1585/A Day in the Life
From MahouMUSH
| A Day in the Life | |
|---|---|
| Date of Scene: | 10 June 2016 |
| Location: | Mitakihara - Downtown |
| Synopsis: | Kyouko and Momo adjust to life with a sister! And go shopping. Kyouko makes Great Sacrifice. Momo makes Great Cleaning. |
| Cast of Characters: | Momo Sakura, Kyouko Sakura |
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Scrub, scrub, scrub!
Wash, wash, wash!
Momo isn't sure where everything is yet, for instance she's not sure about doing laundry. Which she needs to do, because after her shower she gave her one set a delicate sniff and nearly fainted!
How had people stood being around her until now?!
So, she really hopes Kyou-nee doesn't mind she's running around in nothing but a t-shirt. That is also Kyou-nee's.
But at least its long enough to make her somewhat decent!
Ignore the cold draft!
Dog, too, has been freshly showered. He's busy sulking in the small bathroom, where she put him after he so rudely shook off water in the living room! (She'd cleaned it up, though! And then just started cleaning. And picturing!)
The kitchen and living room are now squeaky clean! It's not that Kyouko's place was overly icky, it's just there'd been a lack of a thorough clean due to a heavy life schedule.
She even got the grout in the kitchen white! Almost!
And the fridge has been cleaned and reorganized. There's a shelf full of 'questionable age.' She doesn't throw any of it out, though.
Except for the food that grew fuzzy sweaters!
It's too hot for fuzzy sweaters, food!
After all, she very much does not want Kyou-nee to regret having her live with her!
Hey, that corner of the living room could be a nice sleep place.
She must ask if its okay to rearrange furniture!
By the time Kyouko's due home, the windows are open and there's a fresh smell of Just Cleaned. Momo's sitting cross-cross-applesauce on the couch, behind protected by a towel. She's writing a list!
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Kyouko's apartment was not in too terrible a state, but it probably had needed some TLC. As Momo assumed, heavy life schedule did not leave much time for thorough cleanings- plus, Kyouko is one of those girls who throws clothes all over her bedroom, eschewing such things as 'dressers' and 'closets' as luxuries nobody has time for.
Needless to say, when she does finally trudge up the eight flights of stairs after work (stupid old elevator is busted again!) and open the door, she pauses just inside the small living room to peer about suspiciously. And she sniffs at the air. "Hey.. it looks pretty good in here." She says, sounding mildly surprised, before her eyes find Momo sitting on the couch.
They narrow. "Is that my t-shirt?" This is a time-honored sisterly accusation, more for tradition than actual anger, although truth be told she doesn't even have that many clothes! She only had one set herself until quite recently, as things go, though she has been broadening her fashion horizons of late!
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo looks up as the door opens, suddenly feeling very much like an eager, happy puppy!
Ignoring the compliment and the accusation (for now) she launches over to give her sister a hug!
"Kyou-nee! You're home! I missed you!" Happy hummy snuggle! She's also mooning the living room!
And then she pulls away. "Yes! I didn't know where to do laundry, and uuuuuug why didn't you tell me I smelled like Dog and much butt?!"
A pout!
But then she's over it.
"Dog's scrubbed, too. Don't worry I didn't use lots of your soap to do it! Just a wee bit of soap and a weeeeeeee iddy bit of shampoo. He's sulking because he's on time out for shaking water everywhere! But I got it cleaned."
She looks up at Kyouko with large Imomotou eyes. "I didn't clean your room because I didn't know if you'd let me."
'Pleeeeeeeease can I tomorrow?' her eyes ask!
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Luckily, Kyouko's apartment is on the 8th floor and the only view out the window is of a windowless brick wall, so the chances of anyone actually being mooned by Momo's pantslessness is statistically insignificant. For her part, Kyouko oofs as she is latched onto, hugging Momo back and smiling despite herself, though she does her best to scrub it off her face a moment later. She's the tough nee-san, she can't be seen to smile all tenderly at such a trifle as a hug!
