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Post by Clove on Oct 9, 2020 0:37:30 GMT -8
Clove has done the previous endorsements and has enough rep to qualify. Frozen Tōrō Tea & Ice Two years after the island construction for the new food venue was finally complete, Clove did not hesitate to contact Director Cabbage to film another endorsement commercial, at a chance to go viral in time for the beginning of the World Martial Arts Tournament. Of course, just like at Daruma Tea & Coffee located in West City, she wanted to feature a specific drink that represented the endorsement, all the proceeds from this particular item would fund the event that was soon to arrive. The donkey beast man was setting up the camera jib, instructing his staff on what to do, and avoiding the harness of the sun in their test shoot due to the lack of palm trees. When he looked at the footage, the sand was reflecting too much light for his comfort zone of avoiding washed out footage, he took out his cell phone to call in a nearby nursery that specializes in providing film productions with all their plant needs. After negotiating the terms of their last minute contract, a boat would arrive with more palm trees, coconut palms, and pineapple shrubs giving the Tea Princess enough time to choose a featured drink. Clove stood behind the counter of Frozen Tōrō Tea & Ice, the island was converted to an outdoor paradise of several lounge style seating. One area was built right into the sand with hand loom woven throws to, fire pits in the center, and beautiful commissioned metal and glass lanterns shaped like Toro stone lanterns from the Western Lands. The design was Western land influence mixed with the southern island culture. The drinks she made herself, one at a time, filling the entire counter with everything that existed on the menu, for a grand total of fifty beverages. All of them were mixed with frozen slush or simply filled with ice cubes. By default all the drinks were non-alcoholic but could be ordered with a shot of alcohol for an extra kick. A sigh escaped her lips, she missed having Baccer, Zam, and Fenrir around to help her make a decision. While her sister also had good taste in cuisine, she would be in the same dilemma, which was she loved all the drinks and could not choose a single one. A commercial was not nearly long enough to showcase all these drinks, in order for the menu item to be popular, it needed to stand out from the rest of the menu. [408/8,000] @null
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2020 6:57:04 GMT -8
Ugh.
Money greased the wheels of the cog known as Earth culture. Everyone was obsessed with zeni: those who didn't have it despised those who did, and those who did have it obsessed with how to keep it and obtain more. It seemed to be the only thing on anyone's mind anymore.
Everyone's palms were dirty: greasy and stained. They betrayed each other, they undermined each other, and used each other as stepping stools to achieve their ultimate goal. None of them recognized or understood that it was leading this world down a true path of destruction despite all its beauty and potential. This was perhaps the most frustrating thing of all.
He, too, found himself in the helpless position of needing some financial stability. That made him more pitiful than the rest of them combined.
He missed Planet Vegeta.
He missed the strong warrior culture he'd grown to love and admire. Perhaps the galaxy thought them nothing more than brute warriors who usurped the planets of other species in a heartless fashion, but Barlei understood it was much more than that. Despite the Earthlings' obsession with money, he knew at every person's core they sought security and safety.
It was just too bad it was all driven by greed and a craving for power. He wasn't blind to the flaws of his people; he understood that their fall was ultimately inevitable. That was why the Saiyans born on Earth would thrive in ways those from the past would never achieve, and if he did not only learn to adapt to this culture, he would perish too.
But it wasn't all a loss.
Despite everything that happened with Brussels and playing a stunt double, it created opportunities he wouldn't otherwise enjoy.
He had never done well working with others. But if there was one thing this new life taught him, sometimes working with others was a necessity. More than once he rubbed others the wrong way. Though he didn't like it, this was about survival.
He was still a Saiyan elite, and what Saiyan warrior would pass up the chance to be entered into the World Martial Arts Tournament?
Fighting. It was the one solid thing he had left.
Barlei sighed with content as he relaxed on the beach. He laid with his bare feet just inches from the water, feeling the spray of foamy seawater each time a wave crashed into the shore. The sand beneath him warmed his back. His eyes wandered among the low hanging clouds that stretched as far as his eyes could see, azure skies spanning the horizon and playing host to the blazing sunlight.
He hadn't traveled very far or seen very much, but the Southern Islands were easily one of his favorite places to be. Director Cabbage had recruited him for yet another assignment: this time it was to film a commercial showcasing new island-themed drinks and sunny locales designed to boost sales and line the greedy director's pockets.
The Saiyan's first inclination was to decline the offer. What did island drinks have to do with fighting and being the strongest in the world? Until the director pointed out a few key facts: if Barlei did well, it was possible he could receive the director's endorsement and find himself entered into the tournament set to take place in a couple of years.
To further sweeten the pot, he would be filming said commercial with one of the lovely ladies from the Brussels job he worked.
Clove Tea.
