Doom Valley Prep School 4

This story is being rewritten.
A new chapter will be published every 2 weeks starting on 19/07/2022.

When I finally reach this chapter again, I'll replace this message.

Kudos

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Love the Chaos

I'm sure there are no rules. This continues to be a fun ride.

Portia

Rule 6?

And if there were to be an rule 6, just what would that be?

NEVER ask about rule 6.

NEVER ask about rule 6.
The monsters will eat you.

Don't know about plot rules,

but the school seems to have one. Survive! Lots of freedom to interpret that though.

"Reach for the sun."

Ding Ding Ding

We have a winner.
Also don't embarrass the school.

Greater weapon

The others don't seem to realize how great a weapon Elle is welding by acquiring information. Perhaps it will sink in one day.

This school seems a contribution in terms. The students are told things about the school by family members prior to their arrival. And they act upon that information during the key event. Yet Lady Plague tells them something altogether different.

The next chapters should be interesting.

Wonder what meals are like.

Others have feelings too.

Constantly changing rules

The school doesn't like giving students too much of an edge, this is very much survival of the fittest, so every term the rules for the freshmen change. Those with many siblings in the school catch on to this and try to find a middle ground that works, others go with what their parents or siblings said, and well you saw the results.
Ella is looking very much at the middle ground, and plotting the best course for 'her' survival. If those with her succeed as well, it's just icing on the cake.

Sleepless nights

Tabby may be having some sleepless nights now that she knows more about her roommate. Petra lucked out on her roommate, and may want to make sure that she stays a girl while she is there. It would not be a good idea to find a way to change back while she is in the dorms. Also, I worry about having the teachers betting on Petra's survival as they may feel the need to improve their odds on not losing the bet.

It will be fine

as long as she keeps couple of snacks and bones to keep Ivy occupied. Ella did say the girl was mostly safe.
The teachers are just making friendly wagers, they would NEVER use their power to screw over a student. That would be wrong.
And the tentacle monsters will come into play many times in this story.

No, the school runs by rule

No, the school runs by rule one, two, and three.

Those are
1) Get the money
2) Don't get caught
3) Get the money

Everything else is gravy. Survival isn't a rule, it's a suggestion, but not one that the instructors take seriously. (I wonder how many instructors end up disappearing when they underestimate their latest toy)

I'm guessing that the fairy will learn very quickly that there are tennis rackets around - strung with something REALLY nasty. Shuttlecock with a fairy instead of a cock.

-----
Another guess. They don't actually have enough rooms for everyone to room together, so they let the 'girls' themselves work out who will stay in the dormitory.

-----
Last one. Don't walk in the dark. You will be eaten by a Grue.

I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.

Rule 1) Survive

if you don't survive you don't get to enjoy the money. Your rules are actually 2, 3, and 4.
As for the teachers, the ones here are the ones that survive. Although they do make mistakes, which is why one rule is if you unsuccessfully attack a teacher you're in trouble. They expect teachers to be attacked, and if it succeeds, well the teacher wasn't good enough to teach at the school.
The fairies are nasty opponents, but they are beatable, Ella and Petra simply don't want to be the ones who have to beat her.
I wish I'd remembered about the Grue. I may add that in when I do the final draft.

I was talking about the

I was talking about the _school_ rules. Those are different from the student rules. The school is paid up front, so that's what they care about. Dead student? No problem. We were already paid. The problem comes in if you have too many gone for the next year, and you don't get enough incoming fish. Then rule 1 takes precedence (get more money)

I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.

Oh yes

Oh yes
I thought you meant for the students. That probably is the school motto, get the cash and get out.

Clever girl

Nice to see Petra adjusting and using her brains, she learns quick. And nice Easter egg nod to Tink with the mouse fur armor.

Thanks

With the fanfic and things I can't sell, I use the characters and ideas to try new things. So Blood Wing is based very loosely off of Tink, just an evil one, who is less funny and more blood thirsty.

So all the crazy of Tink with

So all the crazy of Tink with none of the zany, that is a terrifying prospect to face down. We've only seen what Tink does when ticked off or hyped up on sugar, what will Blood Wing do that Tink's morals kept her from committing. *shudders*

IT SHALL BE

GLORIOUS!!!!!!!!!

Until someone lures her into

Until someone lures her into a trap with milk, bread, and honey. Or, if there's some Brownie blood somewhere, malt whiskey.

I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.

Or a good flyswatter.

Chpt 4 answered a few questions but raised new ones

So the keys WERE a test. AND a way to sort between the brute force users, the weak, and those who could organize/make deals. IE gather minions or friends.

Staff betting on how long Petra will sutvive?

Hum, can she get in on that action?

-- snicker--

Now we now Peter/Petra's parents were naïve or in a hurry and did not research fully about the school or read its enrollment application with due care.

