1744/A Much Needed Reprieve

A Much Needed Reprieve
Date of Scene:	12 July 2024
Location:	Dorms #1
Synopsis:	Usagi is worried, with nowhere to put her energy. Makoto knows a thing or two about channeling stress. An afternoon is spent experimenting with rediscovering an old receipe.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Makoto Kino

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Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It's Friday. Friday. It's the end of the week, and Mamoru's still missing, Mamoru who's been missing since Tuesday, who Usagi can still sense but can't find, far away and distant, somewhere he isn't supposed to be.

It's almost like the feeling she had in the time bubble. Almost like the feeling she had when Hinoiri was flying towards the sun. The similarities aren't helpful, do nothing but make her stress more.

She's even cleaned her dorm, something which had disturbed Naru and Luna both. Maybe that's why Luna had called Makoto, shamelessly ratting Usagi out as not, in fact, finally taking a nap and resting up, but in desperate need of company and something to do.

"So... you remember that I'm bad at this, don't you Mako-chan?" Usagi's voice is hesitant, not with nerves but with that sort of 'last time I touched an oven I burned everything' sort of vibe, and awareness of The Danger of Being Here.

Makoto Kino has posed:
"It's fine," Makoto insists. She's tied an oversize purple apron on over her clothes, and offered a spare to Usagi - though given the difference in their heights, if Usagi took her up on the offer it's possible she's at risk of being swallowed by it. Maybe if she folds it in half?

In any case, the oven in the dorm kitchen is pre-heating, and Mako is setting out ingredients in an orderly fashion on the counter. In one spot, flour; in another, almond flour and powdered sugar. In a third, rosewater and an assortment of spices and extracts.

"This is all just an experiment anyway, so it doesn't have to be pretty," Makoto assures Usagi with a smile. "And mistakes are expected. Mamoru-san wanted me to see if I could recreate something they used to have in the Golden Kingdom, so... it'd be great to have it ready for him once we find him and get him back safe, right?"

She says it with such confidence. Like there's not a shred of doubt in Makoto's mind that this is the only possible outcome.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The apron is accepted! The apron is tied around Usagi's waist, and - oh dear it's like a dress on her. The apron is removed and folded a little... a little more... there! That works. At least she won't trip on the excess length, now.

As she's fiddling, Makoto is the one pre-heating the oven, setting out the ingredients, getting ready to make sure the magic actually does happen. Usagi manages a smile, at Makoto's own smile.

"As long as you're sure. And - oh! I wonder if it's those cookies we had?"

The smile warms, at the thought of not just the cookies, but the moment of sharing them, in the dream they'd had, the very real cookies she'd eaten in the kitchens of a long gone kingdom.

"That would be great. Makochan, that would be amazing, and when he's home and safe he could sit down and eat cookies until he's sick, and then a few more, just in case."

Because they're going to get him back. He's going to be home, and he's going to be safe, and he's going to have everything he could want.

Makoto Kino has posed:
"Exactly!" Mako agrees with determined cheer. She can only imagine what Usagi is going through right now, has been going through since Tuesday. But she knows what she would be doing in Usagi's place, right now. Naru has done what she can, and so has Luna, and this is something Mako can offer to her friend: a feeling of doing something, accomplishing something, if only as a distraction from problems she currently can't solve.

"From what Mamoru-san told me," she muses, "they were kind of like donuts, a bit? With a filling that resembled marzipan. I can't remember if I ever had them myself back then, so I'm counting on you to figure out if we're on the right track or not." As she's speaking, she sets out the last of the ingredients, a small container of clarified butter that she took the time to prepare earlier.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Makochan," and there's some fond amusement in her voice, "Are you telling me I have to taste-test for you, for the sake of love?"

With her apron on, she starts pulling out bowls and whisks and measuring cups and all kinds of things that are readily available in the dorm kitchen, piling them up on the small prep table. She's helping.

Thank goodness, she's helping. Running herself ragged in the hopes of coming across something hadn't been helped, and she knew that, but what else was she supposed to do?

This, clearly.

"I remember, they were donut-shaped, for sure, and they were really pale, even though they were baked all the way through..."

