damned_institute | NIGHT 65: MAIN HALLWAY, 1-CENTER

[From here.]

This hallway was definitely wider than the last one, and he'd passed a set of stairs. He was pretty sure he didn't want to go up, though, but he noted their presence anyway. If all else failed, he could try to get to the roof and jump down from there. Up ahead... Those were the doors to the Sun Room, right? That had seemed like a fairly important room, so the doors directly opposite might be important, too.

Flashlight held steady to light his path, he started making his way toward his goal.

[For Lee and Flora.]

[from here]

Lee was heading straight for the entrance way, his mind full of purpose. Which was why he barreled straight into Lloyd before he fully realized someone had even been aiming for the same destination until it was too late to fully stop.

Yes, Lee was definitely a ninja. His chakra networking was a little off, he decided, trying to shake off the pain from the sudden collision. He had managed to dig his heels in and slow down before the direct hit, but it didn't mean it hadn't hurt a little.

"I-I am so sorry!" Lee reached for the other young man, trying to gauge any possible injuries he might have inflicted with just a quick glance with the flashlight beam.

Lee's approach had been silent enough that Lloyd never noticed until the other slammed into his side. With a cry that's as much from surprise as from pain, Lloyd stumbled, caught off guard, and he only barely kept from falling down. His flashlight hit the ground and skittered a few feet.

"Ow!" His hand went to his ribs with a wince. He wasn't sure exactly what part of the other boy had hit him, and it probably wouldn't give him more than a bruise, but it still hurt. He squinted as light flashed into his face. "Who're you?" he demanded, partially irritated, but really just startled and in pain.

Yeah, okay, under better circumstances, he didn't usually demand someone's name without giving his own first, but the guy had just run into him. Literally! Lloyd felt he was justified.

Lloyd and Lee seemed to have the same ideology when it came to giving names; usually Lee would insist that one gave one's name before asking another theirs. But this instance was totally the case where Lee didn't mind the breach in etiquette.

"I am Rock Lee! Shinobi of Konoha!" He proclaimed his openly (and rather loudly) but his brows were drawn inwardly in worry. "I do hope you will be all right! I did not mean to hit you! Under normal circumstances, this would not have happened!"

Lee kind of wanted to sit there and flail a little. This was a serious error and that would never have happened back home. So absurd! But... Lee held up his hands hopelessly. "I do not have the words to express how sorry I am."

Lee's apology sounded sincere, and the initial shock of pain was starting to fade. Not that it didn't still hurt, but enough that Lloyd could stand to gingerly probe his ribs. Nothing felt broken, at least. Satisfied that it wasn't anything serious, he straightened up and tried to get a good look at the person who'd run into him.

It wasn't easy to see in the dark, especially when the flashlight was shining away from Lee, but Lloyd got an impression of dark hair and dark eyes and an open face that was filled with concern. Mollified, he let some of his defensiveness drop. "It's okay," he said, shaking his head. "It's pretty hard to see in this place, even with these things." Speaking of which... He stooped to pick his up. "I'm Lloyd Irving." Then as an afterthought, he added, "From Iselia." It was only fair to volunteer that since Lee had volunteered where he'd come from first.

Konoha, though... The name was unfamiliar, but that was only marginally surprising, since he was pretty sure he was still in Tethe'alla somewhere. He didn't know Tethe'alla very well, since he was from the world of Sylvarant. The other word, now... "What's a shinobi?"

It seemed he had been forgiven, so Lee could relax. A little at least.

"It is good to meet you, Lloyd-san!" Or as good as slamming into someone could be. Lee was fairly sincere, however. He had nothing against a boy he had just met, and Lloyd was at least nice enough to forgive him without holding a grudge. He also had not heard of Iselia, but he also hadn't heard of New Orleans or New Jersey either. At least Iselia did not have a 'new' before it. Calling a place 'new' just seemed silly when it was going to eventually become old.

It seemed most people were unfamiliar with the word. But Lee didn't mind explaining one bit! "A shinobi is a ninja! We are warriors who are trained in the arts of combat and stealth!"

Lloyd might not have been familiar with the word shinobi, but that description was definitely familiar. "Oh!" His face lit up with recognition. "So Konoha's like Mizuho? My friend Sheena's a ninja, too, and that's where she comes from."

