etrayalogs | [OPEN] Clothes Shopping/Cafe Millennia Mingle

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[OPEN] Clothes Shopping/Cafe Millennia Mingle

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: Early-Mid July
WHERE: Roxx & Cafe Millennia!
WHAT: Shopping and Cafe'ing!
NOTES\WARNINGS: No warnings for now, will update as needed!

With the new haul of arrivals comes the obvious need for new clothes! After all, whatever they showed up in might not facilitate daily living, or at the very least comfort. Fortunately for everyone, new or otherwise, there is Roxx! The range of fashion available is...interesting, considering how it seems to reflect the worlds each person is from, leaving no one wanting in terms of variety. Apparently updating when new people from different worlds arrive. Pretty convenient, that. As fortunate as it is, it might also be overwhelming, depending on who you ask. But perhaps that's where others might be of help! For the fashionably challenged, there might be an angel of fashion waiting to help you out.

With it being summer, there's also swimwear to be considered, especially with the chance of pool parties in the imminent future. Some styles may seem familiar, while others outlandish by your world's standards. Just like any of the clothes really, seeing as one can find clothing that is uncomfortably close to their personal style. In fact, they might very well find their exact outfit here from the looks of it. How odd!

After all their shopping shenanigans, people might find themselves migrating over to the new cafe that Sandalphon opened called Cafe Millennia. A perfect place to continue enjoying each other's company after a fruitful bit of clothes shopping! Or maybe that's where you've started at, coffee first, shopping after. There really is no wrong way to do it!

(ooc: Hey there, just wanted to toss up a little log for people who maybe wanted to do some clothes shopping or cafe threads with the possibility of running into random people! Just some low effort shenanigans and fun! Please feel free to use this log as you see fit, make your own top levels, tag around, whatever!)

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I. Clothes Shopping

[While Barnabas does not truly care what kind of clothes he wears on a personal level, he is well aware of the importance of maintaining an image. He is a king, and even if he is not the typical image of royalty, he still keeps himself otherwise presentable in some way. Walking around in a suit of armor while everyone else isn't presents the wrong sort of image, and while he might not trust others, he has everything to gain by not painting himself as a threat. Becoming an immediate oddity does not serve him, especially not in this situation, and so he has found himself at Roxx.

A clothing store. He has never been in a clothing store in his life, and while he had designs to find a proper tailor, this is about as close as he's come to finding one. It leaves everything to be desired, and this is a man who, otherwise, has no desires to call his own.

Anyone who might be shopping will find a man dressed in armor, slowly stalking through the rows and racks of clothes. Looking through them with a moody and stern expression, as if judging them silently. Yet, he does not seem to be able to settle on anything.

Perhaps he's in need of help? Direction? Only one way to find out, really.]

II. Cafe

[He is not here for coffee, nor to spend time with anyone who happened to approach him during his endeavor to acquire more usual clothing. Fortunately, he was able to find familiar clothing, and so he is no longer encased in his armor. Which makes walking around far easier, and makes him stand out way less. Still, that does not touch on why he is here, that being Sandalphon. Sensing him not too far away, he has taken it upon himself to investigate, and it has lead him here. Though, it does seem rather busy, and while he is far from used to any sort of establishment of this kind, let alone mingling with others in this way, he chooses to just...observe for a bit.

Especially once he has taken notice that Sandalphon is busying himself with working behind the counter. Something he finds most odd, especially for someone like him. Still, any who might recognize Barnabas may take note that he is not taking a seat, nor is he approaching the counter, and those that ask if he's in line, well, they only really get an intense stare from him. That is, if he chooses to acknowledge them at all.

Eventually he will take a seat at one of the unoccupied tables, though he doesn't order anything. Choosing to sit and wait, observing others silently. Perhaps he's waiting for Sandalphon to be free of his little tasks? Maybe he's trying to understand what sort of establishment this is, how exactly it's all meant to work, or maybe he's just odd. Who's to say!]

