Three

--Eliot--

My office door slides closed behind me, last new arrival of the day taken care of and only... an hour behind schedule according to my phone clock. Fuck my life. Just gotta sit down and get this paperwork done, can't have the new Animals lost somewhere in the bureaucratic morass. Swiping through my phone I pull up my focus jam playlist and the room is filled with deep bass, arpeggiated Spanish guitar, and droning strings. I set my phone down and take a seat, tail uncomfortably squished in. I really need to requisition a chair better suited for an Otter, or really any Animal with a hard tail, but considering how little time I spend in my office already... I really only use it for the new arrival paperwork and even that I could probably just do anywhere so long as I get it into the system properly. Focus! Right, new arrival. Procyon lotor. Name, Andrews....

"Mr. Weir, a gleaner has arrived with a delivery for Medical," comes the voice of the White Knight resounding in my office. Bloody intrusive that. "Please meet him at the west ingress. Additional details are being sent to you now." My phone lights up with the information from Central. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Let's just get this over with. I pause my music and head through the door, reading the details on the way out of the office. Something something amber bottles to go to... medial circuit north Medical processing. Could they not have found someone already in that building to do this? Though I guess the north office is a bit farther than this one to the ingress and everything. Whatever. The outer office doors slide open and I step out into the early evening light, a gentle breeze tickles my short-cropped hair as I crane my neck to try and catch a glimpse of the west funicular to see if it's heading up or down. Looks like it's headed up and almost here, shit. Breaking into a run, I make a dash for the station. It will wait, but not for long and I don't want to have to wait the 15 or so minutes for it to loop back up or deal with the hassle of getting one of the private lifts. I mean I'm sure I could if I wanted to since "Medical" and "official duty" and all but still it's a pain.

And time! Phew, time to spare it seems, as I join about a dozen or so other Animals also boarding the platform. Still light traffic this time of day but the next round won't be with those who work on the medial circuit heading home on the distal one or outside the Institute. Couldn't have been 500 metres in under four minutes, but it feels like it. Probably more like half that, or double depending on how you think about it. Trying to catch my breath, I spy an open seat on one of the dozen ornately carved wooden pews and plop down onto it, Otter tail taking up the space next to me as well. You'd think this platform is, what, 30 metres long and maybe six metres wide, they could fit maybe a few more chairs on it, or at least ones less fancy and more functional. Not to mention it's open-air, but I guess the climate controls in the building generally keep things like the rain clouds away from it. The lift chimes all aboard and it lurches slightly as it begins the climb up the slope to the distal circuit station.

_ I wonder who this gleaner is supposed to be?_ I pull out my phone but it doesn't say, weirdly. It usually does but I guess there was a last-minute substitution or something for the handoff. Wonder if it's that one I've been crushing on for the past few weeks? No sooner than that thought flashes across my mind then I see him on the opposite side of the platform: that proper fit Zebra. I mostly see him when he's passing along something dangerous to Medical for analysis before archival but every time I see him my heart just... BOOM. Something about his cute face, the way he wears his hair in a short striped mohawk, that earring he has (is it an eye? I'm not sure), plus his civilian clothes are super... complimentary.... A tight-fitting crème-coloured _Supreme_t-shirt and pale green jeans that look like they've been painted on him. I can see every curve in his muscles and... elsewhere.... I wasn't even aware that I was staring when suddenly I see him looking at me and instantly my face feels raging hot. He smiles, and I quickly look down at my phone, willing the heat to go away. My heart starts to match time with the sound of hoofsteps as I hear them getting closer.

"Hey there handsome," I hear, keeping my eyes glued to my phone. "You work in Medical right? I think I've seen you there a few times when I've been on assignment." I can feel his eyes, his smile, burning into my skull, I can't just keep ignoring him.... "Ah, is that a gleaner order? Well anyway, we're about at the station but I was wondering if you might like to get together sometime after work? You seem pretty busy right now but I'm not hard to find, just let me know. Name's Orion." As if on cue the lift platform glides to a halt at the distal west station. I wait until I hear a great many pairs of feet and hooves shuffle away before I even dare to look up. He's gone, of course, I'm such a loser. Why can't I just say 'hi' to him? Just every time I look at him my brain turns to jelly. The chime signalling all aboard before the lift heads back down to the medial station rings and I suddenly remember that I need to get off here so I bolt to the gate, barely scraping through. I brush off my scrubs, take a deep breath, and walk up toward the ingress plaza.

