Post by Akio Naito on Aug 3, 2017 22:27:57 GMT -5
Somewhere in Karakura's shopping district was an antique store, a simple brick building that was difficult to place as to when it had been built, and impossible to remember as being anything other than what it was now. Though it was a bit difficult to define what it really was in the present, anyway. You could start with the name of the place, even. The sign out in front read "9<=O==>3",which was meant to be read as "Nine to three", but seldom few figured that out on their own. Indeed, even the employees had taken to using the English text underneath the logo, which thankfully had the appropriate kanji attached to make that work as the name, calling it "The Time Castle". It labeled itself as an antique shop, but the vast majority of items were replicas, rather than the originals. They also had a bit of a side business in repairs and restorations for a somewhat reasonable prices, and another side business in the dealing of spiritual... well, Akio guessed the best term was curios, or trinkets. Certainly not tools, and he rather hoped none of the objects around him were weapons.
Similarly hazy in definition was what his job actually was. It had always been somewhat flexible in that regard, mostly a cashier, partly involved in cleaning, often assisting in repairs or restorations when he had the right skillset for the piece in question, or when there weren't any particular skills required. But tonight, he was only engaged in the first task on that list, sitting in a chair positioned behind a glass display case holding many of the smaller, or more exotic items, such as the fist-sized amber crystals that, to non spiritual eyes, held perfect, butterly-shaped hollows within. Though they might actually seem less impressive to the spiritually aware, since they could see what actually filled that space. At the heart of each of those crystals was an almost entirely black insect that closely resembled a swallowtail butterfly. He'd come to find the Jigokucho oddly cute in their frozen state, as far as insects went. Next to one of the persevered butterflies was a pendant made of what appeared to be silver, a pentacle that represented something. Elsewhere in the case, next to an analog pocketwatch, were a pair of white masks, from hollows that had resembled an oni and a snake, both replicas of course. His least favorite items to have to talk about.
Farther out from Akio was an array of old, western-style funiture, eastern-style vases, and enough clocks to ensure that you couldn't avoid passing at least two even you walked straight to the cashier. That rarely occurred, as most customers started by browsing around the shop, leaving him to do little more than greet them, and pay token attention as he continued skimming over a book he'd borrowed from the storage area in back, the ramblings on some onmyoji from the nineteen-twenties. He'd put it down properly once they approached him, if they did at all. But until then, it was just another slow night of listening to the clocks tick.
Similarly hazy in definition was what his job actually was. It had always been somewhat flexible in that regard, mostly a cashier, partly involved in cleaning, often assisting in repairs or restorations when he had the right skillset for the piece in question, or when there weren't any particular skills required. But tonight, he was only engaged in the first task on that list, sitting in a chair positioned behind a glass display case holding many of the smaller, or more exotic items, such as the fist-sized amber crystals that, to non spiritual eyes, held perfect, butterly-shaped hollows within. Though they might actually seem less impressive to the spiritually aware, since they could see what actually filled that space. At the heart of each of those crystals was an almost entirely black insect that closely resembled a swallowtail butterfly. He'd come to find the Jigokucho oddly cute in their frozen state, as far as insects went. Next to one of the persevered butterflies was a pendant made of what appeared to be silver, a pentacle that represented something. Elsewhere in the case, next to an analog pocketwatch, were a pair of white masks, from hollows that had resembled an oni and a snake, both replicas of course. His least favorite items to have to talk about.
Farther out from Akio was an array of old, western-style funiture, eastern-style vases, and enough clocks to ensure that you couldn't avoid passing at least two even you walked straight to the cashier. That rarely occurred, as most customers started by browsing around the shop, leaving him to do little more than greet them, and pay token attention as he continued skimming over a book he'd borrowed from the storage area in back, the ramblings on some onmyoji from the nineteen-twenties. He'd put it down properly once they approached him, if they did at all. But until then, it was just another slow night of listening to the clocks tick.