NIGHT 64: MAIN HALLWAY, 1-EAST

[envy_the_sinners]

_{[From here]}

Scar continued through to the easternmost end of the hallway, finally reaching the door to the medical wing. Grumbling at the damn thing being locked, the Ishbalan bashed it a few times with his flashlight until it broke, and he pushed open the door somewhat cautiously.

_{[To here]}

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[envy_the_sinners]

"It's the only option," he said through grit teeth in response to her question. He would just have to force himself to suck it up and walk. Scar leaned heavily against the wall as he stood weakly, a painful grimace on his face. It was bad enough that his injuries were almost completely crippling, but he had lost so much blood that he was lightheaded.

Scar would be Scar, though. He refused to let himself be defeated by an injury that was actually quite petty in comparison to what other various atrocities he had endured. And the fact that they had been inflicted by Lingormr only drove him further to overcome this.

"Where to?"

[thecamellia]

Staying in the hallway wasn’t an option. Trouble could come from any direction, and predators that were already nearby would probably be able to smell the blood. But a safe place…? The hospital was definitely short on those, ironically. Upstairs where she knew other medical supplies to be was out of the question with the man’s injuries. So were the patient rooms because of the sheer distance.

The closest spot she felt comfortable enough taking him to was the next hall over, where the doctor’s offices were. On her way past, she hadn’t noticed any of the doors standing open, which meant they were still relatively untouched…

“If we can get you to the doctor’s offices, there’ll be a place to rest!” She lifted herself up, recollecting the leftover supplies. “You can lean on me, I’ll help.”

Once she’d gotten the door unlocked, she knew there would be a couch to lay on, which would help take the pressure off of his legs and back. And then… and then she could figure out the next step.

[envy_the_sinners]

"Alright." Scar tried not to put too much weight on the girl as he walked, keeping one hand on the wall and the other arm on her shoulder. Thankfully, she was on the taller side. It was a painfully slow process, and Scar wasn't quite sure where he was going. He had never been to the doctor's offices before.

Something hit him after a moment of walking in silence. He hadn't thought of the sickness as an issue before. No one would be concerned if he transformed or not. But he wasn't about to put this girl's life in danger.

"There is a chance I may transform tonight. If that happens while we're in the doctor's office, barricade the door on your way out."

Or, he supposed, he wouldn't mind being locked in the Medical Wing with Lingormr. That would certainly be satisfying in some sick sense.

[thecamellia]

At times like these, Tsubaki was almost grateful for the physicality of her work; she would never be the strongest person in Shibusen, but she wasn’t grossly out of shape, either. Having a little muscle made leading the man a bit easier.

With one hand on his arm and the other above the wound on his back to steady him, the two of them made their halting way back down the hall. The stranger deserved credit for his endurance--given the severity of his injuries, every step he managed must have been an uphill battle for him.

Just getting him out of harm’s way was enough to focus on. The last thing she was expecting to hear was--

“You’re sick?” Damn, why did she think she could stop looking for signs of the infection? She’d known there were others out there, others who had to be going through the same thing as her friends… “I’ll… I’ll be careful.”

If he transforms, not when. Surely that wouldn’t happen.

Bit by bit, their destination emerged from the blackness, rows of doors resolving themselves into familiar shapes. The first door facing them was the same office she and Rapunzel had found a computer in, and it was the first room she thought to go to.

“Okay, first things first. I’ll get the door if you’re okay to wait here,” she said, peering up at him. Leaving him by himself even for a short time wasn’t the safest, but she needed both hands to pick a lock.

[envy_the_sinners]

Scar nodded. He wasn't going to leave her in the dark about something so serious.

"That's fine." His expression was still stiff, his teeth grit against the pain. Scar leaned heavily against the wall, waiting for the young woman to return. At this point, every moment was a fight to remain conscious. He had been so hurt that he blacked out before, but he couldn't afford that to happen here. Scar didn't expect the girl who was kind enough to help him to be able to get him into a safe room. And he was certain that there would be beasts attracted to the stench of blood.

While Tsubaki was away, Scar managed to get a shaking hand into his pants pocket, pulling out the photo of his brother. Blood now stained one corner. He frowned slightly. He shouldn't care... but least it wasn't ruined.

[thecamellia]

_{[Sorry for the wait. D:!]}

Okay… quickly now, let’s go…

Once Tsubaki was relatively sure the man wasn’t about to topple over, she turned and ran for the door, pulling out her lock picking tools as she did. She hadn’t had a lot of chances to get a feel for the Institute’s locks, but after breaking into the doctor’s offices she at least knew what to expect where they were concerned.

A few tense seconds of fiddling led to the eventual click that she was waiting for. Thank goodness. Tsubaki breathed a sigh of relief and straightened.

“Got it open! I’m going to check it out!” she called.

Monsters could be hiding anywhere, even behind a locked door. If Landel wanted to inflict a nasty surprise on someone, putting them there would be the best chance to do so, too. But when Tsubaki poked her head inside and scanned the darkness, nothing stood out to her. It was the same as it’d been before--dark and quiet. Most importantly, it was a place for the man to rest.

Hurrying back to Scar, she held out her arms to once again get some of his weight across her shoulders. “All right, it seems safe. There’s a couch in the corner where you can lay down.”

[envy_the_sinners]

[Nah, don't worry about it!]

Scar nodded weakly, leaning against the girl once again and making his way slowly to the office she had opened. Crossing the hallway was difficult without a wall to lean on, but Scar eventually made it. It was a slow, painstaking process, though.

[To here]