damned_institute | Day 26: Cafeteria, Lunch

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Day 26: Cafeteria, Lunch

Scar felt cold and sick, though more the latter than the former. As he rose from his bed, he didn't quite know which way was up, and the artificial light coming from overhead seemed as hot and as blinding as the Ishbal sun.

His head hurt, but that was nothing new. After all, the last thing he remembered from the night before was fighting a homunculus off of Lust and then having a conversation about events best left forgotten. The man hadn't been his brother. He just hadn't. And if what Lust had said they'd done to her was true...

Scar stood with shakiness that he wanted to attribute more to a bizarrely weakened physical state than a mental one. Had he been knocked out by some kind of lurking monster before the morning had come? He felt as if he had been out for days, being a veteran of such circumstances, though as he took the practiced role of being an obedient follower behind the nurse and orderlies that came for him, it didn't seem as if much had changed.

This place was probably just playing tricks on him again, and he was tired of being the man left out of the loop. He grabbed some food he didn't really care for and sat down, not seeing anyone he knew already seated. On one hand, he wished he had someone to talk to, and on the other, it scared him that he was no longer used to being alone.

He dug his fork into his food and tried to block out any related thought.

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Larsa remained standing as he watched the scene unfold quietly, looking away for a moment when he caught the woman's face crumbling from the rage she faced only moments before. There was much to say on the matter, but he did not have the heart to continue until she managed to calm.

"Lady Ashe... Come, have a seat. I will gladly explain to you everything you wish of me to speak." Part of him wondered if he should dismiss his guardian, knowing it be not wise to let him stay if he were to invoke Ashe's emotions just by his presence. Yet, maybe it would be best if Gabranth stayed, since it appeared that he also suffered from memory loss, though it was nowhere near as damaging.

She sounded honestly surprised. It would have almost been humorous, if in other circumstances.

Noah remained standing, bringing his hand down from his face. It was a curious thing to watch the flood of emotions that swept subtly across the princess' face. It was easy to get accostomed to the mostly emotionless state of royalty.

The judge's attention was once again captured by Larsa as he quietly urged the girl to calm herself. Despite the other's doubts, Noah made no move to step away from the two. "I feel it would be better if you explained, Lord," he said, keeping silent doubts that the truth would subdue her anger at all, if not serve to enrage it more.

Ashe faltered, torn between keeping her gaze on this man, the one who claimed that he was not the traitor Basch fon Ronsenburg but a brother, a brother who took blame for the actions that had cost her a father and a kingdom, and regarding the young Lord Larsa's more reasonable request. It took every ounce of strength in her person to tear her eyes away, slowly sinking back into the seat she'd bolted upright from. Having already displayed such an embarrassing lack of restraint, the princess felt it fair enough to close her eyes and gather herself together once more before turning her attention to the young man.

Explanations, she reminded herself. Explanations as to how all these people knew her name and title would be useful. And of course there was that small matter of the fall of Dalmasca to the Empire. She had to force herself not to glare in the direction of that face she'd come to hate so over the years.

"I apologize for my lack of restraint," Ashe forced as calmly as possible. "Please do commence explaining to me what you spoke of earlier."

"There ought no need for an apology, Lady Ashe. It is all with good reason, as I know my country is at fault with the tragedies that you've faced..." By then Larsa had already taken his seat a second time, pushing aside his plate for now and clasped his hands together in thought. From what he managed to gather, her Majesty was not even aware of what occurred aboard the Leviathan, which meant he had much to explain.

"I suppose you've already presumed, but I am Larsa Ferrinas Solidor, fourth son to Gramis and the younger brother to Vayne Carudas Solidor." He paused for a moment, almost as if to reflect back on his own losses. "... And as of one year prior I hold the current title of Emperor of Archadia."

The child held back a sigh, instead tilting his head to meet gaze with the Lady Ashe.

