pawnstorm | [Open] The Mapo Tofu affair

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[Open] The Mapo Tofu affair

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?

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[get excited, caren. in some ways, she's as heartless as her "mentor".]

I won't bore you with my life story...

[the sharp look in her eyes says, it's none of your business.]

[She'll get the popcorn really. And with that line...oh, it's too tempting.

Does she do it? Reveal her hand? She could just play the nice priestess but...Saber will likely warn her as soon as she sees her. Or Irisviel will find her and have misgivings. Or Hanako will babble in a moment of fangirling.

So...three, two one...]

I'm already aware of it and how dull the Tohsaka princess is.

[She offers a small smile, and goes to walk away, back to the counter where she was preparing her food. She's going to get some sort of reaction from that.]

[predictably, she does. was there ever any doubt? rin won't just leave a leading comment like that alone. before caren returns to her work, she'll notice her face blanching, a very distinct paleness that settles in only when someone's hit her in her weak spot—and she wasn't even prepared for it.

behind the shock, there are signs of what attacking a tohsaka earns: namely, anger and retaliation.]

Wha—?!

[rin isn't a fan of waiting. her first reaction is to sneak up behind caren (though is it really sneaking if she's this angry?), almost before she realizes it, and grip a firm hand to her shoulder. her mind is racing, struggling to understand.]

What did you just say? What do you know about me?!

[No doubt at all. Caren smiles to herself, a broad grin that Rin misses as she turns away. Ah. Ah. That is absolutely delightful, and she was going to savour that.

And there is the predictable reaction, of shock and anger, ready to punch her in the face, most likely.

But Caren is ready. When Rin put her hand on her shoulder, she turned around, a knife in her hand. Really, she had been planning to get to work after rendering Rin bloodless.]

Is your ego getting in the way of your hearing?

[Her head tilts. She's not smiling on the outside, but Caren is having a great time right now.]

Not surprising. You are true to yourself and to your legacy.

[And what a legacy it is: that of being a dupe.]

How dare you!

[rin isn't scared. you'd think a knife would warn her to keep her distance, and she retreats a few extra paces, although she fails to run shrieking from the room, either. this does look more like a girl ready to punch her in the face, but she isn't that stupid.

caren is bad news.]

What do you know about my "legacy"...? You're really starting to make me mad. Unless this is some trick you're playing, to try and get a rise out of me!

[If Rin was the type of girl that'd run shrieking, Caren would only be disgusted, disappointed, and quickly lose interest. Trash had been raising trash, more or less.]

A trick? I don't need tricks to get a rise out of you.

[But she does put the knife away, and brings up one hand to her arm. Much like Rin did whenever she was about to use her magic crest to unleash a spell. How did she know such a thing?

She had her sources.]

I know that your life has never been your own. You've been on the path of the magnus since the day you were born. But...that's not what I was referring to, and you know it.

[Caren considers her for a moment.]

Do you really want me to say it? Once you hear it, there's no going back.

[the familiar gesture does ring true to her preparation for a gandere shot. rin recognizes the similarity and it calls to her, making her that much warier. is caren going to cast magic? in here?

it would be fine if she was her normal self, but in this world, she has little mana to speak of and even less ways to manipulate it.]

Nothing you can say would hold any power over me. I chose this life of my own free will. I am a magus because it pleases me.

[She could.

It might just rub it in her face that Rin, for all she had trained for years on end to become something more than human...she has nothing here. So, Caren does what suits the situation:

She laughs.]

Really? How many times have you told yourself that? You're a product of other men's ambition, and shaped as such. You were born to perform magic, like a monkey. You did magic because it pleased your father. Did you think that you were fulfilling the family duty?

Or were you just blindly going along with what your guardian told you to do? Because your mother couldn't do anything to help you. Just like she didn't lift a finger to help your sister when she was given away, like an extra sack of rice.

[how many times has she told herself that? not often. perhaps every time life got hard, or it was challenging to decipher the tomes her father left for her and kirei never bothered to properly instruct her in... but this was a decision rin made long ago. she could just have easily thrown it all away. it's doubtful anyone would stop her.

she is a product of magi ambition, a life born to be a carrier for magic and contribute more discoveries to a growing list. did her talent and her interest please tokiomi? yes. did she appreciate tokiomi's affection? yes, because there was so little of it every shred was special, and she felt he loved her even if he didn't show it, he was never like kirei. did she choose this life because of her obligation to her family? yes.

but it was all her choice. it was never a case of blindly following her father's last instructions—to imply as much insults her. for all she knows caren is nothing more than a bully. this is clearly just to aggravate her, and if she gives in, it will be by her own will...

mentioning her mother and sakura tilts that wavering self-restraint into action mode.

some slights she cannot tolerate.

aoi's death is still fresh in her mind. how could her mother have done anything, when she was forever locked in that dream-world that made her heart ache each time she talked to her? it was years.

rin steps up to caren and, without pausing, grabs her by the front of her clothing. this is happening. or maybe just a threat will work. the loss of her magic is less debilitating than caren might believe.

it still isn't because the other girl has any power over her, to rin, but that she's allowed herself to defend what's precious to her—sakura remains someone like that.]

