Title: An Evening At Junes
Summary: Yoh has a kitty in his bag! Ariko's boss has a bug up his ass! And Kazuo's...there!
Who: Yoh Yamagatani, Ariko Kawano, Kazuo Yuudai, Jirou Hotaka (NPC), Naoki Tezuka (NPC)
Location: Junes - Food Court



Situated upon the roof of Junes, the Food Court is billed as a place to relax and have an affordable (read: absolutely disgusting) snack or two. A popular hangout place all the same, it’s easy to find crowds sitting around tables or children playing in the small playground in the center at nearly all times of the day.
Innumerable food stalls are set around the perimeter, with ample space given in consideration to line sizes that are more wishful thinking than matching the actual demand for refreshments. Bad weather is only kept at bay by strategically placed umbrellas and awnings around the court. From large wooden benches you’d see in parks to smaller, classier round tables outside cafes, the seating is wildly varied as the food offered (the quality of said food, sadly, not varying any from being disgusting).
Due to speakers blaring the commercial jingle nonstop, it can be hard to eavesdrop on conversations without coming very close to a group. This makes it a great place for a secret headquarters between collaborators. In turn, it is a terrible place to study for upcoming exams or what have you.

Everyday is great at your local Ju-- AUGH COLD.
Yoh can’t even fully think about the Junes theme song before he gets the shivers again. From outside the toned teen darts inside the doors, making a break for their central heat.
Outside in Inaba, it actually was not as cold as this particular young man portrayed it to be in his mind. Winter was beginning to overtake fall, but at the most, one would only need a longsleeve shirt to keep warm. A brisk wind did not helped the matter none, though could be avoided if one wore a jacket, or went insdie buildings.
Still, Yoh was shaking like it was mid January! he HATES COLD.
The teen has made his way to the food court, figuring something warm would help take the chill away. So, he looks from kiosk to kiosk, making his choice of a meal.
In the back of his mind, he wondered how Thora was doing. He has not see then girl in soem time. Usually her and her KDA friends were hanging out here. Where were they? Did someone fall in a TV again? Nah, otherwise Thora would have called him for frontline support. She usually does.
His resonance was as quiet as a jackhammer, and anyone who knew how to sense things could feel it easily in must places of the store. usually that is how he gets ambush-visits from Shiori. Wherever he goes in Inaba, BLAM, there she is.
It appears as though... Aztec Burger was the choice of today, as he moves toward the vendor. He is wearing his usual descript outfit, carrying a very large duffel bag, filled with something that looks kind of... blocky. Sounds metallic too. What could be in it? It is a military grade duffel bag; very strong looking. And a side pocket is...
...squirming. Huh.


Ariko looks rather unhappy with life as she stands behind the register of Aztec Burger. Her fake blue hair is partially hidden by the girl’s lovely fast-food visor. She also wears the normal uniform of Aztec Burger except that she still wears all of her piercings. She actually brightens up a little bit when she sees a familiar face approach the vendor. Oh, it’s Yoh! “Hey Yoh,” greets the heavily pierced punk from behind the counter. “What can I get you? Just, don’t ask for what it is in the register. It’s really not worth it.” The delinquent deadpans to Yoh. This new job sucks, but at least it allows her to get farther and father away from her problems in Port Island and Sumaru. And boy, did she have a lot of problems there.
The young teen soon notices the squirming duffle pocket of Yoh’s. “Ummm. Is something wrong with your bag?” Ariko asks bluntly.


