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 Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 8:21 am
Quote: Summer Storms (5): There have been plenty of thunderstorms this summer, and everyone is blaming the weather for the strangeness of their electronics--or, bored kids out of school. It’s not uncommon to get phone calls from impossible numbers--strings of letters and numbers, and a blank caller ID. It’s hard to make out any sounds; it sounds like static, and a broken up voice in a language you can’t make out. There is no way to call the number back; it says the line is disconnected. Sometimes, text messages come through, in foreign symbols. The messages always disappear within a few seconds, and there’s no way to reply. People have even had video chats, but the image is always staticky and it’s impossible to make out any details except for a silhouette, and the same strange, foreign language. The city is hoping to have this issue fixed soon, but in the meantime they are asking for patience.
Celeste dropped her phone onto the coffee table with a loud clatter. The screen, currently lit up with a call, read “xd345fsh5ktyn716wtv8.”
Obviously, she didn’t know a xd345fsh5ktyn716wtv8. The fact that random a** people could call her when she never gave out her number was aggravating in and of itself, but now she was getting calls from no one and nowhere.
Sometimes, she seriously considered tossing her phone into the nearest fire.
“Half my calls today were bullshit like this,” she complained, sprawled out on the floor of August’s apartment, drink in hand. “The other half were people who actually needed something, only half of them kept complaining about s**t like this, too, like the ******** credit union has anything to do with it.”
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 1:37 pm
“Who do you even talk to? Why bother having a phone in the first place?” August asked from his seat on the couch. Unlike his friend he wasn’t interested in laying down on the floor. He had a drink in his hand as well, of course, because how else was he supposed to pass the time? They could always go out and kill Senshi or Knights, of course. It might be a stress relief to have some of her aggression taken out on some unsuspecting White Moon chum.
He hadn’t seen Jonah all day, and had the feeling that his flatmate was still angry at him. That was fine. He didn’t care if Jonah was mad at him. Next time he knew it wouldn’t be worth it to put the starseed back. He would take it, say the person fell into a coma, and that would be that.
Just like at the hospital.
“You could leave that job, you know. Do one of those… Tock tocks or… what’s that website that does fanservice stuff? You can pull off a pretty face when you want.”
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 1:46 pm
Celeste scoffed and waved one of her hands dismissively.
It was true that she didn’t talk to many people. August, mostly. A few of their friends from college, when she was in the mood to deal with them. Her family, sometimes, when her sister requested her attention. Beyond that, there was no one, and she preferred it that way. People simply weren’t worth her time.
“Are you drunk already?” she asked, scowling into her own drink. “Tik Tok, August. Keep up with the times. It’s all the rage.”
As if she cared. She couldn’t think of a bigger waste of her time.
Except perhaps work.
On the coffee table, her phone lit up with a call, presenting another impossible number. Celeste grabbed the obnoxious piece of technical garbage and shut it off entirely.
“As for the rest… If you’re referring to OnlyFans, I will murder you here and now.”
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 2:13 pm
August couldn’t quite hide the smirk that tugged at his lips. Riling Celeste up was one of the things that helped him relieve stress. She was easy to rile, too.
“Who was that guy that used to follow us around in college? The one who was all into writing things and looked like he lived off energy drinks? He does sleazy writing now, doesn’t he? Why don’t the two of you collaborate or something. I bet some people find you attractive.”
But he could understand why getting random calls could be frustrating. He had his own cell phone of course, but he didn’t bother looking at it very often. Occasionally he would answer a text from Celeste, or even Jonah, but…
“Did you know, Jonah yelled at me the other day. He said he’s mad at me for taking a starseed from his friend. Can you believe it? I put it back. I don’t know what the problem is.”
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:29 pm
“You’re disgusting,” Celeste said, showing August one of her middle fingers.
Why he thought it was amusing to pretend as if he had no idea who people were, especially people he spent a significant amount of time around at certain points in his life, Celeste had no idea. It was annoying, and not funny, and she let him know it by refusing to comment on it further.
The other topic was much more fun for her.
“The problem is that your house boy is a delicate flower,” she said. She paused to glance around, expecting to see Jonah shuffling about, trying not to draw attention to himself, but he was conspicuously absent. “I assume that explains why he’s not here, unless he’s hiding in his room. I told you not to bother with him. He’s too soft for the Negaverse. You’re wasting time and resources on him.”
True, he was good for paperwork, but that was all. He would never make an able fighter. More than likely, he’d never have the stomach to pull a starseed either. Did he even gather energy? Celeste suspected August handled Jonah’s quota.
It was pathetic, really.
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:48 pm
He shrugged, completely unphased by Celeste’s irritation. She would probably take out her aggression on him the next time they sparred at the gym, but that meant he would get some better competition.
“My house boy is useful. He’s already known to others in the Negaverse. I can’t say that for myself, or you. He was passing out cookies on my behalf. I think it’s sweet,” August said, although the tone of his voice was too emotionless to really determine if he actually thought it was sweet, or if he was just saying that.
“If he’s too soft for the Negaverse, then he’ll live behind a desk, writing reports. Not everyone needs to be out on the field. I can’t be a receptionist at the hospital and a surgeon,” he pointed out, although he was very much aware that Celeste could care less for any defense August had for Jonah.
Which reminded him…
“Here, these were in my desk. Try one,” he said, digging into his pocket for the bag he brought back from Negaspace. He took one of the star candies and popped it in his mouth to show Celeste that they weren’t some kind of trick. Not really. And then tossed the bag to her.
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:59 pm
Celeste drank through the entirety of August’s defense of his house boy. From August, it could almost be considered gushing praise — or at least the closest he would ever get to such things. She could gag from it if she focused on it for too long.
Maybe he had a point, maybe he didn’t. Celeste didn’t particularly care. Either Jonah would prove himself useful, or he’d die a gruesome death in battle.
Or the White Moon would poison his mind and bring him over to their side. Jonah seemed like he would be susceptible to their manipulation.
When August brought out the candy, Celeste stared at it, completely disinterested.
Except August ate one, and he never ate candy, so it must be good.
Cautiously, Celeste ate one. The taste was nothing to rave about, as sugary sweet as it looked, but when she glanced at August for an explanation, she could only laugh.
“You have desu eyes,” she said.
So it was that they spent the rest of the night drinking and eating candy, laughing at the utterly ridiculous effects, their phones kept on silent to avoid any other nonsense calls.
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