[ It would be impossible for Sandalphon to overlook that concentration of elemental energy in his vicinity. This isn't the first time though, so he believes he recognizes it. Sure enough, Barnabas' countenance accompanies it, though curiously he stands there like a dark pillar unto himself for a time, and each instance that Sandalphon looks up from his work he sees this unchanged.

It's only when the bustle of the cafe has died down that he observes the man has taken a seat, having never ordered anything. Sandalphon takes the opportunity to investigate for himself, after sending the bots off on another fetch-quest to keep them out of his way.

On this day, he's dressed appropriately for his purposes, so his approach lacks the usual small clinks and clanks one might expect when he's armored. He doesn't exactly apparate at the man's tableside, though he could, instead having weaved his way between guests and tables. ]

Can I get you something, Barnabas?

[ Generally, Ororo likes to keep herself busy. She's getting to know what the population of Etraya is like, learning who's new and if they needed help, figuring out what the new buildings are and what they offered... All this between keeping the mansion generally clean and running, checking on her friends, making sure they were all remembering to eat and sleep (she's trying to remember to eat and sleep), and... updating her wardrobe.

Roxx isn't a common stop for her. But it's a very important one. Clothes and the way you express yourself isn't something to take lightly! So here she is, looking through the racks, looking for things that are either familiar (a training outfit, maybe? Athleisuire or yoga pants as her next best bet?), or things that are new.

She holds up a string bikini in sky blue with a deep frown of distaste. Don't mind her as she murmurs her comments to herself. ]

This looks like it will disintegrate at the slightest breeze.

Roxx

[Cid comes from a time where there simply is no quick way about clothes. Things are hand stitched, and that’s just how it is. So to see racks and racks of clothing is utterly mind-blowing. He’s never seen so many articles all at once. And to know that they’re free is astounding. He starts picking up garments that he finds interesting- A lot of high collars and open breasted shirts out of the 60s and 70s. Some proper high waisted trousers, and other things he’s drawn to- different work boots and sturdy looking shoes.]

[And anyway, he was aware that his leathers were starting to stink. This is all a lot to look at, sort of overwhelming for a man of his times. So he lights up a cigarette right there in the middle of the racks. Also he’s never heard of a dressing room, so you can catch him shucking off his jacket and shirt to try on one of the Hawaiian shirts that have caught his attention.]

[If you’re not shy, you can scope out his scars, or the way his body seems to be turning to stone. Weird!]

It’s a bit much, don’t you think?

Cafe Millennial

[Dressed in fresh clothes with his leathers stowed in a bag, Cid finds his way to the café, like most everyone else. ]

[He’s had coffee before, though Sandalphon might recognize it as Greek or Turkish coffee. And that’s what he tries to order, without knowing how to explain it otherwise.]

So, have you got those little… It’s like a little cup, right? And nice and strong, too.

[You don’t have to be Sandalphon to get pulled into this. He taps your arm to get your attention.] You know what I mean? Something with a proper kick to it.

Otherwise maybe a cup of tea. Eh? I’m buying, what are you having? [And he winks at them.]

Woah now-

[Cid lets out a whistle in surprise.]

That ain’t meant to be clothing, is it? [You think this man’s ever seen a bikini before? He hasn’t- It’s risqué, even for a dancer or a courtesan in his times.]

[ Ororo glances up, lowering the hanger as she looks over at Cid. The man from the bar. ]

It's meant to be swimming attire. I've worn similar, but never... [ She lifts it up and tucks a finger under one of the strings. She gives it a gentle pluck and frowns when it fails to spring back into place. ] Never quite so flimsy.

[ Sandalphon would sadly not know what Turkish or Greek mean, so the description works best for him. He listens to Cid explain, eyebrows drawn together in thought. Served in small quantities and strong. Based on that, surely he means— ]

...Espresso?

[ He's just going to venture that this is what Cid means, since it would fit the bill. ]

I will prepare it, and you can tell me whether it's right.

