a lobster and a fox walk into a bar [SEMI-OPEN]

[foxrightsactivist]

Who: Ryoma, Kaden, and YOU!
When: Morning of October 30th
Where: Aeon Mall in Narita
What: See Kaden and Ryoma. See Kaden and Ryoma try to interact with the modern world. Please help them. They have no idea what they're doing.

[ closed to Ryoma ]

[Modern day Japan is its own special brand of urban jungle. There are masses of people, moving vehicles, bright lights, big moving pictures on sides of buildings, and lots and lots of noise. And while it was strange noise, and annoying at first to boot, Kaden found he rather liked the bright, flashy human lifestyle. It was shiny and beautiful, and best of all, it lit up at night!

But nighttime isn’t now, when he’s standing here in front of the place that he and Alex had gone to look for clothes. Some place called a ‘mall’. Aeon, by the name of it, or so Alex had told him - he’d found that he had trouble reading the more complicated kanji here, let alone English. It had been an interesting trip before, but it had left him desperate to go back and explore on his own without feeling bad for dragging Alex all over the entire place.

And better yet, he’s run into a friend! That hair is unmistakable, and he’d recognize it anywhere.]

Hey! Ryoma, right? Fancy running into you down here!


[ open prompt A: kaden’s happy fun foxtime fashion romps ]

[The concept of pet stores is lost on Kaden… or, rather, he’d never really thought of such a thing being a possibility. Stores where you buy animals? It’s a weird prospect. But stores where you buy things for animals makes more sense. Or it would, if he’d ever seen such a thing.

Too bad he doesn’t realize that Aeon Pet is, in fact, one of those stores. He can’t read English. He just knows it says Aeon.]

Wow, hey, check out these brushes! This is a really good selection!


[ open prompt B: ryoma -- lobster samurai vs expensive hipster coffee, a love story ]

[Being a shinki came with several downsides--some people would argue the negative connotations of the inability to recall one’s life, or being a literal object to be used at the behest of another person’s will…

Ryoma was more concerned with the fact that he was always hungry. It was more of a passing grumble than an out and out ache, most days, and while he’d eaten before he’d fled Ler’s temple as Hak plunged into some sort of dark baking ritual with far, far too many boxes that’d promised cakes… cake was not supposed to come out of boxes. There were few things Ryoma was certain about in this unlife, but that one of the things that truly stuck in his head.

Also, he hadn’t quite finished picking the fake webbing out of his hair from Hak’s decorating adventures in the proceeding days, but that was neither here nor there because Ryoma was hungry now, and he had no idea what half of these places that boasted food were. Some of the writing made sense, or was easy enough to squint at until he could puzzle out its meaning, but others… others were eldritch, incomprehensible.

What was a Starbucks? Why did it smell enticing?]

[ wildcard ]

[Something you want to do that isn’t a prompt here? Feel free to use this option!

You have two idiots in a mall that really shouldn’t be on their own. Somebody is gonna end up doing the Bus Scene from Enchanted, mark my words, and it’s probably going to be Kaden on a golfcart.

If Ryoma had a sword, it’d definitely be him doing it though.]

Comments

A

[yasei]

[ They totally do not have any horse stuff here and that's annoying. Obi wasn't looking to buy anything (he'd probably steal it anyway if he found anything) but checking things out is useful. ]

It is? Do you know a lot about brushes, Mister?

[ Does the cute stranger like brushing animals or does he like being brushed with animal brushes? ]

[foxrightsactivist]

It is!

[Kaden turns to look at the person behind him, beaming and tail wagging.]

I feel like I do! I mean, if my tail is this soft and fluffy, I have to know at least something, right?

[yasei]

That's true!

[ Man Obi wants to touch that tail. And ears. And face. He has such soft looking cheeks. ]

Your tail looks like the fluffiest and softest one that I've ever seen. Taking such good care of it must give you a lot of experience.

[foxrightsactivist]

[If Kaden knew, he would invite him to do so! In fact--]

Oh yeah, definitely! You've got to have at least two or three different brushes to get fur like this. Would you like to touch it? It's just as soft as it looks!

[--he's going to anyway.]

B

[smilingbullet]

[ Well... That's an overwhelmed-looking person if he's ever seen one. ]

Uh... You look lost..?

[ And confused. And lost with what's going on here. ]

[lightninglobster]

[If there were a dictionary definition for 'thoroughly unimpressed by modernity', Ryoma's picture would be right next to it, frowning hard enough to curdle milk.]

In a proverbial sense, more than a literal one.

[Not that he wasn't literally lost as well, but Ryoma was chalking that up to exploration as opposed to not knowing where the hell he was.]

