Ancient History [Closed]

[Lucyfer]

Ancient history was a topic that Master Seif, as she joked about being called (she had her Masters, was working towards her doctorate), excelled in. Unfortunately, the topic of the day was not Egypt, her area of expertise, but early Roman history.


“You all know of Marcus Brutus, I’m sure,” Amira was saying, golden eyes alight, “but I’ll bet you didn’t know there were two famous Brutii in Rome,” she took a seat on the table in front of the class, crossed her legs and smiled at them. She was always rather informal in her sessions. Even her attire couldn’t be called business casual, since it was dark jeans, a short-sleeved green top, and black tennis shoes.


“The first Brutus is, in fact, the entire reason we have the second Brutus, for the first Brutus styled himself as a killer of tyrants. It was why such a heavy weight fell on the shoulders of his descendants.”


The fall of the Roman monarchy had been the topic of discussion in class, and she was meant to continue it that Thursday evening. So, for a while she talked of Lucius Junius Brutus, the infamous Rape of Lucretia, the king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus (intentionally pronouncing it Super Bus at first), and the beginnings of the Roman Republic with the two-consul system to prevent a tyrant from coming into power.


Though she drew connections between Lucius Brutus and Marcus Brutus, she also drew connections to Gaius Maecenas, who claimed descent from the kings. She also compared Lucretia to Final Fantasy 7’s Lucrecia, for which she saw a few eyes widen in understanding—part of her job was to show how history came to effect all things, and the fact that FF7 found inspiration in this ancient history was always intriguing.


Add in a few quotes of Shakespeare to show how he had been aware of the Brutus connection, and she concluded talk of the Roman monarchy.


Amira pushed herself up from the table, golden rings and gold-painted nails clicking on the table as she stood, “But as you’ll see next week, the Roman Republic made a fatal error in allowing for dictators,” her smile was a touch devious, and it lit her eyes with mischief, “We’ll discuss Quinctius Cincinnatus next week, the dictator all others were expected to emulate but never did.”


They’d just briefly touch on those topics. The discussion of Roman stuff ended in two weeks, so none of it would ever be discussed in depth. “You may all go out and enjoy your evening,” she said with a pleasant smile, before she turned to gather her own things.


It was an unspoken rule that at least one student was going to talk to her before she got to leave in peace, and she expected it as she picked up her black purse, plotting out the course of her night. She brushed a hand back through her dark hair and racked her brain to try and remember if she was forgetting anything pertinent, like a paper.

 

[Newson]

Alex looked hurriedly between the board and his laptop, where he typed as fast as he could the last bit of notes she had wrote. Alex didn't pay attention because of "Master Seif" has a certain way of captivating me, her casual yet regal persona put me in the mind of a queen, and I was a peasant compared to her. Unlike every other slobbering jock in my class who would drool over Seif, I would just pay attention to the class and try not to fall into the same line as the rest in my class.


As I finish up the notes on Brutus and his ever so expanding family tree, I shut down my laptop, slide it into it's case, and gather up all of my notepads and books. Since everything is going digital, I'm surprised Boston still relies on textbooks. That's when I realize I forgot the part of notes about Gaius Maecenas and I slowly approached Seif as she rummaged around in a black purse.


"Um... Master Seif? Or should I call you something else?" I say, after a quick shake of the head, snapping out of the idea of names.


"Anyways, I didn't catch that part about Gaius or whoever. Who was he? Or is it not important to know?" I say, curiosity is always rampant in my mind during this class. Ancient History has always made me try to discover all of the secrets of the world of the past. I feel like I am apart of them, the rest of my class, now, I have now asked her a question, usually I catch everything, but being a student who forgets things is not a good first impression. She probably doesn't realize I'm even there, where I usually blend in with the shadows with my dark clothes and blackish hair. I hope she responds and doesn't dismiss me, this could be important.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Master Seif works just fine,” Amira purred. She liked the sound of it, and she knew it appealed in many ways, for it spoke to a number of fantasies that she was all-too aware a number of her students had. Students weren’t the only ones to look at ‘rate my professor’ after all. She wasn’t a professor yet, but students still wrote about their GTAs.


She looked to the one who spoke, a good student. “And that depends on how you’re defining important, Alexander,” she liked his full name, and she didn’t feel that they were on terms for her to be calling him Alex.


Alexander was a good, strong name. After all, it had been Alexander who conquered Egypt. “If you’re curious about whether or not Maecenas will be on the test, the answer is no,” that’s usually all that students cared about, “if you’re curious about whether or not Maecenas was important to history, the answer is yes.”


She slipped the purse over her shoulder then, and let a coy smile play on her lips, shifting her weight to one leg. She waited to see if he wanted to know more, or if the answer about Maecenas not being on the test was sufficient to him.

