It's One of Those Weeks

[therewerefifty]

Who: Makie and you
Broadcast: Nope
Action: Planetside / Iskaulit / Twin Roses
When: 16 April - early May, most likely.

A - Business as Usual

[Makie finds this new, skyless world daunting, but given it's not underwater like the last one, she'll take it. She can be found plying her shamisen music in the crowds and taverns, sometimes on her own but often with company, though she's more likely to move swiftly to avoid crowds afterward than stay and talk to them, so you might find her lurking just inside a small cafe or down an alleyway taking a breather. She makes a nominal search for saplings or seeds which might work well for a memorial tree, but she doesn't really have the gardening experience to know which of these will flourish on the Iskaulit. Their care system is entirely different, after all.

As the week wears on, she becomes more relaxed and lets herself enjoy this place a little more. Misty is popular, and that's partly Makie's teaching, and that means she's passed on something worthwhile... and it's a good feeling all round. Later in the week she forgoes wearing her kimono entirely, indulging in the peasant dresses she picked up so many planets ago, and spends more times just basking in the musical environment down here. Even being vaguely sociable.

Blink and you'll miss it.]

B - Another Perspective

[On 23 April, Makie takes a shortcut between two buildings and promptly disappears. But a small child shuffles out soon afterward, trying very hard not to trip over the hem of an overlong and unfamiliar dress, shamisen still wrapped carefully in both arms and hugged to her chest. It's the only familiar thing here and it looks expensive, so she clings to it like a lifeline and blinks owlishly around the strange world she finds herself in.



There's no sky.  The lights and the crowds are the conflicting sounds are overwhelming, and she soon retreats, clinging close to walls like a ghost until she finds a place to hide.  If the last year has taught her anything, it's how not to get noticed in a dirty street, but the shamisen and the tent of a dress she's wearing do kind of tend to stand out.

There's no sky.  And she remembers a field, and an angry old man, and what happened after, and she's not hurt now, but this place is a miserable cacophony of alien impressions... She shouldn't eat the food here, just in case it means she can't ever go home.  She remembers that part.  (Though honestly, would it really matter?  There's nothing really to go back to--)

If you run into her here, she will eventually leave again.]

C - And Then There Were Assholes

[By the time she's singled out as an easy pickup by a handful of drunken traffickers, Makie is too tired and hungry and miserable to put up a fight.  This is what happens to outcasts, anyway.  She just doesn't care, as long as they don't take the shamisen from her, and so she stumbles along behind one as he pulls her along by the wrist roughly, joking with his friends, heading for their ship.

"Gorgeous skin, right?  So pale--"
"And that hair--"
"She'll make a fortune, sell her to the right place--"

Oh.  The more things change... she's not stupid.  But she just follows, eyes dark.  Frankly at this point, she doesn't give a damn.  It's not like anything different would have happened at home.

...so intervention would be welcome.]

D - Catch-all

[For any time after the events of the 23rd.  One can assume she's exploring, and probably pretty taken with the fox park and all the sneaky quiet places she can poke her nose into on the Iskaulit.  She'll be very polite and try not to get in your way.  I can roll with whatever!]

Comments

[collegedropout]

Usually? No, but I work here. So what I say goes. [Not really, Nami can kick him out any time, but he's used to being in bars as a kid, and he's pretty sure Nami's world doesn't give a shit either.] No alcohol allowed for you, but I bet we have some burgers hidden somewhere.

[therewerefifty]

[It's cool, Nami has fed kids in there a half dozen times namely yours so Sam's probably perfectly safe. Makie shakes her head, making a face. She doesn't want alcohol, it's gross and people just get grosser when they drink it, ew.]

What's a burger? [But she's inching toward the door out of sheer curiosity (and hunger) now.]

[collegedropout]

Something my brother might've been addicted to.

[He smiles and walks into the bar; he's always found the place pretty cozy.

The ships can be overwhelming sometimes, especially since they're so... y'know. Sci-fi.

But bars, they're a little more personal. Familiar. Or maybe that's his experience with them talking.]

Would you like one? They're pretty tasty.

