Day 21: Lunch

[totallytheseme.livejournal.com]

Hikaru and Kaoru had been so caught up in their little game that they initially hadn't heard the intercom go off. The new "ding" system was far less jarring than the old SCREECH, and as such, wasn't as easily heard, even in a place as quiet as the library. All too soon, the nurses came to separate the twins and take them to the next activity--lunch.

It only felt like a few minutes since breakfast, somehow, and yet Hikaru was starved. The lunch selection was ridiculously Americanized food of the "Pan Asian" genre, as bad as when his family had wanted Japanese food in California and had gone to the "nicest" restaurant in the English language guidebook. He cringed visibly when the surly cafeteria worker poured sauce on his rice--which was supposed to be plain--but...food was food, and he wasn't feeling terribly picky right now. At least it smelled all right.

One of the good things about being the first one into the cafeteria was having his pick of the tables. Hikaru chose one of the larger ones, saving seats for Kaoru, Tamaki, and (in a fit of hopefulness) Haruhi.

He hoped they'd come soon. He hated being alone.

Comments

[dead-draven.livejournal.com]

((And yet, your posts still dwarf mine. o_o))

His black lips curled into a small smile. "Honestly, that's not something I'm often told, nor am I used to such an optimistic outlook. Thank you."

He looked up to the ceiling, as if it could answer his thoughts. "I used to think that the good things were so far and few between that they were just a fairy tale, really, or something I'd imagined. Then I found her, and...well, when I finally got that good thing I'd been searching for, I never doubted that there was an equal balance between the good and bad again. Even now, after everything that happened, it's one of the few things left that I have faith in." Love, people, goodness. He had faith in them. God, perhaps not. But with a girl like that in his memory, who needed a God that seemed keen only on snatching things from him?

[norainu]

Renji caught Qui-Gon's quick glance over, but said nothing. It was't his business, even to be curious. He smiled, listening to the two other men talk.

"I think we're going to have to remind other people about this," he said. "In a place like this... it's easy to give in to paranoia, and... everything that goes with it. I grew up on the streets. I've seen it happen, and I don't want to see it happen here." He started eating his rice again. "And there are some bad people in with us. I'm... kind of worried about the kids. Some of them seem really trusting."

"By the way... I'm working on mapping the second floor with Nowe and Sora. And... if you run into any metal that you don't need for yourself, could you hold it for me? I'm good with my fists, but I'm better with a sword, and I'd rather have the reach." He grinned, but there was a strange quality to the expression, a slight twist of pain. "It's better than nothing."

[qui-gonjinn.livejournal.com]

Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow at Renji. Just where was he planning to get a sword? Their captors had done the smart thing and disarmed them of any and all possessions they had, and he was sure they wouldn't leave them lying around where anyone could get to them.

"Where would you plan to get a weapon?" Qui-Gon asked, curious. He knew some hand-to-hand, but his combat style had always involved a healthy combination of connecting to the Force...and it helped being armed with a lightsaber.

[dead-draven.livejournal.com]

He nodded. "I was just going to ask the same. One of the alchemists, perhaps? A friend of mine had a sabre made for him with some spare cutlery we found. On that note, if you do need metal, the kitchen is an excellent place to look."

"As for the children...I couldn't agree more, really. They don't all seem like they can protect themselves or know who is trustworthy and who isn't."

[norainu]

"Yeah, I'm guessing it was an alchemist," Renji said. "He told me to bring him the metal, and he'll make the weapon. I'm hoping that it'll work out decently." No sword could be as good, or even like Zabimaru, but as long as it had an edge and good balance, it would work. "Kitchen... gotcha. I think tonight I'm going to end up on the second floor with Nowe and Sora again, but maybe I can make a stop by the kitchen..."

He nodded. "I'm more worried about the trusting nature. Paranoia can destroy you, but some cynicism can be healthy, and it's something they tend to lack." He laughed. "It's not like any of us are up to snuff at defending ourselves. But we're probably more experienced at knowing when to stand and fight, and when to cut and run."