It was impossible not to recognize the woman's face. Even more impossible not to stare: she had curves for days, and a coy smile that could occupy a man's thoughts for ages. If he played his cards right, he could get an endorsement and get to know this woman.
Too bad she made him nervous.
Barlei knew he couldn't avoid her forever. It was better to devise a game plan now rather than trying to improvise later. He could make it through this. He could get that endorsement. He just needed to treat this like another battle, and if there was one thing he was good at, it was strategy.
He rose from his place on the sand where he laid, several meters from where Clove stood at the bar mixing some odd looking drinks. Barlei reached up and lowered the goggles, covering his eyes. Maybe they were a fashion statement, or maybe he just looked like an idiot.
Coupled with his short sleeved island style shirt and khaki shorts, it was an odd ensemble but fitting for their sunny environment.
"Alright. Just like we practiced. Play it cool..." He muttered under his breath as he casually strolled over beneath the wide canopy, stepping down into the cool sandy pit to join her at the bar area.
He tried to smile casually, but it came out crooked and awkward.
"You're Clove Tea, right? I'm not really in the know, but I've seen your face plastered everywhere. You're a pretty popular broad, aren't ya?"
[835 of 835] words [1,243 of 8,000] mission total
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Post by Clove on Oct 9, 2020 13:22:26 GMT -8
After examining the drinks closely, Clove walked around the bar counter, she was wearing an appealing mini skirt which was typical to a mixologist, it had only been two weeks since the Brussulus shooting and her usual skin complexion was restored in the sunlight. The tea princess only needed to be in the sun for a week to achieve a magnificent tan again, her demonic blood restored her skin tone in less time than the average earthling, and she mused at the selection until Barlei walked over. The goggle wearing soldier helped Director Cabbage unload the camera jib, which normally took a crane to move, as well as other heavy filming equipment earlier. Clove was rather tall, so she was at eye level with this full blooded saiyan, she smiled at first when she listened to him speak. “Broad?” Clove laughed demurely, “I have been called many things outside of my family home. Princess. Duchess. Champion. Bitch...but broad is rather new. I am Clove Tea, a descendant of Oolong, otherwise I am the proud owner of this island and this is Frozen Tōrō Tea & Ice”To add to the effect of her last statement she outstretched her arm towards the drink stand, wiggling her fingers in a typical ta-da, and expected a reaction from the former soldier. After he displayed none, she placed her knuckles on the side of her hips, and nodded. “If you’re not amused at all, no one else will be, either. Remind me what your name was?” Clove waited for an answer then motioned over to the line of drinks across the counter, “Tell me, which drink appeals to you the most? Feel free to drink it, I need to choose one for the commercial, and I can make another. Perhaps with some alcohol?”[299] [1,542/8,000] @null Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2020 18:22:40 GMT -8
Clove's laughter rang out, clear as a crystal bell. No, scratch that—a whole chorus of bells.
It was light and pleasant, and seemed capable of lulling even the most vicious beast into a tranquil slumber. More than that—there was a hidden undercurrent of power as if a friendly suggestion could easily become a cultured command.
Barlei stared in unashamed fashion, a hint of a grin tugging at the corners of his own lips.
It felt like an odd victory to garner her attention in such a way. She hadn't paid him any mind when he was hauling that heavy camera setup earlier. Now with the full weight of her undivided attention, he felt a strange giddiness he was unaccustomed to.
A part of him screamed that she was a predator in disguise, yet the other part couldn't help but relish in the newfound attention.
Her laughter felt like an acceptance of his company.
"Uh, sorry." He rubbed the back of his head with a hand, feeling a tad embarrassed. "I guess 'broad' is the wrong word. 'Breed' seems pretty offensive to women too. I can't say I was ever one for languages."
It was a broad understatement. As a soldier, no one ever cared if he knew how to read or write and the truth was he never bothered to learn. All his superiors valued was his ability to fight, and if necessary, kill. No formal education for him.
Her titles intrigued him. It sounded like she was some sort of royalty, but the only royalty he acknowledged was long dead. She was no ruler of his, but there was no reason to be disrespectful. If his manners were memorable, maybe she'd remember him when the time came for endorsements.
"There's a lot more to you than meets the eye, isn't there? Princess is catchy, but I'll refer to you as Miss Clove from here on out if you don't mind."
There was no need to go overboard with it.
When Clove gestured toward the array of frozen teas along the bar top, Barlei stared blankly at them. It looked like a random assortment of oddly colored drinks. Nothing he'd be particularly interested in, and it seemed she got the memo.
Clove noted he did not seem amused at the presentation in the slightest, remarking that perhaps no one else would. Barlei shrugged. It wasn't that he found the selection boring, per say, but he wasn't sure what she expected of him.
Subverted expectations were his specialty.
"Sorry. I'm probably not the best person to ask about stuff like that. As far as my name, it's Barlei. I'm... not from around here, but I've come to really like these islands. Who knows? If I play my cards right with this commercial, I might can afford a place of my own."
