Evolution and Originality

 "My own idea of evolution..."

 In the library, she made her way when she heard a familiar mechanical voice. It was Ortho's voice! Following the voice, she found him sitting by the table in deep thoughts of his own. However, he was probably scanning online for more ideas of evolutions based on the words she had heard. Just before she could intervene, there was the sound of running foot steps as she remained in place and held back her hand.

 "There you are! Dude, you gotta reply to your Magicam DMs." Ace called out as he took in deep breaths after having run over to Ortho. 

  Ortho, hearing his voice, looked up to him in slight surprise before answering his call curiously, "Oh, Ace Trappola. What brings you here?"

  "Uh, what do you think? You hadn't come back yet." Ace grumbled with a sigh of disappointment mixed with relief, "And now I find you in the library mumbling to yourself.

A guy's gonna get a little worried."

  "I apologize. I've been thinking about what Vil Schoenheit told me." Ortho explained politely.

  Hearing this, Lotus recalled the past experience. It was after she had heard of the Shroud's family decision to enroll Ortho into the school as a student. However, due to the incomplete construction, the announcement was put on hold and kept a secret while Idia and Ortho remained in school to avoid the chaos back at STYX headquarters over the punishment of the two. Yet, knowing the protective nature of the two parents, Lotus was not worried about the brothers' fate. With the neogotiations with the Olympians completed weeks ago, she was more confident that things should start to look up again. Despite this, Ortho was now faced with the Fairy Gala's last event of the season and he has now been met with a serious problem. He could not express his own personality without copying the empty moves of others online. Thus, Vil had him go search for the answer before returning. Thus, the current situation. Hearing this, Lotus grew curious. A puppet with his strings cut has become a real boy now, just as the story from Wish Upon A Star. However, how will this child find his own heart?

  "I knew you'd be fretting about that. The glum look on your face spoke volumes." Ace shook his head worriedly after hearing the confirmation.

  "I tried searching different keywords and phrases, but I haven't found any good ideas. So I thought I'd go to the library and see if I could get a hint the analog way..." Ortho shook his head and sighed, "But I've scanned every notable set of books here, and yet I'm no closer to answering Vil's questions. "Originality" is just about the most foreign concept there is to a technomantic humanoid. I'm not sure what to do next."

  "What if you talked to Idia?" Ace suggested in confusion.

  "Why him?"

  "Come on, you know he's the most innovative thinker on campus." Ace explained briefly before scratching the non-existent itch on the back of his neck to hide his shameless remark next, "...If anything, he's a little TOO innovative. I mean, he attends class via the tablet thing."

  "I don't think that's about innovation for him..." Ortho hesitated upon hearing this.

  "Anywho, Idia built you, right?" Ace pointed out, "Wouldn't he know a thing or two about how original you can be? Why worry yourself in circles when you can just talk to him? You two'll bang out a solution in no time!"

  "But I... I..." Ortho hesitated before steeling his mind and responded firmly, "I want to challenge myself! I don't want my brother to tell me what I should think. I want to find what evolution means to me! Sorry for making you worry. I promise I won't make the group's job any harder. So please, just give me a little more time to think!"

  Ace sighed in disappointment but also smiled instead, "...Yeah, I had a feeling you'd say that.

  "You did?" Ortho looked to him in confusion.

  "We haven't been schoolmates that long, but it wasn't hard to guess." Ace reminded him, "Pretty much everyone at Night Raven College refuses to back down once they commit to something."

  "Ace..."

  Ace sighed in defeat this time, "Fiiine, I GUESS I'll call in some backup."

  "You will?" Ortho's eyes lit up like a child upon hearing this.

  "Yup! C'mon, I know just the place for us to meet up."

  Watching the two rush out the door, Lotus didn't need to think twice on where they were going before she secretly left the library and lept from trees to trees back to Ramshackle dorm.

  "This is seriously the place you had in mind?" Ortho complained rather discouraged, "It looks like the same old dank, dim, definitely-skirting-some-health-codes Ramshackle Dorm to me."

