2017-01-15 - Chevaliers Shop Harajuku

Title: Chevaliers Shop Harajuku
Summary: With war on the horizon, the Chevaliers meet up to exchange civilian identities, have fun together, and buy clothes.
Who: Fate Testarossa, Fuu Hououji, Garnet, Hikaru Shidou, Mami Tomoe, Nori Ankou, Sayaka Miki
Where: Harajuku Trendy District
OOC - IC Date: January 15, 2017 - Sunday, December 21, 2014

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Miki [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
[OOC] Global: Sayaka Miki has set the Scene Pose.

The bridge in Harajuku by the Meiji Shrine is a popular meeting spot. At the juncture of the Shrine, Harajuku's main strip, and Yoyogi Park, its central location makes it easy to find and useful to start at. It's the weekend right now, just after final exams, and so the bridge is hosting its usual informal fashion show as well, with gothic lolitas and other subcultures representing their styles while pretending not to care if people look.

Sayaka Miki waits at the large flagstone near the end of the Harajuku side of the bridge. It's a high-traffic area, but her little niche is sheltered by the shape of the street. She's displaying some fashion as well, newly purchased for her at the mall by her senpai. A blouse with a blue and white concentric pattern spreading from the neck recalls fine European china, with a orange-gold scarf accentuating the pale color. But her nice blouse aside, Sayaka Miki is, right now, very much a regular girl. She's taking advantage of the general secrecy of magical girls, however, by simply holding up a piece of paper with Chevaliers written on it in permanent marker.

She checks her phone. "About time for everyone to get here..."

[OOC] Garnet <3
[OOC] Mami Tomoe says, "Approve of hats---oooh"

<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

Mami Tomoe has more than once turned to smile at Sayaka's stylish new outfit. ...She's also smiled at Sayaka herself, but these are very different things that have distinct looks! She has her usual level of style of course, which includes today a white dress in thick-finish fabric, with yellow accents and black boots. She's wearing a coat, of course, and a scarf of her own, which is black.

Her hand curls about the strap of her purse as she spends one of those times looking at Sayaka Miki, rather than her clothes. ...She doesn't hold a sign herself, of course. That's her partner's job.

Her job is different.

<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.

Fate grew up in the mountains. She's not particularly cold. While she's wearing a pink and white checkered scarf, that's more for sentiment than actual warmth, or even aesthetics given how it clashes with the rest of her outfit. Her jacket is black and mostly zipped up, showing only a hint of the yellow shirt with a ribbon at the top in the gap between that and the scarf.

Loosely gripped in her hand was a leash attached to an orange puppy with a red mane and wide blue eyes. Anyone with knowledge of dog breeds would have trouble placing her but would swear she's got some wolf blood in her.

Harajuku made her feel underdressed, and a little drab in this celebration of culture. As she walks up the street perpendicular to the bridge, she doesn't pick up on Sayaka at first.

In her defense, she's looking between the lolitas and the gyaru on the bridge itself from her angle- the impromptu fashion show drawing the gaze of the 'foreign' girl quite easily.. Her eyes however light up upon seeing the Chevaliers sign.

From a distance she does offer a half-wave, before weaving through the pedestrian traffic, though as she does so her footsteps slow and Arf has to weave a little. She looks straight at Sayaka in the way children do where you can't quite get what they're thinking. Just that her red eyes are on her thoughtfully.

And once she gets close enough that she's at a conversational distance- Arf settles down on her haunches, "I thought I recognized you before, but now I'm sure of it." She says quite seriously, before pointing a finger of her non-leash hand at her, "Fairly Friday!" She looks rather delighted by the revelation. "See Arf? I wasn't just imagining it."

The dog seems unimpressed-albeit cute as a button on its own merits, as it takes one of its forepaws up to brush its nose and snorts before settling on glaring at Mami Tomoe, "Hmmph."

<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

Someone walks towards the displayed sign. She walks with a hat atop her head, tilted slightly to the side; she wears a long black coat over it, buttoned up in front, with a sash-like belt round the waist that suggests an obi. A sunset-red-and-orange scarf around her neck. Ankle-height heeled boots, the toes tipped in what seems almost like lacquer.

A messenger bag is on her shoulder. It is more prosiac than her outfit, but it harmonizes with a dark shape and a rough textile pattern on the outside. It has also the vital logo: AKAMIRA

She is also holding a coffee. That one isn't AKAMIRA.

As Nori Ankou walks, she is moving without hesitation or denial towards the CHEVALIERS sign. She doesn't speak. It probably contributes to a cool and stylish air. (Inwardly, Nori is terrified, but quietly so.)

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet realizes as soon as she reaches Yoyogi just how crowded and public this will be, and rather than land with a boom in a crowded park, starts keeping a lower profile as she tries to find her way to the meeting place. The electic fashion scene of Yoyogi, ironically is one of the few places in Japan where she could walk around in her normal form and not stand out, at least for strangeness of attire, but all the same Garnet wanted to show that she put at least some effort towards the function and to blend in with the season. People are wearing coats, so over her body she's decided to bring a black leather jacket with a blue circle decal on the back. On it is a flying V guitar, shooting flames with the words "Cool Dad!" around it, (visual aid: http://i0.wp.com/wordofthenerdonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/01/sureview7.png )

She makes her way to Sayaka and the others, perhaps following her Future Vision, perhaps her height allowing her to see over all the bustling people to the Chevalier standard-bearers.

