Would You Do It For A Gwen Snack?

    It's around lunchtime in Yamato, and a dark-haired Spriggan (is there any other kind?) wearing a cross between a gi and a nurse's uniform has ventured the streets of Alne. She is standing in front of Gwen's new shop and staring at the signage. "Chain Mail Bikini + 1 ..." she says, absent-mindedly, as her finger follows the Japanese ideograms.

    "...why plus one? I mean, Chain Mail Bikini I get, but why the plus one? Is it... some sort of permanent sale? Buy one get one free?", she wonders aloud.

As luck would have it a certain wolfgirl cait sith is just walking out of said shop after taking some time to actually rest between ventures. And because sharp wolf ears overheard the muttering. "It's a classic roleplay game phrase, Uta. Gear that has some kind of enchantment or other bonus is often refered to as 'plus one' because it's that much better," Shiruba holds up two fingers in a pinched close but not quite touching gesture. "Or that's how Gwen explained it at least."

    Uta stares at the wolf-girl, blinks, and smiles. "Oh, thanks! That would explain it. There's a lot of... numbers going on with this whole game thing, and it's good to know about it." She turns to look at the signage. "...as far as we know, uh, stuff might actually give us numerical bonuses in this reality, soooooo.... might as well start learning about it." There is a short pause, then she turns to look at Shiruba again. "Which reminds me, hi! I haven't greeted you earlier, so I do it now!" She extends her arms towards the shop, to draw attention to it, while still looking at Shiruba. "We helped to make this possible! We did a thing! Isn't it great?"

"The numbers go higher with bigger bonuses of course. But since this is still just the starting area, +1 seems appropriate." Shiruba smiles, her tail wagging a few times of it's own volition with her emotion. "We sure did... Gwen might do something to make us wonder about it later when she needs models, but we certainly did." As long as she gets more 'real food' she will endure. And just snark at her best friend about it.

    Uta blinks and turns to Shiruba. "Gwen is going to need models? For, like, what, paintings? Why would Gwen need paintings?" A moment of pensive silence as she taps her chin. "I mean, uh, actually, it makes sense. There is no photography in this world, nor printed posters... if Gwen needs 'posters' in her shop, well, they'd have to be paintings..."

    "...but what does that have anything to do with us?"

Shiruba just stares for a long moment. She knew Uta was a bit of a scatterbrain, but sometimes it seems like it's really REALLY absent-minded. "No, you goofball. To wear some of the outfits so people can see the different styles. Especially since this world doesn't have manniquins unless she finds someone to carve them out of wood and..."

Shiruba pauses. Ears tilt back a little. "Wait, am I the only one she's been try to bribe into doing that?"

    Uta's expression turns into shock. "...this world doesn't have /mannequins/?! Then how is Gwen going to display her merchandis-"

    "....oh."

    "...uh. Well, uhm, she /might/ have mentioned something I'm supposed to do once she opens the shop, but at the time I was kind of following a different train of thought... like... technically, Gwen doesn't need a lot of storage space, she could just hold most of her stock in her inventory. And if she could get a second person on board, she could hire 'em just to be a living warehouse. 99 items in the space of an average person! If that person is Jazz, it's even in /less/ space than the average person. So I thought that that would have been a pretty sweet job, and-" She looks down and away, scratching the back of her head. "...I kind of missed what I was /actually/ supposed to do."

    She returns a smile to Shiruba. "But I'm almost sure I /did/ accept, though, so I'll find out soon enough!"

Shiruba lets out a sigh of... relief isn't quite yet, but it's certainly a sigh of less concern. "Thank goodness. If I have to suffer getting stuffed into some goofy casually cute clothing and put on display just for some proper food, I'd rather it not be alone." Her tail gives an anxious flick as she peered off to the side and muttered something akin to 'at least there's no flannel in this world yet'.

    Uta's attention turns to Shiruba again. "Hold it right there, hold it right there for just a minute! What did you say that we're going to-"

    Her eyes narrow. "...receive as compensation for whatever it is that we are going to do? We're getting /real food/?! Like... tasting like /food/ and not /soggy crackers/?"

    She slaps her hands together and licks her lips. "Oh, man, this is going to be the best job ever! And all I'll have to do is-"

    Space out. Eyes narrow and brow furrows in concentration, and her mouth opens slightly. She raises one finger, and makes circular motions in one direction or the other, as if she was rewinding or fast-forwarding some mental tape, with her pupils darting one way or the other accordingly.

