[Friday, August 27, 2004.] (*puts on the cap and transforms into Ultra-Rica!*) [It's halfway through the fifth period! Madness happened. Students have been filing back into the building in a more or less (or less than more?) orderly fashion. It's been announced over the intercom that fifth period's been called off, and school will resume the sixth.] (Ultra-Rica, just like normal Veronica except she can't win baseball pennants since 'The Unfortunate Incident With The Goat.') [Students are milling about in the halls, then, doing that studenty thing students do. There's a lot of talk and general confusion as to what exactly happened. The teachers probably aren't much better, but it's hard to say, because we start with the camera on Veronica.] [Where is she going? What is she doing? These questions and more will be answered momentarily! Maybe.] [Mini Start.] * Veronica walks on forward, losing any pleasantless her face had, if it had any to begin with, and taking on a more serious look. She's heading back from the front of the school and heading past the cafeteria without stopping. [Around Veronica, people are gathered in groups and talking. Some of the students are heading into the cafeteria. Why not sit around and grab some munchies?] (Snicker.) * Veronica glances inside the cafeteria for a moment while she's passing. Just in case. [Nobody's on fire.] (Good to note.) (I think so.) * Ivy has joined #secondstring (Can't be too careful these days) (Ivy!) (Whoa.) (I think you'll end up in a different channel, probably.) (That's fine.) * Veronica just continues on her way towards the library then. (So, we confirmed Krista's available but missed the window where she'd join up with Veronica?) [Veronica reaches the library! The doors are glass and unlocked and she gets to walk through one of those book detectors to make sure you're not a BOOK STEALER.] [This could be the first time she's gone in since ever.] (There's a Wanted Poster for Ms. Balen hanging up.) (I guess so) (Heheh.) (Because she doesn't know where Krista is, and she wouldn't actively seek her out. ^^;) (I had thought the idea was Krista would spot her going back into the school, but Arwen skipped over that.) (It's weird to go into the library for her. Snicker.) (Weird for who to go into the library for who?) (Apparently you, according to the []s.) (Ah. Yes.) * Krista is, uh, in the library. She's got a big book out before her, but doesn't seem to be paying an inordinate amount of attention to it. Maybe the glasses being off is a factor in that. [It's a standard set up. There's the librarian's desk - complete with librarian - pretty much straight forward, and books to the right and left and back, cubbies, and stairs up to the computer lab. Some tables for groups, and probably more tables and cubbies behind the shelves. There are even a few doors to small group discussion rooms.] (And I will totally put that before Krista.) * Veronica just walks in the library. She doesn't seem to really pay attention to the book detectors. She may not even know what they are. (Woo!) (God, those book detectors were always out to get me, and I never even stole any books. All the way through high school and halfway into college. The EIU ones haven't beeped at me yet, but I wince every time I walk into and out of the library.) * Veronica walks into the library and blinks as she notes Krista. She walks up a bit and waves awkwardly. "Hey.." * Krista turns slowly and looks up at the blurry shape. She says, uncertainly, "Hello?" * Veronica looks at her oddly for a moment. "Um...glasses?" [Krista's pretty cute without her glasses on.] [If, you know, Veronica swings that way. Or even if she doesn't.] (She would but she's already got Christy and Charlotte.) (It's just like in the movies, where taking off glasses and putting hair down is a foolproof beautification method.) (Except here it actually works.) * Krista blinks a few times, then fumbles for her glasses, puts them on blinking in surprise. After a second she says quietly, "Veronica... what are you doing?" (Hey, it works. I've tried it at Loews!) (Charlotte and Christy?) Not here for pleasure reading, that's for sure. *sighs* You hang out here in your free time, Krista? (Yes, she knows her name too! Horror of horrors!) * Krista smiles weakly. "Free time? What free time?" Apparently now that class was cancelled. * Krista looks back at the book. "Well, this is your lunch. For me, it's just the first part of AP Physics being cancelled." * Veronica frowns and sits down. "I'm, uh, kinda glad you're here actually." [No food for you!] * Luke walks in through the book detectors. He's got his attache case in his left hand, but as the detectors don't go off, he must not be carting stolen books in it. * Krista blinks again. "W-what? Why?" Beat. "What'd I do?" (Luke carries half the library in his attache.) What'd you-- * Veronica blinks. "Wait, why are you asking that?" * Krista looks to her book again and mumbles, "'Cause you're happy to see me and there's not a trash can with in fifty feet big enough to hold me?" (Actually...) There's...what exactly are you talking about? I need your help with *research*. (Glasses mess up your distance perception!) ( Do my homework for me!) (That's coming