Nightshift 40 - M1-M10 Hallway

[kindalikedit]

[Geass is now under effect]

It wasn't the intercom that jolted Dean awake. Or, at least, he didn't think it was, 'cause it wasn't that same start you got when you were surprised by some egomaniac suddenly running his mouth off on the intercom who loved the sound of his voice and made sure you did too. Or, that was usually how it went, except Martin Landel - or whoever it was, the raspy croak made it hard to tell this time - for once kept it short. No, it was something else. Not just getting startled awake. Dean couldn't describe it, only that it was like a switch had flipped and suddenly...suddenly he just knew he had work to do. How else to explain it? It was like a hunch, but way, way stronger. Rolling out of bed, he found there was no room for any lingering memories of his nightmares or the constant cold sweats or waking up and just needing to know where Sammy was as he groped about like a blind man in those first few terrified seconds, as if he was a kid again. Not when everything was Okay with a capital O. There was a job to do and Dean Winchester knew he was the man to do it.

Hell, he was the best man, the most qualified. The only man.

Not that Dean could say where he got this sudden boost of confidence. Any other time, he would've thought it weird but now? The hunter instead just headed straight for the closet after turning on his flashlight so he could see, pulling on his clothes. M31. Had to report to M31. That thought kept circling in his head and though Dean dressed as fast as humanly possibly, practically throwing on his necklace and his favorite old leather jacket, it didn't seem fast enough. Dean had just enough time to snag his bowie knife before that compulsion to move and move faster kicked him in the ass and got him into gear. Dean didn't even spare Angel another look, didn't care he'd seen where he'd stashed his own weapon - sure it wasn't as big as Angel's ax, but still - and instead just left the room with a single-minded intent. A man on a mission.

Dean liked feeling like this. He liked it a lot.

Thinking about how he was going to get the M31 and do whatever he was supposed to do there made him feel good, like he had a purpose and it wasn't gonna blow up in his face like everything else did these days. Dean had a new spring in his step as he navigated the dark halls; spring or not, though, he also kept focused, listening for any signs of anything out to kill him in the darkness even as he moved quickly. Couldn't do his job if he got tagged, after all. Despite having this mission, it wasn't like he'd lost his sense of self-preservation - sure, that was kind of a moot point for him these days, but he didn't really want to die if he could help it. He'd make that year last, dammit. Get his money's (or soul's) worth.

As for Sammy...Dean just felt somehow he'd be okay. For all they knew, whatever he was gonna do at M31 would help his little brother with their ghost problem.

Even if it didn't, there was no changing the fact he absolutely had to get to M31, no questions asked.

[To here]

Comments

[whos-da-man.livejournal.com]

So... Where was he going again?

Junpei stood in the hallway, baseball bat resting on his shoulder and flashlight in hand, as he tried to remember where Akihiko said they were to meet at. North Hall... something. What was that something? Damnit! He was going to have to start writing this crap down.

Whatever. He knew it was up by the rec field. One of those ones.

Hey! He had a great idea! He'd just go park himself by the women's block and catch Yukari as she leaves to go meet their senpai. She'll know where the hell they are supposed to be going. Hopefully, she was being a girl and taking forever to get ready. They're always like an hour later than they're supposed to be ready and she does have her own clothes back.

Good plan!

[to here] (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/603918.html)

[fuzzy-diablo.livejournal.com]

Sad as it was to say, Kurt was getting used to this whole 'changing back and forth' thing. That didn't mean that he liked it by any stretch of the imagination, but he wasn't as surprised by it anymore. And maybe tonight was different because Kon wasn't trying to 'encourage' him.

The mutant hovered over his friend's bed, looking a little torn. Should he wake him up? Should he just leave Kon to sleep for the night? Would the young hero smack him senseless the next morning? 'Why didn't you wake me up?! That's it, punishment time!'

...and so forth.

Kurt decided that despite the possible retaliation, he could leave the room donned in his sheet without running for his life. The young mutant pulled the sheet off his bed, silently apologizing to Kon again, wrapped it around his shoulders and left the room.

[fuzzy-diablo.livejournal.com]

[To here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/603918.html?thread=50561294#t50561294)]

[remnantsofflame.livejournal.com]

Asch was still wondering how Mello could have disappeared. His things weren't in his closet, nothing. It was...disconcerting. He'd asked the nurse at dinner, but she'd just smiled and told him that his roommate must have checked out.

