Small Town meets Big City, [open]

[Syrabella Winters]

Syrabella walked into the energetic coffee shop, messenger bag plastered to her side by one had so it wouldn't hit the stranger trying to walk out at the same time she entered. "Pardon me." She mumbled, manuvering around them.The scent of caffine hit her hard and it was a welcoming smell to the young woman. With a bit of a hop in her step she stood in line, bouncing on her heels impatiently as it trudged on forwards. It seems like this is a pretty popular place. Looks like I might have found my new caffinated home! When her turn finally came, she eagerly ordered an iced mocha in their largest size, with whipped creme as a self treat. She'd only been in the city for two hours and already the change was drastic from where her car started.

Taking the cool drink she found a small table in the back behind a crowd of loud teenagers. It was hard to keep her own excitement down when the whole room buzzed with the uplifting engery. The nineteen year old was filled with jitters from moving from a tiny town in Arizona to this busling city in California, a mix of excitment and fear. Before taking a delicious drink with the tempting whipped creme, Bella took a few deep breaths with her eyes closed to center herself and ger reoriented. Now was not the time for an emotional overload, or worse cause a scene by passing out. After those few inner quiet moments, a wide grin broke out over her face and she reached over and took a few healthy gulps leaving a white mustach behind. "Oh yeah...I needed just that." Moving just as quickly she rummage through the over packed messenger bag and pulled out a tattered and abused looking map. "Now...where the hell am I, and how do I get from point B to point C?"

Her elbows here positioned on the table with her small frame hunched over the map, one hand strung through her hair and her coffee being drained like she was dehydrated. There was still a smile on her face, but it was a little less chipper as she thought of hours of getting lost. Looking up around the shop, she bit her lip. They look nice...I'm sure someone will be willing to help me...God I am going to appear like an idiot Her arms went halfway up and Syrabella waved them a bit. "Would anyone love to help me find my way?" A crooked smile on her face, nervously waiting to see if anyone would respone to her plea.

[Maru Isamu]

Her plea went unheard or more likely ignored, nobody even turned to give her a small glance and at a distance Maru rolled his eyes. He still couldn't believe how incredibly rude this town was especially with a young girl who was as nervous as she was. His eyes were bright green as he honed in on her feelings, wanting very much to calm her down but in order to do that he had to get closer.

"Don't..."

The comment came from his older brother Kozuka who had come with him to the coffee shop today. Both had needed caffeine since neither could wake properly without coffee and since their coffee maker had been broken by one of their other brothers they had to come here. It wasn't too much of a hassle, Maru liked the atmosphere is was bright and cheery this morning as he scanned the feelings and emotions of everyone there. Except her, she was a whole bunch of emotions that it even made Maru's head spin. "Oh come on now...we can't just let her sit there with no help, don't be mean like everyone else here, it's not becoming."

Maru stood, his eyes changing back to their usual black as he made his way through the crowd holding his cup of coffee in such a way that he could get through without spilling it. Dropping it would be a travesty. He stopped by her table and smiled at her, "Hello, you asked for help? What can I do for you?" he motioned to the empty seat across from her asking if he could sit with her.

((OOC: the italics mean he's speaking Japanese XD))

[Syrabella Winters]

Arms hung in the air for a few extra beats, face searching as she gave her fingers one last wiggle. She felt dishearted that her request went unnoticed, her arms lowering in dismay. Another discovery, big city people aren't as willing to help as small towners. Syrabella wasn't going to le that get her too down though, and just as she was preparing to fight with the map again, she sensed a person closeby. Looking up, her eyes met with a warm ethnic face his words telling her that someone indeed replied to her plea. "Oh, yes, thank you!" The young woman motioned her hand to the open chair, feeling the male out emotionally, more out of habit then anything.

