Logs: Welcome to Moonstruck

Okina City

Okina City is something of a misnomer. A shopping district erected around a highly successful train station otherwise situated in the middle of nowhere, it boasts easy and fast routes through many cities. The transit service is so good that some delinquent students can skip some classes, come here for a while, and get back before school ends.

Surrounded by large multi-story strip malls as far as the eye can see, with benches and fountains along the way to offer places to relax, Okina City has a lot to offer whether you're an overseas immigrant going to Lunarvale, a carrier of the latest gossip from Sumaru, a Port Island tourist, or a simple country resident of Inaba. Okina City attracts all sorts of people from all walks of life.

Many stories and paths begin, diverge, and end here. Like a fool's choice to reach out towards the world through its many challenges and detours, perhaps you will have a story of your own to tell from here... the odds of you never setting foot here in your life are very slim, indeed.

There is always something new to experience in Okina City. Some new shop or attraction that catches the eye, and that would offer plenty to see even to those who have no money to spend. Though of course actually having money to spend would be a nice bonus.

Moonstruck is one of those stores which could easily be overlooked for a long time by even long-time regulars of Okina City. With a simple external display and a humble sign declaring it as 'Okina's Number 1 New Age and Occult Shoppe,' the outside almost seems purposefully constructed to make it easy to miss.

Perhaps it will still catch the attention of a certain pair of friends today, nonetheless.

Once more, Souji finds himself curiously wandering the streets of Okina. This time, however, he had a friend in tow. Together, Yosuke and his silver haired friend had spent the good part of the afernoon, now rapidly becoming evening, searching for a very particular Halloween costume prop: a pair of vampire fangs. Junes was picked clean and no other store in Inaba sold proper costume accessories. Souji was surprised to find that Okina was producing similar results. A thorough scorunging of near typical store in town would produce no such object for one reason or another.

"Yeah, uh," Souji scratches his head idly as he walks along with his friend, admitting apologetically as they walk their way home, "sorry for dragging you out here with me. I thought this would be easier than it was."

Just then, Souji's silver eyes are drawn to the inconspicuous Moonstruck storefront as he echoes the sign, "New Age and Occult, huh? That might have something. Doesn't look too outstanding either."

"Well, I don't know. Maybe you're being too picky? I don't know." Yosuke shrugs, tilting his head a bit. And, suddenly, store.

"Alright, but..seriously, dude, if this place doesn't have it, we're buying food before we go back. I am /starved, man." He walks to the door first, pushing at the door to get in. It is, in fact, staggeringly possible that it's a pull door, in which case he's going to look markedly silly.

The universe decrees that if Yosuke is trying to push straight into a door, it must instead by a pull door. It's just how things work.

The inside of Moonstruck is precisely the opposite of its dull outward appearance, and it feels like walking into a completely different world. The first thing one notices is how pleasant it is. This is a store that welcomes its customers to stay for a while. The temperature is perfect. The store is full of soft colors arranged with exquisite taste to complement one another beautifully, and the quiet sound of a bubbling brook and the sweet smell of incense add wonderfully subtle but powerful touches to the atmosphere. The inside of Moonstruck is at once exotic and beautiful.

The young man standing behind the counter could almost be part of the decor, beautiful and graceful, surrounded by an aura of mystery and allure. His features are almost too soft to be that of a male, as is the long, silky silver hair which flows gently down to his waist. "Hello," he greets in a richly pleasant tenor voice as the pair walk in. "Can I help you with anything?"

Souji does his best to hide a smirk as Yosuke pushes on the door, which he himself pulls open. As he enters the shop, he's more or less taken aback by the luxurious, almost mystical decor. Was this another portal to the Velvet Room or something? Obviously not, as he still feels wholly in-body and corporeal, but nevertheless the place shattered all of his expectations. He takes a curious glance about the grand shop, feeling as though this is definitely not the place to find a silly little piece of plastic.

There was even a pretty young girl working as the clerk. He looks to the voice as he's greeted and has to blink twice. Getting a better look, he notices that the aformentioned clerk is not a woman at all, but a man. At least he's fairly certain, anyway.

He stops staring just before it becomes rude and explains, perhaps a bit embarrasedly, "I...don't suppose you stock costume parts in here?" As far as Souji was concerned, this was pretty much the equivalent of ordering a cheeseburger at a fancy French restaurant.

