damned_institute | Day 23: Lunch

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Day 23: Lunch

The second the intercom sounded, while the man on the intercom was still talking, Ashton pulled himself off the couch in the Music Room and slowly made his way to the door. He walked, glided even, as if he were a ghost in a dream. The nurses had already filed up to escort the patients to the lunchroom, and one bustled over to walk Ashton those few feet from one room to another.

"You're not looking very well, Mr. Pritchett," she said cheerfully. "Didn't you enjoy your shower?"

Ashton replied with a small, forced smile, then shook his head. He didn't feel like talking now. Though the nurses were pushy and downright annoying, he figured he owed this one at least a little explanation. They didn't know - or didn't believe - what went on after dark, but he owed them the benefit of the doubt. "Bad day," he decided on telling her.

Bad day indeed. The showers and the music had done nothing for his nerves. But then again, what could get that graphic image out of his head?

He glided ghostily through the taco line and settled on two chicken and bean tacos, with chips, a scoop of guacamole, two churros on the side, and a glass of apple juice. He wasn't used to this sort of food (save the juice) and he wasn't even sure he'd eat it, but the chances were high that he'd be able to pass it off on someone.

He was on the verge of tears again, too. What he would have given to just sit down next to a barrel and eat a hamburger.

Thank goodness the cafeteria was bare just now, too. It left all the corner tables open, the tables that shouted 'Don't talk to me, I'm brooding over here.' He sat at one, pushed his food a little away from him, and buried his head in his arms.

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Rukia hadn't even had a chance to tease Renji when the intercom crackled to life and everyone got ushered to the cafeteria. Hadn't they just eaten? She wasn't even hungry, but a nurse made her take some food. Rukia had seen this kind of food in the living world, but had never tried it. It smelled strong, though, and not very appetizing. Still, she filled one of the bread things with vegetables and some meat, gingerly added a 'churro' to her plate, then turned away from the buffet to take a look around the room.

She saw Renji - still sporting those braids, it seemed - but he was talking to someone else. She wanted to go sit with him, but thought it might be better if she left him alone for a little while. She sighed, then spotted Vice Captain Matsumoto sitting by herself. Ichimaru was nowhere in sight, and Rukia felt a little irritated at Rangiku for having spent so much time with the traitor during breakfast. Still, she figured it was better to ask the woman her reasons before getting too upset.

She approached Rangiku somewhat hesitantly. "Excuse me, may I sit with you?"

More people were filtering into the cafeteria now. She was hoping to see Claire or Kairi or that boy, Sora, who reminded her so much of her Captain. If she'd woken up in her room fine that morning, then she assumed that they all had, but she couldn't be sure until she saw them for herself.

Hopefully things tonight would be better with a weapon. She'd feel more capable of doing her duty with a blade in her hand, no matter what kind. She'd need to talk with Renji to see if there were plans for tonight as well.

Rangiku looked up at the newcomer and broke into a bright smile at the sight of Rukia. "Kuchiki-san!" She patted the seat next to herself enthusiastically. "Of course. Sit down!" RUkia seemed kind of hesitant though, and Rangiku mentally started preparing herself for the worst, after Gin's little outburst this morning.

Rukia smiled, saying, "Thank you." She set her tray down and slide into the chair next to Rangiku. She didn't know what to say, really, but decided that small would be useless. "The metal bar Renji gave you last night, was it still with you when you woke up?"

Hers had been there, and she had tucked it away under the mattress before leaving her room in the morning. She was worried that a nurse might find it, but she had nowhere else to hide something that big.

Rangiku returned the smile, turning back to her food and taking a few more bites. Even if it wasn't quite to her tastes, it was still food and there was no way that she would waste it.

She nodded in reply. "Yes, somehow. I just hope the rooms aren't cleaned too thoroughly here." She doubted that they'd turn the mattresses each day, or tip the beds over, but there was always the chance that they took security seriously enough to do so.

She sighed softly. "But it appears wounds get bandaged during the night, so they must know that we have weapons. WHy let us keep them?" It was something that was annoying her, lending more and more credence to Gin's theory that this was just a game.

Rukia shook her head, poking at the food on her tray absently. "I don't know. Perhaps to give us what they see as a false sense of hope? That gives them the power to take that hope away, should they choose."

She scowled, setting her fork down to fold her arms in front of her chest. "Nothing makes sense here. Did you understand what the men on the radio and the speakers were talking about? Someone sneaking in among the patients, and then the one man talking about how this place used to have a different name..."

Rangiku pondered that consideringly for a moment. It certainly seemed to be the best explanation that she could think of. "They're confident," she said musingly, setting down the knife and fork. "I'd honestly feel more confident if they kep us locked up at night. At least then I knew we were seen as a potential threat." As it was, they were either incredibly overconfident, or they had actualy cause to feel no fear. She hoped that it was the first rather than the latter.

She tapped her lips as she thought over the radio and intercom announcements during the night. "I understand it as much as you do," she said with a sigh. "All I can gather is that they're trying to discredit each other. If I'd heard more of them, perhaps we might be able to get a clearer idea."

