Reiko Touyama got a text on her rainbow colored Virtue phone that someone named 'Gutai' wanted to talk to her. She has no idea who Gutai is, but she has a Virtue phone- so that means they're an ally! a potential friend- so she texted back that she'd meet at the small Art Supply Store that exists in Clover Tower's lower levels. She's here, searching through pencil sets and sketch pads as she taps her bottom lip.
She said she's be wearing an orange bow with a white fish pattern in her hair- and it's there! She doesn't know Gutai is Naru of course and Naru knows what she looks like already, of course.
There's more than a few nerves when Naru uses her basically 'new in box' Virtue phone to text Reiko. She's got it all set up with the appropriate handle, and so on and so forth, and her intention had been to turn up in that disguise.
Except /art store/ and normal people and Naru stands outside the little art store, looking conflicted. She is really /bad/ at being even a pretend magical girl and knowing how the social niceties should go.
Naru tucks her virtue phone into her pocket, and takes a deep breath and heads inside to look for Reiko. Found easily enough in one of Naru's favourite sections too. "Er. Hi." Naru waves to Reiko, ever so faintly awkward for what might seem like no good reason at all.
Reiko Touyama picks up a pack of pencils and puts them into a small basket she has with her finally, having chosen something. She taps her chin a bit. She turns to face Naru anddddd-- there's a Bluejay on her opposite shoulder. Bright, blue and looking cheerful. "Oh! Naru-san!" she says with a smile. She looks around.
"How are you?" she asks. "I'm.. expecting someone soon, so I can't talk long but-- um." she says.
"Are you here to buy some replacements and refills too?" she asks curiously. "This isn't the store I usually come to, but I wanted to try something different!" she beams.
"I'm pretty good." Naru replies with a bit of a smile and a little waggle of her fingers in a wave to the bluejay.
Art! She can seize upon art supplies for the moment. "The ink selection here is basically second to none. I haven't been pleased with their paints. I like the brand better at the bigger place, across town, but this place has amazing inks. Pens too, although its not like I need to replace pens as often as I need ink." Naru smiles, happy with an easy topic for the moment.
There's a soft bit of er at the mention of expecting someone soon and Naru clears her throat and then there's a much quieter comment as she takes her virtue phone out of her pocket to show Reiko. "I.. well.. it seemed weird to not be just /me/ here, but I'm not usually just /me/, cause it seems weird that I have one of these too, so I went with the more awkward but slightly less weird for eveyrone else, and hi."
That probably made more sense in Naru's head.
Reiko Touyama smiles. "I like the pencil selection here. I buy paints at another place. Paper is about the same everywhere really." she says as she taps her chin as she thinks.
Then Naru lets the cat out of the bag. "...oh..." she says suddenly.
"Then that means.... you've seen... my..."
"Love is like a pie...video...."
"....." then she blushes profusely. "WELL THEN." she says matter of factly. "I didn't know you had one!" she says. "Oh um. This is Biv." Biv wing-waves and nods.
Reiko leans in and whispers. "She can talk, but not in a store like this of course." she says.
"You wanted to talk about something then?" she asks.
"Paper really is about the same everywhere." Naru agrees with nod. "Although if you want super /cute/ notebooks, sometimes the stationary places are better, because they don't try and label them as sketchbooks, but they've the same paper and everything, just a way cuter cover."
Naru giggles softly at the blush, Reiko's quick shy making short work of her own awkard and she leans in to be able to whisper. "Hi Biv!" before going with her own soft 'err'.
"Not very many people know I have one." Naru admits and then ers softly. "Like.. four. Including you. Five with Biv. Six with Luna." Clearly she hadn't been counting critters originally.
"I.. well.. it was about your most recent video." Naru leaves off the pie video for the moment. "About the gem exhibit, and the attacks there, and what happened there." She adds after a moment. "My mother's a jeweler, so the gem thing really caught my attention."
Reiko Touyama huhs. "The gem video.. oh. The recent Crystal Group theft." she says tapping her bottom chin. "Well recently, this group-- 'Eclipse' has been targetting gems that seem to have some sort of power to them." she says.
"No one seems to know why." she says. "But the one theft they've done that hasn't involved gems was that software company." she says softly.
She sighs and crosses her arms. "I really don't know more than that." she says. "I'd been at a couple of these fights but there was that jerk with the game graphics using them to fight and there's been Puella Magi there working with Eclipse at each one too..." she says.
