bewilding | 02 º text / action ; violet city

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02 º text / action ; violet city

[ suddenly, on your pokégear screen... there is just one question of vital importance: ]

Hello. I hope you don't mind answering a bit of a question for me.

What do you think of maid outfits? If it helps, you can give me a ranking from 1-10. One being the worst, of course.

[ those looking for judith might find her at the pokécenter, sitting close to the window and sipping on a hot drink. there's a wailmer rolling around at her heels. she's petting it occasionally, flipping through an article of... outfits. feel free to talk to her. ]

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Okay. I'm the one with the whale, if it helps.

[ oh, ieyasu. so cute. she's not sure how she looks so she's not sure when he gets there, but she is looking at a magazine with a sort of french maid outfit, if that's a hint about who she is.

also, the face that there's a whale at her feet. he rolls some more. ]

[... it's very good she thought of that because he definitely wouldn't have. once he does arrive, he glances back at the text and does manage to identify the woman with the whale at her feet

he blinks in a slightly stupefied way before he tilts his head.]

Miss- [oh oops, he catches himself] Ah, Judith...?

[ and then both her and the wailmer look up at the newcomer. she puts the magazine down on her lap, but after the smallest moment of consideration stands up. ]

That's right. [ reaching her hand out for... a handshake! ] I didn't think you'd get here so fast.

It's not polite to keep a lady waiting.

[canned phrase maybe, but it's pretty clear that he genuinely believes it.

but even as he reaches out and shakes her hand, his other hand sheepishly comes to the back of his neck. it would seem that there's something he wants to say but can't quite spit it out.]

And if I may say so-

[words words words he needs the proper words because he doesn't believe in holding back compliments if he comes up with them. a grin spreads across his face as he meets her eyes again and oh so brightly:]

Your beauty is stunning!

[ahurr durr o////o]

[ ah. and his sincerity gets a smile. it's not that she's not used to hearing stuff like that--it's judith, after all--but the way he says it is kind of a new one.

definitely cute. ]

Aw, thanks. [ a small chuckle, after that humble sounding proclamation. she's flattered, actually. ] You're quite the gentleman. [ which, considering who she hangs around... is a strange change of pace. ]

[asdf;jl that gets a bit of a blush as he looks away sheepishly um-]

N-No, not at all! It's only credit where credit is due, I suppose you could say.

[He clears his throat and finally releases her hand, taking a quick moment to rid himself of the embarrassment. What he ends up with a second later is a smile and a tilt of his head.]

Shall we be going then? It sounds like there's much exploring to be done!

I could say the same thing.

[ technically also giving credit where credit is due, but that's just a playful quip. when her hand's released, returning the smile with her own and a nod, referring to the door with one hand. ]

Mm. Gentlemen first. [ which is her way of saying "lead the way". and now she will do her trademark pose: crossing her arms. ]

[... well that first comment earns her a bit of a bewildered look because he thinks he heard that and he thinks he understood it but chances are that he probably... did not... because haha what could Judith possibly be saying that for-

so instead he's moving on with a laugh.]

I feel as though that's not how it goes, but if you insist.

[at least he holds the door open for her after he heads out]

[ aw, that humility. she's noting that down mentally but not pushing it. teasing him gets such sincere results which is more adorable than amusing for her, though the former breeds a similar feeling, though not in the same way.

instead she's stepping through that door with a 'thank you'. yep, gentleman for sure. ]

Is there anywhere you'd like to head to first?

[once they're out, he considers that for all of half a second.]

... well, nowhere in particular to go but up, right?

[and like someone all too familiar and excited for heights - which is pretty accurate in Ieyasu's case - he's going to survey the area a bit... before grabbing the nearest available ledge and from there he's swinging his way up to the rooftop.

though he does look back to Judith with a grin after a few moments]

Best to be resourceful, right? Haha, let's try not to get in trouble.

[ oh. oh, well. she gives him a bit of a mischievous look.

... and suddenly, an unexpected turn of events! she's following ieyasu up high with little difficulty. admittedly it's a little bit more difficult than it would have been at home, but at least she was already good with getting to high heights.

she pauses for a moment to survey the surroundings from up high--kind of nostalgic--before brushing some hair behind her shoulder. ]

I think we'll be fine.

