Day 66: Sun Room (Second Shift)

[his_legacy]

Link wasn't in the mood for 'rest and relaxation,' as the boss had put it. Daytime here was completely unproductive, and it was frustrating. There was little he could do, other than keep up with recording his map. He supposed he ought to take the chance to get to know the other patients: Who was powerful, who needed help, who knew what... Perhaps some of the people who had been here longer. Link was lucky he had Sora as a friend, who seemed to know a good deal about how things worked.

It was a two-edged sword, though, that the boy had to have been trapped here for quite some time to be as settled as he was.

The Hylian settled into a chair with his journal, tapping the strange sort of writing device he had been given against his chin. It had become evident last night that the building was relatively organized, the second floor being similar in its main layout to the first floor. That was somewhere to start, at least.

[Nina, dearest!]

Comments

[faeth]

There were more questions than there were answers, but the way Ishida-kun had filled her in that morning, the fact that he'd left blanks when he was a very thorough person had already keyed her in that questions-with-no-answers was simply the way of this befuddling place. There was too much to think about, and as far as mornings went, she'd seen better ones. Frankly, she was tired, tired of breathing in the stale, sterile hospital air that smelled of something like sickness, something too clean, something like ripping open yesterday's band-aid.

She'd trailed after her classmate at a small distance, glancing nervously around the Sun Room as she rubbed her at her (self-inflicted) bruised arm. It's the first sunlight she'd seen in a while, and it still felt artificial, almost as if the thing was painted on the glass; the highlights on every single person, too, as if the nurses had taken each of them to the side and colored in the brighter hues and told them to keep it hush-hush. With her time invested into absorbing her new environment, it took a while for Orihime's mind to catch up with the situation -- a nurse, herding her classmate off to...

...?

Ah, I guess I missed out on radio exercises today, she thought offhandedly, as she stared at Ishida-kun and the other teenager stretching his legs in a very exuberant fashion to the side of him. Interesting hair, too.

"Oh, there you are." Orihime froze with the chill that shot up her spine. When she turned her head, her nurse was naturally there to greet her, smiling a smile that failed to reach the eyes. "Miss Highwell, perhaps I can accompany you to the library. It'd be best to get some inspiration flowing, don't you think? You seem to be a little lackluster-"

She'd excused herself with a, I need to exercise, before she could hear the rest.

"Hmm, are you going to exercise, Ishida-kun?" Orihime asked from behind Ishida, tilting her head with a light smile and waving lightly to Lee from over her classmate's shoulder. "Eh-heh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, but it looked like you two were having a lot of fun."

... 'you two' being used very loosely, but...

[ ooc: please excuse any tl;dr and my icons which will be back when i pay these bills elaksjdfalsdf thank you so much for letting me jump in!!! ]

[repelling]

It began to feel as though staring would be a given when dealing with Rock-san. Uryuu felt a prickle of irritation, because he felt so helpless to resist it. That this odd-looking guy could speak with such simple and genuine exuberance. With all that lunging. He kept moving!

Besides, wasn't it a given that he would, or should remember it? Names ought to be remembered. Kurosaki's poor handle of them only emphasized the point. Whether out of respect to one's enemy or honoring the sheer point of an introduction, Uryuu tended to remember even the names of people he dismissed entirely. Also, he just didn't like to not know something.

Of course Rock-san should remember his name, yet in the face of that earnestness, Uryuu found himself saying, "Uh- of course. Rock-san."

He did manage to stop himself before echoing the pledge to remember, if only as he realized that he had been called Ishida-san. Japanese as well? Or, like Maito Gai after all? Tucked away for later consideration, as no, he would not be staying. No matter how much Rock-san frowned and subsequently misunderstood. Uryuu had little problem insulting people to their faces. Just ask Kurosaki. Well, with those who weren't Kurosaki, he had a little more subtlety, and he did try to be polite, and the point really was that he really wasn't expecting to be told not to worry about it when he hadn't been trying to do it at all. Had he seemed like he was about to? Had he come off as liable to be that rude?

"I wasn't- that isn't what I meant by insulting, I wouldn't-" yes he would, "but I do need to leave, I told-"

Inoue-san he'd show her something in the library, only there she was behind him. Or there was her voice, anyway, which presumably meant she stood there as well. Already off his game, Uryuu jumped, which sent a sharp pain through his shoulder, not helped by how quickly he turned to her.

