Charles Patricius

[Bloodedge]

In the wake of a match, a stretch and a handshake, Kazuhiko looked over his shoulder to see Miko, whose returned was marked with both words and offering to the group. Kazu's eyes were quickly drawn to a cart with half his total collection in quantity. Did she really think to walk over and start a normal conversation with a haul like that? "Yeah, it was an awesome game... but how many people's life savings did you decide to spend today?!" he yelled. With Miko handing out various things to various people, he definitely couldn't pass any judgement. The reaction of Anya specifically made any amount of irresponsible purchases worthwhile. Kazu thought to reach out and place a hand atop the pleased child's head, but a bit of separation was in the way of that. "Huh, it's that psychic cat thing. You like it?" he asked of the child. "Anyway, my game's done. You playing? I can spare a seat," he offered thereafter.

Speaking of offers, Childe made one to Kama in a more indirect manner. Neither of them truly had a problem with winding themselves together throughout her Origin, even if it was a thing Sakura learned about mere minutes ago. With those stars in her eyes, every version of her and every version of him had intertwined fates. If any of their variants were without each other in life, that would be undone. Even a version of Sakura who never met a version of this man would now, somewhere in her timeline, become connected to him and vice-versa. Kama felt she could connect to everything the way they were; she wasn't wrong. More importantly, she had her own idea for their change in position. The position she believed had the most 'oomph' involved rolling onto her hands and knees to present her ass and a devious expression for the man behind. Speaking to their attunement, he was having a very similar train of thought. "I don't need to prove it. You already know we're on the same page, don't you?" he asked, keeping that teasing tone. Nevertheless, Childe was soon reaching out to grab that cosmic hair. Once strands were in each hand and pulled back to either of Kama's sides, his hips moved forward. She'd find herself reentered, but that wasn't all. No, penetration was something much slower this time... primarily because there were suddenly two sources ─ one of which was squeezing its way into her rear. Two tools in use was par for the course in many cases; he had no reason to keep a favored trick secret from Kama of all people.

[Apollymi]

Kazuhiko seemed to have had a reasonable match with Ai, and claimed everything was cool. Still, much like their time within the carriage, when something odd happened with Miko's 'usual' behavior he couldn't help but comment on it as she moved on from structure decks and deck boxes to... card protection bags and the like for others. Everyone was included, Sena accepted her gifts with thanks while Miko responded to Kazuhiko. "As many as I want♪~" Miko chimed having taking a few moments to spread gifts and hear thanks but not caring about it too much. "This has been the best shopping trip I've had in 300 years. Do you realize, that on this trip I haven't been accused to stealing, no one has tried to kidnap or sell me into slavery, I haven't been charged furry tax and I managed to get both a discount and lunch? Though I realize there was a weird run in... this has been one of the best trips from my perspective," she explained of several previously traumatizing factors which had her much happier than normal to spend money. And even slipped about her obvious time spent with Reiji. Anya for her part in this was hearing the thoughts Miko shared and hearing the versions in her head, and those wide eyes were blinking a couple of times over as she realized this woman had been through. Soon Anya was looking at her father who was questioning her like of her little creature, and she nodded. "It's awesome!" Anya commented about the stuffed animal.

As for the offered seat Kei's eyes went wide. Now was the time, she had to strike. the other girls were watching as well. "I could play but I want to box up each of my decks. Reiji-san filled me in on the awesome that is Seimei-sama within this card game so I gave myself a different goal..." Miko mused. "Hmphf, well if that is how it's going, and you aren't going to take your usual seat. I can just give Mi-sen my seat," Kei interjected knowing that she was sitting beside Kazuhiko. And with that she could easily use this moment to get herself closer. Yes, this was now going to be executed perfectly. Miko looked at Kei, processed those words and realized where this was going. 'Fuck that, he offered a seat, take it! Assert dominance, she doesn't get to claim our bestie incidentally! She doesn't get dignity when I'm giving her one of my favorite things!' Miko's mind screamed. She picked up her bag which was being handed her way by Emirie and moved. "Iia, no one has to move. Besides I wouldn't want to put you out of a seat either. There is an easy way for me to join the table..." Miko claimed. Kei took a moment, making the assumption that she'd just be sitting in Kaguya's lap, and while that wasn't a win, it wasn't a loss either. It could be worked around as she put herself in closer proximity to Kazuhiko. Still what she got was something very different. "I'm taking the offered seat, Kazuchii♪~ Thanks for having me~" she mentioned while slipping into his lap instead of letting anyone get up. Kei would then be maintaining a shocked face, Kaguya smirked and Ai decided to look at her new playmat as if she'd never seen a clock tower before. All the while, Miko was perfectly placed to sleeve up her multiple decks without being in Kazuhiko's way at all.

While the cardshop saw a connection defered, Sakura, now Kama was gaining a new one rapidlya cross spacetime. Kama wouldn't be denying herself very much at all... she wasn't simply curious she was a person who learned through experience positive or negative. And nothing about her interactions with Childe so far had done anything but make her want to deepen their connection as much as possible. And with her openess came the knowledge that many forms of her would be gaining access to this man and his variants simply because he was pouring so much of himself into her. There was something uniquely satisfying about that, and the satisfaction would only be growing. Kama was soon separated with her back to Childe. Her rear arched into the air on her hands and knees waiting to accept him into either hole. So imagine her surprise when it was...both. Childe claimed he didn't need to prove her truth she already knew it, even so..."I do already know. I know lots of things like this but I didn't know..." she paused as she felt both of his cocks she was looking back to see a single person offering double penetration. Her first of such an experience outside of that attempted rape of her by a human gang earlier. "Sugoi! You can do that as just one person. I was wondering how I was going to manage this kind of experience with my preferences in mind~" she claimed only to relax more into the slow push forward.

[Bloodedge]

Apparently, the number of life savings Miko would be spending couldn't be quantified. Considering the reason she gave as one who spent the last 300 years as beastkin, there was no argument Kazu could actually give, even if she spent every yen she had. Those who had animal attributes were never treated well on Alaya outside of their own colonies and such. Without having that experience for himself, Kazu could only accept this as a very pleasant splurge. "As long as you're happy. I always forget rule one with you guys," he mused, thinking back to Anais and a few of the others in their Aincrad group. The thing known as 'rule one' originally dated back to a much older, smaller collection of people around Kazuhiko as Charlemagne, so it wasn't often brought up with the reimagined group. While he reminisced on that matter, Miko claimed she wouldn't be playing just yet due to her need to protect her cards. He wasn't sure why that became a reason for Kei to offer her seat instead. Perhaps she'd been waiting for an opportunity to relocate anyway? Oh well. "I mean, I could still..." Kazu meant to state that he could still give up his chair and go somewhere else. Actually, there were a lot of empty spaces in the shop now; he could probably just pull a new chair into place. Before he got it all out though, Miko claimed she'd be taking the seat he offered... though not exactly the way he meant. "Wait, that's not what I─" All too late. Miko was already slipping into his lap by the time he started speaking, and it wasn't like he could or would turn her down. "Well... yeah, I guess that works too."

As Childe slid his hips forward, a revelation was bound to strike Kama. Her experience with two forms of penetration at once couldn't have been many, if any at all in this reality yet. There were certainly zero chances of a singular person being the cause, so naturally... Childe would have to make an epic show of it. "First time, right? You know that just makes me want to make it an unreachable goal," he commented while pulling Kama's hair back like a pair of reins to drag her head back in sequence with his hips moving forward. A tight squeeze from two holes at once was something quite hard to beat. Though this still wasn't the Kama he knew, there were certain expectations of excellence and interest in place... and a matching desire to witness her growth as a deviant. He'd begin this observation by thrusting deep into her body and peering into her soul without the prerequisite ejaculation this time. Some versions of Tohsaka Sakura throughout the multiverse would likely be discovering the meaning of a wet dream. Meanwhile, Kama would be feeling something akin to an assault on her body and soul, as the effects of Childe's ambient mana within her became something... corrosive, even toxic in nature. "I think now's a good time to hold back a little bit less; don't you?" he mused.

[Apollymi]

Miko and Kazuhiko's friendship generally boiled down to the, 'as long as you're happy' part of a conversation. Her random splurge which was only increased by the ease of shopping in her original life was something he'd not considered. He also mentioned forgetting about rule one, "I mean, you are free to question what you like, I'll answer~" Miko said to Kazuhiko directly. In fact she couldn't even think of not including him if he wanted to know something particular about her, unless of course it was decided by him that he didn't want to know. At the same time, Kaguya watched as her friend assert dominance over the other by laying claim and watched as a confused Kazuhiko tried and failed to properly switch seats. Instead he became one, once she was comfortable Miko gave a little wiggle. "Hai, it definitely works like this~" Miko mentioned, while wearing the smuggest of grins with the hint of deviance on her face while she glanced over at Kei. Kei for her part in this seemed shocked. 'Why would she do that... I had a plan and she ruined it!' she thought quickly, her mouth still open like she was trying to decide what to say. While that remained, Miko was reaching into her bag pulling out those five separate decks to sit in front of her, but also a pack of pocky sticks which she opened and planted a few directly into Kei's mouth before having more for herself. Seeing Miko sink into normalcy with relative ease, Kaguya had a bit of commentary, "So that kind of outburst is normal to you? Did give me a warning about on the job oddities, Mi-chan, shame♥~" Kaguya mentioned playfully. "Look I didn't know I should be mentioning a Saxony trigger. I didn't think about that being something found here..." Miko mentioned. "Still that reminds me," Miko muttered. She'd pull out her phone and send a quick text message as well... "Hiru-nii, thanks for the quick assist earlier ^_^ I still need to talk to you though o_o It's nothing bad, I just have some weird things to say and an odd lists of requests you might be able to help me with <.< No rush :3"

As that message was sent, Kama would be experiencing something rather interesting, a double penetration from a single entity. All the while he was pulling on her hair in a way that didn't make her wince in pain but instead had her gasping as the sensation of it played along her scalp and down her body. Hiruko had accomplished this as well, but she decided that the ability to be this kind of rough with another individual was something which had to be natural and not copied. "Yes, this is definitely a first time experience. But I don't think it's hard to make it an unreachable goal... I mean, I didn't know people could have two. I figured I'd have to find two somewhat friendly individuals to make this sort of thing happen," she explained of her own thought processes as she always would. Even so, whatever he decided to do with this experience was fine with her. Still with those motions going, Kama would find herself moaning as a man went so deeply into her person that other versions of her were experiencing nocturnal emissions and dreams of sexual activity they weren't actually involved in. "Yeah, definitely shouldn't hold back so much, I can't learn how to cope if I don't experience it, right O-nii-chan~" she asked as her own hips began to move as well. That corrosive feeling within her body was interesting but her own body could actually make up for it. A calm almost neutral density of mana was swirling within her rippling in her depths as she rocked her hips back against two cocks. Corrosion was being disrupted but the sensation itself was still quite good from a sexual standpoint.

[Bloodedge]

Card games were played, a tsundere's plan was foiled, and a new breed of goddess was completing her path to ascension. All the while, the bustling business of a convenience store owned by one Nara Rita was receiving a visitor. Aihara Nao left his job at a famous lingerie store only earlier this very day. Now, the tired-looking young man with messy black hair was stepping into the convenience store not to shop, but instead holding out an application he'd filled out weeks ago without sending. There had been word of a management position at this location. It wasn't as out of the way as his other jobs of late, but there was a reason he preferred commuting to working locally. With a sigh, he stepped into the register queue, intending to speak with the first employee he found on the other side. "Eto... Aihara Nao. Is there still a management position open here?" he wondered first. "I have my application. I'd be willing to take something lesser if necessary."

At the same time, another location was visited by a different young man. He had short spiky dyed blond hair and dark brown eyes. He had a noticeable widow's peak and his eyebrows were unusual in that he lacked the outer sides. He seemed a bit muscular, wearing a yellow A-shirt with a colorful green and magenta comic style star symbol and the word "ZOMG!" He had black pants rolled up to reveal his ankles and part of his shins. He also wore a white canvas belt and white and red low top Converse-like sneakers that had a rising sun flag motif. As he moved through the streets near Shujin University, he frantically flashed a polaroid picture at passersby. "Oi! You seen this guy?! Know somethin' about a car accident a few days ago?!" he yelled at anyone who looked his way. The picture he flashed repeatedly was of a black-haired teen boy whose eyes weren't even visible beneath a shaggy mop. The only thing most onlookers could get from that image was the fact that it featured some random, unassuming boy. "Aren't you listenin'?! Amamiya Ren! Fuckin' anybody!"

[Apollymi]

Meanwhile, Mami had been working for quite a while. Today's bustling business wasn't at all normal for a convenience store outside of center city, but given the oddities surrounding this one, she could kind of understand. She'd been running this cash register checking out customers, when a somewhat familiar face appeared in her line. She couldn't have said what this man's name was, but she did remember that he worked at the lingerie shop she used to work at. Perhaps he wouldn't recognize her and the story which got her fired and thus he wouldn't be a problem for her. "Better off talking to the man serving the food. I can't say what the hiring is like, it's my first day..." she offered as helpfully as possible while pointing him towards Hiroshi. Actually while time continued to pass she became happier. She was looking forward to seeing how pitiful Akira looked in the hospital. Not every girl could say a guy got hit by a truck because she broke up with them. Meanwhile, Rita and Saori were wrapping up an hour or two of catching up, and coming back down Saori with half a cake in hand and both seemingly quite pleased after having spent a decent time together.

Somewhere else, there was a blonde boy making quite the fuss. Students were moving around him, not making eye contact and wondering why he was being so loud. He had all the looks of some kind of delinquent, and his noisy demeanor was doing nothing to dissuade that thought process. It'd been going on for long enough that a certain young lady with short brown hair was approaching him. She was dressed in a little black dress shirt with a white undershirt and a short dark blue plaid pleated skirt. She had on full tights full length and baby doll shoes. Her eyes were sharp and almost red in color, though most would say they were brown. Whatever the case, she approached taking a deep breath and choosing to put herself in front of this lad to stop what most would have viewed as an adult tantrum. "The name Amamiya Ren appears nowhere in the registry of this school. I know every student here and that one isn't a name I am familiar with. Also you are disturbing the peace and student population. I am going to need you to lower your voice and stop being a public nuisance," she added. Still, she looked at that picture and gave a few words. "I still don't know who Amamiya Ren is but this picture looks like a younger version of Kurusu Akira, the kid who was hit by a truck a couple of days ago..." she mused. This portrait made that man look so ordinary, she could hardly figure out why it was taken. She didn't think herself extreme in anyway, but this man definitely seemed like he should have been living in the background of his own life.

[Bloodedge]

Nao reached the counter at a slower speed than he expected. The location of this store was neither the best nor the worst for such business, but there were more customers than he could have imagined. That would be fine, he thought. If he could land a management position, he could at least extend his stay at a job like this. Being separated from customers by counters and the like was a boon, and it didn't seem like the type of place that would require him being in close proximity to coworkers either. He held to a bit of hope, even though the person he saw at the register was a semi-familiar face he'd rather avoid simply because she was an attractive woman. 'Of course. I hope I can get something very hands-off,' he thought. According to the blonde, he was to meet with the very tall man currently serving ramen by the bowl. There was another man working here? That was cause for some hope! Nao seemed pleased by that information alone. "Hai! Arigatou gozaimasu!" he said to the girl before going on his way. Upon reaching Hiroshi, he delivered the same introduction he'd given Mami. What interesting timing, Hiroshi thought. "A management position? Yes, there is technically one available. I could certainly prepare someone for that during this transitionary period," the tall one mused while looking over Nao's application. Still, the decision wasn't his to make. "Sadly, I'll have to redirect your attention elsewhere again. I'm seeing quite a few fields of expertise here, which is no less positive than it is negative, as prospects go. Nara-san will have to interview you personally."

Meanwhile, the blonde male in the streets near Shujin finally received some form of response from another person. It was a young woman, seemingly around his own age, whose appearance was worth a raised brow as he looked her over. He couldn't resist a sideways, toothy grin when she acknowledged him... even if her words were unfavorable enough to bring a scowl from the male. "Ah? Public nuisance? I ain't bothering anybody. Who made you the police anyway?" he questioned, his brow furrowed intensely. He didn't know who the hell this Kurusu Akira was or why someone separate was relevant, but there was mention of someone being hit by a truck. The timeline tracked, at the very least. Sadly, this one couldn't make a very crucial connection. "Did somebody else get hit by a truck? I'm lookin' for a guy with a rep for some bullshit a couple of years back."

[Apollymi]

The new lad within the store was redirected to a very tall man who was serving food. Though both he and Mami recognized each other a little an unspoken tacit agreement to keep distance was met, or at least, that was the assumption. Still, there were no complete freebies for this lad, who'd be directed to another. After a quick assessment of his application, the lad was directed to Rita who'd just descended from her own apartment to see Saori out. "Hai hai, just call me. I have a lot of free time now... or if you are feeling nostalgic feel free to drag me out of my apartment. I'll go to the gym with you..." Rita mentioned to the woman with a bit of a chuckle. "Yeah, see you soon then~" she said as she walked out. She gave an affirmative nod to Hiroshi as she headed for the door. As for what Hiroshi was saying, Rita looked over to him, "We're directing someone to me?" Rita asked, while his work here was transitional there was very little she didn't think him capable of working out on his own. Rita stood around in her leggings and sweater reasonably comfortable but also seeming to have shifted a bit, she wasn't concerned about much of anything. All the while Mami watched while she served customers with mild curiosity. 'What is going on with her exactly. That guy isn't bad looking or anything. Is she building her self-esteem?' Mami thought but it wasn't really her concern as long as she could continue the way she wanted to.

Meanwhile, near the Shujin campus a lad outside was proving with haste, that he may have had a great deal of help finishing high school. The blonde boy making all the noise near campus was first and foremost still very male. The quick glance he gave the young woman who'd approached him wasn't one she found odd at all. Though given his audacious nature she wasn't exactly thrilled by the idea of him potentially hitting on her, as she definitely didn't plan on inviting him out or anything like that. No, instead he wondered he wondered who made her the police and she sighed. "I'm president of the campus, so technically the student body. And you're causing a lot of noise and distraction outside of it. You are also quite literally yelling a person's name and shoving what is likely an old image into people's faces instead of... actually asking around or anything like that, so yes you are disturbing people. Haven't you noticed that people are avoiding eye contact and moving away from you instead of even trying to give you the information you're looking for?' she seemed really aghast at this lad's lack of tact. Some people found that kind of behavior endearing, but this lass, was given this lad's statements trying to figure out if he was even cut out to be searching for anyone else. "You don't take hints well, huh?" she asked almost sarcastically. Beyond that point this man obviously didn't realize the reason that someone might go about changing their name and the like before trying to restart their lives, and not wanting to be connected to any past misdeeds. Instead of trying the indirect way, she'd pull out her phone and scroll the school's directory until she found the profile of one Kurusu Akira. She pulled up a more recent image. "This is the young man I mean. I don't know him on a personal level but I do know everyone who attends this school. Do you understand now?" she asked almost begging this man's neurons to activate.

[Bloodedge]

Just as he'd spoken of rerouting the new applicant, Hiroshi heard the voice of Rita herself. His gaze shifted, and a brief exchange of nods occurred during Saori's acknowledgment. When Rita spoke to him directly, he offered the application from his hand. "Yes. I have here an application for management," he said first and foremost. Ah, but Hiroshi wasn't the only one whose eyes were drawn. Nao had seen Saori and now Rita, and he was... panicking. This wasn't the sort of boss he wanted. Where were the old men in charge? He wouldn't have to worry about his condition if there were some crusty old geezers around, even if they brought issues of their own to the table. "Ah─it's not that big a deal! I had this application a while back, so I thought I'd turn it in to help out. But it looks like you've got plenty of employees now, so..." Nao was already trying to back away, but Hiroshi had additional words to share. "Nonsense. The varied qualifications I'm seeing on this application are what I believe this business needs moving forward. I am only here on a temporary basis as well, so a replacement in my position will be necessary. Nara-san, I highly recommend an interview. Nanami-chan and I can continue handling things here."

While Nao was being subjected to great torment, the blonde near Shujin was dealing with... apparently, the student president of that very school. "Haah? Didn't know colleges had those," he murmured. Regardless, he didn't see why that position gave her any sort of authority over the streets. This young man wasn't becoming any less grumbly as time passed ─ especially upon hearing mention of the people who ignored his calls. "Bah, that's got nothing to do with me! Just 'cause some shitty old people don't wanna listen as soon as I talk about a car accident, doesn't mean I'm the problem here!" he growled. As for his inability to take a hint, he seemed... slightly confused. "Huh? Were you coming on to me or something?" was the question he asked. The dark-haired woman went on to check her phone and produce the image of a very familiar face from the student registry. He leaned inward until his face was uncomfortably close to the young woman's phone screen, seeming impressed. "Woooah! That guy looks just like Ren! I wonder if they're related. Don't think he had a brother or anything," he said. After a few seconds however, something seemed to click in the lad's head. What was it? "Wait..." Another pause took place. His brain was working overtime today, all for the purpose of finding a major missing link in the conversation. "Wait... is that your boyfriend? That don't really help me much."

[Apollymi]

An application for a management position was something which could be filled. Rita and Hiroshi had already spoken at length and she knew his placement within her store wasn't a permanent position at all. Even so, she wouldn't be taking any of his advice lightly. She'd already seen the goodness of his consultation and beyond that he'd proven himself more than trustworthy. The panic in this lad was something at least noted as he tried and failed to get out of the application. Though the lad tried to back off, it would seem that Hiroshi wasn't going to let him off the hook. "Hm? Does he really have that varied a skill set. I don't mind that sort of thing, and if it's your recommendation Fukuyama-san I see no reason to avoid the interview. You haven't led me astray yet~" Rita mentioned. Of course, she'd aim to take that application and in so doing reach over in an open gesture directly towards her office in the back, "Don't worry, it's nothing too stringent, just a quick chat so I can see how you'll fit in here... and check for scheduling conflicts," she said while turning to lead the way. Of course, she'd find her clog shoe getting caught on a small depression in a tile, barely noticeable one way, but enough to leave her stopped and wobbling on her feet a second later. While that happened, Mami listened on, 'Sou ka, she trusts Fukuyama to make some calls and takes his judgement at face value. So, getting on his good side or making sure he can't actually say anything bad about me, is a good strategy. Seduction then blackmail... he seems like he wouldn't just get flirty hints...' Mami decided in the moment. That wasn't something that needed addressing immediately.

