citylogs | ⇀ december [open] post

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⇀ december [open] post

WHO: shoko (

quitsmoking) & y'all
WHAT: lowkey holiday prep and shoko being a loner weirdo
WHERE: the newly opened media store, the diner, the cemetery, and elsewhere
WHEN: early to mid-December
WARNINGS: none for now, but any potential spoilers will be marked

SHOPPING
[ Christmas, admittedly, is not her thing. It hadn't been as a child, growing up in the world of Sorcery, and one fateful Christmas Eve had pretty much cemented that it never would be her thing. (But if she thinks about that day too long, or spares even a fleeting thought to the idea that the anniversary of it is coming up, her facade might, at long last, crack.) But with the weather growing ever chillier, and the City at long last offering something for her to pass the time with, it's only a matter of time before her thoughts drift to gift-giving of their own accord. It doesn't have to have anything to do with Santa or festivities, she tells herself; she's more than allowed to give gifts for giving's sake, grateful to share the curious wealth the City is finally offering in the way of distractions.

Or, perhaps, it's to make her feel a bit better for all but hoarding a copy of nearly everything from the Science section.

Ironically, it isn't Science she's looking for today, as she browses the mahogany shelves for the nth time this week. No, today she's in a far different section—maybe a surprising one, maybe not—perusing the titles with quiet consternation on her face. She's out of her element, no doubt, and the almost empty basket at her arm (currently containing only a pair of partially obscured birthday cards) suggests it's going to be a long visit to the store if she doesn't start pulling books down soon. But instead of pulling, she shifts her weight on her heeled boots and, instead turns to the face that's peeked around the corner at her. ]

"Do you think I could get your opinion on something? I don't exactly read a lot of fiction."

(ooc: feel free to find her in the Horror section, the Romance section, the YA section, or something else entirely!)

STOCKING
[ It isn't the life she envisioned for herself back home, and definitely not what she would have anticipated doing here, but all in all, Shoko's actually growing quite fond of her odd shifts at the community diner. She'd gotten so accustomed to being monitored at all times, that she finds a welcome freedom in being her own boss here. At least, to a certain degree; she does and will continue to run things by those who spearheaded the set-up, but it's nice to feel like she can help tweak organization both behind the bar and in the corner of the back room dedicated to emergency first-aid.

So on random days of the week, you'll find her here, instead of holed up in her own pharmacy in District 1, keeping herself busy one way or another, if only because it passes the time in a way lounging in her seemingly assigned dorm room can't.

In general, she's behind the bar to help greet arrivals new and familiar, in a boldly crisp white blouse that sets her apart from the colorful bottles on the wall behind her. With her sleeves rolled up, one might think that she's just finishing up scrubbing out the ice bin or restocking the glassware. And one might be right. More likely and more often, though, there's a row of glassware on the bar in front of her, a line-up of nearly every sort of glass shape there is, each of them filled with something clear and fizzy, brown over ice, or something else a little more adventurous (though she rarely is). But these aren't free samples—and that much is obvious enough as she carefully sips at each one. Is she taking tasting notes? No, she's probably just bored and too early for a smoke break.

Still, for as unprofessional as it may look, she'll be glad to pour you a glass or maybe even share her personal samples with you (with proper ID, of course). And she'll be more than happy to provide any medical advice or assistance as necessary too—as long as it's health code compliant for the front of house.

And if you don't see her? She's either swearing, audibly, in the back room in frustration at the inventory count, or hauling a dolly full of bandages and gauze wrap through the front door. (And probably also swearing in frustration.) ]

SNACKING
[ A bit of brisk weather isn't enough to put her off of what's almost become a ritual for her since the very week she'd arrived here. Dressed in an expensive-looking wool trench coat and slacks that have little business traversing in the dirt and grass, Shoko persists on her monthly visit to the cemetery in District 1. Each time she goes, she visits a different part of it, growing increasingly familiar with the odd statues and the buffed headstones. Today, with the ground to damp for her usual blanket spread from all the rain they've been having, she settles instead for draping the blanket over a stone bench instead. The weather is only a bit more promising than normal, grey and ominous but just clouds for now, and she's willing to gamble on it as she lays out her lunch.