[It seems that experience is what allows them both to get up there in no time at all. But as soon as they're up, Ieyasu's grinning and opening his arms as he looks over the town.

Eventually they come to rest behind his head as he smiles at her.]

I'd say even so far it's worth it! [a laugh and he tilts his head] I've missed this.

[...]

It'd be nice if we could go up higher, though.

Me too.

[ ah, and this smile is a little different than her others. this time she's thinking about ba'ul, just because heights makes her think about flying. but then it changes back to her normal expression, before she tosses a glance to... the tallest point she can find.

a hand goes up to point at nice, old, sprout tower. ]

How's that?

Spend much time high up, Judith?

[he notices and it makes him glad. After all, he did similar things back home. But he does follow her gaze to the sprout tower-

and is entranced.]

Excellent.

I used to spend a lot of my time flying.

[ and her feet were on the ground after joining brave vesperia, but that is a story for a day that is not sprout tower climbing.

so excuse her as she looks to the nearest available roof. she'll rock on her heels a bit before doing a bit of a running start and....

jumping across the gap between the two roofs! her landing is steady on the other side, even with her heels. a bit of a turn to look at ieyasu, and then: ]

I can't say I've ever done it like this, though.

Ah...!

[he watches for a moment before laughing and mimicking the action easily enough]

Well, in a crowded town, you come to accept that streets aren't always the best method. ... and I personally find this to be more fun, too.

[and that's exactly why he's already running off to the next rooftop]

[ oh, ieyasu. fortunately judith isn't one to let herself fall back, so she's running to catch up with him before responding. ]

I can't disagree with that. [ and this time she'll try to one-up ieyasu, picking up her speed a bit to jump to the next rooftop before he does. is this reckless? completely. but judith is finding it very, very liberating. is this a race? yes, she is making this a race. ]

[...! He's bewildered for a moment because wait Judith, weren't they supposed to be doing this together?

But then he realizes that it's turning into a race... and that awakens the competitive samurai spirit.

So as he's running and jumping past her-]

Especially if it turns into a bit of sport, wouldn't you say?

[ samurai spirit, fall to krityan spirit.

she increases her steps a bit more, pushing a bit more to surpass him, just a bit, because really his back is the last thing she wants to see. no offense, ieyasu. she is so focused on reaching sprout tower first that she can't even formulate a response to his teasing.

this is serious business. ]

[bring it on.

It's just a sad fact that Ieyasu isn't built for speed as much as some... but that just motivates him to put more power into his leaps. At any rate, he's going out of his way to make sure he is the victor.]

[ unfortunately, judith isn't quite so advanced that she can catch up to SAMURAI SPIRIT. of course, she is trying, but she is just a smidgen behind. ]

Impressive-- [ she manages to say while jumping, while she's an inch away from being side-by-side with ieyasu. ]

[... Judith is very good at making Ieyasu second-guess himself and he's sadly learning that the hard way. He could keep his lead and win and be able to claim that he was able to best Judith in a roof-hopping race, but he doesn't seem to see much point in it now that he really thinks about it.

So he hesitates for a fraction of a second in his next step, letting her catch up that inch and settling for a neck in neck race-

or in his head, running alongside her with a laugh.]

Experience!

That helps.

[ ah, ieyasu, that small moment of hesitation will cost you the race. judith is one to seize opportunities, and she'll take it by maybe nudging the slightest millimetre extra when she's catching up that inch... until she sprints forward suddenly!

experience this, you samurai. o9 ]

Ah--

[... suppose this is what his sentimentality gets him. Her sudden burst of speed leaves him surprised for a moment before he laughs and follows after and though he starts catching up slowly but surely, that doesn't do much for a race.

So even as they eventually come to arrive by sprout tower, Judith has firmly claimed the lead.]

I suppose I was asking for that.

[ and she'll stop with that, jumping off the final rooftop and unto the floor. the impact is a little harder than she's used to, but it's still nothing she can't handle. she's brushing some imaginary dust off her clothes before turning to look at him. ]

Sorry. We can call it a tie, this time. [ she did pull a trick, after all, but it was just a friendly race. even if her competitive nature said otherwise. ] Next time, no handicaps. [ which is her way of saying she'd like you to take her seriously, ieyasu. ]