Talarn
Inactive Member
Yoshida sighed, maybe a little dramatically as her thoughts turned to Anastasia and Orion. She knew that she couldn't exactly blame either of them, but that was rational thinking, and now wasn't the time for that. Her best friend, was off with a coworker on what, a week of being in the same apartment together? That was almost certainly grounds for romantic interactions! Just like all those anime always say.
And so, she stood there beside Riku, her tail once again accelerating to dangerous velocities, her arms crossed over her chest, and her back ram rod straight. She also had a faint frown etched onto her face, an almost disturbing change of pace from the usual perpetual smile. She was still better off than before, but obviously not so easily mended with whatever issue she was having.
He didn't seem to mind, in fact he was mildly amused by the Nekos crazed tail wagging. If he did not know for a fact that they were an engineered race of super warriors, the weapon twitching back and forth like a pendulum of destruction would have been a lethal reminder. Riku could tell there was a storm of thoughts and feelings rushing through Yoshida, the origins of which he wasn't sure where it stemmed from. An awkward moment if silence until he stepped in front of her.
"Yoshida, are you alright?" He asked, more so out of concern for the people around the temperamental Neko then herself. Though it was also for her own sake, somewhere deep down.
The neko started a bit as her name was mentioned, looking at Riku like she had almost forgotten him. "I- uh.. yeah! No holes where there shouldn't be any!" She said, somewhat jokingly in response, seeming at least distracted from her thoughts for the moment, no longer quite so irritated looking.
"Well, let's see if we can't stop by our mini apartments first, shall we?" He would say, leaning forward to take her hand, a gentle little grasp of his around hers. Riku would guide Yoshida, at least for now, towards the train that would take them to the district where their apartments would be. The brisk pace turning into an urgent one as the board announcing the departure times switched. "Sorry." He would mutter, his hand leaving hers as they just barely managed to make it into the bullet train; doors closing in their faces.
"You seemed distressed." He stated simply.
Yoshida was suprised at the sudden aquisition of her hand, but nodded and followed along as she was led to the apartment. She sped up right along side Riku as she felt practically tugged through the station to arrive just in time. "Almost like you calculated it perfectly!" She said as they arrived. Even after he commented on her distress. It took her a long few moments to reply. "I'm fine... nothing to worry about here!" At least she was sticking to her guns.
"Your long pause and forced cheer aside, I'll not push it if you don't want to talk about it. Just know that we will be spending a week together." He felt the bullet train lurch, grabbing hold of one of the poles. Intentional or not, he held her by the waist and pulled her towards it, giving her time to grab hold as well before letting go. "Do you have anything you want to do while we're here on shore leave?"
Yoshida latched onto the pole, unsure of how exactly she felt about the sudden, unasked for assists, even as nice though they were. But she made extra sure here to cling to it, with both her hands and tail. Though the latter wouldn't be much help. "I uh, not really! Give me some ideas?"
The rest of the train ride proceeded as one would, the nearby metropolis whizzing by almost at a blur, the only views they would be getting from where they stood during the rush hour would be each other and the unmistakeable skyscrapers that sprawled Yamatai's urban environment. "We could get you some new clothes for the wedding between Eden and Saki," The usually polite namesakes he attached to their names being blown away by the new, casual environment he found himself in. "And grab something to eat, enjoy some sights, get you acquainted to civilian life."
The Minkan's light blue eyes glanced down at Yoshida, "Or, if you prefer, we can laze around and not worry about anything for a whole week. It must be rare for a Neko, especially in the Infantry line, to make many friends and see many things outside a warship or military training zone."
"Whaaat? My Exercise uniform isn't good enough I guess?" Yoshida said in response. "... I somewhat like this second option too! You'd be right! Haven't really uh, done anything like this." She alternated between glancing at the skyscrapers, Riku, and the crowd around them. It kind of frusterated her that she was unable to experience this with Anastasia. Even more knowing she was spending it with Orion instead.
He looked down at the beautiful Neko, examining her every curve and musculature, nodding. It would be fair to say she would look good in anything. Riku exhaled and caught a glimpse of that frustration as she looked up at him, her fidgeting apparent as he gently nudged her closer towards the door, that if her tail might decide to start revving up again she would not inadvertently cause an incident. At the very least the doors could take a thrashing and the pain that came with hitting sensitive flesh against reinforced metal would dissuade her from doing any more.
The Minkan was being especially touchy with Yoshida, rare considering the usual company he kept whilst on the Kaiyo, and all of it with good intent. Again, he was a communications operator - trained to catch even the slightest hint of distress or falseties in one's tone. He knew she'd much rather spend the week with someone else. Whomever that was, he was ashamed that he could not switch places and have that happen, if only for the pouting Infantry Neko's sake.
"We have a few minutes until we reach our destination. Why don't you tell me what sort of foods you like, your favorite colors. Anything that would help me basically make this week bearable for you." He was sincere but not overly confident in his ability to substitute whatever it was frustrated the black-haired Neko so.
"Oh welll I like steam buns and-" There was a 'thang' noise as flesh impacted a metal door. "... Uh, I guess blue and purple?" She gave that door a look like 'why are you there and who put you there'. But she quickly forgot about it again as she shrugged. "Well, I'm sure it won't be too terrible anyway, what about you? Any of your favorite things?" She turned the question back around, blinking her bright almost golden eyes at the Minkan, and flipped her short black hair away from her face.
A brow raised was the only reaction he gave to the strange sound, until he realized, with a little shame he had caused such an event to happen. It was cute seeing the Neko reacting in such a way towards the door though, as if glaring at it would have made it all better. "I've always enjoyed the simpler things. Ramen, udon, katsudon, nikudon, gyudon, sushi," It seemed he could go on and on were it not for the fact he became slightly mesmerized by the Neko and her golden eyes. "Mmm, of course, that's more fast food .. whenever I had time, I would cook for my family at home. Or just for myself whenever they felt like going out." He leaned over, careful not to bump into Yoshida, and peeked out the window; confirming something as he turned his head and looked up towards the destination marker so conveniently placed.
"Steam buns, hm? What sort of steam buns do you enjoy?" He would finally ask, a small smile on his face as he looked down at the Neko he found himself towering over all of a sudden.
The neko could only grin at the list of foods. "Well doesn't hurt to try something new usually." Was her only comment on that particular set. Of course, she was used to having people tower over her to one degree or another, so she didn't think that was odd in the least, the odd moments were being at the same height or more astonishingly, towering over another individual for her. "What kinds? Welll I don't know what kinds i haven't enjoyed yet!" She grinned, clearly thinking that to be an actually acceptable awnser, in a world where who knows what could be stuffed into the bun!
