How To Get By In A Hostile World, Thursday

[suitably_heroic]

To look at Atton, you'd have trouble telling he'd actually gotten a lot better in the year since he last ran this class: he looked every bit as bedraggled and hungover as he felt. Still, much like last year, he had eventually managed to drag himself out of bed, and now he was standing here, eyeing over the class.

"...Welcome to We-- I mean, How To Get By In A Hostile World," he drawled. "My name is Atton Rand, I used to go to school here, so don't think I don't know what I'm talking about. Okay. If you're in this class, it's probably because you're from somewhere terrifying where you're not exactly on top of the food chain. That may mean being an unpowered person in a world full of near-gods, or somebody who has powers but not exactly the kind that'll shake the world, or maybe you're just some poor schmuck living at the bottom end trying to get by."

Beat.

"Of course, if you're just here to show off how special you are, you can get out. Now."

Another beat. He waited for anyone to get up.

"...Okay, good. Anyway, I have powers now, but I didn't use to - or at least I didn't have the training so I might as well not have had them. Growing up, there was war all around us, and the people who actually had the powers to stop it decided to sit at home and twiddle their thumbs because the situation was quote-unquote 'complicated'. I've seen worlds burn and friends die."

He took a deep breath. He needed it to keep playing casual. "The only way I made it through the first decade or so of being on my own was by thinking on my feet," he said. "Exploring the weaknesses of people stronger than me, figuring out how to squeak by unnoticed, that kind of thing. So that's the stuff we'll be covering."

Atton nodded at a random student. "Talk to me," he said. "Who are you? What situation are you facing? What are you hoping to get out of this class? That kind of thing. Introductions are useful here, because a technique is only helpful if it's tailored to your actual situation." After a pause of contemplation, he added, "...And I'm looking for a TA, so volunteer if you want. Go."

Comments

Sign In!

[suitably_heroic]

Nothing stupid here.

Re: Sign In!

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

Mabel Pines

Re: Sign In!

[good_for_six]

Isabela

Listen to the Lecture

[suitably_heroic]

Or watch your teacher surreptitiously sip from a large glass of water during the class.

... which was actually water, yes.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

Getting by was something that Mabel liked doing! On a regular basis, even! So she was paying rapt attention to the lecture. And maybe wondering if the teacher needed, like, a hug or something.

He kind of looked like it, anyway.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[kenselvren.livejournal.com]

Jalian was eyeing him with a bit of skepticism and a bit of amusement. She knew better than to underestimate him, but he seemed more like the sort of men she took advantage of than anyone who would be teaching a class.

Introductions!

[suitably_heroic]

Who are you? What situation are you facing? What are you hoping to get out of this class?

Re: Introductions!

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

"I'm Mabel Pines," Mabel announced, actually taking a moment to strike a pose, yes. "And while there isn't really a 'situation-'" Yes, there were air-quotes. "-right now, my brother Dipper and I have been through a lot of pretty crazy pretty dangerous stuff in this weird little town in Oregon where our Grunkle Stan lives. Now that we're here, where things are also kind of weird, just, maybe less often, I figured it would be a good idea to brush up on my survival skills!"

And not just with her grappling hook.

Re: Introductions!

[suitably_heroic]

... Well, this one was cheerful. Atton managed not to wince about it by sheer feat of 'bedraggled stoic face'. "Yeah?" he said. "What kind of dangerous stuff happened out there? What are you used to?"

Re: Introductions!

[good_for_six]

"Isabela, and you could say I'm in a transitional period." That was one way to put it. "A girl can't have too many tricks up her sleeve."

Even when she didn't actually have sleeves.

Re: Introductions!

[suitably_heroic]

"Most people can't have too many tricks up their sleeves," Atton said, shrugging lightly. "Anything in particular you want to know about?"

Re: Introductions!

[myfaireggsy.livejournal.com]

"M'name is Eggsy," he said with little jerk of his chin in greeting. "Ain't got a war going on or nothing, just the usual shit. Thought the class might be fun."

For reasons.

Re: Introductions!

[suitably_heroic]

"Yeah?" said Atton. "Humor me and elaborate on the usual shit anyway."

Re: Introductions!

[sarcastic-vamp.livejournal.com]

Carmilla wasn't too sure she wasn't a special snowflake who should get up and leave, since technically she was at the top of the food chain...with a few exceptions. But she shrugged and stayed.

"Carmilla," she said. "My home has its dangers, and I'd prefer to survive them."

Re: Introductions!

[suitably_heroic]

Yet another one that wasn't really going into specifics. Atton repressed a sigh. "Anything in particular you're afraid of?" he said.

Re: Introductions!

[omgnochecksyet]

"Eric Bittle," he introduced himself. "I enjoy figure skating, baking, and Beyonce..." look, he wasn't just listing his hobbies, that was relevant. "All of which make for a pretty hostile world when that world is small-town Georgia. So I'm lookin' for other ways to, ah, deal with that." Beyond collapsing to the ground and covering any sensitive bits, anyway.

Re: Introductions!

[suitably_heroic]

... Hey, well, that was new.

"So you want to learn how to deal with bullies," Atton surmised. "Huh. I'm sure we can figure something out." He tilted his head. "What do you usually do?"

Re: Introductions!

[kenselvren.livejournal.com]

"Jalian d'Arsennette." She kept a close eye on Atton, trying to determine how much he could be trusted and how useful he could be. (It wasn't anything personal; he was just an unknown quantity.)

"I need to stop Armageddon. I will take any help I can get."

Re: Introductions!

[suitably_heroic]

Hey, now. That was interesting. Atton hadn't gotten a look like that in a long time. So the kid was smart enough to distrust him, but not smooth enough to keep that under wraps.

"That's a pretty tall order," he said. "Any specific kind of Armageddon you're looking at?"

Re: Introductions!

[bearmaidenfair]

"Vider Bearskin," Vider said. "I'm a berserker, which is a kind of warrior that means most people in my world consider me a grenade about to go off, and I'm the only female one alive, which means having to deal with a bunch of guys all the time. Oh, and a lot of people assume that because I signed on for it I'm a particular kind of racist and hidebound jackass Odinist, but I'm not and I never signed on to follow Odin anyway." Odin seemed fine with that, or Vider would have way more problems. She wasn't even getting into the situation with Loki.

"I don't know what I'm hoping to get out of this class," she admitted. "Something that will help me deal with my new colleagues when I graduate, maybe."

Re: Introductions!

[suitably_heroic]

"Well, I have a friend who's got a very thorough take on how to deal with guys," Atton offered. "Of course, it depends on how you feel about kicking someone in the balls. Personally, I'm not in favor."

When they were his, anyway.

Re: Introductions!

[giveherahand]

"I'm Mara Jade," Mara said, "and I live on Imperial Center when I'm not here, so I spend a lot of time surrounded by politicians and military commanders. I want to learn how to navigate without getting trampled by the bigger players."

Re: Introductions!

[suitably_heroic]

Imperial Center?

"Hey, Mara," Atton said, nodding. "See, now there's a situation I know pretty well. How do you keep bumping into these guys?"

Talk to the Teacher

[suitably_heroic]

If you want to get him a painkiller or offer your services as a TA or something.

This is probably the last time you'll see him this bedraggled in quite this way. Don't exploit it.

OOC

[suitably_heroic]