Day 27: Lunch

[norainu]

Renji wasn't so certain what this grilled cheese thing was all about, but he liked the sound of some soup. Even if it was strange western soup, well... there wasn't anything bad people could do to soup, in his experience. His good mood was starting to fray at the edges, a little, from the strain of dealing with the Ichimaru issue, and even more from what had been on the bulletin board earlier.

He'd never had difficulty simply writing something before. But...

He shook his head as he entered the line. He didn't want to think about it. He wanted to hold on to the tenuous equilibrium he'd managed to find.

Renji got himself a large bowl of soup, water, and even one of those sandwiches, just to try it. Old habit, recently awakened, had him over to one side of the cafeteria, where the fewest people possible would have the chance to pass behind him. He sat there with his back toward the wall and started eating.

Comments

[whiteychan.livejournal.com]

Hitsugaya didn't bother getting food as he entered. He was hungry, but at the first sight of the gooey cheese sandwiches, he felt nauseous again. Still, it was probably for the best, with all the work that needed to be done during lunch. First was his agreement to meet with this Utena individual. Then he had to hunt down Roy and meet with him as planned. Both were hopefully going to be brief.

With all the other details as well as the problems last night running through his head, he couldn't recall if Utena had given him a description of her. His best bet at the moment was to stand near the door and scan the room for someone who seemed to be doing the same.

The advantage was that he was particularly easy to spot. There was one other white haired person of a similar stature to his own, but he didn't have green eyes as vibrant as the captain's. Even still, the other boy looked to be considerably older than 13.

[bara-no-shinrou.livejournal.com]

Hm... elementary-school kid with a look on his face like a disgruntled salaryman? Looked like a winner! Utena rose from her seat, and approached the diminutive captain, saying, "Excuse me, but would you happen to be Hitsugaya-san?" He'd introduced himself as a captain, of course, but... well, that was a little difficult to believe. Maybe once she'd seen proof of it, she'd refer to him as 'taichou'...

[whiteychan.livejournal.com]

Hitsugaya was used to those who didn't know him refusing to call him captain. She wasn't a shinigami, so he didn't expect it. What he also hadn't expected was her to offer any honorific at all. Someone respectful for once!

He nodded slightly, his face still cold as ice. "I am. You are Utena...and I am sorry, it is the only name I know you by. Is that your family or given name?"

[bara-no-shinrou.livejournal.com]

"Given," she replied. "Tenjou Utena is my full name." She was not, by nature, a fawningly respectful person; the only thing that kept her from using the 'kun' honorific was his apparent irritation at being referred to as a child. Of course, given that he verily looked the part, she would have been justified; but, when you are seeking a favor of someone, this time in terms of information, it is generally not a good idea to piss them off.

"You mentioned having someone else you needed to meet, so I won't keep you long. Would you mind explaining this 'Arts and Crafts club'?" She was starting to get the sense, from conversations about it, that the innocent name was misleading...

[whiteychan.livejournal.com]

Hitsugaya nodded as she gave her name. "Good to meet you, Tanjou-san," he said. He responded well to respectful people...probably one of the many reasons he hated Ichimaru so much.

"Arts and Crafts club is a name suggested by my vice captain to keep the nurses from taking down our posts," he explained. "We're not trying to fool anyone who bothers to take the time to read our messages. Myself and those from the organization where I come from are working with many from different worlds to find a way not only to escape, but also to tear down this place so that no one else gets trapped here. Every night we have groups who work on supply requisitions, rescue operations, exploration, and generally anything else that comes up and might be of value to our ultimate goal. We also keep the Cooking division supplied with metals so they can make all of the weapony that's been requested."

He paused briefly before continuing. "It doesn't matter how skilled someone is. Even if you don't know how to fight, you likely have some other skill that can help. Any questions?"

[bara-no-shinrou.livejournal.com]

"Likewise," she responded idly.

Well... perhaps she should have read a bit more carefully. In retrospect, the idea that they were simply gathering to practice knitting or needlepoint was downright ridiculous; no-one would waste their time in such way, when they were in a situation like this. "I see...," she said, taking a moment to finish absorbing the information.

