[21:04:35] <Livia> Morrow Shen, young architect extraordinaire, had been on the 19th day of his most recent year of school on board the Astral Alumnus. Specifically, the Chinese native found himself in class with 5 minutes until he was clear for leisure time. For the moment, however, he was seated in a Streamdesk with a multitude of plans before him.
[21:06:15] : Morrow is pre-emptively putting away his school materials (what do we even bring to school if everything is digital?) and idly checks his ladder ranking on AA's Starcraft 10 server.
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[21:08:51] <Lyric> !dm9001 lastlines #2
[21:09:14] <Lyric> The Streamdesks were standard issue at Augusta School for Fine Arts, used for all sorts of things, from the architectural drawings to the designs of artists, and even synthesizing music. In the classroom, most of the other students were busy at work. A curly brown haired girl the next desk over, however, had been simply watching Morrow work. A little bit unnerving, perhaps,
[21:09:14] <Lyric> that she watched him even after his work was gone. Regardless, packing away some simple cards to back-up information on his work and his architectural visor wouldn't take long.
[21:10:05] <Lyric> Of course, as he knew, that girl was Cammie Corrigan, the one that always cheated off him with her ridiculous memory.
[21:10:40] : Morrow gets a strange feeling seeing the girl watching him; he has one creepy stalker already. But at least Cammie seems harmless enough. As he packs up, he scans the room for signs of that one creepy dude.
[21:12:59] <Lyric> Whatshisface, the kid who always seemed to have an eye on Morrow, was nowhere to be seen. Cammie gave Morrow a confused look, "Oh, you're leaving? Your drawings and stuff were really looking professional, today! Makes me jealous." Less than two minutes.
[21:13:21] <Morrow> 1d20
[21:13:22] <DiceMaid-9001> Morrow, 1d20: 17 [1d20=17]
[21:13:36] <Morrow> (reformatories, what exactly are those?)
[21:14:02] <Lyric> (Think detention center.)
[21:15:52] <Morrow> "Yeah, I nabbed some floorplans for buildings in Sector 5 for that project due at the end of the week. Wanted to get a head start checking the place out today." Morrow stares at the clock a few seconds. "Say, you've got to do this too, why don't you check it out with me? You're gonna see my work eventually anyhow..." he gives a knowing smile.
[21:21:04] <Lyric> The brown-eyed brunette blushed. It was definitely getting called out on cheating on everything and, you know, not being asked to go with him that made that happen, obviously. "Ah... I'd love to go on a studyda-I mean da-er, a studynotdate with yo-" ZZZZZZZZZZZZT. That's the bell. You are now free to move about the station. "...with you."
[21:22:59] : Morrow chuckles and stands up as he watches her squirm. "Well, come on then, you've got that amazing memory, you know Sector 5's a good walk from here. A whole 'nother Deck even."
[21:28:47] <Lyric> Cammie hurried to lead Morrow out the door, completely ignoring her small bag of supplies that she was leaving behind when a potential tragedy struck. Mr. Knaack, a  brilliant, bald teacher in his middle ages with a reputation for using mannerisms from well before he was even born, called out, "Don't go logging out just yet, Shen. Word on the boards is that you and the Board
[21:28:47] <Lyric> aren't crisp; stop by the main office before you check out. Crisp?"
[21:30:14] <Morrow> "...not crisp?" Morrow is still puzzled by his teacher's mannerisms. "Also, Cammie, you left your supplies at your streamdesk." Morrow points. "I'll meet you out front after this."
[21:33:17] <Lyric> Mr. Knaack raised his eyebrows as if he couldn't believe someone didn't know what crisp meant, even though it happens multiple times a day every day. Some people think it's just an act to annoy the kids. "If it ain't crisp, it ain't flaky. Seriously, you oughtta get on their server quick, if you're logging me." Cammie went to collect her things with a flustered expression
[21:33:18] <Lyric> on her face and a meek thanks.
[21:34:12] : Morrow sighs and reluctantly signs back onto his account, having given up on figuring out Mr. Knaack. He knows what's probably coming. "Alright, what do I needta do?"
[21:35:48] <Lyric> "Fly on by the main office, don't make a gnome of yourself. IQ-booster like you? Probably just some misunderstanding to clear up and you'll be all buttery again. Thing is, I think you misheard me, they want to see you personally, not AVchat."
[21:36:45] : Morrow logs off. "Awfully strange for them to be this formal 'bout everythin' now." Morrow starts walking off to the office. "Well, hope you're right."
[21:39:18] <Lyric> Mr. Knaack nodded sagely, "Don't go getting yourself spaced!" A laugh, followed up by a few words under his breath, "I'm always right." Well, Morrow was clear of the classroom, just had to navigate a few halls to the office. Cammie waved as she turned the other direction to go to the front doors and wait. Hopefully it wouldn't take long. Unless Morrow hoped she'd go home
[21:39:18] <Lyric> before he got out, that is.
