DAY 20: LUNCH

[prisonerofdeath]

While Arts and Crafts wasn't all that bad, Gray Fox was greatly relieved when an intercom announced Lunch. He had almost reached the point where he was going to start eating more of the building materials

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[heavens_too_far]

There were, Dias decided, worse ways he might have spent the last shift than talking to Dr. Wilson. For one thing, he'd gotten some burn ointment and new bandages out of it, which made the ache in his side slightly more bearable; for another, it was the first conversation (although, granted, he didn't have many of those to start with) he'd had with one of the staff in which he'd seen even the faintest hope of convincing anyone in Landel's besides his fellow patients that he wasn't insane. Granted, even if he did convince the man he was sane and telling the truth about anything, he didn't think there was much the doctor could or would do - the man wasn't exactly a forceful personality and Dias wasn't about to place much hope in the chances of him getting anything major accomplished on his behalf - but it would be a relief just to be believed by someone. Just to convince someone who was supposed to be sane, rather than his fellow patients who had all been declared insane right along with him

[muted_flame]

While Roy had observed some of Hughes and Fullmetal's reunion from a distance, it hadn't been long before he'd ended up dozing at his table in the arts and crafts room. He hadn't intended for it to happen, but apparently no one else had headed over to bother him, which meant he had somehow gotten some sleep despite how many people had been around making noise

[heavens_too_far]

Dias glanced up as someone sat down near him, and was faintly surprised to find that it was the colonel everyone kept bringing up. He'd been meaning to talk to the man for quite awhile, but he'd always been busy with someone else. Who would have expected him to walk up on his own...?

After eyeing him for a moment, Dias murmured, "I've been meaning to talk to you, Colonel."

[muted_flame]

Roy actually hadn't been expecting that. Had his name traveled to all the patients? If that was the case, it meant he probably wouldn't get a break.

The fact that he called him "Colonel" and not Roy clued him in as to who had spoken to the man about him.

"Adelheid told you about me?" It was only a half-question, considering he was fairly sure of its truth. There was a good chance this stranger didn't have a very good opinion of him if that was the case.

[clockmongler]

Hmph. Well, the conversation with that man had been a waste. Luxord had not even finished speaking with him, the insolent… Sigh. It mattered not; an idea struck him in the middle of building his own little gingerbread clock tower (after noticing how particularly sharp his candy cane had been after a few minutes in his mouth), the thought of which making him grin in all its cleverness. Oh yes. Now he just needed to return at night and collect the materials

[clockmongler]

The blond had only been in mid-bite before that brat decided to speak up. And for what? Complete nonsense, that was what. He hadn't an idea whom this River or Elena where, and being anyone's friend was rather rare in itself. Luxord picked his eyes from the plate to give the boy a hard glare, swallowing the remains of onion in his mouth before retorting.

"So, I've not found myself in a cafeteria? I cannot eat here, is that what you mean to tell me? If you think my little delusions have caused me to wander to the wrong area, please, feel free to do so, as your opinions mean so much to me," the Gambler began, expression stone cold. If there was one thing he hated, it was insubordinate punks who thought they had the right to insult him. He placed his hands at the side of the plate, leaning over slightly to eye the other closer, to look down on him. "I believe you've crossed the wrong person today, child, and the only eviscerating that will be happening will be to you if you do not mind your manners." Ugh, what was this with children

[ontheabyss]

Lyta didn't even bother saying goodbye to Caim when she was pried away to be taken to lunch. He wasn't a friend, he was an ally. Lyta didn't stand on niceties for the sake of niceties.

She did care about the food, however. It was food, and that was good enough for her. But it was fresh meat, which Lyta had missed. And fresh vegetables - or fresh enough. She had her burger piled high with everything that was offered and took a side of onion rings. At least there was plenty of fuel.

Breaking out wasn't going to be simple, she knew that already. But once they were outside, it would probably be easier. She didn't know if Caim had any special talents that would aide them, but she was relying heavily on her own.

Sitting at an empty table, Lyta wasted no time in digging into her lunch.

[clone_boy]

Lunch. Darman found himself enjoying the midday meals - despite being a captive and assumedly a prisoner of war - if only because he never knew what they served. True, they listed the name on the intercom, but he wasn't familiar with the terminologys of this backwards planet, so it was all touch and go with actual tasting. Some of it he hadn't cared for, but he ate it anyway.

He wasn't entirely sure what a hamburger was, or even what the other ingredients were. His guard had to practically select the toppings for him before she settled him next to one of the other prisoners.

