Hot Times at the Tanuki Express - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
19/5/478
Log
Tam, the tanuki food vendor is very busy today! He has set up a bit of a tent and some small, folding tables beside his cart to make a little cafe area and is busily serving customers with a contented smile on his round face. "Right with you!" he says to the newest wave of customers, "Please, have a seat anywhere!"
Zuri hurries past the crowd, longing to try the tanuki's exotic foodstuffs one more time. He's still trying to recall all the delicious things he had last time, but all he can come up with is 'all of them'. The small salamander peers around for an empty table and pops himself onto a chair, waiting eagerly for his turn to order up.
Cassidy shuffles through the streets, ears perking. She wasn't sure if she was much for eating contests, being as small as she was, but lunch sounded fine, anyway! She was hungry, and she'd certainly be able to eat her fill here. She gives Natska's arm a squeeze and settles down at one of the tables, ears flicking.
The loud rumble of a small crimson and gold lizard woman's stomach announces her arrival long before she actually gets there, the noise quickly followed with a hissed, "Oh.. creators above, be quiet, you!" Sara, the lizard hidden underneath the travel dust covered black cloak had for a while been traveling, seeing the sights of the world as she had often dreamed, though her latest trip; the one back home had left her quite famished and upon landing she immediately found herself amidst the familiar market district and with it the familiar sights and smells that had come with it. "Mm.. what to eat, what to eat.." she later began droning, crimson gaze falling over the various carts and their peddlers. As she had noticed the busy makeshift cafe Sara's head had soon perked up and she had asked, "Hmm.. wonder what's going on over there.." before finding her feet willing to answer for her. It didn't take long before she found herself infront of Tam's cart and seated at one of the tables looking around not unlike she had the first day she had arrived, looking at anything that had changed in her time away.
Natska is, of course, on Cassidy's arm as the couple looks through the market district for a good place to eat. She's happy to visit Tam's, sniffing at the air and taking a seat next to Cassidy, then giving a smile and a wave to the people she recognizes.
For reasons unknowable to anyone but Thelergramor, he has arrived at the food-place. Tent. All wolfy, prosthetic legged, clothed and Thelergramor-like, the wolf enters the tent and looks over the occupants from beneath his hood. Recognizes several of the other beings, and flips a crown to decide where to sit. Which doesn't solve the predicament of there being three tables occupied by beings he knows, but... He gives each in turn a nod in greeting, then sits at Sara's table. Words. He makes none, proceeds to look tired.
Tam scurries over and bows low to the newly arrived beings. "Welcome to the Tanuki Express!" he says, "I hope you have all come hungry! Are you here to try the special challenge?" The tubby tanuki wipes his hands on his apron and smiles around. "If you can beat my challenge, I will stuff you to the gills for free!" he says, "But be warned! No one has managed it yet today!" He points to a huge boar with what seems to be the remnants of a black eye. He is busily downing a large tray of dumplings. "Horace over there has come the closest," he says, "But he had to pay for his dumplings like everyone else."
Zuri perks up. "A challenge?" It was actually the first time the salamander had heard about this. He was just here for Tam's delicious food, but a challenge? He can't pass that up! "I'm in!" He says, waving excitedly. It's at this point that he spots Cassidy and Natska, and offers them a return wave in greeting.
Cassidy offers a little bow of her head to Zuri before eyeing Tam. "Mmm. What is this challenge? I'll probably end up paying regardless, but... Well, as long as I don't have to eat anything ~weird~ I don't see a problem in it."
A soft, and muffled yelp is sounded into the silken long scarf covering her face as Thelergramor sits at her table. Her mind having been completely elsewhere and having not figured she'd get the company. "Uh.. h-hello Mr. Thelergramor.. g-good.. good to see you." no real difficulty of figuring out which of her multiple personalities had taken control. "Uhm.." she begins, though stops as she clears her throat, ".. how have you.. how have you been?" he lizard woman seeming to attempt to sink into her seat. The fear however does not seem to last long before she breathes out a sigh, and with a much stronger voice says to the proprietor as the topic of 'challenge' comes up, "Sure, I'm famished.. would've probably ordered yer entire menu, but if I can risk getting it for free, well.. there's something I won't turn down." With that out of the way, she begins rubbing her palms together and looks around the room once more, waving exhuberantly to those familiar faces who she had missed for all that time she had been abroad.
