worth an oat

[alicornucopia]

In this soup kitchen sits a nun in partial habit, sipping water and frowning at a desk. It is very irregular for adults who aren't volunteering to be at the soup kitchen. It is very irregular for expensive electronics to be in the soup kitchen. The volunteers do seem to know her; they call her "Carlotta".

Comments

[alicornucopia]

"Like what?"

[pythbox]

"Murder is usually unreasonable."

[alicornucopia]

"Well, yes. But it's also pretty unusual."

[pythbox]

"Is it?"

[alicornucopia]

"Yeah. Not very many people murder other people."

[pythbox]

"What do you mean by not very many?"

[alicornucopia]

"I would have to look up actual statistics but I mean if you go around meeting people all day in some place that doesn't have more murderers than most places you probably won't meet any murderers."

[pythbox]

"I am not sure that's true," he says thoughtfully. "You might not meet anyone you could tell was a murderer, but that is different."

[alicornucopia]

"I mean actual murderers," she says. "So I guess maybe we should look up statistics about it if we care when we're off this shuttle. I'm hungry," she sighs.

[pythbox]

"What do you mean by hungry?"

[alicornucopia]

"...Well, they said not to eat for a while before takeoff so I skipped some meals and now my tummy's grumbly? Did you just recently start learning Common?"

[pythbox]

"Oh," he says. "Comfort-related. That makes sense."

[alicornucopia]

"Are you so little because you didn't have enough to eat?"

[pythbox]

"No. None of the other starving children I've met were this small."

[alicornucopia]

"Oh. Are you a mutant, is that why?"

[pythbox]

"I am, but I don't know if it's related."

[alicornucopia]

"I am too and I already manifested so I know it's not going to make me look unusual," she says.

[pythbox]

"I'm very small and very smart and that's all. Not much of a mutation."

[alicornucopia]

Eventually all of the kids are loaded up and they get a lecture on appropriate behavior in their seats and the ship takes off. Whee.

[pythbox]

Oat sits upon his pillows. It would be annoying if he accidentally fell out of his seat and was injured.

[alicornucopia]

The girl next to him does not sit still, but she stays - very precisely - within the boundaries of her seat. "Are you excited about Battle School?"

[pythbox]

"No."

[alicornucopia]

"...Oh."

[pythbox]

"It seemed like it would reduce the risk of starving to death."

[alicornucopia]

"They will definitely feed you."