Even as he said it, every part of his being rejected the notion. He didn't belong here.
This wasn't his home.
Clove insisted on his cooperation with the teas. She wanted him to try some and give his opinion. Barlei frowned.
"You're pretty persistent, aren't ya?" She didn't seem the type to accept 'no' for an answer. "Alright. Let's give a shot."
He slipped his hands into his pockets as he sauntered over to the bar.
Each drink seemed colorful and festive, each bearing the promise not to disappoint. Which one should he try? He glanced back over his shoulder, but Clove didn't offer any sense of direction—it seemed she wanted it to be all his choice.
Barlei returned his gaze to the drink selection. One in particular stood out: it boasted a silvery color and had a single leaf floating at the top, resting against the ice. It looked like the manliest drink available, so naturally it was his choice.
He hoisted the glass, lifting his goggles to get a better look.
"Here goes nothing." He tipped the drink to his lips. Cool and refreshing. Some hint of coconut flavor? Barlei smacked his lips as he lowered the glass. "Alright... not bad. I guess I could get used to this, though I'm accustomed to drinking hot sake."
An idea struck him. To his mind, it was pure gold.
"Why not add sake to one of your teas? I mean, I can't speak for everyone else, but personally I'd go for that."
He hoped his suggestion was helpful. But talk of teas grew boring, and Clove Tea was far too interesting to waste an opportunity like this. Barlei approached Clove with his new drink in hand, intent on digging deeper into the mysterious woman's persona.
"So how does someone come into owning an entire island? And their own drink company? I noticed even the big wigs in that production studio nearly crapped themselves trying to appease you. What's your deal, lady? Are you some special sort of famous?"
There was a time in his life when his status as an elite shaped the culture around him. Now it was lost to antiquity, and Clove seemed to hold all the important cards. Maybe he could learn something from her.
Maybe he could recapture some measure of his old life if he better understood how one garnered wealth and status in this new world. He just hoped it involved some measure of punching.
[886 of 1,721] words [2,428 of 8,000] mission total
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Post by Clove on Oct 9, 2020 22:54:19 GMT -8
Clove listened to Barlei explain himself, the way he spoke made him sound like a foreigner, but even more like an alien. The stoic demeanor was shed when she ushered him to try one of the many drinks, none of the drinks on display were alcoholic, and he chose one that was iced coconut water, with lime juice, sparkling water, and mint. After he set the glass down, she picked it off the counter to drink right out the same glass, using her own straw, it was quite simple for what she intended to feature.
“Don’t let my royal upbringing fool you, my titles do not hold any merit on this island, and women are commonly disrespected rather than be treated like delicate flowers.” Clove said flatly as if she spoke from experience from a certain old cat, “If I wanted to be treated like a princess I would be at home, in Oolong’s castle, getting the full experience, but I am here trying to showcase a single drink from my expansive menu. The proceeds would fund the World Martial Arts Tournament, so it needs to have a similar appeal to the upcoming event, and I am glad you’re willing to help. Miss Clove is fine.”
Barley admitted he was saving up to buy his own place, she nodded in response, and smiled. “I have received a nice check from the revenue of the advertisement from Director Cabbage several times, this is the fourth, I believe? It has been two years since the last endorsement. The pay will be worth your while towards saving.”
The mention of sake reminded her of Mate, it was his favorite drink, in a way she wondered if focusing on a rice based drink would be a secret way of honoring him after two years since his death. While she did not express her thoughts visibly on her face, she walked around the counter, and pulled out a small cask made from bright white water reed woven around a white barrel, giving it a rounded edge, and placed it on top of her personal cutting board. With a chef’s knife she cut the ropes that held it shut and released the seal. The aroma of the sake filled the air, she hummed, as she cleared the bar top, there was a marble countertop workstation on her side of the drink stand.
Using a wooden ladle, she poured sake into different vessels, a martini glass, a tall shake glass, and something rather different. Clove sliced up a cucumber, hollowing its core, and poured sake inside. The other half of the cucumber was sliced thinly with precision and expertise with her hands. A toothpick was pierced through the rolled up sliced cucumber as a garnish for the martini glass, she squeezed yuzu juice through a sieve, and added a single mint leaf. The second drink was mixed with lime slush, a circular cucumber was wedged on the rim, and the edge was coated in a sprinkle of salt and sugar. Finally, the natural cucumber cup was filled with ice, and sparkling water to the mix.
Clove pulled out a metal thin cylinder with a ball at the end, mixing all three options, and then presented them in front of Barlei.
“Alright, let’s narrow down the options. I felt cucumber, sake, and lime work well in unison together. The first option is a simple sake martini with yuzu juice and sliced cucumber with mint as garnishes. The second option is frosty lime slush with sake, with a salt and sugar rim, and a round cucumber slice. The third is a handmade cucumber cup, with ice, and sparkling water mixed with sake. Please enjoy each one.”
