Sightseeing [Sharaku]

Subject: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Mon Feb 16, 2015 12:35 pm

it was after school. Mae had made plans with Hyde and Jack to go to a Karaoke Bar in Penecia the coming friday, so she determined that a little recon was necessary. So, after stuffing all of her books inside her backpack, Mae headed for the station, with a smile on her face. Not that she knew anything about Penecia, so her trip there was a huge risk, but it was one worth taking. And perhaps with a little luck, she would find Sharaku Rikei there as well. Sharaku lived there after all, so the two of them meeting wasn't too outlandish. Besides, she wanted to get to know him better. So there really wasn't a reason not to go!

Mae took a look at the times tables, and noted that the next tram going to Penecia was arriving in ten minutes. She walked over to a nearby bench, sat down, and started reading up on a subject they had gone over in school that she didn't fully understand, just to pass the time. After ten minutes had passed, the tram arrived as scheduled, and Mae embarked.

"Next Stop, Penecia Resort. Please check your seats and surroudings for personal belongings before you leave. We wish you all a good day, and we hope to see you again soon.". The doors slid open after the train conductors announcement, and Mae walked out on Penecian soil. The air was alot fresher than the air had been back at San Malarus. Mae put on her pink, fluffy earmuffs, and wrapped the scarf a bit tighter around her neck, as she looked around the platform for an exit. After a little trial and error, she managed to find a way out. She took a good look at the clock. 4:30 PM...

She started wandering around Penecia island, scanning every building for something which could potentially be a Karaoke bar. It was truly cold here. Sure, there was no snow on the ground, but Mae could see puffs of smoke everytime she breathed out. If it hadn't been for her warm clothes, she would've been shivering. Mae was so focused on finding a Karaoke bar that she didn't pay the people around her much attention. Perhaps that was why she bumped into someone again. "Kya-!" Mae squealed as she fell to the ground.

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:33 pm

Once again, Sharaku found himself declaring that staying inside was boring. There was literally nothing to do, and he was starting to get tired of staring at the walls. Not that he had any specific idea as to what should he do, but anything sounded better than simply sitting around. If only it wasn't cold outside. He was beginning to dislike winter at this rate. It wouldn't be a big deal if he wasn't spending a lot of time outside, alas that was not the case. And it was annoying.

...another thing was, people not paying attention. It wasn't that he had a problem with avoiding people in the way, but he seriously didn't feel like keeping an eye all the time. Maybe he should start doing that, because apparently people liked to run into him at every given opportunity. He would frown a little, taking a step back to keep balance, only to raise an eyebrow when noticing it was the same girl from some time ago. Was she that spaced out, or just clumsy? Because, twice in a short amount of time was hard to account to coincidence. ''Do you actually make a hobby out of running into people?'', he'd ask, sort of poking at her, as he offerend her a hand to get up, probably blowing a bit of smoke into her face in the process.

''Nice to see you again, however.''

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Mon Feb 16, 2015 5:19 pm

"Oh! Rikei-san!" Mae grabbed hold of Sharaku's outstretched hand, and got back up on her feet. "T-thanks..." Mae mumbled. She couldn't believe that she would not just bump into him once, but TWICE! Mae giggled at his comment about this "Habit" of hers. "I guess that's just how I am. Ehehe." Mae scratched the back of her head with a sheepish smile on her face. "It's nice to see you too~! I just got off school! I'm currently looking for a Karaoke Bar of some kind here in Penecia. I'm supposed to go to one with some friends from school on friday, so here I am. I'm looking for one in advance, just to make sure I know the way there on friday. I know, there's the internet for this kind of stuff, but what's the fun in that, when I can explore Penecia at the same time?" She smiled happily. "Besides, there's no better way to find your way through a new neighbourhood than to get lost and find your way back on your own." At least, that was Mae's experience with it.

"But now that you're here, why not show me around? I'm sure you know this place quite well by now." Mae looked down a little. "Oh, I'm sorry. Here I am babbling on and on. You must be thinking 'When will this girl shut her trap?' or something right?" Mae had an apologetic expression upon her face. It wasn't like her to keep rambling on like she just did. Good thing she stopped herself before things became worse. "So, what are you doing? Out for an afternoon walk?"

