Chapter 15: Back To School

Sapphire had been helping out in the kitchen and was making her way back to her room to rest a little. when she opened the door she found that in preparations for his first class, Tom had stripped himself of all harmful or delicate objects. And he had put it all in Sapphire's room, without permission... Needless to say, she wasn’t pleased with this. What had been more disturbing was that the door had been locked, and was locked again when she returned, so locks apparently didn’t slow him down much either. It didn’t look like he had touched anything at least just left his things in a neat little pile. In the middle of the room…

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This was a weird feeling, he was about to start school again. His first experience with starting school hadn’t gone brilliantly. He had been a weirdo for much of his life, especially in the backwater school of his hometown. He hadn't played sports and was more interested in cars, tanks, and books about science fiction and fantasy. As he made his way to the library where Sapphire had shown him the class would be held. He couldn’t help but feel like he was going to be even weirder this time. Why did the thought of being bullied by someone he could squash with ease bother him so much? Or perhaps it was the fact he had technically broken into a woman’s bedroom, but with their pathetic locks, it was hardly more difficult than just opening the door. But he had needed a safe space for his things, and he was yet to get a place to sleep himself, so far he had stayed in the infirmary, but that couldn’t last and he certainly couldn’t store his weapons there.

As he stood in front of the door to the library, he heard some way too exciting-sounding noises coming from behind him. He had learned enough Draconic to make out “Big friend” as he turned a single kid was already in a running leap for him. The kid was about the size of a small dog, not the smallest he had seen but still pretty small. It latched onto his leg and hugged tight, it was quite possibly the cutest thing he had ever seen. The eyes and ears were oversized, the wings were too small so it probably couldn’t fly yet. As Tom stood there pondering what the correct action was in this situation the door opened behind him. “Feeling happy.” It had come from behind him, at least Tom thought that was what had been said.

he turned back to see a bemused looking Apuma in his long dragging coat, white-ish gray and blue as was clearly fashion around here. Apuma was quite a bit shorter than Tom around 165 cm without the horns which came up to about eye level. He looked almost like a Grandpa welcoming Tom into his house, even if Tom didn’t have a clue how old the guy was. The kid let go and sprinted inside and Tom followed after, well this didn’t feel like bullying, he thought to himself.

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As Sapphire laid in her room pondering what to do with all the time she now had on her hands, she found herself bored out of her mind. There was simply nothing for her to do, she couldn’t even clean with her crutches. She had elected that the most interesting thing she could do was watch Tom try to fit into a class of children. That ought to be good fun she mused and made her way towards the library. Besides, she would like some payback too after all.

The scene that greeted her more than met her expectations. Sitting on the ground with his legs folded, he was the largest being in the room, he had two kids in his lap, and one on his head. All eyes were pointed at the board, where Apuma was currently going through the alphabet.

“So? what’s the topic for the day.” She said, all eyes turning to her as she let her presence be known. The answer was a mixed cacophony of kids trying to greet her, tell her to be quiet, and explain what they had been learning. Apuma had just let out a sigh, resigned to the fact this it would take some time before he could continue.

Tom had looked a bit worried, and Sapphire had served him with a look that indicated he was right to worry. He had just pointed to one of the kids in his lap as if he wasn’t guilty of whatever crime he was being accused of. Or perhaps he was worried about the kids? Hard to tell.

“Thought I might as well drop in, to see how the old man is treating you.”

“Hey, I’m not that old!”

“How old?” Tom had joined in

“Well, I’m a mere 92 why thank you.”

“Old.” Tom had gone in response, too much amusement of a few of the children, who also joined in telling the world just how old they were. Kiran who was currently perched on top of Toms’s head had let out “I’m three, I am big.” Prompting Tom to pick Kiran up in his hands and bring him down in front of his face, looking quizzical “Three?”

“Yes Tom Kiran has just started he is just over three years old.” Apuma had clarified.

“Grow fast.” Tom had just answered. Then put Kiran back on his head, seemingly perfectly content with the passenger.

“I am big, yay warm soft.” Kiran had let out upon being set down again into Tom’s hair.

