damned_institute | Night 45: Main Hallway, 1-West

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/758058.html?thread=62097194#t62097194)]

After reaching the main hallway, the ninja positioned himself with his back towards one of the walls, leaning against it's surface as he reached for his map. This position would make it difficult to ambush him from behind, unless some of these creatures had a similar ability to that Gyobu he had defeated on the ship not too long ago. The mere thought of that kill only made Tenzen's features twist into a slight smirk. How pathetic that man had looked, which was only befitting for those of the Kouga.

His black eyes glanced over his map as he decided upon an appropriate location. Though the map was certainly useful, the purpose of some of these areas were up to debate.

[For Leonard Shelby]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/755796.html?thread=62298196#t62298196).]

Turning the corner into the main hallway, Leonard found more patients out and about. He looked behind him, trying to think what he'd set out to do, but it was useless. It had already faded. He took another look around the hallway, deciding not to turn on the flashlight in his hand. His eyes had already adjusted, and he could see well enough from the lights of the other flashlights where a few people were.

He approached a man near the wall. "What's going on here?"

When Tenzen heard footsteps approaching, he glanced up from his map, his dark eyes eventually locating their source. It was a man, presumably another patient. He had what appeared to be 'Western' features, along with a strange color of eyes and hair. As far as he could see in the darkness, at least.

"Are you new?" he asked simply.

At that question, Leonard flipped open his journal, not really reading it as much as he was simply scanning for writing and photos. "Not really," he answered confidently, looking the other man up and down. "Do I know you?"

Tenzen couldn't help but think that reading in the journal before answering seemed to be a rather remarkable thing to do, as if the other man needed to look something up before being able to form his response. Either way, the Iga did not comment on it.

"No, I do not believe we have met," the ninja replied, raising a black eyebrow at the question. He had most certainly never met the other man, but perhaps that was a mere case of looking familiar, be it either thanks to looking similar to someone the man had met before, or - perhaps likelier - perhaps seeing one another around during the uninteresting dayshifts. There were quite the amount of nameless faces in here, after all.

"I am Yakushiji Tenzen."

"Leonard Shelby," he answered quickly. It's hard to tell who you know and who you don't, especially in the dark, and especially when you've got a condition like mine.

Something about the hallway made him uneasy. The darkness was unnerving and put him on edge even more than the fact that he was probably somewhere he shouldn't be. "Look," he continued, getting to the point, "I don't know what's going on, but I'd like to find a way out of here."

Tenzen studied the man for a moment. This man was either lying about the duration of his stay here - but why would anyone feel the need to lie about something like this? - or he had hidden under his bed since the moment he had arrived here and had only decided to crawl out tonight, only to waste his time with silly questions. The Iga was running out of patience. Did this man truly expect him to point him towards the nearest exit? Such ignorance...

"Many of us do, Shelby-san. I at least do not recall being here for the sake of my own enjoyment rather than reasons unknown to the general patient populace," he answered as he folded his map. There was most certainly an undercurrent of irritation at his voice. Perhaps directed at the situation, or perhaps directed at Leonard, or perhaps both. "Your claim of 'not really new' certainly seems remarkable, if you do not even realize something so simple and well-known."

Leonard sensed irritation in the other man's voice. "I know why I'm here. I've got no question about that." Probably won't get anywhere with him unless I explain.

"I have this condition," he stated plainly. "Anterograde amnesia. Short-term memory loss. I can't make new memories- it all fades. I don't know if it's well-known or not that the power goes out and people wander around at night, but I'm willing to bet I'm not new here."

"And why would you be here, Shelby-san?" Tenzen questioned. Remarkable that this man knew something the other patients could only guess at, especially considering this condition he described. At least this explained the questions along with the odd act of reading in the journal before asking those questions.

"If you believe it is about this condition you speak of, you're wrong."

"Really?" Leonard asked sarcastically. "And what would you know about it? I suppose everyone here is perfectly normal, then."

His mind trailed, remembering institutions like the one where Sammy Jankis ended up. He had the same condition. Look where it got him. I'm not surprised I'm here, though this place is already proving unconventional.

"Indeed, what would I know?" Tenzen repeated, his lips twisting into a mocking smirk. "After all, I only have more memories of this place than you will ever have." Most certainly not the friendliest of words, but then again, he was not known to be a friendly person.

The ninja placed his map back into his pocket. He certainly didn't plan to waste yet another night. The axe he carried was useful, but it didn't hurt to locate more weapons.

"Look you fuck," Leonard said, his grip tightening on his flashlight, "You don't know anything about me or what it's like living like this. Don't act like you're better than me!"

He gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to push the dark-haired man out of anger. "Now are you going to tell me what the fuck is going on?"

"Oho? And what if I don't?" Tenzen replied as he continued to smirk, holding his axe in clear view as if to warn the other patient. He'd be ready to bring it down if it came to it, and he had no qualms with killing others. "Is there anything in particular you wished to do about it, Shelby-san?"

The ninja couldn't think of a good reason why he should bother informing a man that would forget everything he had said. Such people were hardly useful, after all. "If you know everything so well about this place, you hardly need me to explain it."

"I didn't say I knew everything about this place," Leonard said angrily. "I just wanted to know why the damn power it out."

He took notice of the other man's weapon, wondering where he would have gotten something like that as he took a step backwards. Fighting here would not only draw unwanted attention, but could end badly for me. Not worth it. "Fine, don't tell me," he said, still visibly irritated. "I'll figure it out myself. Can you at least tell me where they keep the files?"

It looked like Shelby-san was smart enough to understand the message. "Is the lack of any light your own concern?" he answered smugly.

"If you're here because of your condition, as you say, that would imply everyone else is here also for a condition," the ninja pointed out. "Which isn't the case. As for these 'files'-"

Tenzen had noticed the file room on his map; it was located in the Southern part of the institute across the Sun room. "-I know of a file room. Though I suppose I could tell you the directions, it would be rather useless if you end up forgetting them along the way, hmm?"

"I can write, you know," Leonard said, holding up his journal. He looked through the dark a moment, wondering if there was anyone else around he could ask. He considered attempting to find the place by himself, but even with his grilling tool for protection, he didn't feel very safe. The whole atmosphere of this place was off, and he wasn't getting any answers standing around.

"Any chance of you showing me the way to the file room, since you won't tell me how to get there?"

"Perhaps," Tenzen answered. "What would you offer in return?"

The ninja would most certainly not do something such as this out of sympathy. Sympathy, mercy, compassion...none of these emotions were needed for a ninja, nor were they something he could experience. They had been forgotten in the chaos and bloodshed. So of course, this little trip would need to be of some benefit to him.

Night 45: Main Hallway, 1-West

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