The dinner announcement came as something utterly unexpected. Rather than Harrington's excited tones, the calm accented voice of the General drifted through the intercom speakers
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Code...1-8? As Japan walked back to his room, he watched the movements of the soldiers around him. The crisply uniformed men and women would obviously tell him nothing, but their actions spoke volumes. This was something they had trained for and were on alert about. Whatever it was, it was important enough for the General himself to come onto the intercom to announce it
( ... )
Oh, that didn't bode well. Anytime the intercom deviated from the norm, chaos was sure to follow. Of course, Daemon had no idea how at the moment, since whatever the code stood for, no one bothered to inform the patients. All he knew was that his escort was suddenly in a hurry and he was bustled into what he supposed was his new room, already holding another patient he'd never seen before.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Daemon paused a moment, taking in the room - nothing here had changed, at least - before crossing to sink down on the edge of his bed, fingers tangled loosely on his lap as he cast his new roommate a curious look.
"Good evening," he greeted the other man, his voice careful, polite.
The door clicked open and Japan shot up as an unknown person walked into the room. It was unusual for Japan not to know someone here, even if he didn't exactly know by normal means. So it was with some curiosity that he greeted his 'new roommate.'
He was sitting on the edge of his own bed, but even so Japan could tell he was tall. And while his hair was a glossy black, his eyes... His eyes reminded him of something else entirely. They had a look about them that Japan recognized, too: age. Or maybe that was simply his imagination.
When greeted, Japan stood and bowed. "Good evening. I'm afraid I must welcome you to this room. My name is Honda Kiku. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."
At the sight of the bow, a small smile crossed Daemon's lips; at least that was familiar and his golden eyes warmed a faint bit as he inclined his head in greeting. "The honor is mine. My name is Daemon. Daemon Sadi. Do you go by Honda or Kiku?" he asked, wanting to make sure. Renji and his friends had always said their surnames first; Daemon had come to accept it as a culture thing, although with so many different places of origins locked in here, it was always wiser not to assume anything.
With the bow returned, Japan sat back down upon his bed, putting his hands in his lap. He was smiling so that was good, yes? Foreigners smiled when they were happy instead of nervous like the Japanese did. Japan made it a point to smile rarely in general to avoid any miscommunications anyway, so he simply bowed his head slightly again when his roommate did.
"Ah..." Apparently Daemon knew of his culture? Not so surprising since it was very popular overseas now. "I suppose my last name would be the most polite..." Although apparently it was custom for foreigners to use first names? Prussia and America did that at least. ...Not that they were the best examples of foreign relations. "I will be content with whichever you choose to call me, Sadi-san."
Daemon almost opened his mouth to correct him, but changed his mind. it had taken Ren almost a week to stop calling him that, and that was even after surviving several nights together with things trying to eat them. Instead he just chuckled and agreed to it. "Alright. That would be Honda, yes?" he asked, wanting to make sure he had the reversed name correct.
"Have you been here long?" he asked, glancing over at the nightstand and noting there was another bowl of the pink stuff. Three times in one day? Yes, the menu had definitely gone downhill in his absence. He wondered if the actual food in the kitchens spoiled after dark? Surely those in charge weren't eating this as well.
"Yes...." It was a relief to have someone who knew of his customs and of whom Japan had little knowledge for once. It meant he didn't have to tiptoe around the fourth wall, and so, like with Scott, he could relax and simply be himself. His human self, at least. He still highly doubted that telling anyone here that he or the other countries were, in fact, countries would go over well.
Daemon glanced toward the trays and Japan sighed. The pink gruel was something of a fixture in his life and while it was more edible than the oily food from before, Japan was beginning to miss flavor and salt. It was cruel what this place was doing; even if it was for his own health. "...Only a week. You are new, yes? Is there anything you require?"
Daemon shot him a wry look. "Actually, I'm not, I've just been... absent for a while," he answered carefully, lifting his shoulders in the faintest hint of a shrug. "This will be my third week here. I've just missed a large span of time in the middle. This is all a bit new still," Daemon answered, waving his hand vaguely at the uniform and what they were passing off as dinner. "Landel was still running things before I woke up again this morning."
"And there is very little 'only' about a week. That's considerably longer than some I've come across. The lengths of our stays seem... sporadic, at best," he added, choosing his words with a thoughtful look. There were still so many unknowns about this place. The whys and the whats and the hows. It was endlessly frustrating. That didn't seem to improve with any amount of time spent here, but at least it was something all the patients had in common, as far as he'd seen.
Oh. Japan stopped in his tracks and turned back to observe Daemon with more interest. So he was...and older patient? But he had disappeared only to return and he still remembered his time here. That opened the possibility that Russia and Germany's disappearances would be temporary, too. Japan would welcome Germany back, but Russia...he could stay wherever he had gone. Unless it was home. Russia being home, thinking it was the Cold War, without America to keep him in check was like dropping a cube of cockroaches into a germaphobe's room
( ... )
"I think time here is a little different from what most people are used to, at any rate," Daemon agreed, shifting to slide back on his bed and lean against the wall, lounging comfortably.
