[6:56:59] ** Taki Wars, episode 1. (The Phantom Menace) (Now is when we're quiet.) The night before, Taka had a dream. A dream that she died! But, dreams are just deams... until you wake up and find the blood where you were sleeping. But that's past, because it's today! Today is December 18th, 2004, somewhere in Florida- Taka's house, 1:23pm. Start. * Taka is kneeling on the floor of a room which could probably be called the 'playroom', with all of the toys in it. She's kneeling in front of a black-haired 4-year old child and has a small ball in her hand. * Taka , to satisfy the descers in the crowd, is a Japanese woman in her mid 20's wearing a loose blouse and long skirt. Her face has a black ink tattoo arcing around the eye. It almost looks tribal. One might also notice that she has no right arm past the rounded near-elbow. * Taka looks right at the little girl with her aqua-blue eyes, smiles, and rolls the ball a little towards her, but off in one direction, "Run and get it, Sachi!" The doorbell rings! Twice, in rapid succession. * Taka looks away and out the door as people often do when the doorbell rings. (The room door, not the actual door.) * Taka looks over at 'Sachi' and says, as she stands to a nice 5'9" height, "I'll be right back, honey, okay?" * Sachiko looks from the ball to Taka. "Okay! Be right back!" * Taka smiles a little at the girl and pads out of the playroom and down the hallway, to the nearby stairs. The house is actually fairly nice and well decorated. A real warm feel, with what look like real woods and such making up the majority of the walls and floor. The doorbell rings again, followed by a light knocking. * Taka finally reaches the front door, with a thin frown on her face. However, a polite smile soon appear and she opens the door to see who it is. Hello? Miss Fontain? At the door is not Mr Fontain. Who is at the door is a tall young man, who's waiting patiently but looks like he'd rather be waiting impatiently. In addition to the tallness, there's a leanness and definition of muscle. He's blond, has blue eyes, with a single freckle on the side of his nose. He looks mid-20's, and a quick glance tells you his clothes are not the newest, or greatest. The sneakers look worn and beaten, and a small hole near the shoulder of his shirt is evident. * Taka says politely, with a slight bow, possibly out of habit, "I'm Taka Fontain, yes?" The questioning tone seems to be inviting the man to speak up. * EveryBodyWantsToRuleTheWorld 's gaze brightens as Taka opens the door. "Hello! This is- oh, it is Miss Fontain! I'm Eric, pleased to meet you." *** EveryBodyWantsToRuleTheWorld is now known as Eric * Eric extends a hand to Taka. (Left or right? ^_~) * Eric extends his left hand, then blinks, and switches hands. ( He doesn't switch! Grr. ) * Taka extends her own left arm and shakes. "I am as well, Eric. What brings you so far out here today?" * Eric shakes, then takes his hand back and composes himself. "Well, I heard that you know martial arts, and are really good at it. I was wondering if you'd train me. Or maybe... just show me some stuff. Or, if that's too much, I can learn by observing too!" I'm a hard worker and a quick learner, Miss Fontain, I wouldn't be a burden. * Eric seems rather enthusiastic. * Taka looks at the man a little oddly. "Not that I am adverse to flattery... but where did you hear this?" * Eric grins abashedly. "Oh, I know a lot of people at the station. Including your husband." Ah! You are a policeman, then? * Taka looks over his clothes again. Almost pointedly. * Eric shakes his head. "Afraid not. I am the fastest pizza delivery guy around, though." He pauses, and adds almost as an afterthought, "They like it when I throw in the free donuts." * Eric 's wearing almost entirely worn-out clothing. It does fit, though. * Taka lets out a laugh. It's a surprisingly rich laugh. "Ah, I understand. Well, I'm afraid that I do not teach martial arts, Eric. I teach art, usually painting." * Eric blinks. He didn't expect this. "... oh." My husband didn't misinform you, I simply... do not teach. ... I don't suppose there's any way around that. Is it money? I can do yardwork, babysit, cook... do you have a student already? * Taka blinks and says, "No, no... I do not." She eyes him for a second, then says, stepping away slightly, "You can come in, if you would like a drink. I would hate for you to have driven so far and have nothing to show for it." * Eric lets his shoulders sag in defeat, then perks up again. "Okay. I at least came out here, didn't I?" You did. * Taka gestures towards a room near the door, just off the front hallway. "Please have a seat... I must get my daughter." She smiles