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:05 pm

Um. Okay? Sharaku would stare at her blankly for a few moments. He hadn't asked her to give him a summary of her day, had he? To be completely honest, he never understood this particular notion. Why would you feel the need to summarize what were you doing and going to do in detail, to someone you barely knew, without even being prompted to in the first place? Did people really love giving out everything without a care? It simply made little sense to him. He did not like people knowing every other step he did, and he doubted he would ever understand why many others enjoyed informing of such. She kind of reminded him of Hyde in this aspect. Talking non-stop, about something he never meant to inquire about. It was...fine...he could get used to it. The only real problem was, that he wasn't that much of an avid listener, unless he had a way to keep focused. And standing in one place like a statue, was not really it.

He would hum faintly. ''...I'm not sure whether I even caught all that. But, can I ask why are you telling me? I don't believe I've asked about a detailed summary of what were you doing, have I?'' He wasn't sure whether to be concerned yet, or not. Because, he was most likely going to have a hard time, in case this was a habit of hers. He's learned to read between the lines when it came to Hyde, but he couldn't really apply the same strategy on each person. ''To clarify. I don't mind people talking a lot. I'm not even thinking about anything at the moment, to be honest. I just don't get why do I need to know that exactly..?'' What did her planned trip with classmates have to do with him at all?

''Either way, I suppose I can. I'm not really doing anything. I was just bored of sitting inside.'', he would shrug faintly. He had no reason to decline, and he wasn't lying either. There wasn't anything specific on his to do list at the current moment. ''You could have asked your friends where to go first though. Getting lost here is far from fun. You won't have it easy to find your way once you do. Unless you're lucky enough to meet someone who can show you. However, a bigger part of the people here are tourists themselves, and they wouldn't tell you much.'' It was kind of strange to agree to go somewhere you did not know, and not even ask for directions first.

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:57 pm

"I guess I'm just a little nervous. I normally don't speak that much. I'm really quite open with my daily plans, and besides I needed something to talk about. As far as descriptions go, I got a somewhat decent phone with a GPS tracker, so I should be fine. It's not like you need to know, It's more like I want to tell you." Mae puffed up her cheeks slightly. "Oh Yeah, Speaking of which, I heard you know Hyde Mizumi quite well. I met him during lunch today. From what I've heard, you two are getting along well. He works here in Penecia, right?" Mae looked up at the tall man. // Geez, he's tough to read. And it doesn't exactly help that I'm a good foot shorter than him. It strains my neck. But eh, I'll live... // Mae thought to herself. She could not believe that she would bump into him again like this. Hopefully this was the last time.

"So, are there any places of note I should see here before I leave?"

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Tue Feb 17, 2015 1:42 pm

Sharaku would raise an eyebrow. ''Nervous? Usually, when I see nervous people, they talk less, instead of more.'' Maybe just his personal luck? Still, he probably wouldn't rant much if he felt that way. Eh, to each their own, though it struck him as a little strange. ''Technically speaking, you didn't need things to talk about. As they say, sometimes actions speak louder than words, right?'', he would retort, giving her an amused smile. There wasn't a need for her search for a topic to talk about out of the blue. After all, what if he actually prefered silence? She had no idea of knowing yet.

...When she suddenly brought up Hyde, he would stare at her quite blankly at first. What? Seriously? Was his luck really that bad? Not that he had a specific problem with Hyde hanging out with people, but he knew the redhead well. And said redhead had a knack for telling stuff that was rather...over the top. Seeing how she knew the two of them were acquainted, it was obvious Hyde opened his mouth for one reason or another. Inwardly, he was almost afraid to want to know what exactly did Hyde say about him. God save them all. He just wanted to facepalm so bad right now. ''...Ah, yes....I do know him.'', he would try to be casual, but end up frowning a bit. ''I do hope he didn't tell you something weird. I know he likes to let his mouth run a bit too much.'' For real.

''Depends on what you like? There are a few things, like the amusement park, a circus, or perhaps a night club. I don't know what exactly would you wnat to take note of.'', he'd answer her question nonchalantly, looking down at her calmly. Penecia had a lot of stuff after all.

