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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Despite the events of the night before, it seemed everything today was more or less normal. There were the usual conversations, people treating their food with reactions ranging from dubious to enthusiastic, and a couple of "patients" had already managed to arouse the ire of the staff and end up sedated for their troubles. Even if she'd been inclined to any kind of open action during the day, the examples of the others were sufficient to convince Ayumu that was a foolish course of action.

By the time someone approached her table, she still hadn't seen several individuals she'd been watching for, which worried her, but she hid it as usual and merely smiled up at the tall (very tall) man as he greeted her. "Oh, no, I don't mind," she replied, with a gesture toward the empty seat. "It's good to see someone cheerful today. Seems everyone is upset about something."

Perhaps it was related to those odd intercom messages the night before. She hadn't paid them much mind, being rather occupied with other things, but any information would be good. Even if this man didn't strike her as all that useful on first glance, one never knew.

When she didn't refuse his company, he had a seat, his knees once again peeking up over the table's edge as he sat. One of these days they might eventually make a table, and perhaps a chair that was suited for him, but Brook had always made due. "Thank you very much! It's always nice to have company during meals!"

He didn't like how she said that people were upset. He too had noticed a bit more silence that morning, but as for people being upset... he couldn't imaging just what had caused that! "Eh? Did something happen to everyone?" Had he slept through something? Surely something bad enough to cause most of the Institute to be upset would have awoken him, wouldn't it?

"It is, isn't it?" Ayumu agreed, sounding cheerful enough in turn. "Especially on a day like this, don't you think?" He really was quite tall, wasn't he? She couldn't recall meeting anyone quite so large before - especially not with hair like that.

She glanced around the rest of the crowd, making a vague gesture at nothing in particular with her free hand before returning to address the bowl of fruit on her tray once more. "I'm not sure just what happened - I seem to have missed something last night, somehow." Not that she sounded too disappointed to have missed it and joined in with the general air of misery. "I suppose it had something to do with those strange announcements last night."

"On any day, my dear lady!" Brook corrected, proud to think as he did about companionship! It was a shame if there were so many around not to enjoy the company of at least one of them!

He gave the others of the room a look, but returned to the woman's face quickly. "Yes, I suppose those were a tad discomforting. Yohohoho. I for one didn't even leave my room after all those screams began! It was such a terrible thing for my dreams, however." Perhaps, he thought, the reason behind his strangely realistic dream had been the intercom messages. There was never telling what went on in this place, so that could at least be an explanation.

Ah, so he'd stayed inside. Not likely that he'd seen any of the things that others were reporting on the bulletin, then, even if he'd heard the announcements. Ayumu was curious to know if those in the rooms had been immune to whatever effects had been going on (mass hallucinations? Someone had been asking about air vents; it was possible to push an inhaled drug into a room unseen) but if he'd been dreaming she wasn't certain asking him would be a good idea.

She gave a rather dramatic shudder and shook her head, waving a hand as though brushing the topic aside as she changed the subject. "Such a dark conversation, though, and I don't believe I introduced myself. I hope you'll not think I have bad manners? My name is Sen, pleased to meet you."

"I would say dark is just the word to describe this place!" Brook announced, giving an appropriately dark chuckle afterwards, though he quickly snapped to at the mention of introductions. "Oh my! How rude of me! Letting a lady introduce herself before I did so myself!"

He early jumped to stand, but found that doing so would be more of a hassle than just remaining seated. It would just delay his introduction more as well! "If anyone's manners are bad, they are mine! Yohohohoho! I should have said the moment I arrived. My name is Brook," he finally said, giving a proper bow with his head, hand at his chest, "formerly of the Rumbar Pirates and currently of the Straw Hat Pirates. It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of such a lovely woman as yourself, Ms. Sen!"

Lifting his head, Brook pulled his hand back to the table, set down the for he'd taken up, and flashed a pleasant smile across the way. "By chance, would you mind letting me see your panties?"

Despite everything else Ayumu still had her assignment to fulfill, especially after the rather displeased reminder Homura had given her the night before. That meant that at least part of her attention was on that, even as she kept up polite conversation with her new acquaintance and was pleased that it didn't require too much thought. She'd made note of Suzaku and the woman he was sitting with (the "Euphemia" from the bulletin board, perhaps?) but most of her focus was on Lelouch and the young man with him.

Once their conversation had become quite loud indeed it drew even more of her attention, and she filed away what she could hear of it for further reference. Issues from wherever Lelouch was from, or more fallout from the night before? Either way it could help fill in the gaps in her information, and anything that would tell her just who he was and what he wanted would be welcome.

Her response to Brook's introduction, then, had been mostly automatic: bowing her head slightly in response, a smile, a murmured response that she was pleased to meet him as well. She did take note of his claim to be a pirate; that was certainly curious enough, and unusual. The question that followed, however, she was most certainly not prepared to hear.

"...you want to see what?" she asked, eyes widening as she stared at him in clear surprise. Could she possibly have heard that correctly?

From Nami he'd have been sure to receive a swift beating, and even Sanji had a time or two taken a heel to his skull (when it had just been a skull too!), but he didn't end up in any sort of pain following the request. Yes, it could have been because the woman did not seem to have believed what she'd heard and most likely was, however Brook found a bit more encouragement in the fact that he had not been caused injury as of yet.

