Pudding is Best with Friends [ooc welcome] - Printable Version +- Hydaelyn Role-Players (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18) +-- Forum: Role-Play (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18/forumdisplay.php?fid=27) +--- Forum: Town Square (IC) (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18/forumdisplay.php?fid=21) +--- Thread: Pudding is Best with Friends [ooc welcome] (/showthread.php?tid=5204)

Pudding is Best with Friends [ooc welcome] - Naunet - 10-22-2013 ((Copy-pasta from in-game RP. Occurs maybe an hour or two after Oranges and Confrontation.)) *** Antimony carried a hefty bag of flour in her arms and spoke as she walked down a relatively quiet side path at the edge of Limsa, "... and I hope Ulanan doesn't mind the additional guest, but I do think you'll rather enjoy this orange 'pudding' - at least I certainly hope so. I'm not all that familiar with 'pudding' but the way she described it certainly sounded delicious, but hm I don't know if I have enough chairs... Oh, I'll just sit on a stool and you will just take the other one, with Megiddo.. not that you'll share a chair, I mean!” Alcor shook his head, chuckling as he strolled alongside the miqo’te woman. "Don't worry over it. A meal on a stool, won't kill me. And the pudding will be fine, surely. I ain't too used to much good stuff, quite honest." He grinned, "So as long as yeh don't tell me it’s bad, I won't know if it is." Antimony's eyes widen slightly, though she didn’t pause her steps forward. "I wouldn't offer something bad! The oranges smelled delicious. Though this flour reminds me of sand.. ah, nevermind. Here." Alcor glanced around, "Heh, as be sayin' I'm sure it'll be fine.... Lovely little house ya got here." House was perhaps a bit too friendly a term for the little flat tucked into a wall in Limsa, and Antimony shook her head as she approached the door. "Ah, well, thank you, but you shouldn't say such things before you get a chance to truly judge..." She paused and frowned, hand on the door, before pushing it open. “Nah. Yer just too hard on yerself.” As he spoke, he reached over Antimony's shoulder to hold the door open for her. Inside there came noises from a far wall, accompanied by the strong smell of oranges that wafted out the open door. Ulanan Ulan stood atop the stove, stirring a boiling pot.  Antimony Jhanhi chuckled faintly at Alcor’s chiding and called out as she stepped forward, "Ulanan, are you back?" Her nose twitched at the scents. The lalafell looked towards the door and smiled. “Yes, it's me.” “Ah! Good. Uhm... I think I... Well, I hope there will be enough for one more now.” Not for the first time, she wondered if she should have first sought her friend’s permission. Though, it was her home… “Oh?” Alcor followed Antimony through the entrance, letting the door fall shut behind him. Ulanan gave him a look as if she had never met him. "Hello there," she said. Alcor's narrowed slightly as located the source of the voice, "Oi. Yeh look familiar." Antimony's ears tilted as she offered a slight smile and then, "This is... ah, Al...Alcor! Yes. A friend. And oh! Please be careful on the stove..." “I'm Ulanan. A pleasure to make your acquitance.” She kept stirring the contents of the pot, offering the Highlander a faint smile. In response, Alcor beamed. “Heh, I suppose so.” Antimony looked between the two, brow wrinkling briefly before she finally set the bag of flour down on the nearby table. There was a small puff of white from loose flour at the impact, and she waved at the air in front of her face, ears twitching. Seeing this, Ulanan set her spoon aside. Alcor let his eyes wander around the small flat, "There anything I should be doin' ta help?" “I will have that flour, if you please?” the lalafell requested, extending one arm. At this, Alcor walked around Antimony, to hoist up the flour onto the counter. Antimony brushed at little remnants of flour on the front of her robe and then, noting the disarray her deposition of the bag had caused on the table, began to hurriedly try and pull together some of the papers scattered about it. Whilst all three were otherwise occupied, there came a knock once upon the door, and then, belatedly as though it had at first been forgotten, twice more. Ulanan took the flour with a, "Thank you." She would spend the next few minutes making that flour into an actual pudding. Alcor watched the Lalafell for a few moments, before turning his gaze away, looking around at the house again. Antimony's ears twitched up at the sound and then she frowned towards the ceiling, speaking as though just realizing, "Ulanan... wasn't Megiddo with you?" “He wanted to go for a walk. That might be him at the door.” Antimony looked to the table and its mess, then to Ulanan, the boiling pot, Alcor, back to the pot, the table again, and then finally, the door. Her hands twisted the paper in her grip without realizing it, and then she moved to open the door.  