Touhouventure 12.Z

[22:47]	GM-Mizi	[Zeke is up early today. He has determination in his heart and hardened resolve in his mind. It must be today.
[22:47]	GM-Mizi	The morning is beautiful, as if to invite him to take the next step towards....
[22:47]	GM-Mizi	...something.]
[22:48]	Zeke	mentally told his mind last night to get up early. He can't afford to stay here any longer...
[22:50]	Zeke	crawls himself out of bed. His few belongings are packed and ready to go; he did that last night to be safe.
[22:51]	Zeke	"Nnnmmmgg... Shingyoku. Shingyoku. You up?"
[22:52]	Shingy	"I am."
[22:52]	Shingy	[The orb in the corner collapses into the form of a man.]
[22:54]	Zeke	"Early start, like I mentioned yesterday."
[22:54]	Zeke	"I'm going downstairs to talk to the hosts."
[22:56]	Shingy	"Very well."
[22:56]	Zeke	throws on his outsider shirt, puts on his backpack, grabs his staff, and heads downstairs to see who's up. Hopefully, someone.
[22:58]	Zeke	resists calling out for someone's name; it's pretty early and he doesn't wake to wake... Well, Sanae. Gods don't sleep.
[22:59]	Zeke	just quietly pads around the house, seeing if anyone's around.
[22:59]	Sanae-miko	is, however, awake. She's sweeping the shrine's floor, humming Koda Kumi's song
[23:01]	Zeke	"Oh. Morning. Didn't think you'd be up."
[23:01]	Zeke	tilts his head in Sanae's direction at he steps outside.
[23:02]	Sanae-miko	"Oh my. Good morning, Zeke!"
[23:03]	Sanae-miko	"I'm always up early, since I have to get everything in order before breakfast."
[23:04]	Sanae-miko	"You are early, yourself. Have a plan today?"
[23:04]	Zeke	"Told it to you last night, remember?"
[23:05]	Sanae-miko	"So you are leaving right after you tell us."
[23:05]	Sanae-miko	sighs, smiling sadly.
[23:05]	Zeke	shrugs and lowers his head.
[23:06]	Sanae-miko	"I'll have to prepare less meals from today onwards."
[23:06]	Zeke	"I wasn't planning on it, really. My danmaku's PASSABLE, and I haven't even started in on trying to fly yet. I wanted to get that under my belt, at least."
[23:06]	Zeke	"But I can't risk getting picked up by that other reporter. I CAN'T."
[23:07]	Sanae-miko	"Too bad, not many people could talk to me about the other side's topic. I'll miss you."
[23:07]	Sanae-miko	"Don't worry. I'm pretty good at keeping secrets!"
[23:08]	Zeke	looks out at the mountainous plateau. He's going to miss this place too... It was very peaceful.
[23:08]	Zeke	"Thanks..."
[23:08]	Zeke	"I will come back, though. If I can. Once all the craziness that hasn't happened yet is over."
[23:09]	Zeke	"I owe you that much."
[23:09]	Sanae-miko	"Oh, I should call lady Kanako and lady Suwako."
[23:09]	Sanae-miko	"So we could have a proper farewell."
[23:09]	Zeke	"Mmm, thanks."
[23:09]	Sanae-miko	yells into the shrine.
[23:09]	Sanae-miko	\lady Kanako!/
[23:10]	Sanae-miko	\lady Suwako!/
[23:10]	Kanako_	enters from the outside, having been in the shrine proper.
[23:13]	Sanae-miko	"Zeke's leaving today, lady Kanako."
[23:14]	Zeke	massages his temple. He THOUGHT he explained it clearly last night, but apparently not...
[23:17]	Kanako_	folds her arms.
[23:17]	Kanako_	Hmm...
[23:17]	Kanako_	I thought your charms might keep him here longer, Sanae.
[23:17]	Kanako_	smirks, revealing her joke.
[23:18]	Zeke	sighs. Spinsters...
[23:18]	Sanae-miko	"Lady Kanako!"
[23:18]	Sanae-miko	bop Kanako's bod with her broom.
[23:19]	Sanae-miko	"He's not that kind of man!"
[23:19]	Sanae-miko	"If he is, he'd probably jumped on me a long time ago!"
