2026-06-20: Gifts and Getaways
- Log: Gifts and Getaways
- Cast: Hyousuke Suzuki, Moriko Kumamoto
- Where: Paulownia Mall
- OOC Date: 2026-06-20
- IC Date: Tue Nov 27 2012
- Summary: Eager for a change of scenery, Hyousuke invites Moriko to go shopping with him at Paulownia Mall. Plans are made for both gifting and the break.
(|============================== Paulownia Mall ==============================|)
-======================================= Iwatodai City/Tatsumi Port Island ====-
A great glass dome surrounds Paulownia Mall, its name displayed in great letters
on its rim. Within this circular structure, made beautiful with water features,
the mall bustles. A central fountain pours out, eternally, surrounded by benches
for weary shoppers; two more pools stand by the entrance, decorated by
well-trimmed hedges behind them. The brown patterning on the floor emphasises
the circular nature of this place, all carved to equal segments; pillars
surrounding the sides provide structure and guidance, separating each store from
the other.
And the shops one can find here are many. Game Parade is a popular arcade,
particularly amongst nearby Gekkoukan students, and its crane game has foiled
many a hopeful date. Kenneth Arnold offers music albums, while Mandragora
Karaoke Bar, up a flight of stairs nearby, offers live music experiences for
those who prefer active participation. Club Escapade is another great option for
music-lovers, alongside those seeking Fortune-Telling services or looking for
shady informants -- but it's only open at night, and technically, it's only for
people who are over 18. Practically speaking, teenagers sometimes sneak in,
anyway... but curious teens ought to be careful, because a few shops over, one
can find the Tatsumi East Police Station. Chagall Cafe, at least, is both open
during the day and open to all ages! Aohige Pharmacy offers pharmaceuticals to
cure any ailment, while Be Blue V offers an eclectic variety of items and
treatments to improve one's health and wellbeing. Finally, Mayoido Antiques
offers unique weapons and armour for those who bring in supernatural
materials... and the proprietor seems to know more than she really ought to
about that world.
(|============================================================================|)
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
> shopping for presents at paulownia
> you want to come with
The invite was as blunt as it was simple, but Hyousuke's messages were rarely anything else. It was just a simple invitation for Moriko to hang out with him while he attended to some Christmas-related business. He supposed that there might be questions about why he did not simply visit Lotus Plaza, or any of Sumaru's numerous shops and stalls, but he didn't think too much about providing an excuse beyond needing a change of scenery. It wasn't a lie, after all - he would just deign to leave out the part where he'd been prowling Sumaru at night in search of a certain bounty, and getting carved up for it.
Hyousuke didn't wear anything particularly special. Nothing that would stand out in the winter, certainly. A long-sleeved jacket, mud-brown and wrought from some durable fabric or other, hung off of his frame with the front undone. The jacket parted, it revealed a simple green shirt underneath, itself just about thick enough to ward off the worst of the late November chill. Below, his ever-reliable jeans and walking shoes remained, well-loved but lovingly maintained. Silently, he thanked the weather for the opportunity to wear such things without suspicion. They hid his cuts and bruises and litanies of other injuries quite well.
For once, however, the hunt and the state of his body were not at the forefront of Hyousuke's mind. It only took one look at him eyeing a row of gratuitously large stuffed toys in a shop's window to tell that he was thinking about them instead, and the hand stroking his chin only served to reinforce such a notion.
BBS: New BB message (432) posted to 'Scene Announcements' by Scene System: Hounded Down
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
Moriko is more than happy to get out and about when she's not out and about doing things out and about. Which is a lot of words to say she showed up. Though as noted prior, it's gotten too cold to ride, especially with snow risks and everything else. So, she's actually dressed less tomboyish for once. A long skirt, stockings and a sweater. As well as her over ear headphones. Necessary for garage work if you don't want to get distracted by all of the other things happening. Mostly in greens and blacks though, color wise.
Somewhat offput by the riding boots. She's comfortable though, and they're warm.
Walking up behind the familiar figure, seh says simply, "Looking for a cuddly monkey?" Head tilted ot the side, finger to her lips like she's not giving him a bit of a hard time.
"Who were you shopping for?" Figuring she's here to help and, well she's happy to be doing so.
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
Hyousuke started a little - out of surprise, rather than embarrassment - but returned to normal in the blink of an eye. Thumbs shoved haphazardly in his pocket, he kept his gaze on Moriko for a little while, but his eyes drifted slowly over to the display again as the conversation continued on.
"Friends." He said flatly, hoping she didn't catch on that he'd left family out very much on purpose. "Them, and my uh..." He scrunched his face a little. "...Boss? No, that's not right." He searched for the word for a few seconds, then seemed to abandon the endeavour, as evidenced by his face unclenching.
"Problem is I don't know what I'm supposed to get 'em. I asked one of the guys if tea's good, but apparently that's for old people or something." Hyousuke looked - and sounded - marginally offended by the memory, as though it'd left a bad taste in his mouth. "And my carving's not good enough for me to make stuff either, so I'm stuck. How about you? Looking to get anything while you're here?"
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
"Tea's for old people?" Moriko sounds utterly baffled by the concept. "Foreigner?" Because she doesn't know anyone that doesn't at least touch the bottled stuff, does she? "Which friends?" That one's a straight question, "Helps to know what kind of people you're fishing for really. Or.. boss?" She rubs her chin, "Dunno."
"Carving's a good gift though. Even if it isn't as good as you think it is. Shows a lot of care goes into it right?"
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
Hyousuke shrugged a little at her questioning about the tea. He was at as much of a loss as her, and quite miffed about the whole ordeal. Her asking about the friends was a lot easier for him to answer, however, and was a topic he was remarkably less annoyed about.
"Gotta get one for Ichika-san and her sister. Kawase-san, I mean. Tsubasa-san too. It's been a rough year, and they've been good friends, so something like this is the least I can do for them." There was an unusual weight to his words as his explanation tailed off, and the moment of quiet only emphasised it.
"Dunno what kinda things adults like though. I don't really speak to 'em much outside of school." And various supernatural matters, but such things were not to be discussed in broad daylight, and it wasn't like much of it amounted to more than barked orders or warnings of incoming attacks. "Man, why's Christmas gotta be so hard? I know I could carve stuff, but it wanna get 'em something cool too. Not just a bit of wood that kinda looks like a bear." In fairness to him, his efforts had paid off in recent weeks. His latest attempt even had a snout that vaguely resembled something mammalian.
"How about you? Looking to buy stuff for anyone while we're here?"
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
"Who doesn't like tea?" She sounds utterly baffled by this. "I bet they're over cooking it or stewing it or something." This is an utterly alien concept to Moriko. Not that it's a big deal, but still! Well, sure there are some that won't like it, but still. Old people?
"Hm." Crossing her arms. Tapping her foot, "Gimme a rundown of them? I don't think I know them as well as I should." She looks at the stuffed animals htough, "Do any of them seem particularly like stuffed animal sorts? I mean cute and cuddly's not a bad bet for most girls at least."
"Depends on the adult." She notes there, "Back at the inn, you'd have the single guys that were visiting that might like something alcoholic or lewd. You'd get the families that might like something practical. You'd get the newly weds that.. you could do both." She shrugs. Seeming to think on it. "It's not that hard." She suggests, "Mostly just have to think about something that isn't going to bankrupt you. Even if we do have dubious methods of earning extra."
"I need to find something to send my mom. My brother's getting some packs of cards and maybe a figure or something. Grandpa's getting something nostalgic. I haven't decided fully there. Classmates... I have no idea. Probably little key charms or something. I can design them and get them printed in time."
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
"That might be a problem, I dunno if they're gonna like alco-" Hyousuke paused, put his hand to his chin, then considered. "...Actually, I don't think I've ever heard them say they don't like it. The problem's probably gonna be getting some of-" He paused again, then shook his head. "No, that's not a problem either, there's a guy that-" He cut himself off once more, then snapped his eyes up at Moriko, a vaguely serious look in them as he beheld her. "You didn't hear that. You didn't hear any of that."