"Much has happened between what you last remembered and the events that dawn on us now. We first met aboard the Leviathan when Vaan and the others arrived to rescue you. Back then, I must admit I was surprised to discover that both yours and Basch's deaths were, in fact, greatly exaggerated by Marquis Ondore. We parted then, but I heard from my sources that you planned to set out to the Tomb of Raithwall and gather your birthright, the Dawn Shard itself. However, you were then recaptured by Judge Ghis the moment you've obtained the shard of Nethicite."

This time Larsa did not bother to hide the frown that was strewn over his features.

"Judge Ghis was a fool, believing he could control the Dawn Shard aboard the Leviathan without facing the consequences of the power it possessed. Fortunately, yourself and your company managed to escape the explosion, though I can assume that it was rather close."

With all of the following laid down with his words, the child observed Ashe carefully, wondering if she were one to believe all of this.

"I shall continue if you have no questions as of yet."

The judge took a seat as well beside his young lord, waiting patiently for the woman to take back her apology. She would surely regret it.

Despite looking away from the conversation at hand, Noah turned a ready ear to listen to Larsa's story, as he knew little of what the boy had done in his absence. With such a sudden death, he had never had the chance to learn of the trials his charge had gone through.

Ah. Judge Ghis. Truly, the Judge Magisters had signed their own death warrant, and the only able-hearted one had met the end of his own blade. As if having all the fear and respect of Archadia was not enough power. Despite his distaste for Ghis - and the news of how he had died straight from the witness' mouth - Noah kept silent, turning back for only a moment to watch the young princess' face.

If Ashe was to take back her forced apology or react violently at all to the news delivered by the young emperor, as though that alone wasn't enough to take the air from her lungs, she showed no signs of it. It was impossible not to give off an air of disbelief, to have brow furrow in confusion as the boy spoke. Her emotions became a whirlwind of doubt as the boy went on to tell a tale, a tale of past events that she herself could not recall for the life of her.

There always stood the chance that he was lying; indeed, it could be possible that Vayne had trained his brother at a young age, and yet as she sat there, the princess felt very much as though she were watching her life pass her by with every word, every new bit of a history she'd yet to live. Raithwall's Tomb... It seemed like a path she'd take. If her memories had not been robbed from her, she could at least lament her own predictability.

"How is this all...?" she whispered desperately, losing herself in the question. The hate she bore took a backseat to the wave of information. "How is it possible that I do not remember any of this?"

"That is something I cannot answer, yet you are not the only one suffering from memory loss." Larsa responded with as much honesty he could muster. He was not blind and so easily caught sight of the doubt on Ashe's features, yet he could not blame her for doing so.

"Gabranth, or shall I say Noah, here cannot remember his last hours before he..." By then his own face contorted into an unreadable expression, unable to bring himself to finish his sentence. He hoped it was obvious enough that the judge faced the inevitable, stealing a glance at the man for a split second before concentrating on Ashe's face.

"Which brings me to speak of another discovery. This Institute has the power to do many things. From what I've accumulated, not only can it erase the memories of whomever it desires, it can also bring back those who've long since passed. It... 'Tis a difficult thing to believe, and if it were not for the fact that I've witnessed these events and these deaths personally I would find myself doubtful as well."

"Expired," Noah interjected when the moment came, watching Larsa's expression out of the corner of his eye. His eyes met Larsa's for a brief moment, and he looked away.

There was a moment of silence, and he saw fit to add his own information to the tale. "'Tis a cruel place." It almost sounded like a story spun from a liar's web, especially to one who could not remember bearing witness to such events that the young Emperor had told her. It was strange enough to be told you'd died, and not remember the motions that had truly led to it. "Tales spread of experiments of the most beastly sort; spiriting away the souls who are trapped here. Only last night we had gone to find one of these souls." He sighed, looking at his tray of food that had long-gone cold.

"There are fiends that make the halls their territories when night falls, and yet there are no magicks here." A pause, when he realized he had forgotten an important slice of information. "If you have not seen, freedom abounds at nightfall." He'd not meant to go on such a tirade, though such information was invaluble.

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Day 26: Cafeteria, Lunch

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