damned_institute | Nightshift 28: Main Hallway, 1-East

[[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/253377.html?thread=19121345#t19121345).]]

As they moved, Hokuto touched the nail-polish bottle in her pocket and managed a slight smile; it looked like she'd get to hide it somewhere safe tonight. Yes, through it all, she honestly felt better if she could keep up her manicure... in her defense, it was a distraction.

Momo nodded to Rangiku as they passed her and quickly turned down the next hallway. She wanted her sword.

[to here] (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/258126.html")

[they really go here] (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/258126.html)

[To Here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/258126.html)]

Closer still. He could definitely make out voices now - further ahead in the main hallway. The grip on his screwdriver loosened. These would be patients, hopefully allies. He didn't want to come off as a threat when he approached them.

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/252942.html?thread=19176462#t19176462)]
Closer to her room. So far, so good. Despite her burned arm, Jean moved swiftly down the corridor to where the women patients were kept. The sooner she was armed, the better.

Not to mention who knew if Xelloss and Ururu were kept waiting. Jean realized she hadn't even asked for descriptions so they could gather easily. That wasn't good.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/258126.html)]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/252942.html?thread=19197966#t19197966)]

Undaunted by the darkness, Hiei pressed onward, not slowing even as his lungs began to burn. Time was what mattered now, and he wouldn't give Kurikara anything to complain about in the morning.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/253623.html?thread=19199415#t19199415)]

[[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/253623.html?thread=19201719#t19201719)]]

She'd been here recently, but there was still further to go. He paused every now and again, shaking his flashlight as the light seemed to be dimming. Was it broken? That was just wonderful. Well, he could probably pick one up from any of the rooms really.

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/258486.html?view=19207094#t19207094)]

The sight that greeted her when she peered out onto the main hallway was not a reassuring one. Familiar silver hair, yes, but the clothing. Her eyes narrowed dangerous when she recognised the robes. Again? She hadn't expected to encounter anyone on Special Counselling so close to the rooms or so soon, and especially not him, not so quickly after last time!

Silently, she drew the katana and moved quietly towards him, as close as she could get, before holding the katana out to rest against his neck, reaching out to grab his arm before he could reach for a weapon. An almost sickeningly familiar tableu after the betrayal in Soul Society. The only reason she didn't try to knock him out straight away was the baffling lack of reiatsu that she felt. The other night it had been impossible to ignore but now... nothing.

He tapped the flashlight against his palm a couple of times before he felt her reiatsu approaching. What he didn't expect was the cold metal against his neck as the small light clattered to the ground. How could he have been so foolish not to realize that the uniforms were practically begging their peers to either run or fight them. It became obvious in a moment just why they had chosen to give him and likely others their old clothing. Unless someone just had it in for him. Difficult to really dispute that.

"Good t'see you too darlin'," he said calmly. Ah yes, it was difficult to forget this particular scene. It had been less than a week ago, for him at least. Last time too, he'd known she was coming, had let her capture him, if only for her fingers on his skin and her breath on his neck one more time.

He gave a mock sigh, "you don't like th' old clothes. They're a lil' drab I s'pose, but I didn' think they were all that bad."

Rangiku frowned at the absence of an attack, but it was always difficult to tell with Gin when he sounded so damn calm! She took a step closer, feeling around his waist with her free hand for his zanpakuto. But there was nothing. She would have known another zanpakuto, even if it wasn't her own, and there were just ordinary kitchen knives.

She stepped away, still looking at him warily and frowning. "Where did you find them?"

Gin didn't move as she felt around his waist, his breath just as regular as it would be were they having a normal conversation. It probably had something to do with knowing, at least as surely as he thought he could know, that wouldn't hurt him. That they might as well be having a normal conversation. And if she did hurt him? He'd be the first to say it was justified.