"And no need to apologize. Besides, the news that Landel was dragged out of here - kicking and screaming, I hope? - is quite possibly the most satisfying news I've had all day." He was only disappointed that he hadn't gotten to witness it.
'When one was used to measuring time in decades and centuries, then a week hardly seemed consequential' is what Japan wanted to say. However, he knew how unwise that would be. Even if Daemon seemed to have old eyes, it didn't mean he was, in fact, old. He could simply be old for a human which was not very old at all for a nation.
He watched as his roommate lounged back, but chose to remain sitting himself, straight as always. Japan did not recall much kicking, but there had been screaming. Something about multiverses and how Aguilar would be sorry. Japan understood the concept of multiverses very well now that he knew the other patients here were real. "...I am glad I could deliver it to you then. Although...I'm afraid there was little kicking....even if he did scream a bit."
Daemon chuckled, looking amused by the formality. "It's a saying, not an assumption of what he actually did. Although now I have a mental image to go along with it so that makes it much better."
He eyed his new roommate curiously, wondering about him. He was a different sort and Daemon suppressed a chuckle at pondering how long the other male would be able to maintain that stiff formality when tossed into a room with the Coven for an hour or so. Then again, Daemon was pretty sure that any male locked in a room with the Coven for an hour would emerge dazed, rumpled, and glassy-eyed.
"So, would you mind if I asked you your thoughts on this place and what you've experienced here so far?" he asked casually, his tone curious. He'd missed a lot and had a lot to catch up on, and he'd found in his time here that others' perspectives were often invaluable.
Re: M21osoreirimasuSeptember 12 2011, 02:05:43 UTC
"...Oh." A foreign saying that he had forgotten to remember. He would need to recall it now that he finally had a roommate that was not from his country and not of his kind. Japan flushed slightly and dropped his gaze to the floor. Kicking and screaming had to mean putting up a grand fight or much fuss. He would remember that. Yes
( ... )
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As the door clicked shut behind him, Daemon paused a moment, taking in the room - nothing here had changed, at least - before crossing to sink down on the edge of his bed, fingers tangled loosely on his lap as he cast his new roommate a curious look.
"Good evening," he greeted the other man, his voice careful, polite.
Reply
He was sitting on the edge of his own bed, but even so Japan could tell he was tall. And while his hair was a glossy black, his eyes... His eyes reminded him of something else entirely. They had a look about them that Japan recognized, too: age. Or maybe that was simply his imagination.
When greeted, Japan stood and bowed. "Good evening. I'm afraid I must welcome you to this room. My name is Honda Kiku. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."
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"Ah..." Apparently Daemon knew of his culture? Not so surprising since it was very popular overseas now. "I suppose my last name would be the most polite..." Although apparently it was custom for foreigners to use first names? Prussia and America did that at least. ...Not that they were the best examples of foreign relations. "I will be content with whichever you choose to call me, Sadi-san."
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"Have you been here long?" he asked, glancing over at the nightstand and noting there was another bowl of the pink stuff. Three times in one day? Yes, the menu had definitely gone downhill in his absence. He wondered if the actual food in the kitchens spoiled after dark? Surely those in charge weren't eating this as well.
Reply
Daemon glanced toward the trays and Japan sighed. The pink gruel was something of a fixture in his life and while it was more edible than the oily food from before, Japan was beginning to miss flavor and salt. It was cruel what this place was doing; even if it was for his own health. "...Only a week. You are new, yes? Is there anything you require?"
Reply
"And there is very little 'only' about a week. That's considerably longer than some I've come across. The lengths of our stays seem... sporadic, at best," he added, choosing his words with a thoughtful look. There were still so many unknowns about this place. The whys and the whats and the hows. It was endlessly frustrating. That didn't seem to improve with any amount of time spent here, but at least it was something all the patients had in common, as far as he'd seen.
Reply
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"And no need to apologize. Besides, the news that Landel was dragged out of here - kicking and screaming, I hope? - is quite possibly the most satisfying news I've had all day." He was only disappointed that he hadn't gotten to witness it.
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He watched as his roommate lounged back, but chose to remain sitting himself, straight as always. Japan did not recall much kicking, but there had been screaming. Something about multiverses and how Aguilar would be sorry. Japan understood the concept of multiverses very well now that he knew the other patients here were real. "...I am glad I could deliver it to you then. Although...I'm afraid there was little kicking....even if he did scream a bit."
Reply
He eyed his new roommate curiously, wondering about him. He was a different sort and Daemon suppressed a chuckle at pondering how long the other male would be able to maintain that stiff formality when tossed into a room with the Coven for an hour or so. Then again, Daemon was pretty sure that any male locked in a room with the Coven for an hour would emerge dazed, rumpled, and glassy-eyed.
"So, would you mind if I asked you your thoughts on this place and what you've experienced here so far?" he asked casually, his tone curious. He'd missed a lot and had a lot to catch up on, and he'd found in his time here that others' perspectives were often invaluable.
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