Author's Note: The title is thanks to the movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids! Enjoy ;)
"Any volunteers...?"
No one raises their hand.
"Fair enough," the scientist says. "I guess I'll just nominate someone." The mysterious Swiss man, going by the name Christophe Giacometti, looks every student in the eye.
Is he dead-serious about this class experiment? Japanese freshman Yuri Katsuki thinks to himself. I think it's too dangerous for students…
"You." Mr. Giacometti mutters, daintily pointing in Yuri's direction.
His heartbeat pounds irregularly. "M-me, sir…?"
"Yes, you will do just fine." the visiting scientist responds with a suspicious grin. Yuri shakily stands up and walks to the front of the classroom. Mr. Christophe Giacometti sits him down in a chair and places a suction headpiece onto Yuri. "Once I turn this machine on," the man starts. "You cannot move. This experiment can easily go horribly wrong if anything doesn't go according to plan."
Yuri nods and then steals a glance at his classmates. Most of them watch nervously and quietly, waiting for what will happen. Yuri and his class are all learning about the body and how the brain works, and this experiment was supposed to transmit waves into a student's mind and cause them to lose the ability to say words.
This can't be happening. Not to me.
The scientist continues, "I will be turning the machine on in three…"
Yuri takes a deep breath in.
"...two…"
He exhales.
"...one…"
Yuri Katsuki closes his eyes and waits. He feels a tiny tingle for a moment after Mr. Giacometti turns the switch on. The whole class is dead quiet. The machine vibrates, making vhrrrrrr noises as it transmits the waves.
This doesn't actually feel that bad…! Yuri thinks. However, he can feel everyone's eyes on him the whole time.
Mr. Giacometti suddenly takes the headpiece off, and it makes Yuri jump. "Okay, Yuri Katsuki," he says with a smile. "What would you like to tell us about how it felt?"
"Wh...lhh.. tuzk... ae…" he mutters. What the heck?!
"Sorry?" the scientist frowns. "I can't understand…" The class stares intently.
It'll work this time…! "Tuzk… ae… hhhh… sprum… uhn…" Or not.
"And here, class," Mr. Chris Giacometti says, "is the experiment in action!" He claps, the class slowly joining along, and then he turns to Yuri. "You can take a seat, thank you." The student sits down at his desk and lots of his classmates around him gaze at him, curious if it actually worked ...Which it did.
What do I do all day?! I can't even talk! Then it hits him, and he thinks: Aha! Paper and a pen!
After the class has finished going through a chapter in their textbook, the bell rings, and everyone stands up to leave to their next class. The visiting scientist grabs his shoulder as Yuri is going out, and he mutters into his ear, "I have a slip for you." He passes him a piece of paper with this message written on it:
Mr. Christophe Giacometti has granted Yuri Katsuki permission to not speak in your class. We had an experiment in Science class that caused him to be unable to speak correctly. Thank you.
Following that message was his fancy signature.
Yuri nods at him and puts the slip into his pocket. Isn't this just going to be a fantastic day.