A Hard Day's Work

She sighed, definitely sure she was acting out of line now. And what's worse, the poor guy was really just worried about his clothes. He.. he wasn't even thinking dirty about the whole thing. She sighed, now both embarrassed of her actions and toting a bruised ego. She held her hand out. "Fine, fine. Just give me my pen back." She said covering her sulking with a happy smile.

She felt a wave of tsun-like grumpness coming on but did her best to fight it. "S-Sorry." She said, blushing a little bit but looking away to hide it. "It seemed fun to me. I was being immature." She said with a steely voice, trying not to tsun but still being a bit cold. She also could not bring herself to elaborate that on at least some level, she'd thought it would have been fun for one of them to be stricken naked.

At Alison's request he relinquished her pen, returning it to her as she gave a smile... Even though she was smiling he still hoped he hadn't upset her too severely...

"Oh, no... It's alright, you don't need to apologize..." She had seemed excited about it before, now she seemed rather down about it...her voice even held a hint of coldness within it as she said it had seemed fun.

It was then that he offered an apologetic smile of his own.

She continued to pout for a moment after he gave her an apologetic smile. What was he smiling for? And why did he look so sorry? He hadn't done anything. She was being the butthead here. Ugh. "I-It's... Hrm..." If she said she was being a jerk, he'd just tell her not to apologize again.

"L-Let's just go. The inn should be nearby, right?" She asked, quickly turning and walking away without waiting for him, her arms crossed. She knew she was in the wrong and was trying REALLY hard not to be a jerk...and alternatively not to keep obnoxiously flirting with every cute stranger.

"Mm." Saaya gave a nod at Alison's question; "The inn should be up ahead just a little ways, yes."

They would get going then... He still wasn't fond of how down she seemed to be, his eyes moving to her as she walked off ahead of him. He made a few quick steps to follow, walking along side her down the path they'd been walking for quite awhile.

The inn then...after a few more minutes of walking, it should be in sight if he remembered the paths clearly enough...

"Mmk. So tell me about this inn, if you've been there." Hrm. There was an idea... She could start some sort of travel guide for the Rukon, describing all the places in it... but the place was so big... Damn, if she were a REAL shinigami, devoting a few hundred years to it wouldn't be an issue. Not like these places changed much.

"Is the food good? What are the nicer rooms like? Ooh, is there a bath? Is there a sauna?" She had asked him to take them to one of the nicer inns in the district. "Ahh... am I getting my hopes up too high for this neighborhood?" She glanced over at him, arms still crossed but loosening up some.

"The inn? Ah well, it's not overly large or anything, but it's decently sized...it has a homey feel to it..." He began to explain, having to think on it a bit before he began to answer her; "The larger rooms are enough to fit a small group in.

As for the bath, it's kept nice and clean for the visitors, but there's no hot spring or anything since this is just a stop that travelers tend to take and rest at before moving on."

It was nice in comparison to most of the inn's one would encounter out here...they weren't in the poorest districts but they're weren't in the most well-lived ones either.

In between a bit...perhaps...?

Hmm. Homey. That could be nice too. She sighed, wistfully. What she wouldn't do for a Mariott right about now... She always had been a fan of hotels. Nice ones, anyway. Oh well. It sounded nice. She supposed money wasn't the problem so much as location in the Rukon. She would enjoy the place, she was sure.

"Well, we'll be staying in one of the larger rooms if that's okay with you, Mister Naomi." She said, trying not to get a smug tone in her voice.

"Although.. You said bath as in singular?" She'd used the word singularly too, but she'd meant.... per room. "A-Ah.. I suppose that's... an experience..." She said with a tiny huff, looking away.

"That's fine with me, one of the larger rooms will be good." That would be perfectly alright, the larger rooms were more comfortable, even if the smaller ones were as well... They were a bit more expensive than the smaller rooms, but Alison didn't seem to mind; the larger room was her choice.

Hn?

"Ah yes, it's quite normal... though, the bath is separated by men and women if that's what you're concerned about?" He wasn't sure how things were from wherever she came from, but baths such as these were...quite typical in all Rukon Districts as far as he knew...

Baths within inns... Bathhouses...

"Excellent!" She said, spying light up ahead that seemed to fill the air. Hopefully the inn, though it was hard to tell with this place. Everything ran on lamps and candles and nonsense. She really was missing fluorescent light right about now.

"O-Oh. I didn't know... I've never been in a communal bath and ah.." She blushed, crossing her arms. "J-Just... Good. Th-though it doesn't completely protect my privacy. I mean.." She shook her head quickly. No, Alison. Nobody is oggling you. "I mean it will be fine I am sure."

She sighed. "You should really see bathrooms in the human world. Every room has their own bath, with water that's run up through pipes to it by a motorized pump. And they have a thing on the wall that sprays water in, which makes it easier to get clean." She gave another wistful sigh.

"Plus, they're entirely private, which is nice, for either some relaxing, or if you wanted to get up to some mischief with a paramour." She said with a playful smirk.

