2026 Star Festival: The Grand Tour Prompt
Room 5: The Giftshop - A large room that looks as much like an exhibit of miscellaneous treasures as it does a well-organized giftshop. There are no prices, and while there doesn't seem to be any true organization system, the room doesn't appear the least bit cluttered. Shelves climb toward the ceiling, each crowded with objects ranging from beautiful to baffling. There is no shortage of curiosities--trinkets, jewelry, instruments, tools, books, stones, toys--just about anything can be found here in some form. Nothing here was meant to stay for long, and visitors who came early in the evening might find a very different stock by the end of the evening. At the front of the room, and within perfect sight of both the door and every aisle, Almadel stands watch behind a gorgeous desk. The room is well lit and has a large window along the back wall, allowing an extensive view of deep space. Unlike the other exhibits, there doesn't seem to be a ban on snacks, as Almadel has a bowl of strange candy, and a tray of individually wrapped pastries that look oddly similar to Cosmic Brownies.
Actinolite fiddled with an opal star charm in his pocket that he had accidentally brought with him from Earth. He was still trying to get a grip on everything; who their host was, what he wanted, why he had invited them there to his museum, and what sort of business he did with those he invited. Tetrataenite had seemed to want to stay back and keep to himself for the most part, so Actinolite gave him his space while letting him know he would be in the so-called Giftshop. He wanted to talk to Almadel, but he hadn't wanted to overwhelm him when everyone had first arrived and he had also been quite overwhelmed himself. So he waited his turn for a time when he could catch their host alone in order to talk to him one-on-one if possible.
The lieutenant felt a little stupid for having brought not only the sake and Japanese cheesecake for Almadel, but the bento boxes for himself and Tetra because he had thought they would have been going on a long trip. When instead they seemed to have been transported almost instantly to the museum, Actinolite found himself at a bit of a loss, especially when he discovered they weren't supposed to eat around the museum. Having not wanted to seem like he was being inconsiderate about their host's rules by bringing food where it wasn't allowed, he was relieved to find that in the Giftshop, at least, there were other edibles to be found, suggesting that what he brought might have been okay to bring there after all. At least within the confines of that room. He would have to tell Tetra later in the case his partner got hungry.
As he waited for Almadel to be freed up from speaking with the others, Actinolite peered around the room while keeping his hands to himself. The tray of individually-wrapped pastries were interesting to him, particularly because he wasn't aware of what Cosmic Brownies were and had never seen or heard of them before. The sheer variety of objects that lined the shelves intrigued him and he wondered if they were really meant to be purchased as gifts for others. Were they meant to be mementos? Of what? For whom? Surely not mementos of the museum? And how often did Almadel get visitors to his museum that he had a Giftshop? Were there others besides Earthlings who he invited and did business with?
It wasn't until he made his way to the front of the room again that the Negaverse agent realized Almadel had been standing behind a desk watching him. For how long, he had no idea; perhaps even the whole time. Actinolite supposed if the alien had some way to duplicate himself so he could interact with multiple guests at once, he shouldn't have been surprised. Nothing seemed impossible particularly since he and his partner had come to Destiny City and learned of the oddities that could be found and occurred there.
"Good...day," the Japanese man said slowly with his usual smile on his face, though he wasn't sure if 'day' was the correct term since for all he knew, it could have been night. It seemed all pretty ambiguous when you were in space. At least 'day' could be thought of in the general sense. "Almadel, yes? I am Lieutenant Actinolite, though I suppose you must already know that given the invitations you sent everyone including my partner and myself." Unless, of course, he just sent them to a mass group of people somehow; Actinolite had no way of knowing. "I brought you some Japanese cheesecake and sake. I apologize for not giving them to you earlier; you seemed rather weighted down with gifts at the time and I was concerned about burdening you with yet more while your arms were full."
The Space Cauldron
((Please let me know if you’d like me to change anything!))
