"Now you just have a seat and wait for your visitor like everyone else."

As the nurse went away from him, Kurogane huffed out some agitation but refused to have a seat. Hearing that he had a visitor had been one of the last things he'd expected. It was always the magician who got one, not him. And who the hell would want to visit him anyway?

During his first protests, the nurse had been telling him to behave since it wasn't nice to be sour to girls, so he knew it had to be a girl that was visiting. There were a few of those Kurogane knew could show up as a "visitor" for him, all of which were annoying. Some were worse than others too. He could probably handle if Sohma showed up, and maybe Amaterasu, but when it came to Tomoyo-hime... she was already hard to handle normally, no matter what world she came from. The Piffle version had been pretty much the same, just raised differently. If he saw her, even a fake her, she would probably be just the same and he'd have to at put up with it no matter what.

Eventually he chose to take a seat, knowing that he would not be leaving any time soon. Of course, he picked the one that was furthest into the corner to avoid unwanted conversations. He would already have to deal with a visitor; he shouldn't have to deal with anything more.

Spending all of brunch talking to a "Vulcan" and pretending he was just as much of a hardcore fanboy as Spock was one way to start a day.

Hey, at least the guy was coping. Different strokes and all that.

As much as it'd been half awesome, half totally awkward to hang out with some Trekkie over more free food (he still wasn't sure if he could keep down brunch 'cause of last night), he really did have other things he needed to do. What he really needed was to get back into Kisugi's office; the only advantage he had over Sam right now was he actually knew which door it was. Any other day, he'd be tryin' to figure out how to get himself one of those orderly outfits, see if he could make it far enough to her office to destroy "his" patient files. Dangerous? Hell yeah and he'd probably get caught, which would've been worth the risk if he thought he really could make it that far. Wasn't like he had anything to lose with that year, right? Problem was he was gimped, what with all his healing injuries and bruises all over his face drawing attention to him as a patient, and despite tryin' to see if he could get to a lone orderly, they seemed to travel in pairs. One guy, he might have a chance against, even like this.

A team, though...

Dean might jump the gun sometimes, but he wasn't stupid. These weren't odds. He wouldn't even make it to that bitch's office without gettin' his ass jumped, probably sedated again.

He supposed he could have Sam check out the other doors while he popped into Kisugi's tonight. Might work. He'd also only have a few minutes, way he figured it, unless Sam went through every single file in every doctor's office, which wasn't gonna make sense when they were just trying to find theirs. If Dean was "Eric Derringer" and filed under Kisugi, then it made sense Sam's could be too, with their "cover" also as brothers. He'd want to check Kisugi's before everyone else's.

Too bad he'd just been shunted outside by Hello Nurse. She claimed it was 'cause he needed some fresh air, but he had a feeling his stunts in town and slugging Slappy in the face probably had a hand in putting him in a wide open space where they could keep an eye on him and not in a closed space, like a room, for now. Dean was just glad at least after all that BS, it'd been worth it when he looked at what they had today that they didn't yesterday.

Now they just needed accelerant and they could torch the corpses upstairs.

The recreational field looked pretty much like it had the couple of times he'd been here - okay, one of them didn't count when he didn't remember it actually happening - a field with almost no pointy edges and that vine covered wall you could climb that'd lead to the courtyard on the otherside. Dean wandered about the fence, hands in his pockets as he surveyed the area, keeping it cool as he checked for any thing they could use, glancing at the wall as he passed by the shed before sweeping around. They could probably use a bat, although he wasn't sure if they could turn it into a stake or if anything needed staking here in the first place. It probably wouldn't even be the right kinda wood.

What he wouldn't do for his own arsenal again. A guy got spoiled on being able to just pop the trunk and pull out whatever weapon he needed for a job.

Dean missed his baby. He still had no idea what they'd done with the Impala. The idea of her gettin' stuck up on blocks or something was just another nightmare he didn't need.

Then there was the fact Sam had gotten bitten by something right outta the movies. Dean wanted to say it was nothing, just a bite they needed to make sure wouldn't get crazy infected, but he didn't want to take chances.

Where was Blitzwing?

Lugnut ignored the nurse's fussing over his foot, even as it howled objections to his ill treatment of it the night before, pounding through the town in search of his wingmate, reportedly helpless and injured by an attack the night before-- and not finding him, not seeing even a glimpse of his crazy triple-changing ally.

Snarling at the nurse, but restraining himself from shows of violence-- Blitzwing would mock him if he showed up drugged already, and he would be useless to Megatron like that--he made his way impatiently to the cafeteria, stopping for just long enough to post an urgent notice on the board.

Where was he?

Looming in the middle of the cafeteria, he took the tray the nurse handed him (filled with disgusting human fuel, didn't she know he didn't have time to eat, not when his wingmate was missing?) and ignored it, watching for Blitzwing, where was he?

