Night 50: Main Hallway, 2-West

[gald_digger]

[from here]

When they stepped into the next hallway, Anise was wearing her usual smile once again. "So, Tem... you said you're a sergeant, right?" she asked, looking to make some (hopefully) less awkward conversation with the man. Work was usually a safe subject, right? Besides, with how soldier-like the man was in his appearance and attitude, she figured he'd be open to talking about his career.

The girl continued, cheerfully. "That's a neat coincidence. We're the same rank!" Well, maybe not exactly the same, but about equal, anyway. Fon Master Guardians were technically sergeants, after all. Anise was proud of how impressive her full rank and title sounded, but saying the whole thing at once would be a little too tiring for casual introductions, so she usually didn't mention it when meeting people at the institute.

Well, that was just one reason for it. The other was simply that it was fun to surprise people by mentioning her position long after first impressions were made.

Comments

[scalyfishman.livejournal.com]

The crackle of the intercom inspired, for once, a cautious little glimmer of hope in Depth Charge- Marc'd at least managed to get things up and running, which was something in this place. Less successful was his attempt not to let his positivity take too much of a knock when the message was cut off with a less-than-positive screech- the Head Doctor probably didn't want anyone upstaging him while he was busy with his experimental ring thing, true, but-

As if prompted, the intercom switched on. Depth Charge shot the speaker mounted on the wall a disdainful glower, folding his arms defensively. "Yeah, yeah, just keep talking, big guy." Rings, experiments, blah blah blah... for a klik, he thought he might have heard the sound typing.

He didn't get long to dwell on it.

The second screech hit his head hard, leaving him clutching at his head and reeling with nausea in the second before the silence settled in. Hime said something, but he didn't catch it for some reason- probably aftershock. "What was that?" he managed in Cybertronix, shaking his head slightly. "Whatever it was, it didn't sound good."

[chainsaw-royal.livejournal.com]

Unlike Depth Charge, Hime heard what the other said loud and clear. And didn't understand a single word of it. For that matter, were those even words? It sounded more like a machine malfunctioning. He'd said he was a robot, but... could human vocal chords even produce those sounds?

"...Depth Charge. What's wrong?" she asked firmly, staring the man straight in the eyes. If whatever Landel had done had somehow injured the man... that was quite the display of power.

[scalyfishman.livejournal.com]

And for some reason, Hime... still wasn't making any sense to him. At all. As in, he couldn't make out a single word she was saying to him in the slightest. What was this some kind of orphaned punchline he hadn't been around to hear the setup to? If that was Cybertronix then he was an Earthling.

... metaphorically, that was.

That look wasn't helping, either. Made him feel like his gearbox was hanging out or something. Depth Charge scowled back at her. "Not cute and not funny. Knock it off already. You're starting to creep me out."

[chainsaw-royal.livejournal.com]

The irritable look on his face wasn't particularly surprising, as that seemed to be one of Depth Charge's default expressions when dealing with Hime. However, that it persisted, along with the tone of his - she hesitated to call it a "voice" - indicated that not only was something wrong with him, but the robot didn't realize anything was wrong.

The Royal's expression darkened, but there was also a hint of curiousness to it. Just what was going on here?

"Depth Charge. If you can understand what I'm saying, clap," she said, deciding at the last minute not to ask him to jump up and down. There was a chance he wouldn't do it even if he could understand her.

[scalyfishman.livejournal.com]

Hime's expression flickered. The look he was getting wasn't quite so penetrating this time and ran more on the confused-but-interested side of things, as though she'd just discovered a new species of particularly toxic fungus. She didn't look like she was screwing around with him, though- and in hindsight, if she was going to mess with him it wouldn't have been by talking scrap at him and pretending something was wrong. Wasn't her style.

Which meant that something was wrong. Very wrong. He peered at her uncertainly again- but nope, still nothing. If she was saying something important, he wasn't getting it at all. Beautiful. Just beautiful.

Well, if it was mutual, there was no point in telling her as much. Instead (first checking that there was no one around he recognised) he made a great show of shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head, feeling for all the galaxy like he was in some kind of warped sparkling's TV show.

[chainsaw-royal.livejournal.com]

Well, at least that seemed to wipe the irritated expression off his face. The shrug was an understandable reaction, but it was no clap. So, he couldn't understand a word she was saying, was that it? And was speaking some kind of robot language as well. If only it was Fuga, she might have at least understood what he was saying, even if he couldn't do the same.

The strangest part was that the man hadn't noticed at first what was wrong with his own speaking. Of course, this also hinted at the distinct possibility that she was the one who'd been affected, even if she was sure she was still speaking perfect Japanese. But then, wasn't it suspicious anyways that everyone here, from the doctor to the nurses to the patients from other worlds entirely, all spoke Japanese? There had been talk about the language differences... perhaps, like the flashlights and doors opening and all the other little helpful hints Landel gave them, he'd also given them the ability to communicate with each other. And now, that was gone.

"How truly irritating," Hime murmured. Then she turned her attention back to Depth Charge, inclining her head back at the stairs. "We're going. Something like this won't get in our way."

And with that she started heading back the way they came in a clear enough message of her intentions even if her words couldn't be understood.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/943057.html?thread=71087313#t71087313)]