damned_institute | Night 46: Main Hallway, 1-West

Donna held up suddenly and looked towards the question, blinking. Had that been addressed at her? The person she found moving her way indicated that it had been. They'd met...? Oh!

"You! Oh it's... wait don't tell me...!" Donna pointed at him, trying to remember the name, but failing miserably, "The knife guy... from that time at breakfast..." Yeah sure, that was so totally his name. Way to go, Donna.

ZEX didn't remember anything about knives off-hand, but he could remember her face clearly enough. One of the few female humans he'd had a chance to speak with, and she was as striking as all her species tended to be.

"Admiral ZEX," he said, trying again at a smile. "Although I suppose I'm less... intact than the last time you saw me." He scratched a bit at the bald spot on his head. "You're..." Wait, what was her name? Something that started with a harder sound... DON? DAN? DIN? Something like that... "You're...?" With a slight change in inflection, so it'd hopefully sound like he was encouraging her to likewise introduce herself and not like he'd forgotten her name entirely.

"Yes, that's it! Zex!" And how had she forgotten that little gem? Donna tried not to think too much about it and just smiled at him, "You look intact enough to me. Arms, legs, head, everything you need," she teased, giving a wave at his body, "And it's Donna. Guess in fairness I couldn't remember your name either. We should have breakfast together more often then."

Gossiping in the hallways wasn't such a good idea though, so Donna tried to get away from making up plans for mealtimes just then. "Are you alone?"

"Well, I suppose that's what's important." Two eyes had always seemed unnecessary anyway, although under no circumstances could he find an up-side to the thing in his brain, whatever it was. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"

ZEX glanced to one side, and felt something rush past him, leaving a strange heavy feeling in its wake. ZEX tried his best to ignore them; they couldn't hurt him. "Yes, actually... someone was supposed to visit me tonight, but they haven't shown up. I'm concerned that something might have happened to them..."

"I'm not waiting for anyone, no," Kaworu confessed with a smile, though he could not entirely resist scanning the hall, looking for black hair and dark eyes. The one he was searching for was, unsurprisingly, not there. He wasn't even sure what he would have done if Shinji had appeared. Perhaps he would have called to him, reached out to him, sought his hand. And yet, how could Kaworu be sure that Shinji was real, or that he would stay? The other reflections of him hadn't.

He turned his attention back to the other boy, and believed that he knew him a little bit better now.

"Do you dislike it when people ask questions about you?" Kaworu continued. The other boy's mildly defensive attitude didn't sit poorly with him, and Kaworu was able to see that it was largely his own fault. He was prying, prodding. This Lilim may have been the sort that would have rather gone on his way never exchanging more than a few apologies for the mistaken identity.

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/781144.html?thread=64111704#t64111704).]

Ah, and there he was. It was impossible to mistake Ryuuzaki for anyone else, with that wild hair and distinctive slump. To say that the other man was an odd bird would be an understatement, but Howl at least felt that Ryuuzaki put very little pressure on him to perform. It was one of the benefits of an associate who had no grasp whatsoever on social niceties, and Howl thought that in the kindest way he was capable of. For instance, he still held the belief that Ryuuzaki understood what he was supposed to do, but for whatever reason decided not to. It was an odd choice, but there were worse things.

"Good evening!" he greeted cheerfully, although he was not feeling cheerful at all. There was no need to share his inner turmoil with Ryuuzaki. No, he could already imagine the deadpan stare he would receive in exchange for his most heartbreaking story. Perhaps that was something to attempt at another time, but as Ryuuzaki was not a pretty young lady, there was significantly less motivation to earn his sympathy.

Edited 2010-01-05 20:01 (UTC)

So the vampire really was feeling ill. It didn't look like he would be staying for tea, then.

Slowly, he extended his own hand to reach the proffered bottle, still eying the man carefully. He wasn't expecting Edward to bite him again, not in such a heavily trafficked area, but it paid to be cautious when the other was in such a condition as he was. Once the items were in hand, he made sure to take a step back or two to be safe.