So maybe it wasn't the exact same place, and Rock Lee probably didn't even know who Sheena was, but this whole place was strange and unfamiliar and this was the first thing Lloyd had heard that reminded him of home. Well, not home exactly, but close enough. Lloyd could feel himself warming up to him,if for no other reason than that connection. It didn't hurt that the guy seemed fairly friendly, too.

"Where are you headed, Rock? I wouldn't mind having a ninja along, even if it's just for a little bit." Just because he hadn't run into anything yet didn't mean he wouldn't, and if Lee was anything like Sheena, Lloyd was pretty sure he'd be worth having at his side.

Lee had never heard of Mizuho, but it sounded a lot more normal than any other place he had heard of. Perhaps it was somewhere in the Rain country? Either way, it gave Lee some comfort to know he had finally found someone who spoke his language, or at least knew of a person who did.

Lee lifted a thumb in his trademark Nice Guy pose, giving Lloyd a huge smile. "You may call me Lee, if you wish! Hardly anyone calls me by my family name!" It wasn't a name worth remembering. Yet!

And as for his plans... "I was planning on busting out of this place, gathering my barrings, and setting off to gain directions back home! You may definitely accompany me, if you wish!"

It would probably be a good idea having another person around to watch his back. Ninja traveled in groups and worked in teams rather than doing things solo, unless they happened to be ANBU elite. Lee wasn't quite to that level, and Lloyd didn't seem like the stay at home type either, so certainly no harm could come of their working together.

_{[From here]}

There were others over here, not as many as before, but this seemed like a good opportunity to get more information. One of them had mentioned breaking out and going home, it left her wondering if he knew where this was, maybe.

Flora stepped forward, looking between the two of them, concern evident on her face. If they were trying to get out, it made her prison theory a lot more credible, unfortunately. "Um, pardon the interruption, I couldn't help but overhear a little, but are you two alright? And do either of you know what's going on, here?" She had many questions, but that seemed like a good place to start.

"Oh. I thought Lee was your family name." Lloyd had grown up in a place where given names came first, so it hadn't even occurred to him that it might be different for Lee. Still, he accepted the correction easily enough. If Lee wanted to be called Lee, that was fine with him. "Lee it is, then."

His spirits lifted at hearing Lee's plan, and he flashed a determined grin back at him. "I was planning on breaking out of here, too. If you want to work together with me, I bet we could-"

He broke off and looked up when a girl's voice interrupted him. Turning his flashlight in the direction it had come from, he spotted a girl with long hair that he was pretty sure was brown, dressed in the same gray clothes that seemed pretty standard at Landel's. He blinked at the questions, then frowned, casting a glance at Lee before answering.

"We're fine," he said. "Well, mostly. I don't know if I'm the best person to explain what's going on here, but this place is called Landel's Institute. It's... sort of a hospital, only it's not." He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, not sure how to explain something he wasn't clear on the details himself. "The doctors aren't helping people at all. They're hurting them and making them sick. We're trying to break out so we can get help." At least, that's what he was going to do.

He paused, then added, "I... take it you just got here, too?"

Edited 2012-08-14 23:59 (UTC)

It was a common mistake. Who had ever even heard of the Rock family in Konoha? But Lee only smiled and nodded, happy to know Lloyd did not mind being a little informal. And Lloyd seemed to be on-board with the whole escape the institute plan! Lee had definitely found a reliable companion for a break out.

However, before they could solidify their plans a young woman broke into their conversation. Not in the least put off by a new face, especially one that seemed so lost, Lee gave the woman a friendly smile.

"Indeed!" Lee agreed wholeheartedly with Lloyd. His face became serious and he added his own input. "The place is supposedly full of monsters at night, but I have not seen any yet. I have a war to attend to back home, but as soon as we are free I will make sure that we have rescue crews sent here to help other patients escape when they are able."

Lee motioned the doors opposite the entrance to the Sun Room. "I believe the most direct exit is out this way. Would you care to join us in leaving?"

Edited 2012-08-16 01:49 (UTC)

Flora was shocked before her face set into a hard from. A hospital that was hurting people? "How awful! Why would anyone do such a thing?" How could such a place exist? It turned her stomach to think about.

