damned_institute | Night 65: M11-M20 Hallway

Hakkai gave trying to sleep through the night instead of venturing out a serious consideration. The last few days had felt like a living nightmare - this day in particular - and all he wanted to do was sleep and wake up from all of it. But he couldn't get the words of the announcement out of his head, the smirking voice on a constant loop. He knew there was something wrong with him, something this place had done. Would he be one of the ones to turn? He couldn't risk it, couldn't be around others if he did. And he was too high-strung to sleep.

So. Outside it was, then. Maybe he'd try for the basement by himself tonight - he didn't know where the room that held the supposed cure was, or if it was a trap. Better to stick to known dangers.

He took his flashlight and headed out into the hallway. A quick glance around didn't reveal any monsters - but the beam of his flashlight did catch Gren. The other man looked, simply put, like hell. He knew he should leave, that he was a potential danger - but he couldn't just leave his friend like that. His only friend, right now.

"Gren! Are you alright?" The question was more for politeness's sake - it was clear that Gren was very much not alright right now.

Edited 2012-08-17 05:02 (UTC)

He nearly jumped out of his skin when the flashlight appeared and caught him in his spotlight. But although he couldn't see him well in the gloom behind that illumination, he recognized Hakkai's voice, forced himself to trust that it was really him and not some trick. This part of the institute was usually safe, after all. No reason to think otherwise.

"Yeah," he replied, "Just fine." But he knew he didn't sound it, and there was no way he looked it. The lie was for the sake of politeness, and the hope that maybe Hakkai wouldn't ask what was going on. He wasn't sure he could find a way to explain that wouldn't end with Hakkai knowing far more than he needed to.

Not that he wasn't already privy to some pretty big secrets.

"No, you're not." Usually Hakkai wasn't so blunt about things, but his patience was thin on the ground tonight. "I'm a healer - let me see if I can augment your strength at least a little." He hadn't tested those powers here, yet, and he had never been much good at things that weren't straight-forward injuries - but Gren looked about ready to pass out. He had to try something.

A little voice in the back of his head reminded him that he should leave - that this was dangerous, he was dangerous. But for the moment, concern overrode it.

Gren mustered up a tired smile at that... straight to the point. Almost reminded him of someone he used to know, though nothing else about Hakkai fit the bill. "Don't put yourself out on my account," he replied, doing his best to straighten up again and stop using the wall to prop himself up. "It's my own fault, anyway."

Not that better choices were abundantly available, but even he had to admit he'd made an impulsive decision based on fear and paranoia, and more than a little petty spite. It sure as hell wasn't doing him any favors, now.

Hakkai couldn't help but smile a little wryly at Gren's insistence - it sounded so much like himself, sometimes. But he had a gift Gren didn't, and if he could help...

"I think I have too much energy, right now - I tried to sleep some, but I couldn't. It won't be any trouble."

"Insomnia's a bitch," he replied with a trace of humor he didn't really feel deep down. At least that was one thing he never worried about here--that, and nightmares. Though he supposed the ones that wandered the halls at night more than made up for what his own mind might have conjured.

"If you're sure..." He was a little uncertain, himself, though he did trust Hakkai. "I don't really know how any of that stuff works." There were always 'alternative treatments' floating around on offer, but somehow, he got a feeling that wasn't the sort of thing Hakkai meant.

Hakkai gave him a little half-smile as he took a few steps closer. "I'd be lying if I said I knew entirely how it worked myself. But I can supplement other people's life force with my own, or use it as raw energy, like I did last night."

He reached out and gently placed hand on one of Gren's shoulders. He'd never really tried healing this way, before, but it wasn't as if anyone had taught him any other qi skills. He closed his eyes, and focused inwards, pulling at that energy at the core of himself and carefully willing it into the other man.

The flow wasn't much, shouldn't have been a problem - but he realized a second too late that it was, and he clamped down, cut off the flow as he swayed on his feet a little bit. Passing out was one way to get sleep, but not one he'd prefer to take.

