Uniquely Specialist 3 - or 'How this is not what I wanted for my Isekai, what do you mean Fairies are OP?' (Winx Club Specialist!SI)
Notes: This is an old chapter from an year ago. Previously a QQ exclusive.
One thing that I believe I forgot to address was the fact I wasn't exactly an unemployed student.
My first year of school took priority before my search for a job, but once Summer came I had to start looking and... the chances were high pretty much everywhere. I could go in those places where modernity is expected and somewhat discounted when it comes to futuristic devices, but I was also trying to find a working environment that couldn't force me to deal with 'school-related assignments' while I was making some quick cash for myself.
I had a starting budget, but the need to find a steady income pushed me to plan a few potential places to check before ultimately settling with a single place on Earth. While I had plans to keep myself away from the plot, that didn't mean I couldn't use my meta-knowledge to my advantage and land a job as a waiter at the Frutti Music Bar in Gardenia.
Going back to Italy was a bit of a mixed-bag situation, where I was glad I was at home but... I was also uneasy of the fact this wasn't home. The place was located in Central Italy, and it was so clean. And the political government was doing things right. And school was well-funded. It was not the Italy I was accustomed to. The Mafia had been defeated decades ago, the police knows how to do their job and criminality is at an all-time low for a while.
I thought about personally checking for my family, but I stopped short to actually do that by just checking it online. It was around the time Facebook was still a big thing so I should have found my mother and my sister through that. Nothing. This Earth lacks my family and me. Which was... good, I suppose. It prevented any awkward developments about a potential counterpart being exchanged for me by any villain trying to come back at my ass.
But also meant I wasn't going to find my family here. I was as alone as I could get. Or... Well, 'was' alone until something happened when I got the job. At first, the owner was quite strict with me. Klaus was an hard worker which parents came from Austria, but had actually seen him educated into the proper Italian citizen. He was quick to warm up once I proved I was serious with my interest to work there and-
"Joooooohn, the Wi-Fi broke again!" A voice called from behind the counter right as I was done putting down some boxes with Ice Cream by the storage room.
I sighed, yet smiling as I paced up to the source of the 'sorrow' and patted the head of the girl that had thrown that lament.
"Worry not, Rox. I am going to fix it now," I promised, then giving the inactive 'Seventh Fairy' a long stare. "Also, I think I should check if you did your homework."
Roxy was still 13 at this point. Quite young, going through the early stage of puberty just now, and quite the loner at school.
With her father busy running the place at maximum efficiency, he couldn't exactly handle taking care of his daughter as he should and would want to. Rather, I ended up being the one dealing with that task ever since I started working just a few months ago. The pinkette and I were two similar souls in some aspects: my parents tended to be busy with work when I was a child, and I had to be the responsible adult with my sister.
And in this case, I had subconsciously adopted the girl as my 'second sister'. I wouldn't call her a replacement to Mary, especially with their different personalities, but I would consider someone I could trust as a sibling. Likewise, Roxy latched onto me as if I was the safest bit of land in an ocean of uncertainities.
Bullies at school? I would ask for Klaus' permission to act as his substitute to bring a letter to school to shame the principal for allowing this mess to happen.
Not having time to end up homework alone? I would use my break during my shift to help her through most of that mumbo-jumbo I really didn't want to bash my head against for a third time.
Taking care of her pet doggo Artu while she was out for other businesses? I loved the pup and the pup liked the fact I played with him a fair bit. Good doggo deserved good belly-rubs after all.
Fast-forward to now. The young heroine that she was expected to become at 15 was currently going through a pseudo-emo phase. Dark clothes, not much color in her outfits, and a gloomy look that manifested her inner discomfort while dealing with her solo school life. I was there now, but the emo got to her and had sunk its teeth deeply despite my best effort.
Once I was done making sure the online service was back on, I walked back to her table, and I saw as I was approaching how she rushed up to put up her homework table mere seconds before my arrival. I smiled knowingly, and I doubted chiding her about it would yield any result with how stubborn Roxy was about this sort of stuff. She hated school, just like any healthy kid should.
"So, how are you doing?"
"I hate Latin," She confessed shamelessly. "Bro, can you tell dad that I don't need to go to a Lyceum?"