She was curious about this war. He looked young to be fighting in one, but then, hadn't she been the same in her first? Flora knew that humans had been in many of them and wanted to know more about this one, but now was not the time to ask. She bit her lip. Would leaving really be alright, though?

Flora blinked, a little surprised--didn't everyone just arrive here?--but then nodded. She hadn't considered the possiblity of people being here for any length of time before now. It made her wonder. "Yes, that's right! I just got here a few minutes ago. My name is Flora. It's nice meeting you both, even if I wish the circumstances were a lot better than this." She smiled at them both nonetheless, giving a weak half-shrug. She tipped her head at the black-haired boy, something he said gave her pause."You believe that about the monsters? Do you believe in them?" There was nothing but surprise and curiosity in her tone. Honestly, she woudn't be all too surprised to find them in this place--it was really creepy and felt off--but humans didn't believe in them. Though she guessed that they might have after the things that have been happening recently.

"I'll come with you, though..." she cast a concerned glance over her shoulder, "...I am worried about the other people here, too, even if we are leaving to help." It didn't sit well with her, but sometimes necessary things just wouldn't. Even if it wasn't best information by the first boy's admition, it was still more than she knew. She'd trust them. Besides, now that she'd spoken with and found people, she couldn't leave them, either. Who knew what was out there? If this was all supposed to be a twisted experiment, leaving couldn't have been an easy thing to do. She wanted to find her friends if they were here, but they could also take care of themselves.

The worry never left, but she nodded, as much for herself as for her new companions. "I'll come along."

"I haven't seen any monsters yet, either," Lloyd confirmed. "But two other people have told me about them, too, so they're probably real." Without any trace of skepticism in his face or his voice, it was clear he took the rumor very seriously. "I've fought monsters before, but I'd be glad for any help. The more of us there are, the better chance we'll have. You're welcome to come with us, if you want." Not waiting for a response, he held his hand out to Flora. "I'm Lloyd."

What she said had touched a nerve with him, though, and he looked off in the dark back the way he'd come from. There were other people here, and he was leaving them. Maybe he hadn't met most of them, but that didn't change the fact that they needed help, too. No one should be left in a place like this, where doctors made people sick and brainwashed them and kept you prisoner. But on the other hand, could he really take this whole place on by himself, without any weapons except for a knife? He'd seen nurses following other patients, and there had to be more people who worked here who he hadn't seen. The doctors, too, and the Head Doctor himself. Lloyd was pretty good, but was he that good?

Overconfidence breeds carelessness. As much as he didn't like the memory of that reprimand from Kratos, or even thinking about Kratos at all, that didn't make it any less true. He shook his head. "I don't like the thought of leaving anyone here, either, but I'm not sure there's anything we can do by ourselves. I don't think this is something where we can afford to make a mistake. I'm leaving, but it's only because I know that when I come back with my friends, I know this place won't stand a chance."

"And I am Rock Lee," the ninja said again, not sure if Flora heard his previous introduction. He believed in the monsters because so far things seemed to be going as others said, and Sasuke hadn't denied their presence. Sasuke had no reason to lie to him, even if they weren't anything more than tentative comrades at best here. Lloyd at least seemed familiar with the concept, so Lee would leave it at that.

"Well said, Lloyd-san!" Lee offered a smile to Flora, then raised her a thumbs up as he gave his trademark Nice Guy pose. "We will indeed come back, and with force! You have my word as a man, Flora-san!"

When the war was over (and it would indeed be over shortly) Lee planned on leading all able-bodied shinobi to this place. If Lloyd's friends were not enough to topple it, then surely a whole troop of militant ninja could.

Turning back to the door he had indicated before, Lee reached out and pulled on the handle. Surprisingly, it opened without a hitch. Unlocked. What shabby security. Perhaps this place underestimated them; so much the easier for them to escape.

[to here]

[From here.]

There was a group of people milling around at the end of this hallway, possibly waiting for friends or information, or simply taking in the view. The middle of the corridor in front of the Sun Room, however, was much more empty.

