The Michaels return home in the afternoon, just before 2 PM, and Simon goes to his room to change back into his sweatpants and T-shirt he slept in. Now that he’s more comfortable, Simon goes to his backpack and brings out both his notebooks and textbooks. He makes sure he has all of the science assignment done so that when Zoey calls, he can help her with each of the questions.
Simon then starts to think about Zoey. Just last week,
she was all jumpy about something, something about if she were his girlfriend.
And then Cyndi said that while she couldn’t be his girlfriend, there was
someone else who would be better for him.
Am I being a
typical guy and not seeing something? Simon asks himself. But, why would Zoey be interested in a guy
like me?
Simon then considers
his own feelings towards Zoey.
Well she’s very
cute. Very, VERY cute, really. And, well, other things… But she’s also pretty
smart, and just nerdy enough to kick major butt at a 2D fighter. She even kicks
butt in the real-world. But there’s still no way. Yeah, no, there’s no way.
Right…?
Simon grumbles and
hangs his head over his textbook. He gets so uneasy and overthinks things, but
he also doesn’t want to think too highly of himself. So which is the right
answer?
Speaking of right answers, this brings Simon to the
science homework. With the class moving on to chemistry, they now build upon
the basics learned in middle school and freshman year.
Knowing about atoms and their subatomic particles of neutrons, protons and electrons, the assignment is about learning how the electrons rest in orbital layers around the nucleus made of the neutrons and protons.
The
electrons in an atom are attracted to the protons in the nucleus by
electromagnetic force. Electrons, like other particles, have properties of both
a particle and a wave. The electron
cloud is a region where each electron forms a type of three-dimensional
standing wave, a wave form that does not move relative to the nucleus. This
behavior is defined by an atomic orbital,
a mathematical function that characterizes the probability that an electron
appears to be at a particular location when its position is measured.
Only a discrete set of these orbitals exist around the nucleus, as other possible wave patterns rapidly decay into a more stable form. Orbitals can have one or more ring or node structures, and differ from each other in size, shape and orientation.
The textbook has some great diagrams, and it’s pretty clear from the blob-like forms why they call it the “electron cloud.”
The amount of energy needed to remove or add an electron—the electron binding energy—is far less than the binding energy of nucleons. Atoms are electrically neutral if they have an equal number of protons and electrons. Atoms that have either a deficit or a surplus of electrons are called ions. Electrons that are farthest from the nucleus may be transferred to other nearby atoms or shared between atoms. By this mechanism, atoms are able to bond into molecules and other types of chemical compounds.
And this brings Simon to the heart of the assignment. With learning about atoms combining to make molecules, the focus is first on determining reactivity in relation to the atomic orbital
Electron configuration was first
conceived under the Bohr model of
the atom, and it is still common to speak of shells and subshells despite the
advances in understanding of the quantum-mechanical nature of electrons.
An electron shell is the set of allowed states that share the same principal quantum number, n, that electrons may occupy. An atom's nth electron shell can accommodate 2n2 electrons. This means the first shell can accommodate 2 electrons, the second shell 8 electrons, the third shell 18 electrons and so on. However, there will be exceptions under the Octet Rule.
And it is here that the first question on Mr. Gugel’s assignment comes in.
1) Calculate the number of electrons for shells 4, 5 and 6.
So easy, Simon thinks with a smirk.
n = 4, 2(4)2 = 32
n = 5, 2(5)2
= 50
n = 6, 2(6)2 = 72
2) What is the total of 2n2 for shells 1 through 5?
2 + 8 + 18 + 32 + 50 = 110
3) What is the element with that exact atomic number?
Darmstadtium
Simon knows that thanks to the Periodic Table at the back
of the textbook.
There is more to read in the text before moving on to the rest of the assignment.
The
octet rule is a chemical rule of thumb that reflects observation that elements
tend to bond in such a way that each atom has eight electrons in its valence shell, giving it the same
electronic configuration as a noble gas.
The rule is especially applicable to carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and the
halogens, but also to metals such as sodium or magnesium. As stated, an electron
shell can contain only a fixed number of electrons based on the formula of 2n2.
However, the Octet Rule is one of the exceptions, limiting the number of
valence electrons.
Elements with complete valence shells, the noble gases, are the least chemically reactive, while those with only one electron in their valence shells, the alkali metals with the exception of hydrogen, or just missing one electron from having a complete shell, the halogens, are the most reactive.
4)
Determine the electron configuration of these elements.
·
Argon
·
Cesium
·
Iron
· Mercury
Argon is the 18th element, Cesium is the 55th, Iron is the 26th and Mercury is the 80th. Argon is a noble gas and Cesium is an Alkali metal, and that information is the hint as to the configurations. Simon uses the Octet Rule combined with the 2n2 formula to figure this out.
Argon: 2, 8, 8
Cesium: 2, 8, 18, 18, 8, 1
Iron is tricky. It has to be reactive, because it’s not a
noble gas. In fact, it’s not naturally a gas at all. But at the same time, iron
isn’t super reactive because it doesn’t just fuse with other things. The first
two shells make sense, 2 and 8 makes 10. That leaves 16 over, but it can’t
divide up to have two more shells of 8.
“Oh duh,” he mumbles to himself.
Iron: 2, 8, 14, 2
The Octet Rule isn’t just about the number 8 but factors of 2, so a valence shell can behave like the innermost shell by being satisfied with just two valence electrons. Meanwhile, mercury’s configuration is actually more straightforward, showing similar symmetry to Cesium.
Mercury: 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2
Simon looks to his phone and wonders if Zoey will call
before he’s done drawing these out. He picks up his phone and wonders if he
should call first. But then he puts his phone down.
