Noah's Ark, Part 3

12:57 4/24/2172

"Wow."
The small group stood inside the doorframe of a massive room.  The ceiling was a good 30 feet high, and the room was filled with all sorts of excercise equipment.
"You know," remarked Stripe, "With all the high-tech stuff we have, you'd think we'd have fancier equipment."
When Ari spoke, there was a tone of bitter resentment in her voice.  "For all we know, our equipment could be really outdated, and our excercise stuff could be ridiculously advanced.  We have no knowledge of above-ground items to compare it to."
There was a brief and awkward silence.
"You know," 665 said, turning his blank stare upward,  "Us with wings like to sit on those rafters up there.  It's not the most confortable, but heck, it's fun.  A little dusty though."
"Says the boy who should live in a cave." muttered Stripe, rolling her eyes.  "And I suppose you'd like to demonstrate?"
"You know he has to show off." Ari said, nudging her friend's shoulder.
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Whatever you think it does." Ari winked.
665 grinned smugly.  He ran out of the doorway, pushed himself off the ground, and was perching in a lofty spot a few wing-beats later.
Ari laughed.  "You look like a gargoyle!" she yelled.
"You're just jealous YOU can't fly!" 665 retorted.
"It's true." she whispered to Stripe and Floppy.
"I heard that!" 665 let himself fall backwards, catching himself by his legs so that he was upside-down.
"Say, what's a gargoyle?" pondered Floppy, then turned his attention back to 665.  He looks funny like that, he mused.  665's long, black hair fell away from his face, and the tail of his jacket waved behind his head like a banner.  Floppy also noted that his eyepatch had flipped up, but a shadow made it so that he couldn't see what was under it.  665's legs slid off, and he kicked against the beam, causing his body to flip.  He fell for a few feet before opening up his wings like a great parachute.  He landed on his feet, arms spread out and head thrown back dramatically.
Floppy broke into a round of applause, but Stripe stopped him.
"Don't encourage him.  He's only doing this because he has an audience."
665 resumed a casual position.  "Hey, I'm blind, remember?" he said, dusting off his jeans.  "That makes me even more amazing."
"Oh?  But I thought you emitted super-sonic soundwaves?"
"I forgot to that time."
"How do you forget?!  That's like forgetting to breathe!"
"I just did, okay?!"
"HEY!" yelled Ari.  The arguing pair fell silent and stared at her.  "It's, er, lunchtime.  Just so you know."  She headed for the door, which quietly slid open, and the others followed.  No one bothered to thank it.

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13:05 4/24/2172

The cafeteria was a giant room full of sound.  It was like a large bubble of the stuff had formed, and was nearly impenetrable.  Everyone's volume seemed to be set on full blast, which was especially hard on the sensitive ears of Floppy and 665.
"My gosh!" Floppy yelled over the din, wringing his ears uncomfortably.  "Is it like this everyday?"
"I'm afraid so!" 665 shouted in responce.  He took a pair of earplugs out of his pocket and handed them to Floppy.  "Try these!" he said, putting in a pair of his own.  Floppy did the same.
"Much better!"
"What?!"
"I SAID, MUCH BETTER!"
"I can't hear you!!"
Ari grabbed Floppy's arm before he had a chance to scream his lungs out.  She pointed over to the salad bar, and dragged him over to it.
Within a few minutes, they had gotten their food and were sitting at their own table at the Upper Prey section.
"So, folks, what's on the menu today?" asked Stripe, munching on a sprig of grass.
Floppy turned to 665.  "Why do you have fruit?"
"I'm a fruit bat, not a vampire bat.  I suck the juice out of helpless guavas instead of cows."  He took a bite of mango.  "Plus, insects are just gross."
A mosquito Arkian at the Lower Prey table glared at him.
"Er, no offense..." stammered 665 quickly.
"Hey, we should go to the Aquarium after lunch!" suggested Stripe.  "We have to whole day off, anyway."
"Well, that was a spontaneous thought." muttered Ari, but her voice was lost among all the others.
"We should go now!" exclaimed Floppy.  "Maybe we can see them feeeeed."
"WE have to feed too, you know." 665 stated flatly.  "And besides, have you ever seen an aquatic Arkian feed?  Some scientists sprinkle flakes on the surface of the water, and then they swim up and eat them."
"Just like real fish." nodded Stripe.  "It's sick in some weird, twisted way."
"This whole place is twisted." Ari sighed darkly, running her fingers throw her bangs.  They ate in silence after that, each individual thoughtfully muching their own food.  Lunch was over before they knew it.
"Well kids," cried Stripe, clapping her hands, "Let's go see the fishies!"
"Oh boy, mommy!" replied Ari in mock enthusiasm.  "Can we buy ice cream, too?!"
665 shook his head a little.  "That was awkward, Ari.  Don't ever do that again.  Seriously."