[23:19]	Kanako_	raises an eyebrow at Sanae.
[23:20]	Zeke	again, harder this time.
[23:20]	Zeke	"Can we, NOT, do this right now?"
[23:20]	Zeke	"Please?"
[23:20]	Sanae-miko	"Where's lady Suwako, by the way?"
[23:20]	Sanae-miko	miracle topic change.
[23:22]	Kanako_	I think she went off to see that giant frog again...
[23:23]	Kanako_	That aside, it's unfortunate to see you leaving so soon, Zeke.
[23:23]	Sanae-miko	"Aw. She can't see Zeke off, then."
[23:23]	Zeke	shrugs.
[23:23]	Zeke	"It's unfortunate the paparazzi lives so close to here."
[23:25]	Sanae-miko	"We're sitting on top of their headquarter, ahahaha..."
[23:26]	Kanako_	Indeed.
[23:26]	Zeke	"Just to make sure, you ahh... You wouldn't think they'd have any jobs for someone like me in that mountain, would they?"
[23:26]	Zeke	"I mean, you said they like to keep to themselves."
[23:26]	Sanae-miko	"I don't think so."
[23:27]	Sanae-miko	"Like we discussed last night, village is your best bet."
[23:27]	Sanae-miko	"Good thing we have Shinyoku for fast traveling, right?"
[23:27]	Kanako_	nods.
[23:28]	Zeke	nods back.
[23:28]	Zeke	"Yeah, yeah, I know... Just covering my bases."
[23:28]	Zeke	"Don't want the place I'm looking for to be right under my nose."
[23:28]	Sanae-miko	extends her hand to Zeke.
[23:28]	Sanae-miko	"Good luck."
[23:29]	Sanae-miko	"...th-this is how they do it in America, right? Handshaking?"
[23:29]	Zeke	shakes it softly.
[23:29]	Zeke	"That we do."
[23:29]	Sanae-miko	teehee
[23:30]	Sanae-miko	"Have a safe trip."
[23:30]	Sanae-miko	"Drop by sometimes!"
[23:33]	Zeke	"I'll do my best. Thank you, for everything."
[23:33]	Zeke	looks Sanae in the eye, rather seriously.
[23:34]	Zeke	"I do mean that. Not everyone would do what you've done for a stranger."
[23:34]	Sanae-miko	"Happy to help!"
[23:34]	Kanako_	smiles from a short distance.
[23:34]	Shingy	"Fare well, both of you."
[23:35]	Shingy	bows to them.
[23:36]	Zeke	tries to nonchalantly distance himself from the house; he IS in a hurry but he doesn't want to be rude about it.
[23:36]	Kanako_	May your travels go in safety.
[23:36]	Kanako_	declares.
[23:36]	Zeke	"And may your path bring the faithful to light."
[23:37]	Zeke	bows deeply.
[23:38]	Zeke	finally turns around and walks back down the path he came up many days before.
[23:39]	Zeke	"Well... That's that."
[23:39]	Zeke	says to Shingy once they're a distance away.
[23:39]	Sanae-miko	sighs as they left.
[23:39]	Sanae-miko	"This shrine is going to be less lively..."
[23:40]	Shingy	"Indeed. Hopefully, this will throw off the trail of those reporters."
[23:40]	Zeke	sighs, knowing the truth far too well.
[23:41]	Zeke	"It won't. If the reporters don't find me, some other meddler will once that article gets published."
[23:41]	Zeke	"We're living on borrowed time. The more job interviews I do before that article hits print, the better."
[23:42]	Zeke	kicks a pebble down the path semi-angrily.
[23:43]	Zeke	"Damn it all... REPORTERS. Why, why to me...?"
[23:43]	Shingy	"'Job interviews'? You hope to become a subordinate to someone else?"
[23:43]	Shingy	says this with puzzlement.
[23:43]	Zeke	mumbles to himself for a while before answering.
[23:44]	Zeke	"I hope to earn my bread for starters, is what I hope."
[23:44]	Zeke	"I also hope to enjoy life."
[23:45]	Zeke	"I also hope to enjoy this country."
[23:45]	Zeke	"And I hope that I can find a job that does all of those things."