She’ll call, just
focus on homework.
But then he stares at
his phone again, wondering how long he’ll have to wait. But then he stares off
into space as he becomes self-aware of how stupid he’s being.
5)
Determine the reactivity of these elements, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being
lowest and 10 being highest, based on electron configuration.
·
Lithium
·
Bromine
·
Manganese
· Hafnium
Lithium is of course a 10, as an alkali metal. For that
matter, bromine might be a highly reactive element because it’s a halogen.
Manganese might be a lot like iron, very unreactive. Simon gives manganese a 3,
because it might be hard but not impossible for it to react. Hafnium is weird, Simon
isn’t even sure what that is. He checks the Periodic Table and finds it is the
72nd element.
At 72 electrons,
Simon thinks, the configuration should be
2, 8, 18, 32… That’s 60, with 12 leftover. The valence shell has either 2 or 8,
but no, 8 leaves only 4. So it has 2 electrons in the valence shell. With 2,
that’s like mercury and iron, so not that reactive. I’ll give it a 5.
Simon’s phone rings and
he quickly picks it up. He only needs to see the Z in “Zoey” and he flips it
open to answer.
“Hey, Zoey,” he says, hearing his voice go up; he takes a
moment to clear his throat and take it down a notch. “Uh… Hey.”
“Hi…” Zoey says; she does her best not to laugh at the
voice change.
Zoey is in her room, lying on her bed looking at her
papers while keeping the phone between head and shoulder. She’s already changed
back into her pink pajamas to be comfortable.
“So, uh, I was just about to finish science homework,” he
says.
“Same here, actually,” she says. “This was actually easy
stuff since it’s mostly math.”
“Right,” he says. “And you are pretty good at math.”
“Well so are you,” she says. “So how far are you?”
“I just finished the fifth question,” he says.
“Oh good, I’m also past that,” she says. “Let’s double
check with each other. For question one, calculating the formula, 2 times
N-squared.”
“Right,” Simon says as he picks up his paper. “It should
be 32, 50 and 72.”
“Yes, exactly,” she says. “Question two, the total of 2
N-squared should be 110.”
“Right!” Simon says. “And question three, element 110,
Darm-stad-tium. Y’know, I remember reading textbooks where this had a weirder
name. It was like, ‘Unun-something.’”
“Oh I think I remember that, too,” Zoey says. “When did
they give it a real name?”
“No idea,” Simon says. “Our textbooks are pretty new
editions so it must’ve been recently. But anyway, moving on.”
“Right,” Zoey says. “Question four, the electron
configuration of argon, cesium, iron and mercury. Rattle them off with me.”
“Oh, okay, sure,” he says. “Argon is…”
“2, 8, 8,” they say together. “Cesium is 2, 8, 18, 18,
8, 1. Iron is 2, 8-”
“14, 2,” Simon says as Zoey trails off. “Wait. You didn’t
know all of it?”
“No…” Zoey says, embarrassed and guilty but trying to
play it off all coy. “But I do need help with science, so that’s why we agreed
to talk on the phone!”
“Well…” Simon says, considering things.
Zoey tricking him was a bit sneaky on her part, but he’s
not usually one to not help someone with learning, and certainly not if it’s a
girl like Zoey.
“Okay, okay,” he says. “I’ll let that one slip. But what
about mercury? Have you at least attempted that one?”
“Maybe,” she says, again very coy. “Okay, um, 2, 8, 18,
32…?”
“Yes, those are all there,” he chuckles. “You’re almost
there.”
“Okay, so that leaves 20 electrons left,” Zoey says,
basically thinking out loud. “20 can be… Oh, I see it, there’s symmetry. It’s
18 and 2.”
“Right,” Simon says, “that’s exactly right.”
“Yes!” Zoey says excitedly.
“Okay, question five,” Simon says. “Determine the
reactivity of these four elements: lithium, bromine, manganese and hafnium.”
“Right,” Zoey says. “Because chemistry is the science of
reactions and attractions, and that’s why people always say like, ‘You two have
chemistry.’”
“Yeah,” Simon chuckles, “chemistry.”
The two sense an opening here but are both equally
hesitant to make a move, so the opening passes them by.
“So uh,” Simon says, “did you do this question yet? I
don’t want to just give you the answers.”
Well, more like I shouldn’t,
he thinks.
“I gave lithium a 10, because alkali metals are very
reactive,” Zoey says.
“Agreed,” Simon says. “Oh, I forgot to give bromine a
rating. Halogens are also reactive, about as much as alkali metals. I’ll give
it a 10.”
“10, got it,” Zoey says. “Manganese is a…?”
“Transitive metal is the term,” he says. “In fact,
checking the Periodic Table, hafnium is a transitive metal, too. Metals aren’t
very reactive at all.”
“Right,” she says. “So definitely not over a 5?”
“Definitely not,” he says. “Maybe closer to 3.”
“Okay,” Zoey says as she writes down 3 for each. “And
lastly, question 6.”
“Oh I hadn’t done that one yet,” Simon says. “Let’s see…
Question 6: Use the Periodic Table to find the elements that relate to your
birthday, both month and day. Determine the electron configuration of those
elements, as well as the reactivity of those elements.”
“Oh, that sounds like a fun one,” Zoey says. “So when’s
your birthday?”
“November first,” he says.
“I’m June first!” Zoey says. “Wow, we’re both
the first of a month!”
“Huh, that’s pretty neat,” he says. “Well, then we both
have hydrogen, which is very reactive as it just has the one electron.”
“Right,” Zoey says. “Then June is the sixth month, so
that’s carbon. Well that’s easy, the configuration is 2 and 4. That makes for a
fairly reactive element.”
“November is the eleventh month,” Simon says, “which is
sodium, an alkali metal. The configuration would be 2, 8, 1, and is very
reactive.”
“Well that’s that then,” Zoey says. “Thanks for helping
me check my work.”
“No problem,” he says. “So, uh, do you need help with
anything else?”
“No, I should be okay with history and math,” she says.
“Okay,” he says. “See you tomorrow then?”
“Oh, um, actually,” she says. “I was figuring, now that
you don’t go to band class anymore, we could start walking to school together.
Like, actually. I just kinda caught up to you last time, but maybe we’d
actually walk together this time.”
“Oh, u-um,” Simon says, suddenly really nervous. “Y-Yeah!
Let’s do that. Let’s walk to school together.”
“Okay!” Zoey says. “See you in the morning then.”
“Yeah, yeah, see you in the morning. Bye!”
“Bye.”
The two hang up and Simon sets his phone down. After a
few moments, Simon turns in his swivel chair, feeling his heart racing. While
his nervousness around Zoey had lessened since learning she was Catgirl, it’s
now jumping back up. Spending all day at school with her in basically all his
classes was great enough for him, and then there was walking home, but Cyndi
was there, too. Something about being alone
with Zoey walking to and from school feels different.
We’re not boyfriend
and girlfriend yet, he tells himself. We’re
just walking to school and walking home from school. That’s what friends do.
But, maybe this is her way for us to be more than friends? How did she get to
know Shaun? Or was he just brave enough to ask her out?
He grumbles and runs
his hands through his hair in exasperation.
Don’t stress out
about it! It’s just walking.
He takes a very deep
breath and puts his science homework away to work on the other subjects.
Siro walks around Zorb’s ship, testing his leg.
“You’ve still got a limp there,” Zorb says as Siro
returns to the living room.
“Oh really?” Siro says in annoyed sarcasm. “I didn’t
notice, thanks for pointing it out.”
Siro grumbles as he shakes the leg while also wincing
from a headache. Luckily, aliens invented painkiller medicines, too. He has no
idea what was in that yoyo ball, or how it could swing around if it was that
dense.
“I’m going to take that yoyo ball and shove it down that
guy’s throat,” Siro growls. “And I still need to get back at… him!”
“Him?” Zorb asks. “You think you can go after The
Spektrum in the state you’re in?”
Siro grumbles again as he paces, still limping.
“Sit down, sit down,” Zita says. “You need to rest that
leg for it to get better.”
Siro grumbles a third time, but does as he’s told. He
bends and stretches his right leg a couple more times before bringing it up
onto the couch.
“There’s something you need to learn about being in
charge,” Zorb says. “You don’t have to do everything. Use your subordinates.”
“Really?” Siro says rudely. “Send the Masqueraders? They
haven’t been doing all that well lately. I beat them, Hardwire beat them, and
they weren’t able to keep Upat from getting caught.”
“That’s because I
wasn’t with them!” Taktikk speaks up.
“You would’ve failed to guide them down underground, too,
you buck-toothed munchkin!” Siro snaps at him.
“I am not a buck-toothed munchkin!” Taktikk snaps back.
“And what even are those things?”
“You have big front teeth and you’re incredibly short,”
Siro grumbles.
“Oh he does,” Zita says, tilting her head to her right.
“And he is,” Zorb says, tilting his head to his left.
“But all of that was because you are at full power,” Zorb
says, sitting upright. “Hardwire had all of the same speed and strength and
toughness all at once. The Spektrum, however, is lacking quite a lot of power.”
“Right,” Siro says as he sees where this is going. “He’s
without Red, Yellow and Blue. His speed, his technique, his endurance, all of it
is lacking.”
“Exactly,” Zorb says. “You don’t even need Upat, send the
others down there, and they can still beat him up.”
“I’m not even sure you’ll need all of them,” Zita says.
“Just send Big Red down there, he should be able to do enough.”
“You heard her, Usa,” Siro says. “You’re going back to
school tomorrow.”
Monday morning, Simon doesn’t wait for his 7 AM alarm,
he’s up at 6:45 getting ready. He wants to make sure he’s ready to meet Zoey as
she’s walking up Bancroft. He speeds through his routine, and practically
inhales his waffles and chugs his milk. He’s already brushing his teeth by the
time his brothers are having breakfast.
“Why’re you in such a rush?” his dad asks. “If you’re
worried about being late, I can give you a ride with the boys.”
“Itsh na thaa,” Simon says with his toothbrush still in
his mouth.
“What?” his dad asks, not quite understanding.
Simon puts up an index finger to ask for a moment then
spits out toothpaste into the sink.
“It’s not that I’m going to be late,” he says. “I’m
meeting Zoey along the way.”
“Zoey? What happened to Cyndi?”
“I forgot to tell you,” you say. “Cyndi and I… didn’t
work out.”
“And you’re already moving onto Zoey?”
“It’s not as simple as that, Dad,” Simon says. “I just…
I’m just walking with her.”
“Alright,” his dad says.
Mr. Michaels then looks at his son rather curiously. Simon
brushes his teeth more, but notices the look.
“What?” he asks as he looks back over.
“Nothing,” his dad says. “Just that this superhero
thing’s really helped you, I think. Helped you grow.”
Simon’s not sure what his dad means, so he just finishes
up and packs himself some lunch.
“Okay see ya,” he says as he heads out the door.
Simon walks outside, down the steps, to the sidewalk, and
rounds the corner to go up Maud Avenue.
Zoey meanwhile is brushing out her hair, holding onto
hair ties with her lips. She gets all the tangles out and puts her hair into
her signature pigtails. She then grabs her jacket and puts that on, grabs her
school things and heads upstairs.
