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(open) i'm steppin' out
WHO: Ciel, Pleromas who have to deal with more Kenomas on their turf for a few days, various
WHAT: Foodventures ft. a girl who needs her fix, also general July catch-all
WHERE: Godsblood, Achamoth
WHEN: First half of/early Soviseri
WARNINGS: N/A
I. GODSBLOOD; MAY I OFFER YOU AN EGG BITE IN THESE TRYING TIMES?
[It’s a nice day in Godsblood, and there is loud arguing coming from the central marketplace. Between two joints selling street food, to be exact.]
All your dingy little booth does is slather everything in sauce with no respect to the ingredients, just close shop and save yourself the embarrassment!”
[On one side, a brown-haired middle-aged woman in a worn and greasy apron, manning a stall that seems to specialize in grilled seafood behind her.]
Hah! You're one to talk, old hag! Your prices are highway robbery, and your seasoning is as bland as plain rice! The only way you make a profit is con customers who don’t know any better!
[On the other, a young man of average build on the thin side is starting to go a little red in the face, his stall seemingly specializing in skewers instead.]
Watch your mouth, you little whippersnapper! My husband and I have run this business for generations, inherited from my great-great-great grandmother! Our recipe isn’t just tradition, it’s history, we didn’t establish this by bootlicking our way through the culinary guild and begging for handouts to set up our own shop!
[Oh, this is getting heated… They’re staring to attract a crowd, not a sizable one but people are stopping by. The general sentiment seems to be of… entertainment, for better or worse; some locals are even snacking as they watch on?! They seem used to this, for better or worse…]
That is NOT what happened, I worked my butt off at the guild fair and square! You’re just jealous I was a better student – AND a better cook than your daughter, who doesn’t even WANT to take over your tasteless grilling anyway! You ever think about why she never comes around here when you’re “open”? You should’ve retired a decade ago!
[THAT earns a few gasps among the audience; dragging the daughter in? Oh my.]
Sir! Ma’am! Please, a moment!
[Interrupting them both to the surprise of everyone present, is a young woman with short dark blue hair certain Pleroma Aions may recognize. Especially those from the initial group of awakened, she did do a bad thing™ back inside the Suffer Caves and had a bad thing™ done to her in turn. There’s not the faintest hint of that now, she’s actively stepping in between them with a pacifying smile.]
I didn’t mean to start an argument, I apologize. But both your stalls just smelled so good, I’d honestly love to try out anything you would recommend! I wouldn’t mind everything too, to be completely honest, so would that be okay? Just let me know the price, I’ll be happy to pay and wait while you prepare!
[Oh… Business. Business means jools. That DOES seem to get the vendors’ attention, so they both move on to eyeing the girl with a different flavor of skepticism instead of glaring at each other like before.]
With all due respect, miss, you don’t look like much. I don’t mind making a bigger sale, but I can’t condone wasting food.
Our grilled squid is a Godsblood staple, ask anyone here! [The woman haughtily glances at the gathered spectators, who don’t seem bothered at all by the callout.] I can get you one of everything and prove to you QUALITY is why we’ve lasted so long, girlie, long as you tell this upstart exactly how my food tastes better.
—Huh?! You can’t do that, that’s NOT how it works! Miss, you have to judge by yourself, there’s no way I’d lose to sensible tastebuds! [The man looks to be a mixture of indignant and flustered, gesturing at his client who is somehow still managing to keep her smile through it all.]
Ahaha. I’m no gourmet, but I can tell you if I think it’s tasty or not. If you’d like feedback, I’ll do my best! How much will one of everything be?
[The talk of payment once again appears to effectively deescalate the situation further, and it’s at that moment that the girl turns her gaze towards you, a Pleroma Aion. Were you passing by? Or have you been watching for a while? It makes no difference: she’s addressing YOU in particular, holding out a hand invitingly towards your specific direction as she makes her offer loud and clear.]
Can I get that person over there to help me taste-test and eat everything too? I promise we won’t let any food go to waste, it’s fairer to have more than one person judge anyway. How about it? I already said I’d pay, so you don’t have to worry about how much it costs. Will you please help us out?
