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Leblanc: Restart
It had been a long time since the oft underappreciated cafe opened its doors. Some might find themselves wistfully wandering by on dreamy afternoons, waiting for a dream that might never come true.
Until at last, it did. The small cafe was run, not by its usual owner, but by a girl who looks to be college age dressed up in a punkish black and white outfit with her blonde hair frosted red. The... New counter keeper stands there, cleaning off a few glasses as she awaits the inevitable.
Flareon busts the door open, shouting
"I AIN'T THE SHARPEST... tool... in the shed.
Yeah, I get where all those guys were coming from, that was way worse coming out loud."
Flareon hops up to the counter and shakes his head briefly before looking up to the barista
"I need apple juice, scotch tape, and a place to lay low."
Flareon places a single gold nugget on the counter.
"Make it snappy."
The barista looks up at the crashing noise. The building's walls shake with the impact of Flareon's arrival, forcing her to catch a few mugs before they fall. The girl breathes out a sigh of relief as she puts them back up
"Probably should have taken it from the top. You know, some BODY."
Tot kicks the counter, resulting in another loud bang as the girl stubs her foot. Tot winces and hops around for a bit
"Yikes.. Make that look SO much easier in movies."
Soon enough Tot would shake her head, looking down at the piece of gold before shrugging and grabbing a glass of juice.
"Sorry, this and hiding behind the counter's the best I got. Boss man didn't tell me I'd need scotch tape so I didn't bother bringin' it. Oops."
Tot giggles to herself as she slides the apple juice over the counter.
A strange blue door appears in the cafe. Something opens the door, but instead of the door creaking it makes a "meow" sound. A strange cat-like being wanders out as the door disappears.
"Hmm, this place seems... Familiar in some way. It kind of... Reminds me of someone."
They chuckle as they think back.
A girl dressed in a black shirt and jeans wanders in, there's a pair of glasses on her face that she'd push up slightly while looking around the room slightly. Or rather, a few gants float about absently as she walks forward with closed eyes, seemingly lost in thought till absently waving to greet the one at the counter and the strange talking animal. Still without looking at them though.
"Yo, how's it going today. I guess I'll take some... Water, sure. And you got anything to eat?"
She would reach behind herself, pulling off a backpack that looks rather full and starting to rummage through it. In the girl's search several things are pulled out, a pair of stun batons, a few jars of deadly Asian hornets, some wallets. Wallets there we go, she'd take those and pull out several bills.
"Yeesh, I gotta keep this thing better organized. Can hardly find anything in here without having to dig around through my stuff. Anyway, yeah I'll take a menu too if you've got something to eat. Freaking starving over here."
Damnit, Flareon whispers to himself. In his head, he thinks "that'll make things a bit harder." However, he shrugs this off and takes a sip of the apple juice, craning his neck to look at the server and shooting them a schoolgirl-like smile at them.
"Ah, that's alright. Thank you for a juice."
He lies down on the stool behind him, looking out the front windows for a brief moment.
"Looks like i'll have to hang out here for a while, anyways..."
The fox creature then squints at the strange feline.
"You know, I heard cafes used to be big in the day. I've only been to a few myself, of course. Never been much of a fan of coffee."
"Hey cat dude."
Tot smiles and waves to the first newcomer as she leans against the Leblanc counter. The girl's tone is casual and inviting.
Soon enough another girl would come in and Tot would have a quick look behind the counter for the new girl
"This place is known for its curry so I reckon' you'd probably be interested in that miss."
After taking this glance Tot brings out a glass of water and fills it before sliding the glass over to Taylor
"No official menu but if you're not into that I've been cooking for myself for a while. I can cook up a few more traditional things like chicken teriyaki. Some takoyaki. Got some nice muffins too."
Lastly Tot nods to the Flareon as she begins to set up the cookware
"Nice to see I've got a customer then. First time workin' at a spot like this.'
Taylor keeps on digging through a few wallets, the fact several have bloodstains and not a damn one has anything that looks to be hers might tell anyone watching closely that clearly this person's taken them from someones. Even so, she'd have her cash togother soon enough and put them away again while grinning at Tot and speaking in a laid-back voice.
"Curry sounds good by me. However it'd usually be made I guess, I'm just not all that picky. How much anyways?"
She takes a swig of the water while taking stock of the newcomer. Whoever they are, they've got cat-ears for some reason. She's seen weirder by now though so that's fine. He's greeted with a wave as well. Despite her eyes not even going anywhere near him.
"What's with the outfit man, looks like some kinda uniform. Isn't any gang I know though so hopefully not that kind. Unless some new idiots have shown up with a velvet theme I guess, that seems unlikely."
She snorts dryly, the thought of some band of criminals outfits like this catboy's is far too silly not to be amused a bit.
Tot doesn't bother commenting on the wallets and stuff, if Taylor wanted to bring it up she'd bring it up, no reason to rock the boat here, y'know? For now the girl simply nods to Taylor
"Cool, one special curry comin' right up. Its right around 750. Yen of course. Guess I could take the other stuff but its kinda a pain to convert y'know?"
Tot continues rambling a bit as she sets up to begin making the curry. since its coming up fresh it would take a little while to cook, demanding much of the girl's concentration. She keeps up a lax demeanor and tries to make small talk.
"Take it you don't come around here often? Look like you've got better things to do than searchin' for the middle of nowhere. Y'know?"
"Gangs have uniforms? I never knew that. Then again, I'm no fashionista to begin with."
Flareon takes a sip of the apple juice and stares at the catboy for a moment.
"Although, I certainly hope you're no gang member. That's the last thing I need right now."
He then stands up on his hind legs and stretches for a moment, sizing up the uniformed boy.
Taylor nods to Tot before handing over the money, most of this crap is in Yen already anyway so that's not hard for her. As for the question...
"Eh, I kind of just go wherever the winds take me you might say. Guess I could try and go to school, but nah. Not really my style these days. I'm more a girl of action rather than sitting around bored in a room all day."
She chuckles before looking over to Flaeron, quirking an eyebrow upwards slightly before sighing and giving a bit of background.
"Sure, though it depends on the group. Take an example from my hometown, the Empire 88, fucking Nazi bastards is what they were. Loved their brand too, always had to make sure people knew they were Nazi bastards. Then you've got..."
She pauses, hmm. What's a good example from around here. The idiots she beats to near death all blur in her head by now. Oh, the girl's fingers snap slightly.
"Then you get those types like the Yakuza around here and stuff, all pro and crap. They don't have a uniform in theory, but there's only so many groups that wander about in fancy suits and stuff while walking through crappy parts of town. Not that they always do that..."
"Yeah I feel ya there. School was always kinda a drag so now I sorta just do odd jobs like this one."
Tot preps the rice, adding some seasoning here and there to make the meat of the dish
"Lets me talk to cool people like you so I say hey. Least I'm never bored y'know?"
Soon enough Tot would finish making a plate of curry, carefully topping off the main plate of rice with their special sauce before bringing a plate in front of Taylor with a grin.
"Long as it lets me help out then I'm cool with pretty much anything."
The cat-like person keeps chuckling to themselves a bit before snapping out of it.
"Ah, yes, my uniform. I'm a resident of a room between reality and... Ah, I... Sorta forgot the other part. Cat physics? I don't seem to remember."
They shrug.
"All I know is that I do persona fusions and beat inmates that would like to test their strength. I remember two that would somehow keep dodging, or ignoring, my status effect move. I wish to meet those inmates again so I can give them a piece of my mind."
Taylor chuckles at Tot's response, yeah she can get that. Though, cool isn't really something she's used to hearing about herself.
"Hmm, yeah sounds kinda fun. This city is... Certainly filled with interesting types. Sometimes a little too interesting, but at least it's not boring. "
She goes quiet for a moment while starting to dig into the food, a smile over her face. Though Niko's words do garner an eyebrow going up while she replies.
"A room between reality huh. Sounds real weird man, but I can't judge for being weird. The hell's a Persona Fusion though, do people have more than one of those things?"
Some people do have more than one Persona, but they are never around. Didn't think there would be some of them hidden in this city.
