tepidity | more voicetesting

[ it's not really like him, but nisaka's willing to attribute it to the oddities of the school, like most everything else. he's not the type to initiate like this, but being cooped up in a crude parody of your high school will definitely do something to a person. cabin-fever seems a blessed alternative, considering what all else could occur.

plus, he can't help but feel a little curious about his sorta-amnesiac not-friend...

so it's in the middle of the night that nano will find his phone vibrating with this simple text: ]

is it true there aren't a lot of girls in your world?

[He didn't know whether that was true for the general population, not really. There were none in Toshima. But there had been some among the test subjects, of course, and among the researchers. And there was her. He never wanted to think of her, but that didn't stop reminders from occurring too easily.]

Of those I have known, our bond was distorted. Warped beyond ever being straightened, out of the form it should have taken. A form which was always illusory, though I couldn't see it.

[ ... maybe it was a bad idea to ask after all.

nisaka can't even pretend to have understood any of that, aside from further proof that the world nano comes from is vastly different from his. ]

so there were a few
but you didn't know them like you thought you were supposed to?
what was so warped about it?

There is no absolute truth. What one experiences may be vastly different from what others intend. Flowers may blossom out of refuse and still be beautiful, but the nature of such a plant has forever degenerated. Every outcome of human greed is corrupt, no matter how it appears on the surface.

[ ...............................

WELP. he tried. ]

you liked to read, huh?

There are many books here, but few worth reading. They cannot give anything to anyone if they cannot be understood.

[tl;dr "liked" is accurate]

[ well, nisaka can't argue with that. ]

so what kind of books did you read back home?

They hold both knowledge and wisdom, even where truth and falsehood interact. Books always remain comfortably the same.

[ Kon has been giving some thought to the information he's gotten from all the people he's met thus far. Some come from drastically different worlds, others come from something more familiar - whether it be the modern day or something more reminiscent of Edo. But the one Nisaka comes from makes him curious if only because it might be the future of his world.

Population dropping? You'd think Japan would be thankful for something like that, but it's too used to expansion. ]

question: how long ago did the birth rates start dropping for you guys?

[ truth be told, his home world is not all that high on the list of things nisaka is willing to talk about... and it's admittedly a fairly short list to begin with. it's only become less enjoyable after finding out so many other worlds have no such... traditions as his. ]

answer: long enough

[ This isn't particularly surprising - Kon might want answers, and tend to push to get them, but he's aware of lines that you don't cross the second that they make themselves known. At least, not without easing up to them. ]

just wondering if you're from the future ~
not that it'll matter too much, since we're all here instead of where we're supposed to be.
but who knows, maybe we'll be able to walk out of here someday. might even get a choice of where we go, too.

[ Though, it's not like he'll ever talk about if he wants to go to feudal Japan or to the modern day, but at least if that were the case Nisaka wouldn't have to go back to that tradition. ]

[ it's not as if nisaka hadn't crossed a few lines of his own. as much as he enjoyed keeping out of things, sometimes he just couldn't help himself, and the darker, more bitter side of him resurfaces in the worst of ways, in the worst of times.

but it isn't as if he isn't a hypocrite, either. ]

aren't you a little old to have such wild dreams?

[ for someone who's spent a good portion of his (admittedly short) life resigning himself to an unfortunate fate, he's not as ready to indulge in fanciful thoughts that, as far as he's concerned, will only make it more painful when none of them come true. ]

[ Though it should be an insult, really he just winds up laughing instead. It would be so easy to just resign himself to the situation, especially after he's traded one net for another, but Kon's not about to let that happen. He managed to survive in Edo, so he'll take the intellect and experience that kept him alive there and apply it here.

With a good dose of optimism, whether it's real or not. It's better to give hope than to take it away, anyways. ]

wow, rude.
just because i'm older than you doesn't mean i'm old.
i'm only 18, you know. prime of my youth, the perfect age to pursue dreams, etc etc.
besides, after being stuck in the past for two years i'm pretty used to dealing with unfortunate circumstances. so this isn't anything new, really.

[ All the way up to the monsters and potentially possessed humans, although this is a little more modern horror than feudal mythology as far as he can tell. But, Kon is nothing if not adaptive. ]

your lips say eighteen
but your face says thirty

[ edo has not been kind to you, friend. ]

if you really insist on dreaming, then let's talk about yours
if you could really end up anywhere else, where would you want to go?

[ it isn't technically giving in if he listens to someone else's delusions, right? right. ]

Edited 2015-09-01 01:58 (UTC)

if i were 30 you'd be doing a shit job of respecting your elders.
as is you're just giving your senpai grief and that's a little more forgivable.

