Scene #7842: Food Channel ft. The Gal Pals and An Inspector

Owner	Pose
Hibiki Tachibana	A SHORT WHILE AGO: Hibiki Tachibana says, "Though honestly, you can also just come over sometime." I4 says, "Oh I guess I can do that!" I4 says, "I mean, it'd be nice to hang out and not do buisness things." AND NOW, THE CURRENT DAY: I4 has been invited to an entirely ordinary residential district, to an entirely ordinary apartment complex within Tokyo. The only especially notable thing is that it's still within relatively close distance of Lydian Private Music Academy, which makes sense. That, and the fact that Hibiki and Miku curiously live in a place of their very own when the academy has perfectly serviceable dorms they could stay in. And speaking of those two, it turns out he won't even need to do the whole routine of knocking and waiting for someone to get the door - Hibiki is already outside, leaning up against a wall just beside a stairwell to the second floor while checking something (that is certainly not shopping very unwisely done after the holidays have already ended) on her phone. Waiting for him, presumably. She's ever so slightly tensed up and shuffling around a bit on the spot, probably from not being used to people /actually/ coming to her house. Or just from being the kind of person who can't stand around for too long. Maybe both.
Ishirou	I4 had sent a message over letting them know he was on the way. This is for several reasons, such as being a good guest and because he wasn't sure if they'd be home when he was setting over. There is also letting them know he'd be there, as opposed to just showing up. Something about the last time this happened. I4 himself is wearing a white sweater, nice and poofy because it was cold and he was also comfy. He's got a nice pair of blue jeans on underneath that and a pair of sneakers. It's nice to actually get to be casual, instead of in battle gear all the time. Up the stairwell, he spots Hibiki first, "Hello!" he says, sunnily, which he's been more of lately than his slightly more sarcastic self. "Hope I didn't hit too early! Anything up?" he asks, more curious as to why Hibiki was outside...and probably also hinting that he can tell she's a bit tense. Is she just bored, or was there something the matter?
Hibiki Tachibana	Hibiki, for her part, has her usual jacket zipped up and has actual pants instead of shorts or a skirt to account for the cold bite in the air. As soon as she picks up on I4, she looks up with the vibe of either being way too into her thoughts or whatever was on her phone, putting it away and giving him a small smile. "Hey. This is actually the first time I've seen you just wearing whatever, huh? A lot really has changed." She pushes off the wall, with the look on her face shifting to something more thoughtful as she rubs the back of her neck. "'Up?' Ah..." She looks off into the distance briefly, then shakes her head. "Nah. Just was in my own head. I'm not used to people coming over all that often, actually. And last time was..." She lifts her right hand up and gives it one of those wobbles - it's notably covered in a warm glove with a certain crimson symbol on the back of it. She lightens back up immediately after. "And I was just thinking about how funny it all was. How different things get over time. And there was a time I couldn't imagine anyone visiting period, you know?" She turns and starts walking, up towards a door on the second floor landing. "Anyway, you're on time, so don't worry. Miku's waiting for you inside, too. She actually was pretty excited for it. How've you been doin' anyway, I4? I know we're not, uh...you know. I'm not as involved in all your stuff as like, Go and a lot of other people, but I like to think we're still pretty decent friends."
Ishirou	"Oh yeah..?" I4 looks at his outfit for a moment, "Yeah I guess so? When I got out of Indus, and when S6 and I got a chance to...well, shop for ourselves without the idea that we weren't people...it was fun actually. I started collecting various sweaters. They're comfy." I4 nods about things being a little weird, and the last time. "I understand, and I wouldn't be too put off if you weren't okay with this. You were...hurt by this, even if at the time I was less aware of how things happened." She admits that she might be the biggest friend and I4 shrugs at that. "No time like the present right..? And it's not like you didn't have a good reason." "Also, you...despite every reason, you shouldn't help a friend of mine out a bunch. She probably won't say it, but I will. Thank you for that. It...she does mean a lot to me. Though I guess you saw some of that..." he scratches the back of his head. "I'm just glad she's back and it's...better!" he smiles. "Oh has she been?" This time referring to Miku. "Don't tell me showing me things is going to be an excuse to also teach you, eh?" he says, with perhaps a more mischievous grin. "So how about you? How are you holding up? Were the holidays good?"
