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!)

Comments

[luckyhood]

B-but... Why would you send it to me?!

[He tries his hardest to not show that it had scared him, especially since the plant is alive and that would probably be some severe level of rude.]

[bondsofsuffering]

[This was so worth it.]

Ehhh? [Just listen to this totally innocent voice!] I just figured you'd wanna know. You didn't seem to believe me before, so...

[Wow, he even sounds a little bit hurt.]

[luckyhood]

[*Son of a-*]

No! N-no, it's not like that! I... I just...

[How does he do this. He doesn't know how to do this.

He can't possibly be honest without hurting Hizumi's feelings, but... He doesn't want to lie, but...!]

I-it was just so unexpected, you know? Haha, I even fell out my chair, I was so surprised...! But now I know.

[Nailed it.]

[bondsofsuffering]

[...Pfffft. He doesn't even bother hiding his laughter.]

It was a good surprise, right? Right?!

[And there's that glee again. He... totally did that on purpose, didn't he...]

[luckyhood]

[Wha- Is Hizumi laughing at him...?]

Y-yeah, it wasn't a bad surprise at all...If a little painful. But it definitely worked.

[Naegi can see, though, how there could be humor looking at the situation from the outside.]

[bondsofsuffering]

[Because you're an easy target, Naegi. So very, very easy.]

--Anyway. Did you know? Plants around here can end up with a cravin' for meat, too!

[luckyhood]

A... craving for meat?

[He doesn't know why, but Naegi feels a bit of a chill. Huh.]

Wh-what kind of meat do they prefer to eat?

[bondsofsuffering]

Well, this one's eyein' the reindeer they've got on the spit...

[Just. Don't question why a reindeer is being roasted to begin with.]

[luckyhood]

[So. Naegi will promptly fail the first step.]

W-wait, why is there a reindeer being cooked?! Whose doing it and why...?

[bondsofsuffering]

Oh, that's my teacher. He decided to hunt one down to roast for this party.

[Did he mention he was at a party? No? Well, he is.]

[luckyhood]

[Hizumi why. Mentioning everything out of order like that, Naegi can't keep with this...]

I don't get why anyone would want to roast a reindeer, let alone at a party... But I guess everyone likes what they like.

[It can't be any more strange than horse meat. Because Naegi is from Japan and that's still weird to him.]

[bondsofsuffering]

Ah, well... He likes huntin' all kinds of things. The stronger the better.

[Luckily, Hizumi isn't the one who usually has to eat the spoils of said hunts.]

Although I'm not too sure why he went for a reindeer this time... Maybe it's 'cause it's no fun if the bears are hibernatin'. Them and the alligators.

[luckyhood]

B-bears and alligators?! [He's shocked enough that it almost sends him to the floor again. It takes a lot of effort to not end up there.] J-just how strong is your teacher...?!

[He can't imagine anyone wanting to eat bear or alligator, either, but again to each his own...?]

[bondsofsuffering]

Pretty strong. When we first met, he was able to pick me up and toss me onto a gazebo rooftop no problem.

[luckyhood]

[Naegi shudders. He can't even imagine anyone being that strong...]

That sounds terrifying... Were you okay afterwards?

[bondsofsuffering]

I wasn't grievously injured if that's what you're askin'.

[luckyhood]

Hizumi-san. [There's something almost scolding in the tone of Naegi's voice, but it teeters off the way it usually does when he gets that way with Hizumi.] You... really should be more careful.

...Did he become your teacher before or after he decided to throw you, though?

[He's a bit curious, now that it's been brought up.]

[bondsofsuffering]

Oh, that was a long time after!

[Hahaha silly Naegi, as if something like that would put him off.]

It's not like I knew he could fight with a sword when he tossed me. That was just him messin' around!

[And, contrary to Naegi's worries, Hizumi totally sees nothing particularly wrong with any of this.]

[luckyhood]

[Naegi sighs, and it is a very world weary sigh.]

Hizumi-san... You really need to take care of yourself more. You really, really need to.

...I guess it's good in its way, though. "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger," as the saying goes.

[bondsofsuffering]

[That

is actually some hilarious wording and Naegi will feel a small burst of amusement before he tucks it away.]

Yeah, that seems to be how he's treatin' it anyway. But I wouldn't worry about it! I'm actually pretty sturdy, y'know. Even he knows better than to toss any random person off of walls and rooftops and that sorta thing.

[Is he implying this is in fact a thing that has happened?

Yes. Yes he is.]

[luckyhood]

[Even though he's a little surprised by what he hears, Naegi can't help smiling a little at the burst of amusement. He won't say anything about it, though.]

I never even realized... Hizumi-san, you must be really strong, you know? You'd have to be, in order to come away from something like that still in tact. Somebody like me would be practically in pieces afterwards.

[He shudders a little bit at the thought. He does want to build up some strength sometime soon, but he doesn't want to get... well, smooshed, either.]

1/2

[bondsofsuffering]

[Would he be smiling if he knew why Hizumi was amused is the question...]

Eh? Well, I guess so... I've been trainin' for a long time with him, so he's usually pretty fair about makin' sure he only puts me through stuff I can survive.

2/2

[bondsofsuffering]

...Actually, come to think of it, he probably started pushin' me off of ledges to make sure I could survive those, too...

[He says this as though he didn't know for certain that was exactly the reason.]

[luckyhood]

E-even pushing you off of ledges?!

[Some mixture of concern and shock rushes through him, and it's strong enough that it might just carry over through the crystal.]

That just... sounds so drastic. It's amazing you were able to survive, Hizumi-san... And you wanted to remain his student after all of that?

[bondsofsuffering]

Well, he'd been my teacher a long time before that anyway. He's tough, but fair, y'know? It's not like he's tryin' to kill me or anythin'.

[Oh... There's a ripple in the connection as something catches his attention.]

Ahh, better get back to socializin' here. Catch you later!