Okay, that did sound like weird mystical stuff to him, but he wasn't going to actually say so, and honestly, Hakkai seemed like the kind of guy who wasn't going to go around advertising things he couldn't do. And He had seen what he'd done the night before, even if he'd been far too busy panicking to really understand what had been happening.

He didn't really understand what was happening now either, except that he felt less like falling over. But Hakkai looked like he was, and that was not what Gren had wanted out of this deal. He reached out a hand to steady him until he was sure he was going to stay on his feet. "Hey. You okay?"

He had the sudden, depressing thought that maybe he was just too messed up for Hakkai to really help, and that he should have warned him before he'd agreed to this.

Hakkai blinked once, twice, and then the haze at the edges of his vision cleared, and he gave Gren a smile. "Mm, I'm fine. I didn't have quite as much energy as I thought, but I stopped it when I realized." He was a little tired now - he wasn't sure he'd be up for fighting or another round of healing - but if he didn't push his powers, it wouldn't be a problem.

He glanced over Gren, looking for improvement, some sign he'd succeeded. He was standing a bit straighter now - that was good. "Did it help...?"

"It did. Thank you." He was grateful, especially since he wasn't really sure he deserved the help, but he couldn't shake his worry, either. Hakkai had seemed so certain it would be fine, and caught off guard that it wasn't. He wasn't sure what that meant, but it probably wasn't anything good.

"I don't think I'll be running a marathon, but I'm not going to fall over." And in feeling a little less miserable, he felt he had a little more control over himself. How long that would last, if the institute got up to his usual tricks, he didn't know, but it was something, anyway.

That brought a small, relieved smile to Hakkai's face. "Good. I'm glad I could help."

He wasn't entirely sure how to continue - to just leave without explanation would both be rude and prompt questions he wasn't sure he felt like dealing with. So he had to say something. After a moment of awkward silence, he continued, "I was going to see about getting down to the basement again. That last announcement left me a little on edge, I'm afraid."

Though now that he had bled off some of his power, perhaps he would be less of a danger. His other side... it gave him more strength, certainly, but even then if he pushed too hard, he'd just collapse. And that was safer, really.

"Me too," he admitted. "Even if I don't necessarily believe it, I'm not sure I want to hang around in one place for too long."

He should have just stayed in his room, but every time he thought about it, he remembered the night before, and the idea of being alone lost all its appeal. Of course, the alternatives weren't much better, but he felt like if he kept moving, maybe he could somehow escape it. And now that he felt a little better, walking around out here was a less daunting prospect.

"Hmm." Hakkai considered their options thoughtfully for a minute.

"Is there any way over to the cafeteria or kitchen that doesn't involve going through the Sun Room? I know how to pick locks, so those won't be a problem, I'd just rather not... risk that again."

Twice through it during a fight, and they'd gotten lucky the first time, but not last night. Hakkai didn't particularly feel like chancing it a third time.

"I'm not too keen on the idea of going back in there myself," he replied, forcing a smile to cover just how much the idea of it disturbed him. "But there's a door into the cafeteria from the courtyard. We just have to go out to the recreation field and over the wall. It's not hard."

He'd managed to do it his second night out, with considerable injury to his arm. Despite his lingering fatigue, he was still in better shape now than either he or Edgar had been that night. "There might be less trouble that way." And they had the advantage of skipping a lot of the main halls where trouble might be lurking.

Hakkai nodded. "We can try that, then. Hopefully there won't be any trouble tonight."

Though the announcement still left him nervous. Particularly about himself - but in either scenario, there would be space to run, outside. Harder to trap them - and harder to trap them together, if it came to it.

"We should probably get moving before it gets too late, too," he added, starting down the hallway.

[To here]

Edited 2012-08-22 18:49 (UTC)

With his infected (and thankfully still human) roommate out of the way, Facilier went straight to business. He was quick to change into his Bokor garb, whipping his coat on and topping his head with his trademark hat. Yet his frustration over the fact that he had been put into the same room with a potential monster still festered inside. He grumbled and muttered to himself, damning Landel for pulling off such a cruel joke on him.

