2026-06-14: Good Boots
- Log: Good Boots
- Cast: Shinobu Shimizu, Ichika Kawase
- Where: Hirasaka - Main
- OOC Date: June 14, 2026
- IC Date: November 24, 2012
- Summary: Ichika runs into Shinobu while she's shopping for winter wear. The two of them talk about cars, fashion, and the future. On Ichika's advice, Shinobu buys some nice boots.
=============================================== Sumaru City/Hirasaka Ward ====-
The westernmost ward of the city, and also the one furthest inland, Hirasaka is
considered one of the least desirable places to live in Sumaru. This is in part
due to the bad reputation of local Kasugayama High School, nicknamed "Kasu High"
by its students and "Cuss High" by its detractors. A school of overwhelmingly
boys but some errant girls, it's said to be for delinquents, poors, and other
"problem" children. Just down the street is Sumaru Prison, which is not a prison
but an underground club with a live stage, and either way the parents of Sevens
students hate it.
It's not all bad in Hirasaka, though. The shopping is second to none, with a
huge five-story mall called Smile Hirasaka that offers a wide variety of
businesses and conference meeting rooms; just be sure to go on a day when the
stores aren't closed. For those who want a more homey atmosphere for their
purchases, there's Kameya Alley. Plenty of office buildings populate the area,
too.
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
It's late November, which means the snowy season is soon to be upon them. It's already getting fairly cold, so now's the time to make preparations before it sets in. For Shinobu, that means getting some new clothes. All of her older winter wear is starting to show its age. The last time she went on a big shopping trip she picked up a nice jacket, but she'll need a little more than that.
So today after work, Shinobu drops by a clothing store in Hirasaka Ward's Kameya Alley. The atmosphere here suits her a lot more than the upscale shopping mall does. She has a few other places she wants to stop by after... but she is on a budget since she's saving up, so how much she spends here will dictate how much she can afford.
For the time being she browses the isles, hands in the pockets of her jacket. She pauses, stopping by a long winter coat. She reaches out, feeling the sleeve experimentally. She 'hm's idly to herself. She doesn't seem very busy at the moment...
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Late November... a lot's been going on, but the year continues. Ichika Kawase is kind of glad for the break in supernatural business, and is out doing one of the things she likes: shopping. She's likewise here in Kameya Alley, and it is a good atmosphere, much as she likes the mall. Besides, she can drop by Ma'am's place for something to eat...
But as she's looking at coats, she turns and spots--
"Oh, hey," Ichika says. Shinobu. Who's helped them before--who Tsubasa especially looks up to. "Nice to see you," Ichika greets.
Her concession to the cold is mostly that she's wearing a jacket; the long skirt is unrelated.
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Ma'am's proximity definitely pays a part in the choice of location.
She isn't the only one who had the same idea. This isn't unusual, of course, but today it's a familiar face. At Ichika's voice Shinobu looks up from the coat she was looking at, looking toward Ichika. She knows of her more than she knows her(at least, as far as she knows, unaware that she's the one behind Ogre), but she recognizes her right away.
"Hey." Shinobu greets back with a nod and a small smile. "Kawase, right? Nice to see you, too."
She turns to face her fully, now.
"How've you been?" She asks.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Right!" Ichika answers, pleased to be recognized. "I know you talk to Tsubasa more than to me, but it's cool to be remembered."
Ichika actually smiles. She thinks Shinobu is cool! "I've been cool," she says. "Kinda busy with stuff... but we got the school paper going, so that's been a good kind of busy to be, too." She can't talk about Futaba's Palace, but...
"How about you?" she asks. Then, she regards the coat, likewise feeling the fabric. "Oh, this'd look good on you. It's a nice color."
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Shinobu nods. Good, she remembered - Ichika points out that she talks to Tsubasa more than her. Which is only natural, the way they met...
"How're they doing, by the way? We haven't had a lot of opportunity to talk." Shinobu asks. Ichika, though, has been cool! Shinobu nods again. "Good to hear."
She listens, too, as Ichika explains what she's been up to. Busy... Shinobu nods.
"It's that time of year." She agrees. Sounds like it must be for her, too. The school paper, though...
"Oh yeah? Are you into journalism?" Shinobu asks, curious. "That's gotta be a big step for Kasugayama. I dunno if they had one before... Akiyama didn't, at least in my time."
That was a while ago, though... and it's always possible she just never saw it.
"About the same. Been taking on a little more work than usual, so... busy." She says. Ichika says the coat would look good on her and Shinobu looks at it again, a bit more thoughtfully. "Oh yeah? You think so?" She 'hm's for a moment, looking toward the price tag.
"Not to expensive, either..." She murmurs, mostly to herself.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"They're pretty good," Ichika says. "I get to spend a lot of time with them lately, so that's nice. Not that we get out in the car as much, since we can mostly just walk around Hirasaka, but still!"
