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Obviously, there are Eridian kids with special needs, and a few of them even filter into his classes. But one specific type of special needs kid has never shown up in his classes, and the only reason he even learned of the condition is because Rocky and Adrien's first pebble has the condition.

It's initially quite a struggle for them to deal with, and Grace sympathizes of course, because the child will apparently have huge learning and academic struggles and will likely never be able to live on their own. That is, until he learns the details of the disability.

Basically, it's a condition where the part of the Eridian brain that gives them their eidetic memory isn't fully developed, and so these kids just... can't remember things the way most eridians do. And in a culture where an eidetic memory is the norm, all things cater to that, so not having that is actually a massive disability.

But Grace is like, so... this kid just learns the same way a human does, or something like. Which is nothing new to him, though he is somewhat boggled at how much Rocky and Adrian struggle with their infant and their "slow" learning curve, even as far as initial developmental stages. Grace, on the other hand, simply treats the kid the same way he would a human infant, and Rocky and Adrien are impressed with his patience.

But, through this, it occurs to Grace that there must be other kids out there with this disability who likely aren't getting the attention and chances in life that they deserve, because Eridian culture is particularly hostile toward this disability, and actively views those with it as unable to function in regular society.

So Grace demands that a special course be put together where he teaches kids with this disability specifically. Rocky is hesitant, as most kids with this disability are home schooled and kind of... kept shut away. But Grace insists and as one of Erid's saviors, he gets what he wants eventually.

His first class is super small, maybe only three kids because so few parents were willing to advertise that their children have this disability. And because of the stigma around it, even those who agreed to it are super unsure and want to be present during the lessons, perhaps paranoid about the impression it will leave on Savior Grace, who is so accustomed to only teaching the most gifted students.

But Grace knows exactly how to deal with these kids. Some of them have varying degrees of function when it comes to their memory banks, which isn't so unlike teaching kids on earth. And so Grace is able to introduce all these tools and teaching techniques that were previously unheard of on Erid (though very normal on Earth) like having textbooks for reference with you at all times and having strategies that are less focused on memorization for understanding, and providing these kids with tools like calculators and teaching them the art of taking notes to look back on, etc etc.

Suddenly, with all these tools that most Eridians don't need, these kids are learning at a much faster rate, and succeeding with the help of all their little tools. And because so many normal eridians are ignorant of Grace's actual biology, it's shocking to them that Savior Grace doesn't have an eidetic memory either (shocking to everyone but Rocky anyway)--that his brain functions quite similarly in capacity to these "disabled" children.

Once this news gets around, suddenly there's more kids in his special classes, and there's all kinds of discourse being inflamed because the real reason these kids can't live on their own or function is lack of support from Eridian society.

If Savior Grace, who is well respected as a genius in his own right amongst the Eridians, can function so successfully, they why can't these kids?

He did a wonderful job, but as he was returning my plant to my custody, he explained "I watered her every other day, I gave her new dirt, moved her into the sunshine, prayed the rosary-"

"What?"

He looked at me, confused. "Isn't she a plant you pray with?"

"No," I said slowly. "She's a prayer plant. That's the... colloquial name of the plant."

Upon seeing his stricken face, I realized something went wrong. Turns out, this entire time, he's been including my plant in on his prayers and leaving her near icons.

any piece of media: they were best friends and their friendship saved the world :D

any piece of media: they were best friends and their friendship saved the world :D

I do think they develop a way for Rocky to hug Grace for real because guy clearly wants a real hug So Bad (and Rocky is learning that it can severely affect a human’s health to never have physical touch with another person. Which. Wild.) I also think Rocky is extremely neurotic about Keeping Grace Alive after everything so yes!! We will figure out way for Grace to get BEST hugs! This Is New Project. Will dedicate Full Time to solution.

Grace is definitely grateful and after getting his first hug in years and crying a lot about it, it probably takes him a while to realize that. Hey. What do Eridians do? What have you been missing like this from being all alone for decades? I know about watching each other sleep and I’m happy to do that for you, but is there anything you’ve been really missing this whole time?

Eridians don’t really cuddle as humans understand it, but turns out they do purr. Sort of. That’s the word Grace assigns it. It’s a low rhythmic sound loved ones will emit at each other in times of calm and relaxation that just means “I’m here, I’m close to you, I’m happy and safe and calm.” It conveys the same idea.

“Oh,” Grace says. “Humans have the idea of humming, is that similar?”

“Not really,” Rocky tells him. “Somewhat. Have heard Grace hum, not the same.”

Grace goes :( “Is there anything I could do that would make you feel the same way?”

“Yes,” says Rocky, and Grace perks up a little because he is also a little neurotic about this. “Human body is much louder than any Eridian’s body. Water inside Grace’s body is sloshing around all the time.” (“Thanks.” “Is true. Humans are sloshy leaky bags of water. Like baby. No carapace at all.”) “And loudest human sound is heartbeat. When Rocky first met Grace, was hard to concentrate because Grace’s heartbeat was so loud and so constant. Rocky wondered how humans ever made any science inventions driven crazy by constant big sound like that. Then got used to it. Blip-A was so quiet. Grace is loud and alive. Now feels like purr. Know Grace is alive and safe and present because Rocky can hear Grace’s heartbeat.”

This is just about the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to Ryland Grace and he probably starts crying again. Just a little bit.