"Dis is orl ratha daft, bur ah suppose it does 'elp figure art whoa are alpheur solos 'n whoa are team players." Elsie says with a shrug. "For orl ah care, t' trioa can av t' orb. i'd ratha 'elp someone else win than be eur laughin stock fert idiots int' bleachers." Her plan to try to jerk an orb away at the last moment fades away as the peanut gallery in the bleachers begins to make fun of the contestants. When others begin to move in toward Triad, she just steps forward and blocks their path, quite obviously not trying to actually get the orb, just provide defense. I think she can take a few steps while doing her above action, if not, let me know. Still learning the system.
Basically, Elsie isn't into being entertainment for others. She'll help Triad and anyone else who's been polite to her get an orb, but other than that, she's mostly just going to wait it out. From this point on GM, can I just post now that Elsie uses her paper control to help Triad and Marko with their orb attempts. If she has some free time, she'll make an orb of paper for herself.
Spoiler:
This is all rather silly, but I suppose it does help figure out who are alpha solos and who are team players.
For all I care, the Trio can have the orb. I'd rather help someone else win than be a laughing stock for the idiots in the bleachers.
Elsie nods, and tries to grab the feline that's ripping at Orb 5 with some of her paper, around an ankle or something, and jerks them away and tosses them toward the burning person holding orb 1.
Control Paper:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32 Toss at Fire Girl:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
After that, she'll try to restore the paper around Orb 5, and put more on Orb 2.
"As Ah heard tell it, ya'll, we only need one or more of those dang things, and only at the end." Elsie says quietly in a soft slow southern drawl that is easily drowned out by the excited noise of the large group of excited entrants. "Between us, Ah think we could control the whole passel of them darn things at the end if'n we wanted."
I don't care at this point. I have enough going on RL to deal with (RIF'd, unemployment, etc) that I don't feel like being lawyered to death on line. No offense, just don't have the energy for it.
If you don't want it to happen, that's fine. It's not worth arguing about. Please advise how you want me to alter the power going forward to do cosmetic changes to the paper. I thought cosmetics were just power stunts/special effects.
Elsie steps back and watches the scrimage for the balls. She doesn't try to get one, although she does try to get some paper wrapped around each one, turning the paper a brassy color if possible. However, other than that, she doesn't try to pull any of the balls. At least not until the last 30 seconds or so, so not sure how you want to handle that.
Paper Control:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23 Paper Control:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23 Paper Control:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30 Paper Control:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30 Paper Control:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
"Glory Days, written by Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen. Originally Recorded April 3rd, 1982. originally released ont' album Born int' Theur.S.Eur on June 4th, 1984 ont' Columbieur label. Produced by Jon Landau, Chuk Plotkin, Bruce Springsteen, 'n Steven Van Zandt. T' song wor t' fourth track on side twoa, 'n wor 4 minutes 'n 15 seconds i' length. Re-released as eur 7 inch single on May 31st, 1985, unda t' sem label 'n producers. T' side-b track o' t' single wor Stan' on it, alsoa written 'n recorded by Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen. T' Glory Days single peyted a' #5 ont' Billboard Mafted 100 Pop Singles Charts int' summa o' 1985, geein Springsteen eur record-tyin seven top 10 singles ta be released fra t' Born int' Theur.S.Eur album. Theear wor originally anotha verse teur t' song, dedicated ta Springsteens fatheur, which increased t' length ta 5 minutes 'n 31 seconds, bur Springsteen removed it due it clashin wi' t' rest o' t' song." Elsie responds promptly, and with authority. "For someone livin int' present, thas awfully intoa songs written 'n recorded afowa theur wor born..."
