"I wasn't expecting things to get so serious--"

[tidesnpc]

Characters: The captured kidnapper + anyone on the Way [OPEN]
Content: Professional and amateur interrogations of the kidnapper Tarzan caught. Come throw things at him, rage at him, try to get information out of him, or just call him a jerk.
Setting: The Way's brig
Time: Over the course of the day after the initial attack
Warnings: Snark, plus

Comments

[godofrustration]

Garibaldi still had not let himself sleep. There was just too much to do, too many repairs to make, too many bodies to count. Logic dictated that he should go at least catch a few hours, now that things were quieter, but he rejected that. He couldn't sleep yet. Not until he'd had a word with the captive.

Several words, actually.

He threw open the door, slamming it behind him. "Hope you're comfortable," he said sarcastically as he looked down at the man.

[tidesnpc]

The man opened his eyes and looked right back up at Garibaldi, nonplussed. "Yes, it's very nice," he replied, matching the sarcasm with false cheeriness. "It's warm, and not even damp at all. Even this ship's prison is ritzy." There was a bitter undertone to the last few words.

[godofrustration]

"Yeah, well, enjoy it while you can, pal. First chance I get, I'm tossing you over the side."

He pulled up a chair, sitting down and leaning forward. "Look, let's cut the small talk. I've had a very long and trying day. Your boss is the one I'd like to take that out on, but she isn't here right now. You, on the other hand, are. So, either you can start spilling any and all bits of information you think I might find interesting about her, or I can start working out my frustrations on your skull. I'm sort of hoping you choose the second one."

[tidesnpc]

The man regarded Garibaldi coolly, slumped casually against the wall. He rested his forearms on his bent knees.

"Well, I aim to please, of course," he replied. "The way I see it, you caught me red-handed stealing children off of your ship, and you'd like nothing more than to toss me over the side already. Whatever you're going to do, you're going to do. What do I have to lose?"

If his interrogator was going to try force, that would mean he'd have to step inside the brig, which would give the captive a fair chance at overpowering Garibaldi and making his escape.

[fallingjunkyard]

There wasn't anything in Joshua's job description about doing interrogations, and if anyone asked, he'd be just having a little chat with their friendly neighbourhood kidnapper. The truth was, Joshua was more than a little pissed this had happened while he'd been on board the Way. But there was little outward sign of it when he came down the stairs, only his usual smile as he came to a stop before the bars of the kidnapper's cell.

Not too close, though. Joshua liked the Way's crew well enough, but they could be terrible at anything that required some semblance of thoroughness. Whether this guy had any concealed weapons, Joshua had no idea, but he liked to err on the side of caution.

Curling a hand under his chin, Joshua asked casually, "Does your employer not care enough to even get you back?"

[tidesnpc]

He shrugged, not bothering to open his eyes. "Maybe. Maybe she figures I'll get out sooner or later and come running back." The tone was completely casual, and it sounded like that was exactly what he planned to do. "In the meantime, I'm sure she'll find someone else to do her dirty work."

[fallingjunkyard]

Even though the tone said otherwise, the body language suggested the prisoner wasn't in the mood for escaping. Maybe it was a sign this minion wasn't particularly loyal to the "Great Witch" Grita. Maybe it was a sign he was simply biding his time. Joshua decided to gauge the prisoner's reaction.

Joshua continued in a light conversationalist tone, gesturing with his hands as he spoke, "She sounds like the kind of person who wouldn't notice if a grunt or two suddenly went missing. I'm sure Great Witches have plenty of cannon fodder. Why..." Joshua placed a hand over his chin, averting his eyes from the prisoner for just the briefest of moments, "...does she even know your name? Maybe she just calls you minion all the time. Or does she call you Steve during her good days?"

note: this takes place BEFORE Garibaldi's interrogation

[tidesnpc]

"Man," the captive sighed, eyes still shut. "Don't you have anything more important to ask me? Not like I'm eager to start spilling secrets, but I don't think you really care that much what Grita calls me."

He was all ease, as if it was Joshua who was the one behind bars on a hostile ship and not him.

[flailingbento]

Watanuki didn't quite know what brought him down to the brig. He had no real reason to talk to the kidnapper. He didn't even have any desire to see him. What was there to say to one of the ones who had aided in killing Hughes? One of the reasons the kitchen was quieter and there was no one down at all hours begging for sweets? Watanuki wasn't an interrogator and his anger was more fearful than incendiary. He had nothing to say to the prisoner.

Nonetheless, something in him still begged to know why. Yuuko would have called it hitsuzen, the sudden finding of himself walking down toward the brig; he didn't know what to call it except morbid curiosity.

To his confusion, the prisoner was lying down when he entered. The reason why was soon clear - his legs were both bandaged. Watanuki frowned - if he recalled correctly, the prisoner had been taken uninjured. He stepped warily closer to the brig, unsure if the man was awake or not and unsure of what to say now that he was here.

[tidesnpc]

He lay on the floor, breathing quietly. The gunshot wounds had been bandaged, and everything seemed so quiet now. He vaguely wondered what they were going to come up with next.

The prisoner's quiet thoughts were interrupted by footsteps. He opened one eye and glanced up at the newcomer. A surge of irritation washed through him: he was so weak right now he could barely pick himself up off the floor. That didn't stop him from raising himself up onto one elbow, though. He hated being seen like this. It was pathetic.

Under his shirt, the mana crystal glowed sickly green, but the fabric hid it from view. The captive stared at his visitor, wondering what to make of him. What did Watanuki want?

[flailingbento]

So he was awake. Watanuki stopped several feet from him, afraid for some reason to move closer. In the dim light he could see just a dark-haired man in dirty clothes, with bandaged legs and--

He frowned and blinked, squeezing his eyes shut hard for a few seconds before opening them again. Something was shining in his vision that had only appeared when the prisoner had moved. At first he'd thought it just his eyes adjusting, but it was still there-- damn, this was not the time for his eye to malfunction!

He ran a hand over the gold-colored lens in annoyance, trying to banish the flash of twining silver strings that left tracks across his vision. He squinted (it didn't do much good considering only one of his eyes could even narrow, but it was an automatic motion). It looked like... like those shining strings were coming from the prisoner. But why would he--? Confused and a little alarmed, Watanuki blurted, "Where's-- where's that magic coming from?"

[tidesnpc]

"Magic?" the prisoner asked, eyes unfocused. "What magic? I don't see magic," he continued, staring at Watanuki.

"That's a funny eye." It seemed imperative for some reason that he comment on the metal plate on the right side of Watanuki's face. The painkillers might have had something to do with it. His head felt foggy, and he couldn't think straight. He laughed weakly, wondering if Watanuki had misplaced his eye and had to get a new one. For some reason, the idea seemed very funny to him right now. "Ha ha ha -- ow."