curious about oden, are we?

[loveedition]

[ Okay! After a lot of set up, passing over Starling to Chibi, recruiting Taiga to help with a special promotion for the first month... Ryoko sends out a message via Starnet! ]

un: EverydayLove

Hey everyone! This is Ryoko Asakura.

I'm excited to announce that my oden booth, Magical☆Oden is going to be opening soon! I've been refining my work and really putting my all into preparation, so feel free to come by and visit! We'll be starting out operating during the evening into night, so you can warm yourself up while it's chilly outside!

Oh, and we're running an introductory special, something to celebrate the month! Fallen Stars looking for luck in love will get a complementary paper rose, lovingly handcrafted by Taiga and I! We've even got some little notes attached, so you can give them to your loved ones. We'll be running this for locals as well, so be sure to spread the word~!

Thanks, hope to see you soon!

[ And it's true. Around the City Center, there'll be fliers drawn up by Ryoko (with amateurish art of a magical girl with a chef's hat on) advertising both the stand and the paper roses.

Once the evening rolls around, Ryoko is there at a booth in the City Center, boilers on with her ingredients primed and ready to go. Like before, she's completely dressed seriously for this, and the booth itself is done up pretty well too. There's certainly a starlight/magical theme to its accoutrements, and most importantly, even though she's not transformed, there's certainly something magical about the way Ryoko's smiling at the moment.

She's feeling good about this! ]

Comments

[shellrender]

[ She sees the message on Starnet and while she won't immediately show up - after all, Ushio expects Ryoko to be busy, so it's only later in the night that Ushio actually shows up, dressed up in a rather conspicuous outfit, especially for the summer- trench coat, hat and sunglasses.

Her voice is even deepened in an obvious way as she speaks: ]

I heard that there was a place opening here...

[loveedition]

[ Pretty busy, sure! To say this person looks shifty is an understatement, and before she could say anything definitively about it... she speaks.

With a chuckle, she motions towards a spot to sit. ]

You've come to the right place, stranger. Welcome. Hope you're hungry.

[shellrender]

Is that so? I did come with an empty stomach. Give me the best you've got.

[ She takes a seat before taking off her sunglasses. ]

[loveedition]

[ Luckily, this "stranger" isn't that much of a stranger at all. She's well aware at this point of how much Ushio can eat, so she absolutely loads up her serving placing it in front of her. Up above, an octopus happily makes a bubble sound! ]

Chibi's thanking you. He's been really excited all day.

[ Well, anyway. ]

So then, how have you been, Stranger-chan?

[stavros]

[Kokoro walks up to the stand, looking around (nervously?) and waiting her turn to take a seat.]

Starting an oden stand in summer? Perhaps unorthodox, but it looks very professional!

[loveedition]

[ And as such, a nice piping serving comes right to a plate in front of Kokoro. ]

You'd think so, but the truth is that the summer's the perfect time for oden! It warms you up in the winter for sure, but it's harder to get to a stand then.

I haven't gotten the chilled recipes down yet, but I'm working on them.

[stavros]

[Kokoro bows her head and takes the plate, examining the hot food for a moment.]

You have my thanks. It's good to see even now that some among us are following their true passion.

[loveedition]

Mm-hmm. It's making the best of a difficult situation, after all. Serving my friends meals makes me happy, so I'm just happy to spread that to everyone else.

[composalvation]

[Look, Kanade may be more of a ramen girl, but noodles are noodles. She's been good about not eating solely cup noodles when she's pulling an all-nighter, thanks to Mafuyu and Honami both, so... this is okay, right? It's the real stuff, so it's not terribly bad for her.

And, well... she likes Ryoko. They don't speak as often as they could, and Kanade would like to change that someday. So what better opportunity than this? So it's not long after the customers start flocking towards Ryoko's cart that Kanade shows up, surprisingly alone for what seems like the first time in a couple months now. But she seems... calm, at least. Happy, even, as she examines the setup.]

Everything looks amazing, Asakura-san.

[Not just the food. The display, the cart - honestly, Ryoko herself, too. It's... nice, seeing those who were stuck in the facility with her smiling so easily.]

[loveedition]

[ Ryoko truthfully, worried about Kanade. If there was any lingering resentment for voting against her, potentially putting her in danger. That's just how her overactive mind works, unfortunately.

When she actually sees Kanade though... she knows she's being silly. They were all in a terrible situation, after all. She knows that, she's heard that said to her even... so, why beat herself up? ]

Thanks, Yoisaki-san. Care for a plate?

[ It's rare to see her alone like this, but maybe she was just grabbing a bite to eat on her way somewhere else? ]

[composalvation]

If you don't mind. I'd love to try it.

[She talks with an ease that very much was not there in the aftermath of everything that happened. Even though there are still shadows of dark circles under her eyes, it's more the normal look that Kanade usually has. not anything more worrying.

There's no hint of bitterness. No uncertainty. If Kanade was feeling any sort of awkwardness or displeasure at seeing Ryoko, she must be hiding it very, very well.]

It's been a while since I've had oden. Usually I just get ramen when I go out somewhere, but... for this, I can change things up.

[loveedition]

[ She can't speak as to whether or not she'd be any good at hiding it, so she's just going to keep taking it at face value. She might not be getting good rest, but... that's so common around here, it's hardly worth commenting on. ]

That's much appreciated. I'd really like to get a good feel for my friends' palate. So...

[ Ahem. ]

Welcome! What would you like?

[ pick'a your ingredients! ]

[rejectedchain]

[Elliot just finished a shift at Canis Major and is on his way home, and he figures he should probably pick up dinner on his way back. That's his excuse to stop by Ryoko's oden booth, anyway, unceremoniously taking a seat.]

Smells good...what the hell is oden?

[loveedition]

..."What the hell is oden", he asks.

Elliot-san, I'm going to change your life. You've had a long day at work, right? Your spirits might be down, but a plate of a freshly cooked hot pot stew'll cheer you right back up.

[ She's already fixing you a bowl. You are no longer able to escape. ]

[rejectedchain]

Uh.

[He has a lot of questions. Aren't most pots hot when it comes to soup??? What is it? His day wasn't that bad?]

T...thanks?

[He is pretty hungry, come to think of it.]

[loveedition]

[ And in front of him, a couple boiled daikons, an egg, and chicken meatballs on a stick! ]

There ya go! Let me know if there's anything else you may want.

[spacialeyes]

Ryokoo!

[Yuuto is all smiles as he walks up to the stand. Because of course he was going to come and support his best friend! And it's certainly been a while since he had any oden. Even when he tries to contain his smile and be polite, Yuuto's belt tail is wagging with obvious excitement.]

Everything looks so cute! Did you do all of the decorations yourself?

[loveedition]

Hey, Yuuto!

[ Obviously, zero chance that she was going to let him escape her oden for too long anyway! As she's fixing up a plate, a little octopus friend pops down from the top of the booth, right onto Ryoko's shoulder. ]

I did part of it, most of the thanks goes to Chibi, here!

[spacialeyes]

Chibi-san? [Yuuto straightens his posture and bows politely;] It's so nice to meet you! Thank you for taking care of Ryoko's dreams.

This is what you've wanted to do for a while now, right?

[nightwild]

[After a long day of investigations, well. Yayoi has to go check out this place. To support Ryoko, of course.

Her hunger is entirely a secondary concern. It's about supporting Ryoko. Completely.]

Hey. What's on the menu?

[loveedition]

Oh-- thanks for coming, Yayoi!

[ ...it occurs to her that this is the first time she's been able to say that out loud, in public. It feels nice. ]

Oden, of course. Though, I'm thinking of extending it just a little bit when I get a chance. Want a plate?

[nightwild]

[The way Yayoi's face softens, and her tail starts swaying, when Ryoko says it... It does feel nice. To be acknowledged as herself.]

Of course. Lots of beef and protein, please, chef.

[melancholie]

[Late to the party-

Dimitri doesn’t particularly like social situations. He would sooner order a meal “to-go” and eat somewhere secluded, like a park or his own house. But he likes Ryoko. At least enough to show up at her oden stand with the intention of eating nearby.

Though he certainly looks stressed; Shoulders pinched and bright eyes darting around nervously, because he finally focused on Ryoko.]

… I heard you were making oden.

[loveedition]

[ Ahhhh. Even if he's looking worse for wear, she's still really happy to see him there. ]

Word's traveling fast! Please, have a seat.

[melancholie]

Thank you.

[He can’t help but sound a bit shy as he takes his seat. Even in the summer heat, Dimitri is wearing his ridiculous space cloak as a comfort item.]

I um. I’ve never have oden. I wanted to try it.