Scenario:Lowain - How It's Going

How It's Going

Securing permission from (Captain), the owner of the Tosh Club temporarily hires Lowain, Elsam, and Tomoi. Though the three are initially assigned to only the kitchen, they manage to charm the customers by attending to their unspoken needs through food. This irritates the Tosh Club's top attendant, Bianco, as filling up on food leaves the guests with less room for drinks, which is how the Tosh Club makes the majority of its money.

---

A few days after meeting Lowain and friends, the owner of the Tosh Club, a restaurant spiking in popularity, arrives at the Grandcypher.

Owner: You must be the captain of this fine crew. It's a pleasure to meet you.

After exchanging pleasantries, the man starts explaining the request he has for (Captain).

Owner: To sum it all up, I want Lowain and his friends to work for a time at my restaurant, the Tosh Club.

Owner: I recognize that they're a pivotal part of your crew, which is why I've prepared an appropriate amount of compensation to make up for their absence.

The amount that he offers is enough to cover a whole squad of elite skyfarers and then some.

Though reluctant to part with valuable members of the Grandcypher's kitchen staff, (Captain) decides to ask Lowain and the others their opinion.

Lowain: Sorry for the trouble, (Captain)... Guess we turned up the charm a little too high at the family restaurant.

1. What do you guys want to do?

Choose: What do you guys want to do?

Lowain: Not gonna lie, leaving the G. Cyph would feel like chopping my own nose off, but with that much pay? I could probably just buy myself a new one.

Elsam: For sure! With commish, we could probs break ten mil rupes, easy!

Tomoi: Bwahaha, it's commission pay, huh?

The three express their excitement at the prospect.

Respecting their decision, (Captain) agrees to the owner's request.

Owner: Welcome to the Tosh Club, your new workplace for the time being.

Lowain: Whoa... This place is fancy to the max...

Owner: We'll start you out waiting tables and handling the kitchen. Sound good?

All Three: Yessiree!

Lowain: How's about we review the recipes before opening?

Both: Wahey!

They gather over the recipe book in the kitchen and begin flipping through the pages.

Tomoi: Yo, Lowain. You thinking what I'm thinking?

Lowain: Probs.

Elsam: Yeah, there's no doubt about it. This place's dishes are all...

All Three: Kinda meh?

Lowain: What's meh even mean anyway?

Elsam: I mean, you get it though, right?

Tomoi: Yeah, like... These recipes are laser-focused on saving as many rupies as possible.

Lowain: Makes sense, since the place cares more about selling the drinks than the grub.

Lowain: But still... I think these dishes could use a little more volume and flavor.

Elsam: So you wanna add a little extra something?

Lowain: Yeah, maybe some toppings? Give everything a little more oomph.

Tomoi: But if we go too far over budget, we're gonna get yelled at.

Lowain: True. Just gotta figure out the right balance, right? We got this.

While prepping the kitchen for the day, the three debate solutions.

Soon enough, it comes time for the restaurant to open.

Woman 1: Good evening. Is Bianco available at the moment?

Bianco: Sorry to keep you waiting, Princess. Allow the White Rose of Tosh to illuminate your evening.

Woman 1: My, my. I'm a princess now, am I? Hehehe...

Man 1: Oh heavens above, someone else beat me to him! Bianco, come to my table once you're free!

Bianco: Of course, my prince. I'll be right with you as soon as I have a moment.

Lowain: Whew, Bibi's got some mad game.

Elsam: Not just him either. The other guys're crazy popular too.

Tomoi: No wonder we gotta wait the tables too. Ain't no way Bibi's gonna have the time to bring out the food.

Observing the rest of the restaurant from their little corner, the three friends wait for their first order.

Soon enough, Bianco rings for them.

Bianco: Boys! Our princess requires an appetizer!

All Three: Roger!

Lowain: One appetizer, coming right to you!

Lowain: Here you go. One toasty garlic bread and...

Lowain: Uhh... I guess you could call this minestrone.

Bianco: ...?

Woman 1: What a surprise! You have soup available today?

Bianco: Well... For royalty like you, we have to make sure the colors of the dish complement the rest of the table.

Woman 1: Hehe, oh stop it, you.

Lowain: I promise it's totes tasty, so have at it.

