mbv. Westwood College Campus. Reports and Idiots

[microbots]

Beau: *working on some homework as he waits outside the Dean's office. Got a phone call earlier asking him to come in*

Dean Michaels: *opens door and looks out. Face goes grave when he sees the young man waiting there* Thank you for coming, Beau.

Beau: *looks up from his homework, and then he's quickly packing up* 'S th're a problem, sir?

Dean Michaels: Why don't you come into my office? *holds the door open more widely*

Beau: Yessir. *moves to enter the office, a bit worried now*

Dean Michaels: *closes the door, then moves behind his desk, nodding toward one of the chairs in front of it as he does so*

Beau: *even more worried now, moves to sit down*

Dean Michaels: *waits till the young man's settled, then steeples his fingers on his desk* *quietly* I hear that something happened a few weeks ago.

Beau: ... 'S th's s'meth'n' t' do wit' th' gahs who w're 'arassin' Carter, 'n callin' 'er a... *not comfortable saying the word, and it shows* *quieter* whore?

Dean Michaels: *gravity turns to a frown* Which guys are those?

Beau: Ah ain't sure wh't th're names 're, but th're's a police report 'bout 't.... 'Cause th'y w're waitin' outsahd Carter's 'partment wh'n she 'n Ah w're studyin' f'r Composition, wit' baseball bats.... Th'y w're gonna cause trouble... 'N Carter don' need th't sorta th'ng....

Dean Michaels: Can you describe them? *that frown has deepened* And you say there's a police report?

Beau: *nods and begins describing the guys* *also gives the name of the officers who took the report*

Dean Michaels: *when Beau finishes* I see. *quietly* I wasn't aware of that report. Only of one that was lodged against you to me. I was told that the police had also been notified.

Beau: ... May Ah see th' report 'gainst me, sir?

Dean Michaels: *opens a drawer and takes out a folder, then hands it across the desk*

Beau: *thanks the Dean, will begin reading the report, which accuses him of using racially offensive language, among other things*

Dean Michaels: You said that there was a young woman involved? Will you give me her name?

Beau: Carter McKenzie.... Mah girlfriend. *feeling just a bit sickened as he reads the report*

Dean Michaels: Are you and Carter sharing an apartment, Beau?

Beau: No, sir. Ah live in 'un 'f th' dorms on campus.

Dean Michaels: I see. *frown* Have you anything to say about this? *indicates the report*

Beau: 'T's all a lah, sir. F'r 'un th'n', Ah w'ldn't say aneh 'f th't stuff, even t' mah brothah, Raoul, 'n he 'n Ah talk smack t' each othah regularleh. Ah ain't got no interest 'n quarrellin' wit' nobodeh. *seriously* Ah'm 'eah t' learn, 'n earn mah degree, so Ah c'n be bettah prepared f'r th' Air Force.

Dean Michaels: *lifts chin slightly, still frowning* What has your brother got to do with this?

Beau: Raoul's Puertoricaño. Th' gahs who w're causin' trouble f'r Carter 're eithah Latino 'r Hispanic, fr'm wh't Ah saw 'f 'em 's th'y ran fr'm a raven.... *see the point he's trying to make?*

Dean Michaels: *brows shoot for his hair line* Your brother is Puerto Rican?

Beau: *nods* Yessir... *gets his billfold and fishes out a picture of Raoul and Virginia* 'N Ah've also gotta couple 'f African American uncles, 'n 'n Aunt who's Portuguese...

Dean Michaels: *studies picture, then carefully pushes it aside so that he can see a picture of Beau sleeping on a couch while what looks something like a massive caterpillar snuggles on his chest. Recognizes the man sitting by the sleepers* This is Murphy Smith.

Beau: *nods* Ah'm friends wit' 'is family, 'n 'is roommates....

Dean Michaels: And this...? *uncertain expression as he indicates the contented being on Beau's chest in the picture*

Beau: *looks. Then a small, warm smile is coming to his face* Th't's Murphy 'n Lindsy's daughter, Mara.

Dean Michaels: *startles quite visibly, his brows raising and eyes widening* Is it?

Beau: *nods* Th't's wh't th' babehs 'f Murphy 'n Lindsy's race look lahk. Ah've kahnda become 'n uncle t' 'er.... *so amused by that* *and then a picture of several sparklets falls out from where it was stuck behind one of the other pictures*

Dean Michaels: !!!! *picks that snapshot off the desk* Shifters?

Beau: *blink blink, look* Cahbertronians... 'N babeh 'uns 't th't.... 'Cept f'r th' orange 'un... Th't's mah nephew....

