Week 11.2
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
[X] See if you can meet up with Estella
-[X] Train Speech: Diplomacy
Finding Estella is the easy part. A prodigy like her returning to school after a major stint of not showing up? Everyone wanted to know what was going on with her. Especially considering her position. Most of the students here were either heirs to a company, or were going to come into money at some point in their lives. Estella already owned her own company and had cash to burn. And that's without bringing in how her company's medical discoveries have probably saved quite a few of their parents from serious medical complications. Really, you would be surprised at the amount of students who didn't know where she was.
The problem came with actually getting to talk with her. Whenever you found her she was always surrounded by numerous other students, mostly guys, who were trying to talk her ear off. They regularly formed a half circle around the heiress as they moved through the halls. And it only got bigger as more students became aware of them. If they weren't moving through the halls, they were in the library asking her for help with their school work. Or outside trying to impress her with their own skills and talents. The only times that Estella was able to be alone was either during lunch or classes.
So, you went with a different strategy. You approached Irina instead of Estella. The bodyguard was never far behind her charge. If she wasn't the one pushing Estella around, she was standing nearby ready and waiting to be called upon. Even when Estella was in class, Irina would stand inside the classroom by the door. Given Estella's condition, the teachers didn't say anything about it.
You approached her as Estella was leaving lunch. The heiress already had a half circle of five students around her.
[Barter: Business: 3]
You can't make heads or tails out of what they're talking about though. Something about "policy" or whatever. Irina catches you before you get close, nodding to you without taking her eyes off Estella, "Hey, there Nagai. How's your wounds?"
"Hey, Irina," you reach a hand out for her to shake. She takes it, gripping your palm firmly before letting go. You roll your shoulder and wince a bit, "Getting better. Still not at 100% though."
She shrugs, "Sounds about right. Ya need something?"
You tilt your head in Estella's direction, "You mind helping get a word in with Estella? I've been trying, but she's always surrounded by those hangers on. Can't really get a word in. Any ideas?"
Irina chuckles, pushing herself off the wall she was leaning against, "That's it? That's easy. Come on, follow me."
A bit confused, you do as Irina asks and head toward Estella. The girl is pushing herself along in her wheelchair, warding off offers to push her from the people around her. Irina calls her name which causes the entire group to stop. They turn to see the two of you, Estella's expression brightening up when the two lock eyes. Irina waves a hand at you, "Your future Bannerman would like a word, Princess. Do you mind?"
The rest of the students all stiffen at Irina's title for you. You raise an eyebrow at her...
[Empathy: Feelings: 60 + Empathy: Motives: 58]
...but can tell she's joking. That playful smile on her face gives it away. Besides, what purpose would there be in Estella having you as a Bannerman? You don't have a flag or anything.
Estella rolls her eyes before turning to the rest of the students. She gives each of them a polite excuse for why she has to talk to you, while denying Irina's words. The students all take a moment to glare at you, before walking away one by one. Pretty soon you're alone with Irina and Estella.
Irina takes her place behind Estella. She starts to push her along while you walk at Estella's right, "See? Easy as that."
You hum, "Ah. Sorry, Estella. I figured you might have been doing something important."
"It is no trouble, Nagai-san," she bows her head while looking up at you, "I can always make time to speak with you and your brother. Or anyone who requires my assistance."
Irina reaches down and gently pokes Estella's head, "Still fancy being that senior that everyone can come to for help, Princess?"
"It is only natural. Outside of helping my fellow man, I have experience that many of my fellows will not have. Sharing even a little bit of that experience with others is to help them become better people in the future. Also, please refrain from poking me," she says all this in the same calm breath.
Irina stops but the smile on her face doesn't disappear. The bodyguard looks at you then shrugs, "You heard her, Nagai. She likes helping people and feeling like a big sister to them. If you get a chance, try asking her to hug you and rub your head. It's a great feeling that-"
Estella coughs get Irina to stop. The bodyguard has a smug grin on her face, while Estella tries to hide her own smile. You can't help but smile as well. It's good to see two people being so close. Once the mood has calmed, you lay out what you needed, "Anyway, I wanted to see if you could help me get better at persuading people. You know, using actual diplomacy instead of fist based diplomacy."
