2023-06-24: I'll Make A Maid Out Of You

• Log: 2023-06-24: I'll Make A Maid Out Of You
• Cast: Emilia Eschonbach, Asuka Shikinami Langley, Rin Starking, Teletha Testarossa, Cascade Vermilion, Rikka Takarada, Gridman, Alouette Pommier, Akane Shinjo, Liu Mei Wang, Sousuke Sagara, Marina Ismail
• Where: Yes Milady Maid and Butler Cafe, Jindai Ward, Nouvelle Tokyo
• OOC - IC Date: 24 June 0097
• Summary: A maid cafe training day attracts participants from all across the Earth Sphere- and hijinks naturally ensue. Who will perform the best- and what's the deal with this Maid Cafe GP? Thrill at the competition between handservants! Be slightly embarrassed by the somewhat toothless Yakuza! And wonder at how long this whimsical cover for a smuggling ring can carry on!

---

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

    This was not how Emilia had expected to spend her 17th birthday.

    Certainly, she had expected work! She had warned Milly ahead of time. She'd even expected the work trip, she'd had to get her papers sorted out.

    What she hadn't expected was that she would be running the training session. Solo.

     So it was that she was sitting at the 'front' of Yes Milady's cafe section, dressed in her work outfit, with a whiteboard wheeled in next to her.

    There had been an *array* of maid and butler outfits provided by the cafe, in a range of sizes and styles. Enough for anyone attending to mix and match into an outfit that suits them.

    Now, with everyone attending seated around the tables, Emilia has to speak. In front of people. People she is being paid to speak to.

    She clears her throat, to get the rooms attention. And then clears her throat a second time. "Uh, uhm, r-right. L-let's get st-st-started."

    She stands up, gives a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes, and makes a heart with hands. "G-good afternoon, everyone. I-I'm Mimi, and I'll be your. Um. I-i-i-instructor today." She looks out into the small crowd, and instantly regrets it. Isn't this alot for a cafe this size?

    "Uhm, so, I guess. W-w-we should g-go around the r-r-room and. I-introduce everyone?" There, easy start. An icebreaker. "S-so, w-working at a c-cafe like this, you c-can use your real name, b-but y-you might, uhm, want to use a n-n-nickname with c-customers. I-it can sometimes h-help to choose a c-c-cute or cool name. So, uh, wh-why d-don't we go around the r-r-r-room and um." She can feel the cold sweat on her brow. "G-give your first name or nickname a-a-a-and... why y-you picked the o-outfit you ch-chose!"

    That.... that should be good, right? That should be enough to get things started? She casts her eyes to the backroom, where her boss was talking with the owners, desperately wondering why they sent their number two girl to do this alone. A th-thought suddenly comes to her head. "O-oh, and, um, any early q-q-questions you might have."

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

How did this happen? It's simple. A posting went up at Tokyo-3 Municipal for GUTs.

"It's because maids are a guy's fantasy, Langley!"

"Should have less old fashioned fantasies then. What kind of moron is attracted to the idea of a woman serving them in this day and age!"

"Pretty much every guy! There's not a man alive who doesn't like the thought of a woman making, serving him a meal with loving care!"

"Yeah? Probably only shallow idiots like you."

"Oh? And you think Shinji wouldn-" Suddenly gripping his collar, she pulled him off the ground, staring him in the eyes. "Finish. That. Sentence. I dare you."

Toji took on this angry look in his eyes, which instead transformed into something else. "Bet you couldn't hack it."

"Hack it as WHAT?" As she pulls him closer to her face, and he grins, "As a maid that guys would go gaga for."

-=-=-

And that's how she got here. Her maid outfit a modified French maid outfit with an almost Dirndl construction instead to it while remaining in black and white, because she objects to the idea of being viewed as French. She's also wearing hose, and heels, and a lace mob cap.

Her arms are crossed, and she looks, irritated. She's been glaring at the stammering 'Mimi' the whole time.

And indeed, she's asked to pick a name, or a nickname. And Asuka refuses to be anything but herself, so when her turns comes up, "Asuka. Picked this outfit because I wanted to show where I came from."

Her eyes sweep across the assorted, arms still crossed, "Nobody has a problem with that, right?"

Early questions? Her eyes wander up. Asuka never ever in a million years would ask a relevant question and have anyone assume she's incompetent, but eventually her mind lands upon her true heart's desire-

"When will this be over?"

<Pose Tracker> Rin Starking has posed.

"Ohayoooooo~~!" trills one of the maids.

BOOM: Red hair, which has been done up in two immaculate oxbuns on either side of her head. A maid's headdress is essential and involate, as is the apron, but it is a cheongsam-style dress that is on beneath it, if one in simple black with just a little sheen from the silk.

A pair of gold-rimmed spectacles perch on the slim nose of

"Lapsang is here! I chose it, of course, because my name is Lapsang Souchong, and I think cutting it down to Lapsang is a-do-ra-ble~!" trills RIN MEI STARKING. "I went with this dress because I thought that I could rock it pretty solidly and I have to say that other than needing to let out the top a little, it's a perfect fit!" (It was one of the ones that trended towards Britannian sizes.)

"But my thinking was a lot like Asuka's," continues Rin, "and I have the advantage here that I actually know Chinese, so if someone tries to pop conversation on me, I'm good!" Rin's Chinese is somewhat creaky, but it's definitely going to be better than someone who is trying to channel Lynn Minmay.

"Lapsang" turns her face towards Asuka as her hands fold in her lap as she says cheerfully, "Training never truly ends, because a maid's greatest joy is the reward of service and the feeling of accomplishment!"

Her eyes flatten and half-open as she adds in a lower tone of voice, "So if you can't hack it, now's the time to bail."

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

Events may come and go, but the neverending onslaught of time marches on.

So was the justification set out by Tessa as to why she was here in the first place so soon after yesterday's events, her eyes still mildly tense and wavering even after a (mandated) night of rest. She's still a picture-perfect appearance of someone who can maintain herself, mildly tense thanks to...well, everything. The tension relief of GUTS being, well, GUTS was enough to push the fact of getting themselves from space to land, sending out the proper documentation and reports, and managing to get here well before the alloted hours. When Mithril wants, they move swiftly.

Her own maid dress is the long flowing type, one poofy at the shoulders and leading down to a floor length skirt that only shows pantyhosed legs and formal, no nonsense black shoes. A muted pink apron to adorn her entire front, an additional pastel blue ribbon for the chest, and quite frilly in contrast for the folded up sunglasses clipped around the neckline. And of course, the traditional maid headband!

The sight of Emilia does cause her to stiffen that bit further. Aaaah, hopefully Ranka hasn't said anything strange...But regardless of whether she had to face the music or not, she maintains a cordial smile while her eyes flicked to and fro. Truly, she understands why there's so much maid stuff out there.

...Ahem.

"Yes~! Teletha Mantissa, Teriteri, at your service!" Oh god, she can shine a bright smile when need be. "I thought this should be appropriate enough for the occasion." The Britannian-born mind showed through: There's not much to leer at except for the ankles. How scandalous. "After all, a maid is supposed to work, be cordial, and stay out of mind for the most part."

She doesn't have any questions, but she does cast a curious eye over at the two before her. "If you need an excuse to practice Chinese, I could help a bit." ...The conversation disparity may be more trouble than its worth.

<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.

Cascade knew that her time at Ashford was coming to an end.

Oh, not immediately, but this was her last year. Even if she stayed in the Black Knights, under cover, she would never again be a 'high school student'. And, more than ever, she was interested in what it was like.

Plus, she could use a part time job. Sure, she could get all the money she asked for (within reason) but it wasn't *hers*. They might ask what she wanted it for. And perhaps that too is an 'experience' she would miss out on.

So when she heard about a place that wanted part timers with study friendly shifts... And if there's anything Cascade knows how to do, it's play a role.

Despite that, she isn't really playing a role right now - or she is, but it's her usual Cascade role, the sheltered noble's daughter. It may surprise Emilia to see her there, but here she is!

Cascade has gone typical, more or less, for certain values of typical; it's typical for a *maid cafe*, anyway. Short sleeves, a black skirt with a white apron-like cover, corset-style lacing over her stomach that makes her figure really pop, a red ribbon in a bow over the modestly-cut top. Her hair is loose today, and long, and straight.

"I chose this dress because I believed it was the most... classic? I looked a little online to see what was popular first," Cascade admits. "And, as Lapsang says, it was simple tailoring. I had not considered a name though. 'Cascade' might not be the most appropriate...?"

She looks between Rin and Asuka. Well, they're probably NOT going to kill each other, Cascade thinks. And if they do I can probably break it up.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka... isn't entirely sure how this ended up happening. It's true that she needs to learn how to step out into the world again, but, maid training??

She feels like she's gotten caught up in a whirlwind - but... she can't deny that it's a good opportunity for a lot of things, so now that she's here, she's going to give it her all.

For her part, Rikka has chosen a butler's three-piece suit - black suit jacket with matching pants, with a lighter waistcoat and a crisp white shirt and a powder blue tie. A similarly-blue handkerchief has been tucked neatly into her pocket, and the silver chain of a watch can be seen as well. Her hair is tied up in a ponytail with her signature orange scrunchie, topped with a bird in flight. Just enough color to break up the monochrome - that's good enough for her.

She listens attentively as Mimi explains how this goes. She offers her smile and then considers her own approach - though she's surprised to see Asuka of all people here.

"No problem here. You look good, actually." Rikka replies, offering her a genuine smile. She looks toward Lapsang as she introduces herself, and then Teriteri - and then, it's her turn. Rikka takes a moment to adjust her gloves, then rests a hand over her heart.

"You can call me 'Takarada-san'." She introduces herself. "I chose this outfit because someone said I looked really good with a suit. It's a fond memory, so I wanted to experiment with that."

She says that with zero hesitation, despite - or perhaps because of - said person being likely right here in this very room.

"I chose my accessories specifically to introduce strategic splashes of color into my look." She adds.

As for questions...

"...I guess it might be good to know if there's any particular expectations of us we should keep in mind in advance?" She asks.

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

"We could finally get him into a suit."

"He needs to leave the house anyway."

"Hmm. The girls seem to be interested."

"I--I'm calling the shop."

---

Gridman tugs at his skirts nervously. There's a certain confidence that comes to being dressed this way, but at the same time... Is it really okay? Kaworu's reassurances have gone a long way -- as has his help with Gridman's hair and makeup, both tastefully arranged. A false braid has been clipped to the back of the young Hyper Agent's hair, reaching down to his waist, and two black bows decorate the sides of his head, just above his hair 'spikes'.

