[ there's quite a long pause before mink answers. he looks and sounds a little groggy when he responds, rubbing the back of his neck as though he's just woken up. ]
when he hears the reply, akira rolls over on the bed from lying on his back, having been staring at the ceiling for god knows how long (probably after he kicked some shit around his apartment). he doesn't look any more impressed, but his anger seems to have simmered down some.
he glares at mink for a doubtful moment, before sitting up on the bed, clutching the device, and giving a reply. ]
[ that gets another silence on his end, but this one's sharper, a colder, sterner feeling. he looks at akira with a sudden wakefulness, the hand rubbing at his neck coming to a slow stop.
aoba's missing.
he clicks his tongue against the rough of his mouth, exhaling with a low rumbling sound of irritation. ]
... Try contacting Koujaku, Noiz or that gas mask. It's nothing to do with me.
[ except even they wouldn't have a reason to abscond with him, and as far as he knows, aoba would have no reason to comply. they're all soft; they wouldn't take him anywhere unless he was completely willing.
he looks at akira, his soft storm-grey eyes under a fall of ragged hair. it's longer than it was when he last saw him, it seems. it's surprising to see him braving video at all, after what happened to him. ]
I don't see what his absence has to do with you, either. I don't care if you want the legwork, but there'll be no gratification in it. You're not going to see him.
[ after a moment, he props the phone up on the side and moves to take his pipe off the bedside table, stuffing it with that strange herbal tobacco of his.
in any case, he can deal with akira's trespasses later. better to stay on target and clean up when the trouble's dealt with. ]
[ akira's mouth tightens into a thin line. he only knows koujaku, the others are complete strangers to him. but if aoba is missing, koujaku is probably just as lost as he is as to his whereabouts.
his grip tightens even more around the device at those words about not seeing aoba. maybe it's better that way, for both of their sakes, but right now aoba is probably the closest thing he has to a friend in this place and like hell he's going to let mink take that away from him. ]
He hasn't been to work for about as long. I assumed it was his cycle. [ should've gone to his house... he frowns irritably. he was aware of it for this long, and it didn't occur to him to think of it as entirely suspicious...
from the start, he should've been hunting him. an entire week is a long time for a person to remain gone; in that time, all manner of things could be done. ]
... As for seeing him, no. Not until you give me the answers I want. If you can't explain why you're around him, that makes you my problem.
[ it's that simple. akira might be an unworthy, weak dog, but even he's got fighting experience. he's not about to trust someone just because they seem too pathetic to be a threat. nobody deserves that kind of trust. ]
How many times can you say no before you realise it's not an answer.
[ the double meaning is entirely obvious.
mink leans his weight on his thigh, leaning forward. he pulls the pipe from his mouth with his other hand, exhaling a thick plume of smoke. ]
He's been gone since the 18th. His work absence lines up with that. Nobody from his world knows where he is, either.
... Koujaku and I will be searching the area around his house where he was last seen, and questioning his neighbours. Make yourself useful, if you're that worried about it.
[ The other person he was dreading contacting this whole while, but it's not like he has many other choices at this point. In spite of Mink's claims, Koujaku knows the guy keeps just as much tabs on Aoba as he himself does... perhaps even more so, which is what is worrying about this whole situation. ]
All I want to know is if you've seen Aoba around lately or not? I won't accuse you of being involved [ yet ] but I figured you might know something.
A nosy brat has already been dogging me about it. You've probably known longer than I have.
[ though he certainly tries to keep as much track of aoba as anyone else... well, it'd be unreasonable to think his efforts would pay off as much as it would for someone who doesn't cause him great distress simply to be around. he makes up for it by his view from a distance, but that's always rather more ambiguous; disappearing from their job for a while isn't unusual for someone who's getting close to the end of their cycle. it's also, from what he knows of aoba's activity at home, not entirely irregular behaviour for him. he's used to lenient work and a forgiving boss. ]
Contact the others, if you haven't. Pin down the date that he was last seen, and where. And who else he's been contacting since he came here. Especially if he could have told them something.
I wasn't asking for instructions. I know what to do.
