Day 45: Sun Room

[notthistrain]

Despite the bit of bravado he'd displayed for Yuffie's sake, seeing her that way really had done a number on him. It was a good thing he'd found the bulletin board afterward. Having it confirmed that this state wasn't normal (was, in fact, new as of that morning) made it much easier to think positive. They'd get back the Yuffie they knew one way

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[promisedawhale]

"Mmmmm.... perhaps in your own world?" Brook suggested, but didn't follow up as he might have given the continued questioning. It sounded as though this young man hadn't been told anything about this terrible place! Brook certainly couldn't let that stand!

"With questions like that, I shall start from the beginning then! Yohohoho! As it sounds like you've not heard an awful lot just yet," he announced, then settled to where he could explain, "All patients here have been taken from their homes against their wills. I myself came from a sea known as the Grand Line, snatched straight from slumber on the ship! Some others from my home are here as well, although they appear to have come from different points in time. While a few of them recognized me, there were others who did not! Can you believe it?!"

Oh, but he shouldn't be asking questions of the man. Back to subject. "That is my own experience, of course, however there are others here both not from my home world and who have faced a similar experience with friends of their own. Despite knowing what has happened to us, however, no one has the slightest clue how the man in charge is doing this to us. He seems to hold a great deal of power though."

Brook glanced up a moment and after locating an intercom, pointed its way. "You have heard the announcements over those things, yes? That pleasant voice belongs to him, but when night falls it will change. He will taunt you just as Dinner ends, and unlock the door of your room. Then..." Brook's finger fell away and he shivered for the thoughts of the night.

[notthistrain]

All right, so he was a pirate and he spent most of his time on the ocean. Would that really keep him from knowing what Shinra was, though? Pirates stole from others, so it was only logical that they'd have picked up Shinra cargo on multiple occasions. Even if they somehow didn't know who they were stealing from, they would have at least seen the name. Unless Brook didn't actually participate in the pirating himself (he did say he was a musician) and had therefore not been there when the cargo was stolen. And if they removed the labels... But would that mean he'd been born on the damn ship?

Cloud was developing a headache now.

The latter portion of his explanation was more troubling than the first, and it gave him a good excuse to shove that bit of confusion aside to replace it with another. "Then what?" He looked up to where he could see one of the intercom boxes in the sun room, as though the Head Doctor might start speaking through it at any moment. "What happens after dinner?"

If Yuffie wasn't herself, and she might be in danger from this, then he and Kenshin were going to have to make sure she was kept safe.

[promisedawhale]

"Ah... well... it's quite scary come nighttime," Brook forced out, trying to keep some cheer on his face. It was better to explain rather than let the man find out on his own, however that did not mean Brook liked speaking on such subjects any better. "Monsters roam the hallways. Different kinds of them too. I've seen zombies and lizard things and... something I'm not even sure was quite tangible..."

And then there had been the time where they'd had to fight with one of their friends. That had been such a terrible time.

"Sometimes you will run into friends who have been forced to fight for this place as well! Brainwashed, they are said to be. I cannot imagine how it is done, but it must be so terrible for them, having to fight their friends."

[notthistrain]

Brainwashed was the key word out of all Brook had just said. While the monsters were troubling enough, Cloud could handle monsters. They were nothing new, though finding out how they were created might be important once he had other things under control. He sat up, leaning closer to the towering pirate. "Fight them?"

Cloud was sure he could handle Yuffie too, though that would be more difficult than any regular monster and he didn't want to injure her. Having her tell him she was someone else was one thing, but for them to actually have control enough over her to turn her against her allies? That was bad. Really bad.

"Does this ever happen during the day? The brainwashing, I mean." If there was a limit on how long someone could be turned for, they could use that to their advantage. Kenshin had said that it had only begun that morning.

[promisedawhale]

"Eh?" Brook blinked and leaned back from the man a little, "Y-yes... fight them. There was a time... where we had to face one of our own friends," he explained, returning to position as his eyes trailed to the ground, "It took quite some doing, but we were able to snap him out of it. That was at night, however."

Brook hadn't known of anyone being brainwashed during the day just yet. Of course, the only reason why he had known Chopper had been was because the little reindeer would never have attacked a friend like that. Also, for the fact that he had been a reindeer instead of the adorable human form he was usually in.

Now that Brook thought on it, he'd not seen the smallest crew member around recently. Hopefully the same had not happened to him as had happened with so many others of their crew. Or with Zoro. That was strange enough, and now to be dealing with same situation for Cloud...!

Brook would be happy to be away from this place when the day came.

"I've not seen it during the day, no, but I would not doubt it being within Landel's power to do so."