[That prompts some murmurs of interest and agreement among the audience, it’s indeed a fair and open proposition. Tier 1 Pleromas, don’t think too hard about how you were singled out specifically when it could have been anyone else. As for tier 2, figures that someone on the same level from the Kenoma side would have been able to spot you out, as the reverse is equally true. The woman whose dark energies also reflect the Martyr’s Legacy is still smiling warmly and waiting patiently. Well? It’s free food, and everyone’s attention is already on them both. Come on?]
II. GODSBLOOD; SNACKS DON’T SUBSTITUTE FOR PROPER MEALS
[The food stall vendors didn’t get to find out the hard way, but local restaurants sure will! Over the next few days, a head of blue will be dropping by various restaurants in town during lunch or dinner doing the following:
A. Inquiring about their dish with the biggest kick,
B. Clapping her hands together reverently in front of enough food for two~three people, yet is by herself at the table,
C. Looking various degrees of satisfied depending on how good the food was, with an empty stack of several plates in front of her.
Fattydingdong… Approach? She’s quite open to recommendations, there may or may not be mild rumors brewing of some random girl not from around suddenly showing up and eating her way across Godsblood. It seems funny and harmless, plus it does fuel local businesses, so the citizens are largely fine with writing her off as some eccentric too willing to spend jool on food than most others. This Kenoma definitely isn’t here on official business or trying particularly hard to lay low. After all, she’s here for her own reason:]
III. GODSBLOOD; Y’ALL GOT ANY MORE OF THAT… SPICE?
[And no, NOT the one as defined by Urban Dictionary. To anyone observant who is familiar with a certain spice stand in Godsblood, they may be able to note that a blue-haired woman is often found in the general vicinity of that specific Pleroma funding point. She makes sure to never be in sight of the seller, so it may not be obvious right away, but she doesn’t stray far, occasionally glancing towards the spice stall’s general direction in a not-so-subtle way. These are still all public areas, though. Let her be weird on her own, or confront?
Don’t mind her sometimes making light and quiet conversation difficult to eavesdrop with local children, too. She may also be caught slipping a young boy or girl of elementary age a piece of paper and a small pouch, closer to an alleyway a bit more isolated from the main streets where the bulk of the foot traffic is. Nothing suspicious; move along?]
IV. ACHAMOTH; PRIORITIES
[One day during Soviseri, an unusual smell is wafting from the kitchen. Any Kenomie in its general vicinity may be able to catch the scent of something pungent and savory, those familiar with the dish may also recognize it right away for what it plainly is: curry. Even if they don’t, it’s not something the citadel’s kitchen staff normally makes, and if they do choose to look into it, they will effectively find Ciel by herself in front of a large iron pot at the stove.
Holding in one hand a ladle with a yellow/brown-ish sauce coating over chunks of meat, vegetables, and potatoes, she looks like she’s blissfully floating on cloud nine and completely phased out of touch with reality.
This is understandably at least a little weird, so feel free to 180 right back out into the hallway. Unless…?]
V. WILDCARD
[Godsblood, Achamoth, maybe elsewhere, Pleromies or Kenomies, if you’d like something different or a closed starter, hit me up via PM or in the game Discord! o/]
WHAT: Foodventures ft. a girl who needs her fix, also general July catch-all
WHERE: Godsblood, Achamoth
WHEN: First half of/early Soviseri
WARNINGS: N/A
I. GODSBLOOD; MAY I OFFER YOU A
[It’s a nice day in Godsblood, and there is loud arguing coming from the central marketplace. Between two joints selling street food, to be exact.]
All your dingy little booth does is slather everything in sauce with no respect to the ingredients, just close shop and save yourself the embarrassment!”
[On one side, a brown-haired middle-aged woman in a worn and greasy apron, manning a stall that seems to specialize in grilled seafood behind her.]
Hah! You're one to talk, old hag! Your prices are highway robbery, and your seasoning is as bland as plain rice! The only way you make a profit is con customers who don’t know any better!
