Duel 01; Video

[andtherevolution]

[There aren't any questions about what this place is or what it's like. Utena's already gotten used to all of that. She does, however, have a question about something else that's been on her mind: employment. She flops on her new bed and turns on her device, and the network will see a zoomed in image of her eye before she stretches her arms and raises her communicator, showing her from the shoulders up]

So. The government gives us these jobs when we get here, right? But what do you do when it's something you're not cut out for? Like...

[Okay, recording like this isn't very comfortable after all. She stops and rolls over on her side, and adjusts the camera so it's focusing mostly on her face]

I'm supposed to be a teacher, sort of. Or maybe instructor is a better way to put it? ...anyway, I'm supposed to give fencing lessons now. And it's not that I'm bad at it, but...

[She bites her lip and glances away for a moment, uncertain of how much she should (or how much she even wants to) explain about the duels.]

Well, I'm not really used to "standard" fencing matches. I mean, I've fenced before, but the last time I did the rules were kind of weird, and as soon as I got used to it the game would change again. The only real advice I could give is, "hey, don't get stabbed," but that's not really good advice, is it? I mean, that's what swordfighting is all about, I guess, but...

[She sighs, and flops back on her pillow]

I'm not really sure what I should do about this. I still need to talk to them - the people who run the lessons, not the guys who gave me the job - but... I guess I'm just worried that they'll expect more from me than what I can give them. That they'll expect me to be some master fencer from a movie or storybook or something like that. Has anyone else had to deal with that? With their bosses expecting them to be something they're not, I mean.

Comments

[Video]

[iamtetsuo]

[Blah blah blah blah blah. You can bet that Tetsuo cut the video off about halfway through.]

Not cut out for it? Quit.

[Video]

[andtherevolution]

[His advice truly touched her heart, as he can tell by the way her eye twitches]

I'd like to have enough money to eat, thanks.

[Besides registering.]

[video]

[glassfall]

Maybe I should learn how to fence, after all.

[She kids... maybe. But of all the people she's met so far, Utena seems the most approachable by far.]

[video]

[andtherevolution]

[Familiar face? Familiar face! Utena smiles at her, perking up a bit from her funk]

Who knows, they might even give you an imPort discount. But what about you? What job did they stick you with?

video

[khajidont]

Then you get a new one. It's a lot harder back where I'm from than it is here - as long as you're an imPort, people are willing to believe you when you talk about the skills you've got. What would you like to do?

video

[andtherevolution]

Honestly? Anything that's not waitressing or putting on a goofy costume.

[A pause]

...uh, that was my last job. It wasn't the worst, but it wasn't great, either - and even if I wanted to go back to it, it's in a completely different city. But to be honest...

[She purses her lips together, thinking]

This isn't something I've really thought about before. Back home there was just school, and I didn't think much about what I'd do after I was done with it. It just seemed so far away that it wasn't worth worrying about. Well, until now, that is.

[video]

[couldbebeautiful]

I think "don't get stabbed" is great advice.

[video]

[andtherevolution]

[Oh hey, it's her grocery store buddy. If anyone knows what is and is not practical advice on how not to die, it's her. Probably. Either way, she relaxes a bit when she sees Veronica's face]

Yeah, but it'd be better if I could tell them how not to get stabbed. I mean, I know how to avoid it, but it's harder to put into words than I thought it'd be. It's like explaining to someone how to walk. You know, like explaining something that you've been doing for so long that you just don't think about it, you just do it.

video

[restingstitchface]

[By the time the end of the message rolls around, Crane's mulling over what he heard near the end. Oh, sure, Bruce Wayne is technically his boss, but he's not his superior. He sighs and supports his chin between thumb and forefinger, and speaks with a bemused tone.]

Oh, mine expects me to behave myself. I pin this down to how it serves as a nice counter to the activities he indulges himself in out of hours. He's something of a masochist.

video

[andtherevolution]

[Wait. Wait a second. She remembers this guy... and, once she sees the name, she remembers the stunt he pulled at a certain theme park. Her eyes go wide before they narrow, showing not an ounce of sympathy for his own employment woes]

Yeah, I can't see why he'd want someone like you to play nice.

video;

[storyseeker]

Sometimes the jobs fit, sometimes they definitely don't. I'm not sure how they figure it all out.

My advice? Give it a try, if only to make some extra money while you figure out what you really want to do. [squints] Or maybe just go to school? Sorry, I'm not trying to be condescending, but you look pretty young.

vdeo;

[andtherevolution]

It's fine, but...

