It and Mangle had settled into the guest room in Cameron’s apartment and were deciding where to visit first. It was insisting they saw what Mangle wanted to first, but Mangle hardly thought that was fair. “Come on, It, you’re the one who’s never had this chance before, we should go where you want to!”
It shook her head. “No, I think we should go to yours first.”
Mangle sighed. “Why do you think we should go to my sites first?”
It grinned. “It's obvious, isn't it? Once we see yours, we have more time to see mine.”
Mangle laughed. “I see! Fair enough, we can see the Statue of Liberty and Grand Central Station first.”
It cheered. They went outside and hailed a taxi, and headed towards the Statue of Liberty, since the meeting wasn’t until tomorrow. Traffic was uncharacteristically merciful that day, and they got there before the lights had to be turned on. It gawped. “‘Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,775Please respect copyright.PENANAbgd5phMnkO
“'With conquering limbs astride from land to land;775Please respect copyright.PENANAtNQVpsWe7M
“'Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand775Please respect copyright.PENANAYzoS30h339
“'A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame775Please respect copyright.PENANAROH9TBVofj
“'Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name775Please respect copyright.PENANAi7wHjpRLP1
“'Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand775Please respect copyright.PENANAat3H4Ll28s
“'Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command775Please respect copyright.PENANAoao5SmUC9v
“'The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.775Please respect copyright.PENANArPqQTDJoQl
“‘"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she775Please respect copyright.PENANAOcoPOYHDnZ
“‘With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,775Please respect copyright.PENANAISiYcRrs7s
“‘"Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,775Please respect copyright.PENANAzOCIxx3QP0
“‘"The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.775Please respect copyright.PENANA24SNh6v0X7
“‘"Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,775Please respect copyright.PENANAZUQVUrVDQJ
“‘"I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"’”
It turned to Mangle. “What?”
“That’s the poem on the Statue of Liberty,” Mangle explained. “‘The New Colossus'.”
“‘Give me your tired, your poor’...‘Mother of Exiles’...” It considered. “Sounds like me.”
Mangle thought. “Yeah, I guess if you think about it, it describes everyone. You...me...some more than others, but...it’s an accurate representation.”
It nodded. “Good thing she keeps the keys under the mat, huh?”
Mangle gasped out a laugh. “A very good thing!” they exclaimed. “Come on, let’s climb up and look inside her, huh?”
They did. It couldn’t stop staring. Mange looked around with a pleased smile on their face. They stayed until security said they had to leave, and then made their way all the way to Times Square. It wasn’t as if they had anything better to do than sightsee. All the electronic billboards screamed advertisements at people, and Mangle and It got a few pictures and some jokes out of it. But both of them agreed Times Square wasn’t much to write home about in their eyes. Then came Grand Central Station. They walked in to everything, the high ceilings and gold-tinted colors everywhere, and Mangle whistled. “Wow. Certainly has a touch of grandeur to it…”
It grunted her agreement. “Does anyone understand practicality in this city?” she asked.
Mangle chuckled. “‘Fraid not, kiddo. From what I’ve heard, all tourist attractions are like this.”
It sighed and flew up in the air to get a good look around. Several people screamed and others pulled out their phones to take pictures. “It just looks like more of the same!” she called down to Mangle. “I’m tired, can we go back now, Dad?”
Mangle nodded. “We can get pizza or something when we get home, you ready to come down?”
It swooped low over the crowd eliciting screams. She glance around and shrugged. “People are weird.”
“Very weird,” Mangle agreed. “Otherwise you wouldn’t exist.”
“Hey!” It exclaimed.
Mangle chuckled. "Come down, kiddo."
“What did you two do?!” Cameron asked when they came back.
“We went out to see a few things,” Mangle answered. The Statue of Liberty, Times Square…”
“Grand Central Station?” Cameron completed. “#DragonGirl is a trending tag on social media. Everyone is wondering just who exactly is It? And not all the publicity is good.”
Mangle looked at what Cameron had pulled up. Pictures of It with devil horns and flames were photoshopped among ones with halos on her head, and still others simply zoomed in on her wings and face, authenticating what they saw. Mangle sighed. “Well, you clearly think It has more self control than she does,” they said blandly.
