fandomhigh | How To Be Civilized, Friday, Period 3

When the students arrived, they found the chairs rearranged in a half-circle and with a small table to one side. An elegant Japanese tea set was placed on it, along with a basket with gloves.

"So," Seivarden said when everyone was gathered. "Welcome to the class. I'm Seivarden Vendaai, and I currently live on the island. Sadly Portalocity is a wonder of technological malfunction as it has been unable to open a portal back to my own universe, but while I'm here the school decided to invite me to teach you how to be civilized."

There had been an... argument with the moose when Seivarden had found out she had been assigned this class.

"I'm Radchaai, and one thing we do when annexing other worlds is to make sure they get the benefits of civilized life and are able to take part in society without their previous limitations. Even if you're not from my universe, I'm sure you will find this useful."

Seivarden gestured towards Tisarwat. "My TA, whom most of you probably know, is also from the Radch, and she will be happy to answer any questions you might have."

"This is the first class, so let's start off easy. Put on a pair of gloves if you haven't already," she gestured at the basket, "and you," here she gestured at one of the students, "please serve everyone some tea."

"Yes, tea. It's a fundamental part of civilization. Now, we are all lucky here, because the tea on Earth is one of the few things that are actually up to standard here, so we will be able to try out a few different kinds during this class. For today I've chosen a rather nice Yunnan tea, not a too fancy, but it would definitely work of you wanted to have a small tea party with friends whom you value but you might not have to impress. We'll get to tea parties in a later class."

"Since I don't know any of you, I would like you to tell me your name and which tea you prefer and how you usually prepare it."

Mention tea bags and you will be judged.

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To that, Tisarwat just had to smile a little. "Of course I did," she said quietly back. "You have to admit, they are very distinctly Nina, aren't they?"

Which, of course, was not answering what she knew Seivarden was really asking.

It was an answer in a roundabout way.

"I suppose they are. Well, not that I know her but she does make an impression."

Tisarwat actually did love Nina's gloves; not so much for herself (not anymore, anyway), but they were so perfect for Nina that it was hard not to enjoy them, even if they were pretty tacky and awful. It was like they were so bad they practically became good.

"She is very good at that," Tisarwat agreed with amusement. "I think it's going to be a delight having her in this class."

Honestly, knowing she'd get to look forward to Seivarden reacting to Nina every week was almost enough to make up for not getting to be in Amaya's class.

Almost.

"Unless," she added with a faint smile, "you happen to have a headache."

She was speaking from far too much personal experience on that one.

"I'm lucky that doesn't happen to me often," Seivarden said. "Have you tried the medication for that here?"

"I have," Tisarwat said, some of her amusement slipping with a faintly exasperated sigh and a shake of her head. "They're useless, of course. But where the medical technology of this place fails, there are talents and skills that people have that make up for it."

"Like what?" Seivarden said, not sure what she meant.

"Like..." Tisarwat tried to think of how best to describe it. "...some people have special healing abilities. Some people are born with them, some people learn them from training, but they can help get rid of a bruise or a cut or a headache with just the wave of a hand." She had to smile a little at that, because it was something she'd been able to take advantage of on several occasions, and from two of the people in this very class.

"Oh. Like magic?"

Seivarden knew about Peter, after all.

"It sounds useful anyway."

Why hadn't she asked Peter if he could fix her hangovers?

How To Be Civilized, Friday, Period 3

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