Day 38: Patients' Library

[emotionl4arobot.livejournal.com]

The intercom rang out, disrupting what had turned out to be a rather pointless breakfast conversation, at least in Brainiac 5's eyes. He couldn't wait to put more distance between himself and Scar's blather of how logic, of all things, might not work the same way in this dimension. It was almost enough to make him believe that the man may very well have been a lion originally after all, as he'd never heard anything so very... ignorant and uneducated.

He quickly finished up the fruit he'd been nibbling on - he was no longer as hungry as he had been - and looked around automatically to see where Clark was. Unfortunately with the press of people around, some being led off to the library and others to the mentioned 'therapy sessions' - if that was what they really were - he had lost sight of the Kryptonian. Still there wasn't many places he could go, so Brainiac 5 would be able to catch up with him eventually to check on his condition and try and learn more about what had happened last night. That the Chapel had healed him - admittedly by passing his injuries to another - was interesting, but far more important in his eyes was what had happened to Clark and his powers. They hadn't been working correctly and that worried the Coluan boy more than he would normally have admitted. Without Clark's abilities... he wasn't sure what they would have to rely on in order to escape.

Another problem he would have to deal with was Grell... or, if he was to believe the notes on the bulletin board, the person pretending to be Grell. But that was going to require more careful planning before he made a move. Come to think of it, he had agreed to meet another in the library today on that same post that had sparked this whole mess. At least then he would have something of interest to look forward to, as he doubted any of the 21st century books were likely to be worthwhile to someone of his advanced intellect.

Following the nurses led him to what must have been the library; a reasonably large room filled with a range of archaic books on tall shelves, a few tables and chairs interspersed around the room. The Coluan boy couldn't refrain from wrinkling his nose in distaste as he entered the room, not liking the cumbersome books and the dust that he knew would have gathered on them; he much preferred the clean arrangement of his C.O.M.P.U.T.O. systems back in the Legion headquarters. It was much more practical then shelves and shelves of books on fictional worlds and dated information.

Trying to avoid as much of the room as possible, Brainiac 5 settled himself down on a chair to wait, keeping an eye out for a tall, dark-haired man with a red... something on his forehead.

[for Homura]

Comments

[rectifies.livejournal.com]

Ken, honestly, was inclined to dismiss the first explanation. Granted, he could not speak for the anonymous tipster, but he was dead sure both Alita and himself found a vampire attacking virgins to be serious and valid. The bounty hunter wouldn't mislead him; if she wanted to, she had plenty of opportunity to do so from the beginning.

Regrettably, since that part was supposed to be under wraps, Ken would have to stay quiet.

He focused instead on the latter end, noting with growing concern that Akihiko was more or less beating around the bush. Like he was hiding something or worse, lying. The boy heavily doubted the presence of any lies--the senior was not the type to make stuff up--but he looked so uncomfortable. The guy appeared to be on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Uh, are you all right, Senpai?" He contorted his lips, worried. "It seems like you're bothered by the conversation. Did you have a bad experience with sex?"

[fourtharcana.livejournal.com]

Akihiko had been silently preparing for the 'so, have you done that with someone, Senpai?' question, and so the one he was met with instead caught him particularly off-guard. He had to quickly grab at the edge of the table to keep from falling out of his chair in surprise.

"I'm fine, Ken," he said, quickly regaining what he hoped was some semblance of composure. "And no, it's really nothing like that," he said. "It's just that it's a rather private topic, and some people are a lot more comfortable discussing it than others. But really, I'm fine."

He didn't think he really needed to say that he fell into the latter category.

[rectifies.livejournal.com]

"If you say so," Ken muttered, sounding entirely unconvinced. Adult claims tended toward dubious territory, particularly this one. Best to take the words with a grain of salt.

"To continue on," he said, clearer this time, "sex is generally the prelude to having babies, right?" Which brought about another dilemma. "But how can it also be an expression of romantic love?" Putting one's "appendage" in another's...thing (What did a vagina look like anyway?) was the last gesture he had in mind when it came to showing care. Wasn't it simpler to buy the girl flowers?

[fourtharcana.livejournal.com]

The senior very nearly smacked his forehead. Hadn't that been enough awkwardness? Besides, other folks are better at explaining that part than I am. That business in Yakushima...

"That's where it all starts getting really complicated," he said, rubbing at his temple again. That headache was starting up full-force now, and for all that the intercom normally grated on his nerves, he would have been glad had it gone off at that moment. "It...well, yes, it's both of those things, but it's difficult to explain. I think it will become a lot clearer to you once you're older." Or I can get someone else to explain that part. Whatever comes first.