Dean Michaels: *gives him a long look* Beau, are you human?

Beau: Yessir. But th' gent Ah call 'Dad' 's Cahbertronian, 'n so's most 'f th' famileh Ah gained wh'n 'e married mah sister.

Dean Michaels: *looks floored* *voices the first question that comes to mind* You call your sister's husband Dad?

Beau: Cahbertronian familehs c'n git realleh complicated, sir.... Mah brothah, Raoul, 's technicalleh mah nephew bah marriage, but Ah call 'im 'brothah'.... Mah nephew, Dion, 's technicalleh mah Dad's babeh brothah.... *expression serious now* 'N Dad.... Ah call 'im mah dad 'cause 'e's been moah 'f a fathah t' me th'n th' gah who gave me th' last name MacKenzie.

Dean Michaels: *looks a bit dazed as he considers this information* ...I see. *then focuses again* So Murphy and his family are part of your family too?

Beau: *nod* *just as seriously as before* Ah c'nsider Murphy a brothah, 'n Lindsy a sistah. 'N Mara's 'un 'f mah nieces.

Dean Michaels: *absently* And Carter... *pauses as he loses his thought*

Beau: Carter's mah girlfriend.

Dean Michaels: Yes. She knows about your family?

Beau: *nods* She's met 'em. *won't tell Carter's secret, since he doesn't have permission to do so from her*

Dean Michaels: I see. *looks down at those bright little faces again, and then reaches to pull one last photo out of the sheaf. Looks soberly at Raoul sitting and laughing with his arms around Naomi, little Denver, and little Denver's big knitted rag doll*

Beau: *sees the picture the Dean's looking at* *quietly* Th' blue ahed girl's 'un 'f mah nieces too, 'n Naomi's 'un 'f 'er friends.... *indicates which girl is Naomi*

Dean Michaels: I see. *offers the picture back* *quietly* I don't have any more questions.

Beau: Yessir.... *moves to get up* *intends to let Sean know that the Dean here reads 'Shifters'*

Dean Michaels: *also rises to his feet, and goes with Beau to open the office door for the younger man* Still some time before your first class, hmm?

Beau: Yessir... *small smile* Enough tahm f'r a bit 'f a run....

Dean Michaels: *chuckles* Be careful. See you later.

Beau: *nods* 'Ave a nahce day, sir. *heads out the door*


At the dorm


small calico kitty with big ears and a large black patch on her face: *rises to her feet from where she was sitting on the corner of the doorstep and waiting. Looks up at Beau with bright eyes and mews a little complaint about his lateness and just what is he doing coming from that side of the door?*

Beau: *laughs* Sorreh 'm late, Gloria....

Gloria: Miaow! *scoots off in the direction of his usual running route and then stops and looks over her shoulder*

Beau: Lemme git mah books put 'way, 'n breakfast eaten first, silleh.... *getting his keys out*

Gloria: *comes back, her soft voice raised in strident complaint*

Beau: *as he moves to head inside* Ah know, Ah know. Ah'll eat quick, promise. *musing about how the little alley cat with a scar along her jaw usually meets him along the way. Wonders what changed*

Gloria: *follows him right inside, complaining all the way. He's going the wrong direction!*

Beau: Breakfast first, Gloria.

Gloria: *recognizes that word. Cries turn soft and hopeful*

Beau: *will unlock his door and hold it open* Ladehs first. *knows he has cat food in the pantry*

Gloria: *not even exploring after she's run inside, she just turns to make sure Beau's coming*

Beau: *closes the door once he's in the dorm, will head to the pantry and get the Tupperware of homemade cat food that Aunt Maria sent him* *also gets a couple of chicken-flavored star-shaped cookies to add to the bowl*

Gloria: *following him an easy two foot away, just like she does when they do parkour together*

Beau: *will put a third of the portion Maria suggested in Gloria's bowl along with the cookies.... just like he does every morning. Puts the rest in the travel container for when they take a break*

Gloria: *waits till Beau goes away from the dish, just like she always does. Then steps forward and eats quickly and daintily, her tail curling around her feet as she crouches*

Beau's phone: *rings*

Beau: *fumbles for his phone while balancing a bagel* *answers* 'Lo?

Murphy: *worry in his voice* //How'd it go? Was it your marks?//

Beau: W'sn't 'bout mah grades.... *quieter* R'member wh't Carter 'n Ah'd jes' gotten done dealin' wit' wh'n we met?

