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

[nobleman]

As Edgar took a seat, Guy noticed the stiffness in his posture and reached out to grab for his shoulder and help him to ease down. He didn't know how much help it did in the end, but it felt better than just sitting there and doing nothing when he could tell the other man was in pain.

That was one thing to keep in mind. Despite everything that had been going on with Claude and Anise, at least he had stayed healthy and uninjured. It meant that he'd been on task to help them, though he didn't know if it had done much good.

When Edgar spoke up, Guy felt his stomach churn as the pieces fell into place. "One of the infected," which meant someone like Claude or Anise, and yet Edgar's injuries made it clear that he hadn't been so lucky. Someone he knew (or who he had come across, maybe by chance) had turned into a monster and attacked him. Guy had been aware of the possibility since this had all started, but hearing an account of it actually reaching that point made it all the more real.

"I'm sorry," he said after a pause. "Two of my friends have been sick, but... neither of them have turned yet. I'm trying to help them, but it's obvious that we're running out of time." It had been five last night. How large would the number be tonight?

[girlsandgadgets]

"Yes, as I discovered," Edgar remarked, his tone even as he attempted to mask how much it bothered him to feel that there was seemingly so little they could do. Powerlessness was not becoming of him- it wore on him daily, the feeling so unfamiliar. Finding some solution had been important before; it now took precedence in his mind, far above escape and simply bringing down Landel. They needed all the help they could get, and the fact patients were turning on each other, whether it was due to the fact they'd lost their humanity or on their own volition because they had been tempted by the Head Doctor, was not helping the already dire situation.

"I haven't had the chance to look into what advice we have been given in regards to a cure," he offered, wondering what information Guy might have gathered. "I've been preoccupied... unfortunately." His brow furrowed as he spoke, a hint of regret on his face. He knew Locke could take care of himself, had trusted him to do so- yet this wasn't their world, and was unlike any dilemma he'd faced. This wasn't just a poison that killed the victim or an illness that made them go mad. It was a deliberate attempt to stir up fear and betrayal, and the chances were high that someone had taken the bait. If the wrong person found out Locke had changed, it could be dangerous for both of them.

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. He needed to speak to Locke if by some miracle he had returned to his original form, and soon. From what he'd gathered on the board, it seemed that changing back was possible. Though there was no going back and changing his actions now, Edgar couldn't help but wonder how differently things would have played out if he'd paid more attention to what was happening.

"Hopefully, there is still a way to reverse the process, and it isn't too late."

[nobleman]

With the guarded way that Edgar was behaving, Guy couldn't easily tell if the transformed patient he'd run into last night had been a friend or a stranger. He didn't want to assume anything, and Edgar hadn't offered any details, which likely meant that it wasn't up for discussion. Unlike Luke, Guy knew when it wasn't the right time to ask something.

It sounded like Edgar hadn't been tracking the problem as closely as Guy had, perhaps because he hadn't had a reason to before now. Guy didn't see any reason why he shouldn't share what little information he had, and so after a pause he nodded.

"I'm hoping so, too. I've been keeping track of the clues, because of my friends, so I can at least give you an overview." Guy shifted in place on the couch, officially entering explaining mode. He could only imagine what sort of comment Jade would have had prepared if he'd been here.

"The first clue was just a drawing on the wall of the X-ray room, that showed a human stomach with a butterfly inside it. We made use of the X-ray technology -- if you don't know, it's something that produces a scan of the inside of someone's body -- and managed to perform a test on two different patients. The first person we scanned did have something that was shaped like a butterfly in his stomach. But with my friend, whatever was inside him looked a little different. There at least weren't any wings."

There was more to be said, but he decided to pause there and give Edgar a chance to absorb it all. Making sure your audience actually retained information was a large part of the explaining process, too.

[girlsandgadgets]

Edgar soaked in the information, grateful for anything and everything he was given. He kept his eyes on Guy, their focus steady, letting neither the mounting headache nor the dull ache from his wounds get in the way of his concentration, of his retention of what he was being offered. He knew all too well that information was a precious resource, and it was often hard to come by in Landel's, whether because people simply weren't willing to share without some form of immediate return on their investment, or due to something preventing them from discussing certain topics entirely.

Though he had nothing to offer at the moment, Edgar took comfort that Guy seemed to understand they were on the same side, working for a similar goal- their friends and allies were being changed into monsters, and something had to be done before it was too late. It was because of that and their previous conversations he believed Guy to at least be a credible source of information, more so than many of their fellow patients. Even if he had no concrete answers, the fact he had some insight into the clues was beyond helpful.

Edgar nodded for Guy to go on, letting him know he was still listening.

[nobleman]

When Edgar nodded, Guy cleared his throat and continued. "The second night there was another clue. It was a painting of a religious figure from Earth's culture, someone called John the Baptist. Apparently he was known for baptizing Jesus, one of Earth's famous religious figures." Whether any of that was actually true in history was difficult to know, since religion could often twist the facts without even realizing it. Guy knew that from the Order of Lorelei. Even with the Score to go by, it had still caused problems.

"Below the painting there were also some leaves. They looked normal enough, but I didn't get much time to look at them closely," he admitted. "But I guess whatever the cure is, it has something to do with plants and water... That's as much as we were able to figure out, anyway."

It was possible that they were missing something vital, but Guy had no idea what it could be. For now, they had to go with their vague guesses and hope for the best. If he was lucky, Edgar would be able to make better sense of it -- but since he wasn't from Earth either, that was doubtful.