"Inoue-san, what, did you look at, no I'm not, shouldn't, and the, um, fun?!"

At this point he realized the hand not clutching his journal had begun to grasp bizarrely at the air. Sort of trying to point in a few directions at once, and also wave in negation. Uryuu glanced down at his hand, made a quick fist, and dropped it hard to his side.

Then, turning away from both of them, thrust it back up so hard in a reflexive, nervous need to shove up his glasses, he almost punched himself in nose. Almost, and a nice miss for the sprain.

"I'm not exercising."

[awokentospring]

[ooc: We're glad to have you! And I am so sorry this is later than late!! haklfhdskf orz]

Once again, someone called him 'Rock-san.' He knew it should not bother him, but he was so used to others just calling him 'Lee' he had grown unaccustomed to such a formal address. Heck, even when they weren't calling him 'Lee' people usually called him disrespectful nicknames or insults. He wouldn't push this time, but if he heard 'Rock-san' again he would definitely feel like a correction was in order.

Lee smiled brightly as a cute girl approached, not nearly as easily surprised as Ishida. She seemed to be acquainted with the other boy, despite his jumpiness. Lee offered a wave with his healthy arm, hoping to make a good impression. "We are having fun! It is no interruption at all! Please, join us!"

The other male seemed intent on not exercising, but Lee wondered... He spoke to the girl again. "My name is Rock Lee! I was just about to remind Ishida-san the importance of exercising while incarcerated! One never knows when they will be caught up in a situation that calls on a well-trained body!"

He continued his lunges without trouble, as if to emphasize his point. He flashed her another grin. "I do hope you will consider training with me!"

[faeth]

[ ooc: eehee no worries!!! i'd backtag this thread into infinity and beyond asldkfj ]

There was something strangely refreshing about the way Ishida-kun reacted to her. Nostalgic, almost -- like the taste of red bean paste on toast, or the smell of the air during the transition between winter and spring. He was younger, less experienced, more prone to excited feelings and livelier outbursts. He was younger was the thing, which made her wonder, really, what it meant for her. When he still had to lead her by the hand so to speak, when she found herself seeking the protection his companionship offered her in this unsettling place. She was supposed to be older, maybe wiser, faster at Sudoku, and dismissed first at assemblies.

Too bad Ishida-kun was a genius.

"You're not exercising?" Orihime asked, her smile crinkling the edges of her eyes as she mimicked a few of the random gestures that Ishida had made -- several waves of her hand, a stretch, ending with one arm tucked against her opposite elbow. "Are you sure?"

After all, it really looked like her classmate needed to loosen up.

And who better than this Rock Lee? She'd never seen so many lunges in her life... well... besides this one exercise video Chizuru had once showed her a few months back. That had been interesting. "I agree wholeheartedly! One must always be prepared with tip-top shape hamstrings in the off-chance that heavy duty lifting might be needed at a moment's notice. Or emergency bungee jumping. Or pole-vaulting." She continued, but... oh, right -- "Aheh, pleased to meet you, Lee-san. I'm Inoue Orihime."

And... consider training...? Okay, considered. A firm nod and one pointed glance at Ishida-kun later, and Orihime was at Lee's side, dropping her hands to touch her toes.

"Ishida-kun! Just jump in! If it's too tough for your shoulder, then you can do something easy. Like yoga -- the Savasana!"

[repelling]

[ ooc: oh my god i'm sorry this is so long ]

We are having fun, Rock-san said. Please join us.

It began to feel like a conspiracy. Between Inoue-san copying his ridiculous gestures (was she making fun of him?! he wouldn't dignify her question with a response; clearly he wasn't!), and Rock-san speaking as if they were in cahoots, together, speaking it so freely. With the both of them speaking about and around him.

Uryuu thought he could see the exclamation points. After each of their sentences, punching physical and loud into the air.

"I am well-aware of the importance of-" he began to mutter, but Inoue-san was chirping her agreement, and Uryuu found himself staring between them with a growing sense of dread. Pole-vaulting while incarcerated, of course. The pleasantries of introductions, of course. Inoue-san bobbed her head, looked at him, and stretched to her toes. Rock-san's teeth flashed so very, very white.

