bakerstreet | Hygiene and Grooming Meme

[ Haruka grins: in some ways it's probably better for Stormer like this, huh. She can completely indulge in being a connoisseur of music and not a celebrity in a, well, scene like this, and without backstage access. Mary Phillips goes to the Scene, she supposes. Not Stormer of the Misfits. She'd had a hunch. ] Then I wonder what we're doing with just drinks. Excuse me!

[ She flags the bartender and requests an ice cream menu. They've done ice cream before, and it was fun - did it after seeing the glider for the first time, actually. That's funny. The bartender gives her both menus, so she hands one to Stormer even though the other woman's been here before. ] Scientific fact. People who eat ice cream after hang gliding do better on their next flight.

[ She grins. ] Trust me. I went to a good high school.

[ Which exploded. Sssh. ]

[ Stormer laughs a little too loudly, but she doesn't seem to be embarrassed by that as she reaches for her menu. She always gets the same thing — a sundae with three scoops of vanilla, all the fixings, and a cherry on top — but her friend's gesture makes her want to try something else this time. It goes in line with how the succession of this day has been, doesn't it? ]

I don't think I could ever doubt you with an argument like that. [ She flashes her own grin before looking down at the menu, scanning it briefly. Her eyes fall onto a section as she reads it over. A playful ferocity envelops both her demeanor and the tone of her voice. ] Must be all the sugar that helps. How else are you going to keep up the energy to run an entire marathon before you take off?

Well, there's protein. [ Which means you get nuts on your ice cream. A balance is important, for a combination of initiative and stamina....

The lengths Haruka realizes she's able to go to make ice cream sound healthy are incredible. She'd better set a good example with whatever she orders, then. Let's see....definitely some sort of fruit topping, in that case, fruit is good for you. What can she say about fudge? Caffeine? Compared to what's in coffee, there isn't much...She tosses the menu on the table but continues to mull her options over in her mind. ] Though if the running was that strenuous I'll put together a training menu, too.

[ ...."regimen". The word is "regimen" in English, isn't it. It's the English word "menu" in Japanese. Oh, whatever. Language is weird. ]

Ah, you don't have to do that... [ She chuckles, but her eyebrows are furrowed and sounds like she's trying to let her down in a nicer way. The thought of Haruka's kind of training is even more intimidating than Pizzazz's — and hers typically includes cheating. She told her that her brother is the athletic one for a reason. ] I still have to be able to pick up my hand to compose you know. I... think I'll stick to my usual workout.

[ Which is still very vigorous, but between performing and that, she still wants to be able to get up and walk without feeling unbearably sore in the morning.

She gives a little smirk over toward her before the bartender returns and she points to something on the menu. So much for nuts and fruit, because Stormer's treating herself for today's efforts. ] Can I have the ice cream cupcake cone?

[ Haruka is not sure what's more endearing: Stormer's order or her reaction to the potential of having Haruka as a physical trainer. The girl's got a good head on her shoulders, that's for sure. Haruka may not exert that much effort herself, but she holds all her pupils to high standards. ~~The track team in the manga doesn't seem to mind, though.~~ ]

If you'd like. [ Ah, her turn. Um. ] Berry swirl with nut fudge. And a cherry.

[ She tacks that last bit on very casually, pausing just long enough. You didn't think she'd forget she owed you her cherry, right? ]

Oh, that sounds really good.

[ Does Stormer understand the joke or is she actually oblivious to it? It's hard to tell with the way she smiles and slides the menu back to the bartender. She sips her drink as the band starts up another song. She doesn't pause the conversation to listen to it, more than content with letting it take the role of furniture music for the moment. ]

Their sundaes are great too... their vanilla ice cream is really rich. I wouldn't be surprised if it was homemade or somethin'. [ She is clearly a connoisseur of both the music and desserts when it comes to this place. ]

[ You can't just ignore a person's cherry when it's dangled in front of you like that. How callous are you, really, Mary Phillips...

....no, well played, Haruka will wait and see. Until then she'll just sip her glorified orange juice and focus on the conversation - she has to finish her drink before dessert arrives, since citrus and milk products don't mix. ]

It's the little things that matter, sometimes. [ She sighs, smiling. ] They never know when they're going to get a discerning patron.