“Hey! ‘Bout time! I’m starved!” It’s a male’s high voice, and three young males enter the Food Court. The one speaking is a thin, punkish-looking boy with black hair. Following him is a scrawny young fellow with messy brown hair and glasses. And bringing up the rear is a larger, dark-skinned fellow with shaggy black hair.
Said young man with the shaggy black hair intones in a deeper voice, “You better have brought your wallet this time, I’m going to introduce your face to my knee if you stick me with the bill again.” Though there’s a smirk on his face as he speaks, and his tone is not at all sharp. He’s clearly teasing. Maybe.
The scrawny fellow winces nonetheless. “Ah...Kazuo-kun...don’t hurt him,” he voices. Nerdyvoice. Very nerdyvoice.
“I’m not going to injure him,” the largest of the three of them replies. “‘Hurting’ and ‘injuring’ are two different things.”
“Man...I can’t get a break, can I?”
The larger fellow pauses, and levels a gaze at the punk. “...You really want a /break/? I can arrange that.”
The thin punk raises his hands. “Eh...hehe...no, that’s okay. Bad choice of words, sorry....”
None of the three of them seems to have noticed the squirming duffle. Though something seems to catch Kazuo’s attention. His gaze turns in the general direction of Yoh, even if he doesn’t look directly at him. Resonance? Him haz it, too. It’s more subtle, but it’s still easily sensible if one’s felt Resonance before and knows what to look for. Which, unfortunately, doesn’t include Kazuo!


Yoh squints hard at the menu. The Duck Burger never fails to please. Was it actually made out of duck? No telling. Probably at least some portion might be. “I will have a uh...” He then noticies whom it is behind the coutner! The ever changing hair color, the piercings... “Ariko-san! Hey!” Yoh says, happy to see the girl again so soon. “I didn’t know you worked here! Oh man, do you get to help them make the food?!” he asks excitedly.
Aztec Burger was the greatest. EVER.
“Hehe, uh, four Duck Burger Deluxes, I suppose.” Damn, he sure can eat. He begins fiddling with the wallet. “H-Huh?” the boy lets out, as he looks down at his bag. It isn’t wiggling when he looks, comically. “I don’t see it...” Yoh says, now curious.
“So, how does it pay? Bet the extra cash is really nice,” Yoh adds, stirring up conversation. “I am still looking for work myself.” The muscular fellow then takes a moment to walk over to his bag—huh. Strange feelings begin to nip at his senses. Yoh cannot sense Resonance unless someone is really close, and then he can really feel it. There are quite a few people nearby, but none he recognizes. He can’t pinpoint where it is coming from, either. Well, back to the bag.
He takes a long finger and pokes the bag.
“Maow.” He pokes it again. “Mrrrrow.” A long sigh. “Goddamnit,” he says, with a sour look on his face. “You were supposed to stay home. How do you keep getting in my bag?”
He probably looks pretty stupid, talking to a bag. He is too oblivious to notice that though.


“I have a lot of part-time jobs, they all suck. But this one at least lets me visit home.” Ariko states truthfully as she taps a few fingers idly against the cash register. She -was- originally from Inaba anyways. With her dropping out of school again, the young teen sure had a lot more time on her hands to think working part time at Aztec Burger was a good idea.
“Terrible. But, I can put in a good words for you. The manager just -loves- me.” The blue haired girl explains before looking back at the manager in question who is just glaring at her. He probably just gave her the job to keep the delinquent off the streets and just may be regretting that decision right about now. When Yoh starts poking at the duffle bag, the young teen looks intently to at the bag to see if it makes any noise back at the prodding. “Umm. Let me get that order in, I think you may be talking to yourself due to being really, really hungry or something.”
The trio of teens entering the Food Court get a quick glance from Ariko as they are making quite a ruckus. And is that a resonance she feels? Strange, but which one is it coming from? Ariko ponders this as she goes back to place Yoh’s order and hopefully not get -glared- at by the manager anymore.


By some chance, the loud punk wanders over to the same stand that Yoh and Ariko are at. He’s the one that approaches first. So the Resonance is pretty clearly not coming from the hyper one. Nor is it coming from the nerdy one, since he’s the one that wanders up next. It’s the larger one, the one in the leather jacket, that the Resonance is coming from. It’s not too glaringly obvious. But it’s there, nonetheless.
As he approaches, his nostrils flare a bit, like he’s picked up some kind of scent, and his head tilts back slightly, as if trying to determine its source. However, a moment later, his head lowers again, and he looks to Yoh. Ariko he doesn’t feel, hear, or smell anything from however, so his attention doesn’t really stay on her for very long.
“...Hello there,” he offers quietly, with a smile.
“Hey!” The thin punk bounces over to where one places an order, pulling the glasses-wearing one with him, and does just that, places an order. By some miracle, he hasn’t forgotten his wallet this time! Ariko, however, if she’s working the counter, will end up with a flirty, hyper teen at her counter, yay!