Megiddo waited outside with a bland expression on his face. When Antimony opened the door, he let his gaze drop to her, but his expression didn’t change much. He explained, "I chose to attend, if that's still alright." Alcor moved across the floor, to see better the newcomer. Antimony blinked at Megiddo, looked to be considering something, and then glanced down at the paper in her hands. The sight of it seemed to startle her, and she frantically tried to straighten the wrinkled paper while saying, "Yes! Yes, of course it was. Is. I mean, I did invite you. Come in!" And she stepped back into the room. Elder Megiddo let his head lilt to one side, pondering for a moment. As he entered, he noted Alcor’s presence, and gave the man a nod of acknowledgment. Alcor looked between the older Elezen and Antimony, before settling on the man, "We met before, yeah?" Ulanan moved across the counter, picking a bowl and another spoon. She put some ingredients inside and sat down, placing the bowl on her legs before mixing it all energetically. Antimony looked around at the now three other people in her home and then moved back over to the table, setting the papers she'd nearly crushed back atop it. “Briefly, yes,” Megiddo was saying. “At the Drowning Wench. it is not uncommon for Oschon to guide me to repeat meetings. It is good to see you again.” “Oschon is a fun god like that.” “Probably got more to do with mutual knowings of folks,” Alcor shrugged at Megiddo. Antimony smiled a bit uncertainly at Alcor's back and Megiddo. "Ah, right! I'd forgotten about... well, I'm glad everyone can get along. I must apologize for the... well, it is a bit cramped in here." Megiddo shrugged, moving further into the building and looking towards Antimony, "I was raised in a cave which I shared with roughly a dozen young peers. This seems spacious enough." Alcor took a step back, so as not to awkwardly take up the middle of the room. “And, it’s still more space than many a ships, afford.” “Ah hah. I suppose that's true,” Antimony mused. “I'm used to more... well. Ulanan! Are you doing alright?” Ulanan hadn't stopped mixing the ingredients yet. “Milk! And eggs! I need them!” “Eggs and... oh.” Antimony looked suddenly distressed. Alcor furrowed his brow slightly at Antimony's obvious worry, "Hmm? Do yeh not have milk?" “Milk is another rather uncommon ingredient, I believe,” Megiddo observed neutrally. Antimony darted her eyes to Alcor, then Megiddo, and then back to the human. "Ah, well... it's not something I've ever... That is to say, I never got in the habit of... Oh no! Ulanan, is there anything else you could... use instead perhaps?" Ulanan looked lost in thought for a moment. “No milk? This town is terrible! We'll use water instead.” Antimony's brow wrinkled deeply and she pursed her lips, eyes wandering the small flat as though hoping to spy milk in some hidden corner. “Got no opinion on the matter,” Alcor shrugged. “Ain't like I know anything 'bout cooking." “Are you certain?” Antimony's tail lashed behind her. “It won't... there's no activating nature to milk? Or... certainly it couldn't possibly be the same! Oh no... I should have confirmed with you the full ingredient list beforehand…” Megiddo watched the goings on in silence, seeming rather out of place. Ulanan looked stumped. "I don't know. Melted butter and water, maybe? Do we have butter?" “Sure it'll be fine,” Alcor consoled. “Ain't no reason ta be worryin'” Antimony's ears shifted out flat from her skull worriedly. "I... have lard, yes. Ah! One moment, and I'll retrieve it..." She spun around, perhaps a bit too vigorously, nearly stumbled, and then stepped over to a small cabinet. Ulanan looked at Alcor and lifted the spoon to point at him. "There are eggs in a basket on that shelf. Can you get them to me?" Megiddo watched Antimony's behavior and inquired, "Is there some urgency to the steps in the recipe?" Antimony rummaged around in the cabinet for a bit, setting aside a small but clearly heavy box, and then paused at Megiddo's words, looking flustered. Her tail twitched against the floor behind her. "Ah, well, I suppose... I wouldn't want to keep anyone waiting." She retrieved a rectangular box from the cabinet then, and straightened with some effort. Alcor glanced between Ulanan and the shelf, before taking a step over and reaching for the basket, pulling it down from the shelf. He then moved over to Ulanan, placing the basket beside where she sat on the counter. “Don't emphasize the food too much. It will be done when it is done. The people the food is being prepared for is where most of the flavor is.” Megiddo stated this as an observation, with his deadpan look. When he was done, he added a bit of a smirk. Ulanan stopped stirring, took one egg and added it to the mixture before picking the spoon again. "Thank you." Alcor peered into the pot, leaning over it slightly and giving it a sniff. "Hmm, not still wanting to burn me are yeh?" he said quietly and with a chuckle.  At this, Ulanan looked up at him in surprise. “Uh?” Antimony frowned at Megiddo for half a second and then, "--oh no! You're right! What have I... Oh, I've completely forgotten to--please, you should sit!" Antimony made a motion as though to gesture at the chair at the table, but it was awkward due to the box she's holding. “Ain't that what yeh said the other day when yeh tracked me down?” Alcor prodded over by the stove. Ulanan smiled at Alcor. “You are a funny man. Just like Oschon! Except less divine.” She then continued mixing eggs into whatever terrible food she was making. Megiddo raised his hands, "If I sit down, I'll have to stand up again later. If you don't mind, I think it would better to jsut lean against something." “Heh,” Alcor chuffed. “Didn't know Oschon was known for his sense of humor.” Antimony's ears flicked out and then back in an anxious gesture. "I wouldn't want you to tire yourself, or hurt yourself, or--ah, look at me, not that I'm trying to say you're horribly fragile! Only... concern?" “I think we've established that I hold up unexpectedly well.” “You can't shove people into wandering the roads unless you have a good