damned_institute | 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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"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).]

Day 23: Lunch

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