open to all;

[swordboning]

Who: Archer swordboning and YOU. (Maybe Athena too)
When: December 15th and on
Where: Right here where you need him. At least in the streets.
What: Golden Archers is sadly open. Come get your top tier food of choice.
Rating/Warning: Nah.


[Archer was fully cringing at the emblem Athena made and the fact that it was pasted on his apron. Well, inwardly at least. Athena got to have her way with the things went around here since she was the one who put in the money and most of the work. That meant her lame idea of what was great ended up plastering almost anything that had the surface for it.

But for a food stall, there was a serious lack of menu. Archer, though, intentionally wanted that. Restricting himself would only be admitting that he couldn't make things that people wanted outside of said menu. Obviously, there were some restrictions because supplies of some things were exceedingly rare or impossible to find. Which meant that rich people places had to be visited for that. But here were reasonable prices for fresh cooked food.]

Before you ask, there's no menu. So just tell me what you want.

[Customer service needed a little bit of work, however. And no, Saber, you weren't getting any free food.]

Comments

[shacklebreaker]

If I must sacrifice everything in the name of that duty, so be it. There is no such thing as "too far".

[swordboning]

A noble answer. But I'll tell you now, that's the nature of humanity. A hero is willing to sacrifice their all for others but what if they're called on to do more? Would you sentence one person to death to save ten innocents?

[shacklebreaker]

What an absurd line of questioning. A samurai is loyal to their sovereign, nothing more or less... Don't mistake me for one with delusions of heroism.

[He seems to genuinely be considering the question, though, and lapses into silence as he mulls it over. It's not the kind of dilemma he's ever had to consider before...]

[swordboning]

[Tossing finished hand made soba into boiling water for a couple minutes.]

I've spoken about this with Athena but take this as a warning. I dedicated my life to ideals and ended up killing thousands to save millions by the end of it. In the end, this kind of thing will destroy a person.

[shacklebreaker]

[Blackquill isn't certain whether to take this particular wild claim seriously, unlike Archer's other statements, or whether to brush it off as more mad ravings. He does, however, have an answer of his own.]

I am a prosecutor. Rest assured, the only blade I'll wield against another is the blade of the law... I am no vigilante who would take others' lives into my own hands.

[swordboning]

Don't get the wrong idea. If anything, vigilantism makes me a bit angry. I don't hold it against your type but the law has already failed me. But that much was entirely out of your control.

[shacklebreaker]

The law is only as capable as the people who uphold it, speaking from personal experience, and even then it has its limits. But I am sorry to hear it has failed you altogether.

[swordboning]

It's a pointless talk anyway.

[Dipping the soba into cold water next and then arranging it a bowl. And a separate plate for more slices of meat for you know here.]

Here.

[shacklebreaker]

My thanks.

[Before he digs in to his noodles, he whistles Taka over, and the hawk helps himself to the meat left out. Don't worry, Taka has good table manners...! More or less.]

I'm glad to see an establishment that knows how to treat birds well. Most tend not to accept them as customers.

[swordboning]

I don't have any particular feelings for him, to be honest. I've never had a pet or animal companion. But I can tell your friend isn't stupid by just looking at him.

[Which was good enough. A lot of animals were probably just plain dumb.]

[shacklebreaker]

Raptors are indeed intelligent birds. But most tend to be rather frightened of him, [PROBABLY BECAUSE HE MAKES TAKA ATTACK PEOPLE...] so it is good to see him treated with respect. Isn't that so, Taka?

[The hawk gives a screech of assent, and Blackquill proceeds to make a start on his own meal.]

[swordboning]

Just keep a good eye on him around here. Who knows what tricks people might play.

[shacklebreaker]

Hmph. Taka despises trickery; he'll gouge out the eyes of any who try.

[As usual, it's hard to tell if he's being serious or not.]

[swordboning]

I'm sure. Frankly, there are monsters that sometimes show up that the likes of even my legendary weapons can't fell.

[shacklebreaker]

Oh? What kinds of monsters?

[This place never ceases to be full of nasty surprises.]

[swordboning]

The last I recall happened to be ghosts. The weaker ones were possible to kill but not the stronger ones.

[shacklebreaker]

Wonderful.

[He'd argue ghosts don't exist, but arguing rational, common sense with most people here is like arguing with a brick wall.]

What became of the ghosts if they could not be slain through ordinary means?

[swordboning]

In that kind of situation, you stayed as far away from them as possible. If you ever got in trouble, thankfully there are enough hero type people who would do anything to help keep you safe.

[shacklebreaker]

And CERES was as unhelpful as ever in explaining the incident away, I presume...?

[swordboning]

I doubt they have our best interests in mind, if you're asking. Perhaps they do in corporate speak.

[shacklebreaker]

Hmph... To be expected. Corporations will say anything to appease their customers, whether those customers be willing ones or no.

[swordboning]

Even worse is when they control much of everything and can place their distorted views on everyone else.

[shacklebreaker]

Yet many, like you, seem to possess a healthy amount of scepticism toward them, so their capacity to mould our own views is limited.

[Or so he hopes. He finishes the last of his soba, then offers Archer his card for payment.] My compliments to the chef... Taka also rather enjoyed his meal.

[swordboning]

Not everyone can have some semblance of intelligence though.

[Taking the card. Barely any money is being taken out though, what a cheap meal.]

You're welcome though not much was done.

[shacklebreaker]

When you've been deprived of anything homemade or fresh for as long as I have, it is not difficult to appreciate even the humblest of well-made dishes.

[He coaxes his hawk onto his arm, then back onto his usual perch on his shoulder. Time to get going, birdy.]