In any case, Garnet is doing her best to make her way through the people, without PLOWING through the people, and is successful enough to arrive without too much in the way of audible commotion, offering a greeting smile and a simple "Yo." to all of those assembled, with a brief finger gun display before holstering them in her pockets and posing into a bancho-lean with perhaps feigned nonchalance.

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

Fuu doesn't go to Harajuku much. Her family is relatively well off, but Fuu's taste in fashion still tends to be 'nice but modest' - she doesn't like spending a lot of money on extra-fancy clothes, and that's even *with* her Akamira membership card.

Maybe she'll use it today.

In any case, when Fuu arrives at the bridge where the Chevaliers are meeting up, she's wearing a royal green coat - hoodless, but she has a plaid-patterned scarf (shades of green and yellow) and a pair of white earmuffs to help ward the cold away. Beneath the coat's hem, a darker green skirt descends past her knees, overlapping with however high up her socks reach ... if they aren't actually tights; they might be.

And so Fuu walks up to where Sayaka is holding the sign, bowing politely to her and to Mami; Fate and Garnet get a smile and a wave, somewhat less formal than Fuu's greeting those whose non-magical identities she's less acquainted with. Nori, as one of those whom she doesn't really know 'off the clock,' is the recipient of another such bow when she gets close enough to socialize.

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

When Hikaru arrives, it's not too far behind Fuu-chan. She's dressed fairly nicely as well, wearing a purple winter hat on her head, with the flaps covering her ears, along with a dark crimson jacket that protects her arms and torso from the cold, and a pair of maroon tights that disappear into a pair of brown ankle-length boots. Despite the cold, and the fact she's made of fire, Hikaru still has a smile on her face as she walks along. When she arrives, she gives a bow to Sayaka and the others, trying to remain respectful to everyone as she enters.

She's not familiar with everyone 'out of uniform' either, but that isn't stopping her from being polite. "I've never really been out here before, so this should be very interesting," She comments to nobody in particular. "I always like checking out new places."

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Miki [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

"Oh, hey," Sayaka greets the first to arrive. "That's right, Fairly Friday, at your service! A kid, huh..." Sayaka examines Fate carefully. "Oh my gosh, Kiki? You were so cute! I had no idea you were a..." She lowers her voice. "/Magical girl/." She grins at the dog. "Heheh. I think she's jealous of how pretty you are, senpai," she tells Mami.

With the group assembled, Sayaka checks her phone again for the time. "I think that's all we're expecting today... so hey! Welcome to the First Official Chevaliers Out-of-Costume Meet-and-Greet! You all know my name already, but... I'm Sayaka Miki." She'd already revealed herself out of costume at the very first gathering. "And this is my senpai, Mami Tomoe. You all look really stylish. Um, especially you..." Sayaka swallows as she looks at Nori. "Aren't you that famous model? I think we have a friend in common, hehe... anyway!"

Sayaka looks up (and up) to look at Garnet's face. "T-to be totally honest, I didn't think you were that tall in real life... are you sure you're not transformed right now? Cool jacket, though..."

Sayaka snaps herself out of the distraction and gives a bow to the Magic Knights. "It's gonna get busy around dinner time, so I thought we should start walking. I thought we'd go to G2? first. It's vintage clothes, like, fifties, seventies, eighties... it's a fun place to look around. On the way, though, could everybody introduce themselves? And... maybe some facts. Like, I go to Ohtori, I'm on the softball team. My favorite music genre is classical! And I like video games when I have time, like Zelda and stuff..."

Sayaka sets off into the crowd, leading the group down the famous Takeshita Street. "Everybody likes to hang out at that McDonald's," she notes as they pass it on the left. "There's nothing special about it, other than that it's cheap and you can sit down. That there's a candy shop, it's NOT cheap... oh, that's Takenoko, I don't shop there, eheh... that place in the basement there is all made on-site, it's pretty cool but kinda gothy. Just tell me if you see something you like..."

The crowd is mostly young people, often but not universally fashionable; Harajuku is anything but exclusive. There's a candy-colored cheerfulness to the decor. Takeshita Street is already busy, despite Sayaka claiming they'll beat the rush, and only her confident stride and the respectable size of the Chevaliers group keeps everyone out of the way. That is, since they don't always notice Garnet right away.

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

"I believe I gave my real name during a prior meeting, but I'm Fuu Hououji," Fuu (re-)introduces herself with a polite bow, then turns and resumes walking with the group. "Ah, you're into video games as well, Sayaka-san? Have you played Hyrule Warriors yet? It's more action-based than most of the Zelda games, but it's a lot of fun, and it can be great stress relief. Plus the character designs are really gorgeous ... well, most of them. I'm not sure what to make of Cia's alleged sense of fashion ..."

She tries to dial her enthusiasm back a little; they're here to shop and to hang out, not to talk about video games. And Fuu isn't even sure who here might be a gamer besides herself - and, apparently, Sayaka.

<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

Now, if you asked Mami Tomoe what her day as a stylish young woman about the city with her partner would come to include, she would not have answered 'being glared at by an adorable dog.' Nevertheless that is what appears to have happened.

