Naoya Toudou (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
imperialsun) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
towerofanimus2013-04-21 12:38 am
imperialsun) wrote in towerofanimus2013-04-21 12:38 am
Entry tags:
Aftermath [Open to all]
Characters: Naoya Toudou and you (all of you)!
Setting: Various Floors, the Dorms
Format: Starting with prose, but I'll match you
Summary: Naoya has his own ideas about the tower, makes plans, goes patrolling, is a typical protagonist.
Warnings: PROTAG.
There was a single piece of paper taped over the lowest level, just before you entered the tower levels:
If you want to join patrolling, please leave me a message in room 01-08. If you need weapon practice, I can aid you there as well.
-Naoya Toudou
If you went to talk to him in his dorm, you'd notice that the room was cramped; for some reason there were five of them along with a large arcade machine in the back. Usually, he'd be playing if he wasn't sleeping and happend to be in his room.
When the night creatures bumped, Naoya simply bumped back as best as he could. Rather he have to deal with his own death by the tower hand's, than someone else's if he could help it. Jin had been right in that respect. Once you accepted that death wasn't completely permanent, it did open up a lot more possibilities; both trivial and allowing for plans that could be considered borderline insanity.
But he was who he was. He'd continue to have hope, no matter what the tower tried to throw at him. Even a year later, he was still a wall. And with both a long katana in one hand and a submachine gun slung over his other shoulder, he looked ready for war.
For now, he was content sleeping outside of the maze, in the large garden.
At least the sauna still made a good place to relax, despite the increased "security". If you saw him, he was in the mixed sauna, busy counting up to a hundred...and when that was over, he'd simply do it again.
It was cold. That was alright. He had a persona that could help him with that, along with his outfit. The Snow/Night Queen had turned his entire school into a walking glacier before, this was just a little harsher.
Once he got closer to the building, Naoya began to explore the castle in earnest, least he find a clue of its origin, or at least interesting places that could aid him out later...
A detail he should have noticed that before, and he mentally kicked himself that he had not. In many ways, this was making him even more suspicious...
There really was no way to remove the nerd from him.
Come inside, and you would easily find one(1) Naoya Toudou busy playing a fighting or an action game of some kind. Modernity had no more secrets from him, now he was used to all the newer games that were after his time, and would gleefully play a racing game whenever he could.
OOC
You are free to bump into Naoya in other levels if you'd like, I am open to anything!
Setting: Various Floors, the Dorms
Format: Starting with prose, but I'll match you
Summary: Naoya has his own ideas about the tower, makes plans, goes patrolling, is a typical protagonist.
Warnings: PROTAG.
Dorms & Note
There was a single piece of paper taped over the lowest level, just before you entered the tower levels:
-Naoya Toudou
If you went to talk to him in his dorm, you'd notice that the room was cramped; for some reason there were five of them along with a large arcade machine in the back. Usually, he'd be playing if he wasn't sleeping and happend to be in his room.
Night Patrol (any Floor)
Despite the events that had happened the last week and the talks with Jin, Naoya was still dutifully doing what he could to aid the others. The year he had passed in the tower had strengthened him in ways he hadn't truly realized until the month hit him; and he realized how much lighter his sword had become over time.When the night creatures bumped, Naoya simply bumped back as best as he could. Rather he have to deal with his own death by the tower hand's, than someone else's if he could help it. Jin had been right in that respect. Once you accepted that death wasn't completely permanent, it did open up a lot more possibilities; both trivial and allowing for plans that could be considered borderline insanity.
But he was who he was. He'd continue to have hope, no matter what the tower tried to throw at him. Even a year later, he was still a wall. And with both a long katana in one hand and a submachine gun slung over his other shoulder, he looked ready for war.
Floor 29: Maze (Closed to Chidori)
Even Naoya could appriciate a little piece and quiet. The twisting hedge maze meant that most people favored the meadow rather than here, and after fighting the Night Queen, Naoya was rather patient enough to know when to enter here (early morning) and how to get out. For now, he was content sleeping outside of the maze, in the large garden.
