[open] it's a hard-knock life

[flamberge]

Who: Kratos Aurion and you!!
When: IC: 12/06
Where: Several locations!
What: Just another day in the life of an angel. And also tomatoes are evil.
Rating/Warnings: none probably!

a.

[Another day, another gald. Or whatever currency one chooses. No matter what you get paid in, you gotta work to get that money and Kratos is no different. What's the lucky occupation of choice? A mechanic. It's vastly different from his usual gig of mercenary or, you know, evil angel that helps a maniac man-child dominate the world. Not a bad job compared to that.

The only downside is having to deal with pure idiots for customers. 'Oh why isn't this running? Oh what do you mean that parts need changing?? And oil too?? What do you mean I can't just use vegetable oil???' Kratos resisted the urge to bang his head against the nearest wall during that last enjoyable moment of idiocy. How people so dumb are capable of surviving to adulthood... After Kratos sends vegetable oil man on his merry way (who still continued muttering on about how oils could possibly be different??), he decides it's high time for a break. Maybe his endurance is above that of a human's but his tolerance for idiocy is well below normal. Toss in still being bugged by that weird dream from the other day and that tolerance hits an all-time low.

Definitely break time.

A hand assumed to be free from oils and grease wipes his brow only to leave a lovely black trail in its wake. It joins a few other black spots already there. Someone keeps on forgetting to wash their hands before touching their face. Handwashing does come before grabbing a cup of water, at least. Better in the wrong order than not at all! With drink in hand, Kratos heads outside for some air. Ah, better. Not quiet or peaceful, but a break's a break. He leans against the wall, drinking his water all the while being unaware of the lovely artwork gracing his forehead. Additional artwork can also be found on his clothes. And hair. And arms. 4000 years old, as clean as a 4 year old. If even.]

b.

[What does any good swordsman do with their time off after work? Train. Being out of combat for too long dulls skills. That much is unacceptable, especially when the next battle can come at any moment. ViViD serves as a decent workout but today Kratos opts to use the gym/dojo.

Instead of a sword, the weapon of choice during this workout is a dagger. Too long a time has passed since last training with one. Using both swords and daggers means practicing with both. No reason to let skill with one dull due to preference for the other. The dagger itself is a cheap one (not having proper funds sucks) but it suffices. His movements against the dummy are quick and swift, being obviously those of an experienced fighter. The poor dummy doesn't stand a chance.

Yeah, this is nice. Not the same as against an actual opponent but nice, if even soothing. The dummy probably doesn't find it nearly as nice, though.]

c.

[No day can be complete without a trip to the grocery store. Not needing to eat doesn't mean sometimes not wanting to. Nothing beats a seafood stew or fried fish or, hell, even canned fish. Fish are great, mmkay? Plus, eating helps keep up appearances of being a completely normal human! Which he is. Just a normal human. Nothing special at all.

Said normal human is in the middle of browsing around when a horrid, putrid odor reaches his nostrils. His face instantly scrunches up. What is the source of that foul stench? Ah, there. Feet away sits a free sample stand. With meat in tomato sauce. Why subject poor innocent meat to be marinated in something so horrid? The poor sampling girl almost jumps out of her skin upon seeing the serious, almost menacing man leering at the free samples. If looks could kill, those tomatoes would be burning in the lowest layer of hell by now.]

Comments

c!

[mywayofhelping]

[Alex (probably) had little need to be there himself. His menial but sadly necessary job didn't take all day, so seeing these people in their own element as it were took a bit of extra effort. This store was one of the places he could be assured to get a healthy variety of the others in this situation.

He can't help but note the expression on the face of the man by the girl just handing out some dish he didn't care about. Strong emotions like that could be...useful. He takes a few steps toward the tableau with a very small, amused smile.]

Such a sour expression coming with total silence. I do hope you don't care about the impression you make on others.

[flamberge]

[someone approaching makes that glare finally shift from the poor terrified girl (she openly breathes a sigh of relief). not a familiar face and one with a smart mouth to boot. kratos isn't impressed. the commentary doesn't gain any reaction aside from his face falling back into its usual indifference.]

It's never been something I've given much thought to.

[people can think what they like, weird blue-haired guys included.]

[mywayofhelping]

Obviously.

[See, he can keep up sounding pleasant while saying something clearly jerky, you might wanna take lessons.]

I can't argue that it's worth concerning oneself about. Though explaining your animosity could possibly give those who do piece of mind.

[flamberge]

[Please. Better be brutally honest than a sweet asshole. Alex doing it gets a scrutinizing frown and then a sigh.]

I find the scent nauseating, nothing more.

[mywayofhelping]

[He's just trying to find out more about you, it has nothing to do with being an asshole. That's just a side effect of his behavior. That's not quite the level of detail he wanted, but pushing it now wasn't a great plan either.

