Nightshift 21: M11-M20 Hallway

[still_free]

After a fairly uneventful day, Mal decided (once he'd eaten some of his dinner) to take a nap before night officially started. He was a light sleeper and knew that the intercom would wake him up. He probably should have gotten rest during one of the boring shifts (and it would have helped to get his mind off of the way this institute was ordering

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[faithful_dog]

Naoe still hadn't eaten any of their food. Instead he spent the time between day and night meditating. He wanted to focus as much of his energy as possible before he had to face the monsters that everyone spoke about. He frowned very slightly when the Head Doctor broke him out of his trance (mostly because he had been listening to for something that would signal the end of the day. That would seem to be what he had been waiting for.

He had no goals for tonight. No one to recuse and no one to see. Takaya was injured and that concerned Naoe, but part of him thought the boy wouldn't learn anything if he had to keep being protected, besides Kagetora would not like the idea that Naoe thought he had to try and protect him.

Naoe gathered what he thought might be useful. The flashlight, the notebook, the pen, hard shoes and something warmer to wear. If he did end up finding a way to escape after all those might come in handy. He ignored the image of what might be said about him wearing the yellow happy face on his shirt.

He opened the door to his room, M19 and looked around the hallway. It was quiet. He didn't turn on the flashlight right away, preferring to see how much of the darkness his eyes could grow used to.

After a moment or two he began to walk out of the hallway, keeping his hand lightly against the wall to guide him.

[right_handed]

Scar's wounds had pretty much healed due to the rest that his nurse had forced on him. It seemed as if the lady had gotten fed up with the trouble he apparently tended to "cause himself" during Nightshift and the bad influences that certain other patients had turned out to be.

In any case, the Ishbalan was fed up with doing nothing, and the exchanges seen and written on the bulletin board in the Sun Room were enough to put him in action. Whether his motivation was to make begrudging alliances with the Amestrians or to make sure they weren't scheming behind his back, he did not know, but what he had gathered was that Lust seemed off.

He wasn't sure what to think of it. If he showed too much interest, things might have ended badly, but if he let her do as she pleased, he might....

He shook his head as he took out his flashlight, clicked it on, and immediately found himself blinking at the figure of another man.

[faithful_dog]

Naoe stopped when he heard movement. He let his hand drop back to his side. The light from the flashlight made him blink twice, but he held back a wince. At least the form holding it appeared to be a man, but appearances meant very little.

"Hello?" he asked, voice soft yet strong. He wasn't unsure, just extending a greeting. If it was another patient there was no reason to be rude. If it was something else... well Naoe could deal with that when it happened.

[right_handed]

".....Hello." Scar returned, awkwardly, and without much enthusiasm. He remembered why he didn't like interacting with people, least of all the ones he didn't have to.

His eyes narrowed.

"Where are you from?"

The hall was strangely empty, and Scar didn't want to leave his back open to a threat.

[faithful_dog]

"M19," Naoe said, smiling slightly. That was his room number anyway. "And before that, Japan. My name is Tachibana Yoskiaki, though here the 'name' they said is mine this morning is Adam Nakamura." He gave the name of his vessel easily, he had after all been going by if for a lifetime now.

This man was... strange. Something about him... he wasn't exactly the most social of people and though Naoe only mostly pretended to be social it was still interesting to him. "And you?" he asked politely, curious if the stranger would actually respond.

[right_handed]

Japan? Scar had heard the word mentioned here and there in conversations that he hadn't been a part of, but he certainly had never heard of it before then, in his life before this purgatory that Ishbala had sent him to.

"Where I'm from no longer exists in my world. It never existed in yours." The Ishbalan turned away after his cryptic comment, sending the beam of his flashlight down the hall. "I don't have any name to share."

His eyes narrowed as he peered down the corridor. "Have you seen a man with blue hair and red eyes around?"

[heavens_too_far]

Dias might have been summoned, for the promptness in which he emerged from his room after Scar's inquiry. He'd actually not noticed the arrival of nightshift, for the first time since he'd arrived; he'd been practicing with his new sword again, making sure he had the feel for it.

Still, for the first time as he stepped out of his room and into the strange world of Landel's at night, he felt prepared.

