1091/A Perfect Matcha

A Perfect Matcha
Date of Scene:	07 February 2024
Location:	A rooftop overlooking Juuban Ward
Synopsis:	Two Culinary Guardians finally meet. Properly.
Cast of Characters:	Ren Morimoto, Chiyo Sakai

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Ren Morimoto has posed:
    The night is young. It's only been a little while since the last traces of daylight had faded from the horizon, leaving Tokyo under a blanket of translucent clouds and a sky of deep navy blue. And even though it's cold out, the wind whipping through the streets, Ren feels perfectly content, perfectly warm.

    He supposes that has something to do with his henshin, but it's another one of those pesky questions he thinks about as he takes a sidelong glance towards his spirit guide, Umeboshi, but doesn't work up the courage to ask.

    Neither of them are particularly chatty this evening, to be fair. Ume wanders back and forth over the rooftop they're on, taking in the city below them from different angles. They're on the highest building in Juuban Ward, which admittedly isn't all that high in comparison to most of the big high rises in Tokyo, but it's tall enough to get a good view. The one Ren is taking in allows him to see his own apartment building, way off in the distance. He knows his sister and father are probably sitting down to dinner just now; another evening of awkward, tension-filled "family time" that he's happily missing out on.

    His Giant Cleaver stretches across his lap, the sharp edge pointed away from him. One hand is wrapped around the hilt, though in a loose grip, not one that would allow him to leap up and defend himself at a moment's notice should the need arise. When Ume floats over from the other side of the roof, Ren expects him to say something about it, but the little spirit guide just slumps down onto his shoulder and nuzzles at Ren's cheek, not all that unlike the cat he models his most common form after. And that makes Ren sigh, the corners of his mouth lifting as he reaches up to stroke his fingers against the top of Ume's head.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Just the other night Guardian Daifuku had been out to assist Sailor Moon and Hanzo in the great battle against... a bunch of youma that had taken over vending machines. While it had been a heck of a fight, rife with projectile soda cans other items, it had reminded Chiyo that it's been awhile since she's been regularily on patrol. The fact that she'd recently seen someone that might be another Culinary Guardian was all the more reason to get back into the habit.

Leaping from rooftop to rooftop she runs with her Kine easily slung over her shoulder. It was larger than any mochi hammer properly should be, but that suited her purposes just fine and she had no problem dealing with the extra weight given her strength. Her attention was on the streets and rooftops in front of her as she works to keep her eyes peeled for both trouble, and potentially the person she was hoping to run into.

Just as she reaches Juuban ward she spots him there. It only takes another couple of jumps to land on the roof that Sukiyaki is on. "Hey, you!" She calls out a bit more rudely than she might otherwise. "We need to talk."

Ren Morimoto has posed:
    It says something about Ren's spatial awareness that he doesn't jump when Daifuku lands nearby, but it also says something about his combat reflexes that he doesn't at least adjust his hold of his sword. The person coming towards him could absolutely be an enemy about to attack him!

    At least Umeboshi seems to think so, by the way his little ghostly paws have grabbed hold of Ren's kimono and started shaking him vigorously. Or as vigorously as a little pipsqueak spirit can manage, which isn't all that vigorous at all, truth be told.

    "Um, hi," he says when Daifuku calls out to him. He doesn't stand, though he does twist at the waist to look over at her, his eyes wide. "...okay, sure?"

    Should he stand up? He definitely considers whether or not to do so for a moment, his free hand braced on the edge of the roof. And then he seems to make a decision, pushing himself up onto his feet in one smooth motion, his Giant Cleaver swinging over his shoulder to rest there comfortably.

    He's trying his best to ignore the way Umeboshi's mental projection is screeching at him, though he understands enough to know that, "You're another Culinary Guardian, aren't you?" he asks.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai just watches as Sukiyaki stands, looking at every detail of his attire. His weapon. Everything about him screamed a similarity and one that she had never come across before no matter how much she had looked. The question posed toward her earns a small flexing of her jaw as she grinds her teeth against the surge of anger that overcomes her however breifly.

Instead she dips her head in a quick, curt nod. "Yes. I'm Culinary Guardian Daifuku. I... Bonito and I have been looking for so long for others..." Here her head hangs forward a bit. Her bangs cover the look in her eye just a bit as she finds her voice wavering. "I was beginning to think I was the only one."

Looking up again it's clear to see she's trying very hard not to be overwhelmed by the relief, sadness, anger, and all the other mix of feelings fighting in her at the moment. "Where have you *been*?"

