Day 29: Cafeteria

[repolarization]

Ginji was shocked, stunned, overjoyed. Here they had just provided an entire "All-You-Can-Eat" meal and yet... and yet.... there was still more food. He knew there were people who could eat and eat and eat and eat because they had the money, but he had never, ever been one of those people. And now he was able to eat and eat and eat. Real meals.

Comments

[endlessjune]

Rika actually didn't eat much during the brunch - there was too much American food, although she did try to eat what she could. It wasn't like Rika didn't like American food, but she had so much already. Where was the food from Japan? Surely she wasn't the only Japanese person here - did Japan even exist in this world? No one had heard of Hinamizawa, though that wasn't strange since it was a small town.

By the time the brunch was over, though, Rika's hunger was to the point where she was more than willing to eat more food. It was starting to look good.

Someone else in the room looked rather happy too, a blond haired boy who was eating vegetables. Surely he wouldn't mind some company?

"It is very yummy, isn't it?" Rika smiled up at him, managing to lay her tray on the table despite the fact the table was almost as tall as she was. "Can Rika sit here?"

[repolarization]

Ginji looked around, some chips were half into his mouth as he did. His expression was probably extremely comical. He looked around and behind the girl and then finished eating the food in his mouth, swallowing it quickly.

"Who is Rika?" he asked as politely as possible considering his was terribly confused. He knew some people referred to themselves in third person, but it wasn't as if he automatically would assume that this girl in front of him did.

[endlessjune]

It seemed like Rika kept forgetting that she really wasn't in Hinamizawa anymore. She was used to everyone knowing whom she was, but... Well, no harm done, after all. She smiled again and pointed to herself.

"I am Rika! I'm sorry, I'm used to everyone knowing my name," She apologized, making sure to speak properly this time. It was sort of relieving, actually. Rika found it hard to communicate with adults sometimes when she was supposed to be a young child.

"Is it OK if I sit here, then?" She beamed. He didn't seem like the type to say no.

[repolarization]

Ginji nodded. "Yeah, it's okay Rika-chan. I'm sorry I didn't realize who you were." He grinned. "Are you famous back at your home or something?"

[small_fortune]

This wasn't a good idea.

He'd already eaten enough with that oversized brunch, and he really should get back out to the Sun Room and its bulletin board. But after the previous evening his nerves were still a little on edge, and there was little to soothe him aside from feeding Gorge and hoping that would be enough to keep the rest of the Gang in line for now.

It was getting harder to stay calm about all of this. The longer he stayed here, surrounded by the seemingly impossible, it stretched his nerves more... and now visitors? Who were they? His name hadn't been called, and he had to wonder what was happening to the people who were called. If this place was really all it seemed, how difficult would it be to create some fake for a meeting? Or just to scramble someone's memories enough that they thought they'd met with someone? How much good did gathering information do when there was a constant influx of new names, plus nicknames, codenames, people going by numbersSo instead of returning to his post by the bulletin board Mark

[sasuke_of_sound]

[[from here; can delete if unwanted!]]Sasuke's nurse just wouldn't shut up as they made their way to -- the cafeteria, apparently. By the time they'd reached the place, Sasuke had almost overcome the numbing shock of his visitor and concluded that it was well past time he'd strangled her. Have himself a snack, enjoy what his mother had sent him, how sweet, relax, she hadn't let him choose a room because he hadn't eaten today, be a good boy ... did the woman never run out of breath

[small_fortune]

Gorge was slowed as Mark turned to glance at his new dining partner. He had to think back to remember whether he was 'Sean' or that was the designation for the newcomer. Not that it mattered, since neither of them would answer to the name.

It took a moment to realize the man, really closer to being a boy, was blind. Expert prostheses would have given him a new chance at sight back home (all homes) if 'Sean' had the money, and if not, depending on the planet he'd either die fast or be taken care of by the government as a public mercy. More immediately, Mark remembered Baron Ryoval's threat to remove one of his eyes.

At least that was enough of a distraction that he stopped eating entirely, perhaps the nurse's intention in leading the young man over. He kept his voice low and neutral as he spoke. "Hello. My name is Mark." Was 'Sean' blind before he'd come here, or..?

[sasuke_of_sound]

Of course, the one time Sasuke didn't want to talk, he'd be seated next to someone who was at least polite, if not friendly. Sasuke would have to introduce himself or deal with alienating someone potentially useful, and the idea of giving his name (a name he didn't share with whomever that had been, who had said--) was ...

"Uchiha Sasuke," he said, and forced himself to remember Uchiha and straightened his back a little. His expression was as stony as he could possibly make it. "They call me Sean Li here."

And I've never wanted to be him more.

