[ After Chishiya's not so targeted callout, Jake makes his way to the Hivawei market in the main settlement. Aside from trolling around for gossip on the network, he'd spent nearly the entire day in bed recovering from his flight the day before. His arms were still sore from carrying that dang frog around.
...The fact that his trip out there was also, technically, kinda Chishiya's fault was not far from Jake's mind. That guy had a lot of influence on his past 48 hours, to be honest. Kinda weird, considering he didn't even know his face. ]
Yo, man. [ He waves, tapping on the shoulder of a blonde man sitting at one of the market stalls. Unlike everyone else bustling through the market, this guy managed to make mending the arm off a simple cloth doll look like a leisure activity. Seemed like as good a place as any to start the search. ] Sorry for interrupting, I was just wondering if you've seen a cat go by here recently?
[Chishiya has experienced a lot of surreal moments in the last few months. Waking up in an abandoned Tokyo full of death games. Waking up and multiverse traversing space station. A planet full of mushroom people. But this is on a new level. There is a moment of genuine surprise and…bemusement. Because he recognizes the voice and the speech patterns from the network.
You know, he just wasn’t expecting "jtd" to be a dog.
But the moment passes, his expression clears, and he replies blandly.]
[ The recognition only goes one way, unfortunately. And it's not like Jake was one to read too hard into the momentary surprise. If anything, this stranger was taking him more in stride than most people. ]
Nah, nah, this cat wouldn't be from around here. [ He explains, as if the man simply made a mistake. ] They'd be from our crew. I dunno how long you've been here, but their name's Chishiya, you know 'em?
[His lips twitch upward slightly. At the question, yes, but also at the fact that Jake doesn’t realize who Chishiya is. He might wonder about Jake assuming he’s a cat, but he figures it probably makes sense for a dog to come to that conclusion in the same way it makes sense for him to have assumed Jake was a human.
Maybe in his world humans are the pets, Chishiya doesn’t know. It makes as much sense as anything else in his life the last few months.
He finishes up sewing the doll he’s working on and offers it to a nearby mushroom child who’s been patiently waiting. Then he addresses Jake again.]
Well, let’s find out. I’ll help you look.
[Because why tell the truth when he can see how long it takes for Jake to figure it out for himself.]
[ There was a slowness to answer that give Jake an irrational (instinctual) wrinkle of irritation. No wonder he'd been drawn to ask this man where Chishiya was, he was acting just like a cat himself.
An irony that was going to hit him like a truck in just thirty minutes or so. ]
Forreal? That's sweet of you, man. He told me he was meeting me here. [ He opens his mouth to try and describe the person he's looking for, but doesn't get very far. ] I... don't actually know what he looks like, though, I'm not gonna lie. Just that he's on our crew, if you've seen any cats on the ship.
[Being called sweet in any capacity is honestly the funniest thing to happen to him in awhile. He huffs a short chuckle, and stands up, clearly intent on helping Jake look for his "cat."]
I haven’t seen any cats, but I’m pretty new. I hadn’t seen any dogs until just now, either.
[ That made plenty of sense to him. It's not like Jake had seen this guy before, either. He extends a paw towards him, realizing belatedly they still hadn't been introduced. ]
Welp, alright, Shuntaro. [ Jake takes a breath, totally convinced. Why shouldn't he be? ] Are you more of a cat person or a dog person?
[ He sniffs the air, frowning. ] 'Cuz I don't have a clue where I'd go if I was a cat. Up a tree, I guess? Not if I was supposed to meet somebody, though. I mean, that's just rude.
[ Jake pauses for a half moment, rubbing his chin with his paw as he scans the crowd absently. ]
...Actually, yeah, that tracks. He's a real riddly guy, this dude. Cryptic. You know the type, right? Never says what they mean, always sounds like they've got a private joke you aren't in on? [ He shrugs. ] Cats, amiright?
[ Jake stretches an arm up to tug forcefully on one of the forelocks of Chishiya's hair. And now, he's not letting go. Time to take this cat for a walk back to the noodle place he'd found him in. ]
You're buying, buddy. And I'm hungry, so you better be ready to wash a whole mess of dishes.
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action; on ciraiwei after mckenobi post
...The fact that his trip out there was also, technically, kinda Chishiya's fault was not far from Jake's mind. That guy had a lot of influence on his past 48 hours, to be honest. Kinda weird, considering he didn't even know his face. ]
Yo, man. [ He waves, tapping on the shoulder of a blonde man sitting at one of the market stalls. Unlike everyone else bustling through the market, this guy managed to make mending the arm off a simple cloth doll look like a leisure activity. Seemed like as good a place as any to start the search. ] Sorry for interrupting, I was just wondering if you've seen a cat go by here recently?
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You know, he just wasn’t expecting "jtd" to be a dog.
But the moment passes, his expression clears, and he replies blandly.]
I don’t think cats are native to this planet.
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Nah, nah, this cat wouldn't be from around here. [ He explains, as if the man simply made a mistake. ] They'd be from our crew. I dunno how long you've been here, but their name's Chishiya, you know 'em?
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Maybe in his world humans are the pets, Chishiya doesn’t know. It makes as much sense as anything else in his life the last few months.
He finishes up sewing the doll he’s working on and offers it to a nearby mushroom child who’s been patiently waiting. Then he addresses Jake again.]
Well, let’s find out. I’ll help you look.
[Because why tell the truth when he can see how long it takes for Jake to figure it out for himself.]
no subject
An irony that was going to hit him like a truck in just thirty minutes or so. ]
Forreal? That's sweet of you, man. He told me he was meeting me here. [ He opens his mouth to try and describe the person he's looking for, but doesn't get very far. ] I... don't actually know what he looks like, though, I'm not gonna lie. Just that he's on our crew, if you've seen any cats on the ship.
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I haven’t seen any cats, but I’m pretty new. I hadn’t seen any dogs until just now, either.
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Heh, no kiddin' dude. Name's Jake, by the way.
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Fortunately, Chishiya has two names and he’s only shared one of them publicly.]
Shuntaro.
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[ He sniffs the air, frowning. ] 'Cuz I don't have a clue where I'd go if I was a cat. Up a tree, I guess? Not if I was supposed to meet somebody, though. I mean, that's just rude.
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[He wouldn’t say he’s an expert on the matter, but the cats he’s seen seem to follow their own rules. Do their own thing. Rude or not.]
Maybe he’s trying to challenge you.
[This is, in fact, kind of true.]
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[ Jake pauses for a half moment, rubbing his chin with his paw as he scans the crowd absently. ]
...Actually, yeah, that tracks. He's a real riddly guy, this dude. Cryptic. You know the type, right? Never says what they mean, always sounds like they've got a private joke you aren't in on? [ He shrugs. ] Cats, amiright?
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I might be familiar.
[Speaking of cryptic responses that sound like part of a private joke, his tone does kind of sound mildly amused.]
1/2
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Say, uh. [ Jake asks, squinting up at the man for a long moment. ] You got a last name, Shuntaro?
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[Once again with a cryptic response. Does this guy know how to give a straight answer? Seems unlikely.]
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2/2
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I do my best.
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You're buying, buddy. And I'm hungry, so you better be ready to wash a whole mess of dishes.