2019-07-10: Mui Rides ze Shoopuf
- Log: Mui Rides ze Shoopuf
- Cast: Kamui, Zhang Xiumei, Acacia Saitani
- Where: The Moonflow
- Date: 10th July 2019
- Summary: ... well do I need to say anything more?? Ride ze Shoopuf already!!
<Pose Tracker> Kamui has posed.
(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8tfe_H7bzw )
(yes it's the mi'ihen highroad bgm but it's more dorky than the actual moonflow bgm)
Xiumei and Acacia were involved in rescuing Kamui from the sad fate of sitting out in the rain amidst a pile of sad giants! It's been a day since, and one of the suggestions that Marivel (who's probably busy Digging and putting out a lot of effort right now) provided was:
Go ride the Shoopuf again, mui.
Following said instructions, Kamui is, indeed, riding the Shoopuf again. She looks incredibly cozy as she curls up on one of the couches on Acacia's lap.
"Hmm... so this is the human emotion of riding Shoopuf, mui... it's comfy..."
<Pose Tracker> Zhang Xiumei has posed.
Zhang Xiumei, being from a wealthy, but not ennobled family desperate to prove its status in the stratified society of Meria Boule, has a way of looking prim and proper without trying. Case in point: she sits in the Shoopuf's riding basket with her legs crossed, hands on her knees, and an upright posture.
Relaxed, without /quite/ looking relaxed. She looks around the couches, and then at the Moonflow, with a thoughtful expression.
"It's really nice," Xiumei says, quietly. She sighs. "I like the Shoopuf a lot. There isn't much like it on Filgaia, is there?"
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
Acacia Saitani is /technically/ from a wealthy but not ennobled family, not that she's actually ever given that information away to anyone. Once upon a time she might have been as prim and proper as Zhang Xiumei is - but there's not much of that ojousama left of her now, the veneer having cracked when she got bit by the reporting bug and then distinctly shaved down by the lifestyle that followed, into the rather blunt woman she is now.
So she's sat comfortably with one hand resting in Kamui's hair and the other raised into the air, feeling the breeze at the height they're at. She slept much too much last night, catching up on what she lost due to the stress of losing Kamui - as a result, she hasn't exactly managed to wake up today, and stifles a huge yawn by sheer force of will and force of jaw.
"Mhhhnnn... I'm not sure that's an emotion, exactly. You're right about it being comfy, though. The sway feels just like a ship rolling," she muses. "Never exactly got my sea legs, but it's not bad for dozing off."
She looks up - and realizes she should probably be a little more alert, sitting up just slightly. "Same's true of a lot of Spira, really. If you haven't seen Macalania, I recommend it. I think that place counts as 'out of our world' in every single way. ... I guess I've heard about creatures this big back on Filgaia, but not exactly docile."
<Pose Tracker> Kamui has posed.
Kamui is .. .. ... ...
Well, if you consider the part where she really wants Marivel to see her as her daughter, does that mean she's ennobled? Crimson Ennobled. Though so far her understanding of what a King actually is seems to be "a human who wears a really nice hat called a crown".
Which is not technically incorrect.
"... is comfy not an emotion? And you're right," Kamui challenges, nodding to Xiumei and holding up a big thermos full of hot cocoa. "I don't remember anything so comfortable and grand in Filgaia... also, we made cocoa, mui... or do you want it iced?"
Her hair flashes an ice-blue for a moment as she takes out a cup and... kind of... just... bangs her Buster on it gently and coaxes some ice cubes to come out.
... is that really a responsible use of Weapon Copy???
"Do you want lemonade, Master?"
<Pose Tracker> Zhang Xiumei has posed.
"I never went that far north," Xiumei admits to Acacia. She tilts her head a little. "Is it pretty? Maybe I should see if Nora wants to go with me. She likes seeing things that... well, that or a good game of football."
The ancient game played by, allegedly, robots in the Zeboim era -- called soccer, in some parts of Ignas. The best friends are also fans.
Extreme fans.
She taps a finger against her chin, before she looks back at Kamui... and smiles a little at that. She hears a chuckle in the back of her mind; it seems more than just her is amused. She stares for a moment, though, at the ice.
"I-it is comfy," she says. "Cocoa would be great... um, iced isn't necessary, though. I like hot cocoa in almost any weather. Do you like cocoa, Kamui?"
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
"Maybe comfy is a lifestyle," Acacia shoots back with a puff of air - though there's an amused grin tugging at the corner of her lips that suggests she knows that Kamui is going to take issue with that claim, and that she's just baiting it out there to see the Reploid's reaction to it. She's indulging in that just a little right now, kind of biased in having Kamui back, but the two of them do bicker rather like family. "I'll take some."