[Kazuya had made his way inside the cafe with a sigh, sitting down in front of the counter. Scratching his cheek, he would look around the place one final time.]
It's been a while since coming to this place, I didn't even know it was still open.
The wandering farmer would also make his entrance, much more quietly than his predecessor. He'd sit at a booth waiting to be served.
"Man... been too long since I've had something decent to drink..."
He'd see his part time employee, but wouldn't do much in terms of striking up conversation. Today was for his own peace of mind anyhow.
Shihiro strolled her way in the non-descript cafe mainly looking at her phone as she sat down. At this point it seemed to be a bit of a wonder how that thing never ran out of battery.
"...wait this place existed? Wow. That's pretty rad. Uhm, I dunno what to order..."
After looking around a bit, she saw Kazuya and thought it would be a good idea to engage in some conversation. Even if she is a phone addict she isn't completely un-social.
"Oh, hello there Kazuya. I'm assuming you came here on a whim like I did?"
[Kazuya would notice the man that had gotten inside after him and would simply nod in his direction with a smile. Although he didn't know him very well, he didn't find it hard to understand certain things without words.]
Hey, Shihiro.
Yes, I wanted to take a nice rest since it's been a bit of a long week; figured that some silent relaxing in a small, cozy place like this would be for the best.
[He plays around with a napkin as he greets Shihiro.]
This was also the first place in which most of us first met. It's got this...emotional value to it, but it's been a year or two since then.
(edited by Kazuya)
Noticing that Kazuya looked the other way, she looked at the farmer that she was employed by with a fairly blank gaze. Though since he looked like he didn't feel like talking much, Shihiro just gave a wave towards his direction and kept going on with her current conversation.
"Ah, that's nice to know. Sadly I didn't get here until very recently so I wouldn't be able to have those same feelings."
She takes mere glances at her phone as she spoke, going on an app and checking out some simple things that Kaz might know well if he decided to take a peek.
"Hmmmm, are there any actual servers here or is it just us three?"
This place is weird like that, normally there is one or two servers, but however is doing that now is nowhere to be seen. You get used to it though, this is mostly about knowing other better.
[I keep looking at her and then at her phone. It was a strange feeling; although he knew she wasn't from his world, it felt somewhat familiar.]
Have we met before? From… where are you?
She glances at Kaz curiously, not often someone is that quickly to explain but she's not bitching about it. That's a weird computer he's got there too, Tinker crap? Probably not.
"Huh, never knew that. Guess I just haven't met any of them. Not like I'm looking though. Name's Taylor by the way, nice to meet ya. Probably."
As for the other man who came in, he just receives a quick wave. There's no sense bugging someone who doesn't wanna talk. New girl though, Shihiro? Yeah. The tiny gnats flitting around catch a glimpse of that one's phone, by extension so does Taylor. Not that she has any clue what it means. [/i
"What's with the app, if you don't mind my asking. Looks kinda cool I guess, but if you don't feel like sharing just say so."
[i]She'd go back to her curry after an awkward pause, damn small talk. This is much harder than mocking people in the middle of a fight. But oh well.
"Fair enough. I just wanted some milk, or water, or...something. But it's still nice to conversate once in a while."
Shihiro took more glances, now going to a specific page that shows information about a demon named "Seth". Though it seems as though he's starting to notice it too. She starts playing dumb a little.
"...Tokyo, Japan. Mainly Shibuya...I'm pretty sure at least. Unless I missed...something?"
At the same time, seeing gnats flying around her, Shihiro's first instinct was to swat them away, but she just swipes towards info about a different subject. Different demon to be specific. One named Titania.
"Oh, you don't know?...it's an app, yeah."
After waiting what he considered a sufficient amount of time, he'd get up from his booth. He didn't do it to leave mind, but instead to place an apron upon his waist, wash his hands, and get to work behind the counter. He wouldn't make a fuss of it, the only noise being the occasional clatter of dishes or the sound of chopping vegetables. He began to whistle a light tune as he worked.
I'm Kazuya, nice to meet you Taylor.
[He turns back to face Shihiro. He had been around for too long for things to be simple and normal, especially those who get to Leblanc. Now with the word centered around "App"...]
If I'm wrong then I'm sorry but...
Does "Demon Summoning Program" ring any bells to you? What about "Messian" or "Gaean"?
She gives out a sigh, and waves at Taylor with a smile on her face. Afterwards she turns back to Kazuya and speaks in a bit of a defeatist tone.
"Well now that you know, uh, yes. Demon Summoning Program rings many bells. It's how I got mine. But Messian or Gaean loses me a bit. Is it a bit like Liberators and Acolytes?
Shihiro isn't about to spill everything about her app just yet, that's too much talking. Right now, she prefers to just wait until more questions are mentioned. Whilst being up to date with her app at least.
So you're a Summoner from a different world.
[Kazuya would point a the gauntlet-like computer on his left wrist.]
I'm the same, but I know nothing about the groups you just mentioned. The "Messian Church" and the "Cult of Gaea" are groups that follow the ideals of Law and Chaos respectively. In the past I fought against both.
Are those groups you mentioned like that?
They would nod.
"Yes, some have more than one persona, usually if you find a group of persona users, the leader most likely is a wildcard, meaning they can use the velvet room's services and switch their personas at will. Of course, it is an ability desired by many, as it makes them more versatile, able to fill any role in a team."
Examining the guantlet-like computer Kazuya points to, Shihiro goes ahead and shows the screen of her phone to let her app be known more well.
"Dx2 is the app I use for my demon summoning, so you could say that. I was walking around and suddenly, I became a part of the Liberators. Which are probably law. And then there are Acolytes that can be translated to the Cult of Gaea."
She scratched her head a bit confusingly at the mention of personas though.
"Say, since you fought both sides, does that make you a Neutral party?...I never thought that that could be considered an option...also what are personas again. I think I missed another thing."
Their constant battles lead my world into the apocalypse, so me, my friend Yuka and my demons put an end to it to try and save whatever was left after the Great Cataclysm.
[After the explanation, Kazuya crosses his arms and tries to remember what it was.]
A "Persona" is the mask one wears, your true self that has manifested in a physical form so you can fight against "Shadows", the parts of each human that they would rather ignore.
Like this.
[Blue flames cover Kazuya for a moment as a mechanical, faceless samurai appears behind him, only to disappear.]
These are popular here, more so than demons.
"Well, I'm glad to know that it was a success...right?"
She leaned backwards in her chair once Kazuya summoned his persona, the blue flames and the physical form and everything. Great time to take a quick picture of it with her phone.
"That's nice to know. Your persona looked kind of like a Yoshitsune actually. Speaking of, how come there are more persona users than demon summoners? Unless I'm getting something wrong again."
[Kazuya keeps quiet for a moment while looking at nothing in particular.]
Yeah, we won.
...
But now the survivors, including messians and gaeans... we are all working together to make a better future; we do our best.
[After that, he would look back at Shihiro and scratch his cheek.]
No idea, but if you ask me, it's better that there aren't many demon summoners. You must be aware already, but they are too dangerous; even more so than shadows.
To have Persona users over Demon Summoners is a blessing.
"No, I wasn't really aware of it actually. Of the dangers of it. I know that there are bad people that take advantage of demon summoning at the very least."
Taking all of this into consideration, Kazuya seems to be a person trustworthy enough. Plus he's also got lots of experience. Might be the right time to ask this question.
"...does this mean that you could help me not become one of those that feed into the problem? I'm still a bit unaware to the customs of this world specifically. Heck I didn't even know we were in different worlds until you mentioned it."
Also the fact that she still know nothing about personas, shadows, or physical combat. Sadly. Phones and frying pans are great and all but seeing all these people with swords and stuff makes Shihiro want to be involved in it too.
(edited by Shihiro_Tamashi)
You must be strong enough already; weak Demon Summoners are either possessed or eaten by demons that are too powerful for them.
[After grabbing himself a soda from the fridge, he would open the can and take a sip.]
What do you mean "feed into the problem"?
Taylor sits and listens for a while, but by the end of Kazuya's statement she'd speak up again. Slightly amused, all things considered.
