damned_institute | Nightshift 21: Hallway F11-F20

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Nightshift 21: Hallway F11-F20

Yuffie was annoyed. To put it simply, today had utterly sucked.

Oh, it had started out well enough. Flirting with Zelos was much fun, and so was teasing the other man..Albel, was it? But it'd gone downhill from there. First with the nurses in the library, and then seeing Hojo, and then Barret... That was what steamed her the most. And to think she'd even felt a little bit worried about that jerk! At least before he'd blown a gasket and flipped her chair out from under her...

Grumbling to herself, Yuffie finished her food and shoved the empty dishes off the desk, more out of spite than anything else. She wanted out of this place. Now. What right did they have to keep her locked up here anyway? None, that's what.

Well, if she was going to be stuck here, she was going to cause as many problems as possible.

As soon as she heard the doors unlock, Yuffie set to work at her sheets. She pulled them all off the bed once again, tearing a strip off of one side to make another headband for herself. Like the night before, she stuck pens in the back of the headband within easy reach, then went to her dresser to retrieve her bag of stuff. Broken stuff, still, but none the less useful.

She looked around the room for anything else. Nothing left but the clothing and the torn up bedsheets... She paused, a grin spreading across her face. Oh, she had an idea for those sheets... Pulling out one of the pens, she uncapped it and set to work scribbling on the fabric. She stood again once she had finished and grabbed a handful of the sheet, quickly dragging it out of the room after her.

[Running over to here.]

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Claire already had her flashlight when she stepping into the hall and had decided to bring the radio along. She'd remembered there were some messages on the bulletin board saying it would come in handy. While she was a bit skeptical, she'd recognized it was Eric who'd written those notes. And she trusted Eric.

Her trust was rewarded when, while walking towards her destination, the radio turned on. She didn't stop walking, a little paranoid of being attacked at any second, but still tried to listen to everything that was being said. Not a whole lot of it made sense to her, but Claire gathered that Eric was right - there was some rivalry going on between the Intercom guy and whoever this was on the radio.

The broadcast ended and Claire was left in relative silence again. She quickened her pace, wanting to run into RC and Wesker soon.

[going over here (http://community.livejournal.com/landels_damned/50681.html)]

Zack was surprised to see how quiet the female block was. He supposed that made sense. From what he had seen, there weren't as many girls around, which was really quite the tragedy. Then again, that meant there weren't as many women in danger...

He made a beeline for the second hallway out of the four and checked the numbers until he was in front of F14. It seemed that he'd made it here first, which was quite the relief. He'd been added to their plans at the end, which meant that he had to make sure he kept up.

Shrugging, he knocked on his friend's door. As he waited for her to open it and for Zelos and Lyta to show up, he set his flashlight down on the floor so that he could be free to take some practicing swipes and slashes with his sword.

[Coming from here (http://community.livejournal.com/landels_damned/46621.html?thread=2600989#t2600989)]

So far, so good. No scary monsters or anyone bothering him so far. F14, Aerith had said. As he made his way towards her room, he noticed Zack had already made it there, and he was slashing at the air with his sword. Zelos was a little jealous that he was only equipped with a flashlight, but shrugged it off. That would soon change. Instead, he made his way forward, not able to resist a little teasing.

"Hey, watch out now. Those badass sword moves are scaring away the air!"

Lyta honestly didn't care what the either the man on the intercom or the man on the radio had to say. Nothing of it was anything more than some kind of crap designed to manipulate them. They both reminded her of Bester, so smooth talking and slick as snakes. He'd love this place - probably had shares in it.

But at least she had something to do tonight. Wandering around with no real purpose got old, soon. She left her radio but took the old flashlight with her. She didn't see the need for anything else. Stepping out into the hallway, she opened her mind and began 'feeling' about for Aerith...

And was surprised when she realized the woman was right next to her. Or that their rooms were next to each other.

And that the hallway wasn't empty.

"Party's started already?" she asked, eyeing the two men in the hallway.

Whew, nighttime had finally come. Aerith wished that she was some kind of weapons mastermind and could mold something really amazing and deadly out of pens and extra clothes, but had to concede that she was not, and sighed. If worse came to worse, she could always bash things with the flashlight.

