2611/...with a Side of Meiou.

...with a Side of Meiou.
Date of Scene:	13 June 2025
Location:	Juuban Ward - Spesu Kitchens
Synopsis:	Setsuna comes in to check on a wayward student and gets to see two mind blossoming in a shared past-time. Food, Food, and more Food to be had...
Cast of Characters:	Koji Silvia, Rashmi Terios, Setsuna Meiou

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Koji Silvia has posed:
With the wedding-slash-bossfight coming closer and closer, some of those involved have ended up dropping things like clubs... and replacing them with, for example... cooking in a kitchen.

It's on file with the school where he is. A place in Juuban called Spesu Kitchens.

There he is, currently taking a pair of scallops that are breaded and grilled off of the cooktop and puts them aside on a small metal plate. He touches them, and then frowns, shakes his head, and tosses them in the bin, "Underdone... Again. I don't understand it. The heat's right, the cooktime is right, I swear this is the right balance of breading and cheese... WHY are they undercooked?"

Muttering something to himself under his breath in Portrugese that he probably learned from his father and goes back to the fridge to get another packaged half-dozen scallops to do again. This is test-cooking. Not making it for meals, but making it until you get it right.

Those are set down by the flat-top and then goes back to his notes and looks at his spices and breading...

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Having been voluntold to second Koji with the catering -- as well as being a floater for the Security Council -- Rashmi has had a *lot* to do, which honestly was ideal; the more work she had, the less ability she had to think about problems she had no control over. In fact, she hasn't even ranted about Seriss at the arcade more than once today!

Progress!

"The problem is grilling," she answers from her place at the next cooktop over, with a cast-iron pan holding a couple of her own scallops, likewise breaded but fried in oil. "If you want it heated right all the way through, you need *heat transfer.* Trust me I've heard enough of Papi's lectures on the subject, metal-to-food is *terrible* for heat transfer, that's why you use oil."

Her own scallops are placed on a plate, the breading a little darker of a golden-brown and suggesting maybe she overcooked her scallops just a tad, but gamely she sprinkles a pinch of parmesan on each, and tops with garlic chips.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
The downside of having to drop official school functions like afterschool clubs which, after all, are MANDANTORY in Japanese schools...is that eventually, some agent of the School will be tasked to come make sure all is on the up-and-up.

Even if one is doing it in favor of getting some hands-on practial experience

And, since Radiant Heart has a fairly low incidence of injury and sickness, that means that the school Nurse is generally the one available to do so.

Thus it is that finds Nurse Meiou letting herself into Koji's kitchen.

She takes a moment to glance around, then smiles as she notes that Rashmi is here as well. She waits for a moment when she's not interrupting in order to say, "How goes the learning, Mister Silvia?"

Koji Silvia has posed:
    "...Did I... leave the door unlocked."

Whether or not it's true, the young man dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, running shoes and an apron peels away from his work as Rashmi settles her latest pair for taste-testing, "Hello, Miss Meiou. Is there something we can help you with?"

Her question does catch up to him, and he almost rubs the back of his neck, bare due to his hair up and under a backwards-turned cap, "Oh... I'm learning a lot from Rashmi-chan, and from all these recipies, but it feels a little less like class, and more like boot camp."

Turning back to Rashmi, he frowns slightly, "I get the heat transfer thing, but I still don't think that panko's going to be a good replacement. And I'm starting to wonder if we're shooting too high with scallops. I've thrown away more seafood in this week than I have in my whole life."

But then he pauses, and asks the nurse, "Oh... uhhh... can we borrow your palate for a bit? We came up with something else but it's not quite finished yet."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Hi Setsuchan~!" Rashmi calls from her stove, turning the burner off and stepping back, grinning. "Koji-kun I'd give it a coin toss on whether you did or not. Because if you did, d'you really think that'd be enough to keep *Setsuchan* out?"

With her scallops plated to her liking, she waves the Guardian of Time closer. "And I mean... the biggest problem with scallops is it's gonna be the single most expensive thing on the menu, which means we are *gonna* have to beg Mamo-kun for funding. But they're *perfect* for the theme, just... so finicky. Anyway yeah, palate please. He's using regular breadcrumbs and grilling, I'm pan-frying in butter and panko. And I *like* the grill marks, but it seems like they're being even tetchier than usual."

