[After a long ride (sure seemed long, anyhow), you get to the shop, where believe it or not, Akemi isn't.] * Kaede parks his bike and adjusts his glasses, stepping off. "I forgot to ask. You didn't have a change of clothes you bring with you, did you? [Nanami's there instead, talking with some other customer and looking rather harried. Said customer has pale, almost white skin, black jeans and a black vest. It's everyone's favorite goth-girl, Miho!] * Neither is now known as Miho * Haruko shakes her head. "I didn't really know what to bring anyways." It's alright. We'll see if Nanami has some overalls that fit. * Kaede walks in and tilts his head to the side, listening for a bit. * Haruko walks in after him. "Shoot... should have grabbed my coveralls from the garage." * Nanami is talking to Miho, her eyebrows twitching. "So, what is it you want then?" * Miho holds up two different bicycle seats. "Hmmm... The black is the embodiement of dispair, chaos... It is emptiness. But the red is the color of blood, life... Hmmmmm...." * Haruko comments quietly to Kaede. "So what do you want me to do? Sales? Maintenance?" Probably maintenance would be best. I'll ask. * Haruko nods. * Kaede speaks up, waving over as he approaches. "Hey Nanami!" * Nanami looks over quickly. "Kaede, you're back! Is that the new girl?" Yeah. This is Haruko Kinsha. She's a classmate. I'm glad we could find some new help. Good. You're hired. You can start by helping this customer. * Haruko smiles and nods at Nanami. "Yup..." Haruko looks confused at Kaede's comment, looks at Nanami for a minute and then nods. * Nanami walks away from the counter and flops into a chair. * Kaede gives Miho a slight look and whispers to Nanami. "Trouble customer?" * Haruko walks over to Miho. "So, you were picking between black and red?" * Nanami rolls her eyes in Miho's direction. * Kaede looks over and blinks. "Tell me about it in a minute. I'm going to get changed for work." * Miho holds them up to Haruko. "Yes. It's a very difficult decision. They both display signs of destruction, but which is the lesser of the two evils?" * Kaede heads into the back and upstairs. * Haruko takes each in turn and looks them over appraisingly, and discretely tries to figure out which is more expensive. [Haruko figures both of them are way too expensive as it is.] (Haruko, you suck. ;P) (She's gonna run our business into the ground ;_;) (First day on the job and you don't even show her the ropes. What do you expect? ;P) * Haruko looks back at Arisu. "Well, assuming that's your typical garb do you wish to show, uh, unity in despair or would you prefer that neither red nor black become overpowering?" * Miho shakes her head. "There's no hope either way. The dispair either becomes more prominent, or the spilling of life's blood becomes evident instead. * Haruko subdues a slight smirk and then glances around the store for another accessory, bike helmet in red or black, that sort of thing. [The poor GM knows nothing about a bike repair shop, so we'll assume there is one.] * Kaede comes back, adjusting the straps on his overalls and sighing, taking out a page from the notepad and placing it down on the counter, sitting down. "Here's the projection for next month. I think we'll be needing more 2.3 mm's spokes and offwheel treads. What do you think?" Hm? I guess. * Haruko grabs a fairly high end red bike helmet. "Perhaps a black seat and a red helmet. The black seat would be difficult to recognize against your dark clothes, and the blood of the helmet would be partially negated because it is a instrument of protection. Thus minimizing both evils." Haruko grins. * Kaede nods. "I'll put in the orders soon. How's she doing?" * Haruko then frowns. "Uh... to the degree possibile in this, uh, bleak, doomed world." She sounds proud of herself as she says the last bit, and then reverts to affecting an expression of dispair. Oh no. I wouldn't want to wear a helmet. * Nanami watches. "We'll see." * Kaede blinks and watches too. Well.. you could hang it from your bike as you ride... As commentary on the inevitability of death. But that would take a, uh, rather sophisticated understanding of the tragedy and irony of life. ::Haruko puts the helmet away:: Right. So we'll just worry about a bike seat. * Miho nods. "And maybe a horn that plays 'La Cucoracha.'" ... (Miho's been possessed by Lurika. Now THAT'S scary) * Haruko nods and quickly goes to find one. ( Never knew Lurika was so depressing. Dang. ) ( Business roll, Haruko! ) (make!) [Haruko searches and searches and manages to find that they don't carry any horns like that.] * Kaede clears his throat and stands up. "I...think we can special order one if you'd really like. It'd take some time though." There's no time. Our doom is immenent. That reminds me, I have to pick up the laundry. * Miho leaves the seats somewhere convenient for her and walks out. * Kaede rubs his forehead and steps out from behind the counter. "Was she like that the whole time here?" * Haruko tilts her head and then looks over at Kaede and Nanami. "Sorry.. thought I had a sale there." She goes to make sure the seats are in the right place. * Nanami rubs her head. "Yes. All two hours." Two...hours? * Nanami gestures. "Two hours of doom. Doom!" * Kaede rubs his head. "...if she's so insistant on immenent doom, shouldn't she be spending her time more resourcefully than choosing the color of a bike seat?" * Kaede grumbles. "She didn't scare away other potential customers, did she?" Who knows? * Haruko looks fairly aghast. "Yikes... well, lets get me trained while there's no costumores here." Don't think so. It's been pretty