fandomhigh | Ethics [Monday, April 16, 5th period]

Anakin was standing next to his desk watching a little girl in a pink hat coloring a picture.

He looked exhausted.

"Okay," he said when the students arrived. "This week we're scheduled to talk about the ethics of parenting. I didn't make the little ones appear!" he said quickly. "I was going to give you egg babies instead."

He pointed at the crate of eggs on his desk. "So you're still getting paired up because it's your final project for class, but I'm sure many of you have more insights on this area than you would have, oh, say, Saturday." He smiled wryly. "And I'm guessing a life of celibacy is looking fairly appealing."

He pulled out a list of names. "Anyway. Here are your parenting teams. Take an egg, name it, give it a backstory, and bring it back in one piece this time next week. Listen for your name, then pair up and chat.

Marco and Molly
Katara and Sam
Balthier and Turtle
Irulan and Dean
Walter and Valentine
Jake and Blair
Kaoru and Neil
Draco and Steerpike
John and Jaye."

Anakin smiled. "So...anyone have stories to share?"

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"No." Lysander stared at Umberta. "What kind of idiot thinks children come from eggs?"

Umberta frowned at Lysander. "What kind of dumb name is Lysander?"

"The one my mom gave me," Lysander gritted out, careful not to let any fireballs form in his hands. "It's better than Umberta."

"Is not!" Umberta said, hand clenching around her wand. "It sounds like a bird's doodie!"

"It does not," Lysander said. "Take it back."

"No," she said petulantly. "No no no no no Lysbirdoodie!"

Lysander wasn't supposed to hit people smaller than him unless he had to, so instead he went over to John and went to kick his shins. "Make her take it back."

"Ow!" John rubbed his shin and stared at both the kids. "I can't make her do that, kid. Who the heck's your mom and dad?"

"Callisto." Note the complete lack of forthcoming on the father front.

Okay, that made things more clear. "Really? Yeah, I can see the resemblance now. Sorta. Maybe. I'm a friend of hers. So no more kicking!"

Lysander's eyes narrowed. "Who are you then?"

"John Crichton," he said. "We went to school together."

"Oh," Lysander tilted his head. "You look smarter than I thought you would."

"She's talked about me?"

Lysander shrugged. "As much as she's talked about anyone from around here, well, nearly anyone."

"I bet she's missing you, kid."

Lysander's jaw worked. "She'll barely even notice I've gone," he lied, badly, knowing he was in for it when she found him. "Not before I get back."

"She's pretty sharp," John said. "I think you'd be surprised."

"Nothing to worry about." Lysander shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "She thinks I can handle myself."

Liar, liar, hands on fire.

"Does she?" John quirked an eyebrow. "I doubt that."

"She wouldn't have let me come if she didn't."

Hence the sneaking off.

"I could tell you some stories about your mom," John says, smiling.

One corner of Lysander's mouth quirked up."You could?"

"Yeah." Callisto would kill him but it might make Lysander laugh. "She ever tell you about the time she dressed up as a guy so she could come to a club meeting we had?"