EIGHTEEN: Interlude - Rabbit


    <strong>Interlude: </strong>


    <strong>Rabbit</strong>


    All right, yall! said Ms. Jensen, smiling as she took in the ss full of over-energized second graders. Im sorry about recess, but I cant turn off the rain for you. Well have read-aloud time and y some games afterward. How does that sound?


    Boring! one boy shouted, rocking back and forth so hard his desk cked against the floor.


    Good, a few kids said, their eyes already on the stack of board games in one corner of the ssroom.


    Yes, maam, the sss goody-two-shoes replied, sping her hands primly in herp.


    From his seat behind the girl, Alden Thorn raised his hand, stretching for the ceiling.


    Thank you for sitting so politely in your seat, Alden. Did you have a question?


    Can you read from the book about superheroes? he asked quickly.


    No, I want the dragon book! another boy protested.


    I want!


    Ms. Jensen held her hand up for silence. When the children finally calmed down, she said, I think Alden should get to choose since he asked first. And since his family will be leaving Nashville soon to head to Chicago. Doesnt that sound fair?


    A few people grumbled, but not many. Superheroes werent a bad choice, as far as rainy day reading material went.


    The teacher pulled the familiar book out from under a stack of papers on her desk and took her seat at the front of the room. Okay, who remembers which ss of Avowed we read aboutst time?


    Meister, the girl sitting in front of Alden said promptly.


    Alden lowered his hand in disappointment.


    Thats right, ra. So, lets seeoh, todays ss is one of the rares! Isnt that exciting? Who knows what a Rabbit does?


    My daddy says theyre rich.


    <em>My</em> daddy says theyre cowards.


    Youre wrong! ra said in an uncharacteristic shout. Thats a bad thing to call any of the Avowed. Theyre brave, and they fight demons and bad guys for us, and my momma says only dissants say mean things about them because theyre jealous not everyone gets powers!


    The whole ss had started whispering. Ms. Jensens smile was getting thinner by the second.


    Settle down! she called. Remember that conversation weve had a few times this year? About how we will try to think our own thoughts in ss and not only repeat what weve heard from others?


    ra gasped. But that doesnt mean our parents, does it?


    The teacher cleared her throat. Lets all learn from this nice book, she said. And not talk about things like <em>dissidents</em> anymore.


    Before anyone could protest, she started reading.


    ###


    from<em><strong>A Childrens Encyclopedia of the Avowed</strong></em>


    <em>(Interviews with real supherhumans in every chapter!)</em>


    Youve probably heard of the sses weve talked about so far, but have you ever heard of a Rabbit?


    No, not the cute and cuddly animal you might have for a pet!


    Rabbit is a funny-sounding name for an Avowed ss that is just as serious and important as all the others in this book. Rabbits offer their service to make Earth and Artona better ces, just like all the other superhumans here!


    The Interdimensional Warriors Contract isnt just for people who fight viins here on Earth and wherever else they might be called to by our Artonan friends.


    Weve already met some healers. Lets learn about another ss that does special work away from the dangers of the battlefield!


    But first, where did the name Rabbite from? To answer that question, weve asked Honorable Ty-krol, a biologist from Artona 2, to exin:


    <em>The Ryeh-bt is a small flying reptile, native to Artona 3. It was domesticated more than twenty thousand years ago, and it has since be a poprpanion animal throughout the Trs and on many of our resource worlds. </em>


    <em>The Ryeh-bt is known for being swift, clever, and easily trained. Many Artonan children enjoy using their pet Ryeh-bts to send gifts and messages to their friends. </em>


    <em>Though normally it is uneptable to call sentient beings by animal names, the Ryeh-bt is so beloved that it has bemon practice to refer to particrly helpful children or useful junior members of business organizations as Little Ryeh-bts.</em>


    The Ryeh-bt ss exists on every Artonan resource world. Humans who are chosen as Ryeh-bts usually use their skills to work as assistants and errand-runners on the Trs. Their powers might not be as shy as a superheros, but they are summoned to help out the Artonans more often than any other ss!


    When the System first came to Earth in 1963, the word Ryeh-bt and the way members of the ss are prone to disappearing in a sh when theyre summoned, made English-speakers think of rabbits.


    The name quickly enteredmon use, and the System adjusted it to amodate human preferences.


