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 Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 7:22 am
It was laundry day. A day that would be a chore for some, but was a pleasant relaxer for the Lifer, who liked the dull hum of washing machines, the faint smell of fabric softener, and the assurance that he was in a place that was for people getting their lives (and uniforms) cleaner. Considering how he felt some people were double wearing their outfits, he could only smile at those who decided to be in the laundry room and not be one of those people.
That was, until he came in to see that it was unusually louder than normal. Looking around, he carried his basket down one row of washing machines to find them all full. "O..kay?" He said, looking around to see that no one else was here but one small woman. Maybe people loaded up and were off to get something to eat before coming back.
He walked down the other row and -
He stopped and then looked around, noticing all the washing machines were full and running. He also noticed a few dryers were going off too.
Confused, he moved over to where the woman was, noticing she looked very young and slender, and set his basket down on a folding table. "Did....a bunch of people come in and leave their laundry in the machines?" He asked, finding that more than just rude. He had cleaning to do, and inconsiderate washers were ruining it.
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 8:56 am
Shu was having a rough day, on a bright morning, she went to cuddle one of her arpakasso plushies and coughed. That was how she discovered her dearest plushies need a wash. " Ah, you are -" The petite Asian looked at him and then the running machines and then him again, "you need to use them?" The shaking head was accompanied by a question. Almost simultaneously, one of the machines stopped and she went to take the non garment out the dryer. " One over there should be ready as well, let me check." The girl ran over to one of the washing machines and grabbed another plushie out, usually there was no people using the machines around these hours, Melvin was a surprise and she was in a fuss. On the bag aside held some dried plushies, it seemed she had been there for a while.
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:34 am
"Oh, you were at the beach party." He said, surprised he didn't recognize her. Then again, he had been sort of in the distant before being convinced to participate. Remember it, he felt embarrassed all over again at the fact he had actually sang to everyone.
Running a hand through a part of white that streaked his blonde locks, he looked over as she hugged a large stuffed animal. She looked down or maybe even sick. Maybe being in the laundry room with this much washing to do (and it was a lot) was just tiring her out. "Uh...you're name was.....um...Susie?"
As she freed a washer for him, he went over to load it and watched as she pulled out a ridiculously large stuffed animal.
"Are....are all these washing machines washing stuffed animals?" He asked, looking out and amazed at the idea of THAT many plushies.
Turning back, he regarded the bag of dried toys and back at her. "You sure do like lamas."
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:49 am
" Shu! Intermediate trainee from Death", the petite Asian was glad that he wasn't angry about that, of course she knew occupying nearly all - Fine - was something improper. "Thank you. I do love arpakasso, ever since my sister gave me the first one on a birthday. I like their fluffness, softness and the smiles always there." She beamed at the topic she liked, after a nod of confirmation and took over her plushies.
"Recently, my best friend brought me more at Christmas" she added, "I just find them covered in a thin layer of dust this morning and think it would be good to have a wash." She didn't mention she spent too much on the Christmas presents for others that she can't afford to bring them to the washing store outside, it costed considerably for that amount - her little kingdom of alpaca.
Shu always enjoyed short talks, "You usually come to do your laundry around this time?" so she asked.
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:57 am
"Ar..pack...so?" He assumed this was a brand name, like Poppins or Cabbage Patch and left it that. As he closed the lid of the washing machine, he set the basket on top. He then placed all the necessary detergent, a mixture he made using various cleaners, and then softener before setting it to start.
"Melvin again. Intermediate Lifer." He returned back, and shrugged. "I get to laundry when I can. I usually avoid the busy hours where most people get off duty work and their lab shifts since that's when it's busiest. I like time to just fold clothes and not feel rushed to get out of here. There are also some people who play a lot of loud music in here and just don't enjoy the experience. "What about you? Why this time?"
Moving over, he regarded one of the many smiling animals, all bright cotton-candy colors with various accessories. As he looked more closely, he did notice that they were all different in some ways. Usually by a color or some type of pastel bow. "More?" He looked over at her. "That's quite a collection. I'm surprised you even have room on your bed to sleep. And just these kinds?"
