013 [video]

[argentcruelty]

[Kadaj is smirking down at the NV when the feed starts, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. The childish tilt of his head contrasts strangely with the cold malice in his eyes.]

I hope you're all listening, because I'm not going to repeat myself. You have something which belongs to me, so we took something of yours. See?

[The video swings

Comments

BROADCAST CONTINUES HERE; WARNING FOR VIOLENCE, GRAPHIC TORTURE AND GORE.

[argentcruelty]

[proxysearch]

[Her face is about as impassive as they come, mostly for show. She stares at Kadaj and the NV, wanting him to get just a little closer-- He never treads into her reach. The light is keeping her from being able to use much of her power, but when the sun starts to go down, she knows she'll get her chance.]

This is pointless.

[argentallure]

Quite the opposite.

[Yazoo saunters up first, passing his brother holding the NV. His booted foot goes to the seat of the chair, and with a hard push the Remnant has pushed it backwards and knocked both the chair and their captive.]

You took something of ours, Re-l.

[lucycoded]

[Shinji's standing back from the group, watching, flicking a butterfly knife absently in his hand. A snicker falls from his lips when he sees her go down.]

Didn't anyone teach you not to fuck with other people's things?

[But right as he begins to take a step forward, there's a sudden halt. The knife slips out of his hand and hits the ground with a thud. His breathing slowly picks up, shaking slightly as he sways only enough to be barely noticeable. A sweat's starting to form on his hairline.]

Stop... [A weak sound, something totally different from Shinji. Save for Liquid, the others haven't seen the shift that can happen in his mind take place.]

Stop it. Let her go. [Kazuhiko is conscious, his face stricken with horror at the scene. His voice grows stronger, suddenly confident, convicted.] This won't help anything!

[ysobritish]

[Liquid moves without thinking, wrapping strong arms around Kazuhiko's chest to pin his arms to his side. This, at least, was not the worst case scenario. The worst case scenario would have been Kazuhiko awakening at the end. That would have been far more troublesome.]

Kazuhiko. This is not your place to intervene.

[He doesn't even bother with the accent for a moment, more concerned with Kazuhiko.]

Stand down.

[argentcruelty]

Tch. I thought you said he'd be useful, brother.

[He's speaking to Liquid, of course, shoving past him and Shinji- no, this other person in Shinji's place, to get a better view of Re-l where she'd been toppled to the floor.]

If he gets in the way, I'll kill him.

[ysobritish]

Shinji will. Kazuhiko needs to go back to sleep for a while first.

[He scowls at Kadaj, then looks at Kazuhiko.]

There is nothing you can do here. Go back to sleep.

[proxysearch]

[She lifts her head once she's fallen, fixing them all with a level gaze. When Kazuhiko begins to speak, her eyes widen.]

Kazuhiko, you know this is wrong. Don't listen to them. Stay with me. Show them that this is pointless!

[lucycoded]

[He resists the arms with everything he has just for an instant. With Re-l's voice, he turns to look down at her. There's an instant of fear on his face before turning his attention to Liquid. The threats are ignored, they mean nothing now. All that matters is the safety of an innocent person.]

Liquid, please. You know this isn't going to fix the situation. It'll only make it worse. They'll punish him for this, because you're doing it in his name. Just stop, make them stop, let her go. She was only doing her job.

[He's desperate, and trembling, but only from the force of holding Shinji back as he rages within his mind. Nonetheless, he's confident, unafraid. Sweat runs down his temple.]

[ysobritish]

-!

How did you-?!

[No, that's not relevant. Dammit, so much for his disguise.]

Listen to me - just listen. There is nothing you or I can do. [His voice drops, so that no one else can hear, focused as they are on Re-L.] I know. I have no faith in this either. But you'll get yourself killed if you intervene, Kazuhiko. Yaha wanted me to keep you safe, so I'm not letting you do this.

Her job is not an excuse. I killed for my job, do you think that would excuse me? The only reason I didn't get punished for that is because I goddamn well killed for important people. The only reason people can bring to say why she shouldn't get punished for this is because she works for those same important people.

I won't let her get killed. So calm down.

[argentallure]

Control your friend, Liquid. [He growls at the other before turning his attnetion to Re-l.]

As for you.... [Hi, Re-l, you are going to get your view blocked, leather and silver blocking the view before he gets a gloved hand around her throat, materia burning brightly in his arms.] You want him to suffer the same fate as you, Officer?

[A deep purple glow seeps from his arm to her, thick and horrid like poisonous sludge.]

[proxysearch]

[She immediately turns her gaze to Yazoo, meeting his eyes angrily. Her eyes go wide for only a moment before they settle into a glare as he grabs her throat. Go ahead and choke me. Won't be the first time.

The glowing is new, though. She watches him, her body suddenly gripped with nausea, acid flooding through her system. She gasps thinly, feeling dizzy already.]

[lucycoded]

[The things Liquid is saying- he just can't believe what he's hearing. His shoulders relax as he looks up at Liquid with confusion and a rising distaste; it's all dulled, barely visible in his expression.] If I die saving someone else, then that's what I have to do.

[The opportunity is taken, between Liquid's more relaxed and hushed demeanor and the new rush of adrenaline from the gasp from Re-l. He slides himself from Liquid's hands and makes a run toward the woman, directly at Yazoo. His hand comes to rest on the man's shoulder, not violently, but enough to try and get his attention.]

Leave her alone, she doesn't deserve this.

[argentcruelty]

[Kadaj is already striding forwards as Kazuhiko rushes towards Yazoo and Re-l- as the man's hand reaches his brother's shoulder, one booted foot comes up to connect with his face, hard.]

I'm not going to keep warning you.

[No patience for this. Nobody would be allowed to interfere, least of all someone who was supposed to be helping. Kadaj goes for the throat with his free hand, attempting to force him back, pin him down... Whatever, just so long as he stayed out of the way.]

[lucycoded]

[The attack occurs too quickly for Kazuhiko to even start thinking about getting out of the way. The offense is beyond him, but there's not much time before-

Pain, and a small crack in his face, a dizziness shooting through his head, and black.

His feet left the ground by a few inches from the force and he hit the ground hard, sprawled, just to one side of Re-l. He's out, blood from hise nose painting his lips and chin.

But that won't last for long.]

[ysobritish]

...I suppose that works. [Sigh.] Damn him. Why did he have to wake up now of all times?

[He looks at Kadaj.]

Shinji should be back with us shortly.