She almost hesitates at Xiumei's question, and then scratches at her cheek. "Well... I'm not exactly a sentimental person or a tourist, so it ought to mean something when I say it was an experience. Bold and underlined three times and everything. I can tell you it involves walkingthrough a luminescent forest at night on a big floating shimmery light bridge, but that's nothing compared to trying it yourselves."
She goes to rummage through her bag as she says that, fairly sure she has a spare copy of her recent issue with a suitable photo - but something makes her pause, realizing that perhaps she should be encouraging Kamui's memory where she can. "I think you got some photos of the place, Kamui?"
She lets the Reploid answer both questions put to her, but only while biting back a snicker. "... yeah, I kind of got that when she more or less leapt out of the stands at the blitzball game. She was practically crying for blood," she deadpans, if you ignore the smirk.
<Pose Tracker> Kamui has posed.
Kamui pours some lemonade first for Acacia, out of a second thermos because she likes to come prepared. She seems to agree more with Xiumei though, because a second later she's pouring two hot cups of cocoa and puts little marshmallows on it--
"Pew pew pew, it's lava...!" she chimes out as she drops each of them inside. "I do like cocoa... it's the best human beverage I know of."
Not biased at all!
She lights up as Acacia urges her to show her, though, and she rummages around her pack and shows Xiumei some pictures of Macalania Forest. One of them is Kamui and Clarine lazily sunbathing on a luminescent nest around the bend atop the blue canopy of the woods.
"Foot... ball? Oh! I like football," Kamui answers. "Tony and Scott and Tim really enjoy it back at Meria Boule. I really like being the ball."
... given her propensity for removing her head, it's not a far stretch what exactly 'being the ball' entails...
<Pose Tracker> Zhang Xiumei has posed.
"Hm... I think I'll have to go. It seems like it would be a good idea to see it -- especially since we're going to get back to Filgaia, sooner or later." The truth, of course, is that Xiumei would rather return to Filgaia than be on Spira. But seeing the wonders that Spira has to offer? That sounds delightful.
She takes the cup of hot cocoa and has a sip, then she sighs fondly, and her eyes close for a moment. "Mm... that's nice."
She opens her eyes in time to see the image; she gasps a little at the pictures of Macalania. "It's... pretty," she says, quietly. A beat, then.
"You were the ball? Er--" Xiumei's nose wrinkles. "...well, Eleanor's... kind of animated, when she really gets into a sport..."
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
Acacia grasps the glass like it's a lifejacket, feeling the sharp taste revitalize her; she's fond of stronger and more acidic tastes, especially when she needs to get herself up and about in the mornings. "Yeah. I agree," she nods over her cup to Xiumei, then puffs out a sigh. "Honestly, it kind of puts me in a bit of a weird position. I'd love to take all these photos, jam them together into a single issue, and call it 'The Land of Spira', but who on Filgaia is gonna believe me outside of other Drifters?"
She taps her fingernail against the cup, watching Kamui make a marshmallow bridge for a tiny Reploid to be able to cross to Cocoa Man, then glancing at the other woman across from her. "Not always. I try to stop her sometimes, but often it's just too late. I hope they're doing okay," she adds to the Reploid. "Bet Tim's really missing you right about now. He gets fussy every time one of the group isn't there, and someone's got to have noticed we're missing by now."
Like her landlady, part of her mind points out, and she grimaces to herself. It'll be okay, it'll be okay...
"She was practically crawling over the barrier," Acacia points out to Xiumei rather than dwell on that too closely, allowing herself a toothy grin. "So, what about your interests? I mean, I don't peg Eleanor as the type to try to overwork you, especially when there's not a whole lot to do here on Spira outside of see the sights."
<Pose Tracker> Kamui has posed.
Kamui, on the other hand, hates acidic tastes. Acacia's probably fed her coffee at least once and she went 'pweh, pweh' and fortunately didn't drink enough of it or otherwise she might Emeralda out and start bouncing up and down the entire room on a buzz.
"What if you spun it as a faerie tale, Master?" Kamui points out. "If they won't believe it as real, then why not as a story?"
She looks happy that Xiumei likes her cocoa. She perks up to say, "It's Marina Irington's recipe. She makes a really good cup and she told me she'd teach me if I promised to not tell..."
She looks so proud.
Acacia points out Tim's probably worried, Kamui nodding in turn. "I should have told Amy to tell them when we dialed home..."
But Acacia asks about Xiumei's interests. "Eleanor Klein said... you were a clerk, last time, right? But... I never asked you in that interview what you're into!" Zhang Xiumei has reconnected.
<Pose Tracker> Zhang Xiumei has posed.
"It's true... before I joined ARMS, if you'd told me about Spira or even that life exists on Lunar, I would have thought you were lying," Xiumei adits. She sighs, and then she looks up Acacia. She blinks, once.
"Well... I like football a lot, too--ah, actually, I played!" she adds. "It was my favorite thing to do in school. I was a good forward. And I like reading, though... I'm not really finding a great Spiran novel."
