Day 29: Courtyard

[deathbymidget.livejournal.com]

Hiei easily grew sick of the same walls--not to mention the same idiots always within those walls--and while not perfect, the chance to go outside was better than lingering in the boundaries of that damned prison. So when the chance came, the demon was quick to leap on it, heading outside almost quick enough to make a nurse wonder if he was attempting escape.

Almost.

But there were things Hiei had to take care of before he left this place, and first came sorting through his thoughts. Kurama was gone; the demon was sure of it, even without the use of his Jagan. The fox was one of the people Hiei was closest to, one of the few Hiei would admit being close to, and his presence weighed heavily on the demon, nearly as heavy as his absence.

It made him angry, that Kurama had vanished. Be it by escape or some other circumstance (which Hiei barely considered possible, only by his own refusal), the fox should be there with him, fighting with him. That was how they worked, supposedly. As a team.

Now Hiei would have to do without. And he would be fine with that, eventually. For now it was annoying, but that would pass. Perhaps quicker with a nap, and the demon moved under one of the trees. He didn't care that it was colder in the shade; his contrasting origins mixed with his stubbornness kept the weather from bothering him too much. Closing his eyes, he relaxed against the bark, as much as he could given the circumstances, and hoped for a lack of bothering.

Comments

[whiteychan.livejournal.com]

[waiting for Momo]

As the nurses called his companion away, Hitsugaya took the opportunity to lie back down on the bench and take a little nap. The air was nice and crisp and cool, and the chill relaxed him. It had been a while since he had the opportunity to truly relax, and perhaps this shift he might actually have the opportunity.

A sleeping boy is a growing boy, his grandmother had always told him.

[hajike-tobiume.livejournal.com]

After her visit from Aizen, Momo had been taken to get the stitches she'd ripped replaced, fresh bandages and a new shirt. She did not resist the nurses at all. In fact, she didn't even seem to register their presence or what was being done to her. She just moved when they wanted her to and stayed still otherwise. Her coat had been discarded as the buttons had been popped off and the nurse tried to engage the shinigami in conversation as she refit a new sling on her right arm. Momo did not respond.

After she'd been tended to, the nurse slowly lead Momo outside to the courtyard. The shinigami went along, her movement slow and she did not pull away from the contact of the nurse like she normally did, and she was soon brought over to the bench that Hitsugaya was laying upon.

"Here, Jehna, some fresh air will do you good," the nurse said to Momo as they got closer. "I know it's hard trying to separate reality from your fantasy world, but Mr. Hollister cares greatly for you and only wants to see you get better. Maybe after some more time, when you've had more therapy, you'll improve enough and we'll allow you another visit from him."

The nurse nodded at Hitsugaya. "You've made friends with Tommy, right, Jehna?" Momo vaguely nodded her head as she registered there had been a question asked of her, though her eyes were not even looking at Hitsugaya, but across the way. "Good, good... Just sit down here and relax."

The nurse tried to guide her to sit upon the end of the bench, but Momo automatically sank down to kneel on the ground before the bench. As the shinigami settled back onto her legs, the nurse sighed and patted her lightly on the top of her head. "There's a good girl," she told the kneeling woman.

"Tommy," the nurse said to Hitsugaya. "Jehna isn't feeling well. Be a good boy and try and make her smile?" Without waiting for a response, the nurse left the two shinigami alone.

Momo stayed settled upon the ground, her right arm restrained in the sling while her left hand curled into her lap. She stared at a spot on the ground a few feet in front of her, her sight unfocused, and her hair hung limply down about her face, obscuring the spiderwork of broken blood vessels that traversed the left side of her face.

[whiteychan.livejournal.com]

He heard the nurse approaching long before she addressed him, and one eye opened in irritation at being disturbed from his nap. That was until he saw it was Momo, and saw that something didn't seem quite right about her. She seemed quieter than normal, her expression strangely distant and unlike the normal bright and cheerful shinigami.

Hitsugaya raised up from the bench and swung his legs back over so that they rested comfortably on the ground. He brushed his hair back into place with one hand, glaring up at the nurse with a fierce and deep loathing. "Just leave us..." he said, but stopped his sentence once he noticed that the nurse had already turned to leave. "Damn nurses," he grumbled.

