The Birdcage

Many Colours

A/N: Warning, contains discussion of suicide.

"I swear, whatever happy pills Doctor 'Call-me-Jeanie' Hannan is on, she needs to share them round. Could solve a lot of problems." Ronnie said, catching up to Nyx in the hallway after coming out of her own therapy session. "Hey, you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Has anyone ever died here?" Nyx spoke without even thinking, eyes unfocused slightly as she was still half in her own head.

Ronnie snorted. "Well, yeah. That's why we have a spooky legend and no one is allowed sharp objects."

"What about out a window?"

Ronnie blinked in surprise; an expression of shock on her face. "What, you thinking of jumping or something? Oh, come on, it's not worth it! It's not that bad here-!"

"What? No, no, don't worry, I wasn't considering that!" Nyx reassured her, taking her friends hands in her own.

Ronnie sniffed miserably. "Well, good. Besides, my next point was going to be the windows are designed so you can't do that. BUT, that doesn't mean you're to try something else, got it?" She said sternly, fixing Nyx with a determined gaze.

"Got it. I've got it! Honest! I wasn't going to try anything anyway!"

Satisfied, Ronnie smiled. "Good. Now come on, let's see if the TV in one of the rec rooms is free. That'll be much cheerier."

Grabbing Nyx's arm, they scurried down the hallway; Ronnie's energy seemingly infectious as despite everything, Nyx found herself grinning.

Answers could always be found later.

The rec room was fully of furniture in bold primary colours; soft, fabric sofa's and chairs, alongside a few scattered painted tables. On one wall hung a wide-screened TV, upon which they could see someone was playing Mario Kart.

With a devious grin, Ronnie ran up to the sofa faced away from them towards the screen; sticking her head over the back of the seat to peer at the occupant. "Hiya, Perry!"

"Go away, Ronnie!"

"Aw, don't be like that. Move, we want to watch something."

"Oh God, there's another one?" Perry said dryly, and seconds later Nyx saw them, peering over the top of the sofa to look at her; a pale skinned, androgynous-looking person, hair shaved short to their scalp and with hypnotic pale blue eyes. The hand resting on the back of the sofa caught her attention- it was webbed; silvery skin stretched between each of the long fingers like that of an amphibian's.

Perry had been examining her also, neutral expression giving nothing away.

"Hurry up!" Ronnie whined. "Periwinkle, move!"

Turning, Perry settled back into their seat, picking up the game controller once more. "What's the magic word, Veronica?"

"Now." Ronnie demanded jokingly.

"No, actually it's 'Abracadabra', but because of the newbie I'm feeling generous, so I'll let you two share the sofa if you play with me." Perry teased, offering them the spare controllers. "And don't call me Periwinkle."

"Don't call me Veronica."

"... And what do we call you?" Perry said fluidly, turning to Nyx.

Nyx glanced at Ronnie questioningly; who nodded. "It's alright."

"... I'm Nyx." She introduced herself tentatively, really not sure what to make of this strange person.

"Nyx..." Perry rolled the word around their mouth, chewing it over. "Tastes sharp. Like wild blackberries. I'm not sure if I like it."

"... It's just my name." Nyx muttered, looking very confused.

"Oh, no, no, don't worry, nothing is wrong with your name." Ronnie hurried to explain. "Perry has synesthesia. You know, when your senses are crossed? Like words have colours, sounds have tastes..."

"You have a very light blue voice." Perry added, speaking to Nyx. Then he turned to Ronnie. "Yours is very acid green today, and it's grating on me now. Stop talking."

As Perry turned their attention back to their game, Ronnie hid her mouth behind her hand to whisper to Nyx. "Someone's in a mood."

"I saw that."

Nyx stifled a giggle.

Turning around again, Perry blinked at her with big eyes, then held out the other controller to her. "You any good a Mario Kart? Ronnie's terrible, which is why she's stalling."

"I am not!"

Perry smirked. "Prove it."

And that is how Nyx found herself wedged between the two of them on the lemon yellow sofa, hollering up a storm as she punched buttons on a controller with her thumbs. "-What the hell, Perry? How are you that far ahead?"

"Pure skill."

"Cheating, more like." Ronnie snorted.

"... Are you three seriously playing that?" A catty voice said from behind them, accompanied by sniggering.

"Oh lord, here we go..." Ronnie muttered, before the three of them turned to address the newcomers. Nyx recognised them immediately as the two girls from the Art therapy class; one of which had thrown chalk at them when they'd refused to shut up.

It was the other girl that had spoken this time; a tall girl with a long ponytail dyed ketchup red, although Nyx could see her blonde roots beginning to show through. Her friend's hair was caramel brown, complimenting the tanned shade of her skin and warm brown eyes; which were now looking at them with extreme distaste.

"Don't hate cause we're fabulous." Ronnie said sweetly.

The brown haired girl snorted derisively. "Freaks."

"What are you on about? We're all freaks here." Ronnie chuckled. "You included, Mia."

"Why you little-"

"Mia." The red-haired one interrupted; with a pointed look towards the door. In the hallway, Doctor Montgomery had appeared, not paying them attention as he was deep in conversation with a female colleague, however his presence seemed to be warning enough. "It's not worth it."

"Oh really?" Ronnie spat. "Chickening out already, Katherine? Cause if you want to go at it now, we can go."

"Oh, I'd smash you to a pulp, no question." Katherine chuckled. "But you're not worth the lecture." Drawing her amber eyes away from Ronnie, she scanned the rest of the trio; eyes finally settling on Nyx. "You're new, aren't you? If you knew what was good for you, you wouldn't hang out with this lot. They'll only lead you to trouble."

"I think I'll make that judgement for myself, thank you." Nyx replied curtly.

Katherine wrinkled her nose contemptuously. "Fine then." Turning on her heel, she stalked away; heading for a cluster of chairs across the room, Mia on her heels.

"Bitches." Ronnie muttered under her breath as she sat back down. "Why's it any of their business what we do? Sticking in their noses where they're not wanted."

"Mia's grey haze is seriously distracting." Perry complained.

Huffing, Ronnie shot a glare at the two girls in the other end of the room, and chucked down her controller in frustration. "How long until lunch?"

Sorry if it seems like I'm dropping a whole bunch of new names on you, but it's difficult to create 'absolute carnage' in one week all on your lonesome XD
That, and this book has provided a great blank slate to get really creative with some of the character designs! Hope you enjoy XD