ArchivedLogs:Human Too

Human Too
Dramatis Personae Dorian Siccavil, Jeremy, Sage
In Absentia	2014-02-01 Experiences, food, and computers discussed on the porch.
Location <XS> Back Porch
The back patio is a restful place to sit and relax, in most weather. Ample seating comes in the form of umbrella'd deck chairs and a cushioned porch swing, and the neighboring gardens attract butterflies and hummingbirds to make the viewing pleasant. The hot tub is usually open for use, though in snowy weather the transition in and out is a shivery one! The day has been somewhat warmer than recent days, but with the sun long since sunk below the treeline the winter chill has returned to the campus. Many individuals have opted to remain indoors on the frigid, clear night, but the back porch has been cleared of its snowy covering, granting access to the chairs and tables for those willing to brave the cold. Also available for use is the hot tub, offering a bubbling, warm respite if one can get past the frosty atmosphere. With dinner over for the evening, Dorian has opted to enjoy his recent discovery - the hot tub. The lid of the hot tub has been removed carefully and set off to the side, exposing the bubbling, steaming water to the open air. It may not be open water, but it is a novel experience for the young man, who has shed his tank top (neatly folded up on a chair nearby) and sunk into the hot water with a contended smile. His dark hair is plastered to his head with moisture, making the wiggly little ears atop his head more visible than normal, though the dark fur of his shoulders is hidden in the glowing waters. Making his way outside, Jeremy has on his marshmallow poofed coat, his messenger bag compressing it slightly as he carries out a small bag of carrots and an apple. Apparently his mostly cookie snacking had drawn some attention from the staff who encouraged a more healthy snacking option, and he didn't care as long as it was eating. As he makes his way into a safezone for crunching, he gives Dorian a wave, looking over the hot tub and the steam it was letting out into the air. 'Hello Dorian. Playing in the tub?' he signs, stopping at the edge of the hot tub, and slinging his messenger bag further behind him to make sure it it out of splashzone. Also making her way, but from the gardens, is Sage, dressed in a pair of green sweatpants, a black tanktop, her gray XS jacket, and sandals, her red tinted glasses on her face. A quick glance around her surroundings, and then she's taking a seat in a deck chair, a calm and emotionless voice. "Hello Mr. Siccavil, Mr. Reid. It is a lovely night, is it not?". And then she's activating ATHENA. "ATHENA, store phone number in registry under Araceli.". After this, she states the phone number, before turning her attention back to the boys. "How is the water?". The sound of approaching feet on the back porch, Dorian's ears swivel in place, and he bobs up out of the water to see who it is. Seeing Jeremy, Dorian grins brightly, offering a slightly splashy wave to his friend, greeting, "Hi Jeremy!" When the other student approaches closer, Dorian sinks back into the water, floating comfortably in the hot water. "After dinner snack?" he questions, tilting his head curiously at the decidedly healthier than normal snacks, "No cookies?" There /might/ be a sound of disappointment in his voice, as he had perhaps been hoping to pilfer a cookie from his friend. As friends do. When an relatively unknown adult approaches from the darkness, the otter-mutant sinks further into the water, ears pressing into his sodden hair nervously. The greeting by last name earns a wince from the former lab rat, and he anxiously raises a scarred hand in greeting, "Hello." 'Doctor McCoy said I should watch what I eat.' Jeremy looks somewhat perturbed at that, both from the lack of cookies and from the fact he could use some more supplemental consumption otherwise. Offering the bag of carrots to Dorian, he freezes like a startled rabbit at being addressed as Mr Reid. There is a slight whimper as he turns his head to look at whom it is, and he bites down on his lip as if he were afraid he was in trouble. The teacher wasn't one he had, but he looks her over a moment, a brow raising at the talk of Athena, and he looks around as if there should be another person present. "Neither of you are in trouble, this is how I greet all students.". Sage says this again calmly, tipping her head down in a greeting, before speaking. "I am Ms. Sage, as I do not have you in any of my classes. I am aware of what you have been through and how I must startle you but I do not mean to and I apologize for my demeanor, it is a part of my mutation.". Sage then looks back up at her glasses, before answering for Jeremy. "The glasses are named ATHENA, after the Greek Goddess of Wisdom.". Sage smiles, though it's mostly forced as to show her friendliness, as she usually has issues with emotional showing. "I teach Computer Science here at the school, and was a student before I was a teacher, there is nothing to be afraid of.". Pause. "Would you prefer me to call you by your given names?". Dorian's ears still stay flat to his skull, and he remains submerged in the water up to his chin as he regards Sage distrustingly. He glances sidelong to Jeremy, as though checking to see if the other boy was buying this, before looking around anxiously as though planning an escape route if necessary. As slowly as possible, Dorian raises himself up onto one of the seats of the hot tub, bringing his dark furred shoulders above the water, and exposing the top of the thin cross-chest scars that interrupt the fine tawny fuzz on his chest. The question gets a concerned look, and he looks around, as though expecting someone to be standing there with a clip board taking notes, "Um, p...please?" he finally stutters, "My name is Dorian. No one ever calls me by my last name here." He recoils as though expecting to be punished for asking that. The comment about the glasses get a confused head tilt, "Your glasses have a name? Do you name all your clothing?" Jeremy still looks mostly concerned about the affect of the teacher, and as she talks about her glasses, he shakes his head. 