tushanshu | Video!

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[A little screen flickered on and the man looked down with the amazement of a small child who’d just discovered chocolate ice cream. He’d been given a basic run down of the features but even still, the fact that there was a miniature movie screen in his bedroom was impressive. He had to wonder what Ling would have thought about something like this, or even the blond kid Edward and his Brother. Outside of a movie theater the best they’d had was radio and even that was used mostly for news and announcements.]

Oh yeah, I could definitely get used to this [Greed leaned in, focusing on the area that had been pointed out to him as the “camera lens”. Could a camera really get that small? This place just kept getting better. Well aside from the whole ‘stranded without anyone you know around’ thing.]

So, there are people watching this right? [He pulled his face back so that he wasn’t just one large violet eye.] Well then, whoever’s out there; I’m GREED.

[And the man raises his left hand up to the screen, showing off the red tattoo on the back ]

I’m not sure what kind of world this is, but it doesn’t matter, because it’s mine now! [He was brimming with confidence now, but he could almost hear Ling chuckling and commenting on how the Prince was sure he’d grown out of that by now. How making ridiculous claims of ownership to a world he’d only just arrived on was probably not the best way to get people to be friends with him. And inwardly he groaned It’s like you’ve become my damn conscience, and you’re not even here! Damn Prince. He thought petulantly. The thought reminded him though of something else they’d told him while he was having ‘bizzaro world orientation’. He was supposed to find a job. Probably the worst fate he could think of short of having his philosopher’s stone destroyed (again). What were his job qualifications? Oh right, killing things and stealing things. That was sure to get him loads of work.]

Oh yeah [He turned his attention back to the camera, scratching the back of his neck with a kind of strange, almost uncomfortable expression] Apparently, I also need to find work. So if you need anything stolen or killed, look me up. [There was another pause as the man looked up at the ceiling for a moment] Well… I also used to own a bar. So I can mix a decent drink too.

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Uh...what? [The man stared at her for a minute, obviously having never heard that language before. Of course there were a few other reasons to stare too, her height, her pretty red hair,...other things. But the language had thrown him off.] What was that? Xingese or somethin'?

[The topic of his suite though took his mind off that for a minute] Oh yeah it's pretty nice right? Three whole floors and the furnishings are pretty comfortable too. Oh yeah [he stands up and makes a gesture with his thumb] I don't have an actual dining room but there's this counter thing with stools that's connected to the kitchen.

Sorry, it's pretty easy to fall back into my own language, Japanese actually. It's a greeting. [She rubs the back of her head sheepishly realizing she probably sounded a little bit silly.]

It is pretty nice, my suite is about the same size as my place at home. [Basically big enough for a kitchen, a bedroom, some living space, and a small bath...so she was easily impressed by larger spaces. Quickly making herself at home she lays the food out on the bar, marveling.] A bar! Hey, this is pretty convenient too! I made a kotatsu and I pull that out if I need a table...oh, eh...a kotatsu is a little table and you sit on the floor.

...So what's Xingese anyway?

[He didn't know what 'Japan' was but it wasn't too big a deal to Greed either. She told him what the words meant and that was enough to appease his curiosity for the time being. The kotatsu sounded kind of cool though.]

It's the language of the people from Xing. [He followed her over to the counter, pushing himself up onto a stool and leaning his elbow on the counter top lazily.] So whatcha got? [Greed nods toward the food]

Xing? That must be a country in your world...it sounds Chinese, just a little bit. [She idly wondered if there weren't similarities between their worlds.]

[But her curiosity was shelved aside for the time being when he expressed an interest in the food so she opened the containers showing off the whimsical meal and cookies.] I'm not sure if all of this stuff is comparable to different worlds...these are rice balls, fish, fruits, vegetables, boiled eggs...and I managed to put together some sauces and seasonings too. [The last box of cookies looked like perfectly round sugar cookies with cherry blossoms on a branch painted on.] And cookies.

