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Post by Zephel on Jun 22, 2011 18:30:10 GMT -5
Zephel knead the dough gently, pushing and pulling his palms against the flour mixture he mixed earlier. The smell of the steam country in the morning is at least slightly fresher than other times, and as Zeph pulled out a rolling pin from the table he's working at, he could finally see the sun rising by the window of the back kitchen of Rio Nunez Cafe.
He's always the first one to arrive, possibly because he's the only few who got the keys to open the entrances. While the shop's still closed, Zeph is usually busy in the kitchen, making fresh bread and simpler pastries. Some customers loves to enjoy a cup of coffee with a healthier and lighter meal in the morning, such as freshly baked bread or buttered croissants.
Zeph is alone in the kitchen, pleasantly content with the silence of the morning and pressed the rolling pin against the dough skillfully. He sprinkled more flour on the dough before rolling the pin again, a slight smile on his face by the calming atmosphere.
Little did he know there's another early riser besides himself.
[Tag Rika]
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Jun 23, 2011 8:15:59 GMT -5
Rika woke up refreshed and overjoyed in her tiny apartment that she managed to get when she arrived and now that she has a new job. She has her first day yesterday and was taught pretty much everything about her job as a waitress and counter server. Rika bound out of her apartment as the sun was slowly rising. She stopped stared at the sunrise for a moment when she was outside with the biggest smile on her face.
"Today is going to be great!" She said excitedly to herself, paying no mind to the possibility of there being anyone else around her. With a hop, Rika took off running down the street, smiling happily as she headed towards the little cafe. She was so excited that when she reached there and tried to stop, she tripped. With a high pitched "KYA" she reached out and grabbed onto the door handle of the store to keep her from face planting to the ground.
She got up and brushed herself off with an embarrassed chuckle then went inside and closed the door gently behind her. She quietly walked in with a mischievous smile on her face and headed to the back where she would have to change. She noticed someone baking and went quietly past him, planning on getting changed properly before greeting her fellow co-worker. She smiled to herself as she got to the back and quickly grabbed her uniform out of her locker and headed into the female change room.
Rika got dressed in her cute, lolita-styled waitress outfit and smiled at herself in the mirror as she put on the bonnet on top. She giggled to herself and twirled around then looked at the mirror and made a pose with one hand on her hip and winked at the mirror. She loved her flouncy little uniform because it was she never got to wear anything like it before.
Rika put all her belongings in the locker and, after taking one more look at her outfit in the mirror with a cheerful smile, she left the change room. She slowly made her way back to the kitchen where she saw the person still baking. She peaked over at the clock. There was still plenty of time before the shop would open and the other workers should be arriving to get ready to open within the next half hour or so.
Rika smiled to herself, thinking that she'll try to get to know this co-worker before the rest come since they have the time anyway. She smiled at him and with a slight hop in her step, walked in front of where he was working. "Good morning!" she chirped cheerfully with one hand behind her back and the other lifted to the level of her head to give a slight wave, a bright smile on her face.
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Post by Zephel on Jun 24, 2011 23:03:29 GMT -5
Zephel's eyes snapped up from the flour for a moment when he heard the kitchen door being opened, just to take a quick glance on who it might be. Noticing an unfamiliar face though, he got back to his dough and continued to knead it silently.
He can hear her footsteps to the back room, and by the time she steps back into the kitchen, Zeph had already finished with the dough earlier and had popped it in an oven. With the oven lid still hanging open, he reached for a thick cloth to pull the other tray from the oven, the one that he had made before sunrise.
Right on cue of when Zeph places the tray on the table, the new girl greeted her. "Morning....Rika," by that name tag she wears, Zeph can tell she's either at the cash register, or a waitress. "You're new, huh?"
Zeph was absent yesterday, for he had to take care of whining for attention, so he missed the info of the new worker. "Quite an early riser, you are.." he commented while wiping his hands with a cloth, then gestured at the freshly baked line of breads on the hot tray he just pulled out, "For that reason, you earn a free breakfast with the senior chef."
Zeph lacked sleep, so he's not in the mood for smiling, though he did nod out of politeness to her. "Do try one," he pointed at one of the breads, "The sugar inside is nice and creamy when its still hot."
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Jul 16, 2011 5:37:36 GMT -5
Rika smiled even brighter as he said good morning back and even said her name. She giggled lightly hearing that when she realized he knew it because of her name tag. Rika took a step back when he asked if she's new and smiled with a wink. "Yep! I started yesterday." She beamed happily. "I love this shoppe. My uniform is the cutest thing I've ever worn!" She said excitedly and did a little spin then blushed when she realized she had just acted a bit too excited in front of this person she just met.
Her eyes widened when she realized she hadn't checked for his name. She caught herself then staring at his chest in search of a name tag when she realized he wasn't in a uniform nor had a name tag on and then looked up at his face. "What is your name?" she asked with an inquisitive and curious look on her face.