"There's a laundry room on the 6th floor," She answers, pointing at her feet, or rather at the floor below them. "The machines take quarters.. I have a pile of them on my dresser for doin' laundry. You can take what you need, just make sure you fill the machine up with my stuff too so we get our money's worth." Everything's gotta be as efficient as possible!
She hesitates a moment, then sighs. "I guess you can go in my room.." The main hesitation being because she can see in her mind's eye the fact that her room looks like a bomb went off in it, and she feels slightly embarassed by that! Also there's a picture of her together with Saya-chan in a frame on the nightstand! Hazukashi!
As for smelling, she shrugs, "I really didn't notice you smelling bad.. guess I'm too used to that sorta thing to pay it much attention." This makes sense, after all she lived on the street for three years herself! Her nose-sense is probably pretty dull. She makes no comment on Dog, although he's going to have to make way for human occupation in the bathroom before too long.
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo gives a Serious Nod! Saving money is important! "You can count on me!" Salute!
Momo does a little squee! Yay! "Thank you!" Another hug!
Then she perks! "Oh! Speaking of...not what we were talking about! I made a list of Things, and they're not like right now! Or all at once! And they're like...stuff...and things..."
She hands over a list, cheeks a bright red! Is she going too far?!
Mostly it's a list of the basic food stuffs. Rice. Rice. Instant noodles. Rice.
But at the end, which just makes her blush even more, it alludes to the need of Young Sister Underclothes.
"You can ignore it if you want! I just like lists! And can we go to a thrift store? I have 275 yen! I could probably find another shirt!"
She'll worry about pants later...
"Or if you don't wanna now, I could go to the park tomorrow and look for more change!"
Odd how saying she'll scrounge around for change doesn't even cause her to bat an eye, but talk of underthings! Oh my!
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Kyouko raises an eyebrow as she backs off from that second hug and takes the list, glancing at it. At first she doesn't quite understand, because she assuredly has rice and instant noodles- she has to eat something, after all, and that stuff's super cheap. Well, at least when she isn't bumming just-expired bentos from the conbenie!
But she gets to the end, and suddenly understands- helped along by Momo's sudden interest in thrift stores. She knows the pain of not having much in the way of clothing options.
She wants to take good care of her sister, as always- that instinct is as strong in her now that she's reconciled her sister's reappearance as it was before their original separation. But there's a moment of hesitation, only because... she's barely making enough money at her job for herself to scrape by. Perhaps she hadn't really considered the practical, financial ramifications of offering Momo a place to live. Dog will need food, too!
Still. After a moment she gives a bit of a lopsided smile. "Yeah, sure. We can go to a thrift store. I know a good one down the street." Of course she does! Where do you think she shops??
She glances at Momo. "But seriously, you can borrow a pair of my old shorts or somethin'. I got enough trouble in my life without getting arrested for allowing you outside like that."
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo's eyes light up! "Really?! And there's one close?? Yay!" For a moment, though, she looks Very Confused. Then she looks down at herself and --
"EEP! I'm nekkid!" She dashes for Kyouko's room, not realizing she's mooning her nee-chan as she goes!
A few seconds later, she comes out in a casual stroll! The shorts are a tad big on her, but fortunately there's a tie!
She slides her feet into her boots, mentally reminding herself to scrub her newly stinky toes when she gets back!
"Oh! I should let Dog roam while we go!" She opens the bathroom door, and Dog trots out, ignoring Momo, and wuffles Kyouko's hand. "Woof."
Momo peeks in the bathroom. "Don't worry, there's no poop!"
She picks up her satchel and rummages through, checking to see that her yen is indeed there!
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Luckily, 'nekkid' is a bit of an exaggeration, and Kyouko discreetly averts her eyes as Momo dashes for the bedroom (which she is suddenly unafraid to enter, it should be noted) and emerges a few moments later garbed in such a way as to avoid indecent exposure arrests.
Kyouko herself hasn't even had time to take her boots off, but she doesn't really ever spend much time at home, anyway- previously, if she hadn't been working, she'd been out hunting. Now, with no Witches to hunt, she finds herself with more free time than she's used to. Shopping at a thrift store seems as decent a way as any to spend it, and if it prevents her new roomate from streaking around the apartment, all the better.
