Empedocles' Four (BRFTG & Rodd) Round 2

[Michi]

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Grunting as the other shoved, Kaede stretched out on the couch, pushing on the sides to keep himself in place. "Hey. I am the oldest here. Which makes me the dad of this room. And the dad always gets first pick of seats." With a sigh he relaxed pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.


It was pathetic how quickly fun relaxed moments like these had passed. But it wasn't like the situation called for many of those moments. There were even days that would pass when none of them would say a word. He missed having a life, and as much as he had grown to care for this group, he missed having interaction with people his own age.


Graeson turned the page in his coloring book as he came to a picture of another power ranger. Was this what people wore outside? These kinds of clothes with the bright colors, patterns and images. Maybe he could hear another story about what it was like outside tonight when they were all going to bed. Looking up as he grabbed an orange crayon he looked around the room before going back to coloring. He didn't know any better, he never thought to really question things. Sometimes he felt like Kaede and Ray were making up the stories. But it was nice to dream. To see the images in his head, and pretend that he lived in the world that the older males had experienced.

 

[BothReachedForTheGun]

The pushing stopped. Ray grumbled about losing his seat as he snatched up his drawing pad. "Pssh. If you're the dad, who's the mom, huh?" He said as he sat down in the chair next to the couch. The comeback was not very good, but it was all he could come up with. After all, Ray had just lost the fight, so backing down gracefully would just not do. Glancing back at the drawing in his hand, Ray started making a few strokes here and there to clean up lines and edges.


While the older males bickered, November sat back down at the table with her book. She had this one nearly memorized. Jane Eyre, like most fiction novels, was not her favorite. She preferred reading more scientific works. However, those books had slowly started disappearing as November's interest grew. The connection had not been lost on the young girl, but she had continued to read anyway. According to a journal she read when she was six, a child's vocabulary grew the more reading he or she did.


The relaxed atmosphere was soon punctured by the sound of the door unlocking. The unmistakable noise made Ray jerk his eyes up. It could be something as menial as a worker coming in with a new set of clothing for November. Or, one or more of them could be taken away. Ray waited for a moment until the door swung open, revealing a woman pushing a cart. Graying hair up in a tight bun, she was in a white lab coat with the name "Dr. Raynor" on an Identification Card clipped to her coat pocket. On the tray were four plates, each identical. They all contained a sandwich with American cheese and ham, an apple, carrot sticks, and skim milk. The meals rotated out, but once he saw the apple, Ray knew what the rest of the plate contained. The Facility was unable to get creative with their meals.


With the food came the typical reply from Dr. Raynor, "Good afternoon, children!" Dr. Raynor almost always brought their lunch. Ray assumed she was a psychiatrist, because she would ask them the oddest questions while she visited.

 

[Michi]

As the door unlocked Kaede tensed up. Had his timing been off? They didn't have a clock but he was sure he had the time for an incident and them coming down pact. When Dr. Raynor came in he relaxed again. She was a nice enough lady, seemed a bit off at times though. As she pushed the tray in, he sat up. With a sigh he stood, sandwiches again. He was getting so tired of sandwiches, he didn't even like american cheese.


He stood and made his way to the table helping Grae as he picked up his crayons and books stacking them all into a neat pile. The boy had a smile on his face, he liked this doctor. But then again he liked most of the doctors; they all treated him really well. He often got treats, and Kaede often wondered if that was how they would treat him even as he grew up, or if they'd get more brutal as he aged. For the kid's sake he hoped it was the former rather than the latter.


The young boy was the first to answer as always, "Good afternoon. How are you doing, Ms. Raynor? What's for lunch?" He asked turning to face the back of the chair as he looked over the cart. "I got new coloring books. Wanna see?"


It was incredible how much Grae opened up to this woman. But he could understand it. While Kaede kind of was like the father figure they didn't have, Dr. Raynor was like the mother these kids never had. The one woman who always came with a smile and always treated them special.

 

[BothReachedForTheGun]

"I am doing well, Graeson. Thank you for asking. I hope you are all doing the same. Lunch today is sandwiches, apples, and carrots," the older woman said with a chipper smile, picking up two of the trays to sit down at the table. As she sat one down in front of Grae, Ray noticed a small chocolate chip cookie on the tray beside the milk, half hidden under a napkin. Dr. Raynor certainly had a soft spot for the young boy.


Sitting the other two trays down, she smiled at the young boy. "I would love to see your coloring books. Have you started coloring in them yet?" She asked, going over to him. She was about to look at his new books when she took in November. Hands on her hips, she frowned at the only girl. "November, your skirt is ruined. I think you should go change it now before you eat your lunch." With that, she turned back to Grae with her smile returning.


While everyone gathered around the table, November slunk out of her chair. A look somewhere between embarrassment and indignation covered her face as she sulked into the adjoining bedroom to change. While Dr. Raynor seemed sweet with the young boy, she had never shown much love towards the only girl in the group. Often scolding her for not acting 'ladylike', the doctor was particularly hard on November. She was never rude or cruel, like some of the other Facility members. It was as if she recognized that November had no female figure to watch and learn from so she took it upon herself to always guide the girl.


Ray watched November shut the bedroom door before sitting down in one of the chairs at the table. He noted that Dr. Raynor did not even mention the reason November's skirt was ruined. That was odd. Surely melting plastic was something for her to at least comment on.

 

[Michi]

((Gah this would have gone faster if the plugin would have stopped failing.))


