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WHO: Aunt Cass and YOU
WHERE: Heropa #16 + around town
WHEN: 6/04, and the following week
WHAT: Cass is going around greeting roommates and neighbors with baked goods and trying to destress by shopping and finding coffee shops
WARNINGS: none for now!

[1; the first day, at a GROCERY STORE]
[She did get told this was a war, so she's not quite sure whether she's surprised by all the tense paranoia and anger she's been dodging all day, but if this is a constant then it's sure going to be stressful living here. She can already feel it building up, but unfortunately the house she was dumped in isn't attached to a café, and if it's not attached to a café she doesn't have immediate access to sweet, savory, soul-healing cupcakes. Nor did she find enough ingredients in the kitchen to make them herself (besides, she didn't want to use ones that didn't belong to her). And while that's horrible, she was at least given enough to hold up until her first paycheck for that cat website.

The first thing she grabbed at the store was one of the reusable shopping bags they were selling on some racks near the entrance. Then the rest is easy. She doesn't need a list to know what she needs to buy, but she only hesitates a little to grab a box of gummy bears along with them. It's not long before her shopping basket is heavy and digging into her arm, and the shopping bags, once they're all packed and she's rung up, aren't any easier on her either. Gosh, maybe she over did the buying?]

Ugh, no, it'll be fine, [she grumbles, then hops a little to hoist the bag onto her shoulder better. Hopefully she didn't smack you with the corner of a milk carton at the bottom when she did.] It's only a short walk!

[Perhaps you care to help?]

[2; soon after, at HEROPA #16 - the kitchen]
[No matter, she gets that stuff home safely and the kitchen is stocked, various things in there labeled 'HOUSEMATES - FEEL FREE TO USE! :)' in neat handwriting if any of them care to look. And Cass is in there, too, if you can spot her behind the counter that is, crouched by the oven door and peeking in to check on the muffins inside. What, didn't you get drawn in here by the smell of them? They're blueberry.

Maybe you speak up, maybe you don't. If you do, she'll look over her shoulder in surprise. Or maybe you don't, and she only notices you when she takes the muffins out of the oven and turns to place them on the counter. Either way, her expression in the same: it brightens, a smile splitting her face as she steps over across the kitchen toward you.]

Hey! [She chirps the greeting, looking nothing short of absolutely delighted to meet you.] I didn't know you were there. Hi, my name is Cass, do you live here too?

[3; also at HEROPA, houses neighboring #16]
[There are more than enough muffins for everyone. Or enough for her neighbors, at least. For anybody living on the anywhere close to #16, they'll be getting a knock on their door. Should they open it, Cass stands there with a basket of muffins in her hands, smiling bright.]

Greetings! Hi, I'm Cass -- I just got moved into number 16. I thought I'd stop by to say hello, would you like some muffins?

[4; likewise, at HEROPA #16; closed to Tadashi and Hiro]
[But at the end of the day, later in the afternoon as it turns into evening, Cass is back at home again. This time she's on the porch, Mochi curled up on her lap as he pets and scratches his head absently. She busied herself and acquainted with some people, and that's fine. Overall, the day was fine. But now that she's out of things to do, the worries are creeping up.

Florida. Of all the places, Florida. There was a comfort in knowing she didn't get thrown out of the country or anything, but at the same time, this America is different from the one she knows. So maybe she's actually been thrown into another dimension. They sure made it sound that way, and if that were the case then it wouldn't really matter if she were in the US or Canada or even Japan. In any case, she was far away from home, and she has no idea what's going on with Hiro. For all she knew, she was alone here, and that's... scary. In ten years, no matter who she lost she was never alone, and she tugs Mochi closer to her as she wishes she bought a pack of cigarettes or something while she was out. But no, she quit that long ago didn't she? She threw them all out and cleaned up the house thoroughly so Hiro and Tadashi could grow up in a clean home. Maybe she should have brought out a muffin to chew on out here.

She sighs, running a hand through her hair. All this thinking and stressing -- she hasn't done it in a long time, and she really, really wishes she could go back to her café. Maybe she should apply for a job at one. That would be a lot more distracting than sitting at a desk looking at cat pictures all day.]

[5; any other day, at a COFFEE SHOP]
[After the adventurous first day, Cass ventures out again, this time just to find a place to relax and get to know what the city is really like. There's no way all that anger can be a status quo, right? She hopes not. Just what could she have been brought into this place for anyway? She's no soldier. She's no fighter, or a researcher, or even a hero like those people that have been showing up on the news lately. But then again, even those heroes...

She shakes her head and smiles at the barista as they call her name and hand her her drink, not forgetting to thank them and making sure she didn't forget to shove some money in the tip jar before turning to find a seat. It's busy in here, so she can't find an empty table, but she does spot a chair right over there... with YOU!

She meanders over, squeezing between chairs full of studying college students and past a pair of old men playing chess. It takes a minute, but she manages to reach the table with the empty-looking chair and she taps on it to try to get the attention of the person already sitting there.] Hi. Would you mind if I sat here? It's full everywhere else.

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[He nods and smiles back, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes if she can see past the mouthful of sharp teeth. It wouldn't hurt to have a little company for a while, to take his mind off of the nightmares.]

It's fine, he doesn't mind visitors. My name is Kang. Well met, Cass.

[She can, just barely, but she doesn't quite notice where that smile doesn't reach. She doesn't think much of that sort of thing.]

Well, thank you Kang. That's very sweet of you -- 'he' as in your roommate?

Yes. Human - like you.

[When she enters, he closes the door behind her and chooses not to comment on being 'sweet'. Another pause, and he gestures towards the kitchen.]

Would you like something to drink?

Oh, sure! [How hospital of him! Sweet, kind, good, whatever -- she certainly means all of them, but she'll eventually adjust to this world full of people who aren't used to hearing it all the time. For now, just have a smile.]

Thank you, Kang. I've got to admit I'm a little thirsty after all this walking.

It is a bit hot outside, even for me.

[He heads to the kitchen and checks to see what's available in the fridge.]

I don't have much at the moment - just water, coffee, and ale.

[No judgment here. He's got an ale himself, half-drunk on the kitchen counter next to a bowl of meat in a spicy reddish-brown mixture.]

Aww, it might be a bit too early in the day for ale for me, but I do love coffee.

[Judge? Never. She's met her roommates and they come from some seriously varied walks of life, and she's not about to ask questions from someone who's literally towering over her.]

[He just shrugs, and starts brewing a pot of coffee for Cass.]

How long has it been since you arrived on this world?

Me? Oh...

[She thinks.]

Six hours, maybe? I think it's been six. I got here this morning...

Only six?

[His wings flare out slightly in surprise. Only six hours and the first thing she does is bake and introduce herself to neighbors.]

Most Imports have other things on their minds when they first arrive.

Oh, believe me. I'm actually pretty scattered right now.

[She's not afraid to admit it, either, waving her hand in a gesture for 'waaah' or whatever frazzled, confused expression she can think of. But her smile's ever-present anyway.]

But I figured, nothing's going to come from sitting at home letting the thoughts pile up. Honestly -- I have kids. That's more life-changing than something like this, as far as I'm concerned.

[He perks up a bit, and smiles.]

There doesn't seem to be many of us that are parents. I can alleviate one fear for you already: when we are here, it's as if time stopped at home. You won't miss any part of their lives.

Oh, yes! One of my next door neighbors told me about that already. Honestly, I'm relieved because I think the stove was still left on before I got here, that would've been a disaster!

[A disaster that would hit home a lot more than she would ever voice out loud, honestly.]

Are there really very few parents here? A lot of the people I've met today have been so young. And alone with mostly friends their age.

The Porter seems to prefer bringing in the younger ones, especially teenagers. I'm not sure if there's a reason for it or not - when it comes to the Porter, information is scarce.

[He frowns. He hates being uninformed on things relevant to his situation.

With the coffee done, he takes a cup out of the cupboard and fills it up for Cass before setting it in front of her.]

How many do you have?

Thank you dear.

[She smiles at him for the coffee first, nodding her head in thanks and taking the cup in her hands.]

I have a couple. They're a few years apart, it's been the three of us for a long time now.

[Thankfully, he's gotten fairly used to terms of endearment since arriving on this world.]

I can't even imagine having only two. My mate and I have nine children.

Nine?! Wow! Gosh, now that's what's hard for me to imagine! [She laughs, though not rudely, covering her mouth with her hand.] There are families that have that many children! Depends on the culture, you know? I have my hands full with the two of them, personally.

We don't have just one at a time like humans tend to. They come in sets.

[He laughs and shakes his head.]

There are other families that have ten or more.

Edited 2015-07-25 03:02 (UTC)

I don't suppose you raise them the way us humans would. You know, how human children have to be nurtured by their parents far longer than any other species... that makes it harder to have that many.

We do have different ways of doing things, yes, but it seems our children are maturing at about the same pace as human children. [A pause.] My oldest just turned fourteen. They are acting exactly like the human teenagers I've met and heard about.

[Kang sighs in exasperation. He'd thought dealing with hatchlings was difficult.]

... Awww. So you and I, we know what each other's dealing with, don't we? What, does he get a little snooty and blow you off if you ask how his day went?

[Hiro and Tadashi do not and never have done that but you know]

Breaking curfew rules and complaining about having to watch their younger siblings, mostly. Brevo and Yana are particularly bad at practicing their magic without supervision; they underestimate how dangerous even the simple spells can be.

[Nothing's caught on fire yet. That he knows about, at least.]

I hope yours haven't given you too much trouble.

Big brother's taken it upon himself to look out for the little one. But they're boys with the same interest -- they get excited about the same things, make stuff together. Once they attached little rockets to our cat's feet and we almost lost the little guy.

[He laughs.]

I don't think it'd be a good idea for our children to meet. I think it'd result in explosions and hospital visits.

Not if we can keep a rein on them.

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