Day 53: Music Room

[rocksthecourt]

Well, if it wasn't his favorite time of the week. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder. Of course in this case, distance makes Klavier feel like an abused, neglected animal who was only now being allowed a taste of actual food. These people were such savages. It was still absolutely absurd that they were allowed access to this room so

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[justthedealer]

"Pardon... Nurse? Infirmière? Your music selection seems to be lacking in Zydeco. Be nice t'have, non? Gets de feet tappin' an' de spirits up." It was a silly thing to complain about, really, and Remy only brought it up to have something to complain about so he wouldn't feel as though he was just letting himself be led along like a puppy on a leash. Small bits of rebellion, right?

Yeah, he felt silly thinking that too.

The music selection wasn't too terrible, all things considered, but he didn't feel like listening to any of it. Some group of kids nearby looked like they were getting ready to start making some noise anyway, so that should provide a little entertainment for the time being. Hopefully.

He picked up a CD player, attached a pair of headphones, but didn't turn it on. Sitting in a chair and trying to make himself look comfortable, Remy sat back and watched the proceedings.

[free]

[hiddenbadass]

And then he was lead along for his next shift to the music room. Again, something that hadn't been a part of his life in so very long. It threw him for a loop, how so suddenly all of this was being suddenly shoved back into his life. Mike ignored his nurse as she chatted away, letting his mind wander just enough to consider what he was getting himself into.

He hoped there were more than instruments, maybe a Walkman or something. Something to drown out the noisy, probably horrible, band tryouts. If Turtle Luck was particularly vicious that day, especially to make up for the pizza he just ate, they'd have their instruments hooked up to amplifiers.

As he was entering the room, Mike realized that his stomach was beginning to feel weird. Coincidentally, this was occurring shortly after he had gorged himself on pizza. He blinked, then put a hand to his stomach. Oh.

Actually, it was beginning to hurt. It dawned on Mike that he hadn't of had pizza in so long, and suddenly he had eaten half of one by himself.

Smart, Mike. Real smart

[justthedealer]

Remy hadn't realized that a CD player was that hard to find here, as he'd simply come across this one in passing, and he gave the man a curious look over the top of his sunglasses. As it wasn't even on, and he'd never intended on using it properly, he removed the earphones and handed the whole thing over. It wasn't much of a loss.

He thought of adding some snide comment to go along with the gesture, but this patient really didn't deserve it and didn't seem in the best of moods besides. There was no sense in making enemies this early on, especially when he was trying to gain information. He needed allies, not targets for his own growing irritation.

"All yours, frere. Ain't nothin' in it, tho'." Maybe this guy would have better luck with the music selection than he had.

[hiddenbadass]

He was going to hand it over, just like that? Mike raised an eye ridge--no, eyebrow--at him, but he took it a bit awkwardly, almost dropping it. Damnit, these fingers. The grip was all wrong, spread across four fingers instead of two

[justthedealer]

"Like de painter?" Or the ninja turtle, but more likely the first option. Remy raised an eyebrow right back at the strange man - and there was definitely a lot that was strange about him. Straight off, his mannerisms were those of someone confused, unadjusted to the situation in a larger sense than it just being a mental hospital. In other words, he looked like the sort of person who might actually belong there, but the mutant wasn't going to be that quick to judge.

He would have offered a hand, but Michaelangelo's seemed occupied. "You can call me Gambit." He'd started giving out that name now, so there was no sense in changing it to his real one. Even if it was obviously an alias, most people here seemed content to accept that. It wasn't exactly the most unusual name anyone had offered sense he'd been there, either, seeing as he'd worked with a girl named Lightning just the night before.

"Seems we're both a bit new here, neh?" That, at least, didn't take much guesswork.

[hiddenbadass]

"Yeah, like the painter," Mike replied, almost seeming to smile for a moment; actually, both options were right, but it's not like Remy would know that.

Mike was perfectly sane. He was just completely unused to being human and completely unused to suddenly being thrust into social situation after another. The former turtle usually avoided people. Mike didn't like crowds, but he was controlling his emotions enough now that he wasn't focusing on that.

And then the man introduced himself, and dealing with crowds and people seemed like nothing. Gambit? Gambit? Mike did a double-take, and looked him over from head to toe. The hair, the Cajun accent. Mike even suspected that he knew what he was hiding behind those sunglasses

[justthedealer]

That was more surprise than Remy expected at the mention of his name, and he definitely made a mental note of it. That was recognition, and he wouldn't turn aside the possibility that the two of them were from the same place even if he didn't recognize the man. Michaelangelo didn't look like he was ready to share why he was so thrown off by that, so Remy played it up like he hadn't seen it.

There were other good parts of the conversation to work with instead, after all. "Oh, you from de Big Apple? I'm from de Big Easy." He grinned, as if the accent hadn't been enough of a giveaway. Well, maybe if one didn't happen to be from Earth... There were one or two people he'd spoken with so far who just seemed weirded out by it.

"Personally, I'd prefer a good jambalaya, but apparently dat ain't on de menu any time soon." Stereotypes? What were those?

