damned_institute | Day 44: breakfast

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Day 44: breakfast

Yuffie had died.

No, really. Seriously. She had actually died. Bleeding all over the place, making a horrid, sticky mess and scaring the hell out of Suzaku; she remembered it clearly. Kind of. Sort of. Through the blood loss, the pain, and the visions. Through Aerith's voice whispering in her ear, Cloud's stricken eyes, and her own panic. As bad nights went, it had been Bad, capital B and all the trimmings, and oh, god. She sat, trembling on the edge of her bed, eyes closed and hands pressed hard over her racing heart. The by-play between Landel—Landel!—and Lydia barely even sunk in. There was nothing in the whole world, any world, that could prepare you for something like…

Had it all been some kind of hallucination?

Had she imagined the whole thing?

No… She didn't think so. Nightmarish or not, Yuffie knew reality. But if it had been real, how was she alive now? That kind of pain wasn't something you could just cook up, was it? She thought about it all the way to the cafeteria, drifting behind her nurse without focus or intent. Maybe if she tried to stay clinical, tried to step back… But she'd never been good at that when things got personal. And every time she closed her eyes or blinked, she swore that the scenes played back to her, like an overused commercial on a crappy channel on a crappy TV, in a run-down dump of an inn that smelled like mothballs and yesterday's breakfast.

The scent of blood and damp, rotted wood clogged her nose. Disgusted, Yuffie shoved her bowl of cereal—handed to her by a clucking Plucky—off to the side so that she could melt into her chair, palm heels scrubbing against her eyes. Too much. This was… Too much. She couldn't even paste a plastic smile on her face to make herself feel better. Her usual shield, the white noise of inane babble that could filter out almost any crisis, was in tatters all around her. Five minutes, she gave herself.

Five minutes (not) to think, five minutes to get her act together, because there was no way she could let herself shatter here. No way…

[Closed to Sheena]

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"Really," Nigredo affirmed, though he could not blame Klavier and his disbelief. Rubedo was far from a model soldier in casual conversation. "He takes his responsibilities seriously, even if he can be rather frivolous other times." And immature. And cocky. The list could continue, but he had already delved too far off track.

"Good. Here, then, is the connecting factor." He inhaled nasally. This portion required precision to convey as going into specific details was forbidden, in more than one way. "Despite how effective it is, Rubedo's power is highly unstable. Should his emotions go out of control or should he break down psychologically, this power has the potential to overtake him. A berserker, you can say." A term that hopefully needed no introduction.

"To prevent the worst, Father created a fail-safe system. Someone to control and subdue Rubedo should he lose control." The child trailed off. Klavier could put two and two together, and Nigredo did not have the energy to save it outright.

Unstable power controlled by his emotions? Even Klavier could see the problem in that. That was a dangerous situation to be in, worse so for a kid who seemed to be the most emotional of the three (though nowhere near the least stable). So Rubedo could be taken over by this... super consciousness radiation? That was a strange concept but it was intellectually tangible; he could at least understand the concept. How horrid.

And, indeed, it didn't take Klavier long at all to realize what it was Nigredo was saying. He stared at him in disbelief, hints of open shock crossing his face. Now he understood why this was to be kept from Rubedo. "...Nigredo." He sounded a touch sad. "You..."

Then, his emotions shifted. For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, he felt a rage building up in his chest, though it certainly wasn't directed at the child. Nigredo had been born specifically so they could pit him against his own brother?! What a monstrous thing to do!! How could anyone think to do such a thing? It was like they were solely being used as containers for--

That was it. That was the crux of this whole thing, wasn't it? They were regarded as mere containers for this power, objects to utilize. 'Weapons.' Now things were making more sense. It made Klavier sick to think anyone could possibly justify treating anyone this way. It was wrong! Obviously this type of knowledge would probably lead to a certain degree of guilt, but the weight with which Nigredo trailed off only infuriated him more. Obviously, the boy had been informed of this purpose... multiple times.

