[Wednesday, January 21st, 2004.] [The weekend of national college exams has just passed. This may not be the end of the process for everyone, some schools have a second round and some people may try again later for better scores, perhaps with a ronin year.] [Nonetheless, Student Council President Shizaru has ginned up a holiday with ties to the school to celebrate this milestone. She has repeatedly squashed ideas to have 1st and 2nd years wait on the seniors, but for practical reasons, it's still the younger students doing a lot of the grunt work. Younger students and the President's entourage that is.] [Taki, you'd talked to Nicola with a bit of notice this time. She'll be attending the afterparty (though you may have accidentally dragooned her into helping as a result). For the moment though, you're managing the school cafeteria. Students are rushing in and out, supporting a variety of rooms and carts with dishes that can't be done on site.] [Start: How are you running thing as everything is at its lunchtime peak?] * Taki is currently REALLY wishing she was taller as she sidesteps yet another 2nd year trying to run her down with a cart, she isn't nearly as good as Shizaru or Kaede are at keeping things organized so chaos is the rule of the day. She's trying to keep one end of the beast fed, but she's getting overwhelmed. * Shizaru stops in for a second, calmly navigating the whirlwind. Kenji trails in her wake. "Taki. Do you need more help down here? The demand for dumplings appears to be skyrocketing and by back of the envelope calculations it's unsustainable." Yes! I need two more of me, eight more burners, and somebody to run down to market and buy more carrots, pork, cabbage, and flour. * Kenji looks to Shizaru. "I can cover the run. I took my bike today." * Shizaru nods bringing her hand to her chin. "I can give you a talented second year. Two hiking stoves. Nicola-san. And my fastest runner." She nods gratefully at Kenji and then looks back at Taki. "Also, firm instruction to lower your quality standards. It's a festival, not a culinary school. Make food fast and in volume and the atmosphere will do the rest." * Kenji grins a little. "I don't know if Taki can do that." He looks to Taki and raises his voice. "How much do you need?" Nicola's here already? Ack! Don't make her work! * Shizaru is already gone, batman-style! Taki! Grocery orders! * Taki rattles off enough ingredients to make many dozens more dumplings, and then stops a first year from adding the wrong sauces to a pot of noodles. * Nicola walks in, carrying an already-mixed bowl of dumpling fillings. While the vegetables are cut very precisely, they aren't supposed to be mixed together quite yet. "I was told to come help?" she half-says, half-asks. * The first year actually accepts correction with a level of deference that has been regularly accorded Taki on this day. * Taki turns to her rather flustered. "Ah, yes. Sorry. I was going to serve you some, but everybody I know is being dragged into here to hellllp. Er, thank you very much, but the carrots have to be started first otherwise everything turns to mush by the time they're done. Thank you for helping though, I can work with this! Just uhm." She points. "Into that pot, and as soon as they're * Taki done draining, could you please start putting these onto serving dishes for the first yearst to take out?" She points at rack of dumplings by the sinks. [Taki: Manipulate NPC!] * Nicola frowns slightly. "There are only so many pots," she says. "There is a need to conserve them. The carrots will hold." * Kenji is already gone! He moves surprisingly fast... well, not THAT surprising when one remembers he's an athlete, probably. * Taki is faster, but she can't actually use that here and now, instead she rubs her face on her arm. "Ah, right." She look around for a better place to use Nicola's veggies. "Ahhm mix them in with these and we'll make a crunchier batch?" * Nicola nods and goes to mix vegetables. [And the frentic pace keeps up with some adapatations. Things actually get a little more under control with the added help although about fifteen minutes later a 2nd year loses control of a cart. It bumps into the table where the purses and bags were stored. A few are knocked down to the ground, including Nicola's stylish number. Just beside them are a half dozen overturned bowls of miso from the cart, liquid running rapidly spreading and threatening the spilled contents.] * Nicola