genessia | Open Log

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Who: Max and YOU
What: Max moving all around the five cities. He'll find you or vice versa.
When: 09/01/2017 - 09/07/2017
Where: All over - Add the desired location in the subject bar
Warnings: Max? Yes, Max. He deserves his own warning. IE: strong language and crass behavior.
Notes: You can do a starter or just tag with a blank comment with a location and date in the subject line and I'll craft a personal starter for us.

Max began his day like he'd gotten into the habit of doing. Breakfast in the Bright Sky Diner. Sure, there were always people here but that was fine. People didn't pay him much attention. He walked in, got seated at a booth, and order his coffee and breakfast. He laid one of the books he'd gotten from Cassian 1 on the table and started reading. This week's reading material were on selkies. The Irish folklore books were interesting. He was pretty sure these things weren't real in his world but he had no idea about Genessia. Might as well read up in case it was needed.

Well that and this book had painted pictures of boobies in it. It was a win-win. When the waitress came back, he told her to leave the pot of coffee and poured himself a cup. He drank it black, like every morning. Once he was done, he saved his place with a bookmark and made his way through the cities. His pendant let him travel so why not? He wanted to explore and see just what this place had to offer. That was, when he could get inside a building. Some places didn't let kids in through the door. Maybe he needed a fake ID. Oh well.

He moved from place to place, sometimes just finding a place to sit and read more of his book of the week. Other times he would go somewhere just to be a little shit; start a food fight in the university cafeteria. fling nuts at sleeping people in the parks, trip people going by on roller blades with a stick, or whatever else he felt like. This place wasn't bad but he had to admit to himself, he was bored here. He didn't miss Camp Campbell but he think about the place in an almost fond way sometimes. He'd never say it out loud and especially not to David. Still, the thoughts were there.

He needed something fun to do. Hopefully he could find it in one of these cities.

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Helgi spotted the kid with his coffee and that made him raise an eyebrow, and then he saw the book the kid was reading, and that made him raise both eyebrows. Maybe he should leve the kid to be a grump, but going from an over crowded house an hours drive from work to the middle of of a city of thousands had left him lonely.

So he ordered his drink and sat down opposite Max to wait for it.

"Morning Max." He said, his tail wagging.

Max was sipping his coffee when Helgi sat down across from him. He raised an eyebrow at the greeting. His green eyes flicked from the fox's face to the wagging tail and back. He sighed after he swallowed his coffee.

"What's got you so happy this morning?"

[Helgi shrugged.]

Just liking how easily I can just walk into places and order stuff here. And someone accepted me as a roommate so I can really think about what job to get.

What I want to know is how can you drink that stuff black?

Not too far outside the cafe was another bored kid, using a sling shot to knock empty coffee cups off the rim of a trash can. Link didn't go anywhere without his sword and shield which probably didn't make him look overly inviting. But, he was bored, homesick, and lonely, a dangerous trifecta in a ten-year-old.

Speaking of bored ten year olds...

Louise alternated from things to do in Genessia: she hung out with Pidge, or was at the orphanage, and, of course, there was the whole thing of self preservation with eating. All in all? She was no less bored than a ten year old would be in a place that seemed to stay the same if you minded your p's and q's, which Louise DID, for the time being. It was hard to want to do anything you pleased when your family was gone and you actually cared about them.

In any case, Louise wanders toward the cafe and spotted Link, firing his slingshot at empty cans. Obviously, she was aghast.

"You have a weapon that can shoot things at people from a distance and you're using it on CANS?! Jesus Christ, what is HAPPENING to us kids here? This place is making us SO BORING!"

Link looked up and saw a girl in a pink bunny hood. It was just close enough to being familiar that he smiled a little.

"I'm not gonna shoot anyone unless they deserve it. So far I haven't met anyone who needed it."

That would definitely have piqued Louise's interest.

"Whoa, hey, hey, we're not going to just shoot at random! I mean, that'll just attract unwanted attention. Also, you have to be good enough that you don't get caught."

She eyeballed his outfit. "Which I imagine is probably hard to do when you look like a pint sized robin hood."

"I'm good. Between this and my sword I was able to kill the giant bug monster that killed my dad."

Adoptive tree-father, but, details.

"Uh. I don't know who that is...and this is how all the Kokiri dress. I'm Link."

"Man. That is an intense backstory. I'm going to assuming you're not lying about it, so wow."

Louise was really going to have to start keeping tabs on all of these people here.

"Some guy that's famous from stealing for the rich and giving to the poor. Which bring us to US. Tell me Link, how financially set are you in Genessia?"

"Nope, not lying. ...kinda wish I was..." Link shrugged, putting the slingshot into his belt.

"Just the allowance they give me. I can get a little extra if grownups let me go along on those bounties, but, not everyone thinks it's safe or something. People back home worry a lot less about kids."

