IC Inbox - Empatheias

[luckyhood]

 (If you need to contact Naegi through crystal messages, messenger bird, or action, this is where you can do it. Feel free to say hi!)

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crystal message

[cherryblooded]

Good afternoon, Naegi. I need to know your and your sister's favorite colors so I can properly spoil you both with souvenirs.

[At least he's direct.]

Voice

[luckyhood]

Ah, Cherryblod-san, you really don't have to get anything for me, but... I do appreciate it a lot. I suppose if you really want to, then...

[He feels flattered that Cherryblod would get something for him, honestly, but knows better than to try and talk him out of it.]

I'd say both of us don't have too much of a preference, since we tend to just like whatever's popular, but... I do like green a bit, and Komaru tends to like things that are pink or light blue.

voice; 11/25

[omaru]

Onii-chaaaaaan...

[ She sounds sad. MAKE HER FEEL BETTER, NAEGI. ]

voice; 11/25

[luckyhood]

Komaru?!

[Naegi immediately stops what he's doing the moment his sister's voice echoes in his head.]

You sound upset, are you okay? [A jolt of panic goes through him. It isn't Enoshima-san, is it?] Nobody hurt you, did they?

[Even with his pitiful size, he'll make them pay if they did.]

12/25; you know what no messenger bird for this one he's coming for u

[hopedout]

[ Hisanta Hajime is coming to town (or well, he already is in town) and is going to find out where you live and HUNT YOU DOWN

or something like that he's knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell and what Naegi will hear is the voice of a rather old man (Santa??) saying: ]

Ho, ho, ho! Naegi Makoto, I have come to give you your Christmas gift! Usually I would do this while you were sleeping, but since you've been a good boy this year, I decided to come visit in person! [ HINATA PLEASE ]

12/25; Action

[luckyhood]

Hinata...kun...?

[He's too shocked over what he's seeing to be caught up in the usual shyness over using "-kun" with Hinata.]

I know it's Christmas, but... I kind of wasn't expecting this...

[Or more he wasn't expecting Hinata's hair to be making a hole in his hat. He's shocked and confused by the whole setup, but honestly, he's rather touched.]

...But thank you. You didn't have to do all of this for me.

12/20

[bondsofsuffering]

[Sometime while Naegi is undoubtedly going about his business as usual, he receives a sudden mental image of a chattering plant.

This is presented without comment.]

[luckyhood]

[Naegi probably has bad luck with crystal messages, because this is the second time that he'll be falling out of his chair after receiving one.]

Gah!!

[That's... a plant talking, right? That's definitely a plant talking, right?]

What... What's going on here?!

[12/25]

[jeido]

[There's a delivery of sorts for Naegi on this day, with a relatively nondescript box on his doorstep. Except possibly for its size, as it's big enough to contain a casserole, and an enclosed letter.]

Dear Makoto Naegi,

Merry Christmas. We do not celebrate this occasion back in my world, but I thought it would be interesting to engage in this act called "the spirit of giving", and thus, present to you one of your requested items. I've cooked some spicy tofu curry, a specialty of mine. Feel free to keep the casserole, as I will not be needing it back.

Your Secret Santa,

Jade Curtiss

[12/25]; Action?/Message

[luckyhood]

[Naegi's hand hesitates over the covered casserole dish as he gives the letter a once over again. Spicy tofu curry...

He sighs. It isn't the worst thing in the world. Not all tofu is bad.]

At least it's not dried, I suppose...

[Once he gets over the initial discomfort over the tofu, he does appreciate that he's winded up with some curry. Perhaps it's a bit of his luck in play? But he does ask Kirigiri if he can borrow her messenger bird later to send off a thank-you note:]

Dear Curtiss-san,

I'm very grateful for the present you sent me! I'm writing this before I've had a chance to try it, but I thought you should know that curry is my favorite food, so I'm very happy that's what you got for me. If there's ever anything I can do to return the favor, please let me know! Looking forward to the day we can meet in person.