"Ara~," he twitched slightly as she hit a ticklish spot, "didn' know you liked this kinda play Ran. Not that I ain' happy t'oblige. Anywhere else y'wanna frisk me?" His smile grew slightly, half at his own humor and half out of anticipation that she actually might do it.

"Hangin' in m'closet," he answered her question, for once without being terribly vague about it. "Your guess's as good as mine how it got there."

She couldn't quite hide a smile at his teasing, especially the twitch and 'accidently' moved her hand over the spot again. Now that he was teasing and joking, she was fairly certain that he wasn't on special counselling again and it would be just like the Institute to give people their normal clothes to confuse others. Maybe they were hoping that they'd fight each other.

"Maybe~" she said playfully, unable to resist trailing her fingers over the sliver of exposed skin through the slit of the hakama. It was terrible to be playing like this in such an exposed place when she was supposed to be working, but it had been a long time since she'd been able to feel so at ease with him.

"There was nothing in my closet."

"H-hey now tha's not fair," he said, his voice still playful as she touched him again. It took a slow breath and a concentrated force of will to keep his thoughts from drifting to other things that they might occupy their time with in the late evening hours.

He caught her hand and turned slowly to face her, not wanting to startle her when a sword's edge still hovered near his throat. "No accountin' for taste then. You always looked much better in one a' these than I did," he smirked. "'course if it bothers y'that much, I could always take it off," he raised a playful brow and opened one lazy blue eye. No doubt there was some mission or other that they were bound for, but amid all the confusion, who would really miss them?

Rangiku laughed softly, leaning against his back a little. She was fairly certain now that he was him and not working for the Institute. He could have flash-stepped away by now if he were, or used kidou, or something equally as devastating. "Who said anything about fair," she murmured, voice husky.

She carefully lowered the sword when he caught her hand, slipping it back through the makeshift belt. A smile was on her lips. "Why would I want to share the view with anyone who could walk past?"

Her breath in his ear and that sultry smile of hers would be enough to heat the blood of any man and he was certainly not excluded. However, unlike most of the others who lusted after her in Soul Society, the two of them had untold volumes between them. Even if she wasn't full of voluptuous curves and hair like golden honey, she'd still be Ran.

"Hmm, that is troublesome. Well, y'know, I think I mighta left somethin' back in m'room. Maybe we should go get it..." he offered, though both of them knew he wasn't one to forget. With her so near, it was far too clear in his memory just how long it had been since they'd shared an evening together.

She couldn't quite believe that she was standing here, in the corridor of some prison after being attacked on buses, flirting with Gin. It seemed so surreal. Then again, it couldn't be much worse than doing this in the worst parts of Rukongai, could it?

And it was tempting. Horribly tempting. She'd been working every night since she'd arrived here, and who knew if one of them might die the next night? Who knew when they might find a way to destroy this place and have to go back? No-one knew what would happen then. But... "I have a job to do," she said quietly, although her heart wasn't really in it.

Of course. He'd expected an answer like that. She was always devoted to her causes. And if it stung a little that he wasn't one of those causes so much anymore, it never showed on his perfect smile. "Guess w'better get a move on then, ne?" he replied. "What's it t'be for tonight then? Raidin' bathrooms, explorin' the 'fridgerators, or we on for somethin' else?"

It was a little disappointing, even if she'd never admit it, that he hadn't tried to persuade her a little more. It just showed how different things were now. She didn't know how this game worked anymore. She sighed, pushing her hair out of her face and slowly, reluctantly, pulling away from him. "Incapacitating those who have been taken over by the Institute for the night," she said solemnly.

Was she kidding? Why would someone give them such a pointless mission?! While they were lucky that there was no booming presence of one of the shinigami, the thought of dealing with other patients who had full access to their powers was not a pleasant one. And unfortunately they both likely knew where to start. The place Abarai's reiatsu had flared only to die abruptly. The place that everyone tried to avoid during the night. Of course, the Sun Room.

