Viola
▪︎ [July 10th, 20XX...]

◆ "Owch!!"

□ Well, this wasn't good. Looking down at her arm, she inspected the still-forming oil burn scar with worried eyes and mouth cut into a pained frown, and considered just running to the nearest medicinal cabinet in hopes of finding some Polysporin. The issue with that plan, though, was that her mushrooms were still cooking on the stovetop, sliced king oysters sitting in spitting oil in a non-stick pan, and she couldn't just turn tail and run. So, rather than spin around on bare heels caked in dirt and scurry off, she instead chucked a lid on the pan in hopes of containing the spattering oil.

▪︎ Perhaps it was naïve, but... If it worked it worked, right?

□ But, the burn mark on her arm demanded immediate attention, and this left her in a tricky situation. Did she sacrifice her daily forage in the name of treating an emerging burn with the cream she knew it needed? Or did she prioritize the haul, and keep on cooking as if the glassy skin on her forearm didn't feel as if it was flaking away? Maybe she was just being overdramatic. Surely this happened to everyone who cooked once in a while, right? 

▪︎ So, she kept on cooking, but also hoped that someone would come along. Someone, *Anyone,* To keep her company and keep her mind off of the burn scars forming as the mushrooms sizzled away in the pan a few feet away.
Keith
{*Wait, where the hell is this*}
Viola
[In one of the resident kitchens, my bad]
Keith
*Virus walked alongside the walls, keeping her head down as to not make eye contact with, well, anyone really. She couldn't necessarily find it in herself to converse much and to be frank, just didn't want to draw attention. After all, despite this place being full of others with supernatural abilities, she felt alien to it, as though she would be thought as strange or weird.*

*As she walked along her path, a smell happened to catch her nose. It was unlike any other scent that had accustomed itself with Virus. Of course, she didn't want to intrude on anything, but her curiosity happened to get the better of her. As such, Virus peaked into the kitchen, scanning the room for the source. Finally, she caught sight of the food cooking and the person cooking them. If anything, part of her said to greet them, but the majority of her wanted to kinda just... Linger. As long as she wasn't bothering them, it would be fine, right?*
Viola
◇ Ask and ye shall receive, huh?

■ "Hiya, hun!" She chirped as she noticed the newcomer lingering in the doorway, reading apprehension off of her body language with just a glance. She might not have had eyes in the back of her head, but she could tell from a glance that the other gal was being held back by something internal. Maybe she was shy? Or perhaps was simply peeking her head in, curious and chasing after the wafting aromas leaving the kitchen? Whatever the case, she gave the mushrooms a toss and spun around on her bare heels.

▪︎ Perks of being habitually barefoot: tough heels.

◆ "So, what's up? Just poking your head in outta curiosity?" She asked, voice warm and inviting like it always was. "Don't be nervous, then, I don't bite! Actually, er. Could I ask you a favour?"
Keith
*Well that theory didn't work out quite right. Of course, the gal who had spotted obviously didn't seem rather bothered judging by, well, everything. Yet, Virus found herself almost bolting the minute she was spotted. A sense of dread washed over her, a feeling she was familiar with. Sure, words and more spoke one story, but who was to say that a dagger didn't lie among the pages?*

*Now feeling an obligation to enter, fearing the worst for if she were to leave instead, Virus shuffled into the room cautiously. She seemed braced, listening for anything that could possibly be some sort of trap or the such. Hell, a simple gust of wind would put Virus on edge at this point. After her initial survey of her surroundings, lasting no more than a few seconds, then came her time to speak.*

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop or anything!" 

*She hurried her words, an anxious tone ringing throughout the room.*

"I-I'll do whatever it is that y-you want!" 

*It sounded as though that was an add on to a final statement, like frantically adding "Sir" When addressing your boss.*
Viola
◆ "Huh?" Audrey couldn't help but take a mental step back at how hasty and defensive the other person had become so quickly. Something told her she had to step lightly, lest she risk snapping some sort of branch that would set the other off into a fearful tear down the hall. "No, no, it's okay, hun! No need to worry yourself about eavesdropping or whatever's got you worried."

