Scene #1406: Lunch Debt

Owner	Pose
Dominic Masoch	Dominic owes Kyra lunch from forever ago. Long enough that he doesn't remember how he incurred the debt (nor does the player), but he intends to finally make good on that. And so he has invited Kyra out into Chocobo during one of the slower days to meet up with him. The meeting place he chose is a small, hidden-away Bistro in a low-traffic area of the city. It's quiet, the food smells pretty good, and the prices are are amazing. Dominic himself is dressed slightly more casual than usual, wearing a simple button-up shirt and slacks. He even left the sword at home today so there's no incentive to work.
Kyra Hyral	Unfortunately for Dominic, Kyra does remember what precisely resulted in Dominic making that promise. In the end, though, that didn't matter very much to her. He made the promise and every now and then, she would remind him of this obligation. It had become rather fun teasing him about it, in fact, so she's almost kind of sad when he makes good on the promise. For this meeting, Kyra has opted to come in the clothing that Tomoyo had made for her for the commercial. There are quite a few similarities between that and what she normally wears-with the exception of the ditching of the skirt for black-dyed jeans. The hoodie itself, though retaining the moogle design, sports a caudeceus on the back instead of an image of Diabolos. Upon arriving, Kyra eyes up Dominic and grins a little. "Going a bit more incognito than usual, Mister Black Sheep?" she teases.
Dominic Masoch	"Mister Black Sheep, huh? High teasing coming from Miss Hopes-To-Be-Disowned," Dominic notes, giving her a smile to show he's joking. Then he does look down at his own outfit, "I simply figured I would be less tempted by external stimuli if I were not dressed as a Fencer, so to speak." Translation: I won't be able to run off and chase bounties if I'm not in uniform and I'm unarmed. "Speaking of: Those new clothes Tomoyo made you are very nice, you look lovely in them," He reaches towards the door of the bistro and holds it open for her, "So what have you done with your week?"
Kyra Hyral	Kyra grins back, not at all offended at the moniker that Dominic has attached to her. There was nothing but truth in it, after all. "Ahhh, I see. Well good, not having your undivided attention was what got you into this mess to begin with, you know." Maybe that would jog Dominic's memory! Her smile brightens as he mentions the clothes, "Oh, thank you." she titters, "I really like them, Tomoyo is some kind of clothing wizard. You should see the commercials she made...sadly I think mine's the most boring." She steps through the door. "Eh, not all that much. Got caught up in some distraction meant to help Lute steal some mirror thing. Then yesterday I went to help someone from the Syndicate do a salvage and...uh, a necromancer-black mage named Lezard showed up and ruined EVERYTHING. His magic might have messed me up, I dunno." She folds her arms, "What about you? What have you been up to this week?"
Dominic Masoch	That does make it click! The Day of Promised Victory, right? He hopes. ._. "Yes, well! I would not want to make the same error twice and leave such a lovely lady wanting for my attention," Dominic smiles to her. Internally: Wow, that was dorky. It sounded way cooler in my head. When Kyra steps in the place has a middling crowd, but they're able to be led to a quiet booth in the corner and given menus. It has the usual array of sandwiches one would expect from a bistro cafe, "Really? That sounds like an immensely busy week. Messed up how? Are you going to be okay?" Dominic leans in with a look of worry. "I had a low week. Mostly training around campus, I didn't deploy into the Multiverse too much. I am supposed to go back to that fox woman's village later this week," Dominic notes, looking over a menu.
Kyra Hyral	Dominic is correct! The Victory Day celebration was where it happened. Kyra makes a noice between a snicker and a giggle, likely cementing Dominic's thought that he just sounded very dorky in that very moment. It doesn't seem like she has anything else to offer over that comment either. There's a bit of relief on Kyra's face when it turns out that they can snag a booth. She really didn't want to eat at a table in the middle of the bistro today. "Immensely? Well, between those things and classes, yeah, I guess it was pretty busy, huh...oh. Um." She frowns, "I'm not sure what caused it, but I've been hearing whispers and seeing teeth in the darkness. They kind of remind me of something I've seen before but I can't put my finger on what. I...have some guesses though." She leans over the table and whispers something quietly to Dominic, keeping her voice very, very low, and for good reason. It sounds like something along the lines of 'it reminds me of of stories I've heard about those tempted by The Enemy.' But enough about those...troubling things. Kyra rests her elbows on the table, looking over the menu and listening to Dominic speak. "Busy improving your Bounty Score I bet." She looks up from her menu, "Back to the village? To do what?"