It is that time of year. And before she knows it, there'll be finals. "I am!" Ichika answers. "Got into it through a cool reporter who I ran into. You ever hear of Maya Amano?" A beat, "It's pretty big--I had to twist a few arms to make it happen. But with the Death Boss's support it fell into place OK."
They definitely didn't.
"Oh, yeah? My boyfriend's been working hard lately, too. He does part-timing for a few places, now." But as to the coat, Ichika nods along. "Totally. And that's pretty key--picking up one nice piece doesn't do you any good if you can't get something to pair it with."
Shopping! She is an authority on clothes shopping and fashion.
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Shinobu seems relieved when Ichika says that Tsubasa has been pretty good. She smiles, too, when she says she gets to spend a lot of time with them lately.
"Oh yeah? Good to hear, I'm happy for you." She nods about the car, though. "Yeah, these streets aren't exactly made for extensive driving... 'Swhy it's taken me so long to think about getting one myself."
Ichika confirms that she is, in fact, into journalism.
"Cool. It's a good field." Shinobu replies with an approving nod. She explains that she got into it through a cool reporter. Maya Amano... Shinobu nods. "Yeah, I've seen her around a few times. She's cool. If you're going to pick a role model, she's a good one."
She grins, then, as Ichika says that she had to twist a few arms, and the Death Boss's support made it work out.
"Oh yeah? Good on you for sticking it out. The stuff's that's always the hardest to get going's usually the most worth it." Shinobu comments. "Hope it goes well for you."
Ichika mentions her boyfriend... and Shinobu doesn't react. Maybe she already knows about their situation - or maybe she's just a cool adult. She nods, as she explains he does part-timing for a few places.
"That's about what I do. I get work where I can get it." Shinobu replies. If he's working at a few different places, then he's probably in a situation where he needs the money... "He ever has trouble finding anything, you can point him my way. I know some people, I can help him get in touch."
Her attention turns back to the coat. Ichika confirms that it'd look good - and comments about getting something to pair it with... Shinobu 'hm's again.
"...In that case, anything here you think'd go well with it?" Shinobu asks. "I don't think about this kind of thing often, myself, so I don't know the ins and outs."
Ichika seems like she knows what she's talking about, there - she's not ashamed to ask for help from someone younger if it's their field of interest.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Me, too." Happy for her. "They're the best." But, these streets... "Oh, you're thinking of getting one?" Ichika wonders. "I like cars. I'd love to see it if you do."
A good field!! Ichika smiles. "Cool," she says. "Yeah--she's great. She really cares about what people are into..."
"Thanks," Ichika replies then. "I thought it would be worth it. My grades aren't exactly amazing, but maybe having an extracurricular like that can get me somewhere... It'd be nice to be able to go on to school, you know?"
Could be cool! Ichika doesn't worry too much when Shinobu doesn't react. Instead she says, "Yeah? I'll remember that. Thank you," Ichika says, with a deeper nod. She relies on Shinobu's expertise! As to the coat, though...
"Hmmm..."
"Yeah. I think with a coat like that, you want some good boots--it'll keep your feet warm, but it also balances the look out. Maybe some sturdy ones, so you can work in them..."
"But they can have steel toes and still look good. I guess it depends on your style? You seem more 'practical' than 'dressy' to me in general--so I think that's what i'd recommend. Over here they've got the shoes..."
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Shinobu grins. It's good to hear her talk so fondly of Tsubasa, especially after hearing how they talk about her.
"Yeah, I am." Shinobu confirms, as Ichika asks if she's thinking about getting a car. "Sure, I'll remember that. I've been looking into kei trucks. Somethin' small enough that I can still drive it around here, while still giving me plenty of room to transport stuff. That'd really open up my options."
She nods, then.
"Yeah, she really does." She agrees. ...Of course, she knows Maya mostly from supernatural incidents rather than her actual job... but she doesn't bring that up.
"People pay attention to that kind of stuff. Get a good backlog of issues, show that you're dedicated, and I'm sure it'll draw attention. Get in touch with people who work in the field and I bet that'd go a long way, too." Shinobu comments. "Yeah, here's hoping it works out for you."
She never went to college, herself... but she'll certainly encourage someone who wants to.
She nods, as Ichika says she'll remember the offer. And then, fashion - Shinobu nods to herself, taking in her advice.
"Yeah, that'll be real handy with winter coming up." She agrees. Balancing out the look, though, is something she hadn't thought about. And even steel-toed boots can look good... "That so? I didn't think about that... But, yeah. I'd agree with you there. I've always been the type to gravitate toward things I can get a lot of use out of."
Ichika points out where the shoes are, so Shinobu moves over to check out the selection of boots.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
The way Ichika regards Tsubasa, it's plain in her eyes and expression when she talks about them; she only isn't saying more because they aren't talking about them in detail. ...She could, though. She totally could.
