HIKARU TOKIMOTO: unranked & anonymous on BYOH as 'fuli163'. TEMPORAL DISPLACEMENT: the user gets randomly displaced in time; experiences time out of order. twenty-six, cis man, fc: yamazaki kento.
HIERONYMUS 'JEROME' WALLACE: Valerian A-rank, the trailblazer 'Thaumaturge'. WEATHER MANIPULATION: the user controls weather phenomena in the earthās atmosphere. fifty-eight, cis man, fc: steve toussaint.
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Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā IT'S TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW. Exceptāhe could walk past the library and loop back to the bus stop. Hikaru watches as a man exits the library and drops a small stack of books on his way down the wide concrete stairs. He jogs up to help him, dusting pebbles off some hardcovers before handing them over. The man takes them graciously, and they spend a few moments awkwardly expressing thanks and awkwardly receiving thanks until they go their separate ways.Ā
With a start, Hikaru realizes how close he is to the entrance now. A rush of adrenaline shocks him from head to toe. What is he doing? Turn back, turn back now. He kicks one foot in front of the other and spins towards the sidewalk, taking three steps down before he stops in his tracks.Ā
No, okayāstop. This is wrong. Itās rude. He told Outis heād meet her here today, and like, right now. After all sheās done for him, he owes her this much.Ā
Hikaruās habit of rejecting help is coming in at full swing, leaving him standing outside the library like a scared possum, always freezing up in the most inconvenient places. Heās always been like this. The altercation with the Cleaner didnāt shake him up; not the first time, nor the time in the subway station with everyone else. Hikaru can take a stabbing, a steep fall, and hell, years of temporal displacement without complaining to anyone. He isnāt afraid of bad actors or of putting himself in danger to afford rent and meager scraps of discounted groceries. And if he can help people, all the better reason to put himself to use.Ā
He lives in his solitude without minding it much. He can rationalize, to some degree, that itās a choice he makes. He can convince himself that heās never needed anotherās support. Ever since his mother passed, he never needed anything to depend on, never needed anyone for company. He didnāt then, and he doesnāt now; thereās no need to say heās struggling, and thereās even less point in asking for help.
But she noticed something was off. Itās being noticed that scares him.
Itās why he ran from the station, why he disassembled his phone into scraps, why he showed up to meet her with a paper bag over his head a few weeks ago. He confessed to her suspicions and instead of chastising him for putting them at risk, she handed him enough money to be his lifeline for the month so he could continue working odd jobs.Ā
Today, sheās offering to help him with his disguise. The bandages are a no-goāthereās reports of him out there now. The F.B.I.A. are sniffing his tracks and his worst nightmare feels like itās just around the corner. Hikaru is hitting the ground running, anxiety ramping up at a constant high, living with stomach problems and nightmares that he canāt shake off.Ā
And now that he's caught in Outis' orbit, the symptoms are all jumbled up. Hikaru has idolized her since they met, to some degree. Her timestop permutation drew him to her like a young pup meeting another of its species for the first time; someone to guide him with paws instead of thumbs. And yet heās never divulged that their permutations are anything alike; she hasnāt seen him get displaced, hasnāt heard his voice, hasnāt seen his face.Ā
Now, he has the opportunity to receive direct guidance from her. All he has to do is walk into the library.Ā
Hikaru spends another hour outside. He loiters for a while, walking up and down the sidewalk, eventually planting himself atop the warm stairs, off to the side, while people walk to and fro the building. His head is in his hands for much of those minutes; fingers tangled in his hair as he aggressively tugs at it, cheeks red with nail marks. All of this toiling for him to stand up, put one foot in front of the other, and enter the library with a thin sheen of sweat clinging to his forehead.Ā
Hikaru glances around like heās expecting zombies. His feet feel weighed down by lead as he finds his way to the private study room Outis mentioned reserving for the day. He stands outside for another handful of minutes, reconsidering this entire meeting for the 100th time. Maybe 200th time.
Taking a deep breath, Hikaru politely knocksāthree gentle, timid knocksābefore he peeks his head in through the door.Ā
His eyes widen like a doe, round and dark, when he spots Outis in civilian clothes. She said she wouldnāt be masked; itās why Hikaru isnāt, either, but what he wasnāt expecting is that he instantly recognizes her. From N.E.S.T. Hikaru has seen her at the Liberty Glens N.E.S.T. branch.Ā
He stands a bit dumbfounded, hair a disheveled mess youād think he just walked out of a street brawl, and blinks at her from the door before his lips curl into a nervous and sheepish smile. What was he so worried about? She definitely doesnāt look like sheād turn him over to the F.B.I.A! Sheāsāwow! She looks kind. Older than him, but he somehow knew that; Outisā experience during jobs is palpable, she has none of his rough and awkward edges.
This is Outis!Ā
His anxiety is soothed for a moment, yet Hikaru still stands there like heās new to the world. His eyes dart around the room then land back on her. With a small, tentative voice, he asks, āOutis?ā
When Eeshika glances up from her phone, she realises that the rest of the group had already called five, which was their not-so-subtle way of saying that they were calling it a day. Without even thinking twice, she couldn't hide the smile spreading across her fact. Offering them a quick wave goodbye, already halfway out the door before she is roped into another conversation. She knew exactly where she was going somewhere quiet, somewhere she wouldn't be interrupted. Just her, her phone and Hikaru.
They didn't talk all that often but that only made these brief windows together matter more. In the moments that they did, Eeshika wants go give him her complete attention, as it was the least she could do. And if she was being honest with herself, she wanted too. That particular warmth bubbles up inside her again. She reads his reply and bites down her lip, as there are far to many ha as there was nothing of noteworthy of funny.
A red flush of embarrassment comes over her, scrolling up reading exactly what she had sent him. The panic seeping in Why?! Why did she say that? Like seriously....why did he have to know that? When another voice in her head whispers. Oh you know exactly why.... she chews down on her lip. Denying a little bit. She takes a breath and this time texts a little bit calmer.
[DM] @xkeaishe > @h1karu
@xkeaishe: Sorry I said that in a bit of a frazzle.
@xkeaishe : Just a lot of stuff in the media that's untrue. And I just don't want that to be the impression that you have of me. You know?
@xkeaishe : You're just easy to talk too.
@xkeaishe :And I think for the first time in a long time, someone that I can just be honest with.
@xkeaishe : You're using a lot of hahas Hikaru...are you sure everything is okay?
@xkeaishe : You sure?
@xkeaishe : Cause if you ever want to talk. Please know I'm here! (Ė¶įµ įµ įµĖ¶)
@xkeaishe : Ahhh I see, that's a pretty healthy choice I applaud you for that!
The fact that Hikaru was still on about Operation: Racoon, makes something in her chest flutter. She quickly asks him.
@xkeaishe : Thank you for still thinking about that. But no rush okay? Good things are always worth the wait
@xkeaishe : You'll still keep me company there, right?
. Part of it is longs to see him again, even if the two of them sat in silence.
Part of it is from longing to see him again, even if it meant that the two of them sat in silence. Part of it comes from anxiety that wells inside her. Part of it was selfish because she wants to know Hikaru would stay. Not many people did stay. Or maybe...maybe she was being a little too pushy.
@xkeaishe : Like would you say you're more a sweet or savory person?
