Funny thing about a week like this one. While a Soul like Shunsui was hardly going to be affected by what had begun to permiate the air, the same could not be said for the temporary physical body that that Soul currently inhabited. But it also wasn't exactly a difference that Shunsui was likely to notice that much, anyway, all things considered.

Either way, there was a class to be had, and When the students came into the classroom today, they'd find a text sitting beside their mugs of cocoa. "My duckings ♥," Shunsui said with a pleased smile once everyone got settled, "I have quite a treat for you today ♥! Today, we are going to be discussing one of my favourite pieces of literature, besides, of course, my own book, The Rose-Colored Path ♥." Forgive him if he couldn't exactly refuse a perfectly natural little plug there. "Written by a very smart and clever Greek by the name of Aristophanes, this play is a political satire against the Peloponnesian War of Ancient Greece, where the illustrious woman of the play's title comes up with a most intriguing solution to peace: she rallies up the women of the Grecian world to form a pact to finally bring an end to the war by withholding sex. Devastating, I know ♥! But incredibly effective; as the play itself points out, a man cannot concentrate on swinging his sword when his other sword needs swinging ♥."

That was a horrible metaphor even on a normal day, Shunsui, let alone this one, and he should be ashamed of himself, but, of course, he was not.

"It's a classic example of the 'make love, not war' philosophy that had a more recent modern example in this dimension and in this country in the 1960s ♥. It was the Vietnam War rather than the Peloponnesian War, then, and it was an actual movement instead of a parody play designed to make a point, but the idea is the same: it is much better to offer our fellow brothers and sisters love rather than war ♥.

"Naturally, though the play is short, I cannot expect for you to all have it read by the end of the class," especially not with particular...distractions that were more than likely, "and still have time to discuss it, so I have given you each a copy to take home and read over the week." Because, yes, that's what you'd all want to do this week, read. "We will discuss the idea of love over war today, and then again next week after you've had a chance to read through the text and see if it manages to influence your opinion any ♥. Today's discussion, then, shall be a broader one: does love have any place in war? Is it necessary to have love to keep a war humane? Or is there no such thing as humane war, and therefor, love could only interfere with the success of a war? The play was written to make people laugh, but it suggests that the world is a better place when people spend more time with each other than with their weapons ♥. The war is a senseless waste of time, money, and resources, while peaceful times are spent building the nation; wars not only break the nation, but it also disturbs families and relationships. And, of course, in unity, there is strength ♥. This could be said for either side of the coin, but isn't it much better to have that unity in peace rather than war ♥?

"When the Chorus of Men claim, 'There is no beast, no rush of fire, like woman so untamed. She calmly goes her way where even panthers would be shamed,' the Chorus of Women proclaim in response, 'And yet you are fool enough, it seems, to dare to war with me, when for your faithful ally you might win me easily.' Perhaps it is just me, but it seems to ask, Why go into war when peace could easily be an option ♥? Or is it not so easy? Is holding back something...anything...that the other party might need, be it sex or be it goods or resources or hostages or treasures, and refusing to give it back without the promise of peace a nefarious course of action ♥? Or is any means of achieving peace, especially if it may avoid violence, acceptable means ♥?

"'We love peace, but not peace at any price,' says Douglas Jerrold, and Marvin Gaye, another personal favourite, informs us that 'War is not the answer, because only love can conquer hate.' But where do you stand on the place of love in war ♥?"

[[and the ocd is incoming!, like the soldiers of Athens, up. ]]