"Nigredo," he repeated. "You know... You know being born for something and being something are two very different things, right?" Please, let him understand that. Klavier wasn't seeing what any of this had to do with Albedo or this rock incident, but he was already getting upset by this concept. Regardless of what his capabilities or 'purpose' was, no one should have to feel guilt for their birth.

Strain seemed to have taken hold of the man, in a manner that reminded him of their initial conversation. Klavier had gotten upset when the nature of their existence was revealed, hadn't he? Now he appeared specifically disgusted with Nigredo's true form or an aspect about it. Although the child could not fault him for the conclusion, there again came the sting of rejection.

Nigredo bit at his lower lip--eyes locked on the food before him--not knowing if he should continue the story or let the man have his say. Either was inevitable; he just didn't know which was less desirable.

Klavier decided for him when he touched on something, the very question that hung over the variant's head like the edge of a knife. A fragile part he never knew cracked at the inquiry, and without meaning to, the warmth around his eyes brimmed over. Water droplets fell across his cheeks and onto his lap, things that really only Klavier should catch at the moment. Everyone else was too focused on their own business.

"How am I supposed to answer this?" he finally asked, calm despite the expression. "When everyone wants me to say something different?"

As soon as that first teardrop fell, the atmosphere around their entire interaction seemed to fall apart. Klavier jerked suddenly in realization. Was Nigredo... crying?! He was CRYING! What...?!

All straight, professional facades instantly evaporated, and the elder man was in utter shock. Then barely contained panic. He had no idea what to do, what to say! He hadn't the slightest clue how to handle an upset child. Heck, he didn't even know what he had done to warrant this kind of reaction! He thought he'd been reassuring, verifying that just because he was born for a certain reason didn't mean he was obligated to follow that path.

Everyone expected him to say something different? What was that supposed to mean?! Was Klavier treating Nigredo too much like a person and not so much as a child? He might not have that great a sense of personal identity and defiance yet. Maybe saying something against what his 'parents' told him was... mentally frustrating? Argh, who knew?! Klavier didn't know anything about child psychology. All he knew was he wanted Nigredo to stop crying. Now.

Klavier glanced around quickly to be sure no one was looking at this and misinterpreting what was happening (again). He held up both hands, waving them slightly in a bit of a frantic gesture. He still looked somewhere between concerned and scared. "W-Wait! I didn't mean to say anything to upset you! Honestly! I-I don't..." Damn. What was he supposed to say? "I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I'm not expecting any specific answers! You don't even have to answer if you don't want to! It's okay! Really!"

Just please stop crying!

The response was so unexpected, so unlike the collected patient from a minute prior that Nigredo tilted a head and gawked at Klavier with tear-filled eyes. It was comedic, in a sad sort of way. "You," he started, a kind of amusement in his voice. "You've never handled crying people before, have you?" With that, he reached up and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. As though to show the man that yes, despite the tears, Nigredo still had his wits. "I wouldn't try and panic next time. That can make it worse."

A sigh escaped his lips. "Don't apologize. I went off track." A pause. "Sorry."

"Ah. No," he responded after a moment of silently watching the kid. "Not... really." Handled crying people? No. He'd seen plenty of people crying on the witness stand or during questioning, both of which he could handle just fine since that was work. He was a different man while prosecuting, and there was enough professional distance for him to not only keep his cool, but usually calm people down (though he probably wouldn't bother unless it was distracting or it was a woman). Other than that... Well, Nigredo likely wouldn't be interested to know his only other exposure to people crying were legions of teenybopper fangirls.

But seeing Nigredo calm down was a bit reassuring, and Klavier himself calmed a little, relieved to see the child hadn't completely broken down on him. Though he still felt a touch nervous after that. He had to keep in mind to watch what he said and be more sensitive. As he should have known to be from the beginning. Stupid.

"I'll... try to keep that in mind," he said, half-jokingly (since that advice should have been obvious. "...Are you okay to continue or... would you rather not?" He'd be sure to keep his big mouth shut for the remainder of the story this time.

