Day 34: Lunch

[thatdamnedninja.livejournal.com]

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]

Comments

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"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."

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

"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.

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

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?"

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

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

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"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.

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

"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?

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"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-castaway.livejournal.com]

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?"

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"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."

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

"A snack? And if I'm not around it's because I got free of here!" He didn't like the turn this conversation was taking. He was practically shouting, which would attract attention too. "If that brat attacks me, I'll fight back."

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

Cocking his head as though listening to something, he smiled. "HE would like that I'm sure. Someone to fight, to vent his frustration. His inablility to save anyone here, to hide what he is. A few hours of blissful oblivion would be welcome I'm sure." He waved a hand.

"Calm down. Wasn't that what you told him just a few moments ago? Calm down? What will shouting at me get you? I have no interest in fighting you here and now. Shall I release him so that you can attack him?"

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

Shaking a bit with reaction, Tony crossed his arms over his chest. His anger wasn't quick to subside, but he knew it was pointless. "I won't attack him. Stay or not, but don't threaten me. I'm not helpless, you know."

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"Am I threatening you? Oh my. I was unaware. Do forgive me." His voice sounded sincere, though his eyes shone with amusement. "And here I thought you were tougher than you looked."

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

"All the more reason not to threaten me, Takaya-god-whatever you are." This was so different from what he was used to. People here were so cold.

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"I'm certainly not the worst this place has to offer you," he pointed out. "And I'm certainly not your enemy. As distasteful as I find it, Takaya would probably die to save every single person here that he's alienated and angered, even you, and I cannot fight that conviction." There was that smile again.

"A sense of justice can be easily manipulated though, and this place knows that quite well."

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

"I'm no savior either," Tony grumbled. "Even if I am different, I'm only a kid." But he did have a sense of justice, and of right and wrong. "Why do you hate everyone so much, especially Takaya?"

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"Do I hate him? He is me, after all, and hating him would imply that I hate myself." He smiled. "Is that what you're saying, Tony?" He put a slight purr on the name.

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

It was hard not to recoil at that animalistic purr. "People do. Hate themselves. Sometimes. And all I see in you is hate, so why not?"

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"I hate life." There was a definite purr to his voice that time, as though he got a great deal of enjoyment out of his loathing of all things living and happy. And he did.

"And Takaya is just that, as are you. So, I suppose I hate you as well."

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

Tony shivered. "Good for you. At least now you're being honest." He looked from side to side, wondering where he could retreat to if "Takaya" got murderous. He still didn't know if any of his strange talents would work.

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"I've been nothing but honest to you this whole time," 'Takaya' said, pretending to be hurt. "Unlike Takaya, whose lies will get him into trouble one day.

"Really, I'm impressed by you Tony."

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

"Impressed? Why?" He would never say he was nothing special, but-- "According to Takaya, I'm ordinary here."

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"You may be ordinary in one sense of the word, but..." He held up a finger. "You are sitting in what pretends to be a mental hosptial. You have no reason to believe anything I'm saying, and yet not once have I seen the thought of 'this guy must be crazy' cross your face. It's an interesting lack of reaction."

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

"Was I supposed to think that?" He jokingly called Tia crazy sometimes or a dope, but why did he believe this guy? "You don't sound as if you're lying," Tony ventured, though how he wasn't certain. "Do people usually say that?"

The first person he'd seen had said that this wasn't a real institution, but did that mean he should assume that no one here was crazy?

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"There are people here that are quite insane," he said. "Just not in the way this place makes them out to be. It might not be a real hospital, but that doesn't mean everyone here is as upstanding a character as you or Takaya here," he added, gesturing to his temple.