There was, at first, a light. There was something familiar in that.

Renamon's eyes eased open slowly, cracking in increments instead of all at once. She expected to feel as she ought, beaten and sore, a heavy heart and weary soul. To again have to think about everything that had been fought for. The winning that was worse than losing, and the stagnancy that trumped over all. Sometimes continence, existing, living-- Sometimes the act of protecting life itself took away your reason for it. The feeling of loss would always be fresh. She would never get over the lack in her heart. Even the mindless rituals she could call, familiar patterns to give herself to, monotony to keep her body busy so her mind did not think could not absorb the need in her chest. For the one who was everything, and the one who Renamon was parted from. She took a breath, careful and quiet. And realized belated that the light shining down on her wasn't natural, wasn't the light she had become used to.

She opened her eyes fully, to take in what was there. And before she could ken the sand enclosure, the grandstands, the other people spaced around her, the Digimon took in one thing, and only that.

Her fingers stretched, claws shining--when she tensed her thighs, she could feel the strong muscles that would propel her into the air. Behind her, a heavy tail moved, for the balance needed to sustain the grace she imposed on her surroundings. And atop her head, large ears flicked, taking in the movement of the two in the stands, and another somewhere close-by.

It was too obvious to say the change. And she found that in the face of it, to the return of what had been taken, she could not speak.

Well, that went well! Anise had gained herself a gorgeously handsome new friend. She just hoped that weird illness didn't get either of them killed before she could get to know him any better.

... Yeah, that was morbid. It was hard not to think about, though.

Before going to the Cafeteria, Anise made a stop at her room to grab her journal, maps, and a pen. Once she finished eating, she could get a start on copying the maps for Barnaby. He was going to be so glad he met her!

With that done, Anise made her way to the Cafeteria, where she picked up an assortment of food, making sure to get some meat, vegetables, and milk on her tray. She then sat down at a table and set her notes aside while she started on her meal. It was hard not to feel self-conscious about the rash on her arm, though the makeup she used had blended the discolored part enough that it couldn't be seen from a distance. Anise just hoped no one would come specifically looking for it.

[Ilia!]

She dreamed that night, of matters she had left behind. Of the taint in her blood and the growing threat of an end she had not prepared for. Of a brother she had met but never had the chance to truly communicate. Tear had a mission before this place, a purpose she had intended to fulfill to the bitter end. Now, there was only--

It was silence that woke her, that stirred her from the impressions her mind gave and brought back the memories lost. Disorientation took a moment to pass, but eventually, the Melodist regained her center and dragged herself out of bed. The events in the basement had likely shut down her consciousness--for how long remained to be seen. There was no indication of what night (day, even) it was or the location of her roommate. She also could not catch much atmospheric noise outside her door.

It was, in her most honest opinion, very quiet.

Determination overcame all else. Tear had to find out what she had come to and then work her way from there. She grabbed her makeshift weapon and the light fon tech and with a steady step, slipped out the door.

[from here]

As soon as the southern door opened, a draft started blowing through it, and Taura almost hauled the door shut. This wasn't a station, or a ship, though, and drafts didn't mean certain death. It wasn't reassuring, though, given what little people had said about what was waiting at the end this hallway.

She took one step into the hallway, which was nearly pitch black. She extracted her flashlight and flicked it on; just a short area, and then another set of doors, which, from a distance, looked as equally ornate as the last set. "All clear," she called back.

[From here.]

Another ornate room met her eyes, one with a low ceiling and a gold finish everywhere she looked. The focus of her gaze, however, fell on the centerpiece--the strange creature Renamon had referenced. It looked to be a hybrid, an unrecognized formation of animals she knew well, but for some reason, Tear did not believe it to be a product of science. The sphinx maintained an antiquated countenance, as if it had originated from a point far in Earth's past.

Nothing so old could logically be conceived by artificial means.

One might have expected the soldier to outright stare as she had with the tapestries. Tear, however, recalled the existence of riddles and stayed respectably cautious, even as she could not hide the wonder in her blue eyes.