She rubs Dog's head as he trots out, relieved that he managed to avoid using the bathroom for its intended purpose in an unintended way, though she just shakes her head slightly. "C'mon." She leads the way out, locking the door and then going back down all the stairs she just trudged up.
The thrift store is only a few blocks away and luckily it's open for a while yet! "Listen," Kyouko says as they proceed down the sidewalk, pulling out her wallet and peering into it. "I can give you another 500 yen. See if you can find at least the necessities."
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Outside, Dog immediately finds a place to do business. Momo waits a second, turning her back to give him privacy, then pulls out a torn bit of a grocery bag to scoop and throw away!
She scritches Dog's head and gives his head many smooches! "Go play! Don't get too dirty dumpster diving, though!"
Whether or not he understands, Dog barks and trots away.
Then her arm is through Kyouko's! Because nee-chan!
Then her eyes are large and she looks up as though she were just given five-thousand yen!
"Oh, thank you! I'll find good things! Just you wait! And if I have change I'll give it back!"
She jerks to a stop as she sees a 'Help Wanted' sign. "Oooo I wanna work here!"
But she's too young, so soon she's distracted by other shinies!
While it's probably not a big store, or even a medium-sized store, her eyes still look boggled. "So many clothes...!"
And then she's off!
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Kyouko is impressed by Momo's sense of civic responsibility, cleaning up after Dog in such a way. It makes her feel a little embarassed, not because she's ever had a dog and done less (she hasn't had a dog) but because she knows perfectly well there have been times in the past where she has scoffed at such common-decency chores out of a sense of 'what has society ever done for me??'. To see her imouto, despite having just as little, still contribute without even thinking about it is a little bit humbling.
Of course, she speaks none of this aloud- admit her little sister is better than her? Never! Momo links arms with her, and Kyouko gives her a bit of a tolerant smile. Does this girl have an off-switch? Of course, there are those who might say the same thing about her.
She blinks slightly at Momo's comment about wanting to work, though she understands the feeling completely. "I dunno, kid," She says, "Sometimes they even have a hard time believing I'm old enough to have a full-time job." She's actually only a year too young to legally have a job at this point. Luckily for her, the old lady who runs the conbenie is pretty blind and so doesn't get a good look at her!
Momo dashes off to browse the clothes. She has almost 900 yen- in a store like this, she can probably find undergarments, a shirt, and maybe pants or a skirt too for that much, although finding ones that fit is going to really be the challenge.
For her part, Kyouko wanders over to a rack of clothes and begins idly looking through them, considering perhaps what Saya-chan would like. She does, at times, regret her financial situation.. Sayaka is rich, after all, and always has super-nice clothes. Kyouko often feels ratty and underdressed compared to her, though Sayaka has never once commented on it.
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo probably does have an off switch! But it's been in the off position for awhile, she has lots of on switch to make up for!
Inside the store, she's dashing around, pulling several different pieces of clothing off the rack here and there! And not all with just her in mind!
Oooo this would look nice on Kyou-nee!
That sort of thing!
One of such items makes her freeze on the spot!
Very Much Shy, she goes up to her sister. "Kyou-nee? I know it's not...what you wear? But you'd look so pretty in this." It's a patterned dark red peasant top thing that just looks too cute for words!
Then she's running off!
Eventually, she finds a spot to go through things, prune out what she likes more than the rest, compares prices (with the help of Sammy), and sees what goes with what!
Oh wait! (Blush!) Underthings!
She tells her pile of clothing to stay as she goes to the delicates! Ooooo, these still have the tags! What, why wires, so confusing! Ah, sprts bras! Ooo socks!
Arms full again, she dashes over to where she'd been. She organizes her choices by making outfits!
As she works, she calls out. "Kyou-nee? I found some other things you may like!" She hums a bit as she works. "How old do you gotta be for part-time work?"
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Kyouko isn't really a 'clothes shopper', persay. Part of this is because she never had the money to shop for clothes, and part of it is because she's just the sort of person who doesn't particularly find what someone is wearing to be important- well, most of the time. There have been a few dances she may have regretted not having good fancy stuff for!
