Day 35: Bus 1

[misterprince.livejournal.com]

Sanji woke up groggily to find his nurse already in his room. He gave a sleepy and half-hearted "Buh?" before realizing that nurse meant dayshift, and he'd fallen asleep after dinner.

"Shit!" He sat up abruptly, which gave his nurse a start. "Nami-swan!" How had he allowed himself to sleep through an entire night? What if she'd tried to return to the basement? What if she'd been waiting for him to appear and protect her? He'd let her down!

"There, there. Calm down." His nurse set a familiar flannel shirt down on the bed and Sanji eyed it with confusion. The last time he'd worn that had been... "Sorry I didn't knock or anything, but I was so excited~!" A pair of jeans followed the shirt. "Today is the field trip into town! Aren't you looking forward to it?"

The chef had to admit, the town had been an interesting enough place the last time he'd been. If he could find Nami early on he might even be able to lead her around... So he didn't complain too much as he changed into the other outfit (which he really wished they'd let him keep - anything was better than the regular gray) and was led out to the first of the buses.

He took a seat near the front, hopefully easily visible to any of his crew - especially to a certain member of his crew.

[for Usopp!]

Comments

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"If you want sullen silence, you may as well be sitting beside Takaya."

He thought about that. ""Of course, this implies that the town itself is completely under the thumb of Landel and one begins to wonder just how far one must go to escape."

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"I thought I had," Armand said.

"I have no logical reason to think that, but do you honestly think he'll let us speak to people not under his control?" He wasn't stupid. Some of these things Armand had considered during his less franticly worried times. One of the reasons he didn't like considering it at all was that it just made him more depressed to contemplate the depth of the malice and power held by Dr. Landel.

"It makes me hate him all the more."

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"Takaya doesn't come alone," he said with a cold smile.

"No, he wouldn't allow us the privilege of speaking freely, but the idea that he has the hospital and a town under total control, makes me wonder how much of this place is his.

Hatred is a good thing. So long as it doesn't blind you."

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"Do you suppose it could be a different world than anyone thinks it is? I mean, any of us?" He had no idea why he was asking this hostile person who had taken over Takaya's skin. "Hatred eats at my heart. Someday I'm afraid there will be nothing left of me."

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"It could be."

Smile widening, he seemed pleased. "Good. Hate keeps you focused, keeps you in control."

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"In control of what?" When he was angry or frightened, Armand didn't feel in control of anything. The emotion just carried him away into disasters and guilty heartbreak. "I can't imagine it's good for anyone to hate so much." He couldn't tear his attention from Kagetora now.

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"Hatred reminds you of who you are, what you are. It doesn't distract you from your goals. It keeps you in control of yourself." Kagetora knew hate. Had centuries of practice.

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps it does for you. Not me." Armand drew back and crossed his arms protectively over his chest. "I don't think well when I'm lost in such things."

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"It gets easier over time," he said, still smiling. "And over time, the emotion grows stronger."

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"I don't have a lot of time. I want free of here and back to my normal life. I'd made a mess of things there, and if I don't go back and keep my promises to Percy, everything will fall apart." Without keeping faith with his friend and leader, Armand felt the Englishman's forgiveness would be revoked, and that Armand would be condemned to the inner circles of hell with all traitors and betrayers.

His voice grew quieter as his thoughts drained hope from him. "I cannot afford to be stuck here playing Dr. Landel's games. How can my hate possibly free me of him?"

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"It will drive you forward much faster than other emotions. Hatred, desperation... It's all something that can serve you well in times like this."

This was far too much fun.

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"How can you say such things? That would be evil!"

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

Kagetora shrugged and laughed softly. "Good and evil are all relative things. What you see as evil, another might see as honorable, even saintly."

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"In whose world?" Armand bit his lip. Good and evil were not relative, though he knew people could do great evil when they thought they were doing good.

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"In every world. Every person's own ideals and wishes will clash with another's and will be given the label 'evil'. Take war, for example. Why is one side 'right' and another 'wrong'?"

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"It depends on the situation or the war. Sometimes both sides are equally right or wrong. Just opposed. Evil isn't about that only." This was getting into issues that Armand barely understood.

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

Kagetora waved a hand. "I will agree that there are certain things that are 'evil' and seen as such universally. Still, when one feels strongly enough about a cause or something, any who are against it, for whatever reason, are the enemy. Think on it long enough and you coulddecide that the opposite force it evil."

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"People decide that, but it doesn't make it true." Armand squeezed toward the window. Kagetora was making him very uncomfortable.

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"What is truth but perception of your current reality?" When Armand leaned away, Kagetora leaned closer, amber eyes taking in every tiny movement.

"And at the moment, I perceive you as prey." His smile looked as though it should have come with sharp teeth.

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"You can't do anything to me," Armand said too quickly. "It's daytime and the staff would stop you." He dropped his bag at his feet and held both hands between them, ready to push him away if he got too close. His shoulder cried out in protest, and he winced.

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

Taking a breath in through his nose, he laughed again and shook his head. "You couldn't stop me, and the threat of daystaff only lasts as long as the sun is up."

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"But why? Do I annoy you that much?" Just by appearances, he didn't have anything to fear from the skinny youth who already had a broken arm. But, with a nervous swallow Armand glanced back at Logan, that man had only given him a broken arm last night with whatever strengths, powers and weapons Dr. Landel had restored to him. This didn't bode well.

"It is getting to where I hardly dare speak to anyone anymore," he said, sounding petulant and whiny despite his fear.

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"No, you don't annoy me." Kagetora knew Armand was looking over at Logan, but he didn't follow the gaze to double check.

"I simply hate you for existing."

[secret-orchard.livejournal.com]

"You'll just have to live with my existence, then. I will not let you harm me." He tried to sound more confident than he felt.

[forgot-my-life.livejournal.com]

"Won't let me?" He snorted. "You're probably thinking I'm nothing more than a kid with a broken arm, but please, don't confuse me with that punk Takaya." A cry of outrage in his mind made him frown.

"You cannot stop me."