[ He's glaring and gritting his teeth at the screen in an effort to remain controlled, but the nerve of this asshole for talking to him like that. If it wasn't for the fact that Koujaku might actually be interested in what he could possibly know concerning Aoba, he'd simply hang up and leave it at that. ]
Whoever it is has good reason for finding you, probably the same reasons I do. I'm only giving you the benefit of a doubt because I've warned Aoba plenty of times to stay out of your business and because he has no powers here so there's no point in you trying to grab a hold of him anyway.
[ He can't think of any other reason for Mink to try and go after him aside from baser and more pathetic ones. Given what he's heard of Scratch, he wouldn't put it above him, but surely Aoba must be wary of the same, too... ]
If I find out you're the one who's had him all along I'll hunt you down and rip you up into pieces.
The threats of overreacting brats don't mean shit to me. If you want to kill yourself by acting on blind emotional panic, be my guest. That kind of thing suits your attitude.
But you said it yourself. I don't have any need for him to do anything but stay out of trouble. He obviously hasn't done that. Maybe if you weren't busy looking for an easy scapegoat to vent your frustration on, you'd shut up and find him faster.
[ not taking your shit, koujaku!!
there's a moment before the next message is sent. ]
It's easier to find him with two of us. Act on the same principle as before.
If you know the answers I listed, give them to me. You'll do better getting answers if you have more than a couple of beauticians doing the questioning.
[ Tch. Talking to him always makes him want to punch a hole through a wall, but what Mink says actually sounds sensible. He has to put aside his own frustration if he hopes to find him, and a place like this needs more than one guy doing some investigating. ]
Don't suddenly play it off like you're innocent, either, and what did I tell you about ordering me around? Just because you might not be behind this, doesn't mean there isn't plenty of shit your group has done in the past.
[ Meaning his suspicions aren't entirely unwarranted here. ]
Anyway, he stopped answering my calls around the 18th. Last place I saw him was for at his house. I stopped by for a visit the night before. Noiz already knows now, too, and Clear's gone back to Midorijima.
[ He's starting to think that idiot lucked onto some kind of exit before he ever had to worship and didn't bother to tell any of them about it. ]
Edited (woops nothing to see here and grammar fail too) 2012-07-30 16:52 (UTC)
[ that hits a nerve, and mink's scowl deepens, an ugly emotion brewing inside of him. ]
He told you about my test? That was between my group and Aoba. In any case, I'm not interested in someone who can't pull their weight here, regardless of if I can fu
If the opinions of others mattered to me that much, I'd already be
My reasons are mine.
[ ... and that's all he's going to say about it. koujaku doesn't need to know any more than that, and to make excuses... like hell he's going to make excuses.
this is the man he is today. if he doesn't like dealing with it, there's plenty of people to blame, but he doesn't have the time for it, himself. ]
He hasn't been to work for about as long.
What about that shady yakuza. I'm guessing he's gone too, if you aren't already suspecting him.
[ Luckily, all he knows is hearsay concerning Scratch. If he did know about Mink's test, he'd find a way to hurt him in every single, excruciating manner possible while still leaving him just alive enough to feel it all. ]
I tried to track him down, but he left completely. I doubt he could have taken Aoba with him. If he did, the messages would be bouncing back. I don't know who else he was mixed up with here.
[ Truthfully, he hasn't kept that close track of Aoba's friends here because none of them seemed anywhere as imposing as Mink and Noiz. He's regretting it now because he would have had more leads about where Aoba could have gone. ]
Do you know anything about that guy who went on a murdering rampage a few weeks ago?
Since he was only interested in murder, I didn't see a reason to be concerned. He wouldn't kill me, and if one of you died, you'd come back. That's the nature of this place.
I doubt he's got anything to do with Aoba going missing. Since he's been missing for so long, it's probably long-term detainment.
[ ... ah. in that case. ]
What kind of ability is Aoba left with, now? Is there a possibility that Aoba could have regained his voice and used it inadvertently? I'm only speculating. But he's mishandled it before. There's no telling what he could cause a person to do.