Mami blinks down at Arf, and then hears what she thinks is a very human noise from her. If someone happens to look at Mami in that instant, she's staring. Her manners kick in, as well as a little awkwardness, and Mami averts her gaze.

Is she imagining even /dogs/ disapproving of her when it comes to Fate?

Sayaka speaks up, and Mami glances at her, opening her mouth and then closing it before, "I'm sure that's not..." Sigh. A beat, "Hello," she says to Fate, her eyes a little softer but also a little unsure.

Mami nods to Fuu in greeting, and says to Nori, "It's good to see you," while she gives Hikaru a "Hello" quickly enough too. Garnet is... Definitely much taller than her, but she waves at her, finding a nod a little too.. something, for the imposing woman.

She starts walking along with Sayaka but her fingers curl up briefly at the suggestion for what they do. But she's good at faking this, "I'm Mami Tomoe, as Sayaka-chan said. I go to Ohtori's high school, and my main interest is tea. ...I also like fashion, and I enjoy baking. I'm not really as fun-loving as Sayaka-chan."

[OOC] Mami Tomoe says, "Mami, Fuu: Not a gamer"
[OOC] Fuu Hououji ^^'
[OOC] Garnet imagines a version of Tetris that is baking sadness into cakes. .:|
[OOC] Mami Tomoe says, "I have the high score!"
[OOC] Garnet says, "world champion haha"

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

"Hello," Hikaru says to Mami. She looks to Sayaka and says, "I'm Hikaru Shidou. Maybe we've met before and I can't remember?" She grins nervously. "Regardless, I'm looking forward to having a great time tonight!" After that, she continues walking along with Fuu, smiling still. "I've got a great feeling about this!"

<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.

"You remembered! That's right, at your service." Even if she does look a little embarrassed at being called cute- it shows in that subtle coloring of the cheeks that's more than what the cold alone could manage. Her smile becomes more subdued as Sayaka says Magical Girl like they're sharing a secret, and she bobs her head, looking over her shoulder.

But- Arf being jealous of how pretty she is? "Oh no it's-" "As if I'd ever be jealous of her!" "-Arf, we talked about this. Behave." A pause, then she adds more quietly, "Fresh start." "Hmmph."

Arf doesn't argue the point, but does pick up a paw, points at her big blue eyes with it, then points that paw at Mami.

Fate falls more subdued at that, but does give the others that same half-wave as they arrive. She looks even more shy on Nori's arrival. Maybe it's because she's a big name model? She's seen her on billboards all over! Sayaka mentions G2- "Oh that sounds like fun." After all her friends had just started introducing her to the wonderful world of fashion and clothes shopping.

She let's the others introduce herself, because they're older and she gives deference to that- falling into step with the others, but once they're done, "Fate Testarossa. I go to Infinity, fourth year and I'm-"

She hitches on her stock answer of being 'foreign' and realizes it's alright to tell them, "-from another world called Midchilda. I'm rather new to Earth, I've only been here a little over a year. Uh- since I've come here I've come to like all sorts of things like baseball, but other sports too." A beat, "I'm also a fan of tea, and sweets." That's probably one vote for Takenoko. "I guess you could say I'm a dog person, but I'm also a cat person."

Fate looks over at Arf who is just walking alone, "Ah. Arf. Are you going to introduce yourself?" "Nope." "Oh come on. Don't make things awkward." Fate bends down to pick her up, cradling Arf in both of her arms. The wolf squirms a little. "This is Arf. She's my familiar, a Midchildan wolf. Uh- but she can change into a person if we need to go someplace where they don't allow dogs."

Perhaps she's hoping Arf would pick up somewhere along the way, but Arf seems to just be watching Mami Tomoe intently, so Fate clears her throat and continues, "She really likes meat- and junk food-" A beat, "-and ear scritches. She may act tough but she's really very sweet." Arf whines at that and bats a paw at her, "Feito! Don't tell them embarrassing things!"

<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

Nori looks at Sayaka... with STYLISH INTENSITY... and speaks, a little shyly. "We do, I think," she says. Not so long ago, Nori thinks, I was just the club inspector...

A whiskery face peeks slightly out of the messenger bag's flap and looks at Sayaka. Batiste winks. It is disgustingly cute.

But then Sayaka proposes they go somewhere. "Oh, that sounds wonderful," Nori says, though for a moment she wonders if Tsuru would disapprove of something like that. But, she decides, most likely not, and besides which, nobody can make her buy anything there. She's being asked about things, then, and she in turn asks Sayaka, "That place in the basement? You'll have to show me; I don't think I've ever been..."

And then another revelation from Fate. And her dog. Who Nori looks at with several slow blinks. "Oh - but dogs are people too, aren't they?" she says/asks Fate, before placing her coffee-holding hand in front of her heart. "I am - at least, I'm known as - Nori Ankou. I am in my third year in my class, at Ohtori. My hobbies are... Breaking hearts," she says with a slight smile and a squeak from her bag, "and past that, I mostly just dabble."

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you like this. Though... I admit," this seems to be more towards Sayaka and Mami than the others, "I was a little nervous..."

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet returns Fuu, Mami, Sayaka's greetings, as well as any she missed, and replies to Sayaka's question: "Yes. I am always this tall. I am always "transformed", though not always for battle. My magic is an inseperable part of me, I am never without it."

