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

Luce - ota

[giglio_madonna]

[And just where might the mastermind behind this whole adventure be?]

[Well. More like where isn't Luce. She has one hell of a shopping list, after all, and little time to waste. So she can be found in all sorts of shops, bustling from one place to another. Her arms seem almost permanently full, and when she gets the time to put them away in the car she'd came in is frankly a mystery.]

[Hell, who knows- maybe you'll bump into each other while you're shopping, window or otherwise, yourself.]

Greg - OTA

[panspermia]

[ As much as Greg tries to be enthusiastic and cheerful, it's obvious to anyone who knows him that his usual enthusiasm has waned. It's not tough to figure out why, either: Defying Atmosphere's looking at a hiatus, with half their number fired in the last month. Mr. Universe is a little lost, and it's not because of the mall's size.

That is to say, he's looking for people to latch on to. Have you checked out the book shop on the second floor? There's this great tech hub past the play center, let's hit the massage chairs. You know, he saw a karaoke spot, do you want to do karaoke LET'S DO KARAOKE.

He's so okay. Everything's okay, and normal, and fine. ]

Ivan - OTA

[sponsorigami]

Shopping times... and then BEARS

[ While shopping for winter holiday gifts, Ivan spends some personal time at a bookstore. He's in the spiritual and occult section looking up titles dealing with ghosts, spirits, exorcism, charms, and so on. There's also a book about dream and vision meanings for good measure. He hasn't gotten far with solving his vision problem, and he worries about how dangerous they could be. Ivan strays toward the history section to glance at ninja related titles, yet he leaves the books on the shelves. No need to risk inviting the ninja spirit for another visit.

In the end, he picks up two new books with other titles written down for later exploration. But he doesn't leave uneventfully because the bookstore is near a kiosk selling kitschy robotic holiday toys that yip and yap at every sound and movement. Some are placed on the floor and able to move around quite a bit. There are numerous depictions of Snow Bear. "Aw... it likes you!" says the employee as the robotic bear walks toward Ivan, gears whirling loudly despite the holiday music playing. "I think it wants to come home with you."

Ivan tenses up, hand in a pocket and grasping his bag of books tightly. ]

G-Get it away from me!

[ It's just a harmless toy, but Ivan looks ready to throw his books at it. ]

Getting the name out there and then getting out of there

[ However, Ivan doesn't spend his entire time at the mall shopping. He drops off a few origami flowers in places he thinks will be noticed. (Which considering Ivan, may not be all that noticeable) They're simple ones that can be opened up to reveal a Flower Over Bones logo. It's not much, but who knows if it'll create a small buzz. Then he spots two girls taking a selfie by a store front, and Ivan purposely gets into the shot. He flashes a victory sign as he looks into the camera. Then he leaves quickly, lost among the crowd. The girls take a few more shots before reviewing their photos. "Wait... did we get photobombed?" one says, brows knitting together.

Her friend tilts her head, "Is that the quiet guitarist from Flowers Over Bones?"

"Oh my god! It might be. Look up his picture on your phone. Quick!"

She scrambles for her phone to connect to the mall's wifi. Ivan's long gone, so thankfully he's spared hearing his shamisen being called a guitar. This is another way to get the band's name out there. ]

Lost child in the mall

[ Ivan looks around quite nervously. Where is the rest of the group? They were just here a moment ago... He takes a few steps one way and then retraces his steps back to where he originally was when he noticed he was left behind. Isn't that what one's supposed to do when lost? Stay put?

But this place is so big. How is he going to get found without blowing his cover? And even when he's not trying to be discreet, he's often overlooked. Does anyone even know he's gone? ]

[nibelungvalesti]

[Meril notices that look at the karaoke place and something about it catches at her. She'd failed, very much, to help her band -- if she hadn't, they wouldn't be in this situation, would they? Perhaps she could still help Greg, though, just a bit.]

Do you want to go in? I'd like to hear you sing.

