-Avi-

I'm 15," Leskie said, tilting her head a bit. "I've also been here for a long time. I techincally didn't start attending until I was 13, but I was training to start since...well, I don't remember. Very young, I suppose. But not celebrating a birthday...? You should choose a random date, to experience it, so maybe we could bring gifts. Only if you want to, of course."

Avi was stunned. "Uh....oh." He was silent for a minute, and then laughed softly. "Sorry, I.... I just wasn't expecting this. It's just really nice." Avi ran his hand through his hair. These two truly were the best actually human people he'd ever met. 

Relven chimed in, "We should do it. If everyone's happy with it. Birthdays are always great. I had mine a month ago, which means I'm seventeen, though I'm still not completely adjusted to that." He chuckled a little bit. "Oh, and Avi - just thought, it probably says in your file what day you were born on. We totally don't have to go by that, but if you want to know." It took all of Avi's control not to turn pink.

Avi looked back and forth between the two of them. He couldn't really figure it out. Did they actually like him, or were they messing with him? Or could this even be a thing people did for each other all the time? Was everyone just nice, offering to throw birthdays, handing out compliments left and right? The only thing people around him gave out left and right was rude insults and punches.

"Alright," Avi decided finally. He smiled wryly. "I mean, what more do I have to lose? I suppose we could take a look at my file, although I've tried before and haven't found anything. In the meantime, perhaps another question to continue the conversation? I don't really have anything interesting in mind. I'm not a very interesting person anyway." 

whoops I meant Leskie started at 11

&Leskie&

"Uh....oh." Avi was silent for a minute, then laughed quietly. "Sorry, I.... I just wasn't expecting this. It's just really nice." 

Relven said, "We should do it. If everyone's happy with it. Birthdays are always great. I had mine a month ago, which means I'm seventeen, though I'm still not completely adjusted to that." He chuckled. "Oh, and Avi - just thought, it probably says in your file what day you were born on. We totally don't have to go by that, but if you want to know." 

Avi glanced between them, as Leskie tried to discern his expression. "Alright." He smiled wryly. "I mean, what more do I have to lose? I suppose we could take a look at my file, although I've tried before and haven't found anything. In the meantime, perhaps another question to continue the conversation? I don't really have anything interesting in mind. I'm not a very interesting person anyway."

"I'm sure you're a really interesting person...if we took time to get to know you." Leskie turned the computer back on, though technology wasn't really her strong suit, so she left it to Relven to find the file. Meanwhile, she turned to Avi and said, "So, what hobbies do you have?" 

-Avi-

"I'm sure you're a really interesting person...if we took time to get to know you." At her words Avi looked down. She was being really nice. He wasn't used to it and had no way to tell her how happy it made him. Luckily for him she reached over and pushed the power button on the computer. Then Leskie turned it to Relven, and an unspoken understanding passed between them that he would find the file. She turned back to Avi. "So, what hobbies do you have?" 

He sighed. She was wrong. He was pretty boring. "Well, besides this," he gestured to the lab, "my life consists of a couple things. I draw, work out, hang out with Zinnie and Via, and try to control my reckless tendencies. Oh, and I sing a bit, mostly for Via." Suddenly his eyes lit up. "But I would love to run around in the woods, or maybe play a sport. Or finally learn math and writing."

He looked right at Relven, who had been listening. "You guys probably do a lot of cool things. What kinds of things do you do? And you might have to explain it a bit. I might not know."

/Relven/

"Alright," Avi said after a pause. "I mean, what more do I have to lose? I suppose we could take a look at my file, although I've tried before and haven't found anything. In the meantime, perhaps another question to continue the conversation? I don't really have anything interesting in mind. I'm not a very interesting person anyway."

Relven bit his lip. How could you think that? "Not a very interesting person..." You couldn't just classify yourself as that.

"I'm sure you're a really interesting person...if we took time to get to know you," Leskie said. She turned on the computer and glanced at Rel; he guessed that she wanted him to take over, and did so, keeping his attention on the conversation. "So, what hobbies do you have?" Leskie asked Avi.

"Well, besides this," Avi said, motioning at the lab, "my life consists of a couple things. I draw, work out, hang out with Zinnie and Via, and try to control my reckless tendencies. Oh, and I sing a bit, mostly for Via." His eyes shone softly suddenly, as if he were finally coming to life. "But I would love to run around in the woods, or maybe play a sport. Or finally learn math and writing."

Rel felt a pang of sadness. This boy before him wasn't just an experiment, he was a boy, an individual, a person unlike any other, and he was spending his life caged, with no purpose in life. Avi looked at him. "You guys probably do a lot of cool things," he said. "What kinds of things do you do? And you might have to explain it a bit. I might not know."

Rel turned back from the computer. "First, Avi, you are interesting," he said. "Everyone is. Whoever you are, you're not a boring nobody." He hesitated, then went on. "Anyway, for hobbies, I love learning new languages...? And archery. You know, where you shoot an arrow so that it will hit a target. Are you getting this so far?"

