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Home > Expos > Event 7 > Page 37
CLASSY DATE▼
CLASSY DATE
[Sweet Morning]
Scab
Finding a classy restaurant on Tiger's Claw was surprisingly easy. What was hard was finding something in the budget range of a metaparxi. Scab had found a cozy yet modest place to eat with dim lighting and soft jazz playing over the speaker system, somewhere that by the end of the night, he'd be just barely in the black financially.

He paced a little by the table he'd reserved, eyeing a clock on the wall every so often as he started to wonder if the refined cekeki lady would show up at all.
Scab
He wanted to step out for a smoke so badly. Both the thought of her standing him up and the thought of her actually arriving made him flush, his ears angled up to catch whatever flow of air ran through the building.
Madam
Madam came in about 7 minutes late. It's not that she had work to do, or didn't notice the time.....
Madam
She just always liked to come late. The reactions of a person when a lady is late to dinner is a big indication if she should ditch early, or give a guy a chance.
Madam
"Oh sir, sorry for my lateness!" She passes by him to stand by her side of the table, without offering any explanation for why she was late, just to see how he'd reply.
Scab
He waited for a moment, expecting some sort of excuse or a reason for the lateness, but when she offered nothing he was quick to end the silence hanging in the air.

"Oh, well I'm- I'm glad you made it. Safe travels?"
Madam
"Mmmm, no actually. See on the way here. I got mugged by two pirates."
Madam
"So you must excuse me if I can't pay the bill.~"
Scab
His ears fold back as he takes a moment to process what she'd said, beady black eyes opening just a little wider.
Scab
She was probably just messing with him.
Scab
"Well, of course! It was going to be my treat anyways."
Madam
"Sniff. Thank you. I assure you, I begged them not to rob me."
Madam
"I told them, you wouldn't make a poor man, a poor sweet metaparxi pay the bill all by himself? But they didn't hesitate a single bit. Animals I tell you, making you do this knowing all the trouble you likely go through!" She waves her hand as she flips through the menu.
Scab
He can't bring himself to pick up the menu yet. He already knows what the prices are, and he can only hope she'll be merciful on his wallet.

"It's no problem, really! Pirates or not, I wouldn't expect a lady to pick up the bill."
Scab
On the first date at least.
Madam
Man he's way too easy.
Madam
Could it be that he wanted something from her that wasn't a date? "Now, not to be rude, but you won't believe this, but a lady like me doesn't get many dates."
Madam
"What attracted you to me, sir? Is it my eyes?"
Madam
"My sense of style?"
Madam
"My sweet voice?"
Madam
"Maybe even those large teeths of mine?"
Madam
"Or....do you want information on Zoo Corp?"
Madam
"You can be honest if you do. 90% of the dates I'm taken on are just excuses to squeeze out all the information on Zoo Corp they can get out of me after I've had a few drinks."
Madam
"5% of those people are people really into my teeth. If you're one of them. My answer is "No." Thank you for your understanding."
Scab
He shifts a little in his seat, some of the tension in his shoulders dropping as she switched from flirting to shop talk. "Uh..."
Scab
He flicks open the menu in front of him, but doesn't really look at it. "No ma'am, this is just a date. I'm a hard working man but I'd sooner keep my work life away from my personal one, if I can."
Scab
"Also: Yes, yes, yes, and no."
Scab
"Good teeth are an attractive quality but... Not really a main selling point."
Madam
"Really, you're not here to squeeze information out of me?"
Scab
"Really really."
Madam
"Well too bad. I'll babble about the office, whether you want me to or not."
Madam
"Happy to hear you're not into that last one though, sir."
Madam
"I've gotten.....strange requests."
Scab
He just cocks his head. "Like what?"
Madam
"Lets just say I'm not going to eat you unless you're a cekeki."
Scab
He loosens his tie a little. "Last I checked I'm certified, 100% 'parxi, so I think we're good."
Madam
"Some people see a lady grab, maul, and eat a cekeki and they're like-"
Madam
"-Wow I want that to happen to me too!"
Scab
"Uh, wow, really? People want that kind of thing?"
Madam
"There's freaks in this universe, Sir."
Madam
"I'm one of them. But not like that."
Madam
"Tell me, where do you work?"
Madam
"This is just a segway for me to talk about work for the next hour, so keep it short.~" She says with a wink.
Scab
He nods, looking down at the menu again. He already knew what he was gonna order, he'd planned it ahead of time, but wanted to give off a more casual air.

