Nightshift 30: M31-M40 Hallway

[captain-hunam.livejournal.com]

[M39]

Being dragged away from ZEX mid-conversation was something of a mixed blessing. On the upside, it meant that Zelnick would have at least few minutes to regain emotional balance before spending the whole night with the guy....

Well, perhaps it was more of a mixed curse. Normally Zelnick didn't begrudge allies their oddities, but ZEX had this amazing ability to jump straight from normal conversation to oh-god-awkward innuendo-laden flirting, and Zelnick couldn't do much but hope that he'd keep away from the latter.

In any case, he paid closer attention to where they took him, this time, not just his room number, and he realized he was actually really close to Yuber's room. Wasn't that convenient?

Once he was in his room, he started to get ready for the night; skillet, knife, pestle, all loaded into the apple basket that had wound up in his closet, along with a couple pens and the radio (hadn't Yuber said it spilled hints at night?). This meant he couldn't take all the apples with him, so Zelnick wrapped them in one of the extra shirts and left them in the corner of the closet. All that was left was to get the flashlight, which he found under his pillow like he did last night.

Then the intercom clicked on.

So that was their lord and master, in this place? After spending the first night confused and the first day hearing the voice of the Head Nurse, he found that the guy sounded pretty sane, until he admitted to killing someone. "The man on the radio--" did he mean whoever was on the other side of the little antique, sending out hints? And the method of death sounded... frighteningly personal.

He unloaded the skillet from the basket and held on to it as the doors unlocked, and sat at his desk to wait for ZEX.

Comments

((Outside M34))

[daddyslilkiller.livejournal.com]

Omi geared up as usual, wondering what it said that his routine now was almost as familiar as getting ready for a mission back home.

Well, dinner had been good, at least.

He leaned against the wall next to his door, waiting for the two members of his 'team' to show up. He'd thought planning missions when Weiss was first formed was bad, but this... He was lucky he even knew their names. Hopefully it wouldn't turn out as badly as he was anticipating.

Re: ((Outside M34))

[dawn-rune.livejournal.com]

[coming from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303919.html?view=24521263#t24521263)]

There were a few groups of people hanging around this hallway, to Frey's surprise. It seemed a popular meeting place--much more so than the hall outside his room. Fortunately his group leader had been specific about the room number of the meeting point, or Frey would be at a bit of a loss.

Seeing a boy about his own age waiting outside M34, Frey approached and asked softly, "Are you Tsukiyono Omi?" He kept his closet-bar/staff in a resting position, so as not to seem an aggressor. "I'm Freyjadour."

[udo-retrovirus.livejournal.com]

Junior still had some questions for Edgeworth and Okita when he was taken back to his room, but he figured if nothing else, he could talk to Okita later. Or either of them tomorrow, if the situation really called for it.

It didn't take long for the Head Doctor to come over the intercom. Maybe ten, fifteen minutes after they got back, the door unlocked, and Omi was out pretty quickly, lingering around outside. Junior stuck around for a second to listen to just what the guy on the 'com was saying.

...God, he was sounding just like Albedo used to. Sure, there was something more sane to his voice, but in content...the guy had to have been off his rocker.

The redhead seemed to remember someone mention the man on the radio at some point, but he couldn't quite place it. Either way, it seemed like it was something that didn't really involve him. Sure, talking about stabbing someone repeatedly was anything but sane, but the patients were supposedly crazy. Who'd believe 'em? He had an idea of where he needed to go here at the start, and he needed to focus and try to remember where to turn and where to go. That took priority over some other person's squabble at the moment.

Junior grabbed his flashlight, and after a moment also decided to take his journal and a pen. He could probably find a use for it somehow. Then, the redhead was out the door, heading down the hall.

[udo-retrovirus.livejournal.com]

@M33

[tsunagari.livejournal.com]

And once more Sai found himself in front of Usopp's door. There was no reason to even look at the room numbers anymore. Knocking sharply, he then stood and waited for his friend to let him in. If they were lucky, this night could be as productive as the one before.

