003 ✽ I'll be with you again

[giglio_madonna]

Who: Various Virgos and Priders
What: What's that? Mall trip? MALL TRIP. A mingle log for party clothes and holiday gifts of all sorts.
When: Before the inter-label party
Where: The Wave Boulevard Mega Mall
Warnings:

Luce hits her fellow Virgo musicians like a hurricane. A loving, maternal hurricane.

For the lucky ones whose numbers she has, it's simply a ring up that morning inquiring if they'd like to go to the WBMM that day for some holiday shopping, or to pick out any clothes for the inter-label party if nothing in their closet is satisfying them. "Or if you just want some fresh air while we still have it," she jokes, even if the more empathetic can taste a hint of sharpness in that line. My, whatever could she be referring to?

For the unlucky ones... She makes a personal visit, practically sweeping some people off their feet. It's a rush of friendly chatter that's almost overwhelming, and some people might find themselves agreeing without realizing what they've done until Luce simply beams as she says she'll pick them up in an hour. "Oh, and you might want to wear a hoodie or something like that. Don't want the paparazzi bothering you too much!"

Congratulations, all of you: You've just agreed to the great mall trip whether you meant to or not.

The Wave Boulevard Mega Mall, or the Double M as it's known to locals, is the largest mall both in Vista City and this side of Americana. Considering things, that's an impressive feat. It's an enormous multi-level building filled to the brim with practically anything your little capitalist heart could desire. Various department stores, a movie theater dominating an entire two floors, an arcade somewhere, proper restaurants and food courts both.... It's called a "mega mall" for a damn good reason.

Once everyone gets there, they're let loose to their own devices.

As for Pride Records? Well. Maybe some of you are just at the mall for your own reasons. Maybe you got a call from Luce or another Virgo friend talking about the place. You don't need much of a reason to be there. Double M is that kind of place.

Comments

[iitrebel]

"Heh. If you say so." Artolo isn't sure if he can be a good judge of this sort of thing. Leaning on the little fence that surrounds the huge area for Snow Bear, he tilts his head to the side.

"I don't think I ever really celebrated Snow Bear stuff before I came up here to northern Americana."

[sailorlaughter]

Pinkie leans forward as well, though she keeps bouncing lightly. "I...think I probably did." The bouncing dies down, and a few curls slip out from under her disguise as she tilts her head thoughtfully at the latest child to climb up onto Snow Bear's lap. She doesn't really remember. Shouldn't she?

"I mean, most people do, right? I just grew up like...out west a bit, so." It's probably just that she was really little at the time. Or something.

[iitrebel]

"Yeah, it just permeates everything, down to the furry butt and wet nose." Stretching his arms over his head, Artolo yawns.

"Do any shopping or just hung around here?"

[sailorlaughter]

"Oh, I did a TON of shopping!" Pinkie gestures to the bags around her feet. "I've got a lot more money and stuff now, 'cause of all the touring!" It only made sense to go all out on the gift-giving this year. "I think I'll probably do a lot of baking and stuff too. You know, make like little cookie baskets and things?"

[iitrebel]

"With the ribbons and stuff?" Disregarding personal privacy, he leans down to get a look through some of the bags. "Get the baskets you need for those?"

[sailorlaughter]

"Yep! They're in that one!" She doesn't mind that he's going through his things; there's nothing for him in there. She'll probably give him a cookie basket, but that was never really a secret to begin with. "And I got some stuff for Tiger and Kido! Like this red scarf - she says red's a hero color or something, and it goes with her eyes."

Pinkie hesitates, then adds: "Like, her new contacts. They're so cool!"

[iitrebel]

"Well, red's cool, but it goes best with blue, you know." It doesn't really make sense, but that's Artolo's two centers. It's like an... opposite thing, he thinks. Good contrast. There's a sneaking suspicion that that's not how color theory works, just from listening to An, but he doesn't care.

"Anyway, she got contacts? What, she can't see or something?"

[sailorlaughter]

Pinkie shrugs. She likes the red best still. Blue would just add one more color to everything Kido's got going on up top; green hair, red eyes, and all that. Maybe a darker shade of green would look nice though?

"Nah, they're not prescription or anything," she says dismissively. "They just look neat. Y'know, like the ones people wear for costumes and stuff?"

She knows that's not really what it is. But she doesn't want to spread it around - and anyway, what's she gonna say? Her bandmate's eyes just turned red and she doesn't know why or how?

[iitrebel]

If it's anything reassuring, Artolo doesn't really question it. There's just a shrug. Hey, makes perfect sense, right? Show business.

"Well, whatever looks good on her, then, I guess." Straightening up, he rubs his neck. "At least you know what you're getting for everyone. I'm only getting shit for my bandmates, and I don't know what the hell to do there."

