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[namesaquestion]

[The background behind Niko is very purple. Spoilers: It's because he's resting against his crobat outside his unit at Base One.

Nikolai himself is rather grouchy, if the scowl is anything to go by.]

Hmph. So I died and I didn't even get any cool loot out of it either! What gives?! I got cool stuff the first time I fought the stupid Mouther thing. And when I fell off a cliff I got Shiko. Dying should have netted me something other than pissy pokemon.

Awww. Whatever. [A wave of his hand as if to dismiss the topic.] Anyone want to make me a shirt that says 'I died and didn't get any loot'? Or 'Dying doesn't give power upgrades'?

[Is he supposed to treat death like this? No? Too bad. No one needs to know it's Actually Affected him. Everything Is Fine. So much so that he signs off with a wide, shit-eating grin.

About half an hour or so later, there's an add on in text, mostly for those that know Archie is his guardian.] Yes, I have spoken to Archie.

Comments

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[by_candlelight]

[ Ruby is sitting outside, as evidenced by the tree behind her. There is occasionally a dog's tail in the frame. ]

Oh man. I have some bad news for you concerning what the average person gets out of death.

[ She looks unbothered, but the fact of the matter was that she just couldn't handle the idea of actually emotionally connecting to the idea that one of her few confirmed friends had gotten his ass killed. It's not like she needed emotions, anyway. ]

How do you feel? Physically, I mean. Still a little chomped up or something?

Video

[namesaquestion]

What, that they don't come back? Tch. Sucks to be them.

[Ok, so his tone does soften just a little at the sight of her. The shit eating grin doesn't leave though.]

I feel the same as I did when I Ported in. I think I got shorter, too.

[:T He'd grown all of half an inch, but it was growth!]

Re: Video

[by_candlelight]

Yeah, totally sucks. Can't count the number of people I've seen who don't come back.

[ She says this casually, but is not all that cool with the fact. That says, his grin is a little relieving. ]

Try not to die again. If you do, you might get shorter than me, and I can't see you enjoying that.

[ Try not to die again, because she'd be real put out, more like it. ]

[Video]

[mem0ry]

You... you died?

[Holy shit, dude. Lain looks at him with obvious concern and discomfort, unsure why the concept unsettles her so deeply. Maybe it's because he's so young, or because this place is so much nicer than home that she can't picture it happening. It shouldn't have happened, regardless.]

Are you okay?

[Video]

[namesaquestion]

Hmph. Yeah, of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?

I think I got shorter on revival though. [:T]

[Video]

[mem0ry]

That just... that sounds so painful, and - and I can't imagine not knowing what happened, while you were... [She can't even say it. It's too horrifying to her. Vivid memories of the accident she witnessed in Shibuya flood back to her.] Does it still hurt?

I'm sorry. I, um, I can show you how to stuff your shoes to look taller, though?

im here to yeet a boy

[fauxmarth]

[sometimes the stars align and timing is such that a girl can be in the right place at the right time.

other times, it can mean someone is about to get a righteous tongue-lashing from a stranger.

this is both? kind of? because Lucina's flown in and has been making her way to Archie's window to visit as she had days prior when her ears pick up a rather grumpy voice. she discovers the source...and catches that talk of dying without benefits, and floats herself down to the ground, eyebrows raised.

behold: the boy who has been breaking Archie's heart for how long, now? and there he sits, grousing about his own misfortunes and lack of payment.]

...What...are you doing.

\o/

[namesaquestion]

[A tongue-lashing he absolutely deserves for being so ego-centric.]

What's it look like? Using the network, duh.

[There's a narrowed eyed look before he returns to his comm, ignoring the chitter from Shiko.] What are you doing here? You one of Poe's friends or something?

[fauxmarth]

I'm Lucina.

[whether or not that name was even known to him...well, it doesn't matter. he'll know it now. her tone has gotten sterner, the way it would when she caught Owain or her little sister up to trouble back when they were kids.]

And I'm here to check on Archie. I would assume you would be doing the same? Yet here you are. Why is that?

voice;

[golisolation]

[Okay, first off. Guzma had no idea the kid fucking ate it. Like, none. Last he saw and spoke to Archie was to drop off his Pokémon after he got out of the hospital. So, this is definitely news to him. But second off? How is this kid gonna act all casual when Guzma knows this is the sorta shit that would hit Archie hard.

What kinda sociopath is Archie taking under his damn wing?]

Hey punk, y'really gonna be worryin' about shit like that? You're one messed up kid.

[There's an annoyed edge to his voice, and maybe he'd be less agitated with this all if not for the some shit going on with not only him, but the rough patch that Archie seems to be going through. Maybe he's feeling a little protective, who knows how Guzma works, he certainly doesn't.]

Instead of being a little brat cloggin' up the network with this garbage, why don't you go see how your old man's holding up, huh?

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[namesaquestion]

[It's called self-denial and running from his problems, which in this case is that yes, his death has shaken him. Because if he ignores it, it'll go away, right!? Also, how does he do feelings or actually... talk about what's bothering him?]

Hmph. I'll visit Archie when I can get more than three seconds of peace because a giant bat that won't stay in it's pokeball like the rest of them.

