will write for food...

Sep 22, 2015 14:29

I am having serious trouble working up motivation to write, which is frustrating. Like, I will open a document, check where I was in the story, type maybe five words, and... nothing. Blank. It's particularly annoying if I've been mentally juggling and arranging ideas earlier in the day so I know roughly where I want to go and just can't quite get ( Read more... )

-leaf and letter, fic: lotr, please help, fandom: lotr, fandom: daredevil, -tides, fandom: homestuck, writing, fic, fic: naruto, giftfic, meme, fandom: chronicles of narnia, -the guardian in spite of herself, -the way of the apartment manager, mini-ficlet prompt meme, fic: daredevil, thoughts on calormen, cotton candy bingo, -tales from the yellow yard, fandom: naruto, fic: homestuck, fic: chronicles of narnia

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Pay It Forward (2/2) edenfalling September 28 2015, 03:48:48 UTC
Iruka leaned back against the sun-warmed wall of the apartment building and folded his arms. "You're not the first to ask me that," he said with a pensive expression. "Officially, the answer is that the academy treats all students the same. Students who don't work beyond the basic curriculum on their own lack the necessary ambition to be chuunin, which is why they're never promoted. Unofficially, of course clan children have an advantage. They work beyond the curriculum because their parents have the knowledge and motivation to give them supplemental training, not because they're inherently better than civilian children. Even more unofficially, Konoha needs a pool of unpromoted genin to manage the long-term and low-skill missions that stabilize our income, and civilian parents -- or parents who are also unpromoted genin -- are much less likely than shinobi parents to object if their children end up in that pool."

He rubbed a hand over his scar and added, "I can give those parents a list of training exercises, and suggest some chuunin or jounin who might be willing to give a few introductory lessons in specialized skills, but I don't have time to give every child the personal attention they'd need to stand level with their clan-raised classmates. Neither do the other teachers. And it would be unethical for me to play favorites."

Yukiko let her head thump down onto the table and curled her arms inward to shelter her face. "I thought that might be it. Ugh. Remind me again why ninja villages are a good idea?"

"Because otherwise we'd have anarchy," Iruka said promptly. "Also this way civilians and people outside the main branches of the clans have a chance at breaking through, and we can teach everyone that ninja need to work together and retain some humanity instead of being solitary and emotionless tools of their clans or employers. It's nowhere near perfect, but it's a start."

"Right," Yukiko said into her jacket sleeves.

Iruka tapped his foot against the leg of her chair. "It's unethical for me to play favorites, but you're not responsible for all my students. You're already providing a training space, some basic taijutsu tips, and stealth practice when they try to sneak into your office. If you want to do more..." He trailed off into meaningful silence.

Yukiko knocked her head lightly against the table. "Whoever taught you how to apply guilt trips should be terminated with extreme prejudice. Or possibly promoted. Something, anyway. You do realize that I have no teaching background whatsoever, they're not anywhere near ready for genjutsu yet, and it's hard to teach ninjutsu when you can't demonstrate any of the techniques, right?"

"I'm sure it's very difficult," Iruka said, amusement leaking through his attempt to sound sympathetic. "I suggest you learn from Naruto and think around corners."

"I hate you," Yukiko said without heat. She raised her head and glanced at the yard to make sure the kids hadn't fallen into a trap or otherwise gotten themselves into trouble. They seemed to be hanging by their knees from tree branches and throwing leaves at each other -- not the safest game imaginable, but they weren't up too high and they weren't using live weapons, so whatever. She sighed.

"Okay, fine. I'll do what I can on the ninjutsu front," she told Iruka as she stood and began to gather the remnants of their lunch. "But you have to look over all my plans and give me advice--"

"I told you, I can't play--"

"--and when you've made sure I'm not going to screw the kids up forever, you can hand those plans out to any other concerned parents. Even civilians. They'll work for civilians, because otherwise I won't be able to follow them myself," Yukiko finished. "It won't be much, but like you said, it's a start."

"Fair point," Iruka said after a moment. Then he smiled, picked up a stack of empty rice bowls, and opened the building door with his free hand. "But first, let me help you clean up."

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Re: Pay It Forward (2/2) wistfulmemory September 29 2015, 03:08:15 UTC
I completely understand as I am a teacher, and I am continuously aware of how I am currently educating the new generation of shakers and movers.

This was a fantastic fic (and I'm so glad it was able to double as a fill for your Bingo). I love how you examine the everyday structure of Konoha's society, how it works, and the flaws involved in the system. It makes your stories come alive in a way that many don't.

You can just tell how much love Yukiko and Iruka have for Naruto, Shinnin, and Sakura (and Iruka for all of his students).

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Re: Pay It Forward (2/2) edenfalling September 29 2015, 04:48:28 UTC
Thanks! One thing I really love about Yukiko is that because she's both part of the ninja system and an outsider to it (civilian background, and a viable civilian career), she sometimes looks at Kishimoto's worldbuilding and says, "Hey, wait a minute..." The funny thing is that sometimes the worldbuilding elements in question are ones that I never particularly noticed as a reader until I had to write them from Yukiko's POV, at which point I realized they were kind of weird and/or had awkward implications. It's always neat when a character takes on that kind of life.

Yukiko likes to think she's a cynical grump, but she's really kind of a marshmallow. *wry* Iruka just genuinely likes people in general, I think, and these three kids in particular, though he does try to be evenhanded toward all his students so as not to abuse his position.

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