2020-06-20 - Masked Counselling in the Electric Town
| Title: Masked Counselling in the Electric Town | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Two Miraculous Heroes come across one another while out on separate patrols in Akihabara and end up having a fond chat. Both are brought up to speed on the other's situation and shortcomings are talked over, helping to ease each other's burden even if it's only a little. | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Shitamachi Low City - Akihabara Electric Town | |
| OOC - IC Date: 6/20/2020 - 9/7/2015 | |
.**************************** 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> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Sourisi's clawed boots hit the top of the top of a computer shopping outlet, but she wasn't out in Akihabara to go shopping. Maybe window shop from up above, but she can do that while keeping an eye out. Even if there's not a destructive monster or an evil plan afoot, Sourisi goes out often enough on patrol just to keep an eye on the city. It has helped her be earlier to respond in the past, but it can help her relax as well.
Relaxing from the first day of being back as school is needed, that's for sure. Most of her summer homework was good enough for the teachers without any issues, but Sourisi will swear that the social studies teacher really did have it out for her. And her math drills that she turned in wasn't all that great either. She really did thought it was a tangent sign, not Pi...
While she hasn't been one for physical excersise in the past, the dance training she's been taking for the last several months have been starting to make her think there is a way to relax while tiring yourself out. It can let her get lost in thought...like exactly what she's doing now when she should be looking around for any creepy people trying to blend in.
"Okay...time for a break." Sourisi says this to herself as she slows down to a halt on the edge of a rooftop, looking down at the busy street below. As long as she's not leaning too far out, she shouldn't be spotted by anyone on the street. That, and it's amazing just to see what sort of people come out to Akihabara in the later part of the day.
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Above the city watches a silent yet stylish guardian. In a dramatic pose, she stands tall, overlooking Akihabara. An inspiration to all, she does her duty without complaint. She is the one, the only...
Sailor V!
And above that Sailor V sign advertising the newest game or figurine or something is Serpentina Ruse.
The light breeze moves her long braid slightly, but the rest of her is as still as the sign. Her yellow eyes - which usually look almost like they are glowing at some angles - practically shine with determination, and her jaw is set tight. She is crouched like a gargoyle, silent and solemn as stone. She seems like she is either laser-focused... or that there is a lot on her mind.
<Pose Tracker> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Dark green eyes gaze down upon the street below her, focusing on the occasional cosplayer and maid advertising for a cafe before continuing on. There was a new store advertising an impressive stock of retro and classic video games that she almost thought about checking out then and there, but Sourisi quickly shakes her head, braid whipping about. "Geeze, I can go shopping later...or after I get my allowence again."
She hate to imagine it, but maybe trying out for a part time job for extra income might be in her future.
Stretching an arm above her head and yawning softly, Sourisi is getting herself motivated when something catches her eye. She didn't know there was a new Sailor V game coming ou-oh, and who's that? It takes Sourisi a second to take in the full details of Serpentina posed on top of the sign that caught her attention, but a smile forms on her face as she realizes who it is. Seems like she's not the only one out and about tonight!
It takes several leaps and bounds across rooftops and over alleyways, but she reaches the advertisement quickly enough from the side. Cupping a hand to her mouth as she nears, she calls out to the other masked heroine. "Hey! Serpentina!" No sense trying to sneak up on the other Miraculous User, after all. "Didn't expect to see you out and about. Yen for your thoughts?"
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"The Green Guardian, the Scaled Superhero, the Slitherer Supreme. Ha!" Serpentina appears to be talking to herself, making nickname jokes... bitterly? She scans the surrounding city from her perch, slowly turning her head and nothing else. "Queen Cobra... because I deserve to be known as royalty, of course... ugh.. what's wrong with me?" She sighs, lowering her eyes for just a moment...
In that moment, Serpentina misses the movement on the other roof. She looks lost in her own little word, but then suddenly snaps, thrusting a white parasol with a green pattern at Sourisi's general direction when she calls out for her. "WHAT!?" She hisses angrily, tensed as if ready to fight. "You-...oh... Oh!"
Upon realizing her 'attacker' was a friend, Serpentina relaxes, lowering her umbrella. Her scowl unfolds and rearranges into a grin. "Hello Squeaks! Has been too long. Way too long, in fact!" She dashes towards Sourisi, then uses her umbrella to pole vault over her, twisting multiple times in the air to land facing her. "I barely recognize you. I thought you might be a very cute youma!"
