Open for Business

[dekillerqueen]

Who: Open to all!
Where: A nice little bakery in the Virgo district.
Summary: There's someone new working at the shopping ward. He looks a little weird, but his sweets seem pretty appetising...
Warnings: None that I can think of, save for Shelly being kind of creepy as usual Probable Dual Destinies spoilers in the thread with Bobby!

Maybe you're a regular at this bakery. Or maybe you've never noticed it before. Either way, there is a new face selling baked goods here! A kind old man with a white streak on his hair is taping a few flyers to the window, announcing some appealing new deals and brand new desserts for sale.

Come a little closer, and you may catch his eye. You may also notice the line of stitches running down his face.

But with a smile like that and delicacies like these, who wouldn't want to come right in and buy something?

Comments

[spiritofjustice]

[Bobby's stopped by that particular bakery a few times before. He doesn't want to honor the cop stereotype of eating donuts every day, but he does treat himself to something sweet every so often. Nothing too big, he has to watch his figure.

The change of ownership is duly noted, but he doesn't think too much of it. A baker is a baker. The line of stitches, however, is not so easily designated as irrelevant. The moment he comes close enough to see them, he just kind of stops to stare. It's rude, sure, but one doesn't encounter something like that every day.]

RAMPANT HEADCANONS DISCUSSED IN PRIVATE GOOOO

[dekillerqueen]

[And the baker catches the detective's eyes.

It must be him. He looks different - older, perhaps, if that's possible, but that sense of aesthetics is unmistakably the same. Shelly wonders if the detective has finally recognised him, too.]

Ah, would you like to come in? We are having a sale today.

[There is no hostility in his voice, though.]

Vroom vroom

[spiritofjustice]

[He's definitely older. Probably a little broader, too. The incident that Shelly's thinking of took place quite a few years before Bobby's point in time. Not that it matters either way. Anything that didn't take place within the past year and wasn't properly recorded in Bobby Fulbright's files is something that he's blissfully unaware of.

He shakes his head when 'John Doe' speaks up, as though he got pulled out of deep thought. Then he grins in an apologetic manner.]

Right! Yes, of course. [He'll just come in then. Nothing weird about a baker with stitches running down his face. Nnnnope.]

mmmaybe I should put a spoiler warning in the OP

[dekillerqueen]

[And John Doe will kindly guide the detective into the shop. Before he starts calling him "detective", though, maybe he should play it safe.]

If I may say so... your voice seems familiar. Could you be one of the young people who greeted me on the network last week or so?

M-maybe

[spiritofjustice]

[He could tell Bobby's voice sounds familiar from those few words he just spoke? That's a little odd in his opinion, though he supposes his voice does have a distinct ring to it.]

Oh, hey, you're that candy salesman?

[phantom_envoy]

"Ohmygosh."

Something large and white drops out of the sky in front of the bakery windows, performing a small twirl as she does so.

"Something smells incredible. I could smell it from like, twenty feet up, even! Are you just putting something out?"

[dekillerqueen]

Well, that certainly just happened. The girl's sudden appearance makes him tense for a moment, but she doesn't appear to be threatening, so he responds in a perfectly pleasant manner.

"Indeed, young miss. Perhaps you would care to take some sweet rolls home?"

[phantom_envoy]

"What are your thoughts on... all of them?"

Phantom Girl smiles in what she hopes is a charming manner.

"Do you do samples? I'd just love to see what all of these things taste like -- they look so good."

[dekillerqueen]

"I am certainly willing to offer samples, but... I wouldn't recommend that you try everything in one day. I can't imagine anyone would be able to stand on their own feet for too long if they did."

He doesn't sound that concerned, though. If anything, his tone is one of puzzlement.

[phantom_envoy]

"Oh, I can float even without using my feet. It's not a big deal."

Phantom Girl will proceed to walk straight through the glass window displaying the goodies and begin to examine them carefully from the inside.

"Right, so... French cream, chocolate hazelnut or French chocolate hazelnut? -- Oh wait."

She bounces over to the door and opens it for Shelly.

"I keep forgetting you guys can't do that."

[tyrantball]

There's a small child that is rather obviously a demon who is staring with wide, delighted eyes at the new bakery.

"Ahahaha, yay! It's about time Desco's city beautification plan produced results!"

[dekillerqueen]

Oh. That... appears to be a demon, indeed. It also appears to be a little girl, however. Small children are not usually too high up on Shelly's list of People To Be Cautious Of, but he can't say he's used to dealing with demons at all, and who's to say how those two categories mesh? Not him, that's for sure.

"Are you saying you are responsible for this bakery in some way?"

Yes, there we go. That seems like a neutral enough question.

[tyrantball]

She crosses her arms over her chest and sticks her nose in the air as she replies.

"Hmhmhmhm! Desco is the Queen of Hinoto-Ri! Her three-part City Beautification plan called for more dessert shops to be built!"

[dekillerqueen]

"Is that so?" His eyebrows rise slightly. He isn't sure if he should believe that - children are prone to grandiose stories of make-believe, but if this is a demon...

"And... What else have you done as Queen of this city?"

[tyrantball]

"Hmhmhmhmhm! Desco has worked hard for the benefit of her frail, mortal subjects by protecting them from unlawfully marauding demons! She has also set into motion plans to subjugate the Netherworld and Celestia to her all-pervasive will!"

She looks extremely proud of herself.

"But right now Desco would like some cake, please! Do you have anything so sinfully decadent dieting women would gain five pounds and faint in despair just looking at it?"

[prettytamer]

Midori absolutely would want to come right in! After all, she's a paying customer, she's got the right.

"He~llo~ Good afternoon!"

[dekillerqueen]

"Good afternoon, young miss." He greets her with a bow. How nice to see someone in such a good mood. "How may I help you?"

[prettytamer]

"I'm looking for something to get my girlfriend for Valentine's Day. Do you have anything special for the holiday?"

Discounts would be great.

[dekillerqueen]

The statement makes him pause for a second. Then he composes himself and begins pondering what people might wish to have on Valentine's Day, in particular. There were some heart-shaped boxes in the storeroom, weren't there? He could use those.

"Ah, I suppose chocolate bonbons would be the traditional thing, no? I can certainly provide those. Unfortunately," and he does sound truly regretful, "I do not have any ready today. My sincerest apologies. If you come back tomorrow, I will gladly let you have the first batch."

Pitifully short-sighted of him, really, but he seldom has to think about this holiday.

[prettytamer]

"Really?" Midori lights up even more. "You would, the very first? I bet there's going to be a big demand for them! I'll definitely be back first thing tomorrow!"

[softreset]

[ homura's glance towards the old man is the first thing she does upon investigating this new storefront. she knows well enough that residents of this town were more often than not strange people with hidden secrets, but the teen doubts anyone would be so stupid as to attacking others in broad daylight. it's not an intelligent tactic.

deciding not to ask about the strange cosmetic choices in this man's hair, homura gives the elder a small curtsy, before her eyes drift over to one of the tarts on the shelves inside the bakery. ]

[dekillerqueen]

[It's probably a good idea not to ask about that, yes. Or even to imply it's a choice.

In any case, he nods in greeting and steps forward.] May I help you?

[softreset]

I'd like to purchase one of your tarts.

[ her glance trails away from the shelf to look at him.

strawberry, she adds in her mind. ]

[dekillerqueen]

[This may be the most quiet of all the clients he has seen so far.

Not that he minds, but it's unexpected.]

Do you have any preference as to which kind?

sorry for the late tag! got distracted by school bleh

[softreset]

[ she pauses for a moment. ]

Strawberry. [ pause. ] Please.

[ she thinks for a moment about how madoka likes sweet things. she'll make a mind to stop by this bakery if madoka ever arrives with kyuubey attached. ]