OOC | [Application]
Name: Mihai Mihailov
Fandom: DOGS: Bullets and Carnage
Gender: Male
Age: Somewhere between God and dirt. Unstated, though I'm going to go with early-to-mid forties.
Time Period: Chapter 49 - his most recent appearance. After he and Badou escape the exploding concert hall and end up in the hospital, where they hear about the explosions in the underground.
Wing Color: Grey/Silver-the color of “old”
History: Unlike the other protagonists, the earliest portion of Mihai’s past that has been revealed is when he appeared to be in his early to mid-20’s. Nothing has been revealed about his childhood, though it can be assumed from his young age during his first appearances, Mihai likely got involved with the mafia early on.
DOGS takes place in a city with several levels (the surface, the underground, and the deep underground) that is theorized to be Berlin, Germany, long after some undisclosed catastrophe. The only hint we’re given about the nature of this event is when a character remarks that there used to be four seasons, but that alone is enough to give an idea of the magnitude of whatever happened. As a result, this city has become a living place for quite a diverse range of people. Fifteen years prior to the start of the series, Mihai Mihailov is a hitman for the Dragonetti family. He is exceedingly good at his job, developing a reputation so strong that years after his retirement, Mihai is still widely recognized, feared, and respected. Back then, because of both his proficiency and likely his loyalty to the family, the boss decides Mihai will be the one to train his son, Ian. Even at the first meeting, Mihai only needs a single look at Ian’s face to know that the boy has never been loved by his father, who only sees Ian as an heir. With the task of teaching Ian all his skills, Mihai takes the boy under his wing. Over the next five years, the two grow close, as Mihai gives Ian more time and affection than his biological father ever did. Mihai also comes to see Ian as a son, but because he has murdered so many people, tries not to act on these feelings.
Mihai also has a lover during this time, Milena Teslawska, who works in a bar called the Buon Viaggo as a prostitute. While he hates the fact that she’s a whore, he’s not in a situation where he can marry her yet, and never has the chance. Mihai returns home after shopping one day to find a now teenaged-Ian standing over Milena’s nude body. She’s dead, shot in the head, and Ian is holding the gun. In shock and overwhelming grief, Mihai points his gun at Ian, who in turn shoots at Mihai, leaving him with a scar just beside his left eyebrow. Importantly, however, is that Mihai does not fire. Despite this and his very good reason, however, the family finds it inexcusable that Mihai has raised his gun at the boss’s son, and cuts him off. He continues to live at the Buon Viaggo for some time after that (long enough to burn all but one picture of Milena), but eventually leaves without ever learning why Ian killed Milena, and also without leaving any contact information. This doesn’t stop him from being found in the future, however.
Ten years later, just after the New Year, Mihai receives a letter from Kiri, a friend of his and Milena’s that also worked as a whore. The letter merely reads “Ian killed the boss and is now the don,” yet it is enough to bring Mihai back. Kiri now owns the Buon Viaggo, and has kept Mihai’s room exactly the same, more than willing to offer her friend the room. Mihai knows that word of his return will be spread before the day is out, and openly says he’s planning on going to Milena’s grave. Kiri is immediately concerned, since she knows Ian will also go, but Mihai asks if that isn’t why she sent the letter in the first place.
As planned, Ian shows up shortly after Mihai has placed flowers on Milena’s grave. Mihai at first says he never thought he’d come back, but then corrects himself, saying that both his and Ian’s presence at that place means they’re still broken. Ian’s henchmen search Mihai and take his gun, and the two question each other: Mihai of course asks why Ian killed Milena, and Ian asks why Mihai’s let him live so long if he only intends to kill him now. Neither answers the other, and soon they’re interrupted by a sniper who has been hired to kill both Mihai and Ian. While Mihai is merely wounded in the shoulder, Ian is shot through the chest. Before the sniper can finish either, Mihai takes a gun he’d hidden in Milena’s flowers, and warns Ian that the sniper is coming. Together they shoot the man.
Ian’s wound is fatal, and as he sits against a grave, he explains that he only saw Milena as a woman who would take the first father Ian had, instead of the good mother she might very well have been. He asks Mihai if he’ll forgive him, calling him Papa, and forcing the man to admit what he’s known all along: both Ian’s reason, and his own feelings. Mihai has always been afraid of Ian’s love, thinking himself undeserving because of how many people he killed. But even when Ian murdered Milena, Mihai was afraid of losing him, because he too sees Ian as his son.
Following Ian’s death, Mihai continues living at the Buon Viaggo, where he becomes an errand boy for Kiri even before he’s recovered. On the way back after shopping, a kid runs into him and stabs him, hired by the man who wanted him and Ian dead so he could take over the Dragonetti family. Mihai doesn’t die, however, and as it is revealed much later in the series, ultimately destroys what’s left of that gang.
A time later, Mihai is on yet another shopping trip for Kiri when he runs into an information broker named Mimi just after a young man is chased off. Mimi explains that the colleague has just run out of luck, which is an understatement: the man is Badou Nails, who is being hunted by members of the Bordoni mob family after taking an embarrassing picture of their boss. It’s got nothing to do with Mihai, but he still ends up involved after a wrong turn results in him saving Badou just before he’s about to be shot-though Mihai calls it a reflex.
He brings Badou back to the Buon Viaggo, where he, Kiri, and Mimi (who is a regular) are told about the predicament. Badou decides he wants to hire Mihai as a bodyguard, but offers a pretty pathetic amount of money, so Mihai says no. Before Badou can leave properly, however, two more of Bordoni’s men show up. Mihai promptly knocks them out, however, by throwing a tray and a particularly stale loaf of bread in their faces. (It’s important to note that the bread is perfectly edible, despite being hard enough to break a man’s nose. Mihai says so.)
