[Video]

[whatwas]

[The PCD clacks and the view shakes a bit, but finally centers on Horst's happy face. He's up on a roof, with four bottles of liquor and a chair.]

Right, you bunch of nutters, I'm going to sit up here and watch you all run about.

Tyki, you want a drink? I'm up here in the sane corner of the world.

Comments

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[He looks at Kurotsuchi and stubbornly hands him a bottle. You don't talk about 'issues' without being drunk; it's a man code.]

We do. Usually. I love the smarmy bastard, so we ought to.

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Takes it with an internal sigh, and an external eyeroll, but doesn't drink.]

So what's different? You died, but it's not like it matters here. Lose something interesting?

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't you be in a better position to tell me? Nothing feels different to me, and Yuca doesn't have much answer when I ask.

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Has to stop to consider.]

...Something is different, yes. I'm unsure what it is- I didn't exactly make a habit of tracking your moods.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

No, but you did work with my soul. Presumably they took something from it, since that was what was intruding on them, right?

[He may be a drunk and a manslut, but he is fairly scientific...now. He hadn't been when he first arrived.]

Anyway, I ought to apologize again. I'd just prefer to know what it is that's making things so bloody fucked between us first.

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Sometimes they take physical things - limbs, abilities, something like that. Sometimes they take memories. Maybe part of your history changed, or you've forgotten it. ...You do sound a little more logical now, though it might just be coincidence.

Of course, I still have all my records of your soul as it was before. I can easily take you apart again to see if there's a difference there. If it has anything to do with your problems with Yuca, I don't know.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[He draws a slow breath. That's not something he ever wants to go through again, but....

'I miss the old Horst.']

I should be able to tell, if you can point out what's changed.

But Kurotsuchi--why do you care?

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

What do you mean? ...And you're a bit more scientific, I suppose. It's not really a bad thing.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

I meant take me apart. See if you can tell what's missing.

[He hesitates, stalls a bit longer]

As I said, most of my friends wouldn't care to sit and listen to this business with Yuca. Why are you?

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Once the week is over, stop by and I will.

...And why wouldn't I? I have no reason not to.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

Drama hardly seems something you'd be interested in studying.

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

I have nothing better to do at the moment. And it involves Yuca- mild curiosity, I suppose.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[Vaguely amused; he's not sure why] Why is that?

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

The curiosity? [There's something he doesn't particularly like thinking about himself; waves it off, like an inconsequential.] He's interesting. Does it matter?

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[Horst is, unfortunately, very intuitive and he just looks at Kurotsuchi for a long, silent moment.]

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Stares right back at him, vaguely off-put and not really sure why.] What?

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[Horst is good at being guarded, at least, and making it seem as if he's not. He has an easy smile, a curious tilt to his head.

It's nothing at all like what he's really feeling.]

What makes him 'interesting'?

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Vaguely suspicious, but isn't remotely good at reading people, so he just forces a shrug.]

He's immortal. That's interesting enough, isn't it?

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

I suppose, but it doesn't explain why you'd be interested in him fighting with me. Mundane dealings have nothing to do with his immortality.

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

I told you, I don't have anything better to do at the moment.

[Irritable, if not at Horst. For distraction, if nothing else, he tries the damned drink the vampire had given him, focusing his irritation on that instead.]

...You're sure this isn't cleaning fluid?

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

You have a difficult time with your own head, don't you?

[He doesn't expect an answer--not a truthful one, anyway. And he doesn't want to dig any deeper.

It does complicate the idea of going back to Kurotsuchi, though.]

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Not at all.

[A lie, and not even a very good one, for all that it would've once been true.]

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[He laughed, and shook his head]

You are a terrible actor.

[law-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Twitch.]

I don't need to be, I'm a scientist.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

A scientist needs to know his own mind or his results become biased and therefore worthless. Believe me.