FPE Impetus AU: Grading

*It's the summer season. 1 week before Riley, RUBY, Skell, and Robby go back to Paper School. 1 week before they'd visit the location that'd bring them more losses than anyone could imagine. *   *RUBY sits in her garage, downloading information to prepare herself for the next school year. Her hair is tied back with a bow. Someone is calling her. Skell ... . She picks up. *   Skell: So ... you feeling good about school? RUBY: Of course, I am. I'm downloading everything I - Skell: No. I don't mean grades. Y - you know about what they do to failures. Why would you insist on going? RUBY: I could ask you the same thing, but ... I can save them. At least ... some of them. What about you? Why do you want to go? Skell: ... I - Maybe i'll -  Sorry, I gotta go. RUBY: Wai- *Skell hangs up. *   *RUBY isn't pleased at Skell's reaction to a basic question, but ... the idea of a phone call circles within RUBY's motherboard. She calls Robby. He picks up. *   Robby: Hiiiii RUBY. Need some help studying before school starts? RUBY: No, but thanks for offering. I just wanted to check up on you before school starts. You're ... okay ... right? Robby: Of course, I am. I've been studying all summer. Math. Science. I've even been practicing art and music. RUBY: What about Language. Robby: oh .... sh*t, I - I gotta go. Bye. RUBY: Wait. I need to ask, do you know where Riley is? I don't have her phone number, so I can't call. Robby: ugggggggggh. Why would you want to see her? She's been harassing me over the phone for ages. RUBY: She's going to school like the rest of us, at least according to you, so you know why. Wait, you have her phone number then? Robby: No. She just uses payphones and stuff. Not her own. You do know that the "the teachers k*ll failures" thing is a myth, right? RUBY: Not according to my research. And how would you know that she doesn't use her own phone? Robby: I've been keeping tabs on her. RUBY: So ... stalking then? Robby (Flustered): WHAT NO I ... i - look, Riley has this huge crush on this person, Olivia/kate ... something like that, can't remember. I got into contact with one of their friends, Zap ... no, Zip, and I've been helping her prank Riley in exchange for her telling me information about her. RUBY: ... Just ... tell me where she is. And ... please check up on Skell. *Robby sends some information on where Riley usually spends her time. An old kitchen. *   *Once RUBY finishes downloading the information for school, she takes a walk to the abandoned kitchen. The house is completely broken down. "How could she live here?" RUBY thinks. She knocks on the door. *   *A girl with a pointed tail and long hair opens the door. She's trying to create a ponytail with her hair to no success. She's initially overjoyed to see someone, assuming that Oliver/Katie had arrived. * Riley: Oli/Kat- oh. *Riley's expression immediately turns sour. You're not them.  What do you want? RUBY: You're going to the Paper School, right? Riley: H-how do you know that? RUBY: That ... that doesn't matter. I'm going there too, and I just wanted to check up on you before things start. You know how dangerous that place is. Riley: *tsk* That's just  ... a myth. No one actually believes that stuff. RUBY: Even, so, I still think you should be prepared for your education. Is there anything I can help you? Riley: Of course not. *RUBY's about to leave but ... * RUBY: *RUBY points at Riley's comb. * Do you need help with that? Riley: NO. I can do this myself. RUBY: Alright. Alright. Could you at least ... *RUBY takes off her bow and places it on the ground. * try putting this on? It's a lot easier with this, trust me.  *Riley's taken aback slightly by being given something. She reorientates herself and steps back into her house, slamming the door in front of RUBY, indirectly taking the bow with her. * *RUBY walks away, upset that a student could walk away unprepared for the dangers that await them. *   *For hours, Riley tries several bands to get a ponytail. They work ... but she doesn't like the look of any of them. Eventually, she runs out. She doesn't have any ... mor-* *She looks at the bow that RUBY tried to offer. It disgusts her to even think of putting it on but ... maybe it's worth a shot. She puts the bow on and looks in the mirror ... *   *...*