VOICETESTING. ❶ pick a character. ❷ leave a prompt. (also accepting tflns) ❸ help me write this character via threading. ❹ laugh at my shortcomings. ❺ i'm probably going to be worst at spike if that's appealing.
[ there are very, very serious downsides to losing a good portion of the bounties they go after. the biggest, most identifiable downside of this is having no money. and the biggest downside to having no money, in spike's mind, is the fact that the majority of their food sucks. a lot. (no but seriously who does he have to murder to get some fuckin' beef in the bell peppers and beef like that's just part of the recipe are you kidding me.)
spike does not stoop to stealing the stash of money that he knows faye is going to blow at the casino and/or on formalwear that she does not need. instead, he is no stranger to dining and dashing. it's super rude, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, and sometimes he's just forgetful enough to be charming and get out of a check with no dashing involved.
so that's what's going on here, in this tiny little cafe on earth that's abuzz with young women as servers. the tea is too sweet but it's hot and it's nourishing; that's enough. the pancakes, on the other hand.
he takes a bite. and through a mouthful: ]
They're stale.
[ witness: the saddest bounty hunter.
he reaches across the table for the syrup, and propping his chin up with his hand, he sadly dumps half the pot onto the pancakes. ]
[mirai doesn't dine and dash, despite the fact that she barely has any money to feed herself and her anemia 98% of the time. in fact, she's inside this tiny cafe only because of the money that akihito lent her. it's not much, but it's definitely enough to hold her over until she can kill another youmu.
she's only a table away from the man that looks much too depressed to be eating the food. sure, it's a little bad, and maybe a bit stale, but it's cheap food and mirai is going to eat as much as possible.
she doesn't normally stare, but something about this guy is weirdly entertaining, along with the fact that his mere disappointment annoys her. be grateful for your kind of bad food!!!
watch out spike, there's a 4'9" girl staring at you.]
[ it's not that he's depressed, he just really wants some good food. but this will have to do, he supposes, and besides - if he doesn't at least look appreciative, that means he's going to get stuck with the bill. not that he has much problem with leaving it unpaid, but at the same time - he's been dealing with being shortchanged for a while.
shortchanged meaning here that criminals just kind of die before the money can be collected, but same basic principle. he's not getting paid.
he shovels another bite of pancakes in his mouth, plate overflowing with syrup, before he can feel a pair of eyes on him and his own eyes dart over to look. she sure is tiny. he keeps chewing and draws his eyebrows together. he eats slowly. hold on, hold on - ]
Haven't your parents ever told you it's impolite to stare?
[mirai holds his stare as he questions her, refusing to answer him right away. mostly, she just wants to look him over, see where he comes from. she's never seen this man before in her life, but there was certainly a certain air about him that made her curious. he's human, that's for sure, but ...]
How unpleasant.
[is her one and only response before she averts her eyes, lips forming a straight line. mirai has a funny feeling about him. is he going to leave without paying? he's acting strange as he eats. who puts that much syrup on pancakes, anyway? was he covering up the taste?]
[ totally human, totally masking the taste, and totally staring right back at her for a moment, fork hovering over his plate, another bite dangling off the end of it. the syrup drips languidly off before he sighs and shoves it into his mouth. ]
Pretty much. You'd think a place like this would know what they were doing.
[ but she's looked away, and that makes him frown, expression confused. that's a weird semi-examination if he ever saw one, and it dawns on him that maybe she wasn't talking about the food.
[ she's heard about the book. the boy has it, talks about it incessantly, and tinkerbell is endlessly frustrated that she's never been able to actually get her hands on it. but she finds a copy of peter pan in the library - a battered old thing, and a script as opposed to a novel - and through a series of events, finds herself back in the enchanted forest after a few decades in possession of the thin little book.
so really, without wings, and without a "mother superior" to breathe down her neck at every opportunity, she takes a moment to thumb through it, her own name catching her eye.
she's distinctly less excited when she realizes that her fictional persona is nothing more than a light. ]
[ A princess who refuses her title is rather unusual, she realizes. Technically, being married to a prince and all, she is a princess but Ella insists on being called the Court Linguist. She's decent at diplomacy, as far as one can go with the more civil breed of ogres. They do exist, in small pockets, though the voracious appetites are still a family trait. Understandably, she and her crew cut that visit short.
They're busy replacing or fixing a broken carriage wheel when Ella decides to wander off, velvet green hood over her head, not caring about the state of her clothes. Of course, with that kind of attitude, even a princess still stumbles, her dress now caught on a thorny patch. ]
[ she's not supposed to have the book. by all rights, the book should've disappeared. and the last thing she needs is to be taunted about it, and she may have her magic back, but she's still got a bite to her. mocking is something that she won't stand for.
so when she hears the stumble, tinkerbell practically throws the book. drops it, really, but there's some force behind it as it lands nearby the rock she'd found herself perched on. ] Who's there?!
