Night 41: Main Hallway, 1-Center

[gald_digger]

[from here]As she neared the big doors to the Sun Room, Anise's pace slowed to a stop. This part of the hall was eerily quiet. Could she really be the first one there? It was a good thing, since it meant she had probably gotten there well before that Wonka guy, but it also made her a little nervous. If there were monsters lurking around, she was

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[blood_and_pocky]

[from here and waiting to be ninja-ed]

The path leading to their designated meeting place was full of faces and voices that didn’t concern Aidou--he had something to do that night, with someone, a repayment for things he didn’t like thinking about.

He ignored the two familiar faces, content with sticking to the dark and remaining unnoticed. Taking up position in the corner created by the protruding lounge wall, the vampire waited silently with an eye on the western branch of corridor. Hmm… What would the night bring? So far it seemed calm for himself and those around him. Calm, and uneventful, as far as Landel’s ever was with the constant smell of putrid blood in the air. Calm, as far as kin slaying and bounty hunters went.

He drew his tongue along one fang, eyes shadowed.

[sasuke_of_sound]

[[from here]]

Sasuke slowed as he approached the rendezvous point. Ideally, Aidou would already be present and ready to go, but in case there was a discrepancy in time of some sort, Sasuke moved deliberately and listened as closely as he could for the sounds of approaching footsteps. That was the main problem inherent in choosing such a well-frequented area to meet, but it was too conveniently located and relatively less dangerous to ignore as an option.

From here ... there was the practical purpose of making sure the Institute had as little information about any Uchiha as possible. Beyond that, Sasuke's motives were murky even to Sasuke himself.

[blood_and_pocky]

When the dark-haired boy emerged and came close enough to address, the vampire stepped out to meet him and said, “I’m here.”

This way, they had their pick of stairwells to take, because although each led to the second floor, there were different areas to traverse to get to them and to the corridor they wanted, like the balcony upstairs, which had been the hunting ground for that spirit woman once upon a time. He didn’t see anything down the east side of the hall on this floor… But before that, there was something worth bringing up while there was still a lull to take advantage of.

“I don’t suppose you were keeping tabs on your bulletin note to me once we had finished our exchange?”

[sasuke_of_sound]

Sasuke spared a moment to be grateful for the fact that Aidou announced his presence rather than waiting to be noticed. Sasuke wasn't much in the mood to deal with vision-related setbacks on a night that already highlighted the extent of his handicap.

... although perhaps there were other setbacks that might be anticipated. Sasuke blinked, then frowned slightly at the question.

"I didn't," he said. It was enough trouble managing that simple conversatoin as it was. "Did something come up?"

[blood_and_pocky]

He crossed his arms, returning prisoners’ stares with bland glances. Some he knew, and had little use for, if at all. Sora’s passing earned more consideration than Miku’s, but the third, he didn’t recognize--not as anyone with a notable residence under their belt--once the light was turned away from him and he got a long look at the two heading into the entranceway

[sasuke_of_sound]

... a bounty hunter? Sasuke had been forced, with Itachi's appearance, to admit that there were situations when conflict -- goals, dreams, oaths -- from one world had to translate into this one. It made the way in which Sasuke had met Aidou somewhat more acceptable: even Sasuke couldn't maintain a hypocrisy as blatant as judging the vampire for attempting to perform whatever duty he was supposed to have even here.

But to sabotage others' business here for profit -- what the hell kind of profit could even be made here, anyway? The patients certainly weren't given money.

Whatever the case, Sasuke was not in the mood to have his plans disrupted by some money-guided fool.

"If someone shows up with the intent to attack you, either you or I will deal with it," he decided more than suggested: the implication being that if Aidou was unable to handle it, Sasuke would step in. While he was perhaps not in the mood for a fight, Sasuke was certainly more than willing to dispatch any obstacles as efficiently as possible.

[blood_and_pocky]

Factoring Sasuke’s involvement into the equation was not something reflexive for the vampire. He shook his head shortly as though clearing his thoughts. Aidou would and could deal with his own business, but he knew why Sasuke chose to include himself, and it probably wasn’t out of the loyalty of companionship. If a disturbance aimed at Aidou were to occur before Sasuke completed his business, that would affect him and his need for aid

[sasuke_of_sound]

It seemed Aidou was more annoyed than concerned with this threat. Sasuke had to wonder what the vampire might have done to warrant having a bounty hunter set on him, but that counted as extraneous business for tonight. Even if knowing whether his allies might have made unwise enemies was important, Sasuke couldn't bother to give a damn at this point.

Itachi's remains -- or the remains of the records the Institute kept -- were Sasuke's only objective for now. As long as Aidou didn't expect any significant interruption, Sasuke wasn't going to focus on the finer details.

"Good," he said shortly, acknowledging the expectation that the vampire would be able to handle himself, and headed in the direction of the stairs without further preamble.

[[to here]]