An hour after the start of the Jaunt, asking important questions

[naturaltwohands]

... I suspect these questions may be on the minds of others, and it is on mine because it obvious differs much from the one of my childhood:

What is it like to attend a school? What should we know about it? What is expected of us? Are our studies canceled right now?

Comments

[helborn]

... I only know how the Canadian and American school systems function, but you basically study a lot of subjects and take a lot of tests. They're mostly like math and science and history and stuff like that.

[Private]

And usually you get picked on a lot if you're different at all, because kids are assholes and teachers are often useless.

[Bitter, who's bitter?]

[naturaltwohands]

That's already far better than my previous experience. What sort of tests? Tests of skill?

[Private]

... Well, if that happens, I will simply teach them that is a very bad idea. If drow children will not mess with me, I doubt human children will mess with me, either.

[helborn]

Uh. Not really. More memorizing things. Like if you were taking a history test, you might have to answer questions as to what were the causes of this or that war, or who was the prime minister during such and such period... the only sort of 'tests of skill' were in gym and that was more 'can you meet the minimum requirement for this physical task?' sort of thing.

[Private]

I can probably handle myself on that point now, though I'm going to try to not blow our cover. We don't need people finding holes in the doors here, too.

[naturaltwohands]

[With a faint bit of horror to it.]

... I am nearly seven decades old, and none of my experiences have prepared me for taking such tests.

[Private]

If you wish, I could teach you Martial Arts. My moves are of a way to use the enemy's body against them, and there are ways to minimize injuries to an opponent. Just enough to encourage a bully to think before they do such a thing the next time.

[helborn]

You'll be okay. I can help you study or... at least figure out how to give them some of the answers they want. I'm not good at some subjects though, but I bet other people are.

[Private]

Might be helpful. I don't have real formal training, just learning by experience and 'oh yeah that looks like it hurt that guy pretty bad'.

[naturaltwohands]

I would greatly appreciate your help. I'm prepared for war, battle, and living in the wilds, not--[A long pause.]--tests.

[Private]

Then let us meet up sometime. It is a skill I can transfer to you quickly. It is the same as other skills that we pick up on other worlds.

[helborn]

You'll be okay. I'll help you through things. And we can talk to each other psychically, we can cheat.

[Private]

Sure. Just let me know. ... I'm not all that worried, it's just... yeah. Things from when you grew up stick with you.

[naturaltwohands]

I do not like cheating. [Drizzt be reasonable.]

[Private]

I will. [Sadness.] Indeed, they do. That is what I am afraid of. At least I will not have to worry of assassination attempts here?

[helborn]

It's not like our grades are going to count...

[Private]

Oh, believe me, if someone actually killed you then they'd have more than just you coming back to worry about.

[... Casper that tone is distinctly Not Okay.]

[naturaltwohands]

To you, they do not. But I cannot just... let myself fail.

[Oh no, he's a perfectionist.]

[Private]

Easy, Casper. [There's some amusement.] I will not die so quickly. I have yet to even have my life threatened here.

[Other than in Daneel's dungeon, hilariously enough. But Daneel's dungeon protected him.]

[helborn]

Drizzt, come on. We have to figure out what's going on, we don't have time for homework.

[Private]

Good. If you die I'm gonna punch your ghost.

[naturaltwohands]

I have enough time to do both, I suspect.

[Private]

... that would be a bit rude.

[Private]

[helborn]

Yeah, it would be. So don't die on me.

[Private]

[naturaltwohands]

I will do my best not to; I've been alive for nearly seven decades, and I fully intend to keep on living.