Day 58: Lunch

[full_score]

Although it had been good to see his mom again, Claude entered the cafeteria with a dark expression on his face. He was glad she felt comfortable enough with him to share her experiences from last night, but that didn't make him any less angry at the military for using her to do their dirty work. Why couldn't those bastards clean up their own

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[ofthemotions]

[scream, so late. T_T]

Snow had been... Strange. But the man had been helpful, too, odd as he was. Things were lining up a bit more clearly, though in the end, Mikado would have to actually see how tonight was (and not fall asleep...) before judging anything. There was still a possibility that everyone was wrong, or insane. Though, honestly, Mikado was hoping that that wasn't the case. Despite everything he had heard.

Before too long he found himself in the cafeteria again, staring at what could be the same bowl of pink goop again. He sighed, eyes closing. If there was one thing he wished was different, it would be this stuff-- Ah, no, that wasn't really true. He'd more wish for Masaomi and Sonohara-san-- Or maybe he shouldn't wish for them? If this place was so bad.... They shouldn't get caught up in all of it.

Half-lost in his thoughts, Mikado found himself wandering past a table that had a single occupant, a guy a bit older than him, with short black hair. Mikado paused, wondering. Then asked, as if it were normal. "Ah, excuse me. Did you leave notes about living in Ikebukuro earlier?"

Really, it's no biggy 8)

[rolling_go]

"Ah--?" Was someone actually talking to him? Ippo looked up from his pity-party and yes! Another person was actually looking at him. He put on his best happy face and hoped it wouldn't scare the guy off.

"Y-Yes, I am! Eh well, one of them, anyway." Then he recalled what exactly their conversation had deteriorated into and Ippo suddenly felt the moody cloud over his head darken. Hopefully this guy wouldn't think he was a kidnapper or sexual deviant after that odd bulletin post. Especially after meeting someone who knew him. A girl too! If it got back to her that he was rumored to be a creeper... No, Ippo didn't want to think about it! It was just too sad and too realistic an outcome, knowing his pitiful luck in life.

"I'm, uhm, Makunouchi Ippo! It's nice to meet someone else from Tokyo."

[ofthemotions]

Ah, so this was one of the people at least. There could be a few with that description. Mikado hadn't gotten a name, but there were a few notes on the board that matched the handwriting of that person, though what was the name for that per--

Oh. Yes. That's right. Makunouchi Ippo. A boxer of some sort. Who... 'Kanra-chan' was playing with. Mikado....

...Wasn't going to judge someone that had helped him out repeatedly. Everyone had their hobbies. Izaya's was, apparently, pretending to be a girl and flirting with guys. Mikado didn't think Izaya was... Though if he did, Karisawa-san would probably be overjoyed, and... --Why was he thinking about this?! Ugh! It was probably just a way to gain more information or something. Mikado was reading into it. Hopefully.

...

He snapped out of his inner reverie with a start, bowing lightly. "A-ah, I'm Ryuugamine Mikado. It's good to meet you as well, Makunouchi-san." The boy straightened, gesturing towards the table. "Could I sit with you? There's, ah, not a lot of people to relate to here."

aslkfjlgh!

[rolling_go]

"Ah--Yes, please!" Ippo offered eagerly. Frankly, any stranger willing to put up with him was welcomed company; a common interest was just the icing on top of a perfect piece of cake. He waited for the man to sit down and get comfortable before he began to bombard him with questions.

"S-So, you're from Ikebukuro too? I met another person from there who said there was quite a few people here that lived there. I'm glad he was right. I'm--It's... kind of hard to find people to talk with that isn't about..... what terrible trauma did you experience during the night or something." Yeah, that had gotten pretty old after he had posted on the bulletin. If the boxer had to tell one more person he had turned into a giant, blood-spewing sheep, Ippo was going to die from embarrassment. There was more to him than animorphic powers, okay?! Everyone needed to move on, he was! Or, well, trying to.

"So, ah, did you go to--" What was the name of that school Izaya mentioned? "--R-Raira?" He had said quite a few people he knew had gone, so Ippo assumed Mikado probably had as well.

=)

[ofthemotions]

The exclamation was enough for Mikado to accept, and the boy moved to the chair across from Makunouchi and sat down gratefully. So there was a few people here, from Makunouchi's words and the people on the bulletin board. Was it just because of the strange things there, or was there another reason for it? Someone had mentioned Dollars, and even that was.... "Ah, not really. I live there now, but I'm from a smaller town. I just transferred there this school year."

