damned_institute | Night 43: West Wing, South Hall 1-A

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/702380.html?thread=58178988#t58178988)]

Just as they had been the night before, the halls were eerily silent. There was more movement now, yes, but there remained a stillness in the air that always pervaded imminent danger. Still, he didn't have time to linger. He began to rush through, bare feet feeling the cold of the tile underneath them with each step.

To the next hallway it was.

[Sneaking off to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/706633.html?thread=58357833#t58357833)]

Edited 2009-09-05 00:50 (UTC)

As he had suspected, the hallways were abuzz with activity and movement as patients slid from hall to hall in muttering groups, flashlights illuminating even the darkest corners. Still there came the occasional flicker in the corner of his vision, but with his own map to follow Lunge refused to let himself be tricked again.

Especially when there was the matter of L to consider. A curious man, to say the least. Intriguing, even. He had certainly been young for the renowned investigator he claimed to be, but just from speaking to him Lunge could tell that there was at least a whisper of truth to his words. Intelligent, articulate and secretive, telling just what lay beneath the surface was impossible to call. It presented an interesting conundrum; L was simultaneously a perfect colleague and a perfect subject to study.

For all intents and purposes, however, the two were most certainly not mutually exclusive.

[From here]

After rounding the corner, the prosecutor passed by the door to the nurse's station and then the one leading to his former patient block. A few people were standing around, no one von Karma knew. Thus, he paid no attention to them.

Cautiously, he glanced at the door to M-A. Would Mr. Javert or that bumbling detective suddenly emerge from it? The last thing he needed was for either of them to see him with Franziska in tow, for they would surely complicate matters. Fortunately, neither of those men appeared before the prosecutor approached the large doorway in the middle of this long hall.

Edited 2009-09-03 20:57 (UTC)

[From here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/702746.html?view=58293786#t58293786)]

No sign of Honey so far, maybe he kept his room in another part of the institution. Or he was there already. Or he was eaten.

Honey sounded like the easily eaten type. Not great to haul around, not bad if you were in a situation where you only had to run faster than the last guy in line.

[To here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/703548.html)]

[From here]

Homura took the lead as they headed out into the hall. Though the fatigue lingered from using his powers, he refused to show how it affected outwardly. Nataku might still pick up on it, of course, but Homura still had much he wanted to accomplish during the night. There was no time to rest, regardless of how much he'd already done, or how he'd been injured. The battle wasn't over yet, and that meant Homura would continue.

Such was the way of the Toushin Taishi. Nothing mattered but victory, because winning was the only way to continue surviving. It was the cruel mentality inflicted upon him by the gods, but Homura had learned to embrace it, and so it pushed him forward now.

Besides, he wanted to give Nataku something to focus on as well. Anything besides the memories of his father he knew would be lingering. Battle was something he could lose himself in, if only for a short while. So Homura set a quick pace as they traveled, and stayed silent, allowing Nataku the chance to speak freely if he wished.

Nataku's focus was still inward as he followed Homura down the hall, sword balanced lightly against his shoulder. Words had seemed so important before he'd managed to speak them, but he knew the real test would come the next time he saw his father...and the next, and the next because Li Touten would not give up. He would learn whether he could truly sever his ties and follow the path he'd chosen. It was not an empty path, but still a lonely one.

For much of the time he remained silent and watchful, and not just of the dark hallways. Homura's clothing was still torn and bloody though he'd wrapped his wounds; the blood loss and the use if chi had fatigued him before the real battle even started. He shouldn't be fighting again tonight but Nataku could hardly deny him that, even out of concern.

Instead, he quickened his pace to walk at Homura's side instead of just behind him.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/705076.html?thread=58312244#t58312244)]

[From here.]

If his guess was right (and guessing was all he had to go off of, having missed procuring a map, but Kirk's sense of direction had always been excellent), he would be at the appointed meeting place in just a minute. He noted again the door that appeared to lead outside, and remembered taking this hallway to the cafeteria. And here was another patient block, also emptying its share of patients, and that door on the other side led to—

Door?

Kirk shined his flashlight back over the wall, which presented itself to his inspection as smooth and featureless, just as it had been in daylight. You're tired, said a voice in his head, but his gut disagreed, even though Kirk knew being tired was only logical after three (four?) days of sleeping solely when he was drugged or nerve-pinched or whatever the hell Landel's did to knock him out. Not to mention that it was dark, and he was a strange place, and other people were wandering around here with flashlights.

