A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Up until recently maintained as a museum, the childhood home of the Braddock family has been pressed into service as classroom space for the University. Additionally, the increased demands have led to the main ballroom being converted into a cafeteria for University students on a meal plan. The old library has been bolstered with college textbooks.

A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Wed Jul 19, 2017 7:43 pm

Cam was in the foyer of the manor proper -- the big, open room with multiple dramatic staircases. Good for photo ops, that room.

Cam was NOT, however, taking a photo. He was wearing a lab coat and, unusually for him, safety goggles. He had a clipboard, a stopwatch, a measuring tape and a large piece of chalk. And a small, black box.

It was with this large piece of chalk, as people stopped and stared, that he drew a large circle on the floor -- about ten feet wide, though he didn't seem to be precisely measuring it. Shooing a couple people back, he opened the box to reveal a small, multi-colored ball, maybe two inches in diameter. Dramatically, he held his hand out in front of him, the ball at arm's length...and he dropped it.

*THUNK* went the ball, as it hit the floor, and bounced back up again. Gravity took over, and *THUNK*. The process repeated several times. Cam looked down at his stop watch and started rapidly taking notes.

**Open**
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Sat Jul 29, 2017 12:07 am

Tosh led the way as he and Haley showed his cousin Shogo around. The surfer was looking around at the mansion with admiration.

"Dude. You live swaaank," Sho said.

"Yep. Well, except for the explosions," Tosh responded before noticing Cam. "Speaking of explosions..." he added.

He watched the ball for a moment. "Okay Cam. I give up... What are you researching now?"

"Uhh... bounceology?" Sho guessed.
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Toshiro Narumi
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High Concept: Nascent Cardinal Guardian
Aspect: Adorkable Tech Genius
Aspect: Hero In The Blood
Aspect: Crowded Brain
Aspect: Werewolf Lover
Aspect: Guilty Conscience

Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Sat Jul 29, 2017 12:14 pm

"Gnnnn," Cam said, waving his hand in their general direction.

"Friction. Mankind's greatest enemy. Constantly sucking away our energy and turning it into useless, meaningless heat. The vampire of the universe, sucking away hard-earned energy and causing all systems to stop.

I will defeat it."

The bouncy ball kept on bouncing -- notably, headed back to Cam's head level on each bounce, rather than gradually coming to a stop like most bouncy balls.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Haley Crusek » Sat Jul 29, 2017 2:31 pm

"You've made a super bouncy ball? Fuck yes!" she grinned. "Can I play with it?"
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Sat Jul 29, 2017 3:09 pm

"That should be slowing down... right?" Shogo asked.

"Yes Sho," Tosh answered as if talking to a child who wasn't paying attention.

"What about gravity?"

Tosh raised a brow at his cousin and looked at Cam. "That's... actually a good question."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Sun Jul 30, 2017 7:47 am

"It is slowing down," Cam frowned. "Ever so slightly, but it's there. There's some inefficiencies in the energy transfer that shouldn't be there; it should be redirecting the energy efficiently back into the rebound.

Gravity isn't the issue; the ground provides an equal and opposite force on the ball, so if all forces were accounted for, it would have an equal push off the ground back into the sky. Gravity just would keep it from soaring off and hitting the roof. Gravity's meaningless; a mere trifle; an energy source to be used and manipulated. As it's dropping a few fractions of a millimeter each time, however, it's failing," Cam frowned.


He didn't seem to notice Haley looking-slash-reaching for the ball, as he tried to explain this to the vastly inferior scientific minds.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:55 pm

"That's because your influence on the basic laws of thermodynamics can't possibly be unlimited. The energy involved has to come from somewhere," Tosh said.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Mon Jul 31, 2017 8:09 pm

"Not if it's recycled! Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. If we can eliminate all drains of energy, then each trip down into the ground should provide an equal and opposite bounce back up! Perpetual motion! Infinite energy! Flying cars! Self-cooking pancakes!"
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Mon Jul 31, 2017 8:20 pm

"Forgetting for a moment that creating infinite energy would fundamentally alter if not break reality itself... it's... well... making a noise."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Mon Jul 31, 2017 8:47 pm

"It's...I mean, that is to say..." Cam started, raising a finger, and pausing.

