3/10/2003

03:18 AM

Logfile from Yuurin

 

Lin's Dumpling House

This small resturant is one of those most notable ones on Mott Street with it's traditional decor and soft lighting. With space at a premium, the tables and chairs are packed close together, with the waiters darting back and forth between them with amazing agility. Though service is somewhat questionable, the aroma of the dumplings that give the restuaurant it's name is simply delectable. The menu offers almost twenty different varieties of dumplings from vegetarian, meat, to seafood on top of the usual varieties of chinese cuisine.

Haley and Yamayake are here.

Obvious exits:

Exit

 

Haley

Edged in royal blue, Haley's center-parted hair is otherwise mousy brown in hue, curling down to her chin where it abruptly ends. Dark grey eyes rimmed with blue eye-liner sit above a well-shaped nose, her smooth, pale skin betraying her Scandinavian ancestry. Cheekbones have been subtly highlighted with soft, pink tones and her lips bear the simple sheen of gloss. Cleanly lined brows have been pierced twice on the right side while a row of earrings adorns her left ear from top to bottom. She stands 5'6, her frame trim without being bulky, punctuated by feminine curves kept simple.

Haley's top is a tastefully cut spaghetti string shirt of pale green. The lack of sleeves showing off her shoulder tattoo: a purple gecko crawls up and over the Chinese character for creativity. Worn boot-cut jeans clothe her from the waist down, the back hem of each leg touching the ground. A black belt with several rows of metallic pyramid-shaped spikes keeps them from slipping down her hips. On her feet she is wears a worn pair of black boots. A chain hangs from one of the belt loops on her jeans extending to her back pocket, most likely to her wallet.

Haley appears to be 20 years, 3 months, and 19 days old.

She is awake, but has been staring off into space for 2 minutes.

 

Yamayake

Sandy blondish-brown hair just the short side of medium length fairly evenly rests around a face that still holds quite a bit of boyish charm, but also a certain maturity as well. Small laugh lines at the corner of his eyes give away his tendency to smile, while the beginnings of crow's feet around his eyes betray his other tendency of obsessive worry. Dark brown eyes give away a caring nature, and usually display a fair level of intelligence - when he isn't being panicky or impulsive. His build tends towards height rather than muscle, as befitting a track athlete or basketball player. He practically exudes a sense of good guy, and seems to have little to no problem with having people feel comfortable around him.

Comfort appears to be a main function of his wardrobe, with a seemingly endless supply of comfortably worn flannel shirts and old sweaters and sweatshirts. Old khakis and jeans comprise most of the lower half clothing, topping off workman's boots nearly the same brown as his hair that give him another inch of height. None of it appears that well cared for, but all of it seems much used and much appreciated. The occasional suit of workout sweats is also around somewhere, left from his days of basketball coaching.

Yamayake appears to be 24 years, 10 months, and 13 days old.

He is awake, but has been staring off into space for a minute.

 

Keisuke nods, digging a hand through slightly-messy hair and sipping his soda - wishing it was a beer or something stronger. "Yeah, I bartend. Bartender, basketball coach, errand boy - if it pays, more likely than not I'll do it." And soon he'll need to be paid again.

 

Haley and Keisuke are sitting at two different but nearly adjoining tables, both alone. Haley eats somemore, before lowering her fork to sit back and relax again. "Sounds like you know how to survive at least. You'll get a job soon enough I think. I like bartending myself. Pays well, you get free drinks now and then. And you aren't waising your money being the one boozing."

 

Keis is a good guy; he's not the most observant person in the world. Especially with jet lag and hunger, both of which he's suffering from, so he doesn't notice Toshie right off the bat. But it's mostly because the waiter comes back, carrying his plate - his eyes light up as he realizes that hunger's about to be abated. "Itadakimasu," he says quietly under his breath, before digging in - though nowhere near as voraciously as his sister. "Free drinks are always good," he says between bites. He's the one paying often enough to appreciate the perks of bartending. "And yeah, if the tippers are good, the pay is as well."

 

Haley nods. "Sure is," she says, letting the same waiter take her plate away to wrap up the rest. She takes another sip of her soda, looking around the restaurant once more while giving Keis a chance to eat. Let him get a few bites in before they start talking again.

Toshie sets out the money she managed to pull from her pockets upon the table, tongue poking from between her lips as she counts it out with a narrowed gaze, muttering one number. "Ano..." As a waiter passes by, the girl waves him closer and then shoves the coins into her pocket. She asks for something else that is above the amount she previously muttered, and then sits back to wait.

 

Once Keisuke's at least partially filled his stomach he sets down his chopsticks and reaches for his soda again. "This is amazing." Yes, he's praising the cooking, not the soda. New York /does/ have some quality food! "So, niceto meet you if I didn't say so before." He's getting meet-and-greet customs mixed up. But he too quickly settles back to people-watch... And this time he notices Toshie, and blinks. Fairly odd-looking... But could be interesting. (Especially with that outfit!)

 

Haley chuckles a bit. "I don't remember if you did or didn't. But it was nice to meet you as well. You seem nice enough," which means nothing in this city. She orders a second soda then, then waiter heading off as soon as he drops off her wrapped food. She notices Keis watching the girl and chuckles. Men and tight shirts.

 

Toshie waits, and waits, and waits... During this time of waiting the teenager kicks her feet back and forth, plays with the bracelets about her wrist, reaches up to idly smooth fingers over the feather in her hair. As she is looked at, the girl startles as if being caught, immediately drops fingers away, considers, and then flashes the young man a bright, dimpled grin. In the next breath though, the waiter returns with dumplings and chop sticks. The girl bows her head in thanks and then greedily digs into the food as if she hasn't eaten in quite some time, which is probably true.

