Rodent Practice

Title: Rodent Practice
Emitter: -
Characters: Sandra, Rioghan, Wil
NPCS: -
Place: Computer Center - Steranko Institute
Time: October 6, 2010 - Afternoon
Summary: Intro to Computers is not the easiest course for some people - Rioghan and Sandra amoung them. Add a little trickster Freshman to the mess and Wil never saw it coming.

The computer lab on the Steranko Campus is as state of the art as everything else around here. The sound of a couple of students clicking away at keyboards, attempting to get homework assignments completed to turn in is woven in with the general hum of technology in the lab. The computer teacher is seated at his corner desk, where he can observe the banks of computers or help out those in need when necessary. Rioghan Mac Cionaoith should probably be asking for help on how to complete the assignment for the Introduction to Computers class he's stuck taking this semester, but he's determined to figure it out himself.

On the screen Powerpoint is glaring at him, taunting him. Spread out on the desk next to him is his text book, which he keeps looking back at while he tries to navigate the menu using the mouse. "I still persist that 'mouse' is a silly thing to call this," Rioghan says to the Atlantean Princess seated at the station next to him, doing the same project for their class. Next to the young man on the floor is his quiver of arrows and his bow, as he intends on heading to archery practice following completing this assignment. If he completes this assignment. Rioghan makes a frustrated sound and bangs the mouse on the desk a few times.

"You'll scatter it's brains if you keep doing that," offers Sandra as she looks over at the Tuatha King. Then she wrinkles her nose and peers at the mouse for a moment. "It looks like a jellyfish … that's been greatly wounded. But solid, of course," she offers as she sticks her tongue in thought. "I could probably manage something better on my telecommunications array because of it's holographic display," she notes with a sigh, tentatively reaching out to poke at the mouse.

In response the computer blat at Sandra in protest.

The young woman pulls her hand back in surprise, before frowning. "Oh, hush you monstrosity of technology! Just because you

"I don't believe it can hear you," Rioghan says, ceasing his abuse of the mouse, "Though berating and beating it does make me feel better." He refers to his text book again, then looks back at the screen. "I don't understand the purpose of this. I'm certainly not going to be giving council meetings by Power Point." The king-to-be (he's not crowed yet!) leans back and rakes his hands through his hair. "We're supposed to have this whole thing ready by tomorrow… I haven't finished the first slide."

Rioghan takes the device offered by Sandra, turning it over in his hand to study it. He can see that there's magic involved with this, unlike the damnable computer in front of him. "Just open it?" he asks, before doing so.

He glances at his screen when Sandra looks at it. "Its not that impressive. I chose to do my presentation on the fishing villages of Aran. I'd rather just write a paper though."

"Open it, then there is the Atlantean letter for 'C' - Communicate. Then the magic will activate the imaging formula scribed within the circuitry itself," smiles Sandra, before looking back at the screen. "Mmm, fishing. I have not tried the surface way! But I have always loved fishing by hand, swimming and chasing schools of fish," she notes, before turning and smiling at Rioghan.

Sandra looks back at her computer and sighs again. "Well, I thought I would do something about Ghangis Khan's early military victories… but I just can't get this thing working correctly to put this picture into the … slide," she notes, before leaning forward. "Perhaps if I slide the mouse," she murmurs shoving the mouse and causing it to slide across the desk and dangle off the back end.

The computer lab on the Steranko Campus is as state of the art as everything else around here. The sound of a couple of students clicking away at keyboards, attempting to get homework assignments completed to turn in is woven in with the general hum of technology in the lab. The computer teacher is seated at his corner desk, where he can observe the banks of computers or help out those in need when necessary. Right now, however, his nose is buried in a book.

Rioghan and Sandra are two of the students using the lab, though neither one is having much success on their homework assignment for Introduction to Computers. Sandra has just knocked her mouse across the desk to dangle across the back side, and Rioghan is procrastinating by looking at Sandra's communications device. "Mathematics for magic? That's intriguing," the young man says in his lilting Irish accent. Next to his chair on the floor are his bow and quiver of arrows. He looks towards the dangling mouse. "I do not believe that worked quite as you'd hoped." He holds up the communicator. "If I push the button, wouldn't it contact your uncle? I would not want to disturb him."