a little. (She gestures with the right-stump, even.) * Eric glances inside, then steps in, and looks around, then goes into the gestured room and waits. * Taka watches him go, then retreats up the stairs and back to the 'playroom', not actually seeming rushed. * Sachiko is holding the ball in her lap, waiting patiently. She looks up at Taka with those big, cute childs eyes. "You're back!" * Taka nods and smiles at her. "I said I would be. We have a visitor, Sachi, so we're going to go downstairs, okay?" She reaches out her left hand to her. * Sachiko jumps to her feet, the ball forgotten. "Okay!" She latches onto the one hand with both of hers. * Taka smiles and leads the child downstairs. "His name's Eric. He delivers..." she pauses, perhaps realizing the stupidity of mentioning the word 'Pizza' around a child, and finishes, "...ah, he helps out your father." Friend of Da? * Sachiko sings out, "Friend of Da!" Friend of Da, friend of Da, friend of Da o/~ * Taka smiles a little and, when they get to the stairs, she leans over and, with a smooth motion, sweeps the child up and against her hip. "Down we go, Sachi!" she says, then carries her down the stairs. * Sachiko is still singing down the way, albiet more excitedly and sticking her arms out ahead of her. * Taka reaches the bottom and sets her down carefully, before taking her hand and leading Sachi to where Eric has hopefully not stolen and broken all her stuff. * Eric has not stolen and broken all Taka's stuff. In fact, he's sitting patiently and looking around, a bit of a smile on his face. He waves as they enter. * Sachiko points at Eric. "Freind of Da!" * Taka squeezes the girl's hand and says, "Eric, this is Sachiko, my daughter." * Eric looks over Sachiko. "She's cute. How old is she?" * Taka looks down at Sachiko and says, in a playful voice, "I don't know. How old are you, Sachiko?" I ... *sways a little, lookign teasingly at the ground back up.* I'm too cute to be old! *She waggles a finger at her mom* * Eric (wisely) stays silent. * Taka tousles the child's hair and says, "Well, if you can remember how old you are, you can tell Eric. I'm going to get you both something to drink." She looks over at Eric. "Is Lemonade okay?" * Eric nods. "Sure." * Sachiko giggles, and runs around the table, stopping to look up and stare at Eric with big, googly eyes. * Taka watches her run for a second, then walks off to the kitchen. * Taka reaches the kitchen and walks up to the phone, punching in a number BEFORE picking it up and wedging it against her head. Then she walks over to the cupboard and starts getting cups. *** Eric is now known as Phone * Phone rings! It's picked up on the other end momentarilly. "Hey, hon." * Taka puts down three cups, one of which is cute and childlike. "Hello, Gerald. I have a strange visitor... a tall blond man named Eric?" The buzz of phones and people and busy is in the background of the phone, as usual. * Taka grabs a pitcher out of the fridge. Was her voice a little chilly/annoyed? Tough to tell... * Phone is silent for a moment. "But why... Eric? Friendly, eager to please, stops by here all the time, in here as often as not for picking a fight or for stopping a fight. Don't see why he would be there..." ( Man, I love the Ken Song. ) * Taka pours lemonade for everyone. "He thought... someone here would be able to teach him martial arts. Right now, he is entertaining Sachi. I was just..." she frowns, trailing off as she puts the pitcher away. (The Ken Song rocks.) * Phone is silent for a bit. The sound shifts as the phone is pulled away from the ear, shifted, and put back. "... I don't think he's anything to worry about. He's a good guy. But... if you're worried, hon, you should shoo him out and make sure Sachi's okay." * Taka nods slightly, invisibly to Phone, and says, "I... I apologize for bothering you. I suppose I am on edge." That's what I'm here for. *you can almost hear the smile* But it's never a bother. I'll be sure to get off early, though, just in case. * Taka nods slightly again, and says with a warm smile on her own face. "I'll see you when you get home, love." * Phone 's reshouldered again. "I'll see you ton- no, this afternoon. See you then, hon." *click* * Taka puts down the cordless on the counter, puts the drinks on a platter so she can carry them, and one-hand-carries it into the front room. Maybe she's a waitress too. *** Phone is now known as Eric * Eric is waiting patiently, and stoicly, as Sachiko shifts from running to one side of him, looking at him, going to the other, and repeating the process. * Taka carefully slides the platter onto a table before handing Eric his drink and saying, "Sachi, here, lemonade," as