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(open) i'm steppin' out
WHO: Ciel, Pleromas who have to deal with more Kenomas on their turf for a few days, various
WHAT: Foodventures ft. a girl who needs her fix, also general July catch-all
WHERE: Godsblood, Achamoth
WHEN: First half of/early Soviseri
WARNINGS: N/A
I. GODSBLOOD; MAY I OFFER YOU AN EGG BITE IN THESE TRYING TIMES?
[It’s a nice day in Godsblood, and there is loud arguing coming from the central marketplace. Between two joints selling street food, to be exact.]
All your dingy little booth does is slather everything in sauce with no respect to the ingredients, just close shop and save yourself the embarrassment!”
[On one side, a brown-haired middle-aged woman in a worn and greasy apron, manning a stall that seems to specialize in grilled seafood behind her.]
Hah! You're one to talk, old hag! Your prices are highway robbery, and your seasoning is as bland as plain rice! The only way you make a profit is con customers who don’t know any better!
[On the other, a young man of average build on the thin side is starting to go a little red in the face, his stall seemingly specializing in skewers instead.]
Watch your mouth, you little whippersnapper! My husband and I have run this business for generations, inherited from my great-great-great grandmother! Our recipe isn’t just tradition, it’s history, we didn’t establish this by bootlicking our way through the culinary guild and begging for handouts to set up our own shop!
[Oh, this is getting heated… They’re staring to attract a crowd, not a sizable one but people are stopping by. The general sentiment seems to be of… entertainment, for better or worse; some locals are even snacking as they watch on?! They seem used to this, for better or worse…]
That is NOT what happened, I worked my butt off at the guild fair and square! You’re just jealous I was a better student – AND a better cook than your daughter, who doesn’t even WANT to take over your tasteless grilling anyway! You ever think about why she never comes around here when you’re “open”? You should’ve retired a decade ago!
[THAT earns a few gasps among the audience; dragging the daughter in? Oh my.]
Sir! Ma’am! Please, a moment!
[Interrupting them both to the surprise of everyone present, is a young woman with short dark blue hair certain Pleroma Aions may recognize. Especially those from the initial group of awakened, she did do a bad thing™ back inside the Suffer Caves and had a bad thing™ done to her in turn. There’s not the faintest hint of that now, she’s actively stepping in between them with a pacifying smile.]
I didn’t mean to start an argument, I apologize. But both your stalls just smelled so good, I’d honestly love to try out anything you would recommend! I wouldn’t mind everything too, to be completely honest, so would that be okay? Just let me know the price, I’ll be happy to pay and wait while you prepare!
[Oh… Business. Business means jools. That DOES seem to get the vendors’ attention, so they both move on to eyeing the girl with a different flavor of skepticism instead of glaring at each other like before.]
With all due respect, miss, you don’t look like much. I don’t mind making a bigger sale, but I can’t condone wasting food.
Our grilled squid is a Godsblood staple, ask anyone here! [The woman haughtily glances at the gathered spectators, who don’t seem bothered at all by the callout.] I can get you one of everything and prove to you QUALITY is why we’ve lasted so long, girlie, long as you tell this upstart exactly how my food tastes better.
—Huh?! You can’t do that, that’s NOT how it works! Miss, you have to judge by yourself, there’s no way I’d lose to sensible tastebuds! [The man looks to be a mixture of indignant and flustered, gesturing at his client who is somehow still managing to keep her smile through it all.]
Ahaha. I’m no gourmet, but I can tell you if I think it’s tasty or not. If you’d like feedback, I’ll do my best! How much will one of everything be?
[The talk of payment once again appears to effectively deescalate the situation further, and it’s at that moment that the girl turns her gaze towards you, a Pleroma Aion. Were you passing by? Or have you been watching for a while? It makes no difference: she’s addressing YOU in particular, holding out a hand invitingly towards your specific direction as she makes her offer loud and clear.]
Can I get that person over there to help me taste-test and eat everything too? I promise we won’t let any food go to waste, it’s fairer to have more than one person judge anyway. How about it? I already said I’d pay, so you don’t have to worry about how much it costs. Will you please help us out?
