Day 57: Waiting Room / Lobby 1

[oneman_onekill]

Somehow, he'd managed to eat all of his food, and grudgingly, Niikura had to admit that he felt a lot better after brunch. That pink stuff tasted like crap, but it did its job, which was to keep him alive. Still...what did he have to do around here to get some food, short of raiding the kitchen at night? Not that he couldn't do that, it was just

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[damned_visitors]

Was it just her nerves or were the staff here a lot more brusque than they'd been last time? Rika had barely a moment to wipe her sweaty palms on her jeans after they'd signed her in and marched her to the waiting rooms -- she was nervous because of what had happened on her last visit, but beyond that she was anxious about what Reiko might have to say this time.

Other than the belt that held her card deck, she'd chosen to dress more plainly this time around -- jeans, a dark blue T-shirt, and a light jacket against the American weather. Pausing in the door frame, she shoved her hands into her coat pockets before yanking them back out, trying to look as casual as she could.

Chill out, Rika, she reminded herself as firmly as she could. This is one of the best places they've got here in the States. The best doctors and everything.

Whatever that meant when it came to places like this, anyway. Rika had hit the books after that last disastrous visit, reading up on psychology, but all she'd gathered was that it seemed to be as much art as science in cases like Reiko's. Whatever that boded for this visit, she wasn't sure ... but she touched the scuffed deck of cards in her belt pouch before squaring her shoulders and stepping firmly over the threshold.

"Hey," she said, coming to a stop a few steps away from Reiko. At this distance it was surprisingly easy to rest a hand on her hip and let a friendly smirk cross her face, Reiko achingly familiar despite that stupid uniform.

[yin_yang_fox]

--"Hey."

No. It would never be anyone else. For only one person in existence, human or Digimon, had a hold on Renamon, and that was the person before her, smirking in a heartrendingly familiar way, and looking perfectly herself. No, only one, and why bother with others when this solitary individual would affect the Digimon like no others. For a moment, Renamon was only silent, looking upwards.

Then, her eyes closed, head bowing as if in greeting. "Rika." The word held more than a name spoken in tones, and Renamon allowed that to show. The Digimon's chest constricted--three weeks. It had been three weeks, it had been far too long--and then she breathed out, raising her head upward to look at her Tamer.

The game had been set, matched. Renamon now knew it well enough to not push and prod against it. Fighting with Yukari had shown that well, and if anything Renamon needed more subtlety. But with this person.... Her mouth thinned, corners edging upwards in the smallest of degrees. "I've wanted to see you."

[damned_visitors]

A long moment while Rika held her smirk and her breath, and then that inclination of Reiko's head and her name in a way that made it clear that she was remembered. She had been recognised last time, too, but -- those next words and the faint curve of Reiko's mouth served to relax the tension in Rika's shoulders, smirk easing out into something more even before she broke eye contact to glance around for a chair.

They had set them up to sit across from the people they were visiting, which was something ... less comfortable that it seemed, Rika discovered once she had seated herself and glanced back up at Reiko. She was accustomed to this presence at her back or beside her, reassuring and steady, rather than in front of her.

But Reiko looked better. Or at least Rika was pretty sure she did, more clarity in the other girl's eyes when their gazes met again. That was a good sign, right?

"And here I am," she said, casual and pleased by Reiko's words. "'Course I'd come see you again." A pause, and then a little more awkwardly -- less accustomed to asking after Reiko's wellbeing than perhaps she should have been -- "How's the place treating you?"