Clima and Primrose - pt 2

[nohalation]

Meanwhile, Dusk (apparently having woken up??) takes a gander around the room. Sleep must not have hindered her at all, for she discovers, underneath that strange piano fountain flowing into the pool, three cans of unprepared sardines? Not something that can be eaten unprepared, that's for sure... and come to think of it, weren't the citizens of your kingdom interested in meat since the farm was ruined?

You obtain +3 meat!


Primrose rolls: (6+6)+4 = 16 to search the room. (Wit)
!!CRITICAL SUCCESS!!

Primose follows suit, searching the room for anything of value. She discovers a large radish, sitting about. Is this from the farm? Is this edible? It's hard to say, it's as hard as a rock. On its own it's not edible at all.

You obtain +1 wood!

All they're doing is talking and drinking... is that all there is to it for Friendship? How mysterious. And a little boring to keep watching. Juno finally turns away from watching the pair to go off and explore a bit and chat up other people.

Juno rolls: (2+2)+2 = 6 to search the room. (Wit)

As Juno looks around, they don't spot anything of interest that they haven't noticed before... from above them, the stars seem to smile, a bit apologetically. It's almost like they're sorry?


"Aw, it's okay..." A little disappointing though. Maybe they should go see if anyone else found anything-- oh! That's right! Wasn't there another arrival? Juno had gotten so caught up in the friendship that they completely forgot.

So this time, they're going to go look for Primrose.

During this whole downtime, introductions and all, Walnut has been conspicuously absent. There haven't been any signs of movement near the next door, or the door they entered the labyrinth through - and the followers she brought in are still milling about, for the first part. Did she disappear? Did the vines from earlier drag her beneath the earth? Is she de -

Walnut rolls: (1+2)+3 = 6. (Quest)

Actually no, there is a girl with a suspiciously similar look to her suddenly bursting out of the pool, clawing her way back onto dry land, where she slams down a huge fish.
Like, it's really big. +2 meat.

While Walnut was missing, Dusk made new friends. There were in fact new arrivals as Juno pointed out. But actually, it's the four new machomallows that mysteriously popped up from the ground.

They are also really big.

Clima watches everyone moving around -- this is pretty much how he "hangs out". People watching. Dusk sure did just mysteriously gain more bara marshmallow men. Is that her aesthetic? Should he try to work out? He's not very tall, though.

He stands up after a little while longer, "Are you hungry, milady? Would you like a meal prepared?"

"Ooh, you can cook, too? Wow . . . " Dusk blinks, but she claps her hands together smiling. "That's really neat! Sure!"


"I can do anything if it's for you." This might sound like a line of seduction, but his expression doesn't change, and neither does his tone: it's just a matter of fact.

Dusk wonders if that includes turning into a dragon or climb a really tall mountain...

"So bold..." Slot whispers under his breath as he drinks more drank.

"Oh?" Walnut tilts her head, swinging her feet idly inside the pool. Who's this clown?


Well, logically this clown is one of the two other adventurers they were told about. That's who this clown is.

I mean, obviously.


He takes a moment to look at Walnut. Stares. Doesn't really acknowledge her words except by way of staring, before pulling out a frying pan. Clown is technically correct, that's what happymancers are, but he's not really. . . . that great at entertainment.


Clima rolls: (1+4)+2 = 7 to make food. (Quest)


And neither is he great at cooking, apparently, because he takes the fish that Walnut procured (without asking, even) and ends up ruining the texture of the fish by over and also undercooking it. He does manage to salvage it, at least -- people like fish patties, right? If he grinds it up and makes it into patties, then he can re-cook it and make it taste okay . . . .

Unfortunately, there isn't much seasoning besides salt. And you know, fish is already fish, so there's that. Still, there's enough to go around for everyone, and it's food, so like, stop complaining?


"Dinner is served."

"Um -" It's not that hard to take the fish. She was rising from the pool to hand it over anyway, if he's their party cook he must be a good guy, but the nerve of it all! She suppresses a growl and a swear and keeps watching, though; ultimately, it's fine.


But then he keeps going.


And going.


And what is that thing, actually?


"Nice!" Dusk grabs herself a plate, and she seems quite fine with it. After all, the kingdom IS FUCKING POOR so whatever, it's fine. "Thanks for catchin' the fish and cooking it!"

Walnut eyes the patty warily, forgetting to say thank you.


Primrose just stares at the food, scowling. "You ruined it..."


