Day 70: Intercom, Dinner

[damned_intercom]

Unlike the previous week, everything went smoothly for the patients on the bus ride back. No rowdy patients causing a crash, no sudden onslaught of monsters, just a pleasant ride back up the mountain. When they reached the unloading area in front of the institute, the nurses were quick to shuttle all of the patients off of the vehicles and then indoors to get to their rooms for dinner. If the nurses seemed rushed, they didn't appear willing to explain why, but anyone who'd noticed the quickly dimming sky would understand what the hurry was about.

But everything went as planned and all the patients made it safely back to their rooms. Better than that, dinner was waiting for them: a plate of lamb curry with some basmati rice and a salad on the side.

As they started to eat, the intercom came on, a little bit later than it usually would have. "Welcome back, everyone, welcome back! I have to admit, it was almost too quiet while you were all gone, but I'm glad to hear that you've made it back safely. Please feel free to dig into your dinner and get some rest. I'm sure you're all tired out after a busy day down in Doyleton."

It seemed that the patients couldn't get away from hearing the Head Doctor's cheerful voice at least once in the space of a day, but thankfully the message was short. The intercoms shut off, leaving the patients to discuss the day with their roommates.

[ Put your character's room number in the comment's subject line. Check for room assignments here! ]

Comments

M44

[redcladidealist]

He and Ishida had stopped at the Tasty Burger after they'd left the hardware store, and while Lloyd hadn't eaten all that much there, apparently it had been enough that the offer of curried lamb wasn't as tempting as it should have been. Even so, Lloyd set his new utility belt on his bed, along with the toy radio and the batteries the nurse had given him when he'd asked how to make it work. Then he sat down at his desk, staring at the food halfheartedly. He should probably eat something at least, before the night got started. Food worked wonders for restoring energy, and he knew he would need every bit that he could get.

Picking up his fork, he glanced at the door. Claude would probably come in soon. He hadn't seen his roommate at all since last night. Not since the nurses had come in and...

Lloyd winced. After what had happened, the other man would want to know if he was all right. If their positions had been reversed, Lloyd would want to know what happened, too. But explaining what the doctor had done after he'd been taken...

Still, Claude deserved to know something at least, and be reassured that Lloyd was mostly all right. Lloyd sighed and tried to steel himself for the conversation, then deliberately took a bite of his food. It wasn't until he happened to look over at Claude's bed that he realized he wasn't alone. His roommate was already there, and already fast asleep.

Oh. Huh. Looked like he was off the hook for now.

M3

[knightspirit]

After talking to Guy, Kyousuke was quickly shuffled from the loading area back into the halls, not getting the chance to pause at the bulletin board like he would have liked. That was fine, though—it just meant that tonight, he'd have to head out on his own. Considering what he was looking for, he probably shouldn't stop to wait for a partner when night came. Still, he'd have to hope these radios worked well and collect some frequencies so he could avoid this in the future.

That in mind, the first thing he did when he reached his room was toss the net with the ball he'd bought and the little toy radio on his bed, and fished out the radio that came with the room. He'd never actually bothered with it, not seeing the use of it, but he was hoping that the batteries would be a match. It looked like they were, so he popped them out and placed them into the new one. He left it at that, since he didn't know any channels to trying contacting anyone yet, and picking random ones probably wasn't a good idea.

That accomplished, he settled in at the desk for dinner, frowning down at his plate. It was a different style, but he already had some curry for lunch. So much for variety, but he guessed it could be worse.

M3

[repelling]

It had been two nights since Uryuu was last in his room, since the medication had stopped that prevented the side-effects of his... procedure. He'd been taken directly from the infirmary to the buses this morning, and now, when the nurse walked him past M9, to stop in front of M3, he could not muster up much surprise. It had happened frequently enough by now, and it only confirmed the suspicions born of being unable to find Vantas-kun in town.

As did the door opening on an unfamiliar face. Not entirely unfamiliar; Uryuu had seen him in the Cafeteria, to be certain. That hair stood out. He echoed the nurse's good night, ever polite, but paused before moving further, looking back.

