Wait For Me PV - Max Kenneally Vidler

Banner By Julia Evans

Reducio

Interacting with:	@Rose Pearce
Dialogue:	#225700
Date:	14.02.26
—	21:00
Words:	412

✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

Rose might have been right in her suspicions. Max was definitely up to no good. He did not like Astronomy. Actually, he hated it with a fiery passion. It was almost like he had missed hours of instruction that the others just had somehow. He did not really know how to use a telescope, and he found all the planets looked exactly the same. He once spent an entire lesson staring at Mercury when they were supposed to study Venus. It made simply no sense. The theory was hard too. His mind would drift more than stay where it was supposed to, and so he missed a lot. When it was time for the closest they came to practical work he was forced to make guesses and speculate.

He could ask for help, but something held him back. He might be useless at a lot, but he refused to be seen as stupid as he felt. No, he would fixit on his own. Well, not entirely, but it was better than asking the Professor. When he finally gathered his courage and asked Rose, she had been more than willing to help. There was only the problem of cerfew. One could not stargaze in the afternoon, even in winter. So he had come up with a plan he himself thought was rather brilliant. If they were already there, the chance for getting caught was really reduced. That at least made sense in his mind.

So, a quarter to nine he leapt up the last steps to the Astronomy tower. Satchel over his shoulder and a blanket in hand. It was evening, so sooner or later it would get chilly. He simply refused to be cold as well as being bored. Planting his feet at the top of the stairs he drew a deep breath. He had not meant to be quite as late as he was, and so he ran a good deal of the way there. Letting his gaze sweep across the space he spotted Rose easily enough. A confident smile spread over his face. «You ready?» He considered for a moment that he should have brought snacks. But they were here to work, not just goof off.

He made his way over and dropped his satchel to the floor before meeting her eye. «I hope you have brought loads of patience, cause we will need it if I am to keep up!» He joked, even though it was simply the truth.

Reducio @Max Kenneally Vidler

Reducio WC: 637

Rose getting more and more impatient looked once more at her watch. 9pm was in less than 15 minutes. She frowned. What was Max possibly be doing? Plus he was the one who requested her help yet he was being late. Did he hate Astronomy that much he was coming reluctantly? Rose became even more suspicious on Max's real intentions but also slightly annoyed of him not showing up. Her worries were soon to be brushed off when she heard steps coming closer before a familiar voice came to her ears. Finally Max had arrived. Rose turned around frowning her eyebrows narrowing her eyes at Max trying to discern any signs of mischief he could have. Obviously she was ready. She has been ready over the past 15 minutes until Max arrived.

"I was starting to wonder if you were not coming anymore. You could have changed your mind." she said arms crossing over her chest.
Then her face relaxed lighting up. "I'm more than ever ready! I was getting impatient and was almost about to start without you." her eyes sparkled again the way it used to whenever she was thinking or speaking and even listening of Astronomy or anything related to it. She was loving it so much it was hard for her to understand someone may not like it. Obviously she couldn't force him to appreciate and enjoy the class but she may be making him change his mind about it overall and raising his interest for it a bit more. She smiled at him when her eyes fell upon the blanket.
"Do I need much patient that it will require to sleep here?" she teasingly said. "Don't worry I think I can have. Will have." she said smiling again before walking towards one of the telescopes where she had put her satchel when she arrived. Rose crouched down to open it and take some papers out of it.

She smiled at Max. Not out of happiness but mischief as she handed him a paper. Actually a map.



A sky map where all constellations could be seen. Rose first got this map from her brother when he taught her how to look at the planets and to use a telescope. She was going to do the same with Max. Rose looked at him smiling.

"That is a sky map displaying all the constellations. Each planet can be found in a constellation. I doubt you know which planet belongs to which constellation and it is constantly changing. So first you will need to look up at the constellations in the sky then locating it on the map you have before comparing to see if it's same or if a shiner dot appears to be in the sky but absent on the map. Once you think you have found a planet only then you could look up through the telescope to better see it. Obviously it's a bit more complex than just looking through the telescope so if we have time I will show you otherwise you'll have to come another time." Rose explained hoping she had not lost Max already on her explication. After waiting some times for him to process she started talking again.

"You can choose whichever planet you would like finding first. I will do it as well." Rose said getting her sky map and placing herself ready to look up at the sky. Then she turned to Max and mischievously smiled.

"The first one to find 3 planets." her eyes were sparkling before she got ready to work.
"Of course ask me whenever you need help but not to find the planet for you. Once you have found a planet you can try looking at it through telescope though." Rose added perfectly knowing she will go helping him to do so.