Ultimately, Badou ends up saving himself when he goes into a homicidal nicotine fit, taking care of the rest of the Bordoni family. He doesn’t do it before they manage to shoot up the bar, however, and Badou spends a great deal of time there afterward doing repairs. Mihai comes to like Badou over this time, and they become friends. Between Mimi and his own connections, this means Mihai can keep tabs on Badou, including when he seriously screws up on jobs he takes with his partner Heine Rammsteiner. Mihai is distrusting of Heine, warning Badou that he doesn’t really know anything about the man’s true nature, yet relies on him. He’s worried that the pair is getting in over their head as well, particularly after Heine kills another criminal boss that was on a higher level than the Bordoni’s. Badou continues to go about his business, however, and so does Mihai. Because of the various killings/dissolution of gangs, there is a large amount of unrest in this area of the surface, and the threat of a war for power among the families and gangs. Mihai takes on the role of mediator for the families (again, showing just how prevalent his reputation is), and thus manages to keep this from happening. His involvement in this is kept relatively secret, however.
Outside of this, Mihai spends his time running errands for Kiri, and getting lost while on these errands. Mihai’s bad sense of direction seems to get him into a great deal of trouble, and one trip to a shop a single train station away is no exception. Mihai gets onto the completely wrong train, which is rammed by another train shortly into its journey. The passengers, Mihai included, are disoriented and left in the dark when a large group of men (at least 15 that I can count, but likely many more) dressed in coats and dog masks enter. They block the exits and begin to murder the people on the train without provocation. Mihai laughs at his own misfortune, which he calls worse than bad luck, and single-handedly begins to fight against the attackers, who all wield swords. Mihai easily takes them down, but each keeps getting back up as if they were completely unharmed. But as he says, Mihai also doesn’t know when to give up, and his guns prove to be more effective in actually killing them. Even when he is stabbed and ends up with katana sticking out of his body, he continues to fight, going so far as to rip a door off its hinges to beat one of the intruders to death. He manages to finally stop them and rips off a second door to get the passengers out, and things seem good. At least until the front panel of the train that rammed theirs opens to reveal a big damn canon.
The attackers fire, but somehow a priest named Bishop manages to stop the shot from killing anyone else. The attackers leave in the chaos, and Mihai, despite being severely injured, lets Bishop lean on him as they walk away from the wreckage (at least until they make it away from the train). This man is Heine’s caretaker and teacher, and he is much more involved in the events than it initially seems. Heine and a woman named Naoto have arrived by this point. When Naoto sees the distinctive hilt on one of the katana sticking out of Mihai, she screams and faints. At this point both Mihai and Heine demand more information from Bishop, who talks as if he knows what’s going on. Mihai also wants to know how Bishop managed to stop the canon, and Bishop reveals (pretty much to Heine, as Mihai is being ignored at this point), that he’s also been surgically experimented on, and was the first subject in a project that implanted special spines that make their bearers practically invincible by means of rapid healing and regeneration.
Shortly after, Mihai is taken to a woman named Liza by Badou; she’s the one who gives Badou and Heine most of their jobs. Liza suggests that Mihai knows something about the recent activity in the above-ground mafia (probably hinting at his role as the mediator), but Mihai doesn’t want to talk about that. He also denies knowing anything about the sword, stating he’s wrapped up in all of this by chance and isn't sure of what he saw. He seems to know that Liza has a role in investigating the disappearances of children for purposes of experimentation, but he points out that there were no children, nor were they taking prisoners on the train. Ultimately, Liza thanks Mihai for giving her a hint, and hires Badou to investigate the katana that Mihai had been stabbed with.
Mihai ends up back at the Buon Viaggo, where he is promptly lectured by Kiri and sentenced to “servant’s hell.” Basically, she keeps sending him on shopping trips despite the fact that he’s been involved in one of the worst disasters the city’s seen in some time. One trip has him going to a store where Badou works part time. Outside, Mihai finds a letter for Badou containing two tickets to a classical music concert, much to both men’s surprise. The letter was sent by Lichter Beltheim, who promises to tell Badou a story he wants to hear. As it turns out, Lichter was responsible for murdering Badou’s brother, who got too close to the people Lichter worked for then. Now Badou is doing the same, and although Lichter claims no lasting connection to the underground, he feels threatened by Badou’s new investigation. He uses some form of hypnosis to control the orchestra members and has them attack Badou. Vastly outnumbered and outgunned, Badou rushes straight to the front in what seems to be a suicidal move. In truth it’s distraction, allowing Mihai to sneak up behind Lichter and put a gun to his head.
Mihai has Lichter drop his baton, the source of his control over the orchestra. Badou presses for information about his past, but Lichter uses the opportunity to antagonize him. When Mihai tells him to stop, the conductor plainly spells out the secrets Mihai’s been keeping about his involvement with the mafia, something he should have no knowledge of. Worse, he pries at Mihai’s guilt over the people he’s killed, asking if he’s trying to atone. Mihai can almost feel Lichter’s voice coiling around him, and moments later, Lichter moves for the baton he dropped. Mihai is forced to shoot down a musician to keep him from firing, then Lichter himself as he seems ready to stab Mihai. It’s an illusion, however, created by Lichter’s power, and in reality Mihai has shot Badou. He rushes down to where Badou’s fallen, and points his gun at Lichter to hold him off. They all know Mihai can’t risk shooting, however, and shortly after the ground trembles, signifying that a massive attack on the underground has begun. Lichter has his own plans for the moment, having rigged the concert hall with explosives. He leaves, having the hypnotized members serve as obstacles to prevent Mihai’s and Badou’s escape. Badou says they have to fight through it, and Mihai apologizes for shooting him. Badou tells him to worry about it later, and they begin firing their guns.