It seems that Momo got all of those genes in the family, or maybe she just hasn't had the time to become as disillusioned with the pettiness of mankind, so she's happily picking out and sorting clothes, probably much to the chagrin of the store employees who envision having to put all the discarded items back on the shelves later.
Kyouko has been sort of idly browsing when Momo comes up to her with the top and shows it to her. She looks slightly startled, not because she is unhappy with the choice but just because she hadn't really expected it. "T-thanks.." She says, drawing her brows together and taking it.. still peering at it as Momo runs back off to continue her assault on the racks.
She wanders over with said top in her hand as Momo asks about part-time work. "Umm.. sixteen for full-time. I think fourteen for part-time, with parent's permission." Which of course they can't get, at least the normal way.
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo may have also gotten the shopping genes, but it's also a case of nature vs nurture. She had loved, when they had had the money to do it, to go to the store with their mother. At first to stores with new clothes, then to thrift stores. It had been almost a game, planning outfits even knowing they probably wouldn't be bought. And, when they could buy clothes, make the thriftiest, prettiest outfit one could!
Momo gives her sister a very Suspicious Eyebrow! "It's a good thing Kyou-nee's old!" A smart butt grin!
She's scowling at one of the outfits. It's actually her favorite, a cute yet sensible top, sleeveless for the summer, and a pair of short shorts. She likes the look, but the shorts are a tad pricey! More than jeans! Why!
"Be right back!" She stands and grabs her discarded clothes and once again tells the others to stay!
She looks for something better than those stupid shorts as she tries to remember where everything else goes. The few pieces she's stumped on gets handed to one of the workers with sad, sheepish eyes and sorries!
Ah hah!
Cuter, anyway!
She rushes back and pairs that top with cute cargo pants!
"And if I want shorts, and don't like the pants after a bit, I can make them shorts!" She beams at her sister, someone expecting Kyouko to have followed her train of thought with her brain!
Then she is sad and droopy-faced at her sister. "I don't wanna wait two years to help, Kyou-nee."
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Kyouko makes a face at Momo as the girl calls her 'old'. "Older than you, but that ain't a crime. Some might say it's my greatest virtue." Some mostly being herself.
She's still holding the top that Momo had brought her earlier, though in an off-hand way, as if she's not really sure she actually wants to get it, but also doesn't have the heart to actually put it back. It's only like 200 yen, maybe she should just get it to make Momo happy.. or maybe she really would look good in it. She's really terrible at these sorts of things.
She watches Momo scurry about, trying to find the cheapest-yet-still-stylish combination of clothes she can manage, mentally making a note to try and cut down on the amount of sugary snacks in the apartment.
On the topic of jobs and ages, she just shrugs her shoulders. "I had Mamoru make me a fake ID so I could get my job." She says, off-handedly. "But you might be a little too young for that to be convincing just yet. Don't worry about it.. there'll be time for you to pay me back." She winks and gives a slightly lopsided grin. Payment may be in the form of noogies.
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo giggles! "Don't worry, Nee-chan. I'll help you cross the street!"
She expects a noogie!
She's a little out of breath by the time she's paired it down to two outfits and (blush) underthings. She tests the other top against the jeans she found and decides they look good with it, too! So back goes the other jeans!
On the way back, she stops and stares at a pretty, pretty jacket. It's long! And peachy pinkish! And--
Too hot for this weather!
Back she goe--
Oh, boots!
"He's also too sick right now, Kyou-nee. I don't think I'd ask him even if I wasn't." Sigh.
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Kyouko just sort of loiters by the counter while Momo proceeds back and forth as she alternately forgets and remembers more things she needs. She shares a look with the girl behind the counter (one retail employee to another, even if Kyouko is off the clock).
She doesn't noogie Momo for the 'cross the street' comment right now, but she makes a mental note to do it later when there's less places to run to.
At the comment about Mamoru being sick, Kyouko's demeanor grows a little more dour, and she idly kicks at the floor with one sneakered foot. "Yeah.. well, we're workin' on that. Thought maybe I had that problem solved the other night, but nothin's ever that easy, I guess." Not that it had been easy at all, but it's easy to undervalue effort when it's in the past.