“There you are,” her mother says. “Here’s your lunch.”
“Thank you,” Zoey says as she takes the bento. “See you
later, Mom.”
“See you later,” Mrs. Mizaki says as she quickly hugs her
daughter.
“See you later, Neeko,” Zoey says to her cat as she eats
the wet food out of the bowl. “See you later, Dad.”
“See you later, sweetheart,” her dad says as he hugs her
on the way out.
Mr. Mizaki heads out the door first, goes to his car,
pulls forward out of the driveway, and turns to the right. He drives northeast
up Maud and passes by Simon as Simon is headed for the house. Mr. Mizaki is
curious, not sure if he recognizes Simon or not. But Simon definitely realizes
Mr. Mizaki just drove past him and gets a bit nervous. Simon keeps moving,
trying not to worry, and not even sure what he’d be worried about.
Simon approaches the Mizaki house and looks up at the top
of the stairs. He slows to a stop to wait. It’s only a moment before Zoey walks
out and down the stairs.
“Oh!” she says when she sees him. “I didn’t expect you to
come here, I thought I was going to find you on Bancroft.”
“Well yeah but I realized I could just turn the corner
and be on Maud,” he says. “And also, did you tell your dad we were walking
together now? I passed him in his car.”
“I probably should have,” Zoey says. “But I also thought
I was going to find you on Bancroft. But I’ll just tell him later.”
“Yeah,” Simon agrees. “I mean, we’re not dating so he
shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”
“Right,” Zoey says, feeling a twinge in her heart. “We’re
not dating so it’s fine.”
Simon also feels a twinge in his heart for saying that
like he did. But she isn’t saying anything different, so he’s not sure what to
think.
The two walk quietly for a few minutes along the main
street of Bancroft, and it’s definitely awkward.
“Uh, so…” Simon says. “How do you feel you did on the history
homework?”
“Pretty good, yeah,” Zoey says. “Egyptian mythology
always seems so strange.”
“Really?” he asks, but then thinks about it for himself.
“Actually, yeah, their gods having animal heads is odd.”
“I can’t believe Anubis wasn’t the Egyptian god of
death,” Zoey says.
“Oh no yeah I knew that from other world history classes
I’ve had,” Simon says. “Hollywood always makes him out to be the god of death
and evil when he’s neither. It’s Set who is the villain of Egyptian mythology.
But I guess a jackal is more menacing than whatever weird creature Set’s
supposed to be.”
“Yeah that makes sense,” Zoey says. “Hollywood really is
all about appearances, isn’t it?”
“Seems that way,” Simon chuckles lightly.
World history class builds upon the Egyptian mythology.
The class now learns that Set was only vilified in the Egyptian empire’s Third
Intermediate Period, which started in 1070 BC after the death of Pharaoh
Ramesses XI, and the Late Period, which was from 664 BC to 332 BC. For those
700 or so years, Egypt was conquered and oppressed by various foreign nations.
Set, as the Egyptian god of foreigners, therefore became the face of Egypt’s disdain
for those oppressors. So in the end, it would seem Set wasn’t always the evil
one in Egyptian mythology, either.
Science class is the first time Simon’s seen Cyndi since
Friday. But there’s no tension, necessarily. It’s more a sense of neutrality,
from both of them. Whatever feelings of fondness they had for each other are
cancelled out by feelings of dejection, which is why they both settle into a
feeling of simple friendliness.
“I know we only just started chemistry,” Mr. Gugel says
as he collects the homework, “but I think everyone will appreciate this. Can
someone help me over here?”
Mr. Gugel goes to a closet that turns out to be a storage
room. He and one of the other students bring out stacks of several boxes and
set them on Mr. Gugel’s desk.
“We have just enough so that each table can have two,” he
says. “Tables will split into pairs to have one each. Decide your pairs and
have someone come up to get a box.”
“Do you wanna-” Zoey and Simon say at the same time,
which is why they stop short.
“Yeah let’s be a pairing,” Zoey says. “Er, pair.”
Zoey trades seats with the guy who sits next to Simon so
that she and Simon can sit together. Simon then goes up to get a box for Zoey
and himself, while Cyndi’s partner fetches a box for them. Everyone sees the
label on the box as they sit down.
Molecule
Model Set
“We’ll be using these to illustrate in three dimensions
the way the elements react with each other,” Mr. Gugel says as he opens his
kit.
The students open their kits and see little plastic balls
of many different colors.
“You’ll notice on the inside of the lid that there is a
key that tells you what pieces represent what element,” Mr. Gugel continues.
The key describes both the element represented by what
color and the quantity in the kit. The white plastic balls represent hydrogen
and there are 30 of them. The black are for carbon with 15, red are for oxygen
with 10, light blue is for nitrogen and yellow is for Sulphur, both with 4.
Purple are for phosphorus at 5, green for chlorine at 8, and there are two
orange fluorine, dark blue bromine, dark purple iodine, gray boron, and
metallic gray “metals.”
There are also various “bonder” pieces to represent the
chemical bonds made in the molecular reactions. There are 60 really short and
translucent bonds for scale models, but also 60 “medium” length grayish-white
ones, likely more for just ease of putting the model together. Then there are
longer and flexible dark gray bonders, off-white V-shaped bonds also meant for
scale models.
Simon and Zoey read the key, and Simon’s getting nervous
with Zoey coming in closer. Though for Zoey, it didn’t seem that much closer
than before.