@xkeaishe : It is important! I must know for science (āą²°_ā¢Ģ)
Maybe a little game of this or that, kinda like that very dorky couple from SuperHearts, she could borrow that as a light way just to know a few studd.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā WAS HIS REPLY TO DRY? Too barren? Hikaru purses his lipsāhe hopes he didnāt come off as uncaring. Reading that she finds him easy to talk to is surprising, too. Heās always lagged behind in silence, preferring to act and let his actions speak for themselves. Thatās gotten him into a handful of trouble, of courseāso many miscommunications that could have been avoided if heād just talked.Ā
But thatās a pit of self-deprecation to fall into another day. Hikaru blinks at his screen. Next time they meet, whenever they hang out on the rooftop, he wonāt overthink himself into a puddle of timidity. And hopefully, by then, his mood wonāt be so dull.Ā
With a softly exhaled sigh, Hikaru scrolls up and down the chat log. Eeshika sure is nice. If only he could offer her an ounce of the same honesty.Ā
[DM] @h1karu >@xkeaishe
@h1karu: i understand, no worries
@h1karu: actually, my impression of you is totally of a heroĀ
@h1karu: that was the first time someone rescued my groceriesā¦Ā
He feels it, that downtrodden tug of exhaustion. Itās seeping through his messages, though he hopes she doesn't mind, even if she notices.
@h1karu: yup! iām gonna try it out for a whileā¦ apparently, it fixes your dopamine receptors. hmm. something like that.
@h1karu: iāve never actually clicked on those self-help videos. but they usually say something like that in the titles, lol.Ā
@h1karu: do you know which ones iām talking about? for some reason theyāre always recommended to me š
While Hikaru had only intended to get her numberāitās still bizarre (to him) that he scrounged up the courage to askāhe finds himself lost in the distraction of conversation. He drops from his couch to the carpeted floor like a slinky, leaning against the small cushion that falls alongside him.Ā
@h1karu: i will! š«”
@h1karu: by the way, do you think we were actually neighbors at one point? maybe, right?Ā
@h1karu: i think itās beenā¦ five years for me? i mean, five years living hereĀ
He blinks at his screen for a moment, then at the ceiling. Food? All of the sudden? With a small huff of laughter, Hikaru thumbs over the keyboard.
@h1karu: oh, hmmm
@h1karu: i think savory, but i like sweet as wellā¦Ā
@h1karu: sometimes i dip my french fries into chocolate milkshakesā¦Ā
@h1karu: what about you? :D
@h1karu: what kind of scientist are you? am i in a study?Ā
closed thread | into the skies: invictus & the seven sentinels
Ėā ā® ā„ who: hikaru & trixĀ
Ėā ā® ā„ place: liberty glens memorial museumĀ
Ėā ā® ā„ time: 05.03.2022Ā
Itās been years since Trix truly sought out to study and immerse herself in history, and the exhibit at the Liberty Glens Memorial Museum seemed like the perfect opportunity to revisit one of her less intense hobbies. Since she arrived in NKC six years ago, sheās been spending the majority of her time pursuing more physically active endeavors ā which doubled as distractions to keep her from ruminating. Back in Colombia, she engrossed herself in street painting and studying the Violet Sun Radiation Event almost as much as she did in her more well established, high-thrill interests. Once she recognized her own powers, she became fascinated in the entire concept of permutations and invested in the rights of permuted people. Always having been opposed to all forms of government control and strict regulations, it was only natural for her to gravitate toward educating herself as society and humans evolved.Ā
Although she does have respect for Invictus and the Seven Sentinels for their bravery and speaking out about permuted rights, Beatrix worships and idolizes no one. She would be attending the exhibit to keep from being idle and ensuring she doesn't completely lose all of her accumulated knowledge. Plus, if she plans to become an overall more balanced person like sheās been telling herself she would be, what better way to balance out reckless adventures than with a simple historical museum exhibit? It would provide her with a break to distract herself and feel productive without actively risking her life ā save for any unexpected surprises, that is.Ā
Taking in the history and making her way through the gallery of unimpressive costumes, she thinks about how much of a missed opportunity it was for the iconic Sentinels to lack so much in fashion. What a damn shame, she thinks to herself, shaking her head. Just as sheās getting lost in thought and feeling somewhat at ease, she hears a loud shutter immediately followed by a blinding flash. It would be comical in contrast with their quiet surroundings if it werenāt so irritating and poorly timed. Youāve gotta be fucking kidding me, she thinks. Couldnāt she have just one day without being perceived?Ā
āSeriously? Itās a fucking museum, dude. Havenāt you ever heard of consent?ā she snaps, whipping her head around to address the culprit. She locks eyes with a dark haired young man who she doesnāt recognize in the slightest looking absolutely mortified. Despite her initial assumption that he was trying to sneak a photo of her, he didnāt give her the typical rabid fan energy she could easily detect on someone. āI wanna give you the benefit of the doubt here and hope that you were trying to photograph something else, for both of our sake,ā she says curtly. Sheās not in the mood to teach anyone a lesson and he doesnāt look like he needs one. āEither way, I suggest you show me that photo before you do anything else with it,ā she demands, waiting for him to comply. Truthfully, she just has to be sure that this stranger didnāt catch her at a shit angle.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā HIKARU LOOKS AS IF HEāS ABOUT TO JUMP AT EACH WORD. Heās flighty and motionless at once, staring at Sangrienta with large round eyes full of guilt and embarrassment. Even though he didnāt intend to capture her in the photo, he canāt help self-deprecating, feeling very strongly that he only has himself to blame for leaving the flash on like some kind of animal who canāt use technology. A little sparrow or something, with tiny bird bones.Ā
āTake it,ā he concedes and hesitates before he steps closer and hands her the phone. On the screen, itās clearly evident that Invictusā costume is the central object of the shot, but Sangrienta still makes up half of the picture. She looks, admittedly, a little bit insane in it; the flash made her eyes red and the blinding white light completely drowned out her features. It's like he captured a ghost in the background of the image. At the very least, she can rest assured that he's not a professional paparazzi undercover.
āYou can delete it,ā Hikaru offers with an earnest look. āI was taking a picture of the costumeā¦ā He trails off while nervously scratching behind his ear.
Itās not his first time coincidentally coming face-to-face with the Valerian A-rank, now that he thinks about it. There was that time in the alleywayā¦ When was that? Hey, yeah! When was that? Hikaru frowns. He canāt remember. And she doesnāt seem to recognize him from back then. Not surprising at all. It was only a brief encounter, but it struck him as such an absurd occurrence, almost dreamlike.Ā
Having been put in his place, he doesnāt particularly feel like apologizing over and over. He wants to bury himself in the cold damp embrace of the earth and forget this ever happened before it becomes one of the many embarrassing memories that keeps him up at night. One last apology should do before he can rush off and reflect back on his entire life.Ā
āSorry again. Iām a big fan of your graffiti murals, but I didnāt spot you there beforeāwell, yeah. Sorry to bother you.āĀ
She summons real, actual bubbles from her clasped hands like an arcane mystic, separating her palms and there, between them, a translucent bubble shapes into being as if someone is blowing air through an invisible straw to expand it. Hikaruās worried face suddenly lights up with awe and wonder; his eyes, like bubbles themselves, reflect the sunlight coming in through the glass entrance as they widen in delight. Heās all too quickly enthralled, forgetting himself and even the figure he suspects at worst a stalker.Ā
The bubble gets larger until it swallows the items in his makeshift pouch and he braces himself for a pop. Hikaru squints and turns his face away, expecting to hear a clatter when his groceries meet the ceramic-tiled floor again, but it turns out the bubble is not so ethereal as he thought. It floats effortlessly in place, hovering between them while countless smaller bubbles trail buoyantly around it like newborn fish at their motherās fins. He catches sight of his neighbor on the other side, mesmerized as he is by the display as if she had not summoned it by her own magic.Ā
What a beautiful permutation!, Hikaru thinks tenderly.. { extract from thread by @fuli163 and @waywardlegacies }
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When Hikaru's name lights up her notifications, Eeshika excuses herself immediately from the others to give her full attention to him. It had been a while since he had messaged and she wouldn't lie if there were days she longingly waited to hear anything back. Looking down and seeing his name in pixels, causes a warmth that cuts through the weight that she's been carrying around with her, feeling a little lighter like the days she did on the staircase. The rest of the world could fade away into the background.
