Fourth Snapshot | Video

[expertonshutters]

[The smiling, cheery photographer does not appear to be in right now. What the feed gets is someone who is tired, frazzled, and angry.]

I'm glad to see that it looks like everyone made it out of that mess alive. I don't- I don't really know what to make of what we saw down there, but I can say this: I'm not really fond of a bunch of Gods that would put kids through something like that. That was bullshit.

[There's a pause while he tries to get himself under control.]

I need a drink. I need ten drinks. I'm going to go get ten drinks. Someone tell me if there's a place in town that has good drinks.

Comments

[leadingspirit]

[He frowns, looks at his beer, and then back at Hayato.]

Nnno, it's actually one of the only things here that's about the same.

[expertonshutters]

[He looks at his bottle with a frown. He sets it down and then stands up. He walks a little around where they're sitting and slides back onto his stool.]

Nope. Nothing.

[He's taking a sip when the implications of what's going on hits him like a brick to the face.]

[His typing gave him a poison immunity. Was that what it was? Taki might note the way he tenses up for a second before he's drinking again.]

[leadingspirit]

[He's just. Gonna kind of stare, fidgeting with his lower lip.]

Something you wanna share with the class, there, Hayato?

[expertonshutters]

[He doesn't say anything until he's finished his drink. He pauses as if seeing if that did anything to change his state. Nothing. Not even a little bit buzzed. Holy shit he was going to be mad about this.]

I guess my tolerance was a lot stronger than I thought.

[leadingspirit]

[He frowns a little, frustrated by the obvious fact that that is a lie, and calls for another beer for himself.]

Should probably still slow down. You've had a lot in a short period of time.

[expertonshutters]

Yeah. Maybe.

[He orders some water this time. There was no point in him wasting his money on beer that wasn't going to do anything.]

[Wow. He's still kind of bothered. It wasn't like he was usually a recreational drinker but he was Calderan. He enjoyed having a few drinks with people! This was going to put a damper in his spirits for a little while.]

[He nurses the water, quiet.]

[leadingspirit]

[Taki nurses his slowly, clearly seeing that there's something wrong but not really knowing how to ask or even what to ask.]

[There were a lot of signs telling him something was different about Hayato, and given he had been researching the Enhanced pretty much since the day Caldera had heard wind of them, he wasn't liking the signs. Hayato still had no idea what he was here researching, only that he was here on Battalion business.]

[If it hadn't been for having seen him less than a year prior on the battlefield, still just normal little photo-nut Hayato, he'd have assumed in the prior near-ten years apart he'd awakened as Earthkin. If he wasn't mistaken, a resistance to Poison would affect one's ability to be affected by liquor.]

[He looks away from where he'd been watching Hayato out of the corner of his eye, and knocks back nearly the entirety of his third beer in one go.]

[expertonshutters]

[The silence is palpable and it's starting to get to him. He glances over at Taki killing his drink and huffs into his water.]

What was that you said about me taking it slow?

[leadingspirit]

Excuse you, I'm almost twice as tall as you and haven't already had five beers.

[expertonshutters]

Yeah, yeah.

[He drinks his water.]

I'm not going to carry you out either, you know.

[leadingspirit]

You won't have to, I can walk home after seven of these.

[He probably speaks from experience.]

[expertonshutters]

Seven. [That is an incredulous look, there.]

[leadingspirit]

[And a raised eyebrow is the response.]

Yeah? They're low-content.

[expertonshutters]

[He shakes his head with a laugh.]

You're built like an Usaring. That doesn't surprise me.

[leadingspirit]

[He frowns, trying to think of what an Usaring looks like.]

[He turns and raises his arms like a bear.]

Roar.

[expertonshutters]

[He snickers at him.]

Very threatening.

[leadingspirit]

I've got way more leg than an Usaring, though.

[He leans back on his stool and kicks a leg out for a minute. It's after his fourth beer that he finally turns to Hayato with his jaw set.]

Hayato.

[expertonshutters]

Eh, I won't argue with you there.

[He sips his water with a smile on his face until Taki says his name.]

Hm?

[leadingspirit]

[He's had just enough to drink to ignore the voice in the back of his head telling him it's none of his business, and frowns with a sigh, leaning back with his arms clasped behind his head to look at him. It's a casual enough stance, which he hopes will off-set the question.]

What is it you're not telling me?

[expertonshutters]

Hm? What do you mean?

[Which is a stupid thing to ask. He knows exactly what Taki means. Taki was a perceptive asshole and he knew that his friend had been watching and guaging literally everything he's done and said since he came to Union.]

[It was nerve wracking and frustrating how little he could keep from the guy.]

[leadingspirit]

[He gestures to the collection of empty bottles between them.]

There is absolutely no feasible way that after that much alcohol you don't feel it even a little. I feel it. The alcohol isn't weak, and your tolerance isn't that good.

[He sits forward again.]

So what's the deal?

[expertonshutters]

[He frowns, drinking some water.]

How should I know? Maybe It got better since the last time we snuck in underage at some seedy Calderan bar.

[Taki isn't going to put up with his dodging much longer, but he could still try.]

[leadingspirit]

[He isn't surprised by that answer, even knowing it's a lie. Quirking his mouth, he calls for a water and the bill, not responding to or looking at Hayato for a minute.]

[When he does, it's after he's paid for their beer, and his tone is quiet.]

Well, I hope that maybe with us being in the same city again you'll get to a point that you can trust me enough with the real reason.

[He smiles a little at him, and then slides off of his stool.]

I'm headed back.

[expertonshutters]

[The way he tenses up at that is like a coiled arbok, ready to strike. He knew that Taki knew he was lying, but having it spelled out so bluntly maybe him caught between panic and guilt.]

[He ends up crushing his glass- which startles the hell out of him.]

[Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.]

[leadingspirit]

[The sound startles Taki, and the bartender, and a number of other people, and Taki frowns, spinning back on his heel and aiming to drape an arm over his shoulders again.]

Chill out, Hayato.