damned_institute | Nightshift 27: Hallway outside of M1-M40 block

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Hisoka slowed down the moment he walked through the door, his eyes sweeping the halls for any monsters that may have been lurking before anything. He had done the same after walking through each of the doors, but never as thorough (he had been in a hurry, after all). During his search, the boy caught sight of a man (who just had to have silver hair) and considering he was the only one waiting, Hisoka approached with a bit of caution in mind.

"I'm sorry I'm late, are you waiting for Matsumoto-san?"

At least the boy wasn't as young as the children he'd had to deal with throughout most of the day. He was thin and had a delicate face, but Gin knew better than to assume that meant much of anything. He nodded his head slightly in greeting. The boy seemed somewhat apprehensive, but that wasn't uncommon for people he was meeting for the first time.

"An' you must be Kurosaki-kun," he smiled. "M' Ichimaru Gin." He wasn't sure why he'd been placed in a group with the boy, but he wasn't about to let his guard down.

Hisoka nodded in return. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he replied formally before falling silent. Although the boy was no longer showing any signs of caution, Gin's smile did not to set him at ease in the least. Smiles were easy masks and Hisoka had no inclination to trust them.

"Have you been here long?"

"Few days," he admitted, as he went back to leaning against the wall. He wasn't sure if that qualified as "long" or not.

"Any ideas 'bout what we'll be doin' tonight?" he asked. Rangiku probably had the details, but there was always a chance they'd told the boy. He wasn't sure just how much they were keeping from him, so it couldn't hurt to ask. If they needed two ranking officers, well, one ranking officer and a former captain, it was possible it would be dangerous. Though, it was hard to tell with the kid. Could he handle himself in a fight?

A few days...? This guy must have arrived sometime after Hisoka had because-- Suddenly it clicked, where he had seen this guy before. This was the guy Renji had thrown his tray at (after he had stolen it, but that was beside the point). That had been almost a week ago though, Hisoka doubted that whatever the guy had done mattered much anymore. Unless it was really bad, but then again, Matsumoto worked for Histugaya who knew Renji... If this guy was on their badlist why let him tag along?

He shook his head at the other man's question, though also to dislodge the whirlwind of thoughts in his head. "I wasn't given any details besides to meet here."

No other details. That or what he had he wasn't sharing. Either way, he was no closer to finding out where they were supposed to go or what they were doing. He let out a sigh. "Ara, guess we'll find out soon enough, ne?"

Ran had to have orders or this whole thing was pretty pointless. The Arts and Crafts seemed pretty limited in what they did so far. It would likely be map making or raiding a room for supplies. Though he had to wonder, since they'd not seen fit to list it on the board. It was possible he was walking right into a trap.

"So," Gin said, smile still on his lips. There wasn't much else to do so he might as well find out what he could about the kid he was going to be working with. "What is it ya do? Or I guess what ya did. 'fore you got here?"

Hisoka nodded. Whenever Matsumoto finished with whatever she (he?) had to do then maybe they could get started with their mission... Though Hisoka was hoping it had something to do with collecting metal, he really doubted the alchemists enjoyed being put on hold for one person just because they couldn't get a sufficient amount of metal for them.

"A few odd jobs here and there," Hisoka replied in answer to Gin's question. It wasn't a lie either considering how many jobs he had taken in effort to get closer to the soul they needed to guide. "How about you?"

In other words, he didn't want to say. Gin was no slouch when it came to reading a person. It was part of what made him and Aizen so dangerous to the others. They'd predicted just how the shinigami would react, just what they'd do and how.

Gin, on the other hand, had nothing to really hide in saying what he was. And if the boy worked for Abarai and the rest, he probably already knew. "Same as Abarai, Kuchiki, an' the others. They explain that to ya yet?" His smile turned up into a crooked smirk.

Hisoka studied the other man for a moment, his face blank before he gave the man a nod. He knew what Renji was thanks to the encounter during their first dinnershift, there was no getting around that, it also explained how Renji knew this guy.

"Then you should know what I am as well," Hisoka shrugged. The only reason he didn't want to elaborate was because (as much as he nettled Tatsumi on the first day) he really didn't want to expose what he was. Too make people lost their minds in the face of shinigami regeneration and the rest of the works, he could never be too careful.

Interesting. If the boy was implying what he seemed to be, then he would probably be much more useful than Gin had thought. On the other hand, he didn't seem to know who Gin was. Which either meant he didn't pay much attention in Soul Society or he was from another type of afterlife altogether.

"Then I guess I don' have t'worry too much 'bout you gettin' in over your head," he smiled.

The smile was doing little to gain the boy's trust. It was too constant and it was setting the boy on edge, not that he'd let that ever show. If anything, Hisoka could now understand why Renji would throw a tray at him, if only to get the smile to disappear for a second. Not that that he believed was the reason

The boy nodded slightly. "I suppose."