It giggled. “Sorry, I just wanted to see what everything looked like, and the ceilings were high...so…”
Cameron sighed. “I’m not mad, just worried. What if the Labs find out?”
Mangle shrugged. “I adopted her. She’s in the system. If they kill her, it’s homicide.”
“Yes, but I doubt a jury would be very sympathetic,” Cameron pointed out.
Mangle sighed. “We’re not in any real danger, we’re leaving in a day anyway.”
Cameron gave them a look. “For your sake I hope you’re right.”
It shifted below them. “Mortality is all well and good, but I’m hungry,” she said.
Cameron rolled their eyes. “Sure, you care more about food than your life. Great.”
It sighed. “Well, I’m ready to sleep, but I need dinner first!”
Cameron shuffled to their refrigerator and nuked a few slices of pizza, handing them to It. “Go nuts,” they said.
It tucked in. Mangle and Cameron talked logistics of what exactly should happen tomorrow in terms of visibility. It passed out on the floor, and Mangle chuckled, calling it a night. Cameron went on their social media, explaining who the #DragonGirl was and her story. With any luck, they could garner sympathy before this got too out of hand.
The next morning Mangle walked out to find Cameron sleeping on the couch, tablet just out of reach. They seemed to be arguing with someone on the authenticity of It’s wings. Mangle picked up the tablet and wrote: Hi, this is the father of that girl in the photo, using Cameron’s account. I can verify that Bethany’s wings are quite real. Please, if you have any questions, contact my account (@Dr_Mangle). Cameron is sleeping, and I felt that they deserved a rest.
Within the minutes it took Mangle to get to their own tablet and log into their own account, they were bombarded with questions by dozens of users: Is she real? What kind of technology was used to make her like that? What’s her story? Can I meet her? She’s sooo cute!
Mangle carefully replied to each one. Yes, she’s real. I can’t say what technology was used in the process. If you want her story, you can ask her yourself. You can meet her at The Humans For a Better Tomorrow meeting today in Queens, or on Fridays in Bethany normally.
The response was overwhelming, most people promising to come to the meeting that day or to make arrangements to go to Bethany. Mangle was shocked. Was everyone really so enraptured by It? She was just a 4 year old girl...really. Advanced, maybe, but still a little girl. This level of positive attention was staggering. And with it came some unwanted attention. Haha, this thing has a dad? Really? I’m shocked. It’d be better off dead. Who would take that thing out in public? Who would even claim it?!
Mangle saw red. They couldn’t believe someone would treat It that way. They felt someone gently tap their shoulder and ask, “Dad? Are you okay?”
They looked away from the screen and saw It, concerned and frightened. Mangle felt themself collapse into the couch, feeling suddenly and completely drained. “Yeah. I’m all right. Just...need a break from social media.”
It saw what he was looking at and bit her lip. “Well, they’re all wrong. ‘Sticks and stones’ and all that might not be true, but if you refuse to let it shake you up more than you’ve already felt it, you’re okay.”
Mangle sighed. They had felt hatred when seeing those comments, but they could see It felt fear and sorrow. And maybe just a bit of yearning to make those people understand. Mangle hugged It. “You are brilliant, and no one can ever say otherwise and still be right. You know that, don’t you?”
It clung to Mangle and took a deep breath. “It doesn’t feel like that, Dad,” she murmured.
“Well I’ll prove it to you, then.” Mangle decided, “You’ll see for yourself one day.”
Cameron roused from the couch. “See what?”
“It doesn’t think she’s brilliant,” Mangle supplied. “I’m going to prove her wrong.”
Cameron grinned. “You’re going to teach that stubborn girl something? Good luck.”
It stuck out her tongue. Cameron stuck out theirs back. A knock sounded at the door. “That'd be the first few members. We have talks over coffee before the meeting really starts, and wrap up at around 10 am. Plenty of time to go out and check out...what’re you guys planning on seeing today?”
“The Empire State building and Central Park!” It exclaimed. “Coney Island sounded fun, but I want you to come with us if we go!”
Cameron grinned. “I can do that, little lass. I’ll teach you the joys of Coney Island tomorrow.”
It grinned up at Mangle. They rolled their eyes. “All they’re going to show you is how to throw up on a rollercoaster.”
