estoria | open; cute clothes, cute animals, and other cute things, too, probably

Entry tags:

open; cute clothes, cute animals, and other cute things, too, probably

Who: Nishiki (

onbehalf) & open!
When: Backdated to IC: 10/30, OOC: 01/07
Where: The Shopping District.
What: Shopping for groceries and cute clothes and discovering the wonders of CYbuddies.
Rating/Warning: None!

( closed to Saya Konohana; the residential district - the academy )
[Nishiki has a mission today, so she doesn't linger for long, but on her way to the shopping disctrict, she pauses briefly just outside of the school. She passes by here a lot, and though she's never been inside, she's noticed a few things about this place—namely, that there are a lot of students her own age. As she stands near the gates, she can't help but wonder what it might be like to attend a school like that.

...she didn't really need to, though. Right?]

( closed to housemates; text )
[Before she gets too far, Nishiki decides to send a message to her housemates. It reads, simply:]

I'm going to the store today. is there anything I can get for you?

—

( a; the shopping district - clothing stores )
[One thing Nishiki needed more of was clothes. She had her work uniform and a couple outfits from home, and while they all had their uses, they were only really useful in specific situations. She wouldn't wear her shrine outfit to work (...although she probably could), and her ninja clothes weren't always weather-appropriate, so she should probably stock up before something else happened. You never knew what it would suddenly freeze over again, so...

Nishiki can be found in various clothing stores, examining all sorts of different kinds of clothes. She's currently wearing this, so it's probably no surprise she even needs to be here! But not only are a lot of the styles foreign to her, they also aren't quite what she's looking for. Whether she's holding a brightly-colored top or a cutely-patterned skirt, the only thing out of her mouth is—]

This doesn't look very practical.

[She's a ninja who's spent much of her life in seclusion and she has no idea how to do this.]

( b; the shopping district - outside the tech & auto shop )
[She should be heading back now, honestly, but something catches her attention, and it's the cute little CYbuddies in the window of the tech shop. She seems pretty mesmerized by them, even if they aren't really doing anything. Should she inquire about them? It's not like she needed one, but... hm. Nishiki continues to look at the cute little animals in the window, no particular expression on her face except for maybe thoughtfulness.

This is it, her greatest moment of indecision.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[totsuka should also be heading home... WHICH HE'S DOING, he has a giant sack slung over his shoulders like some kind of early Christmas Santa Claus, but he pauses when he spots Nishiki outside the shop. She's pretty noticeable, okay!!! anyway, he sidles up to her, peering at the window display.]

Oh, the alligator one is kind of cute... [HEY NISHIKI]

[Hearing Totsuka's voice immediately pulls Nishiki from her cuteness trance. It wasn't that she didn't notice him approaching, it was just— no, she didn't notice at all.

She blinks away her surprise and looks back down at the cute little alligator in the window.]

It's so small... It doesn't look very threatening.

[???]

[Totsuka laughs, adjusting his santa claus sack]

Do you want it to be bigger? Like the size of that panda back then? [but NOT TALKING ABOUT TAXES]

[Totsuka?! She's almost taken aback by the notion because... too big, too big!!]

I... am not sure. I suppose it would be less convenient that way.

[Maybe that's why the animals were small? Because they were supposed to be convenient?!]

[everyone wants a GIANT ALLIGATOR FRIEND]

Hm. [HM!!!] But if it's big enough, then you could ride it! You could save subway money that way.

[it's hard to tell whether or not he's serious... but he is laughing SO MAYBE THIS IS A JOKE???]

... What's wrong?

[ Mary thought the reaction to seeing adorable animal things would be delight, but Nishiki just looks pensive. She'll step a little closer, peering at the window. ]

[—ah. Nishiki looks at her, shaking her head.]

Nothing. I was just thinking about these... "animals." [She's not sure if that word is appropriate, but it feels odd to call them machines when they look like that.] Though I've seen them before, I have never seen them this close.

[They're... cute...]

You can see them closer, I think... do you want to go inside?

[...conflicted!! Nishiki is hesitant.]

Would that be alright?

[She's asking herself as much as Mary, to be honest.]

I think so! I'll be with you.

