[Video — Both Accidental and Not]

[heritrix]

[Backdated to March 2, early afternoon.]

—n't be right. [A mumbled voice, scarcely heard. A flash of... Something red, it's hard to tell.] Wasn't it thi—?

[The video blinks out as soon as it started, nothing but a static feed. It stays like that, too, for a good 12 minutes: a video entry to the network of absolutely no substance.]

---

[—until unexpectedly it turns on again! Rin's face is visible in the frame this time, too close and blurry. Her head bobs away slowly, seemingly looking at something on her phone but not directly into the camera.]

Steady. Steadyyyy... Just like that— [The angle slides and loses her, topples towards a stone surface.] Ah!

[Thunk, crack! The feed cuts again, whoops.]

---

Hi, hi. Rin Tohsaka here.

[Third time's the charm? Framed perfectly in the shot and wearing a yellow apron, Rin stands behind a countertop in the kitchen. Hands on her hips, she beams at the camera.]

It's been a boring, uneventful couple of days, hasn't it? Normally, this time of month we'd be welcoming a fresh batch of soldiers into our ranks, but as of today, no new faces have shown up yet. It's strange for sure.

[But not too strange. New arrivals were late by a few days in January, after all, so this isn't the first time the routine has been broken. Head turned and tapping her cheek innocently, Rin considers saying as much, or asking if there have been other weird incidents like that, but...

No, that isn't what she meant to do today. Pressing that finger a little more deeply into her cheek, it creates an artificial dimple when she smiles brightly again.]

Strange, and more importantly than that: dull! Which is why I'll be in the kitchen all day today. [She snaps her fingers, pointing at the camera.] That's where you come in!

I'm challenging myself. Name a food or ingredient, or even several, and I'll try to make something yummy that incorporates all of them. Anything in stock in the kitchen goes!

[With this she grabs her phone, so she can turn it and record all the various different foods and ingredients they have here, both what she's laid out on the counters (eggs, frosting, butter, strawberries, among other things), as well as what's in the fridge and pantries. FEEL FREE TO MAKE UP WHATEVER YOU WANT YOUR CHARACTERS TO SEE HERE.]

Bonus! [She turns the camera back on herself.] Anything I make you can stop by and help yourself to eating, too. Sounds fun, right? So fire away or come visit. You know where to find me.

[A little wave, and video end.]

Comments

[Audio]

[heritrix]

Oh, definitely. I wasn't going to make you drag your butt out of bed and hobble to the infirmary for it.

[Audio]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

[Audio]

[heritrix]

[Whoops, that should have been mess hall, not infirmary.]

Is there anything else you'd like? Book, magazines... Pedicure?

[Audio]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

I've got enough reading material to last me until the end of time.

[He's not joking. But see a few days from now when it isn't enough.]

I... don't really see the point of a pedicure?

[His nails take enough abuse on a regular basis that any effects would be fleeting at best.]

[Audio]

[heritrix]

I was mostly joking. It would be something fun, but I have plenty to do cooking today already. Still, if you change your mind! It's a once-in-a-lifetime offer that definitely won't last.

[Normally she's the one who likes being pampered, not the other way around.]

[Audio]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

There's always my next lifetime, right?

[Audio]

[heritrix]

That's rude.

[Audio]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

It is? Sorry.

[Audio]

[heritrix]

You're injured, so I'll let it slide.

Get some rest. I'll stop by the infirmary once I have the finished dish.

[Audio]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

Thanks.

>>> [Action]

[heritrix]

[And some time later, Rin will make good on that promise and head to the infirmary, It's a slow moving process, as she's balancing both a plate of stratta as well as a jug of lemonade she made to go with it. By the time she thought to text Rob first her hands were full, so Rin decided to forgo that step altogether and just show up, bumping the door open with her hip. Knock knock?]

[Action]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

[Rob looks over at the door when it opens, letting his datascroll fall to his lap. He's reclining on one of the beds with bandages covering large sections of his face, shoulders, upper arms, and chest. A Growlithe and a shiny Squirtle are resting on the floor and an adjacent chair, respectively. Both of them look up as Rin enters.]

Hey. Thanks for coming.

[Action]

[heritrix]

[She would have met the Growlithe before, but to my recollection this would be the first time she's seen the Squirtle. Rin smiles at them both, then winces sympathetically at Rob's appearance as she looks for a table to set things down on. The aroma of the stratta no doubt wafts over as she does so. Besides the savory bacon and sweet scent of plums, there's definitely something cheesy that has been thrown into the mix.]

I knew you were hurt, but didn't realize it was this bad. Should I twist Dr. Crabby's arm to hand-feed you?

[She's mostly joking.]

[Action]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

[He sees that wince and looks at the ceiling. It's further confirmation that he's looking as bad as he thinks he does.

He doesn't realize that any joking is taking place and assumes she's being literal.]

No. He'd probably just dump it on my face and be done with it.

[It's amazing the effect that a physician's bedside manner can have on their patients.

Rob looks back at Rin as he smells the stratta through his unbandaged nostril.]

That smells good.

[Action]

[heritrix]

[That sounds like the doctor needs a different kind of arm twisting altogether, then. The throw-down kind.

After getting everything settled on the table, Rin pours Rob a cup of lemonade first. She doesn't miss a beat countering his glum tone with positivity.]

All the more reason to keep it to ourselves, and not share with him. [Rin sets down Rob's lemonade on the nearest flat surface there is to him, then moves back to dish up a plate of the casserole for him.] Even jerks have stomachs, so his will be growling in no time. When it does, we won't budge an inch; he can just sit in his office and be jealous.

[And let's get started on that, huh? Two dishes in hand along with a pair for forks, one for him and one for herself, Rin comes back over with the stratta. Made from bacon, dried plums, and a generous helping of swiss cheese, the main ingredient looks to be bread. Cut up into cubes, the bread is held together by the melted cheese, the bacon and plums layered in between. It's moist, but not soggy, due to a flavorful egg mixture that was baked into the bread.]

[Action] [This is making me hungry. I want to make this now.]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

[Rob snorts softly in mild amusement at Rin's tone and words.]

Thanks.

[It's visibly painful for him to use the muscles under the bandages covering his shoulders and upper arms to reach out and take a dish from her. The pain doesn't stop him from moving at normal speed. There's no word of complaint from him either, despite the set of his jaw indicating clenched teeth.

He does have to rest his arms before he tries the stratta though. He takes a few deep breaths while he pauses.]

[Action] It's *really* yummy, and pretty easy to make!

[heritrix]

Mmmm. [Cheery, she pulls a chair up to his bed for herself.] Don't mention it.

[Sitting down, Rin eyes his struggles with an air of nonchalance as she cuts up her stratta into smaller pieces. And when Rob pauses to breathe in she makes her move without asking, reaching over with her fork to do the same for his plate.]

[Action]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

[Rob manages to look both embarrassed and grateful. He doesn't like needing this level of care, but Rin just saved him a couple minutes of extra pain. He mutters a "thanks" under his breath and takes a bite.]

This is good.

[Action]

[heritrix]

[She was expecting a flustered reaction like that; that it comes with gratitude saves him from both a round of teasing and scolding.

She wanted to help, not wound his pride. That he can recognize that means his warrior's guilt is still humored by good sense, she can see. Rin sips at her lemonade, smiling over the cup's rim.]

There's plenty more where that came from, if you finish and want seconds.

[Action]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

[Injuries to his pride are minor compared to the injuries that he's already recovering from. He's not feeling much like a warrior right now, but good sense is resuming its rightful place in his thoughts during this downtime.]

My might- [He stops to finish swallowing, then starts over.] I might have to take you up on that.

[He's wasting little time clearing his plate of stratta.]

[Action]

[heritrix]

[AND HERE SHE HASN'T EVEN STARTED HERS. Rin looks awed by his gusto before handing him her paper plate.]

Here, I can get another plate then. [Setting her lemonade aside she gets back up.] Oh, do you let your pokemon have people food? I could make a plate for them too while I'm at it.

[Action]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

[It's definitely a compliment to Rin's cooking skills.]

Thanks.

[Rob takes the plate from her. The Growlithe raises its head to stare at Rin when she makes her offer.]

If they want it, they can have it. Heh. Crichton's gonna be annoyed that she missed out on bacon. She shouldn't have wandered off this time, eh?

[Action]

[heritrix]

[Rin laughs at the Growlithe's barely concealed interest and makes a note that means two plates then. Crichton, though... That name sounds familiar to her. She speaks over her shoulder at Rob as she dishes more stratta up.]

Crichton... Was that the dinosaur, or the turtle? [A glance at the Squirtle, oops.] Ah, the other turtle, I mean.

[Action]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

The dinosaur. You ever read or watch Jurassic Park?

[Action]

[heritrix]

Jurassic... [What is he—] Ah!

[Her eyes light up, and pumps a fist in the air with gusto.]

The Steven Spielberg film, with Samuel L. Jackson and Jeff Goldblum!