Bianco: Apologies for the wait, Prince. Shall we begin with an appetizer and a drink?

Lowain: One appetizer, sliding in! Plus a little something extra.

Lowain: This rice bowl topped with tons of juicy braised pork oughta go down real nice!

Bianco: You brought him what?

Bianco: Lowain.

Lowain: Whassup, Bi! Got another order?

Bianco: No, I just wanted to check why it seems like we have more appetizers than usual.

Lowain: Ah, that? Figured we could use the scraps from the salad to make minestrone. Zero waste, one hundo percent taste.

Lowain: We also had a bunch of pork that was about to go bad, so I cooked up that pork bowl. Better than tossing it, right?

Bianco: Cost isn't what I'm concerned about!

Bianco: Sure, our guests seemed to like the food... But we make our money off the drinks! If they fill up on food, they'll end up drinking less!

Lowain: Ah. Yeah. Right, uh... My bad. Just couldn't help myself after I caught a look of their faces, y'know?

Bianco: I'm afraid I don't. What are you talking about?

Lowain: Like the princess looks like she's having a teeny case of rough skin, so I thought the veggies would help.

Lowain: And the prince was pretty pale, yeah? Without some hearty food in him, he might be in for a bad time after drinking.

Bianco: Tch... Fine, just... Let me check the food before you bring it out!

Lowain: You got it!

Bianco: Sheesh...

Bianco: Guess we'll see if any of my words actually got through...

Woman's Voice: Whaaat? You're joking!

Elsam's Voice: Yeah, bro, what she said. You gotta be joshing.

Elsam, Tomoi, Lowain, and a female customer are gathered in a group, their attention on a single drink placed in front of them.

Lowain: Nah, for realsies, bro.

Bianco: Aren't those three supposed to be in the kitchen? What are they doing with a guest?

Tomoi: Bet.

Lowain: You're on. If it doesn't work, I owe you bros double-loaded stewed pork bowls.

Woman 2: Enough with the suspense! Show us already!

Lowain: H'okay, so we've got a glass of clear alcohol, yeah?

Both: Uh-huh...

Lowain: And what happens if we squeeze some lemon in?

Both: Uh-huh?

Lowain: Bam. It turns red.

Both: Say whaaaat?

Woman 2: Wow, it really changed colors!

Bianco: Hah... Should the White Rose dye himself red as well?

Lowain: Bi! Kept your seat warm for you!

Elsam: You can take it from here, yeah?

Tomoi: Back to the grind for us! See you!

Woman 2: Bye-bye!

Bianco: Sorry for the wait, Princess.

Woman 2: Did I hear them right? They called you Bi.

Bianco: I suppose they did...

Woman 2: Ahaha, what a cute nickname! Those three are such fun!

Bianco: (At least one of us thinks so...)

Business carries on until morning arrives and the Tosh Club closes for the day.

Owner: Great job out there tonight, guys! Ready to hear who made the most sales?

Employees: Yes, sir!

Owner: To no one's surprise... it was Bianco! Here's your bonus.

Bianco: Heh... Thanks.

Lowain: Dang, that's a lot of rupies. Must be real heavy.

Elsam: Whew, maybe we should aim for top sales too.

Tomoi: How? We're in charge of the kitchen, remember?

Owner: Hmm... Still, it's strange. You made less than usual, even though there were plenty of customers tonight.

Bianco: Sorry about that. I didn't manage to make them drink as much as usual.

Bianco: (Couldn't manage it when their stomachs were stuffed full of food...)

With the arrival of Lowain, Elsam, and Tomoi, the atmosphere of the Tosh Club slowly begins to change.

Whether this is the change that the owner is looking for remains to be seen.

How It's Going: Scene 2

Bianco scolds Lowain and friends, explaining that their catering to each individual customer is bad for business. In order to both give everyone the same service but also customize the experience for each guest, Lowain and friends host a bonito carving show that ends up being incredibly successful. Becoming the top earners for the night, the three earn a huge bonus, which they uneasily decide to spend on themselves.

---

Owner: So what do you think of our three newest hires?

Bianco: They're... lively. The guests seem to like them.

Owner: Haha, choosing your words carefully, huh?

Bianco: Hmm. It's just... How they treat the guests is completely different from the way we normally go about it.

Bianco: Sure, people seem to like them, but you opened this place with a different theme in mind, didn't you?

