November Catch-all

[bluecastleace]

Who: Hajime Iwaizumi + YOU!
What: November catch-all log
Where: Various locations
When: The month of November
Content Warnings: None thus far; will add as needed

((ooc:This catch-all will also serve as Iwaizumi’s introductory post! Please feel free to hit up any of the open TLs found below. I will likely be adding them as the month goes on! Please feel free to add me on plurk @ pantheraliam for plotting/updates on TLs being added!))

Comments

Gravity Woes; Outside the Merlaut Apartments - Open

[bluecastleace]

[In a world with seemingly endless frustrations, surely one thing must remain sacred, right? Volleyball, the basic principles of which are relatively simple - get the ball in the air, hit it, score a point. He may not have a court, a net, or a team to play with, but he can throw the ball up himself and feel the familiar, satisfying sting of a spike when his hand makes contact with the ball, right? Small comforts - no problem!

[That is, when gravity is working properly.

[Catch Iwaizumi positioned outside of the Merlaut Apartments, setting the ball high into the air and then repeatedly bringing his hand down to meet absolutely nothing. Why? Because half the time the ball falls at a normal speed, half the time the ball soars to the ground faster than a lead weight, and half the time the goddamn thing just floats there like a balloon in front of him. Missed swing after missed swing - it’s no wonder the poor ace is getting frustrated. One too many misses, and you’ll hear him let out a loud:] Goddammit!

[Next he’s grabbing the ball with both hands, gripping it so tightly it looks like he may crush the poor thing, and then attempting to slam it into the ground with both hands— only to watch it bounce lightly up into the air and hover in front of him again.] Arghhhhhh! BULLSHIT!

[Someone needs to come ask this poor guy to take a break or something - he’s starting to cause a scene!]

[fluffyharpy]

[Lysandra had heard the cursing and came to see just who was doing said cursing and why. Watching from just outside her apartment's door she watched for a moment then couldn't hep herself but to laugh a little at The oddity of Iwaizumi's volleyball and his anger at it.]

Are you alright down? [She called while waving her taloned hand.]

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi whips around to glare at the woman, having snatched the volleyball out of the air and into his hands again.]

DO I LOOK ALRIGHT TO YOU?

[Sorry, Lysandra - he is clearly in a whole mood right now.]

[psychokinesia]

[Just when Iwaizumi's fit is reaching its peak, a window on the apartment building's second floor cracks open. Here's Add, sticking his whole upper body through the window to give this newcomer some encouraging words.]

Hey, dumbass! Shut the fuck up! How am I supposed to get any work done while you're screaming like a goddamn harpy down there, huh? What's your fucking problem?!

[bluecastleace]

[What’s this? Iwa very slowly cranes his head up to see who is berating him from above, appears to be calm for a moment, and then, of course, starts yelling more (is it just to spite you, Add?).]

YOU WANNA COME DOWN HERE AND SAY IT TO MY FACE, ASSHOLE?!

[obsessiveness]

[ iwaizumi shouldn't really practice volleyball while gravity's being so fucky, but also he shouldn't even do stuff like that near the apartments where windows can be broken, and heck, some people don't want to be disturbed with all the dribbling and yelling.

like this guy right here. a window slides open, and out pops izumi's head, scowling at the source of the damn noise below. ]

Oi! Can you fucking keep it down?! People are trying to go to sleep here!

[ why is he still sleeping anyway ]

[bluecastleace]

[He should be sorry. Maybe he would be if he weren’t lost in the heat of his frustration. As it is, he simply cranes his head up and shouts:]

MIND YOUR BUSINESS!

Pinball Wizard; Heavenly Blanc - Open

[bluecastleace]

[True to his nature, what Iwaizumi perhaps misses the most about his world is the opportunity to compete - even if it’s against a high score on a shitty arcade game. He’s been positioned in the corner of Heavenly Blanc for the last hour or so, feverishly slapping the buttons on the side of the pinball machine as he gets to know the game. One might hear him muttering to himself, eyes sharply focused on the tiny metal ball as it flings around the inside of the machine. An occasional curse or hiss of frustration might slip out of him whenever the ball drops below the levers and goes out of play, but he never lets it get him down too long before the next game starts. Sorry if you wanted a turn, Heavenly Blanc patron! He doesn’t look as though he intends to give the machine up any time soon, starting game after game until eventually—]

Haha! FUCK yeah! Take that, asshole! [He jumps back from the pinball machine with a fist in the air as the high score goes up by exactly one digit - but hey, that’s his digit! Don’t even try to rain on his parade!]