“Oh, well that is good to hear! Always nice to visit family.” Well, that is, if Yoh guessed correctly, and she does have family. Seems like a lot of folks he runs into are missing family members somehow. Huh. Then again he has no room to talk. Yoh sees the look the Manager is giving, and he laughs nervously. “It is fine, I would probably eat all the food anyway.”
The teen pokes at the bag once more, some more shifting coming from inside. Yoh unzzzzzzzzips a zipper, and a cat’s head pokes out, shaking some. “Maow.” Yeah, Yoh’s calico, Chip has tagged along again. How it fits in the side pocket is beyond him, because the thing is soooooo fat. “Tch,” Yoh lets out, before standing up again, then suddenly greeted by some guy!
He jumps slightly. “Oh uh, Hi there! Need help with anything?” The teen rubs his jaw, then pops his back, leaning back some.


Ariko handles the new orders with some regular ease. This sure -isn’t- the first cash register she has worked in her life. Everything is just peachy until the flirty, hyper teen is left with Ariko. “Ummm.” The blue-haired delinquent looks back at her boss. “Taking a smoke break!” She calls back to her boss suddenly before ducking out and away from the counter to join Yoh and the new guy who is wearing a leather jacket. Very cool. “But you already...” The boss begins to retort before grumbling to himself and making his way over to the cash register.
“You have a cat? I didn’t know that. Does he have a name?” Ariko is considerably less hurt by not knowing this than by not knowing that Yoh was in SEES previously. She then flickers her green eyes over toward Kazuo briefly. “Friend of yours?”


“No, just wanted to say hi,” Kazuo replies quietly. He eyes the cat for a moment, though. A smirk. “...Got a friend tagging along, I see?” he quips. Surprisingly, his voice isn’t rude, and he’s not teasing Yoh, except in the mildest of ways. Fact is? Kazuo likes cats. A lot. But he has an imagine to maintain. Can’t have a thug snuggling kittens, now can we?
The flirty, hyper teen looks suddenly confused and disappointed as Ariko disappears, and his glasses-wearing friend snickers slightly under his breath. Though the glasses-wearing one seems relieved now...he always works much easier with other males.
Friend? Kazuo shakes his head. “No. I just happened to see the cat, and it caught my attention,” he lies smoothly. His next words he aims at Yoh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” he offers. Smirk. And then to both of them, “Yuudai Kazuo. Pleased to meet you.” A polite bow. He will introduce the others when they come over.


Yoh pleasantly awaits his order, content as can be. He /reluctantly/ pets his cat, whom always gets in his duffel bag somehow. He worries the fat thing will get killed. Not by normal means either. That duffel bag is filled with ingots of dense steel, purchased from Daidara’s Metalworks. Thora got him a discount~! He uses this to train all the time. Magni confers almost inhuman strength to the boy, as such he lugs around a duffel bag weighing in excess of 300 pounds!
It’s a living. Also the cat could go squish inside. Not once has it been injured. Such a lucky feline. Or maybe he is getting hurt, and the fat is deadened to pain? Theme here is, ‘the cat is fat’.
“Yeah. Name is Chip. He likes taking rides in the duffel bag,” he comments. He turns back to this new guy, whom seems friendly enough. “It is okay! Happens a lot.” Iti s pretty easy to sneak up on Yoh. he is like a horse with sideview blockers. “Likewise! Yamagatani Yoh. Second year at Gekkoukan. How you been today?” he asks, in his cheery-as-always demeanor.
God, he could just give you cancer with all the happiness his dishes out.


That’s okay Yoh, Ariko gets all the cancer she needs from her cigarettes. She doesn’t need happiness cancer too. The young cashier takes off her stupid hat and shakes her blue hair out slightly. The kitten is given a curious look by Ariko. “Never thought you to be a cat person, Yoh. Always thought you would likes dogs better.” The not honorific using Ariko comments with a smirk.
The bluehead then looks to Kazuo. Wow, he is pretty polite for being a punk in a leather jacket. “I’m Ariko.” She greets simply. Sure, it is a little taboo to just go ahead and offer your given name to strangers, but that is just how Ariko rolls.