The tea princess offered a bow, patiently waiting for him to try all three, and kept her eyes locked on his reaction for each one. It was at this point that he asked her about her journey of purchasing the island. When she first arrived she met a gorgeous tan red headed woman with quite the muscular body training on the unoccupied island when she explored it the first time. “I have several tea houses, one in Oolong City called Mochiko Tea, I serve mochi rice cakes there. The second one is Daruma Tea & Coffee in West City. I also serve mochi and desserts that are popular to the central lands which consist of chocolate or mocha. After winning the West City Women’s World Martial Arts Tournament, several opportunities rose from the fame of acquiring the champion title, I share it with a pink bubblegum Majin named Zam who I helped train two years ago. However, I haven’t always been successful, I lost my tournament match in a nearby underground arena here in the Southern Islands, it was an unsanctioned event...let’s just say it wasn’t entirely legal and my teammate wasn’t supporting me as well as our opponents who were highly coordinated.” Clove pouted when she reflected on the loss, “It was at that point that I decided I was not going to enter the World Martial Arts Tournament. I lost the enthusiasm to keep on fighting all the time and I would rather protect my family which is most important to me personally.”
[872] [3,300/8,000]
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2020 7:38:28 GMT -8
Every second he languished for an answer felt like an hour, and as the minutes coalesced together, an eternity slipped past.
Clove drew the moment out longer than what he felt was necessary as if she sought to create some dramatic tension. Or was it that her life was indeed filled with drama and tension? He had never known any royalty except from the rare glimpse from afar at King Vegeta. Even at such a distance, his own inadequacies were made clear.
Miss Clove was different: she didn't make Barlei feel any more insignificant than the harried stage crew workers who bustled about setting up more equipment at the behest of the horse beastman's frantic directives.
When she spoke with him, he felt like an equal.
Much to his chagrin and delight, Clove chose not to answer him. She produced a fancy looking flask and cut the ropes binding it shut. The heady scent of booze filled the air.
It brought a genuine smile to his lips.
It was the finest cask of sake he'd ever witnessed; it tantalized him, filling him with all manner of wonders at the delectable drink within. Was she really going to share it with him? Sometimes his dumb luck paid off.
"Alright, there we go! Lay it on me." He leaned against the bar top, grinning like a Cheshire cat as he watched her work.
He noted the grace with which she went about preparing the drinks. Every movement was carefully measured; Clove was not a woman who wasted any movement. Her slender, delicate hands worked with expert precision, slicing and preparing the cucumber as she created three more beverages—each drink more unique than the last.
She placed each drink in front of him on top of the bar after she was finished, giving him a rundown of what each one was and wanting his opinion on all three.
He felt like a fish out of water, gaping at each drink in turn, unsure of which to try first. He told her this wasn't his sort of thing and that she was better off getting an expert opinion elsewhere, but as he noted before Clove wasn't the type to take 'no' for an answer.
He sighed. "If you insist, lady."
Barlei took a careful sip of the first one, noting the clash of flavors. He followed suit with the second drink, and lastly with the third. He smacked his lips, peering up at the underside of the canopy they stood beneath as if it would provide him the answer.
"So this is gonna sound weird and I told you I'm no expert, but I'll give you my honest opinion. The first drink is like getting punched in the mouth. The second is like getting punched in the gut, and the last one? Probably a combination of both, plus a redemptive ass kicking on the guy who kicked your ass first."
It was an odd and confusing answer, but it was the closest analogy he could come up with for judging these drinks. "Let's just say all three are delicious, but I prefer this sake and lime slush you made. If you don't mind, I'm going to keep it."
He commandeered the drink, selfishly guarding it since she had no qualms with drinking after him. The spoils of battle in his estimation.
Clove finally answered the questions he had asked earlier. Though her former titles had been given to her, she had earned the title champion by winning an all women's martial arts tournament.
Her luck did not last long: she lost another unofficial tournament soon after that, somewhere in South City. That experience seem to have robbed the woman of her ardor for battle. That was an outright shame—she oozed power, power that might have even surpassed his own. It wasn't easy to tell without a direct confrontation, but experience taught Barlei to follow his gut instinct.
His gut told him she was no pansy royal.
He took another long sip from his drink. "I've heard of those tournaments. I'm hoping to join the next big one coming up in a couple of years. It's too bad about losing that last one—sounds like it did a number on your self-esteem. I'm a Saiyan, and we don't take losses easily. Even talking about it is a damn near taboo."
Barlei knew the feeling. He'd lost fights even at the pinnacle of his strength which he still hadn't fully recovered. "But I wouldn't let it derail you. You wanna protect your family? That's fine. But how do you plan to do that without giving someone a good knuckle sandwich?"
