(no subject)

[blue_ice]

Who: Kaiba & you!
What: Contemplating his life choices and dealing with uncomfortable feelings
When: late Fiddlesticks, a few days after his network post
Where: Various places
Warnings: discussion of the murder plot, repressed trauma, zombie attacks, and child abuse likely. proceed with caution.

in and around cabin 3-D

Kaiba's roommates may note that he hasn't been sleeping much...at least, not at normal times. He's taken to burrowing under the blanket, using the flashlight function on his SCA to read or write. He's being very quiet and unobtrusive while he does this, but he might slip up sometimes. Sorry, roommates.

He'll head out to breakfast with everyone, of course, but sneak back to the room for naps throughout the day. It's mid-afternoon and everyone's socializing, while he trudges back through the sleepers with bags under his eyes.

"Screw this."

rock garden

Kaiba's next stop is the rock garden. He looks around warily for the weird book and his toll booth, but eventually settles into a corner at the end of one of the streams. He kneels, takes a breath, and splashes water on his face. He does it again for good measure. It doesn't seem to help.

Eventually he makes his way to a bench, tilting his head up and watching the void drift by through the clear ceiling. He probably...shouldn't do that for too long. He's humming a long forgotten tune as he sits.

cinema

Kaiba has selected a film that seems to fit his mood at the moment: Night of the Un-living Chefs, a bizarre spoof movie about a community of zombies with a bizarre ability to retain enough higher thought processing to cook.

Or at least that was what he thought he'd selected. Instead, the first episode of Merry Little Voidtrain is playing. He stares in disbelief for a moment:

"...seriously not in the mood right now."

But he resigns himself to taking his notebook out of his rucksack and starting on observations anyway.

Comments

roomies

[oripyrothy]

"You look like shit," Ifrit comments one evening in their room. Sorry, she doesn't beat around the bush much.

What's more, she recognizes the look. She's seen it in the mirror often enough.

She's sitting in her bunk, legs dangling over the edge. She leans forward some. "Need to... I don't know, talk?"

[blue_ice]

Kaiba doesn't even flinch, but he does frown. He rubs at his cheek, looking sour.

"...how much do you know about the big incident? I'll spare you the details if you missed it, but let's just say I've changed my sleep schedule for your benefit."

[oripyrothy]

Uhhh, shit. Okay, let's see...

"I know somebody got killed, and then I think somebody killed the killer? Or something like that. And it was broadcast, but I missed it."

[blue_ice]

"They didn't kill in retaliation. They put them in a penalty coma to experience the pain they'd inflicted on others...or something like that. But in a sense that might be worse, because if he was killed he'd just come back the next day."

Kaiba sighs.

"An incarnation of the mystery vigilante put me in a penalty coma for a crime a while ago. I've grown from it. Explaining that part of my past to everyone so they understand what's happened hasn't been pleasant."

He stops to lean on the door frame. "To be blunt, I'm going on a nocturnal schedule so I don't wake you or Cassie."

rock garden

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Here," Eva says softly, holding out a cup of -coffee? Yes. That's coffee- towards him. He likely knows her well enough by now to pick up on the fact she's very much masking her own feelings re: the last few days. "If you're going to be in a funk, hot drinks help ease it, or at least warm you up."

[blue_ice]

Kaiba sits up slowly, his hand reaching to close around it. Even holding it is nice, but he does manage a sip eventually.

"...thanks. I must've zoned out for a while."

He looks over at her. "Did you need one too?"

[mtsilver_conquor]

"Understandable. But, yes, I did. More than a few times," she says as she takes a seat next to him. Enough to be there but not close enough to crowd him. "Hugs help too if you can get them. Have you spoken to Motou-san yet?"

Have you gotten a hug from your boyfriend yet, Kaiba???

[blue_ice]

Kaiba's face colors interestingly at the mention of Yugi. He grips the mug a little tighter and takes another drink.

"...we've both been reeling from it. We've talked where we can, and we did comfort each other, but we need to give each other some space to process too."

He looks at her. She's struggling just as much, and he sets the coffee down carefully. "Did you...get what you needed?"

Cinema

[goingthroughaphase]

Kitty had come by the cinema carriage to find something to distract herself for a little bit. The children's show was cute, but at this time even she found it...a little much.

"...it's almost a bit too cheerful, isn't it?" she asks.

[blue_ice]

"You're telling me. How is the rabbit keeping up? None of this makes any sense."

Yet he just can't...stop watching...

It's disgustingly cute. "Have you watched before?"

[goingthroughaphase]

"I mean, it is a kids' show, so it doesn't really have to make much sense."

Can't...look away...

