Toyoko wakes up early, as today she has a job to do. Struggling to fit into her uniform, it takes a few minutes to work the material onto her large body. Finally, after getting it on and smoothing out the wrinkles, she heads through the Omni Prime Medical Facility towards the Asylum. Many people were uncomfortable working in the Asylum, as there were very strict rules to abide by. No eye contact was a large one, and you had to be very careful if you spoke to any of the residents there as well. They could easily put you under a Genjutsu, which could prove disastrous. Therefore, most of the communication was done non-verbally. While this could be complicated, some of the patients enjoyed it, seeing it as if it were a game of charades. The best part of it all? None of the residents looked at Toyoko with pity. Rather, they accepted her for what she was: a medic in training, just another employee at the Omni Prime.
She should probably take a further look at why she felt most comfortable around these people, but at the moment she couldn't be bothered. Opening the doors to the Asylum, Toyoko takes a quick glance around the room before heading to the nurse's station where she was handed a tray of medication to pass out and a list of the residents and what medication they were receiving. She nodded her thanks to the nurse in charge, taking the tray and making her way to the common area first. She figured it would be easiest to start in the public spaces first, before checking the resident's rooms to see if they were keeping to themselves that day. Plastering a smile on her face, and keeping her eyes downcast, Toyoko made her way around various tables where a few people were playing a card game. A quick glance at her list told her that none of these were who she was looking for, so she continued on further into the room.
Walking over to an area with several couches and chairs, where many residents would sit to read, Toyoko would come across the first handful of residents that she was looking for. Taking out a small notepad, she quickly scribbled a note that she would show to each of the residents before giving them their medicine. It would read: 'Hello, my name is Chikamatsu Toyoko. I'm here to give you your morning medications. Would you like to take that with tea or water?' As the residents answered her inquiry, she would write down their requests and head towards the nurses station once again. Gathering up bottles of water and tea, she would return to the reading nook and pass out the medications and drinks. Along the way, several patients reached out to brush their hands along her body, and she had to suppress a shudder. That was the one downside to working in the Asylum: the need to reassure themselves that what they were seeing was actually real.
Much of the morning passed in this same manner, handing out drinks and medications to the residents who were used to the routine and thought nothing of it. Finally, she had only one resident left, who was nowhere to be seen. Toyoko had checked all the common areas, their personal room, and still could not find them anywhere. Scratching her head, she went to the front desk to inquire about where this missing patient was. The nurse stationed there directed Toyoko to the shared bathroom. Nodding, she made her way over and knocked on the door. There was no response, so she knocked again, a little louder this time. "Yea? What the hell do you want?"
Toyoko took her pre-written note and slid it under the door, waiting for a response from the woman inside. She was startled when the door swung open, revealing a woman who appeared to be around the age of 19. She was startlingly beautiful, with straight raven black hair, emerald green eyes, and a surprisingly clear expression in her eyes. Toyoko quickly ducked her gaze, holding out the medication tray to her. The woman just laughed and pushed past her. "Yea, no. I'm not taking that shit. Hell only knows what kind of poison you're trying to give me today. Toyoko sighed inwardly, as she knew this particular patient was often stubborn like this. So she pulled out her notepad and followed the woman to a table, where they sat together and the woman simply stared at the teddy bear as she began writing a note.
"I understand your concerns. How can I help you feel more comfortable about taking your medications today?" The woman read the note, crumpled it up, and threw it over her shoulder. "Don't think that just because they sent some mascot in here, that I'm going to roll over and do whatever you ask. I know that they're slipping something into the drinks around here. Look around you! Everyone is basically a zombie! But not me. I'm not falling for that." Toyoko nodded, turning back to her notepad. She scrawled out another note, ripped the paper, and handed it to the woman.
"Would it make you feel better if I were to take a drink first, to show you that the tea is safe? Or, if you prefer, I could possibly get you something sweeter. Perhaps some strawberry milk?" The woman took the note, reading it quickly, and her fists tightened around the paper. Glancing around the room, she leaned in closer to Toyoko. "You know what... Ok. You've got yourself a deal. You get me some strawberry milk, drink it to prove it's not poisoned, and I'll take whatever you give me. But bring it to my room. You know that they keep that stuff locked away for special occasions, I don't want someone else seeing it and throwing a fit over not having any for themselves." The woman stood and walked off down the hallway, returning to her room where she left the door cracked.
Toyoko walked over to the nurse's station one last time, requesting a bottle of strawberry milk but instructing it to be placed inside a darkened tea bottle so that none of the other residents would realize that anything was amiss. She promptly grabbed the bottle and medication, heading to the woman's room, where she poured out some of the milk into a small cup and drank it. After waiting a few minutes, the woman snatched up the bottle and the medication, taking the pills quickly but savoring her sweet drink. Looking over Toyoko, a small smile plays on her lips. "You know what. You're not half bad. You seem a lot more human than those other nurses out there. I think I like you. Feel free to come and visit me any time."