"Ah, actually- would you happen to have batteries for this?" He asked, and put up with her indulgent smile as she left to fetch some.

Once she was out of the room, he moved for his desk, setting his purchase neatly on one end. His radio had last been stashed in his pillowcase-cum-makeshift-bag, and its absence from the desk prompted him to his closet. Sure enough.

He'd had a similar thought as to batteries, but had asked the nurse even so, and closed the door on his sack for the moment. He wanted to know what was broadcast each night; would the toy radios pick it up as well? There was only one way to be absolutely certain, and that was by taking and powering both. Back to his desk then as he waited for her, with a similar expression for the food. After two meals in town and the small breakfast, never mind his smaller appetite after his brief sick spell, it hardly seemed possible that he could be less hungry. Good as it looked, and wise as it was to eat.

Oh-

"Hello," he said, as a clear afterthought. "Ishida Uryuu."

Maybe just the salad.

[knightspirit]

When the door opened, Kyousuke ignored it at first, instead picking at his food with as much enthusiasm as he could manage. Apart from the first evening, things in this room had always been quiet, so he could only assume his roommate would end up sleeping like usual, not that the boy could blame him. But then he caught an unfamiliar voice, and turned to look in curiosity. It was nobody he knew, that was for certain. ... It looked like the assignments had been switched.

He didn't say a single word as the stranger began to rummage through their things, now more watching quietly than eating. He wondered if he should ask about the radio, since he seemed to have one—it would be convenient if he could find someone to test it out with so quickly. But before that came the introduction, and Kyousuke had to resist the urge to lift an eyebrow. Was he unsociable, or just preoccupied? In any case, he didn't want to make any hasty judgments, so he'd put that aside for now.

"Tsurugi Kyousuke," he responded with a nod. "Nice to meet you." It was an equally curt greeting, but he at least wanted to try and be polite; they might be stuck with each other for a while. Best to make the most of it.

[repelling]

Tsurugi Kyousuke, he thought, repeating it. "Likewise," he replied, no less inclined toward courtesy. He'd long since decided that it was best to become acquainted, at the very least, with whomever he could here. At the rate which the others seemed to disappear, and the folly of traveling alone at night, it would be impractical to do otherwise.

"Tsurugi-san... Are you from Japan?" He asked, sitting at his desk and looking over with curiosity. Of course, as far as he could hear they both spoke Japanese, so he could judge only by his name and appearance. Hair excepted, but then, he knew quite a few with unusual hair colors -- Kurosaki and Inoue-san.

Hating to waste food, but truly full, he first busied himself cutting the salad, then the curry. By the time everything had become small bites, the door opened again, and Uryuu stood, flashing a thin smile as he accepted the batteries and bid her good night once more. Once she left, he sat back at the desk and picked up the toy radio, satisfied that the nurse had obliged. Even if it turned out that he no longer needed the larger radio, why shouldn't he try to accumulate as many batteries as possible?

[knightspirit]

That definitely caught Kyousuke's attention. The name would have been the first sign, but the use of honorifics he'd personally been forgoing in the face of so many foreign-sounding names, and the mention of his homeland, seemed to indicate they were from the same place. ... That was interesting. Maybe they'd find some common ground there; most of the people he'd talked to didn't seem to be familiar with the same sort of concepts he did. Not that it was a problem, but it did get a bit strange, sometimes.

"... Yeah. Inazuma Town, Tokyo," he affirmed. "You?"

He fell silent as the nurse brought batteries and disappeared again, glancing over as Ishida picked up the radio. He guessed now would be as good a time as any to ask about it.

"Would you mind trying that out sometime tonight?" he asked, indicating the object with eyes. They could just press the button right now, but that wouldn't accomplish much, since it wouldn't prove that the radios could carry any distance.

[repelling]

Japan, indeed, but not any part he'd heard of. Given Karakura Town's location, Uryuu was confident that he knew every part of Tokyo, if not Japan itself by map. The latter perhaps an overestimation of his memory. Whether or not Tsurugi-san (perhaps -kun, as he looked younger) recognized the name "Karakura" might be meaningless, but might also be indicative of something else. It wasn't as if he could ask about his awareness of ghosts and the like, something apparently relatively unique to his world's Japan, as normal humans didn't know anyway.