"As for the cute and cuddly stuff... I dunno. Hard to say. I think Ichika-san likes it, but she likes other stuff too. Nature stuff like gardening and hiking, I think she likes cooking too... Oh, right, she got a car too. Is that anything?" He cocked his head a little in that manner he so often did when he was questioning or curious, before continuing on with his explanations. "Kawase-san... I think she's one of yours, ain't she? I know she does music and skateboarding, but I don't know anything about either of those. As for Tsubasa-san..."
He scrunched his face again, attempting to figure out what to say.
"...Am I allowed to buy people swords? Gonna be real awkward if they unwrap that around people that don't know about what we do. Could get 'em something for their dog. Or does the dog get a separate present..." He paused, then snapped his finger. "Birds. They like birds. And colourful stuff. And colourful birds." He nodded as though he'd happened upon the greatest secrets of the universe, then concluded. "Thinking I'll bake something small for the rest. Show 'em I didn't forget 'em."
The talk of families left him quiet. Not unusual, given it wasn't his turn to speak, but Hyousuke was stiller than usual, and perhaps looked a little distant as well. Those with sharp enough senses or a keen knowledge of how he acted might even have detected a hint of hesitation in his voice.
"Want to go walking to find something for your mum? I ain't looking to go in there just yet unless you want to browse, so I don't mind going for a walk." His gaze did flit to one in particular when he said it, but too quickly for any but the most eagle-eyed of observers to know which.
"...Not gonna buy anything lewd for anyone though. They want to deal with that, they can buy it themselves."
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
"You're going to have a hard time buying the alcohol though." She notes, "Could maybe convince someone I Know to pick it up with the caveat of it definitely absolutely goes to the adults." She scratches her cheek, "Not that they care, but I don't want the blowback." When Hyousuke suggests he has his own contacts Moriko shrugs, "I know the right people already."
"You probably can't afford anything for the car unless you know how to repair damaged CD players or something." She taps her foot, thinking. "Seat covers maybe if it's beat to the hells." She looks over, "Gardening stuff is a good one if she is into it."
"Workout stuff, skateboard stuff. Yeah. I assume you mean her and not the older one."
Arms get crossed again. "Swords maybe? Call it a replica? Or tell them to open it in private and make it funny shaped." Though with birds, "Small carved birds are good practice and would fit that you know."
"I have to think on what I want to get her. I usually send stuff that feels souvenier-y since we're traveling and she's back home." She points, "Was thinking of heading home for the holiday, but- eh." She shrugs, "I also was handing out brochures and trying to convince people to head that way. That's my real gift to her if you ask me." Because it's meaningful. In a sort of mercenary way.
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
"I'll think about it. They'd probably be happier if didn't get them something that'd get us both in trouble, but if I've got no other ideas..." Hyousuke said, almost immediately ignoring the fact that he'd insisted they didn't speak of the matter further. In public, at least. To his credit, he at least tried to keep his voice a little hushed about it. "I need to pay 'em a visit for a job I'm working on anyway, so I can try and figure it out." Quite how someone as tactless as him could do so without ruining the surprise for Tamaki was anyone's guess, but at least he had intent.
Hyousuke listened to the explanation of car-related presents and why him buying them was probably not a great idea.
"Nah, it's looking too good for anything like that. Far as I can tell, she takes care of that thing well. Gardening's probably the best I can do, but that's not something I know about either. Could probably tell you a bunch about wildflowers, but that's it. She's probably got the tools she needs too. It'd be like someone buying me new gloves when I've already got a good pair. Maybe one of those little planters. Y'know, the ones you see people put on their windows or their balconies when they got their own apartments."
He nodded at the clarification. Hyousuke listened to her, of course, but his eyes wandered around the mall, looking at the various shops and stalls that surrounded them.
"Yeah, that's the one. I dunno much about skateboards and music, but I *do* know workout stuff. But what kind..." Something told him that a giftwrapped tub of protein powder would probably make for an odd gift. Perhaps a talk with Ichika was in order, or the girl herself. Whichever one had time for him, he supposed, though with finals fast approaching he couldn't be certain either would.
When it came to small, carved, birds, Hyousuke shook his head a little.
"Nah, that's not gonna cut it. I can't even make carvings that look like bears, and I've been practising them as long as I've been doing it. If I tried to make it look like a bird, it... well, it's not gonna look anything like a bird." He frowned, then considered the other option. "...Maybe a bird-themed sword. Oh, right, they like makeup and sewing stuff too! Stuff I... don't know about either. You got a clue about it?"