She pauses, and listens intently to the others' introductions. Particularly to Fate's, whom she was familiar with out of costume, and greatly endeared to, but didn't know the details of her extraterrestrial origin. She nods to Fate compassionately, and chuckles when Arf makes her presence known and interjects. Though Garnet hasn't met many familiars (though Lion may count) she is "familiar" with shapechangers with larger than life attitudes.

Garnet also pays especially close attention to Nori, as she's one of the only ones here she doesn't recognize. As Garnet is something of a homebody alien magical warrior single-mom, Nori's fame and brand completely soar over her head. But. She sees a familiar furry face, and recalls a friendly offer of fish in a Southern Cross Island cave so long ago, and it clicks into place.

Garnet nods to her as well. "I believe... all of you know me already. I am now as I was then, Garnet, leader of the Crystal Gems."

"To explain what that means and what I am might take more time than we might like, so let's move on. I will follow wherever we go. I don't... eat or wear clothing most days, but I'm willing to today, with all of you."

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Miki [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

"She's way cooler than me, though!" Sayaka counters Mami. "Mami-senpai is pretty much the coolest high schooler at Ohtori." Touga? Utena? Nah. But a certain dog disagrees.

"Uwah!" Sayaka startles, jumping back one step and then dancing around a little there. "It talked." She looks at Arf in amazement. It's one thing for Kyuubey to talk, since who knows what he is, and otters are pretty exotic and weird too. But a dog should be a dog. She grins at Fate's description. "Oo, she's a softie, huh? Well, she's cute like her mommy!"

As they enter the confusingly punctuated boutique G2?, Sayaka is talking video games with Fuu. "Oh, Hyrule Warriors is our favorite game now. Me and Madoka! She's my best friend. I like to play Link--sorry, I know I'm boring, haha! Somebody's gotta save Hyrule, though..."

G2? is arranged, essentially, by decade. The Chevaliers go first to the 50's, under Sayaka's direction. The mannequins here show the expected style: very wide belts worn as girdles, big felty skirts, fuzzy sweaters over collared shirts, long gloves for the formalwear, leather driving gloves for the businesswear. Some early pantsuits are in presence, as well as the ubiquitous poodle skirts.

It doesn't take someone of Sayaka's general maturity level to pick up one of the unusually pointy bras and pick it up with an aghast look. "Ita! You could put an eye out with these..."

Getting more serious, Sayaka starts looking around, finding a rockabilly-style red headscarf and tying it through her hair for a characteristic diner look. "Heheh, look, Fairly Friday is back!" she says, recklessly conflating both decade and subculture within a roughly defined umbrella of 'Retro America.' "Cute, huh?"

Considering Garnet's revelation, Sayaka knits her brow. "Well, I don't eat clothing most days either," she teases. "But I'm glad you're gonna try to do that with us! I guess you're pretty magical, to not eat, or wear..." Suddenly Sayaka realizes what the opposite of wearing clothing is. "Omigosh, are you normally naked?" she whispers loudly. "Are you only wearing clothes for us? We really need to get you a wardrobe fast..." Looking to the group as a whole, she queries, "What decade do we wanna do next?"

[OOC] Mami Tomoe says, "oh my god"
[OOC] Garnet says, "hahahahahaha"
[OOC] Fate Testarossa says, "Pffft amazing"
[OOC] Sayaka Miki says, "Naked Garnet would be so relentless about it too, just zero shame I'm sure"
[OOC] Garnet says, "hahahaha yeah."

<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

That dog just spoke. Mami turns her head to look down at Arf again and blinks twice to make sure she's hearing properly before Arf picks up her paw and... says...

"Right."

Why is the dog watching her? Mami doesn't know. But she knows that it's happening.

She remembers that Sayaka just called her the coolest high schooler in Ohtori though and glances to the side, a hand on her cheek. "Sayaka-chan..."

But Fate's introduction gets Mami's attention. "Ah! You're interested in tea?" Mami asks Fate, brightly. "What sort of tea? Do you have a favorite? I'm impressed to see someone your age appreciate tea..."

She finds herself interested by Garnet's explanation, but without much comment; she can't exactly start asking questions. "Breaking hearts, hm?" Mami finds herself asking Nori instead. "My." There's a beat before she says, "It's all right to be nervous about this sort of thing." Mami certainly is, not that she's going to admit it. "Just stick with us and you'll be fine."

Fine, she says. Very fine, amidst talking about video games she doesn't understand. But fine she hadn't considered at, "Sayaka-chan!" Mami says, bristling with obvious scandal. "Really!" She facepalms.

Mami pokes around too with some interest, picking out a lovely fitted sweater to go with one of the big skirts, and then one of the fuzzy ones that might be cute. Mami obviously has a lot of fun with this decade so far, but lifts an eyebrow at Sayka's realization. "...I'll go wherever the group decides," she says simply.

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

Fuu keeps her ears perked as the group introduces themselves to each other; she does indeed know most of them, but you can always learn something new about the people you know. "It's good to meet you as well, Arf-san," she says with a smile and a bow to Fate's dog.

Did Fuu meet Arf sometime before? Possibly; she doesn't recall for certain. And either way, she *is* fairly sure this is their first meeting as friends ... or something closer to friends than they started out as. In response to Sayaka, Fuu smiles and says, "I gravitate towards Zelda, but I try to play everybody to some extent. Even the characters I'm not so good with can be fun to play, and Adventure Mode needs you to play pretty much everybody ..."

