[[Scene]] Stickler and Apollo in 'Freaks and Geeks'
Stickler: *Stickler kicks the door of the library open, but his face is not visible behind the giant stack of books he's holding up with both of his arms. He dumps them on the counter with an awkward half-smile to the librarian, who just rolls her eyes and starts checking them back in. He saunters into the library like he owns the place, putting his hands on his hips and surveying his domain for a moment.*
Apollo: *is seated over by the computers, though not at them. He's sitting at a desk, staring intently into a science textbook. His red messenger bag is sitting on the desk next to him, and he looks deep in thought, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth*
Stickler: *Over the bank of computers, he spots a pair of somewhat familiar antennae. He scoots over, his shoes clopping loudly on the floor. He picks up a book off the shelf and stands just a bit too close to where Apollo is sitting, hovering a bit while he pages through "Who's Who Volume 126 A-G"*
Apollo: *continues reading the book for a good forty-five seconds more, completely unaware of Stickler's presence. He mumbles nonwords underneath his breath- he's trying to memorize what he's reading*
Apollo: *suddenly hears somebody breathing behind him and jolts as though he's been poked in the spine* Ah? *he looks up and finds himself staring straight into Stickler's face. He gives a yell- not too loud- and nearly falls off his chair*
Apollo: St-Stickler!
Stickler: *jumps slightly at the yell, but he endeavors to look nonchalant as he closes his book.* Hey Apollo.
Apollo: H-Hi! *the bewildered and slightly terrified look on Apollo's face takes a few moments to dissolve. A distinct flush settles over his features as he tweaks his hair-spikes in consternation* Er, uh, how are you?
Stickler: *shrugs, it's an awkward, jerky motion that looks more like his shoulders are being drawn up by two invisible strings.* Pretty cool I guess. Thought I'd come say hi to you since we're gonna be working together during debate club. We'll probably want to talk to each other before we start or something.
Apollo: ...Yeah. *an almost-fully-concealed wince* We are, aren't we? Pretty, uh, exciting... *the 'excitement' is apparent on his not-so-thrilled face* We should do some planning, huh? Have a seat. *he gestures to the chair next to him*
Stickler: Cool! *He collapses bonelessly into the chair, sitting bent over with his hands limply in his lap.* What's the topic this time around, do you remember?
Apollo: *he suddenly brightens up, looking more enthusiastic* The death penalty. For and against... You and I are 'for'. I haven't decided yet if that makes it easier or not... Heh. *he flushes, rubbing the back of his neck* But it's a really interesting issue, and one that definitely comes into factor for a lawyer.
Stickler: *He looks subtly disappointed, but it shows only as a quirk of his lips.* Hm yeah I suppose it would. I looked into it a little bit and found out that there was this Supreme Court case a few years back arguing against the type of medication they used. The fallout over it was so weird though because eventually they just went back to hanging people. *His brow creases almost imperceptibly.*
Stickler: This is gonna be pretty hard to argue so it's pretty lucky we're both pretty smart.
Apollo: *Stickler's little retelling flies completely over his head, and Apollo just nods and smiles uncomfortably. He latches onto the last sentence, trying to re-steer the conversation* Right. It'll be hard, but we can do it. You're pretty good at this stuff, aren't you? And I like to argue. And, uh, yell. *he rubs the back of his neck* It's fun.
Stickler: *He looks past Apollo.* It's pretty easy to win debates when you've got such great verbal skills. Even though this isn't my one passion, I need a lot of extracurriculars to get into a good school so. *He refocuses on Apollo* You do yell a lot. Maybe you should join a rock band or something. *A feeble laugh*
Apollo: A r-rock band?! *he thinks immediately of Klavier and Daryan and begins shaking his head rapidly* No! No way! I'm fine just the way I am! I'm fine! I don't want to be in a rock band. I want to be a defense attorney! *his tone is almost scandalized on the last bit*
Stickler: Haha it was just a joke, jeez. You're really set on this defense attorney thing huh.
Apollo: Of course I am! *Apollo's voice raises in volume a bit, but he seems unaware of it* It's my career goal! Have you got one, Stickler?
Stickler: *leans back and crosses his arms.* DUH, I want to be a scientist.
Apollo: Yeah, but... What kind? I mean, there's lots of sciences. *Apollo stares down into his textbook* This book covers about five just on its own.
Stickler: *he blinks impassively.* Look I can be any kind of scientist I want to, all right? I don't need to decide right now.
Apollo: W-well, that's like me saying 'lawyer'. I could be a defense attorney or a prosecutor, in that cast. They're vastly different things. *Apollo smiles sheepishly, but decides not to chase it with somebody like Stickler* A-Anyway.
Stickler: *He gives Apollo a long stare.* Well you could do either, what's the difference anyway.
Apollo: *his eyes open wide in shock and he recoils, his arms flying up as he backs out of his chair. Before he knows it, he's on his feet, one hand behind him, and the other one flying out to point at Stickler as he shouts at the top of his lungs- forgetting that he's in a library-*
Apollo: IT'S NOT THE SAME AT ALL!!