Spoiler:
Glory Days, written by Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen. Originally recorded April 3rd, 1982. Originally released on the album 'Born in the U.S.A.' on June 4th, 1984 on the Columbia label. Produced by Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, Bruce Springsteen, and Steven Van Zandt. The song was the fourth track on side two, and was 4 minutes and 15 seconds in length. Re-released as a 7 inch single on May 31st, 1985, under the same label and producers. The side-b track of the single was 'Stand on It', also written and recorded by Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen. The Glory Days single peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles charts in the summer of 1985, giving Springsteen a record-tying seven top 10 singles to be released from the Born in the U.S.A album. There was originally another verse to the song, dedicated to Springsteens father, which increased the length to 5 minutes and 31 seconds, but Springsteen removed it due it clashing with the rest of the song.
For someone living in the present, you're awfully into songs written and recorded before you were born...
"Oy, orl o' mine are cross-linked ta eur 'igh degree, ta 'elp wi' research. Takes uz longa ta gerr ta eur conclusion, bur Ah av mooar information on 'an'." Not to mention that she had more top secret and national security information in her head than any politician was comfortable with. MI-6 had had her spend weeks with a Telepath, putting in extra blocks and misdirections on the sensitive stuff, with layers like an onion. She might not have any defense against having her thoughts read, but at least a lot of the sensitive stuff was basically encrypted in her memory, not to mention converted over into dead languages to help. I'm assuming, given her background, that MI-6 would have demanded some psychic blocks being implanted to keep all that information secure. Not really mental defense, but specific locks on specific bits of information.
Spoiler:
Ah, all of mine are cross-linked to a high degree, to help with research. Takes me longer to get to a conclusion, but I have more information on hand.
Elsie raises an eyebrow, as she realizes Kestrel has the same memory issues. "Theur ivva av ta soarts thru 12 catalogs o' booits, watch 40 commercials, 'n read twoa encyclopedias ta finn' t' note scribbled int' margin 'left red ferragamos behin' couch?" She asks, with sympathy.
Spoiler:
You ever have to sort through 12 catalogs of shoes, watch 40 commercials, and read two encyclopedias to find the note scribbled in the margin 'Left red Ferragamos behind couch?
"Ah dooant chuffin' use 'un, neya memory tricks, just eur trick memory. Owt Ah read, Ah rememba, foreva. Can't gerr it art wi' eur crowbar. Owt Ah see Ah av abaht eur 90% retention on, 'n auditory information is abaht 75% retention. Everythin else, touch, taste, smell, is abaht 70%." She answers, a dreamy look coming over her face as she answers the question anyway. "Bur Ah've allus imagined eur memory palace, if Ah 'ed 'un, ta skeg li' t' Imperial Library o' Constantinople, wi' racks 'n racks o' scrolls 'n eur basement wi' shelves o' buks as far as t' eye can see."
Spoiler:
I don't really use one, no memory tricks, just a trick memory. Anything I read, I remember, forever. Can't get it out with a crowbar. Anything I see I have about a 90% retention on, and auditory information is about 75% retention. Everything else, touch, taste, smell, is about 70%.
But I've always imagined a memory palace, if I had one, to look like the Imperial Library of Constantinople, with racks and racks of scrolls and a basement with shelves of books as far as the eye can see.
Elsie looks slightly confused, and then shakes her head. "Neya, neya, not li' 'a'. literally li' eur ton o' buks. anyone tryin ta skeg thru uz memories for 'superhero' will av t' contents o' 1,587 buks, 127 movies, 8,537 magazines, 1,243 pamphlets, 27,438 commercials, 82,418 mangeur 'n 183,289 comic buks dumped into their brain."
When asked about codenames, Elsie turns pink and doesn't respond.
Spoiler:
No, no, not like that. Literally like a ton of books. Anyone trying to look through my memories for 'Superhero' or 'Secret' will have the contents of 1,587 books, 127 movies, 8,537 magazines, 1,243 pamphlets, 27,438 commercials, 82,418 manga and 183,289 comic books.
"Aye, it could, bur Ah think thee probably doa 'a' wi' telepaths t' secon' we walk ontoa t' campus. 'n probably keep watchin wee wi' telepaths t' entire tahhm. Although Ah feel soz for enny telepath 'a' tries ta read mooar than uz surface thoughts, uz memories will clowt 'em li' eur ton o' buks." This causes her to laugh merrily for some reason.