He threw a shadow punch, illustrating his point. Some of his ki energy slipped out, tossing up a wave of sand in the distance on top of the heads of some not too happy workers.
He didn't miss the morose quality her words held. He could hear in Clove's tone that protecting her family was a high priority.
He hadn't considered that. Being nobility was often perceived as an easy gig because most things were handed to you. But as one who often worked guard duty for the highest ranking nobles in their Saiyan society, he knew all too well the plots that were foiled with intention to usurp power.
The universe was filled with a bunch of greedy, selfish bastards. Even agreeing to film this commercial lumped him in with all the rest of them.
"Protecting your family is a good reason to avoid the spotlight, I guess. I wouldn't know anything about that." He stirred his drink with his finger, his gaze turning pensive as he stared at the bar top. "I never got the chance to have a family of my own. My parents were traders, but not very good at it. It was pure dumb luck I was born with a high battle power. Being a soldier is the only choice I ever got."
Until it was stolen from him. A flash of anger rose within him, and he swallowed it. Even after all this time, it stirred his ire to be in a life he never expected to have.
A life he never chose.
"Lemme ask you this, Miss Clove: if you could do it all over again, and have a choice of whether or not to be born a noble, would you change things?" He met her eyes, awaiting her answer. "Don't bother bullshitting me, either. I'm a nobody—you don't have to keep up any pretenses with a guy like me."
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Post by Clove on Oct 11, 2020 10:35:48 GMT -8
The description Barlei offered about the different places of getting punched by tasting formed a smile but she took him quite seriously. Director Cabbage was going to feature this drink for the world and customers would be ordering it specifically so the proceeds would go directly to funding the WMAT.
A verdict on the final selection was reached, she taste tested the remaining drinks, and found them quite simple in taste. Clove took the time to replicate the one Barlei was almost guarded with, most likely the result of his observation of her tasting the first drink he abandoned, and after having a taste for herself she understood his decision. It was the slush that made the sake refreshing in an island paradise setting, she nodded as she took another sip, nearly getting brain freeze as she winced. The salt and sugar rim gave it an extra kick and she licked off the excess from her lips.
“Well the World Martial Arts Tournament is this year and it’s tri annually.” Clove corrected, it may have been a few weeks since she last saw this man, but it had been two years since she first opened this beverage venue. It was possible he was not planning to participate this year and take more time to train for the next one.
“Well, I was never not confident in my abilities, and it didn’t affect my self esteem to be outnumbered. I was discouraged from falling victim to a group of Tuffles. There is a bounty on Team Citrus. All three of them were highly intelligent with utilizing their time, Nova stunned me with a super sonic sound that affected my pig beast genetic ability to hear, Narin then surrounded me in flames, and Tangelo surrounded me in ice seconds after the flames were extinguished. I had a teammate who didn’t even notice I was unconscious while he kept on fighting. To an average human that’s carbon monoxide poisoning but my natural demon ability to heal allowed me to survive the ordeal.”
By this point she frowned, she did not enjoy recounting the experience in the slightest, and returned to the topic of the martial arts tournament. “It was an unsanctioned match so their dirty tactics were permissible until they stole all the zeni from the bookies after shutting down all the lights and escaping. I made the mistake of underestimating their cleverness and I was not as coordinated as they were as a team. You won’t have to worry about such underhanded fights in the tournament because there are rules in place to keep it clean to a martial arts standard of course.”
The tea princess had forgotten about the discourse between Tuffles and Saiyans in that brief moment. To her knowledge she never understood their history because all the Saiyans she met were born on earth up to this point. Clove reflected on his last question about being born a lesser earthling instead of a noble.