Due to the Neon Genesis Junior High Students' machinations, a custom suit has been created for Gridman. A suit jacket covers his torso, slowly transitioning into a wide skirt that reaches to his mid-thighs. Petticoats give the skirt extra bounce, and the whole ensemble is covered with a white apron. Gold embroidery and buttons give it a shimmering aesthetic in the sunlight.

A bow tie, black tights, and kitten-heeled shoes complete the look. Gridman is, secretly, quite pleased with it, but unsure if he can express that.

When Emmy -- or Mimi, really -- appears to give instructions, Gridman listens seriously. Choose a nickname? Oh no. Gridman's mind races, missing the introductions of a few of the other would-be maids.

Rikka speaks up, breaking Gridman from his worries. If she has the courage to be here, then so will he! With a deep breath, he clenches his hands into fists at his side.

"M--my name is... Lattice!" Gridman offers, flushed from the sudden adrenaline of speaking up. "I'm here because... I wanted to be with my friends." A smile to Akane and Rikka. "And I chose this outfit to honor my comrades, and -- because it's fun to get to wear skirts."

Gridman takes a breath. "I'd like to know... What do you like most about being a maid, Mimi? I'm looking forward to working with you all."

With a little bow, the young man goes quiet.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Alouette has been on leave from the Gutsy Global Guard for a some few weeks. But it's not like she quit or anything - or that she isn't getting paid for her time off. So why in the world is she here? The answer is pretty obvious - she's bored.

She wasn't exactly expecting this type of turnout when she signed up... or that there would be this many familiar faces, either. It does make things more entertaining, though.

So after a while in the change room, here is she is, taking the idea of a 'French' maid to its logical conclusion. Her hair is just as it always is, complete with the classic maid headdress, and the outfit itself is pretty heavily customized from the base. There's lots of extra frills below the dress to start, with long puffy sleeves sticking out from the white button-up blouse worn underneath - and a blue pendant worn around the neck with the GGG logo - is bravery marketable now? In Nouvelle Tokyo, likely. Her boots are knee high with just a liiittle thigh peeking out. And finally, the outfit is complete with a massive white ribbon worn around the back.

So she goes to the meet-and-greet with confidence, keeping Sheryl's wonderful influence in mind, and a smile on her face. Their instructor... seems familiar? But she doesn't quite put her finger on it, and she's focused enough on the job anyways. "Mimi, is it? A pleasure to be working with you. Really it's shameful that they're making you handle this all on your own... but I assure you that I'm a quick learner."

So introduce themselves and explain their outfit. Not hard. "I can imagine why one might want to use a pseudonym in this line of work." She starts, but then glances around the room - at Asuka, at Tessa, at Gridman, even some of the girls from prom are here. Oh gosh, and Akane and Rikka too -- those two don't really surprise her though. They're into some stuff. "But I'm not exactly trying to hide myself or anything... so call me Mademoiselle Alouette, please. Or just Alouette."

"As for my outfit... I've always liked going over the top, I guess. I didn't actually style my hair like this just for the job! I wear that all day and everyday. So what's a few extra bells and whistles here and there?"

"So when it comes to this type of work..." she starts, raising a hand for a question. "How choosy do we get to be? I know I'd be pleased to serve girls and particularly pretty guys."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Akane, naturally, got roped into this the same way Rikka did -- which is, of course, a mystery for the ages and one that surely has an explanation that is firmly in the Shenanigans Zone. She's picked out a maid uniform; the top and the skirt are nothing special, but it comes with a high-waist apron with shoulder straps.

Yeah, there's no subtlety here. There is a big window that neatly frames what Akane wants looked at without a hint of subtlety or restraint.

She knows a lot of the attendees; this is the first time she remembers meeting 'Mimi,' actually, but Asuka, 'Lapsang,' and a few others are familiar. This is... a really big room full of people, Akane realizes, and she needs to get her head in the game. This is now firmly performance mode -- and while she finds that draining sometimes... if Rikka's in need of enough distance to be calling herself 'Takarada-san,' Akane needs to be all the higher-energy and more eye-catching.

When 'Takarada-san' mentions that she's chosen this look because someone thought it would look good, she turns a bright shade of pink that would have looked nice in her hair this time last year. "T-takarada-san..." Akane stammers out, covering her face a bit before taking a breath and getting ready to introduce herself.

"Hi! I'm Akane-chan, and I'm looking forward to learning everything I can! It's always been my dream to be a maid!" she enthuses, giving a somewhat exaggerated curtsy. "I already know a lot of the other maids and butlers here today, but I'm really here to give my all for Takarada-san -- and to support --"

Lattice. Oh god. She can't bring herself to say it. She can't. Entry level clunker wordplay is simply too much for her, and she starts giggling uncontrollably -- which probably has several unfortunate knock-on effects in cementing her maid persona.

<Pose Tracker> Liu Mei Wang has posed.

        Why, exactly, would the illustrious Wang Liu Mei, one of the wealthiest scions in all of Da Han Zhong, whose net worth sits comfortably in the billions, who's never set foot in a shared education facility in her entire life - be here?

        ...to prove a point.

        Money can buy a lot of things. It can buy more than you'd expect. But, as is painfully obvious considering the multimedia landscape of the Universal Century, it can't buy you understanding. It can't buy you a genuine experience. In the utmost of ironies, it can't buy you a challenge.

        ...It also can't buy you time. And Liu Mei's 18th birthday is in just two weeks. There is no force in the universe that can change how that exact number - exactly 18 revolutions around the sun - marks a turning point. If she is going to have an experience amongst """peers""" in the context of youthful endeavors, it is quite literally now or never.

        She arrives in a car just fancy enough to be a stylish entrance, but not fancy enough to draw crowds wondering about the sheer exceptionality on display. She does not ask or answer any questions to the crowd around Yes Milady - she simply strolls towards the changing rooms like she owns the place. And she emerges in the ever-evocative combination of maid and qipao - short, sporty, formal yet tight, the 'cute' version of the usual French-maid trope, hairbuns proud and prominent.

        "Right! Whatever the rules are here, lay them on me. It's my first time doing anything like this, and I'm going to be first too." Tousling one of the braids - Liu Mei practically spills with radiant confidence and elegance. "An introduction...Juuuust call me Mei for today. This is all about perspective. This is all about proving a small selection of people wrong. Frankly, this is because one of my maids had the audacity to tease me about all the things I didn't know how to do, and I just don't stand for that. Obviously, I chose this specific outfit because it's familiar, and will definitely stand out as-"

        Liu Mei does not stand out, because 'Lapsang' has chosen a similar attire. On that day, for the pettiest reason in the galaxy, Rin Starking has gotten on Liu Mei's list, and you can guarantee she's searching up Rin's FORTUNATELY FAKE NAME later. In impeccable, fast, very formal Chinese, Liu Mei clears her throat, and stares dead on into Rin's eyes. "It's a good idea to know when one is outmatched, don't you think? There's plenty of alternate outfits back there - you should consider some of them." (even though she is the one who got here second...)

<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.

Namiko Nolastnameprovidednobutlikeliterallyshewasn'tgivenone is not actually present! She came, though? It's weird. Did she get lost in the changing rooms.... it's probably fine....

Anyway instead of that we have this idiot. Sousuke Sagara is here! He is dressed in a Low Butler sort of fashion - no jacket, but a tuxedo shirt and small black bow tie, matched with a black vest, pants, and shoes. Fairly normal silver cuff links. Sousuke Sagara knows his way around top-secret disguise work. He's worn this kind of attire before and knows how to wear it well.

So his actual tension is because Tessa is here immediately after an emotionally harrowing experience and he's worried one or both of them is going to explode.

His turn comes. He straightens, mentally checks himself so he doesn't bark his rank and serial number, and says, "Greetings. For purposes of this operation, you may refer to me as Sousky. It is something old comrades once called me."

These comrades mostly didn't know how to pronounce Japanese. He never quite figured that out.

"The attire," he says, straight-backed and straight-armed like he were on the parade line, "is easy to move in while being highly functional, and appears formal, without being overly restrictive. A friend I trust additionally told me that removing the coat introduces an air of hard work being performed, which creates a sense of 'gap'."

"He did not explain the meaning, but I infer it is desirable."

Kurz Weber will never pay for his crimes.

<Pose Tracker> Marina Ismail has posed.

        At a table juuust further back than the others that she is comfortably out of the foreground focus, a woman sits, hands primly folded before her on her lap, and absorbs the others' introductions. Her features are delicate, her complexion is darker, and her expression is mild, as though she has just enjoyed a mouthful of plain lukewarm rice. It's not so much her appearance that marks her as older than the rest, so much as her quiet bearing of responsibility. It is only when she sees all of the enthusiasm and personality the others infuse that she allows herself a small, eager smile.

        Over her shoulder looms a woman whose face is, in turn, stern and stone behind her glasses. After surveilling the other participants, she lingers, once more, on 'Mimis features, and the corner of her mouth crooks, almost imperceptibly. Finally, she leans over, bending smoothly at the waist over her ward's shoulder; short wavy hair shifts and conceals her lips as she whispers into the seated girl's ear.

        Rising from her seat with nary a lock of her long, straight black hair falling out of place, the dark-skinned woman bows deeply--in the Japanese fashion, as she learned--and straightens again. Her dress's long hem, floating around her ankles, is kept from swaying overmuch by the motion of her hands over her apron. It's of a much more conservative and modest style, the black blouse's sleeves extending all the way to soft white gloves. Indeed, the only skin of hers that's quite visible is that of her face and neck, just above a thin blue ribbon at her breast.
                "It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is--" A short glance backwards towards her companion to confirm. "--Annabelle Locke, and I am a visitor from afar. I have heard that this kind of establishment lends an air of peace and affection to its surroundings, and it is my wish to learn how to start such a lovely caf in my homeland. I hope that I will not hold anyone back during the training. I will be in your care, Mimi, and everyone." Marina--oh, excuse me--Annabelle bows once more, and those attentive might see a nervous, assessing glance around the room as she sits back down, uncertain if she's done this quite right. She's so excited to get the chance to be here! She can't step on any toes now.

        Shirin, for her part, steps alongside her mistress's chair, drawing attention to her long-tailed sportscoat, the sharp and crisp lines to Marina's frills and curves.
                "Ellen Kennedy. I am Annabelle's retainer, and thank you all for granting her this opportunity. I, too, will be relying on you, miss Mimi." Not a bow, merely a nod and a long, inquisitive eye contact. "The gentleman there spoke well--this traditional butler uniform allows both formal style and ease of movement, so I chose it to complement Madam Annabelle."

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        It's a little hard not to quail under Asuka's glare, but Emmy does her best. She's supposed to be in charge today. "N-no problems h-h-here." Still, a question was asked. "Well, w-we're booked for th-three hours, w-with an a-afternoon tea break in th-the middle. So... a-about five o'clock?"