Makoto Kino has posed:
The question gets a firm nod in response. "For the sake of love," Makoto confirms. "And for Mamoru-san!"

She listens attentively to Usagi's description, nodding along a bit at points. "Sounds like we'll need to bake at low heat so they don't brown..." With this thought in mind, she reaches to turn down the setting on the oven by a couple of notches.

"So," she says as she turns back toward Usagi and comes to join her at the prep table. "I figure we'll start with the dough, since it'll probably need to chill for a bit while we try out things to do with the filling. Feel up to kneading for me?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"For love and Mamochan, we'll figure out these treats. And there's no way we'll get it wrong, not with you taking charge, Makochan."

Low heat baking, to keep them pale... that means she offered a good suggestion! Something to get them that much closer to right.

"I've got it! I just have to like, massage the dough, right? Roll it and fold it and stuff?" Kneading, she's seen that on Viewtube recipe videos that she'd never, ever been brave enough to try!

Makoto Kino has posed:
"That's right." Makoto opens up the flour and... well, there's some measuring involved, in the general sense that she uses a measuring cup from the things Usagi assembled to scoop some flour out into a mixing bowl, but it's clearly far from precise.

"Baking without a recipe is kind of risky," she admits, "but we're going to have to make this up as we go along, so..." She picks up a mixing spoon with her off hand, offers it handle-first to Usagi. "Can you stir while I add some water? And, do you remember, were the cookies you had really sweet, or not so much?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
There's some measuring, but it's clearly more the experimental confidence of a baker, rather than reliance on recipe that's going on. Usagi watches intently, looking into the bowl, and accepts the mixing spoon with a nod.

"I've got it. I'll stir, nice and slow while you add the water! And... it wasn't too sweet, not like American cookies. It was more like... the sweetness was in the filling, more than the rest of the cookie? It wasn't so sweet or nutty it that you couldn't taste the rosewater. We had it with lemonade, and it didn't feel like we'd had a ton of sugar, after."

Makoto Kino has posed:
With Usagi handling the mixing spoon, Makoto fills the measuring cup with water. "Got it," she says, watching the contents of the bowl as she begins slowly pouring water over the flour. "We'll keep the dough really simple, then, and let the flavor come from the filling."

Though she's mostly watching the way the mixture's consistency changes under Usagi's stirring, Makoto glances up now and then to Usagi's face. "It's good that you have a good memory," she observes after a moment. "We'll get this right for sure."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I always remember snacks," Usagi says proudly, and flushes a little, remembering the other things that had happened, after they'd shared those cookies. The sort of closeness that would have had Luna again scoffing to herself as she fled their company (again). "Plus, they were really tasty. And Mamochan really liked them, so I want to make sure we get them right. A taste of home, you know?"

The stirring is done as carefully as Usagi can manage, through a few times she has to hurriedly right the bowl, after putting a touch too much force or stirring a little too fast. The dough comes together, first into a shaggy mass, and then into something more pliable.

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto catches that hint of a flush coloring Usagi's face, and she lifts her eyebrows a little, her expression warming into a smile. She may not know exactly what's got that look coming over Usagi's face, but where Mamoru is involved, she can take a guess. "Yeah," she agrees with a little nod. "It'll be a good way to welcome him back."

She watches the way the dough moves with Usagi's mixing for a bit longer, with a critical eye, before she finally sets down the mixing spoon. "Okay," she announces, "time to take out some stress by kneading! You washed your hands, right? If it's too sticky we can put in a bit more flour, but otherwise, you don't have to hold back."

She unrolls a sheet of waxed paper onto a bit of empty counter space and dusts it with flour, before stepping back and gesturing Usagi on.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Yes... she would welcome her Mamochan back with cookies and kisses, and she would even be generous and kind and share him with Kazuo and Tamaki unasked. They too could get smooching time, and maybe even get to feed him a cookie while tenderly stroking his brow.

Maybe.

"Yes! Washed with some nice soap, not just the cheap stuff the RA restocks!" She removes her hands from the spoon and lets Makoto examine the heart hearts content, and then, as soon as the station is prepared, flips the dough over and - yeah, her kneading technique is terrible. But the dough is getting squished and stretched! Gluten is developing!

