have_your_lives | TYL Event - after Nagi's return to his normal age

[You know who has no respect for personal property? Or, apparently, bazookas? This guy. He literally tried to just grab the thing off of Lambo, because there is no possible way wrenching a bazooka out of someone's hands could end in anything other than candy and rainbows. Or whatever would be the evil equivalent as far as Schuldig is concerned - probably tears and kicked puppies.

It's been mentioned before that Schuldig has no inkling of common sense, and this should be an excellent reminder to everyone how crippling of a disability that is.

What actually happened was that the bazooka got dropped onto hard concrete and went off more or less in the telepath's face. And instead of being blown into the bloody, quarter-sized pieces he probably deserved, he got rocketed back into the past, while his twelve-year-old self has been jerked forward in time and dumped into Mayfield.

The upshot of this is that a small, skinny boy with scruffy orange hair is prowling around Mayfield. He's dressed in worn, nondescript grey clothing and looks kind of malnourished; there are many methods of discipline in Rosenkrüs, and denial of food is actually one of the pleasanter ones. Unlike others in this same situation, he seems less confused than wary and suspicious...but those who expect Schuldig's usual personality in a smaller package will be significantly surprised if they approach him. He's fairly easy to recognize with that hair, in any case.]

[OOC: I wish I had more icons for him as a kid, but this is pretty much the only one that even looks remotely close. :| You may see a lot of it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Guilty? No. That's not a name at all. [The boy does pick up on those memories, and Nagi will be able to see the confusion on the boy's face...though it seems to be warring with a skeptical sneer. Finally, the deliberate intrusion fades away.]

...you're good. [He sounds a little huffy.] But I'm still not fooled.

It's...one you gave yourself. [And Nagi relates to that confusion since he felt it yesterday. This is a mess.]

I'm not like you. My power's different.

[The boy pauses, looking suspicious.] ...are you one of the instructors?

No, I'm not. I used to be a student though.

[And now things make more sense to him. Nagi's smart enough to put most of the pieces together on his own thankfully.]

[The boy's eyes narrow.] And now you're helping them do tests?

Of course not. I don't want to help them with anything.

[Nagi's less than thrilled with the accusation.]

This isn't one of their tricks or tests.

That's what they'd want me to think, isn't it? [Clearly the boy will need convincing on this point.]

I don't know what they'd want you to think. Like I said, I'm not a telepath.

[Nagi knocks over a trash can with a small flicker of power, proving what he actually is.]

Whatever you think, this place isn't going to go away or change.

Telekinetic. [The boy nods; clearly he'd already picked up on this.] Nagi Naoe.

And they'll let me out once they're sure I won't break.

[He nods in reply.]

They won't because that school's not in charge of this. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true.

[Nagi has no idea what else to do right now.]

Do you want food or a shower or something?

...that doesn't make sense. None of this does. They're just waiting for me to go crazy.

...why?

It's something to do until all of this ends?

[The boy thinks this over. There really isn't an argument against that logic.] Okay.

It's not a long walk.

[Nagi's going to take Schuldig to Schuldig's own home, since that seems easier than explaining this to Crawford or dealing with Farfarello or Ken and Miakis.]

[Schuldig follows Nagi, completely unaware of the true owner of the house they go to.] You live here?

I stay here sometimes, but it's not where the town thinks I'm supposed to live.

[They get inside and Nagi hopes none of the other residents are around right now. That could be awkward.]

Where the town thinks...? [The boy makes an aggravated little noise.] I think they're trying to drive me crazy. None of this makes sense.

...Mayfield doesn't really make sense. People come back from the dead every day, damage undoes itself, sometimes the candy makes you act weird or you get stuck in a car with someone for hours. We're trying to get home though.

...and I'm supposed to accept this place is for real?

It's better than thinking you've gone crazy because you can't make it stop.

[Keane looks as though Nagi just slapped him, and actually pales a bit. His eyes, however, seem to get darker as he glowers.] I'm not crazy.

I know. That's why I'm telling you this is real.

I'd kind of have to be crazy to buy that.

[Nagi sighs. He can understand the reason for the insistence that this isn't real, but he doesn't know what to do other than get this younger Schuldig something to drink and eat.]

[Clinging to the reality he's sure of is both a personal survival technique and something that the instructors at Rosenkrüs beat even more strongly into his head, so shifting him from this conviction will be exceedingly difficult for anyone.] ...so are you being nice because you think I'm Schuldig?