Kratos firmly ignored Landel's usual nighttime rant as he got dressed, a task that required a little more thought than usual. Usually, he would shrug into his old military fatigues rather than deal with all the minute details of his clothes from home, but tonight, he was meeting Lloyd, and it was probably better to look more familiar: Lloyd hadn't been around during the military occupation, and even though the specifics of that weren't personal, Kratos wasn't in the mood to delve into the institute's past.

It was strange to be fumbling once again with all the belts and buckles on his Cruxis uniform, but even after a month away, the muscle memory was still there, guiding everything into proper position even as his mind blanked on the next step in the complicated procedure. Thus, it wasn't too long before he was, for the first time in over a month, actually looking the part of a seraph of Cruxis. It actually felt comforting, never mind that everything now hung a shade loose on him.

He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind before he headed out. He would just be teaming up with Lloyd. That was all. There was nothing more to it. He'd asked for help. He was getting it. Enough. Simple. He opened his eyes and tried to pretend that had done something for his confidence as he gathered his things.

With a brief nod to Tolten, Kratos headed out the door.

[to here]

With the St. John's wort officially passed off to Kobayashi, Castiel realized that he could finally move past all of the problems created by that illness. He still needed to heal up, true, but he was at a point where he could work on something more productive without constantly being distracted by the possibility that he or someone he knew might end up turning into some bloodthirsty creature.

The intercom came on as Castiel slipped on his trenchcoat and gathered his items for the night, and while he was expecting to hear the usual taunting, something that was actually of interest came out of the tinny speaker.

The third floor -- had a patient truly found a way to get there? From what Castiel understood, no one had ever made it past the second floor, regardless of any unorthodox ways that they tried to get there. When he'd temporarily been granted the ability to use his wings again, he still hadn't been able to reach it. It was clearly warded off and well-guarded, and Landel seemed to intend on keeping it that way.

But whoever had made it far enough to earn a specific comment on it from the Head Doctor clearly had to be getting somewhere with it. Castiel would need to look into that when he had the chance, but for now he was set to meet up with Soushi.

Working with a demon -- even if it was a very different kind of demon, it still rubbed him the wrong way. But that didn't stop Castiel for setting out with his flashlight and angel sword in hand.

[To here.]

"Sorry," Ryusei said when he turned back around to find the nurse looking at him. He caught up to her in a few strides, and when she continued leading him to the greenhouse, he couldn't resist taking another look at the door from which he'd exited. He couldn't tell if it was the same door from two nights ago. He frowned as the nurse ushered him into the glass house; but he could take another look when she came back to escort him back into what he assumed was the main building.

For now.... Were they really letting him eat here? Was that responsible, with all of these plants? Not that he knew anything about that, he thought as he picked a bench at random and opened his lunch. He hadn't known what any of those words had meant when the lunches had been described, so it was more out of curiosity than hunger that he pulled out the sandwich.

[free]

[From here]

Korra wandered into the Sun Room while rubbing her hair dry with a small towel. The shower had been nice, at least. She had wanted her nurse to take her outside, but apparently there would be none of that for the moment. The "adults" were out there. What were they doing that they couldn't let her go outside, too?? She wasn't used to this, being cooped up. It reminded her of her time in the sewers.

She flopped down onto one of the couches, keeping an eye out for someone to chat up. Sure, her social skills weren't exactly 'honed,' yet, but that didn't mean she didn't want to talk to people. There wasn't anything else to do here, anyway.

[Barnaby!]

[warping in from here]

Once again, the world seemed to move around him as he stepped through the door.  The end result, however, was very different.  He was expecting another room, or maybe a hallway.  Even a bathroom.

He was not expecting a sudden drop into a cold lake.

For a second, the Once-ler was unable to react, too surprised by the abrupt plunge.  Then his mind kicked into gear, screaming that he was underwater, he couldn't breathe, that he had to get to the surface now.  With a lunge that was more instinctive than anything else, the man broke the surface again, gasping for air.  All his attention went to making sure he stayed up; he did not notice that he had dropped both flashlight and metal pipe in his panic.