While one was being given a very specific kind of torture, another was being shown that not all brains were built equally. "Any kind of school with a student body, should have a bridge between the administrators and the students," she said of his logic about it. It was obvious by his comments that he didn't know how schools worked, but that kind of ignorance could be forgiven as she'd be surprised if he actually finished high school. Her own misgivings aside, ti would seem that this lad was incapable of stringing together two lines of thought which were obviously related. "You realize most of the people in this area are in the same age range as you... this is a college not a nursing home. People not wanting to speak to you, could have a lot to do with the fact that you are yelling, drawing unnecessary attention to yourself and not really making sense of how the things you are talking about are related to each other..." she explained casually. Her eyes were currently closed and she had a smile on her face. She saw this particular form of education as her personal responsibility and if it kept other students out of range that was fine too. "Also I would never come on to you." she said quickly, she couldn't hold a conversation with this man. Ah but that wasn't all, apparently he thought that she was simply showing him a picture of her boyfriend and though he looked like the man he was looking for he didn't see the connection. "Eh?!" she had a minor outburst her eyes opening only to close them again, she took a deep breath and sighed. "I don't know if it would be safer to talk you through this, or if I should be asking if you have a case worker or a care taker I'd be better off speaking to," the young woman said while fighting the desire to pinch the bridge of her nose. "This man, you knew, Amamiya Ren had a record or a past he was trying to escape. He moved to a new place and likely changed his name or assumed a different identity. That identity is likely Kurusu Akira, the boy who was hit by the truck, who looks like the older version of the boy in your picture. So, the person you are looking for is not, Amamiya Ren and is instead Kurusu Akira. Do you understand that part?" she asked while searching through the directory of the school. She'd heard a few of his classmates had visited him, whoever's name she came across first would likely be the one directly contacted for the sake of findingo ut what hospital the lad was at, as it was obvious this man didn't take the easiest route to finding out this information.

[Bloodedge]

"Indeed he does. It could almost be said that, if there is a trade, this young man has some experience in it," Hiroshi stated firmly. Any random onlooker could view Nao's list of former jobs and assume there was nothing he could be considered good at. Hiroshi, however, saw it as a great number of learning experiences. If he'd exercised his mind even a little during all those different jobs, he could blossom into quite the all-around specialist. Sadly, Nao himself didn't agree. He wasn't even thinking about things like that ─ only about how he could avoid some deviant accident from happening to him. There was no getting out of this one. Between the manager and the owner, he had no chance to talk his way out, so... maybe he could just do terribly in the interview? That wasn't such a bad idea. "... Hai. Arigatou gozaimasu," he said reluctantly, following behind Rita. It seemed he was keeping more than just two paces away. He avoided looking at her directly, but there was no way such a curvaceous figure could be kept out of periphery. It even seemed like the owner's backside was getting... bigger? No. No, it wasn't getting any larger ─ it was getting closer! Nao's attempt to avoid looking like a pervert resulted in him failing to realize, but Rita was no longer moving forward after a few steps. So, there he was, far closer to the woman than he ever wanted to be in this situation. 'Oh shit! Not already!' was Nao's mental plea to the universe as he barely managed to avoid contact while Rita wobbled forward.

The existence of a student council went beyond the understanding of the blonde loudmouth. In truth, he hardly even knew what those students did, even in high school. He never made use of them, and they never seemed useful to him anyway. In this particular case however, the president was managing something impressive. Her argument about students making up most people in the area didn't hold any weight to him, though. "I didn't say it was a nursing home! Yeah there's students, but look at all these old people! It's not like we're in the school!" he argued. It seemed he was a bit argumentative regardless, except... in one particular moment, which had the young woman claiming she'd never come on to him. Well, that seemed about right, if a little disheartening. "Yeesh," he said, scraping his sole along the ground as he gently kicked the air. He'd have commented on the clause about case workers and caretakers, but he truly didn't know why that matter was relevant. Ah, but there was one thing... an explanation of her meaning earlier. Amamiya Ren was the boy he sought, the one he knew before. This Kurusu Akira person was not someone different, but instead a name change to go along with relocation. Now the gears were turning! "Ohhhh!" he replied, a happy grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, that makes sense! In that case, he sure picked a badass new name! Right? Right? A-kira! Kira! That's fuckin' sweet!"