Listen to me, you little tramp. I could care less about who you are and what your story is. I don't even know how you've figured out so much about me, but trust me, if you wanted to chip just one tiny piece off of my armor, it would be impossible.

[the words are hissed; her body is close. this is meant so no one else hears or sees, and they're alone.]

Leave my mother and my sister out of this.

Tramp? Is that supposed to insult me?

[She lowers her arm when Rin grabs her. Her head tilts to the side instead, and she smiles. It's a small, damnable smile that the magi may be familiar with, one way or the other. But she watches her.

Ah, there she goes. She tried to threaten her and scare her off.]

I didn't figure it out, Rin Tohsaka. Your life is an open book.

[She continues to talk softly, still smiling ever so gently.]

The little girl, who tries so hard, for a life that was never hers in the first place. Boo hoo. How can I leave them out of it? Ignore them? Your mother and sister...what would your father call them? Ah, yes.

Collateral damage.

[caren spews pure nonsense, and so there's no need to hold anything back anymore—her eerily soft voice is rewarded with the brisk crack of a broad-handed slap, rin's hand flying across her cheek.

the impact would hurt on most pawns. if it isn't painful, the slight strength behind it proves rin is not necessarily weak for her small size, and what's more, she's been trained in fighting.

wonder who her teacher was.]

Keep talking. See what's in it for you.

[the smile reminds her of kirei, but that's only another reason to attack her, to be honest: just an extra annoyance stoking the fire. it feels natural.]

[Oh.

There it is.

It's a little disappointing. She thought that it would hurt more, but she barely felt it. So this was the gap between a pawn and a rook. She thought it might be the case but...ah. She supposed Rin didn't have a chance after all.

There was a slight laugh, and her smile, that one that reminded Rin so much of Kirei, widened.]

If you were trying to hit me, you'll have to try harder then that.

[She doesn't move. There's no need to.]

Weakling.

[rin will do all the moving for her. she's a little distressed by witnessing not even a flinch from caren after a strike like that, but she covers her emotions so the other girl can't see them. it's amazing how she unconsciously employs the same tactics she would around kirei.

clutching two hands into the fabric of her clothing, she pushes caren back against the counter until the edge of it would be digging at the base of her spine. she isn't done with her, yet, but a second strike isn't called for unless she earns it. or rin has to defend herself. that, too.]

Your insults are worthless, and so are your taunts. Believe it or not, all I care about is that you don't go around spreading information you have no business sharing.

[Oh, did she think this was threatening or something? Well, Rin was getting invested into it, despite the expression on her face. Maybe if Rin pressed her a little more, Caren could get her spine to crack. That would be nice. She's had a crick in it if Rin wants to help her out with that? Thanks.]

I hadn't considered that, but you have a valid point.

[Yeah Rin...you kind of gave her a giant opening there tbh. Caren's gaze flickers away, distracted.]

Snake? Come out. We've a video to make. Might as well do it now; we can attach a name to a face.

[A snake comes out of Caren's collar, flicking out its tongue. It's brightly colored, and would be cute....if there wasn't the fact that Caren was going to broadcast information about Rin.

Or appeared to be.]

[she may be a new hero, but rin knows a suspected carrier when she sees one. if caren was counting on her heading in for the kill, so to speak, she'll be disappointed. the snake slips out into view and rin releases her grip, stepping back cautiously in case it decides to attack her.

also, how creepy.

yeah, she might just leave. outright deserting the area is starting to sound like a very appealing idea.]

What do you intend to broadcast...? I'm a new Hero, no one will care about your gossip.

[if it can even be called gossip. rin slinks backwards and now she's distant from the counter where caren stands.]

People will think you're heartless.

[Well where else would a snake go? It's warm against her body. Also don't worry Rin, it doesn't have venom. Caren found that out early when she showed it who was head snake around here.

Much better then sloppy balls.]

I was thinking of sending out a call of help for a new resident of the halls of glory, and how she has such a tragic back story.

[Her carrier takes its time coming down to twine its way down her arm.]

She needs a lot of help, you see. Someone to guide her, a teacher, certainly...friends. Because she's helpless on her own.

