Can Cats Eat Octopus? Chapter 7
AN: I'm finally on Winter break and finished my fall semester. Which means updating my books hopefully a lot more. And what better way to start the break with finally finishing up this long list of sorts of prologue chapters. These first 7 are finally finished, to introduce Neko, and sort of what the plot is going to be!
That's why there's a little thing at the end of this chapter that I was hesitant on adding, and I did last minute. But I think it helps move forward later story elements.
Now after this chapter I will going into the anime episodes with my own spin on them. They'll still follow the story of each episode for the most part, but some things will be changed with the addition of Neko in the class!
Anyways, I hope you all enjoy and thank you all so much for reading! I don't own Assassination Classroom, just the OC!
/
The group and I stood outside of the classroom in the hallway after we ate. Where they began to tell me the plan for their assassination attempt. I stood next to Okuda and Kayano with the boys standing in front of us. Nagisa was right in front of me with his small little flip book in his hands.
"Okay so we have this plan we want to do in Home Ec after lunch." I nodded listening to him.
"Okay… Do I have to do the killing?" I asked a little worried. I really don't want to deliver the killing blow…
"No don't worry about it Neko! You're actually our distraction!" Sugino assured standing next to the blue haired boy, which I don't know if that really helped make me feel better.
Nagisa just nodded continuing his explanation of the plan, "we've learned from experience that if Koro Sensei has his eyes on you strongly, he'll be more prepared to face whatever you throw at him. Since you're a new student, we think that he will have the majority of his attention on you. Waiting for you to make a move, unsuspecting of us when we deliver the killing blow."
"You're pretty much bait." Karma teased oh so casually which really didn't make me feel better!
I glared at the smirking boy who was leaned up against the wall staring back at me.
"Thanks." I grumbled unamused.
"We'll be there though to help with you on your part!" Kayano replied referring to her and Okuda. I looked back at them confused on what do they mean by that.
"What we're making in Home Ec is a simple chocolate pudding recipe, it's something sweet so we know that Koro Sensei is excited about it. You'll be in a team with Okuda and Kayano, and we want you to try and get Koro Sensei to try and taste the pudding you'll be making that will have some chemicals Okuda made mixed in."
I looked back at Nagisa more confused, "wait but didn't you just say that since I'm the new student, he'll be looking at me?"
"That's right, so that's why it's going to be Kayano slipping in the chemicals. He'll be too busy to watch what you do to notice her." Sugino explained next.
I guess that makes sense. I'm quite sure though Kayano did not like the idea of poisoning pudding since she had such a look of somber on her face. It made me chuckle a little till my ears under my beanie moved at the sound of Okuda talking.
She meekly chimed in while she reached into her school bag that she brought out and pulled out a small vile with a corkscrew in to seal it. "I um… I made this a while ago… I just didn't know when to use it."
I looked at the small vile in her hands. It contained a clear liquid inside that just sort of looked like water. "What is it?" I asked while she let me hold it.
"It's a strong mixture of strong chemicals to make a very strong muscle relaxant. I made sure it didn't have any strong odors to it and hopefully will be tasteless when we mix it into the pudding…" She explained, and to test her statement, I opened the small bottle and sniffed inside. It didn't smell like anything too strong, which is a good thing cause I remember Nagisa's notes saying Koro Sensei has a good nose. Mine isn't that strong compared to a dog's nose, but it is stronger than an average human's.
I put the cork back in, handing the small bottle back to Okuda, "and are you sure it will work on him?"
"That's what we're hoping to try and find out. Hopefully it slows him down just enough for us to kill him. We'll wait for him to take it and then we all will strike." Nagisa elaborated.
It's really strange at how casually these guys are in talking about killing someone. I guess to save the world and when you're used to it here, you would think of it as another everyday thing. Gulping down the nerves, I nodded, "okay. Let's hope this works!"