With the height difference being as it was, Riku found it comfortable enough that he could lean an arm against the door frame whilst talking to Yoshida, nodding; chuckling a bit at her strange little answer. "You don't know what kinds there are, do you ..?" He would ask, shaking his head. If these were under normal circumstances it would have appeared to anyone else looking their way that the Minkan, the taller of the two, was making moves on the Neko; whilst the truth of the matter was he just found her height convenient and it just so happened another Yamataian man was pushing against the enlisted Minkan's back. If he hadn't done what he did, Riku most certainly would have been smooshed against Yoshida.
"We'll stop by somewhere before we go to settle in. They specialize in manju in particular. Let's see which can become your favorite."
After another minute or so, the bullet train came to a halt, it's doors hissing open as the rush of people coming in and out threatened to separate the two. Again, Riku took hold of Yoshida's hand and held her as close as humanely possible without it seeming too awkward and touchy. Impossible considering the crowd they had to fight through but a neccessity as they eventually made their way out to a clear spot, where the crowds filed out into an almost orderly group of those going to work, leaving work, and those simply enjoying their days. He let go of Yoshida's hand, nodded towards her and pointed with a thumb towards the exit, gesturing for her to follow as he made his way there.
"I know that you can make any kinds of steambuns you want! you could put spicy mustard into it if that was your thing, that doesn't mean it'll be good!" She then nodded as he went on to mention Manju. "Sounds good. I wonder which i'll like the most too!"She grinned and rubbed her hands together. Clearly, despite her size she was quite th efan of food. Just, food in general. She didn't ESPECIALLY appreciate the big crowd impeding their progress. She considered for a moment, the merits of attempting to hover over the heads of the crowd, but Riku seemed to be trying awfully hard to guide her through it, so she went along with his plan.
"Have you been to this place a lot?"
"Yes, actually, before it was Kyoto it was called Geshrinopolis. My family and I used to come here every day to look at the newest toys the Empire had in store for us. New ST technologies, new bodies to transfer into. The works." He shrugged as he walked down the streets of crowdy Kyoto, a population of millions crammed into a metropolis of corporations and entertainment. There was just a tinge of sadness in his eyes, a glint that disappeared as quickly as it appeared. "And after, when it was re-built into what it is now. The streets are much nicer, cleaner, less chaotic .. and it did lose a lot of the old places that gave it it's charm." He pointed towards a cafe, one of many in the downtown region, "There used to be a bakery there. They sold the freshest, oven-baked bread. Curry bread, custard bread, red bean paste bread."
There were a lot of places he began seeing in place of their present counter-parts, a bit of melancholy clouding his thoughts as he glanced over the signs and streets. He would lead Yoshida down several blocks, further more until the hustle and bustle of the main streets died down, where after turning down a slummy little alley; they arrived in what seemed to be a part of Kyoto stuck in a bit of the past. The streets weren't as well-kept, with cracks in the pavement pock-marked all around, and the people seemed less hustle and more .. leisurely in their movements. A complete change from the usual crowds Yoshida may have gotten used to. The buildings on either side seemed slightly delapidated but well-tended to, as people were still clearly living within, the sound of children laughing; tiny Nekos and Minkans running past the two. He gestured towards Yoshida and led her towards what appeared to be a small storefront, little tables and stools placed outside, decorated with condiments such as soy sauce, vinegar, chili paste and - spicy mustard - all neatly settled between a plastic box. The smell of meat, vegetables, herbs and spices wafted together with the scent of freshly steamed buns.
Riku bent down, pulled out a stool and waited for Yoshida to take a seat, "Ladies first."
"Oh! thank you you're too kind" She said in an almost stereotypical 'rich person' voice which just sounded a little nasaly. Her tail draped over the side of the chair as she sat, with one leg crossed over the other and her hands in her lap. "This place seems pretty nice! Just a little small. I like its... quietness!" She gave a grin as she looked around, observing. She seems like she is having fun already, just seeing new things like this. Especially in contrast to those thick crowds of people, she had decided quite quickly she didn't like those.
Riku shook his head, amused again at the Neko and her antics as he, very gently, helped push the stool in before taking a seat himself. "I'll have plenty more to show you after we're done here, but first .." The Minkan raised his hand and, after catching the attention of the staff working inside, which consisted of an elderly looking Minkan and what one would assume to be his daughter - a Neko. "すみません、私は色々なプレートをお願いします!" Riku would call out in fluent Yamataigo, the elder Minkan responding with a friendly wave and toothy grin as he spotted him. "おお、陸、ガールフレンドを家に連れてきた!" The old man would reply, laughing, giving a thumbs up towards Yoshida.
Riku shook his head, smiling at the old man as he walked off into the back. The youthful Neko approached, two white ceramic tea cups clasped between her fingers in one hand, whilst the other held a tea pot. Placing it down in front of Yoshida and Riku, she would smile and pour the fresh tea in, before placing it down in the middle for them to leisurely re-fill. "The people here speak Trade, but prefer speaking the native language above all else - culture and tradition that lasted past the Fourth Elysian War." He gestured towards the tea. "I don't know if you've ever had it before, drink it while it's hot. The steamed buns and manju will be here shortly."
"So, tell me about yourself while we wait, hmm?" He would ask the Neko, taking a small sip of his own tea.
Yoshida nodded as she picked up the tea, and took a first, cautious sip, wary of how how it may be. "Well... I'm not sure what all there is to tell! I'm Infantry on the Kaiyo, like i'm sure you know, I sometimes spar with Meissa, and I like to think i'm good at my job! I haven't really been around long enough to have a great story to tell you yet you know?" Yoshida gave off a cat like grin to match the rest of her features as she periodically sipped the tea placed before her.
The tea was fragrant, it's scent was soft and pleasant as the smell of 'nature' pervaded Yoshida's nose. The taste was sweet and tangy as it touched her tongue, leaving a bitter but not wholly unpleasant after-taste as it went down. Riku nodded, having expected as much from the Neko, having noted her age in the personnel files he had taken the opportunity to read up on. Barely a year old. Considering the time it took to train them, school them and the date of her birth to the date she became assigned to the Kaiyo, the Minkan wasn't sure what sort of a chance at leading a normal life any Neko such as her would have. As he took a sip of his tea, he recalled the literal dozens of Neko he saw dying by the droves, the current Yamatai an idyllic and peaceful time compared to the distant past.
"True, but I hope to give you more memories then just a training facility, a warship of friends, and a job you enjoy. You've had time to enjoy steam buns, yes? Who introduced you to them?" He would ask, placing his cup down.
"Oh! That was our Taisa!" Yoshida grinned as she recalled the memory, and even more as she savoured that interesting flavor the tea was giving her. "We ate together after I insisted, she hadn't eaten anything for um, all of that day or longer I believe!" She took another sip ffrom the tea on ending her explanation, and closed her eyes as the range of flavors and smells hit her. She clearly enjoyed that tea quite a bit.