Cafe Millennia

Cafe Millennia is a new addition to their city. It has an exterior that one might consider old-world, its facade wrought of grey stone draped in blue awnings. Large, tinted windows let sunlight filter into the building, the view framed by various well-tended plants stationed within, including coffee saplings. The wooden interior of the building is structured in a manner evocative of a ship, or more specifically, an airship. Decor too has something of a dated feel, not modern, but elegant in its way, favoring the vivid blue of high skies.

The rich aroma of high-quality coffee permeates the air, mingled with the gentle floral notes of certain plants. Tables are arranged in tidy formation, easy for visitors to navigate to or around, suggesting deliberate care. The atmosphere is decidedly a calm one, despite the bustle of bots the cafe's owner and presently sole barista continually prods out the door.

At present, the menu is simple, with a note that more will come soon. Order as you like.

I. Taking Orders
[ Sandalphon's cafe is new, but he's had ample practice. From his first visit to the beach to assisting in a well-established family-owned cafe, the primarch has had ample opportunities to learn. He's still learning, he would insist, and he'd hesitated to pursue something like this here... But others had encouraged him, and now here he is.

Stationed behind the counter, Sandalphon waits for his first customers to step up. Sitting on the counter is a small, round teapot. If one waits long enough, the lid occasionally tips up, revealing a pair of luminous amber eyes. Whatever is in there, it seems to squint at any onlooker with marked suspicion... But Sandalphon pays it no mind.

His attention is firmly fixed on whoever approaches. ]

May I take your order?

[ If it's anything less than pure black coffee, he will judge you. You may or may not notice. ]

II. Not the Bots
[ When Sandalphon has attended to everyone awaiting an order, and sometimes when he catches them straying too close to his equipment (manual preparation all the way), he's quick to shoo the helper bots away. They're there to assist him, he understands, but he doesn't trust machines to this task. Skill and intuition aren't qualities he can expect of machines.

He also doesn't trust them, though he tries to appreciate the allocation of resources. So he tries to use them in a way he's comfortable with. Passers by may catch him steering a bot away from his coffee for the umpteenth time, issuing instructions. ]

I'd like you to retrieve more cups matching the ones we have here.

[ It's certainly not a request as he all but ushers them out the door, only to huff out a weary sigh once the bots have departed. This ploy never buys him as much time as he'd hope. ]

III. Making a Menu
[ In his time experimenting with pairing coffee and sweets with Cassius back home, Sandalphon had learned a thing or two about balance. He understands the nuances that go into serving one menu item with another and the way that the two can enhance one another and create an experience neither component could achieve alone.

The problem, however, is that Sandalphon is extremely skilled in coffee. Just coffee. He'd begun looking into tea back when Marik was among them, but he doesn't have any particular knowledge or skill in the realm of preparing sweets.

So on occasions when the cafe is quiet, he can be seen poring over books and jotting down notes. Anyone near enough at hand can see it's a recipe book, and his notes, written in an elegant cursive, are two columns. One is coffee, one is a dish to accompany. He's crossed out various options along the way. ]

What if... No, no, that wouldn't pair well with the acidity...

[ Attentive as he usually is, he's possibly a little too focused on his task. ]

IV. Wildcard
[ ooc: Have a different idea? Feel free to choose your own adventure with this primarch. ]

Edited 2024-07-11 09:10 (UTC)

[Fortunately Barnabas is nigh endlessly patient. While most might get irritable waiting for Sandalphon to hurry up and be done, Barnabas is not one of the sort. There may have been a time when such was otherwise, but that was decades ago, and now such simple things like letting time slip by is barely a burden.

Still, that Sandalphon finally finds time to approach Barnabas is preferable. Barnabas' gaze meets Sandalphon's own as the question is asked, and while Barnabas considers telling him no, he reconsiders. After all, this is Sandalphon's establishment, and while someone like him should be well above such menial labor, this was his choice to do it, or so he assumes.

