Night 58: Recreational Field

[promisedawhale]

[from here]Stepping outside sent chills all over Brook's body for how cold it was. He'd welcomed it when there was snow for him to play with, but given the absence of the white powder this evening, Brook only shivered and crossed his arms to rub away the sensation

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[scintillatingly]

[From here.]

The first thing that Sora noticed was how cold it was. It was nothing compared to the night when he'd gone out with Venom, of course, and yet it was still enough to start him shivering. He knew his outfit wasn't really ideal for this kind of weather, but if they kept on the move and walked quickly then he was sure he'd warm up soon enough.

The field seemed to be completely abandoned for the moment, which was hopefully a good sign. It could also mean they were about to be attacked, but Sora tried to be optimistic.

"Straight over the wall," he said, pointing forward even though his flashlight couldn't reach far enough to illuminate the wall in question just yet. "You guys know how to do this by now, right?"

[tasteoftruth]

On the far side of the field, behind the equipment shed, Badd quietly pulled his gun. He really should not be here. His job was to make sure the murderers and thieves were taken off the streets and put in prison where they belonged. Keeping them from getting out again was someone else's problem. But an assignment was an assignment, and if he had to stand out here all night and hold back any convicts stupid enough to try and make a break for the wall then he'd do it.

And here came the first customers of the evening. Prison security must be garbage in this place. Even worse, they looked like they were just kids. Disgusting. Criminals were getting younger and younger these days, world was going to hell in a handbasket.

Badd stepped out, gun raised "Turn around and go back inside," he barked, loud enough so they could hear him across the field. "I am armed and I will shoot if you feel like pressing your luck tonight." Of course the most annoying part was the insistence that there not be any fatalities. He wasn't a murderous man, but if

[kingdomless]

Kairi found herself giggling as she followed Sora out the door, not saying anything else on the matter because, after all, she had been joking. Plus, she knew neither boy was lazy (During the night, anyway. Day was another story.) so it didn't really matter.

However, once they hit the outside air, the princess couldn't help but shudder at the chill air as it hit her skin. Clicking off her flashlight and shoving it into her pocket, she then proceeded to wrap the now free arm around herself, her other clutching tightly onto the sword at her side. "I think this goes without say, but I miss Destiny Islands because it never got cold like this," she said in a hushed tone, trying to keep her mind off of the fact it was cold and that it snowed in this world. Oh, how she missed the beach

[antiheroed]

Kairi's plan had been a good one. It was the one they did before. Somehow, it just figured that they would run into some kind of obstacle. If it wasn't the night ending suddenly, it was something else; this time, it was a guy with a gun. And if Riku learned anything while he was out with Albedo the night before, it was the fact that guns had the same effect. There really wasn't any in-between on that

[touchedgod]

[From here.]Time dragged behind Billy. No matter how fast his legs moved, it wouldn't change the slow, sickly advance of the clock. Each second was an eternity without the steady rush of adrenaline had had been riding. He was ill in its wake, with little else to carry him. Every uncontrolled moment was an opportunity to get lost. He was edging along the precipice of his own mind... or someone else's mind, as the case might have been. It felt so much like himself, though. Nothing had changed. He remembered nothing knew. He had forgotten nothing

[tasteoftruth]

Another one. Badd hadn't gotten a great look at him but he'd seen movement. He raised his gun and circled around to where he'd last seen the prisoner, his tattered trenchcoat trailing behind him like a battered cape.

"There's no tea parties out here, princess," he announced. "Turn around and go back inside or I'll shoot." He couldn't see more than one, but it was dark and criminals were sneaky. It was possible another one was waiting to jump him as soon as he got too close to a shadow-shrouded wall.

Badd had been hoping for a quiet night where the actual prison guards would do their actual jobs to keep the prisoners from getting outside in the first place. But hope didn't get you anywhere in police work, and an order was an order. Beyond some minor...indiscretions, Badd liked to think he wasn't one of those cowboy cops who only obeyed orders when they felt like it. The badge and the oath applied even when he'd have greatly preferred to be at home watching TV.

[touchedgod]

The voice arrested his descent into frustration. An American voice. What light was there caught the shape of the gun. Even if it hadn't, the stranger's posture gave the weapon away. The shadows couldn't hide Billy from bullets, and glass ground uneasily from somewhere nearby. Billy didn't need to question the noise this time. The man could kill him if he wanted. His coat cast a a shredded shadow across the ground, but Billy was only watching the gun

[tasteoftruth]

Two hands up just meant he was probably hiding a weapon in his waistband. Badd kept his gun trained on the convict, though he was obediently aiming low to reduce the risk of hitting vital organs. It was hard to see him in the shadows, just a badly defined dark blob of a man, but there was enough shape for Badd to have something to aim at.

Still, points for honesty.

"You bet you're lost. That was the out door. You want the in door." Badd flicked his gun to the side to indicate the door in question, then turned his aim back to the prisoner. "Go back to your cell and sit quietly until we get a handle on things and you might get a shorter sentence instead of a very short sentence." He made himself sound annoyed, as if he was just a misplaced word away from firing on him out of sheer irritation. Inwardly he was glad that this one didn't seem to be pressing his luck. Maybe he'd just go inside quietly and not bother Badd with filing a weapons fire report.

[lovecrafty]

[from here]

As she ran, she rearranged. Trees were pretty, but they weren't easily weaponized. She'd made a tactical error; she wanted less firepower, not more. She didn't have anything soft that would fly except for the possibility of snowballs.

So Rose improvised. Batteries scattered like autumn leaves, or perhaps pinecones, being more squat and heavy and less numerous, and she yanked her plastic needles out of her sylladex as she ran towards the middle of the field.

"Lily?"

