Of manicures and floating chairs [CLOSED]

[dist_the_reaper]

WHO: Dist the Reaper and Schuldig
WHAT: Dist waits for Asch, but an unexpected guest arrives instead
WHERE: An old abandoned warehouse/factory where Dist has taken up residence
WHEN: The morning of the 3rd day in Rivelata

Comments

[dummschwallen]

"Hey," Schuldig said, a dark drawl, making his appearance at last with the same aplomb he tried to apply to all things: he'd thought about it for a while, and he'd finally decided on showing up in the doorway, in an appropriate lounge, with his hands shoved in his pockets, so he could be back lit by the setting sun. Now that was drama. Everything he did now had to be theatre, because he didn't have the star of the show--and, after all, he couldn't let on to that. There were certain people here who needed to believe that he still had a lot more of his faculties than he actually did.

It was easy enough to find someone, even without his usual skills, especially when it was someone so very....loud. They were going to have to work on that one, especially if this weirdo Dist wanted to join his super secret club and be a part of his super secret party. Which he clearly needed. "Watch where you're throwing that thing."

[dist_the_reaper]

Dist turned, half-expecting to see Asch standing in the doorway, a retort ready on the tip of his tongue. "WELL, if it isn't As-....."

"Oh." The pitch in his voice dropped in, as did most of the vivid expression which usually contorted his face. "It's...you." He hadn't managed to catch the man's name in all of the craziness that the night before had held. His thin eyebrows knit in a frown as he stared at the man, squinting against the light. "Well, what do you want?"

Dist could have guessed a few reasons the man might have shown up. But he didn't want to presume anything at this point.

[dummschwallen]

"Okay," Schuldig said, "first off, we've gotta work on your attitude. Your inflection: it's totally off. I get your point, and I understand what you're trying to do, but it comes off as kind of demanding and I think that may be the source of some of your...social distress. You catch my drift?" He pushed himself off the doorframe, taking a couple of steps into the room, pausing to look around, take stock of the situation.

"Nice, uh, warehouse you've got here. Very...alternative lifestyle. I can dig it."

[dist_the_reaper]

Dist stared at the man, wide-eyed, his mouth gaping in shock. He couldn't remember the last time someone had talked to him like that. If ever. Part of him felt like screaming at the man, how DARE someone tell HIM what to do- but then...there was a strange tone of what felt like sincerity to his words. And it was perhaps that which made Dist close his mouth and swallow his pride for the moment.

"W...W...Well then..." was all he could manage, and he cringed inwardly as he felt his voice crack. "I...suppose."

He looked around the warehouse helplessly. "It's not nearly as well-equipped as the one in Daath, but I can build myself a new chair with it. At least." He made a point to not direct Schuldig's attention to the half put-together mess of scrap metal which had been Dist's first attempt at a chair. It hadn't gone well.

[dummschwallen]

Okay, these people, they were on about some weird shit, but for the most part Schuldig ignored it. If it was important then it would come up later on in conversation; if it wasn't important, then why fill his head with the clutter? Exactly. He had a good system. "Daath." "Malkuth." Whatever-all else. Pretty hilarious names, although Schuldig had always thought "Omaha" was pretty ridiculous, so it all evened out.

"Glad I'm getting through to you," Schuldig said, coming a little closer, "God General Dist, was it? Something about Dist the Lovely or Dist the Glorious; I'm not really sure which, but I did get the picture, so don't worry." He ran one long finger over some large piece of dusty junk metal and wrinkled up his nose. "You're making do with what you have: I like that."

[dist_the_reaper]

"...it's Dist the Rose," Dist blurted out, before he could stop himself. He hesitated for a moment, trying to gather his words again, and properly this time. "I mean. Well. I suppose I don't need to go by that old moniker anymore. We're certainly not in Daath."

He swallowed, running the words through his head to make sure they sounded at the very best diplomatic. "Dist is...fine." He still hesitated using the name Saphir. Dist wasn't sure he wanted to go back to that part of him just yet.

He wasn't used to this kind of conversation, he hadn't had it in quite some time. It was a very laid-back conversation. Not Lorelei or Score-related. Not...Jade related. Even thinking of Jade right now made his stomach churn. Dist bit his lower lip, eyebrows knitted once again in a childish frown. He wasn't sure how to respond at first, and there was a good pause between the two men before he finally gathered himself and his thoughts.

"Well, I...I have to do something while I'm here," he managed finally. "And I'm waiting for Asch. He was supposed

[dummschwallen]

If Schuldig had been possessed of half of his usual power--not this mere, piddling fraction piece of crap he had to work with--he'd have known this guy's life story faster than a heartbeat; he'd've had more to work with. Fortunately, a lifetime of knowing people so intimately had given him certain instincts: for example, sometimes you could just read a face and know what was going on behind it, read motives like a manual. How to manipulate this person to your advantage. Even if, right now, the instructions were written in that weird indecipherable English found on Chinese products, like laptop batteries, you could still piece together the basic information necessary to getting to the truth, if you were just that good. And Schuldig was a proud beast. He was that good

[dist_the_reaper]

Dist didn't want to answer that last part, because it could really be either or- and both responses stung in a very untimely fashion. He had never cared about Asch's presence before, in fact, they had bickered frequently as comrades over the years.

But now he found himself in a strange new world, surrounded by unforgiving strangers- and even more unforgiving were the people he knew. His magic was gone, as was the prestigious service he hid himself behind when he felt that twinge of insecurity. Asch was...well. Even Asch, the most antisocial, rough-around-the edges of them all, was busy, and had important things to do. More important than Dist, in any case.

Asch was his only comrade from the order who had managed to find his way here. The only person Dist had, in the part of his mind that still registered insecurity, felt he could maybe...sort of...count on. And well, apparently Asch had more important priorities.

Where did that leave Dist, then