 

Keisuke's the loser who never gets the girl. Pity him. His record in the romantic arena sucks horribly - something about 'nice guys finish last' or something of that nature. But he gives himself a mental smack in the head - she looks a bit too young for him. College girls at least. But he glances over at Haley - not nice to alienate people, after all - and gives a general nod in the girl's direction. "Want to invite her over?" No, he's /not/ doing it so he can look down her shirt u.u;;

 

Haley chuckles. "Sure. More conversation works. And I have awhile until I need to be at work anyways. Just don't stare at her the way you were five minutes ago. Girls tend not to like that," she suggests to him, smirking a bit.

 

Toshie eagerly eats at her dumplings, handling the chopsticks like an old pro. She bends over the bowl, the long curtain of her hair falling forward to partially shadow her. A flicker of a shadow without, and the girl is immediately looking back up, squinting out the window at the various passersby. "Baka..." she mutters, and then is back to her dumplings. Yummy things, even if she can't pay for them.

 

Keisuke oh-so-nearly sweatdrops. "I wasn't staring at her," he mutters, looking a bit put-out - but also slightly sheepish. At least he didn't spill his drink all over himself this time. "Be right back." He deposits his napkin on the table next to his chopsticks, gets to his feet, and approaches the girl. When he's within safe-enough distance, he starts talking in a friendly tone, hoping not to startle her. "Want to come join us?", accompanied by a point at the two tables.

 

Haley rolls her eyes slightly. "Riight," she says watching him walk off to ask the girl to join them. The waiter brings her a new can, and Haley pops it open, pouring it into her glass. She tosses a smile towards Keisuke and Toshie, her own signal for Toshie to join them, before taking a gulp of her drink.

 

Toshie is being addressed. Well, at least this time it isn't some creepy red-faced lady in a park. Chin lifts and amber-irised eyes draw up to look at the young man. There is a moment of searching in her gaze as she looks him over, and then she is looking beyond to Haley with a touch of confusion. Her head tilts to the side, as if listening for something, and she is already considering. Hrm. Maybe these people will pay for her lunch. In the next breath she is offering up another dimpled smile. "That is kind of you. Arigato." She bobs her head once more, but is smoothly sliding out of the booth, bowl cupped in her hand. "Could I have your name though?"

 

Keisuke'll get Haley for that... eventually u.u;; Being non-vengeful has a tendency to make you forget your revenges. "Arigato?" And Keisuke visibly brightens, a grin spreading over his face, switching to and speaking rapid Japanese - native toungue and all - not waiting for answers. "Are you Japanese? Great, I was beginning to think I was the only one around here, it's good to find someone who I can talk normally with, that is if you'll talk. Come on, come on, you can sit with us." And then he's giving her a hand up and barely stopping from dragging her back - seems the energy runs in the family. <<Japanese>>

 

If he gets Haley, she might try to convince a bouncer to /not/ let him in to see the pretty exotic dancers if he ever shows up at Fate or Fantasy. She blinks as Keisuke breaks into that rapid tongue, and looks rather..clueless.

 

Toshie is blinking up at Keisuke, and then is getting tugged along. "Yes, I can speak the language." She is blinking a bit more at the man before slipping down into a seat, careful not to spill her bowl or drop any chopsticks along the way. "I usually just speak this at home though. But... maybe we shouldn't be so rude to your companion." The girl waves a hand to Haley to indicate her, offering up her best shy smile. <<Japanese>>

 

Keisuke mentally whacks himself again, grinning a bit sheepishly. "Sumi- Ahh, excuse me. Got a little carried away." He too resumes his seat, picking up his chopsticks but not resuming eating. "I'm Keisuke, what's your name?"

 

Haley smiles at Toshie. "Hey there. Nice to meet you. I'm Haley. Thanks for joining us," she tells the girl, glancing at Keis. "And I think you made this guys day speaking whatever language you two started yammering in."

 

Toshie flashes Haley a broad grin, "Nice to meet you too. I'm sorry. We were speaking Japanese. My parents often speak it at home, so I was bound to learn it." But she is wrinkling her nose before poking at dumplings with one of her sticks. "Nice to meet you, Haley... Kiesuke. I'm Toshie, but everyone here seems to like shortening it to just Tosh. Again, thank you for inviting me."

 

Keisuke grins sheepishly again, the tips of his ears actually turning a tint red. "Sorry, just didn't think I'd be hearing Japanese again, except maybe from my sister." Who he can't find at the moment. His luck sucks, apparently. "But nice to meet you too, and it's no problem." He /barely/ manages to hold himself back from glancing down at Tosh's... umm... mid-section! That's it! But he does it. "Nothing really exciting going on, just talk."

 

Haley waves her hand. "It's no problem. Really. Better then sitting here alone, that is for sure. Nice to meet you Toshie. And Japanese. Sounded Asian. I'm at least better at guessing then I was when I first moved here." She smirks, watching Keisuke again, then shakes her head.

 

Toshie flickers a glance askance to Keisuke, looking rather feline for a moment there. "I don't mind speaking it, because I rarely do." She shifts once more, this time deliberately to cause her coat to open up a little more. Fingers dance over to flick one of those odd braids off of her shoulder and to her back, "Yes, this city has quite a number of people of so many different backgrounds. So much here." But then she is shrugging her shoulders, offering Haley another faint smile, and then is back at her dumplings.

