tabularasa_rp | open ✨ life can be harsh, it can be bitter.

★ SUSHI & BBQ IN WALL MARKET ★

[You may have seen them: hand-written posters plastered to the walls of Heavenly Blanc, Merlaut Apartments, and even Wall Market. The penmanship is neat and cursive, and the addition of drawings are meant to lure one's attention, with each poster having a different one than the next, but they all are printed with the same thing:]

𝒞𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝒷𝓎 𝒲𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓀𝑒𝓉 𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒶 𝓉𝒶𝓈𝓉𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝒮𝓉𝓇𝒾𝒻𝑒'𝓈 𝐵𝒾𝓉𝑒𝓈!
𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒞𝒶𝓃 𝐸𝒶𝓉 𝒮𝓊𝓈𝒽𝒾 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐵𝒶𝓇𝒷𝑒𝒸𝓊𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓌 𝓅𝓇𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓝𝓞𝓣𝓗𝓘𝓝𝓖!

[If one were to journey to Wall Market, the smell of meat will linger in the misplaced sector, and may even filter into the caves, but one thing is for sure: it smells damn good. Of course it does! This isn't Tifa's first rodeo with a barbecue, and she's passed down all her knowledge to Cloud, who will be manning the grill or the sushi rolling station while she takes orders and works the prep line.

While it does smell delicious, there is plenty to be desired about the final presentation of the food. The sushi is rolled crooked, and the rice is falling apart or squished into the fish, and the meat skewers are overcooked or overloaded with pieces (or both) and drizzled in way too much sauce, making them nearly impossible to eat without a mess. Tifa says nothing to Cloud, letting him sort that out himself, but when they hand one over to a hungry customer, she'll flash a sheepish smile.]

Still working out the kinks, but I promise it's tastier than it looks!

( ooc: please let us know if you are picking the sushi or the meat! )

★ THE LEMON CELLO CHURCH ★

[Alternatively, you could have seen the posters calling your attention to a different location, but still with the same precise handwriting. Tifa had promised Aerith not long ago (or a long time ago, time means nothing) that she would help her out with turning the church into a proper business—a flower and cake shop—and it just so happens that Cloud's interests had aligned with hers. So exciting!

So here they are, working at this makeshift bakery together where they've helped Aerith set up the tables and chairs in preparations for guests, each one decorated with a simple centerpiece: a vase with a single flower. Tifa has forced an apron she found inside Heavenly Blanc around Cloud's neck to make him look "more presentable and welcoming"—that SOLDIER uniform doesn't do him any good in either department, especially for a bakery, and she dons one too, although much more willingly.

As soon as anyone wanders into the church looking curious or hungry, she'll stuff the tray of samples into Cloud's hand and nudges him to the entrance with her.]

Welcome to Lemon Cello Church, a little taste of Aerith's home in Sector Five! [She calls out happily, waving. She thrives in this business stuff!] We've got some samples here if you'd like to try some! Take your pick.

[She nudges Cloud a little closer.

On the tray, there is a variety of different bite-sized cakes ranging from lemon, the house specialty, to vanilla, chocolate, and even cheesecake! This place really went all out when it imprinted, and just like the Wall Market supply, it seems to fill itself up again when no one's looking...

Anyway. Take one!]

( ooc: tag order will be you → cloud → tifa, unless other circumstances come up! )

[So, it wasn't actually a dig at Tifa and Cloud's efforts to diversify, but she hadn't seen the message at Heavenly Blanc. She'd caught the smell of cooking meat and seen a flier shortly after getting shunted out of the bathhouse for bringing a fish in and watching it dissolve.]

Fiiiine, kick me out. but I see your game...

[She'd learned something, though. Or more confirmed something. When the smell hit her nose, her mouth watered and she scrawled the observation on the back of the flier, between the musical notes that had just randomly appeared, and made her way over. Ok, she was starving. Coming over to the stall, she raised an eyebrow.]

So you were serious bout the second job, eh? Dare I ask what meat we're using for the barbeque?

[ Cloud, being so great at customer service, responds in the least reassuring way. ]

Do you really care? Just be grateful there is something.

