This story is my answer to the May 2002 challenge: Write a story where our heroes (Hercules, Iolaus or Iolaus2) are asked by Jason to do a guest lecture at the Academy (either together or separately).
This is a non-profit story just for fun (and to stick it to TPTB and prove that, despite the best intentions of the writers of season 5, Hercules really was lost and broken without Iolaus) and means no copyright infringement on characters I don't own. Feedback is always welcome.
Hercules smiled as he saw his friend emerge from the classroom with a line of children in tow. Iolaus had been having such a hard time adjusting to this world, but he was currently enjoying himself at the Academy. He had a way with kids, and he apparently didn't feel shy and out of place around them. The former jester was happier than the demigod had seen him before, and the children adored their new teacher. Iolaus caught sight of his friend relaxing on a bench in the sunshine and began moving toward him as the kids all scampered off in different directions.
"Hey," he greeted, plopping down beside the demigod. "How did your morning drills go?"
"Great," Hercules replied. "These kids are really good. There are several that are going to make excellent warriors."
"Well, that's not surprising, considering that Jason's been teaching them. You know, I'm really glad he invited us back here. And its nice of him to let us pitch in."
"Yeah, really nice," Hercules said dryly. The new headmaster had offered them opportunities to guest lecture at the Academy, making it sound like he was doing them a special favor. "I'm sure it has nothing to do with Jason taking advantage of the chance for a few hours to himself."
"Well, whatever the reason, I'm having fun." Iolaus grinned up at his friend, and the demigod was cheered to see the anxious, nervous glint in his blue eyes replaced by one of confidence.
"I'll bet. And just what are we learning today?"
"Well, I've paired them up and I've given each team five letters of the alphabet. They have to go out and find objects that begin with each of their letters. The first team back that can correctly spell all their words wins."
"Very clever," Hercules nodded. "I almost wish I could play, too."
"Speaking of which," the former jester chuckled. "I'd better get back. I'll catch up with you later."
The demigod nodded, watching his friend trot back to the little ones. Hercules leaned his head back against the wall behind him, closing his eyes. It had been only recently that children that young had been admitted to the Academy. The age limit had been much higher when he had been a cadet himself. When he had been a cadet... The thought immediately triggered memories, and the demigod did his best to force them away. He did not want to be reminded of those youthful, carefree days, when he had his whole life ahead of him. Full of great plans about the adventures before him. Back when he thought he was invincible. Well, maybe he was. But he'd learned the hard way that he was the exception.
"Hercules?"
The demigod cracked an eye open to see the headmaster standing before him.
"Hi, Jason," he hailed, sitting up and making room for his old friend on the bench. He was glad of the distraction from the pain of his thoughts. "What's up?"
"I need you to cover the next class," the Argonaut told him. "It appears a few of the cadets slept through their botany lecture and can't tell a poisonous mushroom from an edible one."
"Are they ok?"
"They're pretty miserable right now, but I think they'll be fine. I need to keep an eye on them, though. So can you take the class?"
"I suppose so. But, I thought we agreed that I would stick to the physical education," Hercules reminded his friend.
"They're just kids," Jason reasoned with him. "Why do you have that look on your face like you're about to walk into a roomful of ghidras?"
"They hate me," the demigod muttered.
"They don't hate you," the Argonaut assured him. "At most, I'd say they're disappointed. I mean, they were so excited to hear that the legendary Hercules was coming to speak to them. They wanted to hear all about your famous battles and heroic deeds. But to be honest, Hercules, you can't tell a story without squeezing every last drop of excitement and suspense from it. You're about as exciting as old Feducious was."
"I can't help it," Hercules protested. "You know I've never been one to brag about my life. Iolaus...was always the storyteller." Gods, would it never stop? Would he ever again be able to speak of his slain friend without feeling the white hot pain knife through his heart?
"He was that," Jason laughed, not noticing the flash of sorrow that passed over the demigod's face. "Although I think embellishment was his true specialty. But listen, I have to get back to the infirmary. The whole lesson is outlined on this scroll. Just relax, and you'll be fine. Unless you want to go and baby-sit five regurgitating cadets?"
"I'll take my chances in the classroom," Hercules sighed, taking the scroll from his friend. "But you owe me."
"Everyone does, sooner or later," Jason grinned. "Good luck."
The demigod sighed again and rose from the bench, beginning his reluctant journey to the classroom where the group of older cadets would be waiting. His first attempt at lecturing had been his last, so he thought. He just didn't have the knack for presenting the information in an entertaining way, like Jason could. Iolaus, being a former jester, was well adapted to make learning fun for the younger kids. Hercules went strictly by the book, and strictly by facts. And his presentation was not at all well received by restless teenagers who were not excited to be in class in the first place. They worshiped him in the training room as he coached them on various moves and maneuvers, but they agreed he left a lot to be desired in the classroom.
Yet here he was again, standing outside the door, setting himself up for the fall. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and strode purposefully inside. The cadets emitted a soft groan as they saw him approach the podium. Hercules inwardly groaned along with them, but he pasted a smile on his face and cleared his throat.
