[Deleted]

How'd your day go? 

It seems like such a simple thing to think about, but it's never as easy as it sounds. One minute, you're in it. You're doing whatever it is you do in the Life Sphere. The next minute, you're getting out at midnight to find a decent cup of coffee. Most of you probably couldn't tell us what lead you to this place. An impulsive decision? Maybe, but that doesn't explain your reason for waiting nearly half an hour in this rustic-looking Brightwing backlot. The hour hand ticks from eleven to twelve, but the doors remain closed. The only thing keeping you there is the smell emanating from the smokestack. Rich notes of orange and European chocolate hit your nose. Wordless assurance that the surly man in the email had set out to do what he said he'd do.

For those of you who are close to the window - you might catch a glimpse of what's inside. Flames lick the backside of a pan. A roux flies into the air. A man with bad posture is trying to catch the caramel-colored concoction in a bed of rice. It's hard to make anything else out. It doesn't look like your meals are ready yet. However, there's still plenty of things you could do to occupy your time while you wait. Wouldn't you believe it? Somebody else decided to get out in the middle of the night to secure a cup of coffee. Three other people, actually. They're waiting along with you. How do you feel about your fellow night owls? Have you met any of them before?

[alchefire]

Reva found herself looking into the window store. Her stomach letting out a rather audible growl, causing the knight to blush a bit. The armored woman had gone the entire day without eating and the scent spreading out from the shop was causing that fact to come rolling back in her mind. She had to mentally stop herself from licking her lips as she pushed herself away from the window. She needed to be patient and staring at Sojiro making his food was not helping her...

Instead she turned to the other 3 that were waiting with her. One of them she'd recognized after running into them once or twice. He was a young blonde haired boy with a deep red coat. She'd caught his name when they first passed each other by. Edward Elric... The other two, however, were new. A rather small, young man in a pink jumpsuit and a far more portly man with a red sweater.

...She definitely stood out here...

Reva found herself setting her Shield against the wall as she stepped forward a bit. She doubted she was going to need it, hell she doubted she'd need her armor, but she felt comfortable like this. She felt weird without her armor. Maybe it was because of all the years she spent wearing it, or maybe it was the fact she literally had nothing else to wear. That armor helped her feel comfortable...

The knight would then shake her head. She needed to save those thoughts for the conversation she'd been having with the owner soon, she just hoped he had seats big enough for her, The armor was one thing, but she also stood at a whopping 6"2', the gal standing well above Mac and Ed and she was shoulder to shoulder with Doc Louis.

"So... You three were invited too?" She mentally winced as she said that... Of course they were, they wouldn't be here if they weren't invited, but Reva wasn't good at starting conversations like this. She was used to being the silent one, the one who spoke with their actions. She had no idea where to even start with beginning idle chatter...

[Deleted]

To tell the truth, When Doc and Mac had received flyers for a free foodie meal after all of the hard work they had been putting in recently, They felt it pretty reasonable to come on and get some food, Midnight be damned! Sleep schedules are for the weak anyway. Regardless, Mac still had a bruise around his right eye, Though it wasn't particularly swollen or bulbous, Just a bit purple. Leftovers from his recent stadium match against Zero. Not to mention a few bandages surrounding him from here and there, Scars from that same battle, And a few odd red spots in which he was punched, or even Butt-tackled by Arle during his match. Mac was certainly a biiiiiit jealous of how people around here could shrug of wounds so easily, while he, Normal human he is, Was stuck taking the long way.

Doc Louis, However, Seemed almost like a Dark-skinned Santa Claus, as he Smiled and clapped his hands. "Ooohohoho Mac, Can you smell that? That smells like La Valvanian De Chocolat! Around year 1933 if i aint mistaken!" The Man would say. The Scent of European chocolate had struck Doc Louis's Nose quite pungently, and if there's one thing to know about Doc; He Loved Chocolate. If you tapped two candy bars together he could tell you what two types they were, when they were made, and how long they've been on the shelf just by the sound. Doc Louis, The Larger of the Duo of Mac and Louis, Stood a few five inches over Mac's Rather miserable 5'3, Making Mac quite short compared to the average male. Though, Comparatively, Mac was also Built with quite alot of Muscle for his size.

