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]

"So learn to fly with one at a time," says Bella. She demonstrates.

[pythbox]

"Why do you want me to?" says Oat.

[alicornucopia]

"It's fun!"

[pythbox]

"It looks it!" says Sindri.

"I don't want to," says Oat.

[alicornucopia]

"Also we're supposed to and the grownups might think you're not taking school seriously if you don't," Bella tells Oat.

[pythbox]

"If the grownups wanted me to take their school seriously they should have built it better," says Oat.

[alicornucopia]

"Do you want to go back to Earth?"

[pythbox]

"No."

"They probably won't fail us literally today, and we can catch up later," says Sindri. "Do you think they'll let us come here to practice in our free time?"

[alicornucopia]

"Yeah."

[pythbox]

"So we could do that!" says Sindri. "If we do extra practice do you want to come with us?"

[alicornucopia]

"Sure."

[pythbox]

"Great," says Sindri. "Have fun flying! You look awesome!"

[alicornucopia]

"Thanks!"

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[pythbox]

And soon their time in the battle room is also over. Sindri and Oat are not actively reprimanded for their choices.

[alicornucopia]

Nor is Bella rewarded in any way. She notes this but does not consider it deterring.




That night, she has to get up to pee.

[pythbox]

Bunch of sleeping boys, bunch of sleeping boys...



Oat's bunk is empty. He isn't small enough to hide under that thin blanket.

[alicornucopia]

Well, maybe he had to pee too. The girls' bathroom is far away compared to the nearest one of the more numerous boys' rooms; she just goes in the boys', it's the middle of the night and she can't see where she's going well enough to relish the chance to dance down the corridors.

[pythbox]

Oat is not peeing, at least not in that bathroom. He is still not in his bunk when she comes back.

[alicornucopia]

...Huh.

Zzzz.

[pythbox]

In the morning, Oat appears to wake up with everyone else, as small and socially dysfunctional as ever.

[alicornucopia]

"Where were you last night?" Bella asks him while they all are going to breakfast.

[pythbox]

"I couldn't sleep."

[alicornucopia]

"Where'd you go?"

[pythbox]

"If I tell you, you might be able to find me there, and then I won't be able to sleep there either."

[alicornucopia]

"...Why?"