Ren Morimoto has posed:
    When Chiyo introduces herself, Ren's immediate response is to say "I'm Culinary Guardian Sukiyaki," because if there's one thing that Umeboshi has managed to drill into him, it's the need to announce oneself. Even though Ren doesn't understand why, precisely.

    His lips thin into a line at the sight of her anger, repressed though it may be, and his boots shuffle against the rooftop in the single show of his discomfort that he allows.

    "I was..." and though his mouth opens to continue, Ren realizes he'd just be announcing exactly who he was if he were to give specific details of where he'd been. He's supposed to maintain his secret identity, which Ume had been clear about, and even now his spirit guide isn't encouraging him to just spill the beans. So he takes a breath and considers, for a second or two, what to say without lying. "I... had to go away. There was some trouble with my fa-- my family, and it was better if I wasn't there."

    As he says that last part, his expression goes completely blank, but on the inside his stomach twists and turns as he recalls the implosion of his home life that led up to his decision to accept the offer from English club to travel abroad for a semester. His breath catches in his throat and he looks down, at his feet.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai reaches up to run a hand over her face taking slow, deep breaths to regain her composure. "I'm sorry," she mutters quietly while looking back up toward him. The nervous way he shuffled around and the partial dodge to her question was obvious. It wasn't something she should have outright asked in the first place.

"I shouldn't have asked. Not like that." Her gaze slides away, head shaking lightly at herself. "I know how important family can be. And how troublesome at times," she adds just in case it wasn't quite what she was thinking. "... It's good to meet you, Sukiyaki."

Ren Morimoto has posed:
    The apology seems to be unexpected, judging by the way Sukiyaki's head snaps up to peer strangely over at Daifuku. "It's... okay," he hedges, after a little bit. "And I'm sorry I wasn't here. Umeboshi was really mad at me for a long time because of it, and maybe I was a coward for wanting to escape." He lets his sword fall from his shoulder, resting its blunt tip against the rooftop instead.

    "It's nice to meet you too, Daifuku," and his voice has brightened, a smile briefly crossing his face as he looks across, towards her. He takes a moment to look her up and down, curiously examining in a way he hadn't had the chance to do during their last fight. Speaking of: "You seemed like you really knew what you were doing with that giant scorpion."

    And then his shoulders jump up nearly to his ears as a shudder runs down his spine. "It was so gross though!" Because scorpions are basically like spiders with stingers, and Ren absolutely hates spiders. So there is some residual creepiness still lingering.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"It's not the first time I've fought something big like that. Or fought with Sunbreaker," Daifuku responds as she finally moves the large Kine off her shoulder to the rooftop. There's a bit of a heavy *thump* as the heavy wooden end rests on the rooftop, and she leans on the lengthy pole in a similar manner that he was on his sword. It's all shifted and handled with complete ease in spite of the size of the weapon, and her size compared to it.

"I've been doing this for months now. There's a lot of magical types that tend to work together. Some know each others identities, some don't, but generally we try to help one another out when we're out and see each other." A smile is offered, finally, and she remarks, "I'll have to introduce you to a few I know. And our secret meeting place for when we need to just talk without worry of anyone listening in."

"There's a lot more of us magical types out there than just Culinary Guardians. Some have mascots, some have gems, some have wands. It's... really impressive the variations in magic you can come across."

Ren Morimoto has posed:
    The sword is handled much the same way as Daifuku wields her hammer, though it doesn't have the same ease of familiarity with it. After all, Sukiyaki has a fair few inches on her, so it's probably just naturally not too difficult for him to handle. Clearly, though, he doesn't use it as much as she uses her hammer.

    "I've worked with other magical types before," he says, slowly, hedging, though he starts to nod his head up and down in agreement. "Never... like, as a team, or anything intentional. Just... once or twice I've been in the right place at the right time, that sort of thing."

    His fingers flex around the hilt of his blade. "So, um, how did you become -- is it okay if I ask how you became a Culinary Guardian?" After a second or two, no more than a heartbeat, he seems to start a little. "I'm sorry if that's insensitive. I just -- I'm not --." Words seem to fail him, and he goes silent, looking over at Daifuku imploringly.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"Not sure how it happened for others?" That was something Daifuku could certainly sympathise with. While she hadn't really asked the origin of many others, she'd been around them enough to hear their stories. Some were fantastical. Some were... sadistic. Some were just happenstance. Her own story might give an idea as to her identity if she isn't careful. While there were those she knew, and trusted to know, she'd only met Ren. The urge to outright tell him was there of course, but. But they'd only just met.