You swear you see Estella's mouth curl into a predatory smile. You glance at Irina but she's already shaking her head, her eyes looking at you with condolences. Estella reaches up and hooks your hand with her prosthetic, "I would be happy to assist you. Now, let us begin with a test. Say you were caught in the middle of a family feud. Your brother believes that your sister slighted him when she stole the Takoyaki he kept in the fridge and ate them. She did in fact take them, but her excuse was that he hadn't touched them in weeks and they would ruin soon. It's been three days and they haven't made up. How would you get them to make amends?"
[Empathy: Feelings: 60 VS DC 50; Success! +2 Estella RP]
[Speech: Diplomacy: 30 VS DC 50; Failure!]
"Hmm. Well, first I'd buy some more Takoyaki. Enough for all three of us to share. Then I'd sit them both down and just talk it," you say with a shrug.
Estella's smile gets wider, "A good first start. However, the hurt feelings still remain between the two. While you are eating, their argument starts back up. How do you handle it now?"
"Well, I'd...," And the rest of your time with her goes like that. She presents scenarios where you have to use your words to solve increasingly complex problems. Usually with a focus on feuds between one or more people, but sometimes a single person.
Funny thing is, she doesn't admonish you whenever you say that you'd fight the person you're talking to. She just points out that doing so might cause the situation to get worse. And in some cases, she even says that choosing to attack someone you're talking to is alright.
"Not everyone in the world listens to reasons, Nagi-san," a shadow clouds her face as she speaks, "Sometimes the only thing you can do is fight them."
"Then they'll usually listen to words," Irina points out with a chuckle.
Speech: Diplomacy: 36 + 25 (15 (Tagged) + 10 (Estella Bonus) = 61!
-[X] Train Speech: Diplomacy
Finding Estella is the easy part. A prodigy like her returning to school after a major stint of not showing up? Everyone wanted to know what was going on with her. Especially considering her position. Most of the students here were either heirs to a company, or were going to come into money at some point in their lives. Estella already owned her own company and had cash to burn. And that's without bringing in how her company's medical discoveries have probably saved quite a few of their parents from serious medical complications. Really, you would be surprised at the amount of students who didn't know where she was.
The problem came with actually getting to talk with her. Whenever you found her she was always surrounded by numerous other students, mostly guys, who were trying to talk her ear off. They regularly formed a half circle around the heiress as they moved through the halls. And it only got bigger as more students became aware of them. If they weren't moving through the halls, they were in the library asking her for help with their school work. Or outside trying to impress her with their own skills and talents. The only times that Estella was able to be alone was either during lunch or classes.
So, you went with a different strategy. You approached Irina instead of Estella. The bodyguard was never far behind her charge. If she wasn't the one pushing Estella around, she was standing nearby ready and waiting to be called upon. Even when Estella was in class, Irina would stand inside the classroom by the door. Given Estella's condition, the teachers didn't say anything about it.
You approached her as Estella was leaving lunch. The heiress already had a half circle of five students around her.
[Barter: Business: 3]
You can't make heads or tails out of what they're talking about though. Something about "policy" or whatever. Irina catches you before you get close, nodding to you without taking her eyes off Estella, "Hey, there Nagai. How's your wounds?"
"Hey, Irina," you reach a hand out for her to shake. She takes it, gripping your palm firmly before letting go. You roll your shoulder and wince a bit, "Getting better. Still not at 100% though."
She shrugs, "Sounds about right. Ya need something?"
You tilt your head in Estella's direction, "You mind helping get a word in with Estella? I've been trying, but she's always surrounded by those hangers on. Can't really get a word in. Any ideas?"
