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You scoff at Anthony's comment. "Shut. I'm just curious, okay? And Lucy, look, I'm not going to force you to say anything."
"Thought I might as well ask given, well, what happened."
"Well." Anthony whistles an odd tune to himself. "I can't quite recall the last time I dreamed. Most nights, it's pure black up there."
"Haven't had a dream since the early 2000s, yes sir. Survival's the dream now, makin' sure the next generation ain't mulch. That's my dream, yes sir."
"F-for me?" Lucy's eyes drift to her hands. "I-I guess if I had to pick one? I a-always wanted to be a real, pr-professional a-artist."
You do vaguely remember her mentioning she wanted to be an artist before. "Yeah, you said something about your style being futurism."
"M-mmh hmm! B-but, well, it n-never really went anywhere. I-I was go-going to art school to t-try to, uh, get professional experience."
"Then you got dragged here." "Y-yes."
"Heh. Ya know, I'd pay ya for a portrait of me. Gotta leave somethin' for my folks and I ain't never been one for pictures."
"How so?"
An expression of pain briefly ripples through Anthony's face. "Ain't good with bright lights. That's all I wanna say on that."
"W-well! I-I have b-been trying to convince Liz to h-help me, uh, get some su-supplies. To m-mess with!"
You crack a faint smile. "That's good. As long as you're happy doing it, that's all that matters, right?"
Lucy vigorously nods her head.
"What's YER dream then, Vinny?"
You scramble to think of something that doesn't reveal TOO much about yourself. "Being a hard worker, I guess? I like doing what I can to help people." That's good enough.
You can't quite tell if they believe it, but neither of your coworkers is pressing you on the topic.
"I-I think that's pretty noble of you!" "Can't say that's a bad dream, at least."
You can't really say this achieved much, but it felt nice just talking to your coworkers. A part of you enjoys being able to actually interact with people. You never really had the chance, nor the reason, to talk to people in your previous jobs.
You and Anthony finish constructing your rudimentary air purifier. The two of you carry it over to IN LIMBO's cell, and you throw it inside, making sure to seal the airlock shut behind you.
That thing is probably going to be unsalvageable once it purifies the room. Oh well.
It'll take a whole day to clear that room up, so you suppose you should focus on some other tasks while you wait. You got some hair you need to study, so...that's your next task.
You pull out a plastic bag with a lock of greasy black hair sitting inside it. You're already skeptical about what, if any, properties this stuff may have. The looks you're getting from your coworkers are telling the same story.
Anthony is clearly amused at the sample you're showing him, while Lucy is trying to rack her head on what anomalous property this sample might even have. You unseal the sample, and, well, your group does its best to get SOMETHING out of it.
