Day 18; Courtyard

[felled_hero]

The intercom always did have perfect timing. Maes had been hoping to talk to Quistis some, but it seemed like the very important conversations got cut short. Of course, if his nurse wasn't quite so eager to bustle him off

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[grosse_sklaven]

The instant that Adelheid tried to adopt one of his stances, he knew that it had been a bad idea. Pain shot up his bandaged leg, and both heavily-bandaged hands were still far too tender to form anything like a proper fist.

So, with a frustrated yet determined expression, he shifted into a softer stance, one based around flowing and slow movements. In time, and with enough effort, he could rebuild his ki pathways and heal the damage the previous night's exertion had inflicted on him. Considering that the sun was shining and he finally had a breath of decently fresh air? There was no time like the present.

That, and he found himself right next to the far left bed, the heady scent of roses making his predicament much more bearable. When he closed his eyes, he could almost hear his dear sister's berating voice...

[lapis_inferno]

Dante smiled as the morning sun flitted across her cheeks. Following the others out into the courtyard, she looked around, trying to chase down a familiar face. Her late night confrontation had left her more than a little shaken, and she had so many questions pounding in her head that she was having trouble seeing straight. But still, she kept smiling a sickening smile, running her fingers through her hair and straightening her hospital robe as best as she could. If she wanted to get out of this place, she would have to use every means necessary

[grosse_sklaven]

"Ophelia." Despite himself, a half-smile formed on the teenager's face as he offered a slight bow. "Good morning to you as well. I was afraid that, after what had happened during the night, that something might have happened to you. I'm relieved that you're none the worse for wear."

He lightly curled his bandaged fingers, forcing himself through the pain. If he was to protect anyone, he'd have to have his ki back... to say nothing of being able to grip again. "I'm fine; just a case of over-estimating myself and underestimating what could happen. I've gone through much worse."

After a moment's consideration, he almost sheepishly apologized. "Sorry for not keeping our rendezvous in the Sun Room; I got on a bit of a tangent. ...and I'm starting to believe that you aren't exaggerating when you claim that no one here really likes you."

[lapis_inferno]

She smiled, feigning a sort of surpressed sadness. "It's just difficult, for me here. I just wish Alphonse hadn't tried so hard to turn everyone against me. I know young adolescence can make a boy angry with himself, but still," she shrugged, giving Adelheid an affectionate pat. "Thanks."

Looking back towards the cluster of patients, Dante nodded grimly, noticing various injuries from the night before. "I sure hope every night isn't like the one we had last night! If we aren't careful, we might all disappear before long." And Dante certainly couldn't allow that. She had plans that needed to be fulfilled. She hadn't kept herself alive for four centuries only to be eaten by some science experiment.

"There has to be some way out of here."

[soul_defender]

With just enough sleep to satisfy both body and mind, Ichigo had finally managed to struggle his way back to the waking world, just in time for his scheduled breakfast to end. Waking up with an empty stomach, he had only been given just enough time to be taken, and forcibly so, out of his seat and away from his food, each of his arms linked in those of two strapping orderlies. As if he were being snatched away from water in the midst of an arid desert, Ichigo watched with a sad, longing look in his eyes as his meal shrank away while being carried down the hall

[soul_defender]

High over his head, Ichigo raised the long, lean lengths of his arms towards the clear skies, just as he let out a cleansing yawn. Through the strain and stretching, Ichigo felt a little better about the hunger pains still pulsing inside of the empty contents of his stomach. The conversation was clearly helping as well, though the young shinigami began to look a little puzzled over Kadaj's question.

"Learned my lesson?" he echoed, raising a brow. He stopped, then stared down at his mummy wrappings. "Like I asked to get attacked by those things. I was just looking for stuff, minding my own business."

Scowling lightly, Ichigo let out a faint 'che' sound from between gritted teeth, and turned his head away. "It's like this whole dumb building has it in for me."

Still, with a keen eye, the berry-head was quick to notice how awkward Kadaj seemed, especially with the slow and easing transition between positions. His growing frown immediately receeded, as he leaned in with a knowing little grin. "How about you? Feeling a little sore today

[theycutitout]

Outside was as noisy and empty as ever, River decided as she took a few careful, deliberate steps across the courtyard to take in the scenery again. If it was to be an empty shell with substance or meaning, at least this was a pretty shell. Like a painted Easter egg, not that River's family had ever celebrated the Christian holiday when she'd been growing up. Painted eggs, rabbits that carried said eggs along with candy, and the supposed resurrection of Jesus Christ. Three subjects that had little to nothing in common grouped together on one day

[felled_hero]

"Hmmm?" Maes shifted, turing his head to the side at the sudden and unfamiliar voice. He blinked a few times at the disheveled looking girl who was kneeling next to him. He had seen her around, in some company or another, but couldn't remember actually speaking to her. Or knowing her name. Hadn't he seen her with Scar?

"Can I help you with something?" he asked, his voice concerned. He'd heard her question but hadn't entirely understood it.

[theycutitout]

"You're the one with Colonel Mustang all the time," River continued, ignoring the question for the time being as she cocked her head to the side and peered directly at him. "Hughes. You're the real one, I imagine. And Scar too, right?" The girl laughed, grinning as she recalled a lot of what she'd observed from the larger man's actions. "I've seen him glare in your general direction before, so I had to assume."

