If Virgil wanted to live badly enough, he probably wouldn't sit here. He would try harder to find something, someone who cared more about him living than he did.

He doesn't, though, so he's here, paying the vents and the grates no mind.

Hannah should, strictly speaking, not be anywhere near this dangerous chunk of the cafeteria, but it's the first day and she doesn't give a shit about the rest of her enclave and she wants to get in a little trouble, as a treat. She hides her power sharer in a pocket and goes looking for interesting people.

Ribo has already met a few people but she's trying to meet more before the first day ends.

Miguel understands how cafeterias work and this is a table for social outcasts, which is bad, but less bad than standing there eating, and probably he's not allowed to leave with his tray full of food? No one else is doing it, anyway.

He sits down and tries to look relaxed about this. He is not relaxed about this.

Virgil really doesn't want to be the first person to talk. He's so bad at talking. He keeps his head down, hoping someone else will break the silence.

Looks like a good table for meeting people. Might not be good for his life expectancy but, hey, he's here for a good time, not a long time. And it looks like nobody is talking so he's going to have to be the one to do that.

"Hey everyone! What're your affinities, I write songs."

"I'm Ribo and my affinity is wire."

"Hannah. Mine's speed."

Suddenly so much conversation! More than he expected!

"Small things. I can move them, tear them, mend them."

"Oh! Oh, speed, my brother knew someone whose affinity was speed--they might actually still be here, come to think of it. Not that he would be caught dead around this table. Ribo, small things, I assume you're both going artificing track? ...I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I. My name's Wil, I'm not used to so many new people. Good sort of unused, though."

"There are so many people, I don't think I've seen so many people in one place before today."

"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."

"I might be able to whip something up for you too."

"Thanks, but it's not a big deal."

Open-ended favors mean getting yourself into a bind pretty fast.

"If you say so."

Virgil will sit quietly, startling every time he senses movement in his periphery, and eat his dinner.

Ribo will continue making small talk with anyone who wants that but if nobody is interested she'll just watch people at other tables.