damned_institute | Day 51: Arts and Crafts [Second Shift]

They actually listened to some of the suggestions people put in that box? Anise thought the Head Doctor had to be joking when he said that, but she soon heard him mention something that she herself had suggested: sewing supplies. They were really going to get some? Anise could finally get a real needle, so she could make repairs to Tokunaga whenever she needed to. She swiped one of their blunt, plastic needles before, but using that just left big holes in the fabric. Using it on Tokunaga made her feel bad, like she was hurting the poor doll.

"Isn't that nice, Dolores?" The nurse must have caught Anise's hopeful look. "But remember, you'll need to be on your best behavior until then."

"I know, I..." Anise began with her usual dismissive reply, but quickly remembered that the intercom had said 'behavior and attitudes', and instantly changed her tune. "I'll do my very best! Hee hee!" She forced a smile for the old hag.

Unfortunately, the sewing supplies weren't here today, so Anise had to find something else to do for now. Stepping inside the Arts and Crafts room, she quickly found that several tables already had paper craft ('origami,' they called it?) supplies laid out for them, so she guessed she'd just occupy herself with that. The girl sat down at one of the tables, opened up one of the books, and started looking through it.

Cranes, frogs, horses, turtles... There were lots of familiar animals, and a few unfamiliar ones, too. The rabbits looked kind of cute.

[For Ilia!]

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Maya took a seat beside the curiously pale-haired girl, and then proceeded to ignore her for a few minutes as Maya fiddled with the black paper she'd selected. It helped to keep her mind off the utterly vulgar notion that she'd been 'cleaned' while unconscious. Eh-euck.

"Origami," she said conversationally as she folded, "a form of art, yes? Not as beautiful or engaging as music, perhaps—" One last fold, and there was a flower in her fingers—the only arrangement she knew—which she offered to the girl. "But the point is to instill emotion, yes?"

She put on her pleasant smile, and tilted her head. "I'm Maya. It's a pleasure to meet you. May I ask what you're thinking?"

The one who so casually seated herself next to Rei moved to her own devices, and that was fine. Then the other started talking, and despite lacking an interest in the topic, she considered. Was that why Ikari was so fond of music? Because it offered emotions in different forms? That question and the one posed to her would be found lacking--Rei did not know the answers. It was not a subject that she held a knowledge in.

The strange subject, offered flower, and another strange question had the ability to make even Rei disconcerted. This woman was not like any that she knew. Ayanami blinked a few times, thrown off, but didn't move to take what was offered. Her name was given in kind, along with an answer, close enough to fact to be real. "Rei Ayanami. That a pool would be more beneficial than crafts."

"A pool?" Maya repeated curiously, setting the paper flower down on the table. If Rei wanted it, she could pick it up later; Maya had no use for it. Or a nurse could keep it, she supposed. "One to swim in?" Meaning physical exertion? And it would be more beneficial?

She was on a different wavelength than Maya, then. That was fine, after a fashion. In an enclosed live-in building with no free reign, Maya didn't have to be picky. "...Do you miss it?" she asked a moment later, genuinely curious. She'd known many who were into that kind of thing, but she'd never delved into the reasons why. For the people she'd been around, it had mostly been a matter of nature: it had simply been what they were. For humans, however...there was a bit of a variety. Maya wasn't terribly curious, but it would be interesting to see. Perhaps there was a trick to distinguishing the two types.

"Yes," she answered perfunctorily. One to swim in. If only for the sensation of like. That perfect feeling of being surrounding by fluid and moving freely. It would at least create some enjoyment in an atmosphere lacking.

So being asked if she missed it tread close to too personal. Ayanami was not the type to miss things. Not the type to want things, or desire things. Her preferences were her own, her wants close to unfounded. She looked down at the blue paper then back to the woman, back perfectly neutral. "It is not a question of missing it."

"What is it, then, if not for the question of missing it?" Maya looked at the blue paper, then reached over to pick it up. "The color?" It was a pretty shade, Maya supposed. She flipped it over a few times, and, instead of putting it back on the table, offered it out.

It wasn't for something as controlling as forcing a reaction, but she wanted to know if Rei would take it. The girl hadn't answered any questions with any sort of depth—merely the bare minimum necessary to consider the question 'answered'. Maya wanted to see if Rei was simply uncomfortable with Maya, or if it was something...deeper. Maya had never met someone Rei's age who was quite so taciturn. Or, Maya had simply never bothered with someone like Rei before. Whichever. They were here now.

It would be problematic if Rei wasn't willing to just tell Maya to go away, though. Maya couldn't read Rei, and didn't want to push the girl that far. Hopefully they'd be able to avoid that scenario, but she'd get to that when she'd get to it.

Her eyes followed the woman's hand to the paper, and then returned to her face, again not reaching for what was held out. If the woman wanted it, she could have it. Or not. Rei had no attachments to it. "Not the color." There was a fondness in blue, to be certain, but something so meaningless would not be a reason.

The woman's questions pressed at her. Not bothersome so much as unwanted. Ayanami was beginning to regret answering her first question. But it didn't matter. This was no subject better left unsaid. It was only that it was her answer, and as such, would retain little sense when spoken. Like most things, it would lose meaning the moment it touched the air.

It didn't matter though. It was not something so carefully kept within.