Not exactly talkative. He'd worked with worse before though. Trying to get someone like Kaname to talk could be very, very frustrating. Then again, he couldn't say it hadn't been fun to frustrate Homura for a while by keeping a tight grip on the information he did have. Though the man did still have a couple of favors left to call in.

"So what d'you make of this place?" he asked casually. Opinions varied, but most were fairly similar. And, if nothing else, it could give them something to talk about.

The boy shrugged, looking around the darkened halls as if to wordlessly show the other man just how odd his question was. What did he make of this place? Did he really have to ask?

"It could be worse." There could be demons (actual demons) lurking in the darkness or silver haired, grinning men could be running around giving little boys nightmares. Oh wait.

No sense of humor this one. No fun at all. What was taking Ran so long anyway? True, it was like her to be a little slow sometimes, but not when it was important. He shrugged his shoulders as thought to say it didn't really matter.

"Jus' hear a lotta different opinions. On who's runnin' things, what oughta be done, that sorta thing. Everyone's got their theories, ne?" He crossed his arms over his thin chest as he leaned back against the wall. "We c'n always talk 'bout somethin' else if that don't interest ya."

Something else indeed, like the bats coming at them from overhead. A pair of the creatures flew down from the dark, frenzied by the scent of blood that filled the Institute. Their mouths open, their fangs bared, they flew without hesitation, one of the massive creatures coming at each of the pair, ravenous hunger driving them forward.

[Tad]

Of course everyone had their theory, being left with nothing to do but that usually resulted in insanity, restless recklessness or endless fun with the Blaming Game. Generally people killed more time with the latter of the three.

Before Hisoka could reply to Gin though, the scent of rotting flesh accompanied with the sound of wings filled the hall. Well fuck. It was official now, traveling in groups was cursed. The boy whirled around, shining his flashlight towards the direction of both sound and smell as he readied the metal bar. He was getting something done tonight, dammit!

Annoying. Wasn't it supposed to be fairly quiet near the rooms? Gin was ready long before the bats swooped in. He held his light in one hand and his drawn weapon in the other. It wasn't long before one was in range and he struck out with his knife, leaving room to backpedal if he needed to.

"S'pose this's as good a way t'pass th' time as any, ne?" he smirked in spite of the new threat.

Both bats yowled as Hisoka's light nearly found them, diverting their paths to escape the beam. Perhaps it was this that saved the one, Gin's knife slicing not through the chest of the beast, but only its leg. Another howl, high and sharp, and the creature flew back with ooze leaking from its body.

It was dangerous, so dangerous to miss such feral creatures. Injury only made them fight harder, and they came again, teeth bared to seek flesh.

Whatever it was did not like the light. At all. This was a good thing to keep in mind as the things shrieked piercingly before they swooped around again. Waiting until the damn thing was close enough, Hisoka turned the beam of light on it again before swinging the bar forcefully.

Just die!

Hisoka seemed to have noticed exactly the same thing Gin had. The creatures didn't like the light. Whether that was a one-time reaction or not remained to be seen, but it was a start. Really, it shouldn't take them long to dispatch of the things. He'd prefer not to resort to kidou just to take hold of the obnoxious things, so he gripped the knife tighter in his hand and waited.

Unlike Hisoka, he kept his light where he could see the creature, but didn't focus directly on it. It ought to be easier to avoid another miss that way. Again, he waited until the creature was near enough, then struck.

Clever men, too clever for the pair that had attacked it. Without getting in any damage at all, it seemed they'd both die, the first as Hisoka's bar struck its side with a loud crack, the second as Gin's knife ripped into its chest.

No near escapes this time.

Two half-rotten carcasses fell to the ground, broken open and bleeding. The stench filled the air, calling to who knew what else in that horrid place?

And then they were down, presumably dead ~~for a second time, if the smell was anything to go by~~. It was too easy. Monsters in this place weren't that easy to kill and if they were then that meant that there were other, much stronger things that had to be lurking nearby.

The smell alone could probably call something from a fifty foot radius, too.

"There will be more."

The smile never faded from Gin's lips, though he knew the truth in Kurosaki's words. The smell alone was probably enough to attract some of the other things around here. And he'd much prefer they were well on their way by that time. They could stay here and be sitting ducks, or they could move. He didn't want to consider the possibility that Ran might catch up at the wrong moment. They'd have to find her and then get moving. Much as Gin hated to use his kidou for something so basic...

"Guess we'll be meetin' up with Ran sooner n' she planned." Gin replied. It only took a moment of concentration, but his headache returned at that, throbbing painfully at his temples. It was enough though, to track her, trace her spirit thread to the source. "This way."

[[Here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/219738.html?thread=16461146#t16461146)]]

Nightshift 27: Hallway outside of M1-M40 block

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