[23:45]	Zeke	"But I'll settle for the first, for now."
[23:46]	Shingy	"You can do both of the latter without a job. As for the first, I'd be more than happy to take you in."
[23:47]	Zeke	makes a weird squiggle with his mouth that is indescribable.
[23:47]	Zeke	"Ehhh... No, no, that's... Uggh, no, it's, not about that..."
[23:48]	Zeke	"It's... complicated."
[23:50]	Zeke	runs his fingers through his hair, wondering if he should even bother...
[23:50]	Zeke	"Look, can we just, focus on getting to the village first?"
[23:52]	Zeke	remembers the last time he had to be carried by Shingy...
[23:52]	Zeke	"Ahh damn... I really need to learn how to defy gravity."
[23:52]	Zeke	rolls his eyes.
[23:53]	GM-Mizi	[The village is the same as you left it. People waling about, tending to their daily lives. It's especially lively this morning since lots of housewifes are out here shopping for breakfast ingredients.]
[23:54]	Zeke	has Shingy set him down out of easy viewing distance from the village to try and reduce awkwardness.  But still within easy walking distance, of course.
[23:56]	Zeke	THEN walks into the village. He borrowed a traveling cloak from the Moriya house to try and hide his Outsider clothes.
[23:56]	Shingy	"I'm still trying to understand your attitudes. You're really quite different from any of the other humans I've known."
[23:57]	Zeke	talks and walks.
[23:58]	Zeke	"That's a given."
[23:58]	Zeke	"But, it's like I've been saying ever since I got here. Living versus surviving."
[23:59]	Merchant	"Meat buns! Meat buns for your morning!"
[23:59]	Merchant	"Hey you! Why aren't you having meat buns in your hand?!"
[23:59]	Zeke	waves the man down, sheepishly.
[23:59]	Merchant	"Come and get some delicious meat buns!"
[23:59]	Zeke	"Ahhh, sorry, just brought enough for the grocery list today, sir."
[00:00]	Zeke	tries to avoid eye contact as much as possible. In the East, they try and FORCE you to buy things...
[00:01]	Merchant	quickly moves on to another target.
[00:02]	Zeke	focuses on Shingy instead.
[00:02]	Merchant	"Meat buns! Meat buns for your morning!"
[00:02]	Silverhair	's calm, steady, unhurried voice comes from behind them.
[00:02]	Silverhair	Two, please.
[00:02]	Zeke	goes back to answering Shingy's question.
[00:03]	Zeke	"But, as I was saying, I want to LIVE. Not just survive."
[00:03]	Silverhair	is already dropping coins into the man's outstretched hand.
[00:03]	Merchant	"At once, beautiful!"
[00:03]	Zeke	"No offense to you or anyone else, but just freeloading on someone's couch is 'surviving'."
[00:04]	Merchant	put it in leaf wrappings and hand it over.
[00:04]	Zeke	"Earning your own living and doing things the way YOU chose to do them is living."
[00:04]	Silverhair	tilts her head in a slight bow as she accepts them, and places them inside a basket.
[00:05]	Silverhair	disappears.
[00:05]	Zeke	"Even if it means getting a paycheck from someone above you, you made that choice to earn that paycheck."
[00:05]	Merchant	hunts some more shoppers and try to make them "have meatbuns in their hand".
[00:05]	Zeke	does a double-take. He could have sworn there was a woman there a second ago... Ahh well. It's early.
[00:06]	Zeke	rubs his eyes anyways.
[00:07]	Zeke	"So, yeah..."
[00:07]	GM-Mizi	[You walk through the busy bazaar. A certain silver haired maiden appears here and there, but you can't quite catch her appearance.]
[00:07]	Zeke	yawns. he's really starting to feel that early morning now, actually.
[00:09]	Zeke	"Hey, Shingy... Do you know if there even IS a job board or something here? I mean, that's what I was going to look for."
[00:09]	Zeke	"I mean, I guess I could ask Miss Kamehameha, too. School wouldn't have started yet, would it?"
[00:11]	Shingy	"Not really. The only people I can think of who are employers in the sense you're thinking are the Scarlet Devil Mansion and Eientei."