The situation was getting out of hand. He was losing control of it (thus somehow under the strikingly inaccurate assumption that he had ever had control). The guy with terrible hair and scarred arms lunged while Inoue-san bent and recommended yoga.

Uryuu clutched his journal so hard, his shoulder panged again. He had to make a decision soon. There was still more to talk with Inoue-san about, and he had been set on the Library. There was no need for this guy to listen in, either. It might not matter much, really, but which would look worse, he wondered-

Standing next to these two freaks while they made buoyant exhibits of themselves, or getting freaky himself?

He glanced back up at the balcony, turned his gaze around the room. Stared, blankly, at the both of them. Opened his mouth, for any number of necessary defensive statements:

My body is already well-trained! Only, one look at Rock-san's arms could tell him that such an assertion would, while not untrue, be considered insufficient. This overly cheerful idiot would insist that one could always use more training.

I don't need to prove anything- but who said anything about that?

I'm not getting on the floor! Honestly, the Savasana?

I won't jump in! I won't-

Only, he just did. After setting his journal aside. Gritting his teeth, he told himself: it would look weirder to stand there for much longer without doing anything, and he couldn't leave Inoue-san with this guy. He told himself, though he already begrudged Rock-san the point: after last night's embarrassing mishaps, a little fine-tuning couldn't hurt. When else would there be time? He also told himself it somehow fought the system; no, rather than sitting like every other somber and miserable individual, they kept active.

Not that the others didn't have good reason.

"Fine," he said, fighting to not grit it through his teeth, and instead sound quite calm. As if he'd always intended to. Sure. No big deal.

"As you can see, my shoulder's no issue at all." For such a stiff looking guy, he had no problem pressing his palms to the floor. It hurt, but he'd handled worse. To business.

"How long have you been here, Rock-san? What do you know about the sickness? Also, unrelated to that, Inoue-san and I have a few things to discuss. It may be boring for you."

[awokentospring]

Lee happily punctuated every point Inoue made about the benefits of exercise with a nod of his head, still grinning as hugely and stupidly as ever. Of course, he agreed with every statement wholeheartedly!

"Pleased to meet you as well, Inoue-san!" She even managed to call him Lee-san! What an insightful young lady! And she knew just the right buttons to push when it came to Ishida, it seemed. "That is right, Ishida-san! Join in with all you can give!"

Ishida tried to protest, but eventually peer pressure won out. If Lee could grin any wider, his face would break. Friends to train with! To share tears and sweat with! Surely there was no better way to bond!

When Ishida got down to business, Lee had no trouble accommodating him. "I have been here since yesterday morning! As for the sickness, I only know it is not a natural illness!" It was somehow implemented and controlled by this place, but Lee wasn't sure what that meant. Not everyone was sick and it was not catching any longer, so Lee hadn't thought much about it. He waved his free arm in dismissal. "I would not mind if you had things to speak over. If there is anything I can help with, do not hesitate to ask!"

[faeth]

It was certainly a highlight. They made quite the charming exercise group -- cheerleaders? -- if she did say so herself. Ah, but would Ishida-kun or Lee-san be able to rock a skirt?

Hm...

She tried not to think about it.

Anyway, Lee's enthusiasm was infectious, and although it healed certain discomforts and chased away most of her own uneasiness, Orihime knew it was not all-powerful. Which was why it was highly concerning when Ishida-kun pressed his palms to the floor and continued on talking as if nothing was the matter. Like there was nothing to see. For a panic-stricken second, she'd prepared herself for the worst, for bright red to bloom beneath his shirt and for Ayame and Shun'o to--

Ah.

Right.

So she stayed, half suspended in the air, staring at her classmate -- underclassman? -- until she was certain that he was managing and that he wouldn't bleed to death. That she hadn't offered him more than he could chew. Only when Lee-san answered did she move, did she send a slightly regretful look in Ishida-kun's direction before pushing herself into a lunge.

She turned her head, blinking owlishly at Lee-san's offer. And beat Ishida-kun to the punch when she casually asked, "Oh, yes, then. How do you get your teeth to be so white? Your dental routine must be so time-consuming."