Owner: Right. Our boys should treat our customers like royalty. My stance on that hasn't changed.

Bianco: Which is why we call our guests princes and princesses.

Bianco: But I do recognize those three draw in a crowd with their strong personalities. Do you want to keep them on?

Owner: If I know you, you're also worried since they go against our policy of standardized service.

Owner: But I'll tell you this: there's only so much alcohol someone can drink in a night, and only so many types of alcohol in the world.

Bianco: ...

Owner: Bear with them a little longer, will you? They bring something unique to the table, and until I figure out what it is, I want to keep them.

Bianco: Fine. I'll put up with them, but I'll be training them to do business our way too.

Owner: I expect nothing less.

Bianco: (I understand that he's worried about the downsides of standardized service and our guests losing interest in the long term...)

Bianco: (Most people do eventually get bored of experiencing the same thing over and over.)

Bianco: (But if you ask me, the solution is to improve our services and aim for higher-class clientele.)

Bianco: Well... I can worry about it later.

Fixing his collar, Bianco calls the other employees over.

Bianco: It's almost time to greet our princes and princesses for tonight. Is everyone ready?

Employees: Yes, sir!

Bianco: Lowain.

Lowain: Sup?

Bianco: Remember, we need to make enough off the drinks before anything else. Okay?

Lowain: Okay-dokay!

Bianco: Good.

Soon after, the doors to the Tosh Club open.

Woman 3: Um, this is my first time here...

Bianco: Thank you for waiting, Princess. I'll escort you to your table.

Bianco: I have a lovely vintage here that I highly recommend you try.

Woman 3: B-but... I don't know... One bottle is a 100,000 rupies...

Lowain: Sorry for the wait! Here's your appetizer. By the way, you can go for a glass instead of the whole bottle if that's more up your alley!

Woman 3: Oh, yeah, that's definitely a lot more doable...

Bianco: Well, should you change your mind, the bottle will always be waiting for you.

Bianco: Princess, as much as I wish I could stay, the other attendants will grow jealous if I keep you all to myself. I'll be taking my leave—

Three Voices: Who's da man? You da man!

Woman 3: What's all the shouting about?

All Three: Lord HPA in the house!

Man 2: Gahahaha! Me, a lord? Now there's a thought!

Bianco: Sigh... He should be a prince while he's here, not a lord... But he seems happy about it, so I'll let it slide.

As the night goes on, Bianco trains more and more of his attention on Lowain and his friends.

Lowain: Here's your order. One aesthetic dessert for one aesthetic lady.

Woman 3: It's absolutely gorgeous! It's also... very large. I'm not sure I can finish it by myself...

Lowain: Sure you can! The cake's mostly fluffy on the inside, so it should be pretty light on your stomach!

Bianco: ...

Elsam: M'lord! Got you an outta-this-world treat to go along with your smash-tastic drink tonight!

Man 2: I appreciate the effort, but I'm sorry to say that I'm not the biggest fan of sweet things...

Elsam: That's good, 'cause this thing's more bitter than sweet! A mature flavor fit for a lord!

Bianco: Interesting...

Tomoi: Hmm.

Woman 4: Oh, is this ice cream for me?

Tomoi: Hmm...

Woman 4: Ahahaha! Why are you running away? You there, fetch him for me! I'd like him to join me at my table!

Bianco: Very interesting...

Owner: What are you muttering about?

Bianco: Lowain and his friends are able to accurately judge people in a single glance.

Bianco: They're handling the guests well because of this, but... I'm worried that they're being a little too friendly.

Bianco: We make our income off selling drinks, but those three are serving extra food even to those who can't afford to buy a single bottle from our stores.

Owner: Ah, yes. I suppose there might be financial downside to providing customized service and excelling at it.

Bianco: On the other hand, they're boosting our reputation through the roof.

Bianco: Which can work against us if we're not careful. One mistake will plummet public opinion to lows that we've never seen before.

Owner: There's a lot we can learn from them, though. Maybe there's merit in giving the same level of service to all our guests.

The days pass as Lowain and friends work at the Tosh Club.

Bianco: Lowain, leave the glass-ordering guest alone and prioritize the bottle-ordering one!

Lowain: Aight! Just gotta deliver this dessert and I'll be right over!

