Money Anxiety

[heroforfun]

Who: Saitama (heroforfun) & Anyone that goes shopping
What: There's this weird bald guy in the grocery store going over some food stamps and coins and staring at the values like they're completely foreign to him.
When: Late afternoon
Where: Vista City streets
Warnings: I'm lazy and don't like writing prose?

[Saitama's spent the time since arriving just trying to get situated as quickly as possible - which meant finding the homeless assistance center for aid and services. They weren't requesting any in-depth information yet since he didn't sign up for long-term aid, but the food stamps wouldn't last forever. Still, finding a job isn't impossible with the open resource center, and "Makoto Furukawa" found himself a job in construction. It's been a weird few days, he swears the giant beams and cinder blocks are the slightest bit heavier than they normally feel... Saitama just chalks that up to other planets and weird density issues, at first. Not that he makes the statement to anyone, just trudging through his settling in.

But now he's gotten his first pay after making a request to his employer (explaining his homeless situation) and he's found a decently popular grocery store. But he's quickly sweating anxiously, fidgeting and tugging on his shirt and work vest. And, of course, digging through his wallet and staring at the very, very small amount of food in his basket.

He should've read about how food worked here. He should've checked what the money worth was supposed to be. He never looked at what apartments cost. Is he overpaying? Is he buying crap? Is there a better deal? Needless to say, this is probably the most stressful thing he's had to deal with since getting here... whereas the other rescuers were probably much more worried about getting caught.]

Crap... I really don't want to owe anybody...

Comments

[vivelarevolution]

[Sabo is out and about just to be out and about. He's not really in the mind for shopping, but he could use more coffee since he's out and he kind of drank up most of it. Though really he should lay off of it for a while. It would take forever for his hands to stop shaking at this rate.

Still he can't help but overhear the guy muttering to himself. Sabo's not sure the guy's situation but he seems to be in financial straits. Though he could be wrong]

Out of cash or looking for someone to hide a body?

[heroforfun]

[Saitama gives him a blank look. But at least the guy didn't make a crack about his baldness.]

I'm not out of cash, I'm just trying to stretch it for a whole week.

--I don't need charity, though, don't worry about it.

[vivelarevolution]

Didn't say I was going to give you any. [he tucks his hands in his back pockets]

But I can show you where you can get more for what money you have. [a shrug] If you want.

[heroforfun]

Oh, good. Is there a discount store?

[vivelarevolution]

There's a few places. Come on.

[and he jerks his head indicating the guy should start following and begins walking down the sidewalk. It isn't too long though before he pauses]

That, can be your life line.

[and he points to a pawn shop across the street]

If you really reach the end your rope? There's usually some stuff you can salvage from your person or even a junk yard that you can sell in there for a bump of cash. Not much usually unless you go in for illegal things, but enough to see you to the next paycheck.

[heroforfun]

[Saitama follows after shelving the goods again and just strolls with his hands in his pockets.]

Oh. I don't have any actual belongings to sell other than my clothes, and I can't work without those.

[Literally who doesn't have a single thing they can pawn, who is this bald weirdo]

And I'm not the villainous type.

[vivelarevolution]

[Sabo's been there before, without a thing to his name but his name. He knows this is so somehow, but he doesn't remember how he knows. It's some fleeting idea that's gone as soon as he grasps for it -- but a moment later he realizes it's not important.]

Well--

[he's about to say more when two security guards hustle up out of nowhere. They don't seem happy with Sabo giving them the slip, but say nothing. It's kind of a pain in the ass to be followed around but whatever. It's the price to pay for this kind of work]

If you don't have anything and don't want to go junking there's still one place I know you can go.

By the way don't mind TweedleDumb and TweedleDumber. They won't bite. They're just here to make sure you don't.

[heroforfun]

[Saitama seems 0% intimidated, surprised or weirded out by either bodyguard, despite both of them looking quite a bit bigger than he is. Sorry, bodyguards, he's naturally hard to impress.]

Yeah? What's the place?

[vivelarevolution]

[Sabo can't tell if he's 0% intimidated or 100% trusting of Sabo's words or about 50% of an idiot about not understanding what threat the bodyguards can pose. He's not about to guess either because whatever instance, he'd prefer they weren't even there-- so he'll ignore them as much as he can]

It's a little bit of a walk down this way. [nods and continues on his way.] So are you new around here or just fall into a streak of bad luck?

[heroforfun]

Eh. I just got a job, I'll be fine.

[He shrugs, and follows along. He'll dodge that question about being new, thanks.]

Name's Makoto.