[cautiously alert, rin spends her time examining the snake once she judges she's suitably cut off from the pair of freak show and her reptile friend, pulling her withdrawal to a halt.

of course, as caren continues jabbering on like a daft idiot, the tension naturally ebbs out of her. when rin glares at caren again, she's wearing that usual regal, almost irritatingly queenlike expression.]

That sounds like a whole bunch of lies you just made up on the spot. I'm not some complete pushover, and people will realize that when they meet me.

[rin tilts her head.]

Could it be that you're jealous of me? I wonder.

[Caren has to give Rin a look as if she's the not so smart one of the pair. She said all of those things because she could and if she so felt like it would make Rin's life a misery.

God, she really just wants to just slap the ego out of her.]

There's nothing to be jealous of.

[Casually, she brings up her hand, her thumb pressing against her palm.]

For example: gießen.

[And just because she can, she uses German, not Latin so she can spray water right into Rin's dumb face.]

[caren are you reality

if she's looking to catch up with dear old dad, she has more than a few improvements to make. for one, rin isn't convinced caren could shape her life like that—what? will every other hero believe her? is she secretly some sort of precious darling in the group?

rin doubts it. she should strike harder with a tohsaka. (hard enough, perhaps, that they aren't breathing anymore.) as it is, rin has more than enough time to dodge the incoming spell, cast—as she notes—in a way and with a word mimicking her style.]

Good show.

[sarcasm is thick in her voice. clap, clap. caren receives the most apathetic golf clap.]

[ Yup, she's that all right. But yes, she could try it, but the fact that she said it so much...she's not going to do it. It's kinda boring. She'd have to do some acting and explaining and yeah. Too much effort.

Though she'll take her petty victories. Seeing how Rin wasn't taking her seriously, she pretended to act like any other person would be if foiled: her eyes narrowed, her mouth thinned, and she recites the spell a second, and a third time-as if clearly intending to get Rin wet, though it's too slow by half.

No. She's making sure the floor around her feet and on her feet is wet.]

[it doesn't matter that much to rin how she reacts to her; caren may have chosen anything at this point, and rin would still stare at her, dodging spells with fluid motions that do not even appear practiced.

she could walk forward. she could approach her, again, and threaten her some more. but rin isn't liable to tempt fate when the other girl is exceedingly stronger, despite the fact her skill with magic leaves something to be desired. caren might try to ruin her life or whatever petty, stupid hoax she's planning to amuse herself, but she has no control over that. she can't let it bother her. that's the thing about being beaten down by life: you become self-confident, enough to rely on yourself and your strength.

her linked hands lead into a halfhearted wave with one of them, and she prepares to exit the kitchen.]

Oh, well. I'm done with you. Have fun with yourself.

[she's not so perceptive that she's made sure the soles of her shoes are free of water, though.]

Edited (rephrased) 2016-07-03 18:42 (UTC)

[That's fine. She thought it might happen anyway, assured that she was safe in her own mental castle, that nothing would happen. Caren doesn't plan on trying to do what she said. Not with the message; it's too messy, and not in the kind that amuses her.

It'd get Rin too much positive attention in the end, and Caren would only lose. So she'll do what she can. Little things, before she figures out how to truly tear Rin apart.

So she'll settle for what she can. Her face settles back to neutral, her hands go by her sides. And her finger, intentionally, twitches.]

Fulmen.

[The spell is murmured, but a spark arcs from her finger, directed to the water puddle closest to Rin's shoes. And from there, hopefully, someone is going to get a painful shock.]

[rin is, at least, conductive to electricity.

the spark bounds across the floor, it hits the water, and—sure enough, like the zip of an electric charge through a wire—rin is shocked. she screams, her hair frizzing up on end. miss tohsaka is slightly fried. she doesn't die, but it hurts, and when her eyes zip to caren, she knows what just happened.

she's pissed.]

You bitch—!

[She raises her hand and offers a little finger wave. Classic misdirection as she moves the finger on her hand for the spell again. Bitch? Yup.]

Fulmen.

[She murmurs the spell again for another shock. Sorry Rin. Caren is having fun.]

[well, hopefully caren is indulging in a good show, then. the second spell rocking her body almost twists her, and it's plainly apparent rin is in pain—it's etched over her features, her eyes screwed shut and her teeth biting into her bottom lip as she jerks. if she has just as much of a taste for suffering as her father, she won't be disappointed.

each shock can only last for so long, of course. now that she knows the technique of the spell and caren's mercilessness, rin is even more determined to leave... quickly. it would be childish to upend one of the pots of mapo tofu to the floor, so she just stomps out, flattening her hair down while she goes. she'll dash away into a run as soon as possible.

but one thing is unmistakable. the fiery blue eyes that bore into caren before she disappeared were full of venom, and hate.]

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[Open] The Mapo Tofu affair

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