"Yeah, I would be too. I mean, between you and me, my family's pretty hopeless without me, but I kinda need them around. The law and all of that."

She loved them and missed them, but she sure wasn't going to go telling random strangers about emotions she barely discussed about WITH her own family.

"See, that's what I'm talking about. Now, my world sucks about giving kids money too, because of child labor laws and crap like that. But doesn't it suck having to rely on adults for stuff that you want? Oh sure, they're nice enough, but it would be boss to have our own cash and go wherever we want, don't you think?"

Note to self: NEVER use "boss" as slang again. Just say bad ass: cursing demands respect.

"If I had a lot of money, the first thing I'd do would be open a Bombchu Bowling Alley. Because, there is like---nothing fun to do around here."

Link had been less than impressed with video games. Moving pictures you controlled? Dull. He preferred doing real things and playing real games.

"Any ideas for getting rich quick?"

"You're telling ME. It's one thing to make a whole orphanage for us, but in terms of entertainment? It's severely lacking."

Louise could certainly play video games, sure, but she was not the type to let them dictate her life. Louise was a go-getter.

"Oh, well, if we're talking REALLY quick? Best two ways are either pick pocketing, one that definitely isn't high on my list. Not because I have a problem with stealing, but its Genessia, and the last thing we want are the authorities breathing down our back. I mean, getting a bad reputation is bad when you don't have things to begin with. No, I'd say our best bet would be gambling. We might even have to leave Genessia for that if there's no decent black market. God, sometimes being a kid sucks."

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Max finally chimed in. Had he been eavesdropping for a while now? Yes, yes he had. He walked around the corner and closed his selkie book. Slipping it under his arm, he approached the two other kids. Listening to them had gone from somewhat entertaining to painful. He sighed and looked at the two of them.

"You're wrong, Louise. The fastest way to make money is to start your own underground gambling ring. Trust me. I won a bully's stolen lunch money with an illegal Craps ring. It's super easy and low risk with the right dice and a bodyguard. Fortunately for you two, I know just how to get both." Max said.

"If you two really wanna do this, you're going to need me."

Edited 2017-09-03 22:50 (UTC)

"That was what I said!" Well, not completely. "You know I don't care about this place enough to know if there was an underground yet!"

But whatever, if he had those things at his disposal, it hardly mattered, right?

"Sure, ok. As long as there's a payoff, why don't we team up?"

"Okay," Link shrugged. Why not? Until he could get back home to Hyrule and Zelda and Navi, he had no reason not to.

"Perfect. We'll split the profits 33% for each of you and 34% for me. I did bring this team together, I get the leftover. Now, we need dice, a place to set this up, and someone to start rumors to spread the word. Link, you got weapons. You're gonna work security, alright? Someone tries anything funny, you throw them out. Louise, you're gonna be management. I need you watching for cheaters. I'll be the roller for the Craps games. I know how to switch out cheat and non-cheat dice really easily. If this works out, we'll have enough money to buy any arcades and fun anyone could ever want," Max said with a smirk.

Finally, something exciting.

Louise thought about this a moment. She was usually the one making the plans, giving out the details, and what was that about the extra percent?

But at the same time? The kid could curse, he was savvy and, truth be told, being in an orphanage and getting a wage granted to her was BORING. This was exactly what she needed, and honestly? She would have appointed herself as manager anyway. The kid may have usurped her (for now) but maybe that was just because she was so used to having to be the only one competent enough to make the plans.

"I can do that. Can probably even get the word out too. We might even want to work the arcade, if it's not too full of loose lips."

"Actually, you joined us. I vote we put the leftover back into funds we'll need for this."

Link tapped the toe of his right boot against the heel of his left. While, yes, he'd had a Tree for an adoptive father, he'd also been raised by a tribe of eternal twelve-year-olds. He knew better than to just take orders.

"I'm fine with being security, but, I'm not gonna hurt anyone unless they have a weapon."

See, this is how Louise knew she liked this kid. She had held off on retorting on Max (you don't poop on a prospect, not until you have the cards exactly where you needed them), but Link reminded Max that this was a group effort, and that it had to stay that way.

This is what Louise lived for. If Max had the way and Link had the brawn? Louise had the networking bridge it all.

"That 1 percent will come in handy in case something happens. This place is not as predictable as the dumps back home, they probably have security looking to break things up if its iffy. So for now, we hold onto a fair share. We need to see what potential the plan has first, or we blow our load on one venture and land our asses in hot water. I don't know about you guys, but Genessia should start at the base for now."

Ok, back to the boy.

"Hey, hey, no one is saying we have to HURT anyone, not yet. But betting attracts seedy people, and sometimes they can be unpredictable. We're just making sure all our patrons feel safe. That's a good thing."