A knock on her door. Aerith lifted herself from sitting on the bed and patiently waiting. The wait was over. Her heart was beating a little loudly, an adrenaline rush, but she wasn't frightened. Yet. When she opened the door, she was greeted with the sight of Zelos and Zack.

Zack looked good with a sword, as usual. "I knew you'd come in handy," she grinned. "See?" She greeted Zelos, remembering their bargain. "I'm useful because I have connections with the guys who own pointy, stabby things."

Surprisingly enough, it didn't take long before Zelos and Lyta showed up. Zack was glad that he'd hurried. It would have been embarrassing to be the last to arrive. "Not quite," he responded to Lyta. Aerith hadn't answered her door yet, after all.

That quickly changed. The soldier turned and grinned in response to Aerith's praise. As someone who had been in the military, it felt nice to be useful. He spun his sword around and slung it over his back before he realized that he had no sheath for it. That was annoying. Instead, he pulled his arm forward and held the blade at his side. It was awkward, but who was he to complain? He had a sword.

"All right, then. It was the doctor's offices, right?" Though he remembered that earlier conflict about who should be the leader and turned to face Lyta, bowing slightly. "My apologies," he said with a charming smile that somehow didn't come off as overly flirtatious. "Please, take over for me." He really didn't mind being the one to take orders. He'd been the brawn to other's brains many times in the past.

Indistinct voices carried down the hall. Reinforce stepped back against the wall, trying as well as she could to blend in, and started to edge towards them. Last time she had found others in need of help here. She couldn't ignore the possibility that these would be the same. Besides, if they were capable she could ask for directions.

And if they were enemies...

Well, her flashlight was of sturdy construction, and it wasn't as if she'd never killed with her hands before. They'd been stronger then, but she'd make do. She was no Knight, but magic was not the only element of Belkan warcraft she had learned.

Zelos was in high spirits and ready to step back and let Lyta take the lead when he caught a glimpse of someone moving in the dark, towards them. It was hard to tell - whoever it was had placed themselves against the wall, trying to be as stealthy as possible.

"We've got company," he informed his team, before stepping out a little bit. Far enough in case the figure was hostile, but close enough to get a better look.

The shape looked...female? Trying not to get his hopes up too much, Zelos addressed the figure directly. "You wanna say hi or just keep scooting against the wall?"

Lyta was tempted to snap at Zack - he had to have that name, didn't he? - as she would anyone who she felt was just humoring her, but she could feel he was being sincere. So she just nodded and gave him a small smile.

"Come on..." But Zelos was mentioning company and she turned her head, feeling out the presense. "It's another patient," she said. "We really don't have time to stand around chatting..."

Zack or Lyta, whoever was the leader, Aerith didn't mind. She watched for Lyta's reaction when Zack gracefully bowed out, noting the first smile she'd seen out of the woman, and smiled to herself. Good. They were on their way.

But then Zelos spotted someone, and Aerith turned to look. "Hello?" She called, uncertain tone. Friend or foe? Patient, so it was. Lyta urged them along, and she was the leader, so Aerith shrugged and took a spot by her side, indicating that she was ready to leave.

Zack was glad to see that Lyta didn't take his courtesy badly. He wasn't trying to mock her or anything like that, so he was glad she hadn't misunderstood.

As for the patient that was skulking in the shadows, Zack felt that they should at least give them a chance to state their business. Hopefully it could be dealt with quickly and they could get on their way, since it seemed like everyone was eager to start moving. Nonetheless, he waited patiently. Once Lyta started to leave, he would follow.

Reinforce stepped away from the wall into what passed for the light in this dim place and approached the group. She felt no shame at being caught for lack of skill, playing at the shadow. In another situation it might have gained her an advantage, and had cost her nothing.

Four figures. The most threatening, a man with a sword. Not the black Nowe had mentioned but the only weapon she'd seen here. A man and woman with what she supposed would be considered fine features who greeted her, the former a bit too casually and the latter meekly. And the one she'd seen last night, when the insects had been about, who seemed to be in charge, but already dismissed her.

