damned_institute | Day 27: Lunch

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Day 27: Lunch

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.

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“If you wish to put it so simply – then yes.” Yuber didn’t bother stopping the laughter that welled up at Reno’s simple summary of his occupation. He supposed that in some very basic level of understanding, that it was his duty

“I serve whoever regardless of their intentions as long as my terms can be met. Regarding this place though…” His demeanour entirely changed though as his thoughts drifted onto the institution in particular. Finding his amused expression bleeding from his face, there was a certain predatory gleam within his mismatched gaze as he regarded the redhead before him. For the slight against his very being... “I would rather show them what true Chaos really means.”

The mere thought of having his Rune’s abilities restored and running unrestricted throughout the walls of this vile institution made the wait far more bearable. He could already tell just how thrilled the Eightfold Rune would be at being unleashed even despite it being disgustingly dormant at the moment. Soon though… soon he’ll no longer have to wait.

The shift in demeanor was rapid, but not all that unexpected. Yuber wasn't the only one who had something against this place.

Reno dropped his hand from his chin and let out a short laugh. "Hey, if anyone's gonna stop you, it won't be me. Long as I don't get caught up in the whirlwind, of course."

Getting the hell out and burning the place down at the same time. It would've been more of an attractive notion if he'd had a damn clue as to what any of them would do afterwards. No one had yet to figure out how to go back.

Relaxing back into the chair, the predatory gleam only lasted a moment longer until his more pleasant nature returned to the knight. He would continue to wait and bide his time until that moment, until then, there was no point in worrying over such a thing.

“Then you best be far from here before it happens.” He pleasantly stated as if he was simply talking about the weather. His revenge would hardly be put on hold because a few patients were remaining in the area. If they were foolish to be there, then it wasn’t his problem if they were caught up in his vengeance.

“So Reno,” Yuber began as he reached up to brush aside a few golden bangs that partly obscured his vision. Lowering his voice slightly, he made certain to keep his words just between the two as he smoothly murmured, “How do you plan on escaping this delightful establishment?”

If Yuber was expecting a straight answer, he would be sorely disappointed.

"Mm, that?" Reno tilted his head, as if contemplating. "Well, I do have this grand vision of destroying the place with a few neatly placed explosives. Either that, or I need to find myself a female doc I can use to seduce my way out."

Although he hadn't considered taking it that far, he had found it a pretty damn shame that there was a signficant lack of woman doctors. He could do so much more with them than he could with...whoever-the-hell that jackass was. House.

The answer he received only caused Yuber to smile in amusement. Although there was no giveaway in their tone, the knight found that the answer to be more evasive rather than anything else. It didn’t take much to see that despite the question actually being answered, that there truly wasn’t an answer at all.

Which was an interesting concept to say the least, and he’d found (at least in his realm) that those who held such deceptive concepts were either thieves… or those intelligent enough who operated on the side of Chaos.

“I have to say Reno,” Tilting his head forward slightly, the knight regarded Reno with open interest as he continued in a murmur, “you are quite far the most interesting human I’ve met from your realm.”

In truth, Reno hadn't been expecting such a comment from Yuber, figuring instead the man would either play along with the concept or give a snort and change the subject.

The remark seemed to almost flip an unconscious switch in him, as his lips curved into a teasing smirk.

"Am I now. And what makes you say that exactly?"

He wasn't hitting on Yuber per se, but there was really no other suitable response he could give to something like that. Besides, flirting was always his default reaction. He found it tended to work out pretty well in most situations.

A charming smile slipped across his lips as he saw the instant change in Reno’s expression. The fact that Reno was flirting with him however, flew instantly over the knight’s head. Such human behaviour always seemed unnecessary and useless to the knight – not to mention those from his realm were far too cautious or goal orientated to consider flirting with the dangers he represented.

“I have my reasons,” Yuber murmured as he leant back into his chair before giving a carefree shrug. “But one could say that I find your deception a rather interesting concept for starters.”

That it flew over Yuber's head kinda flew over Reno's head, considering he wasn't trying to hook up with the guy or anything and so wasn't specifically watching for a response.

Long bored with his food, he his plate aside. "Hell, everybody lies," he said. "Wouldn't consider it something all that interesting, if you ask me."

“True but there are only a select few who are seemed to be rather natural at it.” Yuber said with a slight nod of his head. Watching as Reno’s meal went ignored; his attention flickered back up to the redhead as he added. “As for interest, if everybody thought the same thing was interesting, that would hardly be exciting now would it?”