Are there any others in the City as obsessed with the dead as she is? Probably, though she's kept so covetously to herself that she's not yet had the chance to meet them. And whether your character is as strange as she is and finds her here for their own similar reasons, or they simply happen to be strolling by for a breath of fresh air, or perhaps a little research into what little history there is here, Shoko will look just as serene as ever as she thoughtfully chews through a katsu sandwich and sips a tall boy.

Cemeteries, hospitals, morgues—in so many ways they're of more comfort to her than a bustling pub or a crowded apartment. She likes the quiet and the greenery, but more than that she finds an odd sense of peace in knowing that while this place continues to seem more and more abandoned, there are plenty of places that speak of the lives that once lived here, and died here, seemingly without leaving behind one bit of regret. ]

OOC
back from hiatus and rearin' to go~ want some CR but not feeling the prompts? feel free to wildcard her with something else! if you prefer to brainstorm first, my PMs are always open c:

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[ A tired-looking man walks into the diner.

His earlier trip to the gardens was uneventful, which was probably for the best. Simply, he hadn't had the chance to explore more of it after his last accident. On the other hand, he probably should have known that trying to touch a plant that looked like it had pointy teeth would be a bad idea.

He'd wandered a bit before spotting the diner, and only then did he realize he was parched. A Pavlovian response, perhaps, though that thought quickly floats away upon spotting the lively bustle within the diner. Given how quiet the City can be, it's a bit of whiplash stepping into someplace that actually has people.

Yi Sang approaches the bar. There's a gash below his eye. It oozes blood, dripping down his cheekbone. It doesn't hurt, so he hasn't realized that maybe he did walk a little too close to that one tree, the one with leaves that looked like sharpened knives.

He stops across from the woman behind said bar. She looks absorbed in her current taste tests, but there doesn't seem to be anyone else he can ask for something to drink. And so, he makes his request to her, softly, and with a straight face: ]

My apologies. It is not my intent to interrupt you in your current task. ...might this diner serve glasses of cold milk?

[ Despite her age and genuine general sense of responsibility, it perhaps isn't the best idea to leave her to her own devices for too long—hence the odd tasting game she's been occupying herself with. But if she's at all embarrassed about whiling away proverbial company time, none of it shows on her face when the man approaches. In fact, she doesn't exactly stop what she's doing right away either, seemingly too preoccupied with the snifter in her left hand and the absinthe glass in her right, neither apparently filled with the liquor it typically contains.

But, to her credit, Shoko's dark eyes immediately home in on the wound on his face, assessing the bleeding, guessing at the age of it, nearly to the point that she doesn't understand his request at first. Because surely he's there for medical help, approaching the nearest person visible who seems to be on duty. And that's precisely what her mouth is going to offer when she at last sets down the glasses, breath just a bit boozy for as sober as she still is and looks, when his words catch up with her thoughts.

Instead, then, all he gets in return is a bewildered: ]

Milk?

[ A pause, so her hands can find her hips. ]

Sure. But are you sure you don't want that cut looked at first?

[ Now, it's Yi Sang's turn to look bewildered. Cut? What cut? The corners of his mouth turn downwards into a frown.

Only then does he realize his cheek feels damp. Yi Sang lifts a hand to brush his fingertips against his face. Indeed, there's something wet there, and upon inspecting his hand he sees his fingers are stained red. Oops.

His gaze flicks back to the woman, but instead of looking puzzled, he looks mostly apologetic. ]

Indeed, I have previously received instructions to immediately seek medical attention for any injury, no matter its severity. ...and thus, I must apologize for leaving as suddenly as I had entered this establishment. Tomorrow, I shall return for my glass of milk.

[ In fact, he'd received rather strict instructions from a certain doctor residing within the City to seek him out as soon as he ran into trouble.

Yi Sang dips his head in polite deference to the woman. He's just about to turn to exit the diner when he's struck with a realization. Over the course of the month he'd called this City his home, he'd heard the place was not home to one doctor, but two. Is she...? ]

Are you, perhaps, a physician...?