Ah... [It almost feels like it would be rude to argue, so she doesn't. Instead, she simply bows.] You are very kind, thank you. Shall we go?

Yes! [ ... granted, for all her bravado, she'll be sticking close to Nishiki when they enter. ]

[This is a surprisingly fortuitous text. After Tenka BROKE DOWN THEIR DOOR, Sousei had to make a shopping trip anyway. He just hasn't gotten around to it, but now--

Well... She probably couldn't carry everything on her own anyway.]

There are things that we need. I will come along. [if you're not...opposed... he's just used to sounding like he's giving orders, oops.]

[...ah. She doesn't really expect him to respond that way! Normally, she'd ask if that's really okay with him, but there's something almost decisive about his message and she's not sure she should question it.

So she decides not to.]

I understand. I am away right now, but I will meet you outside of the apartment.

[She was away, but not far, so that was easy enough.]

[Just roll with it, it's easier for everyone involved. He's satisfied with that answer--and he always has a reason for what he does.]

Very well.

[Just like how he tends to be not verbose at all...sorry, Nishiki.

But he'll be there promptly enough, waiting leaning against the side of the building.]

[It's okay, Nishiki doesn't mind that he's quiet. At this point, she probably realizes he's just like that and doesn't take it very personally, either. She accepts his answer for what it is and starts making her way back to the apartment.

And when she arrives there (not too long after he does—she moves quickly enough), she bows to him politely in greeting.]

Good afternoon. Shall we go?

Yes.

[He nods in response, as polite as he gets, and then turns his attention towards the shopping district.]

I assume you meant the market when you said "store". [you know. Groceries. It's important because then there are other stores that need visiting too.]

Yes. I was hoping to pick up some more clothes for myself, but I also intended to stop for some groceries.

[She figures it's best to make clear her own intentions before she goes on to ask—]

Was there somewhere specifically that you needed to go, Sousei-san?

Yes. We require a new mat. And more nails.

[To fix the utter disaster of a mess that Tenka made.............. by knocking down their bathroom door.]

We will accomplish your list first.

[That doesn't bug him, he's got the time for it.]

[Lily approaches the woman and then lights up seeing the animals herself.]

They're really cute!

[Calming herself she looks up at the lady and smiles.]

You like them too?

[Nishiki looks over, and— wow, what a tiny girl. An energetic tiny girl! She seems hesitant to agree with her, though, even if Lily's assumption might not be all that wrong.]

They're... interesting.

[That's not the word she wants to use at all! But she thinks it's not supposed to matter to her how cute they are.

(But they're cute.)]

[Lily looks really excited about the animals. She never seen something like these before...she wonders if she could get one. She's sure Bandersnatch wouldn't be jealous.]

Yeah! I like them.

[She looks up at the woman and before she could stop herself, she speaks.]

You're hair is different...it's pretty.

[She blinks at that, visibly surprised by what she says.]

Do you... think so?

[It's not the first compliment (?!) she's received about her hair here, but it's certainly not something she hears often. For a moment, she's not even sure what to do with herself because of it.]

[Giving her a nod she looks at her eyes too and notices one is like Mister Ninja.]

Yes, your eyes are interesting too! They're different colors like Vincent...but you are a child of misfortune, no red!

[Lily just said what was on her mind most times.]

Do you know mister ninja too? His eyes are the same purple color.

[He sees you eying those CYBuddies, Nishiki, don't think he doesn't. And that look of indecision clearly needs to be addressed if only so she doesn't scare away any other potential customers to the store. (Why does it even matter, he doesn't work there anyway.)]

They don't take a lot of carin' for, if that's what you're worried about.

[He should know; he's seen Mitsuru's CYBuddy enough times when he's gone over to visit.]

[Oh, that's good to kn— wait, no, that doesn't help, now she just kind of wants one even more...

She shakes her head, though. It's useful information, for sure, but it's not her main concern.]

I suppose it's more a matter of necessity. I should be able to manage without one.

[There's a silent "but..." at the end of that, though. She doesn't need one. But they're cute.]

[They are pretty damn cute, he can't disagree. Especially the dog ones. (Not that he's biased or anything, no way.) And while she's got a point that she doesn't absolutely need one to survive, Shinji's very pro-animal. Or pro-CYBuddy, in this case.]