[she furrows her brow again, thinking]

Well, the school year's almost over down here. Even if I went, I'd only be going for a few weeks. And it's not like they pay you to go to school, do they? I don't have to worry about paying rent, at least, but I still need to find a way to take care of everything else.

[She sighs, but soon her expression lightens as she remembers what else the woman said]

But you're right. It can't hurt to give it a shot, right? And if it doesn't work out, I can always look in the newspaper for stuff to do.

video;

[helpline]

Welcome back! [ Pink hair! The Doctor remembers you, Utena, and is grinning like a madman. ]

I'm a fairly good fencer myself if you want someone to go over the rules or practice with. I even fought Robin Hood that one time.

video;

[andtherevolution]

[Oh hey, it's that guy! She's not sure why he's so excited, but the smile is actually pretty infectious, and it's enough to make her smile back at him. Or at least, she smiles until that last, surprising tidbit]

Wait, you mean the real Robin Hood? Did you fight him here?

[She's not even going to question it beyond that. She knows how this place rolls.]

text;

[reexamined]

Have you "registered" with the government? If so, it doesn't matter if you're very bad at it. They won't fire you.

text;

[andtherevolution]

no, and i'm not going to. i don't want to end up owing them more than i need to. no offense to anyone who did, but i don't know if they'll ever expect us to pay them back, and i don't want to find out how.

video;

[oceanthief]

[hey Utena, remember one of your former housemates from last time? because Lapis really doesn't, but she's going to try her best to be helpful all the same.]

Just don't show up.

[nailed it.]

video;

[andtherevolution]

[Oh yeah, it's kind of hard to forget someone like Lapis. Her eyes widen with recognition, before she sight. Yep, that's the kind of advice she could expect from her]

Tempting, but no. If they're expecting me, I should at least explain what's going on.

[Give her a second, Lapis, and maybe, maybe she'll realize that she just answered her own question about what to do.]</small:

[candor1]

Do you know how to work in a bakery? We could trade.

[not that he knows how to fence either. But he knows nothing about baking, and is proficient-to-expert in quite a few forms of armed and unarmed combat, and in training/instructing others. He could even stomach teaching combat methods if it were purely for self-defense.]



[ooc: He is actually slated to quit the bakery and start teaching self-defense at the school! ^_^ But only in OOC planning so far!]

[andtherevolution]

[Okay, that gets a laugh out of her. A short one, but a laugh nonetheless]

No, that would be even worse. The only thing I can really cook is lunch, and even that turns out weird most of the time. If I had to make bread or cakes for people, they'd probably just end up with a big yeast blob.

But it sounds like you're not doing much better if you want to trade - uh, no offense.

video

[darted]

That's a good question. [ Mai's tone is dry and a little deflated. She sounds gravely bored. ] I'm the host of the talk show Smiles for Miles. I haven't smiled for like, a single foot. [ grumpycat irl has a lot of complaints. ] Is there anyone we can go to about this?

video

[andtherevolution]

[Utena opens her mouth, and is juuust about to say something about cheering up, until she remembers what happened the last time she pushed someone to be more "normal" and "happy". Sometimes you just gotta let weird be weird.]

I don't really know. I guess someone in the government, but I'm not sure how you'd even get through to them, or-

[Wait. Wait wait wait. Hold on. Utena's eyes light up as she remembers something she nearly forgot about]

Hey, what city do you live in?

[She didn't jump from point A to B, she jumped straight over B, C, D, and right to E. But she'll backtrack soon, once she hears the answer.]

[ Video ]

[ghoulking]

You can easily find a new one. everyone is always so excited to have an imPort working for them.

[ Video ]

[andtherevolution]

They really are, aren't they? It's like...

[Hey, wait a minute. This guy looks familiar.]

...hey, where do you work? It's not in Nonah, is it?

[Maybe she saw him in one of the shops or something?]

[Video]

[lasersounds]

[Cute girl alert, cute girl alert. Lance is all over this, thanks.]

Don't sweat it. I'm sure the people that run the place can give you tips. Or some of us can, or whatever. And if it's really not a good fit, you could probably just look for another job, right?

For what it's worth though: if you're this worried about getting it right...You'd probably make a good instructor once you know the ropes.

[Video]

[andtherevolution]

...you know, someone told me the same thing. Or something like that. But hey, maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just thinking too hard about this. I'll see how it goes after I talk about them - who knows, it might go better than I think.

[She smiles when she talks, and she's practically beaming by the end. He's not the first person to encourage her, but the pep talk is appreciated nonetheless. And if it doesn't work out, it's like everyone says: she's got options]

So...thanks. But what about you? Do you do this sort of thing, too?

[Hey, he mentioned pointers.]