In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 221):

The room goes quiet.  Not just your table quiet.  The room goes quiet.

As you glance around, you see the others lining the walls looking your way.  The Goths and the  Artsie kids.  You've already picked up that the two groups don't get along.  But both sides look down on you techies.

Sasha snorts. "Damn straight!"

"Sasha!  Language!"  Baskins calls across the room.

All the Artsies start to laugh.

The-odds-are-good-its-Tim raises a hand at each of the two of you.  "Let's just calm down.  This isn't gonna do anyone any good.  It's Tanya's business.  If she doesn't wanna make a big deal outta it, we can't.  Even if it does suck."

The anger that filled Tyler drains away as quickly as it came, to be replaced by embarrassment as he realizes the whole class heard him. He slumps down into his seat in the silence, getting back to work.

Only once everybody starts talking again does he ask softly, "Why do they hate us so much? Our whole job is to make them look good. Without us they'd just be talking on a dark empty stage in their normal clothes."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:13, Sun 10 Jan 2021.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 223):

Sasha glances at her fists.  She chuckles dryly.  "Everyone needs someone to look down on don't they?"

"Before we get too emo..."  Sure-as-shootin'-it's-Tim says.  "...let's just focus on what we gotta do."

His brother nods.  "The best revenge is a life well lived."

Sasha stares at him.  "What the hell does that even mean?"

More-than-likely-Tom scratches his cheek, turning a little red.  "Uhmm...it's better to just...keep your head held high? Hell.  I dunno.  But some old dead guy said it.  So it's gotta be right."

Sasha rolls her eyes.  "Okay.  Thanks for the philosophy.  By the way.  They made Socrates drink poison.  Now, what I'm thinkin' is..."  She glances around to see who might be listening in and then leans in a little closer.  "Maybe we should show 'em just how important we are after all."

Tyler sighs, "It means they are trying to make themselves happy by making us feel bad. So, if we don't let them get to us, they feel even worse. I'm not sure it actually works that way. The bullies usually just try harder. Or they pick on someone else instead."

He looks up to Sasha skeptically at her suggestion, and is quick to put in, "I can't do anything that'll mess up my grades. I need to get all A's."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:54, Mon 11 Jan 2021.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 225):

Sasha sighs.  "Fine. If you're gonna get all rational about it, I'll be good.  But let's at least do the best damn job we can."

---

PE is just running laps.  By the time you get back to the locker room, it feels like your lungs are going to collapse.

Reggie puts his jacket on just as the final bell rings.  Time to go home.

"You ready?  Let's hit the train."

Tyler nods emphatically in agreement with that, and leans in to get back to work.

---

Tyler has to stop and catch his breath for a moment, so he's a little behind in changing by the time the bell goes. He pulls on his shirt and has to quickly tie his shoes before he's up and grabbing his own jacket. "Ready," he says finally.

As they walk towards the exit, he asks, "How do you get an A in that class? Is there some trick? I've been trying hard, but I almost fainted from lack of air back there." A bit of an exaggeration, though not a big one.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:17, Tue 12 Jan 2021.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 227):

Reggie chuckles, glancing down at you.  "Well. I used ta box after all. So I'm used ta road work.  I think as long as you give it an effort, they'll pass ya.  But maybe think about taking up jogging.  Never hurts."

The two of you are on the platform waiting for the train.  Reggie looks back at you.  "Thanks again for the help on that arm.  You need any help on your project?"

Tyler blinks, and then says, shoulders slumping, "I forgot! This whole year is so weird I haven't even thought up anything really good for a project yet. I mean, the best idea I've had yet was trying to improve GPS accuracy with an algorithm to compensate for weather and geomagnetic activity... But you said the competition here is big, I don't know if that's impressive enough. On display, it's just a bunch of sheets and numbers. And I'm not even sure I could do better than they already do."

He thinks a moment and then says, "Doing something physics might be fun. Magnetic levitation maybe, but I gotta figure out something that hasn't been done before."

