Chapter 8 The Home EC class is about the total opposite of the Sex ed class... it looks like the kitchen set to a cooking show then a normal class room, but at least its completely innocent. Becky's not in the class, Rattle is somewhere in the back row. Mina is sitting boredly off away from most the others. Now one else you know is there. Keith grumbles the whole way, heading to an open space, more than okay with it being close to Mina. He isn't trying to avoid her, after all. He knows... jack shit about cooking though. Jo_Renard says, "Yes, you are free to head to class." She says "Wait." She scribbles something down and hands it to you. "Give this to the teacher, so they know I am why you are potentially late." Keith grumbles and grabs the note, taking it with him as he heads through the halls towards Home EC, scratching furiously at himself. The Home EC class is about the total opposite of the Sex ed class... it looks like the kitchen set to a cooking show then a normal class room, but at least its completely innocent. Becky's not in the class, Rattle is somewhere in the back row. Mina is sitting boredly off away from most the others. Now one else you know is there. Keith grumbles the whole way, heading to an open space, more than okay with it being close to Mina. He isn't trying to avoid her, after all. He knows... jack shit about cooking though. Mina nods to him, but doesn't say much. She doesn't look mad or like she's trying to ignore you. It wasn't long before the teacher entered a female white Persian cat, who looks to be advanced in age but yet oddly energetic. "Ah, hello all my wonderful students. I am Pamela Jean." She says in a thick southern accent. She looks... oddly familiar.. Keith nods back to Mina, and then looks forward as the teacher arrives, he hasn't ever watched any cooking shows, so to him she just looks like a Southern Belle... no, not belle... butter ball. Ask and she'll brush it off, telling you any truly great chief is round because one must taste what they are making to make sure it doesn't go wrong. "Alright class, Today we will be going with something simple. A very nice, and classic beef stroganoff. Now each of your stations already has the ingredients to make this fully stocked. I will of course show all you darlings how to make it first, and they you will all do your best to replicate it. The absolute best, will get a $5 dollar bonus to their school cards." She states with a smile and jovial tone in her voice as she goes about showing how to make the dish. Keith tries to pay attention, but he's scratching so much that honestly he misses most of it. Pamela pauses once she notices the scratching. "Pardon me, but do you have an issue? Hopefully you've not brought fleas into my kitchen." She states walking over to you. He tone shifts from jovial to slightly annoyed, but still tries of come off as friendly. Keith sighs and shakes his head, "No... it's a punishment..." he hands over the scrap of paper he had been given, not having handed it over at first because he had been there on time. "Stupid principal made everything itchy as hell..." She looks over the note and looks to you. "Go take a shower, just in case." She states and waves you off politely. "Don't worry, I am sure Mina can help you with your cooking when you return. Nothing will be held against you." She says with a warm smile and tucks the note away in the pocket of her apron. Keith flicks his ears back and blushes, grumbling as he stuffs his hands into his pockets to stop from scratching and starts out of the classroom, heading back towards the dorm hall and the showers in the bathroom there. Being class time, the showers are empty and completely free to use. Of course once you've stripped down you'll realize the itches has completely stopped. Keith does strip down, not really realizing that the itching is ending as he undresses, but then blinking once all he is wearing is the bandanna, and that's the only place that he itches. He takes that off and notices that it stops all together, and then starts to inspect his clothes in confusion. Nothing has changed about your clothes, if you try to wash something like the bandanna and put it back on, the itching starts back up. Keith takes a full shower anyway, hoping it's just something in his fur. The shower feels good, if nothing else. Though it changes nothing once you dry off and try to get dressed the clothes still irritate your body and make you itch all over. Keith heads back to his room to try changing into new clothes, hoping that will work. Even the new freshly laundered clothes in your room makes you itch like crazy. Keith shouts a good loud, "FUCK!" at his situation. "That bitch..." still, he can't go to class naked, so he dresses again, in the fresh clothes, and shudders as his body starts to itch maddeningly, trudging off to class, trying hard not to scratch himself constantly, but having little luck. You can almost swear you hear someone giggling faintly in the background, despite only being you in the room. Between the shower and experimenting, it about 20 minutes before you are back to class. Pamela frowns slightly as you are still scratching, despite your best efforts. She sighs and waves you off to your station. All the other students