Look At Those Racks! (Mon 4/1) (Open) « Thread Started on Oct 10, 2009, 3:42am »
If Ami had thought audio books and electronic texts were bad for the fate of actual paper books, these things they had now called "holo-novels" were even worse! It's hard for printed words to compete with watching a story unfold in 3-D. There were still people like herself who preferred to imagine the way things look than be shown, but they were typically older, and thus not the target demographic the publishing companies were after. Seeking out actual paper versions of beloved books had become like a treasure hunt for Ami, as she scoured dusty shelves tucked away into the backs of book shops (yes, they still called themselves that, despite the fact they sold fewer and fewer of them all the time), thrift store bins, and online auctions. Not that she shunned electronic text altogether-- quite the contrary, she had a large collection of downloaded novels-- but there were still many things better read on paper. A prime case in point was the classic work she currently held in her hand, To Kill a Mockingbird, in the original English with the original dialect intact. How could she pass up something like that, no matter the price?
KINO (FURUHATA) Makoto Global Moderator Role Play Gmod Sol Senshi Sailor Jupiter FORUM GOD member is offline
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Re: Look At Those Racks! (Mon 4/1) (Open) « Reply #1 on Oct 30, 2009, 11:29am »
Perhaps it was due to Makoto growing up in the 20th and 21st century, but there were certain products or things about the 30th century she still had a hard time getting used to. There were many new kitchen electronics and appliances for cooking that just took the fun out of preparation and cooking. It wasn't as calming if the meal was prepared near instantly or in the least required amount of steps. She still preferred to have a cookbook with written pages, rather than holograms or other electronic version, but it didn't bother Makoto a lot to use them. After cooking for so long, recipes had turned more into an unnecessary guide. However, the surge in audio, self-guide cookbooks were very annoying. She did not need a backseat critic for her actions, thank you very much.
Pushing the door open gently, Makoto waved and greeted one of the employees with a friendly smile. Skipping past the other sections in the store, she headed straight for the cooking and home section. Romance books used to interest her when she was younger, but... Things had changed since then. Before reaching the cooking and home section, a radiant blue caught her eye. "Ami!" she hissed, treating the bookstore with the same respect of silence as she should treat a library.
Makoto: You've got to stop reading so many romance novels! Minako: Look who's talking! You think the paperboy likes you just because he rides by your front door every morning!
Titus EINAR Moderator Rebel Mod Argenians Strength member is offline
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Re: Look At Those Racks! (Mon 4/1) (Open) « Reply #2 on Nov 1, 2009, 3:19pm »
Titus stared at the shelves with an almost terrified look. He had been standing in this shop for almost an hour staring at the strange symbols. He had been trying to find a book on Earth plants. Something with lots of pictures. Although he had yet to find such a book. He had been able to read and write back home but it never meant that much to him. Almost everyone is his village was illiterate and they had seemed to function well enough. But here in this world everyone could read and write and there were so many languages and symbols for words. How could anyone communicate with each other? Anxiety started to creep up as he stared at all the unfamiliar symbols. All of them changing with every book. He ran his fingers across the spines as his breathing picked up. Fear and panic started surging through him as he frantically started searching for something he understood. No doubt the staff was already eying him curiously. His movements were finally becoming erratic until finally he jerked a book from the shelf and opened it.
His anxiety suddenly vanished as gazed at the open pages. On them were gorgeous pictures of vibrant colors. At the moment he was staring at wonderful landscapes. He slowly turned the page to reveal a gathering of people. Everyone was smiling and laughing as they sat underneath a large crimson canopy. The scene brought his wonder back to him as he slumped down against the wall and began to be lost in the paintings of this world.
Re: Look At Those Racks! (Mon 4/1) (Open) « Reply #3 on Nov 5, 2009, 6:08pm »
Ami had been so totally absorbed in skimming the titles on the spines of the books lined up on the shelves that she hadn't seen her old friend enter the shop. Thus, she startled slightly when she suddenly heard her name. Of course she recovered quickly enough once her eyes fell upon the familiar face, and she returned a soft smile.
"Looks like they just got in a new shipment of paper books, for those of us old enough to appreciate them," she said, "everything from science and medicine to romance. . . if you're into those things." She had to laugh once she thought about what she'd just said. "I sound like a walking advert for this place, don't I? They should put me on the payroll."
Of course, the real reason she was babbling on so nervously was that here was someone she knew, and she wanted very much to talk about what had happened this morning-- maybe even to ask if she'd just been imagining things that the man had been coming onto her-- but couldn't bring herself to do it. Part of it was because she didn't know what Makoto's reaction would be to the idea of her getting friendly with a man who had killed one of their closest friends. The other part was that she was sure if she mentioned the possible flirting, she would be met with laughter or teasing. The idea of someone coming onto her was absurd enough, but someone like that? No, she wouldn't mention it.
"So how was your day?"
Meanwhile, the staff of the little shop had been stealthily keeping an eye on that one very large fellow who had been hanging around the place for nearly an hour. He'd seemed upset, and they weren't sure whether they should ask him to leave or just ask if there was anything they could help him find. Finally he seemed to settle down with an art book, and it was only then that one of the employees-- a tiny, bespectacled woman with her hair in a messy black bun-- timidly approached him.
"You know we carry that on holo?" It almost sounded more like a question rather than an offer of help.