The only thing to cheer up Facilier was his Shadow, which sprung to life against the wall with a curled smile. It happily adjusted its master's hat with no trouble or consequence. The Bokor grinned at his Shadow, feeling his confidence return with the restoration of his shadow power. It felt so good to manipulate his Shadow again with no strenuous mental effort on his part! At least that was one thing Landel got right so far!

With mood uplifted, Facilier grasped for his flashlight and cane, along with his copied maps of the institute and a pillow case to stow any goods. He would have to deal with Mr. Hakkai later. For now, he would have to get his hands dirty once again and go out into the night. Knowing that his Shadow was no longer restrained, Facilier felt better prepared and protected from such a nightly trek.

What motivated the Bokor further was the announcement he heard over the intercom. Both he and his Shadow frowned at the strange female voice and scowled even more to hear that a clue to a cure had been mentioned. A clue in the X-Ray Room... That couldn't be good for his deal with Landel! It would seem he had two forces against him now; both patients and outside groups were getting in on his business! This just wouldn't do!

So with no time to waste, Facilier and his empowered Shadow went out into the darkened hallway, intent on finding more tools for his deadly craft.

[To here.]

Edited 2012-08-29 02:38 (UTC)

Kratos paused in the midst of cleaning his sword as he heard the newest message on the intercom. Another clue...? It made sense that there be multiple ways of curing the virus, and the possibility of a cure that didn't involve slicing open a fellow patient dangled tantalizingly in front of him for a few seconds.

Then, he reminded himself that he was in poor shape to be venturing into the medical wing again, especially since it was likely to be just as heavily guarded as it had been the night before, that he'd already promised Castiel to get this over with tonight, and that time wasn't on their side. They simply couldn't afford to leisurely explore alternatives, especially since Landel seemed to be pulling the trigger for more and more people.

Determined to put the intercom message out of his mind for at least a little while longer, he finished cleaning and then stood and gathered all of the necessary materials, stowing all of the smaller items into his pockets before heading out the door. He'd probably given Castiel sufficient time to talk things out with their potential third helper; it was time to move, lest the night end with work unfinished.

[to here]

Edited 2012-08-18 18:27 (UTC)

Having bid Gren a farewell, Edgar left without much fanfare. His roommate's deteriorating health hadn't gone unnoticed, but there wasn't much he could do at that moment. He already had three other ill allies to deal with, one of whom he needed to find that night. The announcement had served to make that matter all the more urgent in his mind.

He kept his inventory light: coat, shovel, a few medical supplies. If worse came to worst, he wanted to be prepared.

[To here.]

Edited 2012-08-22 18:33 (UTC)

Five -- at least that many of you will turn tonight, the intercom announcement had said. Barnaby's eyes narrowed as he stared down at his wheelchair-bound legs. Although he could have activated his Hundred Power to walk, the consequences weren't worth the short-term benefits. He would likely have to wheel himself to the X-Ray room if he wanted to learn what the clue was, provided he could even get past whatever guards the "head doctor" had put into place.

How was he going to be of any use like this? Strangely, his street clothes had been fully repaired from last night's encounter with that NEXT, but he couldn't even change into them without assistance. Barnaby almost wondered if Kotetsu would be better off investigating by himself at this rate.

On the other hand, they were partners. They performed at their best when they worked together. They probably wouldn't get as far with their mission if they were separated. There was also the possibility that Kotetsu would be one of the patients to turn tonight, and Barnaby couldn't stand the thought of him being alone if that happened.

Besides, he doubted Kotetsu would want to leave him behind. The man was probably on his way here now to check on him and figure out where to go from here. Frustrated with himself for not being able to efficiently meet him, Barnaby stiffly waited beside his half-eaten plate of chicken.

[From here]

It didn't take long for Wild Tiger to turn the corner onto Barnaby's block. It was kind of nice that they were housed so close together. With flashlight in hand, Wild Tiger rapped on the door with the end of it.

"Bunny! It's your very dependable and very rakishly handsome partner at the door! I'm comin' in, okay?" He turned the handle and walked straight in, having no mind to consider anyone's decency. Thankfully, Barnaby's roommate was already gone when he barged his way in without asking.