It's - I was just passing through. [ Ella says calmly, though she's a second away from just ripping the skirt in two. Why does this always happen to her? Blessedly, they do not judge her so harshly, for Char loves her the way she is. Still, she had hoped she would grow out of this awkwardness. ]
I'm caught, that's all. I'll be out of you way as soon as possible.
You're pretty far from an palace. [ because, judging from her attire, that's exactly where she belongs. tink regards her from a distance, crossing her arms and clearing her throat. there's a pause before she gestures towards the roots of one of the trees. ]
I'm just on my way back - [ Ella almost starts to question why she would make such an assumption but - oh, of course. She looks sheepish. ]
I'm still not used to wearing dresses like this, but this is my first time visiting that kingdom ... [ Lips pursed, she gently tugs the fabric in the indicated direction, working some twigs out of the lace detail. ]
Oh, for heaven's sake. [ tinkerbell doesn't mean to be short, or judgmental (or does she? does she really?), but she frowns and takes a step forward, assisting the woman with the lace of her dress.
in theory, she could just magic the stuff out of it, but still. she might have confidence, but that doesn't mean she's not almost wary that her ability was a one-time fluke. ]
They just left you to traipse through the woods? Carriages are something that exist.
Mine's under repairs. A weak wheel in the mud, all that. [ Ella waves it off.
She's normally capable of removing it herself but she's ruined the last dress she wore on a diplomatic mission and while Char found it to be hilarious, her ladies in waiting did not agree with him. ] I'm not always like this, though you probably won't believe me. Mandy, my fairy guardian, she, uh, she would be quite furious with me if I returned unkempt.
[ No, she still needs a lot of help. Besides, honesty is a lot more favorable than people fawning over her just because of who she married. ]
She'd rather not put anymore spells on me than necessary. [ A brief grimace. ] Mostly, I'd rather do things myself, clean myself up and all of that. It's rather frustrating for the staff, but that is simply how I was raised.
[ it's been well-established that spike is not fond of children. no, not even teenage superhackers, either. not even a little bit.
especially not when they do things like, i don't know. change the channel.
did she even change the channel? spike can't answer that. one moment, he's watching big shot, getting actual, pertinent information, and the next there are redheaded mermaids swimming across his screen and talking fish and god, this movie's almost 100 years old, isn't it? he can tell by the music. this is ridiculous.
he scowls over at her as he reclines on the couch. ]
[except she, you know, did. they watch Big Shot all the time, and she's tired of it. for one afternoon, then, she made the executive decision that she would take over. he can complain all he wants, she'll just stick her tongue out at him and turn back to the TV.
the mermaid on screen is singing about she wants to go to the surface, and Ed frowns.]
How does she breathe in water? No gills.
[she pats her cheeks for emphasis. fish have gills, she had learned this a long time ago on Earth when someone had tried to keep a fish as a pet and it almost died.]
[ so it's not real. lazily, spike's eyes flick over to ed and he sighs oh-so drearily. he's one to talk about imaginary things, given his subconscious going at a mile a minute.
those are memories. those are different.
but, regardless, no need for gills. that's disney magic, right there, plain for all of space to see! ]
[it's important that the pretty mermaid doesn't drown, because she's got to go meet her friend again. a very simple thing for Ed, and Spike not being concerned and not seeing this makes her frustrated. she pulls her knees up to her chest, and her question is answered when the evil octopus pulls her voice out-so it's in the voice, okay.
second question, though, once the movie's gone on longer.]
She's not gonna drown, it's a kids' movie. [ he grumbles, but you don't see him moving from his place on the couch, do you? he doesn't exactly watch with rapt attention, but it's enough to keep him from being entirely idle. or, you know. walking off to go hit a punching bag. ]
A note to who? Teen rebels don't exactly see the point of giving their dads notice like that.
[ what he doesn't say is it's a good question. there's probably some weird character choice answer for it - maybe - but he's not exactly one for analyzing animation. ]
[congratulations you actually got her to stop and think about it.
truthfully?]
No.
[this is delivered after what looks like pondering really hard about it-it's hard to pay attention to the movie and to think about such serious questions at the same time! at least when Edward's not actually trying to multitask.]
he'd totally enjoy this movie a lot more if she weren't around, but really, it's basic plot structure. which he's not terribly familiar with, but he does know how to keep things interesting, at the very least. ]
[she settles down after that, watching more peacefully-or at least as peacefully as the term implies with her usual fidgeting, and laughing out loud at whatever she finds funny. when it ends, she has a new goal in mind.]
