[ OPEN ] lethargy got a hold on me

[killuwatt]

Who: Killua Zoldyck and whoever wants to drop in on him
When: end-ish of February through end of March
Where: around Aefenglom
What: recovering from cult activities, getting jacked, clothes shopping, quests
Warnings: mentions of last month's plot and trauma, probably also some teen romance (nothing more than pg-13 tho)

Open and closed prompts in the headers below:

⚡ CLOSED | stir-crazy
⚡ OPEN | do you even lift bro
⚡ OPEN | walk walk fashion baby


PM this journal or hit me up @ gunsandchocolate if you want to plot out something else and I can whip up a custom starter.

Comments

[al_bhed]

[Rikku is less 'passing by' and more 'tagging along.' She bumped into Killua out on the street and basically invited herself along for his shopping trip. It's nice to spend time with a friend in low-stakes circumstances like this.

Part of spending time with a friend, of course, is being his hype-woman.]

Yeah, it's really stupid! Do you want us all die of heat stroke?

[Seriously.

To Killua, she adds:]

At least you didn't get the 'you don't want people thinking you're loose woman' lecture.

[killuwatt]

Exactly!

[ Killua backs her up when she backs him up, and they stand there, two annoying teenagers harassing this poor Victorian tailor... yikes. ]

Oh, ew. That's gross. You should just punch anyone who says that and they'll stop worrying about what you're wearing and worrying more about the fact you're punching them.

[ The tailor begins to look... alarmed. They're probably going to get kicked out. ]

[al_bhed]

That's a great idea! Next time, they'll regret calling me names telling me what I can and can't wear.

[She punches her fist into palm and grins. The tailor's expression of alarm deepens.]

I don't get why people here get so worked up over something as stupid as clothing, you know?

[killuwatt]

[ Never mind the fact that they're the ones getting worked up and being mildly threatening toward a small business owner. Eh, details.

Killua smirks, getting an idea. He also looms closer, and despite his short stature, he knows how to make his presence feel big. And uncomfortable. That part doesn't even have anything to do with being a Witch.

Slowly, he crosses his arms over his chest, glaring up at the tailor who luckily is only a couple inches taller. ]

Exactly what she said. Why do you care so much? If a customer wants to make an order, take their order. No one asked you if it was appropriate or not.

[ The poor tailor stammers. When all's said and done, they're likely to get not only whatever order Killua (and maybe Rikku?) asked for, but perhaps a discount to boot. At least until they're banned from this shop forever after this. ]

[al_bhed]

[Let's not get too technical on the details, now. Bullying is okay if it gets you what you want.

As Killua manages to loom large despite his actual size, Rikku rocks on her heels and gives the tailor her biggest smile.]

Pleeeeease? It's not that hard, you know?

[Somehow, the put-upon sweetness is almost as intimidating. Especially since she's already clearly demonstrated a willingness to throw down not even two minutes earlier.

The tailor looks between the two of them, sighs deeply, murmurs something about needing to get his tools from the back, and slips into a room behind the counter. Rikku pumps her fists as soon as he's out of eyesight.]

All it takes is a little pressure, huh?

[killuwatt]

[ Killua doesn't even bother hiding his satisfied smirk as the tailor finally relents. As soon as he turns away, Killua holds a hand up for Rikku to high-five. ]

Oh, man! That perfect, haha! Did you see his freaking face? Hilarious.

You really know how to lay it on with all the eyelash batting and 'pleeease.' Great job.

[ He's still snickering to himself, pleased with their teamwork. Who unleashed these menaces upon the city?? ]

[al_bhed]

[Rikku beams, way too proud of her contribution to this terror.]

Thanks! It works on pretty much everyone except my pops. He just tells me to stop wasting time trying to butter him up and get to work already.

And hey, it gets you what you want so it's all in the name of the greater good, you know? And here I've just been altering clothes myself and doing things the hard way.

[Seriously, they're a menace that needs to be stopped.]

[killuwatt]

Ha! It would be way too OP if it worked on your own dad, I guess.

[ Killua snickers, rocking back on his heels casually with his hands in his pockets. ]

That's pretty cool, though. Altering your own clothes sounds like a hassle, but the result is cool. What do you do, just like regular sewing stuff, or magic of some kind?

[al_bhed]

OP?

[Rikku is not from a world that with it and hip.]

I do it by hand. It's kind of a hassle, but it's not too different from how we have to do things back home. You alter what you can find and make it work.

Magic would probably be a lot easier! I'll have to see what I can do with it.

[At least the selections here are a lot prettier!]

[killuwatt]

You know. Like in a game. Way too powerful... over-powered.

[ Killua waves a hand, as if it's self-explanatory. ]

You really had to sew stuff together by hand where you're from? That sounds like it sucks! Jeez, what kinda old-timey place is your world anyway?

You haven't told me that much about it.

[ he may have more or less forgotten about the clothing argument, now that he shopkeeper has scurried away to take refuge somewhere in the back. ]

[al_bhed]

Ohhhhhh.

[That makes sense! She'll have to remember that one.

As far as the questions about her world, Rikku realizes that Killua is speaking derogatorily but can't exactly blame him for it. She herself is fascinated and envious of all the machina and technology here and in other worlds. If the situation were reversed, she'd look at Spira as some backwater world too.

(Honestly, she already does. All the Al Bhed do.)]

Machina--machines are all but banned where I'm from, so we have to make do where we can. We Al Bhed still use them, but a lot of how they work has been lost to time so we're kind of fumbling around until we figure it out.

So yeah, we're pretty old-timey compared to here.

[killuwatt]

Wow... machines? Like, any machines in general? That's crazy. Life sounds pretty annoying without any technology or machinery at all. Even this place has the watches and things like stoves and fridges and stuff...

I guess actually I dunno what counts as a 'machine.' If even a sewing machine is banned, then you probably don't have any fridges!

[ He sounds fascinated but also low-key horrified. ]

Was it super weird ending up here? I met a guy who didn't know what a train was and I thought he was weird, but you make it sound like you know what all that stuff is but couldn't use it.

[al_bhed]

We don't have fridges!

[She only knows what a refrigerator is because of this place, to be honest.]

It was kind of weird, but mostly it was really nice. My people, the Al Bhed, we don't agree with the ban on machina. We use what we can find, but it's not easy when everyone else makes it a point to get involved and tell you you can't.

So I've had a lot of fun seeing what machines can do if only we'd be allowed to develop it, you know?

[Also, she's really jealous of people who come from worlds where it's taken for granted.]

[killuwatt]

Ugh, that sounds so frustrating. The other people sound like real idiots. Why wouldn't you want to develop something so useful and convenient further?

[ He's been to a place like that, though. And it was... extremely unpleasant. Even clothing that wasn't made of completely natural fibers was banned there. ]

To me, this place seems so outdated. I hadn't considered that it might be a step up for a lot of people. I guess it's not that bad...

Could be worse. We could have bad clothes and no fridges.

At least tell me your world had chocolate.

[al_bhed]

[There is nothing more validating than the opinion of one's fellow indignant teenager.]

They were! And everyone just went along with it, just because Yevon said so! It's like they didn't want to think about it for themselves.

[Sorry Wakka, but it's true.]

And no, we didn't have chocolate. I had it for the first time here.