damned_institute | Day 50: Intercom, Evening

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Day 50: Intercom, Evening

As expected, after the allotted amount of time had passed, the nurses started to move through the waiting rooms to inform the visitors that it was time for them to leave, whereas in the Sun Room King Kong was turned off and the staff quickly sprung to action to put the equipment away.

Meanwhile, the sound of intercom turning on cut into the hustle and bustle, but it was Lydia's voice which came through. "Mr. Landel is taking a quick nap," was all she said by way of explanation, as she seemed to be beyond making lengthy excuses for the man. "Nurses, once the visitors have said their goodbyes, escort the patients back to their rooms for dinner. Tonight there is steak and fries on the menu, with a slice of cheesecake for dessert and vegetarian options if requested.

"Enjoy your food and have a good sleep." Keeping it short, the intercom then turned off.

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There was only one block for female patients, so Callisto wasn't surprised to be led in that direction. She wasn't really all that surprised to be taken into a different hall and room once in it, either. After all, if she'd been gone for a week then chances were everyone had been moved around. She'd seen it happen while she'd been in the Institute prior to her death.

The meal served was typical Landel's fare. Perhaps that's what happened to those that simply disappeared - they were fed to some monster in the catacombs after being stuffed full of food day after day. Wouldn't that be a pleasant surprised to those that hoped the best for their missing friends? It was doubtful, though, considering they weren't exactly forced to eat most of the time, and nurses encouraging someone who'd already skipped a meal or two didn't really count for much.

Callisto ignored the steak for the moment, poking at the cheesecake with her fork instead before taking a bite. ...That was definitely going to be eaten first.

If Callisto was expecting a different roommate, however... she was sorely mistaken.

After a journey that, much like this morning, had involved waking her up several times along the way and keeping her from falling asleep on her feet, Yukari finally made it back to her room, stepping inside and regarding Callisto in much the way one regards a mirage or deja-vu - with a sense of detached curiosity with underlying doubt and dismissal.

"This seems familiar somehow," she muttered, still watching Callisto suspiciously as she moved around the woman to her desk. Having not really eaten all day, her stomach was putting up some protests to the simply "go to bed right now" plan of inaction.

Wasn't that quaint? She'd been led away from talking with her former roommate only to find out that the word 'former' didn't actually apply. All this time, a change in hallways, and she was still rooming with the same woman? What could their reasoning be? And why not simply walk them both to the room together?

Of course, Yukari hadn't become any more awake during the walk from the sun room to here. Perhaps the other blonde would fall face first into her plate and save them the trouble of further conversation. She certainly hoped the comment she'd just made hadn't been a serious one.

"They overestimate my tolerance for you," Callisto frowned in the meanwhile. "Think maybe I like you enough not to kill you while you sleep. Kind of a gamble, isn't it?"

"Maybe killing me in my sleep is exactly what they want," the youkai suggested, rather unwisely. Taking a seat, she considered the food before her. Ah, more heavy western fare... on the other hand, at least it didn't seem fried. Well, except for the fries. Which she started nibbling on immediately.

"Besides, betting is a well-known and time-honored way of entertaining oneself," she rambled. She paused, a fry hanging from her mouth. "I wonder what they're betting."

Shrugging, she returned to working on her food.

Somehow, Callisto doubted that was what the Institute had in mind. Setting roommates up so that they killed each other just seemed too cliche for Landel. He had better ways of dealing with his patients and didn't need to resort to old fashioned methods like those.

Besides, killing Yukari at this point in time wouldn't be all that satisfying, and she'd probably end up with a worse roommate for her troubles. She was curious, anyway, to see if the other blonde would ever break out of the stupor she was currently in. Her rambling was currently earning her a raised eyebrow from the former warlord. This conversation was hardly worth having.

"Yes, I wonder." Callisto's eyes strayed to the closed door. She could never tell how long it would take for it to open.

Unfortunately, Yukari's current state was going to continue until she went to sleep, which was exactly what she planned to do once she got some food in her belly. Luckily, distracted as she was, her hands worked well enough on autopilot to cut steak and get it into her mouth without stabbing herself. Well, without stabbing herself more than once.

"Ow. So you just reappeared this morning, huh? Any plans tonight?" she asked absently between chewing and dabbing her prodded cheek with a napkin. "Dragging some poor soul down the basement again?"

"Whatever plans I have," none, in other words, "I don't have any reason to share them with you, now do I, princess?" Callisto didn't so much as turn back to look at Yukari as she answered her question. Her attention and thoughts were elsewhere, and it was a testament to this that she bothered to answer the question at all.

It was a good one, she had to admit. What was she going to do? Trying to make her way to the basement didn't seem like much of a plan at this point, so for the time being she might as well shift her goals elsewhere. She hadn't made many tries for the outside world, had she? Even if it got her nowhere, she'd at least be getting a better idea of her surroundings.

"No, no, Empress or Mastermind would be better," said the youkai whimsically, waving her (thankfully empty) fork about. Despite this being her first meal of the day, she was about done with this steak, only having eaten a little of it. The cheesecake, however, could expect no such mercy. "Or 'The One Behind the Spiriting Aways'... though I suppose that would better refer to the doctor at the moment."

For that, Callisto's roommate got a slight roll of the eyes. Titles like those expressed some amount of respect, something the former warlord wasn't willing to toss Yukari's way at this point in time. Princess, despite the fact that the title was meant for royalty, could still be used purely for the sake of mocking someone. The others could too, really. It was all in the tone. But since she'd asked, Callisto wouldn't be giving her the satisfaction.

"I'll pass on all of the above, thanks." She slouched in her chair instead, taking a leisurely sip of her water.

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Day 50: Intercom, Evening

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