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Josuke Higashikata     If Mairead's wandering the Multiverse, she's come to a backwards sort of world! The technology level is around that of the late 1990s. And there's a station near the warpgate, one that's got guards all around it. They're just regular security guards, but clearly they're private security guards. Most are wearing dark blue uniforms, their caps all have a light blue panel across the front. Upon that panel are the words "SPEED WAGON", and what looks like an old wooden car wheel with spokes.

    These people will stop Mairead as she comes in through the warpgate. They're polite, though. "Excuse me, miss?" a guard will ask her, as he approaches. "You're from the Multiverse, right? Might I have your name? No offense meant, miss, but we're trying to keep the panic down to a minimum."
Mairead Sandilands Exiting form the warpgate, is Mairead Sandilands. She is out thinking to herself and still getting use to being alone now more than ever. Looking at her right hand she sighs to herself. Not paying attention, it takes a few moments for the voice that just asked her a question to look up, "Oh," she states as she stops and curtsey's.

    "I am Mairead Sandilands, IS Representative Cadet / Candidate of Scotland of the IS Academy," she says with a heavy Scottish accent that she has due to being from Scotland ,to the guards as she stands up to her full height of five foot six inches. "I completely understand the concern and I am not offended in any way," she adds as she offerss her ID to the guards. Additionally, she ahs no weapons, except one, a sgian dubh, a small single-edge knife in the top of her leggins that is under her dress/skirt.
Josuke Higashikata     The ID is looked at and returned, but they'll keep a note of her name and appearance. The weapon is a problem, it seems. But the guards seem to understand the concept of keeping a weapon on one's person. So no one will ask her to turn it over. "Please keept your weapon hidden if at all possible, but do not hesitate to defend yourself if you must," the guard who stopped Mairead cautions her. A second guard has placed a call, it seems. And as he hangs up the phone, he replies, "I've arranged for an escort, and he should be here shortly."

    It won't take long. A kid with a pompadour and a school uniform! And a pout on his face, as he enters the area. Though as he sees Mairead he blinks, and the pout goes away. "Hi!" he offers brightly, with a wide smile. "They called me because they wanted me to make sure nobody attacked you." Which is an odd thing to say, considering SHE'S the one with the weapon!
Mairead Sandilands "Aye, I will not use it. The sgian dubh is a weapon used much like a knife or a dirk and is used when needed," she explains to them. "I am a visitor and will obey all laws and rules," she adds as she nods to them and curtey's again. "Thank you and I will wait off to the side," she adds as she moves out of the way for others to come if any do.

    Mairead is not that intimidating, and she is not that tall. Plus she has a few fighting skills, but is limited in what she can do at this time. She has long red hair that ends at her rear and jade green eyes that flank a petite nose. Moreover, her eyes sho a glow of life, but seem to look sad but she plays it off very well.

    Currently, she is wearing a school uniform, a white blazer with ong sleeves, a yellow tie around her neck, green leggins on her legs that end under a skirt that stops an inch or two above her knees. A pair of dark grey heels and a small weapon at the top of the left legging. a sash goign form left shoulder to right hip is held in place by a pin and is her clan's tartan and crest.

    She smiles at him as he approaches, and looking at the gentleman she smiles and curtey's, "I thank you for the escort and the offer sir," she adds as she speaks to him. "I am Mairead Sandilands and who might ye be?" she asks as she walks over to him.
Josuke Higashikata     The teen is actually pretty tall, not only for a Japanese man, but in general. He's juuuuust a hair over six feet tall, and the hair may account for some of it. He's also pretty well-built, particularly in the shoulders. She could definitely do worse for bodyguards, if that's what he's supposed to be doing here!

    "Pleased to meet you, Miss Sandilands!" He fumbles it a bit, but he's Japanese and his English isn't really that good. "My name's Josuke Higashikata!" Though he doesn't exactly have the most pronounceable last name in the Multiverse himself, does he?
Mairead Sandilands Smiling, she looks and does something that is probably something he has not heard, "Pleasure to meet you Higashikata Josuke." and that is in almost perfect Japanese. As she walks over to him, looking up, "I have never been here before and I am looking at the different places that are within the Multiverse. I am also wanting to learn of the different places incase I am here againa nd I am not lost or confused," she adds, also in Japanese as she stands next to him. "What would ye recommend?"
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke is indeed surprised to hear Japanese from Mairead! He blinks. He'd have understood her either way, thanks to the Translation Effect, but it's still surprising to hear. And since she seems to have no trouble with Japanese, he returns to using Japanese! "Morioh has been pretty cut-off from the rest of the Multiverse," he admits. "The Speedwagon Foundation is trying to make sure people don't suddenly realize there's thousands of worlds out there and just go nuts."

    The question of what he recommends gets a thoughtful pout, and he rubs his chin for a moment. "Depends on what you're looking for. There's a lot of tourists that come in during the summer, but most of the stuff they do is kind of... well, out of season, since it's too cold to swim or camp, and most of the resorts are closed right now. But there's still a lot of restaurants open. People need to eat no matter what season, right? In fact..." He tilts his head up, looking to the sky as if he's trying to remember something. "I heard there was a new Italian restaurant here. It's pretty new, I think. Though I'm not sure people come to Japan for Italian food..."
Mairead Sandilands Grinning, she nods, "That sounds good," she says in english and waits to walk with him. "I currently live in Tokyo on my world at the IS Academy in Tokyo Harbor," she says. "All the students there speak Japanese and their native language and we are advised to learn what we can," she mentions to him.

    Thinking, she ponders, "The weather her eis not too bad, as it is similar to what Scotland is like," and she looks away to the west for a moment. "I am happy with just walking and seeing everything, as one learn from experence and it never hurts to learn something new."
Josuke Higashikata     "Oh! That would explain why you speak it so well," Josuke replies, of Mairead's Japanese. Though 'IS' is not a term he's heard before, so he asks about them. "What's an... 'ai essu'?" he asks, stumbling over the term a bit.

    As to the weather? "It's usually pretty mild, if really cold in the winter and really hot in the summer," he replies. "The last time we had any really bad weather, I was four. We had the worst blizzard in almost two decades. Thankfully it hasn't gotten even CLOSE to that bad since then."
Mairead Sandilands Mairead thinks, "An IS is a term for an Infinite Stratos," she comments. "A suit of power armor that is control by lasses in my world." and as they walk she thinks. "Each IS is unique to the country that sent the Representative to the IS Academy," and she grins. "I am, well I was a pilot of one of the IS', but mine was stolen and I am without one now so I am more a liason to the different groups within the Multiverse and the IS Academy" and she looks at her hand as she sighs.

