Firmament

> hi

FZZZT
>Ack!
>Head is feeling fuzzinks again.

>Oh, hello there tiny one!
>I is here to bring the healinks for you.

> That's my purse! I DON'T KNOW YOU!

>I don't think we've met before. Well, I'm gonna be here for a while then... don't really know what I'm doing.

> I'd recommend closing your eyes, never know what kind of crazy garbage you might see when souls smash together.

You are Cassowary Flynn. Though you usually go by Cassie. Because, like, seriously... bird names, Mom and Dad?

What were they thinking!

Anyway, you've got a lecture you should be at right now. But you kinda didn't finish your homework last night. To be fair, you were distracted by some stuff all afternoon. After that, you just felt too exhausted to do it, and took a quick nap. And, through no fault of your own, maaaybe that nap turned into a whole night's sleep?

Whatever. No sense dwelling on that now. You should be heading to class. Though, getting chewed out in front of everyone for being late doesn't sound fun. And you haven't though up an excuse for not having your homework done either. TBH, part of you really doesn't want to go to class. You kinda want to just skip, today. Go somewhere else. Anywhere, really. You know you shouldn't, but... still.

What do you do?

>Sighhhh. I guess I'll go to class. It will suck being harassed for being late, but it will be even worse to be harassed about not going to class.

>Unless, I pretended to go to class and went somewhere else? Maybe the cafe at the edge of town...

Might as well get it over with. Heck, you're probably still tired, maybe you'll just sleep right through the teacher lecturing you.

>Just weather through being chewed out. I'll only be temporarary.

I have the urge to tell this girl to squawk at the top of her lungs but now is probably a bad time for that.

> Think of an excuse on why you didn't do your homework, or just do it on the way to class. Maybe do it really fast so it looks like you tried.

learning is good

>Being not there is more trouble than it's worth. Plus, you have friends, right?

Wait a moment, weren't you just in the hospital?

> Think of an excuse on why you didn't do your homework

Easier said than done. Got any ideas?

Might as well get it over with. Heck, you're probably still tired, maybe you'll just sleep right through the teacher lecturing you.

This may be true, but... man, you're already in your dorm room. Your bed's right here. You could just sleep here, if you wanted.

Besides, if you're not planning to listen, why bother going to class?

>Plus, you have friends, right?

Uh, yeah? Of course you have friends. So many friends. They're just... far away, okay? Most of 'em don't go to this Academy. If you want to hang out with them, you don't need to go to class.

eat a carton of fire ants and shitpost on-line

Speaking of your friends, this is a tempting idea.

I mean, you're fresh outta fire ants. Roommate finished those off. But it'd be nice to pester folks with some Quality Shitposting^tm. At least until you make up your mind about what to do today.

Net access in the Academy Dorms is generally pretty terrible though. Most of the time, you have to go somewhere else to find a good connection. But with people out at class or work, you might get something. Couldn't hurt to check!

You go to your desk, and flip open your Laptop.

Let's see, battery is looking good... but the connection is still garbage. You probably won't be able to do much online at the moment.

Oh! But it seems you still managed to get some new direct messages. Wonder what they're all about...

8 new messages from Moondog (Kiri)Show

Moondog Wrote: (47 minutes ago)
> hey c whats up

---

Moondog Wrote: (39 minutes ago)
> so I was hoping I could copy your notes for next quiz???

---

Moondog Wrote: (26 minutes ago)
> its break are you around?

---

Moondog Wrote: (24 minutes ago)
> hey are you not here today?
> you sick again?
> hope it's not like last time D:
> sorry dude

---

Moondog Wrote: (19 minutes ago)
> you want me to record class?

---

Moondog Wrote: (11 minutes ago)
> ok break's over
> I'll record just in case k?
> feel better! :3

---

Moondog started sharing Live Video (10 minutes ago)
Watch: live-vid-gj5rX053.mov

---

Moondog Wrote: (4 minutes ago)
> but hey can I still copy your notes later

---

Reply to Moondog?
>

Aww, messages from your Study Buddy. They're recording today's lecture for you.

...if that's not Fate giving you permission to skip class, you don't know what is!

learning is good

And thank goodness there's so many ways to learn outside the classroom!
You'll have to be sure to thank your Study Buddy later.

I have the urge to tell this girl to squawk at the top of her lungs but now is probably a bad time for that.

Wow, rude! Someone's been shitposting online too much. And it's apparently you.

>Just weather through being chewed out. It'll only be temporary.