Skulduggery paused outside the large door and listened. He doubted anyone had gone in before now, so the sounds of relative quiet coming from the large room inside didn't do anything to make him feel more comfortable. And as his ability of reading the air seemed to be restricted to the small space surrounding him nowadays, there wasn't much he could do but wait for Rita to arrive.

And so he settled against the wall, arms folded and head down, in the exact same pose as when Rita found him last night. Her room must have been further away than his was. Or maybe she had another errand to run beforehand.

[Rita!]

[from here]

Rita arrived, looking to be in far better condition than the previous night. She walked firmly and without limping, and her arm, though still weak, was now out of its sling, and her shoulders now supported a large backpack shaped, in an uncharacteristically cute fashion, like a cat's head.

Like clockwork, Skulduggery had arrived at the meeting point ahead of time and appeared to be waiting for her. Even if she still didn't know what to make of his bizarre skeleton story from earlier, Rita had to admit the guy was proving to be reliable in a few ways.

"Ready to go?" she asked as she approached him. Hopefully this time, everything would go without a hitch.

Two people had gone into the Sun Room before Rita arrived. Skulduggery hadn't tried to stop them, warn them, or otherwise draw attention to himself; they seemed perfectly capable of handling themselves, and it was the perfect way to judge if the dead woman was still lurking. The lack of screams or sounds of violence seemed to indicate he and Rita would make more headway this time.

"Yes," he replied cheerfully, taking in Rita's appearance with a glance. "You look much better. Better-prepared, too. That's good." His mood had lifted considerably when the two people from earlier hadn't screamed. "Interesting choice of backpack."

He'd meant to ask her if she'd suffered anything like a bloody fingernail in her mouth, but as she also seemed to have more cheer in her step, Skulduggery let the matter slide. Without waiting for a reply, he gently pushed the door open, flicked his flashlight back on, and went in.

[To here.]

[from here]

There were a few more people further along down the hallway, all of them presumably waiting for members of their groups. Soma paid them little attention. The medical wing was just ahead.

[to here]

Edited 2012-08-13 18:26 (UTC)

[from here]

Halfway down the hall, she found she had to stop for breath. It was disgraceful, she thought, fingers tightening reflexively around the pillowcase. A supersoldier reduced to this state.

All the more reason to hurry. Still, it was a few moments before she could summon up the energy to start moving again.

[to here]

Edited 2012-08-29 03:40 (UTC)

[From here]

Ah, here were all the people. Link didn't know any of them, though. Even if he did, he had a much more important mission to accomplish than socializing. So he charged through, avoiding crashing into anyone as he carried his knife, light, and bag of supplies.

[To here]

Edited 2012-08-13 22:49 (UTC)

[from here]

They needed to go as far and as fast as possible. Usually there was an obstacle waiting in the Sun Room, but Ilia knew they could make it. She wasn't going to let them fail.

Seishin gave Silvestri-san a worried glance as she headed towards the center area of the hallway, but he followed without a word. Though Rose-chan's fate had been left unspoken, the former priest was able to fill in as much.

[To here]

[From here]

Once they cleared the double doors of the Sun Room, Goku had no idea where they were. All he could was rely on his sense of smell which told him to keep walking further down the corridors. Who knew if that was the ecksray room or not, but that was not his business, that was Taura's. There weren't any monsters lurking about, unfortunately, but Goku knew how sneaky they could be. For all he knew they could be surrounding the entire area in hiding.

The idea sped up Goku's heart rate and an eager hand pulled out his red staff just in case best came to best.

Taura didn't even have to work to keep up with him, even though the boy nearly glowed with energy. She didn't quite overtake him -- she wasn't sure he knew where he was going, but she didn't have to be well in the lead to make sure they headed the right way.

[to here]

[from here]

Anise was quick to start walking, though she was careful to stay close to the others. They couldn't afford to get separated - at least not before they needed to split up. Speaking of which...

"We're still doing this like we planned, right? So two of us can find that new clue..." If two of them were going to the X-ray Room anyway, that was actually kind of convenient. It was better luck than they usually seemed to have, at least. Anise wondered what sort of clue it could be. Maybe she wouldn't need surgery after all! It had to be something good like that, didn't it?

