[ Shizuka didn't pay attention to Tary's words, only focusing on him again when he recommends the toy in the box she's holding. One she puts back in its place. ]
I was just looking at it. It looked familiar, that's all.
[ Her denial only makes her longing more obvious. She is yet to catch that blunder, but she is quick to change the subject ]
You can ask LILITH for things back home? Were you successful?
[ She wonders... There's some things back home that she wants to have. ]
[Taryon could urge her to buy it - if he couldn't have Doty, a replica would make him less lonely. It could be the same for her giant fighting robot.]
That's...pretty cool. Funny how a lot of things here remind us of home. [Some books he found, the familiarity of the temples and shops that others brought up...]
I was. I asked for some books, and they got my copies from home.
[ There's certain things from home that she really wants to have again, like her collection of plushies and t-shirts. She gives the box one last touch before turning her full attention to Tary. ]
Do you have anything cheaper? I don't have enough money yet but I don't wish to leave empty handed either. Perhaps, something with a practical purpose as well? Like apparel.
Nothing in the figurine section, but we have physical shirts and digital codes for your fashion chip. [Download the file and have nanobots create the image of the clothing. It's how everyone can look great for a low cost.] We have the pillows and blankets, if you have money to spare.
[He leads her to another aisle, where clothing, fabrics, and plushies of mascots are kept.]
We have dishware, too, but that's a smaller selection.
[ For a store so small, it has a lot. But they all share the same theme of geekery despite the many differences. Shizuka follows his guidance and immediately sees the cute plushies. Try as she might to hide it, her eyes betray her cold confidence. Her hands as well, as she couldn't help but grab on to one of the plush toys that caught her attention - a white bear with a beige-pink nose and sparkly eyes and a shirt that says "hug me". ]
Hmph...
[ She scoffs at the written words on the shirt, running her thumbs on it in contemplation. She looks at Tary from the corner of her eyes, feeling her face warm up in embarrassment as this definitely looks different from the image she wants to project. ]
[Any cheap product that a factory can easily slap a design on is sold, whether it be a shirt or a bento box. The plushies aren't all based on existing properties, but these are given the love and care needed to make them cuddly. Taryon would think those only appeal to children, but not everyone goes to sleep hugging a half-finished robot arm.
Shizuka looks interested, and the salesman in Taryon urges him to encourage the purchase. He steps over until he's right next to her.] A few credits, yes. But if you want it, buy it! Or don't, if you don't like it, I'm not here to tell you what you need to do.
[ Shizuka looks at the toy again, contemplating and letting it's softness welcome the pressure of her gentle grip onto itself. The sight and feeling of it made her smile enough, and Tary has shown her that he isn't the judgmental type. It was enough for her to make the decision. ]
Well, yes, that. [It's unfortunate that Shizuka must hide her nerdy side from him, but that just means he has to he even more of one until she's comfortable about it. Yes, that will definitely work.]
An excellent gift. And I'm saving up to buy one of those models, too. You're free to join me when I start working on it.
[Although he prefers to do the bulk of the effort. It's fun, having small pieces to fiddle with.]
[ Shizuka replies, sheepishly grinning but also quick to drag her emotion back to her stoic state. She shows very little of it - her excitement. This is probably the first time in her life that someone invites her to do something together, and this means a lot. But she cannot express it. There's a bit of a crinkle in her brows as she looks at the doll again, like she wants to say more but is holding her tongue. Instead, she distracts her mind by giving voice to her more practical side yet again: ]
How do I pay for this? I'm not used to this world's ways of purchasing yet.
[ QR Codes were the way of the world back home. Cash, credit cards... They were primitive by her time. ]
[Hooray! Taryon has successfully asked someone to hang out with him as a friend. He's doing so well with socializing. That good mood will stick with him for the rest of the day.]
Kryptos. You have to transfer them from your account into the business's by linking your account to theirs. It's not the safest method, but...
[He misses the days when everything was paid in coins.]