Spoiler:
Yeah, it could, but I think they probably do that with telepaths the second we walk onto the campus. And probably keep watching us with telepaths the entire time. Although I feel sorry for any telepath that tries to read more than my surface thoughts, my memories will hit them like a ton of bricks.
When she's complete, the paper that was her pick rearranges itself into a parasol, and then the pages change color in alternating red and white, giving it an almost checkerboard look... although the 'handle' takes on a black color.
As she begins to walk along with others, her long coat shifts oddly for a few minutes, as if she had squirrels running around inside it. Then it settles down. "Well, 'a' wor annoyin. 'onestly though, 'a often am ah goan be usin eur pick ta dig uz way art o' eur prison? Ah suppose it's gran' ta kna Ah can if Ah need ta. Ah'm eur bit annoyed it wor tooa 'eavy ta just move. Obviously, Ah need ta fettle on 'a'. Ah need mooar lift..." She says out loud, to pretty much anyone within 20 feet or so. At least she's already memorized the paper contents of everyone's pockets, and the current configuration of Allison's annoying spell book, so she can quit being distracted by it. "Sa, eur test o' 'a fast we think on wee feet, 'n 'a 'ard we can clowt. Anyone want ta mek eur bet abaht t' next 'un bein 'a 'ard we can tek eur clowt?"
Spoiler:
Well, that was annoying. Honestly though, how often am I going to be using a pick to dig my way out of a prison? I suppose it's good to know I can if I need to. I am a bit annoyed it was too heavy to just move. Obviously, I need to work on that. I need more lift...
So, a test of how fast we think on our feet, and how hard we can hit. Anyone want to make a bet about the next one being how hard we can take a hit?
Yeah, not complaining over much, just commenting that there's a difference when looking between pretty marble column (1x1x8) and stonehenge (3x3x10). Normally no big deal, just if we're timed, more information is better. Or even better yet, a picture link is worth a thousand words in PbP games! (Like above).
Note, this is not telling you how to run the game, just friendly suggestions! (As stated above, tone is hard to convey via text).
Elsie, realizing she can't lift it, forms a large pick ax out of the paper, as the rest of the paper flies back into her jacket, much slower than it was pulled out.
Elsie's paper in her jacket shouldn't require a hero point, since she always carries it right?
Elsie steps forward, and her long red jacket flutters as sheet after sheet of paper flies out from the inside, out of the sleeves, and begins to wrap around her stone. She then tries to lift the stone out off the ground. She can lift 3800 lbs with her paper, so she's basically wrapping the stone in paper and then lifting up on the paper, using it to lift the rock. That should work I think, as long as the rock is less than 3800 lbs. If it's more than 3800 lbs, then it won't work. If she can lift it, then she'll just send it over to the nearest pond or lake or parking garage. They didn't say it had to be destroyed, they just said get rid of it.
Elsi shakes her head at Kestrel. "Bystanders whoa are i' eur panic rarely listen ta thee. 'n tha' can need ta gi'o'a 'em fra runnin intoa eur firefeight by mistake." She says, shaking her head. "Assumin thee aren't terrified o' theur, sin thas eur powa."
She shakes her head at Allison. "If thas carryin eur toy, tha'il av ta use it mooar often, sin fowk won't tek it seriously unless theur blast 'em. If theur wor 'ahdin eur MAC-10 tha'd be mooar likely ta scare fowk intoa listenin 'n not av ta use it."
Translation:
Bystanders who are in a panic rarely listen to you. And you may need to stop them from running into a firefight by mistake.
Assuming they aren't terrified of you, since you're a power.
If you're carrying a toy, you'll have to use it more often, since people won't take it seriously unless you blast them. If you were holding a MAC-10 you'd be more likely to scare people into listening and not have to use it.
There's no way to make it 'on the fly' unless we have a lot of down time. It takes 4 hours per point to make something that's equipment. So unless it's a 1 point power, it's going to take way more time than an adventure is going to allow.
