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"You've reached Steven Stone. Leave a message, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
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"You've reached Steven Stone. Leave a message, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
( audio ) ( video ) ( text ) ( action )
[It's not late, exactly, but it certainly isn't bright and cheery out. Neji had woken up only to find himself hoping (again) that he'd somehow earned himself a way back home-- of course, having the thought itself cemented the fact that no, he hadn't. And he had waited a little longer than he should have slumped on the floor before hoisting himself up. And breaking some bottles of hard spirits that had been on the shelf in that store because
of course he had.
A shower and entirely too much talking later, Neji had somehow managed to worm his way out of his teammate's grip. Because he's Neji Hyuga, damn it, and as far as he was aware he'd already waited entirely too long--
he finds Steven because he might lack his bloodline limit but not sharp eyes and the years of training in tracking. His fucking head was going to explode from the pressure he felt behind his eyes and from the hours of reeking of booze he never consumed, but the boy's stepping into the man's path with all the resolve in the world, cat-silent and just as ready to bolt.
Neji bends low at the waist. His hair is untied and falls over one shoulder and he might have been better off announcing something, anything, but gods almighty he is tired of noise. He's tired. But he still did have a duty, and Neji won't straighten just yet.
His pride-- at the moment, he can't offer anything else in ways of an apology.]
of course he had.
A shower and entirely too much talking later, Neji had somehow managed to worm his way out of his teammate's grip. Because he's Neji Hyuga, damn it, and as far as he was aware he'd already waited entirely too long--
he finds Steven because he might lack his bloodline limit but not sharp eyes and the years of training in tracking. His fucking head was going to explode from the pressure he felt behind his eyes and from the hours of reeking of booze he never consumed, but the boy's stepping into the man's path with all the resolve in the world, cat-silent and just as ready to bolt.
Neji bends low at the waist. His hair is untied and falls over one shoulder and he might have been better off announcing something, anything, but gods almighty he is tired of noise. He's tired. But he still did have a duty, and Neji won't straighten just yet.
His pride-- at the moment, he can't offer anything else in ways of an apology.]
[ needless to say, there's plenty on steven's mind after he leaves the group that he woke up with. the first thing that he does is return home to rest - hypothermia is (not so surprisingly) exhausting, but sleep doesn't come easily. no matter how high he puts up the heat in his apartment, he can't seem to shake the cold that has penetrated into his very core.
layering helps, but only a little bit - it's warmer than any of his suits, but the chill still lingers in his body as if the spirit that they disturbed is still lingering around him. sitting around in his apartment with his thoughts isn't doing him any favours either; the fresh memories of seeing death and experiencing it slowly are still fogging his brain. it's not doing him well to dwell on it, which is why he leaves the building. it looks quite odd for him to be wearing so much in the middle of july, but he can't bring himself to care very much.
it's there that neji will find him, leaning against a wall and scrolling through his CereVice without much focus. he gives up after a little while with a sigh, idly wondering if taking a walk can clear his thoughts. when his gaze rises to what (or rather, who) is in front of him, he stops. ]
...You.
[ despite the apparent curtness, his tone isn't isn't accusatory. it's surprised and soft, but above all, tired. ]
layering helps, but only a little bit - it's warmer than any of his suits, but the chill still lingers in his body as if the spirit that they disturbed is still lingering around him. sitting around in his apartment with his thoughts isn't doing him any favours either; the fresh memories of seeing death and experiencing it slowly are still fogging his brain. it's not doing him well to dwell on it, which is why he leaves the building. it looks quite odd for him to be wearing so much in the middle of july, but he can't bring himself to care very much.
it's there that neji will find him, leaning against a wall and scrolling through his CereVice without much focus. he gives up after a little while with a sigh, idly wondering if taking a walk can clear his thoughts. when his gaze rises to what (or rather, who) is in front of him, he stops. ]
...You.
[ despite the apparent curtness, his tone isn't isn't accusatory. it's surprised and soft, but above all, tired. ]
Edited 2016-06-03 01:39 (UTC)
[Him.]
Hyuga Neji. Jonin, of Konohagakure.
[Heavens help him, he sounded as if he was about to rattle off his registration number. And none of what he said mattered- they were not in Konoha and he belonged to it no longer, in the way those in graves didn't belong to an army they'd risen through the ranks of. And no, he can't keep the notion from flooding his head again- and again and again like a violent tide: he was dead. Not only that- he had died.
