Laying Low for Beginners, Thursday, Period1

[uncertain_dume]

Kanan was looking far more at ease today in front of his class than he had the first time he had taught it. But then, the first time he'd taught it had been a complete surprise to him. This time, he'd actually chosen to. And so he grinned at the room before starting his lesson the exact same way he had once before.

Don't worry, he had to stray eventually.

"Let me tell you about my day yesterday." See? Had to stray eventually. "Yesterday, I made my way to the boat races, which I had been signed up for by... hell, I don't know, probably a moose. I've got a lot of odd skills under my belt, so I wasn't too worried about whether or not I'd do any good. Hell, I was paired off with a pretty big guy. Two of us rowing that boat really should have done pretty well, right? Well. We came in third to last, because instead of rowing the boat, I got a rainbow-soaked lesson in how to play rock-paper-scissors by a man who wants to put droid arms onto a fish."

He paused.

"Hell if I know why he wants to put droid arms on the fish. We might never find out."

At least he actually sounded fairly amused by the whole ordeal. He hadn't really wanted the fish anyway.

"This workshop, we're going to be putting a lot of work into improvisation," he continued. "Since a big part of laying low is how well you roll with the weird stuff, whether it's rainbow rain or arms on fish. I'm Kanan Jarrus. Yes, this is a class about avoiding notice and keeping out of trouble, and no, I'm not actually actively working on laying particularly low around the island these days. That isn't going to change my first lesson any; learn how to tell a good story. It's a skill that we'll be working on polishing over the next few weeks, among other things, but today we're going to give it a bit of a warm-up. Introductions."

You all got a break from it yesterday. No complaining. Kanan didn't know most of you anyhow.

"I'm going to want three things from you. I'm going to want your name, I'm going to want to know what you're taking this class for, and how about we hear you tell the class what it is you did yesterday. Don't be afraid to embellish, either. Have fun with any of the three of those things. This isn't quite going to be two truths and a lie, but if you do end up adding any blatant untruths, I want you to stick to it. Every time you come to my class for the rest of the summer, remember that lie you told. Commit to it. Make it your new truth. Because if you can't even keep your story straight for an hour a week for six weeks, you're gonna have a hard time doing it out there."

And had Kanan himself embellished any of what he'd said? Yes and no. But his real name wasn't anybody's business but his own, and he'd spent a decade perfecting his story to go with it.

"And if any of you storytellers has any interest in being my assistant for this class... sure, I could probably use one of those, too."

[OOC: Open! I've missed teaching with this nerd.]

Comments

Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

Your name, why you're taking this class, and what you did yesterday!

Feel free to embellish the truth wherever you wish, just make sure you stick with that embellishment through the remainder of this summer workshop. It can be small, it can be big, but you have to keep that story straight.

And if any of you are interested in being Kanan's Padawan TA for the semester, he's in the market.

Re: Introductions!

[midichlorianfail]

"Theron, this seemed like a pretty normal class." That wasn't a lie, Master Zho had left Theron with an...interesting idea of normal things to teach teenagers. "I spent yesterday trying to get all the colour off."

Re: Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

"I guess when some of the other classes involve arts and crafts with Deadpool, this one would be pretty normal," Kanan allowed after a brief pause. The kid seemed sincere enough, after all. "Have you taken other classes like this one before?"

Look, now he was curious.

Re: Introductions!

[midichlorianfail]

"Not exactly." It didn't really count as a class when you were the only student, and Theron wasn't inclined to use the words Jedi training if he could help it. "Ma- my father and I moved around too much for school."

Re: Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

There was a correction there that made Kanan's brow furrow slightly. But it wasn't nearly enough of one to make him consider following up on. Hell, he definitely wouldn't be doing so in class, even if it was.

"Lessons, then," he settled on. "I'm guessing your father did his best to teach you at least some of the basics, if this seems normal."

It was fine, Theron. 'Mother' was basically Kanan's non-Jedi codespeak for Master Billaba, too. He imagined it would have amused the hell out of her.

Re: Introductions!

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"I'm Sabine, and I didn't get a chance to sign up for any of my own classes so maybe I'm here because of a moose, too." She didn't think she was serious, but that might very well be true! "Yesterday I went to watch the races, somehow got signed up, and had to row to a restaurant island with a kid who literally blew up on me the other day. Luckily my day didn't include a complete redesign of my paint job because your weather is messed up."

