Night 66: West Wing, South Hall 1-A

[dualistic]

[From here.]

This was a trip that had gotten old ages ago, and so Harvey tried to make it as short as possible by falling into a brisk walk. He didn't go so far as to jog, since he didn't need to tire himself out before the action even started, but it was a good idea to save time where he could.

All of that was made very easy by the fact that there weren't any other patients around. He didn't know if it was because they were busy going through a painful transformation into some deadly monster, but if that was it, then he also wanted to get to a more open area sooner rather than later.

Harvey reached the end of the hall and rounded the corner into the main hall.

[To here.]

Comments

[awokentospring]

It heartened Lee that Facilier did not see him as a burden. Lee was supposed to be a dependable fighter! But if he couldn't stay on top of things after just one fight, he might have to adjust his fighting style in the coming days.

Lee was still as he could be, fingers twitching only now and then. Facilier wasn't doing half bad a job, actually, with only using his hands. Still, the shinobi thought it ironic that they were just a few steps away from a nurse's station that they couldn't access for the proper tools for the job.

Facilier's words were confusing, but Lee did as he was told, stretching out his arm and his hand. What happened next made his eyes grow even rounder than they were naturally. It was like mysterious spider arms materializing and picking the tiniest pieces of glass out of his hand. Lee's mouth fell open in awe.

"That is an amazing jutsu..." he whispered.

[doctor_voodoo]

"...Hmm?" Facilier had been occupied with keeping a look-out for any unwanted witnesses when he heard Lee whisper in the darkness. Perking his eyebrow up, the Bokor turned to find an astonished shinobi with eyes so wide they were round as large dinner plates. The sight was so comical that Facilier nearly choked out in laughter at it! "Justu...?"

It was then that Facilier realized that Lee had been referring to his Shadow. Jutsu must have been another name for magic back where Lee came from. Just seeing that lofty state of stupefied awe in Lee's comical eyes brought a deeply flattered smile to Facilier's face.

"Ah, you mean my Shadow partner here?" he chuckled, his bad mood lifting from Lee's compliment. Most people would recoil in horror at the very hint of a shadow moving on its own, he been afraid of getting the same reaction from the boy. Yet as gullible and quirky-looking as he was, Rock lee was still surprising the Bokor with his potential as the perfect minion! Shaking his head with a mirthful smirk, Facilier placed his long finger beneath Lee's chin and gently pushed it up to close his gaping mouth. "You sure know good magic when you sees it!" he added with a chortle as he withdrew his hand.

The Shadow grinned a curled smile and tipped its hat to Lee before taking out the last splinter in the ninja's hand. As the dark entity submerged half of its flexible form into the shadows, Facilier pocketed one of the bloodier glass pieces into his coat before whipping out a handkerchief to wrap around Lee's injured hand.

"My Shadow is all that is left of my power before I found myself here," Facilier explained, carefully tying a knot in the cloth to apply enough pressure to help stop the bleeding. "It is a very good friend to have in my magical craft, but sadly it is not appreciated so well by most others..."

Sighing a little, Facilier shifted over to sit against the wall next to Lee. "You see, most people are afraid of things they don't understand, and my Shadow here certainly fits the bill of the unknown category..." he said as his Shadow mimed a saddened expression behind his shoulder. "So people go on thinking that it's a bad thing and they act in the most unreasonable fashions towards it!" he complained with a flustered gesture of his hands. "Considering the great things I can do for people, it is most unfortunate that my Shadow and I don't get much in return! So I have to keep it under wraps, if y'all get my drift..."

Of course, the Shadow Man's words were all but a nasty lie wrapped up in an irresistible layering of emotional pleading; all of which to serve the purpose of getting Lee to cooperate beneath his shadowy wing. Facilier was good at serving up such methods of persuasion, and he knew Lee was the type to eat it all up without question. "But because you have shown yourself to be a most honorable shinobi," he said with a sprinkling of flattering, "I am granting you the privilege of seeing my last bit of power, but on one condition..."

It was then that Facilier tilted his head to look Lee right in the eye. "You don't say a single word about my Shadow friend here to anyone else. Not everyone will be as bravely accepting about it as you are..." he said, his voice dropping to a solemn purr, "I have to keep my friend safe, you understand me...?"

[awokentospring]

Magic! Again! Not jutsu! But it was still somewhat similar, just as Lloyd's and Flora's skills had been. As someone who was an intense studier of jutsu back home, Lee found all of these amazing new powers fascinating. When the Shadow smiled at him, Lee found himself smiling back. If he wasn't being told by Facilier himself that what he saw was real, then Lee might have thought it was because he had hit his head too hard.

Lee listened with rapt attention to Facilier's story, feeling some sadness for the man and his Shadow. How strange it must be to have people think you are bad just because you are born with a skill or special power! But prejudice was everywhere and often in places where it made sense the least. Lee nodded, though he quickly stopped and grimaced when his visions started blurring.

"Y-yes, I understand. I would never break the confidence of a friend!" Lee smiled weakly but with honestly. "I will not say a work about your Shadow, I swear on my Will of Fire!"

Then Lee attempted to stand, and he managed remarkably well with only a bit of teetering. Then, with his bleeding hand, he reached for one of his sleeves and ripped it easily from the seams of his shirt. Balling the cloth in his hand, he hoped it might help stop the rest of the bleeding somewhat so they could continue on without any more delays. "Where shall we head next?"

[doctor_voodoo]

Facilier smiled. "Thank you, dear boy! My Shadow friend and I are relieved by your understanding..." Lee was such a delightfully gullible boy! Unlike a certain Lingormr fellow he knew...

The Shadow Man did have to repress a frown from showing up on his face as he watched Lee add his own torn cloth to the handkerchief Facilier had tied to his wounded hand. By now both make-shift bandages were irreversibly stained with blood. There went a perfectly good handkerchief that didn't come cheap back in New Orleans...

Oh well, at least Lee took in Facilier's fib without question, and already he was chomping down on the bit! Facilier got to his feet much faster than Lee, placing his boney hands on the boy's shoulders to keep him steady. "Ready to go already? My, what courageous energy you gots there!" Facilier exclaimed with a chuckle, "Well, from what I've studied from my copies of the institute maps, I say we take a look upstairs!" To further emphasize his plans, Facilier swung up his cane and jabbed its end at the ceiling. "There may be some useful supplies up there that we can gather..."

Without further delay or guilt over Hakkai's death, Facilier lead Lee onwards towards the Main hall with his sinister Shadow following close behind.

[To here.]