Blayz
Initiate
Lets hit 'em with that woah.
Posts: 36
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Post by Blayz on Apr 13, 2020 21:27:48 GMT -5
Well, come heaven or hell, the duo had officially joined the party. There was so much more to discuss and figure out, but for now? Lets just go along with whats being asked. Blayz took a deep breath before bowing to Sophia, Garrett and Rino.
"Thank you all very much, I will do my best!" he exclaimed. While his training dictates that he take the safest path to completing a mission, he should at least show gratitude to his newfound comrades. B.Jay in contrast, had a wide grin on his face.
"Thanks a ton for helping us out sweeties! We've got your back!" he boldly claimed. Hearing Garrett's question piqued his interest. "Just our luck! We have no place to stay at all! No food either!" as if he was almost bragging about that... "But rest assured! If you get Kitten here some ingredients, he'll whip up something for all of us!" he explained still grinning ear to ear. Blayz arose from his bow upon hearing his name, quickly looked at B.Jay then the newfound crew.
"Y-Yes! I may not be a gourmet chef, but I would be very happy to cook for you all!" he said breaking into a smile of his own. Cooking was one of his greatest hobbies andif that could help during these times? He'd cook his little heart out.
B.Jay then caught something out of the corner of his peripheral however... Just where oh where was Sophia just looking? That could be fun for later!
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Post by Jisui on Apr 14, 2020 0:52:24 GMT -5
"Its not a big deal." Garrett responded with a shrug in response to the gratitude he was receiving, turning back towards the road. He had the space for it anyway, and doubted that there were many alternatives to housing at this time of day. If one of them could cook too, it was a nice bonus.
"Rino, you coming too?" He questioned, glancing over his shoulder to his friend as he began to walk away.
"Mm, sure. I'll just let father know." Nodding in affirmative, Rino stepped in sequence to his side naturally. "We live near each other anyway, so it should be fine"
"Don't remind me."
Orlon Village Village Entrance
They had walked for a good fifteen minutes (after which Rino had thoroughly complained that her feet were falling off), before reaching the crest of a large hill. Once they were at the top, the group finally got their first look at Orlon Village in full.
They were greeted with the sight of a sun-kissed ocean crashing against rocky shores, and an eccentric, sprawling spatter of buildings and farms all connected through winding dirt roads. There appeared to be a type of plaza in the center of the village with a large fountain, along with a tall wooden watchtower over-viewing the village. Wooden buildings, straw-thatched roofs, stone and mortar, none of the houses looked quite the same, telling an untold story to anyone who saw them.
It was a simple village, and a simple life, with people that made do with the best that they had.
Taking a deep breath, Garrett immediately caught the scent of a salty ocean breeze mixed with pinewood, and couldn't suppress a tiny smirk. That never got old.
"My place isn't far. Come on."
As they began to walk through the village towards Garrett's house, it probably occurred to the group that this would have certainly been an ideal vacation spot, had it not been for one thing.
The total lack of anyone in the streets.
In some ways, Garrett was almost glad. It would have brought more questions than answers, especially considering they were traveling with some dubiously dressed individuals. Even then, it was clear from their facial expressions that even Garrett and Rino were clearly uncomfortable from the unsettling silence on the roads.
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Blayz
Initiate
Lets hit 'em with that woah.
Posts: 36
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Post by Blayz on Apr 14, 2020 13:38:05 GMT -5
Seeing the interaction between Garret and Rino made B.Jay chuckle, once this terrible mystery was all over? He'd go on the offensive with a little plan of his own. Blayz however was a little worried. They were friends yet he was so... mean? Callous? Rough around the edges? One of those, he wasn't used to that type of dynamic at all. Then again, the dynamic him and his friends share would probably weird out his new party members just as much.
As they shared a brisk little fifteen minute walk, the duo took in the sights they were now exposed to. An vast ocean that was dancing with the sun, large amounts of farms and buildings that all seemed interconnected. The place they were visiting was rural and rustic, something that which B.Jay had never seen and was currently completely enamored with. The glitz and glamour of a big city is more his speed, but this could be fun too.
