So I've been sick for the last week and a half, and despite having so many other half baked ideas half-written out, my brain decided to only focus on vignettes of showagumi in an ikea
May I present to you...the cast!
Mejiro Ramonu, Sirius Symboli, Symboli Rudolf: Have never stepped foot inside an ikea before. At least one of them had to have explained to them what an ikea was. They have no idea what they are walking into
Mr CB: Has been in an ikea exactly One Time. Was brought in once by her parents as a small child, proceeded to give them the slip and get lost inside the store, and did not reappear until well after closing time despite her parents and the employees best efforts. Was never allowed inside an ikea ever again
Maruzensky: Very experienced with ikea shopping. Grew up near one and has perfected the art of being able to get in and out in record time. Treats it like one would a casual stroll around a mall. Has learned how to drift shopping trolleys (passenger optional)
Katsuragi Ace: Also very experienced with ikea shopping but in the exact opposite way to Maruzen. Going to ikea was a once-every-year, full day experience for her family. Preps for it like she's preparing to go on a hiking trip; snacks, comfortable shoes, full tankard of water. She is fully prepared to be here until closing time and the employees drag her out.
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"Aaaaaand we've lost CB," Sirius leans against the cart as the other four umas' heads twist around looking for their missing member. Sirius didn't try herself, too busy trying to refold the map and failing for the third time. "I think she disappeared somewhere around the last corner." Ace cups her hands around her mouth and calls out for CB, to no reply.
"She cannot have gone far, surely-" Rudolf starts saying, looking back the way they came, only to be cut off by both Ace and Maruzensky in unison, "Oh yes she could have."
"Leave her," Ramonu's voice cuts through as she moves over to a display. "She will reappear when she wishes to." She points down at the metal wire bin in front of her, full of shark plushies. "Why does a furniture store sell plush animals?"
"They sell all home stuff!" Maruzen chirps, moving up next to her with a cheery smile. "They're pretty cute! Do you want one?"
A strange question to ask Ramonu, Sirius feels. Even stranger is that Ramonu seems to be considering it.
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CB passes by a pencil dispenser, then stops and backs up a few steps, staring at the little wooden pencils. She considers them for a moment, before taking one and walking on.
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Rudolf peeks over the display shelves, beaming and holding a small chair. "Maruzensky?" The other uma hums and looks over at her with a smile. "Could you say you are-" She flips the chair around so its tag can be read "-on my reidar?" Maruzensky lets out a sigh and a small chuckle. Rudolf decides she will take that as a win and beams.
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Maruzensky pats a large square pillow on a display case. She pats it once, twice, and then faceplants down on top of it. Sirius almost chokes on laughter watching this.
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CB walks by another pencil dispenser and doesn't even pause as she takes a pencil from it and continues on her way.
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"What do you mean the nearest bathroom is 20 minutes away?!" Sirius power-walks back along the path through the gigantic store, Maruzen keeping pace beside her.
"Would have been faster if you'd gotten in the cart and let me get us there~" Sirius would say she'd rather die if she wasn't convinced that would indeed be the outcome. Suddenly there's a tugging on her arm and she's pulled off the main path.
"Come on! I know a shortcut!" And Maruzen pulls her over to the edge of the wall and towards what Sirius can only assume is either a doorway to hell or otherwise most definitely an employee only area, the gray flap-like door standing apart from everything else and the least customer-friendly looking thing she'd ever seen.
"No! Wait, No-" The gray flap swallows her shouts as she's pulled through.
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"Ramonu?" The black haired uma did not grace Rudolf with a response but she presses on anyway, grabbing the tag of the wall clock she is standing in front of. "Don't you think this clock is rather...Smyeck?"
"Stop." The harsh command immediately pulls the wind out of Rudolf's sails and she drops the tag, slinking away to another isle.
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Rudolf walks slowly around the home office and organisation section, eyes wider than the others have seen in quite some time. Her fingers dragging slowly along the spines of the file-holders, occasionally picking one up to turn over in her hands. She seems completely unaware of the soft little noises of delight she is making. She picks up a binder and holds it up for the others to see, hopeful look on her face. Her tail is wagging.
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Ace speed walks over to the two Symboli umas, both frozen unnaturally stiff. "Hey, have you seen Ramonu-"
"Shh!!" They both hiss at her in unison, not looking away from where they are staring. Surprised, Ace quiets immediately, casting a nervous look where the other two are looking.
"Uhh-" Sirius' ears folded back.
"...She found the candles."
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Ace circles around the food section like a hawk, piling her arms full of anything that catches her eye. Once she can't carry any more without something falling, she sprints back to the cart to dump her armful before starting again.
Rudolf watches with some concern as a third armful is deposited. "...Isn't this a bit much?"
"Not at all!" Her eyes lock on something on a far shelf and she shoves the cart towards the other uma, not noticing Rudolf cough as it crashes into her. "Guard the cart, I want those gherkins!" And then she's off again.
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Another pencil dispenser is located and CB takes yet another pencil with a happy hum.
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Rudolf walks over to the carts, carrying a new chair this time and smiling proudly. "Sirius?" The other uma does not look up from her phone. "Were you saying something about pests earlier? I have found-" Sirius looks up with a face of horror, ears pinning back as Rudolf shows off the chair's tag "-a Kritter."
Sirius drags a hand down her face with a drawn out pained groan. "I will kill you!"
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Ace and Rudolf are looking over a cabinet when Rudolf huffs a little laugh. Ace looks at her curiously and Rudolf smiles back. "Ahh, I just thought that perhaps they are-" She taps the cabinets tag "-Klampen down on prices."
Ace loudly laughs in response, a big grin splitting her face. "Good one!" And offers up a high five that Rudolf hesitantly returns, tail wagging.
"Ace! Don't encourage her!"
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"We've lost CB again." At least Maruzen sounds marginally more worried about it than Sirius had been earlier. Sirius looks up at her, eyebrow raising.
"Wasn't Rudolf holding her hand so she didn't wander off again?"
"Yes she was," Maruzen looks over at the three remaining umas. "...We've lost Rudolf too."
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Rudolf looks around, a bit disoriented. She'd long lost sight of the others and she was unable to search for them, lest she lose sight of CB and thus her only remaining companion. She gives a little sigh, hoping they'll find one another soon.
"Rudolf~" She looks over as CB calls her, the other holding a small bag of some kind. "I was wondering, would you remind me to-" CB flips the bag around for her to read the label and her eyes widen "-Bygel on the way home?"
Rudolf feels a smile split her face and a laugh escape her. CB beams at her for it, and for the moment their predicament is forgotten.
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"Mister Chigira Bokujo," Ramonu says in a low and dangerous voice, "why are your pockets full of pencils?
CB only smiles happily at her over her little mountain of pencils, uncaring for the fact that the other four umas were now fleeing the scene.
"They were free!"
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"ACE! ACE NO! WE ARE GOING HOME BY TRAIN!"
"And we're taking it with us!" Ace heaves the box out of its place on the warehouse rack and hoists it onto her shoulder.
"We can get them to deliver it to us!"
"When I can do it myself? No way!" And she makes a break for the cart.
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