Fried Rice, Heaven Sent (Social to Job. Semi-Open)

[Ambrose Grail]

OOC: This is a semi-open Social and Job thread for myself, Paste, Joshua and Heartblade. Anyone else can join, but we will only rotate for the four of us. This allows other writers to enter the thread, introduce themselves, become a customer and then sit in a booth for a while, only to exit the thread later, with their choice of interaction level in the mean time. The thread will start as Social, and once we are satisfied, switch to Job for the opening of the restaurant.

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Teeth in the asphalt. That was how Ambrose found himself outside of Hell again. This time, he had been climbing toward the telltale whine of something unusual in the monotonous, demon-ridden landscape, down a steep escarpment on the inside of a cavern. Halfway to the bottom, the rock he was gripping shattered in his hand, and he found himself tumbling against the cave walls. Suddenly, a light loomed, and then his teeth were in the asphalt of an alleyway. From the smell of it, it was the Human World.

Well, good then. Anywhere was better than Hell.

He looked over himself. Same as he had been for the last who-knows-how-long. Mostly human, but the pock marks and puckered swirls on his shirtless chest sometimes belched lazy streams of fire. He was covered in burns, scars and ink. His black hair was tousled by the wind in the closed-in alley between the shopping district buildings. His red cloak and white bandages covered him for decency's sake. His stomach growled out-loud. He was hungry. Taking stock of his surroundings, he found it was time to get to work. 

That was two days ago. Since then he'd discovered that food and work were not simple to come by for a spiritual being. Since there was no providence to be had here, he had to provide for himself. He'd found an abandoned shop off the side of a shopping district, empty and burned out. In the nights, he renovated. In the days, he stocked the pantry and larder. Slowly, the dilapidated restaurant seemed to revitalize itself, though no residents nor owner were apparent. It had already garnered a rumor or two of being "ghostly." Ambrose was sure he'd also heard the word "possessed" cross the lips of a passerby.

A day ago, Ambrose had put up flyers advertising hiring for servers and a dishwasher. He tested the range and the oven. Everything still worked. The fires starting themselves startled a squatting delinquent, and he cleared out, frantically spreading word of the unusual activity in the business-shell. Obviously, no one believed him, but any word of mouth was good.

They'd all believe, soon. This place was about to be the life and livelihood of the avenue. Ambrose lit the range, and started steaming the rice. A grin spread slowly across his face.

[Benjiro Hiroto]

As Benjiro stepped into the bustling streets of Karakura Town, his sharp eyes scanned the crowds for any signs of danger. He had been dispatched on a mission to purify a low-level hollow that had been causing trouble in the shopping district. Despite his relative inexperience as a Shinigami, he was confident in his recently acquired and trained abilities, honed through his rigorous training at the Shino Academy and his daily practices and training. He thought of the many Shinigami that had allowed him to grow this much in such a short amount of time, dedicating his gratitude towards Gestalt, Captain Celes, Tala, Rakuo, Aya, Seijuro, and the many others that had taught him. 

Anyways, as he approached the shopping district, his senses were alert to the presence of any spiritual activity. Despite his relatively weak senses, especially in his ability to sense energy, he scanned the busy streets and the active shops for any sign, whether through sight or sound, of hollow activity. Still, as he looked around, he noticed that the district was a far cry from what was considered to be a shopping district was when he was alive, and he marveled at how much time had changed things in the world of the living. He was about to reminisce on the little village market he had bought from, when suddenly, he caught sight of his quarry, a small, insect-like hollow that was terrorizing the shoppers.

He didn't hesitate, immediately recognizing the insect for what it was about to do, stalk and kill an unsuspecting shopper, causing him to draw his Zanpakuto and rush towards the creature with a burst of speed. The hollow was quick, but Benjiro was much smarter, and he managed to catch it by surprise. With deft movement and a steady mind, he pinned the hollow to the ground with the use of Bakudo number 9 Horin, the orange strands of reiatsu wrapping around it liek rope. Quickly afterwards, he approached it with a Shunpo, cutting through the crowd to reach the writhing hollow.

He raised his Zanpakuto, its blade reflecting the light with a serene shimmer. He whispered a prayer to the Buddhas, asking for their guidance as he prepared to purify the hollow's soul. In one swift movement, he slashed across the creature's mask, sending its fragmented pieces flying into the air. The remains of the bug-like carapace began to dissolve and disintegrate, the stain of sorrow being washed away by the mercy of the Shinigami's blade. The hollow's soul was purged, and it was sent back through the cycle of Samsara to be reborn, may they have peace.

