Silver Starlight brings out a plastic tray filled with a half-dozen good-sized cupcakes, and flips the lid open.

"Here you go. Got these from a 24/7 convenience store at 4 this morning. You may have one. And the promise that when you break more training milestones there will be more."

She quirks an eyebrow, amused. "Training milestones are their own reward. And I can go buy cupcakes myself. Probably won't, though."

She takes it and takes a big bite, closing her eyes and enjoying the sweetness.

Silver Starlight smiles. "Alright, lunch. Cocoa, you're on kitchen duty again."

He snaps a salute. "Yes, Senior!" And off he goes.

"Would you like a hand up?"

"...Sure?" She holds her non-cupcaked hand out.

Silver Starlight pulls her to her feet.

"Again, good job. Your progress is surprisingly fast, especially for someone without amniotic qi."

She heads kitchenwards. "That's- Qi you have from birth? Does everyone have it or only children of cultivators?"

"Everyone, but it only lasts until you are about eight years old, so you must train very early to gain the full benefit. Which is part of why sects exist."

"I can hardly imagine training this hard when I was eight. I was a stubborn little - thing - back then."

Silver Starlight nods. "But sects really do raise children like that. Training them to cultivate practically from the moment they learn to think. They say it's best to train them starting at four or five years old." 

She frowns. "Imagine growing up in a sect like that. Knowing from birth you were meant to be a cultivator and a strong one. And then you fail. Or worse, you succeed. 

This is why, and don't repeat this, so many assholes come out of China."

"......Troubling. I don't really know any rich people but that's the impression you get of how they think, you know, with the stuff they tweet or whatever. They deserve it somehow, because they're just so awesome."

Sigh.

"I like this group, though. Does not seem that way at all."

"I've tried hard to build it that way. Glad you like it. Now let's get to our sandwiches, shall we?"

Sandwiches are tasty.

"I wonder if I should cook something. A local specialty. Chemy Cod. It could just be horribly provincial and bad, though, maybe I just like it out of nostalgia."

"I'll try anything once."

"She really will," says Cocoa. "I did some experiments with curry and she soldiered through stuff that'd make me cry."

"...You know what, I'll make it for dinner."

She peers through the fridge muttering for a minute.

"I can do shopping for it, or you, Cocoa, or call one of those delivery grocery services I guess, but I'll need, well, some cod, a little thing of heavy cream, unflavored yogurt, whole milk, small red potatoes, shredded cheddar, aaaaand- Worcestershire sauce and lemon pepper unless they're in the back corners of the pantry somewhere."

Cocoa looks at Silver Starlight.

"Let's all go shopping together."

"What, to chill and get out of the house? Fair enough. Lemme finish off this sandwich-"

Chomp chomp.

"I need to remember how the mundane world works every now and then. It's hard to keep perspective." Munch munch.

"Makes sense."

Walking to the store and shopping is not especially exciting. They get it done quickly, chatting about simple things a bit more along the way. Bettrys likes rock music and action movies, apparently.

Silver Starlight pays for everything with a fifty-pound note. ("Is this enough to cover it? I swear I get less in touch with prices every year.")

"Can we drop by Anna's on the way back? Shouldn't take long."

"I can keep the food cold, so I don't see why not." 

When they get back to the car, Starlight does refrigeration formations on all the bags. It takes ten minutes.