fandomhigh | Creative Problem Solving, Tuesday, period 3

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problem solving

Creative Problem Solving, Tuesday, period 3

[Class #10: The Insecure Job]

“This week we’re doing something a little different: working on making your own stuff safe.” Parker was maintaining a strategic distance from Eliot, because if she didn’t, she’d start checking him over for evidence of alien overlords, and that could get violent. “You can go high-tech, with lasers, and safes, and hidden compartments…”

Eliot was pretending not to notice Parker keeping away from him. He wasn't doing a very good job. He stood stiffly, arms crossed over his chest, jaw clenched, occasionally shooting glances at her. "Or you can keep it simple," he said. "Low tech, easy to maintain, hard to hack. A couple basic snares and traps, let anyone going after your stuff know you mean business."

Parker didn’t look at him but her tone was pointed. “Of course, you want to be able to discourage people. But not get them hurt. That could get you sued, or worse, put in jail. And some people will be skilled or strong enough to get out of that kind of thing.”

"And some people are skilled and strong enough to get past the damn lasers and safes," Eliot said, tone about as pointy as it got. "Ain't a damn single thief these days who goes into an apartment expecting a bear trap."

Which made no counter point at all to the whole "getting someone hurt" thing. Eliot was currently perfectly okay with that part.

The expression Parker made at that was her usual ‘you people are insane’ only dialed up to eleven. “Okay! So. Take a look at the security displays here…” A wave to the left at the high-tech, a wave to the right, at the kludge-and-blood-worthy. “...and figure out what works for you.” A pause. “No maiming inside the classroom.” Just deal with that, Eliot.

Eliot rolled his eyes. "Ain't even like you could maim someone in here." For once he actually looked put out by that fact. "So just calm the hell down already, Parker."

The death-glare Parker shot him for that would have done well at taking down a small moon, or a Rebel base.

“Get started, people.”

[ocd is up!]

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Unlike the rest of her classes this week, Kathy was actually paying attention to this one. It had just occurred to her that once she got her mirror--err, that was if she got her mirror--she'd need a way to protect it. Because who wouldn't want a magic mirror that showed them the fullness of their potential? And she knew how easy it was to break into someone's house--she and Sparkle had done it! Which meant dorm rooms were probably even easier!

So, yeah, she was checking out a mix of low tech and high, trying to figure out the best way to ensure the safety of her mirror when--if--she got it.

Eliot spotted the bruise on Kathy's cheek and scowled. He stalked over, arms still crossed (the whole class was generally safer, that way), and stopped in front of her.

"The hell happened to you?"

You know, just in case Hardison heard about it and decided this was somehow Eliot's fault.

Kathy really needed to get over being so jumpy. Really she did. Because, much like yesterday, she responded to being startled by an act of violence.

Look, he'd scared her while she was thinking about how to best protect the mirror she hadn't gotten yet. He should understand!

And hopefully he would after she yelped, jumped, and whirled to face him--with a spin-kick.

Eliot caught her ankle in one hand, held on for a moment, squeezed, and shoved her leg back.

"You done, Li?"

Kathy windmilled her arms and hopped a few times, nearly falling over before righting herself with a writhing motion that was almost unnatural.

"The heck was that?!" she demanded, her instinctive apology dying at that warning squeeze.

"It's called a block." No it wasn't. "Answer my question."

"Funny kinda block," Kathy muttered. "And you startled me. I just reacted."

Her hand went to the bruise he'd asked about. "I caught an elbow to the face out in Baltimore." She scowled. "He won't be doing that again."

What she wasn't saying was that she'd caught the elbow because she'd been distracted, wondering about Mr. Gaunt's mirror. And she'd been really upset when he'd jarred her train of thought. Which was why he wouldn't be raising his hand to anyone for awhile. It was a little broken.

But it was okay. He was a criminal.

Eliot wouldn't argue with her breaking a guy's hand who gave her that kind of bruise even when he wasn't being poisoned by a mystical artifact. As it was, he nodded sharply. "Good." He narrowed his eyes. "You should learn to block or dodge better, though."

Kathy normally would. But at that moment, it just seemed the right thing to do.

"Normally I'm better at it," Kathy said. "I was just--"

She didn't want to admit to being distracted. Not to Mr. Spencer. "--harried."

"Harried?" Eliot was unimpressed. "Was the fight too stressful for you?"

Any other time, he would be way more sympathetic, here.

Kathy curled her lip at him. "Yeah," she sneered. "They interrupted my tea parties and knocked over my dolls and everything."

"Maybe you oughta think about that, then," Eliot sneered right back. "Before you go jumpin' into somethin' stupid again."

Kathy's look was shading towards something distinctly unimpressed. "Cause no one's ever gotten a lucky hit on you? You knew a lot about stitching someone up for someone who's never needed to do that."

SHE WAS GOING TO BE SO SORRY FOR THIS IN A FEW WEEKS, ELIOT!

Right now, though, she was just pissed and antsy because she didn't have something she really needed.

Eliot was going to have a much better understanding of Kathy's compulsion to apologize every five minutes in a few weeks.

"I don't get harried in a fight."

"Sure," Kathy said. "Well, I guess we can't all just fight busboys."

Yeah. She listened to the radio.

"Or try to kick our teachers?" Eliot noted.

Whatever, that busboy totally had it coming.

"It was a startled reaction," Kathy argued. "I wasn't actually trying to hurt you. Fight or flight reflex."

"In class?"

Oh whatever, dude, you were doing it at a diner.

"Oh, so I should just let my guard down because I think I'm in a safe place?"

What? Kathy, you're not usually so paranoid.

"You should be payin' enough attention that a teacher walkin' up and standin' in front of you doesn't startle you."

Eliot was just usually better at hiding his paranoia.

"And you shouldn't be so bitchy when someone you know runs out into danger reacts to being surprised with a kick!"

This was definitely some normal behavior right here, yup. A kicking, cussing Kathy was totally par for the course.

"Yeah," Eliot said, voice fairly dripping. "It's real weird how being kicked puts me in a bad mood."

Not that she'd connected. Or really had much chance of doing so. It was the principle of the thing.

"I bet if I asked Ms. Parker, she'd tell me all about how cheerful and upbeat you were up until I kicked at you."

"Ms. Parker has had a bug up her own ass for more'n a week, now."

A bug named "WTF, Eliot?!!!"

"Then what's up yours?" Kathy shot back. "Some kind of stick?"

Re: Listen to your teachers/ Talk / Ask Questions /Play with stuff

vdistinctive - 2015-03-18 22:27 (UTC) - Expand

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