⇋ 003 - voice/action

[avartwice]

[voice]

I'm starting... to really hate this place.

[So Greed's not sounding too good today. His voice is pretty strained and his breathing's a little heavy.]

Especially that NPC asshole... and his damn shadows. As if I didn't hate shadows enough before I got here... If I ever get my hands on that brat, I'm gonna make sure nothing'll be left of him, I don't even care if he comes back!

I'm really hoping none of you are thinking of turning in the NPC he wants after this stunt... But if you are, let me know, so I can make sure to kick your ass later!

[action]

[Not long after Greed's message, Ling can be spotted hanging out with the NPC students while wearing the regular uniform, rather than his own black coat. Which would be an odd sight even if it weren't NPCs, as Ling really isn't the type to hang out with multiple people unless there's food involved. But with NPCs? Yeah, that's definitely not right.

However, you might notice that every now and then, he seems to just halt. He'll stop walking, he'll drift off mid-sentence, that sort of thing. Not as if someone's pressed the pause button on him, but more like he momentarily forgets what he's doing. But then a few seconds later, he resumes whatever he's up to. Huh.]

Comments

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

[So maybe Sena doesn't know him well but she knows she's talked to him and now... he's acting weird. She moves in front of him, not bothering to waste time with idle talk.]

What's wrong with you?

action;

[avartwice]

Huh?

[Ling blinks as Sena moves in front of him.]

What do you mean? I'm the same as ever.

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

I could tell you were weird anyway but you weren't this weird.

action;

[avartwice]

I'm not sure what you're talking about, ah... Kashiwazaki, right?

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

[She squints her eyes at him.] You're like one of those games that have a scratch on them.

Re: action;

[avartwice]

Sorry, I don't think I really follow. What exactly does... that...

[And then he trails off. He closes his eyes and shakes his head for a moment. He almost looks like he's in pain, as if he has a headache. Then he blinks and is back to normal again.]

Ah, sorry about that.

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

Huh. You did it again! It's weird!

action;

[avartwice]

They're just regular headaches. Nothing to worry about.

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

Did you really forget where you were? It's not like you can get sick so that's impossible. Stop lying, I'm not an idiot.

action;

[avartwice]

Can't get... Did you hit your head, possibly? You're saying some really weird things.

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

You're the one who's acting weird! Just tell me the truth already.

action; 1/2

[avartwice]

You're really going to have to be more specific. I don't think I've lied to you at all.

Really, I don't get what's wrong...

[And there he goes again, except this time he cuts himself off a lot more suddenly. He even winces slightly.]

action; 2/2

[avartwice]

[When he looks back up at Sena, his voice is completely different. And boy, does he sound pissed.]

Are you... seriously... that dense? Can't you tell when you're talking to an NPC, or what?!

[...From the sound of it, Greed is not having a very good day.]

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

[She blinks. Guess who has no idea he's two people?]

An NPC wouldn't know they're one, you idiot. It wasn't even a good act.

action;

[avartwice]

It's not an act you moron. [It's literally taking every bit of energy he has to force himself into control, so he's... probably not going to try to calmly explain the situation.] I'm not an NPC, the guy you were just talking to is!

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

You're the guy I was just talking to! You were making more sense before! What kind of crazy are you?!

action;

[avartwice]

How 'bout you shut up for one second? Because it's taking just about everything I've got to stay in control like this and you'd better not make me waste that completely on listening to you whine!

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

I'm not whining you idiot, you're just not making sense. You can't be an NPC and be able to tell me.

Re: action;

[avartwice]

It's... complicated. Got an extra soul in this body, okay? And don't even start with me, because no that's not impossible. At least, not more impossible than anything else in this dump.

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

Huh? The other one did seem a lot nicer. [Sena's past not believing crazy stuff.] But he must be pretty stupid if he's becoming an NPC. What happened?

action;

[avartwice]

He's not becoming one... He already is one. Anyway, he... he fought a shadow and got caught.

[Yeah, that's definitely not the whole story. It's technically true, of course, but ha ha, good luck getting Greed to ever elaborate.]

...Never thought I'd say this, but I'd prefer... having that moron back. Having an NPC in here is just... wrong.

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

If you're calling him an idiot, he really must be. [She examines him, thinking.] But as someone important in this school, I can't let people become NPCs. I'll talk to somebody.

action;

[avartwice]

Oh well, that's just swell... Gh... Here I was, getting worried about this, but Miss Important's on the case! Well, I'll be sure to rest easy now!

[He'd try to be nicer to her, but he's just a little grumpy at the moment.]

Heh... Not like I'll be able to do much else, since I'll be stuck... in here... without any control...

[Even as he says that, it's harder and harder to so much as talk to her. He leans back against a wall, trying to keep himself steady.]

Ugh, son of a...

action;

[mightletyouknowme]

[She frowns, her blue eyes going cold, though they widened when she notices him changing.]

You're going back to him?

action;

[avartwice]

Wouldn't... if I had a say in it... But you know, for an NPC... he's surprisingly strong willed...

...Don't think I can keep him down... much longer.