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[both_neither]

[It was like any other battle on Titan. The sand and wind were screaming overhead, almost muffling the sound of gunfire all around them - the only way to pick their targets was by muzzle flashes amidst the storm.

Gren glanced at his sides - at his comrades - checking that he hadn’t lost his squad somewhere in the howling stands. On one side, a soldier was busy reloading with shaking hands, on the other, a familiar flash of silver as Vicious calmly fired off a few rounds before dropping to cover.

Suddenly, there was the sound of something heavy landing a few feet away. Another soldier screamed - “GET DOWN!”

They were running...leaping as hard as they could behind the next dune as the grenade exploded, sending even more sand spraying into the air around them. Gren hit the ground, covering his head as ears rang from the sound and then...nothing. No gunfire, no explosions, no screaming. All the sound seemed to have stopped.

He coughed and lifted his head up. Titan was gone. He was in a huge, high-ceiling room, with massive ornate staircases and chandeliers, hunkered behind a sofa of all things.]

Vicious? ...Guys? [He coughs again and tries to shake some of the sand from his cloak and hair] What happened?

[Vicious had thrown himself bodily behind the dune, where he should have collided with nothing but more sand, he instead hit an unyielding wall and floor, laying there stunned for a brief moment before realizing what was wrong, and grabbing for the knife at his hip.]

...Gren?

[He hadn't hit his head, but couldn't help squinting at the room around him as though he were seeing things.]

I’m here. I think... [He crawled to Vicious’ side, keeping low as if he expected a bullet to fly past him at any moment] Are we dead? That was an awfully close call...

[That was one thing accounted for, at least, although they seemed to be short an entire battlefield. He took a moment to look over the room.]

I doubt hell would be this well-appointed.

((ooc: loss start!. Soldiers in ur lobby, Para. Have at 'em. And there's a journal around somewhere, if that's more to your liking.))

Comments

[both_neither]

[He frowned at Vicious]

The...Van? Vicious...what...?

[gottaknockhard]

[That conclusion draws a chuckle. It's been a long time since he's heard any mention of them, and it gives him the strangest sense of nostalgia. The castle would have been an even more efficient way of getting rid of Vicious than throwing him into a war. Could be their way of rectifying things.

It doesn't matter if Gren hears it now; from what Spike understood, they became business partners in the end. Had to come up at some point.

Really an elaborate joke this time around.]

Did you ever wish that you could see the future?

[nothingtobelieve]

[That lack of an answer makes him frown, unhappy with the way this is going and even less sure of what's really going on than he was when he'd crashed into that wall a minute ago.]

No. There's no point.

[both_neither]

I don't know what you think, but we haven't done anything to you.

[gottaknockhard]

[Spike levels his gaze on Gren, before shifting back to Vicious. He found quite the subordinate.]

You're right. [There's no indication of who he's replying to, and he doesn't elaborate on his comment.] It's better to leave it that way.

[That's when he starts walking, back towards the kitchen, if only as a last ditch effort to keep himself together. If they follow, things may change. It can only go downhill from here.]

[nothingtobelieve]

[He can only imagine how all of this looks to Gren... and it's nearly as strange to him. He'd had suspicions, before leaving Mars, but even those did not account for this behavior.]

Spike.

[He takes a few steps after him, more initiative than he usually shows on most occasions, then stops again.]

Is Julia here?

[It's a question, but almost a threat, maybe a warning. It's the only thing he can think to say that might illuminate the situation, for good or ill.]

[both_neither]

[He stands, watching Vicious follow but staying where he is.

Julia. The woman he only knows as a song. The only thing he really knows about Vicious at all. Or used to.]

[gottaknockhard]

[That name is all it takes to stop him in his tracks. As much as he knows that he needs to stay in control of this conversation, it hits him like an exposed nerve.

He doesn't turn around.]

No, she isn't.

[nothingtobelieve]

[And that's that, really. He could press this, try to dig to the bottom of it, but he wasn't particularly eager to. He frowns, but doesn't follow.]

[both_neither]

[He walks up to Vicious and taps him on the arm]

Let's go look around. We're not going to find out what we need from him.

[gottaknockhard]

[Gren has the right idea. Memory problems are getting too common, and Spike isn't a willing expert on them. It turns out that the past is really that easy to erase.

Keeping his back to them is all he can do to keep a level head. Another push in any direction, and chances are he'll snap.

But when the moment passes in silence, he starts walking again. Purposeful steps that lead away from the kitchen and towards the exit. He decides then and there that he's had his fill of the castle for today.]

[nothingtobelieve]

[Vicious watches Spike's retreating back for a few more moments before he turns away, giving his attention to Gren instead.]

You're right.