Eat At Joes - RPLOG
Participants
Date
9/7/477
Log
It is quiet in the cloisters behind the Church. The calm air and wet gardens feel clean after the storm earlier in the day and a few acolytes of the Creator Church can be seen pulling weeds and tending to the gardens in the fading evening light. A small path leads up to a small house, one of several scattered around the lovely gardens.
The priestess Memna leads the way down the path. "I don't know why he insisted on calling in the Freeswords!" the matronly little black bear chatters as she walks, "But the poor dears won't tell me what the matter is! Perhaps you can do better." The round little priestess stops before the door and looks over the gathered Freeswords.
Cassidy follows along after the bear, reaching up to adjust her top hat as she arrives outside the house. "Well, I do hope it's nothing too serious, hmm? I am just as surprised, though." She taps the chin of her mask and turns towards the door, waiting quietly.
Thelergramor follows along after them, wondering what the problem is. "Whatever it is, I'm sure we can handle it. Probably." He glances around, not sounding overly concerned with what they require of him.
Natska pads along just behind Memna's flank, on the other side of the priestess from Cassidy, eyes scanning the cloister grounds. "Mmhm. You don't post a flyer for an emergency," she agrees. "Have there been many crowds by, Priestess?"
Technetium looks at the Priestess, noting small things. She coughs slightly, and peers around at the others. The clasps on her cloak have been shielded with a cover, appearing to outsiders like a plain, silver button. "What's going on? That flyer was hardly legible." She says, recalling it. "We really only knew how to get here."
Angus adjusts the brim of his hat as he follows after the priestess, remaining silent as he allows his eyes to wander around the garden to study the acolytes tending to the plants. He was curious himself as to why the request was so illegable, that's what they were here to do anyway, as a hand drifts to rest on the grip of the hammer hanging from his side.
Memna smiles at Natska. "No, dearie," she says, "Most folks never come back here. It was sort of a ceremonial home for the Creators, and now it serves as an actual home for our visitors." She looks at the others and nods. "I'm sure they will tell you what they need," she says, "Just be kind to them." She turns to tap gently on the door.
There is a moment of quiet, then the door opens just a crack. "Who?" comes a soft male voice from within.
"It's me, deary," says Memna gently, "These Freeswords you asked for are here to see you." he door swings open to reveal a thin, white furred, and totally nude rabbit being. "This one, thank Memna," he says haltingly, crossing his arms over his chest and bowing to the little matron. "Please," he says to the rest, "go in." The strange rabbit steps backward down the hall, making way for the Freeswords to enter.
Cassidy glances around, giving a nod to Thel, Natska, and Angus, the most familiar of the group to her. "Hello, friends, cousin. Let us see what is the matter, yes," She turns and moves into the house, setting her gloved hands in her coat pockets, making casual note of... Something most odd. Odd indeed. She decides not to question it, though. What she does ask, is, "What have you requested us for? Is something the matter?"
Thelergramor nods back to Cassidy, acknowledges the rest. He enters the house, grumbling something about how if their arrival was expected, the rabbit should be wearing pants. Thel paces slightly, glancing about the room, noting any valuables around. He shakes off his thoughts of larceny, "Right, what do you need from us?"
The jaguar dips her head to Memna as she passes, murmuring her thanks, then enters the house. She remains quiet, since her fellow Freeswords seem to have the questioning handled for now and she finds simply observing to be interesting enough for now.
Technetium slides into the room noting the rabbit and the womans look at him, including his (or her? Gender pronouns don't work easy in this case) lack of, well, parts, fleetingly, and leans onto a wall, looking around at the room and at the others in the room. She coughs a bit, and asks. "Here we are. What do you require?" casually.
Angus narrows his eyes a bit as he steps in, eyes shifting a little cautiously as he hooks a thumb into his weapons belt. Tail twitching as he yawns softly, trying to keep it silenty as he keeps his gaze drifts to study, waiting for the bunnys response to their questions.
The inside of the bungalow is quite cosy. While it is by no means extravagant, it is still very nice by the standards of most beings. Rather like a summer beach home for a wealthy merchant, or a minor noble. The only furniture is a low dining table, but the floor is scattered with patterned rugs and a plethora of large, soft pillows for sitting on. Three doorways branch off this main room, while one corner of the room is marked off by a folding screen for food preparation. The dining table is currently buried under a number of small parcels.
