2013.06.18 - Shopping!

Manhattan Mall

The only indoor mall in Manhattan, the "Manhattan Mall" is located at Broadway and 33rd near Midtown Center in Upper Metropolis. It occupies the first two floors and two subbasements of a thirteen story building with office space occupying the remainder of the building. Stores include JC Penney, Radio Shack, Toys R Us and Victoria Secrets as well as many others. (Details on the mall can be seen on the RL mall's website.)

After spending the night at the Kaplan residence -- in Billy's room with Billy and Eddie in another room -- Torunn had expressed the need to find something to give her uncle as an apology gift and her parents at their wedding. After much tisking about the situation from Billy's mother -- and quick reminders from all three teens that there was a wibbily-wobbly timey-wimey element in the timing of the wedding and Torren's birth -- it was decided that the blonde haired girl needed to be taken shopping. After a hearty breakfast of course.

They took the subway to the Manhattan Mall and Mrs. Kaplan immediately took the time displaced teen into JC Penney's which occupies both subbasements. "Let's look at some shirts for your uncle," she says to Torunn and asks, "Do you know his size?"

"He's tall and skinny," Torunn says in reply much to her companion's frustration that is the complete answer.

It's not an entirely uncommon sight for Jazmin to be roaming through the mall. One might even call it the teen girl's home away from home (far FAR away from Home), or an easy retreat away from HQ. And a source of the overly sweet iced coffee drinks that are included in her current addiction. She's browsing, poking around as she sips on her drink. The voices draw her attention over, glancing to Torunn and her companion briefly at that 'helpful' answer, a little amused smirk touching her face as she overhears.

Torunn's attire makes her the focus of everyone's attention as it is not every day that a girl wearing knee high boots, a cape and a chain of golden disks with sapphires in it in Penney's. She is also gaping at the place, as if she's never been in a retail store before. When the perfume sample lady asks if they'd like a sample Mrs. Kaplan reflexively says yes and ... moments later... Torunn is spritzed in the face and reaches over her shoulder for something that isn't there at which point she frowns and starts to reach out into the air to her side and Mrs. Kaplan -- having seen the girl summon Skerasverð to her hand from her sofa the night before -- immediately goes into a near panic trying to tell the girl that's really not necessary and to calm down. For everyone else it just looks like the girl is stretching and her adult companion is having a fit over this.

Jazmin winces at the spray to the face by the perfume, roaming closer as she considers the girl's outfit. She is close enough to offer a conversation, not unduly concerned by whatever she's reaching for, no matter that her associated adult is freaking out. Adults do that. "Hey.. not to be completely weird, but I really like your boots."

Torunn lowers her hand before she actually sent a summons for Skerasverð -- which would have come as quickly as it could have and broken though the walls if she had, so that's a good thing -- but it wasn't because of Mrs. Kaplan's response, no of course not. She tries to calm down the woman but her "I promise it will stay in your apartment for now," doesn't seem to do the trick and the perfume woman starts to try to help out the adolescent goddess' companion as she, herself, turns to the girl who addressed her.

"Reall... I mean..., Verily? Thank you they were a gift from my father." She pauses and then adds, "Actually, the whole outfit was," with a strong sense of pride in her voice.

"It's really striking." Jazmin replies as she gives a once over, now that she's admired the boots properly. "Not super subtle on fitting in with civilians, but hey.. sometimes the t-shirt and jeans look is so overdone it hurts." She seems entirely unphased by the fact that she, herself, is in t-shirt and jeans. "I never got the hang of capes, personally, but damn they do look good. Regal."

"Thank you, my father is Th-" Torunn started to say more but Mrs. Kaplan, who has finally started to calm down interrupts her.

"You probably shouldn't even be out dressed that way, we need to get you some new clothing. At least a new shirt and then put your tunic and cape in a bag, Torunn."

Torunn nods to Mrs. Kaplan and then says, softly, "Come with me. I'm afraid she'll make me wear something like her dress," to Jazmin while indicating the actually quite attractive floral print blouse the woman is wearing. It's just not... teen friendly attire.

"Well, it makes sense to have some /options/, and then you can decide if you want to look awesome, nor blend in some." Jazmin gives a little shrug and then quirks a brow as she considers Mrs. Kaplan's outfit, and then turns back to Torunn. "Well.. This store isn't the worst for options, but it's pretty bad. I can show you where the stuff that won't make you look like you're ancient is, at least. There's some not completely sucky t-shirts and the jeans are alright. Or yoga pants. Yoga pants are win."

