Pain. Pain. Ow. Someone's medication was starting to wear off. How peachy. It's not like Seto wasn't ready for that, knowing by now exactly how long it took for however much dosage of whatever dugs they pumped into him to wear off, but it just seemed an inconvenience. He was pissed. Not that that was different from most days, mind you, but more pissed than usual. He laid in the hospital bed and stared at the ceiling. There wasn't much else to do, since there was nothing to post on LJ, since all he'd been doing was...laying there and staring at the ceiling.

Honda glance around as he strode down the long hospital corridor, being careful not to meet anyone's eyes. 'Man, Kaiba wasn't kidding. Security here sucks.' After a nod to a very preoccupied girl sitting at the nurses' station, he walked up to one of the many closed doors in front of him. After hesitating for barely a moment, he pulled off the messenger bag over his shoulder, then knocked on the door and pushed it open, glancing in to see if the room's occupant was awake.

He twitched irritably. "What in the name of god could you possibly want right now?" Seto had growled at whoever it was. He quirked a brow when he discovered that it was, in fact, Honda who had come to visit. This was...unexpected. But the question still stood.

"Absolutely nothing. I have coffee though," Honda offered as an explanation, shifting a paper cup into his other hand and holding it up slightly. "I figured I should get it to you before the nurses come by to give you more meds." He walked in and pushed the door shut behind him, then went closer to the bed to hand the cup of coffee over.

"...Well, damn, didn't mean to snap at you, new best friend." He gave a smirk and snatched the cup, downing a decent amount in one gulp. "I think the reason I hate this place so much is the lack of coffee."

"Obviously. I'm kinda surprised none of the nurses took that from me, though." Honda gestured at the cup in Seto's hand before continuing. "Seriously, I think they got half a dozen free cups from me before I gave up the last time you were here. I think I should be a little worried that security is worse instead of better this time around."

"Worries me, too, since I'm scared shitless about our little buddy Shadow coming back. But noooo, no extra security to spare. What the fuck is up with that." He took another sip. "You know, people are gonna start dying because of this guy, and then people are really gonna be against the police for doing such a shitty job."

"Yeah, exactly. I just hope the next person to get attacked doesn't get killed right off the bat." Honda flopped down in a chair several feet away. "It's pretty scary that Shadow could just waltz into here and finish the job, and no one would be the wiser. After all, no one stopped me when I came in here with a bag full of stuff."

"...Okay, yeah, thanks for reinforcing my inert paranoia about that, there, Honda." He scowled. "So...out of curiosity, has there been anymore creepy shit with the Tauk? I haven't read anything lately, so I assume not."

"Heh, sorry about that, didn't mean to scare you about the whole Shadow thing. And no, I think Amane and I were the only ones still curious about the Tauk, so as far as I know no one else has been playing with it since then. I think I figured out why thinking about my kitten made us jump like that...not that I expect you to care, though. What's a safer topic?"

"...Coffee?" he suggested with a roll of his eyes. "I dunno, just away from hospitals and sadistic psychos, really. Pick something."

Honda chuckled. "Damn, that pretty much eliminates any discussion of childhood then. Hm...have you bothered to hack the hospital's database recently? Not like I think there's anything interesting to see, but maybe you found a file that would be good for a laugh or something." He shook his head. "Nevermind, stupid idea."

"...Actually, that'd be amusing. I've already hacked LJ to death. Hell, I could use something to do." He snatched the laptop off the bedside table and booted it up. "...Y'know, it'd be a lot easier if I could use my other hand...now that I...think about it." He sweatdropped.

"Anything I could do to help?" Honda watched in amusement. "Or should I just stick with simple tasks like bringing coffee?"

"Perhaps you could if you actually knew how to find holes in firewalls and how to bypass any computerized security," Seto replied with a roll of the eyes. "It's okay, it'll just take me three times as long is all. It was annoying typing up that one post of mine, which is a reason why I have not done so more often."

"Unlike you, I guess I've never had a need to figure stuff like that out." Honda shrugged and stayed in the chair. "Tell me if you find anything interesting, or if you think of something even an idiot like me has the mental capacity to help with."

