[Mini-Mingle] A Shopping Trip

[henchgal]

Given that those who're staying at the ADI housing are getting a clothing allowance, Meredith has taken it upon herself to organize a shopping trip to the Marshalls at Gloucester Crossing. The store is full of surprising deals, and a wide enough variety of clothing that people of all genders might find something interesting. There's even some of the new fall selections in stock already.

While Meredith's been sure to grab those who obviously need a little help, and those who'll obviously enjoy the chance to get out of ADI territory, everyone's welcome to come along for the trip.

(ooc: feel free to tag around with one another as well as me, this is just a fun way to introduce our characters to one another)

Comments

Meredith Idlewild - OC

[henchgal]

For her own part, Meredith gravitates toward the business casual attire, making sure she's well-outfitted for the office with neutral skirts and slacks that'll mix and match with blouses in a few different colors. Despite the fact that she walks with a cane, she's relatively energetic as she flits around the store, offering an opinion on a shirt here, pointing out a display of sweaters there, helping someone find a bargain over by there.

Perhaps she's asking your character if they've seen any ankle boots in the shoe section, or debating between a pair of blouses. Or perhaps you've asked her for help she's glad to offer. Today, at least, there's no worry on her face.

[ployboy]

Marshalls doesn't sell Brioni.

Which is fine, and totally something that Tim knew, and it seriously doesn't matter, but it's... weird, anyway. It's weird because he might have literally woken up on the wrong side of the bed today, trying to will himself to face this entirely mundane field trip with good spirits. The store is decently packed, and Tim had given the sliding doors one last mournful look before trudging inside.

He wants a car.

But jeans and sneakers will have to do.

Eventually he floats back to Meredith, almost entirely on accident. (It's not his fault the aisles can get so crowded.) Tim resists the boyish urge to bump her. He raises a brow. "I'm obligated to inform you that you have your eyes on a ridiculous amount of khaki."

[henchgal]

"Not just khakis. Greys and blacks as well. Good neutrals that can go with anything, that's the secret to making a limited wardrobe work."

Meredith is leaning on the cart by this point, the cane resting in the basket.

"This is an oasis of normalcy for me."

[ployboy]

You know what, they're both leaning on the cart by this point. Tim's at the nose of it, one hand braced against it as he feigns nodding off because ohmygod he really is getting a small lesson in appropriate workwear color palettes.

This really is his life.

"You know we don't have a dress code, right?" He perks up again and removes himself from the immediate danger zone of, like, getting run over or something. "And also that your oasis had a four-year-old stuffing their hand down a jar of some really pretentious looking jellybeans?"

[henchgal]

"We're working in an office space, we ought to look presentable." She shrugs. "You can wear what you'd like. I feel more confident when I look sharp. I can't stand looking like a slouch."

ren amamiya | persona 5

[forethinking]

(Ren just happens to have been checking out the area, completely unaware that this was an outing for the newcomers. Well, perhaps the commotion of a group of people gives him that much information, and he smiles as he leaves one of the changing booths with a complete different look from what he arrived in - no longer in a v-neck and blazer, but instead, in a comfortable red sweater and darker jeans.

He likes it! Ren gives himself a confident nod on the mirror before he leaves, accidentally bumping on whoever was about to enter the newly emptied booth. Oops. He's not doing great on the clumsiness as of late.)

... I'm sorry!

[ployboy]

His hands come up instinctively, and he even has the good grace to look apologetic. Thankfully, all he has is a pair of jeans hanging from his arm and nothing is at risk for clattering to the floor. Which is good. The floor's sticky sometimes. "Point. Do you think anyone would mind if I go around dressed in a trenchcoat fedora? Do they sell that here?"

[henchgal]

"You'll look like the Midnight Detective if you do that, but knock yourself out." She gestures vaguely toward the outerwear section.

"Just don't grab a trilby when you're looking for a fedora."

[henchgal]

[Meredith steps back, trying to make sure she doesn't accidentally trip him with her cane in the process.] No, no, probably my fault. Are you alright?

[ployboy]

Tim turns to where she points, immediately pulling a face. Why are there fluffy jackets. It's summer. More specifically, it's-- well, anyway.

"Sorry, who? The Midnight Detective?" And here he had been, a fool, fantasizing about '40s noir flicks and lamenting the gross lack of Green Lantern or Booster Gold graphic tees. Tim shoots Meredith a pleading sort of look. He knows he's being a pain, but being a pain in someone's side is a good distraction.

He's only somewhat sorry.

"Who's his arch nemesis? Le Femme Fatale? Blackjack? Poker Face?"

[henchgal]

"The Torch Singer and the Five Diamond Gang, but close." She lets out a bit of a laugh. "So close enough, honestly."

Mercy Graves | OC

[graveyounglady]

"What about ten?" Mercy holds the shirt with a price tag that very clearly reads $29.99 on it up to the perplexed-looking store clerk.

