Buson (Attila) (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
buson) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
farawayplace2023-06-08 10:17 am
buson) wrote in farawayplace2023-06-08 10:17 am
Dreams and Reality [CW canon-typical organized crime?]
Inquiry [tweet peep post to Pippi, also crossposted to Mimmeo; backdated to around May 22nd-23rd, after their trip to Chichi Island in this thread]
BIG GAINS đź’Ş @(legendarycheatday):
anybody ever successfully or even halfway grow one of these things???
[A photograph of a cut Midnight Bloom from Chichi Island, sitting in a plastic bottle of water, even in the dim light, its petals still faintly glow like moonlight! There’s tissue paper spread out under it, to disguise the low tables of Gukuru House, in case anyone recognizes the exact tables or even clay pottery used at the inn.
Rather different from the anonymous user's usual strict focus on fitness tips, training regimens, and memes!]
Reprieve [present date; primarily for Bashou (bashou) in Gukuru House, but can include anyone else who run into Buson between Chura and Ohritori island]
Buson might have despaired too quickly, earlier. A Team Rocket executive was still a human being. He couldn’t defeat death itself or stop it from claiming a friend of his, but he could at least talk to a human being who terrorized one of his friends who's shaken up from already being taken hostage by Rockets before… even if the Rocket frightening him this time was his superior.
She was, after all, just a human being. Solid. Tangible. Vulnerable.
… something he knew all too well, which made even treating her solely like an enemy or threat to be dealt with quickly difficult. He still pitied her, which would surely aggravate Mayday. She might not be dealt with as quickly and easily as a nameless grunt, but maybe it wouldn't have to go that far, and they could just talk.
Before setting out, Buson would write a note for Bashou, as he didn’t see him up. Maybe he was busy working, maybe he was asleep, or maybe he stepped outside. Buson wasn’t sure at the moment, entirely focused on what he intended to do.
“Taking the ferry.
Friends having an argument.
I got to make peace.
—B.”
And then, he would simply leave it on the table and go, provided there are no interruptions, neither in Gukuru House or the docks, and take the ferry back to Ohritori, simply as a passenger. He’d have a grim and sober air about him and wouldn’t look terribly friendly or approachable today, whether on the ferry or at port, or even in the city, although he might put on a smile for a familiar face or to get information.
Peacekeeping [present date; closed to Mayday (ateamrocket), wherever he finds her]
It might have taken a lot of asking around and following some dead ends, but Buson will find her eventually (maybe to one of her usual haunts or even to whatever abandoned building she’s taken up residence!); he’s always been good at following a trail to find his target.
“Hey, Mayday.”
No honorifics or formalities, just like she asked, but the tone lacks any warmth and his voice is low and quiet, in an almost intimidating fashion. He’s approaching this like his old job, even if it felt twisted using these tactics on a superior who was only acting as a Rocket would…
Well, it isn’t clear-cut treachery yet, they're just talking.
BIG GAINS đź’Ş @(legendarycheatday):
anybody ever successfully or even halfway grow one of these things???
[A photograph of a cut Midnight Bloom from Chichi Island, sitting in a plastic bottle of water, even in the dim light, its petals still faintly glow like moonlight! There’s tissue paper spread out under it, to disguise the low tables of Gukuru House, in case anyone recognizes the exact tables or even clay pottery used at the inn.
Rather different from the anonymous user's usual strict focus on fitness tips, training regimens, and memes!]
Reprieve [present date; primarily for Bashou (
bashou) in Gukuru House, but can include anyone else who run into Buson between Chura and Ohritori island]Buson might have despaired too quickly, earlier. A Team Rocket executive was still a human being. He couldn’t defeat death itself or stop it from claiming a friend of his, but he could at least talk to a human being who terrorized one of his friends who's shaken up from already being taken hostage by Rockets before… even if the Rocket frightening him this time was his superior.
She was, after all, just a human being. Solid. Tangible. Vulnerable.
… something he knew all too well, which made even treating her solely like an enemy or threat to be dealt with quickly difficult. He still pitied her, which would surely aggravate Mayday. She might not be dealt with as quickly and easily as a nameless grunt, but maybe it wouldn't have to go that far, and they could just talk.
Before setting out, Buson would write a note for Bashou, as he didn’t see him up. Maybe he was busy working, maybe he was asleep, or maybe he stepped outside. Buson wasn’t sure at the moment, entirely focused on what he intended to do.
