[ACTION | the day after the flood] Insert terrible puns here

[mirage_diver]

[Locke, being a treasure hunter, naturally has a lot of experience with opening jammed locks, but not like this.

NOT LIKE THIS.

So apparently the key to his room isn't working. The reason why? An errant blob of flying fruit-paste smacked right into his door the day before. So know Locke is kneeling down in front of his door, a small set of lockpicks opened up on his knee, along with a red-stained cloth or two - looks like he's having to work out the literal jam a little bit at a time.

All while looking incredibly suspicious to anyone that doesn't recognize that this is his dorm he's going at with those metal jimmies.]

Comments

[mirage_diver]

[That word, there. 'favor'. It makes his skin crawl - it's the same type of unpleasant feeling he got whenever Edgar started making moves on a lady.]

...I'll consider. Start talking.

[fisheyes]

You're normally pretty good at picking locks, right? I mean, when you're not getting your ass kicked by jam, at least.

[mirage_diver]

[Oh, he's not liking where this is going at all.]

It's one of my skills, yes.

[fisheyes]

Teach me. I'll even promise not to use it against you.

[THE MOST CHARMING SMILE YOU EVER DID SEE~]

[mirage_diver]

[...And in turn, you go raiding the girls' dorms and blaming him. Yeah, he knows how this will go down.]

I'll think about it. For now, you get the gil.

Besides, somehow I doubt you have the steadiness for it, Jitters.

[fisheyes]

[Hey, didn't he promise not to use it against you? He knows how to keep a promise. Besides, raiding the girls dorm would be ridiculous. Half of them are underage, and way too many of them could incinerate his crotch or turn him into a toad.]

What's the problem? I can promise you, Gin-san has perfectly steady hands. Hell, I work better on sugar.

[You don't get to be a master swordsman with shitty fine control, damnit. >:C]

[mirage_diver]

For one thing, it's not something I can do overnight. It's something that takes years of practice, and I know how you get when it comes to actual work.

[He'll let the other part drop. After all, you might even be right; it's just weird. Your diet will forever be a mystery to him.]

[fisheyes]

Oi, I can work for things that are worthwhile. I'm not asking you to teach me how to break into banks - just simple locks is fine.

[He rubs his chin, considering.]

Aa, I see... you're not as good as you want me to think you are, huh? Don't worry about it. However little you can pass on would be good. I'm not gonna laugh at you.

[And then he pats Locke reassuringly on the shoulder. Such a bro.]

[mirage_diver]

[Oi, oi. It's not that he's not good, it's that he doesn't trust you to use those powers for good. You are much more the type to use them for "awesome", which in turn gets everyone in trouble.]

You realize most of the doors here don't have simple locks, right? You wrecked one of the last ones. I'll show you what I know, but it's not gonna do you much good.

[fisheyes]

[But one day, he may need to be awesome in a way that saves a friend/Edo/the world! Again. And what if the world gets destroyed because he couldn't pick a single, shitty lock, huh? GOSH DARN, that would be annoying.]

Teach me, oh noble sensei. Gintoki will be your avid pupil.

[A solemn face as he pulls a respectful bow, before yanking the 25 gil out of his pocket and holding it out.]

See? I don't ask for advance payment. You're onto a winner, here, you lucky guy.