He glanced back over in Momo's direction, feeling discomfort at her being so near. Things since the bus had felt so awkward, he wasn't sure what to make of it...but more than that, something was off. It wasn't in any one peculiar way she acted, it was the whole, some unidentifiable sensation he felt that told him Hinamori wasn't entirely herself. He leaned forward to get as good a look of her face as he could, hoping maybe for one brief moment that she would glance in his direction. He couldn't describe why, but it seemed important that she look at him. "Momo..." he addressed her quietly. "What's wrong?"

[fyeonly.livejournal.com]

(waiting for Sheska)

Being outside was slightly better than being inside. Naomi had spent a good bit of time working out, using the exercise to clear her mind. It tended to help. But afterwards she was sore and worn out and headed to the courtyard to rest.

Maybe someone out there would have a cigarette she could bum.

At least she was feeling more calm and rational now. She wasn't sure if she was compartmentalizing or if her brain had just decided to stop being shocked as a defense mechanism. Either way, she was at least in a better place than she had been.

She found an empty bench - the courtyard was blissfully near empty as it was - and sank down onto it.

[verbatim-worm.livejournal.com]

Sheska had argued with herself for a long time, but finally put the books away and left the Library. She wanted to take them with her, but nobody had said it was allowed and, well, she had something else she needed to do.

Only... she forgot to ask Hideki where to find him! The only reply she'd received was 'yes' and that wasn't helpful. She should have thought it out better. But, instead of sitting around the board, hoping he'd appear, she went to find him herself. It was supposed to be easy since he was rather odd looking. But she wasn't having any luck.

Until she saw his friend! The lady she'd spoken too who had also rescued him from the bus (making a way out for Sheska too).

"Excuse me!" she called out, jogging to the woman. "You're Hideki Ryuga's friend, aren't you? Do you remember me, we spoke once?"

[fyeonly.livejournal.com]

Oh. It was her 'friend'. Naomi forced herself to smile, politely, and scooted over on the bench to give the girl room.

"Yes, you're Sheska. The girl who likes paper and books." And had a computer memory inside of her little skull. "I remember. Please, sit down."

[icy-demise.livejournal.com]

[[Hi Hiei! Have an ice warrior!]]

It was partly relieving to be away from Ami, though at the same time he felt as if he was missing something about her. She asked a lot of questions, though, and SubZero was tired of satisfying curiosity, even if it did give him a chance to boast about his abilities.

It was nice to be outside, there weren't many people out yet. He looked suspiciously at the short person leaning against the tree with his eyes closed. Another kid, probably a kid with some kind of ability.

Ami hadn't claimed to have one, but SubZero was sure that she did, just like Haku. Normal kids wouldn't stand a chance of surviving in this place.

[deathbymidget.livejournal.com]

Maybe the only thing potentially more annoying to Hiei at the moment than a pesky human bothering him with an endless amount of nonsense was a pesky human just staring at him without bothering to start the nonsense so it could be over with that much faster. Either way, the demon did not appreciate the stare, and opened his eyes to tell this stranger just that.

"I don't know what interest you have in me, but you can take it elsewhere." Hiei didn't move beyond giving SubZero a scowl, and crossing his arms firmly over his chest to signify that no, the ice warrior wasn't welcome there.

[sword-and-demon.livejournal.com]

Sparda really did not feel like getting up from where he was sitting beneath the shade of one of the trees.

It was pleasant, and peaceful, and peace was very hard to find in this place. There were things to be done but he still had time to do them before night arrived.

He glanced up towards the sun to note it's position in the sky before relaxing once more.

[dragon-lady-m.livejournal.com]

There was a certain advantage to being, to all intents and purposes, just another old woman, if one possessed of copious amounts of what her fussy next-door neighbour back home sanitized to 'vinegar'.

The advantage lay in that there were certain behaviors that one expected of the old. Slow and shuffling walks in the sunshine were one of them.

M, despite the nascent arthritis she kept resolutely ignoring, did not have to shuffle. But the pace suited her need for slow and methodical study, and the attention she was turning on the grounds and the walls and the gardens could easily be interpreted as some old Englishwoman's dotty fascination with gladioli.

Coming upon one of the trees, and spotting That Young Chap With The Sword, she lifted one liver-spotted hand in a wave to him, and called over a "Mr. Sparda." of greeting.