“If I was not born a Noble I would have less influence on the world, no matter how much I trained, or how powerful I become. In order to gain the reputation I need to shape society would require me to work even harder than I have been now to gain fame. My grandfather gave me an opportunity to become something greater but with Piccolo Daimao dangerously close and fighters like Team Citrus still in existence has made the world a dangerous place...I already lost two family members in my lifetime. It is my duty to protect what is left.” [595] [4,989/8,000]
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2020 18:12:02 GMT -8
To Clove's credit, it was not the unfair advantage of the opposing team that stole her desire for combat. She faced a dangerous trio of Tuffles she claimed had a bounty on their heads. Team Citrus. They were highly coordinated, and despite how strong Clove was, their seamless teamwork was difficult to overcome. Attacking with an array of powerful abilities that would have felled a normal human, it sounded like a miracle that she'd come out of such a battle with her life. Not even her own partner noticed she had fallen unconscious. Barlei's hunch about her was true—she was possessed of some demon DNA which had allowed her to heal from such a grievous onslaught. His expression changed. Something dark crossed his features. Tuffles. They were the scum of the universe. A colonizing race of super intelligent beings, they didn't care who they trod on to achieve their goal of universal dominance. It was rather ironic considering many of those species whom his people dominated felt the exact same way about Saiyans. Even the Tuffles claimed that it was the Saiyans that started their centuries-long war. Evil begot evil and the vicious cycle continued, and now he found himself just another casualty of war. It did little to assuage his anger. "No shame in a loss like that." It was in his best interest to say no more than that. He was glad when she turned the subject back toward the tournament. While during the unsanctioned match, the team of criminal Tuffles used dirty tactics to bring her down and claim their stolen victory. It wasn't the only thing they stole—they created a fiasco and left with the stolen prize money in tow. Such a thing wouldn't be allowed in the World Martial Arts Tournament. There were standards with such a high profile tournament, and such actions would not be condoned in the slightest. He wasn't sure what to think. On the one hand, if Tuffles did enter the world tournament, he'd be unable to control his anger. He'd rip them apart with his bare hands, and not even bother leaving enough remains behind to bury. It was more than a Tuffle deserved, and if his hands were tied by strict rules, Barlei would never obtain the revenge he sought against them. On the other hand, much like filming this commercial, he got the sense a plethora of opportunity awaited him and if he got himself eliminated, he'd never get the chance to discover what those opportunities just might be. What if he met other Saiyans like himself in the tournament? What if they knew something about his past or possessed some clue as to the strange blue-haired woman ( Emargine "Azure" Cerola) who had captured him? Was it truly worth the risk? His anger dissipated a bit as the woman paused to consider the depth of his question. Clove did not consider her nobility a burden, rather, it was a gift that presented her the chance to influence the world in a way she might not be able to otherwise. She was a descendant of Oolong, and that gave her clout she wouldn't otherwise possess. She wanted to use her reputation in a way that would change their society in light of the vicious criminals that threatened everyone's existence. Clove wanted to stand as a bulwark against such encroaching darkness. He could understand the sentiment, but he couldn't bring himself to agree with it. "You know... you surprise me. I mean, look at you. Look at this place." He gestured around at the sunny locale. "This place is a damn paradise. You own your own business. I bet you're swimmin' in zeni. Yet you hold such convictions... sorry, lady, but you're a little crazy."It was said in jest, but a part of him meant it. Barlei took another long sip of his drink as he walked away from the bar, stepping out from beneath the canopy. He was greeted with blazing sunlight, the sand almost hot beneath his bare feet. "You've got all of this. And you're willin' to risk it and put yourself in harm's way? I haven't been here long. There's a lot about Earth that confuses me, but evil exists in this world. If you're plannin' to take it head on..." He shrugged. "I just hope you know what you're doin'."He drained the last of his drink, savoring the final vestiges of the flavored slush. Barlei held up his glass with an apologetic smirk. "You think I can get another one of these? Speaking of which—when are we supposed to start filming this damn thing? Baking in the sun is fun and all, but I don't see how all this standing around gets me into that tournament."He steered the conversation back toward the commercial on purpose. It seemed the safest topic of all. [811 of 3,626] words [5,800 of 8,000] mission total LAIKA OF THQ
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Post by Clove on Oct 13, 2020 16:06:58 GMT -8
Clove was surprised when Barlei called her crazy, her immediate response was to chuckle, and arch a brow at him. “So you’re an expert on crazy?”
Barlei continued with complimenting her past successes, she carefully drank the drink they finalized for the advertisement, the way he spoke made it seem like he was not from earth. It was the first impression she got from him, the more he explained himself, the more it seemed he was simply living under a rock this whole time. The saiyan was concerned slightly, even after meeting briefly more than once, he warned her of the dangers, her homeland was already in the danger zone being so close Piccolo Daimao’s territory, it was part of the reasons the Duchies were not in a middle of a civil war by taking over their neighboring territories after so many years, but there was a neutral agreement to function independently until the biggest threat was no longer a problem.
While she mused on the things Barlei was saying, she was cleaning up the counter of all the drinks she made, pouring them all into a large industrial kitchen sink, and washed all the cups to put them away into their respective shelves behind her. With the bar in pristine shape, she made two more of the special drinks, one for the saiyan, and one for the advertisement.
The order of plants arrived via boat, the crew were quick to dress the entire cabana style stand, blocking out the sun from being reflected on the white sand. At some point Director Cabbage was test filming Barlei from the other side, to make sure to capture the shadows on his visage, so the film was not washed out on playback. Several models of different shapes and races wearing southern island clothing began to take their roles in the advertisement. The employees at the drink stand brought their children over, and were going to be featured on the commercial.
As everyone gathered, Barlei would feel out of place, and Clove laughed as he was made uncomfortable by the sudden change in atmosphere.