[vivelarevolution]

[it's a nice dodge. But Sabo can see the feint. It seems to say something, but in reality there are a lot of questions left unanswered. Did he just move into a new home? Get kicked from his old home? Spend some time living in the streets? From another area altogether?

For Sabo it's one of two things. Either this guy is out of town or trying to hide it for some reason, or he's recently moved down in life and on a tighter paycheck than he's used to--since he doesn't know where to shop on a dime. And if that were the case maybe he's ashamed of it? Or would rather not talk about it in any case.

In light of all that, the presentation of the name is slightly suspicious too. Is he telling him so Sabo will be thrown off of thinking he's some other name if a fall from the high life is really why this guy is here?

Of course, Sabo tells himself, it could be that this guy... Makoto... Sincerity... but not honesty. Is just trying to be friendly and things that aren't Sabo's business aren't Sabo's business. And it's not really part of his nature to pry.

But watch, definitely.

He wonders what the guy will make of this, if anything.]

Sabo. From Cosmic Indulgence... [he scratches his cheek sheepishly] But you probably haven't heard of me since I just joined up.

[heroforfun]

That one of those bands? I don't listen to music, much.

[vivelarevolution]

[If Sabo were in slightly less control of himself he'd probably trip. Either way he's amused. This guy is either very clever or very simple. Maybe both. Maybe neither. He can't help but be amused at the mystery-- But at the same time it's as if the guy's words grab something inside him]

How could you not listen to music much? It's all around! It's the heartbeat of the soul! Without music I'm not sure it would be worth existing.

[it may be corny but he means every word of it]

[heroforfun]

Eh. I'm not that excited by it. I prefer a good brawl, but I haven't had a fun fight in a long time.

[vivelarevolution]

[so he's that kind of guy. Well, Sabo knows a few. But he's sure they like music as well. In any case, Sabo can't help but think a little less of him. Not listening to music much is one thing. But not excited by it? Not thrilled by the rhythm or the pulse of a beat? Is he seriously that one note?]

Can't help you there. But I'm sure if you throw a bar stool at someone you can drudge something up.

[he stops to get his bearings and then nods, hanging a left]

Almost there.

[heroforfun]

Eh, I won't fight with random people, that's lame.

[vivelarevolution]

[he blinks. In his experience that's kind of what a brawl entails]

Are you more of a wrestler type then? [he can see this guy in a ring]

[heroforfun]

Kinda. I fight for fun.

[vivelarevolution]

Oh.

[he doesn't get it really, but he also no longer cares much. Whatever floats this guy's boat. It's certainly not making him any money though Sabo supposes it could. He shrugs and leads Makoto down a set of narrow steps, stepping around a well fed rat without seeming to care much about its presence, then opens a door with a peeling label that says Z Mart.

The close skeezy feeling in here is kind of nostalgic in an odd way and he can't help but smile. Inside are dilapidated shelves with old cans and weak looking boxes of various foods-- and a few bins of wilted vegetables.]

This place is the cheapest you'll find anywhere. Most of the stuff is only a few months out of date and if you get really lucky you find mostly fresh produce. [he digs out an apple that is only a little bruised here and there, tosses a coin on the counter next to the dozing man and buffs the apple on his shirt]

You can stretch even the smallest budget here.

[heroforfun]

Huh. This isn't too bad.

[It's hard to tell how sincere "Makoto" is. He steps in and passes up the fruits, going to check out the canned and bagged goods. If he can buy some rice or something in bulk, maybe some canned veggies, he could last the week just fine.]

Don't know why some music guy knows about a place like this, but thanks.

[Most people would be even the slightest bit worried, about rats or shifty activity or dangerous somethings in a place like this. Saitama seems to slide right into shopping again, just checking the expiration dates to make sure things aren't a year out of their date or something.]

[vivelarevolution]

[hard to tell but Sabo isn't really looking for sincerity. Even a kind of slanted gratitude is good enough for him. He shrugs at the question and eats the apple in two bites, sucking the juice off his fingers]

I like to explore. Staying in one place for too long makes my skin itch.

[heroforfun]

If you're bored too long, you'll start to feel nothing at all.

[vivelarevolution]

[that just gives him cold chills and he can't help but look at the guy. Though it's not because he's afraid of that kind of boredom but-- it speaks to him of something else. Of moving past a breaking point. He's ...seen people with faces like that somehow. That they've gone so far they can't feel anything at all. ... But that's stupid where could he have? It was probably something]

In that case maybe you should find something more interesting to do.

[though he's not speaking to the guy directly because it's not as if he knows anything about him. He finishes the apple and sucks the juice from his fingers]

Ever considered ballet?

[though he's kind of joking a little]