[She sounded a little off kilter over the audio functions, but it was solely because she hadn't figured out how to adjust the notifications on her CEREvice to something a little less obnoxious that wouldn't cause her to leap out of her skin next time it rang.]
But one of my friends from my homeland disappeared for a few days and returned with new memories-- even ones that included me. So, that's a good thing? But it makes me concerned about other things going on in this city too.
Hmm, I've heard that it happens when there is a glitch to their coding. The person I know from home had left and came back in the same manner as well.
[He finds that a little annoying but it wasn't something that he was going to swell on. There were other things that he found more concerning then a simple data problem.]
I know of someone who is looking for a wait staff at his restaurant, if you would be interested. I know it's not a tea house, but it is otherwise the same kind of employment.
[It's something Felicia doesn't want to dwell on either, because she honestly doesn't even understand half of it. But the part about the restaurant does make sense.
After all, they did have a promise.]
Is it a decent restaurant, one that doesn't let rude people in?
['Rude' meaning 'inclined toward sexual harrassment,' but she doesn't feel that needs to be explained further. It was a very important detail for her.]
I believe so. I know that you will not have to wear the same sort of costume and the person in charge may not allow his staff getting harassed in that manner.
I don't mind helping you with that. I've already told him that you were looking for a place of employment so all we need to do now is arrange a time and place for you two to meet.
We can meet at his restaurant, and I think that something nice would work. So long it's nothing too casual or too business neat. You want to look professional not like you can take his job.
Uhm. I'm not sure if I have anything that quite fits those rules, but I'll see what I can come up with. The shops in town have such nice dresses, I don't know what to do with them all.
Ahh, I think just dress nice and simple, but not too much like you run a business yourself. I'm sure that the staff at the dress shops can help you with that.
( To an extent, this girl troubled Integra. This did not mean she disliked her in any capacity, but for whatever reason, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for her many troubles. Such is what led to her making this phone call, of all things: )
[Felicia had been elbow deep in suds as she cleaned up after dinner with her room mate, and the fact that she had that she had to dry herself in a hurry when the litte device rang loudly was plain in her somewhat startled tone. She had yet to quite figure out how to toggle the notification settings on her CEREvice-- and, truly, didn't even realize that they were even a thing that existed.
Setting the towel aside, Felicia just giggled nervously at this seemingly casual call.]
[He's almost entirely sure this is the only Felicia in the colony, but there's still a moment of stalling before Neji gets on with it. A brief check-in, that's all, courtesy of... people still being locked out of their rooms after the initial small catastrophe of CERES tech malfunctioning. Apparently.
--or maybe Yuri's just incompetent.
--no that's wrong, but it's not like it was a serious thought. Anyway, with a small sigh, Neji turns on the feed.
Please be the right 'Felicia'.] Please answer if you have the time to, Felicia. [It's nothing urgent- his tone says so. But still.]
[Felicia finds the communication from Neji to be odd. The young man never seemed like the talkative sort, even if his presence was oddly comforting to be around. Felicia replies quickly when she receives the message, peering into the camera curiously a her friend.]
Hello, Neji. I have plenty of time-- so, what did you want to talk about?
[Okay, so he hadn't expected the reply to come that soon and he's equal parts relieved he won't be kept waiting and found off guard.
But hey, it's not a voice message or text that he received. Neji sighs. Deflates, really. This shouldn't take Plenty of Time, to be honest, so--] I just wanted to see if you were well.
I'm well enough, [Felicia said, offering him a small, bittersweet smile that spoke volumes of the myriad little problems she didn't really want to talk about. Physically, she was fine-- and that's the part that counted.]
...What about you? [She ventured at length,] You seem like you're upset about something.
[He seemed how, now? No, that wasn't right. Hyuga Neji was not an open book and yet
Pot meet kettle. He almost thinks to mirror her smile and its nuances but that is, unmistakably, not him.]
I am uninjured.
[That steady voice as always. He wonders about just leaving it like that, but with Felicia is just seemed disrespectful to be so dismissive.] I'm also simply taking stock of who's gone and who's left. ['Taking stock'-- really now, Neji knows he could have done better.]
Yes, but as you've noted my situation is hardly unique.
[The knee-jerk reaction to bristle is reined in and substituted with... that, the still childish observation of lame facts. It's the same situation that had drawn him to Felicia that second time around, wasn't it?
Companions leaving just happened, as brusquely as their arrivals did.
