Synth

TO didn't expect to end up sitting on the platform in the flight room with their shirt off and a strange person's hands at their back. Even as they whimpered and grunted in discomfort, their hands balling into fists, they only grit their teeth and hoped that nobody would overhear and think the wrong things.

"Really, if this is too uncomfortable, just let me know." The NuChilacian who TO learned went by Pulsar–This was Runala's mate–said as they continued to poke and prod at TO's back. At times, the pain was like a deep, fiery knob, and it was all they could do to grit their teeth and make as little noise as possible.

Their efforts weren't very effective.

"Just do what you have to do." TO hissed. Before this, Pulsar had made them do a bunch of movements with their whole body, moving shoulders, arms, parts of their back, and legs. They then got TO to show them the extend of their current flying abilities, so even before they started jabbing at TO's back, their poor muscles were tired and sore.

"Come on." Mirian groaned, watching upside-down from nearby. They hung from one foot, their long toes grabbing a thin pole with one foot while their other foot stayed pressed to the side of their knee. The biggest visual difference about them was their hair; a mass of carefully braided black hair which hung down to their waist when they were upright, but currently hung down to add addition length to their form. TO wasn't sure if it was a wig held on with glue or implants. "Let me guess: It's some small little muscle that we've never heard of, which is actually super vital to the way the wings angle or something. "

Pulsar didn't even look up as they responded, "Muscles don't work in a vacuum, dumbass." they continued worked, clearly used to the way he acted. "Remember, like how you were using the wrong core muscles when you were gliding and kept hurting yourself?"

Mirian huffed and let go of the pipe, falling down a short distance before sweeping up and landing easily near them. "I didn't say you were wrong." Their ears pinned back as they crossed their arms, "Just that it's always some little thing that causes a problem."

"Wow." Pulsar's ears flattened, "It's like it's the small shit that's always overlooked which causes problems! How weird is that!?"

"I've been doing all the exercises prescribed." TO said, wincing as Pulsar pressed in on a muscle, "All the basic exercises to help build up my wing strength again!"

"And on your own, you've been doing well." Pulsar's ears flicked back as they pressed into a softer piece of muscle, but you were doing the basic exercises for general strengthening." They gently touched around TO's shoulder blade. "There are smaller muscles all around here that you've been neglecting, putting more strain on this big muscle-" they ran their finger over the larger joint of TO's wing. "And that's making your muscles hurt more than they should, and it's preventing you from easily doing certain maneuvers."

"Told you." Mirian said, "Some silly little exercise that you'll feel entirely stupid doing."

"It's not just that! Well, not this time." Pulsar glanced at Mirian with their ears flat, "Their muscles are still stiff too, so flexibility training is needed! I could tell from their posture in the air that their core muscles have weakened as well. Their timing is also off from when they start flapping their wings with relation to their jump off, but that's not a wing issue, that's because of their leg injury-" She pointed to TO's prosthetic, "It's good, but their timing is off. That's just something they need to be aware of and need to practice with."

TO felt their ears flush. They hadn't noticed that, but now that they were thinking back to all the trouble they had just after takeoff, it made sense.

"The issue is that most people, after an injury, only focus on one thing. For TO that was flying, and even the way they've been able to compensate for weakened muscles so far is impressive, but their gait is off as they get used to that prosthetic. Until they're a bit more confidant on that-"

"You're doing it again." Runala said, their ears twitching.

Pulsar's ears flushed deeply blue, and they looked at TO, "I'm so sorry!" They looked at TO, eyes big and ears down, "I shouldn't have been just talking about you while you're just sitting there!"

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"It's ok!" TO said, "It was informative!"

Runala smiled, looking at Pulsar with the same look of affection and longing that TO had grown used to seeing when DH looked at them, when Flit and Snout looked at each other, or when GiDi looked at Pearla. "They're excellent at this." They said, "They're going to show you some exercises to help you, and-"

"Not just exercises! A whole recovery plan!" Pulsar said, activating their chip and letting the screen project before them. "It'll take a few weeks, but I promise, it'll be a lot faster this way than if you were just working on your own!"

Runala put their hand on TO's shoulder. "See," they said, "I told you it'd be a good idea to come flying with us."