    "Each IS is always with the pilot and it is odd to not have that connection," as she looks at him. "We have to be traned ont he proper way to pilot them and how to use them, so each country sends a single person as a representative and other students to learn about them and to be support staff. And they are also taught how ot use an IS but cannot use a personal one." and she rubs her left hand.

    "I was just released to full duty at the Academy after a year of healing due to the injuries I received. So I am rusty on everything and lost about 6 months of school due to it."
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke listens, as he starts to walk towards where the restaurant is. Well, to the bus station actually. The town's not as small as one might be led to believe initially! It's pretty sparse of population though, thanks to there being no tourists. But that just means it's quiet, so it's all good!

    "Stolen?" He blinks. "Who'd go and do a thing like that?" He thinks a moment, when he hears that they're very personal. "Oh... kind of like Stands? That you only have one, I mean. Or is it like a normal craft, but you have to get used to one? That the one you're used to is sort of... special somehow?"

    The two will pass a large rock on their way. The rock's a little taller than Josuke is. It... almost looks like it has a stretched and distorted face on it. And suddenly, for no reason, Josuke raises a hand to wave at the rock. "Yo, Angelo," he says to the rock as he passes, in a conversational tone.
Mairead Sandilands Mairead looks as she listens and nods, "I do not know what a stand is," she says. "There is a group that hides int he shadows that attacks IS pilots and steals their IS'. They will either kill or hurt the pilot. They then take the Core of the IS or the IS itself and will use it on other IS pilots," and she thinks. "On my world, if there is a war due to whatever, an IS cannot be used unless another IS is part of the force. Since a single IS can take out an entire army without assistance. Why we spend three years training and learning not to mention the trainign we receive from out own country before we attend the IS Academy."

    Thinking to the other question he asked, "Each IS is its own person and as pilots we can read all of the information that it provides us," she says. "For example with an IS, I can tell you all the information on what is around use in all directions, in addition to weather, wind, temp, et al." and she points to her temple, "We can talk to our IS and they talk to us and the information they provide us is always there," and he looks. "But whenan IS is taken by force form someone, it can be difficult on the pilot and sometimes there are extreme measures that are taken to help the pilot." and she looks at him as she says this.

    As they walk, she stops and thinks, "I will have to get ye a pass to visit the Academy to see it," she states to him as she blinks and stops, looking at the rock as Josuke waves to it, "If ye do not mind me asking," she says as she moves to catch up, "Is that rock someone ye know?" she asks him as she looks back at it and than to Josuke.
Josuke Higashikata     "Oh, I see," Josuke replies. "I guess that's to keep there from being mass deaths in wars, right?" he asks. "Though... rules are only useful if people follow them. People who'd ambush a pilot for their IS would probably not worry about following rules..." He frowns a little at that.

    She mentions being able to talk to her IS, and his eyes go wide. "You can talk to it? Like... like we're talking now?" He seems flabbergasted by this. "So... if they took its core... it's like they took its heart. And if you can talk to it, it's like a friend, and..." He realizes what he's saying. "Oh man... I'm sorry." He looks upset by this notion.

    As to Stands? He points his thumb over his shoulder. A purple aura springs to life around him, and suddenly there's a figure behind him. It's a large, muscular, male figure. It's mostly bubblegum pink-colored, but silvery blue armor covers it. The cables between its upper back and its neck make it look a little mechanical itself. It floats above the ground a few inches. "That's mine. It's called <Crazy Diamond>." The words 'Crazy Diamond' are in English.

    He lets the Stand disappear as Mairead mentions the rock. "Yeah. Real bastard. Killed his first victim at 12, spent 20 years in prison." His expression grows hard as he relates the story. "He got out, and then he murdered three teenage boys. My grandfather arrested him, and they tried to put him to death, but he survived. Then he escaped and decided to try to get even." His hands clench ino fists. "He killed my grandfather. So I put him there. Now he gets to stand watch over Morioh forever, just like my grandfather did."
Mairead Sandilands Mairead jumpsslightly as the figure appears adn she sees him and it disappears, "So ye have a fae that protect ye," she states as she looks at him and nods, "In asense yes." in ref to the talking. "However, we talk in our mind, not with our mouths as we can only hear our IS," and she looks at him as he realizes what she was saying.

    "It is alright," she states. "It is part of life and it is somethign that happens," she mentions all too calmly about it. "An IS is like a member of your family, the voice in your head that tells you the right way to go and what the right decision is," she mentions. "But yes, having somethign liek that taken from you by force is liek losing a part of who ye are and some can handle that, others cannot. Luckily I am able to handle it, but like the lost of any one who is close to you, it takes time to get over it ad to accept it."

    Nodding, she placesa hand on his arm, "I am sorry for ye loss, but ye did the right thing in stopping him," she says. "I will pray that ye grandfather is happy and helping to protect people and watch over ye," she says.
Josuke Higashikata     "Fei?" Josuke seems confused at this. "Oh! A fairy? Well, he's not really magical. It's telekinesis. Psychic stuff, you know?" He nods to the method of talking. "So, it's like a psychic connection too? Wow, that really IS like losing your Stand, isn't it?" He winces. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost <Crazy Diamond>. He's... well, it's not like another person. It'd be more like losing an arm for me. Still. I can't even imagine..."

    Josuke frowned. "If you do every find the people who did it, let me know. I'd love to punch them a few times!" The mention of his grandfather actually gets a small smile, though it's a bittersweet one. He tilts his head up to look at the sky. "Thanks. I'm sure he is," he agrees, his voice quiet.
Mairead Sandilands Mairead Sandilands smiles at Josuke and nods, "I will," she states to him as she thinks, "Ah, I know little on Psychic, but I get the general idea," she states as she closes her eyes for a moment. "They will be found, but it will bewhen they want to be found. They are in the shadows and hard to know when they will strike but it will be against other IS' just to get them," she adds. "After that,no one knows and it is being kept quiet from the rest of the world."

