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[Setting] Shinju Park, Little Aki

| As befitting its status as a celebration of otaku culture, Little Akihabara is a hellishly busy place. And yet, in the midst of its hottest spot, there's an area as cold as ice.

No two people know this area by the same name-- To some it's Lily, to others it's Konohana, to others still it's Stella --but everyone agrees it's a Court.


| Specifically, of the food variety: The Court's defining feature is the five food stalls set up within the giant crystals that make up its "walls", all but one of which are empty at the moment.

The one that >>>isn't is a noodle stall. The woman who runs it is idle, listening to the story one of her customers is telling-- This particular stall is known for accepting stories in lieu of monetary payment, so long as they're interesting enough.


| ((i forgot to mention this but. i'm trying something new with the delivery in my setting threads. pls bear with me))


| (nice!)
>A hooded woman walks up to the court. She takes a breather and glances around. Upon seeing the only stall that's open, of course she naturally goes there and take a seat. After making herself comfortable, she orders a bowl of ramen.

"*cough* Sorry for interrupting! One bowl of ramen please."


| >>640185
For someone seemingly enraptured by the story she's hearing, the owner of the stall responds quickly. She holds up a hand to stop the storyteller, turning to serve up the newcomer's order. As she does, she presents the hooded woman with a question:

"Which'll it be, then: Cash or story?"


| >>640208
"Cash. I don't want to interrupt the story, and..."

>She pulls back her hoody, revealing her face. It also reveals her cat ear... however one is missing. Her violet eyes make unsteady contact with the owner for a few seconds, then her gaze downcast as she speaks.

"I'm not good at telling stories. I like to listen."


| >>640225

"I see, I see." The stall owner nods, signaling the storyteller to keep going. "Who should I make this out to...?"


| >>640230
(um, for the last question "who should I make this out to", who is the owner addressing? the story teller or the guest? and I'm assuming she's asking for the name? sorry i'm a bit confused)


| >>640259

((it's fine dw, she's asking the guest for her name!))


| >>640261
(Thanks for clarifying!)

>The one-eared catboomer coughs a bit, as if to excuse her player's blunder.

"My name is Alisa! Just Alisa!"

>She then tries to listen in to the storyteller too while waiting for her ramen, intrigued by the system of "story4food".


| >>640263

"Pleased to meet you, Alisa. You can call me..." The stall owner's gaze travels between the customers, until it lands on the red-haired woman sleeping at the counter. She's asleep, so she won't mind if her name is borrowed for a little while.
>"...you can call me Ichijiku."


| The storyteller is regaling everyone at the stall with a story about three men: A king on a star torn by conflict, a bandit on a planet of crystalline sand, and a lonely scientist on a frozen world, all joined by a single shooting star.

It doesn't necessarily make sense, but it's certainly intriguing nonetheless.


| >>640273
"Yes... Ichijiku... a fruit?"

>Alisa tilts her head, but stops questioning it. She then listens to the story, trying to make sense out of it but fails. Regardless, she considers that a good noise.

"Mmm... taking story as a payment... I have never heard of it before. I mean I could understand important information, but stories like these?"


| >>640284
'Ichijiku' chuckles. "If I want information, I have better ways of getting it. This bargain is more about the exchange of >>>skill. I show off how good I am at weaving flour into noodles--" As soon as she says this, she finishes up Alisa's order and hands it to her. "--and you show me how good you are at weaving words into stories. Though the story doesn't necessarily have to be made up."


| "As for the name, feel free to ask her when she wakes up." This gets another chuckle out of the stall owner as she gestures to the sleeping woman.
>"After all, it's her name-- I'm only borrowing it."


| >>640313
"Huh?? I see... borrowed name. You're a mysterious stall runner! If I have the chance to come by again, I'll get it out of you!"

>Alisa then starts nomming on the noodles... Her eyes wander around the stall, checking out her surroundings while making sure she doesn't disturb the sleeping woman.

"I would love to participate in this eloquent contest, but I'm afraid my head is too occupied."

>She laughs softly. Her laughter suggests joy, but her eyes remains still.


| >>640324

"Tell you what," 'Ichijiku' smirks, "if you can get my real name, everything here is on the house for the rest of your life.

"And it's fine if your head's a bit occupied; that's part of the appeal of this place. It's somewhere to go to when you need a rest from everything.


| "Though there's something of a funny story about that. You'd think a place like this would be so quiet because nobody knows about it, but it's actually quite the opposite." 'Ichijiku' closes her eyes and crosses her arms, exhaling.
"Everyone in Little Aki knows this is the ideal spot if you want some peace and quiet, it's just that next to nobody ever really wants any."


| >>640390

"Oh really??!"

>Alisa's cat ear perks up as she hears "on the house for the rest of your life", but stops midway.

