damned_institute | Day 22: Brunch

Cid usually liked sleeping in, especially in a place as messed up and uninviting as this, but this happened to be one situation where he really wished he hadn't.

Right there, on the bulletin board. The Head Doctor and he'd fucking missed it? Some part of him wished he'd been there to take his eye out and another part of him knew he wouldn't have been able to. No man that powerful who hid for so long went to dangerous places without some kind of entourage.

Brunch sounded like it'd be filling, at least, though he nearly stopped in his tracks when the bastard announced TEA. TEA. It'd been a damn long while since he'd had some fucking tea, though with all the stress this place had found fit to rain down on his fucking head, it hadn't really been the first priority on his mind. Kinda nice, even if Cid was sure this was just some game the mother fucker was playing to get them all stuck neck-deep in Stockholm Syndrome.

He scanned the mostly-empty room for any sign of a familiar face once he'd piled waffles and sausages and syrup on his plate, though the person he really wanted to talk to was that Reynolds guy. "Spaceship" was the last word he remembered clearly before waking up in his bed, and dammit if he wasn't going to keep it stuck like glue in his mind.

He found a table where he could watch people come into the cafeteria and grabbed for his mug. The steam rising from his drink and the bag of herbs in it was nearly enough to make him grin despite it all, and it was with marked leisure and a little relief that he drank his goddamn tea.

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"You too," Alex responded with a grin. This guy seemed really polite. It made him wonder what sort of background he came from. He knew by now that people came from all sorts of different worlds, ones with things much more advanced than what he was used to (and he was still getting accustomed to all of the machines in this place). Still, his curiosity could wait.

That was a hell of a name, though. Alex blinked. "That's a mouthful," he blurted out, not really aware that the statement could be seen as rude. "All right, Tachi... bana," he repeated, butchering the pronunciation more than a little.

It was good that the guy got to the point, though. Alex didn't particularly like the thought that his intentions were so transparent, but it didn't really matter. "Were you in the chapel earlier?" he asked. "I wanted to know what happened there."

Naoe chuckled slightly, not offended at all. Foreigners often had trouble with his name, and this man was likely much more foreign than just being an American or from another ignorant country. He nodded when Alex attempted to say his name, at least he tried the correct one.

"I was," he said. He paused, searching for the right words. "The Head Doctor appeared. He claimed his name was Martin Landel. Several patients reacted so violently that he wasn't able to say much. No one was able to touch him. It was likely some kind of barrier that held them back. Then there were his pawns," he gestured towards nurses and orderlies, "To keep others at bay. He spoke of the visitations that will be happening today."

Naoe paused at that, to look at Alex, taking in his reactions to this news.

It was good to see that Tachibana wasn't too offended by the way he'd repeated his name. Alex was just glad that his name was really easy to say. Of course, it was actually Alexis, to be technical about it, but he never introduced himself that way. And if the few people who knew his full name ever called him by it, they usually ended up regretting it.

"Martin Landel," he remarked, finding that name much easier to say. It didn't even sound evil. "A barrier?" There was definitely that sort of thing in his world - particularly strong mages could make sure they no one could even get close to them - so he wasn't too surprised by the news. "There are spells to break that," he muttered to himself. Not that he knew any. When it came to magic, he was pretty useless. What he needed was a nice, hefty sword.

"Oh yeah, the visitors." He sighed. It wasn't like he had any family, but he was pretty sure that some of the other patients did, and he doubted the visits were going to end well. "Expecting anyone?" he asked.

Naoe nodded. "If it was a barrier spell then it is only a matter of knowing the counter spell to break it. If it's technology it might be a bit different," he considered this for a while and then thought about the next question.

"No," he said. "Everyone I don't want to see is already here."

"Technology." Alex repeated the word back, and the way he said it made it obvious enough that it wasn't something he said often. "Well, I'm not much good with magic or technology, so..." He shrugged. Maybe it was for the best that he hadn't been there, if there was nothing he could have done. That would have just left him frustrated for the rest of the day.

"What did he look like?" he asked. He knew it wasn't that important, but to have a face to add to that voice would be helpful. Then the man wouldn't seem quite so unattainable.

Everyone he didn't want to see? That was a pretty loaded statement, but Alex didn't push it.

"He looked... unassuming on the surface but something was not right about his smile." Naoe was used to people who hid things behind a pleasant expression. He recalled what the doctor had looked like on the outside. "Dark hair, no facial hair, younger than a lot would think."

He saw Takaya come in a scowl at him and only returned the expression with a smile. Takaya spoke to another patient and left him alone, though, so he focused on Alex.

"I think it's likely he'll make more appearances now."

The description wasn't too detailed, but Alex felt he got enough from it. The idea that they might end up seeing more of the man made him feel a little better about the fact that he'd missed out. "Let's hope so. I don't want to sound eager to see him, but..." He leaned back in his chair and sighed. It would be something to make the day a little more interesting.

Not that he was fond of night, but... Hell, he wasn't fond of the situation at all.

Alex had noticed that Tachibana's eyes had wandered. He was fairly sure he knew what the man had been looking at, but... oh, he was sort of known for being nosy and blunt, anyway. "Friend of yours?"

"In a manner of speaking," Naoe said carefully, smiling slightly to himself.

It didn't seem like the topic was exactly open for discussion.

Alex sighed. "Well, at least you've got someone around here who's familiar," he muttered. He hadn't seen any of his friends. Just one of his scouting buddies would have been nice, but there was no one.

Then again, some new patients were being introduced. There was a chance one of them would turn out to be someone he knew.

Naoe considered Alex for a moment, face growing serious. "Sometimes, it's better to be alone," he pointed out. "At least now none of your friends are subjected to this place."

He was trying to make Alex feel a little better about being alone but he knew that if Takaya wasn't here he would spend a lot of his time wishing that he was, for many reasons.

He smiled slightly again. "I'll be happy to consider you my ally," he said. "If you don't mind." They didn't have to be friends but if they both had strengths they could benefit from working together.

"I know that," Alex agreed with a sigh, fidgeting in his chair. His meal was long finished and he was eager to get out of the cafeteria. Not that the man he was speaking to was boring him, but staying in one place for so long and knowing he couldn't leave until it was time to bothered him. "We just work much better as a team." It was strange to be on his own when he'd had people to fall back on for so long.

Not that he couldn't do it. He was still alive, after all. He was going to have to make new friends, though, so when Tachibana made the offer, he didn't hesitate in agreeing. "Sure thing," he said with a small smile.

Day 22: Brunch

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