The elderly Minkan returned, a long platter of white steamed buns lined up near it's edges, the freshness making itself apparent with the steam that billowed in the light wind that brushed against their table. In total there were twelve buns, four forming a ring on either side of the platter and an additional for that filled in the middle gap. Riku bowed his head towards the elder, him getting a light pat on the head, "Treat her well, okay?" He would say in heavily accented Trade, looking towards Yoshida. He then placed what appeared to be two, small red envelopes in front of the Neko and walked away with his daughter, arm around her shoulders as he laughed about something out of ear shot.
Sighing, Riku leaned forward and examined the buns, then nodded as he pointed a finger and moved from left to right. "This is a pork bun, beef bun, chicken bun, vegetable bun, bamboo shoots and vegetable bun, barbecue pork bun, spicy red chicken bun, and a seafood bun. The four in the middle are fresh manju, red bean paste buns to finish off all the salt with some sugar." He sat down and casually took the two red envelopes from Yoshida, placing it down next to him. "Also, don't worry about these .. it's a misunderstanding." Riku would smile and wait for the Neko to dig in.
"Tell me which one you like the most."
She blinked, and resisted the urge to rube her eyes to dispell that fantasy. "That's... a lot of buns." She gave the red envelope, and the elderly minkan each a head tilted look, but quickly assumed they were just the bills. Why there were two envelopes for bills was beyond her, but that wasn't something to worry about as she picked up the buns, in the order they were pointed out. One by one, they would disappear, and each time she seemed to really enjoy performing the magic trick of making that food disappear into her mouth, never to be seen again.
"So many..." She would say inbetween buns. Along with phrases like "Thanks a lot!", "Are you sure you don't want me to help with the bill?" and "Are you going to eat any?" The eating of the buns were a tad slow, as she was trying out each brand new flavor. But she never stopped. There would be no stopping this small devourer of worlds from erasing these buns one after another.
Riku smiled as she ate, simply letting her devour the platter as he filled her near-empty cup with a fresh batch of tea, just in case she needed an emergency drink to clear the airways. He didn't understand much of what she said, seeing as immediately afterwards her mouth would be stuffed with yet another bun. "Oh, don't worry about me ... eat to your heart's content. It seems you like all of them. I'm glad." He would say simply, taking another sip of his warm tea. "Do you want any more?"
She quickly shook her head at the suggestion "I don't think I could eat another bite- but thanks." She took a much longer sip of her tea this time in an attempt to wash away the salt from the meal. It looked as if this whole thing was definetely giving her things to think about other than an intense, burning jealousy, and the self aware sense of shame tha came with it. Instead it was replaced with mild emberassment at eating so many, so fast, and almost but not quite talking with her mouth full of food.
He nodded, taking up two pieces of napkin, holding it out for Yoshida to take - then shrugged and thought better of himself, leaned forward to wipe away the stray bits of bread and other such remnants of her little feast from around her lips himself. Bundling and folding it up afterwards as he sat back down. "You're welcome. I'm happy you liked it so much," Riku smirked. "For such a small Neko you certainly have a big appetite." He would point out, a little direct but it got the point across he'd never seen buns of that size be devoured in such a small amount of time before. "Shall we go, then? We do need to get you some new clothes as well."
Yoshida sat still as could be when she noticed the Minkan across the table lean over with the napkin and procede to clean her face for her. She was a bit suprised but, she supposed she didn't mind, he had payed for the meal and everything. "Uhhhh hu, My stomach may be bigger than my head, instead of the other way around like it usually is!"
She then stood and nodded, giving a small bow to the elder minkan and the younger neko both. "Thank you for the meal!" Then she turned around on the ball of her foot, back to Riku. "New clothes it is! I haven't really done any shopping like this before... It might be fun."
Leaving the two envelopes where they were, Riku placed down a single bill and bowed towards the duo as well, though he gave the older Minkan a playful, but disapproving wag of a finger. He then looked towards Yoshida and nodded, smiling. "Great, let's see what we have in the main shopping district. I hope you don't mind wading through the crowds again." The Minkan would say, already turning to lead the way back towards the crowded metropolitan streets of downtown Kyoto.
Yoshida gave her best impression of an actor in a tooth cleansing product commercial as she smiled back, then promptly turned to follow Riku once more. "Aw, crowds again..." She didn't seem too keen on the idea, but the thought of aquiring a brand new outfit or two seemed worth the trouble, especially with the wedding coming up. So, she walked, each step she raised herself up on the tips of her toes, humming along to a song. "You know those two right?"
"Yes." He would reply, moving to take Yoshida's hand once more, though this time he simply held onto the tips of her fingers as they once again entered the loud and crowded streets. The Minkan would lead them through, seemingly preferring not to hover above their heads like some sort of ghost, despite how convenient it would have been. "The old man has been here since Kyoto's first foundations were set. The younger Neko is his wife." Riku would continue, using his other hand to direct and deflect people away from their path, something he seemed accustomed to doing. It was rude, certainly, but the Minkan had a certain assertiveness that made the few nasty looks the two received shrink away.
"What sort of clothes should we get for you?"
"Wow, that's a long time... I think. Almost thought that neko was his daughter." She let off a small giggle, and wandered along, led by the minkan through the crowd. She did raise an eyebrow at the shoving through it bit but, she shrugged it off as that maybe being normal for larger crowds like this. Despite being a living weapon of war, this crowd made her feel smaller than she normal. Of course she always usually felt small compared to her fellow crew aboard the kaiyo, and most people in general, but with the sheer numbers, it felt easy to get lost in the crowd. She felt somewhat lucky that she had somone else leading her through it.
"What kind of clothes... Well What abouutt... I'm not sure! something I'll use every shore leave maybe? And during the wedding too. I'm not sure what that would be but We'll find something right?"
They walked, for what must have seemed like hours, having to wade through crowds at stop-lights and the buzz of being one of Yamatai's most popular destination for late-night entertainment; Riku did his best to ensure Yoshida didn't fall behind, his hand fully encapsulating hers as they finally stopped in front of a well-lit storefront with two tall glass panels and a gold-framed double door that automatically opened for them as the Minkan neared. Inside the glass displays were various garments for both casual, seasonal, and special occasions alike; such as a wedding. "Well, as much as that would entertain me, I do hope to at the very least get you a few outfits to wear whenever you wish. For yourself and the wedding."
He let go of her hand again, the internal AC regulated a pleasant seventeen degrees celsius, or sixty-three degrees fahrenheit. The inside of the store was brightly-lit, mannequins of all sizes both Minkan, Neko, and a few other exotic and rare figurines dotted the interior; showing off either the latest or most daring fashion to hit the market. There were blouses, vests, suits for men and women, skirts of all sizes and design, outfits that could be bought directly as a set, and accessories for the hair. He stepped back and stood behind Yoshida, letting her take in the place before speaking up.
