escordvi | [Open] May intro

Now what the fuck do you mean "no"!?

[ can a girl get some explanations here, she's a little offended that he kindly declined their little chump change. if it wasn't for that damn hedgehog, maybe they'd have money still, but they have to scrape and scramble for what they get to ensure kitsunami is taken care of first. ]

What do they call this.... a scam! Byway robbery!

[ is she accusing him. well, yes! if she can accuse eggman, she can accuse him of something underhanded, but not in the same way eggman goes about it. he's fooling the masses with his knock-off toys, this guy is choosing them because of their little change. ]

Somethin' fishy is goin' on and I think it's you, Angel Fish!!

[ can you tell that she doesn't like to be told "no". ]

[ surge is quick to go on the offensive, and kit is hardly one to disagree with her ever, but he seems a bit more thoughtful as she goes throwing accusations. he has to be a bit more pragmatic, not just for himself, but to make sure surge is taken care of too. he has to.

so picking up his copper dubloons and putting them back in his pouch as surge loses his temper, kit will wait a moment until she's done before asking: ]

What kind of favour?

[ if it's something benign like how they waited at the restaurant to pay back their meal, maybe. but kit's trust in others is low. ]

Surge is a hero, but... there isn't a lot for her to save people from or help them with... and the pay isn't always money. I-I've been trying to look for a job too... but...

[ he doesn't exactly have customer service skills. ]

[Thankfully, Azul is used to telling people no, but trying to sound friendly about it all the same.]

An example of a favor I'd appreciate would be keeping me updated on recent events and news, or gathering ingredients I need for my spells and potions: some are difficult for me to obtain, due to either not having the time to get them while I finish work here, or because I don't have the stamina needed in a particular environment to get them. Some past clients of mine have gone this route in lieu of money in exchange for my services, so if you want, I would be willing to consider a favor like that instead of having to pay with money.

[He tilts his head however, considering deeply for a moment as he regards the both of them.]

Actually, if you are looking for jobs, perhaps I could hire you for that rather than just doing a favor exchange. I can pay you for every time you bring back the ingredients I need, or even any deliveries of the potions I make to customers so that I have time to oversee my Lounge. As for hero work...

[He considers Surge for a moment, before his smile waned a little.]

Well, its a shame you weren't here a month or so ago. Perhaps if you had been, someone would have been able to stop the people that had kidnapped myself and several others for a rather greedy chance at wealth and power. So I must admit that since then I have been considering heavily the appeal of finding someone that can assist me in making sure something like that doesn't happen again. Whether that be by having someone around to protect the Lounge and keep unwanted guests out, or even if you were willing to help me out in cases where a particular area that has an ingredient I need is too dangerous for just myself to be working in. I would be happy to hire you for that, if you wish.

Edited 2025-05-23 16:30 (UTC)

[ the tenrec tilts her head when it comes to how to pay him back for his services, and one eye raises in suspicion. it's especially why she listens to him about the work he has in store, it's more of a bodyguard thing, and she clicks her tongue at the thought of it. ]

Uh huh... I've kinda heard this thing before.

[ she doesn't sound too thrilled, like there's an issue she takes up with being someone like that. rather than follow up on it with azul, the girl looks to kitsunami before looking off to the side. ]

If I'm workin' my butt off to keep you safe, that's 24.... seven... that's all my time, I'll need to be paid on the hour of every hour.

[ that sounds about fair to her. especially with what she can do and how this means she has to change her plans based on his whims. despite that, she still seems unsure as her eyes glance off to the side now.

there's a bit of mumbling to herself as she reflects on eggman's choice of words of what it takes to be a hero. sacrificing mind, body and their principles. ]

[ surge seems willing enough, which is saying a lot, but she still has some reservations. kit can tell. through his bangs, he watches azul to see if he has any suspicious tells, any similarities to their previous employer that could raise a red flag for kit to see, but...

well, he does have one question: ]

... What if we want to quit?

[ kit's willing to give it a chance—they really could use the money, but he wants to be sure. ]

Oh my, don't worry, I don't expect you to guard me 24/7, Surge-san! Just whenever I have reason to believe that a particular task might be too much for just myself to handle, and I can call upon your services for it. That would feel like an abuse of power if I expected you to devote all of your time to work for the Lounge and nothing else.

[At Kit's question, Azul tilts his head a little, as if finding the question strange.]

Then you quit. [A beat, before he clarifies.] Granted, I would like a two weeks notice if you do decide to quit so that I can make sure that I have backup plans to make in the event we had something planned that you are no longer able to do since quitting, but given the nature of this place, its not a hard and fast rule. Other than that, we would simply void your contract that will serve as a record of your employment here, though I ask that any private information that affects me or the business stays private. I would not appreciate competitors stealing intel on my ideas for marketing strategies and such from ex-employees, you know?

[ kit's brows furrow. from the insistence that they're only employees during designated working hours, to the reassurance that they can quit (almost) whenever they like. it all sounds like it'd be too good to be true, but when he meets azul's eyes, his gaze doesn't hold that same cockiness of someone like clutch.

he drops his gaze, then turns his attention to surge beside him, a little hesitant, but also a little hopeful. ]

W-we do need the money...

[ but it's not exactly his choice to make either, watching what surge will decide. ]

I dunno what he means by marketing strategies...

[ she mumbles to kit, but she takes this opportunity to look at his face before looking towards azul.

same song and dance, she finds. ]

Fix the thing and I'll offer my hand in agreement, a good ol' shake.

[ because they got to see if he can do it, you know! ]

Fair enough! I can agree to that.

[Azul finishes untangling the broken strings from the instrument before he crosses his arms, thinking. Normally, you would want to remove the broken strings entirely and replace them with new ones, but he doesn't exactly carry spare shamisen strings here in his shop.

So instead, he takes out what looks like a pen with a fancy stone embedded in it from within his coat here, holding it over the shamisen. He doesn't say anything, but the strings of the instrument begin to faintly glow for a moment before the broken strings lift a little, and begin to carefully reattach themselves where they were meant to be alongside the strings that are still intact. Once he's done, he stops using his magic so that he can carefully tug the repaired strings, testing it to see if it won't immediately snap upon implying the pressure before he speaks.]

... Okay. The instrument probably needs to be tuned before it will sound correct, but otherwise the strings should be good again for the time being. They won't last forever and will need to be replaced entirely with new strings eventually. But until I stock some strings specifically for items like this, this shamisen should be able to withstand any damage for at least another month or so, provided you don't apply too much force to the strings or the body of the instrument again, of course.

[Open] May intro

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