Rika smiled, a little proud of herself for being there so early in response to him remarking on her being an early riser. She then froze when he said she could have a free breakfast with him and her eyes opened wide in surprise. As he continued on about the freshly made foods, Rika slowly smiled from a small hint to very wide and excited. "Really?!" She asked excitedly. "I'm really allowed to try one?!"
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Post by Zephel on Jul 22, 2011 19:40:06 GMT -5
Zeph raised a brow slightly at her excitedness, then nodded with a sigh, his weary eyes closed for a moment. "If you have this much energy so early in the morning, then I'm sure you'll be a good waitress." He meant that as a fact, not as a compliment, since most of the staffs at the front can't really keep up with the customers, especially during peak hours.
When he opened back his eyes, Zeph was a tad bit surprised to see Rika staring at him...well, not exactly at him, but at his apron...or the ridiculous pocket right at the chest of the apron. It took her question for the silver-haired to finally realize she's looking for a nametag of some sort.
"Oh. Sorry, I don't usually wear my uniform...with the nametag on...until its working hours.. I'm Zephel, or Zeph is just fine," he noticed that his voice got a little bit raspy in the end, then realized he haven't had his usual morning coffee yet.
Then again, this new girl's mirth and reaction of something so simple as breakfast is at least refreshing to watch. "Yeah, sure, eat anything you like. In the meantime, I'm gonna go brew some coffee over there.." Zeph unconsciously rubbed the nape of his neck as he retreated from his workspace to the table near the wall a few ways away.
Zeph knew for a fact that if he doesn't drink his coffee, then he wouldn't last a day in this place.
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Aug 10, 2011 19:41:51 GMT -5
Rika smiled brightly at his comment, taking it as a compliment and eagerly said "thank you!" Her smile softened to pleasant as he told her his name. "It's very nice to meet you Zephel." She said happily as she smiled at him. In the back of her head, she thought his name sounded familiar however, she didn't really remember why so she put the thought off for a minute.
Rika excitedly bit her lip as he told her she could try anything. She was so excited looking at the sweets in front of her that she didn't know which one to try. After a bit of stalling, biting her lip and staring down at them, Rika finally slowly reached for one and brought it up to her lips. She slowly bit into it, savouring every delicious flavour. "Mmmm so good!" She said happily after she swallowed the first bite.
She looked towards Zephel with a smile as she slowly took her second bite. As the memory came back to her, Rika's eyes widened and she nearly choked on the food in her mouth. She swallowed it then walked quickly over to Zephel and looked up at his face. "You!" She said with a surprised look on her face. "I know you! You're the one who had that injury on his chest!" She slowly smiled again as she continued to stare at him expectantly. "Do you remember me now too? I healed you with my herbal medicine." Rika smiled brightly at Zephel, hoping he would remember her now too.
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Post by Zephel on Aug 12, 2011 0:39:38 GMT -5
Zephel sighed and shook his head as he heard Rika gushing faintly from behind him when enjoying the pastries. He made his way to the corner of the kitchen where they store all the brewing equipment as well as packets of several refreshing drinks.
Since he's so used to making his own cup of coffee, he had a mug of freshly brewed coffee in just a short moment. He walked his way back to where Rika is, pulled out a stool from under the table he's working in and sat there. Zephel then took his time smelling his drink before slowly sipping it and let out a refreshing breath of pleasure.
It definitely startled him when Rika suddenly outburst that she knows him all of a sudden, since Zeph was in such a peaceful trance. He turned to look at the girl, now with his eyebrows creasing, though internally grateful she didn't do that when he was sipping his mug.
He took a more careful look of this young woman, and after a short moment, he asked, "...Are you that same person who was chased by bees into a coffee shop I was in a long time ago?" That memory seems to stand out more than the time that she healed his chest. Being Zephel, he didn't show the slightest ray of happiness on his face when he realized this was the same girl that had cut his chest open to heal him years ago.
"Huh. Rika.. Small world, huh?" Though he did smiled at her, since now his mood is good with a mug of coffee in his hand. "Good to see you again...working in the same place as me, no less. How's life treating you so far?"
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Oct 5, 2011 13:13:15 GMT -5
Rika smiled at him excitedly and expectantly awaiting his reponse. Her eyes widened when he noted the very first time they met and she smiled brightly and eventually laughed at the memory. "Yes!" She cheered happily although she felt a bit sheepish at her unluckiness with the bees at the time.
Rika's smile remained bright and she answered his remark about a small world with a simple "Mm-hmm!" and a nod. "It's good to see you again too!" She exclaimed happily. When he asked how life's been since they're last encounter her smile faltered only slightly. "It's been alright." Her smile lifted again as she continued. "I eventually left to travel more and came across various places and met many new people so that's been fun. A lot of good and awkward things happened due to a slight jinx complex as you obviously remembered from our first meeting." She finished with a sheepish laugh and smiled at him again. "How have you been? Anything exciting or interesting happen lately?" She said as she leaned near him with a happy and expectant look.