[ Indeed, the strange drink request had been curious, but Shoko is far more intrigued by the idea that he wouldn't have noticed such a large cut on his face until it was pointed out. Her mind races with theories, ranging from CIPA to perhaps something on the blade that caused the cut, but keeps them to herself. Save an intent stare, perhaps, dark eyes watching the way he swipes at the blood and his reaction to seeing it. She gives him all the time he needs to process, though forgive her a little for the smile that quirks the corners of her mouth at his mannerisms and his odd sense of politeness. ]

Dr Ieiri, at your service. I think Daniel-sensei probably just asked for help with the bar to help keep me busy in the downtime.

[ She leans into the bar, elbows propped up on it as her eyes narrow, gleam obscured as she sizes up the size and shape of the wound in earnest now. Of course, an up-close examination will fair better, but with how skittish the man seems she isn't going to approach or offer additional assistance until she gets the go-ahead. ]

I can likely have it healed up for you in a few minutes, as long as it's just a simple cut. Or I can bandage you up if you'd rather let it heal on its own.

[ She's had good luck with humans accepting her strange skill without too much worry so far, but offering the option still seems and feels the most polite thing to do. ]

[ If only Yi Sang knew how much credit Shoko was giving him, assuming the injury had been caused by a blade as opposed to the result of his wandering through the gardens. As someone who'd experienced more severe injuries, even those that had resulted in death, he'd thought nothing of the brief sting as he brushed a little too close to some of the greenery.

His dark eyes widen a bit at the woman's introduction. Ah. Yes, it seems he's had the good fortune of running into another of the City's resident doctors. The manner in which she scrutinizes his face makes complete sense now. ]

Pleased to make your acquaintance, Dr. Ieri. ...my apologies, it was not my intent to disturb you during that downtime. I am Yi Sang; that is all.

[ His gaze drops to the floor as he ruminates on the doctor's two presented options. The former is curious but not necessarily unusual. Perhaps she has access to concoctions akin to miracle potions, ones that are capable of rapidly healing even mortal injuries.

His instinct is to decline and avoid troubling others. Even now, Yi Sang finds himself fighting old habits of hiding his injuries, concealing them as to not divert attention from others who may require it more. Perhaps it's fortunate that it's much harder to do so when his face is marred by one.

In any event, he'd made a promise to accept help if offered. So he nods, eventually, lifting his gaze back to Ieri and adds: ]

It would be most ideal if you are able to heal it within minutes. In truth, I find myself curious as to how that might be possible. ...if you are not opposed to providing such a demonstration, of course.

[ He's so...polite. To the extent that it's somewhat suspicious, but Shoko is just as quick to check those suspicions. There are no Curses here. Really, there doesn't actually seem to be much of anything truly malevolent here, the grouchy plants in the greenhouse not withstanding. And she can sort of understand the ire, being trapped indoors, with just glimpses of life and sun—

But she can't let the few sips (glasses) she's had allow her to spiral now. Not with a patient in front of her, perplexed and still seemingly halfway out the door despite his obvious need of even just the barest of first-aid to get that bleeding to stop. It is quite a lot, enough to pull her thoughts back to wondering if he has a clotting deficiency, or if it's simply that fresh. Whichever the case, it's a small relief that his gaze meets hers again. It quiets the worrying about herself and firmly locks her into working mode—far more than her lame attempts to entertain herself on a slow afternoon were, anyway. ]

Follow me, then. Although I can't exactly promise to be able to teach you much...

[ There's a reason she's not a teacher, after all. But she's a good enough physician that it hardly matters, and he'll see that soon enough as they head towards a small room, towards the back of the diner.

It's cozy, to say the least. But she'd managed to squeeze in a wall-length shelf along with just a pair of chairs and a card table stacked with some of the more basic kit supplies (adhesive bandages, gauze, pain killers). The shelves hold all manner of liquids, aids, and other things she hopes to never actually need but would rather have on hand just in case. She gestures to the chair further from the door, while she reaches for a pair of gloves and a packet of gauze. ]

I'm just going to clean it up a little first, so I can see how wide and how deep it is, okay? Why don't you tell me your name and where you're from in the meantime?

