Nightshift 33: Cafeteria

[blood_and_pocky]

[from here]If there was one thing that made Aidou the best person in the whole damn Institute to be partnered up with during a night time adventure, it was that he was a vampire. A genius vampire, at that

Comments

[i_slay_giants]

Aidou stopped and Jack followed suit, albeit less than content to do so. "What's the deal?" As if it would make any sort of difference, the Fable swept his flashlight casually across the room, looking for anything that was out of place.

...well, he didn't SEE anything that looked threatening, unless the tables were going to suddenly rear up and attack them. He rolled his eyes and looked at Wolfram. "Do you see anything?"

[arrogantflame]

The only light came from "John's" flashlight, because Wolfram was trying to conserve power with his. He could still vaguely see the look on the other man's face. Shaking his head, he tried to ignore it, staying silent in hopes that it would help from attracting any attention.

One good thing about these stupid slippers, he had to admit, was that it softened his footsteps quite a bit. Even in the large room, there was no echo from their feet that he could notice.

Next stop was the kitchen, and Wolfram was still trying to decide on asking for a quick stop on the way. Although he would wait until he was certain that the area was clear before he even thought about it...

[blood_and_pocky]

He knew from experience that the door to the kitchen was locked, and Aidou quickly skirted around the counter to get at it. He might have been a noble used to having someone do menial tasks for him, he wasn’t about to wait around for either of them to break down the door first. Better to do it himself.

“You’re awfully blasé for having survived a few days,” Aidou said to Jack, not bothering to turn around as he did so. If the man was going to follow, he could at least try to be a little intelligent about things. Attracting unwelcome attention was a lot different than being a distraction for unwelcome attention.

Stepping up to the door, Aidou brushed hair from his face, then aimed a brutal kick at it. One would have normally been enough to kick something twice as heavy across the room, but the vampire needed a second, solid kick to finally break it open.

Next, the kitchen… Not one of his favorite places anymore.

[to here]

[somber_secret]

[From here.]

There was absolutely no one in the cafeteria. After the few previous rooms filled with shouts and activity, the silence made the boy's hair stand on end. It was like the calm before the storm, if that was the best way to describe it, and Hisoka didn't want to know what the storm ahead would bring.

Even so, the boy was never one to just sit and wait for whatever was going to happen. Moving at a quick but steady pace, Hisoka eyed the shadows as he made his way to the far door. If there was any reason to check the room out, it was mainly that he hadn't been past this room before. It was good enough for him.

[somber_secret]

[To here.]

[tender_cruelty]

[From here]

Hallelujah slipped into the cafeteria, silent on his bare feet but leaving muddy footprints across the floor, forcing him to walk more slowly and carefully than he'd have bothered with normally. He finally grabbed for his flashlight, shining it around the room once, carefully to make sure that there was nothing nasty lurking.

The door. Close it.

Hallelujah sighed but did as he was told, trusting Allelujah's knack for strategy more than his own instinct for fighting in this case. And killing the girl if she followed would just make him sulk more.

Chairs, Allelujah said quietly. Chairs across the door. Warning.

Hallelujah grabbed a few of the plastic chairs used during mealtimes and propped them up next to the door, blocking it enough that someone would have to make a noise to get past them. That would be enough warning, he thought, for now at least.

[tender_cruelty]

He sauntered over to the door which led to the kitchen and pushed it open a crack. He regarded the fight going on inside with cool detachment, not certain what that creature was. It looked pretty dangerous. He paused, wavering between going inside and protecting Allelujah and then turned away with a sigh. No metal this time, he supposed. That thing was too dangerous without a weapon that he could use.

He headed back towards the Sun Room door, a frown on his face, his mood turning sour. He hadn't been in control fo such a long period of time before and that had nearly always been in the middle of a fight when instinct was needed. But Allelujah didn't seem like he was going to be coming back anytime soon thanks to that damn bitch. "Should've let me drown her," he murmured, a dark smile on his lips as he slipped into the Sun Room.

[To here]

[spirit_forge]

[from here]

Archer entered the cafeteria, hoping he didn't run into those people who had walked past him in the Sun Room. He'd remember their faces if they ever got into trouble. The only problem was he thought Hisoka was among them. He'd helped Archer out by sharing information, so maybe he wasn't completely on Archer's shit list yet.

[spirit_forge]

[to here]

[spirit_forge]

[from here]

That was close, Archer laid his back against the door as soon as it closed, taking several deep breaths. This was bad news. An alien? Normally, he wouldn't be afraid of them, but his current form would be easy prey for a creature like that.

After taking a brief rest, Archer calmed himself before moving towards the door, leading to the courtyard. It took a few swift kicks, but the door eventually gave way.

[to here]

[spirit_forge]

[from here]

His sack was a little heavy, but that didn't matter. He wasn't exactly in a rush right now. Stealth required patience moreso than speed.

[to here]

[loyal_soldier]

[from here]

The mess hall was quiet and still. It seemed like there were never any fights in here, but that was no reason to drop his guard. TK uncovered his glowrod and scanned the area once the light was out of view from the Sun Room.

[secret_orchard]

Armand had faith in them. It was himself he doubted. Always. As they moved into the quieter room, he dared to breathe again. "I can carry one of the lights, if either of you would prefer." It was the only useful thing he felt he could do. He knew there was no way they'd make it to the basement unopposed. Landel's Institute didn't work that way. He could only pray the other two men were up to any challenge.

[reanalyze]

Citan handed over his flashlight without a word, his own eyes moving over the room for signs of anything they needed to avoid.

They were nearly there. Just another room and they could descend back into the basement....

[loyal_soldier]

[to here]