[smilingbullet]

[ But modernity is so interesting. But it's true that it can be troublesome; D2's only from 10 years back and there are sometimes things he gets confused by. ]

Sure, but getting proverbially lost can be pretty tough too. You want any help?

[closed to Kaden]

[lightninglobster]

[Ryoma, meanwhile, was still not entirely sold on this whole... thing that was happening in the modern world. Noise and lights and advertisements on literally everything were off-putting--almost offensive to someone who preferred to stay quiet and calm in his day-to-day activities. Worse yet was that Ryoma had to rely on his phone for navigation, and the less time spent touching that thing with his bare hand, the happier he was... unfortunately, 'Google's Maps' were invaluable for not getting completely lost. Again.

Hak wouldn't be coming to save him anytime soon--he was far too busy doing strange things in the temple kitchen involving far too many boxes and next to nothing that looked like the actual makeup of a cake, but Ryoma had been too polite to say as much. Besides, he could use more clothing that wasn't his very eye-catching and very (relatively considering) bulky armor.

... that he was noticed by his hair, though. Again. He had other features! All the same, his head came up from squinting at Google's Maps on his the magic brick, looking about for the caller until he finally spotted Kaden.]

Ah, Kaden! Good to see you again. How does the day find you?

[foxrightsactivist]

[He knew it! Only one person could look like Ryoma does, and that's Ryoma. Unless someone stole his armor and just so happened to have a wig styled the same way, but Kaden highly doubts that.]

I'm giving up some prime nap time to go exploring! It's totally worth it. This place seems really cool.

[... but Ryoma has a phone-thing, and he tips his head, leaning over to look curiously at it. He has a phone-thing, too, but he's not really played with it much.]

What is that you're looking at?

[lightninglobster]

[A wig like Ryoma's would shatter the necks of the unworthy and leave them strewn before three thousand pounds of hair.]

I am look at something called an 'app' on this... phone. It's supposed to be a map to help me find my way, though I can make no discernible sense out of the thing.

[He tilts it so that Kaden can see it a little better, as if there's a chance that Kaden's... fox-ness will interact with the fell magic in the phone in some way, shape, or form to make things better in a very general sense.]

A

[sing_for_me]

[Before she could say anything, Kaden had gone right into the pet store. She wasn't sure she should even correct him. In a way..it seemed appropriate? It just felt wrong to get items there for someone who wasn't..a pet.]

Do..you think that'd be better for you?

[foxrightsactivist]

[There's a familiar voice behind him, and his ears swivel back before he even starts to turn, tail lifting and wavering slightly as recognition washes over him.]

Oh! Alex!

[Kaden gives his god a big, bright grin, and his tail begins to wag a little more.]

It says it's good for fur, and especially for detangling! Look, look here. [He points at one hanging on the wall, where the label shows exactly what he's described.] I guess it's meant for dogs since there's a dog on the label, but if it's for fur it should work for anything with fur, right?

[sing_for_me]

[ The way his tail wagged was simply adorable. It touched her even more to see that he was happy to see her. It was so tempting to reach over and pet him, but she didn't want to invade his space.

She moves a little closer, plucking the brush out from the wall and reading the back of the label. ]

Hmm..It probably would work better for your tail. Do you want it?

B

[redmare]

[Chinatsu tapped her foot impatiently behind the huge man-- Or was it just his hair that was big? Either way, both him and his hair were in her way.]

Um..are you going in, mister?

[She did her best to sound polite, since he did look older and all.]

[lightninglobster]

[Little of column A, little of column B. Perhaps Ryoma's hair was large because Ryoma was large, as a sort of coiffure version of the chicken and the egg conundrum. He started from his attempt to frown the sign into submission at the taps and the voice, half-turning so that he could get a look over his shoulders.]

I'm not entirely sure. My apologies, let me get out of the way.

[He could grumble like an old man from slightly off center, instead of standing in the door.]

[redmare]

Thanks.

[ Based on his appearance and the fact that no one else was noticing the guy, she figured he might be a shinki too. That, or a cosplayer people were pretending not to see.

She walks past him, placing her hand on the door but pausing for a moment. Letting out a soft sigh, she looks over her shoulder. ]

Do you need help picking something out?

A & B

[festal]

A. How much is that kit in the window?
( Sakura loves animals. Or rather, she loves cute animals. So when she happens by the pet store, she can't help but be distracted by all of the puppies in the window. They're so lively and cute and oh... she just wants to take them all home with her. But through the glass, she sees a particularly familiar fluffy set of ears and--

She's quick to dip into the store. She looks a little flustered thanks to seeing Kaden by surprise but otherwise, she seems fine. She hadn't expected to see him out in Near Shore so soon and she knows how overwhelming it can be if you aren't used to things. Fortunately, it doesn't sound like he's having any problems since he's... more focused on the brushes?