[ Shizuka taps the side of her ear to access her implant. The intuitive function of this augmented reality technology should be easy to get used to but, her reservations about body implants makes Shizuka feel iffy in using it. Still, she wants to buy this bear so she can forget about her disgust for a second.
But she pauses and looks at Tary when what he says finally registers and reaches her brain through her excitement ]
We used coins and bank checks where I'm from! Sure, a thief could easily steal it on the road, but you weren't sharing your account information over a network!
[He sighs.] But that's what they do here, so you might as well get used to it. It's easier that lugging around bags of platinum.
[ She misunderstood him and thought there was a safer way to pay here in this world. But she does see his point. For a long time Japan was a cash-based society. Credit cards were barely used and QR codes took over eventually. The thought of it made her miss home. ]
Your world must be very different from mine.
[ But she syncs up her account and looks at the product of her measly police salary on there. Buying this stuffed animal is a significant deduction of what she currently has, but... She wants to be selfish for once. With a thought, she pays for the bear successfully. ]
It's...very different. [He folds his hands together, thinking of where to begin.] I'm told that I'm from a era they call "medieval" or whatnot. Everything here is new, especially the idea of credit cards.
[Good thing he's a fast learner, or the culture shock would have been too much for him to handle. He stands aside, adjusting the display while Shizuka pays, and when she finishes, he gives her a polite bow.]
I see that's it's been registered. Thank you for shopping here. [His folded hands gesture towards her.] Is there anything else you need?
[ Adapting, she meant. Though she doesn't know how long he's been here. Magic existing in his world probably helps his mind with the technology, since Shizuka's experience with magic is basically like applied sciences. Still, that's as close to a compliment she can give, nodding at his bow and giving the bear one more look now that it's officially hers.
Her first selfish purchase in many many years, the thought is enough to warm her heart and make her smile genuinely. She looks at him - her friend - again, keeping that smile on her face. It's a rare sight that Tary is the first to see. ]
I believe that is it. But I will come back.
[ Still, she can't say thank you, but gives a polite bow as she takes her leave. The bear is clung into her arms tightly, head by her shoulders making it look like the bear is waving goodbye to Tary.
Once she's outside, Shizuka is unaware that she can still be seen from the window. She gives the bear another look, reading the words "hug me" on it's shirt as she holds it in front of her. Shizuka's glee couldn't be contained for very long as she gives her bear a tight hug, leaving with a pep in her step unlike the way she walked before entering the store. ]
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no subject
I was just looking at it. It looked familiar, that's all.
[ Her denial only makes her longing more obvious. She is yet to catch that blunder, but she is quick to change the subject ]
You can ask LILITH for things back home? Were you successful?
[ She wonders... There's some things back home that she wants to have. ]
no subject
That's...pretty cool. Funny how a lot of things here remind us of home. [Some books he found, the familiarity of the temples and shops that others brought up...]
I was. I asked for some books, and they got my copies from home.
no subject
[ There's certain things from home that she really wants to have again, like her collection of plushies and t-shirts. She gives the box one last touch before turning her full attention to Tary. ]
Do you have anything cheaper? I don't have enough money yet but I don't wish to leave empty handed either. Perhaps, something with a practical purpose as well? Like apparel.
[ Or plushies, they can be practical too! ]
no subject
[He leads her to another aisle, where clothing, fabrics, and plushies of mascots are kept.]
We have dishware, too, but that's a smaller selection.
no subject
[ For a store so small, it has a lot. But they all share the same theme of geekery despite the many differences. Shizuka follows his guidance and immediately sees the cute plushies. Try as she might to hide it, her eyes betray her cold confidence. Her hands as well, as she couldn't help but grab on to one of the plush toys that caught her attention - a white bear with a beige-pink nose and sparkly eyes and a shirt that says "hug me". ]
Hmph...