"Good morning, class," he began. "Jason is otherwise occupied at the moment, and he's asked me to fill in. Today's lesson is on..." Hercules unrolled the scroll in his hand and read the title, his heart sinking. "The history and evolution of the broadsword." Even Aphrodite in her skimpiest pink lace wouldn't have been able to hold their attention with that topic. But the demigod dutifully began to go over the material Jason had outlined on the parchment.
At first, Hercules vowed to ignore the daydreaming eyes staring longingly out the window, the note passing, and the whispers. After all, he could hardly blame the kids. He was boring himself, to be honest. But the lack of attention soon began bordering on disrespect, and he couldn't overlook that.
"Everyone quiet down," he ordered, a hint of annoyance in his voice. The class immediately concurred, having no desire to see an enraged demigod. Hercules calmed as he looked around the room at the students facing him, some guilty, some nervous. "Look, I know this stuff isn't exactly thrilling, but just try and pay attention so we can get through it, ok?"
"Why do we even have to learn this stuff?" a voice called out. "I mean, in a battle the enemy is not going to walk up to you and ask you what the early broadswords were like. All that counts is that you know how to use one. So why are we wasting time with this?"
"I know that it seems like you're being forced to learn a lot of useless information, but someday you will be glad you know it."
"Have you ever needed to know this, Hercules? In all your travels, has knowing who first designed the broadsword ever saved your life?"
The demigod looked at the cadet questioning him and bit back a grin. Physically, the boy looked nothing like Iolaus. He was big and husky with dark hair and brown eyes. But it was something in those eyes that reminded Hercules of his late partner. Eyes that sparkled with life and fun and glinted with mischief. Ones belonging to a cadet that hid in the last seat in the back row and always spent more time scheming how to get out of work than the time that the actual job would have taken him.
"Honestly, no," he admitted. "But the thing is, none of you can predict where your paths will take you. Some of you may never need a shred of information that you learn in class. Others will owe your lives to something you've learned here. Even if you never need it, an education is your most valuable weapon. If you never use your knowledge, the fact that you have it might be enough to put you ahead."
Some of the cadets appeared thoughtful, while others did not seem convinced.
"All right, I want everyone to take out a sheet of parchment. Take a few minutes, and write down what you want to gain from your time here at the Academy. What your goals are. I'm not going to ask to see them, so please, be honest."
As the class began to think and write, the demigod turned the scroll with his lecture notes over and scribbled down a few lines of his own. When it appeared that most of the students were done with the task, Hercules stepped from behind the podium and moved to the front of the room, jumping up to sit casually on the table before them.
"You're all here for the same reason," he began. "To learn and to train. Take advantage of your time to learn all that the Academy can teach you, whether you think you'll need it or not. You may never use this knowledge, but it will cost you nothing to learn it now and it could cost you everything if you don't know it in the future. Because, take my word for it, all of the drills and lessons and chores here are nothing compared to the challenges that some of you will face down the road."
Hercules took a deep breath, studying the parchment in his hands.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking about when I was a student here," he continued. "Things that Cheiron taught me, and I've also been thinking about other things that I had to learn the hard way after I left here. I understand that some things can't be taught. There are lessons that you can only learn through experience, and through mistakes that you'll make on your journey through life. But there are a few things in particular that I wish I never had to learn for myself. I'd like to share these with you, and maybe some of you will take these lessons in good faith, and never need to learn them personally."
The cadets were all interested. Many sat ready with their quills poised. The legendary Hercules was going to tell them about life, and that was definitely worthy of a little note taking.
"You have to let go of your prejudices and never make assumptions of any creature based on appearances. `Different' does not automatically mean bad. A hideous monster can end up being an ally, and evil can wear the face of innocence. No one is your enemy until he or she proves it to you. And never underestimate the power of the one you face. Victory is never certain, and often those that appear to be easy conquests are the ones that are the most difficult. Treat everyone equally, no matter what shape they take, and you'll find that the number of friends will greatly outweigh the number of enemies."
"In life, we are all faced with tragedies and injustices that make us rage with anger and grief. These emotions aren't bad, as they can give you strength, energy, and motivation to go on instead of becoming lost to despair. But you cannot let them control you. You must channel your feelings, and make them work for you, instead of overcoming you. Tap into these energies and draw from them the power you need to restore justice and right the wrongs against you. But keep them balanced, or else they will eventually destroy you."
"You are all here training to become warriors and soldiers. You all have the fire inside that makes you want to help others, to fight for your country and your people. But be careful with your help. If you give it unasked, you risk damaging pride. Wars have been started over wounded pride, so it is not something to treat lightly. Even if you can do something better and easier than others, sometimes you need to let them work it out for themselves. People need to feel responsible and in control of their own lives. If possible, help them by giving them a chance to help themselves."