Re: @M33

[usoppsenchou.livejournal.com]

Something was off. Really off.

At first, he'd thought he was just reeling from what Zoro had told him--and at the end of the shift, too, right before the nurses started leading them all off, the jerk!--but this went deeper than that. Heavier.

Like sedation was kicking in again. How many people had he agreed to meet with tonight? To make... things?

It was possible he could make gunpowder even like this. He really had been doing it since he was a kid. But they didn't have the stuff, did they? Just one of the things. No magic potion with only one thing.

And who was coming by? Sai, Yuber, Luffy? He was always busy in here. It was a good thing that Sousuke didn't need to use the room on a regular basis too, or it'd be crowded.

Sousuke hadn't said anything. Did Zoro not spill it? Zoro was so mean to bring that up like that. It... it wasn't just him lying, it was more complicated than that, it was.

Someone knocking on the door. Usopp opened it, blinking haplessly out at Sai. Well, that's one. "Sai? I think I'm in trouble."

outside M36

[his-singer.livejournal.com]

Finally reaching her destination, Bella paused outside the door silently for a few seconds, not doing anything. She knew things were going to be okay, but … but that didn’t stop her from being hysterically worried.

Now she knew how he felt.

Snorting at the thought, she lifted her hand and knocked gently against the door marked M36.

outside M36, bringing her inside. >:[

[her-lion.livejournal.com]

After the dinner shift, Edward was left a bundle of nerves: a silent, pacing bundle of nerves. It was bad enough he had been the cause of Bella's losing conscience and he couldn't even follow the nurses to make sure she was alright, but to be locked in a room with a human (fictional wizard or not) when he was low on blood, and already hungry and why wasn't he already going crazy with thirst.

Feeling powerless was not his forte, and he was beginning to resent it. He'd already started gathering his assorted items around the room - the pipe, the duct tape, pillowcases - when there was a knock on the door, and he dumped the items in his arms to reach it, swinging it open.

"You're okay," he sighed, seeing Bella behind the door. "Thank god." Visibly relaxing, he stepped back from the doorway, straining to not touch her. "Come in."

Any potential argument for why she risked running over here was gone; flooded over with relief.

[wantsyourzex.livejournal.com]

A large collection of hallways and rooms that resembled the one he'd left... of course, he was sure all cellblocks were the same. While he wasn't sure which hallway first to look through, he decided he might as well be methodical and started down the first he saw.

Fortunately, the room numbers favored him. He kept close to the wall and when he reached 39, he stood there for a moment, then tapped it with his flashlight.

"Hello? Captain, are you there?

A human visitor, what a treat! :D

[captain-hunam.livejournal.com]

Ah, there he was. "Yeah, I'm here," Zelnick replied, getting up to open the door for ZEX-- though he kept a hold of the skillet.

And there ZEX stood, armed with journal and radio and flashlight, from what he could tell. The brief break had leveled out Zelnick's embarrassment, somewhat, though he still felt a little awkward, and tried to think of something to say in greeting. As usual, his mouth went on in the absence of conscious direction, with a bland "Hi."

Well, it wasn't the most inane thing he'd ever said...

[bored-narrator.livejournal.com]

And so, night had finally fallen. Kyon was dreading it, but that was never anything new. Only tonight, it was for slightly different reasons. Aidou wanted to see him and they were going to 'feed' as he had put it the night before.

The thought made him feel ill, but not as ill as his bloodthirst did as a whole. The dinner he had with Ginji did nothing but make it that much worse, with his horrbly injured leg. He was starting to hear it pulsate around, over and over again.

Kyon was pretty sure at this point he was about to lose his mind. If Aidou had found someone to donate him a little blood, by god, he'd take it.

Anything to stop this, if but temporarily.

Kyon stepped out of his room and shut the door behind him. Just before walking up, he could hear the distinct sound of Aidou's voice along with another near him. They were talking about vampires. About him, Kyon was sure.

