compnetwork | 4. Text, Action

Hello, everyone! You may have already noticed from the stores, but tomorrow is a holiday called Valentine's Day. I know not everyone is from Earth so I thought that it might be good to explain it.

Valentine's Day started in the West as a religious holiday, but it's turned into a holiday for showing people you love them! In some countries, you mostly give gifts to your girlfriend or boyfriend. In Japan (and Hinoto-ri) though, it's different. On Valentine's Day, women give chocolates to the men they know, and next month, on White Day, the men give gifts in return. Giving a guy fancy chocolates means you really like them! (o⌒.⌒o)♡

[If this were voice, this is where it would turn more serious.] A lot of us are waiting for people to come home, and we don't know how we can help that to happen yet. The people you love the most might not even be in the city at all. But we can still have fun for a day. And who knows... they might even show up tomorrow in time to celebrate.

...Anyway, if there are any girls (or boys, even) who want to learn how to make Valentine chocolates, come stop by the Iwatodai Dorm today. I have some ingredients ready. [attached: directions.txt] And if you have a recipe of your own you want to try, bring what you need and we'll make it, too!

[Action, Iwatodai Dorm]

[As promised, Minako has a good amount of chocolate and related materials getting ready for use. She's got the door to the kitchen open and the stoves working melting the chocolate, but a lot of the ingredients are spread out on the large dining-room table in the lobby. She's not sure how many people will take her offer, after all.

It may seem odd to do all of this when she doesn't even know if her intended chocolate recipients will be home tomorrow. But keeping busy has always been her trademark. When she's focused on other things, or other people, she doesn't have to worry about herself. So really, this level of activity isn't strange at all.]

[Note: Feel free to threadjack in the action part! Everyone probably won't be working individually the whole time, after all.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[Orihime wasn't entirely sure what to do. She's still horrifically new to the city, and Minako's invitation was the first thing she saw once Orihime figured out how the comm system worked. At first she wasn't sure if she should go, still feeling wildly out of place, and not wanting to impose in case the invite was issued mostly toward friends Minako already had. She also wasn't even sure who she'd give chocolate to, not knowing a single soul in the entire city.]

[But the girl seems so friendly, and the directions were very helpfully attached. Maybe making chocolate would be a good way to meet other people, and get more accustomed to the city. Besides, who didn't like chocolate?]

[Orihime makes a brief stop at the store in order to pick up a mixing bowl set and a wooden spoon, both things she plans on using anyway. Cooking parties never have enough utensils and bowls, so it's better to bring extras just in case!]

[When the door opens, Orihime stands with a sheepish grin on her face.]

Is this the pizza party? Hee hee!

[She's kidding. It's just hard to tell sometimes.]

So Akihiko-san likes protein bars. [That might be a good thing to remember in the future. She'll take every tidbit of information she can to get to know her friends better.] ...Yeah! I'd like that. Cooking's important, isn't it?

Oh... right.

What if you don't know which you are?

[Specifics? What's that?]

[Which...? Oh.]

Well, gender isn't really the important thing. Do you have someone you want to give chocolate to?

... She's not here.

He likes protein in general. And beef bowls. A lot more than sweet things anyway... but since it's Valentines' I thought chocolate protein bars would be a good compromise.

[She picks up a mixing bowl and hands it to Labrys.] Then let's go into the kitchen! I have the ingredients in there.

[Thank you for coming into the lobby at least, Nano. Minako is taking some sweets out of the oven right now.]

Hello! Are you here for the chocolate-making?

[Labrys takes the bowl and follows her inside. So far, so good!]

So these'll kinda be like protein Valentines. Everybody's gettin' really excited for the holiday. Does this mean Akihiko-san is your Valentine, Minako-san?

Huh? No! I mean... he's my friend, but not my boyfriend.

[Even knowing Labrys is ignorant of Valentine customs, she has a sudden moment of second-guessing herself. Are protein brownies too much? Is Akihiko going to misinterpret?

