“Wait… why is there the sound of birds coming from inside? Don’t tropical birds usually not live in enclosed environments like this or am I not remembering things correctly. Similarly, is it possible that my mind could be playing tricks on me as well?” Vaan said. While he was slightly confused about why he could hear the chirping of birds in an indoor environment, he had also decided to ask a question about it in order to try and get the answer that he needed about the situation.

However, he seemed to be slightly unsure if he would end up receiving an answer at the time although he continued to glance over the sight that was unfolded right in front of him after he spoke.

---

Tidus only ended up glancing over at the guards and remained silent. He seemed to be rather confused about them and why they had brought a stretcher with them although he chose not to ask the questions that were on his mind at the moment.

"We have Anispeakers who sometimes end up here. A few of our Anispeakers prefer the forested lagoon," Alice replied simply, stepping inside the enclosure.

She spoke carefully, not wanting to reveal too much. They did have Anispeakers, but only one- a half siren Anispeaker who rather disliked interaction with new people. This Anispeaker siren was known only by her number designation: SBJ-055-SAI, or sometimes as Sai, also from his designation. Of course, the Anispeaker siren did have a name; she just never said it.

---

The guards put Tidus on the stretcher and carried him to his containment.

---

Emerie had returned to the bottom of the pool when the guard turned off his music, slightly saddened by this.

“So they tend to prefer a place filled with wildlife… is that the reason why you have possibly brought tropical birds in here?” Vaan said before he ended up slowly approaching the edge of the shoreline. While he seemed to be contemplating about whether or not to enter the water, he also seemed to be a little hesitant about it as well hence the reason why he seemed to stay along the shoreline for the time being.

"It's rather difficult to seperate our Anispeaker from her friends," Alice responded before shutting the door after retreating out.

The door shut with a gentle click. Only once the door shut, another sound could be heard...

Vaan had ended up quickly turning around once he heard the sound of the door slam shut and as a result, had also ended up creating a small fireball in the palm of his hand. He was unsure if he would end up having to face anything that could be in the room however, he also ended up dismissing the fireball after a few moments. From what he could see, there wasn’t necessarily anything that stood out as being particularly dangerous and as a result, ended up remaining completely silent as he tried to find out what had caused the source of the other sound that he heard.

---

Meanwhile, Tidus seemed to be slightly confused about where he was being taken to. While he still dared not to move, he also still chose to remain completely silent as well although he seemed to be silently wondering about if he would possibly see Vaan again or not.

That sound had been a quiet snake-like hiss, uttered by 55 upon the door's closing. The hiss had sounded slightly like words. Then there was the sudden hoot of an owl, though owls were normally asleep. This hoot was also 55.

"Whoo?" 55 asked Vaan from the shadows, masked by the trees.

---

The guards put Tidus, and the stretcher, into the containment then left, shutting and locking the door. Emerie surfaced as the guards passed her for a second time.

"You finally got me a neighbor!" The girl called to the guards, laughing slightly.

The guards did not respond to her, causing her to sigh sadly. She grew annoyed, and the water of her pool splashed at the edges and overflowed a tiny bit.

"Oh well. I'll meet him when he's ready to talk, won't I? Though for all I know he's a merman who should be slaughtered," The girl's tone had completely changed to irritation.

“Oh shut the hell up! That’s no way to speak to anyone at all, you bastard!” Tidus growled softly before he proceeded to create a massive tidal wave in the enclosure. While he didn’t seem to take too kindly at the notation that he should be killed for being a merman, he had also ended up reacting with sudden hostility to it.

---

“Nobody who you need to know. I don’t feel like stating my name…” Vaan muttered softly.

"I was only joking. Calm down before they decide you're too uncontrollable and just shoot you," The girl's tone was serious now.

The girl muttered an insult in Old Mer before sighing.