"In that case, Hitsugaya-san, I would love to be a part of this 'Arts and Crafts club', if you'll have me. I have some experience fighting, though it's limited to the use of a rapier... and, only once was it a proper fight, where the intent was to kill the opponent. But, even when it was for sport, the idea was the same. I just have one question... you say this 'Cooking division' makes weaponry. Do you mean to say that there's a working forge somewhere in this place?" Utena gave Hitsugaya a skeptical look; it was improbable, at best, that the staff would allow such a thing.

[whiteychan.livejournal.com]

Hitsugaya nodded as she offered to work for them. "When I speak with Colonel Mustang next, I'll see that he puts your request for a rapier on his list. They're a little overburdened with requests, so it may take a while, but it's better to get it in now than wait until his next open call. Until then, I'll likely want to keep you working on requisitions...that is, unless you'd prefer training in hand-to-hand combat? We don't have a class planned tonight, but I can see if "

It did seem improbable, and her skepticism was valid. "It's difficult to believe, but there's a group who call themselves 'alchemists.' I don't know how they do it, but they have a means by which they don't need a forge. All they seem to need is the metal, and then using this alchemy, they turn it into a fully functional blade. It seems they're somewhat limited in their scope, as each alchemist can really only make a few weapons each night."

[bara-no-shinrou.livejournal.com]

"That's not necessary," she said, when the offer of training arose, "I was able to find a large bread knife in the staff kitchen my first night here. That should be fine for now." There were probably others who needed training more than she, after all.

Alchemists... that was the name given to people in the middle ages who tried to turn lead into gold. Was it related...? If so, how did they achieve a feat like that? Apparently Hitsugaya didn't understand it either, which was worrisome; however, in the end, it was irrelevant. As long as it worked, there was no problem. "I... don't quite understand, but I suppose I don't really need to. As long as it works for them." She came from a world full of magic and living corpses... who was she to doubt a method of forging weapons without heat?

"I assume you will be posting more specific orders later on? I'd noticed team assignments in the past..." She just hadn't understood the code behind it.

[whiteychan.livejournal.com]

Hitsugaya nodded in response to her question. "Next shift I will be posting assignments. Sumi-e means mapmaking and general exploration. Basketweaving is gathering supplies. Much of the rest seems to vary with the person using it, although we've generally come to use 'needlepoint' as working with swords."

Regarding the alchemists...Hitsugaya knew they claimed it was some kind of scientific process, but as he hadn't seen it, he hadn't worried about it. He wasn't a part of the 12th division (and had no mind to be), so he was used to being given something under the impression that it worked, and to nevermind the hows or whys it came about. "I don't either, but I've seen the results. Their weapons are as well made as could be done at any forge, and they do a decent job of matching any specifications given them." He didn't know Renji well, but the man's blade still seemed a very close match in appearance to the zanpakuto he once had.

"If there's any other questions that come up, you can ask one of my vice-captains," he said, still feeling a little odd speaking as though he had more than one 2nd seat. Normally it wouldn't work, but here...here things were just odd. "I think I gave you their descriptions on the board previously."

[bara-no-shinrou.livejournal.com]

"Alright," she replied, intending it to be a comprehensive answer; what she sought to understand in this brief meeting was understood. She would have more questions for the leader of the group to which she was assigned, but there was no need to waste Hitsugaya's time with that, not when he had another meeting to get to. "You did. I'll be sure to find one of them if there's anything pressing. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Hitsugaya-san."

Finally, she was doing something important with her time, working towards an actual goal. It felt... somewhat liberating. Took away the guilt of inaction, or meaningless action. However, a new sort of guilt threatened to replace it: Himemiya. Utena made a mental note to find her girlfriend, and explain the situation... who knew? Perhaps Himemiya would want to join alongside her. If not... well, they always had the daytime.

[whiteychan.livejournal.com]

Hitsugaya nodded politely in response, then went to find Mustang.

[Moving here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/211721.html?thread=14857993#t14857993)]