damned_institute | Night 67: West Wing, South Hall 1-A

[From here]

Fai was glad he had excellent hearing because it helped guide him to where people might be assembling. He paused long enough to pull the small light he had found out of his pocket. He turned it over in his hands until he was able to figure out how to switch it on. As the light burst from it he smiled, this would make traveling around much easier.

He started down the hall, humming softly as if it might help to keep himself from getting lonely while he wandered the halls. It also had the potential to alert people that he was close, if the light wasn't enough to do so.

"Definitely a strange place." A short pause in the humming to reflect on that before resuming with the soft sound as he made his way towards the next big hallway.

[from here]

He'd been stuck in the Institute for many weeks, enough time to know the hallways well and pass through them with barely a thought. The hallways of the patient blocks tended to blow by the ninja in moments once he left his room, regardless of the night. This night was no different, and the hallway was nearly put from his mind when his small notice of another patient gave him pause.

As with the hallways, patients were also momentary blurs to him - noticed, but disregarded. He would stop if it was one of the kids heading out without someone, but adults were different. He knew very few of them, and would bother with even less regardless of if they were alone or not. And as big as the Institute was, crossing the patient he was actually looking for took him by surprise.

Kurogane held up in his run and put both eyes on the man, focusing as best he was able with the replaced eye and sensing what he could, which was little more. He couldn't trust his eyes alone, but he couldn't get his senses straight enough to trust them either, and that made things difficult in this place. He didn't surprise often here, however traps were frequent and expected and would make things far more challenging. He'd already faced a doppelganger in Sakura before, and as absent as the magician had been recently, suddenly finding the guy struck him as suspicious.

He'd let him make the first move.

Fai sensed the ninja before he actually saw him. He paused in his movements and just concentrated for a moment. Looking around, it only took a moment for his eyes to land on the familiar figure. He lifted his hand in greeting. "Kuro-tan, I finally found you!" Because obviously they had just landed in a strange world and this was nothing but an issue of being separated.

He closed the distance between them easily but came to a stop a few steps away when he sensed just a little something off. That golden eye studied the other for a moment, trailing down to look at the left arm before going back up to the eyes. Something was different. Maybe this wasn't the Kurogane he knew.

That uncertainly flickered across his face for a moment as he hesitated. He had promised to be more open with his actions and his words but if this wasn't who he thought it was..wouldn't it be safer to go the route he knew best?

That smile spread across his face again, "Why so tense, Kuro-pii?"

If the first call wasn't enough to tell the ninja that something was off, the addition of a second nickname ensured that he hadn't heard things. Fai had been all over the place since first arriving ahead of him, however he hadn't ever changed quite this quickly. For the past few weeks the only name he'd used had been Kurogane's own, and that usage had been forced. Before then the nicknames had come in a forced manner as well, however what he heard now sounded close to natural. It was the closest to sincerity the ninja had ever heard from the man.

Nothing like the magician he'd been dealing with.

Something wasn't right, and not being able to see properly didn't help with figuring out if it was just the words. There was the possibility that this was another version, like the Sakura that hadn't known him, or the same one but from another time as Orihime had been. Another possibility left that Landel had done something to him with the recent absence, and then there was the last option.

"Show me your teeth," Kurogane ordered suddenly.

It was Fai's turn to be tense. What kind of a request was that? There could be many reasons why Kirogane would make such a request but Fai was suspicious of about half of them. "Why?" The question was simple and Fai's tone had lost some of tha playfulness that it once had. He had been leery of this world upon waking up in it but the tenseness in the air was now making his worries even worse.

Fai took a step back. His flight mechanism had always been stronger then his fight one and it was starting to activate now. His hands came down and he got ready to activate his vampire abilities just in case they became necessary. His expression was now much sterner then it had been as he studied the ninja with the same intensity that he was also being studied with.

"Why do you need to see my teeth? What is this place?"

"I said show 'em," he repeated, leaving no room for argument.

Even without perfect vision, he'd be able to tell the difference between a copy's teeth and the original. He'd gotten too close of a look at a set to ever forget that those monsters couldn't change that one part of their appearance. And if the demand made him suspicious, then fine, but he wasn't letting another of those things get the best of him.

