A Teacher's wrath

Toby sat in his car in silence. His morning had gone by as usual ranging from his coffee, his cereal had tasted the same, and his clothes were all clean yet it was tainted by anxiety and the desire to simply call in sick. He sat there letting the car run as he leaned back and looked at the school he taught at. It wasn't anywhere great but it still kept food on the table. Jackson High a simple place that was underfunded and poor.

How had he afforded to buy a house in this state then? Simple, he had bought his old house from a hoarder and fixed it up over five years. He had been friends with the man's sister and when the hoarder had died she had cut him a deal.

Even as he sat there tired the feeling in the air was all off. Even as he sat there in silence ignoring the constant text box that had lingered there. He would let loose a small sigh, "If I didn't cheat on my taxes I would hate working here. . .How isn't my voice sore at this point?" He would take the gum and sick mask starting to apply it. He would keep sitting there for a few more seconds working to keep his jaw closed even as his vocal cords work against him.

He could still recall the first quest he was issued today. It was the first one he failed as well without some horrid consequence. Perhaps he should have taken the sick day to deal with this crisis of his but he needed to work and already he was behind on his lesson plans. He could hear himself starting to hum as he sat all alone in his car. God his students were gonna give hell to him.

This morning the Game had tried to force him to head outside and kill a pigeon for breakfast. At least this time it didn't force him. Second, he didn't have the time to completely cook a pigeon or prepare it. Overall failing that had given him a thirty-minute headache which had faded when he sat in the school parking lot.

Finally, he turns off his car and begins heading out. Walking up to the school with his bag in hand he avoids heading into the office today and simply heads to his class. Once he reached the door he would begin to fumble with his keys before spotting the fat kid sitting near the door shivering. Honestly, he should have seen the kid miles away but he'd been distracted by the simple fact that he was keeping his mouth shut.

"Hello there Alex why aren't you with all the other kids in the brunch hall," Toby asks the child as he stands there. He didn't want to but. . .It didn't hurt being nice to kids. No telling what they were going through at home.

"Because I wanna just read today," Alex said, his eyes looking at the black face mask which Toby wore. "You sick or something sir," Toby just kinda shrugs and mumbles a small ya as he holds open the door.

Twenty-one students in his first period. He'd have to teach twenty one to twenty-five students per period. It made Toby sigh as he reached his desk and sat down. Alex took his seat in the back and began to simply read his book. Toby begins to hum gently as he sits there keeping control of his jaw, the taste of gum, and how it stuck to his teeth being a constant reminder.

Yet as Toby caught up on grading at his desk his eyes would glance upwards constantly to the text sitting above his head. All it said was one thing which made him want to twitch as memories of yesterday were brought up. . .He had thrown the Goblin body in the trashcan soon after but the violence had always made him shiver. The text was looking for more violence.

Searching for Quest.

That was it. A little loading icon sitting at the end of the words as he would bring up his cup of coffee and take a sip from it. Soon some more students would flood in seeing the door was open escaping the bitter cold of the morning. "Stay quiet or at least whisper or I'm giving your assignments a zero," Toby announces as he sits there eyes on his computer.

Of course, today's lesson was revolving around something that a lot of kids got interested in. Heros! Of course, it was a simple brush over the topic instead of an in-depth dig it would still be a fun week for him. "Mister Emerson? Why are you humming," Toby paused, trying to recall the girl's name yet it became apparent.

"Got a catchy tune stuck in my head and was just feeling musical ya know," Toby didn't bother paying the child much more attention. He had grades to finish and coffee to drink. He just wasn't sure what to do at this point besides what for the Game to make its next move.

QUEST FOUND. TWO QUESTS ISSUED.

A feeling of dread would enter his chest as he saw the box finally fill with new words. He would lean back for a second and close his eyes testing something. Even with his eyes closed, he could see the text sitting there in crystal clear quality. He would lean back and gently read the text.

SECONDARY QUEST ISSUED: A TEACHER'S WRATH.

-Find the clues hidden throughout the day and learn the truth hidden by the marked student.

His eyes would quickly open as his eyes darted from student to student. His eyes locked onto a big red X that hovered over one girl sitting at her desk. This time he knew her name due to the fact she kept failing to turn in her homework and the heavy leather jacket she always wore to try and look "cool". Her name was Penny and maybe a meeting with her parents was in order.

Drug use? Abuse? Maybe the student was smoking weed or something? The weed wasn't that bad. . .This was California after all but other drugs or family issues had him worried. He'd have to file a report with social services if he found anything. After a few seconds of waiting the secondary quest faded and the Primary quest appeared.

PRIMARY QUEST FOUND. TARGETS LOCATED.

NOT ALL THINGS GO ACCORDING TO PLAN.

-Show up at the Downtown bus depot at 1:00 AM to begin this quest.

Time limit: 12 Years.

The second one had no level requirements or anything similar upon it. Toby paused as he read over that. He's driven past that bus depot a few times heading out to eat. It was curious that such a quest would be issued.