□ With that out of the way, she turned her attention back to the pan of mushrooms, yesterday's forage now sautéeing away in a film of oil that popped and spat from the water leaking out. Giving it another nervous toss with a hyperextended arm, it was almost as if she was terrified to have it spit on her again, and it was a reasonable fear to have since she could still feel the familiar burning tingle of damaged skin on her forearm. Looking over again, she saw that the other gal had timidly shuffled in, worry plastered across her face like powdered sugar in the aftermath of a jelly donut.

▪︎ She took a step away.

◆ "No pressure, but," Audrey began, her voice deliberate and gentle, "Could you watch my pan while I go put some cream on? Frigging thing spat on me and now I've got a burn that needs to be tended to, but I can't just walk away, and so I was hoping you would!" Her voice awkwardly dropped towards the end, as if she expected the other gal to snap at her. "Not that you have to. I'd just appreciate it, y'know?"
Keith
*Virus keenly observed Audrey's movements, listened closely to how she spoke & worded her statements. Lest she have ill intent or a sour underside, Virus wanted to at the very least be prepared for such a thing.*
*However, that's not what Virus got from her.*

*It appeared as though Audrey had noticed her resounding nervousness. It was comforting to say the least, but one can't tame frightful dog in a day. She still had issue trusting Audrey, basically programmed to always suspect even those who seemed innocent.* 

*Virus's eyes darted to the pan and then to Audrey. She registered her request and panic began to set in. How would she do that? Did she need to know anything specific? What if it began to burn? What if a fire started? What would she do then? Virus's thoughts ran circles around her, playing and teasing the infinite possibilities that could happen. Of course, they weren't very likely to happen, but if they did, it meant messing up. Which could mean disappointing Audrey. Which could mean a punishment. It didn't seem like a far stretch, but rather a likely possibility to Virus. She recoiled at the thought.*

*After staring at Audrey with a look that could resemble that of someone in intense horror, she realized that she hadn't responded for a second. As such, Virus quickly blurted out a response, one that she hoped could be sufficient.* 

"Oh, um, uh, sure, I don't min–I mean, I do–, wait, no, I'll do it!" 

*She gave a worried smile to try and recover from her response. It wasn't much of a good recovery, her face still ridden with panic and worry, but it was something. Virus anxiously awaited a response.*
Viola
◆ "Are you... Okay?" Audrey couldn't hide the concern in her face, nor did she want to. She had no idea who this girl was, but she was clearly a resident of the Cradle like her, and very much seemed to be a nervous wreck. "You don't gotta do this if cooking makes you nervous or something, hun, I'm just... My arm frigging hurts. Here, i'll- I'll show you what you gotta do."

□ Waving the other girl over, Audrey kept one hand near the pan, occasionally tossing it so that nothing stuck to or burned on the bottom. Once she knew she had company, so to speak, she gestured to the pan, and her slim hand wrapped around the handle. "So, all you've gotta do is it just keep it moving, alright? Just... Once every fifteen or twenty seconds, give it a toss like *This,*" She demonstrated with a tugged motion, "And make sure it doesn't overcook. You'll hear it, I promise! Now, I really gotta go, so... Be a dear, won't you?"

▪︎ With that, she'd jog out of the resident kitchen, hoping to God that the other gal wouldn't ruin her pan of food while she rubbed her burn with cream and bandaged it up.
Keith
*I make no promises.*

*Still not too sure of herself, Virus hurried over at Audrey's gesture. She watched her toss the contents of the pan fluidly, observing closely and she listened keenly to Audrey's instructions as to not have to ask again. Once Audrey finished, Virus still found herself filled with questions. What if it caught on fire? What if she somehow dropped the pan? What if the contents went flying out? All unlikely possibilities since the process was rather simple, but they still greatly concerned Virus.*

*Nevertheless, Virus kept her mouth shut and nodded before watching Audrey rush out the room. Now, it was just Virus and the sizzling mushrooms & oysters (if that's correct), the room filled with the light sizzle of them.*

*Virus turned to the pan and gulped, feeling as though she was facing a monumental task. However, now that it was just her and the pan, she didn't have to worry about embarrassing herself or something in front of Audrey. She furrowed her brows and took hold of the pan, determined to perform this task perfectly.*

```
VIRUS VS. PAN OF FOOD
```
**FIGHT**

