realityshifted | thirteenth trick

Entry tags:

air gear (d1) ikki minami

thirteenth trick

[The sight of this spiky haired miscreant may be surprising. He's obviously just as surprised as he stands there, a cup of ramen in one hand, and the other currently with a finger doing the tango in his nose. He stares blankly at the starry expanse, which stares back. It's apparent that he has no shame, as he keeps on picking his nose while taking in his surroundings.]

Hmmm. I'll give her ten seconds to give me a welcome back kiss. After that, it's anyone's call.

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Good, good.

[Ikki's back is the same as usual... though perhaps a bit more proud.]

I did, and he got stuck in Kazu's girlfriend's body for a while. Pretty crazy shit.

[Hei can't help smiling, though he keeps expecting to wake up or something.]

In...his girlfriend's body. [He shakes his head.] You have such a strange life.

Strange, but awesome. The President's a cool guy. He used to play soccer, or something. And he can do some pretty cool tricks with his A-Ts.

Not as good as me, of course, but that's 'cause he has a country to run.

[Ikki hops over the bar counter and starts digging through the cooler for soda.]

The President of America is an AT user? [More evidence of why America is the United States of Crazy. Hei laughs a little and takes a seat at the bar.] The sad thing is, I'd believe it.

[He pours himself a tumblerful of whiskey cause goddamn, this situation calls for alcohol :\]

Well, he was in Emiri's body. He didn't have much of a choice. [Ikki winks... then notes the alcohol.]

I must've missed a lot.

[Hei is at least careful to drink it slowly.] A lot's happened.

... Not all of it is good, is it?

[He plops down on a barstool with his soda, glugs a bit of it, then sets it down.]

Figures.

It's been alright. Mostly.

Still living with Diva-san...?

No, I couldn't. It was safer for both of us if we had our own places. Though...I found out that no matter where I go, the mansion travels with me. So I can visit her any time.

[He takes another sip, smiling a little.] I'm in Sapporo now. It's funny, because it's summer at the mansion while the whole city is covered in snow.

Ah... That's a little creepy. Convenient, but creepy. I'm glad she wasn't alone.

[He sips his own soda and listens.]

... Hm. It's just getting into fall where I am. How's Sapporo? Lots of beer? Heh heh.

Very much so. [Pause.] I wouldn't have made such a big deal of leaving if I'd known.

[He smiles.] Busy. Very busy. [He shakes his head.] Where do I even begin?

[Ikki pours himself more soda... and this time grabs a snazzy straw. It turns purple when he touches it, then blue when it's cold.]

What happened after I ... left?

[Snazzy straws are one of the little luxuries in life.]

After you left.

[Lord. How long ago was it? So much has happened. Hei swills his glass, watching the amber liquid swirl inside.]

I was in an experiment for awhile. Do you remember? Married to Misaki, with children?

Oh yeah.

[He watches Hei carefully.]

... Somethin' tells me it didn't end well.

Well. It ended, didn't it? It turned out that none of it had been real. [He takes another drink.] It was bad for awhile, but...we're alright now. [Mostly.]

[He's silent a moment.] After that...let's see. Diva was captured by PANDORA, but I got her out. She's been alright for the most part since then. You'll probably meet her--she'll be glad you're back.

But, yes. PANDORA. They were looking for me, I guess, but they caught her instead. The very thing I was trying to prevent by leaving her. Funny, isn't it?

[He drains the glass.] She's alright now, though. She was in an experiment for awhile after that, but it was kind of a nice one. A vacation for her. She's...probably doing better now than she ever was.

[Oh shit. PANDORA? Give that a minute to register.] Oh man... [He hides his face in his hand for a moment.] I would've helped you if I knew. I just... damn this place, sometimes.

[-- And then the sad's gone.]

She's about to be doing a whole lot better.

[Small smile.] I know you would have. [Not that Hei would have let him. That was a really, really shit time.]

She is. She'd really missed you.

[Hei pours himself another drink.]

[Ikki stifles a yawn.]

We should all do something now that we're together again. She'd want that. I don't mind whatever we do, as long as we don't watch some crappy French drama... no offense to France or anything.

[Hei starts working on his newest drink.] That would be nice. I know Diva won't be too busy now that her experiment has ended, but it'll be hard for me to find free time. I've been...pretty busy lately. [Tiny smile.]

... Busy? [Ikki's eyebrow arches. NOW he's interested.] Is it the good kind of busy?

It's varied. Let's see... [He rubs his chin.] These two Contractors blew up a train. Then they tried to kill me. Then they wanted my help when they realized who I was. The Twins trapped me on a deserted island for awhile...it was nice. And then I went home and--well, it's a little complicated, but...I decided to help those Contractors. And more than that, figure out a way to get Contractors away from the Syndicate, if they wanted it. Give them a chance for a different life. So now we've got this system, like a railroad, where we help Contractors run by giving them safehouses. We transport them from point to point, help them along until they're free. We're calling it the Constellation.

[He takes a sip and smiles broadly.] It's like you said, Ikki. There are ways to fight the Syndicate.

[Halfway through sipping his soda, what Hei is describing comes to him, and he stops and stares.]

You're helping them...

That's incredible, Hei-san. You're... you're incredible. [He smiles a bit, trying not to let the sudden surge of brotherly emotion get to him.] I always knew you could do something if you believed in it enough.

[Incredible? No one has ever said anything like that to Hei before. He can't help blushing a little, and it takes him awhile to respond. What do you say to something like that?]

Oh, I'm--it's not--it's not that amazing. I mean--it's a group effort, really, I'm just sort of overseeing things, sort of...

[He takes a long sip of his soda, then smirks.] Oh shut up. You're fucking awesome, deal with it.

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