2019-06-06 - I Gacha You Covered
| Title: I Gacha You Covered | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Ye-jin Song requires the aid of someone versed in anime, and Niramo Umokeshi comes to mind. | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Akihabara Electric Town | |
| OOC - IC Date: 6-6-2019 - 6-6-2015 | |
.**************************** Shitamachi Low City *****************************.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* Akihabara Electric Town +*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Brave Akihabara, holy land of nerds, Akihabara of the cartoony signs and
gumball-machine colors. One can buy anything in Akihabara, as long as it is
computer gear, electronics or anime merchandise. The main strip is the
glitziest, with a large percentage of the visible building faces covered in
electronic signs, huge posters, or garish paint jobs, and there one can
purchase coveted new items at (or just a hair before) their street dates.
The streets to either side are home to a messier brand of store, where one
can, with a little luck and persistence, find used goods like that rare
out-of-print first edition Sailor V figurine or vanity press Pretty Cure
doujinshi. These smaller stores compete ferociously for space, and can be
found crammed into alleyways and spilling out onto sidewalks as well as in
more standard configuration.
Those whose tastes run more to programming than fandom can find the area,
also known as Akihabara Electric Town, quite rewarding as well. It's the
perfect place to shop for computer parts and other gadgets for projects both
personal and paranormal, with the venue ranging from a posh cutting-edge
robotics store on the main strip, to tiny stalls wedged into alleys that
sell high-grade electronics on the cheap. The latter category manage this
feat of thrift by selling unpackaged items taken from wholesale lots, and
piled up for display like supermarket apples.
It's relatively safe to be seen wearing unusual clothing here; it's likely
to be taken for cosplay, or the uniform of one of the diversely themed maid
cafes.
<Pose Tracker> Ye-jin Song [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Akihabara in the evenings is a busy place, all LED signs and streaming lights. Crowds hustle back and forth, a rolling and churning wave of people that swarm in and out of the towering malls, arcades, and restaurants that line the street. Gigantic anime characters plastered on billboards and across the sides of buildings look down over the streets below, and standing too long on any corner is an invitation to get accosted by touts waving coupons and advertisements.
It's through this mess that Ye-jin Song is preparing to wade, the wine-haired girl standing near the front of Akihabara's subway station when Niramo arrives. She's dressed in a simple--though doubtlessly expensive--ensemble, black jacket and airy red dress. After short greeting she expounds on the short text message she sent to summon the younger girl to this shopping excursion:
"I was invited by the Anime Club to sit in later this week." She explains. Ohtori's Vice-President has actually agreed to several things in the past few weeks, too distracted to do anything more than give blanket stamps of approval to anything or anyone that's crossed her path. Waking up to a separate reality has given her things to think about, but she had to get back to her duties eventually.
"I don't really know what the ones I'm supposed to care about are," Ye-jin continues after a moment. "I watch dramas, mostly. I need you to tell me what I should watch. And help me pick out things to give them-you like figurines, don't you? You'd know more about buying them than anyone else I could ask, Niramo-chan." Anyone she could hired to do it for her, at least.
"You like this sort of stuff, right?" She makes a vague sort of motion toward the electric city that stretches out in front of them.
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
When questioned on what her favorite part of Tokyo is, those asking Niramo might be surprised to find out it's the electronic town of Akihabara. Despite her being vertically challenged, the crowded streets of the shopping hub doesn't bother her in the slightest. Be it people watching, giving company to Wakatsuki or searching for the best deal on the latest figurine, Akihabara has always felt the most alive to Niramo. If the pavement of this otaku paradise were to suddendly empty out overnight and without warning, then there is something clearly wrong with Tokyo as a whole.
When Niramo received a text message from Ye-jin requesting (demanding) her presence there, it didn't take much for her to jump at the chance. Sure, she did somehow manged to get the limited edition figurine of Detective Loveline in a yellow rainjacket only a day ago, but window shopping never hurt!
Stepping above ground and taking a deep breath of the city air, Niramo looks like a regular in a pair of fitted jeans and a 'vintage' faded shirt with a blocky blue-haired samurai on the front. Looking around her, she spots Ye-jin from a distance and waves a carefree hand above her head before running over. "I hope I didn't make you wait too long, Ye-jin-san. The trains were a little delayed this afternoon!"
