( voice / open action )

[tried]

... Hello! [Was that how you were supposed to start these things? Oh well.] Ah, sorry if I'm interrupting anyone. My name is Ringo Noyamano, I just arrived here a few moments ago. I think I understood most of what I was told, and I'm sure I can figure it out otherwise, but I am wondering one thing.

[A slight pause, and it was good she'd picked voice as opposed to video, because she looks pretty embarrassed.] Can anyone tell me the quickest route to a clothing store near the... Hold, I believe it's called? Any clothing store will do-- I shouldn't be too picky in an emergency. Thank you for listening!

[Then, much softer, right before she ends the feed--] It's really cold...

[And in case anyone near the Hold did happen to pass by, she was currently crouched behind a makeshift barrier/chair, her back to a corner-- her outfit had been fine back home, given the situation, but now she just felt ridiculous.]

Comments

Action!

[incendiarism]

[If she's trying to hide, that means she doesn't want to be seen, and Judal has always been the kind of contrary guy who does exactly what people don't want. He leans over the chair, looking down at her with one eyebrow raised.]

Hey, you! What are you doing back here? You're blocking the way.

[He can't see enough of her outfit to figure out that she's embarassed, but judging by the belly-shirt and lack of shoes, maybe that doesn't matter to him.]

[tried]

[Stranger danger-- because clearly that's the type of guy that would wear belly-shirts and unexpectedly lean over girls, right? Still, she stares right back at him without budging.]

How am I in the way?

[incendiarism]

Isn't it obvious?

[He waves a hand, sighing. No, it isn't, because he's totally making things up.]

This is my spot, and you're in it!

[tried]

[Rude. She points across the room, holding the hem of her shirt down with the other hand so that her top wouldn't pull up further.]

You can have that spot, it's empty.

[incendiarism]

[When she starts holding her clothes in place, it clicks for him. She's embarrassed. Oh, this is rich. He just has to know what she's so ashamed of that she's hiding in the corner like this.]

I told you already, I want this one. But if you don't want to leave on your own...

[He'll just start levitating that chair with himself in it, so she's got nothing to hide behind.]

[tried]

[... Why is this chair floating oh my god--]

Ah!! Stop that!

[She had no idea how he was doing it, but her free hand grips on to the chair to at least try and hold it down.]

[incendiarism]

[He snickers at that, rocking himself back and forth to wiggle the chair around. It stops moving up, though, and just hovers a few inches off the ground.]

Why would I do that?

[He's basically a schoolyard bully with magic powers, and boy, is that showing right now.]

[tried]

Because it'd be the decent thing to do!

[Gosh, how uncomfortable. Still going to try and tug that chair down, though.]

[incendiarism]

'Decent' would have been not stealing someone's spot in the first place!

[It's like a balloon, and bounces right back up if she lets it slip even a little bit.]

What will you give me to stop?

[tried]

It's not your spot, you didn't even come over until now!

[Urgh he can have his stupid chair, her hands go back to her lap to keep her shirt down.]

Nothing, I'm not going to bargain with someone so unreasonable.

[incendiarism]

You're stubborn, huh?

[He lets the chair settle back onto the ground, a little harsher and louder than necessary. He leans against the back of it with his chin in one hand as he looks her over.]

And boring, too! With a personality like that, you'll never be popular, you know.

[tried]

You're one to talk. Are you always this rude to strangers?

[Gross, why is he looking at her like that. Ringo tugs down on her shirt further-- but it just makes the top look awkward, and her arms cross over her chest instead.]

[incendiarism]

Only the ones who aren't worth being polite to!

[Which is a "yes".

Don't worry, Ringo, he's not looking at your body. He's a creep, but not that kind. He had been looking at her outfit, wondering why she was so embarrassed, and stops when he sees her treks.]

What kind of shoes are those, anyway?

[tried]

[Terrible, terrible answer.

But when he asks about her trecks-- she begrudgingly stands up straight and lifts a foot up to around the seat of the chair, so he could get a better look. Leading by example! In that see, Judal, people don't explode suddenly if they're nice to others. It's okay to try sometimes.]

They're called air trecks. [A beat.] Have you heard of them before?

[incendiarism]

"Air treks"?

[He stares at them, thinking for a moment. They look vaguely familiar, but he should remember something this weird better. It's like whoever he saw with them had made such a lackluster impression that he can't even--wait.]

Oh, that's it! Beanie boy had something like that, didn't he? You friends with him?

[tried]

[... Beanie boy that had a-t. Poor boy.]

Kazu. Yes, I am.

[incendiarism]

Right, right, that guy. He's the one Kougyoku got to play manservant here. But you look like you can use those things a lot better than he can.

[Not that he'd know without having seen either of them in action, but Kazu has no presence and is boring, so he doesn't care.]

[tried]

[She'll have to root for Kazu to stop getting himself bullied all the time later or something.]

Ah, really? I have been doing it much longer... [With greater titles, and a higher battle level--]

... But what I mean is, we're both pretty skilled! And it's not really a competition anymore.

[incendiarism]

[Kazu getting bullied is a law of nature, like the food chain.]

"Anymore"? What, you beat him already?

[As expected. Judal's good at picking out the strong ones.]

If he's as good as you say, you must be a lot better, like I thought!

[tried]

Anymore, as in we're here, and Kazu and I were never personally competing in the first place.

[Things did get a little muddy when you threw Ikki and the concept of teams into the mix.]

I rank higher than him, yes, if you're that interested.

[incendiarism]

Hoh. I knew you were good, but enough for a "rank"?

[Judal nods, leaning his head on his hand. He figured as much. This girl has an air of leadership to her. It reminds him a little of always calm, way too kind Hakuei.]

That guy can't be much of a fighter, so... Not military, no way. What do you do?

[tried]

[A laugh, softly,] There's always a hierarchy for everything, isn't there? Kings and Queens are at the top, where I am-- and Kazu's almost there, sort of. He has the potential.

[Any and all embarrassment Ringo had over being seen in her current state of (un)dress gets essentially pushed aside with this direction in topic.]

Mm, it's nothing that serious! The closest way to describe it... would be a really intense sport, and there are different ways to fight and compete. With these. [On cue, she motions to her trecks once more.]

[incendiarism]

Oh, you're a queen? I can buy that. [He looks at her face with new interest. This girl's a ruler of something, huh? Makes sense. She's got a charisma and a stubbornness he likes in kings.]

A sport, huh? Like Reim's gladiators, then? You compete to rule? Strongest wins and takes the power!

[He lifts his hands into fists, excited.]

Sounds fun. I didn't think that guy could handle something like that, but maybe he's hiding it.

[tried]

That's about right. At the end, the strongest, most skilled rider earned the title of Sky King.

[She smiles at how excited he looks talking about it, despite not being familiar with the a-t concept. It reminded her of a certain crow headed idiot.]

He's the type that people underestimate because they don't know how hard he works. [Nodnodnods, as if it was some sort of secret she was sharing.] You'd do pretty well at it too, I think. I can find out if there's a way for you to get a pair of trecks here if you're interested in trying it out.