PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Sigga
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quirk SYNAPTIC FLAY
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N/A
alias TBD
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Post by Sigrid Tendo on Nov 17, 2020 1:49:54 GMT
Sigga’s hands had migrated to her knees, trying to envelope the bare skin between where her skirt ended and her socks began. Every now and then she’d fiddle with the pointy pterygiophore jutting out from the tops of her socks. Most of each leg-fin was awkwardly hidden by the fabric, though a couple of the thin bones poked out in places where they weren’t miserably folded against her skin.
She wasn’t feeling particularly cold despite the temperature steadily creeping downward. Her attention was still on the boy next to her. He had pretty much confirmed her suspicion that they were discussing an actual person, but there was something distinctly strange in the way he spoke about this acquaintance. Sigga couldn’t quite put her finger on it…
The qualm was soon dismissed as some faulty anomaly and the bald fish again turned to look at Hyousuke. “I don’t know about that,” she said of his last remark, being oddly dismissive and wearing a rather skeptical look. Her own recent outburst back in the confines of her dorm room, though not out of anger, certainly hadn’t been a thing to credit with keeping her together. Though the sample-size of her experience was only one Sigga felt confident in thinking emotions did little to keep a person’s psyche intact. And she said as much.
“So I’m not physic,” the mind-reader lied, “-but I doubt their anger is holding them together. If anything it’s probably a part of the problem. I mean, emotions don’t exactly help a person think clearly,” Sigga continued, shrugging her shoulders. A bit more of that perspective. “And unless they have a Quirk powered by rage I doubt anger is going to make them any better at being a hero anyway. I mean, it’s not like we’re living in some sort of shonen anime or something.”
The rain was now really coming down. During the girl’s last statement, the sky had taken an opportunity to unleash a full deluge upon the earth below. She hadn’t expected that. “I-I’m not, like, saying they should just stop being angry, or something-” Sigga quickly explained. That was not how people worked.
Having a foster-sister that landed on the autistic spectrum disorder ended up being a rather educational experience for her. Sigga had helped counsel said sibling and even provided some Quirk-assisted therapy. Her ability to magnify someone’s memories; basically help revisit their past, ended up being a very useful tool in that instance. Reliving a difficult memory was not as traumatic as some might suspect. In fact, it had offered her foster-sister some of that much-needed perspective. Certain experiences weren’t always as bad as one remembered them without the eidetic magnification Sigga’s Synaptic Flay provided.
“But, like,” she began again, “-maybe it would help them if they, like, practiced understanding their anger? Like, each time their emotions rise they could take a pause and think about why they’re angry, and where their frustration is coming from, you know?” Oh gawd, she was saying ‘like’ way too much. She was also sounding way too preachy for her own tastes. People generally didn’t ask her for advice. Or if they did she’d simply offer some useless one-line quote she heard in a movie or something.
Sigga stopped fiddling with her fins and folded her hands together, suddenly feeling sheepish. “Uh… maybe it might be better if they got some counseling or something, cause I, uh, I’m not sure any of my advice is all that good. Uh, um…” You could tell she was about to add a rejoinder to explain her sudden awkwardness. The girl scratched the back of her head, letting out a short chuckle, “Heh. My grandfather recently said ‘Never give anyone wise advice unless you know exactly what you're both talking about.’” She didn’t bother adding that he had said this immediately after his granddaughter had unintentionally made some suggestions about someone she knew, not knowing who she had been actually advising. The actual details of that particular happenstance were highly embarrassing and didn’t need to be stated out loud.
And speaking of embarrassing happenstances, at that moment the Sigga’s gut decided to rumble in agreement to her last statement. Or, rather, it was probably just informing all present that the girl was hungry. She hadn’t eaten since lunch, after all.
Her amber eyes darted to the side as she bit her lips, suddenly freezing in place. Perhaps she was hoping the only other person in earshot of her stomach’s discontent had hearing based on movement or something brilliant like that.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
N/A
quirk Dynamo
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N/A
alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Nov 17, 2020 14:30:17 GMT
Maybe his emotions didn't help him think clearly, but Hyousuke was certain - beyond any shadow of a doubt - that there was nothing else that was driving him forward. Everything he'd done, from shedding blood, sweat, and tears during training to claiming revenge, was fuelled by that endless, unfettered anger. It was a fire inside him, and without it, he had nothing. The more that he thought about it, the more it started to dawn on him that spite and anger were really the only reasons that he'd managed to make it as far as he did in UA, and without it, he'd have just been another face in the crowd.
