Day 36: Waiting Room/Lobby 2

[notachick]

Okita hadn't been expecting it when his nurse suddenly appeared in the Game Room. He'd expected to be left alone like last week, but instead she gently took him by the arm and told him he needed to say goodbye to Kaden for now. Okita assumed it was time for his visitor and waved goodbye to him, only to be led off himself. The swordsman had

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[mrmewmaker]

Shiki grew more nervous the closer she got to the waiting room. She hadn't been expecting a visitor, and the information she had gleaned from the bulletin board had told her it might not be the most pleasant experience. She didn't say much, though her nurse was happy to fill the air with quiet talking.

"Won't this be nice? You have such thoughtful friends, Nicole, to come out here to see you. I'm sure you'll be happy to see them."

Friends? Eri? Neku? Beat? It could even be Rhyme. Or... She didn't want to think that it might be one of the Reapers. They weren't friends of hers.

Shiki frowned as her nurse wheeled her up to one of the tables. "They'll be along in a minute, dear. Just be patient."

[4lulzngiggles]

Joshua had been rather amused when a nurse had come up to him and said that there was a friend coming to visit him. A 'friend' was not likely to show up, primarily because Joshua really didn't have any. So the question became one of 'who was the visitor going to be'? Chances were good it was either Mr. H or Mr. K, with a good chance to the former. Though he'd have found it intensely amusing if none other than Sho Minamimoto, the Grim Heaper himself, had been the one. He doubted they'd be able to get through ten sentences before one tried to shoot, strangle, or bludgeon the other to death.

Seeing Shiki in the same room, he made his way over to her, grinning as always and looking utterly comfortable even in this new situation. "Hello there, Shiki. Funny that we're both here, don't you think?" Though he was willing to bet that their visitors were different... otherwise, there was only one person who could fit the bill. And that just wouldn't be any fun at all.

[damned_visitors]

"Yeah. Big coincidence."

That familiar, bored-as-usual voice came from behind Joshua's back. And there he was - a brunet, head-to-toe in teenage fashion's finest, with no lack of zippers or sportiness.

Nick was crossing his arms. (Had they been expecting him to be doing anything else?) Though he shot the faintest smile to Nicole, his body language was a little closed. He preferred walking around outside to the stuffiness of a single room in a box like this, where there were so many rules, where he wasn't really afforded the option to do what he wanted, how he wanted, when he wanted. And wasn't that the point of living?

"I'm here to tell you to hurry up with the treatment and get out," he said matter-of-factly.

[mrmewmaker]

"Yeah, it..."

Shiki trailed off the minute she saw that familiar hairstyle, her eyes growing wide with surprise and happiness, in spite of herself. She knew this wasn't actually him, but he looked the same, sounded the same - that was even the kind of thing Neku would say. In that moment, it was easy to let herself believe the illusion and forget, even if only for a little while.

She returned that smile. "It's so good to see you again, Neku!" Even if I can't actually hug you the way I want to from here. "How are you? How is everyone else?"

[not_rly_fai]

The nurses had insisted he finish another glass of juice and some vitamins after he'd almost passed out in the Sun Room. If he didn't get to feeling better, they told him, they'd have to send his visitor away and he wouldn't be able to see him until next time.

He'd complied, trying to focus and remember the things he'd read in his file. Maybe, just maybe, if he seemed like he was getting better, they'd let him go this time.

The room was still fairly empty when he was wheeled in. Just himself, Shiki, and Okita he remembered, was a friend of Homura. He watched the door carefully, like a dog waiting for his master to come home, sitting up a little straighter each time it opened, only to sink back into his seat when it was just a nurse or another patient.

[damned_visitors]

He had arrived early, but there were always procedures. He smiled to the nurses, patiently waiting his turn before at last they let him into the room. Had it already been a week, or only a week? It seemed to him a paradox, each second moving at a maddening pace, though if it were slow or quick depended on the circumstances.

There were times when he couldn't make time stop. There were times when he couldn't push it forward.

But now at last the amount had finally passed, and there was his ward, young Robin waiting. His smile was real as he walked over, his hands by his side in an open gesture, but not one that would force the young man in.

