( open )

[hoasen]

Who: YOU, MY FRIEND & The friendly staff of Thistle Do Nicely, a humble flower shop.
When: IC: 29th January to February 14th (OOC: Starts 3rd July, full month log.)
Where: Thistle Do Nicely, Shopping District.
What: It's nearly Valentine's Day, so there's sales and events! Want to learn how to make chocolate? Look here! Cashing in your coupon for the upcoming Blind Date player event? That's here too! This is a mingle log, so everyone come mingle to your hearts content, and come in anytime, there's no such thing as late.
Rating/Warning: Nothing so far. There might be some future nightmares.

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NOTE: There are some forward-dated prompts/part of prompts in this log. This is to coincide with the Blind Date Player Plot this month! More links and updates will be posted here once they come up.

Also if you wanna know how this works, it's just a mingle! An example here, our previous open mingle log. Treat it however you like, open and closed options welcome.

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Welcome to Thistle Do Nicely! Make yourself comfortable and browse the grand selection. In spirit of upcoming Valentine's Day, the store is decorated in pink and red, hearts scattered here and there. Sweet soft toys are on display, and there are bargains to be found. The tea shop is also decked out, but there seems to be something extra special happening on that side too.


A: ROSES ARE RED, VIOLETS ARE DISCOUNTED

[Are you here for the flowers? Sure you are, it's a grand tradition that all Valentines must share: the giving of flowers to loved ones. Roses are a definite favourite, but maybe you're after something more unique? Then look no further! Ask one of your friendly staff about it. Or maybe they're coming to you! But if they do, some may have the misfortunate of being told by the mysterious NPC boss to repeat the following: "What can Cupid's assistant do for you today?" Yeah, it's pretty embarrassing.

Or maybe you've bumped into a friend! In that case, buying flowers for Valentine's Day? Are you proud of this, or are you so embarrassed you must hide all evidence.

Alternatively, time has passed and you're now here because you have coupons for an additional price cut on your flowers if you are taking part in the Blind Date event. Blind dates can be particularly nerve-wracking, so let this store make things a little easier for you. You'll thank them for it.]


B: ANYONE WHO HATES CHOCOLATE IS A MONSTER (no we're kidding we still love you)

B.1: KITCHEN NIGHTMARES

[In all walks of life, chocolate is a very popular gift for Valentine's Day. And in some places, even more importance is placed on whether it's homemade or not. A section of the tea shop has been cleared just for this: earthy tables now have small stoves on them and ingredients set out. It's time to learn how to make chocolate. These classes are lead by head chef Shokudaikiri Mitsutada and his (reluctant) chef's assistant Ookurikara, but you can be sure that all the other reliable staff of Thistle Do Nicely are getting in on the action to help out (or learn themselves) too! Maybe Mitsutada and a handful of staff will make this great. The other half...

Everyone interested in these classes will gather round each of these tables, and together you will learn how to make chocolate. It's a team effort, so discuss with each other and work together to perfect it! In the end, you will be given cute little boxes or bags to put your chocolate in so you can give it to those intended. Or yourself, you can eat them too. Alternatively, you were forced into this mess, or have no idea why you're here but you're going to roll with it because it's chocolate.

The classes are free, happening a couple hours a day, but the ingredients require a small donation to keep the classes going. These classes are ongoing, so by the time you've gotten your Blind Date, you don't have to donate if you show them your coupon.]


B.2 CHOCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

[Or maybe you're not here for the classes, you're spending time on the other half of the tea shop where it's still set for customers. The tea shop half of the entire store is not actually that big, so you might be finding it a bit cramped.

That being said, a treats bar has been set out as a complimentary offer. There's a chocolate fountain in the middle of this bar, and you know you wanna dip some heart shaped marshmallows or fruits in that sucker. There's also these flower shaped gummies. No one actually knows how they got there, but maybe for the sake of science, you want to coat it with chocolate and eat it.

Do it.]


C: WILDCARD.

[Because there's so much more to explore! Or maybe you're just here to visit and laugh at them. Or maybe you wanna use the tea space as a PLACE FOR A DATE, AYYYYYY in which the scene from Lady and the Tramp could happen and there will be a cute musical number (look, I'll have it arranged, I'm not even kidding. Too bad I can't get an Okiayu character to do it though, you might have to make do with a loser girl). Or maybe you've MESSED UP THIS ENTIRE PLACE Vietnam will kill you with her bare hands (unless she likes you, then you will live).]

Comments

[aslyfox]

[ NO, HE MUST... RESIST...!!! Though Kogi is really surprised that Kashuu would just... do that. It'll live with him for almost forever, like gum! Smiley flower faces for eternity. ]

You're right. [ And he too, will swallow it down, choking slightly on the texture but he must follow the now-appointed leader of the dinguses. Ech. Why would anyone put those out for consumption in the first place, didn't they have taste testers or something... ]

[adornmental]

[IT WAS EITHER THAT or look totally undignified spitting it into a napkin or perhaps the nearest potted plant!! He had to make a sacrifice and that sacrifice was his stomach.]

