Night 49: Twin Pines Restaurant

[notthistrain.livejournal.com]

[from here]

This time, Cloud once again found him grabbing on to something for support, in this case the nearest wall, because the shift hadn't been as expected. He should have expected it, but he hadn't. It had looked far too easy to just be able to step out the shattered window and into the street... and he guessed it had been. Too easy to allow them to do it, anyway.

"Well. Looks like we're still in town." In a restaurant, from the looks of it. It wasn't the fast food place he'd visited with Yuffie and Nanaki, but somewhere a bit nicer. (That might not have cared for Red's table manners, or lack of. Though he wasn't sure how he could even be thinking of that right now.) "Guess that idea's out."

The blond once again swept his flashlight across the area. It seemed empty enough for now. "This is kinda ridiculous. Someone out there better be gettin' some enjoyment out of it."

Comments

[zack-fair.livejournal.com]

Jumping out of a window and then somehow ending up walking through another door -- well, it was a bit of a head trip, to say the least. Zack swayed, but found his balance once again. It was a good thing that his dinner had more or less digested by now. Speaking of food, it looked like they were in some kind of restaurant. The one on the coupon he hadn't used? Twin Pines or something, right?

He doubted that Yuffie and Cloud were going to want to go searching for a midnight snack, and walking into a dark kitchen when there were monsters around seemed like a bad idea. Chances were that there was something nasty skulking around in search of food or something.

"I wonder if we're stuck in town now," he mused as he looked around. If that was the case, what was the point of it? Just to put them in as much danger as possible? Well, Zack was pretty sure that the three of them could take one zombie without too many issues, but maybe that was just him.

At Cloud's comment, Zack snorted and shook his head. "Of course they are. Just think about someone with Hojo's sense of humor. That's the only reason they'd resort to something like this." Bringing the scientist up was almost enough to make it feel like there were bugs crawling under his skin, but the point was still valid.

[thatdamnedninja.livejournal.com]

Hi, floor! I haven't seen you in ages, seriously; it's been, like… Ages! How's it hanging?

Yuffie was really, really startin' to hate this whole warping business. When she was done willing dinner to stay in her stomach—instead making a valiant bid for puketastic freedom all over everything; floor and shoes very much included—and was in the process of clambering back to her feet, she let rip with an impassioned spiel of Wutaian curses that Godo might've, at one time, grounded her for. If he hadn't been too busy turning it into a contest.

"Hojo and Landel'd get along real well," she eventually commented, calmer now. "They'd probably get married and everything. Three kids and a car and a honeymoon suite in this world's version of Costa Del Lamesauce. And—" Okay, so not going there. Yuffie cut herself off before the mental images could bring nausea skipping back to gut-punch her. Twice. For kicks and giggles and gawd, Hojo creeped her out.

She looked around, quickly recognizing the place as the Twin Pines restaurant. She'd eaten there, huh, must've been last week, with that Edgeworth dude. He's long-since vanished, 'course. They always did.

"I don't think they'd have anythin' too interesting in here, even in the kitchen." They'd have a better chance of finding decent equipment in Kitchin' Fixins, and besides, there was no telling if they'd even be able to reach the kitchen before they got yanked by another portal.

With only the slightest tremor in her usually seamless movements betraying the motion sickness she still felt, Yuffie made for the door.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/899201.html?view=69926017#t69926017)]

[full-score.livejournal.com]

((From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/900119.html?thread=69786135#t69786135).))

As soon as Claude stumbled into the next room, he felt the floor vibrate beneath his feet from a sudden rumble of thunder. That alone was enough to give him pause. While he'd been vaguely aware of the storm before, the sounds had been muted as a result of him being tucked away within the building. But now? Sounds of rain pelting the roof drowned his ears, suffocating him with the realization that he had no idea where he was.

No matter how hard he squinted, he couldn't see through the haze that was clouding his eyes. Not only that, but the discomfort in his eyes was only growing more intense, like there was sandpaper pressed against sockets.

"H-hello?" he hoarsely called out, straining to listen for an answer that never came. As he stepped further into the area, there was something about the quality of the floor that struck him as familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It wasn't until he bumped into something smooth and soft -- and realized it was the seat for a restaurant booth -- that he figured out where he was.

Doyleton.

Claude swallowed hard as he leaned against the table. Was a local going to see him and assume he'd broken in? Or were there zombies out here again? Were there other monsters too? Had he been dumped out here to fend for himself for the rest of the night? Those sorts of thoughts paralyzed him for a moment. His body was growing heavier, and his stomach felt more nauseated by the moment. How could he possibly get through this? He could barely even think...

Shuddering, he forced himself to straighten up a little. No, he couldn't stay in here. He didn't know where he'd go, but he couldn't stop here. Maybe he couldn't get back to the building. Still, if he collapsed in here, there was no telling what would happen to him. Not that the rain outside made things any better, but maybe there was someone...some townspeople...anyone who was out there...

He turned and began making his way back over to the door before he could become lost. His movements stiff and pained, Claude slowly pulled his jacket off and draped it over his head to prepare himself for potential rain in case he wound up in the street. Then, after leaning his full weight against the door, he managed to push it open.

((To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/923592.html).))