And then the group is exploring G2?, which is ... at the very least, interesting. Fuu seems a little uncertain as she looks about, but there are a couple of things that seem to be worth a second look, or a third. She's not in a huge hurry to spend money, though; she's hesitant to even look at the price tags, unless she happens to find something that REALLY appeals to her. One of those girdle-belts catches her eye, but she leaves it where it is, simply looking and not touching. She does allow herself to look at the price tag on it ...

.... and yes, it is indeed a little out of her comfortable price range. Not enough to make her wince, but there's a distinct note of disappointment in her eyes. "I'd suggest the 1980s next," she says to Sayaka, "but if anyone else feels strongly in favor of a different decade ... ?"

<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

In comes G2?. Nori smiles a little at the news about Madoka, saying with a soft thoughtful murmur, "Perhaps I should get one of those games." Or one of those game machines. She isn't sure what is with that.

Nori blinks at how... She can't put words on it. This is not her aesthetic, although she does boggle momentarily as Sayaka raises up one of those cone bras. Then Mami speaks to her about breaking hearts, and Nori gives her a sidewise smile, her free hand resting on her hip as she sips her coffee. "It's fun," she answers.

"The Crystal Gems?" Nori asks Garnet, perhaps as a leading question. Though-- "Oh, yes, another time perhaps." Then when Fuu moots a question, she says, "I don't mind." Batiste doesn't vote, but then, he wasn't an 80s kid either.

Back to Garnet, she says, "What do you wear most days?"

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Meanwhile, Hikaru is just tagging along with Fuu-chan. She is looking at things, but not picking anything up or attempting to buy anything. She's mostly a window shopper for the time being. Namely... well, I'm sure you can guess why based on the type of family she's living with.

<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.

Arf has this sort of moue that only a dog can pull off as she sits in Fate's arms. It's one thing when Fate calls her cute in private but it's another thing when total strangers do it! But Mami asks her a question, "Well the favorite in our household is Matcha tea but I'm coming to like all kinds now that I'm on Earth..." If only Mami knew how she truly takes her tea. If only she knew.

But in the 50's section of the store- Fate is kind of wide eyed as she flips through poodle skirts. Pink, matching black blouses, and a tie. Looking closely the girl and the dog seem to be conferring among themselves. After a while she pulls off a set decisively and- "We'll be right back!" Off to a nearby fitting room. Hey wait, that size was way too big for her wasn't it?

Fate returns wearing the exact same thing, and she's escorted by- "So what do you all think? I'm totally killing it aren't I?" "Definitely. You look wonderful! It's very fitting." It may take a few moments for the crowd to realize the tall redhead standing with her has the same voice as Arf.

She's wearing that dark blouse and pink skirt, as well as rocking a black headscarf to rein in her ears, and a pair of sunglasses that she gained somewhere along the way. She shifts her weight to one foot and poses with a hand behind her head. "So this is what retro is huh? Not my usual style... but this decade definitely had it's fashion priorities in order." Because dogs, of course.

Arf lowers her sunglasses just to wink at Mami- possibly to attempt to make her feel a little self-conscious. "Alright, let's put it back... it's a little too much for our budget." "Okayyy-" Then she adds pointedly with tongue in cheek, "-'Mommy'.

When they return from a second trip to the fitting room, Fate is holding an orange puppy again. The poor employees are probably wondering why that dress has some orange fur in it. She doesn't seem all that scandalized by Sayaka picking up the pointy bra. But she definitely does giggle at Sayaka taking on the role of fairly Friday, "Very cute-" She makes an attempt at English to say, "-<Miss> Friday! You look like you're ready for your night out with <Mister> Bond."

She doesn't have any strong feelings about the decade to pick next. She figures she'll find something when she finds something. But Garnet is naked? "She's not any more naked than I am right now. Less naked even, she's got that jacket." "Well you do have a collar on." "I guess that's true."

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet thinks and replies. To Nori's question, and Sayaka's chides at nudity especially: I am wearing the coat for your sakes, and my normal form is just my "body" that you usually see, but I can also... Garnet shifts into an 60s ensemble like so (but think G-squad colors) [1] ... change it for a time. The "clothing", size... shape... even into animals, creatures and objects, though I don't... usually..."

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Miki [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

"Geheh," Sayaka grins at Mami over the pointy bra, embarrassed but not exactly ashamed. She wasn't always this comfortable around Mami; once, she would have been on her best behavior at all times to try and impress senpai. Now that she's been Mami's partner for so long, though, she's started to learn that Mami will put up with her antics and nothing bad will happen. "I'm just learning about America history!" Sic.

"Heh heh! Well, I am engaged to Mister Bond, you know." Which means she can dish on some gossip about 'him.' "You'd think Madoka-chan would play Zelda," Sayaka says to Fuu. She leans in mischievously. "But actually, she plays Darunia."

Sayaka isn't always the fastest draw in the West. When Arf comes out, she blinks, then extends a hand sheepishly. "Guess we missed somebody, I'm, ah, Sayaka Miki, and... wait." Her hair nearly stands on end. "You're a dog?!" Glancing around, she lowers her voice. "You're a /dog/?" She doesn't fail to notice that the dog just appeared to hit on Mami either. Is that allowed? Sayaka glances back and forth between the two.