[00:11]	Shingy	"And neither of them employ humans, except for the most extraordinary."
[00:11]	Silverhair	It's by the west end of the market.
[00:11]	Zeke	"Mmm?"
[00:11]	Silverhair	says from a few feet in front of Zeke as she examines some onions.
[00:11]	Zeke	turns to the new voice. She looks like he's seen her before somewhere...
[00:12]	Silverhair	takes four.
[00:12]	Silverhair	These, please.
[00:12]	Zeke	"Oh, really?"
[00:13]	Silverhair	hands the stall's owner some change, and into the basket go the onions.
[00:13]	Silverhair	is gone again
[00:12]	Zeke	Thank you, ma'am. That would have--"
[00:21]	Zeke	is suddenly talking to thin air.
[00:21]	Zeke	"--taken a, while..."
[00:22]	Zeke	"Ahhh, crap..."
[00:22]	Zeke	has been ousted by a teleporter.
[00:23]	Zeke	"They did it to me again... All right, all right, it was bought to happen sooner or later. You're getting soft, Zeke."
[00:23]	Zeke	"Pay attention, dude, or you're gonna get magic-shivved."
[00:24]	Zeke	"Sorry, Shingy, didn't catch that."
[00:25]	Zeke	turns back to his companion.
[00:28]	Shingy	"What I'm saying is that there's not really any kind of 'jobs' like you're looking for. Most trades tend to be family-based, and odd jobs tend to be things like exterminating youkai or appeasing spirits."
[00:31]	Zeke	"There's got to be SOMETHING, though. I mean, if you look hard enough."
[00:31]	Zeke	"I'm not expecting to find anything on the board, honestly. Nothing I'd want, at least. Probably just folks looking for gruntwork."
[00:31]	Zeke	"Like, humanfolks, I mean."
[00:31]	Zeke	"But maybe I'll get lucky."
[00:32]	Shingy	"Yeah. You may find more work during planting or harvest season."
[00:34]	Zeke	"Maybe..."
[00:34]	Zeke	does NOT want to be some kind of farmhand. Stuck in the field, tending to crops, doing exactly what he could have done in the Outside...
[00:35]	Zeke	finally worms his way to the job board and starts canvassing...
[00:36]	Zeke	"All right, okay, here we are..."
[00:36]	Shingy	"Though actually, the Scarlet Devil Mansion may be a good prospect. Everything done there is done by one person, since the fairy maids were hired just so Remilia could say she has a lot of maids and are practically useless."
[00:37]	Zeke	"Hmm? The vampire house?"
[00:37]	Zeke	"I'd considered that, actually. Not because of job prospects, I mean... But they're Outsiders. Or, were."
[00:37]	Shingy	"Yeah. I think Sakuya would be thrilled to have an assistant who can remember things day to day, even if he requires some polishing up."
[00:38]	Shingy	"I don't think they really count as outsiders. They've been in Gensokyo since before the Hakurei Barrier went up."
[00:38]	Zeke	"They came from the Outside at SOME point. Which is more than a lot here can say."
[00:39]	Zeke	"But at for that 'only one person' deal... I mean, don't assume things."
[00:39]	Zeke	"I asked how the Great Barrier could be run by only three people, and I got shot down there."
[00:40]	Zeke	"Apparently, in Gensokyo, it's not how many, it's who."
[00:40]	Zeke	"Which, I mean, makes sense. Magic."
[00:40]	Shingy	"Well, she can stop time, so..."
[00:40]	Zeke	sprinkles his hands in the air to illustrate "magic".
[00:40]	Zeke	"Wait... Stop. Hold on."
[00:40]	Zeke	"Stop time."
[00:41]	Zeke	looks at her square in the face.
[00:41]	Zeke	"There is a time-stopper, in Gensokyo?"
[00:42]	Shingy	"Well, stop or accelerate as well. She aged a cask of wine 60 years in an instant at Remilia's request, from what I heard."
[00:42]	Zeke	thumps his back against the job board and looks up into the sky, sighing deeply. He does that a lot.
[00:43]	Zeke	"Ahhh, freaking hell... Like that's even close to being fair."
