this is how it works

[deadtective]

WHO: Hazel & YOU
WHERE: Heropa + Maurtia Falls
WHEN: July 2-3
WHAT: Hazel's upset that she's upset over her friend leaving. The only logical conclusion is to distract herself with stupid reckless endeavors.
WARNINGS: Super mild violence/zombie body stuff, nothing more than that.

heropa - july second;

[you'd think that Hazel would have learned a lesson or two about cavalier driving after the beginning of her feud with Gamagori, but that would require Hazel to have a bit more self-preservation and common sense than she does. what she needs right now is something exhilarating and engaging enough to occupy her entire focus, and nothing fits the bill better than seeing just what kinds of tricks she can coax out of her hovervespa. it's been a while since she had it, after all, and her skill level has increased since her last escapade.

she's doing her best to keep from fatally interrupting traffic, but it's pretty clear that she's out for a thrill. she's taking jumps wherever she can, weaving in and out of parked and stopped cars, and seeing how fast she can get before a red light brings her up short. Hazel hasn't taken a spill yet, but it's hard to say if that trend is going to keep up - especially not with how she tries to coax anyone stopped in a lane next to her to an impromptu race.]

maurtia falls - july second;

[this is probably even more of a bad decision than some of her other recent activities - Hazel is vaguely aware of the recent meltdowns this city has had, and knows that this little excursion has always been skirting a little too closely on the edge of danger. but here she is all the same, wandering aimlessly through the sketchier corners of the city late at night, paying more attention to whatever phone game she's playing than her surroundings.

it's the sort of obliviousness that could get her into trouble, and that's exactly the goal. Hazel's out baiting muggers tonight, and it isn't long until she's got a bite. the man pulls her roughly into an alleyway, holding a knife to her throat and demanding her valuables. when she mouths off rather than complies, he makes good on his threat - only to yelp in horror as she turns to look at him askance rather than crumple to the ground.]

You want to try that again?

[the mugger practically flies into the atmosphere with how quickly he flees from her. she laughs and bends to pick up the discarded knife, wandering out of the alleyway with no real concern for any possible bystanders or the bloodless wound on her neck. as soon as she finds a trash can on the sidewalk she's dumping the blade right into it, ready to start the cycle up again.]

heropa - july third;

[the third has been just as hectic of a day as the one before, with all kinds of reckless thrill-seeking, stupid chancy bets, and pretty much anything to keep from remaining still. Hazel's decided to cap off her antics tonight with the most obnoxious thing she can conceive of - setting off a boatload of fireworks before Independence Day actually hits.

sorry to anyone who lives in the government housing and is trying to have a quiet night, because the pop and hiss of fireworks have completely destroyed that. Hazel has parked herself and her hoard of pyrotechnics in one of those concrete drainage ditches near the complex; she's wearing an American flag bandana to ward off any possible complaint-seekers, but it's oversized and looks more like a babushka than any patriotic accessory. not that she intends to stop anyway.

it's nearly impossible to tell in the dark, but the frenetic glint present in Hazel's eye over the past two days is absent as she sends another rocket screaming up into the sky. the fireworks are beautiful, even when done by an amateur, and she can't help but look up and admire them as they explode into color above her. this feels like a worthy goodbye to a friend.]

Comments

maurtia falls;

[rockpun]

[it's been a long time since she's felt safe roaming around the streets at night, especially in Maurtia Falls, but Tara's found herself being a little more bold lately. a little more self-confident. maybe because she's not as terrified of her powers as she once was, after that little beach excursion. no, the one where she didn't lie horribly about her powers and what they do.]

[however, the bigger reason she's out on the streets at night is because there's a 24-hour Wawa near where she lives and Hoagiefest is back. and sometimes you need a hoagie in the middle of the night. she's walking out of the store and about to take the first bite of her delicious, affordable sandwich when she runs across someone throwing a knife into a trash can. she can't tell if there's blood anywhere, and she's not sure if that's good or bad.]

[but honestly, it's kind of just another night in Maurtia Falls. she starts talking with a hint of fear in her voice, but mostly she just sounds tired.]

Look, dude, I'm just trying to get home. I don't have any money, but I can give you half this sandwich if you leave me alone.

[deadtective]

[at first Hazel doesn't realize that she's the one being addressed. she looks over her shoulder in case that mugger had a slightly more courageous friend, and upon seeing none turns back to stare at Tara with a mildly perplexed expression.

the fact that she has just literally deposited a knife into the trash can doesn't seem to really be factoring into her assessment as much as it probably should be.]

I'm a little short for you to feel threatened, don't you think?

[rockpun]

[not... exactly the reaction she was expecting. she takes a bite out of her sandwich so at least she's not just standing there holding a sandwich like some asshole.]

If you're not trying to mug teenagers when they get hungry late at night, why are you hanging out around here with, apparently, enough knives that you can just throw them away and not be worried about it?

[she's less scared by a pretty considerable margin now. yeah, danger comes in all sizes, but in her experience muggers aren't really ones for banter.]

[deadtective]

What, don't you wait on corners with a bunch of weapons in case someone needs to buy one?

[she shrugs casually. if it's going to be a brief quip interlude, she's sure as hell going to make dumb video game merchant jokes while she can. muggers just don't appreciate them.]

It's just good business sense.

[rockpun]

You're selling knives. All right, whatever, way to get sucked into Cutco, I guess.

[but seriously. the banter might dry up prematurely, but if this person is actually a threat, Tara wants to know it. or if she's in trouble.]

Seriously, though, are you okay? Do you need help or something? Are you, like, homeless?

heropa, july 3rd

[hypnotherapy]

[ He's actually in his housing tonight, and while he's not getting any sleep anyway, the fireworks don't improve his mood any.

He seeks out the source of the noise, but he stops when he sees who it is. He doesn't know her that well beyond You're Tempo's friend and I interrupt your conversations sometimes and you're entertaining to play video games with, but, well.

He can at least guess, maybe, what this is about. So instead of just dousing the fireworks, he wanders over just to watch. They really are pretty, even if they're loud. ]

At least it's a nice night for fireworks.

[deadtective]

It better be, tomorrow's the big day.

[thankfully Hazel hadn't been in the process of rearranging anything, and so the sudden appearance of another person doesn't result in terrible third degree burns. she knows this guy to boot, and so her reaction is a lot less indignant than it might have been otherwise.

that said, the next thing she lights up is a sparkler, which she holds out to Magicman with the sort of gesture that means taking it isn't optional. if he's going to hang around, he's going to have to fit in.]

[hypnotherapy]

Can you imagine if it was raining? On the fourth of July? I'm sure people would consider that very unamerican.

[ He takes the sparkler, idly waving it around, making lazy patterns in the darkness and watching as it burns itself out.

He could probably make a metaphor of some kind out of it, but really, it's just a sparkler, and he's supposed to be enjoying himself, isn't he?

Things are so transient here. ]

[deadtective]

[she shrugs a little, moving on to light up another round of the heavy duty fireworks. it's easier to focus on that than anything more emotionally intensive.]

Well, you know, that's what they developed the space program for. Just shoot a rocket up and punch those clouds out of the way.

July 3

[lisping]

[Sollux only has a faint idea of what the American flag even is, so that particular defense is useless against him. Also, he has basically no concept of Fourth of July so this is mostly just an obnoxious intrusion into his evening]

Hey, cut it out, some of us are trying to get real work done.

[...No, Sollux, most people are trying to sleep.]

[deadtective]

...holy shit, you can actually leave the house.

[sorry Sollux, were you hoping to get anything done about these fireworks? because Hazel is too floored about seeing her mythical housemate out of the hermit cave he's probably turned his room into.]

[lisping]

If I have to.

[but he doesn't have to be happy about it. And his room has been barricaded by an increasing pile of empty energy drinks, partially stacked into a vague sort of wall, so 'cave' is probably accurate]

[deadtective]

Dude, just - shit, fuck, one second.

[the fireworks go ignored for a moment as Hazel practically tears her pants inside-out to get to her comm. as soon as it's in her hands she's frantically switching the flash on and moving to snap a photo of the elusive Sollux Yeti; you can bet your ass she's sending this snap to Josuke.]

heropa - july second;

[enucleation]

[ kaneki has a hovercar. Not a vespa, but a car. He got upgraded, bro.

It's very nice that he is considered an adult (though not an adult enough to drink. Not that he can), and that he has a driver's license that he got when he still had black hair - it makes using the hovercar a lot easier, though he rarely uses it. Usually he prefers to walk, but sometimes he has things to carry - like books - and the car comes in hand.

What he doesn't expect is to look to the side and spot a familiar face; since the light is red, he pulls down his window to look at her. He has no eyepatch this time - he can't drive with it ]

Are you being careless again?

[deadtective]

[she has to do a double take, less because she's surprised Kaneki is driving a car (although she kind of is) and more because aside from hurling obscenities this is the first time someone's addressed her out on the road. her expression melts into a cheeky smile quickly enough, though.]

Who, me? I'd never dream of it.

[says the girl driving without a helmet on a vespa which has been painted up to look like the inside of the human body, organs and eyeball-headlight and all.]

[enucleation]

As if I don't know you.

[ he glances at the light, still red, not wanting to stay in the middle of the traffic talking. But since he has a chance to answer - ]

I will also not race you. I like this care, I don't want to wreck it.

[deadtective]

Oh come on, you can't be that shitty at driving it. Or are you just scared..?

[she revs her vespa playfully, inching just a littttle bit forward as she waits for the light to turn. Hazel's sure her antics will goad someone into trying to overtake her even if Kaneki is firm about the declination, but it's fun to tease him.]

The third

[bindsthedead]

I believe you're supposed to set them off tomorrow night. [Sabriel's grumpy, but not particularly aggressive or threatening- instead, she's in her pajamas, carrying got a big bucket of water.]

Most people are trying to sleep.

[And she then proceeds to heave the contents of the bucket over the pile of unlit fireworks, unless she's stopped.]

[deadtective]

[the lighting is dim in the manmade ditch, most of the visibility coming from the explosion of the fireworks overhead. Hazel doesn't realize who's come to bother her immediately, and has a snappy comeback about getting a headstart on all the good launch spots primed and ready to go before she recognizes the voice - and more importantly, what Sabriel intends to do.]

Hey, fucking quit it!

[she sounds a little more emotional than such an action would warrant, but everything to do with the necromancer has Hazel ratcheted up a few levels beyond normal on instinct. she rushes over towards the other girl, reaching out to grab her arms and try and force the bucket to upend in a direction that doesn't include her cache of pyrotechnics.]

Tell me if this is okay?

[bindsthedead]

[About half the bucket's contents get on the fireworks. The other half? Dumps over Sabriel and Hazel.]

I was trying to sleep! Just wait until tomorrow!

it's cool!

[deadtective]

[Hazel doesn't react to suddenly being wet; she can't feel any of that beyond the way her clothes hang damply on her now, and her ire is at the fact she couldn't save all her rockets. these weren't cheap!]

Throw on some noise-blocking headphones and fucking deal with it! I'm not the only person out here tonight!

Heropa, July 2nd

[takethestairs]

[While Edgeworth wasn't the biggest fan of his new home, there were a few things he appreciated. Specifically, the technology. Even more specifically, the hovercars. However, once he won one, he learned the truth: these blasted things are impossible to drive. Oh, he knew how to drive back home, but back home he didn't have to contend with three dimensions. A few weeks of practice (and some pricey lessons) later, though, and he was ready to hit the road. He slows down to an easy stop, waiting for the red light to pass...

And nearly has a heart attack when a vespa falls from the sky]

[deadtective]

[sorry Edgeworth, but you were moving so slow that she couldn't resist seeing if she could make a jump over you. Hazel turns to survey the distance she just covered, a triumphant grin on her face; she's not wearing a helmet, nor does she seem to be particularly bothered by any of the traffic laws she just shredded.]

Oh my god, I didn't think I'd actually nail it. Alright!

[she's not really talking to Edgeworth so much as congratulating herself out loud. that was FUCKING SWEET]

[takethestairs]

[A moment later, Edgeworth realizes that somebody's screaming. A moment after that, he realizes that somebody is him. He catches his breath by the time Hazel starts gloating, and when he sees her, his vision goes red. Who the hell does this hooligan think she is?! Frustrated and furious, he does the only thing he can think of: he honks. Repeatedly.]</small

[deadtective]

[oh, Edgeworth, you've done the worst possible thing you could have in this situation: you've engaged with Hazel and let her know you're bothered by her actions.

she hadn't really been thinking much about the driver of her most recent stunt prop, but between the shrieking and the honking she's pretty aware of him now. her gaze drops to look at Edgeworth, somewhere between startled and appraising...and then she smiles cheekily at him and places a hand behind her ear like she can't hear him as she casually kicks the moped's lean stand into action. hope you weren't intending to move anytime soon, dude, because she's got her ass in front of you.]