[daddyslilkiller.livejournal.com]

Omi wasn't really surprised when Aya finally left to go... wherever he went. Not like they'd been doing much beside sitting there, so he couldn't exactly blame Aya for le-

they left him alone

He clenched his eyes shut against the memory, feeling sick again. And this time there was no Aya to force him to think of something else. He jerked up out of the chair, shivering, and headed for...

Well, actually, he wasn't really headed anywhere, but he eventually found himself in the courtyard. Good enough, and he didn't see anyone who was likely to stop him from wandering off on his own for a while. Good enough.

[black-ageha.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it was the mark of a true sociopath, to be able to remember none of the faces of the people he had killed. They were too numerous, meaningless. Dissociated from anything that merited a pause in Kikyo's mind, like guilt or sorrow.

What he could remember was the thirst for the kill, and the way the hilt of his sword seemed to throb in his fingers from the pulsing heat of his blade. Of all the heirlooms his father could have left behind, that sword was the only one that passed to him. It was a survivor, like Kikyo was.

Sometimes when he walked the grounds during the daylight hours, he could almost smell the scent of blood still lingering in the air. Maybe it was just imagined, though surely this very same air had been saturated with it the night before.

He walked with silent footsteps through the courtyard, breathing in that crisp autumn breeze. He paused to admire the waves rippling over the pond when he noticed he was not alone.

"Good afternoon," he murmured, giving a pale smile at the young stranger.

[forgot-it-all.livejournal.com]

The nurses had patched him up, putting a large bandage on his cheek and wrapping gauze around the other injuries. He hadn't wanted to leave his mother, but the shift had ended and everyone had been escorted out. As soon as his nurse let him go, Ritsuka ran outside with the book he'd taken out last time. Now that he was sitting under a tree, far from everyone else, he was finally able to think.

His mother, Jordan's mother, whoever she was, it didn't matter. She had lost her child and now she was alone. If that was really Misaki, if she had been taken from their home and made to believe these lies, then Ritsuka would get back to her as soon as he could. He was just glad to see that she was alive and still the same as he remembered her.

He could have done without the new injuries, but these were familiar in a way. Staying out of sight, but keeping an eye out for Soubi, Miku or Alfons, Ritsuka started reading and tried to relax.

[heraldric.livejournal.com]

It was starting to get colder in the shade now, and though Leon had tried to get back to napping after Dias had left, he found his efforts futile. Yawning, he got to his feet and dusted off a few errant strands of grass from when he'd pulled them up a while before. Maybe he could find a place in the last remains of sun to nap some more before they were called in for dinner.

As he made his way back to the path, he caught sight of another boy about his age and paused. He hadn't really been looking for more company, and it didn't seem like this boy was either, but there weren't many other kids his age in the institute overall... wouldn't it be best if he got to know some of them? Despite the fact that he considered himself intellectually superior than many who were older than he was, he could still use some non-adult company. At least the boy was reading.

"Hey," he began, sitting next to Ritsuka with a smile. He noticed the bandages, but figured they were left over injuries from the night before. "Sorry to bother you, but... I'm Leon. How's it going?"

[blacksustenance.livejournal.com]

[About to bump into Peter Petrelli]

Apparently fresh air was supposed to be good for the soul, according to the orderly escorting him. To Brock, after living in New York, fresh air was still a bit of a novelty, but he couldn't say it was doing much for his soul. Still, he guessed it was that or try to enjoy the fresh air during the night and try to survive, which didn't exactly leave him free to do much else.

He wasn't sure how he felt about the conversation with Parker. The kid just filled him with far too many damn mixed feelings, like a goddamn woman, and he was getting tired of it, to tell the truth. Getting tired of not knowing exactly if he was going to sock Parker or - or something. All he knew was that everything he did, sometimes even what the Spider thought, was important. Like earth-shattering important. He missed the days when he knew exactly how he felt about people and what to say around them; but those days were over, and besides, he wouldn't trade them for the world. He'd trade his days as a free human for a life-time of Landels so long as his Other was there.

Ugh. He'd seen how Parker had been looking at him as they'd been talking about their bonding. Like he thought they were nuts. How he of all people could think that was beyond Brock.

The blond wandered down the path, head bent down slightly...

