Dinner transpired in peace. Granted, the time on Tear's end was spent in restless slumber. Parts of today had drained her mentally and emotionally, and she knew a nap was in order. Otherwise, she would run the risk of a collapse, which--when happening in the midst of a battlefield (or the like)--would be fatal. Her roommate hopefully didn't mind, but even Tear couldn't set aside addressing potential exhaustion-driven incompetency for propriety.
She slept until the intercom buzzed with static and their new captor laid down tonight's atmosphere. Although both had their annoying elements, Tear could not say she minded; thanks to the noise, she at least had no choice of sleeping through the night. The young woman pushed through the grogginess and climbed out of bed, casually testing her joints and limbs for any unexpected pain. None came. Her body appeared to have recovered from its momentary exhaustion, a good sign for the rest of the night to come.
With a small nod of greeting to her roommate, Tear approached the metal box on her desk and proceeded to pull off its top. Before she could properly start rifling through the contents, however, she was interrupted by a voice outside the door. To her surprise, she knew the source and the name they used, but for the life of her, Tear could not understand why Anise was here, asking for Natalia. Then again, maybe she misheard. Only one way to find out...
She walked over to the door and pulled it open. Sure enough, there was Anise. Tear blinked in confusion. "Anise? Is something the matter?" she asked, concerned.
Anise expected to be responded to with silence, or with a confused stranger. Maybe even Natalia, if she was really lucky.
She definitely did not expect Tear.
"Tear!?" she yelped in surprise. Taking a step back, Anise looked over the door, and then down the rest of the hallway, counting the doors leading to the room. She had the right room number... didn't she? When she confirmed that this was in fact F18, she looked back to Tear with a puzzled expression.
"What are you doing here? I mean... isn't this Natalia's room?" Tear definitely would have said something if she had been Natalia's roommate, and Anise had arrived too quickly for the older girl to have beaten her to the room, so... what was going on?
"Natalia's room?" Tear repeated, growing bewildered by the second. She, too, began glancing over the hallway and the other doors as if that somehow clarified things. "No, they assigned me to F18. I haven't seen Natalia here at all." She would have known otherwise and would have had a better answer in their discussion earlier--
Wait. Hadn't they moved her from another room after her stay in the medical wing? Which meant the former occupants of F18 would have gone elsewhere.
Oh. "Oh, no," the soldier moaned, bringing a palm to her forehead. "They must have moved me to Natalia's old room." The prospect of which was almost devastating when she thought about it.
Anise came to realize the situation at about the same time as Tear, and as she did, she hung her head low and let out a heavy sigh. "I guess that answers my question, then..." If Tear was moved to Natalia's room, then that was pretty strong evidence that Natalia was gone.
Even though she saw it coming, it was a tough truth to face. Relaying the news to the others wasn't going to be much fun, either. But in the end, all Anise could do was hang in there, keep her chin up, and do what she could to help with their escape efforts. Then they could go rescue Natalia and everyone else.
After taking a few moments to let the news sink in, Anise looked back up to Tear, frowning softly. "Um... I guess I should go meet up with Guy and Claude now. What are you going to do?" She didn't see Tear reply to Claude's message, so Anise guessed she wasn't coming, unless she just missed the note.
There was something incredibly harsh about this simple truth, knowing a friend was more than likely gone. Although Tear still held onto the possibility that Natalia might be confined to the medical wing like she had been earlier, she understood the chance was slim. She also understood conveying this detail might only get their hopes up for nothing. Therefore, she wouldn't say anything on the subject for now. Tear instead frowned in kind and dropped her hand, to place it against the younger girl's shoulder in an attempt to comfort.
We'll do everything we can to get her back, her expression seemed to say. Stay strong.
She then turned to the other subject, one less complicated in the moment. "I'm going to look for a decent weapon," explained Tear, removing her hand as she did so, "and see which of my artes are usable in this place. It wouldn't hurt to be more prepared, I would think." She offered a faint smile. "Will you be all right?"
When Tear's hand rested on her shoulder, Anise forced a small smile for her friend, trying to assure her that she was going to be okay. She already did enough crying for one night, and so she was determined to stay strong for as long as she needed to be.
It made sense that Tear would want to look for a weapon. While she was a big help to have around because of her healing artes, Tear was a strong fighter, too. It was only natural that she'd want to equip herself. Maybe she'd be twice as strong the next time they traveled together.
Anise's weak smile brightened a little at Tear's question, and she nodded. "I'll be fine! Take care tonight, okay?" Thankfully, Tear wasn't the sort of person Anise needed to worry about too much. Even in a place where just about anything could happen, Tear would probably manage all right. Anise hoped so, anyway.