Hibiki Tachibana	"...Yeah. I'm glad too." Hibiki's small smile returns at 'it's better'. "But don't mention it. I just did what I wanted to do. Thanks for being there for her, too." Moving on from that subject as I4 does, she gives a somewhat awkward chuckle. "Yeah actually, she's been thinking about it. The moment she figured I also wanted to learn, she was really happy. So I guess it's gonna be more like one of those cooking classes we have at school." It's only a short walk across the landing to reach the door to their part of the complex, which Hibiki pulls open. She was only just waiting outside, after all. "Holidays were pretty good though. I mean, other than all the stuff we were busy with during that time out there. The Noise haven't shown back up here as bad as they did before though, so we actually had a normal party at school /and/ one under it, between all the Second Div members." The inside of the apartment is--also really ordinary, which probably isn't surprising. It's a simple one-bedroom one-bathroom arrangement with a large living room with an extra-big couch, and an open kitchen right adjacent to it. On the way in, there's a small stand off to the side where a few pictures of Hibiki and Miku together are put up; some of them from when they both must have been just teenagers or a bit younger with a much more openly cheery Hibiki, and a few taken in what looks to have only been the last year or two. "Miku, it's us!" Walking in also lets the smell of all sorts of delicious-smelling raw ingredients hit the nose, the source of which is one Miku Kohinata in an apron and everything, busy chopping up all manner of vegetables. She stops and looks over her shoulder before turning around with a bright smile and a clap of her hands. "Hibiki! I4! You're just in time! I was just getting everything together." She looks to I4 in particular. "And you look like you're doing well! She was telling me all about how you were asking after cooking tips. Is it a new thing you've been trying?" That's bringing up the plum soup without directly bringing up the plum soup.
Ishirou	I4 is silent for a moment. Then he says, with some grinning in his voice, "Oh so you're saying you're into being bullied eh?" he says with a laugh that's not mocking, and more cheerful teasing a friend. "Don't worry, me too so you're in good company," he ends with a chuckle. "Oh really? Well, that's good, expanding your horizons is a good thing! Hopefully, laundry comes next.." he says, once more teasing. "Actually, to be fair, that one was a new one to me recently. Before I just deposited clothing at a place and got a new uniform. Thankfully, directions were pretty clear and I haven't flooded the house with suds." This is probably better than what Go has managed. "Hi, Miku!" I4 says right behind Hibiki. He looks at the pictures and homes in on a younger Hibiku, "Aw, cute!" he says, before being drawn to the kitchen. "Yeah! Actually, it is sooort of? I tried before but without a knowledge of the how and why...but I was still an android then. It was a more aimless curiosity then? Now being a human and stuff...I figured I should know how to feed myself? Also because I'm roommates with Go, and if I don't learn, we're either going to only eat cup noodles or go out to eat." "Also it's...interesting to take things and put it together. It's just...well I never had TASTE before. I had textures and...didn't really get how flavors were supposed to go? Like, to me the most disgusting thing was the same as the most flavorful thing, it was an experience of the tongue...something to be categorized." "Also some misunderstanding of categories of food," I4 says apologetically, "The soup was classified as a new type of biogenetic agent by the Paladins." A pause, "Thanks for at least trying it..."
Hibiki Tachibana	"I understand completely," Miku says with a knowing smile. "Hibiki was the exact same way about making cup noodles and anything else convenient before I started cooking for her!" "Hey!" Miku listens to I4 talking about brand new experiences with taste with full interest and unhidden curiosity, taking the entire thing about going from android to human in stride. And she has to work hard to keep back a chuckle at the end. "It might've been bad, but I think calling it an 'agent' is a little harsh." The look on Hibiki's face states her disagreement with this. "But it's natural you'll mess up when doing something brand new. Especially when it involves something you couldn't even experience before! But I'll be happy to help however I can. And while I do, you and Hibiki can help me get dinner ready!" She produces two matching cooking aprons to her own for the both of them, holding them up with a beaming grin. Hibiki gives I4 a shrug and goes to take hers. After they're both geared up, she divvies up some of the vegetables she was slicing up to either side for the two of them to work on, and also a slab of prepared beef onto I4's. "Like anything else, cooking is a lot of messing up until you learn and get better at it. And it sounds like you've already learned a bit, so don't worry! Experimenting with what works and what doesn't is normal." "Plums might not have worked alone, in a soup. But if I was making, say, pork stew instead of beef stew today--they actually wouldn't be that bad! That tartness would actually help offset the texture of it." Nod nod. "Instead of going for the strongest flavors, good or bad, you should find things that compliment each other. Like they're teammates who rely on one another!" Hibiki leans over a bit at that point, having taken off her gloves and eying her cutting knife like she's worried she'll nick herself. "Have you tasted all of that kind of stuff by now, I4? Tart, sweet, sour, and that sort of thing. Are you still categorizing it like that, or do you think you got a favorite?"
