damned_institute | Night 68: F11-F20 Hallway

For a brief moment following the blast, he'd been worried that some monster had gotten into the room, however Tsubaki's exchange with her roommate made it sound as though the only danger there had been from within.

He snorted when asked if he was all right and, after momentarily allowing the assist from the newcomer, pulled off from both girls. Tsubaki worrying over him was enough without having someone he didn't know doing the same. He gave his head one more shake to clear his vision before setting a look - his usual glare - onto the new girl and glancing her over. She was not someone he'd seen before, either in the Institute or as Tsubaki's roommate.

Another release, huh?

"You did that?" he asked, keeping his other thoughts to himself. Blasting air and shooting fire... he knew those things could happen, but this was the first he'd had to deal with them from another patient. If it had been fire, chances were he'd have reacted better, but that was besides the point. "If you've got the energy to use your powers here, then don't waste it so quickly. Know what you're firing at, at least," he warned.

Never-minding the monsters, there were patients there that could give her trouble if she reacted like that too often.

Shoot fire?

Tsubaki's heart tripped up at the very thought. Kurogane was already weak from the infection; having her new roommate go off on an offensive blitz like that on the night she was supposed to give him the cure would be outrageously bad luck... Concerned, she looked Kurogane over. The fact that he was still human was a good sign, but it was hard to tell just how bad the illness was getting after so many days. Not to mention Kurogane's other injuries.

"This is Korra-san," Tsubaki introduced quickly, following Kurogane to his feet. "She recently arrived. Korra-san, this is Kurogane-san--he's from the male rooms. They're not too far away from our block." As she spoke, she gave the man another uncertain glance. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, I get it." Korra pouted in response to Kurogane's warning, folding her arms over her chest. She didn't need this grouchy guy telling her when she could and couldn't do. And it wasn't like she randomly picked an element. Impulsive as she was, the Avatar had developed a certain level of self-restraint thanks to recent events. She wasn't about to fry something unless she knew it was the enemy for sure.

Upon Tsubaki's introductions, Korra tipped her head up in an acknowledging nod to Kurogane. She didn't see why Tsubaki was so worried. She'd realized that she'd screwed up within a moment of reacting, and it hadn't been a full-power blast. If nothing else, Kurogane looked like he could take a hit.

He wanted to tell Tsubaki to stop asking him that, but had the feeling saying as much would only worry her further and invite more questions. He was fine enough for having just gotten blasted, but he hadn't been completely well for the better part of a week. That was the reason he'd come to her room, and she knew it

Snorting again, he first returned Korra's nod silently before partially answering Tsubaki, "You think this flower thing works?"

Guy had sounded sure enough in speaking about his friends, however the fact stood that Landel had been the one to expose it as a cure. There was little trust Kurogane could manage where that man was concerned, meanwhile Tsubaki was the person there he trusted the most. He wanted to know what she thought before he did anything.

If Korra's special attack had done more damage than Kurogane's body language let on, Tsubaki was obviously going to have to see for herself, though the man didn't make her scrutiny very easy. Just because there seemed to be no hard feelings didn't mean there wasn't any bruised bones or the like, but she didn't think Kurogane would like the idea of taking the healing salve she had...

But Kurogane was on his feet, however, and that was a good sign. Good enough to put the problem of the infection first.

"I've talked to people who have said they've seen it do what they say," Tsubaki replied, looking up at him. She realized Korra probably wouldn't understand what they were talking about, but there would be time later to explain things to her. "And I tried a little bit, myself. I don't know what it will do for you, but nothing strange has happened to me so far..."

Besides what might or might be happening in her body thanks to the nurse's infection, but she wasn't about to bring that up.

"Here, I have them in the room." Tsubaki retreated and came back out with one of the flowers. "I'm not sure if there's a dosage or not."

Korra only folded her arms, standing back and watching. She had no idea what was going on, but could at least tell that now wasn't the time to ask. This Kurogane guy didn't seem to pleased with Tsubaki's concerns. Korra didn't really blame him. She hadn't hit him that hard...

"Anything I can do? Actually- you got any water?"

If Grumpy really had been hurt, she could at least heal him a bit.

"It's the same for me. I heard from another that his friends were doing better, and still were after a few days."

Word of mouth, that was all either one of them had, however Tsubaki had accepted the risk already, claiming to have tried to flower. "So you just ate some, right?" he wondered, watching between the flower and her.

Except for being a bit more worried than normal, she appeared to be her usual self though, like him, she may have been hiding more than he realized. He liked to count on the fact that she would act like the ninja she claimed to be, but there were times where he had to accept what else her profession implied.

The other girl was speaking up now, asking to do something. He wondered what, if anything Tsubaki had told her about the current illness before changing his thoughts when she asked for water. Was she thirsty or something?

"Yes," she said in answer to Kurogane's question, nodding. "I was told all you have to do is ingest it..."

A strange cure from the man who'd created the illness in the first place, but what other choice did they have? If it stopped the symptoms and prevented people from going through the transformations, taking it was the only option, no matter why Landel had let them find it in the first place.

She looked to Korra, feeling somewhat guilty that the girl had been dragged into all of this. "Water? Um, my drink with dinner was water, but the stuff that comes out of the pipes at night isn't very clean."

"Ah, darn. Forget it, then." It was easy to forget that nobody here knew what bending was. And dirty water was no good for healing; for all Korra knew, it would only make wounds worse.

She leaned against the wall of the hallway, folding her arms as she watched Kurogane and Tsubaki discuss... some kind of cure? Then it clicked- maybe this was the thing she had mentioned earlier at dinner? The thing that was making other prisoners transform and go out of their minds? That made sense.

