The first day of autumn is also the first day of the school year. This year, it is a cloudy but still warm day, with gentle winds just strong enough to allow comfortable strolling in sunlit parks. Commonly, children are sent off to the schools with huge packs of candies and warm wished of their parents. If one had the time, one could see them thronging the lanes around numerous public schools. All those uniformed kids, wearing happy smiles, chatting with their classmates and holding candy paint a bright image of the future.
This is not a story about them.
Our heroes wind find themselves navigating narrow gravel paths through the nondescript forest that surrounds Final Stand High. Sounds of the city are more than muted by the dense foliage, and students are left with the rustling of leaves and crunching of gravel underfoot as the only sounds to keep them company. A feeling of alone-ness, along with a contemplative mood creep up upon them as they advance. It takes about fifteen minutes to traverse the forest and arrive at the school building.
Arrayed in front of the entrance are the seven teachers that will care for the new generation. Standing at the forefront is a tall, gaunt man, white-haired and bearded, dressed in the saffron and red robes of a Buddhist monk. The beads of the rosary hanging from his hands are polished to a glass sheen.
"Amituofo." He greets each new student with surprising warmth of voice, and shows them into the pagoda. You know that this is Teacher Sun.
From inside, the building seems hollow, stone walls littered by classroom-sized galleries; ladders and thin walkways connecting the wooden platforms. Numerous windows allow the sounds of the forest to be heard even inside. Many of those have a small bell hanging in them, and occasionally wind or a stray bird might ring one of those, producing a musical tone. Every bell has a different sound. Far above your heads, a golden pearl hangs from the roof. The walls are glazed brick, some carved intricately in various scenes, allegories, and even martial arts techniques.
The space fills up quickly; there are about two dozen beginning students and seven teachers after everyone is assembled. Teacher Sun coughs and takes centre stage. He seems at ease, friendly, and wholly unconcerned by the wild mishmash of students this year has brought in.
"Amituofo. You all know who I am." His gaze seems sharp enough to cause physical pain as he spends a moment to stare at each student. "And I know who you are. I know I will do my utmost to help you grow into respectable persons."
The monk pauses for a breath before continuing, to put particular emphasis on his next words.
"Benevolence. Loyalty. Courage. Righteousness." He pauses to take another deep breath. "Take your time to think about those concepts. Those are the measures of your growth. Those are the measures of our school's success. Those will be your shield against the lies of heretic sects, and help guide you along the shores of rivers and lakes." He smiles thinly, and turns to the other teachers. "These are your teachers. Remember to respect them, always. In return, you will be treated like their treasured children."
"Teacher Ma." A grotesquely fat woman dressed in a flower motif dress (or possibly a sail from a ship?) stands, and gives a friendly wave. "She will teach you about getting into places, unseen."
"Teacher Wang." A slick, athletic man in his late thirties, cocky, with a winning smile. Even the way he bows ever so slightly is flamboyant. Oh, he keeps grinning at the girls like an idiot too. "His expertise is in acrobatics. Learn well from him."
"Teacher Zhang." An almost unassuming man in a sharp black suit, with friendly eyes and a ready smile. "Don't let him talk you out of your allowance. He will teach you about persuading others. A dangerous occupation." Zhang looks almost embarrassed.
"Teacher Li." A short, thin-limbed girl of barely twenty years steps up, dressed in a fire-red traditional dress, and wearing wooden sandals. "She will teach you about using your strength efficiently." There's something familiar about her face - she must be the daughter of Hostess Li.
"Teacher Cao." A bespectacled, hunched man in his late seventies, hands clasped behind his back. "he will teach you about how to do the most with what you have. From improvising shelter to fixing gadgets. If you get on his good side, he might even let you try out some of his inventions." Cao also seems to be embarrassed by this praise, and tries to ward off the words as if they were sharp blades. Teacher Sun just smiles.
"Teacher Hu." A middle-aged man with no real discerning characteristics... until you note the tiger tettoos barely showing around street clothing - and the clothing itself seems to be custom-tailored to appear ordinary. He smiles. One of his teeth is solid gold. "He will teach you to manage your acquaintances better. Don't become an acquaintance of his in the process." Hu laughs and shrugs.
"Finally, my surname is Sun. I shall help you to see Truth more clearly." His modesty comes naturally and easily. "Do you have any questions before we proceed?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:18, Mon 09 Oct 2017.