Pinkie Pie | OTA

[sailorlaughter]

Gift shopping! Pinkie loves gift shopping!

Having pink hair makes it awfully hard to go undercover, so she's managed to stuff all of her curls beneath a big cloche hat. She's abandoned her usual brightly-colored clothes too; jeans and a dark coat are better for this sort of thing. You do what you've gotta do, when you're a star~

Her arms are pretty much constantly full of boxes and bags. There's so many presents to give! Even when she's already got one, she just can't resist getting something else when she sees the perfect gift for someone.

And all the Solstice decorations are finally up! Pinkie definitely spends a lot more time than normal for someone her age lingering by the Mall Snow Bear's area, watching little kids go up and get pictures. Has she ever gotten a picture with Snow Bear? She can't really remember doing it, but it looks so fun!

Lost Child

[dishevelment]

[In this day and age, normally one would call someone with their cellphone if they were left behind-- unless they were among the cellphone-phobic, in which case staying put was indeed the best idea.

Ivan's predicament is lost on Koumei in that moment as he settles down in a spot near Ivan's location. Decked out in his kitchiest sweater, with a hot paper cup of coffee in one hand and a single earbud in one of his ears, he was more than well prepared for an afternoon of covert shopping for the holidays.

He could even be heard humming one of Flowers over Bones newest singles quietly.

No one would recognize him, right?

--except for the fact that he was the same guy who randomly crashed in Rei's bed in FoB's trailer at the South Vista Music Festival with no explanation what so ever. The insomniac and lazy Koumei, pianist for Cosmic Indulgence, was starting to develop a rep for his bizarre sleeping habits.]

Celty | open

[losingherhead]

[She hadn't exactly planned on going anywhere today. She'd just been strolling about the penthouse, answering the door, and suddenly the woman she shared tea with during the festival was there and chatting excitedly.

And then she was here. Some stuff happened in between, but it was all a blur by this point. She had dressed herself in something that suggested she got off a motorbike, to justify the helmet. It was still going to get her looks, but maybe it wouldn't arose too much suspicion.

She's also kind of awkwardly strolling throughout the place, idly looking through the various shops. Is she supposed to get a gift for bandmates? She's not sure what they would all like. Maybe something for the kids, at least.]

Aramat Drawdes | OPEN

[scalpedsociety]

[Tamara goes through the mall with no security, in casual clothes. There's no tell-tale signs of a 'star' visiting. Most of her fans detest the mall and all it's blatantly consumerist, soulless trappings. Tamara is no different, buuuuut she needs to go Solstice shopping and delivery in online stores won't come until after.

...Also some of the accessories in Spicy Thesis look agreeable enough.

No.

Soon enough a small swarm of mall-goths and other notice her and ask for autographs. Such is the life.]

[variaboss]

[ He stands before a jewelry counter. His cane resting against the glass. His hands are flat on the glass. He stares at the rings inside the display. Seven rings. One larger than the others. Seven rings. Seven different stones in the seven colors of the rainbow. He hears his father's voice. See these? These are the treasure of the Vongola. They've been with us since the First Generation. His eyes draw to the one in the middle. You like that one a lot, don't you? It looks big and heavy doesn't it? It's bigger and heavier than you know, my boy. But don't worry. One day you'll grow into it. Until then, we keep them safe. We keep them safe because they keep us safe.

He leans heavier against the glass. The man at behind the counter is saying something. Xanxus isn't paying attention. He's just too focused on that display. It's wrong. It's not right. It's not the right ring. It's not the right ring...

He reaches up to his throat as if there had once been something there, hanging off a chain. Where... ]

Oh? What? Did I want to what? Try it on? Nah. I don't wear cheap trash like that. I'm just catching my breath.

[ He pushes away from the jewelry display and heads deeper into the mall. He has some shopping to do. Now if only he could avoid the young punks stopping to ask him about 'Rehab.' ]

[panspermia]

Was I that obvious?

