VIDEO [Backdated to 2/15]

[lastcomfort]

[ The broadcast starts with the shifting of the camera to show they’re in someone’s lovely abode. Hm. Maybe you’ll recognize some people in passing before the show starts? Once the the camera is balanced, everything comes to light.

Welcome to Mochi House Kitchen where our heroes, Akira Kurusu and Orihime Inoue, are suit up in the ugliest aprons you have ever seen. For reference, Akira is in this one and Orihime is the buff cook. ]

Hello! It’s so nice to have everyone together again. We’ve been up north for a while and we missed Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have something to show everyone our appreciation!

[ Akira doesn’t seem to get the memo that they’re recording. Thinking that she’s still practicing or whatever, he asks: ]

Hey, do you think we should use ghost peppers for a separate chocolate filling? Not in all of them, but maybe a handful.

Oh, yes! We don’t want those to go to waste.

[ Which she will actually start to place the ghost peppers with some onion and the chocolate on empty dumpling wrappers. As she folds them over carefully and sets them to the side, it should be noted that they look...almost entirely the same as the regular chocolate filled ones from the outside. ]

Stop by and try your luck today with a free stuffed penguin today! Maybe I’ll just let you do all the talking. [ Wait, this is supposed to commemorate the holiday. Whatever. ] Where did you get these aprons, anyway?

I picked them up at the thrift store! I thought we might want to dress the part if we’re cooking for everyone. They’re very unique, aren’t they? I’ve never seen anything like them before!

[ Probably for a good reason. But they're on the Valentine's Day theme, right? ]

They’re perfect.

[ Orihime smiles then turns purposefully to the camera. ]

They’ll be ready soon, so get them while they’re hot!

Wait, were you recording?

[ And then she waves and turns off the feed. ]

Comments

[lalliho]

No, not Newfoundland! Finland!

[The trouble with spoken communication...]

I used to see the lights like that all the time when I was a kid. I used to think it was normal... I miss it. [Man... Stupid Akira with his stupid luck.] Unless they're starving, shouldn't wolves leave people alone?

[maskreant]

[ You know what... He isn't even going to explain himself. It's fine. ]

Usually, yes. It seems like there's more at work here—darkness, possession, corruption. We're going to fix that somehow.

[lalliho]

[Oh no...]

Poor wolves...

[er. aight.]

I wonder why so many places have evil energy in them. Pretty places.

[maskreant]

We're helping the alpha dog out, so he'll be back to his grand, majestic self.

[ And Akira has High Hopes to pet this wolf. ]

Cross your fingers that we'll learn more about that when this is all over.

[lalliho]

Have you gotten to pet any wolves?

[Listen, just because he questions everyone else's priorities doesn't mean he has to always have his own in order.]

[maskreant]

No, I wish. They were too unstable for any petting.

[ Akira seems pretty disappointed in this and it's obvious... ]

Did you get to pet anything?

[lalliho]

[uhhhhh ignore this definitely not awkward pause]

No.

[maskreant]

[ There's an awkward pause back. ]

Why did it take you so long to answer with a no?

[lalliho]

Nothing.

[THAT'S NOT EVEN THE CORRECT ANSWER shut up]

We met dryads, they're plant people. People don't...pet people.

[cough]

[maskreant]

Who said that?

[ He's raising his eyebrows right now. ]

I've already proven them wrong.

[lalliho]

[mental screaming]

Ahn? ...Explain.

[maskreant]

I pet Futaba sometimes. She's like a little sister to me and she likes it.

[ Pretty reasonable. ]

[lalliho]

[...He's got many complicated feelings going on and it makes his response sluggish. He knows Futaba, obviously, since he's spent almost two weeks camping in the same area as her and she was a fellow Daiquiri alumna, but who's she was as a person was still a mystery to him. Didn't help that apparently she'd dated Leo the Science Stan up until the day before. Hard to earn respect with that in your back pocket.

But...hmn. She likes it, huh...]

Is she...different? Not bad, just...weird.

[maskreant]

[ How does he says it? ]

... She isn't like most people, so she doesn't fit in as fast as others. But I like her.

[lalliho]

[Hm. Lalli slouches a little -- not in a show of disappointment, but because he's able to relax again into his natural state. This...was good.]

Yeah.

[He doesn't agree about liking her, or anything, obviously, but. Yeah. Things made sense.]

[maskreant]

She's in your group, right?

[ At least from what he remembers... ]

You should ask about her Persona.

[lalliho]

[That raises a few questions... She has a persona... Why didn't she need to shoot herself to use it... What did that have to do with petting people or being on the autism spectrum...

In the end, he asks none of these.]

Is she going to want to talk to people right now? She's probably really sad and mad.

[maskreant]

[ Lalli........... not asking these questions may be one of the best things you’ve ever done. ]

probably not now, but maybe later to keep her mind off of things.

or you can pet her for me, instead. i don’t think you have the heart to do it, but there you go.

[lalliho]

[WOW, WHAT THE FUCK!!]

Don't be mean about it!

[He could totally have the heart for it, but he's not gonna anyway. Nyeh. S'what you get!!

(but no, he would just Die)]

[maskreant]

[ GODDAMNIT I FORGOT THE FORMAT ]

So you're scared.

[ He's going to be mean about it. ]

[lalliho]

Why are you like this!

[Mean!! Rude! Unnecessary!!!!]

[maskreant]

And you're not fighting me, so it's true.

[ LALLI, you had every opportunity to say that isn't true and he would take it. ]

[lalliho]

[Unlike Akira, he's a GOOD PERSON who would NEVER lie, not ever, definitely not in this conversation already out of awkwardness. Mostly he's just caught off guard by this...incredibly odd but accurate stab at his character.]

It'd be weird, you -- briefcase! [jesus fuck did that have to be the only word his brain supplied as a petty insult in this moment] Buhhh.

[maskreant]

Briefcase.

[ Huh. He's basically talking to himself right now. ]

I've never been called a briefcase before.

[lalliho]

[weeps]

You made me forget English.