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Video
I see... I have returned to this place again.
I can't imagine any reason that I would be sent back here. It's an annoyance, and I wish that the Initiative would make up their minds. There is nothing practical in sending off and retrieving Transports as haphazardly as this.
[Nageki, as stony-faced as ever, stares down at his camera with eyes bearing his normal level of faint disapproval; whether it's relieving, or disturbing, or just completely unfamiliar is entirely up to the viewer. if there's any difference in him at all between when he was last seen and now, he looks a little less tense -- rather, his demeanor is more resigned than anything, like he's already long since accepted whatever will happen now that he's arrived back in Exsilium again.
still, it's only a pause before he wrinkles his nose slightly, tugging slightly at his clothes with obvious discomfort.] Still... I could have done without having to return to this body again. I would prefer if I could at least have some of a choice in the m...
[he trails off rather quickly, raising a hand to his face in anticipation of a sneeze.] Ma... matt--
Hachoo--! [even if he ducks down a little and covers his face fully with his hands, his sneeze is still quite loud and jostles the device just enough that when it settles, there's... nothing there. nothing, except a pile of clothes on the bed and a small lump where Nageki was only a second ago, a lump that wriggles around under the beige cardigan, until --
a small, similarly beige head pokes out. a dove, ruffling its feather agitatedly, wiggles its way out from the clothes and hops directly over to the device, staring with an almost annoyed looking expression at the camera, or at least as close as a bird could ever ge to to emulating any sort of angry face. to make the entire video all the more surreal, when it opens its beak, it's Nageki's same voice that comes out.]
...Matter. Please, at least allow me to pick one or the other instead of this ridiculous back-and-forth nonsense. Given that any of you even listen to the messages posted on this network, of course.
I can't imagine any reason that I would be sent back here. It's an annoyance, and I wish that the Initiative would make up their minds. There is nothing practical in sending off and retrieving Transports as haphazardly as this.
[Nageki, as stony-faced as ever, stares down at his camera with eyes bearing his normal level of faint disapproval; whether it's relieving, or disturbing, or just completely unfamiliar is entirely up to the viewer. if there's any difference in him at all between when he was last seen and now, he looks a little less tense -- rather, his demeanor is more resigned than anything, like he's already long since accepted whatever will happen now that he's arrived back in Exsilium again.
still, it's only a pause before he wrinkles his nose slightly, tugging slightly at his clothes with obvious discomfort.] Still... I could have done without having to return to this body again. I would prefer if I could at least have some of a choice in the m...
[he trails off rather quickly, raising a hand to his face in anticipation of a sneeze.] Ma... matt--
Hachoo--! [even if he ducks down a little and covers his face fully with his hands, his sneeze is still quite loud and jostles the device just enough that when it settles, there's... nothing there. nothing, except a pile of clothes on the bed and a small lump where Nageki was only a second ago, a lump that wriggles around under the beige cardigan, until --
a small, similarly beige head pokes out. a dove, ruffling its feather agitatedly, wiggles its way out from the clothes and hops directly over to the device, staring with an almost annoyed looking expression at the camera, or at least as close as a bird could ever ge to to emulating any sort of angry face. to make the entire video all the more surreal, when it opens its beak, it's Nageki's same voice that comes out.]
...Matter. Please, at least allow me to pick one or the other instead of this ridiculous back-and-forth nonsense. Given that any of you even listen to the messages posted on this network, of course.
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should he apologize for what happened? well, yes, he should definitely apologize; there should be no doubt about that much. but now probably isn't the time for it, not during their first words to each other after months apart. reminding Kaworu of his death just seems... wrong, even if it's to apologize, and looking at him Nageki is sure that he must be reminded enough without Nageki mentioning it to him.
despite how deep in thought he is, he only visibly struggles with what to say for a second or two before he settles down, quiet as ever.]
Kaworu. I'm... glad to see you.
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You're... a bird again. [cuuute.]
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...Apparently. It keeps happening whenever I sneeze, and it's irritating.
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It is about as slapstick as a falling piano. If I'm going to be forced to deal with switching like this, then I would have liked the transformation to be something less horribly cliché.
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I guess that if the common knowledge is correct, you were back at home for a while... right?
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If "a while" counts as approximately two months, then yes.
[he's also not sure what to make of disappearing and then reappearing happening often enough to incur common knowledge associated with it. as it is, coming back into... consciousness, back at the school with the familiar library walls enclosing him was surreal enough. for a while, he'd been afraid that the whole thing had never even happened to begin with -- coming back has at least assured him that his mind isn't entirely responsible for creating the memories of Exsilium, both good and bad.
at least now he knows that everything is fine back in his own time. it doesn't make this situation any less tiresome or outlandish, but he can take some small comfort in that.]
I would ask if I'd missed anything important, but looking through the network has somewhat answered that question already... this place never settles down, does it?
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If Nageki's looked through the network already, it must have just been a skim. There are several references over the past few months to Kaworu's captivity on the mainland.
Without missing a beat, he shakes his head, acting natural.]
No... it really doesn't.
[later, when Nageki finds out about what happened over the summer - later is when they can talk about it.]
I would like to come see you, at your convenience. Do you need anything? I could help you get settled again.
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...No, I don't need anything. But I would like to see you, regardless.
[how could he not want to see Kaworu? it was hard enough adjusting to the idea of never seeing him again after leaving Exsilium the way he did. maybe it was better than just... waking up one morning to find Nageki gone, but now that Nageki knows just how easily he could disappear from this place forever, he'd rather spend what time he does have with the people here he cares about. out of all of them, Kaworu deserves at least that much.]