Making the car takes 48 hours of work. That's not 48 hours straight, since Elsi has to sleep and eat, that's basically a full week to rebuild it at 8 hours a day (six days). And if she drops it out of her equipment load out, she's basically taking the psychic imprint off it, which means it collapses into a pile of colored paper with some wind shields in it.
Now, she can make multiples of the same thing, like a car and a bike, and have both of those stay active by paying 1 point for the additional vehicle, per the base rules, but if she drops one from the equipment, she only gets a few points back, not the whole amount, unless she drops both.
This is not really all that different from dropping a regular car from her equipment allotment. She could just go buy brand new car every adventure and drive it into a bad guy if she wanted to. :) That would actually be cheaper for her.
Now, what I will do is if I know a roll failed, I'll edit my post to take that into account. Same if I know it succeeded wildly (IE: rolling a 20). However, that requires me to know more about the rolls than I do now, so, for now, just posting what I'm doing and the rolls, and letting the GM handle the results. (IE: If I roll a 1 on an attack, I'm pretty sure that's a miss, so I can just post it as a miss, same with 20, pretty sure that's a hit, etc).
Not much I can do about bad rolls. Not sure when I can avoid a roll or not, so bleh. On the ones I did, I either succeeded or failed based on the DC, and had no idea whether they did or not (the design things). The placing of the car was in response to your request, I just lucked out. Wasn't sure if I needed a paper control roll or an attack roll or some other roll, so waited for you to tell me what to roll.
Elsi looks at Allison's ray gun. "Och, naw that's eur reet bit o' cartoon playtoy if ah ivva saw 'un. Thy buk seems ta be bit childish." She looks around the group, and shrugs. "Seems li' eur wide variety o' powers 'n success. Um mooar than others. Guess ah lucked art avin uz car nearby." She watches as the girl from Texas moves like a blur, slaming through the red manniquen and turning it into red splinters before racing in circles around the green one until the air lifts it off the ground in a funnel. "Ah hear tole Texas gurls was dang fast and loose, Ah reckon it done be true." She finishes up in a perfect southern drawl as the group walks to the other end of the field.
Translation:
Och, now that's a right bit of cartoon playtoy if I ever saw one. Your book seems to be bit childish.
Seems like a wide variety of powers and success. Some more than others. Guess I lucked out having my car nearby.
I'd heard Texas girls were fast and loose, guess it's true.
HERO is a good system, very flexible. If you're looking for other systems. A bit more math heavy, but they sell a very good program for it that makes it easy, and it's got more control over the various powers.
Design Check for Paper Golem, using Zombie statblock from book. Zombie is 4 pts, + 50% for paper = 6 Pts. I'm assuming the design check uses the 'base' cost not the 'actual cost from pool' cost with the 50% modifier. If so, the Paper Golem design is an auto-success (paper manipulation + 13, min roll 14). However, in case I need to hit the 16 instead of the 14...
Design, DC 16:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20
Armored Car has cost of 12 points (8 base + 4 paper increase).
Private Plane Size : Gargantuan (3 PP) STR : 12 TOUGH : 11 DEF : -1 Flight : 6 ranks (2 per rank, -1 per rank (Wings), 6 PP) +3 Def : 3 PP Looks like an old style dual prop plane with seats and small cargo area Final Cost : 12 pts + 6 (Paper Mod) = 18 points
Design, DC 22 (or 28?):1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23
So can't start with the design if it's the modified cost, but can if it's the unmodified cost. She can have the plane and car active at the same time (18 + 1 = 19 of 20) but not the golems (they'd have to go into storage). Not a big deal, she likely won't be taking everything out at once.
Once her results are officially recorded, she lifts the car off the green and red artificial men, and carefully floats it back over to the parking area, dropping it carefully into an empty parking space that has empty spaces on either side. IE 3 empty spaces in a row, and she takes the middle.