"Yes," says the rabbit, "This one, Hedge. This one want help." He wrings his thin hands together. "Memna say, Freezord help," he struggles through the words, "You help Hedge?" He looks at the group nervously, then goes to the parcels on the table, unwrapping them to reveal various fruits, vegetables and other foods and cooking supplies. "This one wish making food for Memna," he says, a pink flush rising into his large ears, "But this one not cooking." Hedge frowns at the little kitchen area. "Cook is hard in this place," he says with a sigh, "Not like home."
Cassidy tilts her head before offering a smile behind the mask. "Ah, cooking? Well, I would be happy to help you cook, yes. Not the usual Freesword assignment, but... I like to think I am a fairly good cook, so I would be more than happy to help you."
Thelergramor rubs the back of his neck at the request to help cook. "Cooking? I'll help but it probably won't go well." Thel looks over the fruits, vegetables and such, not having any idea what to do with such things. He waits for the others to figure that out, leaning against a wall.
Natska grins. "Oooh. Yea, I see." Her tone is cheerfull and her ears tilt forward as her tail starts to sway back and forth. "And I am sure Memna will appreciate it, Hedge." She steps forward to look at some of the parcels the rabbit is unwrapping, still not touching anything yet. "It's not like at home? Did you have other people to cook for you there?" she asks, voice friendly.
Technetium looks at the variety of fruit anxiously, glancing over them. "I'm not a chef, but I have a dagger... and I can start the fire... maybe." She says weakly, her ears lowering. She nervously chuckles, and plays with the top clasp of her cloak.
Angus blinks a bit, shaking his head as he crosses his arms over his chest. "I can cook, but most of the time it's just over the fire and just cooking meat and such." He chuckles a little as he gives the Bunny a curious look, wondering if this was the only reason he requested them.
Hedge visibly relaxes when the surprised beings agree to help him. "Yes! Yes!" he cries, "Surprise Memna, good food!" He sets to unwrapping parcels and showing off their contents. All of the ingredients he has are of excellent quality, and a moderately skilled chef could make a delicious meal with all of these things.
When he hears Natska's question he shakes his head. "No," he says, "No cook, just wish!" He gives up on the King's tongue for a moment and gabbles about something while miming a box and pretending to pull something out of it. He smiles wistfully, "Easy," he says. Then he frowns and points at the collection of pots and pans and utensils in the cooking niche. "Hard!" he proclaims, then looks to Cassidy for instructions, since she seems to be the most confident of the group.
Cassidy reaches up to remove her mask, looking over the ingredients. "I'd say... Our best options with these would be a stew or a stir fry! Hmmm... A stew would probably be easier to put everything to use in, and would be easier to make, I think! But I will leave it up to you."
The rabbit looks uncomprehendingly at Cassidy, but nods. "Yes!" he says, "Stoo. Yes! Show how!" Hedge looks excited and eager to learn.
Cassidy bites her lip for a moment. "We will need a pot of water, yes! Large pot, if you would." She eyes the ingredients again and traces a shape in the air with her fingers. "About this size. Fill it with water and we get it set up over a fire."
Thelergramor sighs, drawing his hood back and removing his scarf. "Couldn't have been something I know how to make... So, stew. I'm assuming there's more to it then boiling?" The wolf scratches at his muzzle while chuckling at his ineptitude with cooking.
"Oh wow," Natska exclaims. "You only had to *wish* for it? That must be nice, where you all are from." She pulls off her jacket and drapes it over a chair, hopefully out of whatever disaster zone they are about to make. "Mmmmmm. Cass, m'lady, they do say too many cooks curdles the milk, so I think you get to be head chef." She glances at the others. "Your lordship could probably tend the pot, doesn't take much to keep it from burning," she adds, nodding and smiling at Angus. "And the other two can peel and cut veggies?" Her gaze moves back to Cassidy. "I can dig out seasoning and herbs, I helped my mom cook all the time. Are we going for something tame? Or maybe... something 'traditional'?" she asks, with a subtle emphasis.
