[D7, EE] It would sure suck if I got kidnapped after this

[Kaiu Nagisa]

Nagisa had planned to close up shop to the general public early. Of course, she still had some cleaning up and preparation for her guest to do. Her normal routine of listening to some music to break the silence of just working along. The variety station she has on starts to play a familiar tune as she’s picking up a box full of spare cylinder heads. She groans. This song always gets stuck in her head for days.

Oh well. She chuckles to herself, she likes the song anyway.

Still, it was upbeat enough for her mood. Nagisa places the box on her tool bench before she slips off her work shirt and tosses it aside. Of course she has her black tank top underneath.

She catches herself humming along, unable to stop the catchy tune from sinking in. She goes through the side door to get the beer she hidden in the back of the mini-fridge, now starting to whistle along with the song.

“Oh, in five years time, I might not know you. In five years time, we may not speak. Oh in five years time, we might not get along. In five years time, you might just prove me wrong.” Oh no, she started to sing under her breath. Time to stop that!

She forces herself to hum after that while she continues to get things all put away.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Five Five Five...

Soon enough, a knocking would come up Nagisa's shop, soft and casual. And opening the door would reveal the Dragon once again, just at the time they scheduled shortly ago. And if something could describe her looks, is that she had just gone native. She sure still wore a black suit jacket and white shirt with her first buttons undone, unable to leave behind what was her style, however it was framed by having the shirt untucked, over swimming shorts, and sandals to pair.

Under her arm was you'd expect someone would give a prospect induct into the world of Mechpla, none other than the HG RX-78-2, from the line refresh to replace the old old model from decades ago.

"Good evening, Kaiu-san." She would greet with a small bow, her low and deep voice far more formal without the aide of alcohol on her veins.

[Kaiu Nagisa]

Sudden Dragon!

Hearing the door open to the customer lobby, there’s the sound of shuffling and mild cursing as Nagisa nearly drops a box with different kinds of coolants. She quickly puts it under her tool bench before entering through the side door.

“Ah, welcome, Kitsuki-san. Make yourself comfortable, I was just cleaning up my garage.”

It seems her kerfuffle with the box had left a black smudge of grease on her cheek.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Hearing the door open to the customer lobby, there’s the sound of shuffling and mild cursing as Nagisa nearly drops a box with different kinds of coolants. She quickly puts it under her tool bench before entering through the side door.

“Ah, welcome, Kitsuki-san. Make yourself comfortable, I was just cleaning up my garage.”

It seems her kerfuffle with the box had left a black smudge of grease on her cheek.

Ichitaiyo wordlessly produced a handkerchief from one of her jacket's pockets, the slight opening revealing the edge of the leather strap of an under-arm holster.

"Hold a sec."

And she tried to clean the oily black mark.

[Kaiu Nagisa]

Ichitaiyo wordlessly produced a handkerchief from one of her jacket's pockets, the slight opening revealing the edge of the leather strap of an under-arm holster.

"Hold a sec."

And she tried to clean the oily black mark.

The Kaiu looks puzzled for about two seconds before she notices the handkerchief. Now it was just more embarrassing as her face reddens. “Oh did I get some on my face? Ugh… Must have had a spill on the box I didn’t notice.”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

The Kaiu looks puzzled for about two seconds before she notices the handkerchief. Now it was just more embarrassing as her face reddens. “Oh did I get some on my face? Ugh… Must have had a spill on the box I didn’t notice.”

"I'd be more concerned about a mechanic without stains, like a warrior without scars, or a courtier without secrets." Ichitaiyo encouraged softly, then neatly folding her handkerchief in a single hands and stowing it. "Shall we head to our workshop?"

[Kaiu Nagisa]

"I'd be more concerned about a mechanic without stains, like a warrior without scars, or a courtier without secrets." Ichitaiyo encouraged softly, then neatly folding her handkerchief in a single hands and stowing it. "Shall we head to our workshop?"

“Ah. Good point.” Nagisa reaches over her the customer service counter to turn off the ‘OPEN’ sign in the window. The lobby area does have a lot of photos on the wall of a large dog that looks like the dog on the sign outside, but less cartoony. And there’s also one of what must be a teen Nagisa and said dog on the counter that she nearly knocks over in her hurry. She is able to catch it before placing it back on the counter carefully.

“That was close… Ummm. Yeah, to the garage. Out this door.” She motions towards the door she just came in from.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“Ah. Good point.” Nagisa reaches over her the customer service counter to turn off the ‘OPEN’ sign in the window. The lobby area does have a lot of photos on the wall of a large dog that looks like the dog on the sign outside, but less cartoony. And there’s also one of what must be a teen Nagisa and said dog on the counter that she nearly knocks over in her hurry. She is able to catch it before placing it back on the counter carefully.

“That was close… Ummm. Yeah, to the garage. Out this door.” She motions towards the door she just came in from.

Ichitaiyo couldn't miss the pictures, and couldn't avoid asking.

"Your faithful companion is still around?"

[Kaiu Nagisa]

Ichitaiyo couldn't miss the pictures, and couldn't avoid asking.

"Your faithful companion is still around?"

She shakes her head. “No, he passed away five years ago. He lived a good life. Tetsuo was the dog I grew up with, so he was pretty old by then.”

The garage itself was pretty clean, despite the engine that had been ripped out of a car that was lying on a tarp. The tools were kept in an orderly manner, oil stains have been cleaned up. There were some oddly placed things on the tool bench… Including a six pack of beer.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

She shakes her head. “No, he passed away five years ago. He lived a good life. Tetsuo was the dog I grew up with, so he was pretty old by then.”

The garage itself was pretty clean, despite the engine that had been ripped out of a car that was lying on a tarp. The tools were kept in an orderly manner, oil stains have been cleaned up. There were some oddly placed things on the tool bench… Including a six pack of beer.

"Is it always this tidy, or you cleaned up just for me?" Ichitaiyo teased, glad to be either flattered or impressed by the mechanic, and setting her mechpla on a nearby table.

"We start with with you showing me your way around an engine, or showing me the way around one of these models?"

[Kaiu Nagisa]

"Is it always this tidy, or you cleaned up just for me?" Ichitaiyo teased, glad to be either flattered or impressed by the mechanic, and setting her mechpla on a nearby table.

"We start with with you showing me your way around an engine, or showing me the way around one of these models?"

“Oh, uhh, I actually like keeping my work space clean. It prevents slips and falls. Also it gives a good impression when I bring customers in. But we might as well start with the engine. I know I was talking about motorcycle engines, but the basic premise is easier to see on a car engine.”

She moves to the engine on the ground and shoots Ichitaiyo a grin. “So a customer left his car here before going on a vacation so I have more time with it. Kind of needed it, too. I had to remove the engine to repair some cracks in the block. Which can happen from overheating due to not changing the cooling fluid.”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“Oh, uhh, I actually like keeping my work space clean. It prevents slips and falls. Also it gives a good impression when I bring customers in. But we might as well start with the engine. I know I was talking about motorcycle engines, but the basic premise is easier to see on a car engine.”

She moves to the engine on the ground and shoots Ichitaiyo a grin. “So a customer left his car here before going on a vacation so I have more time with it. Kind of needed it, too. I had to remove the engine to repair some cracks in the block. Which can happen from overheating due to not changing the cooling fluid.”

The pale woman strolled over to the engine and came closer to it, trying to figure out some pieces. She took the time to study a little before, if not to provide good conversation.

"Isn't the block the one part that deems necessary a whole engine change? You have the capabilities to bring it back to factory standard?" she asked with the inquisitive curiosity that had been nurtured from little.

[Kaiu Nagisa]

The pale woman strolled over to the engine and came closer to it, trying to figure out some pieces. She took the time to study a little before, if not to provide good conversation.

"Isn't the block the one part that deems necessary a whole engine change? You have the capabilities to bring it back to factory standard?" she asked with the inquisitive curiosity that had been nurtured from little.