"I only have one stuffed animal given to me by my mother. I keep it for sentimentality." And on the principle it was Aliens. "I can understand keeping something to remember family. You sister must have been very nice to you." But her obsession (because this many had to be an obsession) was a bit much.
"It's good to keep them clean. You don't want them full of dust mites, lice, or breeding ground for bed bugs."
"Are you making sure to run gentle cycles for the older stuffed animals so they don't fray? Don't want a head tearing off. "
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:28 pm
The girl naturally made a face resembling the famous painting. " I don't want any of my plushies BEHEADED!" Taking a deep breathe, " I have already done some researches on how to properly wash plushies, gentle care detergent, cold temperature, gentle cycles. But now I am a bit worried, you scared me." She took a while to stop the terrified soul not to imagine a headless arkapasso or bugs making her plushies for a good nest. Thus, she brought one completely dried into her bosom to calm her throbbing heart. " They're a-r-k-a-p-a-s-s-o, arkapasso, or replace the r with l and k with c, both work. It's a kind of alpaca plush product by the japanese company AMUSE. It's a company creates items for UFO claw machines, the arkapasso was one of their product lines." She petted the head of the pink one she was holding, obsession he called, it was a way she felt connecting with her sisters, who used to sleep with her. Completely relaxed, she started to answer his questions. " I come at this time because of the same reason as yours. You see, I have a LOT of washing to do but I don't like being stared or judged by a large group of hunters, so I did a little research on the busy hours and avoid that. Seeing you was a surprise honestly." The petite Asian giggled at his comment, " It's just like some people enjoy pillow fort, I'm small enough to curl up in a portion of my bed. Not just alpaca, some nice people gave me bears and lately a pair of cats, they're all very cute." The "you're loved" statement made a sweet smile on her face with a hint of rosy blush on cheeks. " Yes, they do! They spoiled me, treated me like the most priceless treasure in this world, I miss them so much." She sighed in nostalgia. " I believe your mother love you as much as my sisters does." " Your detergent looks special, where did you get that?" Noticing something, her eyes sparkled with curiosity. It was a mixture of colors. " I like how fresh and great the smell is after washing." She sniffed the scent off the plushie still within her arms.
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 3:34 pm
He laughed lightly. "Yeah, I wasn't going to say, but you are very small. I was wondering how young you even were. We get some teenagers here and wondered what the cutoff line was. That and it seems even the older hunters have been stunted." He still recalled Gale. The guy outranked him and he couldn't believe his age even if he was shown a birth certificate to prove it.
" Arkapasso." He repeated. "I think your friends need to stop giving you so many stuffed animals or else you'll be in the laundry room for a week. Small as you are, you still need some room in your bed." And really, who needed THIS much? Did she even own blankets or let the stuffed animals suffocate her to sleep?
"Oh, this?" He raised the bottle. "I just mix and matched a few cleaners that wouldn't react negatively or give toxic fumes in order to clean my things. Between slime, goo, blood, and everything else that gets thrown at us, I don't tango with just plain detergent anymore."
Another smile returned as she smelled her stuffed animal. "Isn't it!" He said, voice rising with interest and agreement as Shu touched on a subject he greatly enjoyed. "It's a stimulating smell that assures you that you did a job well done and that your clean is a real clean. I even like the different types. I think it says a lot about a person and what they feel is important. Like their shampoo or their deodorant."
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 7:58 pm
" Small? I'm just short and have a baby face" She pouted, she was petite (word that Shu preferred better) but she definitely showed her ability to be a hunter, thus earning her intermediate hunter coat. "It's love! The realization of love, sometimes words aren't enough. When I am with them, I can feel the love that my friend imparted into them. There's no way I would reject her love, but thanks I will pay attention to the situation of my bed." The girl explained what they meant to her more than plushies. She nodded for acknowledgment, " Our job does make our clothes dirty, that's why besides my hunter coat, I never wear expensive and clothes I love at missions. Once I got my first valuable experience." The pouting became more obvious. " But you know, sometimes when thing is urgent, it's hard to avoid. Dealing with the strains on my clothes makes me wanna cry sometimes." Shu smiled, thought wasn't sure which part she said piqued Melvin's interest. " Oh I should be happy then! I used to smell the newly dried laundry my sister washed, their smells are cozy and relaxing. I like the smell that goes well with that from morning sun-baking, there's no sunlight in the basement." She sighed. " Ahhhh forget about that. How about you? What kind of smell is your favourite? Floral? Plant? Fruit?" She jumped off the table, still cuddling her plushie.
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 7:07 pm
He considered the question for a long moment. His favorite smell? Well, there were so many to choose from. What about the subtle smell of Lavender Febreeze, or the light hint of the arctic forest dryer sheets that made some clothes smell light? Irish spring as always a nice fragrance compared to the more offensive smells, and even a light, faint smell in the morning of Old Spice was sort of nostalgic. There was something to be said about Dawn though, but the line was far too extensive to point which one he liked. Purel also came out with a wide array of hand sanitizers with different scents that, while sometimes too powerful, weren't all that bad.
But there was just one scent he missed.
"My gilfriend's pillowcase. Stuble smell of Eucalyptus head and shoulders. It reminds me of her when she's not around." He said, smiling to himself before realizing he just let that slip without thinking. "Um...she smells very nice. I mean, most women do. It's just..not something you can bottle. I mean I'm sure there is an extensive science that could but I'm not practiced in it." Not that he wouldn't buy it if he could.
"It's...It's just nice." He finished, not looking at her.
He went over and looked back at the bag of stuffed animals. "May I hold one?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 5:22 am
Her question was simple and he took time to think of what to say. He was taking it so seriously when she expected just a light casual answer. Yet, she was a bit pleased. Last time, even if he was embarrassed, he regarded her request earnestly and sang in public, that was something she noticed and found it great about Melvin. She listened with a gentle all the time and didn't interrupt at all. It was uncommon of her and some respects were given as she suppressed the desire to chirp like a little bird, the wagging toes in her shoes might sell her out already. " Where did she go? Another base far away? I'm sure it smells good, girls smell good naturally. My sisters smell great, when I cuddle with them, that natural scent surrounds me is pleasant. I miss them, now, only memorial items left for me." She looked down at the plushie and brushed its fluffy head. " But they're right there, in my heart with me." Missing someone who no longer there created some common point for the two, the difference was - she couldn't keep anything besides the plush. She was not allowed, everything was burned, not a photo, not an item they owned. She lightened up a cheerful smile, " of course you can!" and handed over the bag. " They are soft, and bonus point, they smell great now."
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Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 7:20 am
"She's....off island. I'm waiting for her to come back. When she does, I'm sure she would like to meet you. She's a very warm and friendly person."
He dug through the bag, pulling out a purple alpaca that seemed to have little pirate hat and eyepatch. Looking at it, he felt the texture and gave it a squeeze, wondering if this brand of Japanese toy had a voice box. It didn't.
He did, upon her suggestion, give it a brief sniff. It did smell nice.
"It is very soft. Do you name them all? Do you have a complete collection?" He wondered how massive this line of toy was. It seemed pretty big considering that each one looked different - at least with size and accessories. The colors were bit repetitious, but not gaudy. Just a soft pastel.
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Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:05 pm
" I want to meet her as well, when you say she's such a nice person. Yes please!" She used a sort of pleading tone, eager to meet with Rin she didn't know but could be a potential new friend. " YES THEY'RE" Shu was happy that Melvin found them cuddly and soft, just as she did. " Hmm - I think I missed a few. My sisters used to buy me when it was my birthday and when they saw a new one, but you know, some are more limited and I was podded, I'm still searching." Another drying machine freed out when she hopped to get another out, it was one with a reindeer accessories on its head. " Like this one, it was released on Christmas and was popular. Christmas present from brother." Two sisters and then a brother, it was revealed that the petite Asian had quite a big family. "Besides a few, others have no names, or else it would be a ten minute long introduction." Shu giggled. " Do you like purple or you like pirate stuff?" She returned to the table and asked, noticing what Melvin's choice was. " What do you normally do besides laundry? Like hobbies and jobs?" The girl got a candy to put in her mouth, small and of bright color, " want one?" her fingers held a separate packaged candy.
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Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:01 pm
"That's sweet of them. I had to leave a lot of things behind, but I tried to take the items that were the most sentimental to me. Even still, I wish I could have taken everything I owned. I regret that I will never be able to send presents to my family and friends anymore. Last Christmas, I kept stopping and seeing things that would have been perfect for them." He said, giving the plush an experimental squeeze and finding it had no squeaky sound box inside. It gave no giggle or friendly phrase either.
He turned it upside down to inspect if it had any buttons, and gave each hoof a small pinch of his gloved hands to see that it indeed was just a plushie with no special features aside from limited quantities and special editions.
"I prefer yellow and sci-fi. Only space pirates appealed to me as a kid." He turned the plush over to stare at it's beady eyes before looking over at her.
"I am trying to get a few new hobbies. I work and maintain my girlfriend's greenhouse so I'm rather busy most days. I tend to watch movies when I can and when I can find them, swim when able, and have taken up a bit of carving outside of my work. How about you? Do you make plushies of your own or are you simply a collector?"
He held the plush out for her to take.
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 6:10 am
" Hmm huh." The girl docilely nodded in agreement. Family was a topic that acted like a dagger stabbing her heart, it gave wonderful nostalgic illusions even though the sharp edge made you bleed. Shu's eyes locked on the funny behaviour, the way Melvin treated the plushie as if some new discoveries, it was a pleasant scene that washed the sadness slowly away. " Like the lovely yellow of your soft hair?" The petite girl beamed, took a glance at the hair that looked as soft and fluffy as a golden retriever, the idea of give it a touch lurked behind ready to pop up anytime - the request of 'can I touch it?'. " What kind of sci-fi material do you like then? Star Wars? Greenhouse sounds great, does it have pretty flower or it has other fruits and plants? Did you take any pictures?" Questions after question, it was clever that Melvin gained a breaking time by handing her a plushie. " Craving? Is there the wood animal craving you talked on twitter? Sorry I didn't mean to overhear - i mean oversee -Ah my workmanship is really bad, my hands are clumsy but I plan to ask someone to teach me, start from the basic" Shu chirped like a happy bird greeting the morning sun.
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 6:52 am
Melvin looked at her, eyes wide with surprise that she would bring up his hair. Looking up, he touched a curl and gave a little 'hmm' as comment.
Was it...odd? There were plenty of blondes on the island. Sure, most were very trimmed and short, but it wasn't like he was as shaggy as the others. Was he?
"I ...should probably trim it." He added. If a young lady was noticing his hair, it had to be odd.
Reaching into his back pocket, he fished out his phone and flipped through some pictures. "I like the Aliens franchise. Star Wars is....not my bag. I would prefer Star Trek as a better alternative. I tend to like things with a logical background and some science to support it than science fantasy."
He continued flicking through a few pictures and pressed his lips into a thin line as he considered the picture he stopped on. "I..don't have any good pictures of the Greenhouse. I just have this one right now." He offered her the phone.
The image of the screen was of a one-armed woman knelt beside a flower bed, her one hand gloved as she planted some flowers. Short, curly black hair falling across bright eyes.
He was glad he had taken pictures to keep his memory clear.
"She planted flowers and vegetables. Fruits were harder but I think she has a few fruit trees but none are really bearing fruit at the moment. Whatever she could get her hands on, she grew. I - could show you sometime. If you would like."
When she was done, he took the phone back, giving the screen one last look before he slowly put the phone back away.
He went to look at the bag again, picking out another plush. This one was yellow with a scarf and ear muffs. It was - rather adorable actually. He gave it's middle a firm squeeze. The thing with theories is that you had to test multiple specimens.
"I'm not an artistic type, but I carve runic stones when I go diving. I work in that department now. I decided that I might as well get a bit better outside of that work, and am just learning how to carve something else. They are....rather gaudy at the moment. I couldn't give you much help as I'm still looking for a few experts on the island, but if you want to struggle alongside me, I wouldn't mind."
And because he hadn't done it before, he gave the plushie a small smell. "Do they come in any scents? These plushies?" He knew some girl toys tended to smell of lemons or strawberries.
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