*Virus tosses the contents of the pan ever so lightly, keeping an eye on the flying food & popping grease. She kinda got the hang of this, continuing this same process. Now with her precise flipping and focused watching, she'll make Audrey proud and–*

*...Uh oh.*

*Virus's vision suddenly became blurry for a second as her figure glitched like a TV. She stared at the plan for a moment before frowning, sighing at assigned task.*

*What was the point of trying to keep it from burning? Sure, she could succeed and make Audrey happy, but Virus already knew that she would probably fail. It was only a matter of time before a slip up occurred and the food burned, so why bother? Virus sighed once more before she let go of the pan. She stared at the sizzling contents, feeling bad for their fate. To be only burned beyond salvation and wasted, what a shame. She leaned against a nearby counter and waited for the food's inevitable demise.* 

**MATCH OVER, PAN OF FOOD WI–**

*Wait.*

*Virus thought some more and realized, sure, the food may burn anyways, but that would only make her more miserable than she was. Despite feeling dissuaded by potential failure, there was still that sliver (actually not really a sliver, just watch the damn food) of hope remaining. It yelled at Virus, telling her that was the point of intentionally failing? Failure was only an option if one tried.*

*Now greeted by this new mindset, Virus sighed before she trudged back over to the pan. She plopped her hand onto the pan and, with a very anti-climatic motion, tossed the food into the air. She still believed some bs would happen anyways, but continued tossing and watching, knowing she would never forgive herself if she gave up.*

**COMBACK**
**MATCH OVER, VIRUS WINS** *...Maybe, I dunno, let's see.*
Viola
○ And as the other girl toiled with herself and the pan of oysters and mushrooms, Audrey jogged down the hall until a first aid kit came into sight.

□ Hurriedly popping the latch and swinging the door open, her worried jade eyes quickly scanned each shelf. Aspirin... Eye drops... Bandages... Burn cream. Pulling out a half-full tube of Polysporin and a medium bandage she quickly squeezed a sizable glob out directly onto the burn, and with occasional wincing she made sure to coat the entire flaky bubble in the cream. With that done she wrapped the bandage over it, and closed the door before hurrying back to the kitchen.

▪︎ Admittedly, with how nervous the other girl seemed she couldn't shake the pang of worry that her food was beyond salvation, and that she was about to pour hours of foraging down the drain.

◆ "Hiya, sorry about that, hun." Audrey called out as she rushed through the door, her arm now wrapped in a bandage. Making her way to the pan, she looked in, gave it a few tosses, and let a smile spread across her face. "Well, damn, it's actually pretty good! See, there was nothing to be worried over. It's a little browner than I'd like, but screw it, crust is flavour." She laughed. "Want some? I made enough to have leftovers, but if you want some you can have some!"
Keith
*Virus glanced over as Audrey re-entered the room. Surprisingly, at least to Virus, the food wasn't burnt to a crisp. She backed away as Audrey came over to inspect the if the aforementioned task had been done. Still in her gloomy state, Virus expected no more than to be berated for her work.*

*Once again, she found herself in a slight shock when was relatively impressed. Virus had her doubts about Audrey's words, but nevertheless, was somewhat pleased do her task sufficiently. Then again, that could mean that it would only be a matter time until something else came up in which Virus would fall short in. Disappointment was always inevitable, the question is when it would happen. At least, that's what always seemed to happen.*

*Anyways, aside from Virus's incessant moping, she still retained a sense of nervousness now that Audrey was with her once again. Once asked if she would like to partake in the forage, she was immediately confronted with the worst possibilities. This was obviously a trap to trick Virus. To get her to take something that wasn't hers. No, no, she couldn't have that. Then again... What was the point? She would eventually fall victim to such a trick, she knew it. So why bother trying to prevent herself from eating something? If it all roads lead to danger, might as well pick the best one? Well– nope, not going further with that thought. Getting back to reality, after a seemingly long moment of Virus glaring at Audrey with both dread and a very uncaring attitude, she made her choice. In a rather deadpan, yet small voice, she responded with,* "I... Guess I'll have some..." 
*Dear god, I'm about to glitch her to normal again.*
Viola
◆ "You sure? You sound pretty uncertain." Audrey commented, sympathy laced through her voice. "It's not spicy or nothing, so you don't gotta worry about it blowing your face off, alright? So!"

