Day 45: Intercom, Noon
The voices of the chattering patients in the library, which was not as quiet as should have been expected, were cut off by the intercom clicking on and Nurse Lydia's voice coming out in its familiar indifferent manner. It was almost as if she and the Head Doctor were splitting up the announcement duties these days
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Perhaps it was the smell that caught him off guard first. It was too clean, but an odd sort of clean that he didn't recall from any of the inns he'd stayed at before. Then there was his clothing, a bit of shifting under the covers bringing him to realize that it wasn't his own. It was one thing to move him, another entirely to change his whole outfit. He didn't think he'd been out of it enough for that.
The same moment he was about to sit up, the door opened and shed light over the room, illuminating an unfamiliar dormitory that immediately sent warning signals through Cloud's mind. It was like a hospital, and the woman that entered was no one he recognized. If something had happened to him, he wasn't aware of it. Perhaps he'd entered the Lifestream again, but there were no traces of mako poisoning now. He knew all too well how that felt.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Stratus!" the woman greeted and Cloud made a face.
"Strife."
"Mm?"
"It's Strife. My name." He pointed vaguely at the clipboard in her hand, sure she'd merely read it wrong or had been thinking so much about actual cloud types because of his first name that the mistake had slipped out without her even realizing it.
Whatever reaction he'd been expecting, it wasn't the one she gave. The woman sighed, looking disappointed. Muttering under her breath (Cloud caught something about "so many others" and "getting better") she marked a few notes down before tucking the clipboard under her arm. "Well, it's time for lunch, Alfred. I'm afraid you've slept half the day away already."
The first slip-up had been forgivable. This one was simply ridiculous.
"Look, you must have the wrong person." Cloud slid to the edge of the bed, ignoring the slippers right below his feet. "Or the wrong information sheet. My name is Cloud Strife and there's no reason for me to be in a hospital. I'm fine. Now if you'd return my clothes and tell me where my friends are..."
But the woman shook her head. "No there's been no mistake, Alfred, and I'm sure you're quite physically capable. This is Landel's Institute. We handle patients suffering from... illnesses of the mind."
Cloud froze, his blood instantly running cold. This was wrong beyond reasoning, and there was no way that those close to him had allowed him to be brought here. It was true he could easily have been called unstable in the past, but if they hadn't turned him over to a loony bin when he was handing off weapons of mass destruction to their greatest enemy then there was definitely no reason for them to do so now. He trusted them.
"You remember, don't you?" The woman, a nurse most likely, appeared to be running out of patience. "Now come along or we'll be late. I really don't want to have to get any orderlies involved."
The blond stayed where he was. His gaze strayed down to his shirt, and he pulled it out so that he could get a better look at it. A smiley face. If there were still remnants of Shinra remaining, this might be something they would do. And here he'd thought he'd done them a favor. This was just degrading.
"Please? It's a good lunch. Tacos! I love taco day."
"No." Cloud shook his head. "Not like this. You acknowledge my name and I'll consider it." He'd had enough, after all, of pretending he was somebody else.
The nurse sighed again, more exasperated this time. "Alfred--"
"Cloud."
"Alfred, you know I can't indulge you with this. As your nurse, it's my job to help see to your recovery. That'll be slow goings if you ignore your very identity."
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It was unfortunate for her that he cared very little about her job or what trouble she might get into for going along with the fantasies of one of her patients. He could sit there all day if he had to, even if it was probably best to move along and find his answers more quickly. "I know who I am and I'm not going to put up a fight. You say my name right and I'll go."
The nurse had other patients to deal with, and it was obvious she didn't want to spend any more time arguing with him than she had to. Cloud noticed then the presence of two rather large men outside his door and stiffened. He hadn't meant to fight her, but he'd fight them if they got forceful.
However, she didn't call them in. "...All right. All right! Just this once, Cloud. Hopefully a little talking with some of the others will put you back on the right track." It was indeed quite clear from the tone of her voice that she didn't intend to use the name again. Still, his word was his word. Cloud stood calmly and even slipped his feet into the offered slippers before following her out.
Someone outside that room was bound to have better answers than she did.
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