MMBA - Marianne & Ruika SS01 - Moving in

=== PART 1 ===

[02:41] * Marianne 's apartment is in the foreigner-heavy section of town, in a complex called "Fifty Stars." She plods up the stairs to the second floor of the building to apartment #B-2, and fishes around in her jacket pocket for a key. She unlocks the door and heads in, letting the girl behind her follow her inside.
[02:42] * Ruika is uncomfortable as she follows her inside. It's been a while since she's been invited inside someone's home. Usually she's coming in through the window or back door...
[02:43] * Marianne The apartment is immediately different from any Japanese-style dwelling you've seen in that 1) there's no lower, recessed portion of the floor to leave your shoes, and 2) the entire thing is carpeted. Not wood, not tatami mats, not linoleum, but actual carpet.
[02:43] * Marianne ...and 3) ...It's kinda big.
[02:44] * Marianne At least for an apartment.
[02:46] * Ruika looks around. She's not really concerned about what's different about it. A roof over your head is a roof over your head when you've been homeless for two years.
[02:49] * Marianne clicks on the living room lights on as she walks into it, then takes a left, out of sight. However, you hear her footsteps now, heels clicking on something solid. It's probably a kitchen. The glow and hum of fluorescent lights turning on from that direction seems to confirm this.
[02:50] <Marianne> Have a seat wherever. Want something to eat? Anything to drink?
[02:50] <Ruika> Water's fine.
[02:53] * Ruika decides to take a seat on the couch anyway... it's so comfortable, she sprawls out, making herself at home
[02:56] * Marianne fills a glass with water, and then peeks into the fridge. ...Hmm. Nothing she could whip up right away. Maybe a Cup o' Noodles thing to hold her for the time being.
[02:59] * Marianne closes the fridge, gets the filled glass, and looks up at the girl over the table on the other edge of the kitchenette... and frowns. ...Right, she's going to need some cleaning. Fast.
[02:59] * Marianne exits the kitchenette, and brings her the glass of water.
[02:59] * Ruika has already dozed off.
[02:59] * Ruika snores. Loudly.
[03:00] * Marianne gives serious thought to upending the glass of water over her head
[03:03] * Marianne compromises: She only pours about an ounce of water onto her head.
[03:03] * Ruika starts awake, spazzing out and falling off the couch!
[03:03] <Ruika> Waaah!
[03:03] * Ruika lands on the floor with a bump
[03:04] <Marianne> Not that time yet, Sleeping Beauty.
[03:04] <Ruika> Oh, did I fall asleep? Sorry.
[03:04] * Ruika rubs her bum as she stands back up
[03:06] <Marianne> We've both had a long day today, and I'm looking so very forward to a hot shower, but you need one a LOT more than me, to be honest.
[03:06] * Marianne looks her over.
[03:07] <Marianne> I'll get you some of my old clothes to wear.
[03:07] <Ruika> Umm... alright?
[03:07] * Ruika looks around
[03:07] <Ruika> ...where is the bathroom, anyway?
[03:08] * Marianne nods to the other side of the living room, towards another little hallway with three doors leading off of it.
[03:09] <Marianne> Down the hall, door on the left.
[03:09] * Ruika heads down the hall and into the room as directed
[03:09] <Marianne> ...Actually, let me show you.
[03:10] * Ruika waits for Marianne
[03:12] * Marianne follows her, and gives her the brief tour of the bathroom, pointing out the lack of a washing-up area, and that you do it all in the shower (well, it's a bath/shower combo, but still). She shows her how to kick the water on to come out of the showerhead vs. the tub faucet, points out the soap, the shampoo, and the conditioner, and hands her a couple of washcloths, and sets out the bath mat...
[03:12] * Marianne ...and a towel to dry off with.
[03:13] * Marianne it's a lot shorter than it sounds, honestly
[03:13] <Ruika> ...k
[03:14] * Ruika just stands there with the washcloths in her hand as Marianne looks at her
[03:14] <Marianne> Take your time and clean up well.
[03:14] <Ruika> Sure thing.
[03:14] * Marianne starts to head out, then pauses.
[03:14] <Marianne> ...You have any love for the stuff you have on right now?
[03:14] * Marianne gestures at Ruika's clothes.