By no means was the Once-ler a world-class swimmer; it had never been something he'd thought would be necessary.  But one didn't grow up with two overly energetic brothers and not learn how to at least stay afloat.  Still, he was definitely splashing quite a bit more than was necessary, practically flailing his limbs to keep his head above water.

"Helloooo~? Is anyone here?" Fai held a gloved hand up to his mouth as he bellowed, peeking his head out the bedroom door and glancing down the rather stark hallway. Having woken up in an unusual bedroom was really not that strange to him, but waking up without his normal traveling companions did strike him as a little odd.

"Kuro-rin? Syaoran?" Even Mokona seemed to be missing and usually the small white creature was not far from his side. For a moment, Fai wondered if perhaps something had happened as they were transferring worlds. It wouldn't be the first time their group had gotten split up. It would be the first time he was left on his own when it happened though.

Taking a step into the hallway he placed his hands on his hips as he let his one golden eye wander and take in the scenery. They certainly had found themselves in a bizarre world this time. He wondered just what it was going to take to locate the others. If nothing else he could usually sense Kurogane, many thanks to the bond of blood that they now shared. However, even the familiar presence of the ninja seemed to be lacking. There was a hint of worry that pinged deep inside of him but he tried not to get too worked up yet. "It's not nice to start playing hide and seek without telling me first!"

Deciding it was time to continue his search, he started down the hallway, placing his hands behind his head as he strolled in a rather relaxed manner, despite the uncertainty that was boiling inside of him.. He could sense something about this place that was a bit off but it was going to take a little time to figure out exactly what it was. He didn't sense any magic, or at least none that he had ever felt before. "It's not like Kuro-tan to play games. This isn't quite the Clow Country that I had envisioned either. I wonder if something went wrong while we were traveling. Nothing felt different.."

Now Fai was starting to worry a bit. Not letting it show quite yet though, he placed that energetic smile on his face that was his norm and called out once again, "Excuse me~? I appear to be lost? Is anyone around? I could use some help! It would be greatly appreciated!" Fai wasn't sure if he was really yelling to anyone at all, but he figured if he kept hunting he would run into someone eventually. And if he kept talking, someone might hear him and come to him. He knew that it wasn't time to get worried yet. He just had to keep on walking and eventually something was bound to happen! Of course..he wasn't sure if it would be something good or bad..but he tried not to dwell on the specifics too much.


[OOC: Free. Goes to here]

[from here]

Shuffling along the wall would make too much noise, so Ryusei walked normally along this hall. He was worried, but with the exits at the two ends, he'd see someone coming long before they saw him. He could always duck past, but— He'd deal with that if it came up. For now, he had to think about where he would go from here. Routine said the cafeteria, but logic dictated otherwise; there was no point to going there. How about the front door? That— That was an option, wasn't it?

... It...wasn't a good one.

... He'd made it without mishap. Next.

[to here]

[from here --and waiting for Ryusei!]

There still wasn't a lot of people in the halls, and it was starting to make him nervous. Maybe he should try to find someone to hang out with tonight. Snow and Celty had insisted on how Mikado shouldn't be alone at night--it wouldn't hurt to take their advice. But it would be strange to just go up to someone and ask to walk around with them.

...Wouldn't it?

He made a face, and paused in the hall, looking around. He was more aware of the bandages covering his eye in the dim, and even wearing his own clothes didn't negate that uncomfortability. He was suddenly starting to think he should have just stayed inside.

[from here]

For once it seemed like barely any people were out. Was he really that early, or was there some other reason things seemed quiet? It wasn't a good idea to think in the dark with a large blind spot, and Mikado regripped his flashlight nervously.

Maybe he should have contacted Izaya again tonight. But he didn't want to bother the man more than necessary. Despite the circumstances, Mikado was probably just someone Izaya was assisting, not someone to be considered a friend.

...Did Izaya have friends back home? It made Mikado think for a moment. How weird. No one was readily coming to mind.

