THE PIE HOLE

[xxii_thefool]

WHO: Minako Arisato, Lancer, Kanaya, and YOU, plus appearances by Archer.
WHERE: The Pie Hole pie restaurant and bakeshop.
WHEN: October 1-31
WARNINGS: It could vary, though not too high please.
SUMMARY: This log is forever open to fraternize, socialize, and otherwise eat pie in Ned's restaurant. If you would like to make your thread closed to a specific person (be Minako or another character) put their name in the subject line. If your thread is open, a server will be with you shortly. Feel free to tag other open threads or eat with strangers too! Anything goes.

Increasingly throughout the month, the Pie Hole will be decorated for Halloween! All day on the 31st there will be candy apples and popcorn balls behind the counter for trick-or-treaters and anyone else adventurous enough to come in wearing a Halloween costume.



MENU


whole pies or by-the-slice
apple apple ......................................................... your traditional apple pie
appleberry ......................................................... a delicious blend of apple and fresh berries
banana cream ......................................................... fresh ripe bananas and whipped vanilla cream
black cherry temptation ................................. for those who might enjoy a darker spin on a classic
blueberry skies forever ......................................................... the freshest picked blueberries
cherry creme fraishe cherry cream ................................. cherries and creme fraishe double layered
coconut custard ......................................................... a tropical and perfectly creamy smooth custard
double-shot espresso ................................ also known as "The Mitch" - always available in dairy and/or gluten free as well as traditional
key lime to your heart ......................................................... key lime pie served with fresh strawberries
lemon meringue ......................................................... your traditional lemon meringue, whipped to perfection
melt-in-your-mouth mince ........................................ a festive mix of raisins, rum, apples and spices
over the moon pie ......................................................... chocolate fudge cream pie
peach melba ......................................................... peach pie served with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds on top
pearway to heaven ......................................................... pear pie with gruyere cheese baked into the crust
pecan pecan ......................................................... your traditional pecan pie
strawberry fields ......................................................... the freshest picked strawberries, served with a mint leaf
three plum ......................................................... a lusciously layered plum tart
tripleberry ......................................................... the freshest blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries in one pie

cup-pies
berry petite ........................... the smallest pie often packs the most flavor. this tiny selection is overflowing with fresh, seasonal berries
brownie sundae ......................................................... brownie, white chocolate mousse and chocolate with hot fudge and almonds on top
cocoa coffee ......................................................... layers of brownie, chocolate mouse and chocolate ganache
coconut chocolate cream ......................................................... coconut and rich vanilla, topped with chocolate fudge
key lime ......................................................... creamy key lime in a graham cracker crust
lemon cream cheese ......................................................... lemon tart with a cream cheese topping
pecan ......................................................... carmelized pecans in a luscious filling
lemon raspberry ......................................................... raspberry vanilla, creamy lemon, raspberry lady fingers and lemon mousse
vanilla bean ......................................................... layers of vanilla cream, vanilla mousse and whipped cream


gluten-free dairy-free vegan options
made with an almond crust unless otherwise specified. available as whole pie or by-the-slice.

almond creme dream ................... slivered and crushed almonds in a cocoa custard
apple brown betty ..................... a traditional apple with heaps of brown sugar
black current cobbler ................... fresh black currents with a gluten-free cracker crumble
coconut decadence ........................... a light whipped coconut custard served in a coconut crust with a candied lime on top
double-shot espresso shot ............................ also known as "the Mitch" and inspired by our fair mayor. this pie is loaded with antioxidants and CAFFEINE. also available in decaf
tart date and cashew tart ............. fresh cashews, dates, and cranberries toasted in blue agave
not-so-traditional key lime ................... some like it sweet, but this one's a little sour
even-less-so lemon meringue ............... how did he make this without cream, it's a mystery

SPECIALS
available all month long as whole pie, cup-pie, or by-the-slice

toffee apple ......................... a festive, candy-laced twist on the old classic
autumn pumpkin .......................... spiced to perfection (jack-o-lantern decoration optional - ask Minako!)
chestnut cream ............................ smooth cream filling made with roasted chestnuts

SOUPS
available all month, two different soup choices per day. served with (optional) grilled cheese/cheez of your choosing.

Comments

[xxii_thefool]

Minako opens her mouth to say it's fine - then stops herself and looks down at the table with a self-deprecating smile. "It's not anything to worry about," she says. "I just - don't like this time of year so much." Absently curling her hand around the opposite wrist and over the leather-banded watch, she looks up, still smiling. "It's silly, since it's not like it's the season's fault. I'll just feel sorry for myself tonight, and then tomorrow..."

She trails off there, looking faintly uncertain.

[glowsferatu]

"That doesn't sound silly." She wants to say it doesn't sound like nothing to worry about, either, but she can relate to the feeling of not wanting to have anyone fret or fuss over her. Maybe worry is the wrong word.

"Is it anything you want to talk about? It at least sounds like something that should be, holding it all in rarely does us any good."

[xxii_thefool]

It is not, in fact, anything that Minako wants to talk about... although she probably should, and she's had the lesson about bottling things up too much hammered in pretty thoroughly over the past year. All the same, she hesitates for a short while, folding her arms loosely on the table and sinking down in her seat until her chin is resting on her forearm.