    After what seems like a normal speed reply, her eyes pop open again. "...oh no. Stuffed into goofy casually cute clothing and put on display?!" She turns to Shiruba. "...is that what I've agreed to?"

Shiruba shrugs and rolls her eyes. "Maybe not -goofy-, but... but yes, Gwen is one of the people that's figured out how to cook reasonable food in addition to her tailoring." She points at the small offshoot of the shop. "That's why it's got a simple food kiosk too. I mean, there's worse things to be paid with."

Uh, maybe she's opened her mouth a little too much. At least she hasn't stuck her foot in it... yet... She does seem to have made a nack for speaking before she thinks it through thoroughly because she doesn't have all the enforced parental filters to deal with in this world, though.

In an effort to downplay the matter she just shrugs again. "Gwen and I go back a fair ways, to outside Elder Tale. Don't take my best friend teasing as anything too serious."

    "Oh, Gwen is your best friend?" Silence. Blink. "...it must be nice to know someone already in this situation."

    "...come to think of it, I... have not had many friends since... school, pretty much. Kind of lost touch with them," she says, the last part kind of mumbled, and reprises, "...and didn't really make many afterwards. Hm. It'd be nice to know someone already..."

    Suddenly realizing that apparently the discussion is not going in a pleasant direction, she smiles. "...but ah well, I'm making plenty of friends anyway, so that's good. It is, if nothing else, an advantage of being stuck here. I'm forced to form non-casual, more long-standing social relationships. That kind of... has worked out, hasn't it?"

    "Yeah, speaking of her teasing... I cannot really tell when she's teasing or not, to be honest. You say that when she says things she might be teasing and not meaning it?"

Shiruba just sort of awkwardly smiles as Uta goes off on a tangent that she can, honestly, relate to rather well. Besides Gwen the only reason Shiruba really has any reasonable social interaction capability is because her player worked in a cafe as an after school job.

Though before she can say much Uta switchs to a -different- tangent again. Shiruba blinks, then pinchs the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Teasing is usually a playful exaggeration of an idea or action, Uta, not lying. Don't overthink it."

Good grief, is this how Gwen or Kaydon feels when Shiruba gets confused by their Americanisms? It's more annoying that she realized...

    Uta, still frowning in concentration, says, "...okay," and her expression relaxes at once. Distended muscles, eyes stare in the distance, smile.

    "...oh, man, this 'not overthinking' feels great. I should do it more often."

    "...anyway, uh, can you remind me again why we have come here?", she asks Shiruba.

There is a stall out in front of the Chain Mail Bikini +1 she's been busy working the lunch rush, for the most part, her fair is simple and she generally clears out before the end of lunch, she's only one woman after all and she can only make so much. She's also in a french maid outfit, yes she is a maid outfit. She's been watching her two friends for a little bit and she's also got what looks like to food containers in each hand as she approaches the two.

"I pay gold too you know. Don't worry if someone has to wear the bikini it's going to be me. At least till summer gets closer."

She'll hand the food packages to her friends. Dumplings, with french fries? Yes, fries also there's ketchup with it too.

"I don't know what you were doing here Uta. I was just getting ready to leave."

She pointed out the kiosk but didn't realize Gwen was actually working it at the moment. So when the elf steps out Shiruba sweatdrops at the realization she's probably heard a lot of their conversation. "Gwen I'm sorry I wasn't serious you kno--"

Then there's good food. "--Nevermind!" At least now Shiruba can shut herself up with something tasty, stuffing an entire dumpling in her mouth.

    Tears of joy stream down Uta's cheeks. "REAL. FOOD. F....FINALLY. R....REAL FOOD. My life is complete. I WILL FOLLOW YOU ANYWHERE GWEN!", she yells out to the maid. "Do I have to murder monsters? You name 'em, I do it." Another dumpling is scarfed down. "This is the best thing I've eaten in my new life..." Eyes closed, facing up, fist clenched. Tears of joy still streaming.

Gwen laughs at her friends responses. "Come on in we can talk and eat in there. Well, modelling outfits from time to time or even wearing some things when aboard I'll be giving you more than food you know." There are some wooden forks with the food too.

"Also you didn't think I'd wear my own creations?"

She notes about the dress.

"I'm just the heavy weapons maid if you will. I really owe all of you for the help with this. I have a home and a place for business!"