"Huh...? I just smell coffee..." Mac would say, sniffling his nose, as Doc would let out another hearty laugh and wrap Mac around his shoulder for a casual Hug. "Once you retire for a few years, And you stop getting your nose broke every other week, You'll start smelling things you aint never thought you could smell, Son!" Doc would say, as Mac laughed a little, Before taking a moment to look around...

...There was a girl who loomed an entire foot over Mac. Mac was not easily intimidated, Infact, If you put a Toasted and Tanned Beach-bod and Oiled up Super Macho Man infront of him at the same height of this girl, Mac would be easily able to reel back and punch him in the mouth at a moments notice. But, For a Girl? Let alone one with the fair skin, Long green hair...Mac's cheeks turned a bit red looking up at reva, and so, He simply looked away.

"Hey, Mac! Girl asked you a Question, Dont go lookin' at your shoes now son!" Doc would warn, Catching Reva's Question, as Mac looked back up with a 'H-huh?', as Doc would chortle once more. "Well, Tell ya' the truth, I thought i was gonna be comin' up here alone! But, I just so happened to catch my protege on his way here too! The name's Jerome, But, Everyone call's me 'Doc.' And this here's Mac, You may know him by his Fightin' name, Little Mac." Doc would say, Gesturing to Little Mac, whom, would smile up to Reva. "H-hey." Mac said nervously...Not a kid of alot of words, he was.

And then, There was the...Even Younger Man. Edward, To whom Mac noticed and seemed a bit surprised...Someone shorter than him. Neat. "...Nice Jacket." Mac would say. He took note of the fine leather Ed's Jacket was made of.

[KashKey]

Edward was getting just a little annoyed. Then again, that was kind of becoming his default state here on Li, and he couldn't quite place why. Maybe it was the constant onslaught of things that, frankly, didn't make any sense to him. His world operated under a very specific set of rules, and this world had been defying them at every turn. So... That probably had something to do with it. Just a little.

The Fullmetal Alchemist was currently leaning against a nearby wall, the occasionally glance being shot the window's way as he waited, a couple books tucked under his arm. He figured That nothing went better with coffee than some light research, even if it was on the topic of his usual frustration. Magic. He hadn't delved into any practical use yet. He didn't dare until he fully understood all the potential risks and the theory behind it. Finding out the answers to those two questions had been proving... Less than useful. The two he had elected to bring were pretty light, frankly, about a hundred pages each, which he felt he could pretty easily tear through in the amount of time it would take to get a nice cup of coffee. He'd been needing a good source of the stuff for a while now.

Of course, the other two here kind of put a... Dent in that plan. That meant he might be expected to socialize beyond just the owner of the place, and that was... A problem. He didn't terribly want to if he could help it, frankly, but here he was, with 3 other people. The tall armored Reva, who he'd ran into once before and considered an aquaintance at best, and... Two other people he hadn't met. It was kind of a strange little gathering, frankly. He didn't know what the other two were supposed to be off the top of his head, and Reva's blatant knight outfit really made them a strange quartet of people. Especially considering the taller male's rant about... Chocolate, of all things. Sure it was nice, but why was he so intensely focused on the topic? ... Oh, thank god, Reva, gave him something he could actually respond to.

"Yeah, I got tha invite. It was a real pain in the ass trying ta sign up for that mailing list though. Seriously, those emails were a pain to get set up."

Seriously, since when do you have to set up a secret password just to get letters? Whoever thought that system up was either sadistic, or a masochist, and Ed couldn't decide which.

As Ed mulled over that little concept, Doc apparently decided to introduce himself and the guy apparently named Mac. Weird name. How he put up with a name in the ring like Little Mac, he'd never guess.

"Name's Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist. Nice ta meet you."

It was his usual introduction that he just rolled right out without thinking. No reason to add any special flaire or spice that he could think of, really. He was just introducing himself to a couple people that were here to get coffee. He was glad Mac had a discerning taste about his coat, though. That pink he was wearing didn't exactly give him high hopes, but he did appreciate it.

"Thanks. Been wearin' stuff like this for a couple years now." And to think, Mac hadn't even had a chance to see the symbol on the back. That oughta get the fighter's mind whirling as to what the hell it was.

"So, you guys got any idea what this guy's cooking is gonna be like? Cus it at least smells good in there."

[Deleted]

The night had warmed up. Regardless of your doubts or technological misgivings, you'd managed to find some comfort in your fellow night-owls' company. You'd managed to share a laugh, breathe through the uncertainty, and make the most out of your wait time! Though, it wasn't long before everything was prepared. The café owner made short work of it. Now he was headed over to the door to open it for his patrons. He wasn't too concerned about keeping up a professional demeanor. He leaned against the doorframe, scratching the back of his head apologetically. "Sorry for the wait." Sojiro mutters before gesturing for the group to come in. "I promise it'll be worth it."

As you file into the café, something is lifted. A heaviness leaves you. A tense sensation you didn't even know you were harboring. When the smell of bitter coffee and delectable curry hits your nose, a warmth envelops you - and you realize. This place feels like home. The booths on the left side of the shop feel like the seats of a train car. They've got a comfy, couch-y quality to them. Like something you could easily find yourself sleeping in. It's so odd. You almost feel like you can catch a glint of the quiet countryside through the curtain. The clock ticks away in the counter, recounting a time before everything got so complicated. There's an ashtray on the counter. Sojiro left a cigarette there to smolder out. Only cinders remain as the meals make their way to the countertop.

Sojiro lays out four plates with four cups to accompany them. That's what you've been smelling this whole time. It's exactly everything you'd hoped it would be. The curry is a full plate, brimming with seasoned rice and a delightfully buttery roux. The coffee is a dark blend. Bitter and sweet. Notes of hazelnut and cinnamon. There are novelty teacups for creamer and sugar. If you don't want to drink your coffee black, you could reach for one or the other. However, Sojiro will judge this. He already seems to be sizing you all up. First, there's that chick with the armor. Nobody had tried to wear a full set of plate into LeBlanc before, so he didn't know what to say when the weight of everything almost crushed his stool. Next, there were those two gentlemen with the fitness gear. Had his shop not been affected by a planar shift, he would've thought that they were going from Protein Lovers to the bathhouse. However, there wasn't a gym - or a bathhouse - in miles. Why were they out in jumpsuits and gym shorts at midnight? It wasn't nearly as bad as the kid, though. Sojiro caught him putting his arm up on the table. He snagged a glimpse of his automail, but he could hardly believe what he was seeing. He's heard about prosthetics before, but that was one helluva arm.

Eventually, he does ask. "So, uhm-" He stammers, trying not to sound so standoffish. "Where are you all comin' in from?"

Mission START! Sojiro has asked you where you come from. It'd probably be a good idea to start your story there. If you ever want to learn Sojiro's mood or assess the general vibe of the café, you can make a Wisdom check. (1d20+WIS - barring any conditional bonuses you might have.) These aren't required, but they might give you another direction to take your character's story. If you want to make either of those checks, tell me which one you're making before you roll. Here's where your five turns begin! Best of luck, everyone!

[alchefire]

The tall woman found herself gingerly waving at Mac as he shyly greeted her. Mentally, the knight would sigh to herself. She wasn't the only awkward person here at least, so she was thankful for that. Maybe this would be a good chance for them both to break out of their shells a bit?

Just then her train of thought of would be broken as the door to cafe would open wide, the man of the hour himself arrived. Sojiro, the owner of this cafe, quickly ushered them inside. Seems like it was time to finally experience what this place had to offer...