“Hey! That’s valuable information!” Cameron protested. “If you ever come up here on a weekend between Easter and Halloween, you’ve gotta know how to get the most bang for your buck!”
It tilted her head. “What’s that mean?”
There was more knocking on the door, impatient this time. Cameron rolled their eyes. “Remind me to tell you later,” they said as they opened the door. 5 people came in. “Hey Cameron, you get that Mangle bloke?”
“Um...I’m not...I don’t really use the term ‘bloke’,” Mangle awkwardly said. “I’m just...sort of...a person. Not a bloke, really. Not a sheila exactly, either.”
Cameron slapped the back of the guy’s head. “Show some respect, Giles, if the good Doc doesn’t like gendered nicknames, then they don’t like gendered nicknames. Just leave it alone.”
Giles sat down in a chair by the couch. “Sorry, mate, I use bloke neutrally. Even sheilas are blokes to me.”
“Giles is an Aussie through and through,” a woman laughed. “I’m Cameron’s cousin, Sabrina. I’m the one who introduced them to Humans for a Better Tomorrow. The inspiration for starting a branch was all them, though.”
Mangle nodded. “Nice to meet both of you.”
The other three introduced themselves as the Three Stooges. No real names came from their lips. Mangle nodded politely and It frowned. The 5 new visitors and Cameron made their way into the kitchen, huddling over the coffee maker. “Why didn’t they give their real names?” It asked.
Mangle shrugged. “Maybe they don’t want to be found out by their bosses at work. By not giving their real name, they can deny ever being here.”
“Why would they?” It asked.
“Well not everyone can just suddenly stop working,” Mangle explained. “We have enough money to keep us stocked with food for a while, but it won’t last forever. And there’s only so many jobs out there.”
It frowned further. “I don’t understand. Why would it cost them their jobs?”
“I was fired for being nice to you and trying to keep you alive,” Mangle pointed out. “It's really not that shocking a revelation.”
“Well it should be!” It exclaimed. “How can you be so calm about that?! People don’t even have a right to their own opinions about things and I’m stuck between two worlds because no one is willing to stand up and say, ‘She’s really not a monster’! It sucks! And you act like you can’t see that! Why? Why is it that even now, you don’t support me?!”
Mangle sat back, shocked. “I don’t support you?! It, I try to be as supportive as I can! The reason I try to stay calm when people are being mean to you is because it makes me so mad to think about, I can’t trust myself. I support you in everything you’d ever want to try. I just try not to do anything I might later regret.”
It blinked back tears. “You see? You can’t even say that what those people are saying is something you disagree with! I love you, but it seems like you won’t even try to help me!”
Mangle frowned. “I can’t tell you what I want to do to those idiots, because you’re 4 and you need plausible deniability if any of them go missing. It, when they say those things, words can’t even describe the hatred I feel towards them. I have problems keeping my anger in check, so I try to ignore it. That doesn’t mean I don’t support you, or that I agree with them, ever. It simply means it’s not safe if I show you how I feel about those people, okay? I’m trying to keep you safe, which you may not see as helping, but is one of the biggest things any parent can do. I’m trying to be a good dad. I’m-I’m sorry if you don’t see it like that.”
It scowled into the couch. “And now you’ve gone and made me guilty for yelling at you! Some protector you are!”
Mangle laughed and gave It a hug, which she readily returned. The three stooges came over and laughed. “I take it we missed something?” the balding one asked.
It looked up and grinned. “Nothing important. Do you have questions? Most people do.”
The one with curly hair spoke up. “Can you genuinely use those wings of yours?”
It nodded, pushing herself up close to the ceiling before dropping like a stone onto the couch. “Dad taught me how to do it. It’s fun, when there’s space,” she explained.
The bowlcut whistled. “That’s pretty neat, little lady.”
It blushed and grinned. Mangle prompted her in a whisper, “Say thank you.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled.
The bowlcut cupped a hand to their ear. “What was that?”
“Thanks,” It repeated, clearer.
The bowlcut grinned and grabbed a seat, the curly-haired one and the balding one bringing chairs over next to them. Giles sat next to the balding one, and Sabrina sat next to Giles. Cameron sat between the curly one and Mangle on the couch. “So let’s start talking then, the others will come soon enough.” A knock came from the door. Cameron frowned. “That’s odd, people normally walk right in.”
