video: bottlecap critics' circle - sweets issue published!

[sharpjustice]

It’s done! It’s done!

[Mayaka’s excited voice will ring over the Grumpearl network. On video, those watching will see the Sneasel holding up a few pieces of paper. After meticulously compiling the dessert reviews she's received over the last month into a proper publication, she's now ready to share the news.]

Thanks to the guild, there’s now a tablet in the Archives that lists the best sweets in town. I also have the original paper copy with me if you prefer to read that.

[Polteageist had been intrigued by the idea of documenting food preferences of former humans (and other assorted creatures), so they allowed the use of the Lum Berries' pressing machines to record the reviews into tablets.]

If you’ve already seen it -- what do you think?

[Those who’ve been to the Archives to read the inaugural issue themselves will find the original submissions reproduced in full.]

[take the tablet off the shelf!]

ISSUE #1: Sweets

Dish: Spiced hot chocolate w/ cheri berry juice
Made by: Golisopod
Reviewed by: Cater & Siffrin
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Dish: Fried doughnut ball
Reviewed by: Eleanor & Oko
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Dish: Piece of moss
Reviewed by: Eleanor & Oko
Rating: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Dish: Homemade gingerbread cookies
Made by: Noelle
Reviewed by: Shoka & Bigby
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Dish: Toasted pollen-dusted croissants
Made by: Burrow Lounge Bug Cafe, reheated by Tomoro’s electricity & Catrina’s flame
Reviewed by: Tomoro & Catrina
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Dish: Chansey Toast
Made by: Swirlix’s Diner
Reviewed by: Akechi, Ren & Maya
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Dish: Chocolate cake with buttercream frosting
Made by: Dolly
Reviewed by: Aelita
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Dish: Spicy cheri berry and sour iapapa berries with cream
Reviewed by: Aelita
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Dish: Mysteriously delicious butterscotch-cinnamon pie
Made by: ???
Reviewed by: Flowey & Hatenna
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Dish: Chocolate ganache birthday pie
Made by: Neige & Ritsuka
Reviewed by: Mayaka
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

code

By the way, does anyone have ideas for topics we should review next?

What would’ve been useful for you to know when you first arrived in town, for example?

[Mayake is no stranger to putting publications together as part of her club duties in school. It seems she’s keen to produce more if there’s interest from the rest.]

Comments

audio;

[shotinhead]

[ It's been a while since they've spoken, but... after reading the issue, Courier Six replies to the network with a bit of a perk in his voice. ]

You know, I've been deliverin' mail pretty much whenever I can. I've built up a map of th'best routes though the Bay. I mean, if that would be useful. For helpin' to label where things are, or... that sorta thing.

1/2

[sharpjustice]

Six-san! [She's happy to hear a familiar voice.]

You have something like that? If you don't mind sharing it with everyone, I think it would be really handy.

2/2

[sharpjustice]

Although... did you account for those who can't fly around?

Routes that are good for flying may not work the same with walking.

text;

[therealcollin]

[This is the first Grumpearl message Clonelin has witnessed. Just like chat, it thinks.

So, because of that perception, its response comes through as written text.]

<collinlock16 > hell o
<collinlock11> idk abt topi cs
<collinlock11> mayb ewhats a pokemon ? ??
<colinlock19> andwh att the dan gers hereare

[sharpjustice]

[Eh?? It takes Mayaka a moment to adjust. This reminds her of the forums she frequents to get advice when putting together a cosplay.]

[mayaka ✿] hi ! this is mayaka. are you new here?
[mayaka ✿] what's a pokemon? there's all sorts of pokemon. i suggest visiting the archives to read up on all the different types. i can show you around if you'd like!
[mayaka ✿] as for dangers: there's always something strange happening around here, so it's a bit hard to say. just make sure never to go out into the wilderness alone!

[therealcollin]

<collinlock16> yea
<colinlock16> im collin
<collinlock19> i know what a pokemon is noww
<collinlock11> but ididnt when i arr ived

[sharpjustice]

[mayaka ✿] oh! did you use to be human too? what pokemon are you now?

[therealcollin]

<colinlock19> yyes i am human i Am c oll in !
<colinlock19> noww i ama mimicyou or how everits spelled ?? ?

[sharpjustice]

[mayaka ✿] you're making a lot of typos in your text

[therealcollin]

[A long delay. The text is visible being typed out letter by letter, slow and deliberate. When its done, the "username" appears in front of it.]

<colinlock16> i speak normal

video;

[notyourbloodymessiah]

It came out so nice!

[ sparkly eyes, she's fascinated by it. so much effort! ]

As for what next... hm. Maybe reviews of the specific establishments? The cafes and restaurants and food stands!

[sharpjustice]

Thanks for contributing, Elly-chan!

[Mayaka is scribbling down Eleanor's suggestions for the next issue. Perhaps it could be about everyone's favourite establishments, or places to go in town.]

Anyway, how did you end up eating moss? I thought it was a joke at first, but I decided to keep it in to be fair.

[notyourbloodymessiah]

Oko brought it. I think he thought it'd be funny. Which it was, to be fair.

[ she thinks he just wanted to make her laugh. ]

[sharpjustice]

Oh, so it was a prank!

What did it taste like?

[notyourbloodymessiah]

Something like that. It was... chewy? For some reason.

[ she's already giggling about it just thinking of it. ]

Really really bad regardless.

[sharpjustice]

[Mayaka shudders at the thought.]