[ Someone sure is grumpy about having to work for free. >:( ]

[Back on the road for Tifa's Grand Adventure to finding other jobs and hobbies she's passionate about! It was during a conversation with Lance when she decided that she would give her all into becoming the greatest Pokemon rancher in all of the Void... starting with the chickens, if one could even call them that (or Pokemon, but no one has told them otherwise).

She's conveniently found some useful items that have washed up on the beach that she thinks could help her in building the fence and coop that she promised to put together—pieces of lumber, metal scraps, bits and bolts, even some tools!—that she's carried all the way back to the forest surrounding Mortis Lake where the featherless birds are most commonly found.

Anyone within the vicinity will be able to hear a mix of banging and rattling, whether it's echoing through the trees... or in their own heads (sorry!) followed by an uttered string of curses when it doesn't sit quite right, not in the way she would like it to.]

Oh, come on! If I just will it to work, would that be enough!?

[At the source of the racket, Tifa will be standing with what appears to be a square of wooden planks nailed together, but it's crooked and looks like it will fall apart the moment she takes her hands off it. She's strong, but not the greatest at carpentry all on her own, so any help would be... nice...

Alternatively, she's had to wrestle with the chickens over the course of her project. She's barely started and they've already started climbing all over her supplies, and she's had to rush over and pick them up one by one to move them off so none of them hurt themselves on the pieces of sharp metal. It's like she's babysitting a group of toddlers: they're loud, fast, and don't understand a word she says.]

Now, you behave! [Her voice is stern as she waggles a finger at them, once again unaware that she may be overheard from a distance.] I'm trying to build you a home, you know!

[Has she been talking to the chickens? Yes. Yes, she has.]

Edited 2020-09-03 15:17 (UTC)

[After all that work cooking meat and building a fence, it's nice to have somewhere to go where she can relax and let go of all of the tension that's built up in her muscles... and to wash off the smell of beef. Tifa's been to the bathhouse before to shower, but hasn't been inside the baths yet, deciding to wait for the lights to start working again before giving them a try.

At the entrance, she reads the sign with some apprehension knitting into her brow: no towels in the bath? ... What is she supposed to do if someone else is in there?

Well, what's the harm, right? It's just a towel.

Anyone who's inside the bath already will receive a greeting when she strolls in, hair up and a towel wrapped securely around herself. When she dips her toes into the steaming water, she exhales in a relieved sigh. It feels nice... What she wouldn't have given for this back in Midgar, except this one is exceptionally cleaner than any of the bathhouses she would have expected to find in Wall Market.

When she recalls the rules written out in plain sight, Tifa presses a finger to her lips.]

Don't tell anyone.

[She then begins to lower herself slowly into the water with the towel still on. Please stop her... Please. For the love of god, stop her or watch her teleport away.

Or, you can find her outside, having just been kicked out in the blink of an eye. If you're passing through, a girl in a towel will magically appear directly in front of you, looking surprised and having no idea what the heck just happened. Her legs are dripping wet and she's cold, and it takes a moment for the realization to sink in that she's no longer inside the bathhouse.]

Huh—!?

[ For anything else you'd like to do with Tifa this month! You know the drill: feel free to slam a starter down, or contact me via PM or at

crystariums if you'd like to plot something specific! ]

(They're hungry a lot, now that they can feel hunger.

They don't know anything about "Strife's Bites", but the promise of food draws them.

When they get there, they're pleased to see familiar faces.)

Tifa.

(And then they look at the other. They know Cloud, but they don't know his name. They headtilt. It did say Strife's bites, so...)

Strife?

[ having wandered in here previously, the contents of the inside of the church isn't what catches him off-guard. well, kind of? maybe it's because he's been in here previously that he doesn't quite expect this... considering the atmosphere is a little more chill.

now, it's capitalism. not that it's a bad thing, when it comes from two faces he hasn't quite seen in a while. or, um, maybe a while? who the heck knows here. ]

Hmmmm... Wow, you're giving me a lot of options right off the bat! How the heck am I supposed to choose?! [ that's why there's samples, no, ] What would you recommend? What's your favorite? Both of ya!

[ yeah, that. now that it's all settled down, he can offer them both a smile in greeting as he looks them over.

... and yeah, he does linger a little on cloud's apron, but it's whatever. guess it's a sunny, awkward sky kind of day!! ]

Cloud!

