CHAPTER 2: DYNAMICS
WORD COUNT: 2,472
Flip soon became a regular presence in the lab, usually coming in with Fred. She'd occasionally bring snacks to share, making sure to clean up afterwards. Especially after learning from Tadashi that a wayward piece of leftover food had been the cause of their little pizza incident during her first visit.
She turned out to be quite the science enthusiast, somewhat like Fred. Though much of what the SFIT students did made her head spin, she loved being around them. Their work seemed amazing and definitely promising. However, she never stayed as much as the school mascot did, usually mentioning classes she had to go to after being in the lab for an hour or two at the most.
It was for that reason that around two weeks later, Wasabi asked, "You're not a student here... Right?" The girl in question nodded slowly, sipping at the soda she was holding. "So which school do you go to? San Fransokyo University? Kogane District College? Nerima Tech?"
Flip blushed slightly, mumbling behind her soda can.
"What was that?" Gogo asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
"Easy there, Gogo. Don't bite her head off." Wasabi said, putting a hand on the speedster's shoulder. His hand immediately retracted when Gogo glared at him.
"I..." Flip pulled nervously at a strand of hair. "I'm not going to college right now..."
"You're out of school?..." Tadashi muttered more to himself, though it was still loud enough for the girl in question to hear.
The statement made her feel small... very small... surrounded by a group of geniuses attending one of the most prestigious schools in San Fransokyo. The Hamada almost wanted to hit himself when he saw Flip curl into herself slightly, her shoulders drooping as she stared at her hands, playing with her thumbs.
The only reason she didn't completely clam up or probably even run was Fred, who backed her up enthusiastically.
"That may be true. But she teaches!" He said, grinning widely and patting the top of Flip's head. She glared slightly at her friend for the action, but she was feeling too grateful toward him to really burn a hole through his skull. "Imagine her being like a mentor or... or a professor! Like Professor Cal!"
"Oh really? Wow." Honey Lemon piped up, her eyes wide with interest. "What do you teach?"
"It's nothing big." Flip fidgeted a bit. "I just teach a few dance classes at the recreational center." She said a bit more strongly, gaining confidence with the encouraging looks thrown to her by both Tadashi and Wasabi. Though if you looked closely, the tips of her ears were turning slightly pink.
"I also work as a freelance choreographer. That's how I bumped into Fredzilla over here." She grinned, punching said guy lightly on the shoulder. "I was helping choreograph a short number for SFIT's next big game."
"Oh! OH!" Honey Lemon clapped her hands excitedly. "Could you show us some of your moves?"
Flip looked around, "Well... I'd really love to. But I don't think the lab is really the best place for that." She shrugged, gesturing to the equipment and the other people who were milling around the room.
"Nonsense!" Fred stood up. "I have enough room for my sign spinning! I'm pretty sure my part of the lab has enough space for you to show off."
The SFIT mascot had a point there. It was actually the slower hours of the lab, with fewer people, who were taking breaks themselves, but Flip's hesitance came a from there actually being other people in the room rather than the possibility that she might accidentally mess up someone's work. She gulped a bit nervously.
Come on. If you can teach a class full of kids, teens, and adults, you can do this.
The choreographer couldn't really say no when Fred jumped up and started clearing a little more room for her, Wasabi moving to help. Even Gogo moved to the side, leaning on a table instead of sitting on the floor.
Honey Lemon was verily bouncing with excitement as she hooked her phone to a speaker, scrolling through her tracks.
"You're making a really big deal out of this." Flip flushed, groaning, but stretching just the same.
"You've gotta admit, we're all pretty curious how you earned your nickname." Tadashi moved a box of Fred's things, placing it on top of the table, before grabbing a bag of potato chips.
She looked at the Hamada, laughing nervously, "If that's all you want to know, I can just tell you. I really don't need to actually dance-"
A pop song began playing loudly, and Flip turned to see Fred now standing beside Honey, the chemist's phone in the fanboy's hands.
"Seriously, Fred?"
She got a body like an hourglass
But I can give it to you all the time
"It has a nice beat to it!" The mascot argued.
