Knowledge is Power

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

[Big Boss waits for so_damn_stoic in the usual place: a kitchen.]

[He hopes that Null made mental list of 'c' words for review. John's ready to start teaching him 'd' and 'e' words, assuming that he's ready.]

Comments

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

[As usual, Null finds himself entering the kitchen Big Boss is in. In hand he has his usual papers; the letter "C" scrawled out on them, along with a few A's, B's and of course, Big Boss' name. One of these pages seems a bit different though.]

[He approaches the table and salutes John]

Hello, Sir. I'm ready for my lesson.

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

[Big Boss looks over all of the pages, including the one that's a bit different.] -?

[He looks up at Frank.] Sit.

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

[He removes the page that stands out and shows it to Big Boss -- unlike the rest, it remains completely blank...]

[...Except for the piece of elbow macaroni glued in the center.]

Do you like it, Sir?

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

[It's been so long since he's done anything with macaroni as an art from and not as a food.]

Yes?

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

I was informed that creating images by pasting macaroni to sheets of paper was "fun". I assumed you would understand this form of art greater than I could, so I wish to give you this as a gift of sorts.

...I am still not certain as to what constitutes "fun" when one is merely wasting food by placing it on a sheet of paper though.

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

It's very nice...thank you. I'll cherish it forever. [It will be on the fridge as long as the magnet holds.]

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

[A bit of a smile curls on the boy's lips. Big Boss will cherish it forever? It's an unexpected but nice thing to hear.]

...'Macaroni'. It has a 'c' in it.

...Right? It's not one of those other letters?

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

Yes. You are correct in your assumption.

[He writes out the word for him on one of the other sheets of paper so that he can see how it is spelled.]

Think of any more words with 'C' on your own?

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

What about 'crab'? Or... 'Codename'?

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

Yes and yes. [He writes them both down as well.]

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

What about your name, 'Jack'?

My apologies for being informal, I will refrain from referring to you by that name in the future if you choose but for the sake of education, I am curious.

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

Hn- Alright. It's okay for now.

'Jack' has both a 'c' and a 'k'. [He writes it down so he will know what it looks like.]

A lot of words and names that end in a hard 'c' sound punctuate it with a 'k' as well.

There are some names that just have the 'k', like 'Frank'. [He writes down the kid's name so he can see how it should look.]

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

My name...

[This is actually his first time ever seeing his name written out like this.]

That's how it's spelled then...? With a 'k' but no 'c'?

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

Yes. It's written just like that. [He taps the paper right where he wrote his name with his index finger.] With a 'k' and no 'c'.

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

So 'Jack' has both as 'c' and a 'k' to make the hard 'kh' sound but 'Frank' has only a 'k'.

...But we we share two letters in our names? We both have an 'a' and a 'k'?

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

Yes we do. Very good. [He points to those letters in their names with his fingers.]

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

[Frank watches Jack's fingers point to the letters. 'A', 'B' and 'C', he thinks he understands them as best as he can now.]

I believe I'm ready for the next letter... That is, if you agree, Sir.

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

Yes, I agree. [He rubs his tired eye.]

The next letter is 'D'. Its name is pronounced 'dee'. It makes a 'dh' sound. It starts off words like 'dog' and 'darling' and ends words such as...'end' or 'word'. Heh.

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

'Dee'... 'Dog', like a dog of war. 'Darling' as in... [He pauses, trying to decipher that one. He thinks Elisa may have used it in reference to him once. Instead he just shakes his head, ignoring it.]

'Disarm', 'deploy', 'director'...

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

Yes- [He writes all of those down and then some.] and 'delicious' and 'doughnut' and, oh- [He smirks]

Also 'Dad'... [He scribbles that down as well.] That's an easy one. Don't forget that one.

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

'D-A-D'. 'Dad'.

[He turns his head to look at Jack]

I'm able to spell that one. I recognize the letters... What does it mean, Sir?

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

It's an informal word for 'Father'. It's like the short version of 'Daddy'. It simply another word commonly used to refer to a male parent.

It's easy to say, learn and spell as you just noticed. Just three letters and two are the same: 'Dad'.

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

...Right. Understood. Forgive my ignorance, Sir.

[Truth be told, he's never really had a reason to use any of those words in reference to a parent. He has no recollection of his own, aside from the fact they're dead.]

[He begins to parrot his commander]

'Dad', an informal method of referring to one's male parent... The first word I have learned how to spell.

[snakenbake.livejournal.com]

Heh...it is the first word you've learned to spell [and somehow it's strangely appropriate, regardless of how late it is that Frank's learned it.]

_{Hn. Funny how that worked out~}

[stoicism.livejournal.com]

[Frank can't help the thin smile that forms across his face.]

I appreciate you teaching me these things, Sir. I appreciate it greatly.