Yet another intercom jingle sounded, and the nurses, anticipating the Head Doctor's orders, already began grouping around the patients as he began to speak
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The day hadn't gone that badly for Usopp, mostly by virtue of all the awful things having technically occurred the previous night. He'd been dealing with the aftermath of that today, though, and so hard he'd barely thought about all the other people affected until he'd had a moment really alone to think about it.
Being trapped in a strange place with some of his crewmates was one thing, but being trapped here without Luffy was a little more troublesome, especially if the people here had somehow taken him but hadn't yet bothered moving his hat (and piano, for that matter.) It also hadn't helped that he'd taken it upon himself to put on the hat just to be safe, while Brook had been fussing about the piano. He should have just put the stupid weight on Brook. Or better, he'd hunt Zoro down, and make him wear it. Even if he got lost with it, Zoro had kept that white sword he was fussy about for a long time, hadn't he? And he was one of the oldest people on the crew, both chronologically and in age. It made sense.
Even a pointless direction was better than no direction, and flailing around yelling 'where's Luffy' just in his own mind was starting to get exhausting. It had taken a lot... more than a lot, a genuine heroic effort... to be sure Luffy was gone. The next steps were easier. Find the others still here, keep track of them somehow. Redistribute the hat. Start looking into the history of the others in this place, and try to find out if they'd had friends or allies who'd help find them.
Who, like Sai, would be worried to know their friends had vanished.
Usopp started in on his pasta. He wasn't hungry, but if he was going to wander around at night looking for someone to help him not die, he'd need his energy.
Allen was definitely hungry by the time he got back to the room. He wasn't sure when he'd eaten last - had he missed lunch somehow?! - but he was glad that there was food back in the room. He was a little saddened by the fact that there wasn't quite enough there, but some was better than none, and he could make the best of the situation.
Before he took a bite, he remembered his manners and looked over at his roommate.
"Allen, hi!" Usopp at least managed a good smile for his roommate, happy to see him alive and well. "It's been a little rough lately, but I'm hanging in there. How about you? You seemed out of it yesterday, I hope you're all right."
Even if his roommate wasn't his best friend, or even a member of his crew, Usopp couldn't wish harm on the guy. He seemed so, well, nice. Even the friends Usopp had met in this place didn't seem nice, so much as inclined to help Usopp. Some tiny bit of Usopp recognized a similar aspect to Luffy, but couldn't decide what it was.
"Things can probably only be so great here, anyway." Since the manners were done, Usopp went back to eating, hoping Allen would do the same. Hunger strikes were definitely not the answer, Usopp had learned that on Going Merry.
Allen smiled back, and dug into his food. In between bites, he managed to hold a conversation, though; he was well-versed in that by now.
"Yeah, I felt weird yesterday, I guess. I think I slept through almost everything! But that's not going to happen tonight. I can't just sleep while there are people that need help."
"At least you're feeling better, I'm glad." Usopp felt a little guilty at Allen's words. After all, he seemed to be thinking of other people, not just his own friends. Then again, everybody would benefit if this place could be figured out, wouldn't they?
"How can you help people?" That part was a little strange. Allen was new, and he didn't really look that tough other than the tattoo. Maybe he was one of those people who looked scrawny, like Sanji, until someone got to know them. "I mean, no offense, it's really great you're thinking that way. But right now, it's all I can do to keep me out of trouble. Do you have a weapon?"
Usopp did, a couple, but had only the faintest idea how to use them. The pointy end goes in the bad person and/or thing. "I don't mean to be pushy. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I was just wondering."
Allen blinked at him. Oh, right, Usopp didn't know much about him.
"My weapon is sort of...attached to me, I guess you could say. I'm used to fighting back home, so it can't be that different here. I know that people keep saying that abilities are limited, but if I don't try, then I can't help anyone."
He sounded fully convicted that he would be able to help. He'd vowed to get stronger, after all, and whether he was here or in Edo or in London or anywhere, he had no choice but to keep trying. He had to get home, of course, to help the other Exorcists. They were counting on him. But people here who couldn't help themselves might need to count on him, too.
Usopp could think of a lot of ways a weapon could be 'attached,' from just hand-to-hand expertise to being a cyborg like Franky. It sounded pretty useful, even if people were weaker here.
"I guess that's true. I think I'd rather try and fail than just fail, too, but it's hard sometimes." If he'd been a super-fighter it might have helped that ambition. It did make Sai's suggestion that they were here for testing a little odd, since Luffy was gone. If they were testing for anything, it sure wasn't strength. "What have you found out about this place so far? Oh, I got a map from a really nice pink-haired girl this morning! If you want a copy. I don't think it's complete, but it's got a lot of stuff on it I didn't know."
Allen thought for a second. "I haven't found out much. I know that people are from different worlds entirely. Like you and I are. And I know that many people have different abilities, but they're inhibited somehow. And they do experiments on people at night."
He paused.
"Really, you have a map? Great! I've been meaning to get one. I meant to ask Javert about it, but I haven't spoken with him since my first night here. Thanks! I'll copy it really fast before we go out tonight, if you don't mind."
"And there's lots of talk about monsters," Usopp added, nodding. "I still haven't seen any, but that's probably a good thing." He had enough problems for now, without having to worry about getting eaten by monsters on top of it
"The girl who gave me the map was drawing fast, so it is a little sketchy." Usopp pulled out the folded paper, glancing over it before handing it over. "I guess stuff like this, the nurses won't leave up on the boards, so they get passed from patient to patient instead."