"...In another couple of weeks, I'll have been here a year," she says eventually. "It's weird, since I didn't really think I'd live that long."

[glowsferatu]

Kanaya remembers something about that, something Minako's shadow had said way back when. But outliving your own expectations can always be a little troublesome, she knows that firsthand. But it's better to not have to die to learn how to truly live, and she's had to learn that, too.

"It's a common problem, I think, here in the City. It seems there are quite a lot of the dead granted an extension during their time here. So, I suppose the question is how you feel about what you've done with that. Do you think you've lived the life you've been given as well as you'd like?"

[xxii_thefool]

"...I don't think that I've done badly," Minako answers, speaking slowly and carefully and looking down at the table instead of at Kanaya. "There will always be things that we'll wish we'd done differently, but..."

She looks up for a moment, through her bangs. "I made up my mind a long time ago - that no matter what happens, I can never look back any more. I can only keep moving forward, all the way to the end."

A sigh deflates her shoulders a little further, and her gaze drops back down again. "...But, it's difficult."

[glowsferatu]

"Life tends to have a strong aversion to being easy, in my experience." In her worst moments, she simply takes for granted that it's supposed to be hard, that's precisely what it exists to be. But then other times it can surprise her. The job here being just one example.

"Let's not think of the past, then. There's too much future to talk about instead." She brushes a hand against Minako's elbow. "Is there anything you have wanted from that future that you don't have now?"

Maybe she is thinking of the past with it, but Minako's arrival isn't the only anniversary upcoming, and Kanaya has never forgotten how burdensome a certain position she put her in was. Much less what she's done for her more recently.

Minako's an important friend to her, and if there's anything she can do to make her happier, she'll do her damnedest to see it through.

[xxii_thefool]

"Something I want... huh...?"

She thinks about it for a short space of time, shifting in her seat to sit up a little and prop her elbows on the table, one forearm curling over the other against her chest as though to shield herself, or cradle something precious close to her.

After a moment, she smiles wanly. "There are lots of things that I want. I want to see the first snow, and cherry blossoms in bloom. I want to go to a street festival and set off fireworks. I want to go out on a date with a guy I like. I want to share yakiniku or shabu-shabu with a lot of friends."

It's her shadow self talking, she knows, but now that she's started it's hard to stop. "...I'm actually a very greedy person, you know? There's never enough time. I could have a hundred lifetimes, and when it was all over there'd probably still be more that I wanted to say."

[glowsferatu]

Kanaya sits up as Minako lists things off, listening intently and making mental notes. None of it really sounds unattainable, they're just simple, small things. But the kind you look back on sentimentally, with meaning. That's always the sort of person Minako seemed to her, appreciative of the subtle touches.

"I don't think that's abnormal. It's more than normal, it's healthy. It means you have an investment in your life, that you aren't finished with it, and don't want to be any time soon."

She taps a nail against the table for a few seconds, thinking. "Alright, you know what? We should do this."

[xxii_thefool]

"--mm?" Minako looks up questioningly at Kanaya's last statement, not quite following the thought process that's led her there - if only thanks to being rather preoccupied with her own moody train of thought.

"Do what?"

[glowsferatu]

She holds up a hand and starts counting off her fingers. "See the first snow, set off fireworks at a street festival, sharing shabu-shabu with friends." She has no idea what shabu-shabu is, but she made sure not to forget the name. "You know, all of it. You have things you want to achieve, so I think we should go out and see to it that they're done!"

She might've freaked out when someone tried to tell her about bucket lists before, for cultural reasons, but the idea at least makes sense to her, even if the name doesn't.

[xxii_thefool]

Minako has no immediate response to that; still looking vaguely surprised, she has to take a moment or two to think about it. It's not that she hasn't been doing things she wants to do, but...

"...Some of those things will have to wait for a little while, unless you know of someone in the City who can make the snow fall or the flowers bloom out of season." She says it with a lopsided smile. This is the City, after all - she can't put it past belief that there might be someone out there with just such an ability.

Still... "Autumn is a pretty good season for a shabu-shabu party, though... if there are other people who'd be interested..."

[glowsferatu]

"Well, those will obviously need to be held on the list until such a time as they'd be appropriate." Assuming, of course, that they'll both still be here once those seasons arrive, but that remains unspoken. It's not an idea she'd like to acknowledge, however potential the obstacle may hold.

"That one would be a good start, I think. I'm sure we could arrange some glad participants." Rin, at least, is a given. Maybe there are others they could invite, as well.

And that isn't the only wheel turning, either. "As for a date, well, I can't necessarily provide your liking him, that's something you'll have to work out for yourself, but...I do know guys."

[xxii_thefool]

"Ah--?" Minako's brows lift at Kanaya's last comment, and she quickly shakes her head. "You don't need to go to that kind of trouble, really. I mean, even if I go out with someone, it's... not as though I can take it seriously or anything. So it'd probably be better to avoid misunderstandings."

[glowsferatu]

"If you're taking it seriously on a first date then I think it'd be more likely to be a problem." As if that isn't hypocritical of her at all. But she really only did that once out of the three first dates she's ever had, and that one was special.

"I doubt misunderstandings will be a real problem, and it's certainly no trouble for me. You should just...you know, go out and enjoy yourself. If the company's good, you can consider repeating it. Otherwise, well," she just shrugs.