Xiumei smiles a little wryly.
Then, she nods her head; she sips the cocoa. "That's right," she says. "I was a clerk in my family's company, and... I'd studied for that. I'm good with numbers, supplies, and all of that. It's what I thought I was going to do for a living, until..."
She doesn't finish, but the meaning is obvious. The sun glints off the little bracelet with the impression of Model V's helmet.
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
The reporter frowns at Kamui's suggestion. It's not a bad one, and it's definitely not one she can argue against, but something about the idea of passing off her reporting as a fairy tale still kind of sticks in her mind like a particularly stubborn itch. "I--... mnnh, I guess so," she allows, then breaks into a grin. "Bet there'd be some awkward questions as and when people do learn about Spira, though. Though that might be kind of fun to watch, I guess."
She can't help but break into a grin when Marina's mentioned, raising her eyebrows over her cup at Xiumei. "I guess you live too far from Meria Boule to know, but she's more or less the secret power behind the throne there. Pretty sure the whole town runs on her food at this point. You cross her at your peril, so make sure you keep it secret," she adds as she pats Kamui on the head. "Or she'll withdraw doughnut rights."
"Aah, yeah, I hear that," the redhead sighs. "You wouldn't think it, I guess, but I can be a hell of a homebody. I miss my dingy apartment and my bookshelves pretty bad-- but, if you can stand the occasional bit of praise and worship, the stories about past Summoners do at a pinch, I guess," she adds as a suggestion, raising her eyebrows.
But whatever she was about to say next, she leaves it to one side as she catches the glint of light against the bracelet, falling silent. It's more her reporter's instinct than makes her continue on a different tack, humming to herself thoughtfully. "Does it count as a promotion?" Acacia catches herself the next moment, raising her hands. "Ah-- sorry, bad habit. Not trying to make it an interview or anything."
<Pose Tracker> Kamui has posed.
"... I'm really bad... with numbers, and with reading ... Mari used to scold me a lot for not doing my homework properly," Kamui admits with a fold of her arms. An ancient machine with a sophisticated AI that properly, as far as the senses can tell, mimics human behaviour... yet...
Is bad at the things computers are usually good at??
ZEBOIM ERA
"It's gap m--" Dr. Lumen starts, before someone throws a pillow in her face.
NOW
Kamui raises an eyebrow at Acacia, though, with a furrowed brow for a moment. "... it doesn't mean you can't still go do things you enjoy, Zhang Xiumei. I'm a Maverick Hunter, but I still like eating food and lazing on shoopufs and writing articles, right...?"
She pumps her hands up in order to psych herself up, hoping to cheer Xiumei up a bit! Zhang Xiumei has partially disconnected.
<Pose Tracker> Zhang Xiumei has posed.
"I've had her cooking! I--um, well, I did live there... but I traveled a lot," Xiumei admits. "I lived in a different part of the city, so I mostly had it when I went through that district. Other side of the river." Shehe looks at Acacia with a slight blink, her green eyes staring at her. She didn't really see her as a homebody; she sort of imagined a famous reporter, eagerly crossing the globe to far-off, unheard of locations like Arctica, Lacour, and Elesius. The truth makes her smile a little.
Then, that smile flickers.
"...well... I enjoy a good math puzzle, but I was good at being a clerk. I didn't love it, as much as I didn't hate it. This is... more of a career change, than a promotion." She shrugs, lightly. Does she love being able to use Model V?
She doesn"t say. "...I like a lot about Spira. It's nice to get to take hikes, and see things, and talk to people. But... I try to stay focused. I need to make sure I'm useful."
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
Acacia's trained herself to pick up details, so the fact that Kamui remembers things like homework - and Marivel's reaction to it - is something that makes her glance across, her eyebrows raised for a moment before she breaks into a quieter smile. She's certainly never seen any, which means it's another past memory that Kamui's managed to pick up on, bit by bit.
"Hey," she puffs the next moment, tapping Kamui on the head. "As far as I'm concerned, you're my assistant first and foremost. Lazing on shoopufs is part of the job description, if you ask me," she corrects, as sure a sign as ever that she's spoiling Kamui right now. She skirts around the title of Maverick Hunter, leaving it alone for the time being.
"Ah, that district? It's pretty nice over there, that's true. I wouldn't give up my little alleyways and bridges for anything at this point, though," the redhead splits into a grin as she catches that smile. "What? Look, no-one can work forever. When I'm done for the day, I make sure I relax properly, that's all," she hums, kind of prideful about it for some reason.
She falls silent afterwards, sizing up Xiumei for a while. "Don't get me wrong, focused is good, especially with Odessa around," she frowns as she scratches at her hair. "But are you sure Eleanor's that worried about you being useful?" The reporter trails off as she looks to Kamui, then lights up again. "Okay! Then in that case we're holding you to what you said earlier. You're taking Eleanor to Macalania sometime. It'll be a useful hike," she smirks.
