View source for 2819/Conbenie Food Makes Friends

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2017/07/21
|Location=The AM/PM Mini Market
|Synopsis=Chris stops into Kyouko's conbenie to get some food, and ends up getting some recommendations and an invitation.
|Cast of Characters=78,207
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The AM/PM Mini Market, or the PM-Mart as it's known for short, is a small convinience store located down a sidestreet in downtown Tokyo. It's a little more removed from the main drag than some of the big-name chains, but it's on a quiet, well-lit and clean street, and the people who frequent it tend to do so religiously. The store itself is quite small, but seems well-stocked.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko can be found here most days, although the timing of her shifts is changeable. This suits her just fine, as she has a lot of other things to do with her time as well- but working for her money and supporting herself are important to her, so she takes her job pretty seriously. Currently the store appears to be empty- not unusual outside of the morning and evening rush-times, which it is not. Kyouko is behind the counter, wearing her usual uniform of jeans and a black t-shirt, with the orange apron tied overtop which signifies she is on the clock. (It has the store's logo on the front.) She appears to be fussing with one of the displays on the counter, in a 'I have nothing important to do, so I'm going to mess with things that really are just fine' sort of way. Shifting things around to try and make them appear more tempting. That sort of thing.

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Whenever Chris inquired about good stores in the area, the usual suspects were always talked about. Yet, there was one oddity that stood out, a single store that was sworn by the ones who talked about it. It certainly warranted taking a look during the usual grocery run, and it wasn't that far of a diversion from her usual routes. With that thought in mind, she passed by the store on a languid afternoon, the sun still high in the sky. <br /> <br /> The doors worked as intended, opening the cocoon of chilled air to allow the high-schooler to step inside with a relieved sigh, tugging at the collar of her uniform to finally cool herself down from the baking oven outside. "Phaa..." Mental notes, mental notes...What to grab, what to grab. Food, some more food, maybe a few things for Miku and Tsubasa...Ice cream, perhaps? The sight of the sole employee on duty did merit an eyeraise, mostly out of the "this girl looks younger than me" vibe than anything actually important.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's perfectly legal for a sixteen-year-old to have a job, with their Guardian's permission! Of course, in this case, any legal guardians Kyouko had have been dead for years, but thanks to some skillful document forgery, everything is in order. Luckily the old lady who owns the store is a bit too absent-minded to note that according to her ID, Kyouko has been sixteen for the past two years. It's a good fake.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The conbenie has a good selection of food, but it's less grocery store stuff and more pre-packaged meals and snacks, the sort of thing somebody on the go might want to pick up. Of course, that sort of stuff is pretty well-suited to high schoolers, too. As the door slides open, Kyouko glances up. She sing-songs "Welcome to the Am/Pm Mini-Market!" in what is obviously a rote response to a customer entering. Her eyes linger for a moment on the girl who comes in though.. perhaps feeling something unusual about her. Kyouko's instincts are well-honed in sensing potential danger- even when it's very potential rather than actual.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After a moment though, she adds in a more normal tone, "Lemme know if you need help findin' anything." Before she goes back to fiddling with her display. Though she keeps an eye on Chris while she looks at the food.

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The rote greeting elicited a nod from the woman, meeting the gaze with a hint of curioisty. A few blinks of the eye later, she broke the staring contest off with a minute blush coating her cheeks, heading to the fridges on the back parts to look over the contents. Food, food, prepackaged food. Maybe tonight would be...Or, no, alreayd had that last week. Didn't want to get sick of eating the same thing day in and day out. Her baseless wandering and muttering forced her meandering all over the store, taking stock of everything inside. <br /> <br /> "Mmh..." In the end, the only thing she grabbed on the first go-around was a pack of popsicles for the night, more on impulse bred by previous events than anything else. Her impression of the store so far was...admirable, to say the least. Lots of stuff, one place to grab it, Chris couldn't complain. With a heaving sigh, she began to look over the pre-packaged meals, frowning at the choices. Too small? Too big? Maybe she should cop for Miku once, it's only fair.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko quirks a brow as Chris returns her gaze in such a way, but shakes her head slightly and returns to her fiddling when the other girl finally looks away. She keeps an eye on Chris as she wanders the store, muttering to herself. Kyouko looks vaugely amused by this, but doesn't say anything, letting the newcomer take her time in getting an idea of what they have to offer.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally though, when she sees Chris looking at the pre-packed meals and seeming unable to decide, Kyouko sighs.. leaning her elbow on the counter and giving the girl a look, she calls out in an amused, moderately-friendly tone, "The steamed pork buns are really good. Heat up well in the microwave. Trust me.. I've had pretty much everythin' we got for sale around here." Kyouko might ''know'' some amazing cooks, but she herself is basically limited to what can go in the microwave.