Something about seeing Hikaru's name there, knowing that it's him reaching out, makes the world feel a little less overwhelming. Her shoulder relaxes. Somehow, in everything that is uncertain, his names is a reminder that there is something good. Especially with the recent news gossip wheel about her, at least she had managed to move it on from him. Swiping her fingers over to read his messages, her eyes eagerly reading over, nearly dropping her phone.
@h1karu: could i have your number?
A hot flush runs on her face. Wait? Why was he asking for her number? Play it cool Shika, play it cool. She tells herself mentally. Though she can't help but let her mind drift a little, feeling herself getting a little giggly at her phone.
[DM] @xkeaishe > @h1karu
@xkeaishe : Hikaru, hey
@xkeaishe : Things....things have been a little crazy if you have seen the headlines.
@xkeaishe : Which btw...it was an accidental kiss and I am totally single. Just it is a whole thing. But yeah, she isn't my girlfrie-
And she hits send before she can even think about it. Feeling herself go beat red. Oh no...she sent that. But he was asking for her number. So....ahhhh. She doesn't stop messaging otherwise the gab between the messages would be weird.
@xkeaishe : Sorry...that was an overshare, haha. ^-^
@xkeaishe : Oh you're deleting socials? Is everything okay?
@xkeaishe : I'm glad that you wanna stay in contact with me x
@xkeaishe : Here is my number: xxxx-xxxx-xxxx āø(ļ½”Ė įµ Ė )āøā”
She is sending the messages fast, without thinking too much into the emojis used. Yet she was clinging on to every word that he was sending. For her, it was a pause in the chaos, a place where she didn't need to overthink...even though she does overthink.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā EESHIKAāS BRIGHT AND CHEERFUL DISPOSITION SHINES THROUGH HER TEXT MESSAGES LIKE A WARM LIGHT BEAMING OUT FROM HIS SCREEN. Hikaru smiles for the first time in hours, the gentle slope of his lips curling upward ever so fondly. His thoughts and feelings are all jumbled in a heaping pile of confusion, sadness, and now a faint spark of happiness tangled tightly with embarrassment.Ā
He braces his forehead against a hand, sitting still for a long while. Why on earth is she clarifying that sheās single? Has Hikaruāhas he given some kind of strange impression? Have his feelings been so confounding and hidden to him, but obvious to her?Ā
This is exactly why heās never been on a third date. He never understands the situation when itās happeningāonly afterwards. Only this time, itās not afterwards yet! He has to put up with his own cluelessness as he rereads her unfinished text over and over again until he decides, finally, to ignore it altogether.Ā
[DM] @h1karu >@xkeaishe
@h1karu: oh, okay hahaha
Should he tell her that he knows Anna? Should he ask for the story? Hikaru bites down on a fingernail. No, no. Heās already chosen to ignore it, and she just confirmed that she overshared.Ā Perhaps it's not his place to ask about headlines. He's recently experienced first hand how shamelessly misleading they are, anyway. She must be sick of explaining herself.
@h1karu: everythingās cool, yup! š
@h1karu: just trying to cut down my screentime ahahaĀ
He squints at his screen after slowly typing out that unbelievably cringy lie.Ā With a grimace, he blinks and forces himself to move on from it before he starts feeling foolish and guilty.
@h1karu: yeah! i still have to update you on the raccoon situation. sorry iāve been kinda busy this week thoughĀ
[ In Hikaru's mailbox is an envelope addressed to him ā
To: Fuli163
Inside the envelope is nothing but a MicroSD card. Purple, with some artwork of a rabbit on it. Behind is a small little scrawl in Sharpie fineliner. VLVTNUNGRD.
Once inserted in any phone, the screen flashes a myriad of colors: black, white, red, blue, green, yellow, pink, then purple. Then. A line of text, shows up sentence by sentence.
Welcome to the Velveteen Underground.
The warrens are open, travel with ease.
But remember, the rabbit hole is deep.
Don't get lost in your own buries.
Pay it forward for another weary traveler,
who needs a home away from the noise.
Then an app shows up, with a stylized rabbit head. Underneath it, VLVTN.
Once opening the app, it shows account sale listings and how-to's to spoof accounts for major apps, including Bring Your Own Hero. ]
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā ā¦ HUH. Hikaru stares at the screen of his brand new (used) phone purchased at the pawn shop downtown for like, forty-bucks plus change. The cheap price tag definitely alludes to its capabilities (it has a physical keyboard), but Hikaru keeps telling himself that itās retro, and that heās happy with it. He broke open and destroyed his old smartphone, so he really has no choice. That thing had been a dinosaur in its own right, but itād been in his possession for a long time, and heād managed to stay on top of all the bloatware the manufacturer kept trying to install through updates so that heād move onto the next, shinier version. He did not. He skipped many, many upgrades, and now heās gone back to dated hardware altogether.Ā
Figures.
The phone in his hand is large and clumsy, though itās as useful as any so long as it can access the web and the play store. Whateverā¦ whatever this isāwhatever heās staring atāwonāt go to waste.
He thinks.
He doesnāt really know what it is.
It was addressed to Fuli163. Whoever sent it knows his address. It makes no sense.
Hikaru sat with the envelope for a long time, turning it over in his hand nervously, leaving it on his coffee table and staring at it from a corner of the living room like it might move on its own, until curiosity finally won over and he found the MicroSD card inside.Ā
Another troubling development.Ā
Hikaruās not an expert, but heās messed around with a lot of technologyāa lot of retro technology, mostly. Stuff people throw out, and a few things he got from the local library when they upgraded their hardware a few years back. Itās in a pile in his room, tangled in a heap of cables and parts spilling out of a red suitcase that's haphazardly shoved into a corner.
He knows his stuff. The phone is new (to him), he hasnāt logged onto anything, doesnāt need to with older software. If anything happened, he could just get rid of it and wave goodbye to those forty dollars, a chunk he'd taken from the money Outis was kind enough to offer (which he'll pay back no matter what).
So, with a lot to lose (so much that he didn't want to think about it), he inserted the SD card.Ā
He prepared for the worst. Whether itās a fair suspicion or just a sign of his increasing paranoia, he was scared it was some strange F.B.A.I tactic. Heās heard A.C.I.D specializes in finding unranked permutedāa thought worth shuddering atābut he couldnāt find any information on their methods. Intentional, obviously, but even the forums were empty. Anyone with personal experience either isnāt talking, or theyāre getting shut down.Ā
Okay, wellā¦ Scary. But none of that mattered for this. Hikaruās staring at account sale listings and guides on spoofing accounts for popular apps. This app, VLVTN, is definitely illegal.Ā
He's honestly a little relieved at that.
Whoever put it in his possession wonāt want it slipping out. Itās deeply concerning that they know his address, but he isnāt reading any malicious intentions from this.
The warrens are open, travel with ease. But remember, the rabbit hole is deep. Don't get lost in your own buries. Pay it forward for another weary traveler, who needs a home away from the noise.
No, not malicious. It feels almost likeā¦Ā
Solidarity? Some kind of network of people just like him, trying to help him out?
@xkeaishe Promise to message me later? We can talk more raccoon theories!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā HIKARU GLANCES THROUGH THE END OF THEIR LAST CONVERSATION WITH HIS LIPS SET INTO A SMALL FROWN. As fate would have it, heās neither messaging with raccoon updates nor in a particular mood to talk. It feels like heās been through a blender for the past forty-eight hours and he just got out. He hasnāt even had a chance to speak to the building manager. Hell, he isnāt sure how he's gonna explain the odd request heās about to make, but heās still set on making good on his promise.Ā Just... eventually. When all of this dies down. All of the noiseāthe livestreams getting shared around, the news reports, the headlines about Siren and Anna (thatās a weird one)āhe wants to turn it all off. He only has the energy to get to the point.
[DM] @h1karu >@xkeaishe
@h1karu: hi shika, i hope you're well!
@h1karu: sorry if this is out of the blue
@h1karu: could i have your number?