Then he asks, "Where do you get your electronic parts? I mostly get scrap stuff from my mom's work, but it's mostly the tiny components from phones, nothing big enough to breadboard with."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:26, Fri 15 Jan 2021.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 229):

Reggie twitches an eye.  "You might be sellin' your GPS idea short.  This isn't the typical school science fair ya know.  The judges are all professors from the university.

"Parts?  I go to the Scrap Heap.  You've never been there?"

He seems to read his answer from the expression on your face.  "Ha!  It's awesome.  When do you have time for a trip across town?  It'll blow your mind."

Tyler looks up at Reggie's reaction to his GPS idea. "Really? Yeah, maybe I'll do that then. And, even if it doesn't work, I'll have tons of data to present. And, I'll probably need to build my own device, I'll need my own phone for a control, so I'll need to build something with a GPS that I can program."

He looks up again, his face blank, and then says, "Is it a store? Or actual heap?" Either way, he smiles and opens his mouth to say something, but then pauses. "I don't know. But I'll let you know! My mom's setting up this thing for me, kinda like a mentorship. I don't know what days that's going to be yet, but soon as I know, I'll know when I have time."

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 231):

"Scrap Heap is a store.  Kinda.  It's a couple that buys junk lots off labs an' universities.  Also a lot of the Hollywood film crews that work here sell effects stuff to 'em.  So there's always something interesting.  What kinda mentorship if you don't mind me asking?"

Tyler hesitates. Lying to Reggie does not seem right, but they still aren't quite that close yet for this secret. Not to mention they're in a crowded subway station.

So, he goes between, telling as much truth as he can, "It's to do with family stuff my mom doesn't want me to talk about. And I need to stay on her good side right now. Sorry."

Of course, this makes it sound like a psychologist or something, but whatever, he doesn't have to lie.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:20, Mon 18 Jan 2021.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 233):

"Ah.  Sorry to pry.  I know how that goes."

Reggie gets kind of a funny look on his face for a second, like he's eaten a rancid Dorito, and then shrugs.  The two of you start talking about geek stuff like everything's normal.

---

"Hey!  How do ya leave a moron in suspense?"

You got off the train at your station and were walking home when Levi's voice suddenly pops into your ear.  He's come up behind you, leaned close, and spoke into your ear.

He grins, takes a step back, saunters around you, and starts sashying up the street, smirking at you like he's got a secret.

Tyler just about jumps out of his skin at the sudden words. After a moment of initial shock, he steps quickly to catch up. He gives Levi a light punch on the shoulder, saying softly so it doesn't carry too far, "I don't know, but you just showed me how a moron risks getting struck by lightning! Don't sneak up on me like that until I've gotten control."

That warning given, he's grinning again and asks, "What's going on?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:09, Tue 19 Jan 2021.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 235):

"I can't answer without taking the moron outta suspense!  It's a little thing called 'humor' Dickweed."

The two of you tromp up to the apartment.  Mom has to make up a few hours at work, so she won't be home until late.

Levi flops on the sofa.  "What I wanna know is how come I can't call down the lightening?  I can see the dead people.  Or whatever the hell they are.  You think I got a different and much cooler superpower?"

He looks around the room, not making eye contact when he says, "So my Mom split again.  I don't think she's gonna come back this time.  You mind if I bunk down here tonight?"

When Levi's Mom does one of her 'I'm leaving this time for good', his Dad tends to be even worse.

Tyler plops down beside Levi, and answers his question about a cooler superpower, "Probably. Bet it's something really cool."

He nods emphatically to the next question, and says, "As far as I'm concerned, you can live here forever. Anytime you want to stay, stay."

An idea occurs to him then, and says, "You know, you might have the lightning thing too, maybe you just aren't as jumpy as me to find it yet." He jumps to his feet, going into his bedroom, coming back out with a 9 V battery and his multimeter. The former he gives to Levi, and says, "It's full charge, I just checked, touch it to your tongue and if you feel anything you're not like me."