Floor 77: Sauna
While he had enjoyed being here before, Naoya had noticed the increased watchful eyes of the worker units. Well, he had his own thoughts about that, and wasn't going to share them here, that was for sure. At least the sauna still made a good place to relax, despite the increased "security". If you saw him, he was in the mixed sauna, busy counting up to a hundred...and when that was over, he'd simply do it again.
Floor 73: Snow Castle | OPEN TO ALL
It was cold. That was alright. He had a persona that could help him with that, along with his outfit. The Snow/Night Queen had turned his entire school into a walking glacier before, this was just a little harsher.
Once he got closer to the building, Naoya began to explore the castle in earnest, least he find a clue of its origin, or at least interesting places that could aid him out later...
Floor 19 & 3 - Libraries | OPEN TO ALL
While already have a few books about 3D programming (once again), one could find Naoya looking over the books in deep thought.A detail he should have noticed that before, and he mentally kicked himself that he had not. In many ways, this was making him even more suspicious...
Floor 14 - Media Room | OPEN TO ALL
There really was no way to remove the nerd from him.
Come inside, and you would easily find one(1) Naoya Toudou busy playing a fighting or an action game of some kind. Modernity had no more secrets from him, now he was used to all the newer games that were after his time, and would gleefully play a racing game whenever he could.
OOC
You are free to bump into Naoya in other levels if you'd like, I am open to anything!
no subject
"Perhaps next time I'll singe you a little then, so I don't disappoint in regards to the ambiance of the tower."
Though the fact that he's already becoming accustomed to death in the tower doesn't sit well with her- but she brushes it aside for the moment, fingertips trailing idly over his shoulder.
"You should be more careful though. It wouldn't do to have you die an undignified accidental death."
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And considering the tower, this was a breath of fresh air. He did feel a lot better! Sitting up so he was no longer lying down, he looked over to her.
"How are you feeling?"
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"How long has it been since you had a decent rest?"
Because if he was tired enough to be sleeping for hours on end in open and possibly dangerous areas of the tower, he might need to reconsider his sleeping patterns. She starts a little in surprise at his question, and takes a moment to think about it properly before asking.
"I'm... alright, I suppose? This last week has made me start to reconsider a few things, but otherwise..." She shrugs, and honestly, it says a lot about her time in the tower that even a week that makes her reconsider her time here only gets that kind of reaction. "Surviving is, I suppose, the best way to put it. But then, that's always been my life, so nothing new in that regard."
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Really glad.
"It's made me think as well...especially with what happened." He left that somewhat deliberately in the open, least they were being listened on again. At this point, he was going to take all the precautionary measures possible.
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"Things happen here all the time- after a time you try not to show how much it affects you. Sadly, one does not always succeed..."
But it would probably be best not to dwell on that too much at the moment, all things considered. There would be plenty of time to wonder how much things had gotten under Naoya's skin later.
"What about you? How are you feeling- besides sleepy, that is?"
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But how to explain what he wanted to tell her next? It wasn't a question of something getting under his skin, but rather the idea that had been growing him for the past week. Now there were very large dangers in the tower too.
So he decided to try something.
"Can you hear me?" He'd never tried communicating with her this way, but he figured it was worth a try. Naoya himself didn't have this abilities, but maybe her own powers were strong enough to pick this thought up...
...and that could be really useful.
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Though she wouldn't have said as much to most anyone else- but she had been, strange as the week had been and intense as things had gotten. It was hard not to worry when someone would kill themselves along with you in a moment of clarity.
His voice in her head was a surprise- not because she heard him, but because he'd thought to talk to her like that. Whatever needed saying, he must not want to chance being heard.
"Yes," she ventured slowly, tilting her head to look up at him. "This is unusual... is something the matter?"
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He'd have to explain himself better about his action this week, but there were much heavier things on his mind. This could be the start of something...but he would need to be extremely careful.
So a small wave of relief flooded him when she could hear him. This could be an excellent advantage later on...but first he'd need to explain her why he was doing this in the first.
Normally the King never moved in a game of chess, but he was an Emperor, and he'd make his own noise. Especially if his gut feeling was right...as terrible as it could be.