is intent on dumpling distribution and doesn't notice the soup and purse spillage. [And Taki saves the day, she's there *instantly*, scooping up the purses, preventing further spillage, and directing a first year to grab a mop....] * Taki grabs the purses without having actually crossed the distance *to* the table. Somehow. "You, get the cart out out. You, mop." [One item stands out among the possessions she grabs. A photo of Nicola with an older girl with a thick mane of hair. The Heirophant, Hinako Arai. Come to think of it, Taki hasn't really made note of Nicola's last name, she was using her first like some weird foreigner. Also, come to think of it, while Nicola wasn't looking at the purses when the spill happened, she was looking directly at Taki.] * Taki stares at the photo and starts to turn roughly as her own hair. With shakey hands she puts everything down on the table. [In that picture, Hinako actually has a more normal outfit. If it weren't for the hair Taki might not have recognized her.] * Nicola looks at Taki, blinking. "You moved so quickly." Then she notices the purse. "Ah, thank you." Then Taki places the items on the table and Nicola pauses in her dumpling-sorting to walk over to her. "Something is wrong?" * Taki babbles. "Ah, nothing. I'm just an idiot. But that's not new. Uhm, I really need to talk to you when things are less crazy. I hope you get to enjoy some of the food we're making. Yeah. I should get back to work." And she walks back. An idiot would not have such fast reflexes, I think. But yes, if you wish to talk later, I will be here. * Nicola reunites the contents of her purse, puts it in a safer spot, and resumes dumpling work. [Smooth as ever Taki, please give us an artful and gracious roll as we make the transition to later that evening.] [Fortunately for Taki, there's no penalty on missing that. Shizaru is a little pleased and surprised later that Taki actually took her "tone down the quality" advice to heart.] [Taki, earlier Shizaru had said that she knows "This is the first time that your friend Nicola will be joining us. Do you have a particular place you'd like me to reserve?" What had Taki said back then?] [American-style Okonomiyaki it is! Shizaru seemed a little relieved that Taki picked somewhere affordable for the volunteer thank you dinner, even if she quirked an eyebrow without saying anything that Taki choose a place where she'd be cooking more.] [That said, this is a larger group function, so in practice most people have just gone for a choice of one of three simple options (two of which involve pork and the third involving octopus, because Greg loves Okonomiyaki but it doesn't love him back.)] [Shizaru even consulted with Taki on those three choices, because the girl knows how to delegate. She's arranged the head table including her usual entourage with Nicola joining them.] [We join the group with the ingrediants out on the grill. Most of the talk has been about various going ons, and that thing Mikage did that no one is willing to explicitly name because she has a mean death glare. Shizaru is off at the moment, she's hopping in and out to visit each of the volunteer tables in turn to thank them for their work and for running a great event.] [Resume!] * Mikage smiles, still obviously tense but enjoying the smell of the food. "So, as I predicted, almost everything today went right." * Kenji isn't mentioning anything! He's seated next to Mikage and quite pleased to have plenty of okonomiyaki, as he was running all day and didn't manage to eat much to make up for it. * Taki isn't paying as much attention to the food as she usually does. "I am so very very much not ready to cook for that many people at at once. And if I see another dumpling again before I graduate, I may scream. I'm not, am I?" * Nicola is watching the okonomiyaki cook. "You are not screaming, and I will not show you dumplings." * Kenji laughs a little, despite himself. He covers it by cooking his okonomiyaki. * Taki grins weakly at Nicola. "You have my thanks for that." * Mikage holds a hand with her palm to her forehead. "Dumplings are common place, but you are their master now. They are far below your level and do not qualify as random encounters." Mikage, everything isn't an RPG. * Nicola looks curiously at Mikage but doesn't comment for the moment. I lost count around two hundred, that was *not* a random encounter. * Mikage shrugs. "I calls 'em likes I sees 'em." She