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31_days2007-01-20 12:45 am
amethystlight.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2007-01-20 12:45 am
[Jan 20] [Gundam X] Mind Echo Part Four
Title: Mind Echo Part Four
Day/Theme: Jan 20 / Make someone else do the job
Series: Gundam X
Characters: Olba Frost, misc extras
Rating: PG
"Where were you last night?" Imthie's tone was curious, not accusing.
"The usual place."
"At night?"
"I had trouble sleeping."
She set the breakfast tray down on the bed. "Anything you want to talk about?"
Olba hesitated. "Just a dream. I woke up and decided to take a walk. No one said I couldn't walk around at night."
"True. Although it's generally assumed patients will stay in their rooms at night."
He frowned. "So does that mean I'm in trouble?"
"Not in the slightest." She smiled, reaching to pat his arm. He had the vaguest feeling it was a conspiratorial gesture; perhaps she hadn't told anyone.
"That's a relief." He actually didn't care, but Imthie was not that far into his confidence. He would have protested -- in his own way -- had there been any opposition to his habits. But there hadn't been any at all, in all this time.
He had to stop and think about that.
Imthie noticed his distracted look. "Is everything all right, Olba?"
"Yes," he answered slowly, still thinking. "I believe everything is fine."
"Would you like to go outside today?"
He glanced at her and didn't have to say a word. His expression showed his disbelief clearly.
"You're allowed to do that, too, provided you have supervision."
"To make sure I don't run away?"
"To make sure no one hurts you."
He lifted his chin up. "I'm hated that much?"
"This isn't a regular hospital, Olba."
"It is an institute for criminals, isn't it?" He wouldn't have been surprised if she confirmed it.
"No. Just a regular mental institution."
He balked, then laughed harshly. "Four months ago I would have pitched a fit about that. Hearing that now, however, I understand why."
Imthie nodded with a gentle smile. "That's why I had to wait to tell you."
"So does that mean after a certain amount of time someone will tell me about my brother?" He held his breath.
She nodded.
He exhaled. She watched him carefully. He then nodded as well. "Thank you. And yes, I would like to go outside."
~*~
Sunlight was something he had taken for granted. He admitted that now -- to himself -- as he and Imthie walked along a dirt path that circled the yard in back of the hospital. It wasn't the park in his dreams but it was good enough. There were many bald patches pf ground and a hole or two with missile scars evident. There were other people around, mostly sitting in chairs or on blankets. Certainly no one running or playing.
He had brought his sketchbook but didn't know what he would draw. There were only two trees and the only other distinguishing feature was a tiny garden up against the north corner, struggling to produce flowers. As they passed by it, he studied the scraggly plants. Who knew what the soil condition was like here, but those plants fought on. Recovery after a disaster.
They were halfway around when they stopped at a bench near one of the trees. Olba sat and took out his sketchbook while Imthie meandered over to talk to another nurse. He considered making the hospital his subject then debated on the garden. He tapped the pencil on the paper, gaze roaming. Eventually Imthie brought a chair over to the tree to sit in the shade and remained there for some time.
The sun was setting by the time he was ready to pack up and go inside, yet it was he who roused Imthie to return. She was gazing off to the west. He followed her line of sight; sunsets had also been taken for granted.
"May I ask what you drew?" she inquired, tone curious again.
"Several things." He kept his hand over the book in his pocket. He waited for her to press more but she only nodded as they headed inside. Halfway to his room he took out the sketchbook. "Would you like to see?"
Imthie was surprised, not having expected him to volunteer. "I would. Shall we get some coffee first?" While he didn't smile, he did nod. They went to the cafeteria, picking up a little food as well then returned to Olba's room.
~*~
Imthie stared at page after page of the same young man -- older than Olba but sharing a likeness. She'd had a hard time not gasping upon recognizing the face. Yes, she had seen Shagia Frost before. But she still couldn't tell Olba anything, so she flipped through the pages until she came to the one that was only trees. After that there were no more sketches of Shagia. She lingered longest on one with an odd angle looking upward at the moon through a window, leaves framing both. Then came the ones dated for that day. Olba had drawn her while she had been talking. He had left out the other nurse. There was one view from across the yard with some people but the details were indistinct. The sketches of her, meanwhile, were rather accurate.