"It's more a question of planning and ideas, actually...you probably know how they used last week's experiment to obtain information...keep speaking out loud as we do this, and I'll explain what I wish to do bit by bit."
"The month is two-thirds over." He said it in a way that didn't sound like he was complaining, just stating facts.
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She doesn't trust that fact entirely, but he's a familiar kind of stubborn, and one she knows better than to push too hard against. Instead she nods and tugs at the fabric of her dress again, pursing her lips as she listens to him.
"I see- so you don't want to chance them overhearing anything you might need to say that they could use against you. Is there something specific you had in mind, then?"
A wise enough decision, though it took her a moment to keep the conversation going aloud, giving Naoya a long, careful look.
"I'll be glad when it's over. Real food will be a godsend after this."
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"I do miss having ingredients in the kitchen as well..."
"A plan. Everything based on a theory that's been eating away at me for a while."
Eating away? He mentally kicked himself. The whole speaking aloud and then not was merging a little too much. He had to be careful, least he say something out loud that was meant for their private conversation only.
"...it'll be a welcome chance from this month."
"I think I may have figured out something about the tower. However this information could be dangerous in the wrong hands...or I could be completely wrong. It's worth a try, I think, but it also requires careful planning, coordination...and considering what happened this month, just a select few individuals."
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"A theory? About the tower or...?"
She wisely doesn't comment on the subjects somewhat intermingling the way they have, and instead shifts a little closer to him, looking up at him, for once grateful that she wasn't the overly-expressive type.
"I just hope they don't make it another month of ice cream or something ridiculous like that."
"I see. You're right of course- planning anything else could be dangerous considering recent events however... I think I can help with that as well. Not so much the selection, I suppose- but with keeping things from those in charge."
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"I remember that..."
"Not just the tower...
...the administrators as well."
While one couldn't exactly convey his tone by thought, the pause in his thinking meant this was extremely serious. Still, he didn't break from his smile.
"Maybe I should try cooking."...the world was probably not ready for that, to be honest.
"We have this advantage, yes. If they had to use this ruse to get information, it may mean they can't quite read our minds and certain parts of the tower are blind spots. I doubt that either of us are on their lists."
"I want to offering something in exchange, but my skills revolve around weapon usage and video games. You're already quite skilled with your axe."
"I want to assemble a team that they wouldn't question being together, but also that they would mostly ignore with everyone else...along with a one or two noisemakers to distract the attention from us."
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"It was a very difficult month for my white dresses."
"About them? I don't think anyone's really tried to figure them out since the information about Ruana happened..."
"If you really wanted to try, I'd be willing to help you learn- no repayment required."
"Not just this- I can hide people, make them unnoticeable. I used to do it with Strega all the time... and I have been working on doing it long-distance of late."
"Though if you think you have something to teach me about video games that I haven't learned from playing with Jin, you're welcome to try."
...and well. That had sounded considerably less flirtatious when she'd been considering what to say. Oh well.
"We could probably include Jin without them thinking too much about it. He is my brother after all."
1
"Exactly. Let me tell you more..."
"...I'd like that."
That had come out way too fast, after all that explanation. He coughed, realizing how it was getting even harder to switch between one and the other. He concentrated again.
"..."
Naoya stop talking about Star Wars when you were conversing with someone else, your nerdism was showing. But Chidori had a good idea, even if it was perhaps not what she had been thinking.
"It has been a while since I've played against him. Perhaps a game against him to prove my worth might be in order."
"..."
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"At this point, 'far-fetched' isn't really an excuse..."
She almost smiled at how quickly he said it, all in a rush like he was stumbling over what to say- but really, wasn't it difficult to continue on like this for the both of them?
"I think I would too."
"..."
Thankfully for him, Chidori didn't know Star Wars very well- but she did agree with the sentiment, at least.
"I don't know, he might take it the wrong way."
"..."
"--but I trust you, Naoya."
"..."
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Somehow he hadn't expected that and blinked for a few seconds before speaking again.
"I-I was only seventeen. It was just high school graduation..." Wow okay, now he was searching his words, good job. Idly his hands were spinning and...