River turned her gaze to a single blade of grass, plucking it and examining it as she sat there in silence for a second or two.

"A second chance. I'm asking if this is it. Not everyone gets one, you know. Some don't even get a first," she finally continued, still looking intently at the grass.

[felled_hero]

"Oh, yeah, I'm Maes Hughes and I'm usually with Roy," Hughes said, nodding and grinning some. Ah, so that was why she was talking to him. "And sometimes Scar, too. I saw you with him, the other day, actually. He likes to glare - but he's not really as bad as he tries to make people think he is." Maes winked.

"The real one, huh? The real what? I'm sorry, I don't really know what you mean by that." He felt as though the girl was having a different conversation than he was. It was a bit disorienting. And then she repeated her comment about a second chance.

"A second chance?" he echoed, peering at her intently. "I guess you could say that." Had Scar or Roy mentioned something to her?

[clockmongler]

Despite having hid his reclaimed weapons and a certain nurse not going gauze-happy on his face once more, morning was not the best thing to ever happen to the Nobody. As it seems, the body can only handle a certain amount of time without a continually used drug - after this amount of time, it rebels.

The nurses, to say the least, did not appreciate this come breakfast time. They brought the sedatives to calm his uncontrollable shaking, to help him relax, but he fought tooth and nail at the sight of the syringes despite logical thinking. He actually put up a decent struggle against the orderlies before they struck, leaving him with a shroud over his consciousness, silhouettes over all thoughts and mind running on auto-pilot until the clouds took over.

Sleep.

It took a few to awake once more, but it happened awakeningtothebellsthebellsthebellsthebellsofnotre- nonetheless. The shaking had not ceased, but it had lessened with the drugs. Sedatives. Still wanting to sleep but there were hands moving him out of the bed and guiding him

[bond_off_lame]

"This place is pretty different from The World that Never Was, isn't it?" Axel hummed lightly, surprisingly calm instead of conveying his usual cocky nature. It wasn't really sure when he had actually found Luxord, elbow resting on the bark of the tree while green eyes glanced down at the slumped man lying against it. But as proven before: People who are purposely alone always find company in the end, unwanted or what have you.

The redhead took a deep breath, enjoying the bright sun despite being in the shade. The nap that he took earlier probably catalyzed his good mood, enough to even dare trying to talk to a fellow Organization member. In his mind, he technically didn't commit any traitorous act as of yet, so Axel didn't know why he should be blamed for them in the first place.

Well, whatever struck their fancy.

[clockmongler]

Voices kept flowing and sunlight still filtered through eyelids. Some part in his brain wished it were a park, that this was home and the noise twas only children laughing and playing and the sun was actually making him feel something

But that voice just made his head spin more than it already was norestforthewicked. Even through the drugs and withdrawal, his mind still knew whom that voice belonged to, and the words that had been said by VIII were ignored as such. He groaned in aggravation, one hand lifted limply as to strike the other away, but it merely twitched before lamely thumping to the grass. His lips twitched, the only coherent statement to come out being a quiet, inarticulate, "traitor."

Why couldn't have Axel just bothered someone else? Go back to humping Roxas' leg for all he cared, Luxord did not want to put up with the man.

[bond_off_lame]

Now, would Axel really given some flying fuck as to whether or not Luxord really wanted company? Instances in the Organization had taught him that, to actually get something done, it had to be through force. Raising a brow at the blond's pathetic attempt to backhand him away, the redhead merely let his entire back rest on the bark while standing, not wanting to risk getting slapped for real.

"Hey, I'm not expecting you to tell me right now, but I need to know what happened with the Organization after I went to DiZ's rendition of Twilight Town." He said lethargically, examining his nails and bit at one of the fingers.

"I'm a fair man about Quid Pro Quo."

[angels_inflight]

Naminé wasn't quite sure if what happened last night... actually happened. She woke up in a daze, remembering the night, but not how it ended. One moment, she was walking down the hall, with Dias, River, Elena and Ophelia, but the next, she was... well, she was back in her room, and when she tried to ask the nurses about the monsters, they just laughed it off and assured her that it was simply a nightmare.

A nightmare... it felt too real to be a nightmare.

Naminé was ushered outside to the courtyard as soon as she was finished with her breakfast (she arrived late again; it took all of Naminé's willpower just to get up) and the small girl was relieved to find that Elena was outside as well. It just seemed like a good sign.

"Um, good morning, Elena." Naminé smiled, heading towards the other blonde. She wanted to ask if last night happened, but that was a stupid question. If Elena recognized her, that was proof enough, wasn't it?

[angels_inflight]

Naminé gratefully accepted the invitation to sit, settling herself beside Elena. She was very glad to be in the sunlight. Even a shadow such as herself wanted to see a bit of sunshine.

"Not really... I think they got worse," Naminé admitted, smiling a bit as she rubbed her sides. They actually did hurt a bit more, but if it meant she was healthy... well, that was OK, she guessed.

"What about you? Are you OK? ... How's River?" Was River here? Naminé took a quick look around before focusing her attention on Elena again. Logic dictated that River should have been limping around by now, but she stopped relying on logic when it came to this strange place.