have started their meals. Keith heads back to his station and moves a little closer to Mina, whispering, "What did I miss..." other than everything. Jo_Renard says, "About a third of the class." She states simply, she nods over to your seat and it seems she's at least gotten your stuff out for you so you don't have to waste any extra time. " Keith groans and starts to do his best, though he has never cooked anything more complicated than a sandwich before, and missed a lot of the demo, so he has to ask Mina for help constantly, and scratches very frequently at his clothing. Mina does remind him that the teacher said that this won't count against him if its horrible, hoping to ease your mind as she helps you as much as she can while also working on her own. She seems moderately more experienced in the Kitchen, though if you look around no everyone is doing that great of a job. Keith does his best, but his best is... lets just say... less than edible by the end of class. On the Bright side, Rattle seems to have completely burnt his from the swearing you hear over at his station. So at least your not alone in that camp. The teacher goes around to each student and grading them on theirs. She frowns at yours but gives you a D, likely going easy on you since you missed the demonstration. Mina gets B, while Rattle gets an F. Keith is just glad that he isn't required to eat what he made... not that he can, with his mouth still messed up until the punishment wears off. The last ten minutes or so of class is a free time. Some students do eat what they've made but not everyone. Its possible some students skip lunch because they know they have this class. Keith congratulates Mina on her B at least, he can't taste what she made unless she puts it in a blender and purees it, and he doesn't really want that. Of course while he says that, he is still scratching away at himself, and would be gritting his teeth if he had them. "Are you alright?" She asks as she notices you are still scratching. " Keith grumbles, "Another punishment. Apparently all clothes I wear are itchy as hell now. She said it would last until the other punishment wore off... So I'm guessing either until the end of tomorrow, or the end of the week..." as she wasn't clear about which part of the punishment it was tied to, and his mouth would be normal, but his libido less so, by tomorrow night. "I think the idea is that you're not supposed to wear clothes if you want to be comfortable." " Keith gives Mina a look, "Seriously... I got sent to shower for itching. Can you imagine how much the teachers would freak out if I tried to walk into a class naked?" Mina looks to him. "Or she sent you to the shower to realize being clothed was the issue without making it apparent. Maybe that was in the note?" Keith blinks, "The note was about my being late..." not that he read it. "Are you certain that's all it was about?" She asks in that simple straight forward tone of hers. Keith sighs and shakes his head, "No..." Mina nods "Well then, its safe to assume that there is a possibility she was instructed to find a way to get you to remove your clothes." Keith glances over at the teacher, and then with a grunt he walks over to her and asks, "Hey... what did that note say, anyway?" Pamela looks to you with a smile. "The note simply explained what was going on." She says a bit vaguely Keith lets his shoulders slump and his eyes roll in frustration, "Gee, thanks." before walking out of the class, hoping that the next class, introduction to computers, will at least be a breeze. Mina joins him as he leaves the class. "Do you really have to act like everything is the worst thing ever? Keith says, "No... as soon as something good happens, I'll be sure to let you know." Mina smirks faintly "I would have thought a little stud like you would enjoy the though of all the girls getting to bask in your unrestrained masculinity." Keith stops and glares at Mina for that, "Little stud... thanks. Rub it in, why don't you." like all guys, he's a little sensitive over size, and she's literally hung like a horse. Mina actually giggles slightly. "Well, if its really a bother you could always request to be better endowed. Maybe even get something to rival me." Keith sighs, "The headmistress hates me, alright? You saw my face..." "And yet, forced nudity is the tamest of her punishments." Mina claims. Keith asks, "How often do people end up stuck walking around naked?" Mina answers, "It's not completely uncommon. There are a few actual nudists in the school as well."" Keith grunts, "Great..." though he isn't in a hurry to run off to undress. Mostly due to his face, but... there are insecurity issues beyond that. Mina hehs softly "There is part of me that is tempted to just strip you naked... but then that's also what makes me a better person then Becky." Keith snerks, "I like the part of you that's better than Becky..." it's most of her after all. Mina grins widely. "And here I thought you hated having my cock in your mouth." She teases. Keith rolls his eyes, "I don't like sucking dick, doesn't mean I'm mad at you for what happened. That was the teacher's dumb assignment." Mina hehs softly. "Everyone should have to learn the finer arts of pleasuring their lovers. Some people just