They're supposed to help with stuff like blood pressure and stress-relief too.

[Go on, Nishiki. Get one. You know you want to.]

Really? [She actually sounds a little surprised.] I had no idea they were capable of that... Perhaps they're more useful than they look.

[What if she made it into her little ninja sidekick... She'll try.]

[What--that is not the intended purpose of a CYBuddy, Nishiki. To be honest, he's not sure if they really do all that but:]

They're like pets, right? Pets do all that for you. [Even the killer ninja parts sometimes....] You could always borrow one from a friend if you're not sure and see if you like 'em.

[ How things can change in a short time. The last time he'd seen the woman, he'd been uninterested in her. Less hostile, but indifferent. But after the last few days... ]

They don't look particularly warm, either.

[ His tone is almost gentle. After dealing with Tenka, he's existed in a sort of... daze, one he's not completely recovered from. There's a knee-jerk reaction to seeing her white hair -- Fuuma, family -- that her "human" side doesn't entirely cancel. The right side of his face is impressively bruised, courtesy of the head of the Cloudy Shrine. But it's jarred him into a sort of action, however basic -- he's reluctantly caving, picking up clothing other than his Fuuma garb. He is used to dealing with cold, in the most minimal of clothes, but... maybe he doesn't have to? ]

[Nishiki is surprised, truthfully, that Shirasu would even approach her and engage her in conversation at all. While the difference in his tone is noticeable, what's more surprising is easily the, uh... unusual color that appears to have recently been added to his face. She immediately forgets all about the bright pink garment in her hands and just blinks at him instead.]

Y-yes. [...] I apologize, but... Are you alright?

[What did you do...]

I'll live. [ He doesn't dwell on it. But he has to remember to not brush her off. ] But thank you for your concern.

[ He points to a different item on a rack. ] What about that? [ Short enough she can still move if she needs to, but the fabric is thicker. ~~Yeah he's bad at this clothing thing, too.~~ ]

[It's easy enough for her to see that he doesn't want to make a big deal of it, so she leaves it at that. ...even if she is curious.

She looks over at the dress in question thoughtfully.]

That looks much better. More moveable, and comfortable, too. Even if there is no use for my skills here, I would prefer to be prepared.

[She may not have a master, not quite, but... well, this place could get weird, so it was necessary.]

[ Given his current occupation, it's no secret that Aoba spends an unduly amount of time at the tech shop — between his job and fixing Ren, he's usually on the lookout for something, anything, that'd be of some help for his Allmate. CYbuddies are no substitute (as far as he's concerned, it's not even a possibility), but it helps to be somewhat familiar with their workings — one more step toward recovery, or as good as equivalent as he'll get in the meantime.

Catching sight of the woman staring out into the window, he comes up short beside her, eying the newest models with perfunctory speculation. ]

Pretty cute, huh? Were you thinking of getting one?

...ah. [She looks up, and admits, rather easily:] I'm not sure. I wouldn't say that I need one...

[But. There definitely seems to be something preventing her from just saying no and walking away from them.

And it's the fact that they're extremely cute.]

[ Hey, it's all cool. Aoba gestures at the one she'd been peering at, grin tipped toward speculative interest. ]

... But you want one, right? They're not as expensive as you'd think they'd be.

[WELL THERE'S A FAMILIAR FACE. Kaoru's out and about getting some shopping done too, but has to stop to say hello.]

Nishiki-san! Good afternoon. [A friendly smile, and over Kaoru moseys with a shopping basket tucked over one arm. That comment about the clothing practicality had definitely been caught too, but no comment is made on it... yet.]

Out shopping? I hope you were able to find warmer clothes earlier too, by the way. [Clearly she isn't frozen to death, at least! Even though she probably would have already been revived...]

[Hearing his voice, Nishiki stops and looks up (from what is probably a criminal piece of clothing, to be honest) to see Kaoru. She nods politely at his greeting.]

Good afternoon, Nagumo-san. It's a pleasure to see you. [Nishiki doesn't quite smile in return, but there's a vaguely pleasant air about her, at least.] And it's very kind of you to ask. I was indeed able to find what I'm looking for. Were you able to retrieve your coat?