She didn't want to keep Guy and Claude waiting, and it looked like everything was more or less resolved for the moment, so with another firm nod, Anise turned and started down the hallway. When she reached the end of the hall, she turned back and waved in Tear's direction, then ran off.
Tear's roommate made her exit as the two girls talked, seemingly set for her journey tonight. The Melodist acknowledged her departure with a glance before turning back to Anise. Although a part of her wanted to stop the girl and question her on the identity of her previous roommate, Tear knew the venture would be fruitless. They had both moved from different rooms; F18 was bare by the time they had occupied it.
Her attention now centered on Anise, she acknowledged the other's words with a nod. Despite what was currently going on, Tear trusted the younger girl to be fine. She had learned from their journey together, hadn't she? If there existed things in life to place one's stakes on, one of them happened to be Anise's welfare. She would be okay. If not, Guy and Claude would watch over her. And hopefully next time, Tear would be equipped enough to join them.
Anise departed with a wave, and in turn, Tear raised a hand in farewell. Good luck.
She entered her room with renewed purpose, her mind now set on the details of tonight's tasks. First, the soldier would examine the contents of the metal box, pick off what was useful and make her way to the outer hallways. From there, she would move to the second floor and see if she could locate a utility closet. The institute should have one--or at the very least, a similar area where they kept tools. If she could garner some, perhaps she could use them to pry off the rod in her closet. Or if she was lucky, perhaps there could be something that was sturdier than the rod. Tear imagined a makeshift weapon from a closet wouldn't be very prudent to keep long-term.
Afterward, she could focus on sorting through her artes and Fonic Hymns.
With that in mind, she began to sort through the box. To the soldier's utmost surprise, what she found was entirely familiar and infinitely useful: her clothes--garter belt and all. How wasn't questioned as it was obvious. They must have confiscated everything the patient had before being admitted into the institute. The fact that they would return her clothing now was... Ah, why question it? She was losing seconds reasoning out something that did not necessarily matter. Without wasting another, she took to undressing.
Then, while shuffling through fabric, Tear heard a dull clunk. Blue eyes instantly fell to the spot on the floor, only to widen in complete disbelief. Violet. A jewel set against a gold chain. "This is..." she muttered, her voice fading in her ears. "It can't be..."
It was. The item that had dropped from her clothing was her mother's pendant, the same she had sold off to pay for the carriage ride to Malkuth's capital. It could be no other.
Unlike her clothing, the pendant set off a multitude of questions, all without a definite answer. Why was it here? How had they obtained it? Things she couldn't know and could never ask. The pendant was personal, and the fact that they had handled it did not sit easily in her mind. She quickly snatched the item from off the ground and held it to her chest, torn between relief and suspicion. Her eyes threatened to line with tears.
"Mother, I'm sorry," Tear finally said after a long minute. She had done what was required of her to right a wrong but in the process, had lost what was precious. Now that the pendant had returned to her (regardless of how it came), she would have to make amends with her mother's memory and keep it close. The girl slid the chain around her neck, the weight of the jewel coming as a comfort.
In the moments that came after, the Melodist changed into proper attire. With nothing else to keep her, she grabbed the flashlight and headed out the door.
She slept until the intercom buzzed with static and their new captor laid down tonight's atmosphere. Although both had their annoying elements, Tear could not say she minded; thanks to the noise, she at least had no choice of sleeping through the night. The young woman pushed through the grogginess and climbed out of bed, casually testing her joints and limbs for any unexpected pain. None came. Her body appeared to have recovered from its momentary exhaustion, a good sign for the rest of the night to come.
With a small nod of greeting to her roommate, Tear approached the metal box on her desk and proceeded to pull off its top. Before she could properly start rifling through the contents, however, she was interrupted by a voice outside the door. To her surprise, she knew the source and the name they used, but for the life of her, Tear could not understand why Anise was here, asking for Natalia. Then again, maybe she misheard. Only one way to find out...
She walked over to the door and pulled it open. Sure enough, there was Anise. Tear blinked in confusion. "Anise? Is something the matter?" she asked, concerned.
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She definitely did not expect Tear.
"Tear!?" she yelped in surprise. Taking a step back, Anise looked over the door, and then down the rest of the hallway, counting the doors leading to the room. She had the right room number... didn't she? When she confirmed that this was in fact F18, she looked back to Tear with a puzzled expression.
"What are you doing here? I mean... isn't this Natalia's room?" Tear definitely would have said something if she had been Natalia's roommate, and Anise had arrived too quickly for the older girl to have beaten her to the room, so... what was going on?