A vague idea was forming in the back of his mind - what if one morning, before anyone was awake, he and Leskie could get Avi out of here and show him the real world? - but he pushed it away for later. Now wasn't the time.

&Leskie&

"Well, besides this," Avi said, gesturing to the lab, "my life consists of a couple things. I draw, work out, hang out with Zinnie and Via, and try to control my reckless tendencies. Oh, and I sing a bit, mostly for Via." His eyes lit up at this. "But I would love to run around in the woods, or maybe play a sport. Or finally learn math and writing." Avi looked at Rel. "You guys probably do a lot of cool things," he said. "What kinds of things do you do? And you might have to explain it a bit. I might not know."

Rel turned back from the computer. "First, Avi, you are interesting," he said. "Everyone is. Whoever you are, you're not a boring nobody." He paused, then went on. "Anyway, for hobbies, I love learning new languages...? And archery. You know, where you shoot an arrow so that it will hit a target. Are you getting this so far?"

Leskie waited for Avi to reply before saying, "I enjoy reading books and archery, like Relven. And to be honest, I think I enjoy science as well. Also, if you ever wanted to," she added, turning to Avi. "Maybe we could attempt to teach you math and writing from what we learn." Or we could take him out and show him the real world. But that might be going a bit too far, on the first day meeting him. She fell silent after. 

"First, Avi, you are interesting," Relven said, looking at Avi directly in the eyes. Avi's stomach fluttered. "Everyone is. Whoever you are, you're not a boring nobody." He paused, then went on. "Anyway, for hobbies, I love learning new languages...? And archery. You know, where you shoot an arrow so that it will hit a target. Are you getting this so far?"

"Hmm, languages," Avi repeated, partly to show he was listening, and partly to give him time to craft a response. "And archery. I know archery. Never done it, but I know what it is." He shrugged. "If I ever get to practice any form of fighting, I'd probably pick something a little closer range. But it's cool."

Leskie started speaking so he turned to her. "I enjoy reading books and archery, like Relven. And to be honest, I think I enjoy science as well. Also, if you ever wanted to, maybe we could attempt to teach you math and writing from what we learn." She smiled. It was a very kind smile. 

"Ahhh yes. But I wouldn't have any use for it down here, now would I?" He smiled ruefully. "And I must warn you, if you talk to any of the guards about me, they probably will have some....unkind words to say. I enjoy giving them a hard time." Then he laughed, loud and clear, like bells ringing. "It's a lot of fun."

I don't really know where to start with Rigel but this works. ae's still open if anyone wants their charrie to interact with aem

~

Rigel stares out the window, trying not to think about the fate befalling the other experiments. Nobody chose to use aem this time. Ae might have found this a bad thing a long time ago, when ae still wanted to be the good kid. Now ae’s only relieved. 

It’s not nighttime yet, but at least it’s a cloudy day. Beneath the roiling sea of grey and white, the campus stretches out. Far away. The lab is high up - that way even if the thick glass window broke, whoever was trying to escape would just fall to their death.

If only ae truly was a ghost. Ae could just float out the window and never come back. It’s easy enough to dream about - to dream that the outside is like aer world in the stars. But really, ae has no idea what’s out there. 

In some books, ghosts are tethered to the places they lived. Ae is too in a way, if by walls instead of magic.

Ae reads books whenever ae can. The campus’s library is full of them. Ae’s never been, but sometimes ae asks for books on certain subjects - stars, usually. When ae’s lucky, or ae’s been good, ae even gets them.

Usually it’s luck. Ae’s never been the good kid. 

@WiLdSoNg, just checking - if Avi's file does have his birthday, is there a particular date you want it to be?

/Relven/

"Hmm, languages," Avi said. "And archery. I know archery. Never done it, but I know what it is. If I ever get to practice any form of fighting, I'd probably pick something a little closer range." Rel laughed. "But it's cool."

Leskie added, "I enjoy reading books and archery, like Relven. And to be honest, I think I enjoy science as well. Also, if you ever wanted to, maybe we could attempt to teach you math and writing from what we learn."

"Ahhh yes," Avi replied. "But I wouldn't have any use for it down here, now would I? And I must warn you, if you talk to any of the guards about me, they probably will have some....unkind words to say. I enjoy giving them a hard time." He laughed, a clear, sharp sound. "It's a lot of fun."

For a moment, Relven couldn't even think of a response. They were so, so different, his and Leskie's lives and Avi's life. He couldn't begin to connect this boy's experiences to his. He wasn't sure he wanted to. And this other life was unwinding here, within the academy he knew inside and outside and backwards and forwards, and he wasn't sure what he thought about that. He managed a smile in response to Avi's words. "We'd never talk to the guards about you," he said. "I don't think they'll ever even know about this conversation." Mostly because students weren't supposed to be on friendly terms with the experiments. He glanced across at the science teacher, who luckily didn't seem to be aware of the fact that he and Leskie were talking to one of these experiments. And experiments weren't supposed to know the contents of their files, and Relven was fully prepared to tell Avi what was in his. He looked back at Avi. "And even if you don't ever need math or writing, if you want to learn them, why shouldn't you?"