 

Hey, he stopped himself! He didn't even look down! He's not Lee, after all. "Well, we weren't quite alone. I think we'd just run the topic of bartending into the ground, unless we wanted to drag out the customer horror stories." Toshie, are you /trying/ to drive him nuts? He's a nice guy, he's still a /guy/. It's verrrrrrry hard to make himself ignore that coat-movement - but he does.

 

Haley chuckles. "We could. I tend to have the issue of dealing with drunk men as a woman bartender. The bouncers quickly become my friends. Worst place to pick up a guy in my opinion. But," she shrugs a bit. "Don't really have many issues where I work. They focus on the dancers there. Not the 'tenders." She'd flash some skin. Just too darn cold to walk around like that this time of year. "I like the diversity Toshie. It's great for my photography."

 

Toshie is only seventeen. She has never been in a bar... right. "Oh. Yes? You both are employed together?" She blinks from one to the other with the cluelessness of someone newly arrived at a conversation, which she is. "It is getting awfully hot in here." Yep, there goes the coat, and she twists around to drape it over the side of the booth before facing forward once more. She nods across to Haley, "Oh? You take pictures?"

 

Okay, he's not looking at Toshie anymore. Just... being a nice guy is haaaaard ;.; "No, we don't work together, we just have the same profession. Horror stories and good things to laugh at tend to circulate." He picked up some stories from Sapporo when he worked. "Dancers?" Yep, Keisuke's kind of surprised at that. "You have dancers? You work at a strip club?" Oooooh! FUN!

Haley has a hard time not getting distracted now, shifting slightly so her eye level isn't at Toshie's chest. It's hard to not look when it's right in front of you. "No we don't. I do take pictures. I'm a photography major at NYU. I work at a club nights though, to pay for school." She grins at Toshie. "Not a strip club. Exotic dancing. They aren't completely naked. And like I said. It pays well. The tips are rather generous there."

 

Toshie tucks a bit of hair behind her ear, peering over at Keisuke, only to look on to Haley. "Dancers? I can dance." Wait. She lets Haley's comment seep in and then the girl's eyes open wide as saucers. "Ohhhhh, that kind of dancing." But still... this homeless thing isn't going to work forever. "I can dance. Would they hire me?" My, the teenager sounds rather serious there, doesn't she?

 

"Exotic dancing? That's still good!" Oh yes, Miaka'd crack him over the head if she heard that. But she didn't, so it's all good! "Yeah, I bet the tips /are/ generous." And if he could work in a place like that... actually, the alcohol'd probably have most of his attention. He's a happy drinking buddy, after all. But Toshie's question provokes a surprised look in her direction. "You'd want to work at one?" He's never met anyone wanting to /dance/ at once. He worked a normal bar.

 

Haley nods. "That kind of dancing. And like I told him, I'm just a bartender. If you want a job you need to talk to Tori. Uhh. Victoria Breslin, about a job. She's the manager." Haley won't even comment about the idea of a girl that young doing that line of work. She shrugs at Keis. "The dancers make more then the bartenders. Some of them seem to enjoy it." The ultimate female passtime. Make guys horny and leave them wanting.

 

Toshie blinks over at Kiesuke at his question before frowning, "Why not? It's better then sleeping in some old drug house, if it'll pay. I can do that. Well, I think I can." The girl is suddenly pushing up from her seat, climbing up onto the bench and then from there.. and to the horror of every person in the restaurant, proceeding to move as if to stand on the table. "I don't think my instructors meant table-dancing in my future, but if I can do it..." And it looks like she is gonna try it.

 

"Whoa!" Keisuke's first reaction is what he goes with: jumping to his feet and grabbing her wrist, yanking down frantically - so poor Tosh is pulled off her feet and basically lands on him. "Oof!" At least she had a relatively soft landing? He's gonna feel that one in the morning. But he gets his breath back quickly. "Don't do that in here, you could be arrested! Talk to this Tori person if you want to try!"

 

Haley looks rather startled as the girl starts to climb up the table, her jaw dropping quite a bit at Toshie. "Keisuke! You didn't hurt her did you? There are easier ways to get someone off a table then just pulling them," she says. "Are you ok Toshie?"

 

Toshie was just trying to prove a point, mostly to herself than anyone else. But she is being yanked down. Normally rather light upon her feet, it takes someone pulling her down hard to make the girl actually fall hard on him. "Aieee!" *topple... Flop* But not too hard, she is a rather slight thing and knows how to fall right. Gymnast. Hrm. Wonder what color Keisuke will turn if she tells him that? But, yes, she is currently laying flush atop the man, blinking down at him. "You could have just asked me to get down, you know. Baka." She turns her head to the side and flashes Haley a smile, "I've had worse falls.. but the mats weren't as nice looking as this one is."

 

Keisuke is bright... red... bright... red... Yes, he is now about as red as a beet, or tomato. You don't have girls falling in your lap every day. Especially girls that tease you about your looks. "Eeeh... Sumimasen!" The embarrassment promotes a switch back to Japanese, and he quickly pushes Toshie so she's sitting upright. "Sumimasen! Sorry! Just didn't want you to do anything..." Anything what? Embarassing? Foolhardy? Anything that'd make his jaw drop? Pick one of the above ;) <<Japanese>>

 

Haley grins. "No, I suppose not. He would be rather pleasant to fall on. Just wonder if he is harder or softer then the mats?" she asks Toshie with a wink. She reaches for her cup then to take a sip. "I notice he's also in no hurry to get you off."