Bianco: About that! You need to quit spending so much time on the decorating! Make the design quick and easy, for crying out loud!

Elsam: Wha? But we nailed the balance on these babies!

Bianco: You've got to consider the cost-effectiveness first!

Tomoi: But we're doing this without using up extra ingredients—

Bianco: Time is money too!

Bianco grows more and more strict with each passing day.

Elsam: Is it just me, or has Bibi been kinda grumpy lately?

Tomoi: Oh, defs. He's way meaner than even the boss man from our part-time job back home.

Lowain: I mean... Maybe we've been running a little too wild and free?

Elsam: But he wants us to, like, totally step it down for the first-timers. What's up with that?

Lowain: Probably doesn't want us to up the ante too high, yeah? Else the regulars might get their pride hurt.

Lowain: I get that we live in a society, but, like...

Tomoi: We can't just not go all out when we do a thing, right?

Lowain: Exactly.

Lowain: ...

Lowain: Wait, brain blast. I think I've figured out a way that works for Bibi and us at the same time.

Despite Bianco's strict guidance, a fire burns in Lowain's heart.

He begins to scheme something in secret, along with his most trusted allies.

Bianco: That's the first half of the day wrapped up! Keep the drinks going, boys! We're raking it in!

Employees: Yes, sir!

Morale rises from both the sales of the day and Bianco's encouragement.

Bianco: ...

Bianco: What is that smell? Did someone spill something?

Lowain: My bad! It's me! Ain't it wild? Smell my hand!

Bianco: Get that stinky appendage away from me! What in the world did you do?

Lowain: You want our services to be more equal across the board, right?

Lowain: I think I figured out something for that.

Bianco: What?

Lowain: Just make sure you point all the fancy lights at us!

Not long after, the source of the strange smell wafting about is soon revealed.

Lowain: Princes and princesses! Sorry about the lights, but could you look over here?

Elsam: Sorry about the stink too. Comes with the surprise we prepped...

Tomoi: Sorry... Heh.

Illuminated by a spotlight, the three of them stand next to a cloth-covered table.

Lowain: Ready...

Both: Uh-huh, uh-huh...

With exaggerated flair, Lowain yanks the cloth away.

Lowain: We've got a bonito carving show, brought to you straight from the Tosh Club kitchen!

All Three: Wahey!

Bianco: They can't be serious...

Man 1: You're going to slice up that enormous fish, right here?

Lowain: Sure am! Gonna serve it to you all, fresh as can be! First up's the juicy red belly cut!

Lowain sinks his knife expertly into the fish, much to the audience's astonishment.

Woman 1: My, how exciting!

Tomoi: Heh... Enjoy the show, Princess.

Tomoi: Can I suggest this spirit from 'Guste? Its flavors mesh crazy good with sashimi...

Woman 1: Oh, yes, please! I'll take a bottle!

Woman 3: Wow, I wish I could order a whole bottle...

Elsam: Sorry to keep you waiting, Princess.

Elsam: We've got this wicked cute mini bottle version too, if you're interested.

Woman 3: Oh! Yeah, I'll take a mini bottle, please!

Bianco: My hat's off to you, Lowain. This is truly something else.

Lowain: Eh, I mean...

Lowain: I just couldn't figure out how else to give everyone the same kinda service.

Bianco: You even prepared special spirits outside of our usual options. Thanks to that, none of our current stores will sell tonight.

Lowain: Gah! I didn't think about that... Sorry...

Bianco: I suppose what matters most is that the guests are happy and that we're making money regardless.

The rest of the carving show goes smoothly, and before long, the night draws to an end.

Owner: Tonight's top earners are...

Owner: Lowain, Elsam, and Tomoi! Congrats!

All Three: Wahoo!

Contrary to the usual, the three friends earn the bonus of the day.

Lowain: Dang, all these rupies really are heavy.

Elsam: We could probably buy Tonvuit wallets for all of us with this much moolah.

Tomoi: Pffft, haha! Forget the wallets. We could probably get whole Tonvuit outfits!

Lowain: Now there's an idea. How about it? Should we stop by the store on our way back?

Elsam: Hey, why don't we hit up all the other fancy places while we're at it?

Tomoi: Today might just be the day my dreams come true...

Lowain: No joke. We could probably buy everything we ever wanted with all this...

All Three: ...

Lowain: Hey, hey, hey, why the gloom, bros?

Elsam: Yeah, this ain't like us. Chin up, Tommy.

Tomoi: Right, yeah. Let's hit those shops!

In contrast to their earlier enthusiasm, the three take slow steps forward, as if weighed down by more than the exhaustion from an all-night shift.

How It's Going: Scene 3

Realizing that both the upper-class guests and casual guests are uncomfortable around one another, Lowain and friends secretly decide to save up their paychecks and bonuses to purchase a used battleship, turning it into a new location dedicated to serving casual guests. The endeavor is a huge success, and the three leave the battleship in Bianco's hands before returning to the Grandcypher's kitchen.

---

Owner: All right, everyone. Bask in the Alohas sun and recharge! Enjoy your well-earned time off.

Employees: Yes, sir!

Owner: Where'd Lowain and his boys get off to?

Bianco: They couldn't come because they're broke.

Owner: What? How? They've been top in sales almost every night! They should be swimming in dough after all those bonuses...

Bianco: I wish I knew. I'm just as curious.

Lowain: Pant... Wheeze...

Elsam: It's pretty rough... starving for three days in a row...

Tomoi: Good thing we still have the club's tap water... Otherwise we'd have been goners...

Lowain: Don't forget the Tonvuit and Gattebo shoes we boiled and ate...

Elsam: The Gattebo tasted better than the Tonvuit...

Tomoi: Uh... Now that I think about it... Couldn't we have sold those shoes and bought, like, actual grub?

Lowain: Tommy...

Elsam: Why didn't you say so earlier? Coulda been... eating like kings...

Lowain: You know what I could go for right now? Some of the old boss man's plain ramen...

Both: Same.

Lowain: Simple, but so delish...

Elsam: We'd split one bowl between us...

Tomoi: Fight over who'd get to drink the broth...

All Three: Heheh... Heheheh...

All Three: Ugh...

Bianco: We're back, boys. We brought you some souvenirs—

Bianco: Whoa! Somebody lend me a hand! We've got people passed out on the floor here!

Lowain and friends, passed out from starvation, are rushed to a doctor.

Suspicion begins to grow in Bianco's mind as he takes stock of the situation.

Owner: Sorry it took me so long to get here. How are they?

Bianco: They're being treated for malnourishment. No visitors allowed for now.

Bianco: (Forget the trip we just took. They couldn't even afford to eat?)

Bianco: (They should have earned at least several million rupies, maybe even a hundred million...)

Bianco: (What in the skies could they have used all of that for? If we're talking one big purchase, then...)

Bianco: Don't tell me... Did they buy property?

Nurse: Lowain! Elsam? Tomoi! Where did you go?

Bianco: What's wrong? Aren't those three sleeping in their room?

Nurse: We can't find them anywhere in the building!

Nurse: They said something about having to sign an important contract today and then vanished! I don't know how they're moving about in their condition, but somehow...

Bianco: A contract? We have to chase after them immediately!

Owner: Do you have any idea where they could be?

Bianco: They must be visiting a real estate agent! That's why they didn't have enough money to eat!

Bianco: They plan on opening their own restaurant, using all the knowledge they stole from us!

Owner: No, no, no... We have to find them right away!

All Three: Wahey...

Woman 3: Oh, dear! Aren't you three from the Tosh Club?

Lowain: Hey, Princess. Perfect timing.

Elsam: Heading over to the Tosh right now?

Woman 3: Of course! We promised to meet today, didn't we?

Tomoi: Right, yeah. But how about instead of heading over to the Tosh, we show you somewhere else?

Woman 3: You want to go somewhere else?

Lowain: You said before that you find the vibes in the Tosh kinda scary, yeah?

Woman 3: Ah... Yeah, sometimes I worry that I stand out too much, since I don't have as much money as the other customers...

Lowain: So we figured out a way to make you more comfy. Luckily we made it in time for today.

As Lowain and friends speak with the woman, Bianco and the owner come running up.

Bianco: Lowain, hold it! Are you actually taking her somewhere else?

Bianco: Don't tell me... You really opened up your own establishment?

Lowain: Oh, hey, Bibi! Sorry we did this without getting your input.

Bianco: My input? You've got some nerve thinking I would've helped you!

