i have no missionary zeal my friend

[crouching_sin]

Characters: Naoya and whomever wants to deal with him
Setting: Floor 88 (bar), floor 82 (masquerade), floor 62 (beach), floor 2 (infirmary)
Format: Either
Summary: Naoya thought he knew headaches. Naoya was very wrong. He is also grappling with questions he didn't even know he had.
Warnings: None aside from Naoya himself being a warning.


[Floor 88]

[The familiar setting of the bar is comfortable for him. No matter what form it takes, humans always create places to drink alcohol. The constancy of this fact amuses him, and it's with this thought that he heads into the bar.]

[The smoky interior doesn't bother him much, and he heads over to the pool table, racking the balls and taking a cue. He starts shooting the balls into the pockets, trying different angles for no reason other than it amuses him. He's fairly good at least, though it's less from practiced skill and more from knowledge of geometry.]



[Floor 82]

[Naoya stands off to the side, looking around the ballroom. His mask is pushed up into his hair. He's well aware what this means should anyone find him on this floor, but strangely… he doesn't care much today.]

[Answering truthfully… with all of the infinite worlds and possibilities for him that he saw, what was the truth anymore? Thousands upon thousands of timelines and years of thought and he still has no idea what the 'truth' is for him. He has no answers, no solutions… even the worlds where he was free gave him no solid ideas.]

[Perhaps he'll dance in a bit. For now though, he continues to watch and wait.]



[Floor 62]

[Being on this floor is relaxing for Naoya, in a strange way. He knows better than to attempt swimming out into the water, but walking in the wet sand in his bare feet isn't too bad. It's still very cold, but for a short time walking along like this is fine.]

[After a while he cleans off his feet and puts his shoes back on. He crouches down and draws symbols in the sand, bits and pieces of sigils and summoning circles. Nothing complete, but enough to make him smile ever so slightly, before wiping them away.]



[Floor 2]

[Naoya has never been an infrequent visitor to this floor. Constant headaches have always driven him here eventually. Today is no exception, apart from the fact that he seems to be going for the larger dosages of painkillers.]

[Alternatively, he can be found resting in one of the hospital beds. It's rare that he'll be asleep here, but taking a quick rest here for ten minutes or so doesn't hurt.]

Comments

Floor 88

[midgarhorizon]

[The familiar sound of balls being racked and hitting each other makes Reno pause on the stairs for a moment. He had been on his way to somewhere not very important to check on something in the kitchen that probably didn't need checked on for hours yet, but he had found himself with a rare block of free time that he decided to take a walk anyway. Maybe hit up the sauna later.

People don't seem to have much time to play games these days.

Curious, he steps off to see who is playing, and if time permitted, maybe ask for a round. He's seen the man before during gatherings, but the name escapes him for the moment.]

Taking a breather?

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya looks up, resting his cue against the side of the table.]

Something like that. Better to take them when you can. You never know when the administrators are going to pull something.

[midgarhorizon]

This time it was pretty light. I get the feelin' whatever's next will be pretty big. Ruana in charge.

[He nods toward the cue rack.]

Mind if I join ya?

[crouching_sin]

[He pauses, taking a deep breath before he responds.]

'Light' depending on your perspective, but I guess you're right. And I don't mind.

[midgarhorizon]

[Taking up a cue, Reno stands to the side to watch for a moment, taking in the spread of the balls and chalking the tip.]

I've been here a while. Except for those that went downstairs, it wasn't as bad as some.

[He glances up to Naoya and seems to consider something. Only for a moment, however, as he reaches into a pocket and pulls out a bottle of homemade alcohol and sets it on the edge of the pool table.]

Looks like you could use a drink.

floor 2

[sawthelockdown]

[Asako's not fond of the hospital floor, mostly on account of having gone to hospitals a lot as a bitty. Regardless, she's there just the same because...well, she's bored, honestly.

Then again, maybe ending up here wasn't so random, she thinks as she finds her alternate-cousin wandering around.] Hi. You all right?

[A legitimate question, considering the machine and all.]

[crouching_sin]

[He looks up at her, pushing his hair back a bit. He looks... not great.]

... If I said yes, would you even believe me?

[sawthelockdown]

Not in the least.

[best bedside manner ever yo]

Anything I can do to help?

[crouching_sin]

[As to be expected from a trollprentice.]

... Possibly, yes. I... heh. I need some advice.

Floor 2

[sarcasmancer]

[Jade can, with decent frequency, be found on the second floor acting in his assigned job as a nurse, which in his case means "dealing out drugs." Occasionally this means "dealing with Jade messing with the dosages and cuts in ways that are probably not harmful," and so Naoya's request for a larger dosage earns him interest. Given that Jade's still wiped out from last month's little volunteer gig so interest is at a premium, this may not mean good things.]