“Oh yeah.” Sapphire had said, seeming to remember something, “I don’t recall ever getting the chance before.” She hobbled over and ruffled Toms’s hair “So soft!” Looking at all the children with a fiendish smile on her face. This had seemingly been the excuse half of the classroom was waiting for as they all came running over to touch Tom’s hair.

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Not again... Tom’s hair was once again under attack, this time by a group of excited children, led by a trained Aerial huntress, he didn’t stand a chance. He wondered if this was her way of punishing him, for putting his things in her room, without the key… yeah that seemed likely.

She had at least tried to prevent the little ones from pulling too much on his hair. Even if it wasn’t entirely successful. In his hour of need, Kiran had proven a valuable ally, defending his nest fiercely. Tom had gone for a fighting retreat focusing on keeping enemy ground forces from climbing up using his height advantage, with Kiran picking up the slack. The strategy had failed when Tom hit a step and fell over backward, after some rolling on the floor while being swarmed by enemy combatants. Kiran had been forced to surrender his position. With all positions overrun and currently in the hands of the children Apuma had stepped in, to restore order.

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Tom was lying on his back laughing like a maniac when Apuma had stepped in and put a stop to the games before someone got hurt. Sapphire couldn’t blame the old man, it had been a spectacular fight, little Kiran had acquitted himself with valor she thought. It was clear that quite a bit of Dakota had gotten through into him. Even at that age, he showed no fear.

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“This is supposed to be a classroom, not a sparring ring.” Apuma had gone around the room, getting everybody back to their places. "By the gods behave yourselves for once. Well, Saph if you are gonna so rudely interrupt my class, you might as well make yourself useful. What about a story to get everyone to calm down.”

“I guess I can do that.” Sapphire made her way over to a chair sitting down and getting comfortable.

"Yay real story!" Kiran let out, prompting an overly hurt look from Apuma.

“Let's go with the little deer in the woods today, shall we?” The children were quick to quiet down in anticipation of the story to come. Even Tom seemed to understand what was going on and turned to Sapphire.

“Once upon a time there was a young deer bounding through the woods with its mother. It was a happy little deer, hopping around without a care in the world. While playing around it had spotted a little jackalope, the little deer had chased it hoping to make a new friend. As the two bounded through the woods, the jackalope found a hole and hid from the little deer, for it didn’t want to play. The deer was sad, it had hoped to make a new friend to play with. As it looked around, it could not see where it was. For it hadn't been here before. It couldn’t see its mother either.”

“Ohh nooo” it came from little Kiran

“The little deer began running through the woods again calling out, searching, for it had lost its mother. It did not know where it had lost her. It had just been playing and suddenly she was gone!” There was much gasping and murmuring from her audience.

“The little deer had searched and searched all day but it found no sign of its mother. The little deer had gotten very sad and laid down, not sure what to do. Its mother always knew what to do, but it couldn’t find her”

“It laid there for some time, not knowing what to do, trying to think. Until it noticed it was getting dark soon. The little deer had gotten up in a big hurry trying to find a place to hide for the night. Its mother had always told it, you needed to hide at night. For that is when the wolves come, both big and small”

Sapphire thought she had done a quite good job of building a sense of suspense. As she looked around most of the kids seemed to be on the edge of their seats. Some of the youngest even hid behind someone larger, a few had chosen Tom of course, and Kiran had crawled down into Tom’s arms now and was listening intently eyes wide.

“The little deer found a little bush to hide in, it thought it was safe for the night, that no one would find it. But sadly it was mistaken... For as the night drew on the wolves caught the scent of the little deer, and followed it to the little bush”

“The little deer heard snarling in the night and knew it had been found. Its little heart sank with dread for it knew the wolves would kill it.” Kiran let out a little snarl and Tom, seeming absent-minded, began petting the young dragonette, as if to calm him down.

“The little deer turned to run, it came out of its bush and ran as fast as it could, bounding through the wood. But it could hear the wolves running behind it, catching up, getting closer. The little deer was already tired having searched all day for its mother. As the wolves howled a terrifying howl into the night. Aawuuuuuuu... The little deer began to cry as it ran, it just wanted to find its mother, and now it was going to get eaten. It just wasn’t fast enough to get away.” Anatashi, one of the young girls hiding behind Tom began to cry too. Resulting in Tom reaching around to put her in his lap, and starting to pet her as well.