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Casting a glance over at the employee, she shook her head upon the suggestion of steamed pork buns...even as she gazed at them with a slightly larger want than the others. "Hah? Pork buns?" Her latent shyness wasn't enough to hide a retort toward strangers. "There's one of those in every store. Do you have something..." Something... "Something that only you guys have that the others don't?" That was it. The store speciality, something that could only come by every once in a while. She was coming back anyways (thanks to the convenience), but it didn't help to inquire. <br /> <br /> After all, even if she could cook bit by bit, pre-packaged was better overall. Life never really stood still for her. "And while we're at it, what would /you/ recommend?" Barbed? Perhaps. Inquisitive? Most definitely.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko's brow quirks again at the other girl's tone- she's no stranger to that defensive edge, even when asking a question. Her instinct might be to snap back, but she's on the job, and she's well aware of that- she cares enough about doing her job that she moderates her tone. "Pretty sure I just told you what I recommend.. the steamed pork buns. Cuz they're really good."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the question of a store specialty though, she shrugs, glancing around. "Well, ain't nothing in the freezers that's unique. That stuff comes from a distributor, after all. But we have these ham and cheese burritos.." She points to a heating case on the counter, where hot dogs and such, as well as the burritos, sit under a reddish light. "Ain't seen them anywhere else around. And they're pretty good too. Though they're more the sorta thing you eat right now than one you take home and eat later."

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ham and cheese burritos. Pork buns. Good enough for now, considering the state she was in. A particuarly loud stomach rumble echoed through the store as she laid eyes on the warm package of meat and dairy, her once-receding blush flaring up in tandem. "...One burrito. Please." Shyness back in full-force, she went for another round of the store, picking up various odds-and-ends that deserved to be restocked...along with a few pre-packaged meals for the days to come. <br /> <br /> Setting the various items down, CHris couldn't help but scratch her own cheek. Embarrassing. That stomach growl certainly was, in any case.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko smirks a little bit- perhaps a bit more than she might have, if not for that shy blush on Chris' cheeks after her stomach-rumble. But she doesn't say anything. Once again being the good employee. She pulls the burrito out of the heater and slips it into the little paper sack in which they come, setting it on the counter as she waits for the other girl to bring the rest of her purchases forward.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She rings up the goods in a businesslike manner, clearly knowing what to do by heart after working here so long. She gives the total, and waits for the money to be exchanged. As she does, she comments, "You new around here? Don't remember seein' you before." Not that she knows every high school girl in this area of Tokyo.. although it does seem that way, sometimes.

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>She's trying not to glance over at Kyouko now, the poor thing. Entirely self-conscious due to her black hole of a stomach, the schoolgirl quickly had her money out, handing it over to the other before opening the wrapped burrito. Chowing down on it with a slight disregard for manners, the paper waste was tossed to the trash a few moments later. "...It wasn't bad." <br /> <br /> "New? I guess. Its only been a few weeks at the most." No harm answering her question, it seemed like she knew a few others around the area. "You're in Verone?"

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Not bad? That's the best burrito you're likely to get in this city!" Kyouko exclaims, looking mildly offended. It is her store's honor on the line, after all. She does qualify her statement a moment later by saying, "Well.. from a convinience store, anyway."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko then snorts mildly at Chris' answer. "A few weeks is plenty new, trust me. I don't get out as much as I used to." She pauses at the question about school, hesitating a moment before shaking her head with a mild shrug. "Nah. I don't go to school. I know a few people who do go there, though. S'a nice place. Not really my style.. but nice."

