By the time Octavia turns nine, she feels a little less empty inside. She is still expressionless and doesn't speak unless prompted to, but she no longer feels like throwing her life away.

She picked herself up after Jeb continuously spoke to her about Micah, and how he wouldn't have wanted her to give up. Octavia wants to snip back and say that Micah was too young to understand what giving up entailed, but she stops herself because she knows that being raised in an environment like this… Even if they didn't understand it; the children would grow stronger in order to adapt and survive.

Jeb's words didn't help Octavia much, but him bringing up Micah did result in her realizing something on her own.

'Why should I obediently listen to the people who killed Micah? Why should I allow myself to be used by the people who destroyed Micah and I's lives?'

So, Octavia decided to play the part of the perfect weapon until Jeb decided it was time to break out. If he didn't decide to go back on his word, that is. Even if that were to happen, Octavia decided she would be ready for anything. She would plan everything ahead; from her escape to her life after that— Octavia wanted to be ready.

There was something in her plans that she forgot to consider, and that was the fact that if Jeb didn't fail her— then she wouldn't be alone. There would be a whole cluster of children saved from the facility, and in her plans, Octavia definitely didn't include several more people.

She would need a backup plan for her backup plan— If that wasn't being prepared, then Octavia didn't know what was.

Octavia's little misstep didn't become apparent until Jeb unknowingly shoved it in her face.

"I've managed to convince the other scientists to pair you both together. I told them that if the children took a look at Glacies, they would submit after realizing that becoming a weapon for the School is nothing more than an honor and a privilege." Jeb clears his throat when neither child replies, "I also said that if worse came to worst, they would be so afraid of Glacies that they'd submit out of fear."

A clever lie to fool the big-headed staff that worked here. It no doubt worked like a charm.

Octavia stared down at the young boy in front of her. He looked to be a few years younger than her— seven at the least. He had messy black hair that framed his face, and dark brown eyes that practically looked black. Another notable feature was the harsh glare on his face, which was directed completely at her.

What really intrigued her, though, were the wings on his back. They were pitch black in color, seeming to gleam a dark purple when in the light.

He was like her— somewhat, anyway.

Jeb seemed to notice the boy's hostility, "Fang, this is the girl I told you and the others about. Her name is Octavia, but when the whitecoats —as you called them— are around, we call her Glacies. That's her designation."

The brunette was quick to put the pieces together. 'Ah, this is one of the children Jeb told me about.'

Fang —a name so horrendously obvious that it had been picked by a child— continued to glare at her, despite Jeb's poor attempt to reassure him that Octavia wasn't a hostile.

"I know who she is," The hatred in his voice hits Octavia hard. She blinks slowly, trying to place the boy's coldness. "I hear them talk about her— all the other kids are scared of her. She's the whitecoat's dog." Fang practically spits the word at her, and she would have flinched if she hadn't figured out where his words were going.

"Fang, listen—" Jeb forces the boy to look at him and gives him a stern look, "She is no different than you. Octavia has had to endure just as much as you have. No," He frowns, "She's had to face worse. Don't you dare shame her for that."

Once again, Octavia is surprised by the words Jeb preaches. It was as if the man was a protagonist of a heartwarming tv series, and one of his only skills was delivering powerful monologues.

Fang bites the inside of his cheek, looking thoroughly abashed. He continues to frown at Octavia, but the hatred behind his eyes has certainly mellowed down. It's downgraded to something more cautious and wary. It's as if he's taken Jeb's words into consideration, but he's still waiting to make a final decision for himself.

Octavia is grateful the boy can think on his own, and isn't as gullible as she had once been.

From that day on, Octavia's schedule is shifted around just a bit.

Her mornings remain the same, in which she is shocked awake at exactly five in the morning. After her other essential needs are met, Octavia is sent for a check-up and then immediately sent off to train. Instead of her usual regime, she now follows one that correlates with Fang's so that they can have joint-training sessions.

Jeb is always the one to supervise them, for the sake of no one abusing them while they try to train. As inconspicuous as possible, Octavia teaches Fang everything she knows about surviving under the whitecoat's reign. She teaches him how to act when they're around, how to appear to be obedient to their demands. Fang tries to protest this method at first, but soon learns exactly why you have to pretend to be on the side of the enemy.

Sometimes you must bide your time to defeat those that are stronger than you. It was a lesson Fang needed to learn, and one that Octavia had to teach.

One day during one of their training sessions, Jeb is unexpectedly pulled away and replaced by a different scientist. Octavia sees them exchange a few words, and the man shoots her a concerned look before he leaves the room.

Her enhanced hearing picked up on enough to know that one of the higher-ups wanted to speak to Jeb about something specific. Jeb had protested, but knew if he fought too much to stay with two specimens, that it would raise alarm with the staff. Thus, the man was forced to leave Fang and Octavia with the whitecoat.

The parting look he gave her was enough to know that it was up to her to keep Fang safe. Something she knew she'd have to enforce sooner than later. It wouldn't be long until the whitecoat forced them to fight against each other with much more force and—

"Glacies, I want you to break the subject," The whitecoat taps at the clipboard in her hand, "I want to test it's healing rate."

Octavia stands straight, clenching her jaw.

'So they think it's one of those training sessions, huh?'

When Octavia looks back at Fang, the boy is glaring at her and holding his hands up defensively. He looks ready to fend off any attack she sends his way. She cocks her head to the side, raising a brow— wordlessly saying "Do you really think I'm going to hurt you?"

"Glacies, I said move it!" The whitecoat is yelling at her now, and the guards in the room are already shifting in place—just waiting to be given an order.

"What are you waiting for?" Fang asks in a harsh whisper. Octavia merely shakes her head, giving him a sad smile because she knows what's going to happen next. The boy merely looks confused and frustrated; the yelling around him beginning to stress him out. "I can handle a fight, so just—"

Octavia releases a choked scream before she collapses on the linoleum floor, spasming as electric shocks course through her body. Fang jumps back in both fear and surprise. He makes to go towards her, but is quickly thrown back as the guards rush forward. Fang tries to move closer in an attempt to help, but he can't. There is a translucent barrier surrounding him, forcing him to stand back and watch as the guards descend on Octavia.

They surround Octavia, kicking at her and degrading her with taunts. The guards only stop when the whitecoat prances forward to stand over Octavia, who is barely clinging to consciousness.

"Next time, when I tell you to do something— You do it." The whitecoat sneers, activating Octavia's collar once more.