"Uwaaa~ Human's have that type of bathing choice? I suppose if you're rich here you would have the choice, but well... Aha~ I've never been rich~" Or had much of a stable, single home really, but that was beside the point. "It sounds like it would be rather comfortable..."

E-Eh? Mischief... The meaning of that was quite easy to understand.

Saaya continued to smile happily though, trying to imagine the modern world with this little tidbit... It certainly did seem like another world, it sounded so magical...

Looking ahead, he saw the light in the distance, and his smile grew; that was it! The inn was just up ahead. It was a decently large building, it had to be with the number of rooms they had, plus the baths... They had finally reached it though!

She nodded, chuckling a little. She sort of wished she could show him, but that might be... a bit of culture shock... "Mhm. It's not a luxury to them either. It's just... design philosophy. It's considered vital for even the lowliest of hovels to have floor space devoted to a bathroom." It really didn't indicate... a nicer living standard or anything, persay...

"But then again, there's some places in our world where people don't even have a hovel. Plus, at least in the Rukon, you don't have to worry about starving to death." She said with a sigh. She knew the Rukon was bad, she just didn't want to put it down or anything.

It wasn't a luxury? That was even more of a surprise to hear, it sounded like it was one just by what Alison was saying, but he'd take her word for it if that were the case.

Uwaa, private baths for all and it was normal. It was uncertain if he would ever be able to stop himself from thinking the Human World was magical in some way different from this world.

True though, unless one had spiritual abilities or awareness in the Rukon, they didn't have to worry about eating at all. It was the ones that did have the abilities that had to worry about that stuff...such as himself. That was fine though~ Food was good~

"Judging by my reaction, it might not be much of a surprise, but I have to say the World of the Living sounds absolutely mystical in it's own regard~"

Alison watched his various reactions, trying not to giggle. He looked like she just told a five year old about Santa Claus for the first time. She failed to stifle a giggle eventually, before casually listing over and bumping playfully into him while they walked. "You're a silly one. To the human world, THIS place is mystical. Anyway, I'm glad you think so highly of it... I hope you can see it one day." She liked this Naomi person so far, but she wasn't about to start taking souls to the human world...

As they approached the inn, she clasped her hands together. "W-Wow... This place IS pretty nice... believe it or not, people TRY to make rustic inns like this in the human world. This place would probably be more expensive there than it is here." It seemed backwards. The human world was trying to emulate the past, while these people stuck in the past thought the future was magic...

A laugh was given at Alison's response; he supposed that seemed like something people not from this world might think. To the Human World this place would seem magical, huh? It was a bit of a surprise to hear this, though it was understandable considering all the attractions here.

"Maybe." Maybe he would see it one day, maybe he wouldn't; there was no telling whether he would or not, considering he wasn't a shinigami that would be...very difficult.

His eyes looked up towards the inn as they arrived, glancing to Alison as she reacted to it. People tried to recreate places like this?

"Aha, well you've got the real thing right here, and for a cheaper price too~!"

She frowned, knowing she could help him. She could EASILY get him a gigai. They weren't that expensive. A garganta device was out of the question. She had the one and she had no idea if she ever COULD get another... She'd tried to get in touch with the guy she bought it from but he proved... elusive..

"Hehe. What a deal!" She said, clapping her hands, before heading up to the door. She reached out and slid it open, waving for Saaya-Naomi to enter. "After you!" She said with a chuckle and a little bow.

A nod was given to Alison's happy words, and he smiled brighter himself as he stepped up to the doorway with her. The door was slid open thanks to her, and he did as suggested and stepped inside; "Thank you~!"

With his thanks given, he took a moment to look around the interior. There was a desk at the middle of the lounge-like room, designed for comfort of the guests; the stairs were off to the side, and at the back of the building there was another sliding door that from what he could tell, led to the baths.

"You're welcome~!" She answered with an equally happy voice, sliding the door shut behind her. She looked around, crossing her arms and giving the place a critical eye. "Hm.... Swaank." She muttered to herself. It was definitely a nice place he'd picked out for the night. Fortunate it was so nearby.

She walked up to the counter and leaned over it. "Hello?" A moment later the inn's proprietor came out and Alison quickly discussed rates with him. She pulled... a rather sizeable stack of bills from her wallet, before dishing some out to the proprietor.

"Mhm. Yup, just the one room. And we'll be using the baths too... I think... just charge us for them in case we want to use them, I guess." The proprietor gave her an odd look, but didn't question more money.

A moment later, Alison walked back up to Saaya and held up a key. "Here we go." She said with a smile. "Come on." She gestured for him to follow her to the room.

Alison seemed impressed, though he hadn't caught whatever it was she'd muttered to herself; she was happy with the place though, and that was what mattered! Rest was better done in comfort, and this was certainly the place for it!

He stepped a step or two behind her as she headed up towards the desk though not really catching up with her but waiting since she seemed to have things handled as she spoke with, most likely, the owner of the inn as she spoke with him.

His smile was bright as she returned, showing him the key to the room; "Alright~!"

With a nod, he followed just as she'd asked.

