2017-08-31 - Cho-Choco-Cho
| Cho-Choco-Cho | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Friends of Saki are invited to Pan-Paka-Pan on Valentine's Day for a chocolate-making demonstration and exercise! | |
| Who: Mai Mishou, Steven Universe, Nori Ankou, Saki Hyuuga, Setsuna Higashi, Fuu Hououji, Sucy Manbavaran, Nagisa Misumi GM: Utena Tenjou, feat. Michiru and Kaoru Kiryuu | |
| Where: Pan-Paka-Pan, the Hyuuga Family Bakery | |
| OOC - IC Date: 08-31-2017 - 02-14-2015 | |
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
LAST NIGHT
On a rock out in Tokyo Bay, Michiru and Kaoru Kiryuu sit, staring at the place where the sky meets the sea. There, the moon is rising. The ocean breeze tugs at their hair -- Michiru's soft, short and red, Kaoru's long, smooth and blue. It ruffles the hems of their Infinity Institute middle school skirts, as well.
Their eyes are almost gentle, their voices too.
"The moon looks pretty. I quite like the Land of Greenery."
"Me too. The wind isn't bad either."
Their serenity is broken by the abrupt presence of a small, green goblin, clad in kimono, whose head resembles nothing so much as a bitter melon. Like the living earth, they cool and harden into rock.
"You seem to be quite comfortable in the Land of Greenery, Michiru-dono, Kaoru-dono."
"Ara, if it isn't Gohyaan." Michiru, ever the more emotive of the two, allows a little smirk onto her face and into her voice.
"What do you want?" Kaoru is more of a blunt instrument, at times like these.
"It is my duty to report your status to Akudaikaan-sama. I heard from Dorodoron-dono that you have become friends with Pretty Cure and such."
"Yes, we're getting along very well."
"We could defeat them anytime."
"I see, I see. But are you sure this is all right?"
"What do you mean?"
"Simply that the two of you are whimsical like the wind and changeable like the moon. It would be terrible if you became too close to Pretty Cure... and forgot about your mission."
A black blast of magic -- Gohyaan is forced to retreat from the girls' outstretched palms, now steaming.
"You two have a cruel sense of humor."
"We are loyal servants of Akudaikaan-sama."
"The only reason we're getting close to Pretty Cure is to help Akudaikaan-sama."
"I am of course aware of this. I'm merely considering the worst-case scenario..."
"How stupid. How can someone who spouts such nonsense be Akudaikaan-sama's right-hand man?"
"Have we angered you? Would you like to take us on? We don't mind being your opponents."
"Give us a try. I wonder if you can defeat us?"
The girls' palms clench into fists. A more reddish power gathers in Gohyaan's hands, too, but then with a soft tch he dismisses it.
"Now is not the time to fight. However, please refrain from excessive independent actions. You absolutely must not deny Akudaikaan-sama's will."
He disappears as silently as he arrived, leaving Michiru and Kaoru to their own devices.
"Either way, our turn is soon at hand. Let's do things our own way."
"Of course."
---
NOW
BGM: The Town With A Sea View https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bweQE1G3tQg
Pan-Paka-Pan turned a brisk morning business but now that it is getting to be afternoon, things have quieted down considerably. The Hyuugas are tidying up: Saori adjusts her sensible brown ponytail, then resumes setting out fresh breads and pastries, arranging them in what were much-depleted displays on shelves, inside glass counters, and piled into wicker baskets. Daisuke, broad-shouldered and rolled-sleeved, is wiping down the counters in the bakery itself. Minori, sweet in her big girl's pink tunic and slippers, is underfoot and overenthusiastic.
All of them are cheerful.
"Yo," Daisuke booms as people enter. "Are you here for the chocolate-making, then? Friends of Saki's?" That isn't an absolute requirement -- the invitation to today's for-students event went out pretty broadly, and -- though it's often forgotten -- Pan-Paka-Pan, while not famous itself, has very famous bakers who run it. An opportunity to learn from them is a potentially major draw.
Saori finishes putting the last of the baguettes into place. "Welcome!" she greets with a broad smile.
Minori jumps up and down so hard that her little braids bounce all over her shoulders. "Valentine's! Valentine's! Everyone please be my Valentiiiiiiine~!"
<Pose Tracker> Mai Mishou [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
Mai Mishou is, of course, elated to be here.
The fact that it's Valentine's Day is part of why. She was already here, of course -- and she pokes her head from behind the back, wearing an apron dusted with chocolate dust and other detritus of helping prepare. She often does that at Pan-Paka-Pan. Even if, really, Mai isn't that good at cooking or baking.
But she likes to help and do the simpler things. Her violet eyes light up, as she looks out over the first people to walk in. Then, she clasps her hands together in front of her. She smiles.
It's a little serene, all told, before she looks to the side.
"Saki," she says. "I think we're going to get a lot of people, don't you?"
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.
Elsewhere~
At the beach house, cradled by a massive feminine stone figure, a stacked pile of chocolate boxes sit on a counter. They are unsueprvised. A dainty note, written in a very eloquent manner, clearly states:
Dear Amethyst,
Do not eat!
Thank you!
Obviously someone was not allowed to touch. Perhaps they are someone else's?
Here~
A certain stout boy has managed to hear about how to make chocolate! Everyone has been too busy in Cooking Club to teach, bue that is understandable! He only learned about Valentine's and White Day a few days ago. It works differently than in Beach City, but in a better way in his opinion! He likes the idea of making chocolates rather than going to the store and just buying a box.
There is just more sentiment to it, y'know?
The boy shows up to the place, double checking the address. He is sporting his usual garb, but has a bright pink apron tucked under his arm. He totes wants to get hands on! Always a chance to learn more, after all!
Plus, he has a loooot of people to make chocolate for. Some are also capable of eating a truckful of chocolate in one sitting. Okay, only one is.
That is a lot of chocolate. "Hiiii! Is this the chocolate event thing?!" he asks, bounding with enthusiasm. One thing is for sure. It smells like the place.
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
"I'd like to think I am," says NORI, glamorous avatar of AkaMira, who has shown up in something a little extra-casual: dusty-red corduroys to ward off the chill, a quilted top with long kimono-like sleeves, a black blouse underneath, and a red silk scarf.
"But the world is full of friends you just don't know yet," Nori says to Daisuke.
A beat passes.
"We'll be making real chocolates ourselves, right?" she asks him, before turning her head to look towards the incoming Steven. His enthusiasm is contagious, like a cold, but in a good way!
<Pose Tracker> Saki Hyuuga [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
Saki Hyuuga is a regular sight at her own home, as one might imagine; and with the whole clan in attendance, it's inevitable that Saki would turn up!
Which she does, poking her head out through the curtains, flanking Mai. "Yeah!" she chimes to Mai's question. "This is always a big day!" She's holding a tray of one of Pan-Paka-Pan's iconic, singular treats - the Gourd Roll, named for the Gourd Rock out in the bay. It is not, in fact, actually hard as stone, but rather has a crisp exterior but fluffy insides, because the Hyuugas are dedicated to deliciousness above textural accuracy. Saki is in her own cooking gear, a white apron and her hair behind a chef's bandana similar to her mother. She trots over to one of the wicker baskets, using tongs to quickly start laying them out in pleasing rows. "Welcome, welcome!" sh chimes, as people wander in. Oh hey it's that Steven kid, too! They saved the world that one time. She waves.
