[D1 MM, Streets, Open] Seeking Umbrella

[Agasha Sorato]

Strands of wet hair worked loose from its plait plaster themselves to Agasha Sorato's temples as he ducks into one of the covered shopping arcades, shaking his head. The lanky Phoenix looks a bit overheated as well as damp, promptly beginning to strip off his rain poncho. It's supposed to be ultra-lightweight, but that only does so much good on a morning when torrential rain has teamed up with steamy humidity. Sorato suspects he hasn't seen the last of this double act on Shiawase Island.

Holding the bunched-up, dripping poncho a little away from himself in one hand--a slightly awkward pose--he surveys the stalls and shopfronts on this stretch of street with golden-brown eyes. Surely someone around here must be selling umbrellas... his gaze gets caught for a moment on a display of local souvenirs crafted from shells and other beach debris before moving on.

[Susumu Sumiko]

Coming down the dark and dreary road was a sight that could be from years gone by. A small girl, under an parasol, wearing a kimono that was dangerously close to blending into the night. Perhaps the Phoenix had fallen asleep and was dreaming of days gone by, or had passed into the next life perhaps....

Sumiko had finished her morning prayers, and now was making her way to the markets to pick up a hot drink and breakfast. She had a smile on her face and was looking around at the stalls as she passed through

[Agasha Sorato]

It might be the dark stealth-outfit in action, or the scattering of other shoppers around, or possibly Sorato is just too preoccupied examining a rack of cabinet-door magnets made of pressed local wildflowers embedded in clear resin. Either way, he doesn't immediately see the other offworlder passing through. And yet he steps aside to let her pass without bumping into him, apparently out of sheer instinct. Only after that does he seem to actually look around and notice her existence.

[Susumu Sumiko]

Sumiko had moved as the other guy did, coming to a stop soon after to look back at the man. Concern crossed her face.

"Are you ok?" she asked, giving the man a bow once she had his attention.

[Agasha Sorato]

"Hmm?" Sorato's brows draw together, mirroring Sumiko's concern. It takes him a moment to realize that concern is being directed... at him? "Oh. No, I'm fine. Did I..." He glances down at his person, making sure nothing is obviously out of place that would cause a stranger to worry about his well-being. "Sorry, I suppose I was in your way. Nothing wrong except a little rain. And nothing wrong with rain, actually, as long as it's just water. "

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Famous words spoken before the elements decide to leave their mark" the girl replied with a small chuckle "but if you're sure you're ok. Unfortunately my umbrella is quite small so I can't assist with the rain there but there's a store close by if you need one. I learnt my way around the marketplace yesterday during the festival."

[Agasha Sorato]

"Oh, yes, that was why I came in here. Originally. I may have been sidetracked." Sorato's slightly wide, mobile lips quirk up at the corners. Of course, it was easier to get sidetracked from one's umbrella-hunt once one was safe underneath the glass arcades of the Golden Shotengai, with the rain pounding and pooling loudly but harmlessly on the translucent panels overhead. "I think I see why they built these covered shopping streets now. The Phoenix embassy staff say this weather's quite typical."

[Susumu Sumiko]

"I researched the typical weather for the season these months ahead of time to pack appropriately before I arrived. Let me show you where the store is" Sumiko offered with a smile "ah and I'm Susumu Sumiko. My apology, I was concerned and forgot to introduce myself in the process."

[Agasha Sorato]

"I only heard I was coming here two weeks back," Sorato replies, his voice rounding out with a little familiar wry amusement at the quirks of his peripatetic lifestyle. "Unless it's a planet classified as 'extreme climate,' or with a toxic atmosphere rating or something of the sort, I just take the same kit everywhere. Generally works out all right." He gives the lightweight poncho bunched up in his hand a final shake to get a bit more water off, then balls it up and tucks it under his arm. "I can see an umbrella will be useful here, though."

"I'm Agasha Sorato." He bows politely. "Thank you for your assistance."

[Susumu Sumiko]

"As this planet is a mainly ocean planet with jungles, it has a higher chance of rain due to evapotranspiration from the trees and evaporation from the water. So I figured that while it would have high potential for beaches, the climate would also have high rain risk. So in simple terms, pack a swimsuit and and umbrella" Sumiko laughed as she leads on towards the busier parts of the market area "maybe you'd need both at the same time! It's lovely to meet you Agasha-sama. If you'd like any other suggestions on requirements I can point you in the right direction. I only planned to stop as a place called Muri Donburi for food and maybe Tian's for bubble tea but it's always nice to browse."

And they can't turn me away if I'm with another clans samurai she mentally added but didn't voice out.

