damned_institute | Day 35: Bus 1

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!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Brooklyn was used to the gargoyle method of greeting - grabbing the other's wrist. There was less shaking involved, and he'd forgotten how humans only grasped the hand. He went with it, smiling back at the man.

"I've only been here a few days," he sighed. That was more than enough for anyone in this place, but he knew others had been around for much longer. "I suppose I can share what I know, but I'm not sure you haven't already heard anything I'd have to say." He'd been successful in some areas, but unsuccessful in others. Not to mention he hadn't even tried any viable escape plans.

"I haven't heard much myself," Jiraiya stated with a shrug. "I'm still fairly new here. I arrived yesterday."

Jiraiya didn't hesitate in giving out that sort of information, knowing that letting people feel they had some sort of power over you allowed their tongues to be user. But Brooklyn didn't seem to be of that sort. He seemed rather friendly, actually. They even had similar hair.

"I'm mostly interested in the monsters at night and information about the various things that happen during the daytime. If they consider this place to be an 'Institute' of sorts, then they must have doctors who do something with the patients during the day..." Jiraiya glanced outside for a moment, then glanced back at Brooklyn again. "Do you know if they're giving the patients any medications?"

"I've seen some of the doctors' offices, and I've heard of patients that had them, so I know they're here." Brooklyn looked thoughtful. Some of the offices had their oddities, but most didn't look all that abnormal. Still... Eyeballs in jars wasn't something anyone was about to forget.

As far as medications went... "I've only known of one patient who was put on medication while here, but I haven't spoken with everyone." And even then, it was just the sedatives that had put him out of commission that night as far as he knew. "Though I think they prescribe normal pain meds for headaches and injuries. Why?"

"If they consider everyone clinically insane," Jiraiya stated, crossing his arms in thought. "Then I thought they'd be forcing us to take something. That'd at least explain why we can't use our powers, here. ... Nightshift ended so suddenly, and then I awoke in my room. It'd be the perfect time to give us medication to keep our energies subdued. After all, they bandage us then."

He was surprised that they didn't have them on more medication than just that, if that's what they were using. Although his chakra wasn't available to him, he still had the full use of his mind, and there were others who still had access to their abilities.

"... It'd be much easier to keep us captive if they kept us drugged enough to addle our minds," Jiraiya stated, frowning a bit as he considered it. "... The fact that they haven't, and the fact that they send monsters after us every night, means that they have ulterior motives, and that fits in with the experimentation they do on patients. They're probably observing us, too, which would explain all the nurses. ... I'm just not sure why, yet, but it can't be good."

In fact, they were possibly listening in right now. Jiraiya knew there were many types of recording devices... But they were also in a bus full of people, which would make it hard to overhear any one conversation.

Brooklyn shrugged. There was a lot he probably wasn't taking into consideration, but sometimes the answer was simpler than people tried to make it out to be. He didn't know if this was one of those situations, but... "I think there's something more supernatural at play here. Some of these patients weren't even human originally. If you have the power to change someone's whole form, why bother with drugs?"

And when it came to reasoning, well... He'd known plenty of villains who got joy simply from toying with their victims.

"... Really?" Jiraiya sounded surprised by that, then tilted his head as he thought. "Now... there's a technique in my world called Henge that allows people to change their shape, but it's, for the most part, self-only. And you have to concentrate on it or the technique will dispel."

He leaned back, sighing. "As for our abilities... If they don't have some sort of all-powerful technique or artifact that suppresses energy, then it'd be easier to use some sort of medicine or potion. I've been under the effect of one before. It's simply easier to mix a medicine into the food--everyone has to eat--than to expel that much energy to keep everyone."

Jiraiya frowned for a moment. "Although, judging by what I've learned so far, they might indeed have that much energy at their disposal."

[[Sorry this is a little late! I've been extremely busy with homework until now...]]

Day 35: Bus 1

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