Do you wake up on your own | And wonder where you are?

[shroudedinsecrecy]

Who: shroudedinsecrecy & You!
When: OOC: mid to end of november, post-Intro | IC: early to mid april, post-ViViD game
Where: Various, specified in headers
What: Iris adjusts to her new life in a new place. Again.
Rating/Warning: I can't imagine ever needing a warning for Iris, but you never know....

---

I. - New Apartment

[Iris unlocked the door, allowing it to slowly open with little more than a push. Tentatively, she took a step inside--habitually removing her shoes as she entered.]

[It was empty. Mostly. Quiet. Iris didn't mind living alone. If anything, the peace reminded her of home. Aside from Sister Bikini and the occasional acolyte staying over for training, she could go the entire day without running into a soul.]

[She closed her eyes. Listening to that familiar silence. Wondering how long in her new home it would last.]


II. - Shopping!

[With her new place came a whole new kitchen. An empty kitchen. Which means Iris needed to go shopping for some supplies:]

a. - (Food)

[The market was lovely. Busy. Fortunately, that was because it seemed to carry everything Iris needed for the meal she had in mind. A simple recipe. One she had made hundreds of times before. She just needed the right ingredients.]

b. - (Clothes)

[...oh]

[It was only when Iris caught sigh of the boutiques that she even registered the idea. There was just one problem: she had no idea what to buy. Fashion wasn't exactly a thing at the Temple, and the few times she had ever been out of uniform, it was to don Dahlia's clothing. Her dresses. Her shoes. Every last accessory had all belonged to her sister's closet.]

[Iris had never really had the opportunity to choose for herself before. Which meant she had...absolutely no idea what to get.]

[So instead, she stared blankly at the rack after rack of tops and bottoms and under pieces and over pieces wondering what she had gotten herself into.]


III. - Work

[It was her first day, and already, Iris felt completely at ease.]

[Then again, she had actually been assigned something she was familiar with. Meditation instructor was practically beginner's stuff compared to the training she used to oversee. Breathing exercises. Relaxation techniques. Incense. Aural Therapy.]

[And the best part of it all was that, even when there wasn't a customer for her to tend to, Iris could simply continue with her own training, utilizing the time to clear her mind and sit in the center of the room. Eyes closed and breathing even. The faint scent of lavender in the air, and a serene instrumental soundtrack playing somewhere in the distance.]

[She was so still that, if she weren't sitting up, one might assume she had fallen asleep.]


IV - BONUS!

((Any misc. scenario that doesn't fit into the above choices: feel free to either concoct one of your own or contact me--plurk or PM is fine--and we can think of something together.))

Comments

I

[redcinemareel]

[As Grell had been passing by with her cats on leashes, one black and one white with what looks to be a red mohawk, she noticed a door open. Curious, she peeked in and saw a girl standing in the middle of the room. A new neighbor? A burglar?]

You may wish to close the door. [She may be cutting into some quiet time, but if this person was going to do something sketchy, then she didn't want any parts to it. She had cats to walk.]

[shroudedinsecrecy]

[!!!]

[Iris gave a small jump at the expected voice, turning back towards the main entrance.]

Oh! I'm-I'm sorry....

[Like she should have been the one apologizing for...opening her own door and...walking into her own apartment...]

I only just arrived and was looking around.

[redcinemareel]

[Well, someone didn't have nerves of steel.]

Is that so? [Grell glances around, looking at the rather plain apartment, not remembering the last time her own place looked so awful.] You're free to decorate it as you wish through the settings.

[shroudedinsecrecy]

[That's putting it mildly.]

Yes. So I've been told.

I just...haven't decided what I want to do yet. I've never decorated an apartment before.

[The urge to design it as close to her old room as possible was strong. Assuming it was even possible; she'd been brief on how to access the settings, yes, but that was different from hands-on experience.]

