Once the class had been completely filled, the teacher began the introductory class. Apparently since the class at this level was intended to cater to both those who were looking to learn how to effectively use computer resources such as the WorldWeb and various knowledge repositories - like the Encyclopaedia and Librum on the desktop - and office applications such as word processing and spreadsheets, as well as function as a very limited introduction to data systems and programming (through GUI based database applications and macros, primarily), the structure of the class would include general typing skills, mock projects, and finally free time for individual research and projects. Of course, some people were planning on using that time to goof off or sneak games onto the school's systems, but the likelihood of being caught and having your privileges revoked was too high for most to risk it.
Michael had been playing around with computers since a young age due to his parents' work, so he was already a reasonably skilled typist. He decided to push himself further and set the difficulty just above where he could flawlessly complete the phrases, and used the optional keyboard cover provided so that he couldn't cheat even if he wanted to. By the end of the first portion of the class, he'd managed to improve his accuracy in that difficulty from 90% to 95% consistently.
< Physique-???=>+0.001 Intelligence-???=>+0.001 Potential title "Limit Pusher" unlocked.>> Michael was pleasantly surprised. "If I had to guess, that physique skill might have something to do with manual dexterity. Not sure about the intelligence, but maybe problem solving or muscle memory, or reaction speed. And the Limit Pusher is probably due to trying to purposefully challenge myself, and make things more difficult. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this!" Meanwhile, the class had moved on to a general overview of the standard suite of office applications - word processor, spreadsheets, presentation, and basic database. The teacher put off macros for a later class, and allowed the students to move on to their independent study time. Michael begrudgingly went to research the exercises listed by the System. Once he found a good series of instructions with diagrams, he sent them to be printed off on the communal printer. Once he closed his browser windows and confirmed that his printing had completed, he logged off the computer and went to get his printouts. He noticed another student standing in front of the printer - like most of the people in his school and grade, he didn't recognize him, but he doubted he would forget him after this encounter. The student was at least twice the height and width of the other kids in the class, and when he heard Michael approaching the printer, he jumped and turned around, a bunch of papers in his hand. Michael frowned as he recognized the diagram on top. "Those are mine," he said, in neither a friendly nor confrontational tone. "Uh, yeah! I was just... getting them, because mine were before. Umm, here," he mumbled as he stuffed them into Michael's hands and shuffled back to his desk. Michael followed him with his eyes, but seeing that the big fellow didn't look back and just hunched over his keyboard, he shrugged it off, folded the sheets over and placed them in his bag. By that time, there was only a few minutes left until final bell, so Michael just went back to his seat and pulled out the copy of "Fundamentals..." he'd been reading at lunch. After what seemed like only a few pages, the bell rang and people filed out of the room, headed for home or other destinations. Michael made his way to the entrance of the school, where the mission completion notification from this morning had triggered. After waiting a few moments without anything happening, he thought: "System?" < "Is there no mission for walking home?" < "..." Michael started the walk home. --- < Physique-??? => +0.001 Physique-??? => +0.001 Physique-??? => +0.001 Potential title "Doesn't Have to be Told Twice" unlocked.>> A slight tremor could be seen in Michael's right eye after the most recent message. As he removed his shoes and jacket, walked into the kitchen and placed his bag on the table, he checked the clock on the wall. 4:25pm. His parents should be back around 7pm, and the sides they outlined in the letter would only take about 15 min-- < "Nope, nope, nope. We are going with what's outlined. It's enough that you're messing with my life, but you're not messing with my family's," Michael thought quite firmly. <<...>> After waiting for a few moments without receiving a retort from the corner of his eye, Michael proceeded with his previous train of thought - he could start the sides around 6:40, which gave him a good 2 hours of gam-- <<[Mission: No Time Like the Present] Description: With over 2 hours before dinner needs to be prepared, and homework to do for two classes, it makes perfect sense to get it out of the way before the evening meal. There will be plenty of time for other activities afterwards if homework has already been completed. Reward: Ability to subsequently engage in further activities with a clear conscience. Opportunity to complete other missions. Penalty: Guilt over wasted opportunity.