---

The first thing to hit Reva was the atmosphere of the place. She felt... calm. Like, actually calm and not the fake calm she used while in combat, or just in general.

Reva found herself smiling rather sheepishly as she felt the stool creak underneath her. She knew her armor would be a bit of a problem, but... She'd forgotten how heavy it all was. She was so used to carrying that weight and having nothing but worn rock and metal to hold her up that she forgot that most seats were actually pretty brittle in reality. A small green card slipping out of her wrist and into her hand. A soft crushing noise later and the card was gone, replaced with a soft, warm, glowing orb which the knight promptly brought down to the cracking chair... In a matter of seconds the glow spread through the seat, repairing and reinforcing it to make sure it could handle the her weight while she was there.

"Eheheh... Sorry about that... It should last a bit but... you might wanna get it fixed again after a day or two... that spell isn't permanent..." Now that the stool wasn't constantly under threat of being destroyed by her simply existing on top of it, she could relax a bit. The armored woman setting her shield down so that it leaned against the table next to her.

And then she'd finally take a sip. No point in leaving the coffee cold after all, she'd go straight for it. No point in adding things to it when she didn't even know what the base tasted like.

When that dark mixture hit her tongue, the knight couldn't help but shudder a bit. Not because it tasted bad, no, far from it. The knight just wasn't used to something as strong as this. The bitter-sweet taste of the dark drink spreading across her tongue. Causing her to close her eyes as she let the taste set in. That soft smile returning to her face as she set the cup back down, she very clearly loved it!

Of course she still wanted to try the curry before she said anything. It would be rude to try talking with your mouthful and she didn't want to risk the food getting cold before she could taste it. With a surprising amount of gentleness and deftness, Reva grabbed ahold of her fork and gently scooped up some of the curry and rice. The mint-haired woman taking a fairly large bite. ...Her eyes practically lit up as she tasted Sojiro's masterfully crafted curry. Was that... a tear rolling down her cheek? Regardless she quickly wiped her cheek, removing whatever that was.

Just then, Reva would clear her throat as Sojiro asked the question. Making sure that she had nothing caught in her mouth before she spoke. The armored woman giving the older man that... incredibly warm smile. It was... genuine and bright, warmth practically wafting off the woman's face.



"My name is Reva, and I suppose I'll go first, but I wanted to say thank you for this. It's been ages since I've last eaten something this good. You'll understand why in a moment..." Just then a hint of sadness would creep into her kind voice as she sighed.

"My world is in a state of well... ruin, kinda like this one. People are struggling to survive on a daily basis. There are bandits, monsters, and out of control mechs everywhere you step. The land is worn and broken, it's... horrible..." Her happy expression seemed to fall away, she wasn't gonna hide this, she was here to tell her story after all.

"It's been like that for years now. People getting killed left and right... I got sick of it. So... I started wearing this armor and I got that shield made all to try and see if I could save people. She'd take another sip of the coffee. "For the last couple of years I've been going around, saving as many people as I could, but it's not enough to just save them once. If there's nowhere safe for them to go, they'll just get killed by something else..."

She was looking right in Sojiro's eyes as she said that, there was... a deep sadness hidden behind them, it was hard to tell just how many deaths she'd seen in her life, perhaps even she didn't know...

"I know that's a bit of a heavy subject for a simple "Where are you from?" but... to be honest, you can't separate the two, at least not with me." She found herself looking back down into her coffee, before taking a third sip. She really did enjoy that coffee.

[Deleted]

Little mac looked to the opening door, Finally drawn away from Ed and Reva as he Smiled. "Thanks Sir." Mac would say with a brief kindness, Before quickly making himself at home inside, Heading toward, Not a Bartstool, But for the Booth's on the left side of the shop, as did Doc, To whom the two of them sat on opposite sides of one another, as Little Mac looked around on the Table...Looked a little more. And a biiiit more, Before Little mac looked to Sojiro, Raising a brow. "Uhm...Where's the Menu?" Little Mac would ask, as Doc would simply laugh a little and shake his head. "No Menu's today, Son! Sorry about him, Boy's only seen Chinese Buffet's for Fine Dinin', Hawhawhaw!" Doc Louis would laugh, as Mac, Realizing quickly he had made a Social Fo'Pah, Would sheepishly look away. "S-sorry sir."