But it was a lot to unpack and untangle. Far more than he could really understand on his own. Perhaps she was right, and a counsellor would be the best course of action. But of course, that would mean revealing that he'd been the one to break Goliath. That he'd gone behind the law's back for little more than revenge. He had gone out of his way to break Goliath down, and were anyone else to know about it... He wasn't sure what he'd do after. He'd certainly not be able to be a hero.
In the end, there appeared to be but one solution to him. To hide it once more. To retreat behind that calm, confident, and smiling mask as he had done so many times before, and to keep going along the path that he had started on all those years ago. He knew not where it would take him, or what it would do to him along the way, but what other option did he have? So, he just offered her a weak smile, and nodded limply back at her.
"No, no, don’t worry about it. I think I know what to tell them now. I don’t know if they’re going to listen, or if they’re going to change. But if they keep doing what they’re doing, even when they know it’s not going to lead anywhere good, then that’s just something they’re going to have to deal with themselves.”
His expression didn't change much at her stomach offering an impromptu response, but when he stood up, there was a slight - almost imperceptible - sway to it. Like he wasn't all there, and he was forcing himself forward. He stepped out into the deluge, seeming to ignore how it beat down on him, before he turned towards her. "You want to head back inside for now?"
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Sigga
N/A
quirk SYNAPTIC FLAY
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N/A
alias TBD
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Post by Sigrid Tendo on Nov 18, 2020 1:30:44 GMT
It was strangely somewhat of a relief to know there were others out there that didn’t quite fit the exemplar profile of a hero. Sigga’s own goals for the future were probably more muddled than most when it came to the subject. She had no interest in becoming a pro-hero when she first enrolled at UA. It was all an elaborate farce brought on in part by events entirely out of her control. If anyone asked if she wanted to be a hero she’d always reply in the affirmative, but it wasn’t until recently that the fish had given the thought even the slightest bit of consideration. Her upcoming internship got credit for bringing those ideas to the forefront of her mind, but she was still a little unwilling to give them too much attention. For now she’d simply continue coasting through her first, and quite possibly last, year at UA. That was her own secret.
Sigga got to her feet as she watched her peer step out into the rain. He didn’t seem quite as bothered by it as he had been when it first began, but that didn’t really mean much. The girl, though perceptive at times, certainly had her limits to reading another’s body language. The extent to which Hyousuke’s dilemma verged on the existential had completely escaped her awareness.
With the primary subject of their discussion having been set aside, at least for the time being, Sigga’s focus remained on her own present concerns.
It hadn’t looked like the blond boy had heard the noises her innards made. That or he had the tact to not tease her about it. The fish simply assumed her stomach’s growl had been drowned out by the wonderful weather.
She scooped up her bag, joining Hyou in the rain. “Yeah. Sure,” Sigga chirped. Whatever expression of concern she had worn moments earlier was immediately washed away. A satisfied smile now graced her face as the wet torrent battered her. The schoolbag was now being carefully hugged against her chest as they began to walk.
Their initial plans to take a stroll may have been washed away but the bald teen was feeling rather pleased. She was in the rain again and felt rather certain she was now aware of what had been bothering the blond baker. Oblivious to Hyou’s actual state of mind, her thoughts now landed squarely on her hunger. “It’s about dinner time for me,” the girl remarked, casually glancing next to her. See seemed to be taking a slight interest in the effect the weather was having on the young man’s hair.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
N/A
quirk Dynamo
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Nov 24, 2020 22:13:07 GMT
Save for the quiet, rhythmic steps of his feet against the ground, Hyousuke was largely silent. Lost in his reverie and mulling over what information and perspective he had, he found himself at a loss as to what he was supposed to do. Even at that very moment, he was close to just moving on autopilot, his feet carrying him forward without much thought about where he was even going. It was only when she spoke, and he heard her above the rain's repeating noise, that he managed to come to - for a little bit, at least. He blinked once as he returned to the land of the conscious, and offered a small smile back at her.
"Oh yeah?" He asked, simply deciding to offer something innocuous by way of response. "What's on the menu tonight?" Not a particularly interesting response, but given the fairly heavy - and personal - nature of the discussion they'd just had, Hyousuke supposed that a change of pace would be welcome for the both of them. Still wearing that gentle expression on his face - half out of politeness, half out of wanting to hide that his mind wasn't really focussed at that time - he reached a hand up to haphazardly brush his hair to one side. Though it was only starting to get damp, he knew how troublesome his locks were when they got wet enough to start dripping in front of his vision.
Hyousuke hooked his thumbs into his pocket and looked towards her while he ambled forward, awaiting a response. Part of him was genuinely interested in her answer, despite his mind being preoccupied with other matters. The last thing she'd let him try had been a unique experience, as far as his fairly limited culinary history went, so hearing what other options she might've had in store seemed like something he didn't have to feign interest in at the very least.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Sigga
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quirk SYNAPTIC FLAY
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alias TBD
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Post by Sigrid Tendo on Dec 1, 2020 4:09:47 GMT
It took several moments for the fish to parse Hyou’s query. She was still busy staring at his locks of blonde hair, her mind experiencing its usual tangential musings. The subject of hair was somewhat of an intriguing topic for her. Sigga never fully understood why people chose to grow their hair out instead of simply shave it all off. It seemed like all it did was get in the way. She had broached the subject with her foster-sisters on several occasions only to have her suggestion that they shave their heads promptly repudiated. The girls had spent enough time complaining about getting their hair looking just right that their steadfast attitude on the subject completely baffled the naturally bald fish. It seemed like this would simply be one of life’s mysteries that she’d never solve.
Her expression became more thoughtful as she reflected back onto the subject of dinner. What was on the menu tonight? Having spent every free second of the day getting ahead on her homework had left much for her to contemplate when it came to the subject of food. Wait. Wasn’t she supposed to have- “Peas!” the first-year suddenly exclaimed in anger. “Ugggh.”
Sigga stopped in her tracks falling silent for a spell and leaving Hyousuke a moment to wonder how her choice of meal had devolved from the hunter’s stew she cooked last time down to nothing more than the small spherical green seeds she had just yelled about like they were a replacement for more standardized curse words. The creases along the girl’s brow intensified. It looked like she was thinking hard about something.
Eventually some conclusion appeared to have been made as the girl let out another, softer, groan. Then she immediately snapped her mouth shut. The downpour did well to camouflage the rosy telltale signs of embarrassment in her cheeks. “Uh…” she began, before silencing herself upon the realization that she had inadvertently answered her peer’s question just a moment ago. “Oh, uh, no. Not peas. I, uh…” Another pause.
“I meant to pick up a couple more groceries during lunch break today,” Sigga finally clarified. Sneaking off campus between classes had been her original goal this morning, but she had completely forgotten about it. She had been too focused on getting ahead on her homework. The girl sighed and continued, “Meant to grab a can of peas for dinner. Erm, to make a salad for diner. Uh, but not, like, a wimpy salad. A good one.” The fish sure seemed keen on brandishing a bunch of unsolicited information when it came to her foiled dinner plans. But they certainly were foiled. The question for her now was if she should interrupt her walk with Suzuki-san so she could pick up what was required for her planned meal, or abandon her original design and locate an alternative source of supper.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
N/A
quirk Dynamo
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N/A
alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Dec 8, 2020 19:35:24 GMT
Despite his best efforts, Hyousuke's hair still managed to drape itself across his vision, if only a little. He decided to quit early and cut his losses, simply pushing what he could aside and hoping they made it in before tousled became a mop top. Though he still fiddled with it now and again, Sigga's sudden frustration was enough to shake him out of his hair-induced trance. He was sure that there was going to be more to what she was eating than peas - it was more the tone that she said it with, and the frustrated exclamation that came after it, that made him adopt a puzzled expression. Before he could enquire as to why she was getting so worked up over something as innocuous as a vegetable, however, she continued
He stopped a few steps ahead of her, only to turn back around on his heel and look at her quizzically, listening intently while she explained that she was supposed to be making a salad, but the distinct death of the diminutive legumes was holding her up. He didn't even seem to notice - or mind, at the very least - that the rain was starting to soak through his hair and his clothes a little more with each passing moment, his attention more on her than anything else. It made a nice change from the heavier subject he'd broached, so he was more than happy to listen.
"We could run out and get some if you like." He said, once he was sure he'd taken stock of the situation enough. "There's gotta be somewhere nearby that sells them, and to be honest, I could probably do with staying out for a while. To clear my head, and all." He paused a moment, and glanced to the sky. "Besides... I'm already half-soaked. I don't think it'd really matter that much if I stayed in the rain a bit longer."
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Sigga
N/A
quirk SYNAPTIC FLAY
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N/A
alias TBD
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Post by Sigrid Tendo on Dec 19, 2020 1:01:11 GMT
It would have been easy to turn down Suzuki-sans offer. Sigga was very much aware the blond didn’t take to the rain like she did and the girl didn’t really want him to feel obligated in accompanying her in this weather. In fact, she didn’t really want to walk all the way to the grocery store. It felt too much like another chore on her already lengthy list of things she needed to take care of before her internship started. But she really should buy her can of peas. They were kind of mission-critical. The salad, though a bit of pain to prepare, would last for enough meals that she could get back to focusing on the rest of the tasks she needed to complete before the aforementioned internship began.