Meanwhile, Cyndi forces herself to ignore them. She has
no right to be jealous when she broke it off. But still…
“Alright,” Mr. Gugel says after enough time to read the
key. “We’ll start pretty simple, by recreating some very well-known molecules
in the world of science. First, we’ll make water, H2O, dihydrogen
oxide. And yes, it is dihydrogen oxide, not hydrogen dioxide. The ‘di’ in that
phrase means ‘two of,’ so it would be for two of the hydrogen atoms and only
one oxygen atom.”
Zoey feels herself about to go, “Oh…” but she stops
herself because she doesn’t want to be seen as a dummy.
Simon takes out one red oxygen and two white hydrogen
marbles. He sets those down and grabs some medium bonders, but Zoey starts
pawing at the red oxygen marble.
“Zoey, what’re you doing?” Simon mutters.
“Huh?” she says, looking up. “What?”
“You looked like you were going to knock that off the
table.”
Zoey realizes he’s right, and brings the marble back to
the others.
“Sorry,” she says. “I’m not really sure what that was
about.”
But she actually does have an idea. Her cat-like
tendencies have been pretty obvious, she’s drinking more milk and eating more
fish and seafood. But if her spine changing to be more flexible wasn’t obvious,
it seems she’s starting to gain other cat habits.
Zoey stops herself from worrying by watching Simon put
the model together. The bonders have chunky pegs while the plastic balls have
holes, so obviously the pegs go in the holes. Simon sticks those pegs in those
holes so that there are two of them like goofy antlers, and then he sticks the
white hydrogen balls on the other ends.
“So that’s what it looks like,” Zoey says as she looks at
Simon hold up the model.
“Yep,” he says. “This kit’s pretty neat. The holes are
like the valence electrons, so you can visually understand how those electrons
link the atoms.”
“Oh that’s so cool,” Zoey says.
“Alright, let’s try another common molecule,” Mr. Gugel
says while walking around the room. “The air we breathe: the O2 form
of oxygen.”
“Oh, let me try that one,” Zoey says.
Zoey brings out two red oxygen balls, and then grabs two
of the medium bonding pegs, but realizes there’s something already wrong with
the logistics.
“These are stiff,” she says. “They can’t both reach.”
“I think that’s what these are for,” Simon says as he
takes out one of the long, flexible ones.
He hands her the bendy bonder and she sticks pegs into
holes. This red oxygen ball has even goofier antlers than the other one. She
then bends the bonders so she can stick the pegs into the other red oxygen
ball.
“Okay but this isn’t to scale, right?” Zoey says.
“Right,” Simon says while he double checks the key. “The
scale model would use… these.”
He holds up one of the V-shaped bonders.
“Aw I wanna use those,” she says.
She grabs two more oxygen balls and another of the V
bonders.
“I would be careful with the scale bonders,” Mr. Gugel
says as he walks by. “They’re much more difficult to pull out when it’s time
for disassembling.”
“Oh…” Zoey says.
She puts the V bonder back.
“The third common molecule is CO2, carbon
dioxide,” Mr. Gugel says.
Simon brings out a black carbon ball and Zoey grabs two
more red oxygen balls. Their hands meet as they both go for bonders.
“Oh, sorry,” she says.
“N-No, it’s fine,” he says.
He pulls his hand back and she brings out long bonders.
She gives each oxygen ball two bonders for a total of four.
“Okay, let me have the carbon,” she says.
Simon hands it over and she looks at the holes.
“Oh okay, these are perpendicular to these,” she says.
“So this ends up sideways compared to this one…”
She hooks them up and proudly displays it along with the
water and oxygen molecules.
“See, you’re getting the hang of science,” Simon says.
“Maybe I’m just more of a visual learner when it comes to
chemistry,” she says. “I wonder if that’s what holds me back with biology, too.
Are there kits for biology?”
“That probably depends on what subject of biology you’re
talking about,” Simon says. “I’ve never seen it myself, but there’s that
well-known model of internal organs.”
“Oh yeah,” Zoey says. “My old school never had those,
either. I think the school was worried people would steal pieces from it, just
as a prank.”
“Yeah, probably.”
“Heyyyy Pirates!” the P.A. system blares.
“Have you heard?” one of the girls asks.
“Heard what?” the others ask in unison.
“The Spektrum Fan Club is coming back!”
“WHOOOOA~!”
The reaction acted out by the announcers is nothing
compared to the real reactions here and there around the school, and especially
in Room 205.
“Welcome back, club president,” Ethan Rainey, who sits at
Cyndi’s table, says.
“Thank you, but I’m not club president anymore,” Cyndi
says. “I’m leaving that to Jenny. I’ll still be part of the club, I just don’t
feel like I can run it with… other stuff going on in my life.”
Others ask why but Simon and Zoey already know the
answer. The real answer. After
everything that happened between Cyndi and The Spektrum, it’s understandable
Cyndi wouldn’t want to be as deeply involved with the club, even if it was her
idea in the first place.
As class ends, the models are pulled apart and the
individual pieces are put away. The kits are returned to Mr. Gugel’s desk. Zoey
returns the kit she and Simon shared since he was the one to fetch it in the
first place.
“You aren’t sticking around?” Cyndi asks Simon and Zoey.
“No,” Simon says with a twinge of guilt. “I’m not really
sure I’ll be part of the club anymore.”
“Oh,” Cyndi says. “Okay.”
Simon heads out and Zoey follows, and the two go
downstairs and exit the Science Wing to sit with Simon’s friends for lunch.
“You guys aren’t going to be with The Spektrum Fan Club?”
Erin asks.
“No,” Zoey says. “It’s probably just easier for the two
of them this way.”
Simon quietly munches some pretzels from his little
Ziploc bag. He doesn’t want to talk about it.
