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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"One of my people, Rukia, is very adept with... spirit arts," Renji said. "If there is some kind of spell on him, she and others with that aptitude may be able to have an effect. We would just need to get them together before hand so that they can learn to work together. We can do our arts, here, but it's very difficult and incapacitates us afterwards."

He frowned as Hughes spoke. "Until someone that outranks me shows up, I speak for my people." He didn't really count Gin in that, though he also thought that Gin would probably help if the plan was suitable. "There are only three of us now, though." He smiled slightly. "But if you give us swords, you'll see what we can truly do. And the other people that I often see, I can also pass information to, easily."

He would have to speak to Hisoka and the other Shinigami, Tsuzuki. It would be easier, since they both seemed low ranking, if they would just respect his position as a Vice-Captain for the time being.

"I will see what I can get organized."

"I think we should try," Sora said, his spirits seeming to pick up as he sat straighter in his seat, his tone becoming more determined. "I don't think we can win unless we all work together. And I know we can unite everyone, but we can see how many people are willing." He knew that Kairi, Roxas, and Naminé would probably help him if he asked - and there were other friends he made that he could talk to about it, as well.

"We probably shouldn't organize over the bulletin board, though," he voiced with a frown. That was too public, and while it was good for a short note that only one or two other people would understand, he didn't think abusing it would be smart. "That network should work, though," he said to Hughes with a nod. He had to look at things optimistically, or they wouldn't get anywhere.

"What's everyone doing tonight? Renji, you're busy, right?" Which meant he would have to make his own plans, and he wasn't necessarily good at doing that. It sounded like Cliff had organized something as well, and Hughes always seemed to have something to do.

He would get Kairi, and work from there.

"I'm about the same. There are two from my world and a few others I trust. Plus, I'm a friendly guy. If you need to spread anything that can't go on the bulletin..." He shrugged and half-smiled. He was good at that sort of thing. Hughes' network seemed like it would work out alright. They just had to be careful it didn't turn into a game of broken telephone.

He nodded at Sora. The bulletin was pretty much a given. "We could use it to give some general information about what this place is, though. That's not a secret and the worst they'd do is tear it down."

They were going to get dragged off soon. Cliff stretched a little despite himself. Back home he paced during meetings and drove everyone crazy. "I'm checking out the doctors' offices." He said, then he paused and frowned slightly at Sora. "You've got friends to travel with, right?"

He nodded in answer to Sora's question. "I am seeing to my weapon," he said. "But I will ask Vice-Captain Matsumoto... ah, Rangiku, rather... to go to Rukia and Kairi's room. Would you join them? The four of you would make a fast, effective group."

"There are a few people I will have to speak with tomorrow, who may have similar abilities to mine." He grinned. He mostly needed to find out if Hisoka and Tsuzuki would respect his rank and follow his lead. It would be nice for all the Shinigami to stick together, even if they were from different worlds. "The most important work now is getting organized. And finding a way to arm everyone appropriately. Why don't we have lunch together again, the day after tomorrow, or maybe the day after that. We can compare notes." He added another point to his mental check list.

Then the speaker came on, announcing the end to lunch.

"Yeah, I'll go find them," Sora agreed. He had gotten over to Kairi's room easily the night before, so he doubted there would be any problems this time, either. It looked like everyone had something to do, then.

Sora got the feeling that he would see Renji before the planned time for another meeting, but that was probably to be expected. Either way, their plans had been set and the nurses were beckoning for them now.

"I'll see you guys around," the boy said as he stood, looking to his three companions in turn before heading toward his nurse.

Day 23: Lunch

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(skipping Hughes with Fey's permission)

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