“Why don’t you come around on this side of the bar, you can be the dishwasher in the background.” Clove motioned for him to move.
Director Cabbage called for everyone to get quiet on the set, the filming began quickly after he spoke, and everyone delivered their lines. The scene unfolded as an ash skinned red headed human ordered the special lime slush with cucumber slice, a couple watched as the red headed father purchased the drink for his daughter who was not tall enough to reach the counter, and a nearby couple asked for the same drink because it looked tasty. Clove, who was dressed like the vendor, explained candidly about the drink, and what it contained. The couple after them ordered two, who tried it next, and were delighted how refreshing it was. The next three were Fishing Association leaders, who were known globally by anyone who participated in the fishing contest in the southern islands, a white haired tan skinned human, a blue skinned humanoid monster man, and a cyborg who was the president.
Xanthus, was unprepared for how cold the drink was, his antenne changed from its curved resting position to straightened out feelers from the brain freeze, causing Lamar and Kai to burst out laughing which was off-script. Clove regained control of the situation like a natural at customer service, warning Xanthus to take small sips to avoid what most people referred to as brain freeze, and smiled. Director Cabbage yelled cut, everyone dispersed to the rest of the island, the next scene needed to be filmed, and that consisted of a close up of Clove telling the camera, as if addressing the viewers about the connection of the drink and WMAT.
“All proceeds from our special Lime slush cucumber cooler will fund the World Martial Arts Tournament, so order yours anytime of the week, Frozen Tōrō Tea & Ice is open 24/7.”
Director Cabbage yelled out “cut” a second time, allowing the crew to move around the set, and Clove began making more of the drink from behind the counter to treat everyone who participated. With the filming done she turned to Barlei, “Mind helping me make enough of the lime slush for everyone to try? I can show you how to make it, so we can make better progress, together.” [738] [6,538/8,000]
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2020 4:47:51 GMT -8
Ask and you will receive.
Barlei did not have to wait long to get an answer to his question. There was a sudden spike of increased activity and more crew workers appeared with set decorations in tow.
They hustled around him with a chaotic expertise that only came with experience. In that one instance, he was all but forgotten.
Nothing about him was worthy of being remembered.
One of the workers rudely bumped him in the shoulder slipping past without so much as an apology. He clenched his fist, glaring after the man.
Keeping his temper and chance of going to be a lot harder than he imagined.
"Watch it, pal!" he snarled.
Clove must have sensed that he was a fish out of water: she called for him to join her behind the bar and assist with mixing more of that delicious lime slush drink.
Barlei glared after the rude staffer who seemed oblivious to his grave mistake before relenting with a nod. It would do him little good to cause a ruckus this close to the start of filming. If he beat up the workers, he imagined the director wouldn't be happy with him. He'd get fired, and lose his endorsement.
The promise of that fighting tournament was too good of a lure to ruin.
He shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts with a sigh, stalking over to join Clove behind the bar.
"This job had better be worth it. Otherwise I'll go back and kick that guy's ass."
He took a couple of glasses in his hands and stared at them. Just what did she expect for him to do anyway?
It wouldn't matter in the long run. Director Cabbage gave the signal, the actors took their places, and the commercial was rolling.
He was glad to be behind the counter: he pretended to polish glasses with a dish rag, watching the actors go about their well rehearsed lines. All slick smiles and false compliments. It made him sick to his stomach. What was the point of lying? The drink was good, but he didn't feel it warranted this much.
Barlei did not understand the nature of commercials. Most of the customs of Earth stumped him. Saiyan culture was brutal but simple: fight to establish your place in the hierarchy, serve the king and the nobility, crush your enemies beneath your boot and you keep the spoils of war.
He missed it with every fiber of his being.
"This is all so stupid." He muttered it under his breath, ducking down as the camera swept towards him. "If I don't get that endorsement..."
Clove didn't shy away from the camera. She gave a smiling, beautiful endorsement, encouraging people to try the delicious drink. The demon hybrid was a natural in front of the camera, full of grace and charm he could never hope to possess.
All too late he realized it was good idea to show his face on camera so people could recognize him at the tournament.
In an instant, it was done. Director Cabbage yelled cut and people bustled around again, preparing to change the set. The actors, smug and full of themselves, primed and prattled about as the crew workers fussed over them, attending to their every need.
Several approached Clove but she ignored them. She invited Barlei to help her make more drinks.
"Sure, why not? Good job with filming by the way." He met her eyes for the first time. "I don't get it. Why does it matter if anyone drinks this stuff? And why use it to fund the tournament? Isn't it better to just keep it for yourself?"
He sighed, scratching his head. "I really don't get this place. Man, I really miss home."
Home was long gone. This was his home now. It was difficult, but he would try to make the best of it.