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Nurse Meiou smiles and waves to Rashmi, then looks back to Koji, "Just checking up on you, Mister Silvia."

She gives a little sigh and rolls her eyes, "...while I know that you're a responsible young man, sadly, like so very many other things, the Tokyo Public School System floats on a sea of paperwork..."

She trails off, then snorts, "...or, put a bit differently,"

And here her voice drops a bit and takes on a rather more deep and ominous tenor as she intones, "...ink for the Ink God...paper for the Paperwork Throne."

She holds the serious look for only a few moments before letting out a small giggle that she covers with a hand over her mouth for a moment before going on, "...and I would be quite happy to be your taste tester, Mister Silvia. Between the two of you, I doubt I'll have to worry that said palatte is in any danger."

As she moves over to wherever she is indicated...until Rashmi mentions going to Mamoru...at which point she stops, gives the redhead a VERY arch look and coughs rather pointedly.

Koji Silvia has posed:
Being a polite enough young man, he moves a small round table over for Setsuna, and a chair that threatens any moment to give off that metal-on-concrete SQUEAL. But somehow... it doesn't. Once everything is in place, he goes back to the flat-top and adjusts the heat some, "Well... then Rashmi's up first while I try and get these right. We've also got a cold version of Ratatouille in the fridge for anyone who wants purely vegan."

But there's a smile and a shrug over to Rashmi as he says in passing, "I was hoping we could just do fake grill marks with a torched piece. But I've seen that fail. I get why you want the marks, but I don't think those will have the cheese-umami we want with these."

On his station he takes two scallops, salts and peppers them, then egg-washes them, rolls them in a mix of garlic herbs and spices, and then again into breading before he puts them into sizzling pool of butter inside of a ring to cook, "I know, I should be at my clubs... and this is going to look bad on my college resume... but this is for Mamo and Usa, so it's important. It's gonna be a victory celebration as much as a wedding."

He then stops and points to Rashmi, "OOH! Show her the cranes! These are mostly Rashmi's idea, but I added a little flourish... Rashmi, do a crane! Please!"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Rashmi meets that look with a chagrined one of her own. "*Or* you, yes Setsuchan... Mamo-kun was just the first one I thought of because he's the *groom.* Anyway..." She trots the little plate over to Setsuna, flushing. "They're not gonna be perfect, but that's panko-breaded with parmesan on top to melt a little, and fried garlic slices for garnish and flavor. Koji-kun--" she looks over her shoulder, nodding at the pool of butter. "...Has a point, the grill marks would be *wonderful* but I think they're a miss for this."

The reminder of the crane makes the redhead's eyes light up, and she holds up a finger before dashing back to her stove, and poking at the air-fryer set up between the two cooktops. A package of wonton wrappers is extracted from Nicomachea, a ramekin bearing some red sauce, and a calamari ring with gold food-paint around the middle.

At which point she just straight up folds a square of wonton into an entire crane, pops it into the air fryer, and when done paints the wings red with the sauce, and fits the calamari around its neck, like a gold choker.

This, proudly set on the plate in front of Setsuna.

"So basically, if we do decide on a scallop recipe we like and can reproduce at scale... *Definitely* gonna need help buying enough to feed fifty."

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Setsuna (because at some point she's shucked her labcoat for the cream blouse and black pencil skirt underneath) sits down where indicated and smiles as she watches the two get excited over food.

Koji's bemoaning his resume gets a smile and a shake of her head, "Ah, worry not, Koji-san...for I am wise in the way of paperwork...and twill be but a trifle to file the papers to make this a valid afterschool task for your academic record."

She gives a little wave of her hand, as if warding off worrisome thoughts, then goes on, "After all, you're picking up some useful life skills here and that's what clubs are SUPPOSED to be about."

She pauses, thinks for a second, then shrugs, "...well, SOME of them, anyway."

Absently, she looks over the offered scallop, and glances over at the ones the other two are using, checking to make sure they're not all the same exact size.

She wants to make sure her friends didn't get scammed by someone.

Then, getting some utensils, she tries a bit of the offered scallop, "...oh, this is nice."

After a moment, she taps her lip, "...I don't know if it's possible...but I seem to recall once seeing someone cook something mostly one way to finish it off another...could you cook it almost fully however and toss it on a surface just long enough to get the marks you want?"