"Persona users, demon summoners... Back where I'm from we didn't have anything people would call magic, to my knowledge at least. Had lots of weirdos like me though, 'Parahumans' they called us. My powers aren't anything to write home about though, I just control bugs."
There's some caveats she could add there, strange interactions with some of the supernatural bullshit around here. But so far the only source of insect demons she's found is... Far from trustworthy or reliable... Maybe one of these two knows more though.
"It does seem to work on supernatural insects and such too, though. Not that I've met a bunch of those, so exceptions may exist."
Feed into the problem... As if becoming a dangerous villain is just something people do mistake, how wild would that be.
"I'm pretty sure if you care enough to be concerned with not hurting people, then you aren't going to feed into the problem as you put it. Not that I can call myself any authority on this stuff or something."
"Yes it was as she put it. Mostly considering this place I stumbled upon most likely have people that know how to do something for themselves rather than rely on demons, if you know what I mean."
Shihiro had a feeling that Taylor was downplaying herself a little. Sure the power in of itself is simple to understand but she's probably really good with it knowing how it usually goes.
"In hindsight I did add that in as a bit of a selfish reason. My apologies. Nonetheless, it'd be nice to have some help for myself."
You...want to learn how to fight? Are you telling me you didn't do that already?
[Kazuya would raise an eyebrow at the comment. He did have a personal style now he was teaching; centered around demon summoning and taking down enemies who use magic.]
What would you do if you could do that?
"No, I don't know how to fight. I summon demons. I'm a demon summoner...but in my world we don't actually fight."
The concept is foreign in her world. You either have a phone and the app or you just die. Actually fighting yourself instead of hiding behind demons seem to be pretty fun...and very common.
"As for what I'd do...be useful I guess. Being able to do something without immediately having to take out my demons would be nice to protect people more efficiently."
The girl chuckles slightly, how to rely on something other than demons huh. Her method of that is...
"I could teach you a few tricks, but a lot of my best stuff relies on... A special weapon of sorts, it isn't part of my powers. But I can't just get another and teach you how to use it."
A weapon, that's one way to put what Termite is. It is a far more palatable way of summing things up than the whole truth if nothing else. And there's also Kaz's question.
"What he said too. Everyone's got their own methods of course. But I'm more curious about the why of it all..."
Protect people huh, freaking hero types. She's one of them though, to some extent at least.
"I can understand that. It ain't all sunshine and rainbows though, you're just a normal human though right? A lot of the stuff around here is... Our bodies aren't made to take the kinda punishment they can deal out. Not really."
It's not that she thinks learning to do things yourself isn't worth it, but there's a need to impress upon this girl the kind of danger she's trying to wade into here.
Are you sure you can take it? And they tend to lack the capacity for pity or empathy for the most part. If your demons are out, and you were facing off against a creature such as a Cerberus... can you tell me with absolute certainty that you won't back down?
[Kazuya would look straight into her eyes.]
Will you kill it? What will you do once your enemy is but another human being?
(edited by Kazuya)
Kazumi would continue his work behind the counter, a lovely aroma drifting from his work. By looking at him, one could see a hollow look in his eyes. He was somewhere else clearly.
"I don't think people should have to be prepared to fight for their lives..."
He stopped attending to whatever he was making, standing there.
"I wish I wasn't..."
Taylor shrugs at Kazumi, should is a very different thing from need to. She's not sure what he's been through, but clearly it can't be good.
"Yeah, and I agree with you. But the sad fact of it is, sometimes they have to be."
She'd sigh slightly before finishing off the last of her food. Looking down at the empty plate and groaning a bit.
"Damn, that was pretty good but maybe not enough. Ah well, at least I feel better now."
"...I've been doing that for some time already. I wouldn't back down with demons by my side. When they're gone though...it'll take some time. By then I'll have it figured out."
Her eyes stared back at Kazuya, her gaze was blank, confused. She feels determined but doesn't know where to go with it.
"Talk them down first. If it doesn't work, do what needs to be done...after some time. Aren't first timers usually hesitant?"
You do your best in any given situation, but it's impossible to know what will happen next. So as it stands, you have the right idea.
[Kazuya would finish his soda.]
I can help you learn how to fight with and against demons, even Persona users. But know that this style is not for sparring; not for fun... but to survive.
Because any world that has demons in it is at the edge of collapse.
"I'm completely fine with it. I believe it'll help in the long run, so I thank you for agreeing to help me."
Shihiro would yawn and stretch a bit, check for notifications on her phone, and put it in her pocket. Now that Kazuya has her interest, she'll hope to make sure it stays that way all throughout.
"And I'd want to make sure others survive. Which is why I'm ready for when the time comes."
We won't go through combat right away, it's better if you ask.
Ask me anything you want about the Demon Summoning Program, how to battle demons of any kind or even my world.
[Kazuya chuckles.]
I don't have much issues when it comes to this, but it's better this way just so you know how similar or different our contexts are.
Kazumi snaps back to his senses. He continues cooking, coming to near completion.
"With or without demons worlds can fall apart... Doesn't mean you can't fix it."
With his stir fry plated, he'd sit to enjoy his food.
"Oh, thank God."
She takes out her phone again swiftly, checking notifications and texting people at a rapid pace with the occasional quiet mumbles. But after a sigh of relief, she calmly taps the Dx2 app.
"So. I'll start with this. In my world, I summon some demons randomly by going towards a branch of the app. Which is why that some would question how and why I have them even if they are a bit on the rare and powerful side. Though in your world, is that not available? Must you relegate yourself to mainly negotiations?
And another thing. With that persona of yours, is it a requirement that you have to meet this shadow in order to obtain it? Is it always a must to beat it up first? And how similar is it to that of a demon in regards to power level and powers in general?
Finally...what are some better weapons than a frying pan?...it was going to be my first choice for melee, but I feel as if that might not be the best thing to have..."
"Demons, huh? They sound pretty ferocious..."
Flareon hops off the stool and approaches Kazuya, speaking about a few feet from his ankle.
"Hey... Kazuya, is it? I don't suppose you'd let me take a look at those demon allies of yours sometime, right? You're already taking pupils, so I wanted to know if I could just observe them."
Taylor stares at Shihiro with a blank face for quiet some time, it takes her a while to really grasp that branch of the app bit. Once she does though, the parahuman quickly begins laughing loudly for several seconds before coughing a bt and speaking up again with an amused smile.
"My god, you're powered by a gacha game aren't you. Amazing.'
She can't answer about personas, of course. But the final question... She's got some advice there, somewhat.
"Weapons really depends on what you want to do, but if you're planning to fight monsters... Guns, bladed weapons, might want to try and look for magical ones given where we are. Or Tinker tech kinda crap but eh, I haven't seen anyone like that around. Besides, their stuff usually requires a lot of upkeep too. It's kind of a pain from what I hear, but I've also never worked with one personally."
The demons in my world come from a plane of existence known as the "Expanse"; which is what they call it here; we usually refer to it as the "Abyss" or "Makai". These demons are very much real, flesh and blood. So either we negotiate with them or fuse them. Certain demons are... rather impossible to obtain, however.
[Kazuya would tap a few keys on his COMP.]
Persona can be obtained in many ways, and it usually depends on your context; all are conntected by the "Collective Unconsious". My method is the "Card Crush" method, as I had to face my own shadow.
However, other have a "Natural" method which is being given one to you by a being known as Philemon, or force it out with an "Evoker". Normally, Persona take the shape of the demons in my world, and although they are powerful... they barely compare to the real thing. So think of Persona as a way to enhance yourself.
[He would press one final button and a black vortex would appear behind him.]
And like Taylor said, no single weapon is better than others; but do keep in mind that some demons are weaker to bullets than to a blade. So find what you can use the most.
[The vortex would become 1s and 0s, taking the form of a beat-like demon of fur blue and silver, with three green eyes and armored parts.]
This is my partner, Pascal. he's a...special kind of Cerberus.
Hahah, I said a lot, didn't I? Did you understand all of it?
"Yes, I was sure to make sure nothing goes over my head. Especially the personas. That was a lot of info."