[ Homemade works for her. She tends to just....end up at places with homemade ice cream back home. That's just the kind of naturally-refined life she leads.

...whether she has ever eaten fast food is, in fact, debatable. ]

[ She looks over at her curiously for a moment at her reaction. It seems a little familiar to her (We've got bigger ones, Pizzazz's nonchalant voice resonates in her mind in addition with a shrug) which causes a short lull in the conversation before she remembers her jaw still works. ]

Yeah, I guess that could be true... [ She raises her own glass and stops it right before it gets to her lips, smiling right back at her. Her reaction is slow at first, but it picks up quick enough. Whatever blunder that was before seems to be smoothed over now. ] But I think people come here for the atmosphere more than anything else. The ice cream's just a nice addition!

[ Weird pause. Huh. Haruka isn't going to worry about it, though. They have ice cream coming and they're in a nice venue. Life is as it should be. (Actually, life is better than it should be. She's extremely grateful nothing's called her home to Japan, but as long as the only thing on Earth are Earthlings she hasn't got a problem.) She grins. ] What other gems do you have up your sleeve?

[ ...though, well, that's not entirely the sort of thing Stormer would disclose if she's meant to take Haruka places one by one, isn't it. Haruka stirs what's left of her drink by swirling it around, then finishes it off. ] Or is that an unfair question?

You'd be surprised. Most of it I didn't even know existed until I actually started performing. [ Which, not surprisingly, is only a few months before she became a part of the Misfits. Most of her performances were at home with her brother until he nudged her enough to play on stage in public. ]

But if you really wanna know, I don't mind showing you around. It'll be nice.

[ Her voice is almost drowned out by the music at that last part. Getting the Misfits to go to these sort of places with her would really only work if they were actually performing at them in the first place. They don't exactly spend nights at the club listening to music (anything that isn't the Misfits doesn't really appeal to Pizzazz) and it's both comforting and exciting to be able to show someone the places she adores so much. Even if they are the places she goes to are ones she spends her time alone at. ]

[ ....so, crescendo much, Butcher? Haruka waits out the latest big swell in the music so she doesn't have to try and talk over it; once the band's performance is down to manageable levels, she picks up the thread of the conversation as if they'd never paused. ] I'll even let you drive.

[ As today indicated. This is not, however, her saying she's unwilling to do the driving. Perhaps she should amend her statement as coolly (but as self-awarely) as possible. Yes, that sounds like the best possible option. Touring with Stormer. It even sounds cute, with the way it almost rhymes. ] Or shotgun.

[ ....is that a small snow-capped mountain heading towards them or is their ice cream on its way? Good Lord. ]

[ When she finishes the drink and asks for a refill, her smile turns into a full-blown grin. Her hands settle on her lap as their desserts are placed in front of them. ]

That an offer to let me drive your car some time?

[ Even if her tone is joking, there's a legitimacy in the way she asks it. She wouldn't be offended if Haruka refused — she'd feel the same way if there was any kind of threat to her keytar — but she decides it's best to ask lightly anyway. It's good to set boundaries and if those boundaries involve wether a famous rockstar can be trusted with a convertible, then so be it. ]

Edited 2014-05-23 03:01 (UTC)

[ ....This laugh indicates Haruka realizes just how much of a pointed and/or trick question that is, especially since she's unsure if Stormer'd accept if she offered. Has she wanted to drive the sports car? Sure, Haruka personally can't imagine not wanting to drive a convertible, but that doesn't mean the same's true for everyone...

This ice cream looks amazing, by the way. Haruka picks up her spoon to search for a nice bite with a good mix of fruit and chocolate. ] Well, it is a rental.

[ And nom. Before she has to explain herself. It...wasn't exactly a no, though. She doesn't actually know how she feels about it. It isn't that she doesn't trust Stormer at the wheel....but being in the convertible and not driving it feels like such a waste...Maybe she really is a shallow person if she can make up her mind to do anything it takes to save the world but she can't figure out if friends are allowed to drive "her" car. Or maybe she just really likes driving. Yeah, it's probably that. ]

You can say no if you want to, Haruka.