Meanwhile, he hooks up a lead of his multimeter to the metal frame of the lamp on the end table to ground it, then takes the other lead in his hand. He's been doing this a lot, lately, trying to will the needle on the multimeter to move. Trying to find whatever thought or emotion, in particular, can cause the surge that fried his phone. And maybe get a tiny bit of control over his power.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 237):

Wow.  You really like pushing this story along, don'tcha?

Levi looks at the battery, then at you like you just farted-one of those really stinky burrito ones-, and then takes the battery.  After scowling at it a bit, he touches it to his tongue.

Levi then disappears.

Wasn't my particular intention that time! Neither player nor character expected that to do anything. :)

Tyler hadn't, in fact, believed Levi had the lightning powers. He figured Levi had a completely different power. But, the idea would distract his friend from his father, give Tyler a giggle at Levi zapping his tongue, and they can say they tried before going on to other experiments to find what it might be. Or, more likely just have fun goofing off with the general theme of experiments.

None of that happens, though. Levi vanishes in front of him instead. Tyler immediately drops his multimeter and asks in a very shaking voice, waving his hands through where his friend had been, "Levi?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:42, Fri 22 Jan 2021.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 239):

"Ow!  You shitard!  That stung my tongue!"

His voice comes from the area he was sitting.  Just the voice though.

"Why do you look like you gotta crap out a brick?"

Tyler laughs a little in relief, "I look like this because you're gone!" He waves his hand again, and then says, switching from amazement to some excitement, "Invisible, and intangible! Like The Ghost and Phase in one body!" Referring to a rival pair of cape/hood from the Cold War era (or, possibly rival capes from different nations, in some stories) that have had books and comics written about them, "I guess we found your power!"

I was going to say Susan Storm and Kitty Pryde, but I then realized I'm in a world with actual superheroes and villains, I might as well make up a couple! Hope that's okay. :)
This message was last edited by the player at 23:53, Sun 24 Jan 2021.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 241):

It's your world baby.  I just dance in it.

"I'm what?  Are you high?"

After a moment, you hear his voice coming from the bathroom.  "Shit!  I'm standing in front of the mirror and I can't see me!  I'm not there!"

You hear some thumping sounds.  Then you feel a smack against your gut.

"Huh.  Guess I'm not intangerine or whatever the hell you said.

"So what now?  How do I..."  He's silent for a moment.

"Hey.  Do you heart that?"

It sounds like there's a car crash outside.  A quick check at the window shows a car on the street ran into the back of a car that was pulling away from the curb.

Squatting on the hood of the lead car, like he was squatting on the ground to look at a pile of leaves or something, is a man wearing nothing but a top hat and a pair of boxers.  His skin is blue but then it's red but then it's gray.

As the drivers tumble out of the cars and start yelling at each other, Mr. Naked Top Hat Guy looks up, seeming to look around at all the windows of the buildings nearby.

"Ow, okay, guess I waved my hand in the wrong place. But, invisibility is still cooler than striking yourself with lightning!"

He blinks and moves over to the window. "Should've thought of that, a ghost found me after I did that experiment too. But you're harder to find."

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 243):

The voice pops in at your shoulder.

"You sure he's lookin' for me?"

As if on cue, Mr. Top Hat hops off the hood of the car and cross to the side of your building.

He then starts to walk up the side of the wall just under your window.

Tyler scrambles back from the window and nods emphatically, "Yep, pretty sure! Yours looks crazier than mine though."

He makes sure he's standing behind the couch before the ghost makes it up the wall.

In reply to Tyler Thompson (msg # 245):

Mr. Top Hat walks up the window.  You can see the soles of his feet at eye level.  Fortunately, the boxers are keeping things covered.

Mr. Top Hat bends at the waist and leans over, so he can look into the apartment.

He makes eye contact with you and grins.

"Well hello Fine Fellow!
Hope you are mellow!
It's so cold out here,
I think I'll die.
Is your heart big enough
To let me inside?"