Microscopic Swarm

Fish Strong / 26

It had been a normal morning, the same as it always is. Until...

"Y/n, wanna join me for breakfast?" Jolyne asked, changing into her clothes after washing the essentials in the small sink provided in your cell.

Perking up, you smiled as you let out a "Yeah!", and quickly got ready yourself, stepping into your jumpsuit and zipping up the zip to your sternum.

"Y'know, why do you always wear that?" Jolyne asked, making you look to her curiously, "I mean, you have enough bribe money to wear your own clothes now, right?".

"Hm, yeah, I do" you answered, coming up beside her as you both left your shared cell, walking down the hallways to the cafeteria, "But I like blending in, which the jumpsuit allows me to. A lot of people wear this jumpsuit, so I'll have less attention on me if I look the same as the others".

"You're really that concerned about people noticing you?" Jolyne quipped, raising a brow as you pouted, tucking your hands in your pockets.

"Duh" you answered, matching her energy, "We're in a prison, I'd rather not get my ass beat on the daily, or become someones bitch".

With a snort, Jolyne nudged your shoulder, "Just pretend your mine, and I'll make sure the others leave you alone".

Your face glowed red, despite knowing she was joking, it was still unexpected. Luckily, you didn't have to worry about your glowing face, since Jolyne just snickered and nudged you again as the cafeteria was in sight.

"I can see FF, come on" she said, taking your hand from your pocket and walking to the cafeteria, with you in hand.

It was an odd feeling, like you stuck your hand close to a fire. You could feel butterflies rage in your stomach, not only because you were being touched, but because you were nervous of the other prisoners. What if they thought you and Jolyne were dating? You'd probably get an influx of psychos trying to convince you of your 'straightness'. Was this a crush? Or was this relief that someone doesn't find you disgusting?

"FF!" You heard Jolyne call out, meticulously weaving through the crowd, dragging you along with her.

Their head spun around, and a smile spread on their lips as they waved, "Oh, Jolyne! Y/n! I saved us a spot!".

"Good thinking" you smiled, letting go of Jolyne's hand regretfully, and taking a tray and a mug, "How're you adjusting, Foo?" You asked them, turning to look at them contemplating.

"Alright" they answered simply, placing their mug underneath the hot drinks machine, "I'm actually doing an experiment right now. Atroe's body is craving coffee right now, so I need the opposite of coffee".

"Hm?" You hummed, raising a brow as you used the machine next to them, letting it pour you a hot chocolate, "Well, the opposite of coffee is warm milk right? Coffee is energising, milk is calming?".

"Nah, it's gotta be tea" Jolyne joined in, stood on the other side of Foo, "Tea is calming, while slowly letting in caffeine. Coffee is headstrong, and immediately boosts your caffeine levels. Tea has been used as a calming medicine for all of time, while coffee is about perseverance".

"Very poetic" you quipped with a smile, looking over at the bunned girl, "Never took you for someone like that".

"Blame Gwess" Jolyne grumbled, making you laugh as Foo let the machine pour them a cup of tea.

"Okay, I'm done. Now, Atroe wants to quickly get to the food, so, I'm gonna let everyone overtake" Foo decided, not letting you or Jolyne input as they started waving their hand to the queue of women behind them, "Come on! Go ahead!".

"Foo, what the hell?!" Jolyne said, "You're seriously going to let them overtake you?". Once Jolyne said that, the women behind erupted into arguments, and actually started fighting each other. Out of instinct, you shuffled away from the fighting, landed next to the now empty-of-people buffet.

"See? It all worked out, I'm a genius!" Foo cheered, looking over the food options as you let out a relieved sigh, all while Jolyne tried understanding Foo's logic.

"Well...you're certainly something" you mumbled jokingly, earning a light slap on the wrist from Foo, making you break out a laugh at the silly exchange.

"Okay, okay" Foo said, drawing attention to themselves as they looked over the food options. "Okay, what's the opposite of pork? Atroe wants pork".

Before you or Jolyne could input, the woman working as a chef butted it, scooping up a fish in her tongs, "The opposite of pork is salmon!" She exclaimed, "Pigs are lazy, they lay on their ass all day! While salmon swim upstream like the badasses they are!".

"Hey, yeah!" Foo cheered, watching in delight as the chef slammed the salmon on their tray.

"You must like salmon?" You joked tentatively, not wanting to come off as rude to the chef.

"Course I do!" She said, "Fish are the strongest animals on Earth! They need to be respected!".

"We'll be sure to respect the fish" Jolyne interrupted passively, nudging you and Foo along.

Finally, everyone in your little group had finished collecting breakfast, and you all sat around a table, chowing down on your meals.

"Hey, Foo" Jolyne said after taking a bite of her rice, "You seen Ermes anywhere? Can't find her".

"Oh, yeah" Foo said, their voice muffled from the salmon in their mouth, "They've been chasing a guy".

"Really?" Jolyne's brows raised in surprise, "Didn't take her to be that kinda girl".

"Yeah, she started chasing him the day you got them in you" Foo said, pointing at Jolyne's healing bullet wounds, "Dunno why, he's really ugly".

"No kidding" you huffed a laugh, finishing your rice, "But nah, you're right, Ermes isn't that kinda girl. While you were in isolation, Jolyne, me and Anasui investigated Ermes' weirdness".

"Woah, hold on!" Jolyne interrupted, "You teamed up with that arsehole?!".

"I know, it was agony" you groaned, twirling your spoon absentmindedly, "Anyway, yeah, I had to team with him. Found out he can change into a woman, which probably awakened something in me" you grinned towards the end, hearing Foo lightly laugh, "And we essentially stalked Ermes. By watching her and observing her features and posture, she's trying hard to appear uncaring, but her eyes are so hateful. She definitely wants to kill the guy, there's no questioning it".

"So she's trying to find the perfect opportunity to off him?" Jolyne asked, now looking contemplatively, "...Let's find her, see what's up for ourselves and confront her".

"Aye aye" Foo said, standing up with their empty tray, you and Jolyne following their steps.

"Hold it!" A voice appeared behind you, making you jump in your skin as you turned around, facing a prison guard. "You, FE12896, will be coming with me" he demanded, taking out some handcuffs and forcibly removing the tray from your hands, then forced your hands together and cuffed them over your abdomen.

"Woah!" You exclaimed, feeling his hands on your shoulders from behind, "Hey hey! What've I done?!".

"You have a visitor" the guard said, "Don't wanna keep them waiting".

For a moment, you scanned your mind for the answer, until it landed on the conversation a few days ago.

"My mum's here already?" You asked, getting tugged along by the guard. Snapping your hear back, you watched Jolyne and Foo behind you, "It's okay!" Jolyne called, and understanding look in her eyes, "I understand, we'll be fine!".

And with that, you gave her a thankful smile as you were tugged to the visitation room.