DAY 25: GREENHOUSES (second shift)

[beforehertime.livejournal.com]

Elena was not exactly thrilled with the idea of playing in dirt. It was just...dirt. Gardening held no joy for her. Anything that anyone tried to plant in Midgar died almost immediately, so why bother? All of the plants in the little parks that Shin-Ra had created to keep the denizens of the Upper Plates happy were artificial. The only time she ever got to see plants that weren't fake was on daytrips to Kalm or holidays spent with relatives in Icicle Inn.

She'd never worked with them before.

Sighing, Elena accepted a pair of too-big gardening gloves. They had been pink, at one point, with little blue flowers. Now they were just a sort of spotty brown. Frowning, she poked at the small potted violet that a nurse had set in front of her with a little plastic shovel that looked like it had come from a child's playset. What was she supposed to be doing with it?

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[angels-inflight.livejournal.com]

As she should have expected, the intercom cut off Naminé's conversation with Riku (and Luxord), and she was quickly ushered off by her nurse to the next shift. What made matters worse was that they were separating the genders. It crossed her mind to request to be taken to the Sun Room...

Except that she had never been to the Greenhouses before. And she didn't know if she would have a chance to see it at night, or if she would even want to. Naminé decided to scout the new area, even if she regretted not asking to go to the Sun Room. But there was a chance that Riku wouldn't have gone anyway. He probably didn't know the Sun Room was an option if a patient didn't wish to participate in activities.

Luckily, she wasn't alone. Naminé spotted Elena in the room, and smiled. Ignoring the tools that the nurse handed her, she made her way to where the other girl was.

"Hello, Elena," The blonde smiled. "I didn't think I'd see anyone else in here!"

[beforehertime.livejournal.com]

"Hey there, Naminé!" Elena positively beamed at her friend. She'd seen the smaller girl around every day, but she'd always been surrounded by a cortège of large men, and Elena'd never gotten to say hello. But since this shift was supposed to be all-girl, she'd have her all to herself!

...That sounded mildly illegal. Whatever.

Putting aside her little plastic shovel, Elena awkwardly embraced the younger girl, doing her best not to touch her with the potting gloves. She didn't want to get her dirty!

[3bowlsofrice.livejournal.com]

Alas, if only things were that easy.

"Perfect! Perfect~!" A voice rang through the air before the owner revealed herself, twirling dramatically towards them before falling on one knee, arm outstretched towards the duo.

"There is nothing more beautiful than when two maidens embrace when they're surrounded lush flora~ Oh ho ho!" Renge sang out happily, gracefully bouncing up from the floor and moved a hand to the corner of her eye to wipe at an imaginary tear.

"...Ow!" And just like that her act fell through, using her arm to try and wipe off the dirt that managed to get in her eye.

[seizethesun.livejournal.com]

The man with glasses said the man with scars was extremely dangerous - more than anyone you've ever met, I can almost guarantee it. Well, she had her reservations about that; a girl captured as many times as she had been was converted to an alert girl indeed, vigilant in the respect she'd received a warning about this guy in particular. There wasn't a doubt in her mind he'd further his advances next time they met, which was exactly her reason for drifting to areas out of his sight.

When the nurse nudged to ask "Greenhouse or Sun Room?", Fuu had to think hard for a moment. The voice in the box mentioned gender division, and at first this arrived as unnerving news. Now, placing an empty tray on the counter, she believed the Greenhouse was the smarter alternative. Yes, she was curious to set eyes on a new section of the Institute, but it also meant her chances of running into the assassin dropped to zero.

Inhaling the scent of flora – a rather uplifting phenomenon – she gazed aloft, departing into thoughts of Ikitsuki Island.

[seizethesun.livejournal.com]

[a_sin_for_him]

Lust was pleased not to need those damned crutches anymore. However, the idea of mucking about with plants wasn't appealing in the least. Nor was lazing about in the Sun Room. At least, she supposed, it would be something to occupy her mind. And after last night....

Well, she wasn't in any mood to give much thought to last night, really. Or about Kimbley's reappearance. Sighing, Lust glared at the nurse who offered her a tie for her hair - which she reluctantly pulled back into a tail - and a pair of sad looking gloves and what looked like a tiny rake. Made of that plastic material that seemed so prevalent here.

The other women in the Greenhouse were all children. And one seemed particularly excitable. Lust glared in their direction briefly and then turned an uncomprehending gaze to the tray of dirt in front of her. What was the point of this?

[inloveordead.livejournal.com]

EVA felt sick.

She'd known enough about prisons and the fun thereof to understand a little bit about mental bully tactics - it wasn't Volgin's thing, thankfully, but she'd heard a lot about it going on elsewhere. She'd risen, like waking out of a bad dream, straight back in her own bed, and yet she'd never questioned whether the events of last night had been real or otherwise.