Instead of asking if he was sure he wanted to tag along, the fish decided not to question her companion. Truth be told, his company was the determining factor that persuaded Sigga to not procrastinate this paltry bit of shopping. It would have been easy to convince her to grab some food from the UA cafeteria or even a vending machine instead. But this was for the best.
Slinging her bag back over her shoulder, Sigga nodded an enthusiastic, “Umu!” before catching up to Hyou. It would be good to stick to her original meal plan. The two walked in tandem, their trek winding towards the edge of the UA campus.
The rain continued to come down, though gradually letting up in intensity. It wasn’t long before the girl’s uniform was completely soaked. See, the problem with the UA uniform including a white blouse meant that any significant moisture rendered the garment rather… transparent. It was impossible to say if this was a genuine design oversight or a deliberate attempt by whomever chose white as the appropriate color for the top to inject the potential for embarrassing encounters among the academy’s female population. Fortunately, whatever the case may be, that particular happenstance had been foiled.
It wasn’t providence that saved Sigga’s modesty, though, but pure coincidence. The hero outfit the fish had ordered for her internship was a wetsuit manufactured by the same company that made UA’s swimwear. Concerned about the comfort of wearing such an outfit out of water Sigga had elected to wear her school swimsuit under her uniform today while she waited for her hero outfit to arrive. She couldn’t risk finding out if such an outfit would chafe outside water once her internship began. Slowly the rain revealed the familiar navy-blue, red, and white outlines underneath Sigga’s white blouse.
Oblivious that her wardrobe choice had kept her modesty intact, the girl’s mind remained on the topic of groceries. “I also need to pick up a leek,” the damp fish remarked. Peas hadn’t been the only item the absentminded teenager neglected to purchase.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
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quirk Dynamo
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Dec 27, 2020 1:26:47 GMT
Though he was a little startled at that sudden umu - a noise he'd not quite expected her to make - Hyousuke just nodded slightly in response, and turned to face in the direction they were headed. He was well aware of the fact that he'd likely be soaked to the bone by the time they were at the store, and would probably have doubled his weight through water alone once they made it back to the dorms. But he couldn't stay trapped in his room forever. Laying there, with no company but himself... He felt restricted. Like the walls were closing in on him, and fuelling the noise in his head.
He hardly paid attention to her. He hardly even paid attention to the path ahead, sparing it only the barest amount of focus, just enough that he could navigate it. His focus was instead on the pouring rain and the constant footfalls, and how they seemed to drown everything else out. That ever-present noise, despite it letting up every now and again, was welcome - even if it came with sodden clothes. It gave him something to focus on, and let him drown out whatever anger, sorrow, and confusion lingered in his head. The weather might have been brisker than he'd have liked, and his body getting damper by the second, but he took some solace in the peace that the rain brought him.
He was suddenly brought back to the world of the waking, however, when she mentioned her need of leeks. He blinked, a little surprised, like someone had flicked his nose to grab his attention, before turning to face her. Still only half-conscious and feeling like his mind was adrift, Hyousuke barely registered that her shirt was soaked as his dangling hair was when he brushed it from his gaze. When he finally did notice it - and the outfit beneath - he was a little perplexed, but thankful. Her choice of clothing under the shirt had saved them both an awkward moment. Having to awkwardly avert his gaze every time he looked at her was hardly what he needed to deal with.
"Come to think of it," he began to muse, the question only occurring to him when she'd more or less woken him up, "What are you cooking?" He was interested, of course, but if he couldn't focus on the rain, he wanted to at least distract himself with conversation.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Sigga
N/A
quirk SYNAPTIC FLAY
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N/A
alias TBD
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Post by Sigrid Tendo on Jan 4, 2021 3:29:48 GMT
As they walked, Sigga’s mind was going through its usual mental gymnastics. This time she was trying to figure out the exact order of operations required of her for her future meal. Seeing as soon she’d be in the possession of the final ingredients it made sense to plan ahead. It wasn’t all that complicated in truth, but the order in which she’d prepare her dish would determine the amount of time required. No sense in cooking sub-optimally, thought the piscine.
The duo continued their amble through the downpour. Droplets bounced off the girl’s smooth head in tiny bursts like miniature fireworks made of liquid glass. The purple scales on the side of the young woman’s head glistened in the rain, her brow still furrowed in deep contemplation.
Already hidden behind the clouds the sun was beginning to set. It wasn’t dark just yet, but you could already see the lamp posts lining the sides of the path begin to light up. Their unnatural glow offered a reminder that even in dismal weather there was always something to illuminate the way. Well, in a litteral sense at the very least. No accounting for an existential crisis or anything.
