Night 47: West Wing, South Hall 1-B

[kingdomless.livejournal.com]

( from here. )

So far, so good. Kairi tried to move as quietly as she could, not wanting to attract any kind of baddies that could be lurking in the shadows. ... And lest she forget actually crazy patients. Then again, she doubted she'd ever forget that incident.

Oh well, she was almost there. No time to think about past injuries.

( to here. )

Comments

[laguz-decoy.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, so beast transformation was common where she was from as well. No wonder she didn't find him odd! Then again, he was sure he'd had enough help from the facility itself to alter his physical appearance. He was curious about how the people where she was from were able to shift forms, but decided to save that question for another time.

Humans didn't mind being called "humans"? He made a mental note of this, but still decided to tread carefully with the word. There were sure to be others, like Tsubaki and himself, who weren't fully beorc at all and most likely take it personally. On the subject of words, he was struck with another thought, and decided to relay it to Tsubaki.

"I'm supposing this place has a spell over it so we can understand each other as well, correct?"

[thecamellia.livejournal.com]

It was like he’d been reading her mind there for a minute.

“O--Yes! That’s my best guess. You sound like you’re speaking the language of Japan right now. So far it works for everybody.”

The translation magic was one of the more innocent and helpful aspects to Landel’s--one of the few. It only got her thinking of the many less than beneficial things Ranulf was going to experience the longer he was in the Institute. For instance, there was this nightshift to worry about.

“There’re other forces like that one, too, that affect us all,” she added. Tsubaki could never be positive on what the time was, but it was a good opportunity to mention what was going to happen once the sun rose. And for all she knew, it could happen in the next moment. “Like with the ends to these nights. Usually the intercom will come on--er, if you don’t know what that is, it means you’ll start hearing a man speak from a device in the wall--and then you’ll black out. It’s disconcerting, but I haven’t heard of a way to stop it. It happens the same way every night. You’ll just come awake in your room tomorrow morning, and then a nurse will be by to take you to breakfast.”

[laguz-decoy.livejournal.com]

Language barriers didn't apply? If only this place were used for good instead of evil. Sorcery like this could be of so much help back in Tellius. The sophistication of this magic was only further proof that this... hospital... was a force to be reckoned with.

He leaned back against the wall and stretched out his legs while Tsubaki went on about what happened when the sun came up. A man would speak out of a device? How big was this device, and why did people pass out from his voice? This place only became stranger and stranger.

"Monsters, dark magic and hospital food. If it weren't for the atmosphere, I'd swear I was in a dungeon or a nightmare, both of which would be a preference." he replied, giving Tsubaki another quirky smile.

[thecamellia.livejournal.com]

It was difficult for her to make out details when they were both plunged in total darkness; Tsubaki was quite sure already that Ranulf had the better night version. She couldn’t be positive on his body language, but his choice of words made her curious.

What did he mean by the atmosphere? Tsubaki found it hard to imagine anything more dungeon-like--all the Institute was missing were rusty shackles hanging from the ceiling, and iron maidens, and things of that sort. Actually, she wouldn’t be surprised if the place already had them. Ranulf didn’t sound like he was being downright sarcastic, but maybe he was.

She was quiet for a moment before directing her gaze forward at the hall opposite them. “It is hard to believe something so awful can be real.”

[laguz-decoy.livejournal.com]

"Honestly, nothing in this world surprises me. Well, if this were my world anyway."

He laughed a little at that, and continued.

"I've seen lots of evil where I come from. Prisons, dungeons, battlefields, torture facilities... this is just another upgrade. A rather advanced upgrade, but an upgrade."

He followed her gaze, but saw nothing threatening down the hallway. Intaking air into his nostrils, he didn't smell anyone either. They were safe for now.

"I agree though, that it's inconceivable on just how far the lengths of some evils can go."

He looked up curiously at her for a moment before asking his next question.

"When the sun rises... will I see you again? In the morning I mean?"

[thecamellia.livejournal.com]

So Ranulf was probably like a lot of the others, a fighter of some kind, someone experienced in the darker side of life. From the way he sounded, he knew what he was talking about.

But an advanced upgrade, huh? Tsubaki glanced back at Ranulf. It made their situation sound like an ambitious video game gone bad, but she thought it was a fair assessment. For a rotten soul to be able to do this, it would take a great deal of power… the kind a kishin could call on. And here the prisoners were, each drawn in by that power for whatever purpose the Head Doctor, the man seemingly behind it all, had in mind. No matter what kind of world they came from, evil was still a part of them. In a way, it linked she and Ranulf together.

There wasn’t any more that Tsubaki could add in response to his words; the truth of the matter was what it was. After a moment of silence, she thought about broaching another subject, but before she could, he spoke up again. “Of course, yes,” Tsubaki was quick to say. She’d been going to mention it herself, as there was still so much he’d need to get used to. She wanted to know he was going to be all right in that regard. It was one more friendly face, right? “I can track you down, and you can ask the nurses for Miyu--that‘s what they call me. Plus there’s a lounge I’m sure your nurse will mention, the Sun Room. It has a bulletin board where the prisoners put up notes for each other. I’m always keeping an eye on it. If you need me, I‘ll find you.” She smiled at him, the brightest yet, to give him some heart.

[laguz-decoy.livejournal.com]

The idea of meeting up with Tsubaki again made Ranulf smile. He still hoped this was all a horrible nightmare but he was happy that if it wasn't, he had someone to talk to.

"If this isn't some bad dream, I'll look for you tomorrow. It would be nice to meet up with you again."

He grinned, staring up at her and spoke again.

"Thanks... by the way. I don't know what I would have done tonight without you. The ironic thing is I'm usually a guide for others!"

He laughed once again, letting the chuckles block out the negative feelings he'd acquired since waking up in this godforsaken place.

[thecamellia.livejournal.com]

Ah… she wished it was just a bad dream. For him, for everyone. Maybe, though, Ranulf would wake up back where he belonged and believed everything so far had just been a bad joke of his unconscious; even if Tsubaki wasn’t convinced those who left suddenly were returned to their homes safe and sound, she could still hope it happened.

She nodded again, pertly.

When Ranulf thanked her, the tone of her smile became softer. She felt like what little she’d done had been the least anyone could do. This place was a prison, both strange and dangerous--it’d be the height of narrow-mindedness for her to be so bent on her own escape that she didn’t try to help others who found themselves here, like Hikaru and Kaoru had done for her not that long ago. “You don’t have to thank me. It’s enough that I could explain some of it before you were alone for too long.” She regretted she couldn’t do much more than that to relief more of his suffering, but it was out of her power. That’d have to come with finally stopping the Head Doctor and whoever else might be involved in the Institute.

The question of just what he did as a guide was on Tsubaki’s lips, however it seemed like her words had come to foreshadow the inevitable. Before she knew it, the night was over.