"Okay, sounds like we have one vote for the eighties, one sorta supporting that vote, and a bunch of wimpy abstainers! --Mami-senpai excepted of course." She doesn't explain why, it just seems self-explanatory to her. "So you know what tht means..."

SOUNDTRACK CHANGE
I Ran

The aisles are lined with neon colors, garish prints, and animal stripe patterns. Some items are so shapeless as to be of uncertain categorization, others so skintight as to brook only one anatomical interpretation. Synth music plays from the speakers ahead. And from the dressing room, a figure of legend erupts.

Sayaka Miki strides out in an acid-washed vest and torn jeans. Her tank top is bright pink with a broken grid of glistening black print, abstract. She wears a zebra-stripe neckerchief and big black sunglasses with bubblegum rims. Both wrists have sweatbands, toxic green and venom purple. She regards Mami Tomoe from point blank range, her face too cool for expressions right now. She nods firmly.

"Radical," she says.

<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

Mami watches Nori's eyes as the younger girl smiles at her, nods a bit back with a little light gravity. She doesn't say anything more than that.

In moments anyway she's busy being scandalized about Sayaka, glancing once back at her and then huffing away again as she sees Sayaka's looking at her /over/ the bra. The sighs, a long-suffering sigh that doesn't actually last very long. Mami will /totally/ put up with Sayaka's antics, all the time, and worse than this. She has to deal with so many things like this.

Mami is very fond of her.

But there's Fate and Arf coming back out, and Mami looks in surpris at the new person and the lack of dog. "You..." That voice. Mami knows that voice from moments ago. It /can't/ be. Mami finds herself staring again but for an entirely different reasons, right until--

She gets winked at. Mami actually glances away immediately, very lightly blushing but putting a hand up over her face. She is pretty much beyond words until abou the time that Fate and Arf come out again.

"Ah, really, that's very interesting, Garnet-san. I appreciate your consideration of us." Pause, as she registers Garnet changing her clothes like magic, "That's /very/ interesting! Do you have to see the clothes before you can make them?" Pause. "Ah, if that's a rude question I'm very sorry..."

But the matter of the decision is handled, and Mami obviously is excepted. She smiles over and hads to the new aisles.

Soon, she is staring again. It's like a work of art, only, without being anything like a work of art except insofar as one is expected to look at it and pretend there's any response she can possibly make. It is Sayaka's new outfit. "That's..." Pause. "Very colorful, Sayaka-chan."

If Sayaka decides to buy it Mami is going to burn it.

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

"Darunia?" Fuu smiles a little more at this revelation. "It's a shame Hyrule Warriors doesn't have an online co-op mode of some sort ..."

So that's Arf's human form? Fuu did catch Fate mentioning that, and Arf's brief emergence in the height (or depths) of 50s fashion draws an appreciative nod. "Definitely retro ... well, this entire store seems to count as 'retro,' but ..."

A few moments later, they're in the 80s zone, and some of the mannequins are outfitted in such snug-fitting clothing as to make Fuu blush a little. Getting a good look at Sayaka's picks, though, seems to give Fuu a couple of ideas ... she's still uncertain about some of the price tags, but she manages to assemble a collection which seems to suit her tastes.

And a fwe moments later, Fuu steps out of the dressing room looking like she's ready to go from the aerobics studio to the dance club floor. The body glove she's wearing for a bottom layer is only really visible at her wrists and above her ankles, but there are hints of a reptile-scale pattern - in green, of course. A somewhat looser set of a long-sleeved, sky-blue pullover shirt and a pair of blue jeans are worn over the body glove, giving her figure a bit more camouflage, and over *that* shirt, a mostly-denim vest (there's some leather at the shoulders) with the English words 'I'LL BE BACK' embroidered across the vest's back, accentuated with sequins in red and orange.

Oh, and her potential new hairband? Just tie-dyed cotton, in literally the colors of the rainbow, worn across the top of her head the same way she typically wears her everyday hairband.

"Does this look all right to the rest of you?" she wonders, turning around to show off the ensemble, then scrutinizing herself in a mirror. She's already having doubts about it ...

<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

When Fuu comes out with a new look, Hikaru can only do a double-take. "Whoa! That's amazing, Fuu-chan!" Hikaru comments with a huge grin. "That's... that's..." She's at a loss for words it seems.

<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.

Arf doesn't participate in the existential questions like whether a dog is a person and can do person things like seemingly flirt with Mami. She did exactly what was intended, and that was to mess with her. "Hey don't call associate Feito with the others, she's not wimpy!" "It's okay Arf. I just really didn't know what to pick."

But as they switch departments.... Fate gets lost in the 80's and the synth music. Soon enough, she disappears into one of the fitting rooms. And when she emerges, she's wearing a turquoise top with black and pink pop art on the front of a woman's face.

To go with that are matching black tights with turquoise lettering with a gauzy black and pink tulle skirt over it- with a shiny pink scrunchy belt and green plastic buckle. Over one hand is a light pink fishnet glovelette.

She has her hair up in one single sidetail, with another pink scrunchy holding it, and a pair of tiger print shades over her eyes. She comes up to stand beside Fuu and Sayaka while holding Arf's leash and examines them both- "What do you think? Does it look like someone cast a time travel spell." "... That does sound like the only possible explanation for this."

<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

The question of nudity makes Nori frown slightly. She's reminded now that Batiste, other than a ribbon necktie, is also usually naked. Is that OK? Should she make him wear pants? A jacket? A cow print sweater top?

Nori pauses to look at that last thing, but she is able to restrain judgement. "Abstention doesn't mean wimpiness," she objects before...

Well. There are many people asking for opinions.

First is Sayaka. "Ohh-- Those rims," she says, meaning the ones on the sunglasses, even as she shifts her bag. Due to a lack of nearby staff, Batiste pokes his head out, offering a chirpy, "You look exactly like a dolor wrasse!" to Sayaka. From his tone, this is complementary. (Nori, for her part, seems baffled.)

Then, Fuu. "The layers are very good," she tells Fuu with a thoughtful nod as she tilts her head, before adding, "The vest does seem to clash a little, but it really makes a statement. And so does your hair band! It reminds me of the Rainbow Bridge."

"Oh! And you're like a lesser dolor wrasse, with your netting there!" Batiste says to Arf, encouragingly. Nori looks chagrined here, but presses on. "It's very eyecatching, but I think your top is my favorite part! Isn't that from the cover of a CD?"

Having finished this, Nori shifts a bit, adding with a downward note in her voice, "I hope - well, I hope that wasn't a bit too..." She trails off, looking towards Mami as if to seek confirmation that she wasn't too 'too'.

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

"Yes. Usually, though I can make my own from things I've seen and made before. My "normal" clothes are like that. Shapechanging can do both..." Garnet looks thoughtful for a moment "I think for this trip I'll try it once with the clothes..." Garnet takes some black pieces off of the racks and shrinks herself down to fit in a dressing room.

After several minutes of donning and adjustment, she emerges in a long sleeved black dress with pointed shoulders, heavily folded, open down to her navel, with a black top underneath, and large black metal flared cuffs, with hose and heels.

Garnet still wears shades, though they're black, and her hair is still square, but more cropped than its usual afro.

She must have shapeshifted it, as there doesn't seem to be a big lump of hair flooding out from under the dressing room door. (ie this: [2] )

It's not quite as... prismatic... as the other outfits, but black is within her normal pallete and color habits can be hard to break, especially for Gems. It's her first time wearing full human clothes in a long time. Baby steps. She lines up along the others.

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Miki [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

Sayaka puts her hands on her hips and frowns in consternation at Batiste. "I don't know what a dolor wrasse is, but you better not be flirting with me," she says airily. She can be pretty confident at this stuff when it's a cute river mouse. "I only date humans."

Clutching her fist with a toothy grin, Sayaka exults in the arrival of reinforcements. "Fuu-chan! Lookin' radical too! Do we look like sisters?" The answer is no.

A shadow falls over both, a shadow with a very square top. Sayaka turns around and her sunglasses slump as if by their own accord. "Whoa! So cool! Y-you look kinda like an upside down chess pawn, though..." She's right, if you think about it.

"Let's pose! Somebody get a picture." Sayaka puts her arm companionably around Fuu's neck and uses that hand to make a peace sign. Her other arm reaches up blindly and fruitlessly for Garnet's shoulders for a few seconds, then sheepishly drops and goes for the waist instead. "Yosh, chii-zu!" She poses for any cooperating cell phones.

* * *

The Chevaliers all get a chance to try on what they like, and then check out with it. Sayaka herself actually walks out with that sleeveless vest and a blue sweatband for her forehead; anything else will require peer pressure. Then it's on from G2? and to a cafe about two blocks away.

A Western tea shop in the Japanese style (which involves a lot of pastries and desserts) is their next host. King Charles, it's called. "Don't get a lot to eat," Sayaka warns with a wink. "Just something for the side... Mami-senpai has a surprise." She herself orders a milk tea and ice cream toast. Yes, really.

"Thanks for coming out, everybody," Sayaka says, while they wait for the drinks to arrive. "I really wanted to get to know everyone, you know, more regular... with actual clothes on." She nods to Garnet firmly. "We've got a bit of a foothold in Nishitama now, and I think pretty soon we really need to go to Shinjuku." Eri's territory, where she cultivates Witches for the harvest. "So before any of that, I just thought... this would be good. You know, since..."

Tea arrives, and Sayaka waits for the waiter to leave.

"Anyway," she continues. "This is fun. You're all cooler than I thought you'd be... um, no offense! I didn't mean it like that, ah." She clears her throat. "But Nori-san's a famous model, and Fate-chan's super cute and smart. Even her dog is cool." And better-looking than Sayaka herself, she realizes. "Garnet, you're just great, for somebody who doesn't wear clothes you dress pretty well. And Fuu-chan likes the same game I play with Madoka-chan all the time. Hikaru, you should come out to Harajuku more! I can't believe you've never been before. It's just nice to be out here with all of you doing some normal stuff." Sayaka takes out her cell phone. "In fact, why don't you all take my cell phone number down, if you didn't do it already?"

<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

"It wasn't," Mami answers Nori with a small smile. "Not at all. You /are/ a model." She does endeavor to be a little encouraging, but then, this is an area in which she's fairly comfortable. ...Both encouragement and, well, talking about clothes. Not that she's a model, of course...

