damned_institute | Day 53: Sun Room

When the intercom came on to announce the shift change, the feeling of dread returned. Anise had calmed down considerably since the morning, and she felt more ready to discuss the previous night with Ilia... but not as ready as she wanted to be.

Since the Music Room was bound to be noisy and crowded, Anise opted for the Sun Room instead, hoping that Ilia would come to the same conclusion. She took a seat on one side of a couch in the middle of the room, and waited there. If Ilia didn't show up after a while, she'd go try the Music Room.

Even though this talk had been on her mind all day, Anise still didn't know what she would say. And if she explained the truth behind her shadow's words last night... what would Ilia think? On the one hand, Ilia had shown herself to be a compassionate person, and it was hard to picture her treating Anise differently. But on the other hand, Anise hadn't known Ilia that long... and Ilia was a soldier. She would understand the gravity of Anise's actions, and the sorts of consequences that usually waited for people like her.

With these worries weighing on her mind, Anise leaned against the arm of the couch as she waited.

[For Ilia.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"... Oh maaaaaan." Kay made a face at him, totally and completely annoyed. "I, uh, dunno who all you've been talking to today, but no one here's tried to convince me I'm crazy except the nurses. And no one's been trying to convince me I should be here-- you took the Yatagarasu symbol off my note, you should've seen that Gummy was offering me tips on how to find incriminating evidence, not telling me that there wasn't any to find."

She leaned on his shoulder with a sigh, and ticked off on her fingers, "Besides, everyone I've talked to has had confirmed that this place isn't what it's pretending to be. That includes people I don't know or have any particular reason to trust-- I haven't caught anyone out on any kind of lies yet, even. Usually people tell little lies every now and then, but everyone here is ridiculously truthful, and even the things I can't confirm are ridiculous enough that it's hard to believe anyone would expect anyone else to believe lies about it." She pauses to think up examples. "Like Admiral ZEX this morning, he says he's a space alien. If 'they' are trying to get me to think I'm mentally unstable, why would 'they' have a guy saying something that sounds so ridiculous?" Not that Kay didn't believe ZEX, but she was pretty accepting of space aliens. If time travel was (provably!) possible, why not that, too?

"It didn't occur to you that we might actually be in an asylum?" Badd was starting to lose his patience here. The most frustrating part was how she took this place at face value and didn't even seem upset about it when her very life was in danger. "You found a space alien and I had a guy doubting the existence of his breakfast. They can believe what they're saying and still be crazy." The fact that they were ridiculously truthful was itself a red flag. Everyone told six lies before breakfast, even if they were 'no, that cravat makes you look quite dignified, sir'.

He tried to turn his tone gentle again. She was just a child, despite all she'd gone through. "But that doesn't mean Gumshoe and Miss von Karma are really the people you think they are. Sometimes our friends, the people we think we can trust above everyone, are the ones plotting against us. You should know that more than anyone."

It was a low blow, but she needed a wakeup call. This was not a game.

"Fine, I'll make sure to start mistrusting you right away."

She said it snappishly, without really thinking. She knew to be cautious, she did, but that didn't mean her friends were going to be like that woman just because Badd was afraid they would be--

After a moment, she realized it was kind of a cruel thing to say to the one person she trusted more than anything, the person she knew loved her more than anything, but-- but he was kinda being a jerk, too, and not listening to anything she was saying! Just because she was young and kind of impulsive didn't mean she was wrong, and she'd been here three times longer than he had...

"This isn't just an asylum. I know it. And you trying to convince me otherwise isn't going to work." She said it firmly, without any hint of giving way.

"Not the worst idea," Badd mumbled in response to her first comment. He made it his business to mistrust everyone, even before Yew came on the scene. Even the most honest people could be blackmailed, or repeating false information they thought was true.

Like Kay, for example. Badd sighed and ran a hand over his weathered face, wishing Faraday had given his kid less idealism and more cynicism. "It's not just an asylum, I'll give you that. There's people here that shouldn't be here, like Gant." Oh, right. "By the way, if some white haired big guy who laughs too much gets near you, scream and get the hell out. He's not a nice guy."

Stranger danger and all that. They came stranger than Gant but not by much.

Day 53: Sun Room

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject