Consider: Eating before a hunt or an adventure.

[songbird_slayer]

Sender: Madhuri Qalli
To: All
Subject: Partake of my life and my love: Lady of Bliss- OPEN!



Well, hi! It's what it says on the proverbial tin: I'm done! The Lady of Bliss is open for all your baked good needs! I make cakes, pies, bars, pastries and every other bite of bliss under any and all suns. I also offer sandwiches with homemade ingredients, soups from scratch that change each week and dishes that'll change up every month to suit the ever-changing of mood.

My launching special right now is my baked potato soup with a ham and brie melt! If that's not your flavor, I got my hands on some great cocoa and put together some chocolate croissants. To learn more, you'll just have to peek at my sign outside my door, won't you?

That aside, I want to bring up a project that's being worked on: If you're tired of walking around and want to feel like a wizard, I know a guy who is working on a quick-travel network through Reverein and could use your help!




>His name is G'raha. He looks like this. Handsome.


If you have some handle on channeling dreamotion energy, wield magic at home or are looking to help with the general testing or some heavy lifting, please consider hitting him up! He's great. He won't bite.


[Then, an added message written a few hours later:]

The rainbows here are FANTASTIC.

Comments

Video;

[crystalized_hope]

[He knew her preparations for the grand opening were coming apace but hadn't been expecting the shout-out. It was appreciated, though a little surprising to see. But should it be? He'll acknowledge it soon enough, but that image and then the description. Not even relying on the journal now...]

Handsome, huh? [And a small chuckle.] I appreciate it, thanks. It's good to see everything seems to be up and running. Do I get the pleasure of first customer, or am I too late?

[songbird_slayer]

[There's a sunny, giddy little spark of dreamotion in response. He just has that effect on her. Can't imagine why.]

"I find him aesthetically pleasing" would have been a gross disservice, you see. Last I checked, you weren't a sculpture in a lord's museum.

You absolutely get the pleasure, so long as you sneak in here before lunch bell.

[crystalized_hope]

I do have a sculpture back at the Crystarium though.

[A joke at his own expense. Nice.]

I will be there 'ere long.

[He's already grabbing his coat to head out.]

[songbird_slayer]

Then you've left quite the impression.

[But there's a spark in the affirmative in response, followed by something akin to stomach jitters before the connection quieted. She's never run a business before, this was like taking him to meet her family or something, she's so nervous, is everything tidy!?]

[crystalized_hope]

[Mayhap not the impression she was thinking of. He won't ruin the mood by clarifying though. It didn't take him too long to arrive, entering the Lady of Bliss.]

Pardon me, ma'am. Are you open? [She might even see a wink if she looks fast enough.]

-> action

[songbird_slayer]

[Oh, the fretting. The fretting! She was going through a mental checklist of if everything was good to go and she had to double-check to make sure the pastries and bread were all accounted for. Cast-iron plates on the fire for the sandwiches? Yes. Yes. Yes, Madhuri, take a breath.

He spoke and she clapped a hand to her chest at first in surprise that she'd let a very expected visit become unexpected on account of her own strange nerves. But she gaped at him, theatric despite the red lilies blooming in her hair.]

Another wink like that and I just may have you walk away with all my pastries, Ser...!

[crystalized_hope]

[He couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh in response. Oh, he managed to bring out the lilies. He calls that a small success.]

Well, that wouldn't be good for business. I couldnt possibly leave with all of your pastries without proper payment.

[songbird_slayer]

Proper payment, huh? Aren't you a good boy.

[Recover. Then go for the kill. She leaned back against the counter and planted her hands upon the edge. She fought to settle her still-racing heart as she canted her head coyly to regard him. With her hair tied back, there was a lot more of her neck and hint of collarbone in the gesture. She hadn't bothered with the first button or two of her top.]

Did you perhaps have something in mind for said "proper payment" for my entire stock... Raha?

1/2

[crystalized_hope]

[...She was doing this intentionally now. After all, when wasn't she? He noticed those minor details, though it was improper to think such things. Well, they were dating, so maybe it wasn't so improper. Even so... she even hit him with the name.

Shit. Give him a moment. Her charm is too strong.]

Sender: Alastor

[lonelysmiles]

Congratulations, Miss Madhuri! I'll certainly need to stop by to sample your wares!

Not to mention watch others' reactions to your little additions to your recipes. That should be quite entertaining!

[Look, it's one of his pleasures around here, watching people get affected by the food and drink. Don't take it away from him.]

[songbird_slayer]

Why thank you. You're welcome any time.

The people-watching potential is quite real, if I'm honest. I've made some potent chocolates in the past but haven't entirely thrown away the possibility in my pain au chocolats...

Perhaps 'Made with love' can be used as a warning sticker.

[lonelysmiles]

[Alastor laughs even though she can't see it.]

"Made with" stickers for any sort of emotion should be standard for food and drink prepared in Reverein, to be honest. Not just your little bakery!

Though those pain au chocolats sound delightful. May I ask what their effects are?

[songbird_slayer]

Of course! Everything's what it says up front unless someone tells me to surprise them.

The effect in the pain aus today are 'nostalgia'. A few bites in, and you may well be nestled away in a time of old that one thinks fondly of when your day's been the worst. Nostalgia means something different to everyone, so I aim to cater to as many as possible rather than simply going for 'happy', yes?

Besides, 'happy' is in the vanilla cupcakes.

[lonelysmiles]

Nostalgia, hmm? That's certainly interesting. I'm not one for sweets but perhaps I might ask for one just to see what comes out.

[If for nothing else but potential chaos given what might come out of his head.]

So in essence you're selling both the poison and the antidote. Very clever.

[songbird_slayer]

You got it. I'll even take requests, though I don't know why anyone would want a "blues" blueberry muffin or something.

Ooh, or a "vengeance" roasted pepper melange buttermilk biscuit!

[lonelysmiles]

Perhaps if one was feeling uninspired, they might put in such a request!

Though do tell: Would a dish made with vengeance be best served cold?

[He thinks he's funny.]

[songbird_slayer]

[She needed a minute. That was GOOD.]

Clearly I should run menus by you, that's brilliant! 'The Cold Cuts of Vengeance'...!

Sender: Luca Balsa (There is action here lol)

[allegedprisoner]

Rainbows?

[ Luca looks up from his soup and melt. He decided to bring his science notes with him to this new Lady of Bliss place he's heard about. He's so close to a breakthrough with his project, but after last month he got thrown off track a bit.

So here he is, bringing his work to lunch. Just so happened to check his journal while he's at it and saw something about rainbows. ]

They seem like normal refractions of light to me. Is there some sort of magic to them?

[songbird_slayer]

[Blink. Headtilt. You're about ten yalms away, Luca.]

Oh yes. There's a little secret about the ones that form here. Got a few minutes after you've finished your lunch?

[allegedprisoner]

Perhaps I could.

[ ... Wait. Uh. Luca looks up from his food and work. ] Huh? How on earth did she...?

[ Goes back to writing. ] How did you know I was eating?

[songbird_slayer]

You either have a very flattering impersonator or I have a straight line of sight to where you're sitting in my bistro. Boo!

[Have a little fingerwiggle should he look up again.]

[allegedprisoner]

[ !!!

He looks up and sees the owner is sure in the store. And he sure knows her. ]

Oh! [ He frantically gathers all his notes, stuffing them all between the pages of his journal before slamming it shut. ] Forgive me, ma'am, I didn't realize we were in the same building--!!

[ He gets up in a hurry to properly speak to her, forgetting his meal in the rush. ]

[songbird_slayer]

[She jumped with a start and raised a hand as he began to sort through his things.]

Oh- no, no, don't mind me! Please, I'm simply happy you're comfortable enough here to get some work and study done.

It's only funny that I write to someone in earshot, is all. I thought I'd done something and we weren't on speaking terms or something. Or you took a vow of silence.

[allegedprisoner]

[ Luca chuckles a bit nervously. ] No, no, it's not like that at all...

[ Why would he not be on speaking terms with a woman like... What was her name again? Madison?

He may need that journal again, but now isn't the time. Instead he just... Attempts to go back to the original subject. ] Now what's this about rainbows?

[songbird_slayer]

[She nodded and laughed.]

Alright! I was just checking.

As for the rainbows, the ones we've got here seem to be tangible. I thought it odd that I could find an end of the rainbow and actually reach out to touch it. What child hasn't wondered what lies at the end of one of those?