Dominic Masoch	At least she laughed, so there's that. It's like he told Landon: He's a Sword Saint, not a Word Saint. So this is hard for him. Plus he's in some uncharted waters. "Whispers and teeth, truly?" He whispers across the table to her, leaning in, "Have you spoken to your parents or the church about any sort of purification or warding?" He asks cautiously. He knows she isn't on the best terms with her own family, but surely they'd set that aside for something so ominous. He leans back when she's done whispering and he rubs a hand under his chin, "Actually, it was unrelated to the Bounty Board. I was working on commissioning some gifts for this upcoming holiday the Multiverse celebrates." He waves a hand dismissively a moment later, "As to the village, I was asked to cross swords with one of their warriors as a way to test my blade skills. I was interested in one their village's sword and wished to wield it. I suppose it is part of a test."
Kyra Hyral	"...no, no I haven't." Kyra speaks quietly, a troubled look on her face. "If I talk to them about that I...I'm not sure the consequences would be good. My parents follow Cosma Naturalis, meaning they're /the worst/." She looks back down at her menu, still frowning, "Maybe there's something our extraversal allies can do about it. Parents are a super, ultra last resort." She looks up from the menu, suddenly interested, "The upcoming holiday? You mean the Valentine's Day? Oh yeah, I'm all ready to celebrate that!" Kyra beams brightly. "Oh, huh, another swordfight. Maybe I'll come watch. -if I have time, that is, dunno what this next week is going to look like. ...though by the way, I've been meaning to get the full story on this. Where's this Black Sheep rep come from? You're like upstanding and law enforcement...y."
Dominic Masoch	"Hey," Dominic says when Kyra goes quiet and frowns, looking at her menu. He reaches out and tries to figure out which route to take. He opts for cupping her cheek with one palm, unless she pulls back. He gives her a smile, "It will work out. I will help you however I can, too." He pulls his hand back a moment later, casually asking as he reads his menu, "Yes, that one. It seems to be an interesting holiday. Anyone in particular you're looking at to celebrate it with?" He's quick to divert it to a new topic, not wanting to seem too focused on it, "You may accompany me if you wish. It is this coming Whyday. Or Thursday as the Multiverse calls it." Her next question causes him to pause. His explanation is quiet, mostly out of some level of embarassment. "Ah, that. You know how Landon is... skilled in negotiation, an excellent diplomat, unrivalled in politics, and capable of navigating the tense political terrain of Ramuhan politics? I am... not," He thinks it over, "I have unpopular opinions, I am terrible at social delicacies, and I prefer to get to the heart of the matter more than play the Ramuhan political games," He gives a slightly sad smile, "All the things that you and the Academy take as positive traits: A belief in equal rules enforcement, a strong commitment to justice, and wishing to help where I can? In Ramuhan politics any one of those traits is political suicide." "When I was younger, I made friends with a very low-class girl whose family owned a small shop. My family was angry and attempted to cover up my friendship as a kidnapping attempt," He embarassedly looks at the table, "The al Cids stopped that, but it cemented my distaste for the born nobility, as well as my friendship with Landon. I carried that forward into how you see me act now, the personality traits and the ways I act. I wish to be famed and revered, but for my deeds and not for my birth. This makes me a risk as an heir and undesirable for marriage among political families." He lets out an embarassed laugh after explaining all that, "Ah heh..."