They walked in silence admiring everything their eyes could take it but, B.Jay had noticed something even better. Garrett had smiled! Kinda, it was more of a smirk but, it was a new facial expression none the less! Yup, he'll be perfect for when this adventure is over! Hearing that Garrett's place wasn't far, they continued walking and something caught both of the duo's attention.
Where is everybody?
Sure, they knew that allegedly some people had gone missing but... This was worrying.
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Post by SlvrNight on Apr 14, 2020 14:20:58 GMT -5
Sophia turned to look at the village from atop the hill, sighing as she admired the sight. The village itself reminded her of home somewhat. The beautiful view, the sound of the ocean, and the mixed smell of salt water and nature in the air. This exact moment was filled with peace for her. Unfortunately, such peace was merely an illusion. The empty streets and complete lack of people forced the problems of Orlon to the front of her mind and she huffed quietly. People shouldn't be afraid to leave their own homes and just walk the streets.
Sophia turned back to Garrett and Rino, noticing their expressions.
"It'll be fine. We'll figure this out."
She wasn't sure what made her say this. She wasn't sure at all if they'd really be able to do this. If things would return to normal here.
But she would do her best.
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Post by Jisui on Apr 14, 2020 15:39:31 GMT -5
"It'll be fine. We'll figure this out."
"Thanks. We appreciate your help." Rino replied, smiling slightly on hearing the sincerity in Sophia's words. Ahead of them, Garrett was silent, although no doubt sharing a similar sentiment. The sooner they could solve this, the sooner life could return to normal for everyone in the village.
The group soon approached a quaintly sized house standing on a slight rise at the turn of a road. It was by no means remarkable looking, made largely of dark wood, plain and square-looking with a few windows streaming in warm sunlight from the evening sun. Reaching deep into his pockets, Garrett pulled out a small key and unlocked the front door, pushing it aside with a loud creak.
As the group made their way inside, it quickly became clear that Garrett fell under the "minimalist" category when it came to decorations. The house was by no means unpleasant to the eyes, but rather spartan looking. There was a long, mahogany dining table in the center room, with a few chairs placed around it. Near it was a fireplace that looked like it hadn't seen use in a fair while.
"Guest room is on the right. You two might have to share it, if that's alright." He glanced at Blayz and B. Jay and gestured over to a a closed door on their right side.
"I only have one bathroom, its over there. Tree lady can take my room down on the left. I have a spare bedroll, I'll sleep out here. Make yourself comfortable."
As they finished their brief tour, he watched as Rino walked straight up to a plush looking chair next to the fireplace, and proceeded to melt into it as if it were second-nature to her. Shaking his head with disdain, he began to make his way over to an area that seemed to be the kitchen, before noticing a stone pot in the center of his table. Curiously, he walked over to it and noticed a note attached.
"..." Scratching the back of his head, Garrett's expression softened into something resembling a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude, before he crammed the note into his pocket before anybody could read it. It still probably wasn't enough food for this amount of people, so he'd probably have to make something else.
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Post by SlvrNight on Apr 14, 2020 15:54:27 GMT -5
"I only have one bathroom, its over there. Tree lady can take my room down on the left. I have a spare bedroll, I'll sleep out here. Make yourself comfortable."
"No." Sophia instantly shot at Garrett, perhaps sharper than she intended.
She averted her eyes for a moment before clearing her throat and continuing. "This is your home. I'm not gonna kick you out of your own bed, even if you're making the offer yourself. I'll sleep in the bedroll. I travel a lot, so I'm used to that anyways. It's still an improvement regardless since I'll have a roof over my head."
It didn't feel right to sleep in a bed while the owner of the home had to sleep on the floor. He offered her and the others a place to stay for the night of his own volition, but that didn't mean she would take advantage of it.
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Post by Jisui on Apr 14, 2020 16:13:17 GMT -5
"Oh? You're the polite type, are you?" It was less to mock her, and more an observation. Strange woman, Garrett thought while collecting an assortment of pots and pans from his cupboards. In hindsight, she took almost no offense to being held at gun-point as well.
A normal person would have been at least a little upset or afraid. Strange. Abnormal even.
Shaking his head clear of the thoughts, he turned back to Sophia while placing a heavy cast-iron on a stovetop.
"Well, I'm not the type of argue. As long as you're sure."
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Blayz
Initiate
Lets hit 'em with that woah.
Posts: 36
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Post by Blayz on Apr 14, 2020 18:13:13 GMT -5
Upon entering Garrett's humble little abode, Blayz and B.Jay walked around to see that Garrett didn't have a lot of furniture or decorations. The phrase "Home is where the heart is." came across Blayz's mind, what came out of B.Jay's mouth however...
"Oooh~ How very cute! Its so down to earth, I like it!" he exclaimed. Thats a good way to describe it considering who Garrett has shown himself to be thus far. Continuing with the small tour, when Garrett showed B.Jay and Blayz the guest room and suggest they share, they both chuckled.
"Its funny because we live in the same apartment actually!" Blayz said with a cheerful grin on his face.
"Yeah! Although be careful, Kitten takes forever to finish getting ready" B.Jay smuggly replied.
"Wha-- No I dont! The only time I take any longer than ten minutes is when you call me into work!" Blayz responded
"Hmmm~ But Kitten, your work clothes have you wear less than you're wearing now! So why does it take you so long?" B.Jay quipped
"Because of the mental preparation I have to do! Besides, I dont wanna hear it from the guy who spent an hour getting ready before we set out!" Blayz fired back.
"Could you blame me? I had to pick out the right hoodie for this occasion! Speak of which." B.Jay said as he quickly unzipped his hoodie revealing even more of himself before breathing a sigh of relief. "Ah~ Much better!"
"Anyway..." Blayz said as he rolled his eyes and walked back to where everyone else was to notice that Garrett was hovering over a cast iron skillet.
"Oh! Garrett, I can cook if you want! What do you have in your fridge?" Blayz asked beaming and eager to help. B.Jay however went to go meet up with Sophia and Rino. Rino was completely spent but he had wondered something about Sophia. So he walked up to her with a coy grin.
"Hey sweetie! I over-heard you and Garrett talking back there. Ya know... Why dont you just both sleep in his bed? Back to back!" he questioned. Surely there's no harm in two comrades sleeping in the same bed, right?
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Post by SlvrNight on Apr 14, 2020 18:29:08 GMT -5
Sophia was relieved to hear that Garrett wasn't going to put up a fight about her sleeping arrangements. She wouldn't have pushed further if he insisted she take his bed because then she'd start to become rude. She watched him head into the kitchen and begin to get ready to cook, while Blayz went after him and offered to assist.
"Hey sweetie! I over-heard you and Garrett talking back there. Ya know... Why dont you just both sleep in his bed? Back to back!"
Sophia turned her head so fast that she had a realistic possibility of snapping her own neck.
"W-what?"
She was stuttering. Of course she was. What kind of a question was that? Why would she share the same bed as someone she just met?! She didn't even know Garrett for over an hour and this scantily-clad man was suggesting she sleep in the same bed?! What kind of place did he come from? Were personal boundaries so lax over there? Or was this just something about B. Jay in particular?
"That...no. T-that wouldn't work. I can't share a bed with someone I barely know. Sharing a bed with someone is often seen as something intimate, and that wouldn't be appropriate at all!"
Sophia's face had the slightest hint of red on it and it was clear from her voice that she was flustered by B. Jay's question but also clear she was doing her best to keep calm. She was originally going to say something against calling her "sweetie" but that was quickly forgotten.
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Post by Jisui on Apr 14, 2020 18:46:25 GMT -5
"Hey sweetie! I over-heard you and Garrett talking back there. Ya know... Why dont you just both sleep in his bed? Back to back!"
"She can't."
Everyone froze, including the people in the kitchen, as they heard an unexpectedly sharp response come from near the fireplace area.
Hugging a pillow tightly enough to cover the unusual flush tinting her cheeks, Rino's eyes widened as she realized what she said.
"T-The bed... its not big enough. That's why she can't." Her normally indifferent voice wavering slightly, the young woman stared down at her pillow and silently wished for the ground to swallow her whole.
"..." In the kitchen, ignoring the faint red that was beginning to creep up his neck, Garrett opted to completely ignore everything he had just heard in the room over. With a cough, he turned over to Blayz and pulled open his fridge.
