[open]

[yaayaa]

Who: yaayaa & you
When: After elemental emotions die down
Where: Shopping district, streets, elsewhere
What: Mostly-aimless wandering around town
Rating/Warning: None, probably

---

[So Cerealia's falling apart, weather's invaded the city, Mosley's a robot, Naki's friends went on a murder spree while he was holed up in his room, etc etc....he's tired. He's not entirely sure why he's tired, after a week of doing nothing but mope (emotional exhaustion is still a foreign thing), but. What he knows is that he should get up, go out, do something, stop lying around. Maybe find something to cheer up the others? What would Ichi-nii like....]

around town

[Naki's in his favorite fox coat, with a matching whiskered face mask, peeking in at various shops in the shopping district. Picking out a notepad at the stationary store! Perusing the snack aisle at...some place that sells snacks! Trying on a scary mask at a costume shop! Staring curiously at a toy store display of plastic jumping beans! Getting ushered out of a store with a NO PETS sign on the door!

Why.....]

But I'm not a pet...! [whines the fox around his neck, as he stares perplexedly at the door.]

other

[wild card? Shopping aside, he can also be found wandering around the gardens, feeding a carrot to the horse near the dojo, sitting by the street somewhere just watching people walk by...playing rhythm games on his cerevice, maybe.]

Comments

[yaayaa]

[which toy was he looking at...there were a lot of toys? so many toys! but no, for the moment he focuses on just one thing, leading tsuru-senpai to the object in question and pointing at it in a maybe-possibly-meaningful way.

jumping beans! beans that jump! they've got cartoony faces drawn on them, but that's not quite as important as HOW DO THEY JUMP he's really curious...!]

[gravesite]

[ he's going to follow as naki leads, and finds himself staring at... these curious-looking, colorful beans, trapped in a plastic container. while he does spend a decent amount of time in toy stores, he's never seen anything like this before. ]

What are these?

[ his eyes widen, curiously, as he removes a single pack of them from the shelf to get a closer look. why do they all have faces... it feels like they're staring at him. weird! ]

Do you think they actually jump?

[yaayaa]

[he doesn't knooowww what they aaaarreee that's why he's curious!! they obviously don't look edible, and the faces look kinda weird, but he wants them anyway? to see if they can really jump or not.

he shakes his head at tsuru's last question before realizing that could be construed as a no, hesitating, then--]

I don't know. [it says they do so that means they do...right??]

[gravesite]

[ oh! naki spoke! tsuru will quickly murmur a "good job" and give naki's head a gentle pat, before turning his attention back towards the jumping beans. ]

Then, we won't know until we buy these and find out.

[ taking one container of them off of the shelf! each one has three to five jumping beans, so they'll see... but while they're here — ]

Hmm... is that the only toy you wanted? As for me, Kashuu wants something called "cards against humanity" — so I'm trying to find it for him. It's probably around here somewhere.

[yaayaa]

[it's the only toy he wanted at this particular moment, at least! naki looks around at the question, wondering if there's anything else he wants, but then tsuru mentions what kashuu wanted, and--]

Against humanity?

[that sounds like bad cards!?]

[gravesite]

I know, I know. Sounds like something the KBC would play, right? I'm sure it's just a card game, so it's probably not too bad...

[ hopefully... he doesn't even know what it is, aside from some card game that should probably be located in the card aisle. ]

What do we do if it really is against humanity, though... well, as long as we don't let Chihiro know, it'll be fine, right?

[ no chihiwas are allowed to know about bad cards!! ]

[yaayaa]

[does this mean they'll play it anyway...secret humanity-destroying card games!

how do cards even destroy anything



ugh he's curious now? and fox is struggling again, he's reaching his limit...]

[gravesite]

[ they'll give it a test run while they chew on their jumping beans!!

but he does feel smallest fox struggling for its smallest freedom, so tsurumaru will quickly glance around for any employees...

and sees none in sight, so he's going to open up a small corner of his jacket, enough for the fox to breathe, stick its head out, read naki's thoughts, and speak.

though, nonetheless — ] Shh, mister fox. Use your best inside voice, okay?

[yaayaa]

[does it count as an inside voice if the fox just let out a kinda-loud GASP because gosh your clothes sure are stuffy, tsurumaru!!]

