damned_institute | Day 34: Lunch

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Day 34: Lunch

Yuffie bounced all the way through collecting her lunch, all the way to a good seat- one with a nice view of the whole cafeteria, which was something she'd been missing out on during the past day or so that she'd been stuck in the Institute- and hell, she even bounced into her seat.

A good mood? No, really?

Despite the occasional blip, talking to Sagara had been awesome. He was a fun guy; he wasn't a prude, didn't have a stick shoved so far up his ass it was poking out his eyeballs, and he'd actually had a conversation with her. One that hadn't revolved around doom, gloom or how much life sucked. If she could find other people like that and keep in touch with Sagara, maybe there was a little hope for this place.

After a quick gulp of pink lemonade, Yuffie settled to munching through her food and keeping an eye on the door.

[Waiting for Dean, I think? :x]

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Takaya took a breath to shoot something back when his eyes widened and he quickly turned away. A hand clenched the table hard enough to turn his knuckles and fingers white.

"Are you aware of how many times that has been said?" He let out a breath, calm now, voice lower. Releasing the table, he sat back and considered the child beside him. "And it has yet to make an impression." Takaya slammed against the barriers that kept them separate, walls that, while still fresh and new, held fast. A defense of their own design. "Somehow I doubt that you will be the one to change him."

Dark blue eyes widened in surprise and a little fear. "Huh?" He licked his lips, then picked up his glass and drank deeply, pretending he was thirsty and not rattled. No, the voice was different. Tony could not mistake that.

"What? Who are you talking about?"

"Who do you think I'm talking about?" He settled into the chair with far more grace and ease than Takaya had and considered Tony. The amber eyes that had been bright with anger were now shuttered and cold. They were very much like an actual tiger's eyes, considering if the being across from him would be good to eat.

"Tak-Takaya? Then who are you? You sound different." He crossed his arms and leaned back a little.

"Aren't you a clever boy." A slow smile spread across his face. "I am Takaya," he said. "I'm what he could be, given enough time and motivation. You may still call me Takaya, if that would make you feel more at ease, though it is not my name."

"If that's what you want." In some ways, he'd rather have the whining snarker back just because he knew how to deal with that, snark back. This was a bit scarier. "Those eyes are yours?" He guessed only because they looked more animal now, more feral.

"They are. Do they bother you?" He feigned concern. "The staff here doesn't notice them at all, so I occasionally forget." A lie. He never forgot anything that gave him an edge.

"I'm used to animals," Tony said, which was partially a lie. It was Tia who got along with anything that had four feet. "Though I don't remember any tigers on South Water Street." He laughed, a bit nervous, trying to make his lame joke sound funny.

Ooh. Nervous, are we? "What about gods?" Let's see if he responded as expected. He hoped not.

"There's no such thing a gods," Tony said, even if he wasn't sure. Father O'Day certainly believed in one, or at least his horned adversary.

A low laugh eased out of his throat. It was cold and held no humor. "Do you really believe that? There are those here that claim to he Death Gods, you know." And as for his own family.... He wrenched his thoughts from that path. He had a shaky hold here already. He didn't need to give Takaya any openings to regain control.

"I'm not dead. Why should they matter to me? There's never been a god acting in my life for good or bad." His life had been mostly bad, except for Tia. "Everything me and my sister ever had we got throw effort."

"You and Takaya have so much in common," he said. "It's .... sweet." The last word was nearly hissed out. "A pity that he's too wrapped up in keeping people safe to see that."

"How are we alike?" Tony didn't want to see anything in common between himself and that whining boy.

His smile was empty. "Your deep feelings for your sisters, the lives you've led until now. Even down to hiding from various groups of people." He leaned forward, giving the impression of a large cat settling in to wait for the right time to pounce. "He used to be such a strong, brave young man. So bright."

Not wanting to back off any farther, Tony wished he had his harmonica again. "What happened to him?" He hoped the answer wasn't 'this place,' but he worried that it was.

"I did." A simple answer. "And this place gave me far more control than I had before, though not without cost." He would keep the memories of their past and allow Takaya to live his life here in peace. And in return... The cold smile widened for a moment, showing a flash of teeth.

"This place can take even the strongest of men and woman and break them given enough time. And Takaya has all the time in the world."

"Why do you say that?" Of all things that could happen, Tony didn't imagine breaking being one of them. Dying maybe. Failing to get out.

But then he remembered the advice he'd gotten today. Two different kinds of warnings against familiar faces. Would he really hold up against someone or something masquerading as Tia either to torment or hurt him?

"We'll get out of here," he said.

Takaya had renewed his efforts to regain control of his own mind, but the man wearing his face allowed none of that to show on his face. "I've watched it happen.

"The only way to leave is to stop the man playing god here. Simple escape is impossible. Do you think no one here has tried?"

"Do you mean the man on the intercom? The doctor?" Tony looked around again. "I just arrived, you know."

"Yes, I know. And yes, it is the man on the intercom." He spoke with almost limitless patience. "Martin Landel. You'll have the chance to hear his true nature once night falls."

He reached out for the glass of milk that Takaya had pushed away and frowned down at it before placing it back on the table. Instead, acting as though there was nothing odd or rude about his actions, he picked up Tony's glass of lemonade and took a drink from that. Much better.

"That's mine!" Tony snapped, reaching to take the glass back. "Are you always like this? Between the two of you, I can see why nobody sits with you. Why doesn't anyone--" Knock you on your ass?

"No one sits with us because Takaya takes great pains to keep everyone away. Can't have them meeting me, can we? But he's so terribly lonely." He didn't seem fazed by the removal of the glass from his hands. If anything, he only smiled a bit more, taking a renewed interest in Tony. His pupils widened, tracking all the movements he was making.

"Did you want to take me on boy? That would be something to see."

Tony set the glass down, leaning sideways to make sure it was out of Takaya's reach. "I'm not a bully, like some people. And you're no better than he is. If we get into a fight, we'll attract the nurses' attention. Do you want to get knocked out?"

"Personally? No, I don't have any desire to do anything that would attract their attention, but then I'm not the one suggesting a fight. Takaya would love to though. Should I let him back? He'll probably attack you and if he's sedated, he won't have to face you again."

Spreading his hands, he shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me one way or the other. You won't be staying around so you don't really matter to me." His eyes flashed in the light. "You're just a snack."

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