Natska quietly snickers. "No challenge for me, Cass, I'll just have... a bowl of noodles and veggies and one dumpling." She watches the rest of the crowd for a moment, then gives Cass' arm a small squeeze. "Let's go sit with them."
Thelergramor is all about challenges! And then not winning. But we'll see what happens as he volunteers for the challenge. He turns to Tam, speaks: "Sure, sounds fun, Tam." Then turns back to Sara. "I've been good, mostly. Aside from a few problems that have since been dealth with, but good. Been awhile, nice seeing you again."
"Weird, Lady?" Tam asks, "Not at all! A little exotic, though." The tanuki nods and smiles at the others as they volunteer. He waddles back to his cart and returns with two covered baskets, setting them on the table, he reveals that the first is full of skinny, green peppers of some kind and the second is divided in two, one side filled with small, orange chili's of some sort and the other with a pile of round, purple fruits. He also places a jar full of some sort of amber liquid on the table. "Gather around everyone!" he says, "A challenge like this is better shared!" He points at the various foodstuffs on the table as he talks. "I got you three exotic peppers here, folks," he explains, "The green ones are called Effreet Tongues, grow here on old Firebough. The orange ones are scorpion peppers from Shralesta and the purple blighters are Devil's Testes, straight outta hell. The jar there is full of sweet Krick honey. All you gotta do is eat these three peppers one at a time, starting from the green one, with a minute in between. You last a minute after the third pepper without a spoon full of honey to kill the burn, and you win! Any questions?" The tanuki produces a pair of bamboo sticks and gently tweezers an Efreet Tongue pepper in front of each participant. "Best if you all start together," he says, "Then we can wait out the minute together."
Zuri hops off his seat and walks up towards the tanuki being, peering closely at each of the peppers as they're introduced. He giggles somewhat childishly at the name of the last one. "Oh, spicy food! I love spicy food!" He licks his lips. How bad can that pepper be, really? He peers around and spots Thel, waving at him excitedly too. "Mister Thel! You should come join!" He calls out.
"Ah? This kind of eating challenge?" Cassidy asks, perking her ears before nodding at Natska. "That's alright. I'll try to win for the both of us," she says with a snicker before looking over the peppers, making her way over. "Spicy peppers I can handle! I spent a lot of time in Shralesta, after all!"
As the hot peppers are introduced Sara rubs that odd hammer and anvil looking brand situated on her right shoulder, she had spicy food before, and was often quite comfortable with it, but these things sounded like something best avoided. All she could do was hope her patron would protect against the heat, no matter how trivial, she probably would not considering it had nothing to do with flames, but it was all she could do to hope, "Ugh.. well, here goes nothin'!" Sara had announced aloud as she made her way to the table the peppers had been placed on. With that green pepper in hand she opens her mouth and pops it in before chewing on it and swallowing. Her eyes then begun to water, but she had fought though the urge to grab that entire pot of honey and quit and instead let out a weak cough, and an even weaker, ".. not spicy at all.." probaly trying to trick her mind or something.
"Mmmm," Natska comments, settling in next to Cass. "I love spicey food sometimes but I'll pass today." She grins, looking around at the others. "I'll cheer you all on though!"
Thelergramor rubs his muzzle as he listens to Tam. Then, nods and gets up. "I tried eating an actual efreet's tongue, once. Don't recommend it." Makes no comment on eating scorpions or testes. "I'm coming, Zuri. How's the arm?" Having asked his question, he turns and nods at Natska. "Nice seeing you and Cass too, yep." Then, without hesitation, eats the green pepper. Withi his face. And, doesn't seem to have any reaction too it. Could just be hiding it... Whether it's hot, not a problem, or downright cataclysmic... Thelergramors thrive in the face of adversity! And anguish. Adversity and anguish!