[03:14] <Ruika> Well... yeah. They're my clothes.
[03:15] * Marianne was kind of hoping to burn them, but such does not seem to be viable. Oh well.
[03:16] * Marianne gets a bag, and floofs it out, then hands it to her.
[03:16] <Ruika> Laundry bag?
[03:16] <Marianne> Yep. Toss your clothes in there. We'll head down to the laundromat tomorrow and get them cleaned.
[03:16] <Ruika> Gotcha.
[03:17] <Marianne> I'll leave a change of clothes just inside the door on the counter, okay?
[03:17] * Ruika nods again
[03:18] <Marianne> Don't hesitate to call if you need something.
[03:18] <Ruika> 'kay.
[03:22] * Ruika waits for Marianne to leave, then proceeds to wash up. Of course, she leaves a ring around the tub, even though she showered.
[03:26] * Marianne closes the door, then heads into her room to start rummaging around in the boxes she'd had in storage in her closet. She soon finds some suitable clothing-- about 2 or 3 pairs of jeans, some t-shirts, socks, panties, a skirt, and old, slightly beat-up tennis shoes. She'd only been here for a little while, but when she'd moved, she'd moved. She was completely out of Colorado, and wasn't planning on returning any time soon. Picking out a large t-shirt and some sweat pants, she lays them inside the bathroom on the counter before shutting the door again.
[03:27] * Marianne then heads back into the living room, where she pauses, looking back and forth between couch and kitchen. ...Hmm. If only she could be in two places... at... once.
[03:27] * Marianne ....Oh~.
[03:30] * Marianne calls forth two of the smoky women, who flow over to the sink, take soap, water, and washcloths, and then filter out to the living room, where they begin industriously cleaning the couch. It's not a long job, but it frees up a good few minutes, which she puts to use getting an actual dinner started.
[03:44] * Marianne finds her concentration strained only slightly; certainly not enough to throw her off the task of cooking. After a few minutes, the couch is clean and lemon-y fresh. The smoky women drop their things back into the sink, and then dissipate into the air. Marianne allows herself a rare smile; this could come in very handy at school, too. By the time Ruika's finished, the young teacher has managed to make something resembling actual, decent food with nothing more than some day-old chicken, a couple potatoes, and some re-purposed Cup o' Noodles noodles. She clicks off the stove just as the younger girl comes out.
[03:33] * Ruika leaves the bathroom, wearing her towel across her shoulders... and nothing else. She walks into the living room, looking around for Marianne
[03:33] <Ruika> Hey...? You still here...?
[03:44] <Marianne> Dinner's rea--
[03:52] * Marianne 's words cut off, and her expression returns to that bored, neutral, and somewhat sleep-deprived default look she often seems to wear.
[03:52] <Marianne> ...Yes. I am still here.
[03:53] * Marianne looks at her with something that might be patience, or perhaps quiet unamusement. There's something to this, and now she's just waiting to hear what it is.
[03:53] <Ruika> Oh, there you are. Do you have a hair brush I can use?
[03:54] <Marianne> ...There should be one on the counter.
[03:54] <Ruika> Oh, thanks.
[03:55] * Ruika heads back into the bathroom, taking her time, real nonchalant-like
[03:55] * Ruika closes the door again
[04:00] * Marianne makes a note to say something if something like that happens again. This could be a bad sign.
[04:01] * Ruika comes back out about 5 minutes later, the towel still draped around her shoulders, but dressed in the shirt and sweatpants this time.
[04:02] * Marianne takes a cautious, experimental peek as the door opens. Okay, clothed this time. Better.
[04:04] * Ruika walks into the kitchen and sits at the table
[04:05] * Marianne finishes laying out noodles, potato, and chicken on each plate, and only then realizes that this is kind of an imbalanced meal; heavy on the starch and protein.    .......Eh, she'll be fine.
[04:05] <Ruika> Oh, I should warn you, you're out of shampoo.
[04:06] * Marianne starts to pour a scotch for herself--
[04:06] * Marianne --and then stops.
[04:07] <Marianne> ...How exactly did that happen? I'm sure the bottle was at least half full.
[04:07] * Ruika shrugs
[04:09] * Ruika starts eating
[04:18] * Marianne does not see anything like a half-bottle of shampoo's worth of hair on the girl. ...Clearly, some finer points are going to need to be discussed later on.