"So, we can try out anything they have here. Why don't we get started on getting you an outfit, hm? Let's start with one for the wedding, though like I said before, it may be more of a military affair then a casual one .. but it's always better to be safe then sorry."
"Yeeah, It might be best just to wear the military formal to the wedding... Can't hurt to try though." Yoshida said as she walked up and examined the clothes around them. She of course, went for the more traditional Yamataian garb, collecting a Kimono, and assorted matching items with a light blue floral print on them. Yoshida grinned as she took them, and quickly glanced around. "These... Would probably work yes? They are about my size- And Don't look too bad. Should I try them on before we get them?" She asked, and looked over to the Minkan, as her tail had been raising up a tad higher than normal.
He watched as she went around collecting articles of clothes, nodding at her choices as if Riku had expected her to choose them. She seemed so happy though, excited even, so he was as well; for her sake. "Yes, Yoshida. There's a dressing room in the back. Go on and try them out. I'll be waiting outside on the benches." Riku was glad the Neko's thoughts had been occupied away from whatever was bothering her earlier.
"Afterwards, we'll pick something casual for you - something not so traditional." He would add as he led her towards the back, an employee bowing towards them as the Minkan reached over to take a small bundle of the clothes from her; leaving the infantry Neko with the kimono and half of the matching items she had chosen out for herself. He took a seat on the bench and pointed with a finger towards the dressing room in front of him, it's privacy screen currently in-active.
"Go on. I'll be here to see."
Yoshida grinned and nodded, before disappearing into the dressing room, and activating the privacy screen. It was a good few minutes it seemed, of what surely must have been the neko trying to figure out how to put it on properly before the screen finally was deactivated, and her exercise uniform was revealed to be in a neat folded pile within the changing room. Right next to that, was Yoshida, with a small flower-like hair pin, the kimono, sash(alongside articles of clothing meant to keep the sash in place), and Tabi, a set of socks and sandles for the outfit. It couldn't be said that the light blue really matched her dark hair or bright goldyellow eyes, but it did at least, match the small trangular genetic tattoo on her cheek.
"Well?" She asked as she looked down at herself, and did a spin to show off the outfit form all angles. She wouldn't admit it but it was a little frustrating to put on all of that within any reasonable amount of time, it almost made her wonder why all neko wouldn't just go around using holographic clothing instead.
Riku stood as the privacy screen lifted, looking over the Neko as she came out. It was an understatement to say that Yoshida didn't look gorgeous, her solo attempt at putting on the kimono made the Minkan aware just how able and strong they were, though that didn't stop the Minkan from seeing all the little loose ends and mistakes she had made. It was a wonder she managed to get it together so well. An achievement. He approached her and spun her around, hand on her back as he adjusted the sash and belt, loosening it for a moment before tightening them again; tying it off into a proper knot. He then gently spun her back around and adjusted the front of the kimono, untying the obi as he did, careful not to loosen it so much as to cause the entire outfit to fall apart, and secured it tightly against her belly. Patting it with a hand, he smiled and fixed her hair, straightening out the strands; tucking those rebellious few behind several others as another hand came to adjust the flower hair pin. Riku pulled it out, then slid it in at a different angle, one where the metal pin would be hidden in the depths of her black hair; showing off only the floral pattern she matched the kimono with.
"You're very beautiful, Yoshida." He would finally say, taking a few steps back to admire her. "Have you settled on this, then? Or did you want to try something else?"
"Oh- heh, thanks!" Yoshida once more, did her impression of an actor in a mouthwash commercial. It was shortly after, followed by her impersination of a bobble head. "I think this will be great! It is just a littllee hard to put on- thanks for fixing it, by the way." She let out a small breath of air as she checked herself out once again- it certainly looked leagues... crisper, than it had when she did it herself. She of course, took careful notes on this and made sure to do better the next time she put one of these on on her own, even if it meant having to hover in the air to get just the right angle to tie that obi behind her back just right. Of course, it may help to just look up yet another instructional video on how to put a kimino on on one's own, with better detailing, but learning first hand was always better, Basic had taught her as much.
"Buuutt, I still might want to get another outfit... or two, something more comftorable to sleep in and something else to take to a club... maybe."
"Of course. You have the entire store to choose from. Change out of that and I'll hold onto it." Riku would say, going back to sit on the bench as he looked over towards the silly Neko. He wasn't sure if her happiness was genuine or not - the alternative being that this was all just a play on the Neko's part to hide her own frustrations again. She did seem much better then before though, so the Minkan pushed these thoughts off to the side and folded his arms across his chest. "Let's see what else you have in store for me, hmm?" He would ask, eager to see what outfit Yoshida would choose next for herself.
Yoshida acted with haste- and found the act of changing out of a kimino was much less irritating than changing into one. Of course she herself didn't know if that itself was the source of the irritation, or the thoughts of jealousy that never quite left, wondering what Orion and Anastaisa were up to even now. After the expedient act of changing and depositing the kimino in Riku's arms she, once again, began collecting clothing. This time, two outfits were put together, One with a lightblue jacket, light grey shirt, and a matching skirt, the other was very simply, obviously meant for nighttime wear, soft long pants and a tanktop. There was also a pair of short shorts, with no discernable match. Untill one thought that yes, it would be emberassing to be hovering by and have somone look up your skirt to see your underwear, and that those shorts would make an excellent backup.
With all three in hand, she checked them out and nodded to herself slightly. "These are probably good too... But I'm not sure if I need any other outfits, at least for a bit? What do you think?"
He nodded, standing again with the kimono wrapped around his arms. "I think those will suffice for now. You'll look good in all of it, Yoshida. Let's have these wrapped up and bagged, shall we?" Riku would smile and walk towards the counter, items in hand. The attendant Neko behind the desk smiled at us both as she rung the clothes up, handing it off to another Neko whom promptly began neatly folding the kimono and clothing; sliding them into seperate flat white boxes, bagging them afterwards. The accessories were placed into a separate, smaller bag. Riku paid the attendant for the clothes, smiled, took the change and held the bags in his arms. He then turned towards her and nodded.
"Right. What do you want to do now?" He would ask.
"Well... I'm not sure really." She again, wasn't sure about simply letting Riku be the one to pay for everything.
First the food, then the clothes, and probably whatever came after that? But he didn't seem to have any problems with it at least. And arguing about it was very likely a pointless and futile effort waiting to happen, so she let it go. Instead she wondered what they COULD be doing- both not enough and too many ideas came to mind all at once. "I mean... Well I don't know really. Probably put these away? Wouldn't want to be carrying these ALL day."
He looked down at the bags in his arms and nodded, smiling. "I agree. To our apartment first, then? A shower and some rest would do us some good. Then, if you wish, we can go out and complete whatever objectives you choose to explore." Riku sighed as he looked back outside, at the crowd they would have to fight through again. "So, perhaps you can lead me this time?" The Minkan would ask, an amused smile on his face.