 

[Newson]

"If it isn't on the test, like most students like to know, then why did you mention him? Is it because he is important to history? Isn't everyone we mention in class?" I explain, making an observation. It seems she has noticed me, maybe because of my almost stellar grades in this class, but maybe because I'm not swooning over her.


Maybe if I prove myself to her, I don't know why I would, just something came over me, like I had to prove I am not like them, not like the rest of my class. It looked like she didn't want to be here much longer so after she answers my question and inquiries, I'll leave and let her to her after school peace.

 

[Lucyfer]

There was a simple answer to his question, “Because if I only talked about what was on the test, we would only ever need four classes this entire semester,” Amira chuckled. She thought that was obvious, after all, the tests only took fifty minutes. The information required for the tests wouldn’t take long to learn, but it would all be out of context.


American Academia was “special” in the negative way because of that. The idea of general education was amusing to her, since there was so little value placed on it. Even she understood that 90% of her students were just taking the course on Ancient History because they needed the history credit.


Those who actually cared about history made up the minority, since a history major wasn’t worth much in this world. “I mentioned him because I have to take up time, and because he is important to general Roman history,” she made a gesture to invite Alexander to follow her out. There would be another class after hers, and she had to clear out so they could enter.


Whether or not he wanted to keep chatting was another story, but she’d let him if he so desired it. She gave a smile in greeting to her fellow TA, Nathan, as he stole into the room she was using to teach his own class.

 

[Newson]

"Interesting. I didn't think of half of my classes with 'filler' time." I say, keeping a safe distance from her. There's something about her that is just different than the rest of my teachers and professors, I do not wish to delve into her personal life, I would be dubbed that 'weird student who wants to know way to much about me'.


I follow her outside of the room and look around, the hallway is empty and it is just me and her. I wonder if we will split or we happen to go the same way. I have to get back to my dorm room to catch up with homework and the internet.


"Where are you off to?" I ask, trying to sound more official than the casual phrase which I asked.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Bit more than half,” Amira laughed, wondering then if Alexander was a freshman. If so, he was adapting well to college life, but he had a lot to learn. He didn’t even need to do any of his reading, really, but that revelation might just kill him.


Textbooks were so expensive, after all. He inquired about directions, and she arched one eyebrow, amusement playing across her lips, “Why, do you need me for anything?” She didn’t have office hours yet.


Even so, she knew she was supposed to be at the beck and call of her students to ensure they passed the course and didn’t bother the actual professor. “I was just going to head to the gym and then go get a few drinks with some friends,” she answered him, wondering if he’d find it odd that someone like her went out for drinks.


Of course, she never actually drank. Not alcohol. That was a truth he didn’t need to know, though.

 

[Newson]

"The gym, huh? Sorry if I intrude on your personal life, but I didn't take you for the drinking type. I mean, alcohol drinking." I say, picking apart her sentences, a bit of a habit I do.


"Also, I didn't know you worked out at the gym. I happen to visit there sometimes just to keep in shape." I say, quickly examining my physique by just a quick look down. While looking back up, I quickly examine her, just to see if she really does go. And I can see that she does, the shirt somewhat outlines a thin look. Hopefully she couldn't tell as I raised my head to meet her gaze once again.


Maybe if I stopped protruding into her life, she won't seem so tense with me and if I slowly get to know her maybe I could get some insight into the class or with other professors or teachers, but I don't want to seem weird.

 

[Lucyfer]

Oh yes, Amira saw. Every time she mentioned going to the gym, people had to look. “That’s why you don’t judge a book by its cover, Alex,” Amira responded to his statement about drinking, “I have to forget the terrible students I deal with on a daily basis,” she teased, added, “Not you, of course.”


There were students who made her worry about the future of the world, though. “I mostly go in the evenings. Never seen you there, either,” and she made her once-over quite a bit more obvious, not at all ashamed to be checking him over. It was all in good fun. He was her student, after all. She knew that while he was in that position, he couldn’t be anything else.


That fact made her a little bold. “How much else are you wanting to know about your teacher?” She inquired as they stepped out of the building.

 

[Newson]

I followed her out of the building and smiled at the fact that she already thinks I'm a creep.


"Not that much, just feel like I needed someone to talk to, or be friends with. I'm not that popular here." I say with a slight frown.


It's true, I have never been the most popular, friends come and go in this type of world, once I meet someone they vanish, joining another class or just not wanting to hang out. Just like Sam in grade school, who just disappeared. Strangest thing, I guess strange things happen to strange people. Hopefully strange things don't happen to me.


This is probably the longest conversation I've had with anyone other than group projects in class, even then I had less conversations in those then I did now.

 

[Lucyfer]

Amira shook her head a bit at the confession of Alex, offered, “Perhaps you need to be a bit more social,” she’d suggest go out for drinks, but Alexander didn’t seem the type for that, either. “Even introverts need that social and intellectual stimulation now and then. Perhaps there’s a club here you could join. There’s plenty of fitness ones.”


