(OPEN) WORK FOR THE WORKING MAN

[burnmydread]

Who: Minato Arisato & others!
When: Throughout March
Where: Around Blanc
What: Job quest post for the month of March
Rating: None

[ Reference for the Job Post is here. Also, if you're interested and haven't already, you can pick your character's arcana for Social Linking! ]

001-A. Meeting & Greeting

[ Minato wouldn't exactly say that he's good with kids, but he does have some experience with them. Of course, even considering the thought that it's appropriate to encourage a kindergartner to run away is probably not the best example to set, yet here he is anyway. Maiko, a former Social Link of his, isn't all children, and the orphanage has plenty that are excited about heroes coming over. He'd built a snowman for them once, he can do something else.

Besides, he'd gotten cookies out of that deal too. Worth it.

He looks like the life of the party, really. He's got a little girl on his back, and another kid trying to hang from his arm, but the whole five-foot-seven of him doesn't lead for a good height to dangle from. Surprisingly, throughout all of this, he's got a pretty straight face on. But.

This is a little much.

Help? ]

001-B. Now it's Story Time

[ So the kids want to know about the heroes' home worlds, do they? Truthfully, there are a lot of similarities when one looks at the very basics. You know, oxygen, land, water, etc. But those don't make for very good stories. He isn't really going to get any points (or colle, for that matter) by explaining the water cycle, is he? At least it would prove he paid attention to the lessons in second grade.

What can he say about Earth, though? Minato spares a glance at the hero beside him before turning his attention back to the children gathered around them. They're expecting a good story. ]

...Well...

[ A man of many words he is not. It's not that he doesn't have things to say, he just generally keeps to himself unless prompted otherwise. A dozen eager eyes looking at him expectantly certainly fit the bill. ]

Sometimes humanity tries to usher in the apocalypse...

We look forward to the same things here as in my world, death and taxes.

It's really not that different...

[ Yeah, don't be an asshole, dude. They're just kids. ]

It's really not that different...I lived in a big city and had to go to school, too.

[ Except for the whole trying to stop the end of the world thing, but you know, details.

Hey Hero, maybe you have a better story? ]

002-A. Herbs with an H

[ Minato has done a lot of silly things to fulfill some equally silly quests posed to him by some otherworldly being that lived in a room only he had access too. If that doesn't sound odd enough to begin with, it really does get a lot stranger than that. But aside from keeping an eye on a persimmon tree at school--and, literally, it's about watching it--Minato has zero experience with plants, nor a green thumb.

So what constitutes an herb, let alone one in good condition? He agreed to the job because of the money, of course. Shirosabe, his carrier, is starting to garner an appetite about the same as him, which is a lot. And no one should be subjected to Monday meals. Ever. He's resigned to eat out on those days. The struggle is real.

Supposedly they're "all over", but how is he supposed to know what distinguishes an herb as an herb or just...a weed? ]

...Isn't an herb technically any type of plant?

[ Could they just grab a handful of grass? He's got a baggy and everything. ]

002-B. Desperate Thymes call for desperate measures

[ Going it straight-laced can only yield mediocre results. Sometimes there's a reason people go dark side. Sometimes, when push comes to shove, or when there are slim pickings in the public areas, heroes have to turn to a life of crime. Much like penguins.

Minato is one such penguin. Er, hero. And with so many others working on the same job, if he's going to get any money for this, he has to bend the rules a little. But who says he's going down by himself? Oh no, team effort is important. Right? Teammates. Not accomplices. Why would you think that.

Which is why they are found in someone's back yard in one of the nicer parts of time. Pretend it's a little bit like Robin Hood, stealing from the rich's gardens and giving them to...some guy who is going to pay them for it. Okay, it's nothing like Robin Hood, but this person has all their plants labeled and there are definitely some recognizable, herbish plants there. ]

..."Wolf's bane" right next to "oregano". That would be a weird sauce.

[ Is someone protecting against werewolves? ]

003. Wild Card

[ Inspired by something else? Please feel free to write your own prompt! You can also hit me up at doggystyle if you have any questions. ]

Comments

[burnmydread]

[ That sure is a stick, and that sure is Minato's head. As one might expect, it connects almost perfectly and whacks him straight in the forehead. You'd think his reflexes in battle might have him avoid it better, but no, he's not on the battlefield right now so he's not nearly as on guard.

That hurts, though.

Minato rubs his forehead as he looks down at the stick that's fallen right at his feet, before shifting his gaze to the approaching pooch and apparent owner. Ah, another hero like him? ]

...Looking for this?

[ He squats to pick up the stick. ]

[long_live_the_queen]

[She was doing that a lot today. Kaede really should fix that. She doesn't wince, though she does keep right on following Naoki.]

He is.

[The dog barks! And stops in front of Minato, where he does an impatient little dance in place while he waited to get the stick back.

...should she say something? She probably should, but...what? It was obvious he was fine, if momentarily inconvenienced.

Kaede just stood there and shifted her weight slightly, instead.]

[burnmydread]

[ Oh, hello doggy. Do you want him to throw it? It might be bad form if she has to go hunt it down again, but it's also hard to ignore the happy dog dance. Dogs are cute.

Minato moves the stick back and forth in front of the pooch, before tossing it more gently to the side. A couple of yards and it lands. ]

Is that your carrier?

[ Or just a friend? ]

[long_live_the_queen]

[NYOOM he's off! The dog immediately launches after the stick, barking his floppy-eared head off.

Kaede seems less amused, but then again that's kind of her default state of being.]

He's mine, yes.

[Come on Kaede that wasn't an answer.]

[burnmydread]

[ Aww, what a good dog! Okay, Minato is usually a pokerface champion, but he's got a growing soft spot for pooches. Blame Koromaru for that one.

