"Tra il dire e il fare c'è di mezzo il mare."

[sharktrash]

Who: Squalo and (what's left of) MANTICORE, possibly others later
What: catch-all. Half his band is gone and he's not taking it too well.
When: May 4th-ish
Where: MANTICORE penthouse, possibly others later
Warnings: language, violence, Squalo

(( prompts in comments! ))

Comments

closed to Roy and/or Jecht

[sharktrash]

[ It's a quiet, peaceful morning in the MANTICORE penthouse -- ]

[ Yeah, we didn't believe that either. ]

[ Anyway, it's noisier than it usually is, and the cause of the commotion will make itself known to anyone who enters the living area. Squalo and Kid seem to be duking it out, again, except this time Squalo seems to be doing a half-decent job at dodging their manager's punches. He's still at a clear disadvantage, though, spending more time running than trying to hit him by the time you come in, but of course he's not giving up. ]

[ Actually, he's just grabbed an instrument -- your instrument, quite probably, as there's a broken cello already laying on the floor -- and trying to pummel the robot other man with it. ]

[ It breaks, and Squalo's once again punched back. He's definitely bleeding, but instead of stopping, he just grabs a bar stool, clearly intent on charging at the other again. ]

THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO, DICK CHEESE?!!

[ The reason for this? Well. Genos is gone, so is Kido, and his phone's out of order. It's pretty fucking obvious what's happened, to Squalo at least, and while some part of his brain remained calm enough to reason that throwing a fit at Lesedi again might not be the best idea, he was definitely going to try and take it out on the next best thing, and maybe get some answers. Or so he'd hoped. ]

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

[...Squalo's gonna get himself killed, man. With a grimace, Jecht steps up to interfere in classic fashion: looping one beefy arm around Squalo's neck from behind.]

[snapcrackleburn]

[ Jecht has Squalo so Roy places himself in front of Kid and raises his hands. ]

Please! No more fighting! We'll take care of Squalo.

[ Kid backs up and lowers his fists but he glares right through Roy at Squalo. ]

I don't know what he said to you but if you keep hitting each other we're not going to be able to perform at the next concert!

[ Kid stays in place. At least they're not wrecking the apartment still?

Roy prays in his head that Squalo will keep his mouth shut because it's just so like him to insist on having the last word, and Kid would get the last punch at the rate they were just going. ]

[sharktrash]

[ Squalo is definitely not keeping his mouth shut, but luckily for a moment, his attention's shifted to the chokehold he's being held into. So there's just a lot of struggling, screaming "Let go" and swearing in Italian. ]

[ Eventually he tires and goes still, teeth bared. ]

Guess what, Roy-boy, we're not gonna be able to perform at the next concert anyway. In case you haven't noticed, HALF OUR FUCKING BAND IS GONE!!

[ And he tries to wrestle himself out of Jecht's grip again. Probably unsuccessfuly because he's still like twice smaller, but hey, can't blame him for not trying. ]

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

We'll talk with him.

[Jecht flashes a totally humorless smile over Squalo's shoulder as he hauls the kid backwards. Any oxygen he might be cutting off from Squalo's brain as he heaves him by the neck is a benefit -- they gotta get him out of there before he gets himself fired too.]

[snapcrackleburn]

[ Roy ignores Squalo's shouts. Just to be sure Kid is listening Roy steps sideways to block that empty glare coming from their prison guard manager and offers him a big grin. Kid blinks. Not as good as eye contact but better. ]

Yeah. Jecht has him.

Mind if we have a moment alone with Squalo? We'll set him straight. I think he'll respond better to us right now.

[ That gets Kid to look him in the eye. He agrees. Squalo hadn't really been responding in the desired manner to all the violence. Just look at this messy apartment. Kid turns to leave and tells them he'll be back in an hour with replacement instruments and a new stool. Roy holds his breath as he watches Kid go to the door. Please stay quiet until he's out the door Squalo! ]

[sharktrash]

[ YOU WISH. Luckily, he's pretty much choking at this point, so there's none of his usual loudness; still it should be possible to make out the swears he's hissing out. ]

Let me at him! I'm gonna fuckin tear him in half and get our answers!!

[ Luckily, Kid seems mighty unimpressed by his threats, but he might still make a mental note of this in his databank. Mild insubordination could prove critical later on or something. ]

open, may 5th and on, anywhere

[sharktrash]

[ And for the ending of HYPE WEEK, you will find Squalo sporting some black and blue on his face once again, perhaps reminiscent of what happened back in January. Nobody's paying it much attention - metal musicians always got into fights and shit - but maybe you know that he's ought to be too good to get beat up like this in a mere bar fight. ]

[ He's just going about his business as usual, though he's probably angrier than usual now. In fact, you might even come across him hiding somewhere trying to shirk work. ]

[worthlesspride]

[Tooru frowns when he sees Squalo. This isn't good. He heard about Genos and Kido. He didn't know them well, but they had rescued Octave together, so he felt some kinship with them.]

Hey.

[He speaks softly and leans against the wall]

You have a minute?

[sharktrash]

[ And Squalo just makes a sharp turn and walks right up to him, as if he's been waiting for any excuse not to do what he's supposed to. Look, managers want them to be practicing and performing, and if this is the biggest Fuck You he can offer without getting Luci's ass in trouble, he'll do it. ]

[ His teeth a bared slightly in that vicious but not threatening way of his. ]

All the fucking time in the world.