Shihiro took all of the information given to her with a nod, as well as noting some tidbits that she'll respond to soon enough. First though, she snaps her fingers and points at Taylor with a smile on her face.
"Bingo. Was waiting for someone to notice. Though, thanks for the advice with the weapons too."
As soon as her eyes gaze towards Pascal, her free arm immediately extended on reflex in order to pet it, though the arm holding her phone had put it down.
"Say, does a demon named Fenrir ring any bells, Kazuya? I have him in my posession as of now, and am a bit worried now that I see your special Cerberus. I so want to pet Pascal now...
Oh yeah, and, you mentioned something about fusing, right? I do that too, just that it's usually better to rely on luck and go ahead and summon when it comes to my world. The only demon that I had fused myself was a Skadi. Are you familiar with them?"
You can pet Pascal if you want, he never minds. He used to be my dog, but after the demons invaded, he wanted to come with me and help in any way he could. He insisted on fusing with a Kobold he befriended.
[Pascal would sit on the wooden floor and nod his head as Kazuya himself pets him.]
And yes, Fenrir are quite powerful in my world, and so is Skadi, though this last one became more common after the war ended. I had to go to the Cathedral of Shadows and talk to Mido to fuse them.
"Both Fenrir and Skadi in my world are a wee bit downplayed in terms of power level. But hey, it just makes it so that they're more common. Though I don't think I've ever seen a Kobold before."
She nodded and went over to pet Pascal to calm herself and her nerves, before looking up what a Kobold was. Shihiro let out a simple 'huh' before letting her eyes dart back towards Kazuya.
"The first demon I summoned was a Titania who, from my knowledge, was a demon that was of a neutral party, so was she ever a part of this war that you mention? I would ask the same for the Seth I have, but I have a feeling he was prominent."
"Oh, he's your pet?"
Flareon raises his front paw up to Pascal's head, gently patting it.
"I can't imagine what it's like to be turned into a different species entirely."
Pascal: "It helps you understand everything you didn't before."
[Pascal would quietly say in response to Flareon's statement. Kazuya, on the other hand, would summon the familiar fairy, Titania.]
Of course, she and Oberon decided to help me during it. They wanted peace just like the rest of us, and having Pixie on my side for the longest time did help a lot. Not to mention Jack Frost and Pyro Jack, being of the Fairy race and all.
[Titania would spin in the air and bobbed a curtsy at the girl with a calm smile while holding her skirt.]
After bein’ gone for a while the old barista would return, her blonde hair frosted red wearing a pretty normal black and white skull-themed shirt. She doesn’t have a guitar or anything, not that those present would notice. Instead she just heads behind the counter as if nothing had happened
“Glad to see the party didn’t die while I was gone. Anyone need somethin’?”
The girl brushes her hair back a bit as she looks at the gathered crowd. She pauses for a moment, studying Kazuya before she asks
“Have I seen you before? Somethin’ about you seems familiar...”
"Yeah, that's pretty cool. The part about peace. Not the war. Sorry about that."
Shihiro gazed in awe at Titania, in turn giving out a nervous curtsy back with her pink jacket and in turn pulled out her phone, tapping on it a few times to summon her own Titania. Shihiro's Titania giggled, giving a curtsy to Kazuya and his current company before gazing curiously at the other one in front of her as she held her skirt.
"Uhm...oh yeah, what about Seth. What did he do in your world?"
She glanced at Tot and gave a backhanded wave, putting her hand on her chin before thinking of something.
"Milk would be nice, thanks."
(edited by Shihiro_Tamashi)
I don't think we've met before... do I look like someone you know?
Oh! Would you mind if I get a Mochaccino?
[If Tot looked at him long enough, she would get a feeling that somewhat reminded her of Masakado of all people. Kazuya would smile casually and nod at the other Titania, then he goes back to Shihiro.]
I have heard of Seth in old demon texts but have never seen him, or even know if he's around in my world. So... can't help you with that.
[Kazuya's Titania would giggle before approaching her look-alike. Then, she would ask Tot for anything sweet in a very gentle and educated way.]
"That's nice to know. I was worried that he did evil stuff. In my world, I saw him often whenever I went to this place called the Arena. He was always really strong. I came across one by chance."
She glanced back at Titania, and then back at Tot. Afterwards, Titania waved goodbye at her lookalike before Shihiro casually tapped on her phone to summon her away. Then she let out a half-hearted sigh.
"While I would say that I'm ready to try and engage in some battle now, I'm feeling a bit thirsty. So at the very least I'll wait to drink something before I ask to start. Is that ok with you, Kazuya?"
“Huh? Nah? Musta just passed by or somethin’. I’m real good at remembering people.”
Tot shrugs, not wanting to push the issue. Instead the girl heads to the cappuccino maker to get started
“Maybe it’s one of those aura things. Who knows, I’ll finish your drink in a jiffy.”
Tot continues in her upbeat and energetic tone that seems to light up the room a bit. While the cappuccino machine is running Tot looks back to Titania. Though the exact language isn’t her forte she can tell the bigger fairy’s intent and begins working up a Frappuccino for them, adding a fair bit of milk, ice and chocolate to what’s practically a milkshake.
Once the cappuccino is made Tot adds in the chocolate flavoring to finish it off and sets the two drinks in front of Kaz and Titania
“Nice Fairy helped you got. Kinda thought those old styles were falling out of use. I like it.”
As usual Tot runs her mouth for perhaps a touch too long as she cleans up after her earlier drink work
"Wait I just realized, hold up one second."
Shihiro stands up from where she was and stretches a bit, yawning a little before checking any notifications on her phone, typing at a rapid speed even with one hand. She looks behind to where Tot is right now and asks two simple questions.
"Hey, can I also get a drink? Maybe some milk?...oh yeah and do you have any spare frying pans?"
Yes, it's fine. I know for a fact the streets outside are not used with too many people.
[Titania, being just a couple of centimeters shorter than Kazuya, would sit next to him in the counter as she takes a sip of her drink, and so does Kazuya.]
Titania: "Why thank you, miss."
[She was simply being polite.]
“Yeah I can get ya milk in a matter of seconds.”
Tot replies before going back and doing just that. She had recently used milk for the frappe so it was ready on hand to be swiftly poured into a glass for Shihiro. Immediately after she’d head for the cookware to get the only frying pan
“Whaddya need this thing for anyways? Not the most useful without a stove.”
Tot quickly nods to Titania as she chuckles to herself
“No problem at all ma’am. I get your types have a lot of work to do too.”
"Oh, yeah, could I also get a refill on my apple juice. I'd like a steamed ham, too, if you can."
Flareon then looks back to Kazuya, furrowing his brow.
"You know, Kazuya, I figured a guy as strong as you would be more busy than this. Just what kinda work do you do around here?"
Shihiro sighs out to prepare herself, first giving a tip of 500 yen to Tot before grabbing the glass of milk and chugging down all of it in one go. After setting the glass down calmly, she takes out another 500 yen in exchange for the frying pan.
"...for very important reasons. Thank you very much, by the way."
She gave Tot a bow, and then headed back to where Kazuya was sitting, feeling refreshed and ready to go. While she initially held the frying pan with both of her hands, she got a bit bored and set it down on the table Kazuya wasn't at and played with her phone.
"I'm prepared now, but I can wait for you to finish if you aren't."
Titania: "You would imagine, but my master here would rather work quietly and be around his girlfriend."
[Titania would say to both Tot and Flareon with a sly smile on her face while Kazuya just covers his own.]
Titania: "What was her name again, Master? Takane, Akamoto?"
[Kazuya would run his hand across his face, revealing his slight blush, before looking back at Shihiro. There was almost nothing left on his mochaccino.]
It's Takeno, and yes... yes, I'm almost ready. Just give me a bit before we go outside.
Taylor looks over at the demon summoner, sucking down the last of her water and standing up.
"I'll go a round, if you want. Not like I've got anything better to do at the moment. This isn't really the place for a brawl though."
Not even a bar or anything, now that could fit. Here however, she wouldn't do that in this place.
"I know a place though, if you're okay with a bit of a walk. Kazuya probably knows it too, I assume."
