"Ugghhhuuurgghhhhh..." The undignified noise that issued forth from Niikura's mouth as soon as he regained consciousness could not have been louder - or more over-exaggerated. That complete moron! He should have known better than to let total newbs help them out in an actual battle! Ugh! He probably even had a scab...that wasn't going to stand out against his pale hair at all.
--oh no, just kidding. He had gotten the classic bandage-'round-the-head deal instead. Now that actually looked kind of heroic. Niikura didn't have too much time to reflect on the awesomeness he had just achieved, though, as the door swung open as soon as the morning announcement had finished to admit one of the soldiers, now dressed so inconspicuously as a nurse, who dumped a pile of clothes at the foot of his bed before moving over to stand by the door, arms crossed.
"Good morning to ya too," Niikura muttered as he pulled on the clothes. The outfit was different from last time: a thick, collared dark jacket and a long-sleeved shirt with faded, worn jeans. Given the weather, it didn't seem wholly appropriate, but he kind of figured that that was the point. Nothing like a near brush with hypothermia to build character.
The soldier led him to one of the buses and handed him a paper bag before tossing him a newsboy cap. "Cover that up," he said, pointing a finger at the bandage before ushering him on board.
"Sure thing," Niikura called back as he disappeared down the aisle, adjusting the brim of the cap so that it was pulled low enough to hide the bandage in its shadow. If he remembered correctly, another Shou had a thing for these kinds of hats, so at least it wouldn't be unflattering.
No sign of either Mike or their mystery civilian attacker on this bus. Niikura sighed and dropped into the seat next to the first person he knew - Mele.
"Yo, what's up, Mele-san?" He waved and smiled. "How're ya likin' the new management around here?"
"Nice hat," Mele deadpanned before her ears caught up with her brain and she registered Niikura's question. "It's hatty," she answered in response. Hats were hell on her hair, so that was not a Good Thing. At least she didn't have to wear one today, but she also didn't get to wear her own clothing and she still had to wear the necklace with the name on it, so it was a mixed blessing. Sigh, her life was so hard.
Stowing the coupons and card away into a pocket, Mele glanced over at Niikura while she thought some more. "It hasn't changed much, has it? No rooms filled with tear gas, and we're still trapped."
The trapped part was the most important part. Even if her (vague, intangible) plans had been ruined by the 'management' change, the logistics of their capture hadn't, so it was still bad all around. Of course, she could have done without the whole cleaning the cafeteria thing, and the new restrictions (and the hat) were just annoying. So it kinda wasn't all the same, after all. "You're cheerful about all this."
Niikura laughed. "'Hatty', huh? I guess that's one way of puttin' it." He didn't really approve of the berets - they ruined his hair - but this one was alright, even if it made the back of his hair stick out every which way. Not that it didn't already do that, just...more so.
He lounged back in the seat, lacing his hands together behind his head. "No, it hasn't, but I think they're still gettin' settled in too, so I think we're gonna see some more changes in the next few days." Niikura made a face. "Not that I'm lookin' forward to all those."
In any case, time to eat. Flicking open the paper bag, Niikura pulled out the muffin and took a big bite, chewing and swallowing noisily before smirking again at Mele. "And c'mon, cheerful, me? After I just said I wasn't lookin' forward to things? Man, ya must think so little of me."
Well, that was a downer. And here Mele had been hoping this was the worst it could get. Niikura made a good point, though. Who knew what else was coming their way? "I'm tired of being cautious," she grumbled.
All that caution and bad stuff still happened. It was like there was no point, no choice but to wait for it. Which was annoying. Especially since whoever was on the intercom had-apparently-approved of whatever the patients had been doing last night. That this trip would be an ordeal if it weren't for that was looking like it was a given, if the pattern she'd observed in the new reign was in fact a pattern.
If it wouldn't already be an ordeal and they just didn't realize it yet. Ugh, maybe she should do like Niikura and just not be tense. "Little about what? For being cheerful? That's silly."
"Ehhh, not like anyone's makin' ya be that way," Niikura pointed out. "Ya could throw caution to the four winds if ya wanted. Don't think ya would last too long, but" - he chuckled lightly - "I'd pay money." Just because it always paid to learn from others' mistakes--oh, look at that horrible pun he'd just made. "And just 'cause I'm all relaxed doesn't mean I don't take care to notice what's goin' on either. I still gotta pay attention like everyone else here."
He was still playing by the rules, wasn't he? Not causing disturbances, keeping his head down...he was spreading himself as far as he could, that was all. Playing at nonchalant, at this point, was just a natural reflex in the face of impending doom.
Niikura sighed and waved a hand, even though the amusement was still plain in his voice. "That was just a little bit of harmless teasin', Mele-san, that's all. Don't read too deeply into it."
"If you were close enough to watch, I'd deflect the threat your way," Mele responded, pulling out her food bag and opening it. Hmm, boring. At least it wasn't that pink stuff, whatever that was.
"I didn't say you weren't paying attention did I?" she added as she put the food bag away. For all she knew, Niikura could count how many hairs were on her head. Not that she wanted him to or anything, ugh. "Being cheerful about it is a completely different thing. How do you stay so relaxed?"
