Don't Mind the Light [Open]

[morphitudinous]

Character(s): Billy + ____
Location: A classroom/elevator/hallway in the evening, take your pick! Wherever he is, mind the tools.
Rating: Gen? Probably nothing more dangerous than a dweeby instructor and mildly painful situations.
Open/Closed/Finished: Open!
Summary: A newly minted instructor grapples with duty, command, and the unfortunate distraction of certain classroom problems. Attempts at repairs are made. They do not always end well.

Our scene begins in an empty classroom after dinner. The new Engineering instructor rehearses for the next class, circling around the front desk with a blinking scanner device sitting atop it.

"Do you remember what you learned in Chemistry about certain volatile compounds? You need to know how to avoid setting off an explosion when one's occurrence isn't exactly welcome, but you also need to know how to create these reactions. If the time comes and you have access to these materials, you may save lives. Remember: be aware of your surroundings and know how best to use them. Now, that won't be the primary focus of this course, but it's something to keep in mind. Today we'll be discussing your more typical deployment, featuring..."

Billy trailed off, irritated by a distraction that was too jarring to ignore. Honestly, the room was giving him a lighting problem now? He intended to get through this lecture rehearsal tonight, and no flickering lights were going to stop him. Too stubborn to move, he instead decided to take matters into his own hands.

A quick trip to his dorm room (and repairman stash across from the bed) yielded a ladder and flashlight, and Billy was soon precariously balanced on a ladder with his hands full of a replacement light tube. He needed both hands to shove it into place. All seemed well until he encountered some unexpected stickiness in a latch. It was soon in place, but one little miscalculated shove pitched him off balance.

The result? A loud crash, an instructor sprawled across the floor, and his arm locked around the fallen ladder to keep it from crashing into him.

"...that certainly went well," he grumbled. At least there was no broken glass.

Comments

[9tailedtemptress]

And then a light giggle accompanied the breaking of the night time silence.

"My my, I didn't know there was a new janitor on campus~" Ahri teased as the nine-tailed woman sauntered slowly into the classroom, looking around idly before setting her honey golden eyes on the new person.

"I do say, at least you take your job seriously to be doing it at this time of day~ No rest for the hard working I suppose~" she giggled.

[morphitudinous]

A very flustered Billy wrangled with the ladder and pushed it, clambering to his feet.

"It was only a minor repair, I didn't want to call them," he said defensively, dusting off his jacket. "And of course. Teaching's much more than lessons and grading homework. Preparation's important as well."

He knelt to finish cleaning up the mess, eying the cadet a little warily. They hadn't crossed paths before, had they?

[9tailedtemptress]

"So you're not a janitor then? A teacher hm~?" she mused as she sat on a desk, crossing her legs slowly and keeping her curious eyes locked on him.

"So you were preparing your lesson plan then? Why not do it in your room I wonder..." A sly grin beginning to form on her face. "Maybe a late night meeting with a favored student I wonder~" she teased.

[morphitudinous]

So she was the type to needle people. Billy made a note of that, tugging on his collar and fighting off his natural reaction. Why should he be embarrassed? He didn't know anyone in this Garden well enough for the rumor to have any truth to it at all.

"I like to prepare in an environment as close to the location where I'll be teaching as possible," he said evenly. "You're as aware as I am romantic affairs between instructors and students are forbidden, I assume? Doing so would compromise the integrity of our educational mission."

[9tailedtemptress]

She had to laugh at that statement. A good, nice, needed laugh before she simply offered a mildly apologetic smile. "You're new, that statement alone definitely betrays you if you think that~" He certainly hadn't been keeping up with the gossip around campus at the very least.

"But it doesn't matter, I'm just teasing, as you can guess already." she added as she switched over and crossed her legs again. "You might want to relax a bit more, or you'll be eaten alive by the students~ Just friendly advice." she said in a sing-songy voice.

[morphitudinous]

Gossip? Who had time for gossip when there was studying to do? Honestly, his nose was so far up his book that he often missed things.

Not that he would concede the point. Billy closed his eyes, fighting down the display of embarrassment that would be so clear on his face.

"I'll be looking back to the code for that. But...less verbose in my refusals. Got it."

[9tailedtemptress]

Ahri grinned, "One of the textbook instructors huh? Honey, I'd readjust right quick if you want to last long~" she teased with a giddy giggle.

"Truthfully though, it's a nice place, too nice sometimes if you ask me. But being stuffy and strict won't get the cadets interested, I'll tell you that much~" she mused.

[morphitudinous]

Billy bristles, but he soon relaxes his posture. "That's not what I'm like in lessons. I was actually planning some interesting demonstrations for our classes," he argued, glancing at the device on the desk.

He walked over to it and pushed a button, producing a perfectly round sphere. It was filled with harmless baby powder for now, but it wouldn't take much effort to fill with something else. Billy snatched it up and tossed it, winding up with a dusty uniform.

