estoria | [ CLOSED ] Flavor of Life

Entry tags:

[ CLOSED ] Flavor of Life

Who: Ryuko Matoi

usefulanalysis
When: IC April 10th
Where: CERES Academy
What: What happens when you pair up the struggling student with the new kid in class for lab study? This is the true experiment.
Rating/Warning: Panchira, probably.

[ Just another day in the only academy in the universe that doesn't offer much in the way of teaching, yet pays you for attending and rarely punishes its students for not. If Ryuko were a smarter woman, she'd suspect that CERES is indoctrinating the students, given the bias of their history lessons and complete disregard for anything relating to art such as music or... art! But who cares! The money is good and Matoi isn't so easily influenced these days.

However, attending school means actually participating in classes, and because a girl who talks to her uniform is difficult to approach, she has yet to make a lot of friends in school. Not that it bothers her, really. Still, given that nobody has tried to pair up with her, the teacher has assigned Ryuko to be lab partners with the new kid in class... Ema Skye! ]

Guess we're supposed to work together, huh? [ Ryuko's tone may come off a little dismissive at first, expecting the girl to ditch her the moment the bell rings. It's usually the way it goes. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ema and school were definitely peas in a pod. She loved going to school and even if it wasn't terribly helpful, it was still giving her new things to add to her record, and the science was new-ish. Definitely new-ish, since chemistry was the same anywhere.

She hadn't really noticed that they were forming lab partners so she'd missed the shuffle to find them, and she had to admit she was a little surprised at her partner's appearance. Ryuko Matoi, the teacher had said. Well, she certainly looked pretty tough, not that Ema minded. So long as she was friendly, or at least did her work and didn't hold back the SCIENCE she was good.]

Yeah! I guess so! [Ema doesnt' seem put off by the tone at all, since she's already bouncing in her seat at the prospect of chemistry lab.] My name's Ema, and you're Ryuko, right? Let's work hard together, okay?

[ First-name basis... she must be from ~~Japanifornia~~ America. Well, Ryuko doesn't mind! It's pretty much how her and Mako were from day one. ]

I... yeah, I... don't really know what I'm doing. I burnt myself on a Bunsen burner the last time I tried "working hard".

[ Thankfully she heals fast, but pain is pain! ]

[Well, Ema's never met someone from Japan. That she knows about anyway. Look at her role model...Edgeworth. ~~Nobody said it was a happy role model~~.]

You don't? Well! Science is my favorite subject. So don't worry about it, I'll help. [A pause.] I...ah...hope your burn is okay though. I remember how much that smarted the first time I used one.

Yeah! It hurts like a f... --I-I mean, it's fine now. Did you really get a burn, too?

[ It's strange to hear it from a science fan like this girl, but a little reassuring, too. They are pretty complicated to Ryuko. ]

Yeah! My first time using it was pretty rough. I singed my shirt and a little bit of my hair too.

[She may have been about...nine.]

But I've gotten used to working with them. So, if you want, I'll handle any and all Bunsening.

Sounds rough...

I don't mind helping. [ She feels like she needs to now, even if Ema knows how to work them, she can't let the new kid burn herself on the first day. ] My uniform doesn't catch on fire that easily either.

(( Senketsu: Even so, don't get any flames on me--!! ))

...I'll follow your lead, though.

Well, that was years and years ago. But there's plenty to do.

[She taps the assignment sheet they'd gotten and starts the burner...pointedly not catching fire as she does so.]

I guess the first thing is measuring out the base ingredients of our first assignment. We need...six milliliters of vinegar and two of tablespoons of baking soda. I guess this is to let the burner warm up because this is kid stuff.

[Ema you're a kid.]

Can you get that stuff ready while I go to the supply closet for the other bits this needs?

[ Maybe Ryuko should have gone for the supply closet!! ]

Uh... sure?

What's with these ingredients, though? It's kinda like a recipe for food.

[She has faith that you can measure!! =O]

Oh, you'll see when we get the experiment going. It'll be interesting, I promise. I've totally done this one before.

Yeah, I'm totally thrilled.

[ Once Ema steps away to get the rest of their supply, Ryuko grumbles about having to do boring science today. It's possible she has deep-seated issues about experimentation in general. ]

How many tablespoons again? I can't believe I'm doing this...

(( Senketsu: She seems nice. And it's two. ))

She's better off doin' it with someone who likes this stuff, sheesh.

(( Senketsu: I don't think she minds... and neither do you. ))

L-Let's just get this over with.

[Ema wanders back with a few paper towels and some plastic bags.]

Okay, yeah! It's a short experiment.

[It's not like she hasn't noticed you talking to yourself, but you know...all things considered that's pretty normal. Maybe you have an imaginary friend?

In any event, she folds the paper towels into a little origami box and once Ryuko's done with the measuring.]

Okay, now put the baking soda in this. [Slides it over.] Aaaand, say, how are your fingers? Do you have good reflexes?

Reflexes? Hell yeah, now we're up my alley! I'm one of the fastest people I know!

What do ya need cut up?

(( Senketsu: That is not why she asked, Ryuko... ))

Cut? No!

[She holds up the ziplock bag.] I need you to seal this up when I put in the ingredients. And then shake it up and toss it out the window when it...well...you'll see. But you have to seal it fast to make this work.

Oh-- okay! I can do that.