Okay, now that heās sent it, it does feel a little embarrassing. Hikaru purses his lips and stares at the screen, feeling somewhat unimpressed with himself. Try as he might, he canāt figure out why itās embarrassing, or why he feels embarrassed for being embarrassed. Awful, confusing stuff.Ā
Best not to think about it.Ā
@h1karu: iām getting rid of my social media accounts š
@h1karu: so i thought iād make an effort to stay in touch with people another way š š
Moments ago, she was losing hope that her and Hikaru would remain in contact. With all serious matters dealt with they would both be on their ways. Yet...here they both were, more messages rolling before. That little piece of Eeshika that clung onto the hope, bloomed a warmth in her chest. The selfish part that didn't want to let him go, just a message more, a moment more to be captivated in his world.
Only just have met, Eeshika was longing to stay as long as she could in the tiny pockets of time with Hikaru. In person or online. She'd take each moment she could. Her attention was fully on her phone, excited and impatient awaiting to read his next reply, as she casually scrolls through his timeline, only for curious reasons. When the messages light up, she reminds herself to pause her typing, reading the mesages over again.
[DM] @Siren (ā) > @h1karu
@siren Well you are lucky to have it!
@siren Of course, my personal is @xkeaishe
@siren Excuse the dorkiness of the name, well if you know that is.
@siren I'll follow you from that account now!
Her eyes scan over the next flurry of messages. And she can't help but stay a little fixed on it. Her hand finding it's way to cling her chest a little. How he seems to get it too. Eeshika doesn't pry but maybe...it could be something they one day talk about. Typing and retyping the message.
@siren I hope you're able to find your way home again.
A light giggle leaves her lips as now they are giving the raccoon of Lib Glen a backstory. An inside joke between the two of them.
@siren Surely, in a world of Permutations there has to be something radioactive that bites?
@siren It most certainly has to be a spiderman-esq logic too it too!
@siren Raccoon-Man, Raccoon-Man does whatever a Racoon can. Can he get on too a roof by an elevator....maybe? It's Racoon-Manā«
When he agreed to keep her company on the rooftop, at whatever time that does happen, she could feel the heat rise further in her cheeks. It meant that she was going to see Hikaru again and right now, nothing sounded sweeter. As he mentions a thermos cup, Eeshika is already planning to make it a rooftop picnic thinking of some of Brooklyn's best sweet treats and bakes she could bring for the two of them to share.
@siren Perfect, it's a date x
She hits send too quickly. As the word date she used all the time when talking about spending time with the Jaylen and Bunmi, not really thinking much of it. Her mind is preoccupied on sweet treats and the thought of them meeting again and raccoons and setting up talking on her alt account. As she quickly switched over to her alt account to follow Hikari and snapping up a little selfie for proof.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā PERHAPS ITāS BECAUSE THE LAST MESSAGE LEFT A VIDEO GAME-ESQUE STUN EFFECT ON HIM THAT HE DOESNāT REPLY TO HER OFFICIAL ACCOUNT. Hikaru stares at his phone, trying to keep his head attached to his shoulders so that it doesnāt fly into the clouds. Surely itās a manner of speech, not an actual date, but even the thought embarrasses him like a young school boy. He feels seized with a faint giddiness, and although it makes no sense, it's followed by extreme avoidance.Ā
Although the string of messages she sent before feel somewhat erased, he scrolls up a little and continues gazing at the screen in silence.Ā
@siren I hope you're able to find your way home again.
Maybe itās this sweet sincerity that he attributes his happy feelings to. SirenāShikaāhad been just as attentive in the lobby, going as far as to soothe his awkward bumbling with a gentle hand on his arm. He unconsciously passes a hand through his hair at the memory. With his fingers carded through the dark, wispy strands, he suddenly shakes his hand vigorously and messes it up, turning his head into something that resembles a bird's nest.Ā
Looking absolutely ridiculous, Hikaru opens his notifications tab and clicks on the account that just followed him. He follows back immediately. What he doesnāt expect is the selfie taking over half of his screen when he opens their DMs. A sudden, soft snort leaves his lips, and he passes his hand through his hair a few more times just as aggressively, before he presses down on the picture and reacts with a āšā. The smile never leaves his lips.
[DM] @h1karu > @xkeaishe
@h1karu: of course!
@h1karu: iāll give you a status update once i speak to the building manager š«”
@h1karu: good luck with rehearsals š
A huff of amusement leaves her lips almost against her own desire to laugh once she reads his concern through text. Itās heartening to hear that he is concerned, at the very least, considering she has heard nothing from Anna just yet. Honestly, it bothered her more to not have heard from the steward without a secret identity than not having heard from the one with one. She is sure the other has her reasons, but at the same time, Mercedes knows that Anna has dropped in the list of people she would call for help in a steward job.Ā
[ 9:07:35 AM ] goodfella isā¦ he is doing better, but we had to call SOMA for his treatment
[ 9:08:34 AM ] I can pass him something from you if you want
[ 9:09:34 AM ] I will be visiting pretty consistently until I have to leave town for a thing
[ 9:10:27 AM ] But I actually wanted to talk to you about your habit
[ 9:13:17 AM ] I know this is a sensitive question, but you are unranked right?
[ 9:13:44 AM ] Bc if you ARE, you need to ditch the bandages look quick
[ 9:15:27 AM ] I heard A.C.I.D. was in the scene, and that doesnāt bode well
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā HE SHOULD EAT SOMETHING. Hikaru suddenly looks up, eyeing the kitchen. The mid-morning sun illuminates the small room through the curtains. Every now and then, they sway with a gentle gust of wind, as if a ghost is passing underneath. He should get ahead of the shakiness thatās threatening to take over; the faint signs of stress and anxiety are already beginning to take hold in the tips of his fingers. Thereās the guilt, too, over not being able to visit Goodfella at the hospital. Heād been so sure that he wouldnāt let him come to harm a second time, only toā¦Ā
Hikaru stands abruptly, typing quickly.Ā
[ 9:16 AM ] i seeā¦
[ 9:16 AM ] iām glad heās doing betterĀ
[ 9:17 AM ] yes, please. i donāt think iāll be able to visit him at the hospital. if you could pass along a letter, iād be grateful
He ignores the second half of Outisā messages for some time. Just a few minutes while he gets his bearings. Hikaru looks over his empty fridge (why did he open it? He knows thereās nothing to grab and eat), then checks the creaky cabinets until he pulls out a jar of peanut butter and a much smaller one of strawberry jam.Ā
He can trust Outis, right?Ā
He puts everything on the counter beside the sink: napkin, two white pieces of bread, butter knife, the half-empty jars.Ā
Of course he can trust her. She has a secret identity too. She wouldnāt be asking him about his rank status if she hadnāt been somewhat suspicious already. And sheās Outis, for goodness sake! Thereās no way sheād inform the F.B.A.I about him.Ā
Right?
Hikaru, standing somewhat dumbly in front of his unprepared breakfast, quickly grabs his phone a second time.Ā
Itās not that he doesnāt trust her, itās that he doesnāt trust this. The textingāthe devices. Of course he trusts her. Of course he does.Ā
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public open starter for @invictushq ft. whoever man, if you can get in the building he's here
setting: 63rd Floor A-Rank Rec Room, Valerian Universal Towers, Manhattan, NKC
timeframe: june 06, 2022
The 63rd-floor A-rank rec room is an altar of excess: velvet seats with complementary linen tablecloths, gold utensils as far as the eye can see, a veritable warehouse worth of champagne, and just towers of catered food arranged like edible architecture. It's the kind of spectacle that makes Antwan's stomach turn beneath his tailored suit. The whole thing reeks of money, ego, and insecurity.
His expression is hidden under his formal, metallic Gravitas helmet, which allows him to quietly catalogue every insult to his principles. There's the ostentatious display of wealth, the sponsorship logos tucked into the decor, and stewards and executives drink freely and bask in the ambiance provided by a company that has caused as much harm as it claims to prevent.
