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[Calvin Strong]

Cal had to admit, it was much easier to do this when he was rested.

The device was back on the floor, the wires spread out from the glowing central unit again like a spiderweb. The glass bulb that had been in the slurpee cup was now sealed off, and he was attaching it to a device that seemed to have a valve to run a tube from. Meanwhile, the TV was playing a movie channel in the background that wasn't on the school's cable plan, and any attempt to change the channel wouldn't give any results.

[Violet Turner]

Distracted by the scene that flickers in her periphery as she passes, Violet stops short and guesses "bong of the future?" gesturing expansively at the mess.

[Calvin Strong]

"I defy you to find me a stoner smart enough to do this," Cal said, feeding electricity into the glowing green... crystal-thing?

[Violet Turner]

Withdrawing a little green compact from her pocket, Violet angles it to catch his reflection. "I reject your challenge and show you instead: " she pauses for dramatic effect before affecting a carnival barkers voice "the most motivated aspiring stoner there ever was or ever will be"

Stepping closer to put a more earnest effort into guessing the purpose of the assemblage, Violet can't think of anything likely and so points at the center crystal and announces quietly "that looks like it belongs on a ringpop"

[Aisha Khan]

Aisha, or possibly a mobile set of clothing, walked into the room "Hi Cal." she said "What are you working on?"

[Calvin Strong]

Cal looked up, saw Aisha, and smiled. "Well, apparently I'm making a high tech bong out of a ring-pop," he said.

[Aisha Khan]

"Ok, seriously. What are you making."

[Calvin Strong]

Cal looked down at the machines. "Hopefully, it's going to be a vacuum energy manipulator," he said.

[Violet Turner]

Clenching her fist, Violet whispers triumphantly "I knew it. Illicit ring pops for the win." she twists in place then, wiggling her fingers at the girl in greeting. "What is an" wrinkling her nose, she pronounces it skeptically "vacuum energy manipulator"?

[Aisha Khan]

The casual reaction slightly freaked her out, and Aisha vanished.

[Calvin Strong]

"It's a really, really, really strong battery," Cal said, dumbing it down to about second-grade level. "And it can be used for... well, anything." Obviously, he didn't notice Aisha disappearing, since it made no difference to his vision.

[Violet Turner]

Violet stands, still wiggling her fingers in the direction of the girl's voice. Frowning she looks this way and that, twisting in place though she tries (and fails) to be subtle about her confusion. The battery forgotten for the moment, Violet asks in a low voice "did you see where she went?"

[Aisha Khan]

"I'm right here." Aisha said, sounding irritated "Crap, just a second."

[Calvin Strong]

"Just relax," Cal said. "You're still there. All good."

"Aisha, can you grab that tubing for me?" he asked, nodding toward a three foot length of titanium tubing. "I just need more hands than I have right now."

[Aisha Khan]

"Just a second." Aisha said, trying and failing to become visible.

[Violet Turner]

Unsure of the origin of the disembodied voice, Violet fidgets with the hems of her sleeves. "It's nice meeting you...two?" Her voice inflicts upward on the last word. Curious but contending with the distinct sense that she might be intruding, Violet glances longingly at a deserted table in the corner. Is this two people? A split consciousness maybe? Like with Teri? I am never going to get used to this school. Solitude is so much simpler.

[Aisha Khan]

"Yes, two of us." Aisha said "I'm right here, you just can't see me. It happens."

[Calvin Strong]

Cal sat back and looked at Aisha, waiting patiently, not wanting to rush her when she was in a self-conscious moment.

[Violet Turner]

"I apologize, I wasn't sure and it seems unwise to make assumptions at this school. So you become invisible? Or you are invisible but you can become visible? Or you are just a voi--" her voice trails off and she taps her lower lip, thinking or trying not to speak: even she couldn't have have been sure.

[Aisha Khan]

"We're still figuring that out." Aisha said "Most of the time, people can see my clothes. So that is better, less getting sat on."

[Calvin Strong]

"You just think she's invisible," Cal said. "She's there. And everyone's loss, she's a pretty one, too," he added, not looking away from the device as he slowly picked it up, gathering the wires into a thin bundle.

[Violet Turner]

"Why can you see her then?" her tone is thoughtful if a little perturbed she could be anywhere and no one would know. Wonder what secrets she's seen To the invisible girl she asks "you said people can see your clothes some of the time? Do they turn invisible because of contact maybe? Can you make other things disappear?" Beginning to pace, Violet's thoughts turn back to their most familiar theme. She would be useful for leverage

[Aisha Khan]

"Things disappear when they're in contact with me and I'm not thinking about them. Try thinking about your clothe all the time. it isn't easy." Aisha said, ignoring the compliment "Cal can see me for the same reason that I show up on camera, more or less."