It might be insulting to turn him down, especially if this is something of a passion of his, odd as it is. Fortunately after watching other people and listening in, Barnabas picked up on how this works, more or less.]

A black coffee.

[A beat.]

Discovering you here, working as you are, is most unexpected.

[ In a sea of lattes and over-sweetened abominations, someone at last asks for coffee in its purest and thus most superior form. The order is music to Sandalphon's ears, something made all too apparent by the way he perks up and very nearly hurries off to prepare that coffee. Instead, he gets as far as beginning to turn, only for his movement to be arrested by Barnabas' follow-up statement.

It's alright. He can wait, even if he's itching to have someone finally taste the actual coffee. ]

I suppose it might be... But we must all have personal goals and aspirations aside from our duties, or so my predecessor believed.

[ Lucifer had wanted for all of them to be able to exercise their agency, and this was the form that took for Sandalphon. Coffee, or rather sharing it with someone important, is a dear and tender memory for him. ]

He created coffee in my world, in fact.

[ The plant or the beverage? Yes. ]

Similar- [His gruff exterior cracks for a second as he quickly imagines this, then tries not to imagine it, especially in front of her. He coughs. ]

Well- Well, then let's see about something more substantial, eh? Where are you meaning to swim, anyway? I haven't noticed a good beach, as it is...

[He flicks through the racks, trying not to look scandalized on some level. Ororo was acting casual about it, so he should too, right? How was the one in her hands too skimpy but the rest of these...? He pulls a one piece from the rack. It is hideous. ]

Eh?

Edited 2024-07-11 15:28 (UTC)

I've never heard the term... But surely if it fits the description?

[This is going to end in disaster. He leans over the counter to watch whatever Sandalphon does at this point.]

I'm Cid, by the way. You are...?

[ One of her brows quirk up at that none-too-subtle cough. Hm. ]

We have a pool, at the Institute. [ She nods to the large window as if to gesture out there. ] I normally swim in nothing, if I can help it, but walls and fences and gates mean very little, here. It would be wiser to dress appropriately, lest I give impromptu visitors an eyeful...

[ Speaking of dressing appropriately, she just gives the item in his hands A Look, before turning back to the racks and looking for something else. ]

[He follows her gesture with his eyes, coming to realize her intent and looking back at her with a playful smirk. ]

Is that so? I admit, that's how we always swum in the islands. Clothes just weigh you down, after all. Well, that might not.

[As he nods to the skimpy bikini. As Cid puts the awful swimsuit back immediately under her judging gaze. ]

Well, if that's how you usually swim, any of these are only going to detract from your beauty, aren't they?

[ He won't see it (or maybe he will?) but she rolls her eyes. A hint of a wry smile tugs at the corner of her lips. ]

They're meant to enhance it, but thank you.

I am looking for something functional, however. Anything that threatens to fall off and give a peep show would just be inconvenient when you are trying to relax. [ She gets another one-piece out, but this one is very simple, and has a racer back. She hums thoughtfully. ] Good for support.

[ Sandalphon is quick to turn to the glass jars he has arranged behind him, selecting a dark roast and measuring out what he'll need. He's wasting no time here. ]

My name is Sandalphon. You may call me something else if you prefer, just not Sandy.

[ Anything but that. Belial calls him that. ]

Forgive me, this is new territory for me, maybe.

[Hes pretty sharp eyed, even if he'll let a witless comment slip now and then. His brows bounce at the phrasing of support. He fights himself to not look down at what might need supporting ]

...Sure. I can see that. Want to have a say when and where you give your peep shows, eh?

[This is either very charming or he's fucking up bad. He hasn't been slapped yet, so he's taking it steady. ]

Edited 2024-07-12 02:31 (UTC)

[ She can't help but lift her fingers to her lips at that, trying to suppress the grin that it pulls out of her. ]

Of course. Such things must be... invite-only. In a manner of speaking.