Shihiro took her eyes off her phone and stared at Taylor.
"Wait, we're doing a brawl? Hmmm, guess it's a good thing I got the frying pan."
She merely went back to playing games on her phone as she waited for Kazuya.
"Hey guys, look at the funny post number."
What...are you talking about, Flareon?
[Kazuya would look at the pokémon with confused eyes before shaking his head and then going to the others. Having finished his drink, he would stand up and go outside with Pascal following behind. Titania would simply wave as she stayed in her seat.]
Alright Shihiro, let's do this.
I'll have Pascal test you before anything else.
“Try not to break it, cool? Boss man’d probably be upset.”
Is all Tot says to Shihiro. Stuff like that it’s usuallt best to pretend it isn’t happening for everyone’s sake.
Soon she pours out another glass of orange juice for the Flareon and passed it over, taking up his old glass and starting to clean it.
“No problems for ya there. I don’t think we have much in the way of hams though. That stuff takes a bit.”
After giving her own reply, Tot listens to Titania, giving a quick chuckle as she begins talking, as one’d expect of a girl learning about someone’s crush
“Oooh, sounds like someone’s getting lucky.”
Tot winks knowingly as she nudges Kazuya’s shoulder. Taking a quick look between her five customers.
“Listenin’ to you guys is starting to get me fired up a bit too. Too bad I’m supposed ta man the place.”
"Oh boy, can't wait. Don't worry ma'am, I'll try my best to make sure this doesn't break."
She said, slightly sarcastic, but more so in a worried tone in case she somehow does something to hurt Pascal. In any case though, Shihiro picks up her frying pan and waves to everyone else in Leblanc. Heading outside, she dusts her frying pan off before trying to start with doing anything.
"Alright, so I can't summon demons, right? And it's just me and my frying pan?...now that I think about it a hatchet would be nice to have."
[Kazuya, hanging by the entrance to Leblanc would say nothing and simply nod. Pascal would walk towards the street and stand his ground while looking straight into Shihiro's eyes. He would begin to growl and even show his fangs.]
Pascal: "Survive."
[Would be the only thing the massive canine demon would say before running at the girl at full speed.]
Flareon heads towards the window sill and looks at the scene outside
Her eyes were blank as they always were, but one could possibly notice her leg shaking slightly when Kazuya's pet stares straight at her. Shihiro sighs out before gripping her frying pan tighter.
"Noted."
Initially shocked at the sudden thought of Pascal immediately running towards her, she knew at the very least that swinging at first would just leave her open. Instead, she opts to try her best to take a defensive stance...or at least the closest thing to it, which is taking on a pose most similar to that of a tennis player. Because that's obviously going to do well in this situation.
Taylor would walk outside soon enough, she stares at Shihiro and just shakes her head. That stance is... Entirely wrong, that is not how you dodge something. The parahuman looks towards Kaz with a curious glance. Walking over towards him and speaking in a fairly low voice while eyeing the 'fight' through her insects.
"Should we tell her how terrible that stance is, or just let her learn the hard way? I guess either could work, but eh. I'll leave it up to you honestly."
For now she simply observes, from several angles at that. Various small flying bugs hovering about like a filming crew, for her they might as well be just that though. One might call her immensly bored to be doing such a thing, but also somewhat curious, of course.
[Pascal would bash into the girl at full speed, sending her flying back.]
Pascal: "Girl, you can't just stand still in a fight. You will find that it will get you killed."
[Pascal would roar as he circles his head around; his snout being covered in flames. He would do nothing else for the moment, but the intent was clear enough. Kazuya on the other hand would gaze at Taylor.]
I'm testing her. I need to know what she does in this kind of situation.
[He would make his voice a bit louder.]
That's why Pascal will kill you if you're too weak. You heard him before, survive.
Getting bashed by a canine demon was pretty tough, especially since she hasn't experienced much pain like this...but maybe now she knows what's wrong.
"Wait, I know what the problem is."
Shihiro takes the phone out of her pocket with one hand, and drops the frying pan on the ground in order to make a whistle sound to notify Kazuya. Looking back, she threw her phone towards them because someone's totally going to catch it.
"Alright, so I really have to run towards you?...fine."
Putting her hand on her chest, she breathed out, picking the frying pan back up and examining it to see if any scratches were made. Afterwards, she started a bit of a jog before running at a "faster pace" though to Pascal it'd actually be obnoxiously slow. Ignoring the fire that's coming from him, she used her frying pan and drifted towards the side in an attempt to hit him from the side with a weak swipe.
[Kazuya would casually catch the phone and keep it safe inside his own pocket, next to his pwn phone. Pascal would stop spinning his head and instead, he would fire a weak amount of fire at her, specifically aimed at her legs. Pascal would still get hit by the frying pan and his head would be moved to the opposite side.]
Pascal: "Still clumsy."
[Pascal would now go for a medium strike with his paw. He would try to leave an awful mark with his claws.]
The cape chuckles, a fair point.
"Alright, I'll trust you on that then. Can't be worse than my first night out back home. Ended up having to fight some crazy bastard who turns into a dragon, that damn fire does a number on my bugs."
Termite can help with that these days now, somewhat at least. But fire is still a persistent issue for her fighting style even now.
"Still beat him though, somehow. Mostly by pumping the guy full of enough venoms to kill an elephant. Not that it finished off the amazing dragon man."
Auth walked into the cafe unaware of what may have previously occurred, he needed a drink as he was very prone to the summer weather. He sat down and waited for the owner to walk over
Due to her completely disregarding the fire, her legs would end up getting singed by Pascal's flame. Shihiro felt a few nerves disintegrating, but it seemed not to matter to her. This incoming paw certainly did however, as she felt the need to try and intercept it with her frying pan, just barely guarding at the right time.
"Still not enough."
With little strength, Shihiro intentionally tries to send the paw away by moving her body once more. Even with her burned legs, she makes yet another drift, trying to knock, or at the very least, send Pascal's paw away from her in order to create an opening. Sadly it was a horrible opening, so she just opted for yet another weak swipe as she drifts sideways once more. Because constantly changing position is obviously the best way to get in damage.
The barista was waiting for a bit at the counter. Seeing a newcomer the girl flips her hair a bit and speaks up in a casual cheery tone
“Hey there, nice to see a new face. Pretty hot out eh?”
The girl leans on the counter for a moment before looking back at the glasses
“Anythin’ I can get ya or you just coming in here to chill a bit?”
Auth looked up at the barista and asked as normally as he could in the sudden moment
"Um...yeah it's pretty hot out today, I'd just like a coke to cool off for a bit"
Auth sat up and waited patiently for the barista
[Pascal would simply grab on to the frying pan with his fangs and keep it in place; it was impossible to go against him, it would be like trying to push a giant rock with only your hands. With no effort, Pascal would crush the metal weapon, and then melt it with the fire that was leaving his snout from the sides, none aimed at the girl.]
Pascal: "What will you do now?"
[the demon would slowly approach the girl while Kazuya pays close attention.]
Flareon intently watches the battle for awhile before strolling back to the counter and taking a sip of his juice, glancing at Auth.
"...apologize to the person running the counter and notify them that the frying pan has now been deceased..."
While Shihiro just shrugged, she fully knew that it was going to have to happen. Though every inch of her body felt anxious, she fought it off and walked forward towards Pascal without any fear. And, as soon as suddenly as she could, deliver a weak punch towards the canine's face...whilst drifting to the side to change positions.
"...and keep moving forward with the strategy I've been doing this entire time."
(edited by Shihiro_Tamashi)
Auth glances at the fight and then to Flareon looking for verification that everything occuring is indeed strange, he didn't even notice the brawl going on over his own mini heat stroke that he was suffering from due to the hot day
“Yeah just don’t worry about it.”
The barista laughs a bit as she heads to the back and begins pouring Auth his coke
“Some people just aren’t good at keepin’ their cool ya know?”
Soon enough Auth’s drink would be set in front of him.
“How old’r ya anyways? I’ve never been good at that sorta stuff”
[The punch did absolutely nothing. So, Pascal would jump at her and keep her on the ground by using his paws to restrain her arms and legs. His snout would still have smoke coming out of it as he growls fiercely, right on her face.]