After lunch was over, we all moved to the room where the class does Chemistry and Home Economics. Everyone stood in their stations with their aprons on. I got a spare apron as well, keeping my beanie on instead of the head scarf. Kayano, Okuda, and I all stood together at one station. While Karma, Nagisa, and Sugino were at their station close by us.
"Alright class! I trust you all have your recipes I have handed each station. You should have all ingredients with you, plus some extra if you want to make something bolder. But mostly just follow the directions accordingly." Koro Sensei instructed in front of the class in also a chef type outfit. Like a chef's jacket and even a hair net even though he didn't have any hair! "It's a fairly simple recipe to follow. But if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. I'd be happy to help and try all the chocolate pudding you make!"
He sounded very hopeful and hungry to try all the desserts that will be made this period. I looked back at the girls who looked at me with the same thought, 'he is definitely not going to like our pudding after we slip in the "special ingredient".'
After telling us we can begin, everyone went to work. I knew we have to make it look like we're not planning anything, so my group and I looked at all the ingredients in front of us. There was containers of sugar, flour, baking soda. Bags of chocolate chips and extra chocolate to spare. Then a jug of milk and water with a container of butter we grabbed from the fridge in the faculty supply room.
"Okay so it looks like we have to also make a whipped cream topping…" Kayano read aloud to us before she turned towards Okuda and I. "Neko can you start melting the chocolate in the milk, water and butter? We'll help mix in the ingredients."
Okuda and I nodded, before Kayano leaned and whispered for only us to hear. "We should leave… You know what, in the desk compartment."
Kayano leaning so close to us, taking the small bottle Okuda pulled out carefully, I caught a whiff of her scent like when Nagisa was close to me at lunch. Unlike Nagisa's her scent seemed a little off. Something unnatural, but I couldn't pinpoint it… Everyone has a distinct difference in their scent, even if they smell similar to something else, but this was different.
Oh well, maybe it's all the ingredients out or she's got some kind of perfume on.
When the vile was discreetly well hidden in the desk, me making sure Koro Sensei wasn't watching on the other side of the room, we all began working on the pudding bait.
I was slowly stirring the chocolate in the milk and butter on the small electric hot plate on our desks. The chocolate wasn't melting as fast as I would have wanted, it was actually taking quite a long time…
'Maybe if I turn up the heat higher it won't affect the pudding too badly.' I turned the nob a little higher while the girls were listing all the other ingredients needed. Separating the ones we needed to the ones we don't, but I was too busy raising the heat. It seemed to work a lot better as in a much faster time the chocolate and butter melted quickly with my stirring.
"And how are things going over here girls?" Almost all three of us jumped out of our skins when we didn't even notice Koro Sensei was making the rounds by us.
Quick! Try not to look guilty even though we haven't done anything yet!
"It's going alright!" I answered way too fast!
He looked over at me with his permanent grin and nodded, "that's good! Have you started making the whipped cream yet? It's quick but best to help get it over with so you can let it chill in the fridge a little longer."
"We will start on that right away sir!" Okuda responded just as fast as I did. She began to start mixing and making things for the whipped cream standing next to me.
Koro Sensei chuckled and nodded, "very well! Have fun and call me over if you need anything."
When he walked away farther, going past the boys, then to another table group farther in the room. All three of us let out a sigh of relief together.
"Do you think he already suspects anything?" I asked them in a hushed voice.
"If he did, that's probably why he was asking you mostly. Watching what you're doing." Kayano answered.
I let out another breath, feeling like my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I have no idea how these guys can plan an assassination attempt so calm daily. Though my nose did twitch when it smelt like something was off. Like something was… Burning?
"Umm, Neko?"
I looked at Okuda who was pointing at something in front of me. When moving my gaze to watch what she was pointing at, I immediately found where that burning smell was coming from! My pudding was sizzling and boiling like hot tar on the sun!
"Oh shrimp!" I exclaimed rushing to turn off the heat without getting splashed by hot chocolate! Fanning it quickly with my dish towel!
After that dilemma, all three of us looked into the pot. My ears flat under my hat as my nose still smelt the burning smell. Crispy edges all around.
