Day 37: Sun Room

[hismastersdance.livejournal.com]

Joe had read some of the larger notes stuck up on the bulletin board when the announcement came on the intercom. All things considered, this Landel guy didn't even seem so bad. Even if these people were held here against their will, he was certainly nice about it.

Apparently, the new patients - including Joe - were to hang around in the Sun Room or go to Arts and Crafts with the kids. Well, there was plenty of information on the board, including maps and descriptions of monsters, for Joe to prepare for the nighttime, when he could seriously get going on fighting his way out. He could look for where the boss would probably be waiting, or where his V-watch might be, and figure out how to fight the monsters. In fact, he had plenty of time to work all that out... but this the first time he'd had to really relax since he got his powers. So it couldn't possibly hurt to enjoy the calm period, could it?

The red-head stepped back from the board, and hopped back onto a comfy-looking couch to digest in the sunlight. He reached up to pull his cap down, and sighed when he realized it wasn't there. "Oh well, nothing's perfect. I still wouldn't call this hell."

[free!]

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[vessavana.livejournal.com]

Kunzite was briefly taken aback by the question. "Where do I come from?" he parroted; the answer had a few various subtleties to it. Obviously, 'Earth' came to mind, since his dealings with his own roommate showed him that even extraterrestrials had been taken to this place. Going beyond that...what WAS the right answer? A sinisterly-sounding organization located deep in the bowels of the planet? The long-dead kingdom from so many years ago? Or even Shin's birthplace, where ever THAT may be...

"It is surprisingly difficult to say," the swordsman finally responded, eyes closed and a smirk on his face. "Originally, I hailed from a vast kingdom on Earth, but that place has long since been lost to the knowledge of man; you'll not find information on it in your history books. I and my fellow Shitennou were reincarnated many years later - circa 1980 in the Gregorian calendar - in Japan, though I cannot recall anything more specific." That's fine for now he thought, If he continues to pry I see no reason to deny him further information. Kunzite turned toward Kio and continued. "How about yourself?"

[stalksperverts.livejournal.com]

Kio kept examining the man. He did not look like the Kunzait-sama he remembered. The manga had portrayed him differently. He tried to find some inkling of a joke. Perhaps they knew he liked manga a lot and they were trying to pull one over on him. Okay, that was crazy talk. If he even started indulging that sort of wild fantasy, soon he would accept that he was Akatsuki and that being here was good for him.

So instead he listened intently to what this Kunzait fellow had to say. It all fit so well. He remembered being a small child when the manga had started coming out, but as it gained in popularity, so Kio could get it and read it. The characters, the descriptions, everything. The Shitennou were a part of him. The four who had battled the Senshi.

So when Kunzait asked the same, Kio gulped and replied, "I am from Japan, from the year 2006. So it seems we come from the same place, but different times. You strike me as familiar somehow and forgive me my rudeness, Kunzait-sama..." Kio gulped again "...but when I was younger, I read a story. It had girls fighting the forces of darkness and four Shitennou on the side of Queen Beryl. Jedaite, Nephrite, Kuzait and Zoisite. I used to love that story. A... a comic book. A manga. Sailor Moon. Do you... happen to know anything?" Kio looked away. If this man was just a joke, then he had just fallen for it.

[vessavana.livejournal.com]

It took a lot for Kunzite to become flummoxed. On a normal day (back in his world, at least), he was a straight-edge soldier, taking the rare loss in stride as a miscalculation of strategy; all he had to do was try again with something else the next day. 'Strange' events were indeed normal for him, having commanded legions of youma while fighting girls wearing school uniforms.

Upon hearing that this Kio had heard about him through a comic book, therefore, the swordsman was quite flabbergasted, to say the least.

"You..." he stammered, his face twisted in a perplexed gaze as he rubbed his forehead in a rather distraught manner, "...you've read of my - of our - exploits in a manga? Those small picture books children read?" Kunzite was reasonably surprised by all this as myriad thoughts flowed through his head: how on earth did anyone find out about our doings? The humans...no, their memories would be foggy at best, and I do not recall ever giving my name within earshot of anyone else...no, no, that's impossible... He finally looked up, smirking at the young man before giving off a hearty laugh. "Oh, well played...well played indeed. Tell me, which one put you up to this? Was it Nephrite, whose scorn for me was not unknown? Or perhaps Zoisite has come back from death to play a joke on me? My dear boy, you almost had me believing you for a moment...oh, a manga indeed, proposing that I was on Beryl's 'side'." The swordsman wiped tears away from the corners of his eyes as his laughter subsided.