[to here]

"Goodness, is it really already time for dinner? Time certainly does fly! And such a lovely day, too. I certainly wouldn't mind having a nice cup of cocoa out on the patio or something..."

That was how the Head Doctor greeted them, although it apparently didn't take him long to realize he'd gotten a little off topic.

"Now then, it's time for the nurses to escort you all back to your rooms, where you'll have the opportunity to tuck into a scrumptious plate of turkey and gravy. And, of course, we always carry vegetarian options for those who don't eat meat. We also have our usual assortment of water, juice and milk.

"Also, some of you will be receiving some extra help in warding off whatever bug some of us have been catching. Please take care, everyone, and be sure to wash your hands! I'll talk to you all again later. Enjoy your dinner."

The intercom clicked off, leaving patients with the prospect of preparing for yet another grueling Nightshift.

((Respond to this post with your character's room number in the subject line. New room assignments are listed here. If you have any questions, let us know!))

When the last of the announcement faded from the air, Lloyd frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. So they wouldn't be eating in the cafeteria after all. It was a good thing he'd arranged a backup plan with Kratos, but he kind of wished there was a way to know in case he wanted to meet with someone else another time. Letting out a breath, he decided it didn't really matter right now. This time, at least, he was prepared.

Once the teen was given his bag lunch, he headed to a table in the Sun Room to sit down and started scanning the room. He didn't know where Kratos had been during the last shift, but he expected to see him any minute. Expected and hoped. Curiosity gnawed at him with each passing moment. Why had the man taken down part of his note the day before then asked to talk to him later? He must have really meant it, too, because he'd written another note to Lloyd today to arrange to meet up with him.

And yet, some part of Lloyd that sat curled and bitter in the back of his throat wondered. Wondered if he'd actually show up.

[For Kratos.]

After that miserable breakfast, Kratos was truly ready to go hide himself away in some dark corner of a room and refuse to speak to anyone for the rest of the day. It was utterly pathetic that he was actually giving that kind of behavior serious thought, but somehow, in the wake of Sora's death, everything, from company to even eating, seemed too loud or too exhaustive; his energy seemed to slip away the instant he gained it.

Ironically, this behavior was not previously unknown to him; it was just that the last time he'd fallen into this kind of slump, his circumstances were such that engaging in extreme antisocial behavior and refusing to eat did not carry severe consequences like they--that was also pathetic, that he'd just entertained the idea that the days following Anna's death could have been more bearable than now. Could he possibly frustrate himself even more? The paradoxical part was that he enjoyed doing it in a strange, perverse way.

He wrote out a few listless, largely formulaic responses over the board to some notes he'd pinned up right before breakfast, and then wandered over to a nearby couch, where he sat down, stared at the coffee table for a moment, and then slumped back against the couch, one hand draped across his eyes, with a sigh. For a few seconds, he stayed that way, letting the wave of emotion wash over him--it was simply too much; he had reached the point where he was willing to give up and acknowledge that--and then, as if a switch had been flicked, Kratos straightened up, everything once again carefully masked. He exhaled, slow and steady, and looked down just in time to see a cat pass by, meowing for his attention.

He wasn't particularly fond of animals, as he'd once told Lloyd, but right now, all he wanted was something to distract him, and a cat was much preferred to a person; after all, the cat didn't talk, nor did it require him to talk. Kratos reached down to scratch it between the ears and then paused as it leaped onto the couch to curl up next to him. It was a stretch to think that he might be able to spend an entire shift petting a cat (also pathetic, but in a different way), but he would do it for however long it held his attention, or vice versa.

[Flora!]

For the first time since Kyousuke arrived, waking up didn't feel the slightest bit strange or out of place. It was still like night had suddenly stopped, with nothing in-between then and now, but instead of being disorienting, or like there was something missing, it was like waking up from a nightmare. His breaths came heavy and anxious, everything flooding back to him, but unlike last night, he had more mental clarity, and he actually understood what it meant.

Sora... was dead.

After a moment, his breathing seemed to ease up, and he sat up slowly, and simply stared down at his blanket. The motion hurt quite a bit, a lot worse than it had yesterday morning, but he seemed to be in decent shape, all considered. Sore, battered, a little faint, but compared to worst of it...