The neko let out a laugh, perhaps a bit suprisingly loud for her small size, before she nodded. "You can count on me!" She said jerking a thumb at herself, looking confident as can be.
And so, she stood there beside Riku, her tail once again accelerating to dangerous velocities, her arms crossed over her chest, and her back ram rod straight. She also had a faint frown etched onto her face, an almost disturbing change of pace from the usual perpetual smile. She was still better off than before, but obviously not so easily mended with whatever issue she was having.
He didn't seem to mind, in fact he was mildly amused by the Nekos crazed tail wagging. If he did not know for a fact that they were an engineered race of super warriors, the weapon twitching back and forth like a pendulum of destruction would have been a lethal reminder. Riku could tell there was a storm of thoughts and feelings rushing through Yoshida, the origins of which he wasn't sure where it stemmed from. An awkward moment if silence until he stepped in front of her.
"Yoshida, are you alright?" He asked, more so out of concern for the people around the temperamental Neko then herself. Though it was also for her own sake, somewhere deep down.
The neko started a bit as her name was mentioned, looking at Riku like she had almost forgotten him. "I- uh.. yeah! No holes where there shouldn't be any!" She said, somewhat jokingly in response, seeming at least distracted from her thoughts for the moment, no longer quite so irritated looking.
"Well, let's see if we can't stop by our mini apartments first, shall we?" He would say, leaning forward to take her hand, a gentle little grasp of his around hers. Riku would guide Yoshida, at least for now, towards the train that would take them to the district where their apartments would be. The brisk pace turning into an urgent one as the board announcing the departure times switched. "Sorry." He would mutter, his hand leaving hers as they just barely managed to make it into the bullet train; doors closing in their faces.
"You seemed distressed." He stated simply.
Yoshida was suprised at the sudden aquisition of her hand, but nodded and followed along as she was led to the apartment. She sped up right along side Riku as she felt practically tugged through the station to arrive just in time. "Almost like you calculated it perfectly!" She said as they arrived. Even after he commented on her distress. It took her a long few moments to reply. "I'm fine... nothing to worry about here!" At least she was sticking to her guns.
"Your long pause and forced cheer aside, I'll not push it if you don't want to talk about it. Just know that we will be spending a week together." He felt the bullet train lurch, grabbing hold of one of the poles. Intentional or not, he held her by the waist and pulled her towards it, giving her time to grab hold as well before letting go. "Do you have anything you want to do while we're here on shore leave?"
Yoshida latched onto the pole, unsure of how exactly she felt about the sudden, unasked for assists, even as nice though they were. But she made extra sure here to cling to it, with both her hands and tail. Though the latter wouldn't be much help. "I uh, not really! Give me some ideas?"
The rest of the train ride proceeded as one would, the nearby metropolis whizzing by almost at a blur, the only views they would be getting from where they stood during the rush hour would be each other and the unmistakeable skyscrapers that sprawled Yamatai's urban environment. "We could get you some new clothes for the wedding between Eden and Saki," The usually polite namesakes he attached to their names being blown away by the new, casual environment he found himself in. "And grab something to eat, enjoy some sights, get you acquainted to civilian life."
The Minkan's light blue eyes glanced down at Yoshida, "Or, if you prefer, we can laze around and not worry about anything for a whole week. It must be rare for a Neko, especially in the Infantry line, to make many friends and see many things outside a warship or military training zone."
"Whaaat? My Exercise uniform isn't good enough I guess?" Yoshida said in response. "... I somewhat like this second option too! You'd be right! Haven't really uh, done anything like this." She alternated between glancing at the skyscrapers, Riku, and the crowd around them. It kind of frusterated her that she was unable to experience this with Anastasia. Even more knowing she was spending it with Orion instead.
He looked down at the beautiful Neko, examining her every curve and musculature, nodding. It would be fair to say she would look good in anything. Riku exhaled and caught a glimpse of that frustration as she looked up at him, her fidgeting apparent as he gently nudged her closer towards the door, that if her tail might decide to start revving up again she would not inadvertently cause an incident. At the very least the doors could take a thrashing and the pain that came with hitting sensitive flesh against reinforced metal would dissuade her from doing any more.
The Minkan was being especially touchy with Yoshida, rare considering the usual company he kept whilst on the Kaiyo, and all of it with good intent. Again, he was a communications operator - trained to catch even the slightest hint of distress or falseties in one's tone. He knew she'd much rather spend the week with someone else. Whomever that was, he was ashamed that he could not switch places and have that happen, if only for the pouting Infantry Neko's sake.
"We have a few minutes until we reach our destination. Why don't you tell me what sort of foods you like, your favorite colors. Anything that would help me basically make this week bearable for you." He was sincere but not overly confident in his ability to substitute whatever it was frustrated the black-haired Neko so.
"Oh welll I like steam buns and-" There was a 'thang' noise as flesh impacted a metal door. "... Uh, I guess blue and purple?" She gave that door a look like 'why are you there and who put you there'. But she quickly forgot about it again as she shrugged. "Well, I'm sure it won't be too terrible anyway, what about you? Any of your favorite things?" She turned the question back around, blinking her bright almost golden eyes at the Minkan, and flipped her short black hair away from her face.
A brow raised was the only reaction he gave to the strange sound, until he realized, with a little shame he had caused such an event to happen. It was cute seeing the Neko reacting in such a way towards the door though, as if glaring at it would have made it all better. "I've always enjoyed the simpler things. Ramen, udon, katsudon, nikudon, gyudon, sushi," It seemed he could go on and on were it not for the fact he became slightly mesmerized by the Neko and her golden eyes. "Mmm, of course, that's more fast food .. whenever I had time, I would cook for my family at home. Or just for myself whenever they felt like going out." He leaned over, careful not to bump into Yoshida, and peeked out the window; confirming something as he turned his head and looked up towards the destination marker so conveniently placed.
"Steam buns, hm? What sort of steam buns do you enjoy?" He would finally ask, a small smile on his face as he looked down at the Neko he found himself towering over all of a sudden.
The neko could only grin at the list of foods. "Well doesn't hurt to try something new usually." Was her only comment on that particular set. Of course, she was used to having people tower over her to one degree or another, so she didn't think that was odd in the least, the odd moments were being at the same height or more astonishingly, towering over another individual for her. "What kinds? Welll I don't know what kinds i haven't enjoyed yet!" She grinned, clearly thinking that to be an actually acceptable awnser, in a world where who knows what could be stuffed into the bun!
With the height difference being as it was, Riku found it comfortable enough that he could lean an arm against the door frame whilst talking to Yoshida, nodding; chuckling a bit at her strange little answer. "You don't know what kinds there are, do you ..?" He would ask, shaking his head. If these were under normal circumstances it would have appeared to anyone else looking their way that the Minkan, the taller of the two, was making moves on the Neko; whilst the truth of the matter was he just found her height convenient and it just so happened another Yamataian man was pushing against the enlisted Minkan's back. If he hadn't done what he did, Riku most certainly would have been smooshed against Yoshida.