No, not really an answer, but...maybe it doesn't matter? He's starting to see his carrier more of a pet these days, anyway. ]

What's his name?

[long_live_the_queen]

[Kaede still watched her Carrier anxiously, not entirely like a worried parent. He seemed--no, he was--thoroughly enjoying himself.

Maybe this person was okay. Maybe.]

His name is Naoki.

[It was a childish name, one her naive self had devised. Before-]

Don't forget it.

[-before the worst had happened.]

[burnmydread]

[ A happy dog is a good sign. The name, somehow, seems appropriate. Though, he is a little surprised by her follow-up comment. Don't forget it...? What is she implying? ]

I don't think that'll be a problem.

[ Minato holds his hand out to see if Naoki wants to sniff or play. ]

He's cute.

[long_live_the_queen]

Hmph.

[Someone sure is prickly. But she could tolerate him being that close to her Carrier. She supposed.

Naoki, however, is much more talkative! He barks around the stick in his mouth as he trots back over to Minato; he was cute, this was true! And the dog plops the stick right back into his hand, tail wagging expectantly.]

[burnmydread]

[ Luckily for her, it's his job as a Protagonist to be able to get along with pretty much anyone. Or at least give a valiant effort in doing so.

Aw, Naoki, he can't say no to that. Minato holds the stick up, waving it back and forth lightly, before tossing it further the second time. Puppy's gotta play. ]

Did you pick him out?

[ Or was he thrust upon her like his carrier was? ]

[long_live_the_queen]

[As long as Minato can deal with Grumps he should be okay!]

I picked him.

[Meaning she practically jumped the fence, sprinted for the dog, and didn't put him down until his wiggling had gotten excessive.

Though speaking of the dog, this time he came back with both the stick and a mouthful of shrubbery! Mostly what looked like part of a decorative hedge roughly the size of his head.]

...where did you get that.

[Naoki couldn't bark this time, but his tail did wag furiously. His Hero was always picking up plants, so he did too! He's helping!]

[burnmydread]

Good choice.

[ Dogs are man's--er, humanity's best friend for a reason, right? (Where are those non-gendered generalized nouns when you need them.) At Naoki's reappearance, Minato is also a little curious about the foliage that he seems to have taken with him.

Actually, it looks like something...well-kept? Manicured, even? ]

...Uh--

Hey!

[ Oh. Yes. That sure is an angry person with some hedge clippers running over. ]

[long_live_the_queen]

[Now, Kaede had two options. One, she could stand here and explain that Naoki was just being a dog, don't get mad at him, it was just a misunderstanding. It'd require patience, and some persuading, and more patience so she didn't smack their head off. Or-]

Nope.

[Look, she's being an adult and choosing the less-confrontational option! Sort of!

Kaede promptly bolted in the opposite direction, that's what she did.

...Minato said nice things about her dog, so she supposed she wouldn't just ditch him there. She grabbed his elbow as she ran by, dragging him afterwards as Naoki gleefully kept pace with them both.]

[burnmydread]

[ He can see this going very, very poorly for everyone involved. He did not expect, however, for them to suddenly just book it. But there's no resistance when she takes his arm as Minato spins on his heel and stumbles forward, before trying to keep pace with her.

He just hopes they're all faster than the angry guy. ]

I think we know where he got it.

[long_live_the_queen]

[Speaking of the hedge-]

Naoki! Let go of it!

[Her Carrier barked, or...tried to. It came out as something like a garbled wrrf, like...well, a dog with a mouth full of leaves. But he didn't want to! He was going to help!!]

I'll get you a new stick!

[-oh, well then. The dog promptly spat out the shrub and the twig, barking cheerfully and not at all concerned with the situation now.

The irate gardener with the menacing shears was falling further and further behind, at least. Kaede still ducked around the next corner suddenly, dragging her newest (witness? accomplice?) arm attachment with her.]

[burnmydread]

[ Good thinking--as long as they have the contraband goods, then they'll be pursued presumably until their pursuer runs out of breath. Which who knows how long that could be. ]

Good dog.

[ He's got to offer praise for good behavior, even in chase, right?

Minato allows himself to be dragged, at least partially motivated by the happy dog. After a good minute or so, he glances behind them. ]

I think we've lost him.

[ That or he's just laying in wait now. ]

[long_live_the_queen]

[Kaede turned when Minato spoke up, glancing over her shoulder. No irritable man with large shears following them. She slowed to a stop, her dog catching up to them in just a moment.]

He better stay lost.

[-right. Letting go of Minato's arm. She should do that. Though Kaede supposed she could just trip this person and run off if they were being chased, she had no reason to at the moment.]

[burnmydread]

[ There is a small sigh of relief. Not that Minato was terribly worried but, you know, getting cut up isn't how he really wanted to spend his day.

He straightens a little when she lets go. ]

Are you doing that alchemy request too?

[long_live_the_queen]

Hm? Oh, that. I suppose.

[Naoki barked once, from his place at her feet. If you just let him help, it'd get done faster!!

Kaede bent a little to scratch his ears, pausing his yapping for a moment.]

[burnmydread]

[ If only Aigis were with him to translate dog...although Minato feels like he has an idea of what's being communicated here even without her assistance.

Yes, you're a good helper, Naoki. Even when you almost get them killed. ]

Found anything good?

[long_live_the_queen]

[Kaede straightened, and Naoki plopped himself down at her feet as if for a nap. Running for your life was tiring!]

Weedy looking things, mostly. I think one is a mushroom.

[burnmydread]

[ Ah, he and Naoki are really on the same level, aren't they? Naps are truly the best. He understands this dog. ]

...I'm not sure if mushrooms were on the list.