Re: Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

"Yeah, I'm never going to get used to this weather," Kanan agreed. "From what I can tell, it isn't even normal weather for this planet. The island's just special, I suppose."

Weird. He meant the island was weird.

"I know you didn't sign up for it, but is there anything in particular you're hoping to get out of this class now that you're stuck with it?"

Re: Introductions!

[seriesofbaddecisions]

"I don't know," she said, after considering it for a moment. "Maybe what to do when things go wrong and a situation blows up."

Hint: don't trust Portalocity.

Re: Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

Kanan considered that, nodding.

"We'll probably cover a few different scenarios where that might be the case," he mused, "though situations can blow up in a lot of fun and unique ways. I might have to do a class on the importance of back-up plans and being willing to improvise to go with that."

Re: Introductions!

[justice_undone]

"I'm Breq. I'm taking this class because laying low could be useful in the future."

She wasn't going to elaborate on that.

"Yesterday I handwavily watched the race and got soaked in rainbow-coloured rain."

As could be expected.

Re: Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

That was fine. Kanan wasn't going to ask Breq to elaborate in class anyway; he already knew.

"Welcome aboard, Breq," he replied. "I noticed you weren't participating. Not much for boating?"

Re: Introductions!

[justice_undone]

"It's one of my favourite things," she said, her face not betraying the lie. "I felt I should let others have fun though."

Re: Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

She had an excellent sabacc face, Kanan had to hand it to her.

"You're too kind," he said, grinning. "I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't been able to compete."

What he'd done could barely be considered 'competing.'

Re: Introductions!

[meepmeepmeep]

"Meep meep meep meep," Beaker said, pointing to a nametag he'd made for himself because yesterday's had been completely covered in rainbow rain. "Meep meep meep meep meep. Meep meep meep meep--"

And on and on he went about his rowboat experience, his deep-seeded fear of sea monsters, and his confusion about what Ikea still was.

Re: Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

Kanan was trying to follow along. He really was. And hopefully he could be forgiven for squinting a little. It was in order to read the nametag, because he realized he hadn't had a kid called Meep in his class.

"Beaker," he said, finally. "It sounds like you had quite the day yesterday."

Mostly going by length of the meeping, admittedly. He was really going to have to make more of an effort to learn this kid's language.

"Have you got any experience with laying low, Beaker?"

Re: Introductions!

[meepmeepmeep]

He had zero experience laying low. ZERO.

There was more, slightly sheepish meeping to explain that he was more the type of person who accidentally exploded? Maybe? A little?

Re: Introductions!

[in_sidon_we_trust]

Oh-ho-ho, he wanted to talk about stories, did he? Sidon couldn't keep the grin of excitement off his face; sure, he was one to tell stories all the time, but they were usually quite unprompted. Combine that with his pure love for repeating the same bold introduction every single time he met someone new, and, well, it was just a perfect storm.

"I am Sidon!" he announced, perhaps even slightly more enthusiastic and bright than normal, which was, indeed, somehow possible. He flashed his shiny, toothy grin and pumped his fist, of course. "The Zora Prince! I can only imagine I am taking this class as a perhaps less-than-subtle suggestion from my adviser back home that I should be a little more cautious when it comes to charging forth into brand new, often dangerous experiences! Admittedly, he is probably not wrong in thinking I could stay to lay low a bit more, so I will be most excited to hear of any lessons you might have to impart to me and the rest of the class on this useful subject, Kanan Jarrus, hopefully ones that are a little more useful than simply not participating, because that, I am afraid, is often quite out of the question!"

He chuckled a little, though there was maybe a little sheepishness to it, since he knew it was mostly a matter of his adviser not wanting the heir to the throne to go and get himself killed over something silly like fighting an octorok from the inside out or battling with a bigger, evil version of himself from the future.

Anyway! He was still going.

