[PRP Belrea] One Room Schoolhouse [Era/Percy]

[Fluffesu]

Zenner's schoolhouse did not look like much of anything Percivle had expected it to be, when his parents had informed he and his brother that they were old enough to attend classes with other children their age. He'd assumed that it must be quite a sizable place, and maybe it would be far enough to the town's western edge that they could see the airport and watch as the airships took off. He'd decided then that he was excited for school, excited to meet other children his age, and excited for airships. Surely, if they were to be so close, they might even get to ride one all across Belrea.

That must be the true purpose of schools, definitely.

But what he saw with his eyes was not exactly what his mind had envisioned. The schoolhouse just looked like a little box of a home, very ordinary, and very dull. The 'children' were not all exactly his age, such that they looked to range from around his age to several years older than him. And there were no airships, not even faraway steam like they could potentially be close.

Percy looked from the schoolhouse and the people filtering in, back to his Momma's face with a frown of disappointment. "I don't want to go," he decided at length. Though he wasn't especially unadventurous, and it hadn't taken any time to convince him that he might like to try learning away from home, the look of the place was already uninteresting enough that Percy couldn't help but think he'd more more content continuing on with his normal routine. "We'll stay at home. You can teach us. You're smart, and we'll be very good. Promise..."

"Nonsense, Percivle," Naarhiji huffed as he patted his boy's head and passed off a bag of supplies to each of his children in turn. "I didn't get to finish school when I was your age, so you'll have to go on and tell me everything you've learned when you return-"

"Wait, you aren't coming too," he prompted, his frown becoming more exaggerated.

"No, I-"

Percivle's arm snatched out to snare Era's in half a heartbeat, as though frightened his brother wasn't planning on sticking around either, as Percy whispered, "Momma isn't coming," over anything else his mother had to say. He'd never been in such a situation where he wouldn't be able to reach either of his parents immediately, and if Momma wasn't here, did that mean he would go home? They'd walked here, and Percy would be lost if he tried to do that alone. Maybe Erasmus would know the way, but maybe he wouldn't, and they might be separated forever... What if Momma forgot the retrieve them, or what if he had no intention to at all.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Erasmus did not want to meet other children. He had had limited experience with them, being raised predominantly by his parents with his brother and only having had brief occasions to encounter them, mostly in the course of minor expeditions or events involving Madam Vanariah. But from his limited experience he thought he had determined to a reasonable degree of certainty that he didn’t like other children. He had Percivle and his parents for company and that was just the right amount. Other children were loud, selfish, frustrating exterior sources of unwelcome discomfort. They didn’t have anything to offer him that he didn’t already have better of.

Neither of his parents had understood. He had attempted to re-explain, but after the first several, they had not wanted to hear it. It will be fine. It will be fun. You’ll like it. It won’t be as bad as you think. These and various other platitudes had been offered, but all fell on more or less deaf ears.

He knew what was fine and fun and what he liked, and this wasn’t going to be it.

But Percivle at least was excited initially, and Erasmus didn’t want to dampen his enjoyment at least. For Percivle’s sake and because he didn’t seem to have much choice in the matter regardless, he would go, and he did very much hope it was more in line with sort of fun Percivle hoped for than anything else. Being near airships at least would be interesting, and perhaps after a little while Percivle would realize the other children weren’t as much fun as he was and it wouldn’t be so bad.

As soon as Percivle’s enthusiasm for the place began to visibly diminish upon seeing the actual building, Erasmus’ distaste for the place further cemented. It was noisy. He could see the other children running about, and already imagine their voices, piping up, thinking they knew best on every topic under the sun. Percy’s arm snatched up his. He glanced his brother’s way.

Momma isn’t coming…

He glanced up to Momma. He felt a stirring of upset — Don’t you see? You’re upsetting him… — but clearly neither Momma nor Daddy would understand until they really saw, and at the moment, the schoolhouse felt more offensive to him than cause for the deep concern Percy showed. The last thing he wanted was his little brother afraid. So, he notched his chin up a bit and gave his brother’s hand a squeeze. “It’s alright,” he said. “It isn’t so far from home, and I’ll sit right next to you, okay? You don’t even have to let go.”