...We did it, at least? Like, we should totally reward ourselves for sitting through that.

[The King Dingus has spoken...]

[aslyfox]

[ Not even a plant deserves to taste (or chew) the rubber candy. WHY WOULD YOU SUBJECT IT TO SUCH HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE THINGS?! ]

I agree. A reward is in order.

[ He pauses, looks back at the bag of tofu he brought, and eyes the chocolate fountain. Is it time to try it again? ]

Maybe it'll taste better the second time?...

[ Stop him, he's out of control. ]

[adornmental]

[HE WOULDN'T!! That's why he subjected himself to it instead, okay... What a brave, selfless warrior.

But Kogitsunemaru is clearly suffering some sort of mental after-effect of having eaten that gummy, wow. It's a good thing Kashuu is here to rudely help him.]

Hey, did you hit your head on the way in here or something? Don't do that. If you eat more than one, you're definitely gonna die.

[aslyfox]

At this point, I've almost died twice... and it hasn't been a full day yet.

[ After choco-tofu round one and the rubber candy, he's ready for round two... unless Kashuu has a better idea. And if not, he's going to dip more tofu in there and maybe take advantage of some of those fruits, too! Tofu, chocolate, and fruit! It sounds PERFECT to kill someone with. ]

No. I didn't hit my head. I could hit yours though.

[ He COULD... but won't. Cinnablood could make the tofu taste delicious though... ]

[adornmental]

[Kashuu doesn't have any better ideas outside of "STOP, NO", but clearly Kogitsunemaru isn't having any of that today!! So he'll just let the dumbest dingus fox experience tofu hell a second time.]

Thanks but no thanks. [Rolling his eyes!! How sad that this will probably be his last memory of Kogi before Kogi dies the tofu death... AND DON'T EAT YAMATO TO MAKE IT TASTE BETTER]

Maybe you should get some juice or something before you put that in your mouth.

[aslyfox]

Juice, huh... not a bad idea. Think they have some around here? [ Surely there would be SOME sort of palate cleanser. Maybe a nice glass of water with lemon would work here, anything to get the first and second flavors out of his mouth FOREVER. Eviction.

CINNABLOOD WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFECT.

But maybe, MAYBE Kashuu is right. Maybe having a second attempt would actually turn his sword into a pile of broken dreams because he really believed it could have worked. ]

... maybe a strawberry dipped in chocolate is a better idea, huh?

[adornmental]

Probably! There's a faucet in the kitchen if you really need a drink, too.

[Like, as a last resort... DON'T DIE, KOGI. But oh, it seems like he's actually coming to his senses! Good, because Kashuu would hate having to drag his body home and explain how he died. Here lies Kogitsunemaru, who hoped for so much and got so little in return...]

Totally. ...A real one, not the gummy kind.

[He can see a little pile of gummies that are vaguely strawberry-shaped from where he stands, and he wants to nip that possible bad idea in the bud.]

[aslyfox]

[ KOGI WILL NEVER DIE!--- alone, because he will take Kashuu with him, easy. Not this time, because the fox has learned his lesson and will not continue to spiral into food-based depravity. Somewhere, something clicked, like knowing he kind of had the worst ideas ever.

He grabs a real strawberry, making sure it's an actual legit fruit and not one masquerading as one, giving that a quick dip and without caring for any possible drips, shoves it in his face (because he is very elegant). ]

Oh. [ Talking with food in his mouth, WHAT ARE MANNERS. ] This is pretty good!

[adornmental]

[WOW don't take him along for the death ride, he's done nothing to deserve that!!

Just like how he's done nothing to deserve being subjected to Kogi's bad table manners... Why. He makes a face, waving his hand in a "cut that out" gesture.]

Congrats on making something that isn't super awful. You can stop sharing now.

[aslyfox]

[ Oops. He'll shut his mouth before swallowing down the ACTUAL food, because the last thing he wants to do is offend Kashuu's sensibilities and especially in public. ]

You should really try one. [ At least he's polite enough to grab a napkin to wipe his face instead of using his sleeve or any other part of his clothing. ] It'll get rid of that weird rubber and sugar aftertaste.

[adornmental]

[A BLESSING. Kashuu's expression becomes less sour lemons at that, but he doesn't look entirely enthused about the idea of sampling more foods. A chocolate-covered strawberry doesn't sound bad, of course, but there have been so many trials and failures... SO MANY.]

Fie, fine. I can't stand that taste, anyway. [The rubber and sugar one WHY. What have they done to deserve this fate...

So he'll pluck up a strawberry for himself, skewer it, and dunk that one a little less generously than Kogitsunemaru had done. He'll also wait for it to stop dripping all over the place before taking a bite... But hey! It really isn't half bad, and that reflects in the minute surprise on his face.]

