2336/Dont Jump! Gravity!

Dont Jump! Gravity!
Date of Scene:	23 February 2025
Location:	Radiant Heart Academy
Synopsis:	Due to an unfortunately propensity to high ledges, Entrapta nearly gets killed. But is saved by a cat and PHYSICS!
Cast of Characters:	281, Veronica Perenna
Tinyplot:	Flameborn Façade

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Entrapta (281) has posed:
Entrapta is measuring the rooftop.

On her hands and knees, weird girl number fifty-seven is crawling the roof, tape measure in hand, and mumbling. "Not enough room for that, but maybe that other one with the wider array? Two times as many emitters, but open space needs...hrm. Public area though, have to...doors? Not sure."

She extends her tape, then turns and looks into a corner. Extending the tape into there, beside the air vents, she shakes her head. Then turns, and whacks her noggin on a nearby outcropping. She winces, scrunches up her nose, then measures what she hit.

She's inches from falling off, though. It's actually possible she might measure herself to death, if she's not careful. She's not exactly being super-alert about things. As she continues her subtle rant. "Maybe I can remove some of the protrusions. They don't need them all, not if I redesign the electric..."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica had learnt to give a lot of appreciation to the rooftop in the last few weeks. When Norie was busy in the classroom or with other activities, and when she didn't feel like staying at the cafè, this space was perfect. The solitude, fresh air, beautiful vista, and if the weather allowed, lots of sun for a good nap.

And since the purification of that relic earlier, had somehow given her back the ability to speak a human language, that's all the more reason to appreciate hardly nobody being around.

Hardly nobody.

Today was one of the few exceptions, and when Entrapta came in, Veronica did the thing she always does when she sees someone she thinks is mundane come in. A cat she may be, but she still isn't very inclined at being treated like a dumb animal.

She stays still in a corner, watching the girl measure anything that could be measured, preparing to flee somewhere else when she starts approaching her corner.

Except then the purple-haired girl starts dangerously dangling herself off the rooftop. Does she have a death wish? "Hey, watch out!" Veronica shouts, approaching Entrapta in a rush and biting into her shirt to try and pull her back. She has the strength of a cat though, so she is unlikely to be accomplishing much.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
So you know when you THINK that you're alone, and someone comes up on you? It appears that Eternians (not humans) also suffer from minor freakouts when that happens, and for all the cute kitty's attempt to help, purple-haired weirdo does a slight flailing moment when she's suddenly being pulled by a cat.

That talks. Can't miss that detail, as it might be important later.

Arms flailing, gravity working just fine, which is not good right now Entrapta's left heel steps back onto nothing. She tries to reach out with her hair, but her hair has been rendered inactive by RIDICULOUS EARTH MAGIC and it does nothing of any use at all to help.

Oh bugger, I have to rely on my own upper body strength? "So, we're going to die," the girl says to the cat, the both of them dangling off the side. She somehow managed to save her measuring tape, but she was certain that she'd dropped it. Small miracles I suppose.

"Feel...free..to use magic, and help," she suggests. She's clearly not strong.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Predictably, Veronica's efforts are for naught, and what's worse, the other girl starts flailing, sliding down the building and dragging the russian blue with herself.

Oh, gosh, no, no, no, no. She hasn't yet tested the supposed ability of cats to fall down on their paws, and this is not how she wants to test it.

"You really think so?", Veronica says sarcastically. It comes out muffled, given her mouth is presently holding onto Entrapta's shirt and the only thing keeping her away from a huge fall.

Her paws move, clinging to Entrapta's side so she can have more of a insurance against falling. She tries climbing up the girl's body slowly, doing very small progress.

"Can't, I don't actually have powers, not right now", Veronica replies, trying her best to keep a solid grip on Entrapta. No claws, of course. She is keeping them retracted. She doesn't want to hurt her, after all.

"If I had them, I would have used them first instead of biting into your shirt."

Entrapta (281) has posed:
"Maybe. I think so, but.." the girl isn't exactly making a lot of sense, but that's hardly any change now is it? "Jump off," she says, her arms pulling her. Slipping. Trying to scrabble for purchase.

She bites her lip, her eyes looking around rapidly. "I've got 'n idea," she manages. Then her hands slip, and she falls a foot. Adrenaline keeps her from plummeting, but only barely.

Gasping for oxygen, she says, "Hurry?" Seems she's not concerned about the claws. To be fair, she does seem to be wearing work clothes so might have some protection.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica doesn't let it be said twice and she pulls herself upwards as fast as she can, slipping down sometimes, but making steady process overall. She really isn't looking forward to when she will be on the roof, and Entrapta will still be dangling there, though.

One last small leap and the russian blue cat jumps onto the purple-haired girl's head, and from there onto the roof and to safety. Her tail starts swishing nervously when she turns around to look at Entrapta.

