“‘Angul?!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IQ203TuBC
This was the subject’s exact reaction when Mangle told it they were going to the gymnasium. “You’ll be safe with me, It. I’ll make sure I won’t lose you if you stay with me.”
“But...but ‘Angul…”
Mangle held back an exasperated sigh and crouched down so they were eye level with it. “You’ll be fine. I promise.”
It looked up at Mangle fearfully, but nodded. “Okay.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUwo3PvIn7
Mangle stood up and offered it their hand. It gripped the appendage tight enough that Mangle was worried about losing circulation, but they were going to make the best of it. They went to the supply closet and had it don a hospital gown and a pair of shorts. It worried with the hospital gown, making sure no one except Mangle could see its back. Mangle was a bit surprised at the modesty. Usually that didn’t kick in until a child was 5 or 6, if then. “Are you sure you’re 2, It? You act more like you’re 5!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7xxBIDQJQ
“I’m 2, ‘Angul. Posive.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJexr9yPADE
“You’re positive, huh? That’s a pretty big way of saying you’re sure.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHcf8LQkyu
It nodded. “Mommy say-ed it once.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iyK0eULHE
“You pick up a lot from your mommy, don’t you?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHECYOCA1l
It grinned. “I make sure mommy’s proud! Mommy’s proud of It! It is smart!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lBVcHM2MC
Mangle felt a twinge where their heart was rumored to be. “Your mommy can be very proud of you. She should be, really. Probably is.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzdmFyvTPA
They were going to kill Dr. James if she said otherwise. This was the most malleable the subject had been yet, and they were dead if they weren’t taking advantage of it.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbX9tcvFIxY
When they arrived at the gym, the subject gawked at everyone. So many people and such an open space was bound to be a shock for something that had been in more or less isolation its whole life. “‘Angul...people!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRrZXT5eTe
“I know, it’s a lot of people in such a space, isn’t it?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgjsvgW2oP
It mutely nodded. “Glad clothes,” it muttered.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHgGkuO438
Mangle laughed. “What, you don’t want anyone but me and your mommy seeing your diapers?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4fODcsbq2
It nodded seriously. “Mommy says diapers p’ivate.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOA43tZPwKb
“Your mommy’s right. Diapers are private. But sometimes grown-ups need to see them, like if you need to be changed.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvSxUp9ThR
It wrinkled its nose. “Diapers yucky.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQ824JQFeU
Mangle paused at this. Were they ever going to stop being surprised by this subject? “Well, I could help teach you how to use a potty, if you want? No more yucky diapers for you if you can be toilet trained.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPA1j56LFW
It nodded. “‘Ankoo, ‘Angul.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgplG3z5Ako
Mangle nodded. “It’s no problem, It. Now, can you stretch out your wings for me?”
It did.
“Here, let me show you what I want you to do for this experiment…”
Mangle manipulated the wings so they made a swimming motion. It felt closely whenever Mangle touched it, and tried to copy the movements. They were a little jerky, but they were close enough that with a little practice, Mangle was certain that it could at least imitate flying. It enjoyed making the motions while running around with its arms spread wide, laughing hysterically. Mangle watched with amusement, then surprise as the subject slowly lifted itself off the ground half an inch and held that way for a second before slamming the ground with its feet, not even noticing what happened and continuing to run until it couldn’t run anymore.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYsMh3Fa38
“Tired, ‘Angul,” was all it said by way of explanation when it walked over.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROvymXktas
Mangle ruffled its hair and said, “Well, do you want to go back?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvkK7up8Vu
It shook its head, and noticed a multi-colored beach ball. “‘Angul! Rai’bow ball!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4R7Ulk0a6o
Mangle looked over and nodded. “Oh, it is, isn’t it?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqscBcYqx3
It ran over and picked the ball up. “Play ‘Kick the Ball’?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFHtopZPxE
Mangle decided that now was an opportune time for another test. “How do you play kick the ball, It?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTJAJegRxe
“You kick!” it exclaimed, kicking the ball over to Mangle. “Kick hard, moves ball faster!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTLnBYWfLJ
“Oh, like this?” Mangle asked as they stopped the ball with their foot, and kicked it as hard as they could, punting it really, making the ball fly through the air.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEze3KtnEa