<Pose Tracker> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Sourisi's feeling glad that she called out to Serpentina before she got too close, especially with that umbrella pointed at her. It may seem silly to some people, but appearences mean nothing to how effective it is. Raising up her hands in surrender towards the other Miraculous User, Sourisi has an eyebrow raised up in surprise. "Yep, it's me. Been ages since we last seen each other, huh?" A light tint of color can be seen on Sourisi's cheeks as she takes the odd compliment. "Awww, i'm not that cute. You're just saying that, Slithery."
Sourisi did catch a bit that one-sided conversation Serpentina was having. Trying to think of a title for yourself is actually something she hasn't thought about in the past, but the last part was worrisome. Combining that with how she had looked down upon the business end of a parasol, even for a moment, is enough to know something's up. Not with how stylish Serpentina made that jump looked, though. "I been a little worried about you, honestly, but I guess we both been really busy. Guess i'm not the only one who likes traveling via rooftop, huh?"
Takk has really gotten better about getting onto her about occasionally transforming just to get home faster.
Lowering her hands back down, Sourisi lets the smile disappear to be replaced with a small frown. "I hope i'm not overstepping my bounds but...is something up? I thought I was supposed to be the jumpy one with being the mouse, but you have some quick reflexes!" Sourisi may not know Serpentina all that well or that long, but maybe she might be of some help to the snake-scaled heroine. "I know it can help to vent if something has you agitated."
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"Come on," Serpentina teases, "you're adorable, admit it! Besides, you'd definitely be among the prettiest youma I've seen, you have to at least admit THAT!"
Of more serious matters, Serpentinas tension partially returns. "Thank you for worrying about me, but that was... mostly unnecessary. I'm almost entirely not having a major crisis at all!" She leans back, propping herself up with her umbrella.
She then realizes that it wasn't that Sourisi 'was' worried, but IS worried. She sighs, and gives in. "Yeah... I'm obviously not one-hundred percent. I've basically been neglecting my duties all summer long, and then my first two calls to action... well..." She quietly groaned, but continues. "Okay, the first time back, I fought a Youma with some allies. However, it was pathetic. I barely needed to do anything. Compared to all the others that have been going around this summer, I did nothing! And then my second call to action. The trap I fell for... and didn't even know it until Ressi let me know she saved me and my Mirac-... wait." A pondering look came across Serpentina's frustrated face. "I don't remember how much you know. Do you know who Ressi is?"
<Pose Tracker> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
While Sourisi's happy that she can get Serpentina to open up, it's still worrisome that Serpentina has something to make her fret over so much. That...and that acting was so forced, it almost hurt to watch. Very specific denial just make things stick out more.
Sourisi winces slightly upon hearing about the neglecting of duties, but not for the reasons the other heroine might think. "I...think you kinda dodged a bullet early on during the summer. I kinda got stabbed multiple times with magic spears. Everyone got overwhelmed, and there's still a lot of questions about what happened..."
That frown deepens as Sourisi listens, letting Serpentina bring out her fustrations into words. "I...kinda worry about if i'm holding others back at times myself. I do my best whenever anything terrible happens in Tokyo, but...it does feel like that isn't enough sometimes." It hurts to admit it out loud, but... "I just try to see it that I have a lot of room to improve on!"
Wait, something about Serpentina glossed over makes her blink. "Wait, back up. There was a trap? And your Miraculous was stolen?! That's...bad. Very bad. But you obviously has it back, so it all worked out right?" Something big must have happened, but she doesn't remember hearing anything about a big fight in the last few weeks. Did Sourisi missed something?
The name of Ressi doesn't ring any bells, but if she apparently saved Serpentina and her Miraculous... "Wait, is Ressi the name of your Kwami?" It might be kinda personal info, but it feels awful to know a bit of someone's identity without some sort of trade. "Well, my Kwami's name is Takk. A little stuffy, but he can be a big softy."
She can almost hear the indignant protests now. She certainly will later.
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
The eyes behind Serpentina's mask widen in shock when she hears about the spears. "Are you okay? What happened? I'm so glad you're alive! You're supposed to DODGE the spears, not try to absorb them! You're a mouse not an armadillo! You... sorry. I'll calm down and let you... and me... continue."
After both share their worries, Serpentina feels a LITTLE better. "I have much I need to improve on too. Too much it seems. But... I'm not alone at least, thank you."