    Pausing, she looks up, "I cannot let me friends be harmed by them, a single IS can take out an entire army," she states. "A hacker hacked multiple millitary computers to send 2341 missiles to Japan, the first IS, Shirokishi, appeared and neutralised that threat. Soon other countries sent out their armies to try and capture or destroy the unit, only to have them bested by a single unit. The exact number of enemies destroyed in the White Knight Incident were: 2,341 missiles, 207 fighter jets, 7 cruisers, 5 aircraft carriers and 8 satellites. However, there is no human loss in that incident," and she places an hand on his arm, "Imagine if there are 4 IS going against an army and no IS are in that army," and she looks scared. "That is why we train so hard and have strict guidelines that we must follow, or ..." and she just shrugs.
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke has put his Stand back in his metaphorical pocket and listens to Mairead. "Sometimes you have to ferret them out. When they WANT to come out, it's going to be because they want to hurt somebody else. Which will be too late, won't it?"

    He listens to this explanation too, and frowns. "That seems really overpowered. But then, the things I've seen in the Multiverse, it might be just about the right level of power." And then, always looking on the bright side, "At least nobody died, right?"
Mairead Sandilands     Nodding, Mairead looks, "That is right, but the pilot of Shirokishi knew that a loss of life would be bad so she stopped the issue," and she smiles, "I hope that never has to happen, as the amount of power an IS has can be hard to control, if the pilot has alternative motives," she mentions to him as she looks around.

    "But enough on IS', do many here have Stands or is it a select few?" she asks him as they walk.
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke nods. "That's good at least... those things definitely don't need to be in everybody's hands," he comments. "I've seen the damage people can do when they start to feel entitled to something based on them having greater power than everybody else. Particularly if they've only recently gotten it. It's never a good situation."

    He shakes his head to the question. "Not really, no. Most people can't even see them. And those that do have them, even fewer can really control theirs. I once heard from Jotaro that it wasn't uncommon for people's own Stands to kill them. Even my, uh... half-sister, I think? She developed one but it was killing her. She's OK now though."
Mairead Sandilands Mairead blinks, "I am glad she is ok," and she nods as she listens to him explain things. "So they just develop from within in?" she asks as she points to her chest. "Aye, the phrase, with great power comes great responsiblity, really matters and fits what I and the other lasses at the IS Academy are trained. Moreover, we are there to represent our home countries, so if we look bad, they look bad."

    Thinking as she looks over her shoulder, "Ye think Mr. Angelo knows what is going on and what has happened?" she asks him as she ponders, "Do you think if he is aware of what has happened, that he knows he was wrong?" as she walks on with him. "Granted what he did was bad, but I have been raised that if ye forgive someone of thier sins that they will find peace."
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke nods to the question of developing Stands. "You ever seen a movie or show where the <main character> develops some psychic ability?" he asks. 'Main character' is in English, the rest is in Japanese. "Usually they can't control it and it ends up destroying them, or turning them into some kind of monster? A literal monster, like with bloated flesh bulbs all over them and no real human thought. It's like that. From what I've seen, I'd be called a telekinetic psychic healer in other worlds, because that's all normal people see -- just the effects."

    The mention of Angelo? That gets a moment of thought. "I... don't really know. But he was a killer, and he hurt a lot of people. But the authorities wouldn't have been able to see it, and would have passed off the deaths as aneurysms. That's my grandfather's official cause of death -- he 'had a stroke'. They couldn't bring him to justice. But I didn't want to stoop to his level -- I didn't want him to make ME just like him."

    As for whether he knows he did wrong? Josuke nods. "Oh he knew," he affirms. "Forgiveness really can only be gotten when the person who does the bad thing really feels bad for it, right? But he ENJOYED knowing he hurt people. How can a person like that be forgiven? Not because /I/ didn't want to, but because HE didn't want to be forgiven."
Mairead Sandilands Mairead nods, "That is true, but sometimes forgiving is the first step," she says. "Me own mother and father were kileld by a bomb that was probably set by Phantom task, but I do not know and it is hard to tell really. Me country is not really saying much but from what I know right now, I would not be surprised as a way to get to my IS at the time." and she sighs as she looks down, "Aye, I want vengence, yes, but being raised with a father who was a Catholic priest, I know that if I hold onto that vengence, that when it is my time, I must answer for what I have done. Forgiving them is a way to know that I hold nothing against them, but I will never forget," and she ooks up at the sky, "All I can do, is pray that they will get some of that forgiving nature and will repent what they have done and accept the courts findings," and she has a very level mentality on what is right and wrong. "But if not, then I will do what I can to protect people they can hurt and accept whatever happens at that time."

    "I see, so it was for fun and he knew that hurting people would bring him pleasure," and she sighs at the thought. "People like that cannot be redeemed, no matter how hard they are prayed for, but all I can do, is pray that whever he is, he has repented and that when it is time, he will find peace." Looking, she smiles, "Fromw hat I have seen, this is a beautiful place, and I think I can smell the food area," and she sniffs the air.
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke frowns in sympathy. "I'm sorry to hear that. But... if it makes you feel any better, it's an organization, there's usually a lot of deniability," he notes. "A lot of people doing bad things, but sometimes those people don't really WANT to do those bad things. But if they don't, even WORSE things will be done to them and their family. That's a hard choice to make. So... maybe some of those people weren't so bad?" It's a hope, anyway. And it might be easier for Mairead to forgive.

    "As for Angelo? Nobody told him to do any of those horrible things," Josuke replies. "He did it all himself, and enjoyed all the pain he caused. So now? His energy's in that rock, that's why it has his face." Pause. "Well, kinda. But now he gets to protect this place, whether he wants to or not. I guess you could call it penance."

    When Mairead mentions food, Josuke looks a bit sheepish. "Well... that's why I was curious. Because, uh." He points forward. What's there? Well, it's not a food court or a collection of restaurants. It's one single small building, one that looks like a single story house. Quaint little thing, really. The smell of stewed tomatoes, Italian herbs and spices, and cheese emanates from it. However, as a stark contrast to all this, behind that quaint little building?

    A graveyard.

    "I think it's REALLY weird to put a restaurant next to a graveyard, so... well, it's just weird," he notes. "So... well, I wanted to check it out. But I didn't want to go alone, because if something happened, I wouldn't have any backup." Sneaky brat!
Mairead Sandilands Chuckling, Mairead looks, "Ye are afraid of a restaurant that is next to a graveyard?" and she grins as she sees a man who is attractive and yet is scared to go get food at a place near a cementary. Doing a silent prayer, she nods to him, "True and I do not mind, but if anything does happen, do ye happen to have a broadsword with ye that ye can create? she asks him as she walks with him.
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke still looks sheepish. "Well, I mean. What if he's cooking the dead people?" he suggests. "That would be gross, and would probably make people sick. Or what if he's cooking his customers and hiding what he doesn't use in the graveyard?" Maybe getting a little into fiction. "There ARE a lot of people that go missing every year in Morioh. And this is a tourist town -- who would miss them here?" Or, maybe not.

    He blinks at the mention of a broadsword. "Uh... no. That'd attract a little bit of attention, having a broadsword with me. I have <Crazy Diamond>, though." He pauses, blinks. "...Maybe I could carry the pieces of one, and just fix it when I need it. Though I'd have to go through the trouble of re-breaking it every time, so maybe not..."
Mairead Sandilands Mairead grins, "It is ok, I am trained to use a broadsword," she mentions. "I can use a knife or any sword really, but I am specalised with a Btroadsword," and she looks, "If he is doing that, then I would assume that there would be more of a smell int he area. Although I am not sure. Plus if this is a new place, maybe it is a themed restaurant?"
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke nods. "It's an Italian restaurant, I saw that. 'Trussardi Restaurant', it's called. I haven't been in there, but I've heard a little about it. I heard there's only a couple of tables, and that he doesn't have a menu." He pauses. "...Are you sure you wanna check it out?"
Mairead Sandilands Mairead nods, "Aye, it sounds nice. Plus it never hurts to try something that is not on the menu," and she blinks as she grins, "And I mean food, not what it is made from," as she looks around the area as she grins and keeps an eye on the area as she waks along.
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke nods. "OK. I hope there's nothing weird going on..." Pause. "Though if there is, it ought to be stopped. And I guess we won't find out if we don't go investigate."

    It's a pretty small building, but it looks like it would have been an incredibly nice house, with a second floor and a balcony. It has what might have been a parking garage, but it's been enclosed for more space. The second floor is much smaller than the first, to make room for the balcony. But even though that might be a fantastic place to let diners eat, there's no chairs on it. The front of the building has a small staircase to the door, and over the door is a small green awning. Above the awning is a yellow half-circle outlined on the top with orange bricks. The words 'Trattoria Trussardi' are written in the half-circle over the awning.

    Josuke opens the door -- out of habit he steps back to let Mairead in first. The inside's pretty well-appointed too -- the walls are white and decorated with a handful of pictures and items. It gives the place a tasteful look. There are two tables in the front area, each set for three people.
Mairead Sandilands Nodding her head, she enters as Josuke is a gentleman and she smiles at that. Mairead ponders as she looks around and saw the sign and thinks as she sniffs the area real quick. . o 0 (If I had me IS, I could pick up different things in the area) she thinks as she waits for Josuke to enter as well.

    As she waits, she looks at everything to see what is available if anything happens and how much defense there is in her if someone attacks form outside. As she takes in all the infomration, she really wishes she had an IS. Mairead is also looking for the hostess to welcome them as she smiles, "This is a beautiful place," she comments. "Homely," she adds.
Josuke Higashikata     It smells like a typical Italian restaurant. Except... is that the strong smell of liqorice root somewhere in that garlic? That's an unusual thing to put in Italian food... And someof the other smells are a little strange. Sure, the typical scent of garlic and oregano is there, but there are other, more esoteric scents in there. Josuke, as he enters, notes this. He sniffs a little. "...Licorice? Apricot?"

    He doesn't have time to say much, because a voice sounds out from the door on the opposite side of the room. "Welcome!" he proclaims cheerily, in Japanese. However, the Japanese has an accent to it; clearly it's not a native speaker. And out of the other door strides an obviously not-Japanese man with light brown hair and blue eyes. He has a pleasant expression on his face, and wears all white -- a chef's outfit -- save a red handkerchief loosely around his neck.

    The man goes to one of the tables, and pulls out a chair. "Two of you?" He pulls a seat out, the one closest to Mairead first. "Come, have a seat."
Mairead Sandilands Nodding her thinaks, she sits and noticed the smell too, although when Cecila cooks, its usually to kill someone as she can burn water, literally. "Thank you," she says in Japanese as she adjusts her chair and looks around and smiles. She is definally not Japanese, and the outfit she is wearing would show that plus her Japanese does have a Scottish accent to it.

    Waiting, she scans the area again with her eyes and gets a gut feeling that something that something is not right, as Josuke mentions licorice and apricot and she knows enough about food to know that those are not good, unless they are a desert or there is candy somewhere. As she thinks, she adjusts her skirt and unclaps the sgian dubh that is hidden under the skirt and the table cloth, before she places her hands on the table.
Josuke Higashikata     Once Mairead is seated, the man in the chef's outfit does the same for Josuke, pulling another chair at the same table out. "Thank you," Josuke says quietly, and sits. Josuke pauses a moment, and then asks, "...I noticed your accent. Are you a foreigner?"

    "I am~," Tonio replies cheerily. Everything about him seems to radiate calm, peace, and happiness -- his voice, his expression, his whole demeanor. "I'm Italian, from the great city of Naples." He places his right hand over the left side of his chest, and bows. "My name is Antonio Trussardi. PLease, call me Tonio."
Mairead Sandilands Mairead nods at the introduction, "If I may, I would like some water please," she states to Tonio as she inclines her head to him. Looking around, "And a menu please so I can see what ye have," she adds.
Josuke Higashikata     "Of course~," Tonio answers, to the request of water. However, at the request of a menu? He blinks, seeming confused. "Menu?"

    Josuke raises a brow. "You... don't have a menu?"