sense of humor,” Ulanan was explaining matter-of-factly. “Otherwise, you'd get eaten by peistes.” A pause. “...not 'you'...them. The people you push into wandering. Mm.” Megiddo turned, paced over to the walls, and leaned against it with his arms crossed. “Yes. Well...” Antimony dragged her attention back to matters at hand. “Oh, the lard! Ulanan, here—“ She turned around again and moved over to the counter, setting the box down carefully. “Not sure I be followin' that,” Alcor chuckled. “Probably cause I never had a personal relationship with 'em. My own fault 'o course” Ulanan stopped mixing the ingredients and set the bowl aside. She took the lard Antimony had provided, moved across the counter again, and mixed some of it with water in another bowl. Antimony blinked at Ulanan and Alcor, catching the last bit of a conversation that confused her. “You should sit at the table and exchange pleasantries while I prepare this dish!” Ulanan declared. Alcor raised his brow, "Hmm?" “Ah, of course, I'll just--here! Please, sit.” Antimony tried again this time, gesturing to the chair she'd offered Megiddo, with an almost pleading expression. Alcor glanced between her and the seat, "Yeh sure yer not wantin' the seat? I'm alright standin'" “A gentleman always accepts a seat when offered one, unless he's in a hurry.” Ulanan shook her fingers in a lady-like disapproving way. “Ulanan is correct,” Megiddo spoke from his position against the wall. “I partially refused to sit down myself out of fear that I would be mistaken for a gentleman.” Alcor shook his head slightly, "Pretty sure, it goes the other way round?" Antimony's tail shivered, her expression faltering briefly before, "No, I insist! Sit, please." "’The other way around’? Why would you accept a seat if you were in a hurry?” Ulanan continued to cook as she spoke. Alcor looked over Anti, "Alright, I'll have a seat then, if that'll help things." Antimony smiled with some relief and bowed her head briefly, "Thank you." Alcor walked over to a chair, taking a seat in it, and looking a little bit big for the small chair, "Of course, anythin' fer a lady." He flashed a smile Antimony’s way. Antimony nodded again and then, "Ah, Ulanan, is the lard working...?" “The lard will largely lead our pudding into a less lovely flavor, but it will work.” Antimony pursed her lips, ears drooping. "Ah, well, I suppose it can't be helped... milk! Of all the things." Sighing, she turned back around to face Alcor and Megiddo, clasping her hands in front of her at her waist. “Is it possible to get milk in Limsa?” Megiddo questioned. “Probably to late fer gettin' the milk now,” Alcor just shrugged. “It's... I suppose it must be, as D... Well, I've seen it in a restaurant before.” Antimony focused on not looking too distressed in front of the guests. Megiddo shrugged, "I've never really cooked. If there's a next time, though..." Antimony sighed and wrung her hands, nodding. Back by the stove, Ulanan moved across the counter, carefully avoiding stepping on all the things scattered across it. “It almost ready?” Alcor spoke up after an only mildly awkward silence. “Don't mean ta be rude, but food is soundin' rather good right about now.” Ulanan picked up the bowl of mixed ingredients and dropped all the contents into the boiling pot. "A gentleman is patient and prefers not to speak about his stomach!" RE: Pudding is Best with Friends [ooc welcome] - Naunet - 11-07-2013 Ulanan's torso was inclined forward, looking into the pot where the orange pudding was being prepared. She hummed a tune, lowly. Standing between the stove and the small table that served as both office space and an eating surface, Antimony sighed after a period of silence in the home and said, "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I'm no good at small talk. Ulanan is my only visitor usually and she... well, she's reading more often than not." She offered an awkward smile at Alcor. Alcor watched Ulanan stir the pot of 'pudding'. He shook his head, "No worries. But... since it be a while afore the food is done, there aren't any appetizers or anythin'? I wouldn' be askin' but I think my stomach is about' ta commit mutiny if it ain't gettin' anythin soon." “Mutiny! Ah, well, that's... I mean, I don't have anything specifically prepared, but... certainly I have something. Oh, I should've thought of the time it would take...” Antimony's ears flattened against her head and she spun around to go rifling through her small pantry. Meanwhile, Megiddo paced over towards the table, extracted a number of shriveled berries from his pocket, and held them out to Alcor in one stained glove.  ”Hold your sailors and keep them in the boat. This will be ready in just a minute.” Alcor felt, rather than saw the presence of the old man's hand next to him. His gaze shifted down to the offered berries. Sniffing for a moment he says, "I think those would rather be exacer-batin' the problem, sir." Megiddo gave Alcor a bit of a bemused look, "I can't imagine what you mean. Unless they don't live up to your standards." He returned the mess of berries to his pocket, except for one which he popped into his mouth as he stepped away. In her search through the pantry, Antimony had found mostly bulk foods - beans and a few different types of grains - until suddenly she straightened, winced, and touched her back with one hand, and then carefully turned back around. In the other, she held the remains of a loaf of bread on a platter. A few days old, but still definitely edible. “It isn't much, but perhaps this