merciful_parable: (Default)
Pastor Carter ([personal profile] merciful_parable) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2018-08-27 05:51 am

How to Make Friends & Influence People | 4th Period | Monday

Carter bustled around the room, doing a fair impression of someone trying not to wring their hands (he was totally trying not to wring his hands) as he straightened the cushions that he and Fjord had settled on for the first class, rather than the usual desks and chairs, and tripled checked that his cookies were all neatly set out and that there was paper plates and napkins enough for everyone.

At least the sugar cookies with edible glitter on them, as per Summer’s suggestion, had turned out quite nicely. He was indebted to Summer, really....

He paused as he realized that, somewhere in all his quiet fussing, the class had filled up. And… And Fjord wasn’t here.

Oh. Well. That meant…

Carter straightened, looking a bit flustered as he did so. “Hello, everyone,” he said, feeling a bit overwhelmed at the very idea of teaching. “I am Pastor Carter, one of your teachers for, er, ‘How to Make Friends and Influence People’.”

Goddess, but that sounded terrible. It really did.

"I’ve baked everyone cookies today, so please, help yourselves. There’s also sheet of paper on the table, so if you have any food allergies, I would ask that you note them there." He smiled a bit anxiously. "I shouldn’t want to make something one or more of you couldn’t enjoy!"

That was right about the moment a short, wiry red-haired elf man bustled into the room, hair mussed, glasses perched akimbo on his nose. In his arms he was clutching a stack of books and papers, dropping them every which way as he went, only to fumble the whole lot of it onto the teacher's desk, muttering apologies under his breath in a thick German Zemnian accent the entire way.

"Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to be late, I hope I didn't miss anything, excuse me, pardon me..." He looked up all of a sudden, noticed the students on the cushions, then looked at Carter and seemed to startle for a moment. "Oh, oh dear. Am I in the correct room? This is the lesson about first impressions, is it not?"

Carter was… absolutely, and completely, out of his depth here. And totally flabbergasted by the appearance of someone who seemed to be lost. “I’m afraid not,” he ventured, after a moment. “This is about making friends, and today is introductions.”

"Ah, well..." The elf man straightened up a little, reached to straighten his glasses on his nose, and then said in a deep, strong, confident drawl that was totally counterpoint to the voice he'd been using just a moment before, "I do believe the two are rather thoroughly intertwined, Pastor. The right first impression and a strong introduction can both make a great deal of difference down the road."

Carter paused. Then kept on pausing.

"... Fjord?" he asked, rather doubtfully.

"It's the hair, isn't it? The messy hair is probably a bit too much." The elf raised a hand, and then everything around him seemed to shift for just a moment, leaving in his place a much larger, much greener individual, wearing leather armor and a comparatively easy smile. "Apologies, Pastor. I thought I might do a little something to make a point about first impressions for the students, is all."

Disguise Self was a perfectly valid teaching tool.

The apology helped to mollify him, though Carter was not particularly comfortable with either the lack of forewarning nor the fact that his co-teacher had thought to lie to the students on the first day.

"You did make a point," Carter agreed, rather mildly.

Fjord cast him a bit of a curious look at that, but turned to look at the students before speaking again. If he'd overstepped a boundary, he'd make a point to ask the man after class, rather than in the middle of the lecture.

"With any luck, I made the right one," he noted, crouching down to pick a few sheets of paper from the floor. "As the good Pastor has already said, I'm Fjord, your other instructor for this class. Today we'll be covering introductions, and keeping mindful about how we approach those introductions as we do them." He glanced at Carter, smiling wryly. "I imagine we both made very different first impressions. Taking a moment to compare what did and didn't work about either would make for a good exercise, after you've given us your names and a little something about you, perhaps."

Carter glanced at Fjord for a moment, then smiled at the class, as he said, "and, please, feel free to converse with your fellow students as the introductions go on. After all, you should all get to know one another during the course of this class."
unusual_sith: (thinking)

Re: Introduce Yourselves!

[personal profile] unusual_sith 2018-08-27 08:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Lana thought about it for a moment. "Which do I enjoy more? Dromund Kaas, no question. But I learned a lot of necessary things on Korriban; I'd never have given it up even if I could."
in_sidon_we_trust: (confident talking)

Re: Introduce Yourselves!

[personal profile] in_sidon_we_trust 2018-08-27 10:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"Now that," said Sidon eagerly, "I can understand! Because while I have learned a great many things here in Earth and have had so many wonderful experiences, but I would choose Hyrule over it every single time. The whole thought that I might never have experienced Earth...the thought is just loathsome!" He shook his head, showing his distaste for the idea for a moment before laughing it off. "What is it about Dromund Kaas that you like the best? And is there anything in particular you're hoping to get from your time here in Earth?"

Introduction were for getting to know people, were they not? So he was going to get to know people, dammit!
unusual_sith: (half in shadow)

Re: Introduce Yourselves!

[personal profile] unusual_sith 2018-08-27 11:54 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't know that I could point to only one thing," Lana said. "What do you prefer about your homeworld?"
in_sidon_we_trust: (look to the side)

Re: Introduce Yourselves!

[personal profile] in_sidon_we_trust 2018-08-28 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
"Water," Sidon said, without even missing a beat. "Life here on land is just so dry. I've grown much more accustomed to it over the years, and there is the ocean, but it gets far too cold to swim during the winters. I...admit I have some strong reservations about going through another winter here, but if I've preserved through one, I know I can manage another, especially since I'll be much better prepared.

"And mountains," he added after a slight, thoughtful pause, and he chuckled. "Yang and I...that's the bright blonde over there with all the hair...were just discussing with each other at the picnic how there are no mountains here tall enough for a good waterfall climb or a cliff dive!

"My people, as well, and being around other Zora, but I should think that goes without saying."

Because, for as many friends as he had, he could still get so terribly lonely out here...
unusual_sith: (smile in profile)

Re: Introduce Yourselves!

[personal profile] unusual_sith 2018-08-28 12:34 am (UTC)(link)
Lana chuckled. "You would detest Korriban, then. It has some very tall mountains, but the entire world is an arid desert."

Lana both missed other Sith and didn't. It was odd and a bit lonely, but so far the other students seemed much less inclined toward murder.