[Apollymi]

Hiroshi would have seen this new lad as one with the ability to learn a great many things. Those who learned business in school would have called him a job-hopper. Even so, a lack of ability to concentrate was far from the worst trait in modern times. Perhaps he simply hadn't found the right fit yet. "Unsettled isn't a bad thing, I wish I'd taken a bit more time to make a decision..." Rita said almost wistfully. She'd easily lead this lad towards his interview her minor hiccup having her catch her balance as he was managing his. "Gomen, gomen... I'm usually way more steady on my feet," she mused. Mentally willing to blame the previous night's activity for her unsteadiness, she moved on. Entering that office but not before having a peek back at the lad. All of this was seen by Mami and analyzed in a specific way, 'Damn old slut can't even wait a minute before trying to put the moves on a potential new guy. Hags think they can do anything with their ridiculous bodies...' mami would have scoffed. Oh well, she supposed understanding that woman's motivations would only make her own plan that much easier. Within the office, Rita managed to avoid any more immediate trips though she did, incidentally slam one of her hips into the corner of her desk as she moved around it. It would be a few seconds of recovery as she worked towards getting settled. "Now, you can have a seat. I'll introduce myself, I'm Nara Rita, and I inherited this place from the old man who owned it previously after working here on and off for a decade or so. I consider this place to be pretty flexible, just to provide a bit for the needs of the immediate area. I don't consider myself to be super strict but I would like to be able to trust everyone to complete their tasks without me hovering or anything like that. Also I am 30 years old and will soon be divorced, you may not have needed that information but I like to be transparent about such things as often as possible. That is also to say, I'm not judging for any lack of settling or incidental changes that occurred in your work history, I'd just like to know where your head is at," Rita shared that information while looking over the lad in front of her. "Now, tell me a bit about yourself Aihara-kun, you have a varied list of previous jobs, so is there anything you'd like me to know specifically?" she asked of the lad, all the while she was looking at this list of jobs and references and there were quite a few which only lasted short times and a few gaps. It wasn't uncommon for the young to have a hard time settling and she wasn't judging.

Meanwhile, the blonde lad outside of the college was getting some hard lessons. The real purpose of a student council had somehow escaped him during his schooling, that wasn't too surprising, most people didn't realize what such bodies were for anyway. Beyond that point he seemed to think that all of the random walking down the street counted as old, and that it wasn't just the school he was appealing to, "I mean there are a variety of people here but it doesn't make sense for you to be asking random strangers about a passing student with a forgettable face, just because the accident happened nearby. It would have made more sense to inquire about it a local police station or to ask specifically at the shops or businesses near the cross walk where such an accident was more likely to occur, without the yelling obviously," she explained that he might have better luck in his next investigation. Whatever the case, she'd spoken pretty harshly and got out of it, a rather dejected response. She could at least respect him for not flying off the handle about it, even though that wouldn't change her mind about what she'd said. It only served to make him a bit confusing. After talking him through the logic of his 'missing person', a crease formed between her brows. He understood only after having it completely spelled out for him. "Akira is a fairly common name for a man. If anything I'd say it wasn't meant to draw attention, but what do I know..." she said shrugging it off. In the same moment she decided it was easier to check a few message boards to find the information she sought, and within a few moments she had something to say. "Kurusu-kun is apparently at this hospital. If you call him by the right name, I am sure a nurse or someone there would be able to help you..." she said holding up her phone once more and taking a step back after how close he'd been the last time she'd held it out.

[Bloodedge]

Nao managed a stroke of luck with the first mishap involving Rita. Alas, he'd been dealing with this issue long enough to know it was only a matter of time. A few theories he had involved this condition being some form of bad karma he accumulated in a previous life or something ─ resulting in matters getting worse the longer he managed to avoid accidents. Oh well; there was nothing else to do. He followed along for the moment, sighing and keeping his head low. Once they were inside the office, Nao noted the woman's hip hitting the end of her desk. Was that another sign? Maybe there weren't any, and she was actually just a bit clumsy today. No... he had to be vigilant! Reluctantly did the young man seat himself, even checking the chair for sturdiness before doing so. He sat upright, hands in his lap, and remained attentive to her speech. "Eto... transparent is definitely the way I'd describe all that. It's a lot to take in, but I'll try to match it. Aihara Nao. I'm 25, and I'm not a job-hopper or anything... well not by choice. I want to work, and I'm good at things I put my mind to. It's just... I've had a lot of accidents that separated me from all my other jobs. I just left the most recent one today to avoid something else bad happening and ruining someone's reputation along with my own. That's the best way I can put it... but I might have reason to believe it'll happen again even here. . ."

