Taking some down time [Open]

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

Hana's walking about the City again.

He's not sure why he likes it so much. He could come up with some dumb reason about always being close to citys, growing near Tokyo and all, and how it 'feels like home', but that would be stretching the truth. Plus, it sounds cheesy.

Besides, the City's not like a real city. The buildings are too mismatched, not in that 'built during different eras' way, more like 'built in totally different universes' way, (which they are) and in some places they were too far apart. There's not enough people crowding the streets. Electronic billboards are an oddly rare sight, even more so if they so much as flicker. And there's a distinct lack irritating construction work.

No, not a real city. In fact, much cooler than a real city.

It's the place he's staying the most since arriving back.

Kicking up dust. Sitting on crumbling walls. Perching on unsafe ledges. Leaning against filthy buildings.

Thinking about what happened back on the mission, among other things.

Allowing himself time to go through the things buzzing about in his head.

He doesn't talk to himself during these times of thoughts, that would be strange. He's just silent. But with every rare passer-by he doesn't shy away, instead he smiles slightly and nods to, socially.

Well, it's boring to be alone and pensive for long periods of time, isn't it?

Comments

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Today Zouichi was taking a spin through the city on his motorcycle, but he'd recognize that shaggy head of hair anywhere. He slowed, bringing the bike alongside Hana and talking through his helmet. "Taking a walk?"

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

Hana was used to hearing another friend speak to him through a helmet, so he was pretty used to it and quickly recognized this muffled voice. He immediately set up the bright, contagious Asakura grin on his face at the arrival of his friend.

"Walks are for wimps. I'm loitering!" He declared, proudly, pushing himself off the wall to step closer to Zouichi, blonde mess of bangs bouncing with each step.

Hana looked over the bike, eyes shining, admiring it like he would a tiger that might suddenly turn and attack. "Your bike's so cool. Even cooler than Ryu's."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

That actually got a laugh out of him. He took his helmet off, glad to see Hana was in good spirits.

"Thanks. I like to think it's pretty cool, anyway. Almost as cool as loitering."

From above the bike's handlebars, a small hologram appeared, floating in mid-air. It was a slender young woman with pale hair, dressed in white. "Hello. Are you Hana?"

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

"Almost." He agreed, glad to make Zouichi laugh. "But nothing beats loitering."

Hana leaned closer to the hologram, practically bursting with awe. "Cool." He whispered under his breath before answering, still smiling as brightly as ever. "That's me."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

The young woman smiled at him, putting both hands behind her back. "Nice to meet you. I'm Zouichi's partner, Fuyu."

"I might have mentioned you once or twice," Zouichi admitted. "Anyway, I usually can't bring the bike along with me on missions. So how have you been holding up?"

learn to write self

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

"Hey, Fuyu." He waved cheerfully, mentally putting Fuyu down as Zouichi's 'spirit partner', or at least the spirit of his bike, before turning to Zouichi again. "That sucks. It'd be alot easier for you to get around."

Hana gave a noncommittal shrug. He'd gotten away from the mission with superficial injuries, most being caused by moving around in rubble and broken glass. For the most part they were healing quickly and did nothing more than add to the collection of scratches and wounds he had concealed under his clothes.

If anything, Hana was irritated he'd played pretty much an inconsequential part in the whole thing. And pushing that aside, it'd started him thinking about other issues that had been nagging him for some time.

But these were minor things, pointless really. The mission had had no real ill effect on him. It'd just been a weird, more-hassle-than-it's-worth vacation.

None of this he voiced though, in fact, he was more concerned about Zouichi. "What about you?" His friend had suffered much more than scrapes and bumps on that planet.

Re: learn to write self

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

That was actually pretty close to what Fuyu was. She waved at him cheerfully. "Yes, and I'd be able to support him a lot more easily, too."

Zouichi smiled a little at Hana, although this time the expression was more strained. "I guess I'm alright. A lot happened on that mission. And we never did end up finding out what was going to happen to that planet after we left."

He fingered the bandage around his forehead almost absently. "At least I got that stupid brand off."

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

Hana quickly decided he liked Fuyu. "Ha! I bet even Zouichi needs help sometimes!"

Although Hana and those with the same powers as him faced some prosecution back on his own planet, he doubted he would ever truly know fully what the events on their mission had meant to Zouichi. All he knew was that it'd upset his friend and he could understand somewhat why. Hana hoped he would be able to help his friend in some way, without it seeming like he was taking pity on the older guy. Zouichi seemed like the type who rejected pity. Hana liked that about him. Proud, but nice.

"Well, we can't change anything now. Besides, we got even with 'em, pretty much, got rid of that dumb thing and got their stuff. I'd say we did pretty good."

He thought it best to switch the subject. "You seen Cassandra since you got back?" Hana never did use Sandy's much more preferred alias.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Fuyu smiled at him. "He does. He tends to be terribly reckless, too, so I try and look after him."

Zouichi nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. We can only hope for the best from now on." No one had really directed much pity in his direction, really; he was generally cool and competent at his job. If anything, pity would probably feel more alien and puzzling to him than anything else. "But if anyone offers to kidnap me again, I think I'll have to refuse."

"Sandy? No; did something happen with her?" Now Zouichi looked a little concerned.

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

"Aha! I knew it!" He looked at Zouichi, grinning cheekily like he'd just gotten one over on the guy. "I knew I couldn't be the only one called reckless." He pouted. "I bet you don't get scolded for it though."

