A day in the life on enforced vacation.

[zenigatcha]

Most humans need rhythm and schedule. Correct circadian rhythms to keep their sleep schedule and mind healthy, properly hydrating along the day, proper meals to keep them going. You wouldn't think that Milliway's, with all it's wonder and wildness, would be a place you get those rhythms back on track. And yet, here we are.

Zenigata is a man who has lived without rhythm for the last twenty years. Patterns? Certainly. Lupin commits crime. Zenigata pursues Lupin. Lupin eventually either evades capture of escapes holding. Quiet time, where Lupin lays low and lives off his bounty, being domestic with Jigen between scores -- while Zenigata and his squad go to serve on other cases temporarily, or Zenigata goes home and maybe tackles a case or two with the Tokyo Metro PD. It's a good life, if you ask him.

The last four weeks have seen that schedule disrupted, massively. He has been on an enforced vacation, held hostage by a magic bar. For his own good, really, as those rhythms have helped him get to a rested, smarter place. He has a schedule here now: Get up, see if hangover exists. Drink, if so. Otherwise, go jog around the lake. Depending on hangover status: eat good hearty breakfast, or eat lighter, more traditional Japanese breakfast.

Midmorning is usually spent on training some skill or another. Coding on a laptop, trying to keep up with Lupin's superior technology. Read in the library. Before lunch, he hits the gym, gets a good sweat going, showers, and eats well and with gusto. Something hearty, again. He loves a good a good grinder, heavy on the meat.

Afternoons are exploration; the range sees him, though early on he's emptied his clips and discovered that Bar won't give him any. Occasionally he investigates the places like the Forge, or tries to figure out that ship in the inlet. He never does quite get it. Then he checks out all the other places he sees about -- the forge gets a cursory glance, though that's not his thing at all. The woods are skirted. He settles into the garage for a time - not for vehicles, but for workshop space. There's been plenty of time to devise gadgets to counter Lupin's, though building them has lead to questionable success.

By evening, he retires for more study, and even small things for pleasure -- reading, working, before ducking into the kitchen to make his own dinner, because the joy of cooking for himself has been something far away most of the time. Zaru Soba, pickled vegetables, and steamed broccolini is downright decadent for the man, even if it might look fairly plain to the unknowing eye.

Between and during all these things, though, he encounters new friends and more established ones, and is happy to give them his ear or his time. He's friendly like that. But no so friendly that he doesn't notice the door creak open, just a little bit...

...and eventually, realizes it is, and plunges through it howling, "Lupin! I'm back, you son of a bitch!" with a feral glee that would do the most ardent hunters proud.




[Encounter Zenigata anywhere listed, or just toss something else at him as he explores. General timeframes for when he's where as above.]

Comments

[sunbaked_baker]

Some day among the many, if Zenigata is out particularly early for a morning jog around the lake, he'll definitely spy the brightly colored figure of a familiar baker going for her dawn run while the cinnamon rolls bake.

[zenigatcha]

Here's the thing about Zenigata: he's fucking fast. You can't keep up with Lupin at a plodding pace, after all, and the man has thighs like tree trunks and calves like clubs.

Sure, in his off-the-rack ill fitting suits he looks thin limbed, but that is a dirty, dirty lie. Between running shorts and a running tank top, Zenigata is a literal wall of muscle, and it's not hard to believe that the man can pick up the Fiat Lupin so favors. So, you know: welcome to the most bashful gunshow ever.

When he spies Sunshine in the distance, he whistles sharply to get attention. Then there's a change of direction to catch up with a burst of speed.

"Good morning!" he says. He doesn't seek to stop -- just to get side by side for a minute in companionable running.

[sunbaked_baker]

Sunshine is likewise fast - being light and seriously swift on her feet is a good deal of how she has survived this long against adversaries both faster and stronger than any human. She doesn't jog, but runs like she means it. To get away, to get where she needs to be, to hopefully get there in time...

But she slows a bit when she hears the whistle, both to let him catch up and for her to regain the ability to speak without gasping - before returning to much of her usual blistering pace as he comes up beside her. Her hair isn't long enough yet to put back in a ponytail, so while some of the dawn-lit red hair is frizzing into a messy corona about her head, some of it is sticking damply to her neck. "Morning!" she calls back. "You're out early!"

She is used to being up and out and about by four in the morning, but most folks start their day later than bakers with insomnia.

[zenigatcha]

"It's probably a more proper hour in France!" Zenigata laughs, keeping pace. He doesn't run to flee, he runs to pursue, like a sighthound with its eyes on the rabbit. It's just the rabbit is a wolf, and the wolf is Lupin.

He's slick with sweat, but to him this is nothing. Barely there. Besides that's why God gave him a headback and wicking running gear.

[sunbaked_baker]

Sunshine is... well, she knows her own intentions. She isn't sure she wants to know how the vampires think of her.

She laughs, a breathless chuckle among the sound of fleet footfalls. "Never been!" she calls between breaths. "What's France like?"

She knows its reputation in baking circles, but she hasn't heard from someone who has lived there.

[zenigatcha]

"It's a beautiful country, but I cannot say it compares to my home of Japan!" One of Zenigata's worst traits is his fierce nationalist streak. He loves his country, he thinks it's the best in the world. Everywhere else ranges from 'this is okay, it's nice' to 'absolute shithole,' depending on where he's at.

