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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The lunch shift had begun with delays. Of course, Hisoka should have expected something like being chastised for not eating breakfast and getting the whole damn speech about eating right, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

He had other things to do!

The boy's nurse had finished lecturing him quickly enough, but the fact remained that he may have already missed the two others he needed to see. Kurikara wasn't exactly the most patient and Tatsumi would be annoyed... Surprisingly enough, upon entering the cafeteria, Hisoka's eyes landed on both Tatsumi and Kurikara seated together. ~~He was obviously not stealthy enough if they already knew to sit together~~

Not bothering to get his food (he was going to hear about it later, for sure) the boy immediately approached the table and seated himself.

"Sorry for making you both wait."

Kurikara yawned wide enough to show off his fangs, but he didn't seem too far beyond annoyed. He'd had a pleasant morning after all. "I told you on the board not to waste my time." He growled lightly, watching Hisoka through apparently sleepy eyes. It was meant to cover his weariness, which only seemed to grow thanks to the confirmation.

"What is it?"

Tatsumi looked up as Hisoka approached. So that answered the question of identity, but only raised more when it came to purpose. "Good afternoon, Kurosaki-kun." Like Kurikara, Tatsumi was eager to proceed, but still polite, despite the annoyance at the boy's tardiness.

Giving a nod at the dragon's rather blunt question, Tatsumi looked to the boy. "I'm curious as well. You went through a bit of effort to contact us anonymously. Is something wrong?"

Hisoka was nearly shaken nor cowed by Kurikara's obvious disregard for him. Despite what the other man (boy?) thought, Hisoka had not been persistent merely to gain the shikigami's respect. He had been persistent because this was something that needed to be done and having Kurikara apart of the plan would have made everything much easier.

Hisoka shook his head. "The secrecy was a bit necessary, nothing is wrong though." Nothing worth openly panicking over anyway. "But I have a request for the both of you." Now came the hard part. Hisoka had spent a very large portion of last shift going over the words to say and Tatsumi's reactions (he wouldn't be in favor of this in any way), but it still wouldn't make this any easier. Looking at Kurikara, Hisoka stated- "I need you to hit Tsuzuki just before the next shift. Just knock him or get him on the floor."

Turning his eyes to Tatsumi he added, "And I need you to keep him there for a short amount of time."

Kurikara's expression was uncommonly serious, and he simply watched Hisoka for a time. He couldn't guess what the boy was up to, but he had to be desperate if he was going to ask for help from someone like Kurikara.

"That's fine." He said, eyes sharp and focused on Hisoka. Tsuzuki would get in the way as he always did. He frowned, his brow furrowing with thought. "Whatever is going to happen - will you be hurt or killed?"

This was more business than concern. Kurikara wasn't the type to worry about what others got themselves into; it was Hisoka's responsibility to handle himself. He did need to know what to prepare for when it was over.

Tatsumi wasn't nearly as on board with this as Kurikara seemed to be. Frowning, he shook his head, his immediate response of course to refuse. "Kurosaki-kun, I don't understand the point of your plan. Why are you asking this of us?" Tatsumi pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his concern obvious.

Tatsumi's reaction was expected, Kurikara's wasn't. Hisoka had predicted to at least have to explain his reasoning (which it looked like he was going to have to do anyway) or even offer something up in trade. He wasn't about to press his luck and ask about the shikigami's easy agreement.

The boy shook his head in response to Kurikara's question, he himself business-like as well. "I should be fine." Should be. It was an expectation even he didn't expect to be lived up to, but that needn't be said aloud. His mental or physical health wouldn't be an issue to this plan. "Just make sure Tsuzuki stays down."

To Tatsumi's expected response, Hisoka frowned. "Next shift I have therapy, if Tsuzuki sees me being escorted from the room he will do something idiotic and you know it. I'm asking this of you because you should be able to prevent him from getting sedated or worse." Tatsumi should have known enough of what doctors were staffed in this asylum to understand the 'or worse' statement well enough. "I can distract the nurses to prevent either of you from dealing with the consequences."

Kurikara pushed himself up finally. "We can meet again wherever Tsuzuki is before the shift is over. It's your plan, so I'll wait for the distraction. I will be quick. Make sure you're ready to act."

Well, good to know Kurikara was in on it. Tatsumi, however, still needed a great deal of convincing. "You're right about how Tsuzuki-san will react, Kurosaki-kun." Tatsumi considered the event very seriously, then sighed softly. "But you should be careful not to get sedated yourself. The doctors here are undoubtedly dangerous...and Muraki-sensei is among them."

Of course, there was a very good chance that Hisoka knew that already, but it bore repeating. Hisoka had already been a victim of Muraki's once. No doubt the man would leap on the opportunity should Hisoka come in dazed, as Tatsumi had found him his first day.

And then there was the final issue, the matter of consequences. "Tsuzuki-san won't understand." Tatsumi sighed, shaking his head. "How much good will it ultimately do?"

Hisoka nodded as Kurikara finished speaking. "That's the idea."

It wasn't anything extraordinary to know that Tatsumi wasn't still keen on the plan though. The secretary spent so much time going out of his way to make sure Tsuzuki was happy and this surely wasn't going to do that at all. Hisoka wasn't phased, this had to be done. It was for Tsuzuki's benefit in the long run.

"I don't plan to be sedated." If everything went as planned he wouldn't have to be. "And you can tell Tsuzuki that this was all my idea when it's over, I really don't care." He deserved a bit of Tsuzuki's wrath when all was said and done anyway. Tsuzuki was too kind with him even in the worst of times.

