The Tale of a Jerk and a Scientist

[denigrator]

Characters: Hojo and YOU
Setting: Throughout the tower. Pick a floor, any floor.
Format: Action to start, but I'll match prose, too
Summary: After some time spent wandering his ruined world like a ghost, Hojo has returned to the Tower. His first priority? Research.
Warnings: A complete lack of scientific ethics, which may come up.


[A great deal has gone on in Hojo's absence--he's been gone months!--and this has had the unfortunate effect of upsetting so much of his research. He has absolutely no idea what's happened while he's been gone.

So what's a scientist to do? Make his way through all the floors he had been so carefully studying, trying to salvage what he can. Sometimes he talks to himself. Sometimes he hums. Off-key or tunelessly. Sometimes he scowls and stops to take notes. Sometimes he smiles. And stops to take notes again. He grits his teeth, doing his best to ignore the cold. He's worked in cold (very cold) climates before. Fortunately, he has a Fire Materia, which provides some warmth.

One might find him in the cafeteria, taking samples of the oatmeal.

In the observatory, he spends a long time looking out, studying the strange creatures visible through the glass.

He takes soil samples in the graveyard, and biological samples on floor Forty-One, collecting insects. He plucks a few blossoms in the meadow (Twenty-Five) and in the garden (Twenty-Nine).

He stops in the clinic to deal with a few of the wounds he's sustained along the way.

He pauses to enjoy the morgue (Twenty-Six) and the laboratory (Twenty-Seven), looking for traces of his old research with Fuhito. He doesn't find much, though what he finds, he gathers up. What a shame. So much work lost. All the more reason to work more, and harder.]

So much to do, so much...

Comments

I'll choose the graveyard!

[pengeen]

[Kidou had walked into the Graveyard with a huge armful of flowers. He placed small bouquets on a few graves. One for his little sister, another for his mentor, one for his former teammate and for his rival... as he places down the flowers, he utters a small thank you, which is different for each person.

After he says his last thanks, he starts walking towards the stairs. Though, something gets him to stop in his tracks.

Or someone, really.

He stood only a few feet from the professor, his eyes wide behind his goggles and his mouth hanging open like he was going to say something, though the only thing that manages to escape his throat are slow, quiet breaths. He really couldn't believe he was seeing this man again...]

[denigrator]

[After a moment of sample gathering, Hojo straightened. He wasn't particularly interested in this specific sample, but he did mean to study all the floors. Better to make a complete job of it. When he straightened, he saw Kidou. He remembered him. The young man's behavior had been unusual--but not unwanted, even if it was the kind of treatment Hojo was unused to receiving from young people who were not working under him.

Ah.

[Hojo's not good with names, and it's been some time for him, as he's wandered Gaia as a ghost (which only fueled his own delusions about being responsible for his world's destruction).]

It's you again.

[He had expected to eventually see some of the people he'd met before, although this is his first such encounter.]

[pengeen]

[It takes Kidou another few moments, before closing his mouth and slowly nodding.]

I.. I wasn't expecting to see you again after you left.

[denigrator]

[Hojo nods himself, but quickly.]

I've returned, as you can see.

After some time--I'm not sure how long--spent on my world, I suddenly reappeared in one of those rooms that pass as excuses for residences here.

[pengeen]

I'm not sure exactly how long you've been gone, but it's been a few months...

[He's quiet for a moment. This is the first time someone he has met who was in this tower had left and returned with their memories of this place.... so maybe his friends really are alive, and they'll come back, too.]

Well, as long as you're here again...

[A smile forms on his face, and he gives the man a great bow.]

Welcome back, Professor!

[denigrator]

Months? That seems right. A great deal has changed since I've been gone. Perhaps you can tell me some of what's transpired.

[He regards the smile and bow, now quite sure what to make of this reaction at first, but at least sure it's the kind of respect he deserves.]

Yes, I'm pleased to be back. I was unable to affect my world, or the semblance of it, which was frustrating.

[pengeen]

Maybe we should go somewhere warm before I go into explaining... a lot has happened while you were gone.

[denigrator]

Yes, I can see that... [After scribbling a label readable only to him, he put his latest sample away in his handy sample case.]

I'm finished here and eager to hear more. Where should we go? Back to the residential area?

[He did want more information, and Kidou seemed an ideal person to provide it.]

[pengeen]

Yeah, sure. [He smiles again, and starts heading his way towards the staircase, stopping to make sure Hojo was following.]

[denigrator]

[Hojo follows along, quickly enough, though he does take the time to observe their surroundings as they pass, though he doesn't seem to find anything of particular interest.] I suppose it's a better place than nowhere.