will do...?” she ventured with some hope. Still busy at her cooking, Ulanan left the spoon on the counter and moved to the near shelf to retrieve some kitchen mitts. Alcor smiled at Antimony, reaching over to the part of a loaf of bread, tearing off a chunk with his bare hands, "Ahm sure it’s fine. Be eatin' most things at this point." Megiddo leaned against the wall, crossed his old arms, and looked vaguely dubious at that. Ulanan climbed atop the counter once again, kitchen mitts over her hands...and then took them off. Instead, she used the spoon to serve the still hot pudding into individual cups, all the while shaking her head to herself. Alcor bit into the slightly stale bread, finding it rather hard to chew, but he did so anyway. Antimony smiled uncertainly and then remembered she was still holding the tray and so set it down on the table in a hurry. Megiddo noted Ulanan's movement and gesture, and commented, "If it hasn't turned out right, lie and say it has. None of us will know the difference." “But now that you have mentioned it, everyone will doubt me, even if I say the truth,” Ulanan protested. “Oh!” Antimony cast a concerned look in her friend’s direction. “Surely it's fine, Ulanan, and... if it isn't, well, that's only thanks to my own lack of preparation.” “They'll believe you if you're a decent liar.” Alcor still gnawed on his bread, though he eventually managed to swallow it, "No reason ta be shy 'bou the puddin'. We are all just hungry round here." Ulanan spared Megiddo a disappointed frown before turning to Antimony and pointing to the other side of the room. "Can you get the book on top of that pile for me?" “I'm sure it's fine, really. No lying will be necessary!” Antimony placated and then turned to oblige Ulanan's request. Antimony moved over to a few shelves, upon which were piled numerous books. She took the one atop the tallest pile - hopefully the one Ulanan pointed at, but there were multiple piles! - and turned back to the group. Ulanan looked at Alcor, “I'm sorry to have starved you. I will remedy that.” “What do you need... ah, a book on aetherflow for, Ulanan?” Antimony held it out to the lalafell curiously. Ulanan plucked book from the miqo’te woman’s hands, opened it, and flicked through the pages. "For pudding, of course!" Antimony's ears went lopsided in confusion at that. Alcor narrowed his eyes at the fancy book, "Did... you forget an ingredient or some-at?" “Is there a mystical step in the crafting of this pudding?” Megiddo, too, queried. “We could wait for this desert to cool down. Or we could force it to,” Ulanan declared as she adopted a somewhat exaggerated dramatic pose, placing the book high above the cups, facing down. “In Gridania they would call that interfering with the natural order and throw you in prison for it,” Megiddo observed.   ”And that's why Gridania's caves are so full of living pudding slimes,” Ulanan retorted. Antimony chuckled a bit nervously at the thought of the lalafell casting such spells in her home. "Be careful not to freeze it..." A sharp chill shivered through the flat for only a few seconds before aether crackled across the book’s pages and then Ulanan dropped from the counter. "Now we need small spoons!" Alcor chuckled, "Small spoons?" “Small? Ah, well... I have normal spoons...” “Of course,” the lalafell nodded. “Do you want to eat pudding with a big wooden spoon instead? Normal is small enough.” Antimony furrowed her brow and turned to a cupboard by the kitchenette. Pursing her lips, she rummaged for a bit before locating three spoons. Ulanan reached for the cups, holding the four of them between her arm and her chest. Then she turned around to place them on the table. Megiddo waited silently, arms crossed, distant. “Ah... slight problem,” Antimony began, and then, “… wait! No, not a problem. Not at all. I'll just...” She turned back around and, very quickly, set a spoon next to Alcor's and Ulanan's cups, while the third she bussed over to Megiddo. “Problem?” Alcor raised a brow. “No problem!” “But... you just said...” The hyur began. Ulanan looked up to Megiddo. “Pudding?” Megiddo took a cup from Ulanan, but to Antimony he said, "I wouldn't know what to do with a spoon." “What?” Antimony blinked. “Nonsense. I can't ask a guest to go without utensils! That... violates some kind of code, right?” She was certain it did, even if she had no idea what kinds of codes there were. Civilized cities had codes for these kinds of things, right? Alcor raised his brows, "Not sure how he plans ta be eatin' puddin' without one. Unless he'd prefer a fork?" “Desserts are eaten with spoons. Unless it's cake. Then forks are better suited for the task.” Ulanan lifted a finger as she lectured everyone on eating etiquette. Antimony held out the spoon to Megiddo. "I must insist you take it!" The elezen blinked back at her and shrugged, "I wouldn't know any codes between host and guest. The concept is wasted on me. Unfortunately, I'm more comfortable without it." He held the cup in his hands and made no move to change his plans. “We will educate you. Just follow my lead!” With this, Ulanan turned around to pick up her cup and spoon. “I've no interest in being educated.” “And where'd ya be from ta not know how to use a spoon? Used all round Eorzea they are." Megiddo sounded to be getting a bit grumpy, "From a place where one is not interrogated regarding it." Antimony opened her mouth as though to protest, then closed it, frowned, shifted her ears about in conflict, and finally sighed. "If you insist..." She turned back to the table, spoon in hand. Ulanan demostrated the use of a spoon with dramatic flair, placing perhaps too much attention on her movements, pausing them between directions.  "First, you take the spoon like this. Then, you stab the pudding with the spoon. Raise it...then eat!" Megiddo looked down at Ulanan and says as politely as possible, "Thank you, but you can go and eat your pudding." Antimony looked around the room then and cast about for something to save this moment. "How is... ah! How does it taste? Alcor? Ulanan? ... Megiddo?" Alcor waved his hand towards the Duskwright, "Let 'em be. He's obviously set in his ways." He pulled one of the pudding towards him, dipping his spoon into it and tasting. Ulanan curled up the hand holding the spoon into a fist and placed it against her hip, pouting. “It's not difficult! This is the easiest education besides mathematics.” Megiddo ignored Ulanan's pouting, raising his cup to his face and sniffing at it.  "Citrus and lard." “Ah, well, those would be two of the main ingredients I suppose...” Antimony accommodated a bit awkwardly. Alcor shrugged, "Its fine. Better than a lot of ship food still." Ulanan tried to hide her annoyance at Mediggo by eating her pudding like a lady. She was taking a lot of time with this. Antimony continued looking between Alcor, Ulanan, and Megiddo, expression intent, searching. Even still, Megiddo didn’t taste his pudding. The sniff seemed to have been enough. "It's pleasant." Alcor raised his brow at Anti, "Its fine, promise. You ain't tryin any?" Antimony smiled broadly suddenly, as though somehow satisfied by what she’d seen and heard – or perhaps just desperate to keep things moving and positive - and moved to swoop up her own cup. "Well then!  Let's all dig in and enjoy this wonderful meal Ulanan has crafted for us." It seemed she strangely took more pleasure in just announcing that than actually eating the pudding. Ulanan was still eating pudding. She really was taking her time with this. “It's wonderful to see you all at the table like this!” Antimony declared, as though the people in her home weren’t a vagrant, a vagabond, and a possibly once-murderous wandering lalafell. “Well, not specifically at the table, as Megiddo lingers over by the wall, but... we are all in one place! And that is... a good thing? Yes, a good thing.” She nodded strongly. Alcor continued to eat more of the pudding, his eyes crinkling slightly at the sides as he did so, "Hmm? Yes. I suppose it is." “We should share stories to supplement this standard social scene,” Ulanan suggested, perhaps wisely. Perhaps not. “It is wise to treasure fellowship of any kind,” Megiddo agreed. “Storytelling is traditional in many such congregations.” “Ah! Excellent idea, Ulanan! That sounds... certainly appropriate.” Looking to her guests, Antimony smiled expectantly. Turning to Alcor with a smile, Ulanan continued, “A seaman like yourself will surely have a great assortment of stories to share.”  Alcor glanced over at the Lalafell, "Stories? Ain't too much of interest to most folks. Now... The one who doesn't know spoons? There would be a story behind that." “I would love to hear a story from all of you!” Antimony declared with deliberate wholesomeness. “There's no story to not knowing how to use spoons. I had no use for it and not knowing how to use it made it easier to reject, so Antimony could have a spoon of her own.” Megiddo pondered for a moment. "I suppose that's the story of the time I lied about not knowing how to use a spoon." Ulanan laughed at that. Alcor only commented amenably, “Ah... knew there was a story there.” Megiddo smiled warmly. Antimony Jhanhi wrinkled her brow a bit contritely, but chuckled despite it, making the expression rather odd. "Ah, you shouldn't feel as though you need to do such things... I could just as well drink this, I'm sure." “That was quite the gentleman's gesture! Though you get less merit because of the lie.” Ulanan nodded with emphasis. “I would mourn that if I gave merit any weight, but then I would be a more unhappy person, so I do not.” Antimony blinked and glances at Ulanan. "Are you tallying points?" “Uhm...no...?” Alcor ate a little more of the sour pudding, "She probably is, seems like the sort of thing she would be a doin'" “Mm,” Antimony hummed in thought, letting the passing confusion of Ulanan’s comment slide. “Well, normally I wouldn't count that as a story, Megiddo, but I suppose it was something new, so...” “You don't want any of my real stories. They would ruin the mood.” “Oh, that can't possibly be true now!” Antimony protested. “Everyone should have at least one good story to tell.” Alcor shrugged. “Depends on what ya mean by a good story.” Antimony smiled at Alcor over her cup of pudding. "Well, try! You seem the sort to have an excellent story. Not that... I'm pretending to be a good judge of stories or anything like that. But... ah." “Good stories don't need to be happy. But happy helps,” came the lalafell’s helpful rejoinder. Alcor chuckled, "Well... I guess I could be tellin' ya 'bout the time the merchant vessel I were on, was raided by the MacRìdeinn clan. Don't know if yeh've ever heard 'o them. Might have, well known 'round these parts. Though they've not made the news in a while." Antimony's eyes widened slightly. "Oh. That sounds exciting. Or terrifying. Though, I can't say the name is familiar. “McRideinn?” Ulanan questioned. Megiddo had a similar thought: “Clan of what kind?” Alcor nodded his head, "Heh. Must be longer than I thought since they active on the