Entry 004

[chippedsoul]

Characters: Kazuma Asougi [Jekyll/Hyde]
Campaign: Break
Format: [ brackets ]
Open
Summary: Catch-All for the Break


A - The Doctor is out [Network]

I will not be meeting with clients in person until further notice. If you must make an inquiry for some medicine, use the journal to contact me. I will let you know when it's ready to be picked up.

-Disciple

B- A nightly stroll in the forest

[Anyone who happens to be wandering around or living in the forest, might hear a disturbance during the nighttime. It doesn't occur every night, but when it does, it sounded like someone was cutting down the trees. There's also a low rumbling like thunder that occasionally accompanied the sound afterwards, like a rhythmic thumping. Looking into the source, they will find themselves at the edge of the Index. The ground appeared unstable, with trees uprooted and large boulders that have been split into smaller pieces scattering about the area.

This warzone was only found along the edge of the Index, and every few nights, a new area would turn into a disaster area. If someone manages to catch the person in the act, it turns out to be the Disciple, or was it the Disciple? The low rumbling noise was from him ramming trees into the barrier or throwing boulders at it. Whatever he could pick up and throw, which was almost anything, he was directing them at the barrier. A few times he was crazy enough to punch the barrier.] I need...to go... [If you manage to get in close enough, you can hear him mumbling about going somewhere. It doesn't seem like he's quite all there himself. Are those pajamas he's wearing?]

C-Wildcard
[This post is for the entirety of the break, so feel free to poke me on Discord or silentdrifterz if there's something else you want to play out instead or make your own starter!]

Comments

[ricebird]

[... Well THIS is definitely a curve ball. Not just the offer but the thanks.]

Oh. [Um...] You're welcome. And... yes, I do.

[What does that have to do with thanking her?]

[chippedsoul]

Would you like me to help you use them?

[ricebird]

Really? How do you mean?

[chippedsoul]

I'll work with you, guide your hands until you feel comfortable doing it yourself.

[ricebird]

[There's... a LONG pause before Kotori answers again. It's not that she doesn't trust the Disciple. ... Well, not JUST that. She still wants to believe he's a kind if reserved person, and she feels sorry that his essence forces him to be that violent, but... She IS nervous about this Hyde the others spoke of. What would make him come out? What if he does, while the two of them have a weapon AND one of her greatest fears literally in arm's reach? And what if turning him down sets him off too?

But mostly it's for her own reasons that she hesitates. If it was just a matter of pushing through, she would have done so by now. To keep herself fed while alone, or to be more useful to the others here. The cut on her finger is small, long-healed with only a tiny scar to show for it. But... the memories surrounding when she got it? Those are wounds that haven't healed yet.

On the other hand... This is the Disciple trying to apologize? How much guilt would be on her mind if SHE got his Essence and did those things instead? How would she feel if her attempts to apologize were rebuffed?

...

When she finally writes again, the text appears slowly, almost haltingly, but still deliberately.]

That's really thoughtful of you to offer, Disciple-san. I can't promise I'll be a good student, but I'll try my best. Thank you.

[chippedsoul]

[...She was taking a while to send him back an answer. He ponder if he should send another message to see if she was still there or wait awhile longer. Was the offer too forward? He never really did press her about why she was afraid of knives. But then the words start to appear in the journal. He lets out a quiet sigh, not realizing he had been holding his breath.]

We'll take it slow. Would you like me to come your place or at mine to practice?

[ricebird]

If you don't mind, you can come here. There are more ingredients here, and I can make some tea and rice for you.

[And, to be honest, the pub in the middle of the commercial district is likely a better place to be in case something goes wrong rather than an out-of-the-way mansion. Home field advantage, for sure, although Kotori REALLY hopes she won't need it.]

[chippedsoul]

All right. [He'll start prepping for the trip as he writes.] Is there a dish you would like to try to make?

[ricebird]

[Definitely not shougayaki...]

Let's see... something with simple knife techniques should work to start. Maybe a soup of some kind? Or are there any dishes you'd like to make, Disciple-san?

[chippedsoul]

[. . .] A beef dish. [He's bad at this.]