"Did it… burn a lot?" Okuda asked worried with her hands closed together.
"I think it's fine!" I responded but not really sure about that myself. My nervous laughter not easing them either!
Kayano looked the most saddened at the burned alive chocolate. "At least we're not the ones trying it…" She mumbled dejectedly trying to find the bright side of it.
'She must really like chocolate to look so sad at this.'
"Are you guys okay?" We all turned at Nagisa's voice where the boys watched us confused and concerned.
"What happened?" Sugino questioned with his eyebrows confused the most.
But Karma more looked at us with a smirk, teasing, "did you burn it~?"
I huffed and shook my head, "no! It's perfectly fine!" I turned back and forth to the obviously not fine, burnt on the side chocolate, noticing Karma's smirk only seemed to grow more. I growled, "go back to your own food!"
The boys did just that while we went back to our own task at hand. It didn't appear that bad, so we all just continued going back to work. We needed it to look more presentable, so Koro Sensei can try it.
Okuda went back to making the whip cream while, now on a lower heat, I still stirred the chocolate. Kayano added the amount of salt and more chocolate mixture we needed till she paused looking for something.
Turning to her, I cocked my head to the side, "what's wrong Kayano?"
"We need two eggs but looks like we don't have any. I'll go to the fridge and get some."
I nodded when Okuda spoke awkwardly, "I finished the whip cream. Could you please take it there too?"
Kayano smiled, taking the bowl of whipped cream handed to her, "of course! Neko, I forgot to put flour in, could you put that in while I grab the eggs? It should be about one-third a cup."
"Okay." I agreed while she left to go over to where the fridge is, in the other room. When I went to get the flour, she said one-third cup… but I have honestly no idea what that means in cooking terms…
I stared at the different cups on the table even more confused! Was there a specific cup I needed?! I can pass the midterms to the 24th place, but I have no idea what to do in the kitchen apparently!
"Are you okay Neko?" Okuda asked concerned watching me.
I shook my head to her, smiling sheepishly. "I uh, don't know what 1/3 means… I've never really cooked before…"
I mostly order my food for takeout or go to Mom's place if I want a home cook meal. I just don't really cook.
"Oh, would you like my help? It's okay if not!" She seemed so shy.
Quickly nodding, taking her offer, I pleaded, "yes please!"
Seeming happy and relieved I let her, Okuda walked over to my side and picked up one of the clean clear cups, pointing to a line with the numbers one-third on it in red. "You need to fill it up with flour up to this line on the measuring cup." She explained kindly handing me the cup.
"That makes a lot more sense! I was just about to fill up one cup completely between three of them." I joked taking the measuring cup. "Could you stir please while I grab the flour?"
Okuda nodded with a brighter still small smile, taking my place and spoon continuing what I was doing.
I went to where all the other ingredients were, trying to find which one was the flour. It's the thin white powder that's not crystal looking, so I chose the nearest one to that on the table.
"It's a good thing you're a lot better at this then I am." I complimented Okuda to make conversation.
Going back over to her, she seemed a little flushed at the praise, before turning to look at the pot she was stirring slowly and naturally. "I think it's because Home Ec reminds me a lot of Chemistry. Mixing ingredients or chemicals to make something else. Though I prefer chemistry more in all honesty. Koro Sensei helped me though to branch out more, realize things are connected. Like chemistry, cooking, or talking to others."
I listened to her talk while pouring the powder I scooped into the mixture. "That's really amazing! All of those and learning to do something different but similar to your hobby, it's really incredible."
"Yeah! Though I hope to become more sociable with people. That's what Koro Sensei says will help me in the future."
"Hey as long as you're trying right?!" I encouraged with a thumbs up. "It takes practice."
Okuda gave a small laugh and nodded, "right!"
She really reminded me a lot of my friend Hebi. While she seems to love chemistry more, Hebi is more into biology and medical science. But they both are shy and awkward, it's kind of ironic. 'Maybe I can give that same advice Koro Sensei gave Okuda to him. If he also didn't fear humans more than all of us.'
