damned_institute | Day 37: Sun Room (4th Shift)

Entry tags:

Day 37: Sun Room (4th Shift)

There were still too many things on Armand's mind for him to truly relax. The morning with Alec had been a help. And seeing that TK was going to be well helped him know that it was time to work out something else, but what? He'd already, without success again, tried to reach one of the club leaders about his sole idea of something new and different. Maybe it was hopeless.

There was no way he was going to play with paper and glue like a small child, and he glared at the nurse as best he could until she gave up on the idea. There was a free chair in the Sun Room--in fact, there were many free chairs--where he settled down to see what the new patients looked like. Prisoners, not patients. He felt bad that he had to remind himself. Even if he was crazy, he wasn't going to give in to Dr. Landel's game, not today. He nibbled on an overgrown cuticle and kept an eye on the room. No dozing today.

[for Citan]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Armand bit his lip. Citan seemed to think that he meant to leave them to do this, and maybe he did, but that wasn't what he meant to say. He kept his eyes down, out of embarrassment. "You've said you don't need a weapon before, but Morrison and I do. I am going to have one made by the lady weapon-maker so I can wait, but I think Morrison needs something sooner than that." We're different than you he wanted to say.

"I get to our meeting point every night unarmed and without a light. I have the route memorized." Though his heart always jumped into his throat when he had to cross into the wider hall area near the nurse's station where he'd lost both light and knife in one night when another patient had attacked him. He and Morrison had been burned that night, and Citan hadn't been there.

"I think you're a man used to solving problems. We have a problem. The whole Institute has a problem, but I'm more worried about us three. I don't want to lose you both as friends."

"Oh, don't worry about me, Armand," Citan said, in a dismissive manner. "Problems have a way of working themselves out, even if no one tries to solve them."

Things worked out, one way or another. Honestly, this entire charade was losing its appeal and growing boring. The challenge had been something at first, as Citan had never been one to simply sit and do nothing or focus on one aspect of his learnings. But now the easy, soft and comfortable life of a royal physician was seeming like a wonderful thing. Nothing better! And he could tinker with his machines in the evening, after dinner, and retire to bed with Yui....

He had to admit, he was growing homesick.

"Well. I support your idea, Armand, and weapons aren't too terribly difficult to come by in this place. We'll be fine."

"So you don't mind if we look for weapons tonight?" he asked, surprised and abruptly eager. Armand sometimes wondered why it was harder to keep control of his emotions here. He vaguely hoped it was because living at the Institute was difficult and tiring, and not because he was as weak as he suspected he was.

But support from Citan was nothing to sneeze at. Armand sat back now, not as worried as he was. "This place is notorious for protecting the most likely areas to find weapons. There must be some medical equipment upstairs. Perhaps we should go up there tonight. Which night is it... uh, are people being kidnapped or forced to fight?"

Citan blinked, as though taken aback. "Why would I mind?" he inquired, quite curious as to why Armand thought he would have some protest. If he and Morrison needed weapons, they needed weapons. And he agreed that it would be a wise idea to arm them both.

"Scalpels can be found where medical supplies are kept," he added, remembering his own. "I've one of my own, though not to use as a weapon. And I believe that tonight they perform experiments." As long as they kept to their schedule, of course.

"I thought you might because... if we do that we won't be working on your plan to dissect monsters." Armand wasn't completely certain what dissecting the monsters would teach them, but he wasn't a scientist either. To him, blood and guts were just gory, not interesting or informative, but he wasn't going to dismiss it as potentially useful. "And... I want to try to get Morrison's help with the messenger service. You are right that it won't be completely safe, but I want to help, and I'm virtually useless in a normal fight."

He nodded, still a bit hopeful in his musings. "You've been to where those supplies are? Do you suppose it is near where the experiments are done? If it is, that hall would be crowded and perhaps protected."

Citan waved his hand. "I'm sure we'll run into something I can cut into, no matter what we're doing." Perhaps he'd even have more luck, as seeking out the creatures had resulted in little.

Though if Armand and Morrison were going to be flitting about with this messages idea, Citan had to wonder where that left him. He had little desire to be a mere courier for the prisoners.

"Ah, no," he went on, showing no trace of his thoughts other than that he had been lost in thought. "It was given to me by someone who had. I can't say where the room was, only that it was on the second floor."

"Well, I suppose we'll just have to see when we go up." Armand didn't like not knowing, but how could people know anything here. "Do you have any ideas of something else we can do to get something sharp into Morrison's hands?" He still wasn't thinking of finding anything for himself in the faith that he'd be able to get something made before too long had gone by.

"There are the so-called alchemists, but it seems they have a wait list," Citan mused. "We're most likely better off searching on our own. The second floor seems to have the most supplies, I imagine we'll find something there." And it was always worth exploring up there again. Citan had only been once or twice at this point.

"The second floor it is." Armand felt happy to have a plan, and it showed. Not just that he smiled--he did that even if he was unhappy--but he seemed relaxed. The awful shadow of making decisions had been lifted. "That is where my little kitchen knife came from, and the broom handle."

"I don't often see you during the day, Is everything well with you?"

"Oh, I'm fine." Bored and restless, but otherwise fine. "Not much to report, I'm afraid. The days are really rather quiet around here." He'd spent his day in useless conversation and consoling distraught children. Hardly anything worth mentioning.

"And, well, you've heard how my night without you went." Also nothing to report. And he hadn't seen that woman around lately. A pity. She had been quite interesting.

"They are quiet, aren't they? For a real insane person, I imagine it's meant to be restful." But he knew Citan wasn't crazy, nor was he of ordinary intelligence. It must be awful. "I hope you are catching up with your naps then," he said, trying to make a joke. That's what Percy would do when he couldn't do anything useful. Nap.

"I am happy to hear you're still healthy. Sometimes people get sick, even when they're not hurt." He didn't know what else say, because he had secrets on his mind. He glanced back over at the message board, hoping to see Alec stop by. "So I suppose we can meet in our usual place and try not to delay too much this time."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Day 37: Sun Room (4th Shift)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject