November open log

[seemagicshit]

Who: Zhao and you

Status: Open

Where: Bopping around everywhere

What: Zhao settling into the corsair life and how one exactly begins a restaurant empire...

Warnings: Zhao's cursing for now





People watching and planning

[On the isle of Eltrut, Zhao is chilling with a beer during a fine afternoon. He seems to be daydreaming, staring off into space, but is also periodically jotting something down in a notebook that he probably stole.

He waves if you approach.]

Hey, what's up?


Cat training

[Zhao hadn't had any pets growing up, but as part of running the Liumang, he did run a restaurant with a tiger. It'd been his job to train it when he'd been small. Training a much more manageable feline didn't seem so bad. Plus, who the fuck wouldn't want a cat named Cobrastrike?]

Okay, Cobra. We gotta train your ass if you're going to hang with me. I'm gonna move this barrel and something's going to crawl out, so get ready!

[The brown tomcat looks like he'd been in a few fights, but he lashes his tail. Zhao takes that as an encouraging sign.]


Gallows Humor

[In the quest for getting funds and clout together for a business venture, Zhao knows he's gotta hustle. Even if it means breaking into prison with whoever's been unfortunate enough to be stuck with him.]

So, can't say I've broken into a prison before. You got a plan or are we winging this shit?


Or whatever else you want to plan, Zhao's your man Just hit me up at draculabackwards on plurk if you want to plot!

Comments

Elrut Cookoff

[yuezun]

Try this.

[Daqiang has ignored the fact that everyone is supposed to stay at their own stations. He has traveled from his to Zhao's - passing three others on the way - to shove a bowl of steaming, cloudy water that might be an attempt at broth, but for some reason has flower petals floating limply on the surface.

If Zhao does try it, it's.... it's bad. The honey Daqiang added did nothing to curb the otherwise bitter flavor of various flowers that should have been mixed together with onions and garlic.]

[seemagicshit]

Oh God.

[He drinks and coughs, not prepared for the unusual combination of flavors. Then he kind of looks at the bowl of flowers and honey and what is all this?]

You might start a religious argument if you serve this. Let me help you out. So...what were you trying to make here?

[yuezun]

Flower soup.

[Hense the flower petals.

He pouted frowned and crossed his arms.]

The little flower demon's master used to make it for her. She once showed this venerable one how to make it.

[It's the only recipe he's ever learned and he's terrible at it.]

[seemagicshit]

Flower soup? Uhhh....I might have to think about that one. Maybe we just start with whatever ingredients you have and I can work from there.

[Never mind that this guy is 1000 years old or whatever, that soup was a war crime. So he strolls over with Moon Supreme to his cooking station to see what he can salvage.]

People watching and planning

[la_sombra]

Hey, yourself...

[Sombra approached, curious to see what her impromptu dance partner was up to. Beer and a notebook indicated interesting ideas, though it remained to be seen if they were any good.]

Zhao, right?

[seemagicshit]

Yeah, that's me.

[The voice is coming to him. Oh yeah, dancing around, right? He knows he danced with Tifa but there was also...]

Sombra, right? You wanna sit and have a beer with me? Or water or whatever?

[la_sombra]

[Sombra flashes an approving smile, pleased that Zhao remembered her.

Beer sounds great.

She takes a seat and takes a quick glance at the notebook, more curious than trying to discern what he's already written.

What're you up to?

[seemagicshit]

Me? I'm working on a plan to get my own restaurant started. Also figuring out which recipes most people would like around here.

[It's why he's people watching. You watch enough and you can glean a general vibe about the crowd and if you have a general vibe, you can guess what they might like to eat. Also just listening to snippets of conversation and hearing if any particular food comes up more than once.]

people watching

[everblooms]

[ It's a good thing he's already waving, because Aerith's adopting a light, but spirited jog over to him. Last time she saw him, she was wearing the rags everyone arrives in, but now? She's got her biker jacket back. ]

Heya! Not working overtime, are you? [ No "we", here. He's on his own with that. ]

What'd d'ya think? [ Don't mind her— Aerith holds her arms out and gives him a twirl— way better, right? ]

[seemagicshit]

Oh very nice!

[He gives an appreciative clap. He got his leather jacket back and has managed to get his less than great clothing in darker colors. Rest assured, he's getting all his shit back in no time.]

How ya been? Got time to sit and have a beer with me? Might need your constructive input on an idea.