Clima stares at Primrose, chewing on a fish patty himself.


"It's edible."


"I've had worse," Slot says with his mouth full.

Walnut gives it a sniff, then licks it once. Is it salty. How salty.

She takes a bite? And chews. Slowly.

It's about as salty as Walnut is.

"I'm not hungry." Juno just says, when they're summoned back to dinner. Not because it looks inedible, but simply due to the candy wrapper and plastic fruits they ate earlier.

Salty as the sea she was born in. Walnut spits it out, startled.


"I'll die if I eat this!"

"Wow! Are you allergic?"

"I'll dry out..." She sticks out her tongue. Blegh.

"I can season it with water."

"What."

You would think this is a joke but Clima simply stares at Walnut with what seems to be 100% sincerity.

She turns to look at Juno, "you're not allergic too, are you?"

"No?" Juno replies. Juno doesn't think they're allergic to anything.

That might help, actually. She hands over the licked fish patty.

"Does the sea season the fish differently from like lakes and rivers?"

He takes some water from the pool that Walnut came from, and starts to knead it into the patty.

Clima rolls: (1+1) = 2 to successfully unfuck this fish patty.
!!CRITICAL FAILURE!!

However, given its shape and the oil from the pan already, the patty breaks apart, slipping out of his hands and onto the ground. At about this time is when a marshmallow man walks by, stepping onto the fallen patty to retrieve another vanilla fish patty, because at least marshmallow men appreciate Clima's efforts.


He stares at the fallen fish patty for a moment. Then picks it up and starts kneading it into water again.

"Wow..." Juno says, beginning to appreciate the situation. "The food is bad, isn't it?"

"Seawater is salty, but - " She starts to say, but. Clima.


Now it's going to be sweet, too? Maybe she should just catch another later on...


That same marshmallow man who stepped on the fish munches down on their new patty, completely oblivious.

"Oh, this is delicious! I can barely taste the fish, so I like it. By the way, it's almost time to go to bed! It's really late, and we lose our energy when we're not in the sun...! We want to be useful!"

He keeps kneading, then squeezes the now salty water out, before patting it back into a fish patty and then offers it back to Walnut.

"Wow! These marshmallow guys are pretty klutzy." Dusk laughs, doesn't seem to mind. "But that's ok, it's a charm point! They're gonna become beautiful creatures after all!" She pats one on the head, smiling. "Thanks guys, definitely take a nap!"

Walnut stares it down like it - well, like it stepped on one of her favorite foods.


Except in this case it is the stepped on favorite food. Isn't it funny how these things happen?


But it'd be bad for her image to reject it, so she takes it with both hands, smiling... maybe it was supposed to be a gentle expression, but it's honestly more feeble. Secondhand embarrassed?

On the other hand, if Clima looks embarrassed at all, he definitely doesn't look it. In fact, he's watching Walnut while he munches on his own fish patty, Expectant.


In a case like this, maybe she should just eat it all at once. She shoves it into her mouth, chewing - the dilution is a little bit better, but like their marshmallow friends said, it doesn't taste much like fish. She'd know.


But she doesn't say that. That would be mean.


"Wow... It's delicious."

"Wow, your taste buds must be weird. How mysterious."

Walnut whips her head around. "Dusk!" she hisses, mouth full.

"Ha ha ha!" Don't get food on Dusk’s face, that's rude Peanut.

She rolls her eyes. Her name's not Peanut. She knows what you're thinking.

But maybe you're cute like a peanut. Can you read THAT.

She knows she's the cutest, but walnuts are cuter than peanuts. Come on.

After a few more drinks, Clima pulls out his tambourine again. He's not doing anything with it except keeping a beat, shaking it a little. Uneasily. Everyone should be happy and music makes people happy, so like,
It's late, but one of the marshmallow men speak up.


"I think we should go now, actually, while we still have energy! Everyone's eaten and had a good time! I think this means going onwards!"

The other marshmallow men nod in agreement. Even some of your followers agree!

"Yes, let's!" Slot agrees too loudly. He knocks back his cup once more (how many times has he drunk from it tonight?)

Clima doesn't answer verbally, as he's wont to do, but he does shake his tambourine harder for a moment.

Juno nods enthusiastically! They were feeling a little out of place, but know for sure they can be useful if they move onwards!

Primrose bounces on her feet. "Yeah yeah yeah yeah let's go!"

"Yay, enthusiasm!" they exclaim all at once!! It's time to proceed.