songerein | [CLOSED]

Entry tags:

[CLOSED]

Who: Marui and Leia
Which: Closed log
What: Dreamotion ability training followed by comfort and cuteness.
When: Afternoon and evening of Nov. 2nd
Where: Marui's treehouse
Warnings: None expected, will edit if needed

[ Marui's dreamotion abilities are not progressing well.

He isn't used to struggling with a new skill. He picks up on most things rather quickly. This, however, is quite simply a mystery. Maybe because it's so abstract? He's been able to do tennis and cakes with it like a true genius, but everything else has been a flop. The hot spring pool he made near his treehouse for bathing is uncomfortably small and shallow, and it occasionally mistakes itself for a geyser. His attempt to kill one of those giant termites with a bolt of lightning instead turned it into a particularly luminescent firefly. (On the upside, it's decided it lives with him and provides after-hours lighting around his house.) Bubble gum he'd thought for sure he could replicate as his supply dwindled to dangerously low levels, but the end result was too sticky to chew and popped while still in his mouth and that was great and interesting, perfect prank material, but not what he needed for everyday use.

He refuses to give up, though, especially in the aftermath of all that happened at that graveyard. He's determined to at least learn how to use it to protect himself and the people he cares for. And so now that he's given himself a one-day break to recover both physically and mentally from that ordeal, he's getting to work on that. Starting in the late morning outside his treehouse, he performs some warm-up stretches, rolls up his sleeves, and then... Well. This is about the part where he usually gets stuck. What should he try to do? In the end, what he most knows how to attack and defend with is still a tennis racket.

Well, no sense fixing what isn't broken. Time to invent some moves.

By the time lunch rolls around, Marui has worked up a decent appetite, and there is one thing and one thing alone that can satisfy him: cake. (Actually, some company would be nice too after spending all morning by himself, but hunger first.) Happily, cake conjuring is a dreamotion ability he's got down pat! He's even figured out how to conjure a platter for it to sit on now instead of the unfortunate (but admittedly hilarious) result of it splatting to the ground.

He takes a minute to imagine its shape, size, flavor, decorations, colors. It's easy with cake because he's seen, tasted, and baked so many. What would be really great right now is... yes. Perfect!

It's so real to him already-- the apple slices decorating the top; the warm and nutty aromas of maple, cinnamon, and pecan; how light and juicy it is inside with steaming apple pie filling between fluffy layers of spice cake! He's excited just thinking about it!

It feels like warm tingling at his fingertips. The cake realizes itself layer by layer, stacking higher and higher before disappearing inside a warm off-white encasement of frosting. Red-skinned apple slices radiate from the center on top in symmetry. Candied pecans line the base and accent the apple slices on top. An orange maple leaf pattern wraps around the side. ]

Yahoi! [ He cheers when it's done, and eagerly carves out a slice. ]

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[ Marui shrugs. Sure, he can do now, as long as she's fine with verbal instruction. Hey, it's lunchtime for him! He's hungry! ]

Do you know how to make cakes without dreamotion energy?

Uhhh...

[She really has to think long and hard about this one.

... Because she can't keep track of all the cakes she's failed to make properly. She smiles nervously.]

I've made a few.

[That were kind of disasters.]

[ Marui lifts an eyebrow and downs a big bite of his cake before he answers her. ]

Well, maybe it won't matter. First, decide what kind of cake you're going to do. Then think through how it would be made the usual way: ingredients, bake times, assembly. Then visualize it.

Okay, okay, slow down a sec! It's gonna take me a bit to think of a good cake.

Why don't you start with something simple. Try a chocolate cake. Just chocolate.

No way! It's go big, or go home! I got this, just hold on!

Right. Then, make me a four-layer pumpkin cake with salted caramel frosting and candied pecans.

But that's something you want to make! It should come from the heart! That's what cooking is all about.

[He doesn't get it, how is she supposed to feel passionate about it if it's not something she's made herself?]

And I just so happen to have the perfect cake in mind. Get ready to be blown away!

[ Oh, boy. ]

Right, right. You want the rest of the instructions now?

Yep! So... got the cake, the ingredients- what else?

This part is critical: you have to know this cake inside out. How it looks, the way it smells, the textures you feel in your mouth. Got all that? Then summon your energy and will it to exist.

Inside and out, huh? Okay, this'll be... a piece of cake!

[Well, if all goes right, it will be. And why wouldn't it? She's got the perfect cake in mind, and she can visualize each and every ingredient. She's feeling pretty good about this!]

All right, here it goes!

[ ...He is not touching that pun. ]

Good luck.

