[closed] in learning you will teach

[earthy]

who: Jonathan Kent (supersweet), Terra (earthy)
what: A talk at recess
when: Before the arrival of the fireflies, maybe April 19th
where: Riverview Elementary School
warnings: None

[It doesn't take the staff of Riverview Elementary School long to figure out that their new teacher's assistant is uniquely suited for some tasks... and completely, astonishingly useless for others. He's pretty much a dud when it comes to helping kids with their schoolwork, reviewing lessons with them and answering their questions. Turns out he only knows the basics of a couple subjects himself, his own schooling having revolved around far different material.

He excels at the supervising part of the job, though. He's a fair and friendly enforcer of the rules and manners besides.

And there's his magic.]

You've gotta be very brave now.

[Another day, another recess, another kid sitting on the playground with a minor injury, a pouty lip, and tears welling in the corners of their eyes. Terra crouches next to a little girl, one hand hovering over her lightly scraped knee.]

My magic requires bravery... [It doesn't, but these lines work wonders on the smaller kids.] If you're not brave enough, the spell will just fizzle out.

[Channeling magic without the Keyblade on-hand has always been a challenge for him, but the bumps and bruises kids collect at playtime really only require the weakest of healing spells to repair. Cure isn't too tough to cast empty-handed. He focuses a moment and a faint green light shimmers across the battered knee, patching it up in seconds. Terra wriggles his fingers for effect and checks out his handiwork. Yep, all better.]

Good as new! [He declares before standing and helping the student to their feet. He dispenses a quick hair ruffle.] That spell worked so well, I bet your heart's about as brave as they come.

[The girl scampers back to her friends with a giggle. Dusting off his hakama, Terra returns to his spot in the shade of the school building and resumes his watch. He notices the boy a few minutes later. Ten or so years old. One of the teachers pointed him out earlier. Another new arrival, they'd said.

Jonathan, Terra thinks his name is. Jon.

Strange that the portal would pick up a kid... Did he need a new home, too?

Terra wanders over, thumbs hooking in his pockets.]

Hey, how's it going? How are you settling in?

Comments

[earthy]

[He flinches slightly at that but keeps right on walking.]

If you don't trust yourself, trust me.

[Then he calls out ahead to the kids milling around the handlebars.]

Go find somewhere else to play for a while, huh? Jon and I want a turn.

[supersweet]

[ Some of his panic subsides at that, but he's still baffled. Thankfully, the younger kids don't notice, leaping off the handlebars and running off without a care. ]

What are we doing?

[earthy]

[Terra steps up to the deserted handlebars and checks the thing out. He runs a hand over one of the bars.]

Bending a couple of these.

[supersweet]

With . . . your magic?

[ Jon rests his right hand on the bar tentatively. ]

[earthy]

With yours.

[He flashes Jon a small grin and moves his hand away.]

Go ahead.

[supersweet]

[ Jon grins, immediately climbing the bars. He gives his control less credit than its due. He's not too terrible at climbing and the bars don't give way under his strong grip. He swings on it, unafraid.

But since Terra knew the secret, he was safe. ]

Thanks.

[earthy]

[Terra leans against one end of the handlebars, letting him have his fun.]

Definitely not afraid of heights.

[supersweet]

[ Jon scoffs. ]

I definitely wouldn't be scared of heights.

[earthy]

[With his back to Jon, Terra's able to keep his thoughtful expression hidden. He doesn't have to pretend he's not giving some serious consideration to this handlebars business.

He turns his head just enough to glimpse Jon swinging around. On bars still noticeably unbent.

... Yep, the kid's got plenty of control.

Something else Terra hadn't really expected, especially after all the fuss, but it makes sense. Fear, worry... Any sort of strong emotion makes power hard to control.

And he could leave it at that but now he's kind of curious. What's Jon's power like? It's not darkness, that much he's sure of... So, how does it manifest? Is it just a physical strength or what?

