1077/Convenient Meetings

Convenient Meetings
Date of Scene:	03 February 2024
Location:	FaM-Mart
Synopsis:	Various people are buying dinner at the convenience store.
Cast of Characters:	Kyouka Inai, Hannah Steiner, Usagi Tsukino, Naru Osaka

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Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Any given afternoon, once school is out, Kyouka needs to go home. Home is an apartment complex not terribly far from the school. But the thing is, dinner needs to be acquired. Kyouka doesn't cool- well that's a bit of an exaggeration. She is capable of boiling water, so instant noodles are a thing, and rumor has it she can make a mean peanut butter sandwich. But by and large she does not cook. Her apartment's sorry excuse for a kitchen is not even the main reason for this.

    Regardless of the reason, however, the upshot is that she eats out a lot. But she can't afford to do that every night. So sometimes she comes by the convenience store and buys some ready-made meals. Cheap, yummy, and... okay, not very healthy. But she's still young, she'll live.

    She's standing in front of the section with the pre-cooked bento meals, the ones you just need to heat up. She's eyeing one with fried chicken and potato wedges.

Hannah Steiner has posed:
Hannah Steiner can boast many a skill - which she does loudly, and often - but cooking for herself is not entirely one she can claim to be adept at. As someone that's grown up with an army of servants and a particularly beloved maid at her side to the point of all but being family, well, Hannah no doubt defers meal ideas right towards her blessedly wise Roomie-chan in that endeavor when anything beyond water boiling is afoot.

Really, it may be a fight between her and Kyouka on who has the least amount of cooking skill, really. Thankfully her absolutely Belkan exercise routine keeps her in absurdly perfect shape.

But today? She's bereft of a certain Bluenette's guidance, and so here she is, relying on Lyra to pick up the goods. Mostly. She also has a list, and a good sniffer. So when she gets to the meat section? She's leaning in, and sniffing loudly, easy enough for a certain Guidance Counselor to hear!

Also there's the Belkan on the air.

"...Sankt Kaiser's left sock! How dare they deign to call this in date! Cut rate or not, this smells worse than laundry undone for a week!" Grumbles the Countess-Palatine openly, even as her Guide-Murder-Lizard snuffles the very same meat package.

Lyra would absolutely eat it regardless, and only a firm hand keeps her from tearing into the whole area with abandon!

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Pretty much everyone in Tokyo visited konbini, but students in dorms? They probably visited more than anyone, except sad sack salarymen and adults who couldn't cook. Sure, at Radiant Heart Academy you could go to the cafeteria and load up on all kinds of goodies, but there was something about konbini food that was just -

Necessary, in a growing girl's life.

That's what Usagi Tsukino would argue, anyway, if anyone actually bothered to ask her why on Earth she was using her allowance up at a konbini.

She walks through the doors of the FaM-Mart with a grocery list, even, and walks right over to the aisles of chips and cookies, planning to load up on pocky and try some new chip flavors...

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    The sound of angry Belkan does indeed attract the counselor's attention, and she turns with pre-packaged meal in hand to glance over towards where Hannah and Lyra are in the process of making their own selection of not-yet-cooked meat.

    "Ms. Steiner," She calls with an amused tone in her voice. "Might I suggest that if you are looking for ingredients more suited to your refined palate, you try somewhere other than a small local convenience store? They're pretty handy for a lot of things but.. gourmet meats doesn't actually happen to be one of them."

    Over the rim of her sunglasses, she spots some blonde odango in the next aisle over, barely clearing the top of the shelves. "Is that you, Usagi-chan?" She calls out. "You're a local, perhaps you can direct Ms. Steiner to somewhere she can get some appropriately noble cuisine."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The grumbling about meat is noticed, belatedly, once Usagi has three packages of cookies in her arms, plus two bags of chips, and she realizes she should probably get some sandwiches too -

"Eh? Oh, hi Inai-sensei! Hi Hannah-chan! Hannah-chan, you're not looking for meat for real, are you? That's not what konbini are for!"

