[ this is so detailed and it's clear that he actually was not expecting this answer? it's also clear that he's not necessarily opposed to it, simply listening and slowly nodding along. ]
I think that's way more thought than I've ever put into fruit my entire life. [ there's a half-smile. ] But you really seem to know what you're talking about. Guess I'll take the fun answer, then.
Better late than never. Between you and me I'm really hoping we're done with the unpleasant public events for a while.
[ like not just murder, he would be fine not doing a huge party again anytime soon. two kinds of people. ]
But pleased to meet you. Nico di Angelo, but...I guess you may already know that. [ it was just polite to introduce himself as well. ] Things seem a little less busy so far this week. It doesn't seem like a bad time to get to know some people better.
[ Ponta nods at the first comment. From the bottom of his heart, he agrees. No more. The public eye can make do without them!! ]
Yeah, thankfully... And honestly, given all that's just went down, I think it's a good idea to stick to ourselves a little and figure out where we stand...
[ Both in relation to each other and to the city as a whole, he means. ]
It's nice to meetcha properly, too. I appreciated your advice about ditching parties, by the way.
At least until the city calms down again and we don't have to worry about being public enemy number one. [ it was...unfortunate how quick people were to frame mika as a villain when they'd been told they had to do hero's work. he's still frustrated about it.
but he'll set those feelings aside to focus elsewhere. ]
Sure, anytime. I'm practically an expert at disappearing when I don't want to be somewhere but usually I have a little extra help. [ sometimes you have powers that help. ] If you ever need that kind of advice again, you know where to find me.
Hehe, I might. The only disappearing trick I've ever pulled was kind of a one and done thing, maybe I could stand to learn to do it less... definitively.
[ It feels really weird to just say this out loud, because it doesn't matter to the people here to know that he totally changed his whole identity once. Why would it? His old name means nothing in Oceanside!
It'd be really nice if the city wasn't otherwise a shitshow. ]
[ ...he tilts his head a little because he truly can read the implications. sort of. i'm not going to lie his first thought is that maybe ponta died but then he realizes that maybe that is not a normal response to that so he brushes it off. instead, he's back to browsing apples. ]
Must've been a pretty powerful trick if it worked that well though. [ it's said in a way to indicate that he's curious but he won't push ponta to tell him if he doesn't want to.
[ Ponta was kind of testing how it feels to just... talk about this, by making a vague allusion like that. If it felt awful to say, he could still leave Nico hanging with just the vague statement - it'd be a little rude, but ultimately no harm done.
But after another beat, Ponta decides to share. ]
Eh, I just abandoned my old identity and started living under a new name and all. Guess I was kinda good at it, since my old employer hired me again in a different job and never found out.
[ the thing about it is that he doesn't exactly think there's anything wrong with that. like. you do you, dude, it makes the most sense. he assumes something happened with ponta's old life that made him want to cut away. ]
That is pretty impressive. The thing about taking on an identity and never letting people know who you really are is that you can get away with it so long as you act confident about it. [ and because some people are weird about these things: ] I don't blame anyone who wants to shed an old life and try to find a new one. It's a choice to be made.
[ His smile is softer now than the dopey bright one he usually wears. Things at home aren't in order and there's a lot that Ponta regrets one way or another, but... No, stepping away really was the best thing he could have done. ]
"Ponta Hayari" has a much happier life than Citrus could have even imagined.
[ he seems happy with the decision, at least. and considering nico is a person who comes from a world where actual rebirth is real, and something he's familiar with, he can only akin it to something like that. ]
Sometimes that's all you can do. [ but...hm. ] Sounds like Citrus didn't have things easy. Do you ever miss that part?
[ this is also his way of asking who citrus is, expecting ponta to answer only with what he wants. ]
[ HELP. me too, ponta. anyway he can appreciate the assured sort of response. ]
Sounds pretty lonely. And seems like Ponta has a lot more freedom to do whatever he wants now. [ he wants to ask about the corporate figurehead thing but maybe it doesn't matter if citrus is no longer relevant. ]
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I think that's way more thought than I've ever put into fruit my entire life. [ there's a half-smile. ] But you really seem to know what you're talking about. Guess I'll take the fun answer, then.
[ he thinks for a moment. ]
It's Ponta, isn't it?
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[ 'Fruit expert' is a very vast exaggeration. ]
Man, it's been over a week but we really haven't had much chance to chat outside of unpleasant public events.
[ The party sucked a lot, but the trial easily takes the cake... ]
But better late than never, right?
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[ like not just murder, he would be fine not doing a huge party again anytime soon. two kinds of people. ]
But pleased to meet you. Nico di Angelo, but...I guess you may already know that. [ it was just polite to introduce himself as well. ] Things seem a little less busy so far this week. It doesn't seem like a bad time to get to know some people better.
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Yeah, thankfully... And honestly, given all that's just went down, I think it's a good idea to stick to ourselves a little and figure out where we stand...
[ Both in relation to each other and to the city as a whole, he means. ]
It's nice to meetcha properly, too. I appreciated your advice about ditching parties, by the way.
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but he'll set those feelings aside to focus elsewhere. ]
Sure, anytime. I'm practically an expert at disappearing when I don't want to be somewhere but usually I have a little extra help. [ sometimes you have powers that help. ] If you ever need that kind of advice again, you know where to find me.
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[ It feels really weird to just say this out loud, because it doesn't matter to the people here to know that he totally changed his whole identity once. Why would it? His old name means nothing in Oceanside!
It'd be really nice if the city wasn't otherwise a shitshow. ]
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Must've been a pretty powerful trick if it worked that well though. [ it's said in a way to indicate that he's curious but he won't push ponta to tell him if he doesn't want to.
but also he is. extremely curious. ]
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But after another beat, Ponta decides to share. ]
Eh, I just abandoned my old identity and started living under a new name and all. Guess I was kinda good at it, since my old employer hired me again in a different job and never found out.
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That is pretty impressive. The thing about taking on an identity and never letting people know who you really are is that you can get away with it so long as you act confident about it. [ and because some people are weird about these things: ] I don't blame anyone who wants to shed an old life and try to find a new one. It's a choice to be made.
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[ His smile is softer now than the dopey bright one he usually wears. Things at home aren't in order and there's a lot that Ponta regrets one way or another, but... No, stepping away really was the best thing he could have done. ]
"Ponta Hayari" has a much happier life than Citrus could have even imagined.
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Sometimes that's all you can do. [ but...hm. ] Sounds like Citrus didn't have things easy. Do you ever miss that part?
[ this is also his way of asking who citrus is, expecting ponta to answer only with what he wants. ]
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Not really.
[ Fuck his old life! Bye!! ]
Citrus was happy once upon a time, but he's lived a pretty isolated life as a corporate figurehead for a long time now.
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Sounds pretty lonely. And seems like Ponta has a lot more freedom to do whatever he wants now. [ he wants to ask about the corporate figurehead thing but maybe it doesn't matter if citrus is no longer relevant. ]