Max hummed. Link had a good point but Max wanted that extra money. Still, it looked like it was two against three. He wasn't about to push them both out. They would just rat him out and it would be for nothing. He nodded and shrugged.

"Sure. The extra one percent goes into a just in case nest egg and for supplies. Works for me. You don't have to hurt anyone. Just scare the shitty ones off with a flash of a sword or something. And only fight them when they step out of line." Max explained and smiled.

"This is going to be fun. Where are we going to set this up? Inside one of the city arcades? That might work. We can hide the table in one of the pinball machines or something. No telling any of the adults you know about this either. We can't trust adults to not try and stop us."

"Okay."

Link nodded. "Don't worry about that...I don't really know anyone well enough to talk to 'em."

At least that'd been his own experience.

"Pfft, like I'm telling any adults? They'd want to regulate and tax us, or worse, take the idea for themselves! Nah, we take the cut, we work quick, and we leave when the getting's good. Just have to figure out the peak times, run it then, and move out when things wind down. We can get that money and I'll still pocket the chump change they give me at the orphanage."

If they eventually had enough, Louise could move out the orphanage- no point in keeping funds some poor sap stuck here might need.

"So that part is settled, next we have to decide what's our attraction. What do we make them bet on?"

It's in Attleton that David finds Max, and he's pleasantly surprised to see the little guy with a book. He didn't know Max was the reading type - and even if he isn't normally, it's always a pleasure to see a camper looking to expand his knowledge or imagination! He's as happy as ever as he strolls over, one arm raised in an overenthusiastic wave.

"Goooooooooood morning, Max! Hey, what are you reading?"

"I just can't escape you, can I?" Max asked himself.

Why? Why, of all people, did David have to find him? It was because he was thinking about Camp Campbell, wasn't it? He knew he shouldn't have done that. He sighed as he slipped his bookmark between the pages. Just in case he needed to close the book. He looked up at the camp counselor and then back at the book. He wanted to know? He turned the book around to show a crying woman and a man holding a seal skin.

"I'm reading about magical beings you can enslave forever if you steal their skin."

"Sure can't, good buddy!"

He even goes so far as to start moving to take a seat next to the young camper(?), though he hesitates as he sees the subject matter that Max is reading about.

"That's... that's interesting. I guess. It's good that you're becoming more... cultured?"

Bright side, always look on the bright side.

In Attleton, Aya was sweeping in front of his shop, where a gaggle of girls were gathered (the usual crowd...), when he noticed Max pass by. He didn't think very much of the kid passing by with a book in hand, so he continued to sweep. That was until one of the girls bumped into Max, not seeing him due to his height. Aya was not pleased by that.

"Hey, watch what you're doing," he said with a raised voice, which captivated all of their attention, and ire as he glared at them. "I've told you countless times, and now you'll have to buy something or stop loitering and leave!" With that warning in mind, about a good chunk of them pouted and left, while a few actually came inside to buy something. It didn't matter what world he was in, they always gathered in front of his shop, and he couldn't figure out why.

Max was just trying to walk and enjoy his book. Of course that would be interrupted by someone bumping into him. He'd even tried to side step and avoid but no. That didn't work. He grunted and dropped his book. He sighed and picked it up as the girls either left or went inside. He dusted off the cover and flipped through the book to find his place. Once that was done, he put his bookmark in place and looked up at the man.

"Do they always show up and stare ate you like that?" Max asked.

Aya sighed softly, holding the broom upright in one hand.

"Unfortunately, yes." He'll need to crack down on this problem, and be wholly justified in doing so. "Are you alright?" He noticed the youth looking for their place in the book they dropped. "If you need a place to read, we have a garden to sit in." Aya gestured with his head to his shop behind him.

Crossing from city to city, he's likely to find Emerald carrying around what looks like some kind of old wooden box with ancient symbols on it. Very spooky. It looks like it probably came from Everglade, and she's heading toward Nova City.

And she spots Max and gives him a quick wave- quick because the box kind of rattles and makes a hissing noise when it gets off of balance from her letting go of the bottom. Whoops. Look, sometimes being a productive member of society means not asking what's inside the box-- but sometimes it's also not hard to figure out based on the snake-like pictographs between the weird symbols.

Max, however, wasn't a productive member of society. He was a kid and kids did nothing productive. He did spot Emerald and the box. He walked toward her when he saw the wave and the box move as if whatever was inside was pissed off. It reminded him of the Camp Campbell mascot. He kinda missed that pissed off platypus. It would be cook to have it here in this city. Oh well. He eyed the box before he looked at Emerald.

"So, are you illegally transporting dangerous animals now?"

"It's not illegal."

She was the first one to open up a cross-archway business so there weren't any laws against it really.

"And it might be dangerous, it might not. I charge out the ass for people not to tell me what's in the box. Though this might be a demon of some kind from the sounds."