"Right, and the others will look for supplies." That seemed easy enough, so long as they didn't get attacked in the process. So far, Luke had been lucky to stay out of the way of any random encounters, but then again he seemed to spend more time sleeping at night than actually walking around. His luck ratio dropped down significantly once he realized that.

"So if it's a new clue we're looking for, does that mean there was an old one?" the replica asked, unaware of the sensitive nature attached.

From the sounds of it, everyone was on the same page. As the group moved forward, Guy made sure to stay to the rear. Chances were that if patients were transforming, it was in their rooms or in the hallways around them, which meant if they were going to be attacked it would be from behind. This way, he would be the first line of defense.

Not that there wouldn't be dangers when they entered the medical wing, if last night was anything to go by. All things considered, they had gotten off lucky yesterday, so that might not last through tonight.

At Luke's question, Guy sighed and nodded. "Yeah, last night the clue we found... well, that's what let us know that we might have to resort to surgery in the first place. It was a painting of a stomach with a butterfly inside, and when we scanned another patient who was also sick, that's exactly what we found."

Not an actual butterfly, of course, but something that had been made to look like one. Either way, it couldn't mean anything good.

Butterflies. Claude still felt a little queasy when he thought about what they found yesterday. He hoped their next trip to the X-Ray room shed more light on what they ought to do, but he knew he couldn't hold his breath. After all, the radio people seemed to like operating with riddles. Whether it was a way to throw Landel off their trail or to make life that much more complicated, though, Claude couldn't say.

As they his friends talked, he glanced over his shoulder toward the hallway they'd just left, wondering whether the patients they'd passed earlier would be all right. He had the worst feeling that the monster they'd seen had actually been a patient. If that was the case, Claude really hoped that person didn't get hurt -- or worse, killed. Although he didn't speak when his eyes met Guy's, the anxious expression he wore said plenty.

But looking back wasn't going to do them any good. Guy held the rear, which meant Claude needed to focus on what was up ahead. Frowning to himself, he allowed the light on his hat to illuminate their path.

((To here.))

[from here]

If the others hadn't known Lana was ill, it wouldn't have been obvious. Her coat, too-warm but useful for its pockets and the cotton-thin chance that it might turn a monster's claws, billowed out behind her. They wouldn't be able to keep hidden, not with three of them. Better to go in bluffing.

"Cross quickly, here," she said, as they neared the double doors. "The Sun Room, and the balconies, are common choices for ambushes."

It was good that Lana also had a ring, one set to a more convenient location than Doyleton or the ballroom in the basement; it was more insurance, although it had the side effect of taking some decisions out of L's hands in a way that counterbalanced any added sense of security.

He pushed away from the wall, trying not to lag behind. As they moved, he cast glances over each of his shoulders every so often, ignoring the discomfort from his injury. It was more important to look for the shifts in the darkness that might indicate that something was lurking in the shadows. His left hand, in its sling, held his flashlight; the right hand rested on his hip, where his pistol was holstered, ready to draw.

So far, nothing, ahead or behind.

He couldn't afford to devote his full attention to his companions, but noting the way each of them was moving was automatic, almost instantaneous: part of the way he experienced the world.

Nina had been prepared to take the lead. Was that a good sign? It might show initiative, or it might expose carelessness... although she doesn't seem reckless on the whole, he thought, frowning. Enthusiasm? Maybe concern?

She'd sounded worried when she greeted him, and now, in the long, dark corridor, he found himself tentatively grateful for her help. It was impossible for a realist to feel safe at Landel's. But at the moment, the presence of a healthy, uninjured person made L feel that he and Lana were significantly less vulnerable than they would have been on their own.

Lana had pulled into the lead almost effortlessly, putting on a good front.

She couldn't possibly feel as well as that. If he hadn't already known, L suspected that there might have been small signs to enable a trained professional to make an educated guess at her true state: a tremor in her hand, glassy eyes, a damp hairline... the presence of the gloves, maybe, if the professional in question was astute enough to identify the gloves as having potential implications. But apart from having that training, L had been looking for symptoms of the sickness in almost everyone he had encountered; he was alert to it, and in the day, he'd had the benefit of good lighting. At night, now that she was actively trying to hide it the signs of Lana's illness were subtle enough that L seriously doubted that a layman would have been able to accurately diagnose her true state. He wondered how long she'd be able to keep it up.