□ With that little bit of comfort out of the way, Audrey turned the stove off and grabbed two medium-sized plates. Portioning out half into one and half into the other, she hummed some unnamed folk tune as she worked, as if she was more than just a rich teenager making some pescatarian food in a moment of weakness. Once that was done she grabbed both plates, and calling out to let the other girl know it was ready she carried it to one of the nearby tables. One plate on one side, one on the other... Tea in a kettle made in advance.

▪︎ *It almost looked like a date,* She silently noted as she gracefully sat down.

◆ "So, hun..." Audrey piped up after a moment, "What's your name? Don't think I've caught it yet."
Keith
*Virus trudged over to the table, plopping down in a seat. As she slumped down into the chair, her scanned over the set up. It felt almost as though it was some sort of confrontation to Virus, like she was to be interrogated. A sense of unease washed over her, but is was masked by how gloomy she seemed to be.*

*Virus heard Audrey's question and for a second, recalled that she had an actual name. However, who cared about that? No one really called her it, her nickname fit better anyways. Summed her up perfectly. She picked up a fork, eyeing her food as she answered Audrey's question.* "...Virus."

*She forked up a bit of the oysters and mushrooms together, giving it a look over. She recognized the mushrooms, but the oysters were foreign to her. They smelt interesting, yet gave off an unappealing look. Virus glanced up at Audrey before staring back at the food. She would probably get judged if she didn't eat. Probably punished even. It didn't matter if it had poison or something weird, she had to eat it, right? But what if this really was a test? What if the minute she shoved the food into her moth, Audrey would berate her for being so greedy? ...Aw, whatever. In the end, it didn't matter. If all paths led to darkness, might as well pick the one you want. So, still slightly hesitant, she took a bite, not knowing what to expect.*

*Well... It was actually rather delicious. In fact, it was extremely delicious. Virus had no idea what the hell she just ate, but if her state of being wasn't currently a gloomy one, she'd already be exclaiming how delicious the food was. However, Virus's eyes just moseyed over to Audrey as she commented with an indifferent tone.* "It's alright I gue-" 
**Glitch.**

*Virus blinked for a moment before realizing the statement she was saying. In an instance, she flailed her arms in a dismissive gesture as she frantically tried to explain herself.* "UM, WAIT, I-I MEANT THAT ITS DELICIOUS, AMAZING EVEN, IM SORRY, IM SO SORRY, l DIDNT MEAN TO SAY THAT!" *Virus dropped the fork and plate and covered her face. Why. Why couldn't she had just stayed normal the entire time? Go along with the flow of the conversation? But no. Her stupid ability made her glitch, not only to a different state at first, but now in front of Audrey. This was the start of how it would begin. She would become the outcast once more, a weirdo nobody would want to talk to. And it was all because of the fact that she was a virus. Something that shouldn't have ever existed. Never been born.*

*Virus leaned against the table as she covered her face, feeling as though she wanted to cry.* "...I'm sorry. I..." *She had no words. What excuses would save her from this situation? None. It was a futile effort.*

*Woohoo, alright, goddamn was that sad!*
Viola
◆ "Virus? Must have picked that name out, I assume?" Audrey spoke, minding her tone as she approached what she expected to be a potentially sensitive subject. "Or is it short for something?"

□ Giving Virus a few moments to explain, she began to eat, not for sustenance but simply for gastronomic pleasure, and she was about halfway through chewing her second bite of food before she noticed something very odd. The air itself shimmered, the weft of space itself being warped like the illusions of 106°F heat on the asphalt of suburban America, and once it subsided the other had changed immensely. From timid and frightful to apologetic and manic, it was such a sudden change-up that Audrey nearly choked on her food trying to process it.

▪︎ Of course, though, after a moment she forcefully chewed her food into mush and swallowed it like a raw egg.