[stalksperverts.livejournal.com]

It seemed as thought Kio had managed to throw the man off balance. And now that his hype had died out somewhat (regardless of the fanboy inside his head just making cute faces at Kunzait), he took the time to really look at the man. It had been years since he'd read the manga, though it was probably still lying somewhere in his apartment. He'd watched episodes of the anime, but not in great detail. TV wasn't really Kio's thing.

Maybe the Institute changed people. Maybe it gave them new faces. The Kunzait now sitting opposite to Kio looked nothing like the one in the manga. Well, okay, that would have been unlikely, because Kunzait was a character, he wasn't real or anything. And this guy just seemed like a bad attempt at cosplay. Not even the hair colour was right!

"Not just children read manga, you know." It was the first thing that came to mind. He wasn't some silly child, he was a functioning adult. He just happened to like pictures. And now he was being laughed at? "Nephrite? Zoisite? You mean they're here too?" Kio looked around eagerly, as though expecting to see them pop out from behind a couch. "You shouldn't be so angry. No one asked me to do things. And I wouldn't have known you from any other guy here, but your name and your cosplay really don't go together. You don't know that the real Kunzait-sama has beautiful white hair?" It was almost an insult, to be honest. Really, who did he think he was, masquerading as Kunzait?

[vessavana.livejournal.com]

At first, Kunzite would have believed this young man to be playing a joke on him. With the knowledge he seemed to have about him and his exploits, the swordsman was SURE that this was an elaborate prank, the nonsense about being a manga story no doubt planted in his mind by one of his former compatriots.

The youth continued to speak, however, seemingly confused by the swordsman's appearance...and then dared to insult him by insinuating that the identity produced was a false one! Such impudence in this one, Kunzite thought angrily, and with a show of displeasure he stood, sending the book on his lap to the floor. It was one thing to question his loyalties - as Zoisite was wont to do in his world - but

"You dare question my words," the man snar

[vessavana.livejournal.com]

At first, Kunzite would have believed this young man to be playing a joke on him. With the knowledge he seemed to have about him and his exploits, the swordsman was SURE that this was an elaborate prank, the nonsense about being a manga story no doubt planted in his mind by one of his former compatriots.

The youth continued to speak, however, seemingly confused by the swordsman's appearance...and then dared to insult him by insinuating that the identity produced was a false one! Such impudence in this one, Kunzite thought angrily, and with a show of displeasure he stood, sending the book on his lap to the floor. It was one thing to question his loyalties - as Zoisite was wont to do in his world - but Kunzite would not stand to have his honor and pride insulted like this.

"How dare you question the words of Kunzite, the greatest of the Shitennou?" he snarled, glaring over the smaller man with a hard, disapproving stare. "If anything, I would say your 'manga' is grossly misinformed about my appearance; nevertheless, this 'institution' has done its share in attempting to convince me that my identity is a false one. Though I would not strike a civilian, I demand you apologize for impugning my honor this instant."

[stalksperverts.livejournal.com]

Kio had never expected this reaction. Sure, he probably could have been a lot more subtle about it, but Kunzait suddenly looming over him made him highly uncomfortable. He hadn't expected the rage, the demand, the anger and clear annoyance. Kio had never really been subjected to such rage before. Sou-chan would dismiss him, yes, but never so violently.

Glaring up, Kio continued down the road to instant Kio fries with a side of stupid. "Where does it say you were the greatest, anyway? I don't remember Queen Beryl saying that! You had your fanboy, sure, but it doesn't make you the best! And the manga is not. You have white hair. You should honestly put more effort into cosplay! I could help you, I'm an artist so I could design your costume better."

He seemed visibly uncomfortable. Glancing around, Kio hoped someone would notice the angry man. If he got hit, then... well.. he would just have to take it. There was no way he was hitting back.

[vessavana.livejournal.com]

Do not hit the civilian, Kunzite kept repeating to himself. He is grossly misinformed, no doubt befuddled by the experiences he's had at this place. Nevertheless...his impertinence is growing quite irritating.