Kurogane raised his right arm in preparation for whichever he may need, to attack or defend. Fai had always been fast, and if was that kind of monster, that mimicry was sure to carry. If it wasn't, or if Fai didn't show, regardless of which it was the ninja still had to catch him to be sure. Kurogane knew what to expect, but someone else could easily become a meal.

"You won't give me a choice if you don't."

If he wasn't a copy, he still wasn't the man Kurogane had been dealing with here, not with those words. He was one who knew him as Kurogane, but who did not know this place. A Fai from a different world where they knew each other, or from only a different time line - past or present - following their meeting. As much as the possibilities bothered him, he at least had them backing how he chose to speak to the man. If any version of Fai knew anything about him, it was that Kurogane did not make threats without a good reason.

What was going on here? The eyes of this Kurogane were familiar..yet..different. Somehow he felt that this had to be the man he knew, but something had changed him. Fai was more perceptive then he often let on and even the most subtle differences were now becoming obvious to him. But also the similarities were there. Enough of them to make Fai conflicted.

But that tone that Kurogane had was one that could not be faked. It was demanding and Fai felt the only way to get the answers he needed, was to oblige with this one request before he made any other decisions. He could react fast enough once he had complied should this man try anything.

After a small hesitation, Fai slowly opened his mouth. He kept that golden eye trained on the other man but the pupil quickly became a slit as he prepared himself for anything.

He watched carefully as Fai finally did as told, catching the glint of the golden eye momentarily before seeing what he needed. The rows of pointed teeth were absent, and that was enough for Kurogane to release some tension. Not a monster, but he was still different in some way. That he was unfamiliar with the place marked one difference, his initial greeting a second, and then that eye...

Kurogane hadn't trusted the doctor at her words last night, but just as with Landel's announcements, he hadn't ignored anything said to him. He remembered her claiming to have saved the magician's eyes, both of them, and the ninja had seen them there - one blue, one gold. With Orihime having confirmed that he'd been given the blue, he could only guess at what had happened to the other one.

He wouldn't have put it beyond them to have actually messed with Fai's eyes as well. If this was the one they'd used.

"You just get here?" he asked next.

Fai saw the slight relaxation. Apparently he had passed whatever test that Kurogane had given him. He nodded as he closed his mouth, still uncertain but feeling slightly encouraged by the small change in Kurogane's posture.

"I woke up not too long ago and came out to explore." Fai decided then that it would do no good to smile and pretend everything was fine, because clearly it wasn't. He had promised to not hide behind it any longer and even if this wasn't the Kurogane he knew..it was still Kurogane. And Fai was going to stick by his promise.

"Are you really..Kurogane?" No playful names, no teasing tone. Just straight up asking. But the name came off his tongue easily, no hesitation or awkwardness. The nicknames were natural, but so too had this man's actual name. Fai could switch between the two with ease. Such was the state their relationship had evolved into.

As complicated as things had become in this world, getting straight answers, and from Fai of all people, was a welcome change. That the man was answering straightly at all would have been fine enough, but here... Kurogane couldn't remember a time where he hadn't had to question what was right before him. Hell, he couldn't even trust someone to be who he said he was anymore! The caution necessary to survive Landel's game had gotten to him more than the exhaustion somehow, however he didn't have time to let either one show now that this magician was starting to pose questions.

Just on appearance Kurogane had changed more than once from how he'd looked upon arriving, however without even seeing him Fai might have asked the same question: if it was really him. Kurogane had known immediately from Fai's attitude that something was off, and he supposed it saved them some hassle that Fai was able to notice the same.

"Maybe not the one you know," he provided after some thought, being careful yet honest in his choice of words, "But either way, that doesn't change who I am."

The same went on the reverse as far as he was concerned. He was Kurogane, and the magician was himself, regardless of what world or time he came from. The same, but different. How different was the only question that lingered now. Thinking on how familiar Fai had been in greeting him before, Kurogane could infer that Fai either knew a completely different version of him, or was from a time further along in their travels.