[idolism]

_{[from here]}

Come to think of it, out of all the Asian faces, Aidou saw a bit of a resemblance lingering there, but that was really not something he bothered to register in too much detail. Passing into the first hallway, his eyes trailed Bella for a while, mildly disappointed when she knocked on someone's door.

Couldn't make a meal of her if she were with someone, unfortunately.

As for Sasuke's question... it was a well-worded one, certainly. Why are you bound to killing the ex-human ones? For dignity, for Kaname-sama, for whatever tenuous peace stood between humans and vampires. He 'hmmed' a bit in thought, folding his hands behind his head. He could see their ex-human in question was not far away. "Ex-human is just another way of saying E class, the lowest rank, the 'end' class. They have no chance of survival. Destined to go insane, being unable to make a full transformation, it's necessary to kill them to protect the humans."

His eyes appraised Kyon a bit jokingly. "Isn't that right, Kyon?" he continued evenly, fully expecting Kyon to have overhead the explanation. "You look a little famished."

[forgot-it-all.livejournal.com]

As soon as the night fell, Ritsuka gathered up his supplies - the backpack, the flashlight, his camera, the journal and pens - and started for the door. Tamaki was always busy at night and he didn't want to get in the boy's way. He always felt like he was just a burden to him anyway. "Good luck tonight," he said to his roommate before taking his leave.

Stepping out into the hallway, he tried not to think too hard about what the Head Doctor had said. The murder of the Radio Man, Jack, was horrific. I killed him - stabbed him six times in the chest. What would it have felt like? How much did it hurt? How could someone just kill another human being like that? Ritsuka failed at not thinking about things. Sighing, he shook the image out of his head and walked down the hall a bit, keeping his flashlight dark.

Guess the sick bastard--uh, head doctor. Sorry. I guess he took 'em off ya, then?

His feet caught on the floor and he tripped, throwing a hand out and catching himself on the wall.

I've heard of some people bein' changed completely, so ears and a tail couldn't be that difficult.

It wasn't that difficult. It was relatively easy - quick and painful and disgusting. Ritsuka slumped against the wall and hunched down, pulling his knees to his chest and putting his hands over his ears. He didn't want to hear Heiji's voice in his head anymore. The words had been circulating since he'd said them in the shower. Ritsuka couldn't ignore them completely. Losing his ears was supposed to be special, it was supposed to be years in his future - they were supposed to stay and remind him that no matter what, he was still somewhat innocent.

He prob'ly took 'em so you'd go crazy faster.

"Stop it," he snapped.

He prob'ly took 'em

"Stop it!!" He squeezed his eyes shut and dug his fingers into his scalp. He could feel his stomach turning, his heart beginning to race - his head hurt. Muttering to himself, he slowly began to relax his fingers. "Stop it. Stop thinking about it, you moron. You have to get up, keep going - Alfons is waiting. Soubi will get worried."

Nothin' like telling people their physical appearance is a lie to throw them off their rocker, yeah?

"...you're not going to lose to him." Ritsuka raised his head just slightly and stared at the ground, focusing on the pattern in the linoleum tiles. He had to get up and go find Alfons. If he waited too long, Soubi would come and find him like this and ask questions or worse - feel responsible. Pushing himself up from the ground, he stood on uncertain legs and started forward again.

[forgot-it-all.livejournal.com]

[going here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303919.html?thread=24592175#t24592175)]

[jei.livejournal.com]

Farfarello felt almost decently well-armed, at this point--two knives, though neither of them heavy enough for his tastes, the monster claws and now a leather belt. Now for something long-range, and preferably flammable; the lab seemed like it might have something to fit that definition.

[going here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303919.html)]

[uruz-vii.livejournal.com]

Sousuke was quiet as his nurse escorted him back to his room. She chatted away about how well-behaved he was, and how she was glad he'd gotten over his little rebellious stint. The sergeant didn't pay much attention. He walked into the room, sat down on his bed, and nodded when the nurse left. As soon as the door shut, before he could say anything to Usopp, the intercom made it's usual vocal appearance.

