http://heraldric.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] heraldric.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] damned_institute2008-05-16 01:44 pm

Day 32: Sun Room (2nd shift)

After the couple glasses of water Leon managed to gulp down during breakfast, the mage felt immensely better. He was still a bit tired, but that was nothing a little lounging on one of the sofas wouldn't cure. Stretching his arms above his head, he couldn't help but wish he'd had the chance to grab one of his new doctor's coats before leaving his room that morning. Maybe they would have let him get away with wearing it. Maybe.

He grabbed an empty sofa, pulling out the journal he tried to keep on him at all times. It was nearly complete now. Just a couple more pages to go. It might not improve his spellcasting that much, but any improvement was better than none. It was getting to where it might be too dangerous for him to use spells at all, if it left him so worn out without even finishing a monster off.
ext_203323: Malcolm Jamieson as Armand St. Just in The Scarlet Pimpernel looking down while outside with a tree in background (thoughtful)

[identity profile] secret-orchard.livejournal.com 2008-05-17 10:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"I find it very hard sometimes to keep my natural prejudices in check. Yesterday I could not help telling Dr. Uzuki that the Catholic Church would consider his healing powers of the devil and take him for a witch. Tis a grim world I came from."

Her assurances made him uneasy. Armand ducked his head and avoided looking at her. "I did not say those things for you to bolster my fragile sense of importance. I know that what is needed here are chiefly fighters, great thinkers, and perhaps a leader. I am none of these things. You've been of far more assistance to me than I imagine I could be to you."

[identity profile] jurisfictional.livejournal.com 2008-05-18 08:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Thursday frowned at that. "I don't give compliments lightly, Armand. From what I can tell, you've been holding up rather well given the circumstances. I'm certain there's a reason everyone is here. Landel would hardly throw someone useless into a place like this - that wouldn't be any fun at all." All right, so perhaps that wasn't the most reassuring thing to say, but it was the truth.

Her frown softened slightly. "Besides, what good are thinkers and leaders without people to support them?"
ext_203323: Malcolm Jamieson as Armand St. Just in The Scarlet Pimpernel looking down while outside with a tree in background (thoughtful)

[identity profile] secret-orchard.livejournal.com 2008-05-19 07:35 pm (UTC)(link)
He didn't contradict her. That would be worse than what he'd said to begin, but he answered her frown with his own. He thought that evil Dr. Landel was just as interested in seeing how 'useless' people cracked and broke in his Institute as the more competent ones. "I didn't mean--" Then he simply shook his head. "I had a thought the other day that I wanted to lay at the feet someone more astute than I. What if the source of Dr. Landel's great power over us is the result of some bargain that requires him to give us some modest freedoms at night to seek our own goals? I know the best of us want to defeat him, not simply escape."

He dropped his chin to his chest, trying not to meet her eyes as he thought. Organizing such ideas for scrutiny by another wasn't his best skill, but he'd been trained in legal argument. He had some vestige of that training remaining. "Let me suggest rather, that if there were such a bargain, who might it be with and what other concession did Landel have to give? It's only an idea, but I know people have remarked on how appalling his control is. Even whatever was used against us at breakfast the other day was extraordinary." As was the nearly endless supply of staff.

[identity profile] jurisfictional.livejournal.com 2008-05-20 07:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Thursday nodded thoughtfully.

"It's certainly an interesting idea," she said slowly. "To tell the truth, I never really considered where Landel's powers come from - or why he has them to begin with. I'd just assumed he was an extremely dangerous megalomaniac and left it at that."

She shrugged. "As for whom he might've made the bargain with? Nobody's coming to mind except the devil himself, if there is one."
ext_203323: Malcolm Jamieson as Armand St. Just in The Scarlet Pimpernel looking down while outside with a tree in background (thoughtful)

[identity profile] secret-orchard.livejournal.com 2008-05-20 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
"I know not a few men bent on dominating others. I am related to a particularly infamous example. Most don't achieve the kind of power this Landel has here. It troubles me greatly, even more so than my inclusion in his prison." Armand's frown only deepened. He hoped that Thursday recognized that his displeasure was not directed at her.