[F27 - PP] A Return to Ronbaru

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“Mmm…I could go for something unique…something different from the norm. Something without rice, for once.” She glanced about, considering their location it was likely to be something seafood related. A slight wince as she realised how often her diet had contained fish, or related water based meats. She hadn’t truly had much beyond that in quite some time. “Maybe something not from the water, as well…”

Her head turned to a nearby restaurant, one with an outdoor patio that gave a relatively decent view over the coastline. Slipping from the wedge between NIGHT and the railing – much to her ire – she slipped her hand into NIGHT’s own, dragging the girl over to the area and glancing over the menu available outdoors. She was disappointed at first to notice the fish-heavy menu, but eventually came across the alternatives; a collection of what would compare to beef, pork, chicken and game meats.

“Or…did you have somewhere else in mind?” She hesitated as she reached for the door, curious to see if there was somewhere else that NIGHT wanted to attend to. She wasn’t at all familiar with the area herself, and was more than willing to follow the lead of the other – at least for the time being.

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Word Count: 206

 

[NIGHT 0]

night dipped her head to the side at the mention of rice. likewise, the same for whatever wasn't fish-related. that meant sushi from the previous day was...?

she followed when lead, still thinking about their options. looking around the resort would result in a less-than-satisfactory experience for red meats, most likely, so she wondered if it was better for them to backtrack and head to a different floor. they had the time and resources. they could afford themselves to do so.

a hand toggled through the menus, leading to summon a couple of blue crystals. as nari reached out for the handle, night set the crystal to her grasp.

"the twenty-second." the choice had been immediate, despite the woman not being overtly familiar with the floor. at least the atmosphere was decent, and the lifestyle was likely to support such cuisine. "do what you want, remember? i figured we were here to grind, but... given how late it is, we could put it off for another day."

she loosened her hand from nari's, and gave her a small smile holding up the teleport crystal in her hand. a wave, a shatter, and night vanished from the vicinity.

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“The twenty sec…wa-“ NIGHT disappeared as the crystal shattered, thousands of shards on the air drifting, before leaving Nari alone. She glanced at the crystal left in her hand, unsure of what to do with it. She’d carried teleport crystals around for almost as long as she could remember, but she’d never had the experience of actually activating one. And now that it was required, she felt a slight tingle of panic rising. Unsure of any other alternative, she mimicked what she’d seen NIGHT do, gripping the crystal until it shattered and whispering into the air. “Floor twenty two.”

Her eyes had been squeezed shut as the light had surrounded her. Face scrunched, it had taken a few moments – and likely a tap from NIGHT - for Nari to recognise that she had arrived at their destination. Slowly peeling her left eye open, cautiously ensuring she was in a solid place before opening her right.

Spotting NIGHT, the scrunched expression gives way to joy, and Nari found herself hopping on the spot, before leaping against the other, arms thrown wide. “Okay so you mentioned outside dinner? Do they have something other than fish and rice? I've had a lot of fish and rice lately. Like a lot. I need something different. Preferably with a bit of salty mixed in.”
 

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Word Count: 219

 

[NIGHT 0]

seafood hadn't been her diet for a while. granted, because she'd mostly been shopping on the first floor with her housemate, that left some of the best catches untouched on the upper floors. nari must've seen the opposite side of the spectrum in that manner, missing out on the landmarks in between that worked well as a supplement to her diet.

night steadied herself as she caught the woman, hand brushed past her back once she was assured her other was okay. listened enough. "sure, no fish and rice." repeated as though they were playing a game to tally their phrase count. "there's should be one around here. we should take a walk and look around."

so her fingers grabbed nari's, and the two of them started off on their quest. "salty is specific," the player commented, wincing upon review. "why've you been eating so much 'fish and rice' to the point of exhaustion, anyway?" her housemate's cooking, or the deficiency of local diners? a lack of col? it was a question with multiple answers. night just didn't know which to pick to bet on.

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“Well….we don’t get a lot of fish where I’m from. Fresh fish, that is. So…I went a bit crazy on it. But…I think that urge is gone now, at least for the time.” She felt embarrassed saying it aloud. Crazy was definitely an understatement. She had spent the last six months devouring any sort of fish and rice combination she could find, especially once she had broken free of the constraints of the first floor. “Lets just…find something salty. Maybe fries. Oh do they have poutine here???”

