[ Shizuka is off from her day job, and is taking a rest day from training. So this is the time she allocated for a little shopping. This part of the city is somewhere she hasn't explored yet, and the map given to them says there's a hobby shop here. She wonders what geeky collectibles could be sold in this world, or in this city, considering everything that's going on. So on she goes, wearing some comfortable casual clothes of pants and a jacket.
When she sees the storefront, Shizuka peeked into the display window first to see if anything catches her interest. But instead of the figurines, her eyes were caught by the familiar sight of another Outsider. She just blinks at him, before turning around and walking away, popping in through the entrance with a deep breath as she turns to where he is standing. ]
Hello.
[ All that mental effort for a hello. At least she's trying? ]
[Taryon removes his hand from the figurines and turns to face the new customer - politely, with a smile and his arms at his sides to bow. The familiar face gives him pause, but he catches himself quickly and finishes the motion.]
Hello, welcome to our store. [The manager isn't around, which means he won't get any sort of reprimand for chatting with friends on the clock.] I didn't think I'd run into you here. You're...Shizuka, right? The girl who fought the snow monsters?
[They hadn't talked much after the simulation battle, considering that Taryon needed rest after the real life kaiju fight, but he couldn't forget that bizarre practice mission.]
[This is a normal answer from any customer, Taryon sees that Shizuka is a bit nervous (who wouldn't be, out in public in a strange universe?), but the idea that she has nerves over being seen as a geek does not come to him. After all, he's a nerd and doesn't hide it. Why should he be embarrassed?
So, he smiles and steps away from the shelf.] Go ahead. We've got plenty to look at.
I mean- [He gestures at the shelves of figures.] We have those of excellent quality, but if you're less interested in characters, there's models of ships and machines. And there's this kit where you get to put a giant robot together.
[He walks over to the boxes of Gundams.]
There's video games and pillows too, if you're more into that, but no books. [He shrugs, but he can't hide the disappointment in his face.] Everything's digital here.
[ Shizuka looks at wherever Tary is pointing, eyes unable to hide her excitement like she's a kid in a candy store again. She follows him to the model kits and gingerly takes one that caught her interest, thumb running along the label while she holds the box with both hands. Not different from anyone who wants something but cannot afford it.
The only thing that made her look away from the design of the mech was when he mentioned video games and pillows. She's never much into video games, but she's dead and stuck here, might as well pick up a new hobby, right? But her gaze falls on the mech illustration on the box and only gives a hum in reply. ]
Yes. A tangible book is more fun.
[ She says softly, just so she can utter something without falling into her memories again, since she's really unable to peel her eyes away from the mech on the box. It reminds her so much of her home, her past, her own mech Izanagi... ]
I know. Downloading a text isn't the same thing as wandering a library, feeling the cloth covers, and picking the most brilliant or thickest tome I can find. Or that satisfaction of turning the final page and closing the back cover. There's that noise and weight of completion, like you finished some great task...
[He sighs. Gone are the days of watching shelves and shelves of books you've read, seeing just how much he read. The library in the base is nice, but it's the only thing in the city that satisfies him.]
So I asked LILITH to get me a few books from home, just to have that feeling of having something at my bedside. [No matter - Shizuka probably doesn't care about that as much as the box she's eyeing.] This one's pretty popular. Based on customer satisfaction, I'd recommend it.
[ Shizuka didn't pay attention to Tary's words, only focusing on him again when he recommends the toy in the box she's holding. One she puts back in its place. ]
I was just looking at it. It looked familiar, that's all.
[ Her denial only makes her longing more obvious. She is yet to catch that blunder, but she is quick to change the subject ]
You can ask LILITH for things back home? Were you successful?
[ She wonders... There's some things back home that she wants to have. ]
[Taryon could urge her to buy it - if he couldn't have Doty, a replica would make him less lonely. It could be the same for her giant fighting robot.]
That's...pretty cool. Funny how a lot of things here remind us of home. [Some books he found, the familiarity of the temples and shops that others brought up...]
I was. I asked for some books, and they got my copies from home.
[ There's certain things from home that she really wants to have again, like her collection of plushies and t-shirts. She gives the box one last touch before turning her full attention to Tary. ]
Do you have anything cheaper? I don't have enough money yet but I don't wish to leave empty handed either. Perhaps, something with a practical purpose as well? Like apparel.
