[07] move along, move along just to make it through

[judicialassistant]

Who: Susato and anyone
Which: Open catch-all log for September + network option
Where: The Wild Harvest garden, but open to other locations.
What: Yujin Mikotoba has left Songerein.
Warnings: Will add if needed.

🌸 A. an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Sender: Susato Mikotoba
To: Everyone
Subject: Reverein's clinic

[ It's short, and to the point. Susato doesn't use the journal often to broadcast like this, but now that she is, she feels it prudent to be as direct as possible. ]

To whom it may concern:

For the past couple weeks, the Reverein communal clinic has been without a proper doctor to run it. If you are in need of aid, please be patient, as the volunteers are doing the very best they can.

If you have medical experience and would like to help, please let me know. Thank you.

Regards,
Susato Mikotoba

🌸 B. move along, move along, like i know you do.

[ Within the garden of the Wild Harvest, among the faint hissing of snakes and the lull of the waterfalls, Susato closes her journal and tucks away her pen. She takes a deep breath as she moves to stand from her favorite bench, and she walks with purpose into an area littered with stars that look like stepping stones upon the ground.

For a moment, she stops and simply stares. There it is. A blank star, waiting for a name. Perhaps it appeared some time ago. Perhaps she simply ignored it, but after digesting recent events, she has no time to wallow in the remaining stages of grief. He's not even dead, but she wonders if that doesn't make things worse.

Either way, she doesn't even need a pen. She slowly bends down, spending another moment feeling the rough surface of the starfish with her hand before she commits with her pointer finger.

The strokes appear in a glow, and the end result looks engraved. ]

御琴羽 悠仁

🌸 C. wild card.

[ If neither of these fit! ]

(( ooc: Feel free to write your own prompt/starter, or if you'd like me to write a personalized starter for you, hit me up at yammdere or via PM!

Side note: I would love to incorporate Quest #902. Hug it out if you hit prompt B. uwu ))

Comments

[skyglider]

[It's taken Link some time to finally seek out the Wild Harvest, but when he finally does, he understands why it was recommended to him. If nothing else, it feels a little more like home than much of the rest of the town.

In all honesty, he doesn't realize he's intruded on a private moment, at first. He was curious about the stars, but he doesn't know anything about them, or why they're there. When he moves closer, begins to read the sign, he comes upon Susato's quiet, presumably private moment. He knows that he should announce that he's there, but...is it better to interrupt? He's never been very good at navigating situations like this.

After a moment, he softly clears his throat.] Hello. I didn't mean to intrude.

[judicialassistant]

[ There's a sign that explains exactly what the stars are for, but Link would be forgiven for not knowing. It's his first visit; the etching of the names is very subtle until the stars are stepped on, causing the engravings to glow faintly; and besides, who reads signs anyway? She has one warning of the snakes that make their home here, but even so, they and the customers still find ways to surprise each other.

...All this to say, the presence of someone new is certainly welcome. It's been a slow day, and it doesn't look like she minds the interruption. Whatever moment she had was over anyway. ]

Oh, hello. You haven't interrupted, I was just...

[ She's more of an open book than anything, but she still prefers not to burden a stranger with her emotional baggage. So... ]

Did you need someone to take your order?

[skyglider]

[Link is relieved to note that she doesn't seem to mind terribly that she was interrupted, but the question brings to mind the fact that he actually...doesn't really have any idea what he's doing here, beyond being told he should look into the place sometime. Not that he wouldn't eat, but he doesn't even have any money with him. That's something he should probably change, at some point. Anyway, he shakes his head.]

I've never been here before. [...he says, as if that explains anything] Someone told me I should try coming here, since I like to cook.

[Thoughtfully, he examines the stars, the faint glow of the etchings.]

This is different from what I was expecting.

[judicialassistant]

[ It's okay. What reason does he really need to want to come to a restaurant, particularly when the food is free? Isn't he hungry...?

She decides not to ask. Instead, she seems to brighten at the mention of cooking. The fact that he was recommended to come here does not escape her either--perhaps it is all the effort they put into promotion at work.

At last. ]

Ah! Well, I don't know what you expected, but... My name is Susato Mikotoba, and I am one of the cooks here. So I suppose we have that in common.

[skyglider]

[Now that she mentions it, he's not entirely sure what he expected either. Something more like the bar in Gerudo Town? One of the shops that sold food...? Most of them only sold ingredients; you couldn't really call them a restaurant. Hm. He doesn't really have any basis of comparison, does he?

At least she seems to have cheered up a bit.]

Nice to meet you. My name is Link.

[The restaurant seems unreal in the same way that much of this world feels unreal; like something out of a dream. Maybe that makes sense, the nature of the place being what it is. Either way, he can't deny that he's curious.]

What kind of food do you make here?

[judicialassistant]

[ Link...

There is a pause as she looks at his face, committing it to memory along with his name. ]

Pleased to meet you as well. It entirely depends on what ingredients are available, actually. There are so many different people here from all walks of life that we try to introduce something new every month.

This month, we are making different types of something called a "taco."

[skyglider]

Do ingredients often change?

