(Untitled)

[calmhrtprevails]

Things have seemed a little strange of late around the Bar. By and large, Fawkes hasn't noticed; he's been busy being distracted by things being done in the Wasteland, and only come to the Bar to get time away from the Brotherhood planning and strategizing

Comments

[crabbycustomer]

Millitime is in full effect, which means for Karkat it is still the night of the 20th over at his holiday multiculturalism table.

From here he can't tell what Fawkes is studying, but he gives him a vaguely civil nod out of general festiveness.

[calmhrtprevails]

Which is fine. Fawkes seldom has access to the calendar anyway.

He sets the book down at some point and stretches, popping knuckles like a truck rolling over walnuts, before noticing the table. Well, this might be interesting; why not go and investigate...

"This looks," he says, "like an extremely festive occasion. Can I ask what the holiday of Alternia being celebrated is?"

[crabbycustomer]

Karkat shrugs, and rolls his eyes a little. "WELL, IT IS NOT REALLY TECHNICALLY ANY HOLIDY, BUT WE ARE CELEBRATING THE TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY INTERCISION AT THE END OF THE YEAR BECAUSE IT IS COMING UP ON HUMAN NEW YEAR."

"WE HAVE A TWELVE DAY HOLIDAY LEADING UP TO THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE NEW SWEEP AND TONIGHT WOULD BE THE FIRST NIGHT, IT'S TRADITIONAL TO EAT A BIG MEAL WITH YOUR LUSUS BEFORE HE GOES OUT HUNTING A BEHEMOTH LEAVING FOR LATER FESTIVE NONSENSE."

[calmhrtprevails]

"I see," says Fawkes. "I only recently saw what time of year it was here. I'm not used to marking the passage of the year, but I suppose there's no harm in local custom."

He nods, skipping past the unfamiliar 'lusus' and latching on to a part of the sentence he does know. "When you say 'behemoth'," Fawkes says, "is that a reference to a type of beast? Or something more like me, but twice my size, and completely feral?"

[crabbycustomer]

"WELL, THEY ARE DEFINITELY COMPLETELY FERAL. TWICE YOUR SIZE IS KIND OF CONSERVATIVE, AND EXTREMELY SHAGGY. THEY ARE A KIND OF MUSCLEBEAST I THINK."

"THEY ARE PRETTY RARE AND INSANELY DANGEROUS, BUT AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR--WELL, THAT TIME OF YEAR--THEY GO THROUGH A MOLT BEFORE THEY HIBERNATE AND BEHEMOTH LEAVINGS AREN'T THAT HARD OR RISKY TO FIND."

[calmhrtprevails]

"Then they're not the sort I'm told exist in the Wasteland," says Fawkes. "I had wondered. The word was a little familiar."

He then glances over the table contents. "May I ask what's in these offerings here?"

[crabbycustomer]

"THESE ARE--HOLY SHIT."

"I JUST FIGURED SOMETHING OUT. I GOT THESE OFF A GIRL NAMED ELLEN, SHE SAID SHE HAD A FRIEND HERE FROM HER WORLD NAMED FAWKES, THAT IS YOU, ISN'T IT? I DID NOT PUT IT TOGETHER UNTIL JUST NOW."

[calmhrtprevails]

"That," says Fawkes, "would indeed be me. I hadn't known you'd met my friend."

He can say that safely. He really only has the one. Two, perhaps, if you count Ava. But still.

"She's traveling at the moment. I haven't seen her for a few days, although I got a note from her about your communication system."

[crabbycustomer]

"YEAH, WELL, SHE TRADED ME SOME MUTANT SCORPION CARCASSES FOR AN INVENTORY SYSTEM SO I COULD PUT THIS TOGETHER."

"THE BIG HUNKS OF MEAT ARE SCORPION ROASTED IN THE EXOSKELETON, AND THE LITTLE THING ARE ARACHNID SNAPS. THEY ARE POISON GLANDS STUFFED WITH PASTRY AND ICING AND CREAM AND DIFFERENT MIXINS. THE RED ONES... WELL, YOU CAN PROBABLY HANDLE THEM, THEY HAVE A LITTLE SPIKE OF THE VENOM LEFT IN."

[calmhrtprevails]

Fawkes nods. "There's very little I know of that I can't successfully digest," he says modestly. "I have no doubt I've probably eaten poisonous meat before this. I might as well try one. They certainly sound interesting."

[crabbycustomer]

"THEY ARE GREAT, IF YOU CAN TAKE A LITTLE TOXIN. YOUR WHOLE MOUTH GOES NUMB. AND THE ROAST BEAST IS FINE FOR ANYONE."

"THE OTHER FLAVORS ARE SOUR CREAM WITH BITS OF SCORPION MEAT AND SWEET CREAM WITH BITS OF FRUIT." He indicates the other colors of sprinkles.

[calmhrtprevails]

"I believe I'll try a little of each," Fawkes says. "Assuming that's not an imposition, of course."

[crabbycustomer]

"NO, GO AHEAD. THERE'S PLENTY. ELLEN HAD A SHITLOAD OF SCORPIONS TO TRADE, AND NOT MANY OTHER PEOPLE SEEM THAT INTERESTED."

[calmhrtprevails]

Fawkes makes a wheezing, rasping noise that's probably meant as suppressed laughter. "All meat," he says, "is meat. I don't think most people here have any idea of what they might someday have to try."

He'll get a plate from somewhere and start choosing out samples.

"My thanks. The food back home tends to be whatever can be found or hunted."

[crabbycustomer]

"WELL, THAT IS KIND OF WHAT THIS IS. I MEAN, IT WAS FOUND AND HUNTED ON YOUR WORLD SPECIFICALLY, BY ELLEN. I JUST TOOK SOME TIME WITH THE COOKALYZER TO MAKE IT EXTRA FESTIVE."

"THIS WAS THE ONE REALLY GOOD TIME OF YEAR ON ALTERNIA. IT MAKES ME MISS MY GUARDIAN A LITTLE BIT." It is easier to talk about it with Fawkes; his world is similarly fucked, and he doesn't look human or troll.

[calmhrtprevails]

"True," says Fawkes, "but you can cook. I mean no offense to my friend, but she only seems to know how to either roast meat over a fire or boil it in an old pot."

Not that he's familiar with cookery, himself. Left to his own devices, Fawkes tends to eat most of his food raw. He's used to it by now.

"Your guardian was the 'lusus' you mentioned earlier?" he guesses, picking up one of the sour cream based snacks.