"Yes, I see," she says to Garnet meanwhile. She is pointedly not looking at an adorable dog, which is hard when she looks over at the adorable Fate. She finds herself not saying anything to her just now. She just goes through the same fun that they all do and... Tries more on when they leave the 80's section. It is almost certain that the necessary amount of peer pressure required to make her wear 80's clothes is not brought to bear here. She does however have a number of cellphone pictures that she took during the time for photos.

And here is this tea shop; Mami actually excuses herself after they arrive, but she orders a very specific and expensive black tea, because of course she does, she's Mami Tomoe. But soon after the waiter arrives...

"Already at numbers?" Mami asks, and walks over with a small box. When she opens it it turns out to be a lovingly crafted three-layer cake, complete with strawberries innlaid in the top.

"Here. This is for everyone." Mami takes her seat and smiles. ...She's not even smiling at anyone in particular. "Thank you all for coming."

<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.

Fate puts a hand on her hip for the 'hip' photo and holds up a sideways V in front of her face. She has the biggest open mouthed, close eyed smile. In the end, she only walks out with a T-Shirt that has a wolf howling on it. Noone tell Fate that's more out of style than stuff from previous decades.

At the Western Tea Shop, Fate is true to her earlier statement, and orders Matcha tea, shying away a little at the compliment. But once it's at the table, Mami would be witness to something out of a horror film.

BGM for Mami alone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TUeUL7EW9M

That would be Fate starting to add the sugar from one of the caddies. And more sugar. More. And more. Then she adds a dollop of honey. Only when the green is totally saturated does she stop to stir.

Who taught this child such abominable tea habits!?

"It sounds like it'll be hard- all of that fighting, but worth doing." Arf has settled down around Fate's chair legs sleepily- deciding tea isn't exactly what she has a craving for right now. "It was really nice to meet all of you. Thank you... for accepting me as one of you." Then quieter, "It really means a lot to me." Arf's eye may drift open at that moment, but she says nothing.

She takes the number down- and then her eyes light up at Mami's cake, with a quiet gasp, "Oh! You really baked this on your own?" If there's one thing she appreciates then it's the talents of someone who can make sweets, "... I love Strawberry." She adds more quietly.

[OOC] Fate Testarossa says, "Tea crimes."
[OOC] Garnet says, "to this ancient cartoon rendition of the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and the odd way the voice actor for Mr. Tumnus offers "Tea... And TOAST... AND CAKE!""
[OOC] Garnet says, "Awww Feito. The Sweetest Crimes."
[OOC] Fate Testarossa says, "It's not out of the question that Mami might draw a gun on me."
[OOC] Fuu Hououji says, "I'm not sure if I'd call that crime 'sweet' so much as 'saccharine'"
[OOC] Fate Testarossa says, "My one regret for noone playing Lindy? That she cannot have a scene inviting Mami to tea after shooting Fate."

<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

Batiste's OtterPhone (in, of course, an OtterBox - a sponsor of Sirens of Sorrow's Sea) comes up to help grab the pictures. And then, forwards into the future of... friendship?

To Mami, Nori says quietly, "Well, then - if you say so." And she gets a smile, if a slightly diffident one. But Mami may have the feeling that is just how Nori's face sits.

Nori sits down in King Charles, smiling in a sort of hesitant anticipation. When Sayaka mentions her being famous, she blushes, but she digs out her phone. "... The real cell phone number... It's quite a bond," she says to Sayaka. Fate's crimes against tea miss her notice, at least for now. As does the topic of Shinjuku. Her own tea order is Scottish breakfast - strong and a bit sweet naturally.

And once she's done some of that, she looks up...

"Oh!! That cake looks wonderful. May I take a picture of it before - actually," Nori says as her phone comes back out, "take ONE slice, so we can see what's inside...!"

Batiste does not join in the photography. He does not see the point of cake. But then, he IS a carnivore.

For Nori, though - a strange warm feeling builds inside of her. It's nice. She hopes, to herself, that it will last.

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet isn't usually one for food, but she can see and feel the love and effort Mami put into the cake she presents them with. Garnet of course has a sense for such things. She eats it like a normal human, and even drinks the tea! She sips and savors it. Not just because it's excellent, but as much as she's drinking in the tea, she also drinks in this moment, commmits it to memory.

Afternoons like this. Moments like this. Friends like this. Are worth protecting, and cherishing. There's no telling what the future may hold, so for now, Garnet holds onto this.

She thanks them for the tea and the cake, and the invite out today. Garnet smiles softly to each and every one of them. To Fate, to Nori, to Arf, to Fuu, to Batiste, to Sayaka, and to Mami. She takes Saki's number.

And makes a note to get her own phone.

After a good few months of "phone misplacement" cat and mouse, Kofi Pizza caught onto her at last.

[OOC] Mami Tomoe says, "Nori, Mami loves you now"
[OOC] Nori Ankou says, "r-really??"
[OOC] Mami Tomoe says, "and aww Garnet"
[OOC] Mami Tomoe says, "you asked to take photos of her cake"
[OOC] Mami Tomoe says, "and then paused"
[OOC] Mami Tomoe says, "to make it /a better photo/"
[OOC] Mami Tomoe says, "also fate's 'i love strawberry' I just want to pick her up and hug her"
[OOC] Garnet thumbsup!