He wondered if he should feel upset right now, or want to yell, or cry, but the truth was, he didn't. If anything, he was just numb. Tired and listless. He wasn't sure what to think or feel about anything, but somehow it seemed distant and disconnected, like something that hadn't actually happened. Yet, if he lingered on it too long, the lifelessness grew into something nauseating, heavy and constricting in his chest, and he didn't even notice until he realized he was gripping his bedding unnecessarily hard. So he forced himself to relax, and not focus on it too much. ... He preferred the cold sort of nothingness.

When the nurse arrived, she wasn't empty-handed, unfolding a wheelchair by his bedside and looking at him expectantly, as if she wanted him to settle himself into it. Looking at it was strange and uncomfortable, and he found himself refusing automatically.

"... I can walk fine. I don't need—"

"What you don't need," the nurse said sternly, "is to be overexerting yourself. You got to walk around yesterday, and what do you do? You go and reopen your injuries! Honestly, Mr. Taylor, you might be young, but you need to take better care of yourself! Today, you're resting, and if you're good about it, we'll see about maybe taking the chair away tomorrow."

That was bad enough, but then she wouldn't even let him wheel himself, and pushed him along from behind. This was totally unnecessary... But though it made him feel helpless, Kyousuke didn't have the energy to argue, so he let her do what she wanted. She asked if he wanted to make a quick trip the bulletin, first, but... Would the news be there? There were people who deserved to know, but there would be reactions to it, questions he didn't want to answer, and feeling his stomach give a lurch, he decided he didn't want to deal with it. Any of it.

Once in the cafeteria, the nurse asked him about breakfast, but Kyousuke insisted he wasn't hungry. ... He wasn't. Sensing he wanted to be left alone, she wheeled him off to an easily overlooked portion of the cafeteria, but quickly returned, setting food and some juice in front of him, "just in case." She set a small paper cup with a couple of painkillers on the tray, and after that, she left, leaving the boy to stare down the meal he didn't really want.

[ Kratos! ]

[M13]

When the doors unlocked throughout the hallways, Facilier was more than ready to begin his exploration of the institute once Rock Lee arrived as planned. However, he wasn't so eagerly prepared for what could happen with his roommate Hakkai...

The Bokor gathered his things in silence so tense that it nearly solidified the air surrounding him. He constantly kept his eye fixated on his roommate, ever watching for any change emerging from the corner of his suspicious vision. Meanwhile, Facilier's Shadow remained inconspicuously natural, yet he could feel its energy tingling as it was ready to leap into action at the slightest sign of danger towards its master.

Thoughts of killing off his roommate now before anything happened did cross Facilier's mind -- if not dozens of times by now! But he dared not dirty his hands unless it was absolutely necessary. It didn't help that Rock Lee was sure to show up any moment now either; Facilier couldn't trust the boy to remain silent about finding Hakkai's untransformed dead body in his room. He would just have to deal with this unbearable tension until he could exit to the hallway or fight once things became dire.

For now, Facilier took out his costume cane from his closet and leaned it against his desk close to where he rested his hand. Keeping Hakkai within his sight, Facilier sat down to eat the rest of his dinner, his finger constantly twitching towards the handle of his cane as he waited.

Anise was glad that Barnaby had gotten back to her. Now she could meet him and hopefully learn something about the weird illness they had.

She didn’t want to look like a mess in front of the man, though, so she first made a stop in the washroom by the Sun Room to clean herself up a bit. She washed her hands and face, and fixed her pigtails, which had been looking a bit messy. There was no hiding the large rash that covered her hand and arm, even with a long-sleeved shirt, but she made herself look as presentable as possible.

With that finished, she returned to the Sun Room and stood where she was sure she’d be seen. Once she met up with Barnaby, they could probably take off to a more secluded part of the room for their talk. As cheerful and pleasant as she had been on the bulletin, this probably wasn’t going to be a very fun conversation.

[for Barnaby!]

