[open]

[purrtagonist]

Who: Akira and others!
Where: Around El Minha
When: A week or so after their arrival
Rating PG at worst???
What: Open post for further El Minha shenanigans

A. The Sparkling Sapphire

[it's nighttime now; the sun has already long since set over the bustling desert city known as El Minha. if you happen to be in your tavern room tonight, you may be getting a visitor]

[by which I mean, there's a thump right outside your tavern room door, before an unassuming teen suddenly falls right through said door as though he were a ghost phasing through a wall. he stumbles forward, arms windmilling at his sides, before he loses his balance completely and faceplants right onto the floor]

[ah]

[this was probably not done on purpose. anyway, help a poor guy out? or kick him out of your room, either/or!]

B. The Grand Market

[when he isn't accidentally falling through walls and doors and interrupting people before they fall asleep at night, Joker can be found in the Grand Market, perusing the booths with what seems like interest. that's normal enough, right?]

[what isn't normal is how he keeps picking up the wares for sale and looking underneath them, before placing them down again and moving onto the next one. it's almost like he's looking for something, and that something isn't a fancy fruit bowl with intricate carvings on the edges that's on sale for five coins]

[he lets out a huffed, frustrated noise, gaze sweeping the area. but when he happens to spot you, he lifts his head up with interest, and takes a step forward]

Have you seen a lizard around here? Very small, bright green scales, likes to nestle in people's hair?

[oh, so that's what he's looking for]

Comments

b.

[parttimes]

Can't say I have, no.

[Sup, Akira. It's bright and early and Kou is definitely just poking through the marketplace as well, so very curious as to what they're even supposed to be doing here.

Also confused.

Also there's a flash of green in his hair, but then it's gone.]

Hey, Kurusu. Good morning.

[purrtagonist]

[the flash of green is so fast that Akira has to pause for a moment to make sure he saw it. and when he responds to Kou, it's with gray eyes trained carefully on his hair. hm. weird!]

Good morning.

[. . .]

If you do see a green lizard, do you mind letting me know? He jumped out of my pocket when I wasn't paying attention.

[parttimes]

A... green lizard.

[Kou is incapable of not helping when he's asked, though, so:]

Yeah, got it. When did you see him last?

[purrtagonist]

[and Akira just]

[points at Kou's head]

[expression completely neutral]

[parttimes]

[And Kou does the natural, normal person thing, and turns to look behind him.

???]

...?

[Iwai skitters out of Akira's sight and into another tuft of hair, though Kou's hair is less unruly than Akira's so his little lizard legs and tail can still be seen.]

[purrtagonist]

[KOU. . .]

You don't feel anything crawling around on top of your head?

[though as Akira asks this, he totally throws any concept of personal space out of the window to try and pluck the tiny lizard from Kou's hair while he's turned around]

[parttimes]

[AKIRA YOUR FACE IS SO CLOSE TO HIS FACE.

He automatically moves to step back, because--]

Personal sp--

[SPACE....

Nope, he's tripping over some rolled up fabric a shopkeep left out, and now he, and Iwai, are falling. THANKS, AKIRA.]

[purrtagonist]

[AKIRA LIKES HIS PERSONAL SPACE TOO, BUT SOMETIMES SACRIFICES MUST BE MADE--]

-- careful!

[Kou trips over some rolled up fabric, but as he may have seen back at the casino, Akira's reflexes are quick. his hand snatches out to grab Kou by the wrist before he can crash to the ground, while Iwai remains buried perfectly innocently in his hair]

[like an asshole]

[who is just watching all of this transpire with beady, black eyes]

[parttimes]

[NOT LIKE THIS, AKIRA, NOT LIKE THIS...!!!

But.

It's fine.

Akira snags Kou's wrist that easily, and tugs him back up, and Kou just idly reaches up to his hair as if this is perfectly normal and plucks the lizard from it gently by the midsection.

He's familiar with this sort of weirdass thing, so.

He just arches an eyebrow at Akira, lizard squirming slightly in his hand, but safely held snug.]

... Lizard?

[purrtagonist]

[Akira just arches a brow back, before he holds both of his hands out, palms extended]

Lizard.

[he confirms with a satisfied nod]

I told you he liked nesting in people's hair.

[parttimes]

[He definitely just dumps Iwai into his palm. There you go, Akira.]

You have the weirdest taste...

[Kou just shakes his head a little, ruffling his hair.]

I think if he was mistaking me for you, he needs to get his eyes checked. Your hair is way messier than mine.

[purrtagonist]

I don't think it was that.

[with Iwai in hand, Akira lifts the creature to his shoulder, watching as he skitters from it to the top of Akira's head]

He might have considered moving until he realized real estate prices are expensive.

[parttimes]

[Oh my GOD Akira.]

Leaving the nest already? You have an independent lizard. It's not his fault housing costs have gone up lately.

[purrtagonist]

[WHAT!!]

If he wants to be an independent lizard he needs to get a job first.

[parttimes]

What, like...sunbathing, professionally?

[Why are they even like this]

[purrtagonist]

[BLANDLY]

I hear there's an extremely high demand for professional sunbathers.

[parttimes]

You're such a supportive father. Of a lizard.

[Congrats.]

I'm sure he'll be very successful one day.

[purrtagonist]

I'll be right there, cheering him on. Just like supportive fathers should.

[THUMBS. . . UP]

[parttimes]

[... Ok.]

Supportive fathers who lose track of their lizard sons.

[B T W]

[purrtagonist]

[. . . . . yes. . . . .]

Are you going to hold that against me?

[parttimes]

Depends.

[Now he just looks amused.]

If I need to hold something against you for leverage at some point.

[purrtagonist]

Blackmail only works if you don't tell someone you're planning on doing it in the first place.

[parttimes]

Not blackmail, just teasing material. I'm not that kind of guy.

[Please, Akira, he's way too straightlaced for that.]

You kind of seem like someone who should be teased sometimes.

[purrtagonist]

[FAIR ENOUGH]

Teasing material is much the same.

[he's!! just saying!!]

And you should treat me gently. I'm a delicate soul.

[parttimes]

[SNORT...]

Yeah right. You're the last person I'd take to be delicate. If you can keep up with Rion, you can take more abuse than I could ever give.