[sneak]

Even though Raiden had ended up sleeping through more than half of the day, he didn't feel much guilt over it. The truth of the matter was that he hadn't really slept since he'd started the Big Shell mission, and after everything he had been through since then (too much), he had needed the rest.

He hadn't wanted to get out of bed, period, but his nurse had only been willing to allow so much. Seeing how he wasn't physically sick (though he had gotten pretty beat up last night, and was still harboring a cough from the damage all of that gas had done to his lungs), the nurse didn't deem it healthy for him to sleep the entire day.

Waking up meant facing what happened, and he didn't even have a moment of reprieve - the first thing he thought of when he opened his eyes was Snake, and he wished that he could have had a second or two of ignorance before remembering.

He felt hollowed out, like he had to feel too much over the past few days and just couldn't do it anymore. He knew it was a defense mechanism, the most basic way to survive

[bond_off_lame]

Unlike others, Axel himself didn't have much of a reason to be sleeping in so late, but he did it anyway just out of spite. Though of course there were always the drawbacks; one of which was that he'd barely gotten a chance to eat since lunch yesterday, so he was definitely feeling it in the pits of his gut. The redhead stretched out when his nurse finally managed to shake him awake, offering her a lazy grin in return before he hopped out of bed

[sneak]

[ :O You found me! ♥ ]The voice that sounded behind him was definitely familiar, and for quite a few reasons. Raiden placed down his last set of cheese and crackers before turning to face the other patient, holding the plate of snacks carefully

[bond_off_lame]

[YEAH ANYWAY. Don't think you're off the hook. >:(]

Already, Axel was starting to pick up those little hints that Raiden was dropping, frowning slightly when something pulled at his chest but immediately wiped it away with a lazy smile.

Just as the blond predicted, the Nobody was quick to fill his plate with random tidbits of food, shoving a celery stick or two in his mouth when there was no space left, in an attempt to keep up with him as he wandered away from the food and towards an empty table.

"Yeah! That was one crazy night, wasn't it? Not like the other nights aren't, but getting ambushed on the bus was the last thing I was expecting." Axel rambled as they walked, accidentally dropping said celery stick since they were still inserted in his mouth, but it was a loss he'd learn to get over.

"Sorry I had to ditch you guys like that, but I had others to get to, you know? I was really rooting for you too."

[bored_narrator]

Kyon sat off to himself for the rest of the 'Brunch' after the nurse had separated him and the twins. Kaoru seemed ready to beat his face in at the sight of him, hell he'd just about done it too. The only thing that seemed to have gone right about that shift was that Hikaru ...looked to have forgiven him. He wasn't sure if that was still valid now, after Kaoru had reacted in such a way, but the short time he had it, it made him feel better.

He didn't feel like getting up just yet. He didn't feel like going into another room full of people that could end up smelling like dinner in a few days. He didn't want to run into anyone he knew, because all that has done so far was lead to them ...leaving.

The cafeteria was fairly empty now. He'd gotten up to get a few munchies, but otherwise just sat there, chewing idly on something that tasted slightly foul and keeping himself deep in thought.

[Unknowingly waiting for Aidou]

[blood_and_pocky]

At the monotonous routine of a shift change began, the vampire had decided to stay where he was, so long as the little ex-human did too. He'd been wary of the whole visitor thing since it'd first been announced and spoken of on the bulletin board, but truth be told... he hadn't found the tense line of his shoulders relaxing until he was sure no nurse was making a beeline for him. Despite knowing they were as much a lie as anything else... Aidou just didn't know what he'd do if he had to put up with that, too.

Life was so hard. Why were people like Miku, of all personality types, berating him!?

Aidou hadn't eaten anything all day, and so made sure to rectify that as soon as possible. A small, very small, reprieve in between today's series of stressful tasks wasn't a sin--it wasn't like he was asking for a short nap, of all things. Eventually, however, he stood up from his corner and approached Kyon's. He had no intention of turning it into a ringside match yet, but the imagery wasn't lost on him anyway. Best to approach this

[bored_narrator]

There was a feeling Kyon just got that made him snap out of his thoughts. The carrot that he'd been gnawing on fell to his tray and he blinked confusedly for a second before that strange feeling hit him again.

Wait, was there someone behind him? That's what it felt like.

Kyon turned to see the other walking up to him. He didn't look entirely happy either. Well shit, he didn't even know this guy! What was his problem?

Not wanting to start another incident in the cafeteria, Kyon kept his tone neutral and asked, "Can I help you?"

[blood_and_pocky]

Good dog. And even Kiryu had been a better looking mutt.

Aidou didn't get too close by sitting, nor did he stay standing and make the meeting look odd. Leaning back against the table edge, he glanced down at Kyon. Uchiha was the only familiar face in here, and he was blind.

"We have things to discuss, yes. Tell me your room number."