[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

[supersweet]

[ Jon didn't like the school. He liked school at the start. But he's changed schools so often, the appeal has easily worn off. Jon can make the most of it. He cleans up the trash, he pays attention to his studies (though his attention span easily wanders off when more interesting things are happening on the news and he has his device nearby).

He managed.

But the recesses were the worst. They were playing on the handlebars and Jon didn't — couldn't — trust himself on those. He scowls. He wished they had chosen to play tag instead. He bites on his sandwich moodily before he notices the assistant looking down on him. He manages a polite smile as he adjusts his glasses. ]

Hi, sir. I'm all right.

[earthy]

All right, huh...?

[Terra's eyebrows furrow ever-so-slightly. Hm.]

But it's a lot, isn't it? Showing up in a new... place? [World. Moon world.] New teachers, new friends, new everything?

[He gestures to the playground, the kids hanging from and swinging around on the handlebars... An activity Jon is conspicuously absent from. He's not rushing through that sandwich to go join them, either.]

[supersweet]

This is my third school.

[ He says this rather bluntly, taking another chunk of his food. ]

So I wouldn't call it a lot.

[ But now, Jon glances at him, curiously. ]

Anyway we're all kind of new, right?

[earthy]

[Oh. Sounds like it's not the kid's first big life upheaval. Sympathy softens both Terra's expression and his voice.]

Unless those other schools were in other... [Shoot, there's no way around the word 'world' here. Well, everyone in Riverview knows about the existence of other worlds, anyway. Probably time he came to terms with that.

With a sigh, Terra takes a seat beside Jon and starts again.]

Unless those other schools were also in other worlds, I would call it a lot. [A pause and he looks from Jon to the other kids again.] Even if they weren't... It's still a lot. A lot of change all at once.

[He settles his hands on his knees.]

You're right, though. Many of us are new and dealing with the same things. I haven't been here even a month yet.

[supersweet]

[ Some were, but Jon couldn't tell him about that. Or . . . maybe he could? Jon doesn't know and the promise is a fine line he has to tread.

Still, Terra doesn't look like any teacher Jon's ever seen before, after all. That hair can't be appropriate, can it? That being said, Terra looks way more interesting than anyone else here in this school. ]

What made you decide to be a teacher?

[earthy]

[This is actually his hair in its natural state, go figure. People from his universe seem to carry a spiky hair gene instead of a curly one.

Jon's question hits close to home, but Terra pushes right past the memories it dredges up.]

It was kind of decided for me here. The greeters at the portal offered me this job.

[He grins at Jon and adds in a conspiratorial whisper-]

Don't tell anybody but I've never done anything like this before and I don't know what I'm doing.

[supersweet]

I can tell.

[ But he says that in good humor, his features softening. ]

Are you gonna switch to perimeter guard so you can fight monsters?

[earthy]

[For a split second, his grin widens... then he's putting on an exaggerated pout, crossing his arms over his chest, and looking away in a huff, as though he's deeply offended.]

What, I look more like a monster fighter than a teacher to you?

[supersweet]

Yep!

[ Jon says this without a second thought. ]

You have way too many muscles to be a teacher.

[earthy]

[Terra glances down at himself, at the pecs and biceps and all, then scoffs and shakes his head.]

Maybe I just pick up a lot of books and... desks... misbehaving students...

[He turns enough that he can eye Jon pointedly, like Jon's been such a troublemaker in class... But he gives up the act with a short laugh after that.]

Yeah, okay, you got me. [Terra unfolds his arms and moves his hands behind him to lean back some.] And I might join the Guard, but I think I can handle both jobs.

[The whole monster hunter subject has got him thinking now, though.]

You're about ten years old, aren't you?

[supersweet]

[ His eyebrows knit together, surprised by that non-sequitur. ]

Uhm, yeah. What about my age?

[earthy]

[He holds on to a bit of his smile even though a more pensive mood's sinking in.]

Have you started thinking about what you want to be when you grow up yet? I was just a few years younger than you when I was taken from the world I was born in and set on the path to become a... monster fighter. A protector.

[Surely ten-ish must be around the age kids start thinking about their future, even if only in vague terms.]

[supersweet]

[ Jon pauses. He knew who or what he wanted to be. But trying to explain that to others without breaking his promises always made for a predicament. Though . . . being like Superman wouldn't be enough. It's not like Superman makes money. That's why he goes to school. With a nod, Jon replies. ]

I want to be like my dad. I guess the other stuff will come later.

[earthy]

[Terra's smile wavers again. With a hard blink, he forces it back into place.]

We have that in common. I wanted to be like my father, too.

[Fell a little short of the mark.]

What does your dad do for a living?

[supersweet]

[ Jon watches him quietly before relaxing, kicking his legs. ]

He's a journalist. But he does other stuff, like a hero. He's strong and he always does the right thing, even when it's hard.

[earthy]

[Like a hero.

Terra falls silent in turn, nodding and looking away briefly under the pretense of checking on the other students.]

Is he here?

[Tentatively asked. If the answer's a negative, there's a serious risk of sad feelings... that aren't his own and can't be smothered until such a time as he can get a private moment in the teacher's lounge and have a nice cry by the coffee maker. But some people do have people they know here, friends and family, so it's a possibility...]

[supersweet]

Sort of. He's not really my dad but he's like . . . a younger different version of my dad. He picks me up after school.

[ And Jon appreciates him, loves him just as much. It'll never be the same, but it keeps him going. ]

[earthy]

[Jon's comment draws Terra out of his thoughts completely. What?]

Different version?

[supersweet]

[ Jon munches on his sandwich, nonchalant. He's also getting crumbs on his face. ]

Yeah. Probably from a different reality. Everyone comes from different places, y'know? So this dad comes from somewhere else. Not my world.

[earthy]

Oh.

[Terra's heard of a great many things in his life, was taught a great many things as part of his training, but different realities? That's new. Also, kind of mind-blowing. So, what, there might be some other version of him out there somewhere?

Before he can try subtly prying for more details, one of the boys hanging out on the handlebars calls over with a wave, "Jon! C'mon!"

Terra frowns in the kid's general direction... only to remember how this conversation began.]

You gonna go play?

[supersweet]

Nah.

[ Jon doesn't trust himself on those handlebars. If he slips or grabs too tightly, he might end up breaking it. ]

I'm not a big fan.

[earthy]

... Of those kids or the... thing they're on?

[supersweet]

The handlebars.

[ Jon shoots him a weird look. ]

You've never been to a playground before?

[earthy]

[Awkward. Terra shrugs helplessly.]

I have now?

[supersweet]

What's your world like then?

[ How does it not have playgrounds. ]