Lab Rat [Ray/Invite/Saga]

The sublimely sinful seduction of science~

I was expecting a boy… Opening the door to find her guest waiting for her, for a moment Sophie found herself a little bit astounded by the guest that she had found herself in such an excitement to meet simple because of the unexpected aspect of how tall and adult he looked, and because of this she lingered in her doorway for a second or two to look him over out of a sense of surprise and curiosity.
A surprise from the first moment, hm? Surrendering the opportunity to seize the initiative as she did so as well, the blonde scholar looked over this slim and objectively slightly dashing figure with a gaze that wanted to devour every detail about him, and as she noted how assertive he seemed with her, a woman who was a good ten years older than her. But did not find that fact particularly off-putting really, after all, she had been quite the precocious youngster as well.

“Ah, Sophie is fine~” Finally finding her words after a second or two to allow her guest to greet her, as she found herself being called by her surname the scientific siren could only smirk and nudge the thick-rimmed lenses she was wearing up a little ways, and then offer a little correction as to what she could be called.
“It’s nice to meet you Ray~” Not really the type to stand all that much on ceremony in this regard and happier than most academics to foster something closer to a friendship with her prospective patients, the girl in the glasses offered out her hand to shake as she returned the greeting of this young man who had come to meet her and found her gaze continuing to explore him curiously, silently wondering just what gifts this tall teen might reveal to her in the examination that would fellow.

“Heheheh, well that makes two of us, doesn’t it~?” That matter also seeming to be on the mind of her subject as well, as Ray professed a desire to learn more about himself and the quirk that he had been given Miss Sequoia could readily profess a similar desire as she studied him, almost as if she was trying to memorize his features or find something unusual about his initial appearance that she could add to her notes for later on. However in that matter it would seem that this lad was rather ready to pass for normal, or at least what society was currently seeming to present that status as.

“I think you’d probably be more comfortable in here?” All too quickly the eager youngster seeming to want to inquire about how best they might proceed, though this aspect of him was something that took her by surprise given how she usually had to coax hesitant stranger’s into her lab for further study it was an easy element for Sophie to work with, and consequently she dipped her head and stepped to the side to allow him through the door in front of her.
“Take a seat please~” Always a fan of those who liked a little efficiency, once her subject had entered her room of examination the young scholar would follow after him and gesture to a chair that waited next to her desk, as she herself collected up a clipboard ready to get things under way in short order…

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The sublimely sinful seduction of science~

Goodness, straight into business then? The blue eyes of the beauty fluttering as her lashes washed over them in a repeated blink, it seemed as soon as they had finished their pleasantries the young subject she had called into her lab began to describe his skills, and then took things a step further than that still.
He’s keen, and so am I, but… Even more astounded when the young man scooped up a scalpel and plunged it into her flesh, even though the more scientific part of Miss Sequoia’s mind was keen to see the reason for the confidence in Ray’s skills of recovery, she still couldn’t help but feel rather alarmed both with the method of demonstration and the apparent enthusiasm with which he dictated it. Which prompted her to act with her own quirk.

“Ray, I would understand if you’re nervous but there’s no reason to rush through this stuff like some kind of test in school…?” Reaching forward and resting her hand on the top of the one that her young charge as she spoke, Sophie then took a small breath in as she attempted to create a blue bubble of protection around both of their mitts as she activated her own quirk, though this was more as a gesture to slow him than an actual desire to trap him or protect herself.
“And, perhaps hold back on the self-harm as well?” Both scientifically and psychologically what this student had done feeling somewhat disturbing to the blonde beauty, it was something she would neither condone nor encourage, though as she cautioned him the cautious Canadian at least tried to offer a smile to soothe him as well.

“As impressive as your regeneration skill might be, and don’t get me wrong it’s intriguing…” It really rather worrying how quickly the situation had seemed to run out of her control and the urgency with which the young man had seemed to act in his demonstration, it was curious in a way to note that he had been happier to push a scalpel into his skin than show off the wonderful water-based skill he possessed, but that was by the by really. The situation needed to be reined in rather quickly.
“This isn’t some kind of carnival freak show?” Cocking her head as she offered a warning against such behaviour in future as gently and as encouragingly as she could manage, while it was hard to be put under the microscope no matter who you were, Miss Sequoia was more used to those who sought to evade the spotlight rather than those who seemed so keen on thrusting themselves into it, and as such had not been wholly prepared for someone to lurch at the task as they saw it so fiercely.