"Karakura Town, western Tokyo." Uryuu answered, watching for Tsurugi-kun's reaction.

Snapping off the back and placing the batteries, then replacing the back, Uryuu turned the dial experimentally. One push of a button, and there played a tinny This Land is Your Land. He wrinkled his nose. A silly thing, if perhaps, appropriate for a child in America. Yet he couldn't help but think-- If you say so.

At the question, he nodded, looking up. "It would be good to gauge how far they can transmit. My number's five-five-five. What are your plans for the night?"

M7

[his_legacy]

Link sighed, shuffling into his room and settling into his room for dinner once more.

His empty room.

He had lived alone for years, and Sora had been gone for a long time. But the bitter disappointment and anger of failure lingered. He hated this place more with each passing day. A dungeon had never been this difficult to crack before. Never so mysterious, never so hostile. At least the Great Fairy had been a force of good within the Cave of Ordeals.

Landel's Institute was pure hell.

At least the head doctor shut his wretched mouth quickly enough. Thankful for a hearty dinner, Link dug in. Another long night was ahead of him.

F15

[thecamellia]

Other than the presence of the woman handing out toy radios in town, the day had passed rather uneventfully; the calm ride back to the hospital helped ease Tsubaki's nerves a bit. The peace was an illusion, she knew, but there was comfort in going a whole day without something disastrous happening. Even better that they weren't going to be stranded in Doyleton at night!

Tsubaki obediently followed her nurse as the woman bustled her back to her room, and once alone, she set her radio down beside her dinner tray and looked over the device, expression curious. What to do with this, I wonder...? It won't run without power.

The solution hit her not a moment later. Oh, batteries. She still had some, didn't she?

Inside her patient box, she found the extra set of batteries for her flashlight and popped them into the radio. Uncertaintly, she tried one of the buttons, and without further ado the radio started playing the tune to "Happy Birthday."

"Looks like it works..."

[rebonding]

Korra shuffled into their room at the moment Tsubaki's radio began to play. The Avatar hadn't been lucky enough to pick up the hints in town. She hadn't gotten a radio.

"What's that?" She raised her eyebrows, pulling herself into her desk.

[thecamellia]

Tsubaki looked up at her roommate's entrance, a smile already on her face. "Oh, hello! How was your trip?"

As one of the few people Tsubaki had seen with any regularity over the past week, Korra had been on her mind while the prisoners had whiled away their time in town. If something good could be said about the Doyleton field trip, it was that it'd been uneventful; no accidents or zombie attacks to unnerve new residents.

Her gaze travelled to the little radio in her hand. "This... well, someone was giving them away for free in town..." she answered.

[rebonding]

"Uneventful," she said with a shrug, starting in on her dinner. She continued to watch the radio, pouting slightly.

"I didn't notice." Shoot. Was it something useful? "What's it do?"

[thecamellia]

"I probably should have warned you about the field trips before, but I hope you managed to enjoy yourself? Doyleton can be a nice change of pace."

She climbed to her feet and turned to Korra as the radio's music started to fade. Tsubaki had been on plenty of field trips herself, but truth be told, she'd never seen anyone handing out such items before. If her suspicions were right, the radios were connected to the radio people somehow.

"The woman handing them out told everyone that they can connect to someone else's radio, like walkie-talkies," she continued. "But I'm not sure if it works..."

[rebonding]

"Nah, it's fine. Not like it was anything life-threatening." Even though Smiley had warned her of what had happened last time...

Walkie-whatnow? Korra didn't bother asking. It sure wasn't the first time somebody had used a word she was completely unfamiliar with.

"So it's a two-way radio... That's pretty cool. Most of the ones back home can only transmit or receive. And those are huge." She gestured something large with her arms. She wasn't sure if she believed it yet, either. How could it possibly work without a power source?

M2

[envy_the_sinners]

Scar entered his room in a subdued, odd state of mind. What was it about those boys that affected him so? No, of course he knew why. The reasons were painfully obvious. The Ishbalan rubbed at his eyes, sore and tired. He set his radio and the spare batteries on his desk and began to eat.