need more... hands on... experience." Keith sighs, "Yeah, well... you're the first person to touch me down there who wasn't either a doctor, or doing a weapons search. Mina says, "See, exactly why you need the class. Or maybe you need the remedial one, that takes things slower for those with body issue or other legit reasons that makes sexual activity hard." " Keith asks curiously, "Legit reasons? Like what, ED?" The equine explains, "Body Issues, sexual repression, psychological issues from upbringing, traumatic experiences..." Keith nods a little, thinking that over quietly as he walks. Mina continues to stay by his side, despite her large size she keeps step with you. "Despite what you think, the School does do it best to make sure everyone is able to be comfortable here." He glances up at Mina, scratching at himself, "No... I'd say 'most everyone'." She shrugs, "No, you're just blinded to it because you keep focusing on the negatives." Keith asks, "You sure it's not that I keep getting the negatives because someone is focusing on me?" Mina says, "Right now, I think if you stop focusing on that, on the punishments, maybe you'll see what good has come because of them. Anyways, I got Science next and that class is downstairs." Keith nods, "I got computers next. See ya later Mina." The computer lab is about what you would expect, though all the computers are fairly modern. Rattle seems to share this class with you. The teacher is a female mouse, looking to be in her early 20s. Keith finds himself a seat, and as he doesn't feel like the class has much to teach him, he is willing to sit by Rattle at the back of the class if there's a space. Still, he keeps itching at himself frustratedly. Rattle nods to you some as the Class begins, and it is everything the dog thought it would be. There is nothing taught in this class that most wouldn't already know from just sitting in-front of the computer.Keith was on the road to being a self made hacker before being sent here too, so he knows more than probably most the class. This is good, considering he can barely listen to what the mouse is saying over the incessant need to scratch himself all over. "So, um... How'd the talk with the Big bad bat go?" Rattle asks after a few minutes. Keith shrugs, "Okay I guess... she wanted to know if I knew anything about a rat spying on girls..." he says in tease. Rattle blinks. "Dey can't prove dat was me." He says looking a bit shifty eyed... Keith snerks softly, "No, she just wanted to punish me again... apparently I'm not allowed to wear clothes or I itch like crazy." The rat remarks, "Well, that ain't so bad..." Keith sighs, "Ain't so good either." scratching at himself in irritation. Rattle says, "What's not so good about it? Most guys would love to strut their stuff in-front of everyone." Keith gives a flat look at Rattle, "Yeah right. I'll go naked when you do." Rattle looks to him. "You know, there are some people that would take you up on that, just to watch you stumble... Not me though. So you're lucky." Keith uh huhs, trying to turn his attentions back to the class futilely.The class is very boring, even if the teacher is kinda cute in a nerdish way... IF he weren't distracted by the itching, he'd probably easily tell that she is also completely bored with this class and is simply on auto-pilot.As it is, Keith does enough to endure the class, but as soon as the mouse calls that the class is over, he is out of the room like a shot, half running for his dorm room. The teacher tries to call after the dog that there is no running in the halls, but he is already half way to his room before she even finishes. Once he gets to his bedroom, Keith slams the door closed and locks it before tugging his clothes off as fast as he can. He flops down onto his bed naked, panting for breath. Once the clothes are off, the itching comes to a complete halt, but he has got at least another day or this, and at most three. Three days of constant, endless itching if he attempts to wear clothes for anything... Keith breathes heavily with relief all the same, taking what relief he can get as he just lays there naked, feeling that lack of constant irritation. Eventually there comes a knock on the door... Keith groans and gets up, stepping up to the door to ask, "Who is it?" "Its me Scott, I came to see if ya was alright with how fast ya bolted." Keith opens the door to let him in, staying behind the door so that others in the hall can't see his nudity. "Come on in." Rattle comes in and takes a seat on the edge of his desk. Keith closes the door again and then flops out on his bed again, "I just had to get the clothes off..." "So... um... what's your issue with being naked," Rattle asks curiously. "I mean, I get da mouth thing but..."" Keith sits up and shrugs, "It just isn't normal..." The rat says, "Yeah, I know the cuntmouth thing isn't..." Keith says, "I mean walking around naked in front of people." Rattle says, "Mostly because society says so. You think I'd be spying on the girls if they were naked all the time?" Keith glances over at Rattle, "Honestly... yes." Rattle blinks and looks hurt. "You wound me, you really do." Something about his tone implies he is right though. Keith says, "If this face could grin, I would be