[RAFFLE ORP] Season's Savings

[Akira Midoriyama]

[With Adam in front of the Jewelry Store]

"I don't get what the big deal is with diamonds," Akira confessed. "I guess I can understand that some wear them as status symbols, like small earrings and such, but they seem cliche to me. Especially when marital culture today dictates that all women receive one as an engagement gift." He gave Adam a sideways glance as he adjusted his scarf. It had nearly fallen off him during their embrace.

"Oh, please. Isn't the food court the best-known place for mall meet-ups?" the trainer asked. Feeling like he'd chugged a mug of hot chocolate at Adam's kiss, he took his boyfriend by the hand. He was listening vaguely to what the blonde was telling him but was promptly distracted by the mention of music. "Music? Where? What kind?"  

[Sao Kasai]

[Izaya]

"Mm--" Izumi managed a little grunt of acknowledgement that she'd been spoken to. "Mm--Y-y-yeah..." She lifted her reddened face from her hands, scanning the crowd with tears welling in her eyes.

Running away like that was very rude... And embarrassing. Fire type pokemon or no, she shouldn't have run away from those nice people! But she couldn't help herself. Her gut got twisty, she got dizzy, and her legs moved all on their own.

"I-I'm..." She started, quietly, realizing that someone might wonder what was wrong with someone who was out of breath and visibly upset. "J-just... N-not great with, um, crowds..." The didn't need to know details. Izumi sighed and looked down at her feet.  

[Magician Arcana]

[Akira]

s**t. His stomached twisted at the subtle jab. Well... Maybe Akira had figured it out - No way. But even if he hadn't, the comment on marital culture dictating things didn't make it sound like Akira was content with the idea of potentially receiving a diamond ring, "They're status symbols yeah, but I guess it's also tradition? Dunno. They're too expensive for my tastes, but that's why there's lots of alternatives now. Kinda cool...

"Psh, yeah but then I'd get hungry and want to eat everything. So meeting here was the best idea~" Adam was pleased when they stopped talking about his really poorly planned lie they changed the subject, "It's in the Atrium which is near here, I think? Not sure what type of music, but it's live and that's the best kind. Shall we go?"  

[VerityHattress]

[Atrium - Keita Rowan]

Still not noticing that she was being watched, Keita began to look around again. While she was doing so Serperior kept moving about, proving to be too big for being in here ", If you don't keep still, I am going to put you back in the ball."

The regal pokemon turned his face away to pout some, moving against what his master said before giving off a small chuckle. Keita didn't find this funny though, giving her best friend a glare ", Are you trying to be funny? Please, don't move or I WILL put you back in the ball."  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

[At his Bench with Izumi]

The skinny man's brows furrowed when he noticed how wet Izumi's eyes were. "You sure? You don't seem like it, Izumi-chan." He leaned back against the back of the bench and stuck his hands in the depths of his long coat, regarding her seriously.

"You're not being chased, are you? Or in any sort of trouble?" If Shizuo wasn't her bodyguard anymore, that didn't necessarily mean she wasn't in danger. That gang - the Griffs or whatever - could have still been after her to get back at Jerome. Izaya imagined the agent must have had his hands full these days without having to keep an eye out for Izumi.

"Mm...the mall probably isn't a great place to be just now, then," he said, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a half-smile. "Do you want to go somewhere else? I can accompany you, if you like. We can at least find somewhere less crowded, like the roof, maybe."  

[Akira Midoriyama]

[With Adam in front of the Jewelry Store]

"Eww, tradition. Tradition dictates marriage is for a man and a woman. And other stupid things, like the first male child born to a family is its heir. Tradition needs to get over itself." Chuckling, Akira playfully elbowed Adam to show him he wasn't in too serious or irritable a mood regardless of his words.

"You should eat everything. You're nothing but the skin and bones of a growing boy. Come on; I'll buy you all the food you can eat." He hesitated. "...Or we can find some sort of food stall on the way to the Atrium. Which way is that, again?" He grinned at Adam's mention of live music being the best kind. "You can say that again. Hell yeah, we're going!" He put up both his and Adam's hand in the air excitedly. "Let's go!"  

