2022-12-09 Total Eclipse of the Heart
- Log: 2022-12-09 Total Eclipse of the Heart
- Cast: Teletha Testarossa
- Where: Mall, Nouvelle Tokyo
- Date: U.C. 0096 12 09
- Summary: The so-called marketing phenomenon of holiday cheer has landed firmly in Tessa's heart, and that only meant one thing: Ruminations and trying to think of presents while already at the mall. What a master of time management.
December was an odd time.
Not for any particular reason. Always when little, always when growing up, Christmas meant a few things; A few days of downtime, the feeling that the world was taking a deep breath for no reason whatsoever. It was obvious that everything was...still going as normal, but it was the feeling of it. Being around the world had the perks of feeling the chill, the warmth, and all temperatures in-between after that traumatic incident. Just take it in, take a deep breath in.
Take a deep breath out. She's on her own today. Urban mall. Jindai was a great motivator in general; Many firsts this year, after spending so long building her beloved craft. Even if there were minor protests here and there, she knew she was being tracked. She had to be.
She can escape the pall of duty visually, but that mind never stops working. The curse of a job that requires thought and what she had.
...Enough of that. Enough of it. She's here for a mission of her own, especially since Jindai itself was abuzz. Christmas meant one thing. ...A few things, but nothing so important as this one.
Christmas presents. Mardukas was never much for it, nor was Kalilin, but the mood in the Tuatha de Danaan was hauntingly familiar. More people joking, letting up, discussing about leave and who's staying on, who's heading home, and who's being served the divorce papers because they chose pay over family. It was a blessing that she only had to deal with the tailends of them; Attrition was nonexistent. The job paid well, and as far as she was aware, Mithril paid well and had benefits.
...Enough of work. There's presents to find. To scour down. There's, let's see...Kaname, Sousuke, the Student Council President, Mardukas, Kalilin, on and on and on the list went in her head. Something nice? Something sweet? Both XO and Lt. Colonel would be satisfied by something personal, like always.
For Sagara and Kaname...Maybe Leina, too? What would she like? ...Come to think of it, this was the first time she could actually...do such a thing, right?
Her feet took her across the various store fronts, ashen eyes scanning over storefront after storefront. Presents, presents...Maybe something small? Something Sousuke could keep on his person when not on combat duty? She can't do anything like...l-like ribbons or anything, right? No, no, no, that might work, but they're soldier and captain. She can't breach that. Not so willingly. Even if she was fighting her own personal (read: nonviolent, mutually agreeable) spat of war against Kaname, that'd be the equivalent of a WMD!
Can't do that, no, no, something more lowkey. A charm? A charm for each other? There has to be an Arm Slave keychain manufactured somewhere...Savages should still be popular enough.
...For Kaname...Her eyes stopped in front of one of those foreign traveler shops. That's right, her father was...Mmh, was it really right? Something more close to home. She's part of Shuffle (Acting). She has to...to think of something. Maybe a new harisen, considering Sagara's reports. A new alarm clock? What else, what else, what else...
...Herself? Don't be silly. A shirt could do well enough. Pants. Some gadget for her hair. ...A Bonta-kun plushie? There's a limited edition collab with Tarabaman...Maybe that.
Leina...Mmh, hard. What do you get a girl like that? Makeup? Colgone? She's Sayla's ward, best to avoid anything space-imported. Something Sheryl Nome related? A poster might work. Or another keychain.
Really, keychains were...something showoffable yet personal, weren't they? No wonder it keeps popping up in her head.
Trot, trot, trot. There was a list, there was checking it twice, and there was now the task of finding presents. She can set aside the conundrum of Birthday/Christmas present ettiquite and just get two things for Kaname! Simple!
The end of the year was nothing but optimism. People in her life, people to reach out to, multiple braches for the month and the year beyond. The first year spent as a Captain weren't going to waste.