Makoto Kino has posed:
Which is the important part - that, and it's something for Usagi to do, something to work at with her hands and see her efforts have an effect. Makoto is a firm believer in the value of baking when one is stressed.

It works for her, anyway.

"We want it to get smooth and stretchy," she says, careful to stand back and supervise. If her hands are twitching with the urge to step in and adjust Usagi's technique, she tucks them behind her back and squelches the impulse. That's not the point of this exercise. "If it feels too stiff to work with your hands, we can give it a little more water."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Technique is awful, but enthusiasm is present in spaces. Usagi works at the dough, rolling it, folding it, pulling and pushing it with her hands. She's built up some muscle with self-defense class, and though she's not using the right techniques, she is managing to work over the dough.

"Smooth and stretchy... Got it! I'll keep going until it surrenders!" And gradually the dough does begin to become more pliable...

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto stands back and lets Usagi work, watching without intruding. Is it helping? That's hard to tell, but if nothing else it seems to be a useful diversion.

"How's it going?" she asks after a space. An open ended question with a lot of possible answers; a moment later she clarifies: "Is it feeling like dough, do you think?" She moves up behind Usagi as she asks it, letting a hand rest on the other girl's shoulder while she reaches with the other to sneak a pinch out of the lump of dough Usagi has been working on.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"It's... not sticky," Usagi nods, "And it's kind of soft? But I don't know if it feels like dough because I've never baked anything successfully," whoops. "It's not like cookie dough, though, so that's a good sign, right?"

When Makoto sneaks a pinch, she'll find that the dough is still a bit stiff, not quite worked enough for the gluten to develop. It's possible resting would help, but it's also possibly that it needs a little more water, or butter, or something to loosen it up.

Makoto Kino has posed:
"Hmmm..." Mako rolls the bit of dough she pinched off between her fingers, looking thoughtful. "You're doing fine, but I think it needs something. It feels kind of stiff. I'm not as used to experimenting with baking," she admits ruefully. "Other kinds of cooking, sure, but baking is more precise, so this is a little..."

She trails off, and after a moment's consideration turns to fetch the container of softened butter. "Well, we'll just have to keep trying until we get it right, huh?" Just a small amount of butter, and this she kneads into the lump of dough herself, the movements of her hands brisk and practiced. Once it's mostly blended in, she steps back and gestures Usagi at it again. "See how it feels now."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I'm not used to baking at all, so we're in this boat together! If it needs something though, I'm switching places with you -" and she does so, sidling around Makoto so she can work the dough herself. She watches carefully as Makoto works the softened butter into the dough, kneading it through a sticky-ish stage, all the way through until it's loooking a little shiny and softer.

"Okay, here goes... oh, that's way softer! Just a bit of butterd did that?"

But there it is, rolling much more smoothly now, with the butter being worked into the doughy innards, roled and tucked and rolled and tucked and pushed and pulled and pushed and pulled, until she pokes and pokes at it, and the little indents spring back. "Hey, Viewtubers say that when it does this, it's done, do you think that's true? Makochan, did we do it?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
While Usagi works, Makoto takes the time to wash and wipe down the mixing bowl, spoon, and measuring cup, and lines them all back up again. "I didn't know you watched cooking Viewtubes," Mako says with a quick little grin. "You might have to recommend me some." She moves up again, giving the dough an experimental prod of her own, and then she nods. "I think we can cover it and let it rest for a while now! You did it."
The mixing bowl is offered for the dough to be placed in, so that she can cover it with a kitchen towel and set it to the side. "And that means it's time to start figuring out the filling, if you're up for some taste testing."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I do! There are all kinds of really cutie cooking ideas, and I'm never going to make any of them, but it was really nice to watch," which, really, doesn't that just sum up everything about Viewtube? "I have a playlist I'll send you! It's, haha, called 'things Makochan should make'. I might have been thinking about you, just a little."

A little wink, as Makoto grins, and then she fistpumps the air.

"Alright! I did it!" Wow, this sense of accomplishment from doing something with an actual, tangible influence is so relieving. "I'm definitely up for some taste-testing. Bring on the tastes!"

