"I'm alchemy track," says Hannah. "Making all kinds of fun things. Focus potion's my number one right now, I've been trading for adderall to use as materials."

"Artificing, yeah. I really want to do repair work, but in here there's not much need for that. Building things is cool too. I'm Virgil. It's- a lot more people than I'm used to, too. I grew up kind of isolated."

"I'll say. My family worked me so hard I barely had time for anything resembling actual friends."

"Everyone has to repair the school or get other people to cover their shifts doing that, depending on what you're fixing your affinity might apply."

"Maybe."

He probably needs to do it, too, he's just feeling stupidly stubborn about it. Virgil doesn't want to suck up to an enclave.

"Wire sounds interesting, are you doing artificing too?"

"I am, I'm pretty good at enchanting things I make out of wire. My coil," she indicates the wire coiled on her arm, "is a weapon and a multi tool."

"Cool. It animates?"

"It does, and I can make it sharp when I need to."

"And you make things out of wire too?"

"Yeah, I'm planning to make some stuff for lining the edge of doors and protecting my room from Mals getting in. And something else for protecting the drain. If it works, I'll probably make more for sale."

"Trade you some potions for it, maybe? We'll see."

"Maybe, I also know some healing spells, especially diagnostics stuff Mother taught me."

"If anyone finds a cure for depression in the lab one night, let me know."

....Honestly, Wil's still caught up on the focus potion. Or adderall, honestly, he'll take either. He should probably wait before letting on his interest there, though.

"I have some spells, what languages does everyone have? I've got English, German, Latin, Dutch, Spanish, and Ancient Greek pretty well, plus enough French, Mandarin, Russian, and Japanese to not get fucked over by them."

"I speak English, Mandarin and Lojban. Russian and Spanish are on my list of languages to learn along with Arabic and Hindi."

"I speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Latin, and German. Enough German to read the philosophy."

"Well, as long as you can read spells in it, that's what counts."

"English, and a passable french. Languages were not my strong suit. 's why I'm alchemy track."

"Do you know what you'll be doing after focus potions? Or are you going to make it your main thing?"

"I have a really good focus potion recipe, been using it for two years now and ironed out most of the kinks. I have recipes for the standards as well - healing, anti-poison - but I expect the focus potion will be most of my business."

"That's reasonable, I don't like doing the same thing too many times but that's probably a personal failing."

"You don't? Routines are kind of comforting. I'll be happy when we have our schedules."

"For me life is about discovery and the beauty that can be found in each moment. Even pain is something to be savored when it's a new kind of pain."

Wow that's pretty much the opposite of what life means to him.

"That's a nice thought."

Virgil pokes at his food. It isn't any more unappetizing than eating in general, so he doesn't have any complaints.

"Thank you, I know I'm a bit unusual especially with regard to pain. You asked earlier about depression. I don't have a cure but I could probably give you a good idea of what mundane meds would work for you and you might be able to get those from the Nurse."