He had been expecting the pills. He supposed it was fair trade for all the fuss they went through once inside the Pharmacy. But the map...

"You didn't have to do that." And why would he? They didn't know one another and they weren't exactly allies. Aside from a stray game of chess, most of their discussions ended with attempted murder (on both of their accounts. As much as he wished he could point sole blame on Edward, he hadn't forgotten his own actions. He remembered control being wrenched from his body, remembered hands that suddenly weren't his own trying to drive a knife through the man's skull), awkward silences, or leaving one another with less of a good impression than before. The assassin really couldn't place why someone would bother with the extra gift aside from having a bargaining chip - it was paranoid of him, yes, but nothing he could rightfully disdain with the Guild's own practices.

Venom quietly pocketed the items before glancing back down at the man. He didn't want to ask the next question and should have immediately turned to leave without another thought about this meeting, but it slipped out anyway. "Do you need anything?"

"Well, good fashion's always as important as the rest, but in this place you get at least some leeway," Donna gave a shrug. If she'd seen the guy under any other circumstances... well, they probably wouldn't still have been on speaking terms. With how he looked, Donna would have had to stop whatever she was doing just to demand to take him somewhere and fix it! But not in this place. Really, he couldn't have done something that bad to himself if he'd tried!

"And yeah, it has been a while. Gotten any better with silverware?" Leave it to Donna to continue a conversation even when she'd been trying to get away from idle chit-chat. Not for hallways! N-O-T.

Her smile turned down when he spoke of missing friends, and she looked back into the hallways. "Do you know where your someone was coming from? If you backtrack a little, maybe you could find him... or her?" she suggested, trying to help.

[from here]

Soma scanned the hallway as she turned, shifting her spear slightly. There was Meche, waiting a little way down, and a boy who seemed to fit the description Sora had given. They didn't appear to be speaking to one another, though; perhaps he wasn't Sora after all.

Deciding there was nothing for it but to ask, she approached.

"Are you Sora?" He looked younger than she was, but he was still taller. It was just as well she was used to it. "I'm Soma Peries."

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/780542.html?thread=64119294#t64119294)]

Minato entered the hallway, slowing to a stop as he took in the wide hallway. After his "counseling" session last night, he was wary of other patients in larger rooms. If he could be turned against other patients, anyone could potentially become a victim. And an enemy.

But that wasn't what he should be focusing on right now. Taking a deep breath, he directed his flashlight along the walls, looking for the tall man that was Abe.

"Good evening Hime." Kagura had been a little surprised to see Hime drag Sokka out, but he was a welcome addition to their group. "Sokka, I'm glad to see you're alright."

Seeing him so energetic brought a smile to her face. Being with people she was familiar with made her feel more comfortable in the dark hallway; it was certainly a lot better than being alone.

"I guess so," Kagura replied to Sokka's question, not quite sure of Hime's plans but hoping the three of them could work together. "Do you have any plans Hime?"

If he wasn't waiting for anyone, what the hell was he doing just standing in the hallway? Probably just a nut. Couldn't be any weirder than the disappearing teacher from last night. Neku raised an eyebrow and gave him an appraising glance, but said nothing about it.

"I don't really care either way," he shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets. It was kind of awkward to just up and leave now that they were in the middle of a conversation, especially if he was just going to go walk halfway down the hall and stare at the ceiling until Josh showed up.

"It's my bad for mistaking you in the first place. So I guess you can ask what you want."

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/780542.html?thread=64120574#t64120574)]

There were very few people in the hallway, even so early in the night and she was rather grateful for that. It meant that she could get a faster move on without having to move past people or look like someone who cared about other people getting attacked. She didn't want to get a reputation for being callous but she also wasn't particularly keen on picking up hangers on that she didn't know and trust at her back.

There was one man though and Cissnei's eyes widened a little when she saw him. The hair, that was very distinctive hair. But no... couldn't be, right? They'd said- they'd said that he was dead. Then again, they said that they were from the future and maybe he hadn't died, maybe it had just been a mistake. Or hey eyes were playing tricks on her. Only one way to find out she supposed.