Of these she'd only seen Lyta's face before, but if she led them they must be patients, right? From the way people, the voices on the intercom and radio talked the horrors of this place were the obvious sort.

If they were in a hurry, she'd oblige them. "I'm looking for M28. If you would let me follow you to the closest you'll come to it and give me some direction, I'd be thankful." This group was armed and organized; unless she was significantly more skilled than the man with the weapon she offered little to them, so she saw no problem with accepting their aid and then leaving to pursue her own plan. There was also no shame in benefiting from another's grace, especially when you would offer yours the same situation...

Zelos didn't bother to hide the gleeful boyish grin that spread across his face when the girl stepped out of the shadows.

He turned towards Lyta as though he'd just found the cutest puppy in the window and wanted to take it home. "We'd have to head the same way anyway..." In the end, he'd go with whatever Lyta decided - but he wasn't too cool with leaving a defenseless girl stumbling around in the dark. He waited for the decision.

Oh. It was one of those girls from last night. There was probably no getting rid of her now. Lyta just hoped that if something happened, she wouldn't get in the way.

"Fine. Follow us until you get close to where you're getting. We're not going into the men's wing, though. Alright, now are we ready to get going?"

Aerith cocked her head to the side once the girl came into full-view, regarding her with a smile now because she was neither monster nor threat. It couldn't hurt to allow her to come along. Her smile grew when Lyta agreed with Zelos.

"Welcome to the group." Aerith greeted her cheerfully, even if she was only here temporarily, hands behind her back. "What's your name?"

They could walk and talk. She nodded to Lyta. "Ready as I'll ever be," she commented with a small, pitiful glance at her flashlight. Oh, well. Maybe they would come across something staff-like tonight.

"M28? That's the room right next to mine," Zack announced with a blink. Though he wasn't entirely sure whose room that was, he still knew how to get there. "Don't worry," he promised the girl. "We'll point you in the right direction."

With that settled, it seemed that everyone was ready to get moving. There was no point in waiting, so Zack headed off back the way he had originally come. Hopefully Lyta wouldn't be upset by the fact that he'd started to move without her officially announcing that they were leaving, because honestly, that would be a bit snotty and exasperating.

Reinforce nodded her appreciation curtly to the group. "Thank you." She fell in near Aerith as the group started to move out, extending a hand. "I'm called Reinforce. 'Rein' if you prefer."

They were as friendly as could be expected for anyone in a place like this meeting an odd-looking stranger who just drifted in out of who-knew-where. Friendlier than she would have expected, in fact. Lyta ('the girl from before' to her) not so much, but that businesslike manner was probably helpful in a leader.

Zelos' grin was mildly unnerving to her though. Did he know something about her? It reminded her of that other red-haired man from the library... not as cold, but...

Zelos, despite acting like he couldn't find his way out of a paper box, did catch on to people's feelings pretty well. He had the feeling the girl wasn't really comfortable around him, for whatever reason (hey, he wasn't a complete animal!). Giving her his most charming 'I'm a good guy and won't attack you I promise' smile, he introduced himself. "I'm Zelos. Or Zelos the Great. Or Zelos, That Fantastic Vision of Manly Perfection, but usually I just go by Zelos for short."

She seemed like the quiet sort, but he hoped she didn't mind a bit of goofing around on his part. He was fully aware that he was wearing his usually bright eyed expression as though he was walking on clouds rather than to possible doom.

Getting from the female hall to outside the male one didn't take long and went by more or less uneventfully. While Zack knew that they were supposed to just tell her the general direction of where to go, he didn't see any problem with escorting her the short distance to M28.

"Hey, Reinforce, right?" He put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Since I know exactly how to get to where you're going, how about I drop you off real quick?" He glanced at the members of his original group with a hopeful look. "I'll be back in two shakes," he promised. He knew Aerith would be fine with it and Zelos probably wouldn't care, but Lyta...

Well, if he left before she could protest...! With that, the soldier grabbed the girl's wrist and headed into the male block.

Lyta didn't have any protests. She was on the side of cold and she didn't like many people, but even she could agree that letting a kid wander around this place was a heartless thing to do. And it wasn't like it would take long.

