2026-02-04: An Unexpected Vacation
- Log: An Unexpected Vacation
- Cast: Reiko Shimizu, Shinobu Shimizu, Ayame Watanabe
- Where: Aoba Park, Sumaru City
- OOC Date: February 04, 2026
- IC Date: September 20, 2012
- Summary: Reiko has invited her sisters out into the park for reasons that definitely don't involve being pushed around again. Ayame and Shinobu both affirm that Reiko can count on them--but Ayame stays behind when they start a nice walk.
<Pose Tracker> Reiko Shimizu has posed.
Reiko reached out rather unexpectedly to her sisters this Thursday evening. She has today off work -- the woes of being a beat cop (slash detective) -- and normally, she would make plans in advance. Reiko asking to meet up out of the blue, and not with a crisis or something important, is unusual.
But this time, it was sudden but not pressing. She even confessed to being a little bit bored.
She is sitting on a bench in Aoba, as she waits for her sisters. She has a light blue flanel jacket on, over a white shirt and a darker blue skirt. Reiko is looking at her phone, scrolling through with her index finger. She reaches up to brush some of her brown hair back, over one ear.
She has a canvas bag, with a lot of her stuff, sitting on the bench next to her.
Warning 'my-desc' for Ayame Watanabe(#524PenA):
player is missing description
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
This is unusual. Shinobu half-way expected there to be trouble. She wasn't quite gearing up to see if there was somebody she needed to punch... but she wasn't not doing that, either. It's a relief, then, when it turns out to be something not immediately pressing and there's nobody she needs to put the hurt on(yet). The timing is good. She's just gotten off of work - and maybe that was by design - so of course when Reiko asks to meet up, she agrees.
She sends a text to let her sisters know when she's made it to Aoba, and it isn't long after that that she arrives at the park. She's dressed as casually as ever - jeans and an unbuttoned black and dark green jacket over a band t-shirt.
"Hey, Reiko-chan." Shinobu greets with a casual wave. She takes note of the canvas bag, but she doesn't comment on it just yet. "How've you been?"
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
Unusual, but not bad! Ayame happens to be free now that Ikkaku is home and dinner is done with, so she left the kids with him and went out to see her sisters!
Ayame also has a bag--a big purse, with a container in it. If Reiko is bored, well... Ayame can help!
Ayame's in red today, a nice casual dress with a white jacket. She smiles as she walks up to the others. "Hello!" Ayame greets warmly. "Reiko-chan, Shinobu-chan."
"Yes, how are you?"
<Pose Tracker> Reiko Shimizu has posed.
"Nee-chan!" Reiko says. She looks up, beaming at Shinobu. She stands up as she approaches and waves at her. Then, she looks at Ayame, and calls out cheerfully: "Onee-chan!"
She beams, before she turns her head and looks around. "I thought... it's a nice day, so a walk through the park might be fun," she says. A beat, before she picks up her canvas bag. She slings the straps over her shoulder.
"And, um," she says. She glances to the side, awkward. "My landlord, um, decided they needed to reglaze my bathtub and the fumes are toxic and they didn't warn me so I'm--you know! I'm having an adventure! For... 48 to 72 hours!"
She laughs nervously and then her shoulders slump, with a sigh.
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"Hey, Nee-san." Shinobu greets with a nod toward Ayame, with a subtle check to make sure she's doing alright. It hasn't been that long since they stumbled onto the Kingdom. She looks back at Reiko.
A nice day, so a walk through the park might be fun. With... a lot of her stuff. Shinobu just gives her a Look - and then Reiko continues.
...Her landlord, huh. Maybe there is someone she needs to put the hurt on, after all.
...No, it'd just make things complicated for her. They're safe, for now.
"Of all the irresponsible asshole moves... They shoulda told you ahead of time so you can make plans." Shinobu mutters with a shake of her head. She frowns, then looks back to Reiko. "...How you holdin' up? You got a place to crash until it's all clear? You know you can reach out to either of us if you need anything."
She pauses for a moment.
"...That walk does sound nice, though." She adds, in an attempt to blunt the harshness somewhat.
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
Ayame is fine! No limping, no covered bruises, just cheer! ...Well, there might be problems that aren't visible, but she isn't showinng any.
But Reiko thought a walk would be nice. Ayame smiles at that. "Walks are good, but..." She does have an awful lot of stuff. Except that--
"O-Oh, dear," Ayame says, frowning in worry. "That's terrible!" she says. "I'm pretty sure your landlord is legally required to give you notice on that kind of thing..."
A sigh. "Yes," she says. "You can! My couch is available to you! Though... I wish we had a guest room, but..." For an apartment for a family of five, that's a little too big an ask.
Pause. "It does. And it does make me glad I brought something I did..."
<Pose Tracker> Reiko Shimizu has posed.
Reiko laughs a little awkwardly as she finds herself adjacent to some of that famous Shinobu Shimizu harshness. "Y-Yeah, I wasn't thrilled with them, but... there was a little chipping on the corners, s-so..."
She trails off. "...it's necessary?" she says, weakly, and she makes it a question.