[Magician Arcana]

[Akira]

Oh, thank Arceus for the elbow. Adam was starting to inwardly panicked that this was going to go badly. Panic enough that he considered taking the store up on their return policy. He chuffed out a laugh and grinned at his partner, using his free hand to nudge Akira in return.

"Man, I DO eat. I just have a high metabolism," And sometimes he didn't eat, but that was more or less his own fault for being low on funds or not having something suitable in his room if the cafeteria decided to go on a grease-feast, "But I'm sure there's a kiosk or something selling snacks. I remember one with popcorn. That sounds good."

Arm raised in the air, Adam felt whatever worry was left float away. "******** yes!" squeezing his boyfriends hand, Adam tugged them into the right direction, recalling how he had seen it when coming to the jewelry store, "It's not far from here. We can definitely find it no problem. Say, what is your favorite live music to listen to? It might be weird, but I think live Jazz is pretty ********' awesome. And of course live techno mixes."  

[Sao Kasai]

[Izaya]

A look of shock covered Izumi's face when the person next to her said her name. "Wha--I-Izaya?" She exclaimed, very much surprised to see her old acquaintance.

"I-I..." She paused, trying to unstick the words from her mouth. "N-no--I don't t-think I am..." Izumi scanned the crowd again and turned her eyes back to Izaya when she was satisfied that no fire type was following her.

"W-what are you doing here?" That was a stupid question. Izumi's cheeks flushed almost immediately as she asked it; He was here for the sales, like everyone else. Duh.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Tymiko

[Rooftop]

"Oh, no, it's okay," Alice said quickly with a shake of her head, "I don't mind. And I don't, um, I don't mean to disappoint you or anything," or maybe she wouldn't really be disappointed; why would she be? Maybe she didn't like being wrong? "I've only ever rollerbladed, I, um, never had a bike." She hesitated a moment or two when the girl turned back to the ice rink, and Alice followed her gaze. While she really wanted to get out there and skate, she didn't feel like it would be polite to just up and leave her newfound company, however abrupt. So with a curious smile she turned back to the girl, "Were you going to go ice skating too? Oh! I'm sorry - my name is Alice, and this," she gestured a gloved hand to her Sylveon, "is Cassandra. May I ask your name?"

Oh, wonderful, she was friendly! Pleased by this, Cassie grinned. she repeated thoughtfully, testing the names for herself. she added hastily. Distance's question made her grin a cheshire grin, and in response she moved the butterfly-shaped bows to mimic the flying bug's slow, gentle movements when sitting on a flower. ribbons...> To demonstrate the latter, she snaked one feeler-ribbon upward to wrap around her trainer's wrist. <...if I had to try and compare them to something, it'd have to be sort of like the vines that some grass-types have. I can move or pick things up with them, and use them to hold or do things. Like painting!> The Sylveon beamed happily; oh yes, she loved painting, even if she wasn't good at it. Distance didn't need to know that, though!  

[BlackFireKitsune]

[Citrine, no longer Izumi]

Ion was about to agree wholeheartedly with Citrine - Jozette was a wonderful friend and companion, she would never harm someone else - but before he could do so, Izumi had pulled her arm away from Citrine and fled as quickly as she could through the crowd, leaving Ion feeling distinctly unhelpful. He didn't hear the noise her fallen pokegear made. "Ah.." He began, feeling so apologetic that it seeped into his expression, his voice, even his posture. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for her to be so frightened.."

Jozette grumbled at him and gently swatted an arm - it wasn't like he was the scary fire-type, after all - and huffed as she crossed her arms. Well, she hadn't liked that weird girl anyway!

Despite her behavior, Ion merely offered her a sad smile before his gaze returned to the floor again. There must've been something he could have done, right? He hadn't thought of anything, though, and thus hadn't done anything helpful to assuage Izumi or try to calm her down. So much for... hm? "Is that hers?" He asked of Citrine, gesturing to the lonely device abandoned to the cold, unforgiving floor, awaiting the mercy of strangers. Had she dropped it on the floor by accident in her haste to get away?  