"Hey, so I was talking to someone on the bulletin board today--" he started off immediately, too excited to keep quiet about it a second longer as he came toward the young man in his wheelchair. "--and I think I've got a way to heal you. Hopefully." It was certainly a long shot, one Wild Tiger wasn't completely confident in since it relied on a whole lot of faith on top of a whole lot of crazy bullshit. Beggars couldn't be choosers, though, and the former Hero would try anything to help his partner regain his legs that much quicker.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the blond's neglected plate of food on the bedside table. "Oh, you only ate half of it. Aren't you still hungry?"

Very rakishly handsome? Please. Barnaby narrowly resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but that was mostly because he realized Kotetsu was going out of his way to lighten the mood after the gruesome things they'd learned last night. A deeper part of him was also relieved to hear that voice on the other side of his door -- even if Kotetsu had little regard for other people's personal boundaries sometimes.

Honestly, who barged through the door like that?

Before he could properly scold the man, though, Kotetsu launched into some story about the bulletin board and healing. Then, like a cat distracted by a few stray leaves, Kotetsu zeroed in on Barnaby's unfinished meal.

"I don't feel like eating," he admitted before steering the conversation back onto the matter at hand. "Anyway, don't tell me this has something to do with those marbles you were asking about." Barnaby had seen the note about it. It wasn't hard to put two and two together, even if he thought they were going to feel foolish if the story turned out to be a product of a patient's imagination.

"Oh..." He stared down at it, having picked up the fork to play around with his meal. Kotetsu didn't push, at least for right now. Actually, after not having eaten most of the day for fear of creepily throwing up hair everywhere again, he was tempted to take a few bites. He was really hungry and their food was good, but it just seemed like the cook had a personal vendetta against him and a crate of hair lying around in the back that was being put to no other productive use!

When his partner immediately picked up on what exactly Wild Tiger had been alluding to, he had enough sense to act sheepish. "Uh, yeah--I know what you're thinking! I'm thinking the same thing too! But... You know, what if it actually works?" They would just be a couple of private fools, and hey, that was fine with him! When wasn't he the butt of a joke, right? The blond could blame it all on him, he didn't care.

"I guess I don't have much of a choice," Barnaby sighed as he turned to study Kotetsu. His partner was pushing the leftover chicken around on his plate, and he privately wondered if he wanted to finish it off. It wasn't like Barnaby intended to eat anymore.

"All right, what did you learn about the marbles, then?" he asked as he folded his arms over his chest. Barnaby hoped it didn't involve any stupid rituals or some kind of sacrifice. Ideally, the method behind using them would be as straightforward as those teleporation rings seemed to be.

The sooner they could figure out if this was a hoax, the sooner they could start making more solid plans.

"Nope!" he agreed with a laugh. Even if Barnaby was reticent, which was more than reasonable, the older man would be dogging him until he finally relented. It wouldn't have been that hard; lots of pouty faces and googly eyes until he melted into a haughty Bunny puddle at his feet.

"Uhh, you just think about healing and these puppies are supposed to do the rest..." Now that he had said it out loud, it sounded so stupid. But it was too late to back down now! They were going to try it and then hopefully be on their way for the night, sans one wheelchair.

"So... Should we--? Or what if you laid on the bed?" Wild Tiger wasn't sure what the most appropriate way to test this idea out was.

That was probably one of the dumbest things Barnaby had ever heard, and it showed in the flat, unimpressed look he gave Kotetsu. Even so, his partner had gone this far in investigating the marbles, and there weren't any witnesses. They may as well get their little experiment over with.

After bringing his hands onto the wheels, Barnaby began to move his chair away from the desk and closer to the side of the bed. "That would probably be best," he agreed with a nod.

Once he locked the wheelchair into place, Barnaby gripped onto the arm rests and tried to push himself up enough to shift onto the bed. Pain lanced through the wounds in his thighs, and his face tightened with the effort.

"Okay--Ah, wait! I'll help, hang on!" Putting the fork down, Wild Tiger wiped his hands off briefly on his pants before coming behind Barnaby's wheelchair. He hooked his elbows underneath the young man's shoulders and gave a countdown.