Surprisingly, unlike his house, it was reasonably well-stocked. A plethora of seafood, ranging from unusual types of fish and what appeared to be shrimp, and a healthy range of fresh looking fruit and vegetables. Blayz would probably be quite happy to see it, if it wasn't for the fact that he probably hadn't seen a single one of these ingredients in his life. The wildlife and flora were completely unique to the Orlon Village region.
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Blayz
Initiate
Lets hit 'em with that woah.
Posts: 36
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Post by Blayz on Apr 14, 2020 22:57:43 GMT -5
Well... Thats a jumbo-sized can of worms B.Jay opened. Sophia's response? Sure. Rino's response? Maybe later. The scantily clad lad put his hands behind his head and awkwardly chuckled.
"Ahaha.. I'm sorry Sweetie and you too Angel! I was only thinking of making everyone comfortable. I had no ulterior motives, honest!" he apologized. Knowing B.Jay he didn't have any crazy thoughts in mind when he asked Sophia. He does now though. That'll be saved for another time however.
Moving over to the kitchen, Blayz's eyes were wide at the plethora of ingredients that Garrett had stocked up in his fridge. Different types of seafood, fruits and veggies oh my! Blayz instantly knew what to make for dinner. He quickly assessed what kind of veggies would be best suited for this dish. a few root types, some with a hint of sweetness and even some for varying textures. Then he took a look at the seafood selection and started to smell each one. Next he felt the firmness of a particular one. not too firm, not too soft, perfect! Moving on, he decided to examine the different fruits, this one was a no-brainer because there was this shiny green fruit that smelled of roses. Finally, he picked out some of the herbs by taste and smell. He was ready to assemble tonight's dish!
The first step was to prepare the veggies for a creamy stew! He boiled the root like vegetation to make sure they'd be evenly cooked in the final product then minced a few aromatics to make a mirepoix. He sauteed them until they were fragrant then set them to the side. Then he made a roux out of what looked like flour and butter, before adding in some cream for a slightly sweet taste. After his base was finished, he combined the root like veggies, the mirepoix, the roux, some milk, some broth, additional spices and herbs and gave it a quick taste.
"Hm... Needs a little pepper" he said to himself before adding a dash of pepper then setting it on a burner to simmer.
Next up? The fish! Luckily he didnt have to prepare the fish, but he decided that he'd season it and put it aside for when the stew would be closer to done. That way everything would be hot and filling.
Lastly, for desert? The onyx-haired fellow had planned to make a a fruit-tart! Although there wasnt any ready made pie-crust, he had all the time in the world to prepare one while the stew was simmering.
While he toiled away making a pie-crust, the smells of his luxurious stew was filling the kitchen. No time to get distracted however, people are bound to be hungry! He finished the crust for the tart, peeled and thinly sliced the fruit and made sure to mix them around with what spices, sugar and honey! He delicately placed it in the oven and dinner was almost done!
The stage had been set for everyone to have a warm hearty home-cooked meal! The stew was given one final mix. The tart was taken out of the oven and set to cool on the counter and Blayz had just finished cooking and plating up five portions of the fish that he seasoned and pan-seared. He quickly set the table with a bowl of stew, a smaller plate with the fish and a glass of ice water for everyone as he wiped his brow and called out.
"Dinner's ready!"
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Post by SlvrNight on Apr 14, 2020 23:13:23 GMT -5
Sophia narrowed her eyes at B. Jay, but decided to let the matter go. She shot Rino an apologetic look before making her way towards a nearby wall and leaning against it, killing time until dinner was ready.
As time went on, delicious smells of fish and cooked and spice vegetables began to enter Sophia's nose. She stood upright from the wall and looked towards the kitchen with confusion. She wasn't picky with what she ate, but she hadn't expected whatever Garrett and Blayz made to smell...quite so amazing. The nonhuman poked her head into the room and saw the stew, fish, as well as some kind of fruit-based dessert cooling off. Her lips parted and her eyes widened, but no words came out.
Frankly, she wasn't sure how to put how impressed she was into words.
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Post by Jisui on Apr 15, 2020 12:46:49 GMT -5
Garrett's House After dinner - 6:15 PM
Garrett pushed his bowl of stew forward, both reasonably full and reasonably impressed at how this had all turned out. It was less of the fact that Blayz had been a talented chef, and more that he had created a delicious course with ingredients that he had probably never seen. It was legitimately probably one of the best meals he had eaten in a while (albeit he was too prideful to admit it).