As he thought. It must be nice not having to personally deal with extreme emotions on a regular basis. Klavier should consider himself fortunate.

Nigredo once again ran a hand against his eyes. "I'm fine," he assured. "You have to hear the rest anyway." Lest these points never connect and his embarrassing outburst come to nothing. "This control over Rubedo is a bit misleading. When berserk, the waveform cannot be restrained unless you also kill the bearer. The fail-safe system, therefore, is entirely destructive." As with the time before, he extended a right hand to the space in front of him, only with fingers stretched wide and the red numbers shown clearly. "I actually didn't know this until recently."

Pieces collided with the statement, and the U.R.T.V. took a minute to reevaluate his own phrase. Finally, he shook his head, perplexed at the interruption. "In any case," continued Nigredo, distracted, "Rubedo isn't the only one who can be affected by the fail-safe."

...Nigredo had just said that this fail-safe objective was to subdue his brother should it ever come down to it, which was bad enough. But now he was saying the system didn't actually work unless he killed him? So essentially... if Rubedo were to ever go out of control, Nigredo was expected to assassinate him, like an outside self-destruct button. What kind of moronic 'fail-safe' was that?!

We have Rubedo with some kind of power that could blow out of control if he got too upset, Nigredo who was supposed to kill him should it ever come to that, and Albedo who had been infected by something and gone mad to point of trying to kill Nigredo as well. This was more heart-wrenching than he could have imagined. More so, since he didn't really believe any of them wanted any part in this interfamily conspiricy. ...Except possibly Albedo, but there was at least a bit of doubt in his case. Maybe.

Klavier had glanced down and noticed the numbers branded onto the child's hand, a red 669. However, he made a point not to stare and maintain his focus on Nigredo's face as he spoke, but the fact that he had been marked with a number caused another wave of swallowed down distress.

"No?" he asked for the sake of clarity. That was strange. If one were to ignore the human part of the situation, wouldn't it make more sense for a 'fail-safe' to only affect whatever it was supposed to be counteracting? What exactly was this 'fail-safe' system, anyway? Klavier wanted to know, but at the same time, he somewhat didn't. "So it's something that can affect anyone is what you're saying?"

Edited 2009-09-23 14:54 (UTC)

"Yes," Nigredo affirmed. "Regular humans have waveforms which are easily susceptible to outside factors. It is expected they would feel the effects of exposure. Even die if I will it." An overkill in practical terms; a U.R.T.V. had other, more tangible means of killing when it came to humans. Explaining that to Klavier, however, might only serve to increase his distress, and Nigredo didn't want to be another cause.

His fingers curled against his palm, causing the numbers to disappear. Unaware, the child continued in the explanation. "In regards to Albedo, he is Rubedo's identical twin. Furthermore, they were conjoined in the first 28 weeks of their conception." The detail was a rarity among artificial children, which made the situation more of a special case. "What you do for one can apply to the other, even for something meant to use against Rubedo."

"That night, after the accident..." The calm continued in the boy's voice, despite every urge to become embittered fighting against him. "I don't remember much of the details, but... Some time during our fight, I activated the fail-safe against him. If not for his accelerated healing, he might have died." Instead, for better or worse, the albino lived.

He again looked up at Klavier, eyes searching. Expectant. "You can see why he would want to kill me." And why... "I deserve it."

That was a horrifying power to have. Frankly, he couldn't imagine what a 'waveform death' would even entail, but the details didn't quite matter in this context. So basically, after this accident, Albedo either attacked Nigredo or the two somehow ended up fighting. At some point, Nigredo executed this fail-safe mechanism and nearly killed Albedo in the process... Had it not been for the child's healing ability, he'd have died like any other in that situation.

This was certainly complicated, but Klavier could understand the bitter relationship better now. This was an act of revenge on Albedo's part for Nigredo's attempt on his life. ...Panic which led to excessive force in self defense. It was a story he'd heard before. That didn't make it right, but...

"...Let's not jump to conclusions," he said bluntly. "There's no one person to blame. I can see why you and he would be at odds with each other, yes, but no one 'deserves' anything of the sort." Period. That was just common sense and wasn't up for argument.

