Comments | 7livesleft: 022 [voice]

[It's been a while since he last saw Nagi. So long that he has to spend most of the time it takes to get there trying to remember. Not since after the Meteor hit and Nagi took over watching Ed for a while. Right before Ed disappeared. (Thinking back, Spike might have dropped the ball on that one.)

Spike kept his distance and minded his business, but he kept his tabs; it's a habit more than anything. From what he'd heard over the network, Nagi had gone through a rough time lately. That suddenly made more sense after what Makina told him. Spike could guess that he'd be less than thrilled to see anyone from his past. Maybe that's something they have in common.

The walk back to the other side of the city is a long one, but the less people around the better. By the time he gets to the house, Spike has gone through almost an entire pack of cigarettes. Funny, he didn't realize he'd been smoking them.

He reaches the door and gives a curt knock, and probably sounds more serious than he intends when he calls out.]

Nagi. It's

Reply

[action log] cicumae May 31 2009, 03:34:28 UTC

[ meanwhile, nagi is quietly minding his own business. which, at the moment, consists mostly of tending to his new companion. he'd spent a decent amount of time helping ganta with his own animal as well-- it hadn't been an easy task, trying to get used to such an enormous animal. and his own familiar, well. at least the owl had settled down after a while, though it's still as insistent as ever on perching on his shoulder or head.

it's dozing at the moment, softly cooing or rustling at regular intervals but otherwise sitting still on his shoulder -- and it puffs itself up at the sudden knock on the door, glaring with wide golden eyes. click-creak-clatter, as nagi pulls it open, giving spike a small smile. it's been quite a while, hasn't it? ]

Ah -- it's good to see you, Mr. Spiegel. Please come in?

[ he knows nothing of what kind of 'help' spike is talking about, of course, has no idea that it's rather heavily related to him. (he's spent so much time here that it's almost easy to forget that he was ever a prisoner. he tries not to ( ... )

Reply

[action log] 7livesleft May 31 2009, 04:17:48 UTC

[When Spike enters, he watches Nagi closely, as if he's trying to figure out how much of an act he's putting on. But as far as he can see, he seems like a perfectly normal guy. If you overlook the arm thing, but that hardly makes him a criminal. And the voice. And the fact that he was the biggest sympathizer of the other known criminal Spike was hired to bring in...

Alright, so maybe there were a few clues. But it's not his place to judge. Spike would have probably been on death row if he'd ever been busted while he was in the syndicate. Water under the bridge.]

Nice place.

[He doesn't go too far inside, instead leaning against the wall adjacent to the door. From the looks of it, it's just the two of them in the area, minute his pet. Spike finds himself fixating on that owl and wondering if his last effort was enough to rid of that cat that's been following him.

It's all pretty ridiculous if he thinks too much about it.]

You might want to sit down. We need to have a talk.

Reply

[action log] cicumae May 31 2009, 04:30:21 UTC

[ nagi hasn't been around spike enough to make a solid judgment, but he feels like spike is acting ever so slightly more reserved than usual. -- is the matter at hand something serious? and he also notices that spike is conspicuously lacking in any animal companion. outside, perhaps?

those aren't the main issues at hand, though, and at the suggestion of a seat, he looks to spike. somewhere between confused and surprised. there's a certain gravity to those words, and nagi suddenly finds himself wondering if the peace and quiet that's fallen over the city is only on the surface. is there something more tumultuous hiding beneath?

still, he gives a small nod, and gestures a little way away where there's a modest table and set of chairs. the owl, now awake thanks to the conversation, takes off his shoulder, instead perching on the frame of an open window as nagi sits down, his one hand tugging at the folds of his scarf in his usual nervous gesture. ]

If -- I may ask what you needed help with?

[ and he immediately backtracks a bit with ( ... )

Reply

[action log] 7livesleft May 31 2009, 05:05:15 UTC

[Spike had been a bounty hunter for nearly four years when he died. Four years and he wound up right back where he started. He knows first hand that you never can run from your past. You carry it with you wherever you go. He bets Nagi knows that too. If he doesn't, he would soon enough.

Taking a breath, he sits down opposite of him, only taking a moment to watch where the owl settled itself before facing Nagi. They might not know each other well, but Spike does owe him enough to be upfront.]

Someone's been looking for you. And they came to me.