"Well, seeing as this is going to take at the very least the better part of an hour and a half to two hours, I suggest we come up with a better topic, else there shall be awkward silence, and that's never any good."

"If you say so." Honda tried desperately to think of a topic; meanwhile, he shifted around in the chair until he was more laying than sitting. "I don't know enough about coffee to say much about it. Talking about your brother would be even more awkward than the silence. Only safe topics coming to mind at the moment are your new kitten and your birthday." He looked over from his sideways position in the uncomfortable hospital chair. "Take your pick, I don't have much of a problem with silence."

"Are you planning on helping throw a little party for me as well?" Seto quirked a brow as he downed more of the coffee. "I don't know if Amane roped you into joining like she did with Pegasus."

"No, she hasn't tried to get me to help yet, which is a little surprising. If she asks, I'll probably agree to, though. Will that bother you too much?" Honda decided the ceiling was probably easier to stare at than Seto, so he shifted again. "I think she already assumes I'll bring you a present or something."

"Eh...I guess I don't care either way. I mean, I'd rather not have a party or presents, but I'm not going to go out of my way to keep people from doing so. 'Sides, they'll just find ways to, anyway. So I don't mind." He tapped a few keys idly with his left hand. "She's really excited about it, though."

"Yeah, so I noticed." Honda sighed and closed his eyes. "Birthdays, especially birthday parties, are another one of those things that confuse me about people. Since we've covered just about everything I know about that, I guess we have to pick another random topic. Your turn, I'm no good at this."

"Amane's good at random topic changes. Too bad she's not here at the moment. Hm...so..." Time to get something that's been bugging him off his chest. "How much do you love my brother?"

Honda looked over in confusion and blinked several times. "...He has Moki already."

"I know. But," he pointed out, "that didn't answer my question."

"I'm still way back at trying to figure out where you got the idea that I love him at all." The strange position Honda was in was getting very uncomfortable, but he didn't think he could safely move. "That's even stranger than the guy who was assuming I was some kinda close buddy-buddy friend of his, even though he and I have trouble having a civilized conversation for more than a few minutes."

"I'm not deaf, nor am I blind, Honda." He cringed a little. "Okay, y'know, is there honestly anyone around here who's quiet when they fuck? No offense or anything. But yeah, disturbed much. And I also think it's obvious you feel something for him."

"Sex and love are two very different things. I've never gotten to have both with one person, and I doubt I ever will." Honda stared at Seto for a few minutes more before turning back to the ceiling. "I'm willing to settle for just one," he continued quietly.

"Hm," was all he replied with for a while, the tapping of keys the only sound filling the room. "Well, then, I'm sure you'll have an abundant supply of sex, anyway."

"You'd think that, wouldn't you?" Honda gave up the ceiling and sat up again. "And anyways, what makes you so sure I have any feelings at all for him?"

"Besides the sex? I don't think many people can stand him. Some that do have some kinda crush on him. But then, y'know, what do I know about love; I'm not exactly the best person to be talking."

"You've lost me on this already. Might help if I understood the concept of love, but somehow I doubt it."

"I know exactly what you mean." Seto sighed and shook his head. "Love sucks, period. It sucks even if you understand it. And nobody reall does anyway."

"That makes me feel a little better, I guess." Honda resumed watching Seto. "Should I assume we're both thoroughly weirded by this turn in the conversation? I think our next topic will be..." he reached for the first thing that came to mind, "the zoo. How old were you the first time you ever went?"

He faultered for a moment, chuckling afterwards. "Wow, forget what I said about needing Amane's randomosity. Hm...that's tough...I think I must've been a little kid...but really, I don't actually remember ever going to the zoo before." Seto shrugged. "How sad is that?"

"That is a little sad. And of course I'm saying this without really being able to remember the zoo either." Honda gave him a brief smile. "You should go sometime, you might have a little fun."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, please, I'm far too old to be amused by monkies and birds and groundhogs. I've got better things to be doing, anyway."

"Right, why put up with a bunch of animals that don't try to talk to you and crowds of grubby little brats who do? At least that's what I'd imagine you'd find at a place like that."

"Exactly. Not caring for an atmosphere like that at all. I'm quite content just sitting in my room on my computer all day."

