193/Brave New Meal

Brave New Meal
Date of Scene:	02 August 2023
Location:	Mitakihara Ward
Synopsis:	What is this thing you call 'fast food'?
Cast of Characters:	Kureha Senkenzan, Laisa Samuiko, Coco Kiumi

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Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Defiance, Kureha is finding, comes naturally to her. Or at least, defiance of the limits that have been imposed on her life until now. Yes, her household staff can craft some five-star cuisine. But she's no longer beholden to the need for support in daily life - and the restrictions that come with it are starting to really, really chafe. A burning curiosity about the world around her has been lit in the crimson-eyed girl; and with it, a refusal to abide by the restrictions placed on her. She'd told the day's attendant that, bluntly, she was going to the mall no matter what. So she could either be given a ride, or she would walk. Exasperated, the maid had agreed.

    Which more-or-less explains, twenty minutes later, the thirteen-year-old girl in a kimono, powerwalking her way through one of the malls in Mitakihara Ward, while a woman in a smart business suit hurries after her. "Young miss- please, young miss, you don't need to hurry so-"

    It's a bit rare to see a girl out in public in a kimono this day and age. All the moreso when she has a determined look in her eye, a sharp stare of resolve that perfectly fits the powerful steps carrying her through the crowd. As if by sheer force of personality, the crowd parts before her, ensuring that she can march straight on towards her destination...

    ...the food court.

    "Young lady, please, we can make much better food for you at home..." The poor woman sounds faintly exasperated.

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    Laisa came here on a whim. Her family doesn't talk to her anymore, and she wasn't the kind of girl who ever had to cook for herself, so here she is waiting in line for noodles at the Four Clover Mall. As she waits, she reflects upon her recent choices, the chain of events that led to her getting exiled to Radiant Heart Academy, and considers for a moment whether or not she regrets leaving it all behind.

    Then she overhears Kureha's desperate, nagging attendant. It brings to the forefront of her mind a lot of the... unpleasantness of being a rich, sheltered child, and a wave of resentment washes away any brief bout of nostalgia she might be suffering from.

    No, on second thought, she doesn't miss it at all.

    Laisa's hand moves through her purple hair, twirling around her finger as her red eyes track Kureha's trail through the mall. Laisa is wearing a lavender button-up t-shirt, with a grey hoodie wrapped around her waist, and a black skirt underneath. Her kneehigh boots and frilly black-and-lavendar wristwraps give her a slightly gothic look.

    Someone behind her clears his throat, and Laisa behind her, then ahead. She is holding up the line. She moves forward and starts making her order.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
'Why not, I should go for a change', thinks Coco, having stumbled upon the mall in the Mitakihara Ward. Tokyo had quite the impressive variety as far as its urban structure was concerned, and so there was always something new for someone new to the city, tourist or otherwise. Familiarising herself with the city was very important to her, since she didn't know where she could find a clue about Gaito from the Obsidian agents he had allied himself with.

So Coco had lost herself in the exploration of this particular ward, and it was now time for lunch. Going through the door of the mall, the fresh current of the air conditioning gives Coco a relief from the heat she was subject to for hours. 'Ah, it's worth it just for this', she thinks, relaxing in the cool atmosphere.'I think I am in the mood for some spring rolls', she decides.

Her attention however is thwarted by the exasperated cries of a woman calling for someone to eat at their home. 'Huh? What's that about?' she wonders. Maybe someone royal was there? They did use to treat Coco like that back in the South Pacific Ocean, but that was a long past memory by now, and frankly, Coco had come to enjoy doing things herself after a time. "Excuse me, is there something wrong?" Coco asks with a smile, catching up to the lady in the suit.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    It's not hard to track Kureha's progress. Somehow, by just 'walking forcefully in a kimono', she's able to make a minor spectacle of herself. Just tromp tromp tromping her way right across the food court, probably moving right past Laisa's line as she heads straight towards her destination... the burger place. It's on TV all the time. Maybe that's why it draws her eye - a familiar name, something to give her focus. Or maybe it's just that it's a type of 'lowbrow' food her father would never approve of. Whatever the case, she's headed straight for the burger place, right next to the noodle place.

