[From here.]

After coming to an agreement it wasn't long before they set back out to search for some kind of 'supply store'. Of course, Sync would've scoffed if he had heard Dahlia's thoughts. Him? With a weapon? Anyone who knew the God-General well enough would know better than to think about something so absurd. No, this little trip was for Dahllia's sake; after all, he'd have to make sure this airhead doll lasted for at least a few more nights. This meant arming her in some way so she wouldn't end up dying and wasting his time. He hoped she wouldn't be too concerned about getting blood on her clothes.

And so, after a bit of searching, they finally came across a kitchen supply store. Sync gave the outside one look over, and after nodding slightly he walked over and reached for the door, holding it open for the redhead.

"After you," He said, ignoring the pain in his cheeks from smiling too much.

[from here]

Endrance took one slow step inside the Sun Room, then another. He stood just beyond the doorway for a moment, sweeping his flashlight from side to side. There were too many shadows for him to scan them all; if he did that, he would be there all night. That was the last thing that he wanted.

He didn't see the false Mia lurking behind a couch or under a table, and that would have to do. He couldn't dwell on it too much. I can't...I have to let her go. It's the only way to move forward.

With one last, resolute nod, he moved through the room and through the cafeteria doors.

[to here.]

Most days, fish and chips (and a cold beer or three) was pretty goddamned high on S.T.'s list of perfect expense-account lunches. Today, the idea of picking at greasy hunks of unidentified bottom-feeder odds-and-ends (politely known as scrod, to the delight of teenagers all across the Northeast) didn't appeal.

He begged off and collapsed into his bed, after using his damp shirt as an excuse to surreptiously check the contents of his closet. Bingo. His nurse watched his little show, unimpressed but (more importantly) unsuspicious. Not that his hairy chest was much of a catch today, pale and sweating from fever. At least she didn't tuck him in.

The intercom woke up up right on schedule, and pulling the sheets back over his head almost won. But a handful of unanswered missives and a vague sense of duty dragged him out to the bulletin, and from there it was easier to stagger over to the greenhouse.

It was warm inside -- a deep, humid warmth that actually penetrated to the aches in more joints and muscles than he could remember the names of. Like a sauna, without the hassle of finding someplace to look that wasn't a mound of pasty middle-management cellulite. Or a sweat lodge, without the opposite hassle of being conscious that he was the only white guy in the room. In fact, besides the nurses in holding patterns, he was the only person in the room.

He located a tray of tomato seedlings going rootbound in their tiny six-packs, and a potting bench whose location was a quick-and-dirty approximation of equidistantly far from anything blooming. He assured his nurse he knew what he was doing, and after a couple of successful repottings, gently sliding the little seedlings out and loosening the tangled roots, she seemed to agree and backed off. It was, by far, the most fucking theraputic thing he'd found in this hellhole so far, and he let himself sink into the rhythm of the task.

[Free!]

*hobble wobble*

"Damn that SCOURGE!" Starscream cried out, the slowly-filling cafeteria producing a jarring echo of his raspy voice. His limping, already bad enough from not knowing how to properly use his crutches, was now exacerbated from the injuries he'd received the shift prior. Despite the gauges in his non-casted leg so lovingly provided by the aforementioned 'patient', Starscream could still put some weight on it, but not so much that he could really stop and rest; relieving the soreness under his arms was out of the question. The nurse that walked behind him with his tray, already upset at having to deal with yet another troublesome inmate, was growing rather impatient as his charge slowly made his way down the food line.

"Just...give me a standard serving of the aquatic creature's flesh, some of those fried potato slices, two bananas, and three bottles of juice," Starscream sighed, his anger from just a moment ago assuaged by the physical exertion needed to move the way he did. "I'm going to sit down here...bring it to me when you're done."

He was hardly surprised to find that one of the bananas was completely bruised along its inner curve, or that the handful of 'chips' on his plate were all on the small side. Tired and frustrated as he was, however, he could barely muster a 'damned flesh-creature' before moving his fingers to the plate, picking one of the longer 'chips' and shoving it into his mouth listlessly.

There was an unusually high concentration of sodium chloride crystals on it. Of COURSE.

[For Tony Stark]

[from here]

He paused at hearing a noise in the hallway. Akihiko whipped his head around, searching for the source. "You're paranoid," he told himself quietly, when he didn't see it.

