[Megalopolis V.2.0] Episode 2: School Daze

Gulliver Small


--- Location: Kent Clark High School ---


Gulliver scowled as Miss Hashon declared that they would be changing computers. He had just finished the upgrade on this one! The fact that the delivery men took so long to bring everything into the classroom and so long to set it all up, Gulliver took out his laptop and started working on one of the programs he'd been developing. It was a program which used his custom statistical analysis software to devise an optimum-efficacy Champions of Combat roster based upon the roster of an opponent. The concept would be that the player would input their opponent's most likely roster and the program would assess the statistical probabilities of tactical use for each unit, determine the most likely tactic, then output an opposing unit that would effectively counter the potential threat of the unit. The program was still alpha-stage, but he figured with a few more days of coding and testing, he could move it to beta-stage testing. Scotty Sumner would be so jealous.


As the pages of code rolled up the screen, he started inputting variables, editing others as he saw conflicts arising and deleting those that were made redundant by other processes. He became thoroughly engrossed in his work, to the point he was completely unaware of everyone and everything around him. His attention was a needle-point of focus, the lines of data became like stone blocks in a building, each one contributing to the overall structure. His face showed neither frustration nor enjoyment as he encountered problems and either devised work-arounds or went back and recoded the problem areas from the root directories. He liked solving these sorts of problems.
 
Reagan Hemsley


It was taking forever. Getting bored of sitting still, Reagan stood up and peeked in the room. She didn't see any ten year olds in there so he must have been around the corner. No dog either.


She stopped to think for a moment, leaning on the lockers. She hadn't seen a pet in forever. Wild animals like rats and mice yeah but no dogs. This kinda made it worth while.


The shirt she had worn today showed some of the skin on her upper back. It wasn't her choice to wear these kinds of clothes but her old wardrobe was tossed out by the guardians and some of it even given to the younger kids. The only advantage of it was she could now lean back and feel the cool metal of the lockers. The bright blue paint on them gave it a tacky feeling she adored. Relaxing a bit she ran a hand down her side and onto the locker. Just the tips of her finger touching.


She could feel it calling out to her. The place she could be. Her hand pushed a little harder as her ankle started to sting. Ignoring it, she started pulling a little into her. She had to hold her breath as the metal began to grow, the tips of her fingers the same blue as the walls. The anklet beeped slowly and began to speed up.


She realized she had stopped breathing, the metal leaving her body as she inhales. She wanted more of it. Concentrating, and ignoring the small shocks, she pulls enough into her to coat her hand. She lets go of the locker, a pair of finger marks evident as she examines her hand.


It wasn't coated, it just was. A solid, movable metal hand. She began thinking about the implications when the highly advanced needle picked up the sensations of her thought process through a link in her nervous system.


The anklet brought her exploration to a screeching halt. A powerful bolt surged through her, making her back arch. She couldn't even yell as the muscles in her face locked up in an expression of pain. Flinging her arm against the locker, the metal that had been part of her slid off leaving a malformed lump on the normally smooth surface.


The pain ended as she gasped for breath. Tears welling up in her eyes as she ineffectively punched the locker. Every time something good started to happen. Life tore it away.


NO, you can't wallow. Thats what kills people. She snorts up something gross that wanted to leak out of her nose and wipes off her face. She just hoped this class would end soon so she could go back and find someplace to keep to herself in that packed house.
 
Aries

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Aries looked at the clock, Class is about to be over..... She looked to the students, "Save your progress and we'll pick up again tomorrow...." She watched the kids, the bell starting to ring. Class is over.... She sighed. Being a new teacher was hard. She picked up her paper work, began looking over the sheets. She noticed the dog and smiled at it. She walked over to it and the student with it. What was his name....? She smiled to him, "Hi... Nice dog... What's its name?" She smiled to him kindly, her tail swaying behind her.
 
Daris

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When he heard the principal leave, he walked into the room. He glared at Maka, "Are you crazy?! Aries help you get this job and you're already messing up?!" He huffed at her and then sighed, "Look... You need to be more careful please...." He smiled at her gently as the bell rang, "Come on... Lets get ready for the next class..."
 
Maka

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​



Maka sighed to herself. She wasn't trying hurt or scare anyone. Sometimes her ability and personality got the best of her. She listened to Daris quietly and heard the bell ring. She sighed and went to her office. She sat at the desk quietly thinking to herself.
 
Gulliver Small


--- Location: Kent Clark High School ---


"Hi... Nice dog... What's its name?"


The voice snapped Gulliver's attention back to the present and he realised that the class had not only ended, but he was sat alone in the room, with Miss Hashon stood over him. He gave a start at the realisation and snapped the screen of his laptop shut.