--Aah...is--is it safe to come out, now? This position is rather uncomfortable...

[he wiggles some more, a tiny paw sticking out along with his head.] And playing against humanity sounds dangerous, regardless of whether or not the human knows!

[party-pooper fox!]

[gravesite]

[ as long as it was a quiet gasp, then it counts as an inside voice!! he reaches to give smallest fox's paw a squeeze, though, because beans... ]

Of course it's not, but if I kept you hidden during this entire trip, I don't think Naki would last.

[ because even though he likes hearing naki use his voice, he also knows that naki would much rather prefer smallest fox to speak for him, even if he poops parties. ]

But do you think it matters if there aren't any humans playing? We'll just keep it hidden from Chihiro, and humanity will definitely be safe.

[ he even makes a thumbs up gesture, because...yeah!! that's how it works!! ]

[yaayaa]

[smallest fox will allow your squeezes...for now.

and it's true, seeing fox out in the open does make naki relax a bit.....his security fox!]

Ah, that might be true...if no humans are involved, I suppose it might not hurt them. [though it all depends on how the game works, in the end....fox still looks unsure, but he'll give it the nod anyway.]

But speaking of Chihiro, perhaps we could find something more human-friendly here, for her?

[gravesite]

[ the fiercest smallest fox... sadly, no one seems to know how this game works — even kashuu, probably, who suggested it in the first place.

but since he's managed to earn smallest fox's approval, he quickly picks up a box of Cards Against Humanity and holds onto it, putting it next to the carton of jumping beans. no takebacks!! this game is coming home with them, rip humanity. ]

Oh, you're right! That sounds like a good idea. She's always helping us and taking care of chores, so I don't think I've ever seen her playing with toys before.

[ hmm... ] Do you think she'd like dolls? Or... something more interactive, like a slinky?

[yaayaa]

[goodbye humanity...good thing we're not human. also, dolls are kinda boring, but naki approves of slinkies?]

A slinky does sound interesting! Or perhaps something a little shinier...or both!

[gravesite]

[ no one needs humans anyway, swords can be their own masters... right? that's definitely how it works. ]

What about... shiny slinkies? From what I've seen, they have those colored plastic ones, but then they also have ones made out of metal. Those are the shiniest.

[ looking around, looking around... and pointing in a certain direction once he's figured out where they are. what a big toy store, gosh ]

I think there's some over here. I'm sure that they sell the metal ones, but if we find one in your favorite color, we can buy it, too!

[ does naki have a favorite color — ]

[yaayaa]

[swords can totally be their own masters! somehow! yeah!!

...they can already wield themselves, what if they really do decide to go rogue!?]

Well then, we should definitely choose a metal one! The shinier the better, after all! And being metal makes it reminiscent of a blade, when you think of it.]

[how is this toy store so big...it's amazing! also there's a gigantic collection of squashables near where tsuru just pointed, naki's staring at them instead...and oh, are those plastic lightup bright sabers? and those battery-powered toy dogs that go bark bark bark bark bark and kinda shuffle around in a cheap attempt at walking and don't do much else but they're really cool anyway for some reason!]

.....Okay.

[he didn't actually hear that last part, but at least he's looking in the right direction, more or less?]

[gravesite]

[ naki no... don't get sucked in by all of those cheap distractions? but since it's obvious that naki is, in fact, being sucked in by these cheap distractions, tsurumaru gives his sleeve a gentle tug — moreso to get his attention. ]

Over here, Naki.

[ but tsurumaru is also not very immune to the charm of toys, so after he picks up the box that contains the metal slinky, he pauses, turning back towards naki. ]

On second thought, well... I suppose it wouldn't hurt to buy one more thing.

[ naki's his sword kouhai, right? so it's only natural to want to spoil him... even if it's with cheap distractions. quick, bring him your favorite one! ]

[yaayaa]

[they might be cheap distractions but they're worth a whole lot in distracting ability! naki does look back at the tug though, following obediently, watching tsuru grab what they were actually going for, staring up at him when he mentions buying one more thing.

he blinks. he looks back at the wide variety of possible one more things he could choose from. heeeeee slips off to go try to find something!?

probably he'll get the barky toy, it's just so barky how could you resist!!]