Sincerely,

Naegi Makoto

12/25 Messenger Bird

[thegreatmistdetective]

[ Wherever Naegi is, Makoto (the bird) has a message from Kirigiri for him. Her handwriting looks rushed, fitting with the urgent tone of her message ]

Naegi, come to my office immediately.

12/25 Action

[luckyhood]

[He's out getting the closest thing he can to Christmas cake when it happens.]

...Kirigiri-san.

[Naegi freezes, everything coming to an abrupt halt in his mind. He's seen Kirigiri's handwriting like this before. Only one other time, but...

His heart starts to pound as he bolts for the office, louder and louder as he runs, until it's cacophonous in his ears.

Naegi almost trips on the stairs in his rush to get up them, but then he's bursting through the office doors, looking around wildly to find her.]

Kirigiri-san-?!

[Please let him be in time.]

voice; 2/5

[omaru]

[ The very second it becomes the 5th, Naegi can hear a voice suddenly yelling: ]

ONII-CHAAAAN! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

voice; 2/5

[luckyhood]

[The voice startles him awake out of a deep sleep, nearly sending him rolling off to the floor before he's able to catch himself, and for a blind moment Naegi thinks his sister is actually in his room. It takes a bit for him to remember where he is and the fact that they have amulets to communicate with telepathically, but when he does, Naegi manages a quiet and sheepish chuckle.]

Komaru, you didn't have to stay up late to wish me a happy birthday... [But he smiles, warm and fond.] Thank you, though. It's really sweet.

2/5, birthday delivery

[sobored]

[On Naegi's birthday he can expect a mysterious box! It's given anonymously, but don't worry, all that's inside is...a cake. A pretty nice one too. No doubt he's already going to have some sort of birthday cake, but since when is more cake ever a bad thing?

But back to how nice it is. It's got some fairly elegant red and blue icing that somebody's taken the care to intertwine carefully around the edges, creating a really nice look (and certainly not reminiscent of anyone's hair back home. No, not at all). There's a different shade of blue for the frosting on top (Similar to a certain tracksuit that was a key piece of evidence, maybe. You know, if someone stops to think about these things.), along with some gold mixed in (like the designs on the back of somebody else's jacket). And while we're describing said cake, the frosting is of course buttercream.

As far as the inside goes, it's surprisingly...coffee flavored? That's weird. Why would someone make a coffee flavored cake with all the other stuff? Was there anyone he knows that likes coffee? Maybe a certain someone back home who favored the kind with protein in it?

But that person's not here, so maybe our baker's just weird. That has to be it. That would also explain why it's perfectly uniform and looks like if there were some sort of exact specifications for making the cake, it would follow them to the letter. Like say, if there was an Ultimate Moral Compass for cake making, this is the kind of thing he'd allow.

And as far as the presentation goes, it's on a lovely lace doily. Made from the real thing, not paper. The sort of thing that a certain gambler would've probably loved if she'd seen it. Or at least told people she did to maintain her image.

Though you know, that's all very subtle, and sure, there's a lot of emotions put into the cake. Love, friendship, but also bitterness and of course, despair. Then again, that requires eating it and not checking the card. Because there is a card!

It's not signed, but it features lovingly drawn, if not very good, caricatures of everybody who our cake sender thought about while making it. Sure, she's not exactly on part with Yamada, but it's the thought that counts. And what do you know, it's all his dead friends minus...whatsherface. You know the one. The disappointment.

And while it's not signed, there is a message enclosed:

”Happy birthday, Naegi-kun. We might not be here, but we're all thinking about you on your special day!”]

2/5, birthday delivery received

[luckyhood]

[Naegi should probably be expecting boxes on his doorstep - it is his birthday after all - but it still catches him off guard to see one innocently sitting there.

But that's nothing compared to the immediate feeling of pain when he opens the box.