[forceofnature]

Ooh boy.

You show that inanimate object your ability to arbitrarily push a little metal ball around a big transparent tin can that makes funny noises.

[The girl at the table is loudly slurping a milkshake. ...That she had to make herself because it's not like this is actually a real restaurant.]

...Bet I can get more fake points than you.

[bluecastleace]

Huh?

[Iwaizumi turns to face the girl with a cocked brow and a half-cocked glare. He’d probably be more irritated if she didn’t look like she was about eight years old, but hey, an annoying kid is still annoying (and that vocabulary!). He snorts.]

Yeah sure, kid. Whatever you say. [As if he’s at any real risk of losing his hard-earned high score to a little girl.]

??? Whisperer; Base of Mt. Silver - Open

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi has never considered himself particularly interested in/adept with animals, but the longer he has to navigate this strange new world, the lonelier he finds himself; so, when he spots a strange, cat-sized, yet gryphon-like creature pecking the ground just past the base of Mt. Silver, he can’t help but creep a little closer to it. He’s not sure if it’s friendly or not - he’s a little too focused on figuring out what exactly it is to care, really - but he stretches his hand out anyway, crouches and tries to coax the thing closer with an uncharacteristically soft voice (it sounds a little silly to be honest, but he hasn’t noticed whether anyone is around to listen).]

Hey, little man. You nice? C’mere. [Watch him ‘pspsps’ the thing like it really is some sort of cat, his expression shifting between amazed and confused as its head snaps up and tilts to the side, observing the man.] Yeah, that’s right. C’mere. I’m nice, see?

[The creature hesitates, but takes a few cautious steps closer - much to Iwaizumi’s pleasant surprise, a smile coming to his face. It seems the small show of trust causes him to become a bit overzealous though, because when he reaches a little too quickly to touch the creature, it snaps its beak and nips sharply at the man’s hand, causing him to recoil with a hiss.] Ow, you little shi—

[He take a breath, glares lightly at the creature and shakes his hand out a bit - not bleeding, but still smarting! He reaches for it again, continues trying to coax it closer. He may need some help - whether that be advice on how to tame the creature, or advice closer along the lines of “leave that poor thing alone, you idiot”. Any good samaritans available to lend a hand?]

[symbolofstrength]

"You scared it. You have to be more gentle." The source of the comment is a short, stocky, grey-haired man in a long-sleeved red polo and khakis (he still refuses to wash the Smeargle 'art' off his labcoat, they worked hard on that!!!!), flanked by a 7-foot-tall orange bipedal dragon.

He approaches a bit closer, gently tossing a cracker toward the boy. "Here, set that down nearby and hold absolutely still. Let it come to you."

[bluecastleace]

[Cat-like gryphon creature? What cat-like gryphon creature? Iwaizumi is staring wide-eyed at Oak’s Dragonite now, pointing wordlessly as he goes from squatting in the grass to landing on his butt, bewildered. The cracker bounces off of his chest unnoticed.]

What the hell is...

Th-that’s like—- [????!] THAT’S LIKE A KAIJU OR SOMETHING!

[Did his eyes just light up a like a six-year-old? Maybe.]

[forethinking]

(It's been a few days since the fight has happened and Ren has had the new kid on his mind. "I just want to go home" drilled quite the hole in his heart and he can't help but feel for the newcomer. Being here is a lot and Ren can easily understand how the whole commotion didn't make anything better.

Ren sighs after his shift in Heavenly Blanc as he steps into the apartment complex. With curry neatly packed on one hand and a bottle of coffee on the other, he gently knocks on the other's door.)

Hey, I have food for you.

[bluecastleace]

[A knock on the door - this Iwa has been lucky enough so far not to hear. The sound surprises him at first, though his immediate reaction is to ignore it. Curiosity ends up getting the better of him and he stands up to go look through the peephole.

[A somewhat familiar face, much to his disdain - one of the many from that crowd of onlookers from a few days ago.