[04:18] * Marianne But for right now... food. Wonderful, delicious dinner. ...Oh, wait.
[04:18] * Marianne finishes pouring that scotch.
[04:19] * Marianne Dinner is now truly complete.
[04:20] * Marianne digs in as well.
[04:27] * Marianne pushes her plate aside after she's done eating, and waits for her young ward to finish as well.


=== PART 2 ===

[18:59]	* Ruika	proceeds to eat her dinner with all the tact and grace of a famished mongrel
[18:59]	* Ruika	finishes her performance with a resounding belch
[19:02]	* Marianne	silently adds another item to the list, and then speaks.
[19:03]	* Ruika	is staring at her plate with a tinge of regret that it is empty
[19:04]	<Marianne>	...I am willing to let you live with me until such time as you can find gainful employment and begin earning enough to support yourself.
[19:05]	<Ruika>	...?
[19:05]	<Marianne>	However, while you live here, there are a few very basic, very uncomplicated ground rules you will need to follow.
[19:05]	* Ruika	wasn't paying attention, she looks up and tilts her head to listen
[19:07]	<Marianne>	One: If you raise a hand against me, try to kill me, or in some other way attack, assault, or even incapacitate me, you are out, and possibly dead. I've had far too much of that in my life to take any more.
[19:07]	<Ruika>	Why would I do that? You're letting me crash. I owe you big time.
[19:08]	* Marianne	shrugs lightly.
[19:08]	<Marianne>	I'm simply making sure you understand. Don't take it as an insult.
[19:09]	<Marianne>	Two: You do what I ask, when I ask. I am not unreasonable, and I will not be asking you to sleep with me, so don't worry about that sort of thing.
[19:09]	* Ruika	scratches her head.
[19:10]	<Ruika>	Ok. I was planning to sleep on the couch anyway
[19:09]	<Marianne>	Three: Clean up after yourself, and keep yourself clean. Bathe regularly.
[19:10]	* Ruika	nods again
[19:11]	<Marianne>	Four: I will not tolerate any kind of drug use, period. If you smoke, do it outside. And don't raid my stash.
[19:12]	* Marianne	taps her scotch glass.
[19:12]	* Ruika	doesn't do drugs. Mostly because she can't afford them.
[19:13]	<Marianne>	Five: Don't bring anyone here if you plan on sleeping with them. Take that elsewhere.
[19:13]	* Ruika	blushes
[19:14]	<Ruika>	Huh? What, you mean like a sleepover?
[19:14]	<Marianne>	I mean screwing them.
[19:14]	<Ruika>	Screw...ing...?
[19:15]	* Marianne	is not inclined towards using euphemisms when dealing with anyone of high school age or above.
[19:15]	* Ruika	tilts her head
[19:15]	<Marianne>	Sex.
[19:18]	* Ruika	blushes again
[19:18]	<Ruika>	W-w-whaaaaaat?
[19:20]	<Marianne>	Just making sure.
[19:20]	* Marianne	thinks for a bit longer, and then sits back and finishes off her glass.
[19:22]	<Marianne>	That should cover it for now. There's more, but they aren't unreasonable either. Let's just see how you do for a week.
[19:22]	* Marianne	sets down her glass, and then stares at it for a moment.
[19:23]	<Marianne>	...were we ever properly introduced?
[19:23]	<Marianne>	I know that seems a little strange to ask this far in, but...
[19:24]	<Ruika>	Yeah. You're Marianne, I'm Ruika
[19:24]	* Ruika	looks surprised that she forgot
[19:25]	* Marianne	is trying to remember when she said that, and can't. It's a lucky thing she said so; she'd been about to call her "Ruiko."
[19:26]	<Marianne>	Well, then.
[19:26]	* Marianne	sticks out her hand.
[19:26]	<Marianne>	Welcome home, Ruika.
[19:26]	* Ruika	gives her a low five.
[19:26]	<Ruika>	Thanks for having me.
[19:27]	* Marianne	starts momentarily, not having expected that. Then she cracks a grin.
[19:30]	* mini_Kagiyama	[END SCENE! after which they totally started doing it right there in the kitchen]