[00:44]	Zeke	"Someone explain to me why Gensokyo isn't dancing on her puppet-strings right now. Someone explain this to me."
[00:44]	Shingy	"That's why the spellcard system was created. There's hundreds of youkai and humans with powers that could annihilate each other in an instant."
[00:44]	Zeke	"No, no, I get that. You don't understand. It's chess. It's positioning."
[00:45]	Zeke	attempts to explain COLD WAR GAME THEORY or something like that.
[00:45]	Zeke	"It's like, ahh crap... You don't know who Superman is."
[00:46]	Zeke	tries to find a better example...
[00:46]	Shingy	"The Man of Steel?"
[00:46]	Zeke	"Wait, you do?!"
[00:46]	Shingy	"Oh, now that I've seen your gun, I understand what 'faster than a speeding bullet' means."
[00:46]	Zeke	gets excited suddenly!
[00:47]	Shingy	"Yes, some of the comics have wound up at Rinnosuke's shop. They're quite fascinating."
[00:47]	Zeke	"All right, all right! So, Superman is playing poker."
[00:47]	Zeke	"You tell him not to use his X-ray vision."
[00:47]	Zeke	"But how do you KNOW he's not using his X-ray vision?"
[00:47]	Zeke	snaps his fingers and points to Shingy.
[00:48]	Zeke	"And THAT is the problem with time mages."
[00:48]	Zeke	acts like Shingy is supposed to understand this in the ten seconds it took to say it.
[00:50]	Zeke	turns back to the job board while Shingy contemplates that little tidbit.
[00:51]	Silverhair	That makes more sense, now.
[00:51]	Silverhair	says, from Zeke's side. She is watching him half-thoughtfully, and was definitely not there a moment ago.
[00:51]	Zeke	assumes it's Shingy, forgetting for a moment that she's a he right now.
[00:52]	Zeke	"Good, because I was afraid it wouldn't."
[00:52]	Shingy	cocks his head.
[00:52]	"But... isn't Superman absolutely trustworthy? If you asked him not to use it, he wouldn't, right?"
[00:52]	Zeke	is focused on the job board and doesn't quite comprehend the silverhair's presence just yet...
[00:53]	Silverhair	Only an Outsider would be --pardon the phrasing-- dumb enough to consider work at the Mansion.
[00:53]	Zeke	"Well, sure, maybe Golden Age Superman was. Silver Age is a jerk, though."
[00:53]	Zeke	[=-= mine above hers]
[00:54]	Silverhair	[=-= No. Sakuya is ALWAYS on top.]
[00:54]	Zeke	[=-= But she's very professional about it]
[00:54]	Zeke	[=-= she'll even clean the sheets afterwards]
[00:55]	Silverhair	[=-= professionally sexual Sakuya is my new fetish.]
[00:55]	Zeke	[=-= full three-piece suit at all times. ALL TIMES.]
[00:55]	Zeke	looks to his side, feeling that something is off.
[00:55]	Zeke	turns his neck even more and sees Shingy behind him.
[00:56]	Silverhair	is seated on a stool that was also not there. She is cutting up an apple. WITHOUT PEELING IT.
[00:56]	Silverhair	[=-= brief pause while the audience gasps in horror]
[00:56]	Zeke	[=-= ZEKE IS AMERICAN, FOOL. HE BITES INTO THE APPLE WITHOUT CUTTING IT AT ALL.]
[00:57]	Silverhair	[=-= brutish savages!]
[00:57]	Zeke	[=-= That's why Remilia kicked us out of her continent.]
[00:58]	Zeke	now comprehends that there is more than the normal amount of people here.
[00:58]	Zeke	"Oh. Okay, I was being an idiot there for a second."
[00:58]	Silverhair	's legs are crossed, and her basket sits next to her. She flicks the cores over behind her into the grass as she cuts each one out.
[00:58]	Zeke	turns to the maid-looking-maid.
[00:59]	Zeke	"I wanted to thank you for the directions to... here, I guess."
[00:59]	Silverhair	No problem.
[00:59]	Silverhair	bites into an apple-quarter.
[01:00]	Zeke	tries to gauge her demeanor quickly, wondering how best to address her. He doesn't know her, after all, but she's talking like she knows what he's up to...
