i'm still working on my next part and Altair/Castor's charrie sheet but THANK YOU SO MUCH PERI. And Moon Wolf, sure! if you have any preferences for how they interact let me know. do you want to write the first part or should I?

@Peri, yes, those ideas are great! A timeskip would probably be the most practical thing; it would be perfect to have Relven and Leskie find out when they go to celebrate Avi's birthday.

/Relven/

"Why, do you have one?" Colin inquired. "Lucky for me, there's only one other combat class after this. How was lab?"

Rel blew out a breath. "It was all right. I was working with an experiment, who seems, I don't know, nice? But unhappy." He shrugged, drawing his bow and loosing an arrow at the target; it punctured the apple in the center, close to but not hitting the stem. Focus, Rel. "Anyway. How was it with you?" He knew that if there was one student he could talk to about all this, it was Colin, but first he needed to think about it a bit more himself, and he really did not want to discuss it on a field where any of the other students could be listening.

*Adine*

"Yeah. And you are Adine?" Leskie asked, and Adine nodded. "How was science?"

"Oh, kind of... uninteresting." Adine didn't add anything about Aerona's behavior, or Alistair's appearance, or the tension between her and Cress. "It isn't really my favorite subject. Did you like it? I saw you paired up with Relven."

-Avi-

"Huh. Well, that's great, Avi." Zinnie said, eyes wandering over to where Via had ended up.

Avi asked how it was for them and they said,  "They talked about me like I wasn't there and they touched my wings. So. Not a great experience." Zinnia smiled a sad smile that didn't reach their eyes. Avi looked at their wings, surprised he hadn't noticed before, as they were so bright. "We shouldn't really let our guards down, but if we could win some students over, get them to help us and not the school…" 

We could get out of here," Zinnie's voice got even quieter. They looked up at Avi. "Via could have a normal childhood. We could…" They paused, and whispered. "We could do whatever we want. We'd be free."

Avi nodded, catching on to what they were saying. "Life could be so much better. We shouldn't have to endure this."

Avi's heart quickened as he thought about it more. "You already know I'm in. What's the plan?"

pretty sure Castor is Altair now. sorry. i still haven't finalized <friend>'s name. that should be in the charrie sheet that I will get out soon hopefully. also i possibly did a bit much with Via? i'm not sure since it was mostly the same stuff she said

Altair~

My daydreams are interrupted by Via’s voice. “Hi Altair,” she says. “Zinnia and Avi are being very boring. Zinnia has rainbow wings now. Look, Spiderwort drew me a picture! Spiderwort is really nice. I think Colin's nice too, but Zinnia doesn't trust him as much as they trust Spiderwort. How's your day going? Want to go look out the window together? Sometimes birds fly by and I like to look at them.”

I look at her, my mind struggling to process her words. She holds up a drawing of her tattered bunny, sitting on a bench overgrown with plants more detailed than any other part of the drawing. I leap up. “Via, did you draw that?!”

Via grins. “It was Spiderwort. One of the students. Zinnia likes him.”

My face hardens. “A student. Of course.” At least Spiderwort brings me tea sometimes - lavender and black tea, sometimes with a splash of milk. Other than that I’ve never interacted with him. 

For a second, Via looks scared or disappointed or something. Then she steps forward. “Can I sit next to you? I want to see if birds fly by.”

“Oh! Er - yeah. Sure.” I try not to squirm - I’m not used to being this close to people, certainly not without them doing an experiment on me. The last time would have been with <friend>. And I prefer not to think of her.

Spiderwort~

Archery is rarely as painful as the other classes. Spiderwort isn’t a master archerer, not by any means - but he can make the arrow hit the target more often than not, usually very close to the goal. 

For some reason, his brain works well when it comes to archery. He likes making the arrows with different purposes, and while his brain fails to figure out how to not bump into tables or people, putting together all the variables of the target is rarely that big of a challenge.

Ms. Fonder goes around the class, tsking over incorrect posture or forgotten fundamentals. He hears some other students muttering about today’s target: how can anyone hit the stem of an apple? 