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Post by Zephel on Oct 21, 2011 12:34:01 GMT -5
"Well good to know you don't seem to change much. ..The personality, that is.." Her aura, to be more precise. That's a good thing, Rika's aura always feels so refreshing and lively. Zephel would be lying if he admitted that he doesn't enjoy being around her.
"Really, you remind me too much of my brother. Good to know you've been great, though." He nodded at her, pushing himself to show more emotion in such a damp hazy morning. It's so hard for him to even smile in the morning, he hoped Rika didn't misunderstood his lack of emotion.
Lifting up his mug, he inhaled the fresh brew of the coffee first before taking his time to taste the caffeine pleasurably. "Good. I've been good." Zeph answered briefly in between his sips, and after he puts his mug down on the table did he try to put more effort in answering her question.
"Well. I got new pets. I found new siblings. It's all about unexpected surprises, one after another. More towards discovery, actually." He shrugged his shoulders with a glance towards the girl. "So you're still traveling, Rika? How much longer till you have to leave?"
He paused for her answer, but constructing things in his mind as well. He wasn't normally that involved with people, but he's trying to change, he's trying to care more for others, for his siblings' sakes. So might as well try to be nice.
"I got the employee of the month award, and the prize happens to be two tickets to this new amusement park in Gradia." He rubbed his palms together with a long inhale, second guessing himself if he's saying this right. "If you're free, would you like to come? You look like you would enjoy it there."
Zeph actually planned to give her both the tickets, because amusement parks just doesn't fit his image. At all. But then again, he's worried if she doesn't have anyone else to invite-- 'Wait, no. Stop jumping into conclusions, Orphion have warned you not to that, Zephel. Gah..'
After mentally scolding himself, he decided the best way to make sure if she has anyone to give for the other ticket is to just ask bluntly. "Do you have anyone to go with there with, though?"
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Apr 27, 2012 12:29:33 GMT -5
Rika smiled and giggled slightly at his comment of her not changing much, happy to be considered the same in terms of personality so long as her growth is also noticed on part.
Rika's eyes opened a bit wider in her smile. "New siblings? How many do you have?" She asked, a little curious about his other siblings as well but also just glad to know Zephel is doing well.
"I've just been traveling until I found some places that I like to stay in for a while. I'll probably be in this area for a while now. If or when I leave just depends on how things go I suppose." She said with her bright smile still.
Rika's smile started to grow as Zephel said he got the award for employee of the month, very happy for him and her eyes only opened a bit wider in pleasant surprise as he mentioned getting two tickets for the amusement park in his reward. Her face just lit up even more with joy and surprise as he asked her if she wanted to go there and she nearly shrieked in joy but contained it.
"I'd love to go with you! It sounds like so much fun! I'd heard about that park and found a pamphlet about it on the ground the other day and it looks SO cool!!" She said in a really excited voice, her hands up in front of her shoulders in excited fists and containing an energy that looked like she would otherwise she jumping up and down.
"There's this one ride that's supposed to be EXTREMELY high and fast and carries you just outside of the city so you're overlooking Evnae and it's supposed to feel like it's dropping you but then pulls you back up in the park! I'm so excited!" She said with a super happy smile, not even hearing Zephel's last question properly.
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Post by Zephel on May 7, 2012 15:19:17 GMT -5
"Yes, new siblings. I have 5 of them." Zephel responds monotonously. "Two little brothers, three little sisters. Eyami, Petra, Hikaru, Eyuki and Likemuri." He held out his fingers and closed them as he stated the names of each and every one of them. "..Good. I can remember all of their names now." He added quietly to himself with a nod.
It scared Zephel to wonder if that the entity inside him is able to make him forget again, so he tries to at least make it a habit to state out all of his siblings' names. Back into focusing towards Rika, Zeph simply stared at her as she explained of her traveling plans, "Stay in Evnae? But the air quality is terrible here.."
Except inside this cafe. They had to invest a lot of money for purchasing air purifiers to be drilled within the walls here.
On the topic about the amusement park tickets, Zephel could only manage to blink as he witnessed her incredible energy. "Um...actually, I didn't really offered to go with you, I just gave you the tickets--" he stopped speaking when he noticed his low voice completely drowned under her high-pitched excited tone, and goes unheard by even himself.
He sighed as he rests his chin on his palm, his eyes half-lidded as he stared at Rika with no visible outer reactions displayed on his face all the while as Rika spoke of the wonders of the amusement park. Unfortunately, there is nothing amusing inside that park, at least to Zeph.
