expiationlogs | [open/mingle] burn my bread

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[open/mingle] burn my bread

Who: Kotone Shiomi, Cooking Club, and you!
Where: Club Building, June 12th
What: Potluck for Kotone's not-so-secret birthday party
Warnings: please be good (tell me if warnings need to be added)

Kotone hadn't wanted to make a big deal out of her birthday. Like, sure, it's always a celebration to make it another year around the sun, probably, especially when she never expected to see 18, let alone 19, but being the center of attention isn't really her thing. If her friends can be happy and have fun, that's way more important! It had already seemed kind of silly and selfish just to ask members of Cooking Club and anyone else with interest to bring something for a potluck.

Then, of course, her boyfriend spilled the beans, and now it's a party! While her original club building had looked more like a Japanese-style school building, it's since been re-imagined by Toph into a somewhat more organic shape. Kotone still considers it hers, though, so try not to trash it too badly!

1. Set-Up (Gym and Kitchen)

Scott had decided the decor theme should be "pink" and "cute," whatever that means. Someone more artistically-minded can hopefully interpret that into something coherent for the club building's gym (sorry if you'd planned to play sports today); there's balloons, streamers, and if someone wanted to raid Kotone's Sewing Club, plenty of fabric to be used for... something?

Beyond that, considering the intended purpose was a potluck, the fridge and pantry is fully stocked with ingredients. Cooking Club is very loosely organized, and while Kotone does try to provide a decent amount of staple ingredients herself, it is very much expected that members of Cooking Club bring their own other ingredients to cook with. She might work a few part-time jobs, but not enough to feed the whole town herself!

Try not to set the kitchen on fire.

2. Potluck! (Gym)

Somehow, by the late afternoon, decorations were set up and food was prepared. You brought something, right? If you can't make your own, store-bought is fine. There are quite a few folding tables and chairs set out to make it easy to grab a seat and sit with someone to enjoy your food, plus drinks of all kinds, alcoholic and non. It's a party, after all! Kotone's MP3 player plugged into a stereo is playing a mix of electronica and J-Pop from the mid-to-late 2000s, but anyone is welcome to take the metaphorical aux cord and switch it up.

There are always games! It's designed like a school gym, so there's more than a few different supplies for sports. Volleyball or basketball, anyone? Anyone bring a board game? There's always the classics like Truth or Dare or Never Have I Ever, but play at your own risk!

3. Clean Up

Are you really going to make the birthday girl be responsible for cleaning up after her own party? Surely someone else will help out with sweeping up the confetti, making sure all the food is either in the fridge or taken home by someone, and otherwise getting the building back in order for normal operations. Are you a goody-two-shoes who can't leave well enough alone? This one's for you.

[ooc: please treat this as a mingle! no invitation was needed and no one will be checking at the door -- Kotone just wants to have fun with her friends! the prompts here are just suggestions, please feel free to cause as much chaos as you'd like]

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So there it is -- confirmation of his suspicions. And he can't help himself, so he begins with this: "So it is you. Margaret's sister."

At least, if he puts together what Yosuke said with what he guesses to be true. He has to think back a bit, remembering his talks with her. She had mentioned a sister...that she had left the Velvet Room in order to do something she found important. So she ended up here. In a way, Yu is glad. He was always curious about that.

There's no recognition in his expression when it comes to her request, but he nods anyway. "I'm not sure what any of that means, but here goes." Ahem. He straightens his posture, puts on his best Leader pose. "I am Yu Narukami, the Sister-Complex Kingpin of Steel!"

It doesn't sound like a bad title, all said. Not nearly as bad as 'Killjoy Detective.'

She nods, it was a bold declaration, worthy of a challenge. Still, he had signed a contract, and worked with her sister. More declarations were necessary.

"Yes. I am Elizabeth, younger sister of Margaret, and older sister to Theodor of the Velvet Room. However you will not find me the type of opponent she may be."

On one hand she can say that because she knows how her sister fights. The fact that this man in front of her draws breath now is amazing, since he has in her time completed an ordeal with Margaret helping and while she doubts her sister would do something like challenge her guest, she is not 100% certain she would not.

"I however shall go a different path. You may ask for any truth you wish."

Theodore? Kotone had mentioned that name. A brother and a sister... It raises more questions than it answers. Yu has to file that information away for later, or he'll get totally bogged down by it.

Any truth he wishes...

That's a difficult choice, when there are so many things he wants to know. Are there other Wildcards out there? Why were they all brought here? Is it possible they'll all meet again someday? All good questions, but what kind of answer could he expect from something like that? The Velvet Room is never straightforward; all the answers come in metaphors and symbolism. He can't always wrap his head around them fully until much later.

... He's thinking too much into this. It's just a game.

In the end, the question he settles on is a little more personal: "... Why did you leave the Velvet Room?"

Had this been combat, from the look on her face, Elizabeth would be sitting on her butt and one of Yu's friends would be declaring it either Go or Bear time. Still, she narrows her eyes after the initial shock.

"I see, you do not believe in starting softly. Still I shall follow in the footsteps of the greatest of Chupicabra, Chumbawumba! And when knocked down I shall get up again."

Still, her refusal to back down from battle can be seen in her eyes, "I was unable to save my first guest's life, the contract demanded it, no matter how one may try to twist reality so it did not. So I left to keep his soul from being sent to oblivion."

