[Zahra Poetri]

Kei Hada

ZAHRA POETRI

ENIGMATECH

Quirk or not, Zahra ultimately still a person with conscience. It wasn't her purpose to put Kei-senpai into a spotlight like that back in the orientation day. Zahra also weirdly self-aware that it might be not be in her best interest if she didn't make an amend to it as soon as possible - Especially in a hierarchical society like in Japan.

Well, even with that intention. Zahra can't be bothered just to come to a person for apologizing only so she kind of postponed the apologized a bit later making it the orientation day has been like a week ago. But now, Zahra has an extra reason to meet him. Killing two bird with one stone, efficiency baby!

Knocking the lab door, Zahra invite herself in and look for that senpai. With a grin, she found the person and approach the guy.

Sup... err, i mean hello Kei-senpai Zahra quickly change her language into a more polite one rather than a casual one. Which makes it sounds more awkward Speaking with a degree of politeness such as this is beyond what I usually bring myself upon a meeting. I still have much to learn. I implore for some understanding from you senpai From expression alone, it is clearly that Zahra is struggles with the polite form of Japanese. Zahra could say that she is quite proficient in Japanese language but not to like a business level japanese. At best she can handle everyday conversations with some slangs.

[newclass=b]color:#D20514 [/newclass]
[newclass=i]color:#7b3e46; font-weight:strong[/newclass]

[Kei Hada]

Orientation Day was a harrowing experience.

Kei didn't think it could possibly be worse than last year's, what with the head of the department threatening expulsion even back then if they so much as slip in their learning and work ethic. The panic he felt after that was immense, and in several points in his academic journey he considered saving the professor the trouble and dropping out himself. It was only thanks to encouraging words from his partner and peers that he pushed on and survived a year in the university.

But then came the new challenge of having his credibility be questioned in front of the entire support department. Through his own words, twisted by a stranger for reasons he still couldn't fathom to this day. At least he was a nobody when he was a freshman, but as a sophomore? Naming himself just before the accusations came in?

He might've locked himself in his room as soon as he was done with the tours. And promptly got dragged out of it a day later because skipping class still risked expulsion.

A week had passed since then, and the panic mostly died down between the 'you did good Kei's and 'she didn't know what she was talking about's his classmates said. He was pretty sure he wouldn't be here if it weren't for how supportive everyone was.

Having projects also helped. They always did a good job at taking his mind off anxiety-inducing things.

Kei was finishing up one now, tucked in a workshop as he put the final screws into a small band. It was literally just a grappling hook contained in a watch, but he was fond of utility and he didn't mind taking on something simple once in a while. Satisfied with the finished product, he was cleaning up his space when there was a knock on the door. He turned to see someone he recognized immediately.

The girl who accused him of lying during orientation.

Now he had a few choices here. He could pretend he didn't hear what she said and leave, but that would be insanely rude especially when he didn't feign being deaf last time they talked. He could tell her no, she'd spoken to him enough thanks and end the conversation there, but then the guilt would set in even if he deserved to stand up for himself.

In the end though, she was still just a freshman. Who used honorifics. He had some authority. He should at least try to act professional.

Here's hoping she's not here to corner me came the less professional thought.

Kei tried to ignore it with a smile, strained as it was but it was as an attempt at least. "Hi. We've talked though I never picked up your name, sorry." Pen in his hand as he was caught mid-cleaning, he twirled it to let out some pent up energy. "But sure. What do you need?"

Zahra Poetri

[Zahra Poetri]

Kei Hada

ZAHRA POETRI

ENIGMATECH

Well, shit

That single sentence pass through her mind after receiving the response from Kei. But, being experience being a full blown weeb since her younger age make her more shameless and pretend she doesn't noticed anything. This humble one is called Zahra Poetri but known as Zahra in daily basis. Without her noticing it, she shifted into more polite form on her speech to the point that her way of speaking is something that you would only hear on Samurai-era drama. If it was not because her posture is fully relax and take a nearby sit without any question, one would thought that this is a meeting between a servant with their lord. This humble one is here to offer my apology for I have made a grave mistake in the past She continues her spiel. She would maintain her polite-ness to the extreme until Kei states otherwise. Her choice of word even shifted into words that has been long unused in this modern era.

