[pleroma] backdated to night before the raid

[comelately]

[ he's never used his shard to try and communicate with so many people at once before, and he's not particularly excited about attempting it; still, he was a celebrity, once, so he's at least used to interacting with the public, which becomes obvious in his confident greeting. ]

... Hey.

[ okay, maybe not.

While he's calm enough, through communion, his vague dissatisfaction can easily be felt - especially by other Firebrands this month, who likely find the simmering frustration he's feeling familiar. Of course, his stems partially from the fact that he's unable to help with this upcoming raid, specifically. He doesn't feel a need to announce that he's not coming - anyone to whom it would actually matter would already be aware. Even so, it colors his words just slightly. ]

If you're going to Achamoth, do me a favor. I've heard they've got better technology over there than we do here - electricity or magic, maybe both. It doesn't really matter. If you see a chair over there that looks like it'll haul me around faster than this rickety piece of junk, and you can grab it without getting yourself killed, I'll pay you for it when you get back. I've got some jools - I've been saving 'em. And, uh...

[ this part, he's a little more hesitant about; he pauses, his frustration becoming a little more watery. ]

... I ain't seen Yuuta around for a few days and I can't get him on his Shard. So keep an eye out for him while you're over there, too. They might have taken him. He sure was causing them trouble in Godsblood, so it makes sense they'd want him out of the picture, you know.

[ a beat. ]

That's all. Don't try being a hero over there. You'll screw the rest of us over if you get caught.

Comments

[locumstudentesquire]

Yuuta is missing??

[He's got a bad feeling about this...]

Where was the last place you saw him?

[comelately]

He came out to Greentruth to help me with something a little while ago. [ by "something," he means "Hayame." ] After that, I don't know.

[emblazer]

I'll keep an eye out for a good chair, but I can't make any promises. Things might get a bit hectic during the rescue, and I imagine it would probably weigh quite a bit.

[ He guesses he could...ride the chair out so he doesn't have to carry it, but the semantics of that are still kind of complicated. ]

Are you going to be all right staying behind? Should I leave some extra food and supplies within reach?

[comelately]

[ he's about to respond with something along the lines of "don't worry about it," but is overcome by a sort of bitter annoyance at Thoma's second thought. It's well-meaning concern, of course; in a way, that only makes him more irritated. ]

You think I've got someone waiting on me hand and foot to bring me stuff all the time? [ a mixture of defiance and self-loathing. ] I'm not a baby, I'm a grown-ass man.

ignore my giving you access because the weird icon-hover menu appeared as I tried to hit reply

[emblazer]

I was more worried about leaving the area vulnerable with so much of us gone. They'd raided Godsblood before, and I wouldn't put it past them to try a second time while they know it won't be well-defended.

[ There really should be more of them staying back, but they just don't have the numbers to split their group up like that. ]

I also don't like to leave any allies hungry if I can help it, so I'll make sure to fill the stores up with fish before I go.

i thought we had a special connection :'(

[comelately]

Well, I'm not in Godsblood, and if they show up in Greentruth, we're gonna have bigger problems than feeding people.

[ it sounds like he doesn't buy the explanation, and his tone remains a little sour. ]

it's okay, spiritually, cosmically, and subatomically, I have given you access to this rp journal

[emblazer]

I hope it doesn't come to that, but I'm still reluctant to abandon either spots. Will you reach out to us over Communion if you find yourself outnumbered?

[ He understands Johnny wanting to prove himself and not be treated delicately, but there are other lives at stake if anyone does break through. ]

[comelately]

Dude, that's not going to happen...

[ ... probably?! he sure hopes their location hasn't been compromised. but it's not exactly something he's worried about. ]

Look, I know you didn't mean anything bad by it, but it's annoying. I can take care of myself, okay? You should be thinking about how to not get evaporated the minute you step into Achamoth.

[emblazer]

I suppose it's easier to worry about others than myself.

[ Mostly because he's a little terrified for himself.

Maybe a lot terrified. ]

I'm no stranger to battle, but marching into the heart of Achamoth– I just want to make sure everyone is taken care of in case I don't come back soon, you know?

[comelately]

No offense, but I don't think you're the glue holding the Pleroma together.

[ i'm so sorry thoma for his lack of filter ]

Well, anyway... Just don't do anything stupid. No wanderin' off on your own. [ HAN SOOYOUNG. ] If you've got experience, you'll probably be okay. What can you do? Magic?

[emblazer]

I don’t think so either, but I would feel bad if none of my chores get done. That’s extra work on everyone else’s shoulders...so I’ll try my best to make it back in one piece.

[ His appendix may or may not be making it back with him though. ]

And I can do pyromancy outside of wielding my spear. It’s mostly to create shields and shoot fire, so maybe I’m not that badly off from everyone else.

[comelately]

[ that's ok it's an opt-in organ ]

You can shoot fire? [ he seems to be impressed - though he then remembers something: ] Wait, if you can do that, why were you interested in learning to use a gun? Sounds like you have something better already.