"Yeah... miss impossible to name. My life isn't gonna be that short, c'mon! Besides..."

"I wish I can stop by more often-"

>Alisa stops herself midway, quite abruptly too. She changes topic hastily.

"Right! The pace in Little Aki is... way too hyped up for me. I've been here for about 10 hours-ish?, and I'm already worn out! I swear..."

>She grumbles.


| "But this place is a godsend! If others are not using it, I'm claiming it. The Lily Court is as you say, a good place to take a break from everything. And I sure needed that. It reminds me of a certain bar..."

>She continues eating her ramen. Moments later, she exclaims.
"Ohh, this is quite good! Delicious! This is amazing~"

>After that statement, her eating pace speeds up and minutes later, the bowl is empty. How??

"Seconds please!"


| >>640414

"That wasn't a jab at your lifespan; I actually mean it." 'Ichijiku' chuckles, covering her mouth with her hand. "And I must say, you've held out better than most of the newbies in the district. However you cut it, ten hours is a lot."


| >>640416

"Gotcha." In the time between the words 'seconds', and 'please', the stall owner reaches under the counter, and brings out a duplicate of the noodles Alisa's just had.

>Curiously, there's nothing to indicate that these noodles have been prepared beforehand, they're as fresh as if she's just finished cooking them.


| >>640691
"Eugh..."
>Giving up, she sighs
"How long do newbies in the district held out for? I mean I was pretty stressed and needed to unwind somewhere, so I just kinda went all in while losing the track of time. Besides, I'm not exactly like new *new* to this place. Everything fills me with deja-vu, not gonna lie. Glitch City is almost dreamlike to me at times."

>>640694

"Thanks!"
>She noms on it again, but doesn't seem to question anything.
"You're really fast! That's amazing!"


| > Two patrons approach the area, finding some already crowding it. The first patron, a short lady with long hair dashed in purple, wears a strange head-mounted device, effectively covering her eyes and leaving only her nose and lips to see from her

> The other is slightly taller blonde with a shorter hair. She carries with her four differently-coloured light sticks, each held by the crevices between her fingers.

> They both don similar uniform of a cafe.


| > The short lady peers into the stall, spotting the owner immediately. They both hasn't sat or took a seat, but kept a close eye as they chatter something inaudible -- sometimes giggling and laughing.


| >>640707

"Most of the time it's, what, four hours? Two if they're new to the city in general."

>>640707
The remark about her speed brings an enigmatic smile to 'Ichijiku's face. "It takes practice."

>>640836

New customers! The stall owner waves, calling out to them.
"...hello there, you two!"


| >>640928
> The blonde-haired girl waves, letting the light sticks glow in a cheerful display of her own emotion. The vivid smile she drew was accompanied without a voice.

"Phoebe, shall we? The host has summoned us."

> The short girl gave a bow towards the stall owner. She struts to find a seat, with the blonde girl helping out.


| >>640928
"Sounds normal... 10 hours huh..."
>The one-earred catgirl quietly continues eating, and she takes out her phone to sometimes check some board... and she quickly devoured her second filling...
"Third please!"

>>640934
>Upon noticing the guest, Alisa lets out a cute smile that acknowledges them, then she turns back and relaxes, closing her eyes.


| >>641001

'Ichijiku' complies with Alisa's request with the same preternatural speed as before. "I must say, you're kind of adorable, Alisa."

>>640934
'Ichijiku' turns to the newcomers, giving them her most welcoming smile.
"How may I serve you today?"


| >>641145
> The bulky, unwieldy head unit worn by the short girl didn't allow for great movement freedom. Her head tilts, but was blocked by the unit.

"What may be of interest here? I have yet to accustom myself to the exotics here."

> She says. The blonde girl quietly nods, maybe waiting for the short girl to order something.


| >>641145
"Thanks! You too!"
>Alisa blushes a little, and she lets out a beaming smile. Her cat ear flutters faster...
>She then engulfs the 3rd bowl of noodles with gusto, at this rate, will she be able to outpace the owner's supernatural speed, before her hunger is satisfied?

>She pays attention to the new visitors, intrigued by their weird aesthetic and combination... but no words yet. At least, in her head, talking out of nowhere is a bit rude.

>Contemplation in progress...


| >>641157
> One of the newcomer, the blonde girl notices the attention! She waves towards Alisa, unleashing a smile to wither the silence she held. The cafe's uniform of chocolate with white accents contrasts with her gentle gold hair that rests barely upon her shoulders.


| >a girl with purple hair walks on by
>shes wearing a red jacket with a plain white undershirt and jeans, her deep purple hair blending in with the pure night sky and even glistening slightly as they reflect the moon and starlight

>she looks around and eventually heads over to grab something to eat!


| >>641175
"A-ah... H-hi~"

>Caught staring, Alisa's face turns redder, and she smiles and wave back. If you were close enough, you can see her sweating from having to make first contact. Regardless, she gathers herself quickly, and uses her hands to tap on the seat next to her. Perhaps it's an invitation to sit together and relax?


| >>641274
> The blonde girl taps on the short girl's shoulders with very little difficulty, giving her the attention she needed. She points to the seat close to Alisa, but a disagreement was made.