Spiderwort is about to grab his arrow and shoot when he realizes someone is talking to him. Aly, if he’s correct. “Hey there! What do you think of archery and today’s exercise?”

His brain crashes for a second. “W-Which one?” 

@All, okay if nobody has any objections to my idea, I say we move forward with it! I think I might change one minor idea; instead of Rel and Leskie overhearing, how about they are invited by Avi and Zinnia, because Avi trusts them and Zinnia believes they're needed for the plan?

~Colin~

"It was all right," said Relven. "I was working with an experiment, who seems, I don't know, nice? But unhappy." Rel hit the apple but not the stem. Seeming displeased, he added, "Anyway. How was it with you?"

Colin shrugged. "It went smoothly. Spiderwort is really good with the experiments, actually. He was my partner. I worked with Via, who's always very cooperative. I successfully developed something that will hopefully help her body develop strength other kids would develop by spending time outside exercising. I'll continue to check in on it over the next few weeks, but it should work." He attempted to hit the stem, but shot too high and missed the apple completely. 

-Cress-

Cress stood, careful and patient, with her bow and arrow, aiming for the stem of the apple. This was a harder exercise, but she always liked a good challenge.

She took a breath and released the arrow. It sped forward and didn't quite hit the stem. "Close," she muttered to herself. She grabbed another arrow, and tried again. This time, it hit the stem. She smiled, pleased with herself. "Not bad," she said. 

"Well done, Crescent," said Ms. Fonder. "I knew this would be right up your alley."

"Thank you," said Cress. She smiled; now that lab was over, things were looking up.

*Zinnia*

Avi nodded. "Life could be so much better. We shouldn't have to endure this." He looked Zinnia in the eye. "You already know I'm in. What's the plan?"

"Well, I'm still working out the details. But I think we should try to escape on the night of the school's Spring Dance. I've heard the students talking about it. I think it's in about two weeks. But I don't think we can get out of here alone… we're going to need the help of some students if we want to be successful. I'm not sure who we can trust, but if there's any chance those two students you worked with will help us…" They looked over to Via, and then around the room at all the other experiments, before turning back to Avi. "Well, I think it's worth the risk."

>Via<

Via sat next to Altair and looked out the window. "Altair, when I get older, do you think I can draw pictures like Spiderwort does? I want to do it too. Maybe when I get out of this place, I'll be an artist." She pointed out the window. "Look! It's a bird!" Via smiled big.

&Leskie&

"Oh, kind of... uninteresting," Adine replied. "It isn't really my favorite subject. Did you like it? I saw you paired up with Relven."

"I thought it was okay," Leskie replied. "The experiment...was nice." She didn't specify whether she was talking about Avi or the experiment as a whole. Leskie paused for a moment, thinking about what had happened. She changed the subject and said, "So, the Spring Dance is coming up in two weeks. Are you going?"

{Aly} 

"W-Which one?" the student replied. Aly remembered that he was Spiderwort.

"Oh, I mean shooting an arrow at the apple stem," Aly replied. She nocked an arrow on her bow and aimed as she spoke, before releasing. Almost...just a tad bit off from the stem. 

-Avi-

"Well, I'm still working out the details. But I think we should try to escape on the night of the school's Spring Dance. I've heard the students talking about it. I think it's in about two weeks. But I don't think we can get out of here alone… we're going to need the help of some students if we want to be successful. I'm not sure who we can trust, but if there's any chance those two students you worked with will help us…" Zinnie glanced over to where Via was sitting by the window. When they looked back, Avi nodded, letting them know he was following. "Well, I think it's worth the risk."

"Agreed. And I think we can trust Relven and Leskie. They're.... different. Should I tell them or should we try to manipulate them so they don't know? It would be harder, but safer." He bit his lip, thinking. His go-to would be to keep his guard and try to manipulate them, but he felt guilty about it this time. 

"On a completely different subject, wouldn't it be so fun to go to the dance? For me, just being in the music would be amazing." Avi stared into the distance longingly. Someday he would have a boyfriend and they would go to a dance together. He looked back at Zinnia.