"Then there was that fake Soul Gem..." she says.
"For fairly obvious reasons, I try and stay out of fights." Naru wrinkles her nose a little. "What jerk with the game graphics? I don't think I've met him. And is it the same Puella?"
There's a pause and a blink. "A fake soul gem?" Naru asks. Clearly she is /full/ of questions.
Reiko Touyama blinks. "There's this jerk that uses like. Game. things. in fights. And he uses one of those lame power-glove like things from the 80's but it's not?" she asks. "Ugh. I got hit by like a Hadouken and forced into Question Mark blocks." she says.
"Yeah! Actually! The Puella Magi I fought was the same Puella Magi I fought at the gem group! It seems to be the same group?" she asks curiously.
"Yeah. Madoka-chan pulled a soul gem off the Puella, but it turned out to not be one-- but /was/ being used in the place of one..." she says.
"I dunno how to anaylze that stuff. I'm... pretty smart." she says a little egotistically. "But I'm not a scientist. I tried to make sure Mercury-chan could get to it!" she says.
"Great, I'll add Question Mark blocks to the things I'm likely to end up in at some point." Naru comments with an edge of dry to her tone. "Fitting, really."
"Hunh." Naru is more interested about the Puella than the game dude. "Do you know what her name is? I suppose I could ask Madoka too, she'd probably also know." There's a slow nod and a soft mmm. "I'm good at asking questions, but Mercury is /way/ better at knowing how it all fits together. I'll ask her about it."
Reiko Touyama shakes her head. "I don't. Madoka would know more about Puella politics than I do and that's like a big tangled mess of magical politics that tangles into other politics. I know that much!" she smiles a bit.
"But yeah, If Mercury-chan has gotten to it, she'll know better than I." she says.
"Wait a moment. I thought you weren't a magical girl. How come you have a Virtue phone?" she asks curiously.
"I'll see if I can catch Madoka to ask." Naru nods thoughtfully. "Yeah, I'm getting the sense that puella politics is one big tangled mess of everything."
Naru looks sheepish at the question about why she has the phone. "I'm not a magical girl." She confirms with a little chew of her lip. "But I'm helping Mercury as her assistant, so Tadase agreed that I could have one. I kinda feel like I shouldnt use it though, which is why I don't tell people I have it."
Reiko Touyama shakes her head. "Use it!" she says. "If you need help, or wanna learn, use it." she says. "I mean. I don't mind. At least." she nods matter of factly. "Sometimes my grandpa sends messages for me if I'm sick or something." she says sheepishly.
"...oh. Right. Yeah. My Grandpa can. See my fish. So. That cat was out of the bag like. Immediatly. I dunno why he can see them though..." she says.
She shrugs. "At least you can see all the weird stuff." she says.
"I am trying!" Naru protests with a shy little smile and then gestures at the pair of them and the conversation. "I didn't chicken out of contacting you with questions, but it does feel weird. Especially for exactly that question you asked 'why do /I/ have a Virtue phone'?"
Naru nods with a little mmm. "Yeah, I can see all the weird stuff. Half the time I'm up to my eyes in the weird stuff, I just can't really fight any of the weird stuff. I have to be careful in fights, I'm pretty squishy comparatively, so I hide behind people a lot." Naru gives a little shrug and then smiles. "What does your Grandpa think of your fishes?"
Reiko Touyama smiles. "So be truthful. I mean. Maybe still use that name, but like. Be upfront. 'I wanna talk! I'm not magical but I wanna talk to you about a thing'." she says. "Most people in Virtue are nice enough to talk! Not everyone wants to tell you who they are and that's okay." she says.
"It's hard to hide who I am because I don't control my koi." she says. "They just. appear. People see them and make the connection so." she shrugs.
"Huh? He thinks they're cute and stuff. He was the one who used to take me to the koi pond when I was smaller because Mom and Dad are so busy." she mutters. "Grandpa practically takes care of me! I see my dad and mom once every two weeks." she rolls her eyes. "Talking of that." she says.
"I'm gonna miss Dad for the split second he's home if I don't get on the bus in the next half hour so I'm gonna jet." she beams.
She walks to the counter and pays for her items before she turns back. "If you ever need to talk to me again, just ping me on the phone!" she smiles.
With that, she's off!