"Yaay." He tried to keep up with Rika's excited momentum when the girl finally finished speaking about it, with not much effort. He closed his eyes for a while, contemplating in his head if he really wanted to go.
'No. I do not.'
Sighing, he opened back his eyes to meet Rika's bright happy smile, and inwardly cringed. He has no problems defying that smile, and he can easily shatter her excitement, but then again, she did literally saved him before.
'Aah, to hell with it.'
"Fine, let's go to the theme park together," his breath carried his voice as he pulled his arm from propping on the table and looks at Rika properly. "Are you free this weekend?" He asked, not really sure himself if he likes the idea.
'Remember to stock as many energy potions as you possibly can.'
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Jun 11, 2012 3:59:06 GMT -5
Rika's eyes widened as he claimed he has five siblings now. "Wow! That's amazing! I bet they're all nice people too!" She said with a cheerful smile, think that any family of Zephel's is probably a good person as well as him.
Rika's eyes opened a bit wide as he commented on the terrible air in Evnae. Rika giggled slightly. "I have a job here part of the week and a job in Fijion the rest of the week, so I have a small residence in both places." She said with a smile then widened her eyes excitedly again. "Oh yeah! My job in Fijion is I work as a nurse and get to help people who come in needing a remedy. I get to help them with my herbal mixes!" She said excitedly, feeling very proud of herself for being able to have this other job.
Rika's smile brightened even more after her excitement of his offer to take her to the park when he spoke up again about going together and asked her if she would be free this weekend. "Yes!!!" She cheered happily in response with a slight jump. "Well, not quite free yet, but I'll call in and ask for a day off. I'm sure they won't mind! I'm so excited!" She said very happily with a shining smile at Zephel.
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Post by Zephel on Jun 24, 2012 1:27:07 GMT -5
Nodding blankly at Rika's statement of his siblings being nice people, Zephel had to force himself to follow her beat. He has no idea who they are genuinely due to his amnesia, so he doesn't even know if they're even nice people in general.
His eyes widened slightly when Rika told him that she's working in two contries simultaneously and nodded with more acknowledgement in knowing her other job as a nurse. "That's great. You've always wanted to be a herbalist, if I remember it right, so that's actually great news. Congratulations." He commended still with a straight face, but at least his voice shows that he's genuinely proud of what she's becoming.
'Herbalist...that reminds me of something..' His thought echoes and met Rika's eyes once more. "My brother. He... He's doing something with herbs too, I'm not sure if its for the same cause of healing like you do, but he's there...somewhere...in that field.." Zeph had to scratch his forehead to remember where the hell does that boy fit in that area, but he just have a feeling that Hikaru and Rika could get along well by how similar they are. "You should meet up with him some time. Hikaru's a good kid."
Zephel almost slipped from his stool and fell backwards by how extremely sudden and loud Rika is squealing of his offer to the amusement park. His eyes are closed tightly in annoyance until she quietens down and then slowly cracked them open to see her smiling brightly at him. "Great.." He tried to offer a smile back to her but failed miserably at it.
"I'm not sure how you're going to enjoy yourself with me sticking around with you, but thanks for the enthusiasm." He could manage a nod at least, and he did.
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Jul 13, 2012 12:44:08 GMT -5
Rika beamed at Zephel as he congratulated her on getting a job as an herbal nurse. "Thanks! And yep! I've been wanting to help people like this for so long, so it's kind of like my dream's come true." She said with a bright smile at Zephel.
Rika's eyes opened a bit wider again as Zephel mentioned his brother again, assuming it's the one who gave him the wound she healed before. She smiled happily again as he said his brother was good and that she should meet him someday. "I'd like that." She said with a smile.
Still excited about the theme park invite, Rika smiled very brightly at Zephel still. "What are you talking about? Of course it'll be loads of fun hanging out with you!" She said with a bright smile, very happy about meeting Zephel again and having more time to talk to him and hang out with him again. He may not be the most exciteable person like she is, but he's nice regardless and that's enough to make her happy.
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Post by Zephel on Jul 15, 2012 14:08:13 GMT -5
'Where does she get all that energy..?' Zephel is almost, ALMOST jealous at Rika for being so chirpy and happy this early in the morning. It is downright impossible for him to adopt her style that he sort of admired her about this.
"...You have a very strange taste in fun, then." He responded flatly at her comment of having fun at the theme park with him around. He would slap a palm on his face at how absolutely ridiculous she sounded, but decided that would waste his very limited morning energy, so Zeph only sighed.
Still, Rika is such an energetic and refreshing young woman, he just has to admit that she's the complete opposite of him in every aspect possible. "Tell you what," Zeph suddenly leaned in his upper body on the table in between them, "If you succeed in making me laugh this weekend at the theme park..."
He paused for a second, wondering what exactly is Rika interested in to make this bet possible, and then gave up on that since he doesn't particularly know her too well yet. "Well, I'll do whatever you want then."
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