Lowain: Wait... We can chat later.

Bianco: What? No, we're having this conversation now!

Lowain: It's almost here.

Bianco: What are you...

Lowain points up at a massive black shadow in the sky.

Bianco: What is that?

Lowain: An old empire battleship. We bought it with everything we had.

Lowain: Guess we can name it... The Tosh Club Annex.

Bianco: Excuse... me?

Both: Annex in the house!

Lowain: So tonight...

Both: Tonight...

Lowain: We're gonna celebrate our princess's b-day in the new annex!

All Three: W00t, w00t!

Woman 3: A-ahaha... Thanks...

Owner: Could someone fill me in? Because I'm still totally lost. How did we get a battleship of all things as an extra location?

Bianco: Well...

Lowain: If we say it like it is, we've got two types of princes and princesses: the fancy and the casual.

Elsam: We got folks who can buy the whole bottle, but we also got folks who can only shell out for a glass.

Tomoi: Even the customers notice the gap...

Lowain: That's when we came up with the idea. Why not get another building, pretty it up, and set it up for the casual guests?

Owner: So they purchased the battleship, going as far as starving themselves to afford it...

Bianco: Now that I think about it, the bonito show was done on their own money too.

Bianco: They were willing to dedicate life and limb for people who couldn't even pay them back...

Bianco: I'm humbled, truly. They deserve all my respect.

Lowain: Birthday HPA assemble!

All Three: Wahey!

Journalist: Wow... And that's how the legendary Tosh Dandelions took off.

Bianco: Our guests themselves seem pleased to be able to choose the atmosphere that suits them best.

Bianco: We've seen a boost of returning customers for the annex in particular.

Journalist: I'm impressed, honestly. You're now able to cater to all guests regardless of age, gender, or wealth.

Journalist: Hm... What's that I smell in the air? It's making me hungry.

Bianco: Apologies for the distraction. Lowain and the others had something they wanted to cook, no matter how much I tried to talk them out of it.

Lowain: Here you are! Our dish of the day!

Journalist: Is this... ramen?

Lowain: Not just any ramen. It's the plain ramen we used to eat back home.

Journalist: Huh... Why did you decide on this dish today?

Lowain: Y'know. 'Cause it's the one that kicked off our entire career.

Elsam: We were supposed to only handle the kitchen when we first came to Tosh.

Tomoi: Just needed a little reminder of our roots, you dig?

Lowain: Anyway...

Lowain: Wanted to let you know that I'm going back to being just a chef.

Both: And kitchen staff for us!

Journalist: H-huh?

Bianco: You... Are you for realsies?

Lowain: Starving to buy the ship brought back memories of this ramen.

Elsam: We were flat broke back in the old days. Had to split one serving between us.

Tomoi: One bowl had forty noodles, so we had thirteen each. Then we'd fight over who got the extra one...

Lowain: Not gonna lie, it's nice being able to afford Tonvuit stuff.

Elsam: But it just don't feel like us, y'know?

Tomoi: Like, forget the fancy vase. Put us back in the earth. We're just weeds that wanna enjoy the breeze.

Lowain: Like dandelions, I guess?

Lowain: The annex is all yours, Bibi. Take care of her!

All Three: See ya!

Bianco: Wh-what?

Mouths agape, Bianco and the journalist watch as Lowain and friends run off.

Lowain: Today was our last day on the Tosh contract, right? Means we can finally head back to the G. Cyph!

Elsam: Nothing beats the G. Cyph! Sorry, Tosh Club!

Tomoi: Wasn't half bad serving princes and princesses, but, like, the G. Cyph kitchen is where it's at.

Lowain: Right? Feels best serving our crew...

Lowain: And Kat.

Elsam: And Yggy.

Tomoi: And Freezie. Even though she's not on the ship.

All Three: Fo sho.

All Three: Wahey!

The three happily bound into the distance.

After a long stint away, they're able to return home to the Grandcypher.

As for the Tosh Club, business goes on.

The main Tosh Club building becomes the lap of luxury, while the annex remains welcoming to the casual public.

In this way, Bianco is able to aim for higher class patrons, while the owner expands their pool of customers.

Today, once again, a certain princess enjoys the pleasure of a mini bottle of alcohol while lounging inside the Tosh Club Annex.