[Open]

[kagenonadeshiko]

Who: Ayumu Yamazaki and you!
What: Errand running on the Near Shore
Where: Various locations
When: May 21 - 23
Warnings: None as of yet!




A. The Near Shore, Garden Center

[With spring drawing to a close and the approach of summer, it's time for Ayumu to see what's in season at the market and get ready for summer planting. It's still more satisfying to feel the earth with her own hands and grow her own vegetables. Of course, it's a comfort that even with new conveniences, gardening still remains mostly unchanged.

The same can't be said about Ayumu's appearance today, however. After months of stubbornly sticking to traditional dress, she's finally made the leap to modern clothing. She still sticks out like a sore thumb among the conservatively dressed housewives and farmers in an stylish outfit more appropriate for a hostess club than a garden center. Her long black hair is pulled back into a simple ponytail rather than its usual strict, old-fashioned updo and she's wearing light, natural looking makeup. Ayumu's not used to wearing any of this yet but she's trying her best to adapt.

The Near Shore residents don't notice her as she stands by a rack of seed packets, debating just how much room she has to plant summer crops. At the moment, she's holding packets of okra and lettuce seeds in each hand, apparently absorbed in reading the backs of each.]


B. The Near Shore, Cat Cafe "Calico"

[For all her reluctance to indulge in modern comforts and convenience, this is one Ayumu's quite happy to partake in. She can be found lazing contentedly on a loveseat in the corner with one gray tabby batting at her ponytail and rather massive ball of fluff sprawled across her lap rumbling away. The hot tea she ordered has long since turned cold, forgotten in favor of doting on the cats. A third cat slinks across the floor toward her and jumps up beside her, mewing for attention as well. If a person draws close enough, they can hear her softly singing nonsense about whiskers and paws to the cats.]


C. The Near Shore, various public bulletin boards across Japan

[The time has come for Ayumu to find a job. It's a decision born from boredom more than necessity. She has most of what she needs at the temple but without an undercover assignment and a smaller number of men to attend to, she's found herself with far more free time than she knows what to do with.

Currently, she's standing in front of a town bulletin board, looking through various 'help wanted' ads for anything that might match her skills. However, judging from her dejected expression and frustrated sighs, she isn't having much luck.

What's an old-fashioned kunoichi like herself supposed to do for employment in modern times like this?]


D. Wildcard

[If there's something you want to do that's not listed here, hit me up via Plurk (mimarin) or PM!]

Comments

B

[misterfrumpyface]

[Sheer curiosity about the name of this place is what drew Erk in. "Cat" and "cafe" are not words that belong together in his mind. Even now that he's inside, he can't say it's making any more sense; from what he can tell, people pay money to be clambered on by needy felines while trying to drink tea and relax.

The staff and patrons may not have noticed him, but the cats have, and an orange furball rubs against his leg, leaving plenty of hair clinging to him in its wake. Erk scowls down at it.]

This can't possibly be sanitary. [Says the kid dressed like he may have stepped straight out of the Middle Ages. He glances at the woman on the nearby loveseat.]

Excuse me... there's fur in your tea.

Re: B

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu's singing stops mid-verse at the sound of another voice. Careful not to disturb the purring cat on her lap, she sneaks a peek at her cup. Sure enough, there's a film of white fur on the top.]

Oh! Thanks.

[She hasn't touched it for half an hour, at least, but it's still better to be warned than wind up with a mouthful of fur. Ayumu turns her attention to the newcomer, smiling faintly. He isn't anyone she recognizes and the outfit and hair color are a bit strange but she's grown more accustomed to outlandish appearances since coming here.]

I don't believe I've seen you around here before. Is this your first visit?

[misterfrumpyface]

[Erk nods.] Yes. And, with any luck, my last.

[He certainly doesn't look very comfortable in this environment. He doesn't want to sit anywhere, because he'll get fur all over his nice cloak, so he's just awkwardly standing in one spot and trying his best not to brush against anything.

And, because cats naturally gravitate towards people who don't really want them there, the orange cat is joined by a smoky grey one who decides that Erk's foot is perfect for lying on. Erk regards them both flatly.

What do they want?]

...I'm afraid I don't understand the appeal.

[kagenonadeshiko]

You don't like cats?

[A cat cafe seems like an odd destination for someone who doesn't like them but who is she to judge? Idly, she wonders if Souji knows about this place yet. This seems like an establishment he'd enjoy. While she muses, she continues to stroke the happy fluffball in her lap, eyeing the feline duo at his feet.]

