Lost and Late [Event, Duo]

[Fallash]

It was a quiet, peaceful day in the Forest not too far from London, when the sound of a growling stomach pierced the air. Wermut looked around to figure out who it was, before finally turning red. The sound came from the only entity nearby, himself! Glancing around at his area, he realized he was in the thick of the forest. Sunlight barely pierced the leaves that had covered the sky above his head leading to a dark and gloomy atmosphere surrounding him. “Just great, can’t tell what time it is in here.” He started looking around for a low branch, in hopes that he could start climbing. Luckily, not to far was a tree that seemed to love branching out (pun intended). Branch after branch, he slowly reached the top and poked his head above the treeline. He scanned the horizon in hopes of seeing an end to the forest, and an end he did see. Not to far to the east, the forest stopped and a road started. No doubt this road lead to the city of London!

Jumping down the tree Wermut flinched, he miscalculated how far he really fell and his health bar suffered from it. Now at around half life, he started panicking. Would he be able to reach the edge of the forest before he was waylaid by enemies and must defend himself? Turning on Battle Perception he started to run in the direction he saw the road. After several minutes of full blown running, Wermut just slowed to a stop and began panting. This was certainly rare, had he just ran in a straight line with not a single ambush to slow his travels? Maybe he would make it back to London alive this time! He beat his chest with his right hand as he coughed loudly, catching his breath so he could get back to running. It would be another several minutes before he would make it to the forests clearing.

Seeming as if to break apart, the forest ended to reveal a wide plain with a single road leading directly left and right from where Wermut was standing. The sun had passed it’s peak moment in the sky, and was on it’s way towards it’s descent, putting the time of day between three and six post meridiem. There was no time to lose; he needed to get to town to get a meal of any style. Gazing down either side of the road, it became apparent which direction lead towards London, and which continued down the wrong path. Buildings stood far in the distance, and Wermut started down the path towards the city.

As he entered London, it became obvious that something had happened while he was gone. Every single person in sight was smiling, decorations were hanging up all over London and seemed to thicken as he traveled towards St. Pancras Station. The sight was stunning, confusing, and pretty much had both of the effects on Wermut that one would expect to receive from a sight that was stunning and confusing. Wermut just stood there, mouth practically falling open from all of the decorations; one could almost forget they were practically starving from hours being lost in a forest. He quickly looked around for a stall that sold ingredients, and started walking towards it. Nobody could enjoy a festival on an empty stomach, and the game offered the ability to ‘conjure’ up food at the cost of some ingredients. If only that food had a flavor.

Words:587
Nala is up next. (She is replying later as she just went to bed.)

[Nala]

Squealing happily, Nala got up super early to start on her preparations for the Chinese New Years festival in town later that day. Pulling out all the ingredients she could reach, she laid them out on the table with a huge smile on her face. This was the sort of event she absolutely loved, food, drinks, fire dances, people in giant dragon costumes, and games! Oh, the different games were what she was really going in for. She had never been to a Chinese New Years celebration, only heard about them from books and one of the kitchen helpers from where she use work. Hopefully there would be fireworks, New Years just wouldn't be the same without them, if someone had even figured out a way to conjure up the flying explosives yet. Nabbing the butcher knife from the drawer, she got to work on the fruits, slicing them up to serve for any vegetarians she might run into. Hurrying around the kitchen, she put the pot to boil, started up the oven, pulled out any pots and pans she could find, and started to roll out some bread; it was a good thing multitasking was one of her strong points.

Late to get up as usual, Leroy was soon stumbling into the kitchen, covering his hand with a big yawn while he went, "Mooorni- what the? When he sat down and actually looked at all the food she had already made by that afternoon, Leroy raised an eyebrow, "What in the world is this? Are we feeding everyone in Elder Tale?? Giggling lightly, Nala turned her bright smile from that morning on him and nodded her head, "Hopefully!"

While she went back to her cooking, Nala explained to her tired brother about the festivities that were going to be held that day, she couldn't believe that he had forgotten! Just in case, she sent him off when she was finished to wake up the other two and explain to them what was going on so they could get ready and be in order by the time she was finished. Though she worried they wouldn't be, the boys were actually up out of bed and prepared for their night around town in about half an hour, ten minutes before she was prepared with all the food wrapped up and packaged. They teased her about being so slow, but she just laughed them off and told them to grab an armful of something to carry.

When they did arrive at the festival, it was everything she had been expecting and more. Her grin widened and she fled to the first spot she could find to set up her own place, though all it was was a blanket she laid out then started setting all the food on, simple, but they didn't have a lot and none of them were wood carvers to just make up a table. Sitting herself down, she began to wait for people to come around for her free food she had worked so hard to make since about five AM... and waited... and waited some more. No one seemed to be interested in the food she had laid out over the blanket, probably put off because they thought she had made it from the menu, only interested in the ingredients that actually had flavor... her food did have flavor though! If only they knew that.

