2020-02-19 - If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
| If You Give A Mouse A Cookie | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Endo Naoki treats one of the allies that came to his aid at a local bakery and the two talk over afternoon dessert. | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Midori-ya Bakery | |
| OOC - IC Date: 2/19/2020 - 8/7/2015 | |
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
The warm interior of the Midori-ya Bakery is inviting to many of its' clientele, a bakery that feels homely and comforting to even first-timers that come through the doors. Dozens of fancily decorated desserts tempt the eye of customers who may have only wanted a fresh cup of coffee to go, and the potted plants spread throughout can give those with great imaginations that they were simply relaxing outside in a park without having to suffer through the summer heat.
The best feature about the Midori-ya Bakery to some, though, is how reasonable its' prices are compared to chain stores.
It was that last factor that finally let Niramo relent to Endo's requests to being treated for some baked goods. It's one thing when you befriend those from Ohtori, knowing that the majority of them have no issue paying outragous prices for admittedly amazing sugary delights, but when the offer comes from a fellow Juubanite, Niramo knows that her own pockets aren't quite so bottomless.
"You know you don't have to do this for me, Endo-san. I can pay for myself, honest!" Niramo was eyeing the display rack at the front counter even as she says this, one last feeble attempt to ease her own guilt. Dressed in a pink t-shirt with gold trim on the sleeves, a pastel blue skirt that came to her knees and her worn tennis shoes, the ravenette is dressed for the weather outside. Her cloth messanger bag is hanging off one shoulder and a green ribbon is keeping her hair back in a messy ponytail. "Besides...I really didn't mind helping with...you know."
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.
In the days following the incident at the Aizawa household Endo Naoki has had a lot to think about. Jail Scaglietti's revelation that he'd been behind both the events of the attack and nearly every other tribulation that he and his friends have faced-as well as their fortunes-was a hard pill to swallow. Hard enough, in fact, that Endo has set his mind to other things rather than worry about the consequences of that revelation.
One of the things he's turned his mind to is making sure the rest of his allies are given their due rewards. And since Sourisi agreed to help defend the Aizawa household, her reward is an all expenses paid trip to Midori-ya. Endo figures she's small enough that she won't eat his entire savings.
Endo is likely headed to work after this meal, dressed in slacks and polo shirt. He looks like he belongs in a convenience store, definitely. But right now he's more focused on the task at hand: "It's fine." He assures his diminutive companion, scanning the row of treats. "Everyone appreciates you helping us out." A pause, and he adds, "Besides, you had it pretty rough at the department store, right? I guess I feel a little responsible--even if the thing that hit you isn't really Fallen Stern. So order whatever you want, okay?" The boy offers a bright smile, making a short gesture toward the display cases.
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Niramo waves aside Endo's compliment with a hand while taking it in stride. "I enjoy helping out, even if things get messy and chaotic like that. I know I would feel really guilty if I had the chance to help but didn't even try to assist in some way." Even after all these months since Niramo first received her Miraculous, she still feels like she has a duty to upheld for being gifted such power. "Besides, you did amazing, I should be returning the favor as well sometime!"
It's finally Niramo's chance to order and it takes the short ravenette a moment to get her order right. If Endo did say it was fine, well...it'll be rude of her not to appricate it! "Hello! I'll like to order a large milk, a slice of cinnamon cake, a slice of the strawberry and vanilla frosted cake, a pasticcera...umm, the chocolate filled one, and a slice of apple pie!" There's a momentiary pause before the ravenette recalls something she almost forgot. "Oh, and an oatmeal raisin cookie to go, as well!" Takk deserves a huge reward as well, even if he couldn't enjoy it in public like she could.
It's been a rough couple of days, honestly, even if Niramo doesn't try to let the stress show from those days. The overwhelming power that those 'puppets' showed is frightening despite all that she has gone through so far as Sourisi, and hearing Jail Scaglietti casually list off his involvement is still something she's trying to process. The reminder of the last moments of her memory from the battle of the Easter Department Store does bring a momentary wince, one that she mentally shakes off later. "It wasn't your fault, Endo-san. It may have looked like Fallen Stern but it wasn't you after all. Just...think it would really creep me out if I saw something that could do the same things as me.
With a tray laden with food, Niramo is quick to find a empty table for the both of them, one that gives them a little bit of privacy in the public store. "Besides, I should be asking you and Fallen Stern if you're both okay. They got something from it--er, him, back at the store?" Setting her bag off to the side and pulling aside the top, Niramo gives Takk the raisin cookie she knew the Kwami would like and turns to face her own selection of baked goods. A sampling bite of each of her desserts is tasted before the short girl focuses first on the cream-filled pasticcera.
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.
Endo was probably not expecting Niramo to order quite so much. His head slowly tilts to the side as her order continues to grow in length, until her request is finally complete. Endo considers after, before adding: "I'll have a chocolate-chip cookie." Payment is made after, several bills handed over before he follows after Niramo.
Once a table is selected Endo takes a seat, setting a small backpack of his own down. "It was strange." He agrees to Niramo's mention of how creepy it must be to have a doppelganger. "It's still out there somewhere, too...make sure to keep an eye out."
