Nightshift 37 - M-A Block Hallway

[theroadsofar]

[From hereIt became more obvious as he went down the hall that he'd been moved rooms: this wasn't the same room as it was the night before, he realized, shining his flashlight for a second on one of the room number plaques. Before, it'd been in the hundreds. Now he was passing M8, M9. Dean moved quietly, keeping up a good pace but not breaking into

Comments

[maskedsunflower]

[from here]

There were other patients milling around, and he wondered where the promised monsters were. Everything else he'd been told so far had been true or at least hadn't been proven false, so he expected them. Maybe this area had fewer, and that was why it had been suggested for a meeting spot.

It felt strange to be holding a flashlight in his left hand and a radio in his right, when his sword and cannon should have been in and on each respectively. Even his vision was off, as he kept his thoughts alert for any unexpected attack but looked out at the world through nothing more than bangs.

But he wasn't completely broken, and his weapons couldn't all be taken. He would just have to take them back. Would radio clues help with that...?

[lady_general]

[Huffily from here, forgive me, A!]

Celes was glad that she was an easily identifiable woman, some days. Though, the way she strode down the hall, a monster encountered now would feel the full brunt of her frustration, even if she needed to rent it limb from scaly, rotting or feathered limb. She stopped before a young boy (why were they always frightfully young?!) and frowned. He fit this so-called Commander's description, but...

"Are you the person I am to meet here?" she asked after an uncertain moment, crossing her arms under her coat again.

[maskedsunflower]

At the arrival of a tall blonde woman, he looked up, expression serious but not surprised by her height in comparison to him. Almost all of his soldiers were taller than he was; it didn't matter. The fact that she was not wearing the standard uniform here was strange, but if there was a way to find other clothing, he would have changed as well. Wearing a uniform with someone else's symbol was wrong, even if he had no choice for now.

"I am the Commander. Are you Celes?" he asked, although it seemed likely. "I have a radio and a flashlight. Is anything else needed for radio clues?" He still wasn't sure he understood what they were supposed to do, but if nothing useful came from this, he'd do as he'd suggested to Junior and try a different group the next day.

[lady_general]

"I am, a pleasure, sir." She was also a general, but, for now, chose to not introduce herself as such. One little step at at time. "So far as I know, we also attempt to find them. I know of no proper means of communication between us and the rest of the 'club'."

Celes pursed her lips irritably and threw her hair off of her shoulders. "I have a small knife, and some spells at my disposal. If we are prudent about our battles, we should do well tonight."

[maskedsunflower]

He didn't respond with pleasantries, instead focusing on the business at hand. "Spells? You mean you have psychic abilities?" That was very unusual. There were a few other humans that were confirmed to have those powers, including the fake Commander and the Princess, but he doubted there were many others. Even in alternate worlds, it couldn't be very common. "Usually I am able to use some psychic attacks and shielding, but I'm currently malfunctioning. Something was altered in my body while I was asleep."

Many things, actually. He looked down at himself, stoic expression momentarily almost annoyed. "I should be able to fight, despite those changes. I was warned that chimeras, zombies, and similar monsters are a threat, but I haven't seen any yet."

[lady_general]

"Psychic...?" Celes furrowed her brow. "No, they're not psychic abilities at all. Far more complicated than that, I'm afraid. So long as you're able to fight, then we should do well." Celes turned and started towards the exit of the cell block. "Until then, what do you know about the Institute?" Determining just how green her companion was - no matter if he called himself 'Commander' or not - certainly had become her next note of interest.

The last thing she wanted to know was whether or not he'd turn tail and flee at the giant cockroaches.

[maskedsunflower]

Not psychic? He knew that those abilities were sometimes called 'magic' even by people who should know better, but all the unusual abilities of healing, attacking and defending which seemed like magic were just because of a difference in the brain. Even chimeras could be made with those abilities triggered in them. But, she said it was more complicated; was this a difference in worlds

[lady_general]

"Very good, I'm relieved to see you are well-informed," Celes said as she walked. "My own outfit I received some time ago. It was sitting idly in my closet as though I'd left it there all along. I do not know why it was there, perhaps it is a way to cultivate complacency in the prisoner population. But anything is better than those damnable uniforms, at least for the night." When morning came, it would once again be the speedy undressing she had quickly learned was prudent.

"It seems as though there hasn't been any radio clues yet. It is strange, but not entirely unheard of. A few nights ago, there was not even a peep from Radio Jill." Oh, for the days of Jack and his nightly clues. "In the meantime, would you care to explore?"

[maskedsunflower]

He hadn't checked his closet; maybe his uniform was there. But what was the point in stealing them if they gave them back right away? Celes had suggested complacency, but it would be very early to be trying to make the Commander complacent in this place, since he'd just arrived. He had no intention of ever becoming complacent, even if he had to stay for days before escaping like Junior. It was not a sense of relief, exactly, but there was a lack of a sense of pressure concerning that thought. Whatever else happened, his loyalty would not weaken.

"Yes. I should become more familiar with the building," he agreed, following her with the radio and flashlight in hand. If there were no radio clues, would they just spend the night walking around? Learning more about traveling at night here wouldn't be a bad thing. "How long have you been a prisoner here? Do you believe the Cooking Club will find the way to escape?"

[lady_general]

"I believe that the clubs need to start working together in a more fluid manner before anyone has a chance at freedom." It was just the same conversation she'd had with Hughes that morning. "Until that happens, I don't believe anyone will be going anywhere. That is, unless they have the bad luck to vanish without a word or trace. For now, all the clubs are doing little more than herding cats."

Celes stopped before the doorway. "Also, so long as you stay within the patient blocks, there are no monsters. Remember that if you're close by and need to escape."

[maskedsunflower]

Junior had said he thought the groups worked together and would find an escape, although he thought the History Club would also harm Dr. Landel for revenge in the process. Celes's view was closer to the Commander's own original impression, that the groups were competitive, or at least didn't function as a unit. Having a single, clear leader was much better. Still, he would try the different groups before he made any decisions about which was best.

After Celes gave her advice about the patient blocks, he nodded. That explained why this would be a good meeting place. Aside from the rows of patient rooms and the clearly marked bathroom, there was only one other direction to head in, so he headed out the doorway into the larger hall.

[to here]