damned_institute | Day 36: Intercom, Evening

The intercom's jingle rang out and the somewhat uninhibited movement that was going on between the main activity rooms halted as the Head Doctor made one of his usual announcements.

"Good evening everyone, and I'm very pleased to see so many of you in such high spirits after meeting with your loved ones! However, like with all good things, it can't last forever, so I ask now for nurses to escort our patients in the waiting rooms and in the main areas back to their rooms, where they will be treated with a special Sunday... steak! That's right: today, we'll be serving juicy, delicious steak with fries and cooked vegetables on the side – simple enough for everyone to like and good enough for everyone to thoroughly enjoy! (Our patients with specialized diets will receive their alternate meals, of course.) Our usual beverages are available, and for dessert, we'll be serving warm slices of apple pie.

"After all, patients, t's always wonderful to see all of you cooperating with the staff even when given so much freedom, so I'd like to personally thank and congratulate all of you for helping us, your family, and more importantly, yourselves. Hopefully, we can help you to a speedy recovery so that you can see your loved ones more often, but first... dinner! I hope to speak with you all again soon."

The intercom clicked off.

[ All room threads go in response to this post; please post your character's room number as the subject line of the initial post. Thank you!

On an added note, just wanted to clarify to players of characters who are canonly vegetarians and the like that you get to decide (within reasonable and realistic limits) what kind of diet your character gets from the staff. :3 ]

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Forte paused shoveling his dinner down his throat to turn to his roommate and nod in acknowledgment. "I'm Forte. I got here a couple nights ago, and the nurses have mostly been rushing me in and out."

Forte? Seemed like a weird name, but who was he to judge? Maybe a distraction while he waited for the door to open would be a good thing. It wasn't like he was figuring anything out on his own.

Turning to face his companion, he picked at his pie, asking "I've only been here a little longer than you then. How are you finding it?"

"Well, believe it or not, I'm a robot, trapped in a human body here. So pretty damn uncomfortable. So far, the other prisoners have been helpful, though." At this point, he didn't care if Harry believed him or not. They'd managed to stay out of each-other's way so far, so if he was a useful ally, all the better, and if Harry decided he was crazy they could go back to ignoring each-other.

At least his roommate seemed like the harmless kind of crazy. Thinking you were a robot didn't sound dangerous, not like thinking your father had been murdered and his ghost was haunting you, demanding vengeance. And there he was, back to things he didn't want to think about right now.

"Sounds like uncomfortable is an understatement. You seem to be coping OK though," he said, humoring Forte. May as well make friendly, if they were going to be sharing a room and all. "What did you used to do?"

Just like the night before, he got a fire in his eyes when asked about his past. "I was created by Dr. Wily, a mad scientist bent on ruling the world, to be the strongest Super Fighting Robot ever, and to defeat his nemesis, the hero of humanity, the robot Rock Man. And once I am returned to my real body and return home, I will waste no more time in destroying him and proving my superiority!"

Harry choked back a laugh at the explanation. "Really? A mad scientist? And why does he want to conquer the world? Sounds like a lot of work to me." He was smiling now, too amused by his roommate's fantasy to worry about upsetting him.

Forte was smiling too, now, cheered up by remembering how... well, awesome he was. "Pfft, I dunno. Maybe he doesn't want to rule, maybe he just wants revenge. I don't really pay attention to him, he gives me upgrades and repairs." He took another bite of his steak, and with his mouth half-full, added "I'm starting to warm up to this eating thing, though."

He didn't bother repressing his laugh this time, grinning back at Forte now. For being crazy, he was pretty good company. "Sounds fair to me, you get new toys and he gets whatever it is he wants. Personally, I think you'd have to be crazy to want to rule the world. I used to run a company and that was difficult enough."

Nodding in agreement, Harry started to actually eat his pie instead of just playing with it. It really was too good to waste. "Yeah, the food's pretty good here, can't deny that. Is there anyone you know from before here?" He doubted it - what were the chances there were two people out there who thought they were robots? - but it seemed like the sort of thing to ask.

Forte's smile quickly vanished, as the subject he was trying to avoid thinking about came up. "I don't really know. Just now... there was something that looked like Wily, that tried to convince me of my false life. Wily is liar, but he's a terrible liar, this thing was... sincere."

Harry looked away, his good mood dying just as quickly as Forte's had. "I know what you mean. I spoke to my father earlier. Thing is, this morning I was certain he'd been dead for several years now. Now," he shrugged, "He looked and acted just like him. I don't know what to think."

Forte sighed and moved on to his dessert, "Wily used to have robot doubles of himself, just so he couldn't be captured. Robots that looked just like a person, and acted... mostly like him, even if they could only be believable in specific circumstance." Then he grinned a little again, and added with a little pride, "of course, those stopped working once you hit them."

He quirked a small grin at Forte, "Sounds like you'd know a lot about that. You get to break them often?"

Robotic doubles sounded like the sort of thing his father would approve of. He'd probably end up staffing the entire company with copies of himself if he could. Even if there were two or more of him though, Harry had a feeling Norman still wouldn't have had time for him.

Still grinning, Forte shook his head. "Mostly it was Rock just trying to catch him, and he hits like a kitten when it comes to humans. I just meant that whatever was out there was more durable when I knocked it on its back."

Now he turned to Harry, trying to sound as confident as he could, even though he was basing his words on what others had told him and despite the light haze still left from the sedatives. "I don't think that was your father you talked to. I think everyone here is being told some lie. My visitor said his name was Wilhelm, and mine was Frank. In my lie, I'm his grandson, and I think a drug addict. Maybe your lie is that your father never died." Forte usually wasn't empathetic at all, but for some reason he liked Harry, and there was the slightest hint of sympathy, pity, and jealousy.

Harry stared at the floor during Forte's speech, trying to compose himself. Eventually he answered "Thanks, that really means a lot to me. I mean it."

After a moment he looked back at him, laughing slightly as he said, "Here am I getting all gloomy and you're not even in your real body. What sort of things can you normally do, when you're yourself?" He still didn't believe Forte could actually be a robot, but he found he enjoyed listening to him talk about his supposed 'real life'. His roommate obviously enjoyed talking about it and his cheerfulness was contagious.

Day 36: Intercom, Evening

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