Ishirou	I4 chuckles at that, especially because he has tried to get Go to be less of a cup noodle and out to eat guy, and it appears that only he can save Go's wallet from Go. Also Go's stomach and future body. He also notes that Biki was already with calling the plum soup an 'agent'. "Well, Tamamo had said that stews were something easy to start with, and I noticed that tomatoes are used in soups. However, I misunderstood that tomatoes are not considered a fruit when cooking, and I had found a deal on plums nearby.." I4 is already thinking with a budget sense. There might be hope for him. I4 takes his apron without complaint and slides it on with a nod and a smile, listening to Miku. "Oh yeah, Miku, I have a group chat with Tamamo about cooking. Want me to invite you to that?" he asks, before settling in to listen. "Mmm...messing up huh? So basically, the idea is to try and try and try...and then slowly focus on something? I mean, obviously, cookbooks exist, but for making new things?" He nods when she explains complimentary tastes, and then nods. Okay...so flavor mixing is also important...maybe that was the problem with the plums? Trying to make tomato soup, but with plums wouldn't work... I4 takes the knife and starts chopping. Oddly, this part he seems to have no trouble with, cutting things with a small blade is in fact something I4 is very good at. Though it takes a couple of pointers from Miku to adjust his training in such things. "Honestly...I dunno if I found a flavor I haven't liked. I mean...okay I guess it's different for you two, right? You've tasted things the moment you were born, had years to solidify what you like, and have had both environmental and cultural tastes ingrained." "I haven't had that, food was something I really only started to try in the Multiverse, and really only recently. Though I /DO/ think I don't like sugary things. I don't know if that goes into sweet, but like...sweet tea or soda? I'm not a fan of..." he pauses, "But sour things are pretty interesting to eat, but I do like savory.." he thinks on that while cutting. "What about you two? What are your favorites?"
Hibiki Tachibana	"Savory." "Sweet!" "Though there's also those really good pancakes at that one shop, and it's hard to say no to an extra sweet cake..." "And since I started cooking for Hibiki, I've been enlightened to how good the kind of dishes she likes are..." After a short delay, both of them break out into giggling. "Yeah, I guess we got the unfair advantage in that department. You don't really think about that kind of stuff when it's been with you since you were born...I didn't even consider that." After a bit of watching both I4 and Miku, Hibiki gets to chopping with decent enough skill. She's only had any practice in classes, but she's solid enough. "But honestly, I can't imagine not liking sugary stuff." "Of course you can't," Miku adds on with a lilt. "You're having too much fun jabbing me today!" She clearly is, as she's glancing at I4 as they chop away rather than following on that. "Everyone has their own tastes. And if everything goes well today, we'll have expanded your palette that little bit more! And maybe mine too; I'd love to be invited! Oh, here, we want to cut the beef into chunks about this big for the stew..." It's not long into the supervised prep before they're handling what comes next for said beef, with Miku setting aside seasonings and herbs, and setting up a pan for searing it. "And when it comes to dishes like this, the way you prepare what you're using is almost as important as what you pick. Here, I4! I'll handle the heat, and you can add whatever amount of seasoning you think is good. I'll let you know if it's too much or too little." "So by the way," Hibiki intones herself as she finishes up cutting duty. "Being uh...human now. I'm not gonna lie, I'm still wrapping my head around how just suddenly getting all those new senses and stuff even works, or has to feel. You mentioned we had years to get used to things, so I sorta wonder how long it'll take you to get used to...you know, living like this. But if you got laundry down, you're probably doing pretty good already."
