Day 21 - Sun Room
Ichigo was only too eager to leave the cafeteria and its fresh memories behind when the softened chime of the intercome rang clear. What had begun as another ordinary meal, a rather agreeable one despite the lack of the proper utensils, quickly became somewhat unnerving. His conversation with...what was his name again?...took so many sharp turns,
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His conversations with Sanzo had so far all turned out to be... well, interesting was really the best possible word. He knew something was still off, but hopefully things would sort themselves out.
Kenren was a wild card. He was similar enough that Hakkai was justly worried he would forget to account for differences. At the least, it was something to watch out for. So many unknowns, which seemed to be the one common theme here.
People were spread around the room, a few here and there talking, but most either sleeping or meditating, it seemed. Which, on second thought, sounded like a very good idea. He found himself a seat somewhat away from anyone else, where he could see out the windows and keep an eye on the rest of the room, and set about putting his thoughts in order.
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Sun Room it was, then. Besides that, he didn’t feel like hanging out in a place where people were pounding on instruments left and right.
It seemed Rufus had either not arrived yet-or Reno was wrong about the President, after all-but with luck, the man would show up. For now, he could use the time to meet someone new, and maybe even somehow learn a little more about the guy Elena had pointed out earlier. Mustang. The one who could apparently make swords.
He gave the room another quick once-over before heading for one of the available windows. He was used to spending most of his time walking the streets outside, or moving from one bar to the next, and being cooped up in this freaking institution was starting to get to him. It was like being locked inside the Shin-Ra office for the same amount of time. Except Shin-Ra at least had a damned coffee machine.
There was another guy sitting in the spot Reno had his eyes on, but he looked as good as anybody to talk with-if he was willing to converse, that was.
“Mind if I sit?” Reno was already doing so before a response could be given.
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Nevertheless, a smile (#13, greeting a stranger of uncertain intentions) was firmly in place by the time he turned. There were some definite advantages to subconscious masks. Not that he actually spent enough time thinking about them to term them as such, which would defeat the purpose of subconscious masks. Hakkai was far too busy for that. Busy doing things like figuring out ways to kill whoever had placed him here.
"Would it matter if I said yes?" He was teasing. Mostly. It was something to say that gave him a moment to size up the person next to him. It was habit these days, assessing everyone as a potential threat while greeting them as a potential friend. This one didn't seem to be a threat, but one could never be too sure.
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Reno pulled one leg up onto the chair, letting the other stretch out as he sat leaning at a slight angle.
He glanced at the stranger, offering a half-smile in return. The pen cap he'd been chewing on since lunch was still between his lips, and he removed the deformed piece of plastic before speaking again.
"To me? Nope. Might make you look more sociable, though." He extended his left hand. "Reno."
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He blinked at the hand for a second, smile slipping to a mixture of amusement and confusion. Handshaking was not exactly a common practice where he was from. Most likely, even if it was, he would refuse. He wasn't exactly a touchy-feely type.
"Ah. I'll have to keep that in mind, then, should I ever wish to appear sociable." He nodded a greeting instead. "Cho Hakkai."
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He withdrew his hand, and the pen cap made its way back into his mouth. It was the best cure he had for his cigarette cravings.
Across the room, he could spot Kadaj talking to some kid in a manner that actually looked somewhat amiable. Hmm. Did he have someone other than Yazoo, after all? Reno kept his gaze on Kadaj for another second or two before turning back to his current company.
The name given had a similar ring to something he’d heard before. At breakfast, with Elena’s friend, who’d called himself Suou Tamaki. The kid had said he’d come from...Japan, was it?
“You from Japan, too, or no?”
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He raised an eyebrow. He was going to assume Japan was a place, just from context, but beyond that he wasn't sure where it might be or why he might be from it. "Japan? I'm afraid not. I'm from Togenkyo, more specifically Chang'an. And you?"
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God. Just how many worlds were there? And how many carried the same sort of parallels?
"Outskirts of Midgar, place called Edge." His words were slightly absent as he caught sight of Rufus entering. Reno considered holding off a bit to talk with Hakkai some more, but around here, it was damned near impossible to catch anyone alone for long. Rufus was currently by himself at the moment, and he wanted to take advantage of that while he could. He knew night would be approaching fast. Potential conversation with Hakkai could wait.
Damn. There was too much shit he needed to deal with all at once, and time here seemed to move stupidly fast.
He stood. "Sorry. Don't mean to run out, but I gotta take care of something. Might catch you later, yeah?"
[going here.]
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"Of course, of course. I'm not going anywhere." Hakkai was fond of his bad puns. Unfortunately for those that had to suffer through them. Luckily, this time he was talking mostly to himself, and partly to Reno's retreating back.
He glanced around the room. Kenren was there but talking with others. Besides, Hakkai didn't feel like relinquishing his seat near the window quite yet. Over a year of traveling, and now this was the closest he could get to the outside.
He sighed softly. Hell was so boring.
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