 

Toshie flashes Keisuke a bright grin as she is pushed from him, taking this moment to comb back her hair away from her face. "Naughty... you are reverting again. But I suppose that's okay, I tend to start cursing in Mandarin when the mood strikes me." She settles back down, and then looks across to Haley, "He was comfortable, even a rather amazing shade of red." But then a look to the man once more, "Do anything like climb upon a table and try to dance? I can still do it if I need to."

 

His ears are still burning - especially at the word 'naughty'. And Haley starting to talk like that as well. And the harder or softer- AAAAH! But yes, he clears himself of all vestiges of Toshie rather quickly. "Just trying to save you from being arrested," he mumbles, nearly folding his arms like a pouting child. But still, it was fun... ;) "NO!" is Keisuke's reaction to Toshie's suggestion that she do it anyway. "Haley, don't encourage her!"

 

Haley smirks. "He was a rather interesting shade. Good job. I doubt I could make him blush like that." Haley sets her drink down. Yes, having Toshie come over was definately worth the amusement it has been providing. She raises a brow at him then. "Don't encourage her? Would you rather have me climb in your lap then?" she asks.

 

Toshie flashes Keisuke another impish grin, before nodding back to Haley, "This one is funny, ne? So easy to blush." A look to the man, "And you are a bartender? One would imagine you'd have more experience in dealing with girls." But she is shrugging her shoulders and returning to the vastly cooled dumplings. Nearly all gone. "I think he would probably explode if you did that... Haley."

 

"Just because you have experience doesn't mean it gets any easier, especially when the girl's not drunk." Okay, so Keisuke's pretty flaming red again. "And no!" Yes. No! Yes. No! Yes. No! "yes...? NO!" The internal battle between having yet a second female draped over him clearly shows in his face. He wants to hide under the table now, but what he does is groan and lean forward, elbows on the edge of the table, fingers digging into his hair, and mutter "Why'm /I/ always the one embarassed?"

 

"I agree Tosh. He'd be a pretty sorry bartender to get flustered that easily." Haley pauses a moment, picking up a double meaning to Toshie's phrase, as she takes another sip of her Coke, and near ends up having the Coke come out of her nose. She smirks at Keis then. "What's wrong? Don't like having girls drapped over you? And don't be embarassed. I'd think you'd be asking for numbers at this point, not whining about it" she says, amused.

 

Toshie shifts upon her seat, flicking the man quite a few blinks. "I suppose because you are the nice guy?" A glance across to Haley, and then back to Keisuke, "Usually it is the nice guys that tend to behave like that. You must be one of them... or in need of a few more girls in your life, if you pardon my being blunt. You are married, ne?"

 

"The girls aren't usually in their right minds when they fall on me, it makes things a lot different! And yeah I like it-" SHUT YOUR MOUTH KEISUKE! Or not, since that's what they seem to like, you're embarrassment, but too late now! "I mean, of course I- What guy wouldn't-" Nice guys finish last because they can't complete one sentence. "NO I'm not married!!!!!!!!" And ! for good measure.

 

Haley sits there chuckling softly. "So not married, nice guy. Blushes rather easily. Well now. I might have to fight you for him Toshie. Hard to find guys like that in this town. He seems rather cute when he gets this flustered. I'm amusing myself at thinking how he must trip over himself when he's drunk and being flirted with. What about you Toshie?"

 

Toshie can do only one thing at this moment, and that is blink. She does it more than once -quite a few times actually. "No? I wonder why." Hrm, could it be because the man seems to have some kind of speech impediment? Always stopping and starting. Yes, never finishing anything. "Clearly you have a problem with commitment." She flickers a glance over to Haley and smiles, "Oh, you can have him... just as soon as he pays for my dinner here." Yeah, she'll just slip that one in there.

 

"Same reason lots of other people aren't married, haven't found the girl yet!" At least he gets /that/ out in one piece. Actually, he has trouble finding girls... "And I /don't/ have a fear of commitment." No, the girls all have a fear of commitment with him. "Haley, don't /do/ that." Feel the red, Keisuke, feel the red... But oh no, he's not falling for that. His face quickly goes from embarrassed to no-way-in-hell. "No, I'm /not/ paying for your dinner. You got to use me as a landing pad, that's your reward for the evening."

 

Haley continues to look amused until Toshie tosses that last bit in. "Daa-amn. Know him 10 minutes and already having him pay for the date." She shakes her head. And she has her bill already. And she's paying for her meal alone. Though she does tease Keis a little more. "I think you enjoyed her landing more then she did, regardless of our teasing."

 

Toshie clearly didn't slip that in there as well as she was hoping. Damn is right. The girl smiles back over to him. "Well, New York is a big city with plenty of girls within it. I'm sure that it is only a matter of time before you find the right girl... or whatever." Hey, you never know. Maybe it isn't girls he is into anyway, and all of this was a cover up. "No? You aren't much of a gentleman at all, are you? And here I called you the nice guy." Guilt trip attempt.

 

Keisuke's ears turn a bit red again, but he doesn't do his duck-under-the-table face again as he looks at Haley. "Maybe, but I'm not paying!" He's living on his savings account until he finds a job - and he's an immigrant. Oh man. This'll be hard. And then back to Tosh. "I'm sure I will, I'm just not looking now. And I /am/ the nice guy or I would've tried to cop a feel and I didn't, but /I'm/ /not/ /paying/!"