If there was anyone he trusted, at the very least, it was Ran. She'd known a lot about the way he fought just as he knew about her. "Ara," he commented, "sounds like someone's got it in f'me with that one. Too many t'make a good guess at though, ne?" He tried to keep things light even if the mission was serious. It wouldn't help any to fret, they just had to do it or not do it. "Sun Room?"

It did seem like a pointless mission really. It gained them nothing in the long run; whoever they incapacitated would only be restored the next day and probably feel terrible for their actions, and it gained them no weapons or metal or knowledge which could be of use. But at the same time, she was concerned about Renji. This mission might be more useful than she thought.

She nodded, her mouth set in a displeased line at the thought of it. "The SUn Room is usually where they place someone," she agreed. "But knowing that Renji's reiatsu disappeared there, I don't want to risk too much against an enemy we cannot defeat. We'll go in, look, and if it seems too much, we leave. I'm not willing to let either of us get hurt by people who might be allies the rest of the time."

The rest of what she said hardly registered, he knew it well enough already. It was one thing to risk his own safety for something of worth, but simply to incapacitate another patient? Where was the benefit in that? If people were foolish enough to tread where they were warned not to be, by people who were more than likely much more powerful than they were...

Then again, it sounded like he was about to become one of those fools. At least with two instead of one, as Abarai had done, they'd have an idea of what it was they were dealing with. If they were lucky, whatever it was could only deal with one target at a time. One could hope. And if not... well, if they couldn't be a good example, perhaps they'd have to be like Abarai and be a horrible warning. Maybe at the very least they'd have a good weapon for all their trouble.

"Abarai isn' very good with kidou," he reasoned. Nor did he think the man was very good with battle tactics. He thought too much with his heart and not enough with his head. "If there's only one 'n the Sun Room, they'll prob'ly only approach one target at a time. 'long as one is ready with a binding kidou, it should be easy for th' other to incapacitate them." His smile remained, though it seemed a little more grim. "In theory 'course."

Rangiku nodded. "I know. Not that I wouldn't kill for a few dozen memebers of the Eleventh as back up while I'm here, but if one of us could manage a binding kidou, it might give us a few moments to incapacitate whoever it is." She hoped. Personally, she'd rather have a squad from the Eleventh as back up anyway. They tended to be distracting enough to keep anyone's attention diverted.

It was a bad sign that she was considering just not bothering. She was tired and disheartened and disappointed by how little she'd managed to do since she'd been here, but well, what could she do about it? "Reality is where things fall to pieces, unfortunately," she said dryly.

In spite of how he tried to hide it, it still bothered him to see her resolve start to falter. She was the strong one and if she couldn't remain so, he didn't stand much of a chance. Logic told him otherwise, but so many things didn't make sense already.

He slid his hand around hers, his long and slender fingers cool around her own feminine hands, "We've made it outta worse scrapes. Ain' gettin' cold feet now, are ya?" He knew how difficult it could be for her to resist a challenge. Perhaps the thought would bolster her spirits a little.

He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them, a gesture so unlike the one he'd given only a couple nights before, during his own time as the puppet of this mad place. Maybe it was something the old him would have done. Maybe he just liked to think he knew what she needed. Whatever the reason, it lasted only a moment before he began heading down the hall, tugging lightly at her hand to follow.

[[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/253377.html?thread=19346113#t19346113)]]

[[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/258126.html?thread=19221070#t19221070).]]

Hokuto saw the two shinigami, but knew enough to keep moving. If Momo wanted to say anything to them, she would; right now they had somewhere to be.

So Ichimaru got his uniform back, but that woman with him--Rangiku--didn't. That's strange... maybe she hasn't been to her room yet? But... I haven't seen that many people in their own clothes. And why has everyone I've seen so far been in uniform except for me? They're all shinigami and I'm not, but I did have a school uniform. Hmm... maybe we get back clothes that mean something to us? She considered the thought for a moment, then shook her head slightly. That doesn't make sense... on the other hand, nothing here really does! And it's totally possible I've seen people in their own clothes and just haven't realized it's theirs.