Well, Kazuo had been wondering about the cat’s name too. But Ariko’s question keeps him from having to ask it himself. However, he’s still pretty happy with the outcome. Because, well...it’s a cat. That’s all it takes to get him interested! Simple guy with simple interests and all that.
“Me? Not too bad, thanks,” Kazuo replies to the question of how he’s been that day. “You?”
They say looks can be deceiving, and perhaps Kazuo’s no exception. He’s starting to garner a reputation at odds with his current attitude, though if either of the two aren’t very familiar with Inaba, it’s likely they wouldn’t know. His reputation is kind of mild at this point, getting him nothing but a hairy eye from authorities in the neighborhood.
If Kazuo is surprised by being offered just a given name, he doesn’t make any mention of it. He instead offers a nod and a, “Pleased to meet you” in response to the simple introduction.
His two friends take that moment to return. “Haaaaaay, Kazuo-kun!” This is, of course, the hyper flirty one speaking. He’s got a bag of food in his hands. The one with the glasses has a burger in one hand and a soda in the other.
Kazuo looks over as his name’s called and smirks. He looks back to Yoh and Ariko, hooking a thumb to the two fellows approaching. “These are my friends. Hotaka Jirou is the hyper one. The smaller one is Tezuka Naoki.”
“I’m not hyper!” Jirou protests. “I’m just energetic!” Naoki? Rolls his eyes and munches quietly on his burger.


It is true. Ariko doesn’t use honorifics. A lot of people Yoh knows don’t. Must be the American influence in the area of Lunervale. “Well, I do, but... This fat thing was a gift from my mother. He is a nice cat. He minds himself around others. Lazy too.”
Leather jackets seem to be the cool thing right now! Kasumi had gotten Yoh a leather jacket recently as well. Guess punchy people need one.
“Been okay. Hungry though! he says to Kazuo. He looks over to the counter. The food should be ready soon. Takes them a bit, but it is so worth it. The teen quietly gives the boy’s other two friends a nod. Must be his hangout crew.
Always good to have those. He pets the cat again, before asking the newcomer something again. “Live around here?”


Ariko just hates her ‘family’ name. She isn’t really Ariko Kawano as ‘Kawano’ is her adoptive parents last name. There is enough bad blood between them that Ariko merely just uses her given name instead. Whatever, it is not like she is making that many friends anyways. Her current boss sure isn’t one as he is once again giving her glares from behind the counter of Aztec Burger.
But! Ariko promptly ignores her boss for now, but soon a “Kawano-san, I need to speak with you.” Ariko’s boss is only thinly veiling his anger at his newest and probably worst worker. “Eh. Better go before he blows a gasket. See you around.” The blue-haired teen offers simply with a wave of her hand before putting her lovely Aztec Burger visor back on.


Jirou offers a grin and a waves to Yoh in response. Naoki offers a semi-salute with his soda. His hands are full, but he still wants to be polite and not ignore the nod.
Yoh’s question draws an answer from Kazuo. “Hm? Oh. Yeah, I live...not too far from here,” he answers. “It’s an ambiguous response, but it is a response, anyway. He definitely lives in Inaba, that much is clear.
When Ariko notes her need to go back and see what her boss needs. Kazuo nods. “Good luck,” he offers good-naturedly. The boss seems upset. And a job is always good to have. He also offers as she departs, “It was good talking with you.”


Yoh is definitely satisfied with these answers. “Oh, cool, cool. I have quite a few friends in this area. Nice place. I like the countryside and the river.” The simple life is what Yoh likes most in this world. Save a high tech phone. has to have a 4G phone. Otherwise he would be fine if he didn’t see another piece of electronics, ever.
Uhoh. Yoh looks over towards Ariko’s manager with a frown. Come on guy, cut her some slack! “Okay then, Ariko-san. Catch you later.” The teen stuffs the cat back into his bag, and looks at the counter. Food is ready!
A look back to Kazuo. “Was nice meeting you man! I am around town often, so maybe we will bump into each other again soon!” The teen moves to grab his food, and heads towards the elevator. He’s gonna chomp it down on the way home to the dorm...
...For his patrol tonight.


Back to the Index