Either way, Toby stands up with a grin as the clock nears the start time. He took the marker and already began to write down the notes. Overall, besides a few comments on his humming Toby kept a solid grip on his jaw. But he would need to keep an eye on Penny through the two periods he had her.

"Alright, so today I will turn to chapter three. It's a brief overview but we'll be going over Heros and Villians. It's a popular topic but just in case Heroes and Villains are referred to by a wide variety of terms. Some of these terms are things like Angel, Aces, Strangers, Demi-Humans, Parahumans, Superhumans, Awakened, Capes, Chosen, or many others. Write down and memorize three of those for your homework you'll be studying three of these terms and write where the term came from. Don't worry it's due this Friday," He would pause as he turned his eyes to Alex who sat on his phone.

He wouldn't comment on it now he already had so much on his plate. So he would act like he didn't see the boys' attempts to ignore the lesson as he kept going, "Officially they're labeled the Differently abled. Or D.As and America have chosen since the 1950s to focus its DA population into Superheros and Supervillains and create a massive economy around them. Does anyone know how someone becomes a DA?"

One girl would throw her arm into the air and begin bouncing as a few others would. He would pause catching himself from monologuing as he says, "Uh- Lizzy I believe your name is." He would call upon the pumped-up child.

"A DA often gains their powers in three manners. The first is natural borns who have weaker powers then most others but often far more versatile and are born with them, the second is Natural Disaster survivors or those near the massive natural disasters, the third is those who grew up near monster-infested regions," I would glance at her backpack noting it was the merchandise of the Ironclad Woman. One of the Hollywood DAs.

"Good job Lizzy, now some DAs will seek to break the law with their power and be labeled as "Villians" as a result. Keep in mind a Villian can be some bad man robbing the store to even a terrorist of all things-," The lesson would go on his struggle against monologuing a harsh one.

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It was at lunch when he went to the teacher lounge that he managed to sit down. The PE teacher, a blonde man with bright blue eyes named Jones smiles and sits down next to Toby as soon as he gets out his lunch, "C'mon! I knew you were going to get sick ya need more vitamins in your life."

Toby chuckles shaking his head at the older man's comment, "Not sure If I'm sick but just being safe. Although I suppose my students would be happy with the lack of Homework. Heya Jones, I've got a question for you about a student. Did you get Penny in any of your classes?���

Jones pauses raising an eyebrow as Toby eats the sandwich. He sits there for a few seconds before humming, "I do Toby. Why are ya asking?"

There was something to Jones' tone that Toby didn't like but he could understand. He was an overly happy guy working at a shitty school of course folks would be suspicious of him. Matter of fact folks should always be careful, "She's not turning in any of her homework and I think something's up with her home life-"

Toby pauses as the System would pop up again.

OBJECTIVE PROGRESSED. +1 EXP.

KEEP LOOKING FOR WHAT IS GOING IN PENNY'S HOMELIFE

LEVEL UP IMMINENT. REWARD FOR LEVELING UP; JOY!

He would suppress a shudder as the EXP gave him a faint rush of pleasure and whispered trying to recover, "I can't report anything to social services until I know something funny's going on. Do you see any bruises or strange shit during PE?"

Jones relaxes some and nods, "No but now that you mention it- her Jacket. I never see her take it off even when everyone else gets geared up for P.E. . . It's too early in the semester to tell but maybe you're onto something. Can you arrange a meeting with her parents or something?"

"Ya, I'll try. You grew up around here right? I'll tell you their names see if they ring any bells," Jones nods as he brings out his own lunch. Somewhat healthier than Toby's which causes Toby to smile.

"Do you like your fish baked or grilled," Toby asks casually as he finishes off his lunch and the cookie he had brought.

Jones chuckles out, "I love it baked. But overall I love when my wife makes fish sticks ya know? Also, I was serious you need to start working out and eating better man you always eat sandwiches with whitebread and stuff. I thought you knew how to cook?"

"Ya but it makes such a mess and it's just myself you know. . .Maybe I'll cook something good this week and bring it. Might make it a turkey just to spite you and give the rest to the other teachers," Toby chuckles knowing how Alex disliked turkey.

"Listen Toby I can and will shove you into the trash can if you dare make such good turkey. I hate that kind of meat. Bring a MANLY meat like steak or something," Toby began to chuckle at that shaking his head.

"Ya okay if you wanna pay for all those steaks be my guest. Ya you know what I'll think I'll make me some steak this weekend treat myself," Toby would finally stand up and head to the trash can. He chuckles throwing away the meal and heading out, "Alright I've gotta go and deal with some more grading."

"Ya keep me posted!"

Toby chuckles at the faint echo of Jones as he would take out two pieces of gum and pop them in his mouth. He begins to re-apply his mask before glancing up to the system, "Is the system giving me EXP for doing less because it wants to get me hooked? But I can't do noth- Oh goddammit I'm monologuing again."

LEVEL 1- 60% to level 2