[worthlesspride]

[He has to smile at that. Looks like Squalo's in the same 'fuck the world' mood as he is.]

I need your help.

[He gives Squalo, his sweetest, fakest smile]

I was thinking about giving Santiago something for everything she's done for us.

[The brainwashing from March has worn off, his knee is as healed as it'll get. Oikawa's come to to the realization his dreams of pro volleyball is dead, which means he's out of fucks to give]

By telling her 'Bye Felicia' and giving her a middle finger on the way out, with as many people as possible.

[sharktrash]

Oh?

[ He listens, and his smirk just keeps growing wider until it looks like something that belongs on a shark. Now you're talking. Yeah, that is actually something he'd love to do. His best friend is gone and he's almost as done as Tooru is, aside from the fact there's still a few people he cares about here. ]

[ He does his best to lower his voice so that it at least wouldn't be heard from the other end of the hallway. ]

We're gonna need outside help.

[worthlesspride]

I know a couple guys. A scientist and a ... friend of sorts. And they're connected to others who are here with the purpose of rescuing us.

[He leans in]

I think I can come up with a plan. But it's something that's going to take more then just me. Naturally, I thought of you.

[And others, but Squalo doesn't need to know this at the moment]

[sharktrash]

Me too. This dumb jock and -- my daughter, apparently? It's complicated.

[ What makes it even more complicated is that they're both Mammon, but hey. ]

[ Squalo gives Tooru an examining look, then nods. ]

Smart choice. [ A small pause. ] Figuring out who'd actually want to join in could be a good starting point. And if any of them tattle, we can deny everything while there's no physical evidence for it.

[ Because if they start hoarding tools or whatever it'll be harder to convince anyone they're not up to anything. ]

[variaboss]

[ Congratulations of finally coming out of the closet, Squalo. Did he know about this? Probably. Did he care? Who knows. Mostly because he's having a little crisis of conscious himself. That crisis... ]

So, you're lead vocals now, huh?

[ Asshole is just going to walk the fuck right up to Squalo because welcome to the shitty world of "always losing my bandmates/family." ]

[sharktrash]

[ Wow what an asshole. Why does he put up with you again. Squalo frowns at him from his little lounge spot behind an aquarium, where passing people shouldn't immediately notice him. ]

Yeah. I always wanted it. [ The frown goes darker. ] Not like this, though.

[variaboss]

[ Of course he's be behind the fish. Xanxus is totally going to go around to plop his ass beside Squalo and lazily kick his feet up on the coffee table or whatever. ]

Replacing trash isn't bad though. You're better anyway. Or did you want to get rid of him yourself?

[ Someone might vaguely remember how Squalo got the Varia. ]

[sharktrash]

[ Squalo turns to give him a glare so hard he's probably never looked at Xanxus like that before. ]

He was my friend, you son of a dead bitch. [ And out come the teeth. ] Or are you telling me to off the rest of your precious Carnies so you've got all the spotlight to yourself?

[variaboss]

[ The insult comes and without even thinking about it, Xanxus lashes out. It's not a soft hit either. It's as hard as he can. There might even be some heat behind it. ] Don't you ever fucking call my mother a bitch. [ Yeah. That's what he's angry about. Not about the Carnies, who he adores, but the fact that Squalo insulted his mom. ] And while I'm at it, if you fucking think of hurting Luci or Yuffie, I will murder your ass right here and right now.

I don't want the spotlight that fucking badly. Shit. I don't even know if I want to be here anymore. If it wasn't for them, I'd bail and take care of our daughter.

[sharktrash]

[ Holy shit. ]

[ Squalo actually tumbles over the backrest from the impact and crashes into the floor. Nice, guess his fucking face bruise is gonna be twice bigger and have a real deep shade now. Fuck. ]

[ He sits up and wipes blood off his chin, grinning at Xanxus in some kind of particularly dark way. ]

Yeah? I'm already thinking it. Why don't you go ahead, then. I won't let any trash take my righteous place by your side, no matter how fucking precious to you they might be.

[ Well, whoops. There go the last bits of sanity and health that were still in this relationship. ]

Look at that, you actually understand. Then you also know there's nobody else keeping me here right now.

[ Except you. ]

[scalpedsociety]

[With all this crazy shit going on with Squalo, just maybe it would make some sense to regain some memories, own them and care about this reckless asshole less to least reduce stress, but NOPE. Still concern, especially when she sees that bruise. (It's not even really brainwashing anymore, it's desperately holding on to a lie.)

She doesn't give a fuck if it's a bar fight or a shonen battle. It's the same level of concern.]

Squalo, what happened to you?

[Who's the bitch not-mom gotta fuck up?]</small?

[sharktrash]

[ Yeah seriously. He turns when he hears her voice, sitting in the hallway next to a coffee machine pretty clearly abusing his "coffee break" that's probably gone over half an hour by now. ]

[ He could, technically, lie, but it's not that bad of a truth this time. ]

Fought with my manager. [ snorts. ] Again.

[scalpedsociety]

[She isn't going to ask why this fight happened for now, but she is gonna focus on that dark bruise on his face.]

Can you spare some time?

[Let her take care of that bruise.]

[sharktrash]

[ Oh there's more. He's just dressed enough to hide the rest for now. He shrugs, actually pretty eager to take any excuse to not go back to recording. ]

Sure. What's up?

[scalpedsociety]

[Before you know it, she's taking out a handkerchief and putting it in cold water to try and take care of that bruise on her face.]

Why did Kid hit you in the face?