Lightly gesturing out to the other patrons in the cafeteria, Yuber seemed to almost gaze at them all lazily as he explained. “Regardless of what realms life forms come from they’re always governed by the same aspects of Chaos and Order. Your own world has experienced such battles if what Kadaj spoke of is true.” He murmured as his gaze returned back to Reno. “Those of Order hold no interest to me; most of Chaos does not either.”

He said nothing else after that considering there simply was no need for it. Yuber sensed that Reno was intelligent enough to connect the dots at what the knight was meaning.

Okay, now this was kinda creepy. Reno knew damn well what he was capable of, but it was still bizarre to have someone point it out to him in such an object, almost scientifically indifferent manner.

Yeah, he knew what Yuber was getting at. He couldn't say the fact that Yuber had decided to shove him over into the Chaos category all that unsettling nor surprising - he sure as hell wasn't Strife - but he did find it a little interesting that he'd ended up somehow catching Yuber's attention. And that Yuber was actually flat-out admitting it. He couldn't decide if this was a good thing or not.

"No one ever walks the line between the two?" he asked. "Is it all so black and white over there?"

“Nothing is ever purely black and white Reno,” Yuber murmured with a soft chuckle highlighting his voice. There definitely was a deep intelligence hidden behind Reno’s façade, but unlike what he sensed hidden within Usopp, it seemed as though the redhead was more than well aware of it, “Especially not when it comes to the human race.”

Dropping his right hand down onto the table, his fingers drummed on the cool surface as he thoughtfully regarded the redhead. “All living creations are born within the realms of either Order or Chaos, and regardless of how noble or not a creature believes themselves to be, there will always be the instance where one born into Order will step over into Chaos in order to best achieve their desires, and vice versa.”

"And no one believes me when I tell them I can be a saint," Reno said dryly.

Frankly, he couldn't see the true purpose behind such a division when everyone ended up batting for the other side at some point, anyway, but whatever worked for the world. People always did like to keep things organized.

"And you?" he asked. "Take it you're the exception, yeah? Or does even someone like you end up with the potential to see the light?"

Yuber blinked once before a smooth laughter escaped the knight at the question. He had been expecting it in some degree, but most certainly not in the context of how Reno had worded it. The redhead truly was interesting to converse with. It only took a moment for his laughter to subside, and with a decidedly pleased smile curving his lips, Yuber answered. “I am the pure embodiment of all Chaotic nature put together, the one who creates and allows the need for Chaos to run its course throughout the realm. While I might ally myself with those mortals of Order on the very rare occasion – it is only done so then I can continue to further my duties if those of Chaos prove to be disappointing.”

Laying his tapping hand flat down onto the table, his mismatched gaze dropped down to view the tattooed symbol on the back of his hand. Voice growing pensive, Yuber seemed to almost drift away from the conversation for a moment as he spoke. “The balance must be kept between the two, and one of the Twenty Six can not delve onto the other side for too long.”

The laughter might've been surprising, except Reno had been getting the sense from the start that Yuber was, for whatever reason, just overall amused with the entire conversation. For a moment, he briefly contemplated introducing Yuber to Sephiroth. If Yuber wasn't so against destroying the planet, those two might actually get along well.

"Duties," he repeated. "Self-assigned duties or you got a boss somewhere, so to speak?"

He was a little curious as to how many had, in fact, proven so disappointing - and how many of the so-called "Order" had allied themselves with Yuber, but chose not to question it now. Besides, something Yuber said caught his attention: either the guy couldn't count or he was implying something else. Reno was pretty damn sure he'd heard Twenty Seven earlier.

He eyed Yuber, interested. "But you can?"

“We are all free to do as we please and see fit.” Yuber murmured in amusement. No other True Rune would dare to prevent him from his duties, nor did he care how they decided to spend their times. So long as they didn’t interfere too much, the knight simply didn’t care less what they did. Well… all apart from that fool Pesmerga, but he was far more enjoyable to taunt more than anything else. The embodiment of Order was always such a stickler. “There is no true one to govern over us, but more the Twenty Seven are there to maintain the balance between powers.”

Pulling his thoughts away from his marked hand, Yuber easily caught the interest in the other’s gaze as that question was asked. “There are a total of thirteen which constitute both sides of Order and Chaos, and twelve others who reside underneath the embodiment of Chaos.” With his lips pulling up into an amused smirk, Yuber noted the redhead’s intelligence was a rather fascinating concept and would have easily made up for any lack of true battle skills. “There is only one who resides entirely neutral to either side, and I quite proudly am not them.”

"Hmm." Reno mulled over the information for a bit, more detachedly curious than anything. It wasn't really relevant to him or the situation at hand, so his interest didn't quite run that deep. Still, it was something to know. Maybe it would come in handy later.