[ Truthfully, he's considered that option, which is more troublesome than any other. There's a limited amount of possibilities tied into what could have happened if that were the case. ]
I'm not sure. He told me he didn't have his powers at all when we both first arrived here. The headaches had disappeared completely.
[ Of course, there's a good chance that worshiping could have brought forth his powers again and that they could strengthen the more he does it. However, he's not going to point that out and give Mink more excuses to trail after Aoba. ]
Whatever the case is, standing around and talking about it isn't going to help us get any closer to finding him. We'll have to start searching and gathering information.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
video;
but, this is important. ]
What the hell did you do with him!
video;
... What are you talking about.
video;
when he hears the reply, akira rolls over on the bed from lying on his back, having been staring at the ceiling for god knows how long (probably after he kicked some shit around his apartment). he doesn't look any more impressed, but his anger seems to have simmered down some.
he glares at mink for a doubtful moment, before sitting up on the bed, clutching the device, and giving a reply. ]
Aoba. I can't get in contact with him.
video;
aoba's missing.
he clicks his tongue against the rough of his mouth, exhaling with a low rumbling sound of irritation. ]
... Try contacting Koujaku, Noiz or that gas mask. It's nothing to do with me.
[ except even they wouldn't have a reason to abscond with him, and as far as he knows, aoba would have no reason to comply. they're all soft; they wouldn't take him anywhere unless he was completely willing.
he looks at akira, his soft storm-grey eyes under a fall of ragged hair. it's longer than it was when he last saw him, it seems. it's surprising to see him braving video at all, after what happened to him. ]
I don't see what his absence has to do with you, either. I don't care if you want the legwork, but there'll be no gratification in it. You're not going to see him.
video;
in any case, he can deal with akira's trespasses later. better to stay on target and clean up when the trouble's dealt with. ]
How long has he been missing.
video;
his grip tightens even more around the device at those words about not seeing aoba. maybe it's better that way, for both of their sakes, but right now aoba is probably the closest thing he has to a friend in this place and like hell he's going to let mink take that away from him. ]
You're going to stop me?
video;
[ he's not entirely sure. he has been keeping to himself lately, in all honesty. the last time he saw aoba was during the murders.
but it's been at least several days since he did try to contact the other with no answer. ]
video;
from the start, he should've been hunting him. an entire week is a long time for a person to remain gone; in that time, all manner of things could be done. ]
... As for seeing him, no. Not until you give me the answers I want. If you can't explain why you're around him, that makes you my problem.
[ it's that simple. akira might be an unworthy, weak dog, but even he's got fighting experience. he's not about to trust someone just because they seem too pathetic to be a threat. nobody deserves that kind of trust. ]
video;
[ that's concerning. he glances away from the device a moment, before looking back to it, clearly annoyed. ]
I'm not telling you anything.
video;
[ the double meaning is entirely obvious.
mink leans his weight on his thigh, leaning forward. he pulls the pipe from his mouth with his other hand, exhaling a thick plume of smoke. ]
He's been gone since the 18th. His work absence lines up with that. Nobody from his world knows where he is, either.
... Koujaku and I will be searching the area around his house where he was last seen, and questioning his neighbours. Make yourself useful, if you're that worried about it.
video;
[
JUST THROWS THE DEVICE ACROSS THE ROOM AT THAT.okay, fine, he's going to ignore that for more important things right now, like finding aoba. ]
...I will.
video;
[ there's a moment when, seeing how akira stares at him, mink looks away from the camera. ]
Take the East. I'll arrange the rest of us.
... I'm sure you know how to look for a body as well as a missing person. We won't strike off anything.
[ and he ends it there. ]
text;
All I want to know is if you've seen
Aoba around lately or not?
I won't accuse you of being involved [ yet ]
but I figured you might know something.
text;
[ though he certainly tries to keep as much track of aoba as anyone else... well, it'd be unreasonable to think his efforts would pay off as much as it would for someone who doesn't cause him great distress simply to be around. he makes up for it by his view from a distance, but that's always rather more ambiguous; disappearing from their job for a while isn't unusual for someone who's getting close to the end of their cycle. it's also, from what he knows of aoba's activity at home, not entirely irregular behaviour for him. he's used to lenient work and a forgiving boss. ]
Contact the others, if you haven't. Pin down the date that he was last seen, and where. And who else he's been contacting since he came here. Especially if he could have told them something.
text;
I know what to do.