Ishirou	I4 can't help but laugh at the discordant tastes of the two, but it causes him to think about it for a moment. He cuts the meat into smaller squares as directed. "Mmm...would this be too small? If cooked long enough wouldn't it just nearly melt away?" he asks, considering things. Miku is the expert, but I4 is going to ask about anything he doesn't understand. On the grill, he starts moving the meat around to get equal sear and tries his hand at seasoning. If she was going to control his seasoning, then he should figure out a good balance for this. He tries his hand lightly at first, taking a minimalist approach. After all, you can add more, but you can't take away what you add to this kind of thing! He makes a note when Miku indicates to increase or to stop on certain spices, and of course, asks why along the way. "Well...I think it's an excessive amount of sweetness that bothers me? It just seems excessive...but savory doesn't seem to have an 'excessive' to it. Salty, sure but not savory in the same way. Tart and sour DEFINITELY can be overdone, I tried a lemon once.." The betrayer. "Oh well...hmmm..." I4 tries to think of how to describe the human part. "You're right, it was a lot all at once. It took me some time to get used to things feeling in one way, and not in another. It also helped that my core functions didn't change. I wanted to be human, sure...that was my internal self, but I also still kept my ability to scan things. My senses are still heightened, I have parts of me that are still 'metal' but where they start and where the human starts is..." "Hard to determine. There was time I needed to adjust, but...at the same time, it was a wonder. So many things I got to experience, and enjoy and..." he sighs, "Like cooking with you two. It's actually wonderful to talk and have fun, but also just smell the food cooking and enjoy the act. It wasn't the same as an android."
Hibiki Tachibana	"Mhm. Letting them oversimmer will just leave behind the toughest parts, and we don't want that. So it's a bit more important than normal to watch the heat and make sure we don't leave it on for too long. We want to leave enough fat left over while still getting the insides, so it's delicate work." Miku nods in approval with the taking-it-slow approach. She wanted to see exactly what he'd go for, and this makes it easy to help manage things. I4 gets gentle guidance on how easy it is to salt more than intentional, while pepper is rather looser--and he's free to take his pick of herbs to sprinkle on. If this was a cooking minigame, he'd be doing excellently right now. "Ahaha. Weird, isn't it? There's some things that 'too much of it is bad' doesn't really apply to. The thing is that you can make something overly sweet, or sour, or tarty by just adding more of those things. Making something properly savory makes you really have to work for it and balance things out!" As they go, Miku is also instructing him further on turning the meat over to make sure all the sides are gotten in equal measure. Hibiki, in the process of all of this, is setting aside the lot of sliced up potatoes, carrots, onions, and otherwise for when it's time to add them in. She's so busy listening to I4 though that she nearly finally does cut herself as she's finishing up. Nearly. "Huh. So you're human, but you also...didn't have to entirely give up what you were before to get it. Good for you, I4." She means that, with the 'stop teasing me' pout she's had off and on lightening up into a warm smile briefly. It sticks with what he says next, with Miku also joining in. "I can imagine. I can't speak for anything about being an android, but it's the little moments like this that make being human a wonderful thing, I think." "...Yeah. But sheesh, don't say sappy stuff like that out of nowhere. If I start tearing up, it's the onions over here." The wild Tachibana, in her natural habitat, is quick to cover her tracks. "Still...I'm glad. I think everyone deserves to feel that. Kinda wild to compare your situation just a couple months ago with the you now, isn't it?"