And now the main problem: it's the end of the day so the plaza is packed not only with the normal business goings on, but also people either coming back into or leaving the Institute. How am I supposed to find one unknown gleaner in all this? Let's see... six glass bottles can't be that big so probably not someone with a huge crate. I suppose I should just look for someone looking a bit lost.... There's a twink-looking Horse who seems to be looking around like he's looking for something, and he's got a medium-sized crate at his hooves. Surely he couldn't be a gleaner though, right? He locks eyes with me and checks his phone, then scoops up the crate and starts walking over to me.

"Hey there, I think you might be Medical contact, er... Eliot?" he says glancing at his phone that he's balanced on top of the crate. He looks young, maybe 18 or 19, a little younger than me; I'm surprised that we'd have a gleaner so young. And skinny. Most gleaners are older, more world-wary, and have builds that show for it, but I suppose I can't exactly see under his clothes. I mean, Orion can't be but a year or two older than me and he looks well more... fit. This Horse has a more pronounced muzzle, it's actually quite fetching, and long silvery hair. It stands out especially against his charcoal tee and black jeans. Orion is definitely more muscular, but this lad isn't unattractive, just not really my type. What I can see of his coat is like a pale wheat or champagne, and his eyes... okay, that's where you've lost me. His eyes are amazing. They're bright blue, almost silver, like nothing I've ever seen. I'm half convinced that he's wearing contacts. The only similar eyes I've seen are in Animals that can use magic. For whatever reason those that have been exposed to Hyperion all have violet eyes, some weirdly consistent side-effect, but these are ramped up to 11.

"Ah, yeah, that's me." The crate he's carrying is plastered with a bunch of port emblems and routing instructions like something from an old cartoon. He sets it down at my feet. "Could you verify the contents, please?" I move to a nearby emergency station and grab the prybar from it, always so difficult these things. With a few deft movements the lid gives way, allowing access to the treasures within. I hand the lid to him. Let's see, a dozen brown bottles filled with a semi-opalescent liquid cushioned by shredded paper. Looks like the description I've got on my order.

"Yeah, these look right. It needs to go to a Medical office on the medial ring, would you mind carrying it down?"

"That's what they pay me for," he says. He sets the lid back on the box and, borrowing the prybar for a moment, quickly hammers down enough of the nails to secure it again. He passes the baton back to me before hoisting up the crate and carries it to an empty seat in the station. It'll be a little while before the funicular comes back. I return the prybar and join him. "So... what is it you do in Medical?" I'm caught off-guard, I wasn't actually expecting a conversation.

"Oh! Erm... well I mostly deal with new arrivals. You know, the Animals that have been recently transformed. I help get them situated in the dorms and try and guide them towards the areas where they might fit in. Not as early as language and martial programming, but it can take a while when there isn't a glove fit for some of them, which happens sometimes."

"Oh yeah, I remember that." He furrows his brow, tilting his head, dipping down into memory. "I think actually it might have been you who did my evaluation."

"I-It's possible, although I think I'd remember those eyes." His eyes refocus, mouth slightly ajar; I think I might have disarmed him.

"Ah, yeah... my mistake I guess."

"No worries, there are a few Otters in Medical." I'm lying, I'm the only one, but I don't remember him. I get so many every day they tend to all blend together. Plus, those eyes, I'm _sure_I would remember them.... Every time I look at his face I have to look at his nose to keep from falling into them. I can tell he isn't convinced: he's scowling and staring off at the far end of the station, lost in labyrinthian reflection I suppose. He opens his mouth like he's about to say something but the chime that signals the lift's arrival rings out. He takes a breath and stands, retrieving the crate again and heading over to the lift doors as it glides in. Once aboard he finds a seat at the end of the row, seating the crate down next to him so that I can't. I've hurt his feelings somehow but, what was I meant to do?

I take a seat next to the crate, tail uncomfortably spilling into the next one. We're facing outward so the incline of the Institute funnel is rising up in front of us. I feel so tense I just wish there were something I could say to break it.... "Unless you got the Hyperion injections after arrival, that would certainly explain it!"

