Before she even opened her eyes, Anise felt that something was wrong. Still drowsy, she reached across her bed, feeling around for the doll that should have been at her side. When she didn't find it, she rolled over and tried the other side. Nothing.
Finally, Anise opened her eyes... and found herself in a room that looked almost foreign. She remembered now, the institute, the people she met here, and how she'd forgotten all of it so suddenly... but now that it all came back to her, she still wasn't sure she was in the right place. The dolls she'd put on display were absent, and the room looked just like it had when she first arrived.
And Tokunaga... Tokunaga was gone!
Anise kicked her sheets away from herself and scrambled out of bed, desperately hoping to find the doll somewhere in the room. What she discovered instead was the strange uniform she had been dressed in. A metal tag hung from her neck, which she held up to her face to examine. Dolores Haze, S Class... What did that mean?
"Oh, you're up already." A woman spoke to her from the doorway, seemingly having let herself in. Unlike the soft, gentle tones the nurses used, this person's manner of speaking was more rough and blunt. When Anise turned to look, the reason for that became apparent: she was one of the soldiers from yesterday. It was weird, though... this soldier was actually talking to Anise. The woman stepped deeper into the room, and continued. "Once you're finished getting dressed, we can get going to the cafeteria." She motioned to a pair of black shoes on the floor, and a black beret on Anise's dresser.
Anise complied by slipping the shoes on, but she paused when she picked up the beret. There were two pins on the front, one with the letters 'SC,' and one with an image of a sword and shield. She wanted to ask about them, but she wasn't sure if it was safe to do so, so she kept her mouth shut. Since the hat wouldn't fit on her head with her normal pigtails, Anise quickly redid her hair, tying the yellow ribbons so that her pigtails fell low, covering the tips of her ears and falling in front of her shoulders in long, dark waves. It was a different look, but at least she wouldn't have to completely give up on her cute style.
"Ready now?" The soldier looked bored and impatient, but for some reason, she wasn't being as aggressive as the ones Anise had met yesterday.
"... Where's Tokunaga?" Anise asked her. When she got a blank look in return, she clarified. "My doll."
"You'll get it back later, if you're good." With that, the soldier stepped outside the room, motioning for Anise to follow. The girl hesitated, not satisfied with that answer (they took Tokunaga!), but in the end she decided to follow. Even if this soldier wasn't acting as cold as the others she'd met, who knew what would happen if her patience wore out?
When they passed the Sun Room, Anise realized she needed to contact her friends, to tell them she was all right and that her memories were back... but the soldier's pace didn't allow for such a detour, and Anise was quickly ushered into the cafeteria. The soldiers lining the walls made for an oppressive atmosphere, and Anise quickly grew more nervous. "Tough break, kid," the soldier murmured before leaving her there among the crowd of patients. Anise didn't have long to wonder what she meant by that.
The announcement that followed left Anise dumbfounded. They weren't going to eat? They were cleaning up after those idiots from yesterday instead!? With all those armed soldiers staring at them from all sides of the room, there wasn't any room for arguing. With a sullen look on her face, Anise crouched down beside the heap of supplies, trying to decide on which to pick.
"Who do these bastards think they are?" the girl hissed under her breath.
no subject
Finally, Anise opened her eyes... and found herself in a room that looked almost foreign. She remembered now, the institute, the people she met here, and how she'd forgotten all of it so suddenly... but now that it all came back to her, she still wasn't sure she was in the right place. The dolls she'd put on display were absent, and the room looked just like it had when she first arrived.
And Tokunaga... Tokunaga was gone!
Anise kicked her sheets away from herself and scrambled out of bed, desperately hoping to find the doll somewhere in the room. What she discovered instead was the strange uniform she had been dressed in. A metal tag hung from her neck, which she held up to her face to examine. Dolores Haze, S Class... What did that mean?
"Oh, you're up already." A woman spoke to her from the doorway, seemingly having let herself in. Unlike the soft, gentle tones the nurses used, this person's manner of speaking was more rough and blunt. When Anise turned to look, the reason for that became apparent: she was one of the soldiers from yesterday. It was weird, though... this soldier was actually talking to Anise. The woman stepped deeper into the room, and continued. "Once you're finished getting dressed, we can get going to the cafeteria." She motioned to a pair of black shoes on the floor, and a black beret on Anise's dresser.
Anise complied by slipping the shoes on, but she paused when she picked up the beret. There were two pins on the front, one with the letters 'SC,' and one with an image of a sword and shield. She wanted to ask about them, but she wasn't sure if it was safe to do so, so she kept her mouth shut. Since the hat wouldn't fit on her head with her normal pigtails, Anise quickly redid her hair, tying the yellow ribbons so that her pigtails fell low, covering the tips of her ears and falling in front of her shoulders in long, dark waves. It was a different look, but at least she wouldn't have to completely give up on her cute style.
"Ready now?" The soldier looked bored and impatient, but for some reason, she wasn't being as aggressive as the ones Anise had met yesterday.
"... Where's Tokunaga?" Anise asked her. When she got a blank look in return, she clarified. "My doll."
"You'll get it back later, if you're good." With that, the soldier stepped outside the room, motioning for Anise to follow. The girl hesitated, not satisfied with that answer (they took Tokunaga!), but in the end she decided to follow. Even if this soldier wasn't acting as cold as the others she'd met, who knew what would happen if her patience wore out?
When they passed the Sun Room, Anise realized she needed to contact her friends, to tell them she was all right and that her memories were back... but the soldier's pace didn't allow for such a detour, and Anise was quickly ushered into the cafeteria. The soldiers lining the walls made for an oppressive atmosphere, and Anise quickly grew more nervous. "Tough break, kid," the soldier murmured before leaving her there among the crowd of patients. Anise didn't have long to wonder what she meant by that.
The announcement that followed left Anise dumbfounded. They weren't going to eat? They were cleaning up after those idiots from yesterday instead!? With all those armed soldiers staring at them from all sides of the room, there wasn't any room for arguing. With a sullen look on her face, Anise crouched down beside the heap of supplies, trying to decide on which to pick.
"Who do these bastards think they are?" the girl hissed under her breath.
[brought to you by the letter L]