But he wasn't sure what else to say one the subject. It was a complex delicate situation. Despite the family relation, or more especially due to that, he couldn't see the two able to make amends very easily. If it were he and his brother, Klavier couldn't imagine forgiving Kristoph either... but that was a little different and not something he wanted to ever consider too deeply. The fact that Albedo wasn't at his most stable didn't much help the situation either.

He scratched the back of his head, a bit lost as to what to say that could possibly alleviate the situation, but he couldn't think of anything that wouldn't be a lie. Maybe it was too much for him to assume he could help in any way...

He wanted to protest the conclusion jumping when no heuristics had been involved, but the finality in the man's voice was enough for Nigredo to hold his tongue. This discussion was not a debate, after all. There was no points to prove, only clarify.

Silence extended between them for a minute more, before Nigredo chanced a question. "What do you think?" he asked, soft and quiet. More in tune with his physical age. "You have a brother. Would you..." He swallowed. "Would you forgive him if he tried to kill you? Even if he didn't mean it?"

His heart twisted a little at the question. This was exactly the question he hadn't wanted to ask himself, and what he had only moments ago waved off as unforgivable. But he had to seriously consider this. Klavier could have easily just blown the inquiry off with a 'Yes' for the sake of cheering Nigredo up, but that wouldn't help anything. And Klavier wasn't one for shallow lies like that.

He looked away from Nigredo, an obvious, almost squirming discomfort taking over his body language as he considered this idea. This was somewhat unfair since his relationship with Kristoph was a bit complicated in its own right and was a little... different. He was more than just some brother to him. Kristoph was everything. Saying he was a role model and a motivation was barely scratching at the surface.

He took a quiet breath and tried to imagine what it would be like to have Kristoph actually try to kill him, trying hard to keep his face neutrally introspective as he did so. That was more than a murder attempt. It was like a betrayal in every sense of the word. Could he possibly forgive that?

"...I'd be lying if I said the idea doesn't upset me," he said carefully, turning his eyes to Nigredo's face. "It's fairly horrible to consider, actually. But as for the answer... It's hard to say. It somewhat depends on the situation. If it was an accident or he didn't mean to... that would be easier to forgive. In a situation like yours, if I did something that placed him in danger and he felt there was no other choice," he couldn't imagine such a thing happening, "I could forgive him for that as well." In that situation, Klavier would likely be the one begging for forgiveness...

"However, if he did it purposely for whatever reason... it would be very hard to do that." He paused again, really thinking about that one. "...Actually, no. I would say such a thing is normally completely unforgivable, but... because he is my brother, the possibility of forgiveness is greater than the contrary. It would depend... on whether or not he seemed truly sorry and how sincere he was in trying to make that up. If he seemed to truly regret it... it might be possible to put such things behind us."

Sort of. A murder attempt was not something that could ever be completely swept under the carpet and buried with time. Complete trust could never be restored once it had been broken. But it was true that if Kristoph did such a thing and seemed to really regret what had happened, then... Klavier couldn't say he could possibly resent him for long.

Nigredo could not entirely be certain of the answer he was searching for. The possibilities that passed through his mind were none too realistic: a simple "yes" felt too easy, a "no" too crushing. Saying the matter was based upon situation was a throwaway. Saying otherwise was hopeless. Nothing fit, nothing synced. He wondered if he had set himself up for further disappointment.

What Klavier said, however, exceeded the boy's expectations, and he found the nature of his stare shifting to something like respect. The man had spoken the truth purely from his standpoint, without sugarcoated reasons or harsh bluntness. Just a thought to consider and nothing more. This set him apart from a good deal of adults.

"...I know I sidetracked the conversation again, but thank you." Nigredo managed a thin smile. "Was there anything else you needed clarification on?" At another time, this question might have warranted the worst, but now it seemed a degree more bearable.