grinning." as he flops back onto the bed to stare at the ceiling. Rattle waves dismissively. "Eh, whatever. Still seems like there is more to the nakedness then you're telling..." Keith shakes his head, "There really isn't." Rattle shrugs a bit, "Whatever ya say." Keith asks, "So why did you bolt this morning. I told you she was probably looking for me." "I'm a rat, we flee from danger." Rattle replies dismissively. Keith chuckles, "Yeah... did you do something you're afraid she'll know about?" Rattle chuckles faintly. "Now why ever would you think that?" Keith shrugs, "Just seems like there is more to this fleeing than you're telling." he tosses the rat's own words back at him. Two can play that game. "There really isn't." Keith nods, "So... now what?" Rattle says, "Not really sure..." The dog asks, "You hungry?" Rattle says, "Yeah, I could eat."" Keith takes a deep breath and then reaches for the bandanna, tying it on, "Time to go get laughed at then." "Oh, so your actually gonna venture out without clothes?" asks Rattle. Keith itches at his cheek under the bandanna, "Yeah. Now that classes are over." Though his tail is flat down, and so are his ears, he clearly doesn't *want* to... but then, that's what makes this a punishment. Rattle grins. "You're a braver man then I." He replies as he gets up and opens the door wide for Keith. Keith says, "Don't be a dick..." He then takes another deep breath before heading out into the hallway. "The headmistress is a serious bitch. She could have at least removed the arousal thing if she was going to do this..." Rattle half blushes/half frowns as he's told not to be a dick. "Hey, best way to face this is, head on right?" Yes, like he's one to listen to his own advice. "I'm starting to wonder if ya got some kinda issues with your bits." He teases Keith says, "Just the ones on my face. But she made it so every time I'm near someone with a dick, I get horny as fuck. I get an erection and my... mouth... starts drooling bad. The cafeteria is going to suck." Rattle blinks and blushes deeply at that... "Ah... well I guess ya know then..." He says his ears drooping a bit. Keith shrugs, "I know that you don't have a dick... and I know that you pee standing up." Rattle says, "Yeah..." He replies halfheartedly Keith shrugs, "You can tell me or not. Your call." as he starts down the hall towards the cafeteria. Rattle looks around. "When we're less in public..." Keith nods and sighs as they get close to the cafeteria, "Well, here goes everything." And there isn't any real change... Yes there are those that look, and maybe a few snickers here and there, but the vast majority seems to go about their meals as if everything was normal. Keith mostly just has to deal with there being enough dicks in the room for him to be drooling and have a raging erection. He blushes and flattens his ears back, heading for the lunch counter to get his protein shake. Rattle gets his dinner, some kind of chicken parmsian dish, something a bit more omnivore-ish. "I bet you'll be glad once your on real food again." Keith nods, "No shit." and glances around to see if Zoey or Mina are there... and while he's at it, he watches out for Becky too... just in case. Mina is off at another table, like usual she seems distant from others. Did she have any other friends? She wasn't the only one that always seemed alone, there was the Black Bat... but from what you hear, most seem to deliberately avoid her because they might be scared of her. Becky is still nowhere to be seen, and Zoey is currently sitting with a deer girl. Keith glances at Rattle and asks, "Mina or Zoey?" Rattle blinks and looks at who you are referring to and quickly notes. "The Horse. Mina or whatever her name is. Yep, that one... Cause she's um... more lonely... yeah, that's it." He mutters towards the end. Keith chuckles, "Scared of Zoey?" he starts for Mina's table. "Me scared? What, no. No, no... Certainly not... I just... um... don't want her to recognize me..." the rat stammers. Keith groans and shakes his head, "Seriously?" Rattle looks to him. "She's punk, and she's an otter. That's a very enticing combination..." Keith chuckles, "Considering she flashes me every chance she gets, it can't be for peeping..." he sits down at Mina's table and nods to her. Rattle hehs. "Why settle for an appetizer, when one can have the full thing?" He says and sits down next to Keith and gives a nod to the Horse. "Ah, I see you have befriended the local spy..." She states in her simple monotone. Keith nods, "Something like that... he helped carry me to the nurse's office after the bear gave me a cheap flight." he's surprised that Mina doesn't comment on him being essentially naked. Why should she? Its not like he is bringing anything she's not seen before. "Ah, I suppose even rats can be noble now and then." "Hey now, I can be VERY Noble, I'll have you know. Just because I'm a rat, doesn't mean... well I'm a rat..." Keith chuckles, "The principal came for me after lunch... this guy squealed like a girl, cried out, 'He did it', and ran off." Rattle blushes as his earns flatten back, as Mina laughs loudly. "Hey now She's um... very... imposing..." He just barely manages to squeak out Keith sighs, "Damn straight." he slips his drink under his