I chuckled before looking back at our ingredients wondering if we were forgetting something else besides the eggs. Wait I don't remember if Kayano put sugar in or not… 'Eh a little more sugar wouldn't hurt. And I think we need to add vanilla in it too from the instructions.'
I grabbed the bottle of white crystals closest to me and shook some of it out to the pudding before pouring a little vanilla into the pot that was stirring still against the spoon.
But something doesn't seem right… Is there supposed to be little chunks, along with the burnt parts I did floating up to the top? And a strange brown color to it?
Okay I know chocolate is brown, but this was a very off color of brown. Like an unappetizing sort of brown… Like a greenish tint to it…?
"Hey Okuda, does that look right to you?"
Okuda had also a perplexed expression fixing her glasses. I leaned my head closer to see the mixture.
"It does look a little off… It's also not thickening like it should by this time."
We both stared at it before looking back at each other unsure.
"Hey girls! I'm back! Sorry I took so long." Kayano came back to us excitedly with two eggs in her hands.
We turned back to her suddenly, and I gave a nervous smile unsure if I should tell her that the pudding is starting to not look like a pudding. But more like something I would see in my work's public restroom…
I kept silent though as the green haired girl went to Okuda's other side and began cracking the eggs into the contents. Though while they all stirred together, it made whatever was inside the pot look even worse. I now even smell something was off now from where I stood!
Kayano seemed to take notice as well this was not looking like pudding! All three of us stared at the pot, before moving our heads up to stare at each other.
She was the first to break the silence, "did you guys already pour in the 'special ingredient'?" She asked just as lost as we were referring to the chemical mixture still in the desk!
I only just shook my head slowly to her.
We all stared at the pot again, before another figured loomed over us to look. "Oh my what happened here?!"
Koro Sensei looked over us to our 'pudding' with even his head tilting too. He didn't spook us like last time, but I think it was because we were just so confused to react!
"We don't really know…" Kayano awkwardly told the teacher with a sheepish smile.
"Really? Maybe some ingredients got mixed up?" He hummed in thought before using one tentacle hand to take the spoon from Okuda's hands. "Well, I'm sure the taste should be alright! Let me try it really quick and see."
Okuda, Kayano and I gave each other worried looks thinking the exact same thing! 'Oh crap! We didn't add the muscle relaxer!'
All three of us quickly looked at the Karma and the others who were watching, now with their knives ready. Their eyes were more watching Koro Sensei then at us and if only we could tell them not yet with our own eyes!
'Abort abort! Do not engage!' I wanted to scream but couldn't as Koro Sensei ate what was on the spoon already!
Then time just seemed to stand still or going slow before Koro Sensei dropped the spoon completely to the floor! It shocked us, even a couple of students at their stations around us!
Even more surprising, Koro Sensei began to groan in pain! He was hunched over like his stomach was hurting, and right before the boys could even attack, they paused momentarily absolutely lost like us! Even if we did put the muscle laxer in, it wasn't supposed to be poisonous. To at least him I think! So why does he look like he's having digestive issues?!
"Uh K- Koro Sensei?" I asked worriedly, but before I could say anything else, the giant yellow octopus flew right out of the room! Definitely now getting everyone's attention! The wind was intense we all had to shield ourselves!
"What the hell just happened?!" I heard Maehara exclaim with a few other students murmuring in confusion.
"Did you guys just actually kill him?" Nakamura asked as well with everyone's eyes on my group and me!
All I could do was just shrug with my eyes wide at them. "I honestly don't know."
Did he actually die?! Was my help with the cooking that bad to kill him?! How have these guys been taking months to try, yet I just showed up and murdered the octopus without an actual weapon, just with disgusting pudding!
I thought this was the case till not even seconds later, the giant cephalopod returned to the classroom! Though his appearance was slightly different then what I've seen before…
His round head was all shriveled up like a raisin, and had a completely yellowish green color to it! Koro Sensei's mouth wasn't even smiling anymore, but was squigglier in a disgusted type of look and form. Was it really that bad?!