"Phoebe, you shall be the one to receive the offer. I will idle by my lonesome, all in the name of tempering the culture of this district."

> The short girl replies, then passes off the blond girl's — Phoebe's — offer.


| > Despite the rejection, Phoebe dragged the short girl. She tugs the lithe hand, and pulls it closer to the empty seat near Alisa.

> Once she releases the grip from the short girl's hand, she starts signing… perhaps she is deaf or mute? The signs she made is hardly any stranger to anyone that has learnt basic hand sign reading.

"Ah, Phoebe here wishes to foray upon your invitation… is the seat still truly free?"

> The short girl instantly translates the signs, impressing Phoebe.


| >>641153

"Depends. What do you think is on the menu?" Despite the phrasing of the question, 'Ichijiku's voice doesn't carry even the slightest hint of hostility. In fact, it's kind of playful.

>>641157
The stall-owner chuckles, placing >>>two bowls on the the counter this time. "I appreciate the compliment, but I'm not entirely sure how anyone could find me adorable."


| >>641203

"Ah, hello." 'Ichijiku' turns to the girl. It's been an unusually busy night tonight! "How may I serve you?"


| >>641285
"Yaay! Two bowls! I'll make sure to tip you extra!"
>She quickly just... ate one of the them in matters of seconds, and then starts eating the other... how many serving was it?

>>641280
"Yeah! They're free~ You two can sit next to me and relax... it's really nice and comfy here! Just take it easy!"
>She notices the girl's sign language, and nods.
"Don't worry about translating! My... module should still be working, I can understand ASL fine... I think."


| >>641286
"Oh uh-"

>but before she can pipe ip the girls stomach growls.
>quite audibly too!

"Yeah ill take anything you recommend."

>she says as she makes her way to a seat

"Nice night eh?"


| >>641285
"Alas, without knowledge, one can only strive to shine during the sunrise. Treat me the best there is."

> The short girl answers to the question. Her voice instills confidence and certain trust, perhaps too much of it leaks out from the way she phrases her words.

>>641290
> "THANK", "YOU!" Phoebe says. The light sticks she held have become a sort of guide to what she says, as distracting as they are.

> Phoebe took a seat, then hints the short girl to do the same.


| >Alisa notices the newcomer... and sigh. Is it a good thing? Eh. Still beats the chaotic streets of Little Aki anytime.

>>641299
>She smiles, nods her head, her hand lets go of the bowl, instead, they becomes an instrument of communication, weaving words through air and gesture. One of her violet eyes turns red. Gears can be seen running in her iris...

>"Are you deaf?"

>First, she decides on a means of communication...


| >>641300
> The girl responds by shaking her head, then through a gesture -- translating will come off as a single word: "SILENT".

> As she sat, she lays her light stick on the nearby table. The colours picked, purple, pink, cyan, and lime must have all be a representative of something, but it's too hard to tell from her simple-minded expression.


| >>641438

"Mute then, okay. Yay my hands are now free~"
>The catgurl nods in relief. Her now heterochromia eyes makes her weirdly charming?

>As she eats the 5th cup of noodles, Alisa takes out a water bottle from her big comfy hoodies.

>"Want water? You look like you came from a concert. Or party."


| >>641449
> The girl picks up one of her light sticks again, flailing it in a vertical motion. She meant something by this, clearly-

"Ourselves have been busied by the likes of entertainment in this district."

> The short girl answered in Phoebe's stead. It's unknown why she would peer or pay attention to their conversation. The bold voice she uses made her reply sound coy.

"Why, I was never a perceptive few for modern entertainment -- what foolish thought that was."


| >>641299

"Word of advice, say what you mean. The less time you spend coming up with fancy ways of phrasing things, the more time you can spend getting things done." 'Ichijiku' chuckles, sliding over a bowl of the same noodles Alisa's having.

>>641297
The stall-owner offers the same to Nico as well, though without any commentary this time...


| >>641544
"Sooo...uhh mind if i ask about the place?"
>she asks the stall owner
"Not much to occupy myself with while eating"
>there seems to be something on the girls mind, However she also looks to be trying to get it out of said mind
"Orrrr maybe you want a story from me?"


| >>641544
> The sentence didn't seem to faze the short girl's attention. Maybe it's not the first time she heard of the advice -- or whether that's even an advice she took.