On the bright side, now there's a whole list of desserts that we know for sure are good. Let's go try some next time!

[notyourbloodymessiah]

Sounds good. [ she nods. ]

Maybe not the reheated one, though.

[sharpjustice]

Why not? You know, rice always tastes better when you heat it up to eat the next day!

[Mayaka hums thoughtfully.]

I wonder if it tastes different depending on whether electricity or fire was used to cook the food.

[notyourbloodymessiah]

That's why I think it sounds awful.

[ that's the sort of stuff splicers did to their food and they had... concerningly low standards. for about everything. ]

Hitting it directly with either just sounds like a sure-fire way to singe it.

text;

[paperceptive]

I might consider places of study.
Not only academic, like the archives, but in practicing new physical abilities as well. Flying, fighting, and the like.

[sharpjustice]

That would be interesting! I'm usually only reading in the Archives or at home.

Where do you like to go for your studies?

[paperceptive]

Oh, don't misunderstand - I'm mostly in the Archives as well.
But I know that I was lucky to have roughly the same number and layout of limbs.

I think we need to do a better job of arranging flying lessons, at the very least.

audio

[digitalprincess]

Where can I find this 'moss'?

[She wants to know what a 1* flavour is!]

[sharpjustice]

[Blissfully ignorant Mayaka just thinks that this is Aelita not knowing what 'moss' is.]

It's a green fuzzy plant that grows in dim, damp places like forests and caves. I've even found some in a corner of the Archives.

[digitalprincess]

Oh, I think I've seen that before... It's nice to touch.

Audio

[autumnrainrunaway]

[ Dolly is opting for audio as she's packing up her belonging for the move to Middle Tier Housing. Rather not show her soon to be former place in its current state. ]

[ There was that and..Dolly needed a micro break from packing. ]

How does a Museum listing sound for the next project? I've been curious if there has been any form of museums in the Bay yet.

[sharpjustice]

Did you mean picking things to display in a museum? Or finding out if there are museums that exist around town? [Why does this sound familiar, like they've talked about museums before?]

I wonder if the Archives has something like that already.

[autumnrainrunaway]

Finding out if there are museums that exist around town, though, I would love to do the former. That one sounds like a lot of fun, fixing up a museum in town if none exist here.

[ Oh dear Dolly, Mayaka might catch on about the Museum and the tiktaalik tour guide. The tiktaalik still has that drawing Mayaka did of him hung up in the dreamscape office. ]

That's a good point about the Archives, though, I would hope for one that was more accessible to others outside of the Lum Berry guild.

[sharpjustice]

[Mayaka doesn't think much of the deja vu sensation. Fish-san's existence still remains locked away in her subconscious.]

What sort of museums do you like to visit, Dolly-chan?

[autumnrainrunaway]

[ The tiktaalik will be awaiting till then. For now though, Dolly's fully invested after being asked that question! ]

Sweet Mac Lir, where do I start? I love natural and history museums, there's also the art museums that are magical to visit, historic home museums, planetariums, and there was this science museum that doubled as an aquarium.

There's a lot to list to be fair..

video;

[wolfcut]

[ He's just happy those gingerbread cookies received a completely deserved and not biased at all five stars. The rest he skims over, only to do a double-take. ]

Wh... why is moss on this?

[ ?????? ]

asldjkaasdkl; POOH ??

[sharpjustice]

Because it was submitted as a review. By Elly-chan and Oko-san.

[Mayaka answers very seriously.]

Even though it's not usually considered a sweet, it wouldn't be right to remove it from the list. That would be unfair censorship!

wishing i could just draw bigby with that face

[wolfcut]

[ Oko he gets, but Elly? Girl, why? ]

It's not censorship. It's just...

Most people shouldn't be eating that.

[ Aelita is already getting ideas. ]

[sharpjustice]

Well, there was Kris-san... didn't he like eating that?

[She hadn't known him that well, but she was one of those who had found moss for him previously.]

Besides, the rating is 1-star, B-chan. Who would think of eating it? [No one, of course!]

[wolfcut]

Did they? That's... well, I don't know anything about that.

[ Kris was a little weird though. ]

Never say never, Mayaka. Some people like a challenge.

[sharpjustice]

Right, right, whatever you say.

[Mayaka's not taking him seriously. She will come to see the error of her ways later on once she finds out a certain Dedenne wants to eat moss thanks to this...]

Thanks for contributing, by the way. Even though you don't like sweets.

[wolfcut]

[ He lightly huffs, knowing when he's being dismissed. Just you wait, Mayaka. When he's right, he's right. ]

Sure, kid. Don't mind a cookie or two if it's for a good cause.

[ And a much needed break from the usual stuff they're all dealing with. ]

You have a good time putting it all together?

[sharpjustice]

I did! It's the kind of stuff I do for my club in school!

[Mayaka's reply shines with youthful enthusiasm.]

We'd write articles and publish them in a club anthology once a year. Our club focuses on 'classic literature' which a lot of people might mistake for being boring. It was always fun coming up with ways to make the subject and book reviews interesting. I was in charge of designing the cover pages and contacting the printers. [She rambles on for a bit, initially happy to be share more about her less embarrassing interests.]

In my first year... I accidentally printed 200 copies instead of 30.

audio

[holidaygirl1225]

[There comes the sound of pages turning. She's had her nose buried in a book all month, so when she finds this--]

... what the fruitcake-- my cookies are in here?!