says this in a gruff voice she likes using for her Kenji impression, breaking into a grin afterward. * Kenji snorts a laugh and slaps his baseball cap on Mikage's head. * Mikage wears it proudly. * Nicola gives a quiet chuckle and then points at the octopus okonomiyaki with her mini-spatula. "It is ready?" [Taki, if you've been actively managing this one, artful and gracious. If you have not, skip it. Either way, yeah it should be ready.] [Taki, having a moment to breathe, has done a wonderous job with this meal and choose a better core mix of ingrediants than the restaurant itself has typically used. There's already pleased talk from the other tables.] * Kenji has a bite of food, and then another. He turns to Mikage. "Try this! It's better than last time!" * Nicola takes a portion for herself. She has a piece and chews thoughtfully, closing her eyes. "Oh my." She looks at Taki. "I had no idea octopus could be so tasty. This is... what is the word? Exceptional." * Mikage does, eagerly. "Mm... yes, I predict that Taki will continue to cook for me many times in the future." She seems a little more blasé then the rest, but only because of her baseline enthusiasm. * Taki grins widely. "I'm hoping to get accepted to a culinary school. But I think this afternoon shows that I've got a ways to go before I'm ready to run my kitchen. There's no way I can do that every day." * Shizaru wanders to another nearby table, stomach grumbling but seeming passing by for now. Duty calls. Well, that is why you go to a school. You learn many of the skills that you do not already have and improve the ones that you do have. * Nicola eats more okonomiyaki. "Though this specific one is hard to improve, I think." Yeah, that's administration stuff. Like Shizaru does. * Kenji gestures generally at the student council president. "They've gotta teach you that in cooking school." I foresee... this is probably something schools talk about on their website. * Kenji just shakes his head. His girlfriend is ridiculous. And adorable. He wolfs down more okonomiyaki and wonders what it'd take to get seconds. * Taki nods. "And there are classes about how to run buisnesses too. I had a friend who was running his family bike shop as a second year, but I don't know anything about that sort of thing either." * Mikage calls out to Shizaru as she leaves her latest table. She returns to the gruff tone and pulls the baseball cap down, shielding her eyes. "'ey, chief. Get over here or my boyfriend's going to eat your portion." I will, too. * Taki looks at Mikage. "Is that from an anime I haven't been watching?" * Mikage grins and looks over. "What, you don't recognize, me, Kenji?" The girl isn't actually that great at impressions, but darned if she doesn't commit. * Nicola watches and eats. She has a small smile on her face. * Taki turns down the heat and actually eats something before Kenji steals that too. "Oh wow, this is better than even I thought it'd be. I gotta ask where they get their ingredients." * Shizaru remembers a proir trip here and returns, swiveling her legs under the table in a manner that is efficient if not entirely lady-like. "Itadakimasu." She then proceeds to eat. Each bite is slow and focus. She stops every three or four bites for some tea and keeps a watchful eye on Kenji, but otherwise is quiet. * Kenji was eyeing the okonomiyaki in a friendly, I'm not going to eat you way! What! * Kenji drinks tea, damn you. * Nicola eyes a small piece of the pork okonomiyaki. "I could try a bit of this one?" * Taki gestures expansively. "I can't promise it'll be as good as the octopus, but I won't serve anybody I don't hate bad food. And I'd probably wind up feeling guilty about doing that." * Nicola nods firmly. "Thank you." She takes some of the pork. * Taki watches her eat. * Shizaru quietly chuckles at that before looking up to Taki. "This was magnificant. Would you mind if I ask you a slightly rude question? I could wait until later if you prefer." This is fairly familiar language to Taki, as it does sometime precede new assignments. * Mikage doesn't even wait for permission for the pork, as she knows she'll receive it. That said, she doesn't seem concerned about Kenji stealing her food and shares it easily with him. * Kenji shares pork with Mikage, and yes, he's actually very good about not eating too much even as he's obviously super hungry. * Nicola eats the pork okonomiyaki slowly and consideringly. * Taki looks at Shizaru. "Can it wait until tomorrow? I want to enjoy this and then take the worlds second longest hot bath." * Shizaru nods patiently, but also with a certainty that the question will come tomorrow. [And the celebration continues and Shizaru gets many compliments on the way out from pleased constiutents that she parries with expressions of gratitude for their service. Everyone is exhausted afterwards and the group breaks up faster than usual, leaving Taki a chance to talk to Nicola on the way home.] [Resume.] * Nicola gives Taki a polite bow. "Thank you for the very delicious meal." * Taki smiles. "You're quite welcome, I enjoyed making it, and having my friends around me enjoy eating it." * Taki also remembers to return the bow. You said that you had something to talk about? * Taki lets the smile drop. "I, uhm, yeah. Are you... related to Hinako Arai?" I have a sister named Hinako, if that is what you mean. Why do you ask? * Taki starts to fidget with her hair. "I've met her a couple of times. I didn't make the connection with your family name and your hair because it's been a few years." * Nicola looks confused. "My... hair?" * Taki holds her braid up in front of her eyes. "Not that I'm in any position to talk, but it's not a very common color in this country." * Nicola nods, twirling a strand around her finger in a rather attractive manner. "Ah. This is true. My sister's is more unusual of a style, though." * Taki nods. "It's was very unique." * Nicola gives a small smile. "She always did enjoy her own style." * Taki lets go. "Where did she get all... actually, that's not important. Uhm." If I may ask... how were you so fast earlier? I hadn't even noticed the spilling. * Taki freezes up for a moment, and then looks up when she answers. "I... was just kinda hyper aware of where all the carts were after a while? They kept trying to accidentally run me down because I'm so short. And if I'd let them do that, then I wouldn't have been able to finish anything at all today. So, when one of them started tipping over, I just kinda had to stop it." * Nicola rubs her chin with her index finger in a considering manner. "So you would say you... how is the phrase... have a sixth sense? At least for kitchen carts?" * Taki blinks. "Uh... yeah. It sounds kinda silly now that I'm thinking about it. I ... just couldn't stand around and do nothing." * Nicola nods to Taki. "Well, I thank you again for saving mine. Was there more you wished to talk about? I will be needing to leave for home soon." Ah, well, do you want to do something like this again? I mean not with the being forced to help in the kitchen thing, and the near disasters and a whole lot fewer people, but the actually eating dinner and talking parts? * Nicola ponders things for a few moments. "I enjoyed the helping, and thanks to you it was not so much of a disaster. The eating and the talking are pleasant." She pauses. "How much fewer is 'a whole lot fewer?'" Somewhere between two and five people total? And thanks again for the help. * Nicola taps her chin again. "Ah, I see... well, we may start with the five and see where the numbers go from there?" She looks at Taki expectantly. * Taki grins. "That will be perfectly fine. Is there any style of food that you enjoy in particular?" * Nicola slowly grins back. "I do not like borscht, though it makes my mother sad. I am becoming quite fond of okonomiyaki, but it does not have to be okonomiyaki every time. Really, I am quite open." * Taki grins wider. "Then we shall go on a tour of my favorite restraunts, and who knows, perhaps I will learn to make a borscht well enough that even you will enjoy it." * Nicola lets out a small laugh. "I look forward to this challenge." [The next day, Shizaru tells Taki that if she's looking for a part-time job after she graduates, her uncle manages a catering companies that specializes in traditional Japanese cuisine. Normally new hires are servers, but she can probably get Taki in at the bottom rung in the kitchen. If Taki says yes, she may spend her +explorer to cancel the - direction, since the offer came through one of her established locations.] [Will Taki say yes? Will the numbers accompanying Nicola dates ever go down? Will Hinako approve of her younger sister's new "friend"? Will Kenji be willing to spill what Mikage did in her fortune telling booth once she's not watching him?] [Find out all these answers in more on a future episode of...] [Neo-Arcana!] [End!]