II - B

[fairbrook]

( Hello there, Iris! Guess who? Oh, right. That strange woman again!! This time, she's adorned in a Victorian-esque waistcoat, when she spots Iris through the mirror inside the boutique. Better than their fruitless attempts at fishing, one would suppose. )

Miss Iris--! ( Integra, that is not how to greet someo-- HOW DOES SHE KNOW HER NAME?! ) You look lost.

( Or at least, she doesn't look like she knows what she's doing. In which case, Integra is here to the rescue! Her hero... )

[shroudedinsecrecy]

[Hello, strange woman who knew a lot about fish. And who...apparently knows her name...]

[How did she know her name? Come to think of it, Iris couldn't recall if they'd discussed it previously. Or the world Iris came from. It certainly wouldn't have been the first person to recognize her whom she'd yet to meet.]

A...little, I suppose.

[Confusion written all over her face, she turned and offered a courteous nod of her head in greeting.]

It's good to see you again, Miss...?

[Insert name here? Please?]

[fairbrook]

( Yeah, she's uh... not sure if she ever told Iris her name. No matter. She'll make up for that now!! )

Sir Integra Hellsing-- but you may call me Sir Integra.

( Yes, of those Helsings. Have fun with that... )

So tell me. What brings you here?

( She would assume to buy clothes, but considering how she's yet to even try anything on. )

IV - THAT DREADED DATE

[chordplay]

[ So Klavier decided to take Iris out on a coffee date, just to put the poor fraulein at ease. Sure he was wondering what would come of this but at the same time, she was so beautiful and so delicate that it was worth giving it a shot.

He didn't know much of Cerealia and Tellus yet, but the CEREVice was highly convenient and recommended a cafe in the shopping area. With a location and time and mind, he contacted her and asked for her presence.

Sure he was a little early, standing outside the brightly light cafe sign with his hands in his pockets, humming to himself. Will the fraulein show, he wonders? ]

YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THE MOST AWFUL THING EVER

[shroudedinsecrecy]

[She still had no idea this was supposed to be a "date".]

[That certainly didn't stop her from dressing up a little, of course, but only because she had spent so much time purchasing outfits better suited to the warmer weather here. Iris was used to the cold. Those biting, chilling mountain winters that seeped into your bones. Comparatively speaking, it might as well have been the middle of summer here.]

[Which was why the 25-year-old woman made her way to the designated location in a lovely purple sun dress she'd been told suited her perfectly. Along with the simple white dress shoes which were as comfortable as they were versatile for her new wardrobe.]

[The only other thing she wore was a smile as she caught sight of him, looking relieved that she hadn't gotten lost along the way.]

Hello again, Mr. Gavin.

[chordplay]

[ Wow, she was more beautiful and demure in person than she was in virtual reality. Those acolyte robes were very unflattering. Now that she was in something more... fitting, Klavier couldn't help but smile.

This is what he particularly enjoyed about women. ]

Guten Tag, Fraulein.

[ He gives her a dazzling smile. ]

You look lovely today.

II - a!

[sayonaradumbass]

[the thing about getting cash the instant he got here is, he's not choosey about spending it. Charity? Methods of manipulation? So be it.

That also doesn't mean Kaneda still won't be cheap.]

Hey, you got any more of those little meatballs? Keep 'em coming. Oh yeah, I'll buy like, twelve boxes. I just gotta get my sample quota in.

[He's stationed himself by the free samples and even the NPCs are starting to get annoyed. It'd be nice if someone, say a familiar face, came to save them]

[shroudedinsecrecy]

[Did someone call for a familiar face?]

...oh! Hello again.

[Iris had been passing by the free meatball samples when she thought she recognized the voice of that charming young man she'd met during the last...er...game.]

Twelve Boxes, huh? Those must be some wonderful meatballs.

[sayonaradumbass]

[god, charming...charming with his mouth smeared in meatball sauce and chipmonk'd .]

Heeyyy, yo! Fancy meeting you here. [a semi-self conscious glance at the annoyed NPC] Twelve? Did I say-- I mean yeah, yep! Really great. You should have some.