She approached him keeping to the deeper shadows at the edge of the corridor and well, no-one else could have hair like that, a gait like that and she'd spent far too much time monitoring him to not recognise him.

"Zack Fair," she murmured, a smile quirking her lips. "I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised. Nothing seems to keep you down."

Ah, there he was. Abe stepped out again, hand cautiously hovering over his gun holster. "Minato?" He waved his flashlight at the young man in return.

"Abe-san." Minato's greeting might have been lost across the distance, but he walked closer so he didn't t have to rely on his flashlight quite as much. That wariness was still there, perhaps heightened a bit by the fact that it was now nighttime. "Sorry to make you wait."

He should have brought backup. Someone. Edward, maybe, he liked Edward, but then again there was that risk of getting bitten and drained in a closet somewhere. Abe's body stayed tense.

"It's all right. I have your device." Evoker or Envoker, he'd forgotten which.

[skipped a hall from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/781393.html?thread=64124497#t64124497)]

Okita turned the corner from the southern hall and stopped. As he suspected, there were a lot more people here, moving about, standing and waiting to meet others. He couldn't let them see him as he continued on toward the female block, not decked out as he was in his Shinsengumi attire, or it might attract attention to--

He smelled cake. The same cake he'd eaten so enthusiastically but 20 minutes prior. The smell of it was unforgettable, especially since it was strong - meaning the cake was whole. Who in their right mind would carry something that delicious around and not eat it?

Standing up a bit straighter, Okita scanned the hallway, stepping out a bit further into it, as he tried to catch a glimpse of whoever was simply carting their dessert around. If they didn't want it, maybe he could sidle up next to them during a meal and bum it off them.

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/781144.html?thread=64023896#t64023896)]

Turning around the corner, it wasn't a door he found but a couple of guys chatting it up. Or you know, as much as you could really chat it up while not being particularly loud or attention-grabbing. Thing was, he'd been in such a rush, he almost didn't see them. Kanji let out a small surprised noise and quickly stumbled to a stop before he ended up walking into them both. For crying out loud! Why the hell wasn't he paying attention?!

"Crap. Uh, sor... ry," he said, pausing midword to stare at the orange haired kid for just a sec. Okay, for a moment there, he almost thought the kid was Yousuke, which would have been a freaking relief since the guy had been missing for a few days already. He wanted to think it was because he was busy and not... Well, anyway. It wasn't him. So that settled that.

The second guy, on the other had, he did recognize. It was... that kid! The one who asked a bunch of weird questions. Naoto and Yousuke's friend, um... Kaworu. Yeah, that was it. He wasn't quite sure why, but he always ended up feeling awkward around this guy. Not that Kaworu needed to do anything since Kanji was doing a good enough job of being awkward himself. What with almost running into two people and then just standing there, staring.

...Um.

"Understandable," he said, in response to Teresa. The assignment didn't seem like a very desirable one, but it was important nonetheless. He couldn't wait to get his hands on some real weapons.

When Mello's flashlight grazed over his and Teresa's bodies, Giovanni turned halfway, hand hovering over the switch to his own flashlight in case he needed to temporarily blind whoever was approaching. The newcomer didn't appear hostile, though; all he had was a question. Without thinking about it, he turned the rest of the way around, fully facing the man in front of them. With the beams of Mello and Teresa's flashlights combined, it was easy for Giovanni to scrutinize him.

"Why do you ask?"

"Thank you for bringing it." It had occurred to him that this handoff would bring apprehension on both sides; after all, Abe had seen Surt in all his fiery grandeur. How could he calm the other down? Maybe he should tell him... "I can't summon the one you saw yesterday anymore."

[skipped one hall from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/783369.html?thread=64128521#t64128521)]

The fools were mingling about like this was some sort of holiday. Didn't they have places to go? Franziska certainly did and she wasn't about to stop to help any of them if they went and attracted a group of beasts because they were too foolish to move along. She blamed her distaste for the rest of the Institute on her mood, of course. Or rather, on the foul aftertaste of being unconcious for a day still sitting like a lump of coal in her stomach. An entire day wasted without a single explanation as to why.

