While the structure of the Academy was very similar to the one back in the Umbrella's timeline, Astrid couldn't help but notice the vague differences. The hallway leading to the Sparrow's bedrooms was a little brighter. Whether it be the fresh coat of paint or the sun peering through the clean windows, it felt like Astrid was walking through a normal hall, and not one that could've easily been haunted by ghosts.
"And this is the theater," Sloane opened the double dark-oaked doors and they walked inside. The ground was covered with red carpet and a few velvet and gold ropes stood an inch away from the door, making a path. Looking out to the big screen, Astrid was in awe of the number of black leather loungers the room contained. The Sparrows could've easily invited three dozen people to watch a movie with them. And in the corner of the room was a mini concession stand complete with a popcorn machine, soda bar, and baskets of different types of candy.
"This looks so..." Astrid trailed off, unable to come up with a perfect word to describe it all. "Incredible?" Sloane finished. The Shadow Girl nodded, carefully eyeing the red and white machine emitting that familiar fresh popcorn smell. Sloane didn't need a mind reader to know what Astrid was thinking. Just the look in her eyes proved she was resisting the urge to eat some of it. "Go for it," Sloane said, patting Astrid's back.
She watched with a tiny smile as the blond grabbed a gloved handful, popping buttery kernel after kernel into her mouth. "Looks like you, Jayme, and Alphonso have something in common. They love popcorn and junk food," The gravity girl spoke up again. "Klaus was the same way growing up. When we were kids, our Ben, Klaus, and I would sneak to the kitchen and eat all the sweets we could find until our stomachs hurt," Astrid recalled the memory that had been locked away in the vault for so long.
The two women continued their tour, stopping by in each room from the main level to the rooftop. They had just exited the dojo canopied by a few trees when she noticed a gleam of light from the far end of the rooftop. The orange rays reflecting off the glass made it hard for her to see what was inside, and while doing her best to protect her sight, she called out to Sloane, pointing to the glasshouse. "Oh! That's our greenhouse! We haven't gotten to replanting the flowers yet since it's still chilly,"
Astrid slightly lowered her hand, asking if they could quickly look around, to which the Sparrow nodded. Immediately after opening the door, Astrid felt toasty from the sun's heat tucked inside. Looking around, she saw vegetation in every corner. Some were vegetables and fruit plants; others were cacti and aloe. But the one thing that caught Astrid's attention was the blooming buds of cherry blossoms and dark red roses.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" Sloane whispered, patting the soil underneath it with a gloved hand. "Extremely beautiful," Astrid replied. The smile that had formed during the tour, slowly faded back into a thin line as she remembered how bland her upbringing had been. Every day, nearly all hours of the night, she and her siblings had been hard at work, never having any time to have fun. Though she wouldn't say it aloud, Astrid was jealous of the Sparrows. And while the kidnapping itself wasn't fun, she enjoyed everything she saw and everything she learned. It made her wish this could've been her life.
Sloane grabbed a nearby watering can, and as she fed a few of the nearby plants, she couldn't help but notice the young woman's sad expression. "What's wrong?" She asked, taking off her gloves. "I wish my life was like yours. You guys actually do stuff together," Astrid admitted. "I'm sure you and your family have had some good times together," Sloane reasoned.
The Shadow Girl shook her head as they sat on one of the stone benches. Astrid never thought she'd be opening up to a Sparrow, but after spending much of the day with her, Astrid felt she could trust Sloane. "The truth is, Ben died when we were kids. He was our Number Six. And after that, our family was never the same. Everyone was always fighting about the littlest of things. And what's really sad is how..." Astrid paused as her vow never to speak his name again replayed in her mind. "...How the old man treated us. The way he treated me specifically,"
Sloane's eyes widened with curiosity, and although she wanted to know what another version of their father did to her, she didn't push Astrid into explaining if it was too painful. "He degraded and abused all of us, he wasn't as brutal to some of my siblings, but I had it the worst, especially after he found out I was..." Silently, Sloane wondered if the last bit was about an unplanned pregnancy, but she was shocked to hear the young woman admit her bisexuality. She never would've guessed Astrid liked both men and women. "That's horrible what he did, I'm so sorry," Sloane whispered.
Astrid slowly looked up at her, tears trickling down her face as Sloane rubbed her shoulder, whispering that it was okay. Never before had Astrid opened up like this to anyone. Any time she ran into someone at a bar or cafe, and they were getting to know each other, she was scared to open up fearing they would ridicule her and tell her to get over it. If she could've, she would've, but the wounds kept opening back up.
"To be honest, you're not what I was expecting," Sloane smiled. "I'm not?" Astrid raised an eyebrow. Sparrow Five shook her head, continuing to flash her sweeter than sugar smile. "No, you're actually really sweet!" Her compliment made Astrid's cheeks flush pink with flattery, and no matter how hard she tried to hide it, the color was evident on her face. "Y-you're not what I was expecting either," Astrid briefly glanced at the ground. "What did you expect?" Sloane inquired, scooting an inch closer.
"I don't know. I thought maybe you'd be a little more threatening," the blond answered. "I know my siblings can be hot-headed most of the time, but they do have their good moments. I love my family, and I always will. But sometimes, I want to get away from them. Just for a while," the gravity girl admitted. Astrid looked at her with confusion. In her mind, Sloane had probably been planning to escape for years, but something held her back from that plan.
The Sparrow's gaze darted to one corner of the glasshouse, where a tiny security camera was surveilling the area. She rarely talked about her life of freedom, on the off chance one of her siblings was nearby, eavesdropping and waiting to scare her. The camera gaze shifted to the farthest side of the enclosure, and this was her chance to speak her mind. "Why can't you?" Astrid queried.
"Duh! My family would be pissed. This house is all I've ever known my entire life. And I know there are better places out there in the world. One day, I want to see them all," Sloane gushed, briefly slipping back into that daydream of freedom and exploration. But deep down, she didn't want to see it all by herself. Secretly, she hoped she'd find someone willing to join her on the adventure. Someone who would hold her as they watched the sunsets, have romantic dinner dates, and show her the love that seemed like only fictional characters were capable of giving.
Sloane gushed on, talking about all the monuments and landmarks she hoped to take photos of, documenting them in a little journal along with the dates of her visits. "I'd given anything to get out of this city. Sure, it's cool going to clubs, but I'm tired of living in this little bubble," Astrid confessed. The two chuckled at the thought, but Sloane's gaze returned to the security camera as it moved back in their direction. She had to act like her normal self again.
"So... tell me a little bit more about that family of yours before they decide to come and rescue you. Where are you guys staying anyways?" She questioned. "Well, there's not much, considering I hardly talk to them," As Astrid was about to spill their location, she quickly covered her mouth, and it became apparent to her that Sloane was trying to get information out of her and infiltrate their hiding spot. Is she using me?
"Wait, I know what's going on here. You're trying to trap me," Astrid realized, immediately rising to her feet. "What? No, I wasn't-" "I know a manipulator when I see one, Slo. I grew up with one for years!" Astrid interrupted, trying to stay calm, but anger rose in her voice. "God, I'm such an idiot!" Suddenly the argument was interrupted by the sounds of ravens cawing and flying into the glasshouse. The two women looked towards the entrance, noticing Fei staring at them.
"Ben would like a word," she spoke up, her words directed to her sister. Astrid scoffed under her breath as she began to walk down the gravel path. "Ast, I wasn't-" Sloane called out once more, but Fei interrupted, telling her to get washed up. With reluctance, the Gravity Girl bit back a sigh before returning inside to wash her hands, deep down hoping to settle the misunderstanding.