charming_thief: (obnox: smartass casual)
charming_thief ([personal profile] charming_thief) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2011-09-20 11:04 pm
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Tricks, Cons and Bamboozles | Wednesday | Period 1

Today, students had been handwavily told to meet in the Danger Shop, which was programmed on this fine morning to resemble a busy transit hub that students might recognize as Grand Central Station. Although they would learn that it was actually set up to resemble most of Upper Manhattan.

Stationed toward the middle of the chaos near a circular booth, Neal was holding a paper bag full of bagels, which he was handing out to students as they arrived. He could be generous! Sometimes. Though he wasn't handing out coffee. That stuff was all his.

"Welcome to Grand Central Station," he said once everyone had arrived. "This is the largest1 train station in the world, and over 750,0002 people pass through it on a daily basis. Suffice it to say that it's not exactly the kind of place that's convenient for making a quick getaway."

Since he assumed that his students would be having need of that, possibly within the first two minutes of class. (Put that commuter's wallet down, Kenzi! Or keep it and share. Whatever.)

"Today we're going to work on a couple of things," he said, then enjoyed a sip of that amazing, amazing coffee that he wasn't sharing with any of you. "One: Finding your way around. Nothing's more embarrassing than trying to make a quick exit down the wrong hallway." If that had ever happened to him, he wasn't sharing. "Two: Actually getting around, which is harder than it sounds in a place this crowded. And three: Getting things cheaper than they're being sold for."

That one wasn't getting elaborated, apparently. It was pretty much self-explanatory.

"So here's what you're gonna do," Neal continued. "You can each have five dollars." Look, five magical Danger Shop dollars! "With that, you have to get: a roundtrip Metro-North peak-hours ticket to Poughkeepsie, a good slice of pizza -- which my illustrious TA and I will be verifying, a picture of you doing something unlawful, and something from a store in the station that doesn't have a heart or an apple on it."

That might just be the hardest challenge of all.

"And then you can take the subway to L'Arte Del Gelato and meet me there in an hour."

That was all the way crosstown. Not to mention Neal had intentionally neglected to give street coordinates.

"Good luck!"

Re: Talk to Kenzi

[identity profile] bigshoestofill.livejournal.com 2011-09-21 02:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Bart taps Kenzi on the shoulder. "Hey roomie? Isn't stealing things kinda... evil? I mean, like villain stuff?"

He looked a little more confused than usual.

Re: Talk to Kenzi

[identity profile] regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com 2011-09-21 04:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well Bart, here's where we get into something we call 'relative morality,'" Kenzi said very seriously. "Now, for you and being able to go anywhere, this usually isn't a problem. But what if you needed to be in Poughkeepsie to save someone, and you didn't have the money to buy a ticket?"

Streeeeetching there, but hey, who knows, he might have an idea.

Re: Talk to Kenzi

[identity profile] bigshoestofill.livejournal.com 2011-09-21 05:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well! I would... wait. um..." Bart was clearly having some sort of mental dilemma with this question. "Max would..."

"I... Well, I guess I would have to... erm... break some rules? I mean, who is this person I'm saving? And what am I saving her from? And why can't I just run there?"

Re: Talk to Kenzi

[identity profile] regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com 2011-09-21 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"Because some supervillain is monitoring all super-speed frequencies--" Kenzi so had no clue what she was talking about, but it sounded good. "But isn't watching trains. You're getting a vital component to someone there, and you know, it's better to ask forgiveness than permission in these kind of circumstances. You're saving lives! People will understand, right?"

Re: Talk to Kenzi

[identity profile] bigshoestofill.livejournal.com 2011-09-21 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Good old impressionable Bart. "yeah. People will totally understand. It's for the greater good, right? I mean, if I need to save the world, I can't have someone monitoring my super-speed frequency." He nodded enthusiastically. "Thanks Kenzi!"

Re: Talk to Kenzi

[identity profile] regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com 2011-09-21 06:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"You're welcome, Bart!"

She was so going to Hell.