[All said, once he gets past the awkwardness of just interrupting someone clearly in the middle of A Moment, asking questions like this is kind of what he's all about. That's what he gets for being curious. He's encountered ingredients that vary based on region, but the way she words that makes it sound almost as if things come and go just like the people here do. What a challenge that would be.

It's nice that they try to be inclusive, though. Nicer still for those with curious palettes who are interested in trying new things.]

A "taco"...what's it like?

[judicialassistant]

[ Susato nods. There are some recipes that they won't mess with, but there are some they are willing to make substitutions for as needed. That aside, she seems to perk up at the question.

Perhaps she is glad that she is not the only one who has never heard of a taco before her time here. ]

Well... The kind that is most hearty and filling is what we've called our 'Bountiful taco.' [ She takes a breath, perhaps about to regale him with all the ingredients and how they're cooked, but... maybe it'd be easier to show him. She gestures for him to follow, leaving the garden behind with one last look.

Once they're back in the main dining area, she points to a picture on the wall that seems to showcase the month's menu items. ]

Here it is. Are you a fan of meat, Link...?

[skyglider]

[Fascinated, he studies the picture. It's easy to see why she would use the picture to explain it in the first place; he can't even begin to think of what words he would use to tell someone about the concept.

In a way, perhaps that has been the most exciting aspect of being here. There's something he truly misses about his solitary travels, about Hyrule...but nowhere else would he be able to hear about such a vast and prolific range of foods that are, in all ways, utterly foreign to him.

He glances at Susato and nods at her question. Then, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, he adds,] ...I'll try almost anything once.

[judicialassistant]

[ I'll try almost anything once. Her favorite type of people to cook for.

She chuckles a bit at the way he's scratching at the back of his neck, because it makes him seems kind of shy. ]

Don't worry, I won't be offended if you can't finish it. Just let me go into the kitchen and I will see if I can't whip one up... Alright?

[skyglider]

[That's not an unfair way to describe him, to be honest. In any case, as much as he wants to say something like oh I wouldn't worry about that (which is true), he hesitates at what seems, to him, like the elephant in the room.]

I'm afraid I didn't bring any money, today.

[Which, in hindsight, seems like another way in which this entire visit was not well thought-out. Any merchant in Hyrule would probably be ready to drag him for that admission.]

[judicialassistant]

[ Ah... He truly is a new face, then. Not that she can blame him. She shakes her head to assuage his worries. ]

We don't require that here.

[ We don't talk talk about the leprechauns and their bank, either. ]

You'll see. Feel free to have a seat while you wait. I'll come find you.

[skyglider]

[... Oh. Well then. He looks surprised and...maybe a little confused. Perhaps in hindsight that seems fitting, with the way this world seems to be structured. Dreamotion seems to make almost anything possible; perhaps things like food and shelter are part of that.

It...it's still taken a bit of getting used to.]

Ah...alright then.

[He takes a few moments to look around before finally settling, a little awkwardly, at a table nearby.]

[judicialassistant]

[ While Link settles, Susato disappears into the kitchen, leaving Link to take in more of the interior, including a bar (which old man 76 has temporarily taken over for Tifa for a while), and the accompanying karaoke machines. It takes about twenty or thirty minutes, and on the way back, Susato stops to talk with another customer, all the while holding a tray with what is clearly Link's taco bowl.

After a moment, she places gently it at his table in front of him. ]

Sorry if I kept you waiting. I've just taken another order I have to make, but please enjoy it.

[ Next to the plate is a glass of water. Something to tide him over until they can bring him something more flavorful--if he wants it. ]

[skyglider]

[Wild Harvest seems to be both alike, and wildly different from, the eateries Link has become familiar with in Hyrule. It's to be expected, he supposes, when things in this world are built partly on dreams. But he spends a large portion of the wait time just taking it in, occasionally wandering back to the table as if he'd forgotten the reason he's there.

It's more that he's just curious about the place. The dreams that built it. He has a hard time restraining himself when it comes to that curiosity sometimes.

All this to say, he seems a little surprised when Susato does return, moving back toward the table. Kept waiting? Has it really been that long? He shakes his head a bit, offering a little smile. Even if the building itself is quite unique, it seems like it works the same way as the places he's used to.]

It smells incredible.

[...in a way that's hard to place. Something unmistakably spicy, salty. Is savory the right word for that? No idea. But he restrains himself from launching his entire face into the taco bowl, at least, offering a grateful nod.] Thank you.

[judicialassistant]

You're welcome.

[ Susato is beaming at the compliment. She may have lingered for a moment, eager to get his reaction, but she does that less nowadays than when she first started, so she just finds herself bowing. ]

Stay as long as you like, and please call for me if you need anything.

[ Just before she excuses herself, she will add: ]

It was good to meet you.

[skyglider]

[Link's version of an effusive compliment is a little less...well, just less, than what some people might call gushing. But for him, that's the top of the tops, and it takes real, actual effort to restrain him from just sticking his face in the food with her standing right there. Instead, he manages to nod once more, offering a grateful expression.]

You too, Susato. Thank you.

[He means it, too. It's not every day you get to meet people who are as passionate about food and cooking as you are.

He politely waits until she's excused herself to start digging in.]