<Pose Tracker> Kamui has posed.
"Did we go across the river often, Master...?" Kamui doesn't sound like she remembers. She imagines Xiumei and Eleanor to perhaps stay closer to like a noble district or upscale part of town, but she's not quite sure. Certainly their part of Meria Boule was a very homey, comfortable but not opulent district.
Acacia talks about how lazing on shoopufs is part of the description. "Even now I'm getting lots of details for another article, Master...!"
A pause, as Xiumei shares about staying focused. She bobs her head and says, "Hmm... ..." A pause. Then she nods. "... when I got too focused ... it was scary. You saved me, so it's my time to repay that, Zhang Xiumei! With your boots and my Foot Parts, we can play at wall climbing."
... R-Reploid wall climbing ... might be a tad more extreme than most hikes ...
<Pose Tracker> Zhang Xiumei has posed.
Xiumei bobs her head, once. "Mm-hm," she says. "The port district, too--ah, there was a Galadian dumpling house on the harbor..." She sighs. "But, whenever I went to that area, I loved to get bread from there!"
She adjusts her glasses with her finger, pushing them up her nose. There is a little nervousness at wall-climbing. "P-Please, Kamui, don't think anything of it. We're... friends, right? It's what friends do."
A beat.
"But... wall climbing sounds fun," she admits. She looks at Acacia, then -- and she startles. "Eleanor... um... Eleanor wouldn't ever think I'm not useful. But... I don't want to take advantage of her kindness, either. I'll have to show her the woods. It seems like the sort of thing she would like."
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
The reporter grins at Kamui - because here at least she's on home ground. "Not so much - but I bet you didn't know there's a bunch of little canals running through town and down the side streets. Every time you feel a little bump in the road, that's one of the channels. You'll see when we get back," she adds, more to dangle something small to look forward to than actually be serious about it.
Her eyebrows raise at what Kamui must consider wall-climbing to be. This is, after all, the girl who loves to report on how good it is to perch on high places, generally aiming for the highest possible at any given time. Rather than try and fight it, however, she just sniggers. "If you do, make sure you take the camera," she advises. "I want a shot out across the Macalania canopy sometime."
"Why not go for it?" she adds towards Xiumei, staying on-topic. "Not to be paranoid or anything, but it might help to get you more used to jetting around. Better to learn that stuff now than when someone's breathing down your neck." A little too practical, perhaps, but she smiles. "Besides, I'm told by a reliable source that you get amazing views out of the bargain, too."
Mercifully, she stays quiet on the subject of Eleanor - but it's the sort of smug silence that suggests she's not about to leave the topic alone that easily. Instead, for the time being, she lets out a solid yawn that she can't really prevent. "Ugghh... I used to be a lot better at allnighters." All of a week ago, even.
<Pose Tracker> Kamui has posed.
"... mm. We're friends," Kamui nods a few times. A pause, as she wraps her arms around herself. "... give me a bit more time... Zhang Xiumei. I'll... make an effort to be able to remember-- remember your nickname!"
It's a real strange kind of mechanical movement in her head, perhaps. But it's clear from the earnestness in her voice that she wants to get there.
... so why doesn't she ever remember Acacia's name?
"Master, you should go take a nap. That's what the Shoopuf is for... rides ze shoopuf, mui..."
<Pose Tracker> Zhang Xiumei has posed.
"Really?" Xiumei asks. "Ah... I'll have to look for these canals, when I get back!"
She beams, even, at that. She clasps her hands together -- and she glances sideways at Kamui. "W-Well... yes, I thought so, um--thank you, Kamui!"
She coughs, a little awkward at that. She sighs, before she glances down. "The views sound nice," she says. "I'll have to give it a shot--ah, but... if you want to take a nap, please, go ahead. It's a nice place for it."
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
After a pause, Acacia pats Kamui on the head once more - though this time, the breath of air she lets out is a distinctly proud one. If she's worried about Kamui's inability to remember her own name, she does a good job of not showing it, preferring to encourage the Reploid where she can. "You'll get it," she adds, undeniably fond as she chuckles.
"Ugh, I really shouldn't. I've slept a ton today. It's the Spiran weather," she decides, somehow managing to get a familiar sort of grousing going. "Where's the rain and the fog?-- actually, don't answer that. I already know it's all on the Thunder Plains and absolutely nowhere else."
<Pose Tracker> Kamui has posed.
Well, /Kamui/ is gonna go nap, because she's already curled up at Xiumei's recommendation to go nap again. Mui......
<Pose Tracker> Zhang Xiumei has posed.
"I'm... afraid so," Xiumei says, with a little sigh, before she leans back and drinks more of her hot cocoa. "One day we'll have that wonderful, gloomy weather again."