The results were positive to her delight, which made her feel more comfortable and relaxed around the stranger. "I'm afraid I've gotten myself turned around, I'm not used to a city this size. The map was more confusing then I expected." A small exasperated sigh following the statement with a hint of a smile. Grasping her cold drink, she sipped it dutifully while taking a moment to study the kind stranger till he took a seat, hoping this was a sign that things would begin to go more smoothly.

Bella bounced slightly in her seat to a rhythm in her head, looking past the boy to see another male who looked similar to him. To this stranger she also offered a smile curious if they were related, not too bothered if he didn't notice or wanted it. Just because the other bodies in the room were rude, she did not have to follow suite. Gaze returning once more to the one in front of her, she offered her non-coffee holding hand forwards. "Pardon my lack of manners, I'm Syrabella."

((ooc: handy way to seperate languages!))

[Maru Isamu]

He reached out and took her hand shaking it gently as he sat down, "Maru Isamu, it's a pleasure to meet you." He felt her poking around though whether she was feeling out his emotions or reading his mind he wasn't sure. He was able to tell that something was at least going on, something he needed to learn so when his brothers poked around he could shut them out. With her though he didn't think he needed to, she seemed too nice to be doing anything malicious and from what he could get off her she was simple confused. He turned when she looked to Kozuka, "Oh, that's my brother, he's a bit...rough and didn't want to come over. I apologize for him being so rude." He turned back to her offering a small smile.

His gaze drifted to her map almost laughing, her being lost was explained now, it was upside down. "Well for one, you can't get where you need to go with that, it's upside down," he took it gently and watching out for both their drinks flipped it around. "I've never been too good with maps myself but I've lived here long enough to get the gist of what's on the maps. So where are you headed?"

[Syrabella Winters]

"Maru Isamu...that flows really nicely together. Pleasure to meet you as well." Her eyes flickered to his, now identified, brother a light laugh leaving her lips as she gave a shrug. "It's fine, I'm just glad you're more soft to come and help. I'm sure he's nice too when you get to know him." She returned his smile, the shape of her mouth quickly transforming into an "o" shape as he shifted the map around. Her head landed in her hand and she shook it, cheeks flushed a bit. "How embarassing, I can't even read a map!" After collecting herself from a small fit of chuckling, her head lifted up again to look at the map in a new light, as well as silently cursing it.

After a moment of searching with everything upright, her finger touched a small dot on the paper, brows furrowed together. After another moment, her finger slid to a different section closer to Maru, a curt nod in satisfaction as she regognized some street names. "Here. I'm suppose to go look at an apartment in this area." It was in the southern part of the city, from her previous research it was cheaper living down there, though unfortuantly that probably meant not as nice neighborhoods. Keeping her finger in place, Bella looked up hopefully at Maru with a crooked smile. "So...how far off am I?"

[Maru Isamu]

He chuckled at the thought of Kozuka being nice, he had trouble being nice to his own family. He brushed the thoughts aside though as he turned to look at them map and her destination, bringing a finger to play with his lower lip as he calculated the distance in his head. "Not far at all actually, a couple blocks at least. For someone who had the map wrong you got really close, must be your lucky day huh?" He sipped his drink and leaning back in the chair smiling a bit, "They have a couple complexes there so it's hard to miss."

He wasn't sure if that part of town had changed at all since he moved here with his brothers. They had an apartment for a short while before being able to afford a house in the North end, though he was sure that neighborhood itself hadn't changed. He had heard many reports about all the bad things that happened down there and had been so glad to get out when they did. He put a barrier around his mind just in case she decided to search him again. He really didn't want to worry her any but a part of him wanted to at least warn her for what she was up against. "Maybe if you're okay with it...Kozuka could drive you there." He turned to glance at his brother who was looking over at the waitress, his eyes glowing yellow, he was manipulating her for some free drinks he was sure. he shook his head and turned back to Syrabella flashing a smile.

[Syrabella Winters]

A sigh of relief followed by a chuckle came at the news that she wasn't far off her desination. "Must be, I'll take as much luck as I can." She tipped her cup far back to get the littlest remains of caffine before leaning to the side and tossing the empty cup into a nearby trash, barley making it. Straightening again, she was glad to hear the complexes were few because then it would be easier to find what she was looking for. For a moment she was lost in her own thoughts, remembering that her things would be arriving i n five days so a place was needed as soon as possible.

Her attention snapped back when she realized that Maru was speaking to her, her mind catching up to the words she almost lost. Blinking in surprise Syrabella glanced once more at his brother with some uncertainty. Even without sensing his emotions, it appeared as if there was some concern for her in his words. "Um, well." It was a tough decision. Thus far she'd use public transportation plus her own two feet to get around the city, and a car ride would give her body a rest. On the other hand she just met Maru who seemed kind but she was warned about strangers in the city. Tough decision, yet she had to start trusting people at some point. Maru seemed like a good staring point as any. "I would love to take you up on your offer. That is, if your brother is willing. A slim finger pointed playfully at the boy across her, though she was still a bit nervous at her ultimate decision. "I'm trusting you're not going to whisk me off and do terrible things."

[Maru Isamu]

he held his hands up smiling, "Never in a million years would I whisk someone away and do terrible things, you have my word good lady. And I will make sure Kozuka is on the best behavior he can muster up. Though I still have coffee and feel no need to get up now, unless you are in a hurry?" He would like to have a civilized conversation for once, one that didn't end in fighting of some sort. He could count on Lucien for that but even the relationship with Lu and his brother was on thin ice so that hardly ended well.

"So if you don't mind me asking...what brought you to San Francisco? It's a very busy town, and you looked so flustered, it doesn't seem to agree with you at all."

[Syrabella Winters]

She shook her head in response as her elbows rested on the table, licking her lips to get some lingering drops of mocha. Syrabella didn't know what she would do if caffine was not apart of her life. "I'm in no hurry at all, especially now that I know where I am going and have a very capable guide across from me." Shifting around in her seat, Bella got more comfortable eager to have a conversation that wasn't with her own mind, or yelling at the lack of direction she was cursed with. At the question she chuckled and shook her head amused at herself. "I was that obvious was I? Well...as cliché as it sounds I came here from Arizona to follow a dream. I want to own my own vintage clothing boutiqe." Now that the words were said aloud, to another person, it made it seem all the more real and not just a fantasy of a high school girl from last year.

A soft enthusiasm was in her voice as she spoke, her whole financial world was on this move and the hopes of success. With a shrug her lips curved upwards more, one hand sweeping towards the map she had such trouble with moments ago. "I hope I can blend in better once I get used to the city." Leaning forwards slightly with her head tilted she looked at Maru with curious eyes. "What about you? You seem too poliet to be a native." She wanted to get to know more about the boy, especially if she was going to ride along with him, it would make her feel more comfortable.

[Maru Isamu]

"Really? That sounds just absolutely fabulous! I must keep a look out for it, you could never have enough of those little boutiques," he chuckled, if his other brothers were here, they'd tease him. He loved shopping for clothes, they'd claim that his gay was really showing. Though they said it like a bad thing, Maru was gay and damned proud of his choice. "This city isn't too bad once you get used to it. Too nice to be a native? Really? Well good eye anyway, I am originally from Japan, a country boy myself."

Which was technically true, three hundred years ago his home was actually a bustling town that was one of the best town in all of Japan at the time. Though in retrospect it really did seem country like. "Moved here with my brothers a couple years back. I hope to have my own restaurant but in the mean time I just play the drums in a band with my brothers. Goofy I know."

[Syrabella Winters]

The smile on her face grew from his words, glad to know her idea didn't sound silly to him. "I'll give you a discount, since you've been so helpful. You're the only guy I've met who knows good clothing ideas when they hear it." Her eyebrows shot up again when learning his origin, finding it interesting since she'd never met someone from Asia before. Bella's face now rested in her hands with elbows still on the table as she listened to his words with enthusiasm. "A restarunt? Mmm, sounds like a delicious idea."

When she learned he and his brothers moved all the way from Japan, it made her wonder if she could ever move that far away from home. It seemed impossible in this point in her life, to be so far away from her mother's. California already seemed like a whole world, perhapse universe away. Or maybe she was exaggerating just a tad bit on that, but it was still far enough. ""So how many brother's do you have?" Before waiting for a response the rest of his statment caught up with her and Bella's eyes widened with her mouth turning into an "o". "Wow, you play the drums, and in a band! That is so cool. What are you called?"

[Maru Isamu]

"I have four older brothers, I am unfortunately the baby of the family and to this day still get teased. Our band is called Siren, my oldest brother came up with it," a clever way of actually telling everyone what they were without explaining anything. Maru himself found it to be odd but it was Ikaru's idea after all. "We do well enough with it but it's barely getting us by, I'm constantly asking our parents for money. Not to disrespect them at all but for the elder brothers they're a bit irresponsible..."

He shrugged a bit but smiled, "They make my life interesting and I couldn't imagine living with anyone else..."

[Syrabella Winters]

"Siren. Sounds alternative." The number of siblings he had wasn't what she expected, her thoughts wondering what the others looked like since she'd already seen one of them. It seemed like being in a band would be glamorous with parties all the time. Yet Maru didn't seem like the hardcore party type. "Wow, you guys must be really close. I've always wanted siblings, think I can borrow one of yours for a while?" The girl teased, lightly patting Maru on the arm as she jested. She was enjoying her time in the little café, the previous anxiety and too high excitement toned down. Some of that was due to Maru himself, since subconsiously she was mimicking his current emotions to ease her buzzing mind.

Hoping she wasn't being too nosey too soon her mouth opened to speak and hung like that for a moment before she deicided to move forewards. "Do you guys play at all around here? I'd love to see you." Secretly Syrabella was hoping that this might be the beginnings of a friendship since she was all alone in the city, and would be alone in her apartment when she finally got one. Maybe I'll look into a roommate if things get too tough.. The thought was stored for later as her mind was keeping in the present and not the future.

[Maru Isamu]

"Oh you don't want them, as fun as they are to be around, they're overwhelming with other people. Most can't handle one of them, to throw all of us at someone at once is just cruel," he laughed sipping his coffee a moment.

"Rock actually, we perform some of our not so heavy music here actually, not often though. Mostly we play a clubs, at Masquerade quite a bit. Have you been there yet? How old are you, you may not be able to get in if you're too young. I'm lucky to get in, if I weren't apart of the band I know I wouldn't. If you're younger then twenty one I'll have to bring you in through the back," He started playing with some of his piercings absentmindedly.

[Syrabella Winters]

Her nose wrinkled in amusement, it was easy to see that Maru cared for his siblings by the tone of his voice and the way he spoke of them. "Masquerade? Never heard of it, not surprising since I've only been here a handful of hours." Maru's offer to sneak her in if her age wasn't the right two digits make her smile inwardly, glad she was invited at all. Yet the more she thought about going into a club, with all those people closed in around her made her stomach churn a bit. Clasterphobia has been a terrible crutch to her all her life. Added onto that was the emotions of so many people, Bella didn't know if she'd be able to handle that kind of a crowd yet, but she wanted so bad to meet new people and make friends.

'Um, yeah. I'm only nineteen, almost twenty though. But, yeah...it'd be awesome to go the the club and see you perform." The statement made her heart thump a beat faster, but she tried to ignore it and act normal. No sense in letting Maru know the idea worried her. To move the conversation to take the thoughts away, though she felt a little shame for being so nervous, another statement popped out of her mouth. "I bet being a cutie in a rock band, you must have to beat the girls off of you." Perhaps the statement wasn't the best, but it was the first thing that came to her mind.