[That prompts some murmurs of interest and agreement among the audience, it’s indeed a fair and open proposition. Tier 1 Pleromas, don’t think too hard about how you were singled out specifically when it could have been anyone else. As for tier 2, figures that someone on the same level from the Kenoma side would have been able to spot you out, as the reverse is equally true. The woman whose dark energies also reflect the Martyr’s Legacy is still smiling warmly and waiting patiently. Well? It’s free food, and everyone’s attention is already on them both. Come on?]
II. GODSBLOOD; SNACKS DON’T SUBSTITUTE FOR PROPER MEALS
[The food stall vendors didn’t get to find out the hard way, but local restaurants sure will! Over the next few days, a head of blue will be dropping by various restaurants in town during lunch or dinner doing the following:
A. Inquiring about their dish with the biggest kick,
B. Clapping her hands together reverently in front of enough food for two~three people, yet is by herself at the table,
C. Looking various degrees of satisfied depending on how good the food was, with an empty stack of several plates in front of her.
Fattydingdong… Approach? She’s quite open to recommendations, there may or may not be mild rumors brewing of some random girl not from around suddenly showing up and eating her way across Godsblood. It seems funny and harmless, plus it does fuel local businesses, so the citizens are largely fine with writing her off as some eccentric too willing to spend jool on food than most others. This Kenoma definitely isn’t here on official business or trying particularly hard to lay low. After all, she’s here for her own reason:]
III. GODSBLOOD; Y’ALL GOT ANY MORE OF THAT… SPICE?
[And no, NOT the one as defined by Urban Dictionary. To anyone observant who is familiar with a certain spice stand in Godsblood, they may be able to note that a blue-haired woman is often found in the general vicinity of that specific Pleroma funding point. She makes sure to never be in sight of the seller, so it may not be obvious right away, but she doesn’t stray far, occasionally glancing towards the spice stall’s general direction in a not-so-subtle way. These are still all public areas, though. Let her be weird on her own, or confront?
Don’t mind her sometimes making light and quiet conversation difficult to eavesdrop with local children, too. She may also be caught slipping a young boy or girl of elementary age a piece of paper and a small pouch, closer to an alleyway a bit more isolated from the main streets where the bulk of the foot traffic is. Nothing suspicious; move along?]
IV. ACHAMOTH; PRIORITIES
[One day during Soviseri, an unusual smell is wafting from the kitchen. Any Kenomie in its general vicinity may be able to catch the scent of something pungent and savory, those familiar with the dish may also recognize it right away for what it plainly is: curry. Even if they don’t, it’s not something the citadel’s kitchen staff normally makes, and if they do choose to look into it, they will effectively find Ciel by herself in front of a large iron pot at the stove.
Holding in one hand a ladle with a yellow/brown-ish sauce coating over chunks of meat, vegetables, and potatoes, she looks like she’s blissfully floating on cloud nine and completely phased out of touch with reality.
This is understandably at least a little weird, so feel free to 180 right back out into the hallway. Unless…?]
V. WILDCARD
[Godsblood, Achamoth, maybe elsewhere, Pleromies or Kenomies, if you’d like something different or a closed starter, hit me up via PM or in the game Discord! o/]
WHAT: Foodventures ft. a girl who needs her fix, also general July catch-all
WHERE: Godsblood, Achamoth
WHEN: First half of/early Soviseri
WARNINGS: N/A
I. GODSBLOOD; MAY I OFFER YOU A
[It’s a nice day in Godsblood, and there is loud arguing coming from the central marketplace. Between two joints selling street food, to be exact.]
All your dingy little booth does is slather everything in sauce with no respect to the ingredients, just close shop and save yourself the embarrassment!”
[On one side, a brown-haired middle-aged woman in a worn and greasy apron, manning a stall that seems to specialize in grilled seafood behind her.]
Hah! You're one to talk, old hag! Your prices are highway robbery, and your seasoning is as bland as plain rice! The only way you make a profit is con customers who don’t know any better!
[On the other, a young man of average build on the thin side is starting to go a little red in the face, his stall seemingly specializing in skewers instead.]