"Ouch! Really? Now that'd be super cruel of ya." Niikura pouted. "Although, I'm sure the two of us could handle whatever came our way, am I right?" Another laugh, another bite of his muffin. "Or would ya just run away and let me clean up the mess all by my lonesome?"
(As for counting the hairs on her head, well, that would take a while - more time than he had at the moment. But if she wanted him to do so, all she needed to do was ask~ )
"Oh that's what ya meant. Sheesh, I thought ya knew about that already, my little library of experience up here," he said, pointing a finger at his head. "Said experience includes dyin' in gruesome ways, don'tcha know." He let out a long, satisfied sigh. "So whatever they do to me here, it can't compare, 'cause I've already done it to myself." Niikura winked. "Sorry, hope ya weren't expectin' some secret mental discipline kind of thing."
Would she believe him? She'd certainly caught on to his admission of multiple memories quick enough.
"Ugghhhuuurgghhhhh..." The undignified noise that issued forth from Niikura's mouth as soon as he regained consciousness could not have been louder - or more over-exaggerated. That complete moron! He should have known better than to let total newbs help them out in an actual battle! Ugh! He probably even had a scab...that wasn't going to stand out against his pale hair at all.
--oh no, just kidding. He had gotten the classic bandage-'round-the-head deal instead. Now that actually looked kind of heroic. Niikura didn't have too much time to reflect on the awesomeness he had just achieved, though, as the door swung open as soon as the morning announcement had finished to admit one of the soldiers, now dressed so inconspicuously as a nurse, who dumped a pile of clothes at the foot of his bed before moving over to stand by the door, arms crossed.
"Good morning to ya too," Niikura muttered as he pulled on the clothes. The outfit was different from last time: a thick, collared dark jacket and a long-sleeved shirt with faded, worn jeans. Given the weather, it didn't seem wholly appropriate, but he kind of figured that that was the point. Nothing like a near brush with hypothermia to build character.
The soldier led him to one of the buses and handed him a paper bag before tossing him a newsboy cap. "Cover that up," he said, pointing a finger at the bandage before ushering him on board.
"Sure thing," Niikura called back as he disappeared down the aisle, adjusting the brim of the cap so that it was pulled low enough to hide the bandage in its shadow. If he remembered correctly, another Shou had a thing for these kinds of hats, so at least it wouldn't be unflattering.
No sign of either Mike or their mystery civilian attacker on this bus. Niikura sighed and dropped into the seat next to the first person he knew - Mele.
"Yo, what's up, Mele-san?" He waved and smiled. "How're ya likin' the new management around here?"
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Stowing the coupons and card away into a pocket, Mele glanced over at Niikura while she thought some more. "It hasn't changed much, has it? No rooms filled with tear gas, and we're still trapped."
The trapped part was the most important part. Even if her (vague, intangible) plans had been ruined by the 'management' change, the logistics of their capture hadn't, so it was still bad all around. Of course, she could have done without the whole cleaning the cafeteria thing, and the new restrictions (and the hat) were just annoying. So it kinda wasn't all the same, after all. "You're cheerful about all this."
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He lounged back in the seat, lacing his hands together behind his head. "No, it hasn't, but I think they're still gettin' settled in too, so I think we're gonna see some more changes in the next few days." Niikura made a face. "Not that I'm lookin' forward to all those."
In any case, time to eat. Flicking open the paper bag, Niikura pulled out the muffin and took a big bite, chewing and swallowing noisily before smirking again at Mele. "And c'mon, cheerful, me? After I just said I wasn't lookin' forward to things? Man, ya must think so little of me."
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All that caution and bad stuff still happened. It was like there was no point, no choice but to wait for it. Which was annoying. Especially since whoever was on the intercom had-apparently-approved of whatever the patients had been doing last night. That this trip would be an ordeal if it weren't for that was looking like it was a given, if the pattern she'd observed in the new reign was in fact a pattern.
If it wouldn't already be an ordeal and they just didn't realize it yet. Ugh, maybe she should do like Niikura and just not be tense. "Little about what? For being cheerful? That's silly."
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He was still playing by the rules, wasn't he? Not causing disturbances, keeping his head down...he was spreading himself as far as he could, that was all. Playing at nonchalant, at this point, was just a natural reflex in the face of impending doom.
Niikura sighed and waved a hand, even though the amusement was still plain in his voice. "That was just a little bit of harmless teasin', Mele-san, that's all. Don't read too deeply into it."
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"I didn't say you weren't paying attention did I?" she added as she put the food bag away. For all she knew, Niikura could count how many hairs were on her head. Not that she wanted him to or anything, ugh. "Being cheerful about it is a completely different thing. How do you stay so relaxed?"
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(As for counting the hairs on her head, well, that would take a while - more time than he had at the moment. But if she wanted him to do so, all she needed to do was ask~ )
"Oh that's what ya meant. Sheesh, I thought ya knew about that already, my little library of experience up here," he said, pointing a finger at his head. "Said experience includes dyin' in gruesome ways, don'tcha know." He let out a long, satisfied sigh. "So whatever they do to me here, it can't compare, 'cause I've already done it to myself." Niikura winked. "Sorry, hope ya weren't expectin' some secret mental discipline kind of thing."
Would she believe him? She'd certainly caught on to his admission of multiple memories quick enough.
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