she picks up the small, cute, childsafe cup. (Ah, guess I assumed Eric would take it. ^_~) * Sachiko changes her run to the otherside mid-run, stopping with a plop in front of Taka. * Sachiko holds up her hands oh-so-cutely, waiting for the yellow lemony goodness. * Eric sips at his conservatively, watching the scene between Taka and Sachiko. ( Eh, what's this now?) ( This isn't canada! Go home!) * Taka hands Sachiko her cup now too. * Sachiko slowly brings it down to mouth-level, and takes a great big child-sized gulp of it. ( Whatev.) So... Miss Fontain. ... may I ask why you don't teach? If that's your decision, I'll respect it... if you don't mind telling, I'd like to know why, though. * Eric seems resigned to the fact he's not gonna get a sensei. * Taka grabs her own cup and has a seat. "It is..." she pauses for a second, as if searching for the answer, then takes a sip of lemonade. Finally, she responds, "It is not my place." * Sachiko holds up an empty cup in much the manner she received it. Only a little of it made it to her shirt. "Ta, more please?" * Taka glances down at Sachiko and says, "In a little bit, Sachi." She looks back at Eric. * Eric looks thoughtful. "I guess that's.. well, there's no getting around that one." He then looks back up at Taka, unsure of what to say then blinks. "Oh, you teach art, too. Are you ... no, I really shouldn't." He glances away for a moment. Mmm? Well, I was going to ask if you had any spots open for your art class. But I'd just sound stupid, because I don't even know what kind of art you teach, and you'd easily see through my thinly-vieled attemept to try and just watch your katas or something similar. * Eric swishes the lemonade. "So, yeah. I guess that's that." * Taka smiles faintly, and takes a sip of lemonade, before saying, "I also find that very few people that approach me for martial arts wish for much more than to be able to 'beat people up'. Perhaps it's because they all hear about me from my husband." * Eric grins sheepishly, staring at the table for a second. "Well, it's not so much the beating up part. I can already do that. It's more for the doing it more safely and stopping more fights than I finish." * Eric looks out the door for a moment. "... that, and I can't afford a dojo." * Taka looks at him carefully as she sets her lemonade cup down, then says, "Mmm. If you are indeed interested in learning about art, I believe we could schedule some art lessons?" * Sachiko is still holding up her cup. She's taken an interest into listening to the pizza guy, though. * Eric thinks this over. "I can't say how interested I am, but it probably can't hurt to try." Just so you know, I'm about to ask something stupid. ... what kind of art do you teach? * Taka reaches her hand over towards Sachi and says quickly, "Here, honey." * Sachiko hands the cup over. * Sachiko then climbs up the chair to plop in Taka's lap. Lemonade, what lemonade? * Taka shifts as her daughter climbs into her lap before putting the lemonade down and stroking her hair. "I happen to have a talent for ink and paint, for experts, but for a beginner, there are quite a few options." The tattoo on your eye. * Taka nods slightly. "Self done, yes." * Sachiko makes herself comfortable, making big googly eyes at Eric. * Taka strokes Sachi's hair comfortingly. "I find people are more comfortable with canvas or paper, however." That's in all the chinese martial arts. Builds fine hand accuracy. ... don't think I've ever seen it done with tattoos, though. * Taka licks her lips briefly and replies with a small little smile, although not really a happy one, "I imagine not." She pauses for a second, then says, "I do not know what your work schedule is like, but thanks to the holiday break, I am actually somewhat flexible in scheduling." * Eric nods, then thinks. "I'm off sunday. Would that be good?" * Taka mms slightly, then nods. "Perhaps this time again tomorrow?" * Eric stands up. "Sounds good." He walks over to Taka and offers a hand. "I'll be by tomorrow, then." * Taka presses against her daughter's shoulder gently with her other arm and she says quietly, "Stand up please, Sachi." Okay! * Sachiko slides off, and steps back. * Taka stands up, now that her daughter's off her lap and shakes Eric's hand. "It's been nice to meet you. Perhaps tomorrow I will learn your last name?" * Eric grins. "And maybe I'll see Sachi, too." * Eric waves to Sachiko. "Bye Sachi!" * Sachiko waves back. "Bye friend of Da!" * Taka smiles a little more at him. "It's very likely. I doubt she's going anywhere." She takes Sachi's hand and walks Eric to the door! * Eric is walked to the door! And Sachi waves after him. [9:04:50] Session end!