[Video]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime hates that he has to do this, but he's looking a little green and tired. And so, so very uncomfortable with what he's about to do.]

It would appear that I've gone too long without a Tether. I...need help.

[There's a pained sigh. Not because he's really starting to feel the effects--it's just a bit of nausea for now, but he knows what's coming.]

I'm a Tian, I can offer...combat training in exchange? I am...not good with people.

[He's trying his best, but it's hard. There are very good reasons he's put this off as long as he has.]

Comments

[chalicejoker]

There's a nod. "That would be an excellent idea. Might give us a chance to get to know each other before...all of this." Hajime pauses. "Has anyone told you what it's like? Tethering?"

[nitashix]

"Nah! But me phone's be warnin' me to make one quick," Jack shrugged, his grin contorting to a mildly vexed visage. One might view his vibe as that of a child being forced into an unpleasant chore but does it anyway.

"But meh. Wouldn't be that bad, would it?," he chuckled lightly, before bending forward in a curious stare.

[chalicejoker]

Hajime considers this, then grimaces. "I should be up front with you. I'm not...not human." He is not making eye contact. "I do not know if this will make things unpleasant for you later on."

[nitashix]

Jack pulled himself back before bursting into a loud and hearty laughter. "Yer worried, I'd be findin' ye' weird or sumtin?," he chuckled, rising to reach out to his companion. "I be seein' much weirder stuff than ye' could imagine mate! Just chill out. As long as ye' won't eat me or anytin' we're good," he grinned, giving his companion a light tap on his shoulder.

"Errr...ye' wouldn't right?," he followed up, after a brief pause and a mildly anxious stare.

[chalicejoker]

"Never." Hajime shakes his head. "If I were to go out of control, I'd just rampage. Try to fight everything, but in that state, I wouldn't need to eat. Just fight." He frowns slightly. "The chip's preventing the worst from happening, I think. And I've been content to try to pass as just an ordinary human...albeit one who was concerned you'd find all this weird."

[nitashix]

"Yohoho! I'm just kidding of course. And don't worry too much mate! Yer doin' great!," Jack chuckled, discreetly wiping the sweat that formed on his forehead. "Speakin' of eatin' though I think we should order first. Any meal yer' fond of?," he offered, though his mind started to get dizzy at all the unfamiliar words in the menu.

[chalicejoker]

"I suppose I favor seafood," Hajime says, scanning the menu, "but I'm open to suggestions. Is there anything you'd like to try?"

[nitashix]

Jack scanned the menu one more time but no matter how he tried, he couldn't make sense of anything written on it. "Eh...I'mma go with a seafood too!," he exclaimed, lifting his eyes back at Hajime.

[chalicejoker]

Hajime nods--if he has picked up on any uncertainty there he will not comment on it--and then flags over the waiter. "I'll take the stew." Seemed safe enough. He glances over at Jack. "Do you know what you want yet?"

[nitashix]

Jack blinked, the sight of confusion clearly painted on his visage. "Ah yes, the stew! I be takin' that!," he exclaimed, after a few seconds of spacing out, which he tried to redeem himself from with a wide grin.

[chalicejoker]

The confusion there does not escape Hajime, but he still won't say anything. He's been enough of a socially awkward weirdo to know not to say anything about anyone else's behavior like that. "Do you eat in restaurants often? I used to live in the basement of one, back home."

[nitashix]

"Well...not really on fancy ones such as these. But dreamed of eating on one," Jack bent closer to Hajime, responding to the alien in almost a whisper.

[chalicejoker]

"You haven't been before?" Hajime seems surprised. "We should try different ones, then. Find all the restaurants this place has to offer." This is how you try the whole making friends thing, right?

[nitashix]

"Shhh...," Jack hushed his companion lightly, discretely scanning his eyes around them. "Ye'd show me 'em proper manners 'ere right? Besides, the food 'ere smelled great," he whispered, flashing his companion another wide grin.

[chalicejoker]

"I have seen enough humans in a restaurant situation to know what is and isn't acceptable." Hajime nods. "I think we can manage this."

[nitashix]

"Yeah sure we can mate!," Jack exclaimed, catching unnecessary attention around him at his sudden loud voice. "Woops, me apologies for that," he chuckled, softening the tone of his voice in embarrassment.

"So errr...what were you doing before bein' snatched in 'ere?," he asked instead, aiming to divert his thoughts from the momentary awkwardness that he caused.

[chalicejoker]

"Don't worry about it." If anyone stares for too long, Hajime's giving them a particularly pointed glare that suggests anyone who isn't in the habit of minding their own business might find more trouble than they can handle. Not that he is capable of backing that up as well as he might have been back home.

"Working as a photographer. Trying to keep out of trouble." Not that he had succeeded in that last part. "What were you doing before ending up here?"

[nitashix]

"Ah! First Mate o' the Sinkin' Kraken! Ye' know, we plunder the great seas an' dig 'em treasures!," Jack bragged, beating his chest in a sudden boastful manner. "But meh. This pirate's a changed man now. Still dreamin' o' owning me' own ship but not of 'em plundering anymore," he then continued before waving his hand in a dismissive gesture.

[chalicejoker]

Hajime nods. "I almost set off sailing around the world once." There's a small frown. "You could say things kind of fell through. And I was just running from responsibility, anyway."

[nitashix]

"Ah! ye' could be one o' me crew then," Jack offered tactlessly, without really chugging in the very context of Hajime's words. What stood up, was pure excitement and exhilaration of making his dream come true.

[chalicejoker]

Hajime blinks. "Is there...is there even an ocean here?" He is just trying to gauge the levels of raging optimism at play here, really.

[nitashix]

A dismaying sigh suddenly left his lips. "Well, about that..." Jack backed off, his thoughts racing through the missions he did in the past. He realized that he didn't have any recollection of encountering one, no matter how much he thought. "Shan't any world have one?," he continued, his thoughts still wandering off to all his memories of the annexed world.

[chalicejoker]

"One would think." Hajime shakes his head. "But this place is strange. I got lost out in the wilderness for a month or so. Can't recommend that." He will refrain from mentioning the part about accidentally tripping on fungus spores for some indeterminate amount of time.