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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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[Over at De Chima #004, Minato has his homework spread out across the kitchen table and he's emotionlessly plodding through it. He'd finally left Ken-kun's house after a week or so of staying with him, and after the days off he's been taking right and left lately, he has a lot of school work to catch up on.

It's not really difficult for him. The trickiest part is that he keeps trying to do it in English without the translator, since that's good for practice. But it's not like it matters to Minato what his grades end up being, anyway.

He's also the only one home at the moment.]

[You know what would make life a lot easier? Having a car. She's realizing now how much she relied on that thing to get around San Fransokyo now that she has to lug things everywhere on foot. But then again, she wouldn't be able to get the car through the Portal and she'd hate the drive all the way up anyway, so this probably works better. And there's also nothing wrong with exercise.

She got the address from one of the kids. She's been worried about Gogo since she found the girl beat up in Heropa, and she's here today with a canister of soup, some bread she baked just an hour before, and what else she could fit into a lunchbox that she remembers Gogo ordering at the café. It's got to be something, right? She gnaws nervously at her lip as she steps up to the front door of #004, raising her hand to knock.]

[Minato gets up to answer the door when she knocks. Sometime earlier he may or may not have fallen asleep briefly on top of his work; there's a crease in his face where his cheek had rested on the edge of his notebook, and his hair is rumpled.

He's rubbing at one eye as he opens the door, but his hand drops when it's someone he doesn't recognize.

He just blinks.] Hi.

[Oh no, did she wake him up? She blinks too when Minato does, although her face is undeniably more expressive of her surprise than his, and for a moment she's at a bit of a loss for what to say before her thoughts catch up. Oh right. That's right. It's Gogo and Honey, but Wasabi and Fred aren't here and she has strangers for roommates too, so what's she being surprised about?

Right. So it's just like getting any neighbor, any new customer. Anybody. She smiles.] Hi there. [No exclamation points here, but her voice has her usual cheer to it. The poor kid looks like he got woken right of a nap... but is that a paper crease? So maybe not a real nap on a bed then. Is that better???] I'm sorry for the sudden visit -- I was looking for Gogo?

She lives here, but she's not in right now. You can come in, though.

[Minato certainly seems entirely unbothered by the interruption, stepping back to hold the door open for her since she's carrying things. He tilts his head, watching her curiously. He can't help being habitually nosy; not to mention, his visitor already seems like a nice person and Minato is automatically falling into his get-to-know-them routine.]

Can I ask how you know each other?

Oh, I must have missed her. Thank you, dear. I'm Cass.

[She steps in as invited, adjusting the bag on her shoulder and sticking out a hand to offer a shake. There is never a good reason to forgo introductions, especially when someone's kind enough to invite her into their house.]

Gogo's a family friend, and so is Honey. Do you know the boys a few doors down -- Tadashi and Hiro? They're my nephews.

[Dear... Minato's not sure when the last time was he was called dear. Hmm, probably it was Mitsuko-san, but aside from that, it's been a while.

He's gotten used to living in America enough that he shakes her hand easily, a smile abruptly appearing in a flicker at her introduction, before vanishing.] Yes. I'm Minato Arisato; Hiro-kun and Tadashi-san are members of a club I lead.

[Sort of. Tadashi isn't strictly a member and it's not much of a club and SEES truthfully doesn't do all that much as a group these days... Minato still thinks of it as the truth, though.]

You must all be very happy to be here together. [And he looks pleased for them himself.]

[Cass is so used to saying it, she hardly thinks anything of it. The only person who made her really take pause was Armin, but he received that mostly because they were housemates. Now, she has totally forgotten to ask; she calls people by endearments so often, it's hard to remember.]

A club? [Well that's news! She knew Hiro was making friends because the boy said so himself, but she didn't know there was a club. Maybe it's robotics? Or maybe it's something else? She just beams at this friend of theirs, suddenly reaching out with her other hand too and grasping his in an extra enthusiastic shake.]

Well it's great to meet you, Minato! And thank you -- I got here only the other day, so I'll be lying to say it wasn't a relief to run into them. I'm so glad to hear they've got friends living so close by, too.

[It's not really in him to ask someone else to modulate themselves-- he'd gotten along just fine with Bebe, after all-- but as Minato has been getting more genuine in his interactions with others, the whole tenor of his conversations has subtly shifted. He's still not quite sure what to make of it; he's been pretending nothing has changed, mostly.

He's a little surprised at the sudden burst in enthusiasm but accepts it easily.] Everyone I know from home here is friends with them, too, [he tells her.] So please don't be concerned that they've been alone. We've been supporting each other.

Since you're new, if you have any questions or need any help, let me know. It's the least I could do.

[It's probably just as well that she didn't ask what sort of club. Minato has no intention of hiding that from their guardian if he doesn't have to, but it's more appropriate to let Hiro and Tadashi tell her first. It's their decision.]

It's good of you to offer. I think I'm doing pretty well, so far, but I'll keep it in mind.

[The biggest help she's had was the fact that she wasn't left totally alone after arriving here, and that her boys weren't alone here without her, either. She and Minato haven't exchanged anything but pleasantries but she's already so grateful for him, that he's one of the people Hiro called his friend had been so inclusive as to let them in a club. What sort of club is it? As long as it wasn't going to harm them, it didn't matter to her -- and while Hiro and Tadashi could be reckless on their own, they would never do something that'll put the other in danger so she's not that worried.]

It's good that you've had each other to support, so I'm relieved to hear it. Do you have anybody from your world with you too?

[If they ever get in any danger, SEES will certainly defend them as their own, that's for sure. Being any kind of hero is inevitably dangerous, but it's not terrible.

And it doesn't come with the Dark Hour. Being part of SEES in this world is a completely different thing than being part of it at home, and Minato is grateful.]

Yeah, there's a few other people from my club. Hiro-kun and Tadashi-san live with two of them, actually... Akihiko-san and Shinjiro-san. When I met Hiro, Tadashi wasn't here yet, so that's why I asked him to join. I thought... it would be hard to be here by yourself.

[He shrugs.] It turned out not to be necessary, but I won't take it back.

That's so thoughtful of you.

[It's a simple statement born from observation, but the sincerity is there. It is thoughtful of this boy, awfully so. She wouldn't be able to express her gratitude fully if she tried, or her delight, once again, that Hiro has friends.]

Even if Tadashi were here to begin with, I appreciate you taking them in like that. You're all from the same club back home, Minato?

Yes, it's called SEES. You should ask your nephews about it. [So they can decide how much to tell her. It's probably not a necessary move here in this world, but Minato can't help habits. Stepping in on someone else's relationship with their family is unfathomable to him.]

... I'm being rude. Would you like something to drink? Would you like me to take a message for Gogo-san?

[Only Minato can say Gogo-san with utmost seriousness.]

I'll just have to. SEES, huh. [It's been memorized, and she'll definitely ask the boys about it when they get back and they're not fussing over the details of the trip.

And Gogo-san. She can't help but grin at that, eyebrows rising. She's going to end up thinking everything is cute, but it won't be inaccurate, as far as she's concerned.]

I'll leave her a message on her phone, too, but that'll be great. Just let her know she can warm up all of these in the microwave and I can come pick up the tupperware sometime.

It was a bit of a walk though, so if you've got some water...

[Usually Minato just gets called cute by his female classmates... it's a totally different connotation from someone's aunt. He's not the type to get flustered, but a little off balance, that will totally happen.]

Of course. [He walks over to retrieve a glass and get her the water.] You can put them in the fridge if you'd like. I'm sure no one here would mind you making yourself at home.

That'll be nice. They'll be okay until tonight at room temperature, but just in case -- it's been pretty warm around here.

[Cass isn't Japanese at all, herself. But the food she pulls out of the bag she was carrying are Japanese style recipes. The influence that cultural had on her hometown is strong.]

Thank you so much, Minato. I'm lucky you were home! What was I going to do if I came here and found an empty house, huh?

[Minato has been doing pretty good about using English forms of address and other customs, but talking to people with blatantly Japanese names leaves him with little incentive to remember them. Cass's last name is still Hamada, after all...]

You've been busy since arriving here, hm...? If you need to get into the house, or otherwise find someone, please feel free to contact me. Our messaging information is all publicly available.

It's just the way I like it! I'm no good at staying still, so I'm glad I kept finding things to do.

[And busy she is, quickly and busily placing the tupperware in the fridge in neat, strategically placed stacks. She's quiet until they're all put away and she straightens up, closing the refrigerator door.]

That's good to know. If the needed rises up again, I'll keep that in mind. You too, okay? I don't have much in the way of skills that can help with any of those superheroing, but even if it's something like needing someone to cook a meal, I'll be happy to do that.

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