[There is a smug chitter from said crobat.]

[golisolation]

Nah, you'll go to him now.

[The tone to his voice is one that does not leave room for argument. Almost like a threat, yet not so overtly so. Guzma's not fucking around, kid. Not that he doesn't blame the Pokémon any, he gets it, but at the same time there's no reason to leave Archie hanging when the dude wouldn't be bothered by the Crobat chilling with them.

Hell, Archie'd probably prefer it, the damn bleeding heart.]

voice, private

[queenofseers]

[ There's a lot of things Cassandra says- to herself- upon seeing Niko. She's so mad at him- she's so fucking mad. But he died, he died and-

God.

What she gets out when she actually calls him is just this: ]

Niko. Where the fuck are you right now?

voice, private

[namesaquestion]

Base One, but headed into Nonah soon. Why?

[He's Grouchy by now.]

[queenofseers]

So- I- you've seen Archie. He knows you're here?

[ That was her first thought, because Archie ought to know his fucking kid is back. And then- ]

Niko, are you actually okay? [ She's assuming the answer is no. Probably should have been the first thing to ask, she realizes. ]

Private; Voice

[hailgiovanni]

[ When he saw the message he had to take the time to pause to calm himself. Since the boy died he had been awaiting signs of his return and going over again and again the things that could have been done differently. Naturally this was all the boy's fault, but Archer had clearly failed to teach him lessons that would stick when countered by the buffoonery of his current guardian. It was only the fact that the two of them had not had time to speak in private that kept him from immediately seeking full custody so that he could make sure that this never happened again.

Had this been their world, there would have been no option for it to happen more than once.

It was due to it being the boy's fault that the message enraged Archer so much. Had they been in person, well. He would possibly have given in to the urge to hold the boy against the wall by the throat, lifting him as his voice rose... Instead he was saved from this embarrassing loss of composure in front of his charge. Though, a few objects in his immediate vicinity did not fare so well due to the distance.

When he finally spoke, his voice was stern and cold. Colder than the boy would have ever heard. ]

Are you pleased with yourself?

Voice, not private.

[namesaquestion]

[EXCUSE YOU! It's not his fault he fell prey to the monster.

While the voice is cold and it does have him sitting up and listening, by the time he gets to Archer's reply, Nikolai is feeling Grouchy and not at all inclined to be polite or even attempt to be. Nor does he want to wordplay or wordsmith, but he will if needed. Also he's still pissed off at him for shooting Archie and it shows in how cold his eyes are and the lift of his chin.

Also this is private, and he's going to unprivate it. Because he wants the man held accountable for his words. Alo you know, taking his anger out on a Rocket via being petty is a Good Idea.]

Hmph. No. Don't have my shirt yet, Archer.

Re: Voice, not private.

[hailgiovanni]

[ If the boy wishes to publicly humiliate himself further then Archer will allow him. ]

You put yourself in danger without reason, and now you come to complain about failure to gain anything from pure recklessness? Has it failed to register in your juvenile brain that you died? Has it further failed to register that you died due to your own foolishness and desire to show off?

You have no right to rub it in the faces of all of those who have waited with great concern as to whether or not you would come back at all by complaining that you didn't get stuff. Your life is worth more than a few objects vomited out by a creature from another world, and yet you care more for the lack of material reward than you do for both your loss of life and the grief that loss inflicted upon all who care for you.

You're supposed to be better than this. You were not raised to be a vapid-headed child more interested in baubles than in basic survival.

video;

[eloquentness]

You did what?

[ God, she's going to regret being mad in public, but the kid just died and this is how he reacts - what kind of world did he come from?

Give her a second; she'll calm down. Maybe. ]

video;

[namesaquestion]

[It's less the world he came from and more Nikolai just. Doesn't do well with Feelings. So he pretends Everything Is Fine. It's not but shhh. Feelings are hard.]

I died. I was doing my job as a Hero and I died.

Already been lectured. Multiple times.

[GRUMPY TEENAGER IS GRUMPY. Mostly because this isn't going the way he thought it would.] Still want my shirt.

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[eloquentness]

[ she sighs, visibly deflating, like the wind being let out of a sail - ]

Well. I can't provide a shirt, but I'm now an expert baker. Think you could take some tiramisu instead, as a consolation prize?

[innerdragon]

[Well... Lance is certainly out of the loop. He has to take in his message and blink at it a few times before responding.]

You died and you're complaining about not getting stuff?

And this is the third time?

[Sorry if he finds this kind of disturbing?]

[namesaquestion]

Some Champ you are if you can't even listen. Tch. It's the first time I've died! Learn to listen!

[God, Niko. Don't blame people for being confused when you weren't that clear to start with!]

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[fursleuth]

Okay, but hear me out.

Have you talked to Archie?

[He's just dicking with you.] No, but seriously. Welcome back, kid. I can't believe I'm saying that to somebody who just died, but that's just life here.

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[namesaquestion]

[For a brief second, he just looks straight-up confused, as if the sentiment is unexpected.]

... You're the second person to say that. 'Welcome back'.