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Here in the afternoon, Setsuna Higashi has already had the chance to drop by home, only a little ways away from Pan-Paka-Pan, and change into something a little brighter than her uniform... though the same color. She loves red, after all. More to the point it's warm, even factoring in that she's likely to take off her coat if they get hot working. A red dress, with striped sleeves beneath and tights into her boots.
It helps living just over on Clover Town Street, and coming here so often to see her friend...'s baked goods. Also her friend. Maybe not in that order.
So Setsuna Higashi smiles on her way in at the booming, at the welcome. "Hi!" she says, with a small wave, just a little shy. After all, she knows why she's here. She bites her lip briefly and beams down at Minori, "I already have one," she says gravely, "But I'm very happy to see you!"
Setsuna waves a Mai, too, and starts stepping inside. "Where...?" She'll go wherever she needs to go. And belatedly, "I'm here for that! And to see Saki-chan. Who is..." There she is! "Hello!"
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
"Goodness," Fuu comments cheerfully as she arrives at the bakery and sees so many people - some faces familiar, some less so. "This is apparently going to be quite the event ... Good afternoon!" she greets people generally, keeping her tote bag handy. (Anyone who happens to glance into it would see a carefully-folded bundle of dark green cloth, probably an apron.)
She has quite a few questions, but for now, she stays quiet - except for exchanging more specific hellos with people, of course. Presumably there'll be some kind of 'orientation' once everyone is here ... or at least, as many people as the Hyuugas can handle for this event.
<Pose Tracker> Sucy Manbavaran [Infinity Institute (7)] has posed. <SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxK7LES6xDA
Sucy Manbavaran drifts in like a spiderweb carried on a cold wind.
Flying over the district, she smelled chocolate on the breeze, and when she saw the gathering, she also saw... opportunity.
Magical candymaking is an essential witch skill. It has countless applications, from a medium for potion and curse delivery, to emergency shielding vs. hungry magical creatures to architecture.
The class proper wasn't until the following semester, but Sucy felt this might be good practice in the fundamentals of chocolatemaking itself, a good opportunity to test...reactions... and a fun way to enjoy chocolate for those who don't (ever) have Valentine's Day plans... As a plus, it was always a good idea in Sucy's opinion to check out new bakeries to peruse... and hide in. This one has passed the smell test already...
In the interest of (her own) safety, instead of her Infinity uniform, she made a quick change to a dark red lab coat, elbow length black gloves, and dark, round lens-ed goggle/eye protectors.
She is ready.
She creeps over to a station, trying not to be seen, but returning a small wave to those she knows, and to the booming greeting of the shop owner. She shrinks a little bit in the face of the energy.
Speaking of energy, there's a little girl here asking everyone to be her Valentine... maybe Sucy will make her something if the girl's been good all year and knocks at the door and says Trick or Treat or...
Sucy pauses. She realzes now she didn't really celebrate many holidays from being so remote growing up, all the ones she'd seen on TV are kind of blurring together.
She's sure she'll figure the nuances of this one eventually...
<Pose Tracker> Mai Mishou [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
"Oh," Mai says, softly, "so many people! Ah, look at all of them." She smiles, eyes shifting to the side -- looking sideways at Saki, before she rests her hands in front of her. There is a hint of nervousness at seeing so many people, even someone with boundless exuberance like Steven. Her fingers curl into the apron.
Then uncurl a ittle.
"Senpai!" she calls out, across the bakery, to Setsuna. "Hello," she says, a little quieter than before. She smiles at the older girl, head bobbing once. "How are you? I am so glad you came today."
She smiles at the others -- bobbing her head to Nori, then to Sucy -- before she looks back at Saki. She smiles. She is still letting her best friend go first.
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Minori contemplates Setsuna's words with a slightly stuck-out lip's worth of a pout, but spots NORI and abandons her rejector for the celebrity. "...sugoiii... are you really NORI-sama?" And then she spots a darker figure, who, in her lab coat, looks awfully like... "...Goodo Eatsu!" she declares, proudly, in English. "It's Goodo Easu-sama!!" Welcome, Sucy 'Alton Brown' Manbavaran.
Last of all to arrive are classmates of Saki and Mai, the Kiryuu sisters, Michiru and Kaoru. They haven't bothered to change out of their school uniforms, but are neat and pleasing-looking young women nonetheless. The bell on the door tinkles to herald their arrival; good thing, because otherwise it seems as though they would have stood at the back of the group without saying anything, indefinitely.
There is a distinct awkardness that rolls off of them most of the time. Mid-year transfer students; maybe they're shy.
"Ara, Michiru-onee-tan, Kaoru-onee-tan," burbles Minori, the first to notice them. "You're not late!!" She pinkens a little, sensing that maybe this makes them sound like they were late, and mashes a toe on the floor. "You're not!!"
Blue-haired Kaoru glances at Michiru, and mutters something that sounds a lot like "...pointless." Red-haired Michiru smiles very slightly and shakes her head.
"Thank you for having us," she projects into the room, and accepts such greetings as they come, amiably.
Placatingly, Saori tuts at her youngest, then opens the hinged part of the counter, a clear invitation to the group to come to the back -- as is her friendly beckon. "Honey!" she calls back, "Are the stations ready?"
"Yep, we've got both of them ready to go!" Daisuke replies jovially. As Saki passes him, he ruffles her hair, while there's a little bit of extra warmth in his smile for Mai. "Come on back, everybody!"
'Back' conspires to be the place where the magic happens. It is warm and perpetually smells of yeast, but right now there isn't much actual bread to be found. There are two countertops, on opposite sides of the room, set up:
One has already-stuffed-in-bags pastry dough arranged in a neat line, along with a vast bowl of dark chocolatey buttercream. Egg is also in evidence. Daisuke pats it, standing by cheerfully. "If you want to make Pan-Paka-Pan's specialty, choco cornets, this is the place to do it!"
Saori isn't the sort to swan anywhere, but there's an athletic grace to her steps that speaks to where her daughter got her moves, as she unveils the other station -- glisteningly fresh, clean strawberries, piled high in a bowl, while stacks of chocolate bars stand ready to be melted... and dipped into. "If chocolate-dipped strawberries are what you'd like to give your special someone, please come this way!"
Minori grins hungrily. "Both! Both!!"
Daisuke grins back. "I bet there are enough people in this room who are special to each other, that there will wind up being many trades, in any event."
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Setsuna looks fairly baffled at Minori's response, for all that it was very obviously not the best thing to say. But Nori is nice to go talk to, and Setsuna has...!
Mai calls out here way and Setsuna straightens her shoulders, bemaing at Mai. She still looks a little bit nervous around that, but at least the expression is sincere. So a little quieter she answers, sincere, "I'm great! It's nice to see you, Mai-chan." A beat, "Oh, I would want to come and see for Saki-chan anyway but..." A little laugh, "I... Well, I really wanted to make some chocolate... I never have."
And she had a specific reason, too. But before she has a chance to say much about it, she looks back to Michiru and Kaoru, and blinks. She shouldn't be terribly surprised, but she does wave over awkwardly back, "Ah, hello!" She remembers meeting them before...
But the stations--Hesitating, Setsuna moves back as instructed, inhaling the scent and looking to the countertops before her and lookbetween both--where she immediately moves towards Saori's station with the strawberries. "I think she'll like..." Setsuna murmurs this one to herself, and then lines up in an orderly fashion at the station, because some habits die really, really hard.
