pawnstorm | Afraid to lose control, caught up in this world

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Afraid to lose control, caught up in this world

Who: Yukari Takeba and OPEN
When: Sometime in the first half of April, after the intro
Where: About Capablanca
What: Ingredient'in'
Rating: Despite the 'doing it raw' joke I want to make, there should not be anything worth warning for

[You know what Yukari really wants a break from? The fact that she spent like two days mopping up sap and bird crap from that stupid stronghold, and hasn't had a chance to go to the beach, or even really get to know the resort town.

This is cruel in kind of a different way. Who starts a war in a place like this?

She supposes she can't be too surprised - their 'enemies' did start everything with that attack on what should've been a peaceful international exhibition.

Regardless, she likes being on the beach, and she wants money, so a call for people to pick up ingredients shouldn't be too bad, right? She can get to know some of the locals, explore around a bit, and help out - while making a little spending cash.

... Except the chef has some stupid taste; so one can find her in one of two ways:

1) at the beginning of her job: before she knows the chef is really... particular. In this case, she's about as much hanging around window shopping as she is picking up real ingredients.

or!

2) a couple days later: when she finds out the chef is a hardass and didn't like half of what she brought him. So now it's kind of personal, and she's a little miffed. So, basically, back to being Yukari.

Catch her whenever!]

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Oh, right... [She sounds a little disappointed. Dangit, what use is a toaster that can't make toast??

Okay, just kidding, but two sets of eyes might be better than one.]

Well, I'm after fresh produce...? He wants lemons, it looks like? And then fish after that. Which, I guess I thought I was good at figuring out fish, but he didn't like that, either, so... [Ugh.]

It's important to purchase only the freshest fish, Yukari-san. Otherwise, you might get sick! [She nods, sagely, as though it wasn't very obvious.] But let's start with the lemons first! If we carry fish around for too long, it might spoil.

...or we might start to smell like fish.

I thought I had good fish, was the problem, but I guess it wasn't the quality of cut he wanted or whatever. [So much disdain.]

That was my thought, too. Lemons at least'll last longer. But how d'ya know when a lemon is like... better than other lemons? I know when one is I guess more ripe than others, but it's just a fruit, it'd all taste the same.

Surely the people selling the fish would be able to provide us with the highest-quality of cuts, if we're able to afford it?

[She hesitates before the other thing.] I was not aware that some lemons were higher quality than others. I'd assumed they were all... lemons.

Yeah, they said it was a good cut for the fish, but the chef didn't seem to like it. He said something about... 'I could scrape a better cut off the bottom of my shoe'... [That displeased grimace is Yukari being actually rightfully kind of irked.]

But yeah, that's what I thought about the lemons, too. Who knows, though, this guy's kinda nuts, I think.

That's not very nice of him. If he's so picky, why won't he tell you what he considers a 'good' cut beforehand?

Unless-- Yukari-san, do you think the sellers were lying to extort you?

Well, he kinda told me what it was? But...

[Pause.]

They might have been? Or they just weren't skilled with it. Or even mistaken, or the fish wasn't right... like I can think of some reasons why it wouldn't be exactly right, but isn't it good enough? Ya add spices to anything, and it'll change the taste anyway.

Hmm... that's true. [She raises a gloved hand to her mouth, tapping her jawline. It's a very human gesture, and one Yukari likely hasn't seen from her before.] Still, there's nothing that can be done about it, I suppose.

We might as well just try.

[Robutt, stop weirding her out.] Y-yeah. Probably not.

If he doesn't like it this time, then I guess I'll stop wasting my time for something I wasn't going to get paid for anyway. But... [She's stubbornly bound and determined to get this done. Because that's how Yukari is.]

Then please, lead the way! We'll be able to compare lemons and fish together. I'm sure it'll be more effective with the two of us.

Yeah, let's head back out to the market, then! [She's already turning and going that way. It's not super long before they're back at the fish vendor that Yukari had originally bought her cut of fish from, and... well..]

Hey, you sold me a cut of this tuna earlier, but it wasn't the right one? Are you sure it was [obscure name I am not listing here]?

[Apparently, the vendor takes offense to this whole accusation, and there's kind of an argument on. One that Yukari obviously doesn't really want to be part of. For once.]

[Oh no. This is turning into an argument! Aigis looks back and forth from Yukari to the fish seller and then steps forward.] Excuse me, sir!

I'm very sorry if we come across as criticizing your cuts of fish. I'm certain you can help us.

My friend presented the cut of fish to the chef, you see, and he told her it wasn't correct. Is there a better way we could present it to him so that he's satisfied? You see, he seems to be very picky about his work.

[Trigger warning: Yukari getting into arguments.

The fish seller doesn't seem impressed, and keeps insisting his cuts of fish should be fine.]

O... kay, so is there another cut like this one that's not gonna get called something he could scrape better off the bottom of his shoe? Cuz honestly, that sounds more like an insult to you and your fish.

[Well, if Yukari was trying to bait him, it worked. If not... then the Extremely Blunt Offhanded Comment seems to work, because the man becomes flustered, and, eventually, sends them off with a...

... Cut that kind of looks the same as what Yukari got before.] ... Yeah... I still don't see a difference, but at least this one's free.

[Aigis, on the other hand, seems a little disappointed that she couldn't resolve this situation to the benefit of everyone just with diplomacy. She's quiet as they leave the fish seller.] ...was there anything I could've said to the seller that might have made him feel better about the situation?

Because it's not his fault, is it? It's that the chef is very picky.

[Unfortunately... well, it worked, either way.] ... Yeah, it is the chef, really. But... sometimes people also try to go through shortcuts to get things done faster and cheaper. So the chef could've been right... ugh... [She hates admitting that one.]

... There's not much a way to tell. I wanna be on the fish guy's side, though, but we also... gotta get something, too.

That's true. [She says softly.] --ah! Weren't we going to get the lemons first?

We need to hurry with them, or else we'll smell like fish before too long!

Y-yeah, let's just go for those. How badly can we mess up lemons? Unless that stupid chef wants them ~cut some certain way~, but then he can cut them himself. [Oh wait, does she have to jog to keep up with Aigis. She'll do it.]

All right. That sounds like a very good idea. [She pauses.] The chef didn't specify anything else about the lemons? Ripeness, perhaps?

[Sorry, she'll slow down a bit.]

[Nah, she likes the exercise.] ... I don't think so, but we might as well go for lemons that are ripe and ready to use now, instead of ones that have to wait a couple days. I think he wants 'em for a dinner tonight.

So... yellow and nice and firm, and I guess that's all we need to look out for? Unless this place has some weird magic lemons somewhere. It's got singing fish, so...

I don't think the lemons will be singing. After all, they're not alive, nor were they ever alive. [She hesitates for a moment.] The singing fish were very odd. They continued singing even after Souji-san had eaten them.

... They-

What? Someone actually ATE those things!?

Yes, Souji-san attempted to eat a sandwich made from one. It continued singing in his stomach. I believe he found the experience rather unpleasant.

[W o w]

... Then I guess I'm glad I never tried it... I spotted it on the menu at one point. Glad to know someone else got to it first.

I wonder if it's a local delicacy? But he didn't seem to think it tasted good, either.

As you know, I can't eat food, so I have no thoughts on the matter myself.

... Maybe it's some kinda prank food? Or like... something you only see at festivals just so they can see if they can get anyone to eat it.

... Did they give him a prize for it? [Now she wonders if it's some kind of contest.]

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