Night 58: Medical Wing Hall

[spandexorgtfo]

[from here]The front desk and the adjoining break room had been the extent of his knowledge from the night prior, so in this next section, Kratos did take the time to carefully observe the scenery. There were two paths that split off straight ahead and to his left, while to his right were a series of identical, plain doors. Somehow, that row

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[gald_digger]

[from here]

"Anyway, this should be enough to take care of any cupboard lock!" Anise raised her meat tenderizer with a grin as they entered the hallway. Getting to smash things in the institute was pretty fun in itself, so she kind of hoped Gumshoe's guess would be right.

She pointed her flashlight around the hallway as they walked, making a point of illuminating any door she could see. There was a big cluster of them over to their right, but... "Those probably aren't storage rooms, huh?" There were way too many, and they all looked about the same.

[ham_fisted]

"It's the truth, pal!" he insisted as they walked ahead. "You think they'd punish the guys responsible and leave it at that? No! The rest of us would have to suffer for it, too!"

He tilted his head at her and looked down at the item in her hand. Where did she find that!? "It'd have to be a pretty sturdy lock to survive a hit from that!" he said, brightening at the sight of her grin. But then another frown tugged at the sides of his mouth. "Just be careful where you swing it, pal. You don't want to accidentally hit someone in here." As if to make his point, Gumshoe looked up again to listen for anyone who might be in front of them

[gald_digger]

"Ehe. I think it'll be okay so long as no one else comes charging at me in the dark like you did," Anise quipped, still wearing her carefree grin. She'd come dangerously close to hitting the detective then, but... it was okay to joke about it now that it was in the past, right

[ham_fisted]

"Oh, y-yeah, of course." The joke stung a little, if only because it brought up what had been a real embarrassing mistake, but he brushed it off as best as he could and tried to lighten up. They'd both come out of it unharmed, right? And she'd already forgiven him for it, so... "Crisis averted, eh pal?" he chuckled, grinning sheepishly at her.

Yeah, she was probably right, and that sounded like a good idea in theory. He wasn't about to argue against it, he thought, continuing to walk alongside her. Not unless something happened to change his mind. "Alright then, pal. If you're sure." Quitting while they were ahead wasn't what he'd had in mind, but if it meant keeping this girl safe, he was all for it. He just didn't want to pressure her into this if she felt nervous, you know? On the other hand, the only kid he could think of with this much "spirit" (ha ha!) was Maya Fey, so he guessed if he was gonna worry about anyone, it should be himself!

Keep an ear out for creeping. Check.He tried to get a look at who she was talking about, a

[gald_digger]

It wasn't until she heard the detective shouting after her that Anise realized she was doing the exact opposite of what she'd just said they should do. But if Arietta was there, then...!

"I just have to check something!" she called back over her shoulder, still rushing ahead. As she ran, the girl she was chasing came into view once more, standing at the end of the hallway. Anise was sure this time: it was Arietta. That timid posture, the messed-up doll she always carried (nothing like Anise's cute little Tokunaga)... it had to be her.

But as Anise drew closer, Arietta moved again, disappearing around a corner.

"Wait!! Arietta!" Anise whipped around the corner after her... and found nothing. Her mad dash came to an abrupt stop, and she stood puzzled as she shone her light around the dead end. "I know I saw her go in here..." she muttered, looking to the doors that lined the hallway. Maybe she ducked into one of those?

[ham_fisted]

Gumshoe continued to chase her down the hall. Where was she going!? She then called out to someone, so he assumed she was trying to catch up to them. He picked up the pace, worried that something might just try to attack her before he got to her.

When they made it to the end of the hallway, she turned a corner and finally stopped, the sound of Gumshoe's loud and heavy footsteps not far behind. His boots squeaked on the linoleum as he slowed and came to an abrupt halt right behind her.

"What's gotten into you, pal!?" he exclaimed without thinking, his chest heaving after all that running. "First you say we should walk quietly, and the next minute you race off without me!"

[gald_digger]

Anise wasn't about to apologize for what she did, but she knew she owed the big guy an explanation. It probably did look weird when she took off like that