"I need 2 things in order to write the English lesson: the SDK, and an English method. I can get the former from Tsubasa, and the latter, I can get it at school. However, there are 2 problems. First, Tsubasa is in the United States right now, and it will take at least some good 20 hours for the SDK package to make it here, if he sends it through an express delivery. Second, I was fired from the school, because they underestimated the importance of l337n3zz as a human atribute. That would make it kinda hard to get an English method from a language center. I can't ask at the library either; they won't understand my words. So I guess I'm down to going to school. I'm calling Tsubasa right now. This project will be expensive, and I'll have to spend a lot of cash in deliveries and stuff like that; however, it's about the next stage of human science, so I'm gonna do what I've never done or will ever do again: spend my sacred b33r money
Today's tasks:
Get the SDK.
Get some English method books.
Analyze the books and find out how they work.".
After Largo stopped typing in his computer, he went over to the phone and dialed Tsubasa's number. After 1 minute of connection and 1 minute of a waiting tone, Tsubasa finally picked up.
- Tsubasa? - said Largo.
- Largo? Oh, it's you! How ya doin'? - answered Tsubasa, in a lively and happy mood, delighted to talk with Largo after a while.
- Fine, dude. Listen, I'm doing a transpacific long distance call, so I'll go right to the point, ok?
- Alright. Go ahead.
- Do you have Ping's SDK?
- Ping?... Oh, the robot girl?
- Check.
- Hmmm... and... yes, I got it. Ping was a very valued possesion to me, so I missed her a lot, and I brought the SDK as a souvenir.
- Cool! Would it be much of a problem if you send it to me?
- Why do you need it? - asked Tsubasa.
- I'm gonna write a new module for Ping. Don't worry, it won't do nothing wrong. Piro is supervising it. - Obviously, he actually wasn't.
- A new module? You sound very interested in it. And your project is not one of your mad scientist delusions.
- So, what? You down?
- Totally.
- Great! When and where do I pick it up?
- They'll come to your place to give it to you. Since you sound very enthusiastic, I'll mark it as an express delivery.
- It would be kinda exp...
- Don't worry. I gave you and Piro a lot of money for 2 or 3 months. It wouldn't hurt to give you just a little bit more - interrupted Tsubasa.
- OK. Piro already has my address, so you won't have any problem sending it.
- Yeah, I got it. In fact, I have nothing to do right now, so I guess I'm sending it right now. It should arrive by tomorrow.
- Thanks a lot, buddy! See ya later! - said Largo.
- See ya! - said Tsubasa.
Largo's Work Journal. June 15, 2006; 11:33 AM.
"Got it, Ping! Tsubasa is delivering me your SDK. It should arrive by tomorrow. That's a lot of time for me, though; it's a loss of valuable research time. But I gotta keep productive. In the meantime, I guess I'm gonna go get the language methods. It's gonna be tuff, but no one can beat the biggest l337 m45t4: ME".
Largo's next step was to get some English books from high school. The difficulty of this task would be really high, because he was fired from school after he sent his students against a horde of fanboys, the ones that swarmed the place after they found out where did Erika had gone. However, he had something on his favor: he doesn't belongs anymore to the school. Largo was planning carefully all the words he would use and how he would say them; everything depended on how could he speak with the language center's boss. While he was walking towards the school, he was mentally reviewing all the words he would use, the parts of his speech, and the tone and inflection he would use. A few minutes later, Largo reached the school, and then walked towards the entrance.
"So far so good. The entrance guard didn't stopped me. Now, on to the language center".
Once Largo finally got inside the language center's front desk, Largo talked to the guy behind the counter.
- Hey, sir - Largo said.
- Oh, Largo. It's you. Can I help you? - asked the front desk guy.
- Yeah. Take me before your leader. I got some stuff to talk with him.
- Let me phone him, wait a second. - The front desk guy then picked up the phone and dialed the director's extension. - «Hello? Koizumi-sama? I just got a visit for you. It's that teacher Largo».
- «Ah, that bolsterous teacher. Who he thinks he is? An army general? What does he wants, anyway?» - answered the principal.
- «He needs to discuss some stuff with you, Koizumi-sama».
- «What's it about?»
- «Lemme ask...» - The front desk guy turned over to Largo. - What's the purpose of your visit, Mr. Caston?
- I just need the principal to do me a favor. No big deal. It's just a little thing.
- «Koizumi-sama? Caston-san claims that he just needs a little favor. "It's just a little thing", he says».
- «Well, unfortunately, the law says that nobody who works for an organization can refuse to attend someone. Let him in».
The front desk guy pressed a button under the counter that unlocked the principal's door.
- Mr. Caston, you may come inside.
Then Largo walked inside the director's office.
- Ah, so it's our loud and bolsterous teacher, Rodney "Largo" Caston. Now I guess you're gonna give me a speech about how unfair it was when I fired you - said the principal as a greeting.
- Can we just keep the taunts for later? You're just wasting your breath - answered Largo, coldly and with a malicious tone.
- Anyway, what brings you here, Mr. Caston?
- I'm here because I need to borrow something from you.
- So you want me to give you my stuff, even though you're not an employee anymore, even though you're on my blacklist?
- Stop questioning my request. I just need a little something. Like I said before, it's no big deal.
- What do you need?
- Your English teachers' books.
- What for?
- I have a little project. I intend to write an English language locale for an electronic device.
- But why do you need the books? Is it a dictionary or something?
- The program uses a special system that requires me to transfer the English grammar into electronic code.
- Ah, a proofreading system.
- Check. - Not quite what Largo was building, but it would be more believable than an English module for a robot girl.
- What can you offer to me so I can trust that you won't be photocopying my books, or that you will actually steal them?
- I offer you my watch. I bought it at Los Angeles. It cost $200 dollars.
- Nice watch. OK, I think I'll keep it. How much time are you going to take?
- Probably a couple of weeks or so.
- Give me an exact, numeric, integer date.
- Alright... June 29.
- Good. I'll be browsing through all the English schools here in Tokyo. All of them, without even missing one. If I see just one photostatic copy of my teacher's books, I'll tell the cops you stole my English books and photocopied them, and you'll be thrown into the jail for piracy and robbery. Understand?
- Understand.
- Good. Now I hope to see my books at that specific day. Before, if you can. I hope you really put them to a good use. Now, go away.
Largo's Work Journal. June 15, 2006; 12:30 AM.
"I just got the English books. Good job, Largo. You are definitely t3h r0x0rz. That poor little bastard of the language center didn't even managed to stand up against your l337 verbal skillz. You got yourself the English methods. Now, while the SDK is still on its way into my hands, I gotta study the English methods and figure out how they work. Good job.
Today's tasks:
Get the SDK: done.
Get some English method books: done.
Analyze the books and find out how do they work: in progress".