Whether or not that would be feasible as they made it into school was another matter, but for now it sounded like a good plan.

Malikai joined in. “It won’ be all so long either,” he encouraged. “An’ maybe you’ll make some friends, mm? Your momma and I will be back before you know it. You may not even want to leave by then you’ll be having so much fun.”

Era tried and failed to resist scrunching his nose. Maybe Percy would make friends. He looked forward to the ‘going home’ part and hadn’t the faintest doubt that a few hours of ‘new experience’ wouldn’t change that.  

[Fluffesu]

The Only Black Uke

Did everyone leave their children behind, here, in this place? Percivle fixed his focus back on the building, purple eyes scanning the scene before him before deciding that yes, it did seem like it. There were only a handful of adults as compared to kids, and they generally only stood beside the youngest of any given group, as his parents were. He didn't think he wanted to stand out as strange to his potential new friends, in light of the amount of time they could be spending together. It would be weird if he was the only one among them with his parents trailing at his back. Most of the others didn't even look as they had the equivalent of an Era at their sides... Percy bit the inside of his cheek and glanced to his father instead.

He couldn't say how long 'won't be all so long' would actually take, but he was skeptical. At least his father wouldn't lie to him if he knew better, but did he? Did he know better? Percivle couldn't decided that for certain, either. Because if Momma hadn't finished school, he'd be hard-pressed to believe Daddy had...

And Erasmus had not seemed pleased about this from the beginning. Percy might have even said 'vehemently displeased,' if he'd known the words for it. Though he'd felt confident at first, now that he was here, in front of the building, Percy was starting to understand where his brother might've been coming from. They didn't really need this kind of adventure in their lives, when there'd be other opportunities for-

Then Era was squeezing his hand and looking up with a fraction more confidence than Percy himself felt. Not that his older twin had ever looked so much afraid, rather than dissatisfied or annoyed. Percivle shifted so that he could twine his fingers more securely against his brother's and gave a tiny, mute nod of acceptance. Era would be there. If everything else turned into a horrible, treacherous mess, if the children were obnoxious, rude, and messy, and even with no airships, at least Erasmus would be there.

"You'll be here- right here when we're out?" Percy demanded up to his mother. At Naarhiji's nod, Percy huffed softly and gave a roll of his shoulders. "Okay," he agreed. "We can try it today, I guess..."

Naarhiji dipped and drew the pair into a quick hug and planted a kiss first on Percy's cheek, then Era's. "I'll miss you too much to leave you long. So you'd best be off before I change my mind."

Briefly, Percivle debated the merits of lingering for as long as possible to see if such a thing could be true. He was sure Erasmus would back him up in his endeavors, but the words were probably just pleasantries. Momma wouldn't let them go home regardless of how long they lingered. So instead, he turned back toward the schoolhouse and set an ambling pace, still clutching tightly at Era's fingers as he went.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Erasmus’ eyes moved busily from the moment they began their trek away from familiarity — parents, home — and toward that. Everyone else. There was certainly no shortage of things to take in: scrambling children of varying ages and temperaments, a few lingering parents though, like their own, many of the adults were beginning to slip away and leave their spawn, and a whole slew of new scents and sounds. Mostly chaotic yabbering.

Percy’s fingers, at least, were a satisfying point of certainty, and Erasmus found that as little interest as he held for their new peers and locale, he couldn’t say he minded the situation as a whole terribly much as long as it stayed like this. There was no harm, as Percy had said, in sticking it out for a day to see the sights together. He got the impression they would be around many more than one whether they liked it or not but even that wouldn’t necessarily be awful so long as Percy could remain near.

“Ummph-”

Someone, in a mad dash by that — if he were honest with himself — much resembled he and his brother’s own mad dashing, but under the circumstances felt more like an unnecessarily careless assault, ran sidelong into him. Though they hopped around the next instant, it had already been more than enough to grab Erasmus’ immediate attention. He reached, shoving with his spare hand before a second thought crossed his mind.