"Oh, yeah? That's smart. I have a van, myself--my parents wanted me to get something so I could visit more often, but I wanted something that could carry camping gear and my friends. So I definitely get it on transporting stuff. I guess you'd have a lot more work you could do that way, too..."
Maya... is a Persona-user!! That's true.
"That's what I'm hoping," Ichika says. "...Thanks. I never thought of myself as the university type, but... I'm going to try, you know? Even if I'm probably getting married sooner or later, I don't want to leave Tsubasa and him to do everything right off... And maybe I could have a career, too."
But fashion!! "It's cool. 'Practical' can be stylish, too. And the more you put into your appearance, to a point, the more seriously people will take you, if you're doing it right. I try to dress for the occasion." A beat, "Today's occasion is just walking around."
Ichika walks over with her. "How about these?" she suggests, pointing out a particular pair.
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Shinobu nods thoughtfully.
"Seems like a good compromise, to me. You both get what you want. Yeah, a van's real good for that..." She comments. "Yeah. I've got a good courier bike right now, but I can only transport so much under my own power."
She nods. Ichika's thinking about her future... and she thinks about to Tsubasa, who's making plans for their own, too. ...It's nice, seeing them have hopes.
"Never find out unless you try, right? If it's not your thing, least you gave it a shot." Shinobu says. Getting married, huh... That's something she's never really had reason to think about. "I think that'd be good. Means if something happens, you all'd still have ways to support yourselves. That kind of security is good to have."
Practical can be stylish, too... She nods.
"Mm-hm. I dress for the job, especially if I'm meeting someone with higher standards, but outside of that... I'm not used to it." Shinobu replies, and grins. "Nothin' wrong with that. Sometimes you gotta make your own occasions."
She leans forward to get a closer look at the books Ichika points out, looking them over.
"Yeah... Yeah, I think these'd work real nice. You've got a good eye." She comments approvingly. "I think I'll go for it."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Yeah. I know I'm real lucky to have that kind of option--so I figure I'll make the most of it." A beat, "Hmmm, yeah... So a truck would help a lot. Besides, trucks are cool!"
And she does try to think of her future. NEver find out unless she tries... "Yeah," Ichika says. "I always assumed that I just... didn't get to do stuff like that. But you know, maybe tomorrow's better than yesterday." she's a little embarrassed to put it that way, though. "Hmm. Security... yeah."
"Heh. I think that's cool. Some people aren't used to it because they don't value themselves--but for you, it's just because you live authentically, I think, so you don't have to think about how you come off as much."
A beat, "Yeah!" Make her own occasions...
"Thanks," Ichika says. "Style's a fun thing for me--I like... the way you can express yourself, with clothes and makeup and all. Tsubasa's good at it, too."
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"Might as well." Shinobu agrees, and then grins. "They are cool."
She can't help but feel sympathetic when Ichika says that she assumed she didn't get to do stuff like that. It's a feeling she understands. But even though she's embarrassed about it... her conclusion gets a smile out of Shinobu.
"Yeah. 'Course, sometimes you've gotta be the one to make it that way... but yeah. It is." She agrees.
Ichika thinks her style is cool, though - and her summation makes Shinobu laugh, massaging the back of her neck sheepishly.She hadn't thought about it that way before.
"That sounds a lot better than just saying I'm lazy. I like the sound of that." She comments, and nods.
"Yeah. It might not be my thing... but I can appreciate it when someone does want to put that much effort and thought into it, you know? Really tells a lot about a person." She comments, and nods about Tsubasa. "Yeah, I know it's important to them, too. I've seen some of their looks."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika imagines Shinobu would get it; she doesn't, so far as Ichika knows, have the same background, but Tsubasa wouldn't be so taken with her if she didn't have cred there. So when Shinobu smiles, Ichika smiles back. "Yeah," she says. "And I got help these days. So we're gonna make it happen, together."
Ichika laughs too. "Maybe I'm biased," she admits, "Since Tsubasa thinks so highly of you. But that's how I'd put it, anyway."
"Yeah. You can tell people all kinds of stuff just by how you want to look."
She smiles. "Yeah. You're pretty cool, auntie. ...I should probably let you get about your stuff, but..."
"...It's cool to get to see you. Maybe we can meet up again sometime."
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"Together. That's important." Shinobu comments with a nod. "Having someone who can pick you back up makes a big difference."
She grins, as Ichika admits to being biased because of how highly Tsubasa thinks of her.
"Well, I'm sure not gonna complain about benefitting from that." She comments, then nods as Ichika agrees.
She doesn't object to being called 'auntie'.
"Yeah. It was cool to see you, too. Thanks for helping me make up my mind." She replies, and offers her a nod. "Yeah. I'm around, so don't be afraid to reach out. Later, Kawase."
With that, she moves to gather up what she plans to purchase.