[ That same amusement is still laced in her voice and she doesn't tear her gaze away from Haruka. She still hasn't caught on to the coy ambiguity yet and thinks that she's doing what Stormer does best in a situation that may be a little touchy: be diplomatic. It's hard to think there's something more behind the meaning when she's always been around forward people, even before the Misfits.

Stormer's doesn't seem all that bothered as she inspects her cupcake ice cream cone (mint green with pink sprinkles in a waffle cone) before taking a bite. She's not a sore loser, she just thought she would put the suggestion out there thinking it couldn't hurt. ]

[ Haruka laughs. It's funny to hear her name without an honorific from anyone but Michiru, even in English; the hotel staff mostly calls her "sir". (That's what she's telling herself she's laughing at, anyway). ] Maybe on a back street. Have you ever tried anything with serious horsepower?

[ It's not for the faint of heart. A tiny step on the accelerator and - zoom. Ah, be still her heart.

Cars turn her into such a six year old. Haruka will just have to do the mature thing and eat her enormous ice cream sundae now. ]

You haven't seen what the Misfits van can do. [ She runs her ring finger along the line of her lip catching a smaller sprinkle that got away before flashing a mischievous grin. The delivery doesn't go as well as she chews and swallows her dessert before saying it, but even Stormer the Misfit has manners... despite being the only Misfit with manners in the first place.

Then, immediately after it's said, she furrows her eyebrows and leans back a little bit. Her expression lies somewhere between confused and amused. ]

You just let me fly a hang-glider by myself and you're really asking if I can handle a convertible?

[ Well, sure, a hang glider doesn't have a motor, and the chance of damages to other people or property is slim......But put that way, Haruka supposes it is pretty funny. Attagirl, Stormer. Stick up for yourself and remind Haruka exactly who it was that wrestled the wind and won today.

She spears the ice cream with her spoon. ] I suppose you do know how to manage a stick.

[ Out comes the spoon again, laden with fudge and nuts this time. It slips in with perfect timing right after Haruka's done talking. Stormer isn't the only person who can be sassy but have manners at this bar. ] Where would you take me?

[ Thanks to being in her element, she has an easier time with her quips. She's comfortable, she doesn't feel like she has to avoid stepping on anyone's toe because she knows how to navigate these kinds of waters. The bartender places the refill next to her and she raises the glass to her lips, smiling before she takes a drink. ]

You make it sound like a date. [ Stormer chuckles as she places her drink down and mulls over the question for a moment. There are all kinds of clubs that she could take her to, but none of them seem to resonate like this one does. The beach is out of the question, as much as she loves it, simply because it's everywhere. She's been hang-gliding, she's taken Haruka skiing and hiking, a club like the Storehouse wouldn't really be as exciting to Haruka as it is to her.

That fear of being soft reminding her that she's nothing if she's weak resonates in the back of her mind, though she may not recognize it's presence right now. Stormer takes the leap. ]

Misfits Music.

[ The answer interrupts Haruka's good-humored but slightly self-conscious chuckles - if Stormer wants a date, well, all she has to do is ask, even platonically Haruka knows how to show a lady a good time - but it intrigues her, too. Sounds like Stormer put a lot of thought into that, and that's what she comes up with....

.....oh. Somewhere only Stormer can take her. Exclusive and integral.

Oh.

Haruka smooths her face out from surprise, relaxes, and scoops the cherry off her ice cream. ] Now I have to let you drive.

[ She deposits the cherry onto Stormer's dessert without further ado - or, for that matter, explanation. There. Exchange completed. With pretty good timing, if she says so herself. ]

[ Stormer looks down at the cherry for a moment and laughs. This time she can't really save it for the end, so she takes the stem and plucks the cherry right off with her teeth. The smile has a hard time leaving her face as she chews it.

It's not like bringing Clash to the building, there's a different context between the two. This isn't like showing a fan around. Haruka is a friend, a friend she wants to show all aspects of her life to, both good and bad. It's not something she wants to keep as a secret or act like it isn't a huge part of her life when it is and if she's going to be spending more time with her friend... she deserves to know and see that much. She has a hunch Haruka feels the same way. ]

Thanks. [ She says after she swallows it, but it's not very clear if the thanks is for the allowance of driving or for the cherry, maybe even both. The next part isn't really indicative of what it's supposed to be for either and Stormer doesn't even seem to make it apparent. Haruka just may be rubbing off on her more than either of them thinks. ] I'll make sure I won't rough it up too much.

