genessia | Action in Genessia

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Action in Genessia

Who: Roland Crane and OPEN
What: Moving Out/In
Where: Genessia Commonspace, Garden Park Apartments, and everywhere in between
When: Tuesday, September 11, Evening
Warnings: None I can think of at the moment, will add them if they come up.

Roland's month in the commonspace is up, but he's at least found a new place to live: Garden Park Apartments. So he gathers up his meager collection of belongings (more clothes than anything else, considering how much storage, or lack thereof, the commonspace has) and heads toward his new home... but he doesn't have a car of anything like that, so he's just... carrying the boxes across town, one by one, on foot.

Offer help? At least open a door for him (his hands are full)? Maybe you'd rather start some trouble? Or just come coo over/gawk at the cute little higgledies following him and getting underfoot, that's always an option.

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[Common wisdom indicates that when you see a clown walking down the same sidewalk, you drop everything and run. Ted's seemingly planned for that escape, cornering when Roland has his arms full.]

Mr. President! Hah, what, your secret service had the day off? Here, let me help.

[He remembers their agreement about being informal, but the formality's funnier. He'll make a physical offer he can't refuse by reaching to take the box himself. Hey, he works out. He's got this.]

[At the formal greeting, Roland just shakes his head.]

I told you, it's just "Roland". It's not like my title means anything here.

[When Ted reaches for the box:]

I've got it, but thanks.

[But he lets Ted takes the box anyway, and stretches his now free arms behind his head as he walks.]

Let me know when you get tired, and I can carry it again.

Edited 2018-09-14 18:11 (UTC)

[He lets a small grunt as he hoists it into prime carrying condition.]

Do you insist on that very much? Your title is pleasing in ways other than pomp.

[It's funny for some reason, and he'll fight to the death to keep using it.]

All right. Tit for tat, will you tell me what you're carrying it for? My imagination is wanting for an explanation.

Only when people keep using it.

[He's starting to regret being so open with that.]

I'm moving into a new apartment, nothing special.

As you wish.

[He says with a slight pout. His manners just barely overtake his want for fun. You win this time, parenting. He seems to carry the box very lightly, or at least carries on conversing without a hitch. Is he in great shape, or something stranger?]

Aheh, good on you for remembering! It seems as though the Commons is never quite limpid about its evanescence. Was there no money for a van, or did you simply want the exercise?

[In which case he'd feel silly for imposing. Hopefully those ~~fake!~~ higgledies stay out of way. He's oblivious enough without carrying large boxes.]

[The Commons is never quite what about its what?]

That's a lot of five dollar words, even for me.

[And he says this as a politician that has cause to use big words himself.]

There wasn't enough to justify using a van. Besides, as you said, a little exercise won't hurt.

Haha, if only that were still the currency, eh?

[That gives Ted pause.]

..."Even for you"? How do you mean? I'd have thought a politician would need to use the words most common in the country to appeal most broadly. Isn't speaking like any man at hand the sine qua non of democracy? Not that I use words to mislead, mind.

[Being kind of a nerd in a world exclusively populated with aliens, he has less clue than usual which words are strange. Not to mention strange ones being very attractive to a weirdo like him.]

Haha, some exercise does. Swordsmanship can certainly smart; something I hear you partake in too. Does the grapevine tell true?

[i.e. he reads most people's network posts, including Rolands. He hefts the box a little.]

Ah. Just the one box then, or is there more where this came from?

[Big words have their place. Words like "declaration", "interdependence", and "preliminary". It's just that casual conversation is rarely that place.]

Okay, now you're doing it on purpose.

[He jolts a little when Ted guesses at his hobby. How did he know that? Still, there's not much point in denying it.]

Yes, that's right. But where did you hear that?

Hah, hey! None of those went beyond four letters. The Latin was lax.

[Sadly, Ted's conversation, like his dress, is rarely casual.]

Ah...in line at Pan's Grocery.

[One of many places he browses the network. Hey, he asked where...]

[Really? Even the "a little bird told me" line is less suspicious than that.]

Uh-huh. And who did you hear it from?

Yourself, of course! Sources don't get more primary.

And when did this happen? I don't remember telling you that. And I haven't even been in that store yet.

[With the Commonspace's food storage and cooking options being what they are, he's been eating a lot of restaurant food.]