"What other immature childish things do you not care for? So I can add those to my list of things to not try to talk about with you, of course."

"I dunno. Never thought about it. Guess I'll decide when the topic comes up. I mean, obviously I still love games and stuff like that." He shrugged. "Pick another topic."

Honda closed his eyes and leaned back as far as the chair would allow him to. "Do you actually like any animals, besides your cat?"

"Oh, sure. I mean, it's not like I'm some treehugger, protesting against leather and furs, but they're okay. Heh, especially if you count dragons as animals."

"Er, okay. I meant specific animals, but that answer works too I suppose."

"Wolves. Dogs of any kind, cats of any kind...and dragons. Yeah, whatever, I don't mind animals, but I won't go out of my way for 'em." He sat back, staring at the laptop for a moment. "Okay, here's one for you. Just how many times have you gotten drunk, anyway? From your journal, it sounds like a lot."

Honda slowly opened his eyes and stared for several moments. "How drunk are we talking about here? Tipsy drunk, staggering drunk, fall down drunk, pass out drunk? Makes a big difference."

"Drunk off your ass drunk. Stumble out into the alley, vomit, and pass out for the next twelve hours kinda drunk."

"Three times. What about you?"

"Surprisingly, none. Not that I've not gotten drunk before. Just more like...tipsy drunk, during this roadtrip. Ryou was being pessimistic and angsty, and I suggested we all get drunk. That was probably the best suggestion I'd had all trip." He chuckled a little. "And then I drank wine at Siegfried's once while playing chess. I wouldn't say I got drunk at all, just had a bit more than I thought I would."

"How nice for you. Any other questions about my drinking habits? It's not half as much fun as it was a year ago, if you care to know."

"Hey," he said defensively, "I didn't mean to offend if I did. I was just curious."

"No, it's just a bit strange to have someone asking about my personal habits. I don't mind, I'm just not used to it. Ask whatever you like."

"Then...let's see...what kind of things do you believe in? Like god or spirits or reincarnation and the like."

"For some reason, I wasn't expecting that from you. Hm," Honda thought about it, feeling vaguely like it was a trick question. "Spirits and ghosts and all that, I'll believe exist. I suppose I'll believe that reincarnation is possible too, even if most people who talk about past lives are running a con. What about you? What do you believe in or not?"

"Stuff's been changing. Not sure what to think. Reincarnations now because of Seth. And I have to admit, Amane's changed my views on ghosts." He shrugged. "Can't really say they don't exist when she's floating right in front of me, y'know."

"Yeah, that's true. It's much easier to believe in something if it's right in front of you. Anything you don't think you'll ever believe in?"

"God. Religion. Afterlives. ...Okay, maybe the latter, but for the moment I don't."

"Fair enough." Honda glanced around the room, hoping something would jump out as a good topic to move on to. "Hm, there's talk of a Halloween party in the works, any thoughts on that?"

"Tch. Don't expect me to come to any. It's bad enough people are planning a party for me. Halloween? It's for kids to get candy for dressing up." He started typing again. "It really doesn't seem interesting. I'm not exactly feeling like a party person at the moment."

"I thought you'd say something like that. What're you gonna do if your brother decides to host the Halloween party, lock yourself in your room?" He stopped to think, "Yeah, you would. Probably for the best, too."

"Exactly. And then I'd threaten massive amounts of pain and violence on those who disturbed my sanctum." He resisted the urge to cackle. "I wonder what Mokuba's even doing to my room now, anyway. He said he was going to revamp it. Oh. Joy. I can hardly wait."

Honda raised an eyebrow. "You want me to check and tell you tomorrow?"

"Nah. Let me be surprised." He looked a bit nervous, however. "...But, y'know, when I get back, if it's bad, just make sure to warn me first so I don't come back here with a heart attack."

"I'll try my best. Anything you especially worried about?"

"...It's Mokuba. His thoughts on what's fashionable worry me in-general. Slutty stuff, many bright colors..." Shudder. "Anything that's pretty much more Mokuba than me."

"Which is why I'm glad it's you and not me. How's the hacking going?"

"Decently. No troubles whatsoever." Well, the conversation was slowing. He finished off his coffee. "...So...anything else you particularly wanted to ask me?"