"I didn't get Hyperion," he says, not looking at me. He waves his hand a few times and, understandably, nothing happens. Not conclusive, but most Animals with Hyperion cause some sort of disruption in the ambient energy with their very presence, so instead I've just made a sad Horse wave his hands around and I feel like a jackass.

"I'm sorry... sorry, it's just your eyes look like Hyperion eyes...."

"Don't worry about it." He shrugs and shakes his head. After a minute he turns to look at me. "So you're in Medical without magic, I guess you just do the new arrival stuff then?" Cutting, retribution I'm sure, and deservedly so, but he isn't wrong.

"Yeah. It's pretty boring but I get to meet lots of people, which I like. Really only the paramedics have magic and they're in Medical because they have a talent in healing magic. Although I think there's some course of study too in veterinary medicine and human medicine since a lot of common stuff doesn't really need magic to solve. That's usually saved for, like, proper trauma." He nods. Another minute of silence passes.

"So... _have_you thought about training to be a medic? Or getting Hyperion and see if you could be a paramedic? I don't really know how Hyperion works." Not the retort I was expecting.

"I don't really either, not the specifics. I've just heard it's really intense. As for medic training, I don't know. It always seemed like a lot of work, and I like what I do already."

"Huh, Maybe Dr. Angalis was right, maybe I should...." I hear him mutter, barely a whisper, obviously not a thought meant for me to hear. I don't press him on it, besides we're almost at the medial station. The arrival chime snaps him out of his reverie, he scoops up the crate and we both head towards the gate; it's a bit busier now that the general workday is about over and people are heading back up to the distal level and surface but it's not terrible traffic.

"The office where that needs to go is a bit away, let me grab a buggy," I say looking at the delivery order: over on the north end of the medial level in one of the general Medical branch offices. Not my office of course, oh well. I flash my credentials to the lad charged with letting out the cars and grab one: perk of working in Medical. I'm not amazing at driving but I manage to get it near to the station entrance and wave the Horse over. He takes a seat next to me, crate in his lap, resting his arms across the top of it in a resolute way. We set off on the vehicle path towards the northern section, cart humming away almost silently.

"So... what's it like being a gleaner?" I don't even know why I asked, but I felt compelled to say something to fill in the silence. It feels almost like we're competing in awkwardness at this point. He doesn't say anything for a bit and then:

"I like solving the puzzles." What is he on about? "Like, a lot of the times I'm just sent to fetch something specific from somewhere, but sometimes it's a more abstract concept. So... I have to figure out what they might want, what might best represent the order. Kind of like my current assignment, well, not_this_ one obviously; I'm supposed to bring items to archive human culture."

"How do you archive human culture? They're involved in everything!"

"Yeah, it's mental. I thought it might have been a mistake, but Dr. Angalis said to go with it so I'm trying to figure out what the puzzle is. I mean, I know there won't be a wrong answer, but trying to get what best represents human culture to me is its own puzzle. I only got the assignment this morning, so I guess I haven't had a great deal of time to think about it yet, plus talking with Dr. Angalis... hrm...." He trails off, lost in thought. His whole face is scowling, like he's trying to pick a lesser of two evils or something. He shakes his head, his long mane flowing in the wind. "Like I said, it's mental. And... sorry, about earlier, it's no excuse but... hrm...." He moves one hand to brush the hair away from his eyes. His... dazzlingly blue-silver eyes. No, stop it! You're driving! Mind the path!

"So, erm...," my heart is suddenly beating out of my chest, "do all the gleaners know each other?"

"I mean... I know the ones who I went through training with. Fine group o' lads, if a bit... rambunctious. And I see a few others in the commons, but I don't know all of them. Why?" I can feel myself almost choking on the question I want to ask.

"Do you know a Zebra gleaner named Orion?" I don't hear anything, and I don't dare turn to look at him, eyes stringently fixed on the road. I can feel my face on fire, willing it to be less so.

"Actually... not personally. He was already a gleaner before I joined. He came in as part of our SERE training, but I don't really know him outside of that, no, other than he's... intense. That's my experience at least, why?"

