(Untitled)

[crabbycustomer]

The Alternia sweep ends with a twelve day holiday interstice; the last day, Twelfth Perigee's Eve, is their least terrible holiday, and marks the culmination of a three hundred hour celebration of the most repulsive and dangerously heart-warming sentiments

Comments

[bloodyvirgo]

Padding down the stairs into Bar proper, a familiar scent catches Kanaya's nose and soon she's standing at Karkat's side, boggling at the food laid out.

"Did You Do All This Yourself, Karkat?"

[crabbycustomer]

"YEAH," he says, awkwardly. It's always awkward being caught being a decent guy. "IT WASN'T THAT HARD, I JUST GOT A COOKALYZER FROM THE BAR AND SET IT TO ROAST AND LET IT SIT FOR A FEW HOURS. THE CARCASSES ARE FRESH THOUGH."

[bloodyvirgo]

Kanaya finds herself smiling brightly at Karkat, and she moves to hug him briefly before taking up one of the pastries.

"This Is Fantastic! Where Did You Manage To Find Scorpions?"

[crabbycustomer]

Karkat endures the hug stoically; it is all part of the holiday.

"THERE WAS SOME GIRL FROM A POSTAPOCALYPTIC VERSION OF EARTH LOOKING TO BARTER SOME FUCKING ENORMOUS ONES, SHE SAID THEY WERE MUTATED VERSIONS OF THE TINY EARTH ONES. THEY LOOKED ABOUT THE RIGHT SIZE FOR US SO I TRADED HER ONE OF THE PLAYING CARD INVENTORY SYSTEMS I SCAVENGED OFF THOSE CARAPACE SOLDIERS."

"RED SPRINKLES ARE THE SPICY ONES. THEY MAKE YOUR MOUTH GO NUMB, JUST LIKE HOME."The pastries are poison glands, cleaned out and stuffed with flour, icing, and cream. And maybe a little bit of poison, in the red sprinkled ones.

[seeswitheyes]

Well. Isn't that interesting? The food at least smells good, and Rose supposes that, in the spirit of cross-dimensional, interspecies cooperation, she ought to try...

But apparently, not the red.

[crabbycustomer]

Karkat looks up from the chunk of carapace he is ripping the meat from, and nods at her. "LALONDE. SIT DOWN AND HAVE A SLICE OF ROAST BEAST OR AN ARACHNID SNAP IF YOU WANT."

The snacks are poison glands cleaned out and stuffed with pastry, icing and cream. And sometimes poison, if you try the red.

[seeswitheyes]

"I believe I shall. Would you recommend any in particular?"

A plate, and a slice of beast to start with, along with a glance at the calendar...

[crabbycustomer]

"THEY ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME, EXCEPT WITH DIFFERENT MIXINGS IN THE FILLINGS. THE GREEN ONES HAVE SOUR CREAM INSTEAD OF SWEET AND LITTLE SHREDS OF SCORPION MEAT, AND THE BLUE ONES HAVE BITS OF FRUIT MIXED IN. JUST STAY OFF THE RED ONES, THEY HAVE A TON OF SCORPION VENOM."

"KANAYA SAYS THIS IS THE HUMAN HOLIDAY SEASON SO WE NEED TO SHARE OUR HOLIDAYS WITH YOU GUYS."

[seat_five_girl]

"Hello Karkat. You're hosting a party?"

[crabbycustomer]

"FUCK NO, I AM JUST GIVING AWAY FOOD," he says, sounding alarmed at the idea. Karkat hates parties. "DO YOU WANT SOME?"

[seat_five_girl]

"Sure, except for the ones with the red sprinkles I guess."

Ako looks for napkins or plates or something to hold the food with. Unless everything comes with skewers, those are their own plates and utensils.

"What kind of beast is it?"

[crabbycustomer]

"GIANT SCORPION, ROASTED IN ITS OWN CARAPACE."

There are plates and knives and forks, and a large carving knife in the serving dish next to the split shell of the carcass. "THE PASTRIES ARE STUFFED GLANDS, BUT ONLY THE BLUE ONES HAVE MEAT IN THEM. RED ONES HAVE VENOM." He takes a red one for himself.

[veryvorkosigan]

Cordelia looks at the sign with some interest, passing by.

"Hi there, Karkat."

[crabbycustomer]

"HEY," he says. "KANAYA THOUGHT SINCE IT WAS A HUMAN HOLIDAY PERIOD WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND CELEBRATE OUR LEAST OFFENSIVE CELEBRATION AND SEE HOW IT WENT OVER."

[veryvorkosigan]

"What's the holiday about? -- Is it okay if I sit down?"

[crabbycustomer]

"YEAH, SURE." He makes a mildly inviting gesture. "IT IS NOT REALLY ABOUT ANYTHING, IT IS JUST AN EXTRA ELEVEN DAYS AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR LEADING UP TO THE FIRST NIGHT OF A NEW SWEEP. IT IS A CHANCE TO SIT BACK AND TAKE STOCK OF YOUR LIFE AND BE GLAD YOU AREN'T DEAD. TONIGHT IS THE FIRST NIGHT, SORT OF, AND IT IS TRADITIONAL TO SHARE A BIG MEAL WITH YOUR LUSUS BEFORE HE GOES OUT HUNTING A BEHEMOTH LEAVING."