FPE Impetus AU: Grading

*RUBY sits at her charging station in sleep mode, still conscious. Still capable of processing. The machine in the corner has started constructing ... something. It's only a few small pieces of metal though. She looks through the memories she's stored. She already sent Lizzy and Petunia the study material yesterday when she got back to her garage. Skell...   "Thanks for being my friend."   "Could I have stopped this?" RUBY thinks to herself. *   *RIIIING* *RIIIING* *RIIIIIIIIING*   *RUBY awakens from sleep mode. It's a call from ... Riley? RUBY internal clock says that its 5:50 AM. She didn't expect Riley would call this early. RUBY decides to pick up the call. *   Riley: RUBY!!! RUBY: You don't have to yell. What is it? Riley: When are we *Riley's face scrunches up at the thought of saying it. *... ugh, going to study? *RUBY checks the time.* RUBY: I guess ... we can start whenever you get here. I don't have that much to do today. Riley: Okay. I'll be there soon.   *Riley exits her house, making sure to bring her kn*fe alongside schoolwork and books. In around an hour (6:50 AM), she arrives at RUBY's garage. Riley knocks on the garage door. It opens. RUBY is behind it.*   *RUBY puts her hand out. Riley's expression turns to one of confusion. *   RUBY: Can I please have the knife?   *For a moment, Riley considers. It's only a small thing. But ... it's uncomfortable to be without it. It'd be like giving away a family heirloom, even when it isn't even close to being that. *   Riley: Please, just ... let me keep it.   *"I shouldn't even let her in if she won't even do something as basic as this." RUBY thinks. But ... Riley needs her more than she realizes. * RUBY: Fine. *RUBY let's Riley into the garage, knife still grasped with her clawed hands. *   *Riley looks around RUBY's garage. It's just like the last time she visited. Riley and RUBY study for the upcoming world history test. She gets more than half of the questions correct. Despite this, RUBY doesn't show any form of joy from this improvement. *   *Once finished with World History, they move on to study other subjects. Math. Science. Language. After those, Riley slogs through music. Then, finally, after 3:00 PM strikes. * Riley: Alright, that's enough studying for today. *Riley almost leaves the garage. * RUBY: Hey, Riley? *Riley looks behind her. * RUBY: ... I still care about you. You know that ... right? *Riley stops for a moment.  * Riley: ... *Riley leaves the garage and returns to her house. She opens the door. * *A dark, dilapidated kitchen building. No one else is there. There are kn*ves and other cutting equipment around the floor. Riley couldn't be bothered to pick them up. Riley walks into the bathroom. The room's been decorated. There are pictures of Oliver/Katie around, a kn*fe in the sink, and a sleeping bag. Riley pulls the sleeping bag over herself. It's early ... but there's not much else to do ex- *   *Riley remembers the promise of writing an apology letter. "Why should I write an apology for her? She - she just - she wants to look good in front of those pompous "queens." Riley thinks. *   *Another excuse, just like last time. But ... it's hard to believe it this time, even when the reasonings are more solid. *   *"Would RUBY really say and do all of that stuff just for them? Maybe ... she's ... not doing it to look good." Riley reluctantly thinks. *These thoughts spiral through Riley's head ... until she falls to sleep. *