Paper Control:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14
Grimacing, as the car ends up half in one and half another, she scoots it sideways.
Paper Control:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24
Finally centered between the two spaces, she leaves it parked and ready to drive, pointed out of the space, so she can just drive it out.
Elsi raises an eyebrow. "Wha' an odd buk. it's pages fluctuate, atwixt twoa 'undred 'n fowa 'undred pages. Ah dooant recognize most o' t' languages, 'oweva, Ah doa recognize 'attic, Sumerian, Cypro-Minoan, 'n Olmec. Theear are several pages wi' mooar modern languages, such as Egytian 'eiroglyphics, Moabi', 'n Phonecian." She looks at the girl curiously. "Menny o' thems not translated ta uz knowledge. Eur theur capable o' readin 'em?" She asks the girl when she's done with her attempt. Then she raises an eyebrow. "Theur should tell thy buk 'a' thems not words 'a' eur lass thy age should kna, even i' 'itti'."
Translation:
What an odd book. It's pages fluctuate, between two hundred and four hundred pages. I do not recognize most of the languages, however, I do recognize Hattic, Sumerian, Cypro-Minoan, and Olmec. There are several pages with more modern languages, such as Epytian Heiroglyphics, Moabite, and Phonecian
Many of those are not translated to my knowledge. Are you capable of reading them?
You should tell your book that those are not words that a girl your age should know, even in Hittite.
Just realized I misread the original requirements. Please alter Elsi's post to place the car on both maniquenns without dropping it from 10 feet to pin them down, and then she'll damage the red one.
"'a' mun be awkward when theur fetch someone back teur t' fla' for a snog." She says, looking to the other two curiously. "Or does thee tek care o' 'a' internally?"
Translation:
Oh, that must be awkward when you bring someone back to your flat for a snog. Or do you take care of that internally?
Elsi tilts her head, and watches the two mannequins get ready to charge, and points one hand toward the parking lot nearby. A silver sports car comes winging in off the parking lot, and lands neatly on the red mannequin. 1200 lbs of weight drop 10 ft onto the red one, but not the green one, this is her special paper sports car, hopefully the windows don't shatter, she'll coat them with paper to help keep them from breaking. Just to remember, the sports car has the same stats as an armored vehicle, so it's got a ton of armor, even the windows. She can lift 3800 lbs, so she should have more than enough left over to wing it
Paper Manipulation, cover windows:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16 Attack, drop car on maniqquin:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
She'll then close on the car, and stab any portion of the mannequin that's visible. As she moves up, paper flies out of her sleeve and folds itself into a paper sword that she brings down on the mannequin until it shows slash marks.
Attack, Attack with sword:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 This is the 6 level melee that ignores one level of hardness, armor piercing Attack, Attack with sword:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 Attack, Attack with sword:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
"Ah dint see it ont' quad, noticed it walkin o'a fra t' auditorium. 'n most fowk dooant pay attention ta owt, sa it's not sa special ta notice. none o' tutheur students 'ed t' sem bar codes, nor three names." She looks around. "Ah'm guessin they're goan mek wee sha off wee powers, sa thee can gauge wha' we can doa. Ah submitted eur list o' things they'd need ta test mine wi' uz application. Ah dooant see 'em yet, bur they'll probably av 'em appear i' um flashy way, probably teleported."
She turns back to Derek. "Sa, otha than avin real fowk for thy imaginary friends, 'n avin um kin' o' min' link, wha' orl can theur doa? Personally, uz powers are mooar useful for intelligence analysis 'n gatherin, as theur probably already gathered. Although ah can cut eur few corners if ah need ta. 'n Ah've gorreur few tricks 'a' are gran' for party games."
Translation:
I didn't see it on the quad, noticed it walking over from the auditorium. And most people don't pay attention to anything, so it's not so special to notice. None of the other students had the same bar codes, nor three names.
I'm guessing they're going to make us show off our powers, so they can gauge what we can do. I submitted a list of things they'd need to test mine with my application. I don't see them yet, but they'll probably have them appear in some flashy way, probably teleported in.