◆ "Er... I actually don't know how to word this without being weird, so..." She spoke in hushed tones, uncertain and slightly nervous. "Are you okay, hun? Is this just a part of your powers?"
Keith
*Virus peeked through her hands at Audrey, observing her as she spoke. It was clear that she seemed confused by such a thing, who wouldn't be? Yet, her reaction was... Different. Different from what she expected. There wasn't disgust or fear hidden in those words. In fact... What Audrey said was what startled her most. She asked if she was okay. Not "What's wrong with you" Or "Get away from me," Or even something like "What ARE you". It was simply a question asking if Virus was okay. It gave Virus a small sense of ease, so she lowered her hands from her face. However, feeling like she couldn't look Audrey in the face without expecting a bad reaction, she stared down at the table.*

*Now came the explaining. To be honest, Virus never had the need to explain her abilities before as others usually spoke for her. It was never necessarily her responsibility to describe or really understand her abilities for a matter of fact. Just try to prevent them. As such, Virus hesitated, thinking of what to even say, but eventually collected her thoughts.* 

"I... Yes... I often involuntarily shift how I'm 'feeling' at random times, then I'll shift back to this state." *Rather conveniently, she glitched again, a tingling radiating in the atmosphere. This time, nothing seemed to change about Virus, her still keeping the same train of thought.* "Like that. Except that time, nothing happened." *A tone of resent began to start mixing into her words.* "I was born with this. I've never been able to control it. I've always been exactly what I'm called. A virus." 

*After a second of thinking, Virus stood from the table. Still looking down, a spiteful smile came to her.* "If you're uncomfortable, I'll leave. It doesn't bother me."
Viola
◆ "Gee, that's gotta suck." Audrey commented while driving the tines of her fork through a clump of saucy, delicious mushrooms, her voice dripping with empathy. "Like, you don't even *Get* Any control over it, right? It kind of happens, like a tic, and just like one it makes your life a living heck, huh?"

□ Letting the words roll naturally off her tongue, she then coated it with mushrooms, chewing slowly and frowning as Virus mentioned stepping away if it made her uncomfortable. If anything, she couldn't help but wonder – no, peer back with a speculative lens – on what sort of life she must have lived up to this point to be so timid and self-defeating. A life of hardship, uncontrollable mood swings, visual bugs; the warp and weft of space-time cracking asunder every time her parahumanity reared its ugly, ugly head.

▪︎ She chewed, swallowed, and exhaled softly.

◆ "Now why would I chuck you out, hun? You just tended to my pan of food even though you don't know how to cook. I... This might be a stretch, but gosh, I feel like we might have grown up the same. Ostracized and ridiculed for our abilities though they're out of our control, made into demons and beat relentlessly by others. Heck, I had to be pulled out of public school, it got that bad. Just... I'm not gonna kick you out, alright?" Her voice was soft, motherly, like she was attempting to comfort someone who'd just lost something very dear. "Now eat up! It's delicious, and I think part of it is the fact it's seared harder than I'd usually go."
Keith
*Virus lifted her head ever so slightly, looking towards Audrey as she seemed to emphasize with her. Her face had a genuine shock on it as the sorrow slowly washed away. Sure, Audrey had shown multiple signs that she wasn't here to berate Virus or anything before, but this was her really saying it. Words could have underlying meanings, but the hidden meanings in her words seemed clear as day, harmonizing with what was said. It took Virus by surprise, shaking her being. She... Was fine with Virus. Not only that, but she didn't want her to up and leave. It was something that Virus had only heard once from someone before, the very person that had kept Virus going all this time. And now she was hearing these words from someone who she had only just met.*

*Virus fully lifted her head, staring at Audrey, speechless. She suddenly felt a strange feeling in her face. A small, almost barely noticeable grin formed on Virus's face. How long had she'd gone without actually grinning? Without actually feeling like she wasn't... A virus? She didn't know, but it was now that she was feeling those things. A strange warmth bubbled up inside her, another thing only one person had given her before. It then came to Virus's mind—maybe not everyone is bad as she thought.*

*With a warm expression coating Virus's face, she silently sat back down and looked down at the plate. This time, she wasn't really looking down out of fear, but rather out of shyness. She just didn't really know what to say, how to even respond. However, one word found it's way through her lips.* "...Thank you." *She glanced up towards Audrey, a full on grin seeming to form on her face.* "I... Appreciate that." *Although she didn't have the words to express her how thankful she was, a genuine gratitude carried through her words. This was the first step towards something different. A fresh start & a new life.*

*Also, it seems as though Virus literally has no idea what to do right now. Like, she legitimately forgot that she could probably just start eating the food now.*
Viola
◆ "No worries, hun! No worries..."