Despite the total hopelessness of their situation, Mihai and Badou survive, ending up in a hospital that's rather well-known to Mihai; the doctor chastises Mihai for his frequent stays. Before that, however, Mihai asks Badou about the man they fought, and promises not to lose to him again. The doctor then comes in to examine them, but turns on the tv to watch a race. Instead, the room learns about the extent of the disaster as the leader of the city makes a public announcement. And that's the last we've seen of Mihai since.
Personality: Outwardly, Mihai is friendly and not one to turn away company, though he isn’t overtly social. Polite conversation tends to be his thing, at least when it comes to business. And despite what Kiri calls a "gruff" personality, most people who meet Mihai end up liking him. This can probably be attributed to Mihai’s naturally kind-hearted personality. It might be hard to believe, given his past, but there are a number of times when he shows just how caring he is; the strongest example by far is his forgiveness of Ian, who was responsible for killing the woman Mihai loved. He also has a habit of saving people, though it’s disguised by circumstance or excuses: stopping a hitman from shooting Badou is called a "reflex." Yet afterward, he takes Badou back to Buon Viaggo and provides him with clothes and food. Also, though we don’t see it, Mihai is actively involved in preventing a mob war that would cause a massive amount of bloodshed. Though he’s actually retired from the mafia and has no loyalty to any of the remaining families after the Dragonetti’s are disposed of, Mihai still steps up to be the mediator of this dispute, perhaps to atone for how many lives he’s taken, as is suggested by one character. By taking on the role without having to, however, it’s clear that Mihai is willing to go quite far in order to protect others.
However, this personality type isn’t one that’s well-suited for the life of an assassin. Mihai describes himself as a man who has killed "so many that he almost ceased to be a man himself." And because of this, Mihai has developed a strong sense of denail to cope. It’s most clearly evidenced again in his ordeal with Ian: for ten years, Mihai claimed not to know Ian’s reason for killing Milena, both to others and to himself. However, it’s only after Ian is shot and asks Mihai’s forgiveness as his father that he admits the truth: he’s known all along why Ian did it, and he just didn’t want to acknowledge both the reason, and its significance. By accepting the reason, Mihai in turn would accept that Ian loved him like a father, and to Mihai, it was something precious, undeserved, and at risk of being lost. Being called "papa" is something Mihai admits to always being afraid of. But again, he only admits these things when a dying Ian asks him for forgiveness, showing his kindness outweighs even his fear and his anger. Ian points it out himself, calling Mihai as soft-hearted as ever when the man acknowledges his parental love. We again see this guilt when Mihai shoots Badou; despite being mentally controlled by Lichter, Mihai blames himself entirely for Badou's injury, and apologizes so much that Badou gets sick of it.
So he’s kind-hearted, and a little messed up psychologically because of it. Yet Mihai’s also a highly efficient and ruthless killer: in order to finally stop one of the soldiers from attacking him on the train, for example, he rips off a door and beats the man to death with it. And again, there’s the fact that Mihai was so good at killing, he became legendary among the mafia. This makes it clear that when it comes to his obligations or defending himself or others, Mihai will do what he has to, regardless of guilt. And in an almost contradictory way, at least on the surface, Mihai seems almost immune to things that would get to a normal person under the same circumstances. He’s got a good sense of humor even when he’s fighting, like when he berates the train-attackers by telling them that boys should play war outside, and that young men don’t know when to give up, but neither does he because he’s young too. It’s shown earlier on as well, as Mihai laughingly complains about how much a stab wound hurts, and how cold it is, despite the fact that he’s bleeding in some alley next to a trash can. While it’s clear that everything does get to him, again, it’s very private. Outwardly, Mihai can come across as almost inhuman by the nonsensical things he brings up during dangerous situations (such as buying volume 2 of a work out video). The sanest reaction ever shown in any of these situations involves Mihai speaking calmly and politely to a man whose head he’s got his gun pointed at from behind.
No doubt that this all again plays into the ruthless determination Mihai has when it comes to getting what he needs to done, and will at least throw off his opponents, if not outright intimidate them. It shows he’s in control, no matter what he’s being threatened with, and even if it doesn’t hold true in private, it speaks strongly towards just how formidable of a person he is.
Lastly, there’s the parts of Mihai’s personality that come out around people he likes. Towards women, Mihai tends to be polite and friendly (and in Kiri’s case, he’s totally and completely whipped). He’s good with children, as is made evident by his time with Ian, and how much the boy ends up loving him. Notably, we don’t see Mihai with any male peers his own age, but he does have a liking for Badou in particular. This might be due in part to Badou being about Ian’s age, and according to Kiri, a bit similar in personality (though Mihai doesn’t see it, or how he’s like Haine). Whatever the reason, Mihai watches out for Badou, advising him against doing stupid things, and even protecting him at times. Of course, he’s not going to put up with any crap just because of some fondness: he clearly states Badou’s going to be charged for Mihai’s services on more than one occasion. And when Badou tries to blow off a dangerous situation, Mihai warns him against getting too involved, both with the mob, and with Haine, who they really don’t know anything about. He also pulls out some pictures of Badou being manhandled, unafraid of embarrassing his friend to make him realize the danger he’s putting himself in. So while he’s nice, Mihai’s far from being a doormat (unless it’s Kiri, but she’s a very special exception).
Strengths: Physically, Mihai is about as maxed out as a person can get without being a genetic experimentation. He's strong enough to rip a train door off its hinges, tough enough to keep fighting with four swords sticking out of his body, and good enough to win a fight against a mob of soldiers scientifically altered to have inhuman healing factors. Also, he eats bread that is hard enough to break a man's nose. He's hardcore, man. Additionally, Mihai's spent years as an assassin, and is so good that his reputation lingers even ten years after he's run out of the profession. He's a master at gun fighting as well as hand to hand, and likely has been trained in the use of swords and knives as well. And he can use whatever is around him to his advantage on top of that.
