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[chalicejoker]

So I can make takoyaki now. I've been trying and failing to do that for years. My takoyaki skills have been a running joke through the family since I was ten. I could just never do it. I'd always screw it up somehow. Until now.

I think I pulsed that back. Somehow. They think I must have just been practicing, but I haven't even tried in a couple of years. Then suddenly today we're talking about street foods, one thing led to another, and I can do it.

Apparently I was a giant bug who liked fighting other monsters and could make a mean takoyaki. This stuff's just getting weird.

[Turning into a horrible giant bug? He's made his peace with that, somewhat. Maybe. At least publicly. Fighting other monsters? Sure, he can roll with it. But making takoyaki has apparently pushed Hajime over some sort of weirdness threshold.]

Comments

[ursoreckless]

Can I get some? I think I can go for something familiar today.

[chalicejoker]

Sure, how many do you want?

[ursoreckless]

I dunno. Just some food that's not Americanized and familiar.

[chalicejoker]

I'll bring some by after I get off, then. You want anything else, or just the takoyaki?

[ursoreckless]

Udon would be nice. Tempura too. That always goes good with sake.

[chalicejoker]

I'll bring some of that by too, then.

[The udon and shrimp tempura is Hajime's personal favorite; there's no way he'd object to that choice.]

[ursoreckless]

Thanks.

[chalicejoker]

Anytime.

[ursoreckless]

The door will be open.

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[youngestone]

sounds like a regular pulse for me. archery skills, swordfighting skills, jewelry making skills, and I recently got fiddle playing skills from pulses.

what's takoyaki?

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[chalicejoker]

I kind of got archery earlier, only it's a little difficult to say how much, because I remember some crazy magic bow that I don't have yet. Better to get a skill you can actually use than some physical change or another strange memory, I'd say.

They're balls of dough filled with octopus, pretty much.

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[youngestone]

I've gotten at least two of those, possibly all three. hard to tell if you're shrinking when you're already pretty damn short.

that doesn't sound hard to make.

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[chalicejoker]

I guess you could start measuring yourself regularly, but that would suck.

They're not hard now. But the way you cook them, it's in a special pan and you've got to flip them over partway through cooking. I was always really bad at that part. I'd make a mess.

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[youngestone]

ooh they're fried. yeah that could be messy if screwed up. and painful if you got oil everywhere.

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[chalicejoker]

Not deep fried in oil. But the pan you cook them in is filled with a bunch of rounded indentations. You've got to roll them into balls with a pick at just the right moment.

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[youngestone]

...yeah okay that sounds a lot more complicated. and kind of fun, not gonna lie

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[chalicejoker]

I wouldn't have said it was fun before, but it's a little different when you can actually do it right for a change.

[darkhourdear]

What's takoyaki?

[chalicejoker]

It's octopus balls. I'll have to make some for you.

[darkhourdear]

Octopus balls? Do they look like octopuses?

[chalicejoker]

No, it's like a ball of dough with a piece of octopus inside.

[darkhourdear]

Oh. Is it good?

[chalicejoker]

I've always liked them, but it's something I've grown up with.

[darkhourdear]

Well if you like them then they're probably good! [this is how logic works right.]

[chalicejoker]

I'd hope so.

[Hey, he'll roll with kid logic.]

[darkhourdear]

When we hang out again we should have some!

[chalicejoker]

If your parents will let you come over, I could show you how to make some here. I've got the supplies already, and I'd just have to pick up some fresh octopus.

[darkhourdear]

I can ask! I hope they'll let me.

[chalicejoker]

And if not, I'm sure we'll think of something else.

[kyoumibukai]

Sweet! I wanna come by for some of yours, now.

[He grins.]

I'm excited.

[chalicejoker]

You should be; they turned out pretty good. It's like I'm using a new recipe now. We're doing them as more of a specialty item, so it's weekends only at the moment.

[hotshots]

I don't know about you man, but that sounds like one of the most useful pulses I've ever heard of.

I mean. Robots are nice and all, but I'd totally take practical skills sometimes.

[chalicejoker]

I think not needing to sleep much anymore was more useful, but yeah, this is a little bit better than some of my others.

[There's a pause before the next part of the response.]

You got a robot?

[hotshots]

Okay, yeah. THAT one I'd take too. Never enough time in the day, y'know?

Though I guess getting back the ability to shoot the wings off a fly was useful, too.

Either way - yeah. One of the big ol' ones that the FBI has been poking at for the last couple months.

[chalicejoker]

Yeah, it was weird at first, but now it's kind of nice. Even if some days I don't know what to do with myself.

That sounds pretty cool...I'm not that accurate with my attacks, but I'm still accurate enough.

But you got to use it before the FBI came in there and got involved, right?

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[hotshots]

You've got too much time, while I'm getting pulled in about three different directions at once every day and not nearly enough. I'd trade ya.

The bad thing is, I wasn't a bad shot BEFORE the echo. Now it's a little... freaky, to be honest.

Yeah, the Dynames was one of the machines that fought against the giant snake. Not much to use it for NOW, so them looking at it isn't hurting anything, at least.

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[chalicejoker]

No, thanks. Too much time's something I can learn to deal with.

Is it just with guns, or do you have really good aim with everything? Like if you tried darts or something like that?

So if anything else happens, they're going to let you back at it, right?

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[hotshots]

Aiming is aiming, when it comes right down to it. So yeah - I promise never to play you in darts for money, or anything.

But... I'd expect. It's too powerful a weapon to leave sitting out there, but... it's also too powerful a weapon to ignore, y'know?

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[chalicejoker]

Still has to be a cool ability to have. I seem to focus more on hitting hard than on aiming.

Yeah, I know. But there are those of us who can dish out quite a bit of damage on our own, and we're not being bothered. Doesn't seem fair somehow.

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[hotshots]

When it comes down to it, it's just because of the size, I think. Where else are we gonna park those things? They're always there, we can't hide them. There's nothing about them that doesn't just scream "this is a giant walking tank that could blow up half the city if we wanted."

If anything, knowing they're under lock and key - so to speak - might be enough to keep some folks feeling safer. Or at least show to the public at large they're trying to do SOMETHING.

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[chalicejoker]

Good point. I guess they're a logistical nightmare.

And hey, I guess it keeps random jerks from coming along and keying the paint.

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[hotshots]

...I would be so pissed. Can you imagine what a paint job would cost on one of those things?

[ Though he suspects its a little more resistant than that, given the punishment it took against the snakes with hardly a ding. ]

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[chalicejoker]

Oh, man, and I thought getting the paint on my bike touched up was bad enough...