  "Look, it's big and empty. Perfect hangout spot, right?" Ace pointed out with a smile which quickly waned a little as he agreed, "Though you're not wrong about the atmosphere..."

  Suddenly, loud stomping noises could be heard as a familiar rough voice echoed alongside the slamming opened door, "How rude can ya get?!"

  Followed by Yuu, Grim walked in with an angry face, "You could stand to be a little politer, seein' as the great Grim's lending you a room! Sorry it's so dark and damp. It's a lot nicer than it used to be!"

  "Yuu! Grim! Hello there." Ortho smiled cheerfully upon seeing the two, "Are you two my backup?"

  "Wouldn't be much backup if it was just the two of 'em." Ace smiled confidently, "So I called in a few others. They're already here. The group's waiting."

  "Who are you talking about?" Ortho tilted his head curiously, "A whole group? Who's in it?"

  "Hey, Ortho. We've been waiting for you." Deuce popped out from behind the door. 

  Behind him, Epel poked his head in as well, "Wow, so the rumors were true. You look like a real fairy!"

  "Oh, it's Deuce Spade and Epel Felmier!" Ortho's eyes widen in surprise and delight upon seeing the two again.

  "Man, Ace. Took you long enough to get him here." Deuce sighed as he shook his head in dismay.

  "Pfft, don't act all annoyed." Ace huffed in dismay, "Not like you've got anything better to do."

  "Rude and also wrong. I've got catching up to do. I couldn't finish last night's prep study before class today." Deuce argued back sparking another argument with Ace again.

  "Well, if Deuce has to review-er, "prep", then we should probably start discussing stuff." Epel cut in quickly before the argument even got a chance to escalate.

  "What stuff?" Ortho tilted his head in confusion. 

  "Let's talk about evolution and originality!" Yuu said with a wide smile.

  "What? Evolution? Originality?" Ortho looked surprise upon hearing this before it dawned on him, "Oh, Ace Trappola must've filled you in on what's going on. Yeah, I have to really express evolution at the fashion show if we're to succeed. Basically, I'm stuck on the concept of "originality" right now. If you're all bringing it up... But... I wonder if this group can really come up with something..."

  "I see that anxious look on your face." Deuce shook his head and sighed in disappointment, "You could at least pretend like you have faith in us."

  "Well, when you put it like that, I'm feeling a lot less confident speaking about it..." Epel hesitated as well.

  "This is why I put together a group, you guys." Ace exclaimed in frustration, "Surely this many weirdos can brainstorm at least ONE decent idea!"

  "But that wouldn't be an evolution on my part, would it?" Ortho questioned hesitantly.

  "Hey, there's a huge difference between someone telling you the answer, and someone giving you a hint to help you figure it out." Ace reminded him, "Besides, sometimes original ideas come from hearing other people's views."

  "Now that you mention it..." Ortho recalled in deep contemplation, "Idia says stimulation is what drives him to make something new. And that inspiration can come from anything-from everyday inconveniences to completely wild and absurd events. I guess all that technically counts as outside influence."

  "Yeah, there you go!" Ace smiled as he managed to get something out from his efforts.

  "But is it okay to ask for all of you to help? You've got nothing to do with the Fairy Gala..." Ortho hesitated.

  "Oh, they've got EVERYTHING to do with it. We're trying to get the campus back to normal, remember?" Ace reminded him with a wide smile.

  "That's right. It's so dry in my room right now, just breathing makes me want to pass out. We can't carry on like this." Epel explained with a saddened state.

  "Yeah, we wanna help, Ortho!" Deuce exclaimed confidently in his decision.

  "There, see? Why should we do all the work? Let's take advantage of their offer." Ace smiled.

  Touched, Ortho couldn't help as the words flowed out softly, "Wow, guys..."

  Suddenly, the doorbuzzer that they just installed rang as Grim turned back in confusion, "Huh? Sounds like someone else is here."