You ought to; prices don't get more pleasing. It happened around ten a.m. or so. Of course, you didn't tell me directly.

[Roland sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. Getting a clear answer out of this guy is like pulling teeth; maybe Ted should be the politician here, with his question-dodging abilities.]

And what does that mean? Please, elaborate.

[His answers are perfectly clear! Just, you know. Very specific.]

Oh, well while I was waiting in line I browsed the network and heard you saying so. Hah, what other possibility could there be? Divine revelation?

[Specific to the point of being incomplete and basically useless.]

So you were eavesdropping.

What vile slander! No, certainly not. It wasn't private, else it would've been impossible to listen to whatsoever.

[To him if you have something sensitive to say, you lock it down on the network. That's just basic netiquette.]

[He shakes his head.]

It's still listening in to a conversation where you weren't invited, behind [(metaphorical)] locked doors or not.

[Still eavesdropping, even if it's a milder form because the conversation was in public. And why so cagey about it, if he doesn't think he did anything wrong?]

Hehe. Leave it to one of your office to be anxious over state secrets, eh?

[Sorry Roland he will never stop doing that. People are interesting, for one, and he's very interested in their characters for another. Who he can trust is an evergreen concern.]

But we digress. It's true, then? What sort do you prefer? Bastard? Rapier?

[He'll just have to be more careful about what he says over the network... but he'll accept the subject change.]

Longswords, sabers... the occasional katana.

[Roland holds out his right hand, and if Ted looks closely ~~over the box he's carrying~~ he can see a thick gold-colored ring on the middle finger of said hand, adorned with red, white, and blue cabochons. How patriotic!

With a flash of light, a fantastic longsword appears in Roland's hand, with a brownish-colored metallic handle and guard, and a blade that looks to be made of etched blue-green crystal. ~~It's like a sword from a JRPG or something....~~]

This is actually the worst sword I have on me.

[Roland lowers the sword, looking down at it in disappointment.]

Demi-goddesses just don't forge weapons like they used to, huh?

Edited (Silly Roland JRPG weapon stats aren't real) 2018-09-23 04:59 (UTC)

Hah, can't stay faithful to one, you fencing philand--

[Before he can finish impugning Roland's sword chastity, he's alerted to a coming light show. Alas, he's not much for looking closely at anything, but that won't stop his covetousness. An American ring that summons swords? Do they give those out in the swearing-in-ceremonies now? He wants one.

To observe better, he hoists the box above his head in an instant, eyes dilated in astonishment. Roland has summoned a class from one of Ted's favorite things: fantastic weaponry. He laughs when he caddishly insults it not a moment later, box still overhead with seemingly no strain.]

I, aheh, couldn't say. Well, if it's as shabby as all that, I remind that I've spent three years here, and received no birthday nor Christmas presents from you for any of them.

There isn't that much difference between them. It's not like I'm comparing greatswords and rapiers.

[Is Ted going to chastise him for using a saber on foot, too?]

Sorry, getting this sword was too much trouble to just give it away.

[With a laugh, he lets the sword disappear with another flash of light.]

I swear, she gave us more trouble than the dragon did.

[Wouldn't put it past him. Farewell, convenient magic crystal demigod-forged sword. May they meet again.]

Aha. I know a katana enthusiast that might enjoy contention about that breezy classification.

[They only have one edge! Can't understand the hype of them for Ted's life. He falls back into natural rhythm of toting the box to the apartment complex.]

What interesting things presidents have. And what interesting nouns you've dropped, too. Doubtless one day you'll stop teasing me and flesh them out.

Except I didn't get any of this stuff as President. ~~[He got it by being a JRPG PROTAGONIST!]~~

[With an amused shake of the head:]

If you want to hear stories, you only need to ask. Preferably while we're sitting down and comfortable.

Haha, no, I assumed so, else the first story I'd ask for is how America mutated into something strange enough to bestow them on you. How you brought republican virtue to a strange land is, I agree, something best saved for later. If it pleases you I'll hear all about your past once your present's more secure.

[He says, nosily regarding the box as he continues to chat strangely, if pleasantly, the rest of the way.]

Well, not quite. The country I helped found was still an absolute monarchy. If I'd been able to stick around a little longer, maybe I could have introduced a few more modern ideas.