[ In any case, she's taking this very normal, very supportive swimsuit into an arm and giving him a more direct look. ]

If this sort of attire is new territory for you - are you looking to explore, then? You are of a mind to find a place to swim?

[He gives a single tilt of his head as if to say “But of course. I get the rules, I’m hip.” ]

‘Course. I love the ocean. I love the freedom of sailing… The joys of swimming. Cool water, a hot sun. What could be more perfect?

[ He almost gets lost in his aquatic reverie. ]

You said you knew a spot, though it’s not quite free from prying eyes?

I do. There's a pool at the back of the Xavier Institute, a place I know from home. [ Since everything is free here, she's content to just take the suit she's chosen and walk up to the nearest window.

The mansion has a nice location, all things considered. It was perfectly visible from the apartments and hospital, and from the little bundle of buildings that made up the burger joint, Kwiktrip, and Roxx. ]

One of these days I'm hoping to open it to some of the children around - but adults are perfectly welcome to enjoy it too. Would you like to come over, have a look around?

Think you might be looking for an armory, but correct me if I'm wrong.

[ Not far from Barnabas is a young woman in a pink dress, one who has a hand on one of the clothing racks, but whose attention - and amused, little smile - are on him. ]

Might be something like that in the city somewhere. Honestly, I'd be surprised if it isn't, considering all the monsters they throw at us.

[ Says the person who never wears formal armor, no matter the situation. (It's not like Cloud's one shoulder paldron does him any good, does it?) ]

[Upon hearing Aerith's voice, Barnabas' attention is pulled from the hideous shirt his eyes were currently burdened with beholding. His expression pinches slightly, but only because he finds her assumption absurd. Was he not already in armor? What need had he of more?]

I am in scant need of an armory.

[He doesn't gesture at the armor encasing his body, but his words certainly give the vibe of "are you blind?"]

I require something far more... [His gaze falls back to the tacky and ugly shirts on the rack. He frowns.] Civilian.

Edited 2024-07-12 17:43 (UTC)

[ Drawn to the little cafe as soon as she learned about it, Rosie's fine to drink her herbal tea (despite the judgement received) and relax. It feels a little reminiscent of her downtimes in Charlie's penthouse. While that had seemed like a cage, the sense of freedom here is strange... but relieving. To leave whenever she wants and do whatever she pleases? The novelty hasn't worn off just yet.

Also reminiscent is a man writing, scribbling, and focusing on a task at hand to the point of nearly ignoring everything else around him. The blond steps up, curious, and peers over his shoulder. ] Oho!

Thinking up new menu items? [ He probably wouldn't have asked for her opinion, no, but too bad: It's about to be here now. ]

[There is no reason to be here. There hasn't been much of a use for the amount of outfits he's been hoarding in his little apartment. But still he is, going through the various racks, because every time a mess of new people get settled in this place Roxx gets brand rows of clothing and Angel wants to be first to snatch up some of the better options before others get settled and find the place.

Is it wrong? Probably. Does he care? No, because he'll look cute as shit if he ever has a reason for all this fashion hoarding.

He's met a number of people wandering through the racks of clothes too which has been okay, aside from the whole getting called a coat rack thing, but someone clunking their way in a suit of armor is… new. Man does he ever need an outfit change.]

That can not be comfortable.

I dunno. Pretty great if you're going to a Jimmy Buffet party I guess.

[Of course they have Jimmy Buffet in Hell. It's already basically torture.

But actually it does kinda look fun on him. It's endearing like when someone drags a dad on a family vacation and made him put something more casual on.]

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[OPEN] Clothes Shopping/Cafe Millennia Mingle

Barnabas Tharmr | OTA

II

Ororo Munroe | @ Roxx | OTA

Cid Telamon | @ the café and Roxx

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cafe millennia

Sandalphon | OTA

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i love that i let autocorrect take the wheel on cafe millennia

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it said haw haw millennial...

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iii.

Cute Metal Pants

Wasting away in Margaritaville