The student president raised the notion that approaching random strangers in the vicinity was not the best idea; he should have taken his questions to the police. A scoff passed the male's lips in that moment. What sort of suggestion did she think that was? "As if! I ain't gonna go to the shitty, corrupt police! How am I supposed to trust they weren't the guys who hit him?" he questioned angrily. Regardless, the name Akira may have been common, but that changed nothing about how incredible it was in this case. Of course, he didn't expect this random gal to know why that opinion was formed. "Common schmommon! Ya' got no idea how badass that is for him! Best guy to ever use that name I tell ya'!" he insisted. Right back on the happy-go-lucky train, he saw the hospital name as shown on the girl's phone and decided he could finally catch up with an old friend. "YOSH! That's an awesome find! Arigatou, Pres! I'll find the place and see you when my classes start!" he announced. Apparently, this lad managed to gain attendance at Shujin University. . .

[Apollymi]

Nao and Rita were now in the middle of a rather frank conversation. And while Rita was willing to blame any clumsiness on her part, on a night spent drinking and general oddity, Nao seemed to think it was some sort of omen. Though he didn't express it, they still were able to communicate pretty openly, which Rita counted as a generally good thing. Apparently, he met her level of transparency with one of his own. He claimed that he wasn't a job hopper by choice, but that a string of accidents had him switching jobs periodically to avoid major incidents. His most recent example was leaving a job, so that someone else didn't lose their reputation. "Sou ka, that sounds more than fair on your part, a bit self-sacrificing even," Rita mentioned. "I won't fire you over an accident or anything like that and I'm not the sort of person who won't hear you out if you decide this job is for you. Basically, if something happens and you need to clear it up, don't be so hasty as to quit on the spot. I'd like to think I am a pretty fair judge of character. I do appreciate you being honest with me about your work history though," she clarified easily. "If I hired you, what would your preferred schedule be and what kind of shift would you be interested in running? After Fukuyama-san leaves officially I may have to hire another manager for the off times, but until then he's pretty flexible about his own work schedule and I don't mind pitching in and covering incidental or emergency shifts either, so don't worry about being left to become overwhelmed or anything like that..." she explained of the situation surrounding work. it was always best to find out what everyone was looking for from this kind of employment. She assumed he was no longer studying, but if he had family obligations or hobbies she wouldn't want to interfere with them.

Meanwhile, the president of the local college's student council was apparently talking to an individual who held a certain skepticism and dislike for authority. Her thoughts that he should have asked the authorities about his friend, led to an assumption that said authorities might have been responsible for his condition and were innately untrustworthy. "Uh-huh, definitely been through a lot, authority and old people are touchy subjects..." she stated as if this was the only reasonable way to respond. Still, she wasn't at all unhelpful. And just as quickly as his outburst had started, he was talking about the awesomeness of the chosen name Akira for a lad he'd previously known as 'Ren'. "If you say so..." she said hoping that this conversation would be the last of such that she had. She'd given him the information necessary and it seemed he was pleased enough by it. He thanked her for the information and claimed he'd see her when classes started. "Hai hai, it was no trouble at all..." she said seeming not to think about that last bit until she was turning around to walk away. "Eh? How did he get in?" she whispered under her breath as she headed for the local shop she'd been planning to visit all along.

[Bloodedge]

Even though he'd been thinking about consciously failing this interview, Nao seemed to become more forthcoming with the truth than he intended. The moment Rita started talking, all his plans went out the window. The woman was so nice, so understanding and so inviting that he found himself wanting to work for her. How strange. "I understand. I wouldn't jump straight to quitting normally, but... there were some other shenanigans happening at that last job as well. It's been a crazy few days so far," he explained briefly. Nao could probably be a bit more frank with this boss if he landed a job, if he didn't instead catch a case before finishing the interview. She questioned his hours of availability in the event of hiring ─ standard curiosities all around. "Hai. I've already graduated and don't have any connections that would take a lot of my time. I could work full-time for any shift you need filled. If you'd rather put me on nights though, I just request a transition to adjust my existing schedule from something more morning and afternoon-focused. Oh and... you don't have to worry yourself about taking emergency shifts. I could handle those. I... usually work better with less people," he said sheepishly, still keeping his gaze averted to the best of his ability.

At the same time, that blonde male's excitement was building rapidly. He hadn't seen that friend of his in ages. If he ever saw the helpful young woman again, perhaps he'd find a way to repay the favor. Ah, but while they were going their separate ways, Kakihara Shota was walking the streets in search of another form of payback. He'd been driving about previously, seething over the previous day's events. Sadly for him, the very same beat-up sedan that let him escape the beach had recently decided to stop cooperating entirely. As such, Shota was stranded as a pedestrian around some reserved venue for a convention. If nothing else, he supposed it was worth popping in. He'd seen a few random, trashy cosplayers wandering around the area to get a bit of early attention and plan their convention routes. Perhaps he'd find some relief among them? Time would tell. . .