Her enthusiasm was bustling again as she began to tug NIGHT forward. She had no idea where to go on this floor, but her energy was pushing her, and she couldn’t resist trying to force their dinner to come sooner.

“What about you, what do you want to eat?” She turned to look at NIGHT, her eyes filled with a glimmer that spoke of trouble. Her smile slowly shifted to a grin, and before she could stop herself the words were out. “Aside, of course, from yours truly.”

She gave a little twirl, as if to accent the joke she had made, her hand raising and forcing NIGHT’s own to lift above her. As the world spun, she closed her eyes, the face of her companion standing against the otherwise darkness.

“Seriously, though. What do you want to eat?”

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Word Count: 226

 

[NIGHT 0]

a huff, and a scowl that mixed with a pout. how the woman was such a physical type with her movements, she didn't know. but night kept herself distracted from the innuendo with her eyes searching the different buildings of coral. there weren't as many as the resort they'd come from, nor was the village as exciting as ronbaru's. on the contrary -- it was only hospitable enough for a handful of buildings. had she retraced her steps towards the other side of town, the player knew she'd be at yuki's doorstep within no time.

(if only the paladin was present, of course.)

"i was considering some lamb." thoughts spoken aloud. night wasn't used to this in the slightest. and at the notice of a building with the familiar restaurant marker upon it, she tugged at nari's hand, directing her towards it. "maybe a hamburg if they have it, though i doubt so." given her other couldn't stomach the idea of rice at the moment, it would've been best to leave that meal choice for another day. "--what about home cooking meals? the steps are easier in aincrad. have you given it a try?"

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Lamb sounded good, but as Nari considered her options, she realised what she truly wanted. Something she hadn’t had in quite some time, but she wasn’t even sure was available here in Aincrad. Her nose scrunched slightly at the commentary of home cooked meals, and she felt the tip of her tongue slide out between her teeth.

“I can cook just fine in the real world, but here…I just don’t have the patience. That’s where Onóra comes in. She loves cooking. It’s her thing, not mine.” A moment of thought, and then she turned what she hoped was puppy eyes towards NIGHT. “Do you cook?”

“More importantly…do you know anywhere around where we can find poutine? I want poutine. Please tell me you know where they have poutine.”  The puppy dog eyes increased as Nari tried to pry on the cuteness, hoping she’d break through to the other girl, unsure if she was over doing it – and not really caring too much, either way. Poutine or not, she was rather enjoying the moment.

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Word Count: 173

 

Edited March 24, 2022 by Nari-Lanreth

[NIGHT 0]

"really? -- even if the steps were simplified?"

night wasn't a cook by trade, but what little experience she did have in the kitchen was enough to get her through her days without having to eat out frequently to deplete her col. not only that -- it tasted better with the effort she thought to have invested. she appeared sheepish at the question posed to her about her experience in that field. "only a little." she had to get better at it, the player resolved.

likewise, the sudden desire for the specific dish took night by surprise. poutine? it sounded like some sort of salad -- or was she mixing that up with the concept of hummus? despite nari's pleas, night could only stare at the menu of the restaurant as they got closer, hoping to find the dish on the menu. "we'll find it, we'll find it," she chanted, if only to appease the other. "--what is it, anyway? ...look, they might have it here."

and the player wished she could've taken her eyes off the list of food to examine the shop. a rustic-styled cabin crafted out of old logs and wood. entirely befitting of coral in theme, and to the woman, it looked traditionally western in her opinion. benches on the porch lined with organic stripped boughs, and potted plants as decor to boot. had night been asked to guess its interior, she might've expected a mounted deer head and bear rugs, amongst other things.

instead, she was glued to the board outside the eatery instead. words written in chalk, barely legible -- and she was hoping to soothe her companion with a close hold, a shoulder rub. at her observation, night finally spotted the listing -- "ah, there!" -- turning to nari, hoping she'd be satisfied by the find.