[everblooms]

[ With a giggle, she puts her hands behind her back, and tilts her head. ]

Cool jacket. [ Maybe she'll have to rip him off eventually. ]

I've got time for you. What's up?

[seemagicshit]

So, I'm thinking about opening my own restaurant, but I'm going to obviously need a lot of cash and ideas and probably a permit or some shit to make it happen.

What kind of food do you enjoy when you don't cook it yourself?

gallows humor

[phoenixdominant]

[It certainly is bad news to hear that people are getting arrested through no fault of their own by someone calling themselves a paladin. Even Joshua found himself arrested once or twice before already. Now he's not about to leave some of his fellow corsairs behind when they need to break out too. He's not here for the money reward he is here to issue real corsair justice. It's in his blood.]

While my experiences haven't led me to escape many prisons in the past either... I say the most logical course of action is to sneak into the gallows first without being detected.

[And find some of the bound prisoners that don't deserve to be here.]

If we are to work together, I would like to know your name. My name is Joshua.

[seemagicshit]

You can call me Zhao.

[His own involvement in this is less altruistic and more the chance to screw over an authority figure.]

I'm not great at lock picking but we're not going to need it. Pretty sure I can slice a lock off. We'll just have to be quick.

[phoenixdominant]

[Joshua nods at the name given.]

I can try my best to break a lock with a helping of magic if needed. Let's pray we won't have to make too much of a mess.

[They will have to head into the backstreets of Elah, deep into the old dark gallows.]

[seemagicshit]

Well if you're good at that kinda shit, by all means.

[He might not be good at lock picking, but Zhao is good at keeping noise to a minimum when he walks if he has to. Seems like a good skill for breaking into prison. He holds Joshua back for a moment, using his saber as a mirror to look around a corner.

When the coast is clear, they reach a likely entry point.]

All right. If you think you can break in better than me trying to chop off a lock, by all means.

People watching?

[dragoonoflight]

[ Dion had not been planning on catching attention, but he must've been staring into space in return that he's being greeted now.

He offers a bit of a small smile at the greeting. ]

Good afternoon. [ He greets with a small smile. ]

My apologies if I have inadvertently distracted you, I was merely lost in thought.

[seemagicshit]

Seems to be that kind of day. Pull up a chair and get a beer.

[Zhao's curious now about his man since he hadn't talked to him before. You never knew who'd make a good ally in a place crawling with corsairs and paladins.]

[dragoonoflight]

I appreciate the invitation.

[ Dion pulls out a seat and sits down. ]

I am Dion Lesage. [ He introduces himself and offers a hand. ]

people watching

[foolprove]

[ ren gives a casual wave right back, eyes stuck on the notebook. ]

Writing or sketching? [ he can't help but ask. ]

[seemagicshit]

Planning a restaurant, actually. Pull up a chair and get a...well, maybe not a beer for you. A beverage of your choice.

[If Ren takes a look, Zhao's got some notes written out with ideas and even a loose sketch of what he might want it to look like.]

You and the guy in the tophat probably worked by now. You ever work in a restaurant?

[foolprove]

[ ren makes a face. ]

Maybe in my world I can drink beer. You don't know. [ yeah... but he takes a seat anyway, glancing at the notebook. he laughs lightly at the next comment. ]

Worked in a couple of them by now. Word of advice: don't work at the beef bowl shop by the video rental place on Central Street. Totally not worth it. [ he sighs, maybe (definitely) a little dramatically. ]

But... yeah, my usual job is at a cafe. [ he gives a slightly crooked smile. ] And... the tophat guy is me, so I guess that counts for him, too?

People watching and planning (｡･∀･)ﾉﾞ

[fractales]

Gathering data- which you seem to be doing the same, if I'm not mistaken.

[There was a notebook of his own tucked within one of his pockets, along with a few other things collected as Turo had stopped to gather a few materials he had been running short of.

Stopping by a place where people gathered was a decent place to ask questions but- well.]

You have my apologies if I am interrupting.

[seemagicshit]

No, you're fine. Pull up a chair if you want.

[Zhao sets his notebook aside for a moment to look up at Turo.]

So if you're getting info, what have you found out?

[fractales]

If you are sure- I suppose I should likely take a moment's break.

[There were a few that worried he overworked himself, even if he knew how far he could push himself, but it was easy enough to pull up a chair- even if Turo sat in it rather straight from habit.]

The sorts of animals some encounter when exploring islands. I am gauging how frequent attacks may be, on top of what sort of strong fabrics I may be able to purchase here.

[They are linked for him.]