Slightly older this time. FYI: any stories set beyond the first- or second-grade level will be operating under the assumption that Ai, for whatever reason, could not make the antidote, and thus she and Conan are stuck growing up all over again. (Read 'Let Go' by Icka M. Chif for a good explanation for this, or 'Over the Years' by Enula… Maybe. :P)
-File 2-
"There's a Reason Conan Hates School."
In which a teacher attempts some discipline.
"Alright, now we need two volunteers to help us solve these equations… Who wants to try the first one?"
Instantly hands shot up in the air, some held up limply by tired students just wanting to get the lesson over with, and some –like Mitsuhiko and Ayumi's- waving around eagerly in anticipation of solving one of the difficult algebra equations written on the whiteboard. Miss Yamado, the current fourth-grade math teacher, made a great show of looking over each student carefully and thoughtfully before moving on to the next. The extra consideration helped children to feel that they were an important part of the class, and encouraged participation. She'd read that somewhere.
Of course, she already knew which student she would call. She called him to the board practically every day on some ridiculously complicated equation or table. And, same as every day, the boy in question was currently sitting in the back row, head in arms, sleeping the hour away. Ohh, how she would love to get him at least once! It never ceased to irritate her how he could have the gall to sleep right through her class –every single day- and still get an A! An A! On every assignment! Was he just pretending to not pay attention? Some ridiculous ploy to irritate her? Well, it was certainly working!
She had thought at first (like every other teacher) that he was merely intelligent. Soon, tough, –as the weeks and months went by- she quickly realised that no nine year-old could possibly know that much about math, and know it that well.. He must be doing it to spite her! That was the only answer! Well, she would certainly show him! She would get him on something, damnit!
And thus she had spent the better part of the school year studying up on math she hadn't touched since college, determined to find at least one problem that could make Edogawa Conan squirm. She felt she'd outdone herself today. A basic equation, sure, but with some new elements and forms that she was certain even the average ninth-grader would have been ignorant of. Certainly no match for a mere fourth-grade student!
"Hmmm…" She brought one hand to her mouth in mock concentration, and, appearing to have made a decision, pointed out a student with her whiteboard marker. "How about, Yoshida-chan." Ayumi bounced up like an eager kitten, bounding to the board and picking up a marker. She absolutely loved these types of things! "And.. Edogawa-kun…!" No answer. The class turned in their seats to find the familiar sight of Conan sleeping peacefully at his desk. Several girls giggled. "Edogawa Conan! Wake up this instant!"
Haibara Ai was used to her role now, and didn't even need look up from her 'notes' (actually an amusing study of the properties of antimatter) to land Conan a good elbow in the ribs. He raised his head just enough to glare at her, grumbling something about not volunteering, and why couldn't people just let him sleep…? Miss Yamado was furious again. Honestly! How one child could get away with showing so much disrespect was beyond her! It must have had something to do with his upbringing in America… She'd heard about the abysmal manners of some of the children over there. Spoiled rotten, the lot of them!
"Edogawa! I want you up here and solving this problem NOW." She said, throwing on her sternest teacher-voice. Edogawa raised his head a bit more and grumbled a little, but obediently straightened his glasses and made his way to the front of the classroom. Several students were giggling by this time. Good, let them laugh. The ridicule of a student's classmates was a much more potent punishment than any the teacher could give. She'd read that somewhere, too.
"Which one?" He mumbled irritably. Ayumi attempted to console him with a sympathetic look, which he took no notice of. She was a sweet girl, even if she was friends with rude little boys like Edogawa.
"Equation two please, Edogawa. And quickly! You've already wasted enough of the class's time!"
At the mention of wasting time, Ayumi jumped straight to her problem. Conan, predictably, took his sweet time to turn around, stare blankly at the problem, and sigh. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere else.
After a few seconds, he was still staring at the board. 'Aha!' Miss Yamado thought gleefully, 'I finally got him! He has no idea how to solve-!'
-it? Ah, dammit!' Her triumphant expression fell quickly into its usual scowl. Apparently the number-one problem student slash star pupil had already broken down the problem, calculated the answer, and was just now getting around to the process of writing it all out. He picked up a pen and began to write, looking for all the world like this was the simplest, dullest equation he had ever solved. Ayumi, on the other hand, was still valiantly struggling with the finer points of long division.
With a deeper scowl than ever, Miss Yamado quipped out "That will do, Edogawa. We do not need to know the number to its third decimal. You may return to your seat."
The boy literally dropped his pen into its holder, yawned widely, and plodded slowly back to his seat. And after that amazing feat of fourth-grade intelligence, he didn't even look smug! It was simply infuriating! It had taken her the entire weekend to come up with that problem!
Well, obviously she would have to try harder next time. Maybe something on a high school level? Would that confuse the rest of the class too much? Ah, but now Ayumi was having trouble with her variables… Miss Yamado quickly dropped her scowl and turned back to the board, beginning once again the lengthy process she was paid for: helping normal students through their math.
Miss Yamado has a serious complex.
Did you know that many teachers don't know any more about their subjects than their students do? A lot of them (especially math) are only a chapter or two ahead of the class at any given time. Sad.