seas. Maelstrom really been crackin' down on those sorts of activities." Antimony pursed her lips, looked thoughtful, and shrugged. "If it has been years, then I wouldn't know." “And I'm not from around these parts, so do tell!” Ulanan left her pudding on the table, and then climbed up to it. The whole thing leaned dramatically due to the sudden change in weight, but it went back to its original balanced position after the lalafell was on top of it. She sat and looked at Alcor, expectantly. Antimony gave the table a worried look that faded when nothing went immediately awry. “The MacRìdeinn clan,” Alcor explained, “were well known then, probably 'cause was a family unit working the raidin'. Bunch 'o defectin' Ala Mhigans if the rumors were true. Anyway, mah crew was not far off a pair 'o islands in the middle 'o the pathin'." Antimony seemed to have forgotten her pudding, instead listening with ears perked up away from her head. Alcor continued: “They musta been lyin' a wait there and had a mage ta pull the winds right fer 'em cause they came a sweepin' out a'tween the islands at a right frigtenin' speed. No way they got that sorta gust outta no wheres.” Ulanan, on the other hand, was still eating her pudding. Slowly. Her expression was neutral, so perhaps she was not liking the pudding much herself. Megiddo listened quietly, with crossed arms. “They rode up alongside us,” the hyur continued. “Our ship were running skeleton crew ta save money, iron-ic cause they paid the sailor more fer the danger. Weren't terribly interesting actually, lookin' back. We just kinda bellied up and gave 'em the goods." Antimony knit her brow together worriedly. "Were you hurt? That seems very dangerous!" “That was an unexpected premature ending,” Ulanan observed. “It was wise, I suppose. Did you repay the favor later on?” At the elezen’s question, Ulanan looked bemused, “Being robbed on the sea is a favor?” “I think, perhaps, he meant it... metaphorically?” Antimony hesitated. “Or would that be irony? Ah…” “Ironic turn of phrase, yes,” Megiddo acknowledged. “Oh. Of course!” And with much energy, Ulanan facepalmed. “Nothin' like yer thinkin',” Alcor chuckled. “Nah, I was passin' time at a tavern in Vesper Bay, when I saw one 'o those raiders. I remembered her well enough, she'd stuck out ta me. Yeh don't see to many attractive women out on the seas. Not that the Roe don't have their own... appeal.” “So I gather this will be the story of how you married...or how you got in bed. Please tell me it's the first one,” Ulanan quipped. Discomforted by the implications, Antimony cleared her throat. "Right. Well, ah... what did you do?" Alcor waved a hand. "Anyway, yeh wanted a story. There ya go." He laughed and added, "Sorry ta disappoint Ulanan. I ain't ever been married." A pause and then, "Anyway. Saw the lass, and a few more 'o her family come into dock. Went over ta have a few words with 'em. Didn't take long afore I was having drinks with the lot and... Nah. I probably shouldn't be sayin' more. Sensitive ears here an' all. But I did get a missive from the lass, actually her son, some a few years later. Heh. Wouldn't have it another way, quite honest. Boy's a good lad." A pause, another wave of his hand. "Anyway, yeh wanted a story. There ya go." Ulanan made a face. "So it was the second option." “Hey! Weren't the first time!” Antimony's ears twitched, and then she smiled a bit sadly. "That seems a happy enough ending." option. Though, do you still keep in touch with him? Alcor nodded towards Antimony, a slight smile on his face, "He were the one that convinced me to finally retire off the seas and give the land a try. He lives 'round here in Limsa." Megiddo stated from where he leaned against the wall, looking at Ulanan, "Not all cultures mandate marriage. My own does not." Antimony shook her head in agreement at his comment. “Yes, not all cultures are good.” Ulanan stabbed the pudding and ate what was left from it with less delicacy. “Ah, that's lov--Ulanan! You know, I was never married either,” Antimony chided. Megiddo looked mildly amused. “I believe Ulanan is calling you and I lesser, then, isn't she?” “Heh. I believe she is calling all 'o us that.” Ulanan motioned the spooned hand towards Megiddo. "I'm not calling you anything." She then motioned to Alcor. "I'm simply stating a statement on the seeming state of certain societies." To which Megiddo responded, “So you're saying our cultures are not good because they are not like your culture.” Antimony shook her head slightly, her smile more bemused than anything. "What does, ah, marriage do to make a culture... good then?" She blinked, tilted her head to one side, and, "Truthfully, I didn't know of such a concept until recently." “So yeh'd rather me have had a wife that I never saw? Sea-life and marriage ain't get along well, even if I'd wanted ta be married ta someone." Ulanan gave a strange look at each one of them. "Where do you people come from anyway?" Antimony looked uncomfortable. “What... kind of question is that..?” Megiddo frowned at the lalafell. “It's a...questioning question? Of the question kind! The kind you make when you want to know something.” “It's a... well when you word it like that...!” The miqo’te woman gestured helplessly with one hand. Ulanan only blinked. Megiddo observed this exchange with a dubiousness that was slightly more dubious than his former dubiousness. That was to say, with a slightly heightened degree of dubiousity. Finally, Alcor broached the question more directly, “And it matters where we come