[ For his part, he's just going to work on his cake. His beautiful, delicious, perfect autumn cake. ]

[Cake is great, but you know what would make it better? Being combined with something else that's also great! Yes! Genius! Unbeknownst to most, this is often Leia's undoing. Just because things are individually great, doesn't mean they will retain that same level when combined with others.

So...

Just what ingredients has she deemed worthy of cake?

Well.

She closes her eyes to help concentrate.

It's time to visualize the cake: a chocolate molten lava cake.

Next come the ingredients: flour, eggs, sugar, chocolate, fudge. And the special ingredients- those neat little popping candies, gummies, and TONS of sprinkles!

And maybe some ice cream on top! It'd make a nice contrast with the hot, gooey inside.

Now comes knowing the cake inside and out part- appearance, smell, texture. She imagines each and every ingredient thoroughly, right down to the texture and shape of the gummy worms, popping candy, and rainbow coloured sprinkles.

And now for the very thing she has in spades- energy. She's got a lot of that to spare.

Outwardly, Leia appears to be intensely focused. Like. Insanely so. Eyes shut firmly, fists balled up in front of her, mouth shut tight (a rarity).

And soon, what ends up taking shape at the far end of the table appears to be a normal cake. A big, moist chocolate cake. One could feel the heat radiate from it. But not for long, because then a blob of vanilla ice cream appears on the top. But it holds strong. What isn't seen, however, is all the... surprise ingredients on the inside. Just waiting to be discovered ~~by some poor, unsuspecting soul~~.

However, it's done. The cake is there, and Leia finally opens her eyes to see her creation sitting before her.]

Success! See?! Told you I could do it! And it looks way better than I imagined it!!

[ A chocolate cake? After the way she rejected that concept off the bat? Marui is dubious. Sure, it looks normal, but should a cake really be giving off that much heat?

Oh. Ice cream. She wasn't done? Okay. That sure is a choice, putting it on top like that. Normally ice cream with cake is a no-brainer, but it's gonna be soup real fast sitting on top of such a warm cake. Hope Leia's a fast eater. Marui doesn't want to think about what cool liquid seeping into that cake is gonna do to it. Poor cake.

He chews on another bite of his own cake, having made some decent headway on the process of devouring it in its entirety. ]

Heh, so you did! Well done. Try and taste it.

[Marui has every right to be dubious... That's quite a bit of steam. And if he only knew what was inside, well.]

You want me to go first? Aren't you a so-called cake genius? Wouldn't it make more sense if you tried it before me?

[It's not the prettiest cake. It really does just look like a mound of chocolate cake- shaped like a volcano. Not that creative. But she's surprised she got even an ounce of praise from him and wasn't teased instead.

Hmph. He's probably thinking it, though.]

[ Yes. Yes he does want Leia to go first. Her answer to his baking skills question was not the least reassuring. ]

Mmmh... [ He sounds with uncertainty. ] I don't know. It's your cake. Shouldn't you be the one to try it first?

Is that usually how it goes? You're the teacher, so wouldn't you check how your student handled their assignment?

[It's not that she thinks the cake isn't going to taste awesome, but...

Okay, yeah, it's been known to happen. Sometimes! ~~A lot.~~ But it's not much of a surprise for what's inside if she cuts into it and goes first.]

Nope. [ Marui smiles kindly and finishes off another slice of his apple spice cake. ]

The best way to learn is to taste your own mistakes. [ He winks. ] Enjoy...

[Aaaaand there it is. Welcome back, Marui. So glad you could make it. She glares at him, flatly. By all accounts this cake looks perfectly normal, if not lacking a bit in the creativity department. But behind the bland appearance lies a very delicious interior! ~~Hopefully!~~ In fact, those gummy worms? Totally added not only because they're a classic snack, but because she ended up ruining most of his in the water.]

Mistakes? Wow. Thanks for the overwhelming support, you big jerk. Maybe I'll make it so my next cake drops right on your head--

[Then the cake starts...

Rumbling.

Whether it's a reaction to the volatile (?) contents within (those pop rocks candies may have been made with a bit more... pop than normal), or her emotions are causing some instability to occur (the annoyance directed at him, and her own unvoiced feelings she keeps denying), or a combination of both, is uncertain. But whatever it is happens so fast that there's hardly any time to react.

Within seconds, that steam coming out of the top of the cake grows thicker before the entire cake just explodes. Cake splatters everywhere. Everywhere. Potentially ruining Marui's cake and splattering chocolate on both of them.]