Murphy: *now sounds like a frown, and Mara's clicking can be heard in the background* //Those guys saying sick things about her?//

Beau: Yup.... Th' jerks fahled a report sayin' th't Ah w's doin' th' slag th'y w're doin' 'n sayin' racist stuff 'bout 'em...

Murphy: ... //Are you being serious?//

Beau: Ah 'm.... Ah told Dean Michaels 'bout th' report Carter 'n Ah fahled th't day.... 'n 'bout mah famileh....

Murphy: //You included me, right? Whoops! Awww, Mara.//

Beau: 'F course Ah did. Wh't's Mara up t' now? *fond amusement in his voice*

Murphy: *bit of concern and amused dismay* //She threw up on me. I think she's starting to get ready to bundle up.//

Beau: Bundle up?

Murphy: //You know, like moth larva do. It's early, but she's been fussy and iffy with her food.//

Beau: Ooooh..... 'Ow long will th't last?

Murphy: //A couple Earth weeks. When she comes out she'll look like me and Lindsy, only tiny and cute.//

Beau: Awww.... She's cute alreadeh....

Murphy: *soft father love* //I know. She's beautiful. Oops.// *sigh*

Mara: *fussing a bit now there in the background. Belly is empty and hungry. Need more bottle, Daddy!*

Beau: Aww.... Sh'ld Ah letcha go?

Murphy: //Yeah. I need to fix her another bottle. I'll see you at school, okay?//

Beau: Yup. See ya later.

Murphy: *sets the phone down*

Beau's phone: *promptly rings again the moment he's hung up*

Beau: *answers* 'Lo?

Carter: //So?//

Beau: Th' Dean got a report fr'm th' jerks.

Carter: //You're kidding.//

Beau: Ah wish Ah w's.... Ah told 'im 'bout th' police report we fahled, 'n gave 'im th' name 'f th' officers who wrote 't.... 'N Ah tol' 'im 'bout mah famileh....

Carter: //I'll go talk to him too. Oh, and yer cat was here looking for you.//

Beau: *chuckles* Ah got met 't th' doah....

Carter: //T'ought you said she was wild?//

Beau: She jes' don' lahk hands. She'll lay bah me wh'n Ah sit down, 's long 's Ah don' trah t' pet 'er 'r pick 'er up.

Carter: //Aww. Somebody probably roughed her up sometime.//

Beau: Prolleh.... Ah'm jes' glad she trust me 'nough t' stick 'round.

Carter: *chuckles and calls him a suck* *serious again* //What do you want for lunch and supper?//

Beau: Ah'll pick up s'me fish fr'm th' market... Aneh preferences?

Carter: *laugh* //T'ey're not going to have salt cod. So just get what's cheap and good. Not trout, t'ough. I don't feel like messing wit' little fish. You want soup, fried, or roast?//

Beau: Soup sounds good. Want me t' git s'me bread too?

Carter: //I still got some of t'at big round Italian loaf. Get some lobster too, if you want soup. And some kind of potato. I like t'ose lotus roots.//

Beau: Gotcha. *grinning* 'N s'meth'n' f'r dessert?

Carter: //Already got t'at. Lunch. What do I bring for lunch?//

Beau: ...Le's call f'r sandwiches.

Carter: *little huff of mock annoyance* //Fine, t'en.//

Beau: Ah'll wash th' dishes 'n th' cooking stuff aftah dinnah.

Carter: *brisk voice softens slightly* //I love you too. I better go talk to the Dean and let you run.//

Beau: Talk t' y'u latah, Carter.

Carter: *gentle click as she hangs up*

Gloria: *sitting and looking around, but not exploring. Is, however, sitting in the sunbeam that landed on her dish*

Beau: *chuckles and proceeds to nom his bagel, will move to get his parkour shoes on as well*

Gloria: *complaining again. They're supposed to be running, they are!*

Beau: *muffled* Lemme grab th' rest'a mah breakfast, th'n we c'n go.

Gloria: *sniff sniffing something on the floor. Curious pat with a paw*

Beau: *moves to see what Gloria's pawing at*

Gloria: *has found the little mini Carter paper doll with the eyelet scrap summer top*

Beau: *chuckles and moves to pick up the paper doll Carter made. Will carefully tuck it into his inner jacket pocket* *will go grab the baggie of granola he takes with him on runs* *to Gloria, as he moves to open the door* Le's go.

