[Video]

[mythmaker]

[It’s a sunny, cheerful morning when Azusa greets the network with a smile.]

Ufufu~. Some work was suddenly called off, so surprisingly I’m free for an entire week. There’s no ghosts, no exploration, and no kidnappings for me to deal with.

[She pauses, blinks.]

My, when was the last time I was able to do so much? I’m not even sure what to do with my break...and to think, I was so happy to get time off that I just started talking to everyone without a clear direction in mind.

[Ara, ara.]

Ah, I know~. I still should earn some money this week, right? I’m well-respected in the Astrologian’s guild these days, and they’ve been teaching me all sorts of ways to tell accurate fortunes. Would anyone be interested in that? I can tell you all about how lucky you’ll be in love, or your future in romance, or what the stars say about your crush...or other things. Or you can just stop by to have tea and cake with me in between clients. How does that sound?

[She places her hand to her cheek.]

Please tell me you’ll come visit me~.

[ooc; Because of all the player plots, this takes place sometime after the second and sometime before the third and fourth one, but the laws of time and space might be bent a little. It's okay, we'll be flexible.]

Comments

[mythmaker]

I'm sorry. I know it's an easy trip for you to make, but every time I try to leave the house with it, I leave it sitting right by the door.

[She makes the traditional Azusa pose. Hand on cheek.]

I'm not making your schedule more difficult for you, am I?

[mech_and_mutt]

No!! Uh, no, no. You're not. I've got enough free time, and even if I didn't--

[Okay, he was talking in circles now.]

It's fine. When can I drop by?

[mythmaker]

If you're sure. Thank you, Red.

[And she sounds both relieved and thankful.]

Are you free tomorrow night? Jodie Foster keeps trying to sneak her way into the bag I've set aside for you, so sooner might be better.

[mech_and_mutt]

Jodie...?

[Hadn't he heard that name before, way back when he was giving her Marcus Justin Cloud-Merry Bombardier...?]

Yeah, I am. Is she your roommate?

[mythmaker]

That's right. I live here with her, Roomba-san, Marcellin Juste Claude-Marie Bonnemaison, and Kokemaro Mach II.

[Kokemaro Mach II is the name of the fat Chocobo plush that now sits on her couch, and the only thing more terrifying than that name is the fact that none of the names match!!!]

[mech_and_mutt]

Oh. Right.

[Roomba-san. Red had not forgotten. He'd just have to suffer that abominable construct's snarling, grinding presence in the name of keeping Azusa's company.

At least Kokemaro Mach II sounded respectable, whatever it was.]

I'll come by tomorrow. Wanna grab some dinner while we're there?

[mythmaker]

Hmm...

[What's with the pause? She's just checking with Wendy quickly to make sure she didn't make any plans. The Moogle nods at her, giving her the confirmation to go ahead.]

That sounds wonderful! There's this little restaurant I've been wanting to eat at again...is that alright with you?

[mech_and_mutt]

Sure! Besides, I don't think I've been to any of the restaurants in Sparks Golsaucia yet.

[Oooh, he should make a note of it--]

What kinda places do you usually like goin' to, anyway?

[mythmaker]

My, my. You should really come by more often, Red. There are so many things to do here.

[Like, everything you can do at the Gold Saucer! And more.]

I like to eat at places that are quiet and a little trendy, I think. Back home, I loved to visit all the cafés and bistros I would read about in magazines. French cuisine, pastries, coffee or tea...those are usually my favorites. What about yourself?

[mech_and_mutt]

The Asmodeus has a kitchen, so we did a lot of cookin'. Still do, actually. [Plus that kid sister of his always had an eye on their finances and rarely let him splurge on the fancy stuff...]

Back in the Shepherd Republic, places like that were all over! But most people would just end up goin' to Stardogs for their coffee.

[mythmaker]

You can cook, Red? I'd love to see that sometime. You haven't had a chance to taste my cooking yet either, have you?

[Her cooking skills are very domestic, but that's just one of her charm points. It makes her even more lethal.]

Stardogs? My, that sounds a little familiar, but I can't quite place it...maybe I've been there before?

[mech_and_mutt]

Ah, it's nothin' special-- I'm sure yours is a lot better than anythin' I could make.

[The Asmodeus had a very small kitchen.]

Yeah, Stardogs. You know-- green logo, green aprons, fancy espresso drinks?

[mythmaker]

I don't know about that. I don't get the chance to cook for others very often. You'd have to ask Uendo.

[She recently cooked lunch for him, after all.]

Hmm...it still sounds familiar. Ah, it reminds me of Star Box! They have green aprons and coffee, too.

[mech_and_mutt]

...huh.

[Now that they're actually talking about it...]

Isn't there a Star Mogs in Myste Aura?

[mythmaker]

Eh?

My, my, isn't that a strange coincidence? I wonder, what do stars have to do with coffee?

[mech_and_mutt]

Do you think it's like... whaddaya call it...

I kept hearin' that this place shares a lot with some world that came before it, and even some'a the places that we all came from. Maybe that kinda cafe is just a thing where every world has its own...?

[mythmaker]

It can't be, right? It's just coffee. And 'star' is a pretty common word.

[...]

Right?

[mech_and_mutt]

Okay, hold on. At Star Box, do they have weird names for all the sizes? Like, do they call the smallest one somethin' weird like a 'tall'? And weird espresso drinks like a praline cappuccino?

[mythmaker]

Hm...that sounds familiar. You know, they have drinks like pumpkin spice, too, things I can't find at any other sort of cafe. Toyomi always says they sound fancier than they really are.

[mech_and_mutt]

--Just like Mocha always says about Star Mogs! And they've got pumpkin spice there, too!

Were these things all founded by some sort of world-hopper, or...?!

[mythmaker]

A world hopper who likes to put pumpkins in coffee...

My, my. I wonder if we'll ever know. It just might be so.