I laughed when I read this. I rather like the self-ironic, but sometimes just comedic tone in this one. Yup, students can be really annoying lot time to time, cheating, talking, haggling, making every possible thing to "play the system", to get it easier. I should know, I'm a student myself. But, this heroic cockatrice of your stories plays it all well in the end. I was a bit worried over the petrification thing, because I thought it would be irreversible, but luckily, there is a cure. Yeah, I laughed out loud in the end. Good story.

"[...] based loosely on actual events!"

I hope the petrification isn't based on actual events. Okay, enough with my bad jokes, the story is good, I really enjoyed reading it. Great work.

I was just thinking today what an effective teaching tool it would be to petrify a troublemaker...it probably wouldn't teach that individual much, but it would likely teach everyone else something!

"Eyes on your own papers, please!"

Oh lawd. Excellent work. Before the end, I was thinking how over the top the cockatrice was. It was an... impressively dramatic speech, but it was made into awesome by the ending. I don't have any critical advice here, because I didn't see anything to correct. I will say I was wondering about the mask up until the end there. You did a good job of foreshadowing the ending, too. Well set up and executed.

Transforming stuff in the blink of an eye...I'm glad I pulled it off as an author as well as a character. :>

Another well written story. Another glimpse into the life of Hauke. Quite a bit occurs in the short story done.

Marvelous as always Hauke... loved it...

V.

I thought it'd end up a little dull when I started it..I'm glad you liked it!

I still have...almost everything from you pirate series to read, all the way back to part 10 or 11. :/

oooooo.... no rush hun - you do what ya have to in life - the story is for funzies and relaxation. Are you out for the summer yet?

*eats her herbs and gives him a hug...

V.

Well...the whole, ability to petrify people, definitely makes for an interesting character trait in modern society. And even though there may not have been a lot of incredible action, this was a very entertaining read. You really placed me in the Hauke's world with an amazing amount of depth. Very well done.

I figured if anthro dragons could breath fire (or whatever) and they, along with anthro birds and anthro gryphons, can probably fly...why can't *I* do something special? Darnit!?

If I had a teacher with an ability like that, I would always do my work and never bother him.

And if there were a teacher who had a trap door that led straight to hell, there would be students who'd go to his office constantly...just because they feel a need to bother their teachers.

I think that might be most professors' fear of hell, stuck in an eternity of office hours, dealing with idiotic students who are to stubborn not try to talk their way into passing the class without doing the work when they could be using the office hours to be asking for clarification on the material they don't understand.

The trials and tribulations of a teacher with a dangerous ability. Interesting take on it. And why do I get the feeling Monsieur le Chat is going to show up again? I sense a change of views in the wind, and this fellow may end up being important to Hauke at some point? Well told, and gives the frustrations and remorse of a teacher good play.

Thanks so much for the look and the fav.

And yes, in my experience...some people NEVER quit coming to bother you, no matter what. I had a guy who once threatened to sue me because of perceived unfairness..and the next day he stopped by "just to chat" and told me about his difficulties in getting a new engine for an airplane he had purchased a year ago. !!???!!?? I sat there silently as if he had petrified ME.

Some folks just have no clue about the social niceties, do they? I've seen that all over. Sad, to know that folks who might otherwise be decent people, have no concept that if they've threatened you in the recent past, they are not gonna be your pal the next day- a special brand of stupid, that... Worse are the ones who profess to be your best friend, and turn on you over something completely trivial... Had that happen here, once, actually, and the obvious imbalance in the man's psyche wasn't... to him.

Like you, I don't think I would have know what to do about that nit in your office, either- I's be thinking, "how the heck do I respond?" Heh. Though, I have to admit, I'd be fighting the urge to let loose on the fool for being an idiot, but I wouldn't- damned consequences.

Speaking of goofing up on the social niceties- I've forgotten to say "you're welcome! It was a good tale!" *head-desks*

i will pause a moment in my old submission wandering to tell you I enjoyed this very much. I suppose it is true that it is not THRILLING! or ACTION-PACKED!! but i found I liked it a great deal. Of course, that probably has something to do with the fact that I try (eventually) to read all of your stories, so it fits in as an interesting additional texture to a larger world. Thank you for sharing the boring bits, as I find out such interesting things about folks when I see what they do when they are bored :)

You're more devoted that I am...I let a lot of stories slide past. :(

Devoted? Mother of Dog, no. Just a wanderer that got lucky in finding this good bit. I'm sure i miss a lot of good stuff too.