On the mental and emotional front, Mihai is smart enough to keep track of the assorted mafia families in the above-ground, and controlled enough to act as their mediator in order to prevent a massive power struggle that would result in countless deaths. He keeps a cool face while fighting, making jokes or at the very least, polite conversation with his enemies. He doesn't let his emotions overwhelm him except in the most extreme cases, like in front of a dying Ian, and even then, it's only when he and Kiri are out of danger. He's kindhearted to a fault, and has a gentle nature that makes him a likable person to most.
Weaknesses: Physically, Mihai's only "weakness" is that he really is human. He can take a lot, but then he also has to recover from all those wounds. Also, he can't draw worth a damn (at least not when injured).
In terms of mental and emotional weaknesses, Mihai secretly feels a massive amount of guilt for the lives he's taken as a hitman, though he doesn't let it show in most cases. An exception is when he shoots Badou-even though he did it under the influence of Licther's power, Mihai apologizes numerous times for it, enough that Badou says he's tired of hearing about it. Despite Badou not being truly angry at Mihai, the guilt he feels for his actions is clear. And of course, it's seen as Ian is dying, when Mihai himself says that he barely considers himself human because of the murders he's committed. Again, none of this tends to show on the surface, but it can be taken advantage of, as Licther does so.
While "luck" isn't a category here, it deserves its own place in Mihai's weaknesses section. Mihai is a damn unlucky bastard. His two greatest "talents" are getting lost and getting into trouble. The whole incident with the train, for example? Is one Mihai got stuck in because he had been sent out by Kiri to go to the store to pick up a teakettle, and got on the wrong train. Even meeting Badou is completely accidental, as Mihai is wandering the alleys totally lost when he saves Badou's life. He may be the most badass assassin of his time, but send him on an errand three blocks away? And Mihai is screwed.
Samples
First Person (Q&A)
1. Describe what the word 'honor' means to you.
Honor, huh? That's not exactly a word you hear so much anymore. Especially not when you're dealing with a bunch of mafia families all hungry for power. But if I had to, I guess it'd say it has a lot to do with respect. I mean, yes, there are guys to sent out to do the dirty work in any profession, and that especially holds true in the criminal world. But making a murderer out of an adult has a lot more honor to it than sending out some kid with a knife. Even criminals should have lines that they don't cross in the name of business. So if there's anything like honor left in the world, I guess it'd be something like that. It's the difference between killing a rival family member, and some innocent old lady trying to cross the street.
2. Do you have any regrets? If so, what are they?
That isn't the sort of question you just ask someone, you know. Anyone who's lived as long as I have is going to have regrets; that's just life. But that doesn't mean I'm going to broadcast my history to some stranger. Sorry.
3. What's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
...A certain person called me something special, once. And that's as far into it as I'm going to go.
4. Describe something you like to do for fun.
Reading is nice. And as much as I complain about it, Kiri's little shopping trips aren't that bad. Sometimes it's good to get out and just take a peaceful walk. I just wish they'd end up that way more often, but there's no fighting Lady Luck when she decides to have some fun at your expense.
5. Have you ever been in love? How did it feel?
Seriously, how old are you? It's love. How do you think it feels?
Oh fine, fine. Yes, I've been in love. And it's...well. There's nothing like seeing your woman walk into a room with a smile. Even if she decides to humiliate you by pushing her breasts all over you five seconds later. But even that's a good thing, because then she laughs, and just knowing she's happy is probably one of the best things in the world.
Third Person: Cold reached throughout the city, one of the few things that didn't seem to change from the alleyways to the base of the massive tower that served as its center. So it wasn't the cold that first alerted Mihai to his new surroundings, though it might have played a role in waking him up. Really, of all the places a man could find himself in, shouldn't a hospital properly maintain their central heating? At the very least, they could provide thicker blankets. Or dry ones.
That, as it turned out, was the main clue. Regretfully, Mihai wasn't entirely unfamiliar with the way snow slightly melted against the skin as it stole away warmth. But unlike that prior time, Mihai didn't have so much as a shirt to soak in the traces of water at present, and that was a concern. He'd been in the hospital, a refuge for the injured and abused, and completely familiar territory for the old man. Considering how often he provided the dear doctors there with a sizable payment for services rendered, Mihai had been well-versed in their discharge procedures. Dumping unconscious patients in the snow didn't make sense. Unless he'd forgotten to make a payment on the prior bill--
Ah, that was something to discuss with Kiri, however. Mihai sat up, wondering if they couldn't have at least returned his clothes before ejecting him. Mihai dressed well, but even his outfit would only go for so much in a pawn shop. But then, dead bodies went for even less, so setting him out to freeze seemed to serve even less of a purpose if past due payments truly were the motivation. His half-naked state aside, however, Mihai next found himself wondering at the surroundings. The buildings were entirely unfamiliar, and that was saying something to a man who had seen most of the city over the course of his years. True, it'd happened through a series of wrong turns and innocent misdirection, but the point remained.
Really, how unlucky could he be to get lost without even trying?
Mihai let out a low laugh at the thought, though the movement seemed to jar something in his back. He might not have noticed the ache, save for the different ways that burns and muscles signaled pain. Cold and age affected the joints, and Mihai might have dismissed it as such if not for the texture he felt when he reached back to rub the weary muscle. Were those-feathers?
Now things made even less sense. Even supposing his initial theory had been correct and the hospital expected him to come up with some quick cash, where did they get off turning him into a fetish mutant? Honestly, old men with cutesy wings couldn't exactly be worth top dollar on the street corner in these modern times. Just what were these people thinking?
Well, Mihai Mihailov would not be selling his wares that easily, thank you very much. He'd happily maintain whatever scraps of dignity he might have remaining by putting those things sticking from his back out of mind. Finding his way back to the Buon Viaggo would be difficult enough without trying to make sense of whatever the universe had apparently decided to inflict on him now--especially without running into anyone he knew on the way. There were certain things that even being a formidable hitman just couldn't help a person live down.