"Sorry. I should probably be nicer. My name is Emerie, or SCP-034-FMM, or just 34. You must be the new 35, though I must inquire as to your name," her tone was kind now, or at least kinder.
[Hr]
"Let me rephrase that. Tell me who you are," 55's voice was cold, with the hint of a hiss.

Nearby, a few snakes slithered onto rocks. These snakes were young cobras, maybe about a few months old, but at 55's command, they were still dangerouz.

“Don’t joke around with people like that! It’s not really nice you know!” Tidus said before he ended up quickly sinking to the bottom of his enclosure. While he didn’t feel like moving around a whole lot or exploring his current location, one could also guess that he wasn’t moving around a whole lot due to the fact that he was currently injured and still had fresh injuries underneath his bandages. Of course, he chose not to spoke about this but rather, also chose to remain completely silent as well.

---

“Why don’t you tell me your name first! After all, we don’t even know each other.” Vaan said before he ended up walking over towards the edge of the lagoon.

"You're quite entertaining, you know that?" The girl laughed, splashing a bit in her pool.

She was glad to finally have somebody to talk to, even if she didn't really know how to engage in proper conversation without being rude. Of course, she'd never been taught proper edict, which was the lab's fault.

---

The Anispeaker sighed, still staying in the shadows.

"Be that way. I'm SBJ-055-SAI, or just Sai. You're SBJ-056-MMM, but what's your name?" 55 replied after a moment.

“Shut up… I don’t want to talk right now…” Tidus muttered softly before he ended up swimming into the corner of his enclosure. While he opted to also curl up within said enclosure, he remained completely silent as he did so with the only sign that he was still moving being the occasional flick of his tail.

---

“I am Vaan. I do not know the reason why I was brought here however, all I do know is that I’m pretty much stuck here for the time being.” Vaan muttered softly before he ended up jumping into the lagoon. While this triggered an automatic shift from his human form into his merfolk form as soon as he hit the water, he also ended up poking his head out of the water as well.

Emerie laughed. If Tidus didn't want to talk, she'd keep talking. But this time she'd annoy the guards.

"Guards!" She called.

The guards managed to ignore her, continuing their quiet conversation.

---

"Merfolk. Disappointing," was all 55 said, "I was hoping for somebody I could control."

55 could be heard retreating farther into the shadows. The birds kept chirping, the snakes kept slithering, and the crocodile in the water started hunting Vaan for disturbing his rest. 55 was aware of the croc's activities, and could have easily warned Vaan, but she had chosen not to. She disliked merfolk, being partially siren herself.

“Well, I’m not really interested in small talk. I’d prefer to be left alone anyway…” Vaan muttered softly as he quickly swam over to an outcrop of rocks that he could hide underneath.

The crocodile floated along the surface of the water, watching Vaan... hunting him. 55 didn't care, laying down under a shorter oak tree, letting her snake friends curl around her and weigh her down. She would chase them away if she didn't want them there.

---

Emerie sighed, splashing angrily then got out of the water and lay on her cot, pulling the soft blanket over her. She lay on her side, curled up in a tight ball. She yawned, tired. Being annoying is tiring. Perhaps I'll annoy 35 later... She thought before falling into a light sleep. The slightest noise would wake her.

Vaan only glanced over at the crocodile before flicking the end of his tail underneath the water. He seemed to be somewhat confused as to why there was such a large reptile in the water however, he was also slightly curious about if it was possibly a saltwater crocodile or not hence the reason why he chose to speak.

“Is that… a saltwater crocodile? They’re the only crocs who tend to be found in salty water…” He said softly.

55 slowly stood, letting the snakes slither off her body as she pleased. She had heard Vaan and sighed. Clueless boy. Get out of the water before he eats you, She thought, slowly making her way to the water's edge, ankles weighed down by a snake that didn't seem to want to let go- much to 55's annoyance. She reached the edge and finally spoke, coincidentally revealing herself to Vaan- which she didn't really care about.

"No. He's freshwater. Now, sadly for you- you disturbed him. He's not very happy with you though," She told Vaan in a scolding tone.