maskormenacelogs | [open] my heart can't stop misbehaving

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[open] my heart can't stop misbehaving

WHO: Kasumi Goto + YOU!
WHERE: Maurtia Falls, Nonah, Heropa. (sorry De Chima)
WHEN: Throughout May
WHAT: General shenanigans, casual crimefighting, possible righteous catburglary??
WARNINGS: None at the moment; will edit as necessary!

A | not the kinds of games she usually plays | Nonah, daytime
[ Kasumi has enjoyed many a retro-modern thing that this unique place has to offer since arriving here a year and some change ago. For someone from the 22nd century, when humanity is spacefaring, everything is read from holographic screens, and electronically-infused music dominates the charts, things like hard-bound paper books, televisions, jukeboxes, and rock music are intriguing. She's always harbored an interest these things that she would half-jokingly call ancient artifacts, even back home, where she brought a collection of honest-to-god paper books onboard the Normandy when the rest of the crew were content with datapads; but here she's utterly immersed in that interest. It helps to have had a few friends along the way who were vested in showing her "the classics," whether it was movies or music or literature, but Kasumi is liable to take matters into her own hands and try a few things, herself.

The latest phase involves video games. She's less interested in the actual games themselves and the culture surrounding them, and much more fascinated by the physicality of the games in the arcade. Joysticks. Buttons. Screens she can actually touch (although there's little reason to). The hooded woman who seems to be frequenting the arcade in Nonah as of late always starts the same--examining the controls, getting acquainted with the gameplay. She's not the best at it, frankly, but she's not terrible either, and she's quick on the uptake. And very competitive.

But at least she looks like she's having fun, even if she's mostly keeping to herself; although she's in a good enough mood that she won't turn away anyone who wants to play a round or two with her. ]

B | pretty much a flower shop AU | Heropa, daytime
[ Another thing that Kasumi Goto enjoys, and even more so here: flora. Not to say that one couldn't ever find flowers out in space, on other planets, but Kasumi has always been fond of what Earth has to offer; she grew up on Earth, after all. She's partial to roses, but ultimately she's not picky. Her apartment--which is still a huge mystery that only a handful of people other than herself have ever gone to or even know about--is regularly adorned with (stolen) vases filled with flowers, and even though she's since moved to a different city, Kasumi still goes to the same flower shop in Heropa that she'd come to choose as her favorite over the last year. They make excellent arrangements, she thinks, and half of their profits go to local charities. Although getting a discount for being an imPort is pretty sweet; there are few things Kasumi would dish out honest money for. Food is one of them. Flowers are another.

On the days that Kasumi swings by Heropa to pick up a fresh bouquet, she can be found standing outside the shop, examining their outdoor displays, sometimes chatting with the people running the place. Kind of a strange place to find her, given her insistence on mystery, but she's not shy about her appreciation for flowers. ]

C | we're the alley cats and they can throw their stones | Maurtia Falls, nighttime
[ The schedule's a little different come nightfall, when she's returned to her newly established (as of two months ago) home turf of Maurtia Falls. It's cooler up in the falls, and she won't lie about that being a factor in her decision to relocate. Because, look, Florida humidity was tough for someone with her kind of wardrobe and clearly the solution was not to change up her wardrobe but to move somewhere else; it surprises Kasumi that she managed to hold out in Heropa for as long as she did, but with a few less reasons to stay in that city, she realizes she's much better off where she is, now. She's much closer to "work," now, and she does well with the way the locals generally don't make a big deal of the imPorts, unless it's to resent them, which--hey, that works all the same for her. Kasumi would never liken herself to the celebrated imPorts of Heropa--she would never call herself a superhero, ever. For one, it sounds kind of cheesy, but second--just, no.

Even vigilante is a stretch, but truth of the matter is? That's what she is, in the Falls. She wouldn't thwart, say, a bank robbery or a heist, because that would just be hypocritical even if the thieves in question are just doing it all wrong and being an embarrassment to thieves everywhere and probably don't deserve to succeed. But if she sees the little guy being taken advantage of, she's not going to stand idly or walk past--the influence of a certain few people on the Normandy crew have made her more likely to help out than not--and if the little guy happens to be an actual little kid in danger of being mugged or abducted, or someone in need who's being exploited, then you can bet your ass that Kasumi might come out of whatever dark alley or rooftop she's been hanging out at to lend a hand.