[ He trails after the doctor, footfalls barely audible against the floor. Yi Sang only stops when he finds himself in the diner's back room. He surveys it with a quiet look, gaze sweeping from one side of the room to the other. It only hovers for a moment on each noteworthy item, like the shelf, the chairs, and the card table. In truth, the fact that this room looks and smells nothing like a doctor's office is highly preferable to him.

He's never liked that antiseptic smell. He's never liked stark white walls. This little room is much, much better than that white square and that cold lab.

Shoko points out a seat to him. Yi Sang nods and obediently heads there, taking a seat in the chair she'd singled out. He folds his hands in his lap. This... doesn't feel anything like his past check-ups, the ones to ensure he'd been eating properly and taking his "supplements" on time. After all, they could not afford to have their prized bird succumbing to hunger. His work and research was too far too valuable for his wards.

It's a welcome change. There's something impromptu about it, like that workshop he'd been so fond of. ]

My name -- it is Yi Sang.

[ Perhaps she needs to ask him for it again as part of her procedure. ]

I --

[ Shoko's second request is a little more difficult to answer. The issue lies in the fact that his home had also been called "The City." Incidentally, this place was also known as "The City." ]

It... is a place that we called "The City." But it is a wholly different one from here. The technological advancements from there appear to be ahead of this place, though... some similarities nevertheless exist.

[ After all, body modifications, human cloning, and rapid regeneration medicine all existed back there, but it more or less looked like "present day." ]

[ It's definitely not rare to find someone in the relatively new media store. If not for the fact that it's new and a lot of people want to check it out solely because of that, then for the fact that a whole lot of people who have been stuck here for a long while must be bored out of their minds. Daniel certainly isn't surprised by so many people trying to find some movies or books, anyway.

And at least seeing Shoko out and about is kind of nice. His lips curl up into a slight smile when he spots her, moving across the store towards her. ]

Well, I'm not sure I exactly have the best recommendations..

[ Music? Sure. Movies? That too. But it's not like Daniel is the biggest reader in the world, even though it's not something he completely avoids either..

But since it's Shoko asking, he'll put his mind to it anyway. ]

Were you looking for something in particular?

[ In a small way, the bustle is good for her, maybe perhaps because of the otherwise general vastness the City has so far provided them. It doesn't exactly make her comfortable, but then that's just her nature, and certainly contributes to the nerves she feels even trying to do any of this shopping to begin with. Cue one welcome and familiar face, then, and a sigh of relief when it's Daniel checking in on her rather than a stranger observing her in the wild.

Not that she's really encountered anything like that, not here anyway, but the feeling that she is being watched may never quite leave her if it hasn't yet.

Either way, she has to laugh a little that neither of them might be any good with this—though he at least hopefully has a similar sense of humor. ]

I had a sort of funny idea for a friend of mine. —I thought it was a little funny, anyway.

[ She sets the basket on the ground for a moment, and reaches with both hands to pull down a pair of Romance titles her eyes keep lighting on. To the casual browser, they look more or less identical, and rather than read the backs of the books, Shoko simply turns the covers first to herself, and then to Daniel. Each features a sunset-pink background and some sort of extravagant Southern U.S. farmhouse, paired with an almost aggressively heterosexual couple intertwined in a dramatic pose. Perhaps the only notable difference is that one man is brunet with a nearly unbuttoned plaid work shirt, and the other is blond, and shirtless beneath his overalls. ]

Which looks more exciting?

[ Whatever Daniel expected the other to pull out - even after mentioning it was a funny idea, mind you! - it sure wasn't this. The man might not look exactly startled, but he sure looks surprised as his eyes move from one book to another.