[faithful_dog]

Naoe didn't react visibly to the strangers words about where he was from or his name. He did file them away in case he needed to remember them for any reason. At the moment he really didn't care what the stranger preferred to be called.

"Blue hair and red eyes?" he asked, considering that. "That's not something you see every day and I can't say that I have. I apologize for not being of use in that regard. If you like I can try to help you find him?" Naoe's demeanor was only one of a calm man who had nothing better to do. Besides, finding out more about this place was the best course of action for now.

At that though, there was the sound of movement and Naoe turned to narrow his eyes at the new person who had entered the hall. His night vision was horrible in this place, though the dim light of the flashlight gave him the outline of a person.

[right_handed]

It seemed as if Dias and Scar continued to be on the same wavelength, for even as Scar was about to grumble that he didn't need any help and was going to walk off, a figure appeared in the darkness, and Scar flicked his flashlight toward it to find...

"Dias." He said. He looked towards the man, Tachi... Tachisomething. He figured he at least needed an explanation, or at least a reason for Scar to excuse himself. "It looks like I won't need any help."

He turned back to his friend.

"Where are you headed?"

[heavens_too_far]

Dias was faintly surprised, and for once slightly chagrined, to see Scar waiting for him. He'd promised to serve as Roy's bodyguard tonight; rather than remind Scar of that fact, he'd planned on slipping off quietly and fulfilling his obligation to the alchemist without reminding Scar of the fact that he was working with him.

"I'm not actually sure," he admitted. "I have to find the alchemist before I can act as his bodyguard for the night." Somehow, not referring to the colonel by name felt as though it put more distance between himself and Mustang, less like his alliance with Mustang was particularly important - at least when compared to others.

[faithful_dog]

Naoe watched the two of them. He took in the words they said carefully. His eyebrows arched very slightly at the word 'alchemist'. Strange...

Still, now wasn't the time to interview people. Instead he just listened. He didn't mind being a kind of third-wheel. If they wanted him to leave they would let it be known.

[right_handed]

Scar's eyes narrowed as Dias made another mention of the bedamned state alchemist. He clenched his right hand into a fist, fixing Dias with a begrudging scowl.

"If you're on your way to meet him, I have to come with."

Scar didn't trust the man. Amestris had taken everything away from him--he wasn't going to let Dias fall victim to them too.

[heavens_too_far]

Dias was vaguely aware of the man standing behind Scar, but since he was making no effort to join the conversation the mercenary didn't pay him much mind. In any case, Scar was higher priority.

Particularly with his surprising remark. Dias' eyebrows raised despite himself. He hadn't expected Scar to feel that he needed to be accompanied, and wasn't entirely sure what the man's motivation for doing so was - concern, obviously, but what exactly was he concerned about? - but he couldn't say the offer was unappreciated.

It might very well make things a hell of a lot more awkward, but Dias didn't see the point in arguing. It would only waste time and he doubted he could change Scar's mind.

"I never had the chance to ask where his room was," he said instead. "Do you have any idea?"

[faithful_dog]

Naoe continued to watch them, saying nothing. He also tried to not appear as if he were being creepy, but merely curious and concerned. He needed to find out more about this place after all, espeically if there really were 'monsters' here. Still... he was starting to feel he might be able to learn more elsewhere.

[right_handed]

"I remember hearing something about it being near his friend's," Scar grumbled, rubbing his left arm with the palm of his right hand. Although his arm seemed to have healed fairly well from the forced bedrest that the nurses had given him over the past couple of days, it was still bandaged along the gash that the woman--Daniella--had cut through it, and seemed to get sore when he was particularly distressed. "The one with the glasses--Hughes. I think his room was..."

Scar caught himself for a moment, glancing at the third man before shooting Dias a glare. Was he really going to help his friend fall predator to the two-faced Amestrians?"

Did he really have a choice?

"...Hughes' was M6, I believe." Scar growled, scowling as he crossed his arms over each other. "Or at least that's what it would be if this place changed the same way as it did for my room."

[heavens_too_far]

"We should go, then." Dias half-turned towards the hallway they'd need to proceed down, looking into the darkness for any sign of movement. "The sword he made me was a good one; I owe him as much of a night's protection as I can manage to give him."

After a pause, he glanced back at Scar. "I'm sorry. But I had no other options, and i can't stand feeling helpless."