[Tifa gives him a gentle nudge in the side—a "be nice!" nudge—before she urges him to hand her a meat skewer fresh off the grill. It's a little burnt, but... everyone has to start somewhere, right? While he does that, she's already got an answer for Parsee.]

Sort of a second job! Left the bar for a while to pursue other things with Cloud here. [She slaps him on both his shoulders.] As for the meat, uh...

[Her smile fades only slightly, brows knitting with uncertainty.]

Beef and chicken, I think...?

[She wasn't expecting anyone to ask outright! This probably doesn't look very promising...]

1,183 platforms.

[ Evidently, Cloud doesn't know their name either. Also it's programs, not platforms. ]

Uh...

[ Admittedly he wasn't expecting get a robot customer today, and he turns to Tifa quietly. ]

Do you think we're supposed to feed it?

If you get both of our opinions then you'll still be indecisive about which one to follow.

[ Assuming they give him different answers... because he's right, there are a lot of options. ]

Besides, cool guys can think for themselves.

[ That's free advice from the dork who actually thinks he's the leading expert on what's cool and what isn't. ]

One thousand, one hundred huh—?

[What is he on about? Is this something related to Legion, or the food? First of all, what does it mean and second, his question does give her pause. Do they need to eat now that the state of the world has shifted in that direction? Even robots?

Her voice lowers to an almost-whisper, what she thinks is quiet enough for only Cloud to hear, but Legion will be able to hear it, too.]

I dunno... last I asked, they didn't need to.

[Even Tifa looks a little unsure about her answer, but she turns to greet Legion with a sincere smile anyway.]

Hey, Legion! Have a seat. [There. Now Cloud knows their name!!!] Have you two met before?

Sure, cool guys can think for themselves, but cool guys also need to find their favourite cake!

[Tifa giggles, not wanting to brush off Cloud's attempt to give his Super Cool Advice—she knows he's just helping in his own way, right?—but doesn't want to dismiss Leo's inquiry either. That's what they're here for, isn't it? To offer advice on the hottest and most delicious cake trends, not on "what's cool". Their opinions on the latter could be very, very different, but cake is universal!

She steps around so she's able to gesture to the samples as she talks about them.]

If you wanna try the house special, the lemon cake is always a great choice. A little on the sour side, though. My personal favourite is the cheesecake. Rich, decadent, and creamy.

[Her eyes shift, slightly, from Cloud to Leo, to elsewhere, concern flashing across her expression before she rolls her shoulders in a shrug. Hmm...]

Where's the fun in trying only one, though? I think Cloud should give his top two recs, too.

[ wow... bold of cloud to think leo cares at all about being cool....... which like, he does sometimes! is a cake shop in the middle of a weird, ever-changing world one of those times?

probably not. exhibit a: ]

Wahaha! You're both sticking pretty well to character even though we're just meeting again, huh? Team CloTi: one half gives weird, mysterious advice... the other half is hypercompetent!

[ and leo, as always, is mighty weird. his gaze bounces between the two options put forth by tifa as he says that, amused, until his gaze settles on cloud.

at least there's no punching this time. or, like, advice on not dying? there's just cake. ]

I'm with Tifa, so you're... overruled! Top two recs like she said, okay? Then I'll pick one from each pair!

What the hell's a Cloti?! You're the one saying weird shit.

[ Mr. Customer Service is at it again. As for his top two cakes? He didn't grow up with anything fancy, so his taste for desserts are embarrassingly dull. ]

Do-Nothing cake. [ Still, he'll act confident about it! ] My mom used to make 'em.

[ He catches himself accidentally revealing too much about his past, and quickly moves past that comment. He's gotta keep up his mystique, after all. ]

--and chocolate, you can't go wrong with that.

Hah. Ok, I see why one of you's on the grill and the other's at the counter. [She laughed so hard at that. It was kind of painfully obvious that they complemented each other when you watched it up close.]

Chicken. I know what the chicken is at least, and if you've managed to figure out how to cook it up then that's a bonus. Not like I'm used to eating well cooked food as is, and it's going to be damned better than pebbles.

...

Don't ask me why I know they work.