His jaw clenches a moment. Neji sighs out another breath the next. "Also", she'd said. He tilts his head.]
[Felicia let out a soft, uncertain hum. There was a great many things that could be good about such happenings, but also a great many things that could be so, so wrong.]
Maybe. We don't always know what their world is like. They might be going back to something nice and pleasant....or, they might be going back in the middle of a war.
But, in either case, it's good that they're not here, I think. We know that this city isn't exactly safe.
I knew them, most of them. They were from my world.
["His" world is laughable, considering a middle of a war is the last thing he'd seen and, like it or not, the scene most etched in his current memory. Who -or what- ever the world belonged to then or after is still very much up on the air but something catches in Neji's throat all the same.
His guard does crumble, for a too long second. Gods, it's never short of sobering to realize (again and again and again) that he won't be going back. He looks to Felicia as if she's said something contrary.]
There was a war. Or is-- I don't know. But we win, and the village and my friends are safe and they'll get the chance to grow together and... [And frankly he refuses to babble.]
I don't know if I'm glad they're gone, even knowing they'll be happy.
[The vague implications of his words made Felicia shift uncomfortably, as if she was starting to see and understand something that she desperately didn't want to think about. Even if it was terribly unhealthy and counter-productive, her airy oblivion was a coping mechanism for her.
After all, what her subconscious didn't acknowlege couldn't hurt her.]
Neji, you-- [She started hesitantly, not even entirely sure what it was that she wanted to say to this quiet but kind young man.]
--It hurts you to see them go, doesn't it? It's hard to say 'good bye,' because we don't know how long it will last.
[WHERE IS FELICIA THIS FINE DAY?? It doesn't actually matter because wherever she is, here comes Kashuu, looking slightly out of breath. He'd intended to find someone he actually knew first, but desperate times call for desperate measures...!]
Hey! I'm suuuper, super sorry, but can I get a hand?!
[FELICIA THAT'S A PROBLEM. But a problem Kashuu is grateful for, because he sure does need the help of a kind stranger right now...]
Ugh, it's the worst! The hand thingy jammed on my fire extinguisher and I have no idea how it's supposed to be un-jammed! I only just figured out how they work like, a month ago!
[He's hoping that poor Felicia is some sort of fire extinguisher expert who can save the day...]
[Oh lord, already off to a great start. BUT HEY, she's still offering to help! That's better than nothing!]
Thank you thank you thank you! It's over this way!
[AND AWAY HE NYOOMS, clearly expecting her to follow... He'll lead the way through a few shops and small side streets before heading into a back alley.]
[It would be good....except for the fact that Felicia has never actually used one. She's only read the instructions on the little tag after exploding her kitchen for the seventh time.]
Hey! Where are you going-- don't go so fast!
[She dashes off after him as fast as her heeled shoes and fluffy skirt would allow...which was surprisingly fast.
Clearly, this girl has had practice running in heels.]
[A match made in running-in-heels heaven, clearly!! THERE THEY GO AT WARP SPEED.
He'll come to a stop in front of one of the side doors, opening it up to reveal what appears to be the backend of a shop.]
This way—!
[The fire itself is pretty contained, at least - but no other employees or customers seem to be around, which explains why he had to vacate the premise for help. The extinguisher is on a nearby table, handle totally jammed in a weird position.]
[Felicia skid to a stop, holding her arms up over her face as if to protect herself from the bizarre inferno that was blazing behind the shop. She looked wildly at the young man, completely confused by this entire situation.]
What even happened here?!
[...Though, to be honest, this wasn't nearly the worst blaze she's seen in her life.]
Fire is hot and ice is cold, right, I've just gotta concentrate.....!!!!!
[The air around them seemed to be fighting for a temperature change, as a sudden gust of frigid air blew down the alley way around them. Although Felicia's skills weren't nearly as good as Flora's in controlling ice, she still needed to try!!]
[OH LORD more elemental magic?! Kashuu hops away once he can feel the air cool down, clutching the fire extinguisher to his chest like he's afraid the sudden pressure change might make it explode. ...Which is a pretty stupid reaction to have, but here they are.]
D'you need any help...?
[Like, maybe he should get a bucket of water just in case?!]
[Ice crackled on the floor beneath her as she spoke-- but it suddenly shattered when a cloud opened up above them and unleashed a downpour of freezing rain.]
Ack! [Felicia squeaked, lifing her hands above her head and looking up at the low hanging, frigid cloud in dismay.]