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Wait. Hadn't they moved her from another room after her stay in the medical wing? Which meant the former occupants of F18 would have gone elsewhere.
Oh. "Oh, no," the soldier moaned, bringing a palm to her forehead. "They must have moved me to Natalia's old room." The prospect of which was almost devastating when she thought about it.
Reply
Even though she saw it coming, it was a tough truth to face. Relaying the news to the others wasn't going to be much fun, either. But in the end, all Anise could do was hang in there, keep her chin up, and do what she could to help with their escape efforts. Then they could go rescue Natalia and everyone else.
After taking a few moments to let the news sink in, Anise looked back up to Tear, frowning softly. "Um... I guess I should go meet up with Guy and Claude now. What are you going to do?" She didn't see Tear reply to Claude's message, so Anise guessed she wasn't coming, unless she just missed the note.
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We'll do everything we can to get her back, her expression seemed to say. Stay strong.
She then turned to the other subject, one less complicated in the moment. "I'm going to look for a decent weapon," explained Tear, removing her hand as she did so, "and see which of my artes are usable in this place. It wouldn't hurt to be more prepared, I would think." She offered a faint smile. "Will you be all right?"
Reply
It made sense that Tear would want to look for a weapon. While she was a big help to have around because of her healing artes, Tear was a strong fighter, too. It was only natural that she'd want to equip herself. Maybe she'd be twice as strong the next time they traveled together.
Anise's weak smile brightened a little at Tear's question, and she nodded. "I'll be fine! Take care tonight, okay?" Thankfully, Tear wasn't the sort of person Anise needed to worry about too much. Even in a place where just about anything could happen, Tear would probably manage all right. Anise hoped so, anyway.
She didn't want to keep Guy and Claude waiting, and it looked like everything was more or less resolved for the moment, so with another firm nod, Anise turned and started down the hallway. When she reached the end of the hall, she turned back and waved in Tear's direction, then ran off.
[to here]
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Her attention now centered on Anise, she acknowledged the other's words with a nod. Despite what was currently going on, Tear trusted the younger girl to be fine. She had learned from their journey together, hadn't she? If there existed things in life to place one's stakes on, one of them happened to be Anise's welfare. She would be okay. If not, Guy and Claude would watch over her. And hopefully next time, Tear would be equipped enough to join them.
Anise departed with a wave, and in turn, Tear raised a hand in farewell. Good luck.
She entered her room with renewed purpose, her mind now set on the details of tonight's tasks. First, the soldier would examine the contents of the metal box, pick off what was useful and make her way to the outer hallways. From there, she would move to the second floor and see if she could locate a utility closet. The institute should have one--or at the very least, a similar area where they kept tools. If she could garner some, perhaps she could use them to pry off the rod in her closet. Or if she was lucky, perhaps there could be something that was sturdier than the rod. Tear imagined a makeshift weapon from a closet wouldn't be very prudent to keep long-term.
Afterward, she could focus on sorting through her artes and Fonic Hymns.
With that in mind, she began to sort through the box. To the soldier's utmost surprise, what she found was entirely familiar and infinitely useful: her clothes--garter belt and all. How wasn't questioned as it was obvious. They must have confiscated everything the patient had before being admitted into the institute. The fact that they would return her clothing now was... Ah, why question it? She was losing seconds reasoning out something that did not necessarily matter. Without wasting another, she took to undressing.
Then, while shuffling through fabric, Tear heard a dull clunk. Blue eyes instantly fell to the spot on the floor, only to widen in complete disbelief. Violet. A jewel set against a gold chain. "This is..." she muttered, her voice fading in her ears. "It can't be..."
It was. The item that had dropped from her clothing was her mother's pendant, the same she had sold off to pay for the carriage ride to Malkuth's capital. It could be no other.
Unlike her clothing, the pendant set off a multitude of questions, all without a definite answer. Why was it here? How had they obtained it? Things she couldn't know and could never ask. The pendant was personal, and the fact that they had handled it did not sit easily in her mind. She quickly snatched the item from off the ground and held it to her chest, torn between relief and suspicion. Her eyes threatened to line with tears.
"Mother, I'm sorry," Tear finally said after a long minute. She had done what was required of her to right a wrong but in the process, had lost what was precious. Now that the pendant had returned to her (regardless of how it came), she would have to make amends with her mother's memory and keep it close. The girl slid the chain around her neck, the weight of the jewel coming as a comfort.
In the moments that came after, the Melodist changed into proper attire. With nothing else to keep her, she grabbed the flashlight and headed out the door.
[To here.]
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