The sergeant's eyes widened.

Hey... don't you think it's weird that the Head Doctor hasn't been on the radio all day?

Oh no.

I'm getting a little worried, to be honest, about night. I have a... a really bad feeling.

"Hinasaki," Sousuke stated out loud. He armed himself quickly, gave Usopp a quick salute and bolted out the door. He had to make it to her in time, he had to.

[uruz-vii.livejournal.com]

[To here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303653.html?thread=24506917#t24506917)]

[no-side-effects.livejournal.com]

Wesker would leave it to Birkin to refine the blood samples and the virus contained in them into a suitable concentration for injection. He was at a slight loss about what to do tonight, it was tempting to go back up to the lab to explore and see what else he could find that would be of some use, or he could head towards the basement area.

There was no need to make a decision immediately, though, so Wesker simply took his two knives and the exacto knife with him, heading out into the darkness of the facility.

Really, the man on the radio must have been quite incompetent to be killed in such a manner, but it also increased Landel's capability in his estimation. People like the man on the radio could be very difficult to kill.

[no-side-effects.livejournal.com]

[[Going here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/304409.html?thread=24810265#t24810265)]]

[[ outside of M38, waiting on Chair Boy ]]

[theycutitout.livejournal.com]

It wasn't the way she would've wanted to meet him, mourning the loss of her eyesight and the loss of Jack all at once. The bags under her eyes made her look as weary as she was in spirit, but at least her hair was nice and soft after the shower. With luck, there wouldn't even be a chair even if he wasn't expecting her.

Standing before the prince's door, wide, tired eyes seeming to draw together a picture distinctly different than the one she'd been earlier in battle, the lost, little girl raised a hand to rap lightly. No more than three times.

Never more than three times but always more than one.

Re: [[ outside of M38, waiting on Chair Boy ]]

[eyrien-prick.livejournal.com]

The furniture in Lucivar's room had been put back in place but he didn't touch it. Instead he paced, repeating the phrase that had become a mantra. Keep it leashed, stay calm. It wasn't doing much help but at least the all consuming rage had become more manageable. He wasn't tempted to put his fist through the wall any longer and he figured that was a vast improvement.

The swift knocks at his door threw him off guard and he stopped pacing, wondering if he'd imagined the sound. Lucivar walked over to the door and opened it slowly, unsure if the monsters that Daemon and his father had informed him about knocked before attacking. The girl wasn't what he expected at all and she looked sad, though he knew better then to open the door wide and invite her in. He'd been duped by more then his fair share of women in distress before.

"Yes?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Are you looking for someone?"

[i-slay-giants.livejournal.com]

Jack didn't waste much time in his room when night came around. Scooping up all the things he thought he would need (his key, his maps, and his flashlight), the Fable made a quick move to the hall. Tonight was the night he was going to get lucky and find his treasure. He had a good feeling about it.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303919.html)]

[intoindra.livejournal.com]

Who cared about the rivalry between Martin Landel and Alec Doyle? For Roland, the situation between them was academic; their rivalry might be helpful, but in the end, neither man could truly be trusted. So, with one man dead, that mean only that Roland and the others were at a slightly more dangerous position. So be it. They'd been in such situations before, and they would come out ahead. They had to.

What was far more consuming to his thoughts was the upcoming meeting. It was time, Roland judged, to throw his lot in with someone who might understand and accept his situation. If his gambit paid off, then he'd have a powerful group to back him should there be problems. And if it didn't... well, at least he'd know. And he wouldn't betray the others; no one would ever again suffer because of Roland's lack of judgment.

Quietly wishing that Serph was there, to better lead the group, the pale man took flashlight in hand and began the long journey step by step...

((To here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/300178.html) ))

[opposingheaven.livejournal.com]

Well, that had been a little different. Shame he didn't have chance to talk to his kind of interesting roommate again before night fell, but it was still a change to the routine.