Nothing in the figurine section, but we have physical shirts and digital codes for your fashion chip. [Download the file and have nanobots create the image of the clothing. It's how everyone can look great for a low cost.] We have the pillows and blankets, if you have money to spare.
[He leads her to another aisle, where clothing, fabrics, and plushies of mascots are kept.]
We have dishware, too, but that's a smaller selection.
[ For a store so small, it has a lot. But they all share the same theme of geekery despite the many differences. Shizuka follows his guidance and immediately sees the cute plushies. Try as she might to hide it, her eyes betray her cold confidence. Her hands as well, as she couldn't help but grab on to one of the plush toys that caught her attention - a white bear with a beige-pink nose and sparkly eyes and a shirt that says "hug me". ]
Hmph...
[ She scoffs at the written words on the shirt, running her thumbs on it in contemplation. She looks at Tary from the corner of her eyes, feeling her face warm up in embarrassment as this definitely looks different from the image she wants to project. ]
[Any cheap product that a factory can easily slap a design on is sold, whether it be a shirt or a bento box. The plushies aren't all based on existing properties, but these are given the love and care needed to make them cuddly. Taryon would think those only appeal to children, but not everyone goes to sleep hugging a half-finished robot arm.
Shizuka looks interested, and the salesman in Taryon urges him to encourage the purchase. He steps over until he's right next to her.] A few credits, yes. But if you want it, buy it! Or don't, if you don't like it, I'm not here to tell you what you need to do.
[ Shizuka looks at the toy again, contemplating and letting it's softness welcome the pressure of her gentle grip onto itself. The sight and feeling of it made her smile enough, and Tary has shown her that he isn't the judgmental type. It was enough for her to make the decision. ]
Well, yes, that. [It's unfortunate that Shizuka must hide her nerdy side from him, but that just means he has to he even more of one until she's comfortable about it. Yes, that will definitely work.]
An excellent gift. And I'm saving up to buy one of those models, too. You're free to join me when I start working on it.
[Although he prefers to do the bulk of the effort. It's fun, having small pieces to fiddle with.]
[ Shizuka replies, sheepishly grinning but also quick to drag her emotion back to her stoic state. She shows very little of it - her excitement. This is probably the first time in her life that someone invites her to do something together, and this means a lot. But she cannot express it. There's a bit of a crinkle in her brows as she looks at the doll again, like she wants to say more but is holding her tongue. Instead, she distracts her mind by giving voice to her more practical side yet again: ]
How do I pay for this? I'm not used to this world's ways of purchasing yet.
[ QR Codes were the way of the world back home. Cash, credit cards... They were primitive by her time. ]
[Hooray! Taryon has successfully asked someone to hang out with him as a friend. He's doing so well with socializing. That good mood will stick with him for the rest of the day.]
Kryptos. You have to transfer them from your account into the business's by linking your account to theirs. It's not the safest method, but...
[He misses the days when everything was paid in coins.]
[ Shizuka taps the side of her ear to access her implant. The intuitive function of this augmented reality technology should be easy to get used to but, her reservations about body implants makes Shizuka feel iffy in using it. Still, she wants to buy this bear so she can forget about her disgust for a second.
But she pauses and looks at Tary when what he says finally registers and reaches her brain through her excitement ]
We used coins and bank checks where I'm from! Sure, a thief could easily steal it on the road, but you weren't sharing your account information over a network!
[He sighs.] But that's what they do here, so you might as well get used to it. It's easier that lugging around bags of platinum.
[ She misunderstood him and thought there was a safer way to pay here in this world. But she does see his point. For a long time Japan was a cash-based society. Credit cards were barely used and QR codes took over eventually. The thought of it made her miss home. ]
Your world must be very different from mine.
[ But she syncs up her account and looks at the product of her measly police salary on there. Buying this stuffed animal is a significant deduction of what she currently has, but... She wants to be selfish for once. With a thought, she pays for the bear successfully. ]
It's...very different. [He folds his hands together, thinking of where to begin.] I'm told that I'm from a era they call "medieval" or whatnot. Everything here is new, especially the idea of credit cards.
[Good thing he's a fast learner, or the culture shock would have been too much for him to handle. He stands aside, adjusting the display while Shizuka pays, and when she finishes, he gives her a polite bow.]
I see that's it's been registered. Thank you for shopping here. [His folded hands gesture towards her.] Is there anything else you need?