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Yeah. Transferred there for...personal reasons. A few people who I know there suggested this would be the best way." That, and her own desires. Not that she'd say such a vulnerable thing to a total stranger. "A few weeks is new, but it feels a bit closeknit. Since Verone is top-class and all." She shrugged, leaning slightly against the counter to brace herself. No one else was around, and she could spare some time for a bit of light conversation. Genjuro did say she needed to socialize...So this was a worthy first attempt out of school!

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Top-class. Sure is." Kyouko snorts again, more self-deprecating than anything else. "No place for a kid like me in a place like that. S'okay though, I'm happier for it." She pauses a moment, then adds, "My name's Kyouko by the way. Kyouko Sakura, but you can just call me Kyouko. Never was much one for formality."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She pauses, seeming to think about it for a moment, then grins, a lopsided expression which shows a little bit of fang at the corner of her mouth. "If you run into a dude named Alex, foreigner, a German kid, who goes to Verone, tell him Kyouko owes him another match sometime." She laughs. "He's an okay kid.. despite how he looks."

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Both names were unfamiliar to her, huffing slightly as a small smile began to creep onto her lips. This attempt at socialziation was going well, which was already an insanely low bar thanks to her...previous attempts. "I can't say I know Alex. If I can, I'll give him a shout." It might be an interesting match to watch. "What sort of match is it, Kyouko?" A single enunciation of the name to ingrain it into her mind. <br /> <br /> "Ah, Chri Yukine. Chris is fine, since you're ahead of the curve." The shyness was slowly receding, the wall of brash snark looming forth as she set a few bills on the counter. "...Another burrito."

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko leans both elbows on the counter, a casual posture. There aren't any other customers in the store right now anyway, so no need to feel bad for chatting with this particular girl. "Chris. Interestin' name, that American or something?" She asks, curiously. She glances down at the money on the counter, then shrugs and moves to retrieve another of the treats after ringing it through the register and handing over change.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"What sorta match? Oh, with Alex. A spar. Y'know, martial arts. He's um.. well, we run in the same crowds often enough, I'll say that much, and we're both scrappers. He stopped by my usual trainin' session a few weeks back and we actually had a pretty good go at it. Mostly I just like to bust his balls though, y'know. Dude thinks he's a real tough guy." She pauses, bringing the burrito back. "And I suppose he is, I mean, he ain't no wimp. S'just, I know I can take him, so I like to give him a hard time." She grins.

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I think so? Can't ask them myself for...reasons." She definitely had her eye on the store employee by now, the atmosphere settling into more of a casual conversation than of a customer-employee sort. "They traveled the world, so I can't exactly say what their inspirations were." As she was talking, the burrito met its eventual end within moments, disposing of the trash in the same manner. Change retrieved and stashed away, she couldn't help but give a satisfied sigh at the taste of those carb-wrapped delights. <br /> <br /> "Martial arts? I know just the type. The ones that get hit down or knocked back and stand right back up. Those ones, right?" Matching the grin, she set her bags to the side, keeping an absentminded look at them every so often just to make sure they didn't disappear for some mysterious reason. "Though I'm more of a gun kind of person." Granted, that was a half-truth. But she couldn't just walk around declaring who she was to every person off the block.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Mmm." This Kyouko's comment on Chris' seeming inability to know what her parents were thinking- she seems to be able to guess that those parents aren't around anymore by the way Chris refers to them. She doesn't ask any more questions- she just met this girl, after all, and she's well aware of the pain losing family can bring. She wouldn't want to poke those wounds.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Only thing to do when you get knocked down is to get up." Kyouko says, with a shrug, as if this is just commen sense. She blinks at the mention of being a 'gun person'. "What, like a military otaku, or something?" She asks, with a quirked brow. Because guns are pretty hard to come by in Japan- even the Yakuza can't get that many. You can't casually go to a shooting range like you could in the US. Then again, airsoft and replica guns are pretty readily available, especially in places like Tokyo hobby shops.