"Oh my that was a lot of baking soda in that batch! There was also way too much salt and not a pinch of sugar." Koro Sensei wheezed out as if he had no air in him! He looked back towards my group and I, "did you girls put poison in it?"
All three of us looked at each other, but I admitted the truth. "Um ironically no… We tried following the directions. I did burn it a little, but I don't remember putting in baking soda and…"
Hold up!
I quickly went back to where I was when I was the one who had to pour in the ingredients when Kayano left! I grabbed the jar I thought was flour and the shaker I thought was sugar, tasting them before I cringed at the taste!
"I accidentally put in these instead of the right ingredients! I totally botched up the whole thing!" I groaned putting my head down in shame.
Hearing Kayano chuckle she patted my back assuring, "it's okay Neko! There's no need to worry."
Peeking over at her, I pouted a little sighing gloomily, "yeah… but I also messed up the…" I wasn't sure if I should admit to the assassination attempt with our target standing so close to us.
"Are you talking about not putting in this bottle of chemicals I'm sure Okuda made for an assassination attempt you guys were trying to do?"
My head turned almost a completely 180 degrees. When we all looked at Koro Sensei now back to a normal yellow look, before he chuckled and held up the bottle that was just in the desk!
"How did you?!"
"Oh, I knew someone would be planning something like this! After all, with quick knowledge of experience, I'm sure a plan of knowing my eyes would be on the new student in class, it would seem easy to slip in something when I was keeping a close watch." He explained while smiling wider looking behind him to both Karma and Nagisa who kind of looked away. And even the red head had a look of embarrassment and annoyance which was something I was more surprised about!
But hearing that Koro Sensei knew this whole time made my ears drop as I began to pick and fiddle with my nails in front of me.
"I guess I really aren't cut out for this class…" I mumbled more to myself.
However, a yellow tentacle hand landed on my beanie covered head making me freeze stiffening. "On the contrary! You may have failed, but you collaborated extremely well with your team and accepted the job despite being inexperienced! The whole point of our class is to not just kill me, but to also work with your classmates with an attempt that you're proud of. It was a perfect opportunity for you to get closer to your peers on your first day."
I looked up this tall octopus teacher, and while it all felt like a strange dream still, I did feel a sense of pride and encouragement. Looking around, I made eye contact with Nagisa, Sugino, and Karma, then looked between me at Kayano and Okuda. He was right, I got to know a little more about them thanks to this attempt. It made me smile as they smiled back at me.
"Since this was your first assassination," Koro Sensei continued gaining back my attention, "would you like me to still drink this to make you feel better?"
"Uh…" Before I could even answer, Koro Sensei removed the cap, opened his mouth, and poured the liquid in!
The boys got their knives ready, but still as confused as I that he actually drunk it! When Koro Sensei gulped it down and sighed like he just had a refreshing beverage!
"Ah an extraordinarily strong muscle relaxer! It's got a high amount of baclofen mashed and then put into a liquid. It would definitely knock out an average human, perhaps even slow me down somewhat! But not slow enough to get hit by three teenage boys attacking me I'm sure~." He teased looking back once more to the boys behind him with a demeaning chuckle making them put back their weapons.
"If it doesn't have that much of an effect on you sir," Nagisa began, "then why is your face all rainbow colors and sparkling?"
He was right! Koro Sensei's face just suddenly became all the colors of the rainbow with a shiny translucent sparkle look to it!
"Oh, that's probably still the effects of Neko's bad pudding."
I have no idea why, but that made me bust out laughing. "Alright alright," I tried saying in between laughs, covering my mouth with my hand and my other arm holding my sides, "I get it! Gordon Ramsey I am not."
My joke made a few others chuckle as well, while I kept trying to hold in my laughter. When I settled down, I looked back at Kayano and Okuda grateful. "Thanks for your help you guys." I chuckled while looking back at the boys again saying to them. "I'm still sorry I ruined the plan."
