Inside the shop

A refreshing scent akin to new car smell erupts outward from the door as soon as you enter the small but tidy store. The strange thing about the store, however, is that there is a remarkably small number of upgrades on display on the walls. In fact, the walls are bare save for a few security cameras and random certificates and advertisements. Having removed the display cases, Suitachi has installed a few tables and a Netcola drink machine — one of the older, archaic models that do not possess a jack-in port. The result is a more spacious atmosphere and a chip store that is friendly, inviting, and more professional than the previous incantation.

The front counter contains a large binder that lists the store's considerable stock, along with the prices of each. A closer examination reveals that each page contains a high-resolution image of the upgrade, along with Suitachi's personal opinions of the NCP in question, and a few user reviews at the bottom. Several common programs are on display under the plexiglass counter, but the rarer stock is kept in the back room, under lock and key.

Suitachi often sits behind the register, his laptop and PET at his side as he conducts business. The only other paraphernalia that adorns the front counter is a pair of small 5x7 picture frames. One of Suitachi and a young electopian lady, holding hands and smiling happily, and the other of a certain small blue navi, helmet off and looking slightly surprised as a brown-haired female navi kisses him on the cheek.

((I know this is godmoding the shopkeep, but since Suitachi was originally my netOp...))

"Hmm... this is it, isn't it? The Famous Scilab Navi Shop, previously run by the one and only Meijin-san."

Suien glanced between the flyer he held in his hands and the large, neat, store he saw in front of him. It says here that the store has recently come under new management, he thought, glancing at the fine print below the advertisements, Wonder who it is? Meijin was a pretty big name back in the day... Checking his PET connection to the Internet City BBS to confirm that the sick child had indeed wired the necessary money, he took a deep breath and entered the store...

...and promptly froze in his tracks at the sight that awaited him.

"Holy..." he muttered, "That's... more than a little creepy."

Suien Matsumoto found himself staring face-to-face with... well, himself! The tall, trenchcoat-clad shopkeep behind the counter removed his blue cap gingerly and brushed his long, dark hair back before replacing the headpiece on his head. "Hello," he said with a smile, "Can I help you with anything?"

Suien said nothing, instead opting to gulp and place his PET down at the counter. "Ah uh..." he started, "I'm here to pick up some stuff for a girl at the ACDC Hospital, I believe she already wired you the money earlier today?" He couldn't believe it. The man was practically his exact double - well true, he didn't dress all that well, and the blue cap he wore was definitely not a fashion statement by any stretch of the imagination - but it unnerved the netOp to no end. His attention was distracted momentarily, however, by Rass' sudden appearance from his PET hologram.

Wow... muttered Tem, having seen the picture of Tempoman through Rass' materialized form, What a cute blue navi... do you think he'd be my type?

Turning red and deactivating the PET, Suien quickly nodded his head and approached the front counter. "So uh... I'm here to take the two HP Memories and a Rapid+ upgrade for an Erin Nagasaki. I have the transcript of the exchange here."

"Right away," said Suitachi with a curt nod, temporarily turning his back to fetch a few small boxes out of the drawers behind him. Each one was perfectly the right size for the upgrade, and the boxes looked like they had never been touched. At all. By anyone. Obviously that was impossible, but still...

He laid the white cardboard boxes on the counter and read the transcript quickly, then nodded again. "Everything seems to be in order," he said. As an afterthought, he added, "Is that your navi? What's her name?"

Suien smiled nervously as he accepted the upgrade, bowing slightly to his doppelganger as he did. "Thank you very much," he said, turning away quickly. As friendly and organized as this "Suitachi" was, it still creeped him out to no end how alike the two appeared. From his build to his hairstyle to his mannerisms, the similarities were uncanny. Heck, he thought to himself, he even *sounded* like me.

"Is that your navi? What's her name?"

See? Exactly! Suien whirled around and drew his PET from his holster. "Oh? Actually, her... uh, I mean his... er..." he hesitated for a moment, "...my navi's name is Rass.EXE." Pausing once again to decide on an acceptable pronoun, he continued. "He's... unique, to say the least, but ah... uh... I really should be going."

Not wanting to spend any more time than he needed to in the Navi store, Suien walked out the door as quickly as politeness would allow...

Jared walked into the shop, taking in the.... lack of displayed merchandise... That's new... a store that-- his thoughts abruptly shift gears as he catches sight of the binder --hellooooo, that's what I'm looking for. Jared walked to the binder, and began thumbing the tabs, looking for... Ahh, an HP+200 NCP.... low price of... Whoahkay, we're not buying that. A few pages later, he finds something that catches his eye, and matches his budget... Speed upgrade, 5000Z... Nice. Sold.

His decision made, he turns to the shopkeep, and quietly addesses him for the first time "Hiya. I'd like to purchase a Speed Upgrade for the sleeping Navi here." Jared places 5000Z on the counter top as he speaks, then points to the screen, featuring the unconscious form of Winter, who is blissfully asleep, nestled comfortably... in a pile of snow? Jared is so surprised, he unconsciously voices his next thought "You know... the more I learn about this Navi, the stranger she becomes."

"Heh," Suitachi replied with a short chuckle, drawing out the Speed Upgrade. "We learn something new about our Navis and ourselves in the world of Netbattling every day. Well, there you go," he finished, accepting the Zenny and sitting back down behind his counter with a bored look.

"Jared accepted the upgrade with a "Thanks.", put the item in one of his many pockets, and turned to leave with a quiet chuckle...

Donell walked into the store, glancing around before noticing Suitachi at the counter and walking up to him.

"Hey, I want two HP Memories," said Donell, a bored look still on his face.

(2500z)

"Sure." said Suitachi, turning and grabbing two small boxes from the drawers behind the counter. Turning back again, he placed them on the counter and accepted the zenny with a "Hera ya go, two HP Memories."

Donell simply nodded and walked out of the shop back home, installing the upgrades into his PET in the process.

Zanzo walked in, looking around as he approached the counter and taking in it's glory. This was the right place after all. He then turned his attention to the man behind the counter. "Hi. I need a couple of things. I have 4500 zenny and would like three HP Memories. I believe the amount is right....Um, 1000, plus 1500...That's 2500 and with the next 2000..yeah, that's right, right?" He said, realizing his idiocy. He sighed a bit. "...Anyway, I also have these vouchers here for a level 1 and 2 process upgrade." He finished, presenting the data

(4500z, Lv1 and 2 vouchers)

"Eh?" Suitachi commented. "That's right... some people were issued vouchers on these. Well, you came to the right place," he said, drawing out an armful of upgrades and handing them to Zanzo. "Remember that upgrades aren't what determine your Navi's power, it's how you use them." Suitachi chuckled slightly at his own cliche'd expression and sank back down into his seat.

Zanzo laughed a bit himself. "Heh, yeah. I'll keep that in mind. Peace, dude..." He said, walking out and waving his hand as he did so...

As Sieg ran in, he reached into his deep pockets and slapped down 1000z on the table, shouting to Suitachi,

"Hey old man! Gimme an HP Memory, oh, and one of these!" as he pulled another item, his 1.5 voucher out of his pocket and saying,

"An upgrade 1.5 too!"

<1000z, 1.5voucher>

The man's eyebrow twitched slightly, but he held his tongue. He coughed into his hand and drew out the process upgrade and HPMemory, accepting the voucher and the zenny. He sat back behind his desk, turning in his chair. "Respect coupled with ambition leads to achievement," he muttered to himself, getting back to organizing his stock.

"Thanks for the junk old man! Careful you don't cough up too much dust!" he said, installing his shit and running into the main area, plugging in and smiling, itching to try out his upgrades.

Shigeru walked into the shop, staring at the stuff they had. Jacking Voltman into the nearby port, he walked up to the counter, asking for an HPMem.
For good measure, he put the 2000z on the counter as well.

Bo opened the door, and then walked in. His feet, wet and cold from the outside. Bo then scratched his ear, and pulled his hair back from his eyes. His eyes seemed to shine as he looked at the shopkeep. He straightned up, and then walked up to the counte. He set his hand down, and gave his orders.

"A rapid +1, and a Charge +1, which should come out to 5000. And one hp memory."

Bo then reached into his back pocket, and pulled out the money. He placed it on the ground, and then began to stare. The shop keep made him feel uneasy, like he should have been talking like he knew him.

"Names Bones Pasimontito. But people call me Bo. Everyone calls me Bo."

"That comes to 6000z, total." Suitachi says as he turns, opens the drawers, and gets the requested items. Turning to face the strange customer again, he places the boxes on the counter and takes the Zenny, careful to leave the smaller pile of Zenny where it was. "Really? Well, here you go Bo." He then settles back behind the counter and continues working with his computer.

Zeo walked in the door of the shop. Looking around, he sighed. "Brings back memories." He turned to the counter. Eh? What hapenned to the other guy? He dismissed the question on the grounds the he didn't really care.

Approching the counter, Zeo scanned the shelves and said, "One Process Upgrade Level 1.5, and one HP Memory." He looked at the man carefully. "So, how long have you been here?"

((No need to be specific, next mod.))