And then Rashmi is putting her origami pastry-like appetizer down before her, and the older woman gives a little 'awwww' kind of noise, "...that...is almost too adorable to eat."

Koji Silvia has posed:
There's a frown from the young man as he watches breading come off the scallop before it becomes a proper crust, and flips it to ensure even cook. The sizzle and the scent of garlic and parmesan comes from his station as he watches a timer he has to one side, making notes as he works. Another flip, some more time, and then he takes the pair off to rest, and touches them, "Okay... these ones are done... but the breading is too... squishy. Too much butter getting pulled in."

But to be sure, he walks over and puts own this one for Setsuna to taste, and then steps back and leans against the far wall next to where a bunch of dry ingredients are... and then he looks over at Rashmi, "I... I think she's right. Sous Vide. If we used a sous vide we can pre-cook whole batches for searing and... we ditch the breading. Instead... small plate, two scallops, sauce their tops, and toothpicks in to just pick up and bite?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"No trust me, it's worth eating," Rashmi chuckles. It's ponzu sauce on the wings, so as wedding food and also a crane it's double lucky, and hurry eat it before the calamari gets cold."

As Koji utters the magic words, Rashmi looks back at the boy, thinking deeply. "...Sear the bottom, garlic and parmesan on top, blowtorch to melt? Because the sous vide is *perfect,* especially when we start dragooning people to put everything together. A little butter-lemon-garlic sauce onthe plate to flavor the bottom of the scallop?"

Looking back and forth between the two, she raises her eyebrows, as if asking what the others think.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Between glances, the little crane has disappeared and Setsuna is sitting there looking serene.

Koji, viewing from a different angle, however, gets to watch Setsuna snag the appetizer and pop it in her mouth, then sit back and look composed...only to chew a bit when Rashmi briefly looks away...back to serene, then chews more when the redhead looks away again.

Swallowing, she shakes her head, "...Rashmi...to be fair, both of them sound fantastic...but I'm more than happy to get you a good supply of scallops and a flamethrower to help you two out."

She tries a bit more of the scallop, then leans back a bit and places the back of a hand on her forehead, "...and if called upon, I will be your taste tester..."

She puts on an overdramatic and put-upon tone, "...it will be difficult and arduous, sampling delicious seafood prepared by two skilled individuals...but someone must do it..."

Koji Silvia has posed:
Instead of commenting, Koji goes to the Murder Wall, unpins a grilled breaded scallop recipie, and flips the page over blank. Reaching down for a black pen, he mouths the cap and pops it free, noting everything Rashmi is saying, and then tacks it back into place. The pen is put back away with the same skill and then wiped off with a towel before being set back down as he looks at it for a moment, "It needs something..."

Going back he picks up a red pen and writes the word 'Parsley' under that.

Capping and stepping back he motions for Rashmi to look at it as well.

The sheer scale of 'drama' in those words is semi-missed by him as he smiles with some relief at the Outer-turned-nurse and replies, "We'd actually be very grateful for someone like you helping out. You and your friends in that mansion probably get exposed to a lot of high cuisine... I'm a home cook and Rashmi's worked with her parents all those years, but we're not on THAT level."

Not that you could tell from this...

He nods to Rashmi a couple times, as if seeing something there, but he's off to the fridge and coming back with the last of their experiments... in what looks like a cupcake wrapper is a stacked version of a Ratatouille... a rounded hollow of pepper at the bottom, layers of tomato, squash, and zucchini in the middle, and a tender slice of eggplant drizzled in balsamic vinaigrette. It is held in place by a burger-sized skewer that's been split at the top, and folded over to shape a heart, "This one is our biggest collaboration. It's going to be served cold, but it's fully vegan, no mushrooms or carrots, and is our one nod to both french cooking and the lack of a veggie plate."

He exhales, "It doesn't have a name though."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"We'd need to chiffonade the parsley," Rashmi murmurs. "Whch isn't hard, but we'll need like thin shreds to make it *look* pretty... And honestly there's not *much* difference between fine-dining cuisine and Japanese home cooking. It's mostly plating, presentation's important in both cases."

And as Koji brings out the cold ratatouille for Setsuna to sample, she grins widely. "Well, since we're taste-testing, I've got our other successes!"

