7th Broken Illusion

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

[ Action : Neutron Diner : Late afternoon ]
[ Guess who's now on staff in the kitchen at the diner downtown?

If your answer was: "That boy who could probably start a grease fire by looking at the cooker the wrong way", you're halfway there!

It's not that Touma can't cook, or doesn't like to. He's had to do it while he lived on his own back home, and he does a fair bit of it around the house (when his "mother" lets him). No, he's pretty content (and by content I mean listless) as he works at filling orders and setting them up for others to take to the tables.

But things just happen around him. It's kind of like that clause in insurance policies that mention "act of God" or "force of nature". Except these kinds of acts of misfortune are not the sort he can do anything about, even if he does have his abilities back. ]

[ Right now the kitchen has been temporarily evacuated as the Mayfield Fire Department handles a bit of a mess in there and he is standing outside away from the drone crew, work uniform and apron on and looking just a bit scorched.

Looking at the building with despair, he sighs quietly to himself and hunches his shoulders. ] This is just my luck...

-----
[ Phone : Drone Filter : Evening ]
Anyone ever switch jobs? I literally woke up with one, and I'm not cut out for it at all.


((OOC: Open to action at the diner or 840 Hastings if you want to talk to Touma. If your character is part of the fire department, feel free to involve them more directly in the first scene!))

Comments

[ Action : Neutron Diner : Late afternoon ]

[enpatsushakugannouchite]

Mou, stop whining, at least you're not on roller skates like me. [ Growls an angry little voice from outside, where she's standing watching the crew work. ]

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

[ Whether or not the air seemed hostile outside, at least it was fresher than in here. Touma steps out and regards the flat-chested girl with a flat look. ] I'm pretty sure I'd end up with my face halfway through a broken table inside of five minutes, and they know it. [ Does he know how to use skates? It's hard to say. The concept is there, in his mind, but this would be like that time he hopped on a bike; he'd have to try it to know for sure. ]

[enpatsushakugannouchite]

Well, why did they make you a cook anyway then? [ She just gives him a flat look right back. ]

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

[ Shrugging a shoulder. ] I dunno. Because they could?

[Phone]

[frothymilk]

What? Jobs? Are we required to... work?

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

[ A new person? ] If that's what the city wants, then yeah.

[frothymilk]

[Very new]

The city wants? As in, we have no choice in the matter? Or in what such a chore would be?

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

Well, if you're old enough, I guess. Not everyone has a job or if they do, they never mentioned it.

But basically it's just another thing that happens to people in the city, like these "families" we get put in with.

[phone]

[guardiandragon]

Not by asking to, no. Why, what's up?

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

The place I was working at today might have caught on fire. That's all.

[guardiandragon]

Might have caught fire?

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

There was a lot of smoke, and I didn't stick around to see if there were flames.

[ phone ]

[normality]

I think we're more or less stuck with them, unfortunately.. But I suppose you could get used to any job over time. They randomly forced one on me too, but it turned out to be not that bad after all.

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

It's not a matter of getting used to it at all. I'm saying I'm not fit for the work, not the other way around. [ It sounds more complicated than it is. ]

[normality]

Well, that's still the same case, isn't it? Even if you think you're not fit for it, that could still change..

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

I—

[ A sigh. ]

Nevermind. It doesn't sound like they're going to let me switch no matter what I do.

[action]

[eveningcalm]

[Izumo has been staring at the fire and just happens to overhear Touma.]

You did that?

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

[ Pushing the despondency aside, Touma gives the girl a flat look. ] Don't say that like I burned the whole diner down. It's just one frier.

[eveningcalm]

How did you even manage it? It looks like a lot more than one frier.

Phone

[kinship]

Ah, no, I'm afraid not. I know other people who would like to change jobs through unsuitability and are still stuck with them.

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

[ A sigh, his sarcasm showing through easily. ] That's just great. Another learning experience I wanted.

[kinship]

[He still sounds polite and pleasant, as though he hasn't noticed the sarcasm.]

I'm sorry, sir. I wish I could have given you better news.

[answerer_sword]

Switch...jobs?

[She has been trying hard to find one. At the same time, she has been wondering if the drones would accept her getting a job or if they would continue to consider her a housewife.]

I am unaware of anyone switching jobs here.

[punch_illusions_get_harem]

Yeah, I'm getting the idea that it's impossible.

[answerer_sword]

Then how did you wake up with one? Did you express any interest in getting a job? Did someone sign you up for one? Did the town change your status?