Nightshift 37: Soccer/Recreational Field

[pleading-ngri.livejournal.com]

[from here.]

Since the recreational field was quiet tonight, Phoenix found himself pausing briefly between doors, glancing up at the sky. It was what the sky looked like on television, pitch blackness interrupted by bright points of starlight, which was what really made him stop in the first place, really. He'd spent his entire life in Los Angeles. He didn't expect anything from the night sky but a dark, dusky rose, dotted with perhaps five valiant stars, assorted satellites, and the blinking slow-motion of airplanes coming and going from LAX. Seeing the sky the way he'd always known it was supposed to look pulled at him strangely. There wasn't supposed to be a single thing about this place that was beautiful, but there were the stars, cold and twinkling and completely unfamiliar.

He turned away abruptly, walking quickly for the next door before he could stare any longer. This wasn't the time to get caught up in things like that.

[to here.]

Comments

[usoppsenchou.livejournal.com]

At the sight of the awful giant birds that had attacked outside the buses weeks ago, Usopp swallowed hard, but didn't scream. Instead, he followed Sai's lead, keeping as close to the ninja as he could without falling over the other boy or losing his attention on the flying figures.

He'd said that they would run if there was too bad a threat, but they were still moving. Was he getting too used to this place? If there was an even worse threat over the walls, assuming the birds didn't catch notice of them and just follow, where would they run to?

Blindingly grasping, since his eyes were half on the birds and half on Sai's back, he reached in his bag for his slingshot, just in case.

[tsunagari.livejournal.com]

As they reached the wall, Sai placed his back to it, ready to help the pirate over first. He had something he wanted to try anyway and Usopp might have more difficulty getting up on his own. It was possible he was underestimating him, but he didn't want to take any chances.

"Just keep moving. Don't do anything else that might attract its attention." The ninja kept his voice a low whisper. "Don't even stare at it too much. Keep it in the corner of your vision."

[usoppsenchou.livejournal.com]

Don't even stare at it?! They would sense them looking?

Unnerved by the idea, Usopp kept moving until they hit the wall, then started climbing, momentarily dropping his slingshot into the bag again so one of his hands would be completely free. As often as he went over this wall, it was practically old routine.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/532444.html)]

[tsunagari.livejournal.com]

Sai backed up, taking in the wall for a moment. Sakura had said she had some access to her chakra and he wanted to test things out for himself. Up until now, he hadn't been able to access it at all.

He made a hand sign, focusing on his feet, and was startled to feel the familiar flow of energy within him. It wasn't much, but it was there. He moved quickly. taking a running start towards the wall and not stopping as he then began to run directly up it. The chakra held.

[following]