So Petra need not seek TOO great a revenge on them on graduation. IE they enrolled her out of ignorance rather than malice. Maybe just work a spell on then to give them really bad flatulence for a month as their penance?

Our VIP little princess Ella seems good person to hang with. Knowledge IS power after all. I noted the nod to Tink, what with the mouse armor and such.

Offering to share intelligence but not rushing into alliances should prove a good move over time.

Assuming they survive the first few months, by then Ella and co will have enough info to be a power broker. Plus the brash ones like that fairy likely will have worn each other out or killed each other -- or been overthrown by disgruntled minions -- leaving Ella and co as the most powerful group remaining.

I see even some of the staff are wondering if A: they underestimated Peter . And B: that in becoming Petra did the former Peter somehow become smarter, more aware etc?

John in Wauwatosa

Thanks

The staff is smart enough to realize they do make mistakes. Which is why they have these little tests to assess the students, they can't have one of the little buggers backstabbing them unexpectedly.

And I needed Ella to be smart if I want Petra to survive. It just fits nicely, and leaves a lot of room for backstabbing, conspiracies gone wrong, and power plays with other groups. Lots of fun.

Petra's parents will be shown in the proper light later on.

And no, Petra can't bet on her own death. Too much chance of her rigging everything.

I get the impression that for

I get the impression that for all students,
Rule #1 is: Don't ask questions about the rules.
Rule #2 is: If you you ask a questions about the rules, refer back to rule #1.
So in the long run, does this school has an affiliation with some military, as they definitely seem to operate in the same mode.
Keep everyone in the dark like mushrooms; and feed them horse s***.

Students can ask questions,

Students can ask questions, if they'll be answered is a different matter. It's a case of creating students who can think on their feet, are willing and able to come at things sideways, and don't jump into things half cocked.
Initially at least, if a student asks questions they'll get very clear and concise answers, look at how they explained things to Petra. It wasn't helpful but there was no subterfuge. ONce they get used to asking questions and getting answers, the school will change the rules, to being less helpful, hiding the answers, and other things.
And they're independent. Although they get quite a lot of money from the alumni, they mostly make money from selling magical weapons, potions, spells, etc that their students make as class projects.

Not helpful?

I thought some of their answers were very helpful to Petra. They may not have been the answers she wanted, but the answers they gave were for the most part very informative about what she needed to know. And looking at how things have gone so far it looks like it has been for the best, as I doubt she would have done as well on the boys side if she had stayed a boy.

True

By not helpful I meant they didn't fix her problem.
As for how well he'd do on the boy side, we'll never know.

Reminds Me of an Aphorism...

...I wrote years ago when helping to create rules for a fantasy baseball league:

People who ask questions are all right -- except for those who can't understand the answers.

(Of course, unlike the folks at the school, we weren't trying to mislead anyone, or change the rules as we went along...)

Eric

I like that one. And it's

I like that one. And it's very appropriate for the school. Thanks, I may have someone quote it later in the story.

Another one that folks at

Another one that folks at this school need to learn:

Never ask a question unless you *really* want to know the answer.

All too often people ask questions and then wish they hadn't. Or like in one of Eddings' series where if you asked whose turn it was to cook, gee, it was *your* turn (took the characters a long time to realize that :-)

I expect Ella would be the one to state that rule, btw. Though Petra might.

Brooke brooke at shadowgard dot com
http://brooke.shadowgard.com/
Girls will be boys, and boys will be girls
It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world
"Lola", the Kinks

Raving Comedy

This is quite fun. I wish I could write comedy. I can make readers cry but I don't think my stories are ever very funny except perhaps by accident once in a while. Heh.

I love all the bet taking by the teachers. I'm guessing most won't be happy when they lose their bets about Petra. I think Petra is a keeper.

Go Petra!

Thanks and kudos (number 100).

- Terry

I couldn't write comedy either

at least not consistently until I started writing the Tink stories. Horror and angst with some dark humour seemed to be all I was really capable of. Then I lost a lot of stress in my life, and while angst and darkness is still easier for me, comedy is slowly becoming a regular tool for me.
But even still, a lot of my humour is pretty dark.

betting against Petra

I have a feeling she might surprise them with her ability to survive

Harry potter meets underworld

This my not be the most PERFECT anolgy but seams to me like this story is almost like Harry Potter meets Underworld just with out the vampires & be more violent. I think Petra will be good at something & prove the masters & teachers wrong about her. Look foward to more.

Love Samantha Renee Heart

Never liked Underworld so no

Never liked Underworld so no idea.
I was thinking it was more like Harry Potter with more magic, everyone is Slytherin, and Snape is the nice teacher.
And Petra has already proven to be very good at something. She is GREAT at rolling with the punches. That's actually very useful at a school like this.

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