smashrising | Group Theory and Experimentation

Entry tags:

Group Theory and Experimentation

Who: Gordon, Shantae, Ronnae
What: SCIENCE! And other antics.
Where: The mansion basement labs.
When: End of Summer
Warnings: Good ideas, bad ideas, non-traditional relationships, big honkin' lasers.

"Hey, could you hand me that micrometer?"

The Labs had definitely taken shape over the past few months. What once was a large empty basement was now abuzz with diodes and tracks, makeshift displays made out of old televisions and projectors. Gordon was proud of how far it had come, and he was thankful for Ronnae's help. The half-elf was startlingly brilliant.

He was thankful for Shantae being there too, but, to put it gently, that had nothing to do with helpfulness. She was a walking disaster in the lab, but she was such a lovely disaster that it was well worth cleaning up after her. Besides, she was getting better. They haven't accidentally summoned any monsters in weeks...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Right. Ronnae, why don't you take a couple measurements of Shantae's power, and work out a reactor system based on that? It sounds like you've done it before, so I figure it won't take more than a few days. In the meantime, I'll build a housing unit and start working on the transformer system and an, eh... extraction chamber."

...

"I wish there was a better way to phrase it."

"Just be careful," Shantae reminded them, hopping off her seat. "Even a fragment of stray genie magic can be dangerous if misused. But I don't think I need to tell you guys that!"

"But this is kinda fun, isn't it? The three of us, working... very closely... together?" Shantae said, trying not to smirk too broadly as she said it.

"I can do that! Not a problem," she smiled confidently. "I have just the right tools for the job too." Considering she was used to this sort of work. "That's also a great idea, the sturdier the better but make sure you have some good transition and resonance materials for the interior for better housing of magic."

Shantae's comment just made her laugh a little. "Well, oddly enough labs and workshops tend to be a bit crowded, but you learn to work in them pretty quick!"

"Don't worry, I'll find something."

Gordon was't so quick to reply to Shantae. If he didn't know any better, he'd think that Shantae was insinuating something... Was she jealous? She wasn't the type to be. Besides, she was going to spend more time with Ronnae than he was, right? What was she getting at?

"Space may be a little tight, but I have no problem with it." He replies, a bit guardedly. "In fact, I wouldn't want it any other way than to work with you both."

"Sounds good to me!" Shantae said happily, clapping her hands together.

But rather than immediately go off with Ronnae to get started, she walked up to Gordon and grabbed his arm. "Can I talk with you in private for juuuust a second? I'll be right back, Ronnae!" she said, tugging Gordon aside, out of earshot of Ronnae to have a quick chat with him.

When they were alone, Shantae looked left, looked right, and quietly asked him, "So how long have you had a thing for Ronnae?" For most people, this might have sounded like an accusation. But Shantae seemed almost... excited?!

"GPHK--" He physically bristles in surprise, but then lowers his voice to a fast whisper. "I haven't... What makes you think that I--"

He glances over again, noticing the curvy half-elf in mid-stretch...

"...okay, okay. I do admit that she's lovely, as well as brilliant and facinating, but you don't have to worry about a thing Shantae. First of all, you are literally my wish come true and there's nothing I'd do jeopardize that. Secondly, she's too innocent for that sort of thing anyway. Probably too young, too."

He trails off, muttering about how hard it is to tell with the pigtails. Clearly the man has the situation all wrong, here.

Edited 2016-09-11 20:41 (UTC)

Shantae let out a squeeing sound. It was some sort of high pitched sound of delight, whatever you called it. She hopped towards him, grabbing his hands. "I know that," she told him with a smile. "And I love you too, Gordon, so much! But if you've got feelings like that... They need to be shared!" There was a fire in her eyes. This was likely not the reaction he was expecting at all.

"'Shared?' You mean between..."

That was true; this wasn't the reaction he expected. The look of dumbfoundment is priceless, as he glances between her and the far-off Ronnae.

"Are... you saying what I think you're saying? You're okay with that?"

He takes a good look at her expression, and realization starts to dawn.

"You're more than okay with that, aren't you?"

"Well, if I'm being honest, I like Ronnae a lot too," Shantae admitted to him with a big smile. "And I love you, and you love me. Soooo..." she trailed off with a mischievous giggle, reaching in to hug around his middle.

Ronnae was way too engrossed in her work to have noticed the exchange, the whispers, looks and giggles. She was a woman at work and work passionately she did! Even so, she was all smiles and focus having been given the okay to work on the project further she had already ventured off sight and could be heard tinkering away in her lab corner.

Always one to be tireless when it came to engineering, the gal had her goggles on and was right on task, tongue sticking out slightly and everything.

"Erm, Ronnae..?"

Gordon clears his throat behind her, an affectionate arm still around Shantae's waist. In truth he had NO idea where to begin: Five minutes ago he'd only concerned himself with two-body problems, so to speak, and this was a whole new dimension.

"Shantae and I, we'd... like to talk to you about something."

