damned_institute | Day 28: Bus 2

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Day 28: Bus 2

Momo tugged on the collar of the light blue sweater she was wearing as she followed her nurse to wherever these buses were, winding her hair up into its customary bun as she went. It was an odd feeling, knowing she was about to go outside of the institute's borders. Maybe the Head Doctor was about to make an error and the shinigami, as well as everyone else, would no longer be limited and they could finish what they started several nights back.

That was probably too much to hope for. She was feeling better this morning, even with the blood moon, and was mildly looking forward to the bus ride. Captain Jack said he was going to be here this morning and even if it wasn't customary breakfast in the cafeteria, she's be satisfied with him sitting next to her on the bus.

The nurse handed her a muffin, some napkins, and a small box with a straw. She stared at this box for a moment before shaking it. From the sound it contained liquid. How odd... Momo wasn't sure why they would but liquid inside a small paper box - it didn't make any sense to her and she wasn't sure how one was supposed to get it out of the box.

Clambering onto an empty bus, Momo chose to sit in the very back near the emergency exit. Maybe she could force her way out of it as they were moving and escape the limiter enough to come back and level the institute, freeing everyone. Or maybe she just wanted to be able to see everyone that was on the same bus as her. Wishful thinking versus reality.

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What -- how should he know? Stork had never encountered these boxes before, and had no intention of using his for anything other than study or a projectile weapon. He glanced at his own, then at the boy's, then back at his own.

"I don't know." Curiosity temporarily seizing control, Stork pried his own straw off the box and peeled off the wrapper, looking at the top of the box. There was a little silvery section that looked weaker than the rest - that must be where it went. "Put it in here, maybe?"

Success - his straw went in. And now, with his curiosity satisfied, terror reclaimed his mind - he'd not only helped what was probably an extremely dangerous psychopath, but he'd opened the box. Whatever was inside was now leaking into the air, possibly poisoning him and everyone else around him.

... it didn't smell that bad, though. Kind of ... fruity.

"Oh! THAT'S how you do it!" Hellmaster reacted as if the thought had never crossed his mind and copied his companion. Grinning, he took a sip of his juice and thanked Stork. "I never would have figured that out on my own, Mister! What's your name?"

Not that he cared especially who Stork was. He was more interested in determining if the man had any sort of purpose in his plans.

This kid was too innocent, too cute and adorable and altogether stereotypical to be real. Stork curled in tighter on himself (or as much as he could, anyway, without crushing his internal organs) and dropped the juicebox back in the bag.

" ... Stork." He'd had an internal battle for a few critical moments, trying to decide between giving his real name and the name they insisted on calling him here. But he came to the conclusion that if he gave the name they called him, then it would practically be committing himself to this place forever.

Oh, sure, it was all mental, but sometimes that was the worst.

Stork?

"Isn't that a bird, Mister?" What an odd name. The man didn't look particularly avian, though he was acting strangely. It was as if he was frightened of Hellmaster. It was actually rather lovely, except Phibrizzo had done nothing to warrant such behavior nor had he revealed himself. Did this man know more than he should?

"What are you afraid of, Mr. Stork?"

A ... bird? Sure, maybe, but not one that he'd ever seen. It wasn't an uncommon name for a Merb. And if there was a bird called a stork, then it was only fitting that he piloted an airship ...

No distractions! The kid had switched topics. What was Stork afraid of? Did he want an alphebetical list, or a chronological one? Oh, the horrors that plagued his mind day and night, waking and sleeping, living and --

... nevermind.

"Oh, nothing." Stork crunched his bag up in his hands, feeling the muffin inside squish. "Just the idea of this ... transport, whatever it is, taking us to some unknown destination that may or may not be what they claim it is, winding up being kidnapped again or killed upon arrival, tiny indiginous insects flying in through these open windows and burrowing into our brains, or this transport itself careening wildly off the road and plunging all of us to our horrible, prolonged, firey dooms."

Because those were just as valid as the idea of the boy sitting next to him turning into a homicidal psychopathic murderer.