Ye-jin explains the problem, and Niramo gives a soft 'hmm' as the Ohtori Dance Captain explains her situation. "So, you essentially need a crash course in the more mainstream series as well as picking up ideal gifts, right? Um...right, the Anime Club has more boys in it than girls, so a few primers on shounen anime like Twelve Piece and Slayer Vs Slayer might be good, and maybe a shoujo anime as well." Niramo ticks off on each each count with one hand, keeping track of everything.
"As for the figurines? Uh, I think if you want good gifts, there's the mystery box figurines, where you don't know what's in the box, and no one can complain about not getting the good ones if they choose themselves, right?" She wouldn't need to be hired by Ye-jin to give this advice, and she might be hearing the same thing if she had. After all, it's only natural to wanting to help your friends succeed at what they want to do, right?
The personal question from the Akihabara tourist is answered with a swift nod, the loose ponytail keeping raven hairs contained from the movement. "Yep! I try to visit at least once a week, since the merchandise is always changing here and the only thing that stays the same is the stores themselves. Akihabara is just about as busy as Shibuya, and have more of a personality, if that makes sense." Flicking her eyes away from her new friend, she takes in the sight of the crowd with dark green eyes and lets out a content sigh.
Even if it's not exactly the reality she's familiar with, it's still the same town she loves.
<Pose Tracker> Ye-jin Song [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Ye-jin gives a slow nod of her head as the other girl gives her suggestions. The Ohtori girl's lips purse as she considers, asking, "Are they boring?" She must assume they are, as she doesn't look particularly happy with this information that she's specifically after. "Which one do you like? I'll just watch that one, you'd know better." She does at least trust Niramo to have good taste in her respective field.
Her face does brighten a touch at Niramo's suggestion of mystery boxes. "Oh, that's smart, Niramo -chan." A short nod of approval is made. "Where do you buy those? Show me." Her hand wobbles in the direction ahead, indicating the smaller girl to take the lead.
"Does it, though?" She asks of Akihabara's personality in comparison to Shibuya, one finger touching thoughtfully under her chin. "If you want to buy a computer, maybe. What if you want to buy clothes that aren't a costume, though? Do they even have a LUSH here?"
There's a titter of amusement that comes with the last question, as if to emphasize how preposterous the lack of a place to buy bath bombs would be.
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
The simple question from Ye-jin doesn't quite have a simple answer. "I mean...if you like non stop action? I like shows that focus more of mystery or are more focused on plot, but I tend to get overruled due to popularity. They just need to expand their horizans and realize what they're missing, that's all! And as strange as it sounds, the show where the main character is a traveling barbarian detective is one I completely recommend." And when real life has battles just as crazy as some anime, they tend to lose their charm.
Giving a quick and playful bow to Ye-jin, Niramo starts to lead the way through the crowds of people, a dimunitive guide with a destination clearly set in mind. It takes a few minutes, plenty of time for idle chitchat about schoolwork and a life beyond homework, and it feels pretty natural to the young girl. She may not have known Ye-jin for too long, but Niramo is starting to get a feel for member of the student council member beyond the pleasant mask she wears. Students from Ohtori are just as normal as anyone else, after all.
Some of the biggest stores are ignored for one reason or another only known to Niramo as they make their way, with one store with several plastic statues of grinning, posing pop culture icons in the display window being the station for otakus. "This store here has the biggest selection for the mystery boxes, and even have some show figurines I never heard of before!" Niramo waves her hand towards one shelf, motioning to row after row of brightly decorated boxes and gaudy displays.
Niramo smiles at the taller girl and nods her head, conceeding the point but isn't just about to give up just yet. "Maybe if you're just shopping, but I seen people try out all sorts of cosplay outfits and other outfits that might not be so popular in Shibuya. It's like a catwalk and a fashion battleground over there, and...I...don't exactly have the best fashion sense."
Rather than look depressed about admitting it, Niramo just shrugs her shoulders and motions with a hand between them, focusing on the contrast on just how different their clothing looks from one another.
Niramo giggles at the thought and rolls her eyes. "And that's why Akihabara isn't the best at everything, i'm sad to admit. Maybe one day, but today isn't that day!"
