[OPEN!]

[hellpyre]

Who: Rin + open mingling
Open: Open
When: Day 81, late evening after Bon and Rin get back with Tris and Briar
Where: The Bastion, near the Distillery
What: After returning with two new arrivals, Rin decides to break out some food and a table to mingle around so people can get to know each other. Meanwhile she's acting a little... spacier than usual.
Format: action
Warnings: None

[With two more new arrivals to the Bastion, Rin has gone to the trouble of setting up a small table just outside the Distillery kitchen, covered with a cloth and laid out with several different kinds of food.

There's not a lot of variety, since they're still running on finite resources, but there's enough there for everyone to have a good amount of food, especially since their two new survivors are probably hungry.

There's some grilled fish, steamed rice, corn and a few other vegetables and fruits, as well as some various drinks (no Spirits, though) take from the distillery itself.

Hopefully this will prompt a few people to mingle about and get to know their new neighbors.]

Comments

[windgod]

Well...what are friends for if not to discuss silly things between themselves? I've always got an open ear for you.

[He finished washing his hands and walked over the the counter where Rin was, giving her a soft smile. If she didn't want to talk about it, cooking food was just as good]

[hellpyre]

Mn... I already talked to Night a little about it, but I still don't feel any better than I did the other day...

[she let out a sigh, glancing out the open door to the table and the mingling residents. If she was looking for some one in particular, they didn't seem to be there right then, since she turned back and started pulling out a large wooden crate full of potatoes.

It looked like it would be far too heavy for a girl her size to lift, but without even grunting she was able to haul it up and put it on the counter.]

... don't worry 'bout it. I'll either figure it out on my own or I won't.

[windgod]

Well, whatever it is, I'm confident you'll figure it out Rin-sempai. If you need my help at any point, just feel free to ask.

[He has all the faith in the world in you, he's pretty confident you won't need him in the slightest...well, beyond whatever it was you're planning for these potatoes]

[hellpyre]

Yeah... you're right, I probably will figure it out eventually. Anyway, wanna help me get these potatoes peeled?

[clockworknazi]

[ It was about then that Kroenen walked into the kitchen after kicking his boots free of debris against the outside wall. He didn't announce himself in any other way, simply walking in and looming. He'd paced around the building and inspected the table of food with disinterest; the one person he was particularly looking forward to seeing was largely unavailable yet, so the German had set to perimeter watch. The Bastion was proposed as a safe zone, but he trusted no one's opinion but his own in matters of security.

Deciding everything was fit enough for this useless little celebration, the officer went in search of the one responsible for the gathering - none other than the feisty little demon that he'd caught from the snake's maw. And an unfamiliar young man.

Standing in the kitchen doorway, the Nazi looked down on the two, then swiveled his head towards the potatoes. Tilting his head, he gestured vaguely; its was as close to an invitation for him to help as Rin was likely to get. A minor experiment with integration. Besides, he felt suspicious of the newcomer being around the girl.

Protective? Not insofar as feeling any emotional attachment. Kroenen seemed more like a barely tethered guard dog, as like to bite his owner as anyone else. Of course it didn't help that anyone had yet to hear him speak or explain himself beyond Stein.]

[hellpyre]

[Rin heard Kroenen before he entered, actually paying attention to the outside noises now more than she had been earlier in the distracted state. Her head came up to stare at the soldier, mildly curious about what he was up to.

The nod in the direction of the food earned a quirked eyebrow, though.]

Do you wanna help? 'cause I think we got the potatoes covered but there's other stuff to be done...

[windgod]

[Ippo turned in time to see a very oddly dressed man enter the kitchen; and almost immediately he was hit with a feeling like he was being stared down. Whatever was passing for the man's rattling breath made him uneasy as he cast Rin a glance as if to say "A friend of yours?" before turning back and bowing politely to the man.

He might be a bit unsettling...but surely he couldn't be all that bad...right?]

Ah...uh...h-hello sir, its a pleasure to meet you!

[clockworknazi]

[ The Nazi officer nodded to Rin's question, leather uniform creaking softly as he did. When addressed by Ippo, Kroenen's head swiveled deliberately slow. Eventually the body half turned, leaving him at an angle to both Rin and Ippo, attention placed evenly.

If Ippo had even the most basic education, it was easy to see that the man before him - however out of the ordinary his headgear is - is nothing less than a high ranking SS officer of the Nazi regime. The double lightning symbol, the eagle in flight, the cross medallion against his throat. Even the high boots and stylized daggers. Aside from his mask, Kroenen could have stepped out of a museum display.

Nodding slowly at Ippo in reply to the stammered greeting, the German returned the majority of attention to Rin, awaiting a direction in regards to the food or any other necessary task. Otherwise, he could go back to marching around the perimeter and internally scowling at the frivolity. Her choice, really. ]

[hellpyre]

[Rin had to suppress a frustrated sigh at the back of her throat, wishing like hell that Kroenen wasn't so damned intent on being that intimidating, especially to some one who was new.

And given how their garden worked, so long as the Bastion itself was running at full power there was no 'frivolity' to it. Not that he knew that.

But she didn't say anything about that, and motioned to a bin of carrots.]

Can you get those peeled and cut up small?

[windgod]

[Well...this was certainly awkward, he had learned a fair bit about Nazi's in his schooling; but this man, while intimidating, didn't seem to be overly intent on causing him any harm. So he was just going to stay near Rin...and focus on the Potatoes...yes]

So...aha...Rin-sempai...w-what should be do with these potatoes?

[clockworknazi]

[ An imperceptible tilt of his head and Kroenen turned to the carrots. He knew a dismissal when he heard it. At least it was a simple task. Beyond simple, really.

In silence, the German slid one of his daggers from its leather sheath and set it to a carrot, cleaning the dirty skin from the orange root and soon slicing it into thin disks with the precision of a culinary artist. Kroenen knew next to nothing about cooking itself; he rarely ate and while it was the same as basic science, making s stew was hardly like concocting an explosive acid or corrosive adhesive.

Even so, the job was distracting enough to keep him busy, and in return, Rin was soon handed a pile of clean and neatly cut carrots. Of course it eventually left her having to direct the irritating storm cloud again.

At least he isn't threatening anyone? ]

[hellpyre]

[She wasn't trying to be rude about it, but he was an intimidating force and not everyone had the experience of being saved by him to know that he really wasn't something to be feared, at least in the confines of the Bastion.

Rin watched him for a second before finally answering Ippo.]

We need to get them peeled first, so I can cut 'em up.

[Instructions given, she turns to take the carrots with a nod of thanks.]

[windgod]

[Ippo nodded and grabbed a Potato out of the bin before grabbing a knife nearby; though after that he simply stood, trying to figure out how exactly he was supposed to go about this...he'd never seen anyone peel a potato before]

U-um...Rin-sempai? I've...never actually done this before...how do you properly peel a potato?

[clockworknazi]

[ She hadn't said what else to do, so Kroenen simply stood there, inhumanly motionless, and watched Ippo. He would have offered up a flat expression if he'd had the bows, lips and eyelids for it. Could anyone really be that stupid? Surely not, at least, and make it to Ippo's apparent age.

....Unless it was his clumsy attempt at flirting.

Kroenen's sudden tension was palpable and he seemed to loom even more though he didn't move a muscle. Eventually his head snapped in Rin's direction, then Ippo's and back to Rin. Eventually he hissed an irritated sound and forced himself to settle down. What purpose would it serve to get riled up? She could take care of herself, when it came to a mere boy.

Though he was feeling mildly antsy now, without anything to do....maybe he should go tormen--check on someone else. ]

[hellpyre]

[She didn't really blame Ippo for not knowing - he had admitted early on that he wasn't as well versed in the kitchen as she was but wanted to learn.

She shot Kroenen a look, scowling a little. She was going to have to try to have a proper conversation with him later, but for now...]

Right, watch me, okay?

[Here, a demonstration in peeling potatoes with a knife.]

[windgod]

[Doing his very best to keep the tension filling the room as far out of mind as possible, he closely watched Rin as she easily sliced the potato into a circular ribbon in a matter of seconds; much to Ippo's fascination.

Once Rin had finished, Ippo took his knife and placed it against the potato as he attempted to push it along the edge of the potato...which yielded little success as the blade slipped off and nicked his index knuckle.

He hissed in pain, but took to the task again...only to have it end the same way. What was he doing wrong? What...and then it hit him. He thought back to how Rin peeled her potato and focused in on the memory until he found what he was looking for.

That was it, Rin hadn't been pushing the knife at all! In fact, she had simply been turning the potato into the blade itself...much simpler now that he thought of it.

With this new information in mind, he brought his knife back to the potato with gusto and put his new finding to the test. This time, his potato came out just a bit rough around the edges, but otherwise well peeled; much to Ippo's delight as he held it up to show Rin]

Haha, I did it! I'll be decent at this in no time.

[hellpyre]

[Rin practically flailed when he cut in to his fingers, but when he didn't stop, all she could do was watch with a worried frown until he was finished.]

You'll be more decent if you bandage your hands so you don't bleed on the food...

[windgod]

[Ippo looked down at his knuckle where the blade had got him. It wasn't bleeding, it didn't even particularly hurt; but Rin did know best...]

Oh...I'm sorry Rin-sempai, where are the bandages?

[hellpyre]

[Even so, it would have sucked to get acidic juices or spices or anything else in them. Plus it's just more sanitary that way.

Rin ducked down and dug around under the sink, pulling out a small slightly beat up tin first aid kit.]

It's alright, just be careful, okay?

[windgod]

Alright, thanks for thinking about me.

[Ippo opened the tin box and rummaged around the meager contents until he found some bandages; quickly applying one to his knuckle and flexing his hand to make sure it would stay]

I suppose I'm just so used to skinning my knuckles that it doesn't really register anymore...I really should be more careful in the future.

[With so little medical supplies, it was best not to take chances with infections]

[hellpyre]

Well some one should, if you're not gonna look after yourself!

[Really, Rin? You're gonna tsun at him over that when you know good and well that you're just as bad if not worse about the same thing?]

Tch... even if you don't notice it, you gotta worry about bein' sanitary. We got enough problems here without worryin' bout illness, too.

[windgod]

I'm sorry...I'll definitely keep that in mind.

[He really felt bad about that...he hadn't even been thinking about things of that nature...so much for his big victory...]

[hellpyre]

Good.

... but you did good. So keep it up.

[windgod]

Yeah, just...carefully from now on.

[He was still going to feel bad, but the least he could do was get back to peeling potatoes after all the trouble he'd caused]

[hellpyre]

Exactly.

[She's a tough teacher, Ippo, but you'll find her competent in what she does, if nothing else.]