"How do I help you? Can you resist while I look for help? Should I do something else?" She admittedly feels dismayed about how useless her attempt to help had been, and having to watch Entrapta dangling in the void struggling to breathe doesn't make it any better.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
"Wrap..." her voice says, as she extends her measuring tape toward the cat. She does it with her thumb, her fingers busy. Lifting her head, the young lady (?) motions to a pipe she'd charted, and it's not far away. Looks sturdy.

Below, the measuring tape's main part is released, letting the heavy part extend downward. And she wraps her feet in the length. If the other end is attached to something, she'll have some kind of footing to push herself back up.

"Justgetitbackto me!" she says in one breath, her fingers dying here, dying! Well not literally dying, but the lactic acid buildup is definitely occurring. An interesting experimental moment and not one to be overlooked.

Might want to hurry though.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
There are alternating glances between the tape and the pipe, as she wonders whether she is actually able to do such a thing. The space between the pipe and the wall isn't much, but she knows that cats, and her own Emery too, seem to behave like liquid sometimes, so time to test her flexibility.

Biting into the tape, she ignores the instinct to spit the unpleasant taste out of her mouth, and she actually manages to fluidly fit into the interstitial space, and after a few quick anxious trips around it, she has made it tight enough for Entrapta.

"I got it!", Veronica rushes back with the other extremity, carrying it as close to Entrapta's hands as she can reach, hoping that this is going to be enough.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
Entrapta reaches. Then her hands slip, and as she's grabbing, she falls! "Ack!" But the measuring tape goes with her, right over the ledge as she vanishes!

And then...SCIENCE! The friction of the tape on the pipe, increasing the necessary coefficient required to move. The wrap around her feet. The momentary loosening giving her enough time to wrap it around her wrist. The line jolts, and then stops. And her head reappears over the edge.

Moments later she's laying on the roof top, breathing heavily as she stares into the sky. She really fell, she actually did.

"The math worked," she says, grinning. "Knew it'd work. Saved by ..." breathe. Another breath. "Nevermind. Hey, hi there."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Hey there. Hey there. Is that all she had to say? They almost died. She almost died.

That's pretty much all that passes through Veronica's mind, watching the girl's eerie calm with utter shock. Is she being for real? Or is she that unaware about her carelessness?.

"Had you not seen how much distance there was between you and the ground? Why did you even try that!?", the russian blue raises her voice, her tail lowered worriedly behind her. "I am not sure you know how lucky we have been."

Especially since she noticed her inability to drag the other girl away. Which was very obvious in hindsight, but she still doesn't feel that good about it.

"Please try to be more mindful of your surroundings", she sighs, ears flattened on her head. "You will be forgetting I ever talked in a few minutes, so try to remember not to do it again, ok?" Veronica is still under the impression Entrapta is on the other side of the Veil.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
The girl sits up as she's berated. She blows her hair out of her face, lips puffing. Then she pulls the rest of it aside, having quite a lot of hair. Then she starts reeling in her measuring tape, which she realizes has been rendered useless by improper care and usage not limited to measuring.

Well darn. It was a good tape. "Of course I knew where I was. I was measuring the roof, wasn't I?" She tilts her head left, then right, as if testing it to see if there's appreciable damage. "As to luck, there's no real such thing now is there. Everything has a measurable reality, based on the situation at hand."

Still no 'thank you', but also no blame for startling her. Also she's reacting quite well to a talking cat. "This has, actually, given me some ideas for safety measures for rooftop excursions. Shouldn't be too hard to put together, but I am going to need a new measuring tape to finish the job at hand. Why would I forget your words? I never forget anything."

Statement of fact. At least from her tone of voice.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
She... For love's sake, what is happening? "If you knew where you were, you shouldn't risk your life like that", Veronica sits, shaking her head slightly. "Your life is more important than whatever project you have in mind, you know that right?" Entrapta was making it hard to believe.

She doesn't pay any mind to Entrapta's speech about luck. She does get the message the other girl is really passionate about science, but someone really has to stick with her before she gets to kill herself.

"We would have either survived, or died", Veronica explains seriously, completely surprised by Entrapta's behaviour. There are a lot of people like her, who should really not know what's going on here, but she is especially concerning.

Veronica blinks as more questions arise, not of them really taking into account the Veil. "See, there is a thing that makes most people forget all magic things, and me talking is sort of one of those", she replies.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
The girl looks at the cat. She gives a slight headtilt, as if thinking, then a nod. "I suppose not," she says. No argument? No 'nyah, I'm right and you're wrong'? No, just a moment's thought and acceptance. This can't possibly be a mahou.

"Rather a simplistic approach to life," she says as she stands. "You know, the other cat was more calculative. Also the Veil isn't a major issue given how much contact with magical girls I've had. I appear to be developing something of an immunity to it."

She leans down, looking at Veronica, then says, "Are you related to the Senshi cat? By relation I include both biological and relative situational, in that you might be related by magical background or some similar boundary."