...What is she thinking, honestly. It's Akihiko. He wouldn't get it even if she gave him actual honmei choco.]

[Minako texts Cloche back a confirmation that it is indeed okay. When she arrives at the dorm, Minako is in the back, melting some more chocolate for use in molds.]

Of course not! You're just in time.

But Akihiko-san is a boy, right?

[Apparently there's a difference between boy friend and boyfriend. And Labrys is ignorant of it.]

[ Someone is a little lost. He's just trying to find his way back to the apartment he's been given, but Natsume seems to have wound up in the wrong district, and while he is trying to figure out this weird COMP device he was give yesterday, Natsume stumbles across this broadcast and realizes he's pretty close by, so after locating the dorm, he fiddles for a while and figures out how to send a message back. Maybe this person will help... ]

Pardon me, but I'm new here and a little lost. But I think I'm outside your dorm. Could I trouble you for directions to the Pisces Apartments?

[Labrys......

Does she have to give her 'The Talk'??

Actually, Ryoji is hanging around the building. She definitely has to give her some kind of talk.]

That's true, but that's not what a boyfriend is. Um... Your boyfriend or girlfriend is a special person that you love more than anyone else, and want to be with romantically. It's different from them being your friend or family.

OKAY, OKAY HOLD ON MISS, TALKS-A-LOT.

1 - WHY WOULD YOU HAVE HOLIDAYS TO CELEBRATE LOVE, THAT'S REALLY DUMB
2 - WHAT ARE CHOCOLATES AND WHY WOULD WE NEED TO GIVE THEM TO BOYS
3 - ARE YOU SAYING IF WE GIVE A GUY CHOCOLATE THEY HAVE TO GIVE US A GIFT IN RETURN?! SCOOOOORE!
4 - (o⌒.⌒o)♡ THE HELL?! YOU CAN MAKE FACES IN THIS THING????

Edited 2013-02-14 02:08 (UTC)

[Instead of an answer, a minute or two later Minako sticks her head out the front door, locating the awkward-looking person staring at his COMP.]

You don't have to text me about it - it's cold out here, come inside!

Oh, I guess that makes sense!

[She's pleased with the explanation, but quickly realizes that she doesn't have a special person yet. She thought all of her male friends should receive Valentines. She looks a little down now.]

Well... Chocolate party, but it's still a party!

[Minako assumes the girl is kidding, but in this city... sometimes you can't be certain.] Come on in!

But Valentines' Day isn't just about having someone like that. That's why I'm making these for Akihiko-senpai - because he's my important friend.

[Don't look sad, Labrys...]

Well, all of my friends are important to me, because they're the first friends I ever had.

[Sadness defeated! She's thinking about how everybody helped get her out of the TV World now. ~~And how Kanji was half-out of it.~~]

[It...would be nice to get some help trying to make chocolates this year. Actually, this is the first year Yukiko had the choice to make some and honestly, this would be a good distraction from three of her friends gone missing. Not too long after the message got sent out, the priestess made her way to the dorm with extra ingredients just in case more people decided to show up.

It would be just awful if they ran out of things in the middle of making and would have to stop. But there was one ingredient that was...rather different. A small box of pink...rocks? Actually, it's pink salt. ~~No seriously, it's awesome in chocolate~~

There'll be a knock at the main door now...let her in, Minako?]

Yes, that's right! I hope it's okay. I brought my own ingredients.

[Well that got him out of his litle argument.]

Hm? [Ah. He was being let in.] Yeah. She's... important to me. [Damnit, why was he blushing? He comes inside, admiring the setup of the dorm.] Not bad. How'd you find this place?

I wonder if they would mind a late Valentine's gift? I wouldn't mind keeping it around for a little while if I had to.

[Though, of course she hopes otherwise.]

I'd like to try making chocolate too, if that's okay. I've never done it before.

...I suddenly feel like I forgot to do something...

[...

>For some weird reason, you suddenly feel inexplicably annoyed.]

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Meanwhile, in another dimension

not here; i'm so sorry