Fork? Nice touch, but who uses a fork for fries? Shiruba is perfectly fine with using her fingers. It's how this kind of food is meant to be eaten!

"Speaking of abroad," Shiruba comments between mouthfuls of food as they walk into the shop. "I'm going to be heading back to the Dominion for a while. I have a hunch that some of the materials Kaydon is going to need for his metalworking project need a quality level that can't be found in the beginning areas."

Uta stabs another fry with her fork as she crosses the threshold, and places the finely fried (and possibly seasoned) tater bit in her mouth. Repeat. So, yes, that's who uses a fork for fries. "Well, makes sense you'd wear them. You seem really passionate about... all this." Vague gesture with the fork, waved around to point at the shop.

    "Oh, yes, speaking of which, I haven't seen you in a bit, Shiruba. Have you been traveling?"

    "...or have I?", she wonders, eyes turning up to look at the sky as she taps her lips with her fork. "I am not entierely sure of what I have been doing of late, that is also a possiblility." This coming from someone who, moments ago, was all excited about having spent the last period helping Gwen with her shop.

    A blink. "Oh, hey, this place looks really nice," she comments looking around. "You've got plenty of stuff."

Gwen says "This is my seconc chance."

She doesn't say more about that. "What can I say I just like helping people look great."

She will sitr downa nd tear into her own food for the moment.

"been plotting smokies for next week, given sausage count as materials."

She notes looking to Uta and smiles.

"You helped this happen Uta and really? Yeah I hired a work crew to keep him in ore for this whole affair."

Shiruba bobs her head in an eager nod. "Been over in the Ninetails Dominion quite a bit lately. The Alliance has been working on establishing a relationship with them, so we can use their trade networks to start reaching out to the other kingdoms."

She pauses between answering Uta and replying to Gwen to stuff some more fries in her mouth.

"I know Gwen, but they're going to need to know where they can mine those materials. So it's time to put my exploration to constructive use!"

    Uta finishes munching on another fry, "Maybe you can take Jazz along, Shiruba. She seems to really like exploring." And Gwen gets an eager, "...you mean, like, grilled and/or smoked meat? Count me in." Of course, Uta's 'count me in' has to be qualified with 'if I don't completely go off on a tangent right at that time, but, hey, it's the intention that counts, rigth?

Gwen says "I should check out the Tails, I need to go lore digging to see what's change and to hunt for new market over there. Well long term hopefully, I will make the fashion mogules of the old world envious of what I will do!"

She then pauses "Travelling by ship? You are aware of the Leviathans are still a thing right?"

She then grins. "Shiruba and I have been exploring back in the old world together. I'm just going to say a thing here pulled pork...sandwiches."

Gwen will then go on to explain the details on the raid bosses to be.

"Yeah, they are. But the Dukedom trade ships are experienced in avoiding their attention." Shiruba licks her fingertips after finishing the end of her food. "That's why they were reluctant to risk pushing numbers to the Ezzo rescue. We're lucky we only got the undead fish things."

But Shiruba is never going to say no to more lore. Just like she won't say no to more food.

    Uta blows on yet another dumpling. "That's ambitous of you, Gwen, but, hey, to be fair, everyone is starting at the same level, here, and the competition is far less fierce. We adventurers are a relatively small number compared to people in the real world, and we do not have an encroached establishment to fight against. So, chances are pretty good."

    She turns to Shiruba. Back to Gwen. "...you two have discovered pulled pork sandwiches in the old world as part of your explorations?"

Gwen says "Yeah their crews are good so long as we have some guards on the ships it's been pretty clear sailing."

She think for a moment "It was terrible and I don't want to think about those thing. Totally, or more I think Shiruba did one time when she was invited over for dinner and Uther was working the BBQ. The other big discovery was Flannel..."

"Well we -do- have pork, because of boars. And I do have a higher chance at getting better quality meat drops with my Hunter skills. But really, shredding it and drenching it in sauce seems like more mess and waste than actual foo--"

Then Gwen says the dreaded word.

"--Do not bring that up!" Shiruba cuts in so fast she almost literally barks it. "I'm perfectly fine camping out in my leather and fur gear, thankyouverymuch."

    Uta frowns in confusion. "But flannel was known since at least the 16th century... what is that about? Is this some sort of... secret in-jokey code?" But at Gwen's response, she lights up in understanding. "OH! You mean... in the /game/ world!" She taps her lips with her fork again. "...if it can still be called a game. I... I am not sure the definition still fits." She looks at Gwen. "What's with Shiruba and Flannel?"

