action; genessia city

[soru]

[ honestly, waking up in a tin bowl in the middle of a cave puddle isn't the strangest thing that's happened to coby in his lifetime. it is, perhaps, noteworthy at best.

thank goodness for miss schnee, or he'd have to deal with a bigger headache than he already has. ]

a. side streets make for good shortcuts, right?

[ wrong. it ought to have been obvious from the get-go that trying to bypass the distance from point A to point B would be impossible in a strange city. look where it lands zoro, half the time.

embarrassing as heck, to be frank.

at least he's impossible to miss, what with the big white coat and, yes, painfully pink hair. please help him. look at him, staring at his map in growing consternation. don't leave a bro hanging. ]


b. the shrine

[ at least, of all the places he could have possibly wound up, the area around the shrine is remarkably peaceful. a little quiet to collect his thought would be appreciated. time to digest, time to cope, time to convince himself that hysterics were definitely not the answer anyone needed right now.

let's... let's just take a seat over here, why don't we. that's fine, nice and easy.

everything's fine. life is perfect. (no it isn't.) ]

Comments

A

[enchantressofore]

[ Oooooooh she knows that look.

That is an 'I have NO IDEA where I am' look. Probably like the one Adela herself wore when she first arrived in Genessia. It doesn't take long for the red head to wheel over, and when she's next to him she'll clear her throat. ]

Pardon me... Are you all right?

B

[ironforged]

[this isn't the right place. Joseph is sure. Why were these streets so confusing? He looks at the map, up at the shrine, turns the map around and then sighs and folds it clumsily. Things had been so much easier to navigate in the mists.

Fortunately there seems to be someone sitting nearby back to him, looking very Japanese he can't help but think, dryly as hell, but nevermind that. Including the shock of pink hair just above the coat.

It was kind of a cute fashion and he was caught between approval and annoyance]

Excuse me, miss?

[soru]

[ some small part of him, the part that remains a small, soft child with glasses too big for his face, gibbers and squeaks out a litany of no no no i sure am not all right i am not all right in the least whATEVER GIVES YOU THAT IDEA MA'AM.

maybe a little of it shows, when he turns to face this new acquaintance. just a little.

it's hard being a tourist. ]

Oh, hello! I'm fine, just fine. [ no. ]

I, ah. Believe that the worst I am right now is merely lost.

[enchantressofore]

Ah... I know how that is.

[ She nods in her understanding and sits up a little more. ]

Where are you headed? Perhaps I could show you the way.

[soru]

[ he's doing much the same thing: turning his map around and over, as if the grid puzzle will solve itself if he just looked at it from a different angle. it's too bad that grids pretty much look the same horizontally as they do vertically.

so when he's hailed, he doesn't really take much notice of it. dude's probably calling for someone else.

who'd mistake a radish like him for a girl, anyway? preposterous. ]

[ironforged]

[obviously she hadn't heard. He notices she seems to be turning the map around as well. Is she new too? Well maybe they could help each other out. He comes up behind her, hand absently on the black hilted sword hanging from his belt. Then he hesitates a moment before tapping her on the shoulder]

Miss?

If you have a moment...?

[soru]

The housing blocks. Here--

[ leaning down, he brandishes the pamphlet, tapping at a passage on one of the pages. ]

I thought I'd get myself established before familiarizing myself with the city. Though, by the looks of it, I think I've gotten my priorities turned around.

[soru]

[ to both their credit, the guy doesn't necessarily take coby by surprise.

to both their detriment, he hasn't cottoned on just yet. ]

Hello?

[ and to joseph's utter misfortune, coby's voice hasn't quite broken through the barrier of 'endearingly young' to 'proper and adult-like'. ]

Can I help you?

[enchantressofore]

Hm...

[ She's going to look around to the nearest corner, squinting to read the road signs. When she sees the letters and numbers she nods, then points out a spot on the map. When she starts speaking again, she'll move her finger for a more visual guide. ]

This is where we are right now, so if you go north for (x) blocks and then east (x) blocks, you should find it without issue.

[ironforged]

[Ah.. cute..]

I like your bandanna...

