fandomhighdorms | First Floor Lobby, evening

Holy Hannah, this school was odd, Sam thought, as she walked through the lobby and noticed the confusion. "Sir? Do you need some help?"

"Hello there! Err..." Tick was sure that he was just about to figure out what he was doing wrong. "I think I almost have it, actually."

Behind him, Lockheed shook his head distractedly and made a couple grunts that sounded kind of like "Help him."

Sam looked at the dragon, certain that she'd almost heard something.

Shaking her head to clear it, she said, "I'm sure you do, sir, but I'm told I'm very good with tools. Perhaps I could help you, anyway? To gain some valuable experience, of course."

Tick looked at Sam with a keen eye. "Well, accepting some help couldn't hurt! I'm trying to build a utility belt. Do you have any experience with that kind of thing?"

After a minute, Sam replied, "I've never built a utility belt before, no, but I'm basically familiar with what they are. What exactly do you want to add to it? And who is it for?"

"It's for my sidekick, Rory Gilmore. All good sidekicks need utility belts!" Tick said, smiling wisely. "Since she fights grades more often than she does crime, I figured this-" Tick pointed to the highlighters, whimsically colored pens, stapler, and - of course - a thermos, "would be more appropriate for her."

Sam grinned. "I'm sure Rory will love it--it looks very useful. But...I think you'd probably have more luck if you used a needle and thread, instead of the hammer and nails. Just a thought."

"I don't think we've been introduced--I'm Sam Carter."

Tick had never even considered sewing. "Hello, Sam! I'm Professor Tick. But you can call me The Tick!" Tick's antennae scrunched up in confusion. "Err, do you happen to know how to sew?"

"It's nice to meet you, The Tick," Sam said, hiding her smile behind her hand. Okay, that sounded very strange. "I believe you have some of my friends in your Criminal Justice class. I've heard very good things about it."

"I know a little bit, but the person you really want to speak to is Janet Fraiser. I've never seen such precise and even stitching."

"Ah, you're friends with Janet, Camboy, and Vala then? They're good kids. Really, they seem wise beyond their years."

"Janet can sew? Huh. I'll be sure to talk to her ~~after she gets back from Vegas~~." Tick looked at his supplies, disappointed that he wouldn't be able to get this all put together tonight.

Lockheed snickered as he thought of Tick trying to sew.

"Yes," Sam nodded, "And Rory and Aeryn, too."

"Janet's ~~infamous~~ legendary with a needle, but if you need to get this done tonight, I can certainly give it a try. I know how important it is for someone to have the proper tools."

Sam looked over at Lockheed again, then back at the professor. "Is it safe to pet the dragon? And what do you feed him?" She suddenly missed Schroedinger, and she'd given that cat to Narim years ago.

"Egads! You're pals with half my class!"

"I'd appreciate it, Sam! If only I knew where to find a needle and thread..." Lockheed, being rather smarter and better prepared, tossed over a needle and thread. Tick stared at him for a moment. "Huh. I don't know how he does that."

"You'd have to check with him about petting and eating. He's picky about who he lets touch him, and he doesn't eat around me. I'm not sure why." ~~And it's not because the mun has absolutely no clue. Really~~

"Yes, sir," Sam smiled. "I'm hoping to be able to take it next semester. This semester it conflicts with shop class, so I couldn't sign up."

Sam also looked at the dragon, wondering what else it was carrying around. "Thank you, Lockheed. I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about Kitty. I didn't know her very well, but she seemed nice."

"I just thought I'd ask before I did that," Sam said, holding her hand out for him to sniff, ~~"And not because the mun doesn't know either."~~

~~Tick doesn't mention that she had weeks to sign up before shop even started.~~ "Well, if you're friends with that lot, I'm sure you'll fit right in!"

Lockheed gave Sam a very gentle look and bowed his head for her to pet if she wanted. He didn't bother sniffing her hand though. That would be strange.

~~Sam doesn't mention that she was listening to a different drummer during that time period.~~ "I hope so, sir."

She petted Lockheed, running her fingers lightly over his head and murmuring, "You and The Tick are going to take care of each now, huh?"

Slightly embarrassed, Sam took her hand from Lockheed and began threading the needle. "Why don't you arrange the pouches around the belt, sir? Is she right-handed or left-handed? That would matter when you're deciding on proper pouch placement, I'd think."

~~Sam was in Professor Ted's class?~~

Lockheed shrugged. /Well, one of us is trying to take care of the other,/ Lockheed said to himself in Dragon. /The big guy's not making it easy./

"Sure thing, Sam! She's right-handed ~~and I'm watching her TV show on DVD right now so I was actually able to confirm that~~, so the pens and such should go on the right side, I think. But she might prefer to have the coffee thermos at the ready..."

Sam picked up the belt and held it against herself to get an idea of body placement. She considered The Tick's words, then compared them to what she knew of Rory. "I think she probably would appreciate that, sir. You never know when a coffee emergency will hit. You wouldn't want to be unprepared for that. First pouch, please?"

Tick handed her the pouch for the pens. It conveniently had a plastic pen holder in place already. It seems that like had worked out how to get that part done, at least. "Here you go! For the whimsically colored pens. I don't know why they have to be whimsical, but that's a Rory thing."

Sam nodded, deciding just to go with it. "Rory would know best, sir." She took the pen pouch and began sewing it on. "You wouldn't want to throw her off her stride when she's in the midst of fighting off the forces of evil and disorganization."

"Besides, I think this place needs a little more whimsy," she said, glancing briefly at Lockheed.

Lockheed gave Sam a look. It was very hard to read, but he was clearly thinking about something.

"Ah, yes. The Forces of Disorganization. Truly, they are the sand that gets in your shoe on the Beach of Order." Tick's antennae sagged. That metaphor was nowhere near his usual standards.

Sam smiled back at Lockheed as she finished sewing the pouch on and began looking around for scissors. Not finding any, she bit the thread off with her teeth.

"The Forces of Disorganization are bad, it's true," Sam agreed, hoping The Tick never saw the inside of Daniel's office. "And they ride side by side with the Forces of Unruliness and Paperwork That Must Be Signed In Triplicate," she nodded, solemnly. "Next pouch, please."

~~The Tick doesn't even know Daniel. He really needs to make more of an effort with his coworkers.~~ "Oh, I forgot to bring scissors. Actually, I didn't know I should have brought scissors. Lockheed, could you -" Tick began, but the dragon had already pulled some out from under the cushion he was sitting on.

He really wanted to see Tick have to bite the thread. /Oh well./

"Well done with the metaphors, Sam! Now I have to make sure you'll be in my class next semester! I can't let metaphors that good go unheard in the name of Justice!"

"Thank you, sir, but I'm usually much more literal." She placed the belt around her waist and tried to decide whether the stapler should in front of or behind the whimsical pen pouch. Ultimately, she decided the stapler would be best on Rory's hip, where it would have less of a chance of swinging into her if she ever needed to run anywhere in it.

She removed the belt and began sewing the stapler pouch on. If Rory didn't like the placement, she could always cut the stitches and reposition the pouches the way she wanted them.

"I hear that a lot. I'm beginning to suspect that I inspire figurative language in people."

"Thank you for lending me a hand, Sam! If it weren't for you, I'd still be trying to hammer a screw into the belt!" Lockheed definitely laughed at that.

Sam studied The Tick, from the antennae to his blue bodysuit. "I can see how that might happen."

"You're very welcome," she replied, "I wasn't really doing anything tonight anyway. I'm glad I was able to help out." She took the scissors from Lockheed and cut the thread. "Next pouch, please."

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