Spike! Spike! Let's go to the sea. With Faye and Jet and Ein!
[because she can look for mermaids, and if she sees one, everyone should see it too.]
What? No. [ that's the stupidest thing he's ever heard. besides, mermaids aren't real (though, let's be real - if someone can genetically alter people to turn into apes? mermaids can totally be real). ] We're not gonna change the course so you can go to the beach.
[ this is why cartoons suck. ]
Just go lay out in the sun when we land. It's the same thing.
Like doing my job?[ ROUND UP CRIMINALS GET MONEY ] Making sure I actually get the information I need to do that.[ and here look he's changing the channel back. where is big shot. where did it go in an hour and a half. ]
Is that seriously all the gratitude we're gonna get? We let you stay here, and all you do is want to take a vacation. Next thing I know, you and Faye will be ganging up on us.
[and there she goes, out of his personal space, in the direction of where Jet will be. of course, she's going to rephrase it to be "the next time we get a bounty out by the beach can we go to the ocean" which is an entirely OTHER question, but regardless.]
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spike idec come at me
THIS IS GONNA BE TERRIBLE
spike does not stoop to stealing the stash of money that he knows faye is going to blow at the casino and/or on formalwear that she does not need. instead, he is no stranger to dining and dashing. it's super rude, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, and sometimes he's just forgetful enough to be charming and get out of a check with no dashing involved.
so that's what's going on here, in this tiny little cafe on earth that's abuzz with young women as servers. the tea is too sweet but it's hot and it's nourishing; that's enough. the pancakes, on the other hand.
he takes a bite. and through a mouthful: ]
They're stale.
[ witness: the saddest bounty hunter.
he reaches across the table for the syrup, and propping his chin up with his hand, he sadly dumps half the pot onto the pancakes. ]
GOOD
she's only a table away from the man that looks much too depressed to be eating the food. sure, it's a little bad, and maybe a bit stale, but it's cheap food and mirai is going to eat as much as possible.
she doesn't normally stare, but something about this guy is weirdly entertaining, along with the fact that his mere disappointment annoys her. be grateful for your kind of bad food!!!
watch out spike, there's a 4'9" girl staring at you.]
no subject
shortchanged meaning here that criminals just kind of die before the money can be collected, but same basic principle. he's not getting paid.
he shovels another bite of pancakes in his mouth, plate overflowing with syrup, before he can feel a pair of eyes on him and his own eyes dart over to look. she sure is tiny. he keeps chewing and draws his eyebrows together. he eats slowly. hold on, hold on - ]
Haven't your parents ever told you it's impolite to stare?
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How unpleasant.
[is her one and only response before she averts her eyes, lips forming a straight line. mirai has a funny feeling about him. is he going to leave without paying? he's acting strange as he eats. who puts that much syrup on pancakes, anyway? was he covering up the taste?]
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Pretty much. You'd think a place like this would know what they were doing.
[ but she's looked away, and that makes him frown, expression confused. that's a weird semi-examination if he ever saw one, and it dawns on him that maybe she wasn't talking about the food.
wow, fuck this though. ]
( tink )
I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WILL WORK BUT IT'S GOING TO WORK
so really, without wings, and without a "mother superior" to breathe down her neck at every opportunity, she takes a moment to thumb through it, her own name catching her eye.
she's distinctly less excited when she realizes that her fictional persona is nothing more than a light. ]
Creative.
IT WILL WORK
They're busy replacing or fixing a broken carriage wheel when Ella decides to wander off, velvet green hood over her head, not caring about the state of her clothes. Of course, with that kind of attitude, even a princess still stumbles, her dress now caught on a thorny patch. ]
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so when she hears the stumble, tinkerbell practically throws the book. drops it, really, but there's some force behind it as it lands nearby the rock she'd found herself perched on. ] Who's there?!
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I'm caught, that's all. I'll be out of you way as soon as possible.
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Might wanna pull it from there, first.
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I'm still not used to wearing dresses like this, but this is my first time visiting that kingdom ... [ Lips pursed, she gently tugs the fabric in the indicated direction, working some twigs out of the lace detail. ]
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in theory, she could just magic the stuff out of it, but still. she might have confidence, but that doesn't mean she's not almost wary that her ability was a one-time fluke. ]
They just left you to traipse through the woods? Carriages are something that exist.
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She's normally capable of removing it herself but she's ruined the last dress she wore on a diplomatic mission and while Char found it to be hilarious, her ladies in waiting did not agree with him. ] I'm not always like this, though you probably won't believe me. Mandy, my fairy guardian, she, uh, she would be quite furious with me if I returned unkempt.
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Mandy? [ a frown as she tries to recall the name. ] Never met her. Why can't she just fix you herself?