from?” Antimony tapped her fingers against her cup of pudding and then turned suddenly to Alcor, "Ah, anyroad! As long as you are in touch with your son, then all is well. No need to judge others on their homes or.. ask them silly questions like that!” Ulanan tried to scrape some more pudding from the empty cup and muttered, "I guess that's the important thing." Alcor looked down at his pudding, "Suppose so." “Ah! I am sorry, Ulanan,” she cast a concerned look her friend’s way. “I didn't intend to start... oh, now look at what I've done. Quickly, another tale!” “There was this one time when we were ambushed by assasins. We are alive, so it has a happy ending!” The lalafell prodded. “Hmm? Assassins?” Alcor looked up from his pudding curiously. “What's this?” Antimony blanched. "That, uhm... perhaps that is... not so good a tale to tell regardless." Megiddo stepped forward then and put his pudding on the table next to Ulanan, "I have a better one, in that case. The story of the time Megiddo gave Ulanan his pudding. As told by me presently. The end." Antimony blinked and then brought one hand up to her mouth to stifle a chuckle. "Stunning... ah, wonderful composition, Megiddo!" Ulanan looked down at the pudding. "Pudding's not your favourite dessert, I gather." “Seems he has been tryin' ta not try it.” “I've no palette for such things. It has a pleasant smell, so I've gotten what I can from it,” the duskwight shrugged. For now, at least, this seemed enough for Ulanan. “I'm glad you liked it, then.” She took the pudding. Antimony frowned slightly. "Oh... Ah, if you had said something sooner... Wait! I've surely got something to feed you. What do you like?" She whipped around a bit dizzyingly towards the kitchenette. “Please do not concern yourself, Antimony. I'm quite fine.” “No, no! I won't abide you going hungry in my home. Please. Ah, I've no more bread but... there are some oranges left over! Or I can cook up some oatmeal..." Alcor picked up his empty pudding cup, depositing it in the sink, before stepping next to Antimony, "Let the man be, obviously not an eater like me." Ulanan agreed, “I do not think you will convince Megiddo to eat against his will.” Megiddo only sighed, "If you insist, I could partake of an orange." “Oh, or maybe you can!” Antimony's tail swished behind her in a sharp, broad arc that whacks Alcor on one side of its swing as she emerged from the cupboard victorious with one orange. "Ah, that will do nicely! Give me a moment to peel it..." “I can peel it myself.” Alcor shook his head and leaned against the table next to him. Despite Megiddo’s protests, however, Antimony tutted, already in the process of working the skin off, though her actions were a bit unpracticed. During this, Ulanan seemed to be deeply pondering about the pudding Megiddo gave her. Antimony worked at the orange until she'd got the skin all off and then took another moment casting about for a plate, before finally turning and parading the whole thing over to Megiddo with a warm smile. “There. Perhaps this is more to your liking.” “You can put pudding on top of it!” Ulanan offered. Megiddo turned and took the plate somberly, "Thank you, Antimony." Antimony nodded and brushed her hands against the front of her robe before turning back to the others. "Are there any more stories or...?" “Someone sunk my exciting tale of acrobacy, magic and ancient conspiracies! So no more stories from me.” Ulanan smiled. Orange in hand, Megiddo offered, “I think we should hear the story of Ulanan's wedding.” At this, Antimony blinked and furrowed her brow.  The Duskwight set the plate on the table, extracted a single piece of orange, and held it, waiting. Alcor sighed, "Well, as much as I would love to hear that story, I should be heading on for the night." “Oh! Already...?” There was a moment of confusion, paired with worry, and then, “I mean, I suppose I have held you captive long enough. I'm sorry, I didn't even think if I might be keeping you from something..!” Alcor chuckled, "Nah, nothing so dramatic as that. Though I have someone ta be meetin'. Thank yee much for the dinner. Should do it again, sometime.” Antimony smiled. "Ah, of course! And I will endeavor to have all of the correct ingredients that time." Ulanan stared at Megiddo for quite some time before snapping out of it and looking at Alcor, "I hope you enjoyed our dessert." “It was... pudding.” Alcor smiled slightly. “Yes, Ulanan,” Antimony added. “You did very well with what little I could provide you! It was lovely.” “Pudding is a dessert,” Ulanan corrected the hyur as he walked towards the small house's exit.  Megiddo tossed a "Good evening," to Alcor on his way. The man waved briefly, "See ya lot 'round." Antimony watched Alcor leave, looking a bit uncertain as to how to continue things from this point. "Hm." “Well, that was some pudding!” Ulanan jumped off the table, and Antimony chuckled faintly at her enthusiasm. “I think if we're not getting that story out of Ulanan,” Megiddo spoke up, “I should take this opportunity to leave as well. If I'm to get out of the city before I grow too tired to do so.” Antimony looked up at Megiddo with some surprise, that shifted to a frown, that settled on an accepting smile. "Ah, it is that time, I suppose. Thank you for accepting my invitation." “It was nice of you to stop by, yes.” Megiddo glanced down at Ulanan, then back up to Antimony, "Thank you for inviting me. It is a rare occurrence. Have a good evening." And then he turned to move to the door, just that quickly. Antimony opened her mouth to