Now that his duty was accomplished, fairly early on relative to what he had expected, Benjiro let out a deep sigh, sheathing his Zanpakuto. He had completed his mission, but he was still aware of the great responsibility that rested upon his shoulders as a Shinigami and the continued duties he could serve during his stay in Karakura town. He looked up at the sky, promising to continue training and growing in order to better defend the Soul Society and protect the people of the living world. For now though, despite the shame he felt for feeling as such, he was hungry. Benjiro's stomach growled, unable to remember the last time he had sated his craving for food, the last few weeks a blur of activity and training, eating only the bare minimum to survive. Unfortunately, the rumble from within had grown too large to ignore, if only there was some food he could access here in the World of the Living...

[Crystal Tokei]

Crystal decided today would be a great day to bring in some cash! Unlike her boss Kitai, However, she  still has a long way to go before becoming a master crafter in which to sell amazing contraptions. The idea of becoming more skilled in crafting while pursuing the knowledge of the Soul and Soul Cycle, is encouraging to say the least. The amount of things she could eventual make that she can consider her children has put a ferocious desire in her small bead eyes.

Ensuring her Soul Patch was on the little doll leaves through her tiny hidden door behind her stand in the shop. It's been a month or so since Crystal has went on a trip through the shopping district of Karakura town. Once in the alley next to the shop, which is of course hidden to the eyes of those non-spiritually aware, she walks up to the mouth of the dark alley before peering out. Doesn't seem like anyone was around who might be able to see her, so she headed out on to the sidewalk of the busy shopping district.

It was about an hour later when Crystal spotted them, job posters about someone who was looking for those who could serve food or wash dishes. Looking down at her clothes she realized it was the perfect outfit to serve people in, they'd just have to deal with the shock of being served by a Childs toy. With that the little doll climbed up the telephone poll, grabbing one of the posters before shimmying down back to the ground below. Reading it a few times she memorized the address before heading out to the location. 

It was a short trip, only took Crystal about ten minutes on her tiny legs to reach her destination. It was a mostly rundown shop at first glance, however, with a more thorough look one could see it's been in the process of remodeling and getting fixed up. Walking up to the tall (in her perspective) glass door, the doll attempts to open it. Sure enough it was massive, but with enough elbow grease and firmly planted feet she managed to pull off the gargantuan feet of opening this towering door.

Slipping through the tiny opening she made, Crystal began walking toward the back were the person running this place was bound to be. If she had a nose the aroma certainly would have lifted her up off the ground, causing her to float towards the kitchen. Sadly she doesn't, therefore the clueless toy heads towards the kitchen, unaware of what she's missing out on. 

Stepping through the doorway of the kitchen Crystal spotted the owner, or at least who she assumed owned the place. Skipping along she moves toward him with the poster rolled up under her little left arm. Once she was right next to him the doll stopped, reaching up to tug at the guy's pants. She hopped he could see her, otherwise she'd have to take off the Soul Patch and probably scare the life out of him. When she realizes he can see her, the little childs doll would hold up the poster while pointing to the words server.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Crystal's Current Dress}

SPOILER: Click to show

{Crystal's Doll Form}

[Koshka Volkov]

Ah, the Human World~! A place that had been long-since accustomed to the devastation that Koshka and her kind had brought about upon the various countries and cities throughout the world. Those in the Vandenreich had been rather notoriously known for leaving quite a number of situations with blood on their hands. Normally, Koshka had been no different. She tended to carry out her work with rather ruthless efficiency, so much so that more often than not, she'd never be seen before the job was done.

However, today was not one of those days.

Instead, Koshka had been able to take the day off! None of those violent tendencies were set to come out today; in fact, quite the opposite. Today, she was fully-focused on seeing what she could do in terms of finding some hotspots within Karakura Town! Mostly places where individuals could simply spend time together, generally unbothered by the goings-on of the world around them. If nothing else, she wanted to find a place where she and Zinnia could spend an entire day together, simply focused on one another!

Was this wishful thinking? Koshka hadn't thought so. After all, Karakura town seemed to be a rather bustling place to be more often than not! There should've been plenty of opportunities for her to get to know the location a bit more personally while she hadn't been on duty. In fact, after emerging from an alley thanks to Schatten, she immediately began her hunt for a place to relax and enjoy the afternoon. Bringing a small bag with her for the trip, Koshka made sure her Cross had been stowed away neatly for the day before she'd begun her search.

It should've come as no surprise that the woman kept her spiritual signature suppressed during this trip. The last thing that she wanted during her time in the Human World was some kind of fight; after all, today was supposed to be a fun trip! What good would come if she simply spent the afternoon in conflict? Shaking off her thoughts, Koshka began her journey stopping by a nearby florist's shop. "Hello," she spoke, entering the small shop, "is anyone here?"

---

Twenty or so minutes had passed before Koshka had paid for her gift, and left. Gently protruding from the top of her bag had been a neatly-prepared bouquet of white, red, and pink chrysanthemums. She knew such tended to be rather popular within Japan, and after doing her research on them, these seemed to be the absolute best to get her lover for a gift! Humming a chipper tune to herself, the girl continued to walk down the busy streets until another shop caught her interest; more accurately, a place that seemed to serve food!

Making her way over to the place and gently opening the glass door, Koshka looked around. "Hello there~!" she chimed, "I saw a couple of flyers about that made note of a need for help; perhaps I could offer my assistance, if a deal is willing to be struck~?" Where it stood, Koshka hadn't meant anything insidious with the bargain she'd sought to make; no, she simply wanted a place for her and Zinnia to frequent when possible.

((Invoking Stealth 4 in order to keep Koshka's spiritual signature hidden~))

SPOILER: Click to show

{Koshka's outfit for the thread~!}

[Ailene Haschiro]

The Shopping District. The heart of commerce in Karakura was made up of numerous plazas with a wide array of goods and services for sale. Each one was typically bustling with activity. All walks of life were represented here from the ambitious entrepreneur to the common consumer. Ailene had spent many a day in the city of Karakura for the past few decades. However, much of that was during her time as an Arrancar. An engine of destruction. Today, she'd be walking among the countless citizens as one of them.

Deciding to close up Rēgīna early today, the purple-haired woman would stroll down the streets of the shopping district and look at all the new shops that had opened up in recent times. As expected, services came and went like the wind. Competitors were lurking around every corner, trying to drive the others out of business. This is exactly why Ailene had asked Orobas to look for a property in the residential districts of the town. She prided herself on being unique among other tea houses. She was really not in it for the money. She just liked to brighten the days of others, socialize, and learn more about their lives.

Today, however, was a rest day. She had been overworked for the past few weeks and needed a break. She was, however, not alone. Laying along the length of her shoulders was a mass of darkened scales. Her tail hung freely, and her body idly rise and fell. It was none other than the self-proclaimed apex predator of Karakura herself, Mélusine. As usual, she was resting. Thankfully, being a product of Ailene's soul, the draconian familiar was effectively invisible to many of the residents. She didn't need to worry about being stared at constantly nor shrieked at. 

As they continued walking, Mélusine lifted her head and yawned. "Aileneeee. I'm hungryyy." It was a pitiful whine for a creature so infatuated with being feared among the three realms. It was ironic and Ailene couldn't help but laugh. "I know, Mélusine, I know. I'm looking for the place right now." In response, the dragon whined more. "Well hurry up! I may have promised not to eat anyone on the way, but I'm starting to regret that..." The Fullbringer simply rolled her eyes and sighed. 

They had passed quite a few places, but Ailene was on the lookout for a particular place. Several flyers had been strewn about Karakura recently, telling of a new restaurant. That's not what intrigued Ailene though. Many of her patrons spoke of ghosts. This haunted restaurant had been rebuilt from nothing in a few days. In truth, it likely wasn't entirely inaccurate. Ailene knew better though. It was likely a spiritual denizen who made their home there. A Shinigami perhaps? She wasn't sure, but she'd be more than happy to check it out.

---

After ten more minutes of travel, Ailene and Mélusine would find themselves at the restaurant. From the outside, Ailene really couldn't tell that anything was off. The once dilapidated structure had been rebuilt and looked great! Needless to say, she was impressed. Approaching the building and its glass doors, Mélusine immediately perked up. "Ah! Finally. I hope they have some tender meat!" Once more, the girl chuckled at the dragon's remark. As she slid the glass door open, she'd be greeted by rather lovely decor. 

Not only that, but it seemed she was not the only one here. In the distance, Ailene saw the faint traces of golden blonde hair. Speaking of Ailene, she was dressed in a rather quaint dress herself. A beautifully woven dress that she had taken to seamstress to cut the hem so it didn't drag against the ground. A charming combination of teal and purple, it had several embellishments. When it all came together, Ailene had a bit of a regal look about her. In fact, it seemed as though she was a maiden straight from the Middle Ages. Mélusine's presence only strengthened the comparison even more.

Needless to say, Mélusine couldn't wait to eat. Motioning over to a booth, Ailene gracefully walked over and took a seat. She took care not to lean back so Mélusine wouldn't find herself crushed between Ailene's body and the back of the booth. Then again, the draconian familiar would've fallen into a frenzy if Ailene did so. Patiently, the girl waited for others to come in or for someone to take their order. The savory aroma that permeated the air briefly caused both of their stomachs to grumble, leaving Ailene with rose-tinted cheeks. Lifting the menu, she'd read over the options as well as hide her embarrassment behind the laminated pamphlet.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Ailene's Outfit

}

[Scarlet]

The sensation of sweat streaming down her face wasn’t something that she ever enjoyed although it was something that she’d been used to now for several years. Jogging was something that got Scarlet’s body moving, it made her feel awake no matter when she did it or how tired she actually happened to be. A bit of exercise that helped her keep her mind off all the troubles of the world. Right now, though her bit of exercise wasn’t for enjoyment but due to the fact she was running late for work.

Although she didn’t particularly like her job it was something she had to do for the money. She didn’t like knowing the only reason she had the job was due to her looks. Knowing that her entire paycheck was because others liked to look at her didn’t sit right in her stomach. If they were looking because she was pretty it’d be one thing and she’d probably feel differently, instead though she knew they were looking at her like all the others, as a foreigner. The one thing that no matter what she did always seemed to stay constant. She just was always seen as someone that didn't belong.

Standing and rushing around a cafe dressed up as a maid was one thing and although the outfit wasn’t actually bad although she’d never admit that to anyone. Forced to wear that though for the types of people that she knew came to look at her. She might as well be an animal on display for them to mock. It was the type of situation that made Scarlet just want to hurry up even faster to reach the job she really wanted to get. Although she was going to smell more than likely now of sweat Hikari knew she didn’t have anything to really worry about, a few wipes and some girly perfume would be all she needed.

Getting to the cafe though Scarlet stops and walks in at a typical pace to make sure she didn’t draw any unnecessary attention. Getting through the front door she saw some of her coworkers turn, most of them didn’t give her the time of day. The one that did though was the star of the cafe. A very pretty girl with dark hair that dyed the ends platinum blonde. It wasn’t Scarlet’s type of thing, but she knew it was pretty. She was harsh though Toma, ruled this cafe like it was her own business taking quite a bit of pride in everything. Something Scarlet didn’t get as it all came down to appearance.

Moving along the edge of the dining area Scarlet was going to reach the back where she could disappear, get to her locker and change before she really went over the start of her shift. She didn’t really get far though because she heard the sound of Toma clicking her mouth, a sound she could make with her teeth and lips that Scarlet didn’t really get but knew. Turning she saw Toma motioning her over. “Scarlet good you’re not late. No need to change, I've got a different type of work for you today.” “What about the manager?” “He’s out sick again, so I’m in charge. Now I need you to go check out this new restaurant. It’s supposed to be opening soon and I want to know what it’s all about so you’re my eyes.”

This wasn’t normal, Toma was actually asking her to do something without being overly aggressive or just mean. “Alright, what do you want me to look for?” “Just look around, try and figure out a theme. Ask anyone what it’s going to be about. Go as you are so they don’t know you’re from here. You’re just a normal potential customer got it?” “Got it.” Well that seemed to be it, Scarlet was surprised although it was a pleasant one. She could just go now without having to get into her uniform. “By the way, Scarlet, do you have any perfume? You might want to use it.” There it was.

Thirty minutes later

It’d taken a bit of time, but it seemed she’d found the restaurant that was going to be opening soon. Almost right away something was off. It looked like people were already inside. Perhaps she should have taken Toma’s advice and already used some perfume although the mention of it from her had irritated Scarlet. Irritated her enough that it felt like an order and she didn’t do it. So although she didn’t really pick up on it she was aware she probably smelled of sweat after her morning workout and jog to work.

From what she’d been told and what she’d heard in the last few minutes this restaurant just sprung up without anyone knowing anything. The term haunted and ghost were being whispered around by others on the street although Hikari didn’t really get how something like that was possible. If no one saw the owner setting everything up then didn’t it just mean he was being careful? They could have made sure to only set up in the middle of the night. She’d read about stuff like that happening before so why was this different?

What came next though was a series of things that made Scarlet question whether or not she’d collapsed, fainted somewhere between her cafe and this restaurant. The things she was seeing just didn’t make any sense. As she was walking along the street she’d found one of the flyers taking it off a telephone pole. Reading it over the place didn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary. She didn’t really have all that long to look it over though when she heard the sound of an electrical outlet going haywire. Looking around and finding the source of the noise just a hit down the street though Scarlet couldn’t believe her eyes.

There was a large man, the type of beautiful man that should be modeling and breaking down doors, he was swinging a sword while wearing what looked like a shrine uniform. It was something out of her dreams, but he was fighting something from a nightmare. A big insect with a thick white mask that looked like it was made of bone. Things just didn’t make sense though as lightning, orange lightning was wrapped around the insect. Then with a swing of the sword that insect just seemed to disappear. Scarlet was at a loss of words while her thoughts couldn’t process.

The man walked away and Scarlet was left standing in a state of confusion and daze. For almost a full minute before she realized she was right by the resturant and the man was no longer in view. She didn’t know where he went and didn’t understand what just happened. So while in a shocked state, she walked into the restaurant looking around but things didn’t get any better. Sitting in a booth was a girl with purple hair and a big lizard on her shoulders. “What in the world is going on?” She whispers as she takes notice of the woman with blonde hair near her and just has to question what’s going on.