[ It hasn't been, but his looks sure haven't suffered. ]

surprisingly i'd probably pick going back to feudal japan.
there wasn't anyone waiting for me back home, and i'm pretty sure i'm not missed.
the past, though, that's a different matter.

[ Sure thing, Nisaka. And when you've been lulled into a false sense of security, Kon will strike. ]

that's weird
i'd definitely miss you if you were gone
senpai :)

[ sorry not sorry he's a little shit ]

not that i'm humoring it or anything
but i'd probably pick the past too
the future's pretty shitty

[ for a guy like him... ]

Edited 2015-09-01 02:44 (UTC)

aren't you a cute little kohai ~ ♡

[ whatever he can give as good as he gets. ]

sounds to me like you're humoring it.
but the past also presents the opportunity to change the future, if you think about it.
maybe you won't be able to experience the real differences, but you'd at least be able to change your own future when you're given that choice.

[ As if he and his friends weren't fighting fate, before he wound up here. But they'd already been changing the world around them, so, really, anything is possible. ]

yeah i'm a real gem

[ there's a dirty joke in there somewhere ]

sounds to me like a shounen manga
but the only way to change my future is to convince people to keep having babies
are you trying to turn me into a feudal pervert?

you just need a little polishing up.

[ there's dirty jokes in literally all of this. ]

well, you're not wrong.
but no, i think you're just fine without encouraging propagation so bluntly like that.
not that i think that it wouldn't be well-received, because feudal japan is full of lords who pretend they're not dirty old men, but it'd be better to figure out a more subtle way to say "hey, keep the numbers up."

are you offering?

[ it's easy enough to keep playing when it's behind a cell phone screen, tbh. ]

sounds like a lot of work
no thanks

[Rapunzel is hoping that she's texting the right number. Despite it having his name there and everything... Because what are phones? WHO KNOWS. But she's also hesitant to send this because two) what is texting etiquette? When is it polite to text? Or rude to?]

(1/5)
I hope this reaches you okay, Nisaka! This is Rapunzel, by the way, I hope that when you get this it isn't at a bad time. But I was wonderin

(2/5)
g if you still wanted to bake cookies with me later today? The boy that runs the cooking club said that we could use the oven after they wer

(3/5)
e done with it if we put everything back where it went afterwards.

You don't have to come! I just thought it would be something fun we could

(4/5)
do together. You don't have to come if you don't want to, but I'll be there after clubs are finished today! I'll make sure to save you some

(5/5)
if you don't make it!

Rapunzel

[ ah.

it actually takes nisaka a few minutes to respond to this, and this time not because of his terrible habit of checking his phone. these days, there's not that much to do around ol' hell school, so he finds himself attached to the device more often than he would be back home, but now he sort of wishes he hadn't paid attention, since she'll likely be expecting at least some kind of answer.

and, truth is — he's not sure what kind to give her.

he's spoken to her a few times, of course. mostly because of class, a handful of times from passing each other in the halls or courtyard. she seems nice enough (actually, probably too nice), but conversations were almost always cut short by him because he simply didn't know how to react to her. he's still getting used to having ''''''friendships'''''' with girls... frankly, he's a little afraid of fucking up somehow.

but he can already practically see that disappointed look on her face, so— ]

thanks
that's really nice of you
i meant it when i said i didn't know how to cook or bake though
i'd pretty much be starting from zero
if it's too much trouble you really don't have to teach me

Edited 2015-09-01 23:35 (UTC)

[Whereas with Rapunzel this thing is so new that she's constantly checking after every chirp it makes, just to make sure she's not missing anything important. Which...when it gets lost in her hair is pretty hard for her to find. Especially if the beeps are inconsistent!

Still, Nisaka is right, she's practically waiting by the phone - or strangle holding it, really - while she waits for him to answer. Which brings other etiquette questions to mind: how long do you wait before texting again? Is it impolite to text again before they respond? Really, she needs to find someone to go over these silly things. Other than how to use them.

And if he's going to fuck up, at least she's likely to forgive him for any faux pas?]

(1/3)
Oh, it's not too much trouble at all! I would love to help someone learn how to cook or even bake! Baking, I think, is a lot easier than coo

(2/3)
king anyway. At least in some ways... And if you don't want to do the actual baking part, I still wouldn't mind your company? Warm, fresh co

(3/3)
okies straight out of the oven are the best thing in the world.

[ the thing is, he just can't understand why she would want his company.

—or, no. that's not entirely accurate. he isn't blind, not like yukari is; he's had enough of these experiences before to know why a girl usually wants his company and attention...

he likes rapunzel a lot. she's one of the kindest, warmest people he's ever met, and possibly even more awkward than yukari and himself combined.

he doesn't want to hurt her or let her down. ]

you're really kind

[ he's not used to this. most of the time, when things get to this point, he just tries to avoid the girl as much as possible.

but he can't do that to her. she doesn't deserve that... ]

can i ask you something?