He shrugged again, noting the Sun Room door was partially open. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

[to here]

[from here]

Junpei slammed the door shut behind him, hoping it would keep Invisi-girl out. She hadn't been there when he came to, so maybe she'd gotten bored or something and wandered off. He eyed the small crack at the bottom of the door, hoping that she'd just been invisible and not like a cloud or something, cause it'd suck if she just slipped under the door like something from a creepy mist movie.

Finding a table nearby, Junpei sat down at it, bat placed on the table top, and took a few good long minutes to catch his breath and enjoy wonderful, beautiful air. While he caught his breath, he examined the rip in his pants, noting the rock he'd hit had cut his knee and there was some blood soaked into the grey fabric. It kinda stung when he poked it. Stupid rock.

So, he was in... like a cafeteria or something from the looks of it. Picking his bat back up, Junpei shined his flashlight around to get a better look at the room. Boring. There wasn't even any food out - just a bunch of tables and an empty buffet line. With the awesomeness of the food he'd had for dinner, he'd kinda wanted a bit of a midnight snack.

Oh, he shouldn't have thought of that. Midnight was when the Dark Hour was and a midnight snack was, like, what that scary chick was helping herself to outside. Did she have to like floss to get the fur out from between her teeth? Oh no... Junpei covered his mouth as he gagged, really hoping he wasn't going to throw up at the whole evil-Koro-chan-eating-pink-chick-of-ubercreepiness.

[from here]

Spider closed the large double doors carefully behind him, still unsure as to whether the figments outside would transform into snake-toothed dogs and devour his liver. They did not. Elated, and recovered from his previous sprint, Spider let out a loud hoot and launched himself into the massive room.

This was the first room he'd managed to find in this white-tiled antiseptic-smelling prismfuck and by god he was going to make the most of it. It was like the architect had smashed all the rooms in the place into one to make more room for his beloved hallways. It was huge. He took a running jump and landed on a nearby table, crouching. He surveyed the room like a predator, grinning so widely it looked as if his head was about to spawn a swarm of infernal bicuspids. He took stock of exits, windows, tables, chairs ... and there was a bulletin board! He had pens. This could prove extremely entertaining.

Whistling merrily and tunelessly, he leapt from table to table on his way to the massive bulletin board.

Kurogane was very much not the creative type, so naturally the nurse didn't care for his protests of having an "Arts and Crafts" time and forced him into the room.

"Maybe making something will get you out of that foul mood, Mr. Cross," she encouraged with a smile.

"Kurogane!" he corrected angrily, but the woman had already left, "Che."

Looking around the room made Kurogane even less interested in doing anything but sitting and waiting for the next change. So he picked out a spot in the corner and did just that.

[for the magician]

"Busy, busy, busy day today!" The Head Doctor's voice said, a horrible thing for by patients made weary by the previous night's exploration to wake up to. His words were rapid, as if he was in a rush. "We have Arts & Crafts and showers, and... yes, new patients, of course! It's always rewarding to think of how many people have been able to go home due to the tireless efforts of our staff and the wonderful progress made by our patients; this, of course, also makes room for new groups of people who need our help. Splendid, splendid..."

The usual sound of paper shuffling along the Head Doctor's desk could be heard.

"Ah, yes, that's right! Breakfast! On today's menu is French Toast – syrup, butter, margarine, and powdered sugar are all available, of course – along with a choice of scrambled eggs, sausage links, and bacon. As always, you also have a choice of fresh fruit available, as well of healthy, wholesome cereals and drinks – water, milk, or assorted juices.

"And... I believe that's it! I do hope that all of our new patients enjoy their stay and that you give them a warm welcome."

The intercom clicked off.

[ All introduction posts for this shift's group of new characters should be made in response to this post. (Please have your new character wake up in a random empty room, as we aren't yet able to officially assign rooms.) Thanks! ]

Yuffie bounced all the way through collecting her lunch, all the way to a good seat- one with a nice view of the whole cafeteria, which was something she'd been missing out on during the past day or so that she'd been stuck in the Institute- and hell, she even bounced into her seat.

A good mood? No, really?

Despite the occasional blip, talking to Sagara had been awesome. He was a fun guy; he wasn't a prude, didn't have a stick shoved so far up his ass it was poking out his eyeballs, and he'd actually had a conversation with her. One that hadn't revolved around doom, gloom or how much life sucked. If she could find other people like that and keep in touch with Sagara, maybe there was a little hope for this place.

After a quick gulp of pink lemonade, Yuffie settled to munching through her food and keeping an eye on the door.

[Waiting for Dean, I think? :x]