[RP] The Inn of Peace - IoP (Open to all)

[Azana Brown]

"Here? Now?" Sol asked curiously. "It's relatively quiet here at the moment, which is a surprise. Az is out investigating a case, Zulma's about somewhere...if memory serves, I think your new friend there has been planning a party for a local small business."

"Uh-huh!" Max beamed happily, pulling out her phone and bringing up a picture of the flyer. "A big block party for a jeweler who's helped us out a coupla times. She's been stuck out of business for a few months and could probably use the boost to get back to normal business."

"Thank you...!" Kristen smiled, happy that everyone enjoyed them. She cautiously picked one up for herself, taking a bite. It was delicious, yes...but the initial spice was actually too weak, too long-lived, and it didn't have the effect it was supposed to. It had to be a flash of painful heat, too momentary to really cause damage but enough to let you know it was there, and it had to vanish just as quickly...

What did I do wrong...? She wondered mentally, going over the recipe to the best of her memory.

"Don't lose heart," Orrin chuckled lightly, patting her head again. "While they are not what you had intended, some of the best discoveries were considered mistakes in their time."

Tyler remained upstairs, nearly done typing the first section of code. It would take some extra time to compile, at which point it would be a simple waiting game...

or it would, if he couldn't work on the next part independently. He had the technological power, and the partition, to pull it off.  

[Kai Karasurei]

"oh..." Kai said, almost disappointed at hearing that all was well and quiet.
"I'm Kai, by the way. I usually just stop by here when my journeys bring me close, but I figured I would hang around this time." Kai explained by way of introduction. He then directed his next question towards Max.
"So, when is this block party and what exactly does it entail?"  

[Azana Brown]

"I'm still workin' with the cops ta get a permit," Max pouted. "Shutting down a whole street for a day is harder than I thought, but I've got bands, and food vendors signed up, and some street performers...I'm lettin' all the stores on that street set up a sidewalk sale, but I'm mostly focusin' on Victoria's little jewelry shop." He pulled up a picture of the layout on her phone, swiping over to a tentative schedule.

"It's going to be super cool! You should totally show."

"Sorry for the lack of our usual mayhem," Sosol apologized without thinking too much into it. "Maybe our enemies are gearing up for something big, but I'm happy to just serve drinks for a while."  

[Gren_Eckener]

"Not gonna lie, I'm lookin' forward to that party." remarked Remy, peeking at Max's phone. "It's been too long since I did a shindig that I wasn't the focus of; I wanna applaud someone for a change."

Too many art shows could wear even on the most phlegmatic of men.

Undeterred, Fee had after a third roll, pausing only to sniff at Kai. Snorting, he licked his nose and carried on eating. Undead were not tasty.

"Oh, uh, nice to meet you, by the way." grinned Remy, offering a hand.  

[Kai Karasurei]

"Back when I ran with a small league of villains out by the reclamation facility, if we wanted to shut down a street we just used barrier magic and walloped anyone who tried to stop us. Worked pretty well until the boss got possessed and tried to infuse himself with every soul in hell on the 2004 Halloween." Kai said, suddenly going from mysterious walking dead to frail old man stuck in the past.
... But I'm sure your event will go much better than that. If I were you, I'd try talking to the Barton Regulars in your area. If the while animated incident is any indication, they are really good at blocking of streets. They had quite a few roads on lock down at.a moments notice. I've even talked to Leon hitself a few times, though I doubt he remembers me. You could try dropping my name and see if or helps." Kai said. He took the offered hand and gave it a good shake.
"Thank you good sir. I rarely converse where I ea, but I have had to switch up regular patterns of late and decided to try something new."  

[Azana Brown]

"An' I'm glad ya did!" Max beamed, scrolling through her contacts. "I didn't even think to try my Regular contact...and with your name...!" She walked off, beginning to gab with the person on the other end.

Kristen plucked a Spicy Strawberry Roll off the baking sheet, taking it back with her to the kitchen to try and figure out what went wrong. "Hm...did I mix it wrong? Is he holding out a step on me...?"

Sosol grew curious about his wife's progress on the case and sent her a text while the others chatted. This quiet had lasted quite a while...nothing since John Doe. It was welcome, but also carried vague foreboding. Those who wish us ill are not the sort to give up...no matter how much I would hope for that day.

A girl cautiously scoped out the bottom area, noting only one unfamiliar face. She wore a tank top and shorts, the summer heat finally forcing her to do so, and she was understandably self-conscious. She had scars over her arms and legs, some more prominent than others. Today, however, that was not the only source of her anxiety. Summer was here, and the solstice quickly approaching. She always knew it was coming...hopefully Jeff wouldn't ask her out or anything. She needed to stay here, lock herself in.  

[Gren_Eckener]

Remy chuckled, watching Max go off before returning his attention to the newcomer. "So, have you been rambling around these parts for a while?"

Fee, licking his chops, sat up on the tray with a tiny burp, then hopped onto Kristen's shoulder to lightly rub her cheek in thanks. "Yami."

Gren smiled to Violet with a light wave. "Good morning."  

[Azana Brown]

"I'm glad you liked them," Kristen answered him, giving a single-fingered rub while she pored over the recipe. "Where'd I go wrong...? The burn is too slow; it mingles with the sweet, and that added zing just isn't there..."

Violet glanced up to Gren, giving a nervous, twitchy smile she hadn't shown in months. "H-hi," she answered, seeming slightly distracted. She momentarily eyed the candies left out, moving toward taking one for herself. Of all the days to be busy...she needed to get back upstairs, before she freaked everyone out.  

[Gren_Eckener]

"Zeeng." he hummed, lashing his tail. "Reiiman?" (Lemon?)

"Ah...spicy strawberry roll?" he offered, nodding to Kristen's tray. She seemed jittery; what was the matter?  

[Azana Brown]

"Lemon...?" Kristen hummed. "It's not in the recipe...but it's worth a try. I think you just want more candy, though." She chuckled, lightly, hunting the ample kitchen for a lemon to add to a small batch.

"Do...do strawberries taste good spicy...?" She asked, picking one up and taking a bite. Her eyes widened momentarily with that rush of heat but calmed down almost as quickly. "Oh...who did these...?" Her eyes flicked over to one side for a moment before dismissing whatever it had been to continue asking Gren. Focus on them...drown it out...it'll pass...  

[Gren_Eckener]

"Ya, kandii, reiman raind sawa an zestii!" he called after her, licking his little claws.

"I think they do." he smiled, setting down the tray. "Kristen made them, trying out one of Howard's old recipes. They're not quite right yet, but I'd say she got a pretty good handle on it." If she was uneasy, the best he could offer, until it came to light, was to be a calm presence.  

[Azana Brown]

Kristen wasn't quite as enthusiastic as her tiny sous chef. She had been following a recipe for the strangest thing she'd ever tasted...and she was about to go experimenting with it. Who knew what it would do if she really botched it? She shuddered, gulping audibly as her mind ran away with horrific mental images of burnt lips, sensory deprivation...

Stop. I'm brave enough to burn, she reminded herself, producing the lemon and a bonus juicer. "Lemon juice may cut through it."

"They're tasty," she nodded, a little calmer but still carrying a tension that she dared not name. She took another one with less hesitation, almost wanting to ask but not really comfortable doing so. He had done so much to help her out...but at the same time...this wasn't the same. Was it?

That torment was crazy enough...but this...?  

[Gren_Eckener]

"Meik remaneid." he yawned.

Gren felt a mite conflicted, honestly. She was a shy one, didn't like to make trouble...it wasn't an imposition, was it, to leave his door open a crack?

"You all right?"