bandanna and starts to drink it. Mina says, "You two just haven't seen her in the right light." Mina replies. "Maybe if you stopped breaking the rules, you might like her more." " Keith blinks, "What 'right' light is there? And come on... I haven't even broken any 'rules' yet..." The equine smirks, "Then why the mouth and now nudity? Unless you have suddenly realized you've always been a nudist?" Keith shrugs, "First punishment was when I questioned her on the safety of the school. The current mouth was for the fight with Becky... which wasn't a fight, she threw the only punch. And the nudity is for not selling out the person who broke the gym locker room door." Suddenly Keith is very likely aware of his mortality as a feminine voice speaks "First was when you used the name of my sister against her." The tone was dark and cold, a monotone like Mina's... but not as 'friendly'. "The second was because you agreed you started that fight." The black shadow of a bat says as she looks down to you. "The third was the punishment that you chose by lying." She states and you'll notice that in the time it's taken for the Black Bat to appear... Rattle has somehow 'teleported' to the other side of the room... That rat could move when he wanted too... Mina seems unfazed and remains close by. Keith perks his ears at that cold voice, and then flats said ears as she... well... puts it all out there. He then says, as confidently as he can, which... isn't very, "None of which is technically breaking any rules..." Rhapsody says, "The first is a matter of tact, bringing up a dead MURDERED girl to her mother? And then you expect her to NOT react? No, you knew exactly what you were doing, you just didn't like that she trumped you." She states her hand now on his shoulder, there was something that felt off about her touch... an emptiness to it... "But the latter two are in fact against the rules. Even if you did not throw a punch, you still provoked the fight. Once more, your mouth gets you into trouble and you are upset by it. Of which, we both know that is ending soon." She says once again putting things out there. "And then, because you lied about who vandalized school property, you accepted the punishment instead. Of course, this isn't the same punishment the guilty would have gotten. She went easy on you. Easier then I would." Keith hasn't even turned to look at the bat yet, and half flinches when her hand lands on his shoulder, he would grit his teeth, if he had them. He finally turns his head to look back at the bat, "Yeah... she kind of implied that you would want to torture me." When he turns to look at her... her face is not there, rather a skull with blood dripping from where the eyes should be. When Keith looks away and looks back, her face is normal. No one at all reacts to the skull face. "You are from bad stock. You are blind to your own crimes because you always think you are in the right. You can't escape the darkness, because every where you go, it will be there with you waiting for you. And so will I." Keith is pretty terrified... until she comments on his stock. He stands up, turning towards her, which honestly... with Mina there... he's... well... hard as a rock and pointing right at the bat. "What the fuck do you know about my stock, huh?" Rhapsody grins, its a very unnerving grin. "Maybe I know nothing, Maybe I know everything. Maybe I am just using it against you like you used Harmony. And maybe you'll never actually know." She says and reaches down to take hold of your cock. "So many complaints, so much anger. Maybe you need a taste of the darkness." She says and a chill once more rings throughout your body starting with your cock and radiating outwards... strangely despite Mina's presence, your cock starts to recede, almost as if it were now scared of the bat. Keith shudders at the sensation, "Fucking... maybe you don't have a monopoly on darkness, ever consider that? You seriously think you're better than me? That you're any different? Do you even know why I'm here?" As Keith comments about the monopoly of darkness, suddenly the whole room goes black. There is no longer anything but the dog and bat... and now all he can see of her is purple eyes and white teeth when she speaks. "I might not have a monopoly, but I do very much have the controlling share." She replies. "As for if I think I am better then you? If you'd asked me that last year... I would have said differently. But now, now I know I am better. Better then I was, and better then you are." She states as she looks him in the eyes... just two floating purple lights focused right on him. "Yes, you decided to castrate a man for a sense of justice, the most recent in a long series of events where you think you know better because you are an orphan. You are at a crossroads." She states. "Choose carefully which road you wish to take." Keith says, "Hey! He raped at least one girl, probably more! I don't think my being an orphan entitles me to anything, or gives me any special knowledge. I'm just sick of people in power thinking that means they can do anything they fucking want! And that includes you and your bitch mother!" Rhapsody chuckles, "Right. So much for playing nice." She snaps her fingers and suddenly the whole world changes.