Checked out wasn't exactly how he'd have liked to put it, but maybe it was more apt than anything else would have been. The nurses were either really good actresses or had no idea what was going on. He wasn't sure which idea was more upsetting.

He got his pipe ready and waited for Van. He didn't want to stand around in the hallway, so instead, he stood in his doorway, flashlight on, waiting. He hoped that the Commandant had actually found his flashlight tonight.

[thyapocalypse.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/603918.html?thread=50723086#t50723086)]

Van hurried down the hall, not quite running but not merely walking either. He glanced at each room number, counting them down until he found himself in front of M3 -- and Asch.

Stopping, he lowered the light and looked at the young man in front of him, trying to gauge his mood. After the night before, Van expected some sort of angry reaction or at least a scowl.

"Good evening, Asch." He kept his tone level and polite, still watching the God General. Asch's mood would likely decide how the rest of the night would go.

[ooc: sorry for the lateness and the HTML FAIL. orz]

M6

[lossofface.livejournal.com]

Turning his back on his thankfully quiet and motionless roommate, Blitzwing grabbed his flashlight and pillowcase, resolutely heading out the door.

Tonight. Tonight he would finally accomplish what he'd set out to do. And if not...well, he'd be very put out.

[lossofface.livejournal.com]

Re: M6

[lady-general.livejournal.com]

[From here ()]

Celes was thankful that her legs were long enough to eat up the distance between the rooms quickly. Her heeled boots clicked a staccato against the dirty tile, almost daring something bigger to come out for her. It would not succeed, not while she had Hughes' safety to concern her.

The General paused at the door of M6, the door slightly ajar as though someone had already passed through it. Celes drew herself straighter and rapped on the door gently.

"...Hughes?" she called, and shined her light into the small cell with one hand as she pushed open the door with her other.

[littlestrawdoll.livejournal.com]

Just great, new 'patients' being tossed in with the rest of them as usual. Poor guys weren't going to know what hit them, and having to deal with Landel on the intercom during the day and being called fools during the night wouldn't make it any easier. And exactly what was that supposed to mean, 'box'? Another metaphor? The only box he knew of was Pandora's box, and that had actually been a jar, so he didn't have any great insights beyond that.

Whatever, the line would probably be fed to them eventually.

Dinner had been nice, at least, and the doll patted his stomach while he exited his room. Food equaled energy, and a person could never have too much of that. Well... in theory, anyway.

With an empty pillowcase in one pocket, and the radio tucked into the other, Ren headed up the hall to get out of the cellblock. Maybe if they made it that night, he should look to see if they had a jacket in patient possessions. Jacket pockets would be nice.

[littlestrawdoll.livejournal.com]

_{[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/604759.html?thread=50871383#t50871383)]}

[toadally4boobs.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/604759.html?thread=50582359#t50582359).]

By the time Jiraiya reached Naruto's door, he still hadn't seen the boy. The fact that Naruto hadn't emerged yet only made him more worried than before. All of this must have hit Naruto hard....

Jiraiya sighed, then knocked once before opening the door and walking inside, "Naruto?"

[whirlingwinds.livejournal.com]

Naruto had been lying around in bed, a little out of it, still. He had barely realised dinner had gone by, not terribly hungry and the wooziness from earlier not gone yet. He heard a knock and a familiar voice calling his name, stepping into the room. He let out a groan and turned on his stomach, not overly surprised to see Jiraiya. He was mostly feeling numb now, which was frustrating. He probably should go out to get the rest of the drugs out of his system but he didn't quite feel like it, even though Jiraiya, when seeing how little Naruto's expression changed, might force him to.

"What?" He asked, scratching at his chest distractedly.

M5

[overdoingit.livejournal.com]

Cross had laid down on his bed, and he didn't plan on getting up for the rest of the night. He could use another glass of water or two, but the nurse hadn't left him any others. Well, he'd be fine.

He rolled onto his side with a hiss of pain, feeling the tight, healing skin over his injuries. His wounds did seem to be closing up much faster than usual, but he was definitely in no condition to be wandering outside his room and possibly adding to them. Perhaps if he rested, they'd heal even faster. He had nothing to lose by giving this a chance. Tomorrow he wanted to be able to get around without any nurse assistance.

