The Mall

<(Do that, and we'll just totally ignore you. This is realistic. Pasta can't fall from the sky. People cannot have their Navis at their fullest possible power, etc etc etc.)>

<(PAGE CLAIMED IN THE NAME OF WAFFLES!)>

((And that's exactly why, my dear sir.))

Rania laughed as she heard the operator and navi argue. "Infamous fighter know throughout the world!" she guffawed with a decided lack of feminine charm. "You look like you're probably in your junior or senior year in high school. You've probably just heard of me through the grapevine. Are you a fighter?" she asked curiously. "Maybe our schools have had a martial arts or boxing competition. I'm, um, pretty well known throughout the competitions."

As she was talking to the newcomer, MeleeMan turned to look at the tea-sipping, cultured navi that K operated. He frowned with extreme discontent; the navi's image didn't seem to humor him. "Hey you there. What's with that thick novel? Are you honestly going to read that whole thing?" he asked in complete seriousness. He didn't seem to understand that anyone could get enjoyment out of reading a piece of difficult literature...

"Really, you can stop apologizing. Also, I'm not here to hurt you or anything, so you don't need to be afraid either." the girl's stuttering made him nervous. She almost sounded like a child who was afraid of getting punished, "Anyway, if you need any help making it around to all the stores, I can help you out. Don't have anything else planned today."

"Asking out a girl you just met? You two didn't even introduce yourselves." smirked Soulman, "Kind of shameless."

"Don't take things too far, Soulman. You'll end up scaring her. Besides, you said she was good looking, so if that's true, what are the chances of her being single?" Wes growled at his navi.

"What do you mean 'if that's true'? You can make your own opinions about that just by looking at her." Soulman raised an eyebrow, "Anyway, my name is Soulman. Pleasure to meet you."

"Feh! I keep my opinions to myself." he turned back to the girl, "My name's Wes, by the way."

"Oh...m-my name i-is Ai-Aida."

"And I'm Capuchin!" The navi cheeped, "Wait!.....Soulman?! That sounds suspicious!"

Aida thought for a moment. "Yes....Wes too.....W-we once kn-knew two friends n-named Majin Wes and S-Soulman."

Capuchin gave them an examining look, "This is like dejavu...."

MeleeMan... reads books? Rass blinked, his slender frame fully rigid as he processed that thought, Heck... Meleeman READS? The idea of the large brawler-type enjoying anything remotely intellectual was a stretch... and yet there he was in the bookstore, rumbling up and down the aisles and talking to a well-cultured navi. "I... I guess there's more to h-him than I thought..." he muttered, walking over to Meleeman and his friend in an effort to insert himself into the discussion.

Outside, Suien had not only completed the interview, but due to today being one of the busiest shopping days of the year, was hired on the spot. The dark-haired netOp was quickly shoved behind the register, clad in the burgundy uniform of an InterBooks employee. "Your On-site training begins now!" shouted the manager above the crowd, grabbing a book from a customer, scanning it, swiping the PET and bagging the book in one swift motion. "Go for it! Just... do what you need to do!" said the manager, quickly walking back to inspect the other registers.

Suien blinked in confusion but shrugged his shoulders and sighed. So this is what four years at a Sharo University gets me, he thought, Ah well... money's money, I guess...

He smiled and took the books from the next customer. "Hi there," he said, a friendly look on his face, "will that be all for today?"

"Eh? You knew Sensei and the old man, huh? Well, well, ain't that interesting." Wes said, "So, Jr., wanna fill them in?"

"Sure you're the idiot apprentice and I'm.... well, I'd rather not get into that." grumbled Soulman from within his PET, "Stupid coot..."

"You really need to get over it. He did what he thought was best, I'm sure." Wes sighed, "So, then, were you a friend of Sensei? Perhaps even a part of Requiem?"

Soulman continued muttering to himself within the PET.

"Er...ah...oh...". K stood there dumbstruck as Rania tried to start a conversation with him. Despite his rash and carefree personality, he was shy as a turtle when it comes to girls. "Ye-Yea...I just mo--moved here. But I've heard bit about you in the IMAT (International Martial Art Tournament)...Jus-just give me a second the breath". K slowly walked behind the same book case and started to hyperventalate slowly.

"*sigh* Some dumb-luck to have a phobia toward girls...A shame...Pure shame.". Alphonse stood as he set down both of his tea and his old novel, and gently took his hands out for a handshake. "My name is Alphonse, and I've heard bit about you in the net.", with his infamous smile, he took a second the examine MeleeMan. He also thought his image was unmatching for his taste, but his gentleman instinct kicked in and accepted him politely. "If you are interested in novels of some sort, I'll be welcomed for to share some of my collections"

Aida gave a shy nod, "Ye-yes....I was a te-teamate of his. W-we did al-alot of b-battling together a-and I made lots of fr-friends that way....I lost t-touch after a wh-while and didn-nt s-see them any m-more. Mr. Majin w-was a good friends and s-so was many from Requiem. So...H-how is he?"

Capuchin gave a wide eyed look, "WHA....Y-your Soulman Jr?!"

"Huh? Me? Interested in novels? Hah! Real fighters... uh... read with their fists! That's right! We learn so much through battle, we don't have to read!" he laughed dumbly, then looked around quickly for another subject to use as a scapegoat. "Oh? You're suprised that I'm here reading?" he asked Rass. He began to grit his teeth, getting the impression that everyone was secretly stuck on the idea of him not being able to read. "I'm not reading! I'm just, uh, passing the time until I find my next challenge!"

"Wow, you're tense, huh?" Rania asked. Apparently misinterpreting K's plight, she giggled, lowering her eyebrows and making a jab for his face teasingly. "I'm not going to burst loose and beat you up in a bookstore just because you're a martial artist!" It would seem that she thought he was acting the way he was out of fear of her talents. "But if you're looking for a sparring match, I'd be happy to give you one. I always carry my gloves on me!"

Soulman winced at the Jr comment, "Stupid old egotistical coot..." He muttered. Trying to change the subject, he projected a hologram of himself near Capuchin's PET, "Names are names. They make no difference. You can call me whatever you want, my dear."

"Anyway...." Wes looked away from his PET, "I haven't talked to him much lately either. Must've been at least six months. Last time I talked to him, he seemed fine. Since he was able to find someone to pass on his knowledge too, I think his attitude was able to brighten a bit. Now only if he had passed down some of those sweet chips too.... Sunshine.... Aquablade... Recvoery80!"

"Stop swooning over the man's equipment." Soulman said, trying to make it sound as suggestive as possible, "you sound like a fangirl. Speaking of which... Capuchin, is there anyone you like? If not, then I'd take a shot at it." He looked the female navi over. She was cute. Better stirke fast, before someone else did and hope he wasn't too late.

Tenshi appeared in the mall with a flutter of feathers, which happened to fall into a shopkeeper and start cutting him to pieces turning his head he sighed "Sorry about that!" Ignoring the navi's cries of agony, Tenshi calmly yet hurridly vacated the scene.

"Perhaps someone will start a conversation.... after all I do have wings...."

A young man with brown eyes, a little shorter than average build entered the mall. He was wearing a black headscarf with a stylized skull symbol that (mostly) cowered his hazel hair, a black shirt, and a pretty ordinary jeans/sneakers combination. Despite his savage-style clothing, he had a near constant smirk on his face.

First thing first, he looked around in the mall; there was some commotion caused by a rather shy-looking girl on the left... he could hear two navis arguing at the book shelf... a rather suspicious guy was slipping some manga into his bag... other people were chatting freely around. The smirk on Sieg's face widened a bit; life is indeed, fun.

-Why are we here again?

The boy took a few confident steps in the way of the magazines, and took one with the title "The Top 100 bikini babes of the year!" off the shelf.

-This.

-Help me! My operator is a perverted teenager!

Sieg thanked God for using the earphones instead of the speaker.

- It is perfect reference material for your swimsuit.GMO.