He gives a small nod of approval.]

And that should quite enough for any reasonable person. Might I suggest you leave the area where you can smell it?

[flamberge]

Once I've found what I came here to buy.

[he's not an idiot all the time. much as he'd love to leave, several items he needs to buy are right near the stand. leaving and getting away from the odor will have to wait.]

B | I got impatient. Fight me, literally

[swordboning]

[Archer doesn't mind standing and watching. Really, practice is practice. But the best way to pick up on someone else's technique is to experience it yourself. And one person here is the King of Imitation. Namely the one wearing black armor and a red cloak. You might as well call him the Copy Knight. Not much that belongs to him is original.

Not exactly interrupting but most people would fight it rude to be stared at by another.]

patience is a virtue!! but fighting times > patience always!

[flamberge]

[Someone observing him doesn't go unnoticed for long. In the middle of bringing down an attack on the dummy, he glances over toward this mystery person. Little more comes in the form of acknowledgement. For now.

Only once finished with the current attack does he decide to be slightly less rude than this guy. Slightly. Good manners have long since gone out the window. Without so much as looking in that direction, instead frowning down at the cheap quality dagger already losing its edge, Kratos speaks.]

If you have something to say then do so.

[swordboning]

The only thing I have to say is that's a waste of a weapon. It may be a practice weapon but I'm sure even you notice it. Wouldn't you like something far more appreciable?

[Wow, what generosity. No, Archer just hated seeing substandard weapons, the blacksmith he was.]

[flamberge]

[Such great generosity fails to impress Kratos. The stranger has a point, but fails to take into consideration the lack of money to purchase a better dagger. Sure, the Flamberge is an option, but that baby's not getting brought out just to whack around a dummy. ...And possibly set it on fire cause whoops fiery sword.]

A substandard weapon more than suffices against a dummy. Were the fight against an actual adversary then I'd consider bringing out something more appreciable.

[swordboning]

A substandard weapon never suffices. While you're in here fighting a dummy, someone else might decide it's the appropriate time to strike just because you're using the wrong thing.

[Not always paranoid but his mind is open to any opportunity. Says the guy who has been constantly fighting for who knows how long. He's lost count, at least.]

[flamberge]

A skilled fighter can defend themselves effectively regardless of the weapon at their disposal, which rarely ever is the only weapon at their disposal.

[Never only rely on one weapon. A single weapon can be damaged or fly from grasp while having a second or third trick up your sleeve prevents that or at least this logic's kept him alive this long.]

A

[nostatus]

[ At least Kratos won't be alone in his plight. Maybe it's not quite the job you'd expect a samurai to have, but here Shinpachi is, working in the car shop.. he's been doing it for a while already though, so at least he's not really making a whole lot of stupid mistakes anymore. Even though it means he'll be returning to the 1860s after this all is over with more knowledge of car parts than you would expect any traditional Japanese person to have.

But it also means getting down and dirty. Except in Shinpachi's case it's not as much the fact that he doesn't realise as much as it's.. well, Shinpachi being Shinpachi. He doesn't care if he's a little dirty, that's just the sign of a true man working hard!!

.. or something like that, anyway.

But when he spots Kratos outside during a break, he can't help but grin a little in recognition. At least Shinpachi is recognizable by the way he doesn't bother to zip up his work uniform, so his chest muscles are on full display just as much as they are when he's wearing his usual outfit. ]

Hey, been working that hard? [ Of course he's referring to those black spots on Kratos, even though the other hasn't noticed yet.. not like Shinpachi knows. ]

[flamberge]

[Chest or no chest, it isn't hard to recognize Shinpachi. Different clothes, a little dirty but it's hard to forget the face of someone who tried to help in a great time of need! ...a time that will never be brought up again and forgotten. Forever.

Kratos gives a small nod in greeting and finishes off his water before replying.]

Not particularly. It's the customers who are difficult, not the work itself.

[It's true. despite the difficulty of the job, Kratos doesn't seem overly exhausted. greasy and a little sweaty and possibly as dirty as a three year old but otherwise fine. Any fatigue is thanks to people. Dumb people. Dumb people who have somehow survived into adulthood.]

[nostatus]

[ Well, technically Shinpachi could fit into that last category-- not that he'd ever admit to it though, and it's not like he's entirely dumb either.. thank god. But thanks to mostly working with the cars, he's not spoken a whole lot to the customers personally just yet.

Maybe it's for the better, judging what Kratos is saying. But he's taking it with a grain of salt over here since the other guy has seemed a little more like the grumpy type (unfortunate smiling incidents aside). ]

Huh. [ A slow blink. ] What kinda stuff do they do?

[flamberge]

[Oh no no. These people blow Shinpachi out of the dumb water. Shinpachi could be considered a genius in comparison. If only the customers could be half as smart, if only.