Gloria: *had skittered away from the evil hands when he picked up the doll, but now she perks up and trots through the door, then looks up at him*

Beau: *makes sure he has his keys as he locks the door behind him* *heads for the front door of the dorms, stretching as he goes*

Gloria: *trotting along just behind him, since there's not really the room she likes to go beside him. Is alert and happy and ready to go*

Beau: *holds the front door open for Gloria, is ready to go*

Gloria: *zip, HISSS at bad hands*

Beau's neighbour: *recoils* Whoa, mean kitty!

Beau: Naw, she jes' ain't fond'a hands.

neighbour: *hides his behind his back* I didn't know you had a cat.

Beau: Gloria adopted me.... *shrug*

neighbour: *chuckles* Well, have fun being crazy. *says the guy who is just now coming home from an epic gaming session on a weeknight*

Beau: *chuckles* Y'u too. *heads off at a good pace once he's outside*

Gloria: *launches forward, her lean little body galloping effortlessly over the ground and her eyes and ears alert and happy*

Beau: *relaxing and letting the worries of earlier fade away as he navigates the self-created obstacle course*

Gloria: *sees a building ahead and picks up speed a little*

Beau: *takes the course that brings him up along the side of the building in a slight arc*

Gloria: *hits the wall with a leap and claws her way straight upward, using a powerline on the way as leverage*

Beau: *pulls himself up to the roof and is soon darting for the other side*

Gloria: *pauses at the other edge till Beau's halfway down, then leaps to his shoulder, rides down a bit, and goes from there to the ground*

Beau: *gets ready to roll as he lands, nodding briefly to people on their way to breakfast as he rises smoothly to his feet. And then he's aiming for the next building*

Gloria: *had paused to watch him land, and now she's springing forward again*

guy: *in Beau's way!* Stop!

Beau: *startles and nearly faceplants*

guy: *stern face* What do you think you're doing, letting that cat run around loose?

Beau: Gloria's a stray th't lahks t' run wit' me.... *just a bit confused*

guy: Well it looks like she's yours. And there's a fine for letting animals run around like that.

Gloria: *calling to Beau. Why you wait? RUN!*

another parkour runner: *taking a break nearby* Oh, hey, it's the parkour cat... *chuckles* And it looks like she's found a new running partner.

guy: *scowls at him, and then starts quoting city bylaw at Beau*

Gloria: *sits down and seems to scowl herself* ...

parkour runner: Um... You do know that cat's been hanging around the campus for at least three years, right?

guy: That's a likely story. *stink eye at Beau*

Beau: Ah've onleh been a student 'eah since th' staht 'f th's semester.

parkour runner: Yeah. And that cat's pretty wild... Won't even let anyone get their hands anywhere near her.

guy: I'm calling the animal control people. *cell phone out* That should teach you miserable creeps a lesson.

parkour runner: ... What's your problem, dude? We've got permission to do parkour, and we're careful not to damage anything. Why're you hatin' on a cat that isn't even hurting you?

guy: Uncontrolled animals are dangerous! *finishes dialling and puts phone to ear*

Beau: But she's not uncontrolled. *frowning* Jes' 'cause she w's runnin' wit' me...

parkour runner: *cell phone out, is looking to see if he can spot the nutbar guy's car*

Gloria: *plaintive call. Aren't they gonna go?*

Beau: 'Ang on, Gloria... Gotta deal wit' th's rude gah... *much frown*

guy: *talking to someone. And then he's cursing* You're @#$#@$ joking. This is ridiculous! That's dangerous!

parkour runner: *looks to Beau and grins*

Beau: *small grin*

guy: I'm going to be talking to your supervisor, you stupid @#$@#. *hits 'end' button, then glowers at Beau and the other man and mutters foul words before turning and stomping off*

Beau: *to the rude guy* 'Ave a nahce day!

parkour runner: *trying not to laugh*

teen girl: Hi, parkour cat. Licorice? *lays a nib on the ground*

Gloria: *oh. Okay* *delicate snarf*

Beau: *chuckles as he watches*

parkour guy: Prolly won't stop the jerk for long, but at least he's left you alone for now... Laters... *heads off, and jumps over a couple of park benches as he leaves*

girl: That guy's running for student council after Rollings dropped out of his position. His stand is cleaning up the campus.