[from here]

The hall, and its near-horrific tapestries that the Digimon hadn't been able to view properly before called itself as stark in the silence that still rang after IRIS's disjointed speech. Renamon truly wondered if the AI was self-aware, or only a complex program. Something like Digimon, or closer to the D-Reaper? Or not even anything of the sort.

They moved down the hall, and she ventured information. "Where we're going holds a being that commands respect. It isn't human, but it doesn't change the fact that it's an entity from human mythology. We have to face it, and solve a riddle it offers. If we don't succeed, it will fight us." She paused, then went on. "As things are, I don't think that we would survive."

[teleporting from here]

Her stomach twisted painfully, and she swallowed harshly. This was not her first time, and a lesser distance than the last two, but still it affected. She regretted suddenly finishing the remains of her dinner. Taking a moment to refind her feet, she moved to face the group. "...I'll explain. The--"

--To be cut off by the intercom sputtering to life. Expecting Landel, IRIS's tone came as a surprise. And more--

When the AI started rattling off binary, the Digimon's head jolted towards the ceiling, listening intently. After the first few repeats, she was sure that was all there was. She waited a moment more, and the intercom cut off sharply. "Jessica Drew and Peter Parker...." she murmured. One of the names sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it. Who were they, to gain such a reaction to their demise?

[from here]

Taura took up station midway between the two halls leading back into the dormitories. Alone with her thoughts; the hall was quiet. Too quiet. Dead quiet, a little voice hissed in the back of her mind.

This was no time to be getting superstitious. It was unavoidable, really, in a profession with so much risk involved in daily operations, that those who survived found things to credit. Beyond their own skill, because they'd all seen better men/women/herms when their luck ran out, and skill only improved your odds.

Her luck was holding, tonight. Was Rita and Goku's?

[Rita and Goku]

[from here]

Taura was passing the door to the bathrooms when a thought occurred to her. Could that have been what Okita had been worried about? Did he know something had started? He hadn't looked especially well, come to think of it, but he'd never looked terribly energetic, except in the middle of a fight.

But if he'd known this was coming, why hadn't he said anything? He didn't have to use his own handwriting -- if he'd wanted to, he could have let them all know that something was coming without tipping his hand.

Or it could be something else. Politics. Loyalties. She hadn't expected him not to have any, but she wished he'd been willing to explain. Did he think she'd be disappointed? Maybe she would have, a little, but she would have listened to what he had to say. Did he -- no, he didn't think her unworthy of trust, but perhaps he hadn't been able to turn that same regard to himself? Or maybe it's just embarrassing, Taura.

[to here]

Anise had been quiet that evening. She ate dinner quickly, changed her clothes, then lay down on her bed to rest. The night hadn't even started, and she already felt worn out. She hoped that closing her eyes for a bit would make the headache go away.

Unfortunately, the pain was still there by the time the Head Doctor's voice began to ring through the institute. And his message... was possibly the creepiest she'd ever heard. A bug, an infection, symptoms, and then...

Anise clutched her pillow tightly, trying not to imagine it too vividly, but against her will, the memories of the nurses' transformations came flooding back. Was that going to happen to them...? He didn't say what the symptoms were. What if the aches and malaise Anise felt weren't just from overexerting herself and being under stress, what if...

No. Anise wouldn't believe it. She couldn't accept that. But her mind continued to wander. What if it wasn't her, what if the friends who'd been strangely absent that day were actually...

Damn it, no! The longer she stayed put, the more her mind was going to linger on horrible thoughts like those. Anise shot out of bed, scrambled to grab her things, and shot out the door. She had to find Guy.

[to here]

Last night had been a nightmare. That had to be what it was, but Ilia couldn't deny reality. In her anguish, Ilia had slept through the first half of the day plagued by nightmares. In her dreams she saw Rose's broken body all over again with Gamzee standing over her, his club raised to strike again. Somewhere, she could hear Martin Landel laughing.

