"You've been improving very quickly." Fluorine smiles at Argon.
"You been improving as slow as snail."
"Knock it off. You know that you're going to need an actual instrument to descend, right?"
"Excuse you! The taiko is an actual instrument."
"Sure, sure, of course it is." She reassured him. "What I meant to say is that you're going to need an instrument that has pitch control."
"Then say that!"
"I just did. I also went through the trouble of picking one out for you."
"I'm not playing a violin you dweeb."
"What the h£ll does that word even mean." They stared blankly at each other for a few moments. "Moving on... no, I did not get you a violin. That would be redundant." She passed him a large cardboard box. "Go ahead, it's yours."
Argon pulled the sleek black banjo from the box and examined it. He looked up at Fluorine. "I have no clue how to play this. Do you have any clue how to play this?"
She sighed. "Yes, I know the different cords and their inversions. Before we descend, you need to have the charts for the 49 movements down pat. Got it?"
"Yeah, makes sense. You have the charts on you?"
"No, I don't own a banjo myself so I have no reason to own them. Have your dad pick them up for you, I have better things to do."
"Like practice?"
"Why would I practice?"
Argon looked at Fluorine. She avoided his gaze.
"So that you get better at rhythm, and don't get us both killed!"
"Alright, alright! I get it, put the banjo down!" Argon finally realized that he was holding the banjo above his head, preparing to swing it. "Those things aren't cheap, you know!"
"Maybe to you they're not. Did you forget the my father is the district conductor? There's about a dozen of every instrument imaginable in our storage rooms."
"Wow. I am absolutely an idiot."
"Yup."
"Mhm."
"Definitely. You wanna get out of my house so I can get some sleep? It's almost midnight. I've been practicing for four hours." Fluorine tolled her eyes. He was not amused.
"Fine! Geez! I'm going, ok?"
And she did.