“We don’t need to dive straight into the deep end so recklessly?” Thinking that was perhaps partly her fault and maybe some of her own enthusiasm and desire to get down to business had rubbed off on the boy too readily, with a pleading pair of eyes like sapphires Sophie looked toward her young specimen and sighed as she held his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, before releasing her quirk and holding her palm out in order to take the scalpel from the young man.
“Just try to relax, OK?” This boy probably just full of nerves and out of his element ultimately, while the brainy beauty was quick to caution him against what he had done she would also be forgiving of it two, and happy to start again at a more sedate and scientifically suited pace if he was?

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The sublimely sinful seduction of science~

“Hehehehe, I suppose I’m more used to dealing with people who are a little less willing, or able, to demonstrate their gifts?” Chuckling softly as she felt a slight sense of embarrassment as how hastily she had cautioned her young charge, especially after his explanation for his eagerness, Sophie smiled and ran her fingers back through her hair as she offered a little explanation for her reasoning and also gave a little bit of an overview of how things usually went down for her in the past.
“And we were starting, but the methodology usually begins with some simple health and lifestyle questions, for the sake of the subject data?” Certainly appreciating the desire of her subject to get things underway speedily and efficiently and intrigued also by the hint of scientific understanding he showed as well, the blonde explained her process a bit better so as to clear up any misgivings about how their little session was going to go down, and as if to further clarify it turned her clipboard over to reveal the simple sections at the front of it for the boy to see as well.

“But I suppose now we’re on the meat of the matter, we can probably save those for the end?” This lad seeming like he was the sort of person who liked to get stuck into things as she was as well, however, even though protocol dictated a specific routine of doing these kinds of investigations Miss Sequoia decided that it would be fine to mix things up a little with Ray, given the fact that he seemed ready and raring to go.
“Wrap up with the boring stuff?” Not really wanting to stifle his enthusiasm or the rapport she hoped they were building by taking them back too many steps because of the strangeness in the beginning of their meeting, so long as the more trivial elements of her study were covered at some point it was fine by this angel of academia if they jumped into something a bit juicier, and as such she smiled as she flicked through a few pages of her prospective notes onto something that would be a bit more fun for both of them.

“So, in order to get onto something more intriguing, but also not rush into anything too risky before we’re both relaxed…” Still not quite ready to have him be flinging around balls of water or slicing himself with the scalpel again for the moment however, and not just because she hadn’t turned on her camera in order to document the feats for later study, instead Sophie was as interested in the discovery of the boy’s quirk as the ability itself for the most part.
“Why don’t you tell me when, and perhaps how, you first noticed you had your powers?” Quirks still a subject of great speculation but certain patterns seeming to establish some specifics in their developmental process, the young scholar was keen to see where her first subject might fall upon the ‘curve’ that had been established by bright minds both within and outside of this lab, and hopefully begin to add her own conformation on matters they had begun to prove…

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The sublimely sinful seduction of science~

“Was that before you started school, perhaps? When you noticed it first?” Perhaps relying a little on the research that had come before today as she tried to nudge her subject for a slightly more precise answer on his description of initial manifestation, while she wasn’t going to lose much sleep if he contradicted her guess or couldn’t properly recall the specifics of his story the sound of it seemed familiar, and Sophie was happy to see if her experience might help to line the data up with what they already knew.
The feet is an interesting observation though, hands is a more common focus point for quirk abilities? Certainly interested in the details he revealed all the same, the pen of the young scientist scratched and scribbled at the paper as she noted his story down as quickly as she could manage in a fashion that was admittedly rather messy and typical of a doctor, enthralled even if she didn’t seem the most responsive or engaging conversationalist as she did so.

