Location: Zoey's Flat

All Leads are at the location.
Features at location: Sam Clay and Amanda.

Extras: Otto

Zoey is busy cooking as her friends arrive.
Amanda is bummed that she isn't working with her sister and is playing with Otto to cheer herself up.

Zoey had two pizzas cooking in the oven, a pot of angel hair pasta on the stove and a large bowl of salad keeping cool in fridge.  She hooked her phone up to a speaker and had a random playlist playing all of their favorite songs.

She sat beside Sam and smiled at Amanda, "Just because we cant partner up doesnt mean I cant still work with you now and then.  What do your parents think about you in the science fair?"

Amanda sighed, "I know but I just looked forward to working with my heroic sister."
"Our Parents think this is a great opportunity for me to help surfacers by coming up with something that will help the oceans."

"They want me to win too."

Zoey blushed, "Im not that heroic. No more than most other Knights Im sure.  And you know, these guys are just as much heroes as I am.  We've fought together many times. So are they coming to the science fair? They could meet everyone and see our projects at the same time."

"Yes you are, you are a Knight on land and at sea. I am going to try to be like you."

"I could ask them to come to the fair, they are usually pretty busy but they would make time I am sure."

"Be yourself first though, okay?  I think you're pretty cool the way you are, but if you want to become a Knight too I can train with you sometimes.  To be honest, Allura's the only one that can really take my punches without getting hurt too much."

"A life time of rough living, and a good motorcycle helmet." Allura smiles.

"Amanda, I have seen Atlantis.  I am sure you will do great at the fair, your people have technology like I haven't seen on land."

Zoey looked to Rory, "So genius, how's your project going?  You two are making a robot, right?"

Susan arrived, with bagels, sandwiches, and cookies, for everyone.

Zoey helped herself to some cookies before checking on the pasta she had cooking.  "Mm, you always have the best munchies Suze.  Thanks."

She rinsed the pasta and took out some bowls for everyone, "Help yourselves guys. If you need anything let me know.  Pizzas should be done in a few more minutes too."

Zoey grabbed her tablet and started looking for articles on algae.

Zoey's tablet locks up for a moment or two then the site for algae pops up.

"I hope this thing's not starting to act up," she mumbled between bites of pasta.

"Amanda, grab something to eat."

Amanda digs into the pasta, "Hey it doesn't taste like kelp."

Zoey looked at Amanda, "Kelp?  I'll have to try that sometime.  Hey, you should have our parents come here for dinner sometime.  I'd like them to meet Pops anyway."

"Hey Susan, any ideas on how to make pollution eating algae?"

Susan entered, struggling a bit under the weight of a couple of grocery bags and a heavy backpack.  She looked more chagrinned than anything, as if embarrassed for not being stronger.
She set the bags on the table, setting out finger sandwiches, bagels, and other appetizers for everyone, before unloading her books and laptop.
"Hello....*huff*...how's everyone...*pant*...doing?"

Zoey got up and gave Susan a hand with her stuff and laughed.  "You know, you dont always have to bring food and snacks when you come over.  Let me be the hoste...Ooh, you brought those cookies I like.  Thanks!"

"Mm..we were..Mm.  We were just talking about our projects.  What kind of algae do you want to do ours on?"

Susan smirked.
"My mother wouldn't forgive me if I ever showed up empty handed.   I'm not sure what kind I prefer.  Perhaps something with bioluminescence?"

She set out the trays in an efficient and visually appealing way that Martha Stewart would have envied.

"That's an awesome idea.  We can get some from the cave too, or I can.  There's a bunch of it in there remember?  Maybe we can borrow a microscope from the school or something too, so we can look at it closer."

In reply to Zoey Krass (msg # 18):

Susan nodded, smiling wryly.
"Just as long as it's something we can get without raising any eyebrows.  We can't be normal students if we get things from the bottom of the Mariana's Trench."

Zoey smiled, "Im sure we can come up with a cover story if someone gets too nosy."

Susan frowned, but with more amusement than anything else.
"Zoey, Bubelah....the key is avoiding the need for a cover story.  Too many cover stories can only make us more visible, after all."

She nodded, "Hm, you may be right about that.  So, we went scuba diving and found the algae in the cave.  If anybody asks that is."

With a chuckle she smiled and sat down to finish her bowl of pasta.  She picked up her tablet again and Googled 'glowing algae'.

Susan nodded, approvingly, and helped get things organized.

Zoey glances up from her tablet "Hey check this out Susan, we can make our own glowing algae.  This website can show us how to do it.  Doesn't look too difficult."

www.instructables.com/id/Grow-Your-Own-Bioluminescent-Algae/

She looked at Rory, "You've been really quiet today.  You alright?"

"Yeah, just thinking about the project. I was really looking forwards to building Mr Butler." Rory sighed. "I guess that we could build an eco-bot but that would be stretching things a bit. What do you think Allura?"

"I don't even know how to build a normal bot. We have to focus on the ecosystem man this is lame why can't we build death lasers or something."

"Mostly, because they said nothing dangerous. I mean, where's the fun in that?"

"I know right ! I mean death lasers could protect endangered species." Allura smirks.

Zoey laughs and shakes her head.  "How did they let you two pair up?"

Susan smirked.
"I suppose they thought the two of them would be a good influence on each other."

"Yeah, you're probably right," she chuckled.

Looking to Rory and Allura, "I can't wait to see what your robot is going to do.  This is gonna be an awesome science fair this year.  Mm, smells like the pizzas are done."

"Hey, I will get the pizza you guys relax. I am sure Rory and I will come up with something good. Maybe not a robot but something. Just wish we weren't restricted."

Allura heads off to get the pizzas.

"Look for a loophole, there's always one somewhere," Zoey replied.

"You want a slice of pizza, Amanda?  There's pepperoni and three meat."  She got up to get some pizza for herself, "Sam you want any?"

Rory nodded. "Yeah, we'll definitely make something good as long as we don't get disqualified for breaking the rules."

Susan shrugged,  smiling wryly.
"sometimes limitations and restrictions can spur creativity.   Think of it as part of the challenge. "

The audience could tell that Susan was thinking of herself,  as the physically weakest member of the group,  which , as a former school athlete,  was a bit galling at times.
"Zoey, I'll shop around for some cheap fish tanks, something to grow algae in. "

Zoey nodded, "Okay cool.  I'll get some of those samples from the cave soon too."

Amanda nods, "I want to try everything sis !"

"Bring on the pizza !"

Zoey grabbed one of the cut pizzas and some paper plates and brought it over to the table for everyone.  She handed her sister a slice of pepperoni pizza, "Its still a little hot."

Amanda looked at it.

"It looks pretty flat." She watched seeing how others were eating it and took a bite.

Then she began waving her hand in front of her mouth.

Iff goo.

Susan smiled, charmed by Amanda's thrill of joyous discovery.

Zoey giggled, "Thought you would like it."

She ate her slice of pizza then finished off a bowl of pasta as well. "What's it like going to school in Atlantis? What are your friends like?"

Sam holds his stomach and closes his eyes.
"I am not feeling too well."

Amanda is about to speak when she looks over at Sam.

End Scene