"Do you remember when I told you about my..."
Idly, he stroked the back of his neck, his eyes darting around. Why did he have a feeling Mark and Brown would be laughing at him right now? Granted Brown would probably try to ask Chidori out, mind you...wait why was he even thinking about that?
"Wrong way how?" He had an idea. Just needed to make sure.
"..."
"...He does have an advantage for knowing more about modern games than I do."
Yeah. There we go. Nailed it.
no subject
"I remember, but what...?"
One of the stranger things she'd heard of, but not out and out the strangest. She adjusted her seating to lean a little closer, attempting to hide her interested expression with the shift in distance.
"He might take it as a challenge to his title as the nerdiest gamer in the tower."
"..."
"Though if you're worried about him knowing more than you, I could help you with that too. He's one of the few people who can beat me, after all."
"..."
"But maybe I shouldn't take up so much of your time."
no subject
Besides, Maki had played a lot of games with him, growing up. At least he was honest.
"It's my best guess right now..."
He looked down at his blade, still stuck in the ground.
"No...it's not like I was doing anything other than sleeping. And in a place like this, a little too dangerous."
"..."
He was about to stand up when he realized how close she was. Idly, he also shifted his gaze to express disinterest...only definitely not as well as she did.
"Brown would be telling me I should put my arm over her shoulder right now."
...DUMBASS.
Suddenly he looked back at her hoping she hadn't heard that, his eyes as wide as a puppy who had been caught peeing on the carpet.
no subject
Not that she minded if she didn't, but it wasn't as if there were better goals to have.
"..."
"Am I going to have to check up on how much you're resting, Naoya?"
Said with the barest hint of teasing to her voice as she leaned on one of her hands, the other still settled in her lap.
"..."
The change in his expression was momentarily worrisome, and she pressed her lips together briefly, about to ask a question-
-and then along came that errant thought and she stopped cold, blinking owlishly at him for a moment before she felt her face heat up.
"All things considered, I... don't think his opinion on the subject would be ill-advised."
In other words- it wasn't like she would mind.
Naoya Toudou presents: The Protag with the least swag moves, an act in four parts.
Wait he wasn't thinking properly.
"..."
Nope, still broken. She was probably expecting him to say something in the corner of his mind, but his heart was racing a little too much for him to think properly. Besides, at this point thinking was probably dangerous, as he quickly realized.
"Well I uh..."
Suddenly his arm felt like it weighed more than a few tons. After facing Pandora, Kandori and an Avatar of Nyx, and even giving the eye to secretaries, you would think Naoya wouldn't have any trouble with things most normal young adults faced on a daily basis.
You'd be thinking wrong.
Yet valiantly, (after a few more seconds that seemed like hours), he managed to raise his right hand. Riiiiight up into the air, unsure of how he was supposed to do this properly, and then, slightly shaking, brought his arm over her left elbow. It was...a good effort?
"...I wouldn't mind."
Brown would have laughingly congratulated him on the world's most pathetic hand-over-the-shoulder maneuver and pick-up line.
Brown would have also been on fire right now.
/standing ovation for Dat Awkward
Well. That sure was... something. She wasn't sure what to call it, but it was certainly interesting to notice someone's mind more or less grind to a halt.
"..."
There was, oddly enough, a stray thought about secretaries, but she was more focused on the hesitant movements of his hand as he raised it toward her. It stopped at her elbow and she blinked, a mixture of confused and disappointed, and quirked a brow curiously at him.
"Oh...?"
It took her a moment to actually react though- during which she resisted the more Jin-like impulse to point out how awkward that had been- and instead leaned slightly into the touch of his hand, corners of her mouth curving ever-so-slightly upward.
"I suppose that's a good thing, then."
And now for Icons I never thought I would need to use
And not very experienced when it came to mattes of the heart.
After running away from his problems for so many years, Naoya had come to terms with that part of himself when he had fought a piece of his shadow. He had grown stronger from it. Biting his lip, he suddenly pushed Chidori a little closer to him.
"Sorry..."
No wait, don't be sorry! Maybe he should have read more magazines so he'd know what to do...