“In an earthquake…? Gosh, that must have been… So awful.” Looking up from her work when the lad mentioned the earthquake he was trapped in with his classmates, her detail orientated brain seemed to pick up the term ‘most of them got out’ among his description and for some reason the implication of that made her feel a bit sad, yet she did not wish to dwell too heavily on potential loss out of consideration for the feelings of the boy.
“I’m so sorry you went through that, Ray? Truly…” Not trapped in an earthquake but Miss Sequoia herself having been through an ordeal in which she was forced to use her quirk a few years back against another person and that affecting her more than she expected, because of this she felt a strong sympathy toward the plight that affected him, especially when it sounded like it had done so at such a young age, and offered an apology for that even though it had nothing to do with her. It just felt right to do so, really.

“Y-You’re a second generation quirker?” Not given all that much time to dwell on that particular misfortune when her mind was drawn toward another tasty little gem in her description, though Sophie had been looking toward and writing her notes she couldn’t help but glance up in surprise when her subject mentioned the fact that he shared his ability with a parent, which was really quite exciting to hear.
“Gosh, how exciting, you’re my first…” The newness of the global revolution meaning that the children of those who had been blessed with abilities were only now coming to the forefront, the intrigued intellectual couldn’t help but widen her eyes and smile at the news that the lad had seemed to inherit his powers from a similarly gifted matriarch, and envied him in a way as well.

“Do you have the exact same powers as your mother?” A latecomer in the original ‘round’ of quirks, her own parents were what people would call ‘normal’, and Miss Sequoia couldn’t help but wonder how her life might have been if her mother or her father had a gift that was similar to hers.
“Water manipulation and bodily regeneration?” That however by the by at the moment and the prospect of testing the difference between the generations even more appealing to her right now, in many ways the blonde wished that Ray had brought his mom with him right now, so that she could compare them and marvel at how similar or defined their abilities were from one another…

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The sublimely sinful seduction of science~

A year or two older than the research might dictate, but since we’re talking about things a decade ago it’s possible something happened before he doesn’t recall, given the initial subtlety of his powers especially? Once again the machine that was Sophie’s mind going into overdrive as she digested another intriguing little piece of data and made her own assessment based on it, while what was revealed did not entirely seem to suit the model that she and others focused on understanding these powers had hypothesized it was also not wholly discouraging either, and only narrowly outside the window of possibility really.
Hopefully as public acceptance grows the manifestation of quirks and assessment will occur at younger ages? Like check-ups in childhood? In many ways the story simply affirming the belief of this particular academic angel that the younger years of potential quirkers were a prime area of discovery and perhaps also aid to the development of the people involved, though she knew some might feel uneasy about having their babes poked and prodded it seemed to this ravishing researcher that with the right approach the world could only benefit, and hopefully in the nearer period of the future this might become something that became accepted as a natural part of life?

“Don’t worry, we won’t linger on harsh memories?” Clearly the topic of the earthquake something that brought the lad a feeling of discomfort and that rather understandable, as Ray fidgeted with his hands Miss Sequoia found her sympathy skyrocketing, and leaned forward to rest her hand on his reassuringly as she offered a small smile and words to let him know this was something he could avoid if he wanted. Or perhaps not, if he didn’t?
“Unless you want to talk about them?” This mostly about her research but the empathy of the young scholar enough that she wouldn’t mind taking a break from her findings if he needed to vent his grief or something, while the scientific siren knew she was no psychologist and could only offer an ear and her best understanding it might have helped him to talk about it, and if he really needed someone more able to help she would also have been able to use her sway in the community to find a counsellor as well, if that was what he needed.

“Oh my yes, it seems I have found a gem in my lab, apparently?” That something that Sophie would leave hanging as their topic moved back toward the light and something a bit more informative, as her young subject seemed to show a bit of excitement in being her first son of a quirker gun she smiled and winked at him as she offered a few playful words, and then picked her pen back up to continue their examination.
“I see, so your powers have evolved a little when compared to hers?” Nodding as the lad divulged a bit of deviation between the abilities of himself and the woman who had borne him, in truth the answer only served to make this eager lady of learning more enthusiastic about having the woman as a comparison, and as such she felt a little disappointed when the boy inferred that was unlikely to happen.