Pascal: "What now?"
[Kazuya would sigh and start walking towards the pair. He was not saying anything and Titania would finally make her way out, standing where Kazuya was before.]
"...admit defeat and pat you on the head for singing my legs?...I mean I would, but as you can clearly see..."
Though being thoroughly defeated, Shihiro knew it was going to happen. So now at this point she's just being honest as she can. She tilts her head casually to the side and faces Kazuya.
"So, did I do good or did I do good?"
Sarcasm. This time it's very apparent. Her eyes somehow were still blank though, and her arms and legs both didn't try to fight back at Pascal.
(edited by Shihiro_Tamashi)
Auth took a sip of the coke and felt instant relief despite the actual fight to the death taking place behind him
"I'm 16, I was just on my from shopping a bit for home, but I didn't expect...this"
Auth still couldn't believe what he was seeing, an actual dog creature fighting some girl, AND she's using her bare hands? Thats frickin suicide, I pray for you poor girl
“Hoo boy.”
Tot lets out another laugh and, once Auth has taken a sip begins talking again. She’s kinda used to going with the flow anyways so there’s not a big issue to her
“That’s one of the things that you can kinda get used too. Probably a better place for it than out in the street, but hey I’m just glad they’re not burning the place down ya’ know?”
"But the madman, he burned a frying pan. Ain't that one step from cafe annihilation?"
Auth took another sip of his drink wondering how can this lady be so calm of this nuclear Chernobyl hound in the cafe, isn't there at least a no animal policy in place?
[Titania would quickly follow Kazuya as he pets Pascal, who would look rather pleased with himself before leave Shihiro alone. The dog would sit down and the smoke and fire would go away.]
Pascal: "You tried."
Titania: "And now I take care of your poor legs. Stay still for a moment, miss."
[The Fairy would use her magic, Diarahan, to completely heal her, even her legs. They looked like new. Kazuya would then offer the girl a hand.]
Yeah, you weren't the best at dodging. Now you see that lacking a weapon will only get you killed. That and... you should've run.
You have courage, but demons normally aren't as merciful as Pascal here. If you're in trouble, running away is the best strategy. No point in getting yourself killed.
Staying still for a moment as Titania heals her legs, Shihiro looks up at the sky contemplating life with her blank and soulless eyes. Nonetheless, after a quick eye rub and a sniffle she sits up and sighs.
"No weapon meaning death is true, but don't you have magic powers of your own? Plus, running away is easy, even if I felt like I was running in molasses compared to Pascal over here."
She got up and patted Kazuya's dog on the head a little as thanks for almost killing her. Then she looked back at his owner, Kazuya, and smirked a little.
"I want to become stronger so that I won't have to run away, but it'll probably be a long time before I can get to that point...and also, can I get my phone back? I need to notify the one behind the counter about her newest loss."
I don't have magic, back then I had nothing but a different sword each week, guns and my demons. Of course, my friend Yuka was an incredible magic user.
I had nothing but my wits and a blade against a group of demons more than once.
Even my Persona, Musashi, is only capable of doing physical attacks, and this one I didn't get until I got to this world.
[Pascal would lower his head as if saying sorry, and Titania would wave goodbye. Both demons would be returned back into Kazuya's COMP. After this, he gave Shihiro her phone back.]
You got the right idea though, you need to become stronger and that will take time.
[He would give her a pat in the back before heading back inside, into Leblanc.]
I'm sorry if we made too much noise outside.
(edited by Kazuya)
Auth decided to ignore the strange person, not sure whether to run for his life or call 911. He responds anyway despite the person being very capable of murder if he said something to piss him off
"Oh don't worry about that, I don't even know what happened! I definitely didn't witness a near death experience caused by you-oh shit did I say that out loud..."
Flareon chuckles at Auth's demanor
"Hey, relax. No one here's crazy enough to murder someone in broad daylight like this. All THOSE people hang out downtown."
[Kazuya would blink a few times at the person he had never seen before and would laugh out loud. He would try to calm down after sitting near the counter.]
S-Sorry about that! We're not used to normal people around!
Don't worry, I was testing Shihiro; she's something like an apprentice of mine since today. We don't normally do this kind of thing here.
"Oof, that's tough. Sorry to hear that. Can't imagine trying only being physical and using guns sometimes. Though the next time Pascal comes out tell him I was alright with him doing that."
Shihiro is very excited upon seeing her phone again though, becoming entranced and texting at rapid speeds whilst checking for any notifications. Kazuya patting her on the back snaps her out of it though.
"Oh right, trust me, I will. Probably."
Whatever it'll turn out to be, she follows Kazuya back inside Leblanc, giggling a bit nervously as she took glances towards Tot.
"My apologies, but the frying pan died. Is that alright with you, miss?"
Though she looked to be a bit busy at the counter, Shihiro at least had enough time to give the person that just entered a casual wave and a smile. That person being Auth. Overall, she wasn't traumatized. So it was a success.
(edited by Shihiro_Tamashi)
"So what you're saying is I'm safe until nighttime ...that makes more sens-wait that means i'm in danger either way! I DEFINITELY don't feel safer now!"
Auth is neither scared nor angry, he is in between, an emotion i shall now dub scangry
“I’m sorry he did what?”
The barista wasn’t really watching the fight so she hadn’t noticed the devastation that had struck her poor frying pan. The girl winces when she finds it
“Ach. Boss man’s totally gonna kill me for this. I’m supposed to be keepin’ an eye out...”
The girl sighs and solemnly hangs her head
Uh... relax new guy. No one here is going to go and just kill people. And even if those types show up, we do tend to get in their way, we never get on their side.
[He would give Tot a side glance as he talks to Auth.]
Yeah, just stay calm. And uhm...
[Kazuya would finally look back at Tot, a bit ashamed.]
I will pay for it, next time I come I can bring a replacement and an extra.
Shihiro snaps her fingers and points at Auth with a finger gun motion, seemingly not tranced at all by the fact that she "almost died".
"Realistically, I should probably get used to it. Right Kaz?"
Already she starts calling him by a nickname. At the same time, she faces back to Tot with a pretty chill look.
"Oh yeah, and with the money I gave you for that frying pan, you can keep it. Though I would like some water, if that's fine with you."
Best advince I could give is that you get used to the pain and...well, that, and you should consider looking into armor or protection of any kind.
[He would go into the fridge and take yet another soda; he liked those very much and in his world you can't really get them easily.]
Auth puts his head down on the counter, processing everything, he is mentally dead, waiting respawn, 10, 9, 8
"Ah.. Nah, you don't have to do that much... Kaz was it? I can handle it. Just gotta do it before the boss sees"
Tot glances out the window as if searching for something, but whatever it was she apparently doesn't find it as she gets back to her usual upbeat grin. The girl looks over to Shihiro and nods before heading back for a glass
"one water comin' right up on the house. Just 'member to be careful in the future and I'm sure it'll all be fine. Nothin' to worry about and all."
The barista looks back over to Auth, he almost looked like he was taking a nap for a bit... Probably best to just leave him be as she slides a glass over to Shihiro
Ene enters the Leblanc threshold with a wide smile on her face.
Hello guys, gals, and all my wei ...
She stops upon seeing a guy lying semi-dead on the counter. Pointing to him she asks.
Is that dude there okay?
"Yep, I'll be sure to be more mindful moving on. Thanks by the way."
Shihiro happily takes the glass of water and, instead of drinking it all in one go, takes a bit of a big sip...which is still half the glass. Either way, she looks back at Kazuya in a little confusion.
"Aw, so a jacket isn't enough protection?...maybe I should get some gloves for the hatchets I'm about to buy and stuff in my pockets...or a sheathe...or a better jacket..."
She merely takes a glance at Ene as she finishes her glass of water, giving Ene a thumbs up as she takes on an even more chill demeanor.
"Totally, bro."
(edited by Shihiro_Tamashi)
Flareon wags his tail a bit, stretching and tilting his head towards Ene
"Yeah, he's just new. Give him a second to get into the flow."
