A Rocky Start

[chainjailer]

Who: Kurapika and YOU!
When: Post-event
Where: A lolita cafe somewhere, the ceres gym, and around
What: Kurapika throwing pasta at an NPC, breaking things, and checking out Cerealia
Rating/Warning: Gluten (aka none so far)

a; at the cafe
[When Kurapika had first been giving CereVice and with it his first set of job suggestions, he'd simply picked from them. Not quite aware of what his other options were just yet, and wanting to make sure he would have a source of income right off the bat, Kurapika had to make a decision. He picked what seemed to not only be the best paying of the three, but the most likely to give him information. Eavesdropping was as viable method as any. That had been his assumption as the time.

It was a little less so when he has to spend several hours a couple days a week wearing this and having to deal with irritating customers all day. Whether it was complaints, stupid questions, or flirting, Kurapika could feel his tolerance ebb away bit by bit until he finally took the plate of pasta he had in-hand and threw it in someone's face.

Straightening up with his hand balled into a fist--and the customer understandably shocked--Kurapika gritted his teeth as he spoke.] I've heard it's customary to spit in the food of a rude customer, but I felt this was far more effective and less disgusting.

[Kurapika glances over his shoulder. Everyone's staring now... Flicking some sauce off of his hands, he turns and walks away to continue on with his job.

He might even be waiting your table next!]

b; ceres gymnasium
[After a long day of work and what felt like an even longer session of being reprimanded from his manager (who obviously didn't know what they were talking about), Kurapika headed back into the residential district and towards the gym. If that brief "game" and presentation he was given were to believed, then they would be fighting something far stronger than just the Phantom Troupe to save their worlds.

Losing the entirety of the Kurta clan something he never wanted to repeat. He wasn't just going to sit back and let his friends be killed and his world destroyed, nor would he let himself be killed before he had had a chance to collect the scarlet eyes that were taken from his brethren.

Thinking about all that while he was practicing his martial arts, Kurapika might have accidentally put a little too much Nen into his kick, sending the punching bag flying off its chain and knocking over another piece of equipment--which in turn broke.

...He glances around to see if anybody else noticed before trying to quietly scoot away.]

c; choose your own adventure!
[Kurapika can be found exploring a lot of places around Cerealia (especially since he's just arrived), but he'll be adverse to places that are too cramped and noisy or touchy-feely.]

Comments

a!

[souredsweet]

[WELL BALLS this isn't the kind of thing Kaoru wanted to deal with. "Go to the cosplay cafe", they said. "It'll be a nice experience." Never again will someone else's advice be taken. (Or maybe Kaoru is just here to stalk Chizuru, which is equally possible.....)

But an angry cosplaying server throwing pasta at people, while hilarious, is also the kind of landmine that Kaoru would rather not step on. Accordingly, when Kurapika heads on over to this table, said punk is more or less hiding behind the menu in a display of nervous tension. Too scary! What a scary guy!!]

...May I just have a pot of tea, please?

[At least it's pretty certain that it won't be spat into! Not that Kaoru is a rude customer by any stretch of the word, but it's better to cover those bases...]

[chainjailer]

[By the time Kurapika gets over to Kaoru's table he's still noticeably irate, even if he's trying his best to remain profession despite the little outbreak and the screaming customer behind him. (The manager was dealing with them now, luckily.)

Looking down at the young lady in front of him, he pulls out a pen and notepad from his pocket.]

You'll have to be more specific. [He asks blandly.]

[souredsweet]

[GOD, WHAT A SHIT. But Kaoru is a next level shit and this is nowhere enough to break the facade. Rather, Kaoru's head dips somewhat apologetically, all but briefly obscured behind the menu.]

Green, please, if you have it.

[THE SUPERIOR TEA. All other tea is so nonexistent to Kaoru that it isn't even a thought that specification might be necessary.

Glancing over in the direction of the angry screaming customer... HOW BAD IS IT GETTING OVER THERE. Kaoru looks uncomfortable. Life is hard.]

[chainjailer]

[Realizing he may have been (or definitely was) taking out his frustration on the next person he say, Kurapika feels a bit of guilt.]

Ah... I apologize, that came out wrong. You see I'm-- [A shoe flies at him and he dodges it by tilting his head to the side. Despite the cool dodge, his voice is a bit strained afterward.] --a little...distracted.

[Okay, what else is he supposed to ask? Let's just get this over with.] Can I interest you in any appetizers?