[Being doused in cold rain is definitely not how he wanted to spend his day... He holds his hands up reflexively right along with her, ducking down a little.]
Gross! Oh my god, gross—! Get that thing outta here, it's gonna ruin the fabric!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
7/17 in the evening- voice;
7/17 in the evening- voice;
[She sounded a little off kilter over the audio functions, but it was solely because she hadn't figured out how to adjust the notifications on her CEREvice to something a little less obnoxious that wouldn't cause her to leap out of her skin next time it rang.]
How are you doing?
7/17 in the evening- voice;
7/17 in the evening- voice;
7/17 in the evening- voice;
Have you found any jobs to replace the tea house one?
Re: 7/17 in the evening- voice;
[She sounded somewhat disappointed.]
But one of my friends from my homeland disappeared for a few days and returned with new memories-- even ones that included me. So, that's a good thing? But it makes me concerned about other things going on in this city too.
7/17 in the evening- voice;
[He finds that a little annoying but it wasn't something that he was going to swell on. There were other things that he found more concerning then a simple data problem.]
I know of someone who is looking for a wait staff at his restaurant, if you would be interested. I know it's not a tea house, but it is otherwise the same kind of employment.
7/17 in the evening- voice;
[It's something Felicia doesn't want to dwell on either, because she honestly doesn't even understand half of it. But the part about the restaurant does make sense.
After all, they did have a promise.]
Is it a decent restaurant, one that doesn't let rude people in?
['Rude' meaning 'inclined toward sexual harrassment,' but she doesn't feel that needs to be explained further. It was a very important detail for her.]
7/17 in the evening- voice;
7/17 in the evening- voice;
[She had no idea what job hunting etiquette was in this strange mishmash of cultures.]
7/17 in the evening- voice;
7/17 in the evening- voice;
7/17 in the evening- voice;
Re: 7/17 in the evening- voice;
Is there any place we should meet-- or anything special I should wear?
7/17 in the evening- voice;
7/17 in the evening- voice;
7/17 in the evening- voice;
Re: 7/17 in the evening- voice;
7/17 in the evening- voice;
So I will see you soon, then?
Re: 7/17 in the evening- voice;
7/17 in the evening- voice;
Voice; 8/8 Sometime in the evening??
Good evening, Miss Felicia. Are you well?
Sure!
[Felicia had been elbow deep in suds as she cleaned up after dinner with her room mate, and the fact that she had that she had to dry herself in a hurry when the litte device rang loudly was plain in her somewhat startled tone. She had yet to quite figure out how to toggle the notification settings on her CEREvice-- and, truly, didn't even realize that they were even a thing that existed.
Setting the towel aside, Felicia just giggled nervously at this seemingly casual call.]
Things are going well enough-- how are you doing?
9/13 evening; video
--or maybe Yuri's just incompetent.
--no that's wrong, but it's not like it was a serious thought. Anyway, with a small sigh, Neji turns on the feed.
Please be the right 'Felicia'.] Please answer if you have the time to, Felicia. [It's nothing urgent- his tone says so. But still.]
oh dear~! video;
Hello, Neji. I have plenty of time-- so, what did you want to talk about?
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But hey, it's not a voice message or text that he received. Neji sighs. Deflates, really. This shouldn't take Plenty of Time, to be honest, so--] I just wanted to see if you were well.
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...What about you? [She ventured at length,] You seem like you're upset about something.
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Pot meet kettle. He almost thinks to mirror her smile and its nuances but that is, unmistakably, not him.]
I am uninjured.
[That steady voice as always. He wonders about just leaving it like that, but with Felicia is just seemed disrespectful to be so dismissive.] I'm also simply taking stock of who's gone and who's left. ['Taking stock'-- really now, Neji knows he could have done better.]
no subject
[Her pretense at a smile fell at those words, her demeanor shifting to something more melancholic, sympathetic.]
You've also had people leave, haven't you?
[With a statement like that, Felicia was pretty sure she already knew the answer...]
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[The knee-jerk reaction to bristle is reined in and substituted with... that, the still childish observation of lame facts. It's the same situation that had drawn him to Felicia that second time around, wasn't it?
Companions leaving just happened, as brusquely as their arrivals did.
His jaw clenches a moment. Neji sighs out another breath the next. "Also", she'd said. He tilts his head.]
It's a good solace to know they'll be back home.
[...] Isn't it?