"HER name is Sally. She's a girl dog.", he replied, bundling his laptop into his bag, "Do you speak Dog? I always wanted to know if Sally preferred dog food or human food."


For her part, Sally was up and sniffing cautiously at Miss Hashon, her tail wagging slowly as if she were unsure about what she was smelling.


Gulliver pulled his hour planner out of his backpack and flicked to the place marker. There was another colored entry. It was blue, which meant Gulliver didn't like it. English. He growled audibly and clicked his tongue in frustration. He got to his feet and reached into his planner for the map.


But Doctor Fairbanks said it was the wrong map. More growling.


"I don't know where my next class is. I have English in Room 204 with Mr. D. Sutherland."
 
Reagan Hemsley


Where was he? All the older kids were leaving the class and still no dog or kid. She groans and stands up, body still hurting from the shock. A couple looks from the other students but the majority didn't notice her.


She doesn't bother with peeking in this time, instead just walking right in. There he was and another teacher. Great


"I don't know where my next class is. I have English in Room 204 with Mr. D. Sutherland."


"Hey. Fairbanks sent me to help. Is that Gulliver Small?" She blurts into the conversation.


Honestly, it was a good choice by the principal. Reagan knew most of the school intimately. All of the halls and corridors, every single maintenance path, even where they kept the servers and stuff. She'd find his class quick enough.
 
Aries

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Aries smiled at Sally and spoke in a small whisper to her. Sally answered in a loud bark and Aries smiled again, "Human food, but you have to be careful with that.... Dogs can't eat certain vegetables nor chocolate.... Just thought you should know...." She then noticed Reagan, "Yes this Gulliver Small...." She smiled to Reagan. Aries' ears perked up and her tail swayed behind her again. Aries sat down, her stomach bothering her, ugh... this child of mine.... She smiled again to Reagan and Gulliver, "Well you better go to your next class... I'm fine.." She lightly patted Sally's head, her own tail swaying more.
 
Daris

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Daris walked around the gym and headed outside to where the track was. He watched the students as they hurried inside to the locker rooms. They chatted while walking inside and Daris sighed, How i wish i was that young again.... He thoughts wandered about Aries and their soon-to-be child. He continued to stand outside, looking at the sky.
 
Gulliver Small


--- Location: Kent Clark High School ---


"Human food, but you have to be careful with that. Dogs can't eat certain vegetables nor chocolate. Just thought you should know."


So Miss Hashon did speak Dog. Strange, Gulliver had always thought that foxes and dogs were of different genera. Perhaps there was some type of super-language that applied to all the canidae. Like Javascript, maybe. He was about to ask her about the language when another voice disturbed him.


"Hey. Fairbanks sent me to help. Is that Gulliver Small?"


Gulliver turned to see who used his name and saw an older girl, thin like a stick insect, her hair dark brown and cut short. She was limping just slightly and seemed uncomfortable in the presence of the teacher. Or was it because she was a Metahuman. He slipped out of his chair, suddenly aware that time was slipping away.


"I have to get to Room 204 for English with Mr. D. Sutherland.", he said to the girl, as he pulled his backpack onto his shoulders. He walked over to the girl and started to head out the door. Then he paused, his eyes wide in shock.


"Captain Stern!"


He ran back and scooped the miniature up off the desk, looked it over critically, then tucked it back into his pocket. He went back to the girl and said, "Now I have to get to Room 204 for English with Mr. D. Sutherland."


He walked out and as Reagan escorted him, he noticed the anklet.


"That's a tracker anklet. But it's been modified. Only criminals have to wear tracker anklets. Are you a criminal? Morna was a criminal, but she got better. Except when she killed that man and I became a...", he paused.


Morna had told him, repeatedly told him, to be careful about talking about his new powers. Gully, there are people out there who can hurt you, just by knowing about what you are and what you can do. Don't expose yourself to that danger, especially if I'm not around.


"And I became afraid, and I cried.", he ended, lamely.
 
Reagan Hemsley


The kid brought an involuntary smile to her face. The doll thing always got to her. Cute cut on him too. It was a nice change of pace from the spastic kids at the Guardians house.


She gave the teacher a look, a horrible pun forming while he repeated himself. She held the door for him as they began walking, or more like she began showing. He seemed smart enough to learn where he was going.


Nice and quiet for a while then the questions started.


"That's a tracker anklet. But it's been modified. Only criminals have to wear tracker anklets. Are you a criminal? Morna was a criminal, but she got better. Except when she killed that man and I became a...And I became afraid, and I cried."


She didn't answer right away.


"No, I'm not a criminal. Sorta. I didn't do anything though. And was Morna your mom or something? Why'd she kill a man?"


Probably in self defense or to protect someone. Way to go justice system. You guys really are the best.
 