Allen took the paper from Usopp and pulled out his own journal. He started copying it down. His own map-drawing skills obviously left something to be desired, but a rough idea was way better than nothing at all.
"I haven't seen any monsters either, but if so many people say there are some, I guess they must be telling the truth," Allen said, his tone serious. Monsters were probably something he could deal with, but he was almost sure now that "monsters" and "Akuma" were very different. He wasn't sure what kinds of monsters there were in this place, and he hoped he didn't have to find out.
He was quiet for a few minutes while he finished the map. After he was satisfied with it, he handed it back to Usopp.
"Thanks again. Be careful tonight, okay? In case there really is something out there."
"I've seen almost everything else people have warned me about here, but I think the monsters don't come into the patient rooms quite as much." Even if they'd go into the patient bathrooms, according to Sai's report. Usopp took the paper back, smiling a bit less than before.
"I'll be really careful. You, too, good luck tonight." Usopp knew he'd be safe, he'd promised it. Still, he wasn't sure getting hurt himself was at the top of his list of fears, especially here.
Being trapped in a strange place with some of his crewmates was one thing, but being trapped here without Luffy was a little more troublesome, especially if the people here had somehow taken him but hadn't yet bothered moving his hat (and piano, for that matter.) It also hadn't helped that he'd taken it upon himself to put on the hat just to be safe, while Brook had been fussing about the piano. He should have just put the stupid weight on Brook. Or better, he'd hunt Zoro down, and make him wear it. Even if he got lost with it, Zoro had kept that white sword he was fussy about for a long time, hadn't he? And he was one of the oldest people on the crew, both chronologically and in age. It made sense.
Even a pointless direction was better than no direction, and flailing around yelling 'where's Luffy' just in his own mind was starting to get exhausting. It had taken a lot... more than a lot, a genuine heroic effort... to be sure Luffy was gone. The next steps were easier. Find the others still here, keep track of them somehow. Redistribute the hat. Start looking into the history of the others in this place, and try to find out if they'd had friends or allies who'd help find them.
Who, like Sai, would be worried to know their friends had vanished.
Usopp started in on his pasta. He wasn't hungry, but if he was going to wander around at night looking for someone to help him not die, he'd need his energy.
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Before he took a bite, he remembered his manners and looked over at his roommate.
"Hi, Usopp, how are you?"
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Even if his roommate wasn't his best friend, or even a member of his crew, Usopp couldn't wish harm on the guy. He seemed so, well, nice. Even the friends Usopp had met in this place didn't seem nice, so much as inclined to help Usopp. Some tiny bit of Usopp recognized a similar aspect to Luffy, but couldn't decide what it was.
"Things can probably only be so great here, anyway." Since the manners were done, Usopp went back to eating, hoping Allen would do the same. Hunger strikes were definitely not the answer, Usopp had learned that on Going Merry.
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"Yeah, I felt weird yesterday, I guess. I think I slept through almost everything! But that's not going to happen tonight. I can't just sleep while there are people that need help."
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"How can you help people?" That part was a little strange. Allen was new, and he didn't really look that tough other than the tattoo. Maybe he was one of those people who looked scrawny, like Sanji, until someone got to know them. "I mean, no offense, it's really great you're thinking that way. But right now, it's all I can do to keep me out of trouble. Do you have a weapon?"
Usopp did, a couple, but had only the faintest idea how to use them. The pointy end goes in the bad person and/or thing. "I don't mean to be pushy. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I was just wondering."
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"My weapon is sort of...attached to me, I guess you could say. I'm used to fighting back home, so it can't be that different here. I know that people keep saying that abilities are limited, but if I don't try, then I can't help anyone."
He sounded fully convicted that he would be able to help. He'd vowed to get stronger, after all, and whether he was here or in Edo or in London or anywhere, he had no choice but to keep trying. He had to get home, of course, to help the other Exorcists. They were counting on him. But people here who couldn't help themselves might need to count on him, too.
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"I guess that's true. I think I'd rather try and fail than just fail, too, but it's hard sometimes." If he'd been a super-fighter it might have helped that ambition. It did make Sai's suggestion that they were here for testing a little odd, since Luffy was gone. If they were testing for anything, it sure wasn't strength. "What have you found out about this place so far? Oh, I got a map from a really nice pink-haired girl this morning! If you want a copy. I don't think it's complete, but it's got a lot of stuff on it I didn't know."
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He paused.
"Really, you have a map? Great! I've been meaning to get one. I meant to ask Javert about it, but I haven't spoken with him since my first night here. Thanks! I'll copy it really fast before we go out tonight, if you don't mind."
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"The girl who gave me the map was drawing fast, so it is a little sketchy." Usopp pulled out the folded paper, glancing over it before handing it over. "I guess stuff like this, the nurses won't leave up on the boards, so they get passed from patient to patient instead."
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"I haven't seen any monsters either, but if so many people say there are some, I guess they must be telling the truth," Allen said, his tone serious. Monsters were probably something he could deal with, but he was almost sure now that "monsters" and "Akuma" were very different. He wasn't sure what kinds of monsters there were in this place, and he hoped he didn't have to find out.
He was quiet for a few minutes while he finished the map. After he was satisfied with it, he handed it back to Usopp.
"Thanks again. Be careful tonight, okay? In case there really is something out there."
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"I'll be really careful. You, too, good luck tonight." Usopp knew he'd be safe, he'd promised it. Still, he wasn't sure getting hurt himself was at the top of his list of fears, especially here.
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He smiled again; it just came naturally to him.
"I'll be okay, don't worry! I'll see you tomorrow at dinner, right?"
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