"Actually, it brings up his … for lack of a better word … number and displays who it belongs to, as he is the last person I spoke to," notes Sandra. "Well, mathematics, mostly arcane geometry to create the circuits," she notes with a shrug.

Sandra looks at the wire holding the mouse dangling for a moment. "I don't know, maybe it did. I'm not working on this project I don't understand," she offers turning a bright smile on Rioghan. Then with a reluctant sigh, the young woman stands and leans over the desk to try and capture the mouse in her hand.

And there is always a shuffle of students in and out as projects and classes roll on. In this case, Wilberforce is the student rolling in, a couple of books from the library under one arm, a USB drive tossed in his other hand casually as he walks in and looks for a free computer. He grins at his luck as there is one free, one of the ones with the big monitors in fact. He has no idea why no one is using it right now, even if it is just one seat over from Sandra.

He doesn't give much of a greeting, just a glance-nod thing as he drops into the chair and starts logging in and getting his drive plugged in. "I hate research papers." He announces, a bit as a mantra perhaps.

One of the younger students, who happens to be a resident of Rioghan's Resident Hall has been watching the pair off and on. Now that Sandra is leaning over trying to get her mouse, however, the girl gets a mischevious little grin on her face. She crinkles her nose and quiet whispers a few words of Latin under her breath. As Sandra's hand closes around her mouse, it is suddenly no longer hard plastic, but rather soft, warm and furry. It also attempts to bite Sandra before wriggling free and leaping to the ground to scurry away…

…right up Wil's pant leg.

Rioghan nods his head to Wilberforce as he enters, sympathetic about not wanting to complete a certain assignment. As the transformation of mouse to mouse happens, however, he's busy pressing the button indicated by Sandra to study her technology a bit more. "I still don't entirely trust it, but it's better than the—" he trails off as the holographic display pops up, "Fascinating."

Twisting to look over her shoulder, Sandra actually intentionally tries to catch a glimpse of Rioghan as she clambers over the desk. "I do like Atlantean technology better than all this cold electric mayh… what?" she asks with a blink, turning to lift her hand and stare as the mouse … is a mouse! Then the mouse nearly breaks his teeth on Sandra's 'tough' skin and wriggles out of her grasp. Practically jumping on the desk, the startled Sandra stares at the furry little rodent as it runs under her desk. Sandra leaps for the creature, missing at Wilberforce's foot as it scurries up the young man's pantleg.

No doubt, this is causing a scene!

Nothing like little sharp nails digging into your leg to send someone flying out of their seat. Wil's chair goes rolling backwards at a speedy clip into the walkway behind that row of computers as he starts to do a bit of a dancing shake. "What the heck!" he shouts, the last word through gritted teeth as he isn't so startled as to get himself assigned to detention for using improper language with a teacher in the room.

Half a moment later, the sophomore gets himself under control, so to speak, and his leg starts piling up in a loop on the floor as it shoots out the end of his pants, till the scurrying mouse is clear of his pants and scampering up the thinner, elongated leg. "Who's mouse is this? Want to come grab it before I toss it into the quad?"

At the commotion, Rioghan drops Sandra's communicator and leaps up to his feet. He's staring at the rodent, at Sandra leaping for it, at the bow whose leg is a pile of silly putty, and finally towards the Freshman girl that is trying so hard not to laugh that it's fairly obvious who is responsible. It doesn't take long to figure out what's happened, since he knows the girl and her powers, being her student advisor. The archer keeps himself perfectly calm, reaches down to pick up his bow and arrows and before there's even an opportunity to think twice about it or be told not to do what he's doing… he's crouched down and has drawn and fired off a shot…

The mouse lets out one final squeek as it is struck and pinned to a desk across the room, now emitting sparks from the impaled plastic. "So. That's why it is called a mouse."

The teacher hasn't even had time to react before all this has happened, though now the man sputters, drops his book and gets to his feet. "Mister Mac Cionaoith! What in the devil do you think you are doing firing off that infernal thing in here?" He's not a tall man, Rioghan at 6'4" is head and shoulders taller than he is, and yet somehow the short, portly computer teacher manages to grab hold of one of Rioghan's ears and has the archer bending over with an 'Ow!' "I understand that you have an aversion to technology, but that does not give you permission to destroy school property!"