And lucky guy sent to talk with them? Mr. Grumpy right here. The reason Kratos gets stuck dealing with them is because of his intimidation factor. No one starts shit with a guy who looks like him. He sighs, almost wishing his demeanor stuck less fear into the hearts of customers, before looking Shinpachi dead in the eye. The look conveys seriousness, annoyance and exasperation all in one.]

Today someone was surprised that cooking oil couldn't be used in place of actual oil.

[Seriously.]

[nostatus]

[ .. he actually made that mistake during one of his first weeks here too--

But he feels like it's better to not say that. Just ignore it. Besides, it's probably more of a stupid mistake for someone in this city who's lived all their life with this technology level, right? Shinpachi's problem is more that he didn't know anything at all about cars when he started..

So his hand moves up to rub the back of his neck a little. ]

Well.. yeah. That's a pretty dumb mistake. [ H.. aahhh...]

You could just tell 'em it's not true and just let them leave though, right?

[flamberge]

[...okay, yeah, the time thing makes it a little more forgivable. just a little, though. people from here who do that get no forgiveness, especially when they keep failing to grasp that concept. kratos' expression gains a hint of exasperation to it, with a matching tone of voice.]

You're overestimating their learning capabilities. A 10 minute explanation resulted in them still being uncertain of why cooking oil couldn't be used.

[and the guy left muttering about that to himself while also questioning kratos' own judgment. he may not be from this world, but he knows enough about technology to know how it works and make it work right. sigh. today is one special day.]

b;

[journaler]

[She's no swordsman, but she's got her staff, and she isn't afraid to use it. For all the hi-tech machines and gadgets this place has, nothing really beats tearing apart an old-fashioned dummy--or taking on an actual opponent. As long as it's something hands-on, Leia will take it.

For today, though, Leia will settle for dummies. She's got her staff out and ready to go, but as she steps into the room, she can't help but admire Kratos's work first. Something about him definitely screams "Do Not Disturb" ... but Leia's always been a rule breaker at heart.

She watches him quietly, but once his refined attacks are done and his dummy is -- well, no more --]

Good thing they don't charge us for those, huh?

[flamberge]

[Not a bad workout, even if the dummy only lasted half as long as expected. Then again, taking off the exsphere or working with another handicap could have yielded better results. Next time.

After the poor thing hits the ground and ends its training career, Kratos' attention jumps onto his formerly silent observer. Judging by the staff, she's fighter intending to work out. A rare thing for someone so seemingly young to do. Kids and training? BAH THEY'RE NATURALLY GOOD WHY DO THEY NEED TO TRAIN also known as logic that gives Kratos headaches.

He hmms in agreement before glancing down at his defeated dummy.]

If only they were of better quality in addition to free.

[A normal human might be satisfied with these, sure, but he's neither normal or human. And also may have forgotten to hold back enough. Whoops.]

1/2

[journaler]

Hmm...

[Leia approaches and silently peers over the remains of Kratos's former punching bag. She even crouches just a little to take a better look, and she takes it slow as she moves onto another dummy, and another, and another, like she's inspecting them.

Casually (finally), she takes a few steps back to create some distance; and having apparently decided on a target, she uses her staff to suddenly volt into the air.

She flips, violently kicking one over with great force and a needlessly excited battle cry.]

Hyaa--!!

[journaler]

[... Yeah. It may still be in one piece (unlike Kratos's), but seeing one dummy domino into two, three fallen dummies still makes her feel like twenty-million gald.

After taking a deep breath:]

I'm sure with all the fancy technology they have, they could do better. Maybe we should suggest it.

[flamberge]

[Leia's little inspection gets watched closely. Hmm. Not a bad technique, exaggerated battle cry aside. Good form. Decent power. The girl packs more of a punch than meets the eye and Kratos looks somewhat impressed.]

It's unlikely they'll listen. Most people will be satisfied with the quality and those who aren't will be told to find other, more suitable means of training.

[Like buying their own dummies or sparring or something.]

[journaler]

[What a buzzkill...

But that's okay, Leia's kind of used to those by this point. She looks a bit deflated though, taking a tired breath as she tries to think of another solution. She only ends up with more ideas instead.]

Like robots or something that actually fight back. I mean, it's way more dangerous, but it'd prepare you better, wouldn't it?

[......]

Guess we'll have to stick with ViViD for things like that.

[flamberge]

[leia, no. that's how every killer robots movie starts.

granted, kratos finds no fault with that idea himself. a robotic sparring partner, costly it would be, sounds an ideal alternative. ViViD also works, though.]

I've yet to try ViiD myself. Is it effective as a means of training?

[time has really been the factor in trying it out. between working and information gathering, playing a game is the last thing on the guy's mind. Then again, if it actually works well for training, kratos might change his tune.]