"We'll stop by somewhere before we go to settle in. They specialize in manju in particular. Let's see which can become your favorite."
After another minute or so, the bullet train came to a halt, it's doors hissing open as the rush of people coming in and out threatened to separate the two. Again, Riku took hold of Yoshida's hand and held her as close as humanely possible without it seeming too awkward and touchy. Impossible considering the crowd they had to fight through but a neccessity as they eventually made their way out to a clear spot, where the crowds filed out into an almost orderly group of those going to work, leaving work, and those simply enjoying their days. He let go of Yoshida's hand, nodded towards her and pointed with a thumb towards the exit, gesturing for her to follow as he made his way there.
"I know that you can make any kinds of steambuns you want! you could put spicy mustard into it if that was your thing, that doesn't mean it'll be good!" She then nodded as he went on to mention Manju. "Sounds good. I wonder which i'll like the most too!"She grinned and rubbed her hands together. Clearly, despite her size she was quite th efan of food. Just, food in general. She didn't ESPECIALLY appreciate the big crowd impeding their progress. She considered for a moment, the merits of attempting to hover over the heads of the crowd, but Riku seemed to be trying awfully hard to guide her through it, so she went along with his plan.
"Have you been to this place a lot?"
"Yes, actually, before it was Kyoto it was called Geshrinopolis. My family and I used to come here every day to look at the newest toys the Empire had in store for us. New ST technologies, new bodies to transfer into. The works." He shrugged as he walked down the streets of crowdy Kyoto, a population of millions crammed into a metropolis of corporations and entertainment. There was just a tinge of sadness in his eyes, a glint that disappeared as quickly as it appeared. "And after, when it was re-built into what it is now. The streets are much nicer, cleaner, less chaotic .. and it did lose a lot of the old places that gave it it's charm." He pointed towards a cafe, one of many in the downtown region, "There used to be a bakery there. They sold the freshest, oven-baked bread. Curry bread, custard bread, red bean paste bread."
There were a lot of places he began seeing in place of their present counter-parts, a bit of melancholy clouding his thoughts as he glanced over the signs and streets. He would lead Yoshida down several blocks, further more until the hustle and bustle of the main streets died down, where after turning down a slummy little alley; they arrived in what seemed to be a part of Kyoto stuck in a bit of the past. The streets weren't as well-kept, with cracks in the pavement pock-marked all around, and the people seemed less hustle and more .. leisurely in their movements. A complete change from the usual crowds Yoshida may have gotten used to. The buildings on either side seemed slightly delapidated but well-tended to, as people were still clearly living within, the sound of children laughing; tiny Nekos and Minkans running past the two. He gestured towards Yoshida and led her towards what appeared to be a small storefront, little tables and stools placed outside, decorated with condiments such as soy sauce, vinegar, chili paste and - spicy mustard - all neatly settled between a plastic box. The smell of meat, vegetables, herbs and spices wafted together with the scent of freshly steamed buns.
Riku bent down, pulled out a stool and waited for Yoshida to take a seat, "Ladies first."
"Oh! thank you you're too kind" She said in an almost stereotypical 'rich person' voice which just sounded a little nasaly. Her tail draped over the side of the chair as she sat, with one leg crossed over the other and her hands in her lap. "This place seems pretty nice! Just a little small. I like its... quietness!" She gave a grin as she looked around, observing. She seems like she is having fun already, just seeing new things like this. Especially in contrast to those thick crowds of people, she had decided quite quickly she didn't like those.
Riku shook his head, amused again at the Neko and her antics as he, very gently, helped push the stool in before taking a seat himself. "I'll have plenty more to show you after we're done here, but first .." The Minkan raised his hand and, after catching the attention of the staff working inside, which consisted of an elderly looking Minkan and what one would assume to be his daughter - a Neko. "すみません、私は色々なプレートをお願いします!" Riku would call out in fluent Yamataigo, the elder Minkan responding with a friendly wave and toothy grin as he spotted him. "おお、陸、ガールフレンドを家に連れてきた!" The old man would reply, laughing, giving a thumbs up towards Yoshida.
Riku shook his head, smiling at the old man as he walked off into the back. The youthful Neko approached, two white ceramic tea cups clasped between her fingers in one hand, whilst the other held a tea pot. Placing it down in front of Yoshida and Riku, she would smile and pour the fresh tea in, before placing it down in the middle for them to leisurely re-fill. "The people here speak Trade, but prefer speaking the native language above all else - culture and tradition that lasted past the Fourth Elysian War." He gestured towards the tea. "I don't know if you've ever had it before, drink it while it's hot. The steamed buns and manju will be here shortly."
"So, tell me about yourself while we wait, hmm?" He would ask the Neko, taking a small sip of his own tea.
Yoshida nodded as she picked up the tea, and took a first, cautious sip, wary of how how it may be. "Well... I'm not sure what all there is to tell! I'm Infantry on the Kaiyo, like i'm sure you know, I sometimes spar with Meissa, and I like to think i'm good at my job! I haven't really been around long enough to have a great story to tell you yet you know?" Yoshida gave off a cat like grin to match the rest of her features as she periodically sipped the tea placed before her.
The tea was fragrant, it's scent was soft and pleasant as the smell of 'nature' pervaded Yoshida's nose. The taste was sweet and tangy as it touched her tongue, leaving a bitter but not wholly unpleasant after-taste as it went down. Riku nodded, having expected as much from the Neko, having noted her age in the personnel files he had taken the opportunity to read up on. Barely a year old. Considering the time it took to train them, school them and the date of her birth to the date she became assigned to the Kaiyo, the Minkan wasn't sure what sort of a chance at leading a normal life any Neko such as her would have. As he took a sip of his tea, he recalled the literal dozens of Neko he saw dying by the droves, the current Yamatai an idyllic and peaceful time compared to the distant past.
"True, but I hope to give you more memories then just a training facility, a warship of friends, and a job you enjoy. You've had time to enjoy steam buns, yes? Who introduced you to them?" He would ask, placing his cup down.
"Oh! That was our Taisa!" Yoshida grinned as she recalled the memory, and even more as she savoured that interesting flavor the tea was giving her. "We ate together after I insisted, she hadn't eaten anything for um, all of that day or longer I believe!" She took another sip ffrom the tea on ending her explanation, and closed her eyes as the range of flavors and smells hit her. She clearly enjoyed that tea quite a bit.