'I don't want to eat Athena. Are you a robot?' He does nod at the question about being addressed. 'Yes, Jeremy please. Not in computer class yet. They want better control before I have classes.' He looks to Dorian, offering a hand to hold onto for comfort, though it isn't the one he's been signing with. 'It is okay Dorian. We are safe.' "Very well, Dorian, Jeremy.". Sage gives another tip of her head. "My glasses are a high-tech portable computer that runs on voice commands. I know the risk of wearing them around students with technological powers, I am not worried.". Sage shakes her head at the 'robot' question. "I am not a robot, as I possess vital organs, flesh, blood, a heartbeat, and a brain signal. Unless somehow those were all faked, I am definitely a human. 98% chance, at least.". She approaches closer, cautiously as she can sense Dorian's nervousness. "You are safe here. I know I am not the first to tell you this, but I am just reaffirming what others before me have said.". Dorian accepts Jeremy's hand with his own nervously tremmoring hand, glancing to his friend in thanks. He nods in agreement, belatedly answering the question, "Um, yeah, I'm no where near ready to take computer science classes. Last time I had proper school was, um, second grade. They don't want me doing science to computers. Or much of anything to them." He blinks in confusion at Jeremy's question, tilting his head, "Do they have robots that teach classes now? I mean, I kinda wouldn't be that surprised, given some of the teachers here, but I didn't know they had that sorta thing yet." At the actual explanation of both the glasses and Sage's not-robotness, Dorian looks somewhat blank as most of it goes right over his head. "'Kay. Thanks," he finally mutters when addressed by his first name. The fuzzy young man still flinches almost imperceptibly when Sage approaches closer, squeezing Jeremy's hand instinctively - he does however nod his understanding, looking embarrassed over his anxiety, "I know." Squeezing Dorian's hand back, he watches not-robot teacher a moment. 'Might be cyborg. Those are mostly human.' He nods as if that is definitely the most logical scenario in the world. 'You don't do science to computers. You tell them what to do. Its more like computer yelling. My parents used to yell at them all the time.' He seems a tad sad at the mentioning of his parents, and shakes his head. 'Hence why I don't take the class. Not good for me to yell at them.' "I have absolutely no cybernetics that I am aware of, but there is always the possibility.". Sage is definitely considering this, too. "We currently have no robots that teach at this school, yet, but the possibility is always there.". Sage stops in her tracks, noticing him squeezing Jeremy's hand in anxiety. "Computers do not require to be yelled at. Most use a keyboard interface, but my own uses voice commands for ease of access. I would be happy to allow one of you to try it out but Jeremy's ability would be problematic and Dorian is wet.". Sage then..takes a seat on the ground. To continue conversing? "We are all like you, but I assume you have also been told that as well, seeing how long you have been here.". "You yell at them?" Dorian asks, giggling quietly, "I don't think the librarian would appreciate me doing that. Since y'know, the main lab is kinda in the library. I don't wanna get thrown out, or in trouble." When Jeremy seems sad, Dorian pats his hand gently with a soggy hand, offering quietly, "You can send them a letter. Mr. Suresh helped me send mine a letter, if you wanted to, he would probably help you, too?" He looks skeptical about the computers not needing to be yelled at, but shrugs, "Issok. I'm content to be in the water and stay wet. I do not want to break your fancy computer, which I might because I'm not very good with computers." 'Had an email sent. Found anonymizer service.' Jeremy nodded, then smiled a little mischievously at the mention of what would happen if he tried out the smart glasses. Looking at the water, he offers a shrug and looks down at his sad healthy snacks. 'I just wanted to eat my snacks. I didn't expect risks.' He looked toward Sage at that, then puts his bag of carrots back into his marshmallow coat. 'Soup through a straw gets boring.' "I apologize for intruding, then.". Sage slowly gets up, preparing to leave. "Enjoy your night, Dorian, Jeremy. I should get some dinner myself anyhow.". And then she's heading towards the kitchen. Dorian nods and sighs at Jeremy's response, "Yeah. Mine took forever to respond, not till after the videos. S'kinda still sorta hard to talk to them but..." He trails off and shrugs, leaning back against the edge of the hot tub and trying to relax. "'S'why you should ignore doctors orders and eat cookies instead," Dorain mutters, and nods solemnly to Jeremy's comment about soup through a straw. When Sage gets up, Dorian looks confused, "Y'don't have to leave, Miss Sage." His tone of voice isn't exactly /that/ convincing, though. "But, um, have a good night." 'Don't have to go. I can move farther to eat' Jeremy looks out towards the darker sections of the porch. Looking back to Dorian, he smiles as he signs 'I do, mostly. They said I will get diabetes.' He makes a frown at that, then smiles as he makes a finger mustache as he finger spells 'Beetus' with a little giggle that barely parts his lips. "No, no. It's not your fault. I must eat myself, after all, as a /human/.". A tip of the head, and Sage is fully gone.