Kyra Hyral	In those few moments, she seems wrapped up in her thoughts, either wondering how her family might react if they had tangible proof she was Chaos-touched or trying to decide on what to eat. Her green eyes are intense but give no hints to which may be the truth. That look fades when Dominic reaches out and makes contact, replaced with surprise. She doesn't pull away at the rather tender gesture and instead lifts a hand to place over top of his for a few seconds. Then the moment passes with the barest hint of fluster from Kyra. "Celebrate it with? Oh, I could sure come up with a few names." she laughs nervously. "Whether any will want to return the favor, I have no idea! It'll come down to when I ask later." There's a bit of nervous laughter and she appreciates the sudden quick topic change. "Whyday, huh. I might be free then, I'd have to check-by the way, someone coded an app to convert the dates, real helpful, that." She pulls out her phone, presumably to do some checking, and scrolls through until he starts answering that second question she's been wondering about for a while now. After all, Dominic appeared to be an entirely okay noble to her-though in not being one herself (well, not /really/) she didn't really comprehend the extent of the lack of control they have over their own lives an opinions. Though in getting to know Landon, better, her comprehension is getting there. In a way, she's thankful she doesn't have to shoulder the burden. "I always thought unpopular opinions would be tolerated if you were born...well, I guess 'high' enough. Sounds like it isn't. But that sucks with the girl, it's dumb you just can't be friends with anyone but I know why people do it. They're /afraid/ because they're /different/ and since they're different if you hang around them you might start thinking differently." She takes a breath and smirks at him cheekily. "Do you really want an arranged political marriage to some stuck-up hussy anyway? That shit never works out. It's why you here so many stories about so and so getting caught with a mistress or man on the side. Honestly, you're better off not getting married, period!"
Dominic Masoch	"I am sure any guy lucky enough to be asked by you will eagerly return the favor. I certainly would. Though be careful around Landon, his has been a stressful series of social mishaps in such an arena lately," Dominic cautions to her, while also dropping a hint about himself. "I've been meaning to pick up that app. You're under no obligation to come with me, so don't stress yourself to make it," He notes, making a mental note to seriously go do that on his phone. He'd do it now, but he doesn't wanna be too rude at the table. "It's surprisingly the opposite," He says to Kyra, "The more influence you have, the more peer pressure and social stigma there is to protect the status quo. Only the al Cid Dynasty can truly get away with having a stance that removes power from the nobility. For the nobility, any sign of weakness can be exploited for political gain." Her LAST comment is embarassing. And he flushes slightly red in the face, "Ah, that... I have little interest in an arranged marriage. But the idea of marriage on its own does not seem so bad," He thinks for a moment, "I'd prefer to marry for love, if at all." But then Kyra gets the counter-question, "And what of yourself? Surely the Hyral family wants to arrange a marriage for you." A waiter has, at some point, arrived to take their order. Dominic just orders a sandwich and a soda.
Kyra Hyral	Kyra also seems on board with getting a sandwhich and soda. Hooray for OTHER PEOPLE cooking for her! "...man. Landon. As...much fun as it would be to go do something with him on Valentine's Day um...well if this holiday catches on, a lot of people are going to ask him. And...well the short of it is I'm pretty sure I don't stand a chance with the guy. So I'm not going to ask him." She shrugs, clearly a little disappointed by her own conclusion, only to quickly follow it up with, "I don't want him getting his Ramuha Politics all over me /anyway/." Kyra shoves her phone back into the front pocket of her hoodie and lifts a hand, brushing the hood back behind her. "That seems quite counterintuitive. People at the top should be able to set whatever status quo they want. Though I guess there are /some/ benefits to that...but not really given how jerk-y nobles and magnates tend to be." She pauses at Dominic's words about marriage. She seems to be about to say something but holds off. Fortunately, there is a follow-up question on that and a dark look falls upon her face. "Everyone in my family has an arranged marriage. It is tradition for the parents to pick the most suitable wife or husband. Usually with the goal of furthering the spread of Cosma. My six other brothers and sisters had them. It's only down to me and Alma. I'm not sure who they want Alma to marry but-" she pauses, then leans over the table, hooking one of her fingers in Dominic's collar as she pulls him close to her over the table. "-you don't spread this to anyone else, alright?" "They want me to take Tira's place with Souji. It's disgusting." She lets him go and leans back in her seat. "I'm not sure how serious they are about it but it seems serious enough to make Souji extra cold towards me."