He listened to the intercom announcement, frowning at the news that the man on the radio was dead. That... he couldn't say he was downheartened, but it was worrying. The person who'd been able to move freely had been killed. Worrying indeed.

He grabbed the katana from beneath the mattress, glad to be hefting its weight again, and then grabbed the vegetable peeler for good measure. He could make use of both of them, he was sure, depending on what Homura had planned for him, even if he wasn't entirely fond of the organisation.


[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/300944.html?thread=24375440#t24375440)]

Outside M33

[face-of-chaos.livejournal.com]

[ From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303919.html?view=24667183#t24667183)]

“My companion’s room is just ahead.” Yuber murmured to the pair as he approached the desired door. They had to walk down the majority of the hallway before Usopp’s room came into view. Standing in front of the door, he raised one hand up and knocked.

Re: Outside M33

[captain-hunam.livejournal.com]

They had passed right by Zelnick's door again, and by someplace that had a sign up-- a clinic?-- before reaching Yuber's friend's door. But Zelnick was distracted by his radio, somewhere in the depths of his basket, clicking on.

"Taps" was old music, but he recognized it all the same, and something about it made him feel almost mournful. It was... unsettling, actually, and he tried to shake off the feeling, standing and waiting there.

From M37

[rubbermancan.livejournal.com]

As soon as nightshift started, Luffy heard the Head Doctor's announcement. So it sounded like the Radio Guy had been killed on the roof. Dammit. That guy was the reason he, Usopp and Sai had found that soldering iron in the bathroom all those nights ago. Luffy had liked the Radio Guy! And the bastard Head Doctor had killed him!

Man, Luffy was getting sick and tired of this place.

It didn't occur to him that his crew hadn't made any plans to meet up. The pirate grabbed his flashlight, pushed his hat onto his head, and headed out the door, and down the hall.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do tonight, but something like that had never stopped him.

(( To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303919.html?thread=24786735#t24786735). ))

M38

[thehellismycar.livejournal.com]

He loved the smell of unabashed anarchy in the morning.

Though he'd been nothing short of stunned upon entering the Cafeteria, he caught on with fair swiftness. The exhibition of injured nurses and orderlies was enough to excite him, encouraging a perverse satisfaction with the situation, despite how utterly screwed to hell they'd be if Landel called in the cavalry; but even a judgment as rational as that couldn't falter the stimulation. An awfully wide grin spread crookedly across his lips, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent as he spotted an employee with their back turned.

Dean made to march forward, eager sights locked on the target-

"Mr. Patterson, don't you dare!" A disapproving voice sounded behind him as a cold, relentless hand gripped his forearm, and he grunted in the same second as something stabbed him. He knocked the woman off kilter with a furious elbow in the face, hissing a last curse when he observed the mother of a needle in her hand. His legs crumbled from beneath him soon after.

--

He thought he'd heard someone in the room, yet once he'd sluggishly propped himself up on one elbow, he duly noted there wasn't a soul in sight. The man gazed about with narrowed eyes, heaving a disgruntled sigh at how much effort it took to simply twist about and grab the flashlight from under his pillow. Like I just had a month-long nap, he thought, peeved by the faintness he experienced when he then got to his feet. He rubbed his forehead in an attempt to ward off his current state.

"Ugh," he groaned unreservedly. Whatever they'd shot him with packed one hell of a punch.

He paced slowly toward the closet, that little bit extra required to work his legs. Setting a blank stare on the clothes, he was momentarily motionless before shaking his head and muttering unintelligibly, seizing the amulet and nothing else.

Re: M38

[thehellismycar.livejournal.com]

[face-of-chaos.livejournal.com]

[From here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/301449.html?thread=24869513#t25038217)]

Yuber’s strides were long as he left Usopp and his companion behind in the room. There was little use in remaining in that room while no work could be done, and if he had remained too much longer the knight knew he would have grown impatient and irritated with being so inactive. Granted moving around with little to battle against wasn’t too much better, but at least it gave him the opportunity to run into something.

