damned_institute | 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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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?"

Day 28: Bus 2

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