*WHOOMF* A pillar of blinding light lands right at the
edge of the quad’s grassy square.
“Oh come on…!” Simon groans while slouching forward. “I
barely got started on my sandwich…”
“We’ll watch your stuff,” Alex says. “Just go.”
Zoey makes sure to bring out her sequined mask before she
and Simon slip away, going back to the stairwell.
No one else is around, so the two transform, the silver
flash bringing out Cold Silver while Catgirl’s ears and tail pop out. Her hair
goes bright pink, eyes go golden yellow, and then her outfit follows: pink boots,
pink shorts over black leggings, her black cat-ear hoodie over a black tee, but
both let her bellybutton peek out. And then, she puts the mask on and lets down
her hair, tucking the hair ties in her shorts pockets.
“Ready?” he asks.
“Yeah,” she says.
He opens the door and lets her go past him as they exit
the stairwell. They see the big red giant standing all alone.
“Is it just you?” The Spektrum asks as he and Catgirl
approach. “Where’s the rest of your little club? Where’s my evil clone?”
“I am more than enough to finish what is left of you,”
Usa says.
“I’m here, too,” Catgirl speaks up, annoyed.
Usa stares at her for a moment.
“Who are you?” he asks.
Catgirl grumbles and scowls at him.
“I am the Alameda Catgirl!” she says. “I know I’m not in
Alameda anymore, but…”
“I don’t care,” Usa says. “My priority is him.”
Usa focuses on The Spektrum and storms over.
“Got that way,” Spektrum tells Catgirl as he points to
the right.
“Uh, okay,” Catgirl says as she does.
The Spektrum goes left and naturally Usa follows him.
Catgirl ends up behind Usa as Usa throws a big kick. Spektrum dodges as Usa is
rather slow and lumbering. Spektrum gets behind Usa himself now, and goes for a
waistlock. But Usa is also really big, so he can’t get his hands to touch. Usa
grabs The Spektrum’s hands and starts pullings his arms away. The Spektrum goes
strength for strength with Usa, trying to keep hold. It doesn’t work and Usa
uses just one arm to throw The Spektrum away.
The Spektrum hits the ground but rolls to his feet.
Catgirl comes up behind Usa and kicks him hard in the thigh!
But Usa barely flinches! He looks at her and reels back
his left hand for a back hand, but The Spektrum runs in and leaps! The Spektrum
rams his shoulder into Usa’s stomach, and that gets him to take a couple steps
back. Usa grabs The Spektrum by his hoodie jacket and pulls him up, but The
Spektrum slips out of the sleeves. The Spectralization goes away and the
camouflaunt disappears, returning the hoodie to default grey.
Catgirl kicks Usa in the leg again, and now he’s just
moderately annoyed with her. He throws the hoodie at her and it covers her
head, essentially blinding her. But The Spektrum gets up behind Usa again for
another grapple. Not a waistlock, though, but a single leg hold, one arm
reaching under and between the legs. The Spektrum has Usa’s left leg wrapped up
in a bearhug and uses the squat technique to get the leverage!
“What?!” Usa lets out in surprise as The Spektrum gets
him off the ground!
Catgirl gets The Spektrum’s hoodie off her face just in
time to see it! The Spektrum gets Usa up as high as he can, which is really
only a few feet, but a few more feet than Usa is used to being lifted, and then
The Spektrum falls back with him! Usa hits the ground with a *THUD*!
“Guess it’s true,” The Spektrum says. “Bigger they are,
the harder they fall.”
“Wow!” Catgirl says. “Oh and here’s your jacket back.”
“Thanks,” he says.
He puts his hoodie back on and it returns to being
camo-flaunt.
But Usa gets up, though rather slowly. He has a hand on
the back of his head where it’s throbbing, and stands up with the help of his
other hand.
“Aim for his right leg,” The Spektrum says, “and tackle
the back of the knee with your shoulder.”
“Okay,” Catgirl says with a nod.
The Spektrum aims for the left leg, and the two run
together. They each collide with Usa’s legs for chop blocks, but Catgirl
practically bounces off Usa’s leg. The Spektrum hits a bit harder, but Usa
still stays standing.
“Little bug!” Usa barks as he raises his right leg.
Usa goes to stomp The Spektrum, but again The Spektrum
gets clear. Catgirl hops up onto Usa’s back and starts clawing and scratching.
Usa grumbles and growls as he stands up tall and reaches back. He grabs hold of
Catgirl’s hoodie now and uses that to throw her off, and at The Spektrum!
Catgirl even lets out a “ROWL!” as she’s thrown!
But because of her growing cat abilities, Catgirl is able
to bend her back and twist through the air so that she lands mostly on her
feet. However, there’s a lot of momentum left and she continues moving forward,
right into The Spektrum. It’s a heavy impact but he’s able to stay standing,
and basically catches her in his arms.
“Oof,” he says. “You alright?”
“Yeah,” she says as he helps her stand up straight.
“You?”
He takes just a second to consider how he has her in his
arms like a hug, mere inches from his face.
“I’m good,” he says.
“Well I’m starting to think our hoodies are becoming
liabilities,” she says as she adjusts her mask.
“Me, too,” he says. “But also, I have an idea how we can
make them useful.”
As Usa storms over, The Spektrum turns himself and
Catgirl around, then steps back.
“Do you trust me?” he asks as he puts his hands together
and down low.
“Of course,” she says.
She steps up into his cupped hands, and he uses his super
strength to give her a super boost! Usa ignores her as she goes over his head.
She lands on her feet behind Usa as The Spektrum takes off his jacket.
“Toro! Toro!” he says as he shakes his jacket. “Obviously
the wrong colors but it’s not like you’re a bull. Though you are big and dumb
like one!”