Ishirou	I4's nodding along to the cooking minigame, which isn't too different than the hacking one, but a lot of flavored stuff. Enough to make first-time players confused! "Oh right, I remember. The fat holds a lot of the flavor..." a pause, "Gota balance that too, right? Too much fat is bad for you. Huh...living is a lot of balance!" I4 nods along to Miku's explanation. "Yeah, getting it just right is harder than it looks, and what is just right for you might not be for others. It's what's gotten me so interested in it. Sure, it's a way to explore me that isn't...well, traumatic for once, but also a useful skill to have!" I4 gets the deal with salt now, and pepper is a bit more useful than he thought. He messes around with herbs, taking small bits of meat, and using bits of the herbs to try and make a good match. "Well...Persephone's power brings out your inner self? The one that you imagine yourself being. I had always wanted to be human, though perhaps it was more subconcious. Human stuff always interested me! Interactions, humor, cooking. There was so much, and early me was...very bad at it all!" he laughs. "So Phony shared with me the ability to make my inner self my outer self. When the power fades, I'll still be like this unless I choose to make myself what I was before. I'm not going to, though, so don't worry about that. I feel...complete. Like I had a piece of myself missing I didn't really get until I had touched it." "It's also what drove that wedge between Lilian and me. She went through a lot of trouble to help discover the truth. What Androids were, how we came to be...that we were actually humans, but told that we were lesser. It was a lot to take in, which might have made my inner self scream against the cage more." "She felt bad that all she seemed to bring me was pain and jealous that Phony had brought me something she couldn't do...that I'd abandoned her." I4 takes a breath, deciding on a flavor. Nodding, he mixes in some garlic powder and basil. "I said to her though...I do not regret my decision to become human. I do regret not talking to her...maybe bringing her on board? I regret the pain she had to feel, and that she couldn't resolve it." "Do friends hurt each other like this sometimes? I admit it's...still rather new to me. You two have a lot of history, have you ever gotten into a nasty fight? Or into a state where you thought you couldn't bridge the gap..?" A pause, "If you're going to cry, it's alright. I have found it's nice to get stuff out."
Hibiki Tachibana	"Lilian..." Hibiki trails off as she's brought up, still focused down on the vegetables but clearly still listening to everything said. "...She thought Muramasa abandoned her too. And...me. When I went to Hiromi, after everything with her. Even though we were both set up against each other, I never stopped to think about why she really felt the way she did. When I should know that feeling better than anyone." Miku, for the first time, slowly loses her sunny disposition and looks somewhere between solemn and saddened. All the more with I4's ensuing question. "Have we ever fought...no, I don't think so. But there was a time where...I couldn't be there for Hibiki when she needed me the most, and it hurt her more than I ever could have imagined." She looks towards the other girl, who is standing back straight with an conflicted expression. Not put off, more like she's trying really hard to find a way to say something. "...Back then, I was sort of a little bit like Lilian was. I had it in my head that everyone was against me and left me behind, and that I didn't need anyone else. That I was...less than human." She gives a sideglance to I4. "And so I didn't even deserve to be around them in the first place." After a moment of just standing there, sitting back against the counter, she turns and goes back to getting together all the chopped-up slices. "So yeah, that's a gap I never thought was going to get bridged. I even tried to widen it again when Miku tried to reach out to me. But she saved me. Both of them did." Pausing and apparently realizing how weird that sounds to just say, she rubs at the back of her neck. "Uh, it was sort of the same kind of deal as with Lilian and the Winter Slayer...really long story." Mumble. "Friends will inevitably hurt one another at some point...whether they intend to or not," Miku speaks up slowly, albeit not sadly anymore. It's a thoughtful tone, as she makes a gesture for a tiny bit more garlic powder to be added in. "That's also a part of what being human is. Because of things said, or unsaid, or being unable to communicate what you really feel." After a moment, she goes back to smiling in full. It's not forced at all, and just as bright as the last. "But we also can find ways past that, and move forward together. It might take time, but if you and the people who care about you really want it, it'll definitely happen. So just like cooking, mistakes and regrets will happen, and you shouldn't forget them - but it's what comes after that truly matters." "So basically, friends are kinda complicated. Welcome to being human. But you found what makes you complete, so I'm sure you're tough enough to handle it." Hibiki, having also picked herself all the way back up and then some, gives him a small grin and a nod. "--Also, I've done plenty of crying already, so no thanks. Sign me off of that for like, at least another half a year."