[ There's a glimpse of interest in Ryuko's expression. Maybe this won't be so boring...! ]

--wait, did you say "toss it out of the window"? [ COME AGAIN?? ]

(( Senketsu: Ryuko... I don't want to catch fire... ))

Yep! You'll see!

[It's just baking soda and vinegar, Senketsu!]

Ready?

[With that, she puts in the packet, and pours in the vinegar, and it starts to fizz a bit, gas pockets forming...]

Quick! Unless you want it to pop!

Shit, shit--!!

[ She fumbles for one second before quickly doing as she's told, sealing up the bag and shaking it with much enthusiasm. ]

D-D-Do I throw it out? I'm throwin'-- [ She tosses it out of the window before she can even hear the answer! Why is science so weird!! ]

[The bag, once sealed, grows and grows and grows, bowing outwards in Ryuko's hands...

Ema watches Ryuko's reaction in gleeful delight, and when she does toss it, the nerd claps.]

Yeah!

[And then, from outside, there's a loud -BANG- as the bag explodes apart in a shower of baking soda/vinegar paste, raining down on the street below.]

That's chemistry class starting with a real bang!

[...stop taking lessons from the Phoenix Wright School of jokes...]

Hey, that was damn awesome! [ She obviously had very low expectations here....... ]

Where the hell did ya learn that?!

[Ema puffs up proudly, definitely pleased at the praise from an older girl.]

In science class back home. If you ever want to try it again, just take vinegar and baking soda and put them in a container and shake it up. It's not as strong a reaction as mentos and diet coke though!

And since we're basically being given free run of the lab today, we can do more if you want?

[Sharing science is fun! and you aren't treating her like a weirdo...]

Yeah!

[ She says it with honest enthusiasm. She's not sold on science in particular, but this seemed pretty fun and it's nice to make friends in school. ]

My grades kinda suck, though, so... d-don't expect me to know too much.

[ She gives Ema another curious glance. ] So you're new to this whole... aliens destroyed our world thing, right?

[ In other words, Ema doesn't seem like a Cerealia native here. ]

[Ema starts gathering up materials for her next experiment, this one including the bunsen burner. The teacher doesn't seem terribly interested in anything but the magazine they're reading, so...whatever. Ema's just going to ignore the lesson sheet in favor of fun chemistry things for Ryuko. It's just nice to work with an enthusiastic lab partner.]

That's okay, grades are overrated, so long as you're learning something. But I'll keep it pretty simple and explain as we go, anyway.

[The question draws Ema up short, however and she nods more slowly than before.]

Correct. I'm new here. But I don't really believe that whole story. Mister Wright didn't exactly recommend believing in CERES too much, and I trust his hunches.

Yeah, I don't need some guy tellin' me that. As far CERES goes, I wouldn't put much stock in what they say.

Sorry you're here, though... I mean, it ain't that bad, but I suppose home is always better, right?

Well, I lacked any data to the contrary, but if him and Mister Edgeworth say they don't trust them then I'm not going to.

[She's loyal to her lawyers. They did seriously bail her out.]

And yeah, home would be better. But this isn't the worst, I guess. I mean, the people all seem nice.

It has its mix of jerks and decent folks.

Edgeworth... so you're from that lawyer guy's world, huh? [ a.k.a. Everybody's Dad ]

Well, yes? Mister Edgeworth and Mister Wright, and apparently a lot of people from my future are here. Um. Mister Justice and Miss Iris, and Athena, and this fop named Mister Gavin.

[Even as a teenager, she is not into fops.]

You know them?

Some more than others, yeah. Athena's my best friend, and Edgeworth was kinda like my lawyer... or prosecutor... one of those. It's a long story.

And so many of you are from the same world? Kinda makes me envious...

Oh I understand about Mister Edgeworth. He was my prosecutor too, and my attorney. And so was Mister Wright. They kinda pulled me out of a jam a few weeks ago.

[Complicated.]

But Athena is your best friend? She seems so sweet!

She's kinda zany, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Hey, odd question, but... you can't really fight, can you?

[ Most people here have some kind of skill for it, unless they're from a normal world, like Athena & Co. Still, she's curious. ]

Zany is one word for it. [Ema grins.] I like her a lot. She's so helpful.

[And hey, that question...Ema snorts and flexes her noodly appendages. Or rather, arms.]

Nope! Not unless it's in a video game, or I have my chemistry kit with me, and even that's improvised. Can you?

Edited 2015-12-05 07:56 (UTC)

I can knock a couple of heads together, yeah. [ More like decapitate them if needed. ]

I gotta know these things in case shit hits the fan. Don't want ya gettin' in trouble or anything. [ Not that she's a superhero or thinks of herself like that, but she tends to rescue her friends a lot... and Ema looks like she's going to be a friend. And Ryuko likes her alive and healthy. ]

Well you look like a really tough person. So I'll definitely let you handle any non-scientific fights that happen. I guess eventually more bad stuff will happen.

[First, Ema there aren't any such things as scientific fights unless you count mad science wars and can we not? Second, don't be silly. More bad stuff is always gonna happen.]

Thanks, Ryuko. I hope it doesn't come to that though!

It's fine - can't let my lab partner get kidnapped or nothing, right?

[ Because that also is something that happens to Ryuko's friends. ]

I mean, who else will teach me how to make bombs outta baking soda and vinegar.

Well I seriously hope not! I've had enough of that for one lifetime.

[Ema, you weren't really kidnapped. You were just a hostage...and you knocked a guy out with a vase.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ CLOSED ] Flavor of Life

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject