fandomhigh | How to Make Friends and Influence People [Tuesday, March 18, 2014]

Anakin had a pounding headache this morning that was only partially caused by hearing the words "Jamie Madrox" on the radio before he came to class. (The other half was a sensation that Obi-Wan was watching him just out of the corner of his eye and that was very annoying, Obi-Wan.)

So class was just a classroom today instead of an elaborate simulation. "It hasn't escaped your notice by now that something odd--even for our standards--is happening on the island," he began, sitting down to be on the same level as the students, "and half of the name of this class is 'influencing people', which indicates leadership skills. Which people do you think we should be trying to influence, and what should we be asking them to do? Nothing physically dangerous has happened to anyone: switching genders or personalities isn't exactly a jail-worthy offense and it's not their fault they woke up weird one morning." He gave them all a wry half smile. "I'm a fan of walking down and threatening Portalocity just because it's Tuesday, but I don't think this is their fault this time."

Beat.

"Probably. We could yell at a gnome anyway?"

Or maybe someone has a slightly more productive suggestion?

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After class, looking at least a little less awkward than she did during the discussion when asked if she listened to the radio, Elsa approached Anakin.

"Professor Skywalker? You said you'd teach me how to use a radio?"

"Of course," Anakin said with a smile. "Wait right here. I have an extra in my office you can have. I was working to make it more toddler proof."

"Of course. Does your toddler frequently destroy radios?"

That was one impressive toddler, Elsa decided, if so.

"Christopher only likes a few songs," Anakin said with a sigh. "He hasn't really figured out that one channel doesn't just play Katy Perry all day."

And thank the Force for that, was Anakin's unspoken addendum.

"And... that's... a good thing?" Elsa had no idea who Katy Perry was, either. Thank goodness. "Or a bad thing?"

This day and age was so confusing.

"A good thing for those of us who value our ears," Anakin said, "but bad to a toddler. He likes to throw things, so I made the radio a little...bouncier."

"Bouncier?"

Oh, this was going to be an adventure, wasn't it?

"Well, I'm looking forward to learning how to use it, either way," Elsa decided.

"I'll be right back," Anakin said, leaving the classroom and returning a few minutes later with a radio.

It was really bright.

It was really, really bright. Elsa had to blink a few times to get her bearings when Anakin brought it in.

"That's a radio?"

Somehow, she hadn't anticipated that was what he'd meant when he said it was 'bouncy.'

"It's very... interesting."

"It's a radio and a CD player," he explained, "though my wife and I haven't told our son that we could figure a way he could listen to Katy Perry all the time. We value our eardrums too much for that."

He showed her the dial and how to turn it to the Fandom High frequency. "Then just listen before class and you'll here all the gossip the drunken squirrels want to pass along."

"Which I then have to sort through with a grain of salt, because it is news passed along by drunken squirrels?"

Elsa wanted to think that maybe she was finally catching on, here.

"Thank you again, Professor. I'll do my best to keep track of who has changed and who hasn't. Hopefully we'll come up with a solution to this before we all have."

Anakin winced slightly. "I hope so."

There are ways he could go really, really wrong.

How to Make Friends and Influence People [Tuesday, March 18, 2014]

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