damned_institute | Day 30: Cafeteria, Dinner

Fai had yet to come in when a stranger joined Kurogane at the table, sitting directly beside him. It felt too bold of a move to have been unintentional, but since the man wasn't paying him any mind, Kurogane had no problem with it. There was no malicious intent so far as he could sense, even if he did feel something ominous about the other's presence. Nothing he hadn't felt before though. Seishirou had the same feel (both that he'd met), as had many other assassins of his home world before he'd killed them.

This place seemed full of people much like this, all warriors in some respect. Whoever was in control must have been intentionally pulling these types to ensure that they attempted escape. But for what reason? Kurogane knew that there were children around as well, and even though the kid was a good fighter, not all of the ones he saw present would fall under the warrior definition. There were even girls younger than the Princess. It just didn't fit. What was the purpose of a world like this aside from being the obvious trap that it was? Kurogane still needed more information before he would be able to determine anything.

He gave the other a quick glance for the sake of remembering his face before setting his eyes back to the door and focusing on his food and his thoughts. So long as he didn't do anything reckless, Kurogane wouldn't protest him being there.

Zabuza watched Haku walk into the room and get some food. He sighed slightly and sat back, openly relieved before he closed off his emotions and started to eat himself.

"You waiting for someone?" he asked the guy next to him, still not looking at him but at least not completely ignoring him.

His eyes slid over again at the words. "Ah..." he acknowledged without much thought. Not waiting to sit with, but waiting to see come in, just to make sure that he wasn't trying to run away. Fai was going to know that he was being watched this time. Maybe it would pressure him into making a decision, and maybe it would just push him further into indecision. Either way, being watched should cause Fai to respond somehow.

"He'll probably run though."

"Not a friend then?" Zabuza said between bites. He wasn't really curious, but if he played nice maybe the two idiots that had been stuck with him would back off. He hated feeling boxed in by them.

Kurogane growled a little at the word. Friends weren't things he had. People he traveled with, companions, those were better terms for their little group. He wasn't sure just how to designate Fai within that since the magician was so determined not to be involved, but "friend" was not the word.

"No," he denied after thinking a moment, "just an idiot I'm stuck dealing with." If Fai was anything, he was an idiot, so Kurogane would refer to him as such.

Zabuza looked at Kurogane now. He could tell the guy was strong, but asking about it would have set off the orderlies. "Why deal with idiots?" he asked. Zabuza himself preferred to kill them.

That was a good question. He'd been forced into dealing with Fai thanks to Tomoyo and that Witch. Every world he'd dealt with him, and he was still dealing with him here, though on a larger scale. Putting up with Fai was one thing though. Dealing with him was another entirely. The reasons for just why he did that weren't up for discussion with anyone save for Fai, however. "I travel with him," he provided.

Zabuza seemed vaguely interested in that answer, though most of it was for show. "Oh?" he asked. "I would think that traveling with someone would be all the more reason for them to not be an idiot."

Kurogane didn't really care if he was interested or not, and he didn't mind the conversation either. The few words he was managing were as social as he could possibly get at times. Aside from that, this person wasn't someone he could merely ignore. He was strong, and Kurogane wasn't about to make another enemy today; he'd already managed enough so far. For that reason, he could manage a few simple answers, if that's what he wanted.

"He's not an idiot in the way you're thinking." Defending that magician was not the intent of the response, though it might have come across as such. In reality, Fai was very intelligent, and Kurogane knew it. There were just some aspects of Fai's life that the magician acted beyond idiotic in.

Zabuza thought about that for a moment. For not being a "friend" this guy was defending whoever he was looking for. That at least, was amusing. He was quiet for a while, not sure if he wanted to continue the conversation or not.

"I'm Zabuza," he offered finally, not bothering with his family name or the title he had made for himself. They would be meaningless to someone who wasn't part of his world.

The momentary silence on the other's part had Kurogane considering why he had stopped. Had he just dropped the conversation because the answer had satisfied him or had there been some other reason? It didn't matter either way, but Kurogane couldn't help but wonder at it.

"Kurogane," he returned. Introductions still weren't his thing, but at least he gave the name he always used.

Zabuza took in the name, remembering it. "How long have you been here?" he asked.

"A day," he answered. Less than a day, but it was close enough now to be accurate. From how Zabuza had asked, he could assume that people showed up at varying times. "You?" he asked, for once putting a question back on the other.