Get your head in the game, Antwan thinks to himself. The money, the branding, it's all show dressing. Stewards deserve to be paid, but not like this. Not by a corporation that treats justice like it's for sale.
While Antwan hates the experience and is judging the decor, Gravitas has his hands on the mixer.
He's taken over the DJ booth. The actual DJ is off to the side, sipping water with a stunned look on their face, because Gravitas insisted they take a break.
"You've been spinning for an hour," Gravitas had said, a hand firmly rested on the DJs shoulder. "Go hydrate. I've got this."
And he does.
Gravitas is a menace behind the decks. No one has ever DJed quite like him. He's a whiz at the table, fingers moving with impossible precision, transitions smooth, and beat drops that makes more than one person weep.
The energy in the room shifts around him and suddenly the welcome celebration feels less like a corporate mixer and more like a rooftop set at a very expensive and exclusive club.
There's a presence to his left, waiting beside the booth. Gravitas turns his head and upper body toward them to indicate his attention, leaning in just for them to hear him ask:
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā THAUMATURGE ARRIVES ON THE 63RD FLOOR WITH PERFECT PUNCTUALITY, surprising the attendants and servers who awkwardly and with some embarrassment circle him in a wide berth like young cubs uncertain of a lionās ferociousness, offering him food and drink as if placating a very fussy guest. One after another they rush off after approaching him only once, each one with a greater desire to move on to the next guest, as Thaumaturge only levels them with a polite albeit sharp look and bids them stop bothering him so much about it.
His opinion of the extravagant fanfare on display is exceedingly low. The sorcerer doesn't even deign to sip a drink or eat the scrumptious food on offer. He stands like a sentinel in his own solitary corner, caring indeed very little for these empty celebrations that in the end amount to nothingānot even worth some flimsy or witty remark to make on the matterābut he supposes as well that one should attend to these frivolities the way one attends ceremony. At the very least, heād loathe to be impolite.Ā
Heās treated every addition to their ranks subsequent to his in much the same manner; although, admittedly, he might have shown more impropriety in the past, when he was a younger, more excitable man. As it is, he canāt forget his pride as a Valerian A-rank, but he turns his ego in the right direction: rather than reacting with base territorial instincts at the ascension of another steward to his ranks, he remembers instead the importance of such a promotion in his life.
He knows scarcely anything relating to Gravitas and hasnāt gone out of his way to learn more, preferring to get to know the man in person (and, it's his hope, through missions), but whether Gravitas cares for his own vanity and celebration or not, Thaumaturge is firm in his opinion that the effort and feats that rose him to this position deserve a sincere level of recognition; for a man's pride, when appropriately tempered, vaults him to great success.
Perhaps that canāt be found in this kind of reception, with silly gift baskets and decorations decided on by someone whoās likely never met nor will meet Gravitas; perhaps by someone whoās getting paid a much lesser wage and isnāt even on the guest list for the actual celebration. Yes, he supposes that very likely to be the case, but at the very least, he can see that he pays his proper dues himself.Ā
Thaumaturge has been sitting in the corner for a long while, but he finally rises after he feels heās had enough of watching the newcomer mess around behind the DJ turntable and wonāt put up with it any longer. His elegant robes are dark against the backdrop of the rec roomās colorful ambient lighting that seemingly shifts with the beat or rhythm of the music; Thaumaturge hasn't been attentive to it, as it wouldn't be his preference. He eventually comes to stand beside the turntable with his hands folded neatly behind him, his expansive sleeves brushing the ground.
He watches the man in the helmet for a while, waiting for him to come to attention. Thaumaturgeās expression is perpetually solemn and dignified, but right now, upon closer inspection, his eyes are alight with kindness, and his dark lashes drape down politely.Ā
āFor the DJ? No such thing,ā his voice rumbles from his chest over the loud music effortlessly. āI would ask only for a moment of Gravitasā time. I insist on introducing myself properly, away from thisāā his eyes lift in the general direction of the room, alluding to both the noise and the people. āāWell, you understand my meaning.āĀ
So...that was it right? Eeshika had finally learned his name, and he was about to slip away again, disappearing as quick as her bubbles bursting around her. Their conversation was reaching its natural end point, right? He had asked what he needed to ask. She answered. There was no reason for it to continue. Not really. And yet something inside her sank. The strange heaviness spreading in her chest. It wasn't disappointment. How could it be? She barely knows him. Barely knew anything beyond that moment on the stairs, these message exchanges and she had only maybe just learnt his actual name.
His messages would subside and slowly increase one by one. She could let go. Things were nice. Eeshika could appreciate the small moment that he was, a pause in a pocket of time that just made her feel... warm. That she could hold on too. This was the way it always goes.
As she stares between her phone and fiddling with her fingers. Her eyes looking at the time seeing how long the pauses were getting between her own messages and his. But to her surprise, her phone lights up, another and another with a DM from him. Her smile lingers more on her lips...as it was actually rather nice for her to be wrong.
Hikaru... she smiles down at her phone, lightly whispering his name to herself. Hikaru, so she finally had a name for him. Opening the messages, she types away again, feeling a little at peace.
[DM] @Siren (ā) > @h1karu
@Siren: Yes you can call me Shika, cause that makes us friends (Ė¶įµ įµ įµĖ¶) ā¹š¹
@Siren: Well, it is a pleasure to know your name Hikaru, and I like the username. Gotta be hard to snag it up on AlterEgo, right?
@Siren: I mean it is better than my username. Like my personal one at least.
@Siren: Can I trust you?
@Siren Cause maybe...we could talk more from my other account...
Maybe it was a risk....but it wasn't the risk that scared her. Maybe the rejection would, if it was honest that they were forgetting about it all. Yet something wants to still have a thread of connection and keep on messaging Hikaru. Just a little something, she wasn't completely ready to let go of.
@Siren: You don't think it's silly wanting to go back home?
@Siren: Thanks that does mean a lot.
@Siren: Wait?! You're kidding me?!?! The racoon is back! Like it is still there! No way!!
She lets out a quiet laugh at her phone, memories long forgotten surface back of the late nights spent on the rooftop. More than once, she'd nearly jump out of her skin when the racoon appeared out of nowhere startling in the dark.
@Siren: Omg!! The same?! Like I thought I was the only one to think that. Like how does a raccoon get onto a the rooftops in Lib Glens? The elevator is the only way that makes actual sense! Like you don't think it is a Permutated Racoon or something, right...?
As she looks at the string of messages. She bites on her bottom lip a little. Maybe reading into it a little too deeply as he shows her another kindness that he doesn't need too. As she reads between the lines a sense of care from wanting her to be careful up there, to how he would let her know. Wait..that meant he'd message her again right?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā HIKARU FINDS HIMSELF REACHING FOR A RED MARKER AND TURNING TO THE WHITEBOARD AS HE WAITS FOR A RESPONSE. Absentmindedly, he doodles along the bottom edge, sketching a cluster of circles that, with a few extra details, become bubbles. A small grin tugs at his lips as he draws a tiny smiley face inside the biggest one. When his phone buzzes, he drops the marker beside him and reaches for it.
cause that makes us friends (Ė¶įµ įµ įµĖ¶) ā¹š¹Ā
The confirmation on the screen makes his ears flush faintly pink. Hikaru has no idea why, so he does what he does best and barrels straight past the feeling, pretending not to notice it at all.
[DM] @h1karu > @Siren (ā)
@h1karu: yeah, i guess i grabbed it early enough that i only had to replace one letter lolĀ
@h1karu: of course!
@h1karu: umm, i could follow you over there?Ā
It still feels a little strange seeing notifications pop up from someone with an official AlterEgo checkmark. Hikaru rarely uses his personal account to interact with people, so he has all of twelve followers while following countless news sites, stewards, and the official accounts for his favorite running comics. Come to think of it, he hasnāt made a single personal post in the past two years. It's all just a long string of reposts and an embarrassingly long list of liked posts.
