genessia | 1st Chapter | Action/Video

Entry tags:

1st Chapter | Action/Video

[Action]

[For a good three hours the new arrival sat frozen, not far from where he woke, too scared to move. This must have been a dream, and maybe if he refused to react to it, he'd finally wake up, back in his own room, where it was safe and the closest thing to reality shifting was the video games he played. That's how it worked, right?

It wasn't working.

After some pathetic sounds that sounded close to sobs, a fit where he outright panicked and shouted for his friends (or anyone) later, Mikoto steeled himself and stood up, gripping onto the folder like it was a lifeline.

He took two steps before he sat back down and retreated within himself again. Yeah, no, he's not going anywhere.

Still... He played with the videophone in his hand a little. At least one thing made some sense in this place. It wasn't too different from his phone back home. After some hesitation, he turned it on, his face barely visible and eyes averted to the ground.]

My name is Mikoto Mikoshiba and I need a job.

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[Performing. As in being the focus of a group of people, letting their eyes bore into him for any duration of time?

No way forget he said anything. Why did he say that.]

Isn't there anything that's not that?

If you want to spend time with me that badly, I guess I'll humor you and let you show me.

I'm doing this because you asked how to find a job, not out of personal interest.

[ Can she talk to a guy once without getting this weird arrogant flirting? It would be refreshing... Even so, she said she'd do this and so she will. ]

By the way, I did not introduce myself yet. I'm Augusta, it's nice to meet you.

There is a multitude of jobs you can take, so don't concern yourself too much. My shift at my own job is just over, so I can come and guide you. You're still at your place of arrival, right?

[He goes quiet. Normally, his target(s) would be squealing by now. What error had he made? Why this reaction?

Unless... He understands now! She's the intelligent type! She'll act practical and matter-of-fact about everything, but that's just to hide her vulnerabilities. He has to go with a different approach.

Feeling slightly more secure than before, he lowers his eyes, smile almost shy.]

I am. If it's not too much trouble for you. I'll trust you and put myself in your capable hands.

[ Seriously, what's with these turns in mood? Humble flattery seems to be the mood now and not like that's bad in itself, but also... why?
Augusta shrugs to herself faintly. ]

I will be over shortly, it's not far from here.

[ She takes a moment too long to disconnect the video for someone entirely accustomed to technology. In any case, it will take about 12 minutes for her to arrive at the bay. ]

Okay. Whatever.

[That gives him some time to prepare himself. Unfortunately, he only ends up dwelling on the issue, which freaks him out even more. He was already in a brand new place he didn't want to be in, and now he was meeting a complete stranger. A completely intelligent, beautiful stranger. It's too much for him to process.

By the time she arrives, he's tried hiding, hoping maybe she forgot why she came here and will head out on her own. Or, barring that, she'll find it to be too much effort and give up.

However, he hasn't managed to find a decent hiding spot.]

[ She's not really sure what to expect anymore by the time she arrives, but somehow it's still not this. Hiding of all things. Well, if you can call it hiding when he's still easy enough to spot.

She raises her hand to her mouth and coughs, announcing her presence. ]

[He physically jumps when he hears her cough, turning around and fixing his hair before flashing her a smile.]

H...Hi.

You're even more beautiful in person! Fate must have brought us two beautiful people together! [He blurts out, hiding his face as soon as the words leave his mouth.]

[ This? This is a moment of absolute silence. There are no crickets nearby to fill it with their chirping.

Is this person 5 character types rolled into one or...? ]

Thank you.

[ Accompanied by a vague polite smile, at least. ]

You don't have to make an effort to be charming if it's embarrassing you though.

[That's even worse. Mikoshiba is aware that he isn't a subtle person and is fairly easy to read, but he likes to pretend otherwise. For her to pick up on his embarrassment and then point it out... It's humiliating. He buries his face in his hands, making a few non-verbal sounds, unable to speak right now. It's only a determination to prove her wrong that has him looking back up.]

Don't be an idiot, I'm not embarrassed! Not at all!

[ She just raises an eyebrow briefly, but in the end, she accepts that he doesn't want to talk about this. Whatever kind of problem 'this' even is. Augusta gives a nod. ]

I must have read the mood wrong then.

[ He's reminding her more and more of her female friends rather than the men she knows - which happen to be mostly confident noblemen, so somewhat hard to compare against anyway. ]

Shall we get going?

That's right! You totally read the mood wrong! [He smirks as if Augusta hadn't just let him win.] Remember that in the future.