    "Oh no, there's no need for a menu," Tonio answers. He bows. "Please hold one moment, I'll get your water right away~." He straightens, and then turns to head back into that doorway. It's... abnormally dark in that open doorway; there's no door, but there doesn't seem to be any light that manages to get out into the main dining area.
Mairead Sandilands Mairead blinks as he leaves and raises an eyebrow as she adjusts her dress again as she takes the napkin and places it over her lap. As she does this, she slowly pulls the sgian dubh out more but does not remove it from the holder and looks at josuke, "This is a lovily place dear and I am glad you found it. Do you think the food will be good?" she asks Josuke as as looks at the door the chef walked into.
Josuke Higashikata     "Well, it'll be authentic Italian food, Mr. Tonio being from Naples," Josuke observes. "Though... I'm not sure. How can he tell what we'll eat if he doesn't have a menu? Maybe it's like one of those burger places in America where they only have one thing, so you eat that or eat somewhere else?"

    "Oh no, not at all~," Tonio replies, reappearing from the door with a pitcher of water and two glasses. Notably they're wine glasses, and he sets them down and pours the water as if he were serving the finest wine. "I look at the customers to determine the dishes, whether it's simply what they want, or what they need."

    It should be noted however... this water? Is incredibly good. It doesn't taste like mere water. To be highly metaphorical, it tastes like the sweetest tears of an angel shed in awed beauty. To be more realistic, it tastes like it was made from melted snow at the top of a mountain, and bottled without a single human hand -- or piece of machinery -- came in contact with it.

    However you want to spin it, it's INCREDIBLY good. And this is just the water.
Mairead Sandilands Mairead Sandilands smiles at the water, "This is good water," she comments to Josuke and she picks up the glass and studies it as she looks at it. . o 0 (Wonder how it is that this tastes so good?) she thinks to herself as sniffs it and detects nothing. "If I may ask, where is this water from?" she inquires to Tonio as she looks at Josuke.
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke blinks, and the looks at the water. He picks up the glass and takes a drink of it himself. "Wh-whoa," he comments. "It really IS good. I don't think I've ever tasted water like this before."

    This seems to please the chef, who smiles broadly, though still manages to keep the professional, genial air he's got about him. "I'm glad you like it~! That is mineral water made from the snow on the mountain Kilimanjaro, in Africa. That glacier from which the snow came, melted almost fifty-thousand years ago," he explains.

    And suddenly... Josuke's eyes begin to water. "What...?" He raises a hand to his face. It actually does look like he's crying! "What's going on?" The 'tears' start to increase... and then it becomes clear it's not just tears. The fluid is thicker than water. Much like... vitreous humour?! Josuke presses the napkin to his eyes. "It... it won't stop...!"

    For his part, Tonio remains silent, that please, genial smile upon his face...
Mairead Sandilands Blinking, she looks at Josuke and raises an eyebrow and looks at the water herself and takes a drink of the water again, only this time it is a bigger drink and drinks half of the glass and looks at Josuke, "Are ye ...." she starts and starts to cry as well. Blinking, she wipes her eyes and takes the napkin and does the same as Josuke and looks. "What type of fae is doing this?" she asks both of them.....

    Out of habit, she calls for Emerald Lady as she thinks and looks as her IS does not appear. . o 0 (Why am I crying?) and she looks around starting to get scared...
Josuke Higashikata     Mairead might start feeling an odd pressure in her eyes. As if they're being squeezed, though not hard enough to hurt. Just enough to be uncomfortable. Her vision might begin to get blurry, more than what's usual for trying to see through tears, and colors might start to be muted almost to the point of monochrome.

    For Josuke's part? He is worried, yes -- what's happening with his eyes?! But when Mairead starts displaying the same symptoms? Then he gets mad. Holding the napkin up against his face to catch the fluid flowing from his eyes, he stands up, pointing... vaguely in Tonio's direction. "Bastard! What did you make us drink?!"

    And Tonio is still just... smiling! "''Un momento'', please do not panic. Your eyes will only be dyfunctional momentarily. That water, it flushes out dirt from the inside of the eyeball, and relieves insomnia as well."

    And sure enough? Mairead may find her vision returning. Her eyes might start feeling much better... even better than they did before she came in, in fact! And if there was any residual tiredness from the days previous, it should be clearing up. Oddly, the fluid that had leaked from her eyes now seems to have disappeared.

    The same seems to be the case for Josuke as well -- he draws the napkin away from his face and it's totally dry. He blinks, and his eyes appear perfectly fine. "...Whoa... how did...?"

    Tonio's smile broadens slightly, for a moment. "Now then... may I see your hands?"
Mairead Sandilands She blinks as she starts to go blind and feels the pressure, "What's happening..." she says as she sees her sight go. . o 0 (I do not want to go blind, I have lost too much already) she thinks as she hears what Tonio is saying and does not register it. Rubbing her eyes, she has fear and than she starts getting her vision back and she tries to calm down.

    Looking at the napkin she rubs her eyes and blinks as she sits back, "Wha...What just happened?" she asks as she looks at the napkin, "What sort of fae magic is this?" she asks as she looks up and offers her hands to Tonio. And she watches him closely and for her health issues, she has a broken heart and a lot of sadness, and a few small bruises that are within her body and on her body, and some other issues but is full of health.
Josuke Higashikata     "I've traveled all over the world in perfecting my craft," Tonio begins. "I've discovered in my travels that food can be a healing force. Food is not just about satisfying the stomach, but about satisfying the body and soul, too." He looks solemn as he takes hold of Mairead's hands, beginning to look at the palms. "Hmm... you've recently had a very traumatic experience, haven't you? Your stress levels are incredibly high." Looking at the other hand. "And some bruising, inside and outside." He seems pretty confident that's what's ailing her.

    Josuke's eyes open wide, and he looks from Tonio to Mairead, surprised. Didn't she mention something along those lines? Something about her IS being stolen, and her IS being... sort of a part of her, but sort of a friend? That would be pretty traumatic, Josuke reasons. And she mentioned it was stolen... maybe she was attacked by the people who stole it...? Either way Josuke stays quiet, but he's definitely paying attention.
Mairead Sandilands Nods, "Aye," she says as she looks down. "I attend an academy and we were attacked by an organization called Dark Phantom. They attack and take the power armors I am others like me are trained in. I was a defender of the Academy while others were holding them off." and she looks down at the water as the images flash back in her mind.

    "Durign the fight, many of the students were hurt, many were killed and I was one of those hurt. My armor, my IS was taken from me after a long fight and in the process a part of me was taken," and se looks at Josuke. "I am sorry," she says to him. "During my fight, my arms where broken or fractured and a leg was fracuted. I had a lot of internal injuries and was placed in a coma to heal for 6 momnths. Additionally, when the core of my IS was taken, it was painful and tramatic."

