Nightshift 48: Main Hallway 2-East

[hasnomeaning]

[from here]

The hallways here were different, and yet, very close to the same. Ayanami spread her beam around the hall as she moved out from the stairwell, again, glancing around. Nothing. And few noises; less even than the floor below. Was this a viable option? She stopped, looking to the right down a hall ridden with doors. Would any of those give weigh to a location of a pilot? She couldn't know.

"Where," she asked, "do you want to go now?"

Comments

[sdatislife.livejournal.com]

Shinji frowned in disappointment. More doors and hallways. No matter where they went, it just seemed like they kept running into more and more choices. He flicked his light to the right and then to the left. They had to somewhere, didn't they? There was a door directly ahead of them and the hallway ended to their right. He frowned and glanced back at Rei.

"...I... I don't know. Maybe... we should go left."

[hasnomeaning]

One hall was no better than another, and if they were looking for another, then heading to the left, where the faint murmurings of voice were coming from was better than the silent still hall of the right. "Yes," she agreed, moving forward again in the same moment.

[to here]

[vbyv.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/852888.html?thread=67726488#t67726488)]

The blackness receded the further she went, and if she had time to think about it, she'd have realized that the air was different somehow.

But she was too busy sprinting, not bothering to look back. She could sense him on her heels, following steadfastly. For the first time, though, things were starting to stop shivering, and the walls were beginning to straighten out and not freaking wiggle all over.

For a split second, she thought about turning around, see what was really going on if he was still there, but she wasn't gonna risk it. She wanted a weapon in her hand before she did anything.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/858227.html)]

[kindalikedit]

[From here and following Faith all the way]

[lastlovesong]

[Running from here.]

As soon as they reached the other side, Chise took out her map to check their location. Suppressing a shiver, she surveyed the hallway, mentally noting the location of the stairs. She couldn't help shake the feeling that a random monster was going to jump out and attack them by surprise.

"We're almost there Fai, it should be somewhere along the hallway to our left."

[not-rly-fai.livejournal.com]

Yuuhi was only too happy to keep running when they heard yelling further down the center hallway. Hopefully the whomever it was would be alright, but they couldn't risk themselves on a rescue mission. He followed Chise past the hall and turned the corner when they reached the last hall on the left.

[[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/858227.html?thread=67956851#t67956851)]]

[itneverwas.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/858703.html?thread=67949647#t67949647)]

Xemnas reached the top without casualties. Sweeping his flashlight over his new surroundings, he took notice of more corridors, more doors leading to unknown destinations. Destinations that would require further investigation, but now was not the time.

Sounds of battle carried over from the more center area. Orange eyes gazed into it's direction, but the radiance of his flashlight did not reach far enough to be able to perceive the events that occurred. How interesting it was that the area was guarded once more; was it important, or simply highly traversed? Considering they had taken the staircase that was the furthest removed of the area, they were likely not headed into that direction.

Though the source was doubtlessly still a relative distance away and was of no immediate danger, he switched off his flashlight as to avoid attracting any unnecessary attention from the center area. The darkness was, after all, often an efficient way to avoid detection. He waited.

It would seem it was indeed a case of old age.

[lawful_perfect]

Though not nearly as grueling as the previous time, the long ascent up the stairs had still been a painstaking, delicate process. Gripping the cane in one hand and the rail in the other, von Karma had had to stick the flashlight in his pants pocket, angling the lamp upward so that he would have sufficient light to see. It was already hazardous enough to climb stairs in the dark without having the additional encumbrance of a walking stick, but it was preferable to use it to avoid needless strain on his knees. Thus, he was quite grateful that Xemnas had agreed to go up ahead of him without so much as a protest.

After what seemed an eternity, the older man arrived at the top, finding that his companion had already turned off his flashlight. It was just as well, since von Karma could hear the sounds of a struggle coming from the hallway just ahead of them. Another chill coursed through him; that last incident in the upper level of the Sun Room from two nights ago was still much too fresh in his mind. He turned off his own flashlight and squeezed his eyes shut to acclimate them to the dark; it would indeed be foolhardy to traverse these halls with it illuminated.

"Mr. Xemnas," he whispered, "from here until we reach our destination, it is imperative that we make no more noise than absolutely necessary. So listen well to my directions, for I won't repeat them again." He paused to mentally translate his memory of the map into words, then resumed, speaking more slowly. "At the first junction, turn left into the new hallway. From there, the room I'm headed for is the fourth door on the left." He stopped for another moment to give Xemnas time to assimilate this information.

"Now let's go. There is no time to waste." He re-opened his eyes and glanced ahead through the hallway. All he could make out were vague silhouettes of walls and objects, and that was thanks to the dim light from the Sun Room area far ahead. Oh, how he wanted Ms. Taura here; he knew that she had night vision, but did Mr. Xemnas? Were that stranger's orange eyes useful for something besides reminding him of someone who had an equally irritating stare?

...Bah! He would just have to make do. After all, this wouldn't have been the first time he had ever had to grope his way through a building completely devoid of light; he could do it again! He transferred his cane to his left hand, then placed his right hand against the wall, repeating the instructions for Xemnas in his mind as he felt his way to the first intersection in the hall.

[To here]