While souvenir-esque items were outside of his area of expertise - partly due to him not being all too familiar with Sumaru, let alone Iwatadoi and its associated areas - Hyousuke did seem to perk up a little at the mention of Moriko trying to get people into the inn.
"I could drop by during the break, if you don't mind me coming." He said, trying to make his proposal seem as casual as possible, unwilling to seem like an overeager hound that had just heard the word 'walk.' "I've got nothing going on, and I could use a change of scenery. Might be nice to get some time away from... all of this."
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
"Eeh it'll be fine." Moriko insists, hands held up, "You're not about to get arrested just for talking about the idea. Especially if we're routing it through someone else to someone legal." She frowns, "Though that does sound remarkably bad when put that way doesn't it." Tapping her foot, "Was he the cook? Good cooking wine or something is a nice middle ground." Even if the rule she's always heard was cook with what you'd drink.
"Tools yes, but new seeds, or things that might be nice to replace as they're wearing out sort of thing? Even if it's as simple as soil, fertilizer and hats with gloves or something." She shrugs, palms out, "It's what I got my mom one year. I know a bit about growing some vegetables and whatnot. And I go through gloves quickly enough I'd probably be alright with a spare pair."
"I wouldn't recommend protein powder to a woman unless she tells you she wants to look like the guy from that robot movie." She strikes a pose, flexing in immitation for emphasis. "Maybe some weights, jump ropes and the like?" She shrugs. "If I knew more about boards I'd see if she needs a new one, but that's a bit beyond me." She is a different kind of 'xtreme!' after all.
"Birds are easy. Get the rough shape, then carve the lines in." She suggests, "It's subtractive." She has done some very minor clay sculpting. Even alabastar once, but that broke on her. "Makeup? Kawase senior? She helped with mine. I only knew enough to match makeup to my eyes." She admits. "Do you know her preferred colors? Or the color of her eyes even?" There's a grin, she thinks he might be after more there.
"Hm. I had suggested to others we all go." She rubs the back of her head with that wry look, "Mostly because I thought we could use the break and I could try to get the higher ups to bankroll it." Call it a training exercise or something. Or morale trip.
It's probably morally dubious really. It's for a good reason though!
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
"Oh, no, Uchida-san's the boss. I don't know what she likes. But now that you mention it, cooking wine's not a bad idea." Hyousuke trailed off a little, clearly giving the idea more serious thought than he had to actual booze intended to serve primarily as a drink. "Seems like something that anyone can use. I dunno what, I've never made anything that needs it, but I'm pretty sure she could figure it out." She was a detective, after all. If she couldn't detect recipes that used a moderately expensive cooking wine, then it was a poor detective agency indeed.
"Seeds and soil... Cooking and-" Hyousuke's eyes widened a little, and he turned to Moriko with a broad smile. It was almost bare-toothed, with how enthusiastic he seemed about the idea. "Veggies. I can get veggies. Pair of gloves, a nice hat, a set of flowers and veggie seeds, it's two things in one. Kumamoto-san, you're a genius." An immediate mental note was made to visit a shop that sold gardening supplies and suchlike. Perhaps he could ask Tsubasa what colours she liked as well. He owed her that much for all she'd done, at the very least.
"Makeup? For- Oh, no, I'm not getting it for her." Hyosuke blinked at her, a blank look written on his face. His eyes were almost vacant, his face resting in a neutral expression. He did not pick up that she had been hinting at something - the man was as dense as a neutron star, it seemed, with a skull thicker than a dam. "I'm getting it for Tsubasa-san. The bird... person?" They weren't a girl. They weren't a guy. But 'bird person' made them sound like a Featherman extra. Something he'd have to think on later, he suppose. "They're the one you're asking me to carve for. I can try it, it's just... they're probably gonna like some nice eyeshadow more than a lump of wood that looks kinda like a peacock."
Quite why he picked that specific bird, Hyousuke could not say.
It was probably nothing.
Hyousuke listened. Hyousuke nodded. Hyousuke considered... something. Then, when Hyousuke spoke, he did so slowly and carefully, as if broaching a rather sensitive topic.