Apollo: *behind him, students gasp and jump in their seats, startled. The librarian gives a cry of shock, and the students start whispering*
Librarian: Young man! What is the meaning of such behavior?!
Apollo: *his eyes go wide in mortification as he realizes what he just did, and Apollo goes red in the face, slumping down into his chair* I- uh-- S-s-sorry!!
Stickler: *frowns* Quit yelling in the library, Apollo.
Apollo: *covers his face in humiliation until the librarian is finished staring disapprovingly and walks away* O-oh... Man.
Stickler: *shrugs again in that same way* Whatever, you can tell me about it later. One thing I do wanna know is what your actual opinion on the debate topic is. Are you really pro or con on the death penalty.
Apollo: Huh? *Apollo draws his face out of his hands and looks up to Klavier* I guess you could say I'm undecided. *he looks distant for a moment* I read a lot. About crimes... and the people who commit them. Some people do such horrible things that nothing else can really justify... But at the same time I don't think it's right to take a life for another life. Just... morally, you know? *he rubs the back of his neck* It's hard.
Stickler: *looks on uncomprehendingly.* Oh well. It's all pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Better to be undecided than have a strong negative opinion, as far as giving a good debate goes.
Apollo: ...I guess so. We'll be able to form a fairly unbiased argument, and that's the point. *he gives a slight, humorless laugh, and closes his textbook* Okay. Should we look up some books?
Stickler: Yeah, sounds like a good idea. *He jumps up perhaps a bit too eagerly, and leads Apollo into the stacks with an insistent gesture.*
Stickler: *He bounds off into the stacks.* Okay here's the section on the legal issues and here's the section on the moral issues. *He points to two shelves, separated by one in the middle.* I think you should do the legal ones so I'll do the moral ones. *He turns and covers the space between him and the shelf in one long, lanky step.*
Apollo: *follows Stickler with a critical look on his face, but it passes when he sees that the section is the right one* Yeah, I can do the legal ones! If I haven't read all these already, that is. *he skims the titles interestedly*
Stickler: Haha you probably have, sorry if it's boring. *He starts to take books off the shelves almost indiscriminately, but it seems like they're the right ones by the titles. He pauses as he thinks he hears a noise, but he shakes his head.* Who's judging this time? If it's Mrs. Dale we don't have to do as much research.
Apollo: *he picks out a volume titled 'Law and Reason'* Oh? I think it's Mr. McGraw. We're not that lucky this time. But he likes me. *he begins to idly leaf through it*
Stickler: Eh oh we- *He stops short as he pulls a book out of the shelves and, through a hole drilled in the back of the bookcases, he sees a strange shape. He leans forward, peering through the hole, having created enough of a gap in the books to stick his head up to the hole.*
Stickler: *Through the hole he sees two bodies locked in embrace, a couple of students he doesn't recognize. As his analytical eye makes out what's happening on the other side of the bookcase, he gasps and drops his book on the floor with a smack.*
Apollo: *looks up when he hears the books being dropped, his eyebrows lifting* Hey, uh... Stickler? You okay?
Couple: *At the noise, the two behind the bookcase turn to stare at the whole through which Stickler is still dumbfoundedly staring.* OH MY GAWD!! A PERVERT!!
Stickler: *Suddenly the entire library is staring his way, and Stickler turns, eyes wide and confused.*
Apollo: A p-pervert?! What the-- *Apollo quickly puts his own book on the shelf and peers around the corner at the couple, recoiling when he sees just what is going on. He tosses a look over his shoulder and sees that the entire library is staring at them. His posture slumps* Oh, no...
Stickler: *For a moment, he has no idea what's just happened, even after the couple runs out, giving him a dirty look.* What- what did I...? *His ears turn pink and he quickly leans over to pick up the fallen book. The entire library is still staring in shock and contempt at him.* Uh.... Uh.... *He starts to sweat*
Apollo: *begins to rub at his hair spikes awkwardly. He mutters underneath his breath, trying not to move his lips* Uh... Stickler... I think they just thought you were, uh... peeking.
Stickler: *He turns a nearly-panicked face to Apollo* But I- I was just getting a book!
Apollo: Uh, they... don't know that. *Apollo stares out at the people still staring out at them* H-heh...
Stickler: *He looks absolutely horrified.* Um hay Apollo look I better go right? So we can work on our stuff at the next meeting or something?? *His voice rises to a panicky chirp*
Apollo: Maybe... that would be best. *he tries to keep his voice light* I think I'm going to go, too. I can finish this research at home.
Stickler: *At that, he bolts out of the library, his legs flailing like a baby colt's. Some of the library denizens chuckle as he goes by, but he pays no mind and also pays no mind to the librarian that shouts after him as he runs with his books through the magnetic detector, setting it off. She gets up, about to run after him, but he's covered so much ground already that she just sits back down, giving it up as a bad job.*
Apollo: *takes his time gathering his things, trying not to be as obvious about wanting to leave as Stickler was- he tucks his books into his bag and then makes his way out, and once he reaches his locker he sticks his head inside it for a good three minutes, mumbling things to himself*
Apollo: Did I have to yell it?