Banner By Julia Evans

Reducio

Interacting with:	@Rose Pearce
Dialogue:	#225700
Date:	14.02.26
—	21:00
Words:	441

✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

He shrugged guiltily as he was lightly scrutinized. He had not meant to be late, truly. Well, technically they were both late by just being here at this hour. But he would never be late on purpose to an agreed hangout. He knew better than that! «Yeah, sorry! I got distracted by looking for a blanket, and then I couldn’t for the life of me remember where I left my notes…» His astronomy notes had a bigger chance of being scattered all around the castle rather than in his dorm. But he still felt obligated to at least look.

Her reaction to his second comment made him snort. «Not if I can help it! I just thought it would be cozy. A bit less star charting and more… gazing, you know?» The latter was said with a bit of a smirk. He knew there was no chance for his distractions to be tolerated, least of all with Rose of all people. But he was dead set on having a good time nonetheless.

He automatically grabbed the paper handed to him and lifted it to properly inspect. It was a star chart, that much was for sure. Patterns of stars, moons and planets all over. Scribbles next to each of them telling name and such. The writing he smoothly overlooked. The patterns were of bigger interest. Only problem? He held the chart upside down. He did not notice himself, and only looked up when his attention was summoned elsewhere by Rose speaking. He nodded. Find pattern in the sky, find it on the paper, and… he was already lost. He dragged a hand through his hair and nodded warily. «Alright…»

He shifted his weight from one leg to the other before looking down at the star chart again. «Do I decide that planet I should find, or do I just look until I find one?» If they were to actually compete he wanted to make sure he understood everything first. Accepting her answer with a nod he lifted the chart, as if holding it next to what he saw on the sky. Trying to commit the patterns to memory.

Before long he let out a triumphant «Hah!» as he pointed to a constellation on the map before showing it on the sky. It was not even close to the same one. Moving his finger slightly he pointed to a specific star that was in fact nowhere near a planet. «That’s a planet right there! Don’t know which one though…» He shrugged a bit. But the lack of knowledge was far from enough to erase the gloating of finding a planet first.

Reducio @Max Kenneally Vidler

Reducio WC: 527

Max apologised for being late which Rose only answered with a smile followed by a slight chuckle before shrugging. To be honest that was not that much of a big deal. She was mostly worried they will pass the curfew time if they indeed wanted to do all they had to. After handing over the map to Max and being done with her explanation as she walked over her spot to start working she checked the time on her watch to know how long they had before the curfew time. She sighed. Better if she would have not looked at it at all and stayed in deny. Only 7 minutes were left. Did her explanation took that long? Probably. At this rate they definitely were going to stay over the curfew time. She quickly glanced at Max to see how he was doing and her worries were all confirmed. They will stay over curfew time. While looking at him she couldn't help but let a smile appeared on her face. He didn't seem that desperate nor unhappy for someone who didn't like Astronomy. Rose was not sure he got everything she said right but at least he was willing to try and doing his best. At least that looked like it from afar. He was holding the chart in front of him while comparing it with the sky before asking whether he should decide which planet to find first or if he just had to look at the sky and finding it. Rose didn't answer as it was up to him to decide what he wanted to do. The way he wanted.

After awhile she decided to get back down to her observation and search of a planet. Rose was looking at the Gemini constellation as a dot was shiner than the others. She compared the constellation in the sky with the one on the map realising the shiner dot was not on the map. She smiled glad to have found a planet. Now she had to know which one. She went over the telescope and pointed it toward where the planet appeared to be. She was about to look when she heard a hah! coming out of Max's mouth. She turned around looking at him as he stated to have found a planet. An eyebrow arched as she walked to him.

"Really?" she said smiling hoping he might have indeed found a planet. When Rose reached him and placed herself next to him she looked at the sky searching for the potential planet Max could have found since some of them could be found without any telescopes. She frowned slightly. Perhaps Max found one not visible only with the eye.
Then Rose turned to look at him.
"Show me the planet you have found. Explain me your way to find it." Rose asked.

She was feeling like a teacher and even surprising herself but honestly she was repeating exactly what her brother had done with her and telling the exact same words. Although she hoped that would not make Max anxious since he was not as passionate as she was already when it happened to her.

Banner By Julia Evans

Reducio

Interacting with:	@Rose Pearce
Dialogue:	#225700
Date:	14.02.26
—	21:00
Words:	302

✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

It really wasn’t that difficult to find the patterns. At least he thought so. Turning to fully look at her he grinned with glee. To say that he was proud was the understatement of the year. Nodding as confirmation before speaking. «Mhm! I’m gonna win this!» He declared smugly before pointing more clearly to the star.