Sigga turned her gaze to Hyousuke as the boy broke the silence. Cooking? She seemed confused by the question for a moment as her thoughts reorganized themselves. “Oh. Uh… It’s… a… salad...” The answer seemed a little drawn out, as if the girl was dissatisfied with the words as she spoke them. Like they didn’t do her reply justice. Yes, she planned on making a salad. She had said as much before. But the word seemed to conjure up images of leafy greens and diced tomatoes. Her dinner had neither of those. It was bigger. Better. More ambitious. Not too ambitious, though. It was still just a salad after all. But a good one. The greatest. She didn’t know how to say as much without it sounding pompous, however. But you could never do a meal justice with just a name. You’d have to see it; taste it, to know the breadth of its transcendence. Something like that anyway…
Without missing a step the fish said the only thing that she could think of that would offer some degree of understanding of the cooking she planned to undertake. That thing being a rather lengthy list of ingredients. “Lessee~ There’s hokuto apples. Potatoes. Some mayonnaise and parsley. Dill.” With each ingredient listed the girl stuck out a finger to keep count. “Eggs. Carrots.” she continued. “Uh… peas, as you know. Pickles. Oh! The dill is actually one of the ingredients in making the pickles. It’s not in the salad itself.” Phew! Good thing she corrected herself in time. It would have been very embarrassing if the blonde boy happened to see her make the salad only to notice her not add in any dill after having listed it. Yeah. He definitely would have noticed that mistake. She was sure of it. As sure as she was that he was memorizing each and every ingredient as she said them rather than regretting having asked a question with such an interminable answer.
Forgetting to ‘uncount’ the dill, Sigga continued. “Uh, where was I? Ah. Right. Pickles.” she said again, sticking out another finger and suddenly getting confused how she ran out of digits so soon. The girl could have sworn two hands would have been enough to list all the items she required. “Um… what did I forget…?” the girl droned, eyes now staring at the ground as they walked past the campus gates. Her hands relaxed and then she stuck out a thumb as if to start a new count. “I said pickles… Ah. Right. Some corn. Celery. Uh… celery and, uh… LEEK!!” The fish exclaimed the last word loudly, clapping her hands at the success. Her entire ingredient list had been properly recalled and articulated. Probably…
“I made the pickles myself!.” The girl added proudly. “Well, pickled them, that is. The cucumbers that they were before they became pickles...” This was starting to get embarrassing. She should shut up now. And so, naturally, the fish continued speaking. “I usually make a giant bowl of the stuff. Lasts for a couple days. Tastes best after it’s been cooled in the fridge for a bit.”
That was the downside to the salad. Even after it was all prepped and done, it wasn’t at its paragon until it was properly refrigerated. It was a foregone conclusion that the girl would dig in as soon as it was complete. She was already hungry and waiting until the food would be chilled would take far too long. And she still needed to buy those peas and leek. This was going to take forever.
“What are your dinner plans for today?” Sigga asked, looking for anything to distract her from her hunger.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
N/A
quirk Dynamo
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N/A
alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Jan 6, 2021 3:10:10 GMT
A salad. He had to admit, he'd not seen that one coming, but then again, his idea of a salad was the one that most people thought of when the word was mentioned. A crisp assortment of various greens and chopped tomatoes - and, if they were feeling particularly adventurous, mixing some nuts, cheeses, or meats into it to add some flavour to it along with the dressing. He looked to her expectantly, silently waiting for her to go on, pondering what sort of salad needed such ingredients. Before he had a chance to prompt her, however, she piped up again, but only managed to raise further questions.
The list of ingredients managed to etch a vaguely quizzical look into his features. It certainly wasn't the combination of ingredients that he'd expected, but as she went on and he started to build a picture of what it might look like - and what it might taste like - that look on his face slowly changed to a one of slight realisation. So lost was he in imagining how all those ingredients would fit together that he didn't actually remember anything about the dill until she mentioned them specifically. He made sure to at least try to appear like he'd suspected all along that they had they'd be mentioned somewhere, and not like he'd completely forgotten about them once she'd gotten him engrossed in his own mental images.
Having focussed his attention on her afterwards to try not to get lost in his own thoughts again, Hyousuke was caught off guard by her suddenly exclaiming the name of one of the ingredients into the heavens, to the point where he jolted in place a little. She gave him scarcely enough time to process that though, leaving him instead to simply nod along fervently, pretending like he hadn't almost jumped out of his skin at the mention of the onion's longer, greener, cousin.
By the time she had finished, he couldn't help but admit - privately, to himself, in his own head - that his own evening meal was, perhaps, a little lacking.
"Ah, it's probably nothing that interesting." He said, waving his hand a little, though the gesture was no doubt dismissive. "Not as much as yours." He genuinely meant it when he said it, and it showed. Despite the range of expressions he'd bore throughout, the one constant was that she'd held his (almost) undivided attention when listing off the ingredients, and even when it drifted, he'd been trying to imagine what her salad would look like.