She'd finished with Snake. She didn't need him any more. She had better things to see and do than follow over some deluded, brainwashed fool of a man, however wonderful he had been. But he'd been a very, very strong man, and the fact that they were able to break him and make him believe he was from the future worried her.

And the Intercom man was not to be trusted. He was too cheery.

This place was a mental hospital. What that insinuated about him - and her - she didn't want to consider.

And now what am I supposed to do? she wondered to herself, playing with the plastic fork in her hand. Plants didn't particularly interest her. She knew a little about growing food, but in her head, plants were for growing into beautiful flowers and looking at, or growing into ugly vegetables and eating.

She stared at the seed on the end of her gloved finger. It shone like the full stop at the end of a love-letter.

She smiled at it, and closed it in her hand, looking around for anyone who looked bored. Bored people tended to talk more. But most of the people here were too young - children, basically.

Except one woman.

EVA swallowed, looking at her. She was beautiful - amazing long dark hair, and perfect, round, full breasts, and there was something in her eyes and mouth that suggested she was clever as well. EVA felt faintly hypnotised.

"Excuse me," she said, bending over out of habit, giving her best smile. "Don't suppose I could have your name? I'm EVA, after Adam's woman."

[a_sin_for_him]

Lust turned, the silly little tool still in her hand. Finally, a change from jabbering children. She eyed the woman up and down, not bothering to hide her appraisal. From what she could see, the woman was strong. Good. Lust had little time for weak females - she couldn't stand them. And she head bearing. Like the Hawkeye woman, almost. Perhaps the ridiculous excercise wouldn't be so horrid after all.

"Lust," she said, offering own name. "After the sin of Adam's woman, I suppose." What a charming coincidence. Almost as charming as the name they insisted to call her.

[personincharge.livejournal.com]

The world suddenly collapsed, and The Boss awoke just as quickly with her breath caught, her muscles tense, every part of her ready to counterattack whatever had just knocked her out.

It took a split-second for The Boss to realize she was somehow in her room again, that there was nothing to attack, and that the group she had been with was nowhere to be seen. Had someone assisted her, or was this another one of Hell's many tricks?

Thinking about it wasn't going to get conclusive answers, however, and the door opening told her there wasn't time to think about it anyways. Expectantly, it was the nurse, and just as expectantly, The Boss muted out everything she said and followed her to the greenhouse.

Where she was now standing, in front of a pot of dirt, holding a plastic shovel, wearing brownish-blue gloves, and having no idea what the hell was she supposed to be doing. Her father may have been one of the Philosophers, but that didn't mean she had even been taught gardening.

[seizethesun.livejournal.com]

At least there were other patients who appeared as misplaced as she was right now. The fragrance of flowers did manage to bring a bit of sun about her, and as such Fuu felt pressed into approaching an older-looking woman standing alone closeby. Removed from reverie, she put on a straight face as she halted beside the stranger.

"Excuse me," she spoke softly, clearly trying not to sound anxious. "Why do we have to spend a shift in here? Do you know?" The adolescent kept solid ground, eyes fixed on the elder.

[ondoresliez.livejournal.com]

Basch had decided that a touch of nature would help bring some peace to his mind. He was still a lost sheep about this facility, but he had seen the green house about in his wanderings and decided to make himself comfortable there.

He strolled about, enjoy the touch of life the plants brought, far different from the gray-ness that he been set in since his arrival. The green about the place exhumed him, and he felt peaceful here. As he enjoyed the presence of nature, he heard a question spoken by a young girl not far off to another. He decided he could do to learn something from this, and so made his way towards the two women.

"Pardon me," Basch said as he made his way over "I do not mean to interrupt, but I would also like to hear the answer to this question, as I have litte knowledge about this place."

[moon-brained.livejournal.com]

Usagi felt dizzy as she roused herself out of bed. It was a strange feeling to be in one place and then so suddenly in another. As she inspected small itches on her body she found that bandaids covered the small cuts on her face and chest. She hoped the others were okay. Relena and Sakura must be in there own rooms, hopefully with the same treatment for their wounds.

Shortly after the intercom announcement her nurse appeared at the door, cheerful that the girl was finally awake and ready. Usagi realized with annoyance that whoever treated her hadn't bothered to wake her up for breakfast (or more than likely tried and failed). The nurse led a groggy Usagi to the greenhouse where she handed the girl a pair or gloves and a tiny shovel. The air smelled just like Makoto's house and a wave of homesickness washed over Usagi. A full day had passed and she was still no closer to finding a way out. She sat herself down on a bench and swung her legs like a small child waiting for a bus. Maybe Relena or Sakura would show up and then she would know if they were all right.

