Day 42: Twin Pines [Evening]

[rubbermancan]

Luffy was in good spirits by the time evening rolled around. There was nothing like some music to liven up the day! Then again, who'd ever heard of a pirate who didn't like music? It was the main reason he'd been hoping for a musician ever since he'd managed to get a ship of his own. If his musician position hadn't already been filled, Luffy

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[cryingweapon]

The pain on her right hand had subsided when the afternoon turned into evening. She had her share of physical exercise(and pain) for today, and now she was hungry. At lunch she used her Tasty Burger coupon, so all that was left was the Twin Pines restaurant.

Entering the restaurant Chise could clearly see that it was another western food joint. Wouldn't it hurt just to have a bento box and tempura for lunch or dinner? Then again, they were in a western city.

Overall, the restaurant had a pleasant atmosphere. Looking around she spotted a familiar figure wearing a straw-hat.

"Hello Luffy," she greeted and sat across from him. "How's your day been so far? This is my first time here, so everything is pretty much new to me."

[rubbermancan]

"Yo!" he replied with a grin. He hadn't seen Chise since their time at lunch the other day, but it was good she was still around! "My day's been pretty good!" The first part had been kind of boring, but listening to that guy's music had been fun, at least! "I've been here three times already, and it's kind of like, you see it once, you've seen it forever

[cryingweapon]

"T-Three times! You must've been here for a very long time." How did he managed to stay in a good mood all the time? She wasn't sure if she could last that long by herself. "Wouldn't you get punished if somebody saw you pulling off a heist?" It sounded complicated and risky to steal something from a store. Of course, she'd never done it before, and even if she tried it anyone could catch her easily.

Well, nothing on the menu looked appeasing to Chise, so she decided to order a steak. That way, she can easily give some of her dinner to Luffy. Sorry Kagura, but it's Luffy's turn today.

Her curiosity perked up when Luffy mentioned another person. "Is Nami another friend of yours?"

[rubbermancan]

"Yep," Luffy said with a nod. He kept forgetting the exact number, but he remembered asking a Cat Lady when he filled out that one guy's survey thing on the bulletin board. Either way, it'd been a really long time -- maybe even almost a month! But whether it was one day or one month, it was always too long in this place.

"Yeah, you'd get punished for sure," the pirate answered, and he couldn't help but laugh a little. "But that's why you don't let anybody see you! You gotta be sneaky about it." Otherwise, there was too big a chance you'd just run for your life -- not that that couldn't be a lot of fun, too, but then there was the possibility of getting caught and losing all the good stuff you took. That always sucked.

"Yeah, she's part of my crew!" he answered enthusiastically. "Nami's a great navigator -- the best!" And she was really awesome at coming up with good ideas, like with that heist.

[oftemptation]

Endrance had nodded and vaguely mumbled something resembling the word 'yes'. There had been something resembling a fast-food place on one end of the street, but the greasy smell turned his stomach. That left the other place, and he stepped in and immediately sat down, not feeling up to standing much more.

"I know that I let my temper get the best of me, back there." he said, voice a little louder than it had been. "But it's like someone insulting someone you care about...I couldn't just let it go. I don't mind if they get to me, but...I don't want the rest of you getting hurt."

[cannotlogout]

They wandered down the street, aiming for the fast food place, but Tsukasa didn't complain when Endrance turned away. He didn't mind fast food but it wasn't to everyone's taste. They headed to the other restaurant instead, finding it mostly empty so it was easy to find a seat. The food on the menu all seemed rather foreign, but it couldn't hurt to try it.

"It's okay, I guess I'd want to do something if anyone went after Subaru like that guy did." It had happened before and Tsukasa hated that he hadn't been able to do anything about it.

[oftemptation]

"I'm sure you would have...and back then, I'd have probably done the same for Mia." It was strange, trying to think about her through the heavy haze. The feelings were dimmed now, a more faded memory than usual. It was almost painful to try pushing past that enough to really get at them, and that was probably for the best. If he thought too hard about the past...

The waitress came by, expectantly, and Endrance ordered tea and a light salad - not that he was particularly hungry or anything. It was more that he didn't want the others to worry. That in and of itself was strange. It had been years since he'd felt anything close to that.

