a conversation

Today we each created a character to match one of our vocabulary words. Adora chose 'Apollonian', Adrianna chose 'jovial', and Katie chose 'mercurial. This conversation takes place in a classroom. Katie (who modelled her mercurial character on herself) has just broken a classmate's nose because he called her fat. Her teacher, the jovial Emily Sumner, is just addressing the situation, when the superintendent, the Apollonian Hester Dickens, drops in unexpectedly.

"Katie I hope you realize that what you did today was very unkind," Ms. Sumner said, sounding unperturbed. "Don't you think you should apologize?"
"Never!" Katie screamed angrily.
"Please, why don't we have a lollipop and talk this over..." Ms. Sumner said gently.
"I'll have a lollipop!" Katie chirped, suddenly cheerful.
After a brisk knock, the superintendent, Hester Dickins, walked into the classroom.
"Hello, I'm the new school superintendent, Hester Dickins"
"Hi my name is Emily Sumner! How are you?" Ms. Sumner held her hand out warmly. "Oh yes, and this is Katie!"
"And what is Katie doing in the classroom? I note that the other children are gone."
"Licking a lollipop!" Katie interjected, and began barking like a lunatic.
"And why might you have a lollipop?" Ms. Dickins inquired calmly.
"I punched someone in the nose," Katie snapped. Ms. Dickins looked sober. "This is not permitted by code 1204 of the school charter," she said, without raising her voice.