The elderly Minkan returned, a long platter of white steamed buns lined up near it's edges, the freshness making itself apparent with the steam that billowed in the light wind that brushed against their table. In total there were twelve buns, four forming a ring on either side of the platter and an additional for that filled in the middle gap. Riku bowed his head towards the elder, him getting a light pat on the head, "Treat her well, okay?" He would say in heavily accented Trade, looking towards Yoshida. He then placed what appeared to be two, small red envelopes in front of the Neko and walked away with his daughter, arm around her shoulders as he laughed about something out of ear shot.
Sighing, Riku leaned forward and examined the buns, then nodded as he pointed a finger and moved from left to right. "This is a pork bun, beef bun, chicken bun, vegetable bun, bamboo shoots and vegetable bun, barbecue pork bun, spicy red chicken bun, and a seafood bun. The four in the middle are fresh manju, red bean paste buns to finish off all the salt with some sugar." He sat down and casually took the two red envelopes from Yoshida, placing it down next to him. "Also, don't worry about these .. it's a misunderstanding." Riku would smile and wait for the Neko to dig in.
"Tell me which one you like the most."
She blinked, and resisted the urge to rube her eyes to dispell that fantasy. "That's... a lot of buns." She gave the red envelope, and the elderly minkan each a head tilted look, but quickly assumed they were just the bills. Why there were two envelopes for bills was beyond her, but that wasn't something to worry about as she picked up the buns, in the order they were pointed out. One by one, they would disappear, and each time she seemed to really enjoy performing the magic trick of making that food disappear into her mouth, never to be seen again.
"So many..." She would say inbetween buns. Along with phrases like "Thanks a lot!", "Are you sure you don't want me to help with the bill?" and "Are you going to eat any?" The eating of the buns were a tad slow, as she was trying out each brand new flavor. But she never stopped. There would be no stopping this small devourer of worlds from erasing these buns one after another.
Riku smiled as she ate, simply letting her devour the platter as he filled her near-empty cup with a fresh batch of tea, just in case she needed an emergency drink to clear the airways. He didn't understand much of what she said, seeing as immediately afterwards her mouth would be stuffed with yet another bun. "Oh, don't worry about me ... eat to your heart's content. It seems you like all of them. I'm glad." He would say simply, taking another sip of his warm tea. "Do you want any more?"
She quickly shook her head at the suggestion "I don't think I could eat another bite- but thanks." She took a much longer sip of her tea this time in an attempt to wash away the salt from the meal. It looked as if this whole thing was definetely giving her things to think about other than an intense, burning jealousy, and the self aware sense of shame tha came with it. Instead it was replaced with mild emberassment at eating so many, so fast, and almost but not quite talking with her mouth full of food.
He nodded, taking up two pieces of napkin, holding it out for Yoshida to take - then shrugged and thought better of himself, leaned forward to wipe away the stray bits of bread and other such remnants of her little feast from around her lips himself. Bundling and folding it up afterwards as he sat back down. "You're welcome. I'm happy you liked it so much," Riku smirked. "For such a small Neko you certainly have a big appetite." He would point out, a little direct but it got the point across he'd never seen buns of that size be devoured in such a small amount of time before. "Shall we go, then? We do need to get you some new clothes as well."
Yoshida sat still as could be when she noticed the Minkan across the table lean over with the napkin and procede to clean her face for her. She was a bit suprised but, she supposed she didn't mind, he had payed for the meal and everything. "Uhhhh hu, My stomach may be bigger than my head, instead of the other way around like it usually is!"
She then stood and nodded, giving a small bow to the elder minkan and the younger neko both. "Thank you for the meal!" Then she turned around on the ball of her foot, back to Riku. "New clothes it is! I haven't really done any shopping like this before... It might be fun."
Leaving the two envelopes where they were, Riku placed down a single bill and bowed towards the duo as well, though he gave the older Minkan a playful, but disapproving wag of a finger. He then looked towards Yoshida and nodded, smiling. "Great, let's see what we have in the main shopping district. I hope you don't mind wading through the crowds again." The Minkan would say, already turning to lead the way back towards the crowded metropolitan streets of downtown Kyoto.
Yoshida gave her best impression of an actor in a tooth cleansing product commercial as she smiled back, then promptly turned to follow Riku once more. "Aw, crowds again..." She didn't seem too keen on the idea, but the thought of aquiring a brand new outfit or two seemed worth the trouble, especially with the wedding coming up. So, she walked, each step she raised herself up on the tips of her toes, humming along to a song. "You know those two right?"
"Yes." He would reply, moving to take Yoshida's hand once more, though this time he simply held onto the tips of her fingers as they once again entered the loud and crowded streets. The Minkan would lead them through, seemingly preferring not to hover above their heads like some sort of ghost, despite how convenient it would have been. "The old man has been here since Kyoto's first foundations were set. The younger Neko is his wife." Riku would continue, using his other hand to direct and deflect people away from their path, something he seemed accustomed to doing. It was rude, certainly, but the Minkan had a certain assertiveness that made the few nasty looks the two received shrink away.
"What sort of clothes should we get for you?"
"Wow, that's a long time... I think. Almost thought that neko was his daughter." She let off a small giggle, and wandered along, led by the minkan through the crowd. She did raise an eyebrow at the shoving through it bit but, she shrugged it off as that maybe being normal for larger crowds like this. Despite being a living weapon of war, this crowd made her feel smaller than she normal. Of course she always usually felt small compared to her fellow crew aboard the kaiyo, and most people in general, but with the sheer numbers, it felt easy to get lost in the crowd. She felt somewhat lucky that she had somone else leading her through it.
"What kind of clothes... Well What abouutt... I'm not sure! something I'll use every shore leave maybe? And during the wedding too. I'm not sure what that would be but We'll find something right?"
They walked, for what must have seemed like hours, having to wade through crowds at stop-lights and the buzz of being one of Yamatai's most popular destination for late-night entertainment; Riku did his best to ensure Yoshida didn't fall behind, his hand fully encapsulating hers as they finally stopped in front of a well-lit storefront with two tall glass panels and a gold-framed double door that automatically opened for them as the Minkan neared. Inside the glass displays were various garments for both casual, seasonal, and special occasions alike; such as a wedding. "Well, as much as that would entertain me, I do hope to at the very least get you a few outfits to wear whenever you wish. For yourself and the wedding."
He let go of her hand again, the internal AC regulated a pleasant seventeen degrees celsius, or sixty-three degrees fahrenheit. The inside of the store was brightly-lit, mannequins of all sizes both Minkan, Neko, and a few other exotic and rare figurines dotted the interior; showing off either the latest or most daring fashion to hit the market. There were blouses, vests, suits for men and women, skirts of all sizes and design, outfits that could be bought directly as a set, and accessories for the hair. He stepped back and stood behind Yoshida, letting her take in the place before speaking up.
"So, we can try out anything they have here. Why don't we get started on getting you an outfit, hm? Let's start with one for the wedding, though like I said before, it may be more of a military affair then a casual one .. but it's always better to be safe then sorry."
