Don't think we're in Japan anymore... [Active, Open]

[venusloveshock]

Characters: Minako Aino, open
Time: Morning
Location: Some alleyway not too far from Millennium Park
Content: The senshi of love just arrived
Format: Prose
Warnings: She can be a bitch?

Comments

[godofcologne]

There was only so much skulking around nighttime Chicago one vampire could do, especially with the Black Court apparently in full force and no real backup of which to speak. So Thomas did the smart thing. He went out during daylight to have a look around with an eye to the supernatural instead of sitting in the hotel bar playing indolent playboy.

He had been circling Millennium Park when he heard the voice, and he slowed, suddenly wary. "Depends on what sort of help you're looking for," he drawled, keeping his voice calm.

[venusloveshock]

Minako had been on her way out of the alley when the man approached.... She pursed her lips a little, her grip around the Legendary Sword not relaxing in the slightest. "I... just arrived here, I guess?" she replied slowly.

She tucked the phone into her jacket's pocket and pushed her hair out of her face. "Answers... of any sort... would be helpful enough..."

[godofcologne]

Dark grey eyes flickered over the sword in the young woman's grip before traveling down the length of her and back up to her face. He didn't need his demon's help to know that she was real. The locals would never ask for help. "Well, welcome to Chicago," Thomas said, the fluid warmth of his voice unable to mask the edge of dry sarcasm. He jerked a thumb towards Millennium Park, where the lima bean still gleamed in all its mirrored metallic glory. "Travel via outdoor sculpture?"

[venusloveshock]

Minako studied him carefully, making sure not to flush under his appraising gaze. She was aware she still held the sword.... And she was perhaps a very unlikely sight, being a small Japanese girl.... She caught his gaze, tilting her head slightly as he spoke.

"I'm guessing most of the people here did?" she countered.

[godofcologne]

Her answer made him laugh, a low rumble that seemed to slide up the spine and lodge straight in the imagination. "Everyone I've met so far," he allowed. He cocked his head, rolling her words over in his mind, trying to fit the accent to a country. "I'm guessing it pulled you from a little farther away than the next state over."

[venusloveshock]

Minako still hadn't entirely relaxed around him, especially after that low laugh. "At least I'm not alone, then... And did you arrive in a similar way?"

A smirk tugged at her lips as she bit back a sarcastic remark... Well... Too sarcastic of a remark. "I don't know why you'd think that," she taunted him. "Tokyo, Japan," she added, almost as an after thought.

[godofcologne]

"Only I had the unfortunate side effect of being in a car when it happened," Thomas drawled. His lips twitched a little in a smile at her answer. "Just a lucky guess. But then it seems to be my lucky day, so maybe I won't complain. I'm Thomas."

[venusloveshock]

It took Minako a moment to visualize what had occurred. The resulting mental images were rather amusing and she thanked the stars that she hadn't been in a similar situation. "Well, points for originality there."

Her eyebrows raised as she tried to figure out if he was hitting on her or just being truthful with his comment, and she might have flushed just a little. "Minako. It's nice to meet you... I guess I should count myself lucky to have run into such a helpful stranger."

That she was still rather wary of.

[godofcologne]

"There was a point deduction for poor form while landing." His grin broadened at the blush, and Thomas gave Minako a shallow, polite bow. "It's a pleasure, Minako." His tongue tripped over the unfamiliar name at first, and instead Thomas nodded at the sword still in her hand. "I didn't realize Tokyo was such a dangerous place."

[venusloveshock]

The way he smiled... Minako averted her gaze momentarily to regain her senses. She glanced back in time to see him give her a small bow. It had been a while since she'd seen someone do that... and she then followed his gaze down to the Legendary Sword, still tight in her grip. She relaxed her grip lightly, smirking at his comment.

"You'd be surprised. But only just as dangerous as any other large city..." she mused, not offering any other explanation for the sword in her hand. Still, she didn't put it to the side, and she wasn't going to allow it to disappear in front of him.

[godofcologne]

Given that Thomas routinely kept enough weaponry in his car to equip a small guerilla force (a slightly larger one now that Chicago seemed to have become home to a scourge of Black Court vampires), he wasn't really one to judge. It had been mostly curiosity. "A sword does help keep the muggers away," he agreed. "And the vampires." He sounded perfectly serious about it, but smile tugging at his lips seemed to point to a jest.

"Since you just arrived, I assume you don't have a place to stay yet?"

[venusloveshock]

"They'd think twice about it, at least," Minako shrugged. ".... Vampires?" She was hard pressed to believe if he was jesting her or not... Vampires wouldn't be far fetched after all the youma she fought in the past.

Instead of pressing upon the matter, however, Minako shook her head and went on to answer his question. "You'd assume correctly, yes."

[godofcologne]

"Things here aren't exactly normal." Well, they were normal enough to a vampire, but then again, vampire. Thomas began walking, slowing his pace as an unspoken invitation. "Everything in the city is functional, but I think there are two main places people are staying. The Hard Rock and the Blackstone." He gestured towards the skyline in the vague direction of each hotel as he spoke.

[venusloveshock]

"I gathered that," Minako replied slowly, watching him start to walk away... So she started after him, walking next to him, albeit cautiously. She rested the sword on her shoulder as she glanced around. "The last time I was in Chicago, I stayed at The Hard Rock..." she mused quietly.

She tilted her head at him and smiled slightly. "Where would you suggest is the best place to stay?"

[godofcologne]

"Depends on what you're looking for," Thomas drawled, an easy inviting smile playing on his lips. "The Blackstone's got better security, but the Hard Rock has more interesting people."

Thomas paused at the road, looking for oncoming traffic more from habit than actual need. "So you've been to the city before?"

[venusloveshock]

Minako shrugged. "I can take care of myself, so security isn't a huge concern..."

She looked for oncoming traffic as well, from the same habit that made him. "Once... I... travel a lot for my job..."