[aslyfox]

[ So maybe the folks at the flower shop didn't have terrible taste to begin with, even though they had laid out a trap candy and didn't think about patrons bringing in their own food. The strawberry was certainly a nice surprise. Maybe there are other snacks? Ooh, pretzels... ]

So, Kashuu... [ He'll dip a pretzel rod into the chocolate. ] Did you come here for anything in particular? [ Or was there a magnitude of Dingusness that couldn't be avoided? ]

[adornmental]

[It was definitely the magnetic pull of his dingus people--

No okay, he nods once and speaks after finishing what's in his mouth.]

I came here for that chocolate-making lesson that those two were giving. [He jerks his thumb over his shoulder, indicating Ookurikara and Mitsutada. MORE DINGUSES, truly ending up here was unavoidable.]

Did you just come for the food?

[aslyfox]

Oh? So you've learned how to make things out of chocolate? [ The possibilities! The potential! And then he sees the dynamic duo of teachers and realizes... no kitchen will be safe, probably due to Ookurikara.

This place attracts a lot of dinguses. Incredible! ]

Yes. I came for the food, mostly to see this thing. [ He gestures toward the magical device that, for the most part, brought pain. ] I figured maybe I'd get one for the apartment.

[ Maybe. MAYBE. ]

[adornmental]

I learned how to make chocolates out of chocolate, I guess.

[It was a strange process, but hey! At least the end result is tastier than chocolate-dipped tofu pockets.

His interest is definitely piqued by that, though...]

Can you even get one for a place that isn't a restaurant? I mean, they're pretty big... Where would it even go?

[aslyfox]

[ Chocolates out of chocolate?... that seems redundant. Chocolate's already chocolate, so just eat it??? Oh well, that's not up to him. Kogi can't question a lot of the things he's seen so far, this will just get added to The List. ]

Well, if one were to get one... maybe for the living room? The kitchen? And you could probably put more than chocolate in there. [ What does he even know? ]

[adornmental]

[IT IS REDUNDANT and he doesn't even think it tastes that much better, honestly, but hey... Who's he to question the traditions of this weirdass holiday?]

Like what? Soup? [WHY IS THAT THE FIRST THING HE COMES UP WITH.] I guess it could be useful if you can actually fit it into the apartment... Maybe it'd make cooking easier for Haruji?

[NO...]

[aslyfox]

[ MIND. BLOWN. Kashuu is a genius! ]

I could keep udon in it... the noodles and broth could stay warm for everyone when they come home and I can keep the tofu hot on the stove...! It'd make our master's life much easier, wouldn't it?

[ If there's any tofu left, it'd certainly be there, but it goes without saying that it would be a rarity. ]

I wonder where I can buy one of these? I should ask one of the workers.

[adornmental]

[HELL YEAH HE IS he totally came up with that intentionally because he thought it would be smart... 100%...]

So go ask! [Suddenly he's on board with it now that he thinks it's something Haru might like, good work you transparent moron. Making shooing motions, anyway!! Go, go.] Maybe we can even pick it up today.

[aslyfox]

Okay. I'll see what the people at the front say. [ And he walks up there, still within sight as it's just one straight line.

It looks like he's talking to a random male employee who looks positively thrilled to answering an idiot's questions. At first, they look annoyed... then confused... then REALLY confused... then he looks at Kashuu briefly before returning to the little dumb fox.

After getting his answer, he'll quickly return to Kashuu with the biggest smirk on his face. ]

He called me dumb and told me we had bad ideas.

[adornmental]

[KOGI, NO... He's just getting a look that seems to say don't smirk about this, and then Kashuu glances back over to the employee, who's already turned away from them. He's watching you, rude guy... See if he ever accepts a sale from anyone here who isn't Mitsutada, Ookurikara or Vietnam!!]

Maybe he's just mad he didn't come up with it first. Did he actually give you a useful answer?

[aslyfox]

[ He looks sheepish, mainly because he feels a little bad that the guy seemed like he was pretty busy and he was kind of being dumb... but it doesn't mean being rude is the answer. It's common sense that being a jerk is a terrible business practice. ]

Well, he said something about industrial equipment and renting and really expensive... and that most soups probably wouldn't work in it because the thickness of the liquid is really important. Oh! And something about food temperature.

[ So there is some good information, it just sucks because it ruins the beautiful possibility of helping their master. Also, no randomly dipping things into chocolate or whatever they'd put into it.

Kogi is probably the most disappointed about the last bit. ]

[adornmental]

[Ugh... Rude worker, why do you have to have sensible points!! Not that Kashuu knows just how sensible or not they really are, but they sound all science-y and stuff which usually means it's legitimate.]

Sooo, I guess that plan's a no-go, then. We'll have to look for something else.

[Suddenly this has become mission: help Haruji by making his life easier.]

[aslyfox]

I wonder what he likes or what he needs? Maybe it'd be better to just ask him. [ Is Kogi bringing the common sense? He might try to, after all, an attempt must be made...

NOPE. ]

Or, we could just borrow the fountain? Surely Vietnam-san and the others wouldn't mind if we took it for a while, right? [ Better to ask one of them instead of that pleb of a worker. How dare he mock the two brightest, shining examples of all of the sword spirits? ]