"Yeeah, It might be best just to wear the military formal to the wedding... Can't hurt to try though." Yoshida said as she walked up and examined the clothes around them. She of course, went for the more traditional Yamataian garb, collecting a Kimono, and assorted matching items with a light blue floral print on them. Yoshida grinned as she took them, and quickly glanced around. "These... Would probably work yes? They are about my size- And Don't look too bad. Should I try them on before we get them?" She asked, and looked over to the Minkan, as her tail had been raising up a tad higher than normal.
He watched as she went around collecting articles of clothes, nodding at her choices as if Riku had expected her to choose them. She seemed so happy though, excited even, so he was as well; for her sake. "Yes, Yoshida. There's a dressing room in the back. Go on and try them out. I'll be waiting outside on the benches." Riku was glad the Neko's thoughts had been occupied away from whatever was bothering her earlier.
"Afterwards, we'll pick something casual for you - something not so traditional." He would add as he led her towards the back, an employee bowing towards them as the Minkan reached over to take a small bundle of the clothes from her; leaving the infantry Neko with the kimono and half of the matching items she had chosen out for herself. He took a seat on the bench and pointed with a finger towards the dressing room in front of him, it's privacy screen currently in-active.
"Go on. I'll be here to see."
Yoshida grinned and nodded, before disappearing into the dressing room, and activating the privacy screen. It was a good few minutes it seemed, of what surely must have been the neko trying to figure out how to put it on properly before the screen finally was deactivated, and her exercise uniform was revealed to be in a neat folded pile within the changing room. Right next to that, was Yoshida, with a small flower-like hair pin, the kimono, sash(alongside articles of clothing meant to keep the sash in place), and Tabi, a set of socks and sandles for the outfit. It couldn't be said that the light blue really matched her dark hair or bright goldyellow eyes, but it did at least, match the small trangular genetic tattoo on her cheek.
"Well?" She asked as she looked down at herself, and did a spin to show off the outfit form all angles. She wouldn't admit it but it was a little frustrating to put on all of that within any reasonable amount of time, it almost made her wonder why all neko wouldn't just go around using holographic clothing instead.
Riku stood as the privacy screen lifted, looking over the Neko as she came out. It was an understatement to say that Yoshida didn't look gorgeous, her solo attempt at putting on the kimono made the Minkan aware just how able and strong they were, though that didn't stop the Minkan from seeing all the little loose ends and mistakes she had made. It was a wonder she managed to get it together so well. An achievement. He approached her and spun her around, hand on her back as he adjusted the sash and belt, loosening it for a moment before tightening them again; tying it off into a proper knot. He then gently spun her back around and adjusted the front of the kimono, untying the obi as he did, careful not to loosen it so much as to cause the entire outfit to fall apart, and secured it tightly against her belly. Patting it with a hand, he smiled and fixed her hair, straightening out the strands; tucking those rebellious few behind several others as another hand came to adjust the flower hair pin. Riku pulled it out, then slid it in at a different angle, one where the metal pin would be hidden in the depths of her black hair; showing off only the floral pattern she matched the kimono with.
"You're very beautiful, Yoshida." He would finally say, taking a few steps back to admire her. "Have you settled on this, then? Or did you want to try something else?"
"Oh- heh, thanks!" Yoshida once more, did her impression of an actor in a mouthwash commercial. It was shortly after, followed by her impersination of a bobble head. "I think this will be great! It is just a littllee hard to put on- thanks for fixing it, by the way." She let out a small breath of air as she checked herself out once again- it certainly looked leagues... crisper, than it had when she did it herself. She of course, took careful notes on this and made sure to do better the next time she put one of these on on her own, even if it meant having to hover in the air to get just the right angle to tie that obi behind her back just right. Of course, it may help to just look up yet another instructional video on how to put a kimino on on one's own, with better detailing, but learning first hand was always better, Basic had taught her as much.
"Buuutt, I still might want to get another outfit... or two, something more comftorable to sleep in and something else to take to a club... maybe."
"Of course. You have the entire store to choose from. Change out of that and I'll hold onto it." Riku would say, going back to sit on the bench as he looked over towards the silly Neko. He wasn't sure if her happiness was genuine or not - the alternative being that this was all just a play on the Neko's part to hide her own frustrations again. She did seem much better then before though, so the Minkan pushed these thoughts off to the side and folded his arms across his chest. "Let's see what else you have in store for me, hmm?" He would ask, eager to see what outfit Yoshida would choose next for herself.
Yoshida acted with haste- and found the act of changing out of a kimino was much less irritating than changing into one. Of course she herself didn't know if that itself was the source of the irritation, or the thoughts of jealousy that never quite left, wondering what Orion and Anastaisa were up to even now. After the expedient act of changing and depositing the kimino in Riku's arms she, once again, began collecting clothing. This time, two outfits were put together, One with a lightblue jacket, light grey shirt, and a matching skirt, the other was very simply, obviously meant for nighttime wear, soft long pants and a tanktop. There was also a pair of short shorts, with no discernable match. Untill one thought that yes, it would be emberassing to be hovering by and have somone look up your skirt to see your underwear, and that those shorts would make an excellent backup.
With all three in hand, she checked them out and nodded to herself slightly. "These are probably good too... But I'm not sure if I need any other outfits, at least for a bit? What do you think?"
He nodded, standing again with the kimono wrapped around his arms. "I think those will suffice for now. You'll look good in all of it, Yoshida. Let's have these wrapped up and bagged, shall we?" Riku would smile and walk towards the counter, items in hand. The attendant Neko behind the desk smiled at us both as she rung the clothes up, handing it off to another Neko whom promptly began neatly folding the kimono and clothing; sliding them into seperate flat white boxes, bagging them afterwards. The accessories were placed into a separate, smaller bag. Riku paid the attendant for the clothes, smiled, took the change and held the bags in his arms. He then turned towards her and nodded.
"Right. What do you want to do now?" He would ask.
"Well... I'm not sure really." She again, wasn't sure about simply letting Riku be the one to pay for everything.
First the food, then the clothes, and probably whatever came after that? But he didn't seem to have any problems with it at least. And arguing about it was very likely a pointless and futile effort waiting to happen, so she let it go. Instead she wondered what they COULD be doing- both not enough and too many ideas came to mind all at once. "I mean... Well I don't know really. Probably put these away? Wouldn't want to be carrying these ALL day."
He looked down at the bags in his arms and nodded, smiling. "I agree. To our apartment first, then? A shower and some rest would do us some good. Then, if you wish, we can go out and complete whatever objectives you choose to explore." Riku sighed as he looked back outside, at the crowd they would have to fight through again. "So, perhaps you can lead me this time?" The Minkan would ask, an amused smile on his face.
The neko let out a laugh, perhaps a bit suprisingly loud for her small size, before she nodded. "You can count on me!" She said jerking a thumb at herself, looking confident as can be.