Fandom: DOGS: Bullets and Carnage
Gender: Male
Age: Somewhere between God and dirt. Unstated, though I'm going to go with early-to-mid forties.
Time Period: Chapter 49 - his most recent appearance. After he and Badou escape the exploding concert hall and end up in the hospital, where they hear about the explosions in the underground.
Wing Color: Grey/Silver-the color of “old”
History: Unlike the other protagonists, the earliest portion of Mihai’s past that has been revealed is when he appeared to be in his early to mid-20’s. Nothing has been revealed about his childhood, though it can be assumed from his young age during his first appearances, Mihai likely got involved with the mafia early on.
DOGS takes place in a city with several levels (the surface, the underground, and the deep underground) that is theorized to be Berlin, Germany, long after some undisclosed catastrophe. The only hint we’re given about the nature of this event is when a character remarks that there used to be four seasons, but that alone is enough to give an idea of the magnitude of whatever happened. As a result, this city has become a living place for quite a diverse range of people. Fifteen years prior to the start of the series, Mihai Mihailov is a hitman for the Dragonetti family. He is exceedingly good at his job, developing a reputation so strong that years after his retirement, Mihai is still widely recognized, feared, and respected. Back then, because of both his proficiency and likely his loyalty to the family, the boss decides Mihai will be the one to train his son, Ian. Even at the first meeting, Mihai only needs a single look at Ian’s face to know that the boy has never been loved by his father, who only sees Ian as an heir. With the task of teaching Ian all his skills, Mihai takes the boy under his wing. Over the next five years, the two grow close, as Mihai gives Ian more time and affection than his biological father ever did. Mihai also comes to see Ian as a son, but because he has murdered so many people, tries not to act on these feelings.
Mihai also has a lover during this time, Milena Teslawska, who works in a bar called the Buon Viaggo as a prostitute. While he hates the fact that she’s a whore, he’s not in a situation where he can marry her yet, and never has the chance. Mihai returns home after shopping one day to find a now teenaged-Ian standing over Milena’s nude body. She’s dead, shot in the head, and Ian is holding the gun. In shock and overwhelming grief, Mihai points his gun at Ian, who in turn shoots at Mihai, leaving him with a scar just beside his left eyebrow. Importantly, however, is that Mihai does not fire. Despite this and his very good reason, however, the family finds it inexcusable that Mihai has raised his gun at the boss’s son, and cuts him off. He continues to live at the Buon Viaggo for some time after that (long enough to burn all but one picture of Milena), but eventually leaves without ever learning why Ian killed Milena, and also without leaving any contact information. This doesn’t stop him from being found in the future, however.
Ten years later, just after the New Year, Mihai receives a letter from Kiri, a friend of his and Milena’s that also worked as a whore. The letter merely reads “Ian killed the boss and is now the don,” yet it is enough to bring Mihai back. Kiri now owns the Buon Viaggo, and has kept Mihai’s room exactly the same, more than willing to offer her friend the room. Mihai knows that word of his return will be spread before the day is out, and openly says he’s planning on going to Milena’s grave. Kiri is immediately concerned, since she knows Ian will also go, but Mihai asks if that isn’t why she sent the letter in the first place.
As planned, Ian shows up shortly after Mihai has placed flowers on Milena’s grave. Mihai at first says he never thought he’d come back, but then corrects himself, saying that both his and Ian’s presence at that place means they’re still broken. Ian’s henchmen search Mihai and take his gun, and the two question each other: Mihai of course asks why Ian killed Milena, and Ian asks why Mihai’s let him live so long if he only intends to kill him now. Neither answers the other, and soon they’re interrupted by a sniper who has been hired to kill both Mihai and Ian. While Mihai is merely wounded in the shoulder, Ian is shot through the chest. Before the sniper can finish either, Mihai takes a gun he’d hidden in Milena’s flowers, and warns Ian that the sniper is coming. Together they shoot the man.
Ian’s wound is fatal, and as he sits against a grave, he explains that he only saw Milena as a woman who would take the first father Ian had, instead of the good mother she might very well have been. He asks Mihai if he’ll forgive him, calling him Papa, and forcing the man to admit what he’s known all along: both Ian’s reason, and his own feelings. Mihai has always been afraid of Ian’s love, thinking himself undeserving because of how many people he killed. But even when Ian murdered Milena, Mihai was afraid of losing him, because he too sees Ian as his son.
Following Ian’s death, Mihai continues living at the Buon Viaggo, where he becomes an errand boy for Kiri even before he’s recovered. On the way back after shopping, a kid runs into him and stabs him, hired by the man who wanted him and Ian dead so he could take over the Dragonetti family. Mihai doesn’t die, however, and as it is revealed much later in the series, ultimately destroys what’s left of that gang.
A time later, Mihai is on yet another shopping trip for Kiri when he runs into an information broker named Mimi just after a young man is chased off. Mimi explains that the colleague has just run out of luck, which is an understatement: the man is Badou Nails, who is being hunted by members of the Bordoni mob family after taking an embarrassing picture of their boss. It’s got nothing to do with Mihai, but he still ends up involved after a wrong turn results in him saving Badou just before he’s about to be shot-though Mihai calls it a reflex.
He brings Badou back to the Buon Viaggo, where he, Kiri, and Mimi (who is a regular) are told about the predicament. Badou decides he wants to hire Mihai as a bodyguard, but offers a pretty pathetic amount of money, so Mihai says no. Before Badou can leave properly, however, two more of Bordoni’s men show up. Mihai promptly knocks them out, however, by throwing a tray and a particularly stale loaf of bread in their faces. (It’s important to note that the bread is perfectly edible, despite being hard enough to break a man’s nose. Mihai says so.)