[ Adapting, she meant. Though she doesn't know how long he's been here. Magic existing in his world probably helps his mind with the technology, since Shizuka's experience with magic is basically like applied sciences. Still, that's as close to a compliment she can give, nodding at his bow and giving the bear one more look now that it's officially hers.
Her first selfish purchase in many many years, the thought is enough to warm her heart and make her smile genuinely. She looks at him - her friend - again, keeping that smile on her face. It's a rare sight that Tary is the first to see. ]
I believe that is it. But I will come back.
[ Still, she can't say thank you, but gives a polite bow as she takes her leave. The bear is clung into her arms tightly, head by her shoulders making it look like the bear is waving goodbye to Tary.
Once she's outside, Shizuka is unaware that she can still be seen from the window. She gives the bear another look, reading the words "hug me" on it's shirt as she holds it in front of her. Shizuka's glee couldn't be contained for very long as she gives her bear a tight hug, leaving with a pep in her step unlike the way she walked before entering the store. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
It's perfect!
When she sees the storefront, Shizuka peeked into the display window first to see if anything catches her interest. But instead of the figurines, her eyes were caught by the familiar sight of another Outsider. She just blinks at him, before turning around and walking away, popping in through the entrance with a deep breath as she turns to where he is standing. ]
Hello.
[ All that mental effort for a hello. At least she's trying? ]
no subject
Hello, welcome to our store. [The manager isn't around, which means he won't get any sort of reprimand for chatting with friends on the clock.] I didn't think I'd run into you here. You're...Shizuka, right? The girl who fought the snow monsters?
[They hadn't talked much after the simulation battle, considering that Taryon needed rest after the real life kaiju fight, but he couldn't forget that bizarre practice mission.]
no subject
Correct.
[ She glances aside, contrasting the rooted stance she takes, unable to really look at him in the eye after he gets to see her in a store for geeks. ]
Well don't mind me. I was simply curious of what is being sold here. That's all.
[ She's internally sweating bullets because she's already seen some cool figures she wants in her room... ]
no subject
So, he smiles and steps away from the shelf.] Go ahead. We've got plenty to look at.
no subject
[ She asks, unsure if that's what the normies would say. She looks around again, trying to be subtle to hide which ones interest her. ]
Do you just sell figures here? Books are hard to come by in this world isn't it?
no subject
[He walks over to the boxes of Gundams.]
There's video games and pillows too, if you're more into that, but no books. [He shrugs, but he can't hide the disappointment in his face.] Everything's digital here.
no subject
The only thing that made her look away from the design of the mech was when he mentioned video games and pillows. She's never much into video games, but she's dead and stuck here, might as well pick up a new hobby, right? But her gaze falls on the mech illustration on the box and only gives a hum in reply. ]
Yes. A tangible book is more fun.
[ She says softly, just so she can utter something without falling into her memories again, since she's really unable to peel her eyes away from the mech on the box. It reminds her so much of her home, her past, her own mech Izanagi... ]
no subject
[He sighs. Gone are the days of watching shelves and shelves of books you've read, seeing just how much he read. The library in the base is nice, but it's the only thing in the city that satisfies him.]
So I asked LILITH to get me a few books from home, just to have that feeling of having something at my bedside. [No matter - Shizuka probably doesn't care about that as much as the box she's eyeing.] This one's pretty popular. Based on customer satisfaction, I'd recommend it.
no subject
I was just looking at it. It looked familiar, that's all.
[ Her denial only makes her longing more obvious. She is yet to catch that blunder, but she is quick to change the subject ]
You can ask LILITH for things back home? Were you successful?
[ She wonders... There's some things back home that she wants to have. ]
no subject
That's...pretty cool. Funny how a lot of things here remind us of home. [Some books he found, the familiarity of the temples and shops that others brought up...]
I was. I asked for some books, and they got my copies from home.
no subject
[ There's certain things from home that she really wants to have again, like her collection of plushies and t-shirts. She gives the box one last touch before turning her full attention to Tary. ]
Do you have anything cheaper? I don't have enough money yet but I don't wish to leave empty handed either. Perhaps, something with a practical purpose as well? Like apparel.
[ Or plushies, they can be practical too! ]
no subject
[He leads her to another aisle, where clothing, fabrics, and plushies of mascots are kept.]
