April catch-all ♫

[traceofeffort]

⭐ Who: Lisa and you! Yeah, you, I see you on your phone over there, come on, sing along! Junna will be along for at least one of these, I expect, You'll Know.
⭐ When: All through April! Especially earlier in the month, though.
⭐ Where: Asagi Public Library, DU HQ, Tsubaki Department Store, the park, and probably other places too
⭐ What: After last month's roller coaster of emotions, Lisa's doing her best to keep her head and embrace her vision for the future, with everything preparing for adult life entails. She's also got some slightly esoteric shopping to do.
⭐ Warnings: Early in the month, nothing, for once! Tooth-rotting fluff, perhaps. Later in the month, Lisa will be somewhat less cheery for Obvious Reasons.

Comments

this looks like a job for... | Asagi Public Library, April 7-10th, mornings and early afternoons

[traceofeffort]

[Lisa is here in a smart white blouse and a sensible, knee-length black skirt, short heels completing the image, looking... professional and composed, actually? Her tote isn't quite in line with the image she's projecting today, so instead she's got her more typical handbag over her shoulder - Sandglass hanging from it because that's more than a fashion accessory - along with a good old fashioned manila folder. She looks... rested, and relatively calm, so whatever change she's made over the last month has been strictly positive for her physical and mental health. She spends a fair bit of time walking around to talk to as many representatives as she can, balancing patience for their busy tables with desire to appear forward and actively searching. Her tone is bright, sunny, and approachable as she chats; she laughs in the right places, and offers credible bows when she finishes meetings, such as they are.

After her latest inquiry, Lisa walks away from the event space for a bit and leans with her back against a bookshelf a small distance away, pulling a small water bottle out of her bag and cracking it open, taking small sips, lipstick staining the inner rim. She's careful to close it tight before she throws it back into her bag, looking over the job fair with a small sigh.]

I wasn't sure how this would go, but... maybe it's time for me to start forging my own path after all, huh? It's not like I can't talk to people, when I'm not a wreck.

[On the morning of the 10th, Lisa is on her way out the apartment door to check out the job fair one more time when her and Junna's phones let out not a ping but an alarm at the same time. That means one of about four things, and most of them are bad news. She's reaching into her bag to check it when her world starts to rock on its foundations, and Lisa's two feet suddenly feel woefully insufficient to keep her upright, her hands full, her heart lurching with her body, her mind racing. She sways dangerously, heels absolutely not the shoes for this, and reflexively she drops her bag to free her hands, spinning to look for Junna, her emotional rock if maybe not her physical one in this moment, panic setting in, eyes wild-

Later the morning of the 10th, she will arrive at the library, looking... harried and a little disheveled. She doesn't stay very long, seemingly only looking for someone. A very specific someone. Satisfied that person is not here, unless challenged or otherwise stopped from leaving, she slips back out the door as if she'd never been here.]

Morning of the 10th

[thestarknows]

[When both Junna's and Lisa's phones go off, Junna knows it will be bad news. When they both have an alarm, she gets a sinking feeling. It must be an emergency. It must--

The room starts shaking. Junna falls against the wall hard enough for there to be a loud BANG sound. She shouts, reflexively:] Shit!

[...she'll feel bad about that later. Her shoulder hurts, though, and the room is swaying. Lisa is swaying.]

Earthquake! We need to get under the doorframe!

[traceofeffort]

[Her nerves are getting the better of her; she's got to figure out what's going on. Calm down and understand the situation. Everything's okay to be okay-

There's a sharp sound; her vision sharpens and she finally locates Junna through her panic, but only after what looks like a painful collision with the wall that makes Lisa wince, and language she's not used to hearing from Junna. That, more than anything, helps her pull herself out of the brain fog, and her eyes clear, as Junna's words register. Doorframe-]

Got it! Entrance door, it'll be stable! [She throws open the front door, lurches toward it unsteadily, bangs a knee into it which helps push it the rest of the way open along with keeping the haze out of her mind, and once she gets one arm around the frame, she reaches backward, other hand open and extended.] Gimme your hand!

[She doesn't know about Junna, but her own ankles are protesting pretty heavily, and her balance is shot. It can't be too much better over there.]

