Like a pill that makes you choke and stills your soul - I'll share the trap that you have me in.

[trustmods]

[For whatever reason, it seems tonight isn't a particularly good night.

It's difficult to say what's changed, but it's obvious that something has; there's a heavy feeling in the air, strange and suffocating and restless, sending pinpricks across your skin and down your spine. The feeling that comes when you're ascending stairs from a darkened lower floor and that unwanted voice at the back your mind kicks in and starts yelling halfway up, urging you to run, because even though you know that logically there's nothing there, your lizard brain has decided that there might be and that's more than enough to start screaming.

It's a nasty feeling. It's just hard to say why it's there.

Those patrolling tonight or otherwise out on the first floor after nighttime hits will have it particularly bad; the darkness isn't particularly pleasant on most nights, especially now that everyone knows a few new things about what our shadowfriend down in the pit is capable of, but everything seems volatile tonight. Thick and heady and almost writhing, tension-wise. The dorm rooms are safe, but the rest of the floor...well.

The rest of the floor will finally be seeing what the dead tried to warn them about.

It's mostly collected near the foyer, around that large clock in the center; it looks strange at first, but like something you need to stare at to really perceive – nondescript shadows on the walls and floor where there's nothing to cast them. But eventually...eventually they seem to get bolder. Moving.

And if one were to look hard enough – because it is very, very hard to see – there's very definitely a shape to imply that there's something there. Physically present. In the room with you.

...It's going to be a bad night.]

Comments

[ninehundredlives]

Can...

[Everyone is freaking out. Susan's freaking out.]

We can't...we have to stay together tonight! Someone come with me, please, we need to get Sukuyo!

[perpend]

[He's still on the ground where he was holding Logan moments before.

He's almost certainly covered in blood right now, and shaking-- still crying.]

I'll help you find her.

[ninehundredlives]

[Susan's got blood on her too. It's smudged on her face from where her hands flew to her mouth in shock, mingling there with tears. But they need to pull together. They need to get up again. Like Logan just did for all the good that did him.

She nods shakily.]

Okay...th-thank you. [She goes to offer him a hand up, for all that he's a million times taller than she.]

[perpend]

[He takes it gingerly, standing up.

Thankfully, he isn't shaky, and he's thin enough that helping him out isn't too much of an issue.]

...Thank you, Susan.

[They have to pull through.]

[ninehundredlives]

[Susan looks like she's thinking of saying something, but just nods and reaches out to touch his shoulder. Her hand leaves a faint smear of blood, and she winces, drawing back. At least it wasn't that white coat of his.

Let's go get Sukuyo, then. Of all the people, Susan's loathe to leave her all alone.]

[nankurunaisa]

[Hibiki doesn't even think she could move if she wanted to, but she hears Susan's voice more than the others.]

Please...please be careful!

[ninehundredlives]

I will. I...

[Susan has a sudden flash of understanding.]

...think of a vegetable while I'm gone. Okay? S-so...when I come back, I'll guess.

[nankurunaisa]

[The worst part of Hibiki's mind is terrified that she's going to lose Susan, too, but that strange request gets her to snap out of it a little. Just enough.

She sniffles, then nods.]

Alright. I'm...I'm gonna do that, s-so...take all the time you need. I'll be waiting.

[ninehundredlives]

Okay. I'll be back quick.

[She's going with the Inspector, at least, rather than alone. Is that comforting?]

[forcegalactic]

[By now, Mordecai's done glaring at wherever the shadow thing fucked off to.]

I don't think we can all fit in one of our rooms, but I like that idea.

[ninehundredlives]

We'll use another one! I can't - I'm not sleeping tonight. It doesn't matter.

[forcegalactic]

[Another room. He glances over the opposite end of the hall.]

Dinin' room was always the best place for these sort things. You go get Sukuyo. I'll bring over some blankets.

[ninehundredlives]

[Susan nods.] Get - get candles too.

Thanks.

[icysemblance]

W-we -

[Give her a second, Barkeep. She's trying her best to calm down, and that's only working a little.]

- we need to get all the candles and hole up in the dining hall. That's - yeah.

[perpend]

....I have an instant camera.

I got one from the machine recently; call it a gift from Chie.

[icysemblance]

We'll get as many as we can.

[It's something tangible to focus on, and that helps. Weiss scrubs at her face with her right sleeve, because it's the least bloody of them, and eventually gets to her feet.]

Candles, cameras - anything else?

[forcegalactic]

[Thanks, Weiss. He waits a while before responding to check if she needs a hug more than anything else.]

Good idea. Bring everythin' you got.

[He turns to head to the storage room before stopping. Weiss has been keeping her cool for so long, and only now has she seemed so stressed. She is just a teenager, even if she is in some kind of military-esque group.]

...If you need anythin', just tell me, alright?

[icysemblance]

Thank you. That means everything, right now.

[She can't smile, not like usual, but damned if she won't try.]

...I think we all have our breaking points, and - yeah.

[openterrain]

[ It's cool, Weiss, Jean's got your back. ]

But not alone. Weiss, let's go grab them together, alright?

[ Jean sounds... weirdly calm, all things considered. His voice is strained, but controlled. ]

[ninehundredlives]

I have...I have a camera...

[Susan looks around as if somehow expecting it to magically appear, then shakes her head as she remembers.]

No, I gave it to Sukuyo. But...there's candles in my room too.

[clearasmud]

[ Something inside Youko switches off.

If it weren't for the vice she has poor Bakugou's hand in, she's the picture of distant calm. ]

Two rooms, then. Three, if need be. Anyone caught sleeping outside them will be... punished, remember?

I know sleep isn't very likely, but should we risk it?

[perpend]

If that.... thing shows up again, we'll be ready.

We'll make as much light as possible.

[blazeit]

[ WELL HEY Bakugou isn't complaining. He also isn't really functioning, though, so there's that.

She's probably going to have to drag him off to wherever the sleepover ends up. ]

[oftheland]

...Honestly, I know we're really going to want to try and stick together as an entire group out of solidarity, but... I think for the sake of keeping everyone safe, this is probably the most solid plan.

I stopped in my room before coming here, and I didn't notice anything particularly "off" about my room compared to outside it. I believe Beedrill was a little calmer in there, as well.

If we can try and get two or three rooms in a row right next to each other, that might work out well enough.

[rickdiculous]

... [It takes a moment for him to realize what's being suggested.]

SLUMBER PAR-TAAAAYYYYY.