A Thousand Sugar Stars, Oh Put Them in a Jar (October Catch-All)

[ricebird]

Characters: Kotori Iida [Sweet Porridge Girl], Della Duck [Icarus], Master Crane [Crane (Tsuru no Ongaeshi)], Disciple [Jekyll and Hyde], and YOU!
Campaign: Break
Format: Starting with brackets, but will match
One Open, Two Closed
Summary: Kotori comes back from a brief trip home, makes lots of tasty food with people, and wakes up at an ungodly early hour to train. (Oh, also, Hyde happens.)


A. I Looked at the World Through Apple Eyes (Closed to Della Duck and Master Crane)

[Wild and unpredictable as restoring The Little Mermaid had been, Kotori is very, VERY glad the ending turned out happy, with not a speck of mermaid-derived seafoam in sight. Coming back to the Index and seeing the city dressed in autumn colors, though… is it already close to a year since the Storyteller first brought them here? Close to a year since she last saw home… She should fix that.

So after telling a few of her closer friends and asking them to watch her place and let any other Aspects who ask know so no one panics ROXAS, she asks the Storyteller to send her home, just for a little while. By Index time, she’s only gone a few days; in Japan, it’d only been a few weeks. It was… weird being back in a completely normal world after spending a year here. Going through school, cooking more with Inuzuka-sensei and Tsumugi-chan, her mom working hard again. Shinobu had even been visiting her during lunch break lately, even if it felt a bit awkward not telling her about cooking with the Inuzukas… or this place, for that matter. The remembered it vividly for a few days, but… then started writing it off as a dream. Huh. The whole business is weird, really, like the time differences, and her feelings for…

But she can think about all that later. The Storyteller brought her back in late at night it seems, and she’s already really tired. One good thing about all her schooling being left at home is that she can sleep in as late as she wants tomorrow. …… Which, if her memories of the Index had been a little fresher, she’d remember as having scheduled a certain meeting with a certain duck. This should be interesting.]


B. And Cut Myself a Slice of Sunshine Pie (Open)

[Between this new routine of cooking sessions with the Inuzukas, her pot’s new shapeshifting ability, the pub’s brand new kitchen, and actually having a recipe collection to work with, and creating the massive feast during the ball, Kotori’s not only started getting used to cooking with other people, she’s actually starting to crave it even more than she had been. So whether she asks you herself, or you ask to come over to practice a recipe (especially for a date coming up~), from late morning to a little bit into the evening, Kotori’s available to make just about anything.

Or maybe you smelled good food inside and decided to invite yourself into this strangely cauldron-shaped pub. (Especially if it involves daikon GOBO.) Those in this category might be confused to see that the space is clean and well-kept, if rustic, there doesn't seem to be much of a crowd. In fact, the only person here is a teenage girl, in the middle of cleaning the kitchen in the back, sweeping and polishing the floors and counters up front, or sitting down at the bar for a meal for one, depending on what time of day you catch her.

Still, yes, Kotori’s door is open, so come on in, cook, and eat!]


C. I Danced with the Peanut Butterflies (Closed to Disciple)

[Of course, even with how fun these cooking lessons are, a little quite time in between is always nice. (Not to mention kitchens don’t clean themselves…) So after doing some sweeping and mopping for the day, Kotori’s sitting at the bar counter with a nice, simple dinner with a steaming bowl of nyuumen and a cup of hot green tea. Perfect for a cool, peaceful autumn day like this… ……. Okay but maybe a miniature apple charlotte after this would be nice. After seconds, of course.]


D. Till Time Went and Told Me to Say Hello but Wave Goodbye (Wildcard)

[[Got something in find other than the prompts listed here? Feel free to hit me up on Plurk or Discord so we can plot!]]

Comments

[twilightskey]

[He huffs at Naomi, wanting to fight back, but settles for just huffing.]

I know, I know... sorry.

[He watches as Kotori drinks the potion, and gives her a relieved look and a nod of his own.]

Don't mention it. I was just glad to get you out of there...

[He pauses, the frown returning.]

But what set off Hyde? Why was he transformed?

[chatwithdeath]

You're welcome... and apology accepted.

[Huffing... yup, he's a teenager.]

[While Kotori and Roxas talk, Naomi will begin examining Kotori's wrist. She was attempting to not use it and the fact the potion did little in terms of healing... yes, that was likely it.]

[ricebird]

[It does feel a little better, at least the swelling has gone down- or at least it feels better until Naomi examines it and she needs to flinch- but yes, that might need something a bit more intense.

As for Roxas's question... THAT makes her freeze even more.]

I... I don't know... I think he was... already Hyde when he came... I ran downstairs when he ripped the door off. And then... then he started shoving this bloody bag in my face and whispering in my ear and--

[Yeah, no, she's starting to tense up and hyperventilate again.]

[twilightskey]

[Oh no. Seeing her hyperventilate like that makes him start, then reach out and rest a hand on her shoulder.]

I-It's okay, Kotori. Hey, look at me. [He moves so he's closer to her.]

He's gone. He's not here. We're safe. You're safe, and he's not going to hurt you.

[chatwithdeath]

[Fortunately, it's not a break. A brace would do to hold the fracture while it healed. However, she had to... sigh at the recount that Kotori gives. Hyde - she still hadn't met him, but tact was definitely not something he apparently had.]

[And recalling the details, Kotori was having a panic attack.]

Slow, deep breaths, Kotori. Concentrate on Roxas.

[ricebird]

[The hand at her shoulder and the soothing words help a little. She leans into the touch and TRIES to slow her breathing down, but the fear's too strong right now.]

I don't know what to do. What if he comes back for me, he said he-- [sniff!] He was going to kill and... and eat me, I...

[And from what she's heard... who knows if he'll follow through on that.]

[twilightskey]

He won't lay a finger on you. I promise, Kotori.

[It's subtle, but there's a flash of anger in Roxas's eye, and a way he clenches his fist at the mention of Hyde. Hyde... he's so sick of hearing about him. Every time he appears, he just hurts people. He knows Disciple isn't to blame, but he really hates how Hyde keeps causing havoc...]

[But as quick as the anger rises, it dissipates with Kotori's fears. He takes her hand in his own, and not knowing what else he could do, he starts humming softly to Kotori. He lets his magic go into his humming, to help her calm down. He hopes Naomi isn't affected by the magic, but he isn't sure if he can just focus his magic on one person.]

[chatwithdeath]

[Fortunately, Naomi is also a merfolk - magical singing in many forms does not affect her. While Roxas works on calming Kotori, Naomi can set her wrist without worry. Both of them would need to clean up, but... later.]

[She'll leave them for now, organizing her potions, and check on the brewing process of her current batch.]

[ricebird]

[Ah... that sound again, even now it gently takes her and eases her out of the grip of panic, breath slowing even as a few more tears fall, and her hand squeezes his. She looks to him with weary eyes as she sniffles again and tries to compose herself.]

Thank you... I... I'm sorry I couldn't do much.

[Even with Della trying to train her, she's still weak and useless, needing to be saved because her best wasn't good enough.]