Chapter 3
It was true that Schuldig was a bit paranoid and, honestly, who wouldn't be if they had had the ability to hear everyone's thoughts all the time if they so desired? Especially if at one time they had not been able to control that ability at one point and had had thoughts constantly flooding their mind, driving them insane because they were unsure where they started and where everyone else ended. Still, there had to be some end to that paranoia, otherwise nothing would ever get done and right now nothing was getting done at all. Well, he supposed Schuldig and Brad were arguing and that was certainly something and Farfello was howling and there he was, secluded in his little corner, headphones on - though not even the blaring music could completely drown them out - watching the madness unfold over the top of his laptop.
A typical scene, especially when they were in a new locale, because otherwise Farfello would be locked up in an entirely different area so they wouldn't have to hear him. They were moving him elsewhere tomorrow because his screaming was agitating Brad even more than Schuldig was. Well, at least they were ignoring him so he could update his website and work on a new web design while the chaos around him continued. The internet was more his reality than reality was, which might have seemed a bit odd if he thought about it, seeing as it was supposed to be virtual and all. He supposed that was so because he could freely express himself through the 'net, right down to the sound files that enhanced his personal website, most of which were dark songs mostly from the Baroque or Classic periods and his modern music mostly consisted of dark cello music from the group Rasputina. (1)
Nagi sat back to admire his handiwork; he had added a couple of spinning skull pictures, more dripping blood effects and the backgrounds were even more antique and gothic-looking than before. He heard a howl over the tones of "Mayfly" and lifted his head for a moment before turning his focus back to his computer (2). This website, his favorite one, had been inspired by none other than Farfello, their resident insane Irishmen. It was justly called "The Asylum" and was accordingly dark and dreary. A lot of it depicted the treatment of people who had been in the old, inhumane asylums because the topic itself interested him greatly, but anything dark and depressing was held within his prized website and it comforted him.
One of his greatest achievements had been the photos of asylums that he had taken himself - he had pestered both Brad and Schuldig to let him go, though he had never done so verbally, but he had flooded both of their email accounts with information on any and every asylum he could get information on. Schuldig had thought it was cute, but it had annoyed Brad to no end and eventually got the desired effect: Brad told Schuldig to, "take that boy wherever he wants to go or else I'll lock him up like Farfello!" That had kept them both amused for quite a while and the entire time Schuldig wore a smirk, vividly recalling Brad's enraged expression.
It had been an amazing experience for him and had been one of the few times he had actually felt afraid, but he blamed Schuldig for that because of his reactions to most of the asylums. The first one they had gone to, the red head had stopped in the doorway, his eyes wide as a visible shiver tore through him. Technically the asylum was "off limits" but that had never stopped either of them from entering a building, before. In fact, that only made it all the more fun. Schuldig had looked petrified, though, and that shook Nagi, whether he wanted to admit it or not - he had seen him tense and frightened before, but that expression of utter horror unnerved him.
Then he had tossed his head, his eyes losing the look of fear, and had stepped through the doorway as if nothing had happened. Naturally he had asked him what that had been, and Schuldig had grinned at him, the slightest trace of unease hovering about him. "Just a glimpse of the past, love - there be ghosts within these walls." Nagi had drilled him on everything he had seen, heard, and felt and those accounts were safely stored on his website for all who were interested to see. He also had pictures, images of some of the more visible ghosts, some only appearing as orbs, others as columns of light, others misty figures, and others that looked almost lifelike, if not for the strange glow about them.
The most frightening of all of them had been the little girl. Her picture was the best, the clearest. They had been wandering through one of the asylums - even Nagi had felt uneasy upon entering this one - and he had turned a corner, only to freeze immediately. His heart had been in his throat, his heart pounding painfully in his chest as he had looked into her eyes and then he could only feel sad. Her eyes had dark circles around them and her face was hard to make out; she wore a white hospital gown as she stretched an arm out to him pleadingly. Her lips moved, but nothing came out.
He had snapped some pictures quickly just in case she vanished on them as others had, but she did not seem in a hurry to go anywhere. When he turned, Schuldig was transfixed by her as much as he was and she was staring into her eyes, words spilling out of his mouth. Thankfully, he had a mini tape recorder on him to capture his words; he was telling her story and when he was done, her pale face turned briefly into a smile and she was gone. Schuldig discreetly wiped the tears from his eyes and they had continued on with their tour as if nothing had happened, when he asked him later he said that he had not been possessed by her, but rather had allowed himself to experience her thoughts and feelings. All she had wanted was for her story to be told; she had not been crazy, but had been locked away because she refused to marry the man her father had chosen for her, having already fallen in love with another.
Even after everything he had seen, Nagi still was not certain if he could actually believe in ghosts because maybe he had wanted to see them and had deluded himself into believing they existed, but Schuldig believed they were real and because of that he could not completely deny it. What was truly odd was that he had felt safer in those old, crumbling, haunted asylums than he had within the walls of Esset's compound. That he could not explain. He did not like Rosenkreuz, but in truth it was not them that made him uneasy, but the building itself. There was something about it that was just wrong.
That, of course, was exactly how Schuldig felt and why he was arguing with Brad and had he chosen sides he would have certainly supported the redhead. After all, he was the most perceptive of them all.