“Oi, sorry about tha-aah-!” If it hadn’t necessarily been negative attention before, now the runner, whipping around to face him, looked somewhere between surprised and offended, only just gaining his balance in time to avoid falling. “Ey, who are you, huh? Why don’t you…” The boy’s eyes wandered from Erasmus, down to their conjoined hands, and then up to Percy, squinting.

Being that it had been the state of his life all his life, it had never really occurred to Erasmus to think long about he and his brother’s likeness other than that was the way it was, supremely normal and good. The way things ought to be. It had likely been suggested a time or two that they were actually somewhat unique in their likeness, if not alone in the world, but still he was unfamiliar with the idea that someone would never have seen such a thing. From the way this boy looked, though, it may well have been the case.

“There two of you?”  

[Fluffesu]

The Only Black Uke

From a precursory squint at the grounds ahead, Percivle noted that not everyone looked as entirely nervous as he felt. Many had already set themselves into little clusters of comrades, and he had the suspicion that they weren't all as entirely new to each other as he and Era would be. Which, he supposed wasn't a bad thing. Percivle was not opposed to meeting new people or seeing new places or doing new things, but he'd somehow thought this would be an activity for everyone to partake in, and he and Erasmus wouldn't just be dumped for who knew how long.

He cast a wary glance over his shoulder and back at his parents, and in the moment he did felt the tell-tale clench of his brother's fingers around his own and the accompanying lurch of someone knocking into Era's person.

Percy's attention whipped back around, and he huffed out a chastising, "Era!" as his twin shoved back at the interloper. He reached with the hand not intertwined with his brother's and tangled his fingers into the fabric of Erasmus' shirt collar, as if this might further dissuade more assault to either of them, then glanced to the new arrival.

The boy could not have been so different from them: close in their age and here of all places, and likely looking as offended as Percy was sure Era felt.

Percy sent him a hesitant smile, uncurled his fingers from Era's shirt, cupped his hand close to his twin's ear, and leaned in. "Maybe... he is only just learning his numbers, and so he is asking because he isn't sure about 'two,' yet. He looks a little confused, don't you think? So don't be too mean, Era. We should help him out," he whispered in a soft rush of words against his brother's ear.

He beamed a little brighter as his focus went back to their new friend and nodded. "Yes! See? One..." He prodded a finger into Erasmus' shoulder, then pointed back to himself quickly. "Two! It's easy. I'm Percy, and this is my brother Erasmus."  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Fluffesu

Era!

Erasmus blinked, finding that at his brother’s word, his attention flit immediately away from the less important — if ‘new’ and arguably more in need of observation and assessment — child in their midst and toward Percivle. While it didn’t bother him if the schoolchild was offended — his existence was fleeting in their lives after all and his feelings just were not particularly real to Erasmus in the way his brother’s were — if Percy thought he had done something improper and needn’t be pushing then perhaps he could pay some heed to that concern, miffing as it was.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, almost more an apology to Percy for his behavior than to the boy he’d collided with—it was Percy’s offense that needed mending, after all. But he did glance to the boy again when Percy did and when Percy smiled, things clearly weren’t too bad.

Don’t be too mean, Era.

Erasmus grunted. He didn’t think he’d been ‘too’ anything. He had been assaulted after all. But that didn’t seem as important to dwell on as the pleasantness of the words’ warmth themselves and this new boy’s expression that came about on Percivle’s explanation, which apparently he had managed to catch some of.

“I know what two is-” the boy began. But perhaps after an apology and an introduction, hostility was once again no longer forefront on the boy’s mind. “It’s just you look the same, is all. There’s no two of me, just one.” He dusted his hands over his front, squinting between them and then jutting his chin up a notch. “I’m Dashan. How’s anybody s’posed to tell which of you’s which?”  

[Fluffesu]

Oh. The interloper knew what two was.

Percy smiled sheepishly and leaned down to brush his head against Erasmus' shoulder in such a way that his face was almost hidden, as his fingers crimped tighter around his brother's own. How was he supposed to know what other strange little boys did and didn't know? He- Dashan- had looked confused like he didn't know, and it had seemed like Percy had an obligation to help when the opportunity presented itself.

