[NIGHTSHIFT 35] M31-M40 HALLWAY

[cnflctofintrst.livejournal.com]

[from here]

Still no one.  Although he could hear muffled voices through a few doors, the corridors were so black that if it hadn't been for his flashlight, he wouldn't have been able to see where the walls met the floor.  The circle of yellow light bobbed with his footsteps, periodically swinging towards the walls.  He'd been caught off guard before, and he wouldn't let it happen again.

He counted the room numbers:  M34.  Easier than last night, that much was certain, but the design of the institute still infuriated him.  Landel had gone to great lengths to make their stay difficult, with the monsters and sedative-armed nurses.  Something like bad architecture just seemed petty.  He gave the door a solid knock then leaned against the wall beside it, the beam of his light still darting around the shadowy space.

Comments

M34

[udo-retrovirus.livejournal.com]

Doyleton hadn't been too bad, and Junior had wolfed down the curry that they'd had for dinner, but the mealtime itself had him on edge. On the way back, his nurse had told him that Omi had been recovered enough to be released. He didn't really know what that meant...maybe brainwashing? Being the only one in the room for once was unnerving, and a nice reminder to the redhead that this place really could just do whatever it felt like when they wanted to. It was a pain.

The curry wasn't as good as Shion's was back home, either.

The redhead hadn't really planned on leaving his room, since he hadn't gotten any assignment. He'd even gone out the night before, despite being off-duty for the History Club, and it was about damn time he took a night off to just sleep. Or rest however else he could get it, while still thinking things over.

Junior had gone back to lay on his bed when there was a knock at the door, and after a moment he shoved himself back up and slid off the bed. He opened the door after a moment, and glanced around to find a blond guy leaning up against the wall. "Yeah? You need something, or...?" he trailed off, realizing why the blond might have been there. "Oh, are you looking for Omi?"

Re: M34

[cnflctofintrst.livejournal.com]

Mello pushed away from the wall and the beam of his flashlight quickly darted across the person's face before determining he wasn't recognizable. The light returned to the floor.

"Yeah," he said with a shrug. "I think I'm supposed to meet him here. You seen him around?" It seemed strange that someone wouldn't be in their room shortly after the doors unlocked, especially since the hallways had been deserted. Maybe he'd been taken away for that experimental treatment Landel was always threatening. If that was the case, Mello couldn't be held responsible for not fulfilling his assignment. Aside from that shadow creature, he worked best on his own anyways.

Re: M34

[atoyboxworld.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/454969.html?thread=37158457#t37158457)]

Near was walking at his normal pace (which was normal, despite being rarely seen) when he turned the corner, just in time to hear Mello asking about Omi's presence. That meant the person standing in the door wasn't Omi, but most likely his roommate, since Mello's use of pronouns indicated that the stranger had said Omi's name. There were several possibilities that would explain why it was this other person who answered the door instead of Omi. He could have simply been expecting someone whereas Omi might have been, or he might have just made it to the door first.

Simple explanations. All normal enough. Or there was the equal possibility that Omi wasn't in the room, meaning he had either already left, or had been taken, be it for the nighttime manipulation or vanished completely . If this was the case, Near would wager on Omi's vanishing. Both Near and Mello had arrived within minutes of the doors opening. The percentage of possibility that neither of them had seen the previous night's leader, particularly when they were looking for him specifically, was incredibly low.

And that meant that if Omi wasn't in the room, there would be no reformed group that night. That piece of knowledge was necessary to decide any further action. So without saying anything, Near simply walked up to the door, twisting a lock of his hair and waited for Junior's reply.

Outside M35

[forgot-it-all.livejournal.com]

Ritsuka had been careful not to disturb Tamaki while he rested during dinner. He'd eaten quickly and quietly, still a little perturbed over how Soubi had just brushed him off during the day and left. Soubi was always clinging to him and now he just walked off? Ritsuka knew he'd told Soubi to make friends, but to be left like that? He hadn't had any other plans and had ended up just napping under that tree all day. What a waste.

Now Ritsuka sat outside M35, with his back against the wall, tapping the flashlight aimlessly against his knee. It wasn't on because he had nothing to do really. He was at a loss for direction right now and with Soubi having gone off somewhere, he couldn't exactly go and call him back. Ritsuka had been the one to tell him to go in the first place! So why was he having such a problem with being left alone?

Maybe it was because he was alone. Loneliness was a sentiment he didn't need and Ritsuka shook his head to clear it. Maybe Soubi would come for him anyway and then Ritsuka would just look like a stupid idiot for worrying or wondering or whatever it was he was doing. He wished he had his phone now more than ever.

Re: Outside M35

[mizuhomaiden.livejournal.com]

[from here] (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/457411.html?thread=37203651#t37203651)

Sheena had been curious and a little worried about the boy she'd seen hanging around just outside the clinic. When she'd passed him earlier, he just looked so... lost. And that made her sad, so after making sure Raine got settled into the room, the ninja slipped back outside to find the boy still there.