[21:40:40] : Morrow actually wants to know what's up with this girl, so he's definitely hoping this doesn't take too long. He speeds up to a brisk power-walk and practically barges into the office. "Ya called? Knaack told me I needta be here for somethin'."
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[21:43:23] <Lyric> There was the front desk; usually a sweet old lady was the secretary in there. Thought of all the students as her grandkids or something, but that might've just been some kind of brain degeneration. Wasn't there today, though, possibly sick. In her place was an instrucdroid. In the usual robotic tones, it emitted, "Identity confirmed. Morrow Shen. Please direct yourself
[21:43:23] <Lyric> behind the desk, third door on the left for an appointment with Mr. Dilks."
[21:44:30] <Lyric> There were an awful lot of doors, but it was easy to see the one it referred to. The entire place was designed to have the look of wooden finish, complete with desks and doors, but it really wasn't convincing; obviously some sort of plastic.
[21:44:47] : Morrow frowns. He wanted to know what exactly he was in for before heading off, but he scurries away to Mr. Dilks's office anyhow. "Not like I gotta choice here."
[21:47:27] <Lyric> The robot's head swiveled, as if to catch his eye. In the same inhuman tones, it synthesized, "Incorrect, student. Correction imminent. Every situation comes with multiple choices. However. Logic indicates the potential for no good choice exists."
[21:49:52] : Morrow mutters under his breath "fuckin' second rate instructoids, can't catch linguistic subtleties. Nothin' like the top rate models they sell in the rest of the Sector." He quickly knocks and lets himself into Dilks's office before the robot can reprimand him.
[21:51:38] <Lyric> Inside the office was the same dreadful faux-wood design, complete with plastic picture frames of famous alumni chromatized brown. There was also an awfully short, but rather muscularly built man with matching short hair. His eyes were a sharp blue and the combination of his unusually mean face and mini-bodybuilder's physique might've been intimidating, but his voice was
[21:51:38] <Lyric> relaxed, "Green cycle to you, Mister Shen. Got a clue why you're here?"
[21:53:14] : Morrow walks in totally calm, hands stuffed in his pockets, bored look on his face. "Yeh, Knaacks said it must've been some kinda misunderstandin'. Administrative error or somethin'. Other words, got no clue."
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[21:58:31] <Lyric> !dm9001 lastlines #3
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[22:03:56] <Lyric> The little big man nodded, "It might be something like that, it might not, we'll have to see. Now, I'm confident you and everyone else knows that this school, here at Augusta, esper powers really aren't our biggest priority. But here on this station, that's what it's about. It's like your system in space, only of schools for espers. What we've got you listed as is a level
[22:03:56] <Lyric> 0 esper, like most of your peers. That's not strange; you guys might just have very little AIM, can't blame you for it. Thing is, received a 'tip' from someone-who-will-remain-anonymous that you have NO AIM. No field, no nothing. That's not something we're supposed to allow, and considering where exactly it came from, the appropriate thing for us to do is to at least check.
[22:04:01] <Lyric> No interrogation, we just rented some equipment for esper level testing."
[22:06:54] : Morrow sighs. "Kinda weird dontcha think? How'd ya suppose just anyone would say whether I had a field or no? I've gotta project to start today, an' I'm keepin' Cammie waitin' out there. Ya know she needs all the help she needs. But ya know, if it won't take long, go ahead."
[22:07:56] <Morrow> *she can get
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[22:09:23] <Livia> !dm9001 lastlines #2
[22:09:48] <Livia> !dm9001 lastlines #5
[22:12:59] <Livia> Dilks nodded and walked out, motioning for the teenager to follow. "That's responsible of you, helping out other students is the exact spirit we want here. Let me tell you, if this is some kind of hoax or prank and we got duped into wasting money testing you for no reason, I'll k... create a very disapproving environment in the discussion with the little bastard responsible."
[22:13:00] <Livia> He led the way to the gym, it wasn't very large, really not much good for anything other than augmented reality tag or running. In the center was a pod. "You can hop on in, won't take you longer than a minute and then you'll be free to go, assuming you're being as honest as you seem. If not, that'd be a real... shame."
[22:16:06] : Morrow chuckles. "Even if I were, ya think Knaack would let me go without kickin' up a fuss? Rest assured though, I've notta clue where this guy got the idea from." Morrow hops in. "And 'sides, sounds like the guy's just bein' an awful jerk, bad enough bein' a level 0 in this city without the higher ups lookin' down at me and sayin' I got no potential."
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[22:18:25] <Lyric> !dm9001 lastlines #5
[22:20:02] <Lyric> He shrugged, "Everybody has different potential. Doesn't matter if you're a level 5 esper if you've got phloem for brains. Just get in so we can both leave."
[22:20:24] <Morrow> (Morrow's already inside)
[22:22:01] <Lyric> Whatever the process was outside, it was invisible to the passenger of the little rocket to either condemnation or freedom. There was a whirring, a strange pressure in the front of Morrow's forehead, and then release. The door opened, and Dilks stood outside with his arms folded.
[22:22:26] : Morrow hops out and gives a bit of a tada! motion with his arms. "Well?"