"Okay, one, two, three!" Normally, he would be able to lift someone with ease. Wild Tiger had forgotten for a moment how injured he had been as well. The strain of his partner's weight ripped at his wound and he struggled to deposit him back on his bed quickly or efficiently. He was really glad how dark it was in here so the blond couldn't see that he had broken out in a sweat just from that negligible exertion.

"I guess you can roll up your sweatpants or take them off, yeah?" His words were a little breathless, but it was too late to be scolded now.

Their combined effort allowed for Barnaby to make it onto the bed, though he winced as he sank onto the edge of the bed. "The wounds are too high for me to roll my pants up," he pointed out. "We'll have to take them off."

It wasn't an ideal situation, but none of this was. Thankfully, Barnaby wasn't particularly shy about his body if the need to shed clothing arose, and he worked to remove his pants.

Of course, that was easier said than done. Any weight he put on his feet exacted a terrible price on the gashes in his thighs. The pants didn't make it much further beyond his hips before Barnaby was forced to pause. He didn't quite meet his partner's gaze. "I'll need your help," he finally confessed in a subdued tone.

Wild Tiger didn't need him to. Standing in front of Barnaby, the older man used his good hand to grab the elastic waistband around his thighs and gently tugged one side and then the other until they slipped down to his ankles.

"Okay," he said confidently. "Get ready to be healed!" Of course, he waited for the man to turn over on his stomach, or a least try. If his partner needed help, he would be more than happy to oblige, but he figured he would at least want the opportunity to do it himself first. Wild Tiger certainly would.

Goosebumps spread across his pale skin as Kotetsu removed his pants. All things considered, it wasn't as awkward as it could have been, but Barnaby was glad it didn't take long for his partner to finish undressing him.

"I doubt it'll be that easy," Barnaby remarked, but he shifted further back onto the bed anyway. Easy or not, though, he hoped it wouldn't take long for them to figure out whether they'd been had. Actually, now that he thought about it, he didn't want to be used as a guinea pig.

Pursing his lips, Barnaby refrained from rolling over onto his stomach just yet.

"You should at least test it on something else before you use it on me," he suddenly told him.

Edited 2012-08-20 02:37 (UTC)

"On what?" he asked, taking a look around the dark room for emphasis. "You're the only thing in here that can be healed." What else could he try it on? He could have tried it on himself, he supposed, but after Barnaby's reaction he was too paranoid to experiment on himself as well. So where did that leave them?

His amber eyes fell onto the piece of chicken left on his partner's plate. "Alright, we'll try it on that." At least the chicken had been alive at some point in time. He took one of the balls out of his pocket and held it tight in his fist. His informant told him to simply think about it and it should do what its told.

Clearing his throat, Wild Tiger began to command it to do what it was meant to do. Heal this piece of dead chicken somehow, or give them some kind of sign that they weren't just being played for fools.

In an instant, the hair on his body stood on end like they were electrically charged. The air around him began to grow turbulent, tossing his hair and clothes like he was caught in a turbine. Soon, the ground grew bright blue as something began to manifest out of him. It felt peculiar and uncomfortable, but it was gone when a spark of plasma shot down from the ceiling and into the chicken. The force of it actually tossed the plate across the table with a loud clack and the older man immediately jumped back in surprise.

He had somehow, magically, electrocuted a piece of chicken.

A piece of chicken. Really.

Well, as long as they weren't testing it on him, Barnaby supposed he couldn't complain. Folding his arms over his chest again, he watched with a blank expression as Kotetsu tried to issue orders to the marble. It was a sad spectacle, but there wasn't any reason to call attention to that. His partner's actions spoke for themselves, honestly.

When the air began to blow, though, Barnaby straightened with raised eyebrows. Perhaps Kotetsu had stumbled across something useful after all. Barnaby opened his mouth to speak, but he practically choked on his words the moment a bolt of electricity zapped his leftovers. Some bits of food flew across the desk, and Barnaby unconsciously pressed closer to the wall.

There was a beat of silence as they both stared, wide-eyed, at what his partner had just done. Then, as if pulled from his trance, Barnaby shot Kotetsu a thorny stare from behind his glasses.

