DAY 26: Men's Showers (Second Shift)

[canieathim]

Gluttony didn't want to leave his Lust, not after he'd just found her!  But the mean tasty nurses said he had to.  "You can't join her in the women's showers" was a bad excuse.  He didn't like the mean tasty nurses.  Maybe Lust would let him eat them later.  Still, he knew he would see his Lust again, and that was good.  He liked Lust.  She was

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[tartaros_avatar]

Recluse was generally not in a good mood. Running into a telepath who had done nothing but threaten him over some thoughts that couldn’t possibly apply to anyone in this damned ‘hospital’ had rather destroyed any attempts to act like a normal human. He scowled, leaving the cafeteria as soon as the doctor mentioned where they were all going to be herded off to. The nurse had trouble keeping up with his stride, admonishing him the whole way for not being more considerate. He knew where he was supposed to be going, why waste time?

Upon arriving at the showers, the nurse told him to behave, before turning to leave. Recluse was angry enough at this point to ready a decapitating strike at the woman, running into the sickening feeling of trying to control the limbs that had been taken from him. He stripped and found a shower as far from others as possible, as far from the blasted lights as he could be. His constant near-migraine from the light was only making his mood worsen all the more.

Knowing his luck, some vapid, infuriating human would still want to be sociable.

[sword_and_demon]

Sparda was quite surprised to find that he was being taken to a public showers. While he didn't really have a sense of modesty, he was under the impression that most humans didn't like engaging in such activities together. At least not in modern times.

He spotted an unusually large man standing near the back, and decided to go shower next to him. It was unusual for humans to reach that size. Not only was this human as tall as Sparda, he was incredibly well-muscled as well.

Unfortunately it didn't look like the man was in a particularly pleasant mood, so Sparda refrained from speaking.

[tartaros_avatar]

It wasn't long before he was disturbed. He hadn't been given enough time to bring his anger under control, and was most certainly not in the mood to talk with anyone.

He glared at the other man, red eyes full of malice. "Say what you are going to say, then leave me be, human," he spoke quietly, but the light from within his eyes flickered into life, adding more emphasis than volume ever could.

[sword_and_demon]

Well, apparently he had been mistaken. This man wasn't unusual for a human, he simply wasn't human. At least not entirely, he wouldn't be able to tell without asking, but it would be rude to simply question him in such a manner. Humans did not have red eyes.

"I am afraid I must correct you there. I am not a human, despite current appearances, and it appears that you are not either. Red is not a naturally occurring human eye color, and in most cases they do not reach your size," he paused for a moment before introducing himself, "My name is Sparda," If the being next to him recognized the name it would make the whole matter much simpler, if not, well, he could deal with that as well.

[tartaros_avatar]

Well. This might be slightly more interesting than anticipated. But only just.

He had several names he could give at this moment. He didn’t feel like giving out one that he used more widely than others. "Tartaros." It carried the least indication of mortal humanity out of all of the names he could have said.

[sword_and_demon]

Sparda was quite surprised to be given a name that he actually recognized. Many great figures in mythology that were dark or evil in nature actually were demons.

Some of them were demons he had known personally, others, not. Still, for this person to either be Tartaros, or, more likely, to claim such a name, he would have to be powerful. He sincerely doubted that Tartaros was a true demon, and more likely only part. Still, half-breeds could be quite powerful depending on their demonic parent.

"I must say that I am quite surprised to run into someone like you here, Tartaros," Sparda smiled at Tartaros. This being didn't seem particularly hostile, or like he was very interested in killing humans.

[tartaros_avatar]

Recluse hadn't seen this man before. He made sure to keep an eye on the other prisoners, and take notes on every one that posted messages. This had to be a newly arrived prisoner.

"You're new here." He didn't phrase it as a question.

[sword_and_demon]

"Yes, I am," No point in hiding that fact, or trying to lie about it. Instead he wondered why being new was of such important. His eyes flickered briefly towards his own shadow. His normal, human shadow.

"What is this place?" Certainly if he was experiencing further reductions in his demonic traits there had to be something unusual about this hospital.

[tartaros_avatar]

"Some sort of prison or experimental facility, masquerading as a mental hospital. The cell doors are unlocked at night, and various hostile creatures are released to hunt the prisoners."

Recluse closed his eyes for a moment, trying to reduce his headache. "There's an illustrated list of the known creatures that some prisoners have put up on the message board in the Sun Room." Somehow, introducing new arrivals to these basic facts about the facility was becoming like a dull routine.

[sword_and_demon]

"And this place weakens those who are trapped here?" The rest of the information was troubling, but he knew that most humans could handle themselves in situations. They didn't give themselves nearly enough credit for their own resiliency.

He made a mental note to check out the message board in the 'Sun Room'. While he had hoped to get back to his family, that was going to have to wait until he dealt with this place.

[tartaros_avatar]

"Yes. And physically alters those who do not appear human." Somehow, he was much more aware of the limbs he was missing, today. It was disorienting to try to move a limb that no longer existed. "I have yet to hear of anyone escaping. Most seem content to fight each other."

[sword_and_demon]

"I noticed that. Am I to take that to mean that you do not normally appear so human?" He missed the shadow. Even if all it had done was remind him about the body he had lost.

Sparda liked the human body, it was nice in it's own way, smooth soft skin, and he interacted with humans much more easily. But he couldn't help but miss the form that he had given up. The claws, the wings, the horns. Human teeth and nails were barely usable as weapons. Even after almost two thousand years as a human he missed his demonic form. And now his shadow was gone.

[tartaros_avatar]

"Yes. Normally my skin is dark gray, and my eyes are even less human-like." But then, they were easier to control. He supposed the glow would give him away at night, but he so wanted to be able to function in light without pain. "There also should be eight limbs growing from my back. This place took them without a trace." There were scars on his back, but from before the change. Where the limbs had been, there was only smooth, pale, human skin.

[sword_and_demon]

"Yes, it's hard to give up the other limbs. I still miss the wings," Sparda studied his human hands for a moment. Without his demonic abilities this place would be even more difficult to take down. But giving those up had been necessary.

"Are there many others here who aren't human?"

[tartaros_avatar]

"Some. There is the Shinto goddess Amaterasu, among others. Most seem human, and only partially able to fight and take advantage of what little they have." It was pathetic. "Many had metahuman powers before arrival."

[sword_and_demon]

Sparda was not particularly familiar with the eastern religions, but the name was somewhat familiar.

"So this place is full of powerful beings who would otherwise be able to level this building within seconds?" He wondered who, or what, could truly be behind something like this.

Obviously it was a powerful being, whatever it was.