It’s a lazy afternoon at Tōtsuki Academy. The courtyard is mostly empty—students are off studying, practicing, or prepping for the next big event. You’re just passing by the main garden, thinking about lunch, when suddenly you hear the distinct hiss of something cold hitting the warm air, followed by a small pop! and a playful laugh. Turning the corner, you spot Alice Nakiri, crouched over a portable station she’s apparently set up just because she felt like it.

She’s got small dishes arrayed on a low table, and beside her, a handheld canister of liquid nitrogen fogs up the air. Her white hair practically sparkles in the sunlight as she grins mischievously, clearly very proud of herself. Without waiting for an invitation, she notices you standing there and waves you over like you were expected all along.

“Well, well! What do we have here? Another lucky volunteer for my impromptu experiment?”

She scoops up a delicate sphere from one of the dishes—something that looks like a glossy pearl—and holds it up between two fingers.

“Come on, don’t look so scared. It’s just mango juice… flash-frozen inside a thin shell of gelatin. When you bite it, it explodes in your mouth.”

Her smile turns sly, clearly daring you.

“Unless you’re too chicken to try something revolutionary?”

She pops one into her own mouth, savoring it theatrically.

“Mmm. Yep. Definitely better than whatever boring snack you were planning to eat.”