Rather, it made as much sense as anything did, here.

"So uh... Are you guys okay if I get going?" She pointed over her shoulder down the hallway. Korra hated being so still. There was no reason for her to stand around. She had her bending back, and she was sure she could manage anything this place threw at her. "Anything else I outta know?"

Eating a flower. Kurogane had tried stranger things on other worlds before, some of which he never wanted to taste again, but a flower hadn't been among those. Nothing had even been quite so risky during the other times either.

He was out of options though, and if Tsubaki had been daring enough to take the risk, then he would be as well. He accepted the yellow flower with a nod and a soft, "Thanks."

If nothing more, he had at least tried. And if it didn't work, there was no loss. Now he just had to go figure out if the magician had waited on him.

"If you've talked to her, you should know enough," he provided, giving a nod to Tsubaki. "Whether or not you listen is your choice. Don't do anything reckless, and be careful," he added for both before starting to leave, flower in hand.

[running away]

Whatever her new roommate intended to do with water would remain a mystery with everyone so quick to get a move on, or so it seemed. She glanced between Korra and Kurogane, not sure who to start with first. Wasn't Kurogane going to take the cure in front of someone in case something went wrong!?

Talk about reckless...

"You be careful, too!" Tsubaki called after him. She took a step toward him, but the thought of Leanne kept her from following him. "Find someone if you don't feel well!"

On the plus side, Sora had undergone his transformations quickly and violently once night had fallen; Kurogane was probably safe from that fate for one night, and hopefully for good if the flower did its job...

With Kurogane hurrying his way out, that just left Korra. "Oh, Korra-san... I'm sorry there was no time to explain things better," she said to the other girl. "What are you going to do? Do you have a plan in mind?"

"Don't worry about it! I uh..." Korra glanced over her shoulder, watching Kurogane go. Friendly guy. "I figured I'd just take a look around, get a feel for where everything is."

If she was afraid, she wasn't letting it show. Korra had never been one to take a situation seriously until it absolutely demanded it. She would get her rude awakening soon enough.

"I don't wanna get in your way, if you have any plans."

Tsubaki released a breath and waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. Guilt nagged at her; she felt like she was being pulled in too many directions to really help anyone. "Oh, it's not that at all, I would feel safer going with you. That way my having been around so long could be of some use. But I have to deliver another of those flowers before too long. They're... medicinal, for lack of a better word," she said with some thought. "It might be easier for you to look around here. This side of the building tends to be quieter, most of the time."

Taking Korra upstairs to the morgue was just out of the question. She couldn't put the poor girl through something like that, and truth be told, looking around on this floor would probably be safer than the alternative. Or as safe as the Institute ever got.

"Did you find your flashlight already? And if you have any experience with knives, I can lend you some. Just in case."

Arming her roommate up seemed so crass on the outside, but Landel's Institute wasn't a place that went easy on people, physically or mentally.

Korra listened to Tsubaki's explanation of the flowers and nodded in the right places. But a flashlight? She shook her head.

"No, where is it?" She was already on the move, poking her head back into their bedroom. "I've never used a knife before. I'll be fine with just my bending... powers."

"Here, it should be under your pillow, I'd imagine," Tsubaki said, following Korra back into their room. "Besides the flashlights, the lights don't often work, so it can get dark out there..."

Without knowing more about her, Tsubaki couldn't really say anything against Korra's skills or whether or not they'd truly serve her well with the Institute's restrictions in place, but she sincerely hoped Korra wouldn't find a reason to test them out. They could all use a quiet, uneventful night.

"I'm not sure what kind of power that is... Um, you've probably already heard that people come from a lot of different places." If in Korra's world, bending abilities meant shooting fire and hitting people with gusts of air, then perhaps Korra had other fighting skills that would keep her safe? The alternative was that Korra was going to be in ample danger, and Tsubaki didn't want to think she was leaving the girl unprepared. She hesitated, then nodded. "If you're sure about the weapon."

Korra could easily just light some fire in her hand, but an electric light would be more efficient. She fished under her pillow, pulling out the flashlight and flicking it on and off to make sure it worked.

But why would they put a flashlight there? Why would they make it easier? Did they want them to go out? It was spooky.

"Yeah, sorry, it's a habit, calling it bending. I'll get used to all these other worlds soon enough. It's a fighting style that controls the elements. I'm the Avatar, so I can do all four." She shot a grin at Tsubaki, one of her first hints of a true smile since arriving. "So I'll be fine, just as long as I have it!"

At the very least, Korra seemed to be accommodating the news of other worlds with relative ease. Perhaps it wasn't such a strange thought wherever she came from?

Unfortunately, Tsubaki had only guess work to go by, and that included trying to figure out what an Avatar was supposed to be in the context of what Korra was talking about. She thought it best not to ask. There would be time to have a longer talk later, if need be. "Be careful, either way... Relying on your native power can get risky..."

Korra's 'explanation' had been far from stellar, as she soon realized from the perplexed look on Tsubaki's face. How alien could it all possibly be? They didn't have elements in Tsubaki's world? Did they call them something else?

Either way, she was starting to sound like Tenzin. How relying on her abilities could lead to trouble. As always, she only heeded the warning with half an ear.

"Yeah, I'll be careful!" Reassuring words and little more. "I think I'm all set to head out, now, you alright with that?"

Ha... What did it say that Korra, who was still so new, was the one asking her if she was all right with Korra leaving for the night?

Worry kicked hard in her stomach, but she forced a small, encouraging smile and nodded. "I should go, too. Watch yourself out there."

Korra nodded, a confident smile on her face. She turned down the hallway with her flashlight, and set off into the night.

Night 68: F11-F20 Hallway

Re: F15

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