[BlackFireKitsune]

[Citrine]

"Well, she said she's afraid of fire-types," Ion gently reminded her, a sad smile on his face, "so I completely understand that she didn't want to stay near one." He still felt completely responsible for Izumi's unpleasant experience, and that he could have solved it much better had he given it some thought before she'd hastily departed. Setting aside the distinct feeling of failure, he nodded to Citrine, his smile renewed. "I'd be very grateful if you could, Citrine. Thank you." The teen offered Jozette an apologetic smile - one she didn't say, thanks to her pouting - so he set his free hand on her shoulder. "I don't think Jozette and I should return it, I wouldn't want to frighten her again." The thought of going there without Jozette right next to him didn't even cross his mind.

Mention of the crowds drew his attention back to the shifting sea of people flowing in multiple directions. It even seemed to mimic the sea in its movements; some smooth waves when people passed without incident, and some rough waves when people bumped into one another or tried to push in the opposite direction than those around them. No, he didn't see Izumi anywhere, and doubted they would be able to find her here. They didn't know how far she would go or what part of the mall she would stop in; it would be much simpler to return it to her directly. "Oh," his attention shifted back to Citrine and he smiled apologetically. "I intended to look around for a couple things I could use for my apartment. I might be able to afford something with the sales. They really seem wonderful," Ion said, still smiling as he moved to join Citrine. Jozette huffed one final time before she hastily followed. "I would love to wander around together. May I ask why you're out shopping today as well?"  

[Akira Midoriyama]

[With Adam heading toward the Atrium]

"High metabolism, huh? That's what's said about bug-pokemon, but all they live off of is nectar, which is pretty much sugar water. And you're worse since you're an alcoholic." He shook his head. "Popcorn is not a substantial meal. At least let me buy you a hot dog or something."

His enjoyment of their outing returning to his expression, Akira looked up at the blonde when he was asked a question. "I don't know. I think I love all music types. What do you like so much about live Jazz?" he wanted to know, interested in this idea of perhaps liking some live versions of music better than recorded versions of other genres.

He wondered how something like techno or dub-step would sound live, or if that was even a type of music that could accurately be performed live. According to Adam, evidently it was. "Are you talking about music being sung, played, or synthesized?"  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

[At his Bench with Izumi]

Crimson eyes tried to get a read on the blue-haired girl's face as she said his name, wondering what she knew of him by now. He'd been imprisoned in one place or another for so much of the past few years that he had no idea what to expect anymore. He still wasn't entirely sure what many of his fellow Rockets now thought of him, much less civilian trainers.

"That's good, then," he said, relieved for both their sakes that no one had been in pursuit of the mechanic. "Maybe you'll feel better if you just sit here a while and take some deep breaths."

He was somewhat surprised to hear her ask him what he was doing there. He wasn't used to people wondering that sort of thing unless they suspected he was up to no good. Perhaps she did, though, and that was why she asked. Her current paranoid demeanor certainly seemed to support the idea. But then why was she blushing? Was she shy to ask? Embarrassed? Maybe his presence reminded her of their mutual friend - no, that was too strong a word; mutual associate? - and the thought of Jerome was the cause of her change in complexion.

Izaya gave her a tired, faint smile and glanced at the passersby. "I'm just trying to get my mind off some things," he answered honestly, surprising himself at his openness. "I like watching people, so I thought I'd come here, but it didn't seem to be doing much good. Not until you showed up, at least."  

[TawnyAngel]

Shaddaling

[Food Court - Lex]

"Pretty, but not much use. Sounds like somebody I knew back in Orre," KO said with a little smirk; shame about that guy really but he should have been more careful about what he said to who. Shaking his head slightly KO pushed the matter out of his mind and looked around at the range of booths; so much choice! Almost too much really so he was glad to have Pulsar narrow it down a little.

"Humm... Well it looks like we could get pig roast rolls over there, Philly cheese steaks over there... burgers of course, but quality by the looks of it." KO squinted slightly to read a distant sign. "Exotic meat hotdogs? Humm. Well we could eat hotdogs suggestively if you want but I think I'm being called by the cheese steaks." Made with 100% genuine Tauros, delicious!