"Well, shit."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:52 pm

Tosh secreted a request for a low-five from his cousin, who obliged with a smirk despite obviously not getting it.

"Well if anyone can make a bouncy ball not go thunk, it's you," he grinned.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:32 pm

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm incomprehensibly important," Cam said, turning away from the bouncing ball.

"Who's this?" he said, gesturing vaguely at Tosh's cousin.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Haley Crusek » Wed Aug 02, 2017 4:06 pm

Haley seized the science nerd argument to take the lack of response as an invitation to play with it. She tried to pull it into her outstretched palm with her TK and planned to then do exactly what every impulsive person confronted with a bouncy ball does--throw it hard into the ground to get it to bounce really high.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Wed Aug 02, 2017 4:17 pm

"Cam, meet my cousin Shogo. Sho, meet my roommate Cam," Tosh responded.

"Sup?" Sho asked just before the colossal THUNK.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Wed Aug 02, 2017 10:00 pm

"Oh, there's two of you? That's convenient, I suppose," Cam shrugged.

Haley was able to control the ball, briefly, into her hand, and then slammed it into the ground as hard as she could!

The ball bounced up, as one would expect. It was a big room, but it still flew up and up and hit...

...one of the rafters making up the arched roof. Unfortunatley for Haley, she was standing not quite directly underneath the rafter, so the ball hit it an odd angle. That meant, instead of bouncing straight back down, the ball shot off at an angle.

And that's when everything went topsy-turvy. The ball, not (naturally) slowing down, shot off the wall and careened in a wild direction, striking the center of an ancestral painting of John Braddock and leaving a small but noticable hole in the man's collar. From there, it continued it's careening down, striking the banister of the stairs and then the floor. From there, it hit the face of a student who was too slow to react, causing them to fall over and drop their books and papers, which flew everywhere. The ball continued flying, smashing into a suit of armor and knocking it over.

By this point, many of the people who had been watching Cam had scattered for cover as the ball continued it's rampage.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Haley Crusek » Fri Aug 04, 2017 4:06 pm

Haley's eyes widened as the chaos unfolded in front of her, and she covered her mouth in embarrassment.

"...oops."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Fri Aug 04, 2017 4:29 pm

"I've got it! I've got it!" Shogo proclaimed as he jumped to catch the ball. It brushed just past his fingers and hit a wall, rebounding into the back of the athlete's head as if in revenge. As he was in the middle of landing, this knocked him down.

"I don't got it."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Sat Aug 05, 2017 1:17 am

Cam, meanwhile, had dove behind Tosh just as the ball went crazy, and was roughly trying to position the larger boy between him and the rapidly bouncing ball.

"WELL," Cam shouted over the noise of the ball smacking into things and the various concerned student onlookers beginning to scatter. "AT LEAST IT'S NOT PERFECTED YET, SO, IN THEORY, IT SHOULD STOP BOUNCING. EVENTUALLY.

PERHAPS WE SHOULD TAKE THIS OUTSIDE?"
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Mon Aug 07, 2017 12:12 am

"HOW FAR DO YOU HAVE TO GO FROM IT FOR YOUR POWERS TO STOP AFFECTING IT?" Tosh asked.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:14 am

"It's really more of a time thing, more than a raw distance. There are many other variables that need to be taken into account as well!"
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:54 am

Tosh groaned. He quickly looked around and considered various options before pointing at a small couch in the corner. "Sho! Grab two of those decorative pillows!"

Sho dashed to the couch to do so. "...and?" he asked confusedly.

"Think umpire but with both hands!" Tosh called over.

"Oh!" Sho nodded as the plan clicked. He proceeded to try and catch the ball with the impact absorbing pillows.
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Aspect: Crowded Brain
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Narrator » Mon Aug 07, 2017 2:37 am

The ball continued it's erratic path, creating havoc and smashing through things as it ricocheted around the room.

Finally, though, it's path came close enough that Sho could make an attempt for it. Assuming he wasn't a total klutz, he could probably manage to stop the ball before it did any more damage than it already had.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Mon Aug 07, 2017 3:16 pm

Unlike his shark-based caricature, Shogo Gunderson was quite capable of quick, precise movements. He caught the ball between the two pillows and whooped. "And he's got it, ladies and gentlemen! Victory goes to the Giants!" he said in a passable impression of a sports announcer.