Mrs. Kaplan starts to protest but then, in a moment of kindness and clarity, remembers being a teenaged girl herself and relents. "Alright but we simply must return to Penney's to look at outfits that you'd look great in for the wedding, Torunn!"

Torunn's expression passes through a series of expressions -- relief that she can get advice from a person closer to her age, regret that the wedding got mentioned in public and concern about the older woman's opinion of what she should wear to that event, and embarrassment as she asks her question of Jazmin... simply for having to ask the question.

"The wedding is in Asgard, I will wear the outfit my father gave me to that," she says with an air of finality and... distance. The latter as if some part of her thought the older woman was beneath her but that she was both trying to be too polite to make that obvious and that she knew better than to act that way but had some predisposition towards this. Then, addressing Jazmin, she asks the embarrassing question: "What are yoga pants?"

"Somehow, I seriously doubt that JC Penney is the place to shop for something to wear to Asgard. It's more like something to wear to Wegmans." Jazmin points out, without even blinking at the mention of Asgard, nor a wedding to be held there. A little quirk of her head, thoughtful a moment and then she grins, her manner easy at the query. "Just discovered them when I moved to New York not that long ago.. stretchy pants, they move with you, they are stunningly comfortable." She looks around, finding another girl not so much older than the teens and gestures. "See? Like thicker tights. Which might not help explain. And may, potentially, get father figures freaking out over wearing form fitting clothes, so I leave that if it's a feature or not."

Torunn grins as the yoga pants are described and nods. "You're right, they do look really comfortable."

Mrs. Kaplan, being practical minded, asks Jazmin, "If you are accompanying us we should know each other. You can call me Mrs. Kaplan and this is Torunn. You are?"

"Stunningly comfortable." Jazmin assures as she heads for the woman's department, accepting of department store for basics of 21st century wardrobe. "Jazmin." She introduces herself briefly and then considers and adds. "From the Legion, if that helps at all. And no worries if it doesn't." She clearly knows the store, no matter that she disparaged it not so long ago. "Just an outfit to blend a bit more, or more?"

Torunn starts to answer but Mrs. Kaplan speaks over her -- and gets a glare for having done so that might even make the pushy woman flinch if she saw it. "It's a pleasure to meet you Jazmin. I've read all about the Legion," she says to Jaz before explaining to Torunn, who'd let up on the glaring by then anyway, "They are like police from the future come to help make the world a safer place!"

If Torunn has any clue that her companion has any of that wrong she doesn't let on. Instead she inclines her head to Jazmin and says, "I am told that I shouldn't always stand out. I've tried to explain that I'm used to it... being the only girl at home and all anyway... and that I can take care of myself after all."

"Ahhh.. well that isn't wrong." Jazmin has to admit with a little shrug as Mrs. Kaplan announces how she's read all about the Legion. "Although generally we don't make too much of a fuss over the future thing, it makes some people rather uncomfortable." She gives a little shrug at the end again before offering Torunn a wry quirk of a smile. "Well of course you can take care of yourself, that's not at question here. It just gets /tiresome/, to get stopped, to explain when all you want is an iced latte and a scone. So stand out all you want, but at least leave yourself the option to go incognito when you just want to do something in peace."

"Wait!" No Torunn doesn't stop or really mean to stop, just a turn of phrase. "Oh! You are from the future, forsooth?" She seems excited and opens her mouth to announce she is as well.

As an experienced mother, Mrs. Kaplan realizes what is about to happen, even if this girl is strange to the point of disbelief for her, and she says, "Jazmin, did you have a type of top to suggest for Torunn to try on?" with an undercurrent of 'girl, this is not the place to be making such announcements' directed at the younger teen in her presence.

Jazmin laughs easily at the blatant topic change suggestion and nods. "A couple.. and Torunn? We can talk about our respective weird later, when it's not going to make Mrs. Kaplan freak out with every time we get to something new that's quirky. Seem fair?" She's flicking through hangers, considering tops that Mrs. Kaplan probably isn't going to overly approve of /either/. "T-shirt, maybe a tank if you get warm. T-shirt and trousers are like, teen uniform it seems. And thank goodness, this period has some pretty damn good boots."

''The scene had to be stopped for RL reasons. In the end the following things were purchased: a few shirts, jeans and at least one pair of yoga pants for Torunn, various items Jazmin picked up for herself and Torunn also got a size large, men's black T-shirt with large white lettering with yellow lines outlining the letters that reads "Chaos, Fear, Disorder. My job is done here!." and a gift bag. This last was explained as "a necessary apology."''