[01:01]	Zeke	"By the way... Another way of looking at it is that only an Outsider would be BRAVE enough to consider working there. Mmm?"
[01:01]	Zeke	"Two sides to every coin, ma'am."
[01:01]	Silverhair	doesn't respond.
[01:02]	Silverhair	finishes chewing, and swallows. Incidentally, she's quite pretty.
[01:02]	Zeke	notices that. Many girls here are actually quite pretty. What is up with that, anyways?
[01:02]	Silverhair	No. It's definitely 'too stupid.'
[01:03]	Silverhair	But you seem to think you know better. This could be either very good, or very bad.
[01:03]	Silverhair	looks to Shingyoku.
[01:03]	Zeke	"No, no, I didn't say that."
[01:03]	Zeke	"I said it's another way of looking at it."
[01:04]	Shingy	"You must be Sakuya, then. I apologize for my presumption."
[01:04]	Zeke	definitely gives off the vibe that he thinks he knows better, though. HAUGHTY AMERIKAN.
[01:06]	Silverhair	Indeed. How would you rate your companion's capacity for humility?
[01:06]	Silverhair	is speaking directly to Shingyoku, now.
[01:06]	Silverhair	takes another bite of the apple--
[01:06]	Silverhair	--and CHEWS IT.
[01:06]	Zeke	shifts his eyes from the girl to the man. There is NO good way to answer this question...
[01:06]	Shingy	"I'm not sure. He seems to want to live a sort of outside-world life in Gensokyo, even after I've told him it's unlikely."
[01:08]	Silverhair	That's cute.
[01:08]	Silverhair	says with only a hint of a smile.
[01:08]	Zeke	is looking a little worried. He knows Shingy doesn't quite grasp what he's trying to accomplish in Gensokyo yet, so his personality probably seems... off, to her.
[01:09]	Zeke	holds off on saying anything, just yet. It'd only make him look worse.
[01:09]	Silverhair	And in regards to following directions?
[01:10]	Zeke	's personality seems off to a lot of people here, come to think of it...
[01:11]	Shingy	"He follows directions well to do things for other people, like cooking and cleaning, but is rather resistant to advice about his own situation."
[01:11]	Silverhair	Oh? That's good.
[01:12]	Zeke	bits his lip, but reluctantly gives a tiny nod to himself. It's a fair assessment, actually.
[01:12]	Silverhair	turns to Zeke.
[01:12]	Zeke	looks back at her. He would not win in a starting contest.
[01:13]	Silverhair	The idea of working for a vampire does not upset you?
[01:13]	Zeke	does his best to remain on the level.
[01:14]	Zeke	"That depends on the vampire, ma'am. Which is to say, the person. As it would be with any employer, no?"
[01:15]	Zeke	would like to say more about the effects of races on society, but this is maybe a job interview...? You don't want to babble unless asked to do so."
[01:18]	Zeke	"Personally, I don't find that a fair question. Not here, anyways."
[01:21]	Silverhair	Unfortunately, it's a question.
[01:21]	Silverhair	These things happen in life.
[01:22]	Zeke	pauses. So she's gaming like that, is she? He'll have to see if he can still play ball, then.
[01:22]	Silverhair	shrugs, and starts on the next quarter of apple.
[01:23]	Zeke	"Asking me about my feelings on a vampire in, quite frankly, 'this place'--"
[01:23]	Zeke	motions outwards to everywhere around him.
[01:24]	Zeke	"--Feels to me like asking my feelings of a person that is short, or a person with red hair."
[01:25]	Zeke	"Obviously, the parallels are not EXACT, as I'm sure vampires are in fact different from other races, but the point is that the vampirism does not define the person. The person defines the person."
[01:25]	Silverhair	...You're American, aren't you?
[01:25]	Silverhair	And educated.
[01:25]	Zeke	"Does it show?"
[01:26]	Silverhair	Blatantly.
[01:26]	Silverhair	You talk so much. Only the Italians are worse.
[01:26]	Silverhair	shifts her legs.
[01:26]	Zeke	"My apologies. You asked a question."
[01:26]	Zeke	"These things happen in life."
[01:27]	Silverhair	...Very American.