"... I have never really been good at socializing with my peers. So I bring snacks a lot to pass out during club meetings to try and make friends. It's pretty common for me to have snacks on hand a lot." Here she pauses to flash a little sheepish smile. "I think people took that for granted after awhile though. I just became known as the one that brought snacks and that was it. I didn't talk much. Or enough. So I'd bring snacks, and get asked to run errands usually."

Looking to the side she allows her gaze to sweep over the rooftops and street. Partially out of wanting to keep an eye out for potential trouble, partially so she could gather her thoughts. No one had actually asked *her* how she became magical before. "I was out running errands one day and was hungry so I just reached into my bag. Ate the first thing I grabbed. I didn't feel any different at first, just kind of... It was good. It was warm, and filling, and it cheered me up a lot. I slept pretty well that night. Then come morning there's this cat on the foot of my bed telling me what happened."

Ren Morimoto has posed:
    That isn't what Sukiyaki was going to say, but he's glad he didn't say what he meant. Another point in the coward column for himself. He nods as if it totally was what he meant, though, and he shrugs a little bit, but otherwise doesn't give much further indication about whatever's troubling him.

    Instead, he listens. He's good at that, apparently, even though Ren himself doesn't really know if he's willing to believe that. But still, it feels right to let Daifuku talk, so he nods a couple of times as she does so. At one point his expression dips into a sympathetic frown, eyebrows drawn together, as she tells her tale.

    "It's..." he begins, but he trails off, after she's done. "It was in, uh, my lunch." Sukiyaki winces slightly, because that's a lie. Coward, coward, coward. "And yeah, I didn't really feel any different either. Just... all warmed up on the inside, and it um... it tasted like my mom's," he chokes a little bit, blinks rapidly, and looks away. "It tasted like my mom's food. That's weird, right?" Are his eyes a little more wet than they were before? Maybe. His feet shuffle on the rooftop.

    "But yeah, Umeboshi showed up at my window that night when I was in bed. I thought it was just a dream." He laughs, though it sounds kind of weak.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"No, it's not weird. It tasted like my Grandma's cooking. She passed away a few years ago," Daifuku explains quietly, her own expression softer now. Her head tilts to the side a little as she regards Sukiyaki with a little look of amusement. He really hadn't been at this long, or at least not *accepted* it long.

"That's part of our powers, you know. Our cooking can heal, and purify dark energy, but it also can console and heal hearts a bit. It can remind you of good times, with the people you care about. That's... not always something you can heal right away," she adds glancing to the side again with a small shake of her head. "But sometimes getting the chance to remember, to feel that way again. It's sad but also kind of nice."

Lightly her throat clears as she adds, "Anyway. After that I had the chance to change a few times and just kind of get used to things before I ran across my first Youma. It was an icecream vendor attacking people. I just... Had to protect them."

Ren Morimoto has posed:
    "So did my mom," Sukiyaki says, and it comes out all in a rush, like he's frantic to say it. Or maybe it's just he has to say it fast if he means to say it at all. Either way it's out in the open now, and his free hand balls into a fist at his side. He's silent for a while, after that.

    And thankfully Daifuku has things to say, which means Ren has an excuse for staying quiet. He does the nodding-at-the-right-times thing again, though his brow begins to furrow part of the way through, and by the end he's actively frowning, but in a confused sort of way.

    "Is that the, uh... Kitchen God Cooking thing that Ume always goes off about?" And of course this is when the spirit guide in question decides to make himself known again, though of course he's only a specter in Ren's vision, a figment of his subconscious. Yes, indeed, that is precisely what Umeboshi was talking about, is the gist of it.

    Ren's lips purse together. "I haven't been able to do that," is all he says, on the matter.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Guardian Daifuku does continue to talk but her gaze lingers on him as well. The tension noted there, the clenching of his fist. She still had her grandfather so they'd managed, but... She missed her grandmother too. She knew how it could be. Keeping busy helped a lot, doing similar things helped a lot. But there was that ache.

"Yeah, that. It takes some concentration to do, but once you get there it's not bad. I can't outright heal people, but there's always people who need healing. I've had many other magical sorts ask for me help dealing with such things. Though I do know someone who can outright heal now as well." Really it was a good thing Mamoru could now because she didn't know of anyone else who could heal on his level.

Here she pauses drawing a deep, long breath. For all the tension and anxiety she'd felt feeling alone as a Culinary Guardian, if he'd just lost his mom... She couldn't blame him for not jumping right into this 'lifestyle.'

"... Would you like a hug?" She finally offers, quietly.

Ren Morimoto has posed:
    His mother's death still weighs heavily on him, even though it's been such a long time. But Sukiyaki just nods along with the explanation like he has been this entire time, because it's a smidge of normalcy that he's trying his best to cling onto. Rather than fall apart on this rooftop in front of this new person he barely knows.