[thestarknows]

[Junna isn't steady on her feet as she makes her way across the ever-shifting floor. All the dancer's grace in the world doesn't help though to make this effortless. And her shoulder hurts -- she's pretty sure there'll be a gnarly bruise there come morning -- which makes her take it a little slower. But she does get across.

And grips Lisa's outstretched hand. Then, she gets into the doorframe and presses her back against it, steadying herself. She isn't letting go of that hand though.

A nervous laugh bubbles up.] R-Rude start to the morning. Are you okay?

[traceofeffort]

[She's nervous the whole time Junna is trying to cross the floor; every step makes Lisa wish she could help her over or. Something. So instead she vibrates where she's gripping the frame, swaying dangerously, trying to keep herself from going too crazy-

but Junna makes it over, and while she's not the strongest girl she knows, it's more than enough to haul Junna (carefully!) the rest of the way to the door, where they stand across from each other. She. She can deal with the shaking, as long as they're together and... relatively safe? So she starts to relax, although something's still... nagging at her, about all this, and her nerves don't entirely dissipate. She'll come back to it in a second.]

I'm... physically okay, aside from banging my knee a second ago. What about you? That- that looked pretty rough on your shoulder a second ago.

[Lisa looks... distracted. Something's...]

before the 10th

[darcangel]

Ah! Lisa!

[ Jeannette what are you holding. Jeannette is that a handmade flag with the words DREAMER UNION ARMY RECRUITMENT DRIVE on it, alongside a picture of an angel holding up a globe and a few lilies? Jeannette.

Jeannette. ]

I hope this day finds you well.

[ Surprisingly absolutely no one, there is nobody in line to talk to the impromptu "booth" (read: girl with a flag.) In fact, everyone is giving her a wide berth, and there's a librarian side-eying her as if wondering whether this counts as disrupting operations. ]

[traceofeffort]

[Lisa squints. Jeannette, what are you holding-]

It. It... does...... [Nope, can't ignore it-] Jeannette, what is that?? Are- are you advertising today?

[...She is trying very hard and Lisa appreciates that but the girl's going to get herself thrown out.]

[darcangel]

It is good to know one advertises at a job fair!

[ She clearly worked really hard on this flag, too. The images are painted but the hems are very intricately stitched. ]

[traceofeffort]

[........oh no-]

That's correct! But... what job are you advertising? I know you're looking for people to join your... army... but some of the people here aren't even Dreamers, you know? So the regular people in the library could think you're trying to stage an uprising or something. You might be better served advertising this in particular at the Dreamer Union instead of here.

[.......]

Definitely use the flag though. Hard work is important, when applied correctly.

Before the 10th

[greaterspeed]

[how is Nikki everywhere- Oh, that's a food delivery bag strapped across his back. Someone must have ordered something to eat then given him absolutely garbage directions for where to drop it off, so now he's power walking around the library with some delicious smell of someone's lunch rice bowl drifting out his bag and his phone out]

Sorrymasen! [rings out as he apologizes to yet another library staff member asking what he's doing here before he shows off the specific directions on his app for an in-person drop off. A person he can't find. God, the inhumanity he's putting everyone here through. At least until he spots a familiar face]

... Oh hey! [he jogs over to Lisa where she is against a bookshelf shameless, as always] Okay, so I need to find this guy before I get my last warning and get booted out the library but somewhere here is the department store booth with a guy who's cheese gyudon is withering in my bag.

Why the guy said I HAD to hand off the food to him directly instead of passing it to one of the library staff, I don't know, but help a guy out?

[traceofeffort]

[She smells the gyudon before she sees the boy holding it; mercifully Lisa's new, earlier schedule means she had time to eat breakfast before she came today or she'd be on the list of people glaring and debating how much trouble he'd get in for losing it. Instead, she simply gives him a slightly flat look, although she is thinking about lunch now...]

One star for him, yeah? Making you parade that in front of all these poor people. Ah, but Tsubaki's booth is a little out of the way, I think they pissed someone off? Third row, last one at the end. The guy's kind of supervising, he has one or two other people talking to most of us that walk up. [She points down, into the not-overly-populated sea of people; they didn't bring much signage, so that might be why.] Next to Tomoe, can't miss them in their aprons. Want me to make sure you don't get lost?

