Handwritten

[seriallylucky]

[Looks like someone's trying to review for finals. After several seconds, he writes:]

What?

Comments

[handwritten]

[edhwierfan]

[Because Aeron actually likes maths, he solves the problem, showing the work neatly.]

Having trouble?

[handwritten]

[seriallylucky]

Not ex Well, a little. But

What are you all doing here?

[text]

[abidan]

But how are you supposed to know what any of it stands for?

[handwritten]

[seriallylucky]

Huh?

You... show up the first half of the semester?

[Why is he even having this conversation? This was supposed to just be a review exercise, and now it's some kind of network.]

[text]

[abidan]

Ah. That would explain it.

[ Yeeeeeah. Emery dropped maths when he was sixteen. ]

[Handwritten]

[seriallylucky]

[Shame, Emery. How are you supposed to bend the laws of physics to your will if you can't express them numerically? ...On second thought, don't answer that.]

So what about this network thing? I must have missed the first few classes where they talked about the what and the why.

[Guess who hasn't read back?]

[edhwierfan]

"Here"?

Is this the first time you've used the system?

( handwritten )

[argents]

Trig homework?

[Texted]

[espigeonage]

Oh, no, not math! lol jk it's fine but wow, haven't seen this kind of thing in a while.

[seriallylucky]

If "the system" is what's letting us talk to each other, then yes.

[handwritten]

[seriallylucky]

Calc, actually. And I don't need to turn it in so it's not exactly homework.

[Handwritten]

[seriallylucky]

Not my favorite either, but some things you gotta do.

[edhwierfan]

Welcome, I suppose.

I'm fairly new myself.

[argents]

Oh, studying. The world could probably be ending and it'd still be finals season, huh.

[seriallylucky]

Thanks.

I'm Fred.

[seriallylucky]

Sure feels that way.

It isn't, is it? [He lightly underlines "ending".]

[argents]

[ That gives him a pause. Hello, reality. ]

I don't know. Whatever's happening, it's not how we think of it.

Handwritten

[deathcough]

The answer is 42.

[edhwierfan]

Aeron. You'll want to catch up on the details when you have a chance. Apparently the system isn't just a convenient way for a few people to stay in contact.

[espigeonage]

That's for sure. Welcome to the Numbers Club.

[seriallylucky]

Why, what else is it?

[Fred meanwhile goes poking around the network history, not at all sure what he's looking for.]

[seriallylucky]

Ah. Good.

[Probably. Though if they're looking at it wrong... But no, don't think about it like that, they're the ones with experience here.]

[seriallylucky]

Thanks. "Numbers Club" <- does that mean everyone here has them?

[Handwritten]

[seriallylucky]

...

[Have a few sketchy doodles of lines and curves.]

Not usually.

[Handwritten]

[deathcough]

It's the meaning of life, the universe and everything in between. Or something like that.

[Handwritten]

[seriallylucky]

[Oh, duh. Sorry, Souji, he's had actual math on the mind.]

Oh! That!

I don't think the derivative of anything is actually the Ultimate Question, though. It doesn't really seem to be philosophical enough.

Though I realize that thought may be a little [Fred quickly doodles a face with sunglasses] derivative.

[espigeonage]

Yeah. It's a pretty informal nickname. Otherwise we're stuck with "everyone who has a number they can use to talk to everyone else with a number", after all.

[Handwritten]

[deathcough]

That was a terrible joke.

This stuff makes me glad I'm not taking any math classes. I don't know how you can stand it.

[argents]

You could say it's been a lot more subtle in some ways. Homework is just the constant.

[seriallylucky]

I can see where that might get awkward.

[Handwritten]

[seriallylucky]

Shrug. Math's not so bad. I guess that could be growing up with my dad talking.

And of course it was. It was a pun. All the best puns are truly...

[Yeah, he's gonna wait for you to either ask or guess. Or leave him hanging, I suppose.]

[seriallylucky]

Yeah. Makes me wonder why some of my friends are signing up for summer semester. I mean, sure, there's getting done sooner, but losing your summer to do it...

[espigeonage]

Quite! I assume you've read enough to be filled in?

[argents]

There's nothing wrong with getting a little ahead, is there?

[seriallylucky]

A little? It all seems pretty scattered.

[Read: not really.]

[Handwritten]

[deathcough]

I'm not bad aat it, but it's boring as hell. I'd rather learn more fun things.

If you end that joke with "punny" I'll punch you through this paper. Somehow. With magic.

[seriallylucky]

Well, no. I just don't like the opportunity cost.

[You hear that, Banagher? That's the sound of a future business major.]

[Handwritten]

[seriallylucky]

No. That wouldn't even make sense.

No, the best puns are pungent.

[argents]

[ SURE IS. ]

Just a luxury of choice, I guess. I'd choose a summer too, for what it's worth.