[Because he was a nice, friendly smile. Because he made an effort despite being uncomfortable around her at first. And that means - at least to her - that he wants to attempt to get better at things. And he's helping her get a little bit better herself. Better at being normal. Kind of.

She smiles at the response.]

(1/2)
Thank you, Nisaka. I find that if you're kind to others, they're usually kind back to you.

Of course you can ask me something. Whatever is on

(2/2)
your mind?

[ it's awkward. everything about this is awkward. and, normally, he'd rather not have asked. he would have just liked to leave it alone, pretend it's nothing until he somehow can't anymore.

but that's never proven very fair for the other person involved...

and so he takes a deep breath and— ]

do you like me?

[For a few moments she doesn't respond. Then it comes in a flood of texts.]

Of course I do! You're a wonderful friend and you've helped me out a lot! I mean if I didn't care for your company I probably wouldn't invite you to make cookies, right? Though I would try to be your friend anyway, I don't see the point in making enemies here, after all.

[You have to be more direct about the other kind of "like," she's a Disney princess after all.]

Edited 2015-09-02 01:52 (UTC)

[ it's getting a bit late. kazu really should be trying to get some sleep anytime he actually can instead of sneaking around, but. technically he was working? right. that's totally why he's crouched down behind a garbage can, out of sight while he sends a text. nisaka had seemed pretty cool (read: normal) the last time they talked and (un?)fortunately for him, ikki had thought he wasn't so bad either, so- ]

yo, you awake?

[ nisaka's starting to wonder if he's somehow a magnet for People Who Can't Help But Get Into Trouble. he's got a pretty solid foundation for evidence, but maybe this isn't the kind of thinking he wants to get into so late in the evening.

not that whatever it is kazu has in mind will be any better, he's sure...

despite his better instincts, he responds. ]

depends

if you can sleepwalk your way to your locker, that's fine too
i'm not picky

what did you do to my locker?

[ he's already up and moving... why is this his life now ]

nothing! just a special delivery!
tell me when you're there

[ in his locker, a pile of stickers like these have been slipped inside... one by one and there are at least 30, so uh. be careful when opening the door. there's now a sticker decorating the outside of nisaka's locker too, because he's made really good friend choices. ]

[ against nisaka's better judgment, he does. he definitely waits until he reaches his locker, though, pausing just briefly to... eye the new decoration on the surface, before sending in that text. ]

here
now what

[ he has a feeling he'll regret this question... ]

can you help me put the stickers around the school?
like i did to your locker

[ at least he asks rather than demand, so that's a plus. sort of. ]

[ he's about to ask why. he's about to ask how. he's about to even ask when, because it's the middle of the fucking night, kazu, are you shitting him

but then he makes the mistake of opening his locker.

and out comes a flood of stickers that fall right over his feet, creating a pool of black and purple.

the phone hangs limp in his hands for a few, long seconds. ]

are you trying to turn me into a delinquent?

hey, hey, hey! delinquent's such a harsh word...
it helps if you think of it like a small trial

[ that doesn't sound any better?! then again, this is all coming from a guy that legitimately used to be in a gang. ]

besides, it's for a good cause

you know there's a bulletin board
around for the sole purpose of advertising

that's not how it works!
anywhere you put a sticker = kogarasumaru territory
so c'mon young sapling help us claim territory and rise through the ranks

[ nisaka's still just standing there... with an open locker and his feet covered in stickers. ]

i'm not sure you should be wanting any of this place as yours
i mean
i don't know if you noticed
but it's pretty shitty

[ god, nisaka, at this rate you could've stuck like half of those around the school. ]

that's exactly why we want it
yeah it's shitty, but kogarasumaru always takes care of their turf
including all the people that hang around it

[ ew, effort ]

oh
i see
that's pretty dere of you guys
thugdere

[ bro don't make him (get ikki to) fight you :''( ]

hahaha what the hell
that sounds like something a girl that's been reading shoujo manga would say

[ not the face 8'( ]

so you aren't disagreeing

I'M DISAGREEING
geeze did you want it notarized too

i mean of course you'd disagree
typical thugdere

[ wow. wow. what the hell is this, why are even the unofficial team members owning him? did ikki put him up to this? mental note: put hot sauce in ikki's juice later.

for now, enjoy this lovely picture of kazu flipping you off, nisaka!

... which he realizes a second after sending it that it just proves the thugdere, so he replies with, ]

DAMMIT

more voicetesting

( nano )

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:D Because I can

because i let you hmph

but you love me!

and that's why uwu

♥♥♥♥

chuus~

ach - for this question imma forgo the whole 140 characters thing

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