"This is one of the best meals I've had in a while." On cue, Rino stated his inner thoughts plainly, before spooning some fish to her plate. With the awkward moment from before largely forgotten, she heartily stuffed a spoonful into her mouth and stored it much like a chipmunk would.
"..." Ignoring that particular display of fine-dining, Garrett reached for a fruit-tart himself while casually striking up some conversation.
"So, what's all of your stories? Where are you all from?"
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Post by SlvrNight on Apr 15, 2020 21:06:47 GMT -5
"Oh my gosh, Blayz, this turned out amazing." There was nothing but pure joy in Sophia's tone as she ate her second bowl of stew, having a piece of the fruit tart on a smaller plate to her right. After another spoonful she put her right hand to her cheek and loudly sighed at the fantastic taste. If she died trying to figure out this whole blood moon issue, at least she had an amazing meal beforehand.
She had not moved her left arm the entire meal and kept it hidden beneath her shoulder cape.
"So, what's all of your stories? Where are you all from?"
Sophia froze for the briefest of moments, spoon of stew still in the air, before resuming like normal. After finishing the bowl she cleared her throat and figured it'd be rude to ignore Garrett's question.
"Well I'm from the north, from a pretty small village. My dad's an inventor, likes to tinker around with stuff, find ways to try and improve people's lives like that. Had a shop for it that I helped around in when younger. But that wasn't what I wanted my entire life to be about, so eventually I set off to see the rest of the world. Dad could never really do much traveling like that himself, so he asked me to observe and record as much as I could so he could experience it all himself in a way, you know?"
She averted her eyes for a second, as if remembering something suddenly.
"Plus...with how things are, especially after the war, I felt like I could do more good out here."
Sophia shrugged, looking mildly apologetic for not having something more interesting.
"That's it really. Nothing that special."
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Blayz
Initiate
Lets hit 'em with that woah.
Posts: 36
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Post by Blayz on Apr 16, 2020 15:04:56 GMT -5
As Blayz ate his own food, he gauged the reactions from his comrades to see that everyone seemed to be in a state of pure bliss which made him feel really good. "This is one of the best meals I've had in a while."
Blayz couldn't help but blush a little and smile at Rino's comment. "T-Thank you so much! I'm really glad you think so!" accepting the compliment. "Oh my gosh, Blayz, this turned out amazing."
"Right?! I knew Kitten would be able to make something that'd be lip-smackin' good!" B.Jay interjected patting Blayz's head. Blayz couldn't help but blush even more, but he was truly happy. Hopefully he can prove himself to be useful in the future when investigating while people were missing.
"So, what's all of your stories? Where are you all from?"
Uh-Oh... They hadn't really talked about what they were supposed to tell people if they were asked about their origins. What were they gonna--
"My dad's an inventor, likes to tinker around with stuff, find ways to try and improve people's lives like that." B.Jay's attention immediately snapped to Sophia with stars in his eyes.
"Woah woah woah, what?! Your dad's this super smart investor, Sweetie?! Thats amazing! I'd like to meet him one day to see what he's working on! I probably wouldn't understand any of it but, I'd try my hardest to learn!" he exclaimed grinning ear to ear. Now its the duo's turn to talk about their life. Well...?
"Hmm? Me and Kitten are from a far away town known as 'Velder'! I own, operate and work at my own nightclub; Les Duex. I also have my darling angel of a son Qayyim! He studies abroad in the city of aquatics Hamel! I know he dreams of being a doctor and I wanna support him in whatever endeavor he peruses! Oh! How rude of me, your turn Kitten!" the scantily clad lad answered then passed the ball to Blayz to keep this "natural conversation" going
"O-Oh! Well, like B.Jay said I'm also from the town of 'Velder" where he and I are roommates! Before that though, I used to live with my Ma and Pa in another city named Candor. While I love my Ma and Pa, I wanted to become my own person, so I set out on my own journey and met My Master! She taught me everything I know about the world! She's like a second mama almost!" he said smiling blissfully.
"And we couldn't have asked for a better 'brother' to be with us!" B.Jay chimed in with a smile of his own.
Huh... well, that went better than expected!
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