This guy was a RIOT! Phibrizzo couldn't have asked for a better seat mate- he would be just perfect to torment.

"Well, I don't think we need to worry about dying. They said they wouldn't kill the people they gave lucky stars to, right? I guess we can be glad we have nothing to worry about, can't we, Mister?"

... he'd never heard anything about any lucky stars.

Seized for a moment by unerring panic, Stork pulled open his bagged breakfast again and began digging through it, looking desperately for any sign of a star before pausing and turning his attention back to the too-happy boy sitting next to him.

This could just be a way of tormenting him - if this kid really was a psychopath in disguise. If he thought clearly, everything would be okay. Well, no, it wouldn't, but it might make him feel a little better.

"What. Star." Stork kept his hands poised on the edges of the bag, ready to resume his search or use it as a projectile should either instance become necessary.

Phibrizzo stared at him wide-eyed, as if confused. "The...star they put with your coupons if they weren't going to take you to be slaughtered?" He fished around in his pockets and produced the Ofuda Seishirou had given him. "They said to show this when we got where we were going and they'd let you live."

He cocked his head and blink. "Didn't you get one?"

He'd never heard anything about that. Ever. Stork ripped his bag back open and fumbled through it, withdrawing the coupons and flipping through them wildly.

Nothing. No star. Not a single mark similar to the one in the hands of the boy sitting next to him.

... now, it was still entirely possible that this was all just a ruse, coughed up by the little brat sitting next to him in an attempt to freak him out. After all, the nurse hadn't mentioned a thing when giving him and his roommate their clothes, and as far as he could tell, nobody else had made mention of it. But maybe only the special chosen ones had been given the stars? And then ... then ... told not to speak of it? But this kid, so young and naive, just went ahead with it anyway ...

...

He was going to puke, he just knew it.

"Get one of the nurses," he muttered, burying his face in his hands as all the scenarios of death and doom possible (and they were many) flitted gleefully through his head. "I'm going to be sick."

"EHHHHH?!" Phibrizzo acted shocked. "You don't have one?!" He put his hands to his mouth and looked absolutely horrified. "But then...then...oh, no!"

Stork curled his long fingers in his hair and pulled, trying to regain some sense of sanity (although there was always the idea that he'd never had any, and that was why he was here). Everything coming out of this kid's mouth was making him feel worse and worse, and he seriously felt like he was going to vomit.

Then he glanced over at the boy, chewed his lip, and thought.

"So ... if I asked the people in front of me if they've heard about this, they'll tell me the same thing?" Sure, he was being a little suspicious, but this place hadn't seemed all that threatening during the daylight hours ... yet.

Phibrizzo continued the act. "I don't know, but we should ask them!" He nodded firmly. "I think we should be sure it's not a joke! And maybe you aren't the only one who's going to die!"

He shuddered slightly. "I don't want you to die. I just met you."

Stork opened his mouth to respond when the bus they were on came to life, and he clung to the seat in front of him for dear life. For a few brief moments, the low rumbling and coughing and choking of the bus' engine made him panic beyond all belief - that didn't sound right the engine was going to explode they were all going to die and he was probably right over it - but when it started moving and nobody was going up in flames, he calmed down considerably.

... back on the topic of being slaughtered the second he stepped off the bus.

It didn't seem like this place would try to slaughter them in the daytime. Judging from what he'd read on the bulletin board and from listening to other people, they did their best to make the daylight hours seem as normal as possible. So despite his paranoia screaming frantically at him to think otherwise, Stork held a healthy amount skepticism when it came to the kid's insistence that the lucky stars would keep them safe.

"I somehow seriously doubt they'd kill us so quickly if they've gone to all the work of making the institute into a hellhole at night, complete with puzzles and horrible monsters." It just didn't fit with the image.

Phibrizzo shrugged and smiled at his "friend". "Well, then that means you aren't going to die, Mister! That's great!" He put the ofuda back into his pocket and sipped his juice happily, taking a bite from his muffin every so often. Seeing that Stork wasn't eating, he pointed to his bag. "Can I have your muffin?"

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Day 28: Bus 2

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