 

Haley shakes her head. "I'll take this as a cue to pay my own bill, and head to work anyways." She rises then,  smiling at them both. "Good luck finding jobs you two. Maybe I'll see you around sometime Keisuke," Perhaps hinting nice guys don't always finish last. She heads to the register then to pay for her meal, slipping the waiter two singles as she passes him.

 

Toshie frowns just the faintest at Keisuke, dark brows drawing down as well as she is looking a mite perplexed at his tone. The girl sighs, looks away, and then proceeds to dig into a pocket with one of her hands. Maybe a few more dollar bills will magically arrive, like a certain stalking mutant of a pigeon. She glances up to Haley as she leaves, bowing her head to the young woman. "It was nice to meet you. Good bye."

 

Keisuke's look softens at the frown - he's a nii-chan, after all, sucker for younger girls begging (not that way sickos!) - but doesn't relent in paying. "Sorry Tosh, I've only got enough for myself." And indeed, when his money is produced, he's got enough to cover the bill and tip with only about seventy-three cents to spare. He'd heard not to carry a bunch of money around New York with you. Keisuke stands, saying something under his breath ("Gochisousama deshita"), and nods to them both. "Nice to meet you too." And then out he goes, taking a cue from Haley and also physically handing the waiter the tip.

 

(Later...)

 

Central Park (Northern End)

Walking farther north through the park, you find that there are several pathways you can take. A two lane asphalt roadway is open on occasion to incoming cars who wish to cross NYC by a more scenic route, but mostly it is made for the myriad of bicyclists and joggers that flood the roadways as they exercise their right to exercise. Otherwise, one can walk the simple pedestrian walkway that weaves through park, stone sidewalks guiding your path. The more intrepid actually climb about the erratics, huge metemorphic stones flung from the ice age into a city they did not originate.

Up ahead, the Metropolitan Museum of Art sits at the edge of the park and Fifth Avenue. Around the back and to the north side are huge glass windows, spanning all the way up to the roof, and revealing the greek/roman statue gardens within, as well as an authentic Egyptian Temple. To the west of the museum, you can see a tall obelisk, the weathered surface testament to the wet climate of NYC, though it had once stood untouched in the dry climate of its homeland.

Hatsui is here.

Obvious exits:

Central Park (SO)   Museum   Cleopatra's Needle

 

Those stone sidewalks? They're more aptly termed 'slidewalks'. Indeed, Anana's indulging herself in her usual more-than-fun past-time of -- no, that's not getting into trouble -- ice-sliding across the patches of ice left in the dips and hollows of the pathways, her laughter quite clear upon the crisp air. She's taken her hair out of its braid, though her hat still keeps it from being too wild.

 

Toshie has her hands dug deep into the pockets of her coat as she meanders her way across the walks of the part. The lapels of her coat are pulled up around her ears to cover them lest they freeze off. Ohhhhh, how she lives for the days of warmer weather. She sniffles once, brought on by the cold, and dabs at her nose with the cuff of her coat. The laughter garners the girl's attention, causing her to glance up and spy the ice-sliding other.

 

Hatsui

Wavy curls of pale pink tumble about her shoulders and frame her face, a few shorter-cut strands falling to just above her eyes, while the remainder reaches her lower back when loose. The delicacy of her features has remained, blue eyes fringed by dark lashes, the sweet curve of her mouth tinted a shade slightly darker than her hair, while there is a maturity and elegance to her features that is only expanded upon in her slight frame. Her body is beginning to blossom with slight curves at hip and chest; she will never be curvaceous, but that would suit her ill -- her looks are in her grace and delicacy. (OOC Note: To anyone with any chi sense whatsoever, Anana's a wellspring of yang-based power. It makes it very hard for her to sneak /anywhere/.)

Neatly-pressed khakis fit perfectly from waist to ankles, falling overtop a pair of hiking boots that, while they've seen some wear, are still kept up and tied in a double-knot. The khakis themselves have myriad pockets, the standard two front, two back, but there are two down each side at about knee-level, most often filled with something or another. A cashmere sweater of cool blue bears no brand-name save for quality, the V-neck exposing a collared shirt as crisply pressed as the khakis themselves. Her hair, rather than being in its usual braids, is gathered into one single braid, a few too-short tendrils framing her face.

Hatsui appears to be 15 years, 8 months, and 29 days old.

She is awake, but has been staring off into space for 3 minutes.

 

Anana is one of those who actually likes the colder weather. Weird sort, no? One particular skid across the ice doesn't quite go as well as she wanted it to, and thus, she falls right on her butt, still laughing. She glances up at the sniffling one, though, a broad smile upon her face. "'lo! Don't mind me," she says, picking herself up and dusting off the ice from the seat of her khakis. "Was just having some fun."

 

Toshie blinks over to Anana for a long moment, and then simply blinks again as the girl falls on her rear, "Are... are you alright?" But apparently the pink-haired one is getting right on back up, which causes the teenager to draw back a step. "Ie, gomen." And then a wan smile, "Fun?"

 

"Very!" Anana replies, laughing. "And... you're Japanese? Neat! A friend of mine is Japanese... well, several friends of mine are, come to think of it, but anyway, is everything all right?" She's not used to seeing people step back from her, really, and so, with a rather quizzical tilt of her head, she gestures to the ice. "Do you want to try?"

 

"Sort of," Toshie responds softly. "But no, I'm American." She just has some very diverse parents. "No, I'm fine. I just... It's been quite some time since I've just slid on ice like that. And falling on it is rather cold, if I remember rightly." The girl sort of edges towards the rim of a rather large patch of ice, toeing it a bit, tentatively.