He turned in a slow circle, moving the light beam along the floor and walls and ceiling, but nothing changed. He was losing it. If Spock and Chekov could see him now...

Right. Kirk shook his head, and continued on.

[To here.]

Edited 2009-09-04 10:16 (UTC)

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/703548.html?view=58361660#t58361660)]

She stayed in the shadows of the corridor until she was sure that it was the people she wanted to find. It was difficult to mistake Reno for anyone else really although she had seen a few redheads around. She approached them on silent feet, eying what they had in their hands with some interest.

"I hope I'm not late," she said with a faint smile."

Reno cocked an eyebrow. "Hey, if you're sure," he said with a shrug. "Ain't gonna turn it down."

He figured Rude must've had his reasons for doing this exchange, so. He was kinda curious as to why 'cause, yeah, it was Rude, but Reno still wasn't sold on the idea of people doing things just 'cause. Even if they were his partner. Besides, Rude might've been his friend, but it was a friendship based on jerking each other around and generally being a pain in the ass to one another.

His gaze flicked over when someone suddenly popped out at them. Huh. He hadn't expected to see her here, figured she'd wait back at the room, but well. Turks weren't really ones to linger and wait so he supposed he wasn't too surprised to see her show up.

"Never too late when it comes to you," he replied easily.

This place was mildly confusing. All of the halls and doors looked the same, especially at night when all he had to go on was a flashlight. He glanced north(not that he knew it was north), then decided to head down the other way.

Edited 2009-09-05 16:22 (UTC)

Did these halls ever end? Maybe he should have tried going somewhere more interesting, but turning around meant that the hallways would win and Dist would have none of that nonsense.

Edited 2009-09-05 16:36 (UTC)

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/702705.html?thread=57976305#t57976305)]

...something wasn't right. What was that in the next hall? While Edgeworth wasn't sure he wanted to know, he was doing to have to find out regardless.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/703548.html)]

Edited 2009-09-06 01:25 (UTC)

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/702746.html?thread=58393626#t58393626)]

"I haven't told people anything," he admitted with a soft sigh. "I talked to Leon earlier and it was awkward trying to pretend that everything was real or, well, more than a computer programme." Trying to explain spell mechanics or what The World was like as though it were a real place was difficult. It was well thought out and had a backstory, but nothing deep enough to pass as a real world. "I wanted to ask what both of you thought."

Endrance still hadn't quite recovered from the earlier shock, but he knew he couldn't keep on going on the way he had forever. He shook his head a bit in an effort to clear it just a bit, then answered - or would have, had that strange message not aired. "It was definitely binary a moment ago. I wonder...and I remember hearing that song, but it's been years." He would have hummed a few bars then, but held back.

The second question startled him, and he blinked, thinking for a moment before answering. "You know I'd asked about certain events on the bulletin...but that was more to see if anyone else was here. The only others I've explained anything to were people that knew someone from The World that was here before."

Another pause, as Endrance looked around, remembering the map. "I'm sorry to detract from the matter at hand, but...I think the south route, through the main hall, would be easier than the north, through the recreational field. I'd rather not run into one of the larger monsters that roam this place at night in our current state..."

Edited 2009-09-06 02:27 (UTC)

[sorry for the freakishly long wait DX]

Franziska had almost thought her father had hesitated near the first block of male rooms, but instead, he continued onward. Perhaps it was only her imagination? The same imagination that made it seem like the ceiling was flickering in and out of existence. Sometimes, she thought she was going crazy, but really, it was just this place. This place itself was insane, and to think it normal? That would be a sign of madness.

Following quietly after her mentor, Franziska kept her thoughts to herself and avoided the others in the hall.

[OOC: No worries, bb. <3 ]

Just as von Karma reached the archway in the middle of the hall, he could have sworn that he saw a fluffy substance peeking out from an exposed section of the ceiling just beyond the doors. Most likely a crude form of insulation, perhaps even one that violated the current building codes for this jurisdiction. But just as quickly as he glimpsed this anomaly, the ceiling once again appeared intact.

Insanity! he mused to himself as he passed through to the northern half of the hallway. Utter insanity!

[To here. Also, passing through at a different time than Edgeworth did]

Edited 2009-09-06 22:25 (UTC)

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/703812.html?thread=58442820#t58442820).]

Hmm...the hallway was mostly empty by now - it had taken him awhile to make up his mind - and there was no one he knew or whom he suspected of being terribly useful in sight. No point in stopping.