Not really the answer I was looking for, but then again, not really sure what I was looking for with that fishing expedition. I half-heartedly smile and wave a hand as if to dispel the awkwardness but I'm definitely still feeling it. It will pass, and either way we're about at the office. I pull the vehicle up outside the door where a valet is waiting. We get out of the car and head inside, eyes flooded with a sea of Animals in the mint scrubs of the Medical branch members. I've never seen an office this busy. It feels almost crushing. I pull out the requisition slip again, trying to find what office to deliver this to.

"Erm... we need to find room 8-4," I almost need to shout to make myself felt heard, but the Horse nods. I'm looking around almost desperately for any indication of what rooms might be which or for someone I might know when suddenly:

"OI MATE! Give us a hand, would ya?" He hasn't raised his voice much over a shout but it resonates with a power I couldn't imagine him capable of. It's like he's become a different person. Either way one of the Animals moves over and gives him directions. I'm in a complete stupor, trying to make sense of the last five seconds when the Horse elbows me, jerking his head in a direction up one of the hallways. Silently I follow him down a small labyrinth of corridors until we arrive at a door marked 8-4 with a weird decal of an angry face (I can only imagine an inside joke for this office) and head inside. The room is essentially vacant from everything, including colour. The only thing in the room is a small counter space.

This must be an intake room or something for gleaners. Raphael sets the crate down on the counter, and almost like a snake trying to shed its skin, he lets out a deep, ragged breath and shakes his whole body. After a couple of deep breaths, he straightens himself up and stares straight ahead at the back wall of the room, waiting for whomever is meant to take charge of the delivery. I'm trying to decide if he's a bit touched or something but that thought is disrupted when a door slides open at the far end of the room. "Hey there, I have a delivery for the Medical branch, could you please confirm?" He pulls a copy of the delivery order out of a pocket and places it on the table next to the crate. Smooth as silk like he wasn't just in a weird reverie. Who is this guy? The Raccoon who's just walked in seems a little taken aback but looks at the delivery order, inspects the crate (taking note of where I pried it open, I notice), and confirms on his own tablet I'm sure his version of the same order. He nods.

"White Knight please record delivery of current gleaner assignment, gleaner H0512, order On0412NI," says the Horse.

"Delivery confirmed, thank you," says the Raccoon. The paper delivery order on the desk dissolves into nothing, as does the one in my hand. That specific aspect must have caught the Raccoon's attention because he throws me an odd look before picking up the crate and vanishing back into the same strange backroom he emerged from.

"Well I guess that's all we're needed for here...." But he's already halfway out the door as I say this. I take off after him, he's half running out of the building, ducking and weaving among the sea of green-uniformed Medical personnel. When I finally catch up with him we're back outside and he's standing back towards me, hand against the outer wall, breathing deeply. I reach out a hand but he suddenly straightens up, takes a long-drawn breath, and turns to look at me.

"If there's nothing else you need me for, I'll be off then," he says, smiling and turning away before I can even think of an answer. What would I even say? In the past two minutes I've seen at least twice as many different faces of this guy, and honestly he seems like a total mess but I don't think it's all his fault. I think... well I'm no expert, it doesn't matter. All I can do is watch him walk away, and think about his eyes... just, how brilliant his eyes are.... No! Stop it! But I don't know what else to do right now. I pull out my phone, checking the time. Hells... this has taken me way too long. Already almost 5 pm and I still need to finish up some reports. At least my office building is close by, just a quick walk. I wonder if the gleaners have paperwork they need to do? Although I guess since that order I had dissolved maybe not in the traditional sense. Do the gleaners just get sent orders and fill them? I know the Horse told me he had a bonkers assignment but that can't be true for all of them, right? I wonder if Orion's had any weird assignments....

And then I remember his invitation, and my pace slows and my heart rate quickens. After careful thought, the paperwork can wait until the morning. Maybe if I'm lucky I might catch him at the distal level canteen near the Ingress, though I have no reason to think he might be there. Still, it's worth a shot. A lot of the gleaners don't live in the Institute so if he's still here, that seems as good a place to try as any. The lift graciously happens to be coming up from the proximal station, I can just see it approaching over the wall blocking the cliff downward. I should be able to take this buggy and make it back there with plenty of time to head surfaceward. I flash the attendant my ID and grab a cart before he even really has a chance to respond. What's gotten into me? They aren't fast, but certainly faster than my run, and I'll arrive with plenty of time to take the funicular up to the proximal station and hopefully, just hopefully he might be around there.