Despite himself, he reflected a small smile back at Nigredo as well. This was was destined to be an unhappy discussion from the start, so a few morbid hypotheticals should have been expected. There was no need to dwell on it. "No, that's fine. I was mainly interested in hearing a bit more regarding Albedo and this relationship between you all. Specific details aren't really necessary. I just wish I--"

He cut himself off right there. Opening up completely and blurting out every stupid thing that came to his mind wasn't going to help anyone. Saying he wished he could help when he had no way of doing so was only a waste of effort. If you have time to wish, you have time to figure something out.

He quickly shifted to cover up the dumb statement that almost was. "Ah. Actually. You can avoid answering if you'd rather not but... aside from the accident and the rock incident, how are the three of you doing exactly?" Maybe he needed to specify that a little bit. "Ah, when I was speaking to Albedo he seemed..." like a bipolar, delusional little impulsive liar with the ability to cry on command "...ah, able to shift and hide his behavior for a given situation. Are these conflicts a constant between you three or is this usually more subdued in nature. ...Or do you all tend to avoid one another?"

This might have seemed like a dumb or intrusive question, but how prominent the friction was between them and how they were dealing with it at the moment were important points to consider.

Edited 2009-09-24 04:49 (UTC)

How were they?

In an instant, the smile vanished, the child's countenance caught in a daze. He watched the man openly for a long minute, finally allowing a semblance of comprehension once Klavier clarified. "It..." It's complicated?

He blinked. Problems were copious among the three, it was true, but the actual working relationship? His lips tightened to a line as he remembered the last couple of nights. Dramatic shifts aside, they had been together, which was more times than he could count in the few weeks before this place. Not to mention...

But hadn't he concluded that suspicion?

"All three could apply, as hard as it is to believe." Which Nigredo wouldn't blame Klavier if he could not. "We somehow managed them in sequence while checking out the basement last night."

All three? He supposed that meant they switched off depending on the given situation and the general atmosphere. This place likely wasn't helping the situation with its rampant psychotic inmates and supposed monsters/zombies. ...And that was such a stupid thought, he almost kicked himself. If Klavier were really to stop and think about everything, his head might just explode from the irrationality.

Thankfully, there was another element to focus on that had nothing to do with powers and the potentially supernatural. In fact, it caught his attention almost immediately. "...The basement? There's a basement?"

He had looked over every inch of those makeshift, hand-drawn maps, and nowhere did he recall seeing anything about a basement. That fact sent a twinge of annoyance. If someone was going to put up maps, the least they could do was make sure they were complete. Or at least mark them as incomplete. If there was an unmarked basement, who knew what else wasn't specified. "...I haven't heard anything about a basement. What's down there?"

If he had to take a guess, it was likely a much larger version of the supply closets. Considering the size of the institute itself, it was likely a labyrinth of shelves and equipment. Not the safest sounding place, but likely an area that housed something useful. ...Was the boiler there? That would actually be interesting to note.

Klavier hadn't heard? That fact alone was rather remarkable. From the way the man immersed himself in the affairs of the bulletin, Nigredo had expected less "Basement?" from this individual. Then again, the area did not seem to be common knowledge among the patients. "Yeah," he said, before pointing over toward the door on the far side of the kitchen. "The entrance is in the kitchen, in the walk-in freezer."

As for the interior, the answer proved a tad bit difficult for a child who couldn't quite describe antiquities. Most of the objects were too old to form a cohesive term. And he couldn't say the basement looked like a warehouse or a gymnasium. Despite the size, neither fit. "It's...hard to describe," admitted Nigredo.

In a fit of inspiration, he reached under his tray and pulled out his notebook, the one he used mainly for posting notes. "The entry way was circular. And enormous. It's pretty comparable to the recreational field outside." A pen was dragged out from the boy's pocket as he continued. "The decor was ancient, too. Extremely elaborate and detailed-- Nothing I've ever seen before. Almost as if the area was meant for some kind of ceremony."