You figure it out, some demon hunters settle for skirts while fighting. Some people may think is not the best choice but they make it work.
[Kazuya would say before he notices Ene walk in. He would quietly wave at her as he sips his soda.]
And yeah, just give him time...it's not easy to take at first.
"I think so..."
The barista comments looking over at the unconscious man at her counter. She goes ahead and checks his pulse, just to make sure he didn't die of shock or anything as she continues talking as if nothing had happened
"Been a little bit hasn't it bluey? Hope you're adjustin' just fine, we were a little sad havin' to eat without ya."
Glad to see nothings changed guys~
Reassured, she motions to take a seat by the counter. Ene languidly shoots Kaz a wave before simply raising her hand to place an order. As she does so a yawn escapes her mouth and her eyes slowly close before rapidly opening again. Her clothing a haphazard mess that was seemingly put together at the last minute.
So anything cool happen today? I missed you people a lot, but things got so crazy for me that I was worried I wouldn't make it back.
Glad I did though.
Another yawn escapes and this time she covers her mouth as it passes.
(edited by Ene)
"Kazuya's now my mentor and his cute little demon pupper almost killed me, so yeah, I'd say a little bit happened that could be considered cool."
Shihiro stretches her arm and takes out her phone again, now widening her eyes when she realizes what time it is.
"Oh wow would you look at the time. Sorry guys, I must leave. Would've loved to conversate some more but sadly that can't happen. Bye for now!"
With that, she makes her way towards the door and leaves Leblanc, looking at her phone casually to do some more texting.
Well I got something like a student, or something close like that. She's a Demon Summoner like me, but from another world entirely.
[Kazuya would point at Shihiro casually, who herself was leaving. He would wave goodbye to her before turning back to Ene.]
And what do you mean? Where have you been lately?
"We had a bit of a girls' night out."
Tot answers Kaz's question for Ene, leaning against the counter and giving her companion a wink
"Nothin' too special all in all.
Later kid."
The barista waves to Shihiro as they head out and lean back on the counter awaiting any orders.
Hell, Hell but spicy, and hell with a side of norse hel is where I have been. Seen it all Kazuya and let me tell you it isn't pretty. I'm just lucky to have made it out alive and with my person intact.
Ene provides an answer anyway, but winks back at Tot. The other girl made it so that she didn't have to give a serious response. In return Ene places a peculiar order.
Hey bartender could I have a real fancy drink and one for you as well. Could you decorate these drinks with the fancy little umbrellas too~
Hell...? Girl's night out... ?
[Kazuya would be confused for a moment but in the end, he would simply accept things as they are, not like he's missing out on anything to worry about anymore.]
I don't even know if we have alcohol here but if you do, I would like the same.
This place is awfully loaded with things you wouldn't expect.
Auth awakenes from his thousand year slumber to realize he is back to the real world, cause of unconsciousness, sleep deprivation. He blinks rapidly taking the surroundings
"Oh that's right..I'm here, dang now my cokes all warm"
Flareon winces at the thought of lukewarm beverages.
"You might want to get some ice then."
Auth raises his hand like a school child
"Hey bartender lady, can I have some ice please, my drinks gone and defrosted itself"
Auth has calmed down significantly after a nice well rested nap, especially after facing a more important trouble, a unsavory warm drink designed go be cold
"Oh really? Thanks, will do. Probably one of those dragonfruit things..."
The barista didn't really have a good idea of what made up fancy food, so she instead just looked at the menu for some of the most pretentious-sounding coffee she could find, one of those columbian style coffee beans. Mixing it up with some of the usual milk, sugar, cream, and the usual. Once she has one ready for Ene, she starts making one for herself before looking between Ene and Kaz
"Wait.. Did you mean like alcohol stuff? I thought you wanted really fancy-sounding coffee."
as she says that Auth seems to regain consciousness. Tot looks back at him with a grin
"Welcome back to the land of the living kid. I can get ya some ice."
And just as they asked Tot would head over to the freezer to get their new associate several cubes of ice to help their coke begin to cool again
(edited by Tot_Pop)
Ene didn't mean coffee or alcohol, but she didn't want to look like a wuss now. She was an almost adult and that should count for something. So showing some of her actual disappointment she asks.
Could you please give me some of the strongest alcohol you have?
Looking down at her legs she adds.
I was sort of asking for that, but I didn't make myself too clear. Hehehe.
[He would chuckle at Tot's reasoning.]
Well there you go, it's at least an interesting drink. Who knows if Ene can even take alcohol, right?
[Kazuya would raise an eyebrow at Ene yet again.]
...you can take it, right?
Having heard his fill of things he frankly didn't get or need to get, Kazumi left into the night, leaving a foreign currency in his wake.
Ene turns red faced at Kazuya's insinuation and hastily states.
I'll let you know that I have tried a liquor before. It was a good liquor okay.
She huffs when asked directly.
You should just watch out for yourself oldie.
"Alright then, I'm afraid I'm not quite old enough for alcohol. so I'll take this triple mocha venti soy latte with extra dragonfruit for me and get you two some drinks."
The barista sets her prepped drink off to the side and looks to see what they have in the back. She finds a few normal types of wine and sake and one... interesting one. It looks to be ancient and is the only drink with a warning label, so the girl thinks its probably good enough, pouring a couple of cups for her customers and getting a little umbrella for them before sliding them in front of Ene and Kaz
Once she does the barista looks over to Auth
"Can't get you alcohol but I guess you can join our toast if you want."
"This soda is strong enough as it is, i do not desire a death by alcohol poisoning"
Auth has no interest in alcohol and refuses to drink one even if it was offered for free
Knock yourself out, kid. Just know that some people are stupid with their alcohol and others do have restraint.
[Kazuya would take his glass and take a careful first sip. It didn't seem like anything he hadn't had before, and somehow he could tell it was supposed to be strong. After a few moment, he would take a bigger sip and it would hit.]
There it is.
What is it? I like it, but it does not ring any bells.
Ene nervously stares at the drink before downing it after seeing Kazuya try his first. She winces at the heady taste behind the drink and her gag reflex almost makes her cough. But the alcohol stays down as a fuzzy layer already begins to form in her mind. She confidently smiles at Kazuya after her action.
Yeah well I know enough about alcohol to be a okie with it~
"Well, since everyone else's getting drunk, I suppose i'll have a small glass of sake."
Flareon nudges the edge of the counter and yawns.
"Alright, same here kid. So here's to Leblanc."
The barista tells Auth as she holds up her own.. Dragonfruit.. Coffee thing. Tot takes a quick drink and almost gags from the bizarre mixture of sour, sweet, and bitter. Something she unfortunately brought upon herself. She coughs for a moment before taking note of Kazuya's question
"That's uh... A pretty good question. The label was real faded so I'm not totally sure what's in it. Had a bunch of Xes though and one of those cool fan-like notifications you see in labs and stuff so I'm sure its gotta be strong."
The barista looks at her drink again, as if unsure if she had been correct in her first try. So she tries taking another drink, only to gag at it
"No, yeah. I was right. This was a really bad idea."
[Kazuya would shrug and take a bigger sip, and would find how strong the thing really was. As his reasoning remains in place, he decided that after this glass, he's not having anything else.]
Yeah, yeah it is pretty strong. After this one drink I'm not having any, like... there is no guarantee I will make it home otherwise and I can't just have my demons take me there, people would freak out.
[Kazuya would sigh.]
And I can't just sleep anywhere else cuz otherwise Takeno would get all worried.
Hey are you still all lovey dovey with Takeno?
Ene asks the question without thinking as she draws small circles with her finger. Her gaze lingers to all the individual dust particles on the count, but she is still aware of her surroundings. Although a bit distracted now.
Do the two of you actually share a house or something?
Huh?
[Kazuya would be confused at Ene's question at first, but he would quickly realize that he never really told her in the first place.]
Yes, Takeno and I are still dating. But we aren't really living together, she still lives with her dad and I have Pascal, Pixie and the rest to keep me company in Kichijouji.
I actually thought you already knew.
Sometimes I can be a teeny bit forgetful.