I dash off the cart and onto the lift, slowly filling with other pedestrians heading upwards. I can feel my heart pounding in my ears and my entire body feels hot. I wish I knew why but I just want... this... thing... to move faster. The chime sounds, the gates glide closed and the platform begins its excruciatingly slow ascent to the distal circuit. If Orion is at the canteen, what would I do? What would I say? I've thought so little about this and that's very unlike me, but something about him just.... I don't know how to describe it, it's like being hypnotised. And also on fire, is the climate system malfunctioning? It is so hot. I gently tug at the collar of my scrubs trying to disperse some of the heat but I know it's just in my head.

For a mercy, the funicular has arrived at the distal station and I exit the lift with the throng of people. Let's see... fastest route to the canteen would probably just be on foot, it's not too far away from the ingress plaza. I'm suddenly very self-conscious about all the people around so I'm walking quickly but not running outright. Again, I have no reason to think he'll be there but it's my best shot. The building's coming up ahead, one of the bigger ones at distal north since it needs to accommodate so many people given its proximity to the main west ingress and one of the dormitories.

The glass and bronze doors glide open to the small crowd inside. The room is large, of course it is, lined with windows on the inward-facing wall presenting natural(ish) light and an impressive view of the lower levels of the Institute. Dozens of tables in configurations of two-, four-, and six-seaters are spread throughout. At the opposite side of the room from the windows is a bar, buffet, and behind that the kitchens where the food is prepared. I think each canteen actually has its own menu but I rarely eat inside the Institute, or rather I usually order my food in. The chairs are black, the tables are black with weirdly luminescent white surfaces, it's like someone set dark mode on a room. It does make it kind of cosy, but I couldn't imagine it's practical.

I'm scanning the room, looking for a Zebra but not finding one. Not entirely unsurprising given how I didn't even know he might even be here but still I'm disappointed a bit. Wait... is that him? Looks like the same Supreme shirt he was wearing a few hours ago, but he's on the other side of the room and it's hard to make out for sure, plus it looks like he's leaving with a few other guys. I feel so stupid for running up here on a whim but... I guess I had to try. Maybe I should just finish things up for the day and head home. I can order in Chinese and watch a bad musical and get on with my night. This feeling isn't like me, I'm just so... confused today, and I don't know why. Either way, back to the funicular. Guess it'll still be a few minutes before it returns, and I'm not exactly eager enough to use the others. It can wait, give me time with my thoughts for a bit.

The walk is uneventful, as is the wait, the ride, and the following walk. Nothing can seem to stay in my head long enough for me to even really think about it except... for some reason something that Horse said earlier keeps cropping back up. Have I ever considered trying to advance? Or am I just... I don't know, content? Complacent? Why not? Why don't I try to go for medic? I'm great with people and I'm sure I'd be good at it.

My office door glides open but I stand in it for only a moment. If I think about it too much I'll convince myself it's a terrible idea, so instead I about face and make my way to the Medical chief's office. I don't even know if he's still in, but maybe that'll be the better answer to my question. I press the chime on his door, almost hoping there's no answer but after a moment I hear him.

"Enter." I've never found the chief to be particularly intimidating, but he definitely demands attention with his presence. The door slides open and I'm greeting with the rare treat that is his office. It's very over-the-top, but not in an unpleasing way. It feels almost like the descriptions of old speakeasys in books I've read: it's dark wood and rich leather chairs, smoky stained glass that filters in a soft light. He must have spent at least an hour to get the White Knight to decorate his office to his preference.