To a school that Ippo mentioned. Mikado's face lit up. This person really was from there. A part of him relaxed. The constant culture shock was ruining--there was still something anxiety-producing in being in unsure situations but here, at least, there was something familiar. "Yes, I do. It's a good school. Did you go there, Makunouchi-san?"

A pleasant enough conversion, if one was inclined. But Mikado was more curious about something else the other had said. "I actually just got here. Do a lot of strange things happen at night?" That was the going explanation, however, Mikado was curious what Makunouchi would say.

[rolling_go]

"N-No, I didn't. I went to a public school, actually. But I met someone--Orihara Izaya?--he said he knew a few people here who went to that school, s-so I just... assumed." Ippo was glad to hear that Mikado thought highly of it. His school stories were full of heavy sighs and that high school photo album of his... practically empty. Oh, he had plenty of photos in it, just none of him. The few he did appear in were of him slinking off in the background while the rest of his classmates had fun. There had been a silver lining in his last year, but, well, Ippo wondered what it'd be like to have had a friend or two throughout his entire school life. Must have been nice.

The boxer wanted to keep talking about his time at Raira, possibly live vicariously through the boy, but as Mikado said he was new, Ippo humored him. If Claude hadn't helped him on his first day, he would have been in a lot of trouble. The least he could do was help another newbie.

"Ah, well. I may not be the best person to ask. I'm sort of new too, but... the nights are strange. It's, uhhhhh, well hard to... describe, exactly..." Which wasn't true at all, Ippo just didn't want to talk about all of his stories of failure as he ran screaming for his life across most of the institute. "Just--If you ever go out, don't do it alone. You really need someone with your or else... well, th-that is... it could get dangerous..."

[ofthemotions]

...So Makunouchi had actually met. Izaya-san. The side of Mikado's face twitched. Before Makunouchi had come into contact with Kanra-chan. Was it that Makunouchi had been targeted for some reason, or was it all just fun and games? He was from Ikebukuro as well--it was possible there was a point to it all. Mikado's expression had froze for a moment; after a beat he gave an awkward sound that could have been a laugh and looked off to the side. "Yeah... I knew Orihara-san." As much as could be known at least. "He's. Hm. Someone interesting. And possibly dangerous."

Not that Mikado had seen so far, other than some brief interactions with Heiwajima-san and some girls, but nothing towards him that he knew of. Still, Mikado wouldn't brush aside Masaomi's words so easily. It was possible there was something he wasn't privy to.

What Makunouchi said was exactly what Snow had said this morning. At least, this, Mikado would believe whole-heartedly. There was no point to doubting it and having something happen. It'd be a problem, though, to find something to allow him to tag along. The boy nodded. "Are there a lot of animals out at night?"

[rolling_go]

"D-Dangerous...?" Ippo was struck with disbelief. Nothing about Orihara had seemed potentially harmful. He was simplybtoo handsome to be mean. Perhaps Mikado took his cool demeanour to mean dangerous. He knew firsthand what it felt like to be misunderstood. Izaya may just needed someone he could relate to, then he would surely open up! Yes, this was a gireat plan, and rather noble of Ippo. He would do his best to be a shoulder for the man to lean on.

For now though, he had to keep Mikado safe. Friendship making could wait for later. But how could he warn the boy without embarrasing himself in the process? Telling him Ippo got assaultedhis first night by a pack of kittens wouldn't get the point across.

"Ah, well, sort of. There are things that come out at night. Things that get into the institute--I don't know how, though..." Perhaps they didn't secure the doors properly at night. Who knew. "Escaping them can be pretty tough sometimes, so watch out. Please bring someone if you ever think about going out..."

[ofthemotions]

"Hmm." Mikado seemed a bit nonchalant at the concept, though more from the thought of it, than the actual fact itself. He mused for a moment more, then blinked, looking up with a start as he realized as that might sound. "Ah, I'm not saying Orihara-san is a bad person." Bad being perception anyway. "Just that I was told to, um. Be careful around him back home."

A lie, actually. He had been told to stay away from him, but that obviously wasn't being followed through with. Hm. Uh. Mikado would just. Focus on what Ippo was saying instead. Which, again, lined up with what had already been said. All right, he might as well just accept it. Everyone was at least agreeing on it. Even the point that the things came in from outside. Mikado gave a weak smile. "I've been told to not go by myself...." He trailed off, wondering. "Are there a lot of people that are familiar with fighting here?"

Enough to defend the people that wouldn't even think of doing so. It was a bit backwards, but with the setting, it fit, he supposed.