So, other than having real people for your imaginary friends, and having some kind of mind link, what all can you do? Personally, my powers are more useful for intelligence analysis and gathering, as you probably already gathered. Although I can cut a few corners if I need to. And I've got a few tricks that are good for party games.
Elsi nods at Derek. "Ayup, Derek Johnson, Kersti Schmidt, Allejandreur 'ernandez. Eitha thas reeight close friends, or t' Academy messed up thy id tag." She reaches out to flick the ID tag around Derek's neck with a finger. "Ah'm Elsi 'eart."Don't think that needs too much of a translation
Once at the field, Elsi notes each of the students with the strange ID. She would suspect fake ID's with the barcodes being the same, except for the three names being on each ID. At least one of the trio probably notices her narrowing her eyes at the trio, her head moving precisely to pick out each one in turn, out of the crowd.
Elsie listens politely. Yes, she had been making a difference. However, there is making a difference, and having a life that makes a difference. How long before she would come to hate her life so much that she became that which she hunted? She'd read enough profiles to know that many of the worst people in the world had started out with the best intentions. Freedom fighters who turned into terrorists, heroes who fell to villainy, when they could no longer stand their life as it was.
Cain, Erik Lawrence, 2001, January 1st, male, height 5 ft 11 inches, California License I3829283, 1884 Muldave Circle, Sacramento, CA, 95818, 198 lbs, blue eyes, blonde hair (cute, surfer dude), class C, SSN 148-33-2893
Mobira, Alethra, 2000, February 12th, female...
She walked out to the outside silently, not saying anything unless someone talks to her. The girl from Texas peels off to talk to someone she knows, a boy from Texas, maybe they knew each other, same zip codes, probably went to school together. Ages were right.
"Hi ya'll! Ya'll can call me Cherry. Cherry Allister." Says the blonde girl with a Texas drawl.
"Ah'm Elsie 'Eart..." Elsie responds, then tilts her head and looks to the stage. "...oh, thee are ossin." She jerks her chin toward the stage. Although nobody is on it. Elsie however can see a sheaf of papers behind the curtain, cue cards, being put in order.
Elsi shakes her head. "Be reight. T' Commencement Ceremony is int' Commencement 'All, t' front entrance o' which, pa t' school's map, is exactly 'un 'undred fo'ty three point twoa meters fra t' front door o' t' library. Uz personal middlin' walkin speed is seventy twoa point fowa meters pa minute, teur ta uz 'eeight plus t' current boyts ah'm wearin. 'a' means it will tek uz almost exactly twoa minutes ta walk fra t' fust floor o' t' library teur t' front entrance o' t' commencement ceremony, 'n sin ah kna 'a' ah'm ra fowa, sea' fourteen, it will tek an additional fo'ty seconds ta gerr uz sea', factorin i' tutheur students slowin uz daahn once ah enta. Wea'ar ont' sixth floor o' t' library, it will tek just unda twoa seconds ta fall fra t' bannista..." She waves a hand at the banister two meters away. "...toa t' fust floor, plus an additional ten seconds for uz ta sla missen a' t' secon' floor 'n safely lan' wiyaa' makin anyone panic. 'A' means ah need ta drop fra t' banista neya lata than twoa minutes, fifty twoa seconds afowa t' commencement begins. 'Oweva, sin it's unlikely 'a' anyone int' Scozzy Staff is punctual, given 'a' thee are mostly Yanks, ahl leev fi' minutes afowa t' scheduled start." She taps her watch. "I' otha words, i' eeight minutes twelve seconds. int' meantime, Ah'm enjoyin readin thy buk on Alexander's weddin int' original Russian."
Elsi continues reading the book, and chatting with him about the Russian book, before tapping her wrist a few minutes later. Without a word, she walks over to the banister, places her left hand on, and leaps over the side.