Dominic Masoch	Landon's out. For as much as Landon is his best friend, Dominic can't help but internally celebrate. Besides, Landon has the Cirra-Cassandra thing to deal with, "Well whomever you do ask will be very lucky." He gets hooked by the collar and brought in, looking around slightly as he listens to her words. He's still pretty calm about it, "Not a soul." He confirms before hearing her words about her and Souji. He makes a slight face as he leans back. "I have never met Alma personally, but I have heard a little about her. She's the one with glasses, right? Little..." He pauses, trying to think of a good way to phrase it, "... unsteady in her footing? She seems a lovely girl." That's a good euphamish for klutzy. Chances are, his family had (at least once) tried to reach out to the Hyrals to arrange a marriage with one of Kyra's siblings and gotten turned down. "With Souji, though. I am sorry to hear that. I am honestly surprised the Hyral family would trust him with another marriage," Dominic says, trying to remain diplomatic about it, "It would explain the tension of late, though."
Kyra Hyral	"...huh." Kyra pauses for a moment, looking at Dominic thoughtfully. A smirk forms on her face. "You think so, huh?" Keeping that grin, she doesn't say anything else on that subject. "Yeah, that's her. One year younger than Tira. I'm surprised they haven't sent her to Alexander Academy yet like all my other siblings." Inwardly, she's glad that they haven't. She doesn't want another person spying on her. But poor, poor Dominic. After much debate, he was turned down. Not that Masoch Communications isn't a worth and tempting alliance. "I was surprised too but...thinking about it...I think it's meant to be an insult. Both to Murasame and me. I've got this reputation as the un-Cosma Hyral. The wayward soul. Whatever horrible thing my mom is saying these days. I'm a poor replacement for Tira. But I think Murasame loses face if they refuse. It's hard to say no to the Church, especially the Hyrals." Kyra leans forward and rubs the sides of her forehead with her fingers. "Short of being disowned, I'm not sure how to get out of it. So. Um. Let's....talk about something else." She smiles weakly, "So do your parents know about your...um, special ability?"
Dominic Masoch	"Yeah, I think so," He says, awkwardly avoiding her thoughtful gaze and rubbing his hands together in a slightly nervous gesture. "I do not know why she is not, but. Perhaps they believe you will be a foul corrupting force upon her," He wiggles his fingers in a slightly teasing gesture. He smiles a bit, trying to couch her sadness in a gentle joke. He reaches forward to take her hands away from her temples, clasping them in his own and squeezing them, "Try not to worry too much about it. I am certain it will work out for you, Kyra." He pauses awkwardly, "Ah. They are aware. They were hoping, if I had a second Job, it would be Merchant."
Kyra Hyral	Kyra laughs. "It's true, I would certainly try. I don't think I've been very close to Alma though. Might not work. Oh well, cross that bridge when we come to it!" At least that does seem to help her mood a little bit. With her hands in his, she looks up at Dominic and smiles. "...yeah. You're right. I think it will." She lets that moment hang for a moment, unaware as the food is delivered around them. It isn't until their waiter is gone that she continues on that particular second job subject. "...but your actual second Job is so much more impressive." Doesn't help with running the company though. "They should at least be proud of /that/. Ugh. Parents."
Dominic Masoch	He releases her hands when the food is delivered and she goes on top talking about his second job. He reaches down and picks up his sandwich, inspecting it as if making sure of something, before he takes a small bite and listens to her. "My second Job is wonderful for Law Enforcement. Or the Military. But very bad for running a business," Dominic lets out a gentle chuckle and says, "Were I anyone else's son, I'm sure I'd be the pride of the family," He jests. "So! Now you know my dark and terrible secret of why I am the unmarriable Black Sheep! Dominic Masoch, political anchor on the ambitions of girls and their families. Unlovable and destined to be alone," He says with a joking smile and a motion to hold the back of his hand for theatrics. "Anything else you want to know?" He wonders, before asking, "So what do you plan to do after Alexander Academy?"
