023 - [Action/Voice]

[hageshii]

[Life has a way of being weird. Really weird and ironic. Death manages to top that. Because when Goroh suddenly finds himself breathing again, he opens his eyes to see the forest above. He was in the heat of battle. Hazama was attacking. That girl was nearby. He could have ignored it, but he didn't. He jumped in at the last moment, taking the blow. And then it went dark. And now he was here. In the woods. Feeling extremely uncomfortable. After a moment, he realized where he was. You've got to be fucking kidding me.

After spending about twenty minutes going over in his mind what happened and trying to figure out what he's lost as a result, he opens up his journal and decides to be conversational.]

Turns out dying is overrated as hell. It's got nothing on the Poripotian Space Flu. Not sure why people make a big damn deal out of it.

Damn. I could really use a smoke though.

[For awhile, Goroh will just be out in the forest answering his journal. He's sitting in front of a bath tub. In the middle of the forest. That he arrived in. Somehow the irony of it is amusing enough to make him not mind dying so much.]

(ooc: Also, this is forward dated to the middle of Monday in the afternoon.]

Comments

[Voice/Action]

[not_meatbuns]

That's beside the point, Mr. Goroh...

[And not too long after, Litchi will be along as promised, pack of cigarettes in tow. By the time she reaches him, her eyes are a little misty from the flood of relief. She hasn't even noticed the bathtub. This is far more important.

Knowing full well that he'll just poke fun at her if her voice cracks over this, she just hands him the cigarettes wordlessly.]

[Voice/Action]

[hageshii]

[Goroh doesn't say anything. He's just leaning up against the tub, his sunglasses concealing his eyes as always. He takes the cigarettes and pops one in his mouth. He pauses for a moment.]

Got a light on you?

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

[...She had completely forgotten that. Shows how much she's accustomed to buying cigarettes.

Oops.]

...I'm afraid not, no.

[Action]

[hageshii]

Damn. [He twists the cigarette to the side of his mouth.] Maybe I should learn some of that filial magic someday. That fire one. Whatshisname.

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

Eferin, if I recall right. [She can't help the warm smile as she sits down next to him.] I'd offer to help, but I'm afraid what fire magic I know isn't quite on the right scale.

[Wait a minute... she glances over her shoulder as her back hits the tub.]

What... is this doing here...?

[Action]

[hageshii]

[Goroh seems oblivious to her smile. Almost too oblivious.]

Beats the hell out of me. I reckon the Mallies just have one fucked up sense of humor.

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

I suppose so. [She just shakes her head over the tub before leaning forward so she can get a better look at his face.]

It... really is good to see you again, you know.

[Action]

[hageshii]

[His voice is very grave when she says that and he allows for a nice dramatic pause before answering.] Wish I could say the same...

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

[The smile immediately fades from her face. No...]

M-Mr. Goroh... Are you...

[Please, please just be kidding.]

[Action]

[hageshii]

[He nods grimly.]

Seems to be that way. [He doesn't even turn to look at her as he says it.]

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

[Oh god. Shoulders slumping, she sits back heavily. She never should have told him about Hazama. Maybe then he wouldn't have gone to the fight and none of this would have ever happened.]

I'm so sorry...

[Action]

[hageshii]

[Goroh just shakes his head sadly.]

There's nothing you could've done, Litchi. It seems that even a week of being dead... still left me with this face. [He tugs off his sunglasses. Yes Litchi. He's still a hideous looking man.]

[Action] 1/2

[not_meatbuns]

[Just... give her a second here. Was he seriously just joking about being blinded? Just for the sheer amusement of getting a reaction out of her?

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realizes she shouldn't have expected any different, but she's still hurt. Spend a week fearing that you'll never see your friend again, get treated to this in return.]

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

[She's on her feet angrily in record time.] Mr. Goroh! That wasn't funny!

[Action]

[hageshii]

[Goroh remains on the ground, seemingly unfazed by her outburst. He just looks up at her, vaguely amused.]

It's better than what I was going to do originally. "Litchi who?" seemed low, even for me.

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

[Just thinking about that stings. The fact that it even crossed his mind as a joke hurts. Not that she's ever told him about the last time that happened, but she would still hope he'd know better.]

I can't believe you...

[Action]

[hageshii]

[Goroh frowns and gets to his feet, pulling a lighter from his jacket pocket and lighting up the cigarette.]

Alright, alright. I probably should've used something less severe. But a man doesn't die every day, you know. Not gonna get too many chances to pull that one, now am I?

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

[She's annoyed. So very annoyed. But this is just his nature. Getting irritated is pretty pointless.

She lets out a heavy sigh.] You're terrible.

[Action]

[hageshii]

Never claimed otherwise. [He stretches his limbs and looks around.]

So, I take it we won. How's Noel?

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

[Litchi winces.]

She's... not recovering all too well. It's nothing physical, for the most part, but... Terumi, he... he must have done something.

But... yes, for now, we've won the fight. [There should probably be some enthusiasm behind that, but there isn't.]

[Action]

[hageshii]

[Well, that's not good news at all.]

Never a good scientist around when you need one, is there?

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

I... [Should have been able to help more. She shakes her head.]

If Professor Kokonoe were still here, she would know exactly what to do. There was a project she was working on...

[Action]

[hageshii]

Maybe. But she'd probably end up with rockets in her feet. [He takes a casual look around him.] We got smart people around here. We'll figure out something, get her fixed right up. You seen my sword?

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

Smart, yes, but the professor was working on something almost exactly like this. It would be solved in no time.

[She glances over at him, a slight smile tugging at one corner of her mouth.] Hmm... Actually, I have. I brought it back home with me for safekeeping after the fight; it's all yours once we get back to town.

[Action]

[hageshii]

[That's a relief for him. That sword is the only possession in Luceti he gives a damn about. Besides his sunglasses. Those are important too.]

You better have taken good care of it. That was a gift from the Galactic Consortium of Ancient Arts, you know. [Liiiiiiies.]