Yeah we have a lot of these. Rice is more of a Xingese thing too actually but it's still good. [He'd eaten plenty of that while sharing a body with Ling. Now he was beginning to wonder if using a fork was appropriate here.]

Say uh...am I supposed to use chopsticks with these? [He asks curiously before suddenly noticing the cookies. He picks one up, examining it and then looking back up to her] Wow you made this? That's some talent there kid. You get paid for this stuff or somethin?

Maybe Xing is the equivalent to Japan in your world? [Or China, she wasn't sure, it sounded more Chinese to her.]

[And almost expecting the fork vs chopsticks dilemma Makoto quickly spoke up.] Whatever your comfortable with...fork, chopstick...I don't waffle over that kind of thing...to be honest when I'm really hungry I'll eat some foods with my fingers.

[She was well aware of the fact that some people could be snobs when it came to eating utensils, but Makoto wasn't high enough on the food chain to look her nose down on what other people preferred. As long as it was enjoyed that's all she cared about and she looked especially happy at the compliment on her cookies. Baking was definitely her strongest point.] Thank you...and no, not yet, it's just a hobby right now...but my dream is to have a bakery. Well a bakery, a restaurant, and a flower shop.

All three? That's ambitious. [and he grins] I like that! You want it all and you're not afraid to say so. And you're cute too so I bet you'll get a lot of customers who'll come to see you and then stay for the food. [As he speaks, Greed pops the cooking in his mouth, giving a few quick chews and then a thumbs up for the girl before sliding off the stool and heading into the kitchen for a fork. He may have learned how to use chop sticks from Ling, but that didn't mean he had to like it.]

So you're gonna have some too right? [He says as he produces a second fork]

Well...there's more, but that's when my dreams start getting girly...but hey, go big or go home! [Of course the compliments will draw a lighthearted laugh from her.] You're a pretty charming guy, Greed-san, but I hope you're right. [Chopsticks were an acquired taste and where she came from there was a lot of ceremony behind it. She actually liked the idea of using forks a little better especially since she loved pastries like cherry pie...and you couldn't eat pie with chopsticks.]

Oh? Well if you're up for sharing, sure. I don't mind. [And Makoto usually made way more than enough for one person.]

Damn right! Don't let anything stand in your way. [He grinned confidently] Aw yer just sayin' that 'cause it's true. [He gave a broad wave of his had before laying the forks down on the counter and walking back around to the stools]

[He almost cringed at the word 'sharing', but didn't say anything about it. He'd just figured it was only fair that the person who brought the food got to have some.]

I'll try not to, but the forces of evil never take a break. So I might have to learn how to juggle things. [She'll chuckle at that, so Greed's pretty confident too, huh?] Well, I don't make lying a habit so it must be true.

[Well, she did pack all of this up for Greed so essentially it was his food, but she wouldn't turn down an offer like that...and besides she could show him what sauces went where and what seasonings tasted best with what. So there was a trade off.]

Force of evil huh? [he chuckles a little, unaware of what she means by that, he's impressed with her honesty though and it shows] Hey I have a policy against lying myself.

[sitting back on his stool, he picks up one fork and slides the other in Mako's direction, interested to see what goes with what, even though he'd more than likely try and make his own combinations as well.]

You know, evil creatures from outer space and from the future...or distant stars...that basically threaten the safety of my home world. That kind of evil. [Whether that's a sufficient explanation or not is debatable.

As for honesty.] Heh...well I think the truth is a lot easier than lying. It's painful sometimes, but at least the truth is pretty final...with lies you have to cover one up with another and another...'s a pretty messy deal. So, you have a pretty good policy there.

[Greed is definitely free to try his own combinations, but she does demonstrate what seasonings and sauces go with what to give things the best flavor.]

[All this was completely out there to Greed. But she said she told the truth and he believed her. The fact that they were on the back of a giant turtle may also have had an affect on his willingness to believe in space monsters from the future. 'Nothing is impossible' indeed.]

