The high school's robotics club has a supply budget, but it's not the biggest, and anyway she can't use that stuff for personal projects. Her dad is willing to donate scrapped car parts from his auto shop, but his customers have been having a run of good luck lately and he hasn't had to throw much out. All of this explains why Margaret is detouring through this junkyard on her way home from school, looking to score some free parts.
"Yeah, but I'm starting to need a car for other things too. That's my problem, though. Call me if I can come to that office or whatever it is after all?"
"Team science! Better than individual science. I might not be able to come out there with you that often, mind, but I'm looking forward to it this time."
"Yay team science! The days you can't come I can give you my notes the next day."
Teddy goes back to lunch. School ends. The English teacher Mrs. White doesn't call on her at all in class that day, which might or might not be a coincidence.
(Also, her raiment's skirt has acquired a thin, gauzy second layer, in an orangey color.)
She can learn English without getting called on. Ooh, that second layer is pretty. She fidgets with it on the bus to the SA.
Where there awaits more paperwork! And an interview with Leona Marchfeldt, the head honcho for the local chapter. "It's more or less just a formality, so don't be too nervous," the secretary assures her, "She only rejects people rarely, and you don't have any of the red flags that might indicate a bad member."
She thanks the secretary and heads into Leona's office. "Hello, I'm here for my entrance interview?"
"I would have appreciated if you had knocked, but no matter. Please, have a seat."
Leona is in full raiment, and it's very elaborate, including a floating crown and tattoos. Lots of yellow and red. Her office is large, with dark wood furniture, but it's relatively plain aside from that.
"Welcome, Miss Perry. 'Interview' is a bit formal, even - I simply like to meet everyone who joins the chapter and get a sense for them. I just want to chat about your interests and your future. And if you have any questions for me, ask away."
"Sorry for not knocking." She takes a seat. "I don't think I have any questions."
"Oh? Really, none? I don't bite, you know. The Spirit Association does things for you best when you know what you want out of it. It says on your papers you built a robot for a genie. Impressive, that seems like great smarts. Then again, maybe I'm just not great at understanding new technology."
"Thanks. And Marxie showed me around yesterday; I got a lot of my questions out then. Though maybe you could tell me more about what gets covered at the official meetings?"
"Much of the time it's administrative work - talking about what we want to use the budget for, about negotiations over the emergency response contracts, about new members and changes to the facilities, any disciplinary action that becomes necessary against members. All that. We also have a couple of guest speakers at every meeting, to try and keep things interesting. They choose their own topics. I make any announcements someone asked me to make and have a decent reason to - sparring tournaments, or a camp retreat, or some scientist asking us to distribute surveys - And then there's a period where anyone can raise business or make suggestions that they think needs to come to the association's attention."
"Good to know. I'll probably come to those if they're at times I'm free. So you wanted to know about my interests and stuff?"
"Yes. I can't serve the interests of all our members if I don't know those interests, hm?"
"Fair enough. Uh, I'm interested in engineering, and magic, and learning about my powers and improving them, and I might want to fight monsters with a team at some point when I've learned more."
"The last thing we actually have a program and track dedicated to. The rest would probably be more informal."
"High school diploma or GED and passing one of the basic self defence training courses we run."
"Okay, so not something I need to think about for years, then--though I should probably take the self-defense class before that. Anything else you want to know about me?"
"You can take the self defence class while still in school. Do you think you're going to go to college for engineering?"
"Yes, I expect so. I'll probably join a different chapter then."
"Yes, that's probably a good idea. Each chapter is relatively local. Being a member of one reduces the amount of paperwork you'll have to do next time, and seniority transfers, of course."
View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post