dead today. Which reminds me, did you call Akemi yet? * Kaede blinks and turns to Nanami. "I was supposed to call her? When?" * Haruko shrugs and watches the door. Trying to look properly welcoming and clerky should anyone walk by. She never gave me her number now that I think of it. Didn't want it getting out to "crazed fans" I think. * Nanami stares at Kaede. "You DID thank her like I told you to, right?" * Kaede blinks. "Of course I did. What do you take me for?" * Nanami sighs. "I don't know." * Kaede frowns. "This isn't like you, Nanami..." No, this isn't like you. * Kaede starts to speak, then hangs his head slowly. "...no. I guess it isn't." * Haruko slips into Miko charm booth mode. Different outfit, but it works and she's good at it. * Kaede rubs the back of his head and keeps looking down as he speaks. "I don't know...it's never been an issue before. It's just...it's been hard. I've been doing figures in class, filling out the orders inbetween breaks, calling our suppliers during lunch..." Which isn't any different from usual, is it? Except there's a lot more to do now that we're actually getting some business. Something else you can thank Akemi for. And I know, I've always been able to rush back home and get right to the bikes or the counter...but...I've just got a lot on my mind lately.. Have you seen Grandfather lately? * Haruko moves closer to the front of the store, trying to give a bit more privacy. * Nanami nods. * Kaede gets fairly quiet and doesn't look her in the eye. "...how is he doing..?" Same as always. I...figured... But...I know this is hard to believe but...I'm not slacking off. Please trust me.... * Nanami sighs. "If you say so." I...really can't tell you anymore what's been happening. It's just...it's really hard. Fight with your boyfriend? * Kaede looks up and glares at Nanami. * Haruko grins ever so slightly but she's facing the door so it's not noticable, she then drops it and turns around. "Think I'd probably do the most good in maintenance, so I'll just go do that." She wanders towards the back and looks around for broken bikes. * Nanami shakes her head. "All I'm saying is that if it weren't for Akemi -- skipping school, mind you -- if it weren't for Akemi, we might not be able to keep the shop open. Don't you think I KNOW that!? Do you think I WANT to see this place get boarded up and us thrown on the street and Grandfather to get pulled off life support?!? * Haruko slips into the back, as quickly as is discrete. Do you honestly think I would have taken control of all of this while I'm still in junior high if I wasn't serious about keeping us afloat?? Well then, what have you been doing? Why did you skip school Saturday? * Kaede bites his lip and clenches his fist, shaking it. "Please Nanami...don't...ask me that." Fine. * Nanami stands up. "Now that I'm off, I've got to do some grocery shopping. See you." She heads out. * Kaede throws up his hands and growls. "Fine. I was almost crushed by an elevator. You happy?" * Nanami stops at the door. "What?" You heard me. I was almost killed. I've been almost killed two or three times since this whole thing started. But go ahead and shop. Have a good time. And you were beaten to a bloody pulp and drugged and god knows what else. I don't know what you remember of it, but I'm getting tired of being blamed for trying to protect you. * Nanami turns around. "What the hell are you talking about? When did this happen? Why in God's name didn't you call?" I *couldn't*, Sis! Don't you think I would have if I could?!? * Kaede turns around and looks harshly back in her eyes. Well, how did you almost get crushed? The chain broke. We fell out of the elevator and then it came crashing down after us. It was at a construction site and wasn't working properly. We were stuck up top. * Haruko continues working quietly in the back. What? What were you doing at a construction site? I...I don't know! I just woke up and I was there. You won't understand. Not now. Not after she... * Nanami looks down. Her face falls. after a second she looks back up, rather angrily. "So, you woke up mysteriously at a construction site an elevator fell on you? And you didn't call me? I guess you didn't need to, seeing as how you look perfectly fine! Not to mention I didn't see anything like this in the papers! Figure an accident like that would be front line news!" No, the phone didn't WORK, Nanami. I bet. Damn it. I don't care if she comes after me again. Give me a wrench. * Kaede holds out his hand. You need to go lie down, ok? Just give me a wrench, Nanami. Now. .... What. Is. WRONG with you?! Just trust your damned brother for once, alright? * Nanami backs away. Then without warning turns and bolts out the door. Wait! Nanami! * Kaede curses and runs after her. ( Body roll! ) * Haruko cautiously peaks her head out from the back of the store. (Hah! Made!) [Haruko sees an empty room. Kaede meanwhile chases Nanami, and starts to catch up. She chucks her purse at him. Defense roll Kaede!] Nanami, what the hell's wrong with you?! (Nope) [Whump! Kaede is hit by a purse!] * Haruko looks both quizzical and worried, but proceeds to man the store. ( Gimme a body roll ) (...if you didn't want me to catch her, you could have just said so :P) (Think dicey just did. :P) [Kaede gets winded and is unable to keep up. Nanami turns a corner and is gone!] * Kaede rubs his nose and growls, hitting the wall. "Dammit! Ow!" He shakes his hand. (One of these days, that walls gone get tired of taking it and hit back) ( The elevator sure did! ) * Kaede shakes his hand and stops at the corner, calling out as loud as he can. "Nanami!" [End here too.]