[01:27]	Zeke	rubs his arm. He's upped the ante, miss. Your serve.
[01:27]	Silverhair	My mistress is not some villain from the films, or a ravenous beast from the stories.
[01:28]	Silverhair	She does not bite.
[01:28]	Silverhair	...And I mean exactly that. No brief pause, followed by 'much' or a wink.
[01:28]	Silverhair	Reimu was very clear on that.
[01:29]	Zeke	is not sure what that Reimu bit means exactly; he thinks his mind mind have already been poisoned on any hope of neutrality on that person already.
[01:30]	Zeke	"I'm glad to here that, though perhaps not for the reason others might be."
[01:31]	Zeke	keeps those exact reasons to himself, for now. He's already pushed it; talking about cliches would kill the deal.
[01:32]	Silverhair	However, as you might expect-- that is a very specific "you", by the way --my lady Scarlet is a proud creature, and does not take kindly to disrespect from those not her equal or well-acquainted with her.
[01:33]	Zeke	nods respectfully. See, he can be respectful!
[01:33]	Zeke	"Understood, ma'am."
[01:33]	Silverhair	If you are truly in want or need of work, visit the Mansion. But learn to put that tongue on a leash, or it may see you your employment's end rather prematurely.
[01:34]	Silverhair	puts the other half of the apple into her basket, and tosses the knife she was using up into the air a short distance.
[01:34]	Zeke	"Of course. What, sort of work, if I may ask?"
[01:34]	Zeke	's eyes follow the knife as he asks.
[01:34]	Silverhair	...It doesn't come down again.
[01:35]	Silverhair	In fact, it doesn't appear to be there, any more.
[01:35]	Zeke	blinks. His eyes dart down to the ground, thinking he missed it.
[01:36]	Silverhair	Domestic work, typically. However, the pay is decent, room and board are provided, and the workload is not unrealistic.
[01:36]	Zeke	is starting to suspect a possible sudden realization coming on...
[01:37]	Silverhair	...I'd recommend that you not carry a weapon unsheathed around here, however. It tends to alarm people.
[01:38]	Silverhair	points to his belt loop, where the knife rests, neatly tucked in.
[01:41]	Zeke	looks to where she's pointing. His gun is in his pack, though...
[01:42]	Zeke	feels his waist, and stops when he comes to that sudden realization he was expecting.
[01:43]	Zeke	bites his tongue. He shouldn't say it, he shouldn't say it, he shouldn't say it...!"
[01:43]	Silverhair	just lets it slowly dawn on him, and watches him passively. No smile, no snicker, no grin, no smirk.
[01:43]	Zeke	slowly covers the side of his face with his hand and breathes in and out slowly, trying to untense himself.
[01:45]	Silverhair	stands up. The stool isn't there anymore.
[01:45]	Silverhair	Well.
[01:45]	Silverhair	It's been a pleasure meeting you.
[01:45]	Shingy	"It has been good to meet you as well."
[01:46]	Silverhair	Do come by if you're interested.
[01:46]	Zeke	removes the hand from his face, trying his best to look proper again.
[01:46]	Zeke	"I will certainly give it the highest consideration, ma'am. Thank you for this opportunity."
[01:46]	Silverhair	gives a little wave, and turns away.
[01:48]	Silverhair	If Zeke felt about, he'd realize that there was, in fact, no knife there at all.
[01:49]	Silverhair	...There is, however, a folded business card.
[01:52]	Shingy	"That was exceedingly impressive."
[01:53]	Zeke	waits for a bit to let it all sink in, leaning back against the wall and putting his hands in his pockets inside--
[01:54]	Zeke	notices the absence of the knife suddenly, and fumbles around to find an impressive-looking blue and white business card.
[01:55]	Silverhair	's business card reads:
[01:56]	ImpressiveCard	+- Tempus non suficit -+
[01:56]	ImpressiveCard
[01:56]	ImpressiveCard	十六夜 　 咲夜
[01:56]	ImpressiveCard	Izayoi Sakuya
[01:56]	ImpressiveCard	Scarlet Devil Mansion
[01:56]	ImpressiveCard
[01:56]	ImpressiveCard	{ Please inquire at the gate }
[01:57]	Zeke	reads the business card. Then he reads the business card. Then he reads the business card. Then he reads the business card.