They seem to like you.

[misterfrumpyface]

I wouldn't say that I dislike them... simply that I'm unsure of what to do with them. Or of what they see in me.

[They do seem to like him, it's true. He can't begin to fathom why. But the grey one looks as though it intends to nap on his foot, and the orange one continues to circle his leg, rubbing all the while and occasionally pausing to meow up at him.

He really has no idea what he's doing here.]

...But I wanted to know what this place was, and now I do.

[Even if he doesn't really get it. This woman certainly seems content enough, though, lounging about with a cat in her lap. In a cafe. With tea she paid for but can't drink because it's full of fur. No, Erk just can't make this idea seem any less ridiculous in his mind.

He shakes his head.] To each their own, I suppose. I trust the cats have at least had their health checked? None of them have fleas? [A pause.] Ugh, I probably should have asked that before letting them rub against me...

A

[pure_radiantics]

[Kairi can't help but notice everyone ignoring the young woman and so without knowing what that means, she wanders over to her after having thoroughly perused the floral section. She's wearing something similar to old attire -- activewear skorts and a light shirt with walking sandals on.]

Hi there. What kind of project are you working on planting?

[Because she can only imagine a personal effort would make someone want to plant vegetables in the city.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

Oh, hello. I'm planning out a summer vegetable garden.

[Ayumu graces the girl with a friendly, warm smile. It's genuine, too. For all her cool professionalism in other areas, she enjoys the few hobbies she has very much. And of course, it's easier to talk to people when there's something to talk about.]

Are you a gardener, too?

[It seems like a reasonable assumption to make considering where they're standing at the moment.]

[pure_radiantics]

Well... I don't dislike the idea...

[She's lost in thought for a moment.]

I'd be willing to give it a try though! I'm a shinki, so I'm still just wandering around a lot, finding things that catch my eye.

[She points off to the floral section.]

That was all of the flowers, today.

[kagenonadeshiko]

Oh, I see. A shinki, hmm? Who do you serve? Have you been here very long?

[It's hard for Ayumu to tell who's new and who isn't these days. Forgetting so much has impaired her ability to interact and gather information more than she likes.]

Do you like flowers?

[Then she realizes she's bombarding the girl with questions. The temple's been pretty lonely without Satoshi or Yusuke around and it shows. She can't spend all her time imposing on Toshi and Souji or with Yamato, after all.]

Oh. Sorry about the interrogation.

[pure_radiantics]

[She laughs a bit in response, good-naturedly.]

Normally I'm the one asking all the questions! So it's finally my turn, I guess.

[She clears her throat a little dramatically.]

Well let's see... Roxas aka Artemis, no not long, and yes! Very much.

[Somehow the last answer comes easily to her.]

B

[shockshot]

[Masaki has to laugh a little. She's so glad that a customer is happy, and is playing away with the cats. The creatures love company, and the fact is, she's happy. What could be better?

Oh, well. There is the fact that Masaki is doing her rounds and...she gently clears her throat.]

Pardon me, would you like to have your tea refreshed? It looks like its gotten cold.

[Not to mention, someone might have missed her, somply for being what she was. Such was the burden of someone coming from the Far Shore.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu's singing cuts off at the question. Another person might have been embarrassed to have been caught singing ridiculous songs to animals but nothing about her demeanor suggests that this is the case with her.]

Oh! Yes, please.

[As much as Ayumu loathes wasting tea, even cold tea, she's operating on the assumption that to spend time with the cats, she has to be a paying customer. Being a cook herself, she's a little reluctant to take advantage of her limited visibility at these particular businesses. Not that it matters now that she's been noticed anyway.]

Do you work here?

[It's a brilliant idea for a business as far as Ayumu's concerned.]

[shockshot]

[Too bad; the singing was lovely. But at least Ayumu doesn't look flustered or anything. With a smile, and a dip down, Masaki picks up her cup. She'll see that there's no cold tea for this visit.

Even if she's not paying much attention to the paying customer part.]

Yes! I was hired a little while ago. By the way-what kind of tea did you order? I don't want to give you the wrong one.

[Low visibility or no, she wants to do her job right. She's not about to use it to slack off.

Much.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

Green tea with honey.

