Highlander: The College Years
Part 2
Subtlety Not Included
By: Quicksilver
Author's Note: This is a sequel- i.e. read the first one first! Virtual lemon-drops to my betas, RC and Joanna, without whom this piece would be A LOT worse....
Richie looked at Alex, who made a face back at him. They each held their ID cards (their only reason for living, according to Guidance) out towards the cashier. She sniffed disdainfully (way more intelligent than these lowly FRESHMEN) and took them, daintily sliding them through the machine. "Help yourself," she said generously, indicating the cafeteria behind her. "It's all you can eat."
Richie got a tray, and searched through the silverware, trying to find utensils that were actually clean. Alex hung close to him, eyeing the upperclassmen nervously. "They don't haze Freshmen, do they?" he asked in his quiet voice.
"Only if you join a frat," Richie replied. He gave up on the hunt for clean silverware and took the nearest thing he could find. He looked over at the food warily.
Five minutes later he sat down across from Alex. His tray was loaded with all sorts of food, everything from pasta to chicken to salad.
"Are you really going to eat all that?" Alex wondered.
Richie laughed and shook his head. "I had a little advice before coming here from a friend who has spent a LOT of time in college," Richie said. Even though Methos' advice hasn't helped me much in the past.... "Half of what is in the cafeteria is strictly inedible. One of those unwritten laws of college." He picked up his semi-clean fork, polished it with a napkin, and stabbed a piece of pasta. "Wish me luck," he whispered melodramatically.
I'm lucky I'm an Immortal, Richie thought after his first bite. I wonder if Alex can stand it.
Alex picked up his own utensil and speared a piece of lettuce. Richie watched as he struggled to swallow. "How did they manage to screw up lettuce?" Alex wondered.
"I don't even want to THINK about it. Still, eat up. If your going to the Gym with me, you'll have to eat for energy," Richie grinned. Have to keep in practice, after all. Throwing my books at a sword-wielding Immortal might not be a bad thing - they'd certainly knock him over - but having a sword around might be a better idea.
Alex sighed and started to eat. Richie cut a piece of chicken, wondering how he was going to survive five years of this food.
****
Richie looked around the Gym dubiously. Maybe I should join a club, he thought half-heartedly. It might just save me a headache in the long run. The equipment, while well cared for, was at least ten years old. I guess we can start with the quarterstaffs...
Alex sat down on the floor and started to stretch. Relieved that Alex seemed to have some basics, Richie started stretching with a slow, weaponless kata. His movements were graceful and almost dance-like, but all he had to do was apply some speed and they'd turn deadly. Alex watched him, almost awed. "You're good," Alex admitted, watching his roommate. "Did you ever enter any competitions?" he asked.
Richie kept himself from spitting out the obvious replies. Sure, man, I chop people head's off -or- Does a fight to the death count? "Naw. Just a hobby."
He picked up one of the quarterstaffs and started a kata with it. Alex watched, then picked up the other quarterstaff. His hands ran over the smooth wood. "So where do I start?" he asked Richie.
Richie stopped what he was doing, trying to decide. What's the best approach? Throw him in and watch him flounder, or begin step by step? He scanned Alex's slender frame, and decided on the first approach. He better learn how to defend himself.... "By defending yourself!" Richie said.
Richie swung a blow at Alex, about half-speed. Alex raised his staff and batted it away. Richie reversed the blow, coming back down, quickly but gently. Alex tried to block, missed, and found himself sitting on the floor. Richie helped him to his feet. "You have to protect your entire body, not just your face," Richie advised his roommate.
Alex nodded, his pretty features becoming determined.
And so it went for the next half hour, Alex improving after every exchange. Richie wouldn't admit it, but he was impressed. Finally he called a halt. "Start easy," he advised when Alex protested. "Anyway, we have to get back to the dorm. Classes start tomorrow."
Alex took the towel Richie tossed to him and mopped his sopping forehead. "This is harder than it looks."
"Sure is. Anything that's worthwhile is!" Richie replied cheerfully.
Alex shook his head. "I'm going to take a shower."
****
Richie sat at his computer screen, answering his E-mail. MacLeod hadn't sent him anything, which kind of hurt Richie's feelings. Methos, though, sent him a personalized computer image - Immortal Baby. The Baby danced around waving a sword for a few seconds, then its head popped off. Richie laughed aloud.
Alex looked up from the picture he was drawing. "What is it?" he asked, curious.
Richie rubbed the tears out of his eyes. "A joke Adam sent," he said.
Alex nodded and didn't press anymore. Richie E-mailed Joe, asking if there was anything he should be aware of - like certain unkillable people. Then he shut his computer down.