Sourisi... didn't know? This was important! "Well... there was evil homework - no, not a joke. It made everyone double and triple and infinitely check and recheck it, in some evil homework trance. Meanwhile, lots of us had our stuff stolen. And yes... Ressi is the name of my Kwami. Everyone was in danger and I was too busy doing homework that my Kwami had to help save the day. I don't even know what homework it was... probably math, since it was evil-" Oops. That was a clue to who she was. Then again, so many girls from so many schools don't like math, and it wasn't like Sourisi would know which one, if she even knew her at all."
"Takk, huh?" Serpentina quickly switches topics. "He sounds interesting. Ressi is overprotective and a little devious, but she means well. She's also a big eater, though doesn't like eggs."
<Pose Tracker> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Sourisi tugs upon the ends of her braid, discomfort clear on her face upon mentally reliving that memory. "Yeaaaah. I tried, several times. Unfortunately, the beings we were fighting against had a bad habit of pinning me down." She doesn't care how much Ladybug complains, saying bad puns does make her feel a little better. "And right, kinda got distracted there!"
Sourisi only sighs and nods her head once, firmly. "Agreed, but maybe that's something we can improve on together? I don't want to be a burden to anyone else, if I can help it. And...it sounds weird, but i'm glad to know i'm not the only one who feels like that too." She doesn't want to slow down Ladybug, Chat Noir, or anyone else down...
Sourisi struggles to take in Serpentina's explination at first, finding a little hard to beleive. Homework is obviously evil, but to cause...a trance...? The realization hits the shorter girl like a brick, and she just stops herself from looking at her own Miraculous right then and there. "That explains why I wasted a whole afternoon constantly thinking I messed up! There's evil, and then there's forbidden magic! Ugggh, I am so going have a talk with a certain someone about that later. Uh...thanks, Slithery. I really didn't know."
Sourisi notices the mention of hated math for a moment, but the snake-based Miraculous heroine changes the subject before she can follow the train of thought. Hearing about Ressi does give her something to giggle at, something to help soften the news about the trap she apparently fell into as well.
"He is, but he can act like a tiny mad scientist at times. He turned a hair dryer into a air fryer...somehow. Oh, and egg dishes like omelets or anything that might contain it, like cake?" Sourisi gives her braid another tug mindlessly as she thinks on what possible snacks she might make for the Kwami. Ressi might not be her partnered up Kwami, but it would be a nice treat.
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"Hm. You feel the way I do. While we have experience now... we are still relative newbies." Serpentina softly smiles at Sourisi. "At least we have come a long way. I remember being happy that I single-handedly defeated Akumas and 'cured' them. And I tripped during one of my early adventures despite my pretty good sense of balance. We still have a lot to learn, but we've also both learned a lot. Maybe we can help each other out somehow. Sharing experience, and maybe training together?"
It looks like Serpentina wasn't the only one here who fell for the homework trap! "That... was definitely horrible. I feel bad not that I fell for it, but that I fell for it after not having done much good lately, like I have a negative helping/needing help ratio. But I feel ANGRY about the form of the trap! I'm forced to second-guess myself all the time as a hero as it is, hypnotizing me to think I messed up on my homework endlessly as a civilian is just terrible! I'm sorry you had to go through it too, Squeaks."
Food, Serpentina's Kwami's favorite subject. "Ressi loves cake.. and all kinds of other desserts. It is mainly eggs by themselves that she despises. She loves sweet things. And tart things. And savory things. And food things. But mostly sweet."
<Pose Tracker> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Serpentina hits it squarely on the head, summing everything up squarely. "We have made mistakes, but we can't focus on them and let them drag us back, right? Just have to learn from them and move on. Oh, and I do practice my throwing skills on bottles. Clean up is a mess, but I have gotten better about aiming. We can try looking for a place to practice together sometime, then."
Sourisi laughs softly and rubs her right arm with her left hand, looking away with an embarrased look on her face. Looking upon the cutout of Sailor V does remind her of why she was out here in the first place. "You're...not the only one who has been slacking off. I got so caught up in the relaxing part of summer break, I stopped doing my patrols. It's why i'm out right now, actually. I wanted to make up for all that time I wasn't helping out like I should have been!"
Letting go of her arm, Sourisi walks over and places her right hand on Serpentina's shoulder if allowed. "And all that means is that we need to balance that out that ratio, right? Hmmm...do we need to beat up double the monsters or just beat up the monsters we do find extra hard?" Sourisi sighs before reaching up with her same hand and rubs at the her neck in embarrasement. "And if you're right, I fell for that dirty trick too. But...if it makes you feel any better? The times you been out and fighting, I know everyone appreciates you being there, even if they can't show it during a fight."