The dough is carefully placed into the bowl and set aside to rest and do it's thing, and she steps back to let Makoto take over the prime kitchen real estate.

Makoto Kino has posed:
It's not exactly surprise - Makoto knows Usagi well enough by now - but she's pleased nonetheless. It's good to be thought of. "Well if it's things I should make, then you definitely have to send it to me, so I can start trying to make them!"

But for now, they have a project already at hand. Mako moves to collect the almond flour and powdered sugar and another clean bowl. "I figure we'll start with basic marzipan flavored with rosewater, because Mamoru-san was certain about the rose flavor, and then you can tell me if it's missing something." She's working as she talks, measuring out the dry goods before carefully feeding in the rosewater a little at a time, stirring as she goes.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It's only natural, that Usagi would involve her friends in just about everything she does, even if they don't know about it and even if she doesn't mention it. There are weird science videos for Ami, singers that she thinks Wako would like, candy making videos for Chiyo, goofy dances she wants to get Tamaki to do, and the playlist for mamoru is just bursting with anything and everything she wants to show him. But the cooking with Makochan videos are definitely going to get use now.

"I will, I will! Some of them are kind of silly, just so you know - like the like, 100 hour chocolate cake, who's got time for that? But some of them I think you can, should, and must make for us Makochan, like the strawberry chocolate tart with the strawberries cut like flowers!"

Her eyes are shining.

This project might be opening doors, honestly. And the idea of getting to taste test things - maybe even with Mamoru, instead of for him - is a good one.

"I definitely think there was rose, probably. I don't really try a lot of rosewater?" But she's sitting patiently, watching the mixture of ingredients as they're stirred. "What is marizpan, anyway?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
"Strawberries cut like flowers sound pretty. I'll look forward to trying that. Here," Makoto adds, offering the mixing spoon over to Usagi. "The texture won't be right yet, but see how it tastes?"

Once Usagi's claimed the spoon, Mako sets about working the paste with her hands. "It's sweet almond paste," she explains, in answer to Usagi's question. "It gets used a lot for decorating really fancy cakes, because you can color it and mold it into shapes. But for this, it's our cookie filling. We'll wrap it in the dough and make it into the doughnut shapes."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"When strawberry season comes around, we'll make tons of great treats! Or, the rest of us will try to help, and you'll rescue us from our cooking failures," Usagi says, happy to throw all of her friends under the bus. "Mamochan will help too. He's great at lockpicking, so he'll probably be good with knives, too. Plus he can use a sword!"

Usagi, how do either of those two things equate to good at kitchen knifework? Usagi! Usagi, answer the question!

"Sweet almond paste," she hums, considering the spoon, before taking a taste. "Oh, that's nice! I think... I think it's missing something, though. A spice, maybe? Hmmm... but it's got enough rose, that part is balanced nice..."

"So once the dough is rested, we wrap the marzipan in it, and then bake them together? And the marizpan doesn't melt? It looks like it would melt."

Makoto Kino has posed:
"As long as he doesn't use the sword to cut strawberries," is Makoto's amused reply. "At least I know I can trust him with a knife, which I'm not sure we can say about everyone we know."

She's not going to be in a hurry to hand Usagi herself a kitchen knife, for example. Though Makoto doesn't say that part out loud.

"It shouldn't melt - it's mostly ground-up almonds, after all, and we're going to bake it on low heat anyway to keep the outsides pale like you said they were." Makoto considers Usagi's evaluation as she scrapes marzipan off her hands and turns to the sink to rinse them. "So the amount of rosewater is good, but it needs something more..." She dries her hands on her apron and moves to the place where she set out the little spice canisters. Selecting the ground cinnamon, she uncaps it and holds it out for consideration. "See if this smells right?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I'm pretty sure I'd end up dropping one on my foot," Usagi says with entirely too much rueful self-awareness, proving Makoto's instincts correct. "But I'll get there some day! If I'm to be a glamorous hosuewife, I should probably be able to cook something."

Probably! They can't eat take out every day.

"Oh, I guess that's true... it looks so pasty it's hard to believe its actually full of nuts," she takes another little taste of the marzipan she was offered, then sniffs the cinnamon - sniffs it too much, and hurriedly reels back, covering her face as she sneezes. Ack!

