furnaceface: (Default)
Jono Starsmore ([personal profile] furnaceface) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2012-08-31 08:12 am

Living on the Outskirts, Friday, Period 2

When the students made their way to the classroom for Jonothon's first ever class on the island (and really, what the hell had he been thinking when he had decided he could do this?!) they'd see that the setup for the room was a little on the informal side. Jono had given up on desks, having decided that they were anathema in a class that was supposed to be about making antisocial teens just get over themselves and socialize, already. In their place, sofas. Loveseats. A few bean-bag chairs if people so desired.

And a requisite shadowy corner. Big enough for one. Because he was a brat and wanted to see if any of his students would give one another dirty looks over it. He liked to think he knew their type, for some reason or other.

"Congratulations. If you're here, you've either decided that you're sick of standing in the shadowy corners, or else whoever it is that wrote your schedule for you has decided that you need to get the hell out of them. If it's the former, I hope I don't disappoint. If it's the latter, then I hope you don't disappoint. If you haven't noticed by now just by looking at me, yes, I do have some passing experience with not quite fitting in among my peers." Understatement was fun and educational! "My name is Jonothon Starsmore. You may call me Professor Starsmore if you wish, though I'll likely give you a strange look for it. Jono is just fine, informal though it might be. Everyone else calls me that, you might as well too."

Why mess with something if it worked, right?

"An entire week of classes is nearly out of the way, and I'm certain you're all sick and bloody tired of introductions, but there are half a million of you in here, and I'm going to need to know what to call you if you want to get an attendance mark and pass this course." This course on playing nice with others, yes. "So. Names. Year, if you feel so inclined. And a little something about what it is I'm to be working with, here. Tell me what it is that you feel puts you on the outskirts. Why you feel as though you'll never quite fit in, or what makes your life harder than everyone else's. You're most likely all teenagers. There's a good start. I haven't met a teenager yet who doesn't feel at least slightly as though their life is a ball of misery and darkness so bleak that the sun might never shine through the despair that simply waking from day to day brings them. I know how it works. I used to be a teen, myself. And what you share with the class doesn't have to be anything utterly horrible. If your biggest complaint is that you have to sit here and listen to a large grey British man lecture you about what it's like to be a teen, then that will do just fine."

His grin took on a slightly playful twist to it, perhaps a little in spite of himself.

"And then I want you to talk with your classmates, the people who have just introduced themselves to you, and give them one bright side. Even if that bright side is just that they woke up this morning with all of their body parts still attached.

"Oh, and..." Jono glanced at his class roster. "Surreal and Cade. Congratulations. You have been selected at random for the right to complain that you've just been drafted into a semester of extra responsibility as my TAs. If it's any consolation, that means you get to sit in the recliners near the back of the room, today."

Lucky them.


[Open!]
notalender: (Default)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] notalender 2012-09-01 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh? Do you borrow things, too?"
walkswithcoyote: (Pensive black and white)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] walkswithcoyote 2012-09-01 05:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"Me? No. But... there are things back home that, well, that people do that maybe not everyone would understand. Unless you grew up that way." It was getting harder in this place to just not come out and explain what she was.
notalender: (Default)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] notalender 2012-09-01 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"Like what?" Arietty wasn't super good at social cues, no.
walkswithcoyote: (Thoughtful)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] walkswithcoyote 2012-09-01 09:07 pm (UTC)(link)
"Um, well..." What to say, what to say? "Well, you know like some people have maybe different traditions for what you eat at holidays. We, well, there are times of the month that instead of cooking a regular dinner we have fresh rabbit. Or deer."

Really fresh. Really really> fresh.
notalender: (Default)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] notalender 2012-09-01 11:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh! I have a friend back home who likes to carry around rat." She shot a glance down towards Eggletina. "I don't like to talk about that, either."
walkswithcoyote: (Smiling long hair)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] walkswithcoyote 2012-09-02 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
Carries around... Okay then.

"I can imagine," Mercy said. "Each to their own, I guess. As long as you're not hurting anyone."
notalender: (Default)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] notalender 2012-09-02 01:58 am (UTC)(link)
"It's dried," Arietty felt the need to explain. "Like jerky. Only hairy."

Spiller was kind of special.
walkswithcoyote: (Arms crossed)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] walkswithcoyote 2012-09-02 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
"Ah... okay."

What did you say to that anyway.

"All right then. So... how did you end up in Fandom anyway."
notalender: (Default)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] notalender 2012-09-02 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm not really sure. I was exploring the tunnels around the Underground -- that's the borrower city, under London -- and I fell through a hole, and somehow ended up landing on Frank at the picnic."
walkswithcoyote: (Default)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] walkswithcoyote 2012-09-02 02:20 am (UTC)(link)
"I suppose that's one way to get here," Mercy said. "What about your family, though."
notalender: (Default)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] notalender 2012-09-02 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
"I guess Mum and Dad are still back home under James' clock. They know I'm out adventuring. Hopefully, I'll find another hole to fall through in time for the holiday."
walkswithcoyote: (Sad black and white)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] walkswithcoyote 2012-09-02 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
"I'll pray for that to happen," Mercy said quietly.
notalender: (Default)

Re: Before Class!

[personal profile] notalender 2012-09-02 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
Arietty nodded quietly. "Thank you."