The strain on the swordsman's face was palpable; in his day, he would have leashed out with much greater rage, but lately, dealing with other individuals in this out-of-place situation, his attitude had...it had started to revert back to the way he behaved during...during the days of the Earth Kingdom. And loathe as he still was to remember 'servitude' under Master...he was slowly welcoming this change.

The boy's last words, however, brought a fair bit of perplexity to Kunzite's face. "You keep mentioning 'cosplay', boy, and now you speak of me in a 'costume'...do you think this is an act? That I am putting on a show as someone named 'Kunzite'? If so...I'm sorry to inform you that this is not the case." The look of confusion was slowly changing to one of mild bemusement as Kunzite 'realized' Kio's situation. "Unfortunately, whoever authored your 'manga' is incorrect. My hair has always been this color ; and further, I need not for Beryl to tell me of my greatness. I was the most powerful of the Shitennou and, by extension, the leader; it was in those ways that I would call myself 'the best'."

[stalksperverts.livejournal.com]

No matter what he said, it only seemed to annoy the man more. Cosplay, small suggestions, the man just lost his temper more. And well, if it wasn't an act, what else could it be? Sure, some people from the past and others from the future, that Kio could accept. A parallel world, even that science might explain. But Kunzait was a fictional character. He was from a manga, and anime and some live action monstrosities Kio refused to believe existed. Characters didn't just get up and walk away.

"Cosplayers pretend to be someone they're not. Like a favourite character. And... well... if you put work into it, it might come out great." Kio shifted in his seat a bit. "And some people take it seriously. Besides, Naoko Takeuchi could never be wrong!" The man was outraged. It was like saying the moon was made of cheese and going up there to eat it. Or that Leonardo da Vinci hired a street urchin to paint the Mona Lisa. "And ego? Really? Who is to say Nephrite was not the greatest?" Really, Kio was on a one way trip to stupid land and the ticket was half price.

[vessavana.livejournal.com]

The youth's strange ideas continued to bring nothing but bemusement to Kunzite's slowly-wearying attitude. His time here had shown him that, indeed, most anything was possible, and if in Kio's world, some author had written of a distorted vision of his own universe, then so be it. Some of the specifics did cause the swordsman to raise an eyebrow or two, however.

"'Pretend'?" he started. "Oh, you mean to say they are actors, performers. Yes, yes, in our world we indeed were audience to numerous plays by numerous troupes, and though I personally never attended them, I've heard that cinema is rife with praiseworthy examples of acting. However, I am no such entertainer. If this...Takeuchi - whom I imagine is the author of the fiction you mention - is writing of our lives in a distorted manner, then so be it; I have seen some amusing interpretations of the Sailor Senshi in their own press, so it would not be too difficult to imagine a scribe embellishing details on their own."

On hearing Nephrite's name, Kunzite could not help but let out an incredibly boisterous chuckle. "Nephrite? REALLY? Perhaps if he was not a coward...or so easily persuaded by Beryl's words, I would CONSIDER the possibility. But no, my friend, not Nephrite. Indeed, his thinly-veiled threats alone suggest he is nothing more than a weakling who uses empty words to give off any air of superiority. There is nothing mighty about him, oh no."

[stalksperverts.livejournal.com]

At least he wasn't screaming. That was an upgrade. Kio relaxed visibly and even lounged back slightly. He hadn't really expected to come in on his first day and meet Kunzait-sama, of all people. This of course only added to the thought that maybe, just maybe, he was indeed crazy. Kunzait was a character from a manga. Kio came from the real world.

"Well, I dunno about embellishing." Kio shrugged. "To me, it just seemed, like, I dunno, a story. I guess you could say it had actors in it... They made a TV show about it, too." And, well probably other things, but Kio wasn't sure about those.

If anything, the more they talked the more Kio relaxed. Now that the man's anger seemed to be gone, perhaps they could be friends. Okay, that sounded crazy. As long as he told himself that this was just a guy in cosplay, he would be fine. The moment he treated it as the real thing, he would lose touch with sanity. More so than he already had.

"I guess I liked Nephrite better in the series. So... where in the story do you come from?" Kio smiled. It was to hide the little voice in his head that was trying to persuade him to stay sane and calm and not run to the nurse, screaming about talking to fictional dead characters.