escordvi | [Open] May intro

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.

[ kit listens attentively to the instructions, watching azul with his beady little eyes as the strings return to their former glory... almost. then he'll reach out to accept the instrument from the other, meaning to stash it away in his satchel.

then he looks to surge. the next part is the deal, after all, and she's the leader. ]

[ sure, how to maintain the strings is one thing, but... ]

Damn, Angel Fish, ya got somethin' like that on ya?

[ how did he do that, it just fixed itself, it's not something you really see... or maybe it's been seen and surge is just too young in this second life of hers to know. pretty cool, especially as she stares at it, but it's nothing she'd steal. she's more of someone hands on and waving her arms around would mean less damage applied to her enemies. ]

If you can do that, can't ya like flick your wrist and float someone away or somethin'...

[ it looks like it can do something of that caliber, but maybe it's only meant to fix and not break. lame. her eyes will fall to his hand then to the pen before looking back at him. ]

As a mage, I do have some magic at my disposal for fighting threats, but there's only so much I can do as one person. It's not like I have a sixth sense that allows me to detect any threats that might be sneaking up on me from behind. Or perhaps a situation arises where I need to be focusing my magic on another task that I can't spare any magic elsewhere for. There are many variables that need to be accounted for, and having someone around to help make up for them where I need more than just myself on a job would be quite helpful, you know?

[Azul actually allows himself to be a little more honest here, admitting that even someone like him does need the extra help sometimes. If he didn't ever need help, he wouldn't have asked Jade and Floyd all those years ago to team up with him... even if on some days he would like to pretend otherwise and brag that he's perfectly fine on his own.

Besides, Surge and Kit might understand that feeling: they both came here together for help on this matter with the shamisen, after all. Things are in fact easier, if not management wise than at least mentally and emotionally, when you work with others than alone.

... Not that Azul is going to say that part, because that's too sappy and cheesy to actually say out loud rather than a quiet acknowledgement of that fact to oneself.]

[ he sounds like starline, going on like that, but instead of listing of his and surge's shortcomings—their need for external support in the form of each other, it's himself he's talking about here. there's a kind of dissonance to the feeling that kit has as he listens, but he doesn't seem to take the words poorly. it really is up to surge—kit just wanted to make sure that this would be a safe choice for her to make, if she chose it.

and it sounds like she will, so kit watches azul expectantly. ]

[ he does sound like starline, but starline would never admit he needs help, he would say he can do it all alone and impress those that he looks up to. that he'll let them be by his side all because he's capable of controlling the situation, he has a contingency plan for everything. ]

Let's remove the rhinocerous in the room or whatever.

[ surge looks up to the other, her arms crossed as she tries to watch what expression the other makes, any sudden movements that gives away that this might be a trap in disguise. ]

What ya see is what ya get.

[ they aren't everyone's favorite, he may as well quit ahead if he's afraid of being seen with them. besides, that's something surge has accounted for herself, they don't have a fantastic record here so far, and not even back home. that was taken from them before they could. she knows that forging relationships is a step towards being a hero, or being... someone, even as terrifying as that is considering they have been used every time they thought they could rely or help someone with more to their name than them.

with that in mind, she has to look out for him and her, because no one else has their well-being in their thoughts. azul wants something and he's expecting surge and kit to get it, that's what it seems like so far because he is in his own way asking for assistance.

must be pretty desperate considering what happened to him, but who wouldn't be? ]

Me and Drippy aren't gunna change for anyone, but if ya fine with that, we can follow through with this business thing of yours.

[ besides, she's tired of being what people want her to be. it's 100% surge and kit nowadays, baby. ]

[Open] May intro

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