I&#39;ve seen your faces

I wasn't even counting her. Why would she ever want to be around a violent bastard like you? And anyway, we've done more for you than she ever has; if you're willing to turn on us, she'll just go the way of the rest sooner or later.

You know, Nagi...Schwarz needs me a lot more than it needs you. It existed before we found you, and it'll be just fine with you gone. And what will it say if you can't even be accepted by a group of psychic misanthropes just like you...?

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Because I saved her life and almost died doing so. You've never cared for someone in your life. Not even us.

[He tries to get out of the chair to go after Schuldig for that last remark, but ends up falling and cracking his cheek against the floor hard enough that he yelps.]

Schwarz doesn't even like me that much anyway. I'm useful, nothing else. Why shouldn't I kill all of you for using me?

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Shit! Nagi! Don't try and get up when you can't move your feet. [Ken went over and helped him sit up, inspecting where he hit with a wince]

That had to have hurt.

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[Schuldig makes no move to help Nagi. Of course, with Ken there, he's not really obligated to.] I doubt she even comprehends that. And she has the mind of a child; even if she did, that's not really something she'd take into consideration. You can't even pretend to be nice anymore, Nagi, and isn't that what she liked about you? You can't make flowers dance for her, either; you can't even protect her. You've lost everything that she could ever have liked about you.

[Schuldig leans forward, his voice lowering into that sweetly sinister sing-song he uses when he's deliberately dragging a razor through the flesh of someone's mind.] And you know why you won't kill us, for the same reason we won't kill you. Who else could ever understand you but us? Who would ever accept you but us? Not even Siberian, and he's known you since you were a child. We're all you have, and I'm all you have here - and look what you've done to me. You say I'm useless, but the truth is that you've made yourself worthless to me. And I'm not as afraid of being alone as you are. I can throw you away, and you've given me every reason in the world to do it.

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[He doesn't like Ken helping him up and being touched anywhere on that cheek is enough to make him wince even more than the notion of Ken helping him already did. Nagi keeps struggling, but closes his eyes tightly at Schuldig's words.]

I'll get my power back to protect her! I'm not going to lose an eye to do it, but I'll get it back!

[Hearing that voice makes the controlling part of his mind squirm even as Nagi's real mind peeks out. Schuldig's right, of course. Nobody else has even come close to understanding him. But the part in control right now won't let go that easily, not when Nagi's this full of hate and the desire to ruin things. He kicks out even though he knows he won't hit anything.]

Go ahead. It'll mean you can die faster.

[Inside Nagi's head is a mess right now, but he's trying to beat back this control over himself.]

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Don't kick me. [Ken put Nagi back up on the chair, looping a bit of the telephone cord around the arm so that hopefully Nagi won't tip again.]

As you are right now Nagi, would Tot want you protecting her? [And now he's going for the low blow]

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Fine. [Schuldig rests his arms on his knees, grinning viciously.] As of this moment, Nagi, you are no longer Schwarz. [It sounds serious - and in a way it is, as Schuldig technically has the authority in Mayfield with Crawford not present. But he can always wave it off later when - or if - Nagi snaps out of this.

He glances sidelong at Ken.] Mentally stunted as she is, I doubt even she's fool enough to trust someone like this. Or have you completely forgotten how you attracted her before, Prodigy?

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[Hearing that breaks the real Nagi a little. This isn't what he wanted, not at all. None of this is what he wants and he flails both inside his mind and in his restraints. He doesn't think he's cried since Sister died, but a few tears leak down his cheeks anyway. It's his real self talking this time, barely forcing his way back to the top. For the first time in a while, he sounds like nothing more than a hurt little boy.]

Stop it! I remember what she liked and I remember Schwarz taking me in after Ken killed Sister!

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Sculdig! Come on, this is taking it too far! [Oh he has issues with this. Making Nagi cry was not on the agenda.]

It doesn't have to be this way Nagi. [He's going to try and wipe the tears away]

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Don't undermine this, Siberian. Not when it's finally starting to work! [Schuldig's voice in Ken's head is sharp.]

Do you really remember? You're acting like you've forgotten. Or maybe you just think all of that is so unimportant that you're willing to throw it away? To let someone make you throw it away? There's something playing merry hell with your head, Nagi - but you're a psychic. You're one of us. That's the sort of thing you should be able to handle, right? So are you Schwarz or aren't you? [The last sentence is both spoken out loud and practically pounded into Nagi's mind.]

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[His eyes flash red, both from anger at this entire mess and the determination coming over him. Nagi's forcing himself back in control bit by bit, even though it seemed to be completely exhausting him.]

Of course I remember and I'm not going to throw any of it away. I've been trying to fight this thing back since it took over!

[But he didn't have the strength to do it on his own. It had taken both of their help to get him capable of it, which Nagi wasn't likely to forget anytime soon. How embarrassing.]

I've said it before, but I'll repeat it now. I will always be part of Schwarz. [Imitating Schuldig, the words and both spoken and mental. Ken played his part in this, but Nagi's not going to admit to any gratitude for that. Whatever had taken over his mind, it looks to be gone now.]

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Fuck you Schuldig, you could have found a better way to get through! That's less breaking through and more breaking!

[Ken sighed, pulling his hand down over his face.] Well, at least you sound normal now.

[He honestly didn't know if Nagi had completely beaten the thing back or was just faking to get loose, but he just wanted this to be over with soon. He didn't like seeing people in emotional pain.
]

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Good to hear it. [Schuldig leans back in his chair, looking relaxed; unlike Ken, he can tell when it's truly gone.] Did you really have to make me work that hard for it, then?

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You try living with...whatever that was in your head for a few days.

[Nagi's eyes are back to normal and he frowns at Ken.]

Untie me.

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[Ken looks at him harshly.] Do you promise not to try and bite me again?

[He is however moving towards Nagi and reaching out to untie him anyways, taking Schuldig's relaxation as a good sign.]

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How did it get into your head? [Schuldig had been planning on holding a grudge after what Nagi did to him, but he more or less took his revenge in breaking Nagi while the boy's mind was messed up - meaning that Nagi lucks out.] You didn't seem to even realize anything was different.

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I don't know. The last thing I remember clearly is...a tea party. I wanted to see what I could learn there.

Don't laugh at me for it. You've done enough mocking me for the next month

[He nods at Ken and squirms to try and get free. There's no reason for him to attack Ken right now.

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Calm down, you'll be untied once I get all the knots undone. And seriously? A tea party? [Ken is very much trying not to sigh. He remembered his conversation with Hughes, the one about Rue. This was bad.]

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[Schuldig doesn't even try to stifle his grin. It was almost worth working with Ken to have Ken say what he wanted to.] I suppose Crawford would be pleased to see you doing reconnaissance.

And considering what you did to me, I think some verbal brutality was hardly out of line. Especially since it served a practical purpose.

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What else am I supposed to do here?

[Once he's free, he rubs his wrists and eyes Schuldig's bandaged arm sheepishly.]

It wasn't me that hurt you. It was whatever had control of me.

[He wipes his face off with his shirt. Realizing that he'd cried makes him feel pathetic.]

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Don't use your shirt, you know Miakis spends a lot of time figuring out the laundry. [Ken of course grabbed a cloth and handed it to Nagi.

Man this was so surreal.]

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I can't really complain to it, though, can I?

[Ugh, and there Ken goes being domestic again. Schuldig rolls his eyes.] When Siberian is done fussing over you, Nagi, you could make me some coffee. It's the least you owe me. [This is, in a weird way, Schuldig's way of smoothing over the awkwardness - by acting as though nothing had happened at all.]

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