He refused to think about what might have happened to a wheelchair-bound, drugged, incapacitated warrior, with the swarms of monsters flooding around him, clawing and biting...

[for Scourge]

[from here]

The business had been open when the changeover happened, so the doors were unlocked. Juri pushed them open with one of her feet. It was too quiet as she stepped into the dark showroom. It wasn't as big as she expected such things to be, but silent cars surrounded the offices. The stench of the dead filled the air though. Her ears didn't catch any sound of movement, other than her schoolmate, but that meant nothing.

"There have to be some in here," she told Utena. "Get ready."

From behind one of the cars, two zombies shuffled toward them. "Leave us alone!" Juri screamed and charged at the monsters with both of her makeshift weapons. They had to get rid of them long enough to find the keys and take one of the cars.

[from here]

Windows were dark on Bohr street, but doors worryingly open, and Phoenix's eyes kept darting to each new entrance they passed, dark rectangles like open graves. He tried to think of what was this way, but his mind was a spinning blank, bolting like a rabbit every time a new face turned to stare at them with those hollow, filmy eyes. "Barricade. Barricade and weapons," he panted, the bare essentials of a plan, breathless but ready to run for an hour if he had to. His sweat-slicked hand started to slip against Miles' and he tightened his hold reflexively, glancing back.

[from here]

Being stuck in a small room with those monstrosities didn't seem the safest option. Being outside, with more space to see and move sounded far better. But when Klavier actually got outside, he suddenly thought maybe the small room didn't seem so bad.

THEY. WERE. EVERYWHERE. Crowded worse than LA during rush hour on even the worst of days. Rushing and moving like a writhing, anguished mass. So many. Where had they come from?! Stupid question. What were they?! Monsters, people... How could this-- AHHH!!!

He was frozen in place for a few moments before he realized staying in one spot wasn't the best idea. He frantically looked around. He needed to find somewhere safe! He needed to get out of here. Where was safe?! Somewhere high? Were all of the buildings infested? Maybe he could lock himself in somewhere and--

WAIT!! NO! What was he thinking?! What about everyone else? He couldn't just barricade himself somewhere safe and sit around while everyone else was ripped apart. And... KRISTOPH! Where was he?! Had he been swarmed, too?! He had to have been. But in this mess, he didn't even know where to begin looking for him. Or how long he would last searching. Maybe he would have to trust that his brother would find a safe place... No. He couldn't spend the entire night not even sure if he was safe or not. What if he needed help?

....Holy-- It looked like HE needed help!! "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Again he swung the lamp anytime any got too close, moving with his back toward the walls. Where to go?! Where to go?!

And there went the pleasant atmosphere within a matter of seconds. Klavier hadn't really been paying attention to the time at all. He figured when it was time to go back, the nurses would corral everyone together as usual. Instead Klavier glanced up from his playing in time to see the store not full of patients or citizens or even workers closing up shop... but some kind of mutated mass that used to call themselves people.

In an instant they poured in, climbed over the counter, and seemed to be rushing straight for him. And with how small the store was, it didn't take more than a few moments to reach him.

"Ah... AaaaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Screaming or yelling wasn't very becoming of him, but behavior and putting up an amiable facade were frankly the last things on his mind at the moment. For the first time in his life, he felt absolutely panicked.

What was--?! NO TIME!! They were grabbing at him. The horde had already snagged hold of his legs, the tattered jeans, his shirt, one of his forearms... they were closing in on him before he'd had so much as a chance to realize what was happening. He was completely surrounded by bloodstained mouths. There was no question.

Klavier flailed frantically, kicking his legs to get them OFF! In desperation, he reached his free hand to grab at something on the counter -- ANYTHING -- and managed to grab an exceedingly ugly desk lamp. He swung it hard, hitting one in the arm to drive it back. He'd never fought before. He never liked the idea of arming himself while here either. But such thoughts weren't even reaching his mind at the moment. Pure instinct. GET AWAY! GO AWAY! OFF! OFF!! GET OUT!!

Yes! Outside!! He needed to get outside!! It was a death trap in here!! He managed to get them off him, if just for a moment, and he used the opportunity to barrel into them, shoulder first. He knocked a few down (and almost tripped and fell himself) and simply pushed his way through, swinging the lamp in one hand and desperately clinging to the old guitar with the other. It felt like it took far too long to reach the front door but he managed. He swung it open immediately and ran outside.

[asdlkj, running out here]

Godot versus the coffee pot, round seven.