□ Softly spoken, Audrey found herself still fully in mother mode, trying to care for everyone around her as if she didn't neglect her own needs from time to time. Perhaps it was a bit of hypocrisy, but... It wasn't like she minded. Humanity was inherently flawed, and she herself knew this well, so as she ate she occasionally looked up at Virus, noting when the air around her shifted, or when she took a bite of the food she'd stressed herself out over while the ginger had ran off to the nearest medicine cabinet for bandages and Polysporin.

▪︎ After about thirty seconds of silence, she cleared her throat.

◆ "So, how'd you get sent here, if that's not too invasive a question to ask?" She broke the silence. "I feel like everyone's got a story here, and I... I like hearing them. I feel like how people get sent here kinda reflects on what kind of person they are, or the life they led before, y'know?"
Keith
*Virus continued to sit, just staring at her food without much thought now until Audrey spoke again.* "Huh?" *Virus looked up, snapping from her blank state as she began to recall the events that had occurred not too long ago.*

"I..." *Virus hesitated. What would if happen if she told Audrey? Sure, she has been rather kind and supportive, but would Audrey still see Virus how she did now? Would she realize how truly befitting of a name "Virus" Was? Would she ever want to talk to Virus afterwards? Virus's mind once again began to spin out of control, the questions piling up one another. However, Virus rapidly shook her head, shaking out all those negative thoughts. No. This was different. Audrey had just lifted Virus up in her darkest hour. She seemed more than trustworthy with such information. Virus just had to give her a chance.*

*Virus took a deep breath, trying to calm her hyperactive mind. She looked down at the table and began to ready herself for whatever would come from this exchange.* "I... I choked someone." *Okay, that sounded worst than Virus had imagined. She quickly switched to a frantic state once she realized the implications of her statement.* "W-WAIT, I MEAN, I DIDN'T MEAN TO, I DIDNT KILL THEM OR ANYTHING, I WAS JUST ANGRY– WAIT, NO, I HAD GLITCHED, BUT I DIDNT REALIZE AND–" *Virus abruptly ended her explanation as she opted to instead lay her elbows onto the table as she covered her face. No, no, it wasn't supposed to go that way! She had sounded like some criminal trying to make up excuses. At the end of the day, Virus had choked a person, enough said. She grew silent, regretting everything she had just said. Her negative thoughts quickly returned, every possibility now seeming assured to her.*
Viola
◆ "You... Choked someone, hun?" A moment of curiosity, cautious words confirming what she'd just heard. Then, she snickered. "Gee, you're in here for as stupid a reason as I am! Like... I get that it was probably a blackout moment, but... Y'know. I guess most of us aren't really criminals at all, huh?"

□ Cheerily talking, table manners occasionally took over and slammed her gob shut around her fork, slurping delicious morsels of food off and chewing slowly out of respect. Something about the idea of being sent halfway across the world to a rehabilitation centre over something as trivial as choking someone seemed rather outlandish, but... This *Was* The weird, confusing world of the Cradle; one part juvie, one part boarding school, one part experimental power dynamic-driven commune. For a moment, her mind began to wander: how *Did* The Cradle stay afloat? Why were people shipped here, to southern Sweden of all places, upon even the slightest hint of parahumanity? Even the plane tickets had been covered, and given her parents' surprised expressions she could easily surmise that was no cheap expense to spare for a random fifteen year-old from suburbian America.

▪︎ Even someone as naïve and optimistic as herself could tell something was off. But, then, would it have even been worth it to question it? Or should those secrets have stayed buried beneath the surface?

◆ "Heck, I got sent here for climbing up onto the roof of an abandoned garage to bask. Seems like for the most part we're all here on frivolous charges... Oh well, that's life, I guess!" Audrey shrugged, an awkward smile plastered on her face. What a dork.
Keith
*As always, Virus seemed rather surprised by Audrey's response, bringing her head up from her arns. She thought she would've been painted to be a bad guy. However, realizing Audrey's words, she came to the realization that it really wasn't that much of crime. I mean, yes, it was assault, but at the same time, it was akin to putting a kid who couldn't control themself into prison... Well, a mental rehabilitation prison? Eh, something like that.*