[He speaks through the door without opening it.]

I didn’t order any.

[forethinking]

I know. (Heavenly Blanc doesn't do deliveries, after all!!

Regardless, Ren is not expecting the other to let him in, or even open the door while he's there.)

I'll leave it outside.

Re: Brawl at the Merlaut Apartments (Closed to Participants of That Thread)

[bluecastleace]

[It’s been a few days since the Great Neutering of Seto Kaiba (and the consequences of such), and Iwa has managed to make it out of his apartment a couple of times with no issue. He’s been around, found food to eat, the occasional piece of furniture washing up on the beach(?), etc.., but for the most part he’s taken to locking himself in his apartment and avoiding his neighbors as much as possible - and can you really blame him after that whole circus?

[How he’s managed to avoid a run-in with any of the brawl’s spectators is beyond him (though he tries not to question it), but he’s hoping to continue that lucky streak as he exits his apartment today. He’s got too much pride to stick his head out the door and glance around like a frightened little schoolgirl, but he does take a glance through the peephole before exiting. The coast looks clear, so he ventures outside—

[Just in time to see a familiar face approaching him - a face he’d seen just days ago in that God forsaken crowd. He mutters a quick curse to himself, then quickly turns his back and attempts to make it out the floor exit before they can flag him down.]

REST IN FUCKIN PIECES IWA-CHAN

[menaretrash]

[ It's been a few days. Tension had been high at the time, and yes, Ann realizes that she did, in fact, overreact. If they hadn't just awakened from a month in nightmare hell she'd have probably reacted a little differently. She'd already felt guilty before Ren and her other friends had lectured her endlessly about her temper, she's heard it all, and yes, she understands that she deserves that and more.

She's planned on apologizing to the young man at some point, of course. She's just sort of... trying to wait until the time is right. Fate has dictated that today is the day of all days, and it's apology time apparently as she rounds the corner and spots Iwa. He's quick, too, trying to flee, and she can't really blame him. ]

Hey, wait! [ She swears she isn't going to try and kick your ass this time! ] Wait, I wanted to... I need to apologize to you for the other day...

[bluecastleace]

[He hears the Hey, wait!, and thinks to himself, The fuck I will! Isn’t that that crazy fan girl that attacked him the other day? Tensions may not be as high on this random afternoon, but that doesn’t mean she’s any less crazy—-

[He...can’t keep himself from stopping when he hears the tone of her voice though, the way she says she needs to “apologize”. He inwardly groans as he feels his feet stop dead in their tracks. Why am I so goddamn nice, he wonders as he sighs, then turns around to face her with a cautious glare on his face.

[What to even say here? He definitely doesn’t want to be talking to her right now - so why am I? Iwa’s a nice guy deep down, and it has gotten him into endless frustrating situations. That, and he doesn’t really know how to handle girls in general - especially when they’re crazy and take flying leaps at people?

[She wants to apologize, he reminds himself. So...]

Say what you need to say then. I’ve got somewhere to be. [He lies.]

[simulatio]

[Now, Iwaizumi hadn't exactly seen Akechi during that brawl -- Akechi was, for better or for worse, still comatose from his stint as a corpse in the dreamscape during that whole affair. But Akechi is nothing if not nosy, and considering the lack of usual entertainment in the Void, of course it had come up.

Akechi isn't exactly a barista; he'd forced Ren to teach him, back when he'd been too injured to explore the Void and hadn't had anything else to do, but now that he's back to full fighting shape, he's back to sitting at the bar chatting with the actual barista. His high school uniform is still kept painstakingly clean in spite of all current events, and he has a rather large (boring-looking) book of philosophy on the bar beside him.

No, the person Iwa might recognize is Ren. Akechi glances toward the door at the sound of the bell, quirking an eyebrow at the sight of the stranger, sweeping his eyes over him in appraisal before glancing to Ren as if silently asking for confirmation: this the guy?]

It's... Iwaizumi-kun, isn't it? [he remarks with a pleasant smile, returning his attention to the stranger by the door.] Care to join us? I believe Ren's just finished another batch of curry.