All of this vocabulary is thanked to her hyper fixation interest toward a certain historical japanese anime in the padt and research lot of thing about it.

[newclass=b]color:#D20514 [/newclass]
[newclass=i]color:#7b3e46; font-weight:strong[/newclass]

[Kei Hada]

Kei's expression couldn't help but morph into confusion.

The way she was speaking struck him as odd. While the words were correct, they were very formal and not what he was used to hearing from someone around his age. It especially contrasted the way she acted, making lax movements when one would expect a person to stand as straight as a rod when talking that way.

The thing that was weirder to him though was she was struggling. Like she was forcing herself to speak in the way she was now, when she talked just fine in the orientation. She said she was apologizing, but was speaking unnaturally her way of making amends?

He sighed and raised a hand. "Hey Zahra, you don't need to talk like that to me okay? Whatever tone you used back at the orientation, you can use it here." He could only hope she could understand the accusations did not count as a tone. Kei crossed his arms. "What are you sorry for?"

Zahra Poetri

[Zahra Poetri]

Kei Hada

ZAHRA POETRI

ENIGMATECH

Phew... Fortunately, she can stop with the behavior. Truth to be told, her vocabulary almost reach the limit so she could only just reused on what she knows if it continue. Wait, don't tell me that you forgot about it? Zahra says after noticing that he didn't know what she was apologizing for.

You know, the orientation fiasco. The day I call out on your white lie... Can it even be called as a white lie? That doesn't matter. The thing was, no one wouldn't get pissy when they suddenly get a sharp pain on their stomach because of someone else's action, right? That's what happened Zahra completely oblivious that she glossed over her quirk's nature making her sentence sounds weird. On hindsight, I should exercise my self-restraint more. So I apology for tha Her apology sounds sincere despitw the smile that she plastered on her face.

[newclass=b]color:#D20514 [/newclass]
[newclass=i]color:#7b3e46; font-weight:strong[/newclass]

[Kei Hada]

"Oh I know," Kei replied immediately, his air of niceness slipping just a bit. "But you wanted to explain right? So I'm listening." He couldn't possibly think of how she could clarify what she did without outright saying I wanted to mess with you. He didn't want to sit there as she talked about how making fun of someone was a great past time of hers, or that she got a kick out of embarrassing others. He got enough of that in high school.

Then the actual explanation came in. And even now, while it was just the two of them, she still thought he lied. Kei's expression soured. "I didn't lie." He was more adamant about it now than during the orientation. In his mind he already said what he meant back then, he was not going to do it again.

There was another thing too though. He glossed over the apology - weak as it was when the words didn't match the face, she didn't mean it after all - to focus on something that perplexed him. "You... got a stomachache because you thought I lied?" The confusion was set in his face again. He was having a hard time connecting someone's morality to an illness.

Zahra Poetri

[Zahra Poetri]

Kei Hada

ZAHRA POETRI

ENIGMATECH

Ah great, his face is soured... as Zahra think sarcastically. Should have played Otome game that a friend keep trying to convince her to play - That way, she could at least know how to play with men's favorability or something.

Then, her confused look starts to appear with the question. She thought that she was being clear and don't know where she miss Yeah, my quirk gives me a sharp pain on stomach whenever I 'perceive' a lie Zahra repeat it (Despite not saying it on the first place) while giving a quotation gesture when she mention 'perceive'

It sucks really. Wish don't have that like at all Zahra mention it casually. Her self wallowing about her quirk era has long passed by now and she already learn on how to live with it.

[newclass=b]color:#D20514 [/newclass]
[newclass=i]color:#7b3e46; font-weight:strong[/newclass]

[Kei Hada]

"Ohhhh your Quirk." That explained the cause, but the method still confused him. "So wait. Your Quirk lets you detect lies but in a very literal sense?" Kei thought back to the orientation, to when the girl called him out on his speech about how they were all equals.