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[Felicia let out a soft, uncertain hum. There was a great many things that could be good about such happenings, but also a great many things that could be so, so wrong.]
Maybe. We don't always know what their world is like. They might be going back to something nice and pleasant....or, they might be going back in the middle of a war.
But, in either case, it's good that they're not here, I think. We know that this city isn't exactly safe.
no subject
["His" world is laughable, considering a middle of a war is the last thing he'd seen and, like it or not, the scene most etched in his current memory. Who -or what- ever the world belonged to then or after is still very much up on the air but something catches in Neji's throat all the same.
His guard does crumble, for a too long second. Gods, it's never short of sobering to realize (again and again and again) that he won't be going back. He looks to Felicia as if she's said something contrary.]
There was a war. Or is-- I don't know. But we win, and the village and my friends are safe and they'll get the chance to grow together and... [And frankly he refuses to babble.]
I don't know if I'm glad they're gone, even knowing they'll be happy.
no subject
After all, what her subconscious didn't acknowlege couldn't hurt her.]
Neji, you-- [She started hesitantly, not even entirely sure what it was that she wanted to say to this quiet but kind young man.]
--It hurts you to see them go, doesn't it? It's hard to say 'good bye,' because we don't know how long it will last.
no subject
there's a wry tinge to his words.]
Unless they're brought back to this city, I know exactly how long I'll have to go without seeing them next.
[An.Y.Way. She was right. Neji shakes his head.] Now's when I learn to focus on who is with me, I suppose. [He won't.] You are well?
action!
Hey! I'm suuuper, super sorry, but can I get a hand?!
no subject
Felicia looked at him for a moment, seemingly startled, before she reached out and grabbed his hands in her's.]
You don't need to act so upset, [She said, squeezing his hands and offering a bright smile.] Just tell me, what's wrong?
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Ugh, it's the worst! The hand thingy jammed on my fire extinguisher and I have no idea how it's supposed to be un-jammed! I only just figured out how they work like, a month ago!
[He's hoping that poor Felicia is some sort of fire extinguisher expert who can save the day...]
no subject
[She smiled at him brightly.]
I think I know what you're talking about-- let's see if we can get it to work!
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Thank you thank you thank you! It's over this way!
[AND AWAY HE NYOOMS, clearly expecting her to follow... He'll lead the way through a few shops and small side streets before heading into a back alley.]
no subject
Hey! Where are you going-- don't go so fast!
[She dashes off after him as fast as her heeled shoes and fluffy skirt would allow...which was surprisingly fast.
Clearly, this girl has had practice running in heels.]
no subject
He'll come to a stop in front of one of the side doors, opening it up to reveal what appears to be the backend of a shop.]
This way—!
[The fire itself is pretty contained, at least - but no other employees or customers seem to be around, which explains why he had to vacate the premise for help. The extinguisher is on a nearby table, handle totally jammed in a weird position.]
Here!
no subject
[Felicia skid to a stop, holding her arms up over her face as if to protect herself from the bizarre inferno that was blazing behind the shop. She looked wildly at the young man, completely confused by this entire situation.]
What even happened here?!
[...Though, to be honest, this wasn't nearly the worst blaze she's seen in her life.]
no subject
[It's not... It's not a long story at all. It begins and ends with "my element is fire and I got kinda careless, oops."]
But here! Here's the jammed part! Isn't there supposed to be some kinda release or button for this...?
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[And, thus, Felicia just...held out her hands.]
Fire is hot and ice is cold, right, I've just gotta concentrate.....!!!!!
[The air around them seemed to be fighting for a temperature change, as a sudden gust of frigid air blew down the alley way around them. Although Felicia's skills weren't nearly as good as Flora's in controlling ice, she still needed to try!!]
no subject
D'you need any help...?
[Like, maybe he should get a bucket of water just in case?!]
no subject
[Ice crackled on the floor beneath her as she spoke-- but it suddenly shattered when a cloud opened up above them and unleashed a downpour of freezing rain.]
Ack! [Felicia squeaked, lifing her hands above her head and looking up at the low hanging, frigid cloud in dismay.]
It was supposed to freeze, not work like this!
no subject
[Being doused in cold rain is definitely not how he wanted to spend his day... He holds his hands up reflexively right along with her, ducking down a little.]
Gross! Oh my god, gross—! Get that thing outta here, it's gonna ruin the fabric!
[Like a fire wouldn't...]