Usa growls as he storms over. Usa kicks at The Spektrum
but The Spektrum gets clear. The Spektrum swings his hoodie at Usa’s other leg
and wraps it up. Usa growls more as he pulls with that leg. The Spektrum holds
tight and digs his heels in.
Catgirl also takes off her hoodie and holds it by the
sleeves as she stands by. The Spektrum and Usa have their tug-o-war, and she
hurries around to the other leg. She lassos it with her hoodie, and now she and
The Spektrum pull Usa’s legs in opposite directions!
“Hey!” Usa says, going from annoyed to worried.
Catgirl isn’t nearly as strong as Code Silver or Usa, but
she’s becoming a factor as The Spektrum keeps pulling. As Usa tries to pull
back on The Spektrum, he’s only going towards Catgirl. The combined strength of
Catgirl and Silver is forcing Usa’s legs further apart! Usa can’t hold them
back anymore and is forced to do the splits!
“Aaaaaagh…!” Usa lets out as he reaches down to his
groin.
“Dropkick with me!” The Spektrum shouts to Catgirl.
The two of them run at Usa and dropkick him from both
sides, in the chest and in the back! The air is driven out of Usa’s lungs and
he sputters as he slumps over. The Spektrum gets right on him for the pin!
“One,” Computer says. “Two-”
Usa uses both arms to not only push The Spektrum off but
to launch him into the air!
“Spek!” Catgirl shouts as she sees him high over head!
“Crap crap CRAP!” The Spektrum shouts as he starts
falling!
Usa sits up, so Catgirl kicks him in the back of the
neck. He winces but he’s still very tough. Then The Spektrum hits the grassy ground
just to her right with a thud.
“Spek!” Catgirl shouts again as she looks over.
The Spektrum slowly turns over. He gives a weak nod and
thumbs up as he makes it to his back.
Catgirl gives Usa another kick in the back of the neck,
but he only winces again.
“You are becoming an annoyance,” Usa grumbles as he gets
up.
Catgirl looks up as the red giant towers over her. He’s
no less than seven feet tall, maybe even closer to eight. She gulps as she
looks up, and takes a step back. But she grits her teeth as she steps forward
to uppercut Usa in the stomach! Usa winces again, but he still isn’t hurting
from her strikes. Now Catgirl is getting annoyed, he seems way too strong just
because he’s huge.
Catgirl uppercuts again, then spins through to left punch
followed by a left high kick, then gives a one-two punch followed by another
spin for a right back hand and left uppercut! All to his stomach! And finally,
Usa budges!
“Neko-Neko Style, Alley Cat Combo!” Catgirl declares
proudly.
Usa steps forward and pushes her aside. But being that
he’s a super strong, super tall space alien, it feels more like being run into
by a football player. Catgirl stumbles and falls face down!
“Ow…!” she says as she pushes herself up.
The Spektrum is up and storms over. Usa raises a foot to
thrust at him, but The Spektrum catches it! And then has hold of it for the
dragon screw leg whip! Usa grunts from the pain in his right knee but stays
standing, so The Spektrum backs up to chop block the right leg from the front
this time!
Usa grunts in pain again, his joint obviously going
against the natural direction. Usa hobbles but The Spektrum then goes after the
leg from the back! Usa is forced to kneel, and The Spektrum hurries back to the
front. The Spektrum runs up, uses Usa’s left leg as a step to then jump off of,
and grabs Usa’s head as he goes over and up for a blockbuster neckbreaker! The
Spektrum hurries to cover Usa for the pin!
“One,” Computer counts again. “Two-”
Again, Usa powers out, but The Spektrum grabs hold of an
arm to keep himself from flying away! He still lands on the ground, but he has
the arm, and goes after the beefy fingers as he sits up.
The Spektrum pulls one back as far as he can, even using
a foot standing on Usa’s arm for leverage. Usa reaches over with his other arm,
but The Spektrum just grabs that arm instead. The Spektrum straddles the arm
and uses his whole body to pull the arm against the elbow joint.
Usa rolls back and The Spektrum hits the ground but still
holds on. Usa dead lifts The Spektrum up until his massive arm is parallel with
the ground. The Spektrum holds on just so he won’t fall to the ground, and
reaches up to ram a heel into Usa’s eye!
“AGH!” Usa lets out as he reels back.
The Spektrum lands on his feet and then kicks Usa’s right
knee again. Usa staggers and hobbles, and Catgirl runs in, letting out another
“ROWL!” as she chop blocks his leg from the side. Usa staggers to his left, and
falls back to one knee. Usa leans forward, The Spektrum runs over and jumps up
to get a leg on Usa’s head. With The Spektrum’s extra weight, Usa falls onto
his face! AKA, The Spektrum just hit a “Famouser” leg drop!
“Yes!” The Spektrum says as he gets up, punching in
excitement. “I’ve always wanted to try that move! Oh that was awesome!”
The Spektrum keeps punching and even fist pumping as he
stands back up. He looks at Catgirl with a big grin, but she’s looking at him
with wide eyes and perked up ears.
“What?” he asks.
“You’re green!” she says.
“Green?” he says back, touching his face. “I don’t feel
sick.”
“No! You’re green from your hair to your clothes!”
He can’t really see his hair that well but he looks down
at himself and sees an entire new outfit!
He’s wearing a green T-shirt where his silver was, then a
matching pair of gloves, boots and tights. The boots, gloves and tights are all
green and black, with yellow highlights lining the border between the green and
black. The boots are long, going up the shin. They have laces, but they’re
covered with shin guards that also match the green, black and yellow color
scheme.