Gulliver Small


--- Location: Kent Clark High School ---


"No, I'm not a criminal. Sorta. I didn't do anything though. And was Morna your mom or something? Why'd she kill a man?"


Gulliver was confused, his head tilted to one side and his eyebrows furrowed deeply as he tried to work through the girl's response.


"No, Morna's not my mom, she's my aide. She...she does everything for me. I hope she doesn't go to prison. I don't know what I'd be like without her.", he replied, "She killed a man who was part of the gang she used to be in. He was going to kill us both."


The anxiety of the memories of that event caused him to grow an inch and he couldn't prevent it.
 
Aries

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Aries sat at her desk and sighed, Dang it...I can't wait to have you born.... She relaxed and the pain subsided, Whew... Hope I can get through the day without too much trouble....
 
Daris

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Daris was now on the hill, looking over the grounds. What a nice place.... I wonder how Aries is doing...? He sighed at the thought of Aries, knowing that the baby could be causing some problems. She'll be okay.... She's a tough girl....
 
Maka

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Maka being to get bored and decided since no students were showing up, she might as well find something to do. She grabbed a towel and headed to the showers. She began to shower, playing with some of the water above her hand. She still had to learn more about her own ability. What do i do...? I might experienced enough to be a teacher but i need the job....
 
Reagan did a little double take at him, deciding it was nothing. The killing story was just making her think too in depth about things. "Well, I'm glad your buddy was able to protect you. You are luckier than most." How right she was.


Reagan found herself wandering a bit, child in tow. She could have taken a much quicker route but she sorta liked being the one with the power for once.


"We can talk about different things too, doesn't have to be anything important. Just talking."
 
Gulliver Small


Gulliver desperately tried to absorb all the twists and turns that the girl was taking him through. It seemed much more complicated than he'd expected. Obviously Doctor Fairbanks was right about the map being wrong. He would have to make sure that Morna got hold of the correct map before classes tomorrow.


"So, does it hurt?", he asked, with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the forehead, "Is that why you're limping?"


He pointed at the anklet, even as Sally skittered around, sniffing everything and everywhere.
 
Reagan Hemsley


"The anklet?" She looks down at the device. Yeah, it hurt. "Not really. I think I just hit my leg on something earlier." She was getting a weird vibe from this kid. He seemed unnaturally blunt but she chalked that up to the autism. She'd have to look up what it caused, her pool of knowlege being limited on the subject.


"Your dog seems happy to be here. School alright for you so far?"
 
Gulliver Small


"Sally is happy wherever I am. She likes people to show her attention.", Gulliver looks around him at the various rooms they pass, "This is bigger than my old school. And all the other students are taller than me. Some of the bigger boys in Miss Hashon's class were talking about me."


He thought back to what was going on around him in the class and recalled, "There was a big black-haired boy in a green jacket who called me a retard. I'm not a retard, I'm autistic. There is a vast psychological and neurological difference between the two. Do you think I should tell him the differences?"


As he spoke, the worries of the killing fled his mind and he shrank back to his normal size.
 
Reagan Hemsley


She rolls her eyes at the way her classmates acted. They acted like they were younger than him. They hadn't been out in the real world once in their lives and it showed.


"Don't bother, just ignore them-" She stops talking as his size changes slightly. Noticed that one...


"Is...is everything all right?" If he turned out to be some sort of sentient parasite monster, Fairbanks would defenitly hear about it.
 
Gulliver Small


Gulliver turned and cocked his head to one side, as if listening for something.


"I believe so. I mean, I can't speak for Morna, but I think everything is all right. Sally's not worries or upset, see? Her tail is wagging a little, that means she's okay, but not excited.", he replied, his eyes never once making contact with hers.
 
Mekita


Mekita is walking to her class . Today was the day that her mother had nine tearable murdered today she clung to her guitar case and the charm that was on it. Her friends ran up to her and she put on a plastic smile that only seemed to hallow her face but to Mekita's friends it was real the classes seemed to daze to her. Then it come to the time she had to go to work she took orders and surved meals. After what seemed like hours to Mekita she went home to the place were she was alone .
 
Aries

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Aries felt sick and cursed under her breath. She decided to stop by the nurse who give her any suggestions on the school food. Hope there's something good here.... I forgot my lunch at the house.... She sighed and began making her way down towards the nurse's office. She didn't have another class for a while anyways, might as well take a break.
 
Mekita


Today mekita has work .She wanted to go the mall but she knew that she needed to go to work. Mekita went to bring some cobler to a customer then all her best friend walked in to the diner.she was so happy she almost seller the cobler on the customer. Then she felt her tail twich it tickled her and she flinched. Mekita s best friend ran to her and hugged her and made her drop her note pad.
 
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