[forethinking]

(Ah, routine has been better established now, with time being something that can be counted and accounted for. It should be no surprise that Ren spent what could be considered months in Heavenly Blanc, simply because time went so slowly or didn't pass at all to their understanding and well - sleep was nowhere to be found.

Now they have actual scheduled shifts and what not, and it's Ren's turn. At least he has his favorite person to keep him company while he stirs the pot - nevermind whatever philosophical discussion they were having. Both have had their nose on that book as the sole source of entertainment... And it's not even that entertaining to Ren.

The bell, the side eye silent question and Ren nods shortly as he pours the curry onto their plates before tip toeing to reach for one more on a top shelf.)

Welcome. (If Iwai got annoyed at Ren's quietness when he first came to see him, he's about to be real annoyed now. Whenever Akechi is around, Ren just lets him run his mouth endlessly while Ren watches from the background unless directly spoken to. He doesn't talk as much as the other, so...)

[begetblue]

[ Turing had been a bystander at best during that whole ordeal, but their reaction was similar to Ren's: sympathy. Poor Iwaizumi had just seemed so defeated by the end of it, and they could only imagine how lonely it must have felt to be a newcomer in a strange place and feel like nobody was on your side.

...Plus, they weren't on the greatest of terms with Kaiba either. Ahem.

Obviously, all of this meant they had to make an effort to help him feel a little more at home, or at least more comfortable with a temporary home. If they had access to the mesh, trying to figure out a proper housewarming gift would be so! Much! Easier! Alas, it was not to be. Food seemed like the safest bet here, and the final result reflected that as well. They had a slice of lemon cake from the church's bakery, and if Iwaizumi didn't like sweets, they also had some of the Korean BBQ from the Wall Market.

Despite all of that, they did not plan for him to do an about-face before they could do anything. ]

Please wait! I just have something I'd like to give you, and then I'll be on my way!

[ Whether he liked it or not, Turing was following, though their short strides also meant Iwaizumi could probably outspeed them regardless. ]

[feale]

[ Yoshizawa has been spending time "today" at Heavenly Blanc and is on her way back to the apartments, the air starting to slowly dim around her despite the small, absent-minded smile on her lips. Tired, but happy. Apart from the mess that was the brawl, things seem to be looking up since they woke from the nightmare; Akechi has woken up, she has an apartment, and even if she's stuck here, she's at least with people she cares about a lot.

Of course her mind is thinking briefly over the brawl as she stops in front of the figure who is suddenly in front of her, and she stops abruptly, pausing awkwardly for a few moments.

She remembers him. They met on the beach, first. And then later, in the apartments... he kicked Kaiba-san, and was tackled by Takamaki-senpai in return... She doesn't know much about his situation, but she does remember that he's new, even moreso than she is.

Yoshizawa was lucky enough to walk into a situation here with friends. But in his case... well, it seems like his arrival was less than ideal.

Her frantic expression softens into a small, embarrassed smile, something hopefully welcoming. ]

O-Oh! You're... you're Iwaizumi-san. Is that correct?

VOLLEYBALL TIME (Closed to Ann)

[bluecastleace]

[They’ve played a few times now - pretty much as many times as Ann has let Iwaizumi convince her, which he attempts to a pretty regular basis. They have no net, but that doesn’t mean they can’t practice the most basic moves - serving, setting, spiking. Currently, Iwaizumi is focused on setting - after all, you can’t very well spike without a halfway decent set. They don’t have a third person (yet) to throw for them, but he’s happy to make due with what they can do just the two of them.

[He’s close to her now, instructing just like he’s been the coach of a volleyball team the last ten years, not a player.]

Okay, Ann. Remember. Bend your knees, get your arms up, fingers spread. You’re trying to hit the ball with just your finger tips, and set it back in my direction. I’m gonna throw it to you first. Just focus on getting it back to me. Got it?

[menaretrash]

[ Ann's not the best volleyball player around. She's no Shiho, that's for sure, but she's grateful for all the games she attended and the few games that she was forced to participate in during school hours (even if that was Kamoshida's doing and no one wanted her on her team and it was a mess). She's also grateful for the fact that Iwaizumi is very patient with her, because honestly, she is trying... and visibly improving each time they play, too. ]

Okay! [ Look at her go, getting into the position he's asking her to. ] Does this look right? And yeah, I got it!