6th Mistake; a delicious mistake

[moralperil]

[Mahdi addresses the screen dressed in a red apron with his name embroidered on one side: a perhaps-obviously handmade gift from a friend. The apron and his face and bare arms are smudged with flour and a few streaks of chocolate.]

Um, does anyone want cookies? I made cookies.

[Around this time you may notice that pretty much every inch of the kitchen counter is covered with foil-wrapped paper plates.]

I made a few dozen.

And a pie. Maybe two pies.

Baking is how I vent stress sometimes, I guess, um...

I guarantee these cookies will make everyone feel a bit better! So let me know if you'd like a plate, I can drop it off with you. I'll probably be leaving some at the clinic too.


[OOC: Mahdi's cookies will, miraculously, give one a lingering sense of warmth and affection for a short time, due to his powers of emotional projection.]

Comments

[moralperil]

[Mahdi opens the door, still dressed in his apron. It's been a busy night!]

Hi! Come in for a sec, do you want cocoa or tea?

[eyecaptivating]

[She grins, tugging up the pink hoodie she's wearing until it no longer hides her eyes, and moves to enter.]

Tea, please! [A laugh.] Thank you, I'm so grateful!

Have you had a lot of people over?

[moralperil]

Yeah! I'm glad to unload all this stuff, honestly.

[He gets a disposable cup and sets up a tea bag with hot water.] So thanks for coming by!

[eyecaptivating]

It's still really nice of you to do this though! I'm sure all these cookies really will make everyone feel better.

[She reaches for the cup, grin widening.] So it's a good thing you've got so many.

[moralperil]

[Mahdi grins. He likes this lady! She hardly seems to need the cookies, though of course he's not going to renege the offer.]

Yeah, exactly! Hey, I don't think I caught your name before. I'm Mahdi!

[Offering a handshake here!]

[eyecaptivating]

Mahdi, it's nice to meet you!

[She goes for a bow, but seeing his hand, quickly stops halfway and reaches out to shake it. Whoops, close call there. Don't mess it up, don't mess it up...!]

Ehehe, I'm Momo Kisaragi.

[moralperil]

[Mahdi has a light, warm handshake.]

Momo! That's a seriously cute name! Like a restaurant or a stuffed animal!

[eyecaptivating]

[Momo shakes her head as she lets go of his hand, immediately laughing, a touch awkwardly.]

Ahahaha, really? I don't know... It's just my name!

I don't know about any stuffed animals...

[moralperil]

Well, you're cute too, so it suits, I think!

Have you been here long, Momo?

[eyecaptivating]

[Oh, boy, getting called cute. Act professional, act professional-- No, it's too embarrassing!

She laughs again, waving a hand in front of her.]

Aha... ha... Only for a month! That's all! How about you?

[moralperil]

I've been here since last August, I think. That's like... [Mahdi counts on his fingers.] Nine months already. Yikes.

Are you settling in okay? I hope you didn't go fight, after you just got here...

[eyecaptivating]

That's so much longer than me! You've gotta be used to being here by now.

[She pauses at his question though, fiddling with the hem of her hoodie.] Ah, I'm fine, I'm fine... I did go, but I didn't get hurt!

[moralperil]

...I really can't believe how many kids went out on this mission. It's terrible. You should be in school, not on a battlefield! [Says the very short guy who seriously looks 15 at the most.]

I'm glad you got back okay, then.

[eyecaptivating]

[Wow, why aren't you in school, gosh... she doesn't ask.]

Thanks. I guess I'd rather be in school right now, too! But we'll all be okay. We'll just... [A shake of her head.] We'll be okay!

[moralperil]

If we're here and alive, we're already okay. [Mahdi offers a small smile.]

But I'm serious - kids shouldn't be fighting. We shouldn't be reduced to that.

[eyecaptivating]

[She silently returns the smile, nodding. Yeah. That's a good way to look at it.]

...I don't think I'm going on the next one. You probably shouldn't either!

[moralperil]

I'll go if they need my help. But honestly, considering the kind of warriors they've recruited... someone like me is probably better off just baking pies for the troops, or whatever.

I'm glad you won't be going. There's always plenty to be done at the Hold when there's a mission like that, anyway.

[eyecaptivating]

Helping at the Hold's something we can both do, right?

And pies! That's something I'm sure the real soldiers would love! It could cheer them all uup after the missions. ...Like now!

[moralperil]

Right! If I keep working at it, eventually I'll be able to make things that give them good luck, too.

Just think of it. You're actually part of important research, eating these cookies.

[eyecaptivating]

Good luck... [She brightens, nodding.] You're really gonna do that with just these cookies?!

Haaah, that's really great... If this is research, I'll do everything I can!

[moralperil]

I can probably do it with other foods, but this is the first time I've tried using my abilities to effect anything other than people. I think it'll turn out okay, though! Anyway, everyone seems to like it.

So you'll have to tell me what you think!

[eyecaptivating]

You can count on me! I'll share them with my friends, too, all right? And I'll tell you what they think!

[And a grin!] I bet you'll do great with them.

[moralperil]

Thanks! I'll keep working on honing my skills between missions. I'll send you along more food as I keep experimenting, okay?

[eyecaptivating]

Got it! I'll look forward to it!