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care and feeding of hirelings

Care and Feeding of Hirelings, 2nd Period [Session 1]

Hook was teaching this class in a normal classroom. He'd save fancy computer/danger shop tricks for later.

When the class had filed in, he twirled the end of his mustache with his hand and grinned.

"Welcome, welcome, one and all, to the amazing class where you learn how to make sure others do your work for you, and how to keep them happy in their sad, little lots in life."

He laughed a bit.

"So, when do you know you need a henchman, sidekick, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera?" He gestured at one of the students with his hook. "When you know you're better than other people. Whether you're a mighty pirate, a caped crusader, or even mister C.E.O."

He chuckled again. "So that's simply it. When you know you're better, you might as well have some people around to keep under your boots. So now I want introduction! You will give me your name, your reasons for taking this class, and one reason you think you're better than other people. I'll even start."

He cleared his throat.

"I'm Captain James Hook, dreaded pirate of Neverland. The cunning kingfish, the worst of all little lost boys' nightmares. I'm here because I'm ready to spread my knowledge and expertise amongst all your little impressionable minds. And I'm better than others because I've cut, stabbed, strangled, and crushed my way to the top of the pirating world, and from atop my little mountain, I know that I am better."

Yes, just a little creepy.

"Now, someone else, snap to it, snap to it."

This was your teacher, kids. Have fun with that.

[ooc: ~~OCD first plz~~ Open for class! Woo!]

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Like You're Better Than the Rest.

Peter Wiggin, who doesn't really need to put in any effort to do that.

Cassidy, who would never assume she's better than the rest.

Karla, who's better than Peter Wiggin anyway

As you do.

Karla had reluctantly decided to come back to the island for her first week of classes before heading back to Rome for the funeral. Mostly she didn't want to stick around the Agency while they pretended like nothing was wrong while a few miles away, Hilshire was setting up for the funeral.

Now that she was here, Karla was thinking that maybe a trip to the beach would have been a better plan. But...first week of classes. That was important, right?

Name, your reasons for taking this class, and one reason you think you're better than other people.

"I'm Peter Wiggin," Peter said, putting in a concentrated effort not to laugh in this ridiculously-coifed teacher's face. "I'm here out of... academic interest."

It was the one class he'd managed to pick himself, poor thing. "I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm better than anyone," yes, he would, but he was still trying to play the redeemed-bad-boy card, "But I suppose I have a clear view of the big picture, and I'm not afraid to take initiative."

Chances were the good guy act wasn't going to last long in this class.

"Wouldn't say it or don't believe it?" Hook asked, pointedly. "Modesty is all well and good, but I like honesty in my class room. Except when I don't."

Ah, to keep up the nice guy act or drop it, since it obviously wasn't going to net him the results he wanted here.

He decided on a middle road. "I don't brag," he said, "Because if you have to loudly proclaim your superiority, chances are your intended target - pardon the word - is going to take it as a sign of insecurity, not strength."

Ahahaha, and one of these days, Peter was even actually going to internalise that. Right now, he was just trying to steal a page from Enderboo's book. "But I would say I'm good. I'm smart, and I'm motivated."

"Good," Hook said, a little sneer finally appearing on his face.

"Because I don't like Peters, as a rule. You'll have a bit of a handicap in terms of pleasing the teacher in this class."

Lovely.

Peter wondered if this other Peter might have done something in particular to mess with Hook. Opportunities...

"I'll keep that in mind, sir," he said, "Though you're welcome to call me something else if my name is such a blemish."

"My name is Cassidy, and I'm not exactly sure why I'm in this class, actually."

"As am I," Hook said, tilting his coiffed head.

"Would you like to follow the last bit of instruction, now?"

"But I don't have a reason I think I'm better than everyone else, because I don't think I am."

"Do you ever expect to be in any sort of leadership position, young Cassidy?" Hook asked.

"Of course I do," she said calmly. "I know what my responsibilities are."

Oh Cassidy. He didn't mean like that.

"And how exactly are you supposed to lead if you don't believe that you are capable of leading someone?" Hook asked.

"I didn't say I wasn't capable," she said in a firm tone. "I said that I have never believed myself to be better than someone else."

"Ah, but they are one and the same, one and the same," Hook said. "If you're not better than someone, how are you capable to lead them? If they are better than you, why are you not bequeathing the right to lead to them?"

She frowned, thinking about this.

"I'm going to be Queen because I was born to be a Queen and I have the power and the ability to lead and care for my people."

"And therefore, you are better than your subjects," Hook said. "Confidence! Work on it!"

He punctuated that with gesture of his hook.

Oh, this was going to be an interesting class for Cassidy, wasn't it?

She nodded. "All right." She was eying his hook warily.

"I'm Karla," she said, keeping her eyes focused on her notebook. "I'm taking this course because I am a Queen and this has the potential to be useful for when I form my Court and take my place as Territory Queen of Glacia."

She was going to keep an eye out to see how Peter reacted to that, it was true. She was grieving, but there were still some things that brought her joy.

"And I'm better than everyone else because I was the first triply-aspected Queen to be born of my people." Jaenelle was more powerful, true, but Karla had been first. Back, when she'd been older, before temporal thingies made her fall behind by years.

"Triply-aspected?" Hook asked, curious. "Would you be so kind as to explain that little particular, your majesty?"

Karla made a face at the title. She was fairly certain Hook was using it to be snide, and wouldn't have liked it even if he was being patently sincere. "Karla, please," she said. "But, anyway, among our people--" she nodded to include Cassidy in that "--there are different castes that relate to what kind of Craft we can use. Healers are born with the power to Heal bodied. Black Widows can Heal the mind. Queens can Heal the hearts of their people and the land itself. I was born a member of all three castes."

"A one-woman trifecta of healing," Hook said. "I can see why that would make you quite the important little monarch. Good show, good show. Glad to have you aboard."

"Thank you, sir," Karla said with a fleeting smile. "I'm looking forward to the class."

This? Was Peter, stealing a look at That Loud Obnoxious Hag and wondering vaguely why crowned royalty would be at camp.

Not that royalty amounted for much these days. Maybe her country had turned the aristocracy so symbolic, they didn't even need to be around. Hm. There was a lesson in there somewhere.

"Whatever you're thinking, you're wrong," Karla said idly, not even bothering to look back at him. "I promise you, you have no idea how my world works."

Bravely.

Later classes will be more interacty, promise!

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Care and Feeding of Hirelings, 2nd Period [Session 1]

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