Oh! Uhm... [But leaving this place means even more unfamiliar things and while their current location is anything but familiar, at least he's more accustomed to it than everything else.] Why don't we just stay here?

[ .......because you called me here to lead you out.

It's what she thinks and then doesn't end up saying, because using forward reason seems a lost cause anyway. Augusta tilts her head, sighing softly. ]

Is there anything here that you still need to do?

Besides spending today with you?

[He lowers his voice, smiling. If roses could bloom around him, they would be right about now, but he doesn't have that ability so he just settles for his own theatrics.]

...Not really, no.

[ If she was the protag, maybe this would count as a special event, but as an older-sister-type rival character, Augusta remains entirely unaffected by the rose special attack. ]

I can imagine better places for that than the Bay, truthfully.

[ When did this become a weird kind of date anyway. ]

Really?

All right. Before we go, I need the details about these places. What are they, what I can expect them to be like, is there anything there that you found shocking at first, and anything else you can think of. [He folds his arms, completely serious about this.]

Well, if you ask this way, it gets a little complicated because the things I may consider 'shocking' might not be all that shocking to you. Considering we're all dragged here from different places and times, we have different standards, too. I'm from the 1930s so the technology here was a little startling.

[ She shrugs. By now, it's not half as confusing as it was in the beginning at least. But this is probably not the kind of shocking he was referring to at all. ]

Does a café sound shocking to you? There is one I know fairly well because a friend is working there. It can get busy, but it's normally not crowded.

If that sounds acceptable to you, let's go there and talk over what Genessia is like in general before I show you the Employment Center.

You're from the 1930s?

I see. No wonder you have such an elegant appeal.

[His words trail off. He just wishes his mouth would stop sometimes. He barely registers most of what she says, but he picks up on the "cafe", and looks cautiously hopeful.]

Cafés are pretty good. [Secretly, he's grateful she mentions it isn't crowded, whether she picks up on his own hesitancy or doesn't prefer them herself.]

[ She gives a smile at the agreement. That's one step forward at least. ]

It's just a few streets over, so we'll make it there fast.

[ She almost feels compelled to add something encouraging like 'you can do it', but that seems a little out of place for someone your age. Just a little. Instead, she motions for him to follow her out before he can change his mind again. ]

I'm not in a rush! [Yes he is. If only he could get over his nervousness, but he has to look over his shoulder a few times, then back at Augusta, before he starts to follow her, keeping himself at a yard's distance.]

[ She can understand unease about big cities, honestly, although unease does not naturally translate into any kind of anxiety for her. It's lucky that as a noble daughter, making pleasant conversation has been kind of ingrained into her no matter her own preferences. As they go, Augusta makes sure to drop a few helpful comments about shops and other locations they pass.

Honestly, she is relieved by the time they stand in front of Cat's Eye Café though. The kitty-shaped sign seems like a friendly greeting. ]

It's this one.

[Mikoshiba responds at all the right times, seeming to be cheerfully at ease if one doesn't look at him too closely and notice the tense way he carries himself. Regardless of his own anxiety, he's grateful for the conversation. It keeps his mind off of, well, everything.

Oh no. The café is adorable. No one said it would be cute. He stares at the sign, feeling a little better about walking in.]

This place looks really nice!

[Because cute places always are.]

[ It's good to see him brighten up for real. Augusta is honestly relieved that this didn't turn out to be a bad choice after all, with the unpredictability of how this encounter is going. ]

It's my favourite place to go when I'm in the main city rather than the one I live in.

[ .... and it's convenient because her housemate and only person from home works here.

Augusta enters and instantly sets her sights on a table in the corner by the window. ]

[He still has a hard time wrapping his head around traveling to different cities as if it were nothing. It wasn't difficult to back home, but it was probably still more of a hassle, and not something he really did.]

You don't live in this city?

[He follows her to the table. It's nice, safe, and secluded, so it's a good choice.]

No, I live in Attleton. It's a bit more old-fashioned than Genessia, so I find it more comfortable. I'm not so fond of big cities either though.

[ She sits down across from him, still smiling faintly. ]

But considering I work at Genessia Hospital, I still come here every day.

Me neither. I didn't grow up in a very big city so I'm not used to them.

[He seems to catch himself while he sits down.] Not used to not being the center of every girl's attention, that is. There's too much competition in bigger cities. I know, against me, the outcome is certain, but I still feel bad about it.

Wow, that's incredible! What do you do there? [He's impressed. Hospitals are intense.]

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[action] maximal delay, i am so sorry >w>

[action] no worries!

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