"Don't sweat it Neko!" Sugino assured putting his harms behind his head.
Nagisa agreed adding on, "yeah. Plus, there will be plenty more attempts before the end of the year!"
I was glad they weren't upset about my screw up. I looked at Karma next though. And he just smiled a little when we made eye contact, before jeering, "I just didn't think your cooking would be so bad that it would actually almost get the job done on its own."
I fake laughed rolling my eyes still smiling, "ha ha ha. At least it was fun!"
"That's right!" Koro Sensei chimed with his tentacle hand on my shoulder this time, his other pointed up like when we first met. I looked up at his now back to normal yellow face as he spoke, "the main point is having fun with others! A project, even an assassination attempt here in our classroom, can be fun when you have made new friends. I knew they would include you into this, and I'm so proud I was right, because it's an effective way to make anyone feel welcomed! Build a new trust in someone."
"Little activities like this, or playing a game during PE, showing a new student around the school, helping them when they're hurt, or even passing notes in class~…"
His little shifty pause, and I think even his grin got bigger, made my whole body turn into a statue! And I'm fairly sure from the corner of my eye I could see Karma staring at the both of us, with an instant bothered look before turning his head away.
'He knew this whole freaking time! Now I really want to crawl into a hole and die!' I mentally screamed in my brain.
"I wanted to make sure you were made comfortable here. It's okay to be nervous, but don't hesitate to welcome and try new things. Life is full of unexpected, unplanned activities. Finding a brighter and fun way with them, with new people, can make the activities a lot easier to do."
His advice made me smile. Even through my embarrassment. "Thank you, Koro Sensei!"
"Of course! And besides, you will have plenty of opportunities to get that juicy reward of killing me! If you can~." He laughed his taunting laugh with a green striped face.
I tilted my head to the side, not understanding what he meant. "'Reward'? There's a reward for killing you?"
"Weren't you told Neko?" Sugino asked as I looked at him shaking my head.
"If any of us kill him, the reward money is 10 billion in cold hard cash." Nagisa explained!
Hearing that was so shocking, so crazy, I almost stumbled back a bit! Catching myself quickly on the desk station behind me.
"Neko!" Kayano and Okuda exclaimed, coming close in case I was falling.
"Are you okay?" Okuda asked worried.
'Ten billion moola?! Holy mackerel! That could buy me all the seafood I want! I could retire and live wealthy with my own private apartment!' I fantasized about living in a big house, a whole platter of sushi beside me as I laid on a grand sofa in front of a fireplace. Living like a queen!
"Someone get me a knife! I am so gonna kill you this time Koro Sensei!" I proclaimed, and before I could even try, he moved away fast to the other side of the station laughing!
"Well, I wish you good luck with that~! First I suggest you clean up your station. I'll give you three a C only because of the assassination, but you failed the pudding assignment! I can't believe you could make a pudding that terrible!" He cried with fake crocodile tears while he left to check on other teams.
The girls and I groaned but it wasn't too disheartening, as we just looked at each other and giggled together. We began to clean up the mess we made, and the boys from the other station came to help us. As it was a little messier from Koro Sensei sudden flying off.
Okuda put away the ingredients, Sugino grabbed wipes for a few spills that happened, Nagisa and Kayano began throwing away the trash. While I was left to pour out and clean the pot of "poisoned" pudding I made. After dumping the contents in the trash bin at the station, I began trying to scrub it in the sink in the back.
"Need some help?" I heard the familiar playful tone ask behind me.
I looked at Karma, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks before giggling and nodding. "Sure! Just don't eat any."
He chuckled going to the other side of the pot to help hold while I scrubbed, "oh I was definitely not planning on that. I actually like living."
I know he's trying to get a rise out of me, but he was so close to me! My heart was not shutting up! The world was brighter. Taking a deep breath to calm myself and act naturally.