[greaterspeed]

[no, his near flawless delivery record- The flat look doesn't even seem to bother him that much but he does clearly start looking in the direction she points him towards... And let's out a dramatic sigh when she points out that the location he was looking for was all the way in the back]

Man, couldn't he have just come meeting me at the front door? [but he gives her a grin at the comment about him getting lost] Nah, I have full faith in your directions. But if you're talking about watching my back so I don't get jumped by the hungry masses, I'm not going to turn that down.

[as if someone would actually try to attack him in a library of all places. Normally, Nikki would give a brief second for her to banter back but even he's starting to feel the weight of the hungry stares on his back. He chirps a quick 'Arigathanks!' and gives her a salute before making his way over to make his current problem of getting dirty looks from hungry staffers the customer's next problem instead]

[traceofeffort]

I think he's focused on looming menacingly. And he can't do that if he's coming to meet you for lunch. Makes him look human or something. Can you guess what table I didn't spend much time at?

[Lisa sighs; she then opens her mouth to agree she'll come along, before he starts walking anyway - he's probably burned enough time against his order anyway, so she doesn't begrudge him, and trots behind him as fast as her heels will allow.]

Sure, right behind you. You never know what could jump out from behind a bookshelf, yeah?

a loveseat is a couch for two | Tsubaki Department Store, all month, afternoons

[traceofeffort]

Hmm... leather's great but I don't know that I trust it with food... ugh, this synthetic fabric sucks, does nobody consider handfeel anymore? Being stain repellant doesn't matter if you don't want to sit on it!

[This complaining is from someone who certainly doesn't look old enough to need to be shopping for furniture beyond an office chair and maybe a lamp? But as ever, Imai Lisa is a law unto herself, and she's on a higher floor shopping comfortable, if sightly pricey furniture. Her skirt today is a little more fashionable, but it means her legs are bare, so she can get a sense of what she's looking at a little better... and if the look on her face is any indication as she moves through the department, stopping at each sofa and loveseat to examine and run a hand across the arm, she's a touch offended at what she's finding.]

I swear, it's like people don't think about what they buy, they just go with either the cheapest thing or the thing that's advertised most heavily. You have to experience for yourself and- [She sinks into a loveseat, predictably in a deep red, and cuts off with a slightly shocked expression, before letting out a blissful sigh.] -yeah. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. I don't care if we don't even have the apartment yet, I'd buy this now, how much is- [Her legs, sliding against the fabric as if judging it for comfort, stop abruptly before her feet gently return to almost touching the floor, as she reads the price tag pinned next to her head.] Oh.

[thezekeinator]

Well, this is a jolly odd coincidence.

[The last place Zeke expected to run into literally anyone he knows is the furniture department, which he's patrolling while taking notes and pictures on his phone of various offerings. This raises several questions, not the least of which is "where does Zeke even find the time to do this?"]

Guess I should have expected it, though, come to think of it.

[traceofeffort]

Maybe not that odd, right? We're both, ah... looking to share space with someone, yeah? Of course that space needs stuff in it!

[Time is really the only relevant question Lisa has - she's aware enough that Zeke is here for the same general reason she is.]

Looking for anything in particular, or just trying to shop on vibes?

[thezekeinator]

Gotta furnish a whole bloody house and I've never done that before, so today's all about exploring options. [It should have been fun! So far, much less so than he'd hoped...] Can't wait to get to the TVs at least...

always there, always ready (to scream) | Dreamer Union: lounge, as needed [wildcard]

[traceofeffort]

[Early in the month, Lisa doesn't hang out at the Union much; her services aren't particularly helpful here unless someone wanted low, quiet background music, and the staff probably has the sound in the building tuned for that just fine, so other than occasional drops of emotional support sweets, being in the building without Ai here will just bring her mood down. She does stop by every few days to check in and verify conditions, maybe chat with a couple people to make sure everyone's doing okay. But she really is better served not being here, unless someone needs her for something.

On the 10th, Lisa comes in still dressed in the clothes she'd been wearing to the job fair to inquire about an Excursion to search for Ai's Disturbance, given the Dreamer Union already knows one exists, and given they've confirmed it is hers. But given the last one, she's also intimately aware she is probably not the key to finding it. Harmonic Blend was not where Ai's time went. If her kids really do exist, it's them, and she'd be serving as backup. So she's not going to list the request if it isn't already made. That leaves her to again make the rounds and check on people, but this time morale isn't going to keep her away. She'll be here until someone drags her away, but she's less desperate than she was at this phase of the last Disturbance. She has backup. She has someone to brainstorm ideas with. She... has a lifeline.