[ She scoffs at the written words on the shirt, running her thumbs on it in contemplation. She looks at Tary from the corner of her eyes, feeling her face warm up in embarrassment as this definitely looks different from the image she wants to project. ]
Do they give you a bonus if you help make a sale?
no subject
Shizuka looks interested, and the salesman in Taryon urges him to encourage the purchase. He steps over until he's right next to her.] A few credits, yes. But if you want it, buy it! Or don't, if you don't like it, I'm not here to tell you what you need to do.
no subject
[ Shizuka looks at the toy again, contemplating and letting it's softness welcome the pressure of her gentle grip onto itself. The sight and feeling of it made her smile enough, and Tary has shown her that he isn't the judgmental type. It was enough for her to make the decision. ]
Very well. I'll buy it.
[ Beat ]
It might make for a good gift for someone.
[ It's her. She's someone. ]
no subject
An excellent gift. And I'm saving up to buy one of those models, too. You're free to join me when I start working on it.
[Although he prefers to do the bulk of the effort. It's fun, having small pieces to fiddle with.]
no subject
[ Shizuka replies, sheepishly grinning but also quick to drag her emotion back to her stoic state. She shows very little of it - her excitement. This is probably the first time in her life that someone invites her to do something together, and this means a lot. But she cannot express it. There's a bit of a crinkle in her brows as she looks at the doll again, like she wants to say more but is holding her tongue. Instead, she distracts her mind by giving voice to her more practical side yet again: ]
How do I pay for this? I'm not used to this world's ways of purchasing yet.
[ QR Codes were the way of the world back home. Cash, credit cards... They were primitive by her time. ]
no subject
Kryptos. You have to transfer them from your account into the business's by linking your account to theirs. It's not the safest method, but...
[He misses the days when everything was paid in coins.]
You can access your account, right?
no subject
[ Shizuka taps the side of her ear to access her implant. The intuitive function of this augmented reality technology should be easy to get used to but, her reservations about body implants makes Shizuka feel iffy in using it. Still, she wants to buy this bear so she can forget about her disgust for a second.
But she pauses and looks at Tary when what he says finally registers and reaches her brain through her excitement ]
Wait- Is there a safer method?
[ Shizuka is too paranoid sometimes ]
no subject
[He sighs.] But that's what they do here, so you might as well get used to it. It's easier that lugging around bags of platinum.
no subject
[ She misunderstood him and thought there was a safer way to pay here in this world. But she does see his point. For a long time Japan was a cash-based society. Credit cards were barely used and QR codes took over eventually. The thought of it made her miss home. ]
Your world must be very different from mine.
[ But she syncs up her account and looks at the product of her measly police salary on there. Buying this stuffed animal is a significant deduction of what she currently has, but... She wants to be selfish for once. With a thought, she pays for the bear successfully. ]
There. I think it went through...
no subject
[Good thing he's a fast learner, or the culture shock would have been too much for him to handle. He stands aside, adjusting the display while Shizuka pays, and when she finishes, he gives her a polite bow.]
I see that's it's been registered. Thank you for shopping here. [His folded hands gesture towards her.] Is there anything else you need?
no subject
[ Adapting, she meant. Though she doesn't know how long he's been here. Magic existing in his world probably helps his mind with the technology, since Shizuka's experience with magic is basically like applied sciences. Still, that's as close to a compliment she can give, nodding at his bow and giving the bear one more look now that it's officially hers.
Her first selfish purchase in many many years, the thought is enough to warm her heart and make her smile genuinely. She looks at him - her friend - again, keeping that smile on her face. It's a rare sight that Tary is the first to see. ]
I believe that is it. But I will come back.
[ Still, she can't say thank you, but gives a polite bow as she takes her leave. The bear is clung into her arms tightly, head by her shoulders making it look like the bear is waving goodbye to Tary.
Once she's outside, Shizuka is unaware that she can still be seen from the window. She gives the bear another look, reading the words "hug me" on it's shirt as she holds it in front of her. Shizuka's glee couldn't be contained for very long as she gives her bear a tight hug, leaving with a pep in her step unlike the way she walked before entering the store. ]