[On the other, a young man of average build on the thin side is starting to go a little red in the face, his stall seemingly specializing in skewers instead.]
Watch your mouth, you little whippersnapper! My husband and I have run this business for generations, inherited from my great-great-great grandmother! Our recipe isn’t just tradition, it’s history, we didn’t establish this by bootlicking our way through the culinary guild and begging for handouts to set up our own shop!
[Oh, this is getting heated… They’re staring to attract a crowd, not a sizable one but people are stopping by. The general sentiment seems to be of… entertainment, for better or worse; some locals are even snacking as they watch on?! They seem used to this, for better or worse…]
That is NOT what happened, I worked my butt off at the guild fair and square! You’re just jealous I was a better student – AND a better cook than your daughter, who doesn’t even WANT to take over your tasteless grilling anyway! You ever think about why she never comes around here when you’re “open”? You should’ve retired a decade ago!
[THAT earns a few gasps among the audience; dragging the daughter in? Oh my.]
Sir! Ma’am! Please, a moment!
[Interrupting them both to the surprise of everyone present, is a young woman with short dark blue hair certain Pleroma Aions may recognize. Especially those from the initial group of awakened, she did do a bad thing™ back inside the Suffer Caves and had a bad thing™ done to her in turn. There’s not the faintest hint of that now, she’s actively stepping in between them with a pacifying smile.]
I didn’t mean to start an argument, I apologize. But both your stalls just smelled so good, I’d honestly love to try out anything you would recommend! I wouldn’t mind everything too, to be completely honest, so would that be okay? Just let me know the price, I’ll be happy to pay and wait while you prepare!
[Oh… Business. Business means jools. That DOES seem to get the vendors’ attention, so they both move on to eyeing the girl with a different flavor of skepticism instead of glaring at each other like before.]
With all due respect, miss, you don’t look like much. I don’t mind making a bigger sale, but I can’t condone wasting food.
Our grilled squid is a Godsblood staple, ask anyone here! [The woman haughtily glances at the gathered spectators, who don’t seem bothered at all by the callout.] I can get you one of everything and prove to you QUALITY is why we’ve lasted so long, girlie, long as you tell this upstart exactly how my food tastes better.
—Huh?! You can’t do that, that’s NOT how it works! Miss, you have to judge by yourself, there’s no way I’d lose to sensible tastebuds! [The man looks to be a mixture of indignant and flustered, gesturing at his client who is somehow still managing to keep her smile through it all.]
Ahaha. I’m no gourmet, but I can tell you if I think it’s tasty or not. If you’d like feedback, I’ll do my best! How much will one of everything be?
[The talk of payment once again appears to effectively deescalate the situation further, and it’s at that moment that the girl turns her gaze towards you, a Pleroma Aion. Were you passing by? Or have you been watching for a while? It makes no difference: she’s addressing YOU in particular, holding out a hand invitingly towards your specific direction as she makes her offer loud and clear.]
Can I get that person over there to help me taste-test and eat everything too? I promise we won’t let any food go to waste, it’s fairer to have more than one person judge anyway. How about it? I already said I’d pay, so you don’t have to worry about how much it costs. Will you please help us out?
[That prompts some murmurs of interest and agreement among the audience, it’s indeed a fair and open proposition. Tier 1 Pleromas, don’t think too hard about how you were singled out specifically when it could have been anyone else. As for tier 2, figures that someone on the same level from the Kenoma side would have been able to spot you out, as the reverse is equally true. The woman whose dark energies also reflect the Martyr’s Legacy is still smiling warmly and waiting patiently. Well? It’s free food, and everyone’s attention is already on them both. Come on?]
II. GODSBLOOD; SNACKS DON’T SUBSTITUTE FOR PROPER MEALS
[The food stall vendors didn’t get to find out the hard way, but local restaurants sure will! Over the next few days, a head of blue will be dropping by various restaurants in town during lunch or dinner doing the following:
A. Inquiring about their dish with the biggest kick,
B. Clapping her hands together reverently in front of enough food for two~three people, yet is by herself at the table,
C. Looking various degrees of satisfied depending on how good the food was, with an empty stack of several plates in front of her.