Then she remembered she should probably be paying more attention to her surroundings... whoops. New clothing was still something of interest to her!

[[Going here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/253377.html).]]

[From here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/258486.html?thread=19379382#t19379382)]

Faced with another empty hallway Usagi continued on to here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/253377.html)

In the dark where the hallways she'd only traveled a few times were distorted and strange, Anthy was able to make out the image of the familiar turn by the nurse station at the end of the long hallway. "Here," She said, hoping they would find evidence of Utena, or at least someone familiar.

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/253377.html?thread=19424961)]

Her touch was as comforting to him as he imagined it to be to her. It had been a long time since someone had placed a hand in his in perfect trust. Armand looked the way Anthy indicated. It was as dark as everywhere else. No surprises there then.

"Let's go then." He smiled, but he didn't know if she could see it in the dark.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/258126.html)]

[Coming from here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/253377.html?thread=19572417#t19572417)]

Max stopped when she reached the hall that linked the first set of halls that led to the patient rooms.

"We're here. Sort of," she spoke, turning back to Ritsuka, Soubi, and Qui-Gonn. "I'm not sure which block any of you are in, but the hall leading through the female wing is here to our left, and the one leading into the first male block is straight ahead. Can you find your ways from here?"

It didn't seem like a very far distance - mostly because it hadn't been - but Ritsuka was tired. His body said he could run a little more, push himself a little further if he had to do so, but his mind was exhausted and begging for some rest. He still had no idea what was going on, or what had happened, or even if anyone he knew was still alive. The chaos outside had been more than just disturbing, it had tinted the air with the smell of blood.

Now that they were in the hallway, Ritsuka let go of Max's hand and looked to his right. Up the first hallway, first door, take a direct right and that was his room. They were close enough now that perhaps he and Soubi could take off on their own. He'd want to meet up with these people later, perhaps during the day, just to thank them properly when they didn't have urgent matters to attend to. "Thanks...I think we can manage from here. I'm in the first block - sharing a room with the clinic."

Ritsuka looked to Soubi now and squeezed his hand. "I want to check on Tamaki and make sure he's okay before we go out again."

Soubi was absolutely certain he could get Ritsuka back to his room unharmed, the only problem was keeping him there. It took him a moment to think through the fact that Ritsuka couldn't see him nod. But then what? Should he say 'yes, sir?', or 'Yes, Ritsuka?' or would the boy still feel uncomfortable with that?

"Of course," he said, eventually. "Thank you both for your help."
Maybe being attacked would be a good thing. So long as only Soubi was hurt. he could persuade Ritsuka that he needed to rest...
"We'll be fine from here."

"Thank you, Max," Qui-Gon said. She had been invaluable in guiding the three of them to safety - though that itself was relative here in Landels - and Qui-Gon knew that she could be counted on in the future. He would have bowed his thanks, but he didn't think it would quite come across the darkness, although he had a feeling that Max would see him even if he couldn't see her.

He could probably locate a room and regroup there. He wasn't too sure on finding his own room, at least not immediately, but the important thing was centering himself and getting some light. And perhaps setting off to see if he could confirm whether or not Obi-Wan had made it back.

[Quig's out of the thread now. :)]

"Take care and good luck," Max advised, hoping they'd make it back alright. Then again, monsters rarely seemed to wander this close to the patient blocks so they should be fine.

Lifting her hand halfway to give a wave, she dropped it again when she remembered they couldn't see, a rueful expression flickering across her face as she turned and moved back up the hall.

[Max is out, too :)]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/254152.html?thread=19632584#t19632584)]

He paused only briefly here before continuing on to the stairs that would lead him up and to the Autopsy Rooms.

[going to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/257445.html?thread=19634597#t19634597)]

Edited 2007-12-19 12:08 (UTC)

Nightshift 28: Main Hallway, 1-East

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