[ Greg tries on a smile for Meril's offer. He knows it's irrational, but realizing his unapproved EP was their last performance as a full band makes him feel a if this all is his fault somehow. ]

If we go, you're gonna have to sing too, you know.

[sponsorigami]

[ Unfortunately, texts and ringtones can go unnoticed with the level of noise happening in a huge mall like this. And with Ivan's luck, the people he contacted walked by those demonic robotic Snow Bear toys just as the cell phone went off.

But even with all the noise, a familiar tune, one he's practiced so much recently, snatches his attention like a the smell of food catches the attention of a hungry little sister. Ivan instantly looks for the source. Hey... isn't he that guy...? Ivan thought he saw him stumble in and stumble out in a half sleep daze. The other band members didn't seem too disturbed by his presence, so Ivan didn't act. (He knows they've made friends in Pride. Ivan has too.) It was very weird though.

Ivan quietly moves in that direction to sit on a planter edge nearby. Being a fellow musician (Pride or not) makes him a little "safer" to be around without causing a commotion. Maybe Luce invited him to come along.

In the meantime, Ivan will open up one of his books about spirits and ghosts in various religions and hum his parts of the song. ]

Sora | ota (prose or brackets welcome)

[consocius]

[This boy has a list. It is a secret list, with present options on it. He already has ideas what he's getting everyone, and he's been planning this since before December. It would maybe be seen as coincidence that he'd chosen the same day to shop as Luce and her Virgo crew, but it's the first day he's had the free time to do it, and that's pretty much that.

He wonders in and out of stores with bags, occasionally checking his "secret list," not really paying attention to who's around him so there is a likelihood of literally bumping into someone here.

At one point he also heads to the food court, because you can't go to a mall and not visit the food court. So there's also a chance that one might see him in the line to buy some tacos. You know, the traditional Americana food of all winter holidays.

Later, when he's got most of his holiday shopping done (there are a few things he has to make himself, after all), he decides it might be time to just have some fun and winds up in the arcade playing Dance Dance Revolution. He could use someone to play against, if you're interested. Either that or drag him to another game?]

[Choices: A (Stores), B (Food Court), C (Arcade), D (Wildcard). Which do you choose?]

Wolfram von Bielefeld | ota (prose or brackets fine)

[incensus]

[This is a downright painful experience. Excruciating, really. The mall would really not be Wolfram's first choice of places to shop for holiday gifts. There were way too many people, especially at this time of year, and everyone seemed to magically forget their manners when it came to retail and the month of December anyway. But, he couldn't deny the logic of the fact that everything is here. Every possible store he could need to buy something from. And it was one day. He could brave the storm for one day, for his band family.

But that doesn't mean he has to like it. So at any point when you run into the casually dressed lead of Pride's resident goth band (and he's still got the black nail polish and eyeliner on to prove it), you can expect him to look slightly miffed. The more bags he's carrying at the time, the worse it is.

During a break in shopping, since it's rather something like running a marathon to him, he decides to stop near the food court to get something to drink. He winds up on a bench afterward with a boba tea in hand, and bags piled up beside him. His mood is a little better while he's doing this, possibly because he also ended up buying a rather large chocolate chip cookie. Ask him if he'll share, I dare you. The answer will probably be no way get your own.]

[Option A: Run into him during shopping mode, Option B: Join him on his break, Option C: Anything else you want to do?]

Superbia Squalo // OTA

[sharktrash]

[ And what's that screaming down the mall alley? ]

[ Three guesses. ]

[ Nah, nobody's getting murdered. It's just Squalo speeding down the hallway in a fucking shopping cart, shouting "hell yeah" or some variant thereof. Where's the security? (Quite possibly behind him.) This trip may or may not end by smashing into one of the window displays... ]

[ Are you the one pushing him? Cooped up with him in the cart? Or maybe you're getting run over by this blatant disregard for public safety? Your pick. ]

[nibelungvalesti]

Very obvious, yes.

[But Meril pauses, considering his statement very seriously (as, of course, she did most things).]