Klavier glanced toward the kitchen with a slight frown. The entrance to the basement was in... the freezer? What the heck? A hidden door? The idea of any hidden doors or panels existing in a place like this was extremely intriguing. It also meant something very significant. Klavier had been under the assumption that, though this whole operation was being manipulated by Herr Doktor and the higher level associates, this place was an average mental institution at its baser level. That was likely what it had been originally before this whole mess started.

But the existence of a hidden entrance to a whole other floor? That wasn't something one did overnight. Something that elaborate would have had to be a part of the original construction. Why would a mental facility have such a thing? This place... either was not originally an institute or it was... constructed especially. Possibly for the purpose of this operation. If that was true... No, a better point was why hide the entrance to a basement in the first place? What was down there worth hiding?

He was leaning forward, attentive and interested as Nigredo went on to describe the basement as best he could. For someone as observant as Nigredo, the fact that he found it hard to describe was even more interesting than anything. Ancient, elaborate decorations that seemed almost ceremonial? Herr Doktor, what are you doing? "The decorations were ancient? Did it look old and worn or like it had been constructed recently? ...You said it was just a wide, elaborate space, correct? Was there anything of interest the basement was housing at all?"

Nigredo uncapped the pen and began drawing. His explanation commenced, the melancholy gone. "It's old but not decrepit, if that makes sense," he said. "The setting is well-preserved. It could probably last for several thousand years, provided no major structural damage occurred." If there was a wish for eloquence, now would be the time, but he honestly had nothing else to go on for that entry room.

The pen paused in its circular motion to nudge against the boy's lips, before continuing down the side in a line. "Correct. We only explored one portion, but there was a room we entered containing suits of armor and weaponry." He paused again as a memory shifted uncomfortably in his mind. "They were fairly ancient, too, but in good working order."

"The next room was a little problematic, though," muttered Nigredo, partly to himself.

Well-preserved. In other words, in wasn't an abandoned or lost space; it was maintained. This was possibly the most important detail he'd heard regarding this place in days. Klavier watched carefully as Nigredo drew the large circle room they'd initially walked into and a hallway off to one side.

That was... an interesting looking basement. Depending on how large the circle room was, it could encompass the backyard, the cafeteria, and/or the sun room underground. He wasn't quite sure what was above this hall he was drawing. That was the direction of the Music Room, but if it was long, it would extend beyond that. He wanted to keep in mind what was where in relation to the main floor of the institute in case further doors were discovered.

Suits of armor and weapons (which he assumed were more decorative in nature, like lances and swords), was interesting, but it hardly warranted as anything worth hiding. Still, he would keep that detail in mind.

"Problematic? What was in the next room?" he asked, glancing at Nigredo momentarily but keeping his eyes focused mainly on the diagram.

"The next room was nothing like the others. It was composed entirely of metal and held gun turrets and two panels." More in tune with what the variants had known. "Like a training room for firearms."

Upon second thought... "It probably was, now that I think about it. When we entered, we were immediately locked in and greeted by an automated voice. Then the turrets went off. Rubedo was required to use the pistol we had acquired from the other room to shoot at a succession of targets." Nigredo tilted a head, something like annoyance crossing his features. "When he succeeded, we were given a sword and the exit. That probably led back here." He tapped his pen at the circular shape.

Now that he had a chance to retell the story, the child couldn't help but note the missing piece. Something had occurred after they had obtained the sword--the incident Rubedo had mentioned on the board--but try as he might, the memory wouldn't come. As though someone or something had cut off his awareness shortly after...

Oh, well. Giving up, Nigredo shifted his notebook to show Klavier the finished product. "There."

A firing range in the basement?! Why would something like that even be down there? Worst yet were the idea of gun turrets having been set up. It sounded like a trap of sorts, though it was posed as more of a trial. The way Nigredo had explained it, it sounded like the turrets had gone off for the sake of motivating them to complete a firing test. ...Wait. They found a pistol downstairs? Klavier had to wonder if the basement was where patients were getting guns. If that was the case, he could somewhat see why the area would be hidden away. For those desperate here, a gun would seem like an excellent idea.