"Why...why do you think we're all here, like this?"

[cannotlogout]

Tsukasa nodded seriously. "I know people say that it isn't like having real friends, knowing someone in The World, but I met my family there, and my girlfriend and my best friend. I'd fight for them too." They were just as real as people that you met at school or out in town, especially when you'd shared such things with them.

He ordered something light when the waitress arrived, the fish and a soda. The steak that was their speciality looked too heavy for Tsukasa's tastes. It was more because he knew that he had to eat than because he wanted to particularly.

He frowned a little at Endrance's question. "I don't know. If it was just us maybe I'd think it was something to do with the Key of Twilight, with Aura. But there are meant to be people here from different worlds."

[givemeoblivion]

[from here]

Callisto threw open the doors and dragged her unwilling date inside. What was with this peaceful atmosphere? It definitely wasn't like a tavern or anything else she was used to. She recognized a few of the customers as patients she'd seen around the Institute. Well, that figured if they were being given free meals.

"Do we just sit down?" She looked honestly confused as she glanced around some more, and considered calling over the service before simply shrugging and leading them both to an empty seat.

[fooledintuition]

Following the...okay, maybe that was a good idea and maybe it had worked, but that didn't do anything to help the fact that Adachi had been dragged in here against his will by Blondie. He had legs, dammit; he could walk on his own two feet and still keep up with the pace she'd set.

At least Callisto had seemed to stop for the moment, looking a bit confused on how they were supposed to go about getting food. Finally, maybe now he could catch his breath and get her to let go of his arm. "I guess we do-- hey!" Then again, maybe she'd just drag him some more. Thankfully this time, it wasn't very far, and they sat down. "Look," he started, giving her that 'stern cop look' he'd practiced in his mirror back home, "I said I'd take you, but I really don't appreciate being dragged. Are you satisfied?"

[givemeoblivion]

Adachi's 'stern cop look' amused Callisto greatly. She responded with the most fake innocent nod ever, and a grin that might have been cute on anyone else but her. "Mmhm!" The blonde slouched in her seat, pulling one leg up on the chair.

She'd never ordered from a restaurant before, so when they were offered menus she spent a couple minutes turning the laminated item around in her hands. "Does that little piece of paper cover anything on here?" She didn't even recognize most of the names. How was she supposed to know if any of this was even food? Eventually, she tossed the menu aside. "Order for me," she demanded.

[fooledintuition]

[Swapping tables and also waiting on Taura and vK]

If Adachi didn't know better, he'd almost say she had dragged him onto a date. He gave Callisto a bland stare, not buying that grin in the slightest. She was taking her sweet time about just saying what she wanted from him and getting it over with. Did he look like that much of a pushover? "I don't really know your tastes," nor did he care, "so you may not end up liking it." He paused. Was he getting a bit careless with what he was saying again? Time to clarify, then. "But yeah, I guess I can do that."

He shrugged, at least happy that the Institute's coupons were paying for this, and that it wasn't coming out of his own pocket. No way would he order for her on his own dime; then she'd end up making him pay for the entire meal, and probably more. Since this was so-not-a-date, he wasn't obligated to actually get her something she liked; maybe it'd even help him to get away.

Yeah. Right. He wasn't that lucky today

[fear_attachment]

[continued yet again from here]

Chidori looked down at the table silently, at that, not sure what to say. She didn't regret her choice--it meant Junpei was alive and able to continue hoping and planning and fighting--but it still saddened her that he was unhappy because of what she'd done.

Fortunately for Chidori's sake, the waitress arrived with their food right about then, breaking the mood somewhat with her professional, if rather strained, cheer.

[whos_da_man]

Oh, food! Yay!

The arrival of food put Junpei in a more cheerful mood since the waitress also filled his soda up again. Seriously, the people at the loony bin needed to give them soda at some point. To hell with the caffeine and hyperactivity that would inevitable follow.

"Sweet! This looks hella-good!" The teen started into his food. After a bit of chewing, he glanced up and mumbled something at Chidori through his mouthful. Unfortunately, it wasn't understandable.