Ultimately, Badou ends up saving himself when he goes into a homicidal nicotine fit, taking care of the rest of the Bordoni family. He doesn’t do it before they manage to shoot up the bar, however, and Badou spends a great deal of time there afterward doing repairs. Mihai comes to like Badou over this time, and they become friends. Between Mimi and his own connections, this means Mihai can keep tabs on Badou, including when he seriously screws up on jobs he takes with his partner Heine Rammsteiner. Mihai is distrusting of Heine, warning Badou that he doesn’t really know anything about the man’s true nature, yet relies on him. He’s worried that the pair is getting in over their head as well, particularly after Heine kills another criminal boss that was on a higher level than the Bordoni’s. Badou continues to go about his business, however, and so does Mihai. Because of the various killings/dissolution of gangs, there is a large amount of unrest in this area of the surface, and the threat of a war for power among the families and gangs. Mihai takes on the role of mediator for the families (again, showing just how prevalent his reputation is), and thus manages to keep this from happening. His involvement in this is kept relatively secret, however.
Outside of this, Mihai spends his time running errands for Kiri, and getting lost while on these errands. Mihai’s bad sense of direction seems to get him into a great deal of trouble, and one trip to a shop a single train station away is no exception. Mihai gets onto the completely wrong train, which is rammed by another train shortly into its journey. The passengers, Mihai included, are disoriented and left in the dark when a large group of men (at least 15 that I can count, but likely many more) dressed in coats and dog masks enter. They block the exits and begin to murder the people on the train without provocation. Mihai laughs at his own misfortune, which he calls worse than bad luck, and single-handedly begins to fight against the attackers, who all wield swords. Mihai easily takes them down, but each keeps getting back up as if they were completely unharmed. But as he says, Mihai also doesn’t know when to give up, and his guns prove to be more effective in actually killing them. Even when he is stabbed and ends up with katana sticking out of his body, he continues to fight, going so far as to rip a door off its hinges to beat one of the intruders to death. He manages to finally stop them and rips off a second door to get the passengers out, and things seem good. At least until the front panel of the train that rammed theirs opens to reveal a big damn canon.
The attackers fire, but somehow a priest named Bishop manages to stop the shot from killing anyone else. The attackers leave in the chaos, and Mihai, despite being severely injured, lets Bishop lean on him as they walk away from the wreckage (at least until they make it away from the train). This man is Heine’s caretaker and teacher, and he is much more involved in the events than it initially seems. Heine and a woman named Naoto have arrived by this point. When Naoto sees the distinctive hilt on one of the katana sticking out of Mihai, she screams and faints. At this point both Mihai and Heine demand more information from Bishop, who talks as if he knows what’s going on. Mihai also wants to know how Bishop managed to stop the canon, and Bishop reveals (pretty much to Heine, as Mihai is being ignored at this point), that he’s also been surgically experimented on, and was the first subject in a project that implanted special spines that make their bearers practically invincible by means of rapid healing and regeneration.
Shortly after, Mihai is taken to a woman named Liza by Badou; she’s the one who gives Badou and Heine most of their jobs. Liza suggests that Mihai knows something about the recent activity in the above-ground mafia (probably hinting at his role as the mediator), but Mihai doesn’t want to talk about that. He also denies knowing anything about the sword, stating he’s wrapped up in all of this by chance and isn't sure of what he saw. He seems to know that Liza has a role in investigating the disappearances of children for purposes of experimentation, but he points out that there were no children, nor were they taking prisoners on the train. Ultimately, Liza thanks Mihai for giving her a hint, and hires Badou to investigate the katana that Mihai had been stabbed with.
Mihai ends up back at the Buon Viaggo, where he is promptly lectured by Kiri and sentenced to “servant’s hell.” Basically, she keeps sending him on shopping trips despite the fact that he’s been involved in one of the worst disasters the city’s seen in some time. One trip has him going to a store where Badou works part time. Outside, Mihai finds a letter for Badou containing two tickets to a classical music concert, much to both men’s surprise. The letter was sent by Lichter Beltheim, who promises to tell Badou a story he wants to hear. As it turns out, Lichter was responsible for murdering Badou’s brother, who got too close to the people Lichter worked for then. Now Badou is doing the same, and although Lichter claims no lasting connection to the underground, he feels threatened by Badou’s new investigation. He uses some form of hypnosis to control the orchestra members and has them attack Badou. Vastly outnumbered and outgunned, Badou rushes straight to the front in what seems to be a suicidal move. In truth it’s distraction, allowing Mihai to sneak up behind Lichter and put a gun to his head.
Mihai has Lichter drop his baton, the source of his control over the orchestra. Badou presses for information about his past, but Lichter uses the opportunity to antagonize him. When Mihai tells him to stop, the conductor plainly spells out the secrets Mihai’s been keeping about his involvement with the mafia, something he should have no knowledge of. Worse, he pries at Mihai’s guilt over the people he’s killed, asking if he’s trying to atone. Mihai can almost feel Lichter’s voice coiling around him, and moments later, Lichter moves for the baton he dropped. Mihai is forced to shoot down a musician to keep him from firing, then Lichter himself as he seems ready to stab Mihai. It’s an illusion, however, created by Lichter’s power, and in reality Mihai has shot Badou. He rushes down to where Badou’s fallen, and points his gun at Lichter to hold him off. They all know Mihai can’t risk shooting, however, and shortly after the ground trembles, signifying that a massive attack on the underground has begun. Lichter has his own plans for the moment, having rigged the concert hall with explosives. He leaves, having the hypnotized members serve as obstacles to prevent Mihai’s and Badou’s escape. Badou says they have to fight through it, and Mihai apologizes for shooting him. Badou tells him to worry about it later, and they begin firing their guns.
