damned_institute | Day 32: Sun Room (2nd shift)

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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.

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Of course he didn't believe her. But it was the only answer she had!

Anise cringed when she was shifted into this new position; an embrace that was similar to the previous one, and yet so very different now that she knew just who it was beside her. Not only was it a disgusting reminder of how easily she'd been deceived just minutes ago, but this way, it was certain that no one would come to her rescue.

The girl took a deep, shaky breath, ignored the pounding in her chest, and answered the God-General with a scowl. "It's Landel's Institute. A mental hospital. And I know the Commandant's got nothing to do with it."

"A mental hospital?" It made sense considering the uniforms the staff wore, but that damn well didn't explain how he got here.

As for why, well, he wasn't going to delve into that.

However, the fact that both Anise and Ion were here struck him as odd. He didn't deny the fact that the girl he was holding could be described as a raving lunatic, but given the other replica's mellow attitude he found his presence to be out of place.

Sync merely snorted when Anise commented about the Commandant, pulling her hair lightly before moving on to the next batch of questions.

"What happens at night?"

"On the outside, yeah." Anise wasn't about to recognize this dump as a real hospital.

How much longer was this bastard going to hold her like that!? Anise shifted uncomfortably in her seat - as much as she was able, anyway - wishing she were anywhere but here. These questions he asked were all about common knowledge! He didn't have to be such a creep about it!

Reluctantly, she answered the next one. "Everything changes at night. The lights go out, the doors unlock, and monsters come out. It's the only time we can move around freely, but nobody ever gets far."

Sync just rolled his eyes when Anise shifted around, half-tempted to punch her in the stomach to get her to stop squirming so much. However, he stopped and listened to her answer, letting those words sink in for a minute before doing the unimaginable.

He laughed.

It wasn't as loud as he usually laughed, but it was enough to force his face into the girl's back as to not gain any unwanted attention. It took a moment for him to compose himself, rubbing his face into his sleeve before replying.

"So you're saying they keep us here to kill us off?" The God-General asked jokingly, clearly unimpressed.

What was so funny!?

That laugh was downright creepy, and it made Anise even more uncomfortable than she already was. For a moment, she had to wonder if maybe Sync just didn't believe her, and was laughing at how absurd it sounded.

Anise had to admit, it sounded pretty crazy the first time around.

When he spoke again, it was still hard to tell what the hell he thought of it all. "How should I know!?" Anise snapped, her voice hushed a bit in hope that he would stop finding reasons to yank on her poor hair. "They do all kinds of weird stuff around here. I don't know why they do it, or if there even is a reason!"

"You're so useless," Sync mocked. "I don't know why Ion continues to pull at dead weight like you."

He paused for a second as if having noticed something important before sneering.

"In fact, I don't know why he talks to you at all after what you've done to him. Fon Master Guardian? Ha! More like Fon Master Traitor."

The God-General made sure to dig those words deep by pulling her into a tight embrace, whispering into her ear whilst using Ion's voice.

"Why did you do it, Anise...?"

Anise looked as though she had been struck. Those words hurt far more than any injury Sync could have possibly inflicted on the girl.

And what hurt most was knowing that it was true.

Even if her friends tried to make her feel better about it, and even if Ion himself seemed to forgive her, it didn't change the fact that she was the reason the Fon Master's life had been cut short. There was no excuse for it. Ion had been nothing but kind to her, and yet she made him suffer so much...

Hearing that gentle voice just once more was all it took to pierce through any remaining emotional defenses. Anise's body went rigid as though completely frozen, her eyes wide and slowly filling with tears. She couldn't muster the strength to struggle against the embrace, nor to argue the harsh words. How could she? He was right.

Oh this was rich.

Sync could barely contain himself when he felt Anise's body grow rigid in his arms. Even though he couldn't see her face he had a good idea of what was happening. After all, this hadn't been the first time he played this game.

Pathetic.

"Please don't cry," The God-General murmured softly, slipping back into his facade flawlessly. "I know it wasn’t your fault..."

Eyes now half-lidded, he carefully leaned forward so that his cheek was now pressed up against hers, gently rubbing them together as he continued on.

"You had no choice but to turn me in to Mohs, even if you knew I couldn't read the Planet Score without..."

Something inside Anise was breaking. The tears began to roll down her cheeks, and her body trembled as though under immense weight. The grief, the guilt, it all came crashing down at once as the events of that horrible day replayed in her mind. Whether her eyes were open or closed, all she could see was that gentle face, growing paler with each passing moment...

"Ion..."

It was her fault. Everyone knew it, but no one would come out and say it. Not even Ion, the very person she had wronged so much, was willing to give her the blame she deserved. It was wrong, wasn't it? There was no way her crimes should be so easily forgiven.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, "I'm so sorry..."

The whole irony of this situation was almost enough to make Sync cackle. He didn't care if his cheek was now soaked; in fact, he enjoyed it. Whatever bad mood surfaced earlier that morning was easily snuffed out by the sobbing girl in his arms, knowing damn well that he was the one that made her cry.

The God-General slowly pulled away from Anise only to force her body around until she faced him, reaching forward and pressed both thumbs under her eyes to wipe off those trails of tears. His grin had all but disappeared, replaced with the soft smile of the Fon Master’s. Sync carefully cupped Anise's face with both hands, making it look downright possessive as he leaned forward until their foreheads touched.

"... I forgive you."

Now Anise was face to face with the very image she had been seeing in her mind's eye. The girl heard those words of forgiveness, words she had long wanted to hear from those same lips, in that same voice... but it was wrong.

Part of Anise, somewhere deep down, was still aware that this person wasn't her Ion. He was only a phony, and she just couldn't stop her own emotional response to his tricks. That knowledge only added to the self-loathing she was already feeling. Why was she so weak?

That soft, warm touch seemed to suck the girl dry of any remaining will to resist. She couldn't move, couldn't speak, and couldn't even bring herself to try. Anise could only stare helplessly into those green eyes, so close to hers that it was overwhelming. It felt like he could see right through her.

He sat like that for what felt like ages, staring into those lost eyes as if reaching right into her soul. Unlike Ion's green eyes, which held so much life in them that they could make anyone smile, Sync's was hollow, reflecting much of what was inside his own being. That foreign smile on his lips whittled away until there was nothing left, leaving nothing but an emotionless gaze that saw right through her.

Sync held no remorse with what he'd done. He only lived to see those around him suffer, to feel the emptiness that he felt and to die without knowing what happiness truly was anymore. The God-General finally ran his fingertips down the contours of Anise's cheeks, letting them fall to either side of him before he pulled away. He kept his eyes connected with hers, slowly rising from the couch and took a few steps back. It wasn't until Sync was a yard away did he speak, his words lined with venom as he glared down coldly at her.

"I hope it eats you alive."

Anise served no purpose for him anymore, and with that he turned and left.

The smile, the embrace - all warmth Anise had felt until then began to melt away. All she was left with was a numb feeling, one so enfeebling that she didn't even react when Sync dealt the finishing blow. She merely sat and watched him go, not seeming to acknowledge the tears that continued to roll down her face.

Slowly, she wrapped her arms around her own shivering body, and remained like that for a few minutes, until a passing nurse realized there was something wrong with the girl. When Anise didn't respond to any of the concerned woman's questions, she was quickly carried out of the room for a proper examination.

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Day 32: Sun Room (2nd shift)

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