"Nope. I'm just wasting time with pointless conversation." Honda tapped his fingers against the chair. "Though, I think the next time you talk to Mokuba, you should make sure he didn't accidentally pretend to lose your cat or something. I haven't seen it in all the time I've spent at the mansion."

"...Aw, fuck." He smacked his head on the keyboard a few times. "That's a very good point. I didn't even think about that. Gah. Well, she's hopefully just hiding in one of those places I didn't even know cats could fit into, so...er...yeah."

Honda tried not to laugh at the reaction. "Yeah, that's probably it. After all, I haven't seen the sharks either, but I'm sure they're still around too. Didn't mean to worry you about her."

"Yeah, well, didn't even think of lil' Nyx. Ah well...she'll be fine. Hm...well, I just hope everyone stays out of this place and Shadow takes a break for a while, in any event."

"Shadow taking a break? That seems rather unlikely, but I guess it could happen. New topic...why do you think you never hear much music in hospitals? It's kinda weird."

"Because if some people hear some kinds of music, there shall be rioting in the halls?" He shrugged. "Better to be quiet than to have some gay ass oldies band playing, or elevator music."

"I guess. Still think it's boring though, like the walls." Honda twisted around until he was hanging upside down out of the chair. "I don't think I've ever seen a hospital room that was any other color, aside from a kiddie playroom thing once."

"Maybe it's some unwritten law of hospitals that they all have to be bland, dull, white, and Lysol-filled. Ick. I honestly don't know how Ryou ever could stand it in here for months on end. I feel like I'm going to go crazy in just a week."

He nodded, still upside down. "That's what all the white'll do to you. Well, and make your eyes hurt and give you a headache. I'd bring you a magazine or something, but you've probably already read them or don't care to. Hm, do you read magazines?"

"Computer ones. When I don't get the info I need from online. Which isn't often, I guess..." He contemplated this for a moment. "Eh, I'll just preoccupy myself with hacking for now."

"Oh, okay," Honda replied quietly as he pulled himself out of the chair to lay on the floor. "Sorry to bother you. You need more coffee?"

"Not at the moment. Um...so..." He tried to think of something to say. Something without sounding insensitive. Which was hard for Seto to do. "...Yeah, okay, I've got nothing."

"That's fine. I told you I don't mind silence. I guess I'll just lay here and wait for you to find something intestesting." He put his arms under his head and closed his eyes.

"Or you could always leave. There's that, too." There was that headache again. And that pain in his side returning. "I don't see why you even came in the first place, actually. It's not exactly like we're friends, not that much..."

"At first it was just to give you the coffee, since I didn't get any to you the last time." Honda opened one eye a sliver. "I'm guessing you're not buying that, huh?" He sighed and sat up. "I suppose part of me wanted to make sure the media hadn't left out anything important, like you dying or something. There, happy?"

"You ought to become a newscaster or something. You're always posting tidbits and stuff." Seto smirked a bit. "You never know. This Shadow thing could be a conspiracy or a cover-up for something else. But while the security is lax in this place, they're strict about the media coverage. I haven't seen a reporter at all."

"Sure you have, they're just disguised as nurses," he quipped. "Seriously though, you're the third person to tell me I should go into news, so maybe I should actually consider it. Too bad none of the stations or papers would ever pay me to do that."

"Why not? I'm sure you'd be good at that."

"I have no idea why, but none of the people I talked to seemed interested. You think I'd be working as a duster servant at the mansion if I could get anything better?"

"Hm...valid point. Ah well, I suppose maybe you'll get a better job one of these days."

He rolled his eyes. "Your confidence in me is just so overwhelming. I wonder if I'll even have a job by this time next month, much less a better one. Any other helpful advice?"

"Um...start a popular company?" Seto chuckled but shook his head. "Not really. Never had the problem of being jobless."

"Lucky you. I'd say I was jealous, but your life probably has problems I wouldn't understand, so I guess it evens out." He rested his forehead against the end of the bed frame as closed his eyes yet again, and began muttering half to himself. "Hm, should I sit here and wait to see if you find anything interesting in the database? Or just leave and hope I don't miss anything exciting? Decisions, decisions."