This is suddenly very rapidly starting to feel like a test of his tastes on the one side of his bisexuality here, Shoko-- ]

I.. [ He can't even find the right words for a moment, apparently. ] I'm pretty sure there doesn't seem to be much of a difference. Are you asking me whether I think your friend is more into blondes or brunettes? [ Or are you asking him, Shoko? Please don't make him think about blonde men for too long. ]

[ The look on Daniel's face is...more or less what she'd expected, so she doesn't quite suppress a chuckle at it. And if his eyes do linger more on Fields of Gold than As the Corn Grows, she only interprets it as an answer to her question. But she does, perhaps, prolong his panic a bit longer than is really fair, particularly for the genuine effort he's making to help in a situation seemingly further outside of his comfort zone than hers. ]

I'm not sure she has a preference for hair color, really... [ She glances again at each of the books, skimming the blurbs on the back as if they might unlock some key difference that could be the decision-maker.) ] But maybe I should go with the blond? I guess I just don't quite get the appeal of things like this—this rough-and-tumble kind of guy—and you had the bad luck to come at the perfect time.

[ Hold on there, Shoko. Just a moment. Just give Daniel a few seconds to tightly press his lips together, concentrate, and really try to push certain thoughts from his mind for a moment.

...

There we go. It just feels better when he doesn't think about these things a little bit too hard. When he can let his own thoughts go, and instead focus on her enough to ask: ]

Do I dare ask what your ideal type is like then?

[ While they're in a conversation with this kind of mood, anyway.. ]

[ The faint smile on her face lingers only long enough for her to process the question. Her eyes continue to linger on the publisher notes on one of the books, her expression darkening a little despite herself.

It's not like it's the first time she's been asked that question. The very friend she's shopping for is more than fond of borderline harassing people with it. But it's been an awfully long time since it's been posed to her, and longer still since she really thought an answer to it through. Mostly because she doesn't really like to think about her answer, and the way the losses in her childhood kept piling up in ways that changed them all so...irreparably. Or the way that, before she woke up on the train here, she was the only one still left alive to remember those days.

She inhales deeply, exhales slowly, silently, imagining a full drag off the cigarette she's contemplating lighting here in the store. Although the brief sadness in her expression is gone, her voice feels just a little heavy, if only to her. ]

I don't often consider it. But someone...doting, I suppose. Bright, genuine, funny. [ She offers a soft laugh. ] My opposite, I guess? But that's not that unusual, I think.

That doesn't sound so bad.

[ Granted, it's not like Daniel is dumb, or unobservant. He definitely saw the mood that hung around Shoko before she answered - the kind of mood that seems to cling onto her a little, even now, mostly shown in the way her voice sounds right now.

But even if he can't know for sure what kind of sad thing she was thinking of, Daniel can make sure she thinks of something a little bit happier now, he figures.

They have enough sad and heavy thoughts to deal with already just by being in this place. No need to add to that. ]

I think you deserve someone like that. [ He huffs, and then adds: ] Not that I think you always seem really sad or anything. But.. having someone around who makes you happier? That's always nice. Let me know if I should try to set you up with someone here.

[ At least it's pretty clear he's mostly just joking about that very last part, judging by the smile on his face and his tone of voice.. ]

[ Kim has also found himself in the bookstore, though his intentions are nowhere near as altruistic as Shoko's. Instead, he's descended upon the bookstore with the greed of a starving man having been presented with a veritable feast, tearing his way through science-fiction and fantasy, delightedly gorging himself in the science and culture sections, lingering in the glut of mystery novels.

By the time he runs into Shoko, his basket is quite full and decidedly eclectic, brimming with everything from the absolute driest literature to the pulpiest, most colourful cover he could find. ] Hm? [ He adjusts his glasses as he sees her, then sets his own basket on the ground. It's gotten heavy. When he speaks, his voice is deep and soft, with a very thick French accent. ] Sure, if I can. What sort of thing are you looking for? [ He looks up at the rows of romance, eyes darting between bodice rippers and greek tragedies. ] I admit I'm not very well versed in romance section.

[ She is, admittedly, a bit crestfallen by the idea that it may be the blind leading the blind—though his full basket suggests that even if he isn't as much help with this gift, he's likely to be a good resource for others. ]

You've got a leg up on me regardless.

