Group Study 1

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

On the Friday of the week of Class Five, the classmates who chose to gathered back at the classroom for the group study.

The Soft-Hearted Maven and the Brash Devil had come ahead of time, preparing scones with jam and cream again, but also bringing some jasmine tea with some sugar cubes on the side.

She greeted everyone as they entered, and after giving them time to settle and to see if anyone else was coming, she addressed everyone.

"Hello everyone! I hope these past couple of days have been going well for everyone. So as I explained last week, the assignment we did for that class seemed to give us a lot of good practice in communicating via the Correspondence, so I thought we could attempt that again. We don't have to have the rule in place that no one can speak since this is a casual study group, but if you would like to implement that rule on yourself as a challenge and to keep in the spirit of the assignment as we did it in class you can. We still have the supply of notebooks here, so if you need more writing supplies feel free to grab some more."

Comments

[tolpen]

The Mycologist has arrived somewhat early. He had a delivery to this very room, one that he had to wheel in. It is a wooden box - so actually a crate - the size of a cubit yard. Its insides are suspiciously quiet. Rather large letters on the top and one side say DECOMMISSIONED.
In case anyone is feeling like cracking the crate open, a crowbar has also been brought along. It seems to have seen its fair share of use.

"Doctor Rosewood," the Mycologist beams, "and her most lovely companion, because fortune never comes alone."
He offers them both a polite bow and: "As I have promised, I have brought study material. Of course, I do not insist on using it right. I doubt it will spoil, and it hasn't combusted so far, so it hardly will do so now. But, if either of you would be so kind, instruct me where to deposit it. I've promised Doctor Wissenberg to return the trolley at some point today."

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

"It's lovely to see you, I'm glad you could make it!" Maven smiled at the Mycologist. She looked at the box, raising an eyebrow at the DECOMMISSIONED labelling. She indicated an area in the classroom, "Um, right over there should be fine. Exactly what kind of supplies did you procure again?"

[tolpen]

"Oh, mostly just reading reading material. I am trying to secure some violant pigments or outright ink for practice, but that is still up in the negotiating airs."
Since no one is angling to take the crowbar for him, he cracks the crate open himself. This is very obviously not his first time handling a crowbar. Not even his tenth time handling a crowbar. The silken waistcoat strains to stay in place as the muscles underneath work.

To the best delight, the crate isn't really much damaged. The lid is still whole, although an odd splinter sticks out here and there, but the entire thing can be re-used at a later date.
Inside are several stacks of lead plaques with correspondence writing on them, all insulated by wood wool. By eyeballing it, there could be around a hundred of them. Someone was busy and got them in bulk.

Arming himself with gloves - chronic lead poisoning is one of the less known dangers of studying the Correspondence - picks up one of the plates and inspects it from both sides. He even flicks a finger against it.
"Well, glad to know that this was not a scam. Although I am still not entirely decided the musical production we had seen because of it was entirely worth it."

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

Maven's eyes widened at all the Correspondence plaques. This was so much reading material!

As Maven and Devil put on gloves to help assist, Devil snorted, "I don't know what you're talking about, I thought it was hilarious!"

"I don't think it was meant to be funny, honey," Maven pointed out.

"That's even better!"

[tolpen]

"It is a relief to know that at least a part of the audience enjoyed the performation," the Mycologist smiles, all warm and polished, as he begins to move the plaques out.

"One day," he muses, "some poor sod is going to experiment how much Correspondence can tungsten plaques bear. Fortunately for us it won't be any time soon. Unless anyone in here has at quick disposal a method of processing the ore en masse."
Although it doesn't seem that the weight of the lead is any struggle for the Mycologist.

"So, dear Doctor, what wast thou thinking would be our starting point today, besides a writing exercise? Any... specifics? A particular focus?"

[ticktopis_observatorium]

The Chimeric Professor can be heard coming then (the sound of the digitigrady-adapted footwear is characteristic enough), and sees first the Mycologist (most stunning in view) with a smile, then the box with curiosity, and finally the rest in attendance in a good mood.

"Greetings esteemed colleagues! Here's the hope none other predicament compels specific letters while we speak." They bite their lower lip, more delighted than they have the right to be on their pun.

"What do we have here?"

[tolpen]

It is plain for everyone to see the way all colour drains from the Mycologist's face, leaving behind the impression of a walnut table that was left for too long in the sun. It takes him a moment to discern that it was a jest, a jape, a joke.
But what comes out of his mouth is half.outraged: "Professor! Really? Percievest," oh no, oh no, he is doing it too, "thou that," crisis averted, "as necessary?"

[ticktopis_observatorium]

The Professor is having a hard time indeed at not laughing, their smile noticeably too tense in restraint. "Absolutely unnecessary, dear. You are very right. I just couldn't resist."

There's a gentle hand offered in perhaps a peace offering.

"Now, what do we have here? Does our dear Doctor have a plan?"

[tolpen]

The Mycologist takes the offering hand and squeezes it lightly.
Restorer's mercy, don't scare him like that again. The Tuesday was bad enough.

[stygean]

Not really late enough to be called late, but not early either, the Scientist stepped in with the goggles already lowered to cover his face. Even with them in the way, it was easy to tell that they were ogling the crate and even more the crowbar. However, they bee-lined towards the Maven instead, mimicking a military salute while his usual frown turned in a perhaps friendly smirk. ‘Sorry for the time, Jane. Devil’ they added, nodding ever so slightly. ‘Hope i didn’t make you wait too much’
He eyed the crate again.
‘Want me to place it somewhere?’

[tolpen]

"Perhaps we could open it and move the contents to the supply room?" the Mycologist offers. The crate is being, let's be honest, somewhat cumbersome. And a considerable part of the content's volume is being stuffing preventing damage of the goods during transport.

He offers his fellow Scientist the crowbar. You can't do Science without a crowbar. It opens the life's many doors to Knowledge.

[the_soft_hearted_maven]

"Welcome Larix!" Maven greeted the Scientist, "Not at all, we were just about to move the crate. But as the Mycologist said, we can just move the supplies themselves. If you want to help, that would be appreciated!"