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Wed Feb 18, 2015 10:29 am

"Well, I guess that's true. I need to calm my nerves... I don't wanna bother you." Mae took a deep breath. //Actions speak louder than words, huh...? // Mae thought to herself. "I guess I'm the rare kind... I start running my mouth without thinking when I get nervous. Is that weird?" She looked at Sharaku, raising an eyebrow.

"No, no, not at all. He actually spoke quite fondly of you. From what I gathered from Hyde, the two of you seem pretty close. What's with the face? Actually, nevermind that, I think I know the reason." She giggled. The world was truly a small place. That a big chunk out of all these people she'd met during her first week here in Azores ended up knowing eachother in some fashion, whether it be close or not. Lady Luck had fun ways of showing her influence here in Azores, that's for sure.

"Well, it's to be expected from the Azorean Tourist Resort to have alot of places to make memories. Mind showing them all?" Mae tilted her head, smiling. "If it's not too much to ask." She added quickly.

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:26 pm

Weird? Perhaps, though it most likely depended on the angle a person was looking at the issue from. Someone else might have found that quite normal. Sharaku just found it a little contradicting to talk non-stop when you were nervous. Wouldn't one want to consider what were they saying in such a case, before actually blurting it out? Most people stuttered and such when like that. ''I don't know. However, I don't see much of that on a daily basis.'' Fact was, that he didn't really care as to why she did it that way. It did not line up with what he thought, yes, but did it matter? As long as she didn't literally talk him to death. Seeing as he could handle Hyde, this should be fine enough as it was.

Fondly...That was to be expected of Hyde. The redhead always sprouted how he liked his friends. That in itself was not his worry. He would put a hand on his hip as he stared at her for a while, thinking of an answer. ''You sure you do?'', he would state a little jokingly, giving her a sort of deadpan glance. ''It's not really about what he's trying to convey, but how he does it. Hyde just has a habit of decorating his speech way too much. I'd prefer to not find out he said something funny. I know that he is well capable of doing as much as stating that I'm a fancy superhero or anything of the kind. He has too much fantasy in his head to spare at times.'' He wasn't pissed about it, but it's always better to be cautious...and generally, he did prefer to not have Hyde introduce stuff about him to others, because it often didn't truly line up with the exact reality. Hyde simply let his mouth run and often included more than was normally supposed to be there.

He would shoot her a questioning glance when she requested him to show her everything. ''All? And you have the whole day and night, or? I believe that would take a long while to accomplish in one go, unless you just want to breeze through very quickly.'' It took a while to move around here, and if she also wanted a basic description of the places, it would eat a lot of time. ''I think it'd be easier to make priorities. Is there anything you're interested in the most? Or at least, what kind of places in general?'', he'd inquire with a steady look. He was fine with trying to show her around a bit, but trekking over the whole island was a little uncalled for to do on a short notice, and probably limited time. He doubted she was planning to stay here for such a long time period.

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:15 am

"I can see how that would annoy you, yeah." Mae nodded, as she thought about what Hyde said during Lunch earlier today. "I think he mentioned something about you being one of his first friends here.". She looked up at Sharaku. // How those two managed to become close friends, I'll never know. They are as different as night and day. // Mae thought to herself. The two were just so different. Maybe that's what brought them so close as they are now? "So, how did the two of you meet? I can't say I've ever seen people with as clashing personalities as yours becoming friends. Now, I'm not saying it's a bad thing!" She chuckled. "If you two get along just fine, more power to you!"

"Are they THAT spread apart?! Alright, I guess I'll just settle for the Circus today. I've never been to one my whole life, so this should be interesting to see. Do you know of any good Karaoke bars around here? I'd assume the Night-club doesn't have anything like that." There she went, running her mouth again. // Give the guy some breathingspace geez, Mae //

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Thu Feb 19, 2015 4:07 pm

''It doesn't really annoy me anymore. I just like to be cautious, in case.'' Sharaku would counter calmly. He was past getting irritated everytime Hyde sprouted something. You can learn to live with almost anything. Still, he would prefer to know where he stood, if nothing else. When she started questioning him, he would close his eyes briefly, thinking. She was right in a sense. They were different, but probably not as much as one might think. It most likely seems that way at a first glance to people who don't know, but they weren't as far as complete opposites. One just needed to know where to look.

