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You know...

[It may be a voice some haven't heard for a while... because, well, obviously he was Infiltrating all this time. But maybe you're partying with pirates or so on after everyone's gotten on the island when you hear this.]

...for once in my life, I'd like a normal tropical vacation. First it was bears an' crazy robots an' killing and now it's pirates and krakens an' me bein' a mermaid or Thalassian or whatever all this time... Which is weird, oi, and I don't got my normal legs back completely. And my body's still sore from that stupid squid flingin' me around. Tch.

[It'll be fine by the time they leave this place, right...? He hopes so. But there's a thread of that uncertainty in the mental tone of voice. He shakes it off in favour of excitement, though.]

But this is a good end, yeah?! We did an all right job?!

Hey, someone should get me a coconut, by the way. I seriously wanna eat one before we get dragged outta this place. An' it ain't easy to try and climb trees with these legs.

[And, in a quieter mental aside:] Is it seriously okay to hang around with pirates...? It'll be fine, right...?

Comments

[souredsweet]

[SOUDA WHY. Why is your entire class morons.]

Are you upset...? [GOOD.] I would just feel badly, getting you your own coconut only to demand part of it.

[adjustable]

[No no you've just had the misfortune of meeting the most moronic ones, Kaoru. Some of them are reasonable. Like. Two out of the sixteen. Maybe.]

Ain't it obvious! [He sniffs.] You ain't demandin', I'm offerin'.

[Here he is, trying to be friendly and his feelings are just being STOMPED ALL OVER.] You don't got anywhere to be, right?!

[souredsweet]

[Where is Hinata when he's needed, basically.

This is totally upsetting though!! That's one downside to the whole politeness thing; turning someone down when they're being cOMPLETELY UNREASONABLE ABOUT COCONUTS is basically impossible.]

Is that so? Well... I don't have anywhere else to be, and if you're offering I wouldn't want to offend you. A small piece would be all right, if it's fine with you.

[adjustable]

[TOO BAD FOR YOU KAORU no quick escape for you today!! Welcome to the jungle of knowing SDR2s. At least Souda's not as bad as... Ibuki...?? Maybe. Probably not.

He looks satisfied at the words, though, continuing to haul open the coconut.]

Great-- then, here! [Thrusts a small (?) chunk Kaoru's way.]

[souredsweet]

[Kaoru would put Ibuki higher on the totem pole of irritants as soon as he meets her, okay... That's gotta count for something!!]

Thank you... [TAKING THE COCONUT CHUNK and just kind of standing there awkwardly with it, wow.] ...How do you eat yours?

[adjustable]

[YES he's less irritating than Ibuki, score one for Souda!]

Sit down, won't you? You're freakin' me out... [But he'll show Kaoru with a gesture how he just... chomps right into it. But not too much.]

Jus' like this.

[souredsweet]

[THAT'S NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF...

He gives Souda a mildly apologetic look at that, though, like he's not actually 2 seconds away from losing his temper. Pokerfaces are such an asset in these situations!!]

Ah, I apologize. [SITTING. And then watching him bite into his coconut like a moron...] Hm... It's not better cooked? [Giving his own piece a wary look... But he'll eventually raise it to his mouth and bite off a small inside piece, because he is a very delicate eater, gosh.]

[adjustable]

[You really have an impressive pokerface, Kaoru, if you're able to stomach this idiot...]

Well... It might be better cooked'n in stuff, but that ain't the point! The point is eatin' a fresh coconut. It's the ideal!

[souredsweet]

[His Extreme Pokerface™ is his pride and joy, honestly... and what keeps him alive in most situations.]

Since you seem to be an expert on these things, I'll take your word for it. [A smile! So genuine!! (Not genuine at all...)

That said:] There were a few coconuts still left, so maybe I could gather up more and those could be used in cooking?

[adjustable]

[Not like Souda can tell it's a fakey fake fake smile... His eyes are gleaming at the thought of coconuts instead.]

Yeah?! You'd do that?

[souredsweet]

[Meanwhile Kaoru's just like why does this weird guy like coconuts so damn much.]

I don't see why not. We don't really have a lot to do now that everything's over, right?

[adjustable]

[Kaoru pls you just don't understand.]

Aah... Yeah, we got time to relax 'til we're dragged back to Liminal Space!

[souredsweet]

[HE DOESN'T. He also doesn't want it explained to him!!

But he will stare wistfully at his tragic little coconut piece for a second at that, running his thumb along the outside.]

Going between these worlds and that place... It's gotten a little tiresome by now.

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Aah... you think so?

[Souda sighs, combing a hand over his hair.] I don't disagree with you... Goin' to all these different places is really exhaustin' sometimes.

[souredsweet]

And it might just be my opinion worsening because I've been here for so long, but... [He hesitates for a second, like this is something he doesn't really want to talk about. Except no... no he totally does, complaining is one of his favorite hobbies.]

Doesn't it seem like these Jaunts have been getting more dangerous, too?

[adjustable]

More dangerous...

[Souda thinks about it. Well, yes, in comparison this Jaunt is much more dangerous than even Dolorosa. He'd been Stricken (is still Stricken, until he can get his regular body back) and with their pursuers and the kraken, they...]

T-- they have, haven't they?!

[souredsweet]

[Ah, yes, Kaoru's second-favorite pastime... spreading questionable paranoia... Except as far as he's concerned, it's pretty damn legitimate this time!!]

I've been a little afraid of saying anything about it out loud, but that seems to be the pattern... Isn't it a little alarming?

[adjustable]

Y-yeah... I'm totally not prepared for this kind of stuff...

[He groans pitifully, slumping.]

I mean, the school wasn't so bad, but...

[souredsweet]

[Mission: Ruin The Coconut at least mildly successful... THIS IS WHAT YOU GET SOUDA for keeping Kaoru here longer than he wants to be!!!]

What do you think we should do if things keep progressing in this direction? Not many people here are fighters...

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I-- I don't know that! I ain't a fighter either! Uuu...

[Way to go Kaoru you've made him sad... hope you're happy you bastard.]

[souredsweet]

[DID HE JUST GO "UUU" OUT OF SADNESS... (But yes he is 100% happy bless this moment, he will carry it close to his heart.)]

It's more than just recklessness at work here. They're gambling with our lives...

[adjustable]

[He did... hope you enjoy drinking those tears of sadness you monster. Guess it sustains you om nom nom.]

P-- people have died before, right?! But they come back...

[souredsweet]

[His fuel is despair, it's true. ISN'T THAT FAMILIAR.]

But still, to experience the pain of death... Being burnt by a dragon or drowning at sea would be horrifying. [But clearly that isn't enough, so he just seamlessly moves in to:] Not to mention the fact that we're relying on the very people who put us into dangerous situations to be brought back from the dead. What if they decide one day that someone simply isn't enough of an asset to keep?

[adjustable]

[KAORU YOU'RE HORRIBLE Souda looks as though he's a second away from wibbling...]

We'll be back by then...! We'll definitely... find our way back...

[souredsweet]

[AH YES, THE DULCET TONES of people being close to tears... his heart is soothed!!!]

Ah... I apologize, though, bringing up something so troubling. We're all dealing with equal hardships here... No one should have to live with that kind of fear.