The Finer Things

Yoshino would be the first person to admit up front that they were materialistic. They wanted to live in comfort and surrounded by cute, pretty, and expensive things. They managed that lifestyle by merit of being pretty enough for rich business buns to consider it worth hiring them to sit around and be looked at during fancy get-togethers (plus a little help here and there from a well-off littermate). So obviously, when the Toy Fair rolled around, Yoshino was going to brave the crowd for long enough to browse.

Back at home, they had a sizable collection of plushies and pillows that were more playful than functional, imp toys, puzzles… and board games. Lots of board games. Even though they rarely had people over to play against, Yoshino had spent ages memorizing rules and playing against themselves. They may not have looked it, but they had a strategic mind - at least when there was something that they cared to focus on.

Sure, there was fun to be had in tacky retro classics, but Yoshino naturally had an appreciation for the more high-end fare. That was what they were on the lookout for at the Toy Fair. All of the artisans who wanted to show off things like hand-crafted game boards and pieces carved from real crystal had come out of the woodwork to set up stalls here. Those were Yoshino’s destination.

Expensive? Of course. Almost anything worth having was expensive in some way.

Fortunately for Yoshino, as someone who especially didn’t enjoy getting pushed around in big, bustling crowds, the pricier booths tended to have fewer buns milling about. Mostly, those browsing would stop to “ooh” and “ahh” over the craftsmanship before moving on, dissuaded by the price tags. Yoshino waited for the latest gathering to go on their way before walking up to peruse for themselves.

The selection was certainly eye-catching; a chess board made of two different types of wood expertly joined together and polished to a shine sat proudly on center display. The pieces accompanying it were complimentary shades of gray and blue frosted glass, glimmering like little gems as they mirrored each other across the board. 

Yoshino carefully selected one piece and lifted it to feel how it was weighted. It was pleasantly heavy, and they could tell that it was balanced well; no risk of the pieces getting knocked over and going flying after a small nudge to the board, then. They touched the layer of soft felt applied to the bottom of the piece that would allow it to slide across the board’s surface without scuffing the finish on the wood, then placed it back on the board to do just that, moving the piece from square to square with a light touch. It glided easily, without even the slightest catch.

With just as much care as when they first picked up the chess piece, Yoshino returned it to its proper place. They were far from decided on their purchase, but they’d definitely keep the chess set in mind. Committing the booth’s position to memory, they moved on to look at the next one.

A little more browsing brought them to a fine-looking go board - honestly maybe a little too fine. It looked like it was crafted from real, solid marble and had to weigh a hundred pounds. It would look fantastic in Yoshino’s living room but they’d need significant help getting it there, and would probably never be able to move it again once it was in place. 

They needed to hook up with somebody strong enough for them to be able to regularly ask for favors moving heavy things. Adding that to the to-do list and moving on.

The next booth did have a genuinely amusing and even kind of charming assortment of handcrafted games whose rules had clearly been homebrewed by the maker. A handful of mismatched pieces crafted from “found” items like buttons, repurposed office supplies, and basically anything else you might find lying around your house, otherwise forgotten, sat on brightly colored boards of painted wood and cardboard, accompanied by handwritten instruction cards. Yoshino couldn’t resist; they bought two.

Their wanderings brought them to several other exciting finds, like a deck of beautifully drawn and painted playing cards which went into their bag alongside the carefully packaged games, and eventually they made their way back to the chess set. They very nearly sighed wistfully at the sight of it, and that more than anything made the decision. They forked over the carats for that one too, resigning themselves to hauling the heavy bag up to their apartment.

The next step: forcing somebody to come over and actually play with them. With this goal firmly in mind, Yoshino adjusted the bag with their new treasures and began the trek home, already plotting.