Well... making a brand-new account wouldāve been even stranger. He just hopes she doesnāt get curious enough to scroll through his nonexistent timeline. If she goes back far enough, sheāll find posts from college. Those blurry, candid photos... The thought alone makes him shudder.
@h1karu: nope
@h1karu: i understand the feeling
@h1karu: sometimes i wish i could go back tooĀ
Hikaru doesnāt dwell on that thought for long.
@h1karu: a permuted raccoonā¦. O_OĀ
@h1karu: ā¦ i hadnāt considered that
@h1karu: hmā¦.Ā
@h1karu: it would be a little alarming, wouldnāt itā¦
@h1karu: what would happen if you got bit by a permuted raccoon? would you turn into a raccoon-man? like spider-man?Ā
A faint ba-dump echoes in his chest as he reads her last few messages. He blinks at the screen a couple of times, feeling the earlier embarrassment creep back and warm his cheeks red. Somewhere along the way, his lips press into a reluctant smile before he even notices, making him look all the goofier.
Hikaru has no idea how to respond. He wants to say yes, of courseābut how should he say it? Just a quick message? Should he thank her for inviting him? Or assume sheās only being polite?
In the end, he settles on a short, simple reply.
@h1karu: oh, sure!
@h1karu: i left a thermos cup up there so it would be nice to see if itās still there
Before he goes on Super Hearts, Keegan makes sure to text and DM some of his friends and family that he is going to be away on business for a while. He tries not to make it obvious, as reality TV contracts with their NDAs are not kidding around. He immediately think about Hikaru and decides to give him a check-in.
KEEGAN: hey hey karu! hope you're feeling better!
KEEGAN: btw i sent you another lil package, should get to you in a day
KEEGAN: some things to have with rice, but this one has some pickled radishes and garlic, so please keep it in a cool place!
KEEGAN: just so you know, i'm headed out for something starting tomorrow and i'll probs be back on the 15-16th give or take. can't take my phone with me even if i want to :/
KEEGAN: i'll see you after and let's go out for bbq, my treat!
KEEGAN: and be careful going around, okay? i saw some recent stuff on alterego and there's apparently this guy going around beating people up around where you live :((
KEEGAN: stay safe and hydrated! take care!!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā HIKARU SEES THE STRING OF NOTIFICATIONS AN HOUR LATER, when heās wiping his hair damp with a towel minutes after stepping out of the shower. Heās a little surprised that he wonāt be able to talk to Keegan for the next two weeks, and naturally, curiosity takes hold. Why canāt he take his phone with him?Ā
Hikaru isnāt the type to blow it up with calls or messages. Hell, most of the time itās Keegan messaging him with check-ins, but itās almost unheard of to go without your phone for two whole weeks in the modern age. He can't help but default to worrying, that old anxiety emerging from the pit of stomach. Is he gonna be alright?Ā He doesn't like losing access to the other man. He wants to reach him as soon as possible, at all times.
HIKARU: hi keegan!
HIKARU: i am! no problems at all since the other day š
HIKARU: ah, okay. iāll remember š thank you keegan, for everything
He doesnāt want to sound like heās prying, so he settles for a simple, appropriately curious response.Ā
HIKARU: is it work related? o:Ā
A quiet sigh leaves his lips at the mention of the Cleaner. The corners of his lips automatically turn downward. He still canāt believe he got awayā¦ That he ran at the first sign of trouble and let him get away. That Joaquinās injuries only got worse.Ā
With a guilty conscience, he types another simple message.
After the encounter with the Cleaner, there had been a concern that had been cycling through her head. It stayed with her through the ambulance ride, as she made sure Goodfella knew he wasnāt alone. Through the aftermath, and it popped into her head first thing in the morning. They were all caught on camera. And while that didnāt matter that much for most of them, since they were all ranked and due to the Cleanerās actions there was a record of him being permutedā¦ It likely mattered to Fuli, if what she had suspected for months was true. Itās the sort of thing that needs to be checked, so Mercedes pulls out the burner she uses for steward work and scrolls through her contacts to find his number. Thumb hovering it, she hesitates for a moment, before opening a text message and beginning to type.Ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā THE NOTIFICATION COVERS THE TOP OF HIS SCREEN WITH A GENTLE BUZZ, coming in when heās watching the livestream of yesterdayās events with a frown he hasnāt been able to get rid of. Half of Hikaruās body is hanging off his couch like a melting candle, wholly deflated and unmotivated to start the day even though his stomach has been grumbling angrily for breakfast for the past hour. He watches Outis name appear then disappear with a dejected little blink, eyelashes slowly fanning over dark undereyes. He didnāt sleep well last night.Ā
CONTACT: Outis
[ May 01, 2022 ]
[ 9:03 AM ] of course!
Hikaru drags himself upwards. His hair flops over his forehead like a wispy curtain. The faint pang of anxiety grows louder in his chest as he mindlessly cards his fingers through it, then brings his hand down to start nervously chewing on a fingernail. Heās still not quite sure how to explain why he ran off as soon as authorities were called.Ā
[ 9:04 AM ] iām so sorry for disappearing yesterday
[ 9:04 AM ] i heard sirens and just bolted
[ 9:05 AM ] old habit š
[ 9:06 AM ] is everything alright?Ā
Her phone vibrated a couple of times. She chewed the inside of her cheek, dreading whatever waited on the screen. But ignoring it felt impossible. Eeshika didn't want to forget about it. For she hadn't stopped thinking about that little moment with him. About picking up the groceries. About the stairs. About that look. If she could stop time, she would. Freeze the world and steal those little moments for herself. To be able to see the quiet wonder in his eyes had felt so rare, so genuine. Something in her hoped that she would be able to see that smile, even just one more time.
Eeshika could feel the warmth creeping up in her cheeks. Goodness! She shouldn't be thinking like this. Shouldn't be smiling at the memory or replaying the conversation in her head. She shouldn't allow herself to linger there. If he wanted to forget about it, then she should too! Pretend it didn't happen, even if that thought bought a knot in her stomach.
Exhaling, she reaches out to read the next load of messages.
@h1karu: eeshika then, right?
Seeing her name on the screen surprised her and made her feel a little giddy all the same. Like she knew that her name was out there online bit it wasn't as commonly used as Siren was. It was actually pretty rare that people would use her name. Something about reading it, she was starting to think about how she'd hear him say it. The more she thinks about it, a few of her pink bubbles appeared floated around her delicately.
[DM] @Siren (ā) > @h1karu
@Siren: Yeah that's my name. But my friends can call me Shika!
@Siren: I'm guess your name is Hikaru?
The little peach bubbles popped loudly around her, as she scans over the other messages. Sounding too eager, all too soon. Feeling that note tighten it seemed he just wanted to forget all about it. Feeling herself curling herself, onto a tiny ball on the bed.
@Siren: No need to thank me, okay? Thank you for reaching out.
@Siren: It's gonna happen one way or another. That'll be my own doing, so you can be more at ease.
@Siren: Sure we can pretend the whole thing didn't wanna. And things can get back to the the way that they were. Exactly the way that you want (Ė¶įµ įµ įµĖ¶)
@Siren Sure, I think I owe you at least that.[DELETED]
@Siren Oh yeah...it's gonna sound a little silly...
@Siren I use to live there too. 14C used to be home before AxieL
@Siren I just like to go back home sometimes when things get a little bit overwhelming?
@Siren Especially on the rooftop at night, it's a little quieter.