Calm. Scientific inquiries, but nothing panicky. Is she perhaps a robot?

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"Which other cat?" Veronica asks curiously, ears now standing upright with interest. There were a lot of magical cats around, and that description isn't really enough to narrow it down completely. She takes a moment to consider, she has felt no reluctance with being called a cat. She really has gotten used to it would.

Veronica's eyes widen when she realises she isn't dealing with your average mundane here. This is another mahou, or a prospective one. "Oh. Well. That makes things simple. I don't suppose you know which powers you are going to get, do you?" She is definitely interested by the subject.

When asked which kind of cat she is and her relation to Luna, Veronica takes a few seconds to consider the response. "Eheh, you see, I am not really a Senshi cat, even if a villain has mistaken me for one. That was amusing. I have no relation to Luna, however. I got cursed this way."

Entrapta's completely calm behaviour doesn't go unnoticed. "You have a lot of control on your emotions now. You seem completely under control compared to earlier."

Entrapta (281) has posed:
Pause. The girl is tilting her head in thought, considering. "Accursed. Okay. I've studied those, it's a fascinating type. Each one is different, in most general senses. Systemic correlation rather than indemic." Then she shakes her head.

And then, turns to look at the cat directly. She blinks her eyes several times, saying nothing, and then suddenly starts! "Oh! Yes. Control. Nearly did fall off, after all. Someone mentioned that being bad." She leans down, the pokes at Veronica's nose. "It was you, actually."

"I'm not magical," she says, denying all available evidence. "I am from another planet though. I've been doing intense studies on the magic of this world. The science is remarkable! Do you know, they actually believe that there IS no science?"

The snort that the girl gives says otherwise. "Anyway, all magic can be worked within. Even the Veil."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica didn't actually meant it to be that way, but it happens Entrapta is actually right of course. She is quite perceptive when it comes to some things. "You got it right, eh. My curse is actually connected to those called the Accursed, even if it's not the way it usually is for me."

She passes a paw over her ears as a itch comes about temporarily. "So, I am human, or supposed to be anyway. The demons I have fighting have cursed me into a cat on the last day of February, and I have friends who are working on reverting it. I have been living like this otherwise."

A meow escapes her mouth when her nose is poked, all the while Veronica blinks. She can't say anybody ever did that to her, and she has experienced just how much some people like to take licenses with cats recently.

"What do you mean, there is no science? As in science for magic? That would probably be quite new, I only know of one person that is a scientist and has magic, and he works with Obsidian", she peeks curiously.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
To be fair, Entrapta is treating the cat like a person, not a cat at all. She'd beep a person's nose just the same. "Do they need my help? Is that why you approached me? Because I've had no luck at all with undoing curses thus far in my research, but I would be very interested in seeing what progress they've made. In order to help others who come forward in the future."

Then.

"All magic follows definite rules. Every magical type has a magical wavelength under which its power flows. The only one which follows a different rule set is the Drivers, and theirs is still a rule set under which they act and interact. Science is just observation of what is and isn't. Then copying it down and studying it."

She then says, "Obsidian doesn't sound so bad. If it's the only place with scientists who actually do work, I might ask around about them someday myself." She seems to be entirely about the work.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
The russian blue squints when Entrapta mentions that Obsidian is the only one that works. Veronica didn't actually meant her interest to develop her efforts. to be that way, but it happens Entrapta is actually right of course. She is quite perceptive when it comes to some things. "You got it right, eh. My curse is actually connected to those called the Accursed, even if it's not the way it usually is for me."

Frowning, she starts warning Entrapta. "Those guys hurt people. They don't simply follow their interest in science. You would do well to stay away from them. If you need help studying magic, we can do all we can to help."

"I approached you because you were in danger, and I wanted to help, for what good it did", she remarks, her tail lowered.

"I typically avoid people who don't know the truth about me because they tend to pet me way too much, and when I am not in one of my friends' dorm or at the cafè, this is an ok place to rest", Veronica looks at the wide roof. "You seem nice, though."

Entrapta (281) has posed:
"I do? I seem nice?" The girl actually seems honestly surprised by that statement, her eyes going wide and her vocal tone rising. "I hope that's okay, I didn't mean to be. I'm just being myself." Since when does someone worry about being called 'nice'?

Still, if she's just 'being herself', it could definitely be worse. "Well, I appreciate you approaching me. I'd never approach you, that's not something I'm good at. It's important to know your limitations, even if you may someday overcome them. Or not, I don't know yet. But it's theoretically sound."

Then she bites her lip, and says, "I need a new measuring tool. This work is also important." And at that, she starts to wander away. The question of 'what was she doing?' will have to remain unanswered. Building a gazebo, perhaps.

Actually that'd be nice up here. Maybe drinks, under the stars? You could make a wish. And in this world...well.