"Longer than that," Zabuza said. He ate a bit more and then pointed out Haku. "That boy over there?" he said. "The pretty one who had long black hair and pale skin. He works for me and he has a lot of information about this place. Things that might come in handy. If you ever need information you can go to him. Tell him I sent you and he'll share whatever he deems appropriate. He's working on mapping out this place right now." He glanced at the orderlies around them, but both of the men seemed to think that Zabuza was just talking crazily and as long as he wasn't hitting anyone they left him alone.

That was a lot more than he'd gotten from anyone else concerning where to even get information about this place. He gave the kid a glance, at first thinking he was a girl, and nodded. "What's his name?" he asked, but only to be careful. He couldn't trust this Zabuza on word alone, so he wanted to be sure that he had more than just a face and some words before he approached the boy. If he approached him, which he was now only considering as an option.

Some real information on this place would be helpful, that was for sure.

"Haku," he said. "He's powerful in his own right, don't be fooled by he smiles and innocent looks." Zabuza didn't mind sharing this much about the boy, Haku could handle himself. "But if you tell him I sent you his way, he'll play nice."

That sounded familiar. "I don't underestimate anyone," he said darkly. Both Fai and the kid had those innocent faces that could easily throw someone less skilled into believing they were harmless. So far from the truth.

Kurogane could wager that this Haku kid had used that technique to his advantage before. He didn't look like a killer, but if he worked with Zabuza, then he likely was. People did not work together without reasons. Zabuza wasn't denying their involvement either, so their arrangement was likely a willing one. Kurogane's on the other hand...

"Good. That keeps you alive." Zabuza had underestimated Naruto and his friends and in the end he had died. "Haku might also be able to help you find good... toys to play with. If you don't have any of your own." While the orderlies had been ignoring the conversation so far, they might not if Zabuza openly spoke about weapons so he hoped that Kurogane would take the hint. "Those won't come free though."

"Ah," he nodded. It had kept him alive for a long time. Others in Tomoyo's ranks hadn't been as mistrusting though.

His brow furrowed when Zabuza started talking about "toys", but it didn't stay so for long. Speaking in code came with his profession, and he could easily see just why Zabuza would have the need to do so. The people in white here apparently didn't like hearing talk of rebellion, or at least had started paying more attention to the possibilities of one happening since the riot that morning. They weren't idiots though, so Kurogane wasn't about to draw any more attention to the conversation that had already been garnered.

"Sounds fun," he said simply. Nothing ever came free though, so he'd need to figure out how this place worked money wise. He hadn't put it from mind that something other than this world's currency could be used as well either.

"We can work out a price later. It might just be you working with us one night if we need extra hands. You could handle that, right?" Zabuza asked.

"Of course," Kurogane actually grinned with this answer. He still didn't quite like the feel of Zabuza, but he liked how he seemed to work. A weapon in exchange for service was not only fair, but sounded interesting as well.

Even though he was making deals here, he still kept his goal at the front of his mind. Finding that manjuu and hopefully the kids was still his main priority. Even so, that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun while moving towards that goal.

He wondered if the magician would be interested as well. Fai still hadn't entered the cafeteria yet, though he would be soon. Being around Kurogane likely wasn't on his agenda though.

Zabuza felt mildly impressed with himself. He had actually offered to work with someone instead of relying on Haku's connections. This was a good start. Maybe it was just all the drugs they had him on today that made him feel so helpful. And anyway, it wasn't as if he planned on helping Kurogane without getting something in return. Most of the time, Haku and him could handle themselves, but an extra pair of hands and eyes couldn't hurt.

"What does your idiot look like?" he asked, mildly curious about who the other man was looking for.

Drugged Ninjas seemed to be a trend today. A little earlier and Kurogane wouldn't have been coherent enough to be compromising anything.

"Hm?" He hadn't expected the conversation to shift back to Fai again, but went with it anyway. Fai would have to be dealt with eventually. Now if he could explain the man without using the word "idiotic"... "He's tall, with short blond hair and blue eyes. He's usually smiling." Though today, he wouldn't be surprised if Fai's smile was a little less enthused. He'd already lost it once in Kurogane's presence, and unless she was trying to fool someone else, it could easily slip again.

"There are a few people here who fit that," Zabuza pointed out, though not to be sarcastic.

Unfortunately Kurogane couldn't do better than that explanation-wise. "I'll point him out when he gets in here, then," he said. His mind gave him a momentary thought of other Fai's walking around, ones possibly from different worlds, but he shook that thought from his head as quickly as possible. He didn't need to deal with that, either in reality or in thought!

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