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Finally she brings her stuff over to the counter! There's not a lot, but judging from the way she plops them down and wipes her brow with a 'phew!' one would think she's just carried fifty pounds four miles!
Then she holds up a pair of comfy sandals to Kyouko. "Do I have enough left for this? I dunno what the price is. My toes can breathe in them, though!"
Then Momo squishes up against Kyouko! "You tried, though!"
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Kyouko watches the lady tally up the purchases.. and sneaks the top Momo gave her in too. The sandles get added.. and the total is like 1100 yen, which is a little bit more than she had told Momo was allowed!
But Kyouko digs the money out of her pocket anyway and passes it over while hugging Momo with the other hand, trying to turn the girl so she can't see the price. "Yeah sure. Just under the wire." She lies, mentally crossing off the ice cream she was going to buy for herself later, but figuring its worth it in the long run. Such is the sacrifices of nee-san-hood.
She shrugs her shoulders a bit, though. "Ahh, lotsa people try, Momo-chan. It's the ones who succeed who get remembered, though."
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Diversion Tactic is Very Successful!
Momo likes hugs.
Momo loves Nee-chan Hugs!
So, properly diverted, she breathes a sigh of relief! "Oh, good! I was worried!" She looks up at the lady behind the counter and smiles with a wave! "Hi! Thank you!" She reaches for the bag. "I wanna carry it!"
Momo clutches the bag to her chest as she looks up at Kyouko. "But Nee-chan, if no one tries, how can anyone succeed?"
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Kyouko allows Momo to carry the bag, because that's not a privledge she's going to fight over. If the girl wants to carry things, she's more than welcome to! As they turn to leave the store, Kyouko ponders how to best respond to Momo's question.
As usual, she knows the feelings in her heart, but has a difficult time finding the words to express them. This time it's less urgent though, and she has a few moments to think about what she wants to say before she does.
As they exit back onto the sidewalk, she finally says, "Trying is important, Momo. You should never stop trying.. trying to be the best at whatever you wanna do, trying to help your friends, trying to solve problems. Thing is, some people like to say 'well, you tried' and count that as good as gettin' the job done.. as if you can relax and be satisfied with yourself just cause you tried, even if you failed."
"But that's the thing, Momo-chan.. just tryin' ain't enough. You shouldn't never be satisfied with just trying. You gotta try, and try and try until you do it. Then you can be satisfied. If you want to make a difference, if you want people to remember you, you can't just try. You gotta do it, whatever it is, even if it hurts, even if it sucks, because when you finally get it done.. well, then people will remember your name for a good, long time."
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo looks up to Kyouko as she talks about trying and succeeding, her large eyes and small ears drinking up the wisdom!
And she thinks and thinks.
Finally she looks back up at Kyouko. "I don't think Chiba-san or Not-Nii-San-kun are gonna forget you. They're both fond of you! So they're okay, I guess."
Dog comes out of a random alley to trot next to them. Momo gives him a pat and a sniff. Good! He doesn't smell like garbage!
"And I wasn't gonna give up, you know!" She uses Kyouko's signature smile against her, fang and all! "If it hadn't happened, I was gonna come kick your butt in a few days!"
- Kyouko Sakura has posed:
Kyouko gives Momo a look as the girl seems to guess what she is thinking about even though she didn't explain it. She's too darn smart for her own good! But she can't help but smile in return as she finds her own weapon turned against her!
"I know you were.. brat." She says, and now she does noogie, when Momo's hands are too full of clothing-bag to mount a proper defense.
She relents when Dog joins them though, in case he should get the wrong idea and try to bite her in Momo's defense, or something, eyeing the animal, but he seems no worse for wear and so she voices no complaint as she leads them back towards the apartment and a dinner of instant noodles in a cup.
- Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo giggles and acks! at the noogie! Complaints about messing up her messy hair are also included!
Dog doesn't really have much concern about Kyouko. And those weren't scared screams his human sometimes gets when sleeping, so.
There will be instant noodles! And Momo will doodle! And ask about the living room, and the fake room, and probably a billion other questions.