Did Shantae look excited? She felt excited. ~~It was the shipper in her.~~ Though she wondered how Ronnae would feel if Gordon just came out and asked, but at the same time... He had to do things in the way he felt right. Let's see how this goes.

Maybe it was the whirring of the drills, the hammering or the sawing noises of her work that caused a delay. But before long the halfbreed peeked around the corner, blackened goggles covering her usually bright teal eyes and she cocked her head curiously. "Yeah? What's up?"

You'd need to try harder to peel her away from work, which by the sounds of things she was still working on oddly enough without looking.

"We, uh... how are you doing that?"

What he means is "how are you still working with those tools and simultaneously talking to us around the corner." Instead of following through with his statement, he peers around the corner first to see for himself just what she was doing. Dammit Gordon...

"Huh? Oh this?" She turns back to look at her work and laughs a little, smiling proudly up at him when he comes on by. "Too much time doing something you love, knowing where everything is on my workstation and plenty of reckless multitasking through all my youth." she giggled a bit before turning her attention back to her work as she spoke with him.

"When I have a goal and idea in mind... It's sometimes hard to stop. This is one of the very few places that I've ever felt comfortable..." She spoke a bit solemnly but oddly enough not how she usually does when urged to voice her feelings when down. This was more... at peace and just remembering something sad.

"I didn't know that..." Although in hindsight, it did make sense. Hybrids like her are probably rare in her world, and if the other races are anything like humans, she'd be a permanent oddity at the least. On the other hand, data and machines are impartial, and Science doesn't care who your parents are.

Gordon neared her and took her hand as she reached for yet another tool. Hopefully getting her full attention. He also knew what it's like to bury your problems in work; and how unproductive it was in the long run.

"Hey. If you ever want to talk about it, we'll listen. You're not alone down here."

The action did take her a bit by surprise and she paused. Goggled eyes now stared blankly towards Gordon, covering her eyes by the black lenses but even still her face elicited a somber/relieved expression just as she nodded. "I... Y-yeah. I will, thanks." Her voice was smaller than earlier. She didn't do well with her memories and even with all her progress it was easy to tell that there were permanent scars when these types of things were brought up.

Trying to change the subject as quickly as possible, she gave Gordon's hand an appreciative squeeze (Without breaking anything!) and offered a small smile before setting her tools down and swiveling her workchair back to face them both. She stood and stretched out for a few seconds before bouncing in place and nodding. "So I take it we're taking a break I guess?"

He stepped back to let her get up. "Ye--" And then stopped again to gently lift up her goggles once they were face to face; they were a little distracting. Not that the stretching and bouncing wasn't distracting too, it was very much so, and "eyes up here" requires her to have visible eyes.

"Yes. Now then, Ronnae, do you..."

...

"Do you want I should get us some coffee?"

ASgeasji Why was it so hard for him to do this!? Probably because she had no clue what he was about to ask! Maybe this wasn't the right time? Or the right place? This is hardly romantic; it's not the solitary woods or a pleasant carnival dimension or anything of the sort. Then again maybe... she just wasn't interested at all. Shantae, you may need to do something here.

Ronnae looked up a bit timidly when he removed her goggles. Her demeanor began to turn to the sheepish style that she usually sported but his latter question put her at ease which made her smile a little.

"Y-you know, coffee actually sounds like a pretty good idea!" she laughed a bit relieved. For a second she thought he might be needed the lab in private for a few which would have meant no more tinkering for a while! Was she being too loud?

"More fuel for us to keep going!"

Okay. Okay, that didn't go as well as she thought it would. She shook her head. Well, it was still early. And she needed to figure out what Ronnae wanted, what she was interested in. "Why don't you grab us some coffee, Gordon?" she asked, patting his back and giving him a knowing look. "We'll hold down the fort until you get back!"

He nods and gives Shantae a matching look of thanks, then lopes to the far corner with the coffee machine.

Ronnae smiled at both, not noticing the exchange or the odd feelings. Without much else to say she'd go back to work as soon as possible should Shantae not address her. IDLE MINDS YOU KNOW?!

Okay, gotta play this cool. Shantae watched Gordon go, and then sat on a desk close to Ronnae as she worked. "So... Gordon's really cute, isn't he?" she asked expectantly.

Having already grabbed a few tools and items and already with goggles down, Ronnae idly tinkered just as her ears perked up at the question. Thankfully, tinkering always did wonders for her skittishness.

"Cute?" She paused for just a second before turning back to her work. "No, I don't find him cute. But... Definitely handsome." Much unlike what she'd normally respond like when not at work, seems that when she's calm she can talk more normally about things.

Huh. That was easy... She took notice of how open and honest Ronnae was being when she was working. With her mind focused on her task, she was less guarded than Shantae expected.

...UFUFUFUFUFU...

"He is, isn't he? So, so handsome... You two work really well together. So natural. I bet there's a lot you'd be able to do together..."

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