maskormenacelogs | March Catch-all

[With a day to prepare, getting over to Nonah to meet Kaneda isn't a problem at all despite his unsettled status. Besides, Manolo has filled out the necessary paperwork to use the Porter so many times at this point that he pretty much has the whole procedure memorized.

The park isn't a place he's had a chance to frequent in the past. Thankfully, the weather is pleasant enough now that they're starting to move into March, and Manolo enjoys the fresh air and the warmth of the sunlight filtering through the trees as he waits for Kaneda by a stone fountain that reminds him a little bit of the one in San Angel.]

[It didn't take Kaneda long to arrive. As soon as Manolo had let him know he was in Nonah, he set out on his bike, the roads practically embedded into his brain as he slolams through the traffic (ignoring the lights, naturally). It wasn't too bad, light enough that he didn't have anything really to report aside from the usual. A couple of honking horns? Only mosquitoes to him.

He pulls up to the park in typical Kaneda fashion, all out stop with pivoting his bike 90 degrees, slamming his boots on the concrete and immediately getting off. A quick snap of his fingers, and the bike dissolves into thin air, going into that hyperspace that it'd become so known for.

And thankfully, Manolo was easy to spot--standing by the fountain and enjoying Nonah's slightly warmer than usual weather. It was kind of nice...wasn't it. The first day Kaneda can go out in his coat and not expect to get a shiver.]

Oi.

[A slight call out and a raise of his hand as he walks over, the other one stuffed in his pocket.]

Long time no see!

Hey! [His mouth quirks into a half-smile at the casual greeting, though it doesn't quite meet his eyes.] Kaneda...thank you for coming out here. My text was sudden, I know.

[He glances around at the benches, taking note of some of the natives jogging or walking their dogs.] Should we find somewhere to sit, or...? [Would it be better to keep moving?]

Eh. [He waves Manolo's worry off with his hand, tossing the hair out of his eyes.] Not like it's far.

[But he knows what this is about, and can see the conflict in Manolo's eyes. Where does he even start...

With a tilt of his head, he subtly invites Manolo to walk with him.]

C'mon, let's go grab something while we talk. I'm starved.

[You're always starved.]

[Hey, he doesn't blame Kaneda one bit. Besides, it's good to have a secondary goal to focus on while they discuss heavier topics.]

You know a place? [Manolo begins to walk alongside his friend, hands tucked into his pockets.]

You like Boba?

[Does Manolo even know what that is? Well, he'd have to find out as they walk, a hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck.]

We'll need something sweet for this, I think. And I know just the place.

Ah, that's the same thing as bubble tea, yes? Maya showed me and Komasan a place in De Chima back in January.

[Definitely not what he first expected, but the experience was still delightful.]

That would be great, actually. Lead the way, sir! [He punctuates his words with a jaunty little salute.]

[Kaneda gives nothing but a two fingered salute and a smile. The fact that Manolo alreay knew saved him the time of explaining it. They could get a move on.]

Follow me.

[And he falls into pace on the sidewalk, hands stuffed in his pockets.]

So...what's your question. If you're still unregistered, good for you. [Less complicated, if he's gonna be honest.]

I am still unregistered, yes...[Manolo's eyebrows are lightly furrowed as he speaks.] Recently, I started to wonder if I should become registered so I can be of more use to people overseas. But after the bombings...

[It was just another reminder why he didn't like affiliating himself with the military.]

I know you said you were going to un-register, so...I wanted to know how you feel about being listed as AWOL if you ever need to cross the border in order to help someone.

I don't care what the government thinks of me.

[It comes out almost immediate, as if he'd been holding it in while Manolo was finishing up his sentence.] I go and help my friends cause that's what I'm supposed to do.

[His wrist extends out, pulling back to how the word 'Registered' glowing brightly on his wrist. And...this is a hard confession for Kaneda to make right now.]

Was. I was going to unregister.

[Kaneda's skin around the tattoo is red, raw from being rubbed and scrubbed. Nail marks making bruises in his skin, white scrapes and pressure lines from boxing tape still leaving their mark.

From the looks of it, he wasn't all too proud of it.]

[Manolo gazes at the tattoo. Kaneda's skin is irritated and bruised, and his own wrist almost aches from looking at it.]

Kaneda...

[Did he try to remove the tattoo himself? Or were the marks a result of masking the biggest reminder of the government's control over them? More importantly, why does his tattoo still read "Registered" when he clearly wants no part of it?