[22:23:05] <Lyric> "Can't say I've ever seen someone with potential quite so slim, but it's a seed alright. Nurture it and it CAN grow. That means I've got a weed to kill... but you're free to go."
[22:24:32] <Morrow> "Heh, don't gotta remind me of that. Both my parents are high level espers, sent me between two schools 'fore comin' here. Hopin' my luck's 'bout ta change. Anyway, sorry for the trouble, I'll be on my way now, can't keep Cammie waitin'." Morrow jogs off to the front of the school where Cammie is hopefully waiting.
[22:26:30] <Lyric> As Morrow left, the spacedwarf muttered to himself, "Wasting that money for nothing, what a dick." Elsewhere, at the module's entrance, Cammie stood. "Oh, funny to run into you here! Ready to go to Sector 5?"
[22:28:15] <Morrow> "O'course, we'll be takin' the scenic route if ya don't mind, I find it a bit fun ta go through all the secret paths of the city, ya know? Beats public transit."
[22:28:30] <Morrow> 2d10 architecture target number 16 I know secret routes?
[22:28:32] <DiceMaid-9001> Morrow, architecture target number 16 I know secret routes?: 11 [2d10=5,6]
[22:31:18] <Lyric> Morrow definitely knew secret routes. It'd be a little journey from one deck to another before he got to use them, but that took very little time. Might've felt longer with Cammie's occasionally nonsensical commentary along the way. However, in a moment of clarity, she burst out, "Oh! This boy who looks not like you came by and told me you weren't coming. Why'd you change your mind?"
[22:32:59] : Morrow stops suddenly, pulling up a map via the stream and pretending to look at it to hide his surprise. "Ah, guy's probably just a jackass. Ya catch his name or somethin'? Jealous of you for gettin' my help I 'spose."
[22:37:13] <Lyric> Cammie put her hand on her chin in deep thought, then her entire body language changed, an exaggeratedly straight back and arms wider out to the side, as if attempting to appear broader shouldered. She echoed the boy's words in her own voice, "Look, kid. You should get yourself home, study buddy isn't coming back. At all. See this?" She points to her arm. "That means I'm Judgment. Name's Alvar. Believe me, you mi
[22:37:34] <Morrow> (cut off at "Believe me, you mi"
[22:38:32] <Lyric> ...You might as well go home." Her body language reverted to normal, "So I guess his name was Salvar."
[22:41:19] <Morrow> "...Alvar. Yeah, guy's creepy, been followin' me places. Ya know he gets a bad rep 'mong them Judgment folk. Find it pretty funny he even pointed out his armband how much of a laughin' stock he is." Morrow gives a reassuring smile and flicks away his virtual map with a wave of his hand. "C'mon, this next part takes a bit of agility, ya think ya got it in ya?" Morrow jumps up on a railing (cont'd)
[22:41:29] <Morrow> and offers his hand to Cammie.
[22:43:57] <Lyric> Cammie hopped up with Morrow's support ably enough. She looked pleased with herself, "I don't know about having it in me but I have my legs out of me."
[22:46:11] : Morrow is confused at her expression. Why does Augusta get all the weird ones? But whatever..."Yeh, you're fine, this'll be a snap, look there's the entrance ta Sector 5 righ' there. Theosophical Library's jus' a block down that way. Oh, don't mind the bodies if ya see 'em. Claire said I've got safe passage through here anyday." Morrow takes Cammie's hand and drags her off before she can object.
[22:48:31] <Lyric> Cammie trails Morrow, her eyes locked onto their hands, "Uh... Claire, is she your study buddImeangirlfriend?" No attention was being paid to the path they were taken, not by the synthbeat red Cammie, at least.
[22:50:49] : Morrow grins. "Hah, no, bit too involved wit' that gang o' hers for anythin' like that I wager. I like ta keep outta all that ya kn- oops, sorry dude, oh you're jus' unconscious wellcarryonhopeClairedidn'thurtyoutoobad." Morrow stops at an alley way. "Whelp, judgin' by that guy back there, 's a sign we should take a bit of a detour gettin' ta the library. Here!" More dragging off.
[22:53:27] <Lyric> Bodies, what bodies? The ones strewn about all over that Cammie was oblivious to. At least they were just unconscious and not corpses. An alternative route would be easy for Morrow and probably have less aching kids on the ground. Cammie's face had yet to recover from the redness when she asked, "T-then, could I be your gImeanstuddybuddy?"
[22:56:13] <Morrow> At hearing her question, Morrow suddenly jerks Cammie to the side and clamps a hand over her mouth, serious look on his face. After a second, he relaxes and releases her. "Sorry, gotta be careful ya know, somma them guys think I'm with Claire's gang for some reason an' I thought I saw one of 'em fools there. Anyhow, din't catch whatcha said sorry! But look, we're here!" Morrow quickly (cont'd)
[22:56:38] <Morrow> opens the library door and lightly pushes Cammie in. "I got the floorplans for this one, so we're all good."