It wasn't her making that mistake then, it was her Quirk. It encompassed everyone in the room instead of the freshmen he meant to direct that to. Did it make those kind of errors all the time?

Wow, that sucks.

"Wow, that sucks," Kei couldn't help but say. Then he realized what he said and slapped his mouth in shock. He lowered his hand once the moment passed. "Sorry. It's awful you have to deal with that." While he was afraid of the full extent of his own Quirk, he at least had full control of it. He couldn't imagine what life would be like if it just triggered itself when some criteria was checked off. "Can you improve it some way? You said it's based on your "perception"?"

Zahra Poetri

[Zahra Poetri]

Kei Hada

ZAHRA POETRI

ENIGMATECH

Save the pity, had enough of that for my whole lifespan possibly Zahra waves her hand disinterest dismissing the apology. Her mentioning her own quirk was not for the sake of getting a pity from Kei. She had enough getting a pity throughout her life.The more my senses perceive the lie, the more it got muddled - raising the risk of what I call as false positive lies -- Wait, I am here not to explain this Zahra explains as a habit of her sharing her own founding regarding something but she quickly shuts it as she remember the reason why she is here. For the apology and something else.

Enough of that, all you need to know... I notice a lie, my stomach do sommersault while tap dancing as if happy hour just starts. So, instead of half assedly trying to minimize it - why not weaponize it for self defense Zahra smiles while doing an weird movement where she keep snapping her finger as she points at Kei with a smile as if implying that is his cue where he will be the one that design it and make it for her.

what do you think, Kei-pie? Up for a challenge

[newclass=b]color:#D20514 [/newclass]
[newclass=i]color:#7b3e46; font-weight:strong[/newclass]

[Kei Hada]

"Sorry," Kei said again when Zahra spoke about not wanting pity. He understood though, sometimes you were just unlucky with your Quirk and no amount of well wishes could change that. The least they could do was work around it. "You notice somethin' that could be a lie you mean," Kei clarified. "From what I understand, your Quirk's not good at pickin' up context since your perception can be all-encompassin' and it takes that into account. I wonder if there's a way to correct it that's not limitin' your senses."

He furrowed his brow, surprised at how she'd rather not work on making it better. "I dunno- I think there'd be some use to improvin' how your Quirk works. But weaponize it?" A hum escaped him shortly before something clicked. Was this why Zahra apologized to him? To have him build something for her? But that couldn't be right, it wasn't like the support department was small. She could've asked anyone for help.

Kei's expression was pensive as he eyed her hand, definitely signalling him to say something. He hazarded a guess. "I... could try?" It was obvious he was reluctant to the idea but ultimately he wanted to help. It's just who he was. "Weaponize it in what way though?"

Zahra Poetri

[Zahra Poetri]

Kei Hada

ZAHRA POETRI

ENIGMATECH

Agh, Ayolah!^* Zahra shouts in annoyance straight out without any filter to her tone. Even her body language can be easily inferred that she is currently annoyed Stop with the apologize senpai! Sooner or later people would step on you. Geez Zahra let out a sigh, shaking her head. Her keigo toward Kei has vanished to the dusted and replaced by a genuine concern.

Putting that aside, I don't really need something spectacular. All I need is something that could give me some time to run away in the case that someone discover my quirk Zahra shifted her gear to another topic once again real quick. Trying to ponder option that they can use Most of the time when I am bombarded by lies, I would be paralyzed on spot. So something with trigger won't work. Perhaps, a trigger that automatically run based on certain where I can't move Zahra explains her quirk a little bit in-depth with the goal she wants to gain. If Kei somehow apologize once more; she will completely ignore him.

^* 'ayolah' = 'come on'

[newclass=b]color:#D20514 [/newclass]
[newclass=i]color:#7b3e46; font-weight:strong[/newclass]

[Kei Hada]

"Sorr-" Kei cut himself off before he finished, remembering that Zahra didn't want him to apologize. "Right. Okay." A shaky laugh escaped him. Being pushed around was nothing new to the sophomore, what with his demeanour and all. It's just an unfortunate truth he's come to accept.

