milliways_bar | (no subject)

Entry tags:

enzo matrix

(no subject)

A boy walks into a bar and abruptly loses half his vision.

"Huh? Is it another holiday?"

It probably is, if Bar's dressing people up. And here Enzo just intended to supplement his Academy lunch ~~with something that doesn't make him gag~~. Holidays, though, are always fun and novel, so he may be taking a longer lunch than planned!

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That never occurred to him! "Yeah! Wow, how often do you need new clothes?"

"Well not so often at my age, but every few months when I was little."

"Oh. That sounds about the same as for us."

"But you can predict it?"

"Yeah, when you get a diagnostic scan, the doctor tells you 'bout when the next one's gonna be."

"It's annoying when I grow now." Carlotta says. "It changes my centre of gravity."

"What do you mean?"

Carlotta flips over and balances on one hand.

"Centre of gravity is like a point in your body where if you lean too far you fall over. As I grow, different parts of me weigh different and I have to adjust how I balance."

"Oh! Yeah, sometimes we get a little wobbly after compiling 'til we get used to it." If she's gonna be upside-down, he will be too (but he will start with two hands). "I thought you didn't get that with analog?"

"Well most people don't need to be so exact in the way they move." Carlotta says, flipping the right way up again. "But if you're jumping onto a narrow beam little changes in balance are important."

Enzo considers this. "I guess so, yeah." He tries shifting to one hand, and tumbles. "Do you do that a lot?"

"What, jumping? Yes, when I can."

"Like, in the rafters?" She does seem to like it up there, if two out of three encounters is anything to judge from.

"Oh yes. Or in trees or the school gym."

"You do a lot of gymnastics?"

"Not enough." Carlotta says ruefully. "But the gym mistress lets me go in at lunchtimes sometimes, so long as I bring a friend."

"Like for a spotter? We did a little gymnastics last term, in Physical Fitness."

"To make sure I don't fall."

Enzo nods, then starts to snicker. "Sorry, now I'm thinking about pirates doing gymnastics..."

"I think it would be harder on a moving boat."

"User ships have all those ropes, though..."

"But they rock."

"Yeah, I know. That would be hard." He grins. "It'd be funny, though!"

"At least doing acrobatics on a horse they move predictably."

Enzo rolls his eyes. "I know, I'm just being silly." Beat. "Why do they call it a horse?"