"Just about everywhere, ma'am. Think of me as the multitool on Chordata's key chain, if there's a..."
Scab
"Shortage, let's say, of good and honest workers - they send me in to fill the void and keep things profitable."
Madam
"Chordata? Ain't that where notails throw folks they don't care much at?"
Madam
"So you're telling me you're a bit of a bad boy, no?"
Scab
"Not that Chordata ma'am, Chordata Incorporated, owned by the Monster family. One of the biggest fashion companies across the universe, with a lot of lateral movement these past few decades."
Madam
"Whew. I was already looking for a way to escape. Thought you were helping rip open bodies."
Madam
2024-12-26 23:32:11
Madam Profile
Posted by ID #107
Last edit: 2025-07-30 04:46:02
"I was about to say, no way's a gal like me stupid enough to get caught by an X-class goon looking to rip her open."
Scab
"Yeah, the spine logo really doesn't help I'll give you that one." He slips off his jacket, holding up the back of it for her to see before laying it down on the seat beside him.
Madam
"No way!"
Madam
"Stripping? In public? It's too soon!"
Scab
"Don't get too excited, I'm just taking my jacket off. I'm a little flushed, believe it or not." With that he closes the menu, looking up in search of a waiter.
Scab
"Are you ready to order?"
Madam
"Are you ready for your wallet to be abused?"
Scab
He huffs a little, shaking his head ever so slightly that even he doesn't notice he's doing it. "Like I said, my treat."
Madam
"Then I'll have the cekeki shrimp, thank you." She lets Scab do the ordering. She normally does it herself, but she can tell Scab is trying his best here.
Madam
"I bet you're wondering how a gal like me ended up at such a high position in Zoo Corp, don't you?"
Madam
"Even if you're not, I'm going to tell you."
Madam
"Believe it or not, this isn't my first Zookeeper."
Madam
"Before I was a cekeki, I was just a simple gal, living a simple life. Still doing accounting, I can't ever escape that."
Madam
"Me and my boyfriend at the time got an offer we couldn't refuse. A real "Gotta have it" moment."
Scab
"Before you were a cekeki? You were something else before that?"
Madam
"Yep! I don't think any cekeki has ever always been one."
Madam
"Even the small ones you paint, they used to be a person."
Madam
2024-12-26 23:38:29
Madam Profile
Posted by ID #107
Last edit: 2025-07-30 04:48:09
"But don't worry, by the time they can only say "cekeki" there's nothing going on in their heads. They've basically been used up, and killed."
Scab
That doesn't make it any less concerning in his eyes, but he just nods, leaning forwards a little. "I see."
Scab
"So, you had your own 'Gotta have it' moment. What happened?"
Madam
"Mmmm the old zookeeper was much like the current one, except he had too many....feelings to him, you know?"
Madam
"So we worked and toiled, but he always kept playing it too safe. The machine boomed, it bust, and it'd fail."
Madam
2024-12-26 23:41:01
Madam Profile
Posted by ID #107
Last edit: 2025-07-30 04:48:49
"But, cause I got in early, I'd still get to be one of those big cekekis in the sky."
Madam
"Never questioned much where the small ones came from, but after awhile, me and the folks I went in were "all used up" and tossed from the heavens."
Madam
"All used up. Batteries for a god." She sighs. "Guess I should have seen it coming. My boyfriend-"
Madam
"Don't worry, we're not dating right now."
Scab
An ear twitches, but he says nothing.
Madam
"-told me we'd just wait it out. But I'm impatient, ran around trying to gather anomalous power. Selling anything I could get my hands on to get back to the top."
Madam
"Looking back, it was a fools goal. A lil' ole cekeki on her own trying to make it back to the top. You'd have to be an idiot to believe that."
Madam
"But that's me, an idiot.~"
Scab
"From what I can see, you didn't do too bad for yourself."
Madam
"Mmmmm....Sadly that was just dumb luck. If it wasn't for that, I probably would have gotten myself killed back on my climb."
Madam
"One day, I came back, and my boyfriend says to me. "The BIG boss offered me a deal, but I didn't take it.""
Madam
"When he told me that, I was so mad.....I told him, he better go to the big boss and take that deal, else we're going to both die scrounging like trash here."
Madam
"I guess I was a little too rough with him about it....but he did take it after I said that."
Madam
"Sadly, that's pretty much how we broke up. He started working, and working, and he ain't ever stop."
Scab
"Oh."

