open

[vitis]

WHO: john & you!
WHERE: various: tisse, apprassage, chata
WHEN: 06.07
WHAT: odd jobs and screw-ups. hella SoL.
WARNINGS: swearing?! tbd

a. anywhere outside →

[ evidently, john's bitten off a bit more than he can chew by attempting to walk several dogs at once. and while he generally has a good grip on this, all going well and under control, a few of the dogs can be pretty rambunctious should a stranger stroll too close (not that this is a difficult feat, as they tend to take up the sidewalk) to the pack. in that one or two whine happily, strain hard against their harnesses for attention, try to jump up— etc. ]

Hey, Ruthie! [ err, no, crap. that's definitely wrong. ] —whatever your name is— Get down—

b. union grocery →

[ welcome to union grocery! serving all your fresh produce needs since way before john started working here. as it's the late afternoon, the establishment is on the emptier side during these hours. no need to fret: surely, there's a ready and able worker available to help with all your grocery needs(?).

or you might be ready to check-out with your various organic knickknacks. in an unexpected turn of events, it just so happens that the cashier is fast asleep at the register. he's got his boots kicked up on the counter, his cap pulled over his eyes while his hands rest behind his head. wanna thieve some dancing apples, some irresistibly greyscale broccoli? draw him a fine mustache? scare the shit outta him? well, now's your chance. ]

c. around the university →

[ rocinante's dead.

that name belonging to john's shitty, au!pickup truck that comes complete with a camper modification. it stalled, started, stalled and then stopped doing anything whatsoever in the middle of a parking lot, likely blocking a few spaces and generally being an eyesore. john's been scrambling about it for the last few minutes, trying anything he can think of: the diagnosis is likely that it's damn old.

there's a final, a hard slam of a door and then a stricken wail of rocinante!!!, akin to a father losing his only son. sorry, for the next few moments, he'll be preoccupied with mourning. ]

d. obligatory bar prompt →

[ it's been a rough time lately; thus, john's pretty much convinced that he's earned himself a drink. or a few. whatever. by the time he approaches someone, he's a few coins short and definitely heavily buzzed. ]

Hey! Wanna play a game? [ a wide, confident smile. ] I win, you buy me a drink.

[ geez. what an offer, right. ]

e. wildcard →
( ooc: if you'd like something else, pm me! i'm happy to write a starter.)

Comments

[vitis]

[ tbd as of this thread: them treasure hunt results.

thankfully(?), it's early enough in the day that they can still catch the bus, wherein it's not too long until they reach cabin eleven. and because of that earliness, it might even be happy hour! if there's even a happy hour, who knows.

john leans against the bar, tapping his chin in thought and peering at the menu*. he's considering ordering a regular old beer to take it easy. pretty lame tbh. he glances over to shuji, his smile wry. ]

So! What'll you be be gettin'?

[thesettingsun]

Cerebrus, I think.

[He's weak to chocolate, even in his booze. Also, vodka.]

If I'm sober by the end of this it will be criminal.

[vitis]

Heh. Well, knock back a few of those specialty drinks and you should be good to go. Last time, reckon 'round four did me in pretty good.

[ it was equivalent to quite a few shots, all right... john orders his beer. ]

[ then he points to 'sloppy seconds.' ]

You should definitelllly do that one, at some point! And have it lit on fire. [ WHAT FUN. ]

[thesettingsun]

If I've learned anything from watching stunt TV it's that everything is way more impressive when on fire.

[He'll order the Cerebrus first, though.]

[vitis]

See? Exactly!!

[ he's so happy.. that's the spirit. grinning, he sips his drink. ]

I'll even take a video of you takin' it, if you want. If I can figure out how to not make it completely crappy... [ aka phone noob. ]

[thesettingsun]

Do you have an old phone, or something?

[Not everyone in the world is tech-savvy, Shuji.]

[vitis]

Oh... Maybe!

[ rummaging into his pocket, john whips out a chunky black flip phone, decorated with a single sticker of some grapes on the back of it. beyond access to email and the camera and other basic shit, there's of course good ol' retrospec on it. ]

I've gotten pretty good at textin' on it, if I do say so myself. [ judging by his tone, he's evidently pretty proud of this fact. ]

[thesettingsun]

That's pretty old. Can that even run any apps? It'd be better if you couldn't run Retrospec at all...

[But, alas, no such luck.]

[vitis]

[ WHAT'S AN APP jk ]

Naw, it's got itself a cute lil' icon, though! [ aka it's just pixelated. ] But yeah, that's why I didn't have a clue 'bout your— UR, was it? Haha, or whatever that was.

