The Crestfallen D/Back to Square One

[thisclinchesit]

Who: Shoutarou and anyone.
Where: Various places
Summary: After the events of SHODAN have passed by, Shou tries to deal with the personal fallout, once the majority of the shipwide fallout has passed..
Warnings: Depressed detective, boozing, angst in general.

The Precinct, mid-morning:
The door to the building opens, and Shoutarou enters with a briefcase and a box in-hand. He's set out to go to the armory - after that scientist guy ran loose in Hydroponics, not keeping the extra Gaia Memories under lock and key was no longer an option - the same with the extra drivers and what of Philip's research into the Memories he could find.

The City, common Stacy areas in general; mid-day through late afternoon:
The rest of the daytime period, Shoutarou can be found in various areas of the ship, either cruising on his motorcycle for patrols, doing so on foot, checking up on the various businesses to make sure everything's going okay, or hitting the cafeteria for lunch. Anyone who encounters him will more than likely be able to tell it's aimless wandering more than anything.

The Drunken Dragon; evening:
At one of the side tables, Shoutarou sits, nursing a mug of the tavern's hard cider, with his chin in one hand, elbow on the table. His hat lays on the middle of the table, and a periodic sigh comes from him, though it's quiet.

Comments

In the City

[zouichi]

Zouichi caught sight of Shoutarou idling on his motorcycle, pulled his own bike up beside him. "Hey. Isn't your shift over?"

[thisclinchesit]

"Hm...?"

The man looked a bit dazed for a second before he finally focused, then turned toward Zouichi. "I guess it is. No harm in a little overtime, though."

[zouichi]

"Maybe, but it's practically dead right now. You sure you're all right? You're looking a little..."

He paused, trying to think of the right word. Ultimately, he settled on, "...under the weather."

[thisclinchesit]

"Dead now, but..." He fiddled with the helmet in his hands a bit, then looked out across the area. "Don't want to get caught off-guard again, y'know?"

The inquiry got him to nod. "Maybe a little tired, but I don't feel ill."

[zouichi]

Zouichi shook his head. "Not that the sentiment isn't admirable, but unless you have a way of seeing everywhere at once, there's no way you're going to be able to prevent another SHODAN. Well, unless that's not what you're talking about. Anyway, no point facing whatever the next threat is while you're dead on your feet."

Evening at the Dragon

[combustible_me]

Ellyn didn't need an invitation to go take a seat at Shoutarou's table. She'd just invite herself, plopping down in a flurry of red robes and the faint scent of cigar smoke.

Without preamble, she speaks. "Ya look like hell. Ya been sleepin' at all?" And grunts, which is really continuing her statement, assuming one is fluent in Gruntese, something about working his behind off.

[thisclinchesit]

Shoutarou straightened up a bit in surprise, then slowly blinked at Ellyn.

"Uh... Little bit," he answered. He wasn't fluent in Gruntese, but he'd been the target of enough poking like that back home to get the general idea of what the pyromancer was getting at. "It's been too quiet to sleep, if that makes any sense."

[combustible_me]

Ellyn grunted and grumbled--it was less coherent than her previous statements, but conveyed a bit of dissatisfaction nonetheless. "I get it, yeah. I thought ya had people ya stayed with, though? Or stayed with you? Close friends."

Something she wouldn't know that much about, being her usual charming, social butterfly of a self. But then Ellyn made another face.

"Wait, they get sent back t' the pods'r somethin'?" She knew that well enough from when her father had had to make that trip.

[thisclinchesit]

Ellyn's comment was met with quiet - until she put two and two together, and he nods, taking a moment to nurse the mug again. "That's looking like the case. Haven't seen or heard from them since that robot stuff happened."

Mess Hall

[morphitudinous]

Billy hadn't used the Sensoriums to imagine a better meal for a while. Something about the cold, tasteless slop routine was compelling in its own way. And hey, if he tried hard enough, he could imagine that it was unsweetened oatmeal. Almost.

He searched for a table, piece of tray in hand. Now where should he sit? Ah---he spotted Shoutarou fairly quickly. He was alone. That had never been the usual for him, had it?