But... what a horrible trial to have to go through! Frankly, he wasn't sure if some of the people on the LA police force could have completed such a test. It was a miracle Rubedo had been able to pass it. ...Actually, how had he? He'd never fired one himself, but Klavier understood the mechanization and procedure for firing a gun. It wasn't as simple as the movies would have one believe, and an average pistol (a 35-calibur weapon) isn't something an amateur could hope to pick up and fire off in succession, especially while moving or under pressure. One could also hurt themselves if they held it the wrong way.

...Either that was pure dumb luck or this wasn't the first time Rubedo had fired a gun. He knew these children were supposed to be trained as 'weapons' but did that mean... they had been trained in regards to firearms, too? He didn't want to think such a thing, but he couldn't deny the possibility was there.

He looked bothered, but didn't vocalize this idea. "...It's a good thing you were all able to get through there." He looked down at the map, frowning a bit in concern and focus. "If one room was set up in such a way, likely more will be. I wonder what the point would be in setting up such measures..." There could only be one reason: They were preventive measures. For what was the question. Klavier kept talking, but he was mainly going on to himself at this point. "And these other doors... It's really more like a sublevel than a basement. Assuming the basement covers the entire institute, these could likely lead to a labyrinth of other rooms. Everyone is free to explore the building as they please, but this is the only section that's both hidden and trapped. There must be something..."

Or someone. Didn't he hear that no one was sure where Herr Doktor kept himself? There was certainly nothing that had been mapped that would indicate such. Perhaps...

"Most likely," agreed Nigredo, who also fixed his eyes on the map. If the other doors led to similar rooms, the chance they held like prizes were high. And if there was more than one, perhaps there existed a reason in obtaining them. Keys to a point. Maybe that sword wasn't so useless.

He looked up at Klavier with a curious expression. "Something?" he echoed.

Edited 2009-09-25 15:43 (UTC)

"Hmn. I'm not sure, honestly, but... there's little doubt that this basement level is important to this place somehow." Klavier had absolutely no basis for this theory outside simple logic. And it was because of that fact he hesitated to jump on the theory with as much conviction as he normally would have. This place thrived on the illogical. But it made too much sense for him to discard.

Thus, despite the small amount of doubt, he spoke with absolute conviction and a small hint of enthusiasm. It was good to have a new clear objective again. "I'm not optimistic enough to think an exit of any kind might be down there, but there's a much better chance of there being something of interest there than in any of the above level rooms. Possibly some hint regarding this place and what's going on. Otherwise, there would be no point in going through the trouble of such a set up. If any area of the institute is worth investigating, it would be this one."

Maybe he didn't have the equipment or the staff or the nagging, food-mongering detective on his heels, but it was one of his personal rules to fully investigate anything he deemed relevant himself. There was always the chance that the answers hidden there may not be anything as direct and obvious as he might prefer. But he was confident he was observant and detail-oriented enough to catch whatever might be hidden there if he had even half the chance. He'd have to consider going there himself at some point.

Edited 2009-09-26 07:03 (UTC)

An interest. These keys, perhaps. Nigredo was not so naive to accept the man's reasoning without some of his own; however, the thoughts he applied pointed to the same. The basement contained features different from places he had observed. That alone was enough for a degree of interest, one barely nonexistent the night before.

There still, however, were doubts. Factors Klavier should honestly consider before fully embracing this logic. "You may be correct," said Nigredo, "and we are sitting on top of this place's secrets. However, wouldn't you say someone would have discovered at least part of them by now?" He frowned. "From the way Rubedo introduced the basement, it sounded like its existence had been public knowledge for a while. But I've rarely seen anyone discuss it, let alone propose any theories." Or to even travel below. They hadn't run into any other patients during their stay.

So where was he going with this? "There could be something far too dangerous there for proper exploration. We only looked in a couple of rooms, but we barely made it out alive." There was a sharp intake of breath, as though the child had found the statement painful. "A-Anyway, you should consider these details. I doubt such an investigation is as fruitful as you think."

Edited 2009-09-26 07:57 (UTC)

Day 44: breakfast

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