15strangers

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[The first sensation you feel is a headache. It's brief, slicing, sharp. It passes soon after you wake up, but it is there nevertheless, and the pain is not easily forgotten. Perhaps your eyes also blur as if roused from a deep sleep; perhaps your tongue also feels off, like you swallowed a bug. It's not pleasant.

More unpleasant, though, is the second sensation that dawns on you all-this is not your bed. This, in fact, is unrecognizable. It is not anywhere you recall coming to, willingly or otherwise. It's a room with a bunk, and there is a strange smell in the air that is hard to ignore.

No, you are no longer home. Any possessions you may have had on you are gone, save your clothing and a strange watch you can't get off, no matter how hard you try. And when you run into the hallway, well-you might find yourself running into others who might be just as confused and scared as you are as the area around you slowly sways, up and down, left and right.

What is this place? Why are you here? Who are all these other people?

What is going on?]

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[She'd come to the infirmary to see how well supplied it was, among other things, and found a strange man with his arms full of bottles, trying to grab even more.]

Oh! Uh. What... what are you doing with those?

[She peers at one of the bottles that he's holding. Digitoxin?]

Do you have heart problems...?

[ Thankfully they weren't just ANY bottles but the ones of a very lethal nature but he was being slightly haphazard about it. Not to where he was dropping any but some of the not-so-fatal ones may have been grabbed accidentally. ]

Ah, I'm afraid not.

[ A glance down to the bottles he was carrying, then back up to the young woman here with him. ]

I am in the process of removing what appear to be dangerous poisons from the reach of any innocent individuals so noone can get hurt.

Oh.

[That seems a logical explanation, and she thinks about it for several moments.]

But where are you taking them?

I am to put them somewhere for safekeeping where it can be safely locked away.

[ He nodded his head surely as if this would completely explain it all away, though he did hum after a moment or so. ]

I would love to say where, but then it would defeat the purpose of me removing them from here, would it not?

[That thoughtful frown deepens a little more.]

Maybe. But some of these are still medicine, if they're used correctly. And besides, how do you know that nobody will find your hiding place? There's not that many places we can go here, it seems like.

[ A pause, and his own brows furrow a little with apt concern. ]

I suppose you do happen to have a point. Some of these do seem like those which wouldn't cause harm until they were in the wrong hands, but I do not know enough to discern which ones are safer than others.

[She thinks for a moment more, then shakes her head a little, expression turning fierce.]

Besides. I can't believe that anyone here would deliberately harm someone else. If we start thinking like that's going to happen, it's... it's like Zero's already won! Because he's taken our hearts, even if the rest of us is still here!!

[ This young woman's enthusiasm and passion is admirable and he seems to brighten up instantly as he nodded a couple of times quite vigorously. ]

I agree! I do so desperately wish to think noone would be so cruel as to deliberately cause harm to another person, as to do so allows the captor to indeed win and that is something I cannot allow.

[ He nods towards the bottles in his arms. ]

It is why I have taken it upon myself to remove even the chance for that to happen, as if they do not see these poisons then there will be no temptation to use them.

[She... deflates a little at that.]

But isn't that saying it could happen in the first place?

[What a depressing idea...]

And... and I'm still not sure that the best idea is taking them and hiding them....

I would absolutely like to believe in the pride and stubborn will of us humans, and that we will not cave but there are ways in which we can still be swayed.

[ Oh he's seen it happen way too many times to be more optimistic about it than that, but gods above if it doesn't break his heart to see her so downtrodden about this matter. ]

If it is one less thing that can be removed as a possible means of harm, then it's a great idea. Especially when the alternative is leaving it where anyone can access them at any time, and I wish to protect all that I can from anything horrible that could befall them.

But that's what I mean. It's not removing them. It's only moving them. At least if they stay here then people might notice if one of them goes missing, and since most of them are medicines, they'll be here if one of them is needed....

[But this is all still very depressing she is very sad at the necessity of this conversation!!! There's a long pause, and she finally sits down on one of the chairs near the wall.]

Why? Why is this happening?

It's still a risk to most of us here. I wish to eliminate the risk all the same, since... as you said? People might notice if one's gone missing, but most won't.

[ Such is the reality of the situation as not everyone's observant and then only those who wished to mix things together to make a lethal combination? Those people would utilize this place to their advantage, and should anyone need anything? It wasn't like he wouldn't provide the necessary medicine to them or anything like that. ]

I cannot yet say, though I doubt it will be long before our captor reveals their face and the intent behind bringing us all here like this.

[She shakes her head, just a little.]

I'm sorry. I'm just.... I'm really scared.

It's alright. It's completely understandable.

[ He cast a look down to what he was carrying, then back up to her. There's a much kinder look on his face now. ]

Once these have been put away, is there anything I could do for you, miss? I would not mind keeping you company if you needed it.

[Akane looks... rather defeated, really. And sick. She's got that pale-yet-flushed look that is common for fevers, and sits down suddenly, as if feeling too weak to keep standing.]

Why is this happening? And why us?

[ Suddenly this girl's health mattered more in the moment, and he carefully set the bottles down on the nearest surface before moving over to kneel down in front of her. ]

I'm afraid I'm not quite sure why. That's not something I have the answer to.

[ Oh. She really doesn't look well. ]

If you would like, I can get you to the bed here to lie down.

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