======

"I'm happy you went flying with them!" DH insisted when TO told them what happened later that evening. "I promise!"

"But you told me I shouldn't train today!" TO's ears tilted back with worry, "And despite that-"

"I don't control you." DH said, their own ears flicking back. "I was just worried about you pushing yourself!" They walked towards the table where TO sat studying the training plan that Pulsar had set up for them. From behind, they draped their arms and wings over TO's shoulders and looked over the information. "The leader of Scraprock did this up for you?"

"They prefer 'captain'." TO said, "But no, their mate did."

DH spent a few more minutes silently reading through the plan, their eyes flicking over the projection before them.

"Are they going to come to A-po-kia too?" Constance asked as she lay on the floor, playing with some kind of clay that she made in school a few days prior.

"They're not." TO said, "Scraprock is their home." They tilted their head back and looked at DH, "Well?"

"Well?"

"Well, is it any good?"

DH laughed, and hugged TO tightly, "I have no idea!" they said, "I'm a glorified field medic! This is well beyond me."

TO nodded as they read over the information. "But you understand most of this?" They asked, "It makes sense?"

DH read over it again, their eyes slogging their way over text and diagrams. "I mean, as far as I can see, yes." They held TO against their chest as they leaned forward and kissed their forehead. "I notice it limits how often you can work on it each day, so I like it!" they grinned, their wings tightening around TO's arms, "Are you sure they only met you today, because they must know you fairly well to put that in."

TO didn't answer, content to just lean against DH while their mate gently stroked the outside of their ear with soft, featherlight touches.

"... If I get those fake wings that people can use to fly, can she teach me how to fly, too?" Constance asked, having gotten closer without either TO or DH noticing it. TO's ears flushed, and they jerked away from DH as though their mates' touch burned. Thankfully, DH didn't seem to take offense, and only cleared their throat and turned to pick out clothes for tomorrow as they ignored their blue-tinged ears.

"You want wings too?" TO asked, desperate to put as much time and events between their awkward moment and the present as possible. How could they have forgotten that she was right there? They never forgot anything!

Constance nodded frantically. "And can I learn to use them before we go to the planet?"

"I can do my best to build you a pair." DH said, "But it's going to take a lot longer than that. I don't even know how to go about making them or balancing them. These are one of the things that haven't been artificially priced. Each one basically needs to be custom made for each person."

"Oh." she said, "So, I probably won't get to have them before we go."

"Maybe not." DH frowned. "And there's always the possibility that I won't be able to make them."

"But you can make anything!" Constance insisted, pulling herself forward on her little trolley. "You made a new leg for TO, and you're making another for Grandy Flit!"

"Grandy?" TO said, their ears flicking up, "Where did you get that?"

"Grandy Flit and Grandy Snout said I could call them Grandy!" She insisted.

DH knelt down next to Constance. "Well, with TO's leg, and with *Grandy* flit's leg-" Their ear twitched in amusement, "I had another leg to use as a guide. I have no idea what functioning wings would look like for you. I'd have to do a lot of research and testing before I can even start!" They frowned. "I can work on it, and I'll figure it out, but it won't be before we leave, not likely."

"Why do you want it before we leave?" TO asked, leaning back in their chair so they could see her better.

"Because when we get there, there's going to be lots of other kids, and they'll all have wings, and be able to fly, and I'll be the only one who can't!"

That didn't even occur to TO before, and again they wondered if Constance would be ok there. "Well, you'll be able to swim much better than they can." DH said, "And, honestly, while it may not be 'wings', it might be easier for me to work on some kind of aerial scooter." They frowned as their ears flicked back, and TO could already tell they were considering how they'd do that."

"None of them can breathe underwater." TO said, drawing both Constance's and DH's attention. They shrugged, "Well, they can't. We can't breathe underwater, but you can. They'll probably think that's better than flying. You'll get to explore places they can't!"

Constance didn't look convinced. She turned to DH, "Do you think you can do something so I can fly?"

"... I'll do my best." They said after a moment's pause. "I can't promise anything right now, but I'll do my best."

Once more, they wondered if going to Apoikia would be best for Constance. Would she be ok there? Of course, even Scraprock wasn't the best place for her, and Arkane certainty didn't do many favors.

At worst, TO couldn't see Apoikia being any worse than all that.