She got a booty like a Cadillac
But I can send you into overdrive oh
Flip turned beet red, rubbing two hands over her face, and breathing deeply. I am going to kill you. She mouthed, eyes narrowed at her friend.
Tadashi almost thought she would settle for strangling Fred while the music played on in the background, but when the introductory lines of the song were over, she opened her eyes, a gleam in her grey orbs.
Stop and wait, wait for that, stop, hold up, swing your bat
She started dancing.
See anybody could be bad to you, you need a good girl to blow your mind, yeah
Her arms snapped with her body, feet stomping, and hips swaying to the beat of the song. An almost smirk grew on her lips as she whipped her head back, ginger hair flying, as she spun and turned.
Bang bang all over you (I'll let you have it)
Wait a minute let me take you there (ah)
Wait a minute 'til ya (ah)
Bang bang there goes your heart (I know you want it)
Back, back seat of my car (I'll let you have it)
Wait a minute let me take you there (ah)
Wait a minute 'til ya (ah)
Her knees bent as her legs kicked, arms swinging and locking to the lyrics. And at the end of the first chorus, she took three quick steps before doing an aerial cartwheel, elbows bent just enough to keep her hands from touching the floor.
Flip's eyes closed again as her feet landed back on the ground, her chest heaving as she let out a deep breath. The music continued to play as she straightened.
Her eyes opened when Fred clapped a hand on her back. "And that is why she's Flip." He grinned. "Awesome cartwheel, by the way."
Tadashi wondered if Fred chose her nickname simply because of her aerial maneuver, or how she almost seemed to switch personalities when she was dancing. Whatever the case, the one word that seemed to form in his mind was, "Wow."
"That was really good, Flip!" Honey smiled widely, holding the redhead's hands in her own. Maybe next time, you can do a full number!"
Wasabi was nodding in agreement.
Flip smiled, ears tinging pink again, the light blush reaching her cheeks. "Maybe, wh-"
"Oh. OH!" Honey bounced again in front of the ginger. The choreographer feeling a bit nervous thinking about what the chemist would ask her to do now. "Tadashi! You have that new dynamics project right? Flip could make a wonderful reference!"
Both Quinn and Tadashi stared at the blonde girl. Quinn wondering what her words meant, though curious about this "project", and Tadashi feeling a blush creep up his neck with another one of Honey's attempts at pushing them together.
"Dynamics project?" Flip asked, looking at the Hamada, who was stuttering as she faced her.
"Th-The project's all about movement. Our Dynamics professor wants us to try modifying old programs, or making our own programs to mimic movement using a... umm... reference model." Tadashi said the last two words slowly, hand coming up to scratch at the back of his neck nervously.
The redhead took a few seconds to process his words. "Do you mean... Like how they use actors as base models for video games and animations?"
"Y-yeah. Just like that."
'Come on Hamada. Why did you make yourself sound like a perv?' Tadashi mentally kicked himself.
"You want me to be a base model?"
The robotics student fidgeted a bit awkwardly. "If that's okay with you-"
"Definitely." She grabbed Tadashi's shoulders, making his eyes widen in surprise at the close contact. Flip rolled back and forth on her heels and toes, trying to suppress her excitement at being part of an actual science project. "That sounds really fun! Would it be like-"
"Two forty-seven." Gogo said simply, making the redhead cut her spiel short and look at her watch.
"Oh, crap." Flip let go of Tadashi, readjusting the straps of her backpack, "Anyway, I've gotta go be a mentor." She grinned at the word, probably finding it amusing. "Thanks for the reminder, Gogo." The dark-haired girl nodded in acknowledgement, chewing at her gum.
Tadashi watched Flip pull down Fred's beanie over his face as she passed behind the fanboy. He noted how it seemed to be a normal thing between the two. "See yah, Fredzilla!" She said, putting the new set of comics she borrowed from him on a side table. "Thanks again for these." She grinned at the light-haired boy.
"Sure thing. No problemo." Fred said easily. "I'll have the next few issues with me tomorrow." The choreographer clicked her tongue and pointed at Fred with her thumb and index finger in a shooting motion, before winking.