[emblazer]

I just thought it’d be great to train to use other weapons, especially long range ones. There might come a point where I’ll need to fight at a distance, and it’ll come in handy.

[ He just wants to be at least one step ahead instead of seventeen steps behind... like he currently feels. ]

[comelately]

[ thoma... ]

Your fire doesn't go that far? Huh...

[ it must be different from what he's imagining. ]

Makes sense, I guess. Maybe you can steal one of those while you're there, too.

[emblazer]

Not really. I can’t shoot it...I guess sometimes it plumes out, but it’s for a short while.

[ Shooting fireballs would be too convenient, but that’s not quite his territory. ]

Plus, we could find ourselves without power again. Before I attuned with our sect in Godsblood, I couldn’t access my vision, so all I had was rocks to fend myself with.

[ Thankfully, he didn’t have to defend himself from much at that point. ]

[comelately]

[ that thought actually does scare him a little bit. ]

Don't say that. They'd have to actually hurt the Pleroma itself for that to happen, right? We'd really be in deep shit if they got that far.

[ if he loses Tusk, and he doesn't have his horse, then he's useless. Completely useless. At least, that's how he sees it. ]

[emblazer]

It’s better to be prepared for the worst at this point rather than wait for it to actually happen. Not to make things extra bleak. We probably have enough to worry about.

[ Like the whole raid and all... ]

[comelately]

[ this man has too many worries in his brain. ]

Yeah, no kidding. Don't worry about stuff that might happen, worry about the stupid dangerous thing you're about to do. And don't worry about me, either!

[emblazer]

It's hard not to, but I'll do my best to stay focused. I still want you to make use of my fish and lizard meat stores in Greentruth if I don't make it back.

Take care, Johnny!

[ He'll probably stock it up with some extra things before he leaves anyway just for everyone's benefit. ]

[pyojeol]

[tags u here too hehe]

I'll keep an eye out too. I'll be stealing shit anyway, so.

[rest in pieces hsy,]

What does he look like?

[comelately]

[ looks like she's still determined to go and loot the place... Johnny just hopes she's not planning it as a solo venture. ]

He's Japanese, with short black hair, dark eyes. He's around my age... [ he trails off. ] ... Damn it, he looks really normal! I can't think of anything else!

[pyojeol]

[:)

give her a moment, hsy.exe is working...]

...Does he carry a sword on his back?

[comelately]

-- Oh, yeah! That's him. You saw him?

[ the sword thing slipped his mind - carrying weapons isn't all that unusual around here, after all. ]

[pyojeol]

Yeah. He was in those underwater ruins back when a bunch of us arrived. I didn't get his name though.

[


She decides not to mention that she accidentally clocked him on the head with a rock.]

[comelately]

That was ages ago!

[ THAT DOESN'T HELP FIND HIM AT ALL ]

You haven't seen him more recently?

[pyojeol]

[SHE'S TRYING TO BE HELPFUL? WOW]

Look, now that I know who you're talking about, I can keep a better eye out for that guy.

And when I do, I'll tell him that you called him super normal looking.

[comelately]

Knock yourself out. I'm pretty sure he won't even think twice about it.

[ he already has a... girlfriend...? fiance? whatever, so from Johnny's point of view, he can't imagine Yuuta has any complaints about his appearance. ]

[pyojeol]

[rip yuuta and his sexy gf....]

What's your name? So that I can tell him who exactly is gonna kick his ass for not keeping in touch.

[she's only assuming violence because she'd do the exact same thing]

[comelately]

[ oh shit, did he not tell her before? Whoops. He doesn't say anything, but there's a flicker of guilt - not for calling Yuuta normal-looking, but for the vague rudeness of not introducing himself. Despite his attempts, he can't fully escape his upbringing. ]

It's Johnny. You gonna tell me your name so I know who we need to rescue from Achamoth next?

[pyojeol]

[his guilt.... have a little bit of amusement at his comeback in return,]

Like I said! I'm not planning on getting caught.

[SHE'LL JUST DIE INSTEAD I GUESS]

Han Sooyoung. [Johnny sounds like an American Name,] You can call me Sooyoung.

[comelately]

Sooyoung? [ an affirmative thought. ] I'll believe it when you step back through the portal in one piece.

[ she seems like she's not taking this very seriously -- either that, or she doesn't really care whether she lives or dies, which is its own separate problem. He's already given her enough guff about it, though, so he moves on to something simpler. ]

Where's your name from?

[ local man is from 1890's Kentucky and is only vaguely aware of Korea... ]

[pyojeol]

[If only Sooyoung had a nuanced reason like not caring about her wellbeing sans oz vessalius... Instead, she just has HUBRIS,]

It's from Seoul, South Korea. On Earth.

[the last part is tacked on like an afterthought, because sometimes you forget that everyone else might be from different isekais,]

What about you?

[comelately]

[ smh... he was like you once, han sooyoung... ]

Oh... That's over in the east, right? In Asia? Huh.

[ he's becoming so worldly on this interdimensional field trip. ]

I'm from Kentucky in the USA. Also from Earth. [ a beat. ] Guess I have to include that now...