But it was probably okay. Two was easy, and most boys their age should know it by then, he supposed. Instead, he twisted to murmur a confirmation of, "He knows what two is," to his twin, as if their new friend was speaking in tongues and he needed to relay and get an affirmative for this supposed information before they could progress.

After another moment of deciphering means of communication between them, Percivle came to the conclusion that the other boy thought there were two Percy's, evidenced by his assertion that there weren't two of him. So he was confused, just not about 'two,' as Percy had originally thought. Percy perched forward from where he leaned against Era's shoulder and piped up. "There aren't two Percy's," he retorted with a huff. "There is one Percy and one Erasmus, so there aren't really two of one. Just one each. And I already told you that I was me and this was Era, so that's how you know who's who. Momma says you have to be observant."  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Erasmus’ posture eased, mouth edging up at a corner at Percy’s further commentary and violet eyes watching with careful interest as his brother tucked close. Was he embarrassed? Certainly there was no reason this other boy had any right to inspire abashment in him, but if the end result was this, then that was just as well. Closer to him was best for Percy in this place of strangers anyway. He kissed his brother’s hair, entirely unawares of the odd look it earned him from their company.

It wasn’t enough, though, to actually invite comment, as Percy’s assertion was apparently more in need of addressing in Dashan’s opinion.

“Observant? Of what? Just because you have different names doesn’t mean you’re different. Like if you have two of the same tool, with the same red handle, and the same size, and you name one of ‘em Jabe and the other one Klak, it doesn’t make ‘em different. It’s like your mama was a copy press. It’s a bit strange…and cool, I think.”

Erasmus wasn’t certain what all ‘cool’ entailed for the boy, and he didn’t generally think of strange as a positive attribute, but something about the air of curious approval to the statement made it seem less like an insult than it might otherwise have. Still.

“We aren’t the same. He’s nicer and thinks I shouldn’t shove you, so you should be nice to him or else I’ll feel like doing it anyway. He doesn’t like being told we’re the same, so you shouldn’t say it again.”

Dashan eyed them, glancing from Erasmus to Percy. After an extended moment, he gestured to Percy’s loose orange waves. “Is your hair shorter?”  

[Fluffesu]

'Wrong.' The word stamped itself quite plainly to the very forefront of Percivle's mind at the other boy's assertions, and it was only because it felt like it came with an offended bite that Percy kept the commentary from falling off his tongue. He wasn't- they weren't 'tools' that could be so easily classed based on looks and functionality. Tools, like copy presses, were objects. They couldn't know or think or have feelings, and he and Era could be different without looking different.

And they, in fact, were.

He could say as much, and if they were to be around each other frequently, it would probably be in his best interest to make sure that Dashan properly understood that he and his twin were not items. But anything Percy could think to say ('There are other things to be observant of.' 'We're different in more than name.' 'My mother is not a copy press.') came to mind as if it wanted to turn itself into an argument, and he didn't want that so soon with all his new friends.

Instead, Percivle tried to convince himself to smile again and not feel like he had a reason for a budding wary distrust toward this other boy. Though if the interim lent itself to giving Erasmus an opening for his own warnings, Percy didn't see reason to refuse him that. He shifted the full of his weight in nearer, pressing in close at Era's side.

"Um..." With the hand not currently twined with his brother's, Percy skated his fingers through his own tangerine curls. He was fairly certain his hair wasn't shorter, as he didn't know how or why it would be, but it seemed a moot point and probably a reasonable concession, considering his other options. "I suppose it could be."  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Erasmus huffed softly. “It is not-” The words left his mouth at approximately the same time Percy conceded more cooperatively, “I suppose it could be...” and Erasmus glanced his way but a moment before shaking his head at the boy.

“We’ve been growing it the same amount of time-”

“And do you ever let go of each other? That’s weird, too.”

Erasmus couldn’t have said in that moment why exactly that was the most offensive thing to come from the boy’s mouth yet, but he knew instantly that it very certainly was and yet only managed to clip out an offended, “No,” before some foreign bell sound was clanked, and a tall older man at the front step of the schoolhouse began calling ‘everyone’ in to begin their morning session. Though he didn’t feel much of a sense of unity with anyone scampering about yet aside from the one already clinging appropriately to his side, he had to mentally concede that he and Percivle were probably meant to consider themselves classed with ‘everyone’ just the same and progress in.