[human-sponge.livejournal.com]

When the nurse explained the different options of where Peter could go to him, it hadn't taken long for him to decide on the courtyard. As he had walked down the halls with the woman, he had realized that this definitely had to be a facility of some sort. Considering they were "taking care" of his brother, whatever that meant, he was going to stick to his theory that the Company was involved in this in one way or another.

With all that in mind, he didn't think he was going to get many chances to go outside. On a more practical note, if he got a look at the surrounding area he might be able to pinpoint where he was, exactly.

On the way there, he was led through a large room with comfy chairs and with a number of other people wearing the same clothes as him, lounging around and talking like this was all normal, and then through a cafeteria with more of the same. This at least meant that there were others who were in the same position as he was, but who had been around longer and might be able to help him work through what was going on.

Then he reached the courtyard, which ended up being a lot more quaint than he had expected. It reminded him a little of Central Park, actually. It wasn't, and this didn't look anything like New York, but he couldn't really say it looked like anywhere, seeing how the whole area was man-made.

Once the nurse explained that if he walked down the dirt path he would reach a pond and benches where he could relax and meet the other "patients," she let him be.

Peter noticed that she was still watching him, if from a distance.

After sighing and brushing back his hair, he set down the path as he tried to figure out who he should talk to. A lot of the others were already engaged in conversations and he wasn't sure if he wanted to interrupt. It occurred to him that if he really wanted to, he could probably fly up and get a better look at what laid behind the walls, but he knew better than to try something like that in broad daylight with so many people around.

Then he realized that he was nearing up behind a blond man and decided to take his chances. "Hey, uh. Excuse me?" he called out.

[thehellismycar.livejournal.com]

His body seemed to be moving of its own accord. He couldn't think straight, sucking in short breaths as he stopped by the main rooms, eyes wide and darting left right centre. The armor wasn't as impenetrable as he'd like to boast it was at the moment, yet nothing could be done to make him falter in his tracks, the will to jab anyone who dared to intervene deemed rational by this point.

As far as he was concerned, this was a mission.

Running a hand over his face, he paused in the courtyard, silently demanding his heart quit its ruthless pounding, his teeth grinding but those eyes betraying the deepest anxiety. He stalked around the pond, on the lookout for his brother with the next course of action already lined up for if the younger man refused to show in five, four, three, two --

[neverreallyfit.livejournal.com]

One might wonder if the luck that brought Sam out before the count reached one was good or ill. Regardless of the answer, he did show his face, pausing briefly to blink his eyes back into focus against the bright light of the sun - and to take note of his surroundings. Daylight or no, so far as he was concerned the institute all but defined the term 'hostile territory'.

He looked faintly abstracted, as was so often the case, as though his thoughts chased down some path completely separate from the one his body took. Which was, despite the apparent distraction, unerringly in Dean's direction.

[beloved-less.livejournal.com]

Soubi has tracked Ritsuka down but wasn't going to approach. Despite the absolute desire to hold Ristuka and keep him away from anybody who might hurt him. That woman had been here. She'd harmed Ritsuka. And Soubi had done nothing but wait in the Sun Room, lonely. He'd known something was up. Or perhaps it was just paranoia. But he should have been there to shield the boy. He'd failed once again and no punishment would come to him. Therefore, he would not be forgiven.

He hated this limbo. A cigarette would have made it somewhat more bearable, but if he started smoking, others would flock to him. He wasn't going to have that. Instead, he sat and watched Ritsuka.

[usoppsenchou.livejournal.com]

At the announcement of the shift change, Usopp finally wandered outside for some fresh air even if it wasn't the salty scent of home. It was just like this place to change around as he was starting to have an interesting conversation.

But it also made him pensive. The Dr. seemed to be a lot better at this whole 'invention' thing--which shouldn't have been a surprise, he'd only played with it at home and the most complex thing he'd ever built had been the ClimaTact, but it still stung a little. Between that, and the alchemists...

Yuber was still his ally, though. And Sai seemed to think there was some value in what they were doing, at least for themselves if not as something to share. Still feeling awkward, he sat down on the grass and opened his notebook. Instead of working on some new design, he found himself idly sketching Captain Usopp standing atop some very large and black-clad opponent with triumph.

He still hadn't seen Luffy or the others today, either.

