[OPEN] What is this place?

[frequent_flyer]

Who: Hinata, Otonashi, Noda, and YOU
Where: Virgo - Grocery store
Summary: Noda and Hinata are trying to fend for themselves for once and buy food to cook, but do either of them know how? Meanwhile, Otonashi is on the other side of the store, blissfully unaware that his friends have caught up with him for the first time since the Taurus incident.
Warnings: Excessive levels of idiocy and moronic behavior
Note: Choose your own adventure! Don't see a prompt you like, or want more than one of them? Just say so! Responses will come from Hinata (frequent_flyer), Otonashi (trainwrecking), Noda (halberdaxe), or a combination of the three. Specify who you'd like in the subject line!


Hinata could be found mulling over his options in the pre-paid card aisle. Which MMO did he want to buy credits for? Decisions, decisions... In one hand was a shopping basket containing beef jerky, protein shake mix, a variety of energy drinks, and a copious amount of chips and on-sale cookies.

Was he binging on snacks? Or did he eat like this all the time? From the looks of things, one could easily assume that he probably couldn't cook, if all the pre-packaged crap he had was any indication.

Noda on the other hand, was in the deli section of the supermarket, perusing the various meat products therein. A small sign sat on top of the deli counter, written in polite cursive: Be back in 10 minutes!

Noda, however, wanted to be helped now. Whatever poor soul happened upon him would find the purple-haired boy smashing his head into the glass display case in the hopes of breaking it to get access to the meaty treasures.

Otonashi looks a little worse for the wear, but happens to be out today for a case of canned coffee for those late-night sessions of reading (no, not that kind). He's harmless for the most part, but he looks exhausted and may not see you... before he bumps into you.

Literally.

He won't be around the store for long, and can also be found outside on a bench not far from the store... sleeping. Caffeine only gets a person so far, you know. If you wanted to be a real jerk, you could make off with some nice coffee, spices, or a messenger bag...

Comments

[trainwrecking]

Wh-- [He flinches under that tap, if only from surprise.] I'm not doing it maliciously..!

[Which is not at all the point.]

... And maybe it's nice to have something else to think about. It gives me direction.

[bondsofsuffering]

But you're still doing it.

[Sigh--]

If you keep relying on caffeine, you're going to become addicted, and then you're going to have to deal with withdrawals. At the very least, that'll make it even more difficult for you to go around saving people or whatever.

[trainwrecking]

You're-- [ one to talk about "not caring for yourself" ] --I thought you hated the "saving people" thing... [If he didn't know better, he would think you were worried about him, Hizumi!]

I know I should be more careful with it here. It didn't affect me before, so I stopped thinking about how much I had...

[bondsofsuffering]

If you keep pushing yourself too hard, you won't wake up even if I poured a bowl of ice water on you. Where's the fun in that?

[Clearly the reason here.]

--Well, it's not like I'm going to police your health or anything. [That would be pretty hypocritical, for reasons Otonashi already knows.] Just try not to kill yourself just because you stuck your neck out too far for others.

[trainwrecking]

[He's already guilty of too much self-sacrifice exacerbating his death.]

A bowl of ice water... Is that what I have to look forward to? [It's... nice to know you do care, Hizumi. Sorta. Maybe.]

I'm not going to get myself killed over this. I'll try to be better about it, but, ah... no ice water, all right? I have enough things sending me into some kind of shock...

[bondsofsuffering]

Only if I catch you passed out again!

[He's smiling while he says that, but... Something about the tone...

He's probably serious.]

[trainwrecking]

Then if I absolutely have to nap in public, I guess I won't do it here.

[Except Hizumi seems to have the uncanny ability to just kind of.. pop up anywhere in the world...]

[bondsofsuffering]

Would you rather I just gave you a soft wake-up tap with a sword instead?

[Because, you know. He has one of those now, even if he doesn't carry it with him all the time.]

[trainwrecking]

E-excuse me..?! [Because he isn't convinced he got that. Please don't be another crazy weapon-brandishing kid, Hizumi...]

[bondsofsuffering]

A sword. About this big.

[He holds his arms out, indicating the size of a katana.]

If it's the sheathe, it should be fine, right?

[trainwrecking]

Don't I get a say in this..?! A tap would be fine... You know, with your hand? Even your fist is better!

[bondsofsuffering]

It's your own fault if you run yourself so thin you fall asleep in public from exhaustion.

[trainwrecking]

There's more to it than that... It's not just what it looks like! I'm not completely unable to take care of myself...

[bondsofsuffering]

Then what are you doing? Is it really worth neglecting your health this much?

[That was a sudden shift.]

[trainwrecking]

... I want to do something. Sitting around and causing trouble doesn't help anything.

[There's a long pause, as though he's battling with himself. If given the chance, he continues, though he's much more short and quiet about this now.]

I'm starting to remember things. Incomplete things. I don't always get the chance to sleep... That's all.

[bondsofsuffering]

Compared to your friend back there, I doubt you're doing much.

[Seriously, what was up with that? But now he's back to his usual relaxed demeanor.]

...What kinds of things?

[trainwrecking]

No, but I get dragged into a lot of that... [And he fuels the fire pretty badly, but you know. Details.] I'm sorry about him.

[It's not like Noda will apologize for himself. He hesitates again before answering, but figures it can't hurt to share.]

... Flashes. Feelings attached to words or images, but no complete memory of why. A few names, but no faces...

[bondsofsuffering]

So you've started to figure out certain triggers?

[Hmm...]

Have you tried purposely using them as a way to bring back your memories, or has it all been by accident so far?

[trainwrecking]

What..? Ah, no... I haven't. [There's a distinct nervous tinge to his voice, just like before. He wants to know, but similarly fears the answer.]

Ah, I mean... I haven't yet. This is recent.

[bondsofsuffering]

Because you're still afraid?

[It's not that hard to guess. They've even discussed it before.]

[trainwrecking]

... A little, yeah.

[More than a little, but he knows he should push forward.]

I don't want to find an answer I'm not strong enough to live with. [Surely anyone can appreciate that, can't they?]

[bondsofsuffering]

So you're just going to wait until you either suddenly feel brave, or you have no choice.

[He opens up that can of soda now, taking a long drink.]

[trainwrecking]

What would you do?

[Not that Otonashi would necessarily do what Hizumi would.]

[bondsofsuffering]

If I lost my memories?

[He pauses to take another sip, as though using the moment to think. But really, it's a no brainer.]

...Well, I'd probably be curious at first, but if the flashes I got weren't very nice, I would probably try to avoid remembering it at all.

[It's happened briefly before, in that tower. He was so much happier when he couldn't remember a thing, it was almost laughable.]

[trainwrecking]

So you would avoid it indefinitely if you could and... live only for now. Put the past behind you.

[He laughs weakly, dryly. It makes sense, really, but it's almost unfair. Too easy. Most people have to deal with their own lives.]

Ah, I... won't ask you about the details of your personal life. [Really, he has a very, very strong sense that Hizumi would fit right in with the "unjust life" crew, if an attempted suicide is any indication.]