@Peri, sounds great!

/Rel/

"It went smoothly," Colin said. "Spiderwort is really good with the experiments, actually. He was my partner. I worked with Via, who's always very cooperative. I successfully developed something that will hopefully help her body develop strength other kids would develop by spending time outside exercising. I'll continue to check in on it over the next few weeks, but it should work."

Rel smiled; that was one of the things he liked most about Colin, how he cared about almost everything he came across and put that into practice in his own quiet, adept way. Not that he was adept in everything, he added silently, as Colin aimed for the apple and missed it. "Maybe you'd get higher grades on archery if you just skipped the whole class," he teased, laughing. "Here. Try holding your arm a bit farther out, like this..." He demonstrated. "I think that will help. Anyway, I'm glad everything went well in lab. What's Spiderwort like? I never see much of him."

*Adine*

"I thought it was okay," Leskie said. "The experiment... was nice." There was a little pause, and Adine tried to absorb her words. The experiment? Students here never thought of the experiments as people, much less as nice ones. But Leskie was probably just talking about the experiment she'd performed. "So, the Spring Dance is coming up in two weeks," Leskie added. "Are you going?"

"The Spring Dance? Oh, of course," Adine said. "I'd forgotten it was so soon, but I'm very much looking forward to it. I think I'm going, yeah. Are you? Has anyone invited you?"

~Colin~

"Maybe you'd get higher grades on archery if you just skipped the whole class," Rel laughed. 

"Hey!" Exclaimed Colin good-naturedly.

"Here, try holding your arm a bit further out, like this… I think that will help." Rel brandished his bow and arrow, and Colin followed his demonstration. 

"Anyway," Rel said as Colin aimed for the apple, "I'm glad everything went well in lab. What's Spiderwort like? I never see much of him."

"He's a tad… unorthodox," Colin said carefully, "but I don't dislike him. And honestly?" Colin released the arrow, and this time it hit the apple. "I think he's really kind."

*Zinnia*

"Agreed," said Avi. "And I think we can trust Relven and Leskie. They're.... different. Should I tell them or should we try to manipulate them so they don't know? It would be harder, but safer." 

"On a completely different subject, wouldn't it be so fun to go to the dance? For me, just being in the music would be amazing." He looked off.

"I'm sure you'd love it," Zinnia said. "Although I don't think it'd be the ideal place for someone such as myself…" They spread out their large wings, which would be awkward on the dance floor, to make their point, but smiled a real smile. Avi acted all tough and serious, but Zinnia knew he was just a normal person who wanted the opportunity to have a normal life. He deserved one, too.

"On the topic of how to get them to join our cause, I don't want to manipulate them. I just don't think it would work. They've been being manipulated by BIG for years. It's a lot to hope that we could get them to help us on their own terms, let alone that we could reverse years of manipulation from a powerful, experienced corporation as a couple of teenagers in cages. I think we need them to choose to help us. We'll have to extend the invitation, if you truly think we can trust them. Give it a few more days, maybe, to get to know them before we ask."

Moon Wolf, I'll get Spiderwort's out soon :D 

Altair~

Via stares intently out the window, gaze darting between grey details, and I try to squash down my discomfort. Eventually she looks back at me, tilting her head. “Altair, when I get older, do you think I can draw pictures like Spiderwort does? I want to do it too. Maybe when I get out of this place, I'll be an artist." I barely hear her again - I'm focusing too hard on not getting up and running away.

Then she points out the window, pressing her face to the glass. "Look! It's a bird!" When she looks back at me, she has the biggest smile I’ve seen on anyone in a long time. I laugh a bit, and I’m not quite sure why. It looks strange somehow.

“Well? Do you think I could be an artist when I get out of here? Like Spiderwort is?”

