Anise was actually sleeping well for once. When morning came, she was curled up on her side, her arms tightly hugging her pillow in the same way they would usually hold Tokunaga
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Unsurprisingly, Lightning woke up intensely dissatisfied.
By now the feeling was routine, a constant pressure on her mind as she fought her way from the darkness of unconsciousness, awareness of her sterile, bleak surroundings and memories filtering back in a way that was at once not quick enough and far too sudden.
It certainly didn't help her any that once more her clothing had been changed, even if recognizing them didn't take more than an instant. The question was- why? And why was the intercom blaring the voice of that "doctor" again?
Just what she needed. Another unfathomable mystery.
However, like always, the woman was out of bed as soon as she was able, even if the way she sat up and pressed her hair back from her face was uncharacteristically slow. Her movements were deliberate and borne of frustration, a small step towards not flying off the handle in her anger at the situation. But if anything, otherwise the act was even more urgent than usual.
It was far beneath her to just go and forget the desire that had driven her since late afternoon the previous day. She still had to find Hope here. Nothing else mattered.
All the oddities - continuation of the 'nurse' outfits, recorded message over the intercom, nonsense - were quickly noted and then filed away, Lightning's demeanor furious, tense, but more-or-less quiet as she went along with the majority of the other prisoners upstairs-- somewhere she hadn't actually been before!
Once there in that odd room, however, the former soldier found herself pretty well confused. What was this place? Halfway down the main aisle-way, she turned, intending to head back, but then found one of the inexplicably still-disguised soldiers looming in her path. With a teeth-clenching frown, she sank with practiced ease into one of the pews, but then continued to keep herself turned almost completely around, one elbow braced on the back of the seat behind her as she continued watching for either of her former l'Cie friends.
Waking up had been distinctly unpleasant. A week in this place, and he still hadn't gotten used to blacking out in the middle of doing something and waking back up in his room as if nothing had happened.
Add to that the fact that he'd felt more than a little ill upon hauling himself out of bed, only to find himself faced with an unenviable choice, and the temptation to simply stay in bed had been great indeed. Apparently, he could either medicate himself with God only knew what drug they were testing on him now, or try and tough it out, hoping he could break the cycle.
In the end, he'd taken the cowards way and swallowed the pills, hating himself the whole time.
The change of scenery wasn't doing much to brighten his mood, either, but at least the Chapel was someplace he hadn't been before. And seemed like it might be quieter than his other option. He had a lot to think about--especially with Faye's sudden appearance--and time to collect himself enough to do said thinking.
He walked in, looking around the room for a good seat, and spotted a place near a woman who looked like she was keeping an eye out for someone else. Well, he didn't want to intrude if she was waiting for company, but maybe she wouldn't mind too much if he just sat there for awhile. He managed to scrounge up a smile as he came over.
Lightning was already far past the point where she was starting to wonder if just following along with the crowd had been a mistake when another patient waltzed up to her and... the woman stared up at him, far from the picture of welcoming or even neutral friendliness. In fact, it took her a moment to figure out the meaning of the words at all, as distracted as she was and despite the marked predictability.
"Help yourself," she finally muttered, her voice quiet and dark, though she then gave the man a strange look-over for just a touch too long. For some reason, he kind of gave her an odd vibe, though she couldn't place her finger on why. However, just a second later the moment had passed, and she promptly went back to surveying the entrance for her current targets. When you were looking for two boys on entirely opposite ends of the height scale, it paid to keep your attention focused.
By now the feeling was routine, a constant pressure on her mind as she fought her way from the darkness of unconsciousness, awareness of her sterile, bleak surroundings and memories filtering back in a way that was at once not quick enough and far too sudden.
It certainly didn't help her any that once more her clothing had been changed, even if recognizing them didn't take more than an instant. The question was- why? And why was the intercom blaring the voice of that "doctor" again?
Just what she needed. Another unfathomable mystery.
However, like always, the woman was out of bed as soon as she was able, even if the way she sat up and pressed her hair back from her face was uncharacteristically slow. Her movements were deliberate and borne of frustration, a small step towards not flying off the handle in her anger at the situation. But if anything, otherwise the act was even more urgent than usual.
It was far beneath her to just go and forget the desire that had driven her since late afternoon the previous day. She still had to find Hope here. Nothing else mattered.
All the oddities - continuation of the 'nurse' outfits, recorded message over the intercom, nonsense - were quickly noted and then filed away, Lightning's demeanor furious, tense, but more-or-less quiet as she went along with the majority of the other prisoners upstairs-- somewhere she hadn't actually been before!
Once there in that odd room, however, the former soldier found herself pretty well confused. What was this place? Halfway down the main aisle-way, she turned, intending to head back, but then found one of the inexplicably still-disguised soldiers looming in her path. With a teeth-clenching frown, she sank with practiced ease into one of the pews, but then continued to keep herself turned almost completely around, one elbow braced on the back of the seat behind her as she continued watching for either of her former l'Cie friends.
[ Free~ ]
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Add to that the fact that he'd felt more than a little ill upon hauling himself out of bed, only to find himself faced with an unenviable choice, and the temptation to simply stay in bed had been great indeed. Apparently, he could either medicate himself with God only knew what drug they were testing on him now, or try and tough it out, hoping he could break the cycle.
In the end, he'd taken the cowards way and swallowed the pills, hating himself the whole time.
The change of scenery wasn't doing much to brighten his mood, either, but at least the Chapel was someplace he hadn't been before. And seemed like it might be quieter than his other option. He had a lot to think about--especially with Faye's sudden appearance--and time to collect himself enough to do said thinking.
He walked in, looking around the room for a good seat, and spotted a place near a woman who looked like she was keeping an eye out for someone else. Well, he didn't want to intrude if she was waiting for company, but maybe she wouldn't mind too much if he just sat there for awhile. He managed to scrounge up a smile as he came over.
"Would it be okay if I sat here?"
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"Help yourself," she finally muttered, her voice quiet and dark, though she then gave the man a strange look-over for just a touch too long. For some reason, he kind of gave her an odd vibe, though she couldn't place her finger on why. However, just a second later the moment had passed, and she promptly went back to surveying the entrance for her current targets. When you were looking for two boys on entirely opposite ends of the height scale, it paid to keep your attention focused.
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