''We met at the amusement park here. Hyde just decided to make small talk with a random person sitting next to him, and I've kind of gotten stuck with him since. '', he would shake his head in slight amusement. ''We don't always get along perfectly, but I wouldn't say we clash as much as you think. You don't know either of us well enough yet.'', he'd half-explain, giving her a contemplating look for a moment, before turning it into a grin.

''I'm not always as serious as I might look.'', he'd state, with a low laugh. Sure, he probably didn't match Hyde's kind of enthusiasm most of the time, but he was capable of acting that way too. The difference was, he only did it when he had an interest in something happening at the time, contrary to Hyde who did it almost always, no matter the situation. ''Well, decently. This is an island after all. Why would everything be condensed in one spot? Though, it depends on how much of one place you want to see at a time. If you don't take long at one place, you could see more before leaving.'', he would shrug vaguely. What did she think, that all places were next to each other?

''Can't say for sure. I've been to the Night club...once, I believe? There may be something like that once in a while, but I can't guarantee that. There may be separate places as well, but I can't remember at the moment.'' He rarely paid attention to things that didn't interest him specifically. Singing was somewhere in the gray category. He didn't really do it, but wasn't bothered by the possibility either. He would look around, thoughtfully, before pointing in a direction. ''Well, this way, I believe.'' Hopefully, he could get there on a first try. He had been to the Circus before, but it has been a while.

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Fri Feb 20, 2015 10:00 am

"Well, I can get behind that." Mae nodded slightly. "You wouldn't be so close if you couldn't deal with it." She understood where the older man was coming from. If you were exposed to something long enough, you will adapt. She read in a science magazine once that the human brain can adapt to almost anything, even the death of others if you're exposed to it frequently.

"Well, that's true. I really shouldn't assume things." She returned the smile, and chuckled slightly herself. Now this was a side of Sharaku Mae didn't expect to see, but she gladly welcomed it. "I guess I'm still used to living back in Japan, where everything is within walking distance." Mae giggled. Now that she actually got to know Sharaku a bit better, her nervousness faded away. "Alright, could we swing by the Amusement Park afterwards, if we have the time?" Mae asked as she followed Sharaku, with a warm smile on her face, which could make anyone happy by just looking at her. She positively radiated joy. Things were going so well.

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Fri Feb 20, 2015 2:54 pm

Sharaku would snort faintly. ''Maybe. But, whether we are close or not, I don't have much choice in the matter. Hyde is like a permanent glue. Once he sticks himself onto you, you're not getting rid of him through any conventional means.'' He wouldn't say they were that terribly close. Yes, he took Hyde as a friend, but the word probably had a difference in meaning for the two of them. The redhead liked being more personal and up close than him, that was for sure. On the other hand, that was usually not his thing, unless he needed it for something.

''You can. Everyone does it. It might just be better to not say it aloud straight away, unless you're sure of what you're up against.'', he would keep an amused smile as he said that. There was no way you could completely stop assuming, was there? That was kind of an automatic response to experiencing something. Soon, he would look back at her with a raised eyebrow. ''Is it? I guess that depends on where in Japan you lived, but even that place can have decent distances. I've lived there before, and I can't say I got by with only a few steps here and there all the time. Though, I never said it isn't in walking distance here, just that it would take a good while if you wanted to see all in one go, since we would have to walk around most of the island for that.'' Actually, was there even a country or place that had everything together? A few attractions may be close, but you'll always find at least a single that is the odd one out. You can't have a circus on top of an amusement park after all, can you? That's rather lame.

''Fine with me. I have plenty of time to spare.'', he would respond in a laidback manner, at her follow up question as he kept walking. ''Anyway, what made you come here? Japan is probably a more diverse place to live at than here.'', he'd ask, attempting to make some small talk, if he was already guiding her around.