"Even though more time has passed since Kyoto for you, it's only been a few days for Tsuzuki. Do you honesty expect him to come out unscathed if he sees Muraki for the third time in less than a week?"

So the button labeled Kyoto was big, red, shiny, and had a neon arrow pointing to it.

That still didn't mean Hisoka had to actually push it.

With a sigh, Tatsumi closed his eyes. "I have no intention of hiding my own part in it, if I agree." Which the secretary technically hadn't yet. There was so much to consider when it came down to it...including the promise he had made to Tsuzuki the day before.

There's no way the man wouldn't see his part in this as breaking his promise. But Hisoka was right in that in the end, it could to the least harm to Tsuzuki.

Tatsumi pushed up his glasses, and with a nod, at last gave his consent. "I will trust you not to get hurt, Kurosaki-kun. Realize that the consequences will be severe if you come back harmed." Even if the secretary did participate, Hisoka wouldn't get off without punishment should his plan somehow fail.

"Kurikara strikes at the distraction, and I am to hold him down." Now that he had agreed, Tatsumi was all the more determined to make sure things went correctly.

Hisoka was almost tempted to let out a deep sigh of relief. One of the largest obstacles had been passed now that Tatsumi had agreed, but the boy had to remind himself that it wasn't over just yet and he couldn't relax until it was.

"I understand, Tatsumi-san," Hisoka replied with a small nod. He was going to have to suffer these consequences anyway, he really doubted he'd come out of the meeting with Muraki unscathed. Tatsumi didn't need to know that just yet though, Hisoka didn't need him changing his mind at the last minute. "You may want to explain to Tsuzuki what's going on after I leave, Byakko won't be happy about it."

Kurikara knew nothing of what had happened in Kyoto. Whenever they talked about it, a sort of electric charge passed between the shinigami and even he was starting to wonder why it was so important. He shifted his attention between Hisoka and Tatsumi as they discussed, and all the while he felt a sense of the inevitable about whatever Hisoka was getting himself into. He wasn't so unused to situations where no one would win.

Tatsumi finally agreed, and Hisoka brought their meeting to a close. Kurikara closed his eyes. "Byakko's first concern should be his master's safety so he'll understand." When he opened his eyes again, he met Hisoka's. "Leave a message on the bulletin when you get out. No excuses."

A smirk flickered across his lips almost too quickly to see, and he let himself off the table and into the crowded cafeteria without a backwards glance.

[You can watch his ass while it swings this way (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/177215.html?thread=11849023#t11849023).]

Tatsumi gave Kurikara only a glance as the dragon left, his gaze otherwise remaining intently focused on Hisoka. The secretary couldn't shake the feeling that there was something he wasn't being told, and most likely wouldn't be, no matter how my might try to pry.

With a sigh, Tatsumi nodded slightly. "I'll be sure to talk to him." He'd planned on it even before the suggestion. It'd only be more cruel to do this without any sort of explanation afterwards, and Tatsumi was still borderline when it came to his own acceptance.

"How did you efforts go last night?" A subject change would be good, should Hisoka not be leaving as well. Tatsumi's own answer to the question might be obvious, given the generous amount of bandages on the visible parts of his body.

Hisoka had to admit, he was taken back somewhat by Kurikara's ~~demand~~ request. He could understand out the outcome of this plan would affect him, but why was he bothering about afterwards? It had nothing to do with him, unless he was just planning to laugh his ass off.

Hisoka shook his head as Kurikara left, turning his attention back to Tatsumi.

"It didn't. Tsuzuki was late and Byakko didn't show." He would have demanded an explanation for it, but Hisoka decided that what they were going to do to Tsuzuki was bad enough. "I see you at least got somewhere?"

Tatsumi wasn't entirely surprised to hear Byakko hadn't arrived--after all, he had learned that at breakfast. Still, he had held out hope that Tsuzuki and Hisoka would have been able to accomplish something. Though, when he thought about it, Tatsumi supposed he should have known better.

"That sounds fairly typical." The secretary sighed softly. "I believe Byakko-sama was detained helping others. I met a young woman at breakfast who told me as much."

He grinned slightly at the notion that his group had managed any better. They had gotten somewhere, if into the grip of a ghost counted for anything. "Only to this very room. Last night, in the sun room, there was a spirit with a very dangerous touch. Both Rangiku-san and myself ended up with cuts all over our bodies." Tatsumi paused for a moment, moving a hand to touch the bridge of his glasses. "If you encounter any such spirits, Kurosaki-kun, I'd advise you to avoid physical contact. Simply try to run from them if you can."

Well, it figured. Hisoka only hoped he got more done tonight than he did last bight. He would be alone despite what he told, or implied, Tsuzuki, so the delays should have been few if he wasn't so out of it.

"Yes, it is," Hisoka sighed in return. What he would give to kick Tsuzuki's ass into working shape. Then again, he'd probably have a heartattack at the efficiency. "Thank you for letting me know."

A dark look flickered over Hisoka's face at the mentioning of the Sun Room. Why was there always something in there at night? All the other rooms with monsters never remained the same, so what was so different about that room? "What did this spirit look like?"

Tatsumi considered it for a moment, then shook his head slightly. "Unfortunately, I didn't get a good look at her. She did appear Japanese, and was wearing a white kimono if I remember correctly." Tatsumi paused, then added quietly. "She kept demanding we return something to her, but of course I have no idea what."

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Day 26: Cafeteria, Lunch

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