It clapped. “‘Angul make ball fly!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGKlEIJ2kN
Mangle grinned. “Grown-ups know how to do that, yeah. With a little bit of practice with those wings of yours, you could fly just like that ball!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKj8dYsGoEy
Its eyes widened. “‘Angul help It fly?!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvnZrdGvht
Mangle nodded. “If you want.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNnJYLwlRx
It nodded and started up the exercises Mangle taught it again. “I’ll fly like ball! One day, I’ll fly! Mommy’ll be proud of It!” it exclaimed as it ran to pick up the ball.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMriggItXk
Mangle shook their head. Such tenacity in one so young, it was amazing, really. If only humans could have that type of resilience, the world would be a better place.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1xwWFv3fG
It came back with the ball. “Hey, It, I have an idea,” Mangle said.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfQkWUZJPK
It cocked its head to the side. “Yeah?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTytoCfAnIs
“Do you think you could yell what color you kick on the ball as you kick it? To make things more fun?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMqiiVcguX
It nodded eagerly, and set the ball down, giving it a massive kick, sending it a foot into the air. “Red!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnCFyEpZVC
Mangle kicked it back. “Blue!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhK04nbnmw
“White!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nxM1aV9Tz
“Green!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMoLTuNRqA
“Lellow!” it yelled, causing Mangle to chuckle.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1DeXlsnYl
“That’s ‘yellow’, It,” they gently corrected.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeImAyn5h7
Some of the other experiments were noticing their game, and coming over to watch. “How d’ya play that?” an older one with a smattering of freckles everywhere asked.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxMfHPJAwX
“You kick and yell color you kick!” it explained. “Wanna play?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5gxb5Nl4W
The experiment nodded and Mangle kicked the ball over to it. “Have fun,” they said.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYqG55XDsn
It looked over to Mangle. “No play?” it asked with sadness tinging its voice.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWAAJ95Gad
“You have a lot of new friends who want to play with you. We can play every day in your room.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Dq3UoXBKo
It seemed to understand, but wasn’t happy all the same. “Okay, ‘Angul. I go play.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZzHNG2mUm
Mangle waved it off. “Let me know when you’re tired, I’ll take you back to your room.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjcRqyBQsS
It nodded and ran off. A few scientists approached them, but they paid the others no mind. After all, they didn’t need to worry about coworkers dashing off never to be found again.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvWkhodX8T
“Are you out of your mind, Jess?!” one of them asked. “You can’t teach an experiment to fly!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8nhRFcJKF
Mangle shrugged. “I need to see if the wings are functional. How else am I supposed to tell?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzn9wwGoEwq
“Well, you could just ask it to stretch them, instead of giving it fanciful ideas of flight!” another hissed. “Are you trying to get this place shut down?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAXXIS7SxR
“On the contrary, I’m trying to boost its funding,” Mangle replied.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6lgo1PB2X
“We’re all gonna be labeled as abomination activists because of you!” another shouted.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZn3COVihK
“Bomashun. Again, that word, bomashun,” a small voice said from between the scientists’ legs. “‘Angul, done playing. Feel tired.” It looked sad, as well, but it said nothing, and neither did Mangle.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLaQZPOsot
Mangle nodded and offered it their hand. “Well, then, let’s go, shall we?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSqVXAwA5E
Halfway through the hallways it stopped. “You okay, It?” Mangle asked.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTtwLiZxDG
“Hurts walking,” it complained.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYUKV2ShjV
“Here,” Mangle picked it up and rested it on their hips. “I’ll carry you.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoIL2U0s3R
It rested its head on Mangle’s shoulder and hummed. “Nice, ‘Angul,” it said sleepily.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmefOifVaMU
Mangle rubbed circles on its back as they walked, until it was out cold. Good thing, too, since Dr. James was standing outside its room, completely livid. “I can explain,” Mangle said.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfixImwNOuA
Dr. James just scoffed.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3shiggpKOr