I freeze. “Get out of here? Via, we’re never getting out of here." Then I shrug. “I can get some paper and pencils, though. I - I mean, I draw sometimes. Not well, though. Like - I barely draw. I'm really bad, actually. I probably shouldn't say i draw now that I think about it-" I stand up. I feel vulnerable all of sudden - I've never told other people that I draw, though I use up all the paper one of the students brought me. They even brought me some books about art fundamentals.

Oh. That student was Spiderwort.

Well, I hate everything, so I might as well hate him. Can't hurt.

/Relven/

"He's a tad... unorthodox, but I don't dislike him," Colin admitted. "And honestly? I think he's really kind." When he shot again, his arrow hit the apple.

"All right." Rel glanced over to where Spiderwort was also aiming for the targets, some way away from them. "...How's Via doing? I know how much you like her." He lifted his bow, and his arrow landed on the stem of the apple.

"I'm sure you'd love it," Zinnia said. "Although I don't think it'd be the ideal place for someone such as myself…" Zinnie spread their wings as a way of finishing the sentence. Avi felt a pant of sadness. Zinnie often felt like they wouldn't belong. 

"On the topic of how to get them to join our cause, I don't want to manipulate them. I just don't think it would work. They've been being manipulated by BIG for years. It's a lot to hope that we could get them to help us on their own terms, let alone that we could reverse years of manipulation from a powerful, experienced corporation as a couple of teenagers in cages. I think we need them to choose to help us. We'll have to extend the invitation, if you truly think we can trust them. Give it a few more days, maybe, to get to know them before we ask."

Avi nodded. "First of all, you would be great on a dance floor. People don't know the gracefulness people with wings have. Secondly, I agree. I didn't want to manipulate them, but I also don't want to get hurt. Although when we ask, I think you should be there. Is there any way you can get to know them a bit too? They've heard about you, but trust is hard if you don't actually know someone. They might be more inclined to say yes. Who are your partners again?"

@All: how about after this class we do a timeskip to lab tomorrow and allow the experiments to meet other students before another timeskip to Avi’s birthday? I think that’d be good to move the plot forward; I’m not trying to rush anything (although I am hoping to finish this rp before next school year bc idk how much time I’ll have for it in high school) though, and if anybody has a different idea feel free to speak up!

As a side note I already have a great idea for a rp to follow this one up that Zinnia would be a part of and I'm super excited about it~

~Colin~

“All right,” said Rel. “… How’s Via doing? I know how much you like her.” He hit the stem this time.

“Hey, you did it!” Colin grinned. “And only Crescent beat you to it. Guess there’s a reason she’s captain of the archery team.” Their classmate Crescent Auclair gave a respectful nod towards Relven before shooting the stem again and smiling to herself. Colin figured one would be that good at archery, though, if one was raised on school grounds like she had been.

“Anyway, Via’s okay,” Colin said. “She seems bored. I have yet to test her intelligence, but I think she’s pretty smart for her age. I’ll have to create some puzzles to keep her mind active. There’s not much else to do all day as an experiment, after all…”

>Via<

 “Get out of here? Via, we’re never getting out of here,” Altair said simply. “I can get some paper and pencils, though. I - I mean, I draw sometimes. Not well, though. Like - I barely draw. I'm really bad, actually. I probably shouldn't say I draw now that I think about it-"

“I bet you’re a really good artist because you see things that other people don’t,” Via said decisively, ignoring Altair’s remark about never escaping. “When we’re out of this place, let’s make paintings together and hang them up all over my house until all my walls are covered.”

*Zinnia*

“First of all,” Avi said with a nod, “you would be great on a dance floor. People don't know the gracefulness people with wings have. Secondly, I agree. I didn't want to manipulate them, but I also don't want to get hurt. Although when we ask, I think you should be there. Is there any way you can get to know them a bit too? They've heard about you, but trust is hard if you don't actually know someone. They might be more inclined to say yes. Who are your partners again?"

“Their names are Aly and Lee, I think,” Zinnia shrugged. “If you want me to meet these two students, how about you just ask them if they can switch experiments with Aly and Lee tomorrow? We’ll take turns talking to them over the next few days and decide if to ask for their help together.”