Fattydingdong… Approach? She’s quite open to recommendations, there may or may not be mild rumors brewing of some random girl not from around suddenly showing up and eating her way across Godsblood. It seems funny and harmless, plus it does fuel local businesses, so the citizens are largely fine with writing her off as some eccentric too willing to spend jool on food than most others. This Kenoma definitely isn’t here on official business or trying particularly hard to lay low. After all, she’s here for her own reason:]
III. GODSBLOOD; Y’ALL GOT ANY MORE OF THAT… SPICE?
[And no, NOT the one as defined by Urban Dictionary. To anyone observant who is familiar with a certain spice stand in Godsblood, they may be able to note that a blue-haired woman is often found in the general vicinity of that specific Pleroma funding point. She makes sure to never be in sight of the seller, so it may not be obvious right away, but she doesn’t stray far, occasionally glancing towards the spice stall’s general direction in a not-so-subtle way. These are still all public areas, though. Let her be weird on her own, or confront?
Don’t mind her sometimes making light and quiet conversation difficult to eavesdrop with local children, too. She may also be caught slipping a young boy or girl of elementary age a piece of paper and a small pouch, closer to an alleyway a bit more isolated from the main streets where the bulk of the foot traffic is. Nothing suspicious; move along?]
IV. ACHAMOTH; PRIORITIES
[One day during Soviseri, an unusual smell is wafting from the kitchen. Any Kenomie in its general vicinity may be able to catch the scent of something pungent and savory, those familiar with the dish may also recognize it right away for what it plainly is: curry. Even if they don’t, it’s not something the citadel’s kitchen staff normally makes, and if they do choose to look into it, they will effectively find Ciel by herself in front of a large iron pot at the stove.
Holding in one hand a ladle with a yellow/brown-ish sauce coating over chunks of meat, vegetables, and potatoes, she looks like she’s blissfully floating on cloud nine and completely phased out of touch with reality.
This is understandably at least a little weird, so feel free to 180 right back out into the hallway. Unless…?]
V. WILDCARD
[Godsblood, Achamoth, maybe elsewhere, Pleromies or Kenomies, if you’d like something different or a closed starter, hit me up via PM or in the game Discord! o/]
no subject
So I've seen, haha. Are you brave enough to ask her about the gentleman manning the skewers stand? Maybe they are both rivals and friends, just as you're guessing?
[That earns a small laugh from her, light and easygoing.]
Not even if it's good? Goodness, you certainly are diligent. Okay then, I won't badger you for more spoilers. But see, you're a good pick for judging after all~!
no subject
[ he says wryly, considering the question maybe more seriously than he needs to. maybe after...like, tomorrow after, depending on whose food is declared better. he's still not entirely sure how he's going to manage that one, besides doing his best. maybe he can just avoid picking a single person's cooking over the other? they do have different specialties, after all. ]
I can be fair, [ he says, on the topic of being a good pick, ] but that doesn't mean I know much about food.
[ oh, there's the self-deprecation...but anyway, ]
I don't think I got your name.
1/2
Haha, you don't have to take it so seriously. Eating may be a necessity, but it's also a luxury. It would do disservice to the cooks too if you're so focused on trying to be fair that you forget to enjoy the food, you know. Cooking is a labor of love, too.
[That said, while the question for her name doesn't cause her expression to change, there is a small pause before she answers. Easy to miss and nothing noteworthy in and of itself, but it is the time she takes to mull over if she should lie to him or not.
...]