A pause is taken to consider as Endo carefully bits a chunk out of his cookie. He chews thoughtfully, before nodding. "We're both okay. I guess we're better than we've been in a while." A short smile is offered before he continues, "But, they took Stern's memories. To use them to findsomething. I'm not sure what."
Endo's shoulders roll. "I'm not sure what to do next. I'm sure we'll all figure it out, though." He gives this assurance, taking another bite before noting with a laugh: "You were really hungry, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
A few nods in agreement meet Endo's request to keep an eye out, though that might also be in part to the cinnamon cake that's being enjoyed. Niramo is doing an impressive job of balancing manners with the speed needed to enjoy each piece of sugary confection quickly. A sip of milk to wash down the bite before she speaks up. "Sure! I often do a quick patrol at night anyways, so if I see and hear anything that might be related to that Dark Stern, i'll let you know as soon as possible."
A frown forms on the ravenette's lips and she pauses before her fork can start on the strawberry and vanilla cake. "Yeah, whatever they want, it can't be anything good, especially if they had to forcefully steal Fallen Stern's memories. I did ask one of them about why they would go to such lengths during the last battle, but...I don't know. I get the feeling they were insulted for even asking that, that I was stupid for not realizing something so simple to them."
The fact that a Device's memories could be stolen with such ease is not something Niramo didn't want to focus on at the moment. This is the time for sweets and a well-earned reward, after all.
A double take between her half-cleared tray and Endo's own singular cookie is met with confusion at first then embarrasment afterwards. A self-conscious giggle eases its' way out of Niramo as she rubs the back of her neck. "J-just a little, yeah! I gotten a lot better about eating sweets since I met Takk-san though. I originally taught myself how to cook just so I could have something sweet to nibble on when I got home, actually."
The Kwami in question pokes his head over the lip of Niramo's bookbag to see if the coast is clear before floating out into the open, using Niramo's body as a shield to prying eyes. Half of the raisin cookie was held in his hands, the other half presumably already devoured. "It took me weeks before I finally convinced her to stop trying to make anything that was even remotely unhealthy. In fact, I had to hide the brown sugar on top of the fridge before she finally relented to making some pasta."
Niramo gives the mouse Kwami a pout and folded her arms against her chest. "You didn't have to hide the stepladder too, you know."
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.
"They didn't seem very interested explaining." Endo replies to the mention of the puppeteering devices. "Or very good at it, you're right." He acknowledges this with a nod as he nibbles at his own cookie. "I think the only way we'll get answers is by finding their creator."
It's not happy news to think about, but he dismisses that soon enough. Instead there's a short laugh at Niramo's embarrassment. "Well, sweets are good sometimes. And this is a special treat, so eat all you want, I guess. Just pace yourself, or you might explode."
The appearance of the Kwami earns a brief look of surprise, but the mouse's assertions about Niramo's eating habits bring another short laugh from Endo. "Aaah, really? You should try and eat more healthy, Niramo-san." It's obvious that he's having a laugh at her expense-albeit a good- natured one.
"But--actually--" His eyes fall on Takk then, "I never asked, but you're likea familiar, right? Nanoha-san had a ferret. He's actually a human though. You're not...a human too, are you?" The boy leans in conspiratorially.
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
It's an important matter to discuss and it does help talking it out with someone besides Takk. He's great when you need someone to confide with and for someone else's point of view on what went on, but the Kwami does occasionally dismiss something that would be of importance to another human. "Yeah. It's going to take a while, but as long as everyone is determined and work together, i'm sure we'll track him eventually. He just left us with a lot more questions than answers."
The mental image of popping from eating too many sweets is bizarre and hilarious enough to keep the ravenette giggling, though its' more relaxed and at ease now. "Don't worry, I won't! With Takk-san acting like my conscious and fitness coach, that won't happen anytime soon. I'll ask for a to-go box and save the rest for tomorrow."
The side-eyed stare from Takk is pointedly ignored. Sweets are just as important as anything else in the food pyramid. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be at the top.
Takk is caught off guard by Endo's question, but the Kwami laughs softly and shakes his oversized head. "I'm not a human, but I can see why you would ask that. I'm a Kwami, a...divine spirit that embodies an abstract idea or human emotion, like Creation or Destruction. I'm the Kwami of Substitution, of replacing one object or being with another. I have no other form, otherwise it would be much easier to experiment with the technology you humans make."
Niramo leans in with a fond smile on her face. "It's like being friends with a pocket-sized mad scientist. I woke up one morning to find that he took my cell phone and a corkscrew and somehow made a working microwave...that spoke in German."
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.
"Aaah..." Endo makes a noise of (questionable) enlightenment at Takk's explanation of his nature. The boy has to take a few moments to think about that, brows furrowing as he considers the concept of Substitution, and why it is a mouse.
Niramo's explanation seems to make a little more sense. Endo nods affirmatively, a short sputter of laughter at the predicament the girl describes. "Really? That sounds dangerous. I'm glad I don't have to worry about Stern doing anything like that." Despite his issues, Fallen Stern has never sabotaged a household appliance.
"You'll have to tell me more about how all that works later, Niramo-san. Maybe I can tell you about Devices too." Endo finishes his cookie with a few last bites, wiping his mouth with a nearby napkin. "There's really a lot of magic in the world, huh?" Which, he supposes, isn't something he should complain about.
"For now though, enjoy the food!"