[01:58]	Zeke	"Forn. I. Cation."
[01:59]	Zeke	really, REALLY wants to throw the card on the ground right now.
[01:59]	Zeke	knows that he can't, though.
[02:02]	Zeke	"I can't win."
[02:02]	Zeke	flicks his head to the ground in disappointment at himself, for some odd reason.
[02:03]	Shingy	"So are you going to go?"
[02:03]	Zeke	"...I have to."
[02:03]	Zeke	hangs his head to the ground, holding up the card so she can see it.
[02:04]	Zeke	"This is check."
[02:04]	Shingy	looks it over.
[02:04]	Zeke	"No, no, don't read it. The card is not important."
[02:05]	Zeke	"It's check. No pieces taken, no pieces given. Merely good positioning."
[02:05]	Zeke	"THIS is why we hate Silver Age Superman."
[02:06]	Zeke	shrugs and looks back at the card, accepting his fate that he's probably just making for himself.
[02:06]	Zeke	"I can't say no, not after that."
[02:07]	Shingy	"Your choice of metaphor is quite revealing. You believe the game of life is zero-sum."
[02:09]	Zeke	"No, no, I'm not saying that. I'm saying she is a time-stopper, and now she knows I know, and she knows I know she knows I know."
[02:10]	Zeke	"If I say no, she screws with me as I try to resist her. If I say yes she screws with me anyways, but at least then my back isn't facing away from her while she does it."
[02:12]	Zeke	kicks his foot in the dust and puts the card in his pocket.
[02:12]	Zeke	"I can play the game. But I can't play a player."
[02:13]	Zeke	"So I have to go. I have to get out of check. Damn it all, how did I get myself pidgeon-holed?!"
[02:14]	Zeke	"I tried so HARD not to!"
[02:14]	Zeke	gets strangely upset again.
[02:16]	Zeke	paces around, looking at the ambling crowd, trying to calm himself down.
[02:17]	Zeke	"...How many hours do you think I should wait before I call her back, Shingy? I don't want to sound needy, you know?"
[02:17]	Shingy	"You do know that if you go, I'm going with you, right?"
[02:18]	Zeke	"Oh, no, I know. Sure, come, it'll be great. I'm boned no matter what I do now, so let's run this train 'till it runs out of rail."
[02:19]	Zeke	"Kai's probably yelling at me somewhere right about now."
[02:21]	Zeke	taps his foot on the ground. The only way out is in...
[02:22]	Zeke	thinks. Actually...
[02:22]	Zeke	"...The only way out is in, Shingy."
[02:22]	Zeke	"I think, that's part of what I've been trying to say."
[02:23]	Zeke	"Or... Okay, it's not perfect, but, do you understand what it means?"
[02:24]	Shingy	"Only somewhat."
[02:26]	Zeke	nods.
[02:26]	Zeke	"You ruminate on that one. Then maybe you'll see where I'm coming from."
[02:27]	Zeke	"Let's kill some time. We'll wait until after lunch to go to the mansion."
[02:28]	Shingy	"Very well. We should stop by my place first. If I'm going to be out a while, I should set some things for an extended absence."
[02:29]	Zeke	"I didn't say I'd TAKE the job."
[02:29]	Zeke	goes "ah ah ah" with his finger.
[02:30]	Zeke	"That's how you play the game. You give when you KNOW you have to give, but you give inches."
[02:30]	Zeke	"She wants it, she's got to work to get it."
[02:32]	Zeke	"Or, that's the theory, anyways."
[02:32]	Zeke	shrugs. He does that a lot.
[02:32]	Zeke	"Lead the way, sir."
[02:32]	Zeke	[Zeke's thoughts: AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGH PLOTS WITHIN PLANS WITHIN MACHINATIONS WITHIN STRATEGIES AAAUUUUUUGH]
[02:33]	Zeke	[Sakuya's thoughts: I wonder if fondue would go over well, next week?]
[02:33]	Zeke	[And that about sums up this session. See you next week, folks.]
[02:37]	Shingy	[Shingy's thoughts: With all the things he notices, why doesn't he truly notice me?]