The Gym

[artful_dragon]

[In the middle of cleaning up after a patron, Sabo looked aside as a punching back was hurled across the room, landing on one of the pressing benches. The bench was bent inwards from the impact, while oddly enough, the punching bag survived.

With one hand, Sabo lifted the bag over his shoulder and nudged it off of the equipment. He pinched the metal frame of the bench with one hand, gripped the other end of it and then firmly bent the entire thing back into place. It didn't look fantastic, but functionally it was in a similar position to what it once was.]

Don't run off. [He called, Kurapika in the corner of his eyes.] Not gonna take credit for that one?

[He hefted the punching bag over his shoulder to walk it back to where it flew from.]

[chainjailer]

Ah--no... [Here he was, caught red-handed. Kurapika plays it off, casually slipping his bokken swords back into his tabard.] I just wasn't sure who to inform, but it looks like I won't need to do that now.

[Honestly, he just didn't want to risk paying for damages with what measly money he did have. Walking towards Sabo, he offers to take the punching bag as he tries to change the subject.] That was impressive, how you just bent it back into shape...are you an Enhancer?

[artful_dragon]

Oh, something like that. [The definitions got minced, but Sabo didn't think it was profitable to bug people about which words they used to define anything. He got himself enough grief trying to ask an electronic store owner about Den Den Mushi and got into a fight with them about how he didn't actually need to go to a pet store--]

I'm called a 'Gym Trainer'. I guess my job is to help people toughen up!

[Said as nonchalantly as possible, Sabo handed the bag over to Kurapika. The time he spent talking, he leaned over to try and pinch the metal pieces that were warped back they way they were.]

I'm glad you didn't run off completely, though. That would have gotten you in hot water! They've got cameras everywhere, y'know.

[chainjailer]

[Kurapika holds the bag, waiting patiently for Sabo to finish fixing the metal links. He noticed that he didn't seem to recognize the term "Enhancer". It wasn't surprising though; they were from different worlds. Of course Nen would have different names.]

A gym trainer. I'm sure that's an interesting job... [Far better than what he got stuck with for the time being. Before he could say more, he blinks and looks a little sheepish. It really looks like he dodged a bullet here.]

Do they now? Then I'm relieved I only bent it out of shape. I would rather avoid finding out the consequences of actually breaking something.

a...

[perfectstrike]

[Kurapika no!!

Peko thought the cafe might have been a nice place to eat, and how was she supposed to know that it's weird for people to be wearing costumes? She didn't see a problem with it, except maybe the heels, since they seemed rather difficult to waiter in.

Thus when he approaches, Peko has a hand back on the hilt of her shinai, giving him a bit of a suspicious stare.]

Should I be expecting violence? If need be, I will...

[You will what, Peko??? You're bEING RUDE.]

[chainjailer]

[Kurapika's eyes flick down towards where Peko's hand moved, recognizing the gesture as a threatening one even before she blatantly spells it out.]

As long as you treat me with respect, I have every intention of doing the same. [He grabs his pen and notepad.] So if that's fine with you, I'll be taking your order.

[perfectstrike]

I see.

[Well. Peko lowers her hand and nods. Then his reaction to the other customer is completely understandable, apparently??? 0k Peko.]

A glass of water and a pot of green tea, please.

[Before he can walk away, there's a moment, then she has to ask,] Is it difficult to walk in that kind of shoe?

[chainjailer]

Water and green tea... [Seemed like a bit of a redundant combination, but Kurapika went ahead and wrote it down. At the question, he stops mid-step to throw her a somewhat dubious look.]

I don't know if difficult is the right word for it, but I'll be more than happy to take them off at the end of the day.

b

[psycholawgy]

[ She was minding her own business, doing some stretching on one side of the gym. The gym really was quiet, and it helped her with her meditation too! People weren't making noise today, which was great. She was sure to come every day at this time since there weren't a lot of rowdy people or people screaming while they kicked and punched the bags in the other rooms.

It wasn't all that noisy for other people, but Athena had sensitive hearing that she could hear almost everything going on. Especially the ones that strike out a lot.

And at that time, she was so surprised by the noise on the other end of the gym that she falls over. But she immediately gets up because what was that noise???? She just had to check it out, and ended up spotting Kurapika in the process. ]

Hey, what happened here?

[chainjailer]

[It looks like he wouldn't be sneaking away today. Kurapika stops, accepting the fact he would have to take credit where credit was due.]

An accident, I'm afraid I don't know my own strength. [Or this equipment was far to flimsy, but he wouldn't put it past himself to have gotten carried away. At least the accident had given him a much needed reality check.]