Well...

Schooling his face blank, he turns back to the handlebars and grabs on to one again, this time hanging some of his weight on it. It doesn't budge. Pretty sturdy construction.]

And why's that? You have a lot of experience with heights?

[Or just ten-year-old bravado speaking?]

[supersweet]

[ Jon's powers tend to fluctuate with his moods. Confidence helps, but Jon isn't naturally confident all the time. He's not shy by any means, but he does tend to force himself in the background, so that no one notices how unusual he is, how strangely he moves among other children.

None of this is particularly conscious, just the inner workings of a child still dealing with change. The handlebars creak, but do not bend. There might be imprints on them later though. ]

Yeah. My dad and I fly a lot.

[earthy]

Fly? [Right, that would explain it.] Like with some kind of aircraft or just you two and the open sky?

[He's aware that some people can just fly, either because they happen to have the power of flight or because there's been some pixie dust shenanigans going on.]

[supersweet]

No, with his powers. My dad can fly anywhere.

[ Well. For the most part. It's strange to be telling the truth so his face scrunches up as he figures out how he's feeling. He thinks it's all right. He believes it is. ]

[earthy]

Anywhere? Wow. [Power of flight then. This family seems like they might have a whole bag of tricks up their sleeves.

And speaking of powers...

Terra tightens his grip on the bar he's grabbed hold of and pulls down. It takes a moment and his arm muscles strain with the effort but the bar slowly begins to bend.

At least these bars are fairly narrow. He'd almost certainly have to supplement his physical strength with magic if he wanted to manipulate more solid metal. (Probably couldn't even dent anything like steel...)

Satisfied with the damage done, he releases the bar and leans back.]

Whew, that's tough work... [He shakes his hand off.] Think you can bend that back in place for me?

[supersweet]

[ Jon nearly slips off the bars, his eyes wide. He clambers down carefully, placing his hands on the bent bar once his feet touch the ground. ]

I can but . . . how did you do that?

[earthy]

[Terra lifts his arm up and flexes his biceps.]

These muscles are good for more than just fighting monsters and picking things up.

[They're good for destroying things. Fantastic.]

[supersweet]

Cool! . . . But you're not as strong as my dad though.

[ With a smile, he bends the bar back in place easily, buoyed by his confidence and not having to hide. ]

[earthy]

[The effortless repair job is more than a little impressive to Terra. Jon really is stronger than he looks. And that strength doesn't seem to have any kind of magic backing, at least none that he can sense. Seems like just super physical strength to him.

If Jon's dad has strength like that, strength greater than that, Terra doesn't doubt the man could wipe the floor with him.]

And that's just a power of-... [He's cut off by the bell ringing, signalling the end of recess. Kids start trudging back to the building. Terra watches them a second then tips his head toward the door they're all heading for.]

Right... Back to class then. [He eyes the handlebars and snakes his hand out for a quick hair ruffle.] Good thing you fixed that up as fast as you did...

[Not a conversation he needs to be having with the 'master' of the school. "And you felt the need to damage school property why...?"]

[supersweet]

[ Jon ducks his head so he can flatten his hair and sticks his tongue out at Terra in protest. But his expression turns pensive as he watches the other kids leave. ]

You promise you won't tell anyone, right?

[ Jon unintentionally stresses on the word promise. His life revolves around them, after all. ]

[earthy]

Cross my heart.

[Terra promises with a firm nod, dutifully tracing an 'x' in front of his chest. He'll keep Jon's secret.]

[supersweet]

[ He grins, all his doubts laid to rest. ]

Thanks, Terra. You're the best.

[ He tugs his cap down before waving him off and running to his class room. ]

[earthy]

[Terra watches him go then heads off to wrangle a few straggler kids and make sure everything's in order, as is part of his job. Once that's all done, he'll follow them in and resume not having a clue about their school work.

Nice kid, that Jon. Terra imagines he probably has quite the future in store for him.]