"Good afternoon, Robin." His heart beat faster, just a touch, but undeniably so.

[not_rly_fai]

It was really hard to believe that only a week had passed since the last time he'd seen Ashura. He was hesitant to trust anyone, and when the king said he would return, Yuuhi had wanted to believe him, but something kept him from hoping too hard. Now that Ashura was really here, he had to show that he was ready to come home, that maybe this time, this second chance he'd been given wouldn't go to waste.

The soft expression, the smile, all of it had made it so hard to believe that this was the same man who'd destroyed his own kingdom because of his madness.

"Aaron," he said the name, even though it felt forced, not at all right. His face brightened, though he didn't try to push himself out of the chair. "You came back."

[damned_visitors]

Aaron. Aaron.

No one had ever felt delight like his at hearing his own name. Robin remembered, at least that much, and Aaron's smile lifted. "Yes. I told you, didn't I? Wherever you are, I will come for you."

His precious child. His precious hope. He reached out as he had that first time, touching the line of Robin's jaw.

"You look pale." His own relief was put to the side, and Aaron looked over his ward in concern. Nothing could happen to jeopardize the life of the person he cared for most. He wouldn't allow harm to come to Robin. "Has something happened to you?"

Aaron was a dedicated father. Those who harmed his child he would find. And they would suffer, said a darker side of the man. They would indeed, and Aaron would feel no remorse for it.

[notaghostreally]

"You're very lucky, Danny, to have two visitors in a row!"

Danny wasn't sure what to make of the statement. He didn't know whether to be glad to see familiar faces who weren't Vlad, or to be anxious in case they might've been brainwashed or clueless or whatever was up with Jazz last week.

Once he stepped into the waiting room, he began to wonder who would be visiting him. Tucker? Sam? His parents? Not like it really mattered, since Danny had no idea what he would say anyway. "Help, I'm stuck in a crazy house that's trying to kill me" hadn't gone over so well last time.

Sitting up straight in his seat, unintentionally on alert, he waited for his visitor, praying that they wouldn't act the same way Jazz did.

[damned_visitors]

Well this was going to be awkward. Though really, Victoria supposed that visiting a mental hospital always would be. No matter how well you knew the person or how happy you were to see them, it didn't change the fact that they were stuck in a home for crazies.

All right. Smile now. Look friendly. Don't look at the other people.

He was easy enough to spot, fairly normal looking compared to some of the patients here, and Vikky waved at him. Grin like you mean it. "Hey, Danny! Good to see you!"

[notaghostreally]

He'd been preparing himself for Sam or Tucker or his family. But Valerie? Not so much. He blinked stupidly for a few moments, trying to figure out how to respond. All his mental preparation was now wasted since he never expected Valerie to come. Sure, Valerie was a nice girl and a good friend (never mind the whole "trying to hunt Danny Phantom" bit), but he didn't think she'd go so far as to visit him.

"Hey, Val! You're, uh. You're visiting, I guess!" He grinned weakly. Jeez, how awkward could this get? She probably thought he really was in here because he was nuts. Well...if that ever came up, he figured he could explain the situation. Right?

Oh, who was he kidding. She'd been standing there not 30 seconds and already he was unsure of what to do or say.

[damned_visitors]

"Vikky," the girl corrected quickly. At least he'd said something that started with a 'V' and hadn't addressed her as 'Sue' or anything. "Two K's," she made sure to clarify.

"But you look well!" Albeit dressed in that horrible Landel's gray and, once again, stuck in the middle of crazies. Calling her by that name. But that was okay! She could handle that. A little more time here and he'd be back at school just like before. "So, uh... Yeah. Hi."

[spirit_forge]

Archer was fairly content until his nurse came for him. Well, as content as he could be in this hellhole. She was apparently leading him to the waiting room for his visitor. If the Institute thought he would be moved by a fake, they were sorely mistaken.

"Why don't you wait here for a moment Eric, while I get your visitor?" she asked. It wasn't like he could do anything else unless he wanted to be sedated, which was always really fun.

