video;

[eatsyourscience]

[Anyone who has been in the diner has probably at least seen, if not spoken to Souji. He's worked there for years, and he does all the cooking. So today, it should be no surprise that that's where he is when he starts up the recording.

He is rather tired, and sounds it when he speaks.]

I'm thinking of closing down the diner. It's just me working here now. I've run it before by myself and I don't really want to do that again.

[He pauses and sighs softly. He feels like he's holding the diner hostage--"Someone come help me out, or the diner gets it."]

I also don't really want to lose it. But without some help, it's not sustainable for me to do it alone.

[Having a part-time job is possibly the most natural thing he could ever have done in Wonderland. But this isn't a part-time job, it's basically become his life. He's tired of that.]

Anyway, if anyone wants to volunteer to help out, that would be great.

[He ends the feed there.]

Comments

[Video]

[kingtrousele]

[He looks on, now a bit more torn about what he should do. He still needs a chef.

And…it sounds like it would be more of a part time thing? It wouldn’t completely change his outlook. He could still step up and lead if he needs to.

Yeah…yeah! This could work!!

With newfound confidence, he puffs out his chest.]

IF YOU NEED ONE MORE CHEF, THEN LOOK NO FURTHER!! FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AM CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST CHEFS IN THE UNDERGROUND!!!

[…according to his brother at least, but THAT’S BESIDE THE POINT.]

[jamminshield]

And so will I! [He puffs his chest out, determined!] I will see you there!

[video]

[uncoils]

I'd say go somewhere nice, but there's not a lot of options around here.

video

[truefriendship]

Well, yes. Not to brag but I am pretty great at multi-tasking.

[Video]

[eatsyourscience]

Really? [Souji smiles.] I'd appreciate your help, then.

[He's known some "chefs" who thought they were great, so he's taking this with a grain of salt. But he likes the enthusiasm and that's almost as important as skill.]

[eatsyourscience]

Definitely. See you.

[video]

[eatsyourscience]

No. But just getting to relax in my own room would be nice sometimes.

[startingpoint]

I understand. I'll come over soon and make you something to try.

[ He leaves it at that for now, and makes his way to the diner about ten minutes later. ]

Is this a good time for a trial run?

[powerofmabel]

Pssh. If you're not supposed to eat it, then why do they make it so sparkly?

[Video]

[kingtrousele]

NYEH HEH!! TRUST ME, YOU WON'T REGRET THIS!! THROUGH MANY HOURS OF PRACTICE AND GUIDANCE, I'M NOW BETTER THAN EVER!! I HAVEN'T EVEN NEEDED TO USE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER ONCE WHILE I'VE BEEN HERE!!! NYEH HEH HEH!!!

[He poses, as if that's a thing he should be proud of.]

[video]

[normandysbest]

[She nods.]

I didn't realize there were so few of you. I guess I imagined it was always more up there. Or well, everyone did.

[But having a job like that alone... well, it must be lonely, stuck in all those memories.]

I don't really know how I would help, if I could. I've already got my hands pretty full with the Guard.

video

[eatsyourscience]

I believe it. Can all unicorns do that kind of thing?

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji's there, leaning against the counter. He straightens up when he sees Kurt.]

It's a great time.

[eatsyourscience]

That's a fair point.

[And really, he shouldn't be trying to be the spokesperson for What Not To Eat. The kid has eaten grass before.]

What other ideas do you have?

[video]

[uncoils]

Then you definitely should, so long as you get enough people. I'm sure we can keep things going without burning the place down while you relax.

[Video]

[eatsyourscience]

I guess that is an accomplishment.

[Not the type Souji wanted to hear from someone he'd just agreed to let cook, though.]

[video]

[eatsyourscience]

It's alright. I've gotten more volunteers than I expected already.

[He really hadn't expected any--but even people he doesn't know are offering, which he appreciates more than he can say.]

[video]

[eatsyourscience]

I'm sure, too. I've gotten more volunteers than I expected. It's pretty nice.

[powerofmabel]

Hang on.

[Mabel vanishes off-screen and returns with a scrapbook. Not The Scrapbook, but a different smaller version.]

Since we're about to get into Halloween, I thought "Boy it would be awesome if we had a traditional Halloween dish like we do all the other holidays," so I came up with... Boom! [She holds up a page depicting a drawing of something that looks like a casserole, but with what appears to be candy over most of it. There is also a recipe card that is... actually well thought out, involving pie crust and frosting and various candies. She's not entirely ridiculous.] The candy casserole.

[eatsyourscience]

[Okay, the candy casserole needs to become a thing. Souji will make it a thing.]

...Let's do it.

[video]

[uncoils]

Glad to hear it. Part of me was worried I'd be the only one offering.

[video]

[eatsyourscience]

A surprising number of people know how to cook. And the rest of what needs to be done is pretty easy.

[255000255000255]

[ Monika blinks for a moment. She's getting a strange feeling of déjà vu. Why does this seem so familiar? Hmm. ]

Well, it passes the time?

[ Then it dawns on her. The pulling away, brushing people off, shutting down...it's exactly what Ryuji's constantly getting on her about. Maybe there was something to it all?

If anything, it's pretty interesting to see when she's not the one doing it, but also mildly frustrating. ]

What if I want to worry about you, though?

[powerofmabel]

We're gonna turn this diner business around, Souji, or my name isn't Mabel.

[eatsyourscience]

[...That's exactly the kind of thing Minato would have said to him.]

....Well, I can't stop you.

[He offers her a small smile. That fact that she is worried at all means something. It's not his happiest smile ever, but it's appreciative.]

Thank you, though.