Despite the total hopelessness of their situation, Mihai and Badou survive, ending up in a hospital that's rather well-known to Mihai; the doctor chastises Mihai for his frequent stays. Before that, however, Mihai asks Badou about the man they fought, and promises not to lose to him again. The doctor then comes in to examine them, but turns on the tv to watch a race. Instead, the room learns about the extent of the disaster as the leader of the city makes a public announcement. And that's the last we've seen of Mihai since.
Personality: Outwardly, Mihai is friendly and not one to turn away company, though he isn’t overtly social. Polite conversation tends to be his thing, at least when it comes to business. And despite what Kiri calls a "gruff" personality, most people who meet Mihai end up liking him. This can probably be attributed to Mihai’s naturally kind-hearted personality. It might be hard to believe, given his past, but there are a number of times when he shows just how caring he is; the strongest example by far is his forgiveness of Ian, who was responsible for killing the woman Mihai loved. He also has a habit of saving people, though it’s disguised by circumstance or excuses: stopping a hitman from shooting Badou is called a "reflex." Yet afterward, he takes Badou back to Buon Viaggo and provides him with clothes and food. Also, though we don’t see it, Mihai is actively involved in preventing a mob war that would cause a massive amount of bloodshed. Though he’s actually retired from the mafia and has no loyalty to any of the remaining families after the Dragonetti’s are disposed of, Mihai still steps up to be the mediator of this dispute, perhaps to atone for how many lives he’s taken, as is suggested by one character. By taking on the role without having to, however, it’s clear that Mihai is willing to go quite far in order to protect others.
However, this personality type isn’t one that’s well-suited for the life of an assassin. Mihai describes himself as a man who has killed "so many that he almost ceased to be a man himself." And because of this, Mihai has developed a strong sense of denail to cope. It’s most clearly evidenced again in his ordeal with Ian: for ten years, Mihai claimed not to know Ian’s reason for killing Milena, both to others and to himself. However, it’s only after Ian is shot and asks Mihai’s forgiveness as his father that he admits the truth: he’s known all along why Ian did it, and he just didn’t want to acknowledge both the reason, and its significance. By accepting the reason, Mihai in turn would accept that Ian loved him like a father, and to Mihai, it was something precious, undeserved, and at risk of being lost. Being called "papa" is something Mihai admits to always being afraid of. But again, he only admits these things when a dying Ian asks him for forgiveness, showing his kindness outweighs even his fear and his anger. Ian points it out himself, calling Mihai as soft-hearted as ever when the man acknowledges his parental love. We again see this guilt when Mihai shoots Badou; despite being mentally controlled by Lichter, Mihai blames himself entirely for Badou's injury, and apologizes so much that Badou gets sick of it.
So he’s kind-hearted, and a little messed up psychologically because of it. Yet Mihai’s also a highly efficient and ruthless killer: in order to finally stop one of the soldiers from attacking him on the train, for example, he rips off a door and beats the man to death with it. And again, there’s the fact that Mihai was so good at killing, he became legendary among the mafia. This makes it clear that when it comes to his obligations or defending himself or others, Mihai will do what he has to, regardless of guilt. And in an almost contradictory way, at least on the surface, Mihai seems almost immune to things that would get to a normal person under the same circumstances. He’s got a good sense of humor even when he’s fighting, like when he berates the train-attackers by telling them that boys should play war outside, and that young men don’t know when to give up, but neither does he because he’s young too. It’s shown earlier on as well, as Mihai laughingly complains about how much a stab wound hurts, and how cold it is, despite the fact that he’s bleeding in some alley next to a trash can. While it’s clear that everything does get to him, again, it’s very private. Outwardly, Mihai can come across as almost inhuman by the nonsensical things he brings up during dangerous situations (such as buying volume 2 of a work out video). The sanest reaction ever shown in any of these situations involves Mihai speaking calmly and politely to a man whose head he’s got his gun pointed at from behind.
No doubt that this all again plays into the ruthless determination Mihai has when it comes to getting what he needs to done, and will at least throw off his opponents, if not outright intimidate them. It shows he’s in control, no matter what he’s being threatened with, and even if it doesn’t hold true in private, it speaks strongly towards just how formidable of a person he is.
Lastly, there’s the parts of Mihai’s personality that come out around people he likes. Towards women, Mihai tends to be polite and friendly (and in Kiri’s case, he’s totally and completely whipped). He’s good with children, as is made evident by his time with Ian, and how much the boy ends up loving him. Notably, we don’t see Mihai with any male peers his own age, but he does have a liking for Badou in particular. This might be due in part to Badou being about Ian’s age, and according to Kiri, a bit similar in personality (though Mihai doesn’t see it, or how he’s like Haine). Whatever the reason, Mihai watches out for Badou, advising him against doing stupid things, and even protecting him at times. Of course, he’s not going to put up with any crap just because of some fondness: he clearly states Badou’s going to be charged for Mihai’s services on more than one occasion. And when Badou tries to blow off a dangerous situation, Mihai warns him against getting too involved, both with the mob, and with Haine, who they really don’t know anything about. He also pulls out some pictures of Badou being manhandled, unafraid of embarrassing his friend to make him realize the danger he’s putting himself in. So while he’s nice, Mihai’s far from being a doormat (unless it’s Kiri, but she’s a very special exception).
Strengths: Physically, Mihai is about as maxed out as a person can get without being a genetic experimentation. He's strong enough to rip a train door off its hinges, tough enough to keep fighting with four swords sticking out of his body, and good enough to win a fight against a mob of soldiers scientifically altered to have inhuman healing factors. Also, he eats bread that is hard enough to break a man's nose. He's hardcore, man. Additionally, Mihai's spent years as an assassin, and is so good that his reputation lingers even ten years after he's run out of the profession. He's a master at gun fighting as well as hand to hand, and likely has been trained in the use of swords and knives as well. And he can use whatever is around him to his advantage on top of that.