<Pose Tracker> Ye-jin Song [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Ye-jin is content to be led, following Niramo through the crowded streets. She does her best to stay in close proximity for the trip, eyes occasionally wandering to take in the buildings that they pass. While one or two might strike her interest, she seems eventually satisfied with the shop that they end up at.
When Niramo points out the boxes Ye-jin takes a step over, reaching to pick one up and lean close to inspect it. It's unclear what she's looking for--or if she'd even know herself--but it seems to pass muster, since she nods shorty after.
When the topic winds back around to fashion, Ye-jin turns to squint at her small friend. "You don't, do you?" She asks, when Niramo professes her inexperience. It is, like most things she says, more of an observation than deliberate attempt at malice. "We can fix that." Her tone indicates this may not be a cooperative decision. "I was just thinking, you're so short, you need something to stand out. Have you thought about dying your hair?"
The girl from Ohtori is already taking handfuls of boxes as she speaks, pulling them off the shelves and offering them to her small companion to carry. Apparently she's going to need a stack.
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
With how particular Ye-jin can be with what she purchases, Niramo was afraid that perhaps these figurines might not be up to her high bar of quality. That would leave the resin figurines which could easily cost into the tens of thousands of yen, and that's not something the Ohtori student might spring for, no matter how wealthy she might be. Thankfully, those fears are ungrounded with a satisified nod, and a shallow sigh of relief leaves her lips.
But she might have relaxed just a little too soon. A critical eye focuses on Niramo and her choice in relaxed clothing, and the diminutive girl tenses up, just a smidge. "I-I wouldn't want to be a bother, Ye-jin-san! You got so much on your plate to worry about besides me, i'm sure. Anyways, i'm here to help you, right?" First Yuhira, then Marinette is showing an interest if she was for Ao or Aka, now Ye-jin wanted to help? Does she have some sort of aura that says "i'm a fashion disaster, please save me"?
Niramo is quick to start piling up the sealed boxes in her arms haphazardly, already wishing she picked up a basket for larger purchases. Ye-jin is picking out quite a few, and the last question coming from her has Niramo blinking owlishly for a moment before readjusting her arms.
"Dying my hair? I mean...the thought has come across my mind once or twice, but I like it long, and it would require a lot of dye to change that, and hair as dark as mine can be troublesome to dye properly...it seems like it would be too big of a hassle!" All valid reasons to be sure, but Niramo doesn't seem to be against the thought as much as a complete fashion makeover. She doesn't need to make a statement as soon as she walks into a room, that belongs to people that can pull it off like Kasagami.
She's just Niramo Umokeshi.
<Pose Tracker> Ye-jin Song [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"You've been helpful," Ye-jin assures her companion as the stack of boxes grows ever taller. "So I'll pay you back. Next time we'll go shopping in Shibuya. Or Harajuku, that might be better. We could get you...a big bow." She muses a moment more before her stacking finally stops.
"This should be enough." Ye-jin decides. She's not carrying them, of course, merely directing Niramo up toward the front. On the way she continues, "Dying it wouldn't be a big deal. You could just do a little too, not all of it. A dark color. Which one?" Ye-jin continues her musing even a she boxes are hauled up to the counter.
"I'll think of something."
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
With all the boxes in her arms, Niramo's view of her patron is blocked completely and walled off with different sides of several dozen boxes. Maybe she should have recommended keychains instead? It's what everyone usually does, and far less obstructive! Ye-jin might be offering just the bow to put her at ease and lull her into a full-blown fashion makeover, but...a bow might be better than a scrunchie for her hair, right? "Well...okay, I think I can deal with that."
Depending on Ye-jin's voice to make her way to the front, she has to listen as the Ohtori student reasons out a way to dye her hair as well, if only partially. "You mean highlights?...well, dark green has always been one of my favorite colors, and dark blue as well. I guess those colors might clash too much, though..."
Ye-jin only says four simple words as she finishes helping Niramo unload her burden of cardboard boxes and plastic figurines, but it sends a slight shiver down her spine all the same. Ohtori doesn't do things simple, Yuhira tends to go with elegance over something actually pratical, and Marinette can be quite...creative, if her culinary choices are any indication. With friends both new and old, Niramo has a feeling she's going to be dragged into the fashion world kicking and screaming.