Much like the battle last night, Ilia was overcome by her powerlessness. Was she really so useless? Why did it have to be the children who suffered pain and death? Why was she left alive here? She didn't wish for her own death, but if she could have given up her life to save Rose... But nothing could be done now

Ilia had failed to save an ally in need. If only her Captain could have been here, then just maybe his uncanny luck and drive might have saved them. He had a miraculous touch that could solve anything. Ilia now understood why she would never be on equal footing with him.

Miserably, Ilia roused herself at her nurse's insistence that she come eat. She didn't take a moment to brush her hair or wash her face. She just followed along as directed, trying to ignore the hallow feeling in her chest. Ilia wasn't hungry, but she took one of the bags offered to her and trudged to the bulletin. She addressed a few notes then added one herself. It wasn't the prettiest note, but Ilia couldn't produce the level of prose that Rose deserved. Instead, she wrote it quickly, like ripping off a band-aid. Short. To the point.

Her task done, Ilia found seat in the corner and sunk down into the cushion. Burying her face in her hands, she concentrated on breathing. She couldn't face the sun today.

[For her children Claude and Anise]

[from here]

The main hall was dead quiet as Soma rounded the corner. The last few nights, this place had been bustling with fellow patients; the sudden calm was very nearly unnerving.

Still, she tried to put it out of her mind. Marie didn't sense anything out of the ordinary--yet.

[to here]

[from here]

Despite being cautious, Anise was still making good time. The halls were dark and eerily quiet, but they appeared to be clear of any danger... for the time being. Anise didn't plan on sticking around long enough to see if or when that would change. She moved on to the next hallway.

[to here]

A 'special little treat'? Did the Head Doctor mean the lollipop? Getting a reward from him just made Anise feel like she ought to be less well-behaved. Being on his good side just felt gross.

And what was more, the following announcement went on to mention a meeting between the Head Doctor and some patients. Anise could only assume she wasn't among the invited, which was a bit disappointing. She wanted a second chance to try and teach the Head Doctor a lesson. For now, all she could do was hope that whoever did go would do it in her place. Sure, he probably expected it and had safeguards in place, but it wasn't like he was invincible, right? ... Probably.

In the meantime, Anise had to hurry and get ready for the night. She hastily swapped her patient uniform for her Fon Master Guardian one, double-checked that Tokunaga carried what little emergency supplies she wanted to bring, and grabbed her flashlight and weapon. And most important of all: the bone bracelet that would take her to her destination. She wouldn't get very far without that!

With everything ready, Anise was quick to head out into the hallway. The last few nights hadn't been that productive, so she wanted to get a good head start this time.

[to here]

Needless to say, her night was a bust.

It wasn't that Ramona was trying to turn it into an absolutely safe evening in which she got nothing done. A part of her wanted to test the limits of her abilities and see what she could actually do in this place, but outside of the absolute confirmation that subspace was no longer a go, she couldn't bring herself to go much farther. Scott's words hung over her heavily. The fact that he had made it clear that he was going to continue being as affectionate as possible wanted to remove any chance of her dealing with anyone. So, though she hit another hall, she turned back around and headed back to her room. Ramona was the type of person who sometimes preferred sulking with company, but that wasn't on the plate for the night. (And she didn't want to call it sulking, either.)

She wasn't certain when she fell asleep, but when she woke up, she was sure the people in charge here had some kind of fast-forward button that they could hit whenever they got bored. That was definitely not the entire night, nor had it been the night before. Sometimes night just ended. Of course, Ramona could appreciate the need for a scene change. This place was already running on enough lame clichés to last it a lifetime. Sometimes they need to return to the daytime status quo to hit reset.

That all said, she was getting the feeling that her own waking up process was a little boring. Ramona was glad that her hair was short now because it made her feel a lot less neurotic about the lack of allowed primping. She cast a glance in the direction of her roommate's bed before she plodded out after her nurse. The woman was kind looking, which, of course, meant that she was evil. Then again, anyone could be evil. Ramona just wanted everyone to be evil right now.