Technetium glances at the vegetables and thinks quietly to herself. She unsheaths her dagger and inspects it, looking at how sharp the edge is and thinking of how likely it may/may not be of her cutting herself. "I... could cut the vegatables.. I can also do anything non-cooking related... what are we cooking with? A stove, or a firepit, or what?"
Angus looks between the pot and the vegetables, shrugging his shoulders as he rolls up his sleeves. "Guess I'll work the pot then unless someone else wants it." He answers, chuckling a little as he takes a step back and waits for the bunny to get a pot as he crosses his arms.
Hedge nods enthusiastically and hurries over to the cooking area to push aside the folding screen. There is a small, coal burning stove and a collection of utensils along with a wash basin and water pump. All of these things seem to have proven completely baffling to the poor rabbit and all of them are pristine and sparkling clean. Including the pretty little charcoal stove. Hedge is looking around at the various cooking tools with a bemused expression on his face. Finally he turns to the others. "What is pot?" he asks, looking a little embarassed.
Cassidy points towards one of the objects. "That's the pot! Yes, Angus can tend the pot. I like Natska's idea. I'll oversee things and try to make sure it all goes smoothly." She smiles at Tech and Thel. "Yes, if you two could cut the vegetables, that'd be swell! And yes, seasoning and herbs would be a lovely boon. I don't keep any on me, or I'd offer the same, so we'll have to rely on yours."
Thelergramor nods. "Right, well as it is I have no herbs. Or cutting tools." He pulls the dagger from his belt, revealing the blade is broken, leaving only a few centimeters for cutting. "And as entertaining it would be for you to watch me cut things with an arrow..." His voice trails off and he shrugs. "Hedge, got any knive in here?" Thel approaches the assorted vegetables before turning to the rabbit.
Natska waves her paw through the air. "Oh, I don't carry any either. And here, Thel." She pulls her long dagger and offers it to the wolf, hilt first, and waits for him to take it. Then the jaguar steps up to the table and begins picking through packages, prodding things with a short-clawed finger and occaisonally grabbing a leaf to sniff at. "But this is where a little familiarity goes a long ways. Mmm... oh, this is a nice one," she says, turning to offer the pinch of leaves to Cassidy. "Hey, Hedge. Have the acolytes been providing food, then?" she asks, tilting her head. "N' is Joe out?"
Technetium approaches the pot full of water. "Seeing that the charcoal stove has no charcoal, I could create a small flame to heat it. I can't say how long I can hold it, however, but it'll get the process going if you can send somebody to get some. I may be able to sustain it through the whole thing." She places the pot of water on a stand with a gap underneath of it, and focuses for a few small seconds until a small, bright, red flame ignites underneath of it. She stuggledy grunts. "I can't do that and stir at the same time, I'm not exactly and expert.."
Angus watches the little fire come to life, shrugging a bit as he checks the water within the pot before shrugging. "I'll go find some Charcoal." He answers, flashing a tiny smile before he heads for the door to ask one of the Acolytes where he can find some charcoal.
Hedge looks a little confused at Natska's questions, but indicates that the visitors are welcome to use any utensils they can find. And there is a plethora of knives and a cutting block to be used. Also, among the ingredient parcels are a number of sweet smelling herbs.
At the mention of his master's name, the rabbit looks a little nervous and begins to wring his thin hands together again. "Lord Joe is not here," he says, sounding as if he has practiced the words, "He takes Mai-Mai to learn of Firmament. Lord Joe will return late. This one must make the house clean."
The rabbit starts violently as Technetium uses mathemagic to light a fire, staggering back and tripping on some pillows. "How!?" he gasps, eyes wide, flickering around the room, "Where is-" he says something that does not fit into any of the gathered beings' vocabularies, though he must be referring to the strange devices that visiting Creators seemed to use to do their own magic.
Outside, Memna sits in a little chair that one of the acolytes must have brought for her. "Charcoal, dearie?" she says in response to Angus's question, "There is a coal bin just around the back of the house." She removes her spectacles and wipes them on her dress. "What was it the poor dear needs?" she asks.
