(Open) November Catch All

[bazooker]

Who: Haru Okumura and you!
What: November Catch All Post
Where: Various Location
When: November
Content Warnings: Nothing really? Maybe vague Persona 5 Royal Spoilers



A. Merlaut Apartments

[All things considered, Haru had expected this world to be more chaotic. Granted, after everything she gone through, a change in scenery wasn't a bad thing. As she wandered around the lobby, there were so many thoughts running through her mind. How much longer was she staying here for? What was happening in her world right now? What about her other friends? She wasn't sure but she knew thinking such things wouldn't do her any good.

With a heavy sigh, she figured she might as well introduce herself to anyone else around here.]

Um, excuse me? I know this is an odd request but do you know where I can buy fertilizer?

The Heavenly Blanc Bar & Café

[It was odd how comfortable she felt in this café. There was always something about the smell of coffee and the atmosphere that always calmed her down. And yet, this was also different from the café she knew back home. The addition of a jukebox and a pinball machine was a nice touch.

Feeling curious, she made her way to the pinball machine. As she stared at the strange equipment, it was certainly nostalgic to see these as she played one when she was younger.

Should anyone look by, they could see the determined look on Haru's face even as she continues to lose!]

C. Aoba Shibumenosaki Underground Academy - Gymnasium

[As Haru looked at the gym equipment, she couldn't help but be impressed. To think, there was such variety in this school! She never thought she would be allowed to try them with her father around! It wasn't becoming of an heiress to attempt to lift such heavy weights or even try the treadmill.

Hoping no one would be around, she just had to lift one the heavier weights. If she could lift heavy bags of fertilizer, a 40 pound weight should be nothing right?]

You can do this, you must try! [She said to herself before attempting to lift it!]

D. Wildcard

[Surprise me! If there's a prompt you'd like me to write, let me know! Feel free to ping me at rosemotifs!]

Comments

[forethinking]

(Ren has been here for long enough to have these thoughts calm down and not hijack his mind much, but he gets it if she is anxious and would like to get her mind off things.

He simply shakes his head.)

I don't think they need it. (Because really, his own plants are alive and kicking and he does the bare minimum. They never seemed to need more than that. There might be somewhere Haru might like to see, though.)

We do have a flower shop.

[bazooker]

[When she saw her friend, there was a sense of relief. If there was someone whom she could count on, it was Ren.]

How perfect! I was hoping if I could plant some vegetables here. If they do not need it, it makes things much easier!

[She said with a giggle] Mind if you show me where this flower shop is?

[forethinking]

We can try, but I'm not sure anything will grow.

(Has this been tried yet? All Ren does is to move the already existing flowers around. Well, the Void doesn't work as one would expect. He gestures with his head so they can get moving.)

It's inside a church. (He works there and he's sure that if he asks Aerith, Haru could as well.)

[bazooker]

A flower shop inside a church? How interesting, it provides a scene where one feels calm and tranquil with the flowers!

[Then again, the idea of selling flowers inside a church wasn't too far of a stretch.]

I can't wait to see it, it seems like it would be lovely.

B!

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[As the resident gaming expert, or at least he considered himself the most qualified for that role, it was a bit irritating that there were so few games to choose from. Though he wasn't interested in playing the pinball machine himself, at least not now, he couldn't help but offer up some commentary when he saw her abysmal score]

Why even bother to mash the flippers if the result is always going to be the same?

[It was shocking really- how anyone could be this bad at such a simple contraption]

Just let the balls roll straight off the table and be done with it.

[bazooker]

[As Haru heard someone next to her, she couldn't help but give a slight jump! Turning around, she found herself staring at a familiar looking person]

Oh, it's yo-

[However, her words got cut short as the ball rolled in between the flappers]

I'm sorry, it's been quite sometime since I last played this game! I hope by practicing, I can improve!

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Truthfully, Kaiba still didn't know much about the girl other than her association with Ren Amamiya. It was possible that she might also be one of the phantom thieves, but it was a little difficult to picture her with an alter ego with all the frequent apologies. Would she have the courage for something like that?]

Do you even know what you're apologizing or is it just a reflex?

[Either way, annoying. Still, he sighed and quietly decided to ease up on her.]

I can show you how it's done.

[bazooker]

No, I'm afraid not. It is something I can accustomed to sometimes.

[That and years of dealing with being an obedient daughter to a wealthy father can make her apologize often.

Still, she just hoped she didn't make a bad impression already. As she took a step back, she looked at him and then the machine.]

Then please show me! I wish for you to tell me how to play this!

C

[bluecastleace]

[It’s an understatement to say that when Iwaizumi first discovered the would-be Aoba Johsai gymnasium he had been thrilled - well, maybe a mix of thrilled, wistful, and all around emotional. He’s been spending a great deal of time there since - probably the majority of his time actually, so it’s only natural that he’d be passing through, likely on his way to do some lifting himself, when he sees Haru giving herself a pep talk with a 40-pound weight. The future athletic trainer in him can’t help but pause to watch her, a somewhat amused smile on his face.]

It’s an arm workout, yeah, but don’t forget to put some tension in your legs too. Steel yourself, you know?

[Unsolicited advice, but hopefully not ill-received - you never know in this place.]

[bazooker]

[Right before Haru was about to lift the weight, she heard a voice from behind. Oh dear, she hoped she didn't interrupt his own workout!]

Don't worry, I will! I've heard weight training uses all of your muscles so I have to be careful!

[She said before attempting to lift the 40 pound dumbbell! Even if she was somewhat struggling] Although, I must say, it is very different compared to lifting fertilizer!

[bluecastleace]

I’m guessing that lifting a bag of fertilizer, you probably use both your arms, right?

