Montague-Dojima Apartment, Tokyo, Tuesday Daytime

[withoutverona]

Romeo's college required he take a business ethics course. It wasn't such a bad idea, really. In Verona, showing up with a few bodyguards and asking pointed questions about how attached a rival was to his cars was considered a reasonable opening salvo. He flipped through the text with a highlighter in hand, occasionally shooting worried glances at the door.

Yurika wasn't saying anything, but he could tell something at work was troubling her. A friend had died; that was as much as she'd told him, and that was worry enough.

He reread the passage on ethical hiring practices and hoped she'd be home soon.

[OOC: For the hime and calls/emails/texts.]

Comments

[withoutverona]

"Is he one of the new ones?" Romeo asked. Not that he really understood military rank.

[intraspective]

"...maybe," she said, a bit dubiously. "I think I might just have missed him for awhile, 'cause he seemed pretty well adjusted, you know?"

[withoutverona]

"It does take some time to settle in," Romeo had to agree. "Speaking of which, how are things there? Tokyo feels so normal -- we never get snowstorms of food or turn into animals."

[intraspective]

"And yet you still turn into girls?" she teased. "And uh, it's been fairly quiet. Kissed a stranger the day I met him 'cause he asked nicely."

...that was pretty much the reasoning right there for that one, yes.

"Oh! And it rained syrup and then the whole island decorated itself for a party! Flowers and streamers everywhere!"

[withoutverona]

"You've taken to kissing strangers now?" Romeo teased. "I hope he was at least handsome. The rest of it sounds like" -- he made a gesture Ino wouldn't be able to see -- "silliness as usual."

[intraspective]

"He was handsome," Ino assured him. "I have taste, you know."

Albeit of dubious quality considering some of her past boyfriends...

"And silly is good, I think. A lot of people were pretty upset 'bout another universe a while ago, so it might be trying to make up for that."

[withoutverona]

"Another boy with orange hair, then?" Romeo teased, before going more serious. "Arthur told me a bit about the other universe. Vampires, he said, and people dying, and -- there was no me there." He was a name on a wall, but certain princes had kept their own counsel on that point. "Did you go?"

[intraspective]

"I'm not hair-picky," she sniffed, and fiddled a bit. "I didn't, I spent three days helping at the clinic, then the town hall, but no one ever said anything 'bout me being 'round there at all."

[withoutverona]

"We must not seem like vampire snacks in the other world," Romeo decided. "You helped? Could you heal the people who fell asleep?"

[intraspective]

"Nothing so exciting," she said, sighing. "I just made sure they were comfortable and hydrated. It was repetitive work, but honestly, it was creepy."

[withoutverona]

"I can't say I'm so sorry I missed it," Romeo admitted. "Though it can't have been worse than the zombies."

[intraspective]

"Maybe it was, for some people," Ino replied. "I mean, 'cause that other world? Really existed. The people who--died there, were dead. They never came back, you know? Not our people, they just seemed to have gotten bumped back to this world, but... another them really did all of that horror, and either survived, or didn't."

[withoutverona]

Romeo closed his eyes.

"You're right," he said. "I was just thinking about -- seeing people that way. Of course the ones who went to the other world did, too."

[intraspective]

Her smile, though he couldn't see it, was slightly bitter.

"I think I would have rathered be shoved into that other world," Ino admitted. "I could have--done something there, something with more action. The hall was just quiet and depressing 'cause there were so many in the cots."

[withoutverona]

"Well, I won't hope it'll happen again just so you can do something," Romeo said slowly. "But it does sound -- horrible. I would have felt useless too."

[intraspective]

She laughed softly.

"I don't want it to happen again either," she assured him. "I just want something where--I can do something. Maybe some good."

And if that was a bit more wistful than it would have been a little while ago, well...

[withoutverona]

"The island's never short on chances for that," Romeo said. "You've another two years, and then your work at home." He laughed at himself. "Do I sound 500?"

[intraspective]

"Ewwww," she laughed. "You sound like a grown-up! And--I know, I guess. I think I just want something useful right now, if that makes any sense? Even if I know I'll have a chance later."

[withoutverona]

"Anything but that," Romeo laughed. "May I ask you for a favor, though?"

[intraspective]

"You can ask," she said easily. "I'll tell you if I'll do it afterwards."

[withoutverona]

"When giant squids attack the island, take a moment to send me an email?" Romeo requested. "A text, even. I hate that I found out a month later."

[intraspective]

Ino was, like, the world's worst correspondent.

She totally knew that.

"I'll do my best?" she said honestly. "Though I make no promises 'bout it 'cause sometimes Fandom kills signals and stuff and, honest, if it were giant squid you'd probably get a text at the end of it going 'OMG GIANT SQUID YAY'."

[withoutverona]

He knew it too, but she was who he had on the other end of the phone line just then.

"Your best is all I can ask," he said. "If it is OMG GIANT SQUID YAY, send a photo too?"

[intraspective]

Ino laughed at that.

"I can totally send photos," she promised, because that she could actually remember to do. "Like, before and after photos. Before: giant looming monster. After: lookit that, I kicked it's ass!"

[withoutverona]

Romeo burst out with a laugh. "I will watch for those," he said. "Thank you for calling, Ino. I'd missed you."