ArchivedLogs:Coffee Mug

Coffee Mug
Dramatis Personae Kisha, Lia
In Absentia	20 May 2015 '
Location <XS> Art Room – FL2
Smells of paints and chalks and turpentine mingle freely in this room, well-used, well-stocked. Natural light flows in, plentiful through the large windows. The long counter-like tables are speckled with spots of color, and half finished projects often stand on easels or propped in corners. The many cupboards lining the walls are crammed full of art supplies. It was inevitable that this day would come. That Kisha would have to take /an art class/. That she has picked what she thinks is the most practical is hardly a shock nor is the fact that she might ever so slightly be cheating with her power. Of course all of this doesn't mean she has to like being here. And that fact her creations have to be artistic rather than purely functional objects means she actually has to work at the class. Taking valuable time away from science. Her current project is a replica of a Roman amphora, a little ambitious for a beginner, but if someone is making Kisha do a job than she will damn well make sure it's done properly so she doesn't have to do it again. Lia, contrariwise, is quite pleased to be here! She is dressed in a gauzy violet top over a matching camisole beneath, black leggings with starry patterns, and black ballet flats, her hair already tucked up in a smart bun (albeit with a few sparkly flower pins here and there) for dance classes scheduled that day. Her galaxy-patterned backpack is settled on her shoulders as she sweeps quietly into the room, aiming toward the clay cabinet until the sight of Kisha distracts her. Not that she's at all difficult to distract. “Good morning, Kisha. Are you making a vase?” Kisha glances up from her work, adding a pattern that happens to be a series of caffeine molecules, and sighs. "It is technically not a vase. It's a replica of a storage vessel used in ancient Rome around ninety years B.C. Only on a scale small enough to fit in the school kiln," she explains possibly by rote. "Although that is not the worst part. I made it already, but I am expected to add decoration that does not enhance the function of the piece before it counts as an 'art' project. Presumably they feel my power is letting me cheat otherwise." She pauses, then remembers to add, "How are you today, Lia?" "Oh, fun. What will be stored in it?" Lia moves closer to observe the decoration process ongoing. "Decoration can have a function. When they find old pottery like that, sometimes the pictures on them tell a story. Usually not as /big/ a story as wall paintings or tapestries, but historians use lots of little pieces to sort out things that happened. And it is nice to have pretty around. It brightens up even simple things and usually makes people happy." She sets her backpack on an empty chair for comfort's sake. "I would say that it also serves the purpose of giving the artist an outlet and making /them/ happy, but probably that is less relevant when you are not /wanting/ to do it." Her head tilts to the side at the question. "I am doing well. I came to get more clay so that I can sculpt a fox after classes today. I am not in the art class, though. My class list has been too full to take one, especially since I take so many dance classes that are /also/ art...just the different kind." "I was hoping I could use ceramics class to work on heat proof tiles for one of my pet projects," Kisha explains earnestly. "But they weren't very keen on heat proof tiles /or/ my pet project. I believe the staff response was along the lines of 'the school does not need a space program at this point in time'." She considers the amphora then shrugs. "I don't know what they will keep in it. Once it has been graded I don't really care what happens to it. Unlike metal work projects pottery is not really re-usable so it has little value for my future work." “Oh...no, I do not think they would let you build a space ship as an art project, probably.” Lia frowns faintly at the lack of care for Kisha's work. “I thought the point of pottery /was/ to be reusable? You put things in it over and over. You do not ever need to store things?” She looks over the amphora again. “It could also be a pretty vase, I think.” She chews a little at her lower lip. “I am thinking I need to learn more about things like electronics and robotics. The future is very full of robots. We are trying to use information from the future to stop it from being bad like it is going to be, but I do not know what is coming of that.” Her shoulders rise and fall subtly in a shrug. “Do you need to already know many things for the robotics club? I have been meaning to talk to B, too.” Kisha puts the fine pottery tool down. "Club policy is I believe intentionally very vague to discourage anyone from joining. I suspect B would not object to you joining as I understand you both get on well. I have no strong feelings either way on people joining the club, providing they are willing to learn and don't expect constant help." She turns the amphora and inspects her handiwork. "Pottery isn't really a suitable storage medium these days. And the shape makes it awkward to keep things in... Unless I treat the inside with resin, then seal it with wax. In which case it should be able to keep wine in. Of course glass bottles would do the job far better." “That does seem like it would keep down the number of people a bit.” Lia nods at the mention of B, smile returning. “I like her very much. She is very clever and pretty and we do projects together and are in some of the same clubs, already. I think she likes me so long as I do not talk about magic too much. I am going to be sad when she and Shane graduate. I do not think they will be here very much after that. I usually go to all the dances with Shane. There is one on Friday!” A happy little bounce brings her up on her toes for a moment. “Well, if you do not want to keep things in it, maybe it would make a nice gift to give someone. Or the school can decorate something with it. The guest rooms have lots of things Mr. Fairyjax made out of glass.” "I suppose something will happen to it," Kisha concedes. "Providing it survives the firing process. Pottery is rather unreliable after all. I find all the talk of dreaming of the future a little... far fetched. I know the sources are trustworthy, but when you don't sleep talk of dreams may as well be in another language." "Oh, yes, it is the same with making clay statues. Which is what I do. Small ones, mostly. I made a tiger once and it kind of /exploded/ in the kiln. But into not-tiny pieces. I glued them back together and it looks neat that way. Patchwork tiger." Lia's hand runs idly along the length of the opposite arm. "It is all