But for now, the Hyuga straightens and it takes a tremendous effort to stand tall, shoulders and jaw squared with uncomfortable tension and the will to work through it. He notes the other's attire, it just. Didn't register, not yet, not when he's fighting tooth and nail to keep their eyes locked. Freakish, no visible pupil, it'd be nearly impossible to note the damn shadow over them. Nearly impossible. Not entirely.
And no. Neji Hyuga will neither stammer nor falter, so there's a stupid pause between them.
--he can't remember a damned thing. Nothing helpful.]
What I said stands.
[He can't think of anything else.] I will pay to you what I must.
Hyuga Neji. Jonin, of Konohagakure.
[Heavens help him, he sounded as if he was about to rattle off his registration number. And none of what he said mattered- they were not in Konoha and he belonged to it no longer, in the way those in graves didn't belong to an army they'd risen through the ranks of. And no, he can't keep the notion from flooding his head again- and again and again like a violent tide: he was dead. Not only that- he had died.
But for now, the Hyuga straightens and it takes a tremendous effort to stand tall, shoulders and jaw squared with uncomfortable tension and the will to work through it. He notes the other's attire, it just. Didn't register, not yet, not when he's fighting tooth and nail to keep their eyes locked. Freakish, no visible pupil, it'd be nearly impossible to note the damn shadow over them. Nearly impossible. Not entirely.
And no. Neji Hyuga will neither stammer nor falter, so there's a stupid pause between them.
--he can't remember a damned thing. Nothing helpful.]
What I said stands.
[He can't think of anything else.] I will pay to you what I must.
[ so that's his name... it occurs to him that while it was awful to see him die in the first place, it was even worse to not know his name and mourn him properly. in steven's eyes, no one should have to have their life end without at least that much acknowledgement.
he remains silent until neji rises back up and he can look him in the eye... or lack thereof. steven is a perceptive person; he notices it right away. the absence of pupils is unsettling, but still not the strangest thing he's seen in his past forty-eight hours of being conscious. ]
Steven Stone.
[ if neji is expecting an outburst, scolding, or something else of that nature, he won't receive it. instead, he's offered a leather glove-clad hand to shake. ]
There won't be any need for that.
he remains silent until neji rises back up and he can look him in the eye... or lack thereof. steven is a perceptive person; he notices it right away. the absence of pupils is unsettling, but still not the strangest thing he's seen in his past forty-eight hours of being conscious. ]
Steven Stone.
[ if neji is expecting an outburst, scolding, or something else of that nature, he won't receive it. instead, he's offered a leather glove-clad hand to shake. ]
There won't be any need for that.
[ that's certainly a way to start a conversation! though he's guilty of skipping hellos as well, and considering the circumstances, he won't say anything about it. it's only now that he's been able to reach his cerevice, and he's actually thankful that she's calling - his fingers are a little too numb for the motions that typing requires. ]
That depends on your definition of "all right". [ alive? yes. healthy? debatable. ] What about you?
That depends on your definition of "all right". [ alive? yes. healthy? debatable. ] What about you?
[ there's a long pause between her words and his reply, as if he's thinking about what to say. the first thing he considers is withholding information to not make her worry, because that's just what he does.
then again, that won't work anymore, will it? his visit after the robot fiasco replays in the back of his mind, along with the agreement that they had made. if he was going to rely on someone here, it was her. lying wouldn't help with that; it'd probably just make things more difficult. ]
The recovery process from lethal hypothermia isn't something I would call enjoyable.
[ she asked. ]
then again, that won't work anymore, will it? his visit after the robot fiasco replays in the back of his mind, along with the agreement that they had made. if he was going to rely on someone here, it was her. lying wouldn't help with that; it'd probably just make things more difficult. ]
The recovery process from lethal hypothermia isn't something I would call enjoyable.
[ she asked. ]
[stahn's just passing through the residential district on his way to go shopping for a few things—which means he's largely minding his business when he notices...
well, a metallic looking bird that's the about same height as him?]
Whoa— [that is...
really friggin' cool?
except for the part where he's definitely being sized up here, but it's not going to stop stahn from examining things.] I knew they had those robot pets, but this thing's huge...!
well, a metallic looking bird that's the about same height as him?]
Whoa— [that is...
really friggin' cool?
except for the part where he's definitely being sized up here, but it's not going to stop stahn from examining things.] I knew they had those robot pets, but this thing's huge...!