        Lapsang is next to make her introduction and Emmy looks... confused. Why would someone from her school be working across the border. Still- she's not wrong about the adorable look. "H-h-having s-something unique to h-help you stand o-out can be a good idea, Lapsang." She takes it in stride, because Emilia is a professional. She blinks at Rin's insistence. "N-no, d-definitely five o'clock, um, we-we've got to leave time for. Getting b-b-back through customs."

        Tessa gets Emmy's attention for a little while. A traditional, authentic look from her. Her mind flicks back to that message from Ranka that she... never followed up on because Emmy had just seeen a Sharon Apple clip and wanted to gush. "Right, Teriteri. Th-that's a good attitude to h-have, but w-we're ultimately d-dealing with c-customers, a-and the m-maid experience th-they expect can be. Different from. An actual maid or b-b-butler." Emmy has some experience with the real deal and the cafe version.

        Rikka looks *damn* good in a suit, but this was known all the way back at the pageant. She's also the first butler they have. "Takarada-san..." Emmy nods approvingly. "Th-that really works. Th-there's definitely clients who will r-respond well to th-that sort of authority." Emmy pauses. "W-well, a few of the things that come to mind... r-r-remembering this is a customer/employee arrangement is g-good. Occasionally y-you'll have customers who bring gifts or tip e-extra, and th-then they get... expectations. So a l-little distance is g-good. It's p-part of why we sometimes u-use nicknames. S-so leaning on the c-cafe's rules and setting b-b-boundaries can be important. Y-you'll w-want to go to the m-manager if. Um. A customer gets too r-rowdy. You've st-still got to keep your image, after all."

        Cascade chooses the traditional look, and it works well for her. "Mm. Th-the classic miniskirt look si t-traditional, and I th-think it suits you. D-depending on h-how you w-want to go about it, it can also. Get c-customers to spend a b-bit more. B-be c-careful with that sort of strategy, th-though."

        Gridman chooses a cute look and a cute... if eminently silly name. "Th-that's a r-really good look, Lattice. N-no wonder you did so well in the p-p-pageant." Lattice, however, puts her right on the spot. "Uh, m-me?" Mimi looks embarrassed for a moment before finally saying, a little quietly. "W-well, the pay is r-really good for a st-student job, and it w-w-works with my schedule."

        "Ah, n-no, it's okay, r-really! Th-the other g-girl who w-was suppose to be h-here had v-visa troubles, so... I just have to work for both of u-us." How choosy, huh. "W-well, th-that r-really depends on. Y-your b-boss, here. G-generally y-you're assigned a t-table when they c-come in, and are e-expected to s-serve them until they leave. B-but," She reaches into her pocket, and pulls out a Master's Choice membership card. "W-with your r-regulars, you can s-sign them up they c-can book y-you ahead of time. S-so if y-you're willing to be p-picky with y-your regulars, and g-get a good reputation, you can be. A l-little more choosy, I guess. It c-c-ould affect your r-ranking, though."

        Akane-chan is next, and that's where Emmy recognizes them from. The Couple of couples. She lets Akane have her giggle fit... it's honestly pretty endearing. "...W-wow, th-the three of you could be r-really effective working a b-big t-table together... Th-that could be a real p-powerful gimmick..."

        Mei, however, makes a hell of an introduction. "Well, the 'r-rules' are g-going to take some introduction, but th-there's a r-ranking system based on your s-sales." She indicates the wall near the entrance, where a bunch of empty photo frames sit. "B-being the number one maid m-means y-you'll be busy, but in h-high demand. And um, being at the bottom s-sometimes means the cafe will discount t-tables with you, but you also t-tend to get more p-pity tips. Uhm, I'm the n-number two at my club, b-by the way." ...One of her maids..? So she definitely doesn't need the money then. ...That seems the case for a lot of people here. "B-b-but it's important to r-remember the customer is y-y-your number one priority. Um. As long as they're paying and not nursing a c-coke and a c-croissant for two hours." A look passes across Emmy's face. A brief flash of righteous anger, before she returns to retailface.

        "S-Sousky...?" Emmy asks, having not expected one of her best friends to be here. Or to choose such a... cute diminuitive. "W-well, your f-friend was right. A full outfit suits Takarada-san's image, but with you it's s-sort of d-dashing to lose the coat. There are d-definitely folks who will s-swoon for that look." Whoever this friend his, they have taste. Even if they may have peeped on her at work through a sniper scope.

        'Ellen's' gaze is intimidating in a different way, but Annabelle seems a real sweetheart. "Oh, I-I'll do my b-best! E-everyone's h-here to l-l-learn, so y-you don't have to be n-nervous. R-r-right?"

Icebreaker Round, Complete!
Casualties: 0
Rank: A-

        "Okay, so, l-let's get started shall we? The f-first half hour is th-the basics of the work and th-theory, then we'll practice practical sk-skills, and after th-that the manager h-here has arranged some trial c-c-customers for everyone.

        The 'theory' part goes quickly. Basic customer service, basic food handling, advice on how to handle customers. There's a few quick quizzes in there, but they're simple enough.

        Well, hopefully simple enough.

        But next comes the start of practical tips. Emmy starts by serving each table- she deftly picks up a prepared tea tray from the counter, and comes to each table. Introducing herself again, her stammer still there, but when it comes to the physical portions she's... legitimately masterful. Each cup is prepared exactly to the likings of the 'customer', she carries mul;tiple trays deftly, shifts through the tables like it's nothing. By the end of it, everyone has a cup of Britannian Breakfast- with sugar and milk as desired, served just so.

        "Th-there's plenty of tricks you'll p-pick up as you g-go, but you want to be able to m-m-move as smoothly as possible. If you drop something or b-break something, that can upset the c-customer, and it d-definitely comes out of your pay."

tAfter a bit of letting people practice carrying- empty trays, then trays with metal teapots- she moves onto the next part.

        "N-now, your c-cafe has some special services too. Th-there's stuff like a photo with your maid, th-that they can get printed onto something, like, um," she blushes pink. "A-a teaset, f-for example." A plate of Omurice is placed on a kitchen counter window. Y-you're also e-expected to do things like... th-this." She picks up the omurice tray, and a bottle of ketchup. A camera has been set up above the table, just for this moment.

        "N-now, whose n-name would be b-best..." She picks, after a moment, and seconds later she has 'written', in perfect cursive, 'Asuka', with an immaculate love heart next to it. "N-normally, y-you'd use the customer's n-name here." She places the Omurice down. "Th-there are s-some other services too. C-customers might p-pay extra for h-headpats, o-or to sit at th-their t-table and refill th-their drink, or e-even spoonfeeding s-service. D-does... anyone w-want to volunteer?"

        There's no humour in it. Mimi is deadly serious.

<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.

Now Cascade has to think of a fake name. And while she's clever, and good at playing a role, she normally doesn't have to *name herself*. Nothing immediately comes to mind, unfortunately. But she's thinking.

Cascade doesn't know Gridman personally but he's vaguely familiar - oh, she remembers; he was from Tsutsujidai. As were the two he's with. She considers them for a long moment - especially Akane when she breaks down into laughter.

Sousuke is of course a Person of Interest to Amalgam, but it's a different part of Amalgam and Cascade only knows that he's considered dangerous. And that gets her looking at Tessa (Teriteri) too, but if she recognizes anyone, she says nothing.

"Oh, if I wanted to do that," Cascade says to Mimi, "I'd arrange things a little differently. Like..."

Cascade turns away for a moment, making a few adjustments. Nothing complex; nothing that requires more than tugging strings or shifting cloth. But she turns back a moment later, and the vibe is different; she's tied the bow slightly differently at her chest to pull the neckline down slightly, she's pulled the laces of the over-vest tighter, and she's done something with the skirt to make it cling up just a tiny bit higher when she turns.

"But I didn't think that was appropriate," she says, retying the ribbon back the way it was to begin with.

Except that's when Liu Mei steps up. Not to Cascade, but to Rin. Gamia speaks Chinese, but Cascade isn't supposed to, so she looks more perplexed than anything else... even though she picks up the vibe *immediately*, and she's in Rin's court here.

But it is time... to LEARN.

Cascade doesn't seem to have problems with the theory part; it's very clear that she's never actually done anything in a service role, but she at least listens to how to provide customer service. Compared to that, the actual physical skills seem simple. Cascade isn't going to drop anything.

She also may not have entirely looked into maid cafes enough. "Head pats? Spoon-feeding?" Cascade seems surprised by this. "I suppose I must volunteer so I know what I'm getting into..."

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

Rikka is here, perhaps that's - a bit surprising to her, but in the end she just, nods in acknowledgement of her comment.

She's not upset with Rikka after all, in fact she quite respects her after they all got trapped in Tsutsujidai and she hung out some with her rescue squad. Not that she'd ever say that. So instead-

"Not half bad yourself." As she looks up and down the three-piece suit.

Asuka's eyes snap to the boisterous 'Lapsang', looking at her dress as she boasts about how she could rock it. Her eyes wander up, she gives Rin a severe look.

(8.4 out of 10.0 she might be thinking at first, but one wouldn't know it by looking at her eyes.)

Emilia does answer though, about five o'clock. Asuka glares at her, before giving a small nod, "Five it is then."

She just has to make it until the end to win the bet. But Rin? Rin aint having it.

"That so?" She replies to Lapsang's assurance that training never ends, because a maid's greatest joy is the reward of service.

"My greatest joy is seeing a bunch of guys restrain themselves from being squealing pigs when a girl who's just trying to earn a buck gives them the time of day."

Bristling at her final comment, she steps forward, her tone becoming low and dangerous, "What'd you just say? Care to repeat it?"

As if ready, and waiting, and VERY WILLING for this kind of confrontation. Lattice earns a momentary look, as does 'Curls'. She knows them both pretty well, but right now her attention is almost all on the confrontation.

When Wang Liu Mei however calls Rin out, Asuka looks sidelong at her, then back at Rin. Asuka just decides to let this play out. Looking at 'Annabelle' a little hard, hard enough that she might just wonder if she knows. (She does not)

Eventually the icebreaker is done. And the theory begins. Customer service? Check. Basic food handling? Check. Customer Wrangling? Check!

She fills out her quizzes.

She's glowering throughout the demonstrations even if Emilia is genuinely good, but then- "Sure I'll volunteer."

She doesn't say what for? Is she volunteering for any and everything.

<Pose Tracker> Rin Starking has posed.

(Rei Ayanami may not have been contacted, but would support Gridman as well in his endeavors. She would concur that the dress works well for him. Rei is not present, of course, because by the time a maid cafe's concept was explained to her in completion, she would have said 'no' just in time for the Sun to expand and engulf the Earth.)