    "I lived in a prison for the 6 months and missed everything that happened afterward. I have no family, outside me clan and we are not talking. They want me to return to Scotland and take over the clan and marry. Moreover, my parents were killed almost 2 years ago and all I had left was Emerald Lady, my IS." and she sighs. "My body is healed and and I am free to return to full work at the Academy, but time will be needed to get fully healed but I am now just a liasion to the Union.. well the Paladins now."
Josuke Higashikata     Tonio blinks at this story, releasing Mairead's hands. "Oh, goodness! This sounds like classified material!" he observes, clasping his own hands over his chest. "Are you sure you should be telling me all this? I shouldn't worry about the government coming in and 'sanitizing' me, should I?" He sounds serious.

    Josuke looks a bit embarrassed. "Ah... no, she's... not from Morioh. Or Japan. So don't worry," he reassures. Looking to Mairead, he nods, and raises a hand, indicating that he'll speak to her about what's going on in a moment.

    Looking from Josuke back to Mairead, he notes, "Well... either way, I'm sorry for your loss, even if I don't quite understand all of it. I do hope things improve; that sounds like an awful lot of pain in a short period of time. No wonder your stress levels are so high."

    Then looking to Josuke. "What about you? May I see your hands?" Josuke blinks, but shows his hands to Tonio, turning them palm-up. "Hmm... you had diarrhea last night, didn't you?" Josuke makes a choked sound, both of surprise and embarrassment. "Your intestinal walls are inflamed." Looking at Josuke's left hand, "Yes, I see... You have athlete's foot on your right foot. You have two cavities and your shoulder is stiff, am I correct?"

    Josuke's eyes go wide as Tonio lets go of his hands. "H-how did you know all that?"

    Tonio places a hand over his chest. "By looking at your hands, I can discern everything about your health," he reveals. "Please wait here, and I will prepare the antipasto." He bows, and makes to retreat into the kitchen again.
Mairead Sandilands Nodding,Mairead smiles, "It is not really classified information. And ye are not going to get in trouble." she states to him as she looks at Josuke and listens to what issues he has and she looks. "Thank you for listening," she says as she sits there and thinks, as she closes her eyes.
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke looks a little embarrassed as he turns to regard Mairead. He leans over a little so he can speak more quietly without being heard. "Most of these people aren't aware of the Multiverse," he warns. "The Speedwagon Foundation has been keeping it pretty well under wraps, to avoid causing panic. Jotaro knows about it, and so do I, but that's because we're associated with the Foundation. The rest of them, not so much. Mr. Trussardi probably doesn't even realize you're not from this world."
Mairead Sandilands Mairead blinks as she listens and nods, "Oh," she says as she smiles. "It was an isolated incident and now the matter is that me government is looking for these people," she adds with a smile. As she thinks and looks at the water, she ponders, "What would the good chef recommend?" she asks him.
Josuke Higashikata     "I hope they find 'em," Josuke replies. "That's like all those stories I hear of people getting knocked out and then waking up in bathtubs with their kidneys removed. Except not nearly as gross. No less traumatizing though."

    As for what the chef recommends? "I think... he's got an idea of what to serve based on all that stuff he just found out." He pauses, looks at his hands. "How'd he do that, I wonder. Maybe he can read palms?"

    They won't have to wait too long. Soon enough Tonio returns, carrying two plates. He sets one down in front of Mairead. Upon it is... well, he explains! "For you, miss -- a sweet and savory papaya and prosciutto, with a dressing of papaya seed, giuggiola, basil, and wild mint." There are likely other ingredients, but listing them all would take too long. The dish consists of several thin wedges of papaya, with thin slices of prosciutto wrapped around them, with a vinaigrette-type dressing with small chunks of the seeds. There's a few slices of what look like fresh-toasted wheat bread -- which might be odd if Mairead knows Italian cuisine. Italian bread is generally white bread.

    The second plate is put before Josuke. And on it? "For you, sir, we have a salad with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes, with a dressing of anchovy, seaweed, lemon juice, and whie wine vinegar." His plate has toasted bread on it too, but this is white bread. Or, more properly, 'Italian' bread.
Mairead Sandilands Looking as the food comes back in ano time, she blinks as she studies it and smiles as she sniffs and smells the arouma, "This smells good," and she looks at what Josuke got and grins as she nods to the chef, "Thank you sir," she simply says. "I am sure that the food will be amazing," and she closes her eyes and prays to God for the food that is before them, for the friend she has made and the fact she is at peace here and when she is finished, she does the Catholic gesture with her right hand, making the sign of the cross. She touches her forehead, then the middle of her breast, then the left shoulder, and finally the right shoulder.

    Opening her eyes, she places the napkin on her lap and smiles, "To friends and to life, may they be heathly and live long lives full of happiness," and she lifts her glass or water at the toast as she takes a drink and wonders if she will have the same issue again before she begins to eat slowly and with the proper etiquette of a lady.
Josuke Higashikata     Thankfully no, the water seems to have done its work so it doesn't have that effect on her again. It's still incredibly tasty water, but it doesn't make her eyes do that weird thing they were doing earlier. Tonio has also brought out some black tea for Mairead, with sugar and cream on the side, for her to add as she wishes.

    Though as Mairead starts to eat, the first thing to note is that this appetizer is incredibly good. The papaya is soft but not squishy, and not too sweet. The prosciutto is only cooked long enough to bring it up to temperature, and the papaya's chilled, so the heat exchange is considerable. The dressing is minty and nutty, and there's just enough body in the ground-up seeds and jujube to provide a little bit of resistance to the teeth. this is where most of the savoriness of the dish comes from, with the basil creating something like a pesto. It can be sopped up with the bread; perhaps that's what it's made for.
    As for the effects? Mairead might feel a marked decrease in her stress! This might take the form of feeling like the worries weighing her heart down are lifting. They haven't been removed from her mind, no, and she can still remember them... but they seem to have less of an impact. Cortisol being the stress hormone, and these foods being designed to decrease cortisol, paired with whatever it is that Tonio's special touch adds, makes the response pretty fast.