“Taking the ferry.
Friends having an argument.
I got to make peace.
—B.”
And then, he would simply leave it on the table and go, provided there are no interruptions, neither in Gukuru House or the docks, and take the ferry back to Ohritori, simply as a passenger. He’d have a grim and sober air about him and wouldn’t look terribly friendly or approachable today, whether on the ferry or at port, or even in the city, although he might put on a smile for a familiar face or to get information.
Peacekeeping [present date; closed to Mayday (
ateamrocket), wherever he finds her]It might have taken a lot of asking around and following some dead ends, but Buson will find her eventually (maybe to one of her usual haunts or even to whatever abandoned building she’s taken up residence!); he’s always been good at following a trail to find his target.
“Hey, Mayday.”
No honorifics or formalities, just like she asked, but the tone lacks any warmth and his voice is low and quiet, in an almost intimidating fashion. He’s approaching this like his old job, even if it felt twisted using these tactics on a superior who was only acting as a Rocket would…
Well, it isn’t clear-cut treachery yet, they're just talking.
no subject
His own answers will be brief. He came to ask her questions, not the other way around.
no subject
“That’s not fair. It’s not like I actually threatened to come down there and beat him. It was just a single line in a bigger talk, and I was purposefully vague with it. The conversation ended cordially enough. How the hell was I supposed to know about his baggage?”
There are two chairs in the sparse room. She moves to sit in the one across from him, leaning back.
“Look, I’m not a monster.” Debatable. “I wasn’t trying to cause any actual trouble.” Also suspect, but she at least sounds sincere. “If I’d really wanted to cause problems, trust me, you’d know.” …That one is almost definitely true.
no subject
“You can’t know, unless you get real good at reading people like I do, so just be a bit more careful. Back off my friends and we’re good.”
At her statements, he flashed a grin.
“Not a monster either, even if the job meant I had to play the part. Glad you an’ I had this talk, Mayday. My negotiations hardly ever go so well!”
Buson’s genuinely in a much brighter, happier mood now.
“Sorry I broke in unannounced. I’ll bring ya a gift next time, at least.”
no subject
“What, though, how were you expecting this to go down? Like, were you really thinking you’d have to try and rough me up over this? Just what kind of person do you take me for, geez.” A chuckle.
“…It’s honestly ridiculous you came all the way for this, but I suppose that sort of loyalty to your friends is commendable, too.” She smiles faintly.
[... how do their interactions end up so sweet, what the heck]
Now, she's praising him? He coloured and tried to duck to hide it. Man, he's just been so uncool today.
"... what kinda things do you like? I figure the gift should be good to make up for all'a this and... what I thought I'd have to do.
"Oh... and there's just one more thing on my mind, which I really don't get. If you don't mind answerin'... are you just really modest or did you only recently become an executive? How come you never once commanded me to stop or remind me'a your position?"
He kept waiting for it to happen, expecting it the more aggressively he spoke earlier, but... it never did. Why?
[I’ve got no idea tbqh but I’m here for it]
She looks around the building, trying to think of an answer. It’s really just the essentials in here. Her gaze lands on her Pokémon, though, and the grin softens into something more fond. Ah. That could work.
“…A blender would be nice. One of those portable berry blenders.”
Contests were about one of the only things Mayday did purely for herself back home. It’d maybe be… fun to try that again, she thinks.
“To answer your other question… Both? I guess?” She takes off her hat and runs her hand through her hair, staring up at the ceiling. “I’d only been promoted for a few months before I arrived here. But I’ve also never really been one to pull rank unless I absolutely have to. It lessens the impact if you overuse it. And anyway, if someone within the organization’s got a problem, I’ll try to hear things out fairly.” She does not extend this same kindness to civilians, naturally(?)
“I deal with a real quarrelsome loudmouth back home, so I’m pretty used to people getting up in my face like that.”
She absentmindedly realizes she could’ve probably had James demoted for the sheer amount of absolute shit he talked every time he ran into her, but she never did. Why was that?
no subject
She's a lot cuter without the hat on (the grunt uniform makes everyone look like an indistinct shadow, to be fair, which is definitely the point)—he can't help but gawk a little. It's a choppy haircut, sure, but he hadn't noticed how nice the colour was before... right! Focus on the conversation.
"And here, my impression of the average executive was that they're soulless and cutthroat," Buson said with irreverent humour.