Lapsang Souchong is sitting next to Cascade, naturally enough. "You could go with Cassandra or Cassie or Cassettea or Cassiopeia," Rin rattles off to her with her usual polish.And to Asuka...

Lapsang Souchong grins like a shark, and doesn't reply. But it passes as others come in, and introduce, and Rin sits up all prim and proper!

"Welcome, Takarada-San!" Clap clap clap. "Welcome, Teriteri!" Clap clap clap. "Welcome, Lattice-chan!" clap clap clap "Welcome, Akane-chan!" clap clap clap "Welcome, Mei-chan!" clap clap clap...

Pause.

Lapsang blinku blinkus at Liu Mei as she does, and returns that stare. Gray eyes unreadable at the sight of Liu Mei. She returns the stare, and something about it is kind of vacant. It goes on for a second or two...

Of course, from Rin's perspective, it's more like 4 or 7 seconds, really.

She replies in crisp if slightly distorted Chinese, as if she learned from one native speaker and also television. <<"Oh! Thank you so much for your kind offer, but I'm very happy with this! I was born in Taipei, along with my twin sister, so it really does suit me!">>

The smile gets a little wider. <<"You want to play a game for the style, little sister?">> She says it like she's in a gangster movie!

The others after this are greeted, but of course, the focus is moving ahead. Training time! "Sou, sou," Rin replies as she is given a cup of proper tea with her usual options (double milk, no sugar) in it. She raises the cup to her lips to sip, elegantly.

"Lapsang is down for anything," Rin offers. "Mess me up, Mimi-chan!"

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

Being a maid seems like a tough battle. Gridman swallows nervously. Can he really do this? It's not like he needs the money... All he wanted was to spend more time with Akane and Rikka, away from the stress of school or the battlefield.

No matter how nervous Mimi seems, she handles everyone's introductions and questions with the grace of a true professional. Gridman can't help but give her a subtle thumbs-up -- not that she needs it, really. He's just impressed.

Akane and Rikka look amazing, too, and they've both got this introduction thing down. Akane's even already in character as the cutesy maid type, laughing like that!

"You look really nice." Gridman whispers to Rikka, smiling. "So does Akane. You two make a great pair, even in costumes!"

Ellen and Annabelle are interesting... Gridman meets Ellen's eye contact steadily with his odd yellow gaze. Something about them seems deeper than just a pair interested in maid work.

Maybe they'll get a chance to talk?

Gridman recognizes many of the assembled maids and butlers present. He feels a little shy to talk to them dressed like this. Can anyone accept him both as Gridman the Hyper Agent and Lattice the maid?

Shaking his head slightly (half-startling at the feeling of his braid against his back), he refocuses on Mimi. Her skills are amazing..! As she finishes 'writing' Asuka's name in ketchup, Gridman can't help but quietly clap. That can't be easy.

"H--headpats?" Gridman flushes. "Spoonfeeding?"

What has he gotten into?

"Hey," Gridman whispers, this time to Akane. "If this gets too weird, I'll have Max come pick us up. I don't want you or Rikka to feel uncomfortable, so just let me know, okay?"

If customers really want things like that... Gridman frowns, thinking of someone asking one of the girls to do something so intimate. Maybe that's normal for being a maid?

"I'll fight bravely..." Gridman murmurs. Then, more loudly: "You have plenty of other volunteers, but I'll help out however I can too!"

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka gives Asuka a compliment, and in return... she receives a compliment back! Rikka smiles.

"Thank you." She replies. The respect is mutual - she feels like she understands Asuka quite a bit more from their encounter and her time spent with the rescue team afterward.

Mimi gives her assessment and - it's approving! That nod gets a smile in return.

"Ah, you think so? That's good - I was wondering if it might be a little /too/ distant..." Rikka considers. Distant was what she was going for - and, it seems, isn't a bad idea. Customer/employee relationship, after all. She nods consideringly, taking in all of the advice. "...I see. That's good to know."

With that, she looks toward her friends as they introduce themselves, starting with...

...'Lattice'. Rikka finds herself mouthing it. She looks toward Gridman, studying his look - and then, nods in approval. His name might be something else, but he looks... really good, actually! She's proud to see him go for it.

And then, of course, Alouette. Rikka had said she was dangerous before, but somehow she's already managed to find new heights. She's really impressive...

And then, of course. Akane. Akane. She's simply stunning. It's good that it isn't her turn to talk because she would be incapable of speech. She has to try very hard not to stare - made even more difficult when Akane's outfit is designed for just that. Fortunately, Akane turning bright pink is a good enough distraction, and Rikka offers her a light smile in response.

"Akane-chan." Rikka replies lightly. Akane's introduction - it's really high energy, surprisingly so, and then... she ends up breaking into uncontrollable giggles. Rikka can't help but be fond of that, and it sounds like Mimi approves, too.

"I think I could manage to keep the both of you in line, don't you?" Rikka says - with a knowing smile toward Akane in particular.

"And, thank you." She says, at Gridman's compliment. "I'm glad you think so."

She goes quiet now, though, as the lesson begins. Rikka handles theory easy enough - in a lot of ways, her work at Aya has prepared her for this. ...Though there's obviously quite a few different expectations between the two establishments.

Next - practical tips. Rikka observes with interest. Mimi is clearly a master at this...

And, special services. Rikka listens. Well - she supposes that sort of thing is to be expected. She doesn't seem too bothered by it, though.

Soon, she chimes in along with Gridman,

"Of course, don't hesitate to call upon me if there's any way I can assist." Rikka says. She might be getting into character just a little.

<Pose Tracker> Liu Mei Wang has posed.

        A lot of this is foreign to Liu Mei. Frankly, she's been the person hogging up a seat at an expensive cafe for several hours, but it's been the kind of place where a slice of cake runs you 30 gilla, so they're not usually fussy about clients staying too long.

        "So when you say it's 'about the customer', that's a euphenism. What you mean is that it's about managing customers. I understand it now. They may be expecting subservience of you, but they're also faceless throngs that you're ultimately trying to funnel as efficiently as possible. So the maid gives them exactly what they need, but also maneuvers them towards the most efficient course, and then gets them out as quickly as possible, especially since a cafe that's too packed drives away potential customers. Don't you worry one bit. I'll lay down the law with them."

        And on this day, a calamity of a maid was born. A tyrannical and demanding empress with a bonnet, who lords over Yes Milady with the lance of a conqueror. But that's not truly on the menu just yet.

        She takes 'Lapsang's taunting with but an elegant smile. Maybe Rin's taking that in part from movie dialogue - Liu Mei's hearing it in 'actual mob boss, of which she has met several' tones. Show absolutely no fear to their bluster - violence is their card on the negotiating table, without which they lack ample resources. <<"I don't play games against those betting more than they have. No matter how cheap the liquor comes, you'll regret cooking with it instead of oil.">> ~proverb-isms~ for: 'volatile conditions aren't worth the seeming upper hand'. She's taking this seriously, huh?!

        -Despite having no 'training' with this, Liu Mei handles balancing trays and cups and dishes and bowls with ease. She's not any sort of 'special' person, but money CAN buy you a personal dietician and trainer to keep in absolutely perfect physical condition. Even her ketchup handwriting, a skill she has no reason to know how to do, is passable, though she looks at the legible writing of 'Good Fortune' in Chinese upon the omurice with...disdain. It's passable. It's not 'good enough' for her standards.

        With iron in her gaze, Liu Mei does state, unwaveringly, "I am not headpatting the customers or spoonfeeding them. They will, frankly, pay me extra for the life lesson on why that's absolutely ridiculous to ask for."

        ...there are people who, perhaps, would. But she may have a life lesson coming her way in turn...

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

Teriteri listened to each introduction in kind, keeping that cordial smile where she could. There's the knowledge of expectations and stuff to manage, something she managed to eke out a tired "...Yes." to Mimi's statement.

That being said, she does approve of Takarada-san's outfit. Heavily so. Lattice's dress, as well. And Akane-chan's. And- Liu Mei's appearance does give her the slightest amount of pause, frozen for a singular second in attempted understanding before moving on. Because she was prodded, mhm? ...Filing that train of thought away for later.

Unfortunately, the truth that Teriteri reaches while scanning over Sousky's attire was the most unfortunate one that any human being could ever possibly reach: Kurz Weber had a point. A very good point. A point that she definitely can agree upon on every aspect, ashen eyes glimmering as she stared at Sousky. Hot.

Annabelle's and Ellen's outfit get the mental thumbsup approval.

Wait, she's meant to be a maid, not admiring them all! (...Why was she so focused on outfits?)

Theory is properly handled; Nothing that a basic amount of knowledge can't handle, even if the particular bits of advice ring a bit lighter than her usual fare. ...Then again, no one enjoys being screamed at. Maybe.

She still maintains a rapt gaze at Emmy's teachings, barely straining her gaze away to and fro, lingering on a few of the others (but mostly on Sousky).

Practical lessons. A gulp. For a girl who's every moment is endless repetition in motion, its a near-disaster time and again. Stumbbling again and again with (thankfully empty) trays, before graduating to trays with teapots...And saving them nearly everytime. (Minus one. She dropped one pot. And the cups. And the tray itself.)

The mention of special services does bring a small blush at the time between phrase and explanation, but this isn't that kind of place! Watching Mimi pick up and trace the name so gracefully, and...Headpats? Spoonfeeding?

Another glance at Sousky. Oh. Maybe he'd want them eventually, yes.

"I do." A firm, confident voice, gazing down at the omurice at hand. She has to learn this, she has to...!

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

"Well, if you say it's okay. Still, best of luck. We have an... interesting crowd today." Alouette nods, when Mimi explains her situation. She also listens thoughtfully as she goes over the system and level of choosiness you get. "So barely choosy at all, is that right?" There's a pained little smile, and then.. "That's fine. I'm not exactly going to back down from a challenge." Her pendant gleams.

It takes a moment before Gridman's name really sinks in, although she's steelhearted enough to not actually break into a full giggle-fest like Akane. "Lattice, seriously? Did you come up with that one on the spot? Really though... you look charmingly adorable."

Akane also gets her attention - she can tell she was trying to act, a little bit. And it's a strange feeling seeing her put on that type of persona, after...

Well, it's not like she's doing a bad job or anything - so she'll say the positive things she had in mind. "That's a cute look for you, Akane. And it matches perfectly with your stern and serious look, Takarada-san."

She looks at Asuka, next. "I.. honestly wasn't expecting to see you here, Asuka. But you look really nice. And honestly? You're totally right about those types of guys." Of course, she feels the brewing hostility in the room among 'Lapsang' and 'Mei'. However it goes... it'll be entertaining, won't it?