Feeling bad for their sister, her brothers huddled together then went off in search of a victim. Going up to a white haired man who had just arrived, they went over and surrounded him with mischievous smirks on their faces. "Hey friend~ how about coming over this way and trying something?" Leroy went behind to push the stranger, while Randee and Ragas got on the guy's sides to lead him over to where Nala sat, looking down at the blanket sadly, her ears laid back against her head. When the group came over, she perked up and smile at them, despite her inner sadness. "Why hello there..?" When she saw the three surrounded the stranger, she became suspicious immediately. "Are you a friend of my brothers?" The oldest, Ragas, raised an eyebrow and shot the stranger a look.

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Word Count: 706

[Fallash]

Wermut had been wandering around, trying to find a stall that simply sold ingredients when a trio of mischievous looking players started circling him like vultures. He stopped moving and started to talk, but only managed a single word before one started pushing on him and the other two started leading him off somewhere towards the crowd. Shrugging, he announced, “Fine, I’ll go. But this had better be good,” and started to walk on his own, he didn’t need the one behind him to keep pushing. As they were walking, Wermut couldn’t help but think of what the three were trying to show him; without a doubt it had something to do with the festival. His mind wandered, making the trip feel like it took forever when in reality it was only a couple of minutes.

Off in the distance through the crowd, Wermut saw a woman sitting down on a blanket surrounded by food. He didn’t even bother figuring out exactly what she was, despite her having obvious ears; Wermut was locked on to the food. His stomach growled loudly before realizing that towards that food was where he was actually walking. This was what they wanted to show me? Food? It wasn’t like Wermut to turn around, especially not when something strange was in the air. There must have been something special about that food. While Wermut seemed to have been drifting off into space he had reached the edge of the blanket.

“Why hello there...?” The voice knocked Wermut out of lalaland, causing him to recoil slightly as if he just walked into a metal pole. Shaking his head, he started to realize that the voice came from a woman, and with a closer inspection it became apparent that it came from a Fox Tail. Wermut hadn’t met any Fox Tails yet, and his eyes couldn’t help but repeatedly dart back to her ears. “Are you a friend of my brothers?”

Opening his mouth to reply, Wermut was silenced by a shiver right down the spine, and he could not seem to speak. He shut his mouth like a clockwork and glanced towards the brother that was giving him quite the questionable expression before realizing that they ‘abducted’ him to do something over here. The realization knocked him out of his seemingly clockwork state as soon as it began, “Yes, I suppose I am a friend of theirs,” he grinned at her, trying his best to bluff while being utterly distracted by a pair of fox ears. His eyes constantly darted from her face, to her ears, and then back to her face for three or four repetitions before finally locking down on her eyes; a beautiful shade of blue that seemed to drain the color away from the world surrounding them. It had been days since he had even talked to another player face to face, even longer since he had talked with a woman.

Words: 489
Notes: Food, ears, lady, oh my!

[Nala]

Grinning in approval, Ragas nodded, “We just sort of saw him standing around and thought you might like to meet him!” It was clear by the way the Fox Tail narrowed her eyes that she didn’t fully believe the trio. They didn’t seem affected by it at all though, beaming at her and showing off their large white teeth, as friendly and nice as could be. This didn’t help her suspicions in the slightest, but when the new stranger said that they were friends, she wouldn’t doubt him since she knew nothing of him. The way he used the word suppose though, it told her otherwise, even if her brothers hadn’t caught onto it.

Shaking her head, she smiled despite figuring that the poor guy was brought here against his will or by some devious act, “Well… alright. It’s nice to meet you, I’m Nala.” Still shy with most of the human race, she blushed lightly while holding out her hand after the introduction. Glancing around a little, she picked up a plate of orange chicken, holding it out to him with her free hand, “I’m sorry, please have something to eat, you’ll be my first customer.”

Of course, she wanted the stranger to try something, but she was also nervous about someone actually coming over to eat something. Saber had been the last person she had given a bite of her food, and he hadn’t seemed particularly pleased about it the way he just kept on a poker face. She had been practicing since then though, hopefully he would like. If not, she wasn’t sure what she would do. Maybe pack it up, maybe see if he would like to try something else, a simpler dish that she might have actually succeeding in flavoring.

---

Word Count: 295

[Fallash]

“Nice to meet you too! Name’s Lenn-” He had to cut himself off with a quick covering of his own mouth as he realized the introduction he was formulating involved his real name, trying to smoothly correct himself with a simple cuffed hand over his lips and a subtle cough. He would have corrected himself afterwards and shook her hand but his eyes caught a glimpse of... no it can’t be! Orange chicken? Looking conflicted with the sight of his favorite dish, his mind started running circles. Do I try it? For all I know it could be a trap, a prank to make me start spitting up flavorless mush. These thoughts were however scoured from his mind with a single look at the womans eyes. She seemed too innocent to be a simple prankster and with a simple gulp of regret he took the plate from her hand. “Here goes nothing” He muttered while still smiling, if only his eyes were smiling too.

Taking a single piece of orange chicken, regret ran through his mind for a third and final time before finally popping it into his mouth. The burst of flavor was incredible! Ever since he had been trapped in Elder Tale he had never tasted something so miraculous, let alone tasted anything. With the most shocked of expressions, Wermut seemed to flop to the ground in a simple seating position as he carefully put the orange chicken on his knee. His smile seemed as though it were literally ripped from his face before taking another and eating it. A single tear rolled down his cheek from his right eye before speedily devouring the rest as his face disappeared behind the plate in a classic animated fashion. His expression had changed from shock to sheer joy in a matter of seconds before her lowered the plate and rapidly bowed his head to Nala; with the rest of his body following. “Thank you for the food!” It had been months, even in real life, since he had the pleasure of tasting his favorite food.

Words: 345
Notes: Orange Chikken so gewd.

[Nala]

Blinking when he covered a hand over his mouth, Nala tilted her head to the side slightly, her ears following after. She was curious at first as to why he hid his mouth, but soon figured the reason was for the cough he performed next. "Ah, Lenn then!" Grinning when the odd action was explained, the Fox Tail waited until the plate was taken from her, assuming the name that had been cut off on purpose by him was actually his whole character name. Sure, she could have checked to see what it truly was herself, but she didn't like cheating that way. Having someone freely tell them her their name without peeking was her preference.

Watching her first taste tester of the day smile at the food he was handed meant the world to her. Nala didn't even pay attention to the hesitant eyes behind the smile, she was just happy that someone was willing enough to try her food. Wiggling in anticipation, she watched him closely. It was killer, the wait that is, it would have been rude to try rushing him to eat, or possibly push the piece of chicken into his mouth. She wasn't that crazy or violent though, so instead, she sat quietly, trying not to expect too much, but failing horribly. Luckily for her, the man's face soon lit up, what she didn't expect was the tear and sudden devouring of the food.

Jumping slightly at all the bowing, as well as the extent he took it, she ended up in a mini fit of giggles at the silliness of it. Waving a hand in front of her, Nala shook her head, "N-No, it's alright, don't worry about! I'm just glad you like it so much." Especially considering the last time a certain someone she had met reacted to her food. Her confidence wasn't exactly at its peak after that encounter.Gesturing to the rest of the miscellaneous items she had themed for the Chinese holiday as best she could, Nala went on, "You can have as much as you like, or even take some for later, I don't want to be taking all this back home." Scooting over slightly so that Lenn could sit down with her if he wanted, she kept the invitation open even as her brothers watched the man like a hawk.

---

Word Count: 395

[Fallash]

Take as much as he could like? Was she entirely serious? Wermut couldn’t tell if she was fully serious or not and hesitated before sitting down. After a couple of seconds he finally took the seat next to her and picked up another plate, this time eating it slowly and occasionally taking the time to attempt chit-chat. “I won’t force you to take any home. Even in real life I ate more than I should have.” He glanced around only to end up noticing the three brothers staring at him. The man had never had any siblings before, so just seeing their reaction to him absolutely confused him. Was there something on his face? Did he get food on his clothes? Wermut put the food down briefly and checked, using a piece of his armor as a makeshift mirror and did manage to find some sauce on the corner of his lip. Wiping it off as fast and nonchalantly as he could, he leaned closer to Nala.

“Do they normally... you know... stare at new people like this?” Wermut whispered in Nala’s direction. It was obvious their gaze was making him slightly uncomfortable as he covered his mouth so none of the brothers could hear his words nor read his lips. He had only hoped that she understood or perhaps that she noticed as well. Wermut faked another cough as he moved his hands back to his plate, continuing his previous action of eating.

Words: 244
Notes: Sorry for taking so long T~T

[Nala]

Nala smiled as Lenn reassured her that she wouldn't be taking anything home with her. She had made quite the spread though, so she was a little doubtful of this, there was about five hours worth of food to be consumed. If he thought that he could pack it all down though... it might actually be interesting to see him try! Like one of those food competitions. Oh goodness, she wondered if there were any like that here or how their food tasted there if there was. Hopefully they didn't just make food from the menu or the competition wouldn't last that long. "That's good to hear! Just try not to eat so much that we'll have to roll you back to your home~"

Seeing the man lean over, she warmed slightly, but perked her ear toward him when he started to whisper. Stare? Tilting her head to the side slightly, Nala looked toward her brothers who instantly looked in three different directions like pros. 'They aren't staring at new people?' she thought in her head, except for Leroy, who was looking toward some girl in a dragon costume bending over to pick something off of the ground. She wanted to smack his arm for doing it so blatantly, but he was just being his usual self. Needless to say, she shook her head, having never actually caught her brothers staring other guys that get close to her down before. "No, they know its rude to stare?" Shaking her head, she nudged a plate of a few mini spicy octopi along with some egg rolls toward him, curious if hunger was making him delusional.

"So, have you gotten a chance to check out the different things to do around the festival Lann?" While she wanted to know what sort of things were around to do, Nala kind of hoped that Lann hadn't had time to check out the festivities. She could have left the place in charge of the rest of her family and gone off to look around alone, but most things were just more enjoyable with other people around to enjoy them with!

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Word Count: 355