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[therewerefifty]

[Makie has had the facts of this place explained to her already, by a gentleman in a... fairly awkward situation.

It doesn't prepare her for the reality of a village with occupants like none she's ever seen before. Some of you aren't even human, Luceti. The hell. She wanders the path of the village from Community Building #1 down toward the plaza still in her New Feather dress, just like a gawking tourist, and spends some time staring at the fountain and plaza itself. Uh.

...right. Okay. Time to begin glancing through various shops in her attempts to find the places she was told her things would be. She finds her clothes with a measure of relief, and her shamisen at the item store-- and after she picks it up, she frowns. It's too light. She doesn't need to open it to know she's missing something.

Eventually, she'll find her way into the forge to pick up the last of her things, pays a visit to the Welcome Centre-- and then finally fetches up at the tea shop, which is the most familiar-looking thing here.

...sort of. Never really loses that dazed and confused look.]

Comments

[originaljackass]

[Well then. That didn't work. Usually his looks are enough to make up for any lame pickup lines.]

Mandolin?

[therewerefifty]

[Makie starts, glancing around to see him finally. Oh.] I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you. [And here's a customary bow, though she's a bit distracted. Mandolin? Is he talking about...?]

You're asking about my instrument? It's a shamisen.

[originaljackass]

See, that was going to be my third guess. Hey, you must be new.

[She seems a bit distracted, sure, but maybe she's just a bit of an airhead. He can live with that.]

[therewerefifty]

[You've always been such a stellar example of manhood, Jack.]

I just arrived today. I'm still in the process of picking up all my belongings.

My name is Makie Otono-Tachibana.

[originaljackass]

[Well that name's a mouthful. But hey. Progress!]

It's a pleasure, Makie. But if you're trying to acquaint yourself with the place, I'm just the man to see.

[therewerefifty]

I see. [She's reserved but polite, glancing up to meet his eyes.] And you would be?

[originaljackass]

Jack Horner. It's a pleasure. [He extends a friendly hand in greeting. If he was Prince Charming, he'd be planning to plant a kiss on her knuckle. But he won't. Because he has class.]

[therewerefifty]

[After a moment of glancing at his hand, Makie ... sort of gives him her hand rather than shaking it. She's aware it's a custom, not so sure on what the correct response is yet, but Alexei took her hand before. It's close enough, right?]

Likewise. [Distractions over shamisen aside, Makie's still automatically polite.] You are...just the man to see?

[originaljackass]

[Yup. Innocent hand shake. No big deal.]

That I am. That I am. In fact, now that you've got your little guitar here, how about I get you a drink. Nothing like a little- what's it you drink in Japan, sake? Yeah, nothing like a little sake to calm the nerves.

[therewerefifty]

[Sake too, huh? Not that she's much of a drinker, but it's from home...

...maybe.] I should like that.

Tell me, Mr Horner... is this shop the only place a woman's belongings might arrive in?

[originaljackass]

[Jack considered what she might mean by that. Was the 'woman' in 'woman's belongings' significant? He decided to err on the side of idiot.]

Uh, maybe over there? Is it that time of the month?

[therewerefifty]

[O-oh dear. You kind of remind her of Manji. Makie's lips twitch.]

Not quite. If I owned... if I owned a knife for self-defence, perhaps. Would it arrive here?

[originaljackass]

Oh. A knife. [He relaxes a little. A knife is no big deal. It means his chances are still good.] You're in the wrong place for that. But rest assured, I know exactly where you need to be.

[So he begins to lead the way.]

[therewerefifty]

[Er. She isn't sure whether to follow him or not... Makie hardly wants to pick up her weapon if an unknown man is with her. (Particularly one she suspects of hitting on her.) But in the end, it's pretty rude to just let him go off when he's trying to help, so after a moment of indecision she catches up to him just as he leaves the store.]

Thank you. You're most kind.

[originaljackass]

That's what I keep hearing. But hey, enough about how cool I am. How about you? What kind of stuff do you get up to when you're not strumming your banjo?

[Someday he might just remember the name of that instrument. But it will not be this day.]

[therewerefifty]

[Makie has noted this. She won't bother to correct him.]

I work. [She also doesn't want to get into this subject, actually. Ahah.] But I was travelling to see my father before I came here, so I suppose... I wan't doing much of anything.

[originaljackass]

No shame in that. Before I was here, I spent ten years on my ass.

[He's not so proud of that, really. But to be fair, there's not much a dragon can do in the mundy world.]

[therewerefifty]

[She smiles at that.] And now that you're here? You help young ladies find their belongings?

[originaljackass]

It's true. I've gone and become all noble-like. A real knight in shining armor.

[therewerefifty]

Then I suppose it's lucky for me that you're here, sir knight.

[originaljackass]

Well what knight can resist a pretty face? It's our kryptonite.

[therewerefifty]

[haha, that cinches it. But she smiles anyway. It's not really a problem so far.]

You'd first have to explain what kryptonite is.

[originaljackass]

[A pause as he considers trying to remember the Superman movies to even go into this...]

It's a saying. My 'special weakness', basically.

[therewerefifty]

I see.

That's a terrible weakness to have. You could exploit it any number of ways.

[originaljackass]

Many have. It's a heavy burden, let me tell you.