The knight’s movements stopped towards the end of the corridor before he finally glanced back over his shoulder to regard Zelnick and ZEX. Turning to face them, Yuber glanced between the two as he smoothly spoke. “I’ve ventured to a number of rooms on the lower floors when I first arrived here, and apart from a shed smelling of blood, I haven’t found anything entirely useful. I believe if we’re searching for further supplies, then it would be in our best interest to continue on the second floor.”

With some luck, they might be fortunate enough to stumble on a hidden door or room along the way.

[captain-hunam.livejournal.com]

[Ugh, classes, poor you. I'm glad you're back now, though~]

Zelnick would have protested ZEX calling him "my love" (it was one thing when it was just the two of them talking, that one thing being "slightly disturbing", but it was mortifying when ZEX called him that in front of someone else), but before he could Yuber was leaving Usopp's room. Well, no one else seemed to have even noticed the endearment, so Zelnick followed Yuber quietly, waving goodbye as he went.

In reply to the suggestion of searching upstairs, Zelnick said, "That sounds good to me."

As for ZEX... now that a few moments had passed, it was awkward to even think of approaching the topic of "calling me your love is embarrassing as hell, please stop it," let alone discussing it in front of their companion. So Zelnick fixed a not-very-convincing smile across his face and promised himself to talk about it later.

[hamenleai.livejournal.com]

[Coming from here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303919.html?thread=24591663#t24591663)]

Still supporting Shadow, Shana slipped into the hall heading towards the room Tamaki had taken her the other night. Knowing Valyn would follow, she glanced over at the halfblood leaning on her. "We're almost there," she spoke, her voice slightly breathless. He was heavier than she'd anticipated.

[notmyfather.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't going to say that," Valyn said, gently. He was only worried about Shadow, after all. He kept his eye out for anything drawn by the blood and followed behind the two halfbloods.

[i-promised.livejournal.com]

[coming from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303919.html?thread=25338159#t25338159)]

Speaking of Usopp, though, Zoro had to wonder where their long-nosed nakama was. Escape was by no means an option without the sniper; that was obviously a given. Hopefully he hadn't gotten in as deep trouble as Nami and Sanji had.

"Which one's 35?" He asked. Now that he had a limp Sanji in one arm and was supporting a wobbly Nami with the other, Zoro didn't have the option of turning a flashlight on the doors and trying to figure it out himself.

[rubbermancan.livejournal.com]

There was that talk about the Franky guy again. Man, Luffy sure would have loved to meet his future nakama. Then they'd be even stronger in this place. And from what Zoro told him, Franky sounded extremely cool. He wouldn't be forgetting him anytime soon.

In the meantime, Luffy was trying to make himself hurry, seeing how bad of shape Nami and Sanji were in. He knew the cook was tough, so him collapsing like that had been pretty unexpected. And it'd been because of that demon outside, right? Luffy's eyes narrowed as he stared down at the row of doors.

"Dunno," he answered seriously. "I could open each door until we find it, though."

He moved to open up the door closest to him, his eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration.

[grosse-sklaven.livejournal.com]

((From here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/303653.html?thread=25428261#t25457957) ))

This was the right hallway, yeah? Had to be. Granted, Adelheid had talked big, but... hopping on his one good leg and balancing on his spear was a lot more difficult and time-consuming than he thought it would be. And Tamaki's room was the fifth room down... well, there was nothing for it. Just continue on, one step at a time...

[lost-metal.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/300178.html?view=25458578#t25458578)]

Ed reached the hallway just in time to see Adel turning down the next corridor, using the spear to help balance him because his leg... Ugh, it looked broken. Ed rushed after him, quickly catching up with him.

"Adel!" he said, not wanting to risk touching his friend until he knew that it was Ed and not some monster. Honestly, he left him alone for all of five minutes and he went and did something stupid to his leg.

"What the hell happened?"