"It's hospital records. Unless I find some hidden case of smallpox or the plague or something that they've kept hidden, it's probably not going to be very interesting..."

"Then why are you bothering? I doubt it's the fun of a challenge." Honda smiled. "Maybe you'll get lucky and find some freak accident or something."

"Maybe I'll find me. You never know. Maybe they placed some chip inside of my skin so they could track me." He cackled triumphantly. "I shall uncover the truth! It's a conspiracy! ...Um...right then. Sorry. That was probably the coffee talking there."

He burst out laughing and tried to cover it with his hand. "And that would be even funnier than finding my records. I think I'll have to sit here and wait, now that I've heard that little possibility. Look for signs alien abductions while you're at it, I'm sure a few people have disappeared over the past several years."

"Maybe because of, gosh, I don't know--kidnappings and murders and suicide! Wow, whoever would've thought. No, see, they were all taken by the people of Planet X." He rolled his eyes.

Honda shook his head and stopped laughing. "No, I meant people disappearing from the hospital. They record if the person dies or gets signed out, but some people's records just mysteriously stop. Forget it, it was a dumb idea and it didn't make much sense. I'm sure you'll find something almost as strange, like a six-year-old diagnosed as suicidial or something."

"...No, no, go back to the people supposedly disappearing." Oh, yes, that was a good thing to think while sitting in a hospital here, thinking about people mysteriously disappearing. "Do you know how often that happens?"

"I dunno. Probably once or twice a year? Why?"

"Just so I know that I should bolt if I suddenly see some strange things going on."

"Depends what you define as strange."

"Good point. Hm. Just things out of the ordinary. Things run more or less like clockwork 'round here, so unless they get some emergencies, it's rather dull and stays that way."

"Aside from random visitors bringing coffee?" Honda dug into his bag and pulled out a candy bar. "Yeah, I guess that's true, hospitals are usually boring as hell unless there's a disaster." He unwrapped the candy and started to nibble on it. "Hey, speaking of clock-work, shouldn't a nurse be here forcing meds down your throat or something?"

"Soon. Should've been ten minutes ago, but even while it's clockwork, it's a late clockwork." He twitched irritably.

"Er, right. You want me to go bother the nurses about it, or just let them continue leaving you in relative peace?"

"No, it's fine, just annoying. And painful. But mostly annoy--"
The door opened up, a nurse popping her head in. "Oh, I'm sorry, sir, did you want me to come back later? I didn't know you had--HEY! You're that guy with the coffee!"
"Don't worry about him, just give me the damn--"
"I'll have you know that no outside food or drink is allowed, especially for the patients." She snatched up his candy bar. "That includes this, even if it's just for you."
"Looks like you've been found out, Honda."

He shrugged. "No one minded the candy any of the other times I've been here. I was starting to wonder about it." He looked over to Seto. "You want me to leave or can I stay till you're done with that?" He pointed to the laptop.

"You can stay--"
"He most certainly is not. Out, out, out!"
Seto facepalmed. "Look, shut the fuck up and give me the fucking meds and then get the fuck out."
"But hospital policy--"
"Should also shut the fuck up. Don't forget, I've got the power to sue this place should anything go wrong, and you'll all be broke and on the streets."
"...Er...right, then..." She whipped out a syringe and took hold of an IV.
"There's a good girl," Seto said in a patronizing way. "He stays?"
"Ten minutes."
"Fifteen."
"Need water with these pills, sir?"
"No, I'm fine." He downed the pills. "Now shoo, or I shall taunt you a second time."
"Er, yes, sir, so sorry."
Seto started laughing the moment the door shut again. "I love playing with their heads like that."

"And you do it so well. That was amusing, to me at least." Honda glanced back into his bag, debating if it was safe to pull anything else out. "Where were we? Oh, right, saying that hospitals are generally dull." He set the bag aside and looked up. "Any idea what all they're trying to pump into your system here? Or is that one of those questions that's safer not to ask?"

"Considering that, if they even gave the names, I wouldn't know what any of it meant anyway? I don't bother asking. But it works to dull the pain a bit. And, from time to time, make me loopy, but I've got coffee, so we'll see about that." He tapped a few more keys. "I hope she didn't see that I was hacking into their own system."