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I wouldn't exactly call it that." A temporary lapse in where exactly she was forced this situation. Ah, that was dumb. Then again, it wasn't exactly the worst thing to worm out of. "Those action movies you see. All the fighting and dancing and then BANG. BANG. Martial arts do things, but they can't stand up to bullets." A simple segue, a simple connection. Simple! "That and my parents went towards war-torn countries. It's easy to get familiar with them when you've had a few close shaves." Shaking her head after that last sentence, her dimming demeanor brightened up once more in an attempt. <br /> <br /> "And you? Just martial arts? I can see you doing that, actually. Call it instinct." Or maybe just a compliment. Both, actually.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko certainly does have the spry physique of somebody who does some kind of physical activity- but maybe more than that, she has the demeanor of a fighter, even if the exact nature of her fighting isn't obvious. She chuckles softly at Chris' deflection of the gun question into action movies. "Well.. maybe. I dunno if I'd agree all the time." She's fought against Homura before, and she didn't lose (although to say she won wouldn't exactly be true, either).<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Let's just say that I've had to learn to defend myself in the past.." She says, to the question on her own hobbies, somewhat wry. "And while my situation now is a lot better'n it was a few years ago, I've learned it always pays to keep your skills up to snuff. Never know when you might need 'em again. Plus, it's just fun." She grins. "I have a couple great sparring partners, we meet at the gym down the street once a week or so to train together."

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"...I can't argue with you there." Another sigh. "Transferring here has been...a certain turning point. Though I should do martial arts, all the same." Granted, her own physique, while indescribably higher than normal, certainly wasn't up to snuff if compared to the others in Section 2. If anything, she could be termed the most unfit of the group. "I've needed it a lot in the past, and here...There's no telling what could go down." A shrug came forth, slumping down as the past invaded her mind. <br /> <br /> "So? When do you guys meet again?" At least she could come out of this coversation with something of value. Genjuro was a demanding person all his own, but like he said. Socialization. Main goal with a secondary purpose.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I know all about turning points, trust me." Kyouko says, again with a hint of wryness in her voice. No need to go into her life's story with somebody she just met, but she certainly gives the sense that she is sympathetic to what the other girl says. "And you're right about that." She gives Chris a considering look, before adding, "Tokyo can be a dangerous place at times."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She blinks at the question, then shrugs. "Usually on Thursdays. It's not formal or anything.. all of us already have our own background in fighting, we just get together to spar and keep our reflexes sharp, so to speak. Still, if you wanted to stop by sometime, you're welcome to do so. It's at a public gym near here, we rent out a workout room for an hour."

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Tokyo does feel like a dangerous place. Yet, it also feels like home." It was a strange feeling to put into words, frowning at her own statement. Home? Already? It had only been a few weeks, and she was settling in quite easily. After all this time, could it really be home? ...There was no easy answer for that. "It's just the usual new-place jitters." That was the eventual conclusion. <br /> <br /> "Thursdays? I could be able to make it. Having a few friends sparring each other doesn't sound like a bad time." Half and half, but the sentiment was there. Even if she was still using her own skills here in Tokyo, there was little worth just running around at night.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I know what you mean," Kyouko says, with a smile. "I'm not originally from here, either. I grew up in a city a few hours north of here called Kazamino. Still a pretty big town, but nothin' compared to Tokyo. Still.. not much left for me there now, and I been here a few years now, so Tokyo is definitely home for me these days."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She nods her head then. "Okay.. well, like I said, its pretty informal, but feel free to stop by." She snags a scrap of paper from near the cash register and jots down an address, handing it over. "That's where we meet. Oh, and let me give you my phone number." That is also added to the paper. "Just in case."

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Around the world too many times to count here. Hopefully, I stay here for more than a few weeks." She had a wry smile with the statement, chuckling to herself at the aburdity of the situation. Hitting it off with a store clerk somehow. Not a bad way to cap off the afternoon. "Anything I should note?" Taking the scrap of paper, her phone was quickly pulled out, tapping away haphazardly on it as she inputted the prerequisite information and a reminder. Never hurt to be too careful.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko shrugs her shoulders. "Nothing in particular. Pretty much anything you need, you can get somewhere in Tokyo. It's that kinda city." She smiles again, then sits back up and stretches an arm over her head. "Well.. I should get back to work. If the boss lady comes in and finds me chit-chattin' away I'll catch hell."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She winks. "Nice meetin' ya though, Chris. Hope we can talk again sometime."

:'''{{#var:207|Chris Yukine| (207)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Yeah. See you Thursday at the latest~" A wave and a wink, visibly relaxing as she grabbed her bags and headed out towards her own lodging. Good days awaited her, and this was another bright spot in hopefully an ever-increasingly brighter future.
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