[Day: Friday, April 22nd. Time: 10:30 p.m.] [Weather: It's snowing outside!] [Haruko enters the hotel bar. It's not a smoky crowded bar, 'cause it's in a hotel. Instead it's a big bar, and the bartender is a handsome 30- something guy with a nice haircut and a tux with a bowtie. There's actually quite a few people here, too, most of them dressed nice.] * Haruko slips back out for a moment. She hits the lobby bathroom and cleans up her appearance a bit. [That's about it. Mini go.] * Haruko comes back in and smiles at the bartender with art of distraction at full force. For now her hair is down and as mature as she can manage it. [The bartender is certainly distracted! Though maybe not in the way Haruko was hoping. He watches her with a wary eye.] * Haruko walks up and takes out her wallet. She stays near the edge of the bar. "Pardon me." [He flashes a winning smile. "May I help you, little girl?"] * Haruko eyes him and snorts. "If that's the attitude you treat customers with, than no. Obviously I chose my reservations poorly." She tries a dignified spin and walks out trying to maintain an air of dignified iciness. [He's left boggling. "I'm sorry?"] * Haruko stops and turns around and speaks evenly. "Little girl is not how I prefer to be referred to. I realize I'm underdressed, but I was just hoping to buy something to bring up to my room." She gets an embarrassed smile. "I'm headed back to Tokyo tomorrow, and have already worn my formal-ware." * Haruko tries for lying her ass off since he apparently made her immediately. ["Ah. Yes, of course. What would the young miss like?"] What would the young sir recommend? ["You flatter me. How about some spring water?"] Nothing more interesting? ::she glances over the juice selection for mixed drinks:: [He follows her gaze. "Strawberry juice, perhaps?"] Certainly. How much for a bottle? [He rats off some reasonable price figure + extra hotel cost.] * Haruko takes it and asks for two small glasses that she can return later. (three rather) [He provides!] * Haruko gives him the default tip and thanks him and heads up to Eriko/Ryuji/Saki's room. [Haruko just got totally ripped off. Hopefully that juice is worth it. Anyhow, before long she's outside said room.] * Haruko knocks. [Shortly, Eriko answers, pulling open the door as far as the chain lock will let it go. "Haruko?"] Yeah. Wanna talk? [She hesitates, then shuts the door and unlocks it, reopening it. "Alright."] * Haruko comes in. "I tried to get some sake from the bar, but he had made the second I walked in." She holds up the bottle of juice. ["I'm not surprised, an upscale place like this. You've got to go to the ones where they don't really care about the age limit."] * Haruko nods. "Just didn't want to go out in the snow. How are you guys holding up?" ["They're both asleep. Ryuji's been out since we got back, but Saki was up a while ago."] * Haruko nods and glances over the sleeping Ryuji and Saki. "Ah well." She holds up the bottle and glasses. "Want some? I can experiment with making a strawberry wine. I'm not sure the buzz will last though." [Eriko nods. "Alright. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was."] [Neither Ryuji nor Saki is topless anymore, so nyah.] * Haruko will cherish her memories of topless Ryuji forever. * Haruko finds a place to sit and sets down the glasses. She pours a cup for herself and Eriko. (I'm assuming this is at least a one litre bottle). ( Sure! ) We should probably start normal then. How are you? [Eriko shakes her head. "I'm still... trying to calm down about what happened."] * Haruko nods. "I'm sorry we didn't figure it out sooner. We might have kept you and Ryuji from being caught." [She shakes her head. "It's my fault. I rushed things."] * Haruko smiles. "I was expecting that. Who wouldn't in your position?" ["Sorry to put you through that."] * Haruko shakes her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. We would have had to do this eventually even if Saki never was captured." ["But maybe under better circumstances."] * Haruko smiles. "Well, next time I'm kidnapped you can help save me, fair?" [Eriko smiles. "Alright."] * Haruko drinks some of the juice. "Anything you want to talk out?" [Eriko hesitates, then asks. "Yeah. What do you think about what that guy said before we left?"] Sho? Probably half-true. I'm betting there's some real prophecy. But there's probably a lot of options he'd never consider. He looks after himself, he has no real interest in saving others. [Eriko nods. "But even so, he made it sound like there was no chance now."] * Haruko nods. "Well, there's other players that know more than we do. Someone kept him from knowing about our raid." [Eriko nods. "I heard."] * Haruko takes a long sip and then leans back in her chair. "I figure there's a good chance I'll be dead even if we pull this off. So I intend to make the most of this next week." [Eriko takes a big gulp. "I don't like where this is going, either."] * Haruko nods and refills the glasses. "So, shall I try for harder stuff now? I can only do a few minutes worth, so we should probably do shots." [Eriko grins. "Go for it. I could use a drink or six."] * Haruko nods and brings the glasses and juices together and concentrates trying to shift them into a fermented liquor with her powers. She grins at Eriko. "I'm so glad to finally talk to someone responding to this in a healthy way." [Eriko nods.] * Haruko takes a shot to make sure she did this right. [Eriko politely waits for Haruko.] * Haruko reels slightly and nods. She smiles broadly. "Think I got it." [Eriko takes a swig. "Not bad. That's one hell of a trick."] * Haruko grins and pours again. "Takes some energy though. So what are you going to do with your week?" ["No idea. Depends on how long it takes Saki and Ryuji to recover."] * Haruko nods. "It's my birthday tomorrow, so I'm going to get my license and a bike. Maybe a boy if I'm lucky." [Eriko blinks. "Hey, Happy Birthday."] * Haruko holds up the glass she just poured and swirls it for a moment, watching the liquor sway. "Thanks. It'll mostly suck, but the bike will help." [Eriko nods. "I'm not much of a birthday person, sorry. I'll buy you a drink later, though."] * Haruko grins. "That counts." She takes another drink then has a brief cough fit. She covers her mouth to minimize the noise. ["Careful, don't drink too much."] * Haruko , is quite red at this point and puts the glass down. "Right, right... sorry, got ahead of myself. * Haruko leans a bit against the wall. * Haruko then gets a real serious look and leans forward. "Eriko, can I ask you something?" ["Yeah?"] There's this Arcana, Norishige, who I like. I don't know him all that well, but he's got style and I think he handles a moral whatsits well. (Moral whatsits!) (Moral whatsits?) Y'know, problem. Like destiny says you do something you don't wanna do. Or when you don't do something you wanna do cause it's wrong. [Eriko takes a drink. "Dunno. I don't believe in destiny." She pauses, then adds, "But I guess it's different in your case."] (Is that the morality of Mrs. Whatsit? Because I think she had a pretty interesting morality.) * Haruko nods. "Yeah... anyhow, I think he's single. If I try to seduce him on the first date does that make me a skank? I mean, I wouldn't, but I've got a week to live." Haruko eyes the remaining juice but decides she's probably had enough for now. [Eriko shrugs. "Dunno. I don't have time for romance, personally."] * Haruko nods. "I actually kinda like it. But there's no time. I mean, I'd go back to Hiroji, but I'd draw him in to all this. He's not a fighter." [Eriko nods.] * Haruko sits back and then leans against the wall. "Stupid teenaged love. Makes everything hard." [Eriko nods absently. "Yeah..."] [End]