"And you wanted to use that to heal me!" he bluntly pointed out. Thank goodness he had enough sense to make him test it out beforehand.

Edited 2012-08-20 21:10 (UTC)

"Ah--But... It's--" Wild Tiger was still too shocked to form a proper sentence. "W-Well, how was I supposed to know? The person said it healed!" Leaning over the charred plate, he turned his ire on the marble in his hand. "Of course I'd get the broken one, d'ah! What a piece of junk!"

He was about to toss it across the room when he remembered the other. "Wait! Maybe... Maybe the other one'll work right! Okay second time's the charm!" he lectured confidently. Again, the older man asked for the thing to heal (maybe he just hadn't been specific enough before). The marble began to grow frigidly cold and so did he as the wind and light twisted around him. Then, from a puff of condensation, the plate was frozen solid.

At least they were prepared for the worse this time. His amber eyes simply widened and his mouth drew into an indignant frown at the sight. "Dammit, I was gonna eat that..." Why couldn't thing just work in their favor for once?!

Upon watching the plate freeze before their very eyes, Barnaby pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's what you get for believing everything a stranger tells you," he shot back without any sympathy.

He'd been finished with his food, at least, but he hated to think what would have happened if his partner had tried to use those on him. Now he felt like an idiot for taking off his pants. If he'd been in his right mind, he might have pushed for testing it a few minutes earlier. Now that they were off, though, he may as well ask Kotetsu to assess his injuries to the best of his ability.

"Do they look properly wrapped, at least?" Barnaby asked with a small sigh as he rolled over just enough to expose his wounds to his partner. "I could only rely on the nurse's word earlier."

"Okay, well, they still did something! He or she was at least kind of telling the truth!" Wild Tiger refused to be wrong in this, at least completely! He had tried hard to gather that information and it really burned him that it had failed. Barnaby certainly had more of a reason to be angry, though. Wild Tiger wasn't the invalid in this situation and he had practically dangled his rejuvenation above him like a hungry lion watching a piece of steak as it was snatched abruptly from its grasp.

So, actually, he knew what he should say. "Sorry..." he admitted softly, sheepishly. He moved closer and leaned over his partner, doing his best to at least fulfill this request to the best of his ability. "Uhmm, y-yeah... I guess?" He didn't know anything about this! "There's some drainage, but none of it's blood, so that's good, right?"

When that "something" was the exact opposite of healing, Kotetsu's defense didn't hold much water, and so Barnaby didn't look particularly impressed. Of course, there was little good in wasting anymore energy getting angry over it. No one had gotten injured, and that was the important thing.

"It's fine," he said after a moment. "You were only trying to help." At least his injuries didn't look worse, according to Kotetsu, but who knew how long it would take for them to heal? Barnaby wished he hadn't been so careless last night. Still, there was little for him to do except focus on what he could change.

"I wonder what those things even are, though," he remarked as he reached for his trousers and carefully pushed himself to a sit. "It's almost like they grant you a second NEXT ability while you're using them."

Edited 2012-08-23 16:01 (UTC)

"You mean like condensed NEXT power? In a ball?" He would have laughed at such an idea if he hadn't just electrocuted and froze a piece of chicken. "Is that even possible?" Even if it was new technology, he would have thought it would be all over the news or in the newspaper or maybe he would hear about it from a colleague. Discoveries or advancements never stayed quiet long, so if that was the case...

Maybe it was a secret tool made by Ouroboros. Okay, maybe he was being overly dramatic, but it was the only thing that made any kind of sense--Well, except for the fact that he had them. Not to brag, but Wild Tiger considered himself a thorn in their side after upending both Jake Martinez and Maverick.

"D'ah! This is too complicated! I don't understand any of it..." Kotetsu didn't like complicated. He liked simple plots that ended well for everyone. This was not one of them and that soured his mood.

Realizing his partner was trying to get his pants back on, the former Hero moved forward and helped him get his pants back on, still fuming over the possibility that a crime organization had such powerful, and no doubt illegal, weapons as their disposal.