Re: M5

[buteo-sapiens.livejournal.com]

Tobias didn't remember falling asleep before dinner.

He must have, though, because he woke up with a whimper of pain and tears springing up in his eyes as his bones melted and shrunk and hollowed out under his skin, leaving him breathless in agony and feeling as fragile as spun glass for the two seconds it took for the rest of his body to catch up with the morph, rapidly shriveling down around his bird-tiny bones with faint meaty noises as scales crept up his legs, lips hardening before bursting out into a beak, feathers sprouting in irregular waves across his body.

It took a minute before he was huddled on his back under his blankets, hawk brain going into alarmed panic at being trapped and human mind relieved that the pain went away with the morph. It still took a few seconds before he was coordinated enough to rip his way free of the blankets with beak and talons, and he struggled up out through the now-shredded cloth, panting a little and peering around the dark room.

Damn, why was it never daylight when he had his hawk eyes? They were useless at night, as bad as human eyes...

But Tobias could hear breathing, and he peered across the room, extending a tentative, < Cross? > when he saw someone huddled in his roomate's bed.

[dasgift.livejournal.com]

How trite. The instant Kristoph thought fit to wake, that horrid rasp had jerked him out of sleep. He opened an eye to the surrounding shadows, pleased for the lack of roommate and irritated at the ringing in his head. At least they were obvious this round in presenting a puzzle; the last few starts had been...lukewarm at best. Now, the man actually felt some interest in the intercom's words, ebbing as that desire may be.

He slipped out of bed, his fingers moving deftly into his hair. Tonight was to be spent in another "bonding" session with Klavier. The prospect was slightly irritating; they managed to accomplish far more than he had for the past few days, which--especially for a man with an ego--was a wound to his pride. And although the child was family, taking the time to appear presentable was vital. This made the visit a chore, not a pleasure. Let the prosecutor spew for an extra minute; Kristoph would be fashionably late.

The task took several minutes of braiding and re-braiding, but eventually, Kristoph was ready to leave. With a swift hand, he procured his flashlight and notebook and began to verify the contents stashed away between his bed and mattress. File secured. Bedsheets made. The man could now make his exit.

Quietly, he opened the door and checked outside. It appeared generally clear of the usual traffic and noise. Wonderful. He should not have any issues reaching M12.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/608294.html?thread=50560550#t50560550).]

M7

[lighthearted]

[From dinner.]

Right as Sora was about to answer Hanatarou's question, the intercom came on (and was even creepier than usual) and the lights went off. Well, that was just inconvenient. It was going to be hard for Hanatarou to look at his wounds in the dark, but at least they had flashlights.

"Err," he started, figuring he should just go on as if they hadn't been interrupted. "I'm supposed to jump over the wall and head for this quarry that we found before." He wasn't sure if he'd told his roommate about it during previous dinners, but hopefully Hanatarou wouldn't wonder why he was still on the same assignment even after all this time.

"Anyway, I guess we'd better get our flashlights." Sora hobbled toward his desk in search of his.

Re: M7

[mitase.livejournal.com]

As if the arrival of night wasn't unnerving enough, the intercom announcement was worse (and even more cryptic) than usual. Hanatarou was rather grateful, then, that Sora didn't decide to try talking about it and thus potentially make him even more nervous. He was starting to accumulate quite a list of things that he was trying not to think about by now, though, and that...probably wasn't good.

"Over the wall? With a hurt leg?" he asked, concerned, as he went to fetch his own light. "Um. I should probably at least try to...to heal that, then, if you don't mind...?" Hanatarou remembered his own trip outside the walls, and didn't particularly want to let Sora go out there when it would have to be painful to walk.

[boyking]

[from here]

Sam rounded the corner, keeping a constant eye out for Dean or someone who looked like him to pass his way. There was nothing by the time he reached Dean's room and more nothing when he stepped inside.

Salt line by the door, though. How had Dean managed to explain that to his roommate?

He gave the room a quick scan for anything out of place before starting to rifle through it. Clothes were gone from the closet. Search under the mattress and pillow didn't turn up the Bowie, either, although he did inexplicably discover an empty milk jug. So Dean had evidently walked out of here of his own accord. It wasn't exactly good news, but it was better than the alternative.