Just then, she cautioned them to be careful of the Sun Room. Mother hen, he thought; on a better day, he might have been amused. But Nina could probably use the warning.

It wasn't exactly that this area was dangerous in itself, although what Lana had said about it was accurate. It was that it bordered on two areas that were notorious for how often people who tried to pass through them were attacked.

"Yes. It's usually very difficult to get through the Sun Room at night, Nina. I've been attacked by a Special Counseling patient almost every time I've tried to cross it." That was to their left. He had also been attacked in the front room of the Institute itself, the one to their right as they passed the Sun Room; meanwhile, the stairwells ahead and behind made him uneasy by their very nature, there were two more halls coming on the left, and it would be worse when they made it to the Medical Wing. "There are a lot of doors and side corridors where we're going. Don't let your guard down."

When Lana took the lead, Nina somewhat reluctantly fell behind. She didn't like the idea of a sick person being out in front, but she wasn't a practical choice for that either when she was so new and knew so little. So she fell back, bringing up the rear. Ryuuzaki was injured, so it might be best to keep him sandwiched between the two of them anyway, and this way Nina could protect them if they were ambushed from behind.

Her grip on the bat she was holding tightened unconsciously when Lana warned her about the Sun Room. She frowned, listening to both of them talk about it, and then she nodded. "Okay," she said. "Thanks. I'll be careful." Nina was good at that, anyway.

[To here.]

Edited 2012-08-26 05:05 (UTC)

[From here.]

Nina took a deep breath as she went into the main hallway. She would have far preferred a gun over a bat, but at the same time, she was grateful to anything at all. Finally she cast a glance behind her to make sure that Ryuuzaki and Lana had followed her.

It wasn't too far to the entry room now. She knew that much about the layout of the institute, at least.

Keeping up with the others was getting more difficult. Lana gulped air as they strode through the hallways, and tried to be discreet about it. If she was lucky, she looked contemplative. She'd gotten quite good at managing that, but Ryuuzaki was better than most at discerning volumes from a slight catch in the voice. A few minds like his in her department -- either of her departments -- and Los Angeles would be a very different place. Well, and she'd have gone to jail for evidence forgery two years ago, but as long as the truth had come out, that would have been a blessing.

She caught up as Nina looked back, and then started trying to catch up on what they'd been talking about. Walking was usually conducive to thinking, at least for her, but not when the world seemed to lurch with each step.

[to here]

Edited 2012-09-07 15:47 (UTC)

[From here.]

Damnit, the rash on his arm was getting itchy again...

Walking down the long stretch of the main hallway, Sechs resisted the urge to dig his fingers into his sleeve, but he made sure to check his afflicted arm to make sure there were no monstrous changes going on. So far he was still the same, organic and nearly sick as the proverbial dog. He was more than halfway through his trip to the Medical Wing, if he could get to that X-Ray Room without any interruptions...

[To here.]

Edited 2012-08-26 04:18 (UTC)

((From here.))

Although he'd come this way before without any issues, Barnaby couldn't quite shake the sense of foreboding that welled up in the pit of his stomach, making him a little bit nauseated. Maybe it was the fact he was confined to a wheelchair, and would therefore be more vulnerable to an attack if he and Wild Tiger became separated. Maybe it was the headache that had been steadily pulsing at his temples since the beginning of the night. He wasn't sure.

It occurred to him that, if Kotetsu transformed into a monster, he would be entirely at his mercy unless he used the marbles he'd received earlier. Even then, there was no guarantee whether he'd be in any shape to help the man. Thankfully, he knew better than to voice those morbid thoughts out loud right at that moment, but Barnaby realized that he needed to prepare himself for the worst.

With his partner close by, he continued to wheel himself ahead, passing the Sun Room doors in the process.

Wild Tiger simply grumbled over his partner's quick wit, having nothing better to top it as they moved down the hall together. He had this nagging worry that he should be the only taking the lead since he was a better shield right, but the older man didn't want Barnaby to feel smothered than he already was. If it made the blond feel more independent then he would respect that.

Even if he wanted nothing more to walk in front of him in case something suddenly popped out from the shadows and attacked! Ugh, these hen-pecking tendencies he couldn't let go. It was like needing a cigarette really bad, but everywhere was label No Smoking.