As she falls, papers fly out of the inside her flaring jacket, forming a 'snowboard' on her feet, wrapping over her boots as she falls. Around the second floor, the board solidifies completely, hard as a real board, and she begins to slow and move toward an opening on entryway of the library. She steps off the board in front of the round rotating door and steps in as it sweeps past, the paper following along behind her and tucking itself into her pocket as she steps out of the library.
She begins walking across the campus toward the ceremony, as she does, the students who are already there walk past her, and her brain automatically compiles information.
Chen, Mai Lee, 1998, November 17th, female, height 162 cm, Passport 60000000002CHN8101165F171024919203100, Hunan Province
Martin, Ericka R, 1999, February 21st, female, height 5 ft 7 inches, Wisconsin License S123-4568-2901-23, 123 North Main Street, apt 1, Madison WI 55405, 122 lbs (Nae bloody likely), brown eyes, black hair, class D license, SSN 382-38-2283
Johnson, Jamile A, 1998, June 3rd, male, height 6 ft 0 inches, Washington License JOHNJA185800, 888 Morton Lane, Seattle, WA, 99382-3828, 183 lbs (Nae fat on that one!), brown eyes, black hair, no restrictions, organ donor, SSN 128-99-2934
Malloy, Margret S, 1983....
Just walking to the ceremony, her mind automatically scanned the papers around her, and added to her own personal database of information, she could probably steal the identities of anyone who'd ever been within 15 feet of her since she was 12. Not all states used paper for their IDs, but, but most used Teslin sandwhiched between PET/PVC. Some used raw PET/PVC or Polycarbonate, and those she couldn't read, but the Telsin was synthetic paper, and came through crystal clear. Passports were like cash, technically cloth, but close enough to paper. And of course, every bill and it's id number was in her little database. Sometimes she had to wade through 3 pages of notes on Prada shoes to find the footnote reminding her she'd left her red Prada's in the flat, one on the coffee table and the other kicked up on top of the book shelf. Her memory almost never failed to bring back something, sometimes it was useless amounts of it that made it as bad as not remembering anything. 'Do you know David Smith?', she wanted to scratch the eyes out of anyone who asked her that one. There were 6,163 David Smiths on the register in the UK at last census, she had been within 15 ft of 2,413 of them. And every single one scrolled through her mind at at the question. Don't get her started David Jones, that wanker was just as bad. And now she was adding more of them to her database, and would have to ask 'Yank or Brit, ya bloody wanker?'.
The siphoning up of information and ruminations on the annoyance of the lack of originality with parents (who should be shot for naming their children the most common names possible) got her all the way to her destination.
She walked into the auditorium, took her place on row 4, chair 14. The bloke in chair 15 was Marko, Jason, and the lass in 13 was Alllister, Cherryblossom, both of which were unique enough to improve her mood. As she stepped past Marko, she nodded politely. "Pardon uz sir, ah'm i' fourteen. gran' ta meet theur." She then nods at Cherryblossom. "Ayup lass, gran' ta meet theur ta."
English:
Don't worry. The commencement ceremony is in the Commencement Hall, the front entrance of which, per the school's map, is exactly one hundred forty three point two meters from the front door of the library. My personal average walking speed is seventy two point four meters per minute, thanks to my height plus the current boots I'm wearing. That means it will take me almost exactly two minutes to walk from the first floor of the library to the front entrance of the commencement ceremony, and since I know that I am row four, seat fourteen, it will take an additional forty seconds to get my seat, factoring in the other students slowing me down once I enter. We are on the sixth floor of the library, it will take just under two seconds to fall from the bannister...
...to the first floor, plus an additional ten seconds for me to slow myself at the second floor and safely land without making anyone panic. That means I need to drop from the bannister no later than two minutes, fifty two seconds before the commencement begins. However, since it's unlikely that anyone in the school staff is punctual, given that they are mostly Yanks, I will leave five minutes before the scheduled start.
In other words, in eight minutes twelve seconds. In the meantime, I'm enjoying reading your book on Alexander's wedding in the original Russian.