'Calm down Neko! Get yourself under control. You don't need to start acting like this over the guy as he's just helping you scrub a pot you nearly melted into flames. You're here to figure out why he makes you feel like this, not to let it control you. Especially with now a whole new situation in this class.'
This class…
It's strange. I came here for only one reason; I didn't think that that one thing would drop me into a whole new world. Everyone here is already so interesting, and I don't mind getting to know them all as the year goes on!
Taking a quick glance at Karma, I let out a sigh from my nose.
'It will definitely all be worth it! This Assassination Classroom will be worth it! I'm even more excited to begin learning a lot here now.'
White lights shone brightly, occasionally flickering above a chilled looking old hospital hallway. The marble tiles on the floor getting drenched from the leaky pipes above the corners, with the water droplets being the only source of sound. The white wallpaper peeled from the sides.
Mice scurried quickly on the floor though when a high-pitched feminine scream rang through the halls, bouncing off the surfaces.
The cries sounded as if in pain but also in frustration. As if what they were trying to do was hard on their body, and pain being so intense on them. Yet they couldn't stop. As the screams rang throughout the hospital halls, another sound from a creaked open door came through a dark room.
In the room, two sources of light shone inside. One from a TV, the other from the dim moonlight in the window.
The screams suddenly stopped, as now the TV's speakers being the only source of sound. It was of a news broadcast; where all it talked about was the moon's explosion. How there are no sources or understandings of what may have caused the permanent crescent to appear.
In the room in front of the window, stood a large desk with a swivel chair behind it. The chair faced the window as a feminine arm rested on the arm of the chair. Holding nothing but a glass of red wine. Swiveling the blood red contents as she was clearly listening to the TV.
The figure was obviously staring up out of the window to look at the crescent moon and stars, which shone down on the forest outside. The chill air even more evident outside the building. A remote cold seclusive area. Only trees as far as the eye can.
"Ma'am," a male voice spoke up when a young man in professional attire walked into the dim office. His outfit consisted of a white button up and black slacks holding a tablet in his arms. His voice made the woman stop turning the wine to focus on him. He continued, "ma'am, I regret to inform you that the 'subject' and volunteer both did not make it."
"I see." Was all the voice of a much older woman said before taking her glass and sipping the red wine. "Let me ask you something, mister Jones. How much nuclear power would it take to blow up the moon? It must've been a lot now don't you think?"
"I don't follow madam…"
"Such a scientific discovery, wouldn't it be interesting to understand? If only brilliant minds were actually on such a project. Maybe then it would be successful."
"Ma'am, the subject matter." Jones reminded, fixing his glasses. Running his hands through his short slick backed dirty blonde hair. He looked down at his tablet, pressing a few spots, "another volunteer will be expected to give- "
"How long has it been?"
The young assistant sighed, annoyed at being interrupted, "pardon?"
The arm went back to resting on the chair, with the wine glass now emptier. "How long has it been? Since we last had a successful subject?"
"Over 14 years madam. We have tried to replicate the methods of DNA testing and transferring, but since the incident then, our doctors and scientists have been unable to succeed."
"'14 years'… time sure does fly by when you're having fun. Doesn't it?" Without even looking, the woman's other arm reached behind her to open a drawer in the desk. She pulled out a bottle of wine, pouring more into the glass. "We've stopped looking for them, haven't we?"
Nodding, Jones answered, "yes ma'am. Every time we find a lead of their whereabouts, it's either false or they have already left without a trace. You thought it best to start over on the project."
"That's true... But we never realized that we already had the perfect 'volunteers' to complete what we started." Bringing the glass she refilled to her lips, there was a long scar that ran on the side of her wrinkled older face, from her ear to across the corners of her lips. Before she took a sip, her lips formed a smirk, "search again. Search harder."
Jones nodded his head again, "very well. We shall look again."
"Good. Hire the best people to track them down. After all," eyes that shined like gold looked up over the glass towards the crescent moon. Her wrinkled crooked grin growing wider, "I truly do miss my pets~."