[To here]

Edited 2012-08-29 03:59 (UTC)

[From here.]

Almost to the Sun Room now... Facilier could feel his heart pick up the pace as he slowed down his silent stroll towards the center of the hall. The last time he had entered the Sun Room, he had those bizarre encounters with that Scott Pilgrim lad with his sword and that theatrical man in drag... He could only hope there were no new surprises waiting for him there tonight...

[To here.]

Edited 2012-08-29 04:59 (UTC)

[From here.]

And he continued to remain unaware of the fact as he entered the next main hallway.

It wasn't like he was on the lookout for other patients, after all. Patients weren't monsters - not literally, and not figuratively, either. Who around here was on the same level as Landel? No one, as far as he knew. Wasn't everyone going this way, anyway? How else would one reach the X-Ray room?

Oh, well. As long as there were no screams, Byrne was going to walk and keep his fellow patient body low on his 'potential threats' list. Traffic was traffic.

(And cramps were cramps, too. Ow. Stop it, body.)

"If a virus could degrade a person into a lesser creature, that would make the world a simpler place. And scarier, maybe." In other words, Yomi knew very well it was no normal illness plaguing the prisoner population. This was targeted. This was a game. Albedo had already admitted he was one of the pawns by agreeing to heckle the experimentation victims.

Knowing as much, helping the boy along with his strategy didn't strike her as odd as it would have otherwise. In the larger game, Yomi was just another pawn herself--playing under multiple contexts was merely a shift of perception. An easy slide from one position to another.

She hung back an appropriate amount of distance from Albedo's mark, keeping her voice low in return. It was good to let the bait take the lead to cast off suspicion. "Do you know him?" she said. "Is he one of them for sure?"

He matched her in stride, focus on her but eyes never wavering from the man in front of him. Was Albedo sure? "I don't know him at all. It's possible he's affected, from his behavior--something I'll check when we're in a quieter place."

The talk of viruses nearly made him laugh--perhaps he would have giggled but for the circumstances. If a virus could degrade a person into a lesser creature.... "That was one of the goals of my world," he answered, a strange humor in tone. "To form a weapon from a retro-virus-- So ridiculous, really."

[to here]

[From here]

Where had they been...? —Ah, right; reintroductions. The boy—Tsurugi—had asked (more or less) for his name. "As for me, I'm the Doctor."

He gave Tsurugi once last glance, and decided that he was doing alright for the time being. In that case, he'd keep his own attention on the hall, moving the torch in slow, long sweeps to make sure there wasn't anything lurking in the shadows as they walked.

"By the way, is this your first night here? Or have you been here for a few nights already?" The nurse may have said he was new earlier that day, but she hadn't said just how new.

The 'introduction' caused the boy to lift an eyebrow. "Doctor...?" he pressed, expecting something to be added. He wasn't sure what he wanted him to do with that.

As for the the question... This talk didn't seem particularly useful, but almost anything was a welcome distraction right now. "It's my second," he responded. "I got stopped by someone brainwashed, but I managed to get away."

He managed to keep his tone even as he said it, but in reality, it made his insides crawl. That made twice now that he'd been pitted against people who had been put there against his will. People he should be fighting with, not against, because they were as much prisoners as he was. But it seemed those running this place would rather have the populace fight each other than come out and do their own dirty work. ... Cowards. But the thought reminded him of the one thing he couldn't understand.

"... Let me ask you something. What's the point of all this?" It seemed too elaborate to just cause suffering for the sake of itself... And who knew. Maybe their objective could be the key to shutting this place down.

He continued walking as he asked, since there was nowhere to go but straight ahead.

[ to here ]

[from here]

Right, the medical wing...where was that exactly? It was somewhere around here...Niikura hunted around with his flashlight, meandering slowly down the hallway until finally, he reached what seemed like the right door. He certainly wasn't the first to come through; when he pushed the door lightly with his fingers, it swung inward with a slight creak. The teen poked his head through and shone his flashlight around to confirm that this was the right place before stepping through.

[to here]

Edited 2012-09-08 00:10 (UTC)

NIGHT 65: MAIN HALLWAY, 1-CENTER

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