Most of what Niikura said went over Phoenix's head, the mention of monsters causing his brow to furrow together lightly in disbelief. The fact that Niikura told him not to ask questions went in through one ear and out the other for Phoenix, however, and he had to say something, as he couldn't shake his incredulity.
"...w-wait. Monsters? That's...that's crazy," Phoenix said, before he turned minutely to his left and slipped from Niikura's grasp slightly, pointing the flashlight at Mike obliquely so he could get a look at his face while still paying attention to Niikura. While Phoenix wasn't feeling necessarily trusting of the other two people surrounding him, he couldn't help but to feel as if he didn't have a choice - if they were offering to protect and help him out, he wasn't about to refuse.
Phoenix's gaze locked on the portion of Mike's missing arm, his blue eyes widening reflexively before he remembered to check himself, tearing his gaze away so he could look at Mike's face. It was strange - Phoenix would have figured that a disabled person would be exempt from any sort of military involvement. Unless that disability doesn't affect him, Phoenix thought to himself, filing the information away in the back of his mind to think about later. The sight of Mike's face was even more startling, however - his expression seemed blank, almost hollow - and Phoenix had no idea where to even start with reacting to it, beyond continuing to speak.
"And...yeah, I'm 'new'," Phoenix started, before he turned his head to look back at Niikura, his discomfort from looking at Mike making it difficult for him to feel as if he was capable of not staring, "if you mean that I've never been here before. I didn't...um, I'm not sure how I ended up here, either - it wasn't like I woke up, it..." he trailed off, his tone unsure in its concern.
no subject
"...w-wait. Monsters? That's...that's crazy," Phoenix said, before he turned minutely to his left and slipped from Niikura's grasp slightly, pointing the flashlight at Mike obliquely so he could get a look at his face while still paying attention to Niikura. While Phoenix wasn't feeling necessarily trusting of the other two people surrounding him, he couldn't help but to feel as if he didn't have a choice - if they were offering to protect and help him out, he wasn't about to refuse.
Phoenix's gaze locked on the portion of Mike's missing arm, his blue eyes widening reflexively before he remembered to check himself, tearing his gaze away so he could look at Mike's face. It was strange - Phoenix would have figured that a disabled person would be exempt from any sort of military involvement. Unless that disability doesn't affect him, Phoenix thought to himself, filing the information away in the back of his mind to think about later. The sight of Mike's face was even more startling, however - his expression seemed blank, almost hollow - and Phoenix had no idea where to even start with reacting to it, beyond continuing to speak.
"And...yeah, I'm 'new'," Phoenix started, before he turned his head to look back at Niikura, his discomfort from looking at Mike making it difficult for him to feel as if he was capable of not staring, "if you mean that I've never been here before. I didn't...um, I'm not sure how I ended up here, either - it wasn't like I woke up, it..." he trailed off, his tone unsure in its concern.