Skit 9: All grown up

[protosshaze]

I have witnessed so much in my time here. I'm doing what I can to keep my promise, but I still wish I could do more for all my friends. What would they enjoy? I realize that not everyone likes flowers....

Comments

[Dictated]

[therealrisette]

[And since no one else is responding, have a fellow nurse who still sounds eerily like that mother figure of yours from however long ago!]

I'm sure they all appreciate everything you do for them, Sophie-chan!

[But if Sophie wants to talk more about it, Rise's definitely making herself available.]

[Dictated]

[protosshaze]

I'm sure you're right, Rise. But I enjoy helping them, and want to do more.

[therealrisette]

Yeah, I totally understand.

[Sophie's such a sweetheart. Even if Rise didn't really get it, it'd be hard not to want to support her!]

Is there anyone in particular you're thinking of?

[protosshaze]

Bunnymund. He's so unhappy here.

[therealrisette]

Bunnymund?

[Rise's not sure who that is. She's actually met him as the strange talking therapy rabbit, but her memories as a Holly Peaks nurse don't include who he really is at all.]

Do you know why?

[protosshaze]

Yes, he's my friend. And they put him in a cage against his will. I helped him out but I'm worried they'll put him back.

[therealrisette]

They did what?

[Wait... Bunnymund...]

... Are you talking about the therapy rabbit, Sophie-chan?

[protosshaze]

Yes, of course. He doesn't like being the therapy rabbit.

[Partially filtered]

[therealrisette]

Yeah... I noticed...

[Rise's honestly still a bit shocked that the bunny spoke earlier. He never did that before! Not as far as she can remember, at least.]

I, um...

[Rise pauses for a moment. What she's about to say should be private, just in case.]

[Filter to Sophie]

I actually let him out of the cage earlier. But I'm worried they'll just catch him again...

[She's really conflicted about this. She remembers the therapy rabbit loving the treats she snuck out to him all the time, not suddenly talking and convincing her to open the hutch.]

How could they keep the poor little guy locked up like that?

[filter to Rise]

[protosshaze]

I don't know. It feels like something is wrong here. Some of the residents are acting unusual, and now poor Bunnymund...

[Filtered forever]

[therealrisette]

What do you mean by "acting unusual"?

[Some amount of acting unusual is to be expected in a place like Holly Peaks. Though now that Sophie mentions it, a lot of stuff doesn't really add up...]

yepyep

[protosshaze]

It's as if they don't remember being here. Or they don't expect to be so old. It's strange.

[therealrisette]

That does happen with the elderly sometimes...

[Rise's not convinced that's all there is to it either, though.]

What about Colette-san and Zelos-san? I know they're really much older than they look, but why are they living here if they're so... healthy?

[And young-looking. Seriously, Colette is doing a fabulous job blending in with the nurses in one of Rise's spare uniforms today!]

[protosshaze]

Yes, that's puzzling, too. It doesn't seem right for them to be here. Perhaps they're here for a reason, like I am. Maybe they want to watch over their friends.

[therealrisette]

Maybe.

[Rise hadn't really thought of it like that before. A lot of their friends must be closer to the residents' ages. Maybe some of them are residents.]

I dunno. It's so easy to forget they're actually older than us. So it just seems strange that they'd be here with all the others.

... But even some of the others don't really act like they're as old as they look.

[Why hadn't she really thought about this before? Everything seemed normal just a few days ago!]

[protosshaze]

Yes. Something is definitely different. We can't talk with the head nurse, though... She would only make trouble.

[therealrisette]

Ugh, I know. She seriously creeps me out!

[Shudder.]

Like, you'd expect the head nurse to actually care more about her staff and residents, right? I don't know how she got the job!

[protosshaze]

I'm not sure, either. She is frightening, though, isn't she?

[therealrisette]

At least she spends enough time with her nose in her magazines to let the rest of us actually take care of people.

[Venting about the head nurse aside, though, there's something else Rise has been wondering about during this conversation.]

... Hey, Sophie-chan, how long have you been working here?

[They've both been nurses here for a while, haven't they?]

[protosshaze]

That's true. We are very lucky.

How long...? To be honest, I lost track of the years.

[therealrisette]

I know, it feels like forever, doesn't it?

But it can't have been that long.

[She was just in high school not too long ago, right? Maybe four or five years?]

... Never mind. I'm sure it's just all the days of work running together.

[protosshaze]

Yes, I'm sure that's what happened.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

Flowers always sound like a right fine gift to me.

[protosshaze]

Hello, Bunnymund. How are you feeling?

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

I'd feel a lot better if I everything was how it should be.

[protosshaze]

Yes, I've noticed things are strange lately... I'm sorry that you have to go through this.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

It's alright, I've been through worse. I just hope things go back to normal soon.

[protosshaze]

What do you mean, back to normal?

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[He lets out a soft sigh]

Streuth, this place...

Don't let it worry you, Sophie. I didn't mean anything.

[protosshaze]

I have sensed there's something strange about this place. If you say there's something wrong, I trust your judgment.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

There's something wrong, alright. I don't think it's real.

[protosshaze]

Then what is it?

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

I don't know, I haven't figured it out yet.

[protosshaze]

I have no doubt you will, Bunnymund.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

I'm better at least, not being in that cage any more.

[protosshaze]

I'm happy to hear that.

[whistles_the_blues]

...You do more than enough.

[protosshaze]

Thank you for saying that.

[whistles_the_blues]

Just the truth.