«See that one there? Between the two that are sort of spaced out? That has to be a planet, cause it’s so bright!» There was a much brighter star not far from it, but shhh. He was pointing to a star close to the Canis minor. He then showed her the map and pointed to Caseopeia. «The star is clearly not shown on the map.» He waved his hand at the sky again. «Which means it can only be a planet, right?» They were definitely going to break cerfew, no question necessary.

Not leaving much time for her to respond in any way he continued happily. «I just looked to be honest. I wish it could be this easy in class too, it would be way more fun!» He pointed to the map again «It doesn’t really match up that well, and my brain forgets the shapes as soon as I look away, but holding it up so I can see both at the same time really helped» He lifted the chart to demonstrate clearly.

Lowering the map he was inches away from doing a happy dance. He got this, it was no problem at all! «So, do I look for the next one now, or do you need time to catch up first?» The most confident smirk in the world on his face and pointing to an imaginary watch on his wrist. «I will wait for you, not all can be as talented as me…»

Reducio @Max Kenneally Vidler

Reducio WC: 591

Rose couldn't believe Max. She looked at him in disbelief but still amused by his explanations and attitude.
"This kid..." she scoffed before letting out a short laugh. Actually his reasoning was not wrong so Rose felt proud since he understood it well but he was wrong in finding and identifying the planet. Nevertheless she couldn't blame him.

Rose seeing Max happy to share his finding and being motivated didn't dare to tell him it was not right but she had to. She was about to speak when he kept on talking not letting her time to say anything about what he stated. She looked at him slightly smirking as she was nodding. He was indeed unbelievable. But saying he preferred it this way than in class made her proud once more as she smiled at him hoping he was indeed appreciating Astronomy a bit more than before. However what he thought being easy would appear quite harder once she had told him he were wrong. When he lifted the map to illustrate his words Rose noticed he was holding it upside down. She was about to tell him when he lowered it before teasing her about him being faster than her.
Rose had a lot to tell him and first looked at him amused without saying anything.

Then without a word her hands reached out the map that Max was holding and she turned it the other way around.

"That was upside down." she calmly said with a hint of amusement in her voice.
"That's Canis Minor constellation." Rose pointed towards the sky "And that is Cassiopeia." she said showing the constellation on the map Max had showed earlier before moving her finger to Canis Minor constellation "But this one IS Canis Minor." Rose paused for a moment trying to analyse Max's facial expression to know whether she should continue but she had to anyways. "Now map hold up." she said while holding her map in front of her "We compare the stars we see in the sky with the ones on the map." obviously she perfectly knew Max had well understood this part since he succeeded in it and was even finding it convenient but he didn't see the constellations were different between the sky and the map. "I will let you find the one that is not on the map." she said smiling at him while lowering her map. "You were not wrong in your way of doing it was not just the right findings." she said encouragingly for him not to give up.

"Mmh perhaps we should have identified the constellations first." she said as an afterthought to herself. It was true when she was doing this exercise with her brother she knew the constellations already. So whenever she was looking at the sky she could more easily identify them and then compare with the map. Rose let out a sigh.

They had definitely passed the curfew time but she didn't dare looking at her watch.

"Ah doesn't matter now you can compare for this one and find a planet." she then smirked mischievously looking at Max "Because I have found one already so before I find the second one you should better find your first one." she turned around to get to where she stood before. Then she glanced backwards at him her mischievous smile on her lips "But do not worry I will wait for you." she said repeating Max's words while pointing on an imaginary watch on her wrist the same way Max did.

Banner by Julia Evans

Reducio

Interacting with:	@Rose Pearce
Dialogue:	#225700
Date:	14.02.26
—	After cerfew
Words:	448

He did not immediately respond to her scoffing. He made her reac5 that way about as often as he made her laugh, so nothing out of the ordinary. He just shrugged innocently. He was more than willing to wait, so they could keep pace after all. He did not mind.

When the chart was removed from his hands he meant to lean close, to see whatever it was she wanted him to see. When he was promptly given it back, and upside down no less, he stared blankly at it for a moment. It made no sense. He had found a planet, hadn’t he? «Oh…» Heat of embarrassment rose in his cheeks and he ruffled his hair absentmindedly. The tiny doodles he had previously ignored now was at least a little bit more readable.

Not wanting to draw more attention to his own failure, he followed where Rose was pointing. Canis Major, Cassiopeia and finally Canis Minor. He looked at the star chart again. How come they matched better when he held it the other way around? This was all pointless. He would never be able to point out anything at all, let alone a constellation. He considered for a moment to simply give up, like he ended up doing in most lessons.