Cassidy takes the offered herbs and gives them a sniff before nodding. "That is fair, then, Natska! I assumed you had some with you, but this works, yes!" She moves towards the pot, waiting for the water to heat before adding the first portion. She will add the rest when the vegetables start to go in.
Thelergramor takes the offered dagger from Natska. "This should work. You didn't stab anyone with it recently, right?" The wolf doesn't wait for an answer before he sets to cutting the vegetables, beginning with a carrot. As he hasn't done this often, it is slow. A few seconds later and he's barely made any progress. Thel grumbles something about carrots conspiring against him. "...Stupid carrot, just cut already..."
Natska naturally responds to the rabbit's increasing nervousness by stepping up the friendly chatter, trying to put the poor thing at ease. His master was obviously a sore point, so she glosses over it for him as she sorts through more things on the table. "Yea? All kinds of neat places to go around the city," she rambles. "I spent a lot of time at the academy myself, they have all kinds of books there. Great place to sit and read a day away, and you learn a lot too." She begins humming a tune to herself as she gets into the cooking routine, fishing out a few more choice selections and then carefully packaging up the rest.
Technetium focuses just a tiny bit more, and the flame becomes self sustaining, requiring little more effort from her for the time being. She exhales and leans against the wall, looking at the anxious rabbit. Her top clasp cover has fallen off, revealing the orginally engraved one signifying that she was from Cliffside. "Right... That should hold itself for a bit... Anything else you'd have me do?"
Angus gives Memna a nod as his muzzle splits into a smile. "Nothing much, he justed needed some teachings in the way of cooking and such. I'm trying to show him how to lite a fire on a stove so I need some coal." He states, giving her a nod before he excuses himself to go pick up some of the coal that they needed. filling up a bucket he walks back to the hut, tipping his hat to Memna as he smiles as reaches for the door.
Hedge watches anxiously as everything starts to come together. Even more anxious because he cannot figure out where the fire magic had come from. But he watches everything very carefully and though he cannot speak very well, it is evident that he is learning quickly as he observes.
Thelergramor is making slow, but steady progress on his stack of vegetables and Technetium has done a good job with the fire. It seems that all that remains is to put it all together! Though the carnivores in the room might lament the unused side of beef left forlornly on the table.
Old Memna nods to Angus. "So sweet of you to help the poor thing out, dear," she says.
Cassidy watches carefully as the work goes along, glancing off towards the beef she hadn't noticed earlier. "Hmm. Let's get that in there, too! We'll make it a beef stew, yes. And it'll be a delicious thing, I am certain of it."
Thelergramor turns his attention to the recently noticed beef. "Uh, yeah, it's definitely going to need that." He resumes cutting his vegetables, finishing his first stack. "So how much more of these do we need? I could go on like this all night, but might want to get on cutting that soon." The wolf points to the beef with the dagger he's using.
Natska brushes her hands off on her pants, then motions Hedge over. "Here, I'll help, Thel." She picks up one of the cooking knives and moves to stand next to the wolf. "These ones," she says to the rabbit, gesturing at some of the various roughage, including some celery that she begins chopping, "can be eaten raw. They can also be cooked, just about any way you feel like... steamed, stewed, grilled in a pan. Some beef," she nods, "and some onions," another gesture, "and peppers," a final point "makes a great combination in a pan. That's the wide, shallow one. Others, like that," she points, then goes back to work, "really need to cook before they're good to eat." She goes on covering basics as she works through her small pile, giving the rabbit the basic of the basic crash courses in preparing food for oneself.
Technetium sighs, and sighs, staring at her fire. "I haven't been able to make one self-sustaining like that in ages. The last time was slightly aided, back at the college." She says, glancing around at the other things happening in the room. She pulls out a small book, and flicks through some of the pages. "Anything else you people would need help with? If not, I'll just chat with whoever will be stirring the pot, or maybe Hedge." She speaks from behind the pages.
Angus walks back into the hut and walks over to the stove, shoveling some of the coal into the fire to help Tech keep it going before standing back up to grab the ladle and start stirring the pot, tail flicking a bit. "Hm, you guys add the beef yet?" He asks as he looks over, noticing that it is gone as he gives a nod and goes silent once more.