[therewerefifty]

[The bar still looks unfamiliar to Makie with its wholly western look, but... the smell is familiar enough, actually. She blinks around at it, glancing shyly back at Sam.

...she did remember something important, though. Someone said she had money, but... her brow furrows.] How much is it?

[collegedropout]

[:^| Makie.

He sighs, but he looks humored.]

How about a payment of one high-five? Those are pretty good currency around here.

[therewerefifty]

[What everyone wants money Sam, god. And now you're confusing her even more so prepare to be a giant teacher--]

I don't think I have any of those.

[:D]

[collegedropout]

I disagree. I'm pretty sure you're rich with them.

[therewerefifty]

[And now we're back to V. SUSPICIOUS.]

What is a high five?

[collegedropout]

Oh, that's easy, um. Just put your hand out. Like this.

[He holds his up, palm outward. See?]

[therewerefifty]

[O...kay? This doesn't seem like any form of currency she's familiar with, Mister. But she holds her hand out, even if it's not as stiff and straight as Sam's, like she's ready to snatch it away at a moment's notice. Don't try anything!]

[collegedropout]

[He slowly moves his hand over, mirroring hers.

And then carefuly paps their hands together.]

There you go. A high-five.

[therewerefifty]

[.....








wat. She stares at her hand as if expecting it to be stamped with something.]

That's it?

[Wow, you're a weirdo.]

[collegedropout]

Yeah, that's it!

It's a special way of saying "good job" or "you're awesome" without saying words.

People high-five when they win a game, or when one of them passes a test. Things like that.

[therewerefifty]

[B-but it's not payment...

And she didn't win a game or pass a test or-- /squint

You know what, Makie's hungry and she's just going to assume this is Sam being nice, which is 100% correct so okay.]

Will a high five always get a burger? [She asks this very gravely.]

[collegedropout]

... Aaah, no, that's just me.

Usually, that won't work for just anyone. It's a, uh, Sam secret.

[what a nerd.]

[therewerefifty]

Then I won't tell anyone. [Solemnly. Because clearly you might get in trouble, and she may have worked out this is your cheesy way of giving a kid a free meal which she is not going to question. Because of aforementioned hunger.]

What are burgers made of?

[collegedropout]

Really good stuff.

[That's the Dean answer. He smiles softly and ushers her in, wandering toward the bar.]

Bread, beef, lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup. Uhhh. Onions, if you're into them.

[He really is terribly read on ancient Japanese agriculture, though.

What do you have that are like these things, young lady.]

[therewerefifty]

[Some of those are familiar and some of them... really aren't. Da fuq is ketchup. But Makie doesn't expect to recognise the ingredient list so it's kind of a win that some of it's known to her.]

I don't mind what's on it. [Beggars can't be choosers and she's not fussy at the best of times.

...she stares at the range of stools by the bar, a little daunted. But after darting a glance at some of the other customers, she cautiously pulls herself up to perch on one like the world's most uncomfortable cat.]

[collegedropout]

[He gives a little grin, wandering behind the bar.]

Kind of weird chairs, huh?

[therewerefifty]

They're too tall.

[She flushes a little, ducks her head in apology, because wow, you rude child. But even so.] Does everyone sit on these here?

[What happened to sitting on the floor like regular people, god. Give me a mat any day.]

[collegedropout]

Or maybe you're too short?

[He looks so pleased with himself, what a butthead.]

They're more common in places where people drink, actually. Mostly to stay tall enough when they're in front of the bar.

[therewerefifty]

Why don't you just make the bar lower?

[Seriously have you seen like an 18th century Japanese drinking hole they're kind of. Low. To the ground.]

[collegedropout]

Oh, it's so I can reach all of these behind me, and also so I can serve it at my level, too.

Wouldn't want me getting back problems, right?

[therewerefifty]

[Well, she was about to say near tartly (for Makie) that the bottles could be lower too, but oh no it's because he's too tall!! She wonders if all giant people have this problem. :ccc

...that is to say, Makie shakes her head emphatically.] Back problems are bad.

[collegedropout]

Exactly.

[A sage nod.]

Anything you want to drink, while I get that burger for you?

... Maybe some juice?