Ishirou	I4 listens to the story, and his frown widens. Though he does keep up on the cooking mini-game, adding more powder as suggested. "Well...on the Paladin side, she made the case that Muramasa was being led astray and that you were putting him in danger," I4 thinks, "Though I guess that was how she worked. Not saying what she really felt, and instead not being honest with herself or us.." "Not feeling human..." I4 sighs. "Yeah, I...I get that. I felt that same thing, and..." he sucks in a breath, "I think I felt worse when I found that my soul was human. Like I was some sort of monster...that others would be better without me. That I was just..." "Lesser." "Go and Blemi helped me out, Phony reached out when I had hit rock bottom. So...yeah. Humans...being human is complicated but I like it. I like the moments where I feel alive, where I'm cooking like this now when I'm experimenting with different feelings and sensations. When I'm learning and experiencing." "I guess it's going to be a long road, but I am looking forward to every step," he says sunnily, "And...I'm glad to be here now with you two!" he side-eyes Hibiki with the crying comment, "You sure? I heard that tears make food taste better.." he says, but he might be also thinking of 'your tears taste good'. "Phew! This is fun!" he says, probably about the cooking. "...I have to ask, HOW did Muramasa even live here? It'd seem kinda crowded and isn't there a stigma about...well boys and girls living together? I'm still trying to learn the culture part."
Hibiki Tachibana	"Taking the good with the bad, taking in every experience you have...haha, I think you're going to do just fine when it comes to being human, I4. We're happy you're here too! Right, Hibiki?" "...Yeah." Hibiki adds on genuinely - only to drop into her 'straight snark' tone. "...But I better not catch you adding any tears to anything for real. As for Muramasa, uh..." Her and Miku both exchange a glance with each other. And then, for whatever reason, Hibiki's head turns to look in the direction of the bathroom. "...Yeah, there was a lotta confusion about the whole thing at first that had to get cleared up for that exact reason. It didn't help the terms were 'Master' and 'Servant', you know. And he basically lived in his, er...his forge." There's very definitely not a forge anywhere in this apartment right now. "To tell you the truth, he made it a lot livelier here. I was fine with just Hibiki and I, but since he's been gone, it hasn't really felt the same. Especially not here in the kitchen." Miku sounds wistful, turning her eyes towards the gloves Hibiki had set aside, before Hibiki herself speaks back up. "You can ask him all about it when he comes back," she states matter-of-factly. "Though something tells me you're not gonna get a good answer on the culture half of it. He has plenty of learning to still do about all of this stuff too." It's only seconds after that, that Miku leans in a bit over where they're cooking and then back. "--Oh, I think that's about enough preparing it. Perfect!" She claps her hands together once. "We can let that sit for about an hour now, and then add in the onions. Then everything else a bit after, and we can finish the meat and get the broth ready too! I think you really do have potential in the kitchen, I4."
Ishirou	I4 smiles with a bright look on his face. Though he takes a few moments to DEFINITELY double-check his choices. Once satisfied, he stops, to look back at Hibiki and Miku. The situation was different than he thought, it seems. He only had an outsider perspective, but seeing things from the inside it seems that it was less a trash fire than he was led to believe. "I imagine...once something loses something it can't go back to being the same. Even coming back, I imagine there might be something lost...but I also imagine that there will be something else there, right? Mm.." he says thinking. "I will...well, I got a lot to learn about cooking still, so I could always try and make at least a single night a week. I'll even buy the groceries?" he offers. He considers something else but then decides that Miku being here might be a bad idea to reveal, like 'oh yeah your secret organization stuff'. "Also, hanging out with you guys is...nice."
Hibiki Tachibana	"Mmm. Things that are lost...you can't always get them back so easily. But there are also new things that can be born, and experiences change people. Sometimes for the worse, sometimes for the better. All we can do is see what happens and do our best." Miku nods along with his thoughts, closing her eyes as she does so. "Only if you really wanna. At this rate, you guys are gonna have some sort of cooking club going on if Tamamo really gets in on it. Not that /I'm/ gonna complain, as long as I can taste test." Hibiki finishes shunting the vegetables off for when they'll need them, brushing her hands off before turning to I4. "...And yeah. It is. Having people over is...pretty fun. You're welcome over any time." "Don't be a stranger! You can bring Mr. Shijima over sometime too, if you'd like. The more the merrier. While we wait for this to simmer, we can chat over in the living room. I can give you plenty more advice, and I can also give you a few recipes!" "Haha...I guess I can even get used to getting visitors a little more often."