“But as the deer ran, it heard a mighty ROAR,” Sapphire did her best to sound fearsome as she roared at the children. Even Tom seemed taken aback by this, she mused to herself. Trying her best not to giggle.

“The roar came from above, and a strange being came down in front of the little deer. The little deer froze, looking at the bright green eyes looking down at it. The wolves had come running, yapping and howling through the night. But with a swift strike from the being, the first wolf had gone running into the dark, squealing like a little piglet.” There was much rejoicing among the children, Kiran letting out the cutest little roar.

“As the other wolves circled them, snarling at the little deer and the strange being with bright green eyes. They yapped and howled at the two, trying to scare them. Then a pointy stick had hit one of the wolves in the side. The little deer, jumped with glee, as the wolves howled in pain, and they all went running out into the night. Not to be seen again.” More rejoicing had come from the children. Some of them trying to sound like a scared wolf, while others laughed.

“The strange being with the bright green eyes had smiled at the little deer and told it to run off now. For it still needed to find its mother. And so the little deer ran through the wood once more, calling for its mother, and the very next day, the worried mother had found her little deer. Having looked everywhere for it. To this day the little deer still looks to the sky trying to catch a glimpse of the being with the bright green eyes. And every once in a while, it sees a pair of wings flying high above the trees...”

the kids had all let out little roars of approval and beat their wings little. Tom had begun smacking his hands together, seeming to have enjoyed the story too. It earned him some strange looks until he stopped looking around realizing no one was hitting themselves. He had said something to himself apparently a tad confused.

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Tom had done his best to try and follow the story, but it was damned hard, but he had gotten the gist of it. He squinted hard at sapphire, he wondered if that story was entirely made up or not. The roar certainly seemed real enough, she sounded more like an angry tiger than a person. Also, clapping was apparently not a shared cultural trait, that was quite, awkward.

Little Kiran and the girl who had started crying halfway, were now both in his lap, curled around each other, seeming quite content with the world. Tom had quickly learned the fact that he was warm all the time was very comfortable for the cold-blooded dragonettes. Tom had never actually had much to do with kids. He was an only child and had not felt the need to be a play uncle before. So when the little critters had become upset, he didn’t really know what to do. Besides who is to say human children and little dragonette respond the same.

So he had begun petting them like you would a cat or dog, it had seemed to work, and even after they had calmed down, they were remarkably okay with it. So he had just kept going. It was a weird experience to be sure, both funny and relaxing. Now though he found himself with two sleeping dragonettes in his lap, and Apuma was apparently intending to get back to the lesson. Sapphire had just moved to a different chair over in a corner and was watching him gleefully. What to do, what to do?

He couldn’t wake them up, that would be like moving a sleeping cat, not allowed, wait, is that racist? Or speceist… Goddammit!

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“Well someone has gotten comfortable I see?” Apuma glaring at Tom clearly amused

“Sorry.” Had been Tom’s response

“Well, you're not the one sleeping in my class now, are you? perhaps we should make you tuck them in at night, you seem quite adept. I couldn't get Kiran to sleep that quickly if I tried especially after one of Sapphire's little stories.”

"I think your inadvertent efforts are more effective anyway Apuma" Sapphire piped up getting up to move to a chair in the corner.

"Hey, that isn't called for! Just because my stories come from books doesn't mean they are boring in the slightest."

Tom had tilted his head at this probably not understanding everything that was being said.

“Child, care” Sapphire had clarified. Tom looked downright horrified at the realization “Ohh come now that isn't a bad job, perhaps you would rather be stuck on breakfast duty?”

Tom seemed to consider for longer than Sapphire would have thought before answering “Me, nanny?”

“Well if it is a nanny's job to help look after children then yes. Besides, you need a place to sleep.” All eyes had turned to look at Tom to see if they would all be getting a new sleeping buddy

Tom had been silent for a long while longer before nodding. “Okay.” And with that, the class was back into chaos. It had at least woken up Tom’s two sleepy charges, and after a few minutes of running around Apuma had gotten the class back into order with a bit of help from Sapphire and Tom.