hugtopia | [Video] Searching for a Roommate (Username: justnita)

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[Video] Searching for a Roommate (Username: justnita)

[For what it's worth, it's far from the first time Nita's had to consider this question - at least she hasn't gotten to the point of setting up a tent in the center of town this time - but considering why it's important, that doesn't make the matter any less awkward in her mind.]

So, if anyone's looking for a roommate, well-

[She pauses, thinking carefully over what phrasings to use. She doesn't want to make this too cluttered, and it's not like this is a resume.]

My name's Nita. Nita Callahan. I've got experience with being whisked away from home at a moment's notice, so being here isn't that far out of the norm for me. I've also had my fair share of handling diplomacy, on an intra- and interspecies level... and just keeping track of who does chores when.

[Which ironically can be harder some times. ~~coughDairineandtakingoutthetrashcough~~]

I'm getting used to the layout of the temples right now, and I woke up in the south at Ohma's, so if you want to meet in person that's as good a spot as any.

Thanks.

[Nita stops there, wondering if she should say any more, before shaking her head at something and closing the feed instead.]

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[ Have a hard squint into the camera. After a moment, her face eases into a more bewildered concern. ]

Is kidnapping the kind of thing you just get used to with experience? How many times has it happened to you?

[Nita makes a wry face.]

It wasn't even kidnapping the first time - the summoning mechanism was metaphysical, and we could go home at any time.

Most people didn't even recall getting the Call, though; not sure why.

... And it probably is something some people get used to, yeah, though it's real unpleasant.

[Because on the opposite spectrum of what Nautilus&Cyrus arranged for, there was what AM did and... yeah.]

[ So, that's one question answered, and the other not quite, and somehow it feels like she understands even less than she did before she asked. ]

Summoning mechanism.... Wait, but then, there were also other times before this one that were definitely kidnapping situations?

[Nita shakes her head.]

Not to me, but to my partner. Though the number of times we've saved each other's skin is seriously high; I try not to keep count these days.

The city of Nautilus had nothing to do with those, though.

[ She says all that so easily. Kyoko tilts her head, lips pursed for a moment. This is obviously just some kind of extraordinary person whose experiences are gonna be a bit beyond her. ]

And... Nautilus [ she repeats the word carefully, making sure she has it right ] was the last place you were--whisked away to? Was that situation like the one here? Dying planet with gods desperate enough to steal people for fuel? --Or, I guess in that case, they were at least polite enough to call you first?

[... Nita may never admit it, but Kyoko's right.

She nods, first.]

Yeah, though that's not where I just came from; I was home last I knew.

[And she makes an equivocating hand-gesture as Kyoko goes on.]

We weren't fuel, and we weren't being consumed for anything. Nautilus himself wasn't dying, though an awful lot of people had come and gone over the years before I even showed up.

It was all a question of what we were capable of doing, though; our potential.

So, that's almost an entirely different situation.

[ Does she sound almost disappointed? It's not that this all isn't wildly fascinating, but Kyoko had actually been hoping to see if there might be some details that would help her make sense of their current predicament. The little frown tugging at her mouth pauses, though. ]

But you were able to go home from that place? You weren't just stuck there until the gods here snatched you up?

Well, I didn't get notice from my usual source, so it still feels similar to me.

[In her head, Bobo coughs.]

Yeah; everything in Nautilus was tied to willpower. You could make stuff appear, or disappear, change your physical form, learn to manipulate the elements if you couldn't already...

I'd already been home for a couple months before I woke up in Ohma's temple. At the time, most of what happened in Nautilus just felt like a dream.

[ This girl has a usual source for letting her know when she's going to be whisked away to someplace. Okay, cool. Very relatable. ]

So, leaving that place was also a matter of willpower. [ An easy conclusion. Also a depressing one. ] That method definitely, absolutely, does not work here.

[The lives of wizards aren't nearly as organized as that suggests, mind.

Nita sighs.]

That's the picture I've been getting, yeah. And if the priests are any indication, the gods don't have all that much control over it either.

Right? It seems like we're just a random selection of bodies. Is this a good system for world saving?

[Nita briefly looks very distracted, because that provokes a rant from her resident voice-of-wizardry. 'Desperate cry for help' and 'Wouldn't know a healthy amount of communication in a relationship if it bit them' are some of the highlights.

It goes on for some time, so rather than waiting for them to finish Nita just shakes her head and focuses on responding to Kyoko. Or at least changing the subject:]

Anyway, I can't say I've seen you around the city yet. I'm Nita; what's your name?

[ Oh, hello, did she lose her? The pause is enough to bring Kyoko out of her grouchy sulk, the subject change making her blink. ]

--Oh, excuse me! I'm Kyoko Mogami--sorry, I guess I ended up talking about everything except what you wanted to. So you're looking for a roommate? Did anyone tell you about the free houses we get to just move into and never pay rent on?

It's alright; this place just draws out all the questions, you know?

[And that rant is still going, the peridexis' sardonic tone of 'voice' intensifying as they realize Nita's attention is elsewhere.]

And yeah, though considering how much of the emphasis is put on physical contact...

Figured if anyone was open to that, it'd save some time, streamline things a little. Only if they're okay with it, though.

[Because consent is important.]

[ Oh. So that was the aim--she shouldn't have been surprised, honestly. It makes sense! And, even with Nita's disclaimer about consent, it also makes sense to just not offer. Which is fine; Kyoko's been perfectly okay living on her own this long, nothing needs to change.

She flashes a polite smile, head tipping to the side slightly. ]

I see! Having someone around is more convenient, right? You'll probably be able to make arrangements pretty easily, since you came right out and put up an advertisement.

[That remark gets a blush from Nita, which might seem a surprise.]

I'm just trying to get my ducks in a row, you know? All the Archives rely on having Dora and trying to be active in the city, and if we want to know what's been going on here before the gods started bringing people in...

[There's a lot no one seems to know, and Nita wants to bridge that gap sooner than later.]

[ That makes her blink, brow furrowing in confusion for a moment before she leans in toward the screen a little with interest. ]

Really? Where did you hear that? I thought the archives were just always closed to the public in general, unless it's a special occasion. --I guess you could try to bribe an archivist or two, though, huh.

[Nita nods.]

I heard that one from someone named Somnus. They opened the archives, a while back; if you scroll back through the Network here, you can hear about the fragments people found.

And the natives all know we're here to help; as long as we show that we are helping, that we're taking this seriously whatever our reasons, wouldn't it make sense that we'd be trusted with more information, or just access to it?

No--I know they were opened for a little while. I wandered in on my very first day here, actually, and they gave me a little money for helping out. I didn't even guess that someone had paid them to open up in the first place! What a strange system.

[ She tips her head back again, frown turning more thoughtful. ]

It... kinda rubs me the wrong way that we would be the ones who need to earn trust, in this kind of situation, but it's not like I can't see how it would be useful to get close to them. If that's the kind of thing you want to do.

[ The phrasing might be a touch harsh, but the delivery is simple, matter-of-fact. ]

[~~Dora (the Explorer?) makes the world go round.~~]

As long as it's consistent, we can work with it.

[Nita's got a similar thoughtful look on her face, mixed with consternation.]

We've been dealt a loaded hand, and judging how the others brought here talk about this place, we're only being trusted with a specific set of skills.

[Having bodies that can feel, namely.]

Anything else catches them off-guard.

So, learning more about them on as many levels as possible is the best way to go.

[Just... not then going on to misuse that knowledge.]

I'd rather they just told us everything themselves, instead of us having to do all the work and research them... but then, it's not like they couldn't just lie.

[ siiiiigh. ]

Well, good luck finding a roommate, anyway. I don't know how much Dora you'll need to make them open the archive doors, but it's probably a lot.

That never stops being tiring, either.

[And there's always the possibility the memories are corrupted, too... Not pleasant to think on.]

Thanks, Kyoko; you're probably right.

I'll see you around the city, then?

Ah, yes! I'm sure we'll run into each other sooner or later! See you!

[ She flashes another polite smile and gives a tiny wave before the feed ends. ]

[Link looks a little more normal than the last time Nita saw him, which is great.] Oh! You're with Ohma, too?