He ran a hand through his hair, which was still damp from his shower. "I'm thinking of going to bed," Richie told Alex.
Just as his lifted the covers to crawl in, a loud rap sounded on the door. Richie looked at Alex, who shrugged, his eyes wide. Realizing Alex's shyness would inhibit him, Richie opened the door. "Yah?" he asked.
Two girls were standing there, one a statuesque blond and the other a petite red-head. "Hi!" the blond chirped. "We're in the room right across! We wanted to meet the neighbors!"
Richie stepped aside and let them in. The girls looked around curiously, before their attention fell on Alex. Richie watched as the blonde's expression immediately turned softer. "Hi," she said in a softer voice. "My name is Beth, and this is Darian," the blond said.
"Alex," Richie's roommate replied. "And the red-head over there is Ryan."
Darian, who still hadn't spoken, sat down next to Alex. She peered curiously at the book Alex had been reading. Alex watched her warily, obviously wary of the female. "It's a copy of BULFINCH'S MYTHOLOGY," he said.
Darian nodded and picked the book up. "I think I read this. It looks familiar."
Richie watched the two begin a quiet conversation. That left him with Beth. Which was fine by both of them.
"What's your major?" Beth asked.
"Liberal Arts - in other words, I haven't a clue," Richie told her.
"Mine's Psychology - in other words, something useless," Beth replied. "We have one more roommate, Percy, but she's....odd."
"Odd?" Richie asked. "How can you make an opinion of her so soon?"
"Well, there's this THING sitting on her bed. She used to have a pet lamb named Mr. Squiggles, but he got sent to be slaughter. She saved the skin, though, and sleeps with it. And she talks to it," Beth said, shuddering.
Richie had heard of stranger things (hell, he WAS a stranger thing), but what Beth said made him relieved that his roommate was as normal as Alex. "Well, I guess I'm luckier."
Beth smiled and sat down on Richie's bed. "You guys have a nice set-up here," she said quietly.
Richie nodded and was just about to reply, when he felt it. The Buzz. Damn, less than twenty-four hours! he thought. Can't I go ANYWHERE where there are no Immortals? Now that I'm away from MacLeod, you'd think the bad-guys would leave me alone!
Beth watched Richie's eyes flicker from side to side. "Um, I just remembered something," Richie told her. He walked right passed her and out into the hall. Maybe I should get my sword.... No one was out there, so he turned around and walked back into the room. That was odd, he thought. He resolved to take his sword EVERYWHERE with him.
****
Richie's alarm went off at seven, which was way too early. He groaned and rolled over, feeling disorientated. At college... that's right, he thought blurrily. Classes at eight. Eight o'clock classes - a very bad thing!
He watched as Alex got out of bed. Alex started to rummage around for clothes. "Oh, Ryan! Good morning! It's morning!" Alex chirped.
Great... a morning person. Richie wondered if beheading his chipper roommate would get him in trouble. Probably....
Richie rolled out of the bed and hit the floor. He shook his head like a dog, trying to get the curls out of his eyes. He dragged himself over to his closet and pulled out a pair of jeans. Pulling them on, he wondered how he would distract Alex long enough to hide his sword. He looked at the gym bag and sighed. It looked like he'd have to carry the bag around. Not very subtle.
"Do you want to go get breakfast?" Richie asked.
"Will it be better than last night's dinner?" Alex asked hopefully.
"Probably not."
****
Richie sat in his first class. Of all people, Dick, someone he'd met in orientation plopped down right beside him. "Hi!" he said cheerily.
Richie decided that this was a BAD THING. Dick was too puppyish to survive on his own, and apparently realized it. Thus he latched onto Richie like a barnacle. Richie considered telling him to shove it, but once again, decided that ignoring him would be better. No use in making enemies.
"Hi," Richie replied absentmindedly, then started to scribble in his notebook. I am going to chop MacLeod's head off.... I am going to chop MacLeod's head off.... I am -
He was interrupted by the sound of the door shutting with a resounding thud. He looked up at a young-looking woman who walked in. She was about Richie's REAL age, slender and competent looking. "Hello," she said in a voice that managed to be loud without yelling.
He glanced at Dick and saw the teenager's eyes widen. Dick had just fallen head-over-heels in lust. "Wow," Dick whispered.
Richie sighed, amused. This could be amusing.
"My name is Ms. Bernell. I am your TA for this class. The Professor, Professor Laud, is still on vacation. So today we'll just go over the basics of the course." She started to talk about organic chemistry.
Richie got his pen ready, and started to scribble. Methos was right.... Methos was right.... I'm going to kill MacLeod.... I'm going to.....
THE END
Okay, so Richie ain't happy right now......
A Sequel, I promise!