Where the hell could he have gone, though? Upstairs to check out the ghost by himself? He couldn't be that keen on keeping Sam out of harm's way, could he? Besides, even if that was his intention, he'd be more likely to stick close to Sam, not run off by himself. The more he thought about this, the less it made sense.

Sam gave the desk drawer an annoyed tug open. Boxcutter, pencil. Journal? He didn't think he'd get as easy of a break as to find Dean's exact location written down there somewhere, but he flipped it open, anyway.

He flicked quickly through it, one hand holding the flashlight as he skimmed the pages. Mostly bits and pieces of information—seemed Dean had run into his roommate once—but it was the last page that caught his attention. His brother was keeping track of the so-called special children. Including Sam.

Wait. Had Dean found something out about him? Sam hadn't met everyone here, so he couldn't say for certain that there was no one who knew about his abilities and there were always those like their non-demon patient who knew just enough to rouse suspicion. Was that why Dean had taken off? His brother had looked a little ticked at whoever he'd been speaking to in the greenhouse.

Christ, he didn't know. He didn't know and he had no way to track down Dean. The building wasn't the largest search area he'd ever been faced with, but it wasn't small, either.

Forget it. He was wasting time here. Hesitating just a second, he tore the page out of the journal, then grabbed the boxcutter before tossing the notebook back inside and shutting the drawer.

[going here]

M9

[sir-savien.livejournal.com]

The wait after the announcement was longer than Kvothe had expected and he glanced toward the door in concern. It was almost a relief when the speakers crackled to life again and the lights went out, though the words made him frown as he turned his flashlight on. "Box?" He looked at Tony in confusion as he stood, though he didn't think that his roommate would know what to make of the cryptic comment either. "I get the feeling that we probably don't want to know what he's talking about there."

Re: M9

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

"I don't know any more than you do." Tony's inner city education hadn't included many classics. "Let's go before it gets crazy out there." He didn't want to say he didn't want to have to protect Kvothe against anything nuts, but he was worried about running across more than they could handle. "We haven't got far to the clinic anyway."

He turned on his light too, and pushed open the door into the hallway.

[janus-006.livejournal.com]

Ohh...god. Had Alec slept most of the day? Son of a bitch, he had. Armand would probably be in the usual spot. (God, the 'usual spot'? He was thinking too much like this was a permanent thing.)

The spy changed into his old clothes, keeping barefoot to let the cold floor wake him up. This place could do that to you, just hammer you 'til you collapsed from exhaustion and slept all day. Well, no more. He grabbed his radio, flashlight, knife, newly-acquired wooden baseball bat, and his pillowcase of pills.

Time to fuck up some shit!

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/603918.html)]

[sir-savien.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/603918.html?thread=51332878#t51332878)]

Kvothe stayed silent as he and Tony turned the corner back to their own hallway. They hadn't had much luck with talking things out so far, and Kvothe doubted they'd be able to sort things out that night.

[tony-castaway.livejournal.com]

Tony tried to tell himself he wasn't pouting. He also tried to consider if he was being too protective. It'd be easier to believe he wasn't if only Kvothe didn't get himself hurt so much. But only time would decide if that was going to happen or not.

Their room was just ahead.

M3

[revolutionise]

[From here]

Utena checked over M4 with results similar to what she'd come up with in M5. When she opened the door to M3, however, one of the first things her flashlight went over was the form of someone sleeping on one of the beds. She couldn't see the person well, but she could see a head of short black hair at least.

Closing the door, she made her way back down the hall. When she caught sight of Edward, she signaled to him. "Hey, there's a guy asleep in M3. Short black hair, glasses on the night stand. Does that fit Hughes's description at all?" She motioned him to follow her toward M3 so that he could see for himself, and opened the door for him when she reached it.

Re: M3

[lost-metal.livejournal.com]

Ed looked over sharply when he heard the call from Utena, heading over to her from where he'd been checking the room at the very end of the hallway. "Yeah, that sounds like him!" he said, trying and failing to hide his hope that it really was Hughes. He didn't want to think that he could really be gone but he didn't want to build himself up to believing only to have that hope dashed.

But when he peered in, he couldn't help but grin. "That's him! It really is! He isn't gone!" He almost sagged in relief, leaning against the doorframe and staring at the sleeping man. He was there!