Fenris smiles as the intrepid group each crunches into the long green peppers. "Now we wait for one minute," he says, turning away for a brief moment to dish up Natska's order before returning. The pepper is spicy. The kind of spicy that makes you hope and pray that it did not leave any residue on your hands for you to touch your eyes with later. For those used to spicy food, it is a pleasant, if sweat inducing heat. "Here you are, Miss," Tam says, passing food to Natska, "Got you the dark sauce you like." He looks over the sweating beings. "How are you all holding out?" he asks, opening the jar of honey and placing a spoon in it. The tanuki then uses his sticks to divy out the small, orange peppers. "This one comes next," he says, smiling pleasantly, "Try it whenever you are ready."
Zuri licks his fingers after crunching down on the green pepper. He smiles happily, even as his mouth begins to tingle and burn with the spicy pepper's touch. "Oh, I know this one! I had it covered in batter and deep fried once, really tasty!" He seems to be handling the green pepper rather well, only flushing lightly around the cheeks and exhaling a bit more profoundly as the heat builds. He smiles up at Cassidy. "Do you like this sort of food as well Lady Cassidy?"
"Spicy food is my favourite," she says, biting down on her pepper, taking it all the way to the stem and devouring it whole, taking care not to chew much. Cassidy closes her eyes and thinks for a moment. "I use a lot of peppers and spices in my cooking."
Noticing everyone having little difficulty with the first pepper Sara bites back a whimper of defeat considering she probably bit into the most mild of the three, ".. not going to join in, Natska?" the lizard asks her voice slowly but surely returning as the time had passed, ".. a pity.. would've been fun to see. Still, it's good to see you, you as well, Cassidy.. creators, why'd I not just go with something on the menu.." the last bit muttered under her breath. As the minute mark passes and the burn had passed enough to the point of being 'bearable' Sara procures that orange pepper, and stares at it before biting up to the stem and attempting to swallow with as few chews as possible. ".. even.. better.." she manages to wheeze out, turning to Cassidy, Sara again opens her mouth and attempts to speak, but only utters a weak wheeze.
Natska gives Sara a small smile and shakes her head. "Nope! Good job though, those smelled spicy from here. And it is great seeing you again, we'll have to catch up after this!" Her ears fold as people start in on the next round and she gives her friends a tentative smile, then squeezes Cass' shoulder.
Thelergramor chews, swallows, waits... Waits... "Eh, not too bad. Better than an actual tongue." He reitterates, noticing Sara's reaction. Tries not to snicker as he proceeds to the next one. Which is orange. Thus, picking up the pepper he shoves it into his face. Benefit of a muzzle, fitting more pepper in at one time. Starts chewing, tail wagging for about 4-5 seconds before stopping. "...Hot." An ear twitches under his hood, while he focuses on other things to avoid pepperheat.
The orange peppers that Tam called Scorpions are brutal! It is like someone stuffed white hot fire into the shape of a pepper! The intrepid epicureans can only thank any gods they might pray to that the pepper is small! Not that it seems to make much difference, since rather than diminishing with time, the burning only seems to grow worse! This is the sort of pepper that makes organs melt and sets any right thinking, leather tongued being to sweating!
"Please wait one minute before trying the last pepper," Tam reminds everyone as he very carefully uses his stick to place a wrinkled, purple pepper in front of each being. "I must recommend using sticks or a glove to pick up this pepper," he advises in his country accent, "Sucker will burn your fingers! And don't get me started on what happens if you touch your eyes within a week after handling these things!" The honey sits there, its promise of relief obvious.
Cassidy keeps her eyes closed as she downs the second pepper, taking in a deep breath through her nose. "Yes, Sara," she says, returning Natska's squeeze with a little hug. "We really must have you over for lunch or tea sometime. Though if we're eating now, probably just tea. It's been so long, and we've got a lot of catching up to do."