That causes Nagisa to perk up. “You’re correct. This is a temporary fix until we can get the proper replacement. You can fill in the cracks, but it can only last so long. My shop is pretty small so I have to actually order pretty much any replacement part, and the more complex parts might take a while to get in. Customer is on vacation. He also doesn’t drive very often, so by the time gets back, he will have the car for only a couple days until I’m ready to replace the entire thing. I’m not charging him extra for this, since he has to pay for an entire engine.”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

That causes Nagisa to perk up. “You’re correct. This is a temporary fix until we can get the proper replacement. You can fill in the cracks, but it can only last so long. My shop is pretty small so I have to actually order pretty much any replacement part, and the more complex parts might take a while to get in. Customer is on vacation. He also doesn’t drive very often, so by the time gets back, he will have the car for only a couple days until I’m ready to replace the entire thing. I’m not charging him extra for this, since he has to pay for an entire engine.”

Ichitaiyo felt that little swell of pride on her chest and carried the conversation.

"So.. why then change the whole engine and not just the block? Do the... upper things.. Heads? Do those need to match the block somehow?"

[Kaiu Nagisa]

Ichitaiyo felt that little swell of pride on her chest and carried the conversation.

"So.. why then change the whole engine and not just the block? Do the... upper things.. Heads? Do those need to match the block somehow?"

“Ah, well the block is part of the engine itself. It houses most of the components, including the cylinders.” Nagisa reaches over and taps one of the eight large empty holes at the top of this engine block. “This is a cylinder bore, I explained the combustion process with the cylinders last time. This is where it takes place.”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“Ah, well the block is part of the engine itself. It houses most of the components, including the cylinders.” Nagisa reaches over and taps one of the eight large empty holes at the top of this engine block. “This is a cylinder bore, I explained the combustion process with the cylinders last time. This is where it takes place.”

"They are... quite small. I cannot imagine an explosion occurring in there for prolonged times, let alone thousands of them in a minute. How does it even tolerate that?"

Of course, her picture of an explosion was more akin to one would see in a breaching charge, or a large firework.

[Kaiu Nagisa]

"They are... quite small. I cannot imagine an explosion occurring in there for prolonged times, let alone thousands of them in a minute. How does it even tolerate that?"

Of course, her picture of an explosion was more akin to one would see in a breaching charge, or a large firework.

“Hmmm? Oh! Yeah, no, it’s not really an explosion in the sense that you’re likely imagining. It’s more of a build up and release of pressure that drives the piston down. There can be issues that arise if the whole process gets too hot, though. Hence the need for coolant fluids.”

Nagisa stands back up straight, stretching out her lower back. “Want a drink?”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

“Hmmm? Oh! Yeah, no, it’s not really an explosion in the sense that you’re likely imagining. It’s more of a build up and release of pressure that drives the piston down. There can be issues that arise if the whole process gets too hot, though. Hence the need for coolant fluids.”

Nagisa stands back up straight, stretching out her lower back. “Want a drink?”

"Hit me." She replied, coming closer onto the engine to inspect it with more detail. "What can I touch and what I cannot? I need.. to feel it?"

[Kaiu Nagisa]

"Hit me." She replied, coming closer onto the engine to inspect it with more detail. "What can I touch and what I cannot? I need.. to feel it?"

Nagisa makes way towards her tool bench to grab a couple of the beers from the six pack that was sitting on top of it. “Oh, you can touch whatever you’d like. I had to remove the more sensitive parts before I could fill in the cracks, anyway. My hands have been all over that thing.”

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Nagisa makes way towards her tool bench to grab a couple of the beers from the six pack that was sitting on top of it. “Oh, you can touch whatever you’d like. I had to remove the more sensitive parts before I could fill in the cracks, anyway. My hands have been all over that thing.”

Oh.

Oh no.

It was the perfect moment. But. It would ruin the moment.

Would it?

Ichitaiyo slowly turned her head, like a revenant ready to drop ill news.

"That's.."

"That's what she said."

She was ready to get kicked out of the garage.