Living With Difficult Women [Tuesday, Period 5]

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

When Max arrived for class today, he wasn't alone. "We've discussed a number of generalities, and talked in pretty broad terms about what we're doing in this class, but today I wanted to delve into things a bit more concrete. So, as you've probably noticed, I brought an assistant. Some of you might know Sophie already. She's an accomplished actress, and she's generously agreed to play the part of a difficult woman for today's class."

Sophie was looking at this as both helping a friend, and a demonstration exercise in manipulation. Because really, students shouldn't let themselves be taken in by someone trying to play them, male or female... but she felt young female students should have every advantage possible, should they need to use these techniques. She wasn't going to ask Max if he'd realized that.

"Thank you, Max. It's lovely to be here." She shot him an amused look. "How quickly do you wish me to become difficult?"

Max chuckled, flashing her an amused grin. "Would you be willing to wait until I explain today's class activity?" he asked.

"Nooo, I don't think so. I'm the guest. Really, you should be catering to my whims already," Sophie said, looking pensive. Then she blinked. "No, I've changed my mind. Go ahead. I'll wait. I can do that." She sighed long-sufferingly.

She was already doing a great job! Max resisted the urge to beam as he nodded. "Thank you. I appreciate it." He turned to his students. "With Sophie's help I'll demonstrate a couple of different techniques. I won't be pointing them out, so you'll need to be paying attention. After that we'll split into groups, one lead by me, and another by Sophie. You'll each pick one of the groups to join for some discussion of the techniques used and what else might have been done instead."

With a grin, Max turns back to Sophie. "Whenever you're ready."

"Keeping in mind that you have every right to be 'difficult', and that not only can it get you lovely things, it can also preserve your safety, I will now demonstrate one of the most important techniques: evasion." She smiled sweetly at Max. "Hello. So lovely to meet you. I'm Catherine D'Medici."

Really, you'd think it was her real name.

"Catherine," Max repeated thoughtfully. "Ah, forgive me, I thought you were someone I knew." See that? He didn't contradict her there.

"Is she prettier than me?" Sophie asked, giving him another coy smile.

Then she gave him Crazy Eyes. "She is, isn't she."

"What? Don't be silly," Max shook his head emphatically. "It's clearly a ridiculous idea that anyone could be prettier than you." Outrageous flattery. A particularly dangerous technique since it was so obvious. If you misjudged your target and she didn't find it amusing...

"That's adorable of you to say so." Sophie smiled brightly. "Where shall we hold the wedding? I'm partial to gazebos."

"Oh, er... yes." Max blinked a couple of times. Wow... he hadn't had to deal with that particular question in years. "I've been meaning to bring that up... You see, I'm... um... being relocated. For work." It was a terrible lie, but if you'd really found someone who was truly crazy, often you could get away with those.

"You will write every day though, won't you?" Sophie looked mournful. "I'll treasure the special time we had together."

"Of course I will!" Another outright lie, but one that wouldn't be revealed as such until he was a long way away.

Sophie turned and smiled at the class. "And he has now utterly forgotten that he intended to buy me a drink."

Max blinked. Then laughed. "Layers upon layers of difficulty. Well done!"

"Now," he turned to his class. "You've seen a couple of different techniques. Both from Sophie, which gives you some examples of, admittedly extreme, behaviors you might have to deal with. And you've seen a few of the ways to do that. Now, there are always other things to deal with, and other ways to deal with them."

"So, those of you who want to discuss my technique, join me over here. And those who want to get some pointers from Sohpie, well, she's right there."

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[likes_scoundrels]

Leia Organa

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Hannibal King

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Hurley Reyes

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Arthur Pendragon

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Watch Max deal oh-so-brilliantly with a difficult woman. Or roll your eyes. Or take a nap. He's got his hands full so it's not like he's going to yell at you.

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

Hannibal watched the little display with no small amount of amusement. He recognized the flattery technique since he'd used it himself but never because anyone was difficult.

Still, it was good to know he was on the right track.

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

Mat was definitely not feeling well today, so he was dozing off without meaning to.

[thatsamilkshake]

Francine was... here. And not feeling well either, which might actually give her an edge on trying to be a difficult woman, since she tended to suck at it.

She'd have to work up the energy to be difficult, though. Mostly she felt like sliding down in her desk and hiding, with the occasional break for rubbing at her itchy face and arms.

Discussion

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Pick a group!

Max's Group

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Want to critique his approach? Ask for details on why he chose the techniques he did? Go for it.

Sophie's Group

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Come up with reasons to be deliberately 'difficult.' Perhaps you don't need any! Perhaps it is other people's problem if they find you problematic?

Re: Sophie's Group

[likes_scoundrels]

Oh please, like Leia wasn't going to get pointers on being difficult. It might come in handy with her father, after all. She was totally in for Sophie's group.

Re: Sophie's Group

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

Sophie smiled at the students, then nodded to Leia. "What is your usual reason for being difficult? Or are you not difficult at all?" Right. If the answer was 'never difficult', there would be many, many suggestions.

Re: Sophie's Group

[intraspective]

Pointers!

Ino was pretty blah for the most part today but, really, as if she'd be anywhere else.

Re: Sophie's Group

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

Sophie smiled and said, "So, what is your favorite way to make someone's day that much more trying?"

Talk to Max

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

After class, that is

Re: Talk to Max

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

"I hope that was all right?" Sophie said, smiling at Max. "I didn't want to be *too* difficult."

Re: Talk to Max

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"You did wonderfully," Max grinned. "A fine performance."

Except, you know, she really was difficult.

Re: Talk to Max

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

But she believed her role! That's what sold it.

"Flatterer," Sophie said with affection. "Your students are quite entertaining. Very bright. A great deal of initiative."

Re: Talk to Max

[sith_happened]

Well, on the positive side, Anakin was on campus and thus unarmed. On the other, he'd just left Raven in the clinic where she'd named Max as her assailant.

So Anakin didn't go for the Force-choke (as he was Being Good), but he was greeting Max with a right hook rather than the traditional "hello."

Re: Talk to Max

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max sensed the hit coming too late to do anything to take it. This time, though, unlike last time Anakin hit him, he slowly turned to glare at the other man.

"That was uncalled for," he said, tone dropping dangerously.

Re: Talk to Max

[sith_happened]

"Raven says you put her in the clinic," Anakin spat. "That was civilized."

OOC

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Many thanks to my lovely cohost!

Also, a note on availability. I'll be around most of the day, but the lovely Sophie won't be around until around 7pm EST. Don't let that stop you from joining her group, of course!

Re: OOC

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

*is having way too much fun*