 

Anana steps off the pathway, sketching an impish bow to Toshie. "Be my guest! It's /everybody's/ ice... until they salt it away," she notes, chuckling mischievously. "And if you don't fall, it'd get awfully boring awfully quickly, you know."

 

Toshie wrinkles her nose slightly, before reaching over and shove her hair back into her coat to keep it out of the way. "Yeah, but there aren't mats her or anything if I do fall." She shoots a speculative glance over and across to the side, "Or I could just aim for the snowbanks." Brrrrrrr. She slides her foot out a little more onto the ice, allowing it to slide around a bit while the other remains firmly planted upon dry ground.

 

"Mats? You need mats for ice-sliding?" Anana's voice turns rather amused at this thought -- she might appear to be fifteen or so, but she still has her moments of being twelve. "Oh, just go and /do/ it. It'll be fun! If you need to, I'll catch you wherever you wind up going. Got it? Do you want me to try to catch you?" Yes, even if she wound up being more-or-less squished, in spite of Toshie's light build. The hazards of being a scant five feet tall.

 

Toshie has two inches on Anana, wow. "No, more for the falling." She flickers a glance back to the girl, and then is considering the ice once more. Teeth bite at her bottom lip as she slowly eases out onto the slick surface, doing the short foot-slide maneuver. Penguin waddle anyone? Her hands are extended to either side to keep her balance, just in case. "No, no thank you. I'm sure I'll manage." *scutter-scutter*

 

Anana can't help it anymore. She begins to laugh helplessly at Toshie's gait, though it's not derisive laughter in the least. "Come on! Like this!" she exclaims, taking a short little run and hopping in front of Toshie and skidding the length of the ice-patch -- maybe four or five feet, as though a puddle of meltwater had gathered both on the walkway and on what would be grass during the summer. She's got practice doing this, after all.

 

Toshie blinks up as the girl goes sliding past her, and looking rather good as she does it too. A few more blinks are called for in response, teeth bite down a little harder on her lip, and then she gives it a bit more of a push. Pleased as peaches that she didn't fall, the teenager looks back up and shoots Anana a huge dimpled grin. But in the next second it is back down to watch where her feet are going, "You aren't going to tell me in a moment here that you are some kind of ice skating princess or anything, are you?"

 

Once again, Anana can't help it. She begins to laugh again, shaking her head mutely until she catches her breath. "No, no! Skating and this are waaaay different. If I wanted to go skate, I'd go to Wollman Rink." She returns the grin, though -- Toshie's mirth is infectuous. "My older brothers just like to play on the ice, so I learned how to deal with it, mostly because they used to laugh at me when I fell into the snowbanks. I'm just Anana. You can call me Ana, though."

 

Toshie is gaining a bit more in the way of guts her, scampering about to give another push in the other direction to gain some speed, always keeping her balance. "I've always wanted to go ice skating, but never had a chance to. So I suppose ice sliding will have to do." Costs money to rent skates and the like. Gaze is still rather pointedly down at her feet, "Toshie... but seeing as Americans like to shorten everything, I'm often called Tosh. Nice to meet you, Anana."

 

Anana watches Toshie with approval, a bright smile upon her face. "Nah, Toshie works for me. I just know that some people find my name funny with the two 'na's', I guess, so I decided to shorten it. Either way... you're learning faster than I did. I wish there were a bigger patch to slide on, but the only decent one got salted away a few days ago." In Anana's opinion, sliding is more fun than skating.

 

Toshie licks moderately chapped lips before pushing off once more, sliding across the ice with arms delicately held out 'til reaching the other side. "It is not so hard once you get used to it. Actually somewhat fun... and here I've been trying to walk around all the ice patches." She looks back up and over Anana, "But the weather will be changing soon. This might be some of the last we will see of this cold stuff, and it will not be too soon for me -even if this is fun."

 

Anana's expression flickers into something faintly troubled as she nods. "I love spring, but I love winter and the cold, too. The weather's already changed, now that we're into March." Her cheer returns quickly, though, and she skids across again, another laugh escaping her. "You cold, though? We could go somewhere and get some hot chocolate, my treat?" It's rare enough these days that she gets to talk to someone who's close to her own age and who she doesn't have a long history with, or memories of such.

 

Toshie is sliding across again, this time to meet Anana, but being a bit more daring this time by lifting one foot just a little off of the slick surface. Again, amazingly enough, the girl doesn't end up faceplanting or anything of the sort. She skips up onto the dry walk, smile evident. "Oh... your treat?" That would be the deal breaker right there. "I suppose I could do that." The girl flickers a glance over her shoulder, looking for her shadow but apparently not seeing it right off. In the next moment though, she is grinning back to Anana, "That would be nice. Thank you."

 

Anana taps a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "The closest place is probably the Godiva shop, and they have /yum/ hot chocolate as well as normal chocolates." It's pricey, but if Anana can manage spoiled rich kid who doesn't mind, then she might as well treat. "Is someone looking for you, then?" she asks as she heads towards the south, intent on cutting the shortest way towards the chocolate shoppe, and clearly expecting Toshie to follow.

 

Hatsui walks south through the park.

You walk south through the park.

 

Toshie trails along at their brisk pace, hands ducking deep into her pockets to try to warm them anew. "Oh. Godiva?" My, that is along the more expensive line of goodies, isn't it? She grins faintly before shaking her head slowly from side to side. "Looking for me," she echoes. "No, nobody important or anything."