Irina chuckles, pushing herself off the wall she was leaning against, "That's it? That's easy. Come on, follow me."
A bit confused, you do as Irina asks and head toward Estella. The girl is pushing herself along in her wheelchair, warding off offers to push her from the people around her. Irina calls her name which causes the entire group to stop. They turn to see the two of you, Estella's expression brightening up when the two lock eyes. Irina waves a hand at you, "Your future Bannerman would like a word, Princess. Do you mind?"
The rest of the students all stiffen at Irina's title for you. You raise an eyebrow at her...
[Empathy: Feelings: 60 + Empathy: Motives: 58]
...but can tell she's joking. That playful smile on her face gives it away. Besides, what purpose would there be in Estella having you as a Bannerman? You don't have a flag or anything.
Estella rolls her eyes before turning to the rest of the students. She gives each of them a polite excuse for why she has to talk to you, while denying Irina's words. The students all take a moment to glare at you, before walking away one by one. Pretty soon you're alone with Irina and Estella.
Irina takes her place behind Estella. She starts to push her along while you walk at Estella's right, "See? Easy as that."
You hum, "Ah. Sorry, Estella. I figured you might have been doing something important."
"It is no trouble, Nagai-san," she bows her head while looking up at you, "I can always make time to speak with you and your brother. Or anyone who requires my assistance."
Irina reaches down and gently pokes Estella's head, "Still fancy being that senior that everyone can come to for help, Princess?"
"It is only natural. Outside of helping my fellow man, I have experience that many of my fellows will not have. Sharing even a little bit of that experience with others is to help them become better people in the future. Also, please refrain from poking me," she says all this in the same calm breath.
Irina stops but the smile on her face doesn't disappear. The bodyguard looks at you then shrugs, "You heard her, Nagai. She likes helping people and feeling like a big sister to them. If you get a chance, try asking her to hug you and rub your head. It's a great feeling that-"
Estella coughs get Irina to stop. The bodyguard has a smug grin on her face, while Estella tries to hide her own smile. You can't help but smile as well. It's good to see two people being so close. Once the mood has calmed, you lay out what you needed, "Anyway, I wanted to see if you could help me get better at persuading people. You know, using actual diplomacy instead of fist based diplomacy."
You swear you see Estella's mouth curl into a predatory smile. You glance at Irina but she's already shaking her head, her eyes looking at you with condolences. Estella reaches up and hooks your hand with her prosthetic, "I would be happy to assist you. Now, let us begin with a test. Say you were caught in the middle of a family feud. Your brother believes that your sister slighted him when she stole the Takoyaki he kept in the fridge and ate them. She did in fact take them, but her excuse was that he hadn't touched them in weeks and they would ruin soon. It's been three days and they haven't made up. How would you get them to make amends?"
[Empathy: Feelings: 60 VS DC 50; Success! +2 Estella RP]
[Speech: Diplomacy: 30 VS DC 50; Failure!]
"Hmm. Well, first I'd buy some more Takoyaki. Enough for all three of us to share. Then I'd sit them both down and just talk it," you say with a shrug.
Estella's smile gets wider, "A good first start. However, the hurt feelings still remain between the two. While you are eating, their argument starts back up. How do you handle it now?"
"Well, I'd...," And the rest of your time with her goes like that. She presents scenarios where you have to use your words to solve increasingly complex problems. Usually with a focus on feuds between one or more people, but sometimes a single person.
Funny thing is, she doesn't admonish you whenever you say that you'd fight the person you're talking to. She just points out that doing so might cause the situation to get worse. And in some cases, she even says that choosing to attack someone you're talking to is alright.
"Not everyone in the world listens to reasons, Nagi-san," a shadow clouds her face as she speaks, "Sometimes the only thing you can do is fight them."
"Then they'll usually listen to words," Irina points out with a chuckle.
Speech: Diplomacy: 36 + 25 (15 (Tagged) + 10 (Estella Bonus) = 61!
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