Clank Clank, Clink Clink...A Plate of Curry and a Cup of Coffee, One for each of the two heavyweight Boxing champs. Did i mention that Little Mac and Doc were American? Cause, They sure were, as Doc and Mac immediately digged into there meal, The two of them getting a nice heaping spoonful with everything on it, Before they both popped the spoonful into there mouths, And reached to get another, Before the both of them stopped, Looking to one another, Both to gauge if the other one was tasting what they were tasting! They both suddenly came to the realization, That to eat this Curry like one ate a big bowl of Mac & Cheese, like they were intent on doing, would be a disservice, as they quickly slowed down, and took a moment to admire  every note of Spice and Butter the Curry Provided.

And Doc was admiring the Coffee in equal tandem, Drinking the Coffee with a gentle sip, and letting out a Smooth 'Aaah...', As Recollections of warmth filled his very soul...Jerome liked this Coffee, And Smiled at Sojiro, Raising his glass as Props to the maker. "Hehe, Sure beats the hell outta the instant stuff! Whaddya think Mac?" Mac, Watching Doc's Expert drinking, Quickly nodded and went in for himself...

Sip...

...

...

"G-gugh--!"

Mac, However, Was a kid who didnt drink coffee. He drank a tall glass of milk every morning. This coffee's Bitterness was just way too much for the poor boxer, as he quickly did his best to catch himself from making anymore upsetting gagging noises, And reached for Cream and Sugar, Four Heapin' Spoonfuls of Both, Turning the black coffee into a much more lighter hazelnut, as Doc would smile and sigh. "Cant believe you take punches from Aran Ryan but cant handle some straight coffee! Do i gotta have you run speed bag with your tongue, son?" Doc would say in jest to Mac, as Mac Smirked. "Heh...Sorry Doc." Regardless, Once Mac had his Cream and Sugar, He was sipping that Coffee just fine, Smiling happily with what he had, as Doc and Mac ate in tandem with Listening to Reva's story...

Mac looked to Reva as she told her story, and seemed to sigh... "...I dont know about Bandits and Monsters, But...I feel what you went through." Mac would say. "Going Hungry without a home's a Universal Language, I guess..." Mac would say in relation, Before it quickly dawned on him, that by Talking....He was next up. Mac would cough a bit into his closed fist as an Ahem Ahem moment, as Mac Smiled. "Er-- Hey...Im Mac." Mac would say to Sojiro. "That's LITTLE Mac, You know!" Doc would chime in, His voice booming with a Father's Pride, though it only made Mac suddenly self conscious of his own 5'3 Height.


"I come from New York. Th' Bronx, Specifically." Mac would begin to explain. "1987-- Atleast, that was the time from before i came around here. Im a Former--" Mac would say, But, Doc Louis would quickly interrupt. "Former? Mac, As far as that world's concerned, you are the CURRENT Champion of the World Video Boxing Championship! This Kid punches out men taller than Reva is on the Daily basis! He's my Pride and Joy, Lemme tell you that!" Doc would say, as Mac would flush a bit in embarrassment. "Well, Yeah! Im a Boxer, By trade." Mac would explain. "But, I was just going to say that...I kinda understand what it's like to be without Food for a while, Reva, Or Struggling to survive. Ma' and i never really had much to eat between the two of us." Mac would say to explain himself.

"Yeah...Mac's one tough cookie. Oh, And i'm his Coach. Jerome Louis, But, Y'can call me 'Doc'." Doc Louis would say to sojiro in return, Smiling brightly. "Same place as Mac is from. I was the former champ myself, Waaaay back in the sixties-- About six hundred chocolate bars ago, Hahaha!" Doc would add, as he chuckled happily. "I taught him everything he knows."