III

[faithfulflame]

[That was someone who was dedicated to the craft. Rei was no amateur at meditation herself, capable of sitting for hours, but this woman had been in there since she'd come into the gym for her archery and kendo classes and hadn't seemed to stir an inch.

She was almost loathe to disturb her, but she decided that perhaps...meditation of her own might be good. She'd had a strange feeling all week, and this was bound to be helpful.

Settling down wordlessly in front of Iris, she too closes her eyes and remains as still as a statue, senses alert for signs of movement or activity. Was the woman interested in talking?]

[shroudedinsecrecy]

[Only if her guest was.]

[At first, Iris waited to be addressed directly. Maintaining both her posture and her light breathing. When silence prevailed, however, she listened for footsteps. Slightly surprised to hear them approach and then...stopping directly in front of her.]

[She risked peeking an eye open, and was taken aback to find not only the lovely young woman sitting in front of her in a notably similar position...but wearing a similar outfit.]

--oh!

[Her voice little more than a whisper, exhaling her surprise.]

[faithfulflame]

[The sound drew Rei out of her trance, and she blinked, exhaling slowly.]

Good afternoon. I didn't mean to startle you. But I didn't want to interrupt you, either.

I

[usefulanalysis]

[The answer to that question about silence? Was not terribly long. Ema Skye, the bouncy young girl, had taken up residence not terribly far away (Yay neighbors) and she's just returning from a short shopping trip with a couple of bags.

Stopping when she sees Iris's door open, she peers inside and...]

Oh! Miss Iris! Hello!

[shroudedinsecrecy]

[She turned back to the main door, to find--]

Miss Ema!

[After the initial surprise wore off, she smiled warmly at the younger girl.]

Have you taken up residence here as well?

[usefulanalysis]

[Rocking on her heels, Ema nods. Despite the whole...criminal...thing, Ema was more than happy to just write that off as familiar love and accept Iris as a friend. And a nice person too!]

I'm just three doors down! Fancy seeing you around here.

I

[cresthopes]

[As Takeru happened to walk by, he couldn't help but spy a familiar looking person nearby. While he knew he had school in a couple of minutes, it wouldn't be fair to not welcome her to the new apartment!

So without another moment to lose, he quickly walked over in hopes that maybe he could surprise her! As he walked every so closely...!]

Welcome to your new apartment, Iris-san! Do you need any help? [...And he may or may not have scared her]

[shroudedinsecrecy]

[...only a little.]

[She gave the tiniest of 'eep's as she spun around, blinking twice before realizing it was only Takeru.]

Oh!

I-- Hello again, Takeru. I...didn't hear you come in.

[cresthopes]

[When Takeru saw Iris jumping just a bit, he just blinked at her]

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't scare that much did I, Iris-san? I wanted to surprise you but if I scared you or something...I didn't mean to!

[Although, as he looked around the apartment though...] But I thought I should welcome you to your new place? It looks like you might need some help!

I

[bewrightback]

[Phoenix had set himself on checking up on Iris and seeing how she was settling in. So, with a gift basket in hand, he made his way towards her apartment and knocked on the door to a 'shave and a haircut' beat. It looks like he also made sure he was clean and well-shaven as possible for this.]

[shroudedinsecrecy]

[But did it cost him two bits?]

[By the time Phoenix arrived, Iris had yet to close her door. Simply left it propped open while she sat in the main area, legs tucked beneath her as she explored a few picture options for decorating. So when he knocked, all she had to do was look up to catch sight of him.]

Feenie!

[bewrightback]

[A two bit joke...

Being greeted by that name, in such a cheery way - it quickly inspires a fluster in Phoenix, and he chuckles as he peers through the door.]

I- Iris! [He clears his throat.] Um... Hello!

[He wonders if the door was supposed to be shut.]

Oh, I'm sorry. If I'm interrupting something...