His expression is both confused --Chumba...wumba...??-- and apologetic. He doesn't tend to shy away from difficult questions like that; more accurately, he charges into them headfirst, trying to get at the heart of things.

And that, it seems, he has done.

Yu thinks...everyone who uses a Persona must understand the danger involved. He, a Leader, has felt it acutely more times than he can count: the weight of his life in his own hands, the weight of his team's lives. Still...knowing the risk and seeing the consequences play out are two different things. Suddenly he realizes, so strong he couldn't possibly deny it, just how lucky he has been. How lucky they all were.

"You wanted to save him," said softly -- not a question but a statement. In the end, Margaret had made it plain, the depth of their bond. What it meant to her. It makes sense that other attendants might have made such a bond with their own guests. Still...it must hurt. "I'm sorry. I hope you're able to do that."

"No. I will save him. I just lack the understanding of humanity necessary to put a titan to sleep... As killing it gets me nowhere."

She shrugs at that, Erebus is a pain in the butt, honestly, she's not sure who will murder the hell out of it when it gets uppidy with her being here, but that may inspire her brother to get up and do something. Maybe.

"That is why I followed your group through two small ordeals. Sadly, neither of them were fun like dance offs. Still, I believe the ball is now in your court. Truth or dare?"

His group? Really? ... Then again, maybe Yu shouldn't be surprised to hear that, not when she's been acting like she knows him this whole time. Maybe she does, in some capacity. Naoto remembers things that he doesn't; in that case, anything is possible...right?

He doesn't ask, for now. Instead, considering the options, this time-- "Truth."

--he chooses variety.

Elizabeth grins slightly, her eyes twinkling in a way that may precede her announcement of being a shadow, the true self. She does not state that, but there is that level of dark mayhem about the smile.

"I see. Understanding that my conversations with the bear implied that the bear, and his sensei may have the power to best Mara in single combat and bind it to his will.... And your title of the Sister Complex Kingpin of Steel.... What have you done with my sister?"

It's not unusual for inhabitants of the Velvet Room to talk in ways Yu absolutely does not understand. That being the case, he takes a moment to piece together what Elizabeth is saying -- and what she's trying to ask. 'The bear' is Teddie, undoubtedly. As for Mara, and his weird title...hmm.

"I fused different Personas she asked me to bring," he answers, truthful but basic. It's certainly not what she's asking for, not given the glint of mischief in her eyes. "We fought, once. Is there something more specific you want to know?"

Dodging the direct question, she sees. With that her eyes narrow slightly, "Did you ever escort my sister to your room?"

She crosses her arms at that.

Oh. So that's what she meant. "No. I never did anything like that." The answer is automatic, to the point, and most importantly, entirely true.

"I see."

She nods a bit, but there may be a bit of a disappointed look in her eyes. Oh well, her sister remains perfect and married to her job, at least some things in the universe are consistent Elizabeth supposes.

"I believe I shall attempt a dare."

Yu can't deny that he's curious about why she might ask something like that...to be honest, he had almost been hoping she'd go for truth again so he could ask. As it is, he'll have to table the question for later.

For now, a dare. Hmm...

He gestures at the food table. "Find the sweetest thing you can find, and the saltiest thing you can find, and eat them both together."

This is no small feat, considering there's cookies, cupcakes, fried chicken, dumplings with soy sauce, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, hamburgers...the list goes on, really. It's an eclectic spread. He'll be interested to see what she comes up with.

Elizabeth tilts her head and starts looking over the spread, pondering as she reaches out a few times, before getting a tea cup, and pouring the soy sauce from the dumplings in it. Then she looks around a bit more, moves over to the coffee, and grabs a few packets of non sugar sweetener. Opening them and dumping them in the cup she gets a spoon and starts to stir.

"This indeed will be a test of strength..." With that she dumps the concoction over some white rice and eats it, flinching slightly with every bite.

"Is... (bite, yuckface) this... (bite, yuckface) acceptable?"

She really just does it like that...so easily...

This really is a show of strength.

Yu's expression doesn't change much, but his eyebrows lift, impressed by the display. She seems almost fearless about it...but maybe that's a quality of the Velvet Room's inhabitants. Igor and Margaret never seemed to be afraid of anything, either.

"Dare fulfilled," he says at the question, with a thumbs up. Of course he's not going to make her keep suffering.

Oh, Elizabeth knows fear, she knows pain, she knows having an older sister. She has also learned to keep her game face up because that is the only way not to cower in the immense power her master's nose gives him. Still, these are truths that are probably beyond most mortal minds.

Taking a cup of iced tea she nods and takes a drink, before setting it down.

"Mortals must love the sensation of sweet... Yet hate the consequences of such to make such a thing. Still.... What is your choice for the next round?"

Yu makes a small, thoughtful sound for a moment as he considers the observation. "Part of it's instinct, I think. Hunter-gatherers learned that sweet was safe and bitter was dangerous. Maybe it carries over from ancient times."

Not that it really matters, the why. But he likes to know anyway. That's one of his major flaws: an almost absurd amount of curiosity.

Speaking of curiosity: "I'll take a dare."

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[open/mingle] burn my bread

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