Amira was much more a problem solver than a sympathizer. Some appreciated it, others hated it.


“Anyway, I’ve got to get going or I’ll end up late,” she took a step away, knowing she needed to catch the bus to get to her apartment, change, go to the gym, and then finally head out to campus town to meet with her friends. “I’ll see you in class, and look into some of the clubs here, yeah?” With a wave, she turned to depart his presence.

 

[Newson]

She started to suggest things to me, such as joining a club, unless there is a club for people who enjoy video games and spending hours on end on the internet, then I am out of luck for clubs. I turn around and walk the opposite direction from her, I don't know what I seek from her, just something. She can sense my feeling of being alone and that I need some sort of companionship. But what do I expect from her? Even I ask myself questions.


I begin my route towards me dorm, passing different groups of people and couples, they smile and say hi, but I only say hi as I walk by, not one for talking. But I've known that. Ever since my childhood I have never really had friends, so I grew up like that. I hope that I can make a friend here, for a freshman in college I guess it is hard.


I approach the locked doors of my dorm building, I walk through and approach the elevators to reach the 4th floor. I am joined by a classmate from the 2nd floor and begin a series of questions about today and they asked if I got some extra insight on the test and I said no. They left quickly once we reached the 4th floor, not wanting to spend more time in an elevator with me. I walk up to my room and unlock it with the key. As I open the door, I am greeted by the quiet meow of my cat. She sits on the top bunk of my room, as I have no roommate. I turn on the lights and walk over to her food bowl and fill it to the brim with food. I throw my books and bags aside and sit on bed and pull out a game controller and start a video game spree as I have no early classes tomorrow and I can sleep in.

 

[Lucyfer]

If he had mentioned being a gamer, the woman could have pointed him to the clubs for them. She’d once been asked to sign a permission slip for one of them, so they could have use of a classroom with a projector.


There were clubs for all sorts of people: LARPs, Tabletop gamers, anime, cosplay enthusiasts, and even people like her—Egyptologists. Given, most of their meetings were spent making jokes about Rameses II in Civilization V, or complaining about all the terrible movies that represented Egypt.


Prince of Egypt was very high on that list.


Those were not the friends that Amira went to see once she’d finished her time in the gym and hit the showers. The friends she found out at the bar known as Marquise were vampires who had decided to make this town, theirs. The Marquise was their standard meeting spot, but it didn’t stay there.


One known as Stephanos, a Greek, eventually took them all back to the Hyatt he had a permanent room in to discuss the issue of hunters. “We believe some of them are enrolling at the university,” Stephanos noted, looking to the two vampires who worked there, “Amenset, Lucius,” the two of them didn’t get along well. Old history, old issues, and a few too many Cleopatra jokes from the Roman, “Do keep an eye out. I’ve asked some friends from nearby to come into the town to help me smoke the hunters out. Do not engage them alone.”


“I will not.” Lucius and Amenset said in unison, and neither meant it. Lucius had been a military Tribune in his time, and Amenset simply had a reputation to maintain. There were reasons she consistently worked out, after all, and it wasn’t solely to look good.


The rest of the night was spent plotting, before they were all dismissed before the sun would rise, so that they could all get to their homes safely.


Amenset’s apartment was relatively empty. Most of her things were in storage, elsewhere. She had to appear like a college student, after all, and not someone who had years and years of wealth behind them. She closed all the blinds before activating the metal ones to keep the sun out. The regular blinds kept the metal ones from looking suspicious.


With that done, she collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep.

 

[Newson]

I soon fell asleep after a few hours of gaming. I soon drifted off into a dreaming state where I dreamed about Master Seif and her mysterious lifestyle. She always seemed so tense around other students, which was understandable since most wanted to see more of her... undressed. I am one of the few students in that class that hasn't been asked out to a dance or ever gone on a date, which led up to me taking Ancient History on my own terms and not for the credit.


As I woke up, I checked the time, "8:21 AM", it was several hours before my next class, Ancient History, a important class that I have a class every week, the only days I do not have it are weekends.


I take a quick shower, get some fresh clothes on, and watched a bit of TV. On the TV, it was the local university channel, where it talked about a quick influx of students, several new freshman will be joined classes so they say. Hopefully one is in my class, maybe a possible friend. Wow, I'm starting to sound like a friend seeking weirdo... I kind of am I guess.


As I leave for my classes, I see several new faces walking into the building of the Ancient History room, as I follow them in. Me being naturally early I sit down in my desk and wait for Master Seif to come, the other students situate themselves somewhere near me, I guess they would like to keep an eye on me, not many students come into this class early on their own free will.

 

[Newson]

(@Lucyfer)