And it's been a while. She's kind of itching to kick some ass. And she can thank the Normandy crew for having that influence on her, too. ]

D | i'm bulletproof and know what i'm doing | Maurtia Falls, nighttime
[ Other nights, Kasumi prefers not to be so direct. Instead, she dons a disguise and goes out on the town, posing as a local lady who's just looking to enjoy a drink or two at the bar by herself. With an unassuming, modest appearance, she's mostly left alone, which is how she prefers it. Attracting attention means it's harder for her to pick up on anything fishy that might be going on in the back rooms of the seedier bars she goes to, harder for her to eavesdrop on gossip between bartenders and other regulars. That doesn't mean, of course, that she'll actively avoid conversation--after all, part of being undercover and blending in means just that--blending in, and if a local wants to chat a lady up at the bar, she won't inadvertently step on any toes by being difficult. ]

E | wildcard??

(( ooc: feel free to hit me up if you'd like to arrange something else or have questions! pm or find me on plurk, either way. c: ))

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[ Roughly two weeks after Mabel's set-up of a date, Kasumi finds herself craving for sushi. Her favorite spot for it is a little hole-in-the-wall joint in Nonah; a close friend of hers who's since been Ported out introduced her to the place about a year ago, now, and she hasn't been back there since he left, for a number of reasons. But the time has come, she thinks, because it's honestly the best sushi she's had around here and--well, she can't let something like her hang-ups about her losses stop her from doing something as innocuous as getting sushi.

Specifically, getting sushi with someone who's never tried it before. Truth be told, Kasumi was about ready to go by herself, but it's at the last minute that she remembers that Duv seemed quite open to the idea of trying it, when it had come up in their conversation. She mulls over whether or not she wants to turn this into an outing as opposed to just "Kasumi Goto wants some sushi so she's going to go get some goddamn sushi," but the former wins out in the end.

Why the hell not?

So it's roughly two weeks after the first date that Duv receives a voice message in his inbox: "It's Kasumi. You said name the time and place for sushi, so here's the time and place: tonight, at seven, Sushiya in Nonah. I know it's last-minute, but I can be pretty spontaneous. Prepare your palate."

And she will be there at the appointed time, regardless of whether he agrees or not, because Kasumi Goto wants some sushi and she's going to go get some goddamn sushi. ]

[well, here's something that's probably a little more familiar to a spacefaring future human: a tug on her shirt to direct her attention downward (yes, Lapis is shorter than even Kasumi) at a delicate blue alien, her face completely stoic.

she's silent for a minute, like she's waiting to be sure Kasumi is listening, before inclining her head towards whichever arcade cabinet is the object of the thief's focus at the moment.]

Whoever wins pays for all the games.

[she's an alien, but she's also kind of stumbled into being an infamous arcade empress. this is going to be a tough fight.]

[ Two weeks. Two weeks had passed and he's starting to wonder if he should contact her or consider it a last cause. Maybe the date had gone more poorly than she let on and she was cutting her losses by not contacting him? Dating protocol, both from his time period and her own, is one thing he is incredibly rusty with.

And then he receives the voice message. He had been in the middle of another bout of research, but it's nothing he can't stop. Which he does almost immediately to relisten to the voicemail to make sure he heard it right.

So she was interested in another date. He's not sure if he should be relieved or internally panicking about how to proceed. Well he must have done something right the first time. It is last minute's notice, but he manages to find something suitable in his wardrobe, pressed slacks, button-up shirt, and a nice jacket. He's not sure this is the kind of attire a 'spontaneous' woman would be impressed by, but it's the best he has.

He's only a few minutes late due to the unfamiliar territory. As soon as he steps into the restaurant, he spots her and his expression brightens as he approaches. ]

Kasumi. It's good to see you again.

[ Kasumi feels that tug on her clothes, and while she hardly respects other people's personal bubbles, she ironically regards her own, so she goes a little rigid. But when she sees that whoever's responsible is a... tiny blue girl... adorable. Even with that straight expression. And--okay, the wager is a little intimidating from that delivery, but. Kasumi won't be heartbroken if she ends up losing, which she probably will. It's not like she was using her own money for this, anyway! ]

You've got yourself a deal.

[ As for the object of her focus, it's one of those shooting games, and one that pits two players against hordes of aliens invading Earth. That feels a little familiar to her, at least. ]

[ Kasumi has, of course, chosen a more secluded spot in the little restaurant for herself (and for Duv), but there aren't too many people in tonight, so she spots Duv entering just as he spots her in her little corner. She casts him a measuring look as he approaches, and--well, that's about par for the course, she thinks. Just based on what she knows so far of him, she'd expected him to show up with this scholarly sort of look. Not that it's a bad look on him, but she does kind of wonder if he'd be comfortable in anything more casual like, say, jeans and a t-shirt. Kasumi herself is a little dressed down, relatively speaking, in pants, a tank top, flats, and a leather jacket with a hood--that's pulled over her head--beneath. All in black, of course, because Mystery.