"I think we should just leave!" Schuldig growled for the umpteenth time. It was his opinion that Schwarz no longer needed Esset - or, rather, that Esset was planning on doing something truly horrible to them and that they should get out before that happened. Brad thought he was overreacting and that they should just wait it out.
"Have you picked up any plots against us?" It was meant sarcastically, but it stopped Schuldig cold; Nagi finished up on his laptop and turned it off, turning his attention to the two older men.
Schuldig's hands went to his sides and balled into fists until his knuckles turned white, then he released them slowly. "No, but that doesn't mean anything. Something isn't right and I don't know what it is. Haven't you been listening to me? It's off, my telepathy is - is fuzzy and I can't pick anything up and I don't know why!"
"And you think this is part of their plot?" Raised eyebrow. Schuldig bared his teeth at him angrily, knowing he didn't believe him.
"Yes!"
"How is it that they managed to shut down your telepathic abilities? Wouldn't they have had to do something to do in order to do that and when, exactly, have they had the chance to do anything of the sort since we just met them today and you would have realized they were up to something before anything ever happened?"
Schuldig's glare was pure hatred and even gave Brad pause. They all knew that even though Brad was their official leader, Schuldig was more deadly and powerful than him; Brad was good in a normal fight, in a normal situation, but all it took for the flighty redhead was a thought and he could kill or drive someone insane, depending on his current mood. Looks couldn't kill, but if you were Schuldig, thoughts could and right now it looked like he wanted Brad to be very, very dead.
Of course, his control was much better than that and he cared too much for Brad - though sometimes Nagi had to wonder why he did, especially when he was in one of his "I'm a bastard and I feel like proving it" moods - and all he does is glare. "For once, will you just listen to me? Something is seriously fucked up here and somehow they are messing with or blocking my abilities. I don't know how that is possible but I know these people are capable of anything!"
"And that is reason enough for us to pull out of Esset and strike out on our own?"
If Schuldig had had Nagi's telekinetic abilities, Brad would have been thrown across the room and most likely would have ended up with quite a few broken bones. "YES!"
He could see Brad was looking for a way to end this conversation without offending Schuldig and/or getting himself killed. His eyes landed on him and he stared back at him blankly. Damn. He intended on involving him, of course. It always came down to that, didn't it? "You know, we shouldn't fight in front of the boy."
With a roll of his eyes, he cranked up the volume on his mp3 player. It was Gingerbread Coffin. Schuldig's expression took on an almost maternal look as he glanced toward the corner where their brown-haired boy was curled with his now closed laptop still resting on his legs. He thought of Nagi as theirs, since they had more or less raised him; Schuldig wished over and over again that he could have had the boy in his care at a much younger age. Then, perhaps, things would have been different for him and he would have been a more hopeful, expressive individual - but, they were all screwed up in their own way and there really wasn't much to be done about it now.
"Nagi."
He raised his head and gave him a semi-curious look.
"Put that away and come here."
Slowly he set his laptop and mp3 player aside, wary, and wandered over to Schuldig as he had requested. The red head smiled at him affectionately and told him, "It's getting late, so why won't you go and get ready for bed? It seems someone here will be sleeping alone tonight." That someone, judging by the glare Schuldig sent in his direction, was Brad. And, since there were only two beds in the rather spacious room that meant a certain redhead was going to end up with Nagi. He usually stole all the blankets and often times he would end up trapping him in his arms; the first time he had done that Nagi had almost screamed in fright, but Schuldig's mind had reached out for him, purring and cooing as only he could and he had been able to relax back into the depths of sleep.
"Wait a moment!" Nagi paused on the way to his abandoned clothes- containing bag. He stared blankly at Schuldig as he held out a nightshirt for him. "Wear this."
He stood quietly, frowning. He glanced at Schuldig, then back at the cute frogs decorating the nightshirt. Every once in a while Schuldig would pick up an absolutely ridiculous outfit that Nagi would refuse to wear in public. Yet, this wasn't exactly "in public" and there was no denying that cheerfully optimistic expression. So, he took it silently, horrified, and changed into it.
"You're adorable, you know that, don't you?"
He thought he looked silly, but he wasn't about to say that out loud. Instead, he padded across the floor and slipped into bed. Schuldig turned off all the lights, purposely leaving Brad sitting in the darkness then he crawled in beside Nagi and pulled the boy back against him. Naturally, Nagi did not protest and he allowed long, strong arms to wrap around him, holding him securely, lending him his warmth to chase away the cold that usually shrouded him.
"What do you think of them?" was whispered close to his ear.
"I don't like them."
"What do you think they are going to do?"
Nagi stared into the darkness before him, knowing without a doubt that Brad was listening to them, needing to hear his response. "I don't know, but it does not bode well for anyone. Especially us."
Even Farfello lapsed into silence, a chill seeming to pass through them. Schuldig's arms tightened around him. "We will protect our Nagi. Don't worry."
He knew that and that meant that he had to protect them, as well.
~~~~~~~~~~(1) Love this group!! I sometimes wish I could play a bass instrument because they are all cool and deep and everything. ^^
(2) No, not Nagi's theme song, "Mayfly" but the Rasputina "Mayfly" from "How we quit the forest".