It felt distinctly as though he had more words to share with this highly misguided Dashan fellow, but for the moment he was willing enough to forsake conclusion to their discussion for the sake of ignoring him instead and starting towards the small old building to see what this whole learning-in-a-box with ‘peers’ was all about.  

[Fluffesu]

The Only Black Uke

Percy's gaze flicked in his brother's direction as Era glanced his way, and he wanted to convey that it really wasn't that important if the other lad thought one of them had longer hair than the other. Of all the things that could be different about them, hair length was surely one of the most inconsequential... But he didn't say as much. If it wasn't important that Dashan could be wrong, it was neither important enough to try and prevent Era from correcting him.

And certainly, certainly there was nothing to be said for his fingers threaded through his twin's? Percy's grip loosened briefly as though considering ought they be marginally less near?

The thought had no sooner crossed his mind than Percivle dismissed it. Dashan clearly thought many normal things about them were weird, and there was no reason to change any of them on his behalf. The only reason the other boy thought they were strange was because he didn't know yet that they weren't. But Percy was sure there'd be time for him to learn, if his most recent interaction with Momma was anything to go by.

Rather than suffer through whatever catastrophe could befall him from releasing Era's fingers, he gripped tighter and moved as his brother did toward the little schoolhouse. "C'mon, Era," Percivle murmured as he took a jogging step forward and tugged at his brother's hand. "I want to be in a front seat, so that we can see everything and nobody's heads will be in our way. C'mon, c'mon!" He tugged.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Era felt it.

It only lasted the briefest moment, but Percy’s grip loosened, and his offense at the other boy, if possible, spiked. He should have pushed him over. Then, though, Percivle’s grip returned, and his twin was turning and tugging, and it was just so much easier and more pleasant to focus attention on Percy that after but a moment’s delay, the other boy mattered so little he was all but forgotten as Erasmus ceded to his brother’s pull and progressed quicker towards the school building.

The front.

He eyed the room as they came in, studying the front line of small wooden seated desks. He wasn’t certain he wanted that much of this stranger teacher’s attention as would almost certainly befall them and whoever else was brave enough to join them on the first row. But neither was he opposed to enough to deny Percy something that excited him. So, he nodded, opting for one of the forefront desks nearer to the window on the far side. At least they each looked capable of seating two.

As the others swarmed in behind them, though, it became clear that at least among any of those he might have guessed to be ‘older’, it was not the front, but the furthest rear seats which were in most demand. He only had a moment’s time to wonder again as to the teacher’s character and potential unpleasantness to be in his proximity when-

“Hey, hey-”

Erasmus’ eyes narrowed.

“Y’all two don’t mind if I sit behind you, right?” Dashan apparently already thought he knew the answer as he settled himself, and Erasmus hadn’t the opportunity to say much to the contrary before the teacher’s voice barked in again over all, directing traffic towards their seats.

Even as his butt just touched the desk seat, he was already wondering how long they would be expected to remain here.  

[Fluffesu]

The Only Black Uke

The room was on the inside exactly as it looked on the outside: a little box, such that it didn't appear as though any more of interest happened within the walls than outside of them, and as far as anything of interest went... Well, there wasn't, from what Percivle could tell. He squinted as he moved in at Era's side and could only stand to hope that whatever was meant to be occupying his thoughts throughout the day would make itself known very soon.

"It's going to be alright," he murmured to himself with a quick nod of reassurance. Even if it wasn't, Momma would be back before it was even dark, and he could be reasoned with on most occasions. This would be one of them, surely, if things were especially droll. One wasted day of boredom or misery or whatever would transpire here would not kill them. Hopefully.

At least there was a good assortment of others. It couldn't be boring with so many people in the room! Though the varying ages did make him wonder...