My smile turned super-sadge. Roxy was getting close for the Italian equivalent of High School and Klaus had enrolled her to the extra-curricular class for Latin since the subject was a bitch, and she was going to get it regardless of which of the two main school paths she could take for high school. "Kid, that would only worsen the situation. Just stick to the Scientific Curricula, get a degree and use that to boost the workplace so you can takeover when your old man feels the need to retire after you kick his butt."
A smile twitched back on her face, but it faltered nonetheless. So, if good things didn't motivate her, I mentioned the alternative.
"Considering it's either that or going for the Classic Curricula, I think it's better to not entertain your pops about going for Ancient Greek too," I reminded to her, causing Roxy to flinch as I sat down to help her. "So, where's the painful translation so I can 'fix' the pain, oh fair princess?"
Her smile was back in full blast as she tried to do her best to solve the 'issue'. Text-translation was the basic of Latin Grammar and it was something that I despised in my previous life. Not only it was easy to mistake a declination for another which would fuck the entire translation entirely, but there was a degree of balance between the 'literal' and the 'free' translation. It had to be just 'right' between being too strict or too open about the interpretation.
And even now, in this new life, this shit kept on haunting me. I swear, the Latin-to-Italian Dictionary has two means to break one's head: either the physically way by throwing that fucking brick at someone or mentally by going through the inner gymnastics needed to get a coherent translation out and not fuck shit up.
Ah... I remember going a full semester copying the translation online. And many times being caught because of that since not all translations ended where the main exercise did. Good times and atrocious moments of despairing over bad grades.
Times well behind me as I tried to welcome Roxy in hell with as much mental lube as I could provide her without making her too slippery into school-hell. It was nothing new at this point, and the girl appreciated having someone with some experience telling her how hideous Latin was and why she should get a good headstart as soon as she starts her first year of Lyceum.
But right as I was busy helping her with that, the pinkette's bored mind raised a question I did expect her to eventually mention, but not within this circumstance and out of the blue.
"John, do you have a girlfriend?"
"I don't," I replied calmly, giving me a look. "Do you have any admirers that need a talk from me and your pops?"
"...No."
"Worry not, it will happen," I said, thinking I dodget the bullet with that clever redirection.
"But why don't you have a girlfriend?"
I frowned. "Well, to make it simple I have not found someone that I want to date and have a romance with," I remarked, then pausing and offering an exaggerated sigh. "Plus, the economy is not the same as it used to be. Can you imagine having to deal with a guy with close to no money to be the one that takes you out for a date?"
"I wouldn't mind if it was... you," She muttered quietly.
"Flattering, Rox. But I am your big bro and I can't break my own legs- I mean, entertain a walk with as it should be."
The pinkette hummed and frowned. "Is it because you think I am too young?"
"It's because I don't see you that way, regardless of any other factor. Rox, you're my little sister, and I am... not upset because you told me. In fact, I am flattered."
Confusion appeared on her face. "Why would you be flattered by that? It's embarrassing."
"Quite the contrary, it means that you have in mind a very good person as your boyfriend material. And it means that... I guess I will not break his legs- can't promise your father will not do something about it, he is your dad."
She giggled. "But... what if I don't find one?"
"You'll find one because I can promise you that I will be your wingman once you get to high school."
"Wingman?" Roxy repeated. "You mean you will help me?"
"Duh, if you think it's impossible for you then I will show you how possible it is. I am a guy, I should know what a girl has to do to get a fellow guy."
"Yeah, I guess so..."
I cracked a tiny knowing smile, seeing how the curt rejection still hurt a bit. I reached out and ruffled her hair a bit.
"S-Stop it," She muttered in muffled amusement and my own smile widened.
"Then stop being a gloomy kid. You will do fine. You are a great girl, Rox, and you will lget a nice and rich prince with some good personality on it."
We went back on the homework, the day slightly better now after this talk...
But as I enjoyed this day spent on Earth, I knew that 'school stuff' was going to haunt me back and give me more headaches in the near future. Big ones as far as I could expect.
AN
Next time, John's 'weapon' is revealed. It will be slightly unexpected, a bit unoriginal but fitting with what kind of adventures he is going to face on his own or with others. Let's just say that I may have dabbled into this sort of technology within the archive...