"...maybe I should dye this. These demonstrations always seem more effective with bright colors."

[9tailedtemptress]

Ahri chuckled, covering her mouth daintily with one of her many tails and shaking her head.

"Well, if anything, the theatrics might be interesting in this class. And I have to say, the technology of this world intrigues me professor..." What was his name again?

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"Uh, you okay in there?"

Jecht peered in the door, a baffled expression on his face. That was just a weird sight.

[morphitudinous]

It was just disaster after disaster for Billy tonight. The ladder and lightbulb mess was cleaned up by now, but the after-effects and resulting rumbling led to a malfunction from the powder-loading machine. He was now twisting a mop and duster around.

"I'm all right. I've just learned the hard way that janitors deserve more credit than I've given them."

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"Y'know we have one or two to handle that. Whatever it is." He stepped fully in, blinking at the mess. "Not to get too nosy, but, how the hell'd ya make this mess anyway?"

[morphitudinous]

"I always learned to clean up my own messes."

Billy shrugged, sweeping away another corner of the mess. He'd leave this room even cleaner than he found it!

"It's a demonstration for my next class. It's nothing dangerous, I'm aware of the rules on that, but I thought it'd catch their attention. Apparently the discharge mechanism needs some adjustment."

PE teachers had it so easy, he thought. Keeping a class interesting was hardly any work at all!

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"Well now I'm curious. Gonna do it again?" he said, leaning against the door frame as he casually crossed his arms.

[morphitudinous]

"Sure. If I can't get this right, I'll really be in trouble for tomorrow."

After a quick scan of the device and another fill, Billy punched in the code once more. The clear shell of the device revealed the inner workings, gears turning this way and that and fluids rushing through their piping. At the end of the process, a perfectly rounded pellet dropped into a slot.

Billy took the little pellet between his fingers, then tossed it up and down. "This could become a bullet, or some standalone explosive. The point is to learn the proper mix of ingredients."

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

He watched all of this with an arched eyebrow and fairly obvious bafflement. But a hint of a clever idea was starting to form in his head.

"So you're good with machines, huh?"

[morphitudinous]

"Absolutely. I don't think I'd have this job if I wasn't," Billy pointed out, trying not to let that hint of pride enter his voice. Pride goeth before a fall and all that.

"Why, do you need assistance with something?"

Elevator

[laughafterme]

Normally, Pinkie would just take the stairs, but she was feeling adventurous today! So she wanted to see how the elevators were doing. The last time she took the elevator, she got stuck in it.

Once the doors opened, there was a familiar face on the other side, which made her gasp in surprise.

"OMIGOSH WHEN DID YOU GET BACK?!" Screw whatever was in his arms, SHE'S GIVING HIM A HUG!!

[morphitudinous]

Luckily for the light rods, Billy laid them next to the ladder against the wall. That left his arms free to catch Pinkie Pie! He'd ordinarily be a little worried about being jumped on, but her bright pink hair was easy enough to recognize in a flash.

He patted her back softly, still a little awkward with hugs, but his smile was definitely genuine when they pulled apart. "Just this afternoon. I was going to message you tonight---if I'd done it earlier, I'd never be able to banish the stench of fish from my laptop."

He was quite done with Fisherman's Horizon for the rest of the year, thank you.

[laughafterme]

He's always prepared! That was what Pinkie found so awesome of Billy!

The mention of fish smells prompted Pinkie to sniff the other. "You don't smell that fishy! Did ya shower?!"

[morphitudinous]

"I just showered before this," he admitted. That would explain the distinct non-distinctness of Garden soap on him. "Trust me, you wouldn't have wanted to be near me when I arrived."

He reached over and tapped the button for a short ride up. "How has everything been?"

[laughafterme]

Pinkie stepped inside and rocked back and forth on the heel and balls of her feet. This elevator ride was way better than the last!

"EVERYTHING has been AWESOME! There's a whole buncha new cadets and SeeDs here now! Even my friend Applejack is here!"

[morphitudinous]

The elevator ride was short and uneventful enough. When they arrived, Billy slid his scattered tools out of the elevator and set them to the side of the hallway. No reason it had to be fixed right away.

"You really do love new people," he smiled. "Applejack was your friend with the farm, right?"

[laughafterme]

Pinkie stepped out with him, stepping over his stuff. They all looked pretty important!

"Of course I do! New people means new and exciting things!" And who liked exciting things more than Pinkie? THAT'S RIGHT! NO ONE! "Yeah, she's the one! We went to school together!"

[morphitudinous]

Billy laughed his agreement. "That will never stop being amazing to me. No matter what happens, you keep throwing yourself out there. Because there's always a chance it'll get better?"

He wished he still believed that. He leaned against the wall, smiling at her. "I'm really happy for you. Maybe it's all your charm that keeps drawing your friends to you? You should teach that class too."