Sorry y’all

*Zinnia*

While the students continued to mess with their wings, Zinnia looked for Avi. He seemed to be getting along great with his students. Zinnia was happy for him but jealous.

Via had Spiderwort and Colin working on her, and they were gentle. They even finished early. Zinnia smiled.

~Colin~

After telling Mx. Frost Spiderwort was just finishing up some notes (they looked rather surprised at the notion that Spiderwort was doing anything), Colin returned to his desk and read his book. Lab would be ending soon, and it would be time for his next class, which was math.

-Cress-

“Okay, all of that looks good,” said Cress. “So we just do this and then we’re done. Perfect.”

She glanced at the clock. Only ten more minutes to archery. 

&Leskie&

"Ahhh yes," Avi replied. "But I wouldn't have any use for it down here, now would I? And I must warn you, if you talk to any of the guards about me, they probably will have some....unkind words to say. I enjoy giving them a hard time." He laughed. "It's a lot of fun."

"We'd never talk to the guards about you," Relven said with a slight smile. "I don't think they'll ever even know about this conversation." His gaze darted briefly, and Leskie followed it and saw the science teacher, who luckily was paying attention to somewhere else. "And even if you don't ever need math or writing, if you want to learn them, why shouldn't you?"

"That's true," Leskie agreed. Her gaze darted up to the clock, which showed ten minutes before class ended.

@Amethyst, I don't really have a preference for a specific date. Pick one or say it wasn't there!

-Avi-

Relven smiled at Avi, a kind smile, and Avi smiled back. "We'd never talk to the guards about you," Relven said. "I don't think they'll ever even know about this conversation." Avi laughed a bit. It wasn't a concern of his. "And even if you don't ever need math or writing, if you want to learn them, why shouldn't you?"

"Thats true!" Leskie piped in, kindly. 

"I suppose you're right, Golden boy." He tried it out, trying to hide a slight but kind smirk, and failing miserably. Avi felt like he could joke with these two. They were great. 

They didn't have much time left. Avi couldn't wait to see Zinnie to talk about everything. And he couldn't wait for tomorrow, when he would see them again. 

"What class are you going to next?"

/Relven/

"That's true," Leskie agreed.

"I suppose you're right, Golden boy," Avi said, a small smile on his face, not unkind or malicious as it could have easily been. Relven was slightly surprised, but he couldn't help giving an answering smile. So many people called him a "golden boy", and he always tossed it off with a laugh, but it was nice to be called that without envy, just lightly, teasingly. Avi seemed so far removed from his usual circle of friends, but maybe in time he would be a good friend too.

"What class are you going to next?" Avi added.

Rel glanced at the clock. Only a few minutes left. "I think archery's next," he said. "All those long-range targets. Oh, and I almost forgot - your file does say what day you were born. May 10th." He shrugged. "Anyway, how about you, Leskie?"

*Adine*

"Okay, all of that looks good," Cress said. "So we just do this and then we're done. Perfect."

After spending much too long on useless arguments, Adine thought. Second period was almost over. "All right," she said, adjusting one thing she'd written and then hitting Send. She hesitated, turning to Aerona's tank. "You shouldn't feel anything," she said tentatively. "Are you feeling all right?"

&Leskie&

"I suppose you're right, Golden boy," Avi said, a lighthearted smile on his face. "What class are you going to next?"

"I think archery's next," Relven said. "All those long-range targets. Oh, and I almost forgot - your file does say what day you were born. May 10th." He shrugged. "Anyway, how about you, Leskie?"

"I have writing and comprehension next," Leskie said in a slightly weary voice. She would much rather be going to archery class. "Ah, I hope this doesn't sound rude, but what do you do after lab, Avi?"

-Avi-

Avi's nickname test seemed to work out well. Relven didn't seem to be bothered at all.

"I think archery's next," Relven said. "All those long-range targets. Oh, and I almost forgot - your file does say what day you were born. May 10th." He shrugged, but Avi was shocked. He had gone his entire life without knowing something about himself, even searching desperately, and now he just knew. It was a big deal.

"Anyway, how about you, Leskie?" Relven continued, unaware of Avi's inner emotional tidal wave.

"I have writing and comprehension next," Leskie said, sounding tired. "Ah, I hope this doesn't sound rude, but what do you do after lab, Avi?"

He thought for a minute. "Hmm well it kinda depends. Sometimes if there was a big project done on us, or if we've been naughty, or the guards are in a bad mood, they put us in our solitary cells for a bit. Otherwise we get to hang out with the other experiments I think. It's been a while!" He said the last part a bit chipper. "I really hope I can talk to Zinnie."