She's smiling for some reason over at Saki and Mai for a moment at what Daisuke says though.
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.
The smell of baked goods makes Steven pretty hungry. After this, he will surely have to get something here! He spots Nori looking his way, and gives a hearty wave to her! Hasn't seen her in a while. Good to know she is okay! One of the folks working here also peeks out and greets him! "Hallo!" he says nicely. She looks very familiar.
Another person walks in Steven has not seen in a while. Setsuna. Miss Passion. There are so many things he wants to ask her right now, but ah-- not here! For now, he will make sure to go say her personally once everything gets underway.
Fuu and Sucy arrive, making the situation even better! It is funny how suck a massive city existing, and despite all odds, he keeps running in to the same people. It seems almost impossible. The boy fluffs his apron out, making sure there is nothing that got on it since washing.
"D-Did you say chocolate strawberries?!" Steven blurts out as he puts on his apron. The edges have little yellow-gold stars embroidered in the pink fabric. Makes a nice statement! "If I would have known, I would have brought some from home too!" Indeed, a small Warp away is a Gem Battlefield, covered in wild roses and strawberries amongst titanic weaponry. The strawberries there though are generally bigger than a basketball, too.
The boy will totally volunteer to help make the chocoberries if a space is open!
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
With the counter being opened like the lowering of a drawbridge (albeit in a slightly different direction), Fuu joins the queue filing into the back of the bakery, pausing just long enough to wave to Steven, then bowing politely to Saori as she passes. At first, Fuu is content to take a spot to the side of the kitchen, not committing to one counter or the other. But then the stations are explained, and:
"We get to make choco cornets ... ?"
No, Fuu's eyes are not actually glowing; her glasses just caught the light at JUST the right angle to reflect opaquely for a split second. That's all. But Fuu is already putting her apron on and hurrying over to where the pastry bags, chocolate cream, and eggs are ready to be worked with. It's actually sort of a relief to know that they're not working from scratch - while Fuu isn't helpless in a kitchen, she would be somewhat out of her depth trying to make pastry dough from scratch. Just the challenges inherent to assembling these chocolatey treats will be enough for one afternoon.
<Pose Tracker> Saki Hyuuga [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
"Yeah!" Saki beams at Mai, her smile like an endless barrage of exuberance. "I love big days like this! It's so much fun!" She takes in a deep breath, the aromas of fresh bread and the sounds of eager people mingling and somehow making her smile even brighter. "Hello! Welcome!" she chimes, as even more people filter in. "Ah, hey! Sempai!" she says Setsuna's way. "You came! That's awesome! How'd exams treat ya?" Ha ha ha that's not funny Saki.
She tips a grin in Mai's direction, when Minori - gets it about 25% right. Alton Brown probably actually would do some of the stuff Sucy does to mushrooms, honestly...but Saki's not familiar with that aspect of her fellow student, and she giggles, but doesn't quite move to rescue Sucy unless the girl gets overly flummoxed.
"Michiru!" she all but sings as she spots her other super duper best friends. "And Kaoru! You came, too! I'm so glad! It's great to see you!"
She has gotten in arm's reach of her father, and she bears up under his ruffling hand with an embarrassed flush but a happy giggle and nary a flicker to her gigawatt smile. "Yeah! Come on back!" she says, aiming her smiling face around to welcome in particular her friends.
She sets up by the choco cornets station, because WE MEET AGAIN, MY DEAREST ENEMY.
She stares at the eggs with the sudden intensity of psyching up for true, earnest chef battle.
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
"Ahh, please;" Nori says to Minori. "Just 'Nori' is alright... But yes, it's me." She takes a deep breath and lets it out then, continuing to stand scenically and glancing over at the arrivals. Stations, though.
Nori's own choice of station is for the chocolate strawberries, although, she wonders to herself, how well WILL they go over? But she's fairly sure that everyone who she might give one to is going to be far more a strawberry type than a choco-cornet type.
"They're a little lighter, aren't they? Probably," she says to Setsuna. "I mean, there's no extra pastry..."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Mishou [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
"Oh, you haven't?" Mai asks Setsuna, with a smile. A completely innocent smile. "I've made chocolate with Saki several times, now. It is a lot of fun."
She starts towards the line, too -- but then she pauses, because of who she sees. Her eyes widen, and then she smiles at the Kiryuu sisters. She waves a hand, and then her head of purple hair is bobbing into their direction. "Kaoru-san, Michiru-san," she greets, with a friendly bob of her head, standing next to Saki. "Thank you for coming!"
Then she looks back at the choco cornets station -- and at Setsuna. "You should make cornets with us! And meet our friend, Setsuna. I think you will like her," she says, with a smile. "What do you think?"
<Pose Tracker> Nagisa Misumi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Nagisa shoulders the door open with a clatter of the bell. She too is in her school uniform, the red blazer buttoned against the cold, her bookbag held in both hands. She's got a big grin on her face. Chocolate is her favorite food, tied only with -yaki foods. It's historically been the best part of a difficult holiday for Nagisa. That bookbag of hers looks really heavy today.
"Choco cornets, for sure!" she sings.
Proceeding to that station, Nagisa sets down her bookbag against the counter with a thump, and pops up as if by magic next to Saki, hugging her from the side around the neck in her enthusiasm. "Saki-chan! You're family's so nice!" She seems genuinely moved. "Mai-chan's here too," she notices, releasing Saki to give her a short little bow in greeting. "D-do you think we can work together?"
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"Exams..." Setsuna stares out into space for a moment at Saki's question about them, for just a little bit too long. "Ah, I think they went all right!" She's still not really sure how she feels about them. Except, "I'm tired even remembering, and I like tests." Pause. "But I'm sure they'll be great for both of you next year!"
Setsuna beams. ...Sort of. She tries.
But to Mai she says, "Oh have you? That would make sense." She taps her cheek thoughtfully. "The two of you spend an awful lot of time together." Ths cheers her right up. As does, when they're back by the stations, Nori speaks to her and Setsuna nods! "I think so?" She isn't sure. "But the person I'm thinking about doesn't worry about light food. I just know she likes strawberries." A beat, "I like the cornets. But fruit is good too."
Mai invites Michiru and Kaoru back, and Setsuna blinks amiably to put on another smile for them. "Hi..." But then she spots Nagisa, and she brightens from the other station. "Senpai!" Setsuna greets her.
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Daisuke is happy to lend Pan-Paka-Pan aprons (emblazoned with the store's cute, rounded logo) to anyone who didn't bring their own, and indeed seems surprised that so many people did. He openly admires the various patterns on display, and meets Fuu's shining eyes with a merry little wink.
"So! Today we will be finishing choco cornets," he says to his assembled pupils. "Allow me to demonstrate the first step: piping cornet dough onto the baking tray."
"Dear," Saori calls over.
"Ah-!" Daisuke interrupts himself with embarrassment so warm and comical that it is possible, just possible, that this was staged. "I forgot the most important step! Let's all wash our hands..."
It transpires that there are lots of sinks available for this, considering all the dishes created by a bakery. It won't take long.
While people freshen up, Saori arranges her bowls carefully and starts up some of the stovetop heat. "Once you've washed yourselves, we'll core the strawberries. This will involve some knife-work, so let's all be very careful." She's eager to show people proper knife technique. "And that's very kind of you, Universe-san." She's a little cautious around this gaijin, but the stars in his eyes are winning her over quickly. "Does your family farm?"