*Virus took a sigh of relief, gaining a small grin at Audrey's reasons. She feeling her previous worries wash away. She began to realize that this seemed to be a rather common occurrence between the two of them in the few moments they had been speaking. Y'know, Virus says or does something, thinks she'll be shamed, Audrey doesn't shame her, Virus surprised, that exchange. It all stemmed from Virus's own negative thoughts too. A tendency to blow things out of proportions. Maybe... Maybe expecting the worse all the time wasn't the way to go about things? No, no, because there was always the possibility, no matter who it was, that the worst response could result from even the simplest of things. Right, that's why Virus was always cautious and prepared. Because there were only few you could truly trust.*

*Anyways, moving on from Virus gaslighting her self, she decided to reply to Audrey's remark.* "Maybe being sent here isn't a bad thing..." 

*I would add more, but I suddenly capped at my ability to think, so yeah. Edit: I just realized I still haven't had her actually start eating, but Imma just wait to do that next response.*
Viola
◆ "Yeah, honestly...?" Audrey hummed for a moment, considering how to word her thoughts, and whether saying them would make her look like a weenie. "This place is nice! It's way more lax than I ever expected a prison to be, and boy, I appreciate that freedom. I've even got the freedom to gallivant in the night if I want to, since my powers make sleep unnecessary and I get restless as heck at night."

□ Giggling softly, she pushed the tines of her fork through another oyster, popping the morsel into her mouth and humming softly. The hum was an Audrey signature, throaty yet like a bird's chirp, short and sweet... Endearing. Chewing softly, she looked over at Virus, crossing one leg over the other and pressing her cheek into her lightly curled hand held upright by an elbow rested against the hardwood table. She could still see it in the other girl, those tell-tale glances shut down by inner demons, words that caught in her throat multiple times, the unspoken self-flagellation clear as day to someone who had been there before, and still fell into that pit some nights, when the only things she had to distract herself were old movies and her guitars.

▪︎ However, she wasn't about to comment on it. Something about it felt too invasive, and she knew how deeply she disliked it when others tried to dig too deep past her warm façade.

◆ "So, hun... Where are ya from?"
Keith
*Virus listened to Audrey speak, followed by her tune. It was quite the delight to just have her talk to her and such, but Virus couldn't shake the want to ask things. Audrey seemed pretty interesting to her. I mean, she literally has said nothing about her vine-ish skin, pun intended. Sure, this was a place for the supernatural from what Virus recalled, but it was quite a new place and Audrey was the first one she met to have a distinct difference from anyone she's met before. It was undeniable that questions would arise, but Virus chose to not ask any. Why? Same reason as she doesn't speak much in the first place. She's scared of saying of wrong thing, of backlash. As such, for now, Virus would continue to simply talk when it seemed necessary or proper to, listening to whatever those she spoke to may say.*

*After a few seconds of just listening to Audrey's hum, Virus remembered something. She has flipping food in front of her and she's only taken one bite! She didn't want Audrey thinking that she lied about it tasting good, it was! Taking this into account, Virus swiftly scooped up her fork as she began to nibble on each "Forkful," Trying to savour the taste for as long as she could.*

*As she satiated her tastebuds' longing for the food, she was going to comment once again on it when Audrey another question of Virus's origins. Despite her stating that she liked hearing about such things, it was always still unexpected that someone would be interested in such information. "Um... An orphanage in `[insert_city_name]`, `[insert_state_name]` named 'Glendora's Arms.'" *Oh right, she was in a different country now and didn't know Audrey's origins, for all she knew, the city and state could be foreign to her, so Virus decided to add on to her previous statement.* "...It's in the United States, in case you wanted to know..." *Wait, that sounded kinda rude to her.* "...I-I mean, if you already knew, that's great, I'm just saying that i-incase you didn't—wait—I'm not doubting your knowledge or anything, just, um, I wanted to let you know incase you didn't know, in which I don't doubt that you don't!" *She slowly rose in her frantic explanation as she spoke, hoping not to offend Audrey or anything.*
Viola
◆ "An orphanage? Oh, you poor thing, the foster home system is *Awful.*" Audrey spoke, her voice once again dripping with sympathy, as if her tongue were a candle over an open flame dripping wax with reckless abandon. "I knew someone in the system, it really traumatizes people from what I know. Just... I guess you're happy to be here now, right?"