"Not that, but something like it? It was a little more flower-y than spice-y, but, maybe that was the rose...?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
"Oops." Making a wry face, Makoto hastily pulls the container of ground cinnamon back and re-caps it. "Smell the next one a little less, I think. Let's see, not as spice-y as cinnamon...? More flower-y." She sets the cinnamon down, off to the side, and her fingers pass over the caps of the spice canisters as she considers options. She gives the canister of nutmeg her own sniff test, only to pass over it and reach for the allspice instead. "How about this?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi has to laugh at herself, at least, once she can breathe again. "My own fault. I probably shouldn't have taken such a big sniff."

dDefinitely going to do better, with the next sniff. The all-spice is a pleasant, earthy scent, still with some spice, but she shakes her head anyway. "This one is nice, it's closer, but I think it was less... earthy? Maybe I should sniff all of them?"

How many spices could a baker have?

Makoto Kino has posed:
Mako hastily smothers a laugh, shaking her head as she re-caps the allspice. "You'd stop being able to smell anything before we got through them. Like trying to smell all the candles in the candle shop." She sets the allspice down, apart from the cinnamon - a separate spot for 'maybe.' Clove is definitely out; she moves that over by the cinnamon and nutmeg, considering what's left for a little longer before moving ground ginger next to allspice and reaching for the cardamom. "I found out from Korma Chameleon that Indian cooking uses rosewater in their sweets, like those fried dumplings they serve. They use cardamom in cooking, too, so it could be a good match?"

She holds out the container for Usagi's evaluation.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"What?! You can stop being able to smell if you if you smell to many things?!" That doesn't sounnd like that should be legal? Hey, who allowed that, who agreed to that? "...okay, well, maybe I've tried that, and maybe I forgot that I did indeed need to do that."

Ahahaha,,, But then Makoto is digging through her spices, considering the options, and Usagi nods along at the mention of Korma, because it's true, they do have rosewater in some of their menu items! So maybe it's this cardamom?"

She takes the container, and sniffs it, eyes widening -

"Hey, wait, this might be it!" Another sniff, "It is! This is a lot like what it smelled like, and maybe it changed a little when it baked with the almond and the rosewater? Try this one!"

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto grins over at Usagi, with the conspiratorial understanding of someone who has absolutely gone nose-blind trying to smell all the things while shopping for good-smelling things like scented candles.

She brightens visibly at the response to the cardamom. "If you're that sure, it sounds like a good bet! We can always mix up more marzipan to try out other flavors, but for now--"

She hunts for a measuring spoon, dithers a bit over proportions. A sparing amount of ground cardamom is dusted over the top of the lump of marzipan; she uses her hands again to work it through the mixture as evenly as she can manage, tastes a small pinch of it thoughtfully before looking to Usagi again. "Find a clean spoon and give this a taste? It might need a little more - I didn't want to put too much in to start with."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
This is the greatest job in the history of the world, and when Mamoru comes home and is safe again and has an entire tray of delicious wonderful cookies to eat, Makochan will continue to be one of the most wonderful, amazing girls in all the world.

And then Usagi actually tastes the newly mixed marzipan, and her eyes brighten with delight.

"This is definitely it, I think, and if it's not... maybe we could do half the marzipan with a little more, and bake them both? Then Mamochan can taste both ways and tell us if we needed to fix something."

The marzipan alone is very sweet and floral now, with the nutty taste, and Usagi is honestly enjoying it a lot. If not for the fact that these are for Mamoru, she'd want to taste more.

"...Since we've got to wait for the dough to finish resting, do you maybe want to watch a movie with me?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
"That sounds great," Makoto says warmly. "We can put the marzipan in the fridge to chill for a bit while we put in a movie."

Her hands are sticky with sweet almond paste, but nevertheless, Makoto snugs an arm around Usagi's shoulders in a quick half-hug before she gets to work splitting the rough ball of marzipan in half. "Thanks, Usagi-chan. Now you can't say you're bad at this any more, 'cause I'm gonna tell Mamoru-san all about how much you helped."