[But yes, this is best saved for later. But surely they must be nearing the apartment by now?]>

You helped found that?

[Color a true-blue (and red and white) American like himself shocked!]

Goodness, Jefferson would have your head for aiding a government of "wolves" over sheep. They were truly fit for no other?

[Monarchist-hating Ted here, pleased to meet you. You filth. But yes, they round the corner and Ted asks where he'd like his meager possessions. He's got to here how a president decided it'd be fun and cool to set up what the founding fathers had tried to escape.]

"'When in Rome, do as the Romans do', right? My king wanted a kingdom. I didn't feel it was my place to suggest an alternative form of government at the time, after everything that had happened."

Welcome to Roland's apartment. He has no furniture, other than the refrigerator that came with the apartment, unless you count a folding table and chairs that he bought so he could sit and eat.

"Just put that anywhere."

And back to what they were talking about:

"Besides, I'm sure it's not as bad as you're thinking. That world had its own way of keeping kings in check."

And what became of Rome, eh?

[He settles the box down before helping himself to a folding chair. If Roland's as good a study of history as any president ought to be, Ted expects he'll know all about its fall.]

And "your king"? Goodness, I hope that's not as dire as it sounds.

"It's just a saying, it doesn't actually have anything to do with Rome. Kingdoms were the norm for that world, some yahoo that showed up out of nowhere, no matter what credentials he claimed to have, wasn't going to change that."

Roland shakes his head.

"Yes, my king. The king I was Chief Consul to." He introduced himself as a Chief Consul in the very beginning, Ted, keep up.

"I'm aware of the epigram, thank you."

[Try and be clever and they think you're an idiot. Story of his life.]

"What, couldn't mend their wayward ways by reading the Declaration of Independence? Well, suppose that raises the question: how'd you take up with them? Doesn't seem entirely intentional."

[And if he says "because I was bored", the folding chair will be weaponized.]

That's what happens when you fixate on details to the detriment of the general idea.

"I showed up in the middle of a coup and saved his life. He had nowhere to go after that, and certainly wouldn't have made it on his own. I was new to the world and had no idea how things worked there. I needed him as much as he needed me."

Would it make things better or worse to mention that this king was a child?

"Goodness; sounds too fated to be fortuitous. What made them mad enough to kill? Taxation without representation?"

[Mentioning the age wouldn't gotten more sympathy, yes.]

"The mastermind behind the coup was manipulated by a guy who was manipulated by a guy who wanted to use the kingsbond to resurrect his girlfriend. The king didn't actually do anything wrong."

What? It's the truth.

~~Aside from being a king he means~~

"...eh heh, all right, I see the error of the piecemeal way. It sounds like an interesting tale, if you've interest in telling all of it. I'll be happy to provide regalement one way if you'll do it the other."

[Translated from Tedese: He'll cook, now that he has an apartment with presumably an oven and things.]

"...What?"

Once Roland gets a translation, though, he's on board.

"Sure. I don't have much in the way of ingredients, though." It's basically just junk food (convenience store fare) and restaurant leftovers in there, maybe a loaf of bread. "Stolen" condiment packets. If Ted can actually make something decent (reheated leftovers don't count) from what he's got, Roland will consider him a miracle worker. As he said, he hasn't even set foot in the grocery store yet. Maybe they can pick up a frozen pizza or something.

Alas, Ted isn't holy enough for the miraculous. He does have that handy-dandy, void-infused bag to pull out whatever ingredients and tools he likes, and sets to work without skipping a beat.

"This will be a good way of compiling which utensils to buy, no doubt. Talk as you're able; cookery's become second nature enough to multitask easily."

So modest.

Bag of Holding. Neat. Roland can't help but be curious at what Ted is going to make now.

He goes over the plot of Ni no Kuni 2, only hitting the broad strokes unless Ted asks for details. Also he'll just conveniently leave Chapter 7 out because he doesn't want him knowing about his Totally Awesome Espionage Skills yet.

And when he's done....

"So the kingmakers keep the kings in check. If the people lose faith in their leader, the kingsbond will weaken. When it weakens enough, the kingmaker will come to judge the king." He gives a chuckle. "Sort of like getting impeached, I guess."

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Action in Genessia

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