later.) * Krista looks to her funny. "R-Research? On what?" * Veronica sighs and takes in a deep, long, not-so-cleansing breath. Then responds, "Spontaneous combustion." * Luke seemingly doesn't notice the students. He glances around, looking for indications of what books are in which stacks. ( * Luke discovers the dewey(sp?) decimal system!) * Kirby has joined #secondstring (Dewey Decimal is correct) * Krista blinks again. "Spontaneous combustion?" Beat. "No way, you can't really..." * Veronica looks off to the side. "I don't really think what happened to Camila was an accident. But to know that for *certain*, I've got to know more, yeah?" (Does there happen to be any indication of where books on the occult might be? Not that Luke's expecting much, but he hasn't actually checked yet.) [Science fiction and newer books to the right. To the left is all of that educational stuff nobody wants to read. Back is periodicals.] (Probably left, then. ;P) But... spontaneous combustion is fake... it's all stories and such... * Luke heads left. (They're all checked out for the "Witches and Witchcraft 101" course offered 6th period) [Luke heads past the half-whispering girls!] (Ha.) That's the thing. So what do *you* think happened to Camila? * Kirby is now known as Charlotte * Veronica turns her hard, piercing gaze onto Krista. Bet she wishes she didn't put on her glasses now, huh? * Luke passes just as they say that. (Notice Roll?) * Krista blinks, and says uncertainly, ,"I-I don't know. Maybe it was a bad prank..." -herring.sandwich.net:@#secondstring- Ardweden invited Dicesuke into channel #secondstring. * Dicesuke has joined #secondstring (Have a ball. ^^) 1d10+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Luke (1d10+6) and gets 9. (Geez, Luke. Why don't you just carry a glass in your attache to walk around to random doors eavesdropping? ;P) [Luke hears Veronia's question!] (How do you know he doesn't?) [And Krista's response, yes.] * Luke glances down at Veronica as he passes, but keeps going. * Veronica chuckles dryly. "Yeah. Bad prank. She's not going to be the same, Krista. You can't be after third degree burns. At best, she'll just be disfigured for life with no feeling in her hands." That's a little more than a "prank." * Luke heads into the stacks, looking for the occult section. * Veronica eyes Luke as he passes. Nosy teachers. * Krista 's eyes widen, then she looks away and murmurs, "Depends on who's doing it..." (Sure. That's why she's eyeing him.) * Veronica sighs and leans back in her chair, looking idly at the ceiling. "You never know. Could have been me." * Luke, through his mastery of the Dewey Decimal System, finds the section he's looking for. Is there anything worthwhile? * Krista nods slowly, then says, "I-I still don't think... spontanous combustion, really..." So what else? It takes longer to burn like that, Krista. She had to have been burning from the inside. Or else I'm missing something. ( God smited her! Duh.) (Smote?) (Smote) (And there was no lightning bolt.) [Luke finds a number of books on witches, demons, devils, the history behind them, and such. No books on actually performing witchcraft.] * Krista says, "Gasoline? Gasoline burns. Maybe someone dumped burning gasoline on her and nobody saw it." Beat. "Okay, that's silly, but..." * Luke checks a few to see if they'd have anything useful. We would have smelled it. I smelt burning. I didn't smell gas fumes. [There are stories about witchcraft! Fun stuff like a witch making a pact with the devil for a belt made of flesh that'd turn him into a werewolf.] Maybe... could be something. Magnesium, or napalm, or... * Krista looks disbelieving. "Spontaneous combustion, really!" Alcohol, kerosene...none of that. (Nothing apparently on topic?) I didn't say that was the only answer... * Veronica sighs. "Magic..." ( Maybe she was shot with a phaser!) M-magic? Now you are talking crazy... * Krista pales when she says crazy. Considering who she's talking TO. Yeah? Maybe, I am... * Veronica glances up at Krista. "But how do you explain the lights too? At the same time?" That's different... And Jeremy? He was probably hit by a spark from the light, but still... * Luke grabs a couple of the more useful looking books, figuring a closer reading might turn something up, and heads out of the stacks. Yeah. Seems like an awfully fucking convenient coincidence though.. But... there wasn't any lights or anything in the classroom... just the fire. And it was after. * Veronica glances at Krista after she says that. "Sorry. I know how ya hate that kinda language...bein' a religious type an' all..." [THE BOOKS ATTACK LUKE. Or not.] * Krista smiles weakly. "Ah... thanks..." Still happened around the same time, Krista. Two "unexplained" occurances. (Arwen, can I have names for books or should I make up my own?) ( If she was shot with a phaser, we would've seen the beam :P ) (Not if it was modulated to a frequency that isn't visible.) Yeaeh, but... Look. That's why I need your help. I'm not going to be able to figure this out on my own... * Veronica sighs. "And nobody believes I wouldn't have it out for Camila anyway..." (Luke: If you want to make them up, you're welcome to.) * Luke walks by carrying two books in his right hand, in addition to the case in his left. The one with the cover on the outside is entitled Unexplained Occurances. * Krista looks at her funny, then says, 'E-even if it's spontaneous, that wouldn't explain anything to anyone..." You'd just be making things up... Yeah. That's why I don't believe it is... But, well, we don't know any better explanation. * Veronica frowns. "If it's totally random, there's nothing we can do. But if something's causing this..." The lights. What happened with the lights? * Krista says uncrtainly, "They broke?" (Blah. Perception roll, girls.) d10+4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Veronica (d10+4) and gets 7. 