"Don't you forget them! I'm at a good part of the story!" She then turned to the rest of the group. "See you when I see you, guys." Flip smiled at each of them, stopping by the Hamada to grab a handful of chips from the bag he was holding.
"Good luck with your project. Just text me if you need me! Go science!" She said with two thumbs up, a grin plastered on her face. Gogo rolled her eyes at the words, but Flip just laughed it off. With that, the ginger exited the lab.
"Hey Tadashi, don't forget to remind me again about those comics. Last time I forgot and she was at a 'good part'," Fred made quotation marks with his fingers, "She really went ballistic. I thought she was gonna literally breathe fire." The fanboy's eyes glazed slightly at the memory. "Oh yeah, that reminds me of something else. Honey, I wanted to ask something."
"What is it, Freddie?" Honey adjusted her pink glasses as she looked at him.
"Well, I was wondering... Could you make a formula to make me a fire breathing monster at will?" Fred began stomping around with his arms up, his hands angled like claws. "Then I could literally breathe fire." He motioned with his head, mimicking a monster exhaling flames. He looked at the blonde eagerly.
"I'm sorry, Fred. But I don't think that's really science." She said gently, apologizing.
"Really? Come on! I'm sure it's possible! Imagine how awesome that would be! And how can that not be science? Tadashi?" The fanboy looked to the Hamada for support, but the robotics student looked slightly distracted.
"Helloooo? Earth to Tadashi." Fred waved his arms, garnering his friend's attention.
"Yeah, I won't forget to text you about the comics." Tadashi said a bit absently, taking and eating a potato chip.
"I think he's too far gone." Wasabi mock whispered to the fanboy, moving to go back to his work.
"What?" Tadashi looked confused, attention now snapping to the conversation.
"You were so spaced out, you didn't even back me up, dude! Now Honey won't make me that monster formula."
The Hamada cocked his head to the side, even more confused. The discussion went completely over his head.
"It's so cute! He doesn't even realize it yet!" Honey giggled.
Tadashi groaned, getting an idea of the subject when the chemist voiced her opinion.
"I think he has an idea." Wasabi said from his work space.
"When are you going to woman up and actually do something about it?" Gogo questioned, bubblegum popping as she looked at Tadashi, who was hastily threw the empty bag of potato chips in the trash.
"Guys!" The robotics student was flustered by all his friends' teasing. "Fine! I think Quinn's kinda cute, and I might have a small crush on her. Happy?" At the end of his little declaration, the robotics student pulled the bill of his cap over his face at his friends' grins and wide smiles. "Fred, aren't you going to say something? Everybody's trying to pair me up with Quinn! She's your best friend, isn't she?"
"Yes. Yes she is." Fred said, turning serious. He moved, standing right in front of the robotics student, and put two firm hands on his friend's shoulders. Tadashi had never really seen Fred like this. He gulped at the hard look the SFIT mascot was giving him, almost fearing what the fanboy would say next. "Which is why it makes it my duty to make sure she goes out with a nice guy."
Tadashi gaped.
"Besides, I think you need someone to help you lighten up once in a while." The comic-enthusiast clapped his friend on the back. "Dude, sometimes, even I can't get to you when you're caught up in your work!"
Whachaaaah!
The sound of swords clashing rang out. Fred dug out his phone from his pocket, reading the message he just received.
"Aaand... she just texted me to give her number to you, since she forgot to give it to you before she left." Fred grinned, showing the Hamada the message.
Tadashi floundered for a few seconds, "It's for my dynamics project!" He finally said defensively, feeling the blush now spreading from his neck to his cheeks. He walked robotically back to his portion of the lab, trying hard not to pay too much attention to the sly looks everyone seemed to be giving him.
He relaxed slightly when he got to his table, trying to come to terms with his embarrassment, when his phone suddenly buzzed.
A contact was attached to the message that read:
Have fun with your "research". XD
Tadashi turned beet red at Fred's text, almost chucking his phone out the window.
A/N: Thanks to everybody who read and reviewed. The song I used in this story is "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj. If you want an idea for what Flip did for her little demo, just go to youtube and search "Bang Bang choreography" by Mega Jam or by Jason Rodrigues. I imagine Flip doing something that mixes the two choreographies.
Thoughts? Review please.