The Brightmoon Institution (Catradora Boarding School AU)

Is Creature Excused?

Adora was ready to fall asleep as she walked into her next class. The day had flown by and she was barely keeping up with it. While P.E had let her off easy with no homework, the other classes Shadow Weaver assigned to her weren't as kind. She'd need to have a power nap before starting her homework.

At least English was last, one of Adora's more tolerable classes. She had Textiles the following day, the class she was most looking forward too.

She instantly spotted Glimmer and Bow in the middle rows, both waving her over. Adora smiled, glad that there was no longer weird tension between the three of them as a group. Bow and Glimmer could handle their own conflicts privately, without involving Adora.

"Hey, what happened to your face?"

Adora forgot Bow hadn't seen her since the makeup had been plastered on.

"Your answer just walked in Bow."

Adora swiveled around to witness a daunting Catra talking and laughing with a friend as they sat down in front of them. She hadn't even offered Adora a glance. It felt strange, like an odd sense of foreign nostalgia. Seeing the girl Adora was once so attached to act like she didn't even know her. Glimmer narrowed her eyes at the back of Catra's head.

"She did that?"

Bow's eyes switched between Adora and Catra as he leaned across the tables whispering.

"Yes."

"Oh, bitch is going to pay for that."

Adora felt something swell inside of her as Glimmer growled, her fists tightened under the desk. The fierceness in her voice, the protectiveness in the words...It warmed the chill Catra's presence formed. .

"Don't, it'll only antagonize her."

Glimmer rolled her eyes, leaning back into the chair with an annoyed huff. Adora smiled affectionately, exchanging a look with Bow.

Their teacher walked in, a few minutes late. She had icy blue hair that tumbled down her side that contrasted perfectly with her skin. A dark haired child ran in after her as she tumbled papers and a bag on the desk.

"Sorry I'm late, I don't live on campus."

Adora nodded at the explanation, eyes landing on the young girl who climbed into the teacher's chair.

"Call me Netossa, none of that 'Miss' or 'Mrs' nonsense. Refer to me as that and I won't respond to you."

The class was a bit stunned by the blunt tone, and Adora had the feeling Netossa was a new teacher this year.

"Most of you probably know my wife, Spinnerella."

Sounds of recognition were audible from around the classroom.

"She may be soft on you guys, but I plan on winning the Teacher's Award this year, and not even she is going to stop me."

Adora looked across at Glimmer, who made a face.

"This is Frosta. She's our daughter, and we couldn't find a suitable babysitter, so now she's here with us."

The class nodded slowly and Adora wondered how professional this 'institution' really was.

"Alright, let's get into it. Everyone pull out your copies of Frankenstein."

Adora grabbed the slim book from her bag. It was a play adaption of the real thing, but somehow the script format was even more entertaining than regular words. It painted a scene in her mind, described the image more accurately and succinctly than flowery words and poetic language devices. A lot simpler to understand and digest then the actual novel.

"Let's kick off with a discussion, shall we? That's what English is for."

Adora never experienced discussions in her English sessions with Shadow Weaver. Every time she mentioned an opinion that didn't align with Weaver's she was-

Well, she didn't feel like thinking about that now.

Netossa pulled out an electronic wand from her disheveled bag, and a copy of the novel, colorful tabs and notes peeking out of it. She turned on the electronic whiteboard and scribbled the word 'FRANKENSTEIN' before circling it.

"I'll start us off. As you should all know, the Creature is an unnatural being Victor Frankenstein made by stitching together organs of various animals and pumping a heartbeat. To some, including myself 'Creature is not an organic entity.'

Netossa drew out the words on the whiteboard, the wand stretching it out as she wrote. She turned around to face the class.

"Do we all agree."

She twirled the wand in her hand, eyes scanning everyone in the room.

"Come on, don't be shy."

She was about to call on someone, when Catra stuck her hand in the air.

"Yes, you. What's your name?"

"Catra Brightmoon."

Netossa's eyes lightened at the last name, and Glimmer huffed softly in the corner.

"Alright Catra, what do you think."

"Creature was shortly abandoned right after Victor saw him. Anyone who has faced that is practically doomed to become a revenge seeking murderer. It's like De Lacey said, Creature wasn't born inorganic or evil per say, he was purely a product of experience."

Catra leaned back and Netossa smiled, writing down nearly every word Catra spoke. The girl tilted her head to the side, and Adora swear she caught her eye. Were her words directed at Adora in some way? No, they couldn't be, it was about a completely irrelevant subject.

Abandoned.

The word echoed in her head, and before Adora could think twice her hand was raised in the air.

"Oh? I do love a good English debate. What's your name?"

"Adora Gray"

Netossa smiled, placing her hands on the desk.

"What do you have to say, Adora?"

Adora let the words roll off her tongue without thinking, ignoring the glare Catra was shooting her.

"I can agree that Victor made Creature and shortly abandoned him, but it's unjust to just give Creature excuses for his wrongdoings. De Lacey himself was an old man blinded through a traumatic event, and yet he still offered Creature a home and welcomed him. Creature didn't repay him with the same kindness, and just murdered him. It's like excusing every single mean person for their cruel actions because of their past trauma. Yes, it played a part, but it doesn't justify their deeds."

She said the last two sentences directly at Catra, mimicking the girl in her position on the chair. The dark blue and topaz met Adora's soft grey, and the two had to be reminded of the class' presence.

"Well said, Adora."

Netossa finished writing the last of Adora's words, encouraging more discussion from the rest of the class. But Adora had already tuned out, eyes falling on the girl sitting in front of her.

"I was thinking of having you write up individual essays tomorrow and rotating partners for feedback...But Adora and Catra's thoughts gave me a new idea."

Adora looked up at the clock, realizing they only had a few minutes left before she could head back to the dorm.

"Tomorrow I'd like you to work in pairs, writing a collaborative essay. I want the class to get to know each other a bit better before we break out properly into the story."

Adora glanced worriedly at Bow and Glimmer, wondering if they could maybe work in a group of three when Netossa interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, and don't even bother setting up your own pairs. I'll be assigning them."

Adora groaned inwardly, she didn't want to socialize anymore. Two friends were enough, she didn't really need anymore...okay, perhaps just one more. Then it'd be perfect. 

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