"Not a lot of it. Sometimes I'll catch a bit of it if I come by, but...haven't really had time to sit down and watch it."

cinema

[draconite]

[ So, Bryn's still not really Up To Date with what all the different genres and whatever else are on their little list of movies, but even she gets the feeling that this is... not what she'd expect anyone to be tuning into here on the train. ]

What an... interesting choice for a movie...

[ Don't mind Bryn if she just pipes up from the door like a rude little goblin. ]

cinema

[blue_ice]

I wanted to watch a zombie comedy. The train apparently thinks it knows my tastes better than I do.

[ Kaiba huffs as the train and rabbit start to sing a duet about what best friends they are. It's...kind of catchy. He taps his finger on the arm rest a little. ]

[draconite]

It's... [ A long pause. ] An interesting choice?

No, I'm sorry – what is this exactly?

[ She thrives on a good musical number like any other overdramatic dumbass, but this is even giving her hives. ]

rock garden

[longforgottenpromise]

Normally he wouldn't approach someone he didn't know very well. Especially someone who seemed to be seeking solitude. However he recognises him from the video of a few days ago. He hadn't heard all that had happened but he had heard his initial video and the first few responses.

It was enough that he was moved to check on him. That and staring at the void like that was probably not a good idea.

"Kaiba-san?" He spoke softly as he approached and crouched down. "Um... sorry... Are you alright?"

[blue_ice]

Right. He knew this person, from the very brief mission. Kaiba slowly sat up, blinking a few times...that void sure was entrancing.

"I just needed to breathe. Everything going on has been a mess, to put it lightly. As I'm sure you know."

[longforgottenpromise]

He remembered how hard Kaiba had worked at trying to keep the children calm as they evacuated them from a city that...

He tried not to think about it because they don't know what happened there but he assumes the worst.

He nodded sadly. "Yes, everything is a mess right now." He sounds very sad. "I... sorry I don't think looking into the void like that will help though."

Around 3C

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel catches sight of Kaiba as he is doing some chores. "You don't look so good. I'd ask several silly questions about recent events and being bothered, but why don't we skip that part, and you and I go someplace and talk?" he asked.

[ooc: if you are up for it, Glorfindel's aura has the ability to sooth and heal the minds and souls of people who have undergone great trauma. That is one of the reasons he was given it by the Valar. Now, if you prefer not to, we can just say he would have needed to spend more time with Glorfindel for longer lasting results :) ]

[blue_ice]

"...all right," Kaiba answers, perhaps nudged by that strange feeling. His expression is still wary---it's not that he's particularly afraid, he's seen enough of the elf around to know that everyone loves him and he's all love and light or. Something.

But he still wonders as he follows.

"I was planning a trip to the train shop to buy sleep aids, if that's what you're concerned about. Late night work."

((ooc: I'm fine with the aura healing him, he's just going to be very confused about it.))

Cinema

[loveandduty]

Minako hadn't actually checked out the cinema car since she first arrived, mostly because she had become rather distracted with the gaming car and all the video games that had been there.

But today she felt like doing something different and so the cinema car it was. As she stepped in she paused for a moment looking at what was on the screen and tilting her head.

"Interesting choice."

[blue_ice]

Kaiba's shoulders immediately bunch together. Why does everyone have to show up now?

"Not my choice. I wanted a zombie comedy, it gave me...a train and a rabbit trying to dance battle through a disco planet."

He looks almost offended. "Are you seeing this?"

[loveandduty]

"I am and I am just trying to figure out who could come up with such an idea." Because she just...couldn't think of who would if she was perfectly honest.

"It's a kids show right?"

Rock garden

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin is spending a little time in the Garden Carriage with his flute, practicing a new song. His notebook is open on his lap, and he sits on the turf beside one of the streams opposite Kaiba's. He sees Kaiba splashing water on his face and then going to a bench to Void-gaze.

"The Void is inspiring, isn't it?" he remarks, his voice both humorous and a little sad.

[blue_ice]

It's the song that catches his attention first. He tilts his head toward Curufin slightly, even as he sits...and nods in acknowledgment.

"The extent of what's truly out there...there's still so much we need to know to figure out where we're being led."

He blinks slowly as he finally pulls his gaze back to his teammate. "It's not a bad song."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufn nods back.

"Yes, I think so, too. What's out there is immense and mysterious, and I think stranger than any of us can ever know. Where are we going, anyway? Is there a point to these journeys?"

He smiles at the complement. "Thanks. I do try to spend time on my music. Right now I'm working on a song for. . . someone in a terribly painful coma. Wen Qing and Lightening are working on that, and I can't tell whether Xue Yang is still in that state. He's not awake yet."

He considers Kaiba. "Well, you know from experience what that coma is like." Pause. "How are you, Kaiba?"