Alison grinned happily, a little spring in her step as she led him along the corridors towards the room. "Nowww.. I don't KNOW if there's two beds in there or not... Buuut, if there isn't..." She considered insisting he take the couch... she knew he would.... "Th-then I'll take the couch... It's only fair you get the bed when you're taken to such a nice hotel for once." She said grinning. If anything, he was like her guest at the moment!

"And then we can go down to the baths and see about getting some food!" She said, hurrying up to the door and unlocking it, holding the door for him again. Inside, the room was certainly spacious, and lavish for a certain value of the word. Definitely lavish for the time period. "Ahh, it's so niiice." She said, strolling around...

Buut... Hrm... There was no couch.. uh-oh... did they even have couches?.. .Looked like the floor for her tonight.

"Eeeh... When there's a large room, usually multiple futons are provided, so there shouldn't be any trouble in that area." He smiled; considering the bigger rooms were usually meant for more than a single person, there were multiple futons to set out...

He wondered if people still used futons in the modern world? Some had to... they were beds after all, perhaps they'd evolved?

It was a mystery...

Once at the room, his eyes roamed around the room, no...couch as she had said, but there was nothing to worry about there!

Without a word, he stepped further inside towards a large sliding door at the end of the room, a closet from the looks of it. Opening it, he found just what he was looking for, a couple of futons just as predicted. "See~?" He added, turning his head to look back to her.

They just had to lay them out and all would be good!

Alison looked around the spacious room, starting to genuinely wonder if she was going to be well acquainted with the floor when Saaya went and opened up the closet, pulling.. some old futons from the closet... Well... it was better than nothing. "Yay! See, I'm already glad I brought you along. I wouldn't have even looked in the closet." She said with a sigh. She walked over and grinned, not sure how to express her appreciation.

"Hm...." She looked around... Not quite a modern hotel room in terms of things to do... might as well just come back to sleep. "Now... food? Baths? Bring food to baths?" She asked, tipping her head a little, feeling her stomach start to growl.

"Mhm! I'm...not as familiar with the modern world aside from what you've explained to me, but when in the Rukon this is what you'll get. Beds like what you described don't really show up here...unless you're insanely wealthy I suppose...but, yes!

The futons are at least designed for comfort, and will provide you with plenty of warmth for sleep." He explained with a smile, the brightness having never dimmed from it to begin with as he moved to pull them out.

It was likely best to get them set up now so there wouldn't be any trouble in doing so after the bath, just unroll it and straighten out the blankets.

As Alison contemplated food and the bath he went about getting them both laid out.

"It would likely be simpler to have the food brought up here, I can go down if you'd like to let them know what to bring?" That way Alison could get comfortable with the room and relax. Most foods here were entirely Japanese cuisine, Saaya luckily already knew his favorites so deciding on what he wanted was no ordeal! "Know what you might like?"

She sighed. But she WAS insanely wealthy... was it too much to ask to have a nice bed? Well... she couldn't complain too much. She didn't have to live here... Saaya did.. She nodded, looking at the futon with a little frown. Oh well... Maybe if she could find blankets.... besides, she'd be pretty warm once she got down to that bath.

"O-Oh!" She placed her hand to her mouth, frowning and thinking. She really didn't know a lot of classic Japanese cuisine like this... She didn't want to make guesswork of it. "Umm... J-Just... bring me whatever you think is the best!" She said, reaching through her pockets and handing him some money. Too much for food. "Here!" She said with a bright smile.

Waiting until he knew what Alison wanted, or more so suggested, he gave a nod and accepted the money from her; "Alright, I'll be right back then, extra blankets and such should be in the closet as well! Same for pillows!"

Explaining that little bit he left the room to head back to the front desk. They would have a nice meal and then there would be nice baths waiting for after that. Comfort would be common tonight! He was happy to think that, no sleeping in trees necessary~

It took about twenty minutes before he obtained the food, but that was reasonable since he was waiting on it to be prepared. He held two trays in his hands after having paid what needed to be paid before he began his walk back to the room.

He'd gotten some takoyaki, some odango, udon since it was a fairly common dish, some gyoza, and his favorite okonomiyaki~

It seemed like a lot, but he also ate a decent bit, plus...he wanted to be sure there would be something Alison would like!

"Baaack~!" He announced, sliding the door open with his foot before stepping inside.

Alison looked around, giving a heavy sigh once he'd left. Well, the room was nice at least, if void of entertainment. She walked over to the closet and opened it. She tipped her head. It was... hardly what she would have preferred in a mattress.... Hrm... She tipped her head a little further, looking at the bundles in there... W..Well....

When Saaya entered the room again, there she was, laying atop not one or two, but ALL of the futons stacked atop one another, with an additional layer of pillows for added effect, snuggled up to most of the blankets. She looked up when he entered, face lighting up at the sight of the food.

"Ah! You're here! Come, come. You may enter Chateau Lauregarde." She said with a smirk. She'd gotten a bit goofy with it... she had considered making a blanket tent but thought better of it.