It's when she looks back up at his expression that she finds herself smiling, too. ]

Right back at you. I'm sorry to call you out here all of a sudden. I didn't interrupt you in the middle of something important, did I?

[ Oh, she looks gorgeous, but he's hardly surprised. Though he does wonder if the hood is normal for her. 'Empress of Mystery' seemed an apt title for her the more he sees.

His gaze only glances at her form before politely meeting her gaze and he settles into the seat across from her. He's overdressed for the location, suddenly wishing he had taken the time to search for the location before preparing, but at least she seems to approve. ]

No, nothing I can't pick up later. I needed to stop for dinner and this was a good reason. [ More than good, really. ]

[Lapis hasn't played this specific game yet, but she's tried her hand at no small number of shooters by now. they remind her of the battle simulations of the old days, albeit in super low tech form, and that's enough to make her fond of them. it doesn't take much in a world where the familiar was few and far between.

she reaches down to tap the coin slot with a few dainty fingers - a little spark of blue energy jolts out, and the game starts up just as if she'd put in actual money. a small trick that no one's bothered to tell her isn't strictly legal here.]

Ready?

[the expression on her face is still kind of...well, but there's a gleam in Lapis' eyes as she hefts the gun up that is at least genially competitive if not reassuringly friendly. it was always a good time at the arcade, after all.]

[ Her smile gets a little wider at his response, polite and courteous as ever. What a gentleman, she thinks, and the corner of her mouth curls a little into a smirk. ]

I'm glad you think so. I'll try not to disappoint.

[ Let's be real. She won't. ]

You look good, by the way.

[ That's not something he hears often. Well. More like never.

His smile turns a touch shyer and he ducks his head slightly as he searches for a menu on their table. ]

Ah, thank you. You're beautiful as ever. [ A beat then, ] Is this one of your favorite restaurants?

Ready as I'll ever be. I'm Kasumi, by the way. Or Player One, if that's what you'd prefer to call me.

[ That little spark doesn't escape Kasumi's notice, and when she realizes what it is that Lapis had done when the game starts up, she can't help but think that's awesome, as she adjusts her grip on the toy gun. Kasumi has a feeling, judging from the girl's determined expression, that this is going to be a challenge--but in a good, fun way. ]

[ What he says actually gives her pause for a moment, and she stares at him even as he looks down for the menu, which she slowly slips across the table over to him from her side. When was the last time anyone actually called her beautiful, as opposed to say, pretty or hot or something along those lines? She can't help the way she's just grinning, now. Duv Galeni has been full of little surprises so far, and Kasumi kind of likes it. ]

--It's the best sushi joint I've been to, around here. [ Which is why she's never taking Shepard to this place, because she'd like for it to keep existing. ] I hope you're ready for this.

[ He can feel her staring and he hopes it's the good kind because he's going to be keeping his focus on the menu for now. All foreign names and foods he doesn't recognize. Food bundled into balls and wrapped up? And none of the meat in them vat-grown, but he's gotten used to that thought when he first arrived.

Thankfully he has someone to help him. ]

I'm afraid I haven't had anything like this, so I'll leave it to you to order what best represents the cuisine. I trust your judgment.

[ She continues to watch him as he pours over the menu--and, thankfully, it's the good kind of staring. She thinks he looks perplexed, and she doesn't blame him if he's never had sushi and is from, like, a thousand years into the future. When he ultimately relinquishes food selection to her, she leans forward onto the table, and carefully reaches for one side of the menu, so they can look over it together. ]

Don't worry--you're in good hands.

[ She finally moves her gaze away from him and down to the menu. ]

By the way, I probably should have told you beforehand, but a lot of this is going to be raw fish. Is that okay with you?

[ He gladly allows her to rearrange the menu and leans in slightly himself, though he makes sure Kasumi has her space. She's only getting closer to look at the menu after all. If she meant anything else by her first comment, there's no indication he picked up on it. ]

I've never had it, but I'm willing to try. Is it that different?

[ To the shock of possibly everyone, she hadn't meant anything else--he'd know if she was. She shrugs her shoulders, keeping her eyes fixed on the menu. ]

Some people get grossed out by the concept alone. Like, ew, raw fish? Count me out. And that's fair, except when they won't even give it a try.

Honestly, I'm still getting used to the idea of eating meat in general. We grow all of ours in vats, it's easier than keeping animals and fish themselves.