    He'd like to know her better, though. Be Daifuku's friend. He could really use a friend, and maybe she could use one too.

    "I, uh, you don't have to," he says, or rather chokes out. He blinks a few times over at her. But then he adds, "Um, though, if you don't mind, I wouldn't... it'd be okay."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"Of course it's okay," Daifuku assures as she shifts her weight to nudge the handle of her Kine upward. It balances by itself so she's free to step forward. She was shorter than Sukiyaki but it doesn't stop her from wrapping her arms around him with her head turned to the side near his shoulder.

"My friend Sailor Moon is a hugger, too, but she's more a jump right into it just to warn," she adds a bit teasingly before growing silent.

Quietly she murmers, "I'm sorry about your mom. And about getting mad earlier. It's just... It's really nice to not be alone anymore."

It's all she says at this point as she holds the hug just as long as Sukiyaki may need. She might have needed it, too, just a bit. But it was easier for a girl to offer such things than a guy, usually.

Ren Morimoto has posed:
    Unfortunately Ren's Giant Cleaver can't do the same, so this is going to end up being a sort of one-armed hug. But once Daifuku steps in, Sukiyaki's free arm does indeed come to envelop her, and then they're hugging.

    It's not long before Ren is slumping a little with the relief of it.

    "Thanks... it's actually been a long time, but." He blows out a little breath, his head turned away from her. "It was really bad. And things haven't been good since she died. It's just... really hard," he mumbles. And then he gives her a tight, but not painful squeeze, though something about the way Daifuku handles her big Mochi Hammer makes Ren think that she's probably pretty tough. Tougher than he is, even.

    Eventually he'll be the one to pull away, clearing his throat as his cheeks flush pink in embarrassment. "Thank you," he says though, and he's earnest about it, meeting her gaze if she's willing. "That was... it was really good. Thank you."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Guardian Daifuku doesn't mind the tightness and she's careful not to squish him in return. She knew she was strong even before she became a magical girl. This just amplified it. At least she had been strong before--If she just became strong out of no where it would have been a heck of a surprise to her.

When the hug is released she steps back nodding knowingly at him. "Awhile ago doesn't make it not hurt. Families can be difficult at times, too." She looks to the side back at her weapon only to take a few steps back to grasp it anew. It's slung back up over her shoulder, and she tips her head to the side with a half-nod. "You're welcome. Do you know about the Radiant Heart training classes?" Here she pauses, smiling faintly. "I've not been to many myself, but one of the teachers holds a 'self defense' class after hours. The first is just regular self-defense stuff, but then after that it's for us magical types. Apparently she used to be one herself. Maybe still is. I'm not entirely certain there, I've heard we age out of being able to do this."

Ren Morimoto has posed:
    The hug hadn't been embarrassing, but he's embarrassed still, and so Sukiyaki stands there plucking at the arms of his kimono, awkwardly adjusting the way the fabric falls against his skin. "Yeah, they sure can," he agrees, voice quiet.

    He looks up sharply at the mention of Radiant Heart, but she doesn't seem to be calling him out or anything, so after a moment or two Ren relaxes and nods at Daifuku. "I'll check it out. I could definitely use it... I wasn't really known for getting into fights, before all this. Um, I could... swing things around, but that's about it. Guess that's helped me with my sword some, at least."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"Well that's how you learn," Daifuku says with a shrug. "I wasn't a fighter either, but I've always been in good shape. Sometimes just stepping up and 'swinging things around' is what can help. And avoiding being hit," she adds with a little chuckle. Another glance is cast out over the sky a moment, her lips pursed together.

"I should get going for now before I'm out too late. I do have some things I need to do." Looking back to Sukiyaki she suggests, "You may want to get a cheap cellphone to use just for this sort of thing. It helps if you need to keep your personal life seperate but still stay in contact."

Ren Morimoto has posed:
    "Avoiding being hit is key." Sukiyaki's head bounces up and down, almost eagerly. "When I end up getting injured I'm like a monster the next day with how hungry I am," he adds. And as Daifuku looks up at the sky, so too does Ren, as if he expects her to be looking at something specific.

    Not just sort of checking the time. For him, he can stay out as much as he wants... or rather, he wants to stay out as much as he can. Because going home just doesn't feel like an option.

    The mention of a cheap cellphone has him nodding. "I'll get one. Maybe we can meet up again, here, another time and exchange numbers? This weekend? I'll get one by then." And once more concrete plans have been made, he sends Daifuku off with a cheeky little salute before he returns to his place on the edge of the roof.