[Nishiki made sure to bring it back to the shop, but— knowing her, she probably just left it there, either inside the shop or out, without even a note. Her communication skills are in a questionable place.]

[Judging that clothing, Nishiki... But at least the wild Kaoru judges in silence (mostly) (for now) (how long will it last that's the true mystery)

But!! The air of general pleasantness is carried on seamlessly by Kaoru, whose polite smile fades into something a little more muted but doesn't disappear entirely.]

I'm very glad to hear that. [No risk of freezing to death in the snow!!] Ah— I did, yes. But you left it so suddenly that I had worried something might have happened to you in the interim...

[WHO LEAVES A COAT WITH NO NOTE.]

[ Shinpachi doesn't work in the tech shop - but he works in the auto shop, so hey, same deal. It's still close enough to spot her staring at the CYbuddies, especially since he's standing outside while he takes a small break from his job. There's black oil stains on his cheeks (it's modern technology, he's not that good yet, so they mostly just make him do the heavy liting and all) and his overall is not.. quite.. zipped up the way it should be.. don't stare too much at the muscles hanging out, Nishiki.

But when he spots her standing there, he does recognize her from the other day, when it definitely had been less cold than today. So he flashes her a big grin and waves before sauntering over in his getup. ]

Yo! Looking at those things?

[Shinpachi....... If there's ever someone we can count on, it's not him, it's his chest.

It's definitely the first thing she sees when she looks up, but her eyes don't linger for too long before she looks up and sees a familiar face. She can't help but relax a little when she sees him—it's not just his smile but his overall warm presence that somehow makes her feel... welcome.

(It's something like the Kumous, she thinks.)]

Ah... yes. [She nods.] I've seen them around before, but never up close. If I didn't know better, I might have thought they were real.

Ah, I'm pretty used to it since Heisuke's got one.

[ That he bought for him, but details.. Shinpachi has a love/hate relationship with that thing anyway, since it's a c r o c o d i l e.. and he'll never make his peace with those creatures. Ever.

But at least the ones here are a little cuter, and he's already looking through the glass at them as some of them sit up and wag their tails. ]

They do look pretty real, huh? But on the inside they're all metal. I could know. [ .. is this really a story to be telling in public.. ]

[ Through a chain of broken telephone messages, Saya somehow ended up with an assigned duty of meeting a new student and helping them get used to the school. It's something she's been on the other side of, and she's thankful to Kukuri for helping her get around and get used to the school, even if...

She shakes the pessimistic thoughts away and tries to find the transfer student.

Her search is in vain, leading her to the schoolgates where a girl with rather odd colours for her hair stands. Maybe they're the student...? That means they've been waiting there for a while. Saya runs up to Nishiki and then tries to catch her breath. ]

I'm really sorry I'm late! I thought...

[ But she doesn't want to make up an excuse. That would probably sound bad. ]

M-My name is Saya Konohana. I'm your guide for today... [ And she's already failed at it. Bowing, she apologises again, ] I'm really sorry for making you wait!

[It takes a moment for Nishiki to realize she's the one being addressed, but when Says apologizes, she doesn't hesitate to reassure her.]

No, it's alright.

[...wait. What was she sorry for again? For making her wait? Wait for what?

...ah, this must be another one of Cerealia's trials. That would make sense. She isn't sure if she should protest it, so instead, Nishiki simply... bows.]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Konohana-san.

[Nishiki's not sure what kind of reaction to expect. The last time she was in a "school," the staff was weirdly seductive and also happened to be monsters.

(Maybe Saya is a monster.)]

[ SHE'S NOT A MONSTER...... ]

Ah, no, the pleasure is mine. What's your name? How do I address you?

[TEXTING IS HARD but he's getting the hang of it.

Still, this message might've taken a while to send.]

Have you already left, Nishiki? If you don't mind, why don't we go together?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

open; cute clothes, cute animals, and other cute things, too, probably

b; did someone mention cute animals

cute animals... my ultimate weapon...

the CUTEST TRAP

screams!!

shhhhhhh.....

b

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text;

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B

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i'm sorry i have to jump the b train too

bless, shinji and cute animals, I'm so glad...

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a~!

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a!

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hehe

gathers up!!

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text!! COMES IN YEARS LATE