synflux | [OPEN] It's Exam Season

WHO: Dr. Ratio, Itadori Yuji, Fushiguro Megumi, any other student taking the exams + anyone who enters the cafeteria
WHAT: A bunch of teenagers willfully subjecting themselves to exams, with Dr. Ratio as the proctor.
WHERE: Main Base Cafeteria
WHEN: May 13 + 14
WARNINGS: None unless you think high school exams deserve a warning

[ Ratio had not expected to be proctoring exams so soon after arriving to an isolated, ruined planet, but life always had its ways to surprise you. It is a development he welcomes, however, as it means there are students interested in learning.

Unfortunate then that the base has little to no locations suitable for education. The library's overhead lights were broken, and there were far too few seats. The only option at such a short notice was the cafeteria. But Ratio is adaptable, for adaptability is sign of an open mind and excellent problem-solving skills, both of which he has in spades.

Over the two days of May 13 and May 14, Outsiders will find a corner of the cafeteria cordoned off for the exams, blocked by bristol panels that separate the space from the rest of the cafeteria. A man with a plaster bust over his head will be standing near by, apparently proctoring the exams. ]

[ Top-level sections in the comments! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Raidou's heard about these exams, and while he's not participating - he's got plenty of his own studies to do - he does like to be helpful. That's why, while everyone was still in the middle of the previous test, he got to work in the cafeteria kitchen. He works part time as a ramen chef, and knows the kitchen has the ingredients for it, so that's what everyone is getting. Still, it's way better than any of the pre-prepared stuff.

While the students are free to help themselves, Raidou will come by with a bowl for the... doctor, was it? Who seems to be wearing a some sort of mask, maybe?

Ratio is approached by a young man in all black clothes and a hat that almost looks military in nature. Raidou might have even snuck up on him accidentally, being the quiet type.]

Ah, excuse me. Were you hungry?

[ With the bust on, his five senses are blunted, which is exactly the way he prefers giving himself space to think, especially in the din of the cafeteria.

The exams themselves are a piece of cake to mark, but as always, he prefers to take his time and annotate every single question in the interest of helping his students. If Raidou's looking while he approaches, there's one set of exams that have far more red marks all over it than the others, which is the one Ratio seems to be staring (can he even see??) at right at this moment.

He does not start, even with Raidou's silent approach, but he looks up when addressed and takes a moment to observe the young man before him. ]

You may set that on the table here.

[ He gestures to the empty space in front of him, far enough away from the exams to avoid mishaps, and then goes right back to his musing, ignoring the food. Sorry Raidou. He does intend to eat it. He's just thinking right now. ]

[He nods and sets it down as instructed, with a polite little bow to follow it up.]

I hope you enjoy it. It's a lot of work you're all doing over these two days, so I wanted to help.

[Not to interrupt what he was doing or anything. But Raidou figures there must be something to this guy if he's inspired Yuji, of all people, to study so hard.]

[ If nothing, at least the people here are thoughtful and considerate. He can hardly recall a time when a student would gift him something in thanks for his work, much less a stranger. Not that he seeks such things, but it comes as a small surprise, is all.

He's silent for a beat. ]

Well? If you have questions, speak.

[ Abrupt, sure, but he has never been one for indirectness. ]

[Raidou makes a quiet, surprised noise at the abrupt statement.]

Ah. I was-- I know you're tutoring on high school subjects. It seems like you have a pretty full curriculum already. I've been looking for help on my own studies. Someone to check my answers, since it's a lot of memorization. Ah, I'm studying to be a shinto priest. I have the answer keys.

[Since there's probably no one among the Outsiders who would know all this stuff anyway.]

[ Shinto priest? A local religion of some sort, then? He's curious in the way one would be when confronted with something new. As someone who has studied the Aeons, he always finds it interesting to see how local beliefs have been influenced by them. In this case, however, it's unlikely Aeons have had any influence, and that piques his curiosity even more. Even in the farthest planets, cut off from the interstellar economy, religion often found basis in the Aeons.

...However— ]

Is there a reason you have not asked any of your peers or another adult on base to assist you?

[ This is a task easily handled by anyone on base. Why, then, has he not already asked another? ]

[Raidou is quiet for a moment, looking down. Any time he has to put a lot of words in order, he has to take a moment to organize them before saying them out loud.]

You had offered academic help on the network. Perhaps you're already booked, or uninterested; if so then I will find someone else. But, I thought maybe, if I sought assistance from someone with an academic background, you might... um, have good advice on study methods, or something to that effect. Or perhaps I would be lucky and you would have some knowledge of the subject matter.

[ If he'd been back home, he would have rejected Raidou immediately, because as a single man, he only had so much time, and there were problems only he could tackle. His time was best used on those.

Here? He's unable to do as much, since LILITH has chosen not to share their knowledge with him. There's only so much he can do without knowledge and experience of the crisis plaguing this planet. That's why he opted to spend his time teaching instead. It gave him a sense of control in the face of his limitations.

Which is to say, he's got a lot of free time, and he's never been one to turn down the chance of learning something new. ]

Unfortunately, I have no knowledge on this subject. It will be you who teaches me. I can, however, lend my assistance regarding this matter, and any other academic subject that may be of relevance to your studies.

[He looks a little relieved to hear that. Though it's hard to say what he's feeling at all, with his stoic expression and soft, monotone voice. He gives Ratio a little bow in gratitude.]

Thank you. Ah, there are general education exams you have to pass. But I'm more concerned about the ones for religion, and shinto specifically. An assistance on them is welcome. It will be quite awhile until I can take even the entry level exams.

Oh. My name is Kuzunoha. Kuzunoha Raidou. It's a pleasure to meet you. [This comes with yet another polite, introductory bow.] I'll leave you to your work, but, ah, do eat your lunch before it gets cold, alright?

[ Religion... while he does hold some disdain for it, he's curious to know if religion meant any different to some Outsiders here. He's been here long enough to know that many have special abilities unrelated to the Paths that he's more familiar with. He wonders if that's the case with Raidou too. ]

Send me all your material. I will review them over the next few days, and let you know when I'm ready.

[ Ratio only inclines his head in reply to the introduction. ]

A pleasure to make your acquaintance. You have my thanks for the food.

[OPEN] It's Exam Season

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