Fffff. In any case, Yosuke follows as Souji /pulls/ the door seriously, what the christ, that's not fair...

Anyway, the place looks pretty cool, Yosuke's alright with fancy occult shops--he wonders, briefly, about another fortune teller, but this one? Way, way hotter. He leans in as she starts talking, before... oh. oh. okay then. "....Yeah, you know, just as a random possibility thing?"

Ten years ago, the founder of this shop experienced a vision during a trance. In his vision, it was decreed that his shop must have a pull door. No explanation was given. He simply knew that he must put a pull door on his shop.

The smallest of frowns crosses Masumi's soft features as the two walk further into the shop, as if he were just noticing something previously missed. It vanishes fast enough that only the perceptive will notice it at all. "We carry some items which could be used in a costume," Masumi replies, smoothing over the hair just above his forehead in a subconscious habit. "What are you looking for?"

"Artificial fangs, I guess," Souji explains what he's looking for, relieved that Masumi doesn't find it especially silly...yet. He steps forward, taking a few more glances at the impressive array of merchandise. Once closer to the counter and able to look at Masumi at a distance he feels appropriate for conversation, he remarks, "You know, I've been to Okina a bunch and yet I've never before noticed this place. It's pretty nice."

He amiles faintly after a moment before introducing himself cordially, "I'm Souji Seta, by the way. This here," he gestures to the Prince of Junes, "is my friend, Yosuke Hanamura."

Yosuke just kind of nods along as Yosuke speaks, wandering off a few steps to look at some fancy crystal ball-type shenanigans. As he's introduced, he nods to the gi--guy. There's a tilt of the head, as he offers a meek wave. "Good to meet you, yeah--but, come to think of it, never seen this shop before either. I'm not exactly perceptive, of course, but..."

"We like to keep the exterior understated, to discourage those who are not truly interested," Masumi says with a small smile by way of explanation -- at least such as it might be counted for one. It still leaves behind the questions of interested in precisely what, and why two guys looking for simple costume pieces aren't included in that group.

"Masumi Hayashi," the youth behind the counter returns pleasantly, extending a hand for either or both to shake as they will. "Are you from Inaba by chance?"

"Why yes, we are, actually," Souji nods, "I guess you recognize the uniform, perhaps?" At least that's why he thinks the other young man would know. That said, there is clearly more than meets the eye here, but Souji isn't too readily superstitious, despite all he's already been through. Divine games and the state of the human subconcious meant little to him. He just wanted Inaba to have a sense of peace again, despite not knowing it any other way. He looks to Masumi curiously once more, then goes back to perusing the store's goods.

Yosuke finds the statement a little more offputting, rubbing his chin at the term 'truly interested'. It takes him a moment to respond to the query, opening his mouth before --whoops, Souji said it already. Jeez. In any case, Hanamura continues rifling through merchandise.

"Yeah, we're from Yasogami High, as a matter of fact--which interest do you mean, though?"

The writer actually forgot that Souji and Yosuke were wearing school uniforms. At the very least, Okina's proximity to Inaba means chances are fairly good that any one person that walks through the door is from there, and as Musami also lives there, it's an entirely natural question to ask. Nothing extra-normal happening here. In this particular case. At this particular time.

(Lack of extra-normal occurances in the immediate present for the immediate issue makes no guarantee of lack of extra-normal occurances for the duration of your visit to Moonstruck).

"I am actually a student at Yasogami myself," Masumi replies to the inquiry, smoothly brushing over Yosuke's question. Souji finds a vast variety in the merchandise, ranging from such traditional items as crystals and suncatchers all the way to the most exotic and esoteric.

"Now, mock fangs you said?" Masumi confirms, walking out from behind the corner and striding over to a particular section of the store. "I believe these should suit your purposes." The items indicated look terribly realistic rather than plastic, and don't seem to have been necessarily intended for a costume.

"Yes, these will do," Souji looks them over approvingly, hoping their not terribly expensive (and if they are, then that at least they're as special as they're prced for), and reaching for his wallet to pay for them. He has trouble believing that he's a Yasogami student, as he's pretty sure he'd have recognized the rather unusual young man by now. Nevertheless, he nods, "I see. Perhaps we'll see each other again then. Thanks."