"Heeey, you've reached Yang! Well, actually, you didn't reach far enough, 'cause I'm not here right now! But don't yang up! Just leave a message on this baby, and I'll get back to you soon enough, okay?"
[ Not to the extent that he can, but she can only imagine what that's doing to him, so back to concentrating on all of the warmer emotions. Love. Calm. Either way, she's keeping him close. ]
[Naoki breathes in deeply and shakes his head, hand curling tight against her back. He hates it. This. He doesn't exactly like sensing emotions or otherwise on a regular day.]
...Thanks, Yang. [Her emotions, while unable to wipe out what he senses completely, provide something for him to latch onto. And he's grateful for it.]
[If he thinks about dealing with this alone, something in him shakes. He hasn't moved away from her yet, is still holding onto her, but his voice is steadying.] ...I've never been hit with that much... negative energy all at once.
[He shakes his head, then brings one of his hands up to his neck, touching just below his horn.] I've got to figure out the way to block this out, somehow. [If this happens again and again, in a vital time he's not going to be able to do anything when someone he cares for is in trouble. Right...?]
[Naoki lets out a barely audible sigh as that hand covers his. He looks up at her.]
I've got to figure this out on my own. [He can understand where her concern would be coming from. She doesn't want to leave him to do this by himself. He's grateful for that.]
...But it helps me keep focused, when you're here.
[A somewhat tired smile creeps over Naoki's face (that onslaught was draining) and he shifts to find her hand with his own. He's just going to... hold onto it firmly.]
[He'd never doubt it for a moment, honestly. She's here for him more than anyone else ever has been before.
There's a soft ah as though he's just remembering something.] I know this guy-- he's got abilities sort of like mine. I hope this isn't bothering him as much.
[IT'S A COMPLETE PAIN. Naoki would say as much.] It's different from mine, 'course [his came with his demon body], and he calls it something else, but he can pick up on their emotions.
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[ Not to the extent that he can, but she can only imagine what that's doing to him, so back to concentrating on all of the warmer emotions. Love. Calm. Either way, she's keeping him close. ]
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...Thanks, Yang. [Her emotions, while unable to wipe out what he senses completely, provide something for him to latch onto. And he's grateful for it.]
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[ She's a fierce protector, this one. One who's still very worried about him, but determined to do what she can to ease him through this. ]
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[If he thinks about dealing with this alone, something in him shakes. He hasn't moved away from her yet, is still holding onto her, but his voice is steadying.] ...I've never been hit with that much... negative energy all at once.
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... Ugh, what's happening to the colony now?
[ She doesn't want to run outside and check if it means letting go of Naoki. Nope. Not an option. ]
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[Similar, though the ones back in the Vortex World didn't have this degree of negative energy. It has to be a lot of them, too.]
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[ WHAT IS IT WITH THIS PLACE AND GHOSTS-- ]
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[While attempting a small, grim smile.]
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[ She's about .8 seconds away from carrying him. ]
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[Naoki shakes his head. Her I'll look into it has stopped that from happening, okay??] I don't wanna just lay around.
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[ That's the absolutely last thing she wants. ]
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[He shakes his head, then brings one of his hands up to his neck, touching just below his horn.] I've got to figure out the way to block this out, somehow. [If this happens again and again, in a vital time he's not going to be able to do anything when someone he cares for is in trouble. Right...?]
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[He clutches at the horn on the back of his neck now, wrapping it around it, and he can almost feel the parasite stirring.]
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[ Yang trails off, setting her hand over the one wrapped around his horn. So it's not really something she can help with?
... But she doesn't want to let him handle this on his own, either. ]
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I've got to figure this out on my own. [He can understand where her concern would be coming from. She doesn't want to leave him to do this by himself. He's grateful for that.]
...But it helps me keep focused, when you're here.
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[ She won't budge, unless he starts writhing in pain again, and then he's getting hauled to a bed whether he likes it or not. ]
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[A somewhat tired smile creeps over Naoki's face (that onslaught was draining) and he shifts to find her hand with his own. He's just going to... hold onto it firmly.]
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There's a soft ah as though he's just remembering something.] I know this guy-- he's got abilities sort of like mine. I hope this isn't bothering him as much.
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[ It kind of sounds like a pain, the more she thinks about it. Even if it's totally useful when figuring out who's having the dokis-- ]
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[IT'S A COMPLETE PAIN. Naoki would say as much.] It's different from mine, 'course [his came with his demon body], and he calls it something else, but he can pick up on their emotions.
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[ Might as well solve one worry while they're here, right? ]
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[EMPATHY BUDDIES.]
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[ And Naoki's so caring, she's not even vaguely surprised. ]
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