The training goes without much of a hitch - it's all simple stuff, really. Brewing tea and making it perfect? That's not too hard, either. But then there's more... headpats, sure, whatever. "Spoonfeeding, though? You don't expect us to serve children, do you?" She asks, with a brush from the hair.

"...A-anyway. I already said I won't back down from a challenge, so please do your worst."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

'Mimi' is so far out of 'Emilia's' context that it takes Akane a little bit to even think of the possibility that her fellow prom court member is, well, her fellow prom court member. It's not impossible, but it does take time and mental energy to reach that stage. ... she can be discreet about it, though -- especially in the company of people she's never met before.

'Takarada-san' claims that she could definitely keep both of them in line -- and Akane turns even pinker. Normally, she'd shrink, but the energy of the moment demands she play such things up... or maybe she's just that into it, because what she meets it with is a, "I'll excel under your instruction, Takarada-san!" that's just a bit too sharp and a bit too high-pitched.

Once she comes down from it, she asides to Gridman, "You're crushing it too -- the look works for you..."

She pays particular attention to Annabelle and Ellen. Something about them definitely catches her eye, too -- the mannerisms don't seem right for someone who'd get dragged into this sort of thing. She doesn't dwell, but she does pay attention. The back and forth between Rin and Liu Mei grabs her curiosity... but she hasn't yet learned that language and as a result misses some things.


Theory is something Akane excels at; this part at least is basically just -- class? And Akane does well in class, even if the class is kind of weird. Despite her dojikko image, she's razor sharp -- maybe it's just an act...? Or maybe she's just a nerd...

When Gridman asides, as the lesson persists, Akane shakes her head. "This is fine so far," Akane says. She's certainly had to do worse things under an assumed persona than spoonfeed someone, though it's definitely a little bizarre.

The writing of Asuka's name gets a giggle out of Akane. "Hmmm..." She reflects on Asuka's standoffishness across from her apparent willingness to volunteer without hesitation. ... She decides to leave that box unopened for now. It does put an 'apparently out-of-character' pensive look on her face for a second...

... so instead, she asides to Alouette, "Thanks for the compliment earlier. Are you -- having fun?"

After a second she thinks to add, a little louder, "I'll volunteer for anything you need! The, um." Pause. "Customer?" Longer pause. "... is God, right?"

She folds her hands in front of herself, realizing she is definitely not crushing any part of this new experience.

<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.

One of the most tragic truths of the Tuatha de Danaan battlegroup is that Kurz Weber, for all the horrible things that happen whenever he opens his mouth, often knows what he's talking about.

Mimi is, of course, a good friend of Sousky's, and also his one-time prom co-matriarch. He nods, seriously. "I see. Yes, of course, the objective is not merely performance of duty, but appeal...yes....I understand..." He curls his fingers around his chin, deep in thought and completely not understanding, at all, in any way or on any axis.

Practical tips fail fourteen seconds in when the door rings from someone returning from grocery duty and Sousuke whips around and pulls a gun.

He is in the background of every panel for the remainder of the event, being used for the experimental service, 'knife throwing target.'

<Pose Tracker> Marina Ismail has posed.

        When it comes to serving customers their orders, Annabelle can either move with grace, or carry items stably, or move quickly. It takes a little while for her to do two at once, and three will probably take some time. Still, she repeats the motions long after the expected time, attempting to work just a little bit harder. Even so, she bumps, briefly, into one of the other participants, the redhead in a dashing and fluffy dress. "Oh! Please forgive me, Miss Lattice..."

        Ellen is more than capable of deft precision and balance, but her formality and decorum is a little lacking when it isn't directed towards Annabelle. Go figure. She, unlike the maid of the pair, is a little more shallow in her intention to improve, almost more like a chaperone than an eager participant. Accordingly, she gives Akane a glance and a tip of the head--she's noticed someone taking notice of her ward, and intends to caution interlopers against interrupting her lady's time here. There isn't...malice, so much as a degree of tense protectiveness.

                "Special...services?" The black-haired maiden looks a little taken aback when photographs are mentioned. "My face on...a teaset? Why would a customer want that? Would it really sell, Mimi?" Marina stands close to Emilia and watches the ketchup calligraphy. It's a little odd in the setting here--Like Teriteri, she's only really familiar with estate attendants; even so, it reminds her a bit of birthday cakes from before she was pulled into office. She gestures to the condiment dispenser, "May I try?"
        Marina's skill in calligraphy is no passing fancy, and as the figurehead of a renewed nation, she's been put through the wringer until her writing is perfect. Shirin saw to that. As such, she instinctively starts writing in both English and Arabic, seeing how each looks on a bare plate until she finally settles on something worthy of the omurice.

                "Sitting at their table seems easy enough, but do people that need patted and spoonfed like a child really come to places like this?" Shirin, no, I think you're missing the point...

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        The way Cascade deftly adjusts her look for greater sex appeal and back again is no small trick. As a member of the FSC, Emilia Eschonbach spots an important new recruit. Especially with Cascade's desire for knowledge, she could be a powerful asset to the group. And they're in danger of falling under five members since graduation. "W-well, it depends. Y-you can d-definitely make s-sex appeal work, but it's... r-risky. You should always talk it through with your m-manager, th-they'll help you. Work out. Y-your look." She thinks back to the current number one girl at Master's Choice. It definitely worked for her until they tried to cross the border.

        Emilia can't speak chinese, but she *can* sense trouble brewing regardless of language. "H-Hey, stop that!" She looks... a little frustrated and disappointed at once. "If you behave like th-that in front of the c-c-customers, y-you'll be l-lucky to have a j-job at the end of the d-day." Asuka was definitely ready to fight, but Lapsang is shot the glare of someone who knows goading when she sees it, and Liu Mei catches one as well.

        "...Well, n-not exactly. Customers p-p-pay for time, a-and what they o-order. B-but your c-c-commission and ranking is b-based on how much they earn." She can't help but shrug. "...You get to k-keep 80% of headpat s-service. If th-that's not s-something you c-care about, well, y-you can talk about it w-with your m-m-manager." She's here to train them, not sort out rules. That's for the bald man in the white suit who ducked into the back room with her boss.

        I-it's not that bad, Lattice. Customers aren't allowed to t-touch you unless you agree to i-it, and that's v-very enforced. I h-honestly d-don't mind it." Ah, the dull eyes of someone who has grown accustomed to customer service, how they shine at easy cash.

        Remembering Tessa at the dance, Emmy hovers a little as she practices the trays- and deftly swoops in to... well, clean up the spill. It's a good thing those were empty. "I-if you're h-having t-trouble carrying them one h-handed, try th-this." She guides Tessa into a simpler, more solid carry. "R-rest the tray in the c-crook of your arm, l-like this. L-let your forearm b-bear the weight." It's not as elegant but... well. Emmy's teaching of the tray carry is like her teaching to dance- surprisingly hands on.

        Alouette gets a nod. "Of c-course, if you m-make number one, you g-get a lot more say. As l-long as you h-hold the position, that is."Alouettte talks about serving children, and Emmy pauses. "A-actually, s-sometimes you'll get families in, but they're u-usually there for a one off 'experience', or didn't pay attention to where th-they're going. Your r-regular clientele are m-mostly businesspeople, people into otaku culture," she doesn't stumble over her Japanese, for once, "and teenagers. You m-might also sometimes get a g-group that have been kicked o-out of a cabaret club, but... Management us-usually screens them."

        "Y-you don't want to play th-them up like that-" She starts with Akane, before Sousuke pulls a gun on a guy in a sharkskin suit carrying like five bags of baking goods. "SOUSKY!" Emmy yells, surprised and a little angry. She walks over and deftly snatches the pistol from his hand. It's real, she can tell that much, just by holding it. She quickly slips the safety back on, and slides it into her main pocket. "I kn-know you have a s-s-security job but r-r-r-really!" She sighs. "...g-g-go to the k-kitchen counter and, Ask for two f-full kettles of cold water. And then s-stand in the corner and watch until I say o-otherwise." She bows deeply to the man, who seems... kinda perplexed. "I'm s-so sorry for h-his behaviour, sir."

        "Eh, if it's handled, it's handled. Don't bring your airsoft shit here next time, got it?" He says to Sousuke, before going into the kitchen. Emmy is happy to let the Airsoft thing lie.

        "As I was s-saying, don't put the c-customer on the pedestal. Th-they're number one, b-but they need to follow the rules. And th-this is a business, after all." When the tests are marked, somethings obvious. "H-have you worked in a cafe before, Tadaraka-san? Y-you aced this."

        Emmy smiles. "Y-you'd be surprised. One customer of m-mine g-got the full s-set." She negledcts to mention that customers is her now girlfriend. She sort of shrugs, to Shirin. "I th-think that's more of a bonus. P-p-people generally want to... g-get an 'idyll--ic experience'. Not... r-r-reality."

         Emmy finds herself with an abundance of volunteers. "Hm... Okay, Lattice, s-since you w-were worried about it, come up front and l-let me sh-show you. There's t-two types of headpats. The standard headpat is delivered standing," assuming Gridman agrees, Emmy guides Lattice to the seat, and gently stands next to him, before.... gently patting him twice on the head. "See, i-it isn't that bad or tough, right? That's seven gilla for n-n-nothing. You can go sit back down now." She looks around the group. "C-Cascade, how about you? For this one I n-need you to sit next to me." Mimi sits down, placing a cushion onto her lap.

        "The d-deluxe headpat is done with you lying your head on this pillow, and then... You just sort stroke the customers hair a little. Three to f-f-five times." Assuming Cascade's agreeability, Mimi demonstrates with little, gentle movements that barely touch Cascade's hair. Simple, small, possibly comforting movements. "Y-you're mostly giving a sensation. I h-hear some places do e-ear cleaning service liek this but... that's n-n-not really for us." The demo done, she lets Cascade return to her seat. "Fifteen gilla, but that one you can s-say no to more easily. A customer needs to show th-they're trustworthy f-first."

        And then, the spoon feeding. She can tell Tessa's nerves from her. "Teriteri, h-how about you come up c-close, and I'll sh-show you."

        The art of spoonfeeding is something Emmy takes seriously. "With a dish like a cake, you'd start at the t-t-tip and work inwards, but w-with omurice, you want to st-start at an outside point-" she artfully scoops a small amount onto the spoon. "A-a-and with a napkin in your other hand, l-like this..." She hovers the spoon over her hand, to catch any spillage- not that there is any. "Now, o-open wide m-mistress!" Her voice changes tenor as she goes into customer service mode. The stammer is still there, but there's something... a little unnaturally cheerful about it. Akane's not the only acting.