[ a pause. a perfect place for "NOT THAT YOU NEED FIXING" but tinkerbell's just gonna keep it real. ]
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She'd rather not put anymore spells on me than necessary. [ A brief grimace. ] Mostly, I'd rather do things myself, clean myself up and all of that. It's rather frustrating for the staff, but that is simply how I was raised.
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[ but hey, props for the independent streak, even if tink is slightly wary that it isn't going to go well at all, whatsoever. ]
...Do you need help?
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[ With a swift tug, she hears only a tiny rip in her dress and, frankly, that's fine. ]
I'm sorry, I've been so impolite, talking about my troubles. I'm Ella of Kyrria, ah, formally of Frell.
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[ and a nod. if she's okay with the rip, she won't offer to fix it. besides; she doesn't even know if she actually has the ability.
so she nods, a little awkwardly. ]
Fairy, actually.
who the eff do you think
I DIDN'T FORGET ABOUT THIS also i am sorry if this doesn't work
especially not when they do things like, i don't know. change the channel.
did she even change the channel? spike can't answer that. one moment, he's watching big shot, getting actual, pertinent information, and the next there are redheaded mermaids swimming across his screen and talking fish and god, this movie's almost 100 years old, isn't it? he can tell by the music. this is ridiculous.
he scowls over at her as he reclines on the couch. ]
I was watching that.
[ stop whining, spike. ]
IT'S PERFECT shhh
[except she, you know, did. they watch Big Shot all the time, and she's tired of it. for one afternoon, then, she made the executive decision that she would take over. he can complain all he wants, she'll just stick her tongue out at him and turn back to the TV.
the mermaid on screen is singing about she wants to go to the surface, and Ed frowns.]
How does she breathe in water? No gills.
[she pats her cheeks for emphasis. fish have gills, she had learned this a long time ago on Earth when someone had tried to keep a fish as a pet and it almost died.]
;;;;
[ so it's not real. lazily, spike's eyes flick over to ed and he sighs oh-so drearily. he's one to talk about imaginary things, given his subconscious going at a mile a minute.
those are memories. those are different.
but, regardless, no need for gills. that's disney magic, right there, plain for all of space to see! ]
Not exactly a nature documentary.
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[it's important that the pretty mermaid doesn't drown, because she's got to go meet her friend again. a very simple thing for Ed, and Spike not being concerned and not seeing this makes her frustrated. she pulls her knees up to her chest, and her question is answered when the evil octopus pulls her voice out-so it's in the voice, okay.
second question, though, once the movie's gone on longer.]
Why didn't she write a note?
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A note to who? Teen rebels don't exactly see the point of giving their dads notice like that.
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[then she would be able to tell him she was a mermaid and she saved him and this mess that was going on would be easier.]
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[ what he doesn't say is it's a good question. there's probably some weird character choice answer for it - maybe - but he's not exactly one for analyzing animation. ]
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[the most patronizing look she can muster headed to spike]
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HE WOULDN'T BE.
he was totally worried they were going to eat her crab friend, okay. ]
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truthfully?]
No.
[this is delivered after what looks like pondering really hard about it-it's hard to pay attention to the movie and to think about such serious questions at the same time! at least when Edward's not actually trying to multitask.]
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[ he guesses.
he'd totally enjoy this movie a lot more if she weren't around, but really, it's basic plot structure. which he's not terribly familiar with, but he does know how to keep things interesting, at the very least. ]
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Spike! Spike! Let's go to the sea. With Faye and Jet and Ein!
[because she can look for mermaids, and if she sees one, everyone should see it too.]
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[ this is why cartoons suck. ]
Just go lay out in the sun when we land. It's the same thing.
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[you do know she could hack the Bebop again and change course herself, right. that's if she got upset enough.]
Spike, please? Pleeeeeeeeease? Sometime soon? Please?
[GETTING INTO HIS PERSONAL SPACE.]
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he frowns and reels back, practically leaning over the armrest of the sofa. ]
...Go whine to Jet about it, Ed. I have better things to do.
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[give her a solid reason.]
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[which means you can take a few hours out of your day to watch a kids' movie.]
...If the next bad guy is by the ocean do we get to go?
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Is that seriously all the gratitude we're gonna get? We let you stay here, and all you do is want to take a vacation. Next thing I know, you and Faye will be ganging up on us.
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[vacation implies several days. she just wants one. how is that unreasonable.]
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spike scowls, eyes trained on ed for a long moment.
a long moment.
he sighs, seeming, perhaps, like he's going to relent, but instead: ]
Ask Jet.
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[and there she goes, out of his personal space, in the direction of where Jet will be. of course, she's going to rephrase it to be "the next time we get a bounty out by the beach can we go to the ocean" which is an entirely OTHER question, but regardless.]