Welcome to Gaia! ::

Zane nodded rather stiffly. "I guess... your aura does feel different." He had no idea how else to respond to that. "So, what should I do? I mean... I don't really know what needs to be done around here."

Zane sighed and looked around nervously. "Uhm... Yes. I can follow. I guess...." The kuppy was very skittish around this female and just wanted to get through the duties.

Eli scanned the sketch with a thoughtful gaze, noting Kamiko's choice of design influence. It looked very standard for a female American-type superhero (right down to the allowance for cleavage, he noted with the faintest of blushes), and the leotard-bottom of the suit would allow for the utility belt to add nice lines to the outfit. "I think it'll turn out very well," Eli said, handing the sketch back to her with a smile. He tried picturing the sketch actually on Kamiko, and then abruptly stopped, thanks to the blush becoming more apparent across his face. It was just the 'industry standard', he told himself very firmly. There was nothing to be embarrassed or blushing over, it was just business...

"Aah, it's nothing!" he said hurriedly, adjusting his glasses. He had to change the subject--and fast. "Uh, so what comic books have you been reading lately?" he said, figuring that would distract her, since he himself was pretty easily distracted from the topic at hand when asked to explain the plot of various shoujo manga he enjoyed. "Anything you'd recommend?"

Eli filed away his newly found knowledge (when awkward strikes, bring up comic books) in his head, as he nodded appreciatively as Kamiko named names. "Well...it's only recently I've really had the chance to read lately. And I've been branching out from just mahou shoujo things, like Spice and Wolf--it's about economics, really, but the character dynamic between Holo and Lawrence is really superb..." He didn't want to go too overboard, babbling about his favorite series (that's what spending time with Gramma Shimy was for, among other things--they could quite unabashedly squee in front of the TV for hours, Mena shaking her head over in the corner curled up with a book, but Eli knew his mother would sometimes be paying a lot more attention to the show on the screen than the book in her hand...). Remembering his mother, he also remembered something else Kamiko would find interesting. "Oh! I was talking to Mom the other day and she said all her tests were going really well on developing your utility belt."

"Hah, I think my mother would appreciate you coming to her when you need new inventions. I think she likes the difference from her daily routine," Eli said, with a good natured smile. "Mm, yeah, I think my training's coming along well. My Lytes and I have been working on combination moves, that sort of thing."

Txori gestured grandiosely to the industrial-size sinks and high-pressured sprayer. "Be my guest, good sir. If you would like to start washing up some of the pile back here, I'll go take a whirl around the front and see if I can find more dishes for you."

"That is really good! What kind of combination moves have you made up?" Her gaze turned to the door, where she wished there was a customer coming in for an order. Then she looked to the phone, hoping maybe a customer would call and she could be sent out on a delivery. The thing she hated most was just sitting around doing nothing. She had tried to practice her karate but that ended in a broken shelf. So now she was reduced to just sitting at the register.

"Oh, just a bunch of different--" Eli began, before being distracted by the ringing of the bell on the entrance. And whom should it be but Kisuke and Seth? He waved at them with a friendly smile, but Txori's sudden sideglance to him on her way out to bus the dining room told him that maybe he should go check on Zane...

"Ah, Kamiko-chan, I'll leave this one to you, okay? I'm going to go check on Zane, I'll be right back!" he said hurriedly, before ducking into the back and finding a somewhat morose looking Zane. "Are you doing okay?"