damned_institute | Day 66: Game Room (Fourth Shift)

The game room, huh... In normal, everyday life, it wouldn't have sounded too terrible, but as things were, it seemed like more of an annoyance. Games were fine, but priorities.... On the other hand, Kyousuke seemed to have hit a block in figuring out the clues to the the illness, and just thinking without getting anywhere wasn't very productive, either. At this point, it may have been best to push it aside and come back to it fresh. He had his reservations about it, especially since the end of the day was rapidly approaching, but... Frustration wasn't going to get him any closer.

He poked around what games were there with resignation, still half wondering what he was even doing and trying not feel guilty for needing a break. After a while he came across an electronic device marked "Game Boy Color" and picked it up out of curiosity. He'd heard of those before... If he was right, this thing was older than he was, by quite a bit. Flicking it on confirmed his suspicions; the sound and graphics from it spoke for themselves.

Shrugging, he took it a random seat, wincing at the pain in his ribs as he sat down. He guessed it wouldn't kill him to mess around with this thing for a little while.

[Lloyd!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Though she was the one to suggest it, with Renamon missing in action, Leanne couldn't say she was sure of just who to ask herself. There was Guy, but aside from him, she wasn't sure just how long most of the people she'd met had been around in the Institute. Maybe Tsubaki? She'd never actually gotten around to asking.

Still, Zero's idea was an appealing one. Even if no one could answer their question, at the very least, they could get some kind of idea of how much everyone knew. "It's pretty late by now, I don't know how many people would see it... What do you think about asking over the bulletin board tomorrow? We've gotta find out something that way!"

...Ah. Good point. It was the last shift of the day before dinner, after all...and considering how much time had passed since Zero began talking to Leanne, this shift was probably going to be ending soon, anyway. Putting up the question now would be a little pointless. "Tomorrow, then," he agreed with a nod of his head. "Whoever gets to the board first in the morning can put it up." Or whoever remembered first. It didn't really matter; the input they'd (hopefully) receive from the note was what did count.

For now, though... The once-Reploid's mind wandered further, to other unanswered questions and possible leads. (As if there were any shortage of them.) There was one question in particular that might be helpful assuming the answer was known. "Who else would know about Landel besides Marc?" he mused aloud, asking himself as much as he was asking Leanne. Other rebels? Zero couldn't think of anyone off the top of his head...but maybe Leanne knew more than he did?

"It's a deal," she said, the smile returning to her lips. Just the idea of getting any scrap of information, of knowing just a little more than they did before, was much more appealing than she would have expected. But it was only to be expected, wasn't it? In a place like this, where their every action was so limited, just a little extra knowledge could very well make the difference. And Leanne was going to survive. She was going to keep herself, and everyone else she could, alive. No crazy Head Doctor was going to stop her.

"The military, I guess. But they're not here anymore." She frowned, resting her elbows on her knees. "Maybe some of the other doctors? Do you think they'd know anything about the guy they work for?"

Yeah... Zero couldn't say he missed the military exactly, but it would be helpful information gathering-wise if they were still around. A lot could have been observed from them. It didn't help that the former Reploid had arrived here just before they'd been kicked out of the Institute...there might have been a lot of important information given out at the beginning of their 'reign' which he hadn't been here to learn.

Oh well. It couldn't be helped now.

Leanne's other suggestion got Zero's attention, meanwhile. "Other doctors?" Who? Not that it didn't make sense for Landel to have underlings beyond the nurses, but it wasn't something he had seen or heard about before now.

Leanne raised an eyebrow, frowning in confusion as she rested her chin on her hands. Did Zero really not know? Then again, she couldn't really say she knew how the doctors had chosen who to speak to that day, so it was entirely possible he'd never seen, or heard, anything.

"Yeah," she began, still frowning. "I guess no one told you about it, huh? A few days ago, they made me go and talk to this guy they said was my doctor. And I know I'm not the only one who's had to do that. He was really nice, but..." She shook her head, smiling weakly. "I'm really sure he still thought I was crazy."

...Zero just stared as Leanne explained. No, this was definitely not something he had heard about before. Why was he only learning about it now? Other doctors under Landel's wing actually interacting with the prisoners was a pretty important fact, and for it to just go unmentioned by everyone else...

Whatever. He was hearing about it now, at least. His curiosity was rather piqued by the topic, too. So what were these doctors like? Who were they? Did they live here too, like the nurses?

More importantly, though... "Why did they do that to you?" he asked, slightly tilting his head. What was the point in pretending that they were being 'seen' by real doctors? Then again, what was the point in this facade, or going to Doyleton, or any of the things that happened during the day...

Of all the things he could have asked... Leanne couldn't quite help a small laugh at Zero's question, shaking her head slightly. Why, huh? She'd have sure liked to know why anyone in the Institute did anything to them. No matter how much she thought about it, no matter how many theories she shared with fellow prisoners... She couldn't even begin to understand why anything happened in this place.

"I don't know," she said at length, flashing him a smile even she could tell didn't look too convincing. "I think... He was like the nurses. He really thought I was just some crazy girl called Jessica. He... He wanted to help me." She could have almost trusted him too, could have wanted to take him up on his offers to help... If she hadn't known about everything else that went on in the Institute.

Edited 2012-11-12 01:48 (UTC)

...Zero could agree with that. This place had a way of driving one mad trying to figure out what was really going on - and that in itself could very well be its purpose, considering it was supposed to be an insane asylum. He wouldn't be surprised if that really was the case.

What he was being told about the doctor Leanne saw didn't help matters, either. Legitimately believing that the prisoners here were actually insane, and wanting to help them... Zero wanted to think that the staff were all just really good at pretending to be unaware, but considering how his nurse had reacted when he'd attacked her the other day... How she had still asserted Zero's 'insanity' despite being caught in a dangerous situation...

"...You really think so?" Despite his choice of words, he wasn't questioning Leanne's judgment; rather, he was questioning - again - the point of it all. Questioning the doctor's role, and why he wanted to help her. How he wanted to help her. Was he really ignorant of Landel's real goals? How could he and the nurses, if they were really innocent 'employees', not notice something strange about all of this? Especially if their desire to help their 'patients' was genuine?

Day 66: Game Room (Fourth Shift)

no subject

no subject

I'M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG sob...

IT'S COOL

;;b

and then I took forever, sob.

and then I did too, sob

sobbing party everywhere