Even with the music over the speakers there's a heavy silence cast over the table. He really is not sure what to say in the more emotional moments like this.
Scab
"Well... You took a risk, and it didn't pay off. I'm sorry about that. That doesn't mean it was a bad thing to do though."
Madam
"It didn't pay off? No, it paid off well!"
Madam
"I'm at the top of the world, sir! I'll be flying back in the skies in no time at this rate. Especially with the machine working so well!"
Madam
"The universe is ours."
Scab
"It sure seems like it..."
Madam
"Sure it's a little lonely at the top, but that doesn't bother me too much."
Madam
"I hope it doesn't trouble you, but I still see my ex a lot in the office."
Madam
"Don't worry. I don't think he even remembers me."
Madam
"Just figured you should know!"
Scab
He can't help but wince a little, squinting his eyes at the thought of being forgotten like that. "Hey, that's your life, I'm not about to tell you who you can and can't see."
Scab
"Besides, this is just a date right? It's not like we're hooking up."
Madam
"I had already booked the wedding hall sir.........."
Scab
"Oh..."
Scab
"Well, I'm sure we could make it work. Is the venue nice?"
Madam
"It's the company break room!"
Madam
"Figured you couldn't afford much fancier than that."
Scab
He scoffs a little, shaking his head. "Touché."
Madam
"I only have one request. Don't invite Ray."
Madam
"Don't like the way he looks at me. Frankly I'm not sure if he's thinking of eating me, or if he's mad about missing out on becoming the next Zookeeper."
Madam
"Might be both. Heck. I've seen him do both."
Scab
"He's a character alright. Really feels like I got the short end of the stick on that deal."
Madam
"Maybe I don't have a right to say this, but I don't eat a cekeki that talks. Ray would, no doubt."
Madam
"Ray's pretty powerful, but he's not a good man, not at all."
Madam
"Honestly, if you were an X-class shill, Ray would have been a curse to you. You'd be grabbing gals left and right."
Madam
"But you're a bit more honest than that, so I can't see him being any good."
Madam
"Now imagine if he became the zookeeper like he wanted to...."
Scab
"It's a little hard, really. He doesn't have any managerial qualities whatsoever."
Scab
"Though, I can't exactly see him fitting well with Chordata either. The man's on fire, and would be walking around an office full of clockworks. It just doesn't work."
Scab
"I really don't know what I'm gonna do with him."
Madam
"Beats me. We didn't know what to do with him either. He's a hard worker, but when he gets around you, he doesn't let you breathe for a second. He also.......convinces a lot of people to do a lot of things they wish they hadn't."
Madam
"A universe with him as Zookeeper would be horrifying."
Madam
"I like ours. He's silly, even if he never stops working."
Madam
"I'm just about done with my meal. Are you really good for a bill like this?"
Scab
He looks down at his own empty plate of very modest size. He'd ordered something a little smaller than usual, just to save on the expenses. He takes a deep breath, "I'll be on a tight budget for food but I think I'll manage."
Scab
His ears perk up a little. "Anything for a lady such as yourself."
Madam
"Wow, you're a total push over."
Madam
"You know, a lot of ladies really hate that sort of type."
Madam
"But I actually like it just fine."
Madam
2024-12-26 23:52:43
Madam Profile
Posted by ID #107
Last edit: 2024-12-26 23:53:23
"Sure, you're not perfect. You get real nervous a lot, but..."
Madam
"I could see you wrapped around my neck. If you understand what I mean."
Madam
"Hm! Wait you wouldn't. You're like, not long."
Scab
"I'm not not long?" He clears his throat, sitting up a little straighter.
Scab
"Though I'm not really flexible enough to make a good boa. Would arm candy do?"
Madam
"Arm candy works just fine with me."
Madam
"Don't worry about paying for dinner. It's a company expense."
Madam
"Don't worry about lil' ole me getting in trouble. Zookeeper barely knows I exist."
END OF DATE.
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