"Do you think I could join SEES for the break? For collaborative purposes." Despite committing all his brainpower to sounding smart and managing to utter a word with more than two syllables, Hyousuke doubted that his jest would be taken seriously, and spoke a moment or two later. "But seriously, I'll go. I'd ride there with you guys, but if I'm getting on the train I might as well just go and meet you there."
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
"The boss huh?" She gives him a funny look. "Didn't think you were into that." Moriko isn't sure what she means either. Don't worry about it. "If you're going to do that.." She taps her cheek, "Maybe let's hit up one of the stores that specialize in it. If you want to do the meaningful gift, we should do some research and get good."
"Yeah, I've heard that before. Usually inbetween questioning my intentions in classes after hitting people or falling asleep." There's a wry smile there. "I hope she likes it though. What kind of veggies were you thinking?"
"For.. you? Maybe some good eyeliner?"
"I mean either way." Clearly not at all understanding what's happening, but it'll be fine. She can worry about that sort of thing later.
"Flashy bird. Brown or party colored?"
"You could just say you want to visit Osaka and want the group discount." She says in a tone that suggests she's both okay with it, and not at all thinking about anything, other than he's trying to save a buck or two. "I've got no problem with it. Probably not as a SEES thing, I can't vouch for everyone else, but I'm always happy to show off my home and the inn."
<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.
Hyousuke wasn't sure what Moriko meant by that. He tilted his head, curious about it, but didn't seem to worry too much - he was perfectly happy to drop that line of questioning before it even started.
"Sounds good." He said, nodding firmly, before looking in the vague direction of what he thought was a gardening store. "I think we should pass by one of them if we head to the gardening stores that way." Then again, he didn't often come to this mall, so he could have been entirely wrong. It was anyone's guess.
"Thinking something easy to grow. Probably not one of them that grows into the ground, like carrots." Despite not knowing the specific name for root vegetables, at least Hyousuke seemed to understand the concept of growing vegetables with limited space. "Or maybe she'd like herbs. They don't seem like they'd need a lot of space, and we can't just go up on the roof and start planting a garden." Such an idea was a ridiculous one, especially in Kasugayama High. It was a preposterous idea to gather a group of friends and start growing various flora there.
"It's for Tsubasa-san. I don't wear the stuff." Hyousuke waved his hand a little dismissively, then clarified. "I ain't getting anything that precise done right. I'd probably stab myself in the eye before I get anything looking good." The fact that he might actually look good in it either did not occur to him, or did occur to him and he simply didn't care because it was too much work. "Gotta be a bright colour. A party colour. Like a parrot, or a peacock, or something like that. I think they'd like that." He wasn't completely certain, but he was reasonably certain. It was better than nothing.
He glanced back at the plush store after looking in the direction of other shops, and his eye caught on something. It was only for a moment, and only in its vague direction, but it was enough to cement a decision in his mind. In the meantime, there was the talk of group discounts and suchlike to concern himself with.
"Then you should show me around." He said offhandedly, looking more at her than the shop's entrance, but only barely. "I don't know a whole lot about Osaka, so it'd be nice to have someone showing me all the good spots."
There was a slight pause, and the cogs in his head began to whir. The gears turned, the hamster wheel squeaked... He had an idea.
"...Actually, do you wanna grab lunch first? It's about that time. You pick the place and get us some seats, I gotta pick something up real quick."
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
Moriko doesn't push it any further herself!
"Hm. We might have a hard time finding gardening here. We could probably go elsehwere for that. We're stuck with the trains though." She points, "Too cold, too wet, too icy for riding right now." She does have a license! Just no car.
"So you'll want to avoid tubers and other things" She ticks off, "I'd avoid tomatoes because they're a pain to grow without supports. Maybe herbs or spices is the right call? Just not mint."
"I mean, I'm not going to worry about it." She shrugs, "I already draw enough weird looks, who am I to point at anyone else?"
"We're not super far from the gardens. So we'll all have to make a trip out that way." She insists. "Other than that? The bay maybe? I mean we're still a city." Even if she has the country drawl.
"Lunch? Sure." She frowns, looking around. "I'll wander off. It'll be easy."