"I'm just taking whatever produce I've got in the fridge, putting it all into a pot with some broth, and hoping for the best. I want to use it all before it goes off, and I figured that a stew's probably the best bet I've got." He shrugged a little, knowing that it wasn't exactly a recipe that would make someone salivate, but it was better than just letting the food go to waste altogether. "I might throw some meat in if it's on sale. I gotta say though, homemade pickles and fresh salad sounds a lot better than..." He paused, a pensive look to his face. "...Stew?" He said hesitantly, as if to seek her approval. Evidently, he was a better baker than he was a cook.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Sigga
N/A
quirk SYNAPTIC FLAY
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N/A
alias TBD
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Post by Sigrid Tendo on Jan 8, 2021 1:43:33 GMT
The girl seemed quite satisfied having been given the opportunity to discuss her meal plan with someone. Despite sharing a dorm with dozens of other students, such conversations were far removed from her daily life. Cooking and eating was usually done solo. The former on account of the girl doing most of her meal prep during the ungodly hours of the early morning. Hyousuke was already somewhat aware of that fact. The latter, the eating part of her routine, was also done alone. This on account of the girl being somewhat of a multitasker.
Rather than enjoy her meal with classmates, she often spent her time eating and completing homework in tandem. Intelligence was hardly the determining factor in getting good grades. You had to put in the time as well, something that Sigga was keenly aware of.
She listened attentively to the blonde’s reply as they walked down a sidestreet towards a local grocery store. Both sides of the road were lined with various shops, all seeming to be run out of the first floor of residential suits. Or something to that effect. Sigga had a lingering curiosity on how zoning worked in Japan. It looked a lot like anyone could run a business from their home and seemed like many did. That was quite different from how she remembered things working back in America.
Sigga beamed when her peer remarked positively on her salad, though she quickly chimed in to contradict his assertion on stews. “Nothing wrong with a good stew.” And that was the truth, though she’d wager what he had in mind was probably not an ideal meal. It was tricky trying to come up with something to cook when all you had were scraps and leftover ingredients like was the case for Hyou. The last time the two had met Sigga had actually been cooking a type of hunter’s stew, but that was probably a far more complicated dish than what the boy was currently envisioning.
Upon her remark, the girl’s face seemed to suddenly light up. Even the rain couldn’t obscure that fact this little fish had just schemed something up. She had already completed her homework so cooking in solitude was not a necessity today. “Hey! We could cook together again!” Sigga elbowed him in the ribs as she exclaimed. “I wont be able to use an entire leek for my salad anyway so you could make some use of it for your stew. ‘Probably have some leftover potatoes as well, if you need them.”
Whether he was interested in the offer of company and additional supplies for his own meal wasn’t something she knew, but the suggestion was made just as much for selfish reasons. She didn’t want to end up in a similar situation as the blonde, where she’d have several leftover ingredients with no solid plan how to utilize them in a meal. There might also be another chance for her to show off her cooking skills as well.
As they approached a shop with various bits of produce on display outside, the girl’s attention shifted modes. Her glassy globes were now focused on a particular display of leeks in front of the store. She dashed over under the cover of the overhang and started looking at the available options. Despite the inclement weather there were a few other UA students that were doing some grocery shopping as well. Two of them exit the store as Hyou and Sigga arrived. They seemed to give the blonde and fish a strange glace, likely surprised at the inadequacy of their outfit where the rain was concerned.
Sigga didn’t even notice and the two student’s seemed to quickly open up their umbrellas before dispersing. “Oooh. This one looks nice,” the finned chef exclaimed as she picked out a fresh leek from the display.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
N/A
quirk Dynamo
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N/A
alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Jan 15, 2021 20:31:16 GMT
Though he wasn't sure how the hodgepodge of foodstuffs would taste with yet more ingredients thrown haphazardly into the pot, he supposed that it probably wouldn't hurt. Chances were that there was already going to be such an array of mismatched bits and pieces that the addition of leek and potato would either make it better, or wouldn't lower the dish's quality in any significant capacity. He just nodded firmly in response to her suggestion, saying "I might just have to take you up on that one." With a slight smile, before continuing along with her.
Though the students' glances escaped Sigga's notice, Hyousuke was just about conscious enough to catch them out of the corner of his eye. For the first time in what seemed to him to be ages, he managed a glimpse down at his clothes, wondering what it was they were staring at, and it suddenly became apparent to him just how soaked he actually was. He'd been aware that he was wet, of course, far more so than he usually was. His hair had been falling in front of his gaze often enough, after all. But it was only their gazes that made him aware of how the rain had left his shirt sopping and clinging to his body, while his hair looked more like a bedraggled old mop than anything else.