"These are all very good, Olba. And...I'm flattered."
"Thank you." He smiled. "You make a good subject."
"It's nice to see your progression here. Perhaps we can take a trip somewhere so you can get a larger variety of still-life like the trees."
He nodded. He wasn't going to pretend to get his hopes up on extended freedom. He wasn't even sure why he was letting her look at the pictures -- perhaps in hope it would entice her to tell him something. Instead she bid him goodnight and left.
~*~
Three more weeks passed and the suggestion of a day trip never came to pass. Olba didn't let it concern him. He started to draw things unrelated to trees and spent time outdoors rather than in the arboretum. He only went there when he needed to wander at night even though there were fewer dreams that kept him awake. Shagia's voice had faded and now so were the visions of him. Olba still didn't consider Imthie as a friend but he began to talk to her more about things not related to the past -- difficult and limited as that was.
One morning she came to fetch him, disrupting his attempts to recreate a wildlife photograph in pencils. She told him to tidy up and make himself presentable because he was going to see someone special. He suspected it was some higher-up in the hospital. He'd had visits with them before. It was never anything impressive or something to worry about. But he went along with it.
She took him to another wing in the hospital. He had never bothered to wander past the arboretum so he hadn't been there before. They went down a flight of stairs then stopped at a room where a male nurse waited. He nodded to Imthie and opened the door for them. Inside a man in a suit sat in a chair, his arms crossed and his eyes hidden behind sunglasses. Near him was someone in a wheelchair. Olba walked right over without waiting for acknowledgement, stepping in front of the wheelchair.
"Nii-san." His voice was a whisper, yet calm; emotionless, even.
Shagia lifted his head. He seemed to be trying to smile. "O-Olba."
He was here, alive, right in front of him. The link did not re-establish itself. Olba didn't try to reach out mentally. He knew what the attempt would meet.
The hole he had shored up was not in his mind, but in his brother's.
He stepped closer, placing a hand over the one Shagia had resting on the arm of the wheelchair. Olba lowered himself to one knee and touched his forehead to the back of his hand. "Nii-san."
~End~
Day/Theme: Jan 20 / Make someone else do the job
Series: Gundam X
Characters: Olba Frost, misc extras
Rating: PG
"Where were you last night?" Imthie's tone was curious, not accusing.
"The usual place."
"At night?"
"I had trouble sleeping."
She set the breakfast tray down on the bed. "Anything you want to talk about?"
Olba hesitated. "Just a dream. I woke up and decided to take a walk. No one said I couldn't walk around at night."
"True. Although it's generally assumed patients will stay in their rooms at night."
He frowned. "So does that mean I'm in trouble?"
"Not in the slightest." She smiled, reaching to pat his arm. He had the vaguest feeling it was a conspiratorial gesture; perhaps she hadn't told anyone.
"That's a relief." He actually didn't care, but Imthie was not that far into his confidence. He would have protested -- in his own way -- had there been any opposition to his habits. But there hadn't been any at all, in all this time.
He had to stop and think about that.
Imthie noticed his distracted look. "Is everything all right, Olba?"
"Yes," he answered slowly, still thinking. "I believe everything is fine."
"Would you like to go outside today?"
He glanced at her and didn't have to say a word. His expression showed his disbelief clearly.
"You're allowed to do that, too, provided you have supervision."
"To make sure I don't run away?"
"To make sure no one hurts you."
He lifted his chin up. "I'm hated that much?"
"This isn't a regular hospital, Olba."
"It is an institute for criminals, isn't it?" He wouldn't have been surprised if she confirmed it.
"No. Just a regular mental institution."
He balked, then laughed harshly. "Four months ago I would have pitched a fit about that. Hearing that now, however, I understand why."
Imthie nodded with a gentle smile. "That's why I had to wait to tell you."
"So does that mean after a certain amount of time someone will tell me about my brother?" He held his breath.
She nodded.
He exhaled. She watched him carefully. He then nodded as well. "Thank you. And yes, I would like to go outside."