 

"Mm-hmm," Anana says, mirth lurking in her eyes. If it's her guess, it's parental types, or at least guardians. As they near the exit to the park, she glances over her shoulder again. "So, where do you go to school?" she asks, a mild curiosity in her voice as she all but skips through the bars that prevent cars from entering at this point.

 

Hatsui exits Central Park and walks several blocks towards Madison Avenue.

You walk out of Central Park and walk several blocks towards Madison Avenue.

 

Toshie continues after Anana, grinning faintly. "Uhm..." Yes, slight hesitation. "A private school." Her gaze flickers up and down the street, before drawing her attention back to Anana, "And you?"

 

"I used to go to Marymount, but I'm homeschooled now." And quite happy to be; it certainly gives her more freedom. Marymount, though, is one of the Catholic girls' schools, private and somewhat exclusive. "So, which private school? They used to have inter-school sports and stuff. It was lots of fun, even though I'm /awful/ at anything physical except maybe gymnastics, but I haven't tried that at all really this time."

 

Hatsui walks into Godiva Chocolatier

You walk into Godiva Chocolatier

Godiva Chocolatier

Black and gold is the theme of this small shoppe, with black marble shelving being supported by golden rods as one example of the interior decor. The smell of freshly brewing chocolate coffee or hot chocolate is often wafting about the air as one enters. A few round tables filled with artfully displayed gold boxes, grace the floor of this store.

Everything in the demeanor of the store, from the merchandise to the ever so helpful associates bespeaks one word. Class.

Hatsui is here.

Obvious exits:

Exit

 

Toshie nods her head vaguely at the mention of the school, not really knowing all that much about most of the schools. "I attended an academy in the northern part of the state for awhile, and then was home schooled as well. My schedule didn't work well with normal classes. My mother was doing so for about a year now. She was very strict about my disciplines." The girl hesitates though as they enter the shop, before smiling faintly at the warmth. "Oh? You are into gymnastics?"

 

"Hot chocolate or coffee?" Anana asks, rubbing her hands together to regain some of the warmth in them -- while she /was/ wearing gloves, they weren't thick, exactly. "Hmm? I used to be, but it's sort of hard to get into it when you don't go to classes with organized practice anymore," she replies, shrugging slightly. Good save! "So... you've graduated, then? Neat. I've got to wait a bit longer before I take my GED, and I think I might wait a few years before actually going to university. Get some real world experience and stuff."

 

"Hot chocolate," Toshie prompts, licking her lips just the slightest in expectations of such a treat. "Oh yes, that is exactly why I went to an academy when we came here. They would fit in the classes in the afternoons after we were done training. But when I had to train for the team, that was when I had to have my mother take it over... I'm- That is to say, no, I haven't that yet or anything. No, I haven't graduated."

 

The two treats are duly ordered and concocoted, complete with whipped cream and sprinkles, and Anana hands one of the cups to Toshie, gesturing to one of the tables set there to watch people try not to drool over the various goodies on display. "Training for the team?" she prompts, stirring the whipped cream into the already-rich chocolate. "Sounds serious." She's avoiding topics that Toshie doesn't want to discuss at the moment, sipping with the calmness of a duenna at her sweet treat.

 

Toshie's eyes grow rather big and round at the sight of the cups. Ohhhh, sinful. She takes on in her hand, unable to resist a moment of dabbing a finger into the cream and popping it in her mouth. Mmmm. "Yes, the United States team. I did fairly good at nationals, so I was brought on as a runner up should one of the other girl's receive and injury and be unable to perform at the Olympics. Alas, it was me who got the injury. That was quite a couple of years ago."

 

Anana's eyes grow wide and she nearly drops her spoon. "That's so cool, though, that you were considered for the Olympics and everything!!" she exclaims, her reaction completely unfeigned even as it softens into a laugh. "I feel almost like I should ask for your autograph or some such..." Another slight change, into concern this time. "What happened that you wound up hurt?"

 

Toshie wrinkles her nose, actually looking a little embarrassed. "That was so long ago. It really is nothing. But I really should be resuming my training again, if I want to be ready for Greece, but..." She shrugs her shoulder negligently once more before trying a sip from the cup. "Oh, it was rather silly. Just another wrong landing on a dismount. Manages to fall a little hard on my ankle. Perfectly fine now."

Hatsui nominates you for exceptional roleplay!

 

"How long did it take you to recover from it?" Anana asks curiously. She's full of questions, it seems. "It'd be neat to say that I got to have hot chocolate with an olympic gymnast and got to slide on sidewalk ice with her." Now there's a distinctly teasing note in her voice, hiding her smile behind her mug of hot chocolate.

 

Yep, there comes the nose wrinkling once more. Toshie offers Anana a slight smile, "About six months, far too long to sit out. It was not good at all. But... I suppose you could say that I enjoyed my time off. It was nice to finally get away from training all the time and get out. Oh... its not so neat or anything. I'd say the chocolate is the best part."

 

Anana sets her cup down, keeping her fingers wrapped around the warmth of the mug. "Aww, I won't be able to brag to all my friends?" she asks in quite clearly mock-sorrow, freeing up one hand to comically lay it upon her forehead and flutter her lashes slightly before she straightens up again and winks at Toshie. "What did your mother think of all this, then?"

 

Toshie blinks across to Anana before chiming in with laugher. "Well... if you really must..." But she is rolling her eyes in teasing, "Bah. My mother, my parents. They are no fun. They want me to go right back to the training. Be serious now, Toshie. It was tiring, so I left."