[hiddenbadass]

Good. The X-Man wasn't going to bring up his reaction. Made it simpler and less of a chance Mike might slip up. The last thing he wanted was to make up some terrible excuse on the fly. He never had been good at that.

"I couldn't tell," Mike replied--but whether it was a joke or sarcasm, his expression didn't say; it wasn't meant to be taken harshly, either way.

The comment about Jambalaya, however, made Mike smirk a little. "Always wanted to try that. Heard Southern food's pretty good. Real Southern food."

Food. Now that was a topic that Mike could get behind, now that he was going to get more of it. At least, until he escaped. Then he'd be on his own again.

[justthedealer]

"Mon dieu. You been missin' out on life if you never had a good taste of N'Orleans." Remy leaned forward, tilting down his sunglasses a bit to get a better look at Michaelangelo over them. If the former turtle had any doubts about the mutant's eyes before, they'd be tossed out now. "If I might be allowed t'boast some, I'd say I make a mean jambalaya. If de nurses ever decided t'let me behind de stove, which dey won't, I'll get everyone a taste of de bayou."

The food around here, while not necessarily bad, was just... bland and ordinary. Now having been in bad situations before where the blandest of food would have a treat from heaven, he knew this was a silly thing to be complaining about, but he wasn't going to be giving this place any compliments.

He leaned forward with a sly smile. "Dat's de new secondmost top item on my list of t'ings t'get done. 1) Escape. 2) Get Michaelangelo some sothern cookin'."

[hiddenbadass]

There were no doubts about Gambit's eyes now, and it made Mike blink. They weren't contacts, or they were damn good ones if they were. It was starting to look as if this guy was on the level. Or that Mike really belonged in an insane asylum, but he doubted that. He knew he had issues, but not those kind of issues.

The offer to make him food, however, blew him away. Not only was a near stranger offering to make him food out of the blue, but that stranger was fucking Gambit. Shock clearly registered across Mike's face, an expression more vulnerable than the last time, and he found himself staring at Gambit again.

Sure, April had always shared what food the Resistance had in exchange for his help, as he wouldn't accept handouts, but this was different. Cooking that sort of food took time and effort. Finding the ingredients took time and effort. Southern hospitality. DamnMike reeled in his shock as quickly as possible, and wiped his face of emotion. Except, after a moment, a small smile crept back onto it. Mike's weakness was still food

[justthedealer]

"Mike it is, den." And Remy knew escape was the main goal of most people in the Institute right now. His discussion with Kratos before had made that apparent if it hadn't been already. It didn't need to be said, but it didn't hurt to have that assurance now and then that there were others to turn to for help - even if Logan had warned him about trusting anyone here

[hiddenbadass]

Mike glanced over at the 'band' when Remy mentioned it, and didn't seem too terribly concerned. "Some of them are good."

Really, some of them were. It could have always been worse. Always. Been a while since he heard instruments like that. Singing wasn't as rare, back home. People still sang when they thought no one was listening, or when they were with part of the resistance and it was that season. Not that often; mothers in the resistance would sing to their children.

But this music was different. It wasn't meant to comfort or an attempt to escape their lives. They were doing it for fun.

No matter how bad some of them could end up being, Mike really couldn't complain.

[justthedealer]

Remy gave the man a slight grin at that. He was right, after all. Some of them were good. The mutant could appreciate someone who took that outlook and didn't immediately complain about those that weren't. (He could get nitpicky with the best of them, though.)

Yeah, he kinda liked this guy. Hopefully he wouldn't have to fight him any time in the near future. Logan's ominous warning was still hanging over his head. Unfortunately, that particular X-Man didn't make a habit of spouting off random lies. (Even if he'd called but Nightcrawler and Spider-man "twelve" when clearly at least one of them wasn't. That was just another part of his character.)

"Some are, oui." He glanced down at the CD player, motioning to it with a brief gesture. "Did you still wanna find somthin' t'stick in dat?"

[hiddenbadass]

Oh, he would've whined had he been thirty years younger, or maybe he would have even joined them. But he wasn't that turtle anymore. Hell, he wasn't even a turtle anymore.

Mike didn't plan on fighting any of the other patients anytime soon. Best not to make enemies out of potential allies. He definitely didn't plan on touching Remy anytime soon. The guy was one of the X-Men, and he'd much rather have them as friends instead of enemies.

Last thing he wanted was to get his shell handed to him by Jean Grey. If she was even in this place. Probably wasn't. Which raised another question.

"I'm fine without somethin'," Mike replied, putting the CD player down on a nearby end table. "... Been wondering'--do people sometimes get taken from the same worlds?"

[justthedealer]

It didn't look like the CD player was going to be seeing any use that shift after all, and it was just as well. It would be harder to hear it with all the background noise anyway. He was surprised the two of them had been able to carry on a conversation as well as they had.

The question, however, caused him to frown in thought. "See, now I ain't th'best person t'be askin' dat sorta t'ing. I still don't know de ins an' outs of dis place, or what 'worlds' people be comin' from, or any of dat. You be better off askin' someone dat's been around longer." Even if Logan didn't think any of them could be trusted, Remy didn't have any reason yet to believe that they weren't all just stuck in the same situation.

"Sorry I ain't much help."