KINO (FURUHATA) Makoto Global Moderator Role Play Gmod Sol Senshi Sailor Jupiter FORUM GOD member is offline
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Re: Look At Those Racks! (Mon 4/1) (Open) « Reply #4 on Nov 7, 2009, 3:16pm »
"Sorry, Ami. I didn't mean to startle you." Makoto said, quickly apologizing for startling her friend while she was so absorbed into picking out more books for her ever-growing collection. Then, Ami began to uncharacteristically babble about a non-academic subject, the stock and advertisement potential of the bookstore. " My day was fine. Ami, are you alright?" She asked quietly, inching closer after taking a quick glance around the store to find the source of her friend's nervousness.
The brunette's breath halted in her throat when her eyes settled on an unexpected customer in the store, the Argenian. Her relationship with Titus had been confusing. On Blood Sunday, they had fought viciously until she had reminded him of his dead wife, Deliliah, if she remembered the name correctly. Makoto knew little of him besides his plea for refuge and his disinterest with the other Argenians. Nervously, she bit the bottom of her lip and waved, but seemed relieved when a book caught his interest.
It would always be a little awkward talking to a man if you were a constant reminder of his dead wife.
Makoto: You've got to stop reading so many romance novels! Minako: Look who's talking! You think the paperboy likes you just because he rides by your front door every morning!
Re: Look At Those Racks! (Mon 4/1) (Open) « Reply #5 on Nov 10, 2009, 5:34am »
That had been weird, hadn't it? What a way to play it cool and not arouse suspicion!
"I'm fine, really," she said, "I think. It's just been. . . a bit of a strange day."
Fortunately, it seemed she wouldn't have to elaborate on that, as her friend subsequently started acting rather strange, herself. She tried to follow Makoto's gaze to see what had her so flustered all of a sudden. It was hard to miss the sight of the very large, one-eared man who had been browsing the shelves, but it seemed she misinterpreted the reason behind her friend's reaction to that.
"You don't have to worry about him. He's not going to cause any trouble-- he's just here to shop, like anyone else."
Honestly, it seemed like the only thing Makoto ever thought about anymore was security! Of course, that was pretty much understandable, after all that had happened, but it had become something of an obsession for her.
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Re: Look At Those Racks! (Mon 4/1) (Open) « Reply #6 on Nov 17, 2009, 1:16am »
Titus was startled a bit by the woman and looked up at her with a bit of a shy look. He swallowed a bit at the question then quietly answered, "No. No thank you. I believe this will do fine." Truth be told he was scared to death of the holo books. They were far too much like magic for his liking and he had enough of magic. He remembered back on Argenia an enemy tribe that had a wizard used him in battle against the people of the ghost wolf. It was a very terrifying experience and that fear had only been strengthened last year. So no he was entirely fine with a book of pictures and words that he had no idea how to read.
He slowly turned the page and was again lost in the images of landscapes and crystal blue water. He stared at it with a smile of curiosity and a hint of desire. How he longed to see places like this. Always so free and pure. Then with a turn of a page he was again enveloped in the image before him. It was a family scene. The people were all dark as coal and seemed to live in clay houses. Though the details were a mute point as Titus focused on the family. As looked at the happy family he could help but be struck by sorrow and longing. This pain would never go away. But he had learned that it slowly numbed with time.
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Re: Look At Those Racks! (Mon 4/1) (Open) « Reply #7 on Nov 22, 2009, 10:39pm »
As the book caught the man's attention, Makoto's attention resettled on the blue-haired woman. That's right, she had not told anyone about her weird relationship with the Argenian, because, truth be told, she had not expected to see him again. She waved off Ami's statement, "I'm not worried about him," Makoto denied. Normally, she would have told any of her friends about being mistaken for someone's dead wife, because it was a strange occurrence, especially when it had been an enemy doing the mistaking. However, guilt overwhelmed Makoto when she even thought of denying his trust. He hadn't even done anything to gain her trust! He made a building collapse on her, after all.
Shaking her head free of the thought, she pushed her enquiry further. "Really, what happened?" Makoto was a little eager for small talk, especially if it would distract her from the large Argenian in the middle of the room.
Makoto: You've got to stop reading so many romance novels! Minako: Look who's talking! You think the paperboy likes you just because he rides by your front door every morning!
Re: Look At Those Racks! (Mon 4/1) (Open) « Reply #8 on Nov 23, 2009, 6:52am »
Makoto's flimsy insistence that the Argenian man's presence didn't bother her wasn't fooling Ami for a minute.
"I know you're worried about security and everything-- after what's happened, we all are-- but he's an example of how we can get along with the Argenians, if anyone is," she said. "He was the one who gave us information and helped us in the end, remember? He hasn't even asked for anything out of anyone since, except to be left alone. I think we'll be all right."
Of course, she had every excuse for being so oblivious to the situation, given that her friend hadn't told or even hinted about the truth to her or anyone else.
Unfortunately, that little detour hadn't kept Makoto from prying further into the morning's awkward events. Ami could feel her face flushing red already, even just thinking about having to explain it!
"I'm sure it was nothing. I just. . . ran into someone this morning on the beach," she replied as vaguely as possible, "someone I didn't expect."
The saleswoman was surprised someone so big would seem so shy and quiet, especially when only minutes ago he was acting so upset they had all been afraid to approach him. She wasn't complaining, though! Better to have him squeak at her than roar and show his teeth!
"Well. . . if you need anything. . . I'll just be. . . right over there," she said timidly, before heading off in the direction she'd just pointed.
She still seemed unsure enough of the man that she turned around and looked back a couple of times to make sure before she left him entirely alone.
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