Gloria: *are we going YET?*

Beau: Ah.... 'E sh'ld focus 'n gettin' moah recahclin' bins put int' place. *nods and moves to head along the path that will lead around campus and then back to the dorms*

Gloria: *and she's off! Streaks across the grass and up a tree!*

girl: *laughs and waves*

Beau: *nearly gets clotheslined by a tree, but rolls with the blow*

Gloria: *just jumped over that big dog*

guy on other end of dog leash: o.0 *watches cat go*

dog: *ditto*

Beau: *will have a good laugh about that later, but right now, he's scaling up one of the nearby trees, in order to get to the roof of that building next to said tree*

Gloria: *zip! Climbs him on the way up tree! In a very playful mood today. On the way up Beau will be able to notice a fine scar on the black patch on her flank*

Beau: *makes note of the scar, has a feeling that there won't be kittens from Gloria any time soon... Up and over a vent!*

Gloria: *belly down streak over this big open part of the roof! Run like a fox!*

Beau: *laughs and runs. Then he's climbing down to the awning over the door, and from there, to that big rock that's nearby. Once he's safely on ground level, he's moving to start to head for the dorms*

Gloria: *boing boing boing. On ground, and then growling at the last major obstacle of the route*

Mrs. Simpson: *is out today, with her little Bichon Frise dog and her big slab of a grey cat on matching leashes and wearing matching little plaid coats. Also armed with a paper bag full of goodies aimed at Beau*

dog: *kitty! Love you! Waggatail and whimper*

cat: Maow maow maow. *sits and looks around, utterly lost*

Gloria: *hiss spit, shake a paw!*

Beau: Mornin' Mrs. Simpson. *stopped running*

Mrs. Simpson: *smiles at him and holds out the bag* You're a little late today, Beauregard. We were starting to think you weren't coming.

Beau: Ah got 'eld up bah a gah runnin' f'r student council... *thanks Mrs. Simpson as he accepts the offered bag of goodies*

Mrs. Simpson: *suddenly looks like she sucked on a lemon* Pritcherd?

Beau: *slight shrug* 'E w's throwin' a snit-fit 'bout Gloria.

Mrs. Simpson: *tuts and shakes her head* Well, we won't hold you up. I hope you like what we brought for you. It was Higgins' turn to pick today. *grins down at the oblivious grey cat*

Beau: Th'nk y'u kahndleh, Mrs. Simpson, Higgins. *smile*

Mrs. Simpson: *smiles and leads Higgins and his brother Simpson out of Beau's way*

Simpson: *doing his usual broken hearted look that Gloria doesn't want to be friends*

Gloria: *heard the 'thank you'. Is GONE*

Beau: *chuckles and heads off for the dorm, will carefully open the bag as he runs*

bag: *contains organic vegan whole-grain kamut today!*

Beau: *pleased sound, will proceed to nom one of the kamut as he runs*

Gloria: *is sitting on the doorstep when he reaches it*

Beau: *offers some of the kamut*

Gloria: *sniff sniff. Nah. Asks to be let in*

Beau: Alrahght... *thinks it's a bit odd that Gloria wants in, since usually, she's gone by the time he's finished running. Moves to hold the door open for her*

Gloria: *scoots inside and up the stairs*

Beau: *follows, will unlock his door and hold that open for her as well*

Gloria: *trots in, and now she's looking around*

Beau: ... *will go get a box and some of the newspapers he's been putting into a bag to be recycled. Proceeds to shred the newspapers and uses them, along with a plastic bag, to make a make-shift litter box, which gets set out of the way, but where Gloria will be able to find it easily*

Gloria: *goes and looks at the box. Then looks up at Beau and mews*

Beau: Ah'll gitcha a propah littah box aftah class....

Gloria: *litter box? Knows that word. Gets into the box and pees to show her appreciation. Then out again and once more looking around*

Beau: *chuckles and moves to change into clean clothes for school*

Gloria: *laying beside the octopus doll that he bought for Carter when he comes back out. Eyes half shut with contentment*

Beau: *more chuckle* Ah'll be back 'nna few hours... *moves to open the window to the fire escape enough that Gloria can get in and out as she pleases. Will pack his laptop in his backpack, and make sure nothing valuable is left in plain sight*

Gloria: *peeks at him, but continues to love the doll* *is laying the same way she does by his leg on their running break*

Beau: *makes sure he has his keys... and then he's getting a bowl and filling it with water. This gets set by the bowl that he uses to feed Gloria. Will put a bit more food into it, in case she gets hungry during the day*

neighbour: *running past in the hall* Ohcrudohcrudohcrud, old Simpson's gonna skin me! *gone*

Gloria: *doesn't even twitch*

Beau: *snerk!* *keys in pocket, backpack on back, shoes on feet! Out the door, locking it behind him*

Mr. Higgins: *wandering the halls, totally lost, when Beau reaches the building where his first class is. Looks like it's free study time for first period art history students*

Beau: ... *headshake, off to class*

((written with random_xtras))