        And with the last demonstration over, she steps back. There was still a camera trained over the omurice, and thus that demonstration. Oops. "So, d-d-did anyone want to practice?"

        Emmy proceeds to give tips throughout, but the practice opening doesn't last long though, as a bald man in a white suit sticks his head out the back room. "Oi, Mimi-san, the boys are about to get here. Everything ready?"

        "Ah, y-yes, give me a moment! E-everyone clear your tables, and line up along here. And no more stunts, Sousky!" Mimi moves with practiced speed. "Alouette, can you come up this end with me? Everyone else line up." Alouette's an excellent best foot forward, with her extreme french maid outfit. "When the customers enter, say with me, 'Welcome Home, Master'."

        The customers enter, in their outdated suits and loud colourful shirts. They walk the same way. One of them stubs his cigarette outside the door. There's no denying it.

        They're definitely some small time Yakuza. On the upside- none of them are particularly trying to be threatening, and a few are genuinely polite as shit.

        Mimi does not seem phased by this in the slightest, given that same customer service smile. "Welcome h-h-home, Master!" She says, making that heart symbol again.

        And then the montage commences, and Emilia sits by the kitchen window, ready to observe and provide tips and advice.

        And then the montage begins.
I don't understand that.

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

Gridman scratches the side of his cheek at Alouette's questioning of his maid name. "A--ah, yeah... I thought it sounded French and pretty... I'm not good at names, but at least I'm not as bad as Calibur." A bright smile, next. "And thank you. You look really great too, Alouette."

Akane gets a subtle nod. "Okay. I'll be ready if anything changes. And thanks. Kaworu and the Neon Gensis Junior High Students deserve all the credit... You look really great, too!"

Emmy calls Gridman forward, and he steels himself. Whatever battles are ahead, he can manage..! But, really, the headpats are very nice. They don't even disturb his carefully arranged hair. It doesn't seem scary at all to have to pat someone that way.

"Wow, seven gilla?" Gridman blinks widely. He doesn't have much of a grasp on money, but that seems like a lot for such a quick action. "Thanks, Mimi! I totally understand now."

The other style of headpat is a little more intimate. Gridman watches closely, flushing a little. And spoonfeeding... It looks a little embarrassing! But he signed up for this, so he's going to do his best!

"I'd like to practice, if that's okay!" Gridman steps forward.

Writing with ketchup is hard, but not as difficult as he thought it'd be. After a few tries, the young Hyper Agent is able to write out a name in a fairly cute style, going so far as to dot the i's with little hearts.

When the bald man calls out, Gridman clears his table quickly, then finds a place in the line next to Rikka. Nervously, he smooths down his skirts. This is it, the moment of truth. Wait, they really have to say that 'Master' stuff?!

"A--ah, Welcome Home, Master!" Gridman stumbles through the sentence, flushing bright red.

The men who enter are shifty looking. Even he can tell that much. Nervously, he glances at Rikka, Akane, and Alouette. Maybe he should call Max, just in case something goes wrong...

No. It's okay. All three of the girls are extremely strong. They can handle themselves, and Akane will reach out if it's too much. Gridman nods to himself. Part of believing in his friends means trusting them to handle scary things.

After one more meaningful look to Akane, Gridman steps forward. His assigned table has, unsurprisingly, a rough looking man. Nervously, Gridman bows, trying to put a cute smile on his face.

"W--welcome! I'm so happy to see you, um, Master! My name is Lattice." Gridman peeks up through his bangs at the man. Oh, he's wearing a really cool red shirt... Feeling more comfortable, Gridman's smile turns genuine. "I really like your shirt!"

Gridman's customer waves a hand in the air. "Yeah yeah. Let's get to the main event. I'll take, uh..."

Straightening up up, Gridman listens as the customer rattles off his order. Raising one fist in determination, Gridman replies with a "Right!" and makes his way to the kitchen.

Despite his excellent balance, as Gridman returns with the meal... Annabelle bumps into him, and the young Hyper Agent goes toppling over. Though his heels are low, they're unfamiliar, and he's easily unbalanced.

"Ah--" Gridman cries out. The tray slips from his fingers and crashes to the floor. Though he manages to avoid toppling over as well, it's no good. The food is ruined, the floor is a mess.

Heartbreak and mortification cross the young man's face. "Oh no." Immediately, he kneels, hands hovering just above the mess. Unsure of what to do, he looks up at Annabelle. "I--it's okay! It's not your fault."

"Hey!"

Gridman freezes, looking over at his customer as he shouts.

"Come over here, Lattice."

Swallowing, Gridman walks over, his eyebrows drawn together in distress. "I'm so sorry, I promise I'll get your order to you as fast as--"

Another wave. "I don't care about that. It's your first day, isn't it?"

"Yes." Gridman answers, looking down. "I'm sorry."

"Nah." The yakuza man sighs, then looks up at the ceiling. "I'm buying that sit at the table thing."

Yellow eyes blink. Once, then twice. "Uh--"

"Go get my food." The man stares at the ceiling still. "Then come and hang out. You're doing your best, so use this as a break."

Gridman's face breaks into a brilliant, sunny grin. He quickly bows again, then hurries back to the kitchen to get another meal.

In the end, Gridman and his customer wind up talking about fashion and video games. A picture is purchased, and Gridman's smile in it is one of genuine happiness. He might not have the best score today, but he still had a great time!

<Pose Tracker> Liu Mei Wang has posed.

        Liu Mei was here to test her mettle as someone who can do whatever she sets her mind to. Gradually, though, she begins to notice that maybe, just MAYBE-

        --there's a high concentration of rather extraordinary people all pretending to be maids here.

        Why, that's the darling Captain Testarossa she met when coordinating Celestial Being with Mithril! And - Marina is quite well dressed 'down', so to speak, but as someone who keeps abreast of these kinds of affairs, Liu Mei gets the inkling that this really is Azadistan's princess Marina herself. Alouette and her friends are quite clearly shining stars - they don't elicit more than being 'impressed' at first, but something tickles the back of her head about Rikka and Gridman. The vaguest familiarity, the vaguest recollection. She can't place it (it would've been from various meetings with the Shuffle Alliance, during a discussion on which members were present and which had mysteriously vanished - that info-sharing agreement has largely drifted by this point, now that situations have briefly stabilized).

        This has become a useful access point, Liu Mei starts to think, and the moment several yakuza members appear, Liu Mei's immediately on the case. She's negotiated with organized crime before as an equal contact, and she partly forgets that she's their server. Moreso than giving them the 'maid treatment', she strikes up conversation in the familiar patter of someone with deals to make, someone boldly but sneakily determining if these yakuza members have any real connections to shake down higher on the chain. Everything's coded, everything's concealed - and Liu Mei comes out of it all assessing that these probably aren't important enough people to keep tabs on.

        Her maid service is completely forgettable and adequate. Her clients have no complaints, because she's a capable conversationalist in a way that's maybe a little 'refreshing' compared to the usual sugary maid treatment. But it's not what they were there for, and with the lack of 'special services' and a very 'whatever' tip, Liu Mei basically...does about as bad as she could do without making active mistakes.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

"Thank you, Mademoiselle Alouette." Rikka replies politely, offering her a smile. Akane, meanwhile, says she'll excel under her instruction. She, too, receives a smile. "Excellent. I have faith in you, Akane-chan."

They go through details of the job, and readily enough, one thing becomes apparent - Rikka is good at the parts of the job more closely related to standard cafe work. She nods.

"We're more of a diner, but we kind of dip into cafe fare, too. My family runs a combination shop back home, so I've kind of been raised on it." Rikka explains. She doesn't elaborate on what it's a combination of, though diner is presumably one half...

Before long, though, practice is over - and it's time to put theory into action, as the customers arrive. Rikka assesses the prospective customers immediately. Working at Aya has given her a keen eye for this sort of thing. She lines up when directed, one arm crossed in front of her with a cloth draped over it. And when prompted...

"Welcome home, Master." Rikka greets, with a polite bow.

They're assigned a table. Her approach is stern, yet gentle without being aloof. Lightly authoritative without being challenging. It earns her a lot of respect - though this doesn't quite translate into profits for her specifically. If anything, it makes her act more as a force multiplier for the others.

...This is fine, though. Rikka's fine with enabling them - and it does put her into a good position to divert any activity that might be getting out of hand. She already knows the switches she needs to flip - if they watch closely, they may be treated to a glimpse of Politely Intimidating Rikka.

Not that she has to do that much - all in all, this batch of customers is far from the worst they could've gotten. Rikka makes it through the shift without issue.

<Pose Tracker> Cascade Vermilion has posed.

"I like Cassie," Cascade decides, at Rin's suggestion. She would never, ever go by it in her normal life...

...but this isn't her normal life, is it? Is this what playing at being someone else is like for other people? Cascade marvels at it. It's so different than her normal method of simply immersing herself in a role - but here she'd be a role playing a role playing a role, and that's too many steps for her to manage quite the same way.

But it's... relaxing, in a weird way, and tense, in a different equally weird way. Cascade has never really done anything quite like it before. She kind of wishes she'd tried earlier.

"I'll remember that," she says, about the sex appeal, and does not say whether she's going to use it or not. Well, if she has to talk to a manager, she wouldn't, would she?

Rin and Liu Mei continuing to argue in a language she has to pretend she doesn't understand is getting tense. Cascade shows it just slightly, in the way she sits, and she is about to address Rin about it.

And all of that goes out the window when Sousuke pulls an actual gun.

Now, the gun isn't aimed at Cascade, and even if it was it's small-caliber enough that she isn't especially worried about him having found her out and shooting her; he'd have to be a good shot *and* get lucky to actually drop her with it faster than she can drop him in a place like this. But there's clear alarm on her face as she rises -

Only to see Emilia take it away, claiming it's airsoft. It wasn't, and Cascade can tell it isn't. So that's something to remember for later. Along with the other's reactions.

Which she does by chatting up Alouette. "Is this a challenge? I suppose it is - to get everything just right?" Her tone is questioning as she waits for Alouette's response.

Emilia - Mimi - calls her over. Cascade doesn't mind being used as an example, even for headpatting. She has extremely fine hair, very well-taken care of; she must spend ages on it at that length. "Ah!" Now she understands. She had misunderstood a little bit at first, perhaps as to who was giving and who was getting the headpats. "I see..."

And then:

*The montage*.

"Okaerinasaimase, goshujin-sama!" Cascade looks like a Britannian, of course: pale skin, red hair, even freckles made slightly more prominent by recent sunny days, she's definitely not a Japanese native (or from Area 11, depending on your position). But she speaks Japanese quite well! It's come up a few times at Ashford, and she's not adverse to using it here.