Still too distracted to be self-conscious about his appearance, however, Hyousuke simply frowned at the realisation and turned his attention back towards Sigga and her calling attention to a leek. Not being particularly well-versed on vegetables beyond whether or not a particular item was going to go bad before he had a chance to cook it, the most he could manage was nodding and agreeing that it was, in fact, a good leek. "Wonder if there's anything that they've got on sale. Uh, apart from meat." He mused, mostly to himself, but also to get Sigga looking as well. "Any more veg I can add to the stew can't be a bad thing. Besides, looking at us both, I think we could do with something warm."
He gestured vaguely towards himself, and the state that his clothes were in. His was kept upwards, but given that they'd both been in the rain and that neither had made much of an attempt to cover themselves from it, he figured she'd be able to figure out what sort of a state her own clothes were in too. Assuming she’d not noticed earlier and just chosen to ignore it, that is.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Sigga
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quirk SYNAPTIC FLAY
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alias TBD
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Post by Sigrid Tendo on Jan 23, 2021 0:58:06 GMT
It was definitely fresh, though a little large. Far bigger than she needed for her salad even if she planned on sharing the leek. Maybe she could find a smaller one?
The fish rooted through the display in an attempt to locate something that looked less like a cudgel and more like a vegetable. Focused as she was, Sigga still had enough awareness to hear Hyou remark on discounted produce. Without looking up from her task, one of the teenager’s oversized hands snapped its fingers and then pointed towards a display right by the store’s entrance. This wasn’t the first time the girl had shopped here.
Following the direction in which her index finger gestured one would encounter a wired shelf on wheels brimming with an unsorted assortment of fruits and vegetables already packed in clear plastic bags. Each bag had 100¥ written in black marker indicating goods for sale on clearance. You could find such a display in most stores that sold produce; plenty of deals if one wasn’t picky about quality. Any fruit or vegetable that looked like it was starting to go bad or simply failed to conform to the ridiculous standards people set for the appearance of their produce was usually found shelved here at steep discounts. Where else could you find a bag of half-a-dozen slightly off-color lemons for only a hundred yen??
Naturally Sigga too would check the sales rack to see what was available, but not until she picked out the remaining, crucial items for her salad. “Hm. Hmmmmm...” You’d think the piscine was busy trying to contemplate some deep philosophical conundrum rather than pick out an ideal cultivar for her dinner.
It didn’t take her too long, however, before the girl found her target and was casually brushing some dirt off it with a damp hand. Perfect. She then turned and hovered her way to the adjacent overhang and started looking through the discount shelves for any bonus today’s outing might yield.
“Looking for anything specific?” Sigga chirped at the blonde, eyes focused on the shelves.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY MrGuy
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quirk Dynamo
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alias Dynamism
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Post by Hyousuke Suzuki on Jan 23, 2021 23:29:20 GMT
The stocked produce was a mishmash of misshapen lumps and off-colour pieces. But, despite him being - to put it kindly - less than suited towards more academic pursuits, even he could see that she was right. The only thing wrong with what was put there was that they looked a little odd, and even then, it was debatable as to whether that was something that could be considered 'wrong,' given how their taste and nutritional content was probably indistinguishable from their more aesthetically appealing counterparts. Never one to pass up a good deal on good produce, he took a few steps towards it, replying while he scanned over the available items.
"Nothing in particular, but..." Hyousuke reached out to compare a couple of bags, presumably deep in thought for a few moments. "Let's see... Carrots and stuff in the fridge'll take care of calories, daikon to balance out the cabbage, throw in some... Yeah, this'll work." It took the blond a moment to remember that he was supposed to be talking to someone, rather than just to himself, but he seemed to flow quite well into it. "Ah, sorry, just thinking out loud." He held up a couple of packs, both clenched in one fist. "I figured if I could mix these in for some calories, then mix in some tofu and some other bits for protein, I don't have to bother with meat. Lasts a lot longer in the fridge, and costs a lot less too."
He paused for a second, and turned back to the display, his mouth shaped into an awkward smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to go on like that." Eager to shift the conversation away from himself, he continued before she had a chance to give much of a reply, if any. "This should keep me set until next week though. Want to go and get your stuff?"
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Sigga
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quirk SYNAPTIC FLAY
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alias TBD
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Post by Sigrid Tendo on Jan 25, 2021 23:17:00 GMT
Sigga raised a single questioning eyebrow at the abrupt apology. She hadn’t heard what led up to it, having also been in a bit of a produce-hunting trance like her peer. But Hyou explained quickly enough. The dialogue about the carrots and cabbage had been missed, though thankfully with no consequence. The fish had been ‘talking’ to herself as well, but her remarks had all been silent internal monologues. She acknowledged the explanation with a blink and went back to browsing the discount rack. This time, though, she paid attention to what the blonde was saying.