very strange. I have not had many of them. The future is full of Sentinel robots and I am in them all the time in the dreams. B takes care of me. Well, I think we kind of take care of each other, maybe. But B makes the robot parts work." She chews a bit on her lip. "Though we made the power thing for the robots /stop/ working, so there may be fewer of them around for me to be. Hopefully the other me thinks of that and gathers up lots of the sleeping ones while she can." Her eyes are drawn to her hand, stopping its movement. "It does make it seem like a good idea to learn about robots." "I do wonder if trying to change the future is really as good an idea as people think it is," Kisha muses thoughtfully. "One of the many constants in science fiction is that whenever someone does try change history it always turns out badly. Even when the thing they think they are doing should improve everything." She smiles. "Learning more is rarely a waste of time. Even for subjects I dislike I will concede that there might be situations the knowledge could come in useful. If it comes up then please let B know that I have no objections to you joining the club." “I think most people were saying it was just /so/ impossibly terrible that they could not...not. Try to change it. They were going to kill all the mutants. It is not a good world.” Lia nods at Kisha's musing. “I think they were at the point that /whatever/ the change is, it has to be better than what was happening already. I hope they are right.” The offer brings her smile back up. “Good. Good. Though I think we might be the only ones in it soon enough. When B goes. I will try not to bother you.” Kisha frowns. "I would not object to being bothered a small amount if it means the club remains open. I suspect they would frown upon a club that only had a single member," she notes. "The concern I have is that if so many of the students here had future dreams, then how many people who /liked/ that future also had those dreams? They might feel that they need to take even more drastic action to succeed. Of course it sounded like I was not doing that badly in the future. So perhaps I am being selfish by thinking that attempts to 'fix' things are misguided." "That is a good point. I am happy to help keep your club going." Lia shudders a bit at the thought of people /liking/ that future. "I cannot imagine people liking what was happening. But there had to have been people /making/ that future what it was. Maybe it was not many people, just a few ones with a lot of power. I do not know if that is reassuring or not." She chews at her lip just a bit. "The dream way of time travelling seems so very unlikely that maybe no one else can do it, though. It is a bit of an upper hand being able to change the future directly if no one else can." "I have the feeling that whoever was behind the dreams lacked fine control over who had the visions," Kisha points out. "So they may well have been unintentionally targeting people who will work against them. It would fit with the way they have been ongoing for quite some time rather than just covering key people and key events." She picks up the clay sculpting tool and begins adding another caffeine molecule. "Now that I think of it, with a suitably long straw this could make a /really/ impressive coffee cup. Although I would need to test the durability on the handles before filling it with a hot beverage." “The vision-dreams, maybe. It seemed like the people they pulled into the future all wanted the same thing, though. At least for the last one I saw. I do not know. I have not had any control over what happens to me in the dreams.” Lia frowns again, a mixture of concern and helplessness giving her another faint shudder. “I hope the people who /do/ have control know what they are doing.” She finds another smile to put on. “See? There is a good thing that has come of a project you did not want. It would be a fantastic cup.” Staff in the medbay are probably cringing at the thought of a student carrying over a pint of Kisha's extra strength coffee. A drink so strong it is probably safer to inhale the vapour than to actually drink the stuff. "It's less that I did not want the project, but rather I do not want the class. I dread to think what I will have to endure when I have to take my other art module. I wonder if working as a lighting technician for the drama club would count. I could probably do that while remotely working on the out of class work for another subject." “There are theatre classes. I think you can work in set design and costume design and all kinds of things for classes. I have only done theatre from the club side, though. No room for the class, again. Too many things I want to do.” Speaking of which, that reminds Lia to collect the clay she came for, placing it in a sealed container from her bag for safely carrying out. “I am sure you can find something that is at least useful if not enjoyable for you.” Kisha nods. "Worst case scenario I can always drop out of school and see if B will hire me in R&D," she says cheerfully. "I could do all kinds of interesting things with hoverboard technology. Many of which might even make a profit when commercially released." “Seems a little overboard to quit school over /one/ art class,” Lia answers with a chuckle. “Though working with B might be a good thing to do. I mean, maybe you could even without graduating first. B and Peter both work together already.” "I want to try and avoid working with anyone at this point in time. I'd like to see just how far I can get on my own merit first," Kisha admits ruefully. "Which I suspect is a result of my proud Russian family heritage. Though if I'm honest it is not a trait that has done anyone else I am related to any good." “From what I have learned, it is hard to do science all by yourself. From a collaboration /or/ funding standpoint. But! We are still young and have plenty of time to figure out what we want to do and how.” Perhaps that bit Lia has heard from her counsellor often enough. “I should probably get going soon for next class. The break periods are not very long.” Kisha grins. "Well, it's not like I am doing science by myself. I have Bob as my glamorous assistant and the rest of the world is secretly working on my behalf. Every good idea someone has will eventually be available to me. I hope your fox sculpting goes well." “I am looking forward to it tonight. After dinner. There will be a fox. Perhaps /foxes/. Good luck with your art classes,” Lia answers in kind, lips tugging into a grin. “And your coffee mug.” "I may sneak a groove in for a straw and claim it is an authentic Roman design," Kisha adds with a conspiratorial wink. "Have a nice day." And with that her attention returns to her work.