The intercom's jingle rang out with its usual merry fervor as patients were ending both their breakfasts and their various conversations with their peers. The Head Doctor's voice sounded properly jovial as he began to speak.

"I hope you all enjoyed that meal as much as I did!" he said with nearly smug pride as his chair creaked to and fro. "In any case, we have to sadly end our gorging – for cleaning! All of our adult patients (aside from our new arrivals, who were already cleaned upon their arrival here), will now be escorted by our nurses to the appropriate showers and our children will be taken to the Arts and Crafts room, where we have a special activity lined up for everyone!

"We looked very closely through the requests made during yesterday's suggestion box, and we're happy to say that we're implementing one of them: origami crafts! Today, we will have a healthy supply of origami paper and books with origami how-tos! Our nurses will also be leading group instruction on how to create various figures. On an additional note, we've taken heed of how many of you have requested sewing supplies. Although we cannot release such materials to the general patient population, we would like to announce that for patients who show stellar behavior and attitudes throughout the day, we will begin to release sewing materials during our next Arts and Crafts day.

"I believe that's all for now! Thank you for your time and I hope you find the next shift either fun or... ...hygienic!"

The intercom clicked off.

[ As the Head Doctor alluded to, all patients intro'd during Night 50 or Day 51 should not be taken to the showers. They may instead go to Arts and Craft or the Sun Room. ]

Bah. So much for yet another suggestion of von Karma's. Such priorities this Institute had. They would implement a foolish suggestion to introduce origami lessons and to offer sewing supplies to select patients, yet refused to allow them to cleanse themselves more often than twice a week -- and, of course, without any additional privacy? How many more of his reasonable suggestions would the Head Lunatic make a point of ignoring?

von Karma scoffed, shaking his head as he entered the shower facility. Fortunately, it appeared that he was the first one in here. As soon as the announcement over the intercom had blared out signaling the shift change, von Karma had been quick to excuse himself from his conversation with Naraku to promptly head for the showers. It had been bad enough last time that there were already three men in the showers by the time he arrived. This time, he would make certain that he would be the first one there.

Without wasting a single second, he disrobed, meticulously washed off the grime from the past several days, dried himself, then got dressed. All within a perfect three minutes, zero seconds, before anyone else had a chance to enter. He would have preferred a much longer time to devote to hygiene, but he didn't want to risk any needless immodesty in front of anyone.

Now finished, he exited the restroom and entered the Sun Room.

[To here]

[From here]

Of course. Yet another of his suggestions unheeded. The instant that von Karma entered the Sun Room, he nearly tripped over one of those blasted cats that tried to knead its head against his leg. Since the nurse's watchful eye was upon him, he nudged his foot against the furry nuisance to move it aside so that he could make his way to the bulletin board.

Hmm. It appeared that Franziska had already found his report and taken it down, even though he hadn't seen her at all today so far. It was just as well. He wasn't eager to even look at her, let alone speak to her. As for his note to Ms. Taura... no response yet. He frowned. There was no notice from the damned History Club offering assignments, so she couldn't have accepted one already. It was imperative that he get an answer regarding his own mission as soon as possible; he would ask the nurse about "Ms. Jackson" should he receive no response by the end of the day.

Two notes caught his attention, both from Ms. Ema Skye. One of them, in particular... so she had connections to Mr. Javert, did she? von Karma would have to keep an eye on this discussion; his name had better not come up in it.

After he was finished perusing the board and finding little of use so far, he found a secluded table in the corner and sat there, hoping that no one would disturb him.

[Mello]

They actually listened to some of the suggestions people put in that box? Anise thought the Head Doctor had to be joking when he said that, but she soon heard him mention something that she herself had suggested: sewing supplies. They were really going to get some? Anise could finally get a real needle, so she could make repairs to Tokunaga whenever she needed to. She swiped one of their blunt, plastic needles before, but using that just left big holes in the fabric. Using it on Tokunaga made her feel bad, like she was hurting the poor doll.

"Isn't that nice, Dolores?" The nurse must have caught Anise's hopeful look. "But remember, you'll need to be on your best behavior until then."

"I know, I..." Anise began with her usual dismissive reply, but quickly remembered that the intercom had said 'behavior and attitudes', and instantly changed her tune. "I'll do my very best! Hee hee!" She forced a smile for the old hag.

Unfortunately, the sewing supplies weren't here today, so Anise had to find something else to do for now. Stepping inside the Arts and Crafts room, she quickly found that several tables already had paper craft ('origami,' they called it?) supplies laid out for them, so she guessed she'd just occupy herself with that. The girl sat down at one of the tables, opened up one of the books, and started looking through it.

Cranes, frogs, horses, turtles... There were lots of familiar animals, and a few unfamiliar ones, too. The rabbits looked kind of cute.

[For Ilia!]

It said something that the showers no longer affected the Digimon to the point of panic. It spoke of the weeks she had been here, that she was gradually become neutral to the process. She was warned to be careful of the bandage over her eye--this said almost suspiciously; she would not react the same as she had a week prior. She made a motion as if she understood, and continued forward.

Washing was quick and efficient, enough to allow her leave from the humid room. Once finished, the nurse re-bandaged her eye carefully, and allowed Renamon to leave. Learning tolerance or no, nothing in her wanted to remain.

[to here]