That's quite a strong drug you're requesting. May I ask what you need the painkillers for?

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya eyes Jade with a mix of annoyance and suspicion. He's seen the man around on the network, though he never prodded into his conversations. However, right now his temper is about at its end, considering last month's shenanigans.]

If having five and a half millenia of memories rattling around in my head isn't enough, then I at least need something to deal with this massive headache of alternate worlds that I saw. As did everyone else.

[Their own alternate worlds - he is too grumpy for clarification.]

[sarcasmancer]

Ah, so you were there too? How awful.

[His expression does not in any way indicate that he finds anything about this awful. He does, however, silently note that "five and a half millennia" remark, even if after meeting Lorelei, he doesn't outwardly bat an eye at it.]

In that case, you'll definitely need something strong. Try this.

[Jade does not explain what "this" is; he just hands over a small packet of white powder. It has no odor or taste, and can be taken dry or dissolved in water, which Jade helpfully also provides in a small cup. ...Does Naoya dare take it?]

[[OOC addendum: The mystery powder will cure Naoya's headache, and quite possibly make him unable to feel anything at all for the rest of the day. You can add on other amusing/interesting side effects at will, but it won't be a fatal dosage. Unless it would be funny to you for it to be fatal, in which case it's totally fatal.]]

[crouching_sin]

[He eyes it suspiciously.]

... Care to explain the ingredients?

[Probably. But he'd like to know what's going on.]

Floor 82

[alephbet]

[One moment, the dancer who's slipping off of the dance floor towards Naoya's corner is as anonymous as the rest. The next, his mask is off and it's clearly Aleph who approaches to talk.]

This is fair.

[crouching_sin]

[He's mildly surprised, but also a bit relieved that it's Aleph who approaches him. If nothing else, Aleph is much more accepting of his 'unique' morals than some others.]

More fair than it was. What brings you here?

[alephbet]

Dancing helps get my mind off things. I was hoping that it would get my mind off what happened in the void.

[He'd admit that even without being forced to.]

[crouching_sin]

... It's difficult to get your mind off of it.

Floor 2

[neverbeamemory]

[A face he hasn't seen for a while.

Sephiroth only ever visits this floor for basic first aid that he doesn't yet trust his regeneration to ensure wounds will not fester. It's only a gash through his leather glove on the back of a hand but still - no small wound gets ignored.

He curiously observes Naoya as he seems to be looking where the painkillers usually are, but eventually strides away over to one of the basins.]

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya turns around once he's found the bottle he's looking for, and chuckles.]

I haven't seen you in a long time. Keeping busy?

[neverbeamemory]

[At this point he gets the back of Sephiroth's head. He's already tore the slashed glove off his hand and is holding a wide knuckle gash under the running water.

Though slitted green eyes do find their way over the armor of one shoulder as he twists his frame slightly to at least acknowledge Naoya.]

You know me.

[Which, he really doesn't but the sentiment is there. Until very recently, Sephiroth has always been busy with one thing or the other. The collar fluid research had been a time-filling pursuit, after all, and he'd put a great deal of his life here into that. Some probably thought too much so, if Ganondorf's late comment at their last gathering had been any indication. Still fewer had ever questioned his motives.]

[crouching_sin]

Somewhat, yes.

[He opens one of the drawers and pulls out antiseptic cream, taking it over to the other man.]

Here.

Floor 62

[warriorscribe]

*His energy is coming back day by day, little by little. Sure, going up stairs takes more out of him than it should, but going down is a little easier. (even if he has to scoot his way down sometimes)

He hasn't really thought about how he'll get back up, but he was thinking of the ocean, so that's where he went.

Of course, he stumbles over the last step and faceplants in the sand. All the jumping coming down from the low gravity floor drained more than any uphill climb ever would. How he managed to navigate that floor's staircase and not go drifting off into space, he'll never know.

But he's where he wants to be. So he gets to his knees. Waits. Gets to his feet. Staggers towards the waves, even as cold as it is and him without a shirt or cloak. The cold is invigorating.

Though when he finds himself walking over a symbol of some sort, he looks around for its artist.*

Re: Floor 62

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya is a short distance away, doodling in the sand again. He's not trying to do a good job, so it's mostly just rough human outlines.]

[warriorscribe]

*He does have the presence of mind to get off the drawings, at least, before approaching him albeit slowly.*

Great-uncle...

[crouching_sin]

[He looks up and nods at Enoch before returning to his doodles. The drawing is starting to take a more distinct form, a sharp chin appearing and hair falling to the side.]