[cynical-peanut.livejournal.com]

Well, that was… different. So maybe Kadaj was just fucking nuts. Maybe he made all that shit up to freak her out - it didn't look that was too much beyond him, really, and wasn't that what all the "cool kids" did? Tell the new kids all the lies, then watch them flail around and fall on their ass. If that was the case, then… God, what a dick.

Despite all opposition (all opposition consisting of "please, I really don't need to garden anything" and "look, I'm sure it would be nice and stuff, but I really just want to sit inside or something"), George was slowly, yet surely, dragged into the Greenhouse with the other women. Fuck gardening. Did they know how terrible she was at it? It was a bit like her sordid past with all her pets - no matter how much she loved them, they all died in the end, mostly because of her. So in an act of defiance and just maybe hoping to save a plant or two, George just crossed her arms and said "No" when placed in front of her little plant.

And maybe stared a little at the girl who looked decidedly too much like Sailor Moon. Goddamn, this place was weird.

[moon-brained.livejournal.com]

Usagi felt someone's eyes on her and looked up to see a girl she'd never seen before staring at her. Feeling self-conscious she stood up and started rubbing her gloved hands on her face. Maybe she got dirt on it? Then she began running her hands through her hair. Or it could be another bug- another big nasty dragonfly bug or something new and worse!

Usagi jumped up and gave a little shriek. It felt like there were bugs crawling all over her. "I-is there something on me?" she asked the girl, paranoia creeping into her voice.

[runed.livejournal.com]

Gardening wasn't something Nel generally did to pass the time. Growing up she'd had gardeners, insomuch as she was ever at home, having trained all over Aquaria since she was a young teenager. However, she'd dug around in mud quite enough as a child before she'd started training, and so found it oddly nostalgic when she stuck the plastic spade into the soil, making a little hole before she transported a tiny little plant she didn't recognize, still budding, from a gardening cart to the hole.

She'd just never considered it to be fun, and now she was enjoying herself more than she'd expected she would. The scent in the air was more relaxing than it should have been in such a terrible place, rather reminiscent of the Duggus Forest, even. And the soldier never relaxed as much as she should, anyway.

At night, would the greenhouse be overrun with treants? She wasn't curious enough of a person to even seriously think about finding out.

[divineglutton.livejournal.com]

And once more, the goddess felt led to talk to the one whom she'd met before.

Amaterasu saw Nel taking care of a mere seedling, and a smile crossed the goddess's face. Caring for nature, encouraging growth and life... that, too, was part of Amaterasu's life, and she'd taken to the job with almost doggish joy. Even though her powers were limited, that didn't mean that she couldn't take shovel and watering can in hand- and paintbrush in the waist of her pants- to tend to those who couldn't tend themselves.

When she stood next to Nel, she offered that bright smile like a gift, hoping that the soldier- she felt like one, like one of the Emperor's guards perhaps- was doing all right. "I hope you're feeling all right," Amaterasu quietly said, her eyes unconsciously looking over to where Nel had bled the night before. Why did that happen? What sort of magic did she use, that would cause pain to her own body?

[runed.livejournal.com]

It was clear that Nel was new to the world of gardening, and was doing her work with an untrained hand. Every once in a while she'd clip the leaf of a tender plantling with her spade. It wasn't on purpose.. she just had less of a green thumb than she expected to. How easily she could accidentally crush life! Though she wasn't exactly ecologically aware, she knew that humans could have quite an impact without knowing it. She'd learned that while dealing with Sphere.

And then there was Amaterasu, her shining smile looking as if it could nurture the plants to beauty unimagined. She was happy to see the woman, she always was, and returned the smile in her eyes. "I've healed considerably since last night. The injuries have scabbed over and are almost gone. The recovery rate here seems a bit off, wouldn't you say?"

The conversation only served to remind her that she hadn't fully checked the goddess for injuries from the night before. "And what of yourself?"

[materianinja.livejournal.com]

Gardening? Gardening?! Of all the stupid... Did they actually expect a ninja to sit here and play in the dirt?! For crying out loud... And she'd been having such a nice chat with that boy at breakfast...Drat.

With a huff, Yuffie seated herself on a bench and began moodily tossing potting soil over a bulb the nurses had given her... In a pot, of course. Boring. This was almost as bad as the library... No. Wait. She'd built a fort out of books in the library. This was worse. Couldn't build a fort out of plants.

[transgenix.livejournal.com]

Max had been rather reluctant to leave breakfast - she'd been enjoying the conversation with Dean, and even if he wasn't Alec, he'd been close enough to put her at ease. Now, at least, there was another chance to come outside, even if it was only on the brief walk to the greenhouse itself.

Stepping inside, she peered around at all the unfamiliar faces and gave a mental sigh. She caught sight of one girl in particular who looked less than pleased to be here, and couldn't resist her lips quirking a bit in amusement before she wandered over.

"Not much of a green thumb, huh?" Max commented, coming to stand near the end of the girl's bench and glancing down at the half-smothered bulb.

