maskormenacelogs | We're the super fans, feeling great in the grandstands

Hey man are you home?

I'm in the neighborhood

[He can honestly say getting any text that he doesn't originally send to start (you know...not counting posts to the network) are a surprise to him. Not that he's disappointed--in fact, quite the opposite. Things had been a little lonely with Minato's absence...

Even if they were as far apart as the government could house them.]

Yeah, I'm home. Wanna pop on over for awhile? Unless you're busy. Totally get it if you are.

To be honest I'm relieved because I was sort of counting on you being home. I'm texting you from the mental link because this crap is getting heavy

Open the door for me?

[Oh.

OH.

Oh give him a moment. You can even hear him running through the house to get to the door, making his way ~~downtown walking fast faces pass~~ towards the door with as little to no accidents as he possibly can.

Thankfully, long legs are a boon, and he opens the door with no difficulties and a smile on his face.]

HERE!

Hey!

[Even if Jaime's here to drop off things from their decidedly dead friends, that doesn't mean that he's not going to smile at the guy. He likes Junpei, even if he doesn't know him all that well, and it's good to see him smiling too, despite everything. Jaime's currently wearing a backpack and his arms are full of an even bigger bag, so it's easy to see why he'd want Junpei to open the door in the first place.]

I'm just gonna go put these down first...

[He hustles over to the nearest flat surface where he puts down both bags, and then immediately stretches out his arms and his back. Phew. He misses flying everywhere instead of having to lug all this crap around to the Porter and back, but it'll be worth it. He wants to do the right thing and check on Junpei. Even if it wasn't something he wanted to do - and it is - it's what Minato would want too.

Not this specifically, perhaps, but to look out for the people who were most important to him, in his own way. And Minato trusted him with that much. Jaime knows that. Now, all he's got to do is do good by Minato's belief in him.]

You hungry? 'Cause I got hungry on the way and picked up food. It's in here somewhere...

[He holds the door open for Jaime to walk in, spotting him until he's able to get those things to the coffee table. Honestly, with most of SEES gone, and Junpei still a newbie around these parts...it makes for a very lonely life. True, Jacob and Dipper were there, but Jacob was busy, and he certainly didn't expect the guy to entertain him in the evenings.

While it's surprising to find Jaime all the way out in Maurita Falls like this...something tells him he knows what this is (vaguely) about. It's not like Jaime wasn't connected to SEES in any way. In fact, he was one of the ones closest to Minato here. He doesn't speak up about it, though.]

STARVING.

Heh, teen boys, when aren't they?

[He flashes a smile as he walks over.]

Make yourself comfortable, dude. If you came all the way from the Porter, your arms have to be SHOT.

I'm pretty sure they might fall off.

[When SEES had gone through all of Akihiko and Shinji's stuff, they doled out what needed to be taken care of (supplies, clothing, those horrifying animals), and left the rest for later. Jaime's been back since then, and he's brought something of Shinji's he figures Junpei will like, if he read him right. First he pulls out a slightly smashed bag of burgers and fries and tosses it Junpei's way (here, catch), and yanks out the first item on the list: an Xbox.]

I figured you were the one who'd get the most out of this, [he says, setting it on the table, and yanking some games out of the bottom.] You haven't been here long enough to get your own system, right? I figured maybe we could set up an account for you, and we could play online sometime. Doesn't matter if we're in different cities when we got the Internet on our side.

[He pauses in the midst of pulling out Grand Theft Maurtia Falls before saying,] You do like video games, right?

Oh no. [Junpei's face falls, looking entirely serious as he hovers his hands over them.] Quick, wiggle them around, put em into a jar of honey and roll around in ants! Don't question! It's the only way to stop em from falling off!

[But he hears how stupid it sounds, even for him, and holds up his hands defensively in a 'just kidding' motion, inadvertently catching that bag in the process.

...he meant to do that, okay.]

W-WHOA!

[The fries he'd put into his mouth almost fall out in shock. Sure, he ha a handheld that came with him, but he never...EVER owned a console. It was just arcades and that. He didn't stay home long enough to really sit down to game...and the TV in the dorm was saved for weather (Mitsuru's rules). So his eyes are the size of dinner plates when Jaime pulls it out.]

You want to game with me, dude?!

[Jaime doesn't comment on Junpei's silliness beyond a single, disbelieving look... though he does half-heartedly wiggle his arms, because he's nothing if not giving. He hadn't expected Junpei to be quite so thrilled - or surprised - by handing over the console, but he can't say it doesn't delight him, and Junpei's own smile is returned by a broad one of Jaime's own.]

I mean, you could stick to solo gaming if you want, but yeah, I wanna play with you.

[He wiggles the games in Junpei's direction, gesturing for him to take a look at them.]

Besides, most of these are games you can play online too. You got a built-in collection!

[It's like Jaime opened up a world of teenage-boy that had been dormant in his life for so long, staring at him for a good long while before slowly walking closer to take a look. Playing games with....

Someone...else? Not at an arcade? Not with Tomochika? (Who's even more of a magician than he is!!)

...He takes the games in his hands, browsing over the titles and letting it sink in. His lips don't move for a few minutes, only curling into a smile after Jaime speaks.]

Dude. This is gonna be SWEET!! YOU'RE AWESOME!!!

[As an arm flings itself around Jaime's shoulders, pulling him into a hug.]

[Jaime had expected Junpei to be pleased, sure, but he hadn't expected a reaction quite like this. It's a surprise, but not exactly an unpleasant surprise. He's not sure if he deserves it, considering all he did was lift it off of Shinji, but he's perfectly happy to accept it nonetheless.

He stiffens a little once Junpei pulls him into a hug, but unlike some of the more touch-phobic people Junpei knows, it doesn't last long; a second later, he's relaxing and hugging Junpei back, giving him a solid clap on the back, as if smacking the other person makes a hug more manly.]

The XBox wasn't mine! [He says, voice bright.] But you're welcome anyway, man, and I will totally accept being awesome.

[Still, Jaime could've given it to anyone. Junpei hadn't been around for very long to get to know how Shinji and Akihiko had been during their stay here. He didn't connect with them as much as he wanted.

And surprising to HIM, he gets that hug back, a hug that he always never thought would be returned. The rest of SEES were too serious sometimes, too caught up in their own past and situations (rightfully so). He has to say, this is a nice change of pace. Hell, laughter even escapes him right now.]

Still! It's not like I would've ever gotten one on my own! [It didn't even seem like an option until it showed up right on his coffee table.]

Thanks dude. I mean...I know what this means but...still. It means a lot.

Yeah. I can get that.

[Jaime smiles at him. He's got more for the guy - something of Minato's, which is always going to be more emotional and, of course, less fun, because Minato didn't seem to own anything fun - but he sees Junpei's happiness and thinks that he can let it sit for just a little longer. They can enjoy this, right? He'll be glad to receive something of Minato's too, of course, but... it's different. It always is, with Minato.]

C'mon, you bring the food, because I'm definitely eating that, and I'll get this set up. You want it in the living room, right? No TV in your room?

[Junpei sets the food down to go rush into the kitchen, still carrying on the conversation despite being in a completely separate room.]

Living room! Dipper might want to play!

[And the wider area makes it easier to set up.]

Hey.

[Head peeks in.]

Do you like potato chips, dude?

Huh. Didn't know that Dipper lived here.

[Jaime just mumbles that much to himself as he lugs the XBox out to the living room (and god, he and Shinji really should have gone Nintendo instead; at least they have lighter consoles) and begins setting it up. It's not exactly difficult, but he's mostly hidden behind the TV once Junpei pokes his head out, making sure that all the cables are connected properly.]

Uh -- yeah, I do! Who doesn't like chips?

[He backs out from behind the TV and turns the system on, grinning as the familiar logo pops onto the screen. He tucks the console into a shelf (he has an occasional propensity for neatness, after all), and winces as he sees Shinji's screenname pop up automatically. He quickly switches it to set up a new account before Junpei can come in.]

'Lived' is a generous term. He just pops over here to practice sousaphone.

...Practice is a generous term too. I think he's just strangling it.

[But Junpei smiles at that affirmation, hurrying into the kitchen to grab two big bags of those Lay's funny flavours that come out every now and then that people write in and think is a good idea. Which really, can be hit or miss..

This time? Mango Salsa and Greektown Gyro.]

Look at these things I just got--THESE ARE THINGS YOU CAN BUY IN A STORE, DUDE.

[Jaime doesn't know what a sousaphone is. Wisely, he does not ask what. God willing, he'll never be around while Dipper is playing whatever it is. (Is it like a xylophone? That can't be that bad.) Jaime glances behind him, and over at the chips that Junpei's holding up, then grabs one, shoving the controller into Junpei's hand as exchange.]

I know you can, [he says, peaceably enough.] Welcome to America! Land of the brave, land of the free, land of the really, really tragic junk food.

[He shoves a mango salsa chip in his face, then says, cheerfully,] It's disgusting.

[After a visit with Sabriel, Kel is wandering around Nonah, not quite wanting to head home yet. After so much easy solitude with known room mates, the sudden influx of strangers is...oppressing. And Nonah is interesting, much more lively than De Chima.

As she's wondering if she ought to stop by Nonah 6, she passes a school yard, and recalls Junpei's new job and the offer to show her a game.

Hoping she has the timing right, Kel wanders around the field, heading for the sound of loud children's voices. As she comes up to the baseball diamond, there's a crack and a small object flies through the air, bounces, and rolls to her feet...]

[It's just after school ends for the day too, kids piling out of the building with backpacks and books, talking about the latest Gary Snotter and the Lampshade of No Real Significance or His Light Inventory (questioned by many parents because of the allusions to science and not creationism!), scattering to the streets and busses and leaving only those with extracurricular activities left behind.

The soccer club took the far field, while the baseball team took the diamonds in front. Junpei, clad in a cyan and blue uniform heads out with a bag slung over his shoulder and a water cooler in his arms,followed by a bunch of students to match. It's a little hard to hear from far away, but context clues are enough to get a vague idea of what's going on. Warm ups start as the kids start to run the bases as laps, Junpei running with them to give them little peptalks, running ahead to meet them at the home base to high five em all. It's been awhile since this guy's had this level of energy--with Minato gone and Shinji and Akihiko even before that, he'd been so down in the dumps he couldn't even celebrate his own hiring.

But this made it all worth it, letting each kid hi-five him on lap 1 and around once more.

Each time the kid's hand claps against Junpei's own, there's a hollering crowd from...somewhere, followed by those same home run noises just when it hits his palm. And hell if that didn't energize the kids even more.]

Yeahhhh you got this! Keep going, one more lap guys!

[Kel can't help but grin watching this spectacle. Deciding this is far too important to interrupt for a mere greeting, she leans on the fence and observes as the warm ups and practice continue.

The list of sound effects does seem to be growing...]

[It's not until lap 2 finishes that the kids all gather like a horde of ants, waiting for Junpei to come back over. Of course, Kel doesn't go unnoticed, one or two of them taking notice of her as she stands there--only speaking up when Junpei himself wanders over.]

"Coach Iori?"

'Sup, lil dude?

[He's got Junpei's attention now, airing out his jersey a little (Nonah was starting to get hella warm now. Not something he's too used to yet in his Pennsylvania home.]

"There's a GIRL here!"

[Followed by a collective "OOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH~~~", and then Junpei's (comical) panic as he looks up, seeing Kel.]

Whoa, whoa guys, this is my FRIEND--Hi Kel, one sec--no, DON'T START. Okay, you want lap #3?

[And like magic, the kids stop, taking a seat like perfect little angels.]

...[And that, finally gets Junpei to face her once more.]

For the record, they did that all on their own.

[The chorus had startled and then started her grinning even before Junpei walked over. She hasn't been 'The Girl' in such a long while...]

I didn't think I'd be such a novelty.

[She gives him a friendly smile and looks past to the row of obedient boys]

I see you're settling in nicely.

Boys, what can you do, right?

small>[He puts his hands on his hips back turning to lean against the wire fencing.]

Better than I thought! I get my own office...a desk Kel, I get a DESK!, and I get to teach kids the greatest sport in America!

[Who'd have thought it'd be so fun to be on the other side of the teaching podium/desk?]

I even get to sub for classes!

[Kel smiles broadly at him, mirroring his excitement]

Be careful about those desks, they tend to accumulate things to go on them.

But it sounds like a job meant for you, and your boys already obey even.

[No Small Feat]

[That gets a laugh out of him, leading her over to where the fencing opens up so they don't have to talk through it like a couple of jailmates.]

Yeah, like paperwork!

[But her words only cement what he'd been feeling since he started. That feeling like he's doing SOMETHING right.]

Hey guys! Let's start some catching practice! Pair up, and don't leave anyone left out, okay?

[You'd think they got told to go to recess early as they scramble for their mitts, teaming up accordingly. Junpei watches, leaning back against the fence once more.]

It's funny, you know? If you told me I'd be working for a school, I'd think you were crazy.

[Following him to the gate, Kel steps through and leans against the other side of the fence, watching the boys jump up to obey]

I know that feeling well.

But...[She considers her words]..teaching children is something that is hard to do and very rewarding. If you've got the knack for it, you'd have found a way regardless.

[Watching the boys start tossing balls back and forth, she grins]

And you DO have the knack.

[He can't help but smile as he follows her gaze, watching the kids take to their mitts and playfully practicing with each other. It was weird...this sort of environment in the school curriculum was just his speed. Books and tests weren't...but this he understood. He never knew that even just being a substitute, or something as simple as a coach could be so rewarding.]

Surprisingly.

Don't think any of the guys back home would ever expect me to do this. And they're probably right.

[Kel glances over at him, a little amused]

I always preferred the expectations I set on myself, honestly. The ones I got from the outside were always that I would fail.

[Well...in the majority of cases anyway]

And if you can do this here then I hope it's something you can bring back with you.

Heh, that'd be the dream, right?

[His dream was to be professional, of course. But even a guy as aspiring as Junpei knows there are some dreams that just stay dreams. Not that he doubts his abilities, but he doubts the 'who you know'.]

Kids look up to you and want to be like you. If I can get that back home...

[He smiles, looping his thumbs on his belt.]

That's good enough for me.

And I shan't keep you from it any longer. Though I'd like to watch if that's alright, I still haven't learned how this game works.

[And she doesn't have anywhere to be, so she plops herself on the grass]

[You'd think Junpei had just won some kind of door prize. His friends back home never really...objected to his hobby, but they certainly didn't really take an interest like Kel did.]

Wh--really? Sure! I mean..take a seat wherever! The little guy'sll love to demonstrate how it works, right guys?

[The little kids all seem to look up from catch.]

She wants to know how the game is played! Hit the field and I'll step up to bat and show her!

"COACH I'S BATTING!"

"Maybe we'll get confetti again!"

"I want to be pitcher!!"

[Kel seats herself comfortably and watches the boys scramble. The basic gist of the game seems similar to one she vaguely recalls from home, at least as far as throwing a ball and running around a field. But it's nice to just watch these boys have fun she's not entirely sure she's ever seen before.

There's no real threat of war in their faces, nothing about this game could be construed as a training exercise, unless you count the batting, and everyone from the kid seated on the bench waiting his turn, to Junpei about to throw the next pitch, is having fun

Even without knowing anything about baseball, Kel basks in that feeling.]

[It doesn't take long for the kids to get into position, filling all the bases, shortstop, and pitcher, while Junpei goes and grabs one of the bats provided, red in colour and metallic. Sure to leave a noise should he get a good swing in.

Slinging it over his shoulder, he wanders over to the base and pats the umpire's little head tapping his foot on the base to make sure his shoes are on tight enough. He didn't want to mess this up in front of Kel or the kids, right?

When it seems like he's ready, the boy on the pitcher's mound readies the ball in his mitt, eyes practically sparkling as he prepares. And without much wait, he throws the baseball, a straight, confident pitch, hoping with all his little heart that it goes right into Junpei's bat.

And it does.

Junpei's swing is like an explosion, the metal hitting the ball with a characteristic 'CLINK', followed by what could only be described as a roaring flame and...a roaring crowd. An invisible crowd is going wild as the ball rockets through the air into the outfield, sparkles and action lines following it as it flies off into the far far reaches of the field. Junpei wastes no time running, the boys all scrambling to try and catch it while simultaneously taking in the sight with their eyes. The crowd doesn't stop, either, hooting and hollering for both 'sides' as Junpei travels the bases.

The ball lands, and the boys frantically grab it and toss it back, all of them throwing it from base to base to attempt to tag him.

Unfortunately, long legs win the race, and with an almost suicidal slide, his hand slaps down on home base, seconds before the umpire catches it.]

"COACH I IS SAFE!!!"

[Weird, how happy they are about that.]

[The entire spectacle is a ride from start to finish. Kel starts by watching as she leans against the fence, but sits up straight and then forward as Junpei hits the ball. His home run has her on her feet, laughing and clapping along with the invisible crowd.]

[Why did this get shoved onto him?

With Akihiko and Shinjiro all but confirmed to not come back, something had to be done with their possessions. And it turns out they're both very eccentric and both lovely contestants for that 'Fatal Attraction' reality show. You know, the one where people keep chimps and are suprised when their faces get torn off? That one.

Because here he is, with one large animal cage in one arm--rightfully held at arms length while the other sits safely at his side. Well, sort of. It's kind of moving on it's own, jiggling about like there's something rabid inside. And if you asked Junpei, that wouldn't be an inaccurate assumption.

He stumbles into Maurtia Falls 001, inching his way through the door with the outstretched cage first. God...God how is he going to hide a snake and the world's most dangerous rabbit?

Chidori (his new cat) seems unimpressed with what her boy has brought home, watching with half-lidded eyes and twitching her tail slightly. What is this, Junpei. What monstrosity have you brought into her home?

Good question, cause he's not entirely sure himself.]

Uh...Jacob? You here, dude?

[Might as well get the hard part out of the way.]

Yeah, I'm here. What's up?

[Jacob calls back from the other room, then stops short as he enters. He knows those cages- especially the larger one.]

Oh. Right. We've got to handle their pets now, don't we?

[He doesn't sound enthusiastic.]

[Don't worry, Jacob. Your tone matches his facial expression as he gingerly sets Soba's carrier order to try get of the other .]

Y-Yeah...

[Chidori seems less than enthused, as if she understood this conversation twitches her tail. That rabbit's dead, the snake better watch its fuckin step mark her damn words.]

Sorry, dude. This is probably the worst timing after we got a cat.

[But he'll try and lighten the subject.]

But hey, no one'll dare try and break in now! That buddy of yours doesn't even need that security system put in!

Edited (oh my god never let me type with my JP keyboard on I swear) 2016-06-09 19:10 (UTC)

[That gets a chuckle.]

You mean Garrus? Trust me, if he finds out about this, it will just encourage him. He'll find a way to rig the door with a snake launcher: just watch.

[Jacob eyes Chidori with a doubtful look on his face. Cat, you don't know what you're twitching your tail at.]

Anyway, I'd keep an eye on Chidori around these pets. Those two can be a serious handful. You've got no idea how many times Soba broke out while I was living with Shinjiro.

...Dude don't make me want to actually support this too.

[He's with Garrus on this one. Snake launcher sounds HELLA.

Chidori's eyes meet Jacob's, and whether or not that's cat confidence or just so being done with shit in general has yet to be seen, but she's certainly not going to let that rabbit boss her dumb teenager around.]

Chidori?

[He looks over to her, setting down Soba's cage (he's too worried Sugar Ray'll bounce it around the house) to go over and pet her, the cat immediately leaping up onto his shoulders to lay across.]

Ah yeah, she always does this when she wants me to know she's upset--

...Wait, how does a SNAKE break out? It doesn't have arms!

[Jacob shakes his head, realizing he has drastically miscalculated here.]

Of course you would. You know what, forget I mentioned the snake launcher.

[He's not going to forget the snake launcher, and Jacob knows it.]

Soba's smart, and she knows how to use her nose. And she's strong. Feels like her body is just scale and muscle.

[Jacob heads over to the cage and kneels down by it to take a look. Soba's cold reptile eyes gaze out at him. Damn, but she has gotten big.]

Ready to let her out?

[Somehow, Junpei doesn't doubt that Shinji chose a relatively dangerous animal as his pet. Something about it screams 'match made in heaven'.

With Chidori warily watching Sugar Ray's crate, Junpei works his way over, hands in his pockets to get a better look at her. Soba's crate was heavy, almost amazing that Junpei was able to carry her home with only a few stops. And half of those were because Sugar Ray acted up.

Fear grips him immediately at seeing those eyes, his own going stone cold.]

W-We could just leave her there! Why rush things!! RIGHTT???

[Jacob shrugs, and doesn't move away from the cage.]

We can't keep her in there forever. And the longer she's cooped up, the more she'll be in a bad mood when she does get out. So we can either have a big python, or an angry big python. It's your choice.

[Personally he would rather not have a python at all... but Shinji would want them to take care of Soba, and Jacob does feel obligated to do right by his departed roommmate.]

A-Ah...those are our only two choices, huh.

[And Soba did seem like less of a threat compared to Sugar Ray over there. That doesn't make the choice any easier as he keeps his distance, and slowly making sure his baseball bat is within running-and-grabbing range.]

Okay. Okay let's do this. I'm sure she's friendly!

["I'm sure she's friendly!" - the epitaph that will be on their gravestones after this.

Anyway, Jacob nods and opens the cage. Soba, thrilled at finally being free, lunges toward freedom, her length flowing out of the container like a reptilian river. She hasn't climbed anything in a while, and the first thing she does in MF 001 is climb the nearest solid object: Jacob.

Which is how Jacob ends up with a very large Burmese python wrapping herself around his arm and shoulders, tongue flicking as she tastes the air around him. She isn't attacking, just treating Jacob like a particularly warm tree. Jacob stares, unsure of how to handle this.]

Uh.

[Leaving her in the cage is starting to look like the right option in retrospect.]

[In hindsight, maybe they should've fed her first. That way her stomach would be full and not full of THEM.

But Soba seems to be only interested in something to climb, and this something being mostly Jacob himself. Thank you for your sacrifice, buddy. He appreciates it.]

H-Hey...look, I think she likes you!

[That's a start, right?]

Okay, you hold her while I try and get her tank inside, alright? I'll...I'll go do that....noooowww....

Holding her isn't going to be a problem. Believe me.

[Jacob manages a wry tone as Soba winds herself around his broad shoulders. Remember his sacrifice, Junpei. Remember him.]

I'm thinking that maybe next time we should get the tank set up before we let her out.

[Shoulder-pythons have a way of sharpening hindsight.]

We're the super fans, feeling great in the grandstands

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Jacob; sometime early June

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