“Oh that’s a shame… Did you move here alone?” In many ways the story of this boy seeming to follow her own tale of venturing from her home in order to seek out an excitement opportunity for education and career, because Miss Sequoia herself had been through this experience herself she felt another pang of sympathy and understanding with Ray about his current circumstance, and since she felt a bit sad that he was parted from his parent enquired about the matter despite the fact that it had little to do with her research.
“Actually, it’s one of the more trivial aspects but whereabouts are you from, Ray?” The curiosity of the brainy blonde growing more and more in regard to this boy both because of his abilities and the hints of similarity she seemed to share with him, even though it was one of the less significant aspects of her usual interview she couldn’t help but feel possessed to ask about where he came from as well, and would probably be pleasantly surprised by the answer he might have been able to give to her…

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The sublimely sinful seduction of science~

“Heh, no wonder UA was glad to have you, it sounds like you’re already a hero?” Clearly the topic at hand something that was not the most comforting thing to think about and as such the blonde finding herself impressed bravery of the boy as he discussed it so openly, in an effort to reassure her subject Sophie leaned forward and offered the kindest smile she could whilst reaching toward his hand to squeeze that as well, and spoke as optimistically as she could about the event in the hopes of brightening the opinion of the lad about it a little better.
“Thanks for telling me, I was caught up in something a few years ago… A hostage incident?” It never easy to reveal something that made one feel so vulnerable as something involving strong emotions like fear or the feeling of regret, after nodding the scholar opted to share her own experience partly in the hope of letting her junior know they had some common ground but also in something of an act of quid pro quo as well, so that he didn’t feel so off kilter about being the only one sharing secrets here.

“I had to use my quirk as well, but I’m fine now? Certified sane by my therapist and everything?” Unsure exactly of what Ray might make of her story and perhaps somewhat brief in it so as not to overshadow his own feeling with some perceived game of one-upmanship, Miss Sequoia hoped that sharing his experience had been helpful to him as it had been her when she had been through counselling, and also wanted to offer a little bit of ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ as she made a joke about her experience as well at the end.
“But I understand what you’ve been through, to an extent, so… If you need someone to talk to just get in touch, OK Ray?” Ultimately sensitive and sympathetic to the ordeal of such a young person however and reaching over to her desk a moment later, though she didn’t know if the lad had sought some form of professional help for his issues in the aftermath or not she wanted this young man to know he wasn’t alone if he didn’t want to be and jotted down her cell phone number for him before passing it over, and was happy to take some time out of her schedule to lend an ear if he needed it for this or anything else really. He seemed a fine figure, and so she was happy to help him, ultimately.

“It’s weird at first, isn’t it? Like there’s a hole in your life?” Perhaps the issues of person seeming to get the better of her research as well when they discussed another matter in which they had a common position, even though Sophie had been keen on pursuing her dream position of study as well and was rarely the sort who seemed to see companionship when she was fulfilled intellectually even she had noted a certain loneliness about moving so far away from home, which she had no conquered but could recall vividly and empathize with.
“Canada? Wow, not I wish I’d asked that question earlier…” That sense of sympathy seeming to quickly give way to a smiling sense of excitement a moment later when the youngster before her revealed a fact she did not expect at all, as he confessed the fact that he came from the nation some knew as the great white north the blonde could only smile at the coincidence she saw, and broke into English a moment later when the topic of language was brought up by the bow.

“I’m from Vancouver originally myself…” Bouncing into her native tongue and an inherent twang of British Columbia as she confirmed another sense of commonality between them, Miss Sequoia beamed with amusement at a revelation that felt like it had taken its time coming, and found herself delighted to engage unexpected with a fellow canuck.
“What about you, Ray?” It truly rather strange how one little piece of information could put a whole different inflection on a conversation, even though the blue eyed biologist would have ordinarily been far hungrier to eat up information on a person’s quirk on this occasion she couldn’t help but delight in the idea that they were from roughly the same place, and in a way felt happy to meet someone from back home. It was like meeting an old member of her family she had never seen before or something…

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