"Panties!" he repeated, louder, but not loud enough to draw too much attention, "If you would not mind, that is. It's quite rare that any young woman would allow me a glance, though I've found that it never does hurt to make the request." At least, not too terribly much! "Though I certainly wouldn't force either you or any fair maiden to do such a thing!"

Brook was, after all, a gentleman first!

The request was repeated and at a greater volume, and it became quite clear that Ayumu hadn't misunderstood it the first time. Pity, that.

"I imagine that it would be quite rare," she replied slowly, still with eyes wide and expression both dubious and a little wary. It seemed that she was trying to decide whether to be offended or not, and at the same time concerned about his motives for asking.

And where was Robin, anyway? He showed up when she was trying to have a normal conversation with Shikamaru, who hadn't shown a speck of interest in her at all, and was nowhere to be seen when she had a strange man asking for her underclothing. He could've provided a convenient out.

"Yes, sadly it is..." Brook admitted, avoiding a laugh for once. He had yet to receive a response to the request, so there was still hope, however he couldn't just assume things. He would have to wait then, to see if she actually would allow him. Now what a rarity that would have been!

Since she wasn't speaking though, he had to wonder if perhaps he had shocked her too terribly. There had been a few young women when he'd been living who had had similar responses, though only one that he had needed to shake out of a slight daze. Yorki hadn't allowed him to await an answer after that little incident, and while he didn't have his captain here to restrain him like that (and he wasn't so sure if Luffy would do the same), he could only be a little worried over her lack of an immediate answer.

"Ah, did I scare you a bit too much?" he asked plainly, as though he hadn't asked anything out of the ordinary at all.

The boy who'd been with Lelouch was led away, and Ayumu mentally filed his appearance away for future reference. Someone else that she'd need to talk to, most likely - the list seemed to be growing rather quickly, though hopefully any of them would be more forthcoming than Lelouch himself. Even Suzaku had been more willing to talk.

She just blinked at Brook and shook her head, holding her glass of juice before her in both hands as though it would somehow shield her from him. "That's not really a question I think you should be asking," she replied, with a small frown. "It's not very polite, especially with someone that you've only just met."

"Eh? But it is what I ask all the beautiful women I meet upon first getting to know them! Yohohohoho! What was it my captain once called it..." he lowered his head in thought a moment, then came upon the word he was looking for, "Ah yes! An 'icebreaker' I believe it is!" he laughed heartily again, but eventually calmed himself back down. "I apologize if it was not to your liking though. As I said, it never hurts! But I suppose it is a bit less polite than many other things I could ask."

He had been in contemplation as to what he should ask one of the mermaids once they reached Fishman Island, but as of yet had not come upon a good idea. It was so strange, thinking of what to ask a young lady who did not and had never had the need of panties!

If that was the sort of thing that was considered a conversational icebreaker where Brook came from, Ayumu thought she'd really rather avoid anyone else from the same place. If there was anyone else - she couldn't recall any other ridiculously tall individuals, at least not to Brook's scale. So perhaps she was safe from anyone else asking to see her underthings.

Well, except perhaps Robin, but then he was allowed. (And probably not likely to be able to work up the courage to do so anyway.)

"Ah." She nodded a little, still seeming rather dubious, but she did turn her attention back to her breakfast again. "You might want to save that kind of question for someone you know a little better. I imagine it could get you slapped by certain people."

"Yohohoho! Well actually, if I know them better, then there's far more of a chance of getting slapped! My friends can be quite viscous at times!" Brook admitted with a cheerful attitude. Slapping would have been on the lesser side of the scale from what he usually got from Nami (and Sanji), but he certainly knew he was risking his life each time he made any comment about her undergarments. It was still great fun for him, however, if it ended up making things more lively on the ship!

"Though that isn't always the case. There are so many different reactions upon first meeting the women here! One young lady attempted to kill me, while another teased me a little but never did say no," he told her, then lifted a finger, "That isn't to say I actually have been able to see any panties since arriving. Such a shame really!"

If he was really determined, Ayumu supposed that he could always just raid one of the womens' rooms at night, after the occupants had left. But she decided that part of the appeal would probably be the fact that someone was actually wearing the undergarments in question, in which case she wasn't going to say a word about it.

"Well, perhaps you should start using a different icebreaker, then?" Ayumu glanced up from her tray briefly, quirking one brow in mild inquiry. "Unless perhaps you enjoy having women offering violence on a regular basis. I've heard some people here can be quite mean."

Brook had never once considered that it would be easy to raid another room. The thought hadn't crossed his mind, but of course, he was a gentleman, and raiding rooms would be stealing! So of course he would never think to do such a thing! Something like that... aside from being illegal, would only make others suffer, himself included! Why, what was he supposed to ask to see if the young ladies were without panties?!

...

...

... perhaps he should consider it just for one time though.

"Ah, but being shown violence from my friends already is a regular occurrence! Of course Nami-san is the only woman... no, rather, she's the only one who does it constantly. Robin-san is a little more... restrained?" Oh but when he went too far, Robin had to be the last person he wanted upset with him. Just that look of her's!! It was enough to give him shivers all over! And he didn't even have skin! "I've yet to find anyone here quite as violent as either of them, however there one a young lady that came fairly close," he admitted, as though she held some kind of position of honor.

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Day 44: breakfast

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