Mission Start [Jessica]

[Jessica Jane]

"If that's your attitude, then I'll do my best to keep you from dying prematurely." Jess said around a mouthful of egg. "If you go the way of the do-do, then that means that I'll be hauled into police headquarters for all sorts of questioning... not to mention the possible violations that we're about to wrack up. To say nothing of the pain your death would cause."

[Thoma Hirako]

He stopped eating for a second, "I'll see to it that nothing happens to you for helping me. I still have a lot of secrets to give up; if it comes down to it, I'll trade everything for your safety. You don't deserve to go down for helping me. I'll see to it that you don't."

He resumed eating.

[Jessica Jane]

"I hate to sound like a broken record, but that's reassuring." Jess frowned.

It bothered her that this guy she didn't even know was going to go so far to help her, or seemed to care for her so much. If she hadn't spent the past two days establishing that he wasn't a stalker, she definitely would have gotten that vibe by now.

She didn't really have any way to carry the conversation, though. She let it lapse into silence.

[Thoma Hirako]

He didn't pick it up, focusing instead on eating so they could leave.

[Jessica Jane]

With nothing else to do and nothing else to comment on, Jess contented herself with finishing her meal. Once that was done, she gathered up her dishes and took them to the sink to be rinsed and washed. While all of that was going on, her mind was spinning about what they were going to do and how to make sure that it all turned out as it should.

[Thoma Hirako]

He added his as he finished his meal, "I'll let the staff deal with this, or we'll be late for my checking in," he told her, walking off to get his things, "I'll check in, and then we'll go to the proper station!" he called from his room.

[Jessica Jane]

"Sure. Why not?" If Thoma was going to shout across the hallway, there was no reason she shouldn't. Her gaze fell on the plates, like a typical guy Thoma had left them lying around. She grabbed them and gave them a quick rinse down to be helpful.

That done, she grabbed her purse, checked her Gaia Memories, and then stepped out into the hallway. Hopefully, her presence wouldn't curse Thoma too much today.

[Thoma Hirako]

He came out after her with his suitcase, as well as another with what he had bought for Jessica over the past few days, in case anything would be needed in Tokyo.

"I have a car waiting at the street for us," he said, hitting a button and waiting for the elevator to arrive, "It'll take us to Tokyo in enough time."

[Jessica Jane]

"Right. I didn't forget that tidbit in the past ten minutes." Again, he made this almost too easy. Jess gave Thoma a long look and crossed her arms as the elevator door slid open.

[Thoma Hirako]

"Just making conversation," he told her.

Was this how it was going to be the entire way? Maybe it would be better to find something common between them, so they would be able to discuss something, instead of repeating things, on the drive.

Thoma walked in and pressed the lobby button.

[Jessica Jane]

(OoC: Poor guy.)

"Yeah, I'm not as hip as some, but I'm pretty sure that that's not how conversation works. For one thing, you need someone who is good at conversation to have one. I don't fit that bill. Second, you usually need something that both sides can contribute to, not just one-sided observations."

Once she was done with that little spiel, she leaned back against the elevator and closed her eyes. Solutions, not problems. That's what she needed to be right now. She really had been on her own for too long if she couldn't even remember how to deal with regular human beings. She sighed, opened her eyes, and then decided to try again.

She tried to put that thought into practice. "So... what is there that we both know about and can bat around? You like sports?"

[Thoma Hirako]

He turned away from the door, a little surprised that she was trying to make conversation with him. He was sure she would have contributed if he started, but the fact that she started trying to find the common ground surprised him.

"I don't particularly like sports, no," he said, adding, "I find it...boring to watch. I'm sure you're not going to be interested, but I'd might as well ask about what I like; art."

That's how he phrased it. Awkward, but it worked.

[Jessica Jane]

Jess answered: "That's good. I haven't kept up with a team in years; if you did like sports, I'd be a poor conversationalist. When it comes to art, I'm a little more versed in it. I just don't get modern art. I get that its modern, but I end up wondering where the art is."

She couldn't quite remember where she'd heard that quote before, but it didn't really matter in the long run. What mattered was that she was talking without being snarky. Kinda. It was really hard to tell any more.

[Thoma Hirako]

He shook his head at the mention of modern art, "I'm an art lover, but I don't understand modern art. We have that, at least. Not much of a conversation piece, though."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. He picked up the suitcases and walked out, "Well, maybe art, then, is something we can discuss."

[Jessica Jane]

"Maybe. I like landscapes myself... they creep me out less than portraits do for some reason." She shrugged as she volunteered that information. Than she grabbed her bag and followed after him.