[He smiles, just enough to hint at the cynical humor that seems to strike him whenever he's faced with these choices. Like any of this is as simple as that.]

Honestly, I'm kind of curious to find out what you did.

Reply

[action log] cicumae May 31 2009, 05:24:30 UTC

[ he waits for spike to speak, and then it's like the subtly building tension just bursts. and nagi looks surprised, at first, almost scared, almost defensive -- ready to flee. but that's only the instinctive reaction, because it settles quickly. the shock seems to fade into something sad, something melancholy. he doesn't know how to face spike, and so nagi only looks away, mulling over his words for a bit before speaking. ]

... I assume you spoke to the Chief Warden? [ he smiles too, but it's small, defeated. ] Perhaps I should have expected something like this.

[ a small sigh, and he looks to the far wall. again, pausing. he'd tried so hard to hide this fact away, and it hurts, somewhat, to have someone he trusted stumble upon it. he speaks slowly, hesitantly. ]

I don't suppose you'd believe it if I said that most of us from that area of death row weren't guilty of any crimes?

Reply

[action log] 7livesleft May 31 2009, 06:05:03 UTC

[It doesn't surprise him to see how easy it is for Nagi to fill in the blanks, but Spike didn't know exactly what reaction that would get out of him. He's moderately relieved that he doesn't take off running. Spike isn't really in the mood to chase him.]

Yeah. She's really got it out for you guys.

[He's quiet after Nagi speaks. Spike isn't sure if he's lying, or if it would really change his opinion of him. Either way, he listens very carefully to what he has to say. Maybe it's because of his morbid curiosity. Or maybe he has hopes that learning more about his situation would finally explain why Spike ended up in this place.]

This should probably be going the other way around then.

[He doesn't know why he said it, but he doesn't elaborate.]

You're not the only one she told me about. Are all of you innocent?

Reply

[action log] cicumae May 31 2009, 16:40:37 UTC

[ nagi is grateful that spike doesn't immediately brush his words off as a lie -- but he also can't help but look up warily for a moment, trying to see if spike is really believing him, or just playing along to get more information. it's difficult to tell, but he'd like to believe it's the former. nagi mulls over his words for a moment before speaking; he's never had to explain this before to anyone, and it's difficult to put in words. ]

Those of here, yes, as far as I know. [ a small, cynical sort of laugh. ] -- I suppose I should explain?

[ a low exhale, before he goes on. he seems fairly serious about this all. ]

... we were imprisoned in a special wing of the prison, not under the Chief Warden's control. Some of the inmates there were arrested for their crimes, of course, but most of us in that ward were taken in for our, ah -- abilities. Ones we were unknowingly plagued with. We were framed or accused of crimes we did not commit, and charged guilty, so that we could be kept away from the public's eyes.

Reply

[action log] 7livesleft May 31 2009, 17:34:03 UTC

[Spike doesn't expect Nagi to admit to anything, but he's still inclined to believe his story. Being partners with an ex-cop, he heard enough stories about the flaws in the justice system. It probably wasn't any different in whatever time Nagi comes from.

That doesn't mean he takes everything he says at face value. Convicts, murders, they aren't always what you imagine. Everyone makes mistakes, they were just the poor bastards who got caught. Some really were insane psychopaths, but most of them wanted nothing more than to live a quiet secluded life.

But if that's the reason they came to the city, they must be feeling pretty gypped by now.]

So you're saying the prison was a front?

[Spike frowns then, remembering the last artificially enhanced bounty he went up against. He never got the full story, other than that the experiments they did on him caused his mind to regress and turned him into a murderous child with inhuman strength. If that's what Nagi is talking about, he can understand why Makina is so determined to get ( ... )

Reply

[action log] cicumae May 31 2009, 17:57:19 UTC

[ the first question, nagi answers with a small nod. even the few years he's spent in deadman wonderland haven't allowed him to uncover the full situation -- but he knows enough ]

As far as I know, yes. The main objective of the prison was to hold those of us with abilities -- and keep us available for entertainment and research purposes. I doubt that the Chief Warden knows of the underground ward's purposes, but it's dubious that she would listen to us, either. For the moment, we've merely been avoiding her.

[ and at the mention of his ability, he pauses for a moment. he's used it several times before in nuadoria, in order to defend himself, but once again, it's not something he's ever really explained. still, there isn't much else he can do here ( ... )

Reply