"If he does it a lot, why let him keep gettin' away with it?" Buson asked. "Maybe punishin' him a little'd make him better-behaved. I realize it's a little hypocritical comin' from me, after what I just did, but..."
no subject
“Heheh. Maybe I better start acting the part, then? Can’t let people think we’re going soft,” she answers with a similarly irreverent smirk.
Mayday never really considered herself cute or pretty, but Buson wouldn’t be the first to have those sorts of thoughts. In spite of her…everything, she’d managed to earn the questionable affection of several people back home, including the shitlord she had just been describing (though he’d sooner die than admit to it.) She rests her arm on the table and props up her chin thoughtfully.
“Dunno, honestly. I was asking myself the same thing just now. Maybe I gave him a pass because he’s one of Boss’ kids? Or maybe it just felt like it’d be throwing oil on a fire. He was gunning for the promotion too, see.” She shakes her head. “I kind of just got used to it.” Even something annoying can become familiar, in a way.
[... case in point]
"Maybe," he responded, amused.
He liked her the way she was just fine, but a little tougher would definitely help cement respect.
His eyes widened at the description and he immediately slammed a hand down on the table again (although not quite as hard or threateningly as he did earlier, it was still loud), shaking his head, a fearful look in his eyes, as if he really did think she'd consider it.
"Don't! If it's the boss' kid, let him slide! Forget my advice, it's bad advice... or just good to use on someone that ain't related to the boss, I don't wanna be responsible for what kinda retaliation that'd lead to. You were right. It would just be makin' things worse, especially if you two were in any kinda competition..."
[heheh]
“Awww, you worried about me?”
She snorts a little laugh.
“You don’t need to be. It’s not like Boss really gives him special treatment or anything, much to his perpetual ass chafing.” The guy had some serious (and at least somewhat understandable) daddy issues.
“I know better than to poke that particular Ursaring too much, though. He’s not worth the trouble.”
no subject
"Yeah, right! I was gonna pound ya if I had to, don't get it twisted. Like hell I care."
Yeah, no, he's completely obvious; surprisingly candid for a criminal, although not for lack of trying to be anything else... still, it's all claptrap.
"... sounds like it sucks to be him."
no subject
“It sucks to be me! I’m the one who has to deal with the fallout of his little daddy issues!” she huffs. The idea of feeling bad for anyone was pretty foreign to her, especially if it was someone like James. She’s just gonna push that sentiment aside and not address it, like a healthy and well-adjusted individual.
Her head lifts, her back straightens. She puts her hat back on.
“So, do you have to head right back out?”
[he’s unbelievably patient (and a bit coddling) if he cares]
Strangely diplomatic for Buson, mainly because he knew he was lucky Mayday was so merciful and he wasn’t going to push his luck trying to get her to look at this guy any other way. Too early to trust, right? Besides, she should take things a step at a time.
“… you know what, actually, I don’t…?” he said, rising to his feet.
It might’ve sounded like he was teasing, but he truly didn’t realize. “… I don’t have anything I gotta do, aside from clear up the misunderstanding when I get back home… and buy that gift, yeah… I got no plans right now. No work either, I’m on leave.”
no subject
“Ha, he’s practically nothing but wrong choices. When he doesn’t have his head up his ass, he’s got his foot in his mouth.” She shakes her head. Stupid, rudeass punk. Why was she such a magnet for volatile weirdos? (Present company included? Excluded? … No comment, lol.)
“Oh, wicked!” She rises from the table as well. “You wanna do something, then? We could go to the beach or catch a contest or whatever.”
no subject
"What do you wanna do?"
no subject
“The beach sound good to you, Ween?”
The Armourwoof’s tail wags even more intensely, the flame flicking back and forth in the air. It barks a Arm! Woof!
“Heh. Sounds like a plan then.”
[... how'd this end up so cute]
"Hell yeah, let's go to the beach!" Buson said, pumping a fist.
Definitely an open book!
"You wanna pick up swimsuits on the way or do you not wanna try gettin' in the water yet? I didn't bring one along, so I'll be buyin' either way!"
I’m just all about reviving ancient threads today yolo
"Swimsuits, huh. I’m not much at swimming, but…" She was on vacation here, right? What’s the worst that could happen? It’d be a good time for her Pokémon, too.
"…Sure, that might be fun."
[...... did I never see this, what the heck.]
He'll offer his arm, playfully!