He was young and she was a head taller than him but that didn't matter. She always did like trying to cheer up the younger kids in Mizuho and that tag game in Luin had been a lot of fun. Kids seemed to like her and she didn't take it as any indication about being a god mother in the future or anything like that. Cause... well she was too young to think of these things and then there was that whole needing a guy for that and she didn't have one and.... she was letting her mind run off like she tended to let her mouth.

Sheena leaned against the wall next to the boy and gave him a smile. "Here, take it," she said, holding out the tiny piece of chocolate fudge to him. "I know it's small, but it's still very good; something to savor - you know?"

Re: Outside M35

[forgot-it-all.livejournal.com]

A few people had already come to the clinic, but Ritsuka hadn't really paid any attention to who they were. They hadn't seemed hurt, so that was all that had registered in his mind. Sitting out in the hall, the boy ended up fidgeting for awhile with his camera without turning it on and then was starting to nod off when the door opened again. Blinking sleepily at the dark, he raised his head in time to see a piece of something held out to him and a woman next to him all of a sudden.

A sweet smell filled the air and Ritsuka rubbed at his eyes, reaching out for whatever it was. He didn't really like sweet things all that much, but he was interested in uncovering the present's identity. Apparently, it was fudge. Why was this girl giving him fudge? "Um, thanks." Ritsuka didn't eat it just yet, just kept looking up at the stranger. "Do I know you?"

[opposingheaven.livejournal.com]

The ride back to the Insitute had gone without a hitch which Kenren was rather glad for when it came down to it. Too many people who were now his responsibility. Homura, Okita, everyone in the history club. And the conversation with Sanzo was still weighing heavily on his mind. Sanzo didn't know everything, but at the same time, Kenren knew that he didn't know everything about Homura either and he must have hurt Sanzo somehow if the priest was being so jumpy about it.

He grabbed his katana once the door opened and quickly lit up a cigarette, taking a drag on it before stepping out into the corridor.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/457893.html)]

M33

[usoppsenchou.livejournal.com]

Unaware of the conversation regarding him just next door, Usopp prepared to meet with some of his crewmates for the evening. He dug through the solid items he'd gathered, having already put on his usual clothes except for his boots. Flour bombs were nice and good, but he still didn't have anything with a serious hit. On the other hand, keeping his bag too full would be a waste if things went the way he expected. While trying to decide what to bring along, he left the door cracked open. Hopefully Chopper and Sanji would find their way with no trouble.

Re: M33

[misterprince.livejournal.com]

As if on cue, there was a loud knock on Usopp's door. "Oi, Usopp! Open up!" There was no need for introductions with Sanji. If the sniper couldn't tell his own crew then he deserved to have his door kicked in. "Let's get this train moving."

Re: M33

[usoppsenchou.livejournal.com]

As Usopp finished packing the last tools he wanted into his bag, Sanji's knock came at the door. It was a nice feeling to hear a familiar voice on the other side. "Hey, Sanji! I'm just getting packed."

He wasn't sure how much he could carry back this time, but this was a trial run anyway. At second thought, he grabbed the pillowcase off his pillow and rolled it up to put in his bag as well, just in case. The only tools to bring along which he left out of his bag were the improvised slingshot and the hammer, both of which were tucked into his coverall pockets. He organized the 'delicate' ammunition on top in his bag, over the pillowcase. At least now he had something other than flour bombs, even if lightbulbs or used batteries weren't precisely weaponry of death. Hopefully the eggs had been given enough time to go rotten...

"Chopper's supposed to be coming by tonight too." Usopp's shoes had been taken out and placed on the center of the room's floor, awaiting a proper fitting. "I hope he doesn't get lost. Ha ha, I guess it's not like he's Zoro or anything."

[eyrien-prick.livejournal.com]

The day had past Lucivar by in a blur but surprisingly, he liked it that way. He'd been itching for the night to come and the moment the voice faded away, Lucivar was out of bed, reaching for the large pole beneath his mattress and locating the red/grey thread that indicated Renji. He knew the Bastard would be busy dealing with his own emotions. Daemon was better off brooding over his situation alone. Should he discover anything, he made a mental note to tell his brother first thing in the morning.

As Lucivar stepped out into the hallway, his lips curled into a grin. He didn't want to admit it, but the prospect of waging war on the monsters and creatures of this place made him feel better then he had felt in days.

[eyrien-prick.livejournal.com]

[headed here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/455439.html?thread=37245967#t37245967)]

[cnflctofintrst.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/457725.html?thread=37359613#t37359613)]

This time, the hallway was lit by a few other flashlights and Mello could hear muffled voices, indicating that the present time was consistent. Despite Near's protests (and the infuriating fact that his last point had been correct), he still trusted his intuition. Last night had gone by without incident, and his experience before that had left him without any physical damage. After a week in the institute, the only injuries he'd gained were the scratches left by the bat on his first night.