The idea sounded stupid when Kotetsu worded it like that, but Barnaby realized that was essentially what those marbles were. Was it possible, though? Or were they overlooking something and trying to find the easiest way to explain what they had just witnessed? "That's what I'd liked to know," he said with a frown.

Well, that and the answer to every question he had about this awful place and his own memories. Barnaby could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on, but he did his best to ignore it.

When Kotetsu silently helped him get dressed again, Barnaby offered a small nod in thanks. It was nice that he didn't even have to ask for assistance, that they had this kind of understanding between them. It was a connection they had spent a long time developing as partners, and Barnaby didn't take it for granted.

"At any rate," he said as he gestured toward the wheelchair, "we should keep those on hand. They might be useful in combat."

"Yeah--Actually, why don't you hold onto them? Then you can just zap things without having to lift a finger!" Wild Tiger could remain their melee fighter while Barnaby took support--Wait, this was starting to sound like a fantasy movie. Moving on from that weird comparison, the older man placed the marbles into his partner's hands before helping him back into the wheelchair. At this angle, he was able to pick up Barnaby completely. It may have put some strain on his injuries, but it sure didn't last as long when he had struggled to pick him up underneath his arms. That had just been a sad show of feats.

This way, the blond was up and back in his chair in a matter of seconds. Wild Tiger very slowly eased him back into his chair, ignoring the pain in his shoulder and the sweat forming on his brow.

"You know what will cheer you up?" and distract the young man from his partner's own injuries at the same time... He walked to Barnaby's closet and bent down to grab something. When he turned around, he presented them to the blond with a cheerful grin. "Red boots! How can you say no to those? You can't!" Obviously. Plus, Wild Tiger didn't like the idea of Barnaby running--Err, well wheeling and potentially running in case of an emergency--in slippers. There could be glass or something equally gross on the floor!

Although Barnaby was wary of putting that much faith in a couple of marbles they had only used once, he figured it couldn't hurt to hold onto them. As much as he hated to admit it, he would probably benefit from them more than Kotetsu at this point.

They didn't exchange any words as Kotetsu got him situated in the wheelchair. There wasn't any shame in receiving help from his partner, he knew. Barnaby still hoped that this wouldn't become the norm in the coming days and weeks, though. It was going to be difficult for him to pull his weight if he was confined to a wheelchair or had to rely on crutches.

When the other man pulled his boots from the closet, Barnaby reached for them with a remarkably straight face. "I'm surprised my outfit seems to be in one piece after last night," he admitted. As someone who hated credit cards and frivolous spending, he only purchased something after a lot of thought. It was good to know that their captors had either somehow replaced or restored his clothes, even if Barnaby didn't entirely understand or trust their motives.

"Could you hand me my shirt and jacket, too?" he asked as he reached down to pull his boots on and lace them.

"Uh, yeah, sure!" Wild Tiger obediently walked back to his wardrobe and took out both items. He tucked them under his arm and gave them to their rightful owner. It was then that he realized he had forgotten something important; it was was dangling off his neck, catching what little illumination their flashlights brought into the room.

"Oh, whoops. Almost forgot!" Unlatching the necklace from behind, the older man held the gold necklace in his hands. "I uh took it off when you were under the X-Ray machine. You know, in case it messed up the X-Ray.... Guess I forgot to give it back." With his hands pre-occupied with more clothing, Wild Tiger simply leaned over him and placed the jewelry back on his neck.

With both articles of clothing in his arms, he was able to change into more of his customary look, but grew still when Kotetsu slipped the jewelry back onto him. He was pleasantly surprised that he'd kept track of it even though he'd had more pressing concerns at the time, and it showed in the way his eyes softened. "Thank you," he said quietly, "for looking after me." Barnaby knew his partner did a lot for him, often times without a word about it. Maybe it was a selfish thought, but he wasn't sure what he would have done if he'd been brought here alone.

There was still a lot he needed to ask the man. Unfortunately, that would all have to wait.