"Oh, you talked to Leon?" Haseo's voice remained neutral, but a tinge of frustration coursed through him at that, and he was quiet for some time, taking Endrance's route suggestion without question ~~since he sort of sucked at directions anyway~~. He thought his mouth tasted slightly bitter at the thought of more or less lying to the young mage.

"That's the sort of thing I want to avoid," he said slowly, "I don't mean talking about Avatars or... getting stuck in the game or whatever, but anything that might help us get closer to understanding what's going on here is probably best." A sigh, as he questioned what he was saying even as the words came out, and then several more moments of silence as he continued to watch the darkness carefully- particularly the ground, just in case. "It's probably just best we use our judgment for each situation. Aside from sounding completely mad, I'm... not sure there's really any reason to hide or pretend we're anything different than what we are." Even if what they were was, well, videogame characters.

Tsukasa nodded, content to just follow the other two around for now. He had no idea which routes were best and where to avoid just yet. He was just fairly certain that everywhere was dangerous most of the time. "This morning," he replied. "He wanted to know about the world that we come from and about the magic I use and... it was awkward," he said, sounding a little frustrated. "I couldn't exactly say that I learned them by gaining XP from killing monsters." That sounded ridiculous when it came to the real world.

"We should tell Leon though. I think he deserves to know." He'd helped them a lot already.

Endrance simply nodded at both statements. "Whatever you think is best, Haseo. I trust you implicitly...and you're right, there's no reason to hide anything about what we are." There was a faint trace of a blush on his face as he said that, one he hoped wouldn't be visible in the darkness. "Besides that, I...whatever it is I can do to help you in this place, I will. Whether it's keeping my silence or speaking to everyone...no matter what you ask of me, I will, Haseo."

Haseo was certain that had the three of them been characters in some sort of drawn media at this point, his would be receiving the stereotypical sweat drop of uneasiness, even if he didn't show much discomfort beyond making his initial reply a huff of breath. He could only hope he'd be capable of making judgments worth following in the first place.

"Someone might not take us seriously if they knew we didn't actually learn this stuff the hard way, huh?" He laughed vaguely at that. Not that leveling up in 'The World' couldn't be hard, but. "Their loss if they do," he said dismissively. Even if we're little more than loose cannons with swords and spells... powerful but with little or no control or precision.

"But yeah, the people we actually know probably deserve to be told, or at least know what to expect." He trailed off at that as he rounded the next corner, more interested in making sure they weren't ambushed than talking any further. He also couldn't help feeling at least a little hypocritical in regards to telling the full story to people.

Psychometric reading? Raz had never heard of that before... And how was that possible? He had read every issue of True Psychic Tales that ever existed! When Porky was talking about people from other worlds, was this what he was talking about?

"Yeah, I think I remember you," he replied. "I'm sorry for not replying to you earlier, I was kinda busy with other thin- ooh!" Raz's eyes lit up; maybe as a psychic, Abe would appreciate this! "Actually, I'm going to the Sun Room to have a psychic duel! You wanna come and watch?"

"A duel?" Abe asked, cocking his head to the side. "What do those entail? What...exactly would I be watching?" A battle taking place between minds wouldn't be that visually stimulating.

If he'd been more of an active psychic rather than a passive one and in a less weakened state, he'd have asked to come along just to protect them. Raz seemed very young to be getting into something so dangerous. But perhaps he had the wrong idea of it and it was just a harmless frivolity that would not turn a child's brain into mush.

How Kio hated the way Soubi took things for granted. He could turn him around in a flash, make him do anything he wanted. He could manipulate Kio to his ends and he was powerless to stop it. Sometimes he had to ask himself if he was ready to stop anything.

He recognized Reno quickly. A ghost of a smile passed over his lips. Kio almost craved that simple beginning, when flirting was fun, before the Institute got into his mind and ate it all up. "Hey, Red!" he called loudly, brandishing two of the cigarettes. High currency, from what it seemed.

Silent Sullen One was there too. Kio wondered if the guy was still picking glitter off his chest by now. Hadn't they showered some time ago? Well, glitter was known to be ridiculously hard to peel off. Still. He inclined his head to the sullen one and smiled at the girl with them. Jeez, these people sure were kinky. First that blonde girl, now this one. The got around, eh?

"I understand you have something to trade. Make it quick, I have an appointment to make." He was being brash and stubborn. Kio wanted to go to Sou-chan, for all that it meant being around Ritsuka.

Night 43: West Wing, South Hall 1-A

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