@Siren Guess I won't be coming back there anymore, anway....[DELETED]
@Siren Told you it was silly āāā(āøāø>āøāø<āøāø)āā¾ā¾
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā HIKARU WONDERS IF HEāS BEING TOO PRESUMPTUOUS AS HE TYPES HIS NEXT MESSAGE. He meets new people often while doing B.Y.O.H work, but he rarely makes friends. Itās to the point where he doesnāt know exactly how to differentiate between an acquaintance and whatever comes next. For someone so enshrouded in a secret identity, he canāt tell whether revealing a nickname is an invitation to the other person, to include them among the āfriends who call me so and soā. As such, he mulls it over for a while, reading his unsent message over and over and feeling a little self-conscious. After all, thereās no reason to keep messaging her after theyāve discussed what he meant to discuss. Heās likely bothering her with every extra word he types, every new message he sends.Ā
Heās firmly aware that heās taking up a very famous personās time. Strangely enough, at the forefront of that bizarre awareness, he also feels just like he did back at the lobby. There's of course a hint of seemingly perpetual anxiety that's always present whenever Hikaru's talking to someone, but it's eased by genuine enjoyment. He hasn't stopped smiling. He isn't sureāit seems like his brain doesn't really register the 'famous' part as well as it should.
His fingers pause over the screen. Hikaru sends it.Ā
[DM] @h1karu > @Siren (ā)
@h1karu: ah, i see. may i call you shika, then?
@h1karu: itās hikaru, yeah. not a very creative username, i'm afraidĀ š
He blinks in surprise at her next string of messages. While he originally assumed she was his neighbor, he quickly moved on to believe that she was there to visit an acquaintance after he learned just how famous she actually is. Or that perhaps sheād been aware of the person following her and just went into the first building she saw to escape their camera, but now itās apparent that both guesses were wrong. Technically, his first assumption is closer to the truth than the other two.
He wonders, now, if they really have been neighbors. If Hikaru kept up with pop culture, perhaps heād have more knowledge about Sirenās story. Needless to say, he hasnāt the slightest clue about how her group was even formed.
@h1karu: oh, i see!
@h1karu: itās not silly at all!Ā
@h1karu: i understand completely!
@h1karu: to be honest though, iām kind of scared of the rooftop.Ā
@h1karu: ah, itās not heights iām afraid of. but iāve heard thereās a raccoon there as of late. i have no idea how a racoon made it to a roof that high, so iām a little intimidatedĀ
His messages are sent quickly and without thought, coming in one after another within seconds.Ā
@h1karu: i keep wondering if it took the elevator? truth be told, i have no idea if raccoons can climb. maybe thatās whatās keeping me from the rooftop. i donāt wanna find out š°
Realizing heās getting way off topic, Hikaru abruptly stops his thumbs from touching the screen for a second longer. Whatās he doing, going on and on about a potential raccoon sighting? Is he an idiot? Wasnāt he just thinking about how heās wasting her time? With some mortification, he can feel the tips of his ears turn red.Ā
@h1karu: well, in any caseā¦
@h1karu: be careful the next time youāre up there!Ā
@h1karu: actually, maybe i can talk to the building manager about it so he can send someone to check, and i can let you know when the coast is clear š
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{ steve toussaint. cis man, he/him. } hey, did you see the video of [ thaumaturge ] [ getting into online beef with the new everick weather reporter and threatening to throw off their daily forecast for the next twelve months ]? apparently their real name is [ hieronymus ājeromeā wallace ] and theyāre [ signed with valerian ]. people in the comments are calling them [ the trailblazer ], and saying their permutation is probably [ weather manipulation ] ā that would mean they scored an [ a ] on the f.b.a.i. assessment rank, right? i mean, i guess it sort of looks like them, if you squint. i'm not sure though, the person on the video doesnāt look like a [ fifty-eight ] year old who would list [ a distant crack of thunder, gray clouds drifting like a calm ocean in the sky, the faint scent of petrichor after it rains, and dark robes billowing in a gust of wind ] as their interests on alterego. what? don't look at me like that ā i got curious! besides, if that even is them in the video, itās probably a pr thing for realhero tv [ and the miraculous marathon ]. ā ( cast by kit. 27. she/they. mdt. n/a. )
Find profile under read more:
001. General.
Name: Hieronymus āJeromeā Wallace.
Nickname/hero alias if applicable: Thaumaturge.
Faceclaim: Steve Toussaint.
Age/date of birth: 58, 01/01/1964.
Gender & pronouns: Cis man, he/him.
Orientation/marital status: Bisexual, single.
Distinguishing Features: Long gray hair, half-pulled back and tied with a thin leather strap at the back of his head; a small, silver charm in the shape of a thunderbolt hangs from it. Kempt white beard. Long billowing robes, typically black and/or dark blue/purple.Ā
Occupation: Valerian Steward.
Power: Weather Manipulation.
Height: 191cm.
Place of Birth: Liberty Glens, New Everick.
Family: Esther Wallace (mother, deceased), Clarence Wallace (father, deceased), Open connection (sister, 55-60), Open Connection (nephew/niece, 25-35), Open Connection (nephew/niece, 25-35).
Current Residence: Brooklyn, New Everick.
002. Iconography.
Character Inspirations: Gandalf (LOTR), Thorin Oakenshield (The Hobbit), Nanami Kento (JJK), Hades (Hades game), Hanzo (Overwatch), Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice).Ā
Character Tropes: Old Superhero, Badass Cape, Celebrity Superhero, Dented Iron, Robe and Wizard Hat, Lonely At The Top.
Likes: The pitter patter of rain, a good cup of coffee, starting the day early, order and cleanliness, outer space, nature.
Dislikes: Excess, people who lack manners, internet trolls, gossip, having his time wasted, candy.Ā
Fears: Feeling useless or being left behind, being replaced, losing control over his permutation, failing to save someone, loss of identity.Ā
Habits: Waking up at 4am, getting into fights on AlterEgo, daily walks with the three musketeers (his dogs), walking too fast, capitalizing random words on AlterEgo posts, ignoring/pretending people he dislikes donāt exist.Ā
Hobbies: Running/working out, backpacking/hiking, going to the orchestra, calligraphy, astrophotography, basketball.Ā
Pets: Three dobermans (dobermen, if you will) from the same litter, brothers: Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.Ā
003. Extras.
Biography:
(trigger warnings: parental death, death by drowning, dealing with grief.)
Jerome was five years old during the Violet Sun Radiation event in 1968. He and his sister woke up that morning, and sensing something strange beyond the living room curtains, stood looking out the window for a few minutes. Just then, distant city sirens rang out to alert its citizens, eerie and foreboding. They stared at the strange violet sky, as the sun wouldnāt rise beyond the concrete rows of apartment buildings for hours, exchanging guesses back and forth as to why it was so bright that morning. When their parents finally turned the radio on, they pulled the children from the windows with a start, immediately covering every window in the apartment with blankets and towels, anything they found lying around.Ā
Jerome doesnāt remember the entire day in detail. His memory of childhood is fuzzy like a faded roll of film, but heās told this story hundreds of times; to cameras, to fans, to journalistsāand heās always firm about a few things. They stayed in the bathroom for hours since it was the only room without a window. It was too late by then, of course, but they didnāt know. How could they? It would be longer still for anyone to understand what that sun had brought that day, what permanent changes the world would see after those hours. No one knew they were undergoing a collective metamorphosis. What was certain, however, was that his mom and dad were good parents. They kept their children calm by playing board games on the bathroom floor, pulling laughter from their lips to distract them from the incessant sirens beyond their little hiding place.Ā
In the aftermath, no one in the family showed signs of mutations. Early studies were underway at the time, and it would take years to learn that permutations could manifest at different stages in someoneās life due to a variety of alternating, interacting factors.Ā
In the meantime, life went on as normal for the Wallace family; at least as normal as it could be in an increasingly bizarre world. Jerome took after both of his parents, though it was undeniable that he had his fatherās sharp temperament. He was a strict, severe man. Kind to everyone, though rarely nice. He had a way about him that demanded respect above everything else, and if someone fell short of that, the judgement heād bring down on them would be swift and serious; it took a long time to earn back his good opinion once lost. His mother shared a lot of the same traits, and would more readily mete out punishments if these core values and principles werenāt upheld within the household, but she was also more willing to look past and forgive for the sake of peace and reconciliation. They were out to raise a good crop of humans; children who would grow up to be kind, steadfast in their values, and immovable against adversity.Ā
Then, the Extraterrestrial Extinction Crisis of 1977 took them from him. On the same day, Jeromeās latent permutation activated.Ā
This day is one of the most documented moments in history. From low-quality photographs and corrupted video recordings to millions of first-hand accounts, there is no shortage of information to piece together if one wants to form the big picture, as countless governments and historians have done with varying layers of conspiracy and speculation throughout the years since. The death of his parents is but a small footnote among this delugeāthis greater-than-life devastation. Yet, for Jerome, this loss carved the biggest scar across his long and storied life. It wasnāt the chaos that wreaked through the whole of the world, reaching his city in a catastrophic calamity, nor the loss of his innocence, or his naive feelings of security forever left behind in childhood. His transformation didnāt happen when he activated his permutation for the first time against a horrifying flood caused by the unknown invaders after they launched energy missiles at the coastlines; it was because he was watching his parents drown.