    Josuke looks at his appetizer, then at Mairead. "...Are you all right?" he asks, not sure if something ELSE weird is going to happen, and not wanting something bad to happen to her if he can do something to stop it.
Mairead Sandilands Mairead nods as she sighs, "The food is good and I always say a small toast when with friends before a meal," she states. "Me parents raised me and as I repersent Scotland at the Academy, I am trained to show all the respect taht one has," and she smiles. "As the food is good and amazing, the Chef is one who deserves praise. Plus he is polite and has proper manners due to the training he has received," she mentions.

    "And as I eat, the stress I have is slowly goign away, which I believe tells me that the food is just right to make one happy and to relax," and she looks at the tea and inclines herhead in a thank you as she adds some some cream but no sugar and takes a sip. "Plus, I am enjoying my time here and from what I saw of the town, if I had to find a new home, I would pick here."

    Thinking, she could really like the place and she may get a place to live here so she can come on vacations form the Academy or breaks. Plus a simple change is sometimes the best way to heal and she has a lot of healing to do. However, for now she is enjoying the food and the time here with Josuke and the fact taht she has made a new friend who is close to her age and who is polite.
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke seems to relax when Mairead doesn't show any signs of negative afflictions. Tonio smiles at Mairead's words. "It really is a wonderful place. If you do want to start over, Morioh is definitely the place for it. That was why I came here... the opportunty to own my own restaurant. Competition is very tough here, but at least here in Morioh, I have the opportunity to try."

    Meanwhile Josuke has taken a bite of the cheese. "Hm... it's good... but a lot of the flavor's in the dressing. The cheese doesn't seem to have much flavor on its own..." He seems relatively free of side effects for the time being. Maybe Tonio got it wrong?

    But then the chef points out the problem. "Try a bit of the cheese and a bit of the tomato together."

    Josuke blinks, and then does as requested, cutting a small piece of the tomato. Both of these go mouthwards on the fork. And it doesn't take long for him to notice the change. "Oh! That... that does improve the taste a lot! They sort of... bring out the flavors of each other so much better when they're eaten together!"

    But just as Mairead almost instantly felt the effects of the food... so does Josuke. After only a few bites, he pauses, and starts to work his shoulder. "That's... weird. My neck is hot..." He puts down the silverware and rubs at his neck. "I'm... sweating."

    Calmly, Tonio replies, "I recommend removing your jacket." However, the calmness of his words is almost belied by the oddly intense gaze he's focused on Josuke.

    Josuke does remove his jacket, though it's for a different reason. He reaches up to rub at the now-bare shoulder (his shirt has no sleeves). "Why... why is my shoulder itching...?" He frowns, but scratches at his shoulder. "Ugh... feels like I could dig the skin right off and I wouldn't get to where it itches...." Scratch, scratch, scratch...
Mairead Sandilands Mairead blinks as Josuke scratches, "Ye ok?" she asks him as she looks at him and nods to what Tonio says and is showing no signs, just some slight itching but nothing major. "Thinking, and what he said, Mairead asks Josuke, "Is there anything wrong with ye neck or shoulder?"
Josuke Higashikata     "Well, it was hurting this morning, I guess I slept wrong," Josuke replies. "But now it's just... gah!" Why the sudden noise? Because Josuke's fingers have come away with something stuck to them. He looks embarrassed, and turns in his chair, to hide that hand from Mairead. "Sorry... it's a little gross." Looking to Tonio, "Is there a bin somewhere? I don't want to gross out Miss Mairead..."

    "Of course~," Tonio agrees brightly, and then heads into the kitchen once more. He comes back with a small trash bin -- fresh, mind you; nothing in the bag. This he sets down on Josuke's side.

    "Augh... what's going on?!" Josuke asks, even as Mairead can see him continuing the scratch the irritated area.

    Tonio, of course, supplies an answer. "That would be dead skin, ''signore''," he offers. "The good minerals in the food are stimulating your thyroid gland, and your metabolism has improved. And now, all the bad cells are being brought to the surface, and leaving you as dead skin. You should be able to scratch the dead skin right off and get rid of it~." How he can BRIGHTLY say that is anyone's guess, but he does.

    Josuke makes a choked sound, but there's really nothing to do but keep trying to rid himself of it. At least he's hiding it from Mairead. That would be kind of gross to try to eat while he was scratching a mound of dead skin from his shoulder. Still, that *tssch!* *tssch!* *tssch!* sound...
Mairead Sandilands Mairead blinks as she eats and stops as she covers her mouth, . o 0 (dead skin?) she thinks as she watches and it is gross, but she hides it well. Well, somewhat well. "If ye need to go to the reestroom ye can," she comments as she watches Josuke and wondersif she had the same issues, would she have the same response. Thinking, she ponders to herself for a moment, "Josuke, it is ok, it happens with dead skin," he comments. "the Academy is an all girls school with only a single boy that attends.So ye should see someof the stuff that happens."

    She does have a look of concern on her face, but she is not making too many moves as Tonio explains what is going on and thinks that she is slowly figuring out what is going on with the food...
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke just... keeps scratching the dead skin off his shoulder. In fact it might start getting worrying now... there's only so much skin that can die and be scratched off before it starts going into live skin. Or muscle, in this case. Josuke's frantic now, scratching at his shoulder like a guitarist on speed playing a solo to his favorite song! All kidding aside, he looks quite displeased. Though fortunately he's got all this scratching of his shoulder hidden from Mairead. She DOES have food in front of her, in fact, and he's trying not to gross her out.

    Oh it takes a while. Several minutes. But finally Josuke stops with the scratching of his shoulder. He makes a surprised noise. Tonio smiles. "And how do you feel now?" he asks.

    "It... it's so light!" Josuke marvels, working his arm in a circle, with the arm bent at the shoulder. "I don't know if it's ever felt so flexible before..." He pauses, and tries something. Experimentally, he places his arms behind him, one over his shoulder and one under. And he's able to touch the hands behind him. "Whoa! I've never been able to do that before!"

    Tonio seems pleased with this, and looks between the two of them. "I'm glad you're enjoying your meal." As Josuke seems to be done with the bin, Tonio picks it up. "I need to go see that the pasta boils properly. I'll be back in a while with the main course." He takes the bin back into the kitchen.