2/2
[In the end, she settles on a lie. Who knows how things will be when she meets this Aion next time, as Kenoma versus Pleroma proper? But for today, she's a traveling young woman in Godsblood for
food tourismleisure, who happens to cross the path of a young man who's also simply living his life the best he can. She doesn't intend on keeping her 'real' name a secret from him, but he can find out about that once they face against each other in earnest as the enemies they truly are. And whenever that day may be...It's not today. So today, she's "Skye". What's a temporary name anyway, to someone who's already discarded her birth name for many years now?]
no subject
[ feels like a reasonable thing to ask, given her passion for the subject. she's clearly a foodie, with her strong opinions about cooking, about food, about the enjoyment of it, so for him it seems likely that she must have some connection. he can cook insofar as having some level of self-sufficiency to take care of himself (and previously his father), but he was never a cook. he doesn't think about food, or cooking, any more than he really has to. so ciel's (sorry, skye's) enthusiasm is foreign to him...but kind of endearing. it's cute. ]
It's nice to meet you too, Skye.
[ feels like a strange name to him, but admittedly a lot of names he's heard around here are strange to him.
one day he might even discover that abel's first name isn't 'father'...maybe. ]And if you want to ask, I'd like to hear the answer.
[ isn't, you know, a cop out...maybe....he would ask eleanor, actually, because he isn't really afraid of her. but since ciel ("skye") seems so interested in the topic, there's no harm in her asking. ]
no subject
[Her answer is honest. It's very much a connection, one she won't deny. In a perfect world, she would be nothing more than a baker who spends her days toiling away on tasty pastries and pretty cakes. The world is not perfect, however, and that's why she finds herself here, using a fake name in front of a friendly young man whom she'll be at odds with soon enough.]
Likewise, Rand. I'm only staying in Godsblood for a few days, then it's back on the roads for me. This is a lovely city though, I wonder if I'll get the chance to visit again.
[And it's not going to be a short few weeks from now, because by then, it's 'Ciel' who's coming. (...) Mm, it really is best to keep things separate, now that she can't simply stick to one name and brainwash her way through everyone she meets anymore. Suggestion really was convenient, but alas...]
Okay, maybe after we've eaten? Speaking of which, I think they're finishing up on the first batch!
[She did order "one of everything", which in hindsight is a much bigger undertaking than "several of one thing", but oh well. Is he ready for seafood and skewers?!]
no subject
[ he can cook enough to keep himself fed, but he's no baker. egwene's parents were famously some of the best cooks in town, and marin al'vere's honeycakes and breads were revered by just about everyone. so: it's easy enough for him to imagine that this girl might be good at both, or at least good at one and able to appreciate both. why not? ]
I hope you do, [ comes earnestly, on the topic of her visiting again. and why shouldn't it? she's nice enough. she really does seem to like godsblood. ] Where are you going after this?
[ but if she doesn't answer, he isn't likely to notice, his attention sparked to that first batch of food. the phrasing isn't lost on him...first batch....first batch...but, well. there are two of them. and he is hungry. so he just nods, says, ]
I'll go get it if you find us a place to sit.
no subject
[There's something vaguely wistful with how she talks about baking, but she's soon snapped out of it at his question.]
It would be nice, haha. The food here is a lot better than what I'm used to. [Every lie is more believable with a dash of truth. The lie may be one of omission in this case, but... Hm.]
The whole point of street food is being able to eat while you walk, isn't it? But maybe we will need a spot with how much we're expecting, haha. Will that bench over there do?
[She points off to his side, where there are effectively some benches for resting, and one is unoccupied. No table surface, but should work well enough?]
no subject
[ is a wry, self-deprecating joke. rand al'thor: a passable cook, and definitely no baker. and definitely with little ability to make food look pretty, let alone the sense of aesthetics for a task like that. so his admiration for her skill in that regard, even without examples, is genuine!
he looks over to those benches and nods, says, ]
I'll meet you there in a moment, then.
[ as he turns to collect their food. because...yeah, while these snacks are normally designed for mobility, there's enough of them to make that difficult. ]
no subject
[The Pleromas don't have much in the ways of income, this is well known across the divide. Ciel used to be (still is) too busy to cook much for herself, but she's got a handle on the basics and definitely knows how to make her favorites.]
Okay. Do let me know if you'd like help!