"Sure, I'll be right here," Archer half-heartedly answered, after taking a seat. He might as well get comfortable, since there wasn't a view to admire like in the courtyard. So who would it be today? Saber, Rin, or Sakura? Sigh. As he thought about it, the list continued to grow, but Archer did so in order to mentally prepare himself for his visitor.

[damned_visitors]

Eric's visitor was waiting impatiently outside of the waiting room. Those nurses sure made her wait long! Isabella - Izzy for friends - pouted a bit as she put her hands on her hips, as if that was going to work. It apparently did, because the nurse soon came to get her. "You can go in now, dear. Eric is waiting for you."

The lady didn't have to say that twice.

Izzy immediately headed passed the nurse into the waiting room, easily spotting the one she was looking for before moving over.

"Hello, Eriiiic!" Izzy exclaimed, stopping a small distance away from where he was sitting. She did one of those small bows characteristic to her.

"Are you surprised to see me?"

[spirit_forge]

Archer expected... well... someone taller. Unfortunately his eyes seemed to be working fine. Watching her seemingly flutter into the room like an angel, following up with one of her trademark bows, something she'd say was characteristic of a lady, made that cold rock, which he fondly called his heart, lurch for a moment. Ilya...His first impulse was to reach out and pull her into his arms, to make sure this was real and not an illusion. As he rose out of his chair and took a step towards her, reality kicked in like the pain in the ass it was. This wasn't his Ilya. He'd seen her die, wasting away and helpless to do anything about it. Archer, no, Emiya Shirou had never felt so helpless as that time. If only he had known better, he would've traded his services to Gaia for Ilya's life instead of wasting it on strangers, one of whom betrayed him

[damned_visitors]

Izzy giggled in response before indeed closing the distance between her and her and Eric. The girl never really considered anyone's 'personal space', which proved to be a given as she climbed onto the man's lap and flung her arms around his neck.

It had been a really long time she had last seen him. "I missed you!" Izzy told him, both like an answer to his question as a statement.

[yin_yang_fox]

Last shift Renamon had just curled in a corner and thought over everything about the new theory that her and Jiraiya, and Edgeworth in a way, had compiled. She would have been content to spend this shift the same, but a nurse appeared, leading her away. This new room was close to the file rooms, it was the only way she knew it.

Per usual, Renamon had been ignoring the intercom announcements, only catching bits and pieces about the brunch menu and visitors. And now she was suspicious. Visitors? Did they think her so weak minded to believe that anyone they threw at her was from her past life? She made a sound of annoyance, and resigned herself to sit and wait for whatever they had planned now.

Renamon had things to do tonight, errands to run, and she was getting closer to understanding this Institute because of the people she was refering to as friends. She would be patient for this one shift. It would be a waste of time, but she could relax and calm her mind. She crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes.

[damned_visitors]

Rika hadn't been sure about visiting at first -- she'd been surprised to say the least when the news had arrived that Reiko had ended up in a mental institution with some kind of made-up memory. And when she'd been informed that she could visit, she'd been unsure exactly how much she could help.

But she'd been there for Reiko, and Reiko for her, too many times in the past for her to say no.

At least the nurse looked nice enough, even if she pretty much conformed to the usual squares who wound up working in these places. Rika glanced around at the different people in the room before her gaze caught on a familiar figure. Wearing the same weird uniform. And looking incredibly normal despite it.

Rika abruptly felt awkward about her own choice of clothing. She'd picked out the shirt with the broken heart that she'd worn a lot back when they'd run together, hoping that maybe it would help jog Reiko's memory, but she tugged a little self-consciously on it before straightening up and trying to look nonchalant: "... hey."

[yin_yang_fox]

There wasn't a calm thought; no solid composure that the Digimon was known for. Her eyes flew open, and she stood fluidly. She stared for a moment, then said, almost a whisper, "...Rika."

Thoughts and logic weren't the forefront of Renamon's actions. She reached out her hand, just to touch Rika's arm, just to make sure she was really there. "It's you."

[damned_visitors]

Well, at least Reiko recognised her. Now what?

Rika allowed the touch and put together a slightly awkward smile, just a little bit smirkish. The best she could probably do at this point was try to act normal, the way it had been before things went pear-shaped.

"Who else, dummy?"