"There is something to be said, though, for it's history," Zenigata allows. "Lyon is very lovely, especially in the spring, but I am not a tourist and I do not sight-see."

He's lived there almost more of his adult life there than he has in his home in Japan. The thought makes him ache a little, but the run turns that ache to ashes with the burn of his thighs and washes it away with the sweat on his skin.

[sunbaked_baker]

"The people?" she asks, because to her, the people are the heart of any place. More than tourist destinations or history. "What... makes Lyon lovely?"

[ostro_goth]

In the forge, he will find an early medieval smith at work making folded steel that is eerily similar to the material of Japanese katana.

[zenigatcha]

It was a stroke of curiosity -- there was smoke! It was coming out of a smithy! What a curious thing to have in a place. But when he sees there's a man there, definitely working steel, he smiles.

He does not speak, for fear he'll distract him from his rhythm, but instead watches for his time. He can always appreciate a man with a skill and a display of craftsmanship.

[ostro_goth]

After a while of hammering on a piece of folded steel, the smith cuts it with a hatchet, turns the halves together, gives it another ringing hit with the hammer, then returns it into the forge fire. Two strong pulls at the bellows, and then he turns to take a deep draught of water from a wooden tankard before turning to his visitor.

"Greetings!"

[zenigatcha]

"Good day!" Zenigata says, perhaps a little forcefully. He's effusive when he's emotional and that was a joy to watch. "Such work! Your timing is excellent. It'd been a long time since I had a chance to watch such fine work."

He's sweating a little - it's hot in here, obviously - but it doesn't bother him. He has taken off his hand, though.

[ostro_goth]

"You have seen blade-smiths at work before?" the smith says. "Not many have, in your time."

Pause.

"May I offer you some water, or tea?"

[zenigatcha]

"My work leads me interesting places," Zenigata says, and then nods, very grateful for the offer. "Water, please. Thank you."

Zenigata is in here in his suit, but he has somehow not roasted to death in it. Just taken his hat off. He might take the suit coat off if he lingers, but that is still a big "if."

[troublesome_alchemist]

One day by the range, he'll find a lean figure, young despite his military uniform. He figures if he spends his time practicing, then Hawkeye can't berate him later for sloth.

Or at least... won't as much.

Mustang has torches set up along the range, and is systematically setting them alight, one by one.

[zenigatcha]

This is not the weirdest thing he's ever seen, but -- that's still pretty weird. He's not like Pycal -- who is an enormous pain in the ass for Lupin -- but he's definitely got 'fire magic'. (Pycal wasn't magical, he was just...well, he had a lot of tricks up his sleeves.)

He observes for a while, curious. What a fascinating thing. A snap of the fingers -- like the flick of a Zippo's flint -- and there's flame. He wonders what's in those gloves that would make such a thing possible.

[troublesome_alchemist]

Roy pauses, the sensation of being watched a familiar one. That's usually because he has the Hawk's eyes on him, however, and he's fairly certain he wasn't followed today. He turns, a bit warily, to see who has joined him out here.

"Oh, hello... did you need the range?"

[zenigatcha]

"Ah, I can spare it to you. The Bar's kept me, ah-- 'bound', and my rounds are running low besides," Zenigata says putting up a hand to forestall argument. "Besides, I am curious. What are you doing? With the fire?"

He wants to know the trick, because there is always a trick.

[troublesome_alchemist]

"It is alchemy - I am Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist." There is pride there, he absolutely studied his ass off to gain his skills, and has been honing them for years more. There's also a weight - his skills have come at a cost that he will forever consider too high.

He also says it like just about everyone should know what the hell he's talking about.

[zenigatcha]

The little Zenigata knows of Alchemy comes from the knowledge of "Lupin stole this priceless text," and that's about it. But he does know the word, and is curious to find out more.

"Alchemy that creates flame from nothing doesn't exist in my word," Zenigata says. "There are oddities, certainly, but nothing like that."

[yinyangwizard]

Seimei is out by the lakeshore early in the morning, in just the right time and place for Zenigata to encounter him on his morning jog. He is in a rowboat pushed up on the shore, its bow pointing outwards towards the water. He is obviously going to take it out on the lake. Less obvious is how he will accomplish this without any oars.

“Zenigata-keibu!” Seimei calls. “Good morning!”

[zenigatcha]

Zenigata slows, one foot coming after the other until he stops near the boat. "Good morning, Abe-san! Are you going out upon the lake?"

...where are the oars, though???

[yinyangwizard]

Where we’re going, we don’t need oars!

“I was going to the little temple on the island.” Seimei points towards the Air Temple made of bottles, gleaming in the sun. “Have you been?”

[zenigatcha]

"I have not!" Zenigata replies, immediately curious. "Are you going to visit it?"

In... a boat with no oars. He's still stuck on that bit. Is he somehow not seeing them? Has he missed them inside the boat?

[yinyangwizard]

“Indeed! If you have not seen it before, this would be a good opportunity to do so!”

(There’s a flash of something under the bow of the rowboat. Something that looks sort of metallic.)

[zenigatcha]

"And you're going to go in this boat," Zenigata says, peering at it. The unasked question lingers: are you somehow doing this without oars?