She looks sideways at Ayame, and she grins in a way that is a little like a grimace. "Yeah, I... I suggested that, and they were busy, and..." She sighs a little, her shoulders slumping again. She looks at Shinobu, though, at her question.
"W-Well, um--" She looks from Shinobu to Ayame. "...if it's not any trouble? I could stay at the koban or the station, too." Then, a blink, and she looks at her oldest sister. "You brought something, onee-chan?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Shinobu nods to herself. Ayame looks fine, and that's good enough for right now.
...All of this over a little chipping... Shinobu exhales a sigh, massaging her forehead.
"It couldn't have waited?" She asks, shakes her head... and then frowns. "'Busy'. Hell of an excuse. Not like you ain't busy, too."
Reiko suggests that she could stay at the station, and Shinobu gives another look that suggests that she isn't going to accept that. She looks sideways to Ayame, with the assumption that they're on the same wavelength on this.
"Yeah, no. I'm not letting my little sister drive herself crazy havin' to sleep in the place she works." Shinobu replies. She can only imagine how much more incidental work would end being piled onto her if that happened. "My place's open to you, too, so you've got your pick."
She looks toward Ayame, then, as she indicates that she brought something.
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
Chipping. Ayame frowns. "...Well, I'm sure you did your best," Ayame sighs. "Really, it was terribly inconsiderate of them..."
But Reiko is not staying at the station; Ayame puts on her best authority face. "Absolutely not. It's no trouble at all! The children would love to see you for a ocuple of days." She smiles. "They always do."
But... Shinobu has the 'bad cop' angle down just fine. And Ayame nods firmly. "Yes. Either's acceptable, but you have to pick one!"
"And, well..."
Ayame reaches into her purse and pulls out a plastic container full of cookies. "I thought you might be hungry..."
<Pose Tracker> Reiko Shimizu has posed.
"I... I guess not," Reiko says, with another sigh. "I tried to ask, but the front office was busy and didn't have a lot of time to explain." She frowns a little bit more when she says that. She looks between her two sisters -- and then there is a grimace from the youngest Shimizu.
They're both putting their foot down. That means there is no room for debate.
"R-Right," she says. She laughs sheepishly. "But picking which place to stay at isn't very fair, you know. I don't want to play favorites...!"
Her eyes widen at the container, though. Then, Reiko breaks into a grin. "Are those cookies?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"Seriously." Shinobu agrees, as Ayame says it was inconsiderate of them. Reiko tried to ask, but the front office was busy... The look on Shinobu's face suggests that she doesn't accept that excuse, either.
She sends a brief smile Ayame's way as she, expected, puts her foot down on that idea, too. She chuckles, then, as Reiko laments that it isn't fair to pick.
"Hey, don't worry. Neither of us are gonna be upset if you pick the other. The only thing that matters to us is that we know you're somewhere safe. Right, Nee-san?" Shinobu replies, looking toward Ayame.
...Who produces a container full of cookies. Shinobu whistles appreciatively.
"Those look as good as ever." Shinobu praises.
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
The front office was... busy. Ayame frowns, but in a more worried way than in an angry way. She does smile at Shinobu, at least. "Yes," she confirms, "Either is fine. ...Shinobu-chann's place might be more restful," she admits, "Considering the kids.... But still!"
"That's right. That's what matters."
Then she smiles warmly. "They are. Your favorite, even. I had time to make a batch while I was getting ready..."
She offers them to Reiko.
<Pose Tracker> Reiko Shimizu has posed.
"Yeah," Reiko says with a sigh. "Um, mom and dad help with my rent. Since a police officer doesn't make that much, at my level." Which remains a point of stress for her, as they both know. "And I don't... want to trouble them, either."
She looks between her sisters -- but she is quickly distracted by the cookies. Her favorites are chocolate chip; she opens the container and immediately takes a hefty bite of one. It leaves some still half-melted chocolate on her upper lip.
"Aaah, onee-chan, these are so good," she says with a sigh.
Then, she looks between her sisters. At Ayame, then at Shinobu, then at Ayame, then back at Shinobu. She bites her lower lip. "...Tonight at Onee-chan's, tomorrow at nee-chan's?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Shinobu nods as Ayame says her place might be more restful because of the kids.
"But hey," Shinobu adds. "That might be a plus for you, too. It's not gonna be boring around there, that's for sure."
Reiko explains about the rent. Shinobu nods. She's well aware of how much that's a point of stress for her. She still thinks she's getting underpaid for how much work she does. But, not troubling mom and dad...
Shinobu frowns indecisively, torn between being worried about Reiko not wanting to bother anyone and being frankly glad she went to them instead of their parents. The less they have over her, the better.
"...Yeah." Shinobu replies, massaging the back of her neck awkwardly, though she smiles at the joy on Reiko's face from the cookies. She watches Reiko as she looks between the two of them uncertainly, and ultimately comes to... a compromise. Splitting the difference, huh... That's their eager-to-please Reiko.
"...Sure, that's fine with me. What do you think, Nee-san?" Shinobu asks.
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
"Ah," Ayame answers. Reiko explains, and... it isn't as simple as saying 'Oh, we can help!' with three children to support, trying to get a house soon...