He couldnāt save them.Ā
Over the years, Jerome has tended carefully to this still-tender wound. Itās a rupture like no other. When they say time heals all wounds, they exclude him completely. Heās Prometheus chained to the stone; the passage of time doesnāt matter when it concerns him. It will always be unforgiving, heāll always be in pain.Ā
After becoming a public steward, one of Valerianās A-ranks that would soar to lofty heights, his history went up for sale. After all, who doesnāt love a feel-good story? Tales of people triumphing over impossible odds, of rising from misfortune like fiery phoenixes, never dragged down by the hand of ill-fate. Yet, this was something he couldnāt sit down about, and with a straight face, tell as if he overcame it. The truth is that it broke him completely. It shattered him into a man with dozens of tiny, sharp edges. He became a fragmented mirror; some sides of him were never to face themselves again. He turned inward, retreating so deep inside of himself that he could no longer endure reality without reshaping it entirely.Ā
Very few people know that this scar is Thaumaturgeās womb, that itās from which that strange, larger-than-life persona emerged from. The archmage, the sorcerer, the wizard extraordinaire was born from a flooded field to blur the lines between fantasy and reality. To the public, Thaumaturge is a bizarre man who takes his āheroā character too seriously, who plays too far into the role and takes it three steps beyond everyone else. Yet, despite the thousands of posts across forums, social media apps, and discussions on talk shows and podcasts that speculate over his unfailing devotion to the role, only the people closest to him know how deep it truly goes.Ā
As Thaumaturge lived through the silver age of stewardship with one of the leading roles, regret seeped into his everyday life, and gradually, through constantly asking himself what the āright heroā would do in the face of challenges, real or hypothetical, until it permeated his psyche, he slowly became the person he needed in 1977. The person who could, with one sweep of his hand, command the weather to bend to his willāto drown the shame with victories, to honor the dead with double the lives rescued.Ā
Although the path forward has been flooded along the road, and the water has hidden large, vacuous pot holes to sink into, and though he cannot claim to have evaded them allāfor surely he has fallen into a dozen and moreāhe has treaded through carefully, wading through murky waters with purpose and pride. Jerome or Thaumaturge, itās unclear as to who is pushing forth. As long as he can put one foot in front of the other, it doesnāt matter anymore.Ā
Wanted Connections:
Valerian A-ranks: I want to plot with all of the Valerian A-ranks! I'm open for all sorts of dynamics. Please understand that you all have a very strict, no-nonsense coworker who is constantly judging you.
Other Valerian stewards: I would also love to plot with other stewards at Valerian. Open to any type of dynamic! Jerome is less severe on non A-ranks, lol.
Types of dynamics I'd love to explore: rival (whether long-term or recent), old friend (someone whose been in his life for decades), someone he gets into online beef with frequently, fans (grew up watching him! a super fan would be super fun!), similarly, a super hater (just hates this guy), non-Valerian stewards (perhaps BYOH freelancers) who he's worked with in the past (basically, teamed up for a crisis he was dispatched to; they happened to be there already, or showed up to help).
Open connections for family: sister (55-60), nephew/niece (25-35), nephew/niece (25-35).
ā INTO THE SKIES: Invictus & the Seven Sentinels.
CLOSED STARTER ā @dishonestly.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā YOUāD EXPECT THAT SOMEONE WHO CAN TRAVEL THROUGH TIME WOULD HAVE A DECENT GRASP ON HISTORY, but if someone were to ask Hikaru when Invictus gave his life for humanity, heād hesitate a long moment before answering that it was during the Extraterrestrial Extinction Crisis of 1977, and then heād look at them for confirmation. The truth is that, even despite his efforts, Hikaru isnāt great with world history. There's an unexpected problem with erratically moving through time: he also ends up stuck in different timelines, where history is sometimes a year or two off, or disparate altogether, so heās never really sure about it.Ā
That's why when he saw the ad for the exhibit at the Liberty Glens Memorial Museum, he didn't hesitate to make plans for it. It's the day of, and heās got his notepad in his pocket and three different colored pens in his backpack ready to take some awesome notes. Hikaru pays the entrance fee, gets his commemorative ticket, and tucks it in between random pages.Ā
He spends a while walking through the exhibit with the guide in hand, stopping at each display to read the didactic while occasionally scribbling down a sentence or two, comparing and contrasting with his first-hand experiences of being in the 1960s.Ā
All of this seems right. Heās never had the honor of meeting Invictus or any of the Seven Sentinels, and heād probably cry if he ever did, but heās been in their streets. Thereās a strong longing in Hikaruās heart for those seven heroes and an unshakable sense of respect that sits heavily in his chest, deeper and more expansive than words could possibly describe. Itās not just nostalgia from mornings spent watching reruns of the 80s cartoon while keeping his mom company at the hospital before school. At the time, Hikaru had no idea he was permuted, that he was just like the characters on the screen. He escaped into their fictionalized heroics, wide-eyed and full of innocence, wishing he could save people like themāwishing he could save his mom from everything that was happening to her at the time.Ā He didnāt know fate already had a plan for them.
Heās always wondered what Invictus would tell him, what advice heād give him. Hikaru sees a kindred spirit when he looks at the manās picture on a back-lit display, wishing he could talk to him at least once. Heād ask him how he did it for so long, how he found friends he could trust and depend on, how he could bring himself to trust and depend on others.
With a small sigh, he shakes himself out of those thoughts. It's nothing but wishful thinking reemerging from childhood daydreams of bygone days.
Hikaru turns, coming up on the display he saved for last. Lady Siegeās first costumes for Invictus and theāat the timeāFour Sentinels. Did they call themselves that before they became seven? Perhaps thatās somewhere on these labels. Hikaru steps forward, carefully reading each didactic, before finally coming up on Invictusā costume. He stares at it for a long moment. He pictures the man who wore it and everything he stood for, everything he did and ultimately sacrificed for humanity.Ā
A few minutes later, he pulls out his phone to snap a quick picture before he moves on to the little room where theyāre screening the documentary mentioned in the guide. He sets up the shot quickly, and feels his heart sink when thereās a loud, artificial shutter that clicks from his phone alongside a bright white flash. With horror, he looks at his tiny screen wide-eyed, only to see that heād accidentally photographed someone looking at the display from the other side.Ā
Oh, god.Ā
Hikaru looks over his phone, realizing thereās something familiar about the woman he unintentionally attempted to blind. A second later, he breaks out into a cold sweat. Itās Sangrienta, the Valerian A-rank.Ā
āIāmāIām sorry, I wasnātāā Hikaru stammers, lowering his stupid phone. āI was taking a picture ofāā he points uselessly at the costume. āI wasnātāI didnāt see you there. Iāll delete it immediately.āĀ