If Max looks closely, he can see some faintly purple glowing eyes within the box's air holes, but since there's not a lot of light otherwise it's hard to tell what's actually in there. Productive may not be the right word for Emerald so much as destructive-enabling. She doesn't seem very bothered by it.

Edited 2017-09-03 23:19 (UTC)

"Huh," Max did notice the eyes but there was something else about this that interested him, the money. She was making buckets of money, huh? Maybe he could get in that.

"Do you ever need help? Cut me in and I can carry a small box or two in my hoodie," He said with a nod. Why not get involved in a shady and possibly illegal smuggling ring at the age of ten? It wasn't like anyone gave a shit about him anyhow.

"No one frisks kids."

Emerald thought about it for a moment. Did she need Max? No, probably not. But she could get more deliveries done with an extra hand, and he's right that no one frisks kids. There'd be public outcry. Not that she couldn't avoid a frisk if she really needed to, but he was easily the least obnoxious person she knew next to Mercury.

It would probably piss all the right people off too, and it's not like Emerald really worried about a kid getting hurt. Emerald shrugged and held out her hand.

"I guess, but you're going to need to learn to use a weapon. People constantly think they can overpower someone my size."

They don't usually make that mistake twice with her, but Max... doesn't look like he could fire a gun without the recoil smacking him in the face or dislocating his shoulder.

Max swallowed at the mention of a weapon. He had a bit of a flashback to that day out with Chara. He remembered how easily they said they were going to go and kill someone. He remembered how they put the dagger in his hand. He coughed and looked to his left for a second. Okay. It's okay, Max.

"I kinda have someone teaching me to use a knife by they're a bit hard core. Could you teach me to use one too? Just, you know. Without asking me to stab random people?" He asked quickly. That wasn't too big a request, right?

Who had traumatized this kid to the point that he needed to ask to make sure he didn't have to kill someone? Emerald quirked an eyebrow at that, but shrugged. It didn't really bother her- she was a murderer herself, and not much better a person, but she wasn't interested in making Max into one. She was trying to be better too, for her own reasons.

"Murder is kind of a good excuse for the cops to arrest you. I'm not interested in being responsible for either of us getting into that problem. I was thinking more along the lines of not getting captured by some cult all about sacrificing virgins or anti-human robots."

Which to be fair would be a danger whether he was delivering or not. People are kinda screwy. It'd probably be better for him anyway whenever the barriers got screwed over again if he learned how to fight, and Emerald wouldn't have to deal with Mercury making fun of her for protecting a kid if she ran into him.

That actually got a smile out of Max. Fighting a crazy cultist like Daniel or some anti-human robots like Neil 2.0 was something he could get behind. They were either fucked up and evil or just a robot. Who cared if he had to stab someone like that? It was better than the idea of going somewhere and just stabbing someone for no reason. Yeah. This made him feel a lot better.

"Sure. That works for me. Hows about I shadow you on this delivery and see how it's done? Then you can train me from the ground up. Weapons and all. Sound fair?"

"Sure. This one should be pretty straight-forward. I think it's just some rare pet collector who's probably in way over his head. We'll probably hear about it in the paper sooner or later."

A lot of what she brought over was just boring stuff. Fruit from the farmers market in Attleton to a restaurant in Nova City, medicine from Genessia City to Fayren, things like that. It was always better to get things like this though, because as long as it got delivered and no messes were made, the pay was way better.

"Start thinking about what kind of weapon you want."

Someone else is in the habit of wandering, but just throughout Genessia City, for now. Shinjiro was finding, more and more, that he missed his own city and the streets he had been forced to know. Here, he felt far better when he was learning how this new place worked. It made him feel less ... untethered.

This is the first time he'd seen a young kid wandering around by himself. At first, he started trailing him out of habit. Usually, when kids got lost, they eventually got picked up by a police officer in the best case - which is when Shinjiro would gracefully exit - or they'd get harassed by someone - which is when Shinjiro would break legs. On the chance the kid was a runaway, if the boy ran from police, he felt he could talk a little sense into the guy. "Don't turn into me."

Reason, though, soon came to Shinjiro. This kid wasn't a runaway. He wasn't lost. The kid was like him, insofar as he'd been snatched from his own world and dumped here. There was no place for the guy to go to, really, besides whatever place that Genessia set up for children. There were no parents to claim him, or friends at an orphanage to worry about him.

He still worried, however, and still discretely tailed the guy. (Tried to be discrete, anyway. Guy tailing a kid? He knew what that looked like.) The boy could still run into people who ... wouldn't be good. And Shinjiro could still break those asshole's faces, letting this kid escape to safety.

But he didn't know what to do, anymore, now that the script he knew was broken. Yet again.

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I hope three is ok?

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FINALLY JOINING IN

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Attleton: Sept 1

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9/2 - Genessia City