He takes in all the details with a hollow stare, eyes roaming over every decoration that digs the knife in deeper. Naegi instantly knows who this is from. There's only one person besides Kirigiri, Asahina and Hagakure that would know enough about their classmates to do this - and none of those three would ever hurt him this way.

Wet. He doesn't realize there's a tear rolling down the side of his face until it's already halfway down. Naegi takes a shaky breath, and wipes it away with the back of his hand.

Maybe it's some broken, sentimental part of his heart that makes him do it, but he takes the message in careful hands and places it on the small table by his bed. And that's where it will stay.

The cake, however, requires something a little more.

That he carefully places back into the box, exactly as he'd found it, and carries it back outside. Naegi makes sure that he finds a quiet, empty spot near the office. Makes sure that there aren't any plants nearby.

Once he's finished with his check, Naegi places the box on the ground and does the most cathartic thing he could possibly do - with a deep breath and closed eyes, recounting a dozen times he'd practiced controlling his reactions as Komaeda had taught him, Naegi holds his hand over the box and sets it on fire.

Much later, long after he's watched the fire as it dies down and shed all the tears that he needs to, Naegi will settle down in his room and prepare a simple text message to give to the sender. The link will be brief and quick, and Naegi guards his heart closely so no inch of positive or negative emotion will be able to be read. The words are simple and short, and he doesn't plan to ever expand on them. He sends it, and something in him feels oddly content.]

Thank you, Enoshima-san.

2/5 [Image]

[eyeswideopen]

[At around noon, there's a gentle nudge to his crystal and when he accepts Komaeda's voice bright and light backed by a radiant smile greets him.] Naegi-kun!

Have you had lunch yet?

2/5 [Image]

[luckyhood]

Ah, Komaeda-senpai! Good afternoon. [Naegi puts down the cloth he'd been using to wipe down the tables.] I haven't yet, I was just cleaning up the office... We could go and get something, though, if you'd like?

2/5

[cherryblooded]

[Ding dong, Naegi, please open up your apartment door to find Cherryblod holding a box!

You can tell it's Cherryblod because his antenna are sticking up over top, but otherwise the box is tall enough to block view of his face.]

2/5

[luckyhood]

Cherry...blod...?

[He's shocked enough by the giant box that he almost slips and uses the honorific by accident, but just barely catches himself?]

This... It isn't for me, is it...?

[If it is, Naegi's going to die from embarrassment. But at least it will be a happy death.]

backdated to the 5th!

[bondsofsuffering]

[Naegi's gift from Hizumi lacks a tag or any kind of identifier. On the other hand, it isn't difficult to guess who would send him a flower after... certain conversations.

Its head doubles as a speaker. When a certain button is pressed, or if he happens to be near it while feeling particularly irate, it will cycle through one of three recordings:

1. The "Happy Birthday" song, except so cracked and staticky and generally out of tune that it sounds more like a hymn to the elder gods unless you're listening really hard for the melody.
2. A similarly creaked "Good niiiiiiiiiight." Oddly, this seems to come up on the cycle more often in the evening, or when the room is otherwise dark (and/or foreboding).
3. A "Helloooooo sunshine!" that could have been spoken by a gremlin over a failing radio.


ENJOY, FRIEND.]

present... received...?

[luckyhood]

[At first, Naegi is absolutely excited about the gift. He doesn't see any indicator of who sent it, which makes him a little disappointed, but he still appreciates it nonetheless. It's a nice looking flower, and he's even more curious about the button down at the side...

Until he pushes it. And jerks back, nearly dropping it, at the crackling noise that escapes from the object. After he listens closely, Naegi realizes that it's some sad excuse for music escaping from somewhere on it. Disturbed, he quickly pushes the button again, and is relieved that it shuts off. Severely unsettled, Naegi decides to set it down until he can figure out what to do with it - and much to his chagrin, accidentally hits the switch again.

The "Helloooooo sunshine!" that's expelled from its speakers grates on his nerves, and Naegi is absolutely horrified that the metal flower is capable of making more than one noise, as if the first one wasn't enough to contend with. Naegi wracks his brain, appalled, trying to figure out who would send him a flower that talks-

A... flower... that talks...