With a concerned frown, he asks:]

Did something happen?

[Kaneda doesn't look up for the first few seconds, thumb running along that reddened skin. It was true...ever since he'd went to go unregister, ever since that plan had blown up in his face...he'd done everything to try and get it off. At least hide it physically.

Get a tattoo. they said.]

I went to--went to go quit my job too.

But my boss said that if I did...the government would be on my ass about where I get my money. And he'd have to sell me out as part of an underground ring.

[His boss had put it as 'mutual cooperation.' Keep Kaneda's illegal activities out of the spotlight, but Kaneda has to keep his registered status.]

[Anger flashes in Manolo's eyes, and his jaw visibly tightens.]

Your boss blackmailed you?

[He almost says yes. That's what it felt like, at first. But their talk, as much as he hated listening to that asshole speak like he knew his life...

He was right.]

If I don't have a job, they're gonna throw me in jail when they find out I've got all this money, and he can go to jail for keeping shit quiet.

[His hand unclenches.]

It's why he never fires me. He doesn't want me in jail.

[And just like that, some of the righteous anger from before deflates. His first inclination is to take Kaneda's side in the matter because he knows what it's like to find yourself in a foreign world you know so little about, forced to survive the best way you know how. But when Kaneda words it like that...

Manolo's expression grows softer, and he quietly says:]

Your boss feels like he's doing what's best for you, then?

[It's not the wrong side--Kaneda has never felt so caged in his life. Wishing he could just put the two letters in front of his registered tattoo that made all the difference. He didn't want to be registered, but it was how you survived in a place like this. And his boss had been very up front about that.

"This is what's going to happen, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it."

Those were the words he said. And when people relied on you to take care of them...sacrificed pride can be an unseen casualty.]

Guess so. Still wanna punch the bastard in the face. But I gotta stay out of jail...

[He could just...you know, do his job. But whatever.]

[Manolo mulls over that for a moment. He can't quite shake the troubled frown on his face. He understands both sides, but...wow. These are some heavy things to deal with on top of a war.]

What if you found a way to earn money that's clean? [He doesn't know the full story, and he's not about to pry for details if Kaneda doesn't want to give them. But he wants to at least try to come up with ways to un-register without anyone landing in jail.]

[It sure is, Manolo. And the pressure, as much as his shoulders and bear it, is a lot of weight to carry.

His question's a good one, and he looks at his wrist once more, running his fingers over the reddened skin.]

Maybe.

If my other job wasn't so damn fun.

[He didn't LIKE hurting people, but it was different in an underground ring. It was never to the death, and you knew what you were getting into. People signed up to fight, and it was a mutual agreement. A sport.

And with it came the adrenaline rush.]

[Manolo raises an eyebrow. He hadn’t wanted to pry, but now he can’t help but ask…]

What is your other job? Is it okay for me to ask?

...

[Kaneda looks both ways a moment, before leaning in.]

Underground fighting.

[He knew Manolo wouldn't spread the word. The guy was already unregistered, so it's not like he really trusted the government to deal with him. And he knew the stakes of what would happen if found out.

Manolo was trustworthy.]

But not to the death or anything--it's all for show.

[Considering the myriad of other illegal activities he could have been involved in, underground fighting doesn't seem that bad, especially if no one gets killed. That alone gives participants more courtesy and respect than bulls ever got in the ring. And if it's all consensual, then Manolo doesn't see any moral problems with it.

Outside of the fact it's kind of illegal, anyway.]

You fight with the natives? [Although he's genuinely curious, he makes certain to keep his voice low when he speaks.]

Natives, imPorts...they love watching two imPorts fight.

[One hand stuffs itself in his pocket as he walks, the other gesturing out to explain.]

They don't want us using our powers, at least not offensive ones. But powers like mine can't really be turned off.

Turns it into a good show, at least, and the bosses of the underground like it.

You know, I'm not sure if I ever asked about your powers before...

[Maybe he ought to feel embarrassed, but his experiences with Joaquin demonstrate that powers can be a highly personal thing, so there never seems to be a good time to outright ask.]

My powers?

[Well, he doesn't like to be too vocal on how specific they are...but he doesn't want to keep Manolo in the dark either. Durability wasn't invincibility, and he liked to keep that little power as vague as possible.]

Remember that one day I stopped by so you could heal me?

Yes. [How could he forget? He was elated by how much Kaneda seemed to genuinely enjoy his performance.] You had a really bad bruise, right?

Kaneda

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