How very Kaden. )

Oh... are you looking f-for a new one?

B. Sakura and frappuccinos
( Sakura was out shopping for the day. With the seasons having changed and everything, she was wondering if maybe she should find some more appropriate clothes for herself and her shinki. She hasn't gotten very far i her shopping for the day. She's seen a few stores but she wants to see what her other options are. And ah... she's getting a little hungry so maybe she could stop somewhere and grab a small snack?

She's on a street with several different cafes and bakeries when she sees Ryoma. Stopping in her tracks, she lingers a bit and wonders if she should approach or find some where else to eat. Ah, but is this his first time here? Everything must be so confusing and... she can't leave her brother all on his own like that. Even if she's certain he'd be fine. Steeling herself, she approaches him! )

A-are you looking for something to eat?

[lightninglobster]

[Ryoma would be fine, of course--buying food wasn't that traumatic, no matter how confusing the presentation or the things on offer were. If nothing else, he could return to Ler's temple and attempt to steal into the kitchen without getting press-ganged into making cake, but... Ryoma is normally too stubborn to give up on something, even if it's somewhat ill-advised. The sunk-cost fallacy was gonna get him killed, one of these days.

Re-killed? What was death after death, anyway?

He loses some of the furrow in his brow at the soft voice, half-turning to face Sakura--and immediately going into a polite smile, nodding his head in acknowledgement for the goddess. He remembers her from orientation, from the circling game with the children.]

Something like that. I'm not entirely convinced all of these places are actually selling food, however.

[He'd seen at least three plushies styled after various edible things, and remained mystified as to why. His stomach grumbled, and Ryoma's frown intensified in its wake.]

Am I in your way?

[foxrightsactivist]

[Kaden had sensed someone behind him, but with all the new and exciting smells in the mall and in this store in particular, he hadn't realized who it was until he turns to see for himself.]

Sakura!

[Boy, is it nice to see another familiar face! His tail is wagging before he knows it, and he's temporarily turning his back to the brushes. Only temporarily.]

It's so good to see you again! Funny running into you here, of all places, huh? [Especially since they can literally go anywhere. Well. Probably, anyway.] Are you looking for brushes too?

I blame you both for having a golf cart in here

[onedrinkwithme]

[It started as an excusion to find Sukomi a better pair of shoes and to see what he could get Yoon as a token of being one of his partners. But then he ended wandering around this mall and with a large Unicorn Frappucino in hand (needs more sweetness), spots something....unusual:

Two people around some kind of magitek transporter? Hmmm. Should he speak up?]

Excuse me, may I ask what you are doing?

it was a metaphorical golf cart but we can go with it

[lightninglobster]

[It's one of the metal horseless carriages, but small. Ryoma still eyes it dubiously, as if the thing could come screaming to life at any moment and go tearing down the mall's insides, hungry for... blood, or flesh, or whatever it was that drove most of modern technology.

It was probably blood. Or souls. Dark magic often fed off of those things, right? Ryoma glances towards the (very tall) man with the pointed ears and the garish cup, blinking at the cup as if he were uncertain of what he was seeing.

It's so pink.]

If I knew half of what was going on, friend...

[A headshake. Pour a frappe out for the poor lobster, he was not meant for this scene.]

[foxrightsactivist]

[Whatever is in that cup, it smells almost sickeningly sweet. Too sweet for Kaden, who doesn't seem to pay the cup a lick of attention. The tall man with pointy ears, though, gets a smile and a perk of ears. He's lucky he arrived when he did, or Kaden might have actually climbed up on top of the thing.]

Someone else was inside one of these things earlier, and it just took off with them. Probably to eat them. The person didn't seem too freaked out, though.

[It's a curious predicament, but the only way to keep anyone else from being eaten is to keep an eye on this one and make sure it doesn't snatch anyone else up!]

B

[hakingitup]

[excuse you. bite me.

Hak is taking a break from baking and decorating, and he does have to thank Izumo for a lot. So he takes his time and goes to the mall to pick up tea. He looks from his cup and sees a big mess of brown hair with cobwebs in it.

And just sighs.]

I thought you were taking a break.

[Nah, he's only joking.]

[lightninglobster]

[Not in public.

Ryoma was minding his own business, attempting to escape the spookiest temple of all for just a little while. He needed to reassert his independence! Yell at some damn kids! Shake the proverbial cane! It wasn't his fault that some of the cobwebs had been a bit low in the temple and decided to come with him to mall.]

I thought you were baking.

[He's probably joking. Maybe.]

[hakingitup]

[Incredible. Just incredible. He didn't know you were so old.]

They're all cooling now.

[Are you upset with him, Ryoma?]