I hope I didn't disturb you.

[psycholawgy]

[ Athena just looks away as she laughs sheepishly. She's not about to tell him that she fell over when she heard the noise. ]

Just a little bit, don't worry.

[ And she glances over at the equipment on the floor. Those definitely shouldn't be there. ]

We should probably clean this up, or else... [ She shudders at the thought. ] someone's going to come in and yell at us.

[chainjailer]

If you're sure... [Kurapika glances back over at the broken equipment, his lips pulling into a lopsided frown.]

I'll take care of it. [He walks over, easily lifting the punching bag up.] It was my fault. I don't see why they should get mad at you.

[He just really hopes he doesn't have to pay for this... Actually, he's not in the mood to get yelled at either.]

b

[ionicwoman]

[Now, working as a martial arts instructor, of course she'd be there to greet, watch, train, and try to scam any potential students.]

[So Anise is watching. And what she sees, well, she isn't about to just let go]

Hey! You have to pay for that!

[...Wait a minute, he seems familiar...]

[chainjailer]

[Kurapika stops, realizing he'd been caught red-handed. Raising his hands up apologetically, he turned to Anise.]

Ah... I apologize. I guess I don't know my own strength. Do you know how much it would cost to fix...? [As folded his arms again, he was sure it was more than he had.]

[ionicwoman]

[If she wasn't caught unawares by the fact that yes, she does in fact recognize him, she'd probably come up with some ridiculous amount of credits to make him pay...!]

[(She may yet do this, she just has to get over her shock first)]

Oh, no... They dragged you here too?

[Yeah, she remembers him. Rather clearly. And she sounds almost concerned?]

a!

[dielectrics]

[ Killua'd just stopped in to pick up a bag of cookies on the way home, you know, as one does when they're a thirteen year old without a responsible adult around to make sure he eats a well-balanced meal that involves something that vaguely resembles a vegetable. He's not bothered by the whole pasta-throwing thing — that's easy enough to dodge when a piece gets scattered toward him — but he hadn't been expecting to see Kurapika of all people being the one to throw the plate.

Or to see Kurapika dressed up in quite so many frills.

Killua grins, snags his bag of cookies, and takes a bite before approaching Kurapika. He chews, swallows, and gives Kurapika a cheery wave. ]

Hey, you finally showed up.

[chainjailer]

Alright, who's-- ...Killua? [Kurapika stops on his way to his next table, looking over at Killua with wide-eyed disbelief that soon enough melted into relief. If Killua was here, that meant Gon and Leorio--maybe even Melody--might have made it too.

For a moment, he totally forgot about his annoying last customer (who was now currently arguing with the manager).]

[dielectrics]

[ As happy as Killua is to see Kurapika — and he is, no doubt about that, smiling and maybe even a little relieved — he really can't just come out and say that. No, he has to flavor his voice with as much obnoxious teasing as he can cram into it.

Kurapika'd probably worry if he didn't, anyway. ]

Long time no see. We were thinking we'd have to go on a rescue mission or something pretty soon.

C - Metro Rail Station, sometime between the other shenanigans

[punchestumors]

[Just getting off from his new (and hopefully quite temporary) job at the mall, Leorio heads for the rail station to see where it goes and what's around before inevitably heading to his apartment. While waiting for it to come, he paces along by the scattered crowd, not really paying attention to the others there. But then...]

Wait...

[He turns around quickly and stares, searching around where he'd just walked. He thought he saw someone he recognized for a split second. Where...?]

[chainjailer]

[If Leorio keeps looking, he might finally notice amongst the crowd that there was someone standing by the large billboard with a map of all the metro lines. That someone with blonde hair and an unmistakable blue tapard accented in yellow that could only be Kurapika.

It doesn't seem he noticed Leorio at all, too focused on trying to figure out which sequences of lines would be the fastest home.]

[punchestumors]

[Ah, there! It was the blue and yellow that caught his eye, though it didn't immediately register as Kurapika - he wore a suit these days, as far as Leorio knew, and more distressingly, the very real possibility that all of his friends were actually dead. The guilt of that prospect had already begun eating at him (because why would Ceres save him over everyone else) and so for a moment he just gazes in stunned silence.

This is Leorio though, so that moment is spectacularly brief. A wave of joy and relief washes over him and he cups his hands around his mouth to yell]

KURAPIKA!! Oi!!

[and drops his search to run up to him while waving furiously.]