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xp_logsAt The Amaquelin and Boltagon School for Abilities Enhancement, Crystal is faced with a rather unusual problem.
Attilan Date: April 9, 2008
She didn't want to laugh. Really, she didn't. The subject of the assignment had been a serious one, and Crystal had expected to get, at most, a few smiles out of reading what some of the school-aged students had written for their essay. Still, Crystal was nearly dissolved in a hysterical fit of laughter when there was a knock on the door of her classroom and she only had it under mild control when one of the teachers entered the room.
"Princess Crystal?" Livia asked, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry to bother you."
You are not disturbing me," Crystal said with a smile, forcing it to be a real smile, not an amused one. "I was just quite amused by how different people's perspectives can be. How can I help you today?"
"With some advice," Livia said, her smile oddly wistful as she came further into the room, taking the seat opposite Crystal's. "Although I'm not certain if you'll have any more luck finding a solution than I have. It's an unanticipated consequence of our situation, for some of our younger students..." She paused, blushing slightly, and then went on. "It came up in the course of a discussion about something else entirely... but have you ever heard of Harry Potter?"
"I have not read the books, and there were movies, yes? I have not seen those, either," Crystal said, "but I have heard of the series." Her face took on a curious look. "What happened?"
"Apparently the last book was due to come out, shortly after we lost contact with the outside world. I had set my students a book review to do, and, well..." Livia made a helpless gesture.
"They wish they could do the book review on Harry Potter but have been unable to read it?" Crystal smiled slightly. "Apparently, there is something special about that book, or so a lot of people think." She motioned at the stack of essays on her desk. "The students were asked to reflect upon what it is they miss most about the outside world. It is better to let them know that it is perfectly fine to discuss such things rather than keep their feelings hidden inside, yes? Among the expected descriptions were rather... surprising ones. For example, Harry Potter."
"It's not something we can do anything about," Livia said, sounding vaguely distressed, even as a laugh slipped out. "Other things, we can. Provide them with alternatives, at least... but none of us are this Rowling woman."
"We are not her, that is true," Crystal agreed, looking thoughtful. "It seems something so small, yet it appears that being able to read this book would bring happiness to people. I wonder... I know of several new items that arrived on Attilan before they were supposed to be released. New styles of clothing, certain packages of food, that sort of thing. I wonder: could the same thing be possible with this book?"
"Perhaps this is worth checking?" Livia suggested, brightening slightly. "It would do such wonderful things for our students' morale. This was the last book of the series, I gather. They were all so distressed about not knowing how the story ended..."
It was a book. A simple book, Crystal thought, something that held no meaning for her yet meant so much to other people. People had been forced to deal with alterations to their lives and the realization that they might never see friends and family members ever again. Crystal knew of at least two students whose parents had been away from the island when it disappeared. If reading this book could give them a bit of joy... "I will look into this matter right away," Crystal promised Livia.
Attilan Date: April 18, 2008
It wasn't every day that you could make someone happy, especially under the circumstances. Crystal smiled as she walked down the hall of the school, heading to a classroom where there were curious students who had been told to expect a surprise. Classes were over for the day, but they had been promised that waiting in the class after school was out would be well worth the wait. The package floating alongside her was heavy and filled with copies of the same book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Yes, the book had been delivered to the island, but with all that had happened it had never been delivered to any of the bookstores to be sold to the public. The box filled with the copies she had requested had been hidden away in her office for a few days. Crystal was eager to present her surprise, but she had the feeling it would create quite a commotion with the students and even some of the teachers, so she'd decided to wait so the book could be read over the weekend.
As she'd expected, the kids were estatic about finally being able to read the book. A few of them wanted to read it right then and there, and although Crystal considered asking them to leave the classroom and wait just a little bit more to read the book, it wasn't until a half-hour had passed that she vocalized this request.
Attilan Date: April 9, 2008
She didn't want to laugh. Really, she didn't. The subject of the assignment had been a serious one, and Crystal had expected to get, at most, a few smiles out of reading what some of the school-aged students had written for their essay. Still, Crystal was nearly dissolved in a hysterical fit of laughter when there was a knock on the door of her classroom and she only had it under mild control when one of the teachers entered the room.
"Princess Crystal?" Livia asked, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry to bother you."
You are not disturbing me," Crystal said with a smile, forcing it to be a real smile, not an amused one. "I was just quite amused by how different people's perspectives can be. How can I help you today?"
"With some advice," Livia said, her smile oddly wistful as she came further into the room, taking the seat opposite Crystal's. "Although I'm not certain if you'll have any more luck finding a solution than I have. It's an unanticipated consequence of our situation, for some of our younger students..." She paused, blushing slightly, and then went on. "It came up in the course of a discussion about something else entirely... but have you ever heard of Harry Potter?"
"I have not read the books, and there were movies, yes? I have not seen those, either," Crystal said, "but I have heard of the series." Her face took on a curious look. "What happened?"
"Apparently the last book was due to come out, shortly after we lost contact with the outside world. I had set my students a book review to do, and, well..." Livia made a helpless gesture.
"They wish they could do the book review on Harry Potter but have been unable to read it?" Crystal smiled slightly. "Apparently, there is something special about that book, or so a lot of people think." She motioned at the stack of essays on her desk. "The students were asked to reflect upon what it is they miss most about the outside world. It is better to let them know that it is perfectly fine to discuss such things rather than keep their feelings hidden inside, yes? Among the expected descriptions were rather... surprising ones. For example, Harry Potter."
"It's not something we can do anything about," Livia said, sounding vaguely distressed, even as a laugh slipped out. "Other things, we can. Provide them with alternatives, at least... but none of us are this Rowling woman."
"We are not her, that is true," Crystal agreed, looking thoughtful. "It seems something so small, yet it appears that being able to read this book would bring happiness to people. I wonder... I know of several new items that arrived on Attilan before they were supposed to be released. New styles of clothing, certain packages of food, that sort of thing. I wonder: could the same thing be possible with this book?"
"Perhaps this is worth checking?" Livia suggested, brightening slightly. "It would do such wonderful things for our students' morale. This was the last book of the series, I gather. They were all so distressed about not knowing how the story ended..."
It was a book. A simple book, Crystal thought, something that held no meaning for her yet meant so much to other people. People had been forced to deal with alterations to their lives and the realization that they might never see friends and family members ever again. Crystal knew of at least two students whose parents had been away from the island when it disappeared. If reading this book could give them a bit of joy... "I will look into this matter right away," Crystal promised Livia.
Attilan Date: April 18, 2008
It wasn't every day that you could make someone happy, especially under the circumstances. Crystal smiled as she walked down the hall of the school, heading to a classroom where there were curious students who had been told to expect a surprise. Classes were over for the day, but they had been promised that waiting in the class after school was out would be well worth the wait. The package floating alongside her was heavy and filled with copies of the same book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Yes, the book had been delivered to the island, but with all that had happened it had never been delivered to any of the bookstores to be sold to the public. The box filled with the copies she had requested had been hidden away in her office for a few days. Crystal was eager to present her surprise, but she had the feeling it would create quite a commotion with the students and even some of the teachers, so she'd decided to wait so the book could be read over the weekend.
As she'd expected, the kids were estatic about finally being able to read the book. A few of them wanted to read it right then and there, and although Crystal considered asking them to leave the classroom and wait just a little bit more to read the book, it wasn't until a half-hour had passed that she vocalized this request.
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