Cascade is physically on top of her game. She doesn't drop *anything*, or even stumble when she's walking across a spill zone. (Sorry, Gridman. She'd help if she could.) She can even do complex characters with a ketchup bottle.

But she's never actually worked a service job before, or even spent much time around people who have. She can count the number of restaurants that weren't take-out she's been to on one hand, because she sprung into existence as a teenager - she has less than one year of actual life experience.

Cascade spends a lot of time listening. Fortunately, her instinct to let other people fill the gap in the conversation so she can find the best way to approach it works, because she gets a chatty customer; she's going to be remembered as a good listener, if not a great conversationalist otherwise, even though she's mostly trying to work her way through how this works from first principles. It might feel a little distant at first, but by the end of it she's starting to get better at it, figuring out what she needs to say and when.

And if all else fails, she's pretty and she knows it. Sometimes that really is enough.

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Gridman's explanation does make her laugh good-naturedly. "I can understand how you got there... but it's a little like naming yourself, Chair or something." She replies, and then grins at the mention of Calibur. "Gosh, he'd definitely be one of my first picks for a butler though, no matter how ridiculous he sounds."

"I see... so it's little bit of a competition? That makes sense." She considers, when it comes to 'number one' having the most say. "I'd rather not make enemies out of any of my coworkers, but number one does sound tempting~" She adds, with a wry smile. "Well.. I'm sure I'll have the chance to see many interesting faces no matter who comes in." she concludes, at the variety of their clientele.

She's about to have a thought about how surprisingly nice Sousuke's butler suit is when - yeah, he pulls out a gun again. Alouette doesn't even flinch - things like this are markedly commonplace, apparently. "Ahaha, geez... who let him bring a gun? There's no way he had clearance for that, no matter what job he works..." It's Fumoffuu logic, Alouette, it doesn't need to make sense. "At least I'd hope we don't require self-defense!"

The black-haired lady and her attachment also get Alouette's attention now, as she has more and more chance to study them. And she slowly approaches her after she seems confused about this business... yet surprisingly skilled at certain tasks. "Miss Annabelle? You said you were from a far away place, right?" She perks her head in question. "I'm a foreigner too.. and in more than one way." Sure she hasn't sensed she's a literal princess, but... "I think we're about the same age, also. So it might be nice to make your acquaintance.. if it's okay with your butler, here." It feels awkward.. but that's part of getting to know your coworkers, right? And she doesn't want Annabelle to feel isolated.

The headpat and spoonfeeding demonstrations over... it's her turn to take the lead, and she takes a deep breath when Mimi calls her up. She goes exactly where outlined, standing up perfectly straight, waiting for the others to follow behind - it's a bit nervewracking to be the first face they'll see, but she takes it in stride, giving them a thin smile, setting a bit of extra formality and flavour by saying it in her native language, not theirs. "Bienvenue chez vous, maitre."

After which... it's montage time! First is the tray, tea poured to perfection... scalding hot, and with the caveat that it can't cool for even a minute. So she had to rush. She mixes up her training from her actual work, placing way too much too much force into a pirouette slam of the tray onto the table, shattering a teacup seemingly effortlessly. When she does this, she glances over at Tessa - as if to show her, 'at least you're not the only one who absolutely destroyed something beyond repair'.

"I'm sorry! Force of habit, you see. I'll refund that for you straight away and get you another!" She bows, apologetically. On the other hand, one of the men actually seemed impressed by this maid with seemingly superhuman strength. She got a tip for THAT instead of any particularly maidy things. Yakuza are weird guys, man.

Preparing the oumurice wasn't hard - with one do-over after writing the name in Latin characters, when she was asked for kana. They weren't mean about it, at least.

She... at least offered the headpat and spoonfeeding services they have. Ultimately, they opted to decline because she didn't seem enthusiastic enough about it, and rather just going through the motions. She's not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.. and she hopes that the competitive atmosphere of the cafe isn't getting to her head too much. Seeing Rikka go at it helps - that stern, distant approach seemingly helps the tone for the cafe. And reminds her she doesn't need to particularly outpace her friends at this.

All in all, it was an okay session. She is a quick learner, it's true.. but she's not quite sure if she has the right personality for the job even if she enjoyed it a lot more than she thought.

Akane asks her a very familiar question... and Alouette's always answered it in the same way every time.

"Yes." She says, simply, and then elaborates.

"I think it was probably 50/50 between leaving absolutely miserable or getting something worthwhile out of this new experience." She admits. "It didn't turn out to be the first one, and I'm not sure about the latter... but maybe it was interesting having to put that charm everyone talks about to work." She pauses then... it's the first time she really has the opportunity to ask in turn, "How about you?"

<Pose Tracker> Rin Starking has posed.

"My grandmother always told me that the real form of that saying was," begins Lapsang to Mei, "<<The weakest dog barks loudest.>>" She even puts an interesting message on her omurice:

Two characters!

DOG - M--

At this point, there is a scolding look from Emilia, and the character is finally finished off to make it say something like "PUPPY," with LITTLE DOG coming together. But adorably crooked! Right?

(Rin's technique in the maidly duties has been without flourish but very reliable. She probably figured she shouldn't be taking gambles and risking further derailling the situation. Internally, she periodically checks Asuka as well as this new chick to see if they're going to try to bully Emilia; those Tsutsujidai people seem fine, but THESE two...!!!)

But then Emilia tells them to neither treat the customer like livestock, nor like a God. She frowns in thought as her arms fold, even as Sousky's weapon gets confiscated. She takes a deep breath and looks at the volunteer for the demonstration.

Lattice gets 7G of headpat for free. Not bad.

"... Really?" murmurs Lapsang. "I guess the only thing is that you're touching people's hair... but that's not THAT bad, and I guess maid uniforms come with gloves, right?" After this, comes spoonfeeding.

Somehow it doesn't seem ridiculous to Rin.

If there's tragedy, it's that this is the sort of thing that people are taken to pay for. Because there's no other way to get it in their life...

But there isn't much time to speak further.

"Welcome home, Master~~!" calls Lapsang, bowing with her hands held before her and smiling brightly.~

One of the thugs looks towards her.

"<<You know Chinese?>>"

Lapsang beams.

SOON

A grown man is speaking in quiet, soulful Cantonese as a maid pours tea into his cup, sitting in a squat on the seat next to him.

<<"It's just all hollow, you know? Every day I work. I get ahead, a little bit, but not as much as I'd hoped. And the cost... I'm getting old, Lapsang; you know what I mean? I have a girl I'm seeing but it's not serious... I don't know what I'm going to do with myself. My knees hurt in the morning...">>

"Awwhhh," Lapsang coos.

<<"It just feels like there's going to be nothing left one day,">> says the chinpira, <<"I'll just fall into the ground and disappear, you know?">>

"Goshujinchama," says Rin, with a kind patience that has a neurological explanation and nothing else, <<"People aren't just legacies in the way you think. The Britannian emperor has a hundred children, but you could only name three or four; it's always been that way, and for everyone else, it's just the same. You've been working hard to build up your family and business, right? The people you know will remember you. Your friends will remember you; your boss, even! He sounds like a nice man. And">>

A gentle filling of a cup. <<"Lapsang will remember you too.">>

The chinpira stares into his teacup. Silence. His face crumples, slowly, oh so slowly.

He sniffles. <<"I really just - just wish that someone would pat my head, like my Aunt Haru did when I was a little kid! The Aunt Haru that went on the damn Macross, the one who got that - that job starting the restaurants on those damn fleets, flying away into nothing --">>

<<"Master,">> says Lapsang, <<"I have wonderful news.">>

<Pose Tracker> Teletha Testarossa has posed.

Her ears keep being perked up on casual instinct, listening into the conversations here and there as she tries (and fails) to manage yet another tray before Mimi comes with assistance. "Forearm on tray, weight on back of heel, walk and keep the center of gravity low..." There's a subtle shift as she leans into Mimi's hands, letting her take the lead for this, same as the dance. With the newfound knowledge under her toolbelt (and her irrationally downward mental spiral halted at that), she does manage to get a few more 'fully' loaded trays across. Very slowly and deliberately, but one step is one step.

...Right? She still manages the smile, however weary it was with that simple obstacle.

That being said, the thought of being number one...There's a significant perkup at that. Attempts at dulling the fiery streak failed to account for a pressure valve that needed release. Seeing Sousky be wheeled away does elicit a small giggle; It's Sousky, and while expected, it's not...particularly bad to know he's still his same self. She barely even flinched at the sight of the gun, merely brushing it off.

The headpat session...She's staring such holes at the instructor, even muttering to herself about the motions of Mimi's headpats. Up and down, three to five times. Vary it up, scratch the scalp a bit, dig in and make sure to twist the wrist...Yes, yes, useful information for the next volley to sling at Certain People.

"Ah? Yes!" Even with such strained nerves, she's quick to note and respond, stepping forward when called. Brushing herself down, sitting down, taking extreme note of the ambiance. The smells in the air, the way Mimi sits down, cradles the spoon, pulls apart the cake...Spoon, napkin, the voice. It's so...artificial. But this is what the people want, so she obliges and takes the offered spoonful of cake with a smile. Oh, it is good. "I think I understand now. You're definitely used to this, Mimi." The obliquest of compliments. Faces are used everywhere, and this was just another one.

She does oblige in a bit of practice, mostly of the tray-carrying variety. A few headpats are offered here and there, the technique practically textbook perfect...But a bit too scalp-deep for some.

Immediately stopping when Mimi announces the near-beginning of operations, brushing herself off once more, checking braid, frills, erverything is as nice as she could be, definitely not sporting anything that would be mistaken as an airsoft gun (NOPE NOPE NOT AT ALL), and lining up proudly.

"Welcome Home, Master!" Nailed it. Just keep the face on, and everything will be fine enough.

After the Montage Start, she's given her table. One grumpy looking Yakuza irratingly tapping their feet before walking up, leopard print, sharply dressed black suit and all. "Ah? New people today? I guess it is that time of year..." A shrug, sitting himself down with a slouch and adjusting his necklace. There's a glint in his eye, a crack of a smile. A new maid?

"I'll take, lessseeeee, hereherehere..." And so it began. A gamut of special orders.

Tea, with extra Happy Enjoy Force! A fresh pour, a bit of overflow that's quickly wiped away after an arduous trip to not trip over herself. Barely; There is a stumble halfway through, but salvagable! Omurice, also with Happy Enjoy Force! Served near perfectly (ignore the fact that it slid around on its plate, and the ketchup splatter is lightly there).