Once the Disturbance opens, Lisa isn't here a lot, but she does still stop by, eyes burning with purpose. Rhodonite and Sage are a combat force in and of themselves, but they aren't as strong as a proper Unit, or even a pick-up group with more hands to watch each other's backs. So she's looking for anyone that might need extra Sandglasses for their own search party. Sometimes she's by herself, sometimes she isn't, but she needs to be here to check on things. To check on people. She's... learned her lesson from Junna's Disturbance, not to live in the Dream and put her life on hold to try and save the person trapped inside, but her anxiety still drives her to come and check for news. She's careful to file her reports, too; if someone needs information, she needs to make sure it exists to be had, and Lisa will occasionally be found on her tablet here, typing out a report to hand in, because she could handwrite it but better to digitize it for easier searching. If you're looking for her in a relatively secure location that isn't her apartment, this is it, and if you do need her for something, she's a text away.]

closed: Illya | April 4th

[traceofeffort]

[It's only been a few days since Lisa turned in the papers to reactivate herself as Rhodonite for official duty; she's back at the DU to check in and make sure nothing's exploded since she was in a few days ago. The situation remains... delicate, but not unreasonable. And as she'd feared, being in here just makes her less and less cheery with time. Senpai's office door is closed on a Friday. It feels... wrong. Could be worse, she supposes, but... meh. She needs recharge time sooner rather than later already...

From her tote, she pulls out a bag of cookies - more sakura cookies, deftly and intricately decorated and perfectly baked; it seems she overcompensated for the last batch and made enough to feed an army, oops - and a tray with her name in Sharpie on the bottom, and sets them on a table in the lounge, with a little note card to enjoy one and have a good day in her flowing handwriting. She's turning to walk away from them and sit in the lounge for a bit to mingle, when she sees a familiar shock of white hair. She hesitates a moment; Lisa was super awkward with her in Junna's Disturbance, but... hmm. Now might be a good time to clear the air? A little? Hopefully?]

Illya-chan? Is that you?

[Lisa looks a little worn, stress starting to creep onto her face again, though it's not nearly as bad as early or late last month or especially the month before. More worried than actively fretting. She seems... healthier, for all that. So whatever she's been doing this last month, it's helped.]

[reluctants]

[ The young girl turns when she hears her name being called. When she turns enough to be able to see who it is, she looks a little bit surprised. Mostly as surprised as someone who didn't expect to see someone right now would be, though. There doesn't seem to be anything personal about it. If Illya felt awkward about their encounter in the Disturbance, then it sure doesn't show up on her face. ]

Lisa-san.

[ After calling out the other's name, Illya moves over in Lisa's direction, stopping a step or two away from her.

Close up Lisa's condition is a little more apparent, making the surprise in the girl's eyes turn into something a little closer to worry. ]

.. are you alright..?

[traceofeffort]

Is it that obvious? Ahaha... sorry. I'm- [Lisa cuts herself off, a hand going up to scratch the back of her head.] Well, if I said I was, I don't think you'd believe me anyway, yeah?

[She lets out a soft sigh. She's... trying to be better about hiding things from people. Not to go full emotion-dump, but Illya doesn't need to be protected from her. She's in high school now! That'd just be insulting.]

I'm better than I could be, but... all this stuff with Senpai is stressing me out and making me second-guess myself. Then Junna and I are apartment-hunting but I don't have any money to get a place, and I've gotta get back to the Dream Sphere pretty soon - I had a nice break, but Torments don't hunt themselves. I just have a lot going on, you know?

but not as sweet as you | closed: Junna | Yotsuba Park, very early April

[traceofeffort]

[Lisa has made no secret that she's been really really stressed the last month or so, and while Junna has been gently helping to soothe it away, it's... not quite so easy to escape from everything. That hasn't stopped her from trying the one thing that seems to work about seventy percent of the time: a date. The typhoon - and Ai's media frenzy - threw her plans off just a little, but mercifully, there's still flower viewing to be had, and there's always more flour and sugar and food coloring. The larger problem was keeping her roommates out of the cookies after she'd finally finished a batch!