The prosecutor felt more like himself with every sip, and by the third pot, he'd began giving advice to the waitress on just how to prepare each new carafe. She'd been resistant at first, asking if she should bring out the coffeemaker for his personal use (and then explaining it had been a joke when he told her he wouldn't mind cutting out the middleman). Now, he sat relaxed in his side of the booth, eyes closed, breathing in the vapors of the first new mug of this brew. Even from the same blend, the final products had subtle differences in character. Was it a heavy hand that poured the grounds into the filter? Had the water gotten just a degree colder since the last time the machine was used?

Now that he'd been able to calm the cravings, Godot enjoyed picking apart the subtleties. It was a passion few understood, and even fewer dared to master. But producing fine coffee was nothing short of an art, and he intended to be the Da Vinci of his time. Certainly there were other ways he could be spending his time in the town, trying to explore or arm himself, trying to find those illusive answers. But that sort of work could be left to people like the Wild Filly; Godot would feel no great loss if she drove herself to insanity by refusing to slow her pace.

Godot knew better. He knew his limits. And he knew he could only avoid the work until the coffee ran out.

Ha! He really had slept for far too long. Now he was trying to hold on to a pleasant dream in the middle of the day.


[For Edgeworth]

After the way night had ended (Miku wasn't sure if they'd ever get the smell of charnel out of her clothes), and morning had returned with its clockwork weirdness. She was hurried onto the bus in her dark red long coat and the dark, knee-length, slightly full dress beneath it. It was surprisingly warm, Miku noted, but that could've just been her body lying to her legs, which were going to be undoubtedly chillier through the day. As always with these trips, her nurse had taken the opportunity to channel Little Red Riding Hood into her patient's life.

Oh, well, she didn't mind that much. It was just clothing.

Miku slid into a seat with her bag of breakfast and her camera in her pocket. She couldn't help shake the feeling of oncoming dread that had started with the end of the night's bleeding walls. Maybe she was just being silly, maybe she shouldn't listen to the alarm ringing in the back of her mind.

But still, she couldn't help but to wonder what it was leading to.

[Waiting for Peter]

[from here]

There was no sign of anyone else here. Maybe she was early - she had left her room immediately, after all. The rest of the team should be here soon.

Soma took up position on the other side of the hallway so she faced the F-blocks and waited.

[from here]

The main hallway was empty, too. The quiet was broken only by squeak of S.T's shoes on the tile floor and tiny creaks of metal as the toolbox swung as he walked.

This was the part in the horror movie where the cheerleader took a knife to the throat. Good thing he'd left his pom-poms at home. As long as he was the idiot friend or the brains (hell, both) he should make it at least to the third act.

He hurried along, hugging close to the left-hand wall.

[to here]

[from here]

The hallways were dead -- 3am last call has come and gone dead dead, not just an early, foggy night. Not even a mouse. Scratch that -- he didn't want to think about what the local mice looked like.

Not even a street sweeper making it's bi-weekly, ticket-strewn, ear-shattering pilgrimage. He hoped he hadn't missed a memo. Caution: by game we mean the general issuance of semi-automatic weaponry to any individuals with grievances.


INTRA-GANG VIOLENCE HITS INNOCENT BYSTANDER DAY AFTER POLICE ISSUE ADVISORY ON CRIME AT NIGHT
TAYLOR NEVER CAME IN OUT OF THE RAIN, EITHER, NEIGHBOR CONFIDES

What the fuck. This place was getting to him. He couldn't allow that, so he sped up his strides.

[to here]

[from here]

Recluse surveyed the hallway as he stepped out into it, looking for Marcus. Nothing. He'd just have to wait and see if he'd turn up, then. He headed for the door to the cell block exit, keeping alert for any monsters that might be lying in wait. They usually seemed to take a few minutes at least to start attacking attacking, but that was no reason to act like a fool.

Endrance sighed just slightly as he got his things together. Those injuries from the night before were still there, and he knew he would need to be careful if they should run into something unexpected that night. With any luck, any exploring they did wouldn't require fighting, but he knew now to be on his toes and prepared for anything that could happen.

He paused just before exiting his room. What was...oh. Right. That must have been what Haseo meant by that brief glance and holding up four fingers as they passed each other on the way back to their rooms. Well, that was certainly convenient, he thought to himself, and...it made him a little happy knowing that Haseo was only one hallway over. He blushed just slightly as he flipped on his flashlight and stepped out into the hall.

[to here.]

[in M7]

Hanatarou had managed to choke down about half of his dinner before finally giving up and pushing the tray away. With a glance back at Sora to make sure his roommate wasn't looking, he'd opened the closet door to get his uniform and started to change; he thought that if he was going to act like a healer he could at least look like one. Right?

He was just settling his pack in place when the intercom went off, and he gave a startled glance back toward the speaker. The announcement was creepy and disturbing as usual, but considering that he was already a bundle of nerves as it was...well, there wasn't really a visible impact on him. There were supposed to be two people - two strangers - coming by to be healed, and he hoped that he'd be able to help them.