[CloTi... she kind of likes that. It's got a nice ring to it. They've already got Strife's Bites as a potential new food stand name, so maybe that can be their team name... or something!

At any rate, Tifa's cheeks flush with pink at the thought, and she hyperfocuses on the cakes laid out on the platter. She gets what Leo means, and Cloud isn't exactly helping by bringing more attention to it either, but she's relieved when the moment's gone, their attention turned back over to the cakes.]

Alright, alright settle down!

[Let's not all get worked up about cake samples, boys! She's already gone Half Mom on you, don't make her go Full Mom and start waggling fingers.]

Sooo, what'll it be?

Edited 2020-09-04 18:15 (UTC)

Whoops! We got scolded!

[ he says, like it was a joint effort and not mostly his fault.......

but leo can settle, as tifa says. he's used to it -- being scolded, that is. he won't push, instead weighing options in his mind. technically, he's... only really got three? he's got two that grabbed his attention already in mind, and those aren't all relevant-- ]

I'll take cheesecake, I guess? Ple~ase! [ don't forget his manners there. he points at said cheesecake cheerfully, then scans through the others. ] And, uummm... Which one of these are Do-Nothing cake? They all seem pretty productive, like they've got a lot going on, so I can't pick it out just through looks...!

[ he's aware it's probably not here, but he can't help his curiosity. ]

Yes. There are 1,183 programs within this platform.

Christian bible, Mark 5:9 "My name is Legion, for we are many".

(They're ... a little put off when they start whispering about them, speculating as though they aren't right there to ask.

Still, when Tifa says to have a seat, they sit.)

Affirmative, though our familiarity is limited.

(It's why they were trying to ask if Strife was his name--they don't actually know it.)

This world affects us as it does organics. We now experience both hunger and taste.

(He had been on his way to the bathhouse when the smell invades his nose and without much thought, he follows it.

The scene is nothing short on endearing. It's nice to see Tifa branching out and dragging Cloud with her...

Ren shoots them a happy smile before he approaches, eyeing the food... That could definitely be better prepared, but they certainly tried! They get points.)

Hey, you two.

[ there was a promise made at the welcoming party for a (friendly) fight, and ahsoka is ready to make good on her word. she checks in with tifa one day to make sure she's ready for a match, and takes them on the path to the shrine bridge.

pointedly, she does not actually mention that she had the idea for them to fight on the bridge until they get to the gate. her smile is bashful to say the least. ]

It's a little unconventional, but I like to think a narrow arena means more opportunity for our skill to shine. Hope you don't mind?

Edited 2020-09-05 03:55 (UTC)

[ The Do-Nothing cake isn't fancy enough to be among these other fine ones, which immediately makes Cloud feel like he has to justify his opinion. ]

Look, sometimes less is more. That's why only the most skilled bakers can make these cakes, they know what's needed and what isn't. Only amateurs put in all the ingredients into one cake.

[ Even when talking out of his ass, he has to make it sound like he knows things. ]

When you write music, you don't use all the words and notes, right? Just the ones that make it good. It's the same idea.

[ ...Yup! ]

Hey yourself. You here for something from Lockhart's Snack Mart?

[ See, Tifa?!? Two can play at that game! ... Except her name idea was still better than his. ]

Who's Christian Bible? My name's Cloud. Cloud Strife.

[ There we go, now they all know each other's names, although this won't be the last time they'll be confused with each other if otherworldly religion keeps being referenced. ]

So this is your first time experiencing hunger? That must be exciting.

[ He means it's probably scary. Cloud himself has experienced the opposite when he first arrived here, and he's not sure if he liked living like some machine. ]

[ Cloud is just about to explain to Tifa that Parsee comes from a strange world, a spirit world of some sorts, although he's going to omit the spirit part. He's not sure how deep her fear of ghosts really goes, so it's best to play it safe.

However, that moment is quickly derailed when Cloud absorbs the last part of what Parsee mentioned. ]

What?! You've been eating stones and pebbles?

[ Yeah, he's going to ask. ]

open ✨ life can be harsh, it can be bitter.

cloud & tifa ✨

BBQ

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chicken coop ✨

bathhouse ✨

wildcard ✨

Sushi

let leo eat CAKE

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sushi!

sparring

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