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“Well, in the real world I would cook by feel. Here it’s so…precise. There’s no originality to it, you just follow the steps and you get what you get.” She remembered her attempt at making steaks, not so long ago. It had gone, well, to the trash. Even Yuki had refused to touch the abomination that had once been a meat, but was now most likely some charred remains of dignity.

She was suspicious when NIGHT found the dish, having to check the menu herself. Her eyes narrowed as she read the board, and although she immediately wanted to voice her distrust, she was also aware of the effort NIGHT had put into finding it. Snuggling in closer for a minute, lips meeting jawline, she whispered into the girl’s ear.

“You spoil me.” Pulling back slightly, she’ll glance at the menu again, her eyes furrowing slightly. “Do they have your lamb…? If not…we can get this to go, and find your desires…I wouldn’t want you to miss out – it’s only fair.”

She must’ve been more tired than she realised, or her mind wasn’t really in it, because most of the letters appeared scrambled, hard to read, as if her sight was somehow letting her down. Or maybe it was the fact that her eyes kept drawing back to NIGHT’s face. She still couldn’t believe she’d been this lucky, that this wasn’t all just some fantasy that she would eventually wake up to, to find herself alone again.

And as the harsh feelings began to rise up within her, she pushed them back down – not willing to give them any root. Even were this a dream, she’d enjoy it so long as it lasted. And should she awaken, she would have the memories from this moment, within her forever.

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Word Count: 298

 

[NIGHT 0]

so the difference between an art and a science -- assuming one didn't see the latter as an art in the first place. and had that switch in perspective been what it took for her to get started on the craft in the first place, night would've found that rationale reasonable. she nodded, thoughtful, before looking over the menu. as hard as she did work to find it, if nari had this much doubt cast over the dish, then perhaps she'd gotten it wrong in the first place.

night only really stopped mulling over it when she felt those lips to her skin once again. almost short-circuited, the decisions in her head abandoned in one fleeting moment. blank, confused, and almost tense, she turned to nari, trying to pick up the pieces of her memory she'd left behind. "... if that's the case, i'd rather not look further." a glance to the menu, before the player decided she was through looking into words. "even if they don't have lamb. i can always get something else." sometimes, the effort expended in trying to get what she wanted outweighed her desire to stay put. this was one case.

taking nari's wrist with a gentle rub between fingers, she escorted the woman inside. "c'mon. if you're not that picky. --besides, maybe you can tell me how you're fawning over this poutine thing."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“I'm not fawning…am I?” Her confidence wavered only slightly as she considered the possibility. “It’s just…really good. And I haven’t had one in a long time and it came to mind…and you’re totally making fun of me right now.”

She was about to stick her tongue out in retaliation, when her eyes caught sight of the interior of the restaurant. Built similar to a cabin style, Nari was enraptured momentarily by the coziness that came with the atmosphere. A fire place – located on each wall – provided warmth to the nearby tables and patrons – the latter of which there were few of.

Following NIGHT as she led her to a table, Nari gave the girl a little shove, pushing her into the elongated booth-like seat, before sliding in beside her and pushing herself close. Letting her head roll onto NIGHT’s shoulder, she gazed up at her companion.

“I have an important question.” She forced her expression to remain serious, her eyes looking up at NIGHT. “Will you share your meal, and your time with me?”

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Word Count: 174

 

[NIGHT 0]

"no," night commented, unaware, as the duo made their way inside. "i'm really not."

as always, the player had managed to select a booth located towards the back. and she hadn't expected to be nudged into her own seat -- as playful as it was -- but squished up against the wall, locked between it and nari, the woman could only wonder how close and clingy her other was going to be.

(stifling. stifling had been the appropriate word to think of, after all.)

in the sincerity of her question, night had been reminded of the kiss they shared on the docks just moments before. and she rolled her head at that duplicity -- how the same thought that got her heart pounding had, in equal measures, forced her to think and consider her other further. to prepare herself for what was to come, for them. the concept of making it work. and, in the same vein, it was that genuine sharpness that the player found herself captivated looking into.

so the question almost fell to the way side, and was only answered after a pause. "if this is your way of asking to eat off my plate," night returned, "i'm glad you asked, and i wouldn't mind sharing." a blink, because she knew the other half of the query was littered with connotations. (stifling.) attempting to help a smile, she added in a lower volume, "and you mean heading back to your place afterwards, i take it?"