[thesettingsun]

It's probably better that you don't get into that.

[John doesn't need to get himself a best girl.]

You might want to upgrade phones sometime, though. Technology's moved on a lot. Like, a lot.

[vitis]

Wow, why?

[ he's not sure if he should be offended by the implication that URs should not be in his life. ]

You think? [ he tends to drag his heels in, metaphorically kicking and screaming... but there is a genuine note of curiosity to his voice this time. ] Dunno, sounds like just another big, expensive thing to become dependent on.

[thesettingsun]

[You don't need to get attached to a fictional girl and spend money on virtual cards and merchandise for her, John. Save yourself.]

Expensive, not really - I can afford it on my salary and you know I don't make that much.

[...But his parents do still help a little, so.]

They're useful, though. What if you ended up lost somewhere and you didn't have a map? Your flip phone doesn't have the power to get a map for you no matter where you are, right?

[Talking like they can actually leave Recolle.]

[vitis]

'Course I'd have a map...

[ sure, yes, but actually playing along with the what if hypothetical— ]

No, don't reckon it does. [ there's a sigh as his eyebrows furrow. ] Might just ask someone for directions, though, if that were really the case.

[thesettingsun]

What if it was in the middle of nowhere and you couldn't ask somebody? Or you were driving late at night and everything was already closed?

[He is a concerned friend.]

[vitis]

—For that second one, I'd just off drive to roadside and hunker down 'til mornin'.

[ but, considering, realizing that flawlessly answering all the hypotheticals probably isn't the point... john finishes his beer. ]

And the first: I'm gonna assume there's service there, yeah? To have that app be useful anyway.

[thesettingsun]

There's service most places.

[...most, but not all. Shuji takes another long drink.]

It's just an example anyway. They're good for lots of things.

[vitis]

[ he'll resist melodrama by suppressing another sigh. he does arrghh a bit anyway, though. ]

Fine, fine! You've convinced me— I'll give it some thought, 'kay? Don't think it would hurt too much.

[thesettingsun]

Great! That's all I ask.

[Shuji sparkles a little. He helped a friend move into the 21st century~

When he finishes his drink, he immediately orders sloppy seconds, on fire.]

Are you supposed to just blow it out like birthday candles?

[vitis]

[ he is thrilled; he grins ear-to-ear. shuji actually went with it! but wait— ]

Naw, just drink up, fire 'n all! [ PLEASE DON'T... one day, john may learn that it's probably unwise to tease the person with the flaming alcohol in hand. it's a skill he still to work on.

but, yes. he nods, immediately adding: ]

Yeah, blowin' it out should work just fine.

[thesettingsun]

Because that's just what I need to make myself feel better, shoving fire into my face.

[Shuji blows it out properly. Foosh.]

[vitis]

[ foosh, indeed. it's fun to look at. john props an elbow against the bar, leaning his chin into a hand. and shuji's comment gets him to laugh, though it isn't without a sympathetic look. ]

—Sorry, sorry. [ he's resigned himself to being a bit nicer, thus: ] But, hey. Whatever's got you bothered— I don't mind lendin' an ear, if you want.

[ he's under the impression it was just a bad day at work, or something... and he'll order an ipa once shuji's tossed back the sloppy seconds. ]

[thesettingsun]

[Shuji takes a gulp of his drink and considers the way to put this. He's a writer, a master of words. With something this important, he should be at his most eloquent and profound-]

Retrospec is a piece of shit company and I hope their office building has asbestos.

[-no, actually this gets the point across better.]

[vitis]

[ what the... no, john didn't anticipate that. at the same time, should it really surprise him?! ]

Haha, no kiddin'!

[ there's a raise of an eyebrow. ]

Holy shit, though. You thinkin' of actually settin' it on fire? [ his tone implies that he... even knowing it to be unlikely, might not exactly be against this. ]

[thesettingsun]

I'm not cut out for arson.

[He's neither sneaky nor good at steeling himself to do things that will probably hurt other people.]

And I'm too young to go to prison. Maybe if the jury was only Retrospec users, I'd get off with a light sentence...

[vitis]

You sure? Reckon all it takes is a lighter and a lil' gasoline— or a lotta gasoline, rather.

[ he's still joking. probably.

and taking a swig of his drink, he has to hold back a bit of snerk at the statement of being too young to go to prison. he claps shuji on the back. ]

You shouldn't sell yourself so short! You can't forget the if you get caught, part. ... [ even if, yeah. he has to admit to himself that shuji, indeed, doesn't objectively do 'sneaky' too well... ]