-I stand by my statement. Why do I need a swimsuit.GMO?

- It iss my gift to you. Don't you wanna go to Yoka onsen? I tought the Nordic liked that thing. Sauna and stuff...

-...I kinda like that green one...

That settled, Sieg drifted to the bakery... he couldn't resist the smell of the fresh breadrolls. Crispy on the outside, soft in the inside... he looked around and quickly wolfed one down.

-You do know you can pay for it, right?

Thats right, he was not in that institute anymore, nor was he drifting. He could afford food...

- Old habits... I'll pay later.

"You think this is funny?"

Raiden only grinned. Meanwhile, Anti glared. The shop that she stood outside of--what Raiden had said was an underground shoe store--was in fact a swimwear outlet. With bikinis in the window.

"You're a pervert."

"I was not programmed to be one."

"But you're sick, anyway."

"It was a simple joke--"

"Can it." Anti swivelled on her heel and stomped off. Just across the corridor was a book shop--she needed a new notebook, anyway. Elbowing her way through the crowd, she headed in, immediately heading toward the notebook and loose paper section in one of the back corners.

Sieg was halfway eating the so called "just a final one" breadroll, when someone elbowed him from behind. The piece of pastry went astray, and Sieg almost instantly started chocking. He quickly picked up a mineral water from the shelf, and drank almost half a bottle, before turning around to face his attacker... only to find that its a girl who is almost taller by a head. Not the least bit intimidated he pat her on the shoulder and told her to watch where she puts those elbows.

Anti whirled on her heel, her eyes blazing. What met her was a kid with a bandanna over his head with a trickle of water dribbling down his chin. Her teeth grated furiously, but before she could launch straight into a vicious verbal beatdown, her Navi butted in.

"I apologize for my Operator's behaviour," Raiden said in the typical monotone voice that he had while he was in her PET. "It is because of my actions.

Anti's glare shifted down to her PET screen. Raiden took it without turning a hair. Completely unsatisfied, she turned and stormed off towards the bookstore once more, firing a halfhearted-at-best "sorry" over her shoulder at the guy she had jostled.

Sieg mumbled something among the lines "apology accepted"

-You let her go just like that?

The grin returned to his face as he wiped the water off his chin.

-Did you see her eyes? They were shining so brightly...

-.. you fell in love?

Sieg sighed, and followed the girl to the bookstore.



((Don't worry, Valkyrie is an idiot))

Bo leaves the hunting shot holding a large hunting bow. Along with a large quiver on his back. Bo had wasted all his money just to buy a bow and arrow set. But now he had to get it home, and explain to his family why he bought it.

"This sucks, could have bought something for the girl down the street. BUT, no. I go and buy a freaking bow and arrow."

"Oh... of c-course!" replied Rass, noting MeleeMan's clenched teeth and praying that he wouldn't be his next challenge, "I-I knew a true f-fighter like you wouldn't waste your time with b-books!" Realizing that he was still holding the book he had unconsciously picked up earlier - The 20XX Feminist's Handbook - Rass quickly discarded the title onto a nearby table. Turning to face the imposing navi and laughing quickly to hide his actions, he attempted to puff out his chest and engage in coversation. "So... wh-why look for challengers at the b-bookstore?" he asked, "Aren't they a bit too... b-bookish for your tastes?"

Outside, Suien was working nonstop, scanning and bagging books quickly as his sharp eyes darted across the room. As he bagged a copy of the newest manga for a cheerful-looking electopian girl, his eyes fell on several young couples who seemed to be engaged in conversation throughout the bookstore. Heh... kids these days, he thought with a smile.

"Haha! Such a brute thought. My friend, it's BOTH Strength and ideas that takes the win, not one side. Of course, taking side to one power can be deadly...Oh dear, looks like your operator is misunderstanding K's situation."

...

"I-I-I'm really so-sorry...Bu-but I can't fig-fight a girr-rr--rrlll....", K, in his thoughts, always wanted to spar against any famous fighters to be recognized and feared...but he never thought this kind of situation would come ever in his life.