On the mental and emotional front, Mihai is smart enough to keep track of the assorted mafia families in the above-ground, and controlled enough to act as their mediator in order to prevent a massive power struggle that would result in countless deaths. He keeps a cool face while fighting, making jokes or at the very least, polite conversation with his enemies. He doesn't let his emotions overwhelm him except in the most extreme cases, like in front of a dying Ian, and even then, it's only when he and Kiri are out of danger. He's kindhearted to a fault, and has a gentle nature that makes him a likable person to most.
Weaknesses: Physically, Mihai's only "weakness" is that he really is human. He can take a lot, but then he also has to recover from all those wounds. Also, he can't draw worth a damn (at least not when injured).
In terms of mental and emotional weaknesses, Mihai secretly feels a massive amount of guilt for the lives he's taken as a hitman, though he doesn't let it show in most cases. An exception is when he shoots Badou-even though he did it under the influence of Licther's power, Mihai apologizes numerous times for it, enough that Badou says he's tired of hearing about it. Despite Badou not being truly angry at Mihai, the guilt he feels for his actions is clear. And of course, it's seen as Ian is dying, when Mihai himself says that he barely considers himself human because of the murders he's committed. Again, none of this tends to show on the surface, but it can be taken advantage of, as Licther does so.
While "luck" isn't a category here, it deserves its own place in Mihai's weaknesses section. Mihai is a damn unlucky bastard. His two greatest "talents" are getting lost and getting into trouble. The whole incident with the train, for example? Is one Mihai got stuck in because he had been sent out by Kiri to go to the store to pick up a teakettle, and got on the wrong train. Even meeting Badou is completely accidental, as Mihai is wandering the alleys totally lost when he saves Badou's life. He may be the most badass assassin of his time, but send him on an errand three blocks away? And Mihai is screwed.
Samples
First Person (Q&A)
1. Describe what the word 'honor' means to you.
Honor, huh? That's not exactly a word you hear so much anymore. Especially not when you're dealing with a bunch of mafia families all hungry for power. But if I had to, I guess it'd say it has a lot to do with respect. I mean, yes, there are guys to sent out to do the dirty work in any profession, and that especially holds true in the criminal world. But making a murderer out of an adult has a lot more honor to it than sending out some kid with a knife. Even criminals should have lines that they don't cross in the name of business. So if there's anything like honor left in the world, I guess it'd be something like that. It's the difference between killing a rival family member, and some innocent old lady trying to cross the street.
2. Do you have any regrets? If so, what are they?
That isn't the sort of question you just ask someone, you know. Anyone who's lived as long as I have is going to have regrets; that's just life. But that doesn't mean I'm going to broadcast my history to some stranger. Sorry.
3. What's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
...A certain person called me something special, once. And that's as far into it as I'm going to go.
4. Describe something you like to do for fun.
Reading is nice. And as much as I complain about it, Kiri's little shopping trips aren't that bad. Sometimes it's good to get out and just take a peaceful walk. I just wish they'd end up that way more often, but there's no fighting Lady Luck when she decides to have some fun at your expense.
5. Have you ever been in love? How did it feel?
Seriously, how old are you? It's love. How do you think it feels?
Oh fine, fine. Yes, I've been in love. And it's...well. There's nothing like seeing your woman walk into a room with a smile. Even if she decides to humiliate you by pushing her breasts all over you five seconds later. But even that's a good thing, because then she laughs, and just knowing she's happy is probably one of the best things in the world.
Third Person: Cold reached throughout the city, one of the few things that didn't seem to change from the alleyways to the base of the massive tower that served as its center. So it wasn't the cold that first alerted Mihai to his new surroundings, though it might have played a role in waking him up. Really, of all the places a man could find himself in, shouldn't a hospital properly maintain their central heating? At the very least, they could provide thicker blankets. Or dry ones.
That, as it turned out, was the main clue. Regretfully, Mihai wasn't entirely unfamiliar with the way snow slightly melted against the skin as it stole away warmth. But unlike that prior time, Mihai didn't have so much as a shirt to soak in the traces of water at present, and that was a concern. He'd been in the hospital, a refuge for the injured and abused, and completely familiar territory for the old man. Considering how often he provided the dear doctors there with a sizable payment for services rendered, Mihai had been well-versed in their discharge procedures. Dumping unconscious patients in the snow didn't make sense. Unless he'd forgotten to make a payment on the prior bill--
Ah, that was something to discuss with Kiri, however. Mihai sat up, wondering if they couldn't have at least returned his clothes before ejecting him. Mihai dressed well, but even his outfit would only go for so much in a pawn shop. But then, dead bodies went for even less, so setting him out to freeze seemed to serve even less of a purpose if past due payments truly were the motivation. His half-naked state aside, however, Mihai next found himself wondering at the surroundings. The buildings were entirely unfamiliar, and that was saying something to a man who had seen most of the city over the course of his years. True, it'd happened through a series of wrong turns and innocent misdirection, but the point remained.
Really, how unlucky could he be to get lost without even trying?
Mihai let out a low laugh at the thought, though the movement seemed to jar something in his back. He might not have noticed the ache, save for the different ways that burns and muscles signaled pain. Cold and age affected the joints, and Mihai might have dismissed it as such if not for the texture he felt when he reached back to rub the weary muscle. Were those-feathers?
Now things made even less sense. Even supposing his initial theory had been correct and the hospital expected him to come up with some quick cash, where did they get off turning him into a fetish mutant? Honestly, old men with cutesy wings couldn't exactly be worth top dollar on the street corner in these modern times. Just what were these people thinking?
Well, Mihai Mihailov would not be selling his wares that easily, thank you very much. He'd happily maintain whatever scraps of dignity he might have remaining by putting those things sticking from his back out of mind. Finding his way back to the Buon Viaggo would be difficult enough without trying to make sense of whatever the universe had apparently decided to inflict on him now--especially without running into anyone he knew on the way. There were certain things that even being a formidable hitman just couldn't help a person live down.