You Wouldn't Pirate a Home-cooked Meal

[20:54:08] <~Aori_Radidjiu> SO
[20:54:22] <~Aori_Radidjiu> herpaderpa.  May 3rd, 7 PM.
[21:02:09] <~Aori_Radidjiu> While the group is still in Ark City, Mako decides to pay a visit to his family before he leaves!  The weather's clear, but a bit humid (to be expected, on the ocean) and the sky's dark, letting the nearly full moon shine on the water below.
[21:04:03] <Mako> Having more or less recovered from the fight with Kalili, Mako smooths out his shirt a bit as he stands outside the house. He opens the door and pokes his head in first. "Hello! I'm home!"
[21:08:14] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Opening the door, you see Maddy reading a book in the living room, Shin watching TV while munching some candy with Haikili, and smell some of Mom's Mapo Tofu in the process of being cooked.  PRETTY NORMAL
[21:08:28] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Shin and Maddy look up and wave
[21:10:23] * Mako closes the door behind him and stands in the living room, beaming. "Don't get up, actual servant-of-a-deity is back."
[21:11:41] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Mom rushes out of the kitchen.  "Oh, you're ba-" there's a clatter of cooking equipment.  "Ah!"  She runs back in.
[21:12:23] * Mako follows her into the kitchen, curious. "Yeah, at least for tonight. What's up?"
[21:16:17] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Cooking!  Your father is in the middle of one of his artistic periods, so you might not want to bother him right away!  Dai is off training out back."  It looks like she was washing dishes and putting them away while the food was cooking, and hadn't QUITE straightened them out before she ran to go see you.  She quickly picks them all up and straightens them up in where they're supposed
[21:16:18] <~Aori_Radidjiu> to go with the SPEED OF A MARTIAL ARTIST
[21:18:09] * Mako sits at the counter and stretches his arms up over his head. "At least I'll get to see him. Didn't think it was right to just blow into the city and leave without stopping in."
[21:20:09] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Mom doublechecks on the food (still not done) before turning back to you.  "I'm glad you came!  How's work?  Find a boyfriend?  Are your coworkers getting better?  See anything cool?"  She leans in a bit more with every question
[21:22:57] * Mako tries to answer each question. "It's pretty good, we just made a big arrest in Zebra. The coworkers are doing okay, I think things will work out. I got to see this weird natural ice cave and a military grade laser, that was cool. And no, I haven't found a boyfriend yet." He scratches his cheek and pinkens a little.
[21:25:16] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Mom nods.  "Well, it's good to hear things are looking up!  I'd have thought of something fancier to cook if I knew you were coming for dinner, but short notice and all!"  Speaking of which, she cheeecks the food.  Still not done.  "Why don't you sit down a little while I'm cooking, eh?"
[21:29:02] * Mako scowls a little. "Alright, I'll go wait on the couch." He heads out to the living room, where he neatly hops over the back of the couch and pushes Haikili over with one hand almost on instinct.
[21:29:54] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Piiii~!"  Haikili squeals, although you're not sure whether in distress or if the mouse actually enjoys it.
[21:31:04] <Mako> "What are you losers up to?"
[21:31:50] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Maddy has a Banette Romance in her hands.  "Reading."
[21:33:31] * Mako crosses his arms and a jolt of electricity dances across them.
[21:34:13] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Shin munches a candy bar.  "Nelly Kater is surfing."  He looks up, into your hands.  "Does that hurt?  Like, would it hurt a bunch if you shocked me?"
[21:35:18] <Mako> "Doesn't hurt me." He reaches over with one hand, grinning, to give Shin a minimum-power shock. "Let's find out."
[21:44:49] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Shin sits perfectly upright, hair standing on end!  "Okay, wow, that's actually kind of cool!"
[21:50:09] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Maddy pretends that nothing's going on, and Haikili watched this whole thing with wide eyes.
[21:50:37] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Haikili touches Shin's back and shocks him, Shin jumping up.  "OW!  Hey, no!”
[21:50:55] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Chuchuchu~"  definitely laughing.
[21:52:39] * Mako grins wider and spreads out his arms, electricity running all over them. "Come on, give your big bro a hug."
[21:53:39] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Ah, no, no!" Shin gets up and starts running!  You gonna' try catching him?
[21:53:50] <Mako> Of course.
[21:54:06] <Mako> 4d6+2 Athletics
[21:54:07] <DiceMaid-9001> Mako, Athletics: 14 [4d6=1,4,4,3]
[21:54:18] * Mako rears up off the sofa and lunges at Shin.
[21:54:58] <~Aori_Radidjiu> 5d6+2 Athletics
[21:54:58] <DiceMaid-9001> Aori_Radidjiu, Athletics: 13 [5d6=2,5,1,2,1]
[21:55:11] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Shin gets a good running start, and then trips.
[21:57:21] * Mako lands on him. "Shin, you're not supposed to run in the house~"
[21:59:13] <Mako> And then gives him a jolt, like a static shock.
[21:59:15] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah."  Maddy stifles a giggle as you capture Shin
[22:01:32] * Mako sits up on the floor, arms around Shin's chest, and holds him there, squeezing him. "You used to be so small and cute, now you're heavy and gangly, I don't know what happened."
[22:02:24] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "I started lifting!"
[22:02:51] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "And exercising heavily!"
[22:03:02] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "I just don't have as much sheer muscle mass as you or Dai."
[22:03:53] * Mako shakes Shin a little. "You can't do that, you're supposed to be the cute little brother. Stop trying to break type!"
[22:05:24] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Shin is shakeshakeshaken.  "B-but I wanna' be an athlete!"
[22:06:22] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "...maybe."
[22:06:32] <Mako> "No, you don't want to be a meathead like Dai." He looks over at Maddy for assistance. "Right? Back me up here."
[22:09:04] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Dai gets by fine, plenty of girls."  She turns a page.  "Besides, Surfing is more about balance and judging what you can and can't do with the waves, more of a mental sport."  Flick.  Maddy's really into speedreading.  "If there's anything he should worry about..." She grins.  "It's being all shriveled and raisin-like from being in the water too much."
[22:09:17] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "You're gonna' be an old man early."
[22:09:44] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Whaaaaaaa?"  Shin's eyes go all deer in the headlights.  "M-maybe I should go in a different industry, hrm..."
[22:10:25] <Mako> "Don't buy into her lies, the sun is way more damaging than the water."
[22:11:52] * Mako keeps one arm looped around Shin's middle to hold him in place and rests the other on his knee. "What else would you like to do?"
[22:12:16] <Mako> "You don't want to become a directionless loser like Maddy or me, do you?"
[22:15:11] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "M-maybe I could get into the porn industry!  I-I'm not particularly gay but I could take it in the butt for ca-" there's suddenly an oppressive aura hanging over the room, as Mom comes in, her eyes burning.  Shin clears his throat before going "J-just kidding!"  and then Mom goes back to the kitchen.  "Maybe I could learn software engineering and become a programmer~!  Dunno' if I'm smart enough, and that'd cost m~o~n~e~y.  totally would be worth it to make a game like Squirtles in Time, though."
[22:16:20] <Mako> "Software engineering?"
[22:16:40] <Mako> He thinks, humming. "I know that bigshot Lecia girl but I think she's more of a hardware than a software person."
[22:21:57] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Lecia?  You mean that Elite 4 girl?"
[22:22:11] * Mako nods. "Yeah. We're kind of employed by the same people now."
[22:24:50] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Huuuuuh.  Maybe I could learn from her~"
[22:25:07] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "I heard she was some supergenius though, so maybe I'm not qualified."
[22:25:39] <Mako> "I don't know. If you want to sell your body though, you could ask Kalili about modeling. Whenever she gets out of jail and isn't crazy."
[22:29:34] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "I could also get into police work, I know a few moves Dai taught me, and I'm sure I could get big in martial arts if I tried...but that's kind of boring.  you're already doing pretty much that!  And Dai's already doing Martial Arts!  In fact, I heard he got offered a contract to teach police officers!"
[22:30:56] <~Aori_Radidjiu> There's a sound of a door opening, and closing.  A few moments later, Dai comes out, it looks like he just took a shower, and if you were listening CLOSELY (probably weren't) earlier, you would've noticed the shower was on.
[22:31:40] <Mako> "What? He heard I got a cool job and couldn't just let me have it?" He sparks again, looking up at Dai as he walks in. Mako squeezes Shin tighter. "Stop stealing my thunder!"
[22:33:54] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Shin's like "eeeeee", and Dai sort of ignores you, sitting at the dining table.  Before you can go PRESS HIM MORE, Mom shouts out a "Dinner's ready~", and Maddy starts going to the table, as well as Dad, after opening a door.  Daaaad looks a little tired, but not weary or anything.  Mostly just how he usually looks after working on ART.
[22:35:16] * Mako releases Shin and gets up to take his usual seat at the table with a huff. After a deep breath, he relaxes and settles into a more usual level of surliness.
[22:36:08] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Shin gets up, dusting himself off, and starts walking for the table, Haikili trailing behind.
[22:41:53] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Dinner is a usual affair.  Mom and Dad mostly talk about their day, Maddy talks about her failure at job searching, Dai muses about how some of his trainees aren't up to snuff, and Shin talks about the best wave he's caught all day.
[22:42:33] <~Aori_Radidjiu> It's pretty normal stuff
[22:42:53] <~Aori_Radidjiu> And of course Haikili steals some food when people aren't looking, although it doesn't seem to quite enjoy the spicy Mapo Tofu
[22:43:11] * Mako seems pretty happy, after a little while. Unusually happy, actually.
[22:43:12] <~Aori_Radidjiu> It seems to favor the plain rice that's served alongside it.
[22:46:40] <~Aori_Radidjiu> It's a pretty normal dinner, all things considered
[22:46:47] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Which is probably just what Mako wanted.
[22:47:53] <Mako> "Too bad Ryan's not here. I was missing the family dinners."
[22:50:44] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Dad speaks up.  "Ryan's still out on his tour of the region, he's sent some lovely pictures our way, I believe you've gotten some of them, yes?"
[22:51:04] <Mako> "A couple, yeah."
[22:53:24] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Mmmm...they're rather nice.  He's got some skill as an artist of views, I'd say."
[22:54:49] <Mako> "it is kind of what he does, I would hope so."
[22:57:50] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Well, not all photographers are artists, after all.  I'm sure that you know that teenage girls who take a bunch of 'selfies'" (he says that word as if it's a foreign one) "aren't really artists, but you could argue that they're photographers."
[22:59:46] <Mako> "Amateur maybe. But he, like, gets paid for what he does. He's always been really good at it."
[23:02:30] <~Aori_Radidjiu> He nods.  "That's right, but then there are model photographers, newspaper photographers, a whole slew of commercial types that could be argued not to be artists."  Oh boy, Dad's getting into one of those 'what is and isn't art' discussions.
[23:04:00] * Mako covers his ears a bit. "Ahhhhh, I don't want a craft versus art lecture! It's dinner time!"
[23:09:43] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Dad siiiighs.  "Fine."  He gets to eating.  Dai and Shin already preemptively covered their ears.  Mom ate up every word.  Maddy was "eh" as usual.
[23:13:50] <Mako> "Oh, I was thinking."
[23:14:26] <Mako> "I've been catching more Pokemon lately, but don't really have the time to devote to training and raising all of them. I, uh, don't really know what to do with the others."
[23:15:26] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Dai doesn't give a shit.  Dad seems mildly interested, but not really.  Maddy is pretending to not give a shit.  Mom's listening, although you don't know if she's ~interested~.  Shin's leaning in a little.  "What kinds of Pokemon?" He asks
[23:20:49] <Mako> "Hmm, well, on the way here, for instance, I caught this Jellicient."
[23:21:15] <Mako> "And once Kaha'i is feeling better, I'd want to release her or find her a good home, too."
[23:24:13] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Jellicent sounds pretty rad."  Shin nods.
[23:24:48] <Mako> "Yeah, hopefully it's settled down. They were totally going crazy!"
[23:27:01] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Really?  Did you have to fight a bunch or something?"
[23:28:53] * Mako nods as he explains between bites. "We were sailing and in the middle of the night all these Frillish and Jellicient just flew up on deck and started going Primeape. Was really weird."
[23:36:12] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Whoaaaa."
[23:36:26] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Mom speaks up now.  "Your job is pretty dangerous, isn't it?"
[23:37:08] * Mako scratches his cheek. "More than I figured, I guess."
[23:39:31] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "You been doing okay?  I know your little ghost friends are probably a big help with that, but I can't help but worry..."
[23:41:49] <Mako> "I'm good! My crew aren't always all on the same page, but we're trying. And I've got Raijin and Fuujin backing me up." A wayward spark goes down his hand.
[23:44:31] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "How did that even happen?"  Mom seems to have gone from concerned to fangirl mode, her eyes widening
[23:45:27] <Mako> "This is going to sound bad, so don't get mad."
[23:45:52] <Mako> "But I had some spirit incense in the back of a hippie store and ended up having like a divine intervention moment."
[23:51:54] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Mom tilts her head.  "Huh."
[23:52:15] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Well, I'd disapprove of using drugs, but that was a one-time thing, right?"
[23:54:06] <Mako> "Yeah."
[23:54:12] <Mako> "I mean, unless I have to talk to them again I guess."
[23:55:10] <~Aori_Radidjiu> She shrugs.  "I'll never disapprove of you trying new things, especially if they work."
[23:55:13] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Dai snorts.
[23:56:08] <Mako> "What?" He looks at Dai.
[23:57:04] <~Aori_Radidjiu> He shrugs.  "Nothing."  Then he resumes eating.
[23:58:32] * Mako scowls. "Don't nothing me!"
[23:59:36] <~Aori_Radidjiu> He briefly looks at you, glaring, then finally decides to speak up.  "Power was handed to you on a silver platter. I hope you make sure not to waste it."  Then he resumes eating.
[23:59:52] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Shin quirks an eyebrow at this
[00:00:09] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Maddy and Dad keep eating silently.
[00:00:41] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Mom pipes up.  "I have nothing but faith that Mako would use anything the gods gave him to its full extent, right?"
[00:01:19] * Mako flares his nostrils and his hair starts to stand up, static running over him. "I almost got killed by a psychotic mermaid, don't act like I got handed anything!"
[00:04:59] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Dai smirks after gulping down some rice.  "It's your duty to do your best, remember that."
[00:05:33] * Mako has to grip the edge of the table for a bit as he tries to breathe.
[00:11:12] <Mako> And then giving up on that, he slides his chair out and stomps off, headed out the front door to fume on the pier.
[00:17:33] <~Aori_Radidjiu> After a while, Mom pops out and walks up to meet you.  "Hey."
[00:19:09] * Mako is coming down from fuming, which is now accompanied by cascades of sparks dancing over the pier, but is still mostly the same old mad-Mako.
[00:19:20] <Mako> He turns to look at her, and then looks down at the planks. "Hi."
[00:20:21] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Don't mind Dai, he's just jealous."
[00:21:52] <Mako> "He's not jealous he's just an asshole."
[00:25:44] <~Aori_Radidjiu> She siiiiighs.  "Dai's worked really hard to get where he is, so seeing you get powers like that just by smoking something kind of upsets him.  He's a jerk, I think so too, but he worked really really hard to be who he is, and I'm pretty sure he feels undermined by what happened with you."
[00:27:18] <Mako> "But he's always been good at what he does. He doesn't know what it's like to not be good at anything."
[00:29:50] * Mako tries quite hard to not sound as upset as he is.
[00:31:05] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "I've tossed him into walls enough to know he hasn't!  He might have talent, but he wasn't like one of those kids on shows or video games who instantly become world-saving heroes with a bit of applied practice."  She takes a deep breath.  "That's not to say I like him the best, though.  His attitude is a bit of an issue..."  She shakes her head.  "I'm pretty proud of you for doing what
[00:31:05] <~Aori_Radidjiu> you do, just so you know.  And I'm sure your father is too, but he probably won't say it unless it's in verse, and like you actually want to hear that."  She smirks.
[00:32:58] * Mako sniffles as the last little jolt dies off. He walks forward to hug her. "I'm sorry I'm such a dumb brat."
[00:34:00] <~Aori_Radidjiu> She hugs back, patting you on the back a few times.  "Naw, Shin's the biggest brat!  Don't worry about yourself, you're great!"
[00:36:28] <Mako> "And I'm sorry I don't have a boyfriend, they keep getting arrested."
[00:37:46] <~Aori_Radidjiu> She grins.  "Not a problem, so long as you're not the one getting arrested."
[00:41:02] <Mako> "Technically I have some pardons in case that happens."
[00:41:40] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Well, don't kill anyone in cold blood, I guess!"
[00:41:57] <~Aori_Radidjiu> Momshurg
[00:42:59] <Mako> "I-I don't want to kill anyone!"
[00:43:24] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Good!  I'd be worried otherwise, y'know?"
[00:45:29] * Mako lets go of her. "I'd be worried too! I don't wanna go crazy like Kalili."
[00:49:41] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "I really wonder what her deal is.  She seems pretty decent normally, but then she went crazy like that!"
[00:51:19] <Mako> "She said something about the Sea God. I think he made the Frillish lose it, too, something's up with him."
[00:52:03] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Huh.  It's weird to see the Gods doing things so directly...I always accepted that Gods would usually affect the real world in more subtle ways..."
[00:52:27] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "But between your gift from Raijin and the deal with the Sea God, you have to wonder if these are desperate times, maybe?"
[00:52:53] <Mako> "Maybe. And Palm said something was messing with weather readings, maybe that's related, too." He scratches his head.
[00:53:01] <Mako> "There's a lot I don't really know about it."
[00:54:25] <~Aori_Radidjiu> She puts a hand to her mouth.  "It's really worrying...but I get the feeling you'll be okay regardless.  After all.."  she lowers it, grinning.  "You have Raijin's blessing, right?"
[00:56:06] <Mako> "And a pretty okay crew and the backing of the Wakino government and lots of other things."
[00:57:57] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Exactly!"
[00:58:03] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "I'd say you have the odds in your favor!"
[00:59:26] <Mako> "I hope so. I've got a lot on my plate right now."
[00:59:43] <Mako> "I haven't even started trying to figure out what happened to Fuujin..."
[01:05:00] <Mako> "But!" he clasps his hands together. "I will."
[01:05:29] <~Aori_Radidjiu> She nods.  "I'm sure you will.  It's your calling in life, and I'm sure you'll rise up to it."
[01:06:50] <Mako> "N-now you're embarrassing me."
[01:08:05] <~Aori_Radidjiu> She smirks.  "Anyway, I've got dishes to wash, so if you don't mind, I'll be hopping to them~"
[01:09:42] <Mako> "Alright. I should probably get back to the boat. Thanks for dinner."
[01:09:42] <~Aori_Radidjiu> "Any time, hun~"
[01:11:39] <~Aori_Radidjiu> She waves before turning around, wlaking back to the house, and brushes a tear aside, smiling.
[01:12:06] <~Aori_Radidjiu> </session>