choo choo open log train

[unevoke]

Who: Shinjiro (unevoke & open
When: misc. days after event 9
Where: PLACES
What: THINGS
Rating/Warning: shouldn't be anything crazy!

---

a - mcceres
[By this point, work's become a monotony. It's a way to earn money, and he doesn't bedgrudge it for that purpose, but the forced socialization doesn't suit his tastes and the risk of running into someone he's conversed with - particularly after the events of the previous week - leave him tenser than he usually is.

At least he's an entertaining sight, dressed in his standard uniform of brightly colored apron and hat, sporting one of the flattest looks known to man as he asks:]

What can I get you today?

b - some random thrift store
[Shinji's stay thus far in Cerealia has been unkind to his limited wardrobe. His hat's looking particularly worse for the wear, his pants have small rips in them, and his coat is probably going to disintegrate the moment someone touches it.

Hence, his presence at the local thrift store.

There's not a whole lot on display, most of either not in his size or in atrocious colors and patterns he would never think to wear in public. Like the shirt he pulls out off the rack in sheer disbelief: a lemon yellow, with pink beach balls and blue umbrellas.

Who the hell even thought this was a good idea? And no he's not going to buy it, don't you dare ask.]

c - the cybuddy store
[Out of all the places in Cerealia though, the CYBuddy store is where Shinji's spent the most time of late. His guilt over attempting to sacrifice the things (and in some cases successfully) have led him to return time and again, to offer assistance in the store and give the remaining CYBuddies some proper attention.

It also gives him an excuse not to be social, and to put off thinking about the terrible things he tried to do.

Of course, there's no point in spending time in the CYBuddy store if he's not going to buy anything. There's Mitsuru's CYbuddy to spoil, and since he can't exactly buy gourmet CYBuddy food (does that even exist?) he settles for toys, picking out two and weighing them against each other.

He turns, eyes questioning.]

Hey, you got any idea which of these lasts longer?

[Quality over quantity, yo.]

d - game center
[Shinjiro isn't much for games. Having played only a rare few during his childhood, he'd never developed the fervor for them many of his peers had. That said, the pseudo-game of live action Pac-man he'd played his first day here had been kind of fun. He wanders into the game center one day when it's mostly empty - blame the early hour for that - and spends a good ten minutes just walking down the rows, checking out what there is on offer.

He stops in front of a fighting game and cracks a small smile. Akihiko would probably love this.]

e - choose your own adventure
[ooc: feel free to make your own scenario or pm me for an individualized prompt!]

Comments

[scenting]

[ wow shinji wooooow you're such a jerk.

thankfully, malia never expected an apology -- she just wanted shinji to shut up. and he did! or at least, he changed his tune so it works out. ]

I... guess? I don't know if we're supposed to give it to customers. It's what we order stuff from.

[unevoke]

[Well there's no point in breaking out into fisticuffs in the middle of the store. The CYBuddies wouldn't like it (and tbh Malia would probably kick his ass anyway).]

It's gotta have descriptions in it about the stuff you order though, right? Or is it just pictures and order numbers?

[Jeez, catalogs, so unhelpful nowadays.]

[scenting]

[ she would, there's no question about it. claws? right in the gut. sorry, bro. ]

Usually the manager orders... [ seriously, dude. she is a cashier. a CASHIER. ] But I guess I could find it for you. You're really high strung about pet toys, aren't you?

[ because wow this is a lot of effort for something so simple. she's just going to duck out from behind the counter now and head to the back. she doesn't really care if he follows or not. ]

[unevoke]

[Look he just really has a Thing about pets, even mechanical ones. But Malia will get some breathing space as Shinji remains behind at the counter, pet toys still both in his hands.

That, and he just really wants to watch the CYBuddies some more.]

[scenting]

[ she's going to come back out in a bit with the catalog and just sort of shake her head when she sees him still there. when she's back at the counter, she drops the catalog on top of it and sweeps her hand towards it. ]

Go crazy.

[unevoke]

[Go crazy he does, albeit in a very restrained way, carefully flipping through the pages of the catalog and reading through every description that might be somewhat relevant to his cause.

Unfortunately, there's very little - just pictures and order IDs - and he ultimately closes the catalog with a dull thud and an annoyed sigh.]

Guess there ain't much in here. [Guess he's also on his own for this. With another sigh, he holds out both toys.] I'll get both then.

[Look, some real work for you to do, Malia.]

[scenting]

[ she honestly wasn't paying attention to 100% of what he was doing there. instead she went back to studying, running a pencil down the page as she reads along. she's a bit surprised when he finally gives up and and puts the toys on the counter.

... huh. she grins a little, smugly. ]

You're getting both? You know, you look really mean but I bet you're not.

[ which makes her laugh because why would you try to look so mean if you weren't. what an idiot!!

casually... rings up the toys then. ]

[unevoke]

[??????????????? That gets him to jerk his head from staring at the countertop in order to stare at her in utter bewilderment.]

The hell are you talking about?

[Translation: fuck how do I get her not to say anything about this to anyone else.]

[scenting]

[ whoa your heart rate sped up a lot, huh? she sort of blinks at him with the sudden THUMPTHUMPTHUMP in her ears. god damnit, shinji. ]

You look really suspicious and mean but you just spent the last half an hour bothering me about dog toys. I don't think you're that suspicious or mean.

[unevoke]

[AUGH kill him where he stands and let him die unknown to the world except for as a sketchy mean hobo. But he calms himself down (you're welcome, Malia), and pays for the toys with his digital currency even as he grumps over the comment.]

'S for a friend. She's helped me out with some stuff. I'm just payin' her back.

[scenting]

[ that's not enough of a lie to be picked up on malia's lie detector ears so she doesn't really question it. instead she just nods and rings him up. ]

That's a really nice thing for you to do.

[ not a tease! she just states it like a fact. ]

If you need anything else, I'll still be here. I don't... really have anywhere else to go right now, I guess? So.

[ as it's her job ]

[unevoke]

[Ah, compliments. Also a thing guaranteed to frazzle him in any situation, including this one, and he promptly scowls more even as a faint blush spreads across his cheeks.]

Like I said, I owe her one. [He'd do the same for anyone.] You work all week?

[Returns might be easier if she remembers ringing him up in the first place.]

[scenting]

[ oh no that's... cute... she can't help but smile when she notices the blush. aw, shinji. ]

And now you've paid her back. [ and then she gives a nod at his question. ] I'm Malia, by the way.

[ holding out her hand for him to shake!! cause that's normal right? right. ]

[unevoke]

[No, stop!!! this isn't what he wanted. Just dig a hole and throw him in already.

The hand's looked at with a bit of distaste and then goes promptly ignored. (Sorry, he's actually a huge asshole.) On the bright side, he does reluctantly offer up her name as he collects his small bag of dog toys.]

Shinjiro. Thanks for the catalog.

[Even if it was ultimately useless.]