Kyra Hyral	She's not sure what the close inspection of the sandwich was supposed to be all about, but she doesn't question it. Kyra, on the other hand, just digs in with little waiting and little ritual. "I had a feeling that might be the case. I mean, Cosmos /forbid/ you don't want to do the exact same thing your parents do!" Kyra rolls her eyes PRETTY HARD at that. "But really, a face like yours, forever alone? I sure don't see it. You might need to kick the system to the curb, though." Kyra winks. "Well I clearly know what your post-Alexander Academy plans are. But beyond swording and tracking down bounties what /do/ you do for fun? As for me, I'm going to get a PhD! Then...research!" Her eyes seem to glisten with excitement at the thought.
Dominic Masoch	Checking the sandwich was to look for visible poison or a razor. A far-flung paranoia, but you can never be too careful. "Just kick it to the curb, huh?" Dominic asks at Kyra playfully, "What if I DID do that and wound up liking a girl? What would I do then, without my regimented system of courtship and proper conduct?" His tone says he's joking. "Professional adventuring or law enforcement until I have to take over the company, yeah," He agrees with her, "I might see if I can get a job near the University to come bother my favorite Doctor White Mage. Maybe I'll just go crazy, find a cave on Odin, and sit there all day thinkin' about swords. Sky's the limit. Maybe I'll be an Extraversal Explorer." "Field Research, I hope," He says in response to her own plans, "I can't imagine you cooped up in a lab all day."
Kyra Hyral	"I think at that point you call it 'dating'. It's supposed to be some thing that regular people get to do with people that they /like/. True story, I read about it on MogNet, which never lies." Kyra shoots back cheekily. Nodding along, Kyra can't help but let out a laugh when Dominic ponders a future where he sits in a cave all day pondering SWORDS. "Extraversal Explorer would be cool, wouldn't it? With that gate there, so many possibilities have opened up." Gesturing with her half-eaten sandwich, she agrees, "Oh of course. Field research /and/ testing. Maybe I'll even contract with the Union. Maybe. I don't know about you but I don't see myself officially enlisting in it."
Dominic Masoch	"Oh, I see, it's just that easy, huh?" He wonders, looking over to her, "Just go..." He then looks her dead in the eyes, "Hey Kyra, would you like to go on a date with me?" He doesn't specify how serious that is. Instead he smoothly moves on: "The Extraverse is truly fascinating. Every time I go out, I encounter someone interesting or learn something new. It is such a wealth of experiences. I cannot wait to see more of it," He agrees with her, his own eyes glimmering with excitement at the idea of proving himself in the Extraverse. "I would not officially enlist, I think, but I would continue to ally myself and help where I can. A formal enlistment feels too much like an obligation," He adds, "And the last thing I need is more of those."
Kyra Hyral	"Yup, just that ea-" He looks her in the eyes and asks her. There's a long pause as she looks at him, "...just like that, yes-" she says before following up with, "-was that a real questio-" He moves on suddenly to talk about the Extraversal adventures she holds up a hand, "No no no, wait wait wait. Was that a real question? Were you really asking me out on a date? 'cause I'd answer yes if you were." Yeah she pretty much lets the conversation grind to a screeching halt with that.
Dominic Masoch	"I like you a lot," Dominic says awkwardly, rubbing at the back of his head with a hand. He's pretty nervous at the fact that she seems so flustered about it, though he gets a look of immense relief on his face when she says she'd say yes. "So yes, it is a serious question. I was not sure if you were involved with any one currently, so," He coughs slightly and is tempted to stuff his face with a sandwich to stop talking, but resists that urge. "Yes. I would like to go out with you. On a regular basis."
Kyra Hyral	"Oh /really/." Kyra looks excited, on the other hand, both at his admission of fondness and that it turns out to be s erious question after all. "I'm not involved with anyone...I mean...well not going to lie, I do have my crushes, but it's all one way stuff. No..." She gestures vaguely. Reciprocation? But then it turns out it's not just a date but perhaps /many/. She looks a bit more flustered at that. "Sure, Dominic." she says, trying to play it off with coolness.