[A part of her wants to stick around anyway, but in the end she relents,
she doesn't need to stick out moresurely the healthy young man can handle it. She'll go and do just that then, secure the bench for them while waving off some of the dispersing crowd since the main show (read: big argument) was over. Some of these people DO have other things to tend to, they have their own lives too (read: know how this will end, it's those two after all). Those lingering seem to be bored, idle, or both, though a few have also taken the liberty of lining up at either Eleanor or Skewers Man's stall. It seems like... this was good publicity for both parties?! Who would've figured?]no subject
[ and he moves away to pick up the foods without asking for help, even if it does sort of turn out to be an armful. the stuff is less heavy and more delicate — the light forbid he drop or spill something, accidentally mix some of the foods they're meant to be comparing, so on and so forth. so as he brings everything over and goes to start setting things down, he asks, ]
Remind me why you wanted one of everything?
1/2
[It's pretty generic advice, but who knows, HAS he ever been told?
Either way, she keeps an eye out as he makes his way to them. Goodness, that IS quite the haul. And it smells really good? She can pick up the spices while he's still several feet away, they're definitely well seasoned. She does scoot over once he's over to make more room, as he begins setting the delicious cargo in those paper bags and boxes down onto the seat that will also serve as their makeshift table. (He didn't need help after all, huh?)]
Because I wanted to taste everything, why else?
[...]
2/2
[As if... occurring to her just now... Oops?]
no subject
Maybe I will.
[ but then he's off, then returning with their foods. at a glance, both sets of food options really do look appetizing...and neither looks less spicy than the other despite the skewers man's assertions. though it'll be impossible to tell for sure until they start eating.
hey, how high is rand's spice tolerance anyway? it's probably fine, don't worry about it. another thing to discover once they start eating.
oblivious to that particular danger, he just makes an amused sound as he settles down to sit himself, pulls a couple of items his way. ]
You can have the ones that are harder to split. You were here first, anyway.
no subject
Hehe, thank you. We won't know how hard they are to split until we try though, so don't call it quits just yet! Well then, thank you for the food~!
[It doesn't sound as catchy as "thank you for the meal", but same idea and close enough! Starting with taking up three skewers and snapping them in half (--did she just get them perfectly in the middle just like that--) all at once, she puts back down his half and bites into what looks like half a stick of fish balls first.
The ensuing glowing (and chewing) smile probably says enough. These aren't that spicy, just savory in her opinion! It's also rude to talk with your mouth full, duh, so she'll just appreciatively chew in silence. C'mon, he should dig in too! 🍢]
no subject
but today, it's sunny, and they are somehow judging a food competition, and absolutely nothing bad is happening. as of yet.
so he reaches for...his weirdly perfectly halved skewers, and without much consideration, chooses to bite into one of them. is it the same one ciel is eating? is it another? regardless, he chews and swallows, noting how tasty the flavor really is, and
and
ah, oh no. this particular bite is spicy, at least for him. he grimaces and...did anyone think to get something to drink??? this might become a crisis in a minute. ]
1/2
Oh, he's. Hm. She glances at the half-bitten skewer he's holding onto, and it's peppered by spices that don't LOOK to be glaring red? It smells... (don't mind her nostrils flaring, but maybe he's too preoccupied to notice anyway--) like cumin and chili, she thinks? 🤔]
2/2
Ah, excuse me! One bottle of that, please! --Actually, make it three!
[Within a blink, she's bounced off to a different stall a short distance away, already waving jools at some other merchant's face. Can the poor spice baby boy hang in there? Reinforcements will be back soon™...!
That is, she comes back with three glass bottles of colorful drinks in her arms: one is orange, one is pink, one is colorless.]
Um, pick any you like!
[Setting aside how quickly she nyoomed away and then right back, please don't perceive Ms. Eleanor laughing in the back, even Mr. Skewers look amused. They may or may not be gossiping about him now actually, but anyways, which
pillbottle?!]no subject
wheeze.
he picks a drink (the orange) randomly — mostly just reaching out for one of the bottles put in front of him, cracking off the lid and taking a quick few gulps. ]
Thank you.
[ is said to the benCH he can't look at her during this indignity. ]