Day 66: Breakfast

[nobleman]

What Guy had seen on that scan resulted in some mixed feelings. While he had expected to find something in Claude, seeing how he was sick, it hadn't been quite the same as what they'd seen when they had scanned that other ill patient two nights ago. What did that mean? It was possible that the shape of it just looked different because of where it was in Claude's stomach, but Guy couldn't help but feel that there was a deeper meaning to it.

Yet another thing that he didn't understand, then. With a sigh, he got himself up out of bed and went searching immediately for the single leaf that he'd taken from the X-ray room last night. It was stored carefully in his possessions box, which meant that he didn't have to worry too much about that.

While he wanted to quickly sketch the leaf's general shape to post on the bulletin, Guy wasn't given that chance, as his nurse showed up before he could even grab for his journal. He had to relent and let her lead him to the cafeteria for breakfast. While Guy considered stopping by the bulletin to leave a note, that could wait until after he ate. He suspected that Anise or Luke would try to find him as soon as possible to tell him about their findings, so leaving a note for them would be redundant.

He did need to ask about the clue from last night and see if anyone else had further insight on it, but that might be something Claude wanted to do, seeing how he had a better idea of who that baptist was and what it all might signify.

After collecting a small amount of food onto a plate, Guy took a seat near the cafeteria's entrance, keeping an eye out for any of his friends so he could flag them down as they walked in.

[For Anise and Claude.]

Comments

[no_dont_go]

Aigis' brows rose slightly at the mention of a joke. That was as far from the truth as one could get. "This is no joking matter in the least."

She held up her hand to assure him. "Assuming you were not mechanical before entering this place, then no, I would never say you were a robot. In fact, there are only a very few artificial intelligences here. Primarily, I believe the patient body is made up of humans with specialized abilities."

There were a few regular humans, as well as several other species that were trapped in human bodies. Aigis didn't think much about it. If a robot could be placed in a human body, then why not other beings? Oh, but that did need explaining. "Pardon me, I have been here so long it has become habit to assume certain knowledge." Her hand moved to her chest. "I was not originally in the body you see before you. I am unsure of how Landel managed it, but he transferred my Artificial Intelligence into this body. It is remarkably similar to the form I had before, but it is much more life-like than anything even my creators could have crafted."

[albuquerquesnorkel]

Not a joking matter. Uh-huh. "Somehow, I knew you'd say that," he grumbled. "So there are more of you, then." Riley's voice, face, and attitude had gone beyond mere disbelief, or even pandering to obvious delusions. Now, he was just doing his best to convince himself everything was a dream - or as close to one as possible - and that anything could happen in dreams. "Artificial intelligences. Stuck in human bodies. By... insane doctors who get their kicks by mutating birds and monsters and kidnapping people to put in some kind of demented experiment."

He tried not to listen to himself talk. Riley was at the point where he could feel his sanity breaking down at the edges, and any way of slowing down that process would have been completely welcome at that point. He could even feel his sense of humor shriveling up, and that... that was about as far from good as you could get without descending into downright terrible. And then some.

[no_dont_go]

Aigis nodded, confirming that what he said was true. "There is only a handful of us here, but as I said, we are certainly not the majority."

If only he knew all the different types here; animals turned human, aliens, and even regular humans with little experience in any type of supernatural occurrence. It was fairly troubling to a protection such as Aigis. "I am afraid so. The Head Doctor is also notorious for disguising torture sessions and brain washing experiments as 'studies.'"

Before too long, Riley would understand that madness was as much of a part of staying sane as trying to fight off your disbelief. It was paradoxical, but necessary.