As November slunk off to go change Kaede ruffled her hair. She had it hard. Being stuffed in a room with nothing but guys. Of course she'd turn out slightly in-feminine. Taking a seat at the table he sighed grabbing the sandwich and taking a bite. "Do we get to know what's for dinner? I think fried chicken would be a nice change for them." It wasn't the first time he'd suggested a food, but he didn't put much stock in it. Very rarely did he see them take one of his requests. A program that receives billions, doesn't bother spending any of it on nice food.


Graeson nodded to the woman with a smile as he took a carrot stick and put it between his teeth. "I'm coloring the Power Rangers one first. I think Dr. Mayner said they're super heroes. They fight monsters and stuff." He commented as he pulled out the book from the stack opening it t show her the few pictures he'd colored so far.


"Yeah, I liked them when I was your age. They were pretty awesome." He would have gone on to explain how he watched the on TV, but that could be a story for bedtime. He could probably entertain them for a few nights with what he could remember from that show.

 

[BothReachedForTheGun]

"Yeah!" Ray said, seconding Kaede's suggestion. "Fried chicken, or tacos, or a whole chocolate cake, or..." Ray trailed off as his brain continued to picture foods he hadn't eaten in years. He took a bite of his sandwich, savoring it a bit more as he imagined a McDonald's cheeseburger. He had trouble remembering what it tasted like. The thought that he may never even see a cheeseburger again made him slightly sad. Seven years inside the Facility were starting to bleed together, and now he remembered less and less about the outside world. How long would it be until he forgot all about his past?


"Now, boys, you know the Facility likes to make sure you are eating healthy, well balanced meals. It is important for your body to not eat those types of things," Dr. Raynor said with a smile. "And I'm not sure what is for dinner. But I bet it will be good." She really didn't, and she told Kaede so every time he asked. She did not work the evening shift, so she never looked to see what they were being fed.


Turning to the youngest boy, Dr. Raynor oohed and aahed over the pictures he had begun. She made sure never to impose her own feelings about the artwork on Grae, trying to hear how he was processing the pictures. "Those are very nice, Graeson," she praised the boy.


"Oh, Power Rangers were great! They would be able to turn into different...well," Ray stopped with a grin, realizing Kaede may want to use this as material for bedtime. "We can tall ya about it tonight."


As the three males dug into their meals, November walked back into the room. Her hands held a pair of pants around her waist. At least, the looked like pants on her. They seemed over-sized, which must be why she held them up around her bony wasit. It was odd to see the girl in them, since she was only provided skirts. Ray burst out laughing as he realized she had gone through Kaede's drawer and had donned a pair of his shorts.

 

[Michi]

((Sorry starting a new job soon. Been busy working out the details. Will be easier when I have my set schedule so I can get my sleep schedule back on track .))


When November walked out of the room wearing Kaede's short he stared at her for a moment. Was she really wearing his shorts? Of course it was possible the girl was out of clean skirts again, but why his shorts? Wasn't Ray a closer fit? Though it was possible he was out of clean pants as well. Laundry day was coming up. Or it should be at least. No clocks made it hard to tell even going by the times meals were served you couldn't really keep track of the days.


Kaede finished his dinner, handing the empty plate back to the older woman, before standing and walking away. It wasn't like there was anything else to do, but walking in circles was better than sitting at a quiet table. He resumed his space on the couch, this time facing the back. Maybe he would take a nap, he wasn't really sure.


Grae always took his time eating though. Carrots first, then the sandwich, before moving onto the apple, and finally his not-so-secret dessert cookie. Taking the time to enjoy each food, because let's face it these foods were all he knew. They had the same rotating food schedule, but he loved those foods. Day after day, the young boy would sit there with a smile on his face, his feet dangling, sometimes singing under his chair as he ate.


It would be a lie to say it wasn't unsettling to Kaede, the boy's seemingly complete okayness with the situation life had given him. Kids should be running around outside, playing around with other children their own age. Not locked away in a windowless room, confined with other random freaks to be tested on their whole life. He knew it had to bother at least one of these doctors too.

 

[BothReachedForTheGun]

"November!" The doctor scolded upon seeing the girl. "You march right back into that room and put on your own clothes." Ignoring her instructions, November flounced into her customary chair. Acting as though things were completely normal, she took a triangle of sandwich into her dainty hands and began munching.


Dr. Raynor shook her head at the girl. "Young lady, I had some very important news to tell the group. But, if you are unwilling to listen to me, I guess you will spoil things for everyone else."


Ray leaned over and nudged November, saying, "Come on, kid. Go put your own clothes on. It won't kill ya." This was pretty typical behavior for the girl, especially after one of her 'episodes'. It was almost like she was trying to overcompensate for her lack of control from earlier. Ray wondered if this was a habit she had always had, or if being in the room with Kaede and himself made her a little more ballsy.

 

[Michi]

ooc: Wow I can't believe it's only been five minutes since you posted and I'm already replying so soon.... >.> *cough cough*


bic:


They'd never know though if she was really like that or just trying to be one of the guys. Because they lived in the same room and were always around each other. If they didn't all turn out similar it'd be a miracle.


When November reemerged wearing her own clothes Dr. Raynor looked over the group but didn't speak. That made Kaede a bit uneasy. Whenever they drew out the length of time it took them to tell them news it was never good news. But he hoped for the kids sake that it was. The last thing that any of them needed was bad news.


Finally she started speaking, "As most of you know... most of you have been doing really well with your testing...."


(I have no clue where you were going with that by the way)