[ in many ways, skarmory is thankful for the freedom that steven gives him. while he isn't opposed to staying inside a poké ball, it prefers being able to keep a literal bird's eye view on things in the colony. he can protect his trainer better that way, and it's also a lot more fun.
the latter tends to show itself when interesting (and taunt-worthy) humans take notice of him, which stahn currently has. he was preening his inner feathers, minding his own business... he looks down at him from his perch with sharp, yellow eyes, wondering just what this human could want.
if he sticks around, he might be interested enough to descend for a closer look. ]
the latter tends to show itself when interesting (and taunt-worthy) humans take notice of him, which stahn currently has. he was preening his inner feathers, minding his own business... he looks down at him from his perch with sharp, yellow eyes, wondering just what this human could want.
if he sticks around, he might be interested enough to descend for a closer look. ]
[ She did! And Steven was a good boy who responded properly! Otome could be proud, but it's not like hearing that he died from hypothermia is going to warm her heart any.
So he really had been dragged into this fiasco, too... ]
No, I imagine not. [ Let's start there. ] What have you been doing to recover?
So he really had been dragged into this fiasco, too... ]
No, I imagine not. [ Let's start there. ] What have you been doing to recover?
[ he's learning! and while it's certainly avoided a roundabout conversation about telling the truth and trust and what have you, he doesn't feel all that better. he's still numb and freezing, and that doesn't seem to be on a course of change any time soon. ]
Attempting to keep warm, though that's easier said than done.
[ no matter what he does, the cold that's settled into his core is unrelenting. it's both annoying and exhausting, and it's recognizable in his voice. ]
Attempting to keep warm, though that's easier said than done.
[ no matter what he does, the cold that's settled into his core is unrelenting. it's both annoying and exhausting, and it's recognizable in his voice. ]
[he's definitely sticking around, primarily because he's interested.
...and also because maybe he's a little concerned. he's getting the nagging in his ear from dymlos that he should be careful, but stahn is brushing it off. he's cautious enough that if he perceives a real threat, he'll be ready... but—]
Do you belong to someone? [he wonders curiously, looking around for some signs of an owner. animals, whether cybuddy or not never seemed to be around the colony without being attached to a person who resided or was visiting the colony. but he doesn't see anyone around that seems to be too concerned or looking for this skarmory, so... what's that mean? stahn feels like he should stick around to at least try to help if it's needed.]
...and also because maybe he's a little concerned. he's getting the nagging in his ear from dymlos that he should be careful, but stahn is brushing it off. he's cautious enough that if he perceives a real threat, he'll be ready... but—]
Do you belong to someone? [he wonders curiously, looking around for some signs of an owner. animals, whether cybuddy or not never seemed to be around the colony without being attached to a person who resided or was visiting the colony. but he doesn't see anyone around that seems to be too concerned or looking for this skarmory, so... what's that mean? stahn feels like he should stick around to at least try to help if it's needed.]
[Should Steven check his CereVice after respawning, he'll find a fair number of texts and missed calls from Frisk. They range from casually concerned ("are you not occupied now"), to legitimately worried ("havent seen you in 2 days are you ok???????????").
Thankfully, this most recent call goes through.]
Steven. [They sound so relieved.] Are you okay? Did something bad happen again? I couldn't find you.
[Couldn't find him and a couple of their other friends, actually. Their child panic was reaching new heights. It really doesn't take a lot to make them think worst case scenarios.]
Thankfully, this most recent call goes through.]
Steven. [They sound so relieved.] Are you okay? Did something bad happen again? I couldn't find you.
[Couldn't find him and a couple of their other friends, actually. Their child panic was reaching new heights. It really doesn't take a lot to make them think worst case scenarios.]
[ and while steven is a little more of a private person, he doesn't have anything to hide about his background. there's only so much he can explain to sans without infodumping everything about his world's mechanics, but he can be broad in his own right. ]
That depends on what the situation calls for. In my world, my family owns a large company that supplies technology and various goods to the public. However, that isn't my primary occupation.
That depends on what the situation calls for. In my world, my family owns a large company that supplies technology and various goods to the public. However, that isn't my primary occupation.
[ he doesn't need help, thank you very much! skarmory is an independent pokémon that don't need no help from a strange human. but he's interested enough to nod his head at stahn's question - it understood him completely, which might be a strange thing to see from what appears to be an animal.
after a little more staring, he'll stretch his wings to fly down and land in front of him. a closer look will reveal the long, red feathers underneath his shiny steel armour, which looks to be naturally forming. ]
after a little more staring, he'll stretch his wings to fly down and land in front of him. a closer look will reveal the long, red feathers underneath his shiny steel armour, which looks to be naturally forming. ]
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