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 Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:36 pm
Kouyo clings worriedly to Setsushi's arm as they approach the used bookstore. The High Priest is fairly certain that Kumoru should already be there working, but he is clearly having a bit of trouble taking comfort in that fact. The red-haired Porcelain hopes that Kumoru would interfere if the owner of the store decides to harass him again, but he also finds himself doubting after his conversation with Setsushi about humans.
Does Kouyo really know at all what is good for himself? Is he somehow unable to recognize human cruelty? He quietly hopes that he will not have to have Setsushi follow him and keep him on his feet through this whole task - his dear friend undoubtedly has better things to do than keep poor foolish Kouyo from allowing humans to break him again.
Kumoru looks up from his books when the front door's bell sounds, and sits back on his seat looking a bit surprised to see Kouyo but not surprised that Setsushi is with him.
"Hello there," he says, putting one finger to the bridge of his nose to pull his reading glasses down a little. "Aodhagan said you made some sort of arrangement yesterday?" The mage shrugged. "Anyway, he left the storage room door open for you, I guess."
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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:42 pm
Setsushi, dressed in his handsome Golden World clothes and carrying his two swords, feels rather tense, but tries not to betray it to either Kouyo, whom he must support, or Kumoru, for obvious reasons.
"Will the Master be in today?" Setsushi asks the human in an even tone, while sending a questioning note to Kouyo's mind; does Kouyo want to wait? Or should they go ahead to the back room, so that Setsushi can see what it is Kouyo has been enlisted to do?
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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:58 pm
"Are those meant for me?" the mage asks, getting to his feet as he nods to Setsushi's swords. He brought neither his own short sword nor his armored bracers with him to work as he figured that, even in Gaia, not many people came into book stores intending to do violence. Of course, Kumoru always has his magic....
Keeping a careful eye on the armed Porcelain, Kumoru tells him, "He was in earlier to unlock the door, but I have not seen him in about twenty minutes. I think he has left for now, but he comes and goes as he wishes, and never by the front door."
Kouyo hesitantly tells his friend that maybe they should check the back room... very carefully. The thought of Kumoru and Setsushi harming each other is making him feel dizzy. He puts a hand to his head and tries to block out unwanted thoughts of Setsushi getting Kouyo's blood as well as the human's all over all the books.
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:05 am
Setsushi looks down at his own swords, as if he had not thought about them before, then sends a gentle and apologetic thought to Kumoru and to Kouyo; Setsushi certainly does not want to harm anyone, and especially not the books. "Damaging precious books would be unforgivable," especially to a certain friend of Setsushi's... ... ...
Setsushi has just been worried lately that he or Kouyo might find themselves in danger. He hopes Kumoru won't deny him.
But for all his deference, the hand that he rests on Kouyo's shoulder feels somewhat heavy. Setsushi has been in that area before -- they can go look together...
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:32 am
Aodhagan steps into the main shop from the back room, brushing dust off of the shoulder of his coat. "Just because I do not make noise does not mean I am not still around," he says, then bows elaborately to the Porcelain.
"Glad to see you here as promised," he tells Kouyo, a disdainful smile crossing his features as he reaches out to set a dust mask lightly on top of the red-haired Porcelain's head. "I was just taking down some of the boxes from the top shelves for you, since you look a little too short to reach them yourself."
He then glances up to stare at Setsushi and takes half a step towards the pair, though when he speaks again he is still addressing Kouyo: "I'm afraid I can't let your tall friend help you with the cleaning, however. Not enough room back there."
Kouyo shies away from the human, and snatches up the mask offered to him. "I can work alone," he tells Aodhagan quietly, sounding entirely unsure of the truth of that.
He does his best to keep his fear under control, and privately attempts to assure Setsushi that he will be alright here... as soon as Mister Whitestone leaves. Kouyo will only work when Kumoru does, so at least the long-haired human will be able to keep an eye on him in Setsushi's absence.
Kumoru takes a small stack of books from behind the front counter and disappears into the stacks to at least pretend to re-shelve them. Whether he is actually working or just wants to listen in, he ends up near Setsushi and Kouyo, with only one of the tall bookshelves between them.
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:08 pm
Setsushi takes a breath. He leans on Kouyo's mind with his own; even if Kouyo must go alone, Setsushi will be nearby and will be attending to him.
Then, he addresses Aodhagan: "Master, why do you employ Kouyo?"
This question is accompanied by two different trains of thoughts. The first, why Kouyo: if Kouyo is indeed somewhat short and frail, is he such a good choice? Would not a human be better suited to physical labor of that sort? The second, why do you: What impelled him to pick Kouyo?
Setsushi's tone is a deferential one, of a junior addressing a superior, and he tries to sound as if he is merely curious; despite what feelings he may have internally, he is trying hard not to come across as demanding.
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:46 pm
Aodhagan shrugs a little and leans one shoulder against the nearest bookshelf. "All of my other employees are already busy here, so I cannot ask one of them to clean for me. And this one-" he points at Kouyo, "-hardly talks, so I cannot put him behind the desk like Kumoru. And when he is finished, he can spend as much time here as he likes for his magic lessons."
