fandomhigh | Computers and Fun #2 5/31 Wednesday Afternoon

Abby sat on top of the table in the computer lab, sipping a large glass of pop. As each student came in, they would find a box of various computer parts and a lab coat stitched with their name.

"Hey guys, how did the virtual pets go last week? Did any of them live through the whole week?" Abby grinned at a few of the students. "Or even last through the class?"

"Today we're going to over the basics of computers, how they work and how to build them." Abby launched into a brief history of computers and how they operate, covering everything from the abacus to windows XP. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that brief. "Just in case some of you fell asleep during that, we're going to watch a video that might help you understand."

Abby lifted up a spare box of parts and shook it lightly. "In each of your boxes you'll find enough bits and pieces to make a rudimentary computer. Each box is different, but everyone should be able to make something that can light up or beep or do both. Be sure to wear your lab coats to protect your clothing, not to mention the fact that they look really spiffy."

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Demyx looked up at her in surprise, dropping a screwdriver as he jumped back and put his arms up defensively. "Ah! Oh, um..." He picked up the tool and glanced up at her. "I really have no idea what I'm doing. You'd probably be happier being partners with someone...you know, competant."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Abby took a small step back. "I think that we'd make a good pair. You can come up with the ideas of what to build and I can help you build 'em!"

"Now what would you like to make?"

Demyx felt it probably wasn't important to mention that most everything around here at least startled him. "I don't know. I didn't know I actually had to build stuff here...I mostly just wanted to learn how to use my computer thingie." Blushing, he pointed to the messenger bag on the table next to him. Inside the bag were a laptop computer and a pad of music paper.

"Building a computer will help you understand how it works. Then you'll be able to use your equipment better." Abby looked at his bag and pointed. "Is there something you want to build to go along with your computer?"

"What goes with them?" Demyx asked, feeling more helpless with every question. "Don't you just...press the little button and then press the other little buttons to make words?" He grasped for a way to express how little he knew about technology. "I'm a musician. That's pretty much all I know about."

Abby resisted the urge to facepalm and smiled sweetly. "A musician? Well there's lots of things you can make to accesorize your computer. A microphone, amp for a guitar, a digital music reader." She thought of some of the other student's projects.

"We could probably whip something up that could play along with you, like your own private jam session."

Demyx fidgetted, shaking his head. "It's not that I don't appreciate the help - I really do!!" he said quickly, earnestly, and very much meaningfully. "I just think I need to do some intensive studying after class and maybe try to figure a few things out on my own." Biting his lower lip, he worried it thoughtfully. "Can the computer recreate another instrument? Like the thingies...CDs?"

"Are you asking if a computer can make CD's? Cause that's a yes." Abby nodded. "It can also mimic the sounds of pretty much any instrument you want."

"How do I do that?" Demyx asked curiously, suddenly very interested and even perky.

"Well, we just need to program the computer to make the sounds of different instruments based on their musical structure." Abby brought her laptop over and started typing for a few minutes. "Then you just need to tell the computer that you want it to play...say...Happy Birthday with piano and drums."

She pressed a button and a piano and drum version of happy birthday spilled from the speakers.

Demyx's inhumanly blue eyes lit up joyously. "That's incredible! I could do so many things I couldn't before 'cause I play by myself and they kinda required stuff like drums and Roxas refused to play drums even though I know he'd be really good at them." He rambled. A lot. "But I wouldn't even need more people! I could hold a whole concert just by myself!"

"Great!" Abby copied down the instructions for setting up a computer to play different instruments and handed it over. "Why don't you work on this for the rest of class and let me know how it goes."

"Okay!" Demyx nodded enthusiastically, taking the instructions and dragging his laptop out to set to work. "Thank you!"

Computers and Fun #2 5/31 Wednesday Afternoon

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