Because the Fai he'd known in this place had never spoken with him like that.

"I got here after leaving a world called Rekord. Do you know it?" he asked next, leaving out just how long ago that had been or who he'd been with during that trip. If this Fai had no knowledge of the world, there was no reason to waste time explaining. If he did, there would be much more to discuss.

Fai's eye widened at that last part. He could understand this being a different Kurogane. He had witnessed encountering other versions of people on many of the worlds. Had seen the ones that shared a soul, but not the memories or the places. He had encountered the clones of Sakura and Syaoran as well as their real selves. So the thought that this was just another version of the Kurogane he knew, was something he could handle.

But..for this version to be from Rekord? That seemed so far in the past to him that he could barely comprehend it. This Kurogane had experienced nothing of Tokyo..the chess world..even Celes. All the things that Fai had done..all the lies he had told..his past..did this Kurogane have any idea about any of it.

Suddenly Fai found himself back at square one. Even now those things were not ones he could speak of so easily. Even if his heart had been healed with the real knowledge of the events that occurred in his past..the truth about his brother's death..the curses placed on him. Even if he knew all that, this man did not. And somehow that scared him. It was as if his support system was suddenly coming crashing down around him.

"I know of Rekord." Fai's voice wavered. He had always been able to hide a lot of things. To lie and pretend that life was fine. But would he have to relive all those painful moments or could he lock them all away and hope that this man didn't ask him any questions? "That was a long time ago.."

So he knew, and his reaction said more than enough for Kurogane to understand all the problems him knowing created.

Instead of continuing his questioning - he had many things to ask, and he was sure Fai did as well - Kurogane put the conversation on hold a moment and gave the hallway a quick look. The importance of getting things straightened out did not trump doing so safely, and as Kurogane had been hesitant to even head out that evening, staying in the hallways to speak would only be inviting his bad luck to catch up with him.

"Come on," he said, turning for the door that lead to the patient rooms and expecting that Fai would follow, "The safest places at night are the rooms. I'll explain there."

[ooc: I'll lead out the next post following Fai's, if he decides to follow!]

[ooc: Of course he will follow~]

Fai was curious as to what about this place could spook even the ninja. He got a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach and for a moment he considered running the other direction. If he ran now then he wouldn't have to answer any more questions. But then, in turn, his questions also wouldn't get answered. But wouldn't that be worth it? To not be forced into saying things he'd rather not say?

His hesitation was probably obvious. Even despite everything, he still feared himself and his mistakes more then anything. But he had to consider where he was. If he ran, then he could run into whatever it was that had Kurogane nervous. And if it was something that could match strength with the ninja, would he really stand a chance?

Finally the internal battle seemed to die down and Fai gave a small nod. "Alright. Lead the way."

[Leading the way]

[through again]

Finding Landel wasn't the exact purpose of searching the places the man had been seen. If finding Landel was such an easy task, Kurogane or someone would have located him long before now. "Without an announcement, the only thing to go off is what's already known."

That was why he was leading. He knew not only what to expect, but where to go and how to best get there. It would take some time before Fai would have that experience, and for that the ninja was somewhat thankful. He'd had enough arguments over pathways with him, or the other him.

"When night started, he talked about trying not to get lost. He might be looking to be found from that."

"So we're just going to wander around..and try not to get lost?" Fai was already lost by this conversation. This world was far more confusing then most they had been to. "This is like some sort of odd riddle, Kuro-rin." Fai's tone was teasing again as he looked at the familiar hallway. "You should be careful. Riddles often take you around in circles."

Fai's head started to hurt from trying to make sense of everything he had been told on this night.

"It's always some damn riddle here," he growled, still annoyed that he had no choice but to go by Landel's words this time. Without the doctor having contacted their group since the office visit, and without any contrasting information from the radio man, no other options were open, and no clues were there to be followed.

At leas this way, they weren't going out completely blind.

With another growl, he headed across the hallway and out, warning, "I know what to expect."

[gone here]

Night 67: West Wing, South Hall 1-A

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