"...I'm glad you're here."
x2 for me
To Chidori, it had come to mean taking opportunities as they struck, because one never knew when they'd stop caring about resurrecting you.
"Sorry...?"
It takes her a moment to understand that it's because of the sudden movement and not something else. She sees fit to reassure him by leaning against his side, making a quiet, almost content sound and settling her opposite hand over his at her elbow.
"Likewise."
no subject
"...I'm glad..."
He was about to say something else, talk about their plans and going back to less personal talk when time seemed to slow down and a conversation between...well...himself happened.
"No, first you need to kiss her already!"
"What?!"
"We're both a boy with teenage hormones, stop pretending you're this cool frigid badass, I'm pretty sure she's expecting it."
"Hey I..."
"...you like her legs. She has really nice legs."
"That's not what I meant!"
"Oh believe me, I know. But this is way more fun. We both noticed her reaction when you touched her right? Do you want the rest of the peanut gallery to come? Bet they'll say the same thing, just in a nicer way. The self capable of demonic cruelty, remember?"
"..."
"So how long are you going to be staring into space talking to yourself while she waits? Don't worry about the consequences for once! Don't run away from it, run with it! Tch, sometimes I can't believe you're me."
Shaking his head briskly, Naoya snapped back into reality, eyes locked on Chidori for a few seconds before looking away again. Was this how that part of Maki had felt when she...
"Stop thinking about missed opportunities, dumbass!"
Just when he couldn't really get rid of that voice inside his head. At least Chidori couldn't hear these exchanges with his other, loud self. That piece of 'encouragement' didn't completely make his next actions not awkward or daunting either (in fact they were filled with plenty). Once more, he pushed her nearer, neck craning close enough to the point where he could feel her breath gently on his cheek, and it sent a small shiver down his spine.
No room for hesitation...or so, he hoped... Without warning, he twisted his body enough so that he was able to grab her even closer and remove the gab between their lips.
O-oh. This is what it felt like.
He could get used to this...
Besides (he figured), if she didn't, Chidori could easily slap him away, burn him up or impale him with her axe. He had a feeling if she didn't agree with this, he'd be a dead man anyway.
no subject
She's teasing a little, only because she doesn't know how else to react. Naoya brings strange reactions out of her- he has ever since the situation with their shadows. Perhaps it's a side effect of part of her spending so much time with part of him. Perhaps it's that he doesn't seem to judge any of Strega as much as others have. Or perhaps it's just that she feels like she doesn't have to try and explain her feelings to him constantly. The fact that he seems to have a better understanding of her than most certainly doesn't hurt her estimation of him, at least.
So when the moment takes a turn toward something different, she can't help but be a little surprised- she still remembers, hazily, the 'them' from the future. Knows how he can overthink...
When he looks away, it's all she can do not to look disappointed, keeping her expression serene until he looks her way again and pauses.
"Such hesitation. I wonder if he's pretending you're actually someone else..."
Dutifully, she ignores Medea's sneering commentary, brow furrowing slightly at the way he's hesitating. It doesn't take her long to realize that it isn't entirely simple hesitation- after all, she's seen more than one person pause to deal with voices that didn't know when to stop. Really, she even has one of her own.
"Mmm, so very much like someone you're already familiar with- maybe he isn't the one doing the replacing after all..."
She ignores that too, eyes following his movements as he resolves whatever issue he's been having with himself and bends his head toward hers in a swift motion, mouth pressing against hers. Her fingers tighten reflexively where they lay, and she makes a brief, quiet noise of surprise, allowing it to continue for a moment before pulling away. Head still ducked and face warmer than she really cares for, she raises a hand to her mouth, fingers tracing where his had been.
"...oh," she begins quietly, eyes skimming along somewhere in the vicinity of his collarbone. "That..."
But the words stick, and she figures actions speak louder regardless. Her hands covere his, using the leverage to push herself up and press a kiss of her own against his mouth in return.
What's one more thing to lose when lives and worlds are already constantly at stake?
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hey there latest tagback in the history of tagbacks
Slow but steady is the name of this log - Also new icons
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