□ Maybe it was a bold, wide-reaching claim, to assume that Virus was happier here than in her orphanage back in the States, but given what she knew about orphanages and foster homes she couldn't imagine a worse life for someone. Neglect, abuse, stuck around God knows how many bad ass kids with terrible tempers and trauma of their own clenching their fists... It was something else entirely, and for a girl who'd come from a healthy, happy home she felt her heart ache in agony.

▪︎ Or, maybe she was just too empathetic and soft for her own good. Who knew?

◆ "Oh, I knew! No worries, hun, I was in IB Geography classes back home, I... I know my places." She laughed, rubbing the back of her neck with her free hand. "I was actually in IB classes all throughout my first year, and I could have been placed back in them here, but... I decided against it. I dunno. Anyways, I'm from the States too! Olympia, Washington, little suburb called Rhodonite Heights; kind of a boring, stodgy place, but... Home's home, right?"
Keith
*Alright, I have regained my willpower.*

*Was Virus happier here? The thought had never occurred in her mind till now, then again, she hadn't been at Newton's Cradle for long. Considering Audrey was the first person she had actually interacted with since Virus arrived, it certainly was a HUGE step up from the orphanage. Yet, despite that, Newton's Cradle, and the whole city of Isakstad for a matter of fact, was new to Virus. New terrain meant possible danger & despair around every corner, despite what she knew. As such, she didn't really have a solid answer to such a question.*

*Virus decided to remain silent since she didn't have an actual answer. Normally, something like that would be something that she'd expect to get a bad reaction, but Virus had begun to form some trust in Audrey.*

*IB Geography? Sure, the orphanage had had an education system, but it wasn't exactly the most comprehensive. She did know her geography, but she had no clue what the IB meant. Although, judging from how Audrey spoke about, it seemed to be something impressive, so Virus noted that.*

*To be frank, Virus never exactly remembered the cities of states, so she didn't know exactly where it was, just knew where Washington was. However, it sounded like a nice place. In fact, Virus slightly wondered what it would've been like if she grew up in such a neighborhood. Maybe things would've been better.* "Yeah... It sounds like a nice–"

*ITS BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAD A CHANGE, ITS GLITCHIN TIME!*
*Oh, this one's gonna be fun.*

*Once again, the space around Virus shifted for but a second as Virus herself shifted. Same appearance, but it was like the glitching had made her completely forget the conversation at hand. She suddenly looked at Audrey's skin, remarking on its appearance.* "Hey, why does your skin look like that?"
Viola
◇ Well, this was about to get interesting.

■ "Oh, ehm... It's a core part of my parahumanity, hun." She started, gently tapping her fork against the remainders of her meal in thought. "They're large mats of chlorophyll, and they're where my body gets all of its energy. I get nothing from eating food, so I have to bask a ton to keep myself, well... Alive." Her voice curled and hemmed as the words left her mouth. "But it's not all bad! I've lived this long, it's not life-threatening, and boy it has its benefits."

▪︎ Hopefully that would satisfy her friend's question. She *Had* Noticed the glitch happen, and figured it was best to just keep on talking like nothing had happened, so as to not make a spectacle out of it.
Keith
*Whilst Audrey responded to Virus's sudden question, it's like she just remembered the plate beneath her face once again. Her glance quickly shifted to the plate as she began to suddenly start shoving forkfuls in her mouth, recalling the taste. This would've continued, except, just as quickly as her attention had shifted, she abruptly stopped and looked back up at Audrey.* "What's in this?" *What? Did she forget or something? Her face seemed to show a genuine curiosity, showing that she was joking by such a question. Really, the whole situation was quite odd. Like a dog spotting a squirrel, her attention kept shifting to different things as she seemed to discard previous topics quickly.*

*Considering I was planning to actually wrap this up and since I've left you waiting for days, Imma try to end this here. Before Audrey would possibly be able to give a response, a random thought popped up in her mind... Not that such a thing was surprising in the moment. She wondered... Did she lock the door to her dorm room? I mean, knowing Virus, she most definitely did, but at the current moment, Virus wasn't really thinking in a rational way.*

*To find out for herself, Virus darted up from the table and began to rush towards the doorway to the kitchen.* "Be right back!" *She said briskly as without a moment's notice, she left the room... Also, no, she would not be right back as she would quickly get distracted along the way.*