[no. Stupid thing to say. Stupid. He clears his throat, ears going red]

You looked like you needed help.

[he hopes that he can...]

[soru]

[ oh.

this earns him an almost instant smile, preceded only by a beat of pleasant surprise. ]

Thank you.

[ first impression: okay. there's still something Off about the whole interaction, and he's about got his finger on the point of it, but-- ]

I'm just trying to get my bearings. This city is bigger than the maps suggest. You wouldn't happen to be a convenient local, would you?

[ironforged]

[ah...cuter...]

Um... [don't lie. don't lie. that'll only get you deeper]

I'm convenient?

[...not the best save but]

What are you looking for? [hands nervously in pockets as he rocks back on his heels]

[soru]

[ the urge to blurt inane questions like 'which way is north' and 'is this actually a level of purgatory' is strong, but passes blessedly quick.

stay on topic, kiddo. ]

Thank you! I thought I'd never get along in time, at the rate I was going.

[ it comes out an explosive sigh, all earnest gratitude and clasped hands. ]

My name is Coby, miss. If there's anything you need, please, let me know.

[enchantressofore]

[ Such a bright smile! She can't help meeting it with her own, nodding to Coby after a moment. ]

Mine is Adela, and think nothing of it. A lot of us -- those wearing these necklaces -- were in the same state coming here.

[ She'll indicate her own, which has a green gem as the largest. ]

[soru]

[ he'll take the opportunity to twist around in his seat, abandoning the map for now to display the welcoming pamphlet. ]

The Schnee Company Welcoming and Travel Services, see here? On Oak and 16th.

[ boy, if you've made it to the shrine, you passed by that place a long time ago. ain't no helping that ]

It's the best place I can think of going right now. A little extra information could go a long way, right?

[soru]

If you don't mind my asking, how many does 'a lot' constitute as?

[ it's unnerving, having this new reality enforced. denial could only hold on for so long, but even that had its own comfort. ]

You're the first person I've seen so far with that.

[enchantressofore]

I... Honestly could not tell you a number, only that you will probably run into more people wearing them in some form soon enough. Most of who I talk to has one.

[ironforged]

Oh you're a boy...

[the words are out of Joseph's mouth before he can stop them and the flush spreads from his ears down his neck. Of course he could be an extremely flat-chested girl but the glance was enough to really suggest otherwise. He coughs and takes the map to hide his face behind]

Yeah... always great. Let me j-just... look at this for a second. [his fingers aren't shaking a little shut up. Maybe he'll get lucky and the ground will swallow him whole.]

A

[justicereigns]

[Pink hair, marine jacket... = ?]

Hina?

[No wait, too short? He can't tell from the back, after all, to Smoker, everyone under the Admiral and shichibukai heights is short.]

[soru]

[ hina? as in rear-admiral hina? naturally, it could be a coincidence but--

but it's the spark of familiarity at the voice that says it that has coby stopping in his tracks. what, is that hope sparking to life there? nonsense. ]

I'm afraid I'm not that admirable a personage, sir.

1/2

[soru]

Of course, what else--

[ now he stops, letting the pamphlet pass out of his hands. his eyes shift from joseph's hands to his face, from the set of his mouth to the impressive flush currently ruining the poor guy's life.

now wait a cotton-picking minute.

his reaction now, combined with earlier--



oh. ]

[justicereigns]

[Snorts a quiet laugh.]

If you think she's admirable, you're way too green yet, officer.

What post are you supposed to be at? Ship or base?

[soru]

[ oh ]

Wait, you thought--

[ oh.

well shit ]

[ironforged]

[shit]

S-sorry about that. [wanting to die. Wanting to die] You looked cute from the back.

[not helping not helping. He can't even see the map now. Why won't the mists come take him already?!]

[soru]

[ not necessarily a reassuring thing to hear. he knows he's not the first, but 'more' means, if not an influx of arrivals like himself, a settled population. 'more' suggests that this population isn't moving any time soon.

but it's time to play the grateful tourist for now. let's focus on that, first. ]

I see. It's a relief, I have to say. I was afraid that the number of people like me was going to be small.