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari blinked once. Then twice. Then a large smile. “Actually, I hadn’t. But now that you bring it up…are you coming back tonight?”

Suddenly remembering why they had come to the restaurant in the first place, she pulled up the ordering forms, frantically searching before she found what she was looking for. Swinging the menu over so that NIGHT could view it as well, she’ll glance towards the girl.

“Lamb, right? Does this one sound appealing? It’s the only one I could find that mentioned it…” Her left hand had shifted into her hair, twirling it as she waited for a response, hoping she had managed to find something the girl would enjoy.

“Circling back, I uhm…already told Onóra you may be coming back, so it’s not a big deal if you want to…” Swiping through the ordering menu again, she found her poutine. She was curious how Cardinal would create it, and without thinking muttered, “I hope they use proper cheese…and gravy, oh they better use proper gravy…”

Closing her eyes, she laid her head against NIGHT again, content to remain where she was – if only for the moment. She knew sooner or later she’d have to move, if only to provide more space for the food. But that was a problem for later, and for now she wanted to be selfish.

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Word Count: 223

 

[NIGHT 0]

her demeanor lightened at that smile. a dewdrop of relief. "if i didn't want to, i wouldn't have asked earlier." and her gaze went to the order once the menu was swung it her way.

night's hand was still wrapped around nari's wrist. and she squeezed it, gently, looking over the items. part of her hadn't expected her lamb to be considered into the equation so quickly -- she was still curious at the mention of 'poutine', after all -- and leaned close to her companion in examination. "that works." it wasn't the t-bones she was used to, but it did look delectable.

“Circling back, I uhm…already told Onóra you may be coming back, so it’s not a big deal if you want to…”

"oh, do you tell her all the times you bring someone back for a bit of fun?" not that nari was that type of person, she knew that much. and the player stayed that way, close, watching her partner find her order.

then night realized it was simply fries with cheese and sauce.

what.

it must've been the culture shock. night hadn't managed to say anything at that realization -- rather, her observation was to the way her companion was fussing over the ingredients that the kitchen would be using. so despite its apparent simplicity, it mattered to nari? likewise, the dish seemed vaguely unassuming at first glance, and so...

making space for the cuddle bug, night shifted backwards, comfortable in being pressed into the corner, if only temporarily. and she let her arm wrap around the woman's figure, her hand set to the long locks of her companion. silky soft. her fingers combed at them, the player contemplating in light of the new information. "you know, if you wanted, i could give making that a shot." it seemed... easy enough on the surface. "then you could have it whenever without having to look too hard for it. --not for free, though," she chided with a small grin. "if you're interested, you'll need to source for the ingredients with me. i won't know what proper cheeses fit the meal best without your input."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

She huffed at the commentary, her face shifting to what she hoped looked like she was pouting at the suggestion. She knew that NIGHT had meant it in jest, that it was nothing more than a joke. And yet, a small part of her was upset by the idea. When she spoke, her words came out with a tone that suggested hurt pride, as if she had taken the commentary to heart.

“Considering you’re the first…there really wouldn’t be much to tell. And it’s not like I…do this a lot. Or, well…ever. You are the…well, the first. And…well…I mean it’s not…” Her words fell to silence as she seemed to draw inwards, at the same time sinking closer towards NIGHT. Her brow furrowed, seemingly in thought, as she tried to figure out why the commentary had been so effective against her. Something about the thought of her constantly bringing people home… “You’re the only one…”

She knew, that at this point all she was doing was concrete the hurt – in herself, and likely towards the girl who had made the original commentary. She knew it had been meant as a joke. She’d even made jokes similar to it before. But something about this time had set her off, and she wasn’t entirely sure why. ‘Maybe it’s the thought of what NIGHT thinks? The idea that she’d even consider that a possibility?’

A slight shiver down her spine, and she pulled the arm tighter around herself, taking comfort in the other girl’s presence. She wondered if she shouldn’t be shifting the situation, sitting in NIGHT’s place, comforting her. She was the elder of the two, after all. Yet…she couldn’t bring herself to force the change, regardless of how selfish it may be in the moment.

“Make…you want to try making it?” Her body had twitched as she forced herself to remain still – the urge to sit upright in response to the shock of the words almost overpowering the desire to remain embraced. Instead, she allowed her head to roll, so that she could see NIGHT’s face. “It’s…well, it’s not hard to make…it’s just…it requires very specific ingredients. To be good, that is. Otherwise you just end up with…well, fries and cheese and a brown gravy. It’s hard to describe the difference, but if you don’t use the right things…the cheese doesn’t melt right, or the fries aren’t properly crisped. Or…gods forbid you don’t use a proper gravy, then it’s too watery. Or too thick. Or the flavouring doesn’t match. If it’s too salty, or not salty enough. And you don’t want to…”

She realised she had been talking her companions ears off, as if she were a head chef at a gourmet restaurant. Her cheeks going slightly red, she tried to bring an innocent twinkle to her eye. “The point I’m trying to make is…well, it’s a simple dish if you have everything you need. But if you don’t have the exact perfect ingredients, well…then you’re basically throwing chicken in water with some noodles and calling it chicken soup. If that makes sense…”

It was a horrible analogy, but it was the only thing that came to mind at the moment. She wasn’t sure if any of her explanation would make sense to the girl – she wasn’t sure if she had ever had poutine before, let alone a true Quebecois styled poutine. Biting her lip slightly, she hoped that whatever arrived wasn’t a complete horror, like some of the dishes she’d had outside of her home area.

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Word Count: 586

 

[NIGHT 0]

she thought she would've seen the stumbling over words, a jesting justification. but the more she watched nari try to rationalize her actions, the more night wondered how it was being taken. and she noticed the thought on her face, tensions upon its corners. the player's hand only toyed at the locks even more before shifting it closer to nari's neck, if only to feel the beating of her heart upon her wrist.

“You’re the only one…”

troubling. her other hand was set upon the table's surface, fingers tapping audibly. she hadn't the slightest doubt of nari's position towards herself -- in fact, her own feelings were more shaky than her counterpart's. she leaned in, quiet. "mm. i got that part. you know i'm asking just because you're telling someone else about your activities, right?" and it was one thing for rumors to spread, or theories confirmed, but it was another claim to be specific, especially regarding personal activities.

as though it would placate the woman, night planted a kiss to her forehead. and the question afterwards made their gazes connect once she'd open her own. wondered if she should've taken notes in the explanation afterwards, the more nari went on about the specifics of the dish.

it made sense. even she had her own peculiarities when it came to certain foods, than others. that just meant that to get it right, night would have to spend a lot of time with her companion -- criticisms for her efforts aside, of course. "which is why i'd need your help for it," she added, grinning. "isn't that right?"

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“I…” There was a few seconds where Nari went silent, the feel of the lips still upon her forehead, a warmth that seemed to linger. Almost blissfully, her eyes had closed halfway, a euphoric look upon her face as she seemed to bask in the attention. The sound of clattering dishes pulled her back to reality, making her aware that she hadn’t answered the question – instead sitting and humming like a purring feline. “…guess. Yes. Yes you’d need my help. Definitely.”

A single breath, and then she followed up her concrete answer with the unsure question. “Remind me what I’m helping with again…? I…was distracted. Which is your fault – but don’t you dare think I’m complaining. I’m not. Complaining.”

For the first time since ordering, she wondered where their food was, not willing to take her eyes off the other girl she couldn’t very well look around to find it. A sudden thought popped into her head, however, which forced her away from her blissful paradise.

“Uhm…what are we going to do about everyone else…?” She hadn’t considered it an issue, but she wasn’t so sure NIGHT would carry the same enthusiasm as she did. Something about the girl had always seemed more…reserved, more conservative. Or perhaps just more introverted, preferring to keep away from others and keep ones own personals, well, personal.

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Word Count: 223

 

[NIGHT 0]

a short hum, night satisfied at nari's answer. her eyes narrowed in amusement. it was adorable how nari was quickly tamed in light of affection as such, though the woman was careful to make a note not to abuse it. her response to the kitten was almost honey-laced. "good to hear."

 “Remind me what I’m helping with again…?"

then, she couldn't help from hiding her smirk any further.

"I…was distracted."

"oh, i know."

"Which is your fault – but don’t you dare think I’m complaining. I’m not. Complaining.”

"mhm~"

and the player wondered if nari really did need the refresher, given that their meal might arrive soon. depending on the quality of their dishes, that would've been the refresher enough.

“Uhm…what are we going to do about everyone else…?” 

to that, night found herself dipping her head, confused. what was there to consider, anyway? the player knew she wasn't going to be bothered by rumors, in terms of reputation -- people could talk all they like behind her back. but where nari was concerned -- where was nari concerned? "who do you mean?" she found herself asking aloud first and foremost, before thinking back on the circle of players they both knew. only two names came to mind, and she couldn't be bothered with them at the moment. night asked anyway. "koga? bismuth?"

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

“Well, yeah…Koga. Bismuth. I’m sure there’s some others. The frontliners as well. I don’t care what they think, but well…” She left the question itself unspoken, hoping that her companion would pick up on it. She wasn’t sure if there would be a problem, but it was far better to bring it up before it became one.

She felt herself yawn – realising just how much of the day had already passed. Their food hadn’t arrived yet, but in the embrace, Nari felt like she was ready to fall asleep. That same euphoric feeling still rushing through her, she fought the urge – not yet ready to be done with the day. Besides, there was still the poutine to test, to see if Cardinal was any good at basic meals.

“Oh. Wait. That’s what I’m helping with.” She hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but her tongue had moved faster than her mind, at least in this case. Rolling her head backwards to look up at NIGHT, she smiled. “Your tricks don’t work forever. I’m a master of resistance.” A slight giggle before she rolled her head back into NIGHT’s collar bone, enjoying the moment.

A clatter woke her, and she opened her eyes to find the dishes laid out on the table. Her vision immediately picked up the shape of fries, covered in gravy and…was that a cheddar? She narrowed her eyes as she glanced at the dish, her hopes not quite dwindled yet – but an apprehension on her tongue. Forcing herself to a seated position, she grabbed a fork, before stabbing one of the fries and twisting the utensil, swirling the cheese around the fry.

A quick pop, and she had devoured the piece. She let it sit on her tongue for a moment, before humming slightly. It wasn’t quite home styled, but it wasn’t as horrible as she was expecting it to be, either. “It gets a passing grade, at least.”

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Word Count: 322

 

[NIGHT 0]

to say that night didn't care what others thought of her was incorrect. better that, depending on what they said, she couldn't care any less. so, here...

"i do," the player added, after a short pause. the hand playing with nari's locks went for the woman's fingers instead, night interlocking her own with the other's.

"i want them to talk."

--to know night for who she was, when she was with someone she trusted. to make it into the books as something concrete, beyond 'simply housemates'. if there was any modicum of control over her life, it would be this, without question and doubt. and if there was something firm about the way night looked at nari, she chose to play it off casually, the sworn expression on her face splitting open into a cheeky grin. "and can you fault me for wanting to show you off? after you'd played into it so well."

“Oh. Wait. That’s what I’m helping with.”

and at the chance of topic, night rolled her eyes, lips upturned. "took you long enough." exchanged looks, and the woman felt that giggle, that push into her skin. she played it innocent with a shut of her sights. "i don't know what you're talking about."

that embrace came to an end once their food arrived. night was the first to withdraw -- mostly in part for their position -- and watched as nari tested the... fries. they were definitely fries and cheese and gravy. and the player was still wrestling with the nuance of such a dish, holding onto a fork of her own. at her companion's general approval, night allowed herself the imposition. "may i?"

she copied the connoisseur's movements, pulling a decent amount of gravy and cheese onto her fry before tasting it. and... night wasn't quite sure what to think, but considered the flavours carefully -- separate, she could tell, on the verge of cohesive. her brows furrowed, trying to wrap her head around what an ideal version of the dish would look like.

but there was her meal to tend to, first, and so night readied herself to cut into that lamb shank. the woman hummed before a stealing a glance towards nari. "well? from the master herself; what's to be improved, in your honest opinion?"