She walks around the corner, hugging packages to her chest, and peers around the corner at both. She can't wave, so she nods her head up and down, making her twintails shake in greeting. It works, right? Probably not. But hey!

"You gotta get pre-made food! That's where the life is."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I thought you were going to not /just/ get junk." Naru comments to Usagi as she turns the corner. She's got a smoothie in one hand, and a small bag of chips of some korean flavour in the other. Limited Edition!

There's a smile at the RHA convention happening in the aise. "Inai-sensei.. hi. And Hannah! Good to see you again."

Hannah Steiner has posed:
"Frau Inai! Und while your /unassailable/ wisdom rings ever true, it is in indulging in the most base und /prole/ of foodstuffs that a visiting person of Peerage gains the truest of all understanding of the locals. Sankt guide me, I should hear und taste every deep, dark corner of this unfortunate little dirtball you call a home, mein dear Beraterin!" Comes Hannah with all that warm, blunt friendliness she wields as a diplomatic and personal cudgel upon people's brows.

Her brows then knit together.

"That said, I..." She pauses, amidst a certain fellow Blonde's greeting, which immediately has her smiling fondly! For a brief second, before Usagi lays out the reality of the Konbeni before the Belkan!

"Usagi-chan! I...What? You mean this shop does not have a proper butcher? Back...acht, /home/ even the smallest shop...!!!!" She seems outright disturbed. Her jaw is actually dropping.

"H...How do you feed your Razorhunds und fight off the..." Comes the young woman, mostly to herself, in the sudden throes of a culture shock!

Her jaw finds itself roughly back on plane, and then her hand and her Device are lifted in greetings to one Naru Osaka!

"Frau Osaka! It has been far, /far/ too long mein freund! How are you, hm? Do not fear to darken mein doorstep, I do believe I owe you several questions in need of answering." Griiiiin right to her would-be Meister apprentice!

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    "Osaka-san." Kyouka has a smile for Naru as well as she rounds the corner and admonishes Usagi for her choice of snacks. A choice which, upon passing examination, Kyouka herself can find no fault with. She may share a conspiratorial look of approval with her student- yet another way Usagi meets her approval it seems. Taste in junk food. Unfortunately, she has to at least pretend to be an adult. Which means no cookies or chips. Just fried chicken.

    "It's all in the name, Ms. Steiner." She then adds, following up on Usagi's comment about premade food. "Convenience store. It's convenient because you don't have to cook it." She waggles the prepackaged meal in her hand. "Also because its cheap. Unfortunately convenience and affordability are not often the companions of high quality."

    She offers the Belkan a smile, though. "It's good to see you as hale as ever, though, Ms. Steiner. I realize it's been a while since we've had a chance to catch up. I apologize for that. Now that school is back in session hopefully it won't be so rare."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi is blinking in utter bafflement at Hannah, momentarily taken aback by the thought of a butcher in a konbini. Would a butcher even have room to swing a knife in a konbini? It's not an environment for the butcher's knife! There's never been a butcher's knife in a konbini -

Well, not for good reasons, anyway.

Naru's chiding is actually a welcome break from that thought, even if she sheepishly hugs her packages closer, stifling a yawn.

"I'm not getting just junk food! I was going to get some instant noodles and some onigiri too, for snacks. But the chips and cookies were just calling to me. Saying Usaaaaagi... eaaaaaat me... eaaaaat meeeeeeeeeee..."

She jiggles the packages. They do not say eat me.

"The butcher is at a butcher's shop, and like, some grocery stores too. The konbini is so you can keep food at your office, or your dorm, or because you don't have anyone to cook you lunch and dinner. The raw meat is more for like, popping into your ramen and stuff! That's why it's so thin, see?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
They sort of say 'eeeeaaatt me' There's entire marketing departments that aspire to make the packages really rather scream 'eat me'.