Watch your mouth, you little whippersnapper! My husband and I have run this business for generations, inherited from my great-great-great grandmother! Our recipe isn’t just tradition, it’s history, we didn’t establish this by bootlicking our way through the culinary guild and begging for handouts to set up our own shop!
[Oh, this is getting heated… They’re staring to attract a crowd, not a sizable one but people are stopping by. The general sentiment seems to be of… entertainment, for better or worse; some locals are even snacking as they watch on?! They seem used to this, for better or worse…]
That is NOT what happened, I worked my butt off at the guild fair and square! You’re just jealous I was a better student – AND a better cook than your daughter, who doesn’t even WANT to take over your tasteless grilling anyway! You ever think about why she never comes around here when you’re “open”? You should’ve retired a decade ago!
[THAT earns a few gasps among the audience; dragging the daughter in? Oh my.]
Sir! Ma’am! Please, a moment!
[Interrupting them both to the surprise of everyone present, is a young woman with short dark blue hair certain Pleroma Aions may recognize. Especially those from the initial group of awakened, she did do a bad thing™ back inside the Suffer Caves and had a bad thing™ done to her in turn. There’s not the faintest hint of that now, she’s actively stepping in between them with a pacifying smile.]
I didn’t mean to start an argument, I apologize. But both your stalls just smelled so good, I’d honestly love to try out anything you would recommend! I wouldn’t mind everything too, to be completely honest, so would that be okay? Just let me know the price, I’ll be happy to pay and wait while you prepare!
[Oh… Business. Business means jools. That DOES seem to get the vendors’ attention, so they both move on to eyeing the girl with a different flavor of skepticism instead of glaring at each other like before.]
With all due respect, miss, you don’t look like much. I don’t mind making a bigger sale, but I can’t condone wasting food.
Our grilled squid is a Godsblood staple, ask anyone here! [The woman haughtily glances at the gathered spectators, who don’t seem bothered at all by the callout.] I can get you one of everything and prove to you QUALITY is why we’ve lasted so long, girlie, long as you tell this upstart exactly how my food tastes better.
—Huh?! You can’t do that, that’s NOT how it works! Miss, you have to judge by yourself, there’s no way I’d lose to sensible tastebuds! [The man looks to be a mixture of indignant and flustered, gesturing at his client who is somehow still managing to keep her smile through it all.]
Ahaha. I’m no gourmet, but I can tell you if I think it’s tasty or not. If you’d like feedback, I’ll do my best! How much will one of everything be?
[The talk of payment once again appears to effectively deescalate the situation further, and it’s at that moment that the girl turns her gaze towards you, a Pleroma Aion. Were you passing by? Or have you been watching for a while? It makes no difference: she’s addressing YOU in particular, holding out a hand invitingly towards your specific direction as she makes her offer loud and clear.]
Can I get that person over there to help me taste-test and eat everything too? I promise we won’t let any food go to waste, it’s fairer to have more than one person judge anyway. How about it? I already said I’d pay, so you don’t have to worry about how much it costs. Will you please help us out?
[That prompts some murmurs of interest and agreement among the audience, it’s indeed a fair and open proposition. Tier 1 Pleromas, don’t think too hard about how you were singled out specifically when it could have been anyone else. As for tier 2, figures that someone on the same level from the Kenoma side would have been able to spot you out, as the reverse is equally true. The woman whose dark energies also reflect the Martyr’s Legacy is still smiling warmly and waiting patiently. Well? It’s free food, and everyone’s attention is already on them both. Come on?]
II. GODSBLOOD; SNACKS DON’T SUBSTITUTE FOR PROPER MEALS
[The food stall vendors didn’t get to find out the hard way, but local restaurants sure will! Over the next few days, a head of blue will be dropping by various restaurants in town during lunch or dinner doing the following:
A. Inquiring about their dish with the biggest kick,
B. Clapping her hands together reverently in front of enough food for two~three people, yet is by herself at the table,
C. Looking various degrees of satisfied depending on how good the food was, with an empty stack of several plates in front of her.
Fattydingdong… Approach? She’s quite open to recommendations, there may or may not be mild rumors brewing of some random girl not from around suddenly showing up and eating her way across Godsblood. It seems funny and harmless, plus it does fuel local businesses, so the citizens are largely fine with writing her off as some eccentric too willing to spend jool on food than most others. This Kenoma definitely isn’t here on official business or trying particularly hard to lay low. After all, she’s here for her own reason:]
III. GODSBLOOD; Y’ALL GOT ANY MORE OF THAT… SPICE?
[And no, NOT the one as defined by Urban Dictionary. To anyone observant who is familiar with a certain spice stand in Godsblood, they may be able to note that a blue-haired woman is often found in the general vicinity of that specific Pleroma funding point. She makes sure to never be in sight of the seller, so it may not be obvious right away, but she doesn’t stray far, occasionally glancing towards the spice stall’s general direction in a not-so-subtle way. These are still all public areas, though. Let her be weird on her own, or confront?
Don’t mind her sometimes making light and quiet conversation difficult to eavesdrop with local children, too. She may also be caught slipping a young boy or girl of elementary age a piece of paper and a small pouch, closer to an alleyway a bit more isolated from the main streets where the bulk of the foot traffic is. Nothing suspicious; move along?]
IV. ACHAMOTH; PRIORITIES
[One day during Soviseri, an unusual smell is wafting from the kitchen. Any Kenomie in its general vicinity may be able to catch the scent of something pungent and savory, those familiar with the dish may also recognize it right away for what it plainly is: curry. Even if they don’t, it’s not something the citadel’s kitchen staff normally makes, and if they do choose to look into it, they will effectively find Ciel by herself in front of a large iron pot at the stove.
Holding in one hand a ladle with a yellow/brown-ish sauce coating over chunks of meat, vegetables, and potatoes, she looks like she’s blissfully floating on cloud nine and completely phased out of touch with reality.
This is understandably at least a little weird, so feel free to 180 right back out into the hallway. Unless…?]
V. WILDCARD
[Godsblood, Achamoth, maybe elsewhere, Pleromies or Kenomies, if you’d like something different or a closed starter, hit me up via PM or in the game Discord! o/]
2/2
uguunwn contented face for a few instants longer if he kept his mouth shut, he just had to call out to her. She instantly stiffens, and is hunching over herself as she turns away to NOT face him again.]Stop that.
[Just. Cease??]
1/2
2/2
he is following her, still obliviously
he is not obliviousattempting to peer into her face and see if she Likes It. ]Hey! Hey, come on...! I-is something wrong? Is it... do you not like it? --Ciel!
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[HhhuuuUGhh. If only she could enjoy her ice cream in peace?? (no, this is as peaceful as things could ever get, between them.)]
And get something to scoop this with next time, or just get cones instead of cups!!
[--er, she didn't mean to imply next time next time, s-slip of the tongue,]
1/2
n-next time....... he definitely heard
and is latching ontonext time-- ]no subject
[ she's just making it worse for herself, honestly, can't be helped. ah, truly tragic.
but at least this has won her back her personal space...? he is straightening and indeed going back to cheerily licking his cup's contents, looking once more happy as a clam... h-hehe. ]
1/2
They're just two
Martyrspeople having ice cream by an out-of-the-way artisanal little shop, and there's a salty breeze drifting by while the sun has almost completely dipped from the horizon. Sunset by the ocean sure is a nice view......]
2/2
No, it's a jool. A sapphire one to be exact, blue
like their eyesand worth one day of unskilled labor around Horos. More than enough to cover for the ice cream, probably? And whether it's blind luck or hax skill, after bouncing off his THICK and EMPTY forehead, it lands squarely into his ice cream cup.The perpetrator is not looking at him, still nibbling/sipping at what's left of her own ice cream. There. She ain't letting him hold squat over her, so of COURSE she's paying him back, whether or not he tells her how he managed to afford enough for the both of them to begin with. So keep the change, okay?!]
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did she... just toss something at his--
he fumbles the tiny jool and nearly drops it as it bounces off his face and into his arms, juggling it comically for a few seconds before he finally plucks it up and glances it at in perplexity. o-oh... wait, this is a--
she just-- SHE JUST-- ]
...Did you just throw money at me?! Ciel, I am NOT that sort of man, I'm not sure what you heard about the brothel, but-- h-how dare you?! Y... you-- is this why you took me out to dinner, hm?! Is THAT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT?!
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[Shrugging innocently, she just keeps nibblelicking her lil ice cream cuppy. Yeah, she threw MONEY at him, and??
...
Wait, actually, hol up,]
"About the brothel"? So you do live in one?
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[ his face is rapidly deepening in color again, and that finger sure is wagging in enthusiastic accusation, ]
--It's no business of yours?! How much it cost NOR what I do in my free time, thank you!! Would you please focus on the task at hand and eat your ice cream?! And here, for goodness sake-- take this back and do not throw things at me again, understand?!
[ now he's jabbing the jool at her insistently!!! ]
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thotthought, while diligently and dexterously twisting/ducking/leaning away to dodge every single attempt he makes to jab the sapphire jool back at her.They took pity on him, that almost HAS to be it. He IS very friendly and sociable when he's not busy being the most obnoxious and dramatic entity on Horos, can probably put those lanky limbs of his to use to help with chores or reach tall places or something. Judging by how brightly he's beginning to glow, would the touch of a woman make him faint on the spot? He does seem to work very hard at upkeeping and maintaining his impression of someone who's all talk no action, in her very objective and not at all biased opinion.]
Hmm? Of course it's my business. How would I mail you child support if I don't know where you live? So what's the place called? You should be honest and tell me, otherwise I'll have to look into it myself.
[On one hand, saying that out loud is nauseating. Thankfully she's pretty much dead on the inside already anyway, so not much more can die any further from uttering such cursed words! On the other, might as well try fighting fire with fire, that's a valid strategy as any. She probably wouldn't have been able to bring herself to the same low if they were still somewhere very public like back at the restaurant, but here where it's a lot more quiet and practically just them, she can muster up what's necessary to
retaliateplay along. Well?]1/2
[ ,,, ]
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[. . .]
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[ oh, God, is she also hunting Dokja down?? ...he makes a mental note to check in with him later. ]
Please don't harry our daughter, by the by. She is delicate and you have a way of spooking her, in case you weren't well aware...
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Well, I also understand her with a perspective you clearly lack. [citation needed.] And I could say the same to you; have you been harassing Gennefer on her trip a while ago?
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[ actually he has no idea what Ciel and Dokja's relationship looks like these days but. you know. ]
And what perspective have you to offer that I don't possess, pray tell?
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I didn't get a chance to talk to him yet, but I will soon. I'll bring some food and take him out, I ran into a friend of his who told me he doesn't get enough sun anyway.
[His question is ignored, bc the overt desire to self-terminate would really sour this ??? conversation wouldn't it,]
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[ heaving a haggard and world-wearied sigh, Abel pinches the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses as if he's suddenly aged a decade. ]
Oh! Oh, is that all. Just a friendly drop-in; I'm sure Dokjanine will love that. A mutual friend, was it? I wonder which courteous soul saw to inflict you upon her, hm? Hm?
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[...]
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No.
[ it isn't a lie, though... it's impossible to deny that Abel wishes Gen weren't where he is, right now. ]
...That isn't something I can - or would - do. Where h-- she... wants to be, and who she wants to be has always been in her hands. But you knew that already.
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Turning away from him, her gaze falls to the darkened horizon. Night has fallen in earnest, now.]
Then what do you want for him? Speak plainly. If you've been keeping touch with him, then you're certainly doing it for a reason.
[Not from, for.]
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[ their paths had happened to cross when Gen was in Godsblood; that's all. Abel had not gone out of his way to find him - hadn't even known he was there, though... yes, of course, things inevitably got a bit more complicated once they were face-to-face. ]
...He's just a boy, Ciel. That's all I want for him, is to be a boy. To have a chance, one... maybe he hadn't been afforded, even at home.
[ he deserves better than this. ]
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...
[So they DO agree fully. It's honestly a little aggravating, that they're on the same page about this. (It's not exactly shocking, but the confirmation is still... unpleasant.)]
Then whatever you do, whatever that happens, whatever he decides, I hope you're ready to accept the consequences to your own actions.
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