Honda walked over to peek at the laptop. "Nah, I think you're okay. Even if she did see the screen, I doubt she knew what you were doing. She didn't strike me as very knowledgable about computers." He went back to the chair, despite it not being comfortable at all. "Hm, any other conspiracy theories to share?"

"There's always that they take people away to an undisclosed facility--one under the pretense of having been shut down years ago--to mess with their genes." He quirked an eyebrow. "I doubt that highly, but it's a cool, if not cliched, conspiracy nonetheless."

"Oookaaay," he drew the word out as he tried to think of a response. "You weren't kidding when you said the meds make you loopy, and I don't think the coffee is helping. At least that's what I'm assuming, since I don't really want to think otherwise. Out of curiosity, did you read many comic books as a kid?"

"C'mon, if people are disappearing, it's probably either that or they were killed by some disease that they've created but they don't want anyone knowing about it... You DID ask for a conspiracy theory..." He shrugged. "Anywho, yeah, I read some. Same old same old like most kids my age were reading. Superheroes and baddies and whatnot."

"Ah. Makes perfect sense, of course. Hm, how far back to you think the hospital has its records computerized?"

"A few years, perhaps? Not much longer, or else their server would be slow as hell, so--wait a minute..." He looked rather victorious now. "There we go...now, let's see, what to look up first..."

"Guess that means mine are only in the records room then," he muttered as he walked over to stand closer to the bed. "Check and see if there's any mistakes on your record? I dunno, it's all up to you."

He tapped in his own name, two files being brought up--one from the crash and one for the current. "...I kinda wish I knew what any of this medical jargon meant. Hm...fractured leg, check; fractured/broken ribs, check; eh, this one seems okay from what I can make out. This one, too. Good. Doesn't look like I'll uncover any conspiracies that have to do with me."

"If you say so. I'd suggest Ryou's records, but we'd be here for the rest of the night wading through that. And I can't think of anyone else who was here in the past few years. Hm, can you search for everyone a specific doctor treated? See if your shrink has pushed anyone too far?"

"...That's a good idea. Don't want people to be treated by a madwoman." He looked her up, skimmed through her profile, and began sifting through the patients. "Huh. She must be busy. Looks like she had a lot of patients after me--wait a minute, what the hell, why does she have a record on me? I didn't know she was officially treating me or anything. Just talking to me and annoying the hell out of me. Hn." He scoffed. "Let's just see what she has to say, then. ...What the fuck...what the FUCK. She's a loon. She must be making up mental disorders and whatnot. Oh, yes, depressed, I'm so sure..." He muttered obscenities to himself as it continued to describe morbid things such as things she'd derrived from their innocent conversations to what medications she'd been so ready to perscribe to him to his little suicide attempt and scorn at how he'd been let out so early. "...Yeah, I'm glad I'm not seeing her again..."

"Do I want to ask what it says?" he asked as he lean over slightly, not far enough to read the text on the screen. "Or should I just leave and be glad I never met her?"

"She's pretty much saying I'm a nutter in need of men to come take me away and bring me a nice, white jacket." He scoffed again, going to another patient. "Honestly... Hm, but like I said, she's seen a lot of patients in the past few weeks..."

"Seeing any patterns? That's a tip-off that something's wrong if there's an obvious pattern." Honda stood straight again, deciding that he didn't feel like trying to see the screen. "By the way, what's her name? So I know to avoid her if at all possible."

"Kiyagawa. She's a real pain in the neck without this whole possible psychological terrorist thing going on." He grew silent for a few moments. "No, these all look legit. Crazy guy with hallucinations...depressed mom...some druggie..."

"Does it say what kind of hallucinations?"

"I dunno...stuff about demons telling him to be a pyro and burn stuff."

"This one of the recent files?"

"Yeah...why?"

"Oh, no reason, I was just wondering." Honda glanced at this watch. "And as fun as this is, I guess I should be going soon."

"Ah. Well." He looked at the clock on the laptop screen. "I guess it's been a while. I suppose I'll tell you if I come across anything strange, then?"

"Yes, please do." He smiled and picked up his bag. "Heh, I think I'm glad that my records are too old to be on the computer," he remarked as he walked out the door, pulling it shut behind him.