What the hell even happened last night? Rita remembered struggling with some kind of snake, and then… everything got kind of fuzzy from there. She knew what she saw, but she also knew it couldn’t have been real. It was more like a dream, but then, what was happening in reality while she was ‘dreaming’? Damn it, she must have looked like an idiot!

Rita was getting sick of all these tricks and hallucinations. The next time she encountered a monster, she was going to roast it to ashes, just out of spite.

Still seething, she brought her lunch to the Library and found an empty table to sit at. She went there almost automatically, and silently glared at her surroundings. The useless books, the place where that monster attacked her last night, the trap door she’d once again been unable to pass through… everything about this place was getting on her nerves.

She took an angry bite out of her sandwich, as if even that had wronged her somehow.

[free!]

Link wasn't in the mood for 'rest and relaxation,' as the boss had put it. Daytime here was completely unproductive, and it was frustrating. There was little he could do, other than keep up with recording his map. He supposed he ought to take the chance to get to know the other patients: Who was powerful, who needed help, who knew what... Perhaps some of the people who had been here longer. Link was lucky he had Sora as a friend, who seemed to know a good deal about how things worked.

It was a two-edged sword, though, that the boy had to have been trapped here for quite some time to be as settled as he was.

The Hylian settled into a chair with his journal, tapping the strange sort of writing device he had been given against his chin. It had become evident last night that the building was relatively organized, the second floor being similar in its main layout to the first floor. That was somewhere to start, at least.

[Nina, dearest!]

[M16]

As wretched as he was already feeling, the taunting intercom messages did nothing to improve Gren's mood. What it did do was inspire enough anger to rouse him from the corner he'd huddled in and force him to collect his things and get moving.

He was really in no shape to be out and about. He felt shaky and lightheaded, hardly able to keep himself moving, let alone fight. But he also knew that it was his own fault, and that absolutely nothing good would come of hiding in his room waiting for his own thoughts to consume him whole. Going out wasn't going to do a damned thing for his physical condition, but it just might be enough to distract him from the chaos in his head for a little while longer. And maybe if he could find Hakkai, he might have a chance of working out just how much of this was really the fault of whatever that thing was they'd encountered the night before.

Maybe it wasn't his fault. Maybe it was just the drugs and the ghost and this place. Maybe he really wasn't losing his mind all over again.

It was the only thing he had to cling to. That, and the thought that maybe, somewhere, there was a way out of this hell. He had to try.

It took too long to get his things sorted, too long to get out the door and stop there, leaning against the wall while he tried to keep focused. No one was around, now. There was nothing but darkness and silence to welcome him.

Once again, a couple of bursts of static greeted Link as he entered the room, but there was no audio message waiting for him. Strangely, the drawing from last night remained largely intact, as if it had been impossible for their captors to remove. The only thing different was that the vibrant glow from before had diminished, and the image was mostly reduced to a faint, green outline.

But more than that, a companion clue had apparently been set up for whoever entered here. This one required a flashlight to fully examine, but a well-aimed beam would illuminate a framed oil painting hanging from the wall. Beneath that were words written in the same green, glowing paint from last night:

Salome with the Head of John the Baptist

If that wasn't odd enough, though, whoever had arranged the clues also left a small pile of dried leaves beneath the painting. The leaves themselves were unremarkable, and were likely pulled from a common tree. Was it another message, perhaps?

Despite the cryptic clue, though, the person who had come before did not want the patients' troubles to go unrewarded. A first aid kit with these items was perched on the table in the center of the room.

[From here]

Link moved cautiously but quickly through the medical wing, which had somehow been cleared of last night's stench of blood. It was like the building had reset itself. There must have been powerful magic at work, here.

Although the tension in the air was thick, Link came across nothing as he moved through the narrow hallways, following the path to the X-Ray Room. It seemed like much longer than a day since he had been here, but he wasn't going to let that tire him out. The task at hand was too important to complain about being tired.

As expected, the room in question was once again locked. Breaking through the door, Link pushed his way into the X-Ray room for the second night in a row.

[To here]