The Freshman mage responsible, Charlie, bites her lip as she giggles at the mayhem she's caused.

From the floor, Sandra blinks as the mouse is shot against a desk, pursing her lips into a frown. "Excellent shot, Ri…" she starts, before the teacher is pulling on the Future King's ear.

Blue eyes narrow, and a quiet, cold rage burns in them for a moment as Sandra stands up, pulling herself as erect and as regal as she possibly can be. "With all do respect, SIR," intones the young woman in her best Royal Accent. "Rioghan managed to quickly end an incident, as the … mouse was turning into a mouse by an impish trickster. It is far better to loose a bit of technology," she continues to intone, looking down at the man, considering she, herself is 5'8", "than to imagine what further chaos a furry rodent running up the pantlegs of hapless students would cause, don't you think?" she asks the teacher, then looks around to the rest of the lab for confirmation, finally ending her gaze on Wilberforce and nodding gracefully.

Wilberforce meanwhile is eyeing the arrowed mouse, considering the angle that Rioghan had how close he came to spearing his leg as well. That and he keeps having to tug at his pantsleg to keep it from riding up as his leg retracts back to its normal shape and size.

"Not to complain, but… maybe heavy firepower wasn't the best way to get hold of the mouse?"

The computer teacher purses his lips at Sandra, but doesn't let go of Rioghan's ear. He's got a good grip on the thin point at the top too, though it is hidden by the boy's hair from other students seeing. The teacher clears his throat, "That may be the case, Miss Job, and I will take that into consideration when speaking with the Dean, but the computer lab is no place for archery practice. And…" the computer teacher notes with a nod to Wil, "Someone could have been hurt."

"Miss Kansas," the computer teacher says, "Get your things, you're coming too."

That shuts the girl up. She swallows, her smile gone, and she quickly grabs her bag, looking abashed. "Geeze, nobody can take a joke these days."

Rioghan doesn't complain. He even gives Sandra a look so she doesn't say any more. He may be an uncrowned King elsewhere, but here? Here he's just a high school senior who broke the rules and he'll accept his fate with dignity. At least, as much dignity as one can have when being dragged along by your ear.
And with that, the trio — teacher, trickster, and Tuatha — exit the lab.

Sandra just refrains from frowning at the teacher. Instead, from the look by Rioghan, she bows her head to the men. "Yes, Sir," she notes softly. Blue eyes do flick back towards Rioghan's back as he is taken away, and for a moment, it might seem to those in the lab the strange young woman was going to follow.
Instead, she forcibly turns herself to look at Wilberforce. "Do not worry. Rioghan is well trained. He wouldn't have hit you," she offers, before smiling warmly and holding out a hand. "Sandra Job," she offers as introduction.

Wil smiles and takes the offered hand, "Wilberforce Ruper Fotheringay-Phipps the Fourth, a pleasure, as long as we're being formal for a moment." Then he chuckles and reaches a hand across the walkway to pull his chair back over to his computer terminal. "I suspect he is, given that they let him just cart the thing around with him. But I still have an aversion to being stuck with sharp pointy things."

Sandra's smile does not fade, instead she continues warmly. "Don't worry, aversion I understand, you'll never see me near a fire, honestly - if I can help it. But allow me to offer my Word and Honor on his behalf, you would have been fine," she notes.
Sandra then takes her hand and brushes away some of her wayward hair. "Though, it does seem that I am finished with the computer today. Not that I was making much progress," she offers with a laugh. "Technology and I don't usually get along," she notes, taking a half step to bend over and snap her communication array closed and pocketing it.

Wil gives a chuckle, "I'm only passing good with it myself, but it does save a lot of writing, right?" He sits back down again, "Your word and honor? Isn't that a bit much to offer or something? Sounds mighty formal." He makes a few clicks with his non-fuzzy mouse to get his own homework loaded up to where he can at least tell himself that he's working on it.

"I…" stares Sandra as she glances down the hall, "was raised in a … formal environment," she notes with an awkward shrug. Turning her full attention back to Wilberforce, Sandra smiles again. "Computers don't like me. But then, I have abilities with water, which could be why," she notes. "This introduction to computers course, that is required, is rather difficult," she notes with chagrin. "Almost as bad as math."