But Rose was so encouraging. It made him feel even worse. But he couldn’t really walk out when she was so nice showing him. He listened sort of absentmindedly as she spoke of letting him find a constellation that was not on the map. Then what was the point of the damned chart anyway? It was beyond him. He nodded vaguely. Perhaps they should find the constellations first. But he had already found one planet, how hard could it be to find another?

Upon hearing that she had already found a planet that was actually a planet, he put up a determined expression. «Well, you don’t have to wait. Cause I’m coming too!» They were not actually going anywhere, but they were sort of doing a journey across the night sky.

Turning to get the best vantage point possible, he lifted the map and stared. And stared, and stared. The constellations he could see so clearly before were now replaced by just glowing dots spread out across the sky. He looked at the map before lifting his gaze again. It was impossible.

Looking over at Rose with whatever she was doing the defeat only became more clear. «Maybe we should name the constellations first…» His voice was not loud as he slumped his shoulders a bit. «How come it made more sense when I held the map the other way? It doesn’t make any sense…»

Reducio @Maximilianus Kenneally Vidler

Reducio WC: 512

Rose kept on with what she was doing while glancing time to time to Max to check on him and his doings. The more she looked at him the clearer it appeared to her that indeed he disliked Astronomy but was putting huge efforts into this exercise as it could be noticed he was trying. Although he probably would give up anytime. Rose gently smiled almost apologetically. Perhaps had she not been that clear in her explanation nor helpful to him. However at the same time she wanted to let him doing things by himself. Max's gaze kept going from the map to the sky and the sky to the map. The look on his face was saying it all. It was certainly harder for him than Rose had thought. She sighed not at him or because of him but of her lack of judgement and consideration towards him. That it could be difficult for Max.

Rose was a patient person. If someone needed time to adapt or to understand something she didn't mind waiting and explaining to the person. She appreciated helping others and knowing she was useful to them so obviously when it was not the case she was taking it as a failure and was often feeling bad for not having been able to help as much as she could have. Right now it was exactly how she was feeling with Max and his relation to Astronomy. She did do like her brother had done with her with the difference she was already interested in this subject and knew enough about it whereas it was not the case for Max quite the opposite to be fair. Her approach had likely not have been the best one. She was only 11 years old after all so she inspired herself from what she knew already without really thinking how hard or easy that could be for someone else. Nevertheless with hindsight and facing the situation she realised how wrong she could have been. Maybe Max didn't mind as he should not even know but for Rose that was an unpleasant thought and feeling. And hearing Max's determinate tone and seeing his committed look trying his best was making her both proud and sorry for not helping him better.

Rose was about to get back to Max to help him when he raised his voice stating that naming constellations first should be better to do. She felt relieved. Then he pursued about the way of holding the map and how lost he sounded to Rose. It could be indeed tricky especially when one has seen a pattern on the map going with one in the sky even if it was wrong.

"Sure let's do that! It will be better and easier for you!" Rose said coming next to Max as she started pointed her finger toward the sky while naming the constellations they could see. At the darkness of the sky she could tell it was already late and that they were far behind the curfew but it didn't matter anymore anyways.

Banner by Julia Evans

Reducio

Interacting with:	@Rose Pearce
Dialogue:	#770B08
Date:	14.02.26
—	After cerfew
Words:	340

────────────────────────

Was the attempt of teaching Max astronomy a hopeless one? Probably. At least in his own opinion. If it was up to him alone he would have never picked up the stupid subject in the first place. What use did he have for it anyway? He had always been at his happiest with his hands elbow deep in soil. When was he supposed to use knowledge of the universe? It was true that some plants were to be harvested during a specific point of the lunar cycle, but to know that all he had to do was look up.

Sadly his opinion did not seem to be commonly supported. The professors, as well as his parents, expected him to do his very best. So he had little choice but to make the best of it. Which was why he was so thankful to Rose for spending her evening trying to get him up to speed. It was rather hopeless, but the effort was deeply appreciated. He smiled his thanks as Rose joined him and began pointing out the constellations.

«But to me, Cassiopeia and that one there is combined. They are so close!» He pointed as he furrowed his brow. «I get that not everything can appear evenly spaced apart, but why do some have to appear almost on top of each other like that? How do you even tell where one ends and the other begins?»

Having listened as Rose pointed out constellation after constellation while scratching the back of his head trying not to pull out his own hair, an idea suddenly struck him. «Hey, how about you show me how you find a planet? Maybe that way I’ll get a better idea of how to? Then maybe we could find a couple together?» As he spoke he confirmed his own belief that this was a good idea and thereby spoke faster. «Then perhaps we could look for Pluto! Is that even visible through a telescope? At least the sort we have? …cause there are different kinds, right?»