Mello didn't believe in luck. Clearly, he was just intelligent enough to avoid the mistakes of the other patients.

As he continued down the hall, he considered his rival's plans for the evening. Near had memorized Junior's map, which indicated that he didn't plan to return to his room, but he'd be an idiot to attempt traveling alone. Mello's situation was different: he knew how to take care of himself, how to sense and evade danger. When it came to Near, the phrase 'sitting duck' would have been generous.

Not that it mattered to Mello.

Thinking of Near brought back memories of his afternoon in Doyletown and the conversation he'd had on the bus. He felt a strange pressure in his chest, something like the way other people described fear, but Mello wasn't that weak of a person. It only took seconds for the cold tightness to turn to a much more familiar heat, and he narrowed his eyes as he gripped the flashlight with renewed force. He wasn't a toy to suit the whims some distant author, to be manipulated to advance a plot. Despite the truth of Ritsuka's description and the logic of Near's explanation, Mello understood this with a certainty so strong that his fingers were numb around the handle of his knife.

Though no part of him would admit it, something at the edge of his consciousness hoped to encounter a monster. Now armed, he'd be able to destroy it easily, and the smell of rotting blood or the crunch of a spider's exoskeleton would be proof that he was in control.

No one was writing his life. It belonged to him and him alone.

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

(From here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/453711.html?thread=37233743#t37233743))

Artemis moved quickly from his own hallway on the ever-familiar walk to Hitsugaya's room. He could probably do it blindfolded by now, he'd done it so many times before.

One thing he wasn't used to meeting on the trip, however, was the person he caught sight of as he entered the block. The boy paused for a moment, locking eyes with Mello for the briefest of seconds. He didn't say anything, though. Provoking Mello during the night would just be stupid. Instead, he moved to continue on to Hitsugaya's room as though nothing had just transpired.

[cnflctofintrst.livejournal.com]

The instant of eye contact was enough to catch Mello's attention, and he immediately realized the risk he'd taken so much introspection. Wasting time feeling sorry for himself (or, more accurately, feeling angry at the world) wasn't going to get him any closer to his goals. His goals, a firm but unheard voice emphasized. Not the goals that someone else had given him for dramatic purposes.

If Mello had been the empathetic type, he might have felt a twinge of regret for how he'd tormented Artemis about being a fictional character. As it was, though, he found himself filled with a renewed resentment. Luckily, with a bit of effort, he could align his hatred of Artemis with his need to beat Near...and possibly work out a bit of frustration while he was at it.

He didn't have to actually hurt the boy. Simple intimidation should be enough if he used the right threats, but if things got out of hand, well...he could hardly be faulted for that.

Mello took several long strides, reaching the end of the corridor just before the boy passed it. "Artemis," he said casually, perhaps too casually. His voice was cold and slightly amused. "I see you've met Nate," he continued, choosing the name Near had used to introduce himself days before. "Pleasant chap, isn't he? You two seemed to hit it off."

Outside M39

[wantsyourzex.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/458376.html?thread=37404552#t37404552)]

This should be the right room. ZEX looked around the hallway, wary for a sudden and unexpected attack, but it seemed for the moment he was safe. Hopefully his human love would be in a similar situation... if he was in his room, then that should have been the case.

If he was in his room.

Surely he was. ZEX tapped his flashlight against the door, still a bit unaccustomed to using the bones in his hands (such a bizarre evolutionary path to follow) to strike things.

"Captain?"

Re: Outside M39

[captain-hunam.livejournal.com]

Zelnick had wound himself up on the bus so badly that reaching the relative safety of his room had left him almost dazed; he hadn't realized how tense he was until it ebbed away, and he'd just zoned out through dinner.

Then night had come, and he realized that Tanaka must have still had his flashlight-- and his roommate had left so quickly that he hadn't gotten a chance to ask him about light sources.

It was unsettling, sitting in the dark, and he was contemplating the merits of working his way blindly towards Usopp's room (surely there'd be a light on there? It was just down the hall... ) when he heard a knock and ZEX's voice.

Sitting up and turning towards the door, he replied, "Come on in." Here came a light source, great! He'd neglected to plan anything to do (besides "not die on the bus," which he'd already managed), but going out with ZEX would surely be productive, if he could keep the guy from getting distracted.

Re: Outside M39

[wantsyourzex.livejournal.com]

ZEX was only all too eager to come in. Unfortunately he noticed as the flashlight's beam glanced over his human's body that he was not naked. A shame! Perhaps next time... or perhaps that could be remedied.