Hedge rises hesitantly and joins Natska when she calls him over. He nods as she explains which vegetables are good for eating, and some of their names. "Beef," he repeats quietly, "Onion, Peppers." Then he walks over to watch Angus add charcoal to the fire. "Pot," he says, pointing to the big stewpot, then going on to point out other kitchen tools, "Knife, pan?"
The smell of the thick soup begins to fill the air. Not perfect, perhaps, but not bad for a bunch of Freeswords equipped for a fight! The stew should be ready soon!
After the beef is placed in the pot, Cassidy steps back again and sets her hands back into her pockets to watch. "It is coming along quite nicely! Keep up the good work and we'll be done in no time!"
Thelergramor sees an opportunity to mess with Hedges less than perfect vocabulary. But doesn't, wouldn't be fair. He holds up the dagger briefly. "This is a dagger, if you didn't know. And wanted to." Finding he's chopped more than enough vegetables, probably, Thel walks them over to the pot and drops them in with the rest. The wolf heads over to the nearest wall and leans against it. "Not much longer, yeah?" His paw go to his pockets as he waits.
Natska nods her head, encouraging the rabbit on, then guides him to the pot (and the delicious smells of cooking stew) and leaves him with others so she can reclaim her dagger. She wrinkles her nose and snags a cloth to polish it with as she leans against a chair and watches, smiling happily.
Technetium sighs, and stands by Angus. "I vaugely remember your face... have we met?" She asks him politely, looking around at the different activity in the room. The fire is roaring hot, urging the pot to near boiling. She raises the stand slightly, preventing it from boiling/boiling over. "I mean, I dont have /excellent/ memory.
Angus gives a nod as he stirs the pot. "We met once before on the Main concourse in the middle of a stormy night, I was doing my rounds when we bumped into each other. Technetium Wirefur yes?" He asks, giving her a glace of sorts as he stir, stir, stirs the pot, taking a wiff of its scent to see if it was done yet.
Hedge looks into the pot and sniffs deeply of the savory stew. "Good!" he says with a smile, "Stoo is long still?" he asks, starting to look a bit worried again.
Cassidy raises her brow for a moment before shaking her head. "Shouldn't be too much longer, no!"
Thelergramor nods. "Alright then." Listening in on Angus and Technetiums conversation, Thel decides to involve himself. "I'm not sure you remember me Angus. Been a little over a month now since we last me." He glances about the room again, appraising a few objects small enough for him to swipe. Not a good idea, considering that the other freeswords probably don't share his penchant for thievery. The wolf shakes his head to clear such thoughts.
Natska finishes cleaning her blade and slips it back into place at her side, then turns to the table and the bits of the cooking area that are not in use. She starts humming to herself again as she works at cleaning up and putting things away, tail dancing along behind her.
Technetium nods to Thelergramor as he approaches, then responds to Angus. "Yes, I am Technetium Wirefur. Aren't you... Angus Solacious?" She asks, fine tuning the fire down a bit, still concious of the heat from the pot. "Of course, I can remember /other/ things, damn screwy memory..."
Angus gives both Tech and The a nod. "Yes, I do remember that Thelergramor, it is nice to see you again." Turning his gaze to Technetium he chuckles a little. "Yes, Angus Solacious at your service." He answers as he tips his hat a bit to them both. "Stew should be done in a little bit."
As the pot bubbles and boils and the room fills with the savory smell of the stew, Hedge starts to get more and more excited. The rabbit hurries about, retrieving shallow tureens from a cupboard and a collection of silver spoons from another before going to help Natska clear away the remains of the groceries and herbs on the dining table. When the table is cleared and set, the lapine servant claps his hands and runs to the door. "Memna! Memna!" the Freeswords can hear him call, "Come! Food! Surprise!" Hedge bounds back into the room with Memna tottering at his heels.
"What's all this then?" she asks, a little smile spreading across her face.
Cassidy withdraws a hand and tips her hat to Memna as she enters. "Hello again. Hedge here has a surprise for you! You must be quite a boon in his life." She glances towards the bowls, eager to taste the outcome, herself.
Thelergramor watches Hedge leave and reenter with Memna. "As he said, yes, food." He scratches his muzzle then crosses his arms and shifts a litte to lean more comfortably.