Very well. I can accept this term.

[maipokerface]

[The fans start to swarm and they start to part just as fast. The one forging the path is pretty clear just from the twin oxhorn buns on either side of her head and her dark clothing.]

What are you all, vultures? Back off.

[She says it with a sigh and a dismissive air that are to be expected of her.]

A

[giglio_madonna]

[Well, it can't really be called "bumping" when Luce purposefully sneaks up behind Sora as he's bustling about and taps his ear.]

Boo!

[giglio_madonna]

[It was for the good of everyone, Celty. Luce thinks everyone needs to enjoy sweet freedom while it's still a thing. Newbies weren't there for the great Lockdown, but, well, it was a thing. She's dedicated to making sure everyone enjoys whatever freedom they can have.]

[Still, she's not oblivious or mean. When she spots Celty looking a bit awkward outside one of the store windows, she takes a bit of pity. There's a fond smile on her face even as she strides up with her arms already full with some bags.]

How are you doing, Celty?

*BEARS*

[giglio_madonna]

Dear?

[She'd recognized that voice, even panicked, anywhere.]

[Ducking about the shelves, she finds Ivan and immediately takes him by the shoulder, tugging him back from the little toy.]

Dear, what's wrong?

[dishevelment]

[Luce hadn't invited Koumei, actually. It was just luck that he happened to be in the mall, and happened to be working on his solstice shopping. He passed a glance up at the blond as he crept closer, but didn't say anything to acknowledge it.

Instead, not lifting his eyes up from his little list and his pondering, Koumei gently switched off and hummed along with the cello's part. Though a pianist himself, he had dabbled with the cello a little in the high school band. While he could never get it to sing as some people did, he maintained a fondness for the instrument.

And, how couldn't he? Cellos were quite sexy.]

[giglio_madonna]

[Luce keeps her ears trained around headquarters, even in a busy season such as this. So it's been easy for her to hear Defying Atmosphere's recent troubles member-wise.]

[That means she's more than happy to go along with Greg when he starts hanging about her, nodding and listening to every suggestion. It's the massage chairs suggestion that finally makes her laugh.]

Do you think they'll really let us just use up all that nice massage chair time?

B

[variaboss]

[ He wasn't exactly invited on this trip of Luce's. He sort of was just at the same place at the same time. He's got his own bags. Not as many as Wolfram's because Xanxus is getting everyone but a select group of people the same gift. Festive condoms don't take up a lot of bags. But he's also pretty injured still from 'rehab' so he needs breaks more often than not.

And yes, there are other benches in the cafeteria. Empty ones, but the large man still sits right there, next to the blond. ]

So, he does walk among the plebeians.

[ He's teasing a little. Mostly because the kid reminds him of someone somehow. ]

Re: Superbia Squalo // OTA

[variaboss]

[ Guess one, mating moose. Guess two, dying cats. Those two don't count. ]

Good fucking christ, the entire mall can hear you!

[ Though with how fast Squalo wooshed past him, he might have only caught the beginning or the end of that. Still, at least someone's having fun. Xanxus is bored as hell and the yelling is better than the canned mall muzak. ]

[iitrebel]

[ > Artolo: Be in the cart ]

[Listen. He'd had to make a quick getaway from a person crying in a fursuit because he'd lied to their face and said he was dating his bandmate. It had, at the time, seemed like a solid idea.]

[Only, as he cranes his head to see around Squalo, there's a problem. Not that his sniggering would imply it as such.]

Oh fuck, the security are after your ass again!

[iitrebel]

After what he's gone through with a Snow Bear wannabe? Artolo is kind of hurrying his nonexistent ass off past the legit Mall Snow Bear. He slows down, however, when he recognizes the features of a certain someone lingering around. There's no wild mass of cotton candy masquerading as hair, but nah, he's pretty sure that's Pinkie.

So, despite his misgivings, he comes up.

"Yo, waiting for... I don't know, a little sister or something?"