"It's hard," Ayame agrees, but lets herself be comforted by seeing Reiko enjoy the cookies. "I'm glad," Ayame answers. "You can have them! I made them for you, after all."
And then REiko decides. She nods. "Very well! I'll call ahead to let everyone know so Ikkaku can get thigs ready for you."
"Hmmm. I think it'll be hard to let her go for the second night!" Ayame says, and she's probably kidding. Probably.
<Pose Tracker> Reiko Shimizu has posed.
"I do always like seeing them," Reiko says, with a smile. After all, she loves playing aunt -- she has since she reconnected with Ayame, once she was in high school and had the independence to visit and not tell her parents about it.
She nods, as she looks at Shinobu, then at Ayame. "Yeah. It's not easy," she sighs. "I guess money never is."
She brightens, and clings the tupperware to her for a moment -- though then she thinks better of hogging the cookies. Reiko extends the plastic container out to Shinobu, in case she also wants a cookie. "Thanks, onee-chan. You're the best."
She beams, then... she laughs. "Oh, I don't know... I bet you'll be glad to have your sofa back," she says. "And, besides, I have to share the love equally with both of my sisters' sofas."
She knows Shinobu doesn't have a guest room.
Warning 'my-desc' for Ayame Watanabe(#524PenA):
player is missing description
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"Sure ain't. Never feels like there's enough..." Shinobu agrees with a shrug. It's a complicated and messy thing to have to tangle with. They're all getting by the best they can with what they have.
Shinobu will, gratefully, accept a cookie when Reiko offers.
"Thanks." She replies with a smile, taking a bit... and then chuckles, at Ayame's comment.
"Couldn't blame you if you wanted to hog her. She's such a delight, after all." Shinobu agrees, then smirks. "Well, it'll be open to you all the same, Reiko-chan."
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
"And they love seeing you!" Ayame treasures that connection, that she thought she wouldn't get to have again, after their parents cut her off. But money...
"Unfortuantely no," Ayame agrees with them both. Maybe, soon, things will be much easier but... that's 'tomorrow', not 'today'.
And that's only fo her.
But cookies! Shinobu gets one too, annd yame smiles.
"Maybe," she allows of her sofa. "I suppose we wouldnn't want Shinobu-chan's furniture to fel neglected," she allows.
"But I'm still tempted!" She hmmms a moment.
"Why don't you two take that walk?" she offers. "I can watch our things. The chance to sit down for a while wouldn't be so bad for me..."
<Pose Tracker> Reiko Shimizu has posed.
"A-A delight?" Reiko says, looking between Ayame and Shinobu. Her lips purse for a moment as she considers what they both said. "I-I feel like I'm being ganged up on..."
Sometimes, being the baby sister is hard. Or, in this case, easy.
She takes a bite of a second cookie -- Reiko really likes those cookies, as it happens. But she looks at Ayame, at her offer to watch their things. She blinks once. Then, she glances sideways at Shinobu. Does she kow something about this?
"Sure," she says. "Are you feeling okay, onee-chan?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
They all feel the same way. They have their own individual problems, after all. ...But at least for now, Shinobu can think of other things. She chuckles as Ayame says she's still tempted.
Reiko feels like she's being ganged up on, and Shinobu looks pleased at her reaction.
"That's 'cause you are." She provides helpfully, her expression smug.
Ayame suggests they take that walk, though. Shinobu assesses her for a moment - and then, she nods. She meets Reiko's glance, but she doesn't say anything.
"Sure, so long as you're fine with that." She replies.
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
A delight! Ayame smiles. "She's right," Ayame agrees of Shinobu. She's pleased, too. But Reiko likes the cookies, and that's really what counts. For Ayame, though--Reiko seems suspicious of her, so Ayame makes an apologetic smile. "I'm just a little tired," she says. "I've been more tired than usual lately... It's probably nothing."
"But I'm quite fine with it! Knowing you're enjoying the park will give me a better time, too. And the quiet isn't so bad, either."
<Pose Tracker> Reiko Shimizu has posed.
"Not fair..." Reiko says with a sigh, but it's a well-meaning one.
She is curious -- wondering, for a second, if she missed something. But Shinobu has a good poker face, and Ayame says she is feeling tired. She nods her head, then. "Okay!" she says. "But... make sure you rest up, onee-chan. You need a good night's sleep!"
Then, she looks at Shinobu, and she smiles. "Ready, nee-chan?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Reiko says it isn't fair, and that just causes Shinobu to grin wider. She looks toward Ayame.
'Probably nothing'... Shinobu considers her a moment longer - and then she nods.
"Well... let us know if somethin's up, alright?" She replies, nodding as Reiko tells Ayame to rest up. Shinobu looks toward Reiko herself, then, with a smile of her own. "Yup. Ready when you are."
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
Not fair at all. Ayame smiles, too.
But she doesn't let on if it's any more than that, of course. "I will, I promise," she says to both of her sisters. "Rest and tell you if it's more."
She moves to sit down on the bench next to Reiko's thinngs.
"Have fun!"