"Fancy ways? You jest. I dare not reduce my words to the littlest length there is; clarity in brevity is only meant for the simplest cogs—"

> Now, finding the noodles in place, she takes a seat. She lets Phoebe have her talk with Alisa, leaving them be.

"—And my dear, you do not seem simple. Verily so."


| >>641545

"Oh, if you're willing to share, a story would certainly be nice." 'Ichijiku' nods; unnoticed, the original storyteller has long since stopped talking.

>>641546

'Ichijiku' laughs. "Alright, then, have it your way; if it makes you happy, then I'm not about to complain. Also, thanks. I try my best not to be boring."


| >>641547
"Hmmmm...Alright ill let you choose then~"
>she says before taking a bite of whatever food was given
"Do you want to hear about that time i had to look for a friend of mine in a blizzard then somehow found myself in a cafe or...~"
>the sly girl leaves you in suspense for just a moment to enjoy another bite! Cheeky!
"~ that time me and my friends dressed real gorillas in fake looking gorilla suits and let them loose in...i think it was a shopping mall?"


| >>641547
"Then, what goes it?"

> She takes a short, delicate slurp from the noddles, trying every way possible to conceive a taste profile for it.

"What is it -- payment in tales? That much I heard. I deem myself oblivious still."

>>641549
> Ah. Instead of letting the question answered, she simply let herself be an observer for now. Focus on the noodles, and keeping an eye on Phoebe.


| >>641549

"You >>>what?" This does not come from 'Ichijiku', but rather from one of the other customers- a towering young man in a bright red hoodie. At his outburst, the stall-owner nods.
"I'm with Ichiro, let's hear the one with the gorillas."


| >>641550 >>641551
>she grins
"Good choice.
Sooo me and my friends are soldiers.
Specifically we're part of the United nations mobile defense force, so we kinda hop around just about everywhere."
>she takes another bite and clears her throat for the story to come
"So my squad consists of me and my squadmates and pals lucas, Cassius who we all call cassie, and cillia.

With that out of the way let the story begin!"


| "Soo we were stationed in geneva, UN home base and all that with nothing to do.
that means we all went to that one bar we frequent whenever we are there"
>she takes another bite
"With no immediate orders they do the only reasonable thing functioning and well trained soldiers and members of society do
And get absolutely fucking smashed
Now when i say smashed i mean *smashed*
You can take a guess where this is going right?"


| >>641463
"I see."
>Alisa nods, but sighs at the girl's rhetoric anyways. She then turns towards the mute girl.

>"Nice to meet you. My name is A-l-i-s-a. What's your name?"

>She then of course, listen to the story, as it would be rude to interrupt.


| >>641554
> She simply puts up a peace sign with her index and middle fingers raised. The two form the shape 'V' -- she collapses the hand, then gestures to create a complete sentence -- "P-H-O-E-B-E".

> Affirming her name with a few nods, she then throws the conversation momentarily to hear the story. Much to her chagrin, she has missed parts of it.


| >"V, Phoebe... Cute name! Nice to meet you!"

>Of course, the one-eared catboomer does the same. She sips on the noodles quietly, waiting for the story to continue. After all, it's a good time to relax. She idly takes out her phone and browses the matrix...


| >>641553

"I >>>can," 'Ichijiku' nods, "But I want a closer look. Keep going."


| >>641562
>she nods and continues
"Like we arent the best drinkers of our regiment but god damn can they go long enough to beat our livers into rubber
One night later everyone wakes up in various states of fucked in the bar
Cillia and i wake up fairly normally at the counter top"

>she then inhales and takes a sip of her drink, readying for a good part


| "Lucas on the otherhand wakes up ass naked, covered in mascara and pink nails duct taped to a cheap blow up sex doll
And then there is Cassius
Who woke up as a woman"
>she attempts to say with as straight a face as physically possible


| >>641567

'Ichijiku' begins to laugh at Lucas' predicament, but she stops dead at the mention of what happened to Cassius. "Hold on a second, tell me more about that last bit."


| >>641568
"Instead how about i show you a before and after?"
>the strange collar like device she is wearing on her neck and well as her eyes, both begin to lightly glow purple as she makes gestures in the air
>ahhh, AR gear...fuuuutuurreee
"Before~
https://bit.ly/3bUnSyC
And after~"
https://bit.ly/39Hnr96
>she grins
"Went from hot French dude to hot French maid"
>then finally failing to keep her composure and laughs at her own story


| >>641569

"I see..." 'Ichijiku' looks thoughtful, like she's just gas a world-shaking revelation. Her usual smile returns quickly, though. "...keep going, let's hear about the gorillas."

Total number of posts: 63, last modified on: Wed Jan 1 00:00:00 1586173006

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