    The woman trailing after her, meanwhile, is addressed by Coco. "Hm-? Oh, no, it's fine, really. The young miss is just in... one of her moods. She gets like this recently. Apologies if we're disturbing you!"

    If Coco managed to get a glimpse of Kureha before her first transformation at the art exhibit, she might just be familiar. And both girls could easily recognize 'that one girl with the cane who suddenly got better', if they mind the rumor mill at Radiant Heart.

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    Laisa is new to the school, and so is late to the rumor mill, but she's certainly the kind of person who picks up on gossip. She hasn't shared much of her personal history, and the Samuiko family refuses to speak on it, so who knows what rumors are going around about Laisa.

    She glances towards Coco and Kureha as they draw close, coincidentally, and rolls her eyes at the attendant's apology. As she waits for her order to fill, she watches the scene unfold, and decides to throw in her two yen.

    "Must be rough," she says, loud enough to hear. "All the money in the world and yet you can't afford peace and quiet. Can't say I blame you for wanting to get out and be yourself for a minute."

    Laisa looks in Coco's direction, wondering if she's seen her before, but... nah, couldn't be. If she has, it was only in passing.

    Then, back to the attendant, "Oh, it's no trouble at all. Just... a nostalgic sight, in a way."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Admittedly, I don't know the young lady you are speaking of, but I doubt this is just a mood", she replies, looking at her with a determined gaze. "Having someone dictate your day can get very stifling, you know?" Coco expresses her disapproval, just as another girl does the same.

"Exactly, it's just like that", she turns to address the girl that just spoke. "Is something wrong?", she asks confused as the girl stares intently at her face. "Do I have something out of place?" She was in a casual getup now, she certainly couldn't compare to the girl in the kimono in elegance. 'Speaking of that kimono, haven't I seen it somewhere?', she thinks, turning to look at its owner.

'Hey, that's the girl that got miracuously healed', she realises. 'But that doesn't explain why the kimono seems familiar. Where have I seen her before?' She tries to recall in her memories of someone that had been sickly, before the day at the museum resurfaces in her mind.

'Oh, she was there when the attack occurred. I'm glad she got out of it unscathed", she thinks, waving at the girl with the kimono. "Hi, I think we saw each other before at the museum when those magical heroines came to save the day. That was an hectic day, was it?"

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    As Kureha moves up in line, those red eyes dart sideways. Someone is speaking, loudly; and the girl in the kimono isn't sure how to read the tone. "...My circumstances have changed recently," she says after a moment, replying directly to Laisa. Her expression is somewhat guarded. "I'm taking advantage while I can." Her attendant gives Laisa a vaguely confused look, but seems content to let it be for now. She's a bit more distracted by Coco, it would seem. "Until recently, it's been for her protection. Now, it's... well, I suppose it's still for her protection, but..." She shakes her head. "Never you mind."

    Kureha doesn't realize she's being addressed by Coco immediately; but after a second or two, she blinks, then turns to look right at the other girl. There's an instant, deep wariness there, a suspicious what-do-you-know stare. "...I see, you were at the museum." She doesn't say more than that, but the woman in the business attire speaks right up. "'Save the day,' honestly. Ruffians in costumes, knocking over museum displays and putting my lady in danger-"

    Before the woman can get on a tear, Kureha speaks up, her tone sharp. "Yozakura." "-milady?!" "...what am I ordering? The chefs have never made a hamburger before. I just want whatever the baseline is." "E-er, that's... ah..."

    Her attendant- Yozakura, it seems- stammers, as if not sure whether she should answer. "...milady, your father wouldn't..."

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    For her protection? Yes, Laisa has heard that one before. Though it seems as if things are slightly different with Kureha. Laisa hasn't really been 'miraculously healed' in any way that would be visibly obvious. The purple-haired girl raises an eyebrow at the attendant. There are a lot of criticisms she could have about this situation, but she doesn't want to be rude to the help. She's just doing her job.

    Laisa doesn't know anything about the museum, but something about the notion of magical folk being described as 'ruffians' rubs her the wrong way. She's wearing a visible frown as she crosses her arms, and then looks towards Coco with a 'can you believe this?' look.

    At the attendant's stammering hesitation, Laisa speaks up, "Get a cheeseburger. With fries and a soda. Technically you can get a burger without the cheese, but the real baseline is the cheeseburger."

    Around this time, Laisa's number comes up, and she goes to retrieve her order: a steaming bowl full of noodles, veggies and some meat. She grabs a pair of chopsticks and breaks them in two before coming back to the group.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
'Her protection... That's obviously a valid reason to be worried, but...' she thinks, before saying out loud "We aren't fossils buried deep underground, we should change ourselves if the situation does", she shrugs, now annoyed by the woman - Yozakura - belittling them as ruffians, exchanging the same expression to Laisa's irritated glance.

"Those ruffians prevented far greater damage from being done to the museum, and their costume come from a noble tradition", she replies, incensed.

Coco's number comes up next, preventing her from continuing the tirade, her spring rolls with a portion of bamboo and mushrooms ready for the taking.

"Yes, I was at the museum too, though not for long since you know, the attack and all..." she replies to Kureha, her free arm, gesturing vaguely in the air.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    When Laisa speaks up again, Kureha's head snaps back around. There's a brief, wary squint... and then a slow, slightly hesitant nod. "...I see." She turns back around to look up at the menu, rapidly looking it over and considering her options.

    Yozakura, meanwhile, looks exasperated at Coco. "Young lady, my coworker was injured at that museum, rather badly. She had to be hospitalized. I'm not sure what those girls told you, but running around the museum knocking things over is not 'saving' anyone." There's an irritated snort. "And it's not for me to decide whether the young miss needs to change or not. That's her father's decision, she's thirteen. I'm being paid to do a job, so..."

    Here, the woman stops again, blinking. "...why am I even bothering to defend myself? I'm doing my job. Milady, are-"

    "Cheeseburger combo. Large fry, large cola." She's already ordering. "Yozakura, you have the card, right?" There's a soft, slightly defeated sigh. "...yes, right here, miss."

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    Laisa responds to the wary squint with an amused grin. There was nothing insincere about her words, though the sudden look is... interesting. Has she truly never been to a place like this before? It's almost like a rare treat, seeing someone experiencing something new for the first time.

    Her grin goes away when the attendant relates her coworkers injuries. As much as she sympathizes with Kureha's feelings...

    "I'm sorry to hear about your coworker, miss. That must be very hard on her, and I hope she gets well soon." Most people just don't remember magic, so Laisa can't really fault her for getting it wrong. "It's just that I sympathize with your charge's feelings. It wasn't that long ago that I had maids and servants fretting over my every choice. In a way I'm glad that chapter of my life is over."

    This is, of course, coming a 13 year old girl, just like Kureha. Clearly she hasn't outgrown the need for it.

    Another thing she hasn't grown out of is slurping her noodles. Sluuuuuuurp.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"I'm sorry for what happened to your colleague," Coco replies, now quite unsure of herself, the situation reported by Yozakura putting a stop to her annoyance.

"I'm glad she is still alive and I hope her recovery is quick, but the exposition itself was being used to attack everyone", she says, looking awkwardly at the Yozakura, then Laisa, then Kureha, then even the food in her hand.

"I am sure they did their best to reduce the number of casualties and damages to a minimum", Coco adds, going back to the attendant again.

"I know this means nothing now, but I wish what happened to your colleague could have been avoided", regret appearing on her face.

"You two have a nice selection", Coco looks to the other girls' food, trying to get to a less prickly subject.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    The more sympathetic responses seem to be mollifying Yozakura somewhat. She at least seems less irritable. "Thank you both for your sympathies." As Kureha's waiting for her food, she looks over her shoulder and adds, "Chisa is doing fine. She's already working again. Not today, but in general." The adult of the duo still doesnt seem to buy that the museum incident was anything other than 'kids causing a riot', but she's at least letting it go for now. If only because she had to (grudgingly) pay for the food.

    Once again, Kureha regards Coco with a sizeable amount of wariness, even if it's just regarding the food. "...I've never tried it before. I have no idea if it's 'nice' or not. That's what I'm here to find-" Oh look, order's up. The shorter girl immediately turns to the counter to collect her order. Yozakura takes the opportunity to give Laisa some actual explanation. "Until recently, Kureha was very frail and sickly. She needed assistance in everyday life. Her father is still very concerned about her, and given how little experience she has outside the manor and school..." A little shake of the head. "You can understand why he'd still be employing us to mind her, I hope."

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    Laisa wasn't there, so she can't defend the ones who were. However, Coco's description of events gets a sideyed glance for Laisa. The Veil stops her from putting two and two together, but she believes that recounting of events a bit more than the attendant's. A museum monster sounds almost ordinary around here.

    "I love the noodles here, " responds the purple-haired girl to Coco. "They're delicious. My family's chefs could have probably made something a bit more high class, but... then I'd have to deal with their drama."

    Laisa gives a thoughtful frown at Yozakura. "Oh. I see. Well, in that case, I can understand your worries." She glances over at Kureha, who seems pretty healthy. "Even if she seems fine now, watching over her is... only natural. Still, I don't envy your position. On the one hand you can't displease her father. On the other... the more you try to restrict her the more she might want to rebel."

    Laisa seems... slightly more polite now. Slightly less likely to troll. She really really doesn't look like a rich kid the way she's describing herself, or at least she doesn't dress like one, and she is flippantly dismissing proper manners. Someone more high strung about such things might have formed opinions about her.

    "Ah, but you probably don't want to be seen with a disgraced child like me. I might be a bad influence, or you might catch my curse. If you believe in such things." She smiles brightly in a way that almost seems... not actually happy. A faint hint of bitterness lies underneath her mood, for those sensitive to such things.

    She impales her noodles with her chopsticks, giving the three of them a wave. She turns to leave, without introducing herself, and starts to wander away unless someone stops her.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Is something wrong?" Coco asks, not sure why the wariness from Kureha. 'Did I offend her somehow?' She only knows Yozakura might have gotten offended, but there was nothing she could really say there besides what she already did. "I hope you enjoy it", deciding to imitate Laisa and leave for lunch, just sticking around long enough to hear Kureha's final answer.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Even if she's grabbing her food, Kureha still seems to be listening, at least. "...noodles, huh. Maybe I'll try them some time too." There's a pause, where she seems to be regarding Laisa, deciding what to say, or what not to say. "...until my miraculous recovery, I was the embarrassing secret my father didn't want to show the world." She's not sure what brings her to share even that much; perhaps it's that hint of a startlingly familiar scenario, that hint of a startlingly familiar emotion. That tone is all too familiar. Coco, meanwhile, only gets a lingering stare, and then a soft, "It's nothing." If she didn't see Kureha transform into Onihime, or at the very least she's pretending she didn't, then the rich young lady has nothing to worry about. Right?

    She considers saying something else, either to Coco or Laisa, but she's also putting the burger in her mouth at around that moment... and almost as soon as she takes her first bite, the world grinds to a halt. The sounds of the mall seem to fade away. Crimson eyes go wide with shock.

    And then she starts eating that burger very, very quickly. Good heavens she's scarfing that down. Even Yozakura seems taken aback. "K-Kureha...?!"

    Om nom nom nom nom. Nomnomnom. Nom.