aionlogs | (open) i'm steppin' out

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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 A~~N 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/]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[motoring on...]

That gives us a lot of options, at least. Do you have any leaning towards sweet or salty? Maybe even sour or spicy?

[...]

Maybe for those two, it's a little early...

[ Okay, he will give this actual consideration. ]

... Spicy.

[ He hasn't had any in like. Thousands of years. Well, he also just wasn't eating food during those thousands of years, so. ]

You think they have something spicy here?

[she stops walking, and just gives him This Look. It's Withering, but in a completely different sense than the look from before. Dokja...............]

[ ??? WHAT!! What did he do now? ]

[Her upper body SLUMPS. Sheer, undiluted discouragement.]

Godsblood has the best spice on the continent. Did you not know that...?

[and they just left it!!! 😩]

[ Oh. ]

How was I supposed to know that?

[ It's not like he has a buddy in the spice trade... selling spices... in his spice booth filled with. Spice. ]

Because someone who's worried about you runs it? Like a friend?

[Wow she's starting to feel offended for Ernesto...'s spices... smh can't believe this Korean lad can't even appreciate it (can easily believe it actually, but details) :v]

[ Ah.

And this is where it catches up with him. Dokja's been so preoccupied with his pity party that he's barely paid attention to those around him. ]

A... friend? [ Does he have those?? ] Who are you talking about?

That's what we were calling each other when we were talking about you. If the definition is something you have difficulty wrapping your head around, then just think of them as people who have vested interest in your well-being, and by extension, don't want to see you hurt. Is that better?

[Allies to be less feelsy and more technical, but close enough? She looks ready to roll her eyes at any moment now all the same, but somehow manages not too all the same. Dokja.......]

[ Naw, he'll just shake his head at that. Imagine someone being interested in his well-being... There's absolutely no way. Also, he's made sure to keep people at an arm's distance so literally who could even want that?

But... there is a very short list that comes to mind of the people he's spoken to a good amount. ]

Was it Ernesto? Dextera?

Mm-hm!

[And to emphasize, she

Curls her hands into fists at both sides of her head, then wiggles her index fingers to......... imitate animal ears.

A little like pushing down on a spray can, wiggle wiggle.

See, he DOES know who she's talking about! Was that so hard, now?]

[ It was kind of hard!!

But oh, he instantly recognizes who that's supposed to be. ]

Ernesto, then. [ Should've guessed with how much Dokja's been a blatant mess around him. ] I didn't know he was doing that.

[ Shitty friend Dokja, that's what they would call him if he had friends. ]

Well, he is, and if you like spicy too, then I can't believe you're letting that connection go to waste!

[She proceeds to LECTURE him about not only every sort of spice Ernesto's stand had, but also dump on him without his consent some quick and easy recipes you can make with them ft simple ingredients that don't take much time or effort in whipping up a nice kick. He's not gonna remember any of this is he, much less try them... Smh, but thanks to this very impassioned spice babble, Venera is coming into sight in what almost feels like no time at all.

Dokja will probably notice it first. Ciel is still busy preaching about spice...]

[ It's a good thing he's so used to tuning people out and he tries not to look too gone as she rattles off instructions and recipes. He very much will not be remembering or trying any of this, sad to say. But the sound of her talking is not completely unwelcome as they continue on their way.

... It is a lot, though.

By the time Venera shows up, Dokja's feeling exhausted. Mentally drained. Is it really only morning?? ]

Hey, we're here.

[Oh, oops... He's very hard I and she can be E when she puts her mind to it ~~she can lie her way into becoming anything tbh~~, she's really plowing thru his social batteries huh... Too bad she is too insane, legitimately crazy actually about spicy food, because that's her jam, so it's only once he gestures towards their arrival that she blinks and gives him the break he sorely needs. No safe word here, alas.]

--Oh. That was quick!

[Was it rly, she did ramble the entire way...]

[And then she just waltzes RIGHT in past the open gates with barely awake guards like. Who just give her a Look, what's this lady's deal... But it's not like Venera is under any restricted access atm and plenty of people live outside of the town proper on various farms in the surrounding areas instead, so they don't question her. If nothing else, she manages to completely take away any attention the guards may have been able to spare for the scrawny sad man following her, and are now busy looking confused at each other in her wake.]

Okay~! The air does smell nicer in the morning, doesn't it?

[Spoken like a true weirdo who Smells Too Much, tbh.]

Let's go there!

[Did she

point out a random building, bc he certainly can't be faulted if that's what it looks like,]

[ That image is so cute??

Anyway, Dokja is indeed the scrawny sad man following after her, not really sparing the guards a glance as they enter the city.

It's definitely a different picture from the last time he had visited, its empty streets and shuttered doors a haunting sight at the time, but now the streets are dotted with early risers, some people just beginning to wake up as others throw open their windows to greet the morning air. It looks... completely normal. ]

Yeah... [ he murmurs in response to her question, a bit distracted by everything around them. ] Uh?

[ Wait, where is she pointing to?? ]

Where?

[It's the image of a criminal who will KIDNAPS YOUR FRIENDS, DOKJA,

And yep welcome to the country town of Horos in an operational state! Nothing super doomer in the air like last time, but kinda sleepy still and very much not energetic. Really none of the Godsblood hustle and fire here, and you can feel it.]

That place with the fork and knife sign. There's a red chili pepper, too.

[Can he not see it? Yes? No? Maybe? The town isn't THAT busy yet, the sign isn't obscured by foot traffic. But there very much is activity, and Dokja is understandably in a new environment, so he's honestly perfectly normal for not seeing it right away.

...]

Or did you wanted to do some sightseeing first? We could walk around and work up a bigger appetite, but you're not getting out of breakfast no matter what, okay?

[In case he needs a reminder. He's going to be forcefully fed, so just accept it?]

[ FORCEFULLY FED? The way he'll actually eat if that threat is put out there... Don't embarrass him in public, he won't be able to take that kind of attention.

But okay, he's seeing that sign now and there's really no point in building up an appetite when he's so....... not hungry all the time. ]

Let's eat first.

[ He says it with the energy of "let's get this over with" because he sucks like that. ]

And then maybe we can check out some of the stores?

[ Oh, some effort being made here, but he is a bit curious if there are bookstores around? Or a library? Either way, he's already perused Godsblood's selection, so might as well do the same here!! ]

[ok then eat????]

That sounds good, yes. Do you have any type of store in particular in mind?

[Saying that, she's leading the way to the restaurant she pointed out, which turns out to be a café of some sort.]

Table for two, please!

[And has no reservation announcing their presence or flagging down a waiter once inside, at least she'll take care of the technicalities while he thinks about books and how NOT hungry he is?]

[ He's really about to show his nerd hand. ]

A bookstore if they have one.

[ Think back on the state of his room and imagine it getting worse. ]

A library would be fine, too.

[Ah, nerd...

The café they've stepped in seems quite standard, a casual and cozy vibe befitting of a country town shop. There's a few patrons sipping piping hot mugs with plates of various breakfast fare scattered about, clear signs of business but not too busy either. Ciel also seems to take on multitasking like a fish to water, asking for window seats and following the waiter along without issue while still paying attention to her fellow Martyr.]

I've seen a few bookstores the last time we were here, but they were all closed at the time. Printing press still seems to be something of a novelty here, so books are more rare and expensive. I'm sure we'll find some though, but they may be rarer compared to Godsblood, you know?

[A town of guildsmen (and one that harbors the strongest anti-Regent sentiment) of various craft would have more reading material than a town of farmers and artists, probably? At that, the waiter shows them their seats and places a copy of the menu on each side of their table.]

Oh, thank you. [Plopping down after a nod at the waiter, it's back to Dokja:] Tea or coffee?

[ Right... Most of the books stored in his room were, ahem, borrowed without permission. Sort of expected with how little money he has on him. He'd always planned to give them back after reading them, especially now that he's been compromised in Godsblood, but he hasn't had the time... Or, really, the energy.

He's quiet as Ciel speaks, once again more than willing to let her do the talking while he does the listening, and he nods in response after they've taken their seats. ]

That's fine. Just seeing what they have is enough for me.

[ He probably won't get away with stealing any books here, anyway. ]

Oh, coffee's okay. [ He needs to keep these dark circles in shape. ] With cream and sugar, please.

Eh... Really? Since we came all this way, you may as well get something. What kind of books are you looking for, speaking of which? Fiction, right?

[Definitely not tech or DIY, call it a gut feeling.

Then his drink preference is immediately passed to the waiter:]

One coffee with cream and sugar, one green tea, nothing in it. Please and thank you!

[Drinks ordered, she cracks open the menu in front of her while... not looking at it, because she's still looking at him,]

You don't take your coffee black? That's a little shocking...

[More like she's as good as admitting she stereotyped his coffee preferences before this, oops. That is. He actually takes it with cream and sugar, huh? Woa...]

[ What he freaking needs is a self-help book, but lmao. Imagine. ]

Yeah, fiction.

[ His favorite. Something to get lost in... A little bit of escapism as a treat.

He'll take a half-hearted look at his own menu before glancing back up at the question. Uh...? Does he seem like the sort to enjoy black coffee? ]

Why is that shocking?

[ Actually, he'd tried to drink his coffee black... He'd tried for a really long time in an embarrassing attempt to emulate a certain protagonist, but the bitter taste really just doesn't suit him. He definitely can't tell Ciel he's a hot chocolate kind of guy now. ]

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