say goodbye, found herself a bit flustered by the speed of his exit, and then called out rather belatedly, "Be safe!" Megiddo cast a last, brief wave at Antimony, and then was gone. In the lingering silence, Ulanan moved around the table, picking up whatever empty cups were left on it. “Such a friendly folk! ... or friendly folks, should I say. Antimony picked up Megiddo's cup of pudding and looked a bit sadly at the orange left on the table. "... Mm. They are, no matter what some people may say." She turned to the kitchenette, "I'll clean these, so don't you worry about them, Ulanan." Ulanan handed the other, actually empty cups to Antimony. "Are you sure? I figured you'd like to have some rest, for once." Antimony cast a fond smile down at Ulanan. “Oh I'm quite alright. Wouldn't want all of this to crust up, after all.” “I could do it.” Antimony looked down at the array of cups and spoons, then at Ulanan, and considered for a moment before shaking her head. "How about, you dry them and I wash, hm?" Ulanan lifted one accusatory finger. "That...is quite a good agreement!" Maybe it wasn't accusatory after all. At the dubious acceptance, Antimony nodded and began to wash things. As the water ran hot, Ulanan moved behind Antimony towards the shelf and searched for something to dry the washed things that are being washed. “So how was life back in the tribe, compared to Limsa?” Antimony's scrubbing of one cup went suddenly off course and she hissed at a jammed finger. "That..." She blinked down at the cup before slowly scrubbing at it some more. “… Not quite so interesting, I'm sure.” Ulanan found a cloth of sorts, hopefully one suitable for drying, and held it between her hands. "You said marriage was a new concept to you." Antimony brightened at that, oddly. "Ah! Yes! You should tell me of your marriage. From what you've mentioned, it seems... exciting." Ulanan shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Her lips became a thin line. "Well, we were married. Then he died." The directness of the statement froze Antimony for several seconds. She kept quiet for a moment, and then, "Ah, I'm sorry." “It's alright. That was some time ago. But!” She went for a dramatic pause. “Marriage! This is how it works. A man picks you, or you pick a man. Then you get to know each other...or maybe he bribes you...or you bribe him. Or your family does! Or -his- family pushes him into marrying you because you have more money than them...” She turned to Antimony and leveled her with a deeply reflective stare. “Or maybe he has more money than yours and you marry him because money is always good, and he accepts because you are highly educated and pretty and capable of having children.” As the lalafell spoke, Antimony turned to blink at her and handed her a scrubbed-clean cup in silence. Ulanan dried it without paying it much attention. “And then you have children with him! Or not. But if you marry, it's probably because you want decendency. So you do that!” “That... is very complicated and... well, I suppose in a way it's similar...” Antimony looked a bit baffled and chose instead to scrub another cup. “But you were not married.” “No, I was not.” “Yet you had children.” Antimony pressed her lips together and continued to wash the second cup. "Yes." She did not immediately elaborate on this. “Did you have a...uhm...” Ulanan thought for a moment before adding. "...a designated mate?" Antimony hesitated and then sighed, looking down. "In a way." “Well, I guess you -were- married, then.” Antimony shrugged very slightly and handed off the second mug to Ulanan. "I suppose. It was never called such, though. And I've gathered marriage is... ah, exclusive.” Ulanan took the mug and dried it as distractedly as the first one. “It is! Your husband had many wives, I gather? Or...any husband from your tribe...” Ulanan failed to have tact in this matter. Antimony winced and nodded, head bowed. Her hands shook around the third mug as she washed it. “Surely there are other things to discuss than this, though, hm?” Ulanan looked to Antimony's hands, then upwards. "I'm sorry." The woman smiled, "Think nothing of it. Ah," she passed along another mug, "Almost done." “How was the pudding?” Ulanan took the third mug. “Well... I'm no qualified judge of pudding, you should know. But I'm certain it was lacking something because of my own lack of... what was it.. milk?” “We'll get it right next time.” The lalafell smiled brightly. Antimony nodded and set aside the last mug. "Of course. Now, I'm afraid Alcor and Megiddo had the right of it... it is rather late.” To this, Ulanan nodded. “You're free to sleep here for the night if you wish. I.. still don't know where you stay when you aren't here. Ah, that's horrible of me!” “I just get a room at the local inn,” Ulanan shrugged. “Do not bother yourself with it.” Antimony furrowed her brow. "Well, I suppose that's better than sleeping on the streets. I had feared... ah, well, just know that you're always welcome here, Ulanan.' Ulanan laughed, “I'm no beggar! But thank you. I will keep it in mind.” She flashed an apologetic smile. “I didn't mean to imply! I just worry, you know.” Turning from the kitchenette, Ulanan put on her hat which was...lying somewhere! “I know, and I'm thankful for that. But you shouldn't. It's bad for your nerves.” Facing Antimony, she offered a courteous bow. Antimony laughed at that and lifted her hand in farewell. "Please take care when you're walking alone at night." “I will.” And then she was gone, leaving Antimony alone with her thoughts.