He laughs and asks Setsushi, "Why? Would you rather do the work yourself and keep your wife at home? You would probably work much more quickly."
The smaller Porcelain is starting to calm down a little with Setsushi's reassurance, but is still not about to head into the back room himself with Aodhagan standing so close to the door. He also gives off a distinctly hurt feeling at the mage's words, but at the same time privately asks Setsushi to allow him to keep the job.
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:14 pm
Setsushi resists the urge to roll his eyes at the comment; instead, he glances at Kouyo, frowns slightly, and looks back at Aodhagan.
"I am already employed, but... May I ask, what wages shall he receive?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:36 pm
"Minimum wage, in Gold coins, at the end of every week," he replies. "Plus some sort of bonus if he does a good job."
Aodhagan moves away from the doorway a little and gestures to Kouyo that he is welcome to go into the back room whenever. "I copied the key to this door for you," he tells him. "I put it on the little hook on the front of the one shelf with the cleaning supplies, but you can keep it where ever you like. Just do not lose it...."
Kouyo nods, and hesitantly starts to edge towards the open door. The cleaning part of this should not be all that difficult, just time-consuming with how much of a mess it is back there. At least he had allowed himself to be coerced into a relatively simple job?
He must look so weak-willed and foolish right now....
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:34 pm
Setsushi nods slightly, inwardly relieved that Kouyo has not, in fact, been drafted into slave labor.
"That is good," at least, Setsushi says slowly, and he touches his hands to his lips thoughtfully. Setsushi did not know, Master understands, because Kouyo did not have a copy of his contract with him.
"There is a contract?" Correct?
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:53 pm
A few moments after Kouyo disappears into the storage room, Aodhagan strides back over to the door and pulls it shut, and locks it from the outside. He then remains standing right in front of the door, arms crossed.
"I have no contract now, but I can write one up if you would like," he tells Setsushi, not seeming to care as the High Priest starts to panic on the other side of the door. "Is it alright if I send it to your home with your little friend, or should I have it delivered to you directly?"
Kouyo whimpers in fear and rattles the door, and desperately tries not to completely lose it as he realizes he is trapped inside. ... There is a key in here somewhere, isn't there?
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:04 pm
Setsushi can't stop the frown from showing on his face, and he starts to move forward, then stops himself, and speaks in an even and calm tone, "I do not need a copy. It should be for Kouyo," who Setsushi thought would have these things in writing so that Kouyo can keep track of everything like a good employee.
He then bites his lip, then focuses on Aodhagan's mind and tries to speak to him somewhat privately (unsure, though, if this insensitive human will comprehend him, he leaves the channel somewhat open to eavesdropping): Can Master hear that Kouyo is in distress? Kouyo is sick, and it is not good for him to be trapped in small spaces. Such distraction will make him an inefficient worker... and so Setsushi was confused as to why Master chose to employ Kouyo.
Would a contract not be also useful for these issues -- by making the terms of Kouyo's employment explicit, Master will not inadvertently harm him, and Kouyo will be of maximum use.
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:35 pm
"You have taught him how to use a key, haven't you?" Aodhagan asks, glancing briefly at the locked door before turning his attention back to Setsushi. "Is that man your pet or something? He can scarcely stand on his own. Who put that sickness in him? Maybe this way, he'll actually learn something of how to take care of himself."
Kumoru, who had been eavesdropping anyway, comes around the end of the bookshelf to stand near Setsushi. "Master Whitestone would still do well not to harm my student," he says, paging idly through one of the books he carries. "Do not forget he is still under my care."
Kouyo quits pounding on the door after a moment and tries to keep himself together as he goes to locate the key.
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:47 pm
Kouyo is Setsushi's friend -- he is like Setsushi's son.
Setsushi bites his lip. Surely Master, being a wise mage, is not one of those who throws his son into the ocean to teach him to swim? Nine in ten may succeed, but one still drowns.
But even if he and Kouyo were strangers, Setsushi would try to ease his suffering. One does not blame the invalid for her illness, the leper for her wounds, the grandmother for growing old; one treats them with gentleness. It is not their responsibility to cure themselves, but that of their doctors and neighbors. ... Or at least, that is how it is among the Porcelain.
Setsushi sends an empty thought to Kouyo, a mere statement of Setsushi's presence, and then projects to the humans: Setsushi does believe that humans are the same, and that they will help him care for Kouyo.
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:21 pm
"I chose not to burden myself with children or the sick," the pale-haired mage says with a small shrug. "I will write your son's contract, but I was rather hoping he would ask for it himself."
Aodhagan closes his eyes and vanishes rather suddenly in a swirl of black smoke and shadow.
Kouyo fumbles the key into the lock and manages to unlock it, then yanks the door open and scampers out.
"... I wish I knew what his problem was," Kumoru mutters, though he does not specify whether he is talking about Kouyo or Aodhagan. He then steps forward to catch the priest in his arms when he comes out of the small room.
NO, Kouyo wants Setsushi! He struggles a little, trying to break the human's grip.
Kumoru keeps his grip on Kouyo and hushes the smaller Porcelain quietly. Then he puts a hand over Kouyo's eyes and whispers magic into his ear. The whole time, he watches Setsushi, though.
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