[Agasha Sorato]

"If I wore my swim trunks, I wouldn't need an umbrella or a rain poncho. But I doubt I'd be allowed into the Governor's shiro in that style," Sorato muses, letting Sumiko lead off. "It would be socially limiting. Too bad." His delivery is nearly deadpan as he ambles one stride for every two of hers.

The Spidersplaining about planetary climates washes over him without ruffling his equanimity. He'd been ready for rain, but, he fully admits to himself, less ready for the kind of rain that seemed to actively turn into vapor as it sat on the pavement, steaming him like a Phoenix-flavored sticky rice dumpling inside his waterproof wrapper.

"Please don't let me keep you from your sustenance, Susumu-san. But I probably do owe you a tea for your guidance."

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Maybe there needs to be more gatherings on the beach. Then it would be a socially accepted way of being" Sumiko offered with a smile "I'm not much of a beach person and I do so love my kimonos, but when there's a beach and hot weather it's hard to resist. It'd also make a good test of peoples attentiveness."

She paused on a street corner, looking down one street then the next, before an "ah hai this way" and going straight again.

"I won't say no to a warm drink Agasha-sama! We can go there after this."

[Agasha Sorato]

"Then lead on," he says amicably, following. He seems able to keep pace and alignment with Sumiko despite apparently looking in every other direction than where he's going, his gaze snagged by this one and that of the shops and stalls either doing business or just now opening up around them. At one point he voices a quiet "Watch out there," an extended hand politely warding her away from a puddle of rainwater, leaked or tracked in from somewhere, that she might or might not have seen. A young lady who loves her kimonos probably doesn't want to splash her hems.

"I saw a note about some kind of beach event in the Governor's program for visitors, I'm almost sure," he adds. "I don't remember whether there was a note on attire. Are you here for the Governor's investment drive, Susumu-san?"

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Oh thank you" Sumiko smiled brightly as the puddle was avoided "we're almost there!"

There was a few nods at the question.

"Hai, I'm here for that. I don't think the Spider would be welcome on this planet if not for such a thing as you can imagine with our history. A gathering on the beach would make sense although I may have to check with the clerk at the embassy as I don't remember seeing a schedule. Must have just been misplaced, you know how things can be" there was a small chuckle "ah there it is!"

She motioned to a very large store on the street corner.

"That's a store called Koi, which sells all clothing and other such items. It'll likely have prettier umbrellas, but round the corner is a Pharmacy that also sells utility items so a plain umbrella works there. So depends if you want a souvenir style umbrella or form and function."

[Agasha Sorato]

"Most definitely function over form," Sorato says, his mouth curving in a slight smile. "Might as well pick up something I can pack to the next planet." Besides, he reflects, a colorful and decorative souvenir umbrella is exactly the sort of thing air spirits love to play with. Better to avoid being provoking. "Around the corner, you said?"

"At some point I'd better choose some souvenirs to post to my nieces while I'm here, too, but they're a little young to appreciate an umbrella."

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Sensible" Sumiko nodded "I can suggest souvenirs that won't be as expensive as the ones in the skycarp but first off let's find the pharmacy. It is just round here I'm pretty sure."

She hopped over a large puddle near the Koi store, and a few more hops after that before she peeked round the corner.

"Found it! Two stores down" she motioned down to the store that had a crab with a turtle shell back above the door.

[Agasha Sorato]

"You seem very practiced at the tour guide's trade, Susumu-san," Sorato comments. He hadn't expected his first run-in with an enthusiastic promoter of the various local Crab businesses to be with a Spider.

Most of Sumiko's hops are a long stride at most for him. He tilts his head back to study the pharmacy's sign as he reaches for the door handle to open it for the two of them. "Huh. Interesting mascot. I wonder if such an animal really exists? Or is it just fancy?"

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Thank you Agasha-sama. Truthfully I have done a bit of practicing ready for the future of showing people around a sanctuary" Sumiko smiled brightly as she approached and entered the store "I don't think there's a real crab creature with a turtle shell, although they do sometimes live in the shells I believe. I remember reading about it."

[Agasha Sorato]

"I've seen the crustaceans from Old Rokugan that adopt mollusc shells as armor. Haven't read of one getting into a turtle carapace," Sorato muses, stepping in after Sumiko and letting the door close behind him. "Crab exoskeletons come in all manner of shapes, though. And things that look like crabs... it's a shape the energies of life prefer, we suppose. You wouldn't believe how many habitable planets have them."

He drifts over to a display rack of umbrellas, intelligently placed near the shop entrance, and begins looking them over.

[Susumu Sumiko]

"It was an interesting study, it's not a simple thing for them to do though" Sumiko nodded as she moved to look at some of the shelves before pausing and turning slightly. Noticing the clerk behind the desk looking intently at her. There was a small smile and bow then she stepped back to where Sorato was.

"Are you a zoologist Agasha-sama?"