    Now, our friendly interviewer Steven will talk to A-rank Rabbit Maryam Musa about this interesting ss.


    ###


    Steven: Hi, Ms. Musa! Our young readers would love to know more about you and Rabbits in general. How long have you been a Rabbit?


    Maryam: I was chosen seventeen years ago.


    S: What are some good things about the ss?


    M: If you select a valuable skill, you get summoned more than other superhumans. Rabbits do a wide variety of different jobs, and they usually receive Argold for their services.


    S: Thats the System currency! So, are Rabbits rich?


    M: Well, the ones who select a good skill. Not all of them.


    S: Is the money your favorite thing about being a Rabbit?


    M: No. I like my starter skill the best.


    S: What kind of skill is it, Ms. Musa?


    M: I fold napkins into decorative shapes. When I first became an Avowed, I could only manage a few, but now I can do hundreds of them per hour.


    S: What an unusual skill! Are most Rabbit skills like that?


    M: I dont know about every skill. But skills like mine are interesting because they can help you doplicated things very quickly.


    S: I guess you use your powers to help at important parties and banquets on the Trs?


    M: Thats one of the things Im often summoned for.


    S: So youre like a party nner! That <em>is</em> a fun job.


    M: No. I dont n things. I just fold.


    S: Some of our readers may not realize how important that is, but the Artonans greatly value beauty. Im sure they appreciate your skill very much!


    M: People dont understand because they dont think about it. Not really. Theres a lot that goes into folding a napkin.


    S: I bet! Well, thank you for your time, Ms. Musa. Im sure many children will want to be a Rabbit after reading our interview!


    ###


    In Ms. Jensens ssroom, the second graders had all fallen silent. Most of them had looks of consternation on their faces. A few were smiling uncertainly, as if they thought their teacher might have told them a joke but they werent quite confident enough tough about it.


    ra raised her hand. Cantcant regr people fold napkins into pretty shapes?


    They can! another girl said confidently. I went on a cruise, and the napkins were all folded! They dont need super powers for that!


    But the Rabbitdy is rich. Thats good? a boy said.


    I wanna be rich.


    My daddy is rich.


    <em>I</em> want to be a superhero who shoots fire out of my face.


    Alden raised his hand.


    Closing the book, Ms. Jensen smiled at him. Everyone please notice how Alden and ra raise their hands! Yes, Alden? Did you like the interview with Ms. Musa?


    Im confused, he said. Why do the Artonans need somebody to fold napkins for them? Cant they do it themselves?


    Well Ms. Jensen tucked her hair behind her ears and bit her lip, apparently thinking about the question. I know everyone is very excited about super powers. When we see a brave hero protecting us from bad people or we hear about them saving someone from a disaster, all of our attention is on them. But the world needs all kinds of helpers, doesnt it?


    ra raised her hand again.


    Yes, ra?


    Last week you taught us about want and need! she said proudly. Want and need are different.


    Thats true, but


    Pretty napkins is a <em>want</em> isnt it?


    It is, one of her friends agreed.


    I think so, too.


    Maybe its a <em>need</em> if its for a wedding? My cousins getting married. Im going to be the flower girl!


    Artonans have weddings too!


    My momma says sometimes they have three brides and grooms at a time.


    Thats bad.


    No its not! Threes my favorite number.


    All right, yall. I think were getting a little bit off track. Lets all take a minute to think of good things Rabbit Avowed can do for the world! Whoeveres up with the best answer will get a new pencil from the pencil box.


    This challenge earned Ms. Jensen a few blissful minutes of quiet while everyone wrote down their best guesses.


    Alden, who had no knowledge of Rabbits beyond what he had just learned, answered that they could probably fold lots of towels for hotels. Which would be good for the hotels, since if you didnt fold the towels your guests would hate you.


    ra won because she knew that there was a Rabbit on the Anesidoran High Council, and he helped to make importantws for superhumans on the ind.


    Laws are a need, not a want! she announced righteously as she marched back to her desk with her prize pencil.


    Its not fair, Alden muttered.


    Lawmaking didnt have anything to do with the Rabbits superpower. Which was the whole point of the assignment in his opinion.


    <em>Rabbits are dumb. Who would ever want to be one of those?</em>