[ Marui of course hadn't meant anything personal about it. Mistakes were a fact of life, even for a genius like him. Nobody got everything perfect. And it's simply the truth that the only way to get better was to know what your mistakes were so you could learn from them. It's part of why he has zero compunction about ruthlessly exploiting the openings he sees in his tennis opponents. Having all of your weaknesses exposed was the fastest path to improvement. You were only stagnating the other person's growth by hiding their blind spots from them.

When the cake starts making noise, though, that's a little disconcerting? Cakes aren't supposed to rumble. What is that--

KERPLOO!!

Marui leans back where he's sitting, shielding his face and body as best he can with his arms but for all the good it does he needn't have bothered. Suddenly chocolate is everywhere. On his face. In his hair. Staining his clothes. Slathering his lunch.

That was the worst part. His poor cake.

...Is that a gummy worm he sees protruding from that gob of chocolate?

Blinking and just as awestruck as he is dumbfounded, he turns his eyes to the far end of the table where Leia's cake used to be.

He truly has no words. ]

[Stunned silence fills the air, chocolate cake covering everything in sight, slowly oozing down the table, nearby trees, the both of them, just to name a few places. Marui's cake is completely ruined, gobs of chocolate covering it. There's also gummy worms strewn all over- with one being in her hair. Probably some on Marui too, but to be honest Leia is just staring blankly at the remnants of this cake disaster.

Normally... she'd laugh this off, maybe apologize profusely and offer to do whatever she can to fix what was ruined. Mostly, it'd be something she'd ultimately not dwell on too deeply. Actually, all things considered, it's kind of hilarious.

Except she's not laughing. For some reason. Instead, all that hurt she's been running from since yesterday manages to catch up with her. Not that it was ever far behind but... The one thing that stands out here, the very thing her mind latches onto, is that she did this. She caused this, good intentions or not. She tried at something, got a little too eager and energetic, and it failed. Miserably. Under better circumstances, she could pick herself back up and try again, and keep trying till she gets it. However, it's the fact that she ruined something that belonged to someone that also distresses her.

And then she's suddenly reminded of something Alvin once told her, out of anger. About how her skills, that she learned back in the Story Realm, were useless. Why her mind went back to that after she's already forgiven him, she can't explain, but seeing her skills fail here too? It hurts. Is Marui going to be just as pissed? Furthermore, is that... why Alvin left her here? Is it because she has a knack for ruining things, either out of clumsiness or overconfidence? Maybe he just got tired of her. What if, after all the work she's put into herself, she's still holding people back?

This really is uncharacteristic of her, but she's more emotionally charged than usual. She's still hurting, even though she's been doing her best to persevere.

Marui seemed really pleased with his cake, and it was an actual work of art- and it tasted that way too. And now it's covered in her failure of a cake, and so is he. There's no way he won't be pissed. And she can't even blame him.

She's just quietly standing there as everything hits her, lowering her gaze to the ground and looking visibly distressed, her hands balling in fists like she's trying to fight back these feelings. She should be asking if he's okay, and laughing this off. Instead she's just so very conflicted.]

[ Life with two considerably younger brothers has acclimated Marui beyond repair to the inevitability of chaos. Surprises, disasters, tears, skirmishes. Injuries, accidents, nightmares that lead to surprise pounces in the middle of the night. Spilled food, broken toys, invaded free time. For Marui, it's all simply normal. He figured out a long time ago not to get too bothered by anything that didn't truly matter.

Thinking of it that way makes it pretty easy to let go of life's disappointments and aggravations. Lost lunches and damaged belongings and stolen time, those aren't the things that matter.

It's a similar experience here as Marui processes the epic catastrophe that he's just witnessed, his eyes still fixated on the remains of the cake base. Like his brothers, Leia is just another agent of chaos to be cherished and enjoyed, a force that keeps his world from getting dull. Frankly, his treehouse has been far too quiet and lonely without his brothers there with him. He misses their constant tearing around yelling for him and causing trouble. It's strangely comforting in a way to have Leia reintroducing that element of surprise.

The absurdity of the situation finally catches up to him-- the gummy worm in her hair, the bits of chocolate cake spattered on literally every surrounding surface, the deafening silence Leia has fallen into right on the heels of threatening to create the cake over his head (as if it would yield a different outcome)-- and he snorts a giggle. Yeah, refusing to get any closer to that thing for a taste was definitely the right call. What an amazing mess! ]

Well, that may be more of a taste than you bargained for. Are y-- hey. Are you okay?

[ The easygoing humor in his tone falls away in an instant. He stands up and steps over, picking the gummy worm from her hair and tossing it carelessly aside. ]

What's wrong? Surely you're not this upset about a cake...

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