Her left fist tightened around the dog leach, her fingers causing the leather to creak under the pressure. If she found out who had done that to her, a simple whipping would be considered mercy. Her ire was such that it probably exuded from her like a black electrical storm cloud, ready to fry anyone that got too close to her. Which was unfortunate for a certain someone because Franziska was headed right in their direction. What with her torch light being as weak as it was, she hadn't been able to make out his features until she was practically on top of him, but once she drew close enough, she clicked her tongue in disapproval.

"Cowering, are we?"

When a girl with silver hair and gold eyes approached him out of the darkness, Sora immediately knew that it had to be Soma. Her features were striking, and it made the boy wonder what kind of world she came from. Did everyone have exotic colorings there?

Not that he should be asking questions like that just yet. While she didn't offer her hand or anything, she introduced herself, though it wasn't really necessary when she stood out so much.

Then again, some people seemed to think that his hair style was unique, so maybe it was a matter of perspective.

"Yep, that's me!" He shot a grin at her, though her serious expression made him wonder how easy she'd be to get along with. "It's nice to be working with you. How long have you been part of Arts and Crafts?"

"Case of the stupids... if you keep hitting your head on things, is that going to make it any better?" It was the kind of question, Remy thought, that didn't require an answer.

Then again, someone who was frustrated about a "case of the stupids" probably didn't want to be stupid, right? And it wasn't that they were stupid all the time, it was that they'd been smart enough to catch their own stupidity before winding up in a jar or something.

-- Yeah, Remy could sympathize with that.

Since this guy might not be a complete idiot, and there were cats in the Sun Room (where it hadn't been sunny at all earlier in the day), and the guy was even taller than Remy's new body, he made a decision to continue the conversation. That might mean having company for the night, but that would be all right.

"I want to go to the kitchen: the one where they make our food, which, I might add, they could season more thoughtfully.

"Have you been here long? Everyone I've met so far tells me it's reaaaaalllllly daaaaaaaangerous" -- he wiggled his fingers in the air to emphasize this -- "but I haven't seen anything scary yet. I just want to cook something."

Indeed, it was not a desirable task, but one that would be carried out regardless. The fruits of such a mission far outweighed her personal feelings on the matter. As it was, Teresa would be far more effective with a real sword than without one.

The man that approached Giovanni and herself was human and her night's companion addressed him, so Teresa felt no need to say anything herself nor be concerned with any potential hostilities. If there was, she'd simply make this man regret his decision to interrupt them. Her facial expression did not convey any of this, though, as she silently looked the man over and waited to hear his answer.

When Zack first heard someone say his name, he'd thought it was all in his head. It wouldn't have been the first time, after all. He had been forced to find ways to keep himself aware of what was going on during his time in the mansion. A lot of it he had been spent in and out of consciousness, but in those conscious moments he'd had to fight to not lose himself.

It was possible that Cissnei was one of the people who he'd "heard" during that time. Just thinking back on things she'd said, little conversations they'd had that hadn't actually amounted to anything.

But then the voice kept talking, and then she walked up to him. Zack could feel a presence behind him, though it was a subtle one. A trained professional, in other words.

Zack spun around to face her, and when he took in her features he realized that nothing had changed. It was weird to see the Turk out of her uniform, but everything else was exactly as he remembered from the last time he'd seen her. Gongaga, when she'd promised to watch over his parents.

"Cissnei," he greeted, and he let his tone show just how shocked he was. "Can't say I was expecting to find you here." The fact that she had a matching smiley meant that she was just as much of a prisoner as he was. Unless she was undercover, but he hoped not. "Guess this really isn't Shin-Ra's doing, then," he commented, hand on his hip. He'd already come to that conclusion earlier in the day, but it was still worth mentioning.

Night 46: Main Hallway, 1-West

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject