DECEMBER EVENT/TDM

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bulletin board updates

✽ There are several new points of interest at the bulletin board this month, most prominently a wooden box with the slit on the top just large enough to drop a sheet of paper inside. Above is an explanation of Secret Santa and a form to fill out for those interested in participating to write down their name, homeroom, and locker number. Sign-ups close on 12/5, and following assignments, gifts may be given in person or through one of the student council members if anonymous gifting is preferred (contact the mod to hire a stuco elf).
✽ Right next to this box is a poster with a large orange giraffe painted on it. The contents of the poster has nothing to do with giraffes, but rather, is an advertisement for student store commissions featuring quality work with quick turnarounds and a special discount for the month of December if you buy five or more commissions, or bring the shopkeep a warm drink and maybe a snack while they're working.
✽ To the side of the class roster and current ranks is a digital countdown, and scrawled on the bulletin board itself is the message "You're almost there! You can do it! One more push!" but it's unclear whether this message refers to the countdown to the new year, or to the long glass tube situated along the edge of the bulletin board next to it. Maybe both. The tube looks similar to a graduated cylinder, holding a total volume of 5000 ml and currently containing 4850 ml of dark red (presumably) blood, hot to the touch. It can not be broken or removed. The mod will be in contact if any character action this month causes the volume to change.
✽ A neatly typed notice, half buried under all the other announcements, contains a reminder that tuition will be due soon for those students continuing to study at Yogen. If tuition is not paid in full by the end of February, "compensation" will be taken instead.
✽ And finally, there is a notice from the student council that proof of club activity is once again due for submission to the student council by 12/24, otherwise the club will be dissolved and resources taken back. Please submit activity proof to the toplevel below.

12/20 - 12/24 finals week

✽ The week before winter break is finals, with many students cramming as many math formulas and foreign country leaders into their heads as possible without it all spilling over, while other students have decided to chance the practicum instead. Those who have signed up for the practicum are asked to meet inside the auditorium after homeroom at the start of the day while test takers begin their written exams. Students are allowed to change their minds on which to take, up until the end of homeroom on Monday, after the bell rings and the doors close.
✽ For the test takers, finals last for five days, from 8AM until noon each day, after which students are allowed to go home, or have lunch and continue studying in their homerooms or in the library. At the end of finals on Friday, students are asked to remain in their homerooms over lunch break while their exams finish being graded, after which homeroom teachers will return and ask certain students to go with them to the faculty office. These are the failing students. Which the homeroom teachers themselves have the pleasure of executing for their failures. All other students are dismissed and wished a happy winter break.
✽ For those opting for the practicum, finals last for two days, from 8AM until noon on Monday and Tuesday. All students from all grades meet in the auditorium the first day and are told the very simple rules for this semester's practicum: in order to raise your failing grade, all you have to do is kill another student, upon which you take their points for yourself. At the start of both days, students first gather in the auditorium for a headcount and then are given a half hour no-killing grace period during which they are allowed to scatter and find the best sniping/ambushing/hiding spots. The hunt is limited to four hours each day and kills must be done on campus; any kills done outside of these parameters are just for fun and do not count towards their final grade. Points are given for kills involving students in the same grade level of different homerooms (e.g. third years only benefit from killing other third years) and points are revoked for kills involving other grade levels or test takers not participating in the practicum. They studied hard, leave them alone. Most students need only one or two kills to pass, but multiple kills stack and earn them extra credit that will carry over to the next semester. Students who end the second day with a still failing grade will be called to the faculty office. ... All remaining students are dismissed and wished a happy (early!) winter break.
✽ A winter storm starts to whip up around noon on the 24th, raging through the night before settling down come morning, blanketing the entire campus with several feet of snow.

OOC

✽ PC faculty still have finals: they will either take written exams excluding that of their own subject, or they can take the practicum. Players with faculty characters are asked to reply to the toplevel below to indicate the number of failed students per class, but characters do NOT have to ICly be responsible for killing failed students. Unless they're cool with that, and if so, please let me know.
✽ This is a reminder that for any character that murders (again, please let me know), they will experience the same pain the following night and lose powers/abilities for one week. Two weeks after the murder, +1 tally and +100 merit points will be awarded for each kill.
✽ The void in the auditorium continues to grow, and (pending character interaction) by the end of the month will encompass the entire right wing of all floors, including the locker area but not the rooftop. Please mind the void, murderers.

Comments

[commences]

( if he says five then komaeda knows he'll be here on the doubt, ranger doesn't tell too many lies, and he lifts a hand to show his fingers spread out to mark the number. though, his eyes glance down to the floor when amami speaks, "we're friends", he says, as if komaeda's role here isn't to be a stepping stone for him — the kinder ultimates are always forgetting the important parts. it's fine, become he manages to keep his smile, )

Anyway, ( to ignore his claim. ) are you interested in this sort of speech?

( you know, what's on his pda, he doesn't mind offering some help to amami if he cares for it, but time flies when you try to teach something to an ultimate, and not before long there's a knocking on the vending machine that makes komaeda look up, and then he glances towards amami. )

Come in!

( like he's playing house for real. )

[sisters]

( it's kind of interesting, really. not that whatever cursory explanation komaeda is able to give in five minutes is likely to stay in his head for long, but it's at least enough to hold his attention until their guest arrives. though his mind is still turning in puzzle mode, so it takes until they decide to make a point of their presence for him to remember that, right, there was someone they were waiting on, wasn't there?

knock, knock, knock...

so amami glances up at the sound, leaning with his elbow against the machine so he can peer around komaeda and to the one next to them instead. it's a face he's seen a couple times before — mostly trailing ko, from what he's noted. his eyes linger on the expression card before flickering up to meet ranger's eyes instead. it's kind of curious, but overall amami doesn't let it faze him as he lifts a hand to wave, smiling bright and friendly to match the card. )

Sorry, didn't see you there. You must be the one Komaeda-kun wanted to introduce me to.

( and with the hand he'd waved with, gesturing to vaguely to the general area of "here." )

Feel free to take a seat.

[rearranger]

[ Ranger looks to the vending machine, which is currently blocked, then to Komaeda (who he immediately blames for the current state of affairs and therefore doesn't bother questioning the "why,") then finally takes a moment to size up Amami. It's difficult to say what conclusion he comes to, but he must not disapprove of the entire affair because he offers a slight nod to both of them in response. It takes him a little longer than it should, though, because he pauses at the mention of Komaeda wanting to introduce him. That seems wrong. Or maybe it's right - dolls weren't much more than toys for humans to play with, so it only made sense to share.

But he doesn't like that idea either, and neither option strikes him as correct, so he decides to set that aside for now. The card switches to a cat face. ]

Ahaha, well, nice of you to have me over~

[ Hmm... Isn't it traditional to apologize for the disturbance? He doesn't really want to, though, so that will have to do. Ranger takes a seat on the opposite side of Komaeda, and the card switches again - to a winged ice cream cone this time. Ranger keeps his head turned towards the pair of them so nothing can be seen behind it, despite logically understanding that the were unlikely to regardless. His eyes remain blank, showing no particular emotion one way or the other. He thinks to point out that they're blocking the damn road and deserve to get run over for it to alleviate some of his own discomfort, but something stops him.

Introducing him to someone... Really, just how is he supposed to feel about that? ]

[commences]

You would have ran into each other sooner or later, so I thought... why not speed up the process?

( it's not everyday komaeda gets to say, "hey, let me introduce you to [...]," and have the offer taken up, but amami's pretty laidback when it comes to the idea, and komaeda's the person who is overinvested of getting this right for an ultimate's sake. so far so good, he thinks, especially with the progress of cards that are being flipped through, and his eyes lift up to look where amami is. he gives them their own silence to get their thoughts together until he continues, his voice the center of attention. )

This is a secret gathering that no one knows about.

( it's not meant to be taking seriously, considering select people could decipher what code komaeda left on the network, and the fact other students walk through glancing over. clearing his throat, he claps his hands together with a smile, almost proud of himself. )

Hm... This is Amami Rantarou-kun, an Ultimate, as well as a third year, just like you... he has legendary stories about himself here... the fourth floor is the domain where his epic tale begins! Such a fascinating and heartwarming series of events... but wait, there's more!

( he turns to look at ranger, watching his cards, keeping it in mind just in case he says something sensitive, but he turns away to trust his own judgement. )

This is Ranger Rio-kun, my partner who I can vouch that if you don't know a thing, he'll be able to explain easily! Noooo textbook answers, though, and everything he says comes from the inside so you never have to worry about the things he says. ( hm. ) And if you need us for anything, just say the word! ( selling off their services already, yeah, he's in his own head at the moment, but he doesn't continue, instead, he pauses to let them catch up to what's been said. each comment has something important, but they can fish for that if they're interested, and he goes about it this way. )

But scum like me is no good at introductions, so if you'd rather do it properly yourself, then that's fine.

( as if that wasn't his plan to begin with. )

[sisters]

( oh? that's interesting. amami'd seen ranger in passing, enough to get a loose sense for who he is, but never enough to get to know him up close. watching him swap out the expression cards is pretty interesting, and he tilts his head curiously as the ice cream gets swapped in to replace the prior cat face. unfortunately, his attention is pulled away from ranger a moment later as komaeda launches into their introductions. )

Komaeda-kun... ( his tone is stern, warning, but only lightly. coloured more by exasperation than any sense of actual frustration with him. )

Sorry, but yeah, I'd rather you didn't introduce me with that. Sticking to classes would've been fine.

( the pedestal, and then raising him up like the fourth floor was his shining moment when amami really sees it as... the opposite. he's not even sure what to do with rio's half either, so after just kind of awkwardly smiling his way through it, he breathes out a bit of a sigh and meets ranger's eyes with an expression that looks equal parts tired and apologetic. he appreciates that komaeda's trying to make a strong impression on his behalf but, like, if it were him? offering him up for services like that would probably manage to accomplish the opposite. )

Uh, anyway... I guess I've already been introduced, but it's nice to meet you, Ranger-kun. I'm from 3-B. You're across the hall, aren't you — 3-D?

[rearranger]

[ That blank stare remains throughout the explanation. None of that means much to Ranger, though his head tilts slightly at the mention of textbook answers. He's not quite sure what Komaeda is getting at there. For all that he's gotten hammered into him, he's pretty sure when people go to him they're usually looking for the logical answer. If not from a textbook, then help with coding or similar.

He lifts an eyebrow at the mention of needing help, but otherwise doesn't seem to particularly care about what's being said past a natural desire for additional data, but there's nothing so egregious that he needs to be offended by it. So it is that Ranger considers what's been said for a couple of seconds. He doesn't like his services being offered, but he's not necessarily object if it benefits him, so he doesn't quite dismiss it out of hand. ]

Hmm... I don't help people unless I feel like it, but I guess you could ask. Be pretty weird if you did though.

[ To the point as ever. He shrugs, flipping back to the open mouthed grin. ]

Anyway, yep, 3-D.

[commences]

Is that all either of you have to say...

( boring, in other words, nothing to spice up the conversation whereas komaeda's help to introducing them was sort of lively, unneeded, but it did its job. he crosses his arms over his knees, looking between the two without blinking until he gives a very long sigh, but it's gone as it came. )

Riokun's very helpful, as long as there's something that works out in his favor.

( it's not a lie, but amami will be able to handle that without any trouble since he's an ultimate, this will come easy to him, and maybe that jar will too. he brightens up, his own stars in his eyes as he continues, ) And Amami-kun is an Ultimate which makes him a really dependable person, but his talents are to spread hope.

( talentS. yes, he still finds both to be amazing in fact, even, he seems a little... smitten from the fact that he can talk about it. his cheeks are a faint color of red, but this is normal when he talks about ultimates or their talents, and even hope... as pure and wonderful as that is... talents are the same. even now, he's excited at the hope that wafts off amami at this moment. )

His talent is very beautiful, one that will cover every student in hope! I wanted to introduce you to that hope as well!

( !!! and komaeda looks up to amami like some sort of dog, "tell him! tell him!" or don't tell him, rather, just ignore komaeda. )

[sisters]

Come on, it's not that impressive. I'm just a regular guy. Besides, you've got a talent too, Komaeda-kun.

( please stop hyping him up this is getting embarrassing. )

It'd be better if you guys just thought of me as a classmate.

( really, even that's nice to him. his talent, yeah, he's proud of it now that he knows — but at the same time? he does not want this whole conversation to be about how amazing he supposedly is when he feels he is quite mediocre at best, so... uh, what else does he have to derail them with? he glances to the side, thinks it over, and, oh. got it. yeah, that'll maybe work. )

Anyway, rather than something to ask, I actually had something to give you.

( let him just dig in his pocket for a moment, pulling out a little candy jar once he finds it and holding it out for ranger. you know, before things get too awkward to offer it up at all. though with the way komaeda's running this so far, he's fully prepared for ranger to just stare at it instead of accepting it anyway. )

[rearranger]

[ Ranger blinks slowly, and he keeps his eyes fixed on Komaeda. The lack of change in card and expression suggests that he's come to some kind of conclusion. He's come to roughly understand that talents were divided up and handed out like pieces of a chocolate bar in his world; however, for an AI that was created by the greatest minds the world had to offer, the entire concept seems fairly unimpressive. They would have been scrapped for such disappointing displays as a singular talent.

Even so, Komaeda seems to have... Interest in it, and that's all the more clear in looking at his face. Ranger wonders briefly if he should perhaps remove himself at this point, but he decides to give it a little bit longer. Komaeda was a bit quirky at the best of times, and it was the fact that he had such an unusual and emotional perspective that allowed him to balance out the more logic-minded Ranger. ]

... I don't really get stuff like that.

[ Which is to say that he will, in fact, just be thinking him as another guy he just met. He blinks several times as the jar is offered, looking between Komaeda and Amami. He's hardly somebody who has been shown affection throughout his years, and without a doubt the gifts he's been given here have made his heart flutter, but even so... For it to be something custom tailored to his likes - cute stars, in a cute little bottle, with just the right person nearby... Ah, is this what they call "buttering up?"

The card switches to the ice cream cone again, and he exhales loudly. ]

Didn't they teach you not to cheat on tests, kiddo? You can't go around sharing answers like that, or teacher's gonna fail you~

[ Which one of them is that directed at? Yes. Despite the light tone, there's just the slightest hint of irritation under it - barely detectable unless one were to listen closely.

But don't worry, he will snatch it up, inclining his head as he looks at it, and it really is like a teacher that just confiscated some item or another. ]

Hmmm... You could at least have tried to hide it, you know... Sheesh, kids these days don't even know how to do change their answers up a little.

[ There's just the faintest undertone of instead of insulting my intelligence to that. ]

[commences]

...Sigh.

( it's fine, he was just excited to do a little plotting and planning, and not only is he judged for his excitement, his plan blew up in his face too. when he was thoughtful about this, but give him a moment to fall silent, thinking over his mistakes, and once he's finally over it, he manages a smile right after. there's no need playing dumb any longer, his extravagant plan is useless now, but he notes that ranger did at least take it aside from rejecting it in full, so there's small victories, even if he doesn't feel completely proud of it. )

Well, you're livelier than what you were before... so it wasn't all in vain.

( he lifts his hands up, taking the small scolding, and once he finds that it's over, he'll cross his arms back onto his knees. the fact of the matter is, this isn't his problem any longer, and the gift was given to ranger from amami, but komaeda is the only one here who knows the trade secret of buttering up to ranger. it's a little embarrassing given the fact he wanted to introduce people — not as proper as he did before — perhaps it was the idea of actually introducing people he likes to an extent to each other is why this didn't work as well as he wanted. )

Hm...

( he turns around, looking at the vending machine as he tries to decide on what he wants to snack on, he finds this better than saying aloud he's pretty sure he's older than ranger, but sometimes feeling young isn't that bad either so he'll take it. he'll push himself up properly so that he's standing, looking towards amami with a sheepish smile like he's sorry for the mistake, but then he turns to look towards ranger. )

He'll switch it up next time, or he'll face the consequences of his actions!

[sisters]

( did he... did he just say "sigh" aloud? amami looks at him with a half-incredulous expression, but between the scolding making him a bit anxious and komaeda's ridiculousness following it up, amami can't help the faint laugh that bubbles up in his throat. whether it's nervous or amused is anyone's guess, but neither would probably be wrong in this case. for now, he'll just scratch at the back of his neck, feeling a bit awkward about the way this ended up unfolding. )

Ha, didn't expect you to be so quick to throw me under the bus too.

( considering this was komaeda's idea in the first place!!

but, hey, he did manage to successfully change the topic. it's just a shame about those expression cards — makes it a little trickier for amami to get a read on his mood, or rather, how far it's gone from this fumble. it'd be much easier to gauge whether this was a lost cause for him without those, but he guesses he can stick it out for a little bit longer, even if his smile is kind of sheepish for the situation. )

I guess it is on me if I wasn't ready for the pop quiz though. Next time, I'll be sure to pick out the gift myself.

( call it an apology. for now, he's just going to glance at komaeda as he stands up. he's watching mindfully, just to make sure he's not trying to do that thing where he tries to smack two people together and then dip out so they can't acknowledge him. he's tried to do it to amami before, and this seems like a particularly inopportune time to be abandoned, so. )

[rearranger]

[ Ranger tosses the bottle up and down, catching it in his free hand easily each time. It's necessary, of course; he can't understand things like this. He can't understand the effort being made here, nor the consideration, nor any of the other various emotions that were packed into the cute little bottle - for a doll, for something that doesn't matter at all. If he lets himself focus on that for too long, he'll get caught up in his own emotions, and that just wasn't acceptable. That kind of weakness was fatal.

So he flips to the cheerful grin card instead, continuing to toss that bottle up and down. Without a doubt, if Komaeda leaves then Ranger will follow, so of course the choice is his to make, and only needs to listen for the paces. ]

You'd better... Seriously, You're trying way too hard.

[ Toss, catch. Toss, catch. Toss, catch. ]

It's not that complicated. I don't like stupid people or and I don't like people who waste my time.

[ A final toss, a final catch, and he curls his fingers around the jar now. No, this is good, because it means that he can shove down all those uncomfortable feelings that come with meeting a new person, the awkwardness, the discomfort of being introduced - of being told that somebody wanted to. I he can push some of that out, if he can detach himself just that little bit from those feelings, he's fine, and so now he is fine - voice even and level. ]

Anyway, I don't really get stuff like this, but if something's important to Nagito, it's important to me.

[ Another shrug. It's less of a response to Komaeda's reaction, though that is duly noted for future reference, and more in line with his normal behavior. He'll tolerate it so long as he's asked to for the sake of trying to understand. But naturally Ranger will still ditch the second his partner does, though, because that will mean it's no longer important to him. ]

[commences]

This shouldn't prove a challenge to you, Amami-kun; besides, doesn't this make your efforts all the more amazing?

( that's why he doesn't mind his little throw under the bus, because now when he gets a second chance at gifting ranger, it'll be from his own hands. that's more than enough that makes the future worth it, and that sort of hope will glow brighter than what komaeda had to offer — just a little step on the right direction though there's a small consequence for his actions. he heard it already, sharing answers means it was an ideal gift, but learning through him was where they failed; or rather, komaeda wouldn't supposed to share something so personal than he found through his own slip-ups, seriously, he tripped, hit the back of his head, and almost passed out for it. )

...He is the person I wanted to introduce you to.

( said to amami as he looks towards ranger; nervousness aside, he's in his element of control post scolding, and komaeda accepts that with ease, though he's not leaving yet, so neither of them have to count down the moment he about to ditch. rather, he leans back against the vending machine with its faint hum, and he closes his eyes as he thinks over that he's pretty satisfied, even if his plan didn't go as perfect; the fact that ranger didn't leave is truly an accomplishment. that, and his eyes glance off to the side as he hears ranger's comment — something important — that's true, all ultimates are important to him.

but he didn't have to say it so straightforward, it's almost as troublesome as amami calling him a friend... )

Riokun said it himself, I wanted to show the people I'm always around to each other, so this meeting is pretty... important to me.

( is that how he should say it? does that get the value of this across? does it put not as much weight, but how this conversation was something he was looking forward to? if not, he'll add on: )

Spreading a dazzling light through my peers to see them connecting with one another causes a hopeful event, I'm glad I can be witness to it!

[sisters]

( "i don't like stupid people," and komaeda, with his opinion, still thought it was a good idea to introduce amami. incredible. either way, amami listens patiently to the explanation, amicable smile plastered on as it always is, and gives an amused little huff at that comment in particular. of course, komaeda turns the whole thing a bit more unflattering on him side, but he's willing to wait that out too while it gets out of his system. if he can just talk around those bits, maybe he can dodge the worst of any damage it might be doing to "rio-kun's" opinion of him. )

Haha, I have to admit I'm kind of jealous, the two of you sound pretty close.

( "partners" this and first names that. amami's pretty sure komaeda would commit seppuku before agreeing to refer to him so familiarly, but there's no sense of bitterness in his words — just an observation he notes and continues on from as quickly as he notices it. )

Anyway, same here. Komaeda-kun and I are friends, so it'd be nice if we could get along too. ( even if they kind of started out on the wrong foot there. ) He can be a bit difficult to understand, but he's not a bad guy at heart. I'm glad if he's got someone looking out for him.

( there's too many people who take him at face value in this place, without really listening to the way he says the things that he does. while amami can't say he agrees with komaeda unconditionally or anything, he can at least say it's a relief to see that there's others who seem to not only tolerate, but value his company in a similar way. )

[rearranger]

[ He looks up briefly when Komaeda identifies it as important. It's notable for how indirect he tends to be, but he nods. The second half he thinks is just a more flowery version of the first half, so he decides to be polite and nod again just in case the first one was missed. That's good enough for him, and so Ranger allows himself to ease up a little further. He trusts Komaeda's judgment, and there's nothing so offensive that he can't grumble and move on, and so he can work with this. ]

He's no harder to understand than anyone else around here.

[ Actually, he tended to be a little easier to understand than the majority of people he had met in this place. They were just too different, and it felt as though no matter how much he could appreciate their company, he couldn't relate to them well... Hm, did that make them close? Even now, that feels like too bold of a word for him to use about anyone. It's not a bad thing to hear though. ]

We look out for each other.

[ That said, Ranger has the distinct sense that complaints are going start trickling in if he's the only topic of conversation. He instead decides to redirect it to where Komaeda had been going before, ]

Oh. Nagito said you have talent. What's that about? One of you oughta explain it so I'm not the only one left out here.

[ There's a slight distaste to the word talent, as though he were trying to swallow something bitter, despite Ranger's best efforts to cover it up. The concept as a whole doesn't settle well with him, but that doesn't preclude him being interested in individual people - which is all really just to say that Komaeda seemed excited about it, and he's curious enough to follow up. ]

[commences]

...

( it's stuffy to hear things like that, it makes him uncomfortable, which he crosses his arms trying to keep himself calm — at this point, he'd wrap one arm around his waist, and have nails dig into his sides. he can't do that because of the two people he's next to, they would notice it and equally say something about it. he thinks about walking off to the side to breathe, but that would cause a problem too. his eyes glance down at the floor, thinking about his means of escape, or what he should say to change the topic himself. dealing with one person is enough, having two exchange words like this back and forth with him here... ah, he might die.

he doesn't do well being talked about, he hates himself too much for it, and so the idea of them talking about each other, or amami, would work better in his favor. it's things such as attachments that makes this bad for him, has he been too vulnerable lately, has he showed a side to himself not many people see? is this so noticeable that an ultimate knows and comments on, he thinks he wants to bite down on his own tongue, which he does just so that maybe his luck doesn't swoop through and —

the sudden change in subject is a reprieve, it makes him feel better as he looks towards ranger, and he exhales — how long have he kept that breath in. )

...Umm. ( it's about amami so he can be excited, just what he knows best, he's quick to change his mood, happy about the topic. )

If you'd bless him with both, each is unique, and Amami-kun is the only other person with such talents.

( only other is what he says, but he moves on no longer lingering on that as he turns his head to watch amami. )

I haven't told anyone, so it must be fun to talk about them yourself!

[sisters]

( he kind of gives komaeda a Look out of the corner of his eye, grimacing somewhat, but he'll just breathe out the exasperation in a deep exhale instead of actually commenting on it. it's hard to outright reject a request like that, even if he has his reservations about going around handing that information out like candy when even he doesn't have the full picture.

but it's someone komaeda trusts, and amami trusts komaeda to a degree that surprises even himself at times. not only that, but they seem to show the same trust and faith in komaeda that he does. while it's not something he's too fond of doing, he supposes that he can spill on both, just as komaeda's asking. even he can take a hint like this. first things first though, the important one: )

I'm the Ultimate Adventurer. Well, it's not like I pursued it or anything though — it just so happened that people started calling me that while I was traveling through some other countries. As for the other one...

( he glances to the side, grimaces a bit, )

I've, uh, also been called the Ultimate Survivor.

( and lifts his arms in an open gesture, smiling sheepishly. )

As you can probably tell, I don't think I live up to that one quite as much.

( he is here, after all. )

[rearranger]

[ As he thought, there were complaints coming in. Ranger didn't make a habit of considering the feelings of others, but he could at least be sensitive to the needs of his partner. His eyes flick up to Komaeda when looked at. It's brief, but calculating, trying to determine if he needed an excuse to step away and breathe for a moment. He still seems pretty worked up. He decides to give it another minute or so, letting his eyes fall back to Amami.

If he changes his way of thinking and removes the title and pedestal, this singular focal point of skill development probably makes sense. True geniuses were rare, even moreso in this day and age where the bar was high, and it was far more practical to the majority to focus on one point of interest and master than it was to follow the old "jack of all trades master of none though ofttimes better than master of one."

Well, he can appreciate specialization well enough, and so it's worth pressing on a little more. ]

Doesn't sound like it. Pretty sure you gotta live a few more years to qualify for that one.

[ He speaks without any particular emotion, as though he were just stating any other fact. ]

So, you wanna elaborate on that one a little more? I can figure out the obvious, but it seems like it should be more than that.

[ Though even if not he won't be terribly disappointed. ]

[commences]

( at this point, he'd say something about amami's one talent that everyone will die before him — he being the only person left within the school, hyping up their deaths like it's a good thing, but he knows that saying such a thought would be off-putting towards both people here. the urge is there, but he bites his tongue as he contemplates if he should say anything, or keep his thoughts to himself rather since it's just them talking. it's not everyday that ranger will indulge in someone's talents, and that's because he doesn't care for them which is obviously clear to komaeda, but obviously he doesn't care because he still shows them off regardless. )

...

( talking about elaborating though, komaeda finds that he's also interested in the other's stories too which makes him look expectantly. did he travel to any forbidden places, perhaps the bhangarh fort within india, a once splendid kingdom that's become haunted, or was he able to see the lascaux caves with his own eyes, where prehistoric art dates back to the 900s, and it's said that any human that steps foot inside would cause ruin to the safeguarded time trapped inside that place. the thought makes komaeda smile, scooting next to ranger so that he can look up at amami as well, his own eyes twinkling at what fascinating stories they're going to be told. ultimate adventurer is one that can be shared with many people due to the stories that follow up behind it, the survivor has no one, unless the group dwindles one by one —

a hand raises up to place over his own heart as he thinks it over, but there's hope in carrying those stories along, he thinks. an ultimate with such a beautiful talent, but it's after a moment he's able to drop his arms down to his side as he nods himself. )

Yeah, elaborate for us, Amami-kun! Hold nothing back, what stories do you have...?

( he slips his hands into the pockets of his jacket, waiting too. he may be on the wrong talent, but it does not matter which talent they talk about since he won't be disappointed at all. every talent is the right talent. )

[sisters]

( oh, yeah. amami watches the way their eyes flicker to one another and, yeah, maybe he meant it when he said he was a bit jealous. honestly, he almost feels like he's intruding on something by being in both of their company, but he can grin and bear the slight awkwardness, even as the topic turns to the one thing he least enjoys talking about.

but while it's a dry sounding remark that ranger makes, it pulls an easier smile from amami nonetheless. it's nice to have someone not make a big deal out of it, considering the circumstances under which he found out about it, and the assumptions that it tends to lead to. granted, it may just sound more innocuous without the context behind it — something amami's resigned to accept even as he elaborates as requested. )

Putting it shortly: I survived a killing game once before.

( he gives his answer matter-of-factly in turn. distant, like it's something that doesn't have anything to do with him.

it doesn't exactly feel like it does anyway but, regardless... )

To tell the truth, I don't really have any stories to tell about that one — I could tell you about some of the trips I've gone on though, if you're interested in that.

( so yes, komaeda, he can talk about the time his phone got eaten by a carnivorous plant in the amazon, or the time he followed a lead that brought him to a treasure-filled tomb in egypt, or the time he straight up robbed the government in lanling; whatever you want to hear. )

[rearranger]

Oh. Yeah, okay.

[ He holds the ice cream cone as he offers his response. Ranger isn't quite disappointed, but it is nonetheless a boring answer. No, it's more than boring - if he thinks about it too hard, he'll start to get uncomfortable. He doesn't want to think about the Death Game, or more specifically he doesn't want his thoughts to wander to a certain participant that he has here. He's been thinking too hard about such things recently. Ranger lets his hand rest on his knee, index finger tapping idly.

But Komaeda seems happy enough with this shift in subject, so he supposes it was worth it to ask. He flicks his wrist to switch the card to the open-mouthed grin and shrugs in response to the lateral topic. It doesn't sound boring, and there's always something to be learned from listening and watching to others. He reminds himself that he can always leave if it proves to be too tedious, though having his partner next to him feels a bit like having an anchor attached... Well, there was no helping that. ]

Yeah, sure. You have my attention.

[ Ranger does seem comparatively interested in what stories can be offered here, tone lightening a touch. He raises his hand briefly, waving his hand in a little go on gesture before letting it fall back down. ]

[commences]

( this is where amami has to give his biggest, best story that'll blow ranger away in awe. that might be difficult for who he has to impress, but komaeda believes in his ultimates the most that he can't stay in place at the thought of how amazed ranger will be once he learns how spectacular amami can be — revered, loved, and thought of, someone who carries a hope that can be shared to those around him.

komaeda sighs wistfully at that knowledge, to have a talent that can be loved by the people who are influenced by his surviving and his adventuring. the smile on his face widens, warm and appreciative as he looks at the other ultimate with so much interest. his attention on him specifically, even going as far as to inch a little closer so that he can hear what he says louder. )

Tell us, Amami-kun! I want to hear where you've explored, such a shining and brilliant talent... ha, even hearing a story must move someone so much it brings them to tears.

( he looks at his hand, reading the lines in his palm that doesn't really give him direction, but is more comfort than anything. this calms him down while in his own thoughts, but once he looks up, he's back to expressing his excitement as he bounces of the tips of his feet. )

In detail! Riokun hasn't been to many places before so now they have a chance to indulge in your story! They can be part of it.

( he chuckles softly, nodding as if this is one way to give someone the chance of traveling. )

[sisters]

Hm... Well, there was this time I was in South America, and I'd heard there were some ruins near the place I was staying at the time. Some rumours were going around about the place, so I thought I'd go check it out, y'know?

( admittedly, he's not the best with being the center of attention like this. their eyes land on him, and while one set feels hopeful and expectant, the other seems... less so. but he guesses they've both encouraged him, so it's the least he can do to actually share it, and once he gets going, it feels a little easier. )

Well, the locals turned out not to be so fond of that. I wasn't sure why at first, but when I went to see, the place was just covered in these vines. Not so unusual for some ruins, right? But when I turned to look away, I thought I heard something behind me, and the whole time I spent exploring there, it was like that. Different voices of people, but I was the only one there.

( he gestures absently as he speaks, open-palmed and inviting, or pointing here and there as he indicates the specifics, )

I found out later that those vines were carnivorous and parasitic, and they mimicked the voices of people to draw them in. It's only lucky I went alone and they didn't have any references that I knew, or I really might've been drawn in too.

[rearranger]

[ They can be part of it. Those words burrow into his mind and eat away at his sense of reason, replacing every bit of cool logical understanding of the intention behind the words with a red hot anger at the audacity of saying them to him, who has watched 20 different lives play out. He could dress up and try on without ever owning. That familiar feeling, one that he hasn't felt since where his memories of the Death Game end, resurfaces for the first time since arriving here. It's that need to find an outlet before it all overwhelms him, because he'll be crushed by the weight of his own emotions if he doesn't.

But the only sign of any of that is the way his grip subtly tightens before loosening again. It's such a nice story, too. He takes it in carefully, and his eyes flick to watch the movements of his hand. It's something that he might fantasize about if he were human. It's like a teddy bear that he can make believe with, making it into all kinds of things just by declaring it so, something so cute and cuddly that he just wants to rip it open and tear all of the stuffing out just to see what's really inside.

This is why Ranger hates making promises.

He flips to the cat card. The entire conversation the only indicator of his shifting moods has been the change in cards, so perhaps this will suffice now. ]

Interesting.

[ He should offer more than that, and so, back to the open mouthed grin it is. He thinks talking vines might have been a nice idea for their purposes. Where would they have gone? Maybe on the fourth floor. They would have fit in nicely. Having decided on a point of interest, he adds, ]

We don't have anything like that where I'm from yet, at least as far as I know.

[commences]

Yeah, that's pretty cool, all sorts of weird and unusual things in the world.

( ultimates tend to have such grand stories, and komaeda turns to look at ranger to see how he took it, or if there's an inclination of interest of hearing it. it's not everyday you come across such unique stories, and komaeda feels like a proud owner as amami explains himself, it's quite the thrilling tale. he focuses on expressions first knowing that ranger can only make so many, but he does a quick scan over his person to find something that stands out. anything that means he's responding well, but having his eyes briefly watch the way his hand loosens, he looks down at the wall behind him, staring like the weirdo he is, before turning back properly. )

You're like a modern day superhero.

( which to komaeda, all ultimates are. they're his favorite team that he wants to see win at every outcome, by their own merit and talent. he wouldn't have liked it too much if it was some talentless individual that got amami caught up, but the thought that he would protect someone is nice, just like he's done here. it's fitting, and yet komaeda keeps his thoughts to himself on the matter as he allows the two to make conversation. it's easy to get drowned out when someone shows a bit of interest, and he manages to look in amami's direction with his knowledge on exotic plants thinking there's no harm in listening to it.

he takes a slight step back, turning to face the vending machine as he looks at the variety of food that's stored inside, along with pet beetles. there's so much he could choose from, and he even notices that can of chowder that shin enjoys, they must have restocked it, but that's a passing thought as he looks through everything else. his prosthetic taps the glass interesting in something specific, it reads chocolate covered sand fleas. huh, now that's new. )