After Percy had wedged himself in at his brother's side at his selected desk, with his arms circling about the other boy's shoulders to keep himself anchored, Percivle leaned to whisper against Erasmus' ear. "So do you think the older ones are just very dumb?" He asked softly, . "If they've been here since they were as old as we are now, that would've been... Well, I dunno, some years! You don't think we'll be here for years, do you, Era? That would be a long time, and there are other things to do, I think, instead of sit in a little box..."

He tipped his head back, blinking in confusion as Dashan, who must certainly be a friend by this point, if he was trying to remain near to them, took up a post behind them. "No," he didn't mind. "It's good. You should be near so you can be on our team for whatever games happen."

There couldn't not be games, with this many people.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“It is going to be alright,” Erasmus said, quietly enough to mirror his brother’s tone more or less but with surprising conviction—because it would be, and he didn’t want Percy thinking otherwise. Even if it wasn’t good it would be alright, and perhaps it would be brief.

Though, when Percivle tucked in and leaned over to whisper, Erasmus couldn’t help but think that it did actually seem as though the ‘school’ concept was a continuing thing at least for the foreseeable portion of the future.

“I think,” he said, “you go to school to learn everything grown ups know, and maybe if you learn it quickly or we decide we don’t like it and we tell Momma and Daddy, then we can do what we want in the rest of the time until we become grown ups, too.” He wasn’t certain, but it seemed a reasonable enough prediction to share, since they were both musing on it and stuck here until the truth revealed itself or became evident.

At on our team, though, he spared an involuntary glance of distrust towards their new compatriot. He wasn’t certain he wanted anyone but Percy on his team. Though he supposed it was possible, he found it difficult to imagine a game he’d want to be part of that couldn’t be played that way. But Percy seemed to have taken a happy tolerance to the boy and Erasmus didn’t dislike him enough to argue with the offer. Perhaps the boy could even be useful enough to help them win at whatever games schoolchildren played as he was fairly sure winning would be pleasing and he did hope for a pleasant experience here.

“Oh, good,” Dashan said, seeming to take Percivle’s acquiescence as an invitation to lean from his chair over his desk and partially on to the back of theirs as though to speak conspiratorially. “Are you very fast? Last year, every first recess there’d be somebody - usually Jasim or Zyre - that’d start a game of olley averin chase, where everybody but one hides…but if you’re spotted, you’ve got to run to home base ‘fore you’re tagged-”

A ruler rapped loudly upon the front desk.

“Attention…attention, everyone.”  

[Fluffesu]

The Only Black Uke

'Everything grown ups know.' 'Everything' always sounded like such a big word that encompassed much. Too much for little boys to successfully stuff into their minds over the course of a day or two. Or maybe even a whole week! But some of the older children seemed to have at least a small scattering of years on them that Percivle and his brother did not. Percy craned around to peer back at them through scrutinizing violet orbs. They could be stupid, he reasoned, but even if they were- "There must be something interesting keeping them here," he told Era. "If they don't tell their mommies and daddies that they don't want to come around no more."

Or maybe their parents were unreasonable, unlike his and Era's who Percy was sure would understand if he was adamant enough that the situation was unacceptable. That is, if it did turn up to be unacceptable at all.

At the moment, he wasn't too sure.

Even if he'd been skeptical over Dashan's assertions that they were 'cool and weird,' Percivle was ready to forget that in favor of the enthusiasm he had toward remaining close at hand and the possible games they could play together in their future. Percy was not especially familiar with many large team activities. Most of his games were played with his brother exclusively at his side, with other, larger activities involving Momma and Daddy on occasion. But never had there been an opportunity for this many participants.

"We're very fast," Percy assured. "We race all the time, so we've got lots of practice, and-"

At the sharp rap of a ruler to a table, Percy's head whipped around to stare at the offending sound, then up, more slowly, to the speaker. He blinked owlishly. He did not want to give his attention anywhere except where it already was and wasn't sure if he ought to take heed from the one grown up in the room when there were still several other lagging chatterers around him. And so didn't.

He turned back around. "And how long you been here, anyway?" 'Last year,' he'd said, so at least that long. "What else do ya'll do all the time? Why does it take a whole year to learn whatever you need learning, and when do you go home?"