Part 2
Subtlety Not Included
By: Quicksilver
Author's Note: This is a sequel- i.e. read the first one first! Virtual lemon-drops to my betas, RC and Joanna, without whom this piece would be A LOT worse....
Richie looked at Alex, who made a face back at him. They each held their ID cards (their only reason for living, according to Guidance) out towards the cashier. She sniffed disdainfully (way more intelligent than these lowly FRESHMEN) and took them, daintily sliding them through the machine. "Help yourself," she said generously, indicating the cafeteria behind her. "It's all you can eat."
Richie got a tray, and searched through the silverware, trying to find utensils that were actually clean. Alex hung close to him, eyeing the upperclassmen nervously. "They don't haze Freshmen, do they?" he asked in his quiet voice.
"Only if you join a frat," Richie replied. He gave up on the hunt for clean silverware and took the nearest thing he could find. He looked over at the food warily.
Five minutes later he sat down across from Alex. His tray was loaded with all sorts of food, everything from pasta to chicken to salad.
"Are you really going to eat all that?" Alex wondered.
Richie laughed and shook his head. "I had a little advice before coming here from a friend who has spent a LOT of time in college," Richie said. Even though Methos' advice hasn't helped me much in the past.... "Half of what is in the cafeteria is strictly inedible. One of those unwritten laws of college." He picked up his semi-clean fork, polished it with a napkin, and stabbed a piece of pasta. "Wish me luck," he whispered melodramatically.
I'm lucky I'm an Immortal, Richie thought after his first bite. I wonder if Alex can stand it.
Alex picked up his own utensil and speared a piece of lettuce. Richie watched as he struggled to swallow. "How did they manage to screw up lettuce?" Alex wondered.
"I don't even want to THINK about it. Still, eat up. If your going to the Gym with me, you'll have to eat for energy," Richie grinned. Have to keep in practice, after all. Throwing my books at a sword-wielding Immortal might not be a bad thing - they'd certainly knock him over - but having a sword around might be a better idea.
Alex sighed and started to eat. Richie cut a piece of chicken, wondering how he was going to survive five years of this food.
****
Richie looked around the Gym dubiously. Maybe I should join a club, he thought half-heartedly. It might just save me a headache in the long run. The equipment, while well cared for, was at least ten years old. I guess we can start with the quarterstaffs...
Alex sat down on the floor and started to stretch. Relieved that Alex seemed to have some basics, Richie started stretching with a slow, weaponless kata. His movements were graceful and almost dance-like, but all he had to do was apply some speed and they'd turn deadly. Alex watched him, almost awed. "You're good," Alex admitted, watching his roommate. "Did you ever enter any competitions?" he asked.
Richie kept himself from spitting out the obvious replies. Sure, man, I chop people head's off -or- Does a fight to the death count? "Naw. Just a hobby."
He picked up one of the quarterstaffs and started a kata with it. Alex watched, then picked up the other quarterstaff. His hands ran over the smooth wood. "So where do I start?" he asked Richie.
Richie stopped what he was doing, trying to decide. What's the best approach? Throw him in and watch him flounder, or begin step by step? He scanned Alex's slender frame, and decided on the first approach. He better learn how to defend himself.... "By defending yourself!" Richie said.
Richie swung a blow at Alex, about half-speed. Alex raised his staff and batted it away. Richie reversed the blow, coming back down, quickly but gently. Alex tried to block, missed, and found himself sitting on the floor. Richie helped him to his feet. "You have to protect your entire body, not just your face," Richie advised his roommate.
Alex nodded, his pretty features becoming determined.
And so it went for the next half hour, Alex improving after every exchange. Richie wouldn't admit it, but he was impressed. Finally he called a halt. "Start easy," he advised when Alex protested. "Anyway, we have to get back to the dorm. Classes start tomorrow."
Alex took the towel Richie tossed to him and mopped his sopping forehead. "This is harder than it looks."
"Sure is. Anything that's worthwhile is!" Richie replied cheerfully.
Alex shook his head. "I'm going to take a shower."
****
Richie sat at his computer screen, answering his E-mail. MacLeod hadn't sent him anything, which kind of hurt Richie's feelings. Methos, though, sent him a personalized computer image - Immortal Baby. The Baby danced around waving a sword for a few seconds, then its head popped off. Richie laughed aloud.
Alex looked up from the picture he was drawing. "What is it?" he asked, curious.
Richie rubbed the tears out of his eyes. "A joke Adam sent," he said.
Alex nodded and didn't press anymore. Richie E-mailed Joe, asking if there was anything he should be aware of - like certain unkillable people. Then he shut his computer down.