Shifting back to the cookspace, she nabs a plate, and from Nicomachea extracts; one two-bite 'slider' with a steak medallion and grilled onions, one foam block with what *looks* like a cake-pop stuck in... but is by smell a chicken meatball with a pink? curry sauce? covering the top half, one small cup of lettuce with a *very* Japanese vegetable salad in, and one bunny-shaped onigiri, which will prove to be filled with flaked fish and spiced mayo.

Setting the new plate in front of Setsuna, Rashmi steps back. "If we can land on the scallops, this'll give is eight dishes... and we want nine total."

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
As Koji comments on what kind of high cuisine that Setsuna and the Outers must have experience with because they live in a mansion, Setsuna spends a few moments just staring at the young man before she's suddenly doubled over laughing, clutching her stomach as she laughs loudly and uproariosly.

Normally, she hides a giggle behind her hand, but she's WAAAY past that right now.

After a few moments, she manages to get herself under control, more or less and she waves at Koji, "...oh...oh, I'm sorry, Koji-san...I'm not laughing at you...its just that, of the four of us that live there, while Michiru has some experience with high cuisine, none of the rest of us do, and while I learned to cook a little, my skills are very much limited to 'short order'. Truth told, we eat out a LOT."

A hand is waved over in Rashmi's general direction, "...to the point where I'm reasonably certain that Rashmi's parents start cooking our usual order the moment they see our phone number on the caller id."

And then Rashmi and Koji are bringing out their other creations.

Which causes Setsuna to make an appreciative, "...ooooh. All this looks WONDERFUL."

As she ponders where to start, she looks over as Rashmi mentions how many dishes they want to run with, "...just a word of warning...if you use THAT number with this particular event, you're going to have more than a few people wondering who represents what...which may or may not be your goal."

Koji Silvia has posed:
Admittedly, he looks a little crestfallen at the laugh, followed by a faint blush because... male ego being the fragile thing it is... the laugh of a pretty woman at his expense is a bit of a pin in the balloon. But he seems to let it wash over him with a quiet, "I apologize for assuming then. Perhaps I should come by and cook the four of you some ramen sometime."

The smile returns as he steps back and then shrugs, "We have to honor some traditions. We can't do six or seven dishes, because that's a bad sign for the wedding, and eight feels like we didn't work hard enough. Though... I'd still be stuck with the four I had before Rashmi showed up. Without her, I couldn't really... work. I'm so used to having Hanzo to bounce ideas off of, but cooking isn't one and done, or made through statistics. It's about... what hits. Rashmi gets to see it every day in her family restaurant, when one of their crazy specials makes someone's eyes light up."

He stops, and exhales, reaching over to pick up a water bottle to uncap and sip from, "If you want, I think we have enough here currently we could make a few more sets and pack them for you to take back for the others to try too."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"You should look up Waffle House sometime," Rashmi says to Koji. "Apparently Setsuchan spent some time moonlighting there... Fine dining, it *ain't,* but it's got *lots* of fans. And Setsuchan, two things; one, they can be wrong if they want to! We just went with 'three meat, three veggie, and three 'other' so if people start reading into more than the bunny, they're kidding themselves. Two, honestly my biggest concern was making *Chibiusa-tan* feel included. That's why with every category, we've got something that's cute and pink. That's in *her* honor."

Rashmi trails off, blinking to herself, then raises her eyebrows. "...Right, I forgot one!"

With a tap, Rashmi extracts a tea saucer from Nicomachea, bearing a pink heart. "Fondant potato with a beet-butter sauce," she explains.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
When she notes that faint mark on Koji's cheeks, Setsuna gives the young man a smile and says, "Koji, I am sure all of us would be absolutely delighted for you to come by some time and cook us dinner. Just let me know a time that works for you and I'll even spring for the ingredients for you."

As Rashmi tells her fellow cook about Setsuna's brief moonlighting job, Setsuna smirks a bit and shakes her head, "...I did it as much to get some experience fighting. You cannot IMAGINE what drunk Americans will get up to at 3am after they've gotten some pancakes in them."

Looking over what all the two have come up with, the older woman shakes her head, "Frankly, this all looks amazing...and if you send me home with a bunch of it, I will duly record all the reactions of my housemates to each and bring them back to you as a bulleted list."

Koji Silvia has posed:
"I guess...", Koji then says with a faint smile, "All we can say is bon appetite..."

But he does set down a pad and a pen from inside his apron, "... and feel free to give us as much feedback as you can. Good or bad. The more we know, the more we can do."