Hana chuckled. "Or maybe just punch them in the face and tell them not to be so stupid?"

The teen tilted his head slightly. "Huh? Oh, nothing, man, nothing. At least, I haven't heard anything. Don't worry." Hana shook his head, smiling. "Just wondering if you've spoken to her."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Well, not often," Zouichi said. "It's kind of in my job description to take risks. Although... I admit I'm more impulsive than most."

"By a wide margin," Fuyu agreed.

Zouichi blinked once at Hana's answer. "Oh. In that case, no, I haven't really seen her around since I got back. But I'm sure she'll be happy to see you're all right. Are you planning to go to the prom with her?"

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

"Yeh, a wiiiiiide margin." His eyes flashed playfully as he extended the word.

Hana smiled at the mention of Sandy being happy to see him before he raised his eyebrow. "There's a prom?" Proof that Hana truly paid rigorous attention to the current events on the ship.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi blinked. "Huh? Yeah. At least there were some messages on the Omnicomms about it."

Well, Hana did look a little young to be going, but it wasn't like he was quite the right age either. "Starfire's throwing one. I figured you and Sandy might end up going together."

[justoutrunyou.livejournal.com]

Sandy wasn't aware the crew had returned just yet, and had also chosen the city as one of her preferred stomping grounds.

Right now accompanied by her and Hana's alien dog Taro she had found a nice patch of street and began work on a new art project. Using paint she was making pictures of everyone she'd met so far on the ship or seen from afar.

Naturally she spent the most time working on Hana's picture.

"I just can't get the smile right." She lamented to Taro as she tried to envision exactly what she was going to pain before she put the paint down.

Taro was not particularly interested in the paint. Once Sandy stopped him from playing with the cans he had decided it would be better to find a toy he could play with and was sniffing about the edges of one of the buildings.

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

Hana had been lounging on one of the unstable roofs of a smaller building when he had spotted the pictures.

Recognizing the handiwork, he'd followed the murals throughout the city before rounding the corner and spotting Sandy. He felt a burst of happiness and a grin naturally slip onto his face upon seeing his roommate again. It was odd how he suddenly realized how much he'd missed the young girl.

His grin only grew bigger when he spotted the picture she was working on.

Some small movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and soon he was knelt and beaming down at Taro, scratching the odd creature under the chin and running a hand down its spine, being careful to avoid the feathered wings folded against its body. "Hey boy. Didja miss me?"

Taro nibbled at his fingers in response and purred. Taro seemed to switch between canine and feline behaviours, although Hana always thought he looked more cat than dog, around Sandy the creature often took up a 'guard dog' demeanor, so she preferred to think of him as dog. A weird mutant dog.

Hana put a finger to his lips then held out his arm, Taro easily propelled himself up onto it then clambered his way to Hana's shoulder.

Holding back the desire to giggle, Hana quickly and quietly snuck up behind Sandy, stopping just inches away from the back of the young girl who was so engrossed in her work.

Resisting the urge to suddenly shout and prod her, Hana stood and waited for Sandy to turn around, childish grin holding true on his face.

[justoutrunyou.livejournal.com]

Sandy was staring so intently at the paint that it's amazing it didn't catch on fire, finally she glanced over her shoulder realizing that Taro was being awfully quiet, "Don't go too far o...k?" She blinked seeing legs and slowly rose her view till she saw Hana's face. "HEY!" She sprang up and glomped onto him.

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

Hana was little surprised by the intensity of her greeting, but not at all unhappy with it. Hana himself was not one to shy away from physical contact from those he liked and so gladly hugged her back, laughing. "Yo!"

Taro chirped happily from Hana's shoulder and flapped his wings.

[justoutrunyou.livejournal.com]

Sandy let him go suddenly blushing, realizing what she was doing, "W-when did you get back?" She tried to shift the conversation swiftly, "Things were like, totally dead around here without you!"

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

Hana didn't even notice her sudden withdrawal and ended his own hug easily and casually, still sticking close. "Eh, not too long ago." He shrugged, smiling. "Oh, yeah? Did you miss me?"

[justoutrunyou.livejournal.com]

Sandy seemed to flush even darker and nodded "Yeah of coarse! You're like, my best friend." She gave him a playful shove. "Anyway did you see you see my pictures? I think I'm getting better!"

Strictly speaking it was still art worthy of a grade school art class, Jr. High at the best.

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

"They look awesome! I wish I could draw as cool as you." His tone held nothing but praise and truth. He pointed to the one behind her. "Is that me?"

[justoutrunyou.livejournal.com]

Her chest swelled with pride and her eyes light up brightly, "Yeah! See all your hair and stuff there. I just haven't finished your face. You've got a really cool smile like..." She tried to imitate it herself but somehow looked more like a tiger barring it's fangs at a meal.

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

He looked at her, smile tugging at his lips. He muttered something to himself, something that sounded alot like 'that's kinda cute', but in a heartbeat he was already stepping back a few paces to get a better view of the wall. "Haha! That's totally my hair!"

[justoutrunyou.livejournal.com]

"Yeah! Then I'm gonna be next to you here, and we'll have Taro too of coarse." She reached up into Hana's birds nest (or lions mane of hair if you prefer) to scratch their alien pet under his..."Chin?"

[moms-temperment.livejournal.com]

Taro purred at the affection, comfortable in portable cushion that was Hana's hair.

"Like a self portrait?" He asked.