He ran a hand through his hair, which was still damp from his shower. "I'm thinking of going to bed," Richie told Alex.
Just as his lifted the covers to crawl in, a loud rap sounded on the door. Richie looked at Alex, who shrugged, his eyes wide. Realizing Alex's shyness would inhibit him, Richie opened the door. "Yah?" he asked.
Two girls were standing there, one a statuesque blond and the other a petite red-head. "Hi!" the blond chirped. "We're in the room right across! We wanted to meet the neighbors!"
Richie stepped aside and let them in. The girls looked around curiously, before their attention fell on Alex. Richie watched as the blonde's expression immediately turned softer. "Hi," she said in a softer voice. "My name is Beth, and this is Darian," the blond said.
"Alex," Richie's roommate replied. "And the red-head over there is Ryan."
Darian, who still hadn't spoken, sat down next to Alex. She peered curiously at the book Alex had been reading. Alex watched her warily, obviously wary of the female. "It's a copy of BULFINCH'S MYTHOLOGY," he said.
Darian nodded and picked the book up. "I think I read this. It looks familiar."
Richie watched the two begin a quiet conversation. That left him with Beth. Which was fine by both of them.
"What's your major?" Beth asked.
"Liberal Arts - in other words, I haven't a clue," Richie told her.
"Mine's Psychology - in other words, something useless," Beth replied. "We have one more roommate, Percy, but she's....odd."
"Odd?" Richie asked. "How can you make an opinion of her so soon?"
"Well, there's this THING sitting on her bed. She used to have a pet lamb named Mr. Squiggles, but he got sent to be slaughter. She saved the skin, though, and sleeps with it. And she talks to it," Beth said, shuddering.
Richie had heard of stranger things (hell, he WAS a stranger thing), but what Beth said made him relieved that his roommate was as normal as Alex. "Well, I guess I'm luckier."
Beth smiled and sat down on Richie's bed. "You guys have a nice set-up here," she said quietly.
Richie nodded and was just about to reply, when he felt it. The Buzz. Damn, less than twenty-four hours! he thought. Can't I go ANYWHERE where there are no Immortals? Now that I'm away from MacLeod, you'd think the bad-guys would leave me alone!
Beth watched Richie's eyes flicker from side to side. "Um, I just remembered something," Richie told her. He walked right passed her and out into the hall. Maybe I should get my sword.... No one was out there, so he turned around and walked back into the room. That was odd, he thought. He resolved to take his sword EVERYWHERE with him.
****
Richie's alarm went off at seven, which was way too early. He groaned and rolled over, feeling disorientated. At college... that's right, he thought blurrily. Classes at eight. Eight o'clock classes - a very bad thing!
He watched as Alex got out of bed. Alex started to rummage around for clothes. "Oh, Ryan! Good morning! It's morning!" Alex chirped.
Great... a morning person. Richie wondered if beheading his chipper roommate would get him in trouble. Probably....
Richie rolled out of the bed and hit the floor. He shook his head like a dog, trying to get the curls out of his eyes. He dragged himself over to his closet and pulled out a pair of jeans. Pulling them on, he wondered how he would distract Alex long enough to hide his sword. He looked at the gym bag and sighed. It looked like he'd have to carry the bag around. Not very subtle.
"Do you want to go get breakfast?" Richie asked.
"Will it be better than last night's dinner?" Alex asked hopefully.
"Probably not."
****
Richie sat in his first class. Of all people, Dick, someone he'd met in orientation plopped down right beside him. "Hi!" he said cheerily.
Richie decided that this was a BAD THING. Dick was too puppyish to survive on his own, and apparently realized it. Thus he latched onto Richie like a barnacle. Richie considered telling him to shove it, but once again, decided that ignoring him would be better. No use in making enemies.
"Hi," Richie replied absentmindedly, then started to scribble in his notebook. I am going to chop MacLeod's head off.... I am going to chop MacLeod's head off.... I am -
He was interrupted by the sound of the door shutting with a resounding thud. He looked up at a young-looking woman who walked in. She was about Richie's REAL age, slender and competent looking. "Hello," she said in a voice that managed to be loud without yelling.
He glanced at Dick and saw the teenager's eyes widen. Dick had just fallen head-over-heels in lust. "Wow," Dick whispered.
Richie sighed, amused. This could be amusing.
"My name is Ms. Bernell. I am your TA for this class. The Professor, Professor Laud, is still on vacation. So today we'll just go over the basics of the course." She started to talk about organic chemistry.
Richie got his pen ready, and started to scribble. Methos was right.... Methos was right.... I'm going to kill MacLeod.... I'm going to.....
THE END
Okay, so Richie ain't happy right now......
A Sequel, I promise!