Toyoko didn't respond as she gathered up the tray, empty bottle, and small medicine cup and headed for the entrance to the Asylum. Something about the woman's words stuck with her, though. They reminded her of Sora, her sister, who had died saving her life. Toyoko had accused her of malfunctioning because she had a personality unlike the rest of the homunculi Shin had created. She was human, compared to the Kankoshi scattered throughout the Omni Prime. Quickly depositing the tray and other materials into the proper receptacles, she hurried back to her room before letting the tears fall down. She vowed that no matter what, she would find a way to make up for her mistakes. She would never be able to apologize to Sora for her harsh words, but she would make sure that she never made anyone feel inadequate like that again.
She should probably take a further look at why she felt most comfortable around these people, but at the moment she couldn't be bothered. Opening the doors to the Asylum, Toyoko takes a quick glance around the room before heading to the nurse's station where she was handed a tray of medication to pass out and a list of the residents and what medication they were receiving. She nodded her thanks to the nurse in charge, taking the tray and making her way to the common area first. She figured it would be easiest to start in the public spaces first, before checking the resident's rooms to see if they were keeping to themselves that day. Plastering a smile on her face, and keeping her eyes downcast, Toyoko made her way around various tables where a few people were playing a card game. A quick glance at her list told her that none of these were who she was looking for, so she continued on further into the room.
Walking over to an area with several couches and chairs, where many residents would sit to read, Toyoko would come across the first handful of residents that she was looking for. Taking out a small notepad, she quickly scribbled a note that she would show to each of the residents before giving them their medicine. It would read: 'Hello, my name is Chikamatsu Toyoko. I'm here to give you your morning medications. Would you like to take that with tea or water?' As the residents answered her inquiry, she would write down their requests and head towards the nurses station once again. Gathering up bottles of water and tea, she would return to the reading nook and pass out the medications and drinks. Along the way, several patients reached out to brush their hands along her body, and she had to suppress a shudder. That was the one downside to working in the Asylum: the need to reassure themselves that what they were seeing was actually real.
Much of the morning passed in this same manner, handing out drinks and medications to the residents who were used to the routine and thought nothing of it. Finally, she had only one resident left, who was nowhere to be seen. Toyoko had checked all the common areas, their personal room, and still could not find them anywhere. Scratching her head, she went to the front desk to inquire about where this missing patient was. The nurse stationed there directed Toyoko to the shared bathroom. Nodding, she made her way over and knocked on the door. There was no response, so she knocked again, a little louder this time. "Yea? What the hell do you want?"
Toyoko took her pre-written note and slid it under the door, waiting for a response from the woman inside. She was startled when the door swung open, revealing a woman who appeared to be around the age of 19. She was startlingly beautiful, with straight raven black hair, emerald green eyes, and a surprisingly clear expression in her eyes. Toyoko quickly ducked her gaze, holding out the medication tray to her. The woman just laughed and pushed past her. "Yea, no. I'm not taking that shit. Hell only knows what kind of poison you're trying to give me today. Toyoko sighed inwardly, as she knew this particular patient was often stubborn like this. So she pulled out her notepad and followed the woman to a table, where they sat together and the woman simply stared at the teddy bear as she began writing a note.
"I understand your concerns. How can I help you feel more comfortable about taking your medications today?" The woman read the note, crumpled it up, and threw it over her shoulder. "Don't think that just because they sent some mascot in here, that I'm going to roll over and do whatever you ask. I know that they're slipping something into the drinks around here. Look around you! Everyone is basically a zombie! But not me. I'm not falling for that." Toyoko nodded, turning back to her notepad. She scrawled out another note, ripped the paper, and handed it to the woman.
"Would it make you feel better if I were to take a drink first, to show you that the tea is safe? Or, if you prefer, I could possibly get you something sweeter. Perhaps some strawberry milk?" The woman took the note, reading it quickly, and her fists tightened around the paper. Glancing around the room, she leaned in closer to Toyoko. "You know what... Ok. You've got yourself a deal. You get me some strawberry milk, drink it to prove it's not poisoned, and I'll take whatever you give me. But bring it to my room. You know that they keep that stuff locked away for special occasions, I don't want someone else seeing it and throwing a fit over not having any for themselves." The woman stood and walked off down the hallway, returning to her room where she left the door cracked.
Toyoko walked over to the nurse's station one last time, requesting a bottle of strawberry milk but instructing it to be placed inside a darkened tea bottle so that none of the other residents would realize that anything was amiss. She promptly grabbed the bottle and medication, heading to the woman's room, where she poured out some of the milk into a small cup and drank it. After waiting a few minutes, the woman snatched up the bottle and the medication, taking the pills quickly but savoring her sweet drink. Looking over Toyoko, a small smile plays on her lips. "You know what. You're not half bad. You seem a lot more human than those other nurses out there. I think I like you. Feel free to come and visit me any time."
Toyoko didn't respond as she gathered up the tray, empty bottle, and small medicine cup and headed for the entrance to the Asylum. Something about the woman's words stuck with her, though. They reminded her of Sora, her sister, who had died saving her life. Toyoko had accused her of malfunctioning because she had a personality unlike the rest of the homunculi Shin had created. She was human, compared to the Kankoshi scattered throughout the Omni Prime. Quickly depositing the tray and other materials into the proper receptacles, she hurried back to her room before letting the tears fall down. She vowed that no matter what, she would find a way to make up for her mistakes. She would never be able to apologize to Sora for her harsh words, but she would make sure that she never made anyone feel inadequate like that again.