[repelling]

It had not escaped his notice that Inoue-san called Rock-san by Lee, instead, but it still struck Uryuu as far too familiar. It was fine for Inoue-san, he thought, who could be comfortable in any company and, he sometimes thought, could doubtless succeed in befriending the very rocks.

He would remain dedicated to formality. Especially when Rock-san kept grinning like that. It looked outright unnatural. Better not give this guy any ideas.

Uryuu felt the stitches strain, but not terribly. The stretch had more pull on his legs and lower back, and did not overtax his upper back and shoulders. He did not even need to fight a grimace, his lips only thinning, and that could be for any number of reasons. Such as his being so weak as to give into this nonsense. No, not nonsense, he'd already justified its necessity.

Aware of Inoue-san's attention, he ignored it, convinced that the best way to be convincing. Then she began to lunge. Once satisfied with his stretch, he straightened and looked at them one last, reluctant time. One last glance around, too, and up to the balcony. Then he fell into step beside Inoue-san, teeth pressed against the heat in the back of his neck.

Whatever Rock-san's extremes, at least he was obliging. He, too, did not know much about the sickness, and Uryuu opened his mouth to comment further (the topic strangely sore for him), when Inoue-san interjected.

With a truly irrelevant question. He stopped mid-lunge and stared at her. As if the very thing had not also crossed his mind. But, priorities.

"Inoue-san," he sighed, resuming his lunges, "I doubt Rock-san's been able to keep it up here, and it would be equally difficult to try to replicate it. Furthermore, while I acknowledge the impressiveness of his teeth, that really isn't..."

Pushing forward meant broaching an unpleasant topic. Yet, almost every subject of import had that problem. Only inconsequential silliness like dental hygiene could be guaranteed levity, and even that must be shadowed by the limitations of their circumstances. There was a time and a place for it, for indulging in a little escapism, but that ought follow the essentials. That which he would have liked to keep from her, to protect her from, to struggle with himself until he could offer more sense, or a happier picture. There seemed no wisdom in it, no advantage, instead it would do her a possible disservice should she come across the information herself. He steeled himself.

"At breakfast, I mentioned that others from our world had been here. I mostly know through hearsay."

Apologies for being the slowest of slowbies ;n;

[awokentospring]

Lee was happy to the two of them join in earnest! Lee could get more into it with buddies exercising alongside him! He began to speed up, faster than an average human would normally want to do lunges.

"You bring up a marvelous question, Inoue-san!" Not relevant to this place, but still a very good question in Lee's opinion. He ignored Ishida's protest. Surely he could learn a thing or two if he only broadened his mind a bit. "The key to a winning smile is a Ever-Youthful Spirit! It is also important to eat several well-balanced meals and exercise frequently, like we are doing now!" Dental hygiene was also important, but that was a given.

Lee did have one last thing to add, however. He turned his smile to Ishida. "And you may call me 'Lee' if you wish, Ishida-san! My family name is of no consequence."

Other than that, he allowed the other two to carry on their conversation. Like Sasuke and himself it seemed they also had friends who had been here in the past. How curious. Where did this Landel fellow get such power? How far did his abilities reach?

i-i'm slowbiest orz

[faeth]

Before realization had struck and she remembered that she was supposedly too old to pretend everything was Alright, Orihime had thought that this was some of the best exercise she'd had in her life. It was really something to watch Lee-san work; his enthusiasm shot out at an intensity that she'd never seen before, his energy radiating and infectious and enough to energize even her tired mind. He was very friendly was the thing, and maybe that was enough for her to drop her guard, to forget all that she'd been taught about etiquette and to call him Lee-san without a second thought.

Then again, she was also thrown off her game this morning, when she met Lloyd-san and Kratos-san and learned that some alien -- sorry -- otherworldly races did not treat names in the way that the Japanese did...

Answering her question despite Ishida-kun's protests had set her at ease, but not completely; after all, Lee-san moved very fast, very impressively, and Ishida-kun looked to be determined. Instead of keeping up the pace, Orihime moved slow, placing her hands on her knee as she stretched carefully, keeping the pressure off of her shoulders.

