damned_institute | Nighshift 35: Soccer/Recreational Field

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Nighshift 35: Soccer/Recreational Field

[from here]

The warm night air kissed Archer's face as he stepped outside. A half moon was out, giving considerable illumination. On the bright side, it meant that he could see pretty well, even at night, but on the other hand, it meant hiding wouldn't be as easy, especially out in the field, without any cover. Nonetheless, he cautiously made his way over to the shed.

[to here]

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Celes was beginning to half-regret her decision to join Archer's group. It was only a temporary thing, so long as she never saw Dante's face anywhere except molded around her fist. She followed Archer and hopped the fence herself, watching the skies for the first sign of the large, stinking birds. She straightened herself when she landed and paused to check her knife, still safely in pocket.

This, she thought, would be an excellent time to assess the other member. Celes moved out of the way to watch for Brook, and continue to cold shoulder that fool Dante.

Brook was still itching to ask the young lady what he always asked of them, but he had made a promise! He couldn't just break it because of the prospect of a possible glimpse! So to keep him mind off of it, he started humming upon entering the Recreational Field. They were still heading out where there were monsters, so if anyone asked why he was humming, it was certainly not because he wasn't trying to think of Celes's panties! Certainly not! It was because there were monsters, and those scared him, so humming made him feel better! He'd readily admit to being a scaredy-cat.

"So, what might your name be, my lovely lady?" Brook wasn't so stuck on not thinking about Celes's panties that he could not keep to his standards. Archer may have told him her name already, but they'd yet to be formally introduced, and it was rude to simply assume should she prefer him call her otherwise! "Oh, and to the gentlemen with the silver hair! You are...?" Brook turned his head back, forgoing the wall-jumping his teammates seemed so interested in. What he found when he looked back was.... well, nothing! "Oya?" He blinked, confused. Had he not followed them out? "Silver-san?" he asked curiously, looking around.

Perched on the wall, Archer scanned the field, looking for their missing member. "Dante?"

Dropping to the floor, he stayed close to wall, continuing his scanning for a moment but found nothing. Turning to his team, he addressed them. "Damn... Brook, Celes, stay here. I'll go look for Dante. Stay on guard."

Praise the Triad, that hunkering buffoon had left before he could test the line of Celes's already thin patience. "Yessir." Her tone was dry, but she wasn't going to poke fun when it was so clearly a worrying time. The general turned to Brook and kept an eye on the field, looking for monsters.

"I'm Celes Chere, sir." She didn't smile, she didn't wink, and most of all, she didn't flirt. If this one proved to be as foolish as the other, Celes would take her leave posthaste.

"But he was... just here, wasn't he?" Brook pointed dumbly as Archer passed. When his roommate did not answer, he looked to the woman, confused, "Wasn't he?" Or had he just been imagining things? This place was pretty strange, and Brook did have his brain back. Even without his mind he'd been given to seeing illusions through his dreams, but this was the first while awake! Maybe it was not so bad to be short a brain if this was what happened.

Well, no use worrying over it too much. There were more important thing to do! Like finishing with the proper introductions. "And I am Brook," he tucked an arm (his free one) before him and the one with the bat behind as he bowed low to her. "It is a pleasure, Celes-san, to meet you." Despite the situation. Honestly though, this was not the first he'd greeted others in... less than savory circumstances.

"It's common for patients to vanish without a trace here, haven't you been informed? Though, the Head Doctor is kind enough to take them in the morning, usually." Celes inclined her head regally and straightened, whirling her bat as though it were a rapier. A little too unbalanced, unfortunately, but it was similar enough. "How do you know Mister Archer?" she asked, in an attempt of geniality.

Please, oh please, Triad, let this one not be a raving idiot, she silently begged, hoping that the Goddesses would hear her and grant the beleaguered general some mercy.

Though he did not want to be making a habit of this greeting style. This was the second time! How was it that he could not seem to avoid these kinds of situations anyway?

"Really? Just like that?" Without so much as a warning?! It was like how those Spider Mice had worked in Thriller Bark! Oh, he hoped that the man wasn't getting his shadow snipped off as they spoke! But he couldn't be sure of that... and for how Celes was speaking, this seemed more than a little common. All right then, until he found further proof (or got over his denial of the similarities between here and that damned ship), he would not question it!

"Hm? Oh, Archer-san? We are in the same room together," he answered simply, "Though I suppose if people do vanish I may not be the first of his roommates."

"Without a warning, a note, not even so much as a proper goodbye," Celes said, surprised at the wash of bitterness in her voice. If she'd gotten her chance to say goodbye, then it wouldn't have happened. It shouldn't have, anyway. "Though, I've heard that the people that vanish often come back, but as 'visitors', totally brainwashed an disbelieving of your history with them, however brief."

She shifted, and swallowed the information Brook so easily gave to her. "It may very well be. I am lucky to have the same roommate since I've arrived." Except for the part she didn't know where Mion was tonight, of course.

"Visitors? Really..." Maybe that was where the missing Franky and Robin were. A sad thought to think on, but more of a hope that they were here than not. It would be better for them all to have been brought to this strange place than for them to have been scattered about. Just how were they to find each other again given that situation?!

Not that that would ever happen.

The mention of her own roommate softened Brook's expression a bit. "Then you must be good friends! Yohohohoho! Archer-san and I are!" Sorta.

Celes shrugged, "I'm afraid I'm doing a fine job of not creating relationships." If she'd failed to protect the others, she'd likely fail protecting Mion as well. Celes had quite enough of this new bedfellow Failure.

"Well, as it appears that our leader and our fool have taken leave, and I am not one to stand out where those birds can collect me up like grains." It was dark, and there were enough people on the field, but acting complacent wasn't a smart move on the Landelian chessboard.

Archer led Ren back to his team, introducing their new addition. "Hey. I wasn't able to find Dante. It looks like he was taken. This is Ichimoto Ren. He'll be accompanying us to the basement."

At this point, he imagined Celes' patience was wearing thin, and Brook was probably freaked out. "Look, I know this night hasn't gone according to plan so far, but I'd like to continue. Are you both still up to it?"

It kind of felt like he was being brought out onto the court as replacement for a player with an injury. Overall, not the best sports analogy, but these were still supposed to be 'teammates' of some kind.

He stopped a little ways behind Archer and waved, not wanting to interrupt.

Celes nodded at Ren in greeting and looked back at Archer. An alternate was fine, and Dante could go rot somewhere. "It's fine, Archer. Now, if we could hurry along and not stand out here like targets?"

It would figure that he would appear just as she was planning on taking her own leave.

"Not creatin... but friends are the most wonderful thing in the world!" Brook's mouth dropped, himself aghast. Why would someone try not to make friends?! It was a terrible thing to think of, and it cut Brook to the core to even mention it!

He was not able to continue (and thus properly scold Celes for doing it "wrong") as Archer returned, but not with the sliver-haired man. Dante really was gone it seemed, but now there was another in his place. "Welcome back, Archer-san! Oh, and you've brought another friend with you? Yohohoho! How wonderful! Nice to meet you Ren-san! I am Brook. You won't go disappearing on us either, now will you?"

"My thoughts exactly, General," Archer replied, moving to scale the wall. "Let's get out of here."

And with that, he easily pulled himself up, leading the way. He'd look for Dante tomorrow, which was all he really could do, but for now, he had a mission.

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Nighshift 35: Soccer/Recreational Field

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