“Wow, I’m even more of a Power Ranger now,” he says as he
looks himself over. “Wait, what’s this?”
He turns around as he looks over his shoulder.
“Is there something on my butt?” he asks, craning his
neck. “Cat, is there something on my butt?”
“I-I’m not looking at your butt,” Catgirl blushes as she
covers her eyes; her ears go sideways but twitch around.
“You’re not looking at my butt, you’re looking at the
thing on my butt,” he says. “What is
it?!”
Catgirl spreads the fingers on one hand so she can look
with that eye.
“It’s bright yellow,” she says. “A circle. With lines?
Two lines, but they don’t go all the way across. I’m not sure what’s going on
with that. Oh, maybe it’s like a logo!”
“A logo?” he repeats. “I have a logo on my butt?”
But then he thinks about it for a moment.
“Actually, that’s very pro-wrestling, so that’s really
cool,” he says as he turns back around.
“It’d be cooler if you beat the big guy,” Catgirl says.
“He’s getting back up!”
The Spektrum grumbles as he looks over at Usa.
“Well c’mon, then!” he barks at Usa. “Get up, you giant
goober!”
The Spektrum crouches, legs ready to spring at Usa. Usa
is back up to a kneeling position and The Spektrum uses the Flash Kick! He gets
Usa right in the side of the head! But Usa only teeters!
“Catgirl, help me out!” he says, ushering her over with a
hand.
Catgirl runs over to The Spektrum’s side.
“We’re both going to hit him again,” he says. “Go to the
opposite side again.”
Catgirl nods and goes to Usa’s right while The Spektrum
lines up on the left. Usa steadies himself but is still kneeling.
“Now! Flash Kick!” The Spektrum shouts.
Catgirl copies The Spektrum, and their double Flash Kicks
hit at the same time, sandwiching Usa’s head between their soles! Usa sways,
and Catgirl spins towards him!
“Neko-Neko, Spinning Crescent Kick!”
Catgirl’s heel hits Usa in the side of the head with a
*WHAM* and Usa goes down face first! The Spektrum turns Usa over, dead weight
as he is, and covers for the pin!
“One,” Computer counts. “Two. Three! The Spektrum
and Catgirl win!”
“Sweet!” The Spektrum says as he gets up quick.
“High-five!”
Catgirl high-fives The Spektrum and they can hear cheers
from all the students around.
“Can we get a picture?” someone shouts as the crowds
start closing in.
“Didn’t you get enough on Friday?” The Spektrum asks in
annoyance.
“But you’re a new Color Code!” Cyndi’s friend, Jenny,
says. “It’s for the club!”
“Well, alright,” he says with a shrug.
The Spektrum goes back to where the hoodies were left and
brings them over. He tosses Catgirl hers, she shakes it out and puts it back
on. Her ears practically spring out as she gets her head through the hole. She
adjusts her mask and straightens her hoodie and shirt out while The Spektrum
shakes his hoodie out.
“Whoa,” he says as it completely changes.
Instead of a gray hoodie or a camo-flaunt one, he holds a
green leather jacket with the same yellow highlight seams as the tights.
“Cool,” he says as he puts the jacket on in a smooth
motion of tossing it around his shoulders, slipping the right arm in then
catching the jacket with his left.
The Spektrum then pops the collar on the jacket, sticks
his arms out forward with finger guns, then puts them together in the same
zigzag from Friday.
“What is that?” Catgirl asks, tilting her head.
“It’s a lightning bolt, but also an S,” he says.
“Oh, cool!” she says. “Like for the surge.”
“Yeah… Or, for ‘Spektrum.’”
“Oh… Well, sounds like it can also mean ‘selfish.’”
“Are you going to pose with me or not?” he asks.
“Okay, okay!” she says as she hurries over. “So pushy so
suddenly.”
The Spektrum keeps his lightning bolt up and Catgirl
stands by him making her cat paw hands. They smile as the other students use
their phones to take pictures.
“Oh, I’ve got another one!” The Spektrum says.
He steps forward to stand in front of Catgirl, then sets
his feet very wide apart. He bends his right leg to lean towards that side, and
flexes both arms.
“Whoa!” Catgirl says, surprised by that. “Umm… Wow.”
“Yeah, I’m just borrowing this from a real pro-wrestler,”
he says. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate the shout out. Now c’mon, pose all cute
like you were.”
Catgirl does more cat paws while The Spektrum flexes and
smirks with a lot of attitude.
Siro hammers a couch cushion over and over in anger.
“Are you kidding me!?” he shouts as he abruptly stops.
“He has a new color?! Why does he have a new color?!”
Siro seethes on the couch while Zita goes to the
teleporter console.
“Let’s get Usa back,” she says. “We’ll regroup and try
again later.”
“No,” Siro says. “Send Duha and Tulo! Have them go after
The Spektrum before he can recover!”
“We only have so much energy we can use on the teleporter
each day,” Zita says.
“If these two lose, there’s a chance all three are
stranded,” Zorb says.
“Then these two better not lose!” Siro says as he glares
at the Masqueraders in question.
Duha and Tulo shrink away from Siro as they go to the
teleporter.
*WHOOMF*
Duha and Tulo arrive, standing on the grass of the Quad
behind The Spektrum and Catgirl.
“They sent more?!” someone in the crowd shouts.
“What?!” Catgirl says as she whip around to see them
standing there.
The Spektrum sighs and his arms drop.
“I’m not getting to eat my sandwich, am I?” he says
before standing up.
He then turns to face Duha and Tulo. He aims finger guns
at each of them, then turns his hands up.
“Bring it!” he shouts at them as he bends his fingers
repeatedly.
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