[sailorlaughter]

"Oh yeah?" Pinkie props her chin on one hand, interested. "What are they like? Maybe I can help you, I'm great at giving presents. It's like one of my favorite things!"

[iitrebel]

"What are they like..." Artolo scratches the back of his head. He's pretty sure he's going to be biased in just about all of these descriptions, but he gives it a shot. "Okay, there's Mai. We don't exactly get along? Like, I'm constantly shit talking and being gross and I made her try out the hottest pepper powder but she knew what she was getting into so I can't be held completely responsible for that... She's actually sorta into the gothic thing."

A pause, a grin, and then he gestures to himself- all casual hoodie and jeans. "Unlike yours truly. She actually got on me about not knowing the differences between actual vampires and crappy vampires."

[sailorlaughter]

"Oh!" That's basically the exact opposite of Pinkie's aesthetic, but she thinks she gets the idea. It's easy, right? Just red and black and vampires and darkness and stuff. "Well, you tried Heated Subject, right? That's where all the goth teenagers shop!"

She may not have ever really gone in there. None of it appeals to her in the least - she needs a lot more bright colors than that. "I bet she's already got all the vampire books and movies that I know about, 'cause I've only really heard of the famous ones. Oooooooh, maybe you could get her a pet bat! Or a spider! They actually sell those in pet stores, y'know!" They're kinda cute, in a creepy-crawly way. She likes how furry they look.

[iitrebel]

There's an idea, and Artolo makes a mental note to check it out before he gets completely sidetracked. Because-

"Wait, they sell pet bats?" He focuses in on her with renewed interest. He doesn't even really have any sort of thing for bats. It's just- bats. Who keeps bats for a pet?

And suddenly he has a new goal for his time at the mall.

[sailorlaughter]

"Oh, I meant the spiders. I dunno about bats." Pinkie tugs thoughtfully on a long pink curl. "But I mean, they sell pet anything if you know where to look and have enough money! Like - "

Like a pet alligator?

Pinkie hesitates slightly. "Like, I dunno, a lot of things probably. We're famous, we can get pretty much ANYTHING and it'll just make us famouser! As long as the label's okay with it..."

[iitrebel]

"Well, I mean, you're not wrong." Oblivious to the hesitation, Artolo gives a laugh and steps away. At least it's something to do, right?

"Want to come with me and check out if they have bats around here, or are you happy lurking around Snow Bear?"

[sailorlaughter]

Pinkie perks up. "Oooooh! Nah, I'm good for a while!" She leans down to gather up her bags, looping them easily over her arms. None of them are all that heavy. She's even got enough space to link her arm with Artolo's, because she has no personal boundaries. "He'll be there all month anyway! Let's go find bats!"

[iitrebel]

Having his arm suddenly linked makes Artolo blinks a little bit in surprise, apparently not sure how to deal with this sudden familiarity. It takes a minute for him to adjust with a grin. "Bats!" Leading her along, he gives a hum.

"There's a pet store on... Ground floor, I think?"

[sailorlaughter]

Welcome to Pinkie Pie, Artolo. This is familiarity territory now.

"I think so! If they put it on the second or third, people'd have to carry all their fish tanks and things WAY too far! It might be kinda fun to have puppies riding the escalators though..." You'd think she'd have this mall's layout memorized; she's been here before, right? But she can't quite remember exactly where the pet store is, so she keeps an eye out as she prattles on. "I wonder if my manager'd let me have a pet? Do you know anybody with one?"

[iitrebel]

Hey, it's a sensible expectation, right? That's Artolo's reasoning. He lets her go on about it, still glancing down to their linked arms with the occasional bewildered blink but not saying anything.

"Man, I don't know- yours would probably go along with it more than ours would." He makes a snort. "She's a tight ass and throws a fit at the idea of anything ruining our clothes. Maybe if you got something to put in a tank or whatever. Like snakes, or something."

[sailorlaughter]

Pinkie tilts her head in thought for a moment. "Jin doesn't really care about our clothes. But she's...uh...she's not all that nice!" She sounds a little hesitant about badmouthing anyone, winces, and quickly moves on.

"She probably wouldn't think a snake fit our image. We're kinda bouncy and bright, y'know? Unless it was one of those pretty yellow ones maybe...oh, but hey! I bet bats don't shed all that much!" What are they, brown? They're pretty small anyway.

[iitrebel]

Asshole managers are a thing Artolo is quite familiar with. He guesses he can't be too surprised, and just gives a shrug as Pinkie movies on. Something to store away in his head for later, he guesses.

"Yeah, snakes tend to be pretty chill, so bouncy? Naaaaah." A pause as his brain goes through an obnoxious amount of internet miscellany. "Oh, unless you got a two headed one. You might get away with that."