At any rate, Yuber was not at all a bad guy to get to know. He seemed capable enough and Reno wouldn't mind being on good enough terms with him if he maybe required a little help later.

"Your job sounds a hell of a lot more fun than mine, at least."

Actually, that wasn't completely true, but he needed something to say. And it wasn't like Yuber didn't sound like he wasn't enjoying himself doing what he did.

“There is hardly a dull moment,” At least when he’s finally been summoned. It was always rather anticlimactic when his contract had been fulfilled and he had no choice but to return to the World of Emptiness. It was just fortunate that he had Pesmerga as a form of entertainment until the next human summoned him.

Considering the Chaotic nature he knew Reno fell under, Yuber was almost certain that the redhead was downplaying their own occupation. Granted, he could have misjudged him and Reno could be nothing more than a mere farm boy. Somehow though, that image certainly did not suit what he knew of the redhead’s intelligence.

“So what exactly does your job entail if mine’s apparently far more entertaining?” Yuber asked as he casually glanced in Reno’s direction. He knew there was no point in asking for a title since it was unlikely that he’d recognise it in the first place.

Ah, his job. Reno, actually, was still getting used to even answering that question. There were very few back in his world who didn't know what he did. It was pretty damned obvious to anyone who hadn't been living under a rock.

He shrugged a shoulder. "It entails too many fucking files and not enough decent coffee. Occasionally, I save a particular someone's ass. Sometimes, there are explosions, but not lately. It pays good, though."

He wondered if he could get extra hazard pay for watching out for Rufus in this place. He deserved it, dammit.

But probably not. Cheap bastards.

“Hmm? It sounds like a variation of some form of knight’s duty.” Yuber murmured thoughtfully. Those who were hired as bodyguards hardly had to do any form of paperwork, and there weren’t too many other professions in his realm that would come close to Reno’s details. Unless the redheaded patient was in the army, but they didn’t seem the sort and that particular job hardly had any form of paperwork to it.

Placing his elbow on the table, Yuber leant himself forward until his chin came to rest in the palm of his hand. Regarding Reno idly, there was an almost lazy expression on his face as he muttered. “The whole protecting their Lord while carrying out their Lord’s order thing.”

Knight's duty? Now that was the first time Reno had ever heard something like that. Obviously, this guy didn't exactly come from the modern world to immediately make such a connection.

He laughed. "Really don't ride to anyone's rescue, y'know. I tend to do the opposite."

And he wouldn't exactly call Rufus a lord. That was just - kind of amusing, actually. He wondered what Rufus would say if he told him that?

“You’re more the type to give others the opportunity to do the said rescuing hmm?” He asked, but Yuber didn’t intend on an answer. From what little he knew of Reno, he already assumed as much. Yet there was still that small sense of Order within Reno that had him believing that the redhead did hold at least somebody important enough to protect. Otherwise what Reno had said moments before could have been considered as an outright lie, and somehow, Yuber hardly believed that. “Although given the sense that you – how did you put it – ‘Occasionally, save a particular someone's ass’, I’d say that you do rescue another in, at least, some small sense.”

There was always a common theme with those born into Chaos, and the knight had come to discover over the years that they hardly did well with times of peace. “Miss the thrill of the explosions do you?”

"Suppose there're a select few," Reno replied, choosing not to elaborate. It wasn't important and he wasn't about to name exactly who it was he actually gave a damn about. Granted, ever since he arrived here, that list had actually expanded a bit to include an extra few people.

He regarded Yuber for a moment. "Personally, there're more than enough explosions here," he said, "but yeah. Back home, kinda. Gets fucking dull."

There were only so many hours he could booze away, after all. He wasn't sadistic enough to say he missed killing people, but it was impossible to deny that he missed the rush that came with it.

He smiled openly at Reno’s response, and found no surprise in their reply. He’d allied himself to too many born into Chaos to not know how their minds worked, and it was one of the most reliable consistencies between them all.

“All times of peace end eventually as Chaos will ultimately return.” Yuber murmured with a smile, although his tone was showing the more ancient side of his personality. “It is the basic fact of life that such things will occur, as without Chaos… there would be no evolution and things would remain stagnant and unchanging.”

Regardless of the effort Order always put into the struggle, Chaos always managed to return and would continue doing so until the end of time. It was a concept that Yuber was more than intimate with, and one he would make certain continues as he casts the shadow of Chaos over Orders every pathetic attempt to rule over all. “Your world may be at peace for now, but it will never remain. The shadow of Chaos will come again.”

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Day 27: Lunch

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