The healer paused for a moment, staring blankly at the imitation Hisagomaru in the corner of the closet before finally deciding to leave it there for the time being. He'd have to see how he felt after trying to heal two people before deciding what he was going to do next.

[F15]

As usual, the doctor's announcement was vague and led her nowhere as far as figuring out what his intentions were went, but definitely foreboding. There was no way to tell what exactly he had in mind when he was cutting himself off like that among all the static, which was frustrating, but ... she supposed sooner or later, they would all see what would happen-- if it did.

For now, however, Naoto knew there were other important things she had to wait for, so the riddle can be further sat on later. Setting her journal back on the desk, she went to prop the door to the room open and sat back on the edge of her bed, then set the flashlight up to give the best lighting around the room she could get it to. Anyone else wouldn't be wandering around the pitch black halls without their own light, but Naoto figured it would be best if those dropping by could see easily in the room, as well.

Now, all there was to do was wait. She didn't care when in the night her radio delivery came in, but she wanted Yousuke and Kanji to hurry. There was a lot to talk about, and Naoto didn't want any of this time wasted.

When the intercom's jingle sounded, there seemed to be some kind of tapping in the background noise, like letters being punched into a keyboard. It stopped and the Head Doctor chuckled.

"Hello, everyone! I'm actually taking a break from paperwork for once – everyone needs some recreational time, you know! – and of course, now we can all look forward to a scrumptious dinner from our cooks. Tonight, herb-seasoned grilled salmon is on the menu, served with buttery mashed potatoes and asparagus. All our regular drinks and vegetarian options are available, and for dessert, we will be serving yellow cake with a whipped cream icing.

"...Well! I can hardly wait to get my own dinner after saying all that. Good bye for now, everyone, and enjoy your delicious food!"

The intercom clicked off.

[ All room threads go in response to this post; please post your character's room number as the subject line of the initial post. (Find all of the newly changed room assignments and shift introductions here.) If you are introducing your character during this shift, you may either choose for them character to wake up before their roommate gets back, or after. ]

Jiraiya had been right about the bulletin, at least. Yousuke guessed that meant he'd probably have to take some of the other things he'd said a bit more seriously as well. Like the monsters at night.

Hopefully his questions would all be answered when he met up with Kanji and Naoto. (At least he was pretty sure it was Naoto. No one else from their group spoke like a textbook.)

He was led out to the courtyard to mingle, saved from the showers due to his newbness, it seemed. Should he be grateful? If they expected him to play catch with someone, they were going to be disappointed. (Though if they got an actual game of soccer going that might be another story...) Mostly, he just wanted to find a familiar face as soon as possible, despite the promised meeting later.

[closed to his bff Adachi]

Utena was very, very glad that the patients were finally being allowed to go to the showers. Even for a girl more used to sweating than many in her gender, two days without a shower was definitely enough to make her feel stickier and stinkier than she preferred to be. Especially after all the running around and tearing apart of rooms she, Celes and Edward had done the night before.

I really hope those rooms magically turned clean this morning or something, like every other place in here seems to, Utena thought at that, hoping that no patients had awoken to the rather desperate-looking remains of a break-and-enter.

Taking a wash towel from one of the baskets, Utena headed for a free showerhead.

[Free. Limit: Any]

Endrance turned his head to look at the intercom, giving it a look that would wither an entire rose garden in an instant. He would never get used to ending up in his room again from somewhere else in the Institute.

He brushed his bangs out of his eyes, not sitting up just yet. He could tell already that his torso had been heavily bandaged, even more so than it had been the night before. The cuts on his arms were covered with fresh bandages, and the one on his cheek seemed to no longer be there at all.

Endrance had been expecting to wake up in a lot of pain, but even that seemed numbed. "They must have given me something," he murmured quietly, as he slowly sat up.

At that moment, his nurse came to get him, pushing a wheelchair along with her. "Peyton, dear, good morning. I've come to take you to breakfast, so..." He shook his head. "I'm fine. There's no need for that...I can walk perfectly well."

She sighed. Well, if he insisted, she wasn't going to stop him. She motioned for an orderly to take the chair away, and walked him to the cafeteria. Once they had gotten there, she pointed him toward a seat, then set a full tray of pancakes covered with syrup, a bowl of fruit, and a glass of orange juice in front of him. "Now eat all of that, Peyton, or else you won't be strong enough to keep walking like that."

He glared at her back as she walked away, then stopped suddenly. There was that faint pulse he'd felt the night before...it was exactly the same.

And so he completely ignored his food in favor of staring at the cafeteria doors, looking at every patient that came in.

[thread will be closed to Haseo. ♥]