[materianinja.livejournal.com]

"A what?" Yuffie looked up from her moody sulking when she heard another's voice directed at her. Oh. Right. Green thumb.

"Oh. No," the ninja muttered, tossing another little shovelful of dirt at the pot, most of it landing on the table instead. "Gardening's stupid..." Was she aiming? Uh, no, not really. Being spiteful and making a mess seemed like the only way to get back at these stupid nurses. Expect when they made her clean up said mess later... Stupid books.

[floraltempest.livejournal.com]

When MOMO first heard the greenhouse mentioned, she had found herself wondering if it was going to look anything like the room Luty had fixed up at the doctor's on Second Miltia. Though hunting down the right seeds had proven a little tricky, the work was worth it once they saw the flowers in bloom. Of course, thinking about that only reminded her of how much she missed her home.

The realian shook her head, attempting to shake that thought from her mind before she found herself a place to sit down. Aside from helping Luty, she hadn't had much experience when it came to gardening. Even so, it was kind of nice seeing a part of the Institution that she hadn't seen before.

[bara-no-shinrou.livejournal.com]

Utena had only been half there during breakfast. The events of the previous night were still fresh in her mind... VERY fresh, as a matter of fact, as there seemed to be no clear transition in her mind between the struggle against the salamander, and a rude awakening in her own room, as the nurse burst in rather unceremoniously. She would have thought it all a dream, if not for the knife still tucked into her waistband. Of course, before following the nurse, she covertly transferred said knife to her pillowcase; after all, no reason to carry it around during the day. She wouldn't need it, and the nurses might take it from her.

Now, as she entered the greenhouse, Utena felt somewhat... uplifted. She had not, for most of her life, been a gardening enthusiast, but Anthy changed all that. Thoughts of the other girl and thoughts of beautiful red roses were inevitably and irreversibly tied... and Utena wouldn't have it any other way. Though, actually seeing the flowers had a different, yet still predictable, effect: heartache. It had only been two days, and yet... it could have been months, or years. Not that she would ever wish for Anthy to be trapped their with her, but...

That wasn't any good, getting depressed like that. Anthy wasn't here... and, she was glad of that. She'd just have to get by until she could escape; that's all there was to it. Finally continuing into the room, Utena took a seat next to a young-looking girl, and offered her a smile. It wasn't totally honest... but, she wanted it to be, and that was enough.

[floraltempest.livejournal.com]

MOMO looked up to the newcommer, a bit startled, but she smiled nonetheless. Someone else with pink hair... It was the first time she could recall seeing another person who had the same colored hair as she did. Even her sisters, as she affectionaly called them, had been designed with different colored hair.

Rather than feeling homesick as she had at previous thoughts, the feeling that accompanied the thoughts of her sisters was one of sadness. For once, it wasn't being stuck inside Landel's that kept her from seeing the other realians, but even so...

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, wanting to stop before her thoughts went too far down that particular track. Exhaling slowly, MOMO opened her eyes once more and put on another smile.

"Hello."

[blazingsword.livejournal.com]

Jean was not much of a gardener, sadly. Oh, Her Majesty had enjoyed plants and flowers when she was alive, and the courtyards in Fuajarl were quite lovely. But while Jean had spent time outside in the garden, getting her much needed sunlight, she had never paid too much attention to taking care of the shrubs and bushes lining the palace.

She gave the little potted plant a cursory glance before eyeing at the bright plastic tools. Maybe these could be turned into weapons? She'd known from training that if one was desperate enough, weapons could be fashioned from almost anything. Well, it was a thought.

Perhaps Rukia or Claire would show up. Jean wanted to know more about destroying this place forever and reuniting with Lady Achea. It really was a good thing she wasn't here...

[per-ardua.livejournal.com]

Well, it was an opportunity to learn something... Raine actually did pick up a spade (and noted with disdain that it wasn't worth trying to steal, as it would be useless as a weapon), but ended up working far more slowly than most of the others; every time she came across a new plant (and there were several she didn't recognize), she took it to a nurse and asked what she knew about it. When one of them tried to redirect her, she replied with "I've kept a garden for as long as I can remember. I know how to plant. I'm curious as to what these are, however--isn't expanding my horizons to learn new things more beneficial than something I already know well how to do?"

...so she used her intelligence and vocabulary to intimidate, sometimes. It was petty and immature, but if she could disturb the nurses without breaking any rules, so much the better.

She too wondered if it would be worth trying to come back here at night, but while it was a cheerful, pretty area during the day, she could well imagine the hazards it would hold at night. Not worth it--and if she absolutely had to have a certain plant, she might be able to take back a handful and claim she wanted something natural to look at in her room. Actually, it wasn't a bad idea--she wasn't at all used to living even this far from nature. She missed being able to smell grass and flowers from her living quarters.