So after finding a free day once the park was relatively back to normal and their lives were settled, Lisa's down at Yotsuba Park, a big red blanket set out under a cherry tree, pale pink petals swaying in the light breeze but holding strong for a little longer. It shouldn't really surprise anyone that she owns a picnic basket, which she's loaded up with lunch and snacks and a thermos of tea. But even if she hadn't brought it, she's... pretty sure she has everything she needs. It's still a little nippy, so she's wearing her pink hoodie over a warm, long-sleeve shirt, and she's dug a long, cream skirt out of a drawer that she's pretty sure she hasn't worn in over a year. Her shoes are already neatly set at the edge of the blanket. She has her scarf with her but she's not sure it's quite that cold, so it sits atop her handbag.

She's... not sure what she was expecting, honestly? Yeah, it's a picnic in a pretty place in the spring. It's a tradition. But also... it's a tradition she didn't really have much place in her life for until now. Who would she have spent it with? Despite making the cookies every year, it's not like Lisa ever actually had a group to go with. Last year she'd shared them with Amane on a blanket over a chat, though she'd kept a bunch more in her tote to hand out as pick-me-ups. This year, though... she's coming to realize it's not entirely about the flowers themselves. It's about having someone to look at them with. Someone to share a moment with. Sometimes that's classmates, to spend time together and chat about nothing and have a memory of better days. Sometimes that's friends, to build a bond and enjoy the company of people that you like being with; she'd gotten that feeling with Amane, even if the mood of the day itself was still somber. It'd been a memory to cherish all the same.

Today, it's a different category, and she's excited for hanami for its own sake for the first time in a long time. Today, she's with someone she wants to share everything with. Her time, her heart, and her future. Today, she's with her precious partner, and even though there are couples, families, and friends across the park, happily chattering and laughing and having a good time, she can very easily tune them all out. Today... today is for her and Junna. And she's going to enjoy herself, no matter what. Which brings her to look up at the girl in question with a soft smile from where she's sitting, legs folded beside her. Simple, uncomplicated joy keeps her tone light and affectionate.]

Join me?

[thestarknows]

[Junna has never been on a hanami date before.

Oh, she's done flower viewings, of course. She did them with her family when she was younger -- she can remember the curry her mother made and brought along even now. She did them with school friends in middle school, and can remember clacking together bottles of ramune and talking about what plays they wanted to be in. The cries of "so pretty..." and the feeling that, one day, they'd do this with someone special.

But that "one day" was a nebulous thing. Junna wondered, sometimes, if she ever would.

And now she has. She's standing up, still, with her brown hoodie and a long skirt on. She's just taken her shoes off, leaving her in light blue socks. She puts her shoes down next to Lisa's, then looks at her. She also looks at the basket and the thermos, sighing happily. It still feels impossible, on some level. But here she is -- here they are -- and it's real. How did she ever get so lucky?

Junna smiles and nods.] I'd love to. [She sits down, next to Lisa -- so close she's brushing up against her. She looks at the basket, then back to the cook.] I can't wait to see what you have for us.

[She tried to not peak. Surprises are important.]

[traceofeffort]

[Lisa just grins.]

Well, I have you, and you know, that's probably more important to me than anything I've cooked in a long time. But affection doesn't feed people, does it? Sooo I have sandwiches! And some potato salad, and a couple other things... I made us tea, too, since it's still a little cold. And junk food, but you knew that already, that was a project.

But... I'm happy to just enjoy the day until you're ready, too.

[thestarknows]

[Junna laughs at that -- her cheeks reddening when Lisa flirts with her. It's nice to see her girlfriend in top form after everything. And it's nice to see her girlfriend in top form all on its own, too. She smiles, then she shifts -- legs underneath her.] If affection did feed me, I think I would never be hungry.

[Then her eyes widen a little bit. It's a good assortment! And it's a little hard, for just a second, to decide what to do. But they don't need to rush eating. Part of the picnic isn't eating. So Junna slides over -- and rather than stick her arm around Lisa, she leans her head against her shoulder. Today, she wants to be the little spoon.

...It's easier when she's sitting and she isn't a bit taller than Lisa.]

Cuddles, first. Then snacks. Then more cuddles.