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Sat Feb 21, 2015 10:30 am

"Well, I guess I'm just used to taking the bus everywhere I go. Back where I lived, I took the bus because it was more convenient, and my school was located in the neighbouring city, so I guess I'm not used to walking all that much." What Mae said was true, as sad as it may be. It wasn't some rural town she came from, so unless you wanted to risk your life trying to cross the road, you had to either own a car, or ride the bus. It was that simple really. Then again, the times she went to and from school was during those times of the day when most people were either on their way to work, or on their way home, which made it almost impossible to get back home on foot in a timely manner.

As far as her reasonings for coming to Azores, well... "Well, It was my own choice actually. You see, I'm out here on a journey of... Self-discovery. I really don't know what it is exactly that I want to do with my life, so I came here, in hopes of finding a path for myself to walk on. That, and I also want to see my real parents. Not that moving here was a logical step to take, but eh, my adoptive mother has connections, and she managed to hook me up here. So it's all thanks to her that I'm here right now, talking to you. I know, it may sound strange that my reasoning for coming here is self-discovery, but I'm being honest here. Do you believe me?" She looked up at Sharaku. The man really hit mark everytime with his questions. There was just something about him that seemed... Trustworthy? Mae did not honestly know why she told him all this. It was just their second time meeting, and she was talking some pretty deep stuff with him.

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Sat Feb 21, 2015 11:51 am

Ah, buses. Those were no fun. Sharaku had never been a fan of that kind of transportation. Quicker, sure, but he still prefered walking, as long as it was possible. A crowded bus could be a nightmare. ''That explains it better. I personally don't like buses very much.'', he would shrug vaguely. Even a car was better than that. Not that he used those either. Yes, he could drive, but he almost never did.

He would watch her thoughtfully from the corner of his eyes as she spoke of her reasons. It both made sense and did not. Was moving far away necessary to work on discoveries? Couldn't say he knew the answer to that. ''I have no reason to not believe you. Though, I do wonder. How exactly is moving far away better for self-discovering? Can't you do that at home as well? Perhaps try something you haven't before or such. I find that moving to an unknown place tends to just make one feel lost, mainly when you come on your own. That may be just me, however.'' He had moved more than once in his life, and it never really helped him in that manner. It was either by something else he did, or through people...and definitely not right away. Eh, to each their own. ''Hm...you said you wanted to meet your actual parents..? Does that mean they live somewhere close to here? Or is that one unrelated to moving to Azores?'' That was the only part that stood out to him a bit more than the rest.

Subject: Re: Sightseeing [Sharaku] Sat Feb 21, 2015 5:15 pm

"I guess I really didn't need to move. I guess I needed to get away from my past life. So that I can really just, focus on myself and what not... Honestly, it seems like a very rushed decision now when I think about it, but I'm not regretting my decision. I mean, what good is that gonna do? And besides, with people like Hyde, Kazuya and my other dormmates around, how can I regret something like this? They have all been very kind to me these last two days, even though we barely know eachother."

Mae looked at Sharaku when he mentioned her parents. "To be honest... I don't really know for sure... I wanna say someone at my old orphanage mentioned something about Azores last time I visited them about three months ago, when I asked them about anything new on my parents. They are really supportive, just like a real family. They got my back wherever I go." She could see the smiling faces of the Staff that she had grown so close to her she might as well call them family... "Hitomi-san... I miss you." She whispered to herself, as she took of one of her gloves, and reached inside her jacket and grabbed something silvery. It was a small silver locket which was hanging from her necklace, which she promptly snapped open, revealing a photograph of her and Hitomi, her caretaker. That picture had been taken a week before Mae's adoption. Hitomi rested both of her hands on each of Mae's shoulders. The two were standing outside the Orphanage, smiling. The Photographer was Mae's adoptive mother. Mae remembered that day especially well because of the fact that the cherry blossoms had just started blooming that same week. Mae felt like it was just yesterday. She sighed deeply, before she the lid and hid the locket underneath her jacket again. "I really miss 'em, ya know? They were like my family back then..."

» One way or another.... (Sharaku)
» You Know It! (Sharaku)
» Here we go again (Sharaku)
» It's here?! [Sharaku'
» A day out (Sharaku)