    Josuke puts his jacket back on, and sits down. "This seems... really weird," he notes. "I mean, I can't deny the effectiveness, and I know a proper diet makes you feel better more than medicine ever could... but I don't think it's supposed to happen IMMEDIATELY like this..."
Mairead Sandilands     Mairead nods, "Aye," she says. "Normally, it takes a few weeks or longer to feel the difference after eating healthy, but like Josuke says, never have I heard anything like this," and she thinks. Could Tonio have what Josuke has, only for Tonio it is health? As she thinks this and watches Josuke, she takes a drink of her water. "I am guessing that ye feel better?" she asks Josuke after the peeling he went through and the motions he is doing. "I also see you got some flexibility back," she asks.
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke nods. "Yeah. More than 'got back'. More like 'got back and even more'," he notes. "I've never been able to touch my hands behind my back like that." He's sat down and got his jacket back on now. "That's... really weird." Nonetheless, he does finish his antipasto. No more incidents interrupt the eating of this dish.

    Tonio makes another appearance when both Josuke and Mairead are done with their appetizer, to clear away the dishes. "Your main courses will be out soon~," he practically sing-songs. And sure enough, his trip back to the kitchen this time is only a few moments before he brings out two new plates.

    For Mairead? The plate Tonio sets down has an arrangement of ravioli on it. Rather than being boiled, though, they appear to have been coated in some kind of breading mixture and baked -- they're not shiny, so they weren't fried. There is a sauce drizzled sparingly over the toasted pillows though, one that smells of both garlic and citrus. And Tonio explains, "For the lady, a toasted pork ravioli, breaded with a mix of breadcrumbs, ground sunflower seeds, and walnuts. The filling is made with pork, ginger, and just a touch of cayenne pepper, and the sauce is an alfredo with a hint of garlic, savory orange, and fruit of the maiden hair tree."

    Josuke's plate has a more conventional look to it, long spaghetti curled on the plate, with a red tomato marinara sauce mixed in, with what look like chopped black olives and peppers. "I call it... ''pasta puttanesca''~!"

    "...'Harlot pasta'?" Josuke inquires, looking at the dish quizzically. And critically, considering what the last dish did to him.

    "Yes, sir," Tonio replies. "''Pasta puttanesca'' uses a pasta sauce that is one of the oldest in Italian cuisine. This one, especially, is dear to me -- it was created in my hometown, Naples. The story is that this dish was first made by tired 'ladies of the evening', throwing together an evening meal of things that happened to taste good together. Normally one doesn't put cheese on marinara pasta with garlic, but this dish is an exception~."
Mairead Sandilands     Smiling as the food arrives, Maireads smells and looks at it and than over at Joskue as the food is placed before him. "Thank you," she says to Tonio as she studies it and wonders what this willd o to her, but is not worriedd as nothign that has happened has caused any serious problems. "This smells wonderful," she adds as she looks at Josuke as she smiles.

    "I love this," she states. "The food is amazing, the atmosphere is wonderful and peaceful, the town is beautiful. I may come here for a stay over Christmas Break and walk around the town," and she adjusts the napkin on her lap as she takes up the knife and fork and begins to eat the food in front of her.
Josuke Higashikata     Tonio smiles broadly. "Enjoy your main course~," he trills happily, and then disappears into the kitchen again. Josuke is a bit leery of his plate, as shown by the critical look he gives the plate. He looks like he's almost DARING it to do something.

    As for Mairead? The toasted ravioli is firm and crunchy on the outside, and the breading is bright and nutty, but the inside is tender and flavorful, and the pork is almost sweet. The savory citrus sauce works well with the sweet pork-and-ginger filling, almost like sweet-and-sour pork, but with an Italian twist. For human standards, it -- much like the appetizer -- is INCREDIBLY good.

    But... she may find her innards warming. And a few of her joints too. Far beyond what a warm dish should be causing, in fact... It's blisteringly hot. And Mairead too may be feeling an irrepressible itching sensation -- much like Josuke did a moment ago, in fact. She may note that this oddly hot and itchy sensation is centered over those places where she's bruised...

    As for Josuke? He takes a cautious bite of the pasta -- humorously, he's able to do the 'pasta spin' with the fork that is common with Italian pasta dishes. "Oh wow... this is really good. Though... I'm kind of suspicious of it..." But he's eating it nonetheless. Which, if he's suspicious of it, should he be doing? But then, the food rather seems to beg to be eaten, doesn't it...?
Mairead Sandilands     As Mairead eats, she stops as she blinks a few times and swallows her food. She places her knife and fork down and picks up her napkin and dabs it against her face, "I think the heat was turned up in here," she comments to Josuke as she takes a drink of water from her glass. As she drinks, she stops and blinks a few more times as she places the glass ont he table and begins to scratch her arms and neck, than her legs, "Why is it tha tI am all of a sudden itching? she asks as she scratches some more and than stops as she closes her eyes.

    Take a few deep breths, she opens them and begins to rub her arms and legs, and as she does, she feels the heat coming from her body where she is itching and the joints and smiles. "If ye do not mind, I am going to the ladies room," and she rises and walks as slow as possible ot the bathroom. and slow is more like a small jog as she enters the ladies room and goes ot a stall. Sitting, she begins to scrach her entire body as fast as she can. "That feels so good...." she comments to herself.
Josuke Higashikata     Josuke notes this, and looks up, putting his fork down. "Mairead? Are you oka--" But he doesn't pause just because she jogs away from the table. She might miss it in her haste, but Josuke puts his hand over his mouth, as if something's wrong...

    Though Mairead, in the bathroom, may find that she's scratching off large pieces of skin. Though mercifully, it's all dead skin. But there's a vast amount of it, more than even a chemical peel would be taking off. Thankfully this isn't really a painful sensation, moreso annoying. And like Josuke's, the sensation goes away when it's the dead skin is gone. But there's SO MUCH MORE than Josuke's brief scratching fit, and it's not just one part. It's anywhere she's injured. Also thankfully there's a toilet in there that she can scrape it all off into.

    But the pain of the bruises and bumps that had been plaguing her might be going away, too! So there must be something to this anyway. Mairead might be feeling better when she leaves the bathroom, with the evidence of the pain safely flushed away. But she might get a little worried when she comes back to the table.

    Because Josuke's sitting there with his hands over his mouth, staring in wide-eyed horror at the middle of the table. Why? Because there's a tooth there. Not just lying there, either. One of the tooth's roots is actually IMBEDDED IN THE TABLE, as if it was fired with great velocity at the table.