[656 of 4,282] words [7,194 of 8,000] mission total
LAIKA OF THQ
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Post by Clove on Oct 15, 2020 17:16:46 GMT -8
It was easy to entertain a princess with Barlei over reacting to how busy the crew were in setting everything up, Clove was perceptive to lure him away from the scene, despite being filmed in front of a camera in a studio set, he was not practicing with his muscles so he felt out of place. At the invitation to come around the bar, he was not far from being part of the focus of the performance, he may have ducked out the way from the camera jib, but there were several cameras filming, one was a long shot, the others captured candid angles of the commercial. Film editing was flawless in playing back a final cut that felt personal to anyone watching, filmography had evolved over time to be intimate with the viewers, seamlessly cutting from wide to close up views as if the audience were observing from the set itself, and The Director was a pro at film direction in that regard. Especially since Director Cabbage was given the opportunity to film the latest Kakarot movie, he was a hot commodity, and a good connection to have with regards to the film and television industry. With Barlei willing to help her make the drink, she showed him the slush machine first, by pouring ice into a grinder machine, then a thin layer of rock salt, followed by another layer of ice, then more rock salt until it reached a line at the top of the machine. The final step was to add lime sugar syrup to the mixture, using a measuring cup, which was bright green in color, it was diluted to a pale green once it was mixed with the ice. After securing the lid on the top of the machine, she showed the saiyan how to operate it, it was as simple as pressing the power button while everything worked on its own. Of course this was the non-alcoholic version so sake needed to be omitted from being poured into the glass cup. “Before you fill the glass with the slush mixture, you need to dip it in cucumber lime infused water, from this tray by getting the rim wet. Followed by pushing the rim into the sugar and salt mixture in the second tray, then resume the upright vertical position to fill it with the slush ice. I will begin slicing up the cucumber so we can attach it as a garnish on the rim.”Clove returned to the cutting board on the counter, serving the drinks they made together to the nearby crew, and told everyone to walk up to get a drink as soon as she made enough for them all. After cleaning her workstation again, she sliced up more cucumber, cutting off enough of the skin membrane, then slicing it into rounds, making a small cut so it could decorate the glass. With their combined effort, all the drinks were served for the crew, and Clove bowed her head thanking everyone for their cooperation and to enjoy hanging out on the island a bit longer before sun down when the island would resume operation. The cabana style drink stand had small light bulbs turned on, as the sky turned orange, the mood changed on the island. It was more intimate as the waves roared louder and the chill of the air changed the temperature. Clove washed her hands, cleaning up one last time, until the tan skinned man with the red hair who began the shoot put on a waist apron to take over his shift for the evening, it was one of her employees who operated the stand typically. After he fulfilled the drinks from the local customers, he returned to the sandy beach, to perform a fire dance. “Have you been living under a rock this whole time? I am a Princess with wealth, I begin business, to share my wealth with others so they can support their family. The fire dancer is one of my employees, he is a single father so he needs to work hard to support her. It is a virtue to forge your own destiny, regardless of the poker cards you are given in the game of life, and if you simply were given tons of zeni then what’s the point of living unless you work hard at doing what you love? So what do you do for fun, Barlei-san?” Clove asked as she slowly walked along the beach, most of the crew packing up, which meant it was nearly time to leave the island or at least help them reload everything back on their ship. [783] [7,977/8,000] @null
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2020 5:40:32 GMT -8
Dusk had begun to settle and with it came a plethora of lit tiki torches lining the beaches and communal areas. The place was one large tourist trap, evident as people began pouring in for food, drinks, dancing, and other methods of fun. Others headed down towards the beach, including many of the actors themselves. It seemed to be Clove's destination, so Barlei followed.
He walked with his hands hooked behind his head, gazing up at the stars. She was determined to give him a lot to think about. Clove used her wealth for the benefit of other people—a strange deterring from what seems to be the norm.
Barlei could only think of it in terms of combat in war: if one held an advantage over their opponent, why give them a chance to even the odds? It made no sense to his soldier's mind; he could only draw the conclusion that Clove sought to be a virtuous woman.
As virtuous as a demon could be. He still hadn't processed that part.
"I don't understand it... but you seem to be on to something. If you're so determined to be generous, why not loan me some zeni?" He flashed her a goofy grin. Coupled with his new goggles and tourist attire, he looks nothing like the old war dog he was. "That's a joke, by the way." His tone grew more serious. "I come from a culture built on strength and independence. If you have to take handouts from others, you're worthless.
So I don't want your money. Hell, whoever wants my pay from this gig can have it. I just want my endorsement."
Barlei began the day believing that money ruled this world and he needed a part in it. But Clove offered him a different perspective. Here was a woman who had everything, yet chose to be selfless.
His life might have been stolen eight centuries ago, but that didn't mean he couldn't keep the traditions alive.
[333 of 4,615] words [8,310 of 8,000] mission total
LAIKA OF THQ
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