Nightshift 25: M21-M30 Hallway

[itneverwas]

As soon as the doors had unlocked, Xemnas already headed outside. His amber eyes scanned the dark hallway, but there were patients nor monsters lurking within the darkness. Keeping his flashlight off as to avoid any unwanted attention, the Superior quickly proceeded

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[byname_bynature]

(From here.)

"M21... M22," Artemis quickened his pace until he stood in front of M28. Who knows if anyone was actually in the room--but for now he was content to wait for Renji and the other students. If he got bored he could always knock on the door and see if the occupant wanted some company.

[lost_metal]

Finally! Ed rolled out of bed where he'd been napping and grabbed his notebook, checking the arrays drawn in it. Might as well gets things done quickly so he could do something other than making weapons tonight. He tucked the notebook under his arm and threw open the door.

And bumped squarely into Artermis when he stepped outside.

He glared at the newcomer, retreating a little into his room. "Who the hell are you and that's a really stupid place to stand."

[byname_bynature]

Artemis fell back a few steps as Edward ran into him. He blinked, slightly taken aback, then returned Edward's glare.

"The pleasure's all mine," The boy retorted. "Most will introduce themselves before making demands.

"And for your information, I'm meeting someone here and I didn't hear any movement in your room--so forgive me for standing in public property. I can't imagine what came over me."

[lost_metal]

Ed crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to back down even a little from this dumb kid. "I'm not most people."

He blinked in surprise when he mentioned meeting someone. Outside of Ed's room? "Makes sense to check if someone's inside the room before standing right outside the door," he growled. "Who are you waiting for outside of my room anyway?"

[byname_bynature]

"Abarai Renji-san," Artemis said, looking down his nose at his assailant. "And since the person I'm meeting is most certainly not you, I don't see how it makes sense to bother someone I don't need to talk to." But even so, this was one of the rooms Artemis was instructed to leave supplies in last night. So perhaps he could play this to his advantage. What had Renji's note said...? Ah yes...

"After all," The boy continued, "I was your fetch-boy last night, so you might want to exercise just a hint of common courtesy--" He smirked, "Ed."

[lost_metal]

Oh, Renji. That made sense he supposed. Renji had left all that metal in his room last night.

He tensed slightly at the boy's snide tone and the fact that he knew his name. He should be used to it by now, but this place made him more wary. Especially with Envy around. His expression darkened. "That was by your own damn choice then. Not like I asked you to do it. I can get my own damn stuff or people can bring it to me if they want a weapon. No problem for me if you don't do it again."

[byname_bynature]

Well, that didn't exactly have the desired effect, but it at least made the other boy slightly uncomfortable. Artemis shrugged, "If I had a choice, I would have gone with the people I was originally assigned to. Drawing maps sounds much better than what I did last night.

"And... I didn't exactly leave the pipes in your room. I left them in M1. And the metal wasn't for me, either. I haven't made a request for a weapon, mostly because I haven't the slightest idea how I would use one."

The boy's eyes shifted down, all traces of his smug expression gone. "My name is Artemis Fowl, the Second. It was hardly fair or proper of me to flaunt what information I have. My apologies."

[stray_shinigami]

[from here]

Renji came down the hallway on silent feet. If anything, his expression was darker than it had been before. As he approached the two kids, though, he managed to collect himself. Whatever his problems were, they didn't need to be shared.

"Ed," he said, quietly. He nodded his chin toward the bundle he carried. "Got a little present for you."

[lost_metal]

That he had to agree with as the expression on his face showed. "Drawing maps sounds better than doing alchemy at the moment." And Ed loved alchemy more than most things. He was just going stir crazy and itching for a fight.

He recognised the boy's name. He frowned, trying to remember where he'd seen it. Finally it hit him. "Oh! Renji was teaching you fighting with Tamaki tonight, right?" He shrugged, leaning back against the wall casually. He was probably being even more prickly than usual, he had to admit, snapping at little things. "There's some people I'd rather not know where my room is or even that I'm here. That's all." He shifted uncomfortably at Artermis' sudden politeness. "Sorry," he said finally.

He looked up when Renji called, a grin appearing on his face. He'd seen Renji's post on the bulletin, but he looked okay now. Maybe a little tightness around his mouth. "Thanks! I'm gonna' be helping Adel with some alchemy tonight. This should be useful."