Tosh breathed out with a chuckle. "You're such a dork," he smirked.

"Pot. Kettle," Sho countered.
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Aspect: Crowded Brain
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Aspect: Guilty Conscience

Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:10 pm

"Well! Yes. Yes, that's all good then," Cam said, quickly taking some notes. "Yes, just what I thought would happen. Yes. Exactly."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Tue Aug 08, 2017 7:05 pm

"Whatever you say, dude," Sho smirked.

"Told you he was real," Tosh said.

"Remind me never to doubt you," Sho responded.
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Aspect: Crowded Brain
Aspect: Werewolf Lover
Aspect: Guilty Conscience

Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Tue Aug 08, 2017 8:01 pm

"There was a question as to my existence on this plane?" Cam said, raising an eyebrow.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Haley Crusek » Wed Aug 09, 2017 2:08 am

Haley looked around the room, eyes wide--several students holding their heads and groaning, dents and holes in several walls and pieces of art.

"...holy shit."

The helmet of a decorative suit of armor fell to the floor with a clang, punctuating her statement as she cringed.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Wed Aug 09, 2017 3:05 pm

"The way Bro described you I thought he was pulling my leg," Sho explained.

After the clang that wasn't entirely Cam's fault, Tosh added, "Time-travel he believes, but m... highly eccentric reality-bending scientists is where he apparently draws the line." His exact description may have been "sociopathic Steve Urkel," but he didn't like Cam then.

"Hey, we do sometimes try to fool each other with tall tales for giggles," Sho said.

"Mermaid," Tosh smirked.

"That totally happened," Sho maintained.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Wed Aug 09, 2017 6:20 pm

"See, that's a good way to make sure no one ever believes you. I'm always serious."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Thu Aug 10, 2017 12:17 am

"And why you're hard to like," Tosh added.

"Sounds boring and kinda sad to me," Sho frowned pityingly.
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High Concept: Nascent Cardinal Guardian
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Aspect: Hero In The Blood
Aspect: Crowded Brain
Aspect: Werewolf Lover
Aspect: Guilty Conscience

Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Thu Aug 10, 2017 12:59 am

"Oh no, the selachimorph has trouble with honesty. I'll make sure to mark that down in my journal."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Thu Aug 10, 2017 1:11 am

Tosh sighed, "It's just a game we play Cam. Not a behavioral pattern."

"For the record, we both kinda suck at it," Sho provided.
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Aspect: Guilty Conscience

Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:53 am

"The games people play are often the most illuminating behavioral patterns, I believe you'll find."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Thu Aug 10, 2017 2:47 pm

"I'm not a compulsive liar any more than you are for pretending you planned for your experiment to tear up the foyer," Tosh countered calmly. His temper was rising but he was instantly glad he restrained a worse retort about pretend scientists.
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Aspect: Crowded Brain
Aspect: Werewolf Lover
Aspect: Guilty Conscience

Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Thu Aug 10, 2017 10:10 pm

"It was an acceptable risk when starting the experiment. You can't break a few eggs without making an omelette."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Thu Aug 10, 2017 11:46 pm

"You won't say that after you're stuck working off the damages," he smirked.
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Aspect: Crowded Brain
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Fri Aug 11, 2017 12:15 am

"I'm sure the headmistress has scientific research in her budget."
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Fri Aug 11, 2017 12:51 am

"Yeah. I'd love to see that excuse fly. If it does, maybe I'll build a zero gravity machine in the dorms and see what happens."

Shit... he'll probably do that now.

"Are they always like this?" Sho asked Haley.
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Aspect: Hero In The Blood
Aspect: Crowded Brain
Aspect: Werewolf Lover
Aspect: Guilty Conscience

Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Haley Crusek » Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:35 am

The question seemed to stir Haley from her shell-shocked stare at the destruction she'd apparently wrought, "them? Oh. Yeah. All the time. I zone out or start playing on my phone most of the time when they start throwing out words I barely understand.
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Re: A Staggering Work of Incomprehensible Genius

Postby Cam Beckett » Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:40 am

"I'm afraid it's true. Your cousin is always trying to stand in the way of scientific progress."
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