Oh. Of course he should've known. Naegi lets out a sigh that's heavy with the weight of the world, helpless, and doesn't realize that he'll actually send that over to Hizumi by accident. No words, no distinct emotion - just Sigh.

Eventually, though, Naegi will compose himself enough to actually send a text message through the crystal. Somewhat weary, but still fond.]

I figured out the flower was from you. Thank you, Hizumi-san.

2/5 delivery

[hopedout]

[ It's Naegi's birthday! Which means that there is a special delivery, in a rather large, but plain green box. When he opens it, he'll find a crown of four leaf clovers surrounding the edges of the inside and it comes with a folded hoodie - the kind that zips all the way so he can cover his face if he really wanted to - along with a rather ornate shield shaped like the Chinese yin and yang symbol, along with a written note, all in Japanese instead of whatever Weird Language Empatheias Has (probably a form of English). ]

Naegi:
I heard it was your birthday, so I decided to make you something nice. Hopefully you like all of it. By the way, the shield utilizes a balance of emotions to protect you better. I crafted it using my Dunamis, so it's strong and sturdy; it's also a prototype, so if anything goes wrong with it, let me know and I'll make any adjustments. And as always, if you need anything, feel free to drop by, I'm willing to help anytime.
- Hinata Hajime.

2/5 delivery received

[luckyhood]

[It's been a lot of ups and downs today for his birthday already - although the majority has been good things, and since Hizumi's gift had been more silly than anything, the only real negative has been Enoshima so far. But Naegi is already a little tired, so when he heads back to the office for a breather and sees the box, he's not quite sure what to expect. But he doubts that Enoshima would mess with him twice and nothing could be worse than that, so he hurriedly scoots the box inside to open it up and have a look inside.

So he does. And Naegi stares. And stares even more.

With hands that develop a tremble, he takes each and every thing out of the box and looks it over. Reads the note in their mother language at least three times, lets his gaze wander over the four leaf clovers, feels the softness of the perfectly folded hoodie, and runs his hands over the beautiful design of the shield a dozen times.

There's a noise that builds up in his chest and pushes out of his throat without permission, and Naegi claps a hand over his mouth as tears well in his eyes.

Earlier he'd cried so much because of how badly Enoshima had hurt him.

But now he's crying because he's so unbelievably touched. So very touched, because Hinata has remembered all of the little things he's brought up over the course of five months and wrapped it all up into presents for his birthday. The fact that he'd wanted a hoodie is something more recent, of course, but the fact that he's wanted to learn defensive or supportive Dunamis over offensive is something he hasn't spoken aloud since September...

It takes a long while before he composes himself enough to send a message, but he laughs through his tears. He'd never expected the day to end up like this at all. Naegi doesn't trust his voice to not break, so he sends the text message through crystal and tries to pour all of the gratefulness and friendship and care he can into the few simple words he sends.]

Thank you so much, Hinata-kun. There are a lot of things I want to say, but... I appreciate your gifts so much, and I already treasure them. They mean so much to me, I can't even put it into words.

So... Thank you so much for putting all of that care into this. And thank you for being my friend. I'm so lucky to have you.

2/14; delivery

[rockyxiii]

[HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, NAEGI MAKOTO. Today you're receiving a flat box, the sort chocolates might come in, wrapped in cute froofy pink and red wrapping paper. It's labeled with For Naegi-kun, with no indication of who it's from . . .

Unfortunately, tearing open the wrapping paper covering the box to get at the sweet sweet chocolate inside will only unleash a hellstorm of pink glitter everywhere, tucked into every crevice of the paper, only visible once the box is tampered with. Happy choco day, chump!

Also, if Naegi goes so far as to brave Glitter Hell and get the box open anyway, there's no actual chocolate in it—it's just weighted down with pencil erasers. Someone else ate all that chocolate themselves. What a fucking prick.

Enjoy your holiday!]