[ He's glaring and gritting his teeth at the screen in an effort to remain controlled, but the nerve of this asshole for talking to him like that. If it wasn't for the fact that Koujaku might actually be interested in what he could possibly know concerning Aoba, he'd simply hang up and leave it at that. ]
Whoever it is has good reason for finding you, probably the same reasons I do.
I'm only giving you the benefit of a doubt because I've warned
Aoba plenty of times to stay out of your business and
because he has no powers here so there's no point in you trying to
grab a hold of him anyway.
[ He can't think of any other reason for Mink to try and go after him aside from baser and more pathetic ones. Given what he's heard of Scratch, he wouldn't put it above him, but surely Aoba must be wary of the same, too... ]
If I find out you're the one who's had him all along
I'll hunt you down and rip you up into pieces.
text;
But you said it yourself. I don't have any need for him to do anything but stay out of trouble. He obviously hasn't done that. Maybe if you weren't busy looking for an easy scapegoat to vent your frustration on, you'd shut up and find him faster.
[ not taking your shit, koujaku!!
there's a moment before the next message is sent. ]
It's easier to find him with two of us. Act on the same principle as before.
If you know the answers I listed, give them to me. You'll do better getting answers if you have more than a couple of beauticians doing the questioning.
text;
Don't suddenly play it off like you're innocent, either,
and what did I tell you about ordering me around?
Just because you might not be behind this, doesn't mean there isn't plenty
of shit your group has done in the past.
[ Meaning his suspicions aren't entirely unwarranted here. ]
Anyway, he stopped answering my calls around the 18th.
Last place I saw him was for at his house.
I stopped by for a visit the night before.
Noiz already knows now, too, and Clear's gone back to Midorijima.
[ He's starting to think that idiot lucked onto some kind of exit before he ever had to worship and didn't bother to tell any of them about it. ]
text;
He told you about my test? That was between my group and Aoba. In any case, I'm not interested in someone who can't pull their weight here, regardless of if I can fuIf the opinions of others mattered to me that much, I'd already beMy reasons are mine.
[ ... and that's all he's going to say about it. koujaku doesn't need to know any more than that, and to make excuses... like hell he's going to make excuses.
this is the man he is today. if he doesn't like dealing with it, there's plenty of people to blame, but he doesn't have the time for it, himself. ]
He hasn't been to work for about as long.
What about that shady yakuza. I'm guessing he's gone too, if you aren't already suspecting him.
text;
I tried to track him down, but he left completely.
I doubt he could have taken Aoba with him.
If he did, the messages would be bouncing back.
I don't know who else he was mixed up with here.
[ Truthfully, he hasn't kept that close track of Aoba's friends here because none of them seemed anywhere as imposing as Mink and Noiz. He's regretting it now because he would have had more leads about where Aoba could have gone. ]
Do you know anything about that guy who went on a murdering rampage a few weeks ago?
text;
Since he was only interested in murder, I didn't see a reason to be concerned. He wouldn't kill me, and if one of you died, you'd come back. That's the nature of this place.
I doubt he's got anything to do with Aoba going missing. Since he's been missing for so long, it's probably long-term detainment.
[ ... ah. in that case. ]
What kind of ability is Aoba left with, now? Is there a possibility that Aoba could have regained his voice and used it inadvertently? I'm only speculating. But he's mishandled it before. There's no telling what he could cause a person to do.
text;
I'm not sure.
He told me he didn't have his powers at all when
we both first arrived here.
The headaches had disappeared completely.
[ Of course, there's a good chance that worshiping could have brought forth his powers again and that they could strengthen the more he does it. However, he's not going to point that out and give Mink more excuses to trail after Aoba. ]
Whatever the case is,
standing around and talking about it isn't going to help us
get any closer to finding him.
We'll have to start searching and gathering information.