damned_institute | NIGHTSHIFT 28: M31-M40 HALLWAY

Luffy took the apples with a bright expression, and he trailed after Usopp as he greedily took a bite out of one of them. They weren't the best apples in the world, but considering how little he'd eaten earlier, they might as well have been.

"That sucks they took all your weapons," he said to Usopp with a full mouth. "But at least you look cool, right?" Looking cool was pretty important, after all! Despite that, though, it didn't really occur to him that maybe his own stuff was waiting for him in his own room. While it'd be cool if he got his old vest and shorts back, Luffy already had his hat, which was the most important thing.

In comparison to his most prized possession, clothes were only kind of important. Hell, Landel's could make him fight monsters naked for all Luffy cared, as long as he had his hat.

Still, he was glad to see Usopp get some of stuff back without being turned into a puppet or anything nasty like that. Luffy smiled brightly, giving the sharpshooter a thumbs up.

"The bathrooms, huh?" he echoed as he stepped out of the room and stood beside Usopp. "But there aren't any bathrooms in the kitchen, and we need some tasty answers too. I mean, we might as well take some metal from the kitchen if we're gonna be there anyhow, right?" It'd be like going into the kitchen and not taking food! Luffy couldn't fathom the idea.

Zoro snorted, though whether it was for Nami's sharp smile, Sanji's confused babbling, Usopp's revelation, Luffy's logic, or a mixture of all of the above, one couldn't be sure.

"Hn..." Zoro scratched his cheek, head cocked up as if he was trying to remember something. "You mean the pipes under the sinks could make a sword? I had two of those last night. Wonder where they went..."

If that was the case then their hunt for metal would be significantly easier. If Zoro's sense of direction wasn't messing with him again, there was a bathroom on the way to the kitchen.

But still. Eager as he was to get his hands on a sword (or two, or three) Zoro was going to leave the issue to the group. He too was interested to find out what was so intriguing about the kitchen. If there were answers or food or treasure or whatever the hell else, there might even be some weapons there. And finding swords would be much quicker than having them made.

"So where're we going?" Zoro questioned out loud in an undoubtedly neutral tone. He paused before putting forth his second question with all the straightforwardness of a sword to the gut. "And what're we going to do with curly brow over there? We gunna dunk his head in water until he starts makes sense or what?"

Not that Sanji ever made sense to Zoro but that just meant holding the chef's head underwater longer. If they went with his idea.

"Yes, you better behave," Nami said to Sanji, altogether too aware of his arm creeping around her shoulder. It was necessary to hold him up, though it was easier once she had accepted Usopp's pole.

"Thanks, Usopp," she said, looking the sniper up and down. His dress had changed considerably, but not very obviously so. The makeshift bandana hadn't suited him as much as this one did, and the goggles were terrifically Usopp. "But wouldn't it not matter, since we're all dressed in the clothes from the trip outside? If you like wearing that better.."

She shrugged. Usopp could suit himself, and she really wasn't interested in wasting more time. Even if the mystery of how his clothes had appeared in his closet was one that needed answers desperately, there were things that needed to be done.

"I'm going to the lower floor," she asserted. "Sanji-kun, are you going to be all right to walk? We could send you and someone on a trip to the bathrooms for metal for - whatever this weapon program is that they're talking about, if you're not up to going downstairs. If you feel like you're going to get your bearings back, then come with us."

Oh, why, why, why wasn't Chopper here?!

Sanji glared at Zoro. "I'll dunk you," he growled, pointing a finger at the swordsman. He wished his rival would step just a bit closer so that he could shove a foot in his smug face.

His expression changed once Usopp stepped back out his room in that odd mix of clothing, giving the sniper a short guffaw. He couldn't help but wonder if his clothes were back in his room as well, which made him want to go check right away. Nami, however, had other plans in mind and he wasn't going to get in the way of them. He was already a hindrance as it stood.

Very reluctantly, he pulled back away from the navigator again, leaning a hand against the wall. He gave her a grin. "I can do it," he replied in response to her question about walking. "S'long as there's a wall. I'm sure I'll be back on my feet properly in no time."

Usopp blinked guilelessly at Nami's point. Sure, he knew those were his real clothes... but the only other people in the whole building who'd also recognize them were all standing right in this hallway and knew he wasn't brainwashed. So what was the death plot behind giving back his clothes?

"W-well, if we get dirty, at least it'll be these clothes instead of the other... don't laugh, Sanji, at least I'm not drugged!" He put his hands on his hips, then sighed, not really able to maintain any indignation against a guy who was obviously not in his right mind.

"Listen, Nami? I have a great idea. How about Sanji and I go look for metal for Zoro's sword... for alchemy... while you, Luffy, and Zoro check out the kitchen?" Usopp offered. It was definitely a great idea, and not his terror of what might lie below the kitchen. No sirree. Not terror.

Luffy just laughed at everyone's banter and antics. He was practically on top of the world with his friends at his side like this. True, Chopper and Robin (and that mysterious blue-haired guy) weren't here, but Luffy liked to think that maybe they were teaming up to get them out of here. After all, Robin and Chopper were pretty smart and strong! (And he was pretty sure that blue-haired man sounded like he was at least super-strong.) They'd work something out, right?

Either way, it made the past couple of weeks seem totally worth it, having everyone else around now. True, it sucked that they'd been captured in the first place, but Luffy was confident that they'd make things work out somehow.

Up until this point, he'd been watching everyone with a terribly amused, happy expression, but it mellowed out a bit once it sounded like they were about to get moving. "I think we should all go to the kitchen together!" he responded brightly. "Five people looking for Tasty Answers is better than three. Besides, we haven't gone on an adventure together in ages! It'll be fun!"

"Yeah? With what, your noodle legs?" Zoro taunted, terribly composed for someone who was radiating an almost threatening aura in Sanji's direction.

The unspoken challenge cooled significantly when Luffy spoke up. It really didn't matter to Zoro where he was going but now that their captain had proposed a destination the issue was pretty much resolved. The captain determined the course, the navigator set it. It was that simple in Zoro's opinion.

"The kitchen then," He shrugged, uncrossing his arms and putting his hands back into his pockets.

"Right, the kitchen," Nami said cheerfully, looking at Usopp. "I'm assuming you'll both be coming along?" They all knew that if Luffy had his mind set on something, they really had no choice but to follow. And while the thought of getting metal for this 'alchemy' was one thing, there was bound to be metal in the kitchen anyway.

"We're going then." She was mentally going over the map Usopp had given her earlier, and she'd already decided a direction for them to go. Thankfully, the course she'd chosen would have walls - and just as thankfully, there should be as few monsters as possible. The flying ones seemed to have gathered around the front, of course - so five people scurrying along the wall in the back wouldn't be such a big deal.

"This way," Nami said, holding Sanji up with one arm and the closet pole Usopp had given her with the other, and walking out of the hall.

[ to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/253623.html?thread=19417271#t19417271) ]

NIGHTSHIFT 28: M31-M40 HALLWAY

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