"That-that's not- I'm sorry, that's not on sale right now."

"Oh, come on," the young woman wheedles, flashing a smile and a wink. "How about this? I'll throw in some of this dried basil I got." She pulls out a small leather pouch from her haversack, setting that on the counter. "It's been blessed by the Spring Tide, sure as you like."

The clerk stares at her, and just... continues staring. Mercy does not back down, just shakes the bag of herbs lightly. Someone may want to save this poor person.

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Aelwyn bumps her head against the doorway, surprised by being collided with. Ow. She goes to numb that pain before remembering her lack of powers. Ugh.]

No need to apologize. Just... watch where you're going, I guess?

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Aelwyn always finds it funny watching people from Fallinel or Highcourt deal with these Solisian stores.]

You know, if you want to rob them, you can just whip out a knife. You have money, yes?

[henchgal]

Meredith swoops in like a three-legged owl on wings of purpose, come to the rescue.

"The prices here are set, there's really no room to haggle, unfortunately." Her tone is placating, and she offers a toothy smile to both the clerk and to Mercy.

[graveyounglady]

I ain't robbing! [Mercy flashes an apologetic smile at the clerk.] We just gotta come to a right agreement about a price, don't we? No harm in a little back and forth.

[The clerk looks to Aelwyn, apparently viewing her as some sort of salvation.]

Aelwyn Abernant | Dimension 20

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Aelwyn jumped at the chance to go shopping. It's one of her favourite things to do.

She is going through a selection of shirts she deems as nice. They're button-up, very dark academia, and she seems lost in thought. She'll get her party clothes a bit later, when there aren't full adults here to judge her. She'll turn to whoever's closest, raise a black shirt with little floral decorative seams on the collar.]

Thoughts?

[aelwyn_aberration]

That's... not really how it's done here, sorry to say. It was a bit of a struggle for me to figure it out the first time too.

Do you actually lack the funds, or are you just haggling to be thrifty?

[She can respect the latter, even if she's rich and doesn't understand why people would ever be poor.]

[graveyounglady]

"No room to haggle?" Mercy tilts her head in confusion. "My Mama told me there's always room to haggle." She glances back at the clerk. "We just gotta find what you want, don't we"--she looks at the nametag--"Ms. Susan? Reckon I got some mighty fine ointments with me. One's even got peppermint. Good for aching joint."

[graveyounglady]

I got money... not much of it, but there's some. You gotta stretch a thing like that out, though, don't you?

[A few customers in the line behind her start making annoyed sounds, and Mercy steps away from the counter, still holding onto the shirt.]

I wasn't gonna say it in front of that seller, but their tailor here ain't much as they're paying them for if these are their prices. [She shows the shirt to Aelwyn, lowering her voice as she explains.] Seams is crooked here, and you got threads coming off. It ain't hard to hide or even fix, but $29? That's too high.

[She has no concept of whether that's too high. This place doesn't run on the marks she's used to, and something like this should cost a few marks at most given the quality.]

[henchgal]

"They only accept money as payment, here--though I need to talk to you about that ointment for bad joints when we get home. I'll definitely need some of that as days go by."

While that's intended in part as a distraction, that ointment does sound really nice, given the givens.

[aelwyn_aberration]

Is it? I wouldn't know, I'm rich. But yes, that is pretty shoddy craftsmanship... Still, haggling's not so much something that can be done in shops like these. Clerk doesn't set the price, as far as I know, the ones who own the shop do. Perhaps you can improve it and sell it at a higher price, if you're worried about losing money over it?

[Poor people... What do they eat.]

If you want me to pay for it, I can. Just to give the poor clerk a break more than anything else.

[She flashes a winning smile at the clerk and shoots her a wink.]

Keith | Voltron: Legendary Defender

[marmoron]

[ considering this guy walked into marshall's wearing a full on spacesuit? yeah. keith's in dire need of a few outfits that aren't going to draw as much attention.

for better or for worse (worse lbr), keith is looking for casual clothe similar to the ones he favored back in his home world. so while this means he's got a cart full of very boring black and grey t-shirts and pants, he can also be found perusing the jacket section and eyeing up lovely (?) designs such as this. the boots he's eyeing are at least.. arguably less tragic.

intervene? help him actually find better clothes? ask him why the heck he's wearing space battle armor?

or alternatively, while you're standing in line at the cash register, he'll turn to your character and ask somewhat flatly: ]

This place anything like your home?

[henchgal]

It's a lot like my home. Smaller city, but the world is very similar. Right level of technology, give or take a few mad geniuses. The...everything we're here to deal with is new, though.

[Meredith eyes the contents of Keith's cart, gaze lingering on the boots.]

Those are going to stand out a lot here, for the record. You'll draw attention.

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Aelwyn will watch him pick at the jacket, look at him, look at the jacket.]

Oh, honey, no. Just no.