[ Said genially, with a half-smile and a nod toward his laden basket on the floor. Then she turns again to the tall shelves, the highest of which is just within reach, sizing the collage of color and half-recognized titles with some cousin to apprehension. She is rarely overwhelmed‐she can hardly afford to be most of the time. But the combination of being out of her element in both shopping for gifts and the particular content she's seeking to purchase (or walk out of here with, more like) has her feeling indecisive in a way she doesn't ever recall being in her life. ]

It's for a friend of mine. Sort of a joke gift than something too serious. But I didn't think there would be so many variations on the idea of farmers?

[ She shifts her weight again, consternation on her face as she plucks a pair of books from the shelf, holding one in each hand and reading off the titles. ]

"How Does Your Garden Grow" or "Fields to Plough"? Are they all such thinly veiled euphemisms?

Oh, this? I've just been starved for entertainment for too long. That's all.

[ That, and he suddenly has enough time to read. Kim had previously spent much of his reading time falling asleep on the couch and waking with a start twenty minutes later, scrambling to figure out where the hell he'd left off. He's not pleased about being here, but at least he has all the time in the world to get some reading done.

What he's not going to read are the titles before them now, comically, aggressively heterosexual in a way only bodicerippers can be, with an alarming amount of disembodied muscular torsoes. He snorts at the titles. ]

Only the bodice rippers. Which all seem to be populated by the same man. Or, at least, the same man's chest. [ He picks up two or three titles, showing that they all contain what appear to the same man, tan and oiled and accompanied by bosoms that can only be called heaving. ] It looks like sailors are pretty popular too. We've got "My Rising Tides", and "The Mighty Mast", and... well, "Hooker Line And Sinker" is just lacking in creativity.

[ They're bad books. But quite fun to look at, he'll admit. ]

I think your biggest question might be whether or not your friend would be offended by the amount of smut in these things.

[ It's a fair excuse, and honestly unfair to even call it an excuse. Every intellectual in the city has surely been bored to near-death all this time, if her previous visits have been any indication. Full of determined expressions, focused on the spines of books instead of making small talk with strangers for a change. She's welcomed it to, despite the emptiness of her basket and them meeting, of all places, in a frivolous section like this. But she does have her reasons, even if it likely sounds like an excuse as well. ]

Why pay multiple men over time when you can get away with paying one man once?

[ It's a half joke, though it becomes clear just how serious her companion is being as he rattles off increasingly less inspired titles, with increasingly tasteless covers. And so she laughs, far more at his unabashed criticism than at her own soft jab. ]

I might avoid that last one. But I don't think my friend would mind even the most scandalous books on the shelf. She's quite straightforward, and has a particular type. [ She shrugs. ] So, since I haven't run into a guy like it yet for her, I thought a book or two might help in the meantime.

[ Shoko still wears a wry smile as she skims the marine-themed books, basketing one of the farm boy epics in the meantime. She's more than convinced none of this would be to her own taste, but that only confirms her initial suspicions. ]

...Actually, it's a bit forward of me, but would you have a bit of time for me to pick your brain on a couple of other gifts? Really just one other, since he's a bit harder to shop for.

Then I'm certain you'll be able to find her type represented somewhere in here, as long as she doesn't have a taste for men without six-packs, [ Kim quips. He'd been happy to come here and secure some much-needed entertainment, but honestly, he's happy to entertain this woman's needs too; there's a sense of normalcy to it that's lacking in the haunted way everyone always looks at each other, waiting for the next shoe to drop.

Getting gifts is a little odd, considering everything in this place is free, but it's a nice sentiment. ]

I don't mind. I've got plenty of time. [ Nothing but time, these days. ] Lead the way. [ His eyes scan the shelves as they walk past them, skimming past unfamiliar title after unfamiliar title. ] This is for the upcoming holidays, yes? Friends from home, or from here?

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⇀ december [open] post

stocking!!

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shopping

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Daniel please lol. also, sorry, this got mega sad.

oh gosh, don't apologize!! i love emotional threads 👀

shopping!

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