They opened the door to a scrawny boy and his mother at the door. “Is...Is this the group for Humans For a Better Tomorrow in Queens?” the boy asked.
Cameron nodded. “Yes it is, what can I do for you?”
The boy wrung his hands. “I’d like to join, please, Sirdam. I saw the pictures of Bethany and realized that if kids were being treated like animals, I wanted to help stop that. My mom is willing to join too if I’m allowed.”
Cameron smiled. “Come right in, we’re just about to start.”
The boy walked it and sat next to It with hesitation. “H-Hi...I’m Joey,” he introduced.
“It,” It said. “Nice to meet you.”
Joey nodded. His mom sat next to him and Cameron took their seat on the couch back. “Now, shall we start?”
“I think It should make a speech and we should record it,” Giles proposed. “Post it on the Internet, spread the word, you know?”
The three stooges nodded. “Makes sense, if the kid is comfortable doing it. What do you think, It?”
It nodded. “Okay.”
Mangle looked down at her. “If at anytime you need to stop, let me know, okay?”
It nodded. Sabrina took out her phone and focused it on It. “Whenever you’re ready, hon, it’s recording.”
It looked at the camera. “Hi, I’m Bethany Mangle. I’m 4 years old, and I was an experiment in Fantasy Laboratories. Most of you have probably seen me by now in the...uh…#DragonGirl tag across the media. Well, let me tell you the pictures aren’t photoshopped.” She flew up and forward about a foot before returning to the couch. “I can definitely fly using these things. I guess they’re neat, but I want to talk about the people who were calling me an abomination.” She frowned. “Yes, I know what it means, and no, I don’t appreciate you using it to describe me. I got enough of that at the Labs, and frankly I expected better of the people on the outside. So many people in this country have studied the oppression of the past, some are old enough to have known it firsthand, and yet when I come along everyone says, ‘Oh, she’s not a real human.’ Like, what the heck? What makes me not qualify as a human? If I’m not human, anyone who has had their DNA altered by a virus or surgically to remove a disability before it forms, or has had cancer is not human either. So my DNA is a little different. I’m still human. I still matter. I’d appreciate it if you treated me like I did. That’s all I really wanted to say.”
Sabrina stopped recording. “I’m uploading it now with the tag so people can find it quickly. This is going to blow up so fast.”
It laughed. “Am I really that special?”
“Yeah!” Joey exclaimed. “You’re super special! The first time I saw you in that picture, I thought you couldn’t be real. The fact that you even exist is amazing!”
It blushed. “All life is amazing.”
“Agreed.” Joey said, “But you are exceptional.”
It laughed. Sabrina gasped. “We have 200 hits already!”
Everyone was shocked. “200?” Cameron asked for confirmation.
Sabrina nodded. “And the comments are pouring in! ‘Bethany is so brave’, ‘are you sure she’s only 4?’, ‘who could hate this girl?’ It just keeps going! It, I think it’s safe to say you’re internet famous!”
It laughed. “Wow. Now that’s something I never would have bet on.”
Mangle grinned. “Why not? You are, after all, exceptional.”
It blushed. “Stop saying that!” she complained.
Everyone laughed. It pouted. Joey tried to comfort her. “Took take it personally, adults do things like that.”
It shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Joey grinned. “Yeah, but sometimes it helps to know it’s just one of those things.”
It shrugged. “I guess.”
The meeting went on. It confirmed that yes, she only had access to her room, the bathroom, and the gym; Mangle had to let her into their room, and no one was pleased she had access to anything but her room. No, she got fed regularly, and the cafeteria food was half-decent. Yes, she had to request things from scientists if she wanted anything but the bare necessities. The list went on, and eventually, people started to leave. Once everyone but Mangle, It, and Cameron were gone, Cameron waved them off. “Go on, then. See the world. You said it was the Empire State Building and Central Park today, that’s a lot of ground to cover! Have fun!”
Mangle and It nodded. “Thanks, Cameron,” It said.
Cameron laughed. “Don’t mind me, I just have a bed for you two, and that’s nothing. Go off to enjoy yourselves!”
Mangle and It got up, shook Cameron’s hand, and left for the day.
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