She does a tiny squeezing motion with her fingers to further this point before awkwardly laughing.
What is it like having a relationship?
This question comes at random and Ene looks directly at Kazuya when asking.
That's sudden, isn't it?
[Kazuya would scratch his cheek trying to think of the best words to use.]
You feel safe, and life seems to become all mundane and normal whenever you're with them, like you have no worries or any thought coming back to torment you.
You also do things and...
[Kazuya would cover his mouth with his left hand and look to the side, blushing. His words come out a tad muffled.]
You kiss, and hug and h-hold hands, that kind of thing.
Ene blushes with Kaz as she catches on to what he may have said. She quickly looks away and stutters out.
S...S-o nice weather today huh ...
A forced laugh follows as Ene feels tempted to slap herself on the forehead. She really couldn't come up with anything better???
[Kazuya would take a deep breath. It was embarrassing to him that despite all the things he had done with Takeno by now and after so much time, he would still react like this. However, it would take a few second to compose himself.]
What was that? Is that really how you follow up on me saying all that? It's not even that hard to take.
[He was trying to save face.]
Well I wouldn't know! I never did anything so ...
One's voice dies out and she covers her face with her hands. Her ears a marked pink by now.
You get used to it, I'm still fairly new to a normal relationship.
[He would chuckle nervously.]
I...never really had the chance back home, so it's been great so far.
Ene risks looking up again.
Does the slow life really work for someone like you? I thought you were one of those guys that was used to doing tons of things.
...
[Kazuya closes his eyes for a moment.]
Yes, I am. In my world, I became a somewhat important in the sense that people look up to me, even more so than Yuka. Somehow, I became, in their words, "The Messiah", a "beacon of hope" and more commonly, "The Hero". If you want me to be honest, it's overwhelming.
[He scratches his cheek, still looking down.]
Most don't know my name, just my titles. But...it's been years. I had forgotten what it was to lead a normal, calm life with almost nothing to it.
I've held on to this world, but eventually I must go back to my responsabilities back home. They are counting on me to lead, so if the chance appears... I will have to take it.
Ene suddenly claps her hands down on the counter and uses it to lift herself slightly up.
But haven't you done enough for the people!?
Isnt it time for you to live for yourself?
She indignantly says.
You seem so happy here and it's not fair that you have to give it up.
“Man you two need to lighten up a little.”
The barista hadn’t really left, just letting the other two have their “private” conversation for a while. While she’s fine letting others talk it was pretty clear this little convo went nowhere good, fast.
“Keep worryin’ like that and you’ll find yourself growin’ grey before your thirties.”
the girl lets out a bit of a laugh as she looks out the window once more
I wished I could take everyone here, but I can't just do that. It's impossible. However I managed to get myself here it was just enough to keep me going for the next years.
[Kazuya would take yet another deep breath and open his eyes, as happy as he ever looks.]
That place is where I belong, and like it or not, I have to do my best with everyone else. We are all doing our very best to rebuild the world from what's left.
[Kazuya would turn to face Tot and laugh too.]
Well that's actually a myth, you only go grey when you grow old. I am somewhat glad I don't look much different from how I did back in 1992!
“Ha, please. If that’s a myth then why do all the presidents go grey in office?”
Tot gives off a self-satisfied grin as she crosses her arms together
“I’m tellin’ ya it’s either a rule, or a conspiracy.”
Taken aback by the light response to such serious stuff, Ene would go back to simple pouting and glance over at Kazuya occasionally.
You two take serious stuff so weirdly and that is something coming from me.
Relax Ene, it'll be fine. I can at least promise you I do my best to be happy. It's closer to a way of being than something you need to keep looking for.
[He would wink at her.]
Don't worry for me, okay? My Tokyo still has hope for a happier future.
Tot chuckles off Ene’s concern as she looks back at the other girl
“Way I see it you’re the weirdo. I work to find some downtime and get others up too. What’s the point in savin’ the world or whatever if ya don’t let yourself enjoy it?”
As usual the girl gives off a casual upbeat tone, like she’s simply stating the obvious in some roadside chatter
Jiiiiiiiiiiiii.
Ene sounds out as she stares at the two with a look of disbelief.
I think I'll get gray hairs by just talking to you people. At least in my Tokyo people were normal here it's like the rules switch all the time.
Auth looks up at Ene and smiles in relief
"I knew I wasn't the only one!"
He's just about brought to tears
There are rules?
The barista gives Ene a quizzical look before laughing again. Both Ene and Kaz seemed to be weird in the same way she was so she didn’t mind making jokes.
“Must notta been working with the MK long if you think that.”
I just hope none of you have to see my world at any point, I have no idea the effect it would have on anyone that isn't already living in it.
[He chuckles at the thought.]
I would say this place is nice overall... rules or not.
Ene vehemently nods her head
In my world there were plenty of rules. Like the unspoken ones for highschool that every aspiring girl had to learn.
Or the rules for actually getting a date.
The rules of asking someone out.
The rules for making friends.
A whole list of complicated rules to survive the treacherous pits of education!
She realizes something after saying all this and calms.
I sort of miss highschool now that I think about it.
I barely remember anything from highschool, other than my first year, I didn't really get the chance to finish it.
[After a moment he would take a look at his own phone and then yawn.]
It's been fun but it's about time I move out for a bit. I need to go buy groceries and get some sleep before going to work.
Don't get into trouble you guys, see you another time!
[After this, Kazuya would leave enough money to pay for everything he had and be one his way as he waved goodbye.]
Flareon looks at Ene curiously
"In the school I went to they sent you to dark forests and made you struggle to survive. Is the school in your world anything like that?"
He then tilts his head
“School was pretty alright for me.”
The barista shrugs as she cleans up the place Kaz was sitting at
“Can’t say I miss it though. I still get to hang out with people and talk behind our boss’s back so in a way it’s like I’m still there.”
The girl looks out the window once more with a sigh
“Never managed to get anyone to ask me out though. Like they were expecting me to do it?”
Nope my school was pretty normal. You had the senpais, kouhais, and stressful ranking system.
Her eyes close as she thinks more on the subject.
I was a student with very good grades, but had a medical condition so I was in a special class. Never got to mingle that much with others until I was pushed into it ...
Never got much of a date either.
Ene frowns and makes her way to the door. All the mirth previously on her face gone.
Confessed too late to the guy I liked.
She leaves without saying much else.
"Man those guys are pretty dramatic."
The barista laughs to herself as she continues cleaning the counter. The girl leans against the back once she's finished and breathes out a sigh
"Stuffy people like that wear me out a bit."
"Tell me about it."
The Seinfeld theme starts playing in the background as Flareon glances at Auth.
"So, how about you? You have any luck with organisms of the opposite sex?"
"I'll have you know I have spoken to many numbers of the female species, when I asked for that pencil one time I sensed definite interest"
Someone completely ordinary kicks open the door to Leblanc, dressed up in a suit completely unfitting of his average capabilities.
"Never fear citizens, for it is I, Human-man! Now, I require the consumption of caffeinated beverages in order to maintain regular bodily function on a daily basis. I would like to order one chai latte, pronto!"
The human points their finger at the ceiling for dramatic effect
"You got it dude. Barista-Woman to the rescue!"
Tot would hurry around the back, bringing back out their milk and hot water and quickly mixing it up with the chai tea before setting the beverage out in front of the completely ordinary guy before withdrawing with a flourish
"One chai latte on the double."
"A thousand thanks, miss!"
Human-Man uses his powers of bipedal locomotion and opposable thumbs to grab the bean juice, sipping it at a moderate pace.
Suddenly, a large stage materializes right at the far end of the cafe, reality seemingly readjusting itself to compensate for the sudden change. Itsuki walks up on the stage and addresses the patrons
"Greetings, my name is Itsuki Aoi, manager of Fortuna Entertainment. Our company has arranged to show you the highest quality performances we can provide for your viewing pleasure this afternoon."
A DJ can be seen behind him spinning the cds back and forth a few times while a masculine voice sings "h-h-here we go" to the same beat. Itsuki then walks off the stage and sits himself at a nearby table, pulling an amrita soda out of nowhere and sipping it gently.