Wil grins a bit, "Well, I guess being water and mixing with electronics isn't such a good thing. Hopefully you haven't had many things short out on you?" He turns a bit more, homework put on hold as he talks. "But why the trouble with math? It's just numbers and stuff, not that bad, right?"

Sandra winces faintly, before patting her pocket. "Had to get a specialized phone made," she notes and sighs. "And … well … I blew up the microwave in Prentiss the first time I tried to use it. I banned myself from touching too much other stuff if I could avoid it," she notes before falling back into her seat. "Well… I … was training in a different sort of mathmatics, an old-style I guess. But … it seems my mind simply doesn't want to figure it out any different way."

Now that gets an ah from the sophomore, "Oh, got it, you were homeschooled or something and got taught some bad habits." Then he grins, "Well, bad habits only according to the teachers? I had some coaches like that, everything you learned that wasn't doing something their way…was a bad habit to unlearn." He shrugs, "After a while some things you just have to do the way you know how to do best. There might be a better way in general, but it's not better for you anymore."

"Except that the faculty is rather insistant I learn the … conventional way, and show my work," Sandra groans with a roll of her eyes. "Yes, homeschooled is the perfect word for it," she notes with her Queen's English accent. "Would you believe I"m from Atlanta?" she asks with a shake of her head. "I have traveled many places and …. as such I do not have the traditional accent as you can tell."

"I wouldn't know an Atlanta accent if I heard it." Wil responds, "I haven't really been too many places outside of the East coast." He tips his head just a little bit, "I guess your folks aren't native of Atlanta then, with the accent and all? Military parents?"

"Yeah, you could say that," notes Sandra with that awkward shrug suggesting it is not a natural gesture for her. "And no, not native to Atlanta," she says with a shake of her head. "And yours? Coaches?"

"Grew up in Boston and the surrounds." The last added with the snooty accent of old money Bostonians. Clearly he spent enough time with those that weren't blue bloods to have avoided picking up the full accent. "Yeah, I was in competitive athletics for a number of years, private teams and coaches, that kind of thing."

"AH! One of those competitive endeavors, rather than the cooperative sorts that people speak of when Dynamics join forces!" notes Sandra with some amount of glee and understanding. "I like swimming, but being a water controller, it is difficult to tell if it is my talent or not," she offers tilting her head to the side with a wide grin.

There's a nod of Wil's head, "Exactly, one of those things that I can't do at all now, or be accused of cheating because I have a natural advantage now. If they only knew just how much work it was just to control this 'advantage' and all." He chuckles, "Dynamics? I've heard there are some folks that don't like the neohuman tag, you one of them?"

Sandra nods firmly. "I know for a fact that there are greater powers out there than mere humans. And as such, they came before humanity and thus there is nothing new about them," she states with a firm conviction. "Look at Jonathan, cursed by a deity on the Indian contenant. There are rumors of gods-touched and who knows what else, on campus. So … I have a validity to my statement. Not to mention Alia is from a different planet. So human shouldn't even apply to her."

"She really is? I'd heard whispers, but haven't actually been in a class with her or anything to ask." Wil says, clearly fascinated, "Does she talk about this other planet much?" Then in a quick shift back on topic, "Oh, yeah, there's that Egyptian princess in my dorm. She certainly says it was some goddess that did all this to her."

An eyebrow arches upwards in curiously, "Egyptian Princess? Really? Who is this? I should make an effort to befriend her. Interesting," she notes with a thoughtful tone to her voice. "If you ask, she likely will speak about it. I haven't asked much, myself."

Wil nods a bit, "Yes, Eshe, she's a junior. At least I think she's a princess. Maybe she was a daughter of a high priest or something. I don't really know enough about ancient Egypt to really understand it, and the one time I talked to her about it she used some other language for all the titles."

Sandra chuckles, "Egyptian, no doubt. They speak Arabic now, but it sounds like she is from more ancient times, and thus used the original language," nods Sandra tapping her chin. "I have met Eshe once before," she hmmms and smiles. "I will have to speak to her at great length. Fascinating." Sandra then wrinkles her nose with a smile at Wilberforce. "You have a fascinating dorm."

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