The clone glanced briefly at the other: she was another human woman, with a head of red hair that was bizarre to look at. He hadn't ever seen anyone with that shade of hair color, and it was still disorienting to look around the mess hall and see a motley puddle of colors than a comforting sea of just black hair like his own.

[ontheabyss]

Lyta glanced up when someone sat next to her. Young guy, well built as far as she could tell. Human, insofar as she could tell. She wasn't getting any strong emotions off of him, and nothing seemed off. Everyone she'd seen had struck her as more or less human. There wasn't a single alien in the place - at least not a familiar alien. No Narns, no Minbari, no Drazi... she was pretty sure there were no Centauri, but it was hard to tell. Flatten out a man's hair crest or keep a woman from shaving her head and how could you know?

"Guess your nurse wants you to make friends," Lyta commented, casting a glance at the staff that hung about near the walls. She was enjoying her lunch - fresh burger! Ketchup! Lettuce! Onions! At least the food was good.

[clone_boy]

Darman tried out this hamburger type of food. It didn't taste like anything he'd ever had before; all he knew for certain was it was probably a great deal in calorie count than the typical ration cubes he'd grown up with. He wasn't too sure if he liked it or not, taste wise, but he polished it off dutifully rather than let it go to waste.

"Friends," Darman snorted. "All they're doing is letting us make contacts with the other prisoners. Either they're underestimating us, or they're so confident that they think it doesn't matter."

Either was fine, actually, so long as they weren't accurate. Still, networking with contacts was tedious, a whole lot of waiting for the right opportunity that reminded him far too much of the black ops with Skirata on Coruscant, waiting to take down the Sep terrorists. If only he'd had access to his armor and weapons.

[gun_fire]

As her nurse escorted her, asking her how her first therapy session had gone, Riza began to wonder towards which side of the spectrum the other staff fell. Her doctor seemed closer to the patients than to whoever was behind all of this, but what about the nurses? Were they genuine

[lustful_thing]

"Another soldier? My, my we're gathering quite a collection."

Lust, for once, wasn't in the mood for male company. She'd enjoyed her conversation with Snake in Arts and Crafts, even though she'd had to explain things to him. He'd been pleasant enough company. Any other questions he had could be answered by others, Lust decided.

She'd spotted the blond soldier as soon as she'd entered the cafeteria. She'd remembered her quite well - women in the Amestrian military were rather rare. Despite being on technically opposite sides, Lust had to admire any woman who made it in what was mostly a man's world. She set her tray down and sat across from the blond - Hawkeye, wasn't that her name? - and gave a brief nod down the table to Dias and Mustang.

[sasuke_of_sound]

Sasuke was about to snap a response -- doubtless rude -- to Yohji's comment when a nurse appeared, smiling a mind-numbingly bright smile. The metallic voice that had awoken him spoke again, something about lunch. Finally, he thought, but before he could turn around and say anything else, he was bustled away and out of the sickly-sweet room with what appeared to be a mass exodus.

Disgruntled that he hadn't been able to sneak out any of the candy for use as a weapon, he growled a request for something from each food group at the medic-nin serving lunch and stood with his lunch (whatever it was), glaring around the room.

Yohji had turned out to be just as confused as he was. Sasuke needed to find someone who actually knew what was going on.

Setting his tray down with a little more discreetness than his dark expression implied, he sat near enough two women to listen to their conversation. One looked capable, and the other looked like she knew something

[gun_fire]

Riza looked up at the voice, her eyes following the woman as she sat down across from her. Soldier. Though Riza didn't immediately recognize her, the other patient must have known her if she were using that particular term

[prisonerofdeath]

The burger was actually pretty good, and the lemonade tasted as though it were actually made with real lemons. The room was mostly empty and it would've been impossible for Fox to not notice the person that was heading straight for him

[prisonerofdeath]

Fear was nothing new to Fox, and he considered himself to be quite familiar with it. He knew what it was like to feel his heart pounding in his chest when an enemy was standing barely a foot away, close enough to hear him breathe. He knew what it was like to be utterly terrified, to experience a fear that was horrible and painful, the fear that came with secrets and guilt.

This was an entirely different fear, though. He was afraid that Snake was going to attack him. Afraid that things would once again end in violence and death.

When the hand came out towards him, Fox couldn't help but stare at it. As Snake tried to pull the hand back, Gray Fox grabbed it, needing to have proof that this wasn't all in his head.

"I'm here." Fox had heard those words before, but had never been more grateful for them.

"Snake...I..." I'm sorry He didn't say it out-loud but the apology was in his eyes "It's good to see you again."

There was no way this was an illusion. Fox could feel the warm, calloused hand in his own, strong and deadly and alive.