"I think I'll assume that they are overconfident," Rukia muttered, unknowingly echoing Rangiku's thoughts.

She nodded, wondering if the messages on the radio and intercom held any importance for the patients of Landels. "I've spoken to a couple other people who have been here longer," she began, reminded of Ichigo's disappearance. Hadn't he been here the longest? After a pause, she continued. "Perhaps I could ask them what they have heard."

Picking up the plastic fork and knife on her tray, Rukia cut off a small section of the 'burrito' and tried it. Too spicy for her taste, but it wasn't terrible. Swallowing, she asked, "Have you spoken with anyone else?"

Rangiku had to laugh at that, although it wasn't a particularly happy sound. "That's what I'd like to believe too," she replied. She wondered if anyone had escaped. It would make it just that bit easier to judge.

She finished off the food in a few more bites and sat back with a satisfied sigh, reaching for her glass and taking a few sips of juice. At least they weren't being starved, much as that still surprised her. "I haven't spoken to anyone who's been here longer than myself, as far as I know," she said. "There's a few I would like to talk to though. These 'alchemists' for one." She'd liked to know how they could make weapons in this place and what kind of payment they'd require.

Rukia didn't say anything, but she couldn't help being amazed at how fast Rangiku had polished off her meal. Rukia had only taken a few bites by the time the taller woman was finished.

At the mention of alchemists, Rukia nodded, saying, "Yes, I met this nice boy named Adelheid, and he told me about his friend, who can make weapons for people. And Renji got a hold of those bars, but it seems that they aren't suitable raw materials for decent weapons." She paused to eat another bite of burrito. "In any case, he says that he might know where we can get better metal."

She considered going and getting seconds for a moment, but decided that she'd eaten enough for one meal. Especially considering she'd had the better part of two breakfasts. She had her figure to maintain after all.

"They wouldn't be zanpakuto, but a real katana would be good to have." Just having a sword in her hand would be soothing, even if they could never replicate Haineko. "If the shape of the metal isn't important to the alchemists, then there may be things in the kitchen we could take." She glanced speculatively towards the counter where the food was, but the door to the kitchen was firmly closed.

Rukai nodded. "I think that might be Renji's idea as well. It seems the most likely place to find quality metal. Adelheid also mentioned something about the other parts of a sword - it would apparently be helpful to have raw materials not only for the blade, but for the hilt as well." Cloth or leather would work for that, she supposed.

Absently watching a nurse cross the cafeteria, Rukia remembered that she was supposed to be sweet-talking the staff. She didn't really feel up to it, on edge after Ichigo's disappearance (She refused to even think that he might be dead). She should probably do it now, though, or maybe at dinner. "Have you spoken with any of the staff here?" she asked Rangiku.

"Ah, it does," Rangiku agreed. "Bowls and pans and the like, I'm sure." Might as well use that if they could, rather than wasting knives which could be used by others. And if they weren't of use, then she supposed that a pan could be used to knock someone out easily enough. She tugged at the hem of her shirt. "Enough of these we could use up for the hilt, unless we find something better." It wasn't as though they were likely to run out; the nurses wouldn't want them running about naked, after all.

She glanced up at where Rukia was looking, frowning at the sight of the nurse. "Not in any depth. I've been nice, hoping they'd let something slip, but they all seem either oblivious or do a good act of it." The nurses worried her, she had to admit. They felt wrong in a way which had nothing to do with reiatsu, and everything to do with instinct.

"The bed sheets are another option," Rukia said, then nodded at Rangiku's assessment of the nurses. They certainly seemed blissfully unaware that they were helping to hold sane people captive. Either that, or like Rangiku said, they were very good actors.

Rukia uttered a small, "Hm," staring at her food like it would help her figure this place out. "I suppose I should go try to sweet-talk one. I said I would try to get some information from them..."

She nodded in agreement. "Pillow cases. Enough linen that it shouldn't be a problem." Maybe a little annoying not to have a properly bound hilt, but she supposed it would do. You didn't get far in Rukongai by being uncreative.

"I'm going to try the Doctors when we see them," Rangiku replied. "The timetable says that's tomorrow." She hoped that she got a male doctor, it made it just that much easier to make use of her assets. "Hopefully they might know something." They had to be in on this, didn't they? She doubted that so many people talking about the same thing happening at night could be passed off as hallucinations.

"That's a good idea," Rukia said, pushing her tray away. She had only eaten a third of the burrito; she just wasn't hungry so soon after breakfast. "One would assume that the doctors must know something about what's going on. Then again, they might be putting on as much of a show as the nurses."

She pushed her chair back, still eying one of the nurses. "Well, I'll go see what I can do now." She stood, dipping a quick bow to Rangiku. The blonde may have told her to call her by her given name, but Rukia still felt compelled to treat the Vice Captain as she would have in Soul Society. "Please excuse me."

Rukia picked up her tray, then went to dispose of the uneaten food and trash. Gaze focusing on the nurse she had been watching, Rukia headed in that direction.

[Going here (http://community.livejournal.com/landels_damned/90002.html?thread=5511570#t5511570).]

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Day 23: Lunch

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