"Hmm, that doesn't sound too hard at all," she replied, somewhat distracted, half of it directed to Ishida-kun, the rest to Lee-san. "We're definitely not lacking in the ever-youthful spirit department. After all, it's only spring." Metaphorically, of course... But then again, there was no way for her to know the season here.

She smelled fall and winter in the air, but it had more to do with the mood than it did with the season.

"Oh." It comes out nonchalantly, casual, her eyes kept downcast as she watched her slippers. Of course it occurred to her that their friends had once been here when Ishida-kun mentioned something of the ilk that morning. It had been surprising then, a little sad, a little relieving. Now, she still didn't know which emotion she felt most of all, especially when--

"Then..." Tentative. And although she didn't want to worry her classmate, it was difficult to keep the anxiety out of her voice. "They...went home, right? If they're no longer here, then..."

Then where else would they be?

totally just beat both of you so THERE

[repelling]

As if it wasn't enough that Rock-san had yet to slow in his lunging, never pausing and not yet expressing any sign of fatigue, he now moved faster. Uryuu clamped down on the ridiculous, competitive urge to speed up as well.

It wasn't a competition. He didn't care. It didn't matter, especially not when the opponent (theoretical!) dubbed Inoue-san's question marvelous. This guy certainly had a talent for hyperbole. Strangely, despite Uryuu's lingering irritation with the situation, he could not determine whether all that teeth and enthusiasm rubbed him more raw, or in fact, if it wasn't somewhat... encouraging.

Not infectious. Absolutely not infectious. Only...

Sincerely suggesting an ever-youthful spirit as a hygenic step alongside the obvious exercise and died, had a bizarre charm. There were studies as to the affect one's attitude had on the body.

Uryuu tried not to look too thoughtful as he focused on maintaining the rhythm and form of his lunges. Best to keep his expression severe; a definite contradiction to Inoue-san's inclusion of him in the ever-youthful spirit department.

"It may be winter here," he corrected, addressing only that. "But, it felt warmer last night, so it's possibly approaching spring."

Then he shook his head, remaining strong in the fact of Rock-san's near blinding whites. "I do not wish."

Curt, but not outright cold, as his persistence was out of politeness.

To task. He stepped forward, knees bending in perfect right angles over his feet. Straightened, and stepped forward with his other leg. Uryuu looked at Inoue-san sidelong, watching as she slowed and stretched, noting her downcast eyes. It twisted in him. His gut or his heart, it wrenched; she worried in her inquiry, hardly hoped, and he would be the one to bear sad news. To make her sad.

No, he reminded himself, squaring his jaw. No, it wasn't him--it was this place.

Yet, for all his severity a moment before, his determination to have this discussion and say what must be said, his expression softened, and with it, his tone.

"...Probably not. It is not known for certain. Given the way in which this institute has proved capable of tampering with time and, possibly, universes, it isn't completely impossible. However, that isn't the consensus. I've yet to experience it, but I've been told that on Sundays we patients receive visitors. Family and friends from our "real" lives, if Inoue-san understands the meaning. Many here have been visited by those who were once patients, now convinced of their "true" identity. Which is to say, it is theorized that if a person has not been killed or taken for some other end by the institute, then they have been successfully brainwashed and sent out into the world."

Uryuu paused. Not for dramatic effect, but to watch her reaction before continuing, his words unperturbed by his lunging.

"...I made inquiries before. I learned that from our world, the following have been trapped here: Ururu-san, called Karen by the staff. Kuchiki Byakuya, called by a name I did not learn. Senna-san, a woman who claimed to be from Karakura Town. Yamada-kun, Hitsugaya-san, Matsumoto-san, and Hinamori-san as well. ...Kuchiki-san, called Shiori. Abarai, called Kyle. And... I was told Inoue-san had been here as well. Called Amaya."

That the staff now referred to Inoue-san as Vega troubled him, but he continued to set the question aside for the moment. As much as Inoue-san might catch on and be intrigued by the puzzle of not remembering a previous time here, Uryuu knew that when he named the last person, that mystery would be completely cast from mind.

His lunges slowed, then stopped. Uryuu turned to face her and let the name fall with care, to do what it would to the air, to her world.

"Kurosaki, too, was here. The source is trustworthy."