"The offices are probably going to be locked," she said, aloud. "We have anything to get them open with?" She didn't think she could trip the locks with her mind. "Or are we just going to kick them in?" Zack looked like he could kick a door in without much of a problem.

While Zack was dropping off the girl, she did her best to get her bearings and feel out the area.

"I'm Aerith." She had gladly shook Reinforce, or Rein's, hand, and chuckled at Zelos. The Vision of Manly Perfection. "Yes, his full name is rather hard to say. Such a burden to carry, right, Mr. Manly Perfection?"

Zack took a moment to show the girl where she needed to go, and she smiled warmly in his wake. Spending time around him again was making her remember all of the things which had attracted her to him in the first place-- that could be good, or could be bad. In any case, she had no intentions of dealing with it. Not right now, at least.

Lyta's question shook her out of those thoughts. "We'll have to use force, I suspect." Zack and his sword, and Zelos, and Aerith could-- well. Throw her flashlight at it, at best. It was bothersome, she was easily the biggest burden for the group.

Zelos gave Aerith a charming smile in response to her teasing. "Such a burden, but somehow I manage!"

He was a bit disappointed he couldn't lead the girl to the room, but Zack did know the way better.

"I'm all for the kicking," he answered Lyta. The door wasn't the problem - between Zack and himself it wouldn't be anything big. The problem was the monsters. If they came across something like Triangle Head again, it wasn't sure how useful he'd be. While he was good at hand to hand, it certainly wouldn't work against something like that.

Man, he wished he had a sword. Even a knife would have been good.

Stepping back out into the hallway, Zack tossed a grin in the direction of his three comrades. "I return," he announced, pulling up his sword and resting the blunt of it on his shoulder casually.

"So, with that all taken care of, care to lead the way?" he directed at Lyta. He didn't see much reason to question if anything had happened in the short time that he'd been gone, since they had problem just discussed something mundane. If they'd decided on anything important, they would tell him, right?

The doctor's offices and then the second floor... He hoped they found something of interest during their journey.

"Let's go." Lyta nodded and set off for the main hallway, wondering idly if maybe she ought to get her hands on a weapon of some sort. But she didn't like the idea of relying on something external to defend herself.

Not like she had any choice. At least the offices were close, if she remembered correctly. Just down the main hall.

"Think you two boys can break down a door?" she called quietly over her shoulder as she entered the main hall.

(OOC: Heading here (http://community.livejournal.com/landels_damned/58035.html)

She had to be as swift and silent as possible. She would've (if it wouldn't've been something that would end up generating more problems than it was worth) taken her billowing, retarting clothing off. She would've made less sound and moved more quickly, to be sure. Oh well. She still had the boy-band. She'd taken the CD and broken it up into six sharp-edged shards and inserted each one between her fingers. Now she had three decent claws on each hand, just like she had had in her original body. Though, granted, not at all as sturdy, but they'd do the job.

Like that, she stepped out onto the hallway; first thing was first -- the library.

[going to here (http://community.livejournal.com/landels_damned/50681.html?thread=2601977#t2601977)]

After listening to the intercom announcement and the rebuttal from the radio, Reinforce didn't think Landel's was that ominous anymore. She thought it was insane. Why would the patients be given these radios (she'd only noticed hers when it started broadcasting, but still...) if they were the voice of the resistance? Why be loosed on the facility if they weren't meant to escape? Why the meaningless taunting? If the conditions were designed to have some specific effect on the patients, it would have to be incredibly broad. No, this was the sport of the same capricious gods who had cursed her...

She was done prioritizing figuring this place out. Any reason there might be behind it would have to be far divorced from the details of their circumstances to be determined by their examination. If she was going to be a player in this game she'd concentrate on playing well.

Stalking out of the room with flashlight and radio in hand (the former found after her discovery of the latter had set her searching for any other useful items), she took her second look around the darkened nighttime face of her corridor. Let the horrors come again, she would crush them.

[[Moving up to F14 thread]]

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Nightshift 21: Hallway F11-F20

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[[Moving up to F14 thread]]