[So yeah, that would be pretty different, unless he’s assuming too much when he says it.]

Forty pounds on one arm is pretty ambitious. [Another assumption. She just looks a bit inexperienced, that’s all.] No shame in starting smaller, you know.

[She could tear something, and that would be no fun, but he doesn’t exactly want to jump into lecture mode with a random stranger.]

[bazooker]

[It was rather ambitious but she would rather try and see if she could do it or not! With everything she got, she grabbed the dumbbell off of the ground and hoped for the best!

In fact, she felt proud that she could lift it up to her stomach before letting her arm fall back down.]

I know but I think I did fairly well for my first try! That was a lot more fun than I thought!

[Maybe holding onto those bazookas and grenade launchers were worth it?]

B.

[king_in_dreams]

[Noct really doesn't mean to, but he's kind of staring. He promises he's just watching her struggle with the pinball machine, though, and not at Haru herself, though it's kinda hard to tell. He's also trying not to throw off her concentration, but he can't really help it when she loses again.]

Good thing it's just kinda on free play, huh?

[He's teasing, he promises.]

[bazooker]

[At first, Haru didn't even notice Noct. All of her attention was on trying to get the flappers to hit the ball! While he was somewhat successful, it wasn't quite hitting where she wanted it to go.]

Hm? I suppose so but I wish to improve! This game is much more challenging than I thought!

[Despite the ball rolling through the flappers for a second time.]

[king_in_dreams]

[Noct makes a face, realizing he's distracted her.]

Yeah, pinball's kinda tricky until you get the hang of it. There was a whole series of them back home where you had to fight these little trooper guys.

[He's played more than his fair share of pinball because of that.]

[bazooker]

Really? I was not aware there different kinds of pinball games you could play! How is it different from what I'm playing now?

[Was she really that out of touch that were different versions of the same game?]

B!

[menaretrash]

[ Ann's been sitting here, watching Haru play for a while, looking absolutely amused as her friend hits the little silver ball around on the inside of the machine. She's certainly determined, which makes it even more amusing, honestly. After a while, though, she stands up to peer over poor Haru's shoulder, arms folded under her chest as she watches the ball. ]

Hey, you're getting better! See? Practice makes perfect!

[bazooker]

[Try as she might, Haru wasn't winning at all. Between trying to get the ball to the targets, it always ended up missing. Was she really that out of practice over playing a simple game?

Before she could continue any further, she spotted a familiar person standing next to her]

Oh, Ann-chan, I didn't see you there! Have you been watching me play this entire time? [How embarrassing was it to have her friend see her fail!]

[menaretrash]

[ Listen. This is the most fun Ann's had in a long, LONG time here. Haru is providing endless entertainment, even with her failures... so is it really a failure in the big scheme of things? ]

I have! I think you're getting better, though. Pin ball can be complicated! [ Mostly. Unless you get aggressive about it... ]

B

[bridge_princess]

[The most likely way that these two would have ever encountered each other for a first time was here. The bridge across the river into the void was out and behind the bar from some distance. That dirt path that led to it, and to the Hashihime's shrine next to the bridge, was the primary lifeline Parsee had to the world, so she made regular appearances here. Something of an old specter that haunted this place from time to time.

Slipping in one day, she caught sight of a new face, staring at the pinball machine and working up quite the determined furor. She walked over, quietly looking over the girl's shoulder at the score with her glittering green eyes.]

Bet you do better than me. I suck at that thing.

[Always the jealous one, this girl...]

[bazooker]

[As Haru continued to play, she was certain she was going to beat the high score! However, try as she might, she wasn't having any success. If anything, she was more than happy to get a score at all.

Which was why she was surprised when she heard a new voice popping in and saying such a thing.]

No, you're much too kind. It's been sometime since I played this and I think I could use more practice! [She said right as the ball fell between the flappers]

[bridge_princess]

Heh. Trust me. It's not a great compliment to say you're better than me. I barely broke a thousand the last time I played that game.

[Which was to say she might have struck the bumpers three or four times before it was all over. That was a pretty damned pathetic score, but she didn't understand how to really play. Parsee leaned against a nearby wall, looking over at Haru, biting and worrying her lip for a second before shrugging the thought off.]

You're new here. I can tell. Starting to get used to seeing new people. What brings you to this dive?

[That voice sounded... familiar maybe? She wasn't sure. She remembered Ren's memories but she couldn't be certain.]

(OOC: Up to you. Ren reminded me that she saw the casino heist job in his memories, so she heard Haru's voice there. But I leave up to you if she recognizes it.)

a

[anciently]

Fertilizer? Yup! You've come to the right girl!

[ Aerith, having just been leaving her own little apartment, pauses as this stranger poses the question. When she hears how she can help, though, she grins and offers a thumbs-up. ]

I run the Lemon Cello Church - where the flowers are growing in the middle of the floor? So, I've got some of that stored in the back. [ She takes a few more steps, then turns and tilts her head curiously. ] If you aren't busy, you can come over with me and get some. What do you think?

[bazooker]

How wonderful, I was hoping I would be able to plant some vegetables here and I'm so glad I can! Thank you!

[That and it would be a great way to relief some stress too! Just as she was about to follow her, she nodded her head] I don't see why not! It's the least I could do after you offered me fertilizer.

[anciently]

Of course! I'm sure everyone would be excited to hear that we can get some more fresh food. The sweets in the cafe were nice at first, but...

[ But...she'd like to keep her teeth, thank you! More non-sugary options would be greatly preferred. ]

Perfect! Off we go, then! [ And Aerith will start off, leading the way. As they go, she half-turns to smile in the stranger's direction, offering: ] I'm Aerith, by the way.