[Nita nods, smiling at the now-familiar face.]

Yeah; knowledge gods seem to have a thing for me.

[And that just makes the peridexis sputter, much to Nita's own amusement.]

The cats are nice to talk to, too. Not that they've been sharing any secrets, but they are cats...

The cats usually don't share secrets. I've tried to talk to them and all they do is meow.

[Knowledge gods, huh?] They do? Where I come from, we've only got one goddess.

Still, they're being kept around more for than just being cute and cuddly.

[Nita nods.]

I'm from one of those worlds where there are lots of Powers, though most people on Earth don't know or see Them for what They are.

[Link looks thoughtful.] Earth? Is that what you call your world? I'm from Hyrule.

Hylia's sort of three goddesses in one. It's a little confusing.

[Nita nods.]

Can't say I've been to Hyrule, either.

[So at least the feeling's mutual.]

And that's... actually really familiar. One of the more well-known religions on Earth has a subset focused in on God-as-a-triad.

[Though probably not like the one Link knows!]

Religions? You have more than one?

[The cult of Hylia is pretty much omnipresent in Hyrule. The Seven Heroines are seen more as protectors and demigoddesses than goddesses proper to the Gerudo, really.]

What's that like?

[Link, no. Not the time.]

[UH.]

Err, yeah, that's right. Don't think we have a full tally.

[Or rather, an official non-wizardly tally that's accurate.]

Mostly? Confusing, though those different perspectives make the world more interesting.

I've just been staying at the place you took me to before.

[Sup, it's that drunk guy looking way less drunk]

[At least he cleans up nicely???? Or just cleans up, rather.]

Oh, hey! I was wondering how you were doing.

[Since they. Never exchanged names and all. Whoops?]

How is the house, anyway?

... For that matter, what's your name? I'm Nita, Nita Callahan.

Takashi Koizumi. And it's... nice. Bigger then my old apartment, that's for damn sure.

[Nita nods; she's never had an apartment of her own, true, but she knows how those things tend to run.]

Yeeeah, I can imagine.

I might stop by if you're all right with that, then.

Yeah, sure. I can try and kick this food machine into lunch.

Maybe not so much with the kicking; percussive maintenance doesn't solve all woes.

I'll be over within half-an-hour, then.

[She remembers more-or-less where she left Takashi, though she still needs nudging from the peridexis on some of the more twisty roads.

And she also remembers to knock.]

It's unlocked!

[why not meet her at the door? Probably because he's trying to cook]

Technology is bullshit.

[WHY IS THERE ALMOST NOTHING PRE-MADE IN THIS PLACE, UGH]

[Nita heads on in, and immediately starts wincing in sympathy.]

Usually for me it's smartphones, not matter-replicators.

Need a hand?

[She closes the door behind her, ignoring any pings on her communicator for the moment, and goes to see what sort of mess is happening here.]

Got any experience grilling meat?

[Looks like he sliced up some 'beef' but is just burning most of it.]

[Nita shakes her head.]

My dad's the griller in my family- if you can help me find a pan in here, though, I can fry it?

I can do that.

[He turns off the heat so he doesn't burn his new house down and starts digging around]

Gonna have to buy more shit soon as I get some of those hugbux or whatever they're called.

[He's wearing the same clothes she last saw him in, minus the tie and with his sleeves rolled up- it does seem like he washed them at least.]

Dora.

[She responds - she's been doing her fair share of reading since she's first arrived.]

And that makes two of us - do you have any silverware yet either?

... Not that it's always necessary, but still.

Haven't checked.

[He does find a pan though]

Watch it all be sporks or something.

Not chopsticks?

[It's not precisely a joke; she's seen actual alien utensils by this point, so they wouldn't be that hard by comparison.]

Alright, anything we can use for oil? ... Butter can work too, it doesn't matter if it's tasteless.

[Though that would also mean buttered burger-whatever-this-meat is, which Takashi may not want.]

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[Video] Searching for a Roommate (Username: justnita)

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/Handwaving that those two exchanged names, since we hadn't gotten there at the time of this comment

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I make no apologies for the pun.

good

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+1 Roommate?

hell yeah

Moving this into [Action], then?

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