classroom from Von'Pebble. "Say what you want, Sha'Carri it did get you to stop glaring at everyone. Good going." He gave Von'Bleek a thumbs up, and she returned one in kind, just not as enthusiastically. She shouldn't overdo it after all.
"What am I going to do with the two of you?" Sha'Carri just shook her head at their antics.
"Ok pupils," he clapped his hands to get the classroom back on track. "After speak to all of the Senior who accompanied your groups we determined that everyone successfully captured a spirit beast except for two of you. Pupils Von'Hog and Von'Lean please stand." The two students did as asked, weary of their situation. "Not only did you both fail to capture a spirit beast but your greed and negligence also caused harm to your fellow students. Also your cowardice was most unbecoming of a Chidi beast trainer from this prestigious academy!" At this point Von'Pebble was shouting at the two students. Their mouths hung open along with the rest of the classroom.
"But,but instructor our Senior and group were attacked by the Blaze bear; Those Two Aggravated!" Pupil Von'Lean shouted the last part while pointing in the back row corner by the window that Maddox liked so much. The entire class whipped their heads towards him and Emma.
'This is going to be some bullshit isn't it?' Maddox shook his head at the thought. He was about to stand up to defend himself when Emma shot up from her chair beside him before he could.
"Instructor Sha'Carri has already heard me say this so I don't feel bad saying it now." She inhaled a large gulp of air. Maddox could see the wisps of spirit energy entering her lungs before she unleashed a booming voice that was unlike her.
"Fuck. That!" She breathed heavily afterwards, but Maddox was sure she got her point, and voice across. But she wasn't finished yet, raising the fingers up on her hand so everyone could see. "You idiots messed with a baby blaze bear, started a forest fire, got us to clean up your mess all while running away with your tails between your legs and now you have the full to blame us for this." Emma was about to sit back down when she thought otherwise. "And another thing. You idiots in here are always calling me a know-it all, do you know that the academy grades the rest of the Homeroom against the highest two grades in the class. Do you morons want to know who has the highest grades in the class?" She pointed between herself and Maddox. "Yeah we're literally carrying this homeroom on our damn backs because you idiots refuse to study."
"Ok Emma sit down." Maddox suggested. He tried to stand while grasping at her robes, but a stiff arm from Emma kept him in his seat.
"No!" She bellowed. "They will listen to me Maddy! For the last six months we've been taking their snarky comments and snide remarks for what? so they can just accuse us of something we've never done. Fuck This Class!" Emma finally sat down in her chair with her arms crossed. Maddox not knowing what else to do just started to rub her purple head while tears slowly streamed from her eyes. Even Buffy came out of his robes to console Emma.
"Well that reminds me of someone from our time at the academy, doesn't it Sha'Carri? " Instructor Von'Pebble was the first to break the silence. He chuckled as he and Sha'Carri looked at instructor Von'Bleek.
"Man we were all brawn no brains back then." Sha'Carri stated .
"Hundreds of years have passed and you both still hate to look in a book." Von'Bleek chided them both with a smile before having to cough into a handkerchief. Sha'Carri walked towards her friend's side, but Von'Bleek waved her off. "I'm ok Carri. But could you please be a dear and fix this mood in my classroom please?" With that said, Sha'Carri stood at the front of the classroom.
"I was going to let you two dig yourselves into a deeper hole, but Von'Bleek is right. I think the other pupils are finally understanding the situation so let's get on with it." Sha'Carri nodded to Von'Pebble who went and opened the classroom door, and to everyone's surprise, in walked the two students and the senior pupil who were supposedly attacked by the raging mama Blaze bear.
""But, but"" the chubby pupil and the slender boy were scrambling for the words to make this situation ok, but Sha'Carri just raised her hand up. Stopping anything they would've said. She wanted to hear none of it.
"If it was up to me the two of you would be expelled. As a cultivator we are all destined to defy the heavens on our own, but we are Chidi Beast Trainers. The bonds we forge along the way makes us stronger, and you two have spat all over what meager bonds you might've had." Sha'Carri just watched as the two pupils sailed in despair, dropping to their knees. Their road to being Chidi beast trainers ended before it ever truly began. "But because instructor Von'Bleek is a kind soul she will leave your fate up to the two students who you've both wronged." With a smile Sha'Carri pointed to the back corner of the classroom next to the window where a little boy and his squirrel was trying to console a sad girl with head pats.
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