1d10+3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Krista (1d10+3) and gets 9. [Krista looks up to see Mr. Mendel walking by and the title of his book.] All of them at once? Did they say what actually *happened*? * Veronica doesn't stop. Because she is unaware. ( "How to set people on fire by remote control" ) * Krista blinks at the book and says, both at it and in response, "Unexplained occurances...?" (Do I make a notice roll to have heard that?) (Yup.) (Sorry. ^^;) 1d10+6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Luke (1d10+6) and gets 13. (Success level 3.) (You got everything they said from... Look. That's why I need your help. I'm not going to be able to figure this out on my own...) * Luke is a few feet from the girls when Krista says that. He looks over to see if she's talking to him. * Krista is caught staring at the book. [Guilty! BOOK STEALER!] (Luke's the book stealer!) (Okay, I need the exact geography of this area of the library so I can figure out where they are relative to each other.) ( This is not the book you are looking at. *hand wave*) * Veronica starts to respond to Krista then notes that she's not exactly looking at her. She blinks and turns. [The girls are to Luke's right, sitting at a table. There are other tables to his right and one to his left, and two more chairs are around the table the girls are sitting at. Krista has a large, heavy book open. Behind Luke are stacks. Ahead is the door, the librarian's desk, the new book/fiction sections, the periodicals, and doors to small discussion rooms. Near the periodicals is the stairway up.] (How wide an open pathway is Luke in?) (That was the question I was mostly interested in. How near to them does he have to pass?) (About five feet.) (You can walk in single formation and have full reach with your longsword!) * Luke is in the middle of the open pathway, so he's about two feet away and also about three feet back from them. * Luke gives Krista a quick smile, though she may not notice, as she is staring at his book. * Krista looks sheepish as she IS caught, because while neding glasses, her peripheral vision isn't that bad. * Luke starts to walk off again, if nothing else happens. * Veronica glances at Luke once she finally catches notice of him and Krista looking at him. "Having fun spying on your students again, Mister Mendel?" * Luke stops after another few steps, but they've actually brought him closer, as he's just pulled even with them. He turns to look at Veronica, and holds up his books. "I'm just here for something to read." Uh-huh. "I had no idea you were even here. My elaborate network of spies let me down." * Veronica taps the table and looks down at it. "So what do you think?" * Veronica snorts and stops the table tapping. (Uh, flip Veronica's question and Luke's statement or what?) (I don't know!) (Sure.) (I thought his statement preceded her question, but then she reacted afterward.) (So, what's the order, now?) (Simultaneous. Or nearly simultaneous) (Keep the order the way it is) ( Luke's got ninja planted among the students. ) "You wouldn't believe me if I told you what I think happened." (They're also monkeys.) Try me. * Krista chuckles weakly. 'Cause that's funny. (Occult roll? Base Int?) (Yeah.) (Drama point being used!) 1d10+20 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Luke (1d10+20) and gets 24. (Still not good enough!) (Luke is dramatically occult!) (That's an 8th level success, I think?) (Seven, but lots, yes.) (Sorry, yes.) (I expect I get info? :P) (Nope.) (Nah. I just did that to laugh at you.) (You get a juggling monkey.) (He wants to save your game.) (I'm getting info from Arwen. Hang on.) ( Downloading New Information! 53% complete! ) ( I bet it was klingons. ) (Well, Arwen's first try at giving me information was that it was either some sort of spell or some sort of demon. I'm now trying to get something a bit more... specific.) ( Or Romulans. ) ( Or Romulans and Klingons together. ) (I know I suck!) (What about the Cardassians?) (It was all a plot by a breakoff sect of the Vulcans) (One day, it *will* be, and Charlotte will be all, "I knew it!") (Gah. I can't do this. Uh... shoot, if I pause it and try to organize stuff, it'll still look anticlimactic because I took time.) (It's a demonic magic girl.) ( Just say it was hotdog guy. ) (It's Veronica. She set Camila on fire with her eyes.) ( He couldn't wait for class to end, so he tried to cook Camila. ) (And I'll do it to you too!) (It was the sleeping guy. Anything you shout at him to wake him up happens!) (Oh, screw it.) [Pause.]