 

Anana leans forward thoughtfully. "But if you had the talent, why wouldn't you want to use it?" It's somewhat antithetical to her thinking, in many ways -- she uses what resources come to hand, unless there's a moral reason not to, as in the case of her specific ability. "You left?"

 

Toshie shrugs her shoulders once more. "I like having time to go out. To play. I would train again, but... my parents are unreasonable." Or Toshie is just your typical rebellious youth, with a few extras. "Yes, I left. And I cannot go back to them now. Things are... well, they are weird." She takes a tentative sip from the cup, enjoying the chocolate with a sigh of pleasure.

 

Alert, alert, Anana trouble-warning sense beeping. It's a wonder she gets into as much trouble as she does with that, it's mostly that she ignores it in favor of finding out the reasons behind it. The girl stirs her hot chocolate again, the spoon clinking against the sides of the mug. "Parents don't get things sometimes," she concedes, nodding slowly. "Got to find a job-weird? Or other-weird?"

 

Toshie chuckles wryly, "I suppose finding a job would be good. This woman earlier mentioned this place that has dancers. I could try that... but the man there as well didn't think it was a very good idea." She shrugs her shoulders indolently. "No... it is just... weird." As she speaks, the girl flickers another hesitant glance out towards the window. "She wants to be in here... I think she wants to keep an eye on you."

 

That would be the weirdness-alarm. Anana glances out the window, trying to single out the person that Toshie means, frowning and ignoring the comment about dancers for the moment -- there're myriad places in New York that might have dancers, after all -- in favor of that. "Who wants to be in here? And why would they want to keep an eye on me?" she asks in apparent puzzlement as she turns back to Toshie.

 

"See now, that is exactly what makes it so weird. Like... how am I supposed to know things like that? You know..." Toshie looks back to Anana, questing in her eyes. "That her name is Shen, and that she really wants what is best for me. But then I'm like... Toshie, think girl... you are talking about a bird. Some tag-along bird. And... and I think I'm sounding awfully crazy. I'm sorry."

 

Anana combs her hair back from her face with her free hand, expression rather puzzled indeed. "A bird?" she asks, confused indeed. She doesn't know of any of the seishi who tend to have birds around, unless Amefuri were to summon one such. "I don't suppose that the name 'Kokie' means anything to you, then?" As that's the one seishi she wouldn't be able to recognize at this point.

 

Toshie blinks owlishly at Anana, "Yeah. Admittedly, she is awfully pretty. I think she is a falcon. Either that or a mutant pigeon, but every time I say that Shen gives me this look. Trust me, its that kind of look you get from your mother that says... you did not just say what I thought you said." Another sip of the chocolate is taken, "I'm sorry. What? Kokie? Is it supposed to?"

 

Anana giggles. "A mutant pigeon? Well, this /is/ New York. Maybe there's a super-intelligent breed of pigeon whose scion has taken a liking to you," she replies irreverently, eyes sparkling. Yes, Anana, mock the familiar. "And no, it wasn't supposed to mean anything. I would've been surprised if it had."

 

Toshie giggles as well, "I don't think she'd like that at all, no." Another grin. "No, Shen is rather insistent that the only thing pigeons are good for are for warming her belly." And it is only after she says that, that the girl frowns abruptly at what she says. "But she is good at watching over me, and finding us a place to sleep at night. In that I appreciate her."

 

Anana is now studying Toshie over the rim of her cup, using the steam that still lingers over the beverage to shroud her doing so. Thus, the frown is noticed, and she sets down her cup. "Is something wrong?" she asks gently, "Or did I say something wrong?" She really, surprisingly, doesn't want to lose her little friendship with Toshie.

 

Toshie blinks back at Anana, reaching out as if to touch the other girl's hand but not thinking at all about it. "Oh no, not at all. It's just me. Talking crazy and you are actually listening to it. You must be quite a good listener, and a very, very patient person."

 

Anana chuckles softly and bridges the gap without much question about the motion of giving Toshie's hand a little comforting squeeze, abandoning her hot chocolate mug completely now. "I grew up here. Weird things happen all the time," she reassures her, smiling. "Patience isn't my best virtue... my boyfriend's nickname for me is 'stubborn woman'. Maybe it's that stubborn belief that you're quite all right as you are that's making it seem like I'm patient."

 

Toshie returns Anana's smile with one of her own. "I suppose you have a point there, but nothing I would admit to all that quickly." A frown briefly appears again, and then the girl is sighing, "I should be going. I am taking up far too much of your time, it is getting late, and we still need to find a place. Anana? Thank you for the chocolate, and your time. It was nice to talk to you."

 

"I didn't catch your last name..." Anana says quickly, her expression concerned. "I'm Anana Colins." She gets to her feet, offering Toshie a hand up. "Don't forget to slide on the ice that you find, though, and to laugh. That usually helps any sort of weirdness going on around here."

 

Toshie hesitates, frowning across to her. "If I tell you my last name, you might try to contact my parents, and they are the last people I wish to see now. It is not that I don't trust you, just that I shouldn't say it." In the next breath though, she offers the other teenager a bright smile, "I will try to. Thank you." She makes it two steps away, frowns, returns to take up her cup of hot cholate and down every last drop. And then finally she leaves, slipping out the door to be immediately shadowed by the 'mutant pigeon'.

 

Anana stays where she is for a long moment, watching Toshie go with an expression that's distinctly mixed between sadness and frustration -- not the ex-chibi's usual mein, to be sure. And, finally, she just gulps down the rest of her own lukewarm hot chocolate and leaves a little tip for the waitress. There's this sneaking suspicion she'll see Toshie again.