(Maybe she was still sulking.)

"We've noticed that you haven't been socializing as much, Sandra," the woman said while grabbing her attention, and it was as if Ramona finally clued in that a conversation was supposed to be happening. Great, she was fitting the bill for crazy on top of incredibly irritated already. The nurse was definitely evil. And maybe a bitch, with the way her fingers freed her shoulder and she stepped back, snorted softly, and gave a shake of her head. "It's always when you're new that it's hard," the nurse added. "And we can tell you're rebellious."

"Wow, it's been a while since someone thought I was a punk rocker. Don't worry. I can socialize," Ramona assured her as she hit the cafeteria. But it looked like she was one of the first arrivals.

Ramona decided she'd get the woman off her back by grabbing a tray of food and not sitting too far from it. At least people might stumble upon talking to her if she looked available enough.

(And hopefully, that someone wouldn't be Scott. Even though she highly doubted his ability to get out of bed, he seemed to acclimate to this place enough to make an appearance with his face and his smiles and his stupid "I love you"s.)

[for America]

[From here.]

The door yielded almost too easily and opened at her second attempt with an audible crack. Tear instantly brought the fontech's beam into the interior, eyes and ears open for any aggressors. It wasn't until she was able to confirm their absence that the soldier finally shifted her attention to Mikado. "Alright," she started. "There should be some things here for your hand."

[From here.]

The comment Mikado had posed caught Tear entirely off her guard; however, she still took the time to examine her surroundings before moving to address it. Her light moved across the floor, the doors, and the ceiling, checking for incongruity, and then turned back to the other. "A soldier?" she echoed. Her memory spoke of an announcement made by Aguilar, but she couldn't be certain. "Would you be willing to tell me what happened?"

[From here.]

The entry hallway to the second level happened to be quiet--dare she say, virtually deserted. Tear gave a thoroughly look and feel for the area before signalling Mikado to move ahead. She remained by his side, keeping all senses open for potential dangers. Hopefully none was present, but with this building, a person could never be sure.

[From here]

Looked like she was the first one out this way. Utena stopped just short of the Sun Room, turning her light back to see if anyone she knew was coming up the hall behind her. No one so far.

Utena switched her light off as she leaned back against the wall. She was pretty sure everyone preferred not to be fighting hordes of rotting dogs and bigfoot monsters again tonight, so she figured the less attention she called to herself out here, the better. The only downside to doing that was that it made seeing down the hall a bit more difficult. She squinted a bit, eyes trying to adjust to the near-pitch darkness as she pictured what one of her silhouetted companions might look like.

It was kind of a weird group they had put together when she really looked at it. She and Aigis had been friends before, of course, but she never would have pegged the quiet Aigis being friends with someone as brash as Sechs. And neither of them really knew much about the redhead; Utena didn't even know if they knew his real name or not. They had worked together well enough the night before, though, both in combat and as a riddle-solving team. She had a good feeling about the group, despite them not all each other that well yet. Getting to know Sechs that afternoon had been an interesting and enlightening experience in contrast to the violence she had seen from him the night before, and she had to admit, the mysterious redhead at the very least intrigued her, even if he seemed to share some of Touga's or Landel's smugness. She was looking forward to seeing what they could all get done tonight — and beyond, for that matter.

She kept a careful eye out from her spot in the shadows, wondering who would show up first.

[from here]

Taura pondered the announcement she'd just heard as she jogged down another empty hallway. Who was she? Jill? Who he'd tortured himself, though that could have been an act on her part as well? Whose side had she been on? And what could have happened to her that would be permanent?

Death was usually pretty permanent, but even that had its exceptions around here. Taura didn't have to like it to know it was true; what had General Aguilar done that could change that? And why was Doctor Landel so angry?

It was an uneasy thought to stomach; revenge drove people like nothing else did, and being one of the people in between was a hell of a way to go.

[to here]