~*~
Sunlight was something he had taken for granted. He admitted that now -- to himself -- as he and Imthie walked along a dirt path that circled the yard in back of the hospital. It wasn't the park in his dreams but it was good enough. There were many bald patches pf ground and a hole or two with missile scars evident. There were other people around, mostly sitting in chairs or on blankets. Certainly no one running or playing.
He had brought his sketchbook but didn't know what he would draw. There were only two trees and the only other distinguishing feature was a tiny garden up against the north corner, struggling to produce flowers. As they passed by it, he studied the scraggly plants. Who knew what the soil condition was like here, but those plants fought on. Recovery after a disaster.
They were halfway around when they stopped at a bench near one of the trees. Olba sat and took out his sketchbook while Imthie meandered over to talk to another nurse. He considered making the hospital his subject then debated on the garden. He tapped the pencil on the paper, gaze roaming. Eventually Imthie brought a chair over to the tree to sit in the shade and remained there for some time.
The sun was setting by the time he was ready to pack up and go inside, yet it was he who roused Imthie to return. She was gazing off to the west. He followed her line of sight; sunsets had also been taken for granted.
"May I ask what you drew?" she inquired, tone curious again.
"Several things." He kept his hand over the book in his pocket. He waited for her to press more but she only nodded as they headed inside. Halfway to his room he took out the sketchbook. "Would you like to see?"
Imthie was surprised, not having expected him to volunteer. "I would. Shall we get some coffee first?" While he didn't smile, he did nod. They went to the cafeteria, picking up a little food as well then returned to Olba's room.
~*~
Imthie stared at page after page of the same young man -- older than Olba but sharing a likeness. She'd had a hard time not gasping upon recognizing the face. Yes, she had seen Shagia Frost before. But she still couldn't tell Olba anything, so she flipped through the pages until she came to the one that was only trees. After that there were no more sketches of Shagia. She lingered longest on one with an odd angle looking upward at the moon through a window, leaves framing both. Then came the ones dated for that day. Olba had drawn her while she had been talking. He had left out the other nurse. There was one view from across the yard with some people but the details were indistinct. The sketches of her, meanwhile, were rather accurate.
"These are all very good, Olba. And...I'm flattered."
"Thank you." He smiled. "You make a good subject."
"It's nice to see your progression here. Perhaps we can take a trip somewhere so you can get a larger variety of still-life like the trees."
He nodded. He wasn't going to pretend to get his hopes up on extended freedom. He wasn't even sure why he was letting her look at the pictures -- perhaps in hope it would entice her to tell him something. Instead she bid him goodnight and left.
~*~
Three more weeks passed and the suggestion of a day trip never came to pass. Olba didn't let it concern him. He started to draw things unrelated to trees and spent time outdoors rather than in the arboretum. He only went there when he needed to wander at night even though there were fewer dreams that kept him awake. Shagia's voice had faded and now so were the visions of him. Olba still didn't consider Imthie as a friend but he began to talk to her more about things not related to the past -- difficult and limited as that was.
One morning she came to fetch him, disrupting his attempts to recreate a wildlife photograph in pencils. She told him to tidy up and make himself presentable because he was going to see someone special. He suspected it was some higher-up in the hospital. He'd had visits with them before. It was never anything impressive or something to worry about. But he went along with it.
She took him to another wing in the hospital. He had never bothered to wander past the arboretum so he hadn't been there before. They went down a flight of stairs then stopped at a room where a male nurse waited. He nodded to Imthie and opened the door for them. Inside a man in a suit sat in a chair, his arms crossed and his eyes hidden behind sunglasses. Near him was someone in a wheelchair. Olba walked right over without waiting for acknowledgement, stepping in front of the wheelchair.
"Nii-san." His voice was a whisper, yet calm; emotionless, even.
Shagia lifted his head. He seemed to be trying to smile. "O-Olba."
He was here, alive, right in front of him. The link did not re-establish itself. Olba didn't try to reach out mentally. He knew what the attempt would meet.
The hole he had shored up was not in his mind, but in his brother's.
He stepped closer, placing a hand over the one Shagia had resting on the arm of the wheelchair. Olba lowered himself to one knee and touched his forehead to the back of his hand. "Nii-san."
~End~