"A lesson that's difficult to learn is that people are complicated. It's not always easy to figure out their motives or understand why they do the things they do. But all people have both good and evil inside. I've seen many that were formerly good, decent people give into the evil inside. Their desire for wealth or power or acclaim driving them to unspeakable acts. And I've also seen people I'd written off as evil turn around and find the good within them. The fact is, people change. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. But you can't let it catch you off guard. You always have to be ready for it. Ready for both betrayals, and unexpected alliances."
"You should never be afraid to love. True, consuming love is never easy, and there will be times when situations arise to make it even worse. Never forsake love because of bad timing, outside disapproval, or fear of depriving the one you love of something. For when it comes right down to the end, all you will have left are your memories. You'll want the sweet memories of shared love and laughter and happy times, not the bitter `what if' thoughts. And no matter what happens, it is so much better to have experienced love with someone, even if for a short time, than never at all."
"I know its drilled into your heads that you should never surrender. But I can't stress to you how important that is. No matter what you're up against, no matter what is beating you down, be it something physical or your own minds or emotions, NEVER give up. You have to keep fighting, and believing and hoping and trusting with your dying breath. Because miracles do happen. I've seen too many of them to ever doubt that fact. If you give up, its all over. But as long as you keep fighting, there's always that chance. There's always hope."
"You are all here at the Academy, training to the best of your ability. You're learning the art of battle and the strategies of war. Which brings me to what might be the most important lesson. Sometimes, you have to forget everything you've learned. You can't be prepared for every situation. Things come up that you haven't been trained to deal with. In these cases, you need to put away your teachings. You need to go with your instincts and follow your hearts. Life is hard, and its confusing at the best of times. But I promise you, when you feel overwhelmed, listen to what your heart is telling you, and you'll never go wrong."
As Hercules finished speaking, he looked up from the parchment in his hands to see every cadet in the classroom watching him with rapt attention. It was then that the demigod understood. The students were listening, because he'd let down his guard and let his humanity shine through. That it was the teacher, not the material, that inspired. Seeing all the eager faces digesting what he had just told them, Hercules was inspired himself. Inspired to tell them something that he could barely speak of. His hardest lesson, and his biggest regret.
"There's one more thing," he continued in a soft voice. "No matter where you might go or what you might do, never, ever miss an opportunity to tell someone how you feel about them. Don't be embarrassed or shy. Don't assume that they already know. Don't think that implying it is just as good as saying it outright. If you truly love someone, or respect them, or admire them, by all means, tell them so. Because you never know when the fates are going to decide to take that person, and then its too late. I had someone in my life... Well, there aren't words to describe what he meant to me. We spent a lot of years together, and I had a lot of time to tell him everything I felt about him. How much I cared, how I loved having him beside me, how I admired him, and how I was lost without him. I think he knew these things, but when he was taken from me, I realized that I never told him. That haunts me more than anything else in my life. If I had the chance to go back and change just one thing, do one thing in my life differently, I'd use the opportunity to tell him that he was my hero."
The demigod bowed his head, tears burning his blue eyes as the grief choked him. All of the cadets exchanged looks of sympathy, having heard the stories of how Jason's old friend, Hercules' partner, had sacrificed himself stopping the demon Dahak. Like most people who had never known the hunter, they hadn't realized how strong the bond was between the partners and just how badly the demigod's soul had been shattered when he had died. But now it was obvious, written in the naked sorrow that the legendary hero tried so hard to hide.
"That's it for today," Hercules announced when he felt he could speak in a steady voice. "Just think about what we've talked about today, and try to keep in the back of your minds, if you need it."
The students began gathering up their belongings and filing out of the classroom. But the one cadet who had reminded the demigod of Iolaus earlier lingered behind, finally coming forward.
"Hercules," he said hesitantly. "What do you want us to do with these goals we wrote down?"
"Just keep them," the demigod answered. "For when you need a reminder of why you're doing this. Pull them out and look at them when you need the motivation to stay on track."
"Are we allowed to modify them?" the boy asked. His expression confirmed Hercules' suspicion that he had jokingly written some foolish answer.
"I'd be surprised if you didn't," he replied. "That's a part of growing. Your needs change, and your goals change throughout your life, and you should never stop reevaluation your path and whether or not its leading you to where you want to go."
The cadet nodded, preparing to leave, but then he turned back and faced his teacher.
"Hercules, do think that maybe you could talk to us again tomorrow? I'll bet you have all kinds of good stories you could tell us about Jason when you guys were cadets here."
The demigod grinned broadly at the hopeful gleam in the boy's eyes. He knew that when he was a student, he would have given anything to hear about some of Cheiron's less than heroic adventures. Jason, in his role as headmaster, had retained much of the regalness from when he was king. So noble, and dignified, and stoic. Surely, it wouldn't hurt to regale the students with a tale or two from their youths. Such as the time that the fates turned the young prince into a pig with a hearty craving for slop. And he'd heard Iolaus tell the story so many times, he was sure that he could recreate it with at least some of the hunter's passion and timing.
"You know," Hercules grinned, looping an arm around the boy's shoulders. "I think that can be arranged."
finis
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