Gwen says "No I mean we met out of Elder Tale and found out we both played." She smirks for a moment and then pauses to go behind the counter getting a pair of packages wrapped in brown paper.

"With how out and about you are? Something a bit warmer might do you both better."

When the packages are opened both would find a long wool winter coat for each with the colour matching their own hair colour. (https://tinyurl.com/y3gbvfzz)

"I wanted to keep it simple at the start."

Shiruba turns a bit to watch Gwen walk to the counter and return. "That's not really necessary Gwen. I helped you get started because you're my friend, and your family is pretty much a surrogate for me by this point." She takes the package, and grins wryly. "But I also know you're impossible to tell no, so I won't bother trying."

She is quite meticulous in getting the packaging neatly open and not making a mess of it. It's rude to shred wrapping paper around someone's house you're a guest at. Needless to say, getting to finally pulling the coat out takes longer than it probably should of. "That's perfect! Especially if we need to go into the high mountains for resource hunting."

Uta , having conveniently finished the last bit of food at this moment and, unlike Shiruba, having dutifully used a fork for everything (including, somehow, ketchup? How did she do that?!), she sets down the packaging the food came in and, with completely clean hands, proceeds to unpack the present. "Ooooh. This is... wow," she says, looking down at it. "...A really nice coat." She looks up at Gwen. "I'll be honest, I was afraid it'd have been something... else." She smiles. "Time to put it on and see what it /feels/ like, I guess..." she says, and moves through the menu options to do it. "...time to finally try the 'equip' option! Let's see how it works..."

    Unless stopped, she'll proceed to do exactly so.

Gwen says "What it's not the time of year for something like you been fearing." She grins "I still need to model for the animated mascot when it's warmer to be honest." She looks over to Uta again "Don't either of you forget put the coat on with the menu system, it will be easier given wings and tails are now a thing."

She flex her own wings for a moment.

"Well I'm glad it will be of help for you Shir."

"I imagine wings are harder to work around." Shiruba pauses. "Unless we're talking hoods. Hoods and high ears do not mix well." Rambling aside she does open her menu and put the coat on though. Just like that. "Clothing for presents is a lot easier when you don't have to worry immeadiately about sizes to fit." Though Gwen certainly has her measurements stashed away somewhere. We try not to think about that and the horrors that may eventually come of them.

    Uta points out, "There were many things I have been fearing, many of which perfectly appropriate for winter. I am extremely skilled at conjuring terrifying yet unrealistic scenarios in my head." There is a coat-shaped shimmer, and lo, the black coat is now worn by Uta, correctly sized, fitting neatly, and with the appropriate openings to let her wings through. She gives her own wings a couple of flicks, and, satisfied with the result, runs one hand over the opposite sleeve, to assess its texture. "But I'm glad the diving-suit-made-entierly-of-bees scenario did not materialize. It's a huge relief."

Gwen says "Yeah that's why it's best to just equip it via the men then there's no problem it does make things a lot easier."

She pauses for a moment looking at Uta.

"Does it count Uther was a Angry Space Bee back in the day? Also that sounds like some stealth game boss costume."

The more she thinks baout iot but she takes a moment to look over the results. 5R
"IT seem to work good for you and it should help keep you warm!"

Shiruba just stares at Uta for a moment. "... And you think my skulking over flannel is odd, Gwen?" Oh well, bees didn't happen, so it's all good.

She gives Gwen a big hug. "Thank you! Definately the best surrogate big sister."

    "Uther who what now?", asks Uta, confused. She shakes her head, and continues, "I am forever grateful to you for this, Gewn. You shouldn't have! I can honestly say that I, but I strongly believe this applies to Shiruba as well, would have helped you even if you would not have given us anything in exchange. This is very appreciated and if you ever need anything from me, do not hesitate to call. Also, in case there's food."

    "But now, unfortunately, I must leave." She attempts to lift the collar of her coat, to look even cooler than she already does (because, let's face it, cool coat is cool). "Farewell, fellow adventurers. We shall meet again soon."

Gwen says "Flannel is wonderful material."

She looks to Uta.

"Uther, my father and Morri is my mother. Yes I'm the daughter of two massive /nerds/."

Mori's voice can be heard from up stairs.

"I heard that and you'd not be here if we were not!"

Gwen just gets this how did she do that look on her face.

"See you around Uta."