[ It's always encouraging to know a gesture was appreciated - both on Stormer's end and Haruka's. She's also pretty sure she's the first person to have this good a view of someone else enjoying her proffered cherry so much....

Well, she won't comment, just let the thought infect her grin. ] You'd better. It's not used to unsafe drivers.

[ This is what Tenoh Haruka actually believes. ] Will I get the full tour?

Sure, if you want!

[ She may choose it to be during a day where the other two aren't there and conveniently avoid running into Eric, but thinking of showing her around everywhere else excites her. As much as she would love Roxy and Pizzazz to meet her, something in her gut tells her it's not the right time. It makes her feel a little less faithful to her band and she's not sure she's ready to entirely face the consequences of what happens when they finally do meet.

That'll be saved for another day. The thought makes her nervous, even in a place like this. ]

A lot of it is just business and our main recording studio is actually somewhere else, but there's still a lot of pretty exciting stuff. I'll plan for it on one of my rehearsal days.

[ That whole building and you don't even record.......Well, it takes a lot to run a media powerhouse like the Misfits, and besides, the size makes a statement. That's showbiz for you. Haruka grins. ] Sounds good.

[ More things that are good: this ice cream. She eats a couple spoonfuls in silence, still mulling over what just happened. Well, that's fair, isn't it? She lets Stormer drive "her" car, and in exchange, Stormer shares something that's important to her....but not out of a sense of duty, but because she wants to...She stirs a bit of the fudge into a bit of the melting ice cream. ] What should I wear? I have a nice pair of sunglasses if I'm an unofficial guest.

[ Stormer interests herself in her own dessert, almost finishing it up as she idly wonders if she should order another one. She shouldn't go too hard on the sugar though, especially considering her legs were already weak to walk with after running in the first place. She just may have to order out tonight if she's going to be too exhausted to properly cook something.

As she takes another sip of her drink, she chuckles into the glass. It huskily echoes. ]

You can wear whatever you'd like. It doesn't have to be incognito. [ She pauses, placing her glass down with a sheepish grin. ] Well, mostly... but it's not like they're against us bringing guests anyway.

[ Gliding really does spark an appetite, Haruka sees. She's been approaching her own dessert at a more leisurely pace, but this also wasn't her first day up in the air on her own. What did she do, then.....Those days all blur together. She doesn't remember.

Haruka assumes her best posture. ] I'll behave.

[ She then proceeds to push her own ice cream halfway towards Stormer across the bar. Stormer is more than welcome to dip her spoon into this, too, if she'd like. Haruka isn't currently contagious. ~~Besides, what are you going to catch from Haruka germs? A case of the sparkles?~~ ] Here. Seconds.

attagirl! also i giggle at "the scene" since there really is a venue in my town called "the venue"

SO SIMPLE and yet there's no question of what it is

"the venue" is closed now :( i wonder what kinds of acts performed there....

build a time machine, find out, and report back asap

but i'd rather bring back a pet raptor

that's what EVERYONE does though, do you wanna be a /conformist/

fine i'll save some sort of extinct adorable mammal instead. or the original reels of dr who

returning with a pack of extinct mammals sounds like a badass deal

i'd have to be careful not to disrupt current ecosystems when reintroducing them...

make your own ecosystem, pretend you're in the dune universe

but my eyes are naturally blue!!

(whoops) yeah but still the SPICE MUST FLOW, make that ecosystem work

i shall do my best!!!

ride the sandstorms, fight sting in a speedo, become dale cooper

or i might switch books and save victorian kittens from drowning ala "to say nothing of the dog"

just as long as we don't reach "there will come soft rains" territory

don't say that. don't even think it

maniacal laughter (but at least it isn't "the whole town's sleeping")

generally speaking, avoiding imitation of the bradbury canon is probably best

some of them aren't so bad!! "i sing the body electric" is really sweet

i do love me some bradbury......but he does have a way of preying on my heart

the one with the dad and his kids going to "space" is really cute too

have you read any of his nonfiction where he dorks about moby dick? it's adorable

i haven't! that will have to be my next venture into his works

he has the hugest fancrush on melville it's the most fantastic thing