Michiru and Kaoru look over at Saki and Mai without budging from the entry -- their faces otherwise still, only their eyes move. "All right," Michiru begins, evenly, to accept a choco cornet invitation, but she's interrupted--
"WAI! WAI! Kaoru-onee-tan, come dip strawberries with me!!"
Minori tows Kaoru in that direction, and after flashing a brief look at her sister, the quieter girl follows. They wind up near Nori. "...Nori..onee...sama..." Minori tries, carefully but also a little cheekily, her eyes shining.
Michiru however does wind up at the cornet station, near Saki and Mai. "Hmm... so this is your favorite enemy?" Perhaps she's overheard Saki's complaints about this impossible task at school.
<Pose Tracker> Mai Mishou [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
"Senpai!" Mai says, turning to smile at Nagisa, then she bobs her head to her once. "O-Of course! Ah--you should also meet our friends--" She pauses, though, as Minori carts Kaoru away. She tilts her head to the side, then she smiles brightly, before she nods. "...Michiru-san," she finishes calmly.
Then, she turns her head, looking towards Michiru. She blinks, before she giggles down into her hand. "Oh, no, this is simply something that Saki has done a lot. I suppose they are... old foes, though."
She starts washing her hands, before she looks at Nagisa and Setsuna. "Michiru, these are two of our friends. Nagisa Misumi and Setsuna Higashi. Nagisa-sempai, Setsuna-sempai, this is Michiru Kiryuu."
She beams. "We are in the same class! And we have become friends with her and her sister."
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Of course, Fuu washes her hands properly and thoroughly before returning to the cornet table. She's curious enough to listen to the instructions being given for the chocolate-covered strawberries ... at least until they get back to work on the cornets.
So, the dough gets piped into the proper shapes. That's a detail she hadn't known, so this is already being an educational experience for her.
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
"I wonder who she's making chocolates for," Nori muses when Nagisa comes into view - to Setsuna, more or less alone.
When Minori calls her onee-sama, Nori pauses... and then looks towards her with a smile, a hesitant little one she doesn't usually have in the photographs. "Thank you," she tells Minori, which may seem strange, but then she's given the presence of Kaoru.
While washing hands, Nori asks Kaoru, "Have you had much chance to work with knives before? I'm a little good at it, so I'd be pleased to demonstrate." Nori has mostly had cause to learn how to cut open oysters, but that's still a relatively advanced knife skill.
So she's unlikely to cut off the tip of her thumb.
Overhearing, she asks Kaoru, "Oh, the Kiryuu family... You know, that's a prominent name at my school. Have you ever visited Ohtori?"
She is so much more subdued than Nanami, Nori thinks.
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"It's nice to meet you," Setsuna says across the aisle, pleasantly at Michiru... But there's someone closer to her to talk to atthe moment, too, even if Setsuna finds herself glancing over at Michiru and Kaoru before--
"Hm?" Setsuna asks Nori, and then glances to Nagisa, thinking about the probable answer to that question... And busies herself looking down at her hands which she then washes, rather than answering any questions about it. Her coat is off by now, an her hands careful. Knives...
She takes instruction very well, for the record. She's had... some experience with knives by now, but she's going to be particularly careful because she has been asked to be.
"Ah... All right..." A pause, and a look around Nori, "I'm not sure you overheard, but I'm Setsuna Higashi. It's nice to meet you." The purple-haired girl over here does not know any Kiryuus except these.
<Pose Tracker> Sucy Manbavaran [Infinity Institute (7)] has posed.
Sucy Manbavaran blinks at the sudden attention from Minori, flustered at the little girl's exuberance. But... Sucy smiles just a little despite herself.
When you're remote, cable was a must, and Sucy had caught some episodes of "Goodo Easu-sama" and takes it as a compliment.
She tenatively puts Minori on the "Nice" list, but Sucy is growing more and more confident she'll stay there and that little chubby baby angel will give the girl plenty of presents for Valentine's Day.
When the girl mentions Nori, Sucy looks over to the girl she's speaking to, and feels a little... uneasy. She recalls Nori inviting her over to talk to people, and Nori herself seemed fairly nice and dare she even say... cool? but... if she's here, does that mean this trip also won't be ...as advertised...?
But this time is different, they have molten chocolate to throw at any sudden guests, so Sucy just does her best to be... prepared. She doesn't exactly know what happened that night after all, they were probably after someone else.
Sucy notes the Kiryuu siblings and stays on guard. Not anything they've done, but the way they stay attached to each other reminds her of a pair of her classmates who use their social refuge in each other to bolster themselves to bully, but thanks to Minori their pairing has come undone, so Sucy waits to see what this person is like.
She speaks a small word over her hands and her gloves sparkle for a brief moment. They were already clean, she thought, but extra insurance can't hurt. She stalks over to the chocolate and strawberries station.
While she was intrigued by baking from the CAKE WARS, looming a over a bubbling vat of something is where she belongs. She puts her goggles down over her eyes and listens intently to the instructions, and takes a knife for coring.
She begins with an expert hand, precise vivisection of plants is a keystone of the poisoner's art.
She tries to concentrate, it's dawning on her that Shield Kid has picked this station as well!
He just kept being where she happened to be...
Was she under some kind of sympathic magical spell? Did someone tie their threads of fate together as a practical joke? (She would, for someone else...) She makes a note to look into that when she gets home...
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.
Steven is ready for this. SO ready. He is so ready that these people don't even know how ready he is. Of course, at the request to wash hands, the boy is over there waiting his turn! Makes sense to keep clean. Germs and everything. He overhears the other project being offered. "What's a Cornet?"
Obviously to draw so many people to make them they msut be delicious. But can they beat a strawberry?! ...Maybe, taking a guess at the enthusiasm of making them. The boy parks himself standing next to Fuu, and looks to her. "Hey Fuu!" he whispers as the instructors talk. "I bet I can make a better strawberry than you!"
How one can make a better chocolate dipped strawberry compared to another is... really hard to gauge. Sounds like a silly challenge, for sure.
A look to Saori is given from Steven that clearly is much like a boy with churning gears in his head. "Uh." Briefly thoughts of having a farm on the beach is had. The family farms crabs in sand castles, and corals (?) at the edge of the briny water. They make a killing on the international decorative crab market, and build a farm-mansion. "No. But I know where I can get LOTS growing wild!" he says.
His imagination really scuttled wild with that one.
The boy turns to Setsuna as well. "H-Hey!" he says suddenly. "How you doing? Picking our team?" Images flash of the trip as he thinks of the memories. What exactly do you say to a girl you saw... um... "Doing okay?" is all he can muster extra.
Steven watches as Sucy prepares strawberries in some kind of super-professional manner! "Hey, that is really good," he says, looking toward his own. They were okay. Nothing extraordinary though. "How'd you get so good at that?"
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
CORNETLAND:
Daisuke senses an eager pupil in Fuu and starts demonstrating proper piping technique with her first. He basically makes several blobs in sequence, all touching. "There's more than one way to do this, actually! There is a folding method also. But with so many people on such a busy day, I thought we'd go with this one." Handing the pastry bag to Fuu, he cautions her, "Not too fast now, but don't be shy either. It can't be too thin anywhere or it will fall apart."
There are more bags for everyone, and pans to pipe onto.
Michiru meanwhile accepts these introductions with a blandly pleasant nod. "Please take care of me... senpai," she murmurs, with only the barest hint of irony. She has yet to move towards the dough at all, apparently content to interact with the others for now. "And good luck with your fight, Saki-san."
---
STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER:
Kaoru stares blankly at Nori like the model is insane; there's a bluntness to her dismissal of the question that is definitely rude, especially in a younger girl. "I came here so that Saki's parents could demonstrate," she replies, further shaking her head when asked about visiting Ohtori. "Only when required."
Minori looks between the two older girls, worried about the tensing atmosphere, and Kaoru's shoulders sag, just a fraction. "Perhaps you could show Minori," she suggests. "I think she is not allowed to use knives yet."
Minori: :(
"But that she would appreciate the... show."
Minori: *_*
Then Sucy joins them. Sparkles intensify!! Kaoru shakes her head a little, causing her long blue hair to slide over her shoulder. "Kaoru Kiryuu," she replies to Setsuna. "And this is Sucy Manbavaran."
They don't take any classes together. Kaoru must just have a head for names. Or else Sucy is famous~!
Saori, at any rate, is distributing strawberries and knives and adjusting peoples' holds and angles with thorough care. No one is above correction, though Sucy gets less of it than anyone else, while Setsuna gets more.
"America has such wonderful produce," she offers Steven, faintly. "Now, don't cut too deeply, everyone, we want the berries to be intact. Just, without the inedible green caps and the white bit underneath, which is less sweet."
<icon information> Logging Started: 8312017 7:30:11 PM
<Pose Tracker> Nagisa Misumi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Nice to meet you, Kiryuu-chan!" Nagisa chirps. She doesn't want to interrupt meeting a new person, so she bobs on her heels a bit, lifts an arm, and waves to Setsuna briefly, giving her a smile, before returning her attention downward.
Mai lets the cat out of the bag regarding Saki's struggles, which startles Nagisa. "Eeh... are they hard to make?" she asks Mai surreptitiously. "Maybe I better just watch at first..."
Nagisa has a history of shirking her fair share of cooking, much to the chagrin of her mother.
<Pose Tracker> Saki Hyuuga [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
Saki's excitement CANNOT BE QUIETED even slightly. Seriously she looks like she's going to explode, and Nagisa emerging heretofore-unobserved and giving her a big hug somehow gets her to smile even bigger. "Sempai!" she beams. "It's so good to see you!" She giggles. "Hee, thank you. Minori still remembers you, too!" And then...she lights up again!! SOMEHOW. "Yeah! Come work with us! Mai and Setsuna-sempai and Michiru and--"
Kaoru is abducted by a small child. Saki watches her go for a second, briefly surprised, and then raises her hand and waves. "Have fun!" she declares, and confides to Michiru, "It's really amazing how fond Minori is of Kaoru!" excitedly. "She even talks about her when you're not around, you know? She really likes you both!" Though, you know, kids play favorites.
Still, Saki obligingly washes her hands when Dad invites them to, making something of a show of it because she is setting an important example about bread safety. Bread is already about bacteria, man, you don't want your yeast getting gross other stuff in there, that's just bad times.
And then, returning to the table, she rolls up her sleaves. "Yeah," she says, to Michiru. "I'm so close, but I keep burning it, or getting the dough just that little bit wrong...this time Dad made the dough, so it's not really going to be a problem there. But I'll have to pay attention to the time!"
Ah. We see the problem.
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Nori tilts her head about ten degrees when Kaoru speaks to her, blinking once. The demonstration statement passes by, but the 'only when required' makes her smooth brow furrow just a touch. Then Kaoru deflects into Minori, and Nori looks at her.
Then comes the correction of style. Nori's initial plan to slice the tops off the strawberry is actually quite dangerous because - yes - it's the same basic grip as an oyster - though she's amenable to correction. As this shift from 'dangerous knife practice' to 'normal and correct style' happens, Nori murmurs to Minori in reply and shows off a couple of different strawberries.
"Higashi-san gives excellent fortunes," Nori says after Setsuna introduces herself. "You should ask her for one when our hands aren't all anointed with this delicious strawberry juice..."
She also takes a moment to look at Sucy and give her a slightly apologetic smile. A smile that says, 'it's alright - probably no terrorists here today.'
<Pose Tracker> Mai Mishou [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
"Oh, it isn't... ah... well, it is hard, but it is fun, Nagisa-senpai." Mai smiles at her, looking over her shoulder. Then, she picks up her pastry bag, and squints down. She has done this, but with mixed results. It does take focus -- and her eyes turn to Daisuke, for his example.
But she looks sideways at Saki. She fights a smile back, and fails. Then, she leans over, and says in a stage-whisper to Michiru: "This sounds familiar, doesn't it?"
After all, Saki usually isn't on time.
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Despite Steven's memories, Setsuna Higashi seems to be in entirely good condition. The trip to Okinawa is a long time away. "Yes," Setsuna agrees with Steven at his question, smiling at him without seeming to notice his nervousness. "The person I'm making these for likes strawberries, so I chose this side," she answers him.
She smiles again Nagisa's way, but now they're both in other conversations and Nagisa is being a senpai so she doesn't want to interrupt her important work that isn't shirking her share. Instead...
Minori is very cute. Kaoru is... very helpful. This surprises Setsuna. "Hello!" Setsuna greets Sucy, who seems to hold her knife like she knows what she's doing. Setsuna's grip, before it's corrected, is about the same grip you'd use to chop vegetables. She's very methodical in accepting correction, focusing and listening as best she can. "Thank you..." She narrows her eyes to look at the strawberry, carefully udging it.
But she pauses abrubtly over the strawberry when Nori mentions her. "Ah--" She looks over at Nori... and immediately recognizes her with slightly widened eyes. "Y-Yes, that's..." Is something wrong? "I'd... be happy to," she says instead, and gets back to her strawberries. She's not perfect, but she's doing her best!
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Fuu watches Daisuke's demonstration with rapt attention, trying to take in the details of how he does it. Of course she doesn't expect to get it perfect on her first attempt ... or, likely, on her dozenth or later ... but she thinks she's got the general idea, and when the bag is offered to her, she accepts it with a nod and continues where he left off. There are also other students whom he needs to teach, it looks like.
Which is as it should be, really.
As Fuu continues working, she thinks about how big the choco cornets are that are on sale in the front of the store. How much do they puff up from the pastry in baking? she wonders, as she's trying to work out how big she should make it ... if it's too big, it'll be more likely to deform or come apart, not to mention needing more of that cream to be filled adequately ... best not to make them too big, smaller is probably better.
<Pose Tracker> Nagisa Misumi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Saki-chan won't be beaten by dough!" Nagisa states confidently, shaking water off her hands. "...even if I get why it's a problem," she grimaces cheerfully.
Peeking over Fuu's shoulder, Nagisa cribs some mental notes about how this works. "Mai-chan, when did you meet Saki?" Nagisa asks. "Have you done Valentine's Day cooking together before?"
<Pose Tracker> Sucy Manbavaran [Infinity Institute (7)] has posed.
There's a sound of cutting coming to a stop as Sucy processes the mention of her name by Kaoru. Then it continues while she things.
Sucy didn't recognize this girl... was it the rumors? It had to be... well that can't be helped.
Sucy finishes the strawberry before her, then looks over briefly to Kaoru, but her expression doesn't change, and her eye covered by the black circular lenses of her eye protection, Sucy peers at the girl for a long moment. Certainly that was helpful in its own way, as the quiet witchling no longer had to introduce herself... Maybe it was kindness. Maybe...
Sucy moves to acknowledge the others speaking to her, first Setsuna who she responds to with a "Hello". She turns to Steven, and says "I work with a lot of plants. I make ...medicine... from them. You have to learn to cut out just the parts you need, and cut away everything else, so that the medicine parts are as pure as you can manage. I've had a lot of practice."
Her work continues as methodically as before, but as the sparkles intensify, Sucy makes some fancy, and trick cuts here and there to amaze the fans of Goodo Easu-sama. Despite what she just said, she knows there's no reactive material here, and she can afford to show off... just a little bit...
To Nori, she returns a nod and a whisper. "Good..." but looks, behind her goggles, to the chocolate with just a little disappointment thinking of what she could have done with a vial of poison and a minor object movement spell.
Another time...
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Michiru nods at Mai, and says in response to her whisper, at normal conversational volume, "Yes, you're right, Mai-san. I can see why that might be an issue." She watches Nagisa watch Fuu with a faintly entertained gleam to her eye, but it sharpens with the edge of a fashionista when she sees...
"Ara, what a lovely necklace." Fuu's pendant, newly liberated from Library Island, has fallen out of her neckline and dangles in front of her, gleaming warmly in the bakery's light. Many here have seen it, but for those who haven't, it looks like an ancient and beautiful piece of wood, on a chain that could almost be a living vine, except that that would be ridiculous. It must just be very fine, very green metal.
And it screams magic, LOUDLY, to those with the eye to see it (everyone here but the Hyuuga family and Michiru and Kaoru themselves, who are surely only interested in its stunning craftsmanship and design).
"May I see, senpai?"
Daisuke, meanwhile, is making sure everyone gets at least a few groups of doughblobs on a pan. He gives Nagisa a slightly knowing, parental smirk. She's the biggest girl here, and slacking off! "You don't work, you don't eat," he warns her, before pressing the last pastry bag into her hands. "Come on -- you can do it. Just squeeze..."
---
Kaoru is coring strawberries with the efficiency of a weird robot, which is appropriate. Minori meanwhile flits from station to station in awe of all these skilled older girls, especially the flashy Sucy.
And nobody is getting cut--!
"It's not too soon to start making the chocolate sauce," Saori chimes in. "Universe-san, Manbavaran-san, could I prevail on you two to stir?" She slides over a footstool, one that exists mostly for Minori at this point but can easily bear his frame. On it, his reach can fully command the stovetop. Sucy doesn't need the help.
"Fortunes, hm," Kaoru repeats blandly, still chopping fruit between Nori and Setsuna. "How pointless. You cannot escape fate... how cruel to tell people theirs in advance."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Mishou [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
"Well... we met the first time five years ago," Mai says. She looks up from working her dough, to smile towards Nagisa. "At the Sky Tree Shrine, on the World Tree. But, I moved away after that. When I came back earlier this year, we were reunited."
She shakes her head. "So... no, I never have before," she says. She smiles down at her cornet, as she works to roll it up, and then she looks at Michiru sideways -- and the smile creeps across her face. She pauses, though, at what Michiru says next.
Her eyes fall, briefly, on Fuu's necklace. But, only briefly.
Then, she goes back to rolling her dough with her hands. "Setsuna-senpai, how is yours going?"
<Pose Tracker> Saki Hyuuga [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
Saki has taken up a dough bag and claimed a pan. Her form is actually fine. "I usually do the beating!" she says to Nagisa, and giggles like it was an obvious joke.
...a good ten seconds later she coughs self-consciously. "Baking humor," she declares, and resumes piping a cornet shell together.
She blushes, because she is being razzed by her pals, but rallies with her big grin. "There's gonna be a bunch of timers this time! In a case like this, even I should be able to do it!" She nods, decisively.
Her eyes wander up when Michiru calls attention to Fuu's necklace. It's only for a moment. She thinks actual nothing of the exchange.
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Sucy gets a weak smile of comradely warmth as Nori takes a momentary lull in her berry choppin'. During that interval, Kaoru speaks up.
Oof, Nori thinks to herself. I'm a little clumsy just now, aren't I, even if these strawberries are just too red...
Not all Nori's thoughts connect in conventional logic.
She murmurs to Setsuna, "I'm sorry. Should I not have mentioned it...?"
As her own strawberries are steadily dissected, she answers Kaoru's statement. "Do you think so? I think it would grant freedom. Worrying's usually a thousand times worse than the actual problem, don't you think?"
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
A 'hello' is sufficient for Setsuna from Sucy; she isn't exactly the chattiest girl here, though with competition like Kaoru, she might qualify. The talk of medicine, of plants... That's interesting, and Setsuna does glance to her knifewok. But...
Here in the strawberry fields, Setsuna moves slowly and methodically, making sure that each of her strawberries is almost the same as the next. ...Very nearly the same, actually. She does get a little bit faster as she moves, but only a little bit, and not a cut comes off of her hands.
...But after the stirring is called for, Setsuna stands up a little straighter. She did look surprised, but now she shakes her head. "I used to think so too, Kaoru-san." Her answer starts here, very mild. "But humans like to know what's coming, even to have an idea. It's comforting." ...She meant people, but on this topic...
"It surprised me a lot." A call over to Mai, "I'm not sure!" very brightly and cheerfully.
Nori murmured to her, and Setsuna finally leans over, "It's okay." A nod, "Mm, yes." A beat, "Besides... It's fun to look ahead."
She pauses. "...Even if it can be cruel sometimes..." She looks a little sad, at that.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Fuu glances down, grimacing a little as she sees her necklace hanging out like that. "It was a gift for entrance exams," she explains, setting the pastry bag down and trying to maneuver the pendant back inside her blouse. "I've been considering it a good-luck charm of sorts ..."
Of course, anyone who was actually there when she obtained it would know how much truth there is to her claim, but Fuu is too focused on trying to tuck the necklace away again to really work on a good cover story. Kaoru actually provides a useful distraction of sorts, too; what were the odds?
"I've never really thought of fate as an immutable pattern that bears us helplessly into our destinies," she says with a genteel tone and a friendly smile. "I'd like to think that we have at least a measure of control - that a strong will and an agile mind can turn the forces of destiny to a better outcome than might happen without that effort. ... there we go," she says quietly as she finally gets her necklace re-situated inside her blouse.
How did it slip out like that?
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.
So far Steven seems to have an easy time, though corrections are needed to his methods here and there. Cooking Club has definitely helped him come up from making premade dinners, soups, and silly snacks made from crazy ingredients though. Won't be long until he can actually make something impressive! Especially with extra events like these.
Seems like a good deal of folks here know each other. Seems like a family business though! Perhaps faithful customers? Or maybe the place just has that good of a local draw. Setsuna responds, and seems happy. "Good to hear!" He responds with, and turns back to a strawberry. An astute person would notice a slight shoulder shrug. Seems like she is okay. Guess she is doing alright enough to go to a fun dessert making event! So she must be pretty okay. She looks happy, too.
"Really?!" Steven responds with toward Sucy. "That's so cool." The boy picks up a strawberry, checking it for blemishes before cutting. Wait, did they already do that before the event? Probably. "I bet you have helped a lot of people with the medicine," he comments off-handedly.
Is Sucy a doctor? A pharmacist? Curious.
The boy's eyes grow wide at the mention of a special task. "Yes, of course!" he says, setting his knife somewhere safely, then coming over to the stove. It must be the chocolate! Guess it has to be kept heated to stay in a syrupy form. "How fast does it need?" he assumes just enough to keep from burning, but can't hurt to check!
As he ascends the sweet stepstool, Steven catches a glimpse of a necklace Fuu has. Seems neat! And special. The pendant made sense, but the vine like material really didn't. Maybe he can ask later.
Right now the smell of bubbling cacao mixture has his attention!
<Pose Tracker> Nagisa Misumi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Ehh?!" Nagisa's chocolate is under threat. "J-just learning first," Nagisa grimaces. She turns her attention nervously to the pan, and carefully squeezes this weird bag. Unlike Mai, she's making unusually big cornets, her awkward pile heaping up twice as large.
"You two are really good friends," Nagisa observes contentedly to Mai. "That's a pretty cool place to meet. I met Honoka-chan at school, so it's not as cool a story, hehe..." Unless you include fighting Pisard.
Glancing surreptitiously at Mai, Nagisa leans against Saki's shoulder. Shielding her mouth with a hand as she watches Mai carefully, Nagisa whispers into Saki's ear. "Ne. Ne, what sort of chocolate are you giving Mai-chan? She eats cornets here all the time, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Michiru looks disappointed by Fuu's prompt, wordless denial, the older girl tucking away the pretty jewelry she had asked to see, but she does not insist, beyond giving Saki and Mai a brief, sad look. Instead she finally takes her turn pumping pastry onto a pan, and with that everyone has caught up for the next step.
"You do seem to be an agile beater," she compliments Saki, vaguely, after listening to the story of her meeting Mai with rapt interest.
"I hope you're ready to get messy," Daisuke interjects warmly. "Have you all made kabob before? This is like that, but to keep the rods from sticking to the dough, they have to be completely buttery."
He demonstrates. Step one: coat metal rod (and, necessarily, hands) in butter. Step two: poke rod, lengthwise, through a set of doughblobs, and leave it in for the baking, presumably.
Let THE BUTTERING commence!
---
Kaoru seems confused by Nori's apology to Setsuna, but doesn't interrupt it. Everyone seems to have a lot of opinions on destiny that repudiate her own, and her eyes unfocus a little as she tries to process them all.
If she were Michiru she might have something polite to say, to equivocate, about all this, but she doesn't.
"You can lie to yourself if it makes you feel better," she says instead, to the collective of people who believe in knowing and altering the future, "But it won't change anything."
She eviscerates a strawberry a little too hard, and it turns to red gore in her hands. "Ah, Kaoru-chan. That's enough anyway... come help me decide what flavorings to use in the sauce."
"Caramel! Caramel! Wai~i!" votes Minori, and Kaoru's tense posture softens a little at the girl's enthusiasm.
"Very well." She lets Minori take her hand and lead her over to the stove. Minori isn't the only one with a favorite, here.
There are lots of options for people to pitch into these two pots (Steven has guard of one, Sucy the other); syrups and extracts, nuts, even bits of cookie.
"Some of this can be rolled onto a berry after it's been dipped, but it's always nice to have a creative, delicious dipping sauce in the first place," Saori explains.
<Pose Tracker> Sucy Manbavaran [Infinity Institute (7)] has posed.
Sucy Manbavaran takes the cue from Saori, finishes her last strawberry and quietly exits the slicing group, giving a small bow as she does, especially to Minoru.(perhaps solely for her benefit?)
The ghostly girl in her mad scientist coat approaches the stoves and prepares for thankfully another task that through experience with alchemy and potioncraft she hopes to find easy to excel at.
After a roll of her eyes at the confirmation of her dread that "Universe-san" is in fact Steven, and not a comically in-shape helper from the back being summoned, Sucy hopes his joyful energy can be put to good use here. Especially with something as easy to burn as chocolate, keeping it stirred it vital.
As Saori adds the chocolate to the pot, Sucy helps break it down with her ladle and stirs it smooth, trying to give the delicate process, the full attention it deserves.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
As precious as the necklace is - more precious than a good-luck charm, really - Fuu wasn't particularly inclined to take any chances with letting someone else look at it. She gives Michiru an apologetic look, but keeps working as instructed - finishing up the cornet she was putting together, then working on the buttering and skewering.
This does explain a few things which she had *thought* were 'discrepancies' between the process and the end result, though. More learning! And, hopefully, a final product which she'll be proud to share with her Valentine ...
<Pose Tracker> Saki Hyuuga [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
Saki smiles brightly to Michiru's vague response. "Haha! I'm good with a bat, and I'm good with dough! Hittin' stuff I can do!" Her shell is now essentially constructed. Putting shapes in a row: easy. Actually her form is pretty decent, really...well, she did say she's practiced.
And then: BUTTER TIME. She reaches for a primed pat because she's used to this, picking a rod out with the practice of someone who, well, works here. She starts applying A to B, though Nagisa getting up in her ear gets a slightly startled look. "Uh! Uhm....honestly I think she doesn't like the cornets that much...? I have some special chocolates I had Mom help me make for her in my room. Mom knows all about cool sweets recipes like that!" She leans in a little closer for her own whisper, "I have some Michiru and Kaoru, too!" she enthuses, excited by presents for her friends, even if it is merely obligation chocolate.
wait no hold on but--
<Pose Tracker> Sucy Manbavaran [Infinity Institute (7)] has posed.
Keep stirring.
Don't put mushrooms in.
Keep stirring.
Don't put mushrooms in...
yet...
Sucy is doing her best to keep her mind on her task, which is a little too helpful in keeping her from contributing to the the brew.
She begins contemplating other things she'd heard to get her mind away from the temptation (we can add... syrups... too...)
What was all that talk of Fortune Telling? Was Setsuna a witch too? Were they both? Fortune Telling is a respected art among her classmates and it's coming up in the curriculum soon, but it wasn't really Sucy's area of expertise.
She also thinks to Steven's comments though she gives no reply to him: She'd certainly helped people when she assisted (was conscripted) with the flu-potion drive earlier this year, but so far Sucy had kept her homebrewed medicines to herself.
She didn't really feel like sharing them yet. Much of that was a practical concern, most were still in need of testing, and others... well... when it comes to Witches and medicines,,, such things are never given freely, at least not completely.
It was an important tradition for maintaining respect.
Testing... oh what could I do with this to make it the perfect brew... puree of Warg's Bladder, Evermolten Honey... Blackmelon juice, a syrup from the roses of Ohtori?
Sucy concentrates as hard as she can, on stirring and not on the people dropping things into the pot...
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Kaoru replies to them, about fortune-telling, but Setsuna is really more hearing a response to her, and it's not entirely to what she said but also what she didn't say. It stings, and the older girl's eyes narrow straight at Kaoru's.
Setsuna frowns. "...So that's how it is?" she asks, but it doesn't entirely come off like a question. But before she can say more, Saori comes over and Setsuna finds herself shrugging the question off entirely for now. In short order she is focused on te little pots instea, peering thoughtfully over the toppings and mix-ins to be allowed. She looks over, smiling at Nori almost too intentionally, and moves to put in... Well caramel is good and...
"Something else sweet? Or..." She considers, and will have to think a lot before putting more in. She doesn't know what goes together!
<Pose Tracker> Nagisa Misumi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"She doesn't?!" Nagisa says loudly. Blushing, she waves 'never mind' to Mai and leans back in to whisper to Saki. "She doesn't? That's crazy."
She gets a troubled look as Saki mentions her mom helped, but she gets caught up in Saki's enthusiasm despite herself. "They're gonna be really excited. I bet a Pan Paka Pan family makes really good chocolate."
Finally leaning back, Nagisa keeps working on her cornets, but she's starting to phase out, her face blanking as she thinks about something.
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
She is so tremendously bleak, Nori thinks to herself. She pauses to look towards Kaoru and asks her, "May I ask you where you're from originally, Kiryuu-san?"
Is this another Siren? Nori thinks. Batiste said there are others, they're just elsewhere - it's not like I visit Haiti often -
But then caramel is coming up. She straightens up and says to Minori, "I think that's the best choice we could imagine, really," in a soft voice.
"But I think that I should make some with darker chocolate too, if there's a pot for that. Though... Hmm..." Trailing off in frowning thought, she then asks, "Do you think that salt would go well with them, Saori-san? A little bit, like in sea salt ice cream?"
Though her eyes are more drawn towards the range of crushed nuts available for the ROLLING.
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Kaoru looks back at Setsuna. If she were Michiru, she might blink innocently, but she is not. Kaoru just... gazes, steadily, unintimidated. But not cruel, either. She doesn't argue further, and allows Minori to help her decorate all her berries.
("You may," she agrees calmly, to Nori.)
By the end it is very much the way around, Kaoru playing sous chef to the tiny girl, even if this requires the tiny girl to be up on her shoulders in order to see.
Michiru winds up working particularly closely with Saki and Mai. She doesn't so much have her own choco cornet as an extension of theirs, but seems very content with holding bowls, steadying trays, and otherwise assisting them in their careful task. And she paints the egg wash onto the cornets, when the time comes, with a surprisingly tender and precise hand.
---
The rest of the cornet process involves a round of baking, then while it's baking getting the chocolate custard up to scratch, then pumping the custard into the cornet once it has cooled a bit.
There are many points of potential failure here, mostly involving impatience (and hot ovens).
The rest of the strawberry process involves finishing the dipping sauce, letting it cool a little, then first dipping the berries in the sauce, then rolling them in other toppings, and/or drizzling more toppings on top.
There are many points of potential failure here, mostly involving clumsiness (and catastrophic mess).
Kindly, the Hyuuga parents elect to do all the dishes throughout, somehow keeping a measure of calm and cleanliness in the kitchen despite having it in use by most of a dozen teenagers at once.
And, in the end, it is time to wrap goodies for transport and gifting -- and eat a few! For anyone with a true disaster there are plenty of professional-grade choco cornets and dipped strawberries to enjoy.
OOC: Please show us all, if you like -- what has your character wrought?! <Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
It takes quite a bit more than liking a food to be able to make that food. Fuu has known this for a fairly long time (as these things go, relative to her age). Having a teacher who DOES know how to make them helps.
So the resultant choco cornet is somewhat erratic in shape and a little bigger than it ought to be, but it baked up all right, and if it's arguably too big to be considered 'one serving,' it's definitely something that two people together can handle eating ... if they're careful and don't mind having less than the equivalent of a whole cornet each.
(Either way, Fuu is definitely buying a few extra professionally-made cornets - mostly for her family, and possibly one or two extra to share with whomever she intended to share her handiwork.)
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.
Chocolate is more complicated than Steven thought! All these ingredients mixed together ever so carefully. Sucy gets called up to assist as well! He gives her a cheeky smile has he readies to stir. Hopefully none splashes out! "I bet you do stuff like this making medicine!" he says to the girl.
Keeping the chocolate going is tough work! His short arms grow strained shipping the chocolate around enough to keep it from burning.
The boy keeps it going for each member to dip into the chocolate. In the process, he dips a few as well, but aren't as perfect-looking. As doing both tasks is difficult! But in the end, the chef has the most important job!
Making sure everyone elses meal looks perfect. He doesn't have too much care how his own do. Not that they are awful, mind you. He is a learning kid, after all!
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
"Oh - I - ah - well thank you," Nori says to Kaoru. She seems flummoxed at this response, but maybe the berries are throwing her and keeping her from asking the follow-up question, which, she thinks further while rationalizing flustering, is probably cheating anyway.
Kaoru is, in the end, a berry unusual person.
Nori has a couple of missteps but seems to have had two patterns in mind.
One, dipped in light milk chocolate, is drizzled with white fondant and blueberry preserves are packed within. The other, dipped in dark chocolate, has raspberry in a similar drizzling pattern. She seems to be sorting them in small bunches - three of the light ones, three of the dark ones, a combination of two of each...
<Pose Tracker> Saki Hyuuga [Infinity Institute (8)] has posed.
Saki leans in at Nagisa. "Right??" she whispers. "I couldn't believe it! And she never says anything, but, it's Mai, so you kind of have to read her, right? And even if it's not your thing, Mom and Dad can make you want anything!" This train of thought may have wandered off track. "Anyway it's, you know, it's not too special..." Though, as Nagisa noted, perhaps Saki has a slightly uncommon opinion about what counts as special. "But I know Kenta's always excited about Valentine's day, ahehe..." That'd be one of her other classmates, presumably.
AND THEN:
With two point additional heads to keep Saki on the ball, her hated enemy, THE TIMER, is at last defeated, and Saki's cornet comes out--!
Somewhat too done!
Saki looks at it and pouts. "It's close!" she says, and clenches a fist. "The oven...I must respect the oven even more!"
<Pose Tracker> Nagisa Misumi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
AND THEN:
There is a pan full of oblong blobs of undercooked dough, oozing chocolate in slow, contented bubbles.
"I knew it. It's not close at all," Nagisa moans.
Right next to Saki, Nagisa raises the same fist in the same posture, but a lot more limply. "Banzai..." she agrees to Saki's mission.
<Pose Tracker> Sucy Manbavaran [Infinity Institute (7)] has posed.
Sucy Manbavaran couldn't bring herself to add anything to the mixture, something about being looked up to by Minori... it was new to her.
It wouldn't do to have Minori's family bakery be responsible for people turning into strawberries themselves, falling asleep only able to be woken by a chocolate bath and the tears of their beloved on White Day, or any of the other calamaties that might occur from potential additions to the brew.
Especially not with "Goodo Easu" there. His reputation might never recover...
But lest she be caught up in sentiment, Sucy rationalizes that there were also a lot of practical difficulties: Keeping the chocolate going kept her too busy to dip in anything she brought with her, much less add anything to the brew itself If there were only slightly fewer people watching, she might have let the chocolate stir itself while she dipped in some special apples or mushrooms but... it was not to be. She'd spent the whole time doing her job as best as she could, and looking around everyone looked happy with the results of her (and their) work.
The perils of Professionalism.
Steven was right, she did do this when making medicine, and perhaps because it was similar to her element, she autopiloted a bit too much at the expense of her own mischievious desires. Sucy can't help but feel that for what she came here to achieve, this outcome was an abject failure.
Instead, she got out into public, met new people, and helped them(!) without getting anything in return..!
What a disaster...
Perhaps she can just enjoy the artisan's pride of honed skill and a job well done?
Sucy tries. She really does.
It's just not as satisfying as having potion coated chocolate mushrooms for herself and chocolate covered poison apples for Akko. Maybe she'll go home and make some...