[byname_bynature]

Artemis smiled politely, "Not a problem at all. I just get a bit irate when people bump into me. I'm not the..." He paused to think, "Touchy-feely type."

He turned around as Renji spoke, keeping his expression mildly curious. "I've been wondering what all this metal is for, really. How do you plan on making weapons without a forge of some kind?"

[stray_shinigami]

Renji gave Ed a crooked, tight smile. "Good to hear," he said. "Hopefully we'll get more tonight once the lessons are done." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I hate to bring it up, but I asked about a knife last night. I just feel bad 'cause I owe the guy. Think you'll have the time or energy for it?" He wasn't going to push Ed if the kid said not. There was already a lot of weight on the alchemists, and he hated to add to it

[lost_metal]

Ed frowned slightly at the smile. Something was definitely wrong. He didn't know Renji too well, but he'd always been open and honest. That smile was nothing like that. He nodded sharply. "I can make a knife. Shouldn't be a problem." And it should be small, not taking too much enegery. He hoped. He glanced at Artermis slyly. "And I can show you how I make the weapons without a forge." He could still enjoy showing off, after all.

"Yeah. I'm teaching Adel. He picked it up pretty quickly." He shook his head thoughtfully. "Normally it takes a long time. Years of study and practice, as well as natural talent. You need to learn the arrays and the theory and what an object is made up of. It's why most people specialise."

The radio surprised him when it sounded. Cryptic clues and insults and promises. Adel might have trusted him, but Ed didn't. Although... the way he mentioned people associated with him... it sent a shiver down Ed's spine.

[byname_bynature]

Artemis listened to the radio, then once the message had ended he pulled out his journal and a pen and started taking notes. Not only on the radio broadcast, but on what Renji and Ed were discussing. The boy furrowed his brow--how did the man on the radio know about the Arts and Crafts division if he was as far away as he claimed to be?

'Far away' is a relative term, Artemis, he reminded himself, and continued jotting notes.

"I'd be very interested to see how you create weapons without a sufficient heat source, Ed. But I doubt very much--" He closed the journal and gave Renji a pleasant smile, "--that Abarai-sensei would let me off the hook tonight. Perhaps another time?"

[stray_shinigami]

Renji put his back against the nearest wall and leaned there, turning his head to keep his attention on the two boys. That simple act helped him relax, ever so slightly.

"I appreciate it," he said to Ed. "A lot." He glanced over at Artemis. "Go ahead and watch. It's interesting." Since Ed was being so mysterious about it, he decided not to spoil the boy's fun. And it had been impressive, watching Ed create the sword.

And about learning the alchemy... "Maybe... huh. Would you be willing to talk with Rukia or Momo about it some time?" he asked Ed. "'Cause in some ways, it reminds me of kidou, and both of them are real good at that stuff. Though I also don't know my ass from a hole in the ground with kidou, so I could be completely off base." He offered Ed another tight smile; he couldn't seem to fit his face into his normal grin. "Could get some heat off of you."

[lost_metal]

Ed grinned ferally when Renji encouraged him. His pride was taking a serious blow in this place where he couldn't do half as much as normal and where he had to rely almost entirely on arrays. But being encouraged to show off was helping a little. He nodded and pulled out a sheet of paper, scribbling an array down onto it. A knife, a little over a foot in length. That should do the trick

[byname_bynature]

Artemis was about to point out to Renji that the man had clearly stated he didn't wish to cancel or postpone the lessons, when Ed beckoned him into the room. The boy followed, curious, and knelt down next to Ed and the array.

What happened next, he really couldn't explain. The blue glow and lightning seemed like his own magic, but it most certainly couldn't do this. His jaw nearly on the floor, he reached for his journal again and began scribbling.

"That's quite possibly the most fascinating thing I've seen here. How does it work? That design on the paper probably has something to do with it, right? How much metal is required for each reaction? Does it usually take that amount of time, or longer? You're obviously some sort of prodigy--performing complex reactions like this at your age." Artemis stopped writing and looked up, slightly embarrassed. "Sorry." He closed his journal and stood up. "It's all very interesting, that's all."