He still didn't know what he could do tonight. There was little sense in sitting around while the Elrics tinkered in Al's room, but he also knew that going out on his own was almost entirely out of the question. He couldn't allow himself to be so foolish as to assume that nothing would happen, or that it would matter if something did happen. He had, for some sick reason, gotten lucky twice now. Most times he wished the world would simply let him die, let him rest.

But that was never going to happen, and Scar knew exactly why.

Those thoughts faded, on occasion, in rare moments like the bus just now. It had been a long time, since the simple thought of someone had strengthened him so much. But then he would think of Frank, and the guilt and the anger came rushing back. Where was the justice in the death of an innocent man and the resurrection of a sinner? It had been stewing in his mind since the day he had woken up. Scar's hand tightened around his fork; the bent up stress was beginning to become too much. Even he could realize that.

Which still left the question open as to what he was going to do. He hadn't been able to gain any new information on the supposed third floor. Perhaps if he spoke to somebody in the halls tonight he would be able to learn more? Then he could go there; he was certain he wouldn't be the only one heading in that direction. He wouldn't be alone. Not really.

Scar was never as alone as he so often assumed. It was only now that he was starting to realize it.

M10

[6toleadus]

Well this was ... new. Yes, that was a good word for it. 'Unexpected', 'scary', and 'wrong' had crept up as well and were each trying to take over for 'new', but they were all true so as far as 6 was concerned the best thing to do was accept that it was all those things and move on. Besides, he had more important things to focus on. Things like air. He'd been aware of its importance in an offhand sort of way, but never had he needed it so much. It would take some getting used to. Everything would.

The problem was; this body wasn't his. Yes his soul was in it and no there didn't seem to be anything opposing that fact, but it wasn't his. It wasn't even his species! And now there were all these new things, instincts half-remembered from the depths of his soul, like breathing and smell and taste. They were amazing and fascinating and terrifying all at once.

He didn't know what to do. What can you do when you wake up and suddenly everything is different? All you really have are questions then. Why am I here? Where is 'here' anyway? What have they done to me? Are any of the others here? Are the machines here? Why am I not dead anymore? Aah, yes, that was the big one. Why was he alive again? This wasn't what was beyond life, he'd caught a glimpse of that before everything went dark and he woke up here. They didn't feel the same anyway. This ... not even his drawings had given him a glimpse of this or anything like it before. This was 'new', and only time would tell him if that was a good or bad thing.


((ooc; I hope this is where I was meant to intro, if not and I screwed up I can fix it.))

Sorry for the late! And I'm pretty sure introing here is fine. :3

[idolism]

Before Aidou even reached the door to M10, the vampire sensed something was amiss. "Don't tell me, not another one," he accused, shooting his nurse an exasperated look. Did he truly have to come back from a day of tromping around town to another unwelcome guest?

The woman, for her part, merely smiled and moved ahead to unlock the door before ushering him inside.

"Kalen, this is Aidan! Aidan, meet Kalen. You'll be rooming together for the foreseeable future. Try to get along and learn from each other while you're here, hm?" she said, a introduction which made Aidou narrow his eyes, first at the woman, then at the odd-looking boy.

Irritating nurse! And now a new "roommate." What would it take to get a moment of peace!

No matter the nurse's cajoling to act more friendly, Aidou's expression didn't change until the moment she left them alone with their dinners. Once the door's lock clicked into place, however, his look shifted from unamused to something like exasperation.

"All right, all right, show over. Quit looking like you've been hit in the head."

no problem~ :D

[6toleadus]

The automatic 'that's not my name' protest never even had a chance to be voiced. It was overwhelmed by something far more important, namely the fact that he wasn't alone. Humans! Well, human and ... he wasn't sure really. Normally he had a talent for telling when things were slightly 'off', but it was hard to be sure this time. Well, it didn't really matter. What mattered was that there were people who were moving and talking and alive.

"W-where are we?"

[idolism]

Not just a new roommate, but a new face as well.