[Ayumu smiles back. Looking for a job is one of several things she planned to do today. A place like this would be lovely to work in, she thinks. All the cats, all the people, and she knows her way around a kitchen.]

Oh, excuse me. Do you know if the owner is still hiring help?

[shockshot]

[She nods, and makes to turn away, and to the kitchen with the cup until she asks that. Masaki pauses, and blinks.]

Oh? They might be? I haven't asked recently.

[She smiles, and shrugs.]

Is there a certain position you're interested in?

B

[noli_oblivisci]

[Ayumu isn't the only cat lover there. Psyche'd taken to regular visits the cat cafe, for more than a few reasons. The cats, however, were a very large part of it, particularly the fluffy grey somali seated nearby.

[Psyche another manga magazine to puzzle through and a cup of tea on the table, while her other hand stroked Snuffles. Everyone once and awhile, she had to push the cat's head away from her teacup, gaining a sulky look, before the cat was mollified with a scritch and a coo...until he tried again anyway.

[Eventually, however, he realized there was an unattended cup at a nearby table. Psyche heard him pad away but it wasn't until she flipped a page and curiously glanced around that she saw Snuffles leaning over and lapping at Yumi's forgotten tea.]

Snuffles, no.

[She quickly hurried over and to scoop the somali away from Yumi's cup, startling at least one of the cats and drawing a less than pleased 'hmph' from the cat in her arms.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[The cats aren't the only ones startled. Suddenly, there's a person in her near vicinity. Thankfully, the cat in her arms keeps her from jumping too much. It takes a second for her to figure out what had drawn Snuffles' attention. Oh, right, she'd ordered tea, hadn't she?]

Oh, thanks. Psyche-san, isn't it?

[Her eyes shift to Snuffles briefly, a soft smile on her lips. What a cute rascal that one is.]

[noli_oblivisci]

Yeah., it is. Hey, Yumi-san. Sorry about Snuffles, he's...really persistent when he wants to be.

[Indeed, the cat in her arms flicked its tail and flattened its ears irritably at being deprived of his treat. He sulkily settled down for the moment but his bright, lazy eyes continued to eye Yumi's cup.]

Um-I can pay for a refill. If you want.

[It was probably better than Yumi drinking cat-fur tea, at least.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Snuffles, hmm? There's something charming about his obvious grumpiness at being denied her tea. It reminds her a little of Tetsu.]

Oh, don't worry about it. I'd forgotten it was there.

[Is it safe for cats to drink tea? So many discoveries have been made since her time. She's hesitant to just give it to him without confirmation first.]

Please. Sit down. It's been a while since we've spoken, hasn't it?

[Maybe it's just a ploy to get Snuffles within range of petting but maybe it's not.]

[noli_oblivisci]

Oh-yeah, it has, I guess.

[With how big the Heavens and Near Shore were, it was easy to lose track of people. She eased herself onto the chair, Snuffles still in her arms (and well within petting range), and smiled a little as the cats from before got over the previous spook and circled back for more attention. She idly lifted a hand to stroke a large tabby, who butted her leg.]

It is good to see you again, though. [She smiled and added, after a moment] How's your stray doing?

A

[idkmybffgon]

[Killua has secretly crept up beside her and casually reaches out to pluck some seeds from the rack.]

What, are you growing a garden or something? You know you don't have to eat, right?

[Why are you even here Killua?]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[It's too bad she doesn't remember their first meeting; he'd made quite the impression on her then. But he's making another on her right now.]

Yes, I'm growing a garden. It's a hobby.

[She adds the packets to her shopping basket and continues browsing the seed rack.]

I like cooking, too, so it doesn't matter if I don't have to eat.

[Instinctively, her tone shifts into that of a slightly annoyed but patient older sister, not unlike it was the last time they interacted.]

[idkmybffgon]

[Killua pouts at her for a moment before tucking his hands behind his head, elbows up in the air.]

Sounds like some pretty boring hobbies if you ask me. Why don't you do something fun? Like... fighting or video games!

[Not everyone finds those things fun, Killua. But he seems to think they should.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu gives him a faintly amused look. She hadn't asked for his opinion but since he gave it so freely...]

Oh, you're a fighter, are you?

[So is she but she's not about to tell him that.]

[idkmybffgon]

[He gives her a smirk.]

Yeah, obviously.

[You're like four feet tall, Killua, it's not obvious at all.]

I'm one of the best ones around too, not to brag or anything.