[Nightshift 34] Outside the Institute (South)

[lady_general]

[From here]Surprisingly, it was very quiet outside the Institute. Celes kept her guard up, as she and Luxord started down the open roadway. It was rather surprising that something had decided to set upon them, but Celes schooled her expression into one of quiet readiness. "Shall we continue down the road, or would you like to take a stroll through

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[clockmongler]

Luxord smiled once more as his arm went to wrap around the General's. It was a nice night, but why waste it on trudging through muck and insects that would surely be found in the forest?

"I'm afraid we may be ill suited to travel through such dense woods; perhaps the path we're on is suitable enough." Really, he knew how walking through a forest always ended: someone would trip and sprain their ankle, the other would have to carry them, and they'd both be torn apart by bears. He did not wish to spend his night that way, thank you very much.

[lady_general]

"Perhaps," she agreed after a moment. Strange that nothing had chosen to find them, Celes felt that the tiny bit of providence was in their favor tonight. Behind them, there were people that had followed them out. She patted his hand, though hers was cool to the touch.

"We should hurry along," the General tipped her head back towards. Even a green knight knew that people that were loud would attract the monsters and as much as she loved her new shiny little knife, she didn't want to break it in so early. There was still so much time. "And put some distance between us and the Institute; though, from what I read, we'll only end up back in bed in the morning."

[clockmongler]

He would have been bothered by her hands, but the Organization's annual check-ups left him used to less than warm skin on his. It was as if Vexen's chance for revenge (the Gambler was never particularly kind to IV) came only once a year, and it came swift and painfully. No one could complain about a cold stethoscope until dealing with Mr. Ice King.

Yes. He simply moved his free hand to cover hers, stroking her skin gently with his thumb.

As for the lack of demons pursuing them... Luxord would attribute that to Lady Luck. It seemed she was truly beginning to favor him once again. He still agreed with Celes and her assessment, however. "I suppose it matters not where we are in the morning so long as we share this night in peace. Would you like to lead, my lady?"

[lady_general]

"Certainly," when wouldn't she lead? She had only acquiesced to two men in her life - Gestahl and Bannon. Her hands were getting only a fraction warmer in his, a fact Celes had long ago attributed to Shiva's influence in her veins. Shiva and countless other Espers that had been harvested the name of Science and Magical Research.

"We'll continue along, I think," the General decided, pursing her lips in thought. "Master Luxord, just what was it you did in your original home?" Celes asked politely. She realized that despite their bond to Noah, Celes knew very little about her companion.

[sugarsweetblood]

[from here]

And now there was another sense of triumph. First out the building's door and now past the gate of its imprisoning wall. Rhode honestly could not make sense of why she simply had not attempted to walk of this place sooner. "It's pretty dark, but there's a road so if we follow it, maybe we'll get somewhere," she said, then looked up at Rainier, "There's a town they took us to a few days ago that I think is that way."

Rhode honestly did not care for which direction they went in. As long as it was away from this place, it would probably be good. Maybe the further away she got, the more her powers would come back. This place couldn't have that big of a restrictive reach, right?

[deathandfudge]

Rainier let the girl drag him outside, raising his eyebrows in surprise when there was no shield, no barrier to stop them stepping outside the gates and onto the road, apparently outside the grounds of that place. That was more than a little surprising considering Daemon and Lucivar had seemed so adamant that escape was difficult if not impossible.

He reached for his power as a test, wanting to shield if he could, but found himself once again drawn up short, unable to even access the abyss. Obviously whatever malign influence this place had, it extended further than the walls.

"A town would be a good destination for now, I think," he agreed as they continued walking. They could perhaps find more information, or at least a location, not that it would do much good if they were in some other world far removed from their own.

[damned_monsters]

It wasn't often that an aquila saw the patients trying to escape this way. As it watched from the roof, the rotting bird fluttered its half-dead wings and tasted the air.

One tainted, the other untouched. It would have been preferable if both were pure, but it wasn't going to avoid them simply because of that.

It spread its wings before taking off into the air, managing to flap them and maneuver rather well despite the fact that it looked to be in serious disrepair. None of that seemed to matter here.

It let out a warning caw, if only because it liked to watch them try to run before it swept down for the kill.

[ Court ]

[sugarsweetblood]

"Wonder how far away it is..." Rhode hummed a little in thought, continuing the feigned innocence for the sake of the man behind, but her thoughts came to a momentary halt when an inhuman sound came from behind. Her walking stopped as well and she twirled back, first looking at the road, then looking upwards. It was kind of dark, but since the moon was shining the creature in the air was not as difficult to see. For someone who'd not seen it before it might have been hard to identify, but Rhode remembered the annoying Akuma-like things from before.

"There, that's one of those birds," she pointed up, then looked to Rainier, "Like I was talking about." She didn't think to run. Why should she? She knew how animals of prey worked, technically being one herself, and since there was more meat on Rainier, the bird was sure to go for him first. Probably. That's how she would have done it. The bigger ones were more fun anyway since they struggled.

[transgenix]

[ Coming from here.]

Max headed straight, steering quite clear of where two men were fighting off the monsters - even though she recognized one as the man she'd had breakfast with. Well, he'd found out first hand about the monsters here, after all.

Making sure Citan stayed close, she slipped out the front gates of the wall that surrounded the institute and paused there, standing by the road, her slim form tensed and alert for fight or flight as she scanned the darkness that seemed to stretch out forever.

[reanalyze]

And so here they were. Beyond the walls of the institute. There was little triumph to it, in Citan's mind. They would be fools to think that Dr. Landel's grip didn't exceed his fences and boundaries.

"Yes, I've been to the town. And there was little on the road that led to it that looked traversable, or worth venturing down," he pointed out. "Are you certain that's the best path to take?"

[transgenix]

"The road was traversable enough - the buses made it down, after all - so the question is, do we want to aim for the town to see if finding civilizations gives us any additional help, or do we scout the immediate area surrounding us first instead?" Max countered, glancing back at him, waiting to see if he had an opinion.

[reanalyze]

Citan's eyes were scanning the area.

"The road presents its own problems," he pointed out. "I'd imagine that most would take the paved route, and therefor a concentration of obstacles are likely. From what I've seen, you see, most likely traveled areas are higher in creatures and protection. If we wish to head towards the town, I would advise not taking the road itself. Making our way along the mountainous areas off the road would be difficult going, but tactically a more wise decision."

And then there was the other option.

"I've heard bits and pieces of what surrounds the institute. And as we aren't the first to venture out tonight, it would be wise to assume immediately accessible areas have already been plundered. But also cleared of more pressing danger. Oh, I haven't given much of an argument for or against either, have I? I suppose either would be equally worth exploring."