[Calvin Strong]

So that's what being nice gets you. "Um... meanwhile, can someone hold the tubing up? Please?"

[Violet Turner]

Violet picks the tubing up, balancing it awkwardly across the inside of her arms. Addressing the space the girl's voice seems to be coming from she muses "you have the vampire curse but backwards. You are see through in real life but visible on camera" to Cal she adds "I have no idea what you want me to do with this. Sorry for the obtuse...ness." She frowns, dissatisfied with the word but unable to think of something more suitable.

[Calvin Strong]

"Just hold it right there," Cal said. Then, slowly, he started lowering the bundle of wiring, and all the devices attached to it, into the tube. The tube seemed to be an assembly that was segmented, and as soon as Cal had lowered the wires in so that the central piece rested on the top of the tube, he unscrewed the top segment off, slipping another device into the bottom to make contact with the wires.

[Violet Turner]

What mutation let's someone see an invisible girl? Psychic? Violet scrutinizes him closely as he works, trying to find some external clue. To test her theory, she pictures a dancing cheeseburger with a top hat then watches his expression closely to gauge a response.

[Calvin Strong]

And Cal... had absolutely no reaction whatsoever to the psychic suggestion. In the meantime, he took out some plastic tubing and connected the bulb to two small nubs on the side of this segment of the tube. When he touched the bulb's bottom, there were a few sparks of contact and then a whirring sound as the gasses cycled.

[Violet Turner]

With an audible harrumph Violet muses aloud "Alright, so you're not psychic then, I think, so why can you see her? You can see electricity or something? Also, if I'm going to be your valet during the construction of this thing you both owe me names." frowning perceptibly as she glances at the spot where the girl's voice seems to be coming from she realizes if she's moved I'm going to look like an asshole.

[Aisha Khan]

"Aisha." she said, from where she'd moved on the couch, trying to calm down and focus so that maybe her clothing would be visible again.

[Calvin Strong]

"I'm Doctor Impossible," Cal said absently, securing the headpiece to the top of the pole more securely. Then, in spite of the angry electric shocks that it seemed to be giving his hand, he started pushing the glowing green rod down through the device and into the tube, until something locked into place when it was flush with the device it was mounted in.

[Violet Turner]

Though her cheeks grow flushed at the realization that she had been speaking towards the wrong location, Violet smiles genuinely at the couch and answers "it's nice to meet you Aisha, please forgive my rudeness. I've never spoken to someone I can't see."

To Cal, she says simply "Dr." torn between irritation and amusement at the sarcasm. After a moments silence she blurts out impulsively."I can't decide between dropping this nonsense" she tilts her chin, indicating the wiring and the tubing before continuing "and leaving you to it or helping and calling you Dr. for the rest of forever. Anyone ever tell you you're hard to read?"

[Aisha Khan]

"I'll give you a hand." Aisha said, her clothes now visible, so it would be possible for people who weren't Cal to tell where she was. "its ok. No one is used to talking to someone who isn't there."

[Violet Turner]

"I can see you now! Well, some of you anyway" though she doesn't let go of the cylinder Violet wiggles her fingers carefully as she cheers "it's a start!". She sidles to one side to give Aisha room to get a secure grip. "At least you're here yeah? Invisibility will be amazing once you adapt to it a little bit"

[Aisha Khan]

"Yeah." Aisha said "I need to work on that."

[Violet Turner]

"Yes, you could use some practice but I'm pretty sure that's true of all of us. At least you're aware of and cool about the" she falls silent for a moment, grasping for the right word "adjustment period while people try to get used to you. I would think that would be the most important skill, socially. Besides, think of the real world applications. Information is valuable"

[Aisha Khan]

"Thanks for the pep talk." Aisha said "Right now, my goal is to not get sat on. But yeah, you're right, I should totally be working on my evil laugh."

[Violet Turner]

Violet laughs, gesturing carefully with her fingertips towards the girl's chin "you need a felt goatee, or a cat and a wingback swivel chair. Besides, if people sit on you there's the option of threatening civil suit for invisible injury. You could extort donuts and movies and Um....wingback chairs."

[Aisha Khan]

"Wow, what a great idea." Aisha said.

[Violet Turner]

"You owe me 20 dollars if you use it to get rich ok? And don't think you won't have to pay me, because my pimp hand is strong."