Nightshift 30: M-B Block Hallway
[From here.]As passive as he may have seemed in the room, Jade’s expression hardened as he continued on into the next hall, being mindful of his surroundings until his eyes adjusted to the darkness
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Zabuza lead the way back to where he knew Kurogane was waiting. He had torn pieces of cloth covering the lower half of his face that had been visible during the day, and a blade strapped to his back. Haku, who Zabuza knew was directly behind him, carried the rest of their supplies in a make-shift bag. He didn't bother with a 'hello'. It would have wasted time.
Zabuza held up the paper for Kurogane with the hand drawn map on it. He hadn't explained to Haku what he was trading it for, but he knew the boy would know better than to ask in front that person. After all, Zabuza hadn't really asked for anything in return from Kurogane. It might have been the drugs, or it might have been that Zabuza thought Kurogane wasn't the type of man who enjoyed being in debt to someone else, even if it was just a piece of paper it was still a favor. Zabuza wasn't sure, but he had promised Kurogane and map, so now the man had one.
"Here," he said, masking his strange and muddled thoughts with a dark and sarcastic voice. "Hope you didn't get too scared waiting here in the dark." It was the closest thing to an apology that Kurogane would get for Zabuza making him wait for so long.
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The maps Haku had made were professional in design. They held the complete downstairs (aside from places that had proven impossible to enter, whichhe had also marked), the surrounding grounds were on another page and all but the lab areas made up the last. Everything was clearly marked, measured, and neatly placed on colored paper that Haku had found in the Arts and Crafts room.
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His eyes came up when Zabuza returned, Haku in tow, and stayed a moment on the boy. Looked even more like a girl close up, which didn't give Zabuza any room to have spoken of the magician as he had earlier, but the boy's appearance wasn't important for that reason. What got Kurogane's attention was the the boy was no longer smiling. Either this kid was as idiotic as the magician or quite smart to show such a drastic change after Kurogane had already seen him once before. No one was as bad at Fai though, so he had to hope it was the latter of those options. He didn't comment on the boy and put his eyes back to Zabuza, sensing that something was different with him as well though but not quite as drastic as Haku's change in expression. What was with these two? He wasn't going to ask anything just yet unless he found a reason.
Zabuza's dark teasing went ignored as Kurogane accepted the map for a brief study. It was night now; the rules were different. He couldn't afford to show any embarrassment over some slight sarcasm and instead focused his efforts into quickly memorizing the map on the... strangely colored paper. One thing he definitely learned from reading over the map was that Mokona had to be present now. Language was one thing, but translating writing was another. That thing was around somewhere, which solidified his objective for finding it.
First though came the matter at hand. Zabuza had so far only mentioned what might be provided as appropriate compensation for a map. He'd yet to state what he actually wanted, only that they would work it out later. Since the price was likely going to affect his actions for the evening, Kurogane needed for the "later" to be now. Zabuza was right in that Kurogane did not like being in another's debt. He'd already had that problem with the Witch and his blade.
"And?" he questioned simply, expecting Zabuza to understand easily.
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"What are your plans for tonight?" he asked instead of supplying a direct answer. His voice was less hostile this time, simply curious.
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So, listening to the conversation while keeping watch for potentional threats was all that he could do for the moment, until he was needed again. He kept his face blank, so that none of his irritation would show through.
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He continued thinking on it without speaking, words instead forming to answer Zabuza's question. "Find my idiot, then head for the basement," he answered directly. There was no reason to hide his intent; it wasn't as though he was embarking on some secret mission. Zabuza already knew that finding Fai was one of he reasons for needing a map anyway. Kurogane had debated his actions should Fai not be there in his room (which he doubted would be the case), but the plan of action was still the same in the different case. Finding Fai came first, and if Kurogane had to head towards the basement to find him, then that's what he'd be doing. Unless Zabuza set the parameters for his payment now.
Being Zabuza's "ally", if that's what he wanted in return for the map, wasn't a problem for now. Unless he gave Kurogane a reason to distrust him (not that Kurogane had given him his complete trust just yet), Kurogane would be willing to work with him. His partner was a little bothersome though. He didn't like the kid's feel anymore than he liked the magician's - this kid paid as much attention to things as himself. Likely a good match to Zabuza though.
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Haku... was unhappy with the situation, in his way. They needed someplace quiet to talk that wouldn't interfere with progress tonight.
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It didn't sit well with Haku. He let none of his thoughts show on his face. Instead, he tilted his head slightly to follow a sound. Nothing important.
With luck, Zabuza-san hadn't taken leave of all of his mind and would eventually inform Haku of his plans.
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He gave a nod and a very slight smirk as well, "Don't intend to."
The map had been a great help, so he wasn't about to let it go to waste by getting himself killed. However, since he had memorized all he needed of it for now, he did not intend to keep it with him for the remainder of the night. It would be too easily destroyed, something else he wasn't about to let happen. A map would be safer to stay in his room than on his person.
"Thanks for this," he gave Zabuza a nod, then looked at the kid again, this time catching Haku's eyes.
He didn't much like that Haku had been observing the whole strange exchange, but it was for that exact reason that he knew he could leave Zabuza after this. The man was not a friend, not exactly an ally either, and was honestly not someone Kurogane should have cared at all about. Despite all of that Kurogane did not want to see him dead come the next morning as a result of his strange behavior. His hard eyes said as much with the look he was giving Haku. Watch him, kid.
"Be careful," he finished as his own type of farewell before moving back into his hall.
[briefly returning here]
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(Moving back to M47.))
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By the time he returned, Zabuza and Haku were gone from the place they'd been discussing in the hallway. A good thing. He still wasn't sure what had been wrong with Zabuza, but Kurogane knew it wasn't good. Better for them to be out of the spacious hallway then still standing around just waiting to be attacked. That kid would take care of him, Kurogane was certain of it.
He moved quickly, intent on making up some lost time from having had to wait for Zabuza earlier. It would be out the door on the left, then left down the hallway into a Recreational Field, then left once again into a similar hallway, and he'd know his position easily from there.
All right, first the door.
[went here]
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