"Are you alright, my love?" ZEX asked, all thoughts firmly fixed on his Captain like the laser of an Intruder. "It appears I was right about them wanting to keep us off-guard, although I expected some sort of attack. There may be an unpleasant surprise later tonight as a result. I'm glad to see you are safe." Although, ZEX could better see if his Captain was completely unharmed if he took off all his clothes... maybe he would even need help doing so! ZEX would be glad to provide it, although for now he was quite happy to simply join his Captain on the bed.

[undesirableone.livejournal.com]

Harry really didn't have any plans for the night, but it was better than staying in his room.

Pipe in one hand, flashlight in the other, he head out towards the hospital. He thought of going to the female block to see if he could find Fluer. He vaguely knew which way that was so he set off to it.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/454044.html)]

[spandexorgtfo.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/457411.html?thread=37518531#t37518531)]

Kratos closed the door to the clinic behind him before setting off down the hallway. The explosion had sounded as thought it came from the east...

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/455439.html)]

[whohitreset.livejournal.com]

It was about here that Matt decided he'd gone far enough. He slid down against the wall until he was sitting against it. He coughed a couple times, focusing on getting his breaths under control before checking the pillowcase. His sweating and tightly gripped hands had left the fabric shaped in such a way that you could tell how strongly it had been held.

There didn't seem to be much damage done to the goods, so he relaxed. His legs were like jelly and his room seemed so far away now. How much of the night could even be left at this point? If he fell asleep here before it ended would he run the risk of becoming monster food? Did he even care?

Sighing, Matt leaned his head back and, for the moment, went ahead and closed his eyes.

[cnflctofintrst.livejournal.com]

Against all odds and much to his relief, the hallway seemed completely empty once he opened his eyes. Mello leaned against the wall, still trying to maintain a mental silence to protect himself from the man on the other side of the door, though it didn't hold for very long. How many of them were there? How many people listening to every thought, completely aware of his plans and goals and machinations and...and whatever else a person normally had, he figured, though he wasn't sure what those things were.

Given the situation, there was no reason he should.

The institute was an loop, an impossible Möbius strip of fictional characters reading about fictional characters, watching films about fictional characters, playing video games about fictional characters. How deeply was he a part of this recursion? He'd written about Naomi. Had that act actually created her at an earlier point in time, leading to--no, constituting--the experiences that were later explained to him and if that was possible, then how could one be certain that people even existed in the context of their worlds, and in that case what if-

Fuck no. He was not thinking about this shit now. He very fiercely wished both Schuldig and Artemis dead, and this time he didn't care if the telepath heard it.

He'd left his flashlight in the room so the hallway was dark, and he didn't feel like letting go of his arm to navigate with his fingers against the wall. He couldn't stay out here forever, not with those two in the room behind him (was Schuldig listening, waiting for him to leave?), but he wasn't going to accomplish anything tonight. The only real option was to go back to his room and hope that night ended as quickly as possible. Mello was thoroughly disgusted with himself.

He oriented himself as best as possible without light based on the angle of his back against the wall, and he tried to remember what room he'd left to calculate how many footsteps it should be to the end of the hallway. His mind drew a complete blank. Figured. At least he could remember which direction to go.

After about twenty steps, though, his foot met something solid and he jumped back with a hiss and a sharp profanity. It could only be a monster or a person, and the odds of a person sitting silently in one of the Institute's dark hallways seemed pretty damn slim.

[spandexorgtfo.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/454044.html?thread=37797020#t37797020)]

He had reached the last hallway with a fair amount of ease. Kratos walked briskly down the hallway, stopping before the clinic door. Again wiggling a hand free, he managed to open the door.

[entering here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/457411.html)]

M40

[k4t4str0ph4l.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/454969.html?thread=38015545#t38015545).]

Schuldig stretched as he sauntered into Farfarello's room ahead of him, finally pulling away enough to break the contact of the hand on his back.

"You know," he observed, "you should be all over me. Not only did I save Arty's life tonight, I got to indulge in the kind of sadism on the asshole who stabbed him that'd make even Crawford hot. Not to mention that's where the knife and my new flashlight come from." He turned and dropped onto the bed heavily enough to make the springs creak, smirking at Farfarello as he withdrew said flashlight from the waistband of his pants - it wasn't exactly comfortable having it dig into his side. "Not too bad a night's work for only two hallways' worth of travel."

Re: M40

[jei.livejournal.com]

For a moment, Farfarello had to just stand in the doorway, unmoving, as his vision washed red. Someone had stabbed Artemis? But, Schuldig had taken care of it. Presumably there was nothing for Farfarello to do about it at this point. Growling softly, he whirled and headed for the closet, hauling out his bottle of whiskey--now only three quarters full, after sharing a bit with Roland the other night. Hopefully it would calm him a bit. "That boy needs to learn to defend himself."