[tasteoftruth]

Badd was out in the middle of the yard when the young woman came dashing out, calling some name Badd didn't care about. He was far enough away that a called shot was unlikely, but he could still see well enough to get a bead on her.

More kids. Had he gotten assigned to juvvie and everyone had forgotten to tell him? This one looked even younger than the rest. A crook was a crook, no matter their age, and she should still be old enough to have the good sense not to run from an armed cop, but shooting at kids still made him feel a little uncomfortable.

Whatever. Assignment, job to do. "Stop our I'll shoot!" he shouted. Not quite the appropriate lengthy police disclaimer, but he'd been out here too long to care. They were taking the field at a run, too, if he stopped to chat they'd just get over the wall and that was that.

[avengingfists]

Ilia wasn't quite prepared for a confrontation from a man larger than herself, but she should have expected nothing less than a chimera at this point. She had let her guard down again. One of these days she would remember to think like a soldier at all times, even when she was also warring with the mother and friend sides of her psyche.

"Don't shoot! She's just a child! We're looking for someone!" Ilia remained loose on her feet, ready to bolt if necessary. She needed to protect Rose, but there was little she could do against a gunman. Unless she threw herself bodily in front of a bullet, which was the last thing she wanted to do.

Those painkillers she had back in her room wouldn't be much help for a bullet to the brain.

[lovecrafty]

Rose came skidding to a halt. The man was, as things went, the diametrical opposite of Lily. He was, however, clearly under the same influence. Which made it a good place to start.

She raised her hands in what she hoped was a universal gesture.

"True." She took a step back towards Ilia. "A girl about my age. Her name is Lily. Have you seen her?"

The disclaimed representative of Japan had only threatened them when they tried to pass; it seemed this threat was the same, and thus he could answer a few simple questions. If he chose to. Either way, perhaps she could answer the question of whether they merely were under threat, or if there was some kind of psychological influence.

[cryingweapon]

[from here]

Outside the field appeared to be the same as ever, except for the freezing temperature. After the fight she had with Evangeline, she wondered how the institute was able to repair the field in just a few hours after they'd decimated about half of the field. Was it the work of magic or something else more sinister? If Evangeline were to hear that, she would probably yell at Chise for thinking such a useless thought and hurry up. It has been almost a week since she last seen the small girl. For some strange reason, Chise kinda missed being around Evangeline and her bossy attitude.

"From what I remember, the walls should be straight ahead and--oh no." Up ahead in the middle of the field there was an older man shouting at another patient. Another brain-washed patient. "Do you think we can get past him if we ran towards the west wall?"

[not_rly_fai]

"Up and over, I'm sure it'll be really easy!" he replied as he followed Chise's lead, keeping close on her tail as they made their way outside. The cool air was actually refreshing, not something he'd felt in a long while. As for how easy it would actually be... well, that depended entirely on who was outside waiting for them. The field was notorious for injuries, monsters, and who knew what else and he was sure they both knew it.

As he caught sight of the patients further up, he shook his head. As much as he'd like to get by them, he wasn't going to risk Chise getting hurt. "Maybe. You're right, let's keep to the west wall, okay? Don't look back, I'll cover you."

That was probably the one good thing about the heavy coat. It made for excellent cover. And whether it was a man with a gun or a disappearing, reappearing humanoid that could barely speak, it seemed to do the trick for helping them make a clean getaway. He urged her toward the wall, putting his back to the other patients.

"Let's hurry."

[oneman_onekill]

[from here]

The cold air hit him like a ton of bricks. It was a good thing they'd only be out here for a little while, or else they'd both freeze to death or something. Shivering just a little bit, Niikura stepped to the side to let Shiina out and then squinted as he scanned the field with his flashlight. He could hear some shouting; maybe someone had run into a monster?

A gunshot. Shit! Niikura's flashlight froze as it illuminated the silhouette of a vaguely familiar man: Badd. Trenchcoat and all, huh, detective? Figured...

No time to lose. Normally, he'd tear out there no matter what the consequences since he had nothing to lose. Get shot once or twice, not like that wasn't known to him. As long as they got those bats--but no, now he had Shiina with him, and even though she had already died once before, he wasn't going to put her in that kind of situation again.

Niikura whipped around. "Get back inside!" he snapped.

[requitedfate]

He didn't seem to realize her position on the matter. She wasn't offended, just understanding of what would be expected of her from now on. Shiina wasn't going to burden Shou this time if she had a say in the matter. "It's alright, Shou-kun."

She did as he told, staying quietly behind him as he exited the building. Shiina froze at the sound of a gunshot, the mentally berated herself for losing her cool over just a gunshot. She was prepared to jump out there and race past the gunman alongside Shou if he wanted to keep going, but then he turned back.

She stared at him for a full second before grabbing his hand, her eyes flashing in defiance. "Only if you come with me!" She wasn't going to negotiate on this matter. It was either both of them stay or both of them leave.

[oneman_onekill]

Ah, great, really? For one second, Niikura was willing to have this argument where he told her over and over again not to worry about him, that he'd have everything under control, and that he'd be back before she knew it in some form or another. He'd overpower her resolve by sheer will and then do what needed to be done. Alone.

Except that, as he met her eyes, he realized that that couldn't be the case anymore. If he died here, he didn't know what would happen afterward. If he came back, would he be blank or Shou? And if he died, he would be abandoning Shiina right after she'd found "him" again. And that would be a jerk move to Hazama, ditching his girl in the lurch like that.

"Rrrr..." Niikura ground his teeth as he took one last look at the shed. Damn it! So close and yet so far...he hated having his hands tied like this. "Sheesh, me runnin' away... that's so uncool." But that would be it from him on the matter; he wrenched the door open and stalked back inside, taking Shiina with him.

[oneman_onekill]

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