Day 57: Courtyard (Third Shift)

[roseoverture]

The air inside the Institute was getting stifling. It wasn't much different than usual, really, but knowing about all the changes done under the Institute's hood in her absence, Utena could barely stand it. The staff were so stiff, even as they pretended to be the same caring nurses as always. Landel's regurgitated voice recordings crept under her

Comments

[for_a_song]

Gren had to admit, as little as he liked anything about his current situation, it was nice to be given a choice in something, even as superficial a choice as 'where would you like to enjoy your imprisonment for the next hour?'

He'd been able to eat a little at breakfast, and was definitely feeling better than he had been when he'd woken up. Well enough that the idea of the cold outside didn't seem an unpleasant prospect. Being out in the open, even surrounded by walls, felt far less confining then being indoors with all that false cheer, and he felt like his head was clear for the first time since he'd been dragged off and used as a lab rat.

He wasn't completely free from concerns, though. He'd missed spotting a few people that morning at breakfast, which was worrisome, given the way people tended to vanish. If they were gone, though, he could always hope it was because they were back where they belonged, free from this place.

He circled the courtyard once, lost in those thoughts, then stopped for a moment to clear a bench of the snow that had accumulated the day before and sat down, stretching his legs out in front of him as he made a vague attempt at relaxing.

[Open]

[corvus_veritas]

[Hope this is okay, despite it being so late!]

Free day was a thought well appreciated at first. When the patients were actually turned loose, however, Byrne wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. He was free, but not truly free. The same escort was still there to keep an eye on him, and there were only so many places he was allowed to go. 'Free' might as well have not been included in the equation at all.

So, without a clue as to where he should go or what he should do, he asked his escort for permission to go to the Courtyard. It might be colder than the center of hell out there, but at least it wasn't indoors. He needed the fresh air. It was also nice to see clear skies for the first time in a few days. Snow lingered on the ground, but at least it wasn't falling from the sky anymore.

He wandered around the Courtyard, mulling over everything he'd learned from Renamon earlier in the morning; but after a few minutes of meandering about, he was already wanting to sit down somewhere. Luckily, there was a half-occupied bench cleared of snow some feet away from him. The man sitting there was unfamiliar, which was another bonus. A little healthy social interaction wasn't a bad idea, especially when it involved swapping information with someone he had yet to meet.

Byrne walked up to the bench, showing his usual friendly smile to the man. "Mind if I join you?"

[for_a_song]

He'd been mentally trying to compose a bit of music when a voice interrupted him. The notes vanished from his head, but he found he wasn't really that irritated at the loss--he had a lot of free time here. There would be time to write more music later.

Gren glanced over at the man who'd spoken and smiled. If it was a little worn around the edges, well... it wasn't for lack of trying. "Sure. Go right ahead," he replied. The man wasn't anyone he'd spoken to before, although he might have seen him around. It was hard to remember, with the way people came and went in this place.

[corvus_veritas]

"Thanks." Byrne settled himself comfortably in the empty space beside the man, crossing his arms to help keep himself warm. He probably wouldn't be able to sit for very long without becoming a human popsicle, but he just didn't feel like walking around right now. The scenery was sometimes best appreciated from the comfort of a bench. A really cold bench, true, but still a bench.

Anyway, it was a little awkward to share a bench with someone and then completely ignore them, wasn't it? Especially if they were a stranger, like in this case. Introductions were necessary then. Byrne turned to face the man, still smiling, and held out a hand for a handshake. "I'm Byrne Faraday, by the way. You?"

[for_a_song]

In contrast, the cold really didn't seem to be bothering Gren one bit. It was certainly chilly, but it was still a far cry from Callisto, so he was fairly comfortable sitting there, for the time being.

"No problem." It would be silly to get territorial over a bench in a lunatic asylum's courtyard, after all.

"Gren Eckener," he replied and returned the handshake. It was an odd bit of formality in the middle of all this craziness.

[corvus_veritas]

"Nice to meet you." To Byrne, formality with strangers was a must in any situation. No good came out of making enemies with someone you just met, especially in a place like this. They had enough enemies as it was with the doctors and soldiers pushing them around. Why make more?

It was not for him. Besides, there were other things to worry about right now than making an enemy out of his fellow patient body. The prosecutor gazed at the scenery the Courtyard had to offer as he considered these 'other things to worry about'. Too many things to worry about.

"This place just gets better and better every day, doesn't it?" There was obvious sarcasm in his voice.

[for_a_song]

"Likewise."

The next remark got a quiet laugh out of him, not because it was particularly funny, but because it was such an understatement. "You're telling me," he replied, shaking his head a little. "At least today, they're back to pretending we're all crazy, instead of pawns in their little military war game." If he sounded somewhat bitter... well. The last few days had really done a number on him, and the only way he was getting through it was sheer obstinacy. He'd spent a lot of time subject to someone else's whims, and he was getting tired of it.