"So, thank you. Even if it doesn't seem like it, you being there makes a difference, you know!" It feels like that every once in a while, but Sourisi knows this lesson by heart.
Hearing about Ressi's love for anything sweet has a grin forming on the plotting mouse's face. "Sweets, huh? I'll just have to make sure Ressi-san can have something to look forward to in the future. Oh, uh...right. Takk-san doesn't like anything with cheese, so I had to make sure. As for what he likes...he enjoys sushi, but he said he like fugu the most. Considering how bad a mistake can be...I worry about him sometime."
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"Looks like we both had our problems this summer," Serpentina admits. "We need to work extra hard - um... hm." She lets Sourisi put her hand on her shoulder, but seems more concerned with what she said. "I'm.. not sure. Maybe we need to do both. Beat more monsters extra well done? That might make me feel a bit more on track. I lost my patrol time too, so I'm already doubling that, as seen tonight. And thank you." She mirrors Sourisi's action, attempting to place a hand on Sourisi's shoulder. "Same goes for you. I'm sure that I'm not the only one that appreciates your help."
Serpentina listens to Sourisi about Takk, and has a curious grin on her face. "Looks like it is time to teach you some fun facts. Mice loving cheese was an American cartoon invention. Cheese was usually what was available to them in cellars and stuff, so people thought they loved it. And fugu isn't dangerous to make." Her grin turns dark and mischivous. "It is dangerous to make RIGHT."
<Pose Tracker> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
It's one thing to say comforting words to someone when they need it, but it's quite another when someone gives what you need to hear in return. "That works for me. I might feel a little sorry for the next monsters we come across, then. But no mercy for whoever created that magical homework trap. There are some things that just shouldn't be done!"
Sourisi smiles softly as she gets a comforting hand on her shoulder as well. They were quite different but she's realizing the pair of them have more in common than she realizes. Who would have thought a patrol going out for magical duties can make her feel closer to one of her team mates?
And then Serpentina pulls out the sudden trivia and history lesson on both cheese AND fugu sushi. "Wait, really? It's such a common myth, I thought it was real. That explains why mouse traps never seem to work in that one Western cartoon. And exactly! I have no plan on trying fugu if I can help it. Some normal sushi sounds much more appetizing, huh?"
That grin Serpentina is sporting is a little worrisome. Best not go to a sushi resturant together...though going out in their costumes might be a bad idea.
Turning her head to the side, Sourisi looks up at the bright lights of Akihabara for a few moments. "Feeling better, I hope? Sometimes you just need a friend to help let you air out your thoughts...uh, I hope we're friends, right?" Hopefully they are, with how open they were just a few minutes ago, but maybe Serpentina might be slow to accept a friend...
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"The one who created the homework trap... deserves no mercy." Serpentina sounded scarily serious and seriously scary. "Of all the villainous schemes... that one went too far. No double effort against them, that's way too weak of a beating for such a heinous crime."
Serpentina and Sourisi are bonding over their strengths and weaknesses. At least it seems that way to Serpentina. Comforting each other in their time of need, lifting each other up... it is nice to have friends. Sourisi... Niramo... maybe even Ai? Perhaps she is better at making friends than she thought. Perhaps she is more deserving of friends than she thought.
Serpentina's trivia seems to have impressed Sourisi. "I'm glad I could share interesting facts! I have to know a wide range of things. After all, Ohtori-er.... aaaanyways, yeah, the poison is part of the flavor, weird, huh?"
Serpentina finally relaxes enough to sit down next to her friend. "Thank you. You really helped out. And... of course we're friends. We have been friends for a very long time. Unless I misread things. Are we secretly enemies... or...?" She laughs softly. Today was a good day.
<Pose Tracker> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
It seems the duo are in complete agreement on the punishment for the homework mastermind. "Homework already bad enough to deal with, we don't need to worry about mental snares as well."
Was that a slipped comment about Serpentina being from Ohtori or knowing students who go to Ohtori? Neither doesn't really narrow down who it is behind the other mask...maybe it's just a comment on the odd taste of Ohtori students and nothing more. "I'll just take your word on it. I think if you really do want a 'tingly' taste, it might be better to lick a battery."
Seeing Serpentina sitting down, Sourisi sets herself on the rooftop as well. The patrol can wait just a little bit longer, after all. "No, no, absolutely friends. I just wanted to make sure!" Sourisi leans herself backwards and uses her arms to prop herself up. It did feel good to hear that she was a friend of Serpentina from her own lips. Things might be getting more intense lately, but it's nice to know another person she can depend on.