[gravesite]

[ you know, when naki returns with the barky toy that goes bark bark bark, tsurumaru can't say that he's too surprised... it's kind of like his fox, but also unlike fox, the only word that this barky toy knows is, well. "bark". ]

Does that remind you of your fox? [ and then, turning towards smallest fox — ] You've got some competition.

[ anyway, he'll let naki hold onto the barky toy for now, as they stand in line... but before they approach the counter, he suddenly remembers something?!

he opens his jacket again, pointing inside the flap. ] Quick, hide back in here — you don't want the sales clerk to see you, right?

[yaayaa]

Competition? I don't see how we're alike...

[it doesn't look like a fox? it's a pinkish-whiteish tiny dog with a little stubby tail...naki's not gonna mention the barking, tsuru can be the one to explain that.

also, fox doesn't want back in? look at how his ears go down and his tail goes down and his body goes down and really he's just sorta flattened against naki's shoulder like he's either really depressed or trying to become part of naki's pretty foxcoat. they're the same color! nobody will notice!]

I-I suppose, if I must.....

[gravesite]

You're both small and fluffy, right? You also both talk, even though the dog only knows how to go, uh... bark bark bark.

[ look at that, a flawless explanation. though, if fox is reaaaally curious, tsuru can show him the barking dog afterwards as it goes yip yip yip and cheaply bounces around in a circle. but since smallest fox doesn't seem to be fond of going back under tsuru's coat and seems to be making that fact clear in the saddest, cutest way possible, maybe tsurumaru can offer him some other ideas. ]

Well, if you're that upset about it... maybe Naki can tuck you underneath his coat? Or you can blend in, if you close your eyes and hide your paws.

[ along with wherever else smallest fox has darker markings... quick, quick! it's almost their turn to pay! ]

[yaayaa]

[that description is kinda hard to argue against...but ah, if he has to hide in a coat either way, then.....obviously he'll choose naki's. there's a heavy (tiny) sigh, but he does it! quietly slithering in! his tail's kinda poking out but sshhh it's fine.]

[gravesite]

[ good... smallest fox is cooperative! but after he dashes beneath naki's coat, it's finally their turn at the register — at which point tsurumaru promptly slides eeeeverything onto mikazuki's tab. it seems to work, though, as he accepts their bagged toys from the npc cashier.

after they're outside the store now, he looks through the bag, giving the barky bark toy back to naki. ]

Here you go.

[ because don't kids like to hold onto their toys immediately after buying them... should he even be considering naki as a child... so many questions!! ]

[yaayaa]

[mikazuki sure is rich, huh? even in a fancy future space colony!

i say 'even' but he didn't have any money at the citadel, did he.

aaaanyway naki does in fact appreciate receiving the barky bark toy as soon as possible! he accepts the toy, holding it in his hands, turning on the bark. bark bark bark! and off....and on again! bark bark b-off again.]

Thank you very much, Tsurumaru-dono! You are truly very generous!

[says fox as he comes back out into the open, because naki's a little distracted at the moment.]

[gravesite]

[ look, he has money in a fancy future space colony, ok! the citadel has rough economic times.

but it seems as if he's guessed correctly, given naki's fascination with clicking the bark on and off and on and off and on and off... which tsurumaru doesn't mind, because he, too, is five and would also click toys on and off and on and off and on and off, if he had the opportunity. ]

It was nothing at all, you know? I like buying things for Naki. But now you see, it, right? It can speak, just like you — except that it only knows one word.

[ which is bark... or bark bark... or bark bark bark. but because tsurumaru is full of evil, or he just wants to see if it's possible, he asks another question. ]

What if Naki ends up replacing you with that dog toy?

[yaayaa]

[why must tsuru be so evil...naki stops playing with the on/off switch when tsuru asks the fateful question, leaving the dog silent for once, and - after a very short pause that didn't mean anything at all - (carefully) shoves it in his coat pocket instead.]

No.

We have a bond too strong to be broken by a mere toy, Tsurumaru-dono! It's terrible you'd even suggest such a thing...!

[though the fox probably is actually a little bit relieved, as he moves to nuzzle naki's cheek.]