Sure, but it could be completely non-existent if you don't go.

Wait a moment, weren't you just in the hospital?

Haha, what?

>Sighhhh. I guess I'll go to class. It will suck being harassed for being late, but it will be even worse to be harassed about not going to class.

>Unless, I pretended to go to class and went somewhere else? Maybe the cafe at the edge of town...

After much deliberation, a plan starts to form in your mind...

There's a new Cafe, a short trip outside campus. Nice place, apparently. They should have net access, food and drinks, and places to sit for a while. You've been meaning to check it out eventually, so why not today?

There's only one problem with this plan. The Hall Monitors are on duty downstairs. They keep logs of who comes and goes from the dorms, for security reasons. And you're not doing anything wrong per se... but... well...

Your Roommate is on duty today.

She knows your schedule. And if she sees you skipping class... well you're not gonna get in trouble, but it would be so embarrassing! So obviously, if you want to get to that cafe, and that sweet net connection? Then you're gonna need to come up with a way to leave the dorms unseen.

Hmm...

Well... you could set off a fire alarm.

It would be really disruptive and you'd get in way more trouble if anyone figured out you did it... but it would get everyone out of the building and you'd be able to slip out in the confusion.

But really, you definitely shouldn't do that.

Just wear obscuring clothes, like a hoodie and sweatpants, that way no one can recognize you.

It would be especially irresponsible to set off a fire alarm in a building without a fire.

I mean, you could start a fire, but arson is worse than a false alarm pull. So setting a fire intentionally is totally not cool, even if it was a safe one.

But what if it was a safe fire that you started accidentally! Say... if you were to cook some food and accidentally set off a smoke alarm and panic and pull a fire alarm, that feels like a totally reasonable thing to happen. Does it?! Doesn't it?!!

...Okay. Maybe take a step back. You already have a good excuse for not being there-- being late. If you simply walked out and said you woke up after the lecture already ended, the lengths people would have to go to in order to be accusatory are pretty extreme. This is like that time a month ago, or those other several times in a rapid string two months ago. Take a mental health day.

> You adult?
> Teacher, roommate no parent?
> They no responsible for you.
> Can't tell you what to do; your choice.
> But a deal was made.
> Friend? Enlightenment?

ｎｏ．  ｙｏｕ  ｓｈｏｕｌｄｎ＇ｔ  ｅａｔ．  ｎｅｖｅｒ  ｅａｔ．  ｅａｔｉｎｇ  ｂａｄ．

ｍａｋｅｓ  ｍｅ  ｎａｕｓｅｏｕｓ．  ｎｏ  ｅａｔｉｎｇ． ｎｏ  ｅａｔｉｎｇ

no fancy schemes or crazy capers... your roommate catching you skipping is not really something to care about

>Caw! Impossible! Unbelievable! How does one make friends outside classmates, neighbours, and coworkers!

>Perhaps the fire exit can suffice.
>Run out there like there's an emergency (screaming without abandon optional). If the hall monitors catch you, say "let me pass. I must pass. I am in grave danger." Perhaps add some outrageous reasons such "my bedsheets are evil" that the hall monitors will be too shocked pondering how that's possible that you get past them for good measure.
>Approach hall monitor and tell them in a credible and believable way that someone of higher rank that they'll likely obey and have contact with you have given you a business outside of campus, unless (caw!) the hall monitors have a habit of reporting such questionable actions to higher-ups. Lies are hard and expensive to uphold when its so flimsy that a simple truth can topple it over.
>Caw! Break out through window!
>Caw! Perhaps waiting until recess or lunch break can create a little break in security.

> Your excuse is that you got sick, right? But even if you're sick you have to eat. Head out the normal way and act sick, saying you need to head outside for something to eat.

>Ugh, too much effort. Nap time

>If you start a fire, you might burn your stuff. The whole dorm might smell like fire for a while. And, if you're unlucky and the fire gets too big before before its put out, maybe a person will get burned too. That's not worth the distraction, is it?

>Your study budy seems worried about you. Maybe it'd be nice shoot them a message back to say that you aren't that sick.

>And squawking is cute, just so you know! In a loud, disruptive kind of way, anyway. Now's just a bad time cause people could hear you make a ruckus.

> Your excuse is that you got sick, right? But even if you're sick you have to eat. Head out the normal way and act sick, saying you need to head outside for something to eat.

just tell your roommate you need to take a mental health day. that's a thing you can do

These two seem like good ideas.