It was time for Billy to investigate. He chose that table for a seat, waving his crunchy piece of tray in front of Shoutarou's face. "Hey. Are you going to eat?"

[thisclinchesit]

The detective's daze faded a bit once Billy was waving the tray bit around, further chased off by a quick, sharp shake of the head. The question...requires a bit more thought that is healthy, really, but he eventually answers. "I, uh, already did." At least, he thinks so - he doesn't really feel hungry, though he can't say he's felt that much over the past days.

[morphitudinous]

"You did?"

Billy doesn't really see he evidence of that. No tray, not even crumbs. "Then why are you still here? I can't imagine the atmosphere's appealing."

[thisclinchesit]

Shoutarou nods, then falls quiet for a moment. "That's a good question. Guess I just spaced out a bit," he answers, reaching up to rub his eyes.

The City

[nunpunching]

Everyone who encounters him...who is more socially functional than Punchy. Punchy mostly just notices the motorcycle.

"Boss ride, detective!"

All these icons and none of him on the bike. Dangit.

[thisclinchesit]

Even with Punchy's lack of social functionality, there's some charm to the kid - and if there's anything Shoutarou really prides himself on that isn't work, it's looking cool, and...well, even in a daze, an ego-buffing compliment still works - Punchy gets a half-smirk, and a nod. "Thanks, Punchy."

Re: All these icons and none of him on the bike. Dangit.

[nunpunching]

"You going somewhere on those rims or you just spinning 'em?" Because Punchy is totally wanting to challenge Shoutarou to do something daredevilish and silly with that motorcycle.

Ride away, Shou. Ride away while you can.

[thisclinchesit]

There's a slight eyebrow raise at that question. "Going on patrol is about it, really." Good luck convincing him, Punchy - all the stunt-riding is reserved for the fights.

The City

[handpuppeeet]

Hanging out with humans and needing to be sneaky somehow necessitated the ability to tell when someone was mad and someone was upset. Not that Ankh particularly cared; but he was perched on the ceiling of some nondescript building and watching the semi-familiar Kamen Rider meander around. And well, let's be honest, he was kind of bored.

"Hey; what's wrong with you?"

[thisclinchesit]

OH GOD A FLOATING ARM

Shoutarou stops, remembering the voice, but chose to look around first, and see if there was anyone else that question could have been directed at before looking at Ankh.

"Who, me?"

[handpuppeeet]

THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS

Ankh rolled his eyes, standing up from his perch and jumping down, landing with his legs bent and straightening up to glare at Shoutarou. "Yes you, idiot."

[thisclinchesit]

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH AAHAHAHA FLOATING ARM OH GOD

Shoutarou moved one foot back, ready to move back if needed - this guy claimed to help OOO, but Shoutarou was a little leery of him. The confirmation got a slight scowl. "Dunno what you're talking about." Like heck is he gonna open up about feelings to prying like that.

drunken dragon because boozeforever

[greeeaserbug]

So what if he couldn't taste it or technically be effected by it, booze is for winners. Except when booze is being imbibed by sad saps like that guy over there. One more heaving sigh like that and Uva's got half a mind to get up, and ask what's bothering him give him a one-coin tip to fixing it dammit he wishes.

Or maybe just flatten his hat.

Or both.

[thisclinchesit]

Hey, this cider is totally for winners. Maybe if Shou has enough of it, he'll be a winner. Or a wiener. A pickled wiener.

Either way, there's another sigh, though Shoutarou opts to put his hat back on. If he's gonna do this, he may as well look hard-boiled while doing it.

[greeeaserbug]

Maybe his desire for a liver that doesn't suck would even outweigh whatever his current woes are. See, this is why Uva endorses drinking.

Yup, there's that one last heaving sigh that broke the camel's back. Or made the grasshopper jump, to use a more apt critter comparison.

Uva's over at his table in a lick, elbow propped on the table. "I'll bite. So what's your deal?"

[thisclinchesit]

Uva, you are one strange gureeedo.

The drinking man was slightly startled by Sudden Greaser at his table, giving the other man curious look.

"...um. Who are you?"