"Ooooh, nice, nice! Yer better than some of the ones I had yesterday!" He's clearly enjoying this, just a man indulging in a maid cafe fantasy. "Now, leessseeee..." Headpat! Deluxe Headpat! Both with Happy Enjoy Force! As smoothly as that can be, though there's a minor complaint about pushing too deep in. It's a headpat, not a Deep Tissue Massage!

Though, by this time, Teriteri is going through the motions perfectly. It's a perfect way to calm oneself down, to mull over the past few events as she speaks and moves in parallel. With the second helping of Omurice- "Oi, oi, you okay there?" A blink. No, that's not "Teriteri~~~ <3", that's an equation. "Ahem. Forgive me, Master. I'll get a new one-"

"No, that's not needed."
"...Eh?"
"To see such an equation...I can't make heads or tails of it, but you're working hard, aren't you!? You're here for the cash, I understaaaaand! Everyone's gotta make it in the workforce inside or out, and you...!" A sniff. Oh, the folly of youth! Oh, the harsh conditions of capitalism! To have a girl be so hardworking as to have her study sessions spill out even during her work! What a world! "I'll support you!" Thumbsup included. How did his teeth shine with that gesture was another question.

"...Yes!" ...No, there's no need to say what that equation actually was.

The rest of the service proceeded apace, near-banal in how she managed to nearly trip with every single piece of food brought over. In the end, a service well given, and the Yakuza member nodding with another thumbsup. "I'll be rooting for ya, Teriteri!"

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

'Sounded French and pretty.' Akane almost loses it again -- but she manages to keep it together, overall.

... until she fragments apart completely upon hearing, 'I have faith in you, Akane-chan,' leaving her with a blush that doesn't fade by the time they're getting underway. She, too, seems to cope just fine with the parts of the job that match up with any other cafe, though maybe not as well as Takarada-san. What's maybe more surprising is that, while she's obviously nervous and overcompensating in a way that makes her look just a little bit like a dojikko, she takes to the special services fairly well too. They're just part of the job, which makes it easy to shove them down into her gut and not think about -- at least during the montage.

When they get some slightly harsher customers, though -- that makes Akane a little nervous. It's not as though she's literally never encountered these types in her life before -- she's a city girl, and she's seen this type of person every now and again. Now she has to actually interact with them, though, which makes for a slightly more harrowing proposition. She takes a moment to compose herself before approaching, with a glance back to 'Takarada-san;' just knowing she's there gives her strength, even if she isn't directly helping. "Okaerinasaimase, goshujin-sama!" Akane says, suddenly perfectly precise in a way she absolutely was not during their training montage. "My name is Akane-chan! Please -- take a seat!"

On the one hand, Akane immediately falls into that bland, half-expressionless service worker smile; on the other, she's suddenly very, very good -- where she'd been solid in their dry runs, now she's very, very solid. She's also, notably, developed a trick -- she writes in both Japanese and Latin characters with high precision and honestly impressive speed, even with ketchup.

She is not very intimate or hostess-like with the customers, admittedly; she is much more firmly an attendant, and for that reason doesn't actually get prompted for a lot of special service. Her technical skill, however, can't be beat. It seems her true strength lies somewhere completely different from the giggling, ditzy presentation -- though she does prove very easy to get with jokes, and once she hears one usually has an endearingly stupid one to give back...

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

The familiar cadence of that 'yes' is unsurprising at best -- but Akane smiles at Alouette to hear it. "I kinda felt that way too... I feel like this is definitely bringing out a different side of me? I don't know how I feel about it yet, but like... it's not bad."

After a little thought, though, Akane pushes her dark hair out of her face and secures it with her headband a little more tightly. "It's way different than I thought it was... though I keep thinking about, uh..."

She leans in toward Alouette and whispers something, turning bright pink as she does.

"If you tell her I'll kill you~" she says, cheerily.

It gets her called back to the table immediately -- and, surprisingly... a request for spoonfeeding?

<Pose Tracker> Marina Ismail has posed.

        Annabelle smiles encouragingly at Lattice, Cascade, and Teriteri as they sit for the demonstrations...though she opens her eyes much wider at the affectionate dialogue accompanying it. Saying something that embarrassing... must be part of a maid's duty, too! She's got to push herself! "I can-...I will do it!" she announces aloud. Her companion can't help but shake her head.

        Of course, when Sousky pulls a firearm, a certain butler very quietly pulls a certain maid off to the side--it's not a brisk or brusque motion, but it may be conspicuous to the observant that Ellen places herself between Annabelle and both the door and their companion. She was as yet uncertain whether either could be discounted as a threat, after all. And getting so close together would make it very hard for anyone to notice Ellen reaching under her sportscoat.
                "Oh, you were ...Mademoiselle Alouette, is that right? It is lovely to meet you. I am sure I would love to share tales about our respective travels over tea after today's work," she pauses, suddenly having a second thought, "Ah if we have time in our itinerary, Ellen..." The black-haired girl gives her companion the most powerful puppydog eyes she can possibly muster.
                The butler ignores her charge and instead looks Alouette up and down, being quite aware, at least, of the poise of someone who's faced death. "...I have to speak to the manager afterwards. Stay out of trouble, Madam Locke." Is this consent, if not trust? Is this a new friend? It sure seems like it! Marina--er, Annabelle, is downright chuffed.

        Though she does her best to build up her speed during the practice opening, Annabelle still feels rather uncertain of herself by the time the real customers come! They're... they're a bit imposing, yes, but...Marina giggles to herself. They kind of feel somewhere between her black-glasses detail and the old men at the open-air market back home. She's focused so hard on keeping up with the pace, however, that she jostles into poor Lattice!
                "Oh, goodness, please, let me help, I will lighten your hands...I will take care of this, Lattice, please, go ahead!" Without waiting for acceptance or denial, Annabelle drops close to the floor to begin cleaning up, trying to keep her long skirts out of the way. Ellen immediately springs into action, directing customers and fellow staff around the spill area.

        Ellen plays air traffic control and then chats with Marina's customer while she's occupied. Once she's tidied up the floor, Annabelle checks on dear Lattice, finding him in high spirits to her relief. When she returns to her table, she immediately sets herself apologizing profusely, but her caring charm seems to have caught the eye of the older gentleman, who remarks that he reminds her of a lost love from his younger days. Annabelle leans in close to ask him more about it, and when he starts tearing up a little, she pats him on the head--"This one is free of charge, please do not worry..."

        Before long, he asks if she could let him rest his head. It's surprisingly natural for her, as she just gently cradles the older man's head into her lap, and quietly sings to him. To her surprise, he asks if he can stay there, for just a little longer, just another song's worth... in the end, Annabelle sends Ellen to wait her next table, and the man promises three 'deluxe headpat' charges for her lap, her time, her kindness and her song. Perhaps he was taken in by her maternal charm... even though he ended up not ordering much in the way of food! A pity, that, but Marina isn't worried much about any competition...

<Pose Tracker> Alouette Pommier has posed.

Cascade's comparison to a challenge gets Alouette to perk up a little. "Right! You might think of it as a challenge to get the customer's attention, to not explode a teacup like I did, or to become the number one maid. It's not really the type of challenge I'm used to, having to maintain a social presence for this long. And... I'm not really sure how good I am at it." She half-shrugs.

"It's interesting that you ask, because I wasn't sure how interested you were in challenges and competition in the first place." She rubs one of her hair curls. "But ever since I researched some of the other schools' fencing clubs... maybe I've been waiting for you to prove me wrong~"

<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.

        In the background, Asuka demonstrates the perfect manner of a maid who hates you, technically adequate but with absolute disdain for the customer. She slams down her dishes without spilling anything, and Yakuza can respect the attitude... but it doesn't score her any tips.

        And OCU tipping culture is a lot harsher than BU tipping culture.

        When the time comes, and the customers have left, each handing over a ranking form, Emilia calls time. "Alright, everyone, I-I'm going to t-tally up the score cards, please, enjoy the cake and the tea!"

        Emilia ducks to a side table, leaving a black forest gateaux, an apple tea cake, and an orange and poppyseed cake out for people to help themselves.

        Another at this point obviously Yakuza, but in a decent suit, comes out of the back room, slaps down some fliers, and hands Emilia a piece of paper. "Wh-what's this?" She asks.

        "New arrangement. Read it out after the rankings."

        Emmy nods, and takes it.

        And then she moves to the whiteboard, wiping it clean and writing down the rankings.

1. Lapsang
2. Alouette
3. Akane-chan
4. Teriteri
5. Cassie
6. Takarada-san
7. Lattice
8. Annabelle
9. Ellen
10. Asuka
11. Mei
12. Sousky

        "So that makes Lapsang, tonight's number one! Congratulations!" She looks around the room. "But r-remember, these r-rankings can change on one g-good shift or one good customer. D-don't ever assume number one is safe!" So says the girl who has been solid number 2 girl for months now, even as number one changes frequently. "Lattice would have been m-much higher if n-not for that spill."

        She reaches for the note. "Also I w-was asked by the m-m-managers to r-read something to everyone." She unfolds it, and. Stares at it. And then stares at it again. Really?

        "Uhm. I. Okay th-then." She clears her throat, to read this insane thing that has been put into her hands. "W-Welcome to the Maid Cafe GP, a-an earth--sphere wide competition to find th-the best maid, b-butler or hand. Handservant, to be crowned best in the world." Is *that* why there were so many people from different areas here? Suddenly it made sense. "The. W-w-winning cafe will g-g-get a cash prize of 1000 g-g-gilla to each staff m-member, and a g-group dinner at an Anaheim st-starred restaurant. The best h-handservant in the e-earthsphere will win a three day cruise for four, while s-second and third w-will win a cruise for two...?"

        Suddenly, being number two seemed a goal worth holding. "U-um, please take a f-flier with you, if you w-w-want your cafe to be a p-part of it."

        Emmy blinks a few times, having read that surprise announcement. What was her boss up to?

        Five o'clock rolls around, and the crowd can break off however they want. Fifteen minutes after that, Emmy climbs into the back seat of the van they arrived in. There's way more boxes than they arrived with.

        As her boss gets in the driver's seat, her tosses her a roll of cash. "The Mikihara guy said you snagged us an extra connection, so paid you a bonus. Good work, kid."

        Emmy slipped the money into her purse, hacing made sure she slipped Sousuke's firearm back to him as she said goodbye. She didn't want to be dealing with that at customs, rubber bullets or no. "C-Cafe supplies, r-r-right?"

        "You catch on quick, kid. Just some luxury goods... duty free, nothing too shady. You can take your pick when we get home. Birthday present for your cooperation." He started the engine, and Emmy reached for her phone.

        "A-as l-long as w-we d-don't get held up."

        She just wanted to be home in time to see Milly.