Yeah you're right about that. It's much easier to just say something sucky right from the start than it is to lie about it and have it suck more later. [As he's talking, Greed is also wolfing down food with gusto. He hadn't eaten anything since regenerating, and while he didn't need to eat often, that wasn't the same as 'never'. Plus this food was fantastic and it was obvious he was enjoying himself.]

[She had no delusions that tales of horrible beings from space and different times was hard to swallow, but that's how it was in her world and sometimes she did forget that it came off as a little bit strange.]

Usually if I find myself stuck I just don't say anything at all. It's what the monks taught me...I train in their mountains sometimes. [Every now and then she would come across a Shaolin monk training in the same mountains, but that was neither here nor there. She was too busy secretly enjoying the fact that Greed liked her food, of course it made her happy when anyone enjoyed her food. For her part she ate only a small portion, leaving the largest amount for her host.] So how do you like it here on the Turtle?

Withholding information is considered lying by some people, but I tend to let that slide. No one has to say everything they're thinkin' or all of what they know. [He was sure he'd heard the term 'monks' before, from Ling maybe? But at the moment all he could think of was some small furry animal that swung from trees. That wasn't as important then as the food though. And that was fantastic! Before he'd realized it the man had cleaned out most of of it, which was almost disappointing. He'd wanted to save some for later.]

It's pretty wild. I mean, I've never seen anything like the stuff they have here. That console-what's-it? And the music players look pretty cool too. I definitely wanna buy one of those when I get a chance.

Heh...I don't worry about withholding any information unless it's from my enemies. I tend to express my thoughts more often than not. [Well some of the monks that she knew probably could swing from trees if they wanted to. Though they were bald usually and they weren't very small. Some of them were pretty strong too and she admired them a great deal.]

Oh yeah...the metal sector right? On the island this place is like the magnetic north...the buildings are so big that...no matter where you are if you can see them you know where to go. It kind of reminds me of Tokyo. The technology is pretty similar too, though some things are more advanced...and there are some things this place doesn't have like...airplanes [she shuddered visibly]...cars, a metro, arcades...

It's great. But uhh...what's a Tokyo? Some place where you're from? [He was kind of interested in what these things she was talking about were. There were cars and trains where he was from sure but he'd never heard of anything called an airplane or a 'metro'. Or an arcade for that matter.]

It's a place, actually, it's where I'm from. In the future it'll be Crystal Tokyo. It's one of the biggest cities in the world where I'm from...and it looks a lot like the metal sector in many ways--huge, towering buildings. There's also Sumo wrestling, the Big Egg, theme parks, indoor beaches, the metro is like a very complex network of fast trains...there's a ton of stuff. [All of it, from the shopping centers to the bathhouses would have been a lot to explain.]

[He was doing alright until she started talking about eggs and inside beaches, and then the man was lost again. Decided that he would just focus on the 'it's a lot like the metal sector' part and stick with that.]

Alright I think I get it. You guys sound a lot more advanced than the place I came from. I mean, back home the movie theatre is still the new big thing. [He chuckles, shaking his head lightly.] Hell even radio hasn't been around too long and it's pretty much used for military and government announcements.

Hm...well if theaters are big in your world right now you're going to love virtual theater. [Mokoto will look thoughtfully down at a cookie at the mention of military and government monopolized radio.] Sounds a little unfair, but maybe it'll move towards different radio stations and music someday.

Virtual? [another word he wasn't too sure about. But the discussion about radio caught his attention a little bit] Eh maybe. I think people just see it as a tool.

Let's just say it gives the illusion of reality instead of being on a flat screen. [Because Makoto could exactly say with any accuracy how it all worked. She wasn't the most technologically gifted person.] Well, it's a good way to get information across, that's for sure.

Sounds like a headache. [he scratches his head, and he was right. Just trying to imagine that was making his head hurt]

It can be a headache, technology's a headache for me usually...it's only great when it works. [And it doesn't always work for her, she's not exactly the brain in her group and often times she became flustered by video games. She was definitely born in the wrong era...though kitchen appliances fell into a different category]

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