>> Michael sighed, defeated, and made his way back to the kitchen table, where he started pulling out the pile of textbooks, notebooks, and supplementary material. --- "Hey bro!" a young girl with sandy brown hair exclaimed as she came in from the back yard. Receiving only a grunt in response, she peered over his shoulder at the page full of equations. "Homework on the first day? Man, high school is rough!" Another grunt was the only reply. After a beat, she shrugged. "I'm gonna watch cartoons - Anne's next door playing with the neighbours." With that, she tore into the living room like a freight train and hopped onto the couch. As the sounds of animated violence drifted into the kitchen, Michael looked up forlornly in the direction of the living room. "I want to watch cartoons, too," he muttered sadly. --- <<[Mission: No Time Like the Present] completed. Rewards: Willpower-??? => +0.002 Willpower-??? => +0.001 [Mission: Algebra Homework] completed. Rewards: "Algebra" Skill unlocked. Previous experience added to current level. Please check Status at Subject's convenience for progress. Intelligence-??? => +0.001 Intelligence-??? => +0.001 Optional Goal completed. Further rewards: Intelligence-??? => +0.001 Intelligence-??? => +0.001 Intelligence-??? => +0.001 "Dedicated Student" title progress increased. Please check Status at Subject's convenience for progress. [Mission: Chemistry Homework] completed. Rewards: "Chemistry" Skill unlocked. Previous experience added to current level. Please check Status at Subject's convenience for progress. Intelligence-??? => +0.001 Intelligence-??? => +0.001 Optional Goal completed. Further rewards: Intelligence-??? => +0.001 Intelligence-??? => +0.001 Intelligence-??? => +0.001 "Dedicated Student" title progress increased. Please check Status at Subject's convenience for progress.>> Breathing out a deep, somewhat satisfied breath, Michael stored his books, set his bag on the counter near the stairs down to the basement and checked the time. 6:30pm. Peeking into the living room, he noticed that Anne had come home at some point without him noticing and was sitting in a chair reading a book with her legs folded underneath her. She looked up at him and smiled as he came in. "Lou's upstairs, doing something. You starting on dinner now?" she asked. "Yeah," Michael confirmed. "Would you mind setting the table?" Anne quickly nodded and marked her spot before setting the book down and heading into the kitchen. Michael followed her and started the process of making the sides for dinner. --- <<"Cooking" Skill unlocked. Previous experience added to current level. Please check Status at Subject's convenience for progress. "Cleaning" Skill unlocked. Previous experience added to current level. Please check Status at Subject's convenience for progress. Physique-??? => +0.001 Willpower-??? => +0.001>> Michael saw these new prompts show up as he finished wiping down the counters from the inevitable mess made preparing the sides, plating the roast, and cleaning up the slow cooker. He basked in the aroma of the various foods laid out on the table, and was pleased that even his chores seemed to add some benefits - of course, if basic tasks like walking and doing his homework were counted, it wasn't surprising when these did, too. Right on queue, the door to the garage opened up and his parents walked in. His father looked almost exactly like Michael aged up about 20 years, and while he didn't bear as many physical resemblances with his mother, only a few minutes in the same room would start to expose the similarities in their personalities. Lou and Anne quickly entered the kitchen from the direction of the living room, and hugs were given all around before everyone sat down to dinner. Everyone went around the table describing their day: the parents described their uneventful rides to and from the capital on the commuter train, the book they had been reading, and their early meeting with a new prospective client. The girls regaled the rest with their adventures during the last week of their summer vacation, and Michael described the computer malfunction and his elective change to Computers, which his parents weren't surprised by but certainly approved of. His father wanted to hear about his Latin class, but since that wasn't on Michael's schedule til later in the week, he instead decided to quiz the girls on the various nouns for the items on the table. Michael quietly observed, since this was elementary level vocabulary. Once everyone had finished dinner, the girls went to take their turn washing the dishes, while Michael cleared the table and offered to parcel out the left-overs for tomorrow's lunches. Considering the rather tense interaction he had had with the System concerning his lunch from that day, he decided to check with the system on the 'nutritional profile' of leftover roast and vegetables. The system approved of them both, though did for some reason feel the need to comment on the 'inefficient calories' of the rice, whatever that meant. Once the lunches were all packed and his parents had retired to the living room, Michael took his bag and proceeded downstairs, looking forward to an hour or two of gaming before bed. Unfortunately, as soon as he set foot on the floor of the basement... < "System, you lied!!"