Natska grins at Memna and gives her a little bow, holding a seat out for the priestess. She doesn't add anything else, though, letting Hedge's excitment speak for itself.
Technetium looks at both of them, then back at the stew. "I guess our stew is tasty then. I never actually tasted it, though." She sighs, looking at it. "I hope I didn't burn it."
Angus chuckles a little as he poors some of the stew into the bowls for both Memna and Hedge, moving to place both bowls on the table for them. "See, told you we were teaching him how to cook!" He teases, giving Memna a little bit of a smirk before he steps back once more.
Hedge takes the ladle from Angus and urges everyone to sit as he dishes out bowls of steaming stew and passes them around. Then, the rabbit takes a place at the foot of the table, smiling and watching as everyone eats the surprisingly good stew.
"Well done, my dears," old Memna warbles after she slurps up a healthy spoonful of stew, "This is lovely!" She looks down the table and favors Hedge with a smile. "Now if I could only convince you to wear your nice clothes, dear, we could make a real gentleman of you!"
Hedge only grins nervously at this comment, but then urges the others to eat. Nothing like eating a meal you helped make!
Cassidy smiles happily and takes up her bowl in one hand, spoon in the other, eating in relative silence as she looks amongst the others. Finally, she speaks up to say, "Not bad at all. You all did good, yes!"
Thelergramor nods, eating his food quickly. "Yes, it came out rather well. Despite the, uh, rather inconsistent chopping of vegetables..." Not really noticing much about it other than his own contribution, he continues eating.
Natska snorts and waves a hand. "It is good. Enjoy it." She smiles, and suits action to word, eating quietly at a sedate pace, enjoying each bite, watching the others that are sitting at the table.
Technetium looks around, and refuses to eat anything. She instead looks around for some water. "It was nice to meet you, Hedge." She says, and looks around to leave. She exits swiftly, needing to go somewhere.
Angus picks up the bowl and digs into it, enjoying the soup a bit as he chuckles. "Welp, not a bad stew if I do say so myself." HE comments, giving a bit of a smirk as he finishes off the bowl rather quickly.
After everyone has eaten their fill, Hedge whisks away the bowls and the spoons and has them shining like new in moments. Then the strange off-worlder slips through one of the little house's closed doors and returns a moment later with two sacks. From the first, he distributes the crown he offered on the notice board. From the second he produces a strange, silvery bag for each Freesword and one for Memna. The markings on the outside are written in the strange print of the creators and bear some sort of strange sigil. "Good!" Hedge says with a smile, "Gift for friends!" The rabbit opens a bag himself revealing that it is filled with little, multi-colored pills or pellets.
Memna opens her bag, and looks at one of the little things skeptically before popping it into her mouth. Then she smiles broadly and eats another. "Bless me!" she cries, "This must be some sort of Creator candy! How wonderful!"
Hedge only smiles and nods as he leads the group to the door. It would probably be best to go before Creator Joe gets home.
Cassidy gives a little grin, accepting the bag. "Oh, why thank you! I do enjoy candy. And Creator candy at that? This will be quite a treat, yes!" She bounces the bag in her hand for a moment. "Neat bag, too." She tucks it into her coat pocket and stands. "This was a lovely evening, certainly."
Thelergramor takes his payment silently. Glad he didn't have to explain that 'freesword' is a misnomer; he does require payment for his services, as menial as cooking is. Which he just got. Pulling up his scarf and hood, he silently appraises the worth of this candy before heading out the door.
"Ooooooo~," Natska murrs as she discovers what is in the bag. She reclaims her jacket and slips it back on, and her pouch ~mysteriously disappears~ into an inner pocket. She follows the crowd to the door, gives Hedge a bow, and steps out. "It was a pleasure working with you sir," she declares. "And thank you very much for the gift. If you need anything else, you know how to reach us." She slips her hands into her pockets, then, and starts making her way out of the little housing area. "Mmm, nice night for a walk, too."
Angus takes the bag, peaking into it to see what it is before he takes a piece out and pops it in his mouth. "Hm, intresting." He murmurs as he chews on it slowly, ears flicking a bit. "It was nice meeting you Hedge, and I do hope you have a nice day." He tips his hat, the bag going into his pocket as he heads back for the door.