"Sir, if you have some time I want to discuss something with you." I can feel my voice catching in my throat already. He's sitting in his high-backed chair, back to the door, but spins around to face me. The man is a Bengal Tiger, and indeed an intimidating figure. Fur of black and orange in stripes, small round ears perched on top of his head. His face is wide and gregarious, which is exactly like his personality, he is one of the friendliest people I've known. He has a short white beard that matches his whiskers. In terms of physique I'd say he puts the gleaners and security to shame because he is stacked. He must be at least twice my size in every dimension except fat, it is all muscle, so much so that he can't (or chooses not to) wear the usual medical uniform, opting instead for a sleeveless shirt and shorts that leave... little to the imagination, though he does often wear the blue lab coat which makes me lean more to the latter and he just likes to be a show-off. He is known for being probably overly friendly, but he does know when he's gone too far. Harmless flirting is one thing and outright harassment is another and he knows the difference.

"Well in your own time, Mr. Weir," he says, beckoning me in. And suddenly I've realised I've just been standing in his doorstep and staring at him.

"Ah, yes, sir, sorry." I move in and take a seat in a plush chair across from his desk. "I wanted... to talk to you about maybe training to become a medic."

"HAH!" the sudden outburst starts me a bit. "I was wondering when you'd get clued up. Your talents are perfect for the medic corps. Now don't get me wrong, you need to know more about human medicine first, I assume that isn't a problem?" I hastily shake my head. Not intimidated just.... In his presence, it does something. "Good lad!" He slams his hand down on his desk, a beautiful dark wood covered in green leather, and a keyboard and monitor materialise in beams of aqua light. Kind of endearing that he uses these methods of data entry.

"Right then lad, medic training won't be a problem. Do you want to maybe become a paramedic?" He's looking at me expectantly, his eyes weirdly large.

"I... I think not, sir. This is already a big step for me, I think Hyperion might be too much right now." I'm not lying, it's never even crossed my mind to get the Hyperion injections so I could use magic. Well I guess it's not really magic, but it's near enough, weird manipulations of ambient energy and matter. I don't hate the thought just... I just don't know.

"Don't worry about it, we'll get you your medic credentials in no time." He waves his hand around to dispel my worries and I feel that it works. I think that's just his personality though. "Like I said, it's going to require some courses of study so I'm going to put you in the upcoming classes at Briar Rose, it's a school that's part of the Institute so you won't need to worry about getting caught out... well, less, I suppose, humans do attend but I'll make sure you can either continue your residency here or if you like, you could go live on campus?"

"Ah, yeah, that's fine!" And a second later I realise what I've just agreed to. I was so wrapped up in my head about the study that I wasn't listening. His fingers are flying across the keyboard so fast it's almost doing my head in. Too late to turn back now, but... maybe it will be okay? "Brave heart," like that old scifi show always said. Yeah, maybe that's what I'll watch tonight instead, I could use some cheesy retro to rot my brain to after all this. I feel so conflicted, but I guess that's a sign of growth, right?

"Don't worry my lad, you'll do great! And it'll be a great experience for you, and you'll be even greater for the Institute! I know it's very different from what's you're used to, but if you ever need anything, just ask me. Not just as your boss, but as your friend. I want to see you thrive!"

"Thank you, sir." And that's all I can manage to say, my head is spinning with... fear and... I don't know, something else, but mostly fear. I don't even feel myself stand up and leave the chief's office as I head back to the residential ward of the building where the medic corps lives, and I do too because I like being close to my work. It's going to be a hard change. My door closes softly behind me, the barest spartan apartment spread out before me. I'm not a huge fan of decorating out of necessity, plus I really only just sleep here so why bother? But tonight I'm feeling all sorts of things and I need to try and simplify some of them. Phone out, ordered Chinese from Deliveroo like I said I would (I usually get the Chinese vegetables, sometimes with prawns, and of course it's been interfered with by the Instituted so it will be an Animal that delivers it). TV, retro Doctor Who, maybe I can even find the one that I like with Davidson; just something that I know I love so I don't have to pay attention to it and instead can distract myself with the incredible... incredibly stupid... no, the first one. My heart is beating out of my chest still thinking about it but maybe it's just what I needed. Maybe I had gotten too stuck and maybe....

And that Horse crosses my mind again. None of this would have happened if it hadn't been for him. I don't know if I should be mad or what, but I'm definitely annoyed. Why did he have to imply that I was just slacking? Then I guess I kind of did the same to him. No, I want to be mad; I'm allowed to be mad. This is all his fault, if he hadn't goaded me.... Then what...? It's all getting so muddled. Well whatever, I know what I'm doing tonight, even if I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow.