[Open] The Mapo Tofu affair

[showsnopiety]

Who: Everyone! If you can smell it, you can find it!
When: 6/8-610
Where: Hall of Glory Parlour in Caissa
What: Caren found out she can make mapo tofu and is sharing with everyone. Heaven help us all.
Rating: So far none but will change when things happen.





THe Halls of Glory smell a little different today. Instead of the usual fare that the others might know from the weekly menu, there's a different scent. Something that may remind heroes of Airy, Ma Jiang dishes, or maybe, more simply, of home.

This was the result of Caren's cooking and some hunting on her part. And the results may be quite appealing. There are pots of rice, still steaming, and various bowls filled with the result known as mapo tofu. Some of them are spicer then others, and she hasn't seen fit to label which are very spicy, and which are quite mild. The only thing she has labelled, with a rim of green around the bowls, are the vegan variations, for those who can't, or do not, eat meat or meat by products.

Consider it a game of spice roulette. Because there are other bowls as well, with crushed cucumber-hot pepper salad, spicy tofu, and something that has spewed spinach and garlicy noodles within. But hey! You may be able to cool off with one of the pots of tea around the place-or with one of the rare tubs of ice cream of various flavors, kept chilled with an icy spell.

The cutlery and bowls are disposable, and there are trashbags to clean up after yourself. She's not going to do it for you!

But hey. Who can say no to free food?

Comments

[sealeted]

...!

[Her eyes actually drifted shut there for a moment.

She... honestly, she can't ever remember feeling like this, without the sharp undercurrent of exhaustion or dissipating pain. But that's to be expected; she's spent most of her time in life-or-death struggles, jumping from one fight to the next. Creature comforts had little place in the Holy Grail War, after all.]

Yes. Thank you very much.

[She manages to straighten up, a gentle smile crossing her face.]

[hymnals]

[ He sits down, sets his staff on the floor next to him. ]

Good. The effect is temporary, so I'll just sit with you for a bit, if you don't mind.

[ He leans back against the wall, smiling at her. ]

You must have been ravenous, huh?

[sealeted]

It was...

[She hesitates, very briefly. Should she keep it to herself? Does it matter now? Is it worth the effort to misdirect or dance around the issue?

...well, the excess of food and the spell have her just this side of a happy little food coma, so ultimately she doesn't bother, either out of laziness or good will towards a person who helped her out of the goodness of his heart.]

You could say it was the first meal I've ever eaten. Well, in a human body, anyways.

[hymnals]

[ That's not the answer he expected to hear. Adra's eyes widen a little, though he doesn't look otherwise surprised. More thoughtful than anything else. Most of the people in Enprise looked human, but he knew--even from experiences back home--that appearances don't count for much. He looks at her carefully, his fiery green eyes fixed on her absolutely. The bright glow obscures any suggestion of pupils, which can push his intense gaze easily from 'attentive' to 'discomfiting'. ]

What kind of body did you have before?

[sealeted]

It's... a little hard to describe. but I'll do my best.

[She tugs at a stray lock of hair, gathering her thoughts.]

Our moon was a divinely powerful magical artifact, known as both the Moon Cell and the holy Grail. It observed our world since time immemorial, and if you took part in the Holy Grail War, you had the chance to have your wish granted by it, if you survived. The fighting took place inside the Moon Cell itself—competitors sent their souls inside of it, where they were granted a form copied from what the Moon Cell had observed.

That is to say, being born in that place, for that competition... I've never had a physical body to speak of. Um, I mean, there's a girl who's been in stasis for a few decades that I was based off of, more or less, but we're separate beings, as far as I know.

[She curls the lock of hair around her finger idly, not really looking at him.]

The Moon Cell could copy a lot of sensations and experiences, but it was pretty well-regulated. There were several foods contestants could purchase to replenish their energy, but aside from a few exceptions they were just copied over and over again, too. This place is... a lot to handle, in comparison.

[She loves it already.]

[hymnals]

[ He listens to all of this without interrupting, without saying anything at all. The Holy Grail again. A troublesome artifact for so many people he knows here. Yet this seemed a new iteration of the war, different from both Saber and Caren's experiences, and stranger, too. ]

So ... you were a construct in an illusory world, essentially.

[ Matters of technology aren't entirely beyond him, but his nearest reference point for what she's described is something like a golem; like the stone and electric giants that once populated his own world. He understands the rest of her experience as existing in some kind of pocket pseudo-dimension. Questions of digitization or talk of computers wouldn't mean much to him, but he can contextualize enough to grab the jist. ]

I know of the Holy Grail war. A number of others here are veterans, too, apparently.

[sealeted]

More or less, yeah.

[She perks up, apparently pleased that it seemed to be a workable explanation. She had tried to avoid talking about coding or computers, given that this world seemed to run on a different standard.]

...the Moon Cell's Holy Grail War, or some other worlds'?

[An important distinction, brought to mind from blurred, half-real memories.

The Moon Cell's Grail war wasn't originally designed to have more than one survivor, let alone veterans.]

[hymnals]

None of them mentioned the Moon Cell.

[ So, he presumes, a different place and time. ]

But the Grail ... the Grail is constant.

[ Constantly bad news. ]

[sealeted]

I suppose it is.

[The Moon Cell had frequently been referred to as the Eye of God. Every universe needs a pinnacle, she supposes, the way planets need gravity.]

Well, I know that a Gilgamesh different from the one I contracted with is here, so it's not as surprising as it might have been otherwise.

[She finally manages a smile, though it's a bit rueful.]

[hymnals]

[ Ah, so she was one of the people who controlled Servants. He might have been negatively disposed towards that if he'd spoken only to Gil, but Saber had spoken well of her Masters, as though they were precious friends.

He doesn't miss her bittersweet smile, either. ]

Ah, yes. Gil's told me the most about everything, really. I hope he treats you kindly. Trust me, I ...

[ He pauses, clearing his throat. ]

I know what it means when someone important doesn't remember you.

[ More precisely, he knows it from the other way around ... but he can imagine. ]

[sealeted]

[Well, she and Gilgamesh were anything but a typical Master-Servant pair from the very beginning, too.]

Well, it's good to have hope, but he'll behave however he pleases. That's as constant as the Grail.

[A touch of fondness overtakes her expression, before it clears and calms again.]

It's almost funny, you know? Until recently, I've been the one searching for memories that don't exist. But, I've got the opportunity to make new ones with new people, so I don't intend to let that drag me down if I can help it.

[hymnals]

[ He laughs, and he sounds a bit sad, himself. ]

It certainly is.

[ Shaking his head. ]

That's a wise approach. The people here are friendly, by and large. You'll have all kinds of good memories in no time.

[ His ears curl down slightly. ]

Outside of our work as conscripts, of course.

[sealeted]

Ah.

[The curl of her lips when she tilts her head back to look at him is some mix of self-recriminating and wry.]

That's a third constant, for me at least. In the Moon Cell, it was either 'fight' or 'die,' after all. I mean, I actually need to learn how to fight here, though, so it might be a while before I can be of any real help... Um, do you mind if I ask how you learned to heal?

[hymnals]

[ He makes a face, because a life of only fighting sounds terrible--cruel and barbaric, even. He wished that she could have escaped it fully. ]

Hmm? I'm a priest of the Light--healing is our calling. I learned the art as a child.

[ He taps his fingers on his upper thigh. ]

But if you're referring to this world, specifically ... well, I still rely on my own knowledge. Anyone who wants to can cast at least minor healing spells, however.

[sealeted]

--?!

[She straightens up and turns towards him, lingering discomfort completely banished to the back of her mind.]

Really? Then, you really don't need special equipment to do it in this world?

[There's an eager, almost childishly fascinated glimmer in her eyes, lighting her up from the inside out.]

Are there classes, or books? I want to learn!

[hymnals]

[ Oh, wow. That's cute. He grins sheepishly, affected by her eagerness. ]

No. Only your own will. I'd be happy to help you, if you'd like.

[sealeted]

Yes! Yes, please.

[Hakuno positively beams at him, her normally calm visage transformed into something—well, something that wouldn't be out of place on a natural, normal seventeen year old girl who had just gotten the best news.]

--ah! Sorry, I completely forgot myself. Um, I'm Hakuno Kishinami. Thank you so much for helping me, and for your offer.

[hymnals]

[ He waves his hand in a 'don't worry about it' kind of way. ]

Sinu a'manore, Hakuno. I'm Adrasteius, though just 'Adra' is fine.

[ He's still looking at her, carefully, directly. ]

Tell me, though. Are you still feeling discomfort? Any pain?

[sealeted]

Sinu ama... I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that language. It's a pleasure to meet you, all the same.

[She glances away, rubbing at her cheek with a knuckle sheepishly.]

Ah, well, just a bit of heaviness in my stomach. I've weathered worse before, so it isn't that big a deal. If I sleep or work it off, I should... probably be fine?

[She's not sure how authentic the Moon Cell was, or how much she might have benefitted from not being human to begin with.]

[hymnals]

I shouldn't think so. It's Thalassian--or elvish, if you prefer. My people. I said, 'well met'.

[ He's glancing at her stomach, frowning a little. ]

I'm afraid time is the only real treatment for your present condition. But I can numb you again, unless you feel well enough to carry on.

[sealeted]

No, that's alright. This much is plenty.

[You can't get something without giving something. She isn't entirely sure how magic works just yet, but she knows it has to be tiring. she's not so selfish or spoiled to ask for extra service like that.]

Um, is it possible to teach me that soon, or is a more advanced subject?

[hymnals]

We can practice a bit right now.

[ He draws up his sleeve a bit, revealing bruising along his wrist and on down his arm (as well as an array of red, faintly glowing tattoos). ]

You should be able to do a little something about these.

[sealeted]

Oh!

[She extends a hand, fingers flinching back and stopping just shy of his skin as she peers up at him uncertainly.]

Is there... something I should say, or do, in particular...?

[hymnals]

Magic is will made manifest. Thoughts becoming form. If you want to cast a spell, first you have to consider what you want the spell to do. Then, you have to think of words to channel your desire.

[ He taps one of his bruises. ]

For example, you might picture this injury fading rapidly away. Pour your will into that image, and say something to direct the energy. A brief incantation of any kind.

[sealeted]

I see. I'll do my best.

[She furrows her brow and closes her eyes, racking her brain for a good visualization. Bruises... Well, healing was a quicker process, in the Moon Cell. Rather than worrying about broken blood vessels, Masters could repair their Avatars and Servants with item or Code Casts.

The Crystal and Crystal fragments she used back then... well, they didn't feel like anything but 'returning to a better state,' but the food...]

Restore.

[Not the most poetic thing, but she's also picturing one of the Yakisoba Breads in her mind's eye. She presses her fingers to his wrist, and feels something begin to shift from her over to him.]