It may be easier for me to come to you, if you're still living in the same apartment. Whenever you want me to.
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[He can take that however he'd like. Kaworu smiles at him happily.]
Yes, you come to me. I bet it would be nice to stretch your wings, right? It's Unit 1001. Shall I put on some tea?
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Nageki isn't sure about stretching his wings, but there's not much stretching to do in a high-school library, so he can't really complain about the opportunity. plus, this way he'll learn his way to Kaworu's (and Shinji's) apartment unit quickly, and... that's not a bad reward for the effort.
he just kind of hopes Shinji isn't around before Nageki's figured out how to deal with their last, and only, awkward conversation. he already has plenty on his mind now without that too.]
Don't worry about it. I don't need anything, so do what you want to and I'll be there in a few minutes.
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Alright. I'll be waiting.
[Oh, he's excited. He really feels excited to see Nageki again. And in his true body, too - Kaworu is so happy for him.
It is important to welcome him back warmly. After setting his tablet down, Kaworu wandered out into the kitchen to put the kettle on the stove and find something for him to snack on if he was hungry. What did Nageki like to eat? The expanse of Kaworu's first-hand knowledge of birds was watching the pigeons flying about outside the window of his bedroom at Seele. Those birds seemed to eat garbage... but Nageki, hm, obviously he's different from that...
By the time he hears Nageki at the door, he's brewed some black tea and set out some rye crackers. After a few seconds the door opens, and Kaworu looks down to see a little mourning dove waiting on the welcome mat.]
Nageki-kun?
you shut your big gay mouth
he's lucky to at least know his way around the complex by now, however disturbingly unchanged as it always is, so when he finds unit 1001 he doesn't hesitate to tap on the door and wait. as always, he doesn't have to wait long; it's only a moment before the door opens and Kaworu stands before him.
his friend really doesn't look all that different. the circles under his eyes look a little darker than he remembers, but Exsilium doesn't make it easy not to be constantly stressed over one thing or another. as it is, Nageki is quite sure that if Kaworu had happened to make acquaintances with any other doves he would know about it, so he has to assume that his polite asking is out of courtesy rather than genuine confusion. still, he stays where he is, equally cordial in waiting for Kaworu to beckon him inside before he hops past the doorway.]
Yes, it's me.
B)
[once he hops inside, Kaworu closes the door. would it be polite to offer to carry him to the kitchen? he has so many questions.]
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It doesn't really matter. Eventually I will go back to being human, so it isn't as though it's permanent.
[Kaworu's thoughtfulness is always so -- gentle, and kind, and even now it makes Nageki feels uncomfortable that he put any consideration into making him something to eat at all. eating foods was at least one of the things that he missed during the past few months,though it's not like he's really that picky, so...
well, it would be a good idea not to eat anything he already knows will make him sick, but Kaworu probably remembers that much. not that Nageki would blame him if he didn't. with a short flutter upwards, he lands delicately beside the plate set out for him and looks back at Kaworu, speaking with just the right inflection in his otherwise monotonous tone to make it clear that he appreciates the effort.]
This is just fine. Thank you, Kaworu.
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When he flutters up to the kitchen table, he pulls a seat out for himself and sits. The necessary elements for tea are set out; while Kaworu doesn't know if Nageki could sip from a human-sized cup, it's probably still worth it to pour him some thanks to the unpredictable nature of his switching back and forth.]
Your return is something to celebrate. [it's something that deserves this kind of effort. he picks up the kettle and pours hot water over the bags placed in each cup.] If you can eat crackers, please have some. The're made from rye seeds. I'll have to get some proper food for you next time... What do you prefer?
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[he won't admit it, but he did kind of miss Collette in the past few months. it's people like her that make coming back to Exsilium seem a lot more bearable -- but the whole bird association probably helps, he thinks.]
I do appear to be back, yes. Even if it isn't in one stable piece.
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( How unfair! Though thumbs are pretty useful. Still, people should be allowed to be as they are, not forced to change for others. )
sorry for the wait!!
as for thumbs, they are most certainly quite useful, but Nageki would readily relinquish them in return for something more normal. he's really not the exciting type.]
I wish I knew. I've never experienced being human before arriving here, so I can only assume that it's either an intentional ability... or a technological failure. I can't really tell which one it is.
no worries at all!
( Pause. Then some small laughter. )
I think you got gypped. Definitely leaning for technological failure!
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I will hope that it will at least become more bearable soon. If I could figure out how to control the transformations, I'd manage just fine...
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Hey, what's your weapon, real fast?
[voice]
[That's really all he can say, since he's too busy trying to figure out A. how shapeshifting into a pigeon is a weapon and B. what the hell is even going on here??]
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[he can hear the incredulous sound in your voice, Naoya. he will have to continue to wonder how exactly a talking bird continues to be a shocking occurrence to humans in a place as already bizarre as Exsilium.]
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[When these things happen, it isn't, 'Oh, another entry in my bizarro life!' (at least not yet), it's more like, 'Oh, another bizarro life in my bizarro life!' Naoya's pretty adaptable for someone from a town in the mountains, but even he has limits, you guys.]
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sorry for the wait eek
I don't need to sneeze to turn back. It seems to happen on its own after a while. If pigeons or doves can sneeze, I have yet to see it, so I am lucky that I don't have to rely on it in my normal body.
it's okay we can be leisurely together
Well, I guess I can take the bird's word for it? [He's talking to a pigeon over a computer.] But hey, you know how to stop a sneeze, right? When you don't have a beak, I mean. You just gotta pinch your forehead really hard!
Not here
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