[ Cheaper upkeep, easier production. Unlike Barrayar where some parts of the population still relied on the natural version of meat. ]

[ Flashbacks to how awful Shepard was at keeping his fish alive. ]

Well, you don't have to deal with any of that here.

[ Though she could probably go on about factory farming and such. ]

The people who run this place are pretty good about getting fresh fish; that's the big difference, and people don't really appreciate it. Since it's your first time, we'll start with the simpler things--that's what sushi's about, anyway. None of this cream cheese in rolls crap.

[ Seriously, gross. Even if she could handle lactose, the thought of the Philadelphia roll just makes her sick. ]

Cream cheese? [ He's not entirely sure what that did to offend her, but he makes a mental note to avoid any place that serves it with sushi. Particularly if he's going out with her. ]

I'll take your word for it. What constitutes as 'simple?'

[ Because nothing on the menu looks like it falls under that category to him. ]

You see these rolls on the menu? With the crazy names?

[ She runs her finger along the list of roll after roll. California roll, dragon roll, et cetera... All good, enjoyable, but not really sushi. ]

They're good, but mostly westernized. In Japan, the master sushi chefs focus more on the quality and simplicity of individual ingredients to create more complex flavors. That stuff's not on the menus, because people are more interested in the more flashy stuff. But like I said, you're in good hands.

[ It's then that the waiter roams up to their table, inquiring for their orders; Kasumi begins to converse with him in Japanese, though if Duv deigns to use his translator, he would hear them make smalltalk before Kasumi requests the chef's specials. ]

I'm glad to know the difference. [ Since chances are he wouldn't have been able to tell otherwise.

He does use his translator purely out of forced habit--it's never been good for his career to have conversations happening around him that he doesn't know the content of. Not that he suspects Kasumi of anything.

He politely waits for Kasumi to finish ordering before inquiring in plain English, ] Any drinks you'd recommend to go with this?

[ Now you too, Duv, can be a sushi snob. Truth of the matter is, though, Kasumi enjoys her Americanized sushi as much as the next person. By the 22nd century the culinary art had become something else entirely, especially out in space where the palette of ingredients differed, and it's kept her open-minded. For the purposes of this crash-course, however, she decides it best to start with the very basics.

To his question, she snaps her fingers. ]

Good catch. Are you in the mood for green tea, or a nice, cold beer?

[ He'll do you proud, Kasumi. Or at the very least, he'll give this strange cuisine consisting of raw fish a try. It can't be worse than the instant groats he endured as a student on Barrayar.

There's a small smile at that motion. It's an oddly endearing gesture coming from her. ]

A beer, if you don't mind. Is there a kind that traditionally goes with this?

[ Just wait till they level-up to ramen, Duv. Just you wait. She turns to the waiter again, ordering two beers--Asahi Dry, probably--and then giving a little bow of her head as he does the same and walks off to put their orders in. ]

I just ordered us two Japanese lagers. That should do just fine.

[ And with that business finished, she lets go of the menu, although she keeps herself leaning in, keeping close. ]

So, what were you working on just before this? Inquiring minds would like to know. Or just one, really.

[ A drink he'll remember. He wonders if there's any specialty stores he could pick some up from.

And he notices her remaining close. There's a brief second of hesitation before he remains there as well instead of leaning back in his seat. He wishes he had a more exciting answer to give her. He shrugs lightly. ]

I'm afraid nothing terribly thrilling. I've been working on an article from my readings of the relationship between the US and Soviet Union. Unfortunately primary sources from the latter are hard to find and the former's are biased or highly classified.

[Any other time, and Jaime would have been absolutely delighted to share the wonders of video games with Kasumi. Now, though, he's got more to take care of, and one of those things is something Kasumi is well acquainted with: cleaning up after someone else's messes. Without the ability (or, rather, the willingness) to use his handy dandy bugsuit, he's stuck getting from place to place the same way as everyone else, which means that he's got a long trek to make, laden with boxes full of Shinji and Akihiko's stuff.

He hobbles his way through the streets, and fancy that, bowls right into Kasumi, sending one of the boxes - full of cooking equipment - crashing to the ground.]

Oh -- drat.

[With a grunt, he drops the rest of the boxes on the ground, which look a mite too heavy for someone like Jaime to carry through town, but that's just another secret hidden behind out of date baggy clothing, and looks right up at Kasumi. They hadn't spoken since that one text message, and he can't help but feel a little awkward about it.]

Um, hey, Kasumi. Sorry 'bout that. I couldn't see where I was going.

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[open] my heart can't stop misbehaving

For Duv;

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shorter than even kasumi, bless

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it's a hard life for gems out there

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WILDCARD ; DE CHIMA (lmk if this is/isn't okay!!!)