"And as for what I did yesterday, I am most pleased to share that I had the wonderful privilege of going to the docks to witness the thrilling and exciting battle for glory and singing fish in the form of the superb rowboat race! I myself did not participate; I'm certain it comes to no surprise to any of you that I'd much rather be in the water than in something on top of the water, plus I rather fear I might exceed the weight limit and my partner and I would be left behind at the bottom of the sea! Oh, but I had such a marvelous time cheering everyone on! You all did so well, and I was on the very edge of my metaphorical seat the entire time! I truly could not guess who would emerge victorious, but I am quite proud to say that it was my very good friend and little sibling Norman Babcock and his teammate Khadgar that reached the island first and foremost above all the other formittable opponants! Oh, I know you yourself competed, Kanan Jarrus, and you did most spectacular, but I am sure you were so intent on your own proceeding to not have realized what an excellent contest it was! I thought for sure they might be surpassed by the red one and the angry one, for the red one certainly had the fire of desire behind his strokes, but, alas! His passion and drive could not best the determination and verve and spirit," pardon the small chuckle there, "of my friend and his teammate. They won! They beat the others to the island, and I cannot think of a more deserving champion."

He beamed almost as if he had been the one to have done it himself.

"A most excellent day, indeed. I am still positively buzzing from the spectacle of it all."

Well. You asked for a story, didn't you, Kanan? And, true, none of it was really a lie, but the embellishment part was certainly still there.

Re: Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

He had! And Kanan managed to only blink a few times as Sidon told the story. The fact that he wasn't human wasn't strange, no. Kanan was really quite used to that. But boy, could that kid talk.

"So you enjoyed it," he summarized, and then shook his head a little and laughed. "I can tell you're a fan of stories, Prince Sidon. And I promise, not all of the lessons I have to teach are going to involve sitting things out. Though they might involve some creative avoidance or some fast talking. It looks like you have that last bit handled already."

Re: Introductions!

[in_sidon_we_trust]

A visibly relieved sigh seemed to relax Sidon a little when the teacher said that they wouldn't all be just not getting involved, because, really, that truly was the worst possible solution, so lazy and uninspired and absolutely no fun at all. He had to smile.

Well, keep smiling. Smiling more.

"I like to think I'm quite good with thinking on my feet," he said, "though I'll admit, I'm probably much better at thinking on my fins."

He thought he was hilarious, too.

Re: Introductions!

[intotheout]

"Hi, I'm Gratuity Tucci," Tip said. "Aka Tip. I'm taking this class because usually when I lay low I have to make it up as I go along, so I thought maybe I'd learn how to do it properly. Except apparently doing it properly is making it up as you go along, so I guess I was doing pretty well anyway."

Sure, she'd ended up on live television addressing an entire planet one of those times she'd been laying low, but no one on this Earth had to know about that.

"I went to the boat race yesterday, too. My partner and I did pretty well." They'd come in second to last. "It helps that I was on my elementary school's crew team." The closest she'd ever come to crew was trying to survive hurricane flooding in a flying car.

Re: Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

"Good to see you here, Gratuity," Kanan said, offering her a grin and a nod. It really was, okay? "And yeah, sounds to me like you've been doing it just fine. You're still here, after all."

Which was an important part.

"How did you manage to do so well at the race, anyway? I have to admit, I was in awe."

In that she'd managed to come in one place behind him and he and Magnus had spent half the race playing rock-paper-scissors just to see who got to sit at which end of the boat.

Re: Introductions!

[intotheout]

"I can't give away all my secrets now, can I?"

She'd gotten distracted looking things up on YouTube. And then trying to protect her phone and her hair from the rainbow rain. And then . . . .

Look, there were a number of factors involved, okay?

Re: Introductions!

[thegreatmanfredo]

"I'm Manfred and this seemed like a useful class to have, in case I need it in the future. Which is likely. My grandma and I piss people off on a relatively frequent basis.

"I spent yesterday working on my website. I made two hundred dollars telling people their fortunes."

Re: Introductions!

[uncertain_dume]

"Now there's a gig," Kanan said, sounding faintly impressed. "There anything do those fortunes, or is it just a matter of telling people what it is they want to hear?"

Look, he sometimes saw bits and pieces of the future, himself. Call him curious.

Re: Introductions!

[thegreatmanfredo]

"I'm psychic, but it doesn't actually work over the internet, so it's mostly psychology," Manfred admitted. "And wording things so they have to ask a clarifying question, which of course requires an additional payment."