ext_201958 ([identity profile] full-score.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] damned_institute2010-10-05 10:48 pm

Day 52: Game Room

Lunch had taken his mind from his worries, if only for a few minutes. But after the intercom sounded and the nurses began leading patients onto the next activity, one look at the bulletin board brought everything back in full force. No replies from Ashton, Dias or Dad. By now Claude felt like he was practically counting down until the end of the day, when he was going to have to finally grapple with the real possibility that most of his friends from before Landel's, as well as his own father, had fallen victim to the institute.

And now he was going to have to deal with his mother being here on top of that. It didn't seem like a coincidence that she'd show up right when his father's whereabouts were so up in the air. But what did it mean? Why couldn't Landel leave his family out of this?

Normally, the announcement about new video games would have made him perk up, but his eyebrows only knit together with concern as his nurse led him into the game room. That didn't seem to stop her from trying to get him to unwind, though.

"Oh, come now, Thomas, you've worn that expression for most of the day!" she told him with a frown. "Why don't you have a bit of fun now that your eyes are all better? I'm sure you could use it."

The last thing he wanted was to be reminded of his "sleep studies", he darkly thought to himself. But before he could protest, his nurse had sat him down in front of one of the television screens. There was an old gaming console, one Claude had never seen before, and he glanced at her with a confused expression. "Go on," she encouraged as she placed one of the controllers in his hands. "I know how much you enjoy these kinds of things. Someone will come play with you soon, too, I'm sure. Doesn't that sound nice?"

He didn't have time to answer her, because she'd soon bustled off to tend to some of the other patients. Claude watched her leave with a sigh. He realized the daytime staff meant well, which made knowing what they turned into at night even worse to think about. But now he was just being negative for the sake of it, wasn't he?

Taking in a small breath, he reached over to the console and turned it on. As long as he was waiting for some kind of answer from the bulletin, there probably wasn't much he could do except pass the time. Claude watched the title screen appear on the television, his expression growing more curious in spite of himself. Super Mario Bros....

[For Prussia!]

[identity profile] bodhiandspirit.livejournal.com 2010-10-12 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
When Guy mentioned that his planet was also about to lose its main energy source, Rita's eyes widened in surprise. Another similarity - and this was a big one. Her surprised look quickly faded, however, as she fell deep into thought. "So we have that in common, too..." she murmured, mostly to herself.

The interruption of the intercom caused Rita to shoot a sour look at one of the nearest speakers. It was just her luck that the shift would change right when it seemed like she was about to finally learn something useful.

She found Guy's suggestion agreeable enough, however, and so she gave the man a quick nod. "I don't mind. I want to hear what you know about the subject." While Rita's current theories regarding spirit magic and mana were fairly solid, it wouldn't hurt to consider other alternatives as well. The more options they had, the sooner their civilization could get back to living comfortably and progressing normally, without any crippling setbacks.

"I'll see you later." Rising to her feet, Rita gave Guy one last look, which didn't seem to contain any particular emotion, then turned and made her way out of the room.