Genius Is Just a Word

"Welcome back!" Said a narrator excitedly towards the audience, which was bigger than ever.

"Are you guys excited?" The man asked, raising the microphone toward the crowd that screamed madly.

''The mechanical competition will start now! Countless inventions and innovative ideas presented by our dear pilots in training, the hope of the Republic!''

As people screamed even louder than before, the narrator pointed to one side of the Arena, where a young girl came out of a large door and hurried to the narrator's side.

"Here is the young genius and also a pilot in training in twelfth place at the academy." The man grabbed the girl's arm, startling her.

''CATARINA CARAS KATRAN!'' The audience started to clap as they looked intently towards the girl, who was completely red of embarrassment, similar to a fresh tomato.

''Hi? It's a pleasure to be here and to be able to be in front of so many people." Catarina straightened as she waved her right hand towards the cameras and the audience.

''What did you come to show us? We are all looking forward to seeing what you young people have created!'' The narrator asked with a smile on his face.

Catarina wasted no time when the screens behind her began to show the models and descriptions of the project that she would demonstrate in the competition.

"Spindle mechanisms created from a type of stainless steel." She pointed toward the screen, enlarging the overall image of the continuously rotating device model.

''The only part that is not made from this steel is the turbine component, where I thought it would be better to use a composite of a Teflon block, and the two turbine bearings that were made of kulli and an artificially made sapphire, that was created in the laboratory of the academy itself.''

''Before you start to ask yourself 'what would be the use of this thing?', imagine how the industrial sector would benefit from such a device, when production could be accelerated so much in terms of pressurization, creation and the way in which the fabrics are ordered.''

''Before you start to ask yourself 'what would be the use of this thing?', imagine how the industrial sector would benefit from such a device, when production could be accelerated so much in terms of pressurization, creation and the way in which the fabrics are ordered.''

''In addition to these mentioned aspects, the device also has a needle valve in a solenoid that can be activated automatically or manually, depending on how the person using the device configures it.''

''The small compartment where the battery is located is protected by an ultra-resistant rubber seal, which prevents any danger of explosion or a stray electrical current.''

Catarina paused in her speech, breathing a little so as not to faint from lack of air. Then, starting to speak actively again, to finish the explanation that had lasted for a few minutes.

"Finally, if we ignore most of the other security measures and integrated systems here." She waved to a corner of the room, where a few people came out carrying the black device with red tips, toward her.

''The responsibility of these small metal vanes here in the pump turbine is to compress (cut) the tissue or fluid and force it, under pressure through these small holes here, where they will be stretched cold and go through a process in which the tissue it gains a fourfold increase in tensile strength, and then drops it into a medium compartment, where it will solidify and take its final form.''

''As for the rest of the information, the agency will publish the device and values ​​accurately on their website. Just consult when you have the time and patience to do so.''

The girl said as she leaned towards the audience that had been silent for some time, at the same time, people rose from their seats frantically clapping their hands to congratulate the girl on the great performance.

"I told you she was a genius!" The narrator commented with a laugh, as he waved for the employees to remove the device from the middle of the Arena.

''This was the presentation of the Clay Class! Very impressive if I may say so.''

Catarina nodded slightly, cutting the man's speech in half as she asked permission to speak.

''I didn't do it alone, we were only able to achieve such a result by uniting the three representatives of our class to make this device. I am very grateful to the other two responsible for the creation!'' Catarina said happily, as she waved towards the audience saying goodbye and finally leaving the Arena.

''Next, we will see the presentation of Class Multi! Look forward to it, as will any creations ever surpass the genius of the Clay Class students?" The narrator said as he walked out of the Arena, heading toward the break room to wait for the next rep.

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"We're fucked." The two Veritas Class Presentation Makers were shaking their heads in despair in the back room as they faced all the other students of the Class.

"Calm down, there's a way for everything." A girl with long pink hair who was tied up, tried to calm everyone, from the representatives to the other students present there.

''Class Multi presented a new way of transporting energy through electromagnetism, while Class Clay presented that complex device that will certainly be responsible for changing the industrial sector of the Republic!'' A girl disputed Alice's statement, while her eyes filled with translucent tears.

''AND WE, WE ONLY HAVE ONE PROCESSED MINERAL!'' The girl collapsed to the floor as everyone in the room, including Alice, began to fall into complete despair.

However, the situation was interrupted by metallic sounds reminiscent of the popping noises in the industrial region of the upper city. All eyes in the room turned to the same place, there a boy in a white coat and tousled black hair worked non-stop adjusting a small bracelet and small triangular dots of black color that were placed on top of a worn wooden table.

Everyone was utterly silent, watching closely how Quagmire handled the little experiments, the boy was just making a few minor adjustments to the version that would be presented at the competition, but still his concentration wasn't disturbed while he was busy.

Quagmire then took a device that was shaped like a tiara and covered it with an odd-looking metal alloy, closing each end with extreme care and delicacy.

No one had any idea what the hell those gadgets the boy worked on so delicately were, except for the Vermillion bracelet, which Quagmire had demonstrated the use of it, to his friends before.

The situation remained that way for who knows how many minutes, with everyone in the room mesmerized by the sight of Quagmire and his weird-looking but extravagant inventions. The silence broke at the same moment the boy finished the adjustments he was making to the devices, looking quickly back.

"Well," Said Quagmire, as he tucked the inventions neatly into his backpack and pulled out two garbage containers that were filled with small triangular dots.

"If you're interested in knowing something about the 'Quagmidiot', watch the performance as well as everyone else." The boy said, when he finally disappeared from the room.

People were still trapped in the trance, but they understood that this boy they despised so much was perhaps their only hope in competition as they regained consciousness one by one and ran out of the room.

The room emptied quickly, leaving behind only Mary who was sitting in a white chair watching the whole situation. The girl started to smile strangely, which was a little reminiscent of Quagmire's ironic smiles.

"I knew you wouldn't let me down."

"Let's see what you're capable of, Quagmire." The girl said at the same time that she leaved the room.