It was curious to find how his own approach to meal prep differed so much from her own. Giving calories consideration and the thought of seeing if her food had adequate nutrients was something she assumed only adults paid any attention to. To her, it had always been too much of a hassle; too much work.
The fish silently pursed her lips at the realization that some of her peers, Hyou at the very least, had a more mature outlook when it came to what they ate. The fish? She only paid attention to how her food tasted. If her jowls and gut approved of what she was shoveling down her gullet then that was all that mattered. Or at least that’s how she had always thought before. Now though? Well, one mustn't mature too quickly.
“Hmm.” Her own search didn’t yield anything of interest. There was a decently sized bag of persimmons near the bottom of the display but the fruit flies circling, along with the dark hue of the fruit, suggested it was no longer fit for consumption. At least not where taste was concerned. A pity.
“Nothin’ for me here,” she said, standing from the hunched squat she had been in while checking the bottom of the rack. So no bonus today. That was fine, as long as she could find those peas and make her salad before her stomach decided to cease it’s occasional rumbling protests and start digesting itself instead.
Sigga chirped a quick, “Yep,” at the blonde boy’s query and marched into the store. “Time to find those peassss,” the fish hissed.
A metallic clinking sounded overhead as the drenched duo entered the grocery shop. Above them danced a japanese wind chime, the inverted glass bulb bouncing against the metallic bit hanging from within. Sigga held the door for Hyou before moving along the three short aisles that made up the bulk of the small establishment. Let’s see. Peas. Peas…
Some movement down one of the aisles caught her attention. A young man, older than her by about a decade, with bleached hair and heavy assortment of tattoos covering his biceps was in the process of placing more canned goods onto the shelves. His actions, coupled together with the apron he wore suggested he worked at the dingy shop.
The man finished placing the canned goods, giving the bald student a suspicious glance before folding up an empty box and vanishing around the corner, presumably in order to attend to some other task in the store. For her part, Sigga didn’t think much of the look she was given. It probably had something to do with the fact she brought her backpack into the store, nothing more. And she didn’t remember seeing a sign forbidding such an action anyway.
Thankfully her peepers were quick to spot the target of her search. No complicated adventure awaited them in tracking down a can of peas. Not today anyway. Sigga sidled up to the freshly stocked shelf and grabbed a can of peas from the back of the display. She had witnessed the employee adding stock and knew the cans in the back would be a bit newer. Not that it really made that big of a difference, in general or in the case of her salad. Still... Even canned goods were better fresher, right? Unwilling to yield to the temptation of looking for other items to spend more of what little change she had on her, Sigga took her leek and can of peas straight to the counter.
The cashier was the same tattooed man that had just finished stocking the cans of peas Sigga had picked up. With neither party offering a word of greeting, the girl simply placed her items on the counter and awaited for the price total to appear on the till’s digital display. Sigga dug into her backpack and pulled out a small coin purse shaped like a fish. When she looked back up towards the counter she found the cashier hadn’t moved to scan and weigh her produce.
Huh?
The girl blinked, uncertain what she had just missed. The cashier, arms crossed and eyes seeming to burrow into her own, leveled a glare. This took Sigga aback. Before she could even consider what faux pas she had inadvertently made, the man spoke in a deep Hiroshima Ben dialect. “Why’d ya take th’ can from the back? ‘Ones in th’ font ain’t good enough for ya?”
“Uh...” It only took a moment for Sigga to make sense of things. Clearly the man had taken exception to her not having taken the older canned peas at the front of the display, which… kind of made sense, but also was an absurd complaint to even bring up. The fish felt somewhat perplexed and outright indignant that this conversation was even happening. Normally, if she had been shopping alone, Sigga would have quickly offered up a snappy comeback. But not wanting to appear confrontational in Suzuki-san’s presence the girl took a more diplomatic, if submissive, approach.
“Uh, yeah?” she replied with a nervous chuckle, hoping her obvious joke in saying the older cans somehow weren’t good enough for her would diffuse some of the tension. It did not.
Unmoving, the cashier added with a growl, “-and you’re leaving puddles all over th’ place.”
This… was accurate. Looking back along the floor Sigga now saw she had indeed left a trail of water. I mean, it was raining outside, but still. The man’s last remark had annulled some of the fish’s fire. He was being a jerk about the can, but she was hesitant to fault him about the water. Not that there really was much of it. You could barely call the trail a puddle. Ugh. She just wanted to pay for her veggies and leave. Why was this so hard?
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