[ricebird]

[... Disciple, do you eat at all?]

I see. Hm... Well, we already did sukiyaki once. And I know a beef stew recipe, but that requires a pressure cooker which I don't think this place has...

OOH! I know, what about niku-jaga?

[chippedsoul]

[He eats! Just...food is food.]

Niku-jaga? That is [There's a pause before he continues.] what is that? [He feels like he should know.]

[ricebird]

It's a type of stew from Japan! It has beef, onions, potatoes, shirataki noodles, and sometimes other veggies like konbu seaweed, all simmered together in a sweet soy sauce broth! It's REALLY sweet and savory!

[The dish was actually invented in the 1890s by the Japanese navy, to try and emulate their beef stew, so depending on the timing Disciple might be familiar with it. And phew, talking about food is helping steady her nerves.]

[chippedsoul]

[He's reads her words, thinking. So it was a Japanese dish, but...nothing else is coming to him.]

It sounds delicious. [Maybe once he's made it and eats it, it'll come back to him.]

[ricebird]

It is! Okay then. Let me know what day you want to come by, and I'll have ingredients and a recipe prepared.

[And... the knives... at least thinking about a good meal is keeping the fear at bay in the meantime.]

[chippedsoul]

Tomorrow? Or does the weekend work better? I'll need directions too.

[ricebird]

Tomorrow works. And it's a former pub in the commercial district.

[Along with writing out the address, Kotori also draws a simple cartoon of an oddly cauldron-shaped building.]

Thankfully it's a bit hard to miss, but I know the city is pretty crowded too, so feel free to message me again if you need more help.

[chippedsoul]

I should be able to find it, thank you. [Exploring the city was practically the first thing he did upon arrival. He would have end things there, but a moment later, new words form in the journal.]

Do you want me to pick up any ingredients?

[ricebird]

Oh no, it's okay! You're the one coming over to teach me, so no need to trouble you for more help.

[Besides, not only does she know what to look for, but some ingredients like the shirataki noodles, konbu, and mirin might be a little harder to find. She doesn't want to send him on a wild goose chase by mistake.]

[chippedsoul]

Well, you're also teaching me a recipe, but all right. I will see you tomorrow then.

[If there's nothing else, he'll end the communication there. Time will pass and come the next day, the Disciple will locate Kotori's place without much trouble and be there right on schedule.]

[ricebird]

[Surprisingly, Kotori WAS able to find everything she needed for the recipe. Apparently reviving The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter has helped breathe a bit of Japanese culture back into the Index, including stocking ingredients that should be rare in a western Victorian city like this. Soy sauce, mirin, konbu, even konjac-based ingredients like shirataki noodles. So she's actually perfectly stocked and has everything laid out when the Disciple knocks on her door.

... Although it's also a mixed blessing because now she has no excuse to NOT use a knife.

But she tries to keep THAT knot of anxiety to herself as she opens the door.]

Ah! Hello, Disciple-san! Come on in!

[chippedsoul]

[The Disciple waits patiently, trying to remain compose. Regardless of what others thought of Hyde and himself, it won't deter him from keeping things professional.] Miss Kotori. [He bows his head slightly as he is invited inside.

He takes a moment to admire the interior, which looked like it could be a functioning restaurant, just lacking in clients. He sets down the knapsack he brought onto a table.] How are you feeling right now?

[ricebird]

Oh, um... I'm doing fine, thank you for asking...

[Excitement to try tasty food, the slowly building dread of having to deal with knives AND possibly a superpowered evil personality, and guilt over being nervous when Disciple's just trying to make amends all balances out to "fine," right?]

Hoooow are you today?

[chippedsoul]

Better. [He looks to her, getting a tense feeling between them.]

. . .Are you scared? [He goes right for the question. Knives are a useful tool in cooking, but if someone is too nervous or scared from the start, disaster only awaits them.]

[ricebird]

[WELP. Caught. Kotori blinks a bit before swallowing.]

W-well... yeah... B-but it's not your fault, honest! [And she means it, even the part about Hyde isn't Disciple's fault.] I'm looking forward to the niku-jaga, but I'm just REALLY scared of knives! I'm sorry...