"Anyways, that makes sense. You need somethin' that you don't need to trigger yourself..." He shifted his toothpick in thought, brows furrowed as he wondered how to automate such a weapon. Then he gasped. "Your stomach aches." Kei was quick to pick up his journal, flipping to a new page before he began to write in it. "So this device- it could activate when you're experiencin' the reaction you get from your Quirk. Once it goes over a threshold that is, so it'll only trigger when someone's lyin' a lot to take advantage of you. It'll avoid the accidental ones.

"And since the lies can come from anywhere, the weapon has to be somethin' that doesn't need to be aimed." He turned the journal so Zahra could see his sketch, which amounted to a belt with sound waves coming off it. "An alarm is indiscriminate, and if it's loud enough it'll get people to stop talkin'. Does that work for you?"

Zahra Poetri

[Zahra Poetri]

Kei Hada

ZAHRA POETRI

ENIGMATECH

This man has a lot of issues. What if I decide to press that button real hard to the point where he need to change himself whether he like it or not

Zahra ponders for a moment before shaking her head, setting that thought aside for a moment. Despite the hiccups from earlier, Kei finally talk her language; an indiscriminating attack would be great for her.

Sounds decents but I would probably suggest that the audio blast didn't trigger from a single lie. Imagine if that was the case and I wear that on orientation back then Zahra ponder as she talks while she grabs the nearest pen and scribble some gibberish on the paper. While the sentence is gibberish, the fact that she doing that stimulates her brain. The only feasible thing for a piece of gadget to know if my quirk is activated is through pain detection Zahra offers an idea.

Perhaps we can set the detections to a certain threshold and when it pass that; the audio blast will get triggered[. Does that sounds plausible to you, Kei? Zahra asks. Her expression is completely different compared to before; currently Kei is facing Zahra the inventor and any kind of formalities escape her mind and only the project that they are doing right now. From illegible scribbles on the paper; it slowly shows a first drawing prototype of what it could be the fruit of this project. Some sort of belt.

[newclass=b]color:#D20514 [/newclass]
[newclass=i]color:#7b3e46; font-weight:strong[/newclass]

[Kei Hada]

The more Zahra spoke, the more distressed Kei became. Not out of being targeted for another round of accusations this time. This time, his confusion grew from how the girl basically repeated everything he said as if they were brand new ideas. Ideas that he didn't speak of literally seconds ago with thresholds and pain detection. He applauded her for her enthusiasm but there was strain in his eyes as he looked between her sketch and his own.

Both were belts. They drew belts twice.

Slowly he turned his journal to himself and his hand moved again as he made adjustments to his drawing. He eventually turned it back to her, to show it being closer to the girl's design. He understood the importance of aesthetics after all so he wanted to fit its appearance to what Zahra wanted. "Yeah that's possible," Kei responded with a squeak. "We'd just need to test how much pain you can handle before you want the device to set off the alarm."

Zahra Poetri

[Zahra Poetri]

Kei Hada

ZAHRA POETRI

ENIGMATECH

That is the part that I hate the most Zahra let out a sigh while whining fully self-aware that it is futile. She is an inventor herself and an accurate data is much more important that a mere theory. But knowing that fact doesn't lessened up her apprehensiveness toward that idea. Lets get this over with. Warning though, if I accidentally punch you either on your face or your stomach; that doesn't mean that I hate you or anything Zahra gives a warning then suddenly her eyes sparkles as she just realized what she just said.

and...and it is not like that I like you or anything, hmph! Zahra acts out the most generic line and a scene from almost every tsundere character on the anime and find it amusing in her mind right now. The truth is in the scale of likability toward Kei, it is currently indifferent but leaning to dislike but Zahra is mature enough to not linger on such emotion when she needs something. Well give it a best shot on lying then... that sounds like a weird sentence to say Zahra let out a giggle on realizing how odd it was to encourage other to lie.

[newclass=b]color:#D20514 [/newclass]
[newclass=i]color:#7b3e46; font-weight:strong[/newclass]