Taking in the youthful appearance and the mismatched eyes, Aidou narrowed his eyes again, this time with a weary air. Aidou was the last person in the hospital with patience enough to explain the situation to a prisoner so knew he practically squeaked. It was hard enough recounting his time as one of Landel's captives to himself, let alone someone else, a stranger.

This was so unfair! He needed to eat, to rest, not waste his breath on the thousand different questions he knew were coming.

Sighing, he crossed his arms. "Landel's Institute. Ring any bells?"

[6toleadus]

He was pretty sure they didn't mean anything to him, but 6 thought long and hard about those words anyway. He searched his memories, both things he'd truly seen and things he couldn't explain, and came up blank.

"No."

He didn't even really know what an institute was, though he did recall seeing that word in a book once.

M67

[asteroidbelt]

The good news was that he out of that sweater; the bad news was that the normal gray shirt felt weird and prickly on his skin. He fidgeted, but that just made the shirt poke at his skin in even stranger ways more often. He moved over to the bed, and cocooned himself in the covers, pressing the fabric around him tightly. Better, but he felt childish in it. He couldn't even pretend to be going to sleep because he hadn't eaten dinner yet. To add insult to injury, the journal was on his mind; whether he should scribble down a rough drawing of the layout of the town. It was objectively a good idea, but it also felt a desperate thing to do, and desperation was not something he could afford to let linger and fester in him; the first step to avoiding bad things was watch for the warning signs.

On the other hand, he might one day need it. Resolving to be resolved, Ryusei started slowly extricating himself from the bed. It was just jotting down some lines. It couldn't possibly escalate.

Re: M67

[seekingmystrength]

They'd made it back without incident. That was one less thing to have to worry over. The next was that he had to make sure the magician didn't try to play off needing his blood. It had been three nights now, and although he didn't know the specifics, Kurogane couldn't trust that the Institute wouldn't do something to make seeing one another difficult. Once in a day was decent, and they'd already managed that.

He continued looking over the device Fai had given him in the bar even after being taken back to his room, giving both Ruysei and his meal a passing glance as he considered if he should try using it. He knew there were batteries in the desk from earlier searches, so he grabbed those before settling on his bed to try and figure out how to work the toy. If it was going to be even potentially useful, it had to at least turn on.

[asteroidbelt]

"Evening," Ryusei muttered as he sat at his desk and pulled his journal over. Only a few lines in, he realized he remembered less than he'd thought. The strret he'd started out on, the approximate location of the bookstore....

Ryusei had put the pen down and was rubbing his forearms to try to assuage the discomfort a little when he happened to glance in the direction of his roommate's bed. He tilted his head, puzzled, uncertain if he should ask. Kurogane didn't seem like he would mind the questioning, but on the other hand he hadn't seemed like much of a toy person, either. "That doesn't suit you," Ryusei finally settled on saying.

[seekingmystrength]

"I got it from someone else," he defended, albeit passively as he finally found the right way for the batteries to be put in. He still wasn't an expert with technology, but he'd gotten a lot better since starting his travels. Still, the kid was the one who handled this kind of stuff the most.

Clicking the cover back in place, he flipped the toy right side up and found the button that hadn't worked before and gave it a press.

Kurogane had never heard "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Before", but the moment it started playing, he knew he never wanted to hear it again. Ryusei was right, this thing didn't suit him one bit.

Scowling, he tossed the device over to the desk table, letting the little tune play out as he went for his food. He didn't know why he'd even tried with the thing, but at least the magician couldn't bother him for having done nothing. Kurogane was fairly sure he could prevent Ryusei from bothering him over it either, given the right glare.

[asteroidbelt]

Ryusei looked away to hide the smirk, and didn't point out that even if the toy had been acquired from someone else, Kurogane hadn't had to try to make it work. Ryusei was surprised Kurogane hadn't just put it on the table in the first place.

He straightened hastily and put a hand over his mouth and pretended to yawn; he hadn't forgotten how transparent he was to Kurogane and Ryusei didn't want to rile him up. There was no telling what Kurogane might say when annoyed.

"Didn't expect that?" Ryusei wasn't sure what else someone could expect from a toy, but he actually hadn't expected it to do much of anything, either. "Does your friend collect toys?"