“I’m serious, I genuinely believe that this is the best way to find out if the wings on a subject are fully functional. It’s so smart that what we’d normally have to wait another 2 years for can be achieved right now! Don’t you understand the opportunity this allows us?!” Mangle implored.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRL3PoHTCM
“Your speech is touching, Mangle, but the fact remains that this is even worse than playing up sympathy for a subject!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjLfdvxWvy
Mangle stood in front of Dr. James’ desk, trying to keep their temper in check. “You and I both know that sooner or later we will be asked more than just simple grafting questions. When that time comes, I’ll be prepared. I’m trying to help us here! What would you rather me do, if not this?! I can’t teach it anything, because that encourages it to think, I can’t give it the tests we have here, because even the different angles I put on it don’t keep the subject occupied for long! It’s brilliant, and it’s bored. That is never a good combination, but you keep shooting me down on ways to keep it in check! Do you want it to get so bored it escapes and we’re forced to terminate it?!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdi0OTePmi
“YES!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVW7wFrUMrc
Mangle stopped, jaw dropped. “What?” they whispered. “That’s an entirely new organism we’ve created. It can think on its own, live on its own, in a few years with a few basic teachings we could release it into the wild and it would be completely self-sufficient, and you just want to throw that all away?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTU294kfou
Dr. James stiffened. “You ought to remember your place, Mangle. You don’t make the decisions on this project, I do. And I know that thing thinking is a threat to us all, but I can’t kill it because of that, because then every subject will be brought into question. But, if it were to escape, by sheer dumb luck, we could kill it off no problem. No questions asked. A bit of ridicule from activists, but when don’t we get that? I have this project’s best interests in mind at all times. Do you?”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilcgjNA6Qo
“That is a life out there you’re speaking of. Not a human life, maybe, but it is a life nonetheless.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvmyAU6pP0
“It is an abomination!” Dr. James shouted.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCnfYyOeYt
“Yes, so you keep saying! You see something ugly, something to throw in the wastebin! You’re like a toddler! You want a shiny, new toy, but as soon as something else catches your eye, or it gets dirty, you move away from it and forget about it! You keep on insisting this is your life’s work, why don’t you concern yourself with it a bit more! I see a whole new life! Something that has never been achieved before! Something for the history books! You fail to understand, we used a human base for these projects! Its development will follow one of a child! And we have this anomaly, we accidentally found a genius base, one that we can use to show optimum results for this experiment, and you, Dr. James, you just want to throw that opportunity away, because you fail to understand that you can nurture a flower to grow as big as you can make it and have it reach its full potential, while still being controlled and never having it go anywhere you don’t want it to!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvFYV7iWSL
“ENOUGH!” Dr. James yelled. “ONE MORE WORD LIKE THAT AND I’LL KICK YOU OFF THIS PROJECT!”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuHEkf4VsA
Mangle clenched their jaw. “...Fine. But know that I’m not about to stop my work.”801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxOdRMiHfr
They stormed out of the office and took a few deep breaths. Their temper needed to stay in check. They couldn’t get kicked off this project, it was far too big an opportunity and far too many questions would be raised. They headed to the subject’s room, to see what it was doing. Watching it sleep might prove to be cathartic. But when they got there, the door was ajar and a janitor was already there. She had a small radio hooked to her belt that was singing about dungeons and mountains and journeys, and she was dancing and humming along with something in addition to the radio. They saw upon closer inspection, that the woman was dancing with the subject, spinning and twirling and laughing as they both made up their own dances to the songs.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeQx5RQyFO
Mangle said nothing, and continued on their way out of the labs to their apartment. What went on during the janitor’s job and what she did was really none of their business. She was nice, a bit young, and she needed the job. So if she got close to the subjects in their own rooms where there were no cameras to tell the higher-ups, why should they? It was something private, none of their business.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpwTkLNeMQ
It surely wasn’t the smiles on both faces that made him keep quiet, no, cold-hearted Mangle would never allow it. But…sympathetic, new Mangle could let it go if they never saw it happen again. If they purposefully went to the communal kitchen while the janitor did her rounds, well, they would never tell.801Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHF9EfimbZV