[Feel free to bug ^^]

[multiweapon.livejournal.com]

( No one has bothered yet, soo.. *awkward kind of bother.* )

After the awkward and strange exchange inside the Arts and Crafts room, the rogue decided that going elsewhere was a good idea. After all, it didn't hurt to take a look around after being holed up in that room for so long. Haseo made his way outside, despite the encounter from that monster the previous night tugging at the back of his mind. With how rediculous this place was there was no telling what would happen next. "Better not let my guard down." He muttered out loud--a lingering habit from the game.

As the rogue reached the entrance to the area he paused. The field, or whaterver it was called, looked reltively normal and sunny. He placed a palm on his side while panning a view over the landscape: People were littered around the area chatting to each other, or just off by themselves. The bustle reminded him a little of Mac Anu or at least regular civilization in general, loosely compared.

With none of the monsters from the previous night among the fields occupants (not that he'd have to worry about them) Haseo made his way out among the people. It was the innitial idea to head for the back and watch everyone like he did in that old root town. On his way, though, he happened to peer over and see what one of the sitting inhabitants was scribbling on paper.

'What the heck is that.' Not that Haseo meant to stare over someone's shoulder, but the picture was weird enough that he had to stop and take a better look.

[somber-secret.livejournal.com]

[ ♥]

When "his father" had finally disappeared altogether, Hisoka was left unsettled and aggravated. A part of him felt the almost overwhelming urge to scream and just break something and another wanted nothing more than to just sit there. He didn't need to do anything today, beyond talk to Kurikara, and that could wait.

His nurse felt differently, apparently. After a short moment to himself, the woman came, clucking her tongue disapprovingly--it was Hisoka's fault afterall. His father was a good man, a wonderful man! He took the time to see him, he shouldn't have pushed him away--

Hisoka grit his teeth and tuned the woman out as she escorted him to the courtyard. What the hell did she know?! His father didn't care about him, he just cared about the family line! If his father cared he wouldn't have shoved him in that damn hole and locked the door behind him, but he did. Hisoka seethed as his nurse finally left him to seat himself on a nearby bench, did that make the bastard a good man?!.

[hotlittledragon.livejournal.com]

[*TACKLE*]

Everyone was pissed today. Kurikara didn't like it. He scanned the field for Hiei, taking careful note of his position before moving on towards the boy.

He'd never wanted to do this but he had to so he wasn't going to bitch about it.

"Yo, boy." He greeted, which was amazingly civilized considering his usual abusive Hisoka greetings. He paused for a moment, thinking.

"You want to skip the talk for now and just fight? Sedation will wear off by night shift."

He was never in the mood to deal with a grumpy repressed teenager, but that wasn't the entire issue. Hisoka needed to blow off some steam. Badly.

[koukakurou.livejournal.com]

[]

Oriya wasted no time in convincing his nurse to escort him outside. As pleasant as the Sun Room was with the sun warming the recliners, there was nothing like fresh air to relax his aching muscles and soothe the errant throb behind his eyes. The swordsman fought back an exasperated sigh, now if only the young woman accompanying him would be silent, perhaps he could relax sooner than expected.

Oriya couldn't have been happier when she finally left him. He shook his head at her retreating figure and seated himself in a warm patch of sunlight. Once done, the man stretched out, allowing the warmth of the sun to ease him into a semi-relaxed state despite the slight roiling in his stomach. A bit of rest would do him some good...

[simpleastherain.livejournal.com]

Orihime followed the nurse outside. At the least she would have liked to teach Keman how to draw people before the shift changed and the nurses came to drag them apart, but she was slowly getting used to unfinished conversations. She would talk to him again soon.

Orihime stretched once she found herself outside again. It was a nice day for this time of year. At home, in weather like this, she would be watching Tatsuki play soccer behind the school. It seemed like a long time ago now.

There were a few familiar faces in the courtyard already but no Ichimaru-san. If she talked to him now, what would she say? Would he laugh if she asked him to come to their picnic? Lately she was always caught somewhere between the past and a very uncertain future...which would make it the present. Maybe. Orihime was making her head hurt.

Then she saw Neko-san Oriya, sprawled in the sunlight looking like a contented cat. She walked over and sat down next to him as quietly as she could. If he was falling asleep she didn't want to wake him, though she did have a strange urge to pet him and see if he purred. Orihime closed her hand gently to keep from reaching out. Petting someone she'd only met a day ago might not be welcome.