We have dishware, too, but that's a smaller selection.
no subject
[ For a store so small, it has a lot. But they all share the same theme of geekery despite the many differences. Shizuka follows his guidance and immediately sees the cute plushies. Try as she might to hide it, her eyes betray her cold confidence. Her hands as well, as she couldn't help but grab on to one of the plush toys that caught her attention - a white bear with a beige-pink nose and sparkly eyes and a shirt that says "hug me". ]
Hmph...
[ She scoffs at the written words on the shirt, running her thumbs on it in contemplation. She looks at Tary from the corner of her eyes, feeling her face warm up in embarrassment as this definitely looks different from the image she wants to project. ]
Do they give you a bonus if you help make a sale?
no subject
Shizuka looks interested, and the salesman in Taryon urges him to encourage the purchase. He steps over until he's right next to her.] A few credits, yes. But if you want it, buy it! Or don't, if you don't like it, I'm not here to tell you what you need to do.
no subject
[ Shizuka looks at the toy again, contemplating and letting it's softness welcome the pressure of her gentle grip onto itself. The sight and feeling of it made her smile enough, and Tary has shown her that he isn't the judgmental type. It was enough for her to make the decision. ]
Very well. I'll buy it.
[ Beat ]
It might make for a good gift for someone.
[ It's her. She's someone. ]
no subject
An excellent gift. And I'm saving up to buy one of those models, too. You're free to join me when I start working on it.
[Although he prefers to do the bulk of the effort. It's fun, having small pieces to fiddle with.]
no subject
[ Shizuka replies, sheepishly grinning but also quick to drag her emotion back to her stoic state. She shows very little of it - her excitement. This is probably the first time in her life that someone invites her to do something together, and this means a lot. But she cannot express it. There's a bit of a crinkle in her brows as she looks at the doll again, like she wants to say more but is holding her tongue. Instead, she distracts her mind by giving voice to her more practical side yet again: ]
How do I pay for this? I'm not used to this world's ways of purchasing yet.
[ QR Codes were the way of the world back home. Cash, credit cards... They were primitive by her time. ]
no subject
Kryptos. You have to transfer them from your account into the business's by linking your account to theirs. It's not the safest method, but...
[He misses the days when everything was paid in coins.]
You can access your account, right?
no subject
[ Shizuka taps the side of her ear to access her implant. The intuitive function of this augmented reality technology should be easy to get used to but, her reservations about body implants makes Shizuka feel iffy in using it. Still, she wants to buy this bear so she can forget about her disgust for a second.
But she pauses and looks at Tary when what he says finally registers and reaches her brain through her excitement ]
Wait- Is there a safer method?
[ Shizuka is too paranoid sometimes ]
no subject
[He sighs.] But that's what they do here, so you might as well get used to it. It's easier that lugging around bags of platinum.
no subject
[ She misunderstood him and thought there was a safer way to pay here in this world. But she does see his point. For a long time Japan was a cash-based society. Credit cards were barely used and QR codes took over eventually. The thought of it made her miss home. ]
Your world must be very different from mine.
[ But she syncs up her account and looks at the product of her measly police salary on there. Buying this stuffed animal is a significant deduction of what she currently has, but... She wants to be selfish for once. With a thought, she pays for the bear successfully. ]
There. I think it went through...
no subject
[Good thing he's a fast learner, or the culture shock would have been too much for him to handle. He stands aside, adjusting the display while Shizuka pays, and when she finishes, he gives her a polite bow.]
I see that's it's been registered. Thank you for shopping here. [His folded hands gesture towards her.] Is there anything else you need?
no subject
[ Adapting, she meant. Though she doesn't know how long he's been here. Magic existing in his world probably helps his mind with the technology, since Shizuka's experience with magic is basically like applied sciences. Still, that's as close to a compliment she can give, nodding at his bow and giving the bear one more look now that it's officially hers.
Her first selfish purchase in many many years, the thought is enough to warm her heart and make her smile genuinely. She looks at him - her friend - again, keeping that smile on her face. It's a rare sight that Tary is the first to see. ]
I believe that is it. But I will come back.
[ Still, she can't say thank you, but gives a polite bow as she takes her leave. The bear is clung into her arms tightly, head by her shoulders making it look like the bear is waving goodbye to Tary.
Once she's outside, Shizuka is unaware that she can still be seen from the window. She gives the bear another look, reading the words "hug me" on it's shirt as she holds it in front of her. Shizuka's glee couldn't be contained for very long as she gives her bear a tight hug, leaving with a pep in her step unlike the way she walked before entering the store. ]