After walking for a minute or so, Sarian opened a door and directed me inside. In the room was yet another seat unlike a bed or couch that I didn’t recognise.
“Feel free to take a seat, we might be talking for a while.”
I sat down, and was immediately pulled down further into it than I expected. I jumped up quickly with an undignified shake of my wings. Sarian, sat in another one of these seats, chuckled. I looked at him in distress, but decided to try sitting again.
“Well, I guess I should start with what I wrote in the note. My name is Lawson Sarian. I’m a 24 year old scientist, fresh out of college, who has always been interested in studying poisonbirds. After the… erm… incident… Mr. Darl was quick to try and distance himself from responsibility. He tried to sell you before news spread too far. I was excited at the prospect of actually getting a chance to study you. I honestly think I was just lucky to be the first to respond to his offer. I wouldn’t have stood a chance if he had opened it to bidding, but I’m sure he was concerned that the news would spread by the time the auction ended and many would rescind their offers. I don’t really care either way. I was watching the show. I already knew what had happened. I hope I’m not putting words in your mouth but you just seemed, I don’t know, tired? You looked like all you needed was some human decency. I figured I’d take a chance. I’m glad you found your way out of that room even though your couldn’t read the note. But anyways, I bought all of Mr. Darl’s poisonbird buildings and you for relatively cheap, all considering. I wanted to talk to you about everything that I was considering and let you choose if you wanted to help or not. I’m sorry I had to, uhh, cap your fangs and talons. After you attacked someone I had no choice if I wanted you to be kept alive.”
I shrugged, there was a vague feeling of discomfort with them, and I felt defenceless, but considering that last time I was conscious I murdered someone and wanted to die, I couldn’t blame Sarian for what he did.
Rather than ask an actual question, like I’m sure Sarian expected me to, I just asked what these seats were. As I talked I noticed I was getting more used to the new feeling of my fangs, but I still had a minor lisp.
He was shocked, but chuckled again, “They’re beanbags.”
“Bags of beans?”
“Well, they probably were originally, but these are stuffed with little foam pellets, not actual beans.”
“Huh. Okay. Sarian will tell me what he wants from me now?”
“Ah! Sure. I loved hearing about poisonbirds when I was young and they were still just finding things out. A few years ago when most of the population was wiped out, and then you were the last one, I started taking poisonbird research more seriously. Most people abandoned the poisonbird courses, knowing they wouldn’t have a chance to use this knowledge, but I was still determined. My main interest was in trying to find a way to produce more poisonbirds. I’m sure you were told you are and will be the last one. We haven’t found any other animal close enough to your species to crossbreed, even in producing infertile offspring, so chances seemed slim. However, I think that with some genetic modification, you could actually produce offspring. I know that that might be weird for you, so I really wanted to leave it up to you, especially since I don’t know which, err, parts you have and how much manipulation it would take to artificially create a baby poisonbird from your genetic material without any of the negative effects of what would effectively be, erm... selfcest..?”
I was somewhat horrified, somewhat curious, but mostly just amused.
“Sarian should know that I have both parts. And if this is a serious proposition, I will want to consider.”
Sarian looked flustered, but quickly responded, “Of course! Take your time to decide. The only thing is that, like, legally I can’t really just let you leave… I’m sorry. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you’re comfortable, though! I have a bit of money saved up for your care, so just ask if you need anything and I’ll do my best to make it happen!”
I shrugged again, not particularly caring about requiring supervision at this point, it wasn’t like I wasn’t used to it.
“Also, you can call me Lawson if you want to. It’s kind of weird hearing my last name instead of my first name, haha.”
“Lawson, then.”
“Alright. Umm, so do you want to go back to your room to think about it? Would that be more comfortable for you?”
I stared at him in disbelief, “ Lawson said this is the same building I had always been in?”
“Yes.”
“Lawson has me in the wrong room, then. And no. Those rooms are not at all more comfortable. Can I make a request?”
“Of course! Your comfort really is a priority, so if I can help I will do my best!”
“Can I keep my old room, but maybe get new furniture and have the gate removed?”
“Sounds absolutely reasonable!” he said, with a wide grin spread over his face. He stood up to get the door to leave the room, and I awkwardly struggled to escape the confines of the beanbag to try to follow him.
“So do you know where your room is? This is a rather large building…” he mentioned as we left the room.
“No. I could get there from the stages, but I do not know many of the other hallways in this building.”
“Well, we can go to a stage and then work our way there, right?”
I nodded, and followed him as he headed in the direction of the stage.
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