Barnaby made quick work of shedding his frumpy grey shirt and replaced it with his own clothes. Even if the pants were still wrong, just having something familiar on his body put him more at ease. It gave him a sense of control that he sorely lacked during the day -- even if the more rational part of him understood that such comforts provided a false sense of security at best, and were only here because their captors had decided he was somehow worthy of their "benevolence".

Regardless, his own clothes were much more practical than the Landel's-issued pajamas, and Barnaby intended to make use of them. When he was finished changing, he readjusted his glasses. Then, looking up at Kotetsu, he grew quiet for a moment -- the only outward sign of his hesitation.

"I'm assuming you're going to the X-Ray room," he said. There was the unasked question of whether Kotetsu intended for them to go together. Barnaby realized he may have been counting on using those strange marbles to heal him. That plan had been a spectacular failure, which meant he was still largely confined to a wheelchair unless he activated his Hundred Power. In this state, he could be more of a liability than a help to his partner.

Part of Barnaby wondered if Kotetsu would be better off if he left him here, and yet the thought made him feel as though someone had reached into his chest and started squeezing his heart until it was hard to take a deep breath. He knew he needed to try to remain objective about this, though, which meant preparing himself for the possibility of staying behind after all.

Barnaby's gratitude pulled a goofy grin onto the older man's face. His partner could be so cute sometimes; it was a shame the rest of the world rarely saw this side of him. But that quiet thanks gave way to more troubling matters that the blond seemed conflicted with. His bright smile left him momentarily as he squatted down in front of Barnaby so they would be closer to eye level with each other.

"Yeah, I figured. Seems like the best place to start looking for a cure or... something..." Frankly, Wild Tiger really didn't have anything planned outside of helping his partner. If he got any further than that, he was going to celebrate it as an overchievement. With his partner's mood, though, the older man kind of wanted to stay in tonight and just sit by Barnaby, but they both knew that wasn't going to help anything. The more time they wasted, the more likely one of them would turn and then the other would be lost.

"Here--" Wild Tiger beckoned, placing his hand on top of his partner's. Together they were a stark contrast, but the horrible red of their rashes made them similar. "You're going to be navigator extraordinaire of this mission since I can't even make it to work without getting lost." Which wasn't exactly true, but it sure did seem like that most days when he made detours to help citizens along the way. Taking his folded up maps, the former Hero turned his pale hand over and placed them in his partner's palm.

The darker hand felt heavy and warm on top of his own. Under normal circumstances, it might have just been a little comforting, but the rash on both their arms mostly served to steel Barnaby's determination. The stakes were high, and they both had too much to lose if they didn't act now.

But more importantly, the two of them were going into this together. Although Barnaby would never admit as much out loud, he was not only relieved to get some confirmation that Kotetsu didn't intend to leave him behind, but also quite pleased to learn that he was still counting on him despite his injuries. He didn't want to think about how he would have felt if Kotetsu had decided to move on without him.

Instead, Barnaby fought to keep his mouth from pulling into a smile. He busied himself with glancing over the maps. "That is true," he remarked. "I suppose it can't be helped, then." Of course, if they were headed for the x-ray room, Barnaby didn't exactly need his maps. He remembered the way from last night well enough. As he tucked the papers inside of his jacket, he glanced toward his partner. "If you'd get my flashlight, please."

Wild Tiger handed his partner his own for convenience's sake and went to fetch the other from Barnaby's lockbox. "Okay, got the maps, got the flashlights, got your boots, got my mask, got magical balls! Alright! Let's go!"

Unfortunately, their departure wasn't as dramatic and powerful as his award-winning speech. He had to move behind his partner to push him, but the thing was stuck! After a moment of squabbling, the blond unlatched the wheels and they were once again in motion! ... Until he almost threw Barnaby into his roommate's bed. And then he had to pull him back, open the door, and then hold it open for him so the young man could wheel himself out.

But of course, there wasn't hardly enough room for a wheelchair and a very loyal partner to hold the door open with his person, so his foot took the brunt of a wheel as thanks. It was the worst Hero departure ever. He was so thankful for once there were no cameras on either of them.

[To here]

Edited 2012-08-27 23:13 (UTC)

Night 65: M11-M20 Hallway

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