The others have explains where butchers exist, she doens't also need to. "It really ahs been too long, Hannah." Naru laughs softly. "Always more questions and more training.. I'll ping you to come up wiht a good time. Next week perhaps?"

Naru leans over to see what options Usagi has chosen, clearly hoping that she'll be able to taste test her bestie's choices. "Oooh.. those ones are /so good/." She gestures her smoothie at one of the packages of cookies.

Hannah Steiner has posed:
"Cheap, hm?" Comes Hannah very, very suddenly, almost as soon as it exits Kyouka's mouth. Then the Belkan immediately freezes in what one might dare to think is /utter embarassment/, and she straightens up. Ignore cheeks that are burning red right about now!

"I...ja, I suppose I see the potential in the business model." Comes the young woman, very, absurdly, quickly while managing to focus her attention everywhere but at Kyouka, Usagi, and Naru. Oh Sankt her ears are burning. Also that packaged bento over there is smelling /real/ good and so she inches her way towards it.

The fact it's a cheap bento certainly isn't part of the calculus for a Palatine-turned-Pauper!

This is a lie.

Hannah is happy to both latch onto an opportunity to work past her embarrassment, and to return the warmth of a smile with one of her own towards Kyouka.

"Nein, nein, do not place blame! We are both busy. Acht! Managing the three of us alone...!" She's grinning now, as she gestures towards herself, Naru, and Usagi!

"No doubt taxes a fine Counselor. Und you've a small army beneath you of such souls! I do not know what you are paid, mein freund und beraterin, but it is too small by halves." Ponders Hannah a bit, with a wink towards the sound of Kyouka's voice!

"Und mein own /familial/ problems are ever both elusive und pervasive!" She tries to sound casual, at that, but her words are empty, bitter things.

Usagi has good points though! "....That explains why the shop is so small! Usagi-chan, you are a beam of moonlight upon the strange seas of this world's oddities!" Pause. Pauuuuse!

She nods firmly at Usagi's mention of the butcher's!

"...Tell me they have sausages upon the sandwhich here! Surely dried meats und cured properly is a delight, correct?" She's almost /begging/ Usagi right now, that salty meat sammich is a thing, just like back home!

Lyra wanders up! Riiiight to Naru! Big ol' murderlizard is all but shoving a feathery head towards hands! Peeeeet!!!!

"Next week! Und if a certain honored Enforcer asks? This is nein proliferation, merely educating the locals upon what technology already has decided to rain down from the Artha's relative Heaven! Also if he wishes to further push the matter, he is ever welcome to find me upon the Dueling grounds!" Comes the young woman!

And then her attention beams right towards both Usagi and Kyouka.

"As are the both of you, of course! For the glory und honor of our Houses, mein blade ever stands ready should you seek it properly!" There's this sudden aura of /welcome/ at the end of her words!

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    "Sometimes you need junk food." Kyouka says defensively. Ostensibly she's defending Usagi, but for some reason the tone makes it sound like she's defending herself. Perhaps someone taking psychology could chime in on exactly why that is. "It's good for the soul."

    She, for one, is not about to give a hard time to Hannah over being interested in frugal living. Being poor is a perpetual state of existence for her, whether it was as an orphan magical girl or a lowly school guidance couneslor. "I won't argue that point." She mutters as a result, when Hannah speculates on the inadequacy of her restitution.

    "I don't have much time for dueling outside of class," She says with a lopsided grin, "But blades? That's a different story."

    She pauses, then says "Hey, none of you have seen Hotaru Tomoe around recently, right? You know, tiny, dark hair." Periodically murderous, although she leaves that part out for now.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Oh yeah, the best thing about a konbini is you can get a ton of stuff for just your allowance. Like this!" Her junk food. Her precious, precious junk food.

She nods eagerly along with Naru's recommendation - "Yeah, I really like these! They've got a little ginger in them, and it's surprisingly nice?" It's not that ginger was bad, but, well, who ever figured it would be in a cookie, that wasn't like, a gingerbread one?

"If you want a duel, you should duel Mamochan! He's totally good with swords - and oh, you could duel Adrien-kun," and she's got the biggest shit-eating grin on her face as she nudges Naru's side. Remembering a certain boy's plans for Valentine's Day, ehehhehe -

Eh?

"Hotaru Tomoe? Uh uh, but I don't usually - she's a couple years below us, so I usually only see her if there's a big event... did something happen?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I dont' spend enough time working with swords." Naru sighs a little, her voice quiet as not to scare off folks around them. Her smile speaks volumes as she adds. "Adrien has promised to train with me. Although we seem to not actually get to it, we're both pretty busy."

Generally busy being adorable.

Naru shakes her head to Kyouka's question. "Not recently, I don't think.. should we be keeping an eye out for her?"

Hannah Steiner has posed:
A curled finger meets Hannah's chin!

"Und bad for one's arteries!" Counters one Countess-Palatine towards Kyouka, her voice full of mischief, a smile full of 'giving one heartfelt grief' as a Belkan is wont to give!

Siiiiigh!

Once again shot down for her desire to cross blades with such a wonderful Counselor! She openly shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head!

"A blade that does not clash against another is soon left to rust in the rain, as mein Vater so oft decreed." Yet she doesn't speak those words unkindly, the mere fact she's bringing up her parent is a sign of favor. She does raise a brow though when blades strikes a chord.

"Ja? Admittedly, I find mein own knowledge lacking in the...more basic aspects of the creation of said armaments." She almost sounds /embarrassed/ at not knowing more about forging and crafting weapons, as her family is so famous for offering to others!

Also her sister-from-another-planet is encouraging swordplay. Excellent! She instantly perks up!

Suddenly she's gripping her Device and grinning sharply!!!

"By the Sankt, Usagi-chan! ...Truly? I shall put your dear paramour far, /FAR/ past his paces then! Und I shall take the measure of this 'Adrien-kun' thrice over!!!!" Oh gods, she sounds /excited/! She's all but vibrating now that she has two people to aim her Dueling tendencies towards!

She's similarly lost, though, with Naru-chan regarding one Hotaru Tomoe!

"Nein. I cannot say I have heard the name." She offers honestly. She may well know her by another name, however!

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    "Let's keep the dueling to class, alright?" Kyouka says, with a patient tone. She is in favor of duels, assuming they are done safely and treated as learning experiences. But she does not want her students fighting in back alleys without proper supervision. (Only supervised alleys are allowed).

    To the questions about Hotaru, she gives a bit of a grim nod. "She's.. missing. Or at least, a fair number of people are looking for her and nobody seems to know where she is. There's danger involved." She doesn't clarify the origin of the danger, or on whom it is focused.

    "Just do me a favor, if you happen to see her or hear anything about someone else seeing her, give me a call? You all have my number." She smiles, hefting her meal. "Now I'm going to go pay for this. I'm hungry. Enjoy your snacks." And with that she's turning to approach the register.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Truly! Mamochan is wonderful, and Adrien-kun is always spooking for someone to fence with, and that's a blade, so, I think he'd fence with you!"

Yes, that all makes sense, you see?

"And he can come to class now that he's not Technically Evil